California Books

I can't count how many times I have read this book. I have three versions and the e-book. I have one copy in the washroom I read a little of it everyday. A must have Epic.

I think that all Westerners should be exposed to this classic of the East. Without a doubt, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is one of the very best works of literary art that the human mind had ever produced.
A short synopsis is in order. The novel centers around a rather short, turbulent time in ancient China, following the collapse of the Han Dynasty and predating the rise of the Jin dynasty, the period known as the "Three Kingdoms". In order to rise up against the now-corrupt Han dynasty, the mystic Zhang Jiao began what is known as the "Yellow Turban rebellion". In response to this menace, heroes of China gathered in order to put down this threat. Among these heroes are the virtuous Liu Bei, the loyal and familial Sun Jian, and the cruel and wily (but talented) Cao Cao. After the Yellow Turban rebellion is put down, it is realized that the Han dynasty has grown horribly weak and corrupt, and the heroes leave for home with their own ambitions of ruling China. Liu Bei wishes for the old days (he is a distant relative of the Han line), Cao Cao wishes for personal glory and honor, and Sun Jian wishes to rule China in order to leave it to his sons. Many other players enter the drama (hundreds in fact!), but the story really revolves around these three and their spheres of influence.
The author, Luo Guan Zhong, wrote a book that is at once of strategy, history, psychology, warfare. Although battles are always present, even those readers not interested in warfare can find a great deal in this book. Inevitably, the reader will find himself siding with one of the great Kingdoms of Wei, Wu or Shu, and yet will still feel compelled to feel compassion, elation and sorrow for the others, as their fortunes rise and fall with the changing fates. Each time I read the book (six and counting!), I pull for Liu Bei, who brings himself from commoner status to the highest positions in the land despite his tragic flaw of being TOO virtuous! And yet, I cannot deny enjoying reading about Cao Cao, as he gains support and popularity until the battle of Chi Bi, at which point he falls and must rise again. Also, the ending is fabulous, and unexpected.
However, I must warn the first time reader of the complete deluge of names with which he will be accosted. To further complicate matters, different publishers of the book spell the names in different ways (e.g. Cao Cao=T'sao T'sao, Chuko Lee-ong=Zhuge Liang). I was aided in this struggle by the fact that I had played a game with these characters, so that I was familiar with some of them. The author revels in his knowledge of history, and expects the same of his readers, but the reader may feel completely overwhelmed. Just keep in mind the three main characters, and try to remember who follows whom, and you should do fine (however, it is frustrating when the character Xun Yu introduces the character Xun You, etc.).
"Empires wax and wane, states cleave asunder and coalesce". The first statement in the book is as true today as it was 2000 years ago. If you are a reader who prides himself on his knowledge of the classics, I can honestly say that your mental library is incomplete until you read this book. So, what are you waiting for?

humanity is everything in this book and only thing we have.

I can't finish all my compliment for this book in this short review. You are not gonna believe it is such a splendid book until you read it yourself. This book is a saga with so much wisdom and humanity. It is as good as ancient Greek epic (with all repect to Greek) if not better. The wisdom in it is uncommonly plentiful. Trojan horse looks children's game after you finished the book. Romance of three kingdoms is a part of Chinese lives and now becoming popular in the world. Many Japanese companies make this book as a must-read for management staff. Read this book and I garantee that your time will be delightfully spent.

Romance of Three Kingdoms is not just the novelized version of the history record "Three Kingdoms". It overtook the heart of both Chinese and Japanese. In Japan even younger generation who rarely read literature enjoy the story in the form of either comic books or in popular PC games. In China many of the Chinese Opera comes from the part of this story.

The story is based on the history of ancient China around late 2nd century to late 3rd century when the Chinese continent was divided by three strong kingdoms,Shu(Gui in Japanese),Wu(GO in Japanese) and Wei(SHOKU in Japanese).

I am familiar with the version of Eiji Yoshikawa, the author of Musashi, focusing more on the story of Liu Pei(Wei emperor),Kuan Yu, Chang Fei, and Chuko Kunming. Liu Pei, an heir of Han Dynasty ruling clan, is a humane leader supported by Kuan Yu, deft both in brain and might maybe eastern version of Knight, Chang Fei,short tempered but really strong warrior, and Chuko Kunming the master of strategy.

Rivaling Lie Pei is another giant Tsao Tsao outstanding ruler who nearly took hold of the whole Chinese continent but blocked by the allied forces of Wu and Wei in 208. Tsao Tsao is a bit demonized in this story but he is in fact one of the greatest rulers China ever had comparable to Napoleon. While Lie Pei who has little power gradually gains by charming a lot of talented people by his couteousness yet with propaganda tactics to demonize Tsao Tsao, Tsao Tsao took advantage of courting the Emperor and with the finest staff collected from the whole continent. Tsao Tsao's Shu finally unites the whole China after his death in 265, with the surrender of Wei but Lie Pei, Kuan Yu and Kunming are still loved and idealized by Chinese public. Wu survives by taking either rivaling sides and with excellent domestic and foreign affairs strategy.

On first reading you will be enjoying the way the characters outsmart the other camps. On second reading you will be struck by the humanity upon which the story is based. It is much more than a legend. It will surely get you closer to the mind of either Chinese and Japanese. But be careful. The way character name is pronounced differ between Chinese and Japanese. Such as Tsao Tsao is pronounced in Japanese as SOSO.

