Maryland Books

A Face First is the book that I read. This book is about a girl named Kelley who gets into a horrible car accident and gets most of her body extremely burned. Now Kelley has to cope with herself while her skin and bones heal that nobody's perfect. I think that this book is a great book because you can learn from Kelley's expierence that no one will ever be perect. If you like books that teach you an important lesson, I would recommend reading A Face First.

The small amount of effort and caring put into this book immediately became evident. One of the main flaws I noticed was that the author never gives the reader a reason to care for the main character At certain times, especially near the end of the book, the focus would shift between characters, making it more and more evident that the author had very little (if anything) to write about. Leah was the main character for a few pages. So was Kelley's mother at one point. Another flaw, which demonstrated the author's lack of mental effort and perhaps interest in her own book was her constant inclusion of facts that had no relevance to the main plot whatsoever. As far as I'm concerned, going to the store to buy mayonnaise, removing a baby bird from a parking lot, and an older sister's boyfriend have absolutely nothing to do with recovering from a burn wound. Facts like this were repeatedly included in the book, squeezed between incorrect punctuation and placed in poorly worded sentences. I even noticed a chapter which seemed to have no ending. These elements of the story caused me, rather than a feeling of empathy, a feeling of disgust, disrespect and hatred for the main character.


The whole hospital saga, which should have been summarized in 10 pages or less is dragged on for around 100 pages. In this half of the book, the main character encounters a thoughtful nurse and goes through her operations. It is at first quite interesting but then takes an enourmous plunge into a bottomless pit of wasted time and boredom for the reader. There is a tedious cycle that is repeated again and again for an uneventful 100+ pages of the book. Kelly gets letters, a visit from mom, a call from her sister and a visit from the nurse again and again throughout her stay in the hospital and Priscilla Cummings actually has the nerve to make us read through this same set of events repeatedly. Other than surgeries every 3 chapters, there are no other events worth knowing about that occur in the hospital.


After the hospital saga comes another. It is more eventful but less important. I found that I was suddenly reading about normal people living a normal life. This half of the book included many pointless events in which the main characters do normal things. For the reader, it seems as though they are suddenly on the set of an MTV reality show in which a random person is being filmed while sitting on a couch, reading a book, watching TV, going to an art gallery, doing school work or some other activity in which you are thoroughly uninterested.


For my brain, the experience of reading this book was like plowing through a ten-foot-high pile of snow in a Volks Wagon beetle convertible.

A Face First is about a girl named Kelly. I'ts Earth Day at school.On the way home that evening,Kelly and her mother got in a car crash.Kelly wakes up in a hospital in the burnt unit.Kelly discovers that she got third-degree burns.She goes through a lot of things.Like for example,she had to wear some kind of mask. Kelly doesn't remember anything about the accident.She wanted to know so bad.Her mother got burned too,but not as bad as Kelly got it.Kelly starts to remember but as dreams. She thinks "Is it a dream,or did this really happen?Can I still go to school? Will her friends still like her? If you read this book,you will discover how much courage it can take to face the truth and go on with your life.

A Face First is a book of overcoming triumph no one would understand. Kelley, a 12 year old girl, who went through the horrible experience of a car accident, and getting burned dealt with alot. She was afraid she would never look the same. She had to wear a mask to keep the burns from swelling up. She thaught when people looked at her they would see a face first, but from other people who have gone through the same thing, she learns theres more to life than looks. She learns to overcome her fear and realizes not everyone sees a face first. Not everyone is perfect with thier imperfections. I loved this book because it showed no one's perfect and we can overcome anything. I liked how Kelley learned even though she will never look the same shes the same girl smiling behind the mask and inside.

I thought this book was absolutely wonderful. It's very, very well written and it makes you feel as if you are a part of the story. It explains the hard times Kelley goes through and how she handles them. Bravo!

David Lozell Martin has created some memorable characters and vividly realistic scenes in his gruesome and gory novel, "Cul-De-Sac". Washed-up cop Teddy Camel (first introduced in Martin's "Lie To Me") comes to the aid of his former lover as she tries to save her husband from the evil clutches of the mysterious house known as Cul-De-Sac and one of it's former residents, convicted murderer Donald Growler.

Growler, you see, has revenge on his mind. Revenge in the form of grisly murders of the former residents of Cul-De-Sac who helped to frame him for the death of his cousin. But was Growler really framed or is this just the warped perception of a psychotic mind? As Camel and Annie Milton try to save Annie's husband, they end up finding out more about the original Cul-De-Sac murder then they bargained for.

Without giving away too much of the plot, let me just say that this book has a number of plot twists that will keep the reader guessing. And, while the finale follows a somewhat expected path, even it has an interesting final twist. As long as the reader is not easily disturbed by florid scenes of violence, then this will be a satisfying and extremely quick "read". Fans of Richard Laymon and Rex Miller will no doubt flock to other novels by David Martin.

Highly recommended is the aforementioned, "Lie To Me", plus "Tap, Tap" and "Bring Me Children" all written by Martin.

David Lozell Martin has created some memorable characters and vividly realistic scenes in his gruesome and gory novel, "Cul-De-Sac". Washed-up cop Teddy Camel (first introduced in Martin's "Lie To Me") comes to the aid of his former lover as she tries to save her husband from the evil clutches of the mysterious house known as Cul-De-Sac and one of it's former residents, convicted murderer Donald Growler.

Growler, you see, has revenge on his mind. Revenge in the form of grisly murders of the former residents of Cul-De-Sac who helped to frame him for the death of his cousin. But was Growler really framed or is this just the warped perception of a pychotic mind? As Camel and Annie Milton try to save Annie's husband, they end up finding out more about the original Cul-De-Sac murder then they bargained for.

