Maryland Books

If you like suspense, if you like well written characters and if you love exciting twists and turns than this is the book for you. Just make sure that once you start it you've left a nice open block of time to finish it because I promise, you won't be able to put it down!

Mariah Stewart's New book Dark Truth is hot and very suspenseful, Mariah grabs ahold of you by the seat of your pants and holds you there until the stunning conclusion! I for one always recommend Mariah Stewart to anyone who love's A Good Mystery, go ahead give her a try, I dare you!!! ~ Chad James, Book Cove Online

Very average crime novel. This is my first time reading the "Truth" series. I agree with some of the reviewers who stated that the pieces of the story didn't fit. Very jarring in fact, for a first time reader like me, the sub-plot was very unnecessary. It made me so confused, so who is this Eddie Kroll and what is he doing butting into the story like that? Then, again why dwell on the murder weapon and then leave it unresolved?

Next stop was how the story unfolded in a flash back narrative that takes away the thrill of reading a crime novel, it was too passive and mystery factor was diminished. Yes, you can solve this crime before you reach the end of the book. Quite obvious.

I will skip her books as this author specialises in flash back narrative murders. Not my type of crime thriller.

Nina Madden is a book editor from New York City. Her parents were divorced and, after her mother died when she was fourteen, she lived with her college professor father, step-mom and step-brother. When she was eighteen, her father was arrested and eventually convicted of raping and murdering four of his students.

Nina lived with an aunt and tried to forget what her father did. Her father died in prison. Then Nina's step-mother dies and Nina receives a box of her father's prison belongings, including a letter her father wrote to her step-mom, maintaining his innocence and promising to never tell what the step-mom did.

The letter leads Nina to ask her true crime writer friend for help and they, along with a cop and FBI agent, dig deeper into the 16 year old murders.

This book was predictable and plodding, with an excruciating attention to Nina's movements which led to skimming. The killer was obvious (to me, anyway). The resolution was a mess, a convoluted, ridiculous mess. And whatever happened with trying to find the murder weapon? Did they ever find it? Do I care? No.

Dark Truth is the third in the Truth series and honestly it is just a mediocre read in my opinion. I read some of the other reviewers and was a little stunned by what they wrote. It started off a bit slow and like the other books, there was a lot of tedious information that did not pertain to the story at all or more reiteration of events that the reader just read about. This is the first in the series that I wouldn't classify as a stand alone book. Only because the underlying story with Regan and Mitch and her quest to find Eddie Kroll leaves the reader hanging. For those who read the two previous novels, they understand what is going on, but if one were to pick up this book without knowing anything about the connection and that Final Truth is the last book in the series, they would be very unhappy with the book. My only real problem with this series of books in comparison to other Mariah Stewart novels is that she never fully develops the characters emotions. It's more like reading the facts and not the real story.
I also have a hard time categorizing this book as a mystery thriller like another reviewer mentioned. There was very little of the whodunit aspect. Not enough red herrings to make the reader surprised at the ending. I'm sorry, some may disagree with my opinion, but I just didn't think it was the kind of story you would remember after a couple of weeks.

So, is it worth the money? Not as a single novel. As part of the series, on sale maybe. This whole series would be better to have been checked out from the library if it were available. The second in the Truth series was definitely the best and did hold it's own. Dark Truth is better if followed with Final Truth.

I was mesmerized by this book. I read it in two sittings. I was so absorbed in the story I felt like I was standing with Zoie, Birdie, Nat and Jerry. When I got to the end I wanted more, and I wanted to turn the last page and see what else was going to happen to these exciting characters. I haven't found a book this engaging in a long time. I was moved to tears several times and had to remind myself that I was reading a book. It definitely is a powerful story that will stay in your mind long after you are finished. A wonderful novel by an author that you will definitely remember. I plan to buy the author's Tommytown before the day is finished. I would recommend Gathering of Cans to anyone.

No long review from me - it isn't necessary. This book was plain fantastic. I read it every night for 5 straight nights and the story stayed with me for days on end.

I tend to read serious works of literature and rarely read light entertainment. However, several friends I respect loved Robert Saunders first novel, Tommytown, so I decided to give this one a try. And I'm glad I did.

Mr. Saunders wrote a wonderful story around aluminum cans, yes cans, that pulls you to the point of not wanting it to end. The characters come to life in this tale of Zoie wanting to build her swimming pool, but the way in which the author brings out the emotions, values and concerns with each unique can that Zoie finds is such a terrific way of telling this great story. I highly recommend it.

