North Carolina Books

I flatout loved this book. Chappell's novel of quirky tales flows with humor and touching insights, a work of subtle mastery. Everything about it seems right: the understated yet lyrically precise prose; the easy-leaning pace; the eccentric characters, especially the visiting uncles; the curious yearnings of an adolescent narrator; the grounded, homespun values of Southern lore.

In the title of another reviewer, this book is a keeper. As Stephen King said (and I agree), life is too short to reread many books; however, this is one that deserves to be reread. It's that good.

Clearly, Chappell's a man who savors the humor and language of life, a writer who crafts a tale of beguiling beauty. He writes sentences of such grace that I'm reminded of Anne Tyler.

Read this book and enjoy the magic. Chappell is an artist who knows what he's doing.

This, the first in Fred Chappell's tetralogy of books about Joe Robert Kirkman and his family, consists of ten stories about ten-year-old (at the start of the book) Jess Kirkman's encounters with four of his mother's relatives, the live-in hired hand on the Kirkman farm, and some of their neighbors. Chappell's narration veers from straightforward fiction to fantasy, telling of the gusto and humor with which Joe Robert meets life. I found myself laughing out loud and slapping my knee at some of the passages, while being touched deeply by the novel's underlying theme of belonging to a family, a place, and a tradition.

Called a novel, "I Am One Of You Forever" is really a collection of short stories that are unified as the adventures of a 14 year old boy growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina. These stories cover the spectrum of human experience; love, tragedy, the supernatural, family, comedy. All the stories are made magical by the observations of the especially well-read and intelligent young narrator/persona.
Easily one of the funniest books I've ever read, I think I rarely went more than a page without a good laugh. The book also has some of the most poignant passages I've ever read, those dealing with the death (always a dominant theme in Southern literature).
A well-written book, Southern through and through, and appropriate for young teen-agers as well as adults. The book's title serves as the answer to a question posed as the story's last line, thus giving the book a wonderful circularity. Read this book; you won't be sorry.

This novel, really a series of interconnected short stories about a boy growing up in western North Carolina in the 1940s, is my favorite so far by North Carolina's poet laureate Fred Chappell. The prose is simple, the characters are vivid and colorful, and the stories have depth. Chappell's style works best when the stories follow believable plot lines; his penchant for tall tales sometimes falls flat. I especially could have done without the chapter entitled "The Beard," even though I could see the metaphor Chappell was attempting to capture in that story. Other than that, I thought the book was sincere, funny, and often breath-taking. The finest moment for me was the chapter "The Wish," which encapsulates everything I would like to say myself about life in the Southern Appalachians. The book is worth reading just for that one chapter. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the works of such writers as Tony Earley, Charles Frazier, Robert Morgan, Kaye Gibbons, and Wilma Dykeman, although Chappell is funnier than all of them. Think a modern Mark Twain.

I read this book originally for a class in college--so I went into reading it thinking "ugh."

But not only did I love it--not only did it make me laugh, cry, roll my eyes, and a range of other emotions--but when I shared it with the rest of my family, they had the same reaction. All of us have read it, it's that good (and we don't usually agree on what's good). It is full of tall tales and mischief and is a fabulously, fabulously amazing book.

Jessie's Mountain gracefully allows the reader to spend more quality time with the Weems family. As I began to read the third of the trilogy, I felt as if I knew each of the various characters (all are wonderfully developed with distinct characteristics that add to the stories). But Jessie's Mountain came with more stories of the endearing Weems family and shared even more depth of the very fabric of which the family is made. Unforgettable!

Jessie's Mountain is the third in Madden's Maggie Valley trilogy. The first was Gentle's Holler and the second was Louisana's Song. They are all stand-alone books, but you would do yourself a great service to read all three.

The journey Madden has taken us on with Livy Two and her family has been exciting, humorous and poignant. She's shown us a family who knows both poverty and love intimately. They work hard, love deeply and share a fierce passion for Maggie Valley.

In Jessie's Mountain (named after the mother in the family), we once again visit Livy Two and her family. In a rare act of tenderness, Grandma Horace and Livy Two share a nighttime visit with each other. Grandma gives Livy Two her mother's diary, one she wrote in the 1940s in Enka, North Carolina, before she married and had her children. The diary gives Livy Two an entirely new perspective on her mother. At first she doesn't share anything with her siblings, but later begins reading passages to them.

Livy Two has experienced much love and much heartache in her twelve years. The family is poor and everyone helps keep the family afloat. Livy Two's daddy has been sick since a car accident, and Grandma Horace wants to move the family back to Enka. Livy Two doesn't want to leave Maggie Valley.

