Black Books

This is the first installment of "Orphan Series" by Yahrah St. John. This book is a page-turner from beginning to end. The first orphan is Quentin Davis, a world-renowned photo journalist, who has just moved back to New York. Quentin meets Ms. Avery Roberts, who's a commercial art buyer, and she is trying to make a name for her self. When Quentin first meets Avery she is very cold hearted towards Quentin. Even though Avery finds Quentin very handsome, she assumes he's just a lower-class man off the street and treats him as one. But can Quentin's change Avery mind after making a bet with his friends that he can take the icy way from her heart. Avery will soon learn to loosen up and let her hair down, for Quentin is now in charge. When all hell breaks loss it will cause their relationship to be on rocky grounds. Can they save the love they have or will they be forced to go separate ways. This story is very entertaining!

"Then Came You", is the 2nd installment in the Orphan Series and chronicles Malik Williams' story. He a community center director, know to be stubborn. Be on the Look out for the upcoming novels about Sage, Dante and Malik. The other Orphans!

I read this book in two days and it only took me that long because I had to go into work one of those days! This is the first book by Yahrah St John that I've read and I'm now going to read her backlist.

I can't wait for the remaining books in the Orphan series to be released! The characters are so well developed that it seems as if they are real. Okay, I just sounded incredibly stupid typing that but it's true.

I read this book in two days. Avery Roberts and Quentin Davis are a very attractive couple they have some issues, but when they realize that they are in love they will do anything to stay together. I would like to know where is my Quentin Davis? Waiting for the other installments.

A keen eye for details, Avery Roberts can spot a disaster waiting to happen a mile away. This uptight, classy, and sophisticated woman is a contemporary art buyer in New York City where she is trying to make a name for herself in the industry. Having been reared by a prominent family, she has no need to work, but her desire to make it on her own will not allow her to use her family's connections. Her first big art show is finally underway for her new artist when in walks a group of uninvited guests who are accompanied by a sexy, and handsome man who makes her lose her breath.

This breath of fresh air is Quentin Davis, an unattached world-renowned photojournalist who travels the world dating women from all walks of life with no long term commitments. Upon sight, a spark or a flicker could not be seen between the two; Avery's demeanor is so cold towards him she is quickly nicknamed "Ice Queen". His friends take notice and propose Quentin with a $50 bet in order to try and win her over. Never one to back down from a challenge, Quentin accepts and begins the journey of chipping away at her cold exterior.

Much to everyone's surprise, a deep love develops, taking them places they've never been before. They are so excited about their future until their personal lives ensues chaos, jeopardizing their budding relationship. Their lives are intertwining in ways they never thought they would which makes it impossible for their relationship to survive...or does it?

Yahrah St. John shows the reader that work must be put in for any type of relationship to work. Both Quentin and Avery had to deal with several obstacles, both personal and professional, before they could commit to one another. This love story is well-written and flows very well keeping the reader engaged with every passing chapter. The challenges presented to the couple are extreme; however, it is necessary in order to show their dedication to one another. If you're a fan of St. John this work will not disappoint you.

Reviewed by Chrissy
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This is the first installment to Ms. St. John's "Orphan Series." This book was a page-turner from beginning to end. The first orphan, is Quentin Davis, a famous photojournalist, who lives life on the edge and isn't afraid to try new and different things. Then we have, Ms. Avery Roberts, who has done quite well for herself as a commercial art buyer. And although Avery is quite beautiful, she is a COMPLETE control-freak and she wears her professionalism like a "suit of armor". When the two first meet Avery is very cold towards Quentin, which earns her the nickname of the "Ice Princess." And even though Avery finds Quentin very handsome, she assumes he's just a bum off the street and treats him as such. Quentin's friends bet him $50 he can't melt Avery's icy heart.~~~~~~~I love the way Quentin takes charge and "forces" Avery to loosen up and literally let her hair down. Quentin Davis' character is quite memorable. He is portrayed as a very perceptive, passionate, and sexy young man. Although the attraction between Quentin and Avery isn't instantaneous, there are still some underlying sparks, and once Avery learns to let go and just enjoy, the desire and heat between them CANNOT be contained.~~~~~~~But will Quentin and Avery allow their personal baggage to ruin the best thing that's ever happened to them?!!! Or will they finally realize that despite their differences, they TOTALLY compliment each other! And bring out the best in one another, intellectually, emotionally and physically?!!! This is only the second novel I've read by Ms. St. John's, and I must admit I enjoy her writing style. I found this to be a very entertaining read and I look forward to the upcoming novels about Sage, Dante and Malik.

Fauset allows the reader to take an in-depth look at passing for white. Unlike the charcater in Danzy Sennas Caucasia, Fauset creates a main character who chooses to pass and lets the reader know every repercussion of that decision. Go out and get it!

I was so impressed with how Ms Fauset wrote Plum Bun, that upon completing the book I have been actively purchasing all of her other books that are in print. Her writing style proves that a good book is timeless. I highly recommend Plum Bun and There Is Confusion, which was so good I could not put it down..literally. I strongly urge all to get this woman's books post haste!! You will have some very satisfying reading hours.

