Virginia Books

The second of the adventures of scruffy young merchant traveller Dane Thorsen. An expedition to another planet is also anything but routine, as the locals are hard to deal with, and the consequences of leaving, are worse.

Aliens and other problems lead the outside to believe that their ship is a disease carrier. This is not good as it might mean destruction.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second 'Solar Queen' adventure, and sequel to "Sargasso of Space." Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the Solar Queen ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One Solar Queen rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's Solar Queen stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first Solar Queen novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child. That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the Solar Queen's crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the Solar Queen's young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The Solar Queen novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) was one the first science fiction novels I ever checked out of our local library (I can still close my eyes and see that one dinky little shelf, crammed with some of SFs' greatest juvenile authors: Norton; Heinlein; Del Rey; Nourse).

This book contains the second 'Solar Queen' adventure. Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the 'Solar Queen' ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One 'Solar Queen' rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's 'Solar Queen' stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first 'Solar Queen' novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child.

That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the 'Solar Queen's' crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the 'Solar Queen's' young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The 'Solar Queen' novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second 'Solar Queen' adventure, and sequel to "Sargasso of Space." Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the Solar Queen ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One Solar Queen rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's Solar Queen stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first Solar Queen novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child. That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the Solar Queen's crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the Solar Queen's young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The Solar Queen novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second installment in Andre Norton's so-called Dane Thorson series, and is a direct continuation of the previous volume, "Sargasso of Space." (A reading of that earlier novel is highly recommended before going into this one.) "Plague Ship" does everything that a good sci-fi sequel should: It expands on the possibilities of the previous book, deepens the characters, increases the action and leaves us wanting still more. This time around, Thorson and his 11 shipmates on the galactic trader Solar Queen...
It's a very fast-moving and suspenseful tale, full of unusual detail and unexpected turns. There are several highlights that make the book really shine, such as the gorp hunt early in the story. (And when I say "gorp," I'm not talking about high-energy nut-and-raisin trail mix, but rather reptilian, crablike monsters!) This gorp hunt takes place at sunset on the reefs of an oily sea, and is a highly atmospheric and exciting segment. Other great sections include a raid on an asteroid's emergency station; a landing in the Big Burn... and the viewing of the mutant life-forms therein; and the battle... near the book's end, where our heroes make a desperate bid to make their plea for justice to the citizens of the solar system. Like I said, this is a slam-bang sequel, that will leave few readers unsatisfied.
That having been said, I need to also mention that there are a few inconsistencies in the book. At one point, Norton tells us that Dane has been in the trading service for a few months; somewhere else, she says that it has been a full year. Huh? And I feel that I must chastise Ace Books for the deplorable job with which this book has been put together. Now don't get me wrong: I LOVE these little Ace paperbacks from the 1950s, especially those 2-in-1 Ace doubles. But there are so many typos--not to mention punctuational and grammatical errors--in this book that the reading thereof is made a labor. Should we blame Norton or the publishers for a sentence such as this: "His hands, blundering within the metallic claws of the gloves, Dane buckled two safety belts about him." How could any copy editor or proofreader let such an egregious line such as this get through, when just the simple deletion of that first comma would have made all the difference?! Apparently, these little Ace books were never proofed or edited. They're wonderful volumes, with marvelously pulpy covers, but sadly, the contents were not given their due. But enough about Ace's carelessness. "Plague Ship," despite the occasional blunder, is still a marvelous entertainment, and I do highly recommend it.

This little book provides the reader with a basic history of the Powatan starting with a bit prior to first contact with europeans (ironicly the Spanish) to Jamestown (proving ample insights into the minds of the cultures involved) to the modern age, including their experiences of the racial Jim Crow nonsence of the South. Nothing spectacular just the bare and basic facts. I did find the comparison of how the Powatans fared in comparison to the Tribes of New England most impressive.

Most informative and filling for the mind.

A good book to have for those interested in the region, or just the story of Jamestown and the beginning of America.

As the previous reviewer said, this book does a wonderful job examing the history of the Powhatana Confederation of Virgina through the past four centuries. Often forgotten about by the American public at large the Powhatans (actually several different Algonquian speaking Nations joined together into a single Confederacy) played a major role in US history almost from the beginning. Indeed, as the title suggests, Pocahontas herself was one of their most well known members.

