Barrett Books

P.N. Elrod is a great story teller and I find myself so involved in the characters lives that I feel like I am there. I loved the Jack Fleming stories but it is nice to read about Jonathan, the forever romantic vampire.

Jonathan Barrett is having problems. He and his mother don't get along, he has been sent to England against his will and he falls in love with a woman who one of his friends also loves.
Then he is forced to return to America where he gets shot and finds out he has even more problems. First, he's a vampire. And as a vampire he has to deal with his family, the British army and the American rebels. If he's not careful he might end up dead and this time he won't come back!

Having read the vampire files I had high expectations for this book
and was not disappointed. I have one suggestion for anyone planning on reading Red Death, and that is to buy the next one in line Death and the Maiden. This book gets you so involved in the main character that you may find it hard to sleep at night as you lay awake wondering what happens next.

This book introduces Jonathan Barrett, who we meet briefly in Bloodcircle (Elrod's 3rd Vampire Files novel). Jonathan is much less cynical and polished than Jack, and also quite a bit younger (only seventeen as the story opens). We get exposed to his family (his mother, father, sister and cousin) and also see how he came to be a vampire, from the very beginning (falling in love with a strange girl, Nora) to waking up in his coffin and convincing his family and the townspeople he isn't dead. I loved this book not only because it presents the American Revolution from a decidedly anti-Washington view (very uncommon in historical fiction) but because unlike the Vampire Files, in this book we see Jonathan as human. He's young, he falls in love, doesn't get along with his mother, goes away to university, makes new friends, and 'learns the world.' The changes he makes while he is alive mirror the kinds of things he goes through after death-both are a type of change, of growing up. And unlike Jack Fleming, Jonathan has no idea what's happened to him when he wakes up in his coffin. He doesn't know where he is, what he is, why he survived his death, what he has to do to continue to survive, or how to judge and use his strength and gifts, and what his weaknesses are. The book ends not with him learning those things, but with him accepting that there is still a lot he doesn't know.

This book kept me guled until I was done. Jonathan Barrett, the unsung "hero" experiences first hand the lure and lust of the vampire world. Reading through the pages it was if I were there on the hot summer days, and erie nights. I will say I found the ending a little weak, but it sure left things open for P.N. Elrods next book. Worth the time!

With the likes of Carl Hiassen, James Hall, Laurence Shames, and a passel of others shooting it out regularly in the same mosquito-clogged marshes and sunny beaches once ruled by John D. MacDonald and Charles Willeford, the Florida crime fiction field has seemed somewhat dangerously overfished in recent years. Apparently, however, Austin screenwriter Darryl Wimberley (The Radicals, Love Thy Father) wasn't too worried about all that when he penned his debut mystery novel, A Rock and a Hard Place, which takes place in the realistically redneck but fictional little town of Deacon Beach, located on the Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State. An expert storyteller with a voice that bears the grit of experience and confidence, Wimberly creates a sense of ambivalence and danger in the interplay of sun and water and decaying enterprises commonly found at land's end.

Before reading this book, I wondered whether Wimberley's screenwriting box of tricks would manifest themselves in his novel. In the end, I have to say that Wimberley's practiced hand at the art of visual storytelling translates nicely to the printed page. The reader's attention glides from one viewpoint to another with the ease of a deftly handled Steadicam, with spicy tough-guy dialogue and plenty of tips of the fedora to all the right classic movies. Move over, Florida tough-guy writers, I think I see a hit series coming on strong. -Jesse Sublett, The Austin Chronicle

Although I don't regularly read books like this one, it was well worth the change of scenery. Based in modern times, this books opens with the brutal murder of a town local, Ramona Walker. When the main character, Bear, finds out his brother is a suspect, he is set between a rock and a hard place. He is the detective in charge of the case and has to face sending his brother to the electric chair or to set him free. The novel is intriguing and while it has it's dull moments, it is continously suspenseful and alluring. For a reader who is open to new kinds of reading, this is definetely worth the time.

Here's the first book in a series with distinct possibilities: the black man who "made good," graduated valedictorian at his high school, went on to get himself well educated and, ultimately, became the only black detective on the force in Deacon Beach. What is striking here is the insight into the sensibilities of being a qualified person of color in a racist environment. What is troubling is the depiction of Ramona Walker, much admired, much lusted-after owner of an enormously successful eating establishment and the person most responsible for Barrett "Bear" Raines's being hired by the local police department. Turns out Ramona had a secret, private life that was beyond sleazy and completely inexplicable.

When Ramona is found murdered and Bear's brother, Delton, is the prime suspect, all the ingredients are in place for both a close study of historical family dynamics as well as the bizarre secret life of Ramona. Both are, in the end, a little hard to buy. But along the way there are some good action scenes and a few scenes with Delton and Bear's twin sons that are beautifully executed.

That said, I just couldn't buy the turnabout ending. It just didn't play for me, in terms of what the author structured. Worth reading, and certainly an author worth following.

I really have nothing to add to the previous three glowing comments about this mystery novel. I agree with their statements. They have really said it all. However, I'm really pleased to know that Wimberley has a sequal. I hope that he settles the question in the new novel of what happened to his nieces (Corrie's and Delton's daughters). As the story ended in Rock and a Hard Place, his characters Laura Anne & Barrett Raines, were sitting on Fort Walton Beach with their twin sons after the death of Barrett's brother Delton and sister-in-law Corrie, but no mention is made of the orphaned children.