Robert Saunders has written a sweeping, emotionally powerful story that provides the reader with a most telling window into life of Zoie Baker over the past 40 odd years. It's also a moving story of friendship between brothers and sisters, sacrifice and heartfelt love between a husband and wife. Saunders is an amazing writer and "Gathering of Cans" rivals his thrilling mystery "The Monopoly Factor". I literally read this book cover to cover all 530 pages in 2 days. This is one of those books you don't want to see end as you've completely bonded with the characters and once the book is closed, you're no longer in their lives or they in yours. As much as I loved his other books I actually loved this book more. Definitely worth reading.

Where to start... I was so overwhelmed by the errors in this book, both technical and substantive, that I am not certain that my one-star rating is fair to the overall plot. But, based alone on such a flawed product I would never be able to recommend this book.

At the center of this novel is Zoie, a woman generally loved by her community but considered an eccentric by some, who has set for herself the challenge of building a swimming pool for children. She raises money by collecting discarded aluminum beverage cans and then sells them for recycling. Her motivation for this project is revealed along the way, although the reason for this money-raising method is not. Thus, in this quest, five of her mid-to-later years are passed, scouring highways and byways, fields and streams, alleys and restaurants, and the like. During this time, she happens upon selective old cans that stir her memories of important times, relationships, and experiences. Hence, the title is, I believe, a metaphor for the drawing together of memories.

NOW, if you don't mind a healthy dose of typos and/or misspellings; AND if you aren't at times bothered by the disregard of accepted standard language usage (e.g., the relative pronoun "that" being used often and throughout, instead of "who" when the antecedent is a person); AND if awkward syntax doesn't interrupt the narrative flow for you (e.g., "residing at" instead of "located at" in referencing places); AND if punctuation errors aren't problematic (e.g., use of quotation marks in paragraphing); AND if "alright" is all right with you...THEN this might be a book you could enjoy.

ALSO, if you can accept the concept of remembrances of a person who wasn't a part of a good many of the recalled events; AND if you can believe in a story in which every main character--except two bad guys--is exceptional in ability, relationships, and/or careers, given each is out of a lower-middle working class Baltimore neighborhood (I grew up in Baltimore); AND if you like very, very long, tangential stories that may enhance but not advance the story; AND if you want to know head-to-toe attire, including style and fabric texture and color, of practically all who move across these pages; AND if you're turned on by love-making scenes with graphic descriptions in what seem the author's stretch to write steamy sex; AND if you do not mind an author who summarily declares how things are rather than develops characters and events in order to draw the reader to understandings of his or her own; AND if you find some charm in the author's self-promotion within the pages of his own novel by, first, having a Cans' character mention one of his [Saunders'] previously published books as one of her favorites (irrespective of the incongruity of the time frames) and, second, by actually giving one of the Cans' minor characters his own [the author's] full name...THEN this may be the book for you.

While this is the author's fourth novel, it is the first of his that I have read. Because of bad editing and proofreading--unlike anything that I've ever before seen--I intended to send a shame-on-you letter to the publisher. However, in Googling, I learned that this is a self-publishing/printing operation--that is, one in which the author himself pays for the process, and that includes, it seems, options in levels of editing and proofreading. Therefore, I didn't bother. At the very least, a refresher English 101 course and the use of a good proofreader would have been helpful.

I am astonished at the four and five-star ratings found on this customer review site.

I think what made me excited about reading this book was the scope of the story revolving around cans...plain old cans. Once I started reading Gathering of Cans I just couldn't put it down. I found the stories of the cans to be unique, incredible and heartbreaking. And when I was done reading the story I could not stop thinking about the characters and how the author tied their wonderful life experiences to the Mountain Dew can, Budweiser can, the Christmas Coca-Cola can and the Nehi Can.. The characters were very likable, and the descriptions were super and not too drawn out. Also, the characters are skillfully woven from every perspective, soldier, sibling love, musician, outdoorsman, victim, bully, husband, wife, and they seemed authentic, and not contrived. I really liked how Mr. Saunders was able to capture so many character's feelings and thoughts. Also, I do applaud the author in his ability to bring all these character together with the main character Zoie and create an awesome ending that caused me to reach for a tissue. Plus it didn't leave any loose ends; everything was closed up; leaving me with no lingering doubts about the story. If you're searching for a terrific, well-written women's novel then this is the book for you. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to all my friends. Have a good day!

Hollis is dragooned into judging an Elvis impersonator contest by her no good godfather Albie Lydekker. Her ghostly ex-husband and most of the people she knows think it is a bad idea, so does she. But, Albie is in debt to Bang Bang Devine, mafioso and Elvis impersonator and he wants a contest. Then, Bang is discovered dead in Elvis drag at the seedy Lock and Load motel, and Albie is a suspect. Things get really involved between all of the different Elvii, the real E, Sam the ghost, Snow White the grunge rocker hooker, and all of the usual Eastern Shore characters. It is all alot of fun however. I really didn't even try to figure out who the murderer was, I wasn't surprised, but the characters were so much fun, I didn't really care.

