Black Books

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

As a New Yorker, I remember Judge Bruce Wright well. He was dubbed: "Cut 'em loose Bruce", because he often released arrested citizens without their having to post bail money. Mr. Wright upheld the law that bail is not to be used as a punishment, but only as a guarantee that the accused party return to court to face the charges against he/she. This infuriated the "powers-that-be". The fact that Judge Wright is a Black man, and many of those who came before him were also Black people, swayed the media to portray his actions as racially motivated, as opposed to his acknowledgement of the law. His book superbly reflects the blatant inequitableness of the criminal justice system and how it is purposely designed to work against Blacks and other people of color. His personal experiences, as a sitting judge, lend great credence to his analogy and conclusions concerning the legal system. Wright fearlessly gives names and elaborates on instances wherein he witnessed and experienced bias in the system. This book is not written in "textbook" fashion, provides some humorous irony and is very informative. Add it to your library.

I'm still reading this book. First time reading a book like this.This is one of the greatest. I recommend this book to be added to your library. It's gives truthful information of the legal system concerning the racism of blacks in the court system.

This book is an eye opener. It give you the truth behind the justice system from the perpective of a Sumpreme Court Judge who exposed the racism in the court system in New York. I never heard of Bruce Wright and happen I purchased this book. I have a lot of respect for the author.

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

Very few books I have read of late I could not put down. This book though, I couldn't put down from the time I started reading it! This is probably the best Black Sabbath book out there and it goes where a lot of Sabbath books dare not tread nor show in a positive light (see "Black Sabbath" by Steven Rosen), which is the post-Ozzy Osbourne era Black Sabbath. Garry Sharpe-Young did his homework for this book and gives a very informative and insightful look at were Black Sabbath went after Ozzy left the band and up to the time they reunited with him 18 years later. Leaving almost no rock unturned, Sharpe-Young digs deep into those days with a ton of interviews from fomer band members, crew, and those close to the band and also manages not to give a very biased look on Black Sabbath throughout the book.
The book claims to be more about Tony Iommi, who was the only consistant Sabbath member from the beginning, which, of course, the bluk of the book is about, but I found that the book is probably more focused on Geoff Nicholls, the on-and-off "official" Black Sabbath member (keyboards, and sometimes second guitarist and bassist) from 1979 to 2002. Nicholls gives a wealth of information on his time with the band (which is the entire length of the book) and is very insightful about his journey throughout that period of Sabbath history. Also, Sharpe-Young manages to contact in some way just about every ex-Sabbath member from that time period (which, from the number of members that had gone though the band since Osbourne left is no small feat!) and get very good information from each of them. Also, interviewing "ex-vocalists" Jeff Fenholt and David Donato was a major coup and it finally sheds some light on thier involvement with the band that fans have been asking questions about for years. The only drawback was not going into both the Live-Aid Reunion Show with Ozzy very much. I know some fans (myself included) would like to know the atmosphere with the original band members at that time and is an important event in Sabbath's history. But, this being my only minor complaint, the rest of the book is brillant!
Well worth the price and bravo to Garry Sharpe-Young for writing such an EXCELLENT book!! A MUST READ!!!!

This unauthorized biography is an excellent piece of research about the post ozzy history up untill the days of the disasterous "Forbidden" album. The book is written with great care. There isnt a whole bunch of "revelations" that real sabbath fans would not have already known, but it is the craft of establishing the history that makes it so valuable. There were many quotes and original interviews that I had not seen before. Certianly Garry Sharpe-Young has provided the fans with a much confused history of the band, brought about by the fact that there was too many changes in the band lineup through this period, and a difficulty for many of the lead singers to continue the role. The book does paint Toni Iommi more mercifully than I thought concerning this period. Many of the line up changes simply were out of Iommis hands (Deep Purples 84 reunion, bad personel problems through 7th star, Glen Hughes punch out incident, etc.) the picture of Gillan nude was pretty gross and shocking. It would have been interesting to see more pictures from Born Again tour (actually the highest selling album of the period) and from the demise of the last period. Certianly the book is complete and paints a world favorite, if not image confused band. A must for any serious fan of the band.

