United States Books

The battle at Monocacy Junction in July, 1864 is not as well known as other engagements during the Civil War. But it may well have been as important, at least, as some better known battles. "Desperate Engagement" describes the context for the battle, its actual occurrence, and then the aftermath and a series of reflections.

In short, Jubal Early and the 2nd Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia were sent to the Shenandoah, to clear it of Northern troops, as Generals Sigel, Hunter, and Crook had been attacking the area. And, if the opportunity arose, to advance on Washington, D. C. itself, to (perhaps) free Confederate prisoners, to force General U. S. Grant to divert soldiers from his siege in Virginia to relieve pressure on the Capitol, maybe to even occupy parts of the city.

This book outlines why Early was given this assignment and how he carried it out. Incompetent generalship by Generals Sigel and Hunter allowed Early to cross the Potomac and head toward Washington in summer, 1864. The threat was real, but the Unions forces in Washington, D. C. were few in number and poor in quality. Many were recovering from wounds suffered on the battlefields of the East; others were brand new troops without any real training; others were simply subprime in one way or another. The center of government was surrounded by powerful forts--but there weren't the troops to make these forts formidable obstacles to the Confederates.

General Lew Wallace had pretty much a desk job; he had been shelved as a battlefield commander after Shiloh (and one could argue that his poor response was as much due to Grant's bad staff work as to Wallace's own ineptitude on that occasion). This was long before he penned "Ben-Hur"! Seeing the danger to Washington, D. C., he pulled together a scratch force--nowhere large enough to defeat Early's oncoming troops, but, he hoped, enough to slow the Confederate forces down until Union regulars arrived from Virginia. Indeed, Grant was forwarding the 6th Corps and elements from yet another Corps to relieve the Capitol. The first division to arrive from Virginia, Ricketts' Division of the 6th Corps, was called to Monocacy Junction by Wallace.

There, they fought a battle against the Confederate forces, badly outnumbered, until a flanking attack by the southern troops made his position untenable. Wallace's battered forces withdrew, leaving the road open to Washington, DC. However, by some accounts, it took so much time to defeat Wallace's troops that the Union forces of the 6th Corps arrived before Early could take advantage of the defensive weaknesses of the Capitol.

There follows an engaging discussion of the differing perspectives by actors and historians about the battle at Monocacy Junction. All in all, a nice book, crisply written, on a battle worth knowing something about.

...to the high drama that unfolded on the ground I have traversed for the past half-century, all the while only peripherally aware of the desperate struggle that occurred at Monocacy. Marc Leepson has created a vivid expose of a little-known battle that had far-reaching ramifications for this entire country. I am no expert in the Civil War and yet I thoroughly enjoyed the captivating portraits of the main personalities and the solid research and voluminous details that helped me understand how pivotal this battle truly was. Never again will I cross the Monocacy River on that humpback bridge, cross the Potomac on the ferry named the Jubal Early, pass by at 60 mph on I-270, or even walk the streets of DC without being keenly aware of the brave souls who, in the very same spot over a century ago, experienced the most critical moments of their lives and shaped the country I live in today. The wrap-up at the end, describing what happened to the key characters, was an interesting and unusual touch. I highly recommend this well-researched book!

Marc has done a superb job of using very personal first hand accounts and weaving them into a detailed close up picture of a Confederate action aimed at Washington, D.C. The dedication of the soldiers, and their miseries, bring home the realities of War. That they almost succeeded is to their everlasting credit.

Marc Leepson's book, Desperate Engagement compelled me to go deeper than the battles, military careers, and political maneuvering. Having come from the Washington area, I am reminded of the memories of the Civil War I was exposed to growing up and how they affected my family.

Mostly however, I pondered the raging emotion and destruction of the Civil War period, and the staggering death toll. The greatest value to me as a reader however is Marc Leepson's clear writing style and judicious research that allows me to come to my own conclusion.

