Maryland Books

She is so good and portraying life as it realy is among the Amish.What A good book.Nadia REhmani

This book truly is entitled properly "Sacrifice," as that is exactly what it is for Leah most of all.

At the beginning though, the twins Mary Ruth and Hannah are both of courting age now and are dating the Stolzfus boys, Elias with Mary Ruth, and Ezra with Hannah. Mary Ruth especially is so much in love with Elias, and when the doctor's son Robert comes to town, a tragedy occurs. On one very dark night after the singings, Robert doesn't see the horse and buggy and runs them down in his car causing a deadly accident. Elias dies at the hospital, and Mary Ruth completely goes to pieces. Robert is studying to be a minister and he is simply sick all over about this, even though pardoned by the People.

It is a long time before Mary Ruth comes around, and when she gets back into living again, wants to attend high school against her Dat's wishes naturally. Mary Ruth is so hurt and everything though, she doesn't care what her Dat thinks, and goes ahead anyway to live with the Englishers she babysits for, and begin her high school career. Abram is furious over his daughter doing this, and bans her from the rest of the family. Ida the mother, has a secret fit, but must abide by her husband's wishes.

Leah is becoming in love with Gideon, the smithy's son. They have plans to marry later, but all that will change when Ida is pregnant with their fifth child, hoping for a boy this time around, and another tragedy befalls the family.

On Christmas Eve, Ida is having severe pains and getting ready to deliver the baby. Leah and Hannah were out during most of this time, and stopped on the way back from church services to see Mary Ruth at the Nolt's. When they finally get back, they discover their mother in dire pain, and as the birth progresses, Hannah has to seek immediate help for their mom with the midwife as she is bleeding quite profusely. Sadly, Ida is beyond help and dies right after getting to hold her son Abe only one time. The whole thing falls on dear Leah's shoulders now, as she feels responsible for her 2 year old sister Lydiann, and Abe now.


Leah knows she cannot possibly marry Gideon at this time or maybe never, is she is now responsible for mothering two kids. She is very committed to both children and like her aunt Lizzie, will be a maidel for a very long time.

Interestingly enough, Ezra, Hannah's love, has gone into the English ways, and the two have grown further apart. Gideon though has taken an interest in Hannah, and the two fall in love and will marry in this book, having their own children.

Abram has serious regrets and begins to soften more in this book as time goes along. He welcomes Mary Ruth back into the fold again, and his other oldest and long lost daughter Sadie comes back into the picture again. Leah is not ready to welcome Sadie back with open arms from all the hurt and betrayals in the past. There is a lot of pain between those two, so it seems it will take awhile to truly make amends.

Death-bed vow to mom:

Leah will care for siblings.

Good-bye courting years.

I LOVED this book!!! Abram's Daughters are one of my favorite series. Honestly, tears were rolling down my cheeks when Leah's adoptive Mama died. And when Sadie came home and told Leah she hadn't married Jonas, I started crying/laughing with relief. The whole book was just superb, the only problem was that I wanted read #4 right after #3 and I didn't have it yet!

#3 in a series of 5....... and this one keeps you coming back for more!! More twists and turns as expected from Beverly Lewis; fantastic series!

Lippman's honest appraisal of Baltimore is tempered only by her obvious love of the city. I've lived in Baltimore, and while it gets into your heart in a short time, it's also a tough love. Baltimore has a high murder rate and more social problems than you can shake an oar at. Lippman does not flinch at either of these things, particularly the murder rate. We overhear cops putting money in a betting pool as to the number of homicides that will happen this year. Yes, this sort of thing happens.

One of those murders lands in Tess's lap, and following her attempts to solve it is a fascinating ride. There's no wonder there have been nine books. Tess is a fine mind, and not bound by some higher morality that seems to afflict only the detectives of fiction - she does what she needs to do, without endless navel-gazing as to The Meaning Of It All. The mystery is a good one, with multiple layers.

But the real star is Lippman, a writer and reporter. Tess is a real person and a clear reflection of Lippman, with enough idealism to balance the natural cynicism. It's a good mix, and a familiar one.

