Montana Books

This brings back memories, like forty-year snapshots. The author begins Chapter 2 by citing the morality of Calvin and Wesley as to amassing as much wealth as they can, and an 18th century traveler as to the worship of self-interest (also true of other peoples?). There is also the tradition of frugality and plain living, which made a virtue out of a necessity. The author betrays a naive and ascetic outlook in claiming the Roosevelts entered politics for "unselfish reasons" (p.22). Government power leads to riches, in all times and places (Kevin Phillips "Wealth and Democracy"). The author says John F. Kennedy opposed the Titans of Wealth (p.23). But every President represents some parts of the ruling classes, and act for its interests. It is also true that JFK represented change, and a threat to parts of the ruling classes and their "order of things" (p.28). JFK's father was one of the twenty richest men in America, but JFK attracted a huge majority from the minorities (p.31). JFK's politics were to be friendly with everyone. His wealth and power created fear among many Americans. One change was the flaunting of wealth and style, a change from Truman and Eisenhower (p.42). Critics sniped at Jacqueline's spending, the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Chapter 4 notes the changes of the Kennedy administration, more striking in retrospect. The author talks of the "aristocratic and plutocratic conception" of the Kennedy family, and their resentment by many of the well-to-do (jealousy or envy?). Chapter 6 tells of the gangland murders in the Boston area (p.89), and the contacts between "millionaire pillars of the community". [Are they still protected by politicians? Does this explain the Massachusetts laws against Second Amendment rights?] Pages 112-113 list JFK's novel Cabinet appointees; some could have served in Eisenhower's Administration. Page 132 tells of the Defense Dept. control of the American economy. The taxes of the many support the corporations owned by the few. These 'make work' projects prevented another after-war economic depression (p.151). Peace would bring a terrific blow to the oil industry (p.153). The "Alliance For Progress" led to more military coups, and forced capital to flow to the U.S. (p.158). Big Business feared the Kennedy administration (p.174). Chapter 10 explains how Big Oil controls governments (p.189). [You'll never read this in newspapers and magazines!]

Chapter 13 is the heart of this 1968 book - it says the assassination was driven by politics and arranged by a "Committee". It depended on powerful men in the Government who would no interfere (p.288). Chapter 16, and others, are an antidote to the fiction of the Warren Report. Chapter 20 ends the book. The deaths of JFK and RFK were not accidents. [What about JFK Jr.?] The 1960s saw many changes in America (p.375). [One index of the 1960s is that people were economically better off than the decades before or after.] But this chapter's ending became outdated. Thirty-five years later some youthful protesters are now part of the Establishment. Some things have changed, but it still remains the same. The prediction about China is now amusing (p.380). Ten years later the Select Congressional Committee re-opened the investigation; they concluded that there were two shooters (refer to pages 356-7), and effectively demolished the shoddy cover-up of the Warren Commission. More books were written because this was no longer a "controversial topic" that was censored by the Establishment. We've also seen other scandals: Watergate, Contra-gate, Iran-gate. The smiling mask on the Establishment wears thin.

This book could not be distributed in the US at the time it was published in Europe for obvious reasons: the author had seen a copy of the Zapruder film, which contradicts fundamentally the `findings' of the Warren Commission. The Zapruder film was not publicly available at the time.
The copies available today are still censured: they create the illusion that the president's car didn't stop in order to give the snipers a better opportunity to shoot at the president.

This book contains nothing new about the plot, which is debated in only a limited part of it.

For a global evaluation of the JF Kennedy assassination I recommend the book `Deep Politics and the Death of JFK' by Peter Dale Scott.

I cannot recommend this book.

Good, but ULTIMATE SACRIFICE the best book ever
While I thought this book was worthwhile in many respects, ULTIMATE SACRIFICE is simply the best book ever on the JFK assassination.Still, worth your time.