For many, Black Sabbath is and always will be Ozzy Osbourne's band. If you're one of those, than this book is not for you.
But, if you're a real fan and have enjoyed the many post-Ozzy albums this band has released, then this book is a rare find. For too long the era between 1979 to the present has been minimised or alltogether ignored by any who write about Sabbath, as if those years never existed. What nonsense! Fans usually had to rely on pieced together information (most of it innacurate or misleading) from a wide variety of sources to know the complete history of the band. This book finally puts all this information into a cohesive timeline starting from the masterpiece Heaven and Hell album through the 80's and 90's finishing with the mediocre Forbidden, to this date, Sabbath's last studio album. Yes Black Sabbath reunited with Ozzy but only for live performances, save for two new studio tracks on the Reunion album, but I digress.
For a die hard fans such as myself, who thought had heard or read every band story there is, I was shocked at some of the stuff inlcuded here. The whole Jeff Fenhol issue... was he or was he not in Sabbath? Their never ending quest for a stable lineup. The "bassist" in the Headless Cross video. Who wrote what songs on which album. The list of revelations goes on and on.
What really surprises me is the self sabotage that seemed to plague the band. With band members being treated as little more than hired help, it's no wonder there was never a stable lineup! And when they did seem to get it together, during the Headless Cross - Tyr era, they shoot themselves in the foot by reuniting with Ronnie James Dio and putting out a rather mediocre album, Dehumanizer.
Of course, we all know that Tony Iommi IS Black Sabbath,as he is the main part of the Sabbath sound, a gifted guitarist and riff-master extraordinaire. He is the sole original member that kept the band going against all odds. But the best part of this book is that credit is given where its due to the many who contributed along the way, chief among them keyboardist/bassist/songwriter Geoff Nicholls, whose contributions are much more than any may think. Also singer Tony Martin, who is one of the best singers around and on a par with Dio and Gillan, and certainly WAY better than Ozzy, gets his (long overdue) place to tell his side of the story.
In closing, if you're a Black Sabbath fan this book is an absolute MUST!

Well! after reading all the positive about this book, I though I had better give it a go and have a read.
Much to my surprise, it was quite a ramble given all the 'ARTISTS' the author had interviewed to construct the plot.
As with many of todays Music Biographies, the farther the story teller is removed from the actual occurance, the less convincing the information relayed is..
There is nothing here I am afraid to excite, It should have been a book as thick as 'WAR AND PEACE' given the cavalcade of Musicians that Tony Iommi shipped in and out to fill the original members boots, and keep the Black Sabbath flag flying.
This book is definitely Tony Iommis Black Sabbath; and not Black Sabbaths, BLACK SABBATH.....
That being said, it is Worth a read...

The Rock Detector goes to great lengths to provide all kinds of details about Sabbath band members (sometimes too many details about minor players) but...very cool to hear what was going on during those years. Too bad we didn't hear more from Tony, Geezer and Bill but then it would have been 'authorized.' Great to hear so much from Ian Gillan and Cozy Powell and lots of stuff regarding Ray Gillen and Rob Halford that I wasn't aware of.
Basically, the book confirms the Tony Iommi is the Riff-Master! Long live Tony! A must for Sabbath fans.

"This book is one of the finest medical-legal thrillers I have read! The story is taunt, well-paced, as cunningly woven as a spider's web. It got me on page one, like a Robert Ludlum opening, then held my interest throughout. Stein's storytelling forte is passion, emotion, and there is plenty of that here..."

Great read! Didn't want to put it down once I started reading.

Although I haven't read a novel for many years, this one was worth the effort. My usual reading material consists of the Wall Street Journal, business articles, the sports page, and last but not least, the Bible. The Black Samaritan kept my interest like no other story and I read it from cover to cover. I finished this very interesting story within one week, which is a personal record for me. Also I read Robert Stein's most recent book, The Vengeance Equation, with the same spell-binding interest. Robert Stein has captured my imagination!

The Black Samaritan has something for everyone: action, drama, romance and mystery. This book deals with contemporary issues of morality and race in a very entertaining way. The characters are well-defined, believable, and really come alive. I enjoyed the Black Samaritan so much that I have purchased copies as gifts for friends. When someone decides to make this into a movie, it ought to be a blockbuster!

Black Samaritan is an incredible page turner. The pace, the lush descriptions, the tension, all held my interest from the beginning to the very end.

This book is the coolest thing since sliced bread.

I just love the laid-back style of humour that the authors use, especially in their choice of highly colorful words for the definitions.

Clever and charming, this little book is a must stocking stuffer for your literate friend or relative. I hope they come out with a sequel!

The premise of this book is the following:

Step 1: Make up tons of portmanteaux.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Comedy gold!

I don't know about anyone else, but this seems a weak foundation, and I did not find the execution particularly amusing.

