Maryland Books

I am a Lippman fan; have read all but 2 of her books; but, I don't see how she could improve on this one. Great story, great writing, twists and turns, and a definite "I can't put it down" type of book. I highly recommend it.

I love Laura Lippman's writing style. My introduction to her work was What the Dead Know -- an incredible emotional ride of a mystery novel. The Last Place was the first Tess Monaghan novel I'd read (actually listened to as an audiobook read by Laurence Bouvard).

I thought Ms. Lippman did a great job presenting the personality and deranged thought process of the serial killer, juxtaposed against the inexorable logic of the private eyes determined to find him out. I thought the ending was justifiably exciting and violent, and quite satisfying. The author worked up to it in admirable fashion. I like Tess Monaghan as a protagonist. She's smart, practical, fun-loving, tough, sounds like a real person. Her boyfriend, Crow, however, comes across as a bit of a wimp and an airhead, and not quite up to her caliber. Their relationship seems almost entirely based on sex, which is hard to accept considering what a complex person Tess is.

The issues I had with the book, maybe because I enjoyed it as an audiobook rather than a read, are that I couldn't quite understand why the bad guy serial killer would want to get caught by revealing the list of his murders to Tess and why he would be stalking her in particular as she didn't fit the mold of one of his victims. It was necessary for the story to work but it didn't quite make sense from the point of view of "reality".

Minor issues. This book held my attention from the first page to the last.

A short way into Chapter I, we have "...the world had such a large supply of girls, and an even larger supply of perverts." Really? More perverts than girls? A few pages later, Tess, our heroine, drugs one of these perverts with his own Rohypnol, strips him of his clothes, except for his "briefs and socks", and throws his clothes in a dumpster. But in the next sentence "she arranged his wallet, keys, and pager in a pile next to his head and draped his jacket over him." Without bothering to retrieve the jacket from the dumpster. There are more examples like these.

When a writer has so little control over the world she creates that absurdities and oxymorons populate it more densely than her characters, I stop reading pretty quickly. So in fairness I have to say that I only read the first ten percent of this book. Maybe it improves later.

With out giving a a synopsis of the story, I'll say this is one of the best series going. I picked up EVERY SECRET THING, really liked it and started to read the series. The stories are excellent. THE LAST PLACE is a real page turner, the writing is above average and the story kept me interested to the point I finally gaveup trying to do anything and finished the book. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Laura knows her stuff. I'm not talking about reporting or the ins and outs of a being a working PI but writing novels. Not just novels but damn good novels. Here, Laura knows her stuff. Very, very well.

The Last Place is excellent. If you've never read her before, you are going to be surprised. Actually, if you've never read her before I would say go back to the beginning with Baltimore Blues because you need to read the progression of her character. Tess doesn't start off this tough as nails, sharp as a tack PI but as a reporter looking for work. Not only will you see the progression of the character but also the writer. Laura keeps getting better. With every book she takes what she learned from the last one and builds upon it. Her narration gets stronger, her descriptions more detailed, her plot tighter, and her books keep getting better. Laura knocks me side the head with each new novel and The Last Place is no exception.

Actually, it's better than that. I put this book down with a sense that I had just read something amazing and strong and the tip of an iceberg. I put this book down very pleased and for that I quite indebted to her. Thank you Ms. Lipman.

I could not get into this book at all. Slow, slow starter and I could not even finish it. I gave up at page 123. This is the first I have read in her series and will not read another.

Disappointed.

Laura Lippman consistently delivers well written, suspenseful novels and she does not disappoint her readers with the Sugar House. It is one of my favorites by this author. Her only flaw is her persistent P.C. bigotry towards certain individuals. Without this, her books would be even better.

When her brother goes to jail for killing a Jane Doe and he himself is killed, Ruth Denbrow hires Tess Monaghan to find out the truth regarding the Jane Doe murder. Sometimes the truth is more than you expect because this investigation will reveal some truths hidden by Tess's own father.

This is the fifth installment in the Tess Monaghan series set in Baltimore and Lippman is superb! In addition to solving murders she tackles issues such as eating disorders, shady treatment centers, liquor licensing and family relationships. Sugar House is a little slow starting but soon delivers a powerful punch and perplexing plotline. This is a must read for every mystery fan.