Without giving away too much of the plot, let me just say that this book has a number of plot twists that will keep the reader guessing. And, while the finale follows a somewhat expected path, even it has an interesting final twist. As long as the reader is not easily disturbed by florid scenes of violence, then this will be a satisfying and extremely quick "read". Fans of Richard Laymon and Rex Miller will no doubt flock to other novels by David Martin.

Highly recommended is the aforementioned, "Lie To Me", plus "Tap, Tap" and "Bring Me Children" all written by Martin.

David Martin does it again, another homerun. Is is possible that jail can change a person? Take someone who's innocent of murder then spent several years in jail, and when he comes out, he's a changed man. This is the story of Doland Growler. Grolwer (you have to love that name) had to spend years in jail, and he was changed froever. Now that he's out, he wants to find the ones who set him up for murder and was forced to do unspeakable things in jail. But now Growler is out, and it's times to make the giulty pay.
Don't think that that the above spoils anything. What I said is mention in the back of the book. I left out a lot, trust me.
Martin gives the reader many chills with the unique murders that Growler commits. Martin also has the ability to keep the reader glued to the page, and actually forced the reader to put the book down. This book has a lot of plot twiwts and excellent characters that will heep the reader hooked to the very last page.
If you know of Martin's works, then you need to get this book, and other book Mratin wrote. Now, if you haven't read any books my Martin, then you must start it. You may want to read a book called "Lie to Me", before you read this book. One character in Lie to me, shows up here. Start this book, you won't be sorry.

Couldn't put the book down!!! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a some HORROR....

I gave this book only two stars because I actually felt compeled to read to the end. I should have known; any book that opens with a beheading, and the victims heads being placed in the washer and dryer, is bound to be disgusting. I guess I just had no idea how disgusting. I'm not generally a squeamish person, but this was just over the top. Not to mention the plot was thin; you know who the bad guys are from the beginning, and the eventual revelation was no big surprise. I personally found Martin's writing to be overdone; his descriptions had the subtlety of a 2 by 4, and some were just plain bad. The run on sentences and lack of commas just beg for a good editor. If you are looking for some good psychological suspense, just get a Stephen King or an Iris Johansen novel; those are actually scary and mysterious, not just gross.

`In a Strange City' is my first experience reading Laura Lippman, but I hope to have many more. You should too.

PI Tess Monaghan turns down a would-be client who wants her to unmask the "Poe Toaster," a mysterious person who visits Edgar Allan Poe's gravesite each year with three roses and half a bottle of cognac. Although she refuses to take the case, Tess can't help being curious. On the anniversary of Poe's death, Tess expects to stand at a distance and see a strange caped individual visit the cold Baltimore grave site. But she sees two caped figures. One dies from a bullet, the other escapes. Then things get really creepy when Tess receives cryptic notes at her door...along with three roses and a half bottle of cognac.

`In a Strange City' is a pleasure to read because it works on so many levels. Lippman writes a very smart tale with wonderful descriptions of Baltimore and its people, but that's only part of what makes the book work. She not only knows how to write great characters, she also pens believable dialogue. Her examination of Poe devotees and collectors is nothing short of fascinating. Many excellent mystery writers are capable of presenting readers with an entertaining, intriguing story, but Lippman takes it a step further. When I closed the book, I knew I had finished a great story, but I also knew that I was going to be forced to examine the possessions I cherish and ask myself how far I would go to protect them?

A very satisfying read - 310 pages

SOOOOO good, I can't wait until October. If Lippman could put out a book weekly, I still wouldn't be able to wait for the next installment of Tess Monaghan's adventures! As a Marylander and former Baltimorean, every book feels like home.

Laura Lippman took me by surprise, I have to admit. I saw an interview with her on CBS' Sunday Morning a couple of years ago and bought her most recent book for my dad. He's a mystery fan who likes his crime novels on the lighter side than me. I like Lehane, Connelly, Rankin - the noir stuff. How could this woman from Baltimore be writing stuff as good as the guys above? Not being sexist, here - I just couldn't see it. I should have thought of Laurie R. King who's Kate Martinelli series is as dark and good as the guys above. But, I didn't. I'm a moron! I just plowed through a litany of other books to read until I came upon this book. I asked my dad if he liked her and he replied, "Yes. A lot!" It dealt with Edgar Allen Poe and the Poe Visitor. Seemed interesting. So I gave it a try.

Man, was I wrong! Laura is great! Strange City is witty and dark and quick-paced and has characters that are real and fantastic. Tess is one hell of a woman and I'm okay to admit that I'm a little in love with her. She's smart and sexy and tough but still vulnerable. I totally underestimated Laura and I promise that I will never to do that again.

Keep at it Laura - Spenser ain't got nothing on you!

"These our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits, and are melted into air, into thin air..." (from Shakespeare's "The Tempest"). This is one of the best mysteries I have read in recent years. It is an intriguing tale that revolves around the mysterious Visitor to Poe's grave who, every year, leaves three red roses and a half bottle of cognac. It is January 19. Baltimore private investigator Tess Monaghan and her boyfriend, Crow, are among the spectators keeping watch at Poe's grave. A cloaked figure appears, and then another. A shot is fired and a cloaked figure falls, mortally wounded. The second cloaked figure escapes in the commotion, fading into the shadows.

The case becomes complicated. There are people trying to identify and find the visitor for personal agendas. There are charges that the murder was a hate crime - the victim identified as a ... waiter. Tess is drawn into the case, willing or not, because other players think she may have information. Mysterious notes appear, along with roses or rose petals, from an unknown individual attempting to enlist her aid. There are questions about thefts of rare books and memorabilia. And there is collateral damage.