Starting with an examination of pre-contact Powhatan life and culture, Rountree goes on to examine the first meetings between the Chickahominies and the Spanish conquistadors, early encounters with the British settlers, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and Indian removal. Especially interesting are the last couple chapters which focus on Indian rights activism in the last century. The Powhatan (like any of the other First Nations) never went away and have had to struggle to gain their own reservation, and even federal recognition. The book ends with a wonderfully long and detailed bibliography.

This book really tells of their struggles and triumphs, and more than anything else I would say that this book gives a wonderful background for understanding where the peoples of the Powhatan Confederation have come from. Anyone with an interest in Native American studies should definately check out this book and the others in the Civilization of the American Indians series.

Being a descendant of the Wicocomico Indian Tribe, a chiefdom of the Powhatan Empire and a 7th great grandson of King William Taptico of the above tribe; Ms Rountree's book took me on a trip back into time and verified much of my previous research into my Native American Heritage.

This was a well written book on a subject that has been neglected for years. It discusses the terrible clash between Colonial America and the Powhatan Empire; a period that set the tone for the treatment of Native Americans in America for years to come and continues today. Considering the poor records that Colonial America maintained, Ms Rountree did an exceptional job in uncovering long lost information and at last brought to light the treatment the Powhatans received at the hands of Colonial America. The period of 1607 thru 1775 was the Powhatans "Wounded Knee". Ms Rountree did an excellent job in bringing to light much of the injustices done to the Powhatans.

For the Powhatan Empire researcher,this is a book that should be on your shelf.

Sanford writes a well-documented but accessible account of Jefferson's religious ideas. Other books on Jefferson's religion extract his ideas from his letters, papers, and speeches, but Sanford goes deeper, tracing the roots of Jefferson's ideas and the influence Enlightenment philosophers played in shaping his thinking. Sanford's book reveals how Jefferson's ideas about liberty, rights, and democracy sprang from his profound belief in God. Sanford's book also shows the contradictions and complexities of Jefferson's beliefs: that he loved Jesus's teachings even while doubting his divinity, that Jefferson attacked immaterialism in religion while believing in the afterlife, and that he contributed to and regularly attended churches while blasting the corruptions of the church and clergy on the Christian faith. I highly recommend this book to understand Jefferson's religious ideas, but to get historical context for the development of this ideas, I recommend as a companion book. "Sworn on the Altar of God" by Edwin Gaustad. Together the two books give a complete potrait of Jefferson's religious life.

This book is an excellent look at the deep roots of spirituality, not religion, of one of America's most important founders, Thomas Jefferson.

The book is both informative and very interesting. It's a great book to keep for future reference as well.

It points out that Jefferson, like many of America's key founders, was not a Christian, but was a Deist. That is, he believed in God based on reason and nature, not on the Bible, Torah or Koran or any other man made book.

This is a book that will stimulate your brain and cause you to expand your mind!

Robert L. Johnson

One of my favorite books that has helped challenge and shape my spiritual and philosophical outlooks on life. Sanford goes to great length explaining and detailing Thomas Jefferson's views on controversial topics such as the right and nature of Man, nature of God, separation of church and state, religious freedom, deism, Christianity, materialism, morality, and the afterlife. Sanford provides many citations, including Jefferson's personal letters, diaries, personal Jeffersonian Bible, and other primary sources. Sanford carefully places Jefferson's views in historical and cultural context, but yet there's no sugarcoating anything here. It's a great read and I recommend it for any open-minded and mature individual interested in learning about the beliefs that motivated Jefferson and our founding Fathers to create the US Constitituion and a free society.

Great book to read after Stephen Sear's Penninsula Campaign (even noted by the editor). This great collection of CW historians take the leading characters and events of the 7 days campaign and provide insights to this fascinating series of battles that set the Union back three years. Fascinating writing of John Bankhead Magruder, the hero of the lower Peninsula, whose prewar reputation for drink and ladies combined with lack of sleep, stress, illness and improper medical treatment created a magnifyer for his failures particularly at Malvern Hill. Lee's desire to rid himself of Magruder who was a hero just weeks before is in stark contrast to his retaining of Stonewall who as R. K. Krick writes was virtually ineffective for a multitude of reasons, primarily due to sleep deprivation. Also, great essays on McClellan whose grandiose ego was not able to stand upright on the battlefield and his engineers who could build anything he needed but were used as scapegoats just like anyone else to excuse his own conduct. Additional essays are on the great importance of the seven days battles to lift southern morale and the enhancement of the radicals position contributed to by McClellan's failures during the campaign. Superb article on the artillery duel on Malvern Hill and confederate attack that collapsed under murderous and accurate union artillery fire. The Union's artillery was no match for its southern counterparts. R.E.L. Krick highlights Whiting's Division (with Hood) breaking the Union line decisively at Gaines Mill. No one knows the battlefield better than Krick. Longstreet may have wished he never picked up a pen after Krick writes of Longstreet's post war confusion of facts over his command of Whiting, "It appears an unusually early example of the gasconade for which Longstreet is now famous". That commentary would have made "Old Jube" proud.