Livy Two, like her father, loves music. She's torn about an important decision she must make. Should she run off to Nashville to audition for Mr. George Flowers? If she does make the trip, what will be the consequences? You have to read the book for these answers. No spoilers allowed.

I love Livy Two and her large, boisterous family. They are a breath of fresh air. As I said in my review of Gentle's Holler, love and hope never take a vacation in Livy Two's family. They are the kind of people you want to meet, get to know and have them stay awhile. Livy Two's family accepts that they are poor, but also know that poverty is a situation and not about whom they are. They are wonderful proud people who are doing their best.

Armchair Interviews says: Kerry Madden's Maggie Valley trilogy will become classics. They are that good.

Jessie's Mountain is the third book in Kerry Madden's Maggie Valley trilogy and takes place about a month after the conclusion of Louisiana's Song . Daddy is improving, but he's still unable to work, and it's more and more likely that the family will have to move to Grandma Horace's house in Enka. Determined to prevent this, Livy Two hatches a plan to run away to Nashville and get a record deal. When it doesn't go quite as she expected, it looks as if the family will have to leave Maggie Valley behind. Along with this, Grandma Horace gives Live Two her mother's diary from when she was her age. As Livy reads her mother's words, she mourns the girl who had dreams and spunk who has now become a tired, overworked mother of ten. Then Livy Two hatches a plan that will not only make her mother's girlhood dreams come true but that will also enable the family to stay and thrive in Maggie Valley.

In this final book, I enjoyed getting to know Jessie, the mother, a little better as well as Jitter, Livy's younger sister. Kerry Madden continued to interweave the family's hardships with a bit of humor and warmth. I didn't, however, get as much of Livy Two's voice and spunk in this one, and I found it a bit refreshing to read Jessie's diary and hear her voice. I also have mixed feelings about the ending of the book...it almost seemed "too happy" and perhaps a bit unrealistic. That, however, did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book and being satisfied with the trilogy as a whole.

After reading all three, my favorite book was Louisiana's Song . I think Madden really went more in depth with the characters in that book and presented realistic, gut wrenching feelings and situations.

I would recommend this series to young girls in the 10-12 age range. I think they would enjoy hearing the story from Livy Two's point of view. While this is the end of the "Maggie Valley trilogy," I hope this isn't the end of the Weems' family's story.

The Maggie Valley books are set in the early 60's and feature the Weems family. The Weems' live in a ramshackle house in a rural Smoky Mountain valley, and consist of a practical mother, a dreamer/musician father, and nine (eventually ten) children. The stories are told from the first-person viewpoint of 12-year-old, Livy Two, second-oldest living daughter, namesake of Livy One, who died at birth.

In Gentle's Holler, the first book of the trilogy, the Weems family copes with financial hardship stemming from the father's sporadic work, and the growing realization that three-year-old Gentle can't see properly. Although they struggle with hard times, they have love and music to keep themselves going. They are also helped by a quiet but caring neighbor, and one of the best librarians ever written. The story ends in tragedy, but also in hope.

In Louisiana's Song, Livy Two's focus shifts from Gentle to her nearest-in-age sister Louise, a talented but shy artist. Louise's personal growth is set against increasing family struggles (the result of the tragedy from the end of the first book), and the beginnings of the serious possibility that the family might have to leave their beloved Maggie Valley. We also see Livy Two starting to grow up in this book.

In book three, Jessie's Mountain, the children learn more about their mother, Jessie, through the gift of her childhood diary. Livy Two also takes matters into her own hands, making a quest to improve her family's fortunes. Things don't go quite as planned, however, and she pays a price for her impetuous actions. The threat of having to leave Maggie Valley draws ever closer, and Livy Two and her siblings struggle to preserve their family, their home, and their self-esteem.

All three books are lyrical and heart-warming, and likely to bring tears to your eyes. However, they have enough humor to keep them from being sappy, and enough conflict to keep them interesting.

All of the characters in the series are multi-dimensional, and most grow and change throughout the books. The evolution of Livy Two's father is downright remarkable. I also enjoyed the children's teacher, Mr. Pickle, who is a far from sympathetic character initially, but gradually reveals hidden kindness. Even the one sister who I had no use for throughout the entire first two books blossomed into someone of interest in the third. The children's Grandma Horace and Uncle Buddy are also complex and unpredictable, neither completely good nor completely bad. Kerry Madden resists the urge to make even the most minor characters stereotypes. She's also able to give the various characters unique mannerisms, without making them seem quirky.

After reading these books, I feel like I've just returned from the rural 1960's south. I'm happy to have spent time with the Weems family, especially Livy Two, Gentle, and Louise. I wish that I could see their family of pet groundhogs, and hear Livy Two play the guitar. And I wish that I could meet Miss Attickson the librarian, and thank her for making a difference. As you can see, these are books that crept into my heart, and that I'm likely to re-read in the future.

