United States Books

I am in the process of adopting a child from China and this book touched my every emotion...happiness, sadness, anger, and frustration. Jeff was able to capture all facets of the human emotion and provided poignant points and truth to an adoption journey. I didn't want to put the book down and found myself thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. Jeff's words permanently pressed against my mind, heart and soul. Jeff wrote with such compelling imagery that I felt like I was on the journey with them. This book is remarkable and I would recommended it to anyone.

From the first chapter I felt as though I was with The Gammage family on their journey. I myslef am an adoptive parent of a darling little girl from Chongqing and have been home 9 months. It brought back vivid memories and feelings I had gone through on our trip. I was smiling and crying all the way through the book. This is a must read for anyone who is thinking about or who has adopted a child. Jeff Gamage captured the feeling and emotions that all of us experience on our journey to parenthood. Bravo!

We were with Jeff and Chris in Langzhou when they adopted their second daughter in 2004. In reading China Ghosts, we were transported back to that moment in time when after years of longing and broken hope, a precious and beautiful girl was placed in our arms; reminded of the feelings, emotions, and passion of why we started down that road less traveled. For those who have adopted, are considering it, or know someone who has, Jeff expresses so many of the emotions that are woven throughout the process, including the aftermath. As the father of a Chinese daughter, China Ghosts is a reminder of my passage to fatherhood as well; It speaks all I think. Thank you Jeff!

I read a review of this book in a magazine and ordered it immediately. Having adopted from China, everything was familiar, but unique in various ways. Anyone who has been through the process or who may be waiting now should definitely read it. I related to many of the events described from the father's perspective, but my wife enjoyed it as much as I did.

I will warn anyone that decides to read the book that some of the experiences that are written about are heartbreaking. You will most certainly want to cry at various points throughout the book. Overall, though, it is a good read. It will bring back lots of memories of your China trip.

This is a beautifully written account of a loving family. Mr. Gammage shares his observations and feeling in a compelling and compassionate manner. I feel I made this journey with him and am greatful for having shared the experience. This book has provided much insight and detail into a jouney my son and his wife recently made to adopt their daughter from China. I'm so glad I found this book!

I have purchased a few of these. Great gift for someone that left the Big Apple or that doesn't have the opportunity to see it. I sent it to my sister in Florida, my best friend in Florida and my cousin in Texas. If they can't be with us, at least they can remember how beautiful it is!

Christmas in New York: A Pop Up Book is a wonderfully artistic representation of its subject. I have bought several copies of this lovely book, and I have given them to adults and children alike. One of them was sent to France.

I purchased this book as a sort of "virtual trip" to begin to fulfill my dream of celebrating Christmas in New York one day. The illustrations are beautiful and it is interesting to learn the history behind the great city's Christmas traditions. It seems that every time I open the book there are new surprises awaiting me. This book is a keepsake to enjoy for years to come. My other dream for Christmas one day is London, England. Mr. Fischer, are there any plans for a "Christmas in London" or even a "Christmas in Germany" or Europe? If so, I just "can't wait to open" them! Thank you for the sweet gift of imagination, color, and beauty in a book.

My Best Friend and I have a Christmas Tradition where we buy each other Children's Christmas books as gifts... I chose this one because she recently took a vacation to NYC. I bought it from Amazon without being able to look at the inside and was suprised and a little disappointed to find that it was more historical and less story-ish. But the book is great and the story behind the Traditional NYC Christmas icons is told. I would recommend this book but remember that it is not a Story book more of a history book.

It has been a surprise to open this book. Just amazing! I believe it is perfect for a baby, for an adult, for everyone, it is a pleasure to go through the colorful pop-up pages and the inserts.
I really love it.

