Montana Books

CJ Leach has said it all very well in his review above. I agree completely.The negatives are "simple" characters", near cliche situations (relationshipwise, not action), and some tech details - well, the author is a nuke sailor, not a diesel boat sailor. But he has done very well and I'll read his other work.

Nit-picky details: the boat is called 244, and crew appreciates the good work the builders at Electric Boat did. EB built govt plan style boat. Then later, mentions it was built at Portsmouth (different construction plans/style entirely). Says it's a Balao.

The real 244 was an EB Gato with different name. If it were me, I would have not mentioned the # and left it at the fake name, and straightened out just which type of boat she was: EB Gato or Portsmouth Balao.

But good action, imaginative stuff and reads pretty well. Finished in 3 days of lunches and night reading.

For those of us who are interested in reading about World War II, this is an excellent book (paperback) about some of the brave men and women who were involved in that epic struggle. The story takes place in the Pacific, about a year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The main character is a submariner named Lieutenant Commander "Jack" Tremain. This novel is about the men of the "silent service" and it is very exciting and informative. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The writer, R. Cameron Cooke, is a submariner himself and I enjoyed his first book so much, I am now reading his second one ("Sink The Shigure"). This second novel also takes place in the Pacific during World War II and it is a sequel to the first one.

New skipper takes over hard luck sub during WWII and goes out to kick butt. This book probably would have been a John Wayne movie a few decades ago. The action is taught, the plot moves along at a decent pace, and it is definatly a page turner.

R. Cameron Cooke has done an excellent, but not perfect, job of describing WWII in the Pacific submarine warfare. Much to his credit, he frames his story simply. The U.S.S. Mackerel, a submarine, comes back from its second successive unsuccessful patrol. It's captain is replaced and his successor, Lt. Cmdr. Tremaine, becomes responsible for shaping up the crew, keeping them alive and sinking enemy ships.

Cooke keeps the pressure on all through the book, perhaps a bit too much so as he has this particular sub seeing a lot of action. But Cooke wants to tell the stories of the unusually brave men who manned submarines in WWII, the risks they took against an equally determined enemy, the problems inherent to a chain of command that has some putting their lives at risk at the orders of others who sit in chairs behind desks and risk nothing more than drinking too much coffee.

Cooke tells his story well. We see military courage, a willingness to sacrifice life for country, the closeness of a military unit, the tension, even cowardice.

"Pride Runs Deep" is a quick read - and a rewarding one.

Jerry

Briefly - this is a WW II tale of a Pacific Theater "hard luck" submarine, which is reassigned to be placed under the command of experienced and hard-nosed commander, Jack Tremain. Tremain "whips the crew into top-notch shape" and they "see a lot of heavy action". Pardon all of my quote marks, but there are too many such cliche's in the book, particularly in the early portion.

Possibly this book is better than the 3 stars I rated it at. It seems that there are almost two books here - as if author R. Cameron Cooke was learning how to write in the first half of the story, and in the second half he penned a very good submarine adventure yarn.

In that underachieving opening half, Cooke establishes his characters, which seem to be usually overstated. Example - hero Captain Jack Tremain, that steely-eyed lean-jawed killer of the deep. (On the cold war submarine that I spent five years on we would have simply called this guy a pr----. And the atmosphere would be more akin to The Caine Mutiny). The bar room dialogue was unbelievable (were the participants reading from a book?). Cooke rather neglects the enlisted crewmen. Except for performing tasks, they are mostly unaddressed. (A little attention is given to one that commits suicide).

Although the author earned his own gold (officer) dolphins, apparently engineering was not his forte'. For the mechanically minded, it shows through in the book and is occasionally distracting. For example, arguably the eleven bullet holes (and uh, who counted those?) in a main ballast tank is NOT minor damage to be lived with and remedied by only an occasional blow from the ship's air banks . . . because it's possible that THE AIR LOSS EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF THE SHIP'S AIR COMPRESSORS on this WW II boat, which are high pressure, LOW VOLUME units. The bullet holes through the pressure hull described in the book (not sure if feasible, but probably would be on a diesel boat) would easily and effectively be repaired by a ship's diver from the OUTSIDE, but not with shoring from the inside as is done in the novel. I believe we saw the "drain pump knocked off of its foundation" on two different battle occasions. Fix that weak link please. I was often distracted from a very engaging part of the story by one of these technical misdemeanors and sometimes felt like calling out, "Bravo Sierra, Mr. Cooke".

