States Books

I am what is commonly referred to as a Civil War buff, what ever that means, and I feel compelled to write you about the work of Timothy B. Smith.

My biggest frustration about a lot of books on the civil is the lack of good quality maps that allows the reader to get a sense of who was where and what was happening on the battlefield. How one could write an account of a battle with out good maps is beyond me.

The maps in Champion Hill are fantastic. Not only for their clarity but the sheer number of them is truly amazing. Needless to say I loved them.

The style of his writing actually left me with the desire to pick it up again to see how things were going on the Middle Road and the Jackson Rd., just like a good mystery book.

I give it an A+.

Keep'em coming but don't forget the maps !!

The reviews tell the story. This is a great book. Champion Hill isn't one of my areas of interest, but every time I saw this book, it ended up in my hands until my wife yelled for us to go. If I were to write a book about my favorite lesser known battle, this is the way I would hope it would come out. Exhaustive research, flowing text, sufficient photographs, and some of the best maps that I've ever seen. There are plenty of them, very detailed, and thank you Mr. Smith for breaking them down to individual regiments! He wraps it up with an Order of Battle (thank you!) and a zillion photographs of the battlefield today (thank you again!). It would be hard to top this book. Even if you aren't into Champion Hill or Vicksburg, you'll love this book for the job the author did. Incidentally, check out his "This Great Battlefield of Shiloh.." as well. I look forward to more works by this author.

Timothy B. Smith's "Champion Hill Decisive Battle for Vicksburg" is a must read. A little known battle but one of great magnitude. Many historians have often over look the battles that led to the doom of Vicksburg. Leading up to to Champion Hill were the battles of Port Gibson, Raymond and Jackson. Timothy B. Smith keeps the story flowing and leads you breathless to the climax at Champion Hill. Such research is much needed and is so well written I could not put the book down. This book is a instant "Classic". The book has lot's of maps to help the reader understand the battle geologically. The timeline is easy to keep up with, which is often very hard to do in a Civil War battle. Also included is a very nice selection of photo's to illustrate the participants as Timothy weave's you though the thick Minnie's. One minute you are charging forward with victory and the next minute you are running for your life!

CHAMPION HILL is, unequivocally, the best non-fiction narrative of a Civil War engagement that I've ever read - and that includes works by Shelby Foote and James McPherson.It generally concerns U.S. Major General Ulysses Grant's capture of Vicksburg, but is more specifically about the crucial Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863, which essentially sealed Vicksburg's fate by forcing its defenders back into the city, around which Grant ultimately established siege lines.

The volume's initial fifteen pages briefly summarize Grant's various abortive attempts to take Vicksburg from the north before he was able to cross his Army of the Tennessee to the Mississippi's east bank south of the city on April 30. The next ninety describe the preliminary battles at Port Gibson, Raymond, and Jackson. The bulk of the book, 280 pages, concerns itself with the Champion Hill collision between Grant's forces and Lieutenant General John Pemberton's Army of Vicksburg. There's a penultimate 12-page chapter on the battle's aftermath that includes Vicksburg's capitulation on July 4, and a concluding 11-page postscript chapter on the post-battle and post-Civil War careers of the numerous commanders that are named (and pictured) in the text. Finally, there's a 10-page Appendix with the Order of Battle for both armies, thirty pages of Notes, sixteen pages of contemporary battlefield photos keyed to a reference map, and a 12-page Bibliography. I suggest that author Timothy Smith has penned a battle narrative as satisfyingly complete as any you'll ever come across.

Champion Hill was a seesawing, day-long, complex affair, the account of which will likely spellbind the reader to the point of emotional exhaustion. What I found most impressive was the extreme lucidity of Smith's description of the various military units' maneuvers across the landscape mostly described at brigade and regimental levels. The evolution of the Champion Hill clash is traced by forty - count 'em, 40! - marvelously illustrative maps rendered in black, white and gray that coincide at all times with the textual narrative. Smith even goes so far as to depict the field positioning of units during and after disintegration and, in some cases, their subsequent reformation and re-entry into the fray. At no time was I in the least confused about the tide of battle and the organizational identity of the combatants. These battlefield maps demonstrate how such should be constructed, but which so often are not in otherwise faultless works.

For Grant, who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Fort Donelson and Shiloh, Champion Hill was another close run thing - more so than it should have been. Generally speaking, each side suffered from committing its forces piecemeal - Grant because of overcautious orders to his chief subordinate on-site, commander of the XIII Corps Major General John McClernand, and Pemberton because of inadequate intelligence as to Federal troop dispositions combined with a rancorous relationship with division commander Major General William Loring. Particularly speaking, the Confederates perhaps lost Champion Hill because of a wayward ordnance train that handicapped beleaguered rebels in the face of fresh, but the last, Union reserves at a critical point of confrontation.

CHAMPION HILL is an obligatory read for any student, casual or serious, of the Civil War. I was sorry to come to the end of the story, a reaction usually reserved for fiction.