Rudy Gillespie, Seattle WA

I started reading this book with very little knowledge of the battle of Monocacy except for the knowledge that some of my ancestors were involved in the action. I had driven up I-81 and had seen signs directing passersby to the battlefield but I have never stopped and until I read this book I wasn't really inclined to do so. After reading this book however Monocacy is now high on my own private bucket list.

Marc Leepson has done a remarkable job of researching this book and he also has a lot of talent as a writer. The book flows smoothly and never gets so bogged down in details that only the most knowledgeable student of the Civil War could follow the story. The necessary details are there but the minutia is left out and that is a skill that several historians need to learn. The only quarrel that I have with the author's writing style is his use of the term CSA instead of Confederate such as "CSA General Jubal Early" or "CSA troops." The use of this term in this way may well be grammatically correct but it doesn't seem to flow correctly and by the middle of the book it was beginning to grate on my nerves. Some readers have a problem with "what ifs" and may be turned off by the time that the author takes to speculate on what might have happened if Early had taken Washington but as for me I rather enjoyed his small bit of speculation. It is after all, pretty hard to understand the motivations for an action if you don't speculate on what possible consequences the actors were facing.

The Confederate (or CSA) invasion of Maryland in the summer of 1864 is an often-overlooked campaign and I am happy to see that it has finally gotten the notice that it deserves. Had this campaign succeeded in attaining all of its goals the war may well have turned out very differently and even without capturing Washington, Jubal Early and his troops did disrupt General Grant's plans and prolong the war by several months. This author does a superb job of leading his readers through the entire campaign from its inception until Early's return to Virginia and he explains what is going on in a very easy to understand manner. A few more maps would be helpful but even without them the author explains things so well that their absence is not a big problem. I particularly liked how the author ended the book by giving the reader a quick look at the post-Monocacy lives of the battle's major players.

This is a very well researched, well-written, thorough and balanced look at the Monocacy campaign and it deserves a place in any well-stocked Civil War library.

My 2nd bio this month on Grant. I had seen some recent favorite movies of his. I'm certainly not an unbiased Grant fan; I have always loved his movies. I liked this book because of so many direct quotes by him. Assuming thsee are factual it gives you a great insight into his shy character which I had missed some of in the first bio I read. He was a great actor but had a sensitivity side that I had never seen. Nicely laid out. I'm more a fan now than I was!

"Evenings with Cary Grant" is the most incredible book. A sort of documentary on paper, Nancy Nelson uses an interview/intercut format and cleverly weaves a narrative through the most revealing and often amusing anecdotes. Cary Grant talks and then Gregory Peck. Katherine Hepburn says something, and then we hear from Audrey Hepburn. As one reviewer said, "When you get to the end, you feel as though you've lost a good friend." Nelson uses no conjecture or supposition. All her sources are primary. An announcement in a recent Sunday "New York Times" said that Nelson will speak about "The Cary Grant Few People Knew" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on June 15. I've got my ticket!

Like other reviewers, I'm a big Cary Grant fan. I usually hesitate to read about the personal lives of actors because they often lead disappointing lives. But Nelson's collection of stories and personal accounts from Grant's friends introduced me to the wonderful man behind the handsome movie star. I'm looking forward to watching his movies again after reading this book -- there is information from him and co-stars about some of the films that will make it fun to watch them again.

I absolutely love old movies,old stars, new movies and their stars, but I LOVE Cary Grant!!! So I wanted to get a book about him and I always check up on the author and how much they knew about the person they are writing about,and when I saw this book and I had to get it.This Book shows the life of Archie Leach (we know him as Cary Grant)his life growing up,and his rise to stardom,his love life,his friends, and his wonderful sense of humor.I was so happy to find out that the man we all fell in love with was the same in real life that he was onscreen.I don't want you to have to read a long review but I just wanted to say how much I love this book and the writers style.Every body should own this book.It's worth reading more than one time.