Concerning the technical aspect of the book related to weapons, I'm not a weapons expert, but that analysis of the book seemed OK. By the way - the "jam dive" scenario, as described in the book, would seem to have been been non-recoverable. I believe the author took it overly far for effect, but again, it creates an unrealistc distraction.

On the upside, the book is entertaining, and it does contain a wealth of realistic and accurate detail regarding submarine design and operation. Much more so than one usually sees in this genre'. It starts rather disappointingly, what with the cliche's and flaws that I've criticized - but it seems that once the author established his characters and setting, he warmed to his work and wrote a pretty good tale that ends up as rather a page turner in the last third of the book. The author remains true to the characters he created and they become somewhat "lovable" to the reader. The final battle story is a first-class, white-knuckle tale.

I read all of it, and overall, enjoyed the novel. It could have easily been better with a consulting editor to clean up the technical errors, occasional overcharacterizations, and awkward start.

If Mr. Cooke was indeed "learning as he wrote", I look forward to a superb second novel from him.

Lovely book. Not only did I enjoy it, but helped support a hospital I feel very strongly about. A good balance to all the terrible things happening in the world. A view of the other side.

This book is a MUST HAVE follow up to the original title; The Right Words at the Right Time. This time around Marlo Thomas has collected stories from every day people like you and me that are touching and heartfelt. They are meant to both inspire and encourage, and they do just that. I highly recommend this book as well as the original.

Excellent book! It's a good feeling book, and knowing that the proceeds support St. Jude's Hospital makes it even better.

"Volume 2" is a sequel to Marlo Thomas' 2002 New York Times Best Selling "The Right Words at the Right Time." Thomas' best seller featured famous, successful people who wrote about the words that changed their lives.

Thomas in "Volume 2" features 101 people from all walks of life (including a prisoner) who, as in the first book, share their stories about the words that changed their lives. These stories were solicited by Parade Magazine from its readers who championed Thomas' first book.

These books were written to show how the right words can transform as they challenge us at a crossroads, helping us through times of sorrow, and calling us to action.

While there are many inspiring stories, I did not find this book as inspirational as the first. Nevertheless, Thomas does well in prompting each of us to think about those words that came to us at the "right time," and in reminding us that we, too, can play a critical role in another's life - when they need the "Right Words at the Right Time."

If you're over 50, white and wealthy, this book is for you. If you are someone who has dealt with many of life's hardships, please do not look to this book for inspiration. It is such fluff, I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in it. Nothing profound lies within, it is poorly re-written and, seems to me, a quick way for Thomas to make some money and keep her name out there.

Written by a wealthy older white person, for other wealthy older white people.

P.S. I am white.

As someone who is in the midst of wedding planning, this book was a really nice change. I am going for a much more low key affair than the "traditional" wedding and none of the wedding books I pick up address the things I am looking for. Except this one... It has basic information about the different parts of the wedding ceremony and what they mean and some ideas on how to incorporate them or why it's ok to ditch them. It gave me a lot of ideas about the type of ceremony I want to have and ways to include those people important to me. It is generally Protestant Christian in nature and talks about pieces of various Protestant wedding ceremonies.
I was very glad to finally be able to buy a wedding book that didn't tell me I needed tons of flowers, bows on the pews, a ring bearer and other things we had opted not to have.

I hardly write reviews but I felt the need to as it cast a negative shadow at a time of joy.
I was very excited for my upcoming wedding and the thought of a book that would remind me to focus on the more heartfelt aspects of this important commitment sounded wonderful.
I got something totally different than I had expected. This book has so many things that sounded like mocking, negative judgements of the "wrong way" to do things that it literally hurt my heart to read it.
After reading half the book I had to put it down.
I hope that you will enjoy your wedding planning with a warm and open heart and make a choice based on what it right for you.

This book is based on Christian traditions (which is what I wanted, so if you are looking for that viewpoint this is perfect for you). What I love about it is that it tells where wedding traditions came from and possible alternatives if you decided you did not want a completely traditional wedding. It gives a lot of different reading options if you are tired of hearing the same thing at every wedding you go to. I am not engaged, but I buy this book for every couple I know that gets engaged and I hope someone will pass it on to me when it is my turn. :)

This book is an excellent way to help couples discuss the details of their wedding in a way that draws them beyond the pretty, the petty and the grandiose values that sometimes drive their decisions. It helps them ask the right questions, and gives lots of examples and wise reflections. A great engagement gift.