Being a novice to the study of the civil war, I found this book to be helpful in my pursuit of knowledge about the Battle of Champion Hill. It was well written and easy to read. Not being one who necessarily understands military tactics or maneuvers, Timothy Smith's book allowed me to follow the battle with a clear understanding of troop movements and placements and was enhanced by the excellent maps. Having read the book prior to a trip to the Vicksburg area, the battle came to life for me because of the knowledge gleaned. I especially enjoyed the personal accounts, pictures and bios of the officers and soldiers.

I think this battle is best summed up by a quote from the book about a young Iowan, Sam Byers, that said, "But, on May 16, 1863, he was just a frightened young man standing with hundreds of other frightened young men looking up the slopes of Champion Hill in an effort to stare down random death.." This is definitely a book that every serious student of the civil war will want in his or her library.

This book is recommended for all art fans--you don't need to be familiar with the Sandman character to enjoy McKean's gorgeous covers. The commentary is also very interesting, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the thought process behind many of the works. McKean progresses from producing physical pieces of art to digital manipulations as the series progressed, and although some of his initial digital effects are now dated, it's still fascinating to see a modern master at work.

is there any difference between the Watson-Guptill edition and the Vertigo edition? i noticed one says '1989-1996' while the other says '1989-1997', the size also seems to be differnt, althogh the page numbers are both 208. what i want to know is, is there any difference as far as the artworks go inside? and if so, which is the better one? (one's also more price than the other, it seems).

I bought this book as a gift for a Friend, I was familiar with McKeans art from the comics and she had recently gotten into his work... So i thought it'd make a good gift.

It was a great gift! I looked through the book thoroughly myself and was amazed at not just the artwork but the presentation of it throughout. McKean and Neil Gaiman's Commentry and Notes throughout are both Fascinating and sometimes hilarious. (Ah the Fish...)

I'm gonna pick up a copy for myself, as this really is an Amazing book... ArtFans or ComicFans alike will appreciate just how Beautiful Mckeans Art is.

I don't know why I haven't gotten around to reviewing this collection of work before, but it is amazing! As the title suggests, it is the collected covers of the Sandman comic book series that ran from 1989-1996. There are no Sandman stories in here, just the collected covers of all the issues and some commentary on the covers and The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman himself.

"Just." I love this book. It's "Art" with a capital "A." So many different styles, forms, and moods. It's beauty and magic captured on paper. It calls to mind art as diverse Edward Gorey, Salvadore Dali, the movies of Tim Burtn, and on one startling cover even H.R. Geiger (in a non-Aliens way).

The introduction is very nice too.

I recommend this for any fan of the Sandman series.

When I had collected the original Sandman issues, I was always intrigued by the cover art as well as the story and illustrations inside. Sometimes, I would find myself staring at the covers for minutes before reading the actual story. This was the only time I had ever really done that. And now you can own this book full of those intricate, detailed, and amazing art pieces, along with commentary by McKean and Gaiman.

And there's a Sandman story that I have never read before! If you're a Sandman fan, buy this book.

Truly a classic collection, this exemplifies an excellent selection of stories from one of the true masters of the hardboiled detective fiction genre. Wonderful reads that I am reading for a fourth and fifth time since I first discovered them in the late 1960s.

This was the perfect vol for the survey of hard-boiled detective fiction I've been doing. A nicely formatted hardcover (nothing's sexier than a hardcover book) with good info on Hammett's life and times.

Complete Novels: Red Harvest / The Dain Curse / The Maltese Falcon / The Glass Key / The Thin Man (Library of America) What a great anthology of the works of the father of the modern detective novel. All of Hammett's novels in one book. It does not get any better than this.

An intriguing plot with just the right blend of wry humor, sex and secrets.

I do like these stories, though they are so rough! It is very helpful to be able to have them all together in this one good volume, I think. But it is dangerous to read them late at night, because you either get too excited to sleep, or you dream of bad men with their car headlamps switched off in the dark!

This is a terrific and rarely-told story from our nation's legal history. This well-written book will be fascinating to anyone who has an interest in the law, civil rights, our nation's history, or just in captivating stories.

For one interested in the history of federalism in this country, the book is a must read. The book can be enjoyed by both lawyers and lawmen. If you want to understand how and why the United States Supreme Court became involved in declaring state laws unconstitutional and the need for the Federal Courts to apply the United States Constitution to actions of local officials, this book will enable you to understand those reasons. A true story of unhearald courage by a very determined and brave attorney.

I ended up reading this book in a little over two days. I was quickly hooked by the fascinating and horrifying story of Ed Johnson, an indigent black man, unjustly accused and convicted by an all-white judicial system that was very typical of the south at the turn of the century. Mr. Johnson's second set of lawyers, two courageous black lawyers, from Chattanooga appeal to the US Supreme Court and set the stage for the most intriguing case to ever be heard before the court. Read the book!