Ned Begay, a six year old kid, who had to leave his Navajo home, in America and join a boarding school, had to learn the English language and the American ways. In the boarding school, he was not allowed to speak his native language and if he did, there were consequences. Japan was one of the most powerful countries, at that time. Soon Japan started attacking America and World War 2 began. Marine recruiters started looking for Navajos to join the Marines. Ned Begay joined the Marines. He was a code talker, who was not allowed to tell anyone, not even his own family. He would send and receive messages in a secret code. The code was extremely difficult to learn and only a Navajo could learn it. For every letter in the English Alphabet, a Navajo word was assigned. After a lot of practice of the code, Ned was shipped to Hawaii, to battle the Japanese. They had to take an exercise on the big island of Hawaii to experience all kinds of terrains. They had to cross a desert, on foot, in two days and everyone had only one bottle of water. By second day, everybody had collapsed, and only the Navajos had water left. The Navajos were nothing but the best. They had to write a letter to the Colonel to get some drinking water in the desert. After a few days, Hawaii was filled with blood, and dead bodies. Read the book, to find out what happens next. I liked the book " Code Talker " because of the facts that are in the book. One fact I learned was Japan took food from the poor and gave them to their Army. The food was donated to Japan by America, before the war.

Ned Begay, a six year old kid, who had to leave his Navajo home, in America and join a boarding school, had to learn the English language and the American ways. In the boarding school, he was not allowed to speak his native language and if he did, there were consequences. Japan was one of the most powerful countries, at that time. Soon Japan started attacking America and World War 2 began. Marine recruiters started looking for Navajos to join the Marines. Ned Begay joined the Marines. He was a code talker, who was not allowed to tell anyone, not even his own family. He would send and receive messages in a secret code. The code was extremely difficult to learn and only a Navajo could learn it. For every letter in the English Alphabet, a Navajo word was assigned. After a lot of practice of the code, Ned was shipped to Hawaii, to battle the Japanese. They had to take an exercise on the big island of Hawaii to experience all kinds of terrains. They had to cross a desert, on foot, in two days and everyone had only one bottle of water. By second day, everybody had collapsed, and only the Navajos had water left. The Navajos were nothing but the best. They had to write a letter to the Colonel to get some drinking water in the desert. After a few days, Hawaii was filled with blood, and dead bodies. Read the book, to find out what happens next. I liked the book " Code Talker " because of the facts that are in the book. One fact I learned was Japan took food from the poor and gave them to their Army. The food was donated to Japan by America, before the war.

This is a great book. Not much else to say. 5 stars!! especially if you are into fictional stories based on real historical events!

We read this book aloud while on a driving vacation through Navajo country in New Mexico and Arizona. My children (girl 10, boy 8 and girl 5) were completely enthralled with both the story and the insight into the Navajo people. Although a work of fiction, the book reads very convincingly as a memoir. The author succeeds admirably in relating the cultural challenges faced by patriotic Native Americans serving in the military as well a giving a non-romanticized portrayal of the realities faced by the soldiers who waged battle in the Pacific. We particularly appreciated the lighter moments -- one tale of boot-camp swimming "lessons" had the kids screaming with laughter. A great read pure and simple, but also one with good lessons to be learned.

Bruchac has created a terrific historic novel that has enough action for young male adults and enough history and research to appeal to an adult audience. Bruchac does a wonderful job of giving a sense of the complexities of growing up on a Navajo reservation in the first half of the book. The irony of a nation trying to wipe out the Navajo language but using it as a crucial means of communication during 20th century wars should not be lost on the reader while reading the second half of the book. Bruchac's narrator tells this tale in an even-keeled, even-tempered manner. The reader is allowed to gain his own sense of injustice our nation has inflicted upon its Native American population. Bruchac's description of the progression of America's involvement in World War II's Pacific campaign is well laid-out and dramatically presented. Highly recommended.

Brief Description of Book
This book lives up to its name and is a great gift for someone you may know who is just getting hooked on buying vintage costume jewelry. It would make a great companion gift to a fabulous vintage piece. This book Collecting 101 is a bit basic for absolute beginners only.
The core thesis of the book is G-U-I-D-E an acronym that stands for:
* Is the piece in Good condition?
* Do U Like it?
* Is it a good investment?
* Is the piece designer signed and is it well designed?
* Are there extras that make it more interesting?
These questions are posed to help the buyer select good pieces at whatever price point they are starting to collect at. The author explains her GUIDE concept quite concisely and uses it throughout the book.