And unlike the standard mysteries lining the shelves of your local bookstore, this one isn't entirely wrapped up in a neat bow. Sometimes the real bad guy gets away, and sometimes all the questions aren't answered.

No one knows that better than a reporter.

Read the full review at CultureGeek: http://bellevillenewsdemocrat.typepad.com/culturegeek/2007/09/bookgeek-baltim.html

Since I loved WHAT THE DEAD KNOW from this author, I decided to try her Tess series. This was a really good start. It has interesting characters and the premise was interesting. I look forward to reading more of the Tess books and getting to know more about the different characters.

I was excited to find a new female lead mystery series to start reading...and was a little disappointed. It was a slow read, but got better towards the end, & I'm going to continue on & think positively that they'll get better! She seems like a great author. On a personal note, it bothers me when people/characters drink a lot, & I was particularly bothered that Tess smokes weed, but I guess I'm a little odd-man-out to be bothered by something like that. *shrug*

This is the first book of Ms. Lippman's I've read and I was extremely pleased. Her latest, "What the Dead Know," arrived in yesterday's mail. Need to set aside to read in one sitting. I know it is a cliche, but "Blues" did keep me up until 2AM. I'm looking forward to catching up on her other Tess Monaghan books later this year.

I have to admit that I don't read very many American mystery/crime writers, and those I do tend to be overwhelmingly male (my two favorites are probably George Pelecanos and Elmore Leonard, just to give you a sense of my taste). And when I have sampled female-written series (Patricia Cornwell and Janet Evanovich are the two that spring to mind), they have utterly failed to connect with me. Nonetheless, Lippman's Tess Monaghan series came highly recommended to me, and the nearby Baltimore setting was a big draw.

This first in the series finds heroine Tess teetering on the brink of 30, and somewhat adrift following the closing down of the newspaper she worked at. She lives in a cheap apartment above her aunt's bookstore, and barely makes ends meet working as a clerk in the store and doing an odd job for an uncle. Her personal life is equally in flux, as she doesn't exactly have a slew of friends, and her love life is vacant, save for the random booty-call by her ex-boyfriend who cheats on his current girlfriend with Tess. The one constant in her life is a daily crack-of-dawn appointment with her racing shell and the Patapsco river.

This daily exercise has led to a friendship with another avid rower, Darryl Paxton. One day he hires her to check up on the activities of his type-A fiancee, and thus Tess embarks on her first session of amateur sleuthing. However, what starts as a fairly simple tailing job turns into a high profile murder case, as the fiancee's high-profile boss at a prestigious law firm has his head bashed in. Darryl is charged with the murder, and Tess is put to work by his defense lawyer as a gopher/investigator. Of course, when a lawyer is killed, one has to start digging into his past cases and soon Tess is following all kinds of threads in an attempt to clear Darryl.

The book definitely feels like a debut -- it starts sluggishly and takes far too long to pick up speed, as Lippman struggles with pacing. Many of the supporting cast are archetypes (the brassy aunt, the ambitious journalist, the patrician lawyer, the breezily confidant best friend) rather than full-figured characters, and few are colorful or engaging enough to want to spend more time with. Tess herself is somewhat generically flawed and feisty character, rather more clueless and prone to blundering than seems reasonable. However one can see glimmers of what could become a rich series character with further development.

The writing is also uneven when it comes to the various relationships. For example, Tess and Rock's easy friendship is handled quite well, however her reaction to the killing of someone close to her doesn't seem to distress her nearly as much as one might expect. The plotting is also somewhat uneven, as at times the reader will be three steps ahead of Tess and grow weary of waiting for the amateur to catch up, while near the end, events start to unfold much more rapidly and with more surprises. Many reviewers have lauded the Baltimore setting as amazing, and while I found the details all quite accurate, they never felt like much more than deliberate local color. Of course, I'm fairly familiar with Baltimore, so perhaps it's all a little more fascinating for others. In any event, it's not a great debut, but not a bad one either, and I'll probably read the next two to see if it gets better.

I've always been curious about the animal liberation front and whether you agree or disagree with their tactics, it's still an interesting read.
It's a very unlikely story. A cop "turning to the other side" for the good of animals.
I highly recommend that you check this book out for yourself.