Black man accused of raping a white woman. Shakey identification. All white judge, jury, police, sheriff, and all lawyers on both sides. A death penalty case. A jury in the midst of trial jumps up and threatens to rip the defendant's heart out on the spot. He is found guilty. From date of crime to guilty verdict--one week. Defendant advised by his own lawyers after trial: you have two choices, waive appeal and let the State execute you, or appeal and let the mob lynch you.

Then two Black lawyers take up the case. The Supreme Court is horrified at the gross miscarriage of justice, and issues a stay. But the mob, with the Sheriff's apparent approval, decides the legal process is just taking too long, and lynches the defendant.

Contempt of Court tells this story in great detail, bringing all of the characters to life. A fascinating history of the role racism played in the courts at the turn of the century.

But the heart of the book is what followed the lynching. Unlike most cases which were quickly forgotten, the Supreme Court itself instituted contempt charges against the Sheriff for failing to carry out its stay of execution. This is the one and only contempt proceeding ever tried in the Supreme Court itself. It also marked the first time the federal courts had ever sought to review a state court criminal proceeding--setting the stage for such well known rules as "Miranda" and the exclusionary rule.

I completely agree with the blurb on the book's cover. This volume belongs on the shelf next to Simple Justice and Gideon's Trumpet.

When Leroy Phillips, Jr. came to visit my school in Chattanooga, I was overwhelmed by the knowledge that something like this could have happened in my city. After his talk, I decided to read the book for myself. At first, I noticed that the authors took a lot of time to research the subject thoroughly, so much so that I think they know more about Chattanooga than I do, keeping in mind Leroy Phillips does live here. What also impressed me the most was the nonfiction story itself. The story is about a black man named Ed Johnson who was put on trial at first as a scapegoat. However, he eventually was a target for all anti-black aggressions. I mean, for me the 60's were scary, but the brutality and violence of the early 1900's, especially these incidents, are just terrifying. This book will show a detailed look at Chattanooga's past; it will show some historically fascinating law and court decisions, and it will just be an amazing read.

My three years old daughter simply loves this book. I have been reading the book to her more than 20 times if it is not 30 times already. She has been bring the book almost every night for bedtime story since the book was came to my door (the binding of hardcover becomes wiggly already). I am enjoying her responses when I read questions in the middle of the stories, just like Dora asked questions in the animation series. The book is big and colorful and lines of story are just short enough to keep my girl's attention to the page. It is clearly my best book purchase I ever made for my girl.

These stories are VERY short, basic and not very interesting. BUT, it's Dora, so my daughters still ask to read them.

Bought this as a surprise gift for my 2.5yo dd for a long plane trip we were taking. She loved all the stories, and I felt there was a nice variety of stories included. Great for any Dora fan, as long as you don't already own many Dora stories (to keep from having duplicates).

My son likes Dora. He loves this book. I read it to him every night. Some stories are too short though.

I ordered this for my Granddaughter that is 2 yrs old. She never puts the book down.Mommy has read it to her several times and she just can't get enough of it. Of course she is a die hard Dora fan. Great book!

MR MALARKEY BRINGS THE " BAND OF BROTHERS" MEN INTO A CLOSER INSPECTION, THE BOOK IS WELL WRITTEN, A NATURAL FLOW, GIVES THE READER A REAL FEEL FOR THE WAR. PUT THIS ON YOUR " TO READ LIST" AT THE TOP

Don Marlarky shares with us his experiences as a member of the famed Band of Brothers, Easy Company. His memory of his life in and out of uniform is remarkable for any man, let alone one who was 86 when this book was written. Kudos to his family for encouraging him to write this book for us to respect, honor and enjoy. You will not believe how fast this book reads. There is plenty of action and insight into the heart, mind and soul of one of the most effective fighting men in Easy Co. From Currahee to Zel am See we are transported through one man's experiences as an elite paratrooper who fought more days than most of the men of Easy. You will truly find it hard to put this book down.

A.E. Wentworth
Military History buff
Respector of our WWII veterans

As a niece of Warren "Skip" Muck I owe a debt of gratitude to Don Malarkey for telling not only his story, but a good portion of my uncle's story as well. His honesty, integrity and intelligence shine throughout the book. I feel honored to know the men of Easy Company and be a part of the Easy "family". This book is truly a window into the heart and spirit of these men.

I'll admit when I first saw this I thought "Yeah another Easy company survivor jumpin' on the ol' book bandwagon" but having read the book, I'd be happy to apologise to "Malark'" to his face. When an author starts his autobiography by confessing how he seriously though about shooting himself in the foot to get out of battle, he has your attention.

The book follows Donald Malarky from his childhood in Oregon through his adventures in WW2 and beyond but it is so well written I found myself wishing he'd written more about his youth. Not because I felt he was skipping stuff, but because I enjoyed it so much.

The guiding force in his life seems to have been two fold, the ghosts of his uncles, killed by the first Wrold War "The Malarky boys have unfinished business with the Germans" he says, and the drive not to be a quitter, a fate he sees in his father. This leads the man to have the longest stretch on the front line of any member of E company 506 PIR, even when offered a chance off the line, he wouldn't quit.

