Allison Books

Will the financial security of the US government depend on a large chunk of its citizenry killing themselves?

My only experience with Buckley before this was seeing the film "Thank You For Smoking." That was enough. I picked up this book on a whim, and it contained even more quick witted cynicism and pitch dark satire than I could have dreamed.

Buckley starts "Boomsday" realistically enough, and as he introduces more elements of quasi draconian politics, the plot spirals out of control and becomes patently absurd. But the best part about it is that somehow, it still seems like all of it could actually happen, which is both scary and hilarious.

The sharp dialogue reminded me of Aaron Sorkin's "The West Wing," only everyone is a lot more pessimistic and sardonic. I imagine Sorkin and Buckley to be like the tiny angel and demon consciences from 90s tv shows on each shoulder, except instead of telling me what to do, they are explaining US politics to me in humorous anecdotes and complicated vocabulary.

"Boomsday" is easily one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year.

I Just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it. The same author of "Thank You for Smoking" wrote this and as expected, Christopher Buckley's writing style is witty, acerbic and full of irony.
The protagonist is Cassandra Devine, a PR spin-doctor by day, incensed blogger by night. Angered by the burden posed upon her generation by the social security system, she proposes, a very Swift-like solution. Dubbled, "Voluntary Transitioning" program, it purports to alleviate the social security debt by rewarding people to commit suicide when they reach the age of 65 (if you are a closet geek like me, you'd remember a "Sliders" episode that featured the same concept).
This page-turner made me laugh out loud. Although it got a bit long towards the end, I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed BOOMSDAY quite a bit. This is political satire at it's best. It provides a lot of laughs, and as ridiculous as some of the scenarios in the book seem, no doubt things like this go on everyday.

I do agree with other reviewers who say that the ending was a bit anti-climatic. Although I don't have a problem with the ending in general, I definitely expected something more. Still, all in all, a very entertaining book.

Buckley writes only half tongue in cheek. No, I don't think he advocates the early death of our senior citizens but he does think that the party will end soon. He is probably trying to goad us to think before (once again) we wait until crisis stage has been reached before addressing the problem. I loved the characters - saucy, sassy, sexy, spunky Cassandra Devine (that name!), the opportunistic Senator and the fumbling, bumbling but ultimately happy Reverend.

Once again, the dialogue is perfect, spot on. The hypocricy of politics is given full coverate, front and center. The Prez typifies this in all his bluster, anger, crass political thinking and that great scene where he cusses like a sailor as the preacher stands there. The story is an easy read and has it all from religion to economics to politics to love. By the end, the reader knows that nothing will be accomplished except band aids. We'll hold on desperately, delaying the inevitable until the whole thing becomes so overweighted it will crash around our heads and THEN that's when it gets interesting. Someone has calculated that my kids would have to pay almost 50% of their income in SS to keep the thing afloat. Good luck, boys, and kudos to Buckley for another witty, irreverant tale.

Baby Boomers are defined as people (particularly Americans) born between 1946 and 1964, an era when post-WWII and Depression optimism would result in an unusually high amount of births. As of this writing, the oldest Baby Boomers are turning 62 and beginning to qualify for Social Security. As the years go by, the Social Security system will be burdened like never before. Economically, if not dealt with, it could be doomsday, or as Christopher Buckley calls it in his sharp satire, Boomsday.

The near-future United States of Buckley's novel is a country with problems: the economy is seriously floundering and the military is stretched to the point that small countries are declaring war with the U.S. just because they can get away with it. Adding to all this, Baby Boomers are demanding their Social Security payments, leading to a heavy tax burden on younger adults. Cassandra Devine, a public relations wizard by day, runs a blog in her off-hours dedicated to this problem.

At first, her followers indulge in minor rebellions such as destroying golf courses, but soon they are endorsing her modest proposal. With the proper tax breaks, if a portion of the Boomers can be convinced to commit suicide at age 70, the financial crisis will be averted. At first this is considered a nutty idea, but then Cass's friend, the Kennedyesque Senator Randy Jepperson embraces the idea as his opportunity to make it to the Oval Office. Of course, there are plenty of opponents, from the current President to a right-to-life minister to Cass's own estranged father.