You could see the world black and white with black and white people. But within both races there are so many different hues upon which people are judged again as well.
Plum Bun, written during the Harlem Renaissance, is about this. It's the story of Angela and her sister Virginia, who is blacker than Angela. The story follows the life of Angela and who no one really knows she is black and how she doesn't act upon it. She tries to enter a white world, also by changing her name. It gives a good insight into the complexities of color, and therefor worth reading this novel by Mr. Fauset.

I give PLUM BUN a positive review. I first noticed it at the bookstore where I work. The Harlem Renaissance is something great; I read all I can on it. This novel is quite representative of the era.

About a month before seeing this book, I read THE POWER OF PRIDE, a coffee table book on the Harlem Renaissance which contained some wonderful photos. Having read ...PRIDE, I noticed that something about this particular edition of PLUM BUN really bothers me. The portrait drawing on the front of the book looks more like Nella Larsen than it does Jessie Fauset. Unless Ms.Marks and Ms.Edkins, the compilers of ...PRIDE, got their photos mixed up, the picture on the front of PLUM BUN is Nella Larsen--not Jessie Fauset.

Ms. Fauset was one of the most underrated members of the Harlem Renaissance. Plum Bun is by far the strongest of her novels. I saw more in this story than simply a discussion of color and privilege, I was pleased by the complexity of the relationship between the two sisters in this novel. Ms. Fauset is one of my literary favorites, and a woman that I truly admire. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

"Word of Mouth" [he say, she say] the poem rings true as does the entire collection. Terry A. O'Neal is a wordsmith. "Loose Change," "A Bottle's Blues," and "Behind Romance," are some of my favorites and posess words that take you poetically and hold you hostage, leaving you finally understanding what drives some people to write poetry. Her poems are crisp, clear and are varied in that they range from love to a prayer for the people. The Poet Speaks in Black is a collection that you'll be glad that you purchased and will encourage your friends to own for years to come.

Poet and author Terry A. O'Neal, truly finds her voice in a moving collection of free verse prose called "The Poet Speaks In Black" that encompasses and reflects who she is. Her poems stand outside the circle of standardized thinking and common views and soars with her spirit. However, these poems are not confined to just her own African American culture--although she proudly walks and displays that emotional aspect in her words and themes--but she takes on a universal oneness quality that most all men and women can identify with. I personally felt the oneness she conveys with her poetry.

Her words translate feelings and emotions and conjure up inner visions of life around her. She transcends the ordinary at times and wanders across the pages with her simple words strung together that make emotional connections with the reader. Her over-all work in this collection is pure gold. I think the only way this book could be appreciated more would be to hear her give a live performance reading her poems in a gentle voice that I am sure would radiant with the fullness of her heart.

O'Neal even has a couple of moving poems that reflect the happenings of 9/11. The book over-all feeling is one of compassionate acceptance with who you are. She writes a wonderful poem to that effect in her strongest poem of the book titled "Birthmark". She conveys full appreciation and comfort at being who she is--"from toasted skin to chocolate dark." and even with her place in life. These were obviously written by a very secure and confident woman. There is lots of that feminine energy flowing but not enough to scare away male readers. It is not pushed as any kind of agenda--she just is what she is and it comes across as satisfied and honest.

I strongly recommend this wonderful book of poetry. It comes in a simple hardback book with a black front cover with an image of an empty stage with a microphone. On the back cover there is an elegant portrait of the poet herself.

First Published in the Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper

I received this book in mail just before a Thanksgiving road trip to Dallas! Thank God it arrived on time. I could not put the book down. As a poet, I found myself totally "into" Terry O'Neal's delightful way with words. Sometimes I thought I was reading a poem I'd like to write myself. Other times I tricked my husband with her words along the road as I read him a poem or two from the book.

We often think of poetry as a fast read or a complicated read. You will want to read this book again and again as you find that you have favorites throughout the book. My personal favorites were "Choices," "Guide Me" and "Word of Mouth" to name a few. Terry O'Neal not only speaks to you, but she teaches you a thing or two about life with her words and experiences. That's what poetry is all about.

It's a beautiful book inside and out: well written, well designed, well spoken and well worth the purchase! Congratulations to this sister poet for such stylistic, heart-grabbing poetry. Her words on life, history, family, relationships and self will have you believing she wrote the book just for you! I can't wait to read another selection by this author. Not only does this poet speak in "black," but she also speaks with a language that your soul can understand. Great book of poems, a must have if you call yourself a poet and/or poetry reader!

Latorial Faison
www.latorial.com

The Poet Speaks In Black is a rich volume of rhythmic, free-verse poetry by Terry O'Neal, an emotional, talented, and compelling female writer. Encouraging dreams, pondering life, and stretching past the horizons of the mind, The Poet Speaks In Black is highly enjoyable reading whether aloud at a microphone or at quietly at home. Free At Last: As I lay on the ground/with a bullet in my chest,/faintly,/I hear the cries/of my family and friends/as they hover over me,/watching,/while I fight for my last breath,/frightened,/till that moment/I look up and see/the chariot/coming to carry me home.

THE POET SPEAKS IN BLACK is a melancholy collection of poetry by Terry a.
O'Neal that covers a gamut of life experiences. The poems will evoke emotion
and paint vivid pictures of the pain and hurt that many people experience.
The mood of the collection is somber, but laced with hope. Pieces like 'Jump
The Fence' speak to the resilience of the human spirit. In this poem, O'Neal
talks about escaping and her words are so vibrant, you are running with her and
planning your own escape.