Hollis is dragooned into judging an Elvis impersonator contest by her no good godfather Albie Lydekker. Her ghostly ex-husband and most of the people she knows think it is a bad idea, so does she. But, Albie is in debt to Bang Bang Devine, mafioso and Elvis impersonator and he wants a contest. Then, Bang is discovered dead in Elvis drag at the seedy Lock and Load motel, and Albie is a suspect. Things get really involved between all of the different Elvii, the real E, Sam the ghost, Snow White the grunge rocker hooker, and all of the usual Eastern Shore characters. It is all alot of fun however. I really didn't even try to figure out who the murderer was, I wasn't surprised, but the characters were so much fun, I didn't really care.

I like this series....but this book is not nearly as good or funny as the first two, or even the third, for that matter. Either way, I'm waiting for the next one. I hope the author takes her time on it.....I need somemore light and fluffy read on vacation books....

Helen really out did herself with this entry in the Hollis Ball/Sam Wescott mystery series. And she couldn't have selected a better subject to do it with. It is high time someone poked some honest fun at all the Elvis impersonations. But Helen is still slow in giving her readers the depth of characterization that both Hollis and Sam deserve. This isn't to say she isn't trying or that she isn't making progress. Somewhere along the line she just seems to be missing the boat.

It appears this could easilly be the last in the Hollis Ball/Sam Wescott series. Chappell stated in an interview she was having problems finding a publisher for entry number 5 in the series. Chould it be that even Hollis and Sam are giving up the ghost? I would be disappointed but I could easily get over it if Hollis doesnt' stop wallowing in the mud so much.

Or, "this Elvising is hard work."

Every small townprobably has a Lock and Load Motel on its outskirts. A haven forprostitution, drugs and unwary travelers who are looking for a cheap night's sleep. In Helen Chappell's mystery Giving Up the Ghost it also comes complete with the corpse of one minor mafioso, a superannuated doper ex-prom queen and a whole clutch of Elvis impersonators (or Elvii as Uncle Albie calls them).

Forget about the mystery it's not that important, just sit back and enjoy a great ride with Hollis Ball, her dead ex-husband, Sam, and all the other denizens of Watertown, living and dead.

This is a fantastic book. Exciting. Brilliantly written. Great characters. This is the book Thomas Hardy would have written if he lived through the seventies. If you are looking for literary fiction that is actually about something, The New City is your book.

I live about twenty minutes away from Columbia, Maryland, the real "New City," founded in the 1960s by the visionary James Rouse. (In fact, I bought this book there). While this has no bearing on the story, it certainly makes it a more enjoyable read. I would note, however, that you can probably pick out some obvious parallels between the fictional Newton and the real Columbia. Any sucker for detail will be enthralled by Amidon's references to events in the 70s, neighboring communities in Maryland, and his vividly defined characters. However, his thorough writing does not plunge the story into pithy, irrelevant facts - you're given what you need to know and a whole lot more to truly understand the story. I've never seen a white writer do such an excellent job of rendering black characters - or treating his teenage subjects as something more than shallow, blithering idiots. I hope to see this studied in high school English - or even History classes - one day, as it's an excellent time capsule from the summer of 1973.

I came upon this book by chance and was amazed when I read it. Who is this guy and why don't we hear more about him? The New City is literary fiction of the highest order. The plot is gripping, the characters complex and fascinating, and Amidon writes like a dream. By focusing on the lives of three families in the summer of 1973, he manages to tell the story of our nation during that turbulent time. More please.

I throughly enjoyed reading this book. I'm one of those people who likes the 70's (and lived through most of it) so I enjoyed the pop culture references, which weren't essential, but helped to give the novel a little bit of atmosphere. The plot itself is intricate, and I was taken off guard by everything that happened. I liked the characters, even though most of them were really flawed. (I think I liked Teddy the most, even though he's extremely nerdy and a bratty little rich boy, he's very funny and charming in a weird way.) I loved reading about all the aspects of planning the city and the founders' idea of an utopian community, where racism or class distinctions don't exist. Very fascinating story with a killer ending. Even though it's been over a year since I read the book, I still wonder about the characters, and what they would be doing now, etc. I heartily recommend it to everyone.

