Guns Books

I was captured by the title, "Dreams in Blue" and thought that I was going to learn about the author growing up with aspirations of being in law enforcement, then fulfilling his dreams and motivating others to follow their dreams. Maybe even put some myths to rest that he thought were true but learned weren't. Basically I thought it would be something of a motivational journey through the eyes of the author. This was not the case! While reading, I felt a sense of anger coming from him, especially when he goes off topic and brings up his political service and the mudslinging that took place on the city board. I felt like I was reading a tabloid account and was completely turned off by the book at this point. It seemed that a generally well conceived idea to put a career choice into words turned into an angry letter to the editor in book form. I would have been more interested in reading this if he would have taken out all the rants and left in his experiences related to the topic.

Dreams in Blue: "The Real Police"This is an Exceptional Book.I could not put it down.I agree with his views on the system.The stories he tells are edge of your seat,Thrilling.. to see if he catches the bad guy,Hoping he doesnt get shot or just listening to his routine traffic stops.It's like your in the car with him.You cant believe this is what cops deal with everyday.They are Heros in every since.He has lived an amazing life,He Helped alot of People,and was wronged by so many,When they should have been thanking Him.He told his Story so excellent in this Book.

Book Review: Dreams in Blue by Richard Neal Huffman

People today don't wonder why the show "Cops" was one of the longest running Television series in the United States. The show needed no scripts, no music (besides its infamous theme song) and no narration. Filming of incident after incident coupled with commentary from the Law Enforcement Professionals on the job perfectly sufficed. Unlike today with the litany of "reality" shows that plagues our televisions every evening; the idea of filming "reality" was revolutionary. Unlike today's "reality" shows (notice the parentheses, as most of these programs are carefully set up by producers and directors, and therefore far from resemble the everyday in society) COPS was filming what was actually going on in the shift to shift lives of Law Enforcement Professionals. This gave the ordinary citizen a window into the lives and struggles of our people in law enforcement. The show, as well as the use of video in general, also gave law enforcement a great learning and training tool; this tool could prove to be revolutionary to law enforcement today. It is no wonder to us today why such a show was so successful. Being able to witness the behaviors of people of which the law enforcement profession was designed to handle, and the struggles of the professionals who work in such an environment, is incredibly interesting and compelling for everyone.

The book, Dreams in Blue: "The Real Police by Richard Neal Huffman would prove to take its readers much deeper than a video camera could go. Unlike most of the police TV programs, accounts that are generally taken from largely populated areas, Huffman's writing takes you deep inside small town America. Small, quaint little towns that most people would drive through and think, "what a nice, quiet, and peaceful place," if they thought anything at all. Sadly, as evident in this book, no place where people inhabit is problem free. The derelicts of humankind exist everywhere.

The average citizen is not equipped, either mentally or physically, to deal with these derelicts. That is why even the smallest of towns have law enforcement coverage; and usually the coverage they do have isn't enough. The small town departments usually aren't operating 24 hours, and are usually understaffed and underfunded. This leaves people like Richard Huffman to be the street cop, the detective, the crime scene investigator, the SWAT cop, and the liaison to the public. Small town cops, even today, are your "Bill Hickocks" and "Wyatt Erps" of society. They have to be everything to the town in which they work. They work in environments where backup may be anywhere from two minutes to a half an hour away. In such environments, and with such duties, the ways in which problems are solved and situations are handled are far different then what you see from large city video footage.

Richard Huffman takes you inside this world; the world of the small town cop. This is a world where most video based television shows haven't ventured. He introduces you to people, situations, and a culture that is both interesting and unique from anything else you might read. He takes you on a journey from his life as a laborer from a sharecropping family, to his life as a military man during Vietnam, to his life on the streets as a law enforcement professional. He ends his tale from his journey into the political arena where he served as mayor, to his quiet retirement. He takes you not only into the environment of small town law enforcement, and not only into his personal journey in the profession, but he takes you to a place where cameras can't go: into the mind and emotions of someone in the profession.

This is a place that the cop reality shows can't take you. It is easy to sit behind a television screen and watch an incident with detachment. It is challenging if not impossible to get into the officer's mind and heart. Dreams in Blue takes you there. With his Hemingway-isk style of prose, Huffman takes on that seemingly impossible journey. You don't witness these incidents from a bird's eye or camera view. Through this book, you feel what it would be like to be there yourself, possibly having to handle such incidents that plague small town America. Incidents that may range from dealing with community relations or driving the town drunk home to the situations involving the violent criminal, the rapist or child molester, or the murderer. Are you prepared to not only witness, but feel what it would be like to have to deal with such circumstances?

Purchase Dreams in Blue: "The Real Police," and go on a journey with Richard Neal Huffman that you will never forget. It will change the way you look at your small town cop, and it will revolutionize the way in which you view our society. Get into the mind and heart of a "real" policeman. You'll be happy that you did.

Paul Janulis

Richard Neal Huffman stepped out of the TV of his childhood, and began walking then, in his daily reality, in the footsteps of his super heroes. Though some of Huffman's steps fell far and hard, he kept walking, kept defending, even now, 58 years hence.