The author suggests four designers that beginners should collect Trifari, Coro, Kramer and Weiss. She recounts a little history about each of the companies, shows photos of their marks and recommends pieces to purchase. For example she suggests Trifari from the 50's and 60's because it is plentiful, available in excellent condition and not too expensive. The author uses a lot of photos to illustrate these sections

The next portion of the book is arranged the alphabetically and cameos 130 designers. Each profile contains a little company history, marks, signature look of a designer and recommendations of pieces to buy.

In the next chapter there is a section called "Marked by Style" on identifying unmarked jewelry. A little more than a beginner skill in my opinion but an interesting section to ponder nonetheless. She focuses 75% of her energy on Juliana, the remaining 25% on Eisenberg, Dorothy Bauer, Hattie Carnegie, Goldette, Haskell, Hollycraft, Sarah Coventry, Schauer, Schreiner and Weiss.

The remaining chapters cover:
* Upgrading your collection
* Repairing and Cleaning
* Cataloging a Collection
* Storing and Insuring a Collection

Over all the advice is quite sound, the G-U-I-D-E principle should be followed it will really help anyone avoid unfocused buying.

Quantity of Illustrations:
There are more than 750 total illustrations in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101. There are color photographs, original advertisements in color and black and white. The photos are clear and focused.


Quality of Illustrations:

Comments: The items selected are not riveting I think that they are pedestrian. Maybe that is because this book is pitched at beginners. However I feel that the selections should be inspirational and exciting. This is why the top shelf pieces in a book such as "A Tribute to America" are always fun to look at. I felt the items pictured were what the author could get permission to use. Which leads me to the inclusion of Christmas tree jewelry! There are too many Christmas trees in this book. And I like Christmas tree jewelry.

I have one very pointed example that illustrates my low score on the illustrations. The author devoted 3 pages to Miriam Haskell. In my opinion these are not good representative pieces, they are what was available to include. There is one pair of beaded earrings, a necklace with gold chain and a wood pendant that looks like it was made in shop class to me, several strings of beads, a pearl necklace that is not photographed close enough to generate any excitement and a pair of gilded earrings. I may sound harsh here but the wow factor of buying Miriam Haskell is not expressed in these photos. Feel free to disagree!

As a final note on the illustrations, I am reviewing the first edition of this book. According to the publisher Collector Books a second edition should be available soon. They promise 200 new photos and updates on the price guidelines that are included in the first edition.



Quantity of Information
Range of Information offered:
For the most part this is a good concise book to check for information. If you are looking for in depth information on a particular designer you should probably look at a more specialized book. For example there are entire books on Haskell, KJL, D &E, to name only a few designers.

Is the information thorough?
The information provided seems to be thorough and remember this is a book for beginners.

Values Listed (Prices) Yes
Are they helpful or realistic? The prices are being updated for a new edition
The prices are based on what one might hope to get in an e-bay auction.
Comments: Based on the prices sometimes I want to be buying and other times I want to be on the selling end of the transaction.


User Friendly:
Is the book easy to read and follow? yes
Is there a table of contents and index? yes
Is information easy to find? yes


Is this book a must have? Only for your friends who are just beginning to collect costume jewelry. I think Costume Jewelry 202 is a vastly superior book and I would recommend that (again).

Overall comments
If I had this book many years ago I would have avoided buying stuff I just didn't need. I would have made wiser purchases and would have a better collection today.

I actually bought her 2nd book (202) before buying this one (101) and while I treasure my 202 guide much more than this first one (because I'm not a beginner) - I think it is a fabulous book to have for those starting out. With a lot of fake WEISS and other great designers' jewelry being reproduced and sold as the real thing today (especially on eBay), it's a good guide to have that shows a fair amount and variation of these favorite popular designers' pieces. This will help the beginner collector possibly know a fake when they see it. Not all that shines and sparkles means it is the real thing or that it's collectible. I believe both her books should be bought together but the 202 Guide is definitely the very best there is (because it shows so many patents). I particularly like the fact that both of these books are done in sturdy paperback because if they were hardbound, they would be so heavy given how big they are. Lots and lots of colorful pictures! Well done!!