Vince Palamara-JFK/ Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of two books, in over 30 other author's books, etc.)
Pittsburgh, PA

Bill Turner has a pretty interesting collection of work. No matter which side he's on, he always seems interested in the real truth-even if it's the opposite of what it was 20 years ago and 20 years before that and so on. History will tell he is trying to let people know who is really running things. The most powerful people, not necessarily the people with the high IQ's. But what's worse are the killers who think they're acting intelligently out of the most brutal types of professions in the world. What's worse is a Business Army getting paid--a lot--to intelligently force wills on people in the name of freedom. It's ironic how all the politicians are, in hindsight, copying the only President that ever made them mad enough to kill in recent times. No, Kennedy wasn't like any of them. And the same for Robert. They've been etched in history as forcibly being thrown out of the false concept of Politician ilk which inspires running, or hiding, from the press. Or badgering the press. Or being repulsed by any issue which requires courage, or an opportunity to change something big to enhance everyone at least a little instead of all for the little level at the top. They've been sealed by truth with the act of being slain to promote honest justice for the betterment of the whole world and not just the good old US Big Business. Read your bibles. Good book Bill, I'm glad to know someone's fighting for my right to the truth.

I, too, couldn't obtain a copy of this book within the United States for years... Finally, I was able to download [for several hours] a copy off the Internet a few years ago.
Perhaps it's "dated", but that's what makes it all the more valuable a document historically.

And indeed it is, as Bobby and Jackie secretly cooperated with the writing of "Farewell America"...

No WONDER you couldn't get it here for 40 years! It must have SOME validity!

I loved this book! It has action, introspection, and wonderful descriptions throughout. To follow the main character from the beginning of the story when he doesn't even have a name, to the end and throughout all his adventures is a terrific experience for the reader.

I liked this story, yes I did but some parts are unrealistic.
I first read this story for book report and I thought it was O.K.

The Loner always made you think about what would happen next,therefore it was very exciting.

The Loner is a very eciting book. It has a great cast of charecters. My favorite was cluny who keeps you on your toes. the book keeps you thinking about what will happen next and has agreat lesson to it. The story takes place in the mountains of Montana, where a boy runs of and meets a sheepherder named Boss.There was also Jup and Juno who belonged to Boss.

The Loner is about A boy who was a crop picker and moved alot. In this story the boy is going to California but on his way is he is found by a lady named Boss. Boss is very manly and is a sheep hearder. when she finds the boy she names him from the Bible, David.

Item was shipped timely in great condition. I would buy from this seller again. The book is fabulous, I especially like the story titled "Romance", I could read it over and over and till take something away from it. Robert James Waller is a great author with wonderful words.

Since this is a group of essays, it is easy to pick up and read any particular portion at will. I've read "...Rachael's room" several times, cry every time, and it makes me give thanks AND say a prayer for our own son. Love the flow. Each story is unique, and living. I've given a number of these books as gifts, and will again. I'm glad Mr. Waller shared these stories with us.

I found "Old Songs in a New Cafe" to be the choice selection of Waller's essays. Waller is a master of dressing emotions in words and a new experience. I was intrigued with the sensitive prose. Behind it all is a seeker who has "been circling a thousand years and still does not know whether he is a Falcon, or a storm, or a great song." Waller sets me on a high plains afternoon remembering the flowers and the wind, dancing through the late autumn dust remembering those who were free.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope (Amazon.com), South State Street Journal, and Memory Flatlined.

Reads a tremendous lot like Robert Fulghum, but beyond that...

Through essays, the presumably all true story of a man who lived as if he was born with a detailed, incredibly accurate set of instructions and near-Godlike wisdom. Learns pool and billiards as an eleven-year-old kid and beats the town champ. Takes up basketball, making his high school team as a freshman and becoming a good major-school college player. Starts a loving marriage in college that remains super-strong over 25 years later. Plays guitar, and with his small combo is chosen for national TV appearances with Charles Kuralt and Robert Kennedy. Despite all his independent thought, establishes a solid - actually distinguished - career in academia. And, in the decade after this book, writes a novel that may have sold more copies - and tickets to its subsequent movie - than ANY in the 1990's!