This true story needed to be told and needs to be read. It was written in a clean, direct style which had me reading easily, comprehending without effort, wanting to return to read after being away only a few minutes.

Even having been married to a policeman for many years, I learned more from this story than I knew or had experienced about the life of a policeman, more of what I wanted to know, what I felt honored to know.

I am thankful to Amazon for many things, including opportunities in which to develop my profession as a writer; including various services to customers to communicate opinions to each other and to the public on products purchased; including product availability of items I need and can't get as easily locally, or elsewhere.

After reading this story I can say that I'm more thankful to Amazon for one thing over the others noted above. I'm thankful to have been able to find, read, and review the books I have from authors who believed in their work so much, they paid to have their books published. This book, DREAMS IN BLUE, has solidified that appreciation for Amazon being the only easily accessible, viable place in which I could have discovered this book and bought it, in the Super Saver Shipping category, no less. After reading DREAMS IN BLUE, my conclusion has become concrete that I've discovered more rare gems among the offerings of POD's like Publish America, Book Surge, Author House, etc., than among the established NYC Houses. I do not mean to disparage those houses or books; I mean only to elevate POD offerings as they deserve to be in the currently quirky and queue challenged market place.

This true story needed to be told and needs to be read. Yes, I've purposely repeated that statement from my above paragraph.

This is a man who didn't stop at reading and watching movies about super heroes coming to the rescue of the timid or weak, against those who brutally and repeatedly bullied them. This man dedicated himself to defending people in harm's way, from his childhood days through adulthood, in his personal and professional life. His stories accounting this walk reached beyond my heart, into my soul and will do that to most if not all who read it. One qualification, however: Please read this story from page one, in order, and slowly. To use any other method might allow a reader to draw inaccurate conclusions about "The Real Police." This story deserves any reader's apt and orderly attention.

In his introduction, Huffman writes: >>...so that people can better appreciate what the police do on a daily basis.<< He expressed that "daily basis" with refreshingly simply clarity, more so than any other police novel or true crime book I've read. Again, I don't mean to downplay the others; I'm merely expressing my opinion of the unique value in this account.

I had forgotten how underfunded most police agencies are, and how much this lack is increased in many small towns:

>> In stark contrast (to the City Hall in the same building), the police department was housed in a section that, back in the fifties and sixties, had been used by the fire department. During the time that the fire department used the building the floor had a drain so the fire trucks could be washed. The floor became impregnated with oil from leaky seals on the fire trucks. As a result, the carpet that was installed for the police department, later became discolored in spots from the oil working its way back to the surface. The carpet always appeared dirty because of the oil stains.... Many of the (ceiling) tiles were missing or broken, exposing a tangle of electrical wires running this way and that. Some of the tiles were discolored from leaks in the roof, a problem that was not only cosmetic but dangerous, since water and electric does not mix well.... Our two police vehicles were Chevy Novas with too many miles on them, both ran good but were in constant need of repair.... Generally speaking the night shift would get between three and ten complaints during the shift. Now that appears a small number, but when one complaint, such as a serious accident or someone stabbed, or shot, happened, then eight hours was just not enough. Mostly however, it was responding to domestic situations, a report of theft or vandalism a landlord tenant dispute, a disorderly person or a reckless driver. <<

I had known first-hand how these men felt to be in a patrol car alone at night, with backup sometimes a half-hour away in the distance. My husband was a deputy for Multmomah County Sheriff's Office, which protected the large rural county surrounding Portland, Oregon. Those deputies didn't run with partners; each vehicle was manned by a lone deputy, but there were other deputies and Portland police officers actively "out there" somewhere. In a small town like Bangor, Michigan, a single deputy would sometimes be alone in the city, the solitary law enforcement, except when an auxiliary or reserve officer would ride along or have their radios tuned.

This story lived up to its title perfectly, and it does so much more than that. "This is my story," means something here. Something I am thankful to have read. Something you will be thankful to read.

Thank you Richard Neal Huffman, for making it through the other side of throat cancer to write and publish this story. And, my thanks also to your family. I know how it feels to be on their side.

Thank you Amazon, for assisting authors like this to be discovered and read. That service is close to being equal to the one given by men like this author.

Possibly nothing rises above the service of a human being who steps far enough out of his boundaries of safety to rescue someone within the clutches of a bully, when that victim is not able to defend himself. Some people seem to be born to defend.

This hero will not go unsung. Read this clear voice singing as one, in DREAMS IN BLUE "The Real Police." Read it before the chorus comes. I'm proud to be among the first. This man, this story, deserves to be read.

Bless you and your family, Officer Huffman.

Linda Shelnutt

So often taken for granted, police throughout our nation help to maintain order and sanity in "civilized" society. They risk their lives every single day for people whom they will likely never meet, all to preserve peace. They see things people should never have to see and face situations people should never have to face. All while asking nothing more in return than a modest paycheck.
Dreams In Blue: The Real Police chronicles the real life career and experiences of one such policeman. The stories are chilling, inspiring and all the more poigniant because they are true. The reader is afforded a rare "fly on the wall" perspective of police work that gives a heightened appreciation for what it means "To protect and serve". Do yourself a favor and buy this one. You won't regret it.