Found this book to be very helpful at my jewelry shows. Has lots of pictures and information on vintage jewelry and numerous designers. Does not go into great detail, but gives enough good information to be helpful. Because the information is listed in alpha order, my customers find it helpful when looking up specific designers or styles. This book is great for beginners and old collectors alike.

This book along with the "202" book by the same author are "must have"s for costume jewelry collectors, buyers and sellers. I can't rate them highly enough.

I learned many of the basics overtime and searching the internet. It is great to have so much information in one book. The photos are excellent and I would recommend this to anyone starting a collection. Great do's and don'ts.

As a newbie to genealogy, I find this to be a very helpful book. It points you in the directions that you should go and gives a lot of ideas that I would not have thought of.

This edition of the book is more up-to-date, so it's actually useful somewhat. Mostly, though, it's a book written by experts for experts. There is little thought given to the practical application of genealogy -- making friends with newly found relatives, for example, and family reunions. There is no mention of the politics that go into genealogy. You can easily destroy your family by writing the wrong date for a marriage on your descendant chart, but the book totally omits important facts like that! It has a small chapter on DNA, which is nice, but it leaves out critical information on that topic, too. The "Idiot's" title of this book is misleading; the authors fail to think like a layman. Beware.

These authors have the credentials to and have written a superb handbook, especially for the genealogy "newbies". Even the experienced family historian will here find MUCH help. Paul Drake JD

This is a great book for beginners and experienced researchers. I recommend it to my students.
Maria (Ree) Hopper, CG

Christine Rose's "The Complete Idiots's Guide to Online Genealogy" made me finally move from, "I am going to do a genealogic study of my father's family", to "I have been working on this project for two years, and am truly enjoying the experience".

The book is well organized, and easy to read and understand. I have in the past 5 years developed a memory problem that will not get better. I had become so afraid failure, I did not want to attempt learning something new again. I used "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Computers" years ago, and found it a great way to quickly ground myself in the basics. When I saw Ms. Rose's book, I knew it was my best opportunity.

I now have numerous books concerning genealogy, but "Idiot's" is dog earred and still the first book on the shelf. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn family history and genealogy and how to put together a family tree. Especially those who do not have the inside lingo.

Shari Peavy

I am only halfway through this book, but I already know I will recommend this book to my family and friends. I was not excited to read it as an assignment - I thought it would be another boring book on eating right. It is much more than that and very interesting to read. The author has done us a favor by reading through hundreds of studies completed on different aspects of health. He presents the results of these studies in an honest, unbias, meaningful way. I thought I knew all about what to do and not do, eat and not eat, but reading this I am understanding how a body reacts to foods and the environment. It is full of information that the marketing departments of food producers will not tell you and would rather you not know. A main theme of the book is that all of these health-related items are directly related to the amount of serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes that cause most of the deaths in our country. As a society, we focus on the symptoms, rather than the causes of health problems. While we are pouring billions of dollars into finding a cure for these diseases, they are in many cases symptoms of our unhealthy lifestyles. By eating and living healthy, we can prevent the risks of most of these diseases. And you have to start now. As he points out, most people wait until they start seeing symptoms which in many cases, it may be too late. This is a must read for everyone interested in living a long, healthy life.

I really enjoyed this book! My friend sells corporate health benefit packages for a major insurance company and gives this book to his clients, so he gave me a copy.

What's so refreshing about this book is that it is NOT a diet book and is NOT about weight loss. Weight loss is just a happy side effect of a healthy lifestyle. The focus of the book is improving your health by making what really are pretty simple lifestyle changes. When you learn about what healthy and unhealthy foods do to your body, it really motivates you to improve the way you are eating. The same is true for the discussion of exercise and what it does for the cardiovascular and other systems.

Yes, we all know fruits and veggies are good for us, but I look at them in a whole new way now and you will too if you read this book!

This book is extreemly jam packed with information. I enjoyed the authors' sense of humor. Be warned this is deffinately not meant for a quick read. Slow and steady will win the race here. I found the book very motivating because the evidence was taken from actual studies performed.