On the other hand, I adore the design and typography. That alone yields three stars, because I am an obsessive æsthete.

Not expecting much, I picked up this little book while waiting in line at my local Barnes & Noble. By the time I reached the cashier I was laughing so hard I had to step aside to catch my breath. Afterward I bought 10 copies to give to my friends and co-workers, who found the book as clever as I did. Even the drawings are great!

This book is a gem, to be treasured and re-read for years.

Like a bowl of Hershey's kisses, this sweet little book delights with clever verbal bonbons. And they're not fattening.

The perfect compliment to Marc Baptiste's "Beautiful". Place these 2 books alone on your coffee table and you are sure to have great 'party talk'.

This book is great. It contradicts all the stereotypes about African-Americans being ugly and filthy. This book has beautiful pictures of African American people of all ages. Everyone looks like the royalty that we once were, picture perfect. This is a must have...especially if you like artistic nudity. I highly recommend it!

I was looking for a fresh but classy addition to my coffee table collection that now consists of ONLY Marc Baptiste's 'Beautiful'. Therefore, I was very discriminating about the runner-up. I was looking for another book that contained erotica, but did not want to push the envelope into an area of tackiness. However, Rundu's studio photography, mixed with a tasteful collection of spontaneous location pictures, offer a nice complement to my 'green' collection of eclectic coffee table books.

Black Love is Long overdue too Be Viewed with Class&Style.this Book Hits Home.Very Solid Pictures&Poems that set the tone really well.I wish The FIlm Business would Show this more often&TV as well.Very essential.

The African-American sexualtiy is shown in not only an erotic fashion, but with a romantic class. "Body and Soul" is refreshing view of sexual mood which as of lately has been lost, and redefined. The poems bring to life the sexual impulse of the photographs. A sensuous delight for both the body, and soul.

Our daughter was very happy to receive the book. It was what she wanted for Christmas.

He loves it. Said it had enough fresh-take or new info that it kept him interested and reading all the way through.

My added comment is he read it through a time of having to work 80-hr weeks, so it must be good.

Having spent much time in Kingston in the mid 1970s, this book accurately reflects the politics and gestalt of the time . Ms. Goldman's attention to geographical detail is one of the strong points of the book. The book is right on in terms of its intellectual context, as well as its more anecdotal style.Relly, this is one of the better books on Marley, Reggae, and Jamaica.

It is convincingly argued that the pop album has become an effectively arcane form. But even in a digital age, certain albums continue to both define and transcend their creators. Sgt. Pepper, What's Going On, Astral Weeks, Blood On the Tracks... the list invites nerdish debate. But one title can never be excluded; Bob Marley and The Wailers' Exodus was the product of a specific time and place and remains the most extraordinary single work of the Third World's most extraordinary musical voice.

Vivien Goldman was one of the key writers during the Golden Age of British music journalism when the punk explosion inspired the intense gut-intellectual talents of the first post-sixties generation. Unlike many of her colleagues her love and understanding of black music has continually defined her work and The Book Of Exodus is perhaps the best thing she has done.

This is at once memoir, critical analysis and history. Vivien Goldman takes the reader into the studio as Exodus was created. A palpable sense of the immediacy of that process, the atmosphere (well fumigated with the herbsman's wares) and personalities involved come vividly to life through the eyes of the young fan-reporter. Most movingly, Goldman's own ability to connect her life as the North London-raised daughter of German-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust with the Trench Town experience that formed Bob Marley is at the heart of the book. This is no falsely crafted analogy. It is above all a spiritual link, the "Flash Of The Spirit" which has made the core African musical experience one of the world's most unifying cultural forces.

For anyone who wants to understand something of Marley's greatness and gentle charisma, Vivien Goldman shares her privileged experience of hanging with the man and his colleagues in both Jamaica and London. This was an artist whose words and music have inspired more people worldwide than maybe any other pop musician and yet the man who emerges here is a very real person living in a very real time. Goldman gives us a vivid sense of both.

Everyone with more than a passing interest in Marley and The Wailers should read this book. It will send you back to the music, reggae's shining hour, with renewed love and understanding.

Simply put, this is a book full of indispensable knowledge. Vivien Goldman again (Soul Rebel-Natural Mystic)has put out a truly remarkable book about the great Bob Marley. This era in Bob's life has not been written about too much and Vivian recounts it with such fine details and first hand accounts that the reader can't help but to be extrememly thankful that she finally put it all on paper. The cover price alone is well worth it for the rare rare RARE picture of Bob with Claudie Massop, Tony Welch and Earl Wadley as they talked to Bob about the One Love Peace Concert.