Don Kates, Gary Kleck and numerous other contributing researchers have produced a well documented and scholarly but highly readable examination of a hazy issue which unfortunately has become an emotionally driven, ideological litmus test in our society.

Not only do the authors exhaustively and convincingly argue of the positive social utility of lawful, privately owned firearms, they effectively demolish or refocus many long-held assumptions that we in the US and overseas often have about firearms misuse, crime, criminals, crime statistics and the means by which we try to define and "combat" crime. In turn, they effectively rebut many scholarly critics of the "right to keep and bear arms" by looking at the 2nd Amendment not as an isolated aberration. Rather, they view it as a keystone of a closely interwoven Constitutional philosophy well grounded in English history and common law as well as in the political theory of George Mason, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, not to mention the philosophy of John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith and others.

The most fascinating part of the book is the writers' detailed exposure of the disturbing attitudes and behavior of many of those calling for ever-tighter gun controls if not for complete abolition of their ownership by private citizens. Among these are the relentless character assassination, crude ad hominem attacks, heavy editorial bias, routine scaremongering and bigoted stereotypy directed by anti-gun members of the mainstream news media, the clergy and intelligentsia (ordinarily so self-congratulatory about their presumably unassailable sense of objectivity, tolerance, fairness, balance and impartiality) toward law abiding firearms owners. Whether one is pro or anti-gun or none of the above, this phenomenon alone is a cause for serious concern.

Kates and Kleck present a reasoned discussion of the possession, control and use of guns and their impact on violence and crime in the US.

The book is a refreshing change from the pre-programmed argumentation that characterizes most of the "gun debate". As a gun owner, I dislike the lack of intellectual honesty that is endemic in the anti-gun literature but I also recognize the repetitive, almost ritual pro-gun prose.

Kates and Kleck address the traditional guns'n crime issues but also say that some types of gun control are desireable (ones aimed at disarming or disabling people who've demonstrated membership in the "criminal class").

They address in some detail the intellectual dishonesty behind much of anti-gun "science" and the biases in much of the press coverage of the "gun debate".

It's a very informative and readable book. I recommend it highly.

...the last 1/3 of it got bogged down in too much technical detail and repeated information that had been previously stated. That is too bad because the first 2/3 was well-written and informative.

This really is an interesting book - one that should burst some bubbles of the anti-gun crowd. The writers painstakingly analyze the statistics and the motivations of some of America's biggest gun control lobbies, including the Centers for Disease Control (did you know that they use bogus data to label handguns as a public health threat? They quote FBI data that literally does not exist - they cite the document but it does not have the statistics that they use as a justification to lobby against guns. The document doesn't even report that type of statistic!)

Don't let my comments about the last 1/3 of the book deter you from reading the rest of it - it really was worth the time and effort and firmly completed my swing from being anti-gun to being anti-gun control.

What is lost on many reviewers is the political history of the two authors which would cause some to assume that they would be viciously anti-gun. Well, they were, at one time.

Don Kates is a former "Criminologist of the Year" award winner, as is Florida State University's Gary Kleck. Kates is lawyer specializing in civil rights, and was instrumental in writing the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Part of Kate's life experience that shapes his views today were the violent attacks on the civil rights workers by roving bands of KKK. The local police would not come to their aid, so Kates found himself standing armed guard around the homes of NAACP officials. The KKK wisely kept clear. Even given this, Kates had fallen for the gun controlers ruse, "Saturday Night Special" (SNS) which are claimed to be disproportionately used by criminals. Kates later researched the subject and found that the term got its start in the post Civil War south. The original term was actually "Niggertown Saturday Night Special." It was used to villify inexpensive firearms (the only ones the newly freed slaves could afford) and resulted in only well-made and expensive guns being legal. Viola! Blacks were slowly disarmed and easily attacked by the newly formed KKK. Kates discovered that criminals actually prefer high quality firearms (just like the rest of us) and wonders, if the SNS theory is true, what the benefit would be to arm criminals with more expensive weapons the didn't "blow up, jam, or were more accurate."

Kleck is another self-described liberal Democrat. He is a member of ACLU, Common Cause, and Amnesty International. He was so firmly anti-gun that his original study was admittedly started to show that guns in the hands of peaceful citizens were not used very often to stop crime. His final study found that they were indeed used at least 2.5 million times per year in face to face confrontations to thwart crime. For this work he won the Hindelang award (most significant work by a criminologist in several years).

Despite their pro-gun data, Kleck and Kates still think that "gun control" and "registration" is a good thing in general. I don't. To find out why, look into Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. It was founded by holocaust survivors who saw Hitler confiscate Jewish firearms using registration data just before he killed six million of them.

This is a factual, well documented text. And that's just what it is: A text fit for an honest, college level sociology course. I found it very informative, especially the final chapter on Constitutional issues. However, I found the chapter dealing with the Fourth Estate, the press, a little curious. It seems that Kates bent over backwards giving excuses for the press's behavior, but went on to reveal a clear case of premeditated libel. Oh well, I didn't let that color my judgement of this well balanced presentation. I highly recommend this book because of the revealing statistics and their erudite presentation. A highly reliable book.