"The Sea and the Poison" is a low-key but very powerful set in Japan in World War II. In fewer than 200 pages of lean prose, the book explores the moral dynamics of group of doctors and nurses who perform lethal experiments on POWs at the behest of the Japanese Army. One doctor is corrupted by ambition; another lives only for social approval; one nurse is worn down by a hard life and a bad marriage; almost everyone is numbed by the mass death caused by air raids and diminished by the tendency of medical practitioners to see patients as things rather than people. The upshot: a group of morally lobotomized persons conforms to a perverted work environment at the cost of their humanity and professional duties. It's a disturbing story. The setting is believable, the psychology acute, and the message topical: in fact, it's hard to read "The Sea and the Poison" and not think of CIA agents and private contractors torturing prisoners at Bagram, Guantanamo, and secret sites in Europe. Most of all, the book makes you think. Can there be higher praise for a work of art? Highly recommended.

Teachers: "The Sea and the Poison" would be a perfect book for older high school students looking for "serious" yet accessible world literature.

Without once making specific or explicit reference to Catholicism, Shusaku Endo's membership in the Mystical Body of Christ is as clear as mountain water. With superb craftsmanship and artistry, Endo depicts the nightmarish results of living one's life without seeking and obtaining that membership, without obedience to the commandments of the Lord and the teachings of His Church.

No, it's not a question of being holier than thou -- after all, we're all sinners. Rather, it's a question of knowing the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, and not pretending that there is no difference, or that the inverse might be true, or that there is no truth at all.

According to Endo, the character Suguro can go no further. But we can. If we don't shake off this diabolical disorientation, we can sink deeper and deeper into the sea of poison; wander further and further through the sinister halls of our own Fukuoka University Medical School.

I liked this book much more than what is generally considered Endo's masterpiece, "Silence", so poorly translated by the Christophobic William Johnston. Michael Gallagher, translator of "The Sea and Poison", also pays some homage to oh-so trendy Christophobia. His is not as egregious as Johnston's, however, and he's a much more careful translator.

SEA AND POISON by Shusaku Endo

Reading Shusaku Endo's Sea and Poison was such a delightful experience I was reluctant to close the book. Granted, it is sad to read about cruel and heartless experiments on living human beings but that is not what the book is about. From the vantage point of Japanese/Christian culture Endo courageously shines his compassionate light into the dark crevices of our souls and makes us confront our own demons nesting there. In doing so he helps us become better persons. Robert Wright in his often quoted The Moral Animal points out that "Human beings are a species splendid in their array of moral equipment, tragic in their propensity to misuse it, and pathetic in their constitutional ignorance of the misuse." Endo does us a service by diminishing our "constitutional ignorance of the misuse" [of our moral equipment]"

Endo traces the inner development of his characters with such a deep understanding of the human condition that I was astounded and moved to tears and joy. He placed two aspiring medical doctors, Toda and Sugura in a University hospital in southern Japan now seemingly under the control of the military establishment. The end of the Japanese/American war was quickly approaching. Daily bombing of the nearby city flattened the city and killed thousands of civilians and gave rise to implacable hatred directed towards two enemy airmen the military captured and brought to the hospital for experiments to determine how much could be surgically removed from a person before the person died. Toda and Sugura are assigned to assist the chief medical doctor who controls the future of the two aspiring doctors. Endo explores how Toda and Sugura deal with the conflicting demands of society, the medical establishment the nation and their conscious. Endo gently opens a window into their souls and allows us to witness the mighty clash between the demands of self preservation and the importuning of their conscious.

Endo writes so evocatively, with such elegance and grace and without a trace of judgment or preaching it was like reading a book length haiku. I recommend that the readers read Bushido the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe, (it's in the public domain and several sources allow a free download). Reading Inazo gave me a deeper and broader understanding of Endo's perspective and I intend to return to reading his books.

This short, dark, psychologically gripping novel is an indictment of militarism and its corrupting effect on the individual and society. The old, the young, the innocent, the pure of heart, caregivers, families, traditions, institutions - all will be degraded if not destroyed by it. It is, for me, Endo's most important and accessible work; it is also that rare thing, a Japanese artist's unsparing summation of the worthlessness and hideousness of The Fifteen Year War.

Edmund Burke would have agreed with Endo's novel "The Sea and Poison". Although a short novel, it is one that delves into some very deep issues about morality and the ethics of passively accepting evil in one's presence.

Contrary to another review, "The Sea and Poison" is not based on the activities of Unit 731 in Manchuria at all. The novel is based on the vivisection of 8 B29 crewmen at Fukuoka Imperial University. These experiments involved removal of lung tissue, puncturing hearts and other experiments, while the airmen were alive. None survived the experiments.

Returning to the novel, Endo focuses on a medical intern, Suguro, and his friend Toda. Both characters represent very different responses to the proposal to vivisect the airmen. Toda feels no guilt or remorse, and has no issue with taking part. It is not even matter of justifying it to hinmself: he just has little response in his conscience. Suguro, on the other hand, is flooded with doubt, ethical problems, and his own conscience. Shown to be a basically kind man, the novel reinforces Burke's suggestion that all evil needs is for good men to do nothing.

A burning look into the morality of the passive, "The Sea and Poison" will challenge and provoke. Despite its brevity, it packs a punch, and will leave you thinking for long after you have turned the last page. As usual, Endo has written a fantastic novel with real weight.