If you are not familiar with the "Band of Brothers" then this is the book of a veteran of WW2. That dwindling generation of men sharing their experiences in humanitie's darkest hours. If you are familiar with Band of Brothers you will get more from the book. Malarky touches on some things that other books have skipped over and gives a different view of some well established events such as the mutiny against Captain Sobel in 1944.

Of all the books written by the men of the 506th's E company this seems to have the most heart. The excellent books by Winters, Guerneire and Heffron each seem to have their goals. Winters explaining leadership, Heffron and 'Wild Bill' seem like two old soldiers recounting their adventures to their grandchildren but Malarky, a self described 'Oregon Hermit" has spent his time well in his hermitage. The book looks at events warts and all even at people for whom he obviously still has great affection.

More than a remincience of his war days actions for which we should all say 'thank you', on the pages of his book Donald Malarky pours out his heart and shares his thoughts, dreams and fears, not in what makes up a soldier, but what makes up a man and for that sharing, we should also say "thank you."

Easy Company Soldier
By Don Malarkey/Bob Welch

This book has it all -- action, loyalty, bravery, sorrow, faith, heroism, fear, hardship, loss, camaraderie, desperation and humor. It's the best and worst of World War II. In his quest to succeed Sgt. Malarkey fought two wars. The first was against the Germans and the second, against himself. Both a gripping human interest and violent war story, this is a must read for everyone.

First off, I'm a comparatively slow reader with a short attention span. I usually read in short bursts of about 30 or 40 minutes, often tire, get bored or lose interest to the point where reading actually becomes a chore. Rarely, does a book come along that I just cannot put down. Easy Company Soldier is one of the very few.

I started reading Easy Company Soldier at about 7:30 pm, six hours and seven chapters later I went to bed, got up an hour later and read for another two hours. The next day I finished the book. For me, that's a record only equaled once before.

The story begins with Don Malarkey growing up in Astoria, a city on the North Oregon coast during the Great Depression (not an easy life). His college life at the University of Oregon abruptly came to a halt in 1942 when he joined the army. Malarkey volunteered to be part of what he considered the toughest, most challenging unit in the American Army, the 101st Screaming Eagles Airborne Division. On June 6th 1944 D-Day, they jumped into Normandy, France.

Once again author Bob Welch captivates his audience. In his first WW II book, "American Nightingale" published in 2004, he poignantly captures the horror of war in the powerful biography of Frances Slanger and her courageous struggle to become a combat nurse with the 45th Field Hospital.

Easy Company Soldier is the remarkable story of Don Malarkey, who was originally made famous by Stephen Ambrose in Band of Brothers. With every word Bob Welch continues to envelope you in his dramatic story. Welch's unique writing ability enables the reader to hear every sound, to see the action, to smell the cordite and be a part of the general emotion of battle from France into The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, all the way from D-Day to Victory in Europe.

Don Malarkey has beaten all the odds. He survived 177 days of combat and fighting in many of the fiercest battles in Europe. Most of his outfit, Easy Company, were killed or severely wounded, yet Malarkey came through with only minor wounds. Now at 87, he has beaten the odds again and survived the calendar. After reading Easy Company Soldier I think you will agree, Don Malarkey is and always will be part of our "Greatest Generation".

Matthew Scudder is not a licensed private investigator. To claim he was one would not be ethical. Besides, private investigators have to keep up with records and billable hours... No, you can't hire him, but you can ask him to do a favor. In return for said favor, you can buy him a drink and give him a little cash.

At one point in his life Matt was a detective for the NYPD, but when a stray bullet from his gun struck and killed an innocent child during a shootout, Matt resigned. He buried his grief in a bottle and started doing favors for friends.

In Eight Million Ways to Die, Matt has reached a crossroads. After experiencing blackout that lasted several days that ended with Matt in the hospital, he knew he had to come to terms with his drinking. He agreed to go to AA, but he was not ready to label himself an alcoholic.

In need of money, Matt agreed to act as an intermediary for a hooker. She wanted out of the business but was afraid to tell her pimp. It was a simple job and the situation was settled without bloodshed or tears. Chance, the pimp, felt Kim wasted her money. She didn't need to hire Matt. All she had to do was tell him she wanted out. When Kim was found dead a few days later, the police and Matt assumed Chance was the guilty party.

The police would never be able to prove that Chance was guilty. Chance knew that, but the fact that the police assumed he did it and were not looking elsewhere irritated him. Kim was a hooker, but she was one of his girls. The cloud of suspicion was hurting his business. As Matt already had a vested interest in the case, Chance hires him. Matt would ferret out the truth.

It has been 25 years since Laurence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die was first released. New York City has changed since then, but it was easy to visualize the rabble and the rubble of the New York City of old through the eyes of Matthew Scudder. It was descriptive without the lengthy prose to go with it.