As I have been considering joining Mahamudra lineage of the Karma Kagyu, I wanted to get a feel for the fore-fathers of the lineage. This is a very interesting book, some of which, with my limited progression so far on the path, was not completely understood. Nevertheless I found it vital to get a feel for those yogis who formed the Kagyu lineage. I recommend you read it many times as your meditation progresses to get the most out of this book.

The Venerable Khenchen Rinpoche Konchog Gyaltsen is a Tibetan monk that has gone through all the phases of expatriation followed by refugees fleeing Tibet after 1959 (see the magnificent description of this period of Tibetan Diaspora in John Avedon's "In Exile from the Land of Snows"). He now lives according to http://www.drikung.org/bio2.htlm in the United States. Asides from being a teacher and a master of Buddhism he is a translator that strives to make important text available to the public and provide training in the Dharma. He has already translated other Tibetan texts, but he found that a translation of the 13th century text by Dorje Dze Od a disciple of the Kagyu lineage might be useful for the public and his students.
Dorje Dze Od was himself a great master that practiced in Western Tibet, experienced in meditation practices and perceived by his disciples in miraculous ways. He wrote a compilation of the lives of the Kagyu Masters starting from Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa down to the more recent Phagmodrupa and Lord Jigten Sumgon describing their mutual relationships, their miracles, illuminations and adding significant and beautiful doha songs (a kind of praises and prayers).
So we are talking about a translation of a 13th century text, like (if a comparison is consented) Dante's "Divine Comedy", or St. Francesco d'Assisi's "Laudato sii.." or Jacopone da Todi's Laudae. Naturally Italians, with experience of Latin and classical literature, are capable of understanding part of these beautiful and significant religious texts, but even our school editions have notes and explanations that consent to appreciate the full meaning of the texts, but when an English translation is necessary notes are indispensable. This is to say that once one decides to translate an ancient text, more so one with a religious and spiritual significance also in modern times and not only a narration of known and timeless tales (like for example the Iliad), this must be rendered comprehensible also to a non adept public. Notes, historical, geographical explanations are completely absent from this book. Only the dates of the life spans of the Great Masters are reported.
This particular characteristic makes this translation an esoteric book which is somehow a little frustrating for the interested reader. However, since the web gives us many resources I found great help on http://www.ordinarymind.net/Feature/feature1_oct2002.htm for a comprehension of the Kagyu tradition and on http://www.ordinarymind.net/Feature/feature2_oct2002.htm for the current meaning of the Lineage.
Remembering a "The life of Milarepa" I read many years ago, I took it down from the shelf and reread it. This translation I have (from the Rechungpa chronicle of is life - 12th Century) is by Jacques Bacot, and I don't believe it exists in English. Though not fraught with notes it is comprehensible and infinitely interesting to read and has the intent of explaining Mila's life to the occidental reader. The introduction expressly states "sometimes different words design a similar or same thing. We must remember the enormous distance that separates the intellectual world of Milarepa from that of the occidental reader today. Some misunderstanding might be present also regarding the facts. Our comprehension of the phenomena of Indian mystics will always be missing the will, and also the possibility of experiencing it, because it requires some conditions which are for us today unrealizable". Bacot wrote this in the 1920's. Maybe today it's truth is not so evident because many readers have an idea of Tibetan mystics and Buddhism is part of or New Age practical life philosophy. However, KK Gyaltsen's translation is sometimes really cryptic and this is a pity because the interest of the text does not come fully out.
The book has a sturdy binding, a colourful cover and very nice line drawings. At the end it reports the Drikung Kagyu lineage with the relative dates.
It is a useful adjunct to a library, but only a stepping stone to knowledge about such a different cultural milieu.

Translated by Tibetan Rinpoche Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen, Tibet The Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury is a collection of the wisdom of the early sages of the Kagyu sages of Tibet, many of whom are virtually unknown to non-Tibetans. Presenting the life stories of several enlightened masters including Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, and others, The Great Kagyu Masters is part biography, part religious history, and part insight into principles and teachings of this dynamic path of Tibetan Buddhism. Many of the biographical sketches alternate between standard prose and verse form. An enthusiastically welcome addition to public library, Buddhist history and Buddhism study shelves.

This book chronicles the lives of saints from those of the Kagyu lineage. It is concise when compared to books that are devoted to just one saint. The ones published under the Nalanda Translation committee (Chogyam Trungpa) are a treasure.

Another reviewer, Magalini Sabina "sabina", mentioned a book near the end of his review titled "The Life of Milarepa". There are few known translations of this text, and for those interested there is an English translation available: "The Life of Milarepa: A new Translation from the Tibetan" by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa. This is a treasure of a book and is very sacred in nature. There are a few editions of this book, the first being in 1977. The introduction reveals the history of the text and its translations, and the fascinating history that surrounds the text. The first English translation became available early in the 20th century by W. Y. Evans-Wentz, and if I recall correctly the translation the reviewer mentioned (Bacot) is the early French translation.