As with the best satire, Boomstown is as thought-provoking as it is funny. While few would embrace Cass's solution (even she doesn't; she is really just trying to create debate), it does promote an awareness of a problem in a way that dry economic reports and empty political slogans come short. But most importantly, Boomstown is fun to read. And by succeeding at that level, any provoking-of-thought is a pure bonus.

I enjoyed this book emmensly, happy that someone finally took up this subject. Seeing as Lady Jane Grey is hardly mentioned in most history books (grade school or college) I was delighted to finally dive deep into the tale of the tragic figure, though a novel, is very close to the facts. The characters (there are many) really breath life into the book, as if you are hearing them speak and act right in front of you. The Tudor era, so intriguing and unforgettable, cannot be displayed any better and I give my hats off to Miss Weir for her first volume of fiction. However, I was under the intention that Jane and Guildford, though arranged in marriage, were actually quite fond of one another after the wedding took place. I thought I read it somewhere or saw it on some history documentary. So I would have given the book five stars if there had been a little more of a romance between them. All in all, I recommend this to anyone who loves Tudor history or history in general

Not too long of a book, but you probably won't want to put it down. It brings a story to life from English history that we don't hear that much about, and yet, it seems like it is a story that needs to be told. You will enjoy this book if you like historical fiction of the Henry VIIIth variety!

This was the first book by Alison Weir that I've read and I am DEFINITELY going to be reading more of her work! I was intrigued by the idea of a novel about Lady Jane Grey and am so happy to say that this book surpassed all of my expectations! It was interesting to follow the story from the points of view of different characters, most of whom are greedy and self-serving, with the exception of Jane herself. She, and her governess, are the only sympathetic characters in the story which makes it all the more tragic. I found myself sobbing at the end for this poor girl of 16 who lost her life because of the ambition of others. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with even a slight interest in Tudor histoy, but would also suggest that they keep a box of tissues handy as they near the end.

This is an amazing story of Lady Jane Grey. If you love Tudor history, this book is for you. I knew very little about the life of Lady Jane Grey before reading Innocent Traitor. After reading it, I researched the life of this tragic figure. I was delighted to find that Allison Weir's facts were accurate. While reading this book, I felt that I got to know Lady Jane Grey and understood the hardships she was faced to endure. I thought about her story days after completing the novel. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

I purchased this book, because my curiosity was piqued at the small but significant part she had in Phillipa Gregory's The Queen's Fool. She was thrown on the crown upon the death of King Edward, in hopes to prevent the Catholic Princess Mary from ascending. This book tells of her trying child hood and her cold calculating mother. Her entire childhood was preparing her for deceit. I cried with her when she was forced to marry and her times in tower holding steadfast to her faith. To some she may appear weak, but one must consider the bull crap women dealt with back then. I say she had balls and they shown in the end. I highly recommend this book to complete your royal fiction libary.

... with moving and fascinating testimonials from 'sitters' with Allison and how this comforted them and helped them move on with their lives. Allison also talks about the TV-series 'Medium' and how the shows compares to her own family as well as her professional experiences. I, in fact, found this audio set to be even better and more interesting than 'Don't Kiss Them Goodbye...' . I warmly recommend all three audio sets. Forget about the books !!!

I bought this book because a close friend of mine lost her dad and son in a traffic accident, and it seemed like it might help her. It was a good choice and it actually helped both of us. The text is easy to read, even older kids should be able to manage it. The message is clear and uplifting. The families that Allison worked with to reassure them that their loved ones still live, just not in the physical, were very blessed. I look forward to reading more of her books.

I loved the book and it just intensified the feelings of life after death for me. She gives you so many real cases to read and their views on her reading. I will buy more of her books now.

I read the first book in 2 days. this book has been on the shelve for over a month now, and I have litle interest in reading i,as it is juststory telling-too repetitive.

This book is useful to anyone who has recently experienced the loss of a loved one. It presents many interesting concepts about life after death.