O'Neal uses her words like a painter uses color in his work. She creates a
world between each syllable and punctuation mark. The poems will leave you
sighing and pondering. She ends the collection with a thoughtful tribute to
September 11. After delving the reader into the abyss of sadness that
surrounds that day, she dips the tip of her brush into yellow paint and leaves
us with 'Lessons Learned,' reminding us that there is always hope in the midst
of darkness.

Reviewed by Diane Marbury (HonestD)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Often with a good book you will find gems placed every so often. In this book they flow continuously, so much so that I found I had to put it down so that I could savor it for a while. While just enjoying the words and how they were placed, I found myself being pulled into the story. Each character living in poverty, or better stated, simplicity, seems to have a respect , a joy in each others uniqueness. My favorite is Yeghen. When described visually, he is ugly, but one would have to be blind not to see the unwavering beauty in his character, the joy, the faithfulness. Everyone needs a Yeghen in their life. Gohar, a professor, has chosen a life free of material burdens. He comes across a beggar and apologizes because he has no money for him. The beggar responds, "Who told you I want money?" " The sight of you enchants me. I love to chat with you. Your presence is worth more than all the treasures on earth." Everyone needs a Gohar in their life. It matters not whether this book is read for the beauty in the words, the profound messages or for the story. Just that it is read.

Proud Beggars is an intellectually stimulating novel by Albert Cossery, a challenge to the morals and doctrines imposed by society, set in the slums of Cairo. It is one of Cossery's few novels translated into English, which is frustrating as Proud Beggars certainly leaves the reader wanting more, and my rudimentary understanding of the French language certainly wouldn't carry me through an entire novel. Je ne peux pas comprendre.

While the story centers around the murder of a young prostitute and the subsequent investigation, the actual core of the novel is based on the interactions of the key players, who for the most part are vagrants living in stark contradiction to the rules of modern society. Gohar is a former professor who has chosen a life of poverty and drugs so that he may be truly free. "The notion of the simplest comfort had been banished from his memory long ago. He hated to surround himself with objects: objects concealed hidden germs of misery--the worst kind of all, unconscious misery, which fatally breeds suffering by its unending presence." He assumes a bit of a fatherly role for the others, who bring him necessities of survival, put their own lives at risk for his well-being, and clamber for the gift of his conversation. As somewhat of a local celebrity, Gohar amuses himself daily by observing the absurdity of human action.

Gohar's loyal following includes El Kordi, a clerk who despises his low-wage job, but manages to maintain it only by feeding off the hatred of his colleagues. El Kordi is in love with a dying prostitute, and his need for attention and drama provokes his own confession to the murder he did not commit. The poet Yeghen is Gohar's source of hashish, a con artist with a reputation for informing on his suppliers. He harbors his own form of love for a teenager he has never met, only passed on the street.

Inspector Nour El Dine aspires to unquestioning conformity, but conceals his relationship with a young college dropout so as not to upset his reputation. The middle-class dropout, Samir, despises El Dine for his desire to assimilate into the majority and understands the lifestyle of the beggar and the possibilities it affords. El Dine becomes astonished by the beggars' indifference to material comforts and longs to experience the same contentment they possess in their lack of worldly possessions and commitments.

Though certainly anything but a love story, the theme of forbidden love flows freely among many of the characters. It seems even the most enlightened individual cannot escape infatuation. And in the middle of all this longing, constant indicators of sexism and general disgust for women remind the reader of the locale and era in which the story takes place.

While Proud Beggars is a product of the early twentieth century, its message is even more poignant today with masses of people questioning the wisdom of a life of consumption and enslavement to establishment. I look for the popularity of this author to resurface with today's intellectual and environmental movements.

Like Albert Cossery's other stories, this one puts you inside an inescapably poor and hopeless life -- in the back streets of Cairo, oppressed by apathy and corruption and stagnation. Sounds fun? Yet it is liberating in its way because if offers a weird logic by which people can endure with a kind of dignity, whether that entails voting a DONKEY for mayor, or laughing out loud during a police beating because the lunch bell rings. Take a breath and try Cossery's books..

The book deals with the scum of the earth. It shows their courage and "honesty" in the face of the hypocricy in the world. The book is a murder mystery of sorts, set in the ghettos of Cairo, Eygpt in the 50's or so. The insights the author brings to the lives of the lowest of the low is not matched by many other authors in any language.

I first learned of Albert Cossery via Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch. Like many other authors Miller refferences in his writing, Albert Cossery is a gem among literature. I have read all of his books translated into English and Proud Beggars was my favorite piece of his. Although set in Egypt, the storyline is timeless. Life in poverty, life among the scam only modern society is capable of producing is described in Cossery's easy flowing, imagery rich way. The ending is exceptional, but I shall not mention it, as I do not want to spoil the joy for any future readers of this master work. In many ways, Cossery's message is very relavant today; the message that man is free only when he has nothing to lose. Society, and the middle class in particular is merely tied down, chained by its priced possesions, giving up freedom in exchange for meaningless artifacts. The story incorporates many characters on various levels of the societal hierarchy, from the wealthy and famous philospopher who gave up everything when he understood that his teachings were wrong, to the respected police inspector secretly hiding his love for his gay lover, the cigarette butt scavengers, vendors and thieves. A rich background for the mind to comprehend. I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys quality literary fiction with psychological realism flare.