It is a classic hardboiled detective story. The clues are doled out at regular intervals. An astute mystery reader may be able to identify the killer before Matt puts the pieces together. I had my suspicions but there was enough doubt to keep me guessing right up until the end.

Eight Million Ways to Die is dark, cynical, violent and incredibly lonely--all that a great PI mystery should be. For the mystery fans out there, I highly recommend it.

I bought this thinking it was the first in the Matthew Scudder series, but it is actually about the fifth or so. It was excellent. Very well-written and I loved the Scudder character, especially his struggle with drinking and involvement in AA. If you like mysteries/detective novels, you will not be disappointed.

Lawrence Block is a writer's writer. His style, words, and plots are top notch. What do you get in this story? You get a grim and gritty New York - home to Matt Scudder, ex-cop and private investigator. You get Scudder's desperate efforts to overcome his addiction to alcohol. And you get the story of Kim, a prostitute, who pays Scudder to tell Chance, her pimp, that she wants to leave the business. Next, she is slashed to death. The obvious suspect is Chance, but Scudder becomes convinced that Chance didn't kill her, and Chance pays Scudder to find the murderer. As Scudder investigates, and more murders occur, it becomes clear that Kim had unknowingly become involved with a group of violent criminals. A nice feature of the story is that Block gives you all of the clues to pretty-much solve the mystery. Otherwise, you must wait until the final pages. It is a great story. Little wonder that Block has won so many awards for his mystery writing.

Having only read one other Lawrence Block novel "A Dance at the Slaughterhouse", I was intrigued at the depth of Eight Million Ways to Die. The characters and the environment of New York being the backdrop for this story makes for an entertaining read. As well as Scudders unwillingness to accept that he's an alcoholic. The ending was a classic one. The way Block is able to bring to life the city as a main part of the plot in the story is amazing. Eight Million Ways to Die is a classic and will forever be remembered as one of the top 25 mystery novels of all time!

Other recommended books:
Death in Uptown by Michael Raleigh

It's 2008, and it's the 25th anniversary of the Lawrence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die. So let's put out a celebratory edition! I've never read a Block book, so I'm not sure why this particular book warrants a re-issue in a special hardcover, but it does mark a significant milestone in Matt Scudder's career, so maybe that's why. This handsome hardcover also includes an afterword by Block, so fans of the Scudder series may want to pick this up to at least read that. For non-fans of the series, you can pick it up because it's a very good book.

If you're like me, you'll have to keep reminding yourself that Eight Million Ways to Die was written back in 1983. I kept asking why the characters didn't use cell phones until I remembered. Also, the image of New York as a crime-infested city kept jarring with the way it is now. The title of the book is said by a cynical cop who claims that there are eight million ways to die in New York. While there are probably still quite a few, I don't think there are that many any more.

Block does immerse you in the seedy atmosphere of the New York of 1983, though. His imagery is quite stark, and he constantly has Scudder reading the newspaper, pulling out headlines and news stories about how certain innocent people were killed, and commenting on how these will quickly get relegated to the back pages as something even more monstrous hits the front page. This atmosphere constantly weighs Scudder (and the reader) down, but at least the reader can put the book down if it gets too oppressive. What can Scudder do?

Scudder is an extremely interesting character, and evidently one who changes throughout his series of books. His alcoholism has been a constant presence in previous books, and this is the one where it comes to a head. He's constantly going to AA meetings, commenting on the speakers but not speaking up himself when it comes to his turn. He just can't see himself in these people, despite knowing that he has a problem. There's an interesting running plot element regarding this bottle of Wild Turkey in Kim's apartment, something that keeps attracting him even if he's not there investigating something.

While most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, serving their purpose in the story and perhaps having one or two identifying traits, Chance himself also stands out as an extremely interesting character. He finds himself being drawn to Scudder, telling him things that he would never tell anyone else. He's an extremely deep character, almost as much as Scudder, and we find ourselves wondering how he's going to turn out as well. When he disappears for a while, I almost found myself dreading that Scudder would find out he got murdered as well.

Block's hard-boiled prose is excellent in Eight Million Ways to Die, and it's definitely what will make me go back and eventually read other books in this series. It's almost a contradiction, sinking into the muck that is New York while also feeling slightly optimistic as Matt comes closer and closer to redemption. It can be brutal at times, but he doesn't revel in the carnage. He doesn't hide from it, but he doesn't dwell on it either, except when Scudder himself does as he's trying to fight off temptation yet again. Block's dialogue is top notch as well, giving the book a noir feel that draws you in.

Eight Million Ways to Die is an excellent novel, and you don't have to worry that you're coming into it in the middle of a series. As a standalone, it's an excellent examination of an alcoholic detective's life. As part of a series, it's a turning point. Either way, you'll lose yourself in the past as 1983 rears its ugly head again. Scudder is great character, and this is a great book.