I am recalling most of this from memory, so my apologies go out to those who find my data incorrect. I highly recommend the new english translation of "The Life of Milarepa" for anyone seeking the life of saints. Thank you "sabina" for bringing it to light.

The book offers an interesting and entertaining look into the stories of the famous names in buddhist study. For those who want a further information as to why buddhists follow and honor these figures, it gives often lengthy accounts of their biographies, training, and accomplishments. Highly readable and informative.

I had high hopes for this book until I kept finding error after error in the text under the photos.

Here are some examples of the errors that I found in the text of the book:

Page 9: Book is about Air War over Europe but B-17 pictured is in the Pacific.

Page 15-16: Formation of A-20's are actually B-26 Marauders.

Page 85: Shootdown of Ju-88 is actually a Me-210 or ME-410.

Page 98: Shootdown of Me-109 fighter is actually a Arado AR-96 trainer.

Page 99: Me-163 Jet Aircraft should be a Me-163 Rocket Aircraft.

Page 102: He-111 is actually a He-177. Hint He-111's don't have four bladed propellers.

Page 113: German plane destroyed on ground is a captured French Dewoitine D 520 fighter.

Page 129: Square tailed Me-109 looks more like a Ju-87 Stuka and a FW-58 liason aircraft is not even listed in the text.

Page 130-131: Potez-63 is actually a former French LeO 451 Bomber.

This could have been a "Great Book" but it only rates as a "Good Book" due to all the textual errors. Buy it for the photos but don't put too much faith in the accuracy of the writing.

If you are interested in the history of aerial warfair you simpley must have this book. It shows the other side of the the stories of succesful aces. Some pictures do show the last seconds of the lives of maybe 10 to 12 crewmembers how simpley didn't even got a chance to escape. Imagine the panic which goes through the minds of these brave airmen in there often last moments. This book shows the real face of war, no glory just fear, suffering and sadness.

Looking at some of the pictures in this book is like looking at a horrifying car crash in slow-motion. Horrible and yet fascinating - you just can't pull your eyes away.

This is an absolutely incredible collection of unique action photos, and in some cases sequences of shots. As an example there is a series of photos showing one A20 actually getting hit by a bomb released by another, and then vearing off and colliding with another A-20. Absolutely incredible.

Another spine tingling shot shows what happens to a B-17 when it takes a direct hit from a heavy calibre AA gun. It's as if it was sliced into 3 components (tail, mid and forward sections) which have then been casually tossed hundreds of yards from each other. It is totally surreal.

There is simply nothing else like it out there. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone with an interest in the European air war.

This book offers us a glimpse of the brutality of the Air War over Europe from the American perspective. Numerous photos of doomed aircraft with wings sheared off, gas tanks exploding, gaping holes caused by flak that are both spectacular and horrific. One cannot help but to wonder what these men were thinking in their last moments. Overall this is a good book; I think, though, that there aren't enough pictures (some I've seen quite often) to justify the cost, and the text was somewhat sparse and did not offer much in the way of background information.

This is an excellent book. The pictures are graphic to the max and bring the viewer as close to the action as is possible. They are guaranteed to bring one's emotions to the surface and are not for the squeamish. I know, because the picture on page 43 of the burning Douglas A-20 Havoc was piloted by my cousin, 1st. Lt. Gordon R. Argyle of Joliet, IL. The plane, Betty Ann II, was new and Gordy had borrowed it from his commanding officer, Major Arthur R. Milow (who had named it after his wife). The plane was hit over Bonnieres, France (not Nazi Germany)May 9, 1944 and crashed in the vicinity of Frevent, France. The photo was taken by a crew member of another Havoc on the raid and may be seen on the 409th Bomb Squadron's website. In addition to Gordy, his navagator-bombadier Lt. Corey, and his gunner, S/Sgt. W. H. Oglesbee, died in the crash. The other gunner, S/Sgt. L. W. Dirikson parachuted to saftey and spent the rest of the war in various prisoner-of-war camps. He died in 1999. Lt. Col. Milow is still alive and living in CA. He's 85. Gordy was a member of the 9th Air Force, 409 Bomb Group (L), 643rd Bomber Squadron. Shortly before our grandmother died she requested that if Gordy's remains were found that they be brought home to Joliet. In keeping with her wishes his remains were taken from the U.S. Military Cemetary in St. Andre, France and buried in Elmhurst Cemetary, Joliet, IL.
I still get a feeling of deep sadness when looking at the picture and realizing that Gordy is alive and in the pilot's seat with God-knows-what going through his mind. What a sacrifice those men made! I hope it is appreciated.

I love the The Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series. Donna developes the plot with the dog as a main character throughout the story. Every chapter ends being a real page turner.

I really want the Rapid Fire book to come out in paperback soon !

I enjoyed Donna's dog mysteries so much, I purchased her older mysteries - "Dark Angel" and "Exposure", also really intriging reads.

I got this book looking for something since Virginia Lanier (author of the fabulous Bloodhound series) has passed away. Ball is a good writer. The developmet of the main character is not as dark... pverall the book is an easy read and not quite as compelling as Lanier ....but the tracking dog sequences are good.