I thought this would just be a throw-away book, a sensationalistic attempt to spin another angle on Cobain's 1994 "suicide." But the book seems well-researched and fairly well written. Its basic premise, which it attempts to document largely through interview data--along with some new forensic evidence and documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act--is that Cobain was planning to divorce Courtney Love just before her career really took off. When they married they had signed a pre-nup, which made him next to worthless to her alive and divorced. But AFTER they signed it, he made a meteoric rise to fame and fortune while she remained ambitious but not yet the rich grunge goddess that she was to become. With Kurt dead, she got her money and his. Courtney is portrayed as one of the hardest bitches anyone is likely to come across. Forget the fact that she was a junkie . . . she was one of those young women with a bad childhood, who decided to claw her way to the top without scruples or regrets. To hear the authors tell it, many people in this case are afraid of her and so have never really spoken out. And she did reach a point of some influence and wealth, right after his timely (for her) demise. So she hired a hit man, intimidated some and bought off others, allowing the hoax of his suicide to go forward. The authors hope their volume will reopen the case, to at last find justice and stem the tide of copycat suicides that followed. I ended the book convinced that this was a matter that should be looked into further.

I still have many questions after trying to sort throug everyone's conversations. I tend to think it was murder though. Why would Courtney Love not try and get the information/photo's that was being asked for by the PI? She was the one that had hired him and because she has something to hide! This case will never be investigated again by the SPD. They say once a junkie, always a junkie. The one thing that I can say after reading this book, Courtney Love is a white piece of trash and may her soul burn in hell!

I have always believed Kurt Cobain was murdered. Always have. Always will. But I have come to a conclusion, after doing all this research and finding out all the accusations, even if Courtney could be convicted of Kurt Cobains murder, I honestly don't think he would want it to happen. He loved her, he loved Frances, he wouldn't have wanted her to grow up without a mom. I know this. Kurt was a caring and innocent soul. He will always be loved and missed.

Based on this I would have to say that there is enough in question to re-open the case.
Very interesting reading to say the least.

Reading through this book and watching taped interviews of the authors and Tom Grant, it occurs to me that none of them could be familiar with how heroin addicts behave or the amount of heroin a seasoned addict can consume, nor do they understand the classic behavior pattern of a suicidal individual. Cobain's death was a standard scenario seen all over the world, every day. Shame on these 'writers' and Tom Grant the 'investigator' for exploiting and cashing in on the pain and suffering of others.

Kyle Mills is a very gifted writer. Smooth pacing and entertaining scenes on almost every page. This one is outstanding for a debut novel. I think Fade still stands as my favorite by him though.

Reality #1: over the past 20 years, there have been at least 3 outbreaks of poisonings related to contamination of street drugs. In none of the outbreaks could a "reason' for the substitution or addition of one drug be determined. Additionally, the perpetrator or perpetrators have never been caught.
Reality #2: "unintentional" deaths from drug abuse outnumber deaths from homicides
Reality #3: drug abuse crossess all economic and demographic boundaries

Along comes Kyle Mills to put a new spin on reality with his gripping novel of intrigue and science. Could his fiction really be reality? When a rogue DEA agent and a frustrated, do good, clergyman join forces and poison the street drug stream, chaos is produced when dead drug abusers start piling up in hospitals throughout the world. Guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Annually my Christmas gift to friends is the best book I have read during the previous year. Kyle Mills' first published work was my choice during an earlier year, and I would encourage anyone who enjoys a thrilling almost real-life scenario to add Rising Phoenix to your list of books to read. However, I will give you the same warning I voice to whomever I share this book with: Do not begin reading if you have anything important which needs to be done, as I can assure you that once you complete the first chapter, whatever you deem important will have to wait.

Well..how to begin. I think that this book had an excellent and relatively innovative idea to wrap a story around. Poison the drug supply and what happense to the US and Columbia..neat concept! It's in the execution of the story that things start to fall apart for me. As an example (and I freely admit that his editor should probably be flogged for this as well) the author described Houston as a desert. The rugged terrain, the exposed rock etc etc during a car chase that seemed to have no real connection to the story other than to show Mark's character. While the character development was nice, it is a bit of a problem as Houston was built in a swamp. To find anything that resembles desert is a several HOURS drive to the west. All the scene needed was some tumbleweed rolling through to complete the illusion of the old west..well, some tumbleweed and the ability to move the location a few hundred miles west. It's that sort of jarring detail that makes me question the remainder of the story and it was that scene that in fact started me down the road to losing interest....A nice if somewhat underperforming start to what I hope is a good career..