From page one, The New City had me hooked. It took me all of two days to finish this 445 page masterpiece. It is my firm belief that The New City is one of the most important American novels around... people will catch on in time if they have not already. The plot is bold and clearly written, never failing to surprise and grip the viewer. Amidon deals with important topics such as race, class, and trust in an intelligent and passionate way. This novel consumed me... it had me reading it until the early hours of the morning. Remeber the name Stephen Amidon -- it's going to be around for a while.

C. X. Moreau wrote a very detailed war novel about the events leading to the Battle of Sharpsburg which was the bloodiest battle in the U.S. Civil War. In each chapter Moreau shows the veiws of the Confederate and Union generals and occasionally the soliders. Much of the book describes the hardships that the soliders had to endure to get from one battle to another. The had to walk through thick clouds of dust in the blistering sun and eat less than acceptable meals. I personally didn't like this book very much. There was too much discription and it took several chapters for the book to get into any battles, but it does discuss many war techniques and stratagies.
This book is very accurate to the facts of the Civil War. All of the generals mentioned in the book were real people who played major roles in the war. The Essential question I will be answering is What does it mean to be an American? In the book the men strive for glory for their faction. To be an American is to be proud of your country and your fellow countrymen. The men on both sides of the war fought for what they thought was right for their country.

Tom Parker's able reading of C. X. Moreau's terrific telling of the Antietam story works superbly on the one disc, 12-hour format. Parker maintains an authoritative, objective tone and recreates the individual voices--this novelization based on historical record depends on constant shifting points of view of all principals at Turner's Gap and Sharpsburg--with a non-histrionic authenticity. Indeed, his reading of Moreau's rendering of the thoughts and words of just about every major figure from Reno to A.P. Hill manages to sound genuine rather than offer the common stilted manner associated with so much of captured Civil War dialogue.

The novel itself gives needed attention to the preliminaries to Antietam, notably the actions at Turner's Gap from the shifting perspectives of D.H. Hill and General Reno, who died there. As one who has read a number of the major works on and accounts of the Antietam battle, and who has visited the site many times, including on last year's 140th anniversary, this novel really puts the flesh and blood into the historical event for me. As a historical novel should, Promise of Glory does not substitute for the analyses, anecdotes, and accounts. It simply provides them a dramatic narrative context which, at least for me, puts the real people into the hills and rills and cuts and corners of that hallowed piece of Maryland. I recommend the novel to readers and, with this valuable rendering, listeners alike. I read it last year and just finished the listening and am greatly improved by both encounters. I recommend it especially to those familiar with the battle already. I do not know how it would work as an introduction.

The MP3 format of this recording for those who have replay capacity for it on their CD players permits the handling of but one disc for the entire work. The studio work is very good--better than some other I have gotten from Blackstone--without the dropoffs, volume changes, echo chamber sensations, and telltale stop-and-restart pops lesser producers too often permit. The chapterization is a bit abrupt in the reading--I can't imagine there weren't a couple more seconds available to pause and go on more patiently--and the pitfalls of the CD versus tape system (the difficulty of replaying a missed or inattended section) remain, but the ten minute sectioning helps somewhat. None of these quibbles should dissuade anyone from getting this disc into his ear "as soon as practicable," as Lee himself might say.

Tom Parker's able reading of C. X. Moreau's terrific telling of the Antietam story works superbly on the one disc, 12-hour format. Parker maintains an authoritative, objective tone and recreates the individual voices--this novelization based on historical record depends on constant shifting points of view of all principals at Turner's Gap and Sharpsburg--with a non-histrionic authenticity. Indeed, his reading of Moreau's rendering of the thoughts and words of just about every major figure from Reno to A.P. Hill manages to sound genuine rather than offer the common stilted manner associated with so much of captured Civil War dialogue.

The novel itself gives needed attention to the preliminaries to Antietam, notably the actions at Turner's Gap from the shifting perspectives of D.H. Hill and General Reno, who died there. As one who has read a number of the major works on and accounts of the Antietam battle, and who has visited the site many times, including on last year's 140th anniversary, this novel really puts the flesh and blood into the historical event for me. As a historical novel should, Promise of Glory does not substitute for the analyses, anecdotes, and accounts. It simply provides them a dramatic narrative context which, at least for me, puts the real people into the hills and rills and cuts and corners of that hallowed piece of Maryland. I recommend the novel to readers and, with this valuable rendering, listeners alike. I read it last year and just finished the listening and am greatly improved by both encounters. I recommend it especially to those familiar with the battle already. I do not know how it would work as an introduction.