I just discovered this author and enjoyed this book very much. You don't have to read the first Tess books to enjoy this one which is always a plus with a series. The plot was unusual and the characters were realistic. I liked Tess and I was interested in her city and the situation. Lippman gave me some points to ponder as well as some medical conditions that I have researched a bit. That's always good to have someone stretch your mind a bit and that's what Lippman did with me. I recommend this book to folks who like mysteries and folks who read for pleasure as well as to learn a little something every now and then.

If you love Baltimore, you'll love this book. It's a bit less direct than her earlier books and this is probably an improvement. She's getting better at spinning together more complicated plots with more complicated narratives.

The first book that I ever read by Patricia Macdonald was Lost Innocents. Since then I have been reading all of her books. Not Guilty is just another one of her great novels. It is full of suspense and drama. Macdonald writes about her characters in a way that make you feel for them and what they're going through.

I kept turning the pages and thought this was a fast paced read but not extraordinary. The plot is decent but there were still questions left unanswered for me.

I have only discovered Patricia MacDonald not to long ago and have been devouring anything I can read by her. Not Guilty was a
great story about Keely Bennett who has a 9 yr. old son and a husband who suffered from terrible migraines. She comes home one day to find her husband dead, a sucide and finds her 9 yr old son Dylan in the closet after discovering his father. In comes Mark who says he is Ricards childhood friend and is a lawyer and offers to help Keely get Richards insurance and such in order. They fall in love and marry and have a child...but then tragedy strikes again when her second husband is also found dead. The DA who previously was engaged to marry Keely's second husband is out for revenge and tries to pin it on Dylan, Keely's brooding teenage son. Its a wild ride and keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed this book very much and read it in a day!
I hope Patricia MacDonaly keeps them coming.... still a few I haven't read yet and today will run out and get them!

I think that this book is worth reading, but it's not an edge of your seat page turner like some other thrillers. The plot is interesting (if not a wee bit far fetched) and will keep your attention. It just doesn't get thrilling and scary and make you anxious like some other books I've read.

It is the story of Keely Bennett. Her first husband committed suicide and her son found him. While dealing with this tragedy, Mark Weaver swoops in as an old friend of Richard's who has to come to help Keely with the legal aspects of his death. He falls in love, they get married and have a baby together. Too good to be true? Yes! Mark is found dead...presumable an accident in their pool. Until a woman scorned, the District Attorney, tries to pin it all on Keely's son. The story from there is about Keely trying to protect her son...and what they find out about Mark's death. It unravels at a quick pace and doesn't leave you wondering for too long.

It's a good book...but not too "thrilling."

I have read some of Patricia MacDonald's books previously and have always found them to be well written, with unexpected twists and turns. Ms. MacDonald writes in the same genre as Mary Higgins Clark - the everyday world surrounding an attractive and sympathetic heroine becomes a place of horror. This tale, which involves both a woman's relationship with her troubled son and her loss of two husbands who were also childhood friends under suspicious circumstances(one to suicide, one to an "accidental" drowning) is loaded with well drawn characters and that "turn of the screw" type of suspense that makes you keep reading. Yes, some will say it's predictable - but that's the beauty of it - you start one of Ms. MacDonald's books and you do know exactly what you're going to get. And, in today's crazy world, that's a wonderful thing. I highly recommend "Not Guilty" to those of us who love women in jeopardy novels and Lifetime Movie Network movies and aren't ashamed to admit it. I loved this book and now want to read all of this author's books!

I applaud the author's intent to bring this episode in engineering and science history to the limelight, but more information about geometric and astronomical concepts are required if this book is to be fully understood by even those in scientific and technical fields. But, having said that, there is far more good about this book than any failings in the details. Land surveying is much more than just geometry. As shown, there is a great deal of interpreting land descriptions (this hasn't changed at all since then!), heeding political sensitivities, and lots of very hard work. I recommend this book to anybody studying land surveying, cartography, geography (physical or social), or civil engineering. This book is mainly concerned with HOW boundaries are established. To understand about WHY boundaries are established in a particular location, see Andro Linklater's *The Fabric of America*

More on the fundamentals of applied astronomy would be helpful. The illustration depicting the length of a degree of latitude appears to be geometrically incorrect and very confusing (see my explanation in the discussion area below). A reader should consider reading some generalized geodesy references along this book. A publication titled: "NOAA Reprint of Basic Geodesy" is very helpful.