I was so happy to see that the publisher has opted to do a 3-book large format release for this excellent series by P.N. Elrod that even though I own all the books under the original mass market covers, I am buying them all again in the new editions.

I am also ecstatic to see that they have done a MUCH better job on the cover art than in the original mass market editions. If I had not been running a chain bookstore when the first one came out hadn't gotten a recommendation from one of my customers who loved the book, I would NEVER have picked it because the cover art was so tacky. I think a lot of good books go unnoticed because the publisher harms the book with bad art. Publishers: use a plain colored cover instead of something that makes the book look like tough-guy drivel or something else they are NOT! Good cover art sells books, BAD ART KILLS!

I recommend this series to readers who are interesed in how a 'normal' human might react to the circumstances created by being made vampire unexpectedly. Jack isn't a deliberate hero, and is no part of any 'brotherhood' or 'secret society'; he is instead a Joe Average hack journalist scrabbling to make a living in the depression, a likable guy who bumbles around trying to figure out what happened to him and feeling like he is up to his waist in the quicksand that has become his existence.

In many vampire fiction novels, becoming a 'creature of the night' magically solves a host of probelms and enables the hero to go on a crusade or gain lots of 'powers' which help to cope; this doesn't happen for Jack. He tries to do the best he can under the circumstances he's been handed, but finds himself becoming more at odds with the 1920's organized criminal empire he's become inadvertently pitted against, and finds himself relying more and more upon the few human friends he has who know what he is. His vulnarability is at times wrenching.

These books are enjoyable fiction which make you think about what it REALLY might be like to have the vampiric circumstance thrust upon you. No sturm and drang, no graphic sex scenes, but plenty of emotional response where the reader becomes invested in Jack, his friends, and the trials of his new existence.

I recommend these book Highly - watch out, though: they're hard to put down and you may face the hazard of staying up way too late to finsh and showing up for work the next day with dark circles under your eyes!

P.N. Elrod's Vampire Files are amazing. They take old-style detective fiction, set in post Al Capone Chicago, and merge it with the supernatural in the form of Jack Fleming, former reporter turned private investigator. Oh yeah, he's also a vampire.

Elrod's stories would be great reads on their own, but with the addition of Fleming's status as a bloodsucker, they are absolutely fantastic.

Wonderful settings, filled with exciting action and really cool characters, make these books seem to whiz by. Fortunately this volume includes the first three books of the series.

By the end of the last book, you'll be hooked. Be sure and pick up The Vampire Files Vol. II.

For those who like vicious gangsters, dapper detectives with a dark past, and smart, beautiful damsels in distress, The Vampire Files are a perfect fit. Get this one today!

Set in 1936, our hero finds himself on a shore with a man tyring to kill him. The series of books follow Jack's adventures to find out why someone whats to kill him and his search to find his lover Maureen. Excellent light reads 9/10

PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.

This was a superb book, well researched and well written, a fascinating story, and a valuable contribution to the political and military literature on the Pacific war, from Mahan to the outbreak of hostilities. "Orange" was the code word for Japan; the presumed cause for war with Japan was assumed to be the seizure of the Phillipines by Japan, something that had become an American fear within a short time of annexation. WPO was the plan of the American response. Over time, between the comings and goings of different staffs and factions, a vision of a Pacific War developed that comprehended the strategy and the operational needs of a Pacific campaign - fleets leapfrogging from base to base across the Pacific; mobile bases and a vast fleet train; base construction forces; amphibious forces with organic air assets - a view, adaptable to circumstances, of how to fight a vast war of movement and attrition across the Pacific basin, and a view that doomed any US forces stationed in the Phillipines and on Guam.

War Plan Orange is one of the best books on background to WW II in the Pacific Theater of war. Simply put, War Plan Orange is the blueprint the US used to win the war with Japan. Other plans could have been used that may have led to disaster, but the adoption of War Plan Orange was the key to victory in the Pacific. The Plan predicted the course of the war with great accuracy, and one must read this book to understand how that accuracy was obtained.

The book starts with an overview of the plan and its development from 1906 forward. Then a chapter is devoted to each aspect of the plan; for example, one chapter focuses on the aggressive plans desired by charismatic admirals and another chapter talks about the conservative plans developed by staff and demanded by Congress because of budget constraints. How this clash of plans was reconciled is a most interesting story.

The writing is clear and concise. Each chapter is finely focused. The various personalities and their impact on the plan are thoroughly discussed. The budgetary constraints are laid out as a key part of the planning process. Overall, the development of the plan and its impact on the war in the Pacific are described well.
Anyone who is interested in the Pacific war or WW II must read War Plan Orange. It is an easy fast read and will enhance one's knowledge of the war and of American war planning as few other books can.

AD2

Wartime policy in the Pacific was always a mystery to me. Miller's book allowed to make some sense of locations and campaigns, that these were not chosen at random or on the fly. A complementary work to such modern classics as At Dawn We Slept.

Author Miller has justly received many honors for this book which present the US planning for response to any Japanese aggression against the United States during the period between World War I and World War II. Miller also wrote another book, "Bankrupting The Enemy" about the US economic actions concerning Japan leading up to the war that is equally high quality and required reading for World War II historians.