Along the way there are tidbits of information about Baltimore, and about Edgar Allan Poe including a pertinent poem ("From childhood's hour I have not been As others were; I have not seen As others saw; I could not bring My passions from a common spring." - from Poe's "Alone"). The case gradually unfolds as information develops about various players. Some people become unlikely allies, and relationships between people are revealed as the case is solved. Tess becomes the guardian of another dog, a friendly doberman named Miata.

But that is not the end of the story because the Visitor is still involved, a mysterious cloaked figure of many faces, and there must be a meeting before the visitor fades into thin air. And will the Visitor be back next year? You might have to go to Baltimore next January 19, if you are willing to spend a cold night at a graveyard.

Every winter on the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe, a mysterious cloaked figure pays a visit to the renowned author's gravesite, bearing gifts of three roses and and half bottle of cognac. PI Tess Monahan is amonst the onlookers at this annual pilgrimage, when two caped visitors approach the gravesite... a shot rings out and one figure falls to the ground while the other escapes. When Tess recieves a visit from a strange, round ,little man who wants her to locate some mysterious missing goods connected with Poe, she and her boyfriend Crow become involved in a case of murder, theft, stalking and obbsessive collecting, all of which revolves around the life of Poe. I didn't really care all that much for this book, as I found it to be very muddled and rather difficult to follow. I've loved the previous books featuring Tess and Co., so hope that the next one is more appealing.

This is just a terrible book. Poorly written, and filled with mush. No wonder the USNA is producing a bunch of politically correct graduates who do everything they can to get out of actually serving as a warrior. Don't waste your money on this--and think twice about sending your child to a school that could employ this touchy-feely teacher of mumbo-jumbo.

Jim Webb's "A Sense of Honor" is still the best book about what the Naval Academy USED to be. This things reads like it was written by a flower child from Woodstock.

An interesting book. Despite his critics, Prof Fleming provokes some thought about the how and why of the Naval Academy, and in the process, he puts some interesting, fundamental questions out in the open. Is it enough that the Academy churns out Military officers? And if it were enough, why isn't it simply reduced to an extended Officer Training / Basic Training "curriculum"?

In an on-going period of "battle hardening," it is commendable for an "insider" to continue to challenge a notion of single-mindedness in the context of the Naval Academy curriculum. While there is a conservative / liberal pendulum that is currently (and clearly) leaning toward the conservative side, simply accepting that the curriculum (and training) "is what it is" only promotes (and exacerbates) the notion that there is a single solution for producing an Officer. A Military Commission mandates an Officer's fidelity to the Constitution and its principles. It is beneficial for the individual to understand the reasons why this is the case as well as what those principles are. Without that understanding, we could quickly diverge into the blind leading the blind (for an enlistment demands the individual's obligation to those Officers). While some of the criticisms have merit and deserve consideration, it is a good thing that Prof Fleming is able to cogently articulate his opinions and bring to light the necessity of the midshipmen's complete development - rather than adhere to a one size fits all, single solution.

While I'm still not sure I agree with all aspects of the book / Prof Fleming's thoughts (I plan to read it again), it is at least worth the discussion(s) necessary to see all sides of these arguments.
USNA '96

Amidst many informative and entertaining pages about Annapolis, Prof. Fleming reveals two very shocking facts. One: About 50% of midshipmen do not meet the USNA minimum academic requirements, but are let in anyway, because of perceived needs in athletics and affirmative action. Two, clearly unqualified midshipmen, even those with serious psychological disablities, are allowed to graduate and assume potentially disastrous command positions because to prevent their graduation would reflect badly on the decision to admit them in the first place. Sounds like Catch 22, but it is unfortunately not fiction. There may be some broader social value in weighing factors other than character and ability in civilian schools, but in the military, I would think we would want the very best making command decisions, and not someone there for any other reason. When war is upon us, and lives are at stake, does anything else really matter?

I graduated from the Academy in 73 and it seems as if it hasn't changed a bit. It is as accurate a picture of what goes on inside that an outsider can have. If I didn't know better I would have thought that he was a graduate himself. I recommend it highly; not only for the picture that it gives of the Academy and the Midshippeople (I DON'T CARE IF IT IS A RANK) but because it is an accurate portrayal of much that is going on in this country today.

In Annapolis Autumn, Professor Bruce Fleming gives the reader a rare look into Naval Academy culture with dignity, humor, and occasionally, the kind of candor that makes the brass blush. Having been not only a student, but as well, a staff member at Annapolis, I can tell you that Fleming hits the nail on the head.

Fleming points out that while the US Naval Academy at Annapolis is a fine institution with a rich heritage, there are some glaring warts that could be easily removed, yet political pressure, stereotypes, and conformity all conspire to maintain a status quo beneath the brilliantly polished veneer. Considering the environment he operates, his courage in pointing out the proverbial emperor's new clothes is laudable, yet in my mind he has, without doubt, given something far more praiseworthy: the challenge of critical thought to his midshipmen - students who are indoctrinated daily into a military gung-ho dogma.

Annapolis Autumn is not an exposé and although Fleming is not a dissident, his opinion periodically takes exception with the administration's official stance. He encourages today's military leaders to consider facets of culture and society that might have otherwise in the past been merely academic. Fleming pushes midshipmen to think outside their Academy boxes and use their highly developed minds to be better people on the whole as well as the exceptional naval officers the Academy is famed to produce.