True story of the begining of the ALF in North America. Ordinary people combining skills to pull of amazing day time and night time raids to free the animals. From the former head of PETA.

Ingrid Newkirk is a hero, a genious, and a revolutionary. God bless her in every way for everything she has done for animals.
The book is absolutely wonderful...I finished it in 3 days!!! The only reason I put it down is because my eyes started to hurt after reading for 2 hours. This book stole my heart and encouraged me to do what I have been doing to protect animals (im a vegan and an animal advocate).
This book is full of action, emotion, relates to real life, and it will make you cry as well as sigh of relief every time you read about ALF's success at the end of each chapter.
It is a masterpiece that has painted beauty of our fellow non-humans and ugliness our own species who have inflicted such cruelties upon innocent animals. It is a masterpeice that paints courage and strength, conviction and determination of those who have put their own lives in danger to selflessly help those who need our help the most.
ITS A MUST READ!!! IT IS WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY SPENT!!! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!!! Please be kind to animals and protect them by any means necessary. God Bless You All!!!

I came to this book not knowing whether or not I supported the actions of the ALF. I'm an animal activist, but I wasn't sure if I would go so far as to support property destruction in name of a political cause. So I read it.

Besides entertaining (the stories of animal rescue are very suspenseful), this book really shined a light on the ALF for me. I've heard of the philosophy and so on, but this provided an actual account, though perhaps second-hand (necessarily), of how and why the ALF in the US was started.

By the end, liking the book for me wasn't a matter of whether I agreed or not with taking beagles out of labs. It's a great book, it has great stories and very interesting and compelling philosophy. No matter what side you sit on, at some point you'll be rooting for the "underdog" while reading this book. And for all you know, you may wind up supporting every action described.

This book is a good book for getting people educated about animal rights and the abuses that are out there. Well written and to the point. As far as the review that gave this 1 star and said it created a "third use" - ( that being sarcastically using people in experiments instead of animals ) I agree - and he should be first to go. It's about the only way he could achieve empathy of any sort.

My prof used it as a required text in the course I took. It's great! Through this book I can understand why things didn't work at my previous work experience at a higher ed. institution. I definitely recommend the book to everyone, including those who work at the social sectors as you'll understand why you need to use politics, pay attention to human resource and organization structure!

Though I had to purchase this book for a leadership class, after reading it, I thought it was very good with lots of useful information.

I just started management school and this is the first book I had to read. I must say that if nothing else, this book was enlightening! I really liked the way the author broke down any given corporate scenario in 4 different viewpoints.

Personally, I really liked the HR Frame, followed by Political Frame. Those two were the ones I really thought helped me at my work place. The Structural frame, I thought was kind of boring.....nothing to really look forward to. The Symbolic frame really talks about corporate culture; something half the corporate world never thinks about any more!

Wont be bad if you have to read it for your MBA!

The fact that Reframing Organizations is often used as a university textbook should be a subtle warning that this is not a quick-read or how-to book. However, it is THE overview of the broad practice of organizational theory. Bolman and Deal utilize models based on four different views of the organization to show how to analyse and comprehend the dynamics of organizational structure and function. As a software engineer I found this "multi-model view to understanding" similar to how we model software systems from a variety of perspectives.

While comprehensive, the book is yet readable and accessible to the layperson, and quickly gives the reader a broad understanding of organizational dynamics and structures viewed through the lenses of the four "frames." This book won't give you quick practical fixes for your organizational problems - but it will give you a broad base of understanding for thinking about the problems you face in organizational life and understanding why your organization functions (or dysfunctions!) the way it does.

This book is still very timely, but I also highly recommend "Growing Great Employees" by Erika Andersen as an addition to this book. Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers

In late summer 1862, the Confederate Army is invading the United States of America. Major Nate Starbuck has been given command of the Yellowlegs, a battalion composed of failures and cowards. Starbuck does his best to train the battalion and to lead them to the battle against the northern garrison at Harper's Ferry, and then to the bloody battlefield of Antietam where around twelve thousand men died just in some hours. Starbuck and his friends are struggling to survive, not to be killed by the enemies wearing blue uniforms and also by the enemies behind their backs.