The MP3 format of this recording for those who have replay capacity for it on their CD players permits the handling of but one disc for the entire work. The studio work is very good--better than some other I have gotten from Blackstone--without the dropoffs, volume changes, echo chamber sensations, and telltale stop-and-restart pops lesser producers too often permit. The chapterization is a bit abrupt in the reading--I can't imagine there weren't a couple more seconds available to pause and go on more patiently--and the pitfalls of the CD versus tape system (the difficulty of replaying a missed or inattended section) remain, but the ten minute sectioning helps somewhat. None of these quibbles should dissuade anyone from getting this disc into his ear "as soon as practicable," as Lee himself might say.

Finally, I know there is another Moreau work out there, out of print, somewhere, and would welcome some assistance in obtaining it.

In the meanwhile, get this book and this recording.

If you are looking for a historical account of the Battle of Antietam this is not the book to read. If you are looking for a minute by minute, unit by unit account of this book, you are looking at the wrong book. This is a great novel on the men that fought the battle and the horrors of the battle. You see the battle through the eyes of many prominent civil war officers such as Lee, Longstreet, Jackson, Hood, McClellan Porter, Hooker, Burnsides and both the Hills. Moreau gives great descriptions of the battles and the men that fought in them. The nice thing is that this book isn't bias toward one side or the other. It's not another book written with the Lost Cause in mind, it shows the battle from both sides. There are similarities to the Killer Angels, Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, which is fine because those are all great books too. This book can squeeze into the trilogy as a good account of the battle of Antietam. I recommend this book to civil war buffs and anyone who is looking for a good book to read.

"Promise of Glory" is a highly illustrative novel in many aspects. Moreau is particularily adept at character description and development and battle scene descriptions. It's almost as though he has battle experience himself. His accuracy and thoroughness are to be admired. Moreau's approach to describing the battle - the novel switches gears from one side to another and from one general to another - is particularily effective and keeps the reader turning the pages.

This isn't exactly a minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow description of the battle; it isn't meant to be. Rather it examines the vaious generals' thoughts and decisions - or lack thereof - all the while giving the reader what he needs to know about how and why the battle took place. For that alone it is worth the read. Moreau's dialogue - some fictional, some historically documented - is great and adds depth to the characters and battles.

A note to the tools who deride Moreau for his "similiarity" to Shaara: Instead of wasting your time writing hundreds of book reviews, of which at most *tens* of people will read, try and write a novel yourself and come up with a completely unique and new genre of writing style. Comparisions of Moreau's book to other Civil War writings are to be expected. But to more or less accuse Moreau of copying Shaara's writing style and characters shows you for what you really are: Trekkies who spend your time trashing others' work because you yourselves are more than likely failed authors.

Peter Moskos presents himself as a reasonable and sensitive policeman who cares as much about the neighborhoods he's worked in as the other police officers he works with. His writing seems at once personal and well-researched. By giving us his first-hand account of how the war on drugs is damaging our inner cities and our police forces he makes a very convincing argument for real change in America's approach to the "drug problem." I found his writing engaging and persuasive and highly recommend this to anyone who still believes drugs are the cause of so many of our societal ills.

I am writing this review for my husband who read the book. He said it felt more like a training manual than a story about a cop on the streets. Not what he expected.

This book is amazing. It takes you into the real life of becoming a polie officer through the academy to life on the streets. Peter Moskos does an excellent job in telling the truth of the life of a police officer. For anyone interesting in becoming a police officer or would like to learn what life is like. This book is for you. I highly recomend it. This book was very well written.

A truly insightful view of of a modern urban police force. As a Baltimore native, I have a greater understanding to the strategy and tactics employed to police this city.

Even before watching The Wire, I was very interested in what actually goes on in tough inner city neighborhoods - particularly between cops, criminals, and regular citizens. Peter Moskos was on the street there as a cop, and the combination of hard headed practicality, a love of cities, and a broad background in sociology make for an engaging and low-bs read. Anyone who's interested in the drug war, police culture, or the future of the inner city should definitely read it (and it's a quick read).

This book is about as perfect as you can get! Mainly a true story of a lawsuit against Paladin Press for publishing the book HIT MAN, it is a very entertaining read for such a gruesome subject. Sweeping through law school discussions, 1st Amendment history, and the details of the US Court System, this is a real page turner. The details of the lawsuit, the personalities, the judges, including one whose elderly father was murdered in his own driveway just a few years before this case started, are all fascinating! So for a tour through the law and the truly horrific murders of 3 completely innocent people, and even the streets of LA and Motown records, and much more, this one is tough to beat!