And guess what? NONE of this - not even a SCRAP of it, according to the essays - ever misled him or cost him anything! He didn't drop out of school to hustle pool, ignore academics to over-concentrate on basketball, discover his wife who he chose at age 22 didn't fit his ever-evolving life at age 50, go for a low-paying full-time music career, QUIT music altogether and lose the fun of playing recreationally, or constrict his thinking by getting it in line with the PC work setting of a university.

Not only did he seem to be always doing the exact right thing at the right time, he avoided every trap there was.

Amazing! Have never seen a life so comprehensively superb since Jennifer Beals' in Flashdance, and she was FICTIONAL!

So, Robert James, we have two ways to interpret you. You can be one of the most premier renaissance men of our time, or an archly annoying "perfect" person akin to Martha Stewart. So, my challenge to you is - write an essay, telling us in detail, how in at least one instance YOU, not circumstances, luck or the people around you - have FAILED. Have you done it? Can you do it?

I enjoyed reading this biography of writings by Robert James Waller. I, too, felt he was very similar to Robert Fulghum in his approach to life; a reverence for all that is simple and beautiful in this world. After reading only his fictional works, I gained a deep appreciation of the author himself and am refreshed that someone with a PhD in business can have a soul.

This book is a valuable contribution in refuting the falsehoods spread by the so-called "Christian" Right, and particularly by the far Right Christian Identity movement which is even more extremist. It is a good companion to a wonderful new book titled Real Prophecy Unveiled: Why the Christ Will Not Come Again, And Why the Religious Right Is Wrong, by Joseph J. Adamson. And another good book is A Pilgrim's Path, by John J. Robinson. Thank God for books like these, because they shed light in a world made dark by "religious" bigotry, hypocrisy, and aggression. They give me faith that the humble and meek shall inherit the earth after all.

This is a good history of the Christian Identity movement. The biggest fault this book has is it barely touched on the huge influence the old Mormon faith (before it became pc) had on Identity doctrine. As much of a kook religion as it is Identity theology has always fascinated me. I do find it rather odd that some of the biggest foaming at the mouth Jew haters are people who either practice religions that have roots in the Jewish culture or even claim that they are Jews themselves. Its like they have Jew envy or something.

Barkun recites a Talmudic workmanlike account of Identity recent history, but he is intentionally selective in omitting material which is damaging to his worldview, he is a Russian jew living in USA. In the book, Barkun seeks to downplay the real genealogy of (just what he is) an Ashkenaizic "jew". He omits scholarship such as Prof Wexler of Tel Aviv which shows that the Ashkenazi jews are not at all "Bible Jews". This alone verifies the core teaching of Identity preachers: the illusive Identity of the dominant "jewish" group. What else does Barkun, who is clearly a bright fellow, what else does he conceal in his book and which would undercut his thesis? He speaks of Dispensationalism but he never goes on to tell us that Scofield who concocted a very popular Bible commentary ca 1900, was largely funded by Zionist jews such as Schiff. Schiff was the same Russian jew who through his Wall Street brokerage virtually funded the "Russian Revolution" which resulted in the killings by Russian jews of over 50 million Christians in Russia and Ukraine. You could either attribute these deaths (Christians murdered by jews) as being of Satanic or earthly origins, but they clearly are a part of history. The recent book The Black Book of Communism, which is clearly not "an evil Christian Identity book", lavishly documents these crimes.

What else does Barkun selectively omit from his book. He glosses over Identity persons and groups which he apparently realizes are helpful to the cause of jewish zionism. For instance, he says at the outset that he will have little to say about Herbert Armstrong. Any man who lived through the era of 1930 through World War 2 and on through the 1970s surely remembers listening on the radio to The World Tomorrow --Armstrong and his son Garner Ted Armstrong. But, Armstrong clearly taught Identity and Armstrong LOVED the jews. He cheered on Roosevelt and his jewish advisors who faked the "surprise attack at Pearl Harbor" to bring America into WW II and the deaths of many million Christians --all for the benefit of the jews. The reason Barkun has very little to say about Armstrong is because: here was a Christian Identity preacher whom the jews used to advance their goals of eliminating Germany and creating the marxist experimental State called "Israel". Another Identity preacher of today who serves the jews is Pastor Arnold Murray of Arkansas. In fact, the leading Identity preacher now in 2007 is Murray and his Shepherd's Chapel. He is on TV, radio, Internet, and shortwave. There is no stronger supporter of the jews and Israel. No mention of Murray in Barkun's book. Can you guess why? There are several other very significant omissions in this book. And, it is both obvious that Barkun was shrewd both in making conclusions and in failing to connect the dots in many areas.