This book is the fourth one in the Starbuck Chronicles. Like other Cornwell's books, this one is an excellent read. However, if you already read Sharpes, you would find a lot of similarities between these two series.

Despite the fact that the entire Starbuck series seems to be a rewriting of the familiar Sharpe series novels, one cannot help but like these books. This, the final addition to the series, is perhaps the one I enjoyed most. Yes, its more of the same but the battle description seems longer in this one than in the others. The theory for how McClellan came to have Lee's plans is interesting and draws in the guerrilla aspects of the war not often touched upon. Cornwell's books are not "great fiction" in the sense of telling a story with deep significance beyond the story, but they are finely spun tales that entertain and that is of value in itself. But do not expect something original in characters - these are Cornwell-templates fleshed out in slightly different situations as with his other novels.

Bernard Cornwell can really tell a story. He keeps my interest from start to finish.

I will quote from Cornwell's book, The Bloody Ground, " 'There are still yankees in the wood,'Starbuck said, pushing down the lever that rammed the revolver's chamber. ' I shot one,'Lucifer said. 'You damn fool, ' STarbuck said fondly. 'They're fighting for your freedom.' ...'but you shouldn't be fighting. Hell, these ba**rds are trying to liberate you...'" -pages 320-321
Cornwell, Benard. The Bloody Ground. Harper Collins Publishers : 1996.
First off, the yankees were not fighting to free Lucifer, Starbuck's servant, or any other black in the South. In fact, at the battle of Sharpsburg where this scene is taking place, the Emancipation Promclimation was still three months away! And even when the document was signed by Lincoln, it did not free a single slave. The Emancipation Pronmclimation was like saying that slavery can live in the U.S. but in Mexico it will be abolished. The goverment made those, "forever free" where they had no control and let those who they did control be oppressed. It was a military move, a right for the military forces of the North to conscript free and inslaved blacks in the South. I am not a lost cause revisonist. If you can state one fact contridicting mine about what I have said then go for it. But I look to historical documents, letters, and quotes for historical fact. I have quoted from a scene in Cornwell's fictional novel, The Bloody Ground. Now let me quote from history itself...
"It is stated in books and papers that Southern children read and study that all the blood shedding and destruction of property of that conflict was because the South rebelled without cause against the best government the world ever saw; that although Southern soldiers were heroes in the field, skillfully massed and led, they and their leaders were rebels and traitors who fought to overthrow the Union, and to preserve human slavery, and that their defeat was necessary for free government and the welfare of the human family.

"As a Confederate soldier and as a citizen of Virginia, I deny the charge, and denounce it as a calumny. We were not rebels; we did not fight to perpetuate human slavery, but for our rights and privileges under a government established over us by our fathers and in defense of our homes." -Richard Henry Lee, Confederate Colonel

"We are not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for independence." Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America


"If the South had only wanted to protect slavery, all they had to do was go along with the original 13th Amendment, offered in early 1861 after several states had seceded, which would have protected slavery for all time in the states where it then existed. This was not inducement enough to bring South Carolina or any others back into the fold. The States of the Confederacy, even today, could block the passage of the 13th Amendment, and certainly could have then. This is why the slaveholders wanted to stay in the Union. Their "property" was protected by the Constitution." -Charlie Lott, historian

"The assertion that the South fought for slavery is Yankee propaganda and a monstrous distortion." -Jefferson Davis

"[Defeat] means that the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern school teachers; will learn from Northern school books their version of the War, will be impressed by all influences of history and education to regard our gallant dead as traitors, our maimed veterans as fit objects for their derision, it means the crushing of Southern manhood ... to establish sectional superiority and a more centralized form of government, and to deprive us of our rights and liberties." -Patrick Cleburne, Major General

My three stars for this book is inspired by the wonderfully illustrated battle scenes. The characters in this book are very fine and mold dramatically with the scenes and the story. Though I do not enjoy Cornwell's slander of the South, though fictional, I pray for a fifth book in the series. I believe that Major Starbuck, Captain Truslow, and General Swineyard have many more glorious and tragic stories to live in the coming months and years of the 1862-1865. I would love to see the series continue after ten years waiting for a fifth novel. If we are indeed treated to a continuation of the series, I hope that Bernard Cornwell will give a little more historical truth to the South's cause and its soldiers.