It is no easy thing to become so successful in one's career and yet be universally loved and respected as Cary Grant was in his lifetime.

Thanks to the author for focusing on the good of the man and ignoring the rest. He was a good man and that is enough. Ms. Nelson does a good job in giving us an idea of who the man really was--a gentleman who was loyal to his friends, if not his wives...but in the end, even THEY still loved him after it was over.

My only disappointment (not the author's fault) was to find out that Cary Grant hated "Arsenic and Old Lace," one of my favorite movies.

Normally Bill Lear Jr. is described in books about his famous father THE Bill Lear (Learjet) as somewhat a playboy who crashed a lot of planes. Perhaps this is the curse of having a famous father? Bill Lear Jr. has his own say here and comes across a bit of an a@#hole but he did fly a lot of high-performance aircraft, starting from an early age. His experiences doing the early air shows and air races are worth reading about. It was a different time when business deals were a bit loose and so I will give Bill Jr. the benefit of the doubt. Even his military experience is notable. Later in his career he seems to have become a successful aircraft and avionics salesman. Like his father, he had problems/opportunities with women and I lost count after wife #3. I find it a bit strange that he writes very little of his relationships with his children. All in all, a good read about a pilot with opportunity and balls.

A friend loaned me the book. Having been in the aviation field all my life I found the book to be very entertaining. If you are merely an aviation Buff or involved, like I am, you will relate to much of the story. It's a fast read with hilarious anecdotes.

Owning and flying a WW II P-38 Lightning at age 17 is just one of the many episodes of his life that Bill Lear vividly brings back to life in this autobiography of his life. His knowledge of all aspects of aviation, his insight into life and relationships, combined with his great sense of humor, make this a book that is hard to put down once you start reading it. The only thing better than reading about his experiences is to hear him tell about some of them in person and I feel fortunate to have been able to experience that.

Non aviation enthusiasts will enjoy this book as well as aviation enthusiasts. It is a great gift idea and everyone of our friends who have read it have enjoyed it.

A book that once you pick up you can't put down. A wonderful insight into Aviation and the adventures of a truly remarkable man.

A great book from one of the coolest guys I know!!
It is a "must" for anybody, who has something to do with aviation.
I would appreciate it, when this book will be continues published.

This book should be read by every parent who has pre-teen/teen kids and should be made a mandatory book in every high school. It is a true eye opener and very insperational.

I bought this book for myself and my 18 year old son to read before he left for college this fall. I read it first and then let him read it. The Volkmann family did a great job of communicating to the reader the dangers of teenage drinking. My son went to numerous parties during high school where alcohol was present. Our son told us about the drinking going on at these parties and I began to realize what a serious problem exists concerning teenage drinking. I hope that many parents will read this book and realize that teenage drinking is not something to be taken lightly. Many parents do not realize what can happen to their teens who take part in this dangerous activity. I encourage any parents of a teen to read this book and then make their teen read it as well and then discuss the book with your child.

I found this to be extremly informative , seeing both sides of bing drinking and the perceptions of the family as well as the Alcoholic. I read this while my son (who also asked for help) was in rehab for his 21st birthday. He is now reading my copy. I found I could identfy with alot of the thoughts/situations as well as the codependent/alcoholic behaviors. As I work on my codependence and my son works on his sobriety I strongly encourage anyone with a teen/young adult afflicted with this disease to read this book.

As a high school counselor and child of an alcoholic I found this to be a great resource both personally and professionally. Your candid account of your journey for information and for recovery has already given me insights to help my students and their parents.
Thank you both,

This book was very educational and informative. A MUST READ for anybody struggling with alcoholism or who has a loved one struggling with the disease. Very realistic and honest.

