Georgia Books

After seeing the excellent movies from Stanley Kubrick, I decided to read the novel, which it was based upon. Being out of print, it was difficult to locate. But I finally found a copy at a local library. It was worth searching.

Paths of Glory was written by Humphrey Cobb and first published in 1935. Cobb, who had served in the Canadian Army during the First World War, wrote this novel as an anti-war statement. In my opinion, it's one of the best. Cobb shows an unpositive view of war. There are no heroes. Not even Regiment Commander Colonel Dax is the courageous man he was in Kubrick's film. He doesn't even have that big of a part.

French General Assolant is given orders by his Army Commander (Whose name is not revealed) to take an important German position called the Pimple. To take the "Pimple", Assolant calls the 181st regiment, which was supposed to be placed on leave.

We see the attack beforehand from the eyes of those on the battlefield. A patrol is sent out, where one of the men gets killed by the drunken commander due to a careless accident. The incident is covered up, but would play a part later.

The next morning, the eargely anticipated attack on the Pimple is launched. It proves however to be impossible. The 181st is made up of a combination of battle weary vets and fresh new recruits to compensate for losses. Thus, casualties are high. The bombardment from artillery and machine guns also is so difficult to go through that many soldiers never even leave the trenches. Believing the men are mutinying, Assolant orders the battery commander to fire on the men. Fortunately, in what may be the only sensible act in the novel, the man refuses without a written order. Assolant then orders a court martial to preserved his dignity at the expense of others.

Four men are selected: One from each of the attacking sections. One section refuses to send a man but the other three select. The men are sent in front of a court-martial with a well-trained lawyer at their side. But it is really more of a Kangaroo Court. This is because the Indictment against the convicted is not read ("It basically states the accused are convicted of cowardice"), no Stenographic notes are kept of the trial, thus denying the convicted the possibility of a pardon, and the defense is not allowed to build its case. For example, when an attempt is made to call witnesses, it can only be "To prove that they made it to the enemy wire", which no one of the regiment did. And when the defense attempts to state the decorations one of the men has received (So it can be shown he isn't a coward) the president of the council says "The men are on trial for their current cowardice, not their former bravery" and that "Medals are no defense".

What is most ludicrous is the line of questioning on the defendants. It is absurd in the way it forces the men to answer irrelevant questions. An example by the President of the council on the convicted Private Ferol:

President: Did you advance?
Ferol: Yes, Sir.
President: How far did you advance?
Ferol: To about the middle of no man's land.
President: Then what did you do?
Ferol: Well, the Boche machine guns were like a hailstorm and I saw that-
President: No. Answer my question. What did you do?
Ferol: Well, sir, I saw that me and Meyer-
President: I didn't ask you what you saw. I asked you what you did.
Ferol: Yes, sir.
President: Did you advance?
Ferol: Not after I saw that me and Meyer-
President: Did you turn round and go back?
Ferol: Well, when I saw that-
President: Attention! Answer my question. Did you turn round and go back? Yes or no?
Ferol: Yes, sir.

This edition (Paperback, University of Georgia Press, 1987) includes a fascinating afterward by Stephen E. Tabachnick. He mentions about the book's placement of the chain of command and about themes from the book.

Sadly, Paths of Glory has become largely underrated over the years. My English teacher hadn't even heard of it. This book should be put back in publishing as soon as possible so more people can experience how great it is and should be recommended reading at schools so people can see how ridiculous war can be.

Soldiers have forever obeyed the commands of officers, knowing sometimes that to obey the command was to die and to refuse to obey it was to die. Compound the situation when the officer is acting solely in self-interest, for pride's sake, for the sake of a promotion, for his own ego regardless of the lives of the men he leads. The paths they must follow, the paths of glory, leads but to the grave.

This army is French, but it could be any nation's, any year's, any war. Cobb's evocation of pride and prejudice affectinfg the lives of innocent men is scary in that we know it is not over.

In The Patriot, Christopher Davis has managed to express a wide range of feelings, never shutting us out, but inviting us to explore the feelings with him. I could not put it down.

So poignant and sexy are these poems that it is HARD for me to sit still and not run out and cruise the local park for other like minds in a swoon of poetic frenzy! In a time when poetry is as prim as it is sluggish, this book arrives like the Warholian banana that graces the cover of The Velvet Underground's debut album. A must read!

Dublin Carol by celebrated Irish playwright Conor McPherson is a new sort of Christmas Carol, and a tour de force for three talented performers.

The demons that haunt this work's leading character are all in his own head and of his own making - alcoholism (would it be an Irish play without it?), family abandonment, failure to succeed. In McPherson's usual style, the dialogue runs summarily from pathos to humor and back again using earthy language and varied pacing, interspersed with poignant little Christmas moments. It leaves the audience to decide for themselves what the leading character will do at 'the end of the day'. I'll say no more about it.