The April-July 1862 Richmond campaign was a critical point in the American civil war that resulted in more than 50,000 casualties, 35,000 of whom fell in seven days (June 26 - July 1). The Richmond Campaign Of 1862: The Peninsula & The Seven Days offers nine essays exploring questions regarding high command, strategy and tactics, the effects of the fighting upon the politics and society of both the Union and the Confederacy, and the ways in which emancipation figured in the campaign. Included is an invaluable analysis of the Richmond campaign's place in the broader sweep of the war in 1862, assessments of George B. McClellan's generalship and Stonewall Jackson's flawed performance, an examination of the campaign's impact on white and black civilians in the region, the role of the engineers in the Union effort, the role of artillery in the battle of Malvern Hill, and more. Highly recommended for personal and academic Civil War studies reading lists and reference collections, The Richmond Campaign Of 1862 is an impressive work of painstaking, informative, insightful scholarship.

I agree with an earlier reviewer who writes that this book is a great companion (or follow-up) book to Stephen Sears "To the Gates of Richmond". Mr. Sears books gives a vivid account of the overall campaign, while this book offers some insightful essays about certain aspects of the campaign. The authors are all experts in the field, and offer well written essays for the reader to contemplate.

I really enjoyed this book because the authors cover a wide range of topics to include General McClellan's flawed performance, "Stonewall" Jackson's less than stellar leadership during the campaign, the artillery battle at Malvern Hill, "Prince" John Magruder's struggles, and the affect of the campaign on both Northern and Southern society. These detailed essays offer readers the latest and greatest scholarship about the Richmond campaign. They really helped me gain a much deeper understanding about what the campaign was like, why it was so important to the overall war effort (for both sides), and most importantly, how did if affect those involved.

I highly recommend this book for those "students" of the Civil War (like me) who are looking to gain a richer grasp of the events that happened during the Richmond campaign. If you have not read anything about the Richmond campaign (usually referred to as the Pennisula and Seven Days campaign) then I suggest that you read "To the Gates of Richmond" by Stephen Sear first, then this book.

Mr. Durham's book gives an excellent look at some of the beliefs of the Lakota, without being overly romantic. His love for both the Buffalo and Sundance are evident as he shows how walking a sacred path is a full time job, not for the weekend warriors. I have already recomended this books several times, and read my copy twice so far.

I have read this book and found it wonderful. It is very spiritual and gives insight into the Native American spirit and ways. We could all take a lesson from this book. I also had the privilage of seeing the Sacred Buffalo Skeleton in person. Very inspiring!!.

This book is an amazing journey about what went into the creation of a sacred object. It takes you through the mechanics of how it was done, as well as what the people involved put into it spiritually and emotionally. Their dedication to this project was very inspiring. Having been lucky enough to actually see this beautiful piece of art, I felt the book further enhanced that experience.

For me, this Sacred Heart Yoga Practice as detailed in Virgina Ellen's book is a deep self-love and true union experience. The practice is filled with prayer, mudra, poses, sacred sound and key words that turn on the energy that I can actually feel in my physical, mental and emotional bodies. In the devotional phase of the yoga, a deep connection and reliance on the Divine within is created. This sets up a safe place to commune and tell the God within everything. Enfolded in the pure love and wisdom of the Sacred Heart of God, my human self (ego) is free to express and receive loving guidance and nourishment from the Divine. It has been the safest and easiest place for me to evolve into higher thought and consciousness. No other yoga, meditation or spiritual practice has brought me into these deep states of connection, devotion, surrender, gratitude and holy union with my True Self. If you long for incredible connection and true union with the Divine, then this exquisite Sacred Heart Yoga is for you.