This well-written guide is a must for all prospective brides and grooms and for their families as well. The authors take a refreshing and decidedly spiritual, yet nonsectarian, approach to the institution of marriage. While generally Christian in their viewpoint, they are careful to include attitudes, traditions, and writings from other religions and from the secular world as well. The reader is lovingly taken through each of the events that surround the wedding ceremony and step by step through the ceremony itself, and the meaning of each portion is given clearly and concisely. The authors emphasize the inclusive nature of the wedding ceremony. Like a good mystery novel, the book is difficult to put down once it is started. The one risk is that the reader, once having absorbed the authors' lessons and values, may decide to jettison some of the supposedly traditional, yet superfluous, outdated, and costly, trappings that seem to have accreted onto many present day weddings. The result, however, will be a marriage ceremony, pared of nonessentials, which will be both more meaningful and moving for all who are present. My wife and I found this book invaluable as we, our daughter, and her fiancé prepared for their wedding, and I truly wish that it had been available for our own.

I bought this dictionary for my daughter for school. She loves the extras in it, like the phrases and additional notes. She said that makes it even better than she expected. Great choice for high school Spanish class.

This is the best Spanish-English dictionary I have found. I have purchased several for my ESL classes.

The Vox Compact Spanish-English Dictionary is good, and weighs one pound 12 ounces. The Oxford Spanish Desk Dictionary is better and weighs two pounds. Neither fits in your pocket. I suggest buying either a pocket dictionary for traveling (light), or buying the Oxford dictionary for studying or traveling not so light. There's no reason to buy the Vox dictionary, except maybe price. Also, the Oxford Spanish Dictionary is mis-titled, it should be the Oxford Spanish-Engish Dictionary. It's equally for English speaking learning Spanish or Spanish speakers learning English.

It is quite complete with all the verb forms, comjugations and tenses that we learned in High School. But, because of the varying dialects, there were a few words I could not find. Living in the Southwest, the Mexican influence over the Spanish is marked. For instance the word 'estraner' or 'te estrano', for "I Miss You" is not in this dictionary which made it a disappointment for me.

Although many people use this dictionary for their classes, I have noticed that they do no spend enough time to update the dictionary. There are many current words that are not in, like blog. However, the most unappeling thing is that their books as poorly make. They one section of the dictionary in one font, and oter sections in another, it looke like they just put pieces together.

I would not recomend it. The paper quality is not the best it rips quite easily too. Not impressed at all.

I read the book and it is very detailed on the types of headaches, medications, and the triple therapy.
I was so impressed with the book that I went to see him.
I got a shot of magnesium and started to feel a little better
I am taking the triple therapy and the intensity of my migraines is getting less.
His tips on giving up caffeine, starting exercise, are tough but I am trying to little by little.
The book is very well written and easy to read for the layman.
I would highly recommend it

Thank you so much Dr. Mauskop for all of your hard work; that you are doing on migraines. I found this book to be very helpful, and I have a better understanding of migraines. Thank you again for all your time that you put into this book This book is a MUST for everyone; but those that suffer from migraines it is gold in your hands. The approach that Dr. Mauskop shows in this book is very helpful, and anyone can read this book and understand. It is not over someones head, it is for the lay person. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

This book is somewhat helpful. I read it after reading "Heal your Headache!",
which sort of set the standard.
This book does contain some helpful tips but my impressions and observations
are that it is dancing around the fringes of the migraine root causes, whereas
"Heal your headache!" gets much closer to the real problem.
You can't go wrong by reading this book, but it is not the final answer either.

I had been a migraine sufferer for several years when I came across this book. I had previously been seen by several neurologists and offered many different prescriptions, but none of them helped me. (Indeed, one physician threw me out of his practice, insisting my symptoms were either psychosomatic or that I was purposely pretending!) After following the recommendations in this book, I found that the duration, frequency and intensity of my migraines decreased dramatically. It presents a commonsense approach to migraine relief by attacking the source of the body inbalance that causes the migraines in the first place. I believe that all migraine sufferers, whether helped or not by medication, should first utilize the suggestions made by Dr. Mauskop as a foundation of treatment. Even if you are not made completely free of migraine suffering, you most certainly will find your pain much reduced. And if you are lucky, you might be able to avoid those prescribed medications entirely, with all their attendant serious side effects!