I recommend the Maggie Valley series for middle grade readers of both genders. Although the titles and cover illustrations are more likely to appeal to girls than to boys, the escapades of brother Emmett and the outdoor adventures of all of the children are more boy-friendly than you might expect. These books would make excellent family read-alouds, suitable for younger children, but revealing more complex layers for older kids. Although not at all 'message books', the Maggie Valley books give readers an appreciation for the pros and cons of rural life, and the hardships faced by families struggling in the margins. This is a perfect series for kids who loved the Little House books to read next, before moving on to Hattie Big Sky. Highly recommended.

A longer version of this book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on April 5, 2008.

Jessie's Mountain, the third of a warm and spirited trilogy, is smart, sassy, lyrical, warm, heartbreaking, and funny: in short, everything a human being of any age would want in a story. Maggie Valley and the Weems family will become part of your permanent inner landscape as you read this wonderful book, and don't miss the companion Gentle's Holler and Louisiana Song! I love that one of the main themes is the call and power of music, and its ability to transform our lives. "Why can't a person go off and have an adventure in peace?" asks Livy Two Warren as, at the age of 12, she sets out for Nashville and to change her fortune. Why indeed?--I was with her all the way and you will be, too. Kerry Madden is a gift of a writer. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Excellent "bringing back the memories" of some familiar faces in Tar Heel history.Nice to be able to hear from them in past and present tense. A wonderful edition to my library.

As a fan of North Carolina basketball, Scott Fowler's new book is a must for all of us who follow UNC. The information provided on former players is very infomative and well written. It was great to see what these former players had done with their lives and their close ties to the UNC basketball program. This book is a trip down memory lane with additional information that is added to my memories of these players.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book being a lifelong tarheel fan. It was interesting learning more about past heroes and also more recent players. I also thought it was good how Scott Fowler put in the personal tidbits about meeting up with these guys and what Dean and Gut (and Woody) had to say about them.

Being a Tarheel fan I could not put this book down until I finished in a very short period of time.

This is a great book. I can't imagine any true Tar Heel fan who would not want to own this book. Great, easy reading. Very informative. What a pleasure to know what some of these guys, especially the older ones have done with their lives. The only thing wrong with this book is it does not include more of the former players. Here's hoping for a sequel!! Bravo to the author!! If you don't yet own this book what are you waiting for!

I have worked relatively closely with North Carolina basketball for more than a quarter-century and, have gained a great knowledge of the history of the program dating back to the beginning of the Atlantic Coast Conference. As a result, I had a blast reading Scott's book.

It brought back a lot of memories, and got me caught-up with a lot of the biggest names in Tarheel basketball history, as well as with some who may have been forgotten.

It's an easy read, and divided up nicely so that you can read little bits at a time if that's all time permits.

I am so glad this book was written in fullness. I am a distant relative of Thomas Wolfe, and I know this means so much to Thomas Wolfe fans and others who love him.

I have Ray Bradbury to thank for meeting with Thomas Wolfe early in my life - when I probably would have never heard about him otherwise. He never was (still isn't) a part of school literature programme in Russia.

Bradbury's magnificent short story "Forever and the Earth" in a remarkably good Russian translation was the reason why as soon as I saw a Wolfe's novel in a bookshop in 1983, I bought it immediately. It was "You Can't Go Home Again". Ever since I keep reading him and re-reading again and again. It is a slow read but so intoxicating. Being a fast reader, I have to do it by 10 or 15 pages at a a time - otherwise I get rather tipsy on his words.

"He was a wirlwind. He lifted up mountains and collected winds...
Tom Wolfe's the man, the necessary man, to write of space, of time, of huge things like nebulae and galactic war, meteors and planets, all the dakr things that he loved and put on paper were like this.He was born out of his time. He needed really big things to play with and never found them on Earth." (Ray Bradbury "Forever and the Earth". )
I still think there is nothing written about Thomas Wolfe's work that is better than Bradbury's short story.

I first re read Look Homeward Angel,( which I had not read for almost 50 years) then O Lost. I think that the original manuscript is far superior to the edited version, that was originally published. Certainly the introduction is excellant and sets the stage for W.O.Gant's odessey. Admittedly, some editing would be helpful, to make a smoother transition from one chapter to another, but only minor ones, not the radical surgery that was actually done.

I think that Wolfe realized this, and that was why he changed publishers. I look forward to the unedited manuscripts of the Web and the Rock, and You can't go home again.

My only problem is that during the period when I first read these novels, I have had medical and particularly psychiatric training. It is obvious that W.O. suffered from severe bipolar or manic depressive psychosis. With modern treatment, he would have been a happier man, or at least those around him would have had better lives. But then perhaps Thomas Wolfe would not have been the writer that he was to become.