This book was referred to me by my dietician after I tried to find that 'perfect motivational type book'. Let's just say I couldn't put it down the second I opened the cover. This book is amazing. I can't tell you how much it has changed my life, my perception of food and most importantly, the motivation it gave me to make the change forever. It's educational, realistic and not filled with gimmicks. I highly recommend this book to anybody looking for the motivation to get off the couch and moving! I'll never live the life I had before this book. I am up off the couch and getting healthy because now I understand the benefits of eating right and having an active lifestyle. This one is a must have in anyone's library!!!

The Culprit and the Cure is an all inclusive guide to healthy living. The premise of this book is that poor health is the primary cause of disease and early death. The author states that poor health is generally caused by improper diet, inadequate exercise, and the use of tobacco products. Thus, in order to become healthier, individuals must address these deficiencies and make permanent lifestyle changes.

To this end, this book examines various aspects of healthy living as studied in various nutrition, physical fitness, and psychological case studies as well as through real life examples. The author then translates this information into simple, inexpensive, realistic solutions for real people wanting to undertake permanent healthy lifestyle changes. This book also features many easy to understand charts and various interactive exercises to help the reader tailor his or her current lifestyle to become healthier.

The Culprit and the Cure is a unique guide to health as it examines the need for healthy lifestyle changes in nutrition and exercise. This book does not promote fast weight loss by undertaking fad diets. Instead, this book looks at the greater benefits of healthy living and more realistic aspects of making lifestyle changes to achieve a healthier way of life.

dominique moceanu is the best gymnast anyone could ever know.i'm a gymnast my self,and reading about her,seeing her on tv,seeing her smile,makes me wan't to go out there and do the same.and i do!saying this,you probubly won't believe me,but being a fan of hers,seeing her doing the things she does(smile)has inproved my skills in gymnastics!i hope she has done the same for you,cause if you don't know her.you better know her to day,cause she is the best you'll ever love!i used to hate gymnastics some times,and till i saw dominique moceanu with that beatiful smile.i've loved gymnastics ever since then.every time i compete.i act like her,smile,and show that i love doing what i'm doing,cause i know dominique moceanu~and you gotta know her too!thanks dominique,for making me win my first silver(on floor),cause seeing you smile all the time,and always being happy,has made me do the same,and it improved only because i love you!

You will find this book to give many details on the young gymnast at a professional view point. If you are looking to get more personal information such as characteristics, personality, etc.. Get another book. This is about her and the sport of gymnastics from the time she started up to late '96. I enjoyed the book a great deal and was amazed to find out how very succesful she is in every day living at such a young age. That is much to be said for our day and age!

Also recommended: Dominique Moceanu: An American Champion: An Autobiography Dominique Moceanu

The book was fully detailed and was a very easy to read book. I read it in a matter of hours, and I am 11 years old. I love gymnastics and Dominique. Since the first time I saw her on T.V. I wanted to be just like her. Now I am taking acrobatics at a great little studio. even though we only do floor excersises, I still someday would like to be just like Dominique! The book has really encouraged me too succeed, and I really hope that anyone that wants to be something, jumps on it, you only live once!

This book is perfect for any fan of Dominique Moceanu. You learn so much about her, starting from her birth all the way up to the 1996 Olympics. This was a very vivid and detailed biography. I really thought it was cool to read about the gymnastics school she used to train at before she went to Karolyi's. It tells about all her early compititions and experiences. It felt like I really knew Dominique Moceanu! I learned so much from this book, and like Krista Quiner's other gymnastics biographys, this was a great one!

This book was truly awesome. Krista did an excellent job writing this book. You feel that you actually know Dominique. I reccomend this book for ALL Dominique fans. A must read book!!

