Barry Books

For most of its length, Bridge of Birds felt like a meandering dream, along the lines of, "so my mom was making pancakes using rice, but then my brother ate all the flour so we had to go to the store, but it was a hardware store...." Then, on page 238, I realized that the story had suddenly condensed towards a fun and engaging purpose built upon all of the pleasant, rambling adventure that had been laid out. Recommended as a diverting tale, but don't expect it to feel like it's going anywhere until near the end.

The opening chapters of this book are very good, and set up high expectations for the rest of the story. The author invokes mythology, history and superstition, and infuses them into the affairs of a small Chinese village. The action begins when the children of Ku-Fu fall into a mysterious death-like coma. The hero, Number Ten Ox, hires the sage Li Kao, and together the two set off on a quest to find the Great Root of Power, which is the only known cure.

The end is wonderful, surprising and mythical. There is a twist, a mystery is solved which turns out to be much more than the original mystery, heaven itself is happy, and loose ends are tied up in a satisfying manner.

So then, why only three stars? Because honestly, aside from the first few chapters and the last few, the rest of the book is riddled with flaws - so many, in fact, that I almost gave up on it. For one thing, there turns out to be not one quest, but a tedious succession of them, into dark labyrinths from which there is no escape, etc., etc. Throughout the many adventures, the protagonist tends to be passive, allowing himself to be led by Li Kao, who is clever but not really likable. There is not a realistically-drawn female character in the book, and the humor is tasteless and sometimes mean. All of these things spoiled my enjoyment of the book. However, I am glad that I finished it, since the reward at the end was worth it.

Anyone who is a fan of Terry Pratchett should look into the three Master Li and Number Ten Ox stories. Of which, Bridge of Birds is the best.

This was an amazing fantasy novel. It's entertaining, hilarious, and heartwarming. The detail of ancient China, its traditions and beliefs are very vivid, and there are "feel good" parts to it that remind me of a Disney/Pixar movie (terrible analogy, I know, but that's what comes to me when I think of the feeling it gave me). The solutions that Li and Ox come up with to get themselves out of their various predicaments are clever in their conception and exciting in their execution, and I'm very interested in reading the next books in the series.

I first read this book about 20 years ago. I read the two reviews that gave it only one star because I was curious why their reaction was so different from mine. After reading the two reviews, I believe I understand the problem.

It's called Fantasy for a reason.

It's not Literature, and it's not a History of ancient china.

Barry Hughart taught me that ancient wise men don't see themselves as "Ancient Wise Men". They see themselves as the little boys they once were (as do we all). They pass gas like the rest of us, sometimes they drink too much like the rest of us, and sometimes they are immoral like the rest of us.

Number Ten Ox may not have been the perfect foil for Kao Li, but he wasn't too far off the mark. His awe at Kao's "wisdom" (more often than not just common sense) and his willingness (and almost desire) to be proved to be less intelligent than Kao tells us a great deal about human nature.

By the end of the book I had reached the conclusion that there was little difference between Number Ten Ox and Kao Li, and that they, of all, knew that best. They each had their roles in a highly structured society and they played them to the hilt, trying their best to do good despite society's nonsense.

I loved this book 20 years ago and I love it still. I don't always want High Brow Literture. Sometimes I want a good, fun, frolic in the pool. The Number Ten Ox stories are the later.

Sure, this book was hard to put down, but I couldn't figure out why it was labeled science fiction. There are no new technologies, the technology in the book is just electricity, and isn't even the biggest influence in the book. It is a crime to charge nearly 20 bucks for a book that is so poorly laid out in text, and has such a poor resolution graphic cover. Nevertheless, the story is worth reading if you can find a used copy. It's hard to put down, but it's only a quick 300-page read, with just about every moral spelled out for you.

I gave up reading after 150 pages. I was all ready for the premise: the story of a boy and girl in a postapocalyptic city where the hardest thing is to survive. The setting is interesting and the plot was captivating at first - the mix of strange religion, the social divisions in the city, etc. In the end, though, my patience ran out. Maher's style became infuriating: he kept telling you about the city instead of showing it - a bit like a person holding a picture and describing it to you but not letting you see the photo itself. On top of that his descriptions were rushed and had the feeling of 'pause in the action - fill in the background.' The action scenes became annoying as well: too much nose-to-the-ground stuff, a lot of running and telling you of the pain in the knee, the feelings of the body. I got claustrophobic, a feeling that the characters were too much inside their skins, that they were not interacting with anybody, just being manipulated like puppets by the writer. Too bad - I liked enough of the initial set-up to wish it would've been better.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/06)

I really enjoyed reading "Legend." The story takes place some time in the future in a land that has been ravaged by man. People struggle to survive among the ruins of a once advanced city. People are basically classified into three groups: the Bureauers, the Folkers, and the Disciples. The Bureaurers are very much like people today who are involved in bureaucracy. The stereotypes definitely apply here. The Burearers believe that they are maintaining order by keeping the Folkers in a state of chaos where they have to worry more about basic survival than getting involved with what is happening in the government. When the main hero, Martin, becomes a low level Bureaurer, he finds that he has become a part of a system that really doesn't need him. He goes to work and is well fed, but he doesn't seem to have a purpose. The Folkers are what Martin was born into. These are the poor people that have to fight for food. They will eat anything. While they are not allowed to kill others to eat, they will eat their dead. The Bureaurers see to it that the Folkers are provided with "poorage," however, there isn't always enough to go around.