Bloody Ground is the final book in the Starbuck Chronicles and in some ways it's a very strong book and in other ways it's very weak. The plot is almost a rehash of an amalgamation of Sharpe books. That is the problem. Although the book is interesting and fun to read, it's not that original. Major Starbuck is transferred to command of a punishment battalion filled with cowardly officers and corrupt sergeants. His second in command is a situational conformist who wants to rape, pillage and plunder and stay well away from battle. With the help of a drunken but loveable officer named Potter (reminiscent of Harry Price from the Sharpe series), Starbuck must get the battalion in fighting order in time for Antietam. Starbuck has to worry about bullets from behind and in front as the Civil Wars bloodiest day commences. The battle of Antietam is well written and this book is enjoyable enough. In fact, I wish that Cornwell would finish the series and go through the entire war. OVerall a fun and interesting read, but too much like Sharpe

Harriet Tubman and Langston Hughes are two African American leaders that I admire most, and for the life of me, when I went to the DuSable Museum in Chicago, I paused and wondered why I'd never read a book about her but had read several on him. Then it hit me: History books avoid so many important African American female leaders and slaves. You get the occasional paragraph about Rosa Parks and Phyllis Wheatley, but Harriet Tubman (as amazing as her strength and achievements were) is ignored in mainstream history books. For that reason alone, I definitely appreciate Dorothy Sterling for writing this book and the museum for carrying it.

With that said, this book was hard to read. The book was excellent, and I enjoyed the documentation of Mrs. Tubman's accomplishments, but the more I read, the more I admired and was terrified for all of the things she faced. I still can't stomach the brutal actions in slavery and segregation. I'm not totally convinced about Lincoln's intentions. I also respect Tubman even more than I already did, but the craziness she endured is something that makes me want to label her THE strongest African (American) woman that I've ever heard of. Please pick this book up. It's worth whatever you pay for it and then some.

I am reading this book right now in t.a.g/school and it is very good. It inspires all chilldren to take a stand. This is a good book for excellent readers!!! Buy the book for 5 dollars on amazon.com and read great book Freedom Train!!!!~~~~!!!!

The book I read was called freedom train. It was about harriet tubman trying to escape. An one day she found a tunnel that lead to Canada. Happy as she was she went to tell everyone. and they were free!and also this book made me feel I could do something too. Because when she caped on saying I can do it!And she never gave up!I will reccomand this to my friends because I hope they will enjoy the things she did,And feel the same way I felt.

If I could, I'd give this book 6 stars. It's the story of Harriet Tubman who was born into slavery. Harriet Tubman escaped and then helped other slaves escape with the underground railroad. I learned more about the Civil War and how courageous Harriet was. It is a good book for those who want to learn more about the Civil War. This would be good for all ages to read.

Harriet Tubman has to rate as one of the most amazing heroines in history. A slave born in America in about 1820, (I say about as she never really new her birth date). She was always fired with a stronger will than her 'master' and 'mistress' liked. As a very young girl she was taken to the big house but she never got on with the mistress. She ended up whipped and sent back to be a field hand. She was short, but she worked so hard she soon was capable of doing a mans work. However she never wished to bow her head to any one.

When she was quite young she helped another slave escape and in the process was badly injured. Despite leaving her with sudden sleeping spells she escaped and went on to join the freedom train. Her inspirational way, strength and sheer will made her extremely successful at freeing many others - even when they eventually had to take the 'train' all the way to Canada. She even helped her elderly parents escape.

This is as much a story of slavery in America as this outlines the background of what Harriet was doing. Why she suddenly had to take her 'passengers' beyond the Delaware border to Canada. The wrangling of the slave-owning congress who wanted all slaves returned, that Lincoln refused to allow black troops in the civil war at first - and paid them only 2/3rds of what the white troops were earning.