Here is an honorable man. He was born in Victorian America at Uniontown Pennsylvania in 1880. George Marshall was a descendent of Chief Justice John Marshall. He was a graduate of VMI and was commissioned an Officer in 1902. Ed Cray has done an exhaustive study of Mr. Marshall. He portrays his experiences in the Philippines and later his staff work during World War I for General Pershing. Mr. Cray goes into great detail in describing General Marshall as a correct modern 20th Century General during the late 1930's.
George Marshall was given the responsibility of Chief of Staff when the total Armed Forces stood at 200,000 strong. At full force in 1945, General Marshall commanded the largest Armed Service in U. S. History.
Mr. Marshall transitoned from his Military Command to the President's Cabinet after World War II. He assisted President Truman through extremely turbulent times. His demeanor was ever professional. His brainstorm of the Marshall Plan was his epiphany toward World stabilization in Europe. He further distinguished himself later as Secretary of Defense during the Korean Conflict. Mr. Truman could't do without him.
When he died in 1959 Winston Churchill grieved deeply. General George C. Marshall stands only with George Washington as a true Soldier Statesman.

Reading this book gave me the insight (which I guess already had subconsiously) that war is not (just) about the best generals on the battlefield, but maybe even more about those generals organising the campaigns and (grand) strategy.
Untill reading this book I had no idea that the US was so unprepared for WWII as it was. The 28th army in the world in 1939! And Marshall being responsible for making it the efficient warmachine it became, running on trucks, Jeeps, USO, icecream and welltrained units.
Could the Germans and Japanese have won the war had Marshall not been Chief of Staff? Maybe not, but I wouldn't stake my life on that assumption! The way Marshall convinced Roosevelt on may 14th 1940 that a balanced army was needed to win the coming war makes you shiver had Roosevelt NOT listened to Marshall and Hopkins.

Cray writes a very clear story, weaving in and out history on a world scale and back to Marshall pruning his trees in his gardens as almost his only hobby during the war.
A great read and compulsory reading for every soldier and/or statesman.

B. Kreuger, Haarlem, the Netherlands

This is not a bad biography. The facts are there as well as a reasonably complete account of a very complicated part of history. But the people and groups that Marshall dealt with are simplified to the point of caricature. Similarly, matters of grand strategy and the new tactics stemming from technological advance are treated merely as things that Marshall had views on. It's not clear from the book that the author understands anything about war as fought in the mid-20th century above the cartoon level. Of course there were many people; of course things were complicated, and a great deal happened; but in over 700 pages we are entitled to some subtlety and insight, which aren't there. General Marshall, one of the truly great mean, deserves better than this.

This is a fantastic biography of an incredible leader. Marshall is usually associated with the European Recovery Act and as the Chief of Staff of the Army during World War II. He influenced so much more during his long Army career. A true gentlemen and scholar, his long career and dedication to service is an inspiration for all of us today.

For those of you who like their reviews to be direct and to the point: Ed Cray, a professor of journalism at the University of Southern California, has written the single best one volume life of George C. Marshall. The book is 15 years old and is unlikely to be surpassed for another 15-20 years. It is the kind of book that will still be in print 70 years after its initial publication.

Why? Well, it is well-written and a pleasure to read. More importantly, Cray does an excellent job of giving his readers a character portrait of the great general that brings the man alive. Not an easy thing to do with a subject as taciturn as Marshall. The man that emerges is one of real character. He became a protégé of General of the Armies John J. Pershing only after Marshall stood up to him as an overage captain, yelling at the general telling him he was wrong when Pershing had criticized Marshall's division. As Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Marshall was the critical figure in building the military that defeated the axis powers. He selected the commanders, who often went on to greater fame than he enjoyed. He was the leader of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the war and often had to battle with his naval counterpart Admiral Ernest J. King. In the realm of allied strategy, he faced off against the head of the British Army, Field-Marshal Sir Alan Brooke. In both cases healthy mutual respect kept from making their differences and disputes personal. In running the army during the war, Marshall's administrative style was highly effective and can provide a model for many in other fields to follow. He also suffered. His stepson, who he had done a good deal to raise, was killed in Italy. It says a good deal about the man that he made no effort to protect one his family from dangerous assignments.