Of all the books out there about Bob (and I have read just about every single one of them) this is without a doubt a true must have. Of the 50+ books written about Bob there are 7 must haves and this is one of them.

I bought this as a gift for my niece...she was absolutely thrilled and delivery was so quick

This book continues to amaze me -- no matter how many times I read it. I also have shared the novel with many friends and family as gifts. The story of Bob Marley's childhood is revealed truthfully and vividly through beautiful illustrations by Mariah Fox and a wonderful collaboration by daughter Cedella Marley and seasoned author Gerald Hausman.

The message of this book rings as clear and soulful as Bob Marley's own songs. Adults and children alike can share in this experience and journey of a child - it's a fantastic learning tool especially for kids and the subject matter is sure to keep them interested. Highly Recommended.

Gerald Hausman is a not only a distinguished writer, but has lived in Jamaica and knows the culture with eyes wide open. His daughter, Mariah Fox, was almost raised on the island and her drawings, more magical than real, speak of places beyond places. Cedella Marley was always there, heard all the stories, knows all the songs, and tells the story of Bob Marley's childhood from a daughter's view point. All my children have this book, as do my grandchildren, and one day so will my great grandchildren. Read it, look at the pictures, and smile. It is that good.

What a lovely book. With so much to choose from among Marley publications, this one truly distinguishes itself in that it capture the real spirit of Marley's origins. Since you could call Bob the ultimate Roots musician, Boy From Nine Miles is a kind of Roots for the Marley story. It is certainly geared towards the young ones, but it could easily win a place in the heart of older readers too. The illustrations are very simpatico with the earthiness of Marley's story and helps deliver the Marley tale with earnestness without becoming sappy. Marley was an earnest man after all and it is no surprise to me that the open hearted and earnest style of a children's book may be one of the surest ways to convey, aside from his music, Marley's roots in Jamaica, his spirit and his passion for justice and truth. There is no doubt if you have always loved Bob's music and have kids, this really does belong in your home library. I can totally understand why this would be a hit in the schools too as another reviewer testified. Very nicely done book.

My son is doing a bio bash at school and chose Bob Marley. He's only in the fifth grade so we didn't want him reading too much about him.

I myself didn't read the book - but he enjoyed it and is looking forward to doing a presentation and report on it.

I was introduced to this book through my high school literature class and thoroughly enjoyed. It's description of parts of early Trinidadian culture was my first glimpse into that world.
The story illustrates the social and cultural norms of the day and I read it with great curiousity.
Life has pushed Tiger and Urmilla into a new phase and we journey with them as they explore life and the small world in which they live.

I first read this book when I began teaching at a boy's school in Barbados 20 years ago, and I have ordered or taught excerpts of it to my classes in three other schools over the years. The book sets itself up for comparison between the two locations, London and Trinidad, and between the creole and the immigrant experiences. The stories range from the longer "Johnson and the Cascadura", which Selvon would expand into the later novel "Those Who Eat the Cascadura", to the stream-of-consciousness piece which ends the collection, "My Girl and the City", a style he would further explore in "The Lonely Londoners". Read separately or collectively, this is a delightful book of short stories that captures moments in time and for all time.

It is a pity that this book is no longer in print. I was first exposed to it when I taught it as part of the CXC curriculum in Barbados in the mid-80s. It is a delightful sequence of short stories arranged in two parts - Trinidad and London. Some stories are in dialect, others are in 'Queen's English' but for dialogue. The stories, though set in the 1950s, are universal in appeal, as witnessed by the fact that I have taught them to high school classes in British Columbia, New Brunswick, and now Ontario. The opening story, "Johnson and the Cascadura", and the final story, "My Girl and the City", are equal to any short story written anywhere by anyone. The latter story, being a stream-of-consciousness type, is far more accessible for high-school students than James Joyce! If you can get your hands on a copy of this short-story compilation, I don't think you will regret the effort or money expended!

It is a shame that this book is no longer in print. I first taught it in Barbados where it was part of the CXC curriculum, but I have been able to teach selected short stories from it to high school students in British Columbia, New Brunswick, and now Ontario. There are particular stories, such as the first - "Johnson and the Cascadura" and the last - "My Girl and the City" which stand against any short story, anywhere. The latter story is a stream-of-consciousness piece which is accessible for adolescent readers (far more than Joyce!). The collection is divided into two parts - Trinidad and London. If you can get a copy of this book, and are interested in the Caribbean experience, you will not be disappointed with your purchase.