Outside of the plans themselves representing various schools of thought among Naval strategists, thrusters, defensivists, cautionaries, etc., the political situations in the United States with respect to limitations on military capabilities are covered thoroughly. Often the planning foundered on the reality of inadequate resources, rendering official strategy rather feckless in hindsight. Politicials were simply not up to the task of providing military preparedness, and it was not until Roosevelt was able to obtain a major naval expansion through Congress in 1937 that sufficient force would be available for a strategy for victory starting as early as 1943.

Although the author makes the case that the Rainbow-5, the last pre-war Plan Orange, was followed in the main to victory, the most disturbing element was the sacrifice of the Philippines inherent in the planning but not communicated to MacArthur or the officers or men in the Philippines. Troops were sent to the Philippines to sacrifice themselves, unbeknownst to them. Plans to relieve the Philippines were simply not realistic given the resources of the Navy, even if there had been no losses at Pearl Harbor. This is clear from Miller's book, and an indictment of the American arm-chair admirals, generals and politicians involved. This lesson went unlearned for the future, as the Army's Berlin Brigade was defenseless throughout the Cold War, and truthfully its only purpose was to die so that American public opinion could be mobilized against the Soviets.

One is ultimately led to the conclusion that War Plan Orange was successful more due to the limited options available to the planners than to any inherent brilliance in planning. The adjustments during the War such as invading the Marianas to supply a long-range bombing base tended to be more decisive than the pre-war plans. Nonetheless, Rainbow-5 provided an effective starting point and should not be underestimated.

A side point is that the author apparently does not believe that Truman would have invaded Japan if there had been no atomic bomb. As he writes, "... it is questionable that after 292,000 American deaths in all theaters of World War II, any president would have accepted carnage on that scale (of the invasion) as the only option for ending the war." Interesting point. I guess the belief the the American public can't sacrifice or has limited staying power in a conflict is alive and well. Maybe even true.

War Plan Orange dispels many of the myths surrounding a supposed plan for an Armageddon type clash between the Navies of the USA and Japan before WW2 actually broke out.
The Author is a little confusing at first. He has a tendency to leap from this year to that, then back to here and over to there, with a side reference to some other period. There were sections of the first few chapters where I was not sure if I was in the right time continuum. However he eventually settles down about half way through, after which things proceed in a far more orderly cronological order.
That is not to say valuable information in the first half, is not able to be gleaned from this excellent work. It can be. You just might need to keep reminding yourself which year he is currently addressing.
Over all the author tells a story of contingency planning. All nations engage in it just in case something happens. It also enables naval planners to determine the sort of ships required in the event of a future naval conflict.
While the contingencies are often battered about by different lines of thought from a whole range of naval people as the years progress, one thing is clear. The US Navy worked out what their likely requirements were if Government sent them to war. This came in the form of permanent bases, advanced base equipment, ships and stores. But these issues then also required a means by which to deploy those things and where.
The author has done some incredible research and unearthed volumes of reports that must have been gathering dust for decades.
In doing so he shows how a navy goes about planning for what might be required of it. Even when peace reigns, these things have to be allowed for, but the longer it reigns, the more people get to effect the plan. Yet over all, the things they forsee, and the plans they make, do in many cases, turn WW2 in the Pacific into an emulation of what these men had thought out during previous decades.
Cleverly, the author concentrates on the US Navy. There are no side distractions into what the Japanese thought. Even when it turns into plan Rainbow to reflect more countries involved, plus allies, he remains true to his course. Therefore, although armed with 'hindsight', the reader finds himself in the position of the planners as they must have wondered, what the other side were wondering. We know what eventually happened. We do not know from this book, how the Japanese side of it was planned. So the reader is as in the dark as the planners were, which I felt produced a good element into the study of this particular part of history.
The book is strongly recommended for any naval historian, or indeed any historian looking at the land side of the Pacific war. For those who like a bit of lighter reading, it may prove a bit too heavy. But I would still advise those with an interest in WW2 in the Pacific, to give it a try. You will find it incredibly informative.

Like features on a face or shadows on the moon, what we remember most is the unusual, the unsmooth, the wart or the wrinkle. Thus, for most of us, our picture of Henry David Thoreau consists of parts of two years spent in a hut on Walden Pond, interrupted by a one night stay in jail. If a quote comes to mind it is likely to be the aphorism about those who march to the beat of a different drummer. A two year camp-out is not a life, emblematic or no, and though Thoreau's life was short (snuffed by tuberculosis at 44), there was a great deal more to his career than the shack on Walden pond. He supported himself as a surveyor, teacher and lecturer, and his naturalist writings were widely published throughout his life. He was a knowledgeable taxonomist and was conversant with naturalistic texts in Greek and Latin, as well as with his contemporary, Charles Darwin. WILD FRUITS was his last manuscript, still in the works at the time of his death, together with a sketchier companion volume on the Dispersion of Seeds. Painstakingly transcribed from the author's scribbled notes by Thoreau scholar Bradley Dean, this book is a walk through the fruiting season. We meet each fruit as it ripens, from the elm seed and dandelion fluff forward to the succulent berries of summer and on to the wizened fruits of winter, still clinging to branches long after their season has passed. Thoreau was an acute observer. His careful identification and description of each plant could not be improved upon today, and being closer to the European invasion, he had the benefit of Indian wisdom concerning the habit and uses of native plants. Most surprising to this reader, after many seasons spent hiking and canoeing in Thoreau's stompin' grounds, is the diversity of edible berries I have overlooked. I consider myself a "grazer," inclined to sample berries, fruits, nuts and mushrooms* in my travels, but I see that I have much to learn (and nibble). All of the author's observations are interwoven with commentary on the habits of humans and animals, most particularly the damage being done to the natural world by thoughtless developers and badly conceived laws. Once again Thoreau proves deserving of his reputation as the progenitor of modern environmentalism. His voice rings true and clear across the 20th Century.