After the war, Marshall served as Secretary of State and then later as Secretary of Defense. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for the plan the State Department developed to rebuild Europe after the devastation of the war. He was twice "Time" magazine's "Man of the Year."

Marshall was the first five-star general in U.S. history and that was no accident. In this fine book Cray makes that clear.

I think the book is very interesting. I heard about it because I saw Amye Leong at an Arthritis Conference she spoke at and came home and ordered her book. She went through very tough times and is a very motivational speaker and I really enjoyed listening to her. I have family members with arthritis( not rheumatoid ) but I felt they could read the book also and be inspired by Amye. I am a registered nurse and I now know the daily struggles rheumatoid arthritic patients persevere. Thank you Amye for a great book!!

This book is full of inspiration for those with or without chronic illness. Amye shares a heartfelt, yet witty story of hope and perseverance. She weaves in helpful resources and advocacy strategies as she describes her journey with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Get a Grip is empowering and life changing. As a person with chronic pain - once I read Amye's book - I knew I wasn't alone.

As a person with RA and as a professional health educator, I LOVED Get a Grip! Not only did I like the advice and inspiration that Amye Leong provides in it, but her personal story was amazing! I did not want to put this book down and when I did finish reading it, I wanted to read more about what happens to her next as she reaches for her dreams all while dealing simulataneously with a ravaging chronic disease. If you want to know exactly what it is like to have RA as a young adult or you just want to read how another person understands exactly how YOU feel while trying to live a full life and cope with RA at the same time, you have to GET THIS BOOK! Amye really is a wonderful arthritis educator and advocate but even more so, she is such a terrific role model. If she could come through her horrible flares of this disease as well as she did, it makes me feel like I can still move towards my dreams as well, RA and all. Amye is a great motivator and author, and now I can hardly wait for her next book to come out: to hear how her story continues!

'Get A Grip' is not simply a story about how to deal with the pain and torment of arthritis, this is a story about how to deal with LIFE! This is a story about a woman who at the age 18 was stricken by a disease normally attributed to those much older. Amye Leong tells her story of pain, of despair and hope, of setbacks and victories. This is a story that can teach us all lessons on how to deal with whatever challenges we may be faced with in our own lives. This is a story that can teach us all that in the final analysis it is the person we all see looking back at us in the mirror that has the real power to affect our lives. But most of all, this is a story of COURAGE!!

One does not have to suffer with rheumatoid arthritis in order to be inspired by this book. Its lessons are universal!Amye's descriptions of her pain, feelings of isolation, helplessness are almost palpable.It is hard to imagine the spirit and strong desire to lead a full life that propel her to go through countless surgeries. Her description of the role of family and loving friends brought home what we always knew that our relationships can make the difference between life and death. I also particularly appreciated her emphasis on taking control of your own health, and in dealing with doctors to work as a partnership. The phenomenal work she has accomplished is more than most people could do without health problems, but her contributions to others are a tribute to her courage, determination and tenacity. I advise everyone to read this book, lend it to others and rejoice that an Amye Leong exists!!!

The product was great and Woody's book store communicated great through email about the purchase and ordering information. The only thing is the number of days that it took to ship was confusing; I thought it would get to me sooner, but what the number of days meant was when it would be shipped as opposed to it arriving to me.

This is a great book. Inspiring, entertaining, hilarious, and real. Mark doesn't pull any punches in this. It is not a self-pity book nor does it try to lecture the reader. It is a real account of someone who is very inspiring, yet doesn't pretend to be what he isn't.

Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down. Awesome!!!

Mark Zupan makes you think about what you have, not what you do not have.

He may be in a chair, but he is not handicap. Mark Zupan speak frankly and openly about his life before and after. He does not blame anyone for his injury.

Make you think you life is O.K. and despite what happens you can survive and go on.

Life is not so bad.