I have been a student of Sacred Heart Yoga for the last 3 years. I am actually expereicing what Virginia talks about in the book. I am expereincing the God within awaken. It's a physical and energetic experience. I feel the blissful and powerful energy flowing through my body as the God within is responding to my prayers. I never expereinced anything like this with any other yoga practice I have done. My whole life is changing, I am loving myself and allowing myself to receive everything I have ever wanted. In the last 20 years, I have done therapy, co-counseling, new thought practices like what Abraham teaches, Landmark, Meditation etc. None of them have taken me very far. Reading this book and practicing this way has caused my Seals above my chakras to activate(kudalini). I now have access to the holy wisdom and other gifts that have been "sealed" away until I was ready. I highly recommend this book and this path for those who are ready to get out of the intellectual realm of spirituality and who are ready to stop looking outside themselves for everything. Go within and discover and experience and feel who you really are. Namaste

Sacred heart yoga combines postures, toning and prayer to open the heart to unconditional love, the mind to divine wisdom and the body to clearing all that is keeping us from embodying and expressing joy, abundance and purpose in this world. These are powerful teachings for all who truly want to heal and transform their lives.

A wonderful read for all ages and I would really like to get hold of the poster. Is it available anywhere?

I am trying to read the book but it is out of print. I have seen the poster in my son;s Dr.s office "I AM ME" I will write the Celestial Arts in Berkley and try to get a copy of at least the poster and hopefully the book. does nayone have any other ideas?

This book was written by Virginia Satir to help a fifteen year old girl understand life. It demonstrates in a just a few words, what we could spend a lifetime trying to learn or explain.

The Seton Miracles, By James L. Carney, is an excellent discussion of the alleged miracles that took place in Lake Ridge, VA at the parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in the early 1990's. Carney's presentation is well-balanced, detailed, and scholarly--qualities that are unfortunately uncommon in this genre. Unlike many other books sympathetic to miracle claims, Carney does not ignore counter-evidence and he does not attempt to push mitigating circumstances under the rug. Nor is his presentation filled with an overabundance of devotional material that might lead the reader to doubt his ability to evaluate the data fairly. The only suggestion I would have to improve the work is to provide even more of the interview transcripts with key participants--though this would not necessarily make the book a more interesting read, it would further strengthen the already impressive archive of first-hand information, which could be of use to persons in the future.

Though I have never met or spoken to the author, the fact that such a seemingly sensible man is sympathetic to these reports (and indeed has been an eyewitness to many of the events) is a great testament to their seriousness and importance.

What a WONDERFUL Book! Written in a very readable, journal style, by author James L. Carney, this fascinating, amazing, inspirational TRUE-LIFE story "pulled me in" to the true accounts of weeping Madonna statues, changing-color rosaries, miracle colors and lights in the sky, miraculous healings, Father Bruse's stigmata wounds, and events surrounding this humble parish priest, from 1991 to 1993, right here in the Lake Ridge area of Woodbridge, VA. USA! When I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down, until I'd read the whole story, and gone back several times to review, and study the color photographs, too. I was personally, very emotionally moved, to tears, by this true and powerful history of events. James Carney has included experiences and eyewitness observations of his own, of his wife, and of many other people interviewed, who had personal, life-changing experiences and observed incredible physical phenomena. I would highly recommend this book to readers of any faith or religion, and even to skeptical "non-believers".

In this well-written, thought provoking book, the author, James L. Carney, describes for the reader the dramatic spiritual journey experienced by many at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Lake Ridge, VA from November 1991 through 1993. Factual eyewitness accounts permit the reader to interpret for themselves the meaning of the numerous miraculous events. As one of the eyewitnesses, I feel that my personal experience and the book serve as powerful reminders of the reassuring words spoken by Jesus, "And know that I am with you always." (Matthew 28:20) I highly recommend this inspiring book.

The Shenandoah Spy stands one notch above other Civil War novels of recent years. It is especially remarkable that a male author is responsible for such a credible portrayal of the unequivocally feminine character of Belle Boyd. Furthermore, Francis Hamit has delivered a sympathetic heroine while withholding any such approval of the Confederate cause or Southern lifestyle. Given society's normally patriarchal perspective, this is no easy feat. Through historical verisimilitude and some fascinating relationship dynamics, the scenes of this novel were magnificently envisioned. The inclusion of alternate viewpoints such as those of David Strother (Belle's cousin who served as a Union army officer) was a clever way to define the tension of conflict-ridden communities as well as the divisive loyalties within each family during this tumultuous period. It would be interesting to read additional accounts of Antonia Ford or other female scouts and secret agents mentioned in the narrative. All of this leads one to wonder how the few recorded documents of these people and their deeds will continue to spark the imagination of Francis Hamit and inspire other future writers.