First things first, as they say. Very appropriately, other reviews have started with a heart felt admiration and thanks to Bradley Dean and all of his associates for this monumental accomplishment of editing and bringing this "Last Manuscript" to fruition. No easy task, either. Included in this book are photo copies of original handwritten pages from the manuscript. Think of the proverbial Doctor's scribbling and you get the picture. The research required to make sense of it all and get it to book form was monumental. Also included is an overview of how this project was handled with significant editor's notes and further research info and a chronology of Thoreau's life. For more info on Thoreau's life and work, there is a note to readers that invites all to check out the Walden Project or the Thoreau Society website (www.walden.org).

This book mostly reads like a botanist's field guide to wild edible plants with very exacting seasonal attributes: uses- edible, medicinal, etc.; locating/identifying/gathering/processing. Fine plant illustrations by Abigail Rorer compliment the plant descriptions.

Added to this and sprinkled throughout the book are Thoreau's thoughts and keen insight to the workings of nature and the need of the public to be educated on the virtues of native flora/fauna. Thoreau posits on the need for large tracks of land (like nature islands) to be set aside in their pristine/untouched/native condition for the protection and health of plant and animal life.

This book is not a sequel to Thoreau`s "Walden", rather, it stands on it's own as a great illustration of his profound knowledge of flora/fauna and for his admiration and love of Nature for all that it provides- "To watch for, describe, all the divine features which I detect in Nature. My profession is to be always on the alert to find God in nature-to know his lurking places". Thoreau certainly lived up to that aspiration and more! I highly recommend this book.

This book is a collection of notes concerning the timing of various fruits that grow in and around Concord, Massachusetts. The word "fruit" is used very generally, and not all the "fruits" in the book are wild, since Thoreau includes comments about corn, potatoes, and other crops in the book, as well as about weeds and trees that produce seeds, such as maples. The book is comprised of articles that run from 1 or 2 sentences to 20 pages, depending on how much Thoreau has to say about the topic. The articles are arranged chronologically, according to when the "fruit" first ripens, beginning with elm seeds in May and ending with juniper berries in March. While some of the articles are accompanied by black-and-white sketches, they do not generally have enough information for readers to use the book as a guide for identifying plants. Rather, the book provides notes about the growth habits and ecology of plants. In addition to Thoreau's Wild Fruit material, there is also an introduction by the editor, Bradley Dean, and end material, including a selection of related passages (alternate beginning to Wild Fruits, the history of the apple tree, notes on the dispersion of seeds), a Thoreau chronology, a short glossary of botanical terms, a few black and white plates of Thoreau's manuscripts, editor's notes on the manuscript, a list of works cited, and an index.

This work represents the most detailed and systematic collection of Thoreau's naturalist observations. Even though the work is primarily about fruits, Thoreau still manages to slip a little philosophy in here and there. In his own introduction, he writes "The value of any experience is measured, of course, not by the amount of money, but the amount of development we get out of it." In his essay "Wild Apples," he writes "There is thus about all natural products a certain volatile and ethereal quality which represents their highest value, and which cannot be vulgarized, or bought and sold." Later, in an essay concerning cranberries, he notes "Both a conscious and an unconscious life are good; neither is good exclusively, for both have the same source. The wisely conscious life springs out of an unconscious suggestion....Indeed, it is by obeying the suggestions of a higher light within you that you escape from yourself and, in the transit, as it were see with the unworn sides of your eye, travel totally new paths." It's a fascinating book for readers of Thoreau, and would make a great reference for those interested in learning more details about the ecology of wild New England plants than can be found in common field guides.

What could be more pedestrian than the fruits (talking broadly) of plants - such fruits that include grains of wheat, hips of wild roses, apples, blueberries, etc. We may enjoy some of them as taste treats, but most of us ignore the everyday development of fruit from flower. The flowers are more noticed, except for some ornamental types like hollies. Yet the fruit and/or seeds of plants are amazing structures, many evolved to be carried by the wind, floated on water, eaten by animals or inadvertently carried by same through the devices of spines or hooks. In addition the seeds, surrounded by fleshy fruits or not, are little wonders- holding within them the promise of new growth. It always amazes me a little when I plant a seed and in a few weeks or months I have in its place a tall corn plant or tomato! Oaks are in acorns and tall pines in the seeds shed from their cones.

The long lost manuscript of Henry David Thoreau has now been published as "Wild Fruits", edited by Bradley P. Dean and elegantly illustrated by Abigail Rorer. It is a gem! Thoreau recorded his observations and thoughts about every sort of fruit and seed he encountered in New England, including the domesticated or semi-domesticated types. Occasionally he goes on about some favored fruit, such as the apple, explaining some of the folklore and history. In essence, especially in this troubled world, it is a great pleasure to read about these amazing, but everyday, objects of nature.

A good book to read and savor, I recommend it as an antidote to the hurried and harried lives we often live.