This book is absolutely brilliant. It captures the true multi ethnic fabric of Trinidadian society through the trials of an Indian boy struggling to make it in early 20th century Trinidad. This book brings to light many ethnic and cultural issues that are a now inherent part of Trinidadian life, and is not only a brilliant piece of literature that should be cherished, but a piece of Caribbean history.

JIM, who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion.

It's small wonder that Edward Gorey chose to illustrate Belloc's verses, written nearly a century ago - in fact, they were such a clear and strong influence on his work, it's hard to believe he didn't write them himself. 'Cautionary Tales' is a literary work that was years ahead of its time, parodying the overtly-strict educational children's verses of the time with tales of children whose punishment is wholly disproportioned to their crime. Gorey's illustrations, published only after his death in 2000, complete the ghoulish verses with his trademark naïve and refined black and white crosshatching. Already in his seventies, Gorey has lost none of his charm and style and these illustrations are as nasty and sarcastic as anything he's done, perfectly complimenting the ironic text.

'Cautionary Tales' is the first work of Gorey's published after his death, and it's a perfect conclusion to his illustrious career, and one of his finest works. It's an essential to any fan of this great artist.

This was one of the loved books of my childhood in the original edition, of course.

I hadn't seen it for a very long time and was anxious to haev a copy for my younger grandchildren. Though old people can enjoy it as well.

Now plesed to have it on my own shelves

I got this to read to my nephews, and it did not disappoint when the time came to pick a story to read. I highly recommend this and the Gashlycrumb Tinies to anyone with children or nephews....

I just gave this to a friends' one year old for her birthday. In the inscription I wrote that she ought to read and learn, as whatever she does in life will come back to haunt her. My friend thought the book hysterical. Her husband thinks we're both odd...

One can imagine Edward Gorey mulling over these "Cautionary Tales",subsequently creating succinct Goreyesque illustrations for them. Then years later after presenting his family to us in "The Willowdale Handcar" he undoubtedbly mulled over ideas about families & children and came up with my personal favorite Gorey: The Gashleycrumb Tinies. If you like Gorey & you like the Tinies, you'll enjoy "Cautionary Tales".

4 stars only because I happen to like the devilishly wonderful "Tinies" better.

Joanna C. Scott was born in London during an air raid, was raised in Australia, is a widely published poet and author of a book about refugees in Indochina, and now lives in Hunt Valley, Baltimore County, with six children - all or part (or none) of which may explain her powerful descriptions of pain and injury and suffering in her new (and second) novel, a tale of the Vietnam War, Charlie and the Children. The protagonist is a young Texan, Charlie Lucas, who is drafted into the Army infantry after graduating from law school in D.C. and marrying the sophisticated daughter of a U.S. [sic] diplomat. In Vietnam he kills a lot of "dinks" (or "gooks") and cuts off their ears. He also marries one and has a son by her - without informing either wife of the other. Then, while out on a search-and-destroy mission, every soldier in his squad except Charlie is blown to bits by a booby trap, and he's captured by two Viet Cong "children" - as he perceives them - and imprisoned alone in a narrow tunnel. He also thinks of his captors as VCs or "Victor Charlie," which is sort of hideously ironic (since his own first name, remember, is Charlie). In the tunnel, apparently for a long time, Charlie is tormented by fear of torture, chiggers, an injured toe, rotten food, primitive hygienic facilities, flashbacks of a dead buddy's recitation of distractingly pornographic letters from home, thoughts of his American wife, hallucinations about his Vietnamese wife and son and - almost as nauseating to the reader as to the prisoner - a constant stink of blood, guts, sweat, tears, human waste, cordite, wet fungi, etc. Scott is especially good at describing odors. Charlie and the Children is a strong novel, very strong, probably too strong for the squeamish.THE STAR Democrat by John Goodspeed Friday, August 1997 Joanna C. Scott was born in London during an air raid, was raised in Australia, is a widely published poet and author of a book about refugees in Indochina, and now lives in Hunt Valley, Baltimore County, with six children - all or part (or none) of which may explain her powerful descriptions of pain and injury and suffering in her new (and second) novel, a tale of the Vietnam War, Charlie and the Children. The protagonist is a young Texan, Charlie Lucas, who is drafted into the Army infantry after graduating from law school in D.C. and marrying the sophisticated daughter of a U.S. [sic] diplomat. In Vietnam he kills a lot of "dinks" (or "gooks") and cuts off their ears. He also marries one and has a son by her - without informing either wife of the other. Then, while out on a search-and-destroy mission, every soldier in his squad except Charlie is blown to bits by a booby trap, and he's captured by two Viet Cong "children" - as he perceives them - and imprisoned alone in a narrow tunnel. He also thinks of his captors as VCs or "Victor Charlie," which is sort of hideously ironic (since his own first name, remember, is Charlie). In the tunnel, apparently for a long time, Charlie is tormented by fear of torture, chiggers, an injured toe, rotten food, primitive hygienic facilities, flashbacks of a dead buddy's recitation of distractingly pornographic letters from home, thoughts of his American wife, hallucinations about his Vietnamese wife and son and - almost as nauseating to the reader as to the prisoner - a constant stink of blood, guts, sweat, tears, human waste, cordite, wet fungi, etc. Scott is especially good at describing odors. Charlie and the Children is a strong novel, very strong, probably too strong for the squeamish.