"A Rock And A Hard Place" is an entertaining book that evokes a place that many of us have never seen, but -after reading the novel--understand. The protagonist, Barret Raines, and his wife, Laura Anne, have worked hard to carve a comfortable middle-class life in the town where they hope to live out their lives. The murder of Barrett's friend and patron threatens to destroy their carefully-constructed dream, especially when his older brother is accused of the crime. Does Barrett clear the family name? How does he find the truth? The book is engrossing. The narrative entices the reader from the first chapter, adding background and exposition as the book unfolds. The author, although not a police officer, seems comfortable with police procedure and Southern politics. He has a "good-ole-boy" approach to the supporting characters, giving the reader enough detail to imagine them but not so much that they intrude on the narrative. This is a good story, written by someone who has a grasp of narrative and pacing. I look forward to reading the next story.

Being a big fan of private detective tales (Mike Hammer in NYC, Nate Heller in Chicago and Vinnie Calvino in Bangkok), I knew I'd be enjoying this novel as soon as I got it and that's exactly what transpired!
Once again, Dean's love for the Sukhumvit Rd area, especially the bar areas where many farang men hang out (Soi Cowboy, Washington Square), cannot be missed and what this writer has learned/discovered/ouright lived through for more than a few rainy seasons is perfectly melded into the storyline so even were I to be reading this novel here in the States, I could still smell that bizarre mixture of street vendor food, joss sticks, pollution and Buddha-Alone-knows-what-else, I could still hear tuk-tuks drag racing with motorcycles and I could still see all the lovely and not-so-lovely Thai bargirls parading under sizzling neon signs in the redlight districts that partially make Bangkok what it is. And that's just the background!
The main character is someone most of us will relate to at once as you follow him all over the place first wondering "What the hell?" followed by "Whodunit?" and finally "How does he solve this case without going home in a body bag?"
If these are the kinds of elements you require in a mystery novel NOT taking place in New York, Chicago, LA or London, get a copy of this and prepare for a good ride on a blood-washed avenue.

A very well written detective novel set in Bangkok. A down and out American detective and his martial arts trained Thai girlfriend and lots of bizarre characters both Thais and foreigners living there. The author obviously knows the place. For example: "Thais are the nicest people in the world. Until they're not."

A great read and I learned a lot. If this book doesn't make you want to go to Thailand, nothing will.

Scott Sterling, an American expatriate living in Bangkok, Thailand, spends most of his time hanging out in bars and teaching scuba diving. Occasionally he uses his expertise as an ex-CIA agent by doing a little detective work, mostly following cheating spouses. His Thai girlfriend, Dao, is a boxer and an extremely jealous woman. When Lisa Avery, a blonde knockout from the States, starts hanging around, Scott begins to feel a bit uncomfortable caught between the two women.

Lisa requests a meeting with Scott, and he thinks he might get to the bottom of her odd behavior--maybe she wants to hire him for some detective work. Their meeting doesn't end as planned, and Scott leaves with many more questions about Lisa than when he started. Then Lisa turns up dead, and he makes it his mission to find out why she was killed and who killed her. There are people who would prefer Scott stay far away from the investigation. As he starts to uncover clues, he finds that Lisa was not who she appeared to be. Will Scott discover the motive for the crime and the identity of the killer before the culprit eliminates him from the equation?

SKYTRAIN TO MURDER is a brilliantly written novel. The author,Dean Barrett, a resident of Asia, delivers firsthand knowledge of what it is like to live and work in this fascinating country. Sprinkled throughout the book are funny accounts of the different bar patrons and their interactions between themselves and the locals. Scott is a well developed character and the reader has a rapport with him and his plights, even the uncomfortable ones he brings on himself.

The mystery of SKYTRAIN TO MURDER is detailed and intriguing, and will keep readers guessing until the exciting climax where all is revealed. I take it as a sign of a good mystery when I can't figure out the identity of the villain, and this novel delivers a well-crafted surprise. The dialogue is fresh and fast-paced, full of Thai cultural references, both funny and shocking at times.

One criticism I have is that a few of the things referred to in the book are unfamiliar to me, and may be unfamiliar to other readers. It would have been helpful for some commonly mentioned things to be defined, such as "bargirl" and "muay-Thai."

Overall, SKYTRAIN TO MURDER is one of the most fascinating mysteries I have read in a long time. The exotic locale coupled with captivating suspense make for a winning combination. I definitely recommend this book for all mystery lovers on your holiday shopping list--and buy a copy for yourself as a treat!

Courtesy of www.AllAboutMurder.com

There's no real reason to read this average pulp thriller unless you're specifically interested in the sights and sounds of Bangkok. The hero is an ex-CIA operative Scott Sterling, now living the expatriate life, eking out a living as a scuba dive instructor and part-time private detective. However, one gets the distinct impression that he spends most of his hours haunting the bars of Soi Cowboy. The story kicks off in true pulp fashion, with a sexy blonde walks into a bar and captures his attention. But before she can become a client, she turns up murdered. Feeling inappropriately obligated, Scott decides to investigate and soon finds himself in a predictably murky plot involving rich men, expensive call girls, and sexual shenanigans.

Fortunately, this rather rote material isn't all there is to the book. The author provides a bridge to the Thai people via the sassy bar girls Scott knows (and lives amidst in his run-down apartment), and Dao, his kickboxer girlfriend. Of course the whole notion of the ex-CIA guy with the sexy (every woman in the book is sexy) local Muay Thai champ is pretty over-the-top, but that's the kind of book this is. There's a fairly significant subplot involving a gang of slum loansharks who kidnap a girl and Scott's mission to free her. This brings Dao's gangster/monk brother into the story, and the entire affair is kind of overpowers the main plot, which seems curiously commonplace next to the colorful local scene. A lot is made of Dao's character as well, plenty on her her training and then a long blow-by-blow account of her "big match".