I really enjoyed the concepts and ideas in this book. I'm not going to write a plot summary because Amazon and other reviewers have already did that. But the concept that someone could poison cocaine and heroin at the production stage to get people to quit using is interesting. I really enjoyed the character development. I'm looking forward to reading Storming Heaven next to see what Mark Beamon gets himself into next.

Muslim women pay a high price for their (and their male family members') honor. This book details the trials and tribulations of women in the Muslim world.

The prejudice, discrimination and crimes it describes can all be found here in the west. I suggest that the problem is patriarchy, not Islam. Focusing on a particular religion lets all the rest of us off the hook.

This book is helpful if it makes me think about how often I have discriminated against women and how I justify my actions; and less helpful if I continue to see the problem as being somebody else's problem somewhere else.

I highly recommend this book. Jan Goodwin
provides in an engaging, superbly reported look
at the present-day treatment of women in
countries still bound by the strictures of
medieval Islamic law. Though the book was written
in 1995, and updated after 9/11, its relevance
has never been greater than it is today as we
struggle to understand the increasingly dangerous
world we live in. Above all, "Price of Honor"
gave me renewed appreciation for the Western
world I live in and the freedoms that we - men
and women alike - so easily take for granted.
This book is a must read!

Difficult reading, but definitely worth the effort. A great deal of info about the subject on virtually every Middle Eastern country. Every woman in this country should know what is happening to women elsewhere.

I appreciate Ms. Goodwin's meticulous research, risking her own safety in order to present a picture of what is really going on in these countries, and it does help explain the alarming growth of Islamic extremism.
This book opens a window onto lives that people in the United States have always wondered about. Ms. Goodwin did an excellent job of interviewing men and women from all facets of society; poor, middle-class, and wealthy. It was a fascinating and informative read, and an essential book if one wishes to understand the daily life of women surviving under the iron fist of Islamic extremism.

In 1989 I lived in Cairo, Egypt for several months. Being female I experienced (and witnessed) a good deal of the typical misogynistic behavior one would expect from a Muslim male. I could never understand how the Islamic communities I visited could be so mistrustful and even outwardly angry with women just for the sake of being women. I have been fascinated with learning more every since.

Goodwin writes very interesting and detailed accounts of various Muslim women in ten different locations throughout the Middle East. One thing in common with all women is the cruel,oppressive and immoral treatment by men in general but more specifically her own family be it father, brother or husband. Women in these countries have no rights and assume a subserviant, second class role upon birth. Lack of knowledge, lack of support and fear of punishment keep these women from seeking help or challenging authority. Goodwin also discusses the shocking phenomenon of honor killing that while not versed in the Holy Koran it is exclusively Islamic and is both endorsed and encouraged by Imams, clerics etc..as the only way to restore honor to a family.

I didn't give Goodwin a 4 or 5 star review because I believe that Goodwin (like most journalists/media) has whitewashed, for the sake of political correctness, the true history of Islam and the role women play. So much of what we hear or read on the news has been manipulated because the western world has allowed itself to become handicapped by political correctness.
While it is true that the Prophet Mohammed was loving and monogamous to his first wife Khadija (an independant and wealthy woman in her own right) we know that changed after her death. Supposedly through Mohammed, Allah advised Muslims to marry no more than 4 women and to care for each equally. However Mohammed said Allah's rule didn't apply to him and with at least 11 wives and numerous concubines(sex slaves) Mohammed doesn't really win any sensitivity votes! The most famous wife was Aisha who was 6 yrs old when the marriage contract was made (she was 9 yrs old when consummated)She was also known as the favorite wife. She herself said Mohammed struck her and once proclaimed "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing woman." This should say volumes about the treatment of woman during Mohammeds life. Islamic history shows that the more adherents to Islam Mohammed acquired and the more powerful and feared he became as a political leader the more the revelations began to change. Allah began advising Mohammed to be more restrictive with his people and less tolerant to unbelievers. These new revelations were to cancel out the existing peaceful ones through the process of abrogation.