It also talks about Harriet's life after the end of the civl war and her support of her family, friends and freedmen institutions to better her community.

This is a very well written, informative and entertaining book suitable for 8-12 year olds and I would highly recommend it. It is inpirational - about a girl who would not give up hope and when she could acted on it. I really liked the fact that this story is about someone who actually made change. This is not a glamouress herione, but one who really changed the face of America.

A riveting book. Brutally honest, tragic but always uplifting. This author, activist, scholar and educator is one of the great leaders of our time! "Eyes to My Soul" should be subtitled "eye opener" and is a must read for all who enter the FBI. Unlike so many undergoing the same treatment Powers did not give up and is widely regarded as an expert on Terrorism/Counter-terrorism, Organized Crime, Ethics within Law Enforcement and is a pioneer within law enforcement training.

M. D. Johnson, Author
"Circle Around The Sun = Part One of The ISIS Project"

The book is excellent and I recomment it to anyone who is open minded

I have been an avid reader for about two years. I always enjoyed reading but not as much as I have since I started reading mostly books from Oprah's list or the literature of African and African American authors. I bought this book shortly after my son-in-law expressed a long held desire to become an FBI agent. Since he is from Haiti and is not very knowledgeable about the opression faced by American blacks. I thought that this would be a big mistake. Eyes To MY Soul not only confirmed by belief, but gave me quite an enlightening experience. It gives a powerful reminder of what our ghetto brothers and sisters face each and every day. Even more importantly, it is an autobiography so it does not give you alot of trumped up horror stories just for shock value. Mr. Powers LIVED THIS LIFE, and was able to rise up from his childhood circumstances and uplift others of his race with him. I admire and respect this man highly and consider it a privilege to have read his book. I have been telling everyone about how great this book is and especially my son-in-law. At present he is pursuing a masters degree in Informational Technology so he hardly has time to read anything else. However, I intend to keep after him until he has read this excellent story of a Black man's struggle to rise above racial confines.

When I bought this book I was just looking for background information on the FBI from an former African-American FBI agents perspective. The book is very insightful, and gives great details on how there is still a hostile attitude toward African-Americans in Law Enoforcement among their non-minority colleagues. It is a must read for any minority (especially African-Americans) interested in a career in Law Enforcement!

Such a shame. What a force for progress this man and his book could have been.
There is so much good in him and in this work. His deep love and respect for his mother and for motherhood. His urgings that education is the bedrock of progress. His hatred of drugs. His disgust for the senseless, conspicuous consumption of material goods as a false display of success. His gut-wrenching guided tour through the streets and minds of the ghetto and its subculture of drugs, violence, death, and mourning. His accounts of racism within the FBI. His disgust with the failure of inner city schools. His passion for his family. These are the bedrock values that can lead any person or people to true success.

Yet there is so much here that is harmful to our society and African Americans in particular. His incessant message that whites are responsible at a causal level for virtually every malady suffered by Black America, including his father's rape of his own daughter and his brother's decision to use and sell drugs, and to kill people. His claim that an ultra secret, anti-African American conspiracy exists, which he does not define but which is apparently both international yet American at its heart. But most of all by his condemnation of African Americans who choose a lifestyle or who hold opinions that differ from his view of what a Black should do or be. These are the messages of a failure mentality, and they lead to further wasted lives.

The many polarizing lectures he delivers in this book are comprised 95% by passionate statements of his beliefs, and 5% by assertions for which he provides some factual support. This mixture is similar to the writings and speeches of other zealots from white racists to Marxist revolutionaries. The technique is very effective. You start with a fact, ideally one that fires the emotions of the audience, and then follow with a string of loosely connected points that steadily and imperceptively diverges and departs from reality. The original and occasional fact lends an air of legitimacy to the unsupported major part of the work which nonetheless appeals emotionally to the target audience.