Do we have a preference for our Thoreau? ABSOLUTELY! But even the adulterated varietal will do in a pinch. The long lost diary of HD's romps in the woods serve well to remind us why some fruits are forbidden. Thoreau's posthumously edited musings over cattails, gladiolas, and other seductive succulents put the reader in the mood, apparently, for wanton strolls in a wooded glen savoring everything from unbridalled grapes (of wrath?) to the odd jack-in-the-pulpit. 'Tis better to give than to receive and this new work by an old friend makes a great gift when you want it known that you are in the mood for fruit more private than Publix.

I read somewhere on the internet a few weeks ago about the Zebra murders and wondered what the heck was that about, and how it was said that the main-stream-media had ignored this huge news item and then the book about it. BINGO! I knew I had to read the book right away, and did! It is true, like any good crime story, once you start reading it, you can't put it down. The chapter about the tracing of the gun was an interesting short story in itself.

The murders occurred in 1973 in San Francisco, and I talked to some people about it and they never heard of it, and neither did I ever recall hearing anything about it myself. But, basically these murders held a terror siege on the city of San Francisco for nearly six months! The brutality of these murders was shocking! Who they were committed by, for, and against was just as shocking. The story ends each chapter with a short memorial of each victim as the body counts begins to build up.

Though the story is well-written by a capable author, I must say there was one part in the book that was confusing and I thought the author could have stated it better. It read, "While the white family had its picnic and Ward Anderson visted his friend, the two black Muslims known an Skullcap and Rims had a philosophical discussion on the subject of murder". This part had me thinking that Ward was talking to the two Muslims as pals and I only realized this was a mistake several pages down as the story wasn't making any sense.

So, why was this book and and essentially racist crime news ignored by the big media? Sigh... somethings never change (look at today's current events). It involved race and religious beliefs, something the Left and the MSM won't touch unless it coincides with their agenda. This time it didn't, and thus, the deafening silence.

This book recounts the horrifying crime spree known as the Zebra killings that happened in the Bay Area in the early 1970's. This spree, committed by black members of an offshoot of the Muslim religion, was done in an attempt for the murderers to win "Death Angel" status. This dubious honor was given to any "true believer" who murdered a certain number of white children, white women, or white men, or a combination of the three. (One received more credit for slaying a child or woman than a man supposedly because it would take more fortitude to do it. However, the author believes [with good reason, I think] it had more to do with the murderers being cowards afraid of anyone who might fight back.) Taking place over several months, the killers took several lives and wounded others in their barbaric attempt to win Death Angel wings. The author does a splendid job in recreating the events as well as allowing the reader to get inside the head of the people who actually believed it to be an honor to murder others. What is even more chilling than the specific Zebra murders is the fact that other Death Angels supposedly existed in California and could be walking the streets even today. For those with a strong stomach wishing to find out about a savage wave of crime (a wave that has strangely been forgotten), this is a must read.

"Zebra" is focused on the related crimes in San Francisco. But the "Zebra" crimes were actually happening state-wide. They were racially motivated, a psychopathic race to kill enough innocent victims to rate the killer as a "Death Angel."

Some of the killers were intellectually deficient and almost always chose the victims at random, on impulse. They were encouraged to seek out children or women as victims.

True to the expectations of some investigators, the killers were cowards and offered no resistance when arrested.

The name "Zebra" was inspired by the "Z as in Zebra" radio channel that was reserved for the investigation. Although there are other racial connotations for the case name.

The statistics in San Francisco were 23 assaults resulting in 15 deaths and numerous survivors scarred in one way or the other from the assault that they survived. Mr. Howard does a commendable job portraying the victims as everyday people rather than merely numbered victims.

I echo the surprise of the other reviewer that this case hasn't recieved more attention over the years. It was a huge case,more like conspiracy,of murder throughout California that had as amany as 70+ victims!

Clark Howard's "Zebra" is a very good read for any true crime reader.

considering just how limited/censored the info on this case is, Zebra is an OK read, I wish it was more from the police perspective as the killer perspective has to have some serious conjecture. Why this case was never fully solved is astounding , they convict a few people for a 14 murders, when there were perhaps dozens of killers and 70+ confirmed murders, the pattern was Black Muslims, so how hard could it have been to pursue that avenue.

I simply cannot understand why the media covers up stories like this but gives stories that are far less provoking front page news. It is frightening to know that many of the ideals revealed in this novel still exist today. I highly recommend this novel for anyone interested in true crime. It was so well written, it was easy to foget that these events actually happened.

This book, Matty's book...a masterwork of life and compassion. It's a kind of Les Miserables in the most amazing way. Something makes me feel intuitively that if 35 Cents were required reading in schools, it would heal the world. Sounds dumb, sounds like an exaggeration, but I'm not kidding. It's a deceptively easy read that will change you. When I finished it I went outside and cried on a stoop for about a half an hour, just at the beauty and tragedy and courage the book brings. I recommend this book for everyone, everywhere, living the human condition.

quite good actually. it sounds wrong to say I enjoyed it, but I did. a no-blame, it-is-what-it-is account of when S**t happens.

The beginning got off to a fast start and so did Matty. Very graphic but its a great story! I admire you very much Matty! Thank you for writing this book!

BUY THIS BOOK! YOU WONT REGRET IT!

I received this book in the mail and finished it in one day. The author's personality comes through in his prose and he's someone to know. His experiences range from terrifying to amusing to fun, and his journey is ultimately to find out who is his and who he wants to be. He crosses many boundaries, opens Pandora's box, transgresses social limits and we, his readers, are all the better for it. At the same time, he comes close to boundaries that he refuses to cross though he has tremendous sympathy for a friend who did. This book is about humanity, finding love where it is available and learning rather than regretting. Mattie has an amazing ability as a straight man....the ability to fall in love with other men and the gift of being able to see pain even in the eyes of those who have used him. This was a fantastic read. I don't think that I'll soon forget it.