THE RAGTIME KID is a historical mystery based on actual people and events surrounding Scott Joplin's composition and publication of The Maple Leaf Rag in Sedalia, Missouri in 1899. The story is told through the eyes of Brun Campbell, a young white piano player who hears Scott Joplin's "colored" Ragtime music and becomes obsessed with it and the composer. He leaves his home to study piano with Joplin in Sedalia and becomes involved in a murder case and an interracial struggle for control of the black composer's music.

Until I read this book, I knew little about Joplin or Ragtime music, but I found this book fascinating. Karp has done a wonderful job of bringing to life a time and place that seems very distant to many us now. Karp's Sedalia is a turbulent mixture of blacks and whites with strongly held feelings about the desired relations of the races - former Union and Confederate soldiers, freed slaves, freeborn blacks, abolitionists, and KKK members all live in this small town. And when Scott Joplin, a talented, educated black man, refuses to sell the rights to his music cheaply to a white man, it is like putting a match to a powder keg.

The thing I found so interesting about this book was the amount of historical fact that Karp has used in the story. He has basically created the mystery to suit and explain the fantastic and unprecedented events of 1899. While he did create several fictional characters for the story, Karp populated Sedalia with many of its actual inhabitants and businesses. Those of you who know more about Ragtime than I did may already know that Brun Campbell isn't a fictional character, that he did study with Joplin in 1899, and was a professional musician for much of his life. Me? I was surprised.

While the resolution of the mystery is a little too sensational to ring true, Karp's exploration of the motivations of the different historical characters is a delightful study of conflict and compromise. Frankly, I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to find out how these real-life people from long ago turned out.

Favorite character? Dr. Walter Overstreet. Did I guess it? Mostly. Will I read another? This is the first book of a Ragtime trilogy and the quality of Karp's writing and the ability to draw in the reader makes this a definite yes. I have to know how it ends!

We already knew that Larry Karp was a talented mystery writer, thanks to his previous novels. This latest work shows that he can write historical fiction and make it fascinating. Even though I started the book knowing nothing about ragtime music, by the end I wanted to learn more!

His other strength is his ability to create characters that are so real, and so endearing, that the reader quickly begins to identify with and root for the protagonist(s). This makes the book a real page-turner, because you can't wait to read more about what "your" characters are doing!

If you haven't read anything by Larry Karp yet, you're in for a treat!

I've just re-read Larry Karp's The Ragtime Kid, and just as you shouldn't play ragtime too fast, you shouldn't read Karp's book too fast, either, lest you miss the music of his prose and the nuances of the stories he tells.
In this, his latest book, it's 1899, and young piano player Brun Campbell has run away from his rural home in Oklahoma to Sedalia, Missouri. He's only just heard ragtime for the first time, and hopes to learn this new music from the master himself, Scott Joplin. Arriving in Sedalia, and looking for a room for the night, he stumbles, literally, upon the body of a woman, and picks up two objects that will become vital to the solution of her murder. He finds employment at a music store, and begins studying with Joplin, but when a man he knows is innocent is arrested, Brun is, however unwillingly, drawn into the search for the real murderer.
Though Sedalia is a town filled with music, it is only 30 years since the end of the War Between the States, and racism is very much a part of this story. Joplin insists on being taken seriously as a musician, and receiving royalties on the sheet music which will bear his name as composer, an unprecedented demand for the times. Thus, another plot line develops, as Joplin pursues his ambitions despite some unprincipled and amoral adversaries.
The characters here are a mixture of real, from Joplin and Campbell and other musical figures, and fictional, to some of the townspeople. In skin color, they are black and they are white, and in character they are black and white, as well, but the two categories do not necessarily overlap. Brun himself is a fifteen-year-old, a musical Huck Finn in some ways, coming of age in a world more complex than he ever imagined, and he's learning, at first hand, what black and white are all about. As events unfold, Karp vividly captures the sheer awfulness of racial (and other) bias as it was then.
Just as there are two plot lines, there are two narrative voices here, speaking in a gentle counterpoint. One voice is someone who knows Brun and tells his part of the story, occasionally noting that "Brun once told [him]" about one event or another. The other voice is an omniscient third-person narrator, who recounts Joplin's story, and the ongoing search for the murderer of the woman whose body Brun found. As Brun's music lessons commence, his plot and Joplin's intertwine, connected by some unscrupulous music promoters, and by his own efforts to absolve the innocent man.
All the characters, and some of them are surprising, are vividly realized, and they all speak very much in their own voices. Those voices, moreover, are often eloquent. Early in the book, Joplin tells Brun that ragtime is like "a bright sunny day, just a perfect day, but . . . sooner or later, the lovely day will have to end." Even more moving is a grieving father's lament for the brutal death of his son, which he knows will not be investigated: "[We] was born slaves, and now we been set free, but I don't see the leas' difference. White men kill us on the plantation, they kill us now, an' it's no matter."
From the geography of Sedalia to its weather, the sense of place in the novel is intense. It's a book that takes place in a hot Missouri summer, when the air is "close to drinkable," and we breathe in that heat and humidity as we follow Brun through the city. More characters appear, his life becomes more complicated, and as he puzzles out the solution to the murder, the action leads up to a triple denouement. First there's a violent confrontation with some brutal men, followed by an even more suspenseful encounter which culminates in the unmasking of a murderer. Then, in a shocking turnaround, Brun's own "lovely day" is over, and his life moves in a new direction.
The Ragtime Kid is a scrupulously researched look at a time in America's musical and social past, a fiction that can, as Karp notes in the concluding pages of his book, tell "a truth more striking and wondrous than any historical reality." It's a book written with humor (and not a little irony), with occasional pathos, and always with generosity . Listen to some Joplin while you read it