David Roy

This book is what I will call from now on: MY ELVIS BIBLE

Definitely the world's best Elvis "reader book".
Well written, easy to read, easily enjoyed whenever.

I am patiently waiting for the other Volumes of this series.
If they are anywhere near as good as this volume, Jim Curtin will the world's best Elvis books on the market! (well he kind of does already).

I am so happy I found his books online.
My first exposure to Curtin was through his Unseen Elvis book (definitely the best photo book on ELvis to date).
I did not know he authored more books, till one of my friends bought me his Christmas With Elvis book, and from there on, I became a Jim Curtin / Renata Ginter fan!

With as much enthusiasm as I had reading this book, I can honestly attest that anyone who buys it, will love it just as much. I can guarantee it (if my word even means anything to anyone).

I am just a fan who enjoys reading quality material on Elvis and who LOVES to see rare photos on him as well.

So if you want my recommendation as to what kind of books to buy or get on Elvis .... stick with Jim Curtin (the true Elvis expert and friend)

I have never written a review before on anything, so please don't mind if I rattle here and there. I will try to my best ability explain what I liked about this book.

#1- This book dispells the Elvis myths that have for some reason been printed all wrong! ... Jim makes true sense of many of these myths and explains in detail the real truth behind certain things: .... [EX: That the Dorsey Brothers who hosted "The Stage Show" did not like nor want ELvis on their show and only allowed him a few appearances when Colonel Parker paid them $5,000 under the table!!]

#2- Has touching stories about the sad times in his life: his mother's death - breakups with his girlfriends - breakup with his wife - etc.

#3- Has funny stories about how Elvis too had his moments of embarrassment, accidents and just plain ole funny situations .... [EX: In the 1970s, Linda Thompson talked Elvis into going to the local Memphis McDonald's and there he was approached by a man who thought Elvis was an impersonator and told him how sad he was to be someone else! Linda simply went along with the man and said to Elvis, "Cut the crap Bob!" ]

#4- Has wonderful behind the scenes stories during Elvis' movie filming ...... [EX: How on the set of Roustabout, Elvis was accidentally kicked in the head by costar and as a result had to have stitches to sew up the wound. The director incorporated a scene in the movie, where in a fight Elvis' character suffers an injury to his head! ]

#5 - Has great stories about the women he dated and what happened during some of the dates! hehe ....... {EX: How Elvis dated Yvonne Craig and he invited her to his CA rented home, while trying to leave, she activated his alarm which in turn called the local police and swat team. She was almost arrested for breaking and entering by them, if Elvis hadn't been woken up to explain why she was there!]

#6- Also has fantastic business stories of some of the deals he and Colonel Parker were offered and turned down. .... [EX: They were offered $1 million to perform one show in England]

#7- Heartwarming family stories about his parents, Priscilla and Lisa Marie ....... [EX: How Lisa Marie, at age five, would play Elvis' records on her own personal record player and memorize the words - and then go to Elvis and "perform" the songs for him - complete with all of Elvis' stage moves!]

These are just 7 reasons why this book is so great. It is so heart touching it should be retitled to: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE ELVIS SOUL

So fellow readers, if you want a book that you can laugh, smile, cry and be amazed with, this is it! You do not need to be an Elvis fan to read it ... all you need is an open mind, a hot cup of tea of chocolate, a comfortable chair with blanket and this book!

I have never written a review before on anything, so please don't mind if I rattle here and there. I will try to my best ability explain what I liked about this book.

#1- This book dispells the Elvis myths that have for some reason been printed all wrong! ... Jim makes true sense of many of these myths and explains in detail the real truth behind certain things: .... [EX: That the Dorsey Brothers who hosted "The Stage Show" did not like nor want ELvis on their show and only allowed him a few appearances when Colonel Parker paid them $5,000 under the table!!]

#2- Has touching stories about the sad times in his life: his mother's death - breakups with his girlfriends - breakup with his wife - etc.

#3- Has funny stories about how Elvis too had his moments of embarrassment, accidents and just plain ole funny situations .... [EX: In the 1970s, Linda Thompson talked Elvis into going to the local Memphis McDonald's and there he was approached by a man who thought Elvis was an impersonator and told him how sad he was to be someone else! Linda simply went along with the man and said to Elvis, "Cut the crap Bob!" ]

#4- Has wonderful behind the scenes stories during Elvis' movie filming ...... [EX: How on the set of Roustabout, Elvis was accidentally kicked in the head by costar and as a result had to have stitches to sew up the wound. The director incorporated a scene in the movie, where in a fight Elvis' character suffers an injury to his head! ]

#5 - Has great stories about the women he dated and what happened during some of the dates! hehe ....... {EX: How Elvis dated Yvonne Craig and he invited her to his CA rented home, while trying to leave, she activated his alarm which in turn called the local police and swat team. She was almost arrested for breaking and entering by them, if Elvis hadn't been woken up to explain why she was there!]