As an alumnus, I genuinely enjoyed Annapolis Autumn. As a free-thinking veteran, I applaud Bruce Fleming's willingness to speak his mind. Well written, eloquently supported, and easily digested, Fleming's book was a both a challenge and a pleasure.

I read this novel with a book club and found the story heartwarming, however the style distracted from the story from the beginning. I found myself noting that words were missing that were essential to the meaning of the some sentences. The author frequently over used words so that they were repeated within a sentence or two when other vocabulary would have made the style more interesting. By the end of the book I was skimming descriptions just to be able to follow the story to it's conclulslion. The book has worth for it's insight into a poverty stricken family in the 1950's.

A member of my bookclub recommended this novel to me and this was the book that got me hooked onto the author's writing style. I read the story of Helen, the mother and her struggles to raise 7 children with little or no help from her husband. I have to admit that I kept forgetting that this story takes place in the 1950's when women rights were practically non existent. As the author pointed out the law that required a women in the state of Maryland to have 9 children before she was allowed to have a tubal ligation and then she would need her doctors AND husbands approval before the operation was performed. Thank goodness those days are gone. Anyway back to the skillful writing of the author. Mr. Saunders wove such a wonderful story that you didn't feel depressed. He sprinkled humor and wit at the right time with the boys Barry and Noah and their playful antics with their neighbor boys. They reminded me of two Dennis the Menace's running loose in this small hamlet of Tommytown. Still, the author's focus was the mother, Helen. Overall, the story was not only a joy to read but very educational and worthy of your time and it makes an excellent read for young adults. Highly recommend this book.

This is one of those magical books that takes one back to a time almost forgotten with all the hardships and good times mingled. Not only does the author involve you in the lives of a family struggling for existence in near impossible circumstances, he has an art of putting one in the place of each of the characters alloiwng you to see and feel as they do no matter what the age of the character.

Reminders of the way of society surrounding rural 1950 abound. One can feel the emotions of the characters as they deal with events within the constraints of the times; one can see the landscape and architure surrounding the story; one can smell the odors and fragrances of a time gone by.

This book is a real page-turner. I could not put it down and have begun another book by the same author.

Mr. Saunders is hardworking in his writing and a very pleasant man to speak with.

I've read both books in the Tommytown series and I think they are ten times better than the Harry Potter books I have read. Plus the stories are based on real people. I kept reading and reading these books. I'm glad my mother got me started on them, because they were just great.

Tommytown is a truly refreshing departure the typical best sellers that are out there today. The exception is A Thousand Splendid Suns and a few other books that I won't mention. Mr. Saunders steps out of the box and encircles a world of writing that I would like to see more of from writers today. His passion and honesty drawn from his own childhood experiences are transposed into this captivating tale. Actually I found it hard to believe that the author was able to sit down and relive his horrible experiences of living in sheer poverty and constant fear of a father that showed no compassion or concern for the welfare of his wife and children. This family was dirt poor and the author made no effort to give me the impression that I would not be paying a visit to the home of the Beaver Cleaver's family. Still, I was glad the author sprinkled a bit of humor here and there because it kept the story from being so depressing. I really enjoyed the horse back ride the two brothers, Barry and Noah took on the hot summer night. I just had to laugh.

The novels takes the reader back to the 1950's where Helen Forman, living in sheer ;poverty makes another lonely decision to keep her 7 children fed, clothed and sheltered. The buck stops with Helen, her husband fails to support her, but still she keeps a small smile on her face smothers her boys with warm hugs and kisses.. Mr. Saunders does a fantastic piece of work of transforming his mind down from the level of a mature adult to that innocent world of young boys. In "Tommytown", Mr. Saunders reveals the thinking of the 11 year old Barry, 9 year old Noah and 13 year old Karen. I don't know too many authors that can make that transformation and still create a story that is entertaining and well written. In summary, this is a warm, wonderful story that deserves every reader's attention. I highly recommend this one.

I loved this book and I'm sure I smiled all the way through it. Everyone loves nostalgia about the good ole days -- meaning, we ALL have our own good old days. But the times he writes about are especially delightful and innocent. The music was great and something everyone and anyone could sing along with. The movies were dreamy. The radio was great and innovative. And best of all were Mom's final words to the young on summer days: Be home before dark! Yes, we used to go out and play. We didn't have play dates; we just played with whoever was there on that day. Sometimes we played kick the can, or tag, or jump rope, or went on long bike rides, or went to town to the small store to look at magazines and comic books and drool over the candy in the glass counters. We may even have had a nickle in our pockets to buy something.

In any event, I grew up in basically the same circumstances as young Charles describes in this book. The book is short and sweet, something to smile about on each and every page. I wish it was longer -- Both the childhood of the 1940s and this book. Both were great.

I envy Charles Osgood. He saw and experienced a Baltimore I never did. The stork didn't drop me off in B'more until 1955. I had such a good time in seeing things I remembered from a different perspective. If it's possible, I loved my city just a bit more after reading this. Thanks for the memories and insights.

I was drawn to pick up this book when I saw the cover--the picture of the author as a young boy is irresistible. Although the content was interesting, I found myself quickly becoming annoyed by the author's numerous slurs towards our younger generation. I found his words to be increasingly mean-spirited and I finally put the book down for good when he made light of both children and their parents who are faced with the struggle of bipolar disorder. The author reminds me of many older Americans who can't see that the world has changed greatly since the 1940's and that our younger generation has many redeeming characteristics.

This delightful read, one year in the life of a 9-year old boy, may be the most enjoyable book I've read in years. And I read a lot of stuff. The year was 1942 and Charles Osgood describes it magnificently as lived by most of us the same age. I laughed with tears in my eyes on almost very page. This book should be enjoyed by the children and grandchildern of those of us that were children during that incredible year, 1942. Memory lane was never better documented. Enjoy.