Look Homeward Angel has for decades been a standard coming of age book read devotedly by people in their late teens and early twenties. Over the years, stories developed concerning the amount of cutting that editor Maxwell Perkins (who also edited Hemingway and Fitzgerald) did on the book. The accepted wisdom was that Perkins pulled a masterpiece out of a huge, unpublishable manuscript. This edition, which is based on Wolfe's orginial manuscript and uses his chosen title, shows that while Perkins did help to shape the book, the text that he began with was not the monstrosity it was later believed to be. Some of the cuts Perkins made, such as W.O. Gant's memories of Gettysburg, would appear in Of Time and the River, and Perkins later admitted that he was wrong to cut it. Other material that one reads for the first time seems less important. Overall, I did not find the book to be that different from Look Homeward Angel. It shows both Wolfe's strengts and weaknesses, his abiliy to create Whitmanesque passages, and to engage in self-indulgent prose. I agree with the other reviewers that it is unfortunate that this book so quickly was allowed to go out of print. Whichever version you read, this is a book best read before you are 30.

What a wonderful book. It's too bad so many readers today know only Tom Wolfe, not Thomas Wolfe. Even though it has been at least 10 years since reading Look Homewood Angel, I knew almost immediately when I came to the new sections. They add a depth to the novel, bringing in the whole town and relatives, rather being only about Eugene Gant. My favorite Wolfe readings involve trains; the experience about time stopping for a moment when you look into the eyes of someone looking directly at you into the train, is exactly as I remember my earlier train rides.What are they doing now, that the train has passed? Other 800 page books might be dull, but not this one. Having been given it as a present recently, I am very surprised and disappointed that it is already 'out of print." More people should know about O Lost!

This book is essential if you enjoy paddling the rivers and creeks of Eastern North Carolina. It not only gives you all the access points, but the distance between them as well. It is very handy when exploring a new paddle trail or trying to locate an access.

I love this book! I have not had time to paddle any trails yet, except one that I had already done before buying the book, but it will be an excellent resource I'm sure. Highly recommended for eastern NC paddlers!

This guide throughly reviews almost every possible paddling destination in the Eastern 2/3rds of North Carolina. The entries provide great details on the runs including drops and difficulties to be aware of before attempting the trip. Descriptions of put-in and take-out locations are well done. Each run includes minimum paddling levels where they apply. A well done guide book.

The information and the way its presented are time saving, interesting and very hepful for anyone interested in pretty accurate info on paddling in eastern NC. It would even be a good book for the non paddler that just wanted some interesting reading on waterways in NC.

No doubt about it - You can't afford NOT to have this book!
The descriptions are great, the tips are sometimes life-saving, and the thought and planning that went into this book is spectacular!

I have a friend that went through a lot of the pressures that Ferrell's main character, Anna, went through. She had controlling parents that dictated how she was to live her life. This caused her to rebell just like Anna. She did not have a forbidden love like the character but she married an abusive spouse like Chad. I watched her go through fear and depression but unlike Anna, she did not escape. The novel may have given her hope and the strength to get out of the situation. The book touched me on so many levels because it does indeed bring hope and an interal healing. I have shared the book with my husband and he also loved the work because he saw how it brings peace to those with scares. I do highly recommend this novel. Pen name, Ann Thompson

A powerful work that searches deep inside a broken woman. Anna is a character that teaches lessons in inner forgiveness and personal responsiblity. She learns the importance of healing. Her story reaches out not just to woman but to people. The novel is about facing conflict. Whether Anna deals with the heatache of her parents conditional love or the fear of losing her true love, she finds the inner strength and courage inside herself. As well, she overcomes an abusive marriage and finds the true meaning of friendships and acceptance of others regardless of race, religion or any other factor.

Told through the eyes of Anna, a thirty year old woman reflecting upon her life, Autumn Seclusion is a tale of coming to grips with one's hidden fears and blemishes. Anna's experience of rejection at home set her up for a succession of draining and abusive relationships. The one loving relationship she experienced was with a Native American from Upstate, New York; her family severed her ties at home, and she eventually left the United States entirely to reconstruct her life. A tale that encourages the reader to think long and hard about themselves and the ones they love, Autumn Seclusion is ultimately a tale of the meaning of forgiveness. Highly recommended.

A powerful book that can help women undergoing a crisis. Ferrell's writing is savory and deep. She paints a beautiful picture of the Carolina shores and Thailand. The work brings hope and healing to not just women but also men.