#6- Also has fantastic business stories of some of the deals he and Colonel Parker were offered and turned down. .... [EX: They were offered $1 million to perform one show in England]

#7- Heartwarming family stories about his parents, Priscilla and Lisa Marie ....... [EX: How Lisa Marie, at age five, would play Elvis' records on her own personal record player and memorize the words - and then go to Elvis and "perform" the songs for him - complete with all of Elvis' stage moves!]

These are just 7 reasons why this book is so great. It is so heart touching it should be retitled to: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE ELVIS SOUL

So fellow readers, if you want a book that you can laugh, smile, cry and be amazed with, this is it! You do not need to be an Elvis fan to read it ... all you need is an open mind, a hot cup of tea of chocolate, a comfortable chair with blanket and this book!

It make you see Elvis as a more well rounded person. He feels like a friend I never met.

I won't be too long in my review here, so here it is:

This is a very well informative book.
ok there may be some stories that didn't interest me much, but that is quite a small percentage (5% maybe); but I think there are fans out there, who want to know everything.

What I did enjoy (and even learned) were the stories that told the "behind the scenes story" of a particular event (ei: Dorsey Brothers payoff, Parker's business tactics, recording session goings-on, things that showed Elvis wasn't exactly the perfect date)

great reading and I would have to say: a must have reader!

My only problem with this book was some of the photos.
not exactly "unseen" *(because I have seen many before)* but I think they matched Curtin's "chapter themes" (if you want to call them that).

Ok so far Curtin is NOT A MEMBER OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR!
5 more Curtin books to go

At last I found someone who knows what he's talking about, at last I found a book concerning Islam written by a western writer that's really worth being read, at last I found the sound of reason that should be listened very carefully by the west as a whole, at last I found the book that must be read by the western people specially the Americans, at last I found the writer who can face the anti-Islamic propaganda with logic and by stating the facts about Islam.

This book that's called "Even Angels Ask: A Journey to Islam in America" is a book that's really worth being read specially by the new converters to Islam because this book is really able to strengthen the faith of any new converter who is still confused and have many questions need to be answered, this book answers many of the critical questions that new converters have about Islam, the writer of this book "Jeffrey Lang" is one of the best writers I ever read to, he has a special way of discussing and explaining the critical issues wisely and calmly and indeed he has a convincing way of writing.

A wise man said "There's always a light in the end of the tunnel", and I can consider this book a way to lighten the darkness in most of the western minds.

Even Angels Ask presents Islam from a modern perspective, to Americans as the audience. It explores some of the questions that usually concerns people who approach religion intellectually and answers them with impressive explanation not lacking spirituality itself. It's a balanced combination of faith and reason. Lang tries to address some questions considered taboos in the traditional Muslim minds, and discusses them according to his understanding. Compelling.

The book explains about the fundamentals of Islam and how the very basic of the tenets work together to provide a comprehensive guidance to the believers. Understanding the concepts and the virtues makes them more meaningful to practising Muslims. Very interesting. He stresses on the need to approach the Islamic practices for their universal values while adhering to the path, instead of taking everything literally without considering the applicability in the current context and situation. Pretty thought-provoking.

Lang talks about some of the things he found prevalent in Muslim communities, which either weaken themselves or even contradict the teachings of Islam. He suggests some actions to take in order to put Islam as the moving forces to the existing communities as well as the truthful way to be projected to new converts and to the non-Muslims.

I'm born Muslim, and indeed it is a humbling read. Although I'm not an American nor am I a resident, I lived in Ann Arbor in mid-90s. Some of the things he speaks of can be applied elsewhere too.

All in all, I'm very satisfied reading it. It's a gem.

This book is one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time. It is on par with 'Struggling to Surrender' (Dr. Lang's previous book). I could not let the book down. The logical approach to all arguments augmented with personal experiences that most can relate to but do not think about much simply makes this a book worth reading over and over again. Thank you Dr. Lang for two excellent books

Recently, I was dating a Muslim girl who informed me that in order to continue the relationship with her, I had to convert to Islam. Because I was completely in love with this girl I actually gave this serious thought and read this book and "Struggling to Surrender" by the same author. I can only assume that the author was very honest and upfront in his feelings. Unfortunately, Lang's arguments justifying Islamic practices and beliefs were very weak and, after reading his interpretations of Islam and rationalizations for certain troubling tenets of the faith, )particularly regarding the status of women and the role of Islam in politics along with Islamic concepts of religious tolerance), I was left much more troubled about converting than I was before reading his books. I am very happy for Prof. Lang that he has found contentment in Islam but I am not as ready as he is to spin everything in the Quran and the hadith in order to make it more palatable to American society at large. My intellectual and moral problems with Islam were not answered or assuaged after reading the book. On the contrary, reading the book as well as reading the Quran and biographies of Muhammed convinced me that Islam is incompatible with western concepts of democracy and fall very short of contemporary ideas of equality and tolerance. Being tolerant by the standards' of 7th century Arabia doesn't mean it is tolerant according to contemporary concepts of "toleranc." Also, Lang's anti-Semitism is obvious and troubling. Equally troubling is how his political views and ideology are totally determined by his religion, not be any objective analysis. Also, I am not a Christian but was raised Catholic. After reading Lang's arguments, I actually started to realize the philosophical superiority of Christian social thought, even if Christians and Christian societies fail to live up to it. He almost made me want to become Christian again! (almost!) Far from convincing me that Islam is a peaceful, wonderful religion, he convinced me (a person who actually wanted to convert!) that Islam is fundamentally intolerant of other faiths, irrational, and incompatible with progressive social thought.