Cottonmouth Kisses

Remember that con-artist, that literary construct of a tortured boy Laura Albert gave the name J.T. as if "The Leroy Syndrome" were another terminal illness? In the span of a few years, this increasingly tortured creature of myth festered from a truck stop prostitute into a full-blown media monstrosity whose stories spun more out of control than the crackled sparkle of a majorette's baton: suddenly "he" had full-blown AIDS; then "he" began to remember that he was also forced into starring in child pornography, ad nauseum?

Well: no, Virginia--I hate to break the news, but there is no J.T. Leroy...just as there is no Santa Claus.

There *is*, however, a brilliant and beautiful underrated memoirist named Matty Lee whose prose beats with the same pure intent as his heart, and whose debut release 35 Cents is precisely what it purports to be: a shattered account of a handsome boy's life who hustled his way through juvie and midnight streets, through the front seats of johns and the backward ways he developed into the straight-up talent the author is today.

It's been almost a year since I finished this humble confessional, yet sometimes passages from its pages will come to mind and tap me on the shoulder when I least expect it: rough-edged little reminders that it's something bigger than I initially thought it to be.

All flowery descriptions pushed aside, here's the deal:

I love love love this book.

Great Book if you are wanting to get into the acting biz and have no clue where to start...read once then read 5 more times very useful info!

Wow, this is probably the most informative book about acting that I have ever read. Yes, I know commenting on a book before I finish reading it probably isn't the wisest thing.
I am at the acting tests, which I still have to do. But I did make dates with courage and determination! I am excited to ask my neighbor for a pair of socks.
I didn't think I would have what it takes to be an actor, but this book offers encouragement and ways to get you ready to be an actor.

READ IT!!!

Well, I guess you're not really supposed to write a review on a book until you've finished it, but this book is great. I got it two days ago and I'm almost finished reading it. I almost can't put it down, and i'm not a huge reading fan. I've read other books and none of them seemed to catch my attention or explain a process as well as pete does in this book. I would recommend it to anyone considering the acting career, not only does it help you decide wether you have the courage to act or not, it also gives you a step by step process to help keep you on track. I believe that this can help any actor, and is essential to the beginner.

I read some of the other reviews and wondered what these guys were thinking if they're skeptical at all. Even though this is the only acting book I've read, I can't imagine that there could be anything more helpful. Talk about to the point. It seems pretty clear after reading this, that I can do this if I just follow these steps. I like that the writer doesn't use any false promises. At the same time though, he really nails it witht the whole step by steep thing. He made me think of things I never realized before like exactly how you get that first role that leads to other roles. This book is gold in my opinion. I'm just starting out and trying to get my feet wet. If you're that way, I think you'll enjoy this too. I read through the my highlights every day.

I have dreamed of becoming an actor all my life, but i wasn't sure how to go about starting a career other than school plays. When I got this book I began reading it right away...and I did not put it down until the last page. This book is a goldmine for anyone who wants to get into the acting industry. Peter's advice and his steps are realistic and after reading it I was inspired to really go for it. now I ask myself everyday..."What have you done today to advance your acting career?"

Great book, easy to read. CD is a little over the top and bizarre though.

In Amy Gorman's Aging Artfully, Dr. Gene Cohen, who has conducted long-term research on creativity and the elderly, is quoted as stating "that seniors who participate in arts activities enjoy better health, visit doctors less frequently and use less medicine, to name a few of the benefits." If Gorman's interviews of twelve visual and performing women artists aged 85-105 is any indication, we certainly have to concur with Dr. Cohen's findings.

Gorman was very intrigued with the connection between longevity and the impact of creative activities on the over-85 age population. As a result of her curiosity, she interviewed twelve women in the San Francisco Bay area who were between the ages of 85 and 105. Moreover, together with the collaboration of her friend and colleague, Frances Kandl, Gorman transcribed these interviews and published them in Aging Artfully, while Kandl wrote seven songs about some of the interviewees. The songs were recorded and appear on a CD that accompanies the book.

The 12 women, who candidly share their life their experiences with Gorman, are all connected in one way or another to the world of art and all were quite capable of recounting poignant and careful examinations of their lives.

This does make for some very fascinating reading as we are introduced to Lily Hearst, a 107- year old pianist, Frances Dunham Catlett, a 97-year old painter, Ann Davlin, a 95 year dancer, Mary Beth Washington, an 85-year old storyteller, Dorothy Takahashi Toy, an 88-year old dancer, Faith Craig Petric, a 90-year old folk singer,Rosa Maria Morales Escobar, an 82-year old singer and folklorico dancer, Grace Gildersleeve, a 94-year old rug braider, Elsie Ogata, a 90-year old Ikebana artist, Stella Toogood Cope, a 90-year old storyteller, Madeline Mason, a 104-year old doll marker and sculptor, and Isabel Ferguson, an 89-year old actor, illustrator, painter and assemblage artist. You probably won't find most of these women listed in the various Internet search engines, however, what they have to share is quite an eye-opener.