The Disciples are people that are involved in a satantic-like cult. They are waiting for the coming of Jefus. He is supposed to save the world and make the machines that no longer function work again. The leader of the Disciples, Kreeops, is supposed to step down when Jefus returns. A Folker, Gena, is selected to be the bride of Jefus. The leader of the Disciples wants her for himself. She is forced into the cult and given training. There are powers in both the cult and in Gena. It appears that the greatest power of control comes from the beliefs of the people. Their united beliefs cause things to happen. Gena begins to realize this and uses this knowledge to her advantage.

It is believed that Martin is Jefus. He has to go through three tests to prove this. He doesn't really believe this, but to survive he does what is necessary to prove this. Along the way, he discovers the importance of the power of belief. He sees what Kreeops is doing to control the others. He realizes that Kreeops true power comes from the faith of his disciples. To win and to survive, he has to gain their faith in him. He and Gena need to become gods to win their control. Martin has to be crucified and resurrected to prove himself.

Along the way, Martin and Gena struggle to survive. Sometimes, their adventures are with each other, other times they are off on their own. Gena learns that there is more beyond the city limits than people realize. Because of their fearful beliefs they have limited themselves to this existence. If she and Martin can prove themselves, they can lead these people into a better way of life.

I found this story to be unnerving because I can see how our own society can become trapped by limited negative beliefs. This could be our society someday. The people who choose to be in power, do it for control of the masses, not for wanting to make their world a better place.

This is an excellent science fiction novel. I truly believe that it is destined to be a classic. As you read it, you are glad that it is only fiction and not reality. However, it brought many questions to my mind that made me think, "what if?" Due to the graphic nature of the story, I do not recommend it for young children. However, I do recommend it to other science fiction fans and think that it would be an excellent choice for a reader's group to discuss.

Like all good fiction, this is a book that really makes you think. Part of you wants to put it down to think out some idea the story raises but the story itself keeps you turning the pages. I recommend it. Highly.

On the back of the cover some writer calls this a book about the reunification of the self. I doubt if the guy who wrote the book thought that's what it was about. Better to just enjoy the story and let the plot sweep you along. It's fun, it's clever, it would make a good movie. That's enough.

...that will help you make better desisions (or keep you from making all the wrong, costly ones :-).

Pricey but helpful book. A lot of the same information can also be found online by searching "how to create a yellow pages ad".

This covers all print media and strategies for developing your marketing (complete with examples of what a strong ad looks like vs the "not so good"). If you need or want more assistance Barry and company offer their service (paid of course, but their fee structure is comprehensive and reasonable) includes analysis of your ad, suggestions for improvement in addition to (re)designing your ad to reach your target audience.

The two most important bits of information we came away with are these:
1. Unless you are in the ad design field you should _seriously_ consider hiring someone who knows their trade WELL. We needed to make some minor changes to our YP ad from the previous year, and although we started the process "early" (at least what our rep led us to believe was early - 2 months out from their `deadline') we still have NOTHING from the phone companies "design team".

The following sage advice rings true "...yellow page graphic artists are required to output a lot of work in a short period of time. Even the best artist cannot do a great ad in 30 minutes. You honestly want an artist to spend the entire day working on your advertisement, and you want to pay them for it... Graphic artists study art. They do not extensively study business, or copywriting, or marketing, or business law. They do not know about your company, your customers, your capabilities, or how you make money. If you really want effective yellow page advertising, hire the best graphic artist and the best advertising professional you can find [and afford - my emphasis]. Do not leave it for a kid with a computer".

At this point we would be glad to have paid for a quality job done because it would have saved us time lost in having to constantly call our YP rep to find out when the "design team" would have our ad back to be proofed (and our rep's boss wasn't any more helpful either -- this from the "leading" directory in our area, tsk, tsk, tsk), not to mention frustration in having to go through all of that nonsense. We are a small independent music teaching studio and we would have been better served and saved money in the long run by hiring a professional than leaving the design process to some over-worked, under-qualified and probably under-paid novice from the phone companies "design team".

2. Publishers carefully monitor phonebook circulation and usage data. They know exactly how much their book is being used and by whom. If they are not volunteering that information, be extra careful. Alternatively, publishers should also be able to give you information about their competitors. Ask how their book compares to their competition's book. Be persistent and insist on getting this information from them - you're paying for it (by way of placing an ad in their phone book).

This is the reason we are still trying to work out our yp advertising with the "leading" phone co/publisher. They're the one most used in our area. If that was not the case we would have dropped them like a hot sweaty sock!

Barry's book covers so many salient points about YP advertising and the industry that you could read, and re-read it and still find ways to improve your YP ad. A very good investment for any business owner (and the online source above compliments it well - MOO).

Good luck and fortune in all your business endeavors everyone!

If you want to create professional looking Yellow Page ad designs that will dominate your Yellow Page advertising competition, you should read this book. While it was written in the eighties, the concepts are still very important today.