This book does a very good job of attempting to trace the origin of Chrisitan Identity up to the current day. While it does cover material that is already common knowldege amongst those familiar with Christian Identity, and it doesn't address fully the current members of this right-wing movement, I would suggest this book to anyone who has a rudementary understanding of Christian Identity but who would like to learn more.

While I highly enjoyed this book and found it meticulously, yet engagingly, researched, I will try to refrain from repeating what other reviewers have already stated. What I would like to add, is that I was unexpectedly impressed with the tortuous connections Barkun unearthed between the Identity/British-Israel sects/movements and other strains of Protestants and Pentecostals. I felt that I learned not only about Identity, but also gained a wider perspective on America's colorful religious history. Barkun also did an admirable job of maintaining a degree of objectivity and emotional distance from his subject, preventing a preachy or moralistic tone from overwhelming the book.

This is a great devotional that draws on a wide range of scripture and also on President Carter's long, interesting, diverse, and meaningful life. Not only is Carter a good exegete of scripture, but his genuine faith comes through in every page. He writes in a very personal style that makes you feel like you're studying the scriptures with a favorite uncle...who happened to be the leader of the free world some years back.

The book is divided into 52 short sermonettes, I suppose so you can read one a week for a year (though you will almost certainly want to read it faster than that). These sections are further subdivided into 9 sections: The Word Became Flesh, His Healing Touch, Who is my Neighbor?, What We Believe, Christians in the World, To Know and Worship, God's Riches at Christ's Expense, When the Road is Rough, and God's Call. The messages are broad enough that you can likely find a word of hope or encouragement or challenge somewhere in here, depending on what it is that you need to hear.

The meditations are intellectually stimulating, yet simple enough that I have used some of them as reading for my youth group.

In his life, Jimmy Carter has shown what is means to live out your faith. In this book, he reflects on what that can look like for us.

Thoughtfully written, this is one of those books to keep on the night stand and read one chapter a night and meditate upon the lesson set forth in the chapter. Highly recommend.

I gained a respect for Jimmy Carter that until now was only a fair assessment of the man. I know he wrote this with the intention of being a once a week reading, but I have just about finished it in just under two weeks with intentions to reread it many many more times. His style of writing has left me with the desire to read many more of his works. One cannot help but to find ones faith taken to a higher level after reading his Bible Teachings.

This is the very first book I read of Carter. I never expected that an ex-president, supposed to be pragmatic and rational, can have written such a beautiful, sensational, clear and to the point spiritual book. Not a few messages, but fifty-two meaningful and insightful ones in this 241 page book. The format is traditional, with three to four pages of elaboration on a particular biblical verse. Nevertheless, the impact is great and you really feel your faith and spiritual strength being enhanced through reading it, of course with intermittent prayers in between for optimal effect. I dont want to comment it as a tool book, but it does serves its purpose really well.

In short, a great read not to be missed! It's the best and the least difficult spiritual book I had read in months, after the intense round of five to six Philip Yancey books I read about half a year before, which I still deem them the very best amongst all christian books.

p.s. Below please find two good passages for your reference:-

Pg 74: The context for Jesus's stories about the Samaritans, ...For Samaritan, substitute black, Muslim, AIDS, Haitian - or perhaps roll them all into one! ... His acknowledging the gratitude of the healed leper and using a Samaritan's actions as epitomizing the Golden Rule are powerful lessons against prejudice.