Osgood's wit and rich tribute to his 1940s boyhood results in an enjoyable, worthwhile read, even better if you get the audio version, read by Charles himself. I did find his criticisms of today's children (and their excessively competitive parents) a bit grating. It made me think of a book that could have been written when he was a child, something like, "Radio?! Who needs that! Why when I was a boy we didn't need all those special effects and people shouting at you from a wooden box! We had books, like Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. And they were never spoiled by silly toothpaste or hair tonic commercials."

The problem with nostalgia is that it can create an abnoral yearning for an irrecoverable past, and is often excessively sentimental. Tempis fugit...

This book, written by a murdered woman's sister, is interesting and well-written. However, it is written from the point of view of a loving family member of the victim. I enjoy reading true crime, which is usually written by an unrelated and unbiased third party. Of course, Molly, the writer, misses her sister Susan terribly, and she did try to give a somewhat impartial picture of Susan's abusive relationship with her husband. But instead of empathizing with Susan, I questioned first of all, why Susan left what appeared to be a perfectly good marriage with two children, and left her husband for a lover who was also married. It is difficult to empathize with a woman who would entice another woman's husband when she had a good and long-term relationship of her own. The fact that she was oblivious to his alcoholism and abuse, shows that she had some serious emotional flaws and should have sought professional help. Only late in the book do we find out that Susan and Molly's mother was also an alcoholic. This would have shed more light on the reason why Susan was so taken in and did not try to leave until it was too late. Lacking in self-esteem as Susan was, hers is the story of many abusive relationships. The fact that the police did an inadequate job of finding evidence to indict the apparent murderer makes it even more frustrating. I can understand Molly's dedication to her sister's cause, but I am left wishing this had been written by an impartial third party. The continual descriptions of Molly and Susan's wonderful siblings is appropriate in a biography, but not in true crime. I would have liked more photos of the victim, and not so many of her family.

Molly walks us through the harrowing tale of her own very personal plight to find her sister, Susan. The person who is responsible for her death is very clear, to everyone except the authorities. While reading this book, you gain a very personal kinship to Molly, and wish you could have been there to help in the families search for Susan. A very true account of a volatile relationship, with a tragic outcome. Buy this book! You will not regret it!

This book was very well written and the personalities very well portrayed. Wish I'd been able to know and love Susan. The abuse that she endured (and dished out) is incomprehensible to me but I know it happens all too often. I just wish peeps in this same kind of situation could read this book and determine to GET OUT of their own nightmare!

Molly Moran's FINDING SUSAN deals with the disappearance of and search for her sister, Susan Harrison. Susan left a stable marriage that included two young sons to hook up with her eventual husband, Jim Harrison, and found herself in a ten year abusive and alcoholic relationship. FINDING SUSAN actually deals with finding her in two different ways, both the Herculean effort Ms. Moran and her brothers undertook in their physical search, which the family found more than a little frustrating, and also Ms. Moran's reflective searching of the dynamics of their family life when they were children in a search for clues as to why Susan's life took the turn that it did.
Molly Moran is not only Susan Harrison's sister. She is also a professional writer, and the writing in this book is honest, emotional, and soul searching. Ms. Moran misses and mourns Susan deeply and that comes through loud and clear.
The only quibble I would have is that, though I realize that the writing of this book was cathartic and incredibly personal for the author, as a reader who is not personally involved, I felt that Ms. Moran's repetitively describing what outstanding people her siblings and her nephews, Susan's children, are became excessive. But given Ms. Moran's perspective this is understandable.
FINDING SUSAN, though apparently classified as such, really is not true crime. It is rather an intensely sad personal statement by Molly Moran and it is well worth reading.

I want to thank Molly Hurley Moran for writing this book. Her sister, Susan Hurley Harrison, was murdered in 1994 and the crime is still, to this day, unsolved. This story came to my attention when it was featured on Unsolved Mysteries back in late 1996 - ironically, shortly before Susan's body was discovered. Moran's novel brings you into the life story of her sister, and after reading it you feel like you know Susan personally. It is a tragic story of a talented woman who was a loving mother to her two sons but was affected by spousal abuse which may ultimately have played a role in her murder. Was Jim Harrison, her husband, also her killer? The Maryland state attorney general declined to file charges, but that doesn't mean Harrison had no involvement in Susan's murder. Read Moran's book and study the evidence involved.

This is a GREAT book! Amazing insight to the reality of his life and what courage he must have. To have stood up against things and not backed down, he truly turned his life around!
Five stars!

As a Baltimore native, I enjoyed this book very much and would probably rate it a "5" based on my enjoyment only. However, thinking of others--not from the Baltimore area--it probably would not be quite as interesting. Knowing the area, and even some of the players, made it a quick read for me. In fact, it was too quick of a read. Made me wish there was more. . .

"Wised Up" is an absolutely chilling account of organized crime in my home town, Baltimore. I previously believed that crime in this city was basically random and disorganized except for the activity of a few drug king pins. This book documents the organized superstructure of a very complex home grown "management system" of illegal activity. Moreover, it has no connection to the traditional Mafia. Charlie Wilhelm's candid revelation of his life including significant events is far more frightening and captivating then any of the "best seller" crime thrillers. He tells this story in a way that makes the reader "stand in his shoes" and experience Charlie's emotions as he reached a point of fear and ambivalence regarding his life of crime. We've all heard the "you-can't-get-out-of-it-once-you-get into-it" theme regarding the impact of an individual's participation in an organized crime syndicate. However, in this true story, you live the fear, the sleepless nights, the concern for love ones and the mental trepidation in a way that no fictional account can begin to relate.