--A.Strange, Founder, Ad Revamp * Yellow Page ad design
Personal service. Proven methods. Toll-free advice. www.adrevamp.com

Just so no one misunderstands, since the publisher's description of "Getting the Most from Your Yellow Pages Advertising" has disappeared from this page, we (the author's office) posted both the media quotes below and the book description that follows. Neither of these is meant to be an impartial review but rather a description of what's in the book and what various media outlets have said about it.

These media quotes about "Getting the Most from Your Yellow Pages Advertising" are being posted by the author's assistant, Steve Wilson, to show what the media thinks of the book. And we've got far more of these than we could ever post. The book truly is "the bible on how to advertise in the Yellow Pages."

"The definitive word on the subject."
-Home Office Computing magazine


"Barry Maher is the nation's leading independent authority on Yellow Pages advertising"
-Simba Information, Inc.
(Publishers, Yellow Pages & Directory Report)


"Discover effective design, layout and copy writing techniques . . . Learn how to design an ad that will get YOUR business the call, even when surrounded by others ads selling the same product or service."
-The Small Business Administration's Success Symposium


"Businesses may be spending 25% of their gross [in the Yellow Pages] and be spread too thin, or they may be overspending at 1%. To make key decisions to best business advantage, an independent and authoritative perspective is crucial. Barry Maher, offers [just that]."
-Retailer News


"This is the best information there is and should answer your questions as well as save you lots of time and money."
-Terry Johnson, President, Dial One


"Maher takes the mystery out of Yellow Pages Advertising. He tells you how to make it work and what to do when it doesn't. A great new resource for small businessmen."
-Ray Schultz, Editor, Direct Marketing News


"The nation's foremost authority on Yellow Pages advertising."
-Dealer Communicator


"The inside scoop on how to make your Yellow Pages advertising dollars pay off . . . Find out what the sales rep won't tell you. Design an ad that really pulls."
-Business Opportunities Digest


"You'll learn how to design an effective ad, keep score on your ad and deal with the sales people when they goof."
-Rudolf Solomon, San Francisco Examiner


"Takes on the topic of Yellow Pages with zeal and humor-while offering practical help in getting the directories to work for you."
-Instant & Small Commercial Printer


"Invaluable insights."
-Restaurant Management Today


"[Maher] has helped thousand of businesses turn their Yellow Pages into gold . . . a complete, step by step program for developing Yellow Pages ads that get the call."
-SBC


"A comprehensive approach to planning and implementing a successful Yellow Pages advertising program."
-Dentist


"Guides [business] on how to get the best return from their Yellow Pages advertising . . . improve response, enhance profits."
-SNIPS


"Provides the stimulus to get your advertising in gear."
-The Competitive Advantage


"Last year, American businesses spent $8 billion dollars on Yellow Pages advertising. For many small businesses, it was their only form of advertising. Yet many small business owners are unsure about how to get the most out of their Yellow Pages advertising. To help them, Barry Maher . . . [offers] a practical guide to Yellow Pages advertising . . . [providing] insights and advice for small business owners."
-Los Angeles Times


"If you now make use of yellow page advertising in telephone directories, you will be especially interested in what [Maher] . . . has to say about choosing the right ad size, creating the ad that will generate the most response, and how to select the right categories to advertise [under]."
-In Business


"[Packed] with cost cutting tips . . . a super resource. [From the author of] the bible of Yellow Pages advertising"
-Save Your Business a Bundle: 202 Ways to Cut Costs and Boost Profits Now by Daniel Kehrer, Simon & Schuster


"An informative overview of the entire process, including evaluating and selecting the right Yellow Pages book, choosing the right ad size, determining how many ads to run, creating the ad likely to generate the most calls,, and dealing effectively with the phone company and sales reps. He also offers guidance on tracking ads."
-Professional Electronics


"Practical advice on the complete process, from deciding whether to advertise at all to turning callers into customers . . . The advice is detailed and . . . should help improve the reader's directory-buying decisions."
-Fitness Management


"Anyone who has dealt with the Yellow Pages people would welcome the [information]. Wise ad people have said placing a substantial schedule in several phone books is only slightly more complicated than dealing with the U.S. Army."
-Des Moines Register

"The best yellow pages investment I've ever made, making every cent I'm spending on phone directory advertising the most effective it can possibly be. Eliminating every bit of waste. I fully intend to recommend it to all my associates. And none of my competition."
-Dr. S.R. Pampalone, Chatsworth Dental Center


"Many useful tips . . . I am looking forward to getting more clients from yellow pages advertising and, at the same time, saving a great deal of money."
-Vincent A. Lloyd, Lloyd, Hoskins & Pierce


"Tremendous insight into Yellow Pages advertising."
-Dr. Gregory S. Keller, Cosmetic Surgery Center


"An invaluable resource on getting the most bang per buck in advertising . . . [Maher] clears the way through the jungle of options and clearly delineates what is as well as what isn't effective. I recommend it wholeheartedly."
-Michael Parker, President Parker Plumbing


"PIP Printing's retail centers rely on yellow pages advertising to reach business printing consumers every day, but without following a carefully planned strategy, our yellow pages messages could be easily overlooked. Maher offers . . . straightforward guidelines for insuring maximum effectiveness for yellow pages advertising."
-Susan Falk, PIP


"A complete guide to creating a results-oriented program for advertising in the Yellow Pages. It's got everything from how to write an effective ad to where, when, and even when not to advertise."
-B. Dalton Bookseller


"A very valuable resource as I communicate with members of the American Rental Association on ways they can use the yellow pages most effectively."
-Frederick Anderson, American Rental Association


"Cash in on Yellow Pages advertising with [Barry Maher]."
-Pharmacy Newswire, NARD Journal

I would have never thought a book titled GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR YELLOW PAGE ADVERTISING would make for compelling reading, but I was wrong. Author and former yellow page rep Barry Maher grabbed my interest on the first page and held it firmly to the end. I would consider this book essential for small business owners or anyone who is interesting in producing yellow page copy.