This is the 3rd Raine Stockton Dog Mystery I've read and it was very enjoyable. In this book, Raine is asked to go to a cabin where a frantic and starving yellow lab is guarding his mistress who lays dead of an apparent suicide from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Raine's uncle, who is the sheriff, knows that she can remove the poor dog so the deputies don't have to shoot it.

There is no identification on the woman at the scene of the suicide, or even a vehicle parked near the remote cabin, so there are many questions about the dead woman that must be answered and the answers are not easy to find. The sheriff has doubts that the suicide is real and says that the suicide scene looks staged, to make it look like a murder.

The clues and the yellow lab provide key information that leads Raine, her uncle, the sherrif, and her on again off again husband, Buck, to unravel a twisted tale of jealousy, greed, and revenge.

Raine's personal life with Buck, also takes an interesting twist in this book, and the only complaint I have is that this plot twist was unexpected and somewhat rushed and forced. I hope we continue to see more of Buck in the forthcoming volumes, since the dynamics between him and Raine have provided tension and plot development in all three books

This is an enjoyable mystery series for dog lovers. The author, Donna Ball, according to her web site, has lots of experience with dogs, canine search and rescue, canine freestyle (a form of human/dog dancing), and canine agility and it shows in her writing.

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I have read all of Donna Ball's books and have loved all of them!! It is a different kind of mystery. It helps to have dogs in it because I love dogs. But, I always am happy to see Donna has written another book!
Please, try one.
Ms. Ball............ More Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have read the other two Donna Ball stories. This one was really good. I felt transported to my favorite mountains in the fall.

Sonny is an interesting character and I can never read enough about her psychic ability.

It was interesting reading about the "dancing dog." I would love to actually see a routine. I bet it is amazing. I emjoy reading about all the dogs that Raine has. I was so glad that Hero may be back in the next book which I anxiously await.

The scene at the very end cries for "more." I am intrigued by this new love interest for Raine.

You will love this addition to the series. Donna, your word processor is calling...don't you hear it?

When my son started pretending to shoot things with a gun (made from his hands, or sometimes a stick) a few weeks ago, I immediately thought to look for a book about gun safety aimed (no pun intended!) at preschoolers.

A children's librarian found this one for me. It is exactly what I wanted--a simple way to explain to my three-year-old that a real gun is very different from a toy or pretend gun. The brief, simple text talks about different kinds of guns (shoulder arms vs. hand guns), how a bullet works, and why guns are dangerous even though they don't look that way on TV. The text states that grownups have different opinions about gun laws in the United States, but that all grownups agree that children shouldn't play with guns. The final page gives rules for what to do if you (a child) ever find a gun.

The illustrations are explicit enough to prompt discussion, but not at all scary. This book has generated lots of productive conversation and questions about guns. Five stars for helping out a busy parent with a tough topic!

Values neutral book is good for children, it will answer their questions, thus stopping most of the curiosity.
recommended by pro and anti alike.

As a Mass. State/NRA Firearms Instructor, I am always on the look out for books that I can recommend to my students. This book does a nice job of explaining in simple terms the operation and dangers of Firearms and ammunition. It also contrasts the difference between TV, pretend play, and real life. This book is well illustrated and is politically neutral. This a good book for parents that would like to discuss the subject of firearms with their children but don't really know where to begin. I would also recommend pairing it with a book by Massad Ayoob called Gun Proof Your Children / The Handgun Primer.

I have read this book to my primary grade students since it was published. It presents facts about gun safety clearly, without taking sides. It is amazing how many discussions it provokes from the students. It is a great starting place for teaching safety, particularly gun safety, to young students. It should be a "must have" in any elementary school media center.

While I really like this book and feel it explains well, I did need to mark it down a bit since I don't think that it emphasizes enough how kids should not pretend to use guns or stay away from them. The fact that this is only addressed on one page, versus the several pages of how a gun works, was disappointing. I'm not reading this to my sons so they know the difference between guns & how they work... and to get them excited about the concept of how a bullet can travel to the end of the block before they'd even take a step in a race... I'd rather find a book that will supplement the safety training we try to give our children about staying away from guns... not pretending to shoot people... etc...

An amazing book ,it completely encompasses all the possible attributes of avery good novel.Highly thrilling and explosive, it starts of with a bang and carries on like an Express Train. A must read , is very difficult to put down.
(Personally I have read the book around 75 times and can still read it with the same enthusiasum as though it is the first time.)

I read this book as a teenager at the recommendation of a neighbor, a former English teacher. The book is enthralling account of what would now be considered "special forces" in World War II secretly landing on a German controlled island in the Mediteranian, crossing the island and eventually attacking the huge in-cliff gun implacements at Navarone. On the way they encounter various problems and surprises that must be dealt with. Highly recommended for teenagers (and adults) with an interest in adventure, the military or war history.

Thriller writer Alistair MacLean hit the big time with "The Guns of Navarone," his second novel, in 1957. It was made into a very successful movie with Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, and David Niven in the starring roles. The idea of the secret commando team consisting of a number of specialized operatives (Cpt. Mallory -- rock climber extraordinaire; Andrea -- incredibly strong, lethal fighter; Cpl. Miller -- explosives expert; Petty Ofc. Brown -- engineer and radio expert; Lt. Stevens -- rock climber) with a suicidal mission was duplicated in numerous incarnations ranging from "The Dirty Dozen" to "Mission: Impossible" (the TV series).