Sometimes, people who have been "handicapped" in some manner end up withdrawing into themselves. A few of them are downright miserable. Mad at the world for being stuck in the situation they're in... the best they can hope for (because they're depressing to be around) is to have people feel sorry for them.

Mark Zupan (who, hopefully, you know from the astoundingly-good, and deserved-to-win-the-Oscar documentary, MURDERBALL), is NOT one of those people. He doesn't WANT anyone to feel sorry for him. (In fact, he doesn't even want to be seen as a "role model," or an "inspiration," though [sorry Mark!], to a lot of people, he is.)

Mark was an athletic, fun-loving 18-year-old, having a blast in South Florida when everything he knew changed in an instant. Sleeping off a night of heavy partying in the back of his buddy Chris Igoe's parked pickup, he had no clue when his friend got in and (also drunk) drove off. Not too long thereafter, Igoe swerved off the road and Mark ended up flying out of the truck-bed, over a fence, and into some dense foliage overhanging a small lake. (Igoe had no idea Mark was in the truck bed, so when the police came, they never looked for him.)

Mark regained consciousness, only to find himself unable to move (he didn't know it yet, but he was paralyzed from the neck down), hanging upside-down from a branch with his nose just inches from the water... and getting closer by the moment. He hung there for 14 hours, before a workman heard him yelling for help.

And that's just the START of the story!

In the years that followed, he has not only become one of the star players of the sport known as Quad Rugby (a.k.a. Murderball), his attitude about his "situation" (whether he likes it or not!) has helped untold numbers of others* to better cope with their own situations.


* I know of what I speak. My young and lovely wife has been in a wheelchair for several years due to Multiple Sclerosis. After seeing the movie MURDERBALL --and *especially* after meeting Zupan at a tournament, her attitude went from "good" to fantastic. She's no longer "the girl in the wheelchair." She's simply my wife, who's fun to be around, and who's interested in doing the things she CAN do, rather than fretting about the things she can't.

-Jonathan Sabin

A fast paced, gritty look into an Athlete's brush with death and the long road to recovery. If you are looking for the next inspiration for a cheesy After School Special on overcoming adversity...don't read this book. If you are looking for a well written, insightful look into how one guy copes with tragedy and disability, then this is an excellent read. To say Gimp has texture is an understatement thanks to its subject, Mark Zupan, a quadriplegic athlete who was made famous by the documentary Murder Ball. Gimp details how this proud, perhaps arrogant athlete dealt with a tragic accident that cost him the full use of his limbs thanks to drunken night that resulted in a brush with death and a debilitating spinal cord injury.

Gimp does not spare us the details that are often left out of such stories including the uglier side of human emotion. The books subject faces Zupan's denial, doubt, guilt, fear, despair and loss as a result of his tragedy. While he ultimately comes to terms with his injury and recovery, it is not without some serious setbacks, some self inflicted. It is this part of writer Timothy Swanson's writing that really sets Gimp apart. He does not spare Zupan some hard looks into his darker nature to include arrogance, self indulgence and outright self destructiveness at times. If there is a villain in the book, it is Zupan himself and his own feelings of despair and anger. It is Swanson's description of Zupan's struggle with his own dark feelings and fears that give the story its power.

The book is not without its own sense of humor and offers a dark amusement that Zupan has for the hand life has dealt him. Gimp deftly shows Zupan's outlook on life which is headstrong and confident but not without his fair share of hidden frailty in the face of a near death experience. In fact, the description of the actual accident that describes Zupan clinging to life, literally perhaps, is the book's strongest section. I have many friends who suffer from war wounds, especially brain injuries from IED's or "danger close" air strikes and I can say from personal experience that Gimp does an excellent job at looking at how proud warriors (in Gimp's case a world class athlete), deal with injury and recovery. I recommend this book without reservation to certainly anyone who knows someone who suffers from a disability or who has seen the documentary Murder Ball. The book has broader appeal to fans of sports writing as well since the book leaves no doubt that Zupan is an athlete. The fact that it is an easy read and has a brisk pace is no small feat given that other works of this genre tend to drag on, lack direction and are often burdened with sappy and clichéd, touchy-feely housewife book club nonsense. Zupan's force of will as described by Swanson carries the book along as does the suspense of how he will cope with each stage of his recovery and his entrance into the world of quad rugby aka Murder Ball. I thought it was a great read and recommend it without reservation.