Though certainly geared toward business owners, writing professionals will also find a tremendous amount of applicable information. Maher gives a brief history and evolution of yellow pages, then moves through a logical progression of determining need and on through the process of the finished product. For writing professionals, read through this and then thumb through the yellow pages and see the enormity of a market just screaming for professional assistance. I believe this a market largely untapped by commercial writers.

An outstanding feature of this book, and one found far too seldom, is an abundance of margin space for making notes and good, thick paper that highlighting doesn't bleed through. Business owners will pay for the price of this book a hundred times over and copywriters will find a resource for a niche market rich with possibilities.

I first read this book when I was 12. I next read it... probably when I was still 12. I'm not one to read and re-read books, but this one will always be an exception. If Jon Stewart's "America" uses humor to expose the dysfunctional state of our country in the 21st century, Barry uses laughter to show how we got to this pitiful point. Buy it and read, then re-read it every other year or so. It only takes a couple of hours, and it never gets old.

I just recently finished a college-level history class, so I was well brushed up on my US history. That's half of why this book is so hilarious - I know what really happened, and Dave Barry makes very funny spins on it. He has the capacity to make the bleakest parts of history look absolutely histerical and silly, and for that, I give it my highest recommendation.

According to Dave Barry, hundreds of thousands of years ago, America was very different. For one thing, there were no car commercials which had broadcast toward Earth from another planet far away. Twenty thousand years ago the Land Bridge was constructed and completed on October 8th. Centuries later Mayans down in Mexico constructed a calendar that it can still be used to tell the location of celestial
bodies... they're out in space.

In a takeoff of where George Washington slept, there were stories that arose. Likewise where Dave Barry slept, there were (different) stories that arose. Have a few laughs on U.S.

I've read all of Dave Barry's stuff, novels too, and this is, hands down the funniest thing you'll ever sink your eyeballs into. It stays on my bedside table where I can get a little twisted history fix now and then. Read it, re-read it and read it again.

Dave Barry's "Dave Barry Slept Here" is a hilarious pseudo/satire-history of the United States. Anyone familiar with Dave Barry's wit from his columns will immediately recognize the same wit unleashed on so much of our history that we have heard, if not necessarily really learned, throughout our lives.

Dave Barry writes like a high-school student - intentionally, of course. He attributes great advances to "technology," isn't interested in the Smoot-Hawley Tariff so he skips it because it sounds boring, and decides that every important event in American history happened on October 8th so that he doesn't have to remember any more dates (even the Fourth of July happened on October 8th, 1776). And he ends every chapter with hilarious "discussion questions" that are just as funny as the text.

I've read and re-read this hilarious book, and it's great to just pick up and start reading in the middle whenever you need a good chuckle. Anyone who likes Dave Barry, enjoys American history, or is interested in what three-word sentence you can rearrange the letters in "Spiro Agnew" to spell (hint: the first word is "grow") should read this book and enjoy!

This is one of the most original concepts a series has had in many years. Taking the story of the Roman soldier who speared Jesus on the cross and making him cursed to live forever until the Second Coming was an inspired idea. This then, is the story of that man having to travel through history forever fighting.

The great thing is that the series is now continuing under a new author who appears to have got things back to where Sadler wanted (forget 23 and 24). This story here is the first century or so of Casca's life, telling how he began to understand his condition and finding years as a slave had no effect on him, and he emerges stronger from it (maybe a touch of Nietzsche - or even Milton?) and finds there are pros and cons to eternal life.

The action is spaced nicely, no overdoing it, unlike some of the later books in the series. You can't help but feel for the protagonist, having to endure some dreadful situations and knowing there is no release of death for him.

The book opens with some US Vietnam war doctors looking at what should be a corpse, a man victim of the getting blown up thing. However, the body heals rapidly, which freaks them. It freaks them even more, when assisting with surgery to remove shrapnel they find a bronze age arrowhead. One of them has Casca's story inflicted on them.

Casca is part of the squad that executes Jesus, and because he wants to get back to a 'hot little Armenian dancer' he shoves a spear in to finish him off, given he was taking a long time kicking the bucket.

Jesus basically gives him a Chinese style curse telling him you will remain as you are then, if you are happy with it, or, you will live in a lot of interesting times.

Casca gets in a fight with a superior over the girl, ends up spending decades in a slave mine, helps out a supervisor, becomes a gladiator. Because of his immortality and work he is a lot stronger and more durable than a normal man.