So, this is a curious failure of a book in that when Barrett leaves the main plot, it generally gets much better. The details of Dao's spartan kickboxing camp are quite interesting, as are the dynamics of the slums, the funny scenes in bars involving other colorful expatriates, and even the scuba instructor parts. In other words, all the local flavor stuff is nicely done and rings with authenticity, while the murder plot seems kind of paint-by-numbers. The hero seems rather too easily surprised in the climax, although the manner of his deliverance was quite clever. In sum, don't read this for thrills and a good murder mystery, read it because you want a sense of life as an expatriate boozer in Bangkok.

Skytrain to Murder, by Dean Barrett, is a decent noir-like thriller taking place in Bangkok, Thailand. It doesn't really involve a skytrain, but it does involve a murder, so that's one for two, anyway. Barrett is known for writing Asian thrillers and Skytrain to Murder is another good example of this. Unfortunately, Barrett spends too much time giving us the flavour of the city rather than giving us an interesting tale. Atmosphere is like a spice: if you use too much of it, you drown the taste. Add to that a subplot that doesn't really seem to go anywhere and you've got a rather short, yet still padded mystery.

Scott Stirling is an ex-CIA agent from the Bangkok bureau, now living there. Short of money, he's moved into an apartment over a local bar. He teaches diving and does some detective work on the side. A beautiful blonde asks him to her apartment, supposedly to request his help, along with a good screw. When he gets there, she has decided she doesn't need his help anymore, but the screw could still go ahead if he wants. He respectfully declines, but unfortunately, she later ends up dead. Investigating the murder leads him through the seedy underside of Bangkok life, reaching all the way to the top of the business world. He's also asked to rescue a little girl who's supposed to be used as collateral in a loan-shark deal. In this quest, he's aided by his martial-arts trained girlfriend (Dao) and her family. It's too bad that she's also a suspect in the murder.

The more I think about this book, the more problems I come up with, though I do have to say that I ultimately enjoyed the book. Barrett throws in a lot of sub-plots, some of them leading to other avenues of investigation and some apparently red herrings (or, for this novel, red pufferfish). It's unusual to have whole subplots be red herrings, though, and I found that it detracted from the book. Especially bad is the rescuing of the girl. After finishing the book, I can see no reason why this was in there, other than giving us a view of his girlfriend's world. This could be fine, but we get to the spice analogy above. It overwhelms everything else. Barrett makes it seem like a big deal, but when he's finished, the only thing it really did was show how tough Dao's brother is. What's the point? He also spends a lot of time on Dao's muay-Thai martial arts match, going into heavy detail about it, punch by punch. If Dao were a major character, I could see the reason for this, but she really doesn't do much in this book. So why are we spending so much time with her?

It's also bad when the narrator draws attention to the many coincidences that permeate a book. Near the end, Stirling (the book is written in first person) comments on the unlikely string of events that led him to the predicament he was in, and how he got out of it. I think readers should probably come to that conclusion themselves, and they might be a lot more forgiving about it if they do. However, the two comments at end of the book (the one about the coincidences and then the one explaining why there's a skytrain in the title of the book) are so heavy-handed and obvious that they almost don't feel like they were written by the same writer. The rest of the prose in the book is great, reminiscent of a Sam Spade in Asia novel. It almost felt like I was watching a black and white movie.

It's a shame that there are so many structural problems, because Barrett does give us some very interesting characters. Stirling is a great main character, with a cynical outlook on life yet remaining a pretty positive guy. I almost picture him with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, ala Bogart. Barrett also provides us with quirky bit characters and interesting suspects in the murder. In fact, even Chinaman (Stirling's adopted Chinese brother who adopted that nickname, but only for a select few people to use) is intriguing. We only get a couple of glimpses of him when he calls Stirling, but I definitely would love to read a book about him. The dialogue that Barrett provides for these characters also crackles. I loved some of the exchanges in the Boots and Saddle bar between the regulars there. It really added to their character.

I didn't let the problems in Skytrain to Murder get to me until after I had finished it and thought about it. While I was reading it, I really enjoyed the prose, the characters, and the dialogue. While the plot was a bit contrived and there were too many extraneous sub-plots (especially for a 260 page book!), I was hooked from page one until I got to the end. If you turn you allow yourself to go with the flow, and if you like your thrillers with a bit of exoticism to them, then give this one a try. I'll even add an extra star for the enjoyment factor.

David Roy

This book further fuels my interest in the ever surprising hosta. Such an interesting variety and history.

'Hostas' by Rosemary Barrett is well written, thoroughly researched and a pleasure to read. The photographs are first-rate and will inspire anyone who is landscaping in the shade. The reference sections of the book seems very thorough - although I am no expert! This is a book that can truly be judged by its cover: well designed, well-produced and beautifully presented.

It was a pleasure to read this book and worthwhile. However I am a person looking for more of a book that doesn't put it all on the line. She states in the book on pg. 27 that she does not like to write about pest and diseases however she does imparts some useful information for the novice hosta grower, but not nearly enough for an enthusiast. This is a good little book for the half hearted gardener. This is certainly not a book to hold as any type of real reference material.

Informative book for the hosta lover. Advice on growing, companion plants and combination design suggestions for a stunning shade garden. Breath-taking photos. A book you'll enjoy looking through again and again.

Excelent book for the average gardener. This book concentrates on using Hosta's in the garden with other plants. Gives lots of suggestions in choosing color and texture to add interest and accent other plants as well as showing hosta's to their fullest potential. Also covers how hosta's grow, dividing, planting and hosta care disease and prevention. Wonderful color photo's.

This is a very touching story. There is a lot of valuable information about farm life that I think is fascinating. Some of the language is tough for a child. However, it is great for a child to learn his/her grammer.

I loved this book. I love all of James Herriot's books. He is my favorite author. To bad he is dead. He died in 1994. This book is about a little kitten who is found by a vet. Moses is put in the stove to warm him up. The farmer's wife puts him with the piglets. And he starts to eat with them. And he lives with them forever. Buy it. You'll love it.