Deliberate Intent is a personal account of a lawyer devoted to the idea of First Amendment. As a true believer in free expression, when he was approached to serve on the legal team that sued Paladin Press for the publication of Hit Man, a manual for the successful hired murderer, he was very reluctant. However, after some efforts he agreed and this book tells the story of his legal, intellectual and emotional involvement in the affair. The reader feels Smolla's commitment to free expression and, at the same time, also Smolla's conviction that this book exploits all that is right about free speech to inflict evil and thus it places itself outside the boundaries of the First Amendment. The account is very personal, sometimes TOO personal (a more stringnet editor would leave some parts of Smolla's diversions outside this fascinating book) but it is a very engaging book that I, personally, read cover to cover without a break. Now I teach it in my free speech classes.

This is a well written and structured book which takes what most people would consider a dull subject and makes it interesting and entertaining for any reader. The subject is the book Hit Man and whether it was protected by the First Amendment.

The author develops the case from beginning to end in a very readable way and uses his teaching class examples to educate non legal readers in the issues of law being debated.

I am a non lawyer and am not American but I have much better understanding of the issues and the First Amendment. The author wrote the book in such a way that I gained this understanding in an entertaining and very readable way.

The use of character development for each of the lawyers involved also gave the book life and relevance to non lawyers.

This is one of those few books that can be considered 5 star.

A publishing house turns a tidy profit on a "how to" book--about how to be a contract killer, that is. A man hires somebody to kill his wife and handicapped son for insurance. The murder is committed using the "how to" book as a blueprint. What is a First Amendment free speech absolutist to do?

That is the burden of this book and its author, Rod Smolla, a professor of law at William and Mary's law school. With every fiber of his being, Smolla believes in the First Amendment and unfettered free expression. Then, he takes on the case of the victims' next of kin against the publisher...and winds up doing battle against the assembled might of the First Amendment bar in federal court.

It's all here. Smolla is a good story teller and he has put together a good narrative of the thrust and parry, point and edge of the case. His character sketches of the lawyers involved and the defendant publisher are wickedly funny. He spares no one, friend or foe (at one point, he says that his co-counsel on the case suffers from "narcistic fibrosis.") The writing style is crisp and fluid. Smolla weaves into the book meditations on the clash of rights with obligations, the different schools of jurisprudential thought from the Natural Law to Legal Realism, the vicissitudes of judges and judging, and the tension-filled process of creating a legal theory and the record to back it up. I was so engrossed in the story I had no idea I was actually learning something!

As an aside to lawyers and law students, this could be the best basic book on legal process and legal practice since the "Buffalo Creek Disaster." If you like this book, check out Patrick Cleary's book on the R.A.V. cross-burning case before the Supreme Court.

The story (which, of course, was true) is very engaging; however, the book had several flaws that hindered my enjoyment:
- There was an excessive amount of typos--all were the kind spell checkers don't catch (e.g. "peels of laughter").
- Details were left out that caused confusion (e.g. how did the Department of Justice report become part of the record on appeal?).
- The law school scenes stretched credibility--all the students' answers were close to perfect analysis, which is not the norm. Clearly class dialogue was edited for the book, but it gave an erroneous impression of the law school class environment.
- The end of the book should have left out the "apology" for making money on the case, which came across sounding somewhat disingenuous. It appeared the author considered the apology obligatory; but if so, why did he throughout the book bring up how impecunious he was? The whole topic could have been left out with no loss, and some gain in focus. Or, the author could actually have been honest and admitted that of course he's human and the possibility of a large payout was a motivating factor. Even altruistic law professors-turned-plaintiff's-lawyers must eat, and it's nothing to be ashamed of (and comports with American values) to risk your time and effort on the possibility of a large reward.

This guide is not very good. We bought during our trip to Seneca rocks and quickly discovered that it was totaly useless. It only covers major areas and descriptions and directions are preety bad. If you are looking for good climbing guide for Maryland get 'Climb Maryland' by Indy Kochte

This is a comprehensive guidebook. It includes pretty much every major climbing area in WV, VA, and MD. Its got a good detailed chapter on Old Rag mountain in Shenandoah that other guides don't cover nearly as well. On the other hand, you should get the guidebooks for a specific area (like New River Gorge or Seneca Rocks) if you'll be doing a lot of climbing at a particular spot, because of its broad scope this guidebook won't include all routes for those areas, nor the smaller crags scattered around the region. There's a great guidebook called Climb Maryland! that treats all the central MD spots really well.

Eric's book is all encompassing for the DC metro area climber. It is well written and covers all of the popular climbs. I gave it 4 stars, because I would have liked to have seen just a hair more beta and info about individual climbs, but all-in-all this is a "must have."