The book describes nutritional ways to combat migraines (trigger foods to avoid) and indicates that one should take magnesium, feverfew, and riboflavin. If that doesn't work, it recommends drugs. The magnesium-feverfew-riboflavin didn't work for me (though I don't doubt it may work well for others). My problem with the book is that there are other supplements that can help. For instance, I read (elsewhere) that taking melatonin can help prevent early morning migraines. This has indeed prevented my early morning migraines. So, I would recommend reading the book, but be advised the information is not comprehensive.

This is the book to give to someone who is going to visit Japan for the first time.

If you are going on a trip to Japan, take "What's What in Japanese Restaurants" with you. It is a handy, pocket-sized reference book that will save you many a stomach-ache and hopefully let you discover many a good taste. Not all strange Japanese food is to be feared!

The guide outlines many of the main Japanese foods, a few ways to eat them and some simple restaurant etiquette. The food are named in both English and Japanese, with the Japanese written in Katakana and Hiragana. This is important, as most Japanese menus will not contain an English translation.

The books small size is most convenient, as luggage space can be at a premium. In the end, you will be glad you brought this book along.

This book seemed like an excellent book when I read it before going to Japan. However, once I was there, all of the food sections were pretty much useless. None of the listings were detailed enough and almost all of the restaurants had menus completely unique and different from the one's listed in the book.

However, the book's main redeeming value is page 32/33 and 42/43 that gives very useful phrases to use in restaurants. Otherwise you can pretty much do without the book. If you don't read kanji, you're pretty much on your own and will probably end up pointing to pictures and saying "I want that." If you read kanji, you'll be able to guess over 50% of what's on the menu.

I found the content of this book very interesting. It's a complete guide to the different restaurants and other eating spots you might find in Japan. The familiar sushi, tempura and teppanyaki are just a few of them. Also there is information on the big regional differences and on ethnic cuisine (Korean minority).
But, unlike Japanese dishes, the visual aspect of this book is poor. Either out of cost effectiveness or to scale it down to pocket size. Type is small and any Japanese character with more than 5 strokes is absolutely illegable.
The different kinds of counting are not explained, but phrases as 'please, turn up/down the flame' and 'please turn off the burner' are translated at the end of almost every chapter.
Worst of all, the text refers often to a chart of the Japanese syllables inside front and back cover. But it simply is not there!
It looks like a inexpencive reprint, that makes me wanting the original version. Less content and bigger type would work wonders for this unique book.

This book is more suited to those on a culinary tour of Japan, or those looking to taste the entire culture. I went on a short business trip, and ordinary guidebooks seemed to have enough information for survivial (for me at least).

If you're the sort of person who likes to try everything, this book may be for you. For a one week trip, I did not have time to take advantage of all of the information.

The Pros -
Well researched book that was interesting from an historical perspective about the Big Horn Mountains, Sheridan and Montana during the earliest settlements by white settlers. Many descriptions were very accurate and brought back many memories of the area and a few of the families.

The Cons ~
The proof reader and/or editor needed to get glasses. It was full of errors and where many dates should have been given, they were altogether ommitted. Sometimes it was seriously irritating when you hoped you were on a good chronological trail to find you had been dumped into another decade altogether! There are a number of very relevant accounts that might have been better told if the author had attributed them to the source. It could have been a more compelling read that way, too.
Some repetitious accounts were just too wordy and needed trimming down, such as the innumerable tales of the round ups, the horse buying trips, the sales, etc often seemed to be recaps.
There were and continue to be some superb sources of the Sheridan, Little Goose and the Big Horns history available to the author that he did not cite, which was too bad. When you know about the history and many of the families that often helped one another there, many of those stories were left untold.
If this book goes to a second printing, it would be a huge help to have it Indexed, as it has none, along with a Bibliography and Notes section. This would be consistant with the sort of research that the Author clearly did do and help the reader better define certain aspects of the rich history of that part of the American West.
I would love to see this work re written/edited and in a chronological manner that would entice the reader to want to learn and understand more about that remarkable time in American history of the West.
The Big Horns and the Little Goose Canyon are remarkably spiritual and magical places for those who will always remember them lovingly.
While I owned half of Canyon Ranch for many years with my former husband, I can understand why Noll loved it so deeply. It was a tragedy for me to discover, as I had never been told, that Noll died in a nursing home in Colorado Springs. What an unkind end to such a delightful gentleman.
This book is worth the read, but it could do with some Editorial revamping and TLC in the next edition.