In the beginning a man found a very ill kitten, so he went to a farm close by. The people there said, "We can help." They gave him some warm milk and meat scraps. Moses, the kitten, one day was hungry and nobody was around. So he went searching for food. Then he found a sow (or pig) and saw all her piglets. They were all eating so he decided to call the sow his mother, and he drank from her and got milk. As he grew up he had a very good life and he always remembered and kept company with his adopted mother, the sow.

From A Ray of Sun Shine on AOL

This is a beautiful, moving story for children, which will touch even the parent reading the book! My only complaint about that it uses archaic (or regional?) language that in many cases even I (the parent!) didn't understand. It didn't really keep us from enjoying the story; it was just frustrating for me to be flustered by words in a children's book! I would recommend it nonetheless; just be sure to read it to your kids rather than handing it to them to read themselves, as it may frustrate a young reader.

The text of this book is pure James Herriot, with absolutely no attempt to speak down to a young audience. Therefore, the use of the regional dialect may be a bit of a challenge to some young readers, but the exquisite illustrations should spur nine year olds & older to read it for themselves. It should be stressed that this is a true story as all of Herriot's writing is based on his experiences as a country veterinarian.

Do resist the temptation to skim through the book for the illustrations before reading it though. The illustrations are definitely a part of the story and one of the double page illustrations will definitely get a better reaction if not seen until one reads the preceding text.

If this "children's book" is left out on the coffee table, I predict that everyone in the family will at one time or another read it and enjoy it. I'm sure that any teenagers will wait until nobody sees them reading it, and that they won't admit enjoying it, but chances are they will.

Also, this book may well inspire those 12 and older to read James Herriot's adult books.

This book focuses on so-called "alternative religions", which are basically groups that differ from the mainstream churches in their beliefs and practices. Some, such as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, consider themselves to be Christian. While others are derived from the Asian religions or from Paganism and other nature focused belief systems. Barrett maintains an objective approach throughout. But he does also explain the difference between a cult and a sect. The primary difference being that cults use tactics of brain washing and social control to lure and maintain its followers, the Moonies and the Hare Krishnas are two of the groups often accused of being cults though both claim to have now cleaned up their act. In contrast, sects have beliefs and practices that differ from the mainstream but do not uses "cultish" techniques to control their members, Christan Scientists and Bahais would likely belong to this category.

In any case, this book covers over 60 groups and belief systems, including the Jesus Group, the Nation Of Islam, Sahaja Yoga, Wicca, Druidry and Scientology. Barrett is slightly more critical of some groups than others, especially violent ones such as the Branch Davidians. But essentially he leaves it up to the indiviual reader to come to his or her own conclusions.

Religious fundamentalists seeking a book that bashes groups outside the mainstream will be sorely disappointed in this one. But for open minded people who want to learn about many different "alternative religions" in an objective and scholarly format this is an excellent choice.

The New Believers is an incredible undertaking, resulting in a truly remarkable, and extremely readable reference work. Barrett provides clear criteria with which each religion discussed has been included in the book, together with fascinating accounts of the original meanings of the often emotive descriptors: sects, cults and alternative religions.

Part One adresses common misconceptions and challenges the source of those opinions, going on to discuss major issues that affect our society today, from tabloid headlines to the losing of a loved one to a religious organisation.

Part Two centres on individual movements - from religions with Christian origins through to Neo-pagan movements and even Personal Development movements. Each entry provides details of the origin and history of the movement concerned, together with details of the beliefs and practices.

For teachers and preachers and other religious leaders through to journalists, interested parties or concerned relatives, this book provides a truly objective account of the many traditional religions and new religious movements across the world today.

Followers of any faith have a duty to read this book, and may well be surprised by the roots of their belief structure, the many off-shoots that have become mainstream faiths, and the unique objectivity Barrett has achieved.

A very clear history and description of cults both large and small. Entertaning and enlightening at the same time. Every Family should have a copy so the parents can at least provide some knowledge to the family on who and what these cults are all about.

Having read the reviews, I bought this for our Wednesday night bible study class at my Baptist church. We sometimes spend half an hour once a month looking at other beliefs. We were disappointed with this book and I ended up having to supplement many things by doing some research on the internet.

I original bought this book because I was curious about several alternative religions such as Chistian Science, Scientology,and Jehovah Witnesses. I wanted a book that would give me the nuts and bolts on those religions and others. This book did just that. It provided general information on many religions and cults that I have been curious about for decades.

One thing that is nice about this book is that it makes it easy for you to pick and choose among the religions you are interested in. That's exactly what I did. Like a buffet, I read about the religions I was interested in and left the rest for the next guy.

Overall this book is a fairly easy read and provides valuable information about dozens of alternative religions and cults that are or were active in America and Britain.

If you are interested in a brief history of alternative religions in America, I also recommend the book COMMUNITIES OF DISSENT by Stephen J. Stein.

This book is just packed full of information. It is one of those books that drew me to Vampire to begin with. Great detail about the period, how vampires fit into it. How to play a vampire knight. Religion and how both vampiric knight and also mortal ones view it.

The book itself is a fun read, not just filled with rules but flavour to make the game better. Some of the concepts could be used in any game that uses knights.

Well worth the money. My only complaint is the art needed to be a bit better.

This is one great book, but you need the good players too. Think of a vampire walking under the sun and not getting aggravated damage, just lethal. A vampire with increased power and disciplines as well as being only lethally damaged by fire, not aggravated. However, it is compensated by the vampire duties and by those above them in the knighthood order. And yet, it is not only about the order of the bitter ashes, but about everything on chivalry. If you like the via equitus... this book is for you.