I read Ms. Ferrell's book, Autumn Seclusion, several months ago. The main character struggled with adolescence, failed romances and an abusive marraige. However, she found the strength to slow her life and really look at how she was living. Fortunately, she realized family's importance and her own self worth. She gave all of us hope that we too can overcome adversity.

The role of the American army in the Pacific between the Spanish-American war and the Second World War is often forgotten. Most don't even know the American army ahd a role so far away from home. Indeed the army was small but the stakes were high. In the wake of the war with Spain in 1898 the U.S gained a number of small protectorates and colonies in the Phillipines and Samoa and elsewhere. Eventually this became part of a defense system, but it was not merely to defend against outsiders. The Army also had a role with the local people and creating institutions. Moreover it also had to fight insurgencies that took place in the Moro area of the Southern Phillipines where Muslim insurgents fought Americans. The insurgency goes on to this day. However at the time the likes of General Pershing were used to put down this uprising with the least possible loss in lives.

This fascinating and detailed book opens up a new history of the American army and its role in the Pacific.

Seth J. Frantzman

Linn notes that the big question of WWII is, "why, with almost four decades to prepare, these (US Army) military forces proved unable to defend the nation's Pacific possessions against Japan." The author notes that the traditional approach has been to focus on events in the short-term prior to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, however his effort is to, "offer a somewhat longer perspective through a narrative history of the U.S. Army in Hawaii and the Philippines from 1902 to 1940....its task is not to delineate the road to Pearl Harbor, but to illuminate the numerous paths the army trod in its long search for a viable Pacific defense....For years it had foreseen both the threat and its own inability to ward it off." From a strategic perspective, this book does a good job of putting America's failure into context. It points out that although the surprise attack of 7 December 1941 was not detected, from a military capabilities standpoint there was little the Army could have done. Although I believe one needs to be careful with historical parallels, a student of strategy can see how political and economic considerations drive strategy. Indeed, a similar issue between today (2004) and then was the tension between what is required to hold ground when forces are deployed vs. the ability to deploy and sustain those same forces over a great deal of distance.

During the first forty years of the 20th Century the U.S. Army had the mission of protecting the Philippine and Hawaiian Islands from attack by the nation of Japan. Although Japan was not originally thought to be a threat, from the 1922 Naval Conference onward the army high command considered Japan as the only real threat in the Pacific. This book provides a unique and very good history of what came to be known and the U.S. Army of the Pacific.

The book provides a good deal of fascinating information on all aspects of the Pacific Army from the life of enlisted men to the strategic thinking that informed its planning. But perhaps the most interesting theme running through it is how the U.S. Army identified the Japanese threat to the U.S. Pacific Islands and sought to mitigate it.

Because of budget and manpower constraints imposed by congress, the U.S. Army in the period between the WWI and WWII was incapable of fighting any kind of war. Yet as this book shows that did not prevent the Army General Staff and the Department Staffs of the Philippines and Hawaii from developing often very well thought out strategies for the defense of the islands. In the case of the Philippines the Archipelago was first considered vital to U.S. interests in the Western Pacific and a keystone in U.S. strategy. Gradually this view changed and by the thirties, the Philippines were considered indefensible against Japan and a strategic liability. Army planners sought to minimize the U.S. military presence there. This same thinking made Hawaii and especially the Pearl Harbor naval base on Oahu the keystone of a defensive arc running from Alaska to Panama which was designed to protect the U.S. Pacific Frontier.

One thing that is clear from this book and that is that the Army General Staff and the Islands' Departmental Commands were quite accurate in their defining the potential threats posed by Japan and fairly realistic in planning defensive strategies against those threats. For example the army was only too aware that the elaborate harbor defense systems that defended Pearl Harbor and Manila Bay were obsolete almost from the day they were completed. Still army planners at both the General Staff and department level tried to develop effective defensive plans. The problem was, as this book states, that there was a tradition that developed early on that allowed department commands to override general staff planning and design their own defensive plans. Thus in 1941General Short of the Hawaiian Department defined the threat from Japan primarily in terms of sabotage while the General Staff correctly saw it as a threat from air attack.

Brian Linn believes that the American annexation of the Philippines damaged rather than helped the U.S. position in East Asia. Even before the outbreak of the Second World War, American military planners knew that the Philippines were extremely vulnerable to Japanese invasion but were relunctant to raise a native force that could also be a threat to the American Army. The security problems only became worse when before the attack on Pearl Harbor, MacArthur authorized the defence of the entire Philippines and not just the Bataan peninsular. As a result of America's fear of a native force to protect the Philippines and MacArthur's overly ambitious plans, the United State suffered a humiliating defeat to the Japanese in 1942. I would reccomend this book foy anyone who believes that a new American empire would enhance national security but has ignored the disasterous example of the American experience with the Philippines.