Pg 112: We argue incessantly about separation of church and state, the priesthood of believers, ordination of women, prayer in schools, gay rights, predestination ... and any number of other "crucial" issues. Perhaps worse than the Corinthians, we forget the solid, unquestionable, unifying foundation of our faith in in the gentle Jesus, full of grace and truth. As Cecil Sherman has said, "Too many churches are majoring in the minors."

I cannot express in words how important this book is to me. I started reading it during a very difficult time in my life and it really helped me. Many people look for spiritual guidance, but let's face it, the bible can be a difficult read. Jimmy Carter takes passages from the bible and explains what he thinks they mean. However, Carter does it in a very loving and objective way. Mr. Carter speaks of the compassionate and forgiving Christ. There is no finger pointing and moralizing here. Mr. Carter simply tries to relay what God's message is and how me might live it. Although I am not a Baptist like Jimmy Carter, I really felt in tune with what he had to say. If the bible by itself has not helped you to understand God's greater message, maybe this book will.

I enjoyed how he would explain a concept then relate it to the business world, and finally give an example of how the concept helped on the court.

I have enjoyed this book and have given it to friends and family on several occasions. This is not a book about basketball, but uses the sport to illustrate leadership priniples. Each chapter discusses a leadership concept and is broken into three parts- Coach Smith's insight, a player discussing how the concept affected him, and a business angle. This is easily in the top five books written about leadership!

This book is more than your typical sports book. Sure, it's filled with stories about games, seasons, and individual players. Each chapter starts out with Coach Smith explaining a particular aspect of his coaching methodology. A Player's Perspective follows outlining how the particular aspect and Dr. Bell relates the aspect to the modern workplace. This book is all about building teams.

The Carolina Way can be summed up by these words: Play Hard; Play Together; Play Smart. For example, Coach Smith talks about recruiting players that will fit into his system. Dr. Bell then takes those ideas one step further and relates the recruiting to hiring workers. Another example is Dean Smith held regular one-on-one meetings with each of his players to discover their goals in life as well as basketball. Dr. Bell then outlines how you can pattern employee reviews around these same principals.

I personally got a lot out of this book and plan on implementing some of the strategies in my own team.

Dean Smith is without a doubt one of the best college basketball coaches in the history of the NCAA. I think the win total speaks for itself, and in this book he tells just how he has made it to that milestone. He gives details on his philosophy and past players weigh in on Smith's coaching. This is good for any young coaches out there, or just basketball fans in general. This book is a must have for anyone that loves basketball.

Dean Smith's book The Tarheel Way was a great read. This book is for kids 12 and up. Unlike many sports books it relates sports to the real world. Dean Smith and his co-writers do a great job of that.

Dean Smith's book talks about the way he ran his basketball team. Dean Smith was all about life lessons and how basketball related to the real world. He does a great job of explaining the recruiting process in his book. He also talks about players leaving early for the NBA and he is ok with that because it gives them financial security for life. He also emphasizes how basketball gives students life lessons that they can carry on in life, or in there work place. Dean Smith had a great understanding of the game of basketball and in life in general. In his book, it is forwarded by people like Roy Williams who have nothing but great respect for him as a coach, and is a person. If you are interested in how a college basketball team is run, Dean Smith's The Tarheel Way is a must read for you.

Hidden in an underground laboratory the military are conducting experiments on human beings. The military desire to enhance the human's brain capacity and intelligence. Computer chips are used as implants to facilitate this experiment. Unfortunately, the military-prisoners subjects chosen for the experiment are not as carefully thought out. They escape and wreak havoc along their way to global domination. However, one of their members dies and his corpse becomes hard evidence of their evil plot.

That is as much as I should tell of the plot....I don't want to give too much away.

This novel is similar in style and feel to the "X-Files" television series and yet in many ways far superior. Most of the characters are realistic and behave as real people would and the plot is very realistic. You get the feeling that this could have happened (well...sort of) and that's what makes it fun. The whole concept of "one person against a hidden society of criminal geniuses" is always exciting and full of action.

A note on the author's style, I found Wilson to be short on description and visual cues. What you are left with is the plot, which is pretty darn good. Wilson writes this taut thriller very well and leaves it up to you to fill in the gaps. I know he couldn't have told us more about the people involved because some of them are the bad guys...Wilson wants us to figure out which side a person plays on. Overall a good story and fun to read.