Mohammed did not hold women in high regard and is proven over and over in several sura's or hadiths regarding women such as: Men are protectors and maintainers of women; women must be devoutly obedient, if not then beat them...4:34; Women witness is half of men...2:282; Majority of women are in hell...( Shahih Bukhari 1.6.301); Menstruation is a disease...2:222; Women, house and horses are evil omens..( Shahih Bukhari;7.62.30); Sex with captive women and slave women is permitted-23:1-6; Allah gets displeased with the woman who does not respond when her husband demands sex from her-(Shahih Muslim 8.3367) These are just a few.

We must remember the Prophet is believed to have been a perfect man who led a perfect life and therefore an example that all Muslims must follow.

A good portion of this book was written in the mid nineties and updated after the events of 9/11. Since that time NO progress has been made in the advancement of equal rights for women despite all the apologists assertions that Islam is peaceful and equal regarding women. This makes any talks of reform by so called "moderate" Muslims disingenuous as well.

Wow! What an amazing story! It is fascinating to read Booker T. Washington's account of a childhood in slavery followed by his rise to national prominence as the founder of the Tuskegee Institute.

While some may argue that Washington was naive and overly accomodating, I was amazed at his ability to forgive and see the best in people. He did not nurse grudges or let others bring him down. Whether or not you feel that he should have spoken up more for judicial equality, you have to admit that he was a strong, dedicated man of character.

Everyone: white, black, brown, or any other shade, can benefit from reading the autobiography of this great American.

Washington's relentlessly positive message is encouraging but at the same time too perfect for believability. The reader desires that Washington would once take off the mask of cheer that he appears to be putting over some parts of his autobiography and tell us what he really thinks.

His optimism extended to the political status of African-Americans and their future integration into American society. As the constant threat of lynching and KKK-ism continued throughout most of the 20th Century, even as positive steps were made in racial integration, it appears his optimism was at best proven wrong, or at least premature. And it is easy to understand the criticism by other contemporary black leaders like W. E. B. DuBois for his easy optimism.

But on the other hand, until and unless I read otherwise in a well-researched biography, perhaps Washington's optimism isn't a front or a mask to cover deep bitterness, but is true and sincere, and indeed, nothing in his story hear reads as if forced or fraudulent.

I purchased this book at the small National Park bookstore at Booker T. Washington's birthplace in rural southwestern Virginia. The setting still matches the quiet and isolation that Washington describes, and lends credence to his tale of self-reliant optimism. I also purchased a National Park Service pamphlet Booker T. Washington: An Appreciation Of The Man And His Times, which makes a nice short companion to Washington's masterpiece.

Booker T. Washington never blames slavery for his problems. Instead he looks forward to the future, and works hard to create a school that helps
black people.
He has a positive attitude which attracts the help he needs to build his school. We can all learn from Booker T. Washington.
Very inspiring.
I loved this book.

Up from Slavery, autobiography by Booker T. Washington, is a true classic in African-American literature. Washington opens Chapter 1: "A Slave Among Slaves" with his vivid recollections as a Negro child growing up in the South: a slave on a plantation in Virginia, a white father he never knew, illiterate and living in horrid conditions. After the emancipation of slaves, Washington's family moves to West Virginia where he labors at the salt furnace and in the coal mines. In his precious few moments of spare time, he learns to read and gains enough confidence to leave everything behind to journey to the Hampton Institute. Later, because of his success at Hampton, he is given the opportunity to start Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Tuskegee Institute is successful partly due to Washington's extensive travel to the North to solicit funds for the school. The students at Tuskegee, in addition to the day-to-day traditional class work, are expected to learn an industrious trade and to work at mastering that trade. Based on his own life experience, Washington believes that the most prudent way the Negro race will persevere is through this combination of education, hard work and service to others. He believes that the White race will come to appreciate the Negro race only if the Negro people prove their worth to society. Because of his passive stance, many, such as W.E.B. DuBois, et. al., labeled Washington as "The Great Accomodator." In other words, accommodating those who were the enslavers instead of advocating for the rights of those who were enslaved. You can get a sense of this in Washington's most notable speech, the address to the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895:

"The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than artificial forcing."