Extremely well-written historical novel by Sam Morton about the Absarka area (southern Montana to Nothern Wyoming). The book covers the time from the 1800's when Native Americans dominated the area through the Indian Wars and English and eastern settlers moving in to present time. The role of the horse is the connecting theme but the book is filled with live --and fictional characters against a background of historical fact which makes for a very informative and spellbinding read.

(After further consideration, I later tried to change the rating to five stars, but couldn't do it.)

That's not the reason this book resonates with me, nor why I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Western history, ranch life, horses, or people. By any standards, and mine are pretty exacting, this is a fine book. A great read.

Not many big books can hold my attention, but this one did. I'm happy to have it on my shelf where I can go back to it, because there are nuances in the writing and stories of the people and horses that I must have missed the first time.

What I really want to tell you about this book, though, is Mr. Morton's creative use of fiction and historical fact. He uses fiction techniques to bring Crazy Horse to life, to make him the heroic yet human figure he was, and to show why he was so frightening to white settlers. Crazy Horse was totally dedicated to the freedom of his people, and to eliminating whites from their lands.

I ended up loving many of the people Mr. Morton writes about: Noll Wallop, Edith Gallatin, Bob Tate, and others. They, too,were heroic in their own ways. I've often thought of them while I've nursed my sick horse this winter, at only 5 below zero. They were survivors, who built ranches and lives in an inhospitable land.

There's another good quality in this book: Mr. Morton reports what happened and shows the people as they were without being mean-spirited, judgmental, or romantic. He lets their actions speak for themselves. It's rare to find a book of Western history (or historical fiction) in which the author has no axe to grind, but this author just writes a fine book.

Despite the use of fictive techniques, and despite my having found it in the fiction section of my local bookstore, this book is a history. The research is meticulous and exhaustive, and does not call attention to itself.

Mr. Morton does not gloss over or romanticize unpleasant events such as the slaughter of the Crow horses, but he does not wallow in the gore, either. For that, I'm grateful.

My only adverse criticism of this book has to do with the publisher's end, not the author's. The book should have been better proofread. It is jarring to read of a "shoot" when the word should have been "chute." Or to come upon an unfinished sentence. However, this is a criticism readers can level these days at many publishers, who cut costs at the expense of quality.

I commend the author for an ambitious attempt to capture horse history in this important area, but cannot recommend the style -- hardly qualifies as a historical novel -- or the lack of precision with details. When he reverts to a non-fiction essay voice, Morton writes compellingly, but the fiction attempts are shallow. Yet, from a non-fiction standard he misspells too many names. This might seem trivial but it shows he wasn't being thorough. What this book needed was a really tough editor. Perhaps if it is reprinted in the future the publishers will take the time and money to have someone edit it professionally.

This well researched and wonderfully written historical novel is a magical trail ride on the back of a wild, independent and almost immortal palomino stallion. Sam Morton brings this special part of Montana/Wyoming to vivid life. It is written with honesty, without apologies for the brutality displayed by both the Indian and the White Man. The scenery and cast of real "characters" are described in all their ruggedness and gentleness. My trail rides in this beautiful country will never be the same. I could not put this book down.

Agate Nesaule has captured the horror of war and its aftermath on the life of a young woman who was there.
She writes with the authority of one who has experienced the horrible effects of war on the psyche of one who is young and impressionable. Her realism is so that we feel the suffering that she experiences.
Although a story of trauma and sadness it does have a hopeful conclusion.
A fine story, well written, and intriguing.

Suffering is not good for the soul, no matter what anyone tells you. There is nothing redemptive about it. The pain continues long after the actual experience is over. You do not become a better person because you have endured much, though perhaps your patience increases. No, we don't learn lessons from reading about others' suffering, even from such a well-written book as Nesaule's. Her life is not an example to anybody. Certainly not an inspiration. If you keep your eyes and ears open in life, and don't watch too much TV, you cannot but become aware of a huge amount of suffering and pain in the world. Whether abroad---during World War II, in Korea or Vietnam, or in the myriad wars and dictatorships of the late 20th century-or at home thanks to racism, poverty, substance abuse or simple human cruelty, we should be no strangers to the tragedy of life on earth.