The first impresion i had upon this book was: "why bother with something so simple". But upon reading the five chapters and the appendix i was hooked on the idea. I also played for six years Truncheons and Flagons so the fantasy setting is no strange to me, whoever when you review the possilities to play a vampire knight the ideas arise (bad pun sorry). They explain in chapter one the whole concept of chivalry in medieval Europe, but the best chapter is the second where they explain how to do it and the fifth where players get their chances at playing one. New merits and flaws (i really liked the "woman in disguise" flaw, a lot of opportunities there). They also give you a brief history of a fictional vampiric knight order for those who like ready to play NPC. Overall a good read, on the gaming side a good sourcebook with good information for both storytellers and players.

This Dark Age Supplement for Vampire is one great read. What I liked about this book is that it gave historical view of the codes and conducts of chivalry, and the sociteies of the canite knighthoods. Whitewolf's eyecatching artwork in its shades of black white, catch the feel of the Dark Ages and creates a good atmosphere for the book. For those who play Vampire: TDA, this books holds are real treat as it details the "Grail Knights" briefly mentioned in previous books. They are something more than you typical Cainite Knight. Also featured in this book are some New Traits and Merits & Flaws for your character. This is one book I feel I will have plenty of use for in my library.

I am quite impressed with this book. In the tradition of Wolves of the Sea, White Wolf has really done their homework on this one. Not only does it contain much relevant information about historically existing knightly orders (such as the Knights Templar), it also contains information about how kindred manipulate and even become them. Most importantly, the Order of the Bitter Ashes is detailed. The Order has a duty to destroy infidels, protect the holy, redeem the wicked, and capture the holy relics of old for...posterity. The memebers, due to a unique embrace involving the Holy Grail, also have several new powers, among them being a limited ability to regenerate blood without feeding, and some resistance to fire and sunlight. Though they might be the most noble of the Kindred, there are still many moral dilemmas to play out with them. I get a real Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade feeling from this book. If you enjoy this sort of mood mixed with the gothic horror of Vampire: Dark Ages, this is a must have for you. My only complaint is that there is not a single mention of the one clan that most fits the knightly stereotype: the Salubri. Maybe I am just partial to the Salubri, but I think that they should not have been overlooked here. Still, the book is marvelous.

The letters in this book are divided into categories such as war brides, working women on the homefront, newlyweds separated by war, why we fought, the price of war and having a loved one away for so long, and courtship by mail. There's also one chapter that consists entirely of photos and photocopies of postcards, advertisements for things like V-mail and writing to servicemen overseas, posters, drawings, and newsletters. Although many of the concerns and experiences are similar, no two stories are exactly alike. We get a wide range of people, such as newlywed wives who had to cope with pregnancy and raising young children while husbands were away, wives who lost their husbands and often kept writing because they didn't know of their deaths right away, a family in a Japanese-American internment camp, a couple who went from friendly correspondence to a nationally-known breakup and angry feud to finally lovebirds again and a happily and long-married couple, a Quaker couple dealing with the husband being in prison due to his pacifist beliefs and refusal to serve in the military, wartime shortages on the homefront, and the often hard life many farmers faced during these years. The one thing all of these female letter-writers had in common, though, was that they were dealing with the absence of husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, and male friends.

However, this book didn't pique my interest quite as much as it could have due to there being just so many different excerpts; even with the longer sections, there just wasn't as much opportunity to really draw the reader in and make him or her fully connect with these longago letter-writers, the way there could have been had there been more longer excerpts (even with fewer letter-writers represented overall), with some shorter excerpts mixed in along the way. Although this is a problem with all such anthologies; as great as the material is, one can tend to feel that it's still not the full complete picture, particularly when the editors haven't included all of their letters and have even edited the length of some of them. It makes one wish one could read all of these letters written by these interesting people instead of just these relatively short samples. Still, all things considered, this is a relatively minor complaint, certainly nothing that should dissuade one from reading this fascinating book.

I study all kinds of stuff from the WW2 homefront. I really liked this book. It's an easy read, however, you really get to know what it was like for the women who had to stay home during the war. I learned really early in my studies to NOT just listen to what the propoganda tells you. It was not all USO swing dances, troubles finding nylons and writing letters.

The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the letters are edited. I read the book "war letters" before this one and I was spoiled because the letters in that book are unedited and even includes spelling errors, etc but they are exactly how the soldiers wrote their letters. So when I read "since you went away", I was kinda disappointed that the author only gave you what they thought was important in the letter.

This book of letters is so revealing of that period in time. It lays the emotions of the women left behind during war time right out in the open for all to feel and experience. This book has become a part of my life. I work at a college and when we have a program that needs a reading done I am always called on to read from "my" book of WWII letters from home. I feel like these letters are my children and each one is crying out to be heard and I really do hate to have to pick only a couple to read. This book is that good. I feel that this book should be read by everybody especially young people. I get very good response after my readings and some very emotional responses as well. This is a truly wonderful book and I recommend it to everyone.

Compiling 400 letters, Litoff and Smith give readers a very personal look at what World War II was life for American women at home. Reading them is an almost vouyeristic experience, as these women share their thoughts, struggles, personal victories and tragedies.

The book is divided topcially rather than chronologically, giving the reader an opportunity to focus in on one aspect of the war. For example, "I Took a War Job" focuses exclusively on the liberating and empowering experience women felt in working in the defense industry (and making a man's wages.) The most touching and strongest chapter, "The Price of Victory" dealt with the loss of a loved one - husbands, brothers, lovers. The letters are from all social classes, races and parts of the country, providing a representative view, and speaking to the commonality of experiences. It is a remarkable resource, a fantastic read, and a rich collection of primary documents. For the professioal historian, I highly recommend it. For the lay reader, it is as insightful as it is fascinating. Recommended.