Becomes a star gladiator, Nero gives him his freedom. After a two day bender he is busted by the vigiles doing the defecation and even worse abuse of a statue of Nero in the street, so Nero sends him to a slave galley. A few more decades of this, and his is back in a legion, having outlasted many emperors. Casca is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, that is for sure.

So, some more war, and Casca is getting sick of it after looking over a battlefield with 50000 dead.

He tries the suicide thing, stabbing himself in the heart, but no joy. His body rapidly ejects the sword.

The end sees him fighting in Israel, versus Arabs, in a more modern time.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

This series by the author Barry Sadler is a modern blend of two ancient legends. The first is the legend of the roman centurion Longinus who was supposedly present at Christ's crucifixion.
He stabbed christ in the side with his spear to end his agony on the cross and afterwards he became a christian convert and a
saint.
The next legend is that of the wandering jew who was supposedly cursed by Christ to wander the world until the second coming.
The reason according to the story why he incurred the wrath of Christ was that he out of spite made a derogatory or insulting remark to Jesus as he was being led to his crucifixion.
The result of this blend has been Casca Longinus,a Roman soldier cursed by Christ to wander the world forever until the second coming.
Forever fighting,forever surviving and waiting for him to return.
This series of adventures takes our protagonist down through history from one war to another. In almost each case he endures wounds and horrible pain only to encounter more.
A strange unexplained power makes his flesh heal miraculously from all wounds inflicted and which renders it along with his blood poisonous to all other creatures man included.
His ability to outlive others makes his existence a lonely one without any lasting friendship or company. He finds himself in many cases the victim of other's brutality and hatred thus making his long existence also a harsh and violent one.
That which he desires so much eludes him and that is death,which is freedom from his brutal life and eternal peace. He is not so much a hero as he is a victim of fate in a situation not of his choice.
There is plenty of historic detail in this series much of it dealing with warfare and the military.
For those who want historic fact mixed with fiction this might be worth a try.
For fans of action adventure series in the tradition of "The Executioner" and the "A Team" this is a good recomendation.
There is plenty of fast-paced action in this series and it's guaranteed to keep you from yawning.
There are graphic descriptions of violence and gore so if if you're looking for light reading then I suggest reading Robert Fulghum instead.

Casca: The Eternal Mercenary is a series of twenty-two books written by Barry Sadler. This series is about a guy named Casca Rufio Longinus; he was cursed by Jesus Christ. The curse is "Soldier, you are content with what you are. Then that you shall remain until we meet again." The curse means that Casca will remain as a soldier until the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is a fantastic series so far. The first book in the series is extremely descriptive, interesting, and unpredictable.
Mr. Sadler, the author, describes everything in great detail; it is so descriptive that the reader will get hooked on the book until he/she is done with it, such as when Casca describes exactly what happened the day he killed Jesus Christ. Casca says that he and the other soldiers were betting on who would take the clothes of Jesus and the two thieves, who were killed the same day. He goes on to say how he speared Jesus in the rib cage to kill him quicker, and how when he did that some of Jesus' blood ran down the spear shaft got on his lips. That is when Jesus cursed him. Casca then goes on to describe what happened after he was cursed. He describes what illnesses, injuries, and punishments he has received or avoided as he goes through his life. He also recollects what women he has married and fallen in love with, and the women that his enemies raped and killed. Casca recalls his slavery and what life was like in slavery.
This book in the series is interesting because Casca, the main character, is a depicted soldier who fought in the Vietnam War in 1970. He was injured by a piece of shrapnel which exposed an area of his brain approximately four inches long and three inches wide. Casca's body was taking steps to protect itself from infections by rapidly healing the abscess in his skull. This amazed the army surgeons, a colonel, and a major. Major Goldman, one of the surgeons, discovered that Casca's blood was deadly poison. He also discovered that Casca could speak the Latin of the Caesars. These facts are intriguing because no person who has a wound as such could heal by itself and few people at that time could speak such a tongue. Casca explained to Major Goldman about how he was cursed. While in the hospital, Casca told Goldman that he had been alive before the birth of Jesus and that he was the one ordered to kill Jesus. These are just a few of the multiple points of interest in the first book. These interesting facts came out of the first chapter.
The reader can never predict what turn of events lie in store for the soldier who lives infinitely. Every new place he goes, he receives a new name. No one knows that he is the same legendary figure because few people know that he can not die. As one progresses through Casca's life, one starts to believe that he will be dead due to a stab wound, some type of poison or sickness he incurs, but he still lives on because of the curse. "Soldier, you are content with what you are. Then that you shall remain until we meet again."
This series, especially the first book arouses interest as it is interesting, descriptive, and unpredictable. I have had a wonderful experience in reading the series. I own all twenty-two books and have read the first seven so far. I recommend this series to anyone who is, has been or wants to be a soldier, or anyone who is interested in action/adventure books.

A while back a friend of mine mentioned something about a series of books following a man who is immortal, and this man was immortal because he was cursed to live forever by Christ as he was dying on the Cross. The man's name is Casca. Casca is a soldier of the Roman army around the time of Christ's death, sometime around 33 A.D. Casca is the soldier assigned to the mundane task of waiting for Jesus to die while he kept the small crowd around the Cross at bay. When told to finish the Jew off Casca stabs him in the side, just as the Bible tells it, but Jesus has a few words with Casca. The rest of Casca's life is then changed, and so the legend begins. Anyone interested in historical fiction and/or immortality should definitely read this book if not the entire series of 22 books spanning 2000 years.