His overview of the drug problem is one example. He asks why we don't strike it where it's grown, in the same way that we have attacked nuclear weapons facilities and ammunition depots. He concludes that the reason is someone very powerful wants the drug business to remain, because they are profiting from it. He further claims that this power also wants drugs to flow, because stopping it would free the inner city from its drug-induced stupor. The inhabitants, "no longer anesthetized and miseducated", would then realize that they are being "targeted for drugs and alcohol, cigarettes and pork, and heart attacks, strokes, and AIDS." This book is filled with his fixation on conspiracy and devoid of other explanations. He does not mention that there may be an awful lot of people who would have reasonable objections to our bombing coca fields in Bolivia and Peru. He has no room for the many, many other views on this complex, international issue.

In fact, Mr. Powers's intolerance for other views may be his most destructive trait. He insists that all Blacks who differ fundamentally with him are "sellouts". He cites the "unity" of the Jews as the reason for their success in defending themselves against prejudice, and says that African Americans must adopt the same strategy. He fails to acknowledge that the success of any group has been, more than anything else the result of its work ethic, especially in pursuit of education. And that this is manifested by the choices that individual people have made throughout their lives to defer pleasure and amusement for study and work, until they have earned a secure place. But closely following work ethic has been a respect for each person's right to pursue his/her own values and beliefs. To follow his example of the Jews one has only to observe the heated debates occurring in Israel, and the difficulty they have in even maintaining a majority government, because of the variety of passionately-held positions. The Jews do not practice Mr. Powers's version of unity, and neither does any other successful group. Freedom of thought and expression are central to advancement The author's caustic criticisms and name-calling of African Americans who disagree with him hurts the people whom he seems to honestly want to help.

Still, I recommend that this book be read, but followed with works of other Black authors, including one which Mr. Powers repeatedly vilifies, Tom Sowell. Do this, think for yourself, and then compare.

Great book, it arrived in great shape in a timely manner

"An imaginative naturalist explores the mysteries of man and nature." No one gives a better brief than the London Times: "..a work of true science which must surely take it's place also as great literature." Upon reading the first chapter, I am totally hooked and excited to have at last discovered this classic, and am compelled to read from it to my kids.

Here we have in The Lost Notebooks of Loren Eiseley, a keen observer of the effects of nature on the soul, the momentary renderings of a wide ranging, deeply probing mind. The generous amount of biographical information heightens the amazement at the scope of Mr. Eiseley's interests. Whatever personal misgivings he had about himself, he expressed in masterly prose the constant wonder he found in existence's variety. This is a book that serves equally well as either an introduction to the series of naturalistic essays he is noted for or an after word to them.

Most of us do not spend our days thinking about the magic of nature. In fact, it is rare that we stop and wonder at the unique qualities of life and evolution. This book is a collection of short essays which seem to take a walk through nature, pondering its interesting and beautiful idiosyncrasies. Without going into too much detail, Eiseley helps us to stop and look at the seemingly small things and understand their vast importance. This is not a complicated book designed for naturalists, but a fairly straightforward and engaging book for those who simply enjoy nature. A high school student interested in studying anthropology or environmental science in college would be wise to read this as inspiration.

the title, i suppose, could lead one to think that this book might be too heavily on the new-agey side of things for one's taste. not so! mr eiseley is one of the most profound thinkers i have come across over the years, and his writing is spectacular. i have seldom come across a non-fiction writer with such a marvellous prose style (lytton strachey comes to mind as an equivilant). this great book had me looking at life past and present in ways and from angles i had never considered. the authors wonder at existence in all its mystery, joy, and sorrow, made for some of the most moving reading i have ever encountered. this, and other works by mr eiseley, i will be reading and rereading throughout my lifetime.

I am a Lippman fan; have read all but 2 of her books; but, I don't see how she could improve on this one. Great story, great writing, twists and turns, and a definite "I can't put it down" type of book. I highly recommend it.

I love Laura Lippman's writing style. My introduction to her work was What the Dead Know -- an incredible emotional ride of a mystery novel. The Last Place was the first Tess Monaghan novel I'd read (actually listened to as an audiobook read by Laurence Bouvard).

I thought Ms. Lippman did a great job presenting the personality and deranged thought process of the serial killer, juxtaposed against the inexorable logic of the private eyes determined to find him out. I thought the ending was justifiably exciting and violent, and quite satisfying. The author worked up to it in admirable fashion. I like Tess Monaghan as a protagonist. She's smart, practical, fun-loving, tough, sounds like a real person. Her boyfriend, Crow, however, comes across as a bit of a wimp and an airhead, and not quite up to her caliber. Their relationship seems almost entirely based on sex, which is hard to accept considering what a complex person Tess is.