I'm very interested in the powerful tapestry of the US homefront during WWII. This book provides a wide variety of first hand accounts of what was happening and more importantly how people felt about these events. The power comes from the fact that the words were written at the time rather than as later rememberances tainted by subsequent experiences. The only selectivity is in the letters people chose to save. But I think the authors have done a good job in trying to mitigate this natural bias by drawing from a wide variety of sources.

The first story in this collection, "Strike Anywhere" by Antonia Nelson, left me breathless at the thought of a little boy eating matches. Even when the scene moved into a bar where a pregnant woman was drinking and smoking, and I wanted to forcibly push her out of the bar, even then I could not stop thinking about the little boy sitting in the pickup out front eating matches while his father drank in the bar. The irony of the story is that the father is angrily indignant about the way the strange woman is treating her unborn child, while completely unconcerned about his own family, one of which is poisoning himself a few feet away.

In the 'behind the story' section, Nelson reveals that a student told her this story, that her brother had told her, and said Nelson could have it to do with as she pleased. The result of that priceless gift is "Strike Anywhere."

When I bought this book, I expected it to be like a writing class, but I think it is more like a workshop. Many of the stories impressed me as world-class, while others left me cold. All of the 'behind the story' sections were interesting, as I thought they would be, some were a lot more helpful than others.

Steven Dobyns' "Part of the Story" is a page turner in which a sixty-three year old woman must meet the five children she gave up for adoption at birth, now adults who have tracked down her and each other. She is reluctant to admit that they all have different fathers, none of which she was married to. Further complicating things, on the morning they are all coming to her trailer to meet her, her current boyfriend dies in her bed. Only some well-chosen lies can save the day. Not only is the story brilliant, but Dobyns' comments about creating it are fascinating and instructive.

C.J. Hribal's story "Morton and Lilly, Dredge and Fill" is good, but his behind the story is great, with in-depth discussion of point-of-view and how he used it.

Robert Boswell wraps up the book beautifully with "A Walk in Winter," in which a man must relive the disappearance of his mother when a body is discovered twenty-two years later. The story, both the then and the now, is riveting, and the behind the story section is as well.

With only a few exceptions, I found the stories here more than satisfying, and the background material intriguing.

The Story Behind the Story is the first collection of short stories I greeted with a whoop of joy.

The more you enjoy reading a particular short story, the more you want to know about the writer. How different is the writer from me? you wonder. How did the writer actually write the story?

Answers are hard to come by. If you're lucky, you'll find a measly author min-bio buried in the small print. Anthologies are the worst: one good story after another raises your curiosity, but lack of additional information leaves you deflated.

Complain no more. The Story Behind the Story is exactly what the title promises: a collection of masterfully written contemporary short stories, each partnered with a fascinating essay revealing the creative process behind the story.

The stories are by 26 writers who have taught in Warren Wilson College's famous MFA Program for Writers. The simple format (so beautifully basic you're astonished it really hasn't been done before) was created by the book's two editors, Peter Turchi (long-time director of the Writers program) and Andrea Barrett, winner of the 1996 National Book Award for her story collection, Ship Fever.

Subject matter and style are as wide-ranging and dissimilar as work from that many talented writers could be. There's an unhappy boy who eats matches. A deranged fascist who roams Venice. A kidnapped woman who buys a hat. A man who runs over a cat. The images are unforgettable: a wedding cake in the street, a door floating in a river, a pile of bones found in the snow.

Most of the stories are set in present day, with many of them telling the concerns of parents, such as Mrs. Dimbleby, Wilton Barnhardt's sympathetic portrait of a mother who's not sure how much she loves her snotty little daughter. A few are historical, such as Jim Shephard's haunting tale of male lovers aboard the doomed Hindenburg airship, appropriately entitled Love and Hydrogen. Absurd comedy reigns in Stephen Dobyns' Part of the Story, in which a clueless older woman is visited by the five grown children she gave up for adoption.

The range of voices makes a thrilling melting pot, for although they've taught at Warren Wilson, the writers come from all over the country. There's the bold poetic cadence of Michael Martone's The Moon Over Wapakoneta, the mesmerizing lyricism of Andrea Barrett's tale of lost love, Out There, and the "Mexicanized English" Karen Brennan uses in Sacha's Dog.

In each "story behind the story," the writers relate the source of their inspiration, what writing goals they tried to accomplish, and how the story evolved from idea to published page. The result is that each story/essay unit becomes a vivid "window on creativity," as Richard Russo (2002 Pulitzer Prize for his novel Empire Falls) comments in his inspiring introduction to the collection.

Readers always want to know how autobiographical a writer's stories are. About City Codes, his poignant story of a family's attempt to save a historic building, Tracy Daugherty writes, "It's all true except for the parts I made up."

The book's premise & organization is clear & straightforward. None of the writers blather on about themselves; the pacing of each essay is perfect & importantly, no writer in the book has a bloated sense of self-importance. There is a humility and a thoughtfulness in process found here. Perhaps most significantly, the stories are blisteringly good!

An innovative resource and great fiction

Ah, the writing life. We envision the author working compulsively, never satisfied, anxious to capture his ideas on paper before they disappear, a bottle of liquid inspiration and glass at hand. In the public imagination, the writer exists in some remote setting, isolated in his rarified world of complicated thoughts and clever phrases, perhaps a tragic and difficult personality. While there is cachet in such perceptions, writing actually involves a great deal of hard work. A story must be nurtured, carefully pruned from inception into the finished pages. Yet the writers in this anthology are distinctly human and accessible, certainly generous, stimulating the reader's imagination with their experiences.

In this anthology, a series of writers, all teachers on the faculty of Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, have contributed twenty-six short stories, each followed by a section named "About the Story". Each About the Story details the author's creative process involved in his particular story, whether it be personal experience, an idea gleaned from research or a series of incidents that resulted in a tale to tell.