In the Eternal Mercenary Casca life goes from soldier, to slave, to extreme popularity very quickly, but I don't want to give too much away. Read this book, the first in a long series of great stories about the man made to live until the return of the Jew. Until we meet again.

I have loved this story since I was a kid. Captain Kangaroo would read it every Christmas season. It was the first "pay it forward" idea, and it's really about the Christmas spirit. I have been passing this story on to all my Cousin's and family's newer editions, when they reach the right age. Lovely story, lovely illustrations, and a wonderful Christmas present too. Enjoyable for every age.

After having 3 children, I've read lots and lots of children's books, some over and over. This is by far, the best and my personal favorite. It is written as a poem, and has a funny surprise ending! You and your kids will love it.

All three of my boys (3, 7 & 9.5) really enjoyed this book. It magically appeared on our dining room table on Xmas Eve 2007. We read it together more than once and all gave it glowing reviews!

This is a marvelous story that tells of one Christmas tree that is far too much for just one person. The tree is trimmed, and shared, and trimmed, and shared, and trimmed, and shared until far more people than Mr. Willoby alone, along with many animal families, have a bit of the tree to add beauty to their Christmas festivities! The rhyming text makes it a fun story to read aloud to children!

This has always been my favorite Christmas Book (just edging out "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by a glowing-red nose!). I'm happy to say that I own an original first printing of both books, but it's "Willowby" that I continue to purchase, year after year, for my friends and their children.

The charm of this story lies in the "one person's discards are another person's treasures" category. The oversufficient tree that old man Willowby brings into his mansion is snipped on top to clear his cathedral ceiling, and every recipient into whose hands the pruned remnant falls must perform the same whittling fix to adapt the orphaned fir to his own, progressively more spartan, hovel. Passing from maidservant to gardener to a scavenging bear and other various critters, after smaller and smaller sprigs make the rounds throughout the countryside near Willowby's estate, the last one eventually ends up with a family of mice who just happen to live in Mr. Willowby's wall! Thus, one huge tree is inadvertently able to make everyone's Christmas a bit brighter! Joy to the world!

Robert Barry's verses are easily read, and are exquisitely enhanced by the accompanying artwork -- especially the portrayal of the Benjamin Rabbit family. Too cute! While "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree" is no doubt a children's story, at Christmas aren't we really ALL children? And what better way to enjoy one's Yuletide holiday than with a delightful, uplifting tale where everyone wins?

This books covers pre 93 Korn shell.

However this actually makes learning the shell more simple. At work we have a pre-93 version so the instructions are sure to work.

The author's "93" version of the book is also good, but a bit harder to understand for a beginner.

I am programming with korn shell for 12 yr. already. And I started with this book. It is an excellent book for beginner and even intermediate programmer. It took me about 2 days to go through all book. i still looking inside once in a while. Few times i was loosing this book, bought another one and after short time i dumped it and bought this one again.
Examples and explanation in this book are so usefull, short and easy to understand, that you can't find better book. Your learning efficency really depends on it. Buy it, by all means you will be glad you did it.

This book is *the* way to begin working with the Korn shell. I needed to get up to speed with a shell scripting language in order to do Oracle DBA tasks. I bought this based on the strength of it's Amazon ratings and was completely delighted.

The author has a great style, easy to understand and very clear. I found the procession of topics to be very logical; a nice gradual build up from the simple to the more complex. There is plenty of 'depth' in each chapter and good highlighting of potential problem areas and difficult concepts. These have additional coverage to help steer clear of the hassles and come to a clear understanding of the more challenging ideas.

The examples are well thought out, they present each topic of interest clearly and in a meaningful way, without clutter. I have coded almost every single one and found only a few errors. Within a chapter the examples are presented with increasing complexity, but are never the page after page monsters that leave you lost. It is amazing how well the author illustrates the content with short (20 - 30 line) samples.

When I was puzzled with something I had read here, I turned to two of my friends who 'live' in shell scripting up to their necks. Both have learned useful techniques from this book through my questions.

My copy is literally starting to come apart from constant use for reference. It is that good.

I found this to be an excellent hands-on tutorial in KornShell. Wish there were a book-2 and book-3 with advanced training.

I love the Korn shell. This book is a fine intro to Korn Shell programming. For users who want more than just an intro, you may want to consider "Korn Shell: Essential Programs for Your Survival at Work" by Larry L. Smith. Examples in Randal K. Michael's "Mastering UNIX Shell Scripting" are also helpful.

This review is written eight years after the publishing date because I just discovered Mr.Martin's books. Now that I have read all of them I believe that this is his masterpiece- so far. Mr. Martin's meticulous research and portrayal of Washington gives the reader a very intimate look at his life, loves, politics, military work, and steadfastness in the face of adversity. The author's "bird's eye view" (as if an eagle were narrating) of the countryside and the military clashes provides a scenic description as well as another viewpoint from above the action.
From Washington's youth to his death, this book allows the reader to become an aquaintance and confidante of one of our greatest patriots- his humanity, his frailities, his faults and his immense sense of patriotism and integrity. This book is not only entertaining but highly educational. I learn and appreciate more history from Mr. Martin's books than I ever
did from formal classes. I highly recommend this book as well as all Mr. Martin's other books and I can't wait for the next.