Larry Karp writes books. He doesn't just write genre fiction; he writes each work as an individual, well-crafted, offbeat narration. Even in his Music Box series, published by the now-defunct Write Way, all three novels were entirely singular, and unique. So, too, is *The Ragtime Kid*, an outstanding piece of historical intrigue that focuses on the origins of ragtime music and is written within the murder mystery/crime literature category of fiction.

Dr. Karp is a particularly fine writer, and his prose shines, but here, the story itself--and the characters--truly dominate.

The protagonist of the book, young Brun Campbell, is so drawn by the allure of the new music craze, ragtime, that he runs away from home to study with the great Scott Joplin in Sedalia, Missouri. Just off the train, Brun stumbles over the body of a woman, Then, not long after, he has himself a job and becomes a student of the elegant black composer, Joplin, who very well might be a homicide suspect.

Another great theme of the book is American racism. Although the Civil War has been over for a good long time, those who fought in the war--and many in Sedalia did--haven't forgotten--from one side of the great divide, or the other.

Racism, ragtime, and murder are his topics, and Karp intertwines the three adroitly for the novel's readers, then throws in a little romance as a sort of seasoning. Male/female relationships are as complex in The Ragtime Kid as they are in real life.

But perhaps the element that tickled me most about the book is the fine detailing of the time and place. Karp, a longstanding ragtime enthusiast, took the Scott Joplin biography and that of the real-life Brun Campbell, and without distorting the documented facts, wove a tale of what might have occurred. Behind that marvelous foreground though lies a backdrop lending the intoxicating particulars of the time: memories of the Chicago's World Fair in 1893, a young woman eager to perform in vaudeville, a spring-powered fan to drive away the heat, and yellow streetcars providing the Sedalia citizens their transportation.

In short, Karp has created a darn good read, a compelling and literate story that entertains on many levels--as a novel, as a mystery, and as a chronicle of one stage in our national history--a tale peopled by very real and believable characters.

*The Ragtime Kid* proves itself to be both a fun and an enlightening pastime.

G. Miki Hayden, author of *Writing the Mystery* and *The Naked Writer*.

Brun Campbell loves to hear and play music. In Oklahoma city he listens to some musicians in a music store playing a tune by Scott Joplin and knows instantly that is what he wants to learn how to play. He runs away from home at fifteen and hops a train for Sedelia, Missouri in the hopes that he can get Mr. Joplin to give him lessons. On the way into town he runs across the body of a woman strangled to death and he takes a musical money clip that is nearby and a locket on her neck.

In town he meets businessman Mr. Fitzgerald who stakes him to a room at the YMCA and money to buy food while he looks for work. Someone who hears him playing music recommends he ask music store owner Mr. Stark for a job. Mr. Stark listens to him play and offers him a job on the spot. He also auditions for Joplin who agrees to give him lessons. When Mr. Fitzgerald is arrested for the murder of the woman Brun saw the first day he was in town; he knows the man didn't do it. The money clip which belonged to Joplin could implicate him and Brun in the murder. Brun decides to find the killer with the unwitting help of the townsfolk as he maneuvers them in the direction he wants them to go for information relating to the murder.

As historical mysteries go, THE RAGTIME KID is one of the better ones. The author doesn't only write a good who done it, he shows the readers how the plight of the black man had changed very little since Emancipation back three decades earlier. Scott Joplin takes a big risk to be paid in royalties with his name as the arranger of the music, something unheard of in the 1890's. The protagonist has a touch of larceny in him that helps him get what he wants but he is so adorable, readers will root for him in spite of his faults.

Harriet Klausner

This is an excellent account of the history of the US Army Rangers in WWII. The entire history of the Ranger organization and all the key battles are covered in great detail. I was particularly intrigued that most of the early rangers were in their mid 20s, compared to the 19 year olds who are common in the modern organization. The anecdotes are very moving. One can feel the bleak, almost hopeless despair of the brutal slogging match in Italy in 1943 and early 1944, and the heartwrenching loss at Cisterna. Equally powerful is the elation and pride one feels when reading about the heroic rescue of POWs from Cabanatuan by the 6th Rangers in early 1945. For more on that "Great Raid" see the superb Ghost Soliers.