The issues I had with the book, maybe because I enjoyed it as an audiobook rather than a read, are that I couldn't quite understand why the bad guy serial killer would want to get caught by revealing the list of his murders to Tess and why he would be stalking her in particular as she didn't fit the mold of one of his victims. It was necessary for the story to work but it didn't quite make sense from the point of view of "reality".

Minor issues. This book held my attention from the first page to the last.

A short way into Chapter I, we have "...the world had such a large supply of girls, and an even larger supply of perverts." Really? More perverts than girls? A few pages later, Tess, our heroine, drugs one of these perverts with his own Rohypnol, strips him of his clothes, except for his "briefs and socks", and throws his clothes in a dumpster. But in the next sentence "she arranged his wallet, keys, and pager in a pile next to his head and draped his jacket over him." Without bothering to retrieve the jacket from the dumpster. There are more examples like these.

When a writer has so little control over the world she creates that absurdities and oxymorons populate it more densely than her characters, I stop reading pretty quickly. So in fairness I have to say that I only read the first ten percent of this book. Maybe it improves later.

With out giving a a synopsis of the story, I'll say this is one of the best series going. I picked up EVERY SECRET THING, really liked it and started to read the series. The stories are excellent. THE LAST PLACE is a real page turner, the writing is above average and the story kept me interested to the point I finally gaveup trying to do anything and finished the book. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Laura knows her stuff. I'm not talking about reporting or the ins and outs of a being a working PI but writing novels. Not just novels but damn good novels. Here, Laura knows her stuff. Very, very well.

The Last Place is excellent. If you've never read her before, you are going to be surprised. Actually, if you've never read her before I would say go back to the beginning with Baltimore Blues because you need to read the progression of her character. Tess doesn't start off this tough as nails, sharp as a tack PI but as a reporter looking for work. Not only will you see the progression of the character but also the writer. Laura keeps getting better. With every book she takes what she learned from the last one and builds upon it. Her narration gets stronger, her descriptions more detailed, her plot tighter, and her books keep getting better. Laura knocks me side the head with each new novel and The Last Place is no exception.

Actually, it's better than that. I put this book down with a sense that I had just read something amazing and strong and the tip of an iceberg. I put this book down very pleased and for that I quite indebted to her. Thank you Ms. Lipman.

I could not get into this book at all. Slow, slow starter and I could not even finish it. I gave up at page 123. This is the first I have read in her series and will not read another.

Disappointed.

Laura Lippman consistently delivers well written, suspenseful novels and she does not disappoint her readers with the Sugar House. It is one of my favorites by this author. Her only flaw is her persistent P.C. bigotry towards certain individuals. Without this, her books would be even better.

I just discovered this author and enjoyed this book very much. You don't have to read the first Tess books to enjoy this one which is always a plus with a series. The plot was unusual and the characters were realistic. I liked Tess and I was interested in her city and the situation. Lippman gave me some points to ponder as well as some medical conditions that I have researched a bit. That's always good to have someone stretch your mind a bit and that's what Lippman did with me. I recommend this book to folks who like mysteries and folks who read for pleasure as well as to learn a little something every now and then.

If you love Baltimore, you'll love this book. It's a bit less direct than her earlier books and this is probably an improvement. She's getting better at spinning together more complicated plots with more complicated narratives.

When her brother goes to jail for killing a Jane Doe and he himself is killed, Ruth Denbrow hires Tess Monaghan to find out the truth regarding the Jane Doe murder. Sometimes the truth is more than you expect because this investigation will reveal some truths hidden by Tess's own father.

This is the fifth installment in the Tess Monaghan series set in Baltimore and Lippman is superb! In addition to solving murders she tackles issues such as eating disorders, shady treatment centers, liquor licensing and family relationships. Sugar House is a little slow starting but soon delivers a powerful punch and perplexing plotline. This is a must read for every mystery fan.