This is a splendid and pioneering study of the Army in the Pacific, a subject badly in need of more light that it has hitherto received. It brings the Pacific Army to life in a way that no one else had even attempted.

Like any book, however, it has its limitations, and as is usually true it is the ones that author was not aware of (at least at the time) and did not flag for our attention that we must take most care of. In this case the principal limitation lies in strategic view.

The Philippines, as the author makes clear, never had any intrinsic significance for the United States (or for the earlier colonial power, Spain, for that matter) -- no riches or resources to be reaped. The sole significance of the islands lay in their position. Initially, Americans had calculated (like the Spaniards before them) that possession of Manila would provide an important advantage in gaining the rewards of the rich China trade. Luzon and the rest of the islands simply came with the deal. Almost as soon as they had been seized, however, other events eroded Manila's importance in this role greatly. (Perhaps we should say "seeming importance," as there never were the prospects which had been envisioned in 1898.) Finding themselves in possession of a colony of little value, Americans not unnaturally felt reservations about spending large sums to garrison and defend it. Thus a purely nominal force was assigned to its defense, adequate only for internal security and the assertion of sovereignty. The oft-proclaimed "bastion" of the Philippines was in reality no more than a sentry post, bound to be overrun quickly in any serious assault. To invest in a real Philippine fortress or in mobile forces strong enough to quickly relieve it would involve an expense that few Americans could see as justified.

Distant events changed all that. By the late 1930s, of course, the propensity of Japan for aggressive military expansion was manifest, but that did not seem particularly threatening in itself, given that the economic resources of the country were so small relative to those of the U.S. But the outbreak of the European War in 1939, followed by the Nazi defeat of France and threat to Britain in 1940, heightened American security concerns vastly. Then in September, 1940, Japan joined the Axis Pact, making itself an ally of Germany. Japan had intended this to change American perceptions and it did that, but not in the way that had been hoped. Japan ceased to be a disagreeable nuisance in a distant place and instead clearly became a potential part of a serious threat, to be blocked if possible and crushed if necessary. Very suddenly, the importance of the Philippines' geographic position changed dramatically.

It is this transition that Prof. Linn misses in focusing on the local realities rather than the global strategic picture that dominated the awareness of Washington decision-makers in 1940-41. This broader reality is well presented in Waldo Heinrichs, "Pearl Harbor in a Global Context," in _Pearl Harbor Revisited_, edited by Robert W. Love, Jr. (London: Macmillan, 1995) (ISBN 0312095937), and in more extended fashion in the same author's _Threshold of War: Franklin D. Roosevelt and American Entry into World War II_, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988) (ISBN 0195061683). For the same issue from a different perspective see Gerhard L. Weinberg, "Global Conflict: The Interaction Between the European and Pacific Theaters of War in World War II," in _Germany, Hitler, and World War II: Essays in Modern German and World History_, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995) (ISBN 0521474078), or his book, _A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II_, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994) (ISBN 0521558794).

Beginning with the Japanese occupation of Vietnam in July of 1941, thereby making manifest their determination to continue down the road of active alliance with Hitler, the U.S. began to rush all available military power to the Philippines, reserving only that which was essential to the security of America itself. But years of penuriousness and neglect had left the cupboard largely bare, and re-armament was yet to produce major material results. So the Philippine defenders, like the exposed sentry, became casualties of the brutally inexorable logic of war. Brian Linn's book provides a major and largely-overlooked piece of this picture, but is somewhat weak on the overall context.

There are also other sources which the interested reader may wish to consult in order to get a fuller picture. These include John J. Stephan, _Hawaii Under the Rising Sun: Japan's Plans for Conquest After Pearl Harbor_, (Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1984) (0824825500) and the article by Richard B. Meixsel, "Major General George Grunert, WPO-3, and the Philippine Army, 1940-1941," _Journal of Military History_, 59, No. 2 (Apr 1995): 303-24. Both offer insights not fully captured by Linn. In a more recent article, "Manuel L. Quezon, Douglas MacArthur, and the Significance of the Military Mission to the Philippine Commonwealth," _Pacific Historical Review_, 70, No. 2: 255-92, Meixsel introduces some new evidence regarding the events in the Philippines in the 1930s and uses it to call into question some of Linn's claims.

While I have focused on its limitations, I want to emphasize again that this is a very valuable and unique book, even taking them fully into account.

It's always a treat to find a writer who can tell a good story, but to discover one who can also weave magic with words is doubly so. But perhaps what struck me most was the author's social vision, not a simple idealistic dream or a cynic's rant but a carefully crafted picture of the complexities of life in our multicultural society. An excellent read.