Lamb Chops...What do lamb chops have to do with this story, well everything! Lamb Chops is the vaudeville routine that brought fame to this comedic duo in the late 1920's. I have the link to a You Tube movie short that was filmed in 1929 for this popular routine here. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFcsdgkg54 ) In this clip and others that I've seen with Burns and Allen, I think Gracie is the reason that they had so much success. She was so natural in her role as the "ditzy dame". She was good if not one of the best funnymen to a straightman role. This book takes the reader back to the waning days of vaudeville and the beginnings of film, radio and television as the new media for bringing entertainment to its audiances. George Burns takes us back down memory lane with a personnal love story that lasted nearly 40 years. His memories include many places and friends that I as a reader enjoyed visiting. I don't read love stories usually, but this love story is one that I enjoyed and won't soon forget.

In our disposable transient society of today, it is a refreshing change to see a love and a marriage that lasted so long. As time goes on, it is becoming an even rarer event.

In this book, Mr. Burns fondly remembers his wife, Gracie Allen. The stories that he tells about her, how they met, and how they managed to stay together so long were interesting to read and entertaining.

I would recommend this book to all ages. It is easy reading and also tells somewhat of the history of vaudeville, radio, television, and movies.

If you love old Hollywood, read this book. If you loved George & Gracie, read this book. If you want to read a true life love story, READ THIS BOOK. I just love the inside scoop on the old Hollywood that George dishes out. I never knew Cary Grant sold neck ties before becoming a screen idol. Harpo Marx (the quiet one) wanted one child in every window to wave goodbye or hello when he pulled up in the drive. George wasn't all that impressed with Marilyn Monroe.

This book is an easy read and so hard to put down.

Growing up, I really only knew Goerge Burns for the occasional television special he would host. Other than that, and his "Oh, God" movie (which came out when I was very young), I was relatively unfamiliar with him.

In the mid 80's, when I was about 10 years old, I found that a local radio station would run old time radio comedies from 8-10pm, and as such, I used to fall asleep nightly listening to the like of Jack Benny, Fibber McGee and Molly, and, of course Burns and Allen.

I finally just purchased this book from and Amazon bookseller about two months ago, and honestly, it's as good a $2.95 as I've spent in a while.

As other reviewers have said, many times bigraqphies can be a bit on the dull side, but George really did well with this. It is an easy read... a page turner. It's very interesting to get more insight on what a great performer she was, and how natural it came to her. One always got the feeling that even though she was delivering her "dizzy" Gracie charater, that underneath that was a very smart, clever person. This book certianly backs that up, and it backs it up with all the warmth and affection George Burns had for his wife.

I thoroughly enjoyed this not only for the story of Gracie, but also as a way to look inside the life of an entertainer at that time. I neverquite understood before what it was to work the vaudeville circuit, but there is a ton of insight in this book.

This is a must read for even the most casual fan of old time radio and the celebrities of that era.

I glanced at the reviews here to see if my opinion of this book was just a fluke, but they pretty much bear me out. I didn't expect this book to be nearly as good as it is. On second thought, though, it's not that surprising. This pair was magic and it was seen in everything they touched, the prime and lasting example being the without parallel Burns and Allen Show.

Burns and Allen successfully weathered many storms, making the transition from Vaudeville and stand-up comedy to radio and later to television. The earliest TV shows are the only ones available on DVD, but in later seasons they really hit their stride. In this hilarious and ground- breaking show, George would turn on the TV in the den to see what Gracie was doing, and regularly chat with viewers about events in progress. Gracie would walk in the wrong side of the set and regale viewers (or listeners) with non-stop comedic patter, malapropisms and surrealistic humour (ala Ernie Kovaks) with George as the straightman and pinnacle of style puffing his ever-present cigar.