Writing of a purely American unit, whose combat experiences have been forged in three and a half centuries of fighting, Robert Black traces the history of the United States Army Rangers in World War II from their conception in Northern Ireland, to their last battle in the South Pacific. Unlike the modern day soldiers who bear the same name, the Rangers of World War II were not airborne commandos; rather, these men were highly motivated, all-volunteer soldiers comprised of mostly mechanized soldiers of varying duty assignments from Patton's First Armored Division. Despite their military lineage, these soldiers served as specialized infantry soldiers with the utmost gallantry, earning their baptism under fire at Dieppe and continuing to spearhead most of the American led assaults throughout the remainder of the war.

Black's style is frank and straightforward and one can quickly appreciate the candor with which he relates the story. As Black puts it, the book is "an account of men immersed in the outrage of war . . . there is comradeship, jealousy, compassion, and ruthlessness." (p. x) Black's own experiences as a Ranger in Korea with the 8th Airborne Ranger Company contributed to his successful revelation of this spirit and, at times, the book reads like a personal account rather than the well researched composition that it is.

The book begins with the activation of the 1st Ranger Battalion on 19 June 1942. Black explains the unit's composition in detail, listing the "charter" members by name, position, and weapon system. (p. 19) Black then details the training that the unit undertook in the Scottish highlands. The forced marches and physical tests that the volunteers had to endure were laborious and grueling. (Even worse were the English rations that the Rangers were forced to consume while in Scotland.) At the first sign of fatigue or weakness, a volunteer was released from the battalion and returned to his original unit. Though exact numbers were not offered, the battalion's attrition rate was deplorable, but those who did make it were fit to call "Rangers." The 1st Ranger Battalion received the dubious honor of participating in America's first assault on European soil. During the Dieppe Raid, a detachment of fifty Rangers fought alongside British Commandos. It was during this assault that the first American ground soldier killed a Nazi. Corporal Franklin Koons took out a German machine gunner and was decorated by both the U.S. and the British military for this distinction. (p. 39) On the bloody beaches of Dieppe, ironically amidst a military debacle, the U.S. Army Ranger legend began and the valiance with which he fought was echoed in both the U.S. papers and across the services of every nation.

Due to their superior training, ability to overcome improbable odds, and fighting spirit, the Rangers would go on to spearhead nearly every American led assault throughout the rest of the war-both in the European and Pacific theaters. Black meticulously relates each major battle that involved U.S. Rangers, making every effort to list, by name, the key individuals involved in each action. Rangers were involved in the raid at Arzew, the defense at Kasserine Pass, the beach landings on Sicily and Italy, the attack at Anzio, and the D-Day invasion. They continued to fight across Europe at Brest and, in the Pacific, at both Cabanatuan and on the island hopping campaigns of the Philippines. Black doesn't miss a bullet and, in doing so, comprises a book that becomes a "down and dirty" on American military involvement in the Second World War.

Unfortunately, as the pendulum of war began to swing towards the Allies and the pace of battle picked up, the infantryman was unable to keep up with the sweeping mechanized forces. It soon became obvious that an Allied victory was nearing and the need for these hard fighting foot soldiers became less and less. The Rangers followed along as fast as they could-some soldiers rode on the back of Allied vehicles-but soon the Ranger units became more of a liability than an asset. Before the fall of Berlin, nearly half of the Rangers had been released from the battlefield. The 1st Ranger Battalion, the first to form in June of 1942, was first to be disband, in August of 1944. Of the six battalions that fought in the war, only the 6th Ranger Battalion would see the end of the war-its soldiers busy fighting the Japanese in South East Asia.

While a detailed account of all Ranger exploits in the Second World War would take up volumes, Black has successfully compressed this material, highlighting each of the battalion's "handiwork," and assembled a manageable book that possibly represents the single best exposition on the topic. Included in this book is an outstanding appendices that, among other things, lists the name of every known Ranger that served in World War II. Additionally, the book makes effective use of various maps, photographs, military documentation, and includes an informative definitional section that explains the various weapon systems used by the Rangers.

The Achilles Heel of Black's Rangers in World War II is its endnote section. The book stands alone as an authoritative piece, yet the historian will find tribulations in attempting to trace Black's path down memory lane. The many first person interviews conducted with ex-Rangers are scantily documented and this absence unnecessarily detracts from the thorough research that Black obviously undertook.

Nonetheless, Black has outdone all others and in true Ranger spirit has "Led the Way" with an outstanding monograph that should be a part of every World War II enthusiast's collection.

Not bad. I would like to find an account of the Rangers in World War 2 that would be on par to what is available for the US Airborne divisions.

An excellent comprehensive account of all six Ranger Battalions. A highlight for Ranger relatives in Black's book is the composite listing of all Ranger's names under their designated Battalion.

Bob- I am bored at work so thought I would mess with this computer & see if I could find you. I have lost your home add & e-mail address- pls holler at me soon- havent spoken to you in a long time.Hope all is well out your way- I am doing fine- been 3yrs since Daddy passed-seems like yesterday- my e-mail is :dnapier@webtv.net Hope to hear from you soon! Always a Ranger daughter! Deby P.S.- Have you heard from Nick Tisak?