Also recommended: Dominique Moceanu: An American Champion: An Autobiography Dominique Moceanu

I've read a fair number of stories about substance abuse by people both unknown and famous (rock star biographies are nothing if not diaries of substance abuse), and I gotta hand it to Callahan: I have never encountered more addicts of every stripe and variety than on the pages of his autobiography, "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot." His assistants, friends, helpers, caseworkers- all drunks and junkies, the whole lot of them. Kudos to the cartoonist for escaping that poisonous environment and getting sober, particularly in view of a tragically gained quadriplegia that is a greater justification for drinking than most.

Don't Worry is a hard-core, politically incorrect, and unsympathetic look at disability and substance abuse. It's a no frills presentation, just like Callahan's artwork; it cuts to the message, without flowery language or pretentious literary devices. Callahan has a casual, down-homey style that makes this a quick and easy read, in spite of the heavy subject matter. He exhibits very little self-pity, and instead clinically and factually recounts even his most personal travails (with government funding, changing his waste bag, intimacy with women, etc.), injecting his caustic wit and black humor. He recognizes his injury as due to drinking (as well as the converse), but doesn't spend a lot of pages searching for deeper meanings. I was curious about what he thought made him a big drinker in the first place (i.e., before the accident)- was it boredom and the freedom of the 70s, or deeply held fears of abandonment due to his adoption and inability to meet his birth parents?

This book was written in 1989, when Callahan was 38. Looking back at some of the achievements he's had by now (his own cartoon TV show, more extensive circulation of his comics, screen rights to Don't Worry purchased by Robin Williams), it's clear he was on the cusp of success when he wrote his autobiography. It's a cool perspective to read about now, particularly in light of how Callahan details his struggles trying to eke out a living in the cartoon world. His professional accomplishments and development of a fan base are hard fought and well deserved.

John Callahan tells a funny and honest story about a man who put himself into a wheelchair (drunk driving) and then continued to drink for years after he became a quadriplegic. His story of personal redemption is a hilarious and thoughtful ride that is well worth reading.

Full disclosure: My brother is married to John's sister. I recommend this book to all of my friends who have never heard of John. How can anyone say anything against a book that is both pornographic and inspirational at the same time?

Callahan is where it's at. Wonderful story of strength, grit, perserversance, and recovery. Of course the belly laughs along the way were fun also. Some of those cartoons ! Geez, Calahan, thanks. P.S. Write another story about you. Sharon L.

John Callahan is my favorite crippled cartoonist! He's honest and hilarious! I've been a fan for years and have most of his cartoon books. I'm glad I added this to my collection!

A wildly creative/artistic romp through Cuban Miami's Calle Ocho festival in Little Havana. Feisty, strong Cubanita tumbadora player's drum sounds leap off the pages. Your children (and you)will fall in love with Chavi and want to start speaking Spanish, drumming, and dancing merengue! Tender, heart-felt bilingual story (written in Spanish and English) about a drummer girl who shows the world that unlike what her teacher, family and barrio friends think, Cuban girls CAN and SHOULD be able to play tumbadoras!

A must buy for kids who love fun stories that inspires them to think critically, create, and perform. For Latino/Cuban book collectors, parents who want to teach their children Spanish or English, libraries, teachers of ESL, music teachers, performance art teachers, and for anyone interested in Latino cultures, particularly the Miami Cuban working-class culture.

FUNTASTIC!

Finally, a book about two dynamic Latino girl characters. The determination of Chavi, against all odds, to play the congas in the Little Havana Calle Ocho Festival will have you rooting for her. You can practically feel, smell and touch everything in her barrio; this is due to the vibrant, lively writing and the wild colorful artwork. Your kids will love Chavi and view her as a little barrio heroine.

Mayra Dole's character, Chavi, is a touching, vibrant, young female character you will want to introduce to your children. In fact, Chavi is so "touching" that she can't keep her hands from tap-tap-tapping everything that she comes in contact with. Chavi is a drummer in a culture where girls are not supposed to drum. Despite the strong forces trying to stop her, Chavi perseveres and lives out her dream. This book will give you a taste of Miami and its unique blends of cultures. Beautifully illustrated and written in both Spanish and English, this is a story that will most certainly...touch you.