The entire work takes place on Christmas Eve day - a time for hope, introspection, and whiskey. The leading character, John Plunkett, an undertaker's assistant, has just returned from yet another funeral. His young, gangly and untried assistant, Mark, is the perfect foil for John's stories, advice, and for providing the audience with plot/background exposition. We learn how John got to be in his current position, the ruinous road that lead him there, and what he may have learned from his past experiences and mistakes- if anything. The final of the three not-so-wise characters, Mary (hmmm, Mary? a Christmas Eve visit?) provides the catalyst of the story. I will not reveal her relationship to John nor the reason for her visit; suffice it so say that her tidings are not glad nor her news of great joy.

Does John Plunkett learn his lesson? Does he make amends? Change his life? Unlike Dickens' holiday work, the answers to these questions are less discernable.

A timeless and deeply human story of loss, hope and getting a second chance that will touch everyone's heart. Witty, charming and very well written, I read it once for the story, then a second time to grasp all the unspoken emotions between the lines. I just know I'll read it again.

Everyone should own this book! Speaking as a pharmacist...I believe this is one of the best reference books available!

I was hoping for an alternative to the jargon laden books on drugs that most people [over]rely on. The information was concise and very readable.

I read this book a while ago and it's still alive in my mind. Rosemary Sutcliff writes with depth and accuracy of history and myth, that I'm sure if you could read all her books, you'd know just about everything. Finn Mac Cool is written in a beautiful style that puts you in the character's place. The flow and incredible scenery of the book makes it a good read for girls, and the intense attraction and gore is active enough for boys to read over and over. A wonderful read for any boy or girl, no mater their age.

I read this book a while ago and it's still alive in my mind. Rosemary Sutcliff writes with depth and accuracy of history and myth, that I'm sure if you could read all her books, you'd know just about everything. Finn Mac Cool is written in a beautiful style that puts you in the character's place. The flow and incredible scenery of the book makes it a good read for girls, and the intense attraction and gore is active enough for boys to read over and over. A wonderful read for any boy or girl, no mater their age.

Those who love Gene Logsdon's work will definitely want to add this book to their library. Along with his usual contrary take on proper pond building methods, he conveys the beauty, diversity, and endless joy generated by a small pond of water. If you've not read Mr. Logsdon, then this is a wonderful introduction to his work. Anyone who has enjoyed dangling their toes off a dock, frog hunting in the cattails, or fishing on a sunny spring day will appreciate this book.

I thought this presentation was a nice balance between providing information regarding the creation and upkeep of a country pond and the value of ponds in the lives of real people. I took a few notes as I read to guide me through the process of adding a pond to our land in the Midwest. I also enjoyed the vision the author shared of the contribution a pond can make to the physical and emotional well-being of those who live nearby.

A wonderful book about an incredible man who has done so much to bridge the gulf between different peoples. Please note: there is a website for the book and the man at: http://fishnet.net/~kwbgcg/power.htm

A wonderful book about an incredible man who has done so much to bridge the gulf between different peoples. Please note: there is a website for the man and the book at: http://www.fishnet.net/~kwbgcg/power.htm

This is a terrific book on nutrition, it has everything you could want to know about various foods and vitamins. It has great recipes scattered throughout that pertain to the section as well as bad, good and better sources of each vitamin etc. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I have.

The best nutrition book I've ever owed. No gimicks, no short cuts. The basics on food, nutrition and vitamins and how they interact with your body. Easy to read and very staightforward. Perfect for someone who is trying to eat healthier and change to a more nutritional way of life. It's like an encyclopedia for food and nutrition. Even contains a 6 week program to better overall health. This book is not a diet plan, but a nutritional lifestyle guide.

It is important to remember that Rivas writes originally in his own Gallego rather than Spanish though he does translate some of his own works into Spanish. But whether you read him in Spanish, Gallego, or English (this title in English is under the name "Vermeer's Milkmaid and other stories" ) his grasp of the human experience transcends all cultures. He is a master of the short story, whatever the language, and can be appreciated on many levels. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

The book is composed of short stories written with mastery. The deep feelings involved in the human relationships. The translation from the "gallego" is superb. No one who loves literature and the spanish language should miss it!

I drive a lot for work to locations at which I have never been and had used it for months as an in-car reference. Also, it has helped me explore Atlanta, which can be pretty crazy to drive in.

The color scheme and labeling is easy to navigate at a glance, which is critical. This is a book. You have to flip pages a lot if your trip goes off the page, but that is necessary if you need this amount of detail in a map.

The one-time cost was less than my monthly mobile phone charges for using Google Maps Mobile if I was getting lost a lot that month!

Now it makes a solid backup to my GPS. No batteries required. You may even customize it using any writing utensil and writing anything you want, wherever you want, for quick reference. The pages are also 100 percent compatible with sticky tabs.

So easy to use when traveling, as the writing is large. A big improvement over the folding maps that tear.