Charlie's experience also revealed the level of corruption in Baltimore Law enforcement and City Government. Throughout the book, he provides examples of the impact of police on the take, city officials who are paid to look the other way, and even documemted leaks in the federal attorney general's office. In fact, once Charlie decided to extricate himself from this life, he had a major problem finding an official authority that he could trust. One bad move here and he would have been a dead man.

As I read this memoir, I began to feel that Charlie had a deep soft spot that prevented him from becoming the complete criminal. He seemed to have a mentally "drawn line" that caused him to have concern for some of his activity. In fact, he mentions that he personally paid the interest for some of his loan sharking customers who couldn't make the payments. This is reminiscent of the Sylvester Stallone's Rocky character who was also a collector of loans who had compassion for his particularly weak customers. In addition, when Charlie was asked to commit the ultimate crime... murder... his unconscious sense of morals guided him to make a break from this life. It is at this point that ultimate courage came into play. Not only did he have to summon the power to quit, he also had to "blow the whistle" on many of his "wise guy" friends to the FBI in order to achieve complete absolution. In making this choice, he underestimated how deep he had to go to protect both his sanity and his loved ones as he traversed this ordeal. Charlie also suffered the embarrassment of having to reveal his criminal life in a legal setting without knowing whether this voluntary confession would land him in jail for a good part of his remaining life. This is a must read for anyone from Baltimore as well as anyone who wants to understand the complex criminal enterprise from a realistic non-Hollywood standpoint.

Charlie Wilhelm should be admired for his courage and strength when became an informant for the FBI. It takes a strong man to turn away from wealth plus jeopardize the lives of his family and himself to do the right thing. It took a lot of courage for Charlie and Gina to return to the Baltimore area to live. This is NOT just another mob story. Any person who would believe that "Wised Up" is just another mob story, should read the article in the Huntsville Times, dated March 12, 2005. Not only should Charlie be admired and looked up to but so should the rest of his family who stood by him. This book is funny, sad and almost unbelievable at times although I know it is all true. I very much enjoyed reading it and will read it many times again. I highly recommend "Wised Up" as a must read book.

Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm is a very interesting book of a life I can not imagine. Charlie has a window of opportunity to be a positive influence for others especially children or teens in their formative years. Wised Up is written in a way that makes you feel you are there and experiencing everything Charlie is. Charlie showed great courage in going to the FBI and not asking for witness protectection. How many would have the courage to do that and return to Baltimore to live? Charlie has experienced a life most of us can only read about and not even imagine in our greatest imagination. When a man changes his life so completely, how can anyone say it is just another gangster story? If I could give this book a 10 star rating, I would.
Charlie, will there be a sequel or a movie?

The understandably complex and detailed movements of both armies were handled well. Unfortunately the editing job was shockingly inadequate. Numerous mis-spelled words, words omitted and grammatical errors took the bloom off what should have been a rose.

I cannot say enough good things about this work. I read Plenty of Blame first (same publisher), which was also groundbreaking and changed entirely the way I look at the cavalry in the campaign and Stuart in particular. Who knew all that about the horses, their endurance, the choices that had to be made, etc. Everyone had an opinion, but no one except Petruzzi and Wittenberg actually spent the time to research it. Bravo to you both.

One Continuous Fight is everything the blurbs and the great reviews says that it is. The fighting matched the title. And who the heck knew that? I have been reading about Gettysburg for 20 years. I had no clue about this. What do you hear about except Falling Waters? And who knew Falling Waters was such a vast enterprise when taken in its totality? Kent Brown's book on the same time period was nearly silent on all this. He barely scratched the surface. His treatment of logistics and movements was good, but pretty dry in my estimation. You can only read about corn and captured ammunition so long. One Continuous fight rocks, from the first page to the last. It is fast paced, interesting, well written, has great maps, great photos, and two stellar tours. I did both of them with my rental car GPS, and they are perfect. I have driven those back roads before but know I actually KNOW what I am looking at. And the book is meaty in length, too.

Unlike so many books today, this one is put together well. The jacket is lovely, the printing and binding is great, and the publisher used a lot of maps and illustrations. I know some limit that (which is stupid in my estimation--but hey, I am just a reader, the person who BUYS the books. UNC and LSU press, are you listening??). And the price was also fair. You could use One Continuous Fight as a doorstop is is so solid, but I have a pair of White Mane books out there for that purpose in case it rains. Some books are priced ridiculously. This one at less than 35 was a bargain. A couple people commented on spelling or grammatical errors. There were a more than there should have been, but really, who cares? I didn't. I would rather have a great book published well, than a well published book that tells me the same crap all over again in a boring style.

Hoorah for One Continuous Fight! Wholly recommended without reservation. Now, can we get another from this trio?

If you ever wondered what happened to Robert E. Lee's army of northern Virginia in the ten days following its defeat at Gettysburg on Pennsylvania July 3, 1863, look no further than One Continuous Fight. Herein, Jeb Stuart is redeemed in the eyes of Lee for poor scouting reports prior to July 1st. Meade explains why he didn't intercept Lee's broken army during the retreat. Learn of the twenty or so skirmishes between Southern and Northern cavalry in places like Funkstown, Boonsboro and finally Falling Waters, suffer with the slow moving, 17 mile long Confederate wagon train carrying the wounded and the lame, including captured union soldiers for ten days from Gettysburg to Williamsport, Maryland.

Never before have I seen such broad range of resources, from diaries to documents, letters, newspaper accounts, military, civilians along the route of retreat, Confederate and Union.