Most people know next to nothing about this subject, including me. This little book resolves that problem for me.
It turns out to be pretty complicated, and the author does a good job of including that difficulty in this treatment.
I have an interest in surveying and I am impressed with the knowledge that was (and is) required to survey lands. And, all the math must be done by hand. Mason & Dixon had the required personalities for this tedium, and succeeded in their tasks. you will enjoy this book both as history and scientific explanation.

First off, this book is very detailed and provides great insight to Mason and Dixon's journey of surveying the West line. There is an incredible amount of historical background (yay, I know I won't be failing history now! :-P ) and this is very good at providing the social and historical setting of that time period. Mathematically and scientifically, it was very complicated, but that's to be expected.

Second, Danson did a wonderful job and one of his reasons to writing this was probably to give readers the knowledge of what it was like back then and how two people can achieved such historical success.

So if you love history, or can at least stay awake half of the time during lectures, then this would be a good book. It's nothing like a traditional textbook. If you like math, especially trig, or astronomy, then this would definitely be your kind of book, too. Or, if you just want to impress people with your impeccable knowledge of how you know that the secret in measuring the differences in longitude between two locations is actually measuring the differences in time, then go ahead and give this book a try!

Drawing the Line was written to appeal to a wide readership - complex astronomy and survey maths are deliberately excluded. Nevertheless it is very gratifying when someone has a go at checking something difficult. Ed Moorehead got `hung up' on the distance of one degree of latitude at the equator and pole. The book is correct - his understandable confusion arises due to the fact that the Earth is elliptical and not circular and the fact that `astronomical' verticals do not pass through the centre of the Earth.

Drawing the Line was written to appeal to a wide readership - complex astronomy and survey maths are deliberately excluded. Nevertheless it is very gratifying when someone has a go at checking something difficult. Ed Moorehead got `hung up' on the distance of one degree of latitude at the equator and pole. The book is correct - his understandable confusion arises due to the fact that the Earth is elliptical and not circular and the fact that `astronomical' verticals do not pass through the centre of the Earth.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Gettysburg is certainly a popular topic for people interested in the Civil War and for those looking for new books. The authors of "One Continuous Fight" do more than take advantage of this popularity: they *build* on it and they add to our knowledge of it, both very admirable qualities in any book on history.

The beginning of this book was very good...the end was just *terrific* and included an assessment of performances and faults in not bagging Lee's army from the perspectives of Union soldiers and officers, Confederate soldiers and officers, newspapermen, politicians, etc. ***The last chapter is worth the price of the book*** - that is not an exaggeration. The authors' conclusion is...just kidding...I won't spoil it by telling you their (the authors') conclusions, but they are well-reasoned, thoughtful, and interesting. Read the book.

For me, the middle of the book had to be slogged through. They describe more than twenty separate engagements they could identify in that week-plus time from July 4 to when Lee crosses back over the river...some in a few paragraphs, some in full chapters...most of them were cavalry engagements. I appreciate the work it must have taken to gather material and write on these various engagements...unfortunately for me (but probably not most folks), I'm just not interested in tactical descriptions of Civil War engagements. If you are a Gettysburg or Civil War cavalry aficionado, or particularly interested in particular personalities or regiments, the bulk of the book will be very good reading for you.

I *definitely* learned a lot of new things - it was obviously not a simple matter of Meade letting Lee get away with no fighting in the interim...in fact, the fighting was almost "continuous," indeed.

I know the authors take great pride in drawing on significant amounts of primary material and a look at the bibliography shows this to be true...a god amount of the sources are manuscript material drawn from many different archives, and they weave a lot of first-person accounts into the narrative, which I always enjoy.

Production Quality - I was amazed at the number of typos and editorial errors there were...the authors have commented on this themselves elsewhere and say that most have been/will be corrected in the 2nd edition

There are a lot of good maps and a lot of illustrations; the majority of the illustration material is photographs of people mentioned in the book, and - to me - really don't "illustrate" the story...the few engravings that actually do add to the story did not seem to be re-produced as well, which is unfortunate.

I certainly admire the success of Mssrs. Wittenberg, Petruzzi, and Nugent...they are justly well-respected cavalry historians with more than a dozen books to their credit among them. That expertise shines through here.

I would recommend this to someone who is pretty well-read/familiar w/ the Battle of Gettysburg but wants an in-depth look at the hard fighting over the next two weeks and explanations for how/why Lee "got away." They do need to be prepared for detailed descriptions of more than twenty different engagements, which can be dizzying.