I read this book years ago and loved it. A similar start to the Narnia series with children transported to another world, but much more complex and richly drawn. Not only are multiple complex societies presented, she also presents different understandings of what it means to be good and evil. A very satisfying ending, more to it than just the kids come home after saving the day and all is well. I reread it aloud to my young daughter several years after my first reading. She loved it, but it was difficult to read some passages without choking up. Truly a marvelous and under-appreciated classic of fantasy. I am a big fantasy fan. This doesn't have the scope of the current mega-series books by Jordan, Martin, Elliott, etc. but I prefer it to the Narnia books for depth of character, believability, and more nuanced plot, though it does not have Lewis' alagorical foundation. This is one of my primary recommendations to friends considering fantasy or children's fantasy, though it is not always easy to find.

I first read this book when I was 15 years old and it absolutely captivated me. I read it again 25 years later, and it was just as magical. I have never forgotten the bittersweet ending, and just the other day, picked it up and read the last few pages again, and was filled with emotion. Highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy - this is as rich as Lord of the Rings, in a different fashion.

I am NOT a big fantasy fan, and found the "children in the woods" start a little offputting, but after the first chapter...I was hooked. The "eagles" chapter is one of the best pieces of writing of this kind ever, including Tolkien. This entire book is worth reading and keeping, because you'll read it over and over, for the pure pleasure of it.

...you might well produce Joy Chant's RED MOON,
BLACK MOUNTAIN. Oliver, Penelope and Nicholas are
three English children drawn by magical power into
another universe, where they have a role to play
in an upcoming war. I very much enjoyed the
quasi-Celtic culture of the Horse People and
Chant's honest picture of the tribalism. Although
the plot slows in places the sweet, strong language
and beautifully realized world she has invented
easily distracted me from this (minor)flaw.
I read this book first as a teen, then returned to
it after nearly twenty years to find my positive
memories of it justified: Recommended to any
intelligent young person or adult.

Joy Chant's Red Moon and Black Mountain was probably my favorite book as a young adult. Though obscure and woefully under acknowledged, this 'modern day people drop into alien world' saga is the absolute BEST of it's ilk. It combines both mysticism and fantasy, battle and intrigue into an absolutely spellbinding story. I truly think this marvellous work is dismissed by many as being another 'Tolkien lite' but the story is so much, MUCH more. Like Tolkien, Ms. Chant is able to define several rich and varied cultures and do so skillfully in the same book - but that is where the similarity ends! The Hurnei bear very little resemblance to Tolkien's horse peoples - and their culture is, in fact, much more richly detailed (in The Grey Mane of Morning - another of Ms. Chant's books in this universe) than Tolkien's Rohirrim.

There are images and names in this book that I have kept in my heart for more than 30 years. That of Vir'vachal riding her earth colored pony through the earth, of the flame and gold of Dur'chai's coat, the sweet terror Li'vanh Tuvoi feels when he jumps to his death, the beautiful but terrible face of the fallen Prince of Heaven as he sees the little being who has defeated him. The Dancer at his Fountain... The child 'death-eyed'... I have not laid eyes on this book for more than 20 years and STILL I remember these details! This was a story that sang to me, that made me ache and filled me with joy at the same time. Perhaps I am the only person on the planet for whom this book spoke such volumes, but if I can convince another of its worth, another who would hear this story, these peoples, sing as I have, then it is worth the time I take to write this review.

This book is superbly written. I have read it over and over again. It is so well done it is as if you are watching a movie. It is so vivid. Wow!The story is riveting, I couldn't put it down, I just had to find out what will happen next. Now, that is what good drama is about. I am waiting for it to be made into a movie. This definitely takes Ghanaian literature in particular and African literature in general to new heights. The positive view of Africa and African Americans so beautifully proffered here, is long overdue. More kudos to you David P. Oddoye. I can hardly wait for the sequel. I hope there is a sequel. Anyone out there reading this, join your voice with mine in demanding a sequel!

EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! Once I began reading "The Return" I couldn't stop! My eyes were having difficulty keeping up with the "movie" version that was playing out in my mind's eye. Three times I cried. I'm not one to speculate the next turn of a story--good thing because everytime I thought I knew what to expect next, the story went in a different direction. The male characters displayed wisdom and compassion; the female characters were strong and admirable. Who says that only sex and violence sell books--WRONG! EXCELLENT read--when is the movie verison coming out and when is the sequel being printed?

Bravo! Indeed I did find "The Return" not only refreshing and exciting, but so much more. The words exhilarating, exciting, riveting and heartstopping suspense immediately come to mind. "The Return" has all the components of a bestseller by any standard. I was especially impressed by the tasteful romanticism intertwined throughout the intriguing and riveting action. I was so engrossed in this book that I got behind in my housework! And that's rare for me. I really appreciated the positive image portrayed of Africa, the African-American as well as that of women. "The Return" also gives insight into the author's personality (Iron that does not fear fire). He is a man who obviously has deep respect for God, women, family and roots. I join my voice in demanding a sequel!

This book is superbly written. I have read it over and over again. It is so well done it is as if you are watching a movie. It is so vivid. Wow!The story is riveting, I couldn't put it down, I just had to find out what will happen next. Now, that is what good drama is about. I am waiting for it to be made into a movie. This definitely takes Ghanaian literature in particular and African literature in general to new heights. The positive view of Africa and African Americans so beautifully proffered here, is long overdue. More kudos to you David P. Oddoye. I can hardly wait for the sequel. I hope there is a sequel. Anyone out there reading this, join your voice with mine in demanding a sequel!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fast read and I couldn't put it down. The Return is a little history, family, suspense, romance, betrayal, power, royalty, Queens, Kings, and exciting. I enjoyed the telling of a story within a story. I visulized my grandfather telling this story giving me history of my roots. The richness of the characters were well developed. ITCOMS book club has selected The Return for the New Millennium. We look forward to David's next book. As a new author the book is well written. Thank you David. In the Spirit!