This truly is work of epic proportions, taken on by three well known Civil War historians and experts on cavalry action. There is even a detailed modern driving tour for those of you who can still afford gasoline, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Williamsport, Maryland.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

The plotting of the maneuvering and engagements between the Confederate and Union armies in the week and a half right after the climactic battle of Gettysburg leaves off with a trip along the route of the armies giving GPS coordinates so readers can follow in the footsteps of the armies and also locate the exact spots covered in the regular text. But for this book, many of the routes and spots could not easily be located as these days of the conflict have received little attention. In many cases, there are no historical markers or official sites. Historians and Civil War buffs tend to think both armies, spent after the battle of Gettysburg, licked their wounds and recuperated, not to engage in any significant confrontations until the battles in northern Virginia marking the closing phase of the war. But by their detailed recounting of the week and a half after Gettysburg, the coauthors show that this period evidences its own strategic aims and fateful clashes. It was especially important for the South in that Lee's army survived intact by fending off Union forces trying to deliver a crushing blow to it in its weakened state.

The authors have a special interest in the Civil War cavalry. But it is not because of this they pay particular attention to the role of the cavalry of both sides. They pay close attention because the cavalry was particularly important in the brief period. Southern cavalry was mainly responsible for protecting the 17-mile long wagon train of wounded rebel troops. For its part, Union cavalry played a leading role in combat against the Confederates; and some units proved to be a match against the highly-touted Southern cavalry forces. The variety of sources--letters, diaries, military communications, news reports, and books--allows for shedding light on varied aspects of the days covered. The title is taken from a phrase in a letter by a Union soldier. Overarching strategic views are succeeded by first-person accounts of particular combat episodes; from communications among officers, one follows the battle preparations on both sides; newspaper articles give a picture of the concerns of civilians trying to follow developments; papers from civilian leaders reveal their efforts to bring about the respective desired outcome. This variety of material is skillfully integrated for a dramatic narrative. The reader hardly notices the shifts in content as one becomes engrossed in the tale to learn specifics of how the known outcome of the escape of Lee's army happened. "One Continuous Fight" is popular history at its best--simultaneously engaging and educating.

The Union Army in the Civil War provides a tremendous example of how an institution can survive its own imperfections and turn itself into a successful organization. It was not easy, and it took awhile. Corruption and indolence under the Buchanan administration were endemic. Incompetence prevailed after the cream of the officer corps defected to the Confederacy. As with the present administration, its highest ranking officers were too often those whose skills lay in their politics.

Eventually, these people were filtered out, but the cost was tremendous,
and invariably paid by others.

This book is a marvelous addition to the common base of knowledge about the critical days after Lee's assault on Gettysburg. It may well lead to the conclusion that the entire battle should be viewed as comprising the first two weeks in July, 1863, rather than just the first three days. The scholarship is first rate, the logic and conclusions profound. If nothing else, we now have the reasons why Lincoln's intuition led to his shelving that famous unsent letter to Meade.

A book this important calls for a competent editor. Three writers working together turns this call into a scream. The occasional typographical error can be forgiven - even though the copy is overrun by the writers' spelling errors. Assaults on grammar are endemic. What I cannot forgive, and what inspires this review, is the frequent repetition of whole paragraphs.

I salute the publisher, Savas Beatie, of El Dorado Hills, California. I also beg them, and the authors, to insist on a competent editor before committing this volume to its well-deserved future printings.

This book describes the everyday lives of school administrators, school teachers, and students in one economically-challenged elementary school in Maryland. It provided fascinating insight into their collective struggles to deal with the No Child Left Behind program, which mandates testing of students. It's a generally even-handed and fair look at the program, acknowledging that in theory the testing is a reasonable idea, but showing how it creates myriad problems in practice. It's a very readable and cogent narrative of the course of one year, and provided real insight into the lives of these critical (and sadly, underpaid) members of the workforce.

TESTED is an excellent book about the meaning of the test-and-punish philosophy embedded in our federal education law, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

TESTED resounts the choices that the principal and teachers in one Maryland elementary school believe NCLB forces upon them. Perlstein tells the story of the entire 2005-2006 school year she spent at Tyler Heights Elementary, a school that serves very poor children and teeters on the brink of making or losing the Adequate Yearly Progress rating NCLB awards to a 'successful' school.

"Bombard, bombard, bombard those children with the kinds of questions they'll have on the test," the principal rationalizes. "You want the students at a level of automaticity with reading those test-like questions."

The reader spends days stretching into months with the third-grade teaching team. We watch them collaboratively plan each day to the minute, and we listen as the children yearn for more at school---to do some science, read for fun, perform a play. Will the school raise its scores enough? Suspense mounts until the last chapter. Then the reader must weigh the benefits and costs.

"Tested" is a fascinating but depressing account of how the No Child Left Behind act has affected one government-run elementary school serving an overwhelmingly poor & minority population in inner city Annapolis, MD. Test scores at the school are way up, but at the price of doing little aside from drill-and-kill reading and math test prep.

Ms. Perlstein is clearly sympathetic towards the teachers and students (sometimes overly so) and antagonistic towards the hard-nosed district superintendent, state & Federal officials, and NCLB in general (again sometimes overly so). For example, she paints a rosy picture of the pre-NCLB "whole language" reading program at the school and bashes the current phonics program while glossing over the fact that the failure rate went from a whopping 80% down to 10% in 2 years after the switch. The pendulum may have swung a bit too far, but that doesn't mean it was the wrong direction.