Eric Martin's "Luck" was given to me as a gift for Christmas. On the plane ride home I began to read it, and couldn't put it down. It's one of those rare books that stirs something inside you, where by the end you feel the hot North Carolina sun beating on your back and the dirt of the tobacco fields underneath your own nails. It is not often that you find a story so moving and vividly written that you feel as if you are there with the characters.

As a Duke student, reading this book was truly a gift. Coming from Santa Rosa, in Northern California where migrant workers are part of a very segregated wine-growing community, and also having experiences in North Carolina and Duke, this book really hit home. The drive to help others, the frustration of feeling that the "system" supposed to help you is only working against you, the tragedy of the deck stacked against people born into poverty despite their potential, falling in love....these are all things beautifully crafted into a touching story in "Luck" and coincidentally, things I have experienced during the last couple years I have been at Duke. At times I felt this book couldn't be closer to the experiences I've had.

Even if you have nothing in common with the themes of this book, read it. It is as amazing and touching a novel as you will find. Eric Martin, thank you for a wonderful novel, it has helped me answer questions that previously I felt no one understood.

The characters, whether good guys/girls or bad (and sometimes it is hard to tell who is which) are beautifully presented. The reader cares about them, while knowing an inevitable conflict looms to explode their lives and their community. Lyrical, terse writing meshes with a dramatic, tense plot to keep the reader engrossed. What a find!

This is a powerful, wrenching story. The conflicts, between cultures, family and self, are told with understanding and clarity. And it is funny too. The author captures the humor in language and life which is always hard to describe. LUCK kept me laughing, crying and most of all, reading until the amazing last pages which kept me thinking.

Any book that takes on a serious social issue (migrant labor, in this case) risks moralizing but Martin's mind is too sharp to fall into that trap. While recognizing the human tendency to draw lines between dark and light (many of his characters try and fail to do just that), the author never lets his readers off so easily. Which is not to say he wearies us with wishy-washy waffling (forgive my tribute to "w"). There is right and wrong throughout the novel, it's just that every character gets ample portions of both. The brilliance of the novel is in the main character, Mike Olive, and his foil, Harvey Dickerson. They are essentially enemies, but only by circumstance; personality-wise, we see that they should have been friends.

But I'm making the book sound dull. Stop reading this review and buy "Luck". It's a terrific story and when I say story I mean good old fashioned plot that will have you tearing through the pages without once insulting your intelligence.

This book is absolutely so wonderful! It is a must-read!

I give all Mandie Books 6 stars. I am 14 1/2 and have been reading Mandie Books since I was 9. I went to the library with my friend and my mom made me get a Mandie Book. I reluctantly picked out Mandie and the Angel's Secret, which was a very confusing first book to read. Anyway, I LOVED IT! I love that my mom made me get it. My friend and I continued reading these books and continued loving them. I got most of the books for my birthday a couple years later and was overjoyed. I continue collecting the books and can't stop telling people about them and wondering what's going to happen next. I reccommend this book and series to every single person in the world. No matter what age you are, you will enjoy the Mandie Books.

Joe is back from collage for vacation, and Mandie is excited about seeing him. But when she does see him, she is suddenly shy with her old friend. But she is sure that despite of it, they will still have a wonderful visit.
But while on their way to visit Sallie they come upon a gigantic mound of mica. How did it get there, and what happened when a few days later, it disappears? Find out in Mandie and the Buried Stranger!

This book could have been better. The buried stranger isn't buried until about the end, and Mandie knew who he was because she had met him before. But it's still a good book, although I have been getting a bit tired with mysteries connected with Mandie's Cherokee relatives. But don't get me wrong, this is still a good book. Read it!

It is spring break at Misses Heathwood's School for Girls, and fourteen-year-old Mandie can't wait to get home and see her longtime friend Joe Woodward who went off to college after the Christmas holidays. She is expecting to share some great times with him but when they finally meet things are awkward between the two and Mandie suddenly becomes very shy around her longtime friend. Still they have a great time with eachother. The two decide to go see Sallie Sweetwater at the Cherokee school, but on the way there discover a mysterious pile of mica and no one knows where it came from. More mysteriously, the pile disappears the next day. Who could have moved such a big pile of mica? And can this be related to the disappearance of Jacob Smith, the caretaker of Mandie's late father's place or is it related to the disappearance of wagons from three of Mandie's Cherokee relatives? Mandie and her friends are on the mystery again! This wasn't exactly the best Mandie book but good anyway. I wish there were more Mandie books throughout the year. I started reading them when I was 7 and now it has been a few years. I really wish to know the conclusion of Mandie's story.

This is the latest "Mandie" book that I have read.

I started reading them when I was about seven, and then they would take me about a week to finish.

Now, I'm fifteen, and the books still have as much appeal as they did when I was younger, although now, they only take me about two hours to read.