I gave this book two stars for the following reasons -

As with the other reviewers, I like the idea/concept and, as you get into the novel, when you realize that the antagonists are practically omnipotent, it makes for an interesting question. How in the world is the protagonist going to win? So, for the idea, I agree that the book would probably rate 4 stars.

But the writing style is excruciatingly painful to read and rates 0 stars. Mr. Wilson writes in a manner that one might tentatively compare to Ernst Hemingway. Hemingway, among other things, was famous for his terse sentences and taut writing style. The problem is, Hemingway was celebrated for it because he was so good at it. Mr. Wilson's phrasing got on my nerves so bad it often made my skin crawl. To give an example - and this is right out of the book mind you - Mr. Wilson writes:

'She looked at the door. She wondered if there was someone there. There was no sound. She had thought she heard a sound. A sound of someone there. But there was no sound.'

I'm sorry, but that's just BAD writing. Mr. Wilson also constantly overuses his adjectives. Never does a security guard run up to them. It always has to be a tall, thin security guard. There is never just a policeman - it always has to be a short, overweight policeman or an older, graying gentleman, or a tall, ropy-muscled, deeply-tanned villain, etc. It gets old very fast.

Mr. Wilson also had a bad habit of repeating words in the next sentence. Most novelists will take great pains to avoid this but he did it thirty or forty times. He would write.

'He knew that they had to hasten out of there so not to get caught. They hastened down the hall.'

I can only believe that his editor was in spasms laughing so hard when he read this that he actually forgot to circle the second hastened and write NEW WORD above it.

My final criticism is minor but it still got on my nerves. Michael Crichton, in his excellent book Travels, stated that his father, as a newspaper reporter, taught him that you never want to use the word obviously. The logic is, if it is obvious, then why state it. Mr. Wilson uses the word obivously approximately 50 times throughout the book (I lost count after 42). It's a minor complaint, but every time I saw the word, it was like someone was running their fingernails down the chaulkboard.

In summary, a high concept novel with low-level execution.

once again charles wilson has written a suspensful technothriller. a bit of a slow starter, but once he gets going... the further i got into the book, the faster i was reading, and the more taunt wilson kept it. a good job.

The Master storyteller has done it again...As an avid C harles Wilson fan this book kept me riveted to it,s covers from start to finish.I would highly reommend this book to read. And sit back,strap-in,take the ride& enjoy.

In 1990, in a secret underground military base in Montana, five criminals serving time in Leavenworth were used for an unusual and groundbreaking experiment: they had micro computer chips implanted in their brains. But the experiment backfires when the criminals use their now-enhanced mental powers to escape and begin a gradual take over of certain areas of life, including politics and law enforcement. Ten years later, one of the original recipients of a chip dies in a freak car accident in Jackson, Mississippi, and a pathologist inadvertantly removes the chip during the autopsy. Not wanting their diabolical plan to be discovered, the "chippees" (to borrow a term used above) will do anything to recover the chip, including murder. Dr. Spence Stevens, distraught over losing his friend and mentor, is convinced that something suspicious is behind the murder, and asks his old friend Joey to look into it. Joey, an emotionally disturbed military man now turned private detective, begins to unravel a plan so intricate and cleverly-disguised that he bumps into dead ends every time he thinks that he has a new clue. Finally he asks his friend FBI agent Bob Kennedy for help. After Joey loses his life in an "accident," Spence and Kennedy realize that whoever wants them out of the picture is playing for keeps. The twists and turns in the plot will keep you spellbound, and as the plot develops, more and more people become involved until you never know whom to trust. Should Spence trust the beautiful newspaper reporter Christen, his loyal assistant Flo, or even FBI agent Bob? You won't know who is a good "chippee" and who is a bad "chippee" until the very end! Charles Wilson is a master of the complicated plot and Game Plan is one of his best scientific thrillers yet.

This book is amazing - actual floor plans, and Sears would send you absolutely everything you need to build whatever house you choose.