This fabulous book starts with George Washington's death and a plan "to humanize the demi-god". A rookie reporter is sent to find out why -- after his death -- the first thing Martha Washington did was burn letters. What was in them?

The story is then presented as narratives written by various characters: slaves, Indians, wives, friends, enemies. Although each entry was labeled, each of the writer's voices was distinctive and some included Washington's take on himself. And from the getgo, the reader learns that George Washington was determined to mold himself in an honorable fashion and to rise as best he could. With practical determination, he made his life happen and his wisdom prevailed.

So, in chronological order and with varied dialects and writing styles, one learns quite a bit of history. The years 1730-1800 involved Indian skirmishes, matters of property (human and otherwise), and Revolutionary War's battles, namely: Brooklyn, Jersey, New York, Valley Forge, Monmouth, Philadelphia. The scope of Washington's life included presidential happenings and delicate handling of temperaments.

Among other things, I read about war strategies, politics of the times (Federalists, Republicans), the youthfulness and inexperience of officers, ideologies of those in power, how power was manipulated, and how greater powers overturned those egotists trying to wield power unbecoming our nation. I learned a bit about the British Generals Howe & Cornwallis and the French General the Marquis de Lafayette. And, I now know that not only did Washington have rivals, but John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were far from "shoe in" Presidents, too.

It was ALL exciting! In "Citizen Washington", I loved digesting all the aspects of all the players. I looked forward to each moment as it arrived. And as John Britain, known as Silverheels said, "I knew it was true, even if it never happened."

I highly recommend "Citizen Washington" by William Martin. Have fun!

Remember back to the early '50's (I was 6) and the program This Is Your Life hosted by Ralph Edwards? Now you know the premise of Citizen Washington. Imagine yourself sitting front row of a darkened theater. On stage are, say, 10 chairs in a spotlight. Behind the chairs is a huge painting of.....YOU! You look up and sitting in the chairs are 10 people that have been involved in your life - intimately and peripherally. They begin to spin a tale of your life, your personality, your looks, your mannerisms, demeanor and emotions --- as THEY saw it progress through their individual eyes. You are exposed in all your foibles and abilities and judged, individually, by these people. Frightening but fascinating. Martin plies this technique on George Washington and exposes him as no history book can. This is an eye-opening read. From his military underlings, his slaves, his peers, his wife, and his decendants we see his every movement laid bare to the reader. Where was Martin when the nuns were cramming dusty, throat choking historical facts into my reluctant brain? This work is interesting as history and a novel and will hold your attention to the last period of the last paragraph. Buy, read, learn and enjoy!

I just read Citizen Washington and enjoyed every page. A page turner that gives you a different look at Washington and the revolution.

Wonderful book!

The audiobook runs 6 hours and is surprisingly fun to listen to. Other reviewers have covered most of what you need to know so I will just add a parental advisory: contains rough language of a creative sort that boys of a certain age may like to quote, so if you are looking for something educational for a family car trip, this may not be suitable. Otherwise, I certainly recommend this book as an enjoyable piece of historical fiction.

Never read Barry before but after reading this book, laughing out loud, and sorry to get to the end, I will buy more of his books. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wow. Publishers Weekly didnt like this book? I love it. There isnt one sentence in it that isnt funny. It's a good book to have if you're on a long car trip and need something to keep people entertained.

This one was another "Busted-Gut/Soggy-Pants" one for me! Man! I really loved the Chapters on Europe & Going To Disney World (his map of Florida is hilarious) and his idea for "Dave World". He has a good point that the most popular Amusement Park rides are the crazy ones that make you puke ('The popularity of a ride is directly proportional to how horrible it is. There's hardly every a line for a nice relaxing ride like a Merry-Go-Round. But there's a huge crowd...consisting of mostly teenagers...waiting to go on something with a name like "The Dicer", where they basically strap you in a giant food-processor, turn it on and phone the paramedics'- DAVE BARRY). His messing with non-English phrases is loads of fun (and Canada's English-French system get a great 'Dave Barry Treatment' as well, not that I have anything against Canadians). Well, if you need some serious laffs whilst stuffed like a sardine on Flight 321 to Bangkok, Dave's your man!

Irreverent, "inaccurate" look at travel in the US and abroad. If you've ever traveled by car, flown in an airplane, visited foreign countries, camped with friends or family, you will find this book hilarious. Barry has a keen insight into the traps and pitfalls of modern-day travel and expresses it in an outrageously funny manner.

Many in America are familiar with Dave Barry. I don't know anyone in Ireland or the UK who's ever heard of him. i have introduced my mother to him. She is a writer and appreciates good humour. I think she wasn't expecting him to be quite so funny though. When I said he is hillarious, I was not over reacting. I was pleasantly surprised to see her nearly fall over in histerics. Humour is good for the soul. Dave Barry is good for the soul. This book covers travel across all of the states, many European countries, Scandanavia, some parts of Asia. For his own reasons, Dave has catalogued some countries together... either his summary of one was so similar to many others, or he was so unimpressed he was lost for words! Either way, you'll enjoy this. How could you not?!