If you want to read a book by an apologist for Islam who fails to make any convincing arguments to justify Islamic practices, this is the book for you. If you actually want rationally argued justifications for Muslim practices that might satisfy your intellectual curiosity about the religion, go somewhere else.

This is without a doubt a must read book for anyone raised in the West, specifically in America, who is intrigued by Islam as a viable spiritual path. In spite of the stereotypes and media bashing that takes place regarding Islam and Muslims there are many in the West who are converting. Mr. Lang is one of them.

The story of his journey is told humbly, cautiously, even reservedly. And this is the merit of the book. Strangely enough, his perspective allows for great conversation on the distinction between Islam's claims of absolute truth in a religious sense and those of the cultural edifice that surrounds Islam, often confused with the religious claims of Islam.

Mr. Lang is thus in a unique position to provide just critique from within the fold of Islam to goad Muslims to what is real and true within Islam. And his views are well articulated and crystal clear.

The story of his reversion to Islam is told in a heartfelt manner and is very touching. I have corresponded with him and he is a genuine seeker, one who is not satisfied with the status quo and the formal and ritualistic. This book expresses his longings both before and after is reversion. It is told in a very human and very heartfelt manner.

It is a must read for Westerners to understand the difficulty in understanding Islam and for Muslims outside of the West toward realizing what is and is not cultural when it comes to Islam's claims at universal truth.

I bought this book for the CD. Most of the Elektra catalog is out of print and was never re-released on CD. The CD is great, though I would have liked more international folk music. There's only one foreign language song on the disc. The book itself turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. While I am only about one fifth of the way through it, I'm finding the story of Elektra Records fascinating. I didn't realize (or, more likely had forgotten - you know what they say about the 60s) how many big names in rock got their start there. A great read about the little record company that could.

Great book for those that enjoy the inner workings of a record label,its history and the people that made it happen.If you dig musicology this book is a must read.

I have read my share of music industry books and this is by far the best one. And what is inspiring is that you do can make good business in this industry and still keep your integrity, just follow Jac Holzmann's example describe in this book. Awesome read!

One of the best books on the music industry I have ever read. When you read a book about a band or artist, or about an era in music or whatever, what you mostly want is to feel like you were there at the time these people were recording and gigging and just being bands. Follow the Music gives you a first-class seat in Elektra's offices, at its artists' concerts, in rehearsal spaces, in restaurants where biz wheeling and dealing is done . . . You come away knowing Jac Holzman underpaid his staffers and artists, but that he genuinely cared about the quality of music his label put out, and about artists' integrity. I wish there had been as much on Arthur Lee and Love as there is on the Doors, but then the Doors were Elektra's biggest-selling act, so I guess it makes sense that they get the most ink in the book. I also didn't like the way the sections on the MC5 and the Stooges - two of the most important bands in the history of rock - are so short, while the one on Carly Simon is so long. But that's because I like the MC5, love the Stooges and wish Carly Simon would go away. But these are quibbles. I loved the book. How much did I love the book? I don't even like the Doors, save for 5 or 6 of their songs, yet I drank in every word about them, and went back and listened to their debut and L.A. Woman because the chapters on those two albums were so moving.

This is a must read for music fans! There is something for nearly everyone here: The story of the founding and growth of Elektra Records (how an energetic young man, Jac Holzman, with a few hundred dollars, good musical taste and a ton of ideas could actually start a thriving record company). The history of many early folk music performers such as Theodore Bikel, Judy Collins, Jean Richie and many others. The story of the creation of Nonesuch Records (a low-cost Classical division). The history of many Rock performers (including Jim Morrison of the Doors). There is even enough technical info about early recording, studio design and Dolby units to satisfy a tech geek (such as myself)! The image conjured up of a young Holzman setting out with a Magnacord P-6 recorder strapped to his Vespa scooter, to record folk music performances in NYC really conveys the "shoestring" attributes of Elektra Records in the early days. At the other end of the scale, the design of studio "B" was perhaps representative of the "excesses " of the rock era.

The copy of this book that I got from Amazon included a "bonus" CD that contains many tracks of early Ekektra performers that have not been re-released on CD. To me, this CD was worth the price & the book was essentially "free"!

It is sad that only a few recordings from the early Elektra "folk period" have been re-issued on CD. This situation is starting to improve, (see my other reviews for some early Elektra folk "gems" that I have found on CD).