"The Guns of Navarone" is a fantastic adventure/war novel. It's tight and tense throughout, and there's an edge to it that is missing from a number of MacLean's later works. It comes across as more realistic than the fun to read "Where Eagles Dare."

The basic plot of "Guns" is that the, during World War II, the Germans have recaptured from the Allies a number of Greek islands; the last one left will be taken over soon, dooming over 1000 Allied soldiers. The British would evacuate the soliders, except they can't get through a channel covered by the Guns of Navarone. All previous aerial attacks on the guns have failed. So Mallory and company are sent on a mission to approach the island of Navarone by boat, climb a sheer wall face, infiltrate the German fortress, and blow up the guns.

"Force 10" is the sequel to "Guns," written eleven years later. It picks up from the ending of the movie, not the novel, so characters who were in the book but not the movie disappear. This time, there's another mission, and Mallory, Andrea, and Miller are paired with three young soldiers who are more eager and less experienced. It too has an edginess to it, but it's not as thrilling as "Guns."

Note that the movie version of "Force 10" starring Harrison Ford, Robert Shaw, and Edward Fox is based on the book in name only (well, except for one fight scene, sort of). Andrea isn't even in the movie. So don't expect the book to be anything like the movie. (Which may be good or bad depending on what you thought of the movie.)

In sum, these are prime examples of MacLean working at his peak. You can't go wrong here.

I first read 'Guns' about thirty five years ago. Thought it was great then, but enjoy it even more now. Some people find it simple; to me it is concise and focused. Longer is not necessarily better. Unbelievable? Only if you know nothing about what has actually happened in war. Truth is stranger than fiction. I don't want to give anything away, but I especially like how Alistair Maclean conveyed the feeling of deceptive peace rapidly changing to incredible violence during the boat journey to the island of Navarone. I once would have thought that the characters were somewhat sterotypical and larger than life, but when I served two years as a paratrooper in the 82d Airborne Division I found that some sterotypes are based on fact. What I enjoy even more now are the descriptions and the mental pictures that are conjured up of the islands and natural settings that the action is occurring in. I say this is the original 'Mission Impossible" because the storyline of the small team of highly trained professionals taking on the impossible mission has been done many times since('Dirty Dozen', for example), but I personally don't know of any story that pre-dates 'Guns'. I enjoyed the movie as well, but I find myself wondering why they had to give it the 'Hollywood' treatment and tamper with such an outstanding action tale. As far as 'Force 10', it is also an entertaining read, but not in the same league as 'Guns'. Still, a nice package for the money, well worth it!

Guns of Navarone was my introduction to Alistair MacLean a couple of decades back and what an introduction it was! A disparate team, each member picked for his particular expertise, united only by their enmity with the Germans, is deployed to attempt a near impossible task. The British sea borne retreat from the Aegean islands is prevented by the gun battery on Navarone that commands the sea route. Assault by air or sea is impossible and the land route to destroy the battery involves climbing a rock face that even the best rock climbers shudder at - but there is no other route! The team assembles, bonds as it approaches the deployment point (despite individual irritants) and makes the attempt. The outcome of course is successful but in spinning the yarn MacLean takes the reader on a roller coaster. From the calm of the Aegean cruise to the split-second timing of the finale, from the crude pettiness of small minded individuals, to the unsung heroism of a dying man, from the stereotyped Nazi villain to an individual's battle to overcome fear, MacLean holds the reader in thrall.

Force 10 merits a mixed review. Though billed as a sequel to Guns, it is actually a sequel to the movie version, which added the usual Hollywood froth to the book, and hence is a bit disorienting for the reader who has not seen the movie. Based in what used to be Yugoslavia, our team of heroes, now somewhat abridged, attempts a brilliant feint to fool the Nazis as to the direction of the main Allied attack into Europe. The feint also has a significant local impact of course. Again an excellent thriller (my only real beef is the discontinuity with the Guns novel) and in fact both Guns and Force 10 are MacLean at his early best, when his novels were concise doses of thrilling action. Among his early strengths were high quality dialog and terrific descriptions, especially of events of nature like storms and floods. Excellent suspense for the most part, fast paced action, believable yet wondrous storyline and gripping prose. Good for an air or train journey or even vacation reading.

This book is different from the other hunting dog training books I've read. It covers a puppy's early development as a whole dog. Joan Bailey takes you from your puppy's first day in your home, through adolescence, to early adulthood. It will show you how to help your dog become both a member of your family and an excellent hunting companion. This book explains why a particular training method might work and how to develop a cooperative relationship with your dog.