I have had this book since it first came out and am now on my fourth copy of it as I have totally abused the others in my search for Sears Homes and while doing research for my book. This book is a valuable source of information and no true Sears Home Lover should be without it. This is the first book ever written about Sears Homes and it is still the one I turn to when I have a question. The author and I have been in many of the same interviews and videos but have never met, I have to rectify this. Let's meet Katherine!!!

This book probably provides useful information for persons otherwise unfamiliar with this genre of house and architecture, but personally I found two things about it particularly annoying: first, its small size. Many plans are reduced to the point where they might just as well be heavy line diagrams, and second, I find direct reproduction of original text to be far preferable to the uniform re-typing found here. Original text tends to be just as legible and lets the reader know with no uncertainty what is, in fact, original text. In all fairness, I have to say that since I am an architect and very familiar with house plans in general, my review may not apply to all readers. I much prefer the direct reproductions, and without a doubt favor a larger format.

I found Houses by Mail to be very helpful and informative.

This book is a great collection of designs and illustrations but what disappointed me most was that some houses did not have floor plans at all while some only had a downstairs and no upstairs floor plan illustrated. I was especially disappointed about those without any floorplans since I have seen floorplans elsewhere on the internet on various archive lists, the same goes for interior illustrations which I really expected to be many more of. I hoped it would be a 'Bible' or ultimate reference book to Sears homes but I guess I need to complement it with my own internet research.
I am not sure if I would recommend it to somebody who has high expectations and such a great love for these old homes like me.

Everything was great . the book was like new when i recieved it! very satisified with my order!

This book looks at how Native Americans are (re)constructing their communities, on their own terms. There's a lot of diversity in how various tribes are doing this, and Bordewich shows us this variety.

The author spent a lot of time on Indian reservations as a kid, for his mother was a (white) activist who worked with Native Americans. Bordewich has clearly inherited his mother's passion for justice for Native Americans. Though very sympathetic, he is also uncomfortable with much that masses as conventional wisdom among Natives and their allies today.

For example, what does it mean to identify as Eastern Band Cherokee if you and those around you have only one-fourth, or one-eighth, or one-sixteenth Cherokee blood? What is the role of genetics in establishing a community anyway? What if someone who grew up off-reservation has more Indian blood than you do but doesn't belong to the community?

To what extent should small communities defined by genetics and by heritage be given autonomy or independence from the people who live in and around them? Or even authority over them? For example, can a tribe close a white-owned liquor store on private land within a reservation's boundaries, even if most of the people who live within those boundaries are white? Why or why not?

Bordewich asks those questions, with genuine sympathy for both sides. He's also courageous enough to be honest on painful issues such as alcoholism.

In addition to talking about their relations with the white world, Bordewich examines questions of culture and politics as seen from inside Native communities, as they try to determine what it means to be Indian today. What should tribes do with the bones of their ancestors when they get them returned from museums? How do they know whether given bones are associated with their tribe or not? Does even a genetic link with a thousand-year-old civilization imply a cultural link?

Tribes have gained control of own resources. Should tribes encourage logging, mining, the construction of landfills, or (yes) casinos on their land in order to succeed in a modern, capitalist economy?

Finally, in the political realm, Bordewich writes approvingly of the many tribes who have successfully asserted their rights to govern themselves. Yet here too there are complexities. In the modern world, when tribal governments violate democratic rules or their members' civil rights, should Indians appeal to federal courts or should they try to solve the problem internally?

If you're interested in the political and cultural issues facing American Indians today, and if you want both sides of the issues so that you can make up your own mind, this is the book you want. Highly recommended.

I disagree with the reviewer on here who thinks the author is trying to push some kind of ridiculous agenda. Although I did learn a lot that I didn't know before, it's pretty common knowledge that many reservations are poorly-run places with little to no infrastructure and utilities where the people live steeped in poverty. Is the author's idea that Native American societies should participate in modern business in order to revitalize their economies and provide for their people a racist and degrading proposition? Do you really think his arguments for overhauling badly mismanaged tribal governments in order to better service native peoples are given in the spirit of racism and deceipt?