My two cents.

First off I am not a professional reviewer or historian. I'm just a casual reader who loves learning about the Civil War.

I originally finished this book a few months ago and just finished re-reading and decided to review it. I enjoyed it very much. It made me look at the retreat (something I always took for granted) in a different light. Like a lot of people I originally
thought Meade just goofed by not chasing Lee. I also enjoyed the "smaller" stories like the Confederate soldiers who told the young girl not to worry we aren't going to hurt you we're just dusty and dirty! I'm also glad to see that J.E.B. Stuart re-deemed himself.

It's written in a style that is easy to read. Although we all know how the story ends for me it was an exciting adventure story that I didn't want to put down. I liked the tours at the end of the book with the GPS coordinates and can't wait to try them. Great job!

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

One could fill a room with the books published on the Gettysburg campaign. Until recently, however, no single volume examined the tactical maneuvering following the battle itself as both armies maneuvered toward the Potomac. In most coverage of the campaign, scarcely a page covers the events between the end of the battle and the arrival of both armies at the Rappahannock River near Culpeper. This groundbreaking book finally provides just such an examination.

One Continuous Fight covers the nearly two dozen different engagements that took place during Lee's retreat to the Potomac and Meade's pursuit. While all three authors are recognized Civil War cavalry experts, this is a work for the sake of the cavalry. Cavalry units are simply the medium through which the majority of the story is told, as they were the principal players in the majority of the fighting. It was Confederate General Jeb Stuart's task to protect the exposed columns of Lee's army as it maneuvered toward the Potomac. The majority of the effort to intercept and disrupt these columns was assigned to Union general Alfred Pleasanton's Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The army itself hurried in pursuit to complete the destruction of Lee's army if brought to bay.

Many people think that Meade's pursuit was simply a footrace for the Potomac by both sides, marked by little actual fighting. The authors do an excellent job of illustrating the continuous and desperate fighting that occurred throughout the pursuit. Noah Andre Trudeau wrote an extremely thought provoking essay on Meade vs. Lee that is an excellent set up for the authors' narrative.

This book draws upon a truly massive array of sources, including letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, and published primary and secondary sources. Many of the primary sources are previously unpublished. These new resources enable the authors to carefully describe each engagement within the framework of the overall pursuit. While the tactical discussions are very detailed, they enhance rather than bog down the story. The authors do a masterful job of weaving primary sources and text into a captivating tapestry that is at once easy to read and nearly impossible to put down.

To my mind, this framework makes the book all the more valuable as a reference. Each engagement, analyzed in detail from both a tactical and strategic standpoint, is contained within in its own chapter. After reading the entire book, the reader is left in essence with an encyclopedia of the retreat and pursuit.

The authors were remarkably evenhanded in their treatment of the pursuit. Both Union and Confederate viewpoints and sources are utilized throughout the book. Both sides are equally praised and critiqued, as appropriate to the situation. Such objectivity is unfortunately rare.

The conclusions chapter is yet another illustration of this, and a major strength of the book. It provides a balanced look at the various controversies surrounding the retreat. They attempt to break down the questions concerning each one and answer them in the context of the personalities and information available at the time. Each is answered in detail, with the same evenhanded consideration to opposing schools of thought that characterizes the rest of the book. In the end, my impression was that Lee was very fortunate to get away with his army intact, and that it was a much narrower escape than previous reading had led me to believe.

Unlike many works, this book is complimented by excellent work from start to finish. The book is well-constructed, with a wonderful jacket and great printing and binding. Savas-Beattie is to be commended for the quality of the work. Eighteen maps greatly enhance the reader's ability to visualize the engagements, and dozens of photos show the participants. Two comprehensive driving tours are included as appendices, including GPS coordinates for those who enjoy following the footsteps of those who fought. These are particularly important in this book, as many of the places mentioned are unmarked by historical markers. While there are some editing errors in the first edition of the book, they don't detract from the overall excellence of the work and have reportedly been corrected in the second edition.

Overall, this is an excellent book, both as an entertaining read from the amateur, and a detailed study for the more discriminating historian. The authors have greatly enhanced the body of knowledge on Meade's pursuit of Lee following the battle. It will appeal to anyone interested in the Civil War, and deserves a place on the shelf of any civil War historian's library.

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.

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'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.