Riveting . . . a heartstopper . . . yet more than just another story about war. In taking on the issue of the children soldiers leave behind, `Charlie and the Children' transforms itself into a fable for our time. I was astonished to find myself in tears

Joanna C. Scott's brilliant book takes us down that cruel path all warriors follow. The cold reality of the Viet Nam conflict is gripped tightly so that we are left stunned by scenes that leap from the page. On a different level this book ranks with works like William Manchester's `Goodbye Darkness.' The detail is lethal and exposes the futility of war, the pity of war distilled, brutal truths that no moral codes may justify. Once read, this tour de force will never be forgotten

Ms. Scott is an exceptional writer... I feel that this novel deserves the attention of the reading world and recommend it...Here is a quote from one of our editors: "The prose was nearly flawless, clear and lyrical at the same time, lush without being purple...This book did seem mythic in some way--unreal and believable at the same time. I loved the interactions between Charlie, Man One, and Man Two." This is an exceptional novel about the experience of the Vietnam War. I hope you will read Ms. Scott's novel. It is a moving experience to find such fine writing about such a complex subject

THE CHILDREN WE FOUGHT(reviewer Stan Sirmans) How many Vietnam Veterans saw dead or captured Vietcong and thought they were just children? Many of them were. In her insightful and beautifully written first novel, Charlie and the Children, (Black Heron Press, 235 pp., $22.95), Joanna C. Scott has captured the essence of an enemy a French general referred to with disdain as "these little people." She has also portrayed the physical and mental deterioration of an American captive of the Vietcong. During the 1980's, on the Bataan Peninsula, refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos were infused with hope as they waited acceptance by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for an American visa. It was in these camps that Scott interviewed many refugees and published their stories in Indochina's Refugee: Oral Histories from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (McFarland, 1989). Touched by the account of an Amerasian teenager abandoned by his U.S. Navy officer father, Scott conceived the story of Charlie. Drafted soon after he is married, Charlie Lucas arrives in Vietnam and is befriended by a second-tour veteran who teaches him how to survive. One afternoon, as Charlie and his new friend sit drinking at a sidewalk cafe, an enemy grenade explodes. Charlie rescues a young woman named Minh from the rush of the crowd and promptly falls in love with her. Although he continues to write home faithfully to his wife, Charlie marries Minh, and soon a son is born.Torn by love for his wife in the States and for Minh and his son, Charlie begins to feel trapped in a hopeless situation. He channels his emotional distress into merciless assaults against the enemy. While on patrol, his platoon is wiped out, and Charlie is captured by children in black pajamas. His captors march him deep into the jungle and place him in a dark hole inside one of their tunnels. Left alone and fed little, Charlie's body and mind deteriorate. His world becomes a series of hallucinations as he descends into despair and death approaches. The singing lilt of Scott's clear narrative reflects her background as an accomplished poet. She has peppered the story with metaphors and similes that are stunning. A medevac helicopter, carrying one of Charlie's dead platoon-mates, for example, goes ^Qsobbing its way across the treetops.' Her meticulous research is reflected in the conversations of her soldiers. They talk the language of the war. The combat scenes, too, ring true. Unlike other authors with no military background who attempt to write about war, Scott is believable. She doesn't stumble. She has crafted an unusually graceful war story that depicts the experiences of young soldiers in Vietnam. It is a prodigious feat for a writer who is not a Vietnam War veteran, and it is a reflection of her enormous talent.