This FalconGuide is one of the better ones available, and for the travelling climber, or the DC-centric climber, probably THE book to have (there are non-Falcon guides that specifically cover Virginia and Maryland in more detail, but are only really useful if you primarily climb in those specific states). Eric Horst worked long and hard, contacting a plethora of local climbers at the various crags noted within these pages to get route information, do photo shoots, and be given tours of the area to get a general feel of the land. He covers some of the more or most popular areas in Maryland/DC/Virginia (Sugarloaf, Rocks State Park, Great Falls, Crescent Rocks) as well as *the* two big weekend destinations in West Virginia (Seneca Rocks, New River Gorge), but interspersed are numerous "local" crags that you might never have known about otherwise (short of locating one of the state-specific or crag-specific books that might or might not exist). This serves to give you options to go elsewhere when you can't make it to one of the more popular climbing spots, or if the weather is entirely TOO nice and hordes of people have descended on the main crags, alternate places to go and get vertical. Also, the number of small climbing areas gives the travelling climber options for places to go when they simply cannot get out to, say, Seneca when on the road down around, say, Charlottesville. Crack open Eric's guide and see what's nearby!

The route descriptions are pretty good, and nicely supplemented with a mix of topo photos and drawings (if you're not an artist and you've tried to draw a topo to a crag, you can appreciate how difficult it can be to get it just right!).

Eric successfully treaded the fine balancing act to not reinvent the wheel for places that already havae extensive guidebooks (e.g., Great Falls, et al), but at the same time, adequately cover crags that have or had absolutely no guidebook at all.

More than just a simple guide, Eric's book also gives you a little bit of climbing history to many of the crags, details travel/trip information, has nice readable maps. He spends 18 pages on a general introduction, then devotes the next 380 pages to the various crags.

Even if you only climb in Virginia, Maryland, or West Virginia, and already have one of the state-specific or area-specific guides, this is still an excellent book to have for the day when you might want to step across the border. :-)

Very detailed, professionaly written, accurate. In fact provides more information on a given area than other publications. I climbed using this book as a guide.

Three for three, the Battle of "Antietam" just like "Manassas" and "Shiloh" were given space at the end of the story. This book's focus is on two of the brothers Will and Mac. However, there is an interesting romance with Titus and Polly. This is an easy and fun read. You will like it if you don't mind the way the author treats "Antietam." By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"

Writing as a Small BusinessQualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelTravelersThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early SettlersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil War

Antietam continues The Civil War Battle Series. As a long-time owner and rider of horses, I particularly enjoy the way Mr. Reasoner writes the relationship between Mac Brannon and the mysterious wild gray stallion which Mac has "captured". Man and horse have formed an incredible bond, almost thinking as one. For anyone who knows and loves horses, Mr. Reasoner has captured those feeling beautifully.

And, the war continues to disrupt the lives of the Brannon family, pulling them further and further apart. Combine well-written characters with well-researched and depicted battles, and you have a winning historical novel.

The main problem with James Reasoner's "Antietam," Book 3 in "The Civil War Battles Series," is the same as its companion volumes. The book is not ABOUT the Battle of Antietam, but rather it ENDS with the Battle of Antietam. Ironically, of all the battles covered in this volume--Stonewall Jackson's campaign in the Shenandoah, the Battles of the Seven Days during the Peninsula Campaign, the Second Battle of Manassas--Antietam probably receives the least amount of space. However, with the Civil War in full swing "Antietam" certainly offers more war and less soap opera than the first volume, "Bull Run." The happenings back on the Brannon family farm in Culpeper County, Virginia is fitting reduced to a minor subplot, although the romance between Titus Brannon and Polly Ebersole takes some surprising turns. More intriguing are the feeling of Cordelia's beau, Nathan Hatcher, who refuses to join the Confederate army and fight for a cause he cannot support. But the focus of Reasoner's novel are the two oldest Brannon brothers, Will and Mac.

Reasoner takes full advantage of these two siblings in terms of where he positions them to allow us to watch the war in 1862. Will is a Captain, commanding a company in the Stonewall Bridge, part of Jackson's fabled "foot cavalry." In "Antietam," Mac finally joins up with Jeb Stuart's cavalry, where he has the fortune of being the aide of Fitzhugh Lee. Consequently, the Brannons have a chance to witness many of the pivotal moments in the Eastern Theater of the War. These books do not have a lot of historical detail of the sort that would warm the hearts of Civil War reenacters, but Reasoner certainly provides a swiftly paced narrative. The soap opera elements that overwhelmed the first book in the series has been modified, although there is still a chance encounter on the battlefield and a hint of something extremely wrong between Polly and her father. This is not a great novel of the Civil War, but it is reasonably entertaining and certainly integrates the events of 1862. The section on Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign is probably the best in the book. I am looking forward to the rest of the series and wondering how many of the Brannons will make

Amazon lists eighty-four titles under Antietam. Try any of the other eighty three, as this one is not worth reading. As two other reviewers note, scant attention is paid to the battle at Sharpsburg/Antietam. Rather, Reasoner uses this title as suberfuge to take the reader riding all over Virginia from March to September 1862. Even the dust cover is misleading. Twelve pages of over 350 have anything to do with this battle, which is grossly oversimplified and underdescribed.