Although Women were not formally allowed to become soldiers until the late twentieth century, this doesn't mean they did not participate. "The Shenandoah Spy" is the story of Isabelle Boyd and her time as a confederate spy. Disguising her acts in public by appearing as a Union sympathizer, she uses many deceptive tactics to keep her identity under wraps as she does everything she can in order to give the Confederacy a leg up in the American Civil War. Hamit has done his research, and it shows in "The Shenandoah Spy", a riveting and recommended tale of women in the war where the most American lives were lost.

...of a fascinating woman.

Belle Boyd was an active spy for the Confederates during the Civil War. Motivated by love for her homeland and a fierce indignation at, not to say hatred of, the invaders (the Union Army), Belle at 17 became a spy and devoted herself to driving the invaders from the South. Most young women of her day and age devoted themselves to enhancing their looks in order to catch husbands, even with the War on. Most young women of that era practiced the alluring arts they learned at finishing schools to attract men.

Belle did, too, but in a greater cause -- freedom as she saw it.

In creating this character, author Francis Hamit has broken relatively new ground. First he has written about a nineteenth-century Southern woman, whom most writers dismiss as confined to the parlor and the bedchamber. Second, he has dared to present the Confederate side of the Civil War, when most writers dismiss the Confederacy as an evil conspiracy to prolong slavery. It may have been determined to prolong slavery, but many Southerners also viewed the Union Army as an illegal invader of their territory. In presenting Belle's opinions and feelings sympathetically, Hamit has shown the courage of a committed writer.

"Shenandoah Spy" is a book worth reading.

The Shot from the Mountain covers the tribulations and quests of an Appalachian miner struggling to improve his life and the life of his family. A world of which I knew little, peopled with characters I grew to care about. Realistic, memorable.

A great novel by a Ph.D.? You bet! And a good one at that. A shot rings out from the hills in a coal minning town in West Virginia killing the local big shot, Avery Murphy, by the protaganist, Clyde Fuller, whose best friend has just been murdered by Murphy. A borrowed gun, an ambush above the town, and only one person- though not a witness- knew who the killer was (he remained mum through the years).

These events set off a train of actions that takes you through the beginning of the great depression and including the beginning of the Roosevelt administration.

Claude S. Phillips who knew them thar hills as a native whose father was a miner, writes with a commanding authority in flawless grammar rarely found in a novel these days...and that without pedantry.

Meticulous in detail, the novel has all the prime elements of a great narrative: exposition, complication, climax, resolution, and conclusion.

At the start the setting is "Appalachia" before and during the Great Depression and the early days before John L. Louis and his United Mine Workers of America came on the seen. Early attempts to organize were met with violence from the coal companies, the violence of which Clyde is intimately involved. The suspense is gripping. The fear in the back of Clyde's mind that his crime will be found out dominates this young man's mind, giving the novel a thrust that grips the reader's attention through a divorce, two marrages, and the restless obsession of a man driven by an ambition to get ahead in life.

The characters are real and the reader is aware of a struggle for the very existance in the West Virginian coal mining town.

The ending has an ironic twist and an O'Henry-like ending.

The novel ends where it begins...but happily.

A Novel Set in the Appalachian Coal Fields of the 1920s and 1930s

Entitled The Shot from the Mountain: An Appalachian Odyssey, the novel was written by Claude S. Phillips, who was raised in the coal mine regions of West Virginia and is now a retired professor from Western Michigan University. The protagonist of the story is a fictional character named Clyde Fuller, but the setting is real: a time of bitter conflict between mine operators and miners over the latter's attempt to form a union in the southern part of the state. The story includes Fuller's role in two violent events, known historically as the Massacre at Matewan (where he thinks he killed a mine "detective" with a shot from the mountain) and the Battle of Blair Mountain. Other events include his heroic act connected with a mine explosion, his two marriages, his determined attempt to rise to a high position in the mines, and his confrontation with the brother of the man he thinks he killed.