A WOMAN IN AMBER describes a life broken by war, dislocation and brutality. Darkness surrounded Agate Nesaule at an early age, a gray cloud that did not begin to dissipate for nearly forty years. After early childhood happiness in Latvia, her homeland was occupied by Russians, then Germans, then Russians again. Obviously fearing the Russians more, when Soviet forces loomed on the horizon in 1944, the family fled to Germany, a refugee camp where Jews and Gypsies were sought out and taken away. Then came the raping, thieving Soviet forces, a dramatic escape to the British-occupied zone of Berlin, and five years of life in the DP camps. In 1950, the whole family, still miraculously together, emigrated to Indianapolis to begin the hard process of rebuilding a life in America. Life in the slums, little income, sub-standard housing, but at least the chance for education followed. Nesaule made a disastrous marriage to a repulsive, manipulative slob of an American, perhaps the worst choice possible, and stayed with him for over twenty years. Through everything, she longed for a close, open relationship with others, especially her mother, but could not achieve it, thanks to her own unfortunate choices. At last, divorced, she reached some peace thanks to an understanding psychiatrist and a decent, loving man. For years, the writer could not distinguish normal authority and everyday forms of social control from stark, cruel, and arbitrary forms found in squalid refugee camps, under foreign military regimes, or in the hearts of parents in the most extreme situations. At times, Nesaule seems to take a perverse pleasure in her pain, but I felt that this emerges due to her extreme honesty, her attempt to plumb the depths of her feeling in order to arrange it on paper, and remove from her psyche all those feelings warped and twisted by war, by the desperation of her childhood.

The question a reader must ask, as does the author, is how many more Agates are there out there? In Bosnia, Kosovo, Palestine, Chechnya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Angola, Congo, Liberia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor, Colombia, Nicaragua, and dozens of other places ? A WOMAN IN AMBER is the moving story of a sensitive personality crushed by hardship and brutality, skewed to accept ruinous relationships because all self-confidence had been lost. The use of dreams to further self-understanding is extremely effective. As a Jew, whose extended family in the Baltic area was totally annihilated by the Germans (and their local minions) during WW II, I was not inclined to be sympathetic at first to a Latvian woman whose family, after all, must have lived comfortably through that same time, but I soon relented as I read on because self-pity is entirely absent. Suffering is universal, even if human brotherhood, of which we dream, is nowhere in sight. Perhaps sharing that suffering is, indeed, the very brotherhood we seek. Bleak conclusion. Read this book, you can't fail to be moved by the honesty and lack of nationalistic drivel.

Being of Latvian heritage myself, perhaps it is impossible for me to read Nesaule's book as anyone else of a different heritage might. I have grown up on stories that are but variations on a theme to this one. My first language was Latvian, my first book was Latvian, my own first efforts in creative writing were in the Latvian language. Indeed, I have just participated in a literary reading of Latvian authors at the 11th Latvian Song Festival in Chicago, Illinois, where I had the honor of sharing the podium with Agate Nesaule. Is it possible for me to turn the pages of "Woman in Amber" without a deeply ingrained bias? Perhaps not. But I can say that these pages, these words, these memories, resonated profoundly with me. The war experience in many ways, however, is a suffering and a horror that crosses all lines of ethnicity, all borders of nationality. For this reason, I believe this is an important account for a far larger audience than just the Latvian reader; I am thrilled that this book was written first in English, then translated into, I believe, seven other languages.

Latvia is a tiny but beautiful country on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The Latvian language is one of the oldest still in existence. The country's history is one of the most war-torn and ravaged of any country anywhere - although it has existed for many, many centuries, Latvia has been independent, free of occupation by other armies, for only a wink in time. If this nation can be proud of anything, it can be proud of its ability to survive even the cruelest and most oppressive conditions. This memoir, "Woman in Amber," opens a small window of light shed on how such a people survive. Even more precisely, it gives an account of how a very young girl can survive - losing her home, losing her family, conditions of hunger, rape, pillage, exile, and the terrifying experience of being a stranger in an immense and completely alien country where the culture and language are all new and strange. Most memoirs of war and battlefields are written by men. It is particularly interesting to read a different kind of account, from the perspective of a woman. If soldiers on a battlefield suffer, there is a quieter, less evident suffering that happens behind the front lines, and this memoir reveals, painfully and movingly, the no less violent and scarring battles that happen there.