Rhythmic as a conga beat. Highly entertaining, motivates critical thinking, strong/fun girl characters, jam-packed with Cuban culture, and my 2nd grade class loves it! 10 stars! A++

Cuban-American Chavi has such character and spunk. Your children will fall in love with her conga sounds/passion for perseverance/spunky attitude/and the cartoon-like, wild illustrations. A must buy for anyone interested in exposing children to ethnic cultures set in US communities/barrios and Spanish & English language.

The following is the commentary from WRITER'S DIGEST on Mr. Murphy's book:

"EDGE OF ALLEGIANCE contains all the elements expected in a great spy thriller. There are plenty of exotic locations, well-described. All the characters are three dimensional and believable--as well as being unusual and developed in such a way that they seem real.

"The plot is multi-layered with one intriguing complication after another with plenty of action and excitement. Definitely a page-turner. Great job!"

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning "poor" and 5 meaning "excellent," the book rates 5.

I highly recommend this book! It's got all the suspense and excitement of any great thriller and Mr. Murphy has put quite a bit into it! Well written, the book has all the makings of a commonly read spy novel. Mr. Murphy is accurate to a "T", without a doubt, an authority on this subject. I look forward to his next work!

Thomas Murphy's "Edge of Allegiance" is a fascinating journey into the intruiging world of international espionage. The story is dramatic, informative, and appropriately deceptive, and is brought to life by the well-researched, vivid detail of each exotic setting and the development of each complex, yet realistic character. Murphy allows the reader an opportunity to delve into the intense and furtive lives of the intelligence operatives of the era. The brilliant culmination neatly ties each intertwined plotline together, but leaves adequate room for a much anticipated sequel. This is an absolute must read!

Thomas F. Murphy's novel has it all. "Edge of Allegiance" is packed with thrilling action and a great romance story while being entertaining throughout its entirety. Mr. Murphy makes it easy to get into the main character's (Frank Manion) shoes as he begins his journey with the CIA.

The plot is very well thought out and all the characters come together at the end making it an excellent story. "Edge of Allegiance" was an easy but very exciting read. It was difficult to put the book down, as I constantly wanted to know what would happen next. The accurate description of the many locations make it even easier to picture yourself right there with the characters. I should also mention that the author is also quite funny at times.

I highly recommend this book not just to anyone who is curious as to how the CIA works, but also to readers who would enjoy a great thriller and love story. You will be pleasantly amazed at how ingenious the plot and characters come together and operate. I very much hope the author writes a sequel to this book.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (6/07)

Thomas Murphy's experience in the CIA gives authenticity to his cold war novel "Edge of Allegiance." This is evidenced in the well-developed details of his writing. Murphy understands the predicable cycle of espionage, the hours of surveillance and counter surveillance, the adrenaline rush of danger, the fear of discovery, the suspicion of peers, the drive for promotion and a desire to excel to please the agency brass.

Frank Manion, a newly trained CIA agent, is assigned as a case officer to recruit a Russian diplomat to provide classified information to the CIA. Adept and quick thinking Frank soon learns the danger involved in espionage work as he confronts KGB members as well as an undermining current of deceit within the office of CIA headquarters. The mission takes him to countries on three continents before final resolution and closure is reached in the case.

It is also obvious that Murphy has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of human nature. His carefully-developed, authentic characters make it easy for the reader to identify with, relate to, despise, or embrace them. His characters include highly intelligent, dedicated, focused agents who are committed to take risks, idealists, willing to sacrifice, and those genuinely concerned for the citizens of our country.

Other characters are susceptible to greed, deceit, and misuse of position and power. He allows his characters to become vulnerable, to show their fear, loneliness, boredom, rejection, and the need for affirmation.

This careful introduction of his characters sets in motion a complex plot including, interpersonal relationships, suspense, romance, mystery, and drama. Murphy's fast-paced action plot holds the readers attention right up the dramatic, climactic end. The book is both exciting entertainment and an informative narrative, filled with insights into the behind the scenes inner workings of the CIA.

"Edge of Allegiance" is going to establish Thomas F. Murphy as a best selling author in the genre of espionage adventure thrillers. I look forward to reading more of CIA Agent Frank Manion.