While taking an African American literature course in college I was introduced to this novella written by William Craft. It is a must-read for American and African American history classes. The novella is a quick and easy read, with the capacity for great discussion and in-depth analysis. Humor, suspense, mystery and action is all provided in this wonderful tale of escape and hypocrisey.

Ellen and William Craft were a young (mid-20's) slave couple who made a daring escape to freedom. Light-skinned Ellen cut her hair short and dressed in the suit and tophat of a white planter. Since she was illiterate, her husband William made a sling for her arm, so she had an excuse not to sign hotel registers. And since she had a womanly voice, the couple devised a poultice tied around her jaw indicating she had a bad toothache and could not speak. William played the role of his white massa's slave. And the couple traveled by train, steamship, and wagon to their destination in the north. They soon became popular lecturers in the United States and Europe. This is a remarkable story of daring and bravery and should be read by everyone. Anyone who wants to introduce their children to good historical fiction should get them The Journal of Darien Duff, an Emancipated Slave, The Diary of a Slave Girl, Ruby Jo, and The Journal of Leroy Jones, a Fugitive Slave.

This book is a captivating account of the injustices of slavery and a amazing story of two fugitives running for there freedom. This book is a great story that should be taught in schools and should not be ignored in American History classes. It opened my mind to the horrors slavery actually caused. It represents a part of our history that should never be repeated. 5 plus stars.

I read this for a college history survey course before it was mistakenly announced that the book was out of print. The book was dropped from the syllabus, but I am glad I read it anyway.

The first and shortest part of the book is William Craft's powerful account of how he and his wife Ellen executed a daring escape from servitude in Georgia. Their plan was remarkable in its ingenuity: The almost white Ellen, outfitted with a master's clothes and a poultice on her face to prevent incriminating speech with strangers, and her husband William, disguised as a servant, escaped to freedom in the north. Travelling by rail, the pair exultantly crossed over into Canada and from thence headed for England.

The second part of the book is a third person summary of the couple's travels after their ambitious escape. It follows them from Georgia through the slave and free states, in which they were well received and protected (especially in Boston), up to Halifax and across the water to England. I found the final two thirds of the book the most enjoyable, as it treated of foreign travel, in which I have a keen interest. Both portions of the book are beautifully written and often gripping. I hope a few of my classmates read this before that announcement. This book is both pleasurable to read and historically vital.

Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom is a must read for all American history students and should be required reading at least at the high school level. This book gives the reader a first-person view of that "Peculiar Instition" known as slavery and to what lengths one will go to achieve personal freedom. This book will change your view of slavery forever.

I hadn't enjoyed a book this much in a really long time. It may sound trite, but I couldn't put it down. It was hilarious and as soon as I finished it I went online to see what other books by this author were available. Like others have mentioned, it reminded me of a Carl Hiaasen novel and maybe a little of Maarten Troost thrown in.

Great setting, great on the details, and a great read. You'll be happy with the love angles and triangles, the premise and the plot. For some reason I'm reminded of "Sick Puppy" by Hiaasen, in the very best way.

Light and satisfying. Enjoy!

Could not put book down. Aging rock star implants himself in your heart. Evil kidnapper evolves into sensitive caring man thanks to powers of love. Sexy, spicy and constantly drawing you in. Read it on plane trip to Hawaii, and read it again on trip home to JFK, NYC. This guy Smith really knows how to write a tantalizing story!

More fun than a frozen margarita on the beach! Salty is hilarious, raunchy, and continuously entertaining! I read it all in one sitting, and couldn't put it down. Take a fun trip to Thailand with an aging rock star, oh and be careful of pirates and FBI agents along the way. Seriously, what could be more fun than that?

I bought my favorite book of all time, "Boy Wonder" by James Robert Baker because someone described it as "Citizen Kane meets Blue Velvet." I'm a sucker for the one-line Hollywood pitch, and bought this book because of the quote on the cover: "Graham Greene meets the Marx Brothers." I was not disappointed, although, having just read it, I might say: "Carl Hiassen meets Bangkok 8."

As in a Hiassen novel, I loved the quirky characters. Turk Henry, the second-fiddle bass player in a wildly successful, recently defunct heavy-metal band fumbles through a mid-life crisis on the beaches of Thailand, determined to rescue his super-model wife from the clutches of kidnappers. His wife finds the kidnapping a perfect opportunity to deal with some of her own issues.

As in Bangkok 8, we are treated to a wonderful portrayal of the sensuality of Thailand, from the stunning food and smells to the rich depths and variety of the sex industry. Graham Greene is brought to mind by expatriate government agents acting on their own behalf, and actually trying to undermine the rescue effort. As for the Marx Brothers, well, I suppose they ate some Duck Soup, among the many mouth-watering meals.

I had a great time with this book, and put it down with a big smile on my face. I am certainly looking forward to reading Smith's previous books.