The pivotal question about writers: is this talent genetic or are these skills that can be learned? In his introduction, Richard Russo addresses the problem ambiguously: Writers are both the same and different than others, says Russo. Good writing cannot be readily taught, but those who want to write can learn to do it well. With authors as mentors, advising aspiring writers, they may master the needed skills. However, "artists seldom progress in a predictable, linear fashion". It is possible for a writer to be good before he is competent; clearly, craft and experience can turn a writer into an author.

Thanks to the generosity of these veteran authors, sharing their experience and guiding the apprentice through the necessary elements of the craft, this volume is especially valuable. The shared ideas and discussions on problem solving build an energy that inspires the novice writer to experiment with a variety of approaches and each new story provides an opportunity for discovery. Yet each author has his own method, his own path. Russo refers another phenomenon, "cross-fertilization": when the solution to the story pays off by suggesting yet another, or stimulating a thought process that leads to a completed story.

The contributing authors are some of the finest names in contemporary fiction, including Margaret Livesey, Charles Baxter, Judith Grossman, Stephen Dobyns, Pablo Medina and Andrea Barrett. The authors' generosity is extraordinary in this literary treasure. Setting the tone with the first story, Antonya Nelson's "Strike Anywhere", a student "gives" Nelson the story, which "hangs in her mind like a Christmas ornament", until it is born. And Nelson "gives" the story to the reader in this anthology.

A few lines from each "About the Story", or one specific author's thoughts may trigger that sudden recognition, a solution. Of inestimable value to readers, each author shares a piece of his art, a myriad of ideas, suggestions and inspiration. I have marked my favorites (so far) and keep The Story Behind the Story on my nightstand, a ready resource and a reminder of the personal nature of the process, lessons on the art of writing. Luan Gaines/ 2004.

It is an interesting idea: a collection of stories, each followed by an essay by the author on that story. And there are several places in this collection where it works brilliantly. But like the other Warren Wilson book, "Bringing the Devil to his Knees: The Craft of Fiction and the Writing Life," this collection could benefit from some pruning.



I would of course begin my cutting at the introduction by Richard Russo. But that's just my personal beef.



Many of the stories in the collection lack urgency. They are good stories, written by good writers. But I suspect that they are also rejected stories, stories that, before this collection, never found their way into publication. When I started reading the book, I looked on the copyright page to see where the stories had previously appeared. There was no indication that any of the stories had ever been published. As I read, I was not surprised. The first three stories (Antonya Nelson, Margot Livesey, and David Shields) left me bewildered and just barely awake. The writer's essays on the creation of the stories held my interest--I was curious to read about their personal and professional struggles. But the stories themselves lulled along like a long French movie full of beautiful and sometimes dirty people involved with one another in ways I couldn't quite follow.



Then I hit Charles Baxter's "The Old Fascist in Retirement." I couldn't follow this story either, but it was fascinating, like an image poem or a fever dream. I had a feel for what was going on, and that was all I needed to stay tuned. And I could have been happy with the experience of it. But Baxter's essay on the story rescued the reading from forgettable experience, and lodged it in my literary memory. His essay gave that ephemeral story context. I had the historical reference along with phrases like stylistic halitosis and stale rotten breath of Modernism to rattle around. And the fact that Baxter admitted that "this is a one-time-only story" somehow comforted me and laid to rest some of my reservation, it opened me up farther still to the experience of the piece.



There are stories in the collection that read very much like the work of Richard Yates. And though I do not particularly care for them, I understand their appeal and take to heart people's observation that such stories, in their understated way, create a remarkable intimacy of character. In Joan Silber's essay on her short story, "My Shape," she makes a very Yates-ian character observation: "What haunted me in her account was the teacher's repeated question, `How much do you want it?' An ecstasy of sacrifice was asked of her, for the sake of a fairly frivolous goal she had no hope of attaining."



Wilton Barnhardt's "Mrs. Dimbleby" is another example of the Yates-ian story. In Bernhardt's essay on the story, he writes, "Increasingly, I've come to see that all the high drama in the world rests in our day-to-day chores, our routines with our loved ones, if we're conscious, if we're observant."



Most short stories dwell on the day-to-day, and that does not make them necessarily Yates like. And the idea of the observant man echoes Camus and Satre, and probibily others still. But there is a certain softness to the Yates story (and many of the stories in this collection), a sense of suburban haze and strip-mall predictability. The Yates story lacks the Carver menace, or the Mark Richard, Larry Brown, Kevin Canty grit and strangeness.



A few of the essays offer sound advice on craft. Ehud Havazelet writes: "a story's form needs to be organic, the shape it takes, all the elements of craft--point of view, theme, voice, plot--having to emerge from what the story slowly tells you it needs, not from an infatuation born in experience, or a neat idea, or a thematic that is way too cleaver by half."



Kevin McIvory's short story, "The People Who Own Pianos," and the essay that follows are great meditations on the importance of voice. In the work he goes so far as to exclude elements of theme and plot.



Other essays wrestle with the difficulties and dangers of autobiographical fiction. Not something I am too terribly concerned with, but it is a common theme in four or five essays.



And then there are some damn good stories. Pablo Medina's "Mortality" is magical. And the essay that follows is just as good as the story.



Peter Turchi's "Night, Truck, Two Lights Burning," is a damn good story. And though I found the mother's dramatic death (car crash) a bit heavy handed, his use of fluid time and memory and image, the way the structure of the story folds in upon itself, the way it spins reader expectations, the way it balances precariously on the edge of sentimentality is really very good.



But in the end, the book is too big. There are only a handful of stories and essays that are really worth reading. Out of more than four hundred and seventy pages, I'd recommend about a hundred.

Confessions upfront: My husband has become a WWII collector--and anything about that time interests him (and I hear about it). Why? His father was in the 8th Army Corps of Engineers and left a wife and two small boys alone at home. WWII shaped the way both of his parents looked at the world until their final breath.