This is an awesome book for novice birddog people. I highly recommend it, and give it to my (Pointer) puppy buyers. My favorite feature is that at the back of the book there are lists of things to remember to expose your puppy to by a certain age so that you'll end up with a stable dog. I pull it out every time I raise a pup as a sort of checklist. I agree with the majority of what the author has to say, and the author tends not to take sides (like on the issue of force retrieving). The book does have some info that is geared towards versatile birddogs rather than just Pointing dogs, which is fine as long as you are able to seperate what your dog needs to know. This book is geared towards the first year of puppyhood, not training... which is great as there are not a whole lot of books out there for this. Helps you to remember they are just pups and to just let them grow up for a while.

This book is fine for the average person who has no experience with dogs. But for the average gun dog owner, the first half of the book is a waste of time. The last half does have some good ideas, but I would rather spend my money on something more informative such as the writings of Bill Tarrant, especially the Delmar Smith method. It's hard to argue with success and Smith's training methods earned him many national champions. As for this book, I found myself in disagreement with a couple of the training methods, especially gun conditioning. Overall, it's a good book with many great ideas for the beginner.

This book is a far reaching work that not only addresses the training of Gundogs but also any family pet...of importance is the sections on crate training to facilitate housebreaking and teaching the dog that there are restrictions on his activities...I also enjoyed her views on conditioning and letting the dog learn at its own pace with firm and consistent training by owner...and letting the dog learn to be a dog before pulling from its littermates and throwing it into a new environment. I have trained two dogs with her methods and let 4-5 friends borrow it when training their pets...all have been great successes. My copy is dog-eared (no pun) and hilighted throughout...but a great book for those that want to try a softer method with great results.

There are (too) many "how-to" sporting dog training books available, but I found this one to be different in how it focuses on first year conditioning of the pup rather than training, per se. I didn't agree with everything - not that you would - but I followed about 90% of the author's thoughts and found my dog's second year training to be MUCH EASIER. I think this is important if you have a sensitive breed that won't tolerate heavy handed training, such as mine. It also explained in considerable detail that way in which the puppy learns and this allowed me to sort of 'get inside' my dog's head to better understand how to do the conditioning and training so that he would be successful and the process would go faster and better.

Some folks may not like Bill's writing style. I do. It is not the "Earthier than Thou" style that some gun, dog, and hunting writers use. Nevertheless, he does relate some stories that any outdoorsman can relate to and enjoy. This book has become sort of a reference book for me whenever someone tells me about hunting some bird that I am not familiar with, somewhere I have never been, with dogs that I don't own.

I believe it was this book that first convinced me that it was OK to sleep with a dog. My dog made that decision long ago, but I always worried that I was making a mistake, or was simply being bullied by the dog.

Each page of this book will make you want to schedule a trip, get another dog, or buy another shotgun. Beware.

Mr. Tarrant has done a great job of giving out lots of information without making it drab. If you read his book carefully you will find plenty of hidden advice. He camoflages it as everyday knowledge but if you look, it's all there. Thank you sir, for an interesting and informative book.

This book is great especially if you are hunting with a bird dog. I have gained so much insight into the ways to hunt birds with my dog that I may never have considered without reading this book. I enjoy the way that Bill Tarrant writes and it is very catching. I had a hard time putting this book down.

Anyone who hunts birds with a bird dog will benefit from reading this book. Bill goes over the different types of birds and their common habits and characterisitics and where to look for them. It was very helpful to me.

Tarrant obviously knows what he is talking about. My hunting experiences will be a little more enjoyable after reading this book. Not only is he an accomplished hunter, but I like the way he writes.

This is a good book. It covers several bird species and explains their idiosyncracies. I do not care much for Mr. Tarrants writing style and find it a bit too flowery. A good read.

The writers are morons, and their ideas are moronic as well. As a grad student, you would think Mr. Rode would be a little more intelligent. How would the authors feel findind out a 15 year old wound up in the hospital E.R. with alcohol poisoning from making and using his/her own beer bong? Or another teen blowing half his or her face off from building a potato canon? This book is a pathetic joke written by a couple of sophmoric losers. I appreciate stupid humor when it's aimed at adults--because at least they know the difference between reading about junk like this, and the possible harm of actually undertaking the project. But these two haven't grown past 6 if they think that's their audience. No, it's young teenagers thinking this garbage is cool. I'm surprised they didn't add a few pages on how to use whip cream cartridges to experiment with nitrous oxide. For adults, it may be worth a chuckle or two AT MOST. And many of the projects are fairly innocuous. But, for teens, it's dangerous way to find out your body has limitations--with heavy risks.

The best project in the book is the foam gun. All of the inventions are pretty funny even if some are a little impractical. The stick notes and random jokes throughout made the whole thing a fun read.

This book is filled with build-it-yourselfs like the kegerator, the perfect beer bong, and a vibrating couch. It also has a bunch of funny made up facts and jokes to compliment the building steps. And it's full color. High quality book.

I heard about this book from my nephew, "B-rad" and immediately ordered three copies. What a fun book! My favorite is the ice shot glasses. We are going to have to try that one out! It absolutely is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone in college or anyone out of college who likes to have a good time (like Uncle Rob). Nice work guys!

I'm an alumni of the University of Wisconsin, Madison and I took my copy to the Badger Homecoming weekend and Halloween bash. All my friends loved it! A number of them said it would be a great Christmas present. Next year we have to have some of these projects complete for game day!