This speech brought national acclaim to Booker T. Washington and, at the time, placed him in the forefront as one of the leading authorities of his race.

Washington was born into slavery as a result of his mother having been raped by her master. This autobiography is a recounting of his struggle from slavery to freedom and on to getting an education and becoming a teacher and then an educational administrator as well as a "Black politician."

In American culture, this narrative is cast as the quintessential "raise yourself by your boot strap" kind of story. In fact when I was in the First Grade, I can remember my First grade teacher, Mrs. Pogue, singing the praises of "the Great Booker T. Washington."

And while there is a great deal to admire about Mr. Washington, there is also a side that only came to light after hearing the other side of his story. Washington was called an "accommodationist," "or "the great compromiser," which in the context of the times were euphemisms for being an "Uncle Tom," or the HNIC. He was good at maneuvering his way around in a racist white culture thinking that he was doing his people a great deal of good when in fact he was being taken advantage of, or when he was in fact consciously "selling his people out." By making a "virtue, out of personal necessity," Washington always had a good justification for his action and eventually became the prototype of this kind of black politician. Many Black preachers still use the Washington template for handling cross-racial situations. Plus how else were blacks to negotiate the difficult racist political terrain of those difficult times?

In the book, for instance, he eschews and discourages blacks from seeking a liberal arts education and from attending college, as being frivolous. He argued for the more practical area of the "manual arts," and "the trades." While this may have been useful -- even good advice -- in the context of the times, there were others of his contemporaries, such as WEB Dubois, who saw Washington's approach as strictly a formulaic kind of Uncle Tomism. And the embarrassing treatment of him at the 1905 World's Fair, kind of sealed this image of him as a Black Uncle Tom by blacks and a "stooge" by whites.

While the book is a good read, in retrospect, it shows Washington to have been very naïve politically, and too trusting of "the white man," who it seems never quite saw the world as he did and neither had Washington's, nor the black race's best interests in mind. Maybe it is a bit harsh to judge his action after the fact, but all other black leaders are judged by the same criteria and they come out unblemished, while Washington's accommodationist methods do not seem to have held up well over time nor have they bore any fruit.

Three Stars

There's been a lot of comment here that this book copy is not the "Real" book. That it's some watered down version, not worthy of consideration. Well, I hate to tell ya...this is a reprint of the original 1926 version before it was revised and expanded in 1938. This is the "Real" book! Some people like this edition better because the language is more powerful.

I read this book and i was drawn to the words, a lot of this rings so true you could not ask for a better read. It talks about our preception of everything and the power of thaught.It is well written and is probably one of his best ones.

To read this book, is to be totally transformed. The world now makes perfect sense. If this book was added to our schools curriculum, there would be a transformation beyond words. Ernest Holmes passed the year that I was born (1960), but yet he will remain in my mind and heart forever.

I cannot emphasize the impact that the writings of Mr. Holmes has had on my life and affairs. His books get straight to the point. He helps us understand that we are each responsible for our lives and the happiness that we seek. But he does it without the guilt and blame that so many traditional religious books do. What sets this apart is that it is not a book about religion, it is a book about spirituality and it encompasses the True idea of the One Loving Power, God.

I found that every paragraph was inspirational. Some may find his prose a bit old fashioned (the original was written in the 1920's or 30's), but every word strikes a cord in the heart. This book does more than simply give you something new to think about, it redefines the very meaning of thought in the human experience and I guarantee that your outlook on life will change profoundly. The best part is that it does not contradict the Bible, and for this Christian, it provided clear answers to many difficult biblical passes that I thought were beyond my understanding.

I too have the original 600 page volume and would highly recommend that you search for a copy for yourself. I've had it for years and still read it on a regular basis for uplifting motivation (simply opening to a random page will almost always prove inspiring). But, if this is the only version you can find, please do not miss out on the words and wisdom of this wonderful man.