Another example of how Ms. Perlstein lets her political agenda bias her writing is in her treatment of the children who show up to kindergarten unprepared. Instead of placing the blame where it should be (on the parents who aren't teaching their kids what they need to know), she goes off on this big propaganda for universal government-run preschool. Most of the people my age & older never attended preschool, and many in my parents' generation did not even attend kindergarten, and somehow we all did just fine. Not to mention that the existing government-run preschool programs have yet to show any lasting positive benefits.

"Tested" would've been a better book had it been written from more of an objective journalist point-of-view and less of an activist one. Still, I found it a fascinating account from the trenches of the tremendous pressures NCLB has placed on teachers.

No Child Left Behind inspires passionate rhetoric from both its supporters and its critics. If you're a supporter, NCLB is a watershed law that finally pulls failing urban and rural schools into the light of day. If you're a critic, NCLB is an oppressive law that cruelly burdens teachers under siege with even more demeaning job requirements. For laymen trying to get an informed position on the law, it's very hard to find books and articles where you can familiarize yourself with the issues and come up with your own opinion. In "Tested", Perlstein provides a powerful story that shows how a successful NCLB school in Annapolis develops a laserlike focus on the tests and ends up getting the scores.

Perlstein clearly dislikes the law and strongly criticizes NCLB in every way. A teacher Perlstein admires ends up leaving the school at the end of the year after becoming overly stressed by the school's focus on test success at the expense of learing. We frequently see some of the artificial techniques that are used to help boost scores such as breathing exercises, incentive plans and even a mascot led assembly. She portrays students as losing the meaning and the life of education as they seek to become masters of BCRs, the mechancially graded Brief Constructed Response questions. And in the end, she questions whether the tests measure anything useful. In the later portions of the book, she alludes to how the test writing process is flawed and how students who struggled with basic writing ended up getting scores that surprised the adults. The third graders who teachers are convinced will fail based on their day to day experiences working with the kids often surprise their teachers with passing scores.

This book falls short of being a definitive text on No Child Left Behind. We're only looking at one school. This Annapolis Middle School is one isolated low-income school in a relatively good district and the experience probably differs in some ways from nearby schools in Washington, DC, Baltimore, or Prince George's County. Perlstein's book would be much more powerful if she provided some stories from other neighboring schools so that we could see how typical the experience in this school is. Perlstein also overlooks the argument that many NCLB supporters will make. NCLB did spur this school to attempt to reach more kids than it did before testing. Yes, the school artificially pursues scores. But NCLB has lit a fire under the administration to succeed that may only need to be better channeled.

The book ultimately succeeds because you develop a real compassion for the kids she describes, the struggles of the principal and the tough choices that the teachers make on a day to day basis. Parents who are new to understanding NCLB can really gain from the stories in this book.

There's still room for a more balanced classic book on NLCB that addresses a wider range of schools and informs and changes the opinions of both supporters and opponents of NCLB. But Tested is a good first step and will help that book get written. I hope this book does well so that publishers can see that there is an audience for well-written, accessible books that help policy makers and the concerned public understand this controversial legislation.

4 stars

--SD

I love the hand-wringing the education community has been doing over No-Child-Left-Behind. My god, teachers must attend staff developments on how to "feel" about this law and its supporters. If they pledge to hate Bush, they'll get tenure; if not, not. I've been teaching for 25 years and as far as I'm concerned this has been the best thing to come down the pike in 25 years or more. From 1960 to 1985 we saw the dismantling of one of the best public school systems in the world. Earnest, hardened, hard-core battle-ax teachers, chiefly female, ran a great program for most kids of all walks of life. You never heard boo about immigrant kids in LA (or elsewhere) getting or feeling cheated. Standards were uniform. After the 60s, things began to fall apart. Step by step, everything that worked was cast aside. Major high schools like Hollywood, to take but one example, went from being the jewel in the crown of a great system to being a basket case. Everything went out the window. Curriculum? That was replaced by Robin Williams and his cast of circus clown friends who demanded the right to do their own thing. With the video recorder came film classes. At first there was a film club, then a film class, then a cinema department, and finally all the classes had their own VCRs and televisions and teachers played movies all day everyday, but especially on free-Fridays when all the administrators were out sick and on Mondays when all the administrators were downtown at staff meetings. I say "all." Of course, this is not quite true. There have always been good teachers here and there who wouldn't dream of wasting time. These types work quietly and keep their heads down. But the hustlers and "Teach for America" types, the "reformers," the administrative careerists are the first ones in line to use technology because like the big-boys in the Pentagon, power lies where the money is and the money is behind machines. During the great LA teachers strike of 1989, thousands, literally, of kids were herded into auditoriums all around LA, hundreds of thousands of children, were pushed into their seats and shown cartoons for 7 1/2 hours a day by cutting-edge educators who had nothing whatever to say to the kids other than "sit down and shut up." I heard it and saw it with my own eyes. There were principals, vice principals, deans, counselors, district superintendents, psychologists and nurses, not to mention scab-teachers, but no one had any idea what to say to the kids who had trudged to school those days and weeks, so they were shown videos. Educational videos? Ha! Even that would have required selection. No, they were shown Steven Spielberg dreck for hours on end, repeated day after day. Why? Because without accountability there is nothing anyone in this debased field can agree on. You say teach Homer, I say teach Toni Morrison, he says teach uplifting stories about gays, and another insists the stories must contain the saga of slaves and their descendants. When the dust settles, it is everyman for himself. Do your own thing. Keep the kids happy, don't hit them or if you must, don't leave any marks. If cartoons work, use them. Who's to say cartoons aren't educational. This is where we are. The Bush standards are awful, the testing is disruptive, the entire project is an insult to learning, but the alternative is what I lived and worked with: chaos.