YANK, the Army Weekly was a magazine written and managed completely by men in the army--many who where cartoonists, artists, photographers and reporters before.

The Mail Call section was letters from soldiers who could beef about something--no matter on which of the six continents he was stationed.

With a circulation of 2,250,000, each issue cost the soldier five cents because it was thought if the soldier paid, he'd respect it more. It had 21 editions in 17 countries. Much of the magazine was produced at headquarters in New York City and then shipped for printing around the world where local staff added a few stories for that area.

YANK was read because it was believable--telling about the indignation and frustration. The staff members were also lowly soldiers who understood all to well the boredom and moments of terror of the EM (enlisted men). Their rank excluded them from the same privileges of the fighting soldier. They understood--and that was shown in the articles, photos of soldiers, cartoons and letters. They also understood the loneliness, thus the great photos of pin-ups (beautiful women).

YANK was the authentic voice: friend, confidant and entertainer. Wonderful stories, sad stories and much more, including great photographs, make up this book. You will enjoy it if you like history from the common man's viewpoint or just personal stories.

Armchair Interviews says: On the scene and on the money, YANK's hard-working and risk-taking staff spoke to soldiers who now speak to us through this book. Great gift for fathers or grandfathers or your local library or senior center.

There is not much more I can add because so much has already been covered in the current reviews. I would, however, like to say THANK YOU to Barrett McGurn for his work on this book and....for inlcuding my father, Mason Pawlak in this book. Please see page 50 and others to include pg. 45, "Pawlak's cover photo of Angaur", where my dad received his purple heart after an explosion. I grew up viewing photos,listening to many stories and of course watching the old time show, 'Combat' in our home. I am very proud of my dad and all other service men who gave me my freedom. I am also proud of the most difficult task of fighting a war and carrying many cameras and being in the front lines to bring the stories of this battle back to life for all of us. Pictures tell stories and give us each fragments of the past....I am eternally grateful to all who served, shared, died and lived to tell in beautiful masterpieces such as this! I love you dad, your daughter.

The Greatest Generation also produced some great artists and writers - from Bill Mauldin and Andy Rooney to Ralph Martin and Barrett McGurn - men who covered the war "up front" and - being on the side of the average "GI" - more than once caught the wrath of high-ranking military "brass"(e.g. George Patton).
For millions of enlisted men and women of "The Greatest", YANK was a common consciousness - and through the letters column, their common voice. How the magazine began, ran, survived, and earned its ultimate tribute - the trust and affection of soldiers, sailors, airmen in every theater of war - is a story McGurn tells through his personal experience from the battle line to MacArthur's anteroom.
His account of the men who risked - and sometimes lost - life to get YANK's stories and photos adds a special dimension to the history of WW II. They were there. McGurn's book takes you with them all the way.
YANK survived because General George Marshall had the wisdom to appreciate its major contribution to the morale of its millions of readers - men and women we now know as The Greatest Generation. How YANK did this is a great read.

This unique history of a unique war 'necessity' includes photos and remembrances of a war correspondent, Barrett McGurn, who covered the Western Pacific for fourteen months in 1943-44, and his associates as they put together YANK for the soldiers out on the field.

This was written for the combatants in all the different services in the War. It was free to the troops in combat and considered an official War Department publication. The five-cent price for all others was a token rate because 'the theory was that no one would read what he received for free.' Many things were censored, but it is the record of the enlisted men as they recorded the true happenings in their own way in a week-by-week diary. Some wrote poems to express their despair and loneliness away from their families 'back home.'

It went on sale for the first time June 17, 1942 and was dreamed up by Colonel White. Designed by President FDR and Secretary of War Stimson as a way to let the military at the lowest levels 'blow off steam' and also read what others were thinking, the circulation exceeded 2.5 million in forty-one countries and the readership topped four million.

George Baker created the "Sad Sack" cartoon which made him popular after the war ended. Mr. McGurn, at the age of 25, in 1939 had gone abroad as a foreign correspondent for the 'Tribune.' He had started out as a cub reporter in the late '30s on the 'New York Herald Tribune.' He wrote "The United Nations was about to be founded in San Francisco. It would put an end to wars!" Don't we wish?!

After Joe McCarthy (no relation to the senator from Wisconsin) took over as editor of YANK, the paper included a weekly pinup of women "to boost morale." Betty Grable was by far the most popular. Others included Dinah Shore, Jane Russell, Ava Gardner, Jean Harlow, Gypsy Rose Lee, Barbara Stanwyck, and Ingrid Bergman (shown in the book on the cover as a farm girl).

There were 150 editions total during the War. The last cover showed a copy of an Army 'Honorable Discharge' certificate "as a testimonial of honest and faithful service to this country" signed by Dwight W. Eisenhower. This was a one of a kind publication, never to be repeated. The photos are varied and interesting, but the written report of action in New Guinea and the Phillippines was history in the making.

Mr. McGurn has written AMERICA'S COURT: SUPREME COURT, PILGRIM'S GUIDE TO ROME, and DECADE IN EUROPE. He spent twenty years in Europe, North Africa, and Asia as a correspondent and then a Foreign Service officer.

This book covers something about World War II that is completely new to me: a news magazine put out by soldiers for soldiers. It is a history of "YANK", a publication done completely by enlisted men, for the typical enlisted soldier. Although there were officers in charge, the content was exclusively done by the EMs. The worldwide corespondents, artists and cameramen often put therselves in serious danger to "get the story" and present it to their readers. There wasn't any sugarcoating of the news, and officers took a real beating in the pages of this paper. I can imagine my own father, resting somewhere beside his tank in Europe, reading this publication, and thoroughly enjoying it! This is a very good subject about which most of us in this generation know nothing, so I highly recommend reading this book!