A true gem! I've ordered three so far -- one for my sister, niece and me. I spent more than I would have for the third one because vendor said it was a collector's item because the author had signed it. Upon receipt, the only signature found was the same printed signature that the previous two copies had. Don't be fooled like I was.

I read this last year. I have always been fascinated by twins and I thought that Darin Strauss did a wonderful job of fictionalizing the thoughts and perceptions of Chang and Eng Bunker the famous conjoined twins from Siam.

I enjoyed the personalities of the brothers and the voice that Strauss creates for Eng. I also enjoyed reading about this period in our history.

I thought it was a very interesting fictionalization and well written.

Any reader who seeks out unusual topics of interest should give this a spin. Every time I come across this book somewhere, I smile and get queasy at the same time. I had to take a break here and there - I don't know if this was because it was so weirdly disturbing or if the story sometimes lost its flow. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth the read.

I just finished this book and was impressed!! It was an enjoyable bok to read. Lots of detail!! Its a great story and brings you right next to Chang and Eng.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

Mr Strauss's story about the two Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, linked at the chest, did actually live between 1811 and 1874. They were born in Siam, they met the King of Siam, they came to America and became celebrities, they married two sisters and were fathers of 21 children and lead a life as farmers in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Mr Strauss's novel is not ruled by historical facts and thus most of its characters and situations are the product of his imagination, making "Chang and Eng" a true work of fiction. The author thoughtfully explores the questions of union and separation, of individual identity and of the means one has to share and protect one's identity.

This is an ambitious and intriguing debut novel, which is based upon conjoined twins, Chang and Eng, who were born in Siam during the nineteenth century. It is through them that the term "Siamese Twins" entered the vernacular. Here, the author takes known facts about these famous twins and weaves an expertly woven story about their lives, while attempting to individualize them, giving each of them their own distinct and unique personality.

The author tells the story of the conjoined twins through the first person narration of Eng. Born in 1811 in a house boat on the Mekong River in Siam, which is now known as Thailand, Chang and Eng entered the world linked together at the chest by a fleshy band of cartilage. It would be this short band of flesh that would forever bind them together, ensuring that they would never have a truly private moment. For their entire lives, they would be bound to each other, and the two would be forced to live as one.

The author explores their private and often strange lives, which the reader views through Eng's eyes. It is through his intimate thoughts that the reader envisions how the twins may have possibly viewed their own lives. The reader follows the path that their lives took, from their poverty stricken childhood on the Mekong River to their presentation to the King of Siam. It then shows how, as adolescents, they came to arrive in America, where they were displayed as oddities. Eventually, they became an international sensation, becoming nineteenth century celebrities.

Amazingly, they went on to marry two sisters, Adelaide and Sarah, with whom they fathered a total of twenty-one children. Chang and Eng set up house in North Carolina, where they raised their family. Still, this book is not so much about the factual portion of their lives, but rather, about the thoughts of Eng, as he and Chang pass through life together. It is a very intimate, insightful look at their lives and, in particular, the longings of Eng to experience life as most do, as one and not as two.

This is a well-written and delicately nuanced work of historical fiction that is highly imaginative. Instead of having the reader remain on the outside of the lives of Chang and Eng, looking in, the author manages to take the reader into their lives, having the reader look out onto the world from the perspective of Eng. Through Eng, the reader sees the twins as having two very distinct and unique personalities and realizes the angst that they must have experienced in never being able to have a truly private moment. At times, Chang and Eng appear to have had a love-hate relationship. This is a poignant and haunting look at these two individuals, who were, by necessity, constrained to live as one.

For those who are intrigued by the lives of Chang and Eng, but would prefer a purely biographical treatment, "The Two" by Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace is excellent and highly recommended.

The existing reviews cover many of the crucial points, though I would like to reiterate how parents and teachers could benefit from the insights these teens provide.

It's often too tempting for adults to measure the success of our youth with illusionary criteria, avoiding what's at the heart of things. I found the teen's accounts of their lives and Patricia Hersch's conclusions realistic and hopeful.