Agate Nesaule's memoir is a couragous sharing of the experiences she endured - not just during World War II, but for many years following the war. Long after the sounds of war have died down, the wounds are still bloodied and pulsating with pain. Healing can often take a lifetime. My respect to this author for sharing her experience, and my hope that it has offered her healing. This is a book I am proud to recommend to both my Latvian friends as well as my non-Latvian friends.

The families of both of my parents fled Latvia and the invading Russians when my parents were young. This book actually is what got my mother and me talking about her childhood in Latvia and in the DP camps, so in that sense, it is a very important book. Everyone I've ever talked to, though, has had the same general opinion of Ms. Nesaule's book -- she exaggerates a bit. She makes things up. She does say this in the introduction: "I have forgotten some things..." This book leaves a good -impression- of what life was like, but it should not be read as Gospel.

Others have argued the authenticity of Ms. Nesaule's account of life in the concentration camps; indeed, the author herself voices her own uncertainty of her story, confessing to much she has forgotten. Still, it is a story worth reading. American born, I've never found myself, or even thought to imagine myself, in a situation where I have feared for my life and the lives of my family.

Ms. Nesaule's account, which she manages to relate with frank detachment, is disturbing. Who among us, in America, can understand how it feels to be kept in a basement, never knowing when it might be our turn to be taken behind the partition to be raped, or taken outside to be lined up to be shot? To be cuffed or threatened for whispering to a sibling?

During her ordeal, the young Agate learns the futility of prayer, that what doesn't kill you doesn't make you stronger, and that wounds such as those she endured never heal; although by the end of the book, after a failed long-term marriage left her the victim, she finds a semblance of peace.

Despite its obvious flaws-among others, Ms. Nesaule's son Boris is virtually non-existent and her portrayal of her husband Joe is far too one-dimensional... his dialogue is stilted and comprised of only a few phrases, which she uses time and time again (perhaps these are all she recalls after two decades of emotional abuse-A Woman In Amber is a compelling read. Whether more fiction than fact is immaterial. Ms. Nesaule's simple message is this: her suffering, as is the suffering of all men and women since the dawn of civilization, is but a single page in the history of mankind. How sad that man cannot get along with himself, sadder still that he keeps making the same mistakes over and over again and never learns.

Recommended.

Several months ago I bought the book "Relearning to See" and I never finished reading it. Talk about boring. The author of that book goes into how the eye works and gives way too many examples of people he knew that lost their eyesight from trying to see too much or gained it back by using the Bates method. When I say a too many examples, I mean to the point where I had to put the book down. In the end (or at least as far as I got, which was a little over halfway), he discussed the theory of the Bate's Method, but didn't get into the nitty-gritty.

Huxley's book, on the other hand, is about a third of the length counting pages only. When you consider his font is much bigger and there is less type on each page, it's probably 20% of the size of "Relearning to See". But it's because he cuts the crap and get's to the point; he tells you what you need to know to improve your eyesight without ranting for over 700 pages.

I don't care about the structure of the eye because it has absolutely no bearing on relearning to see. I just got Huxley's book this week and I already finished it. He concisley describes each major point of the Bate's Method and because it's to the point, you actually remember the main points come the end of the book. Furthermore, he tells you exactly what to do.

In "Relearning to See", when I read about palming, I thought you were supposed to actually push on the eyes. The author didn't get into detail aobut what it was. It turns out you are just supposed to cover the eyes and block out light. In "Relearning to See", the author says blink frequently. Huxley tells you what drills you should do and how often to do them. He gives specific exercises to do for central fixation and sunning the eyes. Don't waste your time on any other book if you want to relearn to see. This book has everything you will need.