"Mandie" is a tradition with me. With each book, it seems as though she is still my age. In reality, however, she's only gone through about two years of her life as opposed to my eight.

Each book holds new surprises and new challenges for the young believer. I anticipate each new release, and hope to share them with a daughter of my own some day.

I encourage anyone to share these books with their daughters. The books grow with the reader. When I'm old and grey, I'll still be reading and re-reading the "Mandie" books.

God bless.

I did not think I would like this book when I started it. but as I got into it I found it to be very interesting. I loved the story about the twins and just how easy going life was back then it is a shame it is not still like that! this book will take you back to a very simple time when andy was growing up. you will learn a lot about Mt Airy. which is very very much like mayberry. any mayberry fan would like this book.

I recently moved to Mount Airy, the fabled Mayberry, and wanted a resource to help me learn a little bit about the "lore" behind this community. This was an excellent resource and a fun read at that. For me, it helped bring to life not only the ties of my new hometown to the TV show, but also to learn a little bit of history about this community.

My wife just purchased this book for me and it was very interesting, especially being in the first person from Jewell. Brings back so many memories from my wife's family. I will be sending it to my 92 year old mother-in-law to read and I know she will enjoy it. Thanks, Jewell, good talking with you. Bill Tarpley

Hardly anyone who has been exposed to television over the last forty years has not come in contact with the good people of Mayberry. Walk up to most people on the street and ask them to name three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and you just might get a blank stare. Ask the same person to name three residents of Mayberry, North Carolina and very few people will have a problem. Andy, Barney, Opie, Aunt Bea, Otis, Goober and Floyd have become so much a part of American culture that to most of us they are just like family. Mayberry is as real to most people as Chicago or Los Angeles and almost everybody knows that you have to go to Mount Pilot to get Chinese food.

Mayberry of course is not a real place but is instead a product of Andy Griffith's mind. Griffith's mind was however heavily influenced by his hometown and Mount Airy, North Carolina has become to most people, the real Mayberry. Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mount Airy and is just a few years younger than Andy. This book therefore, depicts on a very personal level the Mount Airy that has become America's most famous small town.

Many of the stories that are related in this book had a very obvious influence on the happenings in Mayberry. One story involves a young man who went on a small crime spree that included throwing rocks through most of the windows at the school. The authorities kept catching the young man but he would escape from jail almost as quickly as they locked him up. It all sounds a lot like Earnest T. Bass to me. If you remember Barney's very off key rendition of, "Welcome Sweet Springtime" you will not be surprised to learn that this song was a favorite of Andy's grammar school music teacher. Over and over, as one reads this book, they will be reminded of some happening in Mayberry.

There are many stories in this book that do not relate to Mayberry at all but are personal reminiscences of the author. At first I felt like these stories should not have been included since I bought this book to learn about Mayberry. As I read however, I changed my mind for these stories add greatly to the reader's ability to relate to life in a small southern town. Thank you Mrs. Kutzer for giving us all the chance to feel like we grew up in Mayberry just like you and Andy.

Thousands and thousands of us faithfully watched the television classic, The Andy Griffith Show and its sequel, Mayberry RFD. We followed Sheriff Taylor, Barney, Aunt Bea, and the rest through 249 episodes from 1960 through 1968. From 1968 through 1971, we were treated to 78 episodes of Mayberry RFD. Watching these shows today is a heartwarming nostalgic experience. Why, there's even an active The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club!

Mayberry has its roots firmly and deeply planted in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, a small town nestled in the mountains between Winston-Salem and the Virginia state line. Andy Griffith is celebrated there, along with all the traditions of hometown America, during community festivals and other events.

Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mayberry, just a couple of years behind Andy Griffith. She shares many of the memories that inspired Griffith to create Mayberry and the character of the popular television show. In Memories of Mayberry, she shares her experiences growing up in this now-famous small town. It's a pleasant, comfortable book to read, like having a conversation with a friend. Mt. Airy was a microcosm of life in a changing country, in a changing world. Lives were interwoven with the lives of others in the community. People were real, they were caring neighbors, they led simpler lives in the 1940s and 1950s. This book takes the reader back to those uncomplicated times.

Did I say uncomplicated? Well, compared to today's complex lifestyles. But for Jewell, growing up in a small town, life brought one adventure after another. Her tales of yesteryear are referenced to episodes in The Andy Griffith Show that relate to the memories. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of how Griffith made the show so real in the earlier days of television.

Want a trip back to our roots? To the values on which our country was built? Pick up a copy of Memories of Mayberry to open your mind and heart to our wonderful past, not just in Mt. Airy, but in hundreds of other small towns across the land. Definitely designed for readers over 40 (we were there), but offers valuable insights for younger readers, too.