This is the final book in the Starcatchers trilogy by Berry and Pearson. It was a satisfying and very complete conclusion. It was also a fast-paced, fun read.

Peter is back on Mollusk island and trying to get settled in after his adventures in London. Unfortunately he doesn't have long before things start to go awry. The Mollusks are attacked by a vicious band of tribesmen called the Scorpions. Back in London, the Aster family is having their own issues. The mysterious contact that used to tip off the Starcatchers of imminent Starstuff falls has gone missing and the Starcatchers need to figure out why the Others are making it to the starstuff falls before they do. As Lord Aster leaves to meet with the other Starcatchers, Molly and George find out some interesting facts about Peter's past.

This book was very well written, a fun read, fast-paced and creative. I would have rated it higher, but despite it's perfection the characters never really drew me in. Towards the end of the book I was finding myself wanting it to wrap up and be done. It did wrap up nicely leaving everything just the way you would expect from the classic Peter Pan story. Maybe that was part of the issue; I already knew where the characters would end up at the beginning of the story. While the journey to the ending was interesting, sometimes the story was written with maybe a little too much perfection. It was a very Disney-like story, not surprising since this trilogy was backed by Disney.

Still, it was an enjoyable read. I am glad the trilogy is wrapped up though. I am not sure we need a whole bunch more books about Peter Pan; this trilogy was perfect in setting up his past. It was a fun creative ride and I am happy to have read the series. I will enjoy reading it to my son when he is a few years older (only 20 months right now). A very good book for kids.

Peter and Tinker Bell are perfectly happy on Mollusk Island. Peter and his little troop of orphaned boys live day to day in this paradise of fresh food and friendly natives. Fighting Prawn, leader of the Mollusk tribe, is indebted to Peter for saving his life, and though he doesn't care for "Englishmen," he and Peter have formed a strong bond. As content as they all are, that world will soon disappear as a carefully planned attack will turn their lives upside down. The fiercest of tribes, known as the "Scorpions," has begun an invasion of this peaceful little community. Determined to take over the island, absolutely no one will be safe from these ruthless warriors.

"In battle, the warriors sometimes hurled venomous snakes and spiders at the enemy; they also coated the tips of their arrows with a special mixture of toxins that caused horrific, paralyzing pain. It was this practice that gave the tribe its name, the most feared name in this part of the ocean: Scorpions. It was a name that meant misery and death."

Far away in London, Peter's old friend Molly Aster is planning a kind of invasion herself after discovering that her father, Lord Leonard Aster, will be going to Paris to investigate problems related to the "Starstuff fall." She is determined to go, though is definitely not invited on this journey. Molly and her friend George do serious research and discover some strange things about her father and a man known as Mr. Pan (is this Peter's father?). Finally, they manage to sneak aboard her father's ship, where they encounter and become prisoners of the evil Lord Ombra and Zarboff, King of Rundoon. The only thing worse than being in prison would be to fall victim to Zarboff's giant pet snake, Kundalini.

"He reached down and touched the dark shape next to his throne. The shape moved, and slowly a triangular head rose, the torchlight reflecting from two yellow eyes. Peter had seen snakes before; there were many on Mollusk Island. But he had never seen one half as massive as this."

For the boy who will never grow old, Peter's friendship with Molly is both sweet and poignant. They have shared so much together and will share more; still, they have the knowledge that they cannot grow up together.

"And then Molly kissed him on the lips. It was the first time either of them had ever kissed anybody on the lips, and it was a kiss they would both carry in their minds for the rest of their lives."

In this action-packed finale to the Starcatchers trilogy, authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson enrich the world of J.M. Barrie's original tale. Non-stop action and colorful characters keep the reader engrossed. A strong theme of family values and good friends runs throughout the series, and the delightful illustrations by Greg Call are perfectly suited in capturing this magical world. Like the previous two books, PETER AND THE SECRET OF RUNDOON stands well by itself --- but do read the others, as this is a totally outstanding set of Peter Pan adventures.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

If you've read this book I seriously hope you've read the two preceeding books of this trilogy or else you'll be just a tad bit lost. That being said, this is the best book in the three part series by far. The writing is at its best, it's pollished and the typos that so plagued bothe previous books are thankfully gone so it's safe to give to kids without telling them all the grammatical messups from before. The story arch works rather well and nothing feels too forced. Instead you're offered a perspective of Peter Pan's origins that don't seem too forced and that offer a great reading experience for kids and adults. All three books should take you about a week and a half to read at the most because they are truly a light read and chapters are rarely more than ten pages long. so if you're in the mood for a light read and have always wondered where Peter Pan came from, how Tinker Bell was created, why Peter's shadow is detached from him or why that huge crock has a huge ticking clock that won't quit, you should definitely read this series.

This book is non-stop action. There is no down time. You must catch your breath after each chapter. We enjoyed the whole series immensely. Perhaps blasphemous, but this series is better than Harry Potter. No loose ends. Very tight, raucous story. The best EVER!!

If you like the notion of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, etc. this series is really excellent. I don't use the word WONDERFUL much, but they're a great read. They really do carry on the story of Peter and his friends in a believable and fun way. Really AWESOME and you won't be disappointed. The entire series is highly recommended - all three books so far.