I think shedding such a unique and supposedly sell-out perspective as his on the subject is extremely important. Sticking to an agenda of just romanticizing the lost Native world won't soon help alleviate the poverty, alcoholism and dysfunction that plagues "Indian Country" in this day and age.

Bordewich pretends to be dispelling stereotypes about Indian peoples, but this is just a thin disguise for his real agenda. The book is an attack against Indian sovereignty and against the existence of tribal cultures. Bordewich argues that Native peoples should just assimilate into mainstream American culture and forget about their own. Any Indian who dresses in suit and tie and embraces Bordewich's very conservative political agenda is portrayed in this book as a "good Indian". Anyone else is portrayed as a romantic blinded by stereotypes. Bordewich, however, does not have the decency to be honest about his political agenda, but tries to make his conclusions appear as the work of an impartial observer. In order to beef up his argument, he quotes many scholars out of context and completely twists their statements in an effort to give legitimacy to his conclusions. This is one of the most dishonest, sneaky books I have read in a long time.

Bordewich has written a book that may appear to go againt stereotypes of Native Americans but this is just a thin disguise for the real purpose of the book which is an all-out assault on indian rights. On just about every issue, Bordewich glorifies those Indian peoples who are willing to assimilate to mainstream American culture while portraying those who want to hold on to their own, unique cultures as "fundamentalists" who are hopeless in their devotion to romantic stereotypes. Accusing anyone who is not willing to go along with his obviously conservative political bias of being addicted to stereotypes is Bordewich's way to squash anyone with different political views. His political bias is so strong that in several occasions it affects the quality of his research since he tries at all costs to pigeonhole the facts to fit his thesis. Pretending to be an objective reporter out to debunk stereotypes makes this a very deceptive book. My advice is to stay away and read someone who is more honest about his/her agenda.

"I found this book to be tedious and boring. The writing was very poor and the story line will put you to sleep.

I didn't even think the book flap described the plot very well.

By the end, I was skipping entire pages just to finish the book.

The main character was someone that no one could relate to. I had no sympathy or empathy for her.

Just an awful read."

The plot goes something like Ana Grey, an FBI agent is given a case where an actress alleges that her doctor got her addicted to drugs. It was supposed to be a simple case, but seems to get more complicated at every turn.Grey is also dealing with issues surronding the murder of a cousin she never knew she had, including questions about what she was lead to believe concerning her family. I strongly recommend this book to people looking to discover a great new writer.This a page-turner and as good as her latest book, The Judas Horse.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Ms. Smith's style is simple and clean; yet in 368 pages she has crafted no less than 10 complicated, realistic characters and no less than 3 intriguing subplots--it is like watching that tiny car at the circus out of which many clowns emerge, each in a different brightly-colored costume, each with a unique face.

She had me by page 3; my attention was riveted by each character, so real and are they.

Ms. Smith is one of those writers who make Los Angeles come alive. She writes of the communities of the Hispanic immigrant, the wealthy white upper middle class and the working class. Ana, the protagonist, belongs to two of the worlds: her father is from El Salvador and her mother was a blue collar/middle class white. In the course of this mystery novel Ana explores both worlds and discovers fascinating things that had been concealed from her.

The characters and the settings ring true and and the plot effortlessly reels us in.

Highly recommended!

Depending on libraries is cheap but sometimes not always the best way to go. This is probably one of those times, since I generally wouldn't chose an abridged audiobook. In this case, this editors seemed to have sucked the life out of Ana Grey. So many of the other reviewers talk about an intriguing new protagonist. Well, the Ana I heard was boring and a bit whiney. I just didn't like her.

Tape or no tape, the bigger plot is also a bit out there - not the movie star part or the Salvadoran refugees -- just that Ana is related to them. Smith does a good job of portraying life in Los Angeles north of Montana Ave.

So, my advice - read the paper version, if anything. If you really want a sizzling new writer from So. Cal - try Don Winslow.

a solid book, garunteed satisfaction. more please!