Even as an octagenarian he could still act (Oh God, You Devil) but as a nonogenarian (92) he could still write. This marvelous memoir is not only the most delightful reading I've had in a long time, but makes me all the more want the Burns and Allen show on DVD. This book was a bestseller in hardback, but is now unaccountably out of print. Yet many readers would love this book, and would enjoy making the acquaintance of the remarkable Gracie Allen.

Read the book over a two week period and passed element 1,3,and 8. Enough said

This is simply the best GROL study guide on the market. It covers every question in the pool with a brief explanation of each answer. It is perfect for a person with electronics knowledge wanting to get a GROL

I did read one review complaining that only taught the questions. This book is NOT designed to teach you electronics. The FCC GROL exam is a very difficult test that covers a wide range of subjects in the electronics field. Many experienced and educated professionals take, AND FAIL the GROL exam.

This book allows the experienced technician to learn where to focus the knowledge in order to pass the exam. The brief answers provide just enough understanding to jog your memory and bring out what you already learned.

This book rather than teaching the principles, teaches the question pool. It goes through question by question, just giving the answer and an extremely brief explanation, if any explanation at all. All of the material is covered, however, the book seems best suited for someone with previous radio and/or electronics experience.

I used it to pass the GROL and the Radar endorsement, since the excellent Milton Kauffman book is out of circulation and the last (11th?) edition is not up to date. Get it and pass!

I like all Gordo material. I used his manuals to pass my amateur radio exams from Tech to Advanced operator. I look forward to passing the GROL exams.

We wasted years and tons of money in non-productive therapies, attachment work, medication, and family therapy till we bought and utilized this book. Dr. Federici hits the nail on the head when he describes how to "de-institutionalize" children. It was hard work but safe, structured and successful. We read so many other books about using "attachment therapy"; logic; medication and even knowing when to "give up". This book gave us, who truely felt "Hopeless" a chance to gain control over our two very disturbed Romanian children that all the other "specialists"(including some of the big people in the child development field)had given up on.

Dr. Federici is the only author and professional we have found who truely understands what parents having very disturbed children go through. His book is easy to read, right to the point, and provides hope and a great deal of ideas (hard solutions) to problems. He mixes no words, but gives hope and understanding in a compassionate way. We have contacted him, heard him lecture, and know that he is "on target" , where all these other "experts" miss the entire boat, especially these so-called "attachment therapists. His Second Edition is now out that we will get soon.

This was the most common sense and practical book a person could buy who has felt totally overwhelmed by two very troubled children adopted form eastern Europe. No "sugar-coating" here, as Dr. Federici get right down to the cold, hard facts that helped put our family back together. All the other books played around with "RAD", "ADHD", and other catchy terms but never got to the right way to treat damaged children. We hope there are more books coming from this author.

This book is an indispensable source for those who have adopted children from orphanages. I wish I'd had it when I got home from Russia 7 years ago. My child can't be found in the Dr. Spock books, but he's all over the pages of this one. Thank you for confirming some things we've already discovered and given us a guide for where to go next.

Finally, someone wrote a book about very troubled children without being afraid to actually tell you what to do. We have struggled for years with our two emotionally disturbed Russian-adopted children and have covered every type of therapy with no positive outcome. We even tried all that "holding-attachment therapy" which was a waste of time and money. Medication after medication, play therapy, talk and family therapy all failed, as our kids were smarter than the therapists. Dr. Federici has taken a very direct approach that puts parents back in charge and keeps the family moving forward. No frills or hand holding-just hard work. We contacted him frequently for advise and he was very helpful. We know his "volume two" is due soon and will surely continue this family centered approach.