Reasoner seems intent solely on telling one chapter of an eight-part life of the Bannon family, a cliched and boring Southern family if there ever was one. The plot is plodding, the characters are stereotypes. Even with an accurate title, there would be little here worth reading. The editor and publisher should be ashamed.

And one more thing: Although this is a novel, the reader deserves at least a map of Virginia with each of the numerous towns and battles mentioned in the book shown on the map. Unless you know Virginia geography intimately, you'll be more lost than some of the commanders who, as Reasoner notes, suffered from poor maps. He doesn't offer any assistance. Better yet, some of the larger engagements merit detailed battle plans. One map would be worth five thousand words.

My only consolation is that I borrowed this from the public library. And, in this case, my Amazon recommendations were way off the mark.

Sorry, but I can't agree with other reviewers who say this is a "great" book. Of 358 pages, only 12 actually deal with the battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single-day battle of the Civil War. I'm no historian, but I know something of that battle and think that, even for an historical novel, Reasoner treats Antietam with too little regard for what it meant to the whole of the war.

While the book is a good read, its title is misleading.

As someone who grew up as a "county boy" around the same period as this book there was a lot of things that I could relate to. I saw myself and my childhood and my relationship with my father at times when reading this book. Though my experiences were not quite the same I do share a lot of similarities with the author and how he was raised.

An excellent read as well as a great insight on growing up in a city that forced you to be hard even if you were not built for that.

Truly one of the most powerful, lyrical memoirs I've read. The reader aches with recognition and hope in witnessing the struggle of one young man with the force of his parents' absolute determination that he will not be lost to the streets and the dark allure of releasing his own grip and allowing the river of hopelessness, self-abandonment, and despair sweep him along and ultimately drown him. Coates' honesty is remarkable and his triumphs hard fought and hard won. The writing itself flows with the same power that is found in skillfully written poetry - it surges into the unconsciousness in almost wordless images that speak to the vulnerable and struggling part of all of us. HIGHLY recommended.

Some stories are petit fours perfectly placed on dessert doilies and chased with chamomile tea. This story is not. This is a heartfelt center cut penned in rhythmic motion to the beat of Mr. Coates own djembe. I savored every word, marked passages that gave me goosebumps, and feared missing the next course if I put it down. Though I would've liked to know a bit more about the mother figure in this struggle, it is an aptly named triumph for both reader and writer, and in the end I dipped my biscuit in the gravy and smiled. Score one for us Mr. Coates.

While the author is a talented writer -- and his blog is a must read daily -- his total lack of personal insight mars an interesting story. Much of his life with his father is not amusing, but abusive, and it is shocking how much Mr. Coates does not see this. It is to be appreciated that he does see the contradictions within his father (a man who is known in Baltimore to be a total rip-off artist for writers wishing to self-publish), but a reader is left wondering if he ever got the point. Instead, one could see his son repeating many of the father's mistakes. Isn't the point of a memoir to show personal growth?

You know, as one escalates in age, but in particularly, in maturity with a little dose of wisdom and a touch of discernment, you begin to look at your parents as multi dimensional people. You realize, no they were not put on this earth to make your life miserable and without even consciously realizing it, the life lessons they taught you, the pitfalls they tried to keep you from falling into, become your reality. Ta-Nehisi Coates has penned a memoir for the hip hop( the ORIGINAL hip hop) generation. What I appreciated about Mr. Coates recollection of his childhood and coming of age tale was the fact that he didn't try to explain, defend or deny his father. He simply opened the door to the portals of ones mind, so that we can see the trials and triumphs of an american family. I appreciate Mr. Coates forth rightness about his father's inability to me faithful to any one woman, and how that may or may not have affected him. One of the most humorous passages of the book is when the elder Coates has enlisted Ta-Nehisi to go through the labyrinth of books and pamphlets in the garage and he proceeds to write line by line what Ta-Nehisi did or didn't do even down to Ta-Nehisi playing with his younger brother! That was classic! A heart wrenching passage is when the younger Mr. Coates shares with the reader his fathers utter disappointment and advising him of how he has shamed the Coates name. I will never forget, Ta-Nehisi advising the reader that no matter what you have heard about black men/boys, they do not want to fail or be deemed as a failure. This to me is one of the best memoirs for our generation and generations to come. I look forward to hearing more from this man.