Though there are some tough scenarios, overall the reader is left with a spirit of assurance that youth is an amazingly resilient time of life and a few cultural corrections can make the difference between dire consequences and an aspired future.

A very interesting and captivating book. The best alternative to a text for a graduate level Adolecent Behavior course.

Partrica Hersch is on a mission. In her book A Tribe Apart, an in-depth study of the lives, behaviors, and opinions of eight adolescents, Hersch argues that today's teenagers are victims of an uncaring, un-involved adult community. Hersch's teens, for the most part, raise themselves. They grapple with adult-sized problems such as abortion, drug use, crime, physical abuse, and neglect--all while facing the "normal" slings and arrows of adolescence. Teens solve the problems they face with very little adult interaction, with the educators, parents, and other adult mentors conspicuously absent. Hersch concludes that today's teens don't exist in a moral vacuum, as social critics might suggest. Instead, she presents teens who reason, debate, and make choices--all without adult guidance or support. The adults who populate the teens' worlds are neglectful--ranging from abusive stepparents, over-worked mothers, self-absorbed fathers, or educators more concerned with discipline and control than forming relationships with kids. It is little wonder that the decisions they make are poor ones. While I do agree with other reviewers that Hersch makes wide-sweeping generalizations about teens and their relationships to adults based upon a limited sample, her point that teens are facing increasingly trecherous problems alone is well-taken. It's easy to feel demoralized after reading A Tribe Apart, and one wonders how adolescence will continue to devovle in the coming decade.

I've seen people say this book does not cover the mainstream or is not the best read, but I would disagree. Hersch takes the time to listen, to let 8 students tell their story. I was in high school at the time when this book was being published, and it is much more accurate that most adults care to realize. It is a narrative, but it is an accurate look at the millennial generation. The only other book that I have seen to compete in accuracy would be 'Hurt' by Chap Clark, but it is more of an academic read. Anyway, if you care for an inside look of adolescence, here is your chance.

A Tribe Apart by Patricia Hersch was a revolutionary book for its time period: 1996. Now, ten years later, I am not sure if the information presented is all that revolutionary. The research for this book was completed when I was in middle and high schools, and now I am the teacher, so how can many of the issues be as new and extreme if I, and many teachers I know, have experienced many of these issues already? Hersch does an excellent job exposing the "normalities" of high school students in the mid 1990's; I am curious if a current study would reveal the same findings. The themes she explores that I do not think have faded away with the turn of the century are the distance between adults and adolescents, the multitude of adult issues our adolescents have to cope with, and the need for peer acceptance over all other needs.

While at the same time deserting our adolescent generation, Hersch says that society has also managed to load them with adult responsibilities. Teens are more often aware of their parents problems, and are being forced to deal with issues far beyond their capabilities. I see that these issues have not faded with time in my conversation with my students. Some of my sixth graders tell me stories about being evicted from apartments or their parents' credit card debt, and I can see that Hersch's research still rings true.
Despite the latter basic truths to Hersch's research, she describes many outdated practices of adolescents such as "mosh pits", the "wamma" culture, the clothing, and the attitudes of some of the students. I think that some of many practices she explored have been replaced with more dangerous and exaggerated ones: rap culture, "hanging out" on the streets for younger and younger students, and increased exposure to societal pressures. In the 1990's, I feel like there were more opportunities for adolescents to thrive and experience life in safe environments. Now, the budget cuts that Hersch mentions very briefly are a country-wide phenomenon. Schools everywhere are experiencing cuts of after-school clubs, music, art, physical education, and sports; not just city schools. This pushes our adolescents further and further into their own world, making Hersch's findings only the beginning. Now, I think that a researcher would find the danger has escalated and children younger than what would be considered "adolescence" are experiencing these kinds of problems.
The way Hersch engulfs herself inside the life of each of her case studies, makes the reader feel as if the adolescents themselves were telling their own stories. So if you are looking for an interesting and entertaining sociological text, A Tribe Apart is a great read. But if you interested in getting a peek inside the minds of your students or teenage kids, I suggest you pick up a more recent text.