Fronm the age of 8 I was wearing spectacles (which I hated so much) until I visited my friend's art studio and left my glasses on the table. Recognizing it I feld in panic. I called up my friend to find out when I can pick up my glasses. I was shocked by my friend's reply that I don't need any glassesand, that I am addicted to them like a junke to his drug. Nevertheless I was invited to pick them up any time I wanted. So I went there again and my friend along with my glasses gave me a book to read and to think about it. The book was Aldous Huxley's "The Art of Seeing." I simply followed the footsteps of Huxley and ever since I have told "SAYONARA" to my glasses. I was so happy that the method works that i shared my joy with my occulist, who was also my friend. He insisted that the method doesn't work. Upon checking my sight he stated that I'm an exeption. When I was about to elaborate more on what I did he said to me that he doesn't wan't to hear it. He said that he has wife and kids and he has to make a living. He showed me the door and that was the last time I saw him. I've lost a friend and won back my eyes. No regrets. The method is so important because one by improving his eyesight is improving his mind. And the mind is responsible for the function of the entire universe of the body. And so on and so forth. If I can recommend anything I am recommending this little wonderful BOOK.

I read this book 10 years ago and I freaked out my eye doctor when I wnet back a year later and went from a -2.25 in each eye to a -0.75 in each eye. Not perfect, but close to it. He asked what happened and I told him about the book. He said that the shape of my eye had changed and was wondering where I found the book. I told him a used book store, because it was not republished at the time. I am glad it is now. You have to have patience, but it really does work! Good Luck!

I read this book with skepticism, I did the exercises with skepticism, and I watched my prescription go from -2.25 to -1.25 in three months. Not bad for a method that "doesn't work" according to the people who sell me glasses, contacts and laser surgery. I highly recommend anyone considering laser surgery to atleast check this out first. Someone please republish this book.

I read this book twenty years ago when my eyesight was good. Twenty years on, still no glasses.

As a programmer looking at a screen all day, that's not too bad. My whole family (Sister & both parents) wear glasses.

Whenever my eyes start feeling weak, I refresh myself with the "art of seeing correctly" & continue a life without any form of optical crutches.

The instructions are sensible & practical.

Whatever you do, avoid the downward spiral of artificial vision correction. Think about it, how can you strengthen a mans legs in a wheel chair?

Instead, buy this book. Cheaper than glasses!

I love Jessy and had read the books out of sequence as I found them to buy.
This was not my favorite in the series but each person has their own choice in that respect.
It was a good book to read and I enjoyed it, especially learning more about Jessy's life and her interactions with Ty on the ranch teaching him the "ropes" of working on a ranch with animals.

This 1983 title was one installment in Dailey's multivolume saga of the Calder family. Sixteen-year-old Ty Calder's head is turned by a beautiful young girl, who tries to lure him into plundering the land for the coal that lies beneath it. Can the local girl who secretly loves Ty.

---------- Reviewed by Janet Sue Terry, author of the contemporary romance, "Set Me Free" series. Book 1 - Possibilities and Book 2 - Resolutions. Newest release is Just Our Best Short Stories 2005. www.janetsueterry.com.

I love Janet Dailey's books and have read just about all she has written. But on this book I was disappointed to see all the women,Maggie, Jessy and Sally letting the men in their live get away with murder. They take the men's disloyality and don't show any backbone especially Jessy who time and again allow Ty to come back to her after going back to his spoiled wife Tara. I don't care if Tara is beautiful or not he really should have looked deeper at her character. Other than this I enjoyed this book but not as much as soon of Janet Dailey other book. I would look to buy more of her books in the future.

I really enjoyed Calder Born, Calder Bred as a single book and as a generational series. Ty pretty much turned outlike to his father, Cal.

For a series, Janet Dailey did a fantastic job. I have enjoyed all of her books in this series, as a series and as individual books.

The research and knowledge she puts in her books about ranching is fantastic. I come from a farming community, as a young girl, and their were lots of ranches around us. She hit the nail on the head with the way the family career in ranching is done, or at least to the way it was done back then.

Out of all the calder series, I love this one the best. Jessy is the woman all of us would love to be....feminine, tough, ladylike, loyal, beautiful in the way the land needed, not just "prissy". Ty needs someone to stand with him, not to be a "trophy". The loss of Maggie is so difficult; Chase just isn't the same without her; I love seeing Cat grow up and the changes in all the characters. I have even learned to like Culley. The love he has for Maggie and Cat is wonderful and touching. I have been through 2 copies already and will choose this one when i want a real look at the calder's. What a wonderful way to escape.....