Although, all of these feisty women are unique, exhibiting strong characters, there are some surprising standouts such as Dorothy Takahashi Toy, who had a lifetime of dancing, choreographing and producing shows, and had barely slowed down at the age of 88 when interviewed by Gorman. Imagine a 107-year old, Lily Hearst, who died in 2005, and who was still practising daily on her cherished Schiedmayer grand piano. When Gorman met African American Madeline Mason, who at the time was over a hundred, she greeted her with a cheerful smile and laughingly told her she would be 102 on April 20th, the same birthday as Hitler, and he didn't like or Jews."

Gorman's interview technique is clever and masterful, turning what might easily have wound up as tedious and monotonous conversations into an informative look at the benefits of art that has kept these individuals alive and kicking in their ninth decade and beyond. Her transcriptions of the interviews are plainspoken and direct with a minimum of flourish, an approach that permits her readers to understand why art was so much part of them or as Gorman states: "Their art is now so deeply ingrained in their beings that they cannot separate it from themselves. The art and the person have merged."

In addition, the interviewees do not shy away from discussing the difficult realities that they may have endured during their lifetime. In fact, they even confront their past sufferings without resorting to complaining or dwelling on unpleasant experiences. In the end the interviews together with the several black and white photos that are thrown in felt like I was having a pleasant rendezvous with elderly neighbours while enjoying a good laugh or maybe shedding a tear or two. And after putting the book to rest, I shook my head in amazement with a new perspective on growing old.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

It's so nice to find inspirational women role models for creative aging. As a former actress and singer, I have promised myself that I would some day go back to my earlier career in the theater. If I had any doubts that it was too late to do that, this book has put those doubts to rest! Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

"Aging Artfully" is Amy Gorman's inspiring and touching rejoinder to the pervasive idea that age is some sort of wasteland. Gorman--who "woke up one morning, age was on my mind," interviews 12 women who by any measure are very old--85-105--and yet are deeply engaged in the visual and performing arts. She finds that the arts have become so much a part of these old women that "the art and the person have merged," that in the face of declining strength, it is their art, in fact, that keeps them going. In an unusual touch, Gorman's heartfelt profiles are complemented with music, songs composed by her colleague Frances Kandl, whose CD is included with the book. Kandl composed these special songs in response to the spirit of seven of the 12 women; they are performed by--the Crones' Kwartet! Some of the women have always been involved in the arts, others discovered them late in life, and as each tells us her story, we see how the lives of all of them are enriched thereby. These women have a lot to tell us -- it's up to us to hear them.

"Slow down," one of my children may tell me; sometimes, I even say it to myself.

Forget it!

The great message of this book is "Keep going--full tilt."

Consider Dorothy Toy, 88, with a dance class full of high school girls, or Lily Hearst at the piano practicing her scales before she tackled Chopin, all this before her students arrive. Lily didn't like teaching youngsters--she insisted that they be at least 70. It makes sense, since when Lily taught her students, she was 105 herself. Dorothy and Lily are but two of the inspiring women whose stories enliven the pages of this fascinating book.

Author Amy Gorman, along with her colleague, Frances Kandl, became intrigued with women artists who continued to pursue their art into their later years. Amy was so intrigued, that in 2006 she interviewed twelve of them, all but one 85 or older, who lived in or near Berkeley, California. The interviews and these women became this book, which is itself an inspiration.

The women followed many muses: Lily, music; Dorothy, dance; the well-named Stella Toogood Cope told stories, as did Orunamanu (Mary Beth Washington). There are painters, singers, a doll maker, a rug braider and an Ikebana artist as well. Despite the differences in craft and life story among the women, the author noted many similarities: they accepted the limitations of age without complaint and they "continued to do their art no matter what."

As my own clock ticks along (whose does not?), I find inspiration in each story. These women can serve as models for all of us. It would be a fine book to share with older women's groups, not only to encourage the participants but also to serve as a catalyst for the sharing of their own stories. This book also deserves a place in the larger field of women's history, for while each woman was living her later years in California, their stories spanned three centuries and several continents. Lily began her life in Austria, where with her sister, she pioneered skiing for women--and wore pants to do it! Stella began her storytelling career on the radio in England, while Madeline, the doll maker, was a pioneering African-American nurse in New York. Dancer Rosa Maria traces her family back to the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, and dancer Dorothy, American born with Japanese heritage, spent the Second World War in her parents' homeland. Such diversity, such a wealth of personal creativity. If these women are all in Berkeley, I wonder about the women around me!

A bonus comes with this book. Frances Kandl composed seven songs about the women interviewed here. She performed them as a salute to the women; a compact disc is included with the book.

This is a book to appreciate and share.

by Patricia Nordyke Pando
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews

I LOVE Frank McCourt's books. There is no story more emotionally riveting and profound than "Angela's Ashes". I just wish his newer books had better endings. This most recent book just dwindles away at the end. I was waiting for something more, and it merely dropped off. Frank is truly the best story teller of our lifetime. I hope he writes many more books about Ireland.

This book is short and very appealing to young readers. The message is universal. It's about love.

We loved this story for its message about the real reason for the Christmas season. In today's culture of "political correctness" and not wanting to offend anyone that often is missing. The artwork is soft and beautiful. It will be a book that is set out for Christmas reading for many years to come.

my entire family loved this book! My son's received it first & thought it would be a great gift for our uncle who is a priest! The only difference between the children's version & the adult is the art work. It's a lovely story!

Enjoyed reading it to the grandchildren but pictures were a little dark for the younger ones.