Barry Books

This early novel in the awesome Casca series by Barry Sadler marked one of his all-time great classics. In this story, Casca finally finds solace in Hellsfjord, and in the arms of a loving wife.

But doomed to outlive everyone around him, Casca soon finds himself in dire straits. Lots of high adventure in the grand tradition, Casca the Barbarian will surely entertain you on several levels.

I like the old tales of barbarian lands before they became civilized, and this novel plants me right in the middle of this. You can imagine the unbroken forests and sylvan glades as Casca and his German friend Glam journey through virgin woodland. The tale of the Norse castle at Helsfjord is well told too, and the love story between Casca and Lida holds the middle of this tale together, as Casca overcomes the evil work of Ragnar and Hagdrall to triumph.

Casca takes to running the hold like a duck to water and fends off invading Saxons in a battle you can imagine Beowulf taking part in. A sad ending but as all Casca readers know, things never remain the same for the immortal warrior. Great story, one of my favorites.

Of all the 26 novels in the series to date, this must rank right at the top alongside Number 1. Its typical Sadler; punchy, to the point without being over descriptive yet it flows along beautifully so that the reader goes with the flow and doesn't want to put the book down.

Although classed as number 5 in the series its actually the second book sequentially and I believe in fact it was written shortly after Eternal Mercenary but wasn't published for some reason until much later. It's set in the 'Barbarian' lands of Germania and Scandia during the time of the Roman Empire and concentrates on one particular place, the fictitious Helsfjord.

Casca quits the civilised lands of the Empire, tired of the fighting, and meets with the tough German warrior Glam. The books tells of their developing friendship and such is the way Sadler wrote this character that he is often fondly recalled by many Casca readers even to this day. But what really sets this apart from the other Casca novels Sadler wrote is that the middle part is dedicated mainly to the blossoming love between Casca and the daughter of the lord of Helsfjord, Lida. Lida is blinded by her father and Casca thrown into prison as a result but Casca turns the tables later and kills the old man and takes Lida as his own and becomes the new lord.

The second half of the book deals with life in Helsfjord, and the reader can feel the happiness of the protagonist as he finally finds a place he can call home and a woman who can love him, for she is blind and cannot see he does not age. But you just know the end will come as eventually Lida falls ill and dies in the depths of winter, a sad end to a love affair.

The book ends there and Casca 2: God of Death picks up from this point. This book, Barbarian, is one of the best written of the series and balanced nicely between action, adventure and character development, something some of the series sadly neglected.

This is a great book for anyone who is a fan, but also a real treat for people living in the metro-Detroit area, as a few of the celebrities asked are local TV and radio stars. She wrote to a lot of people over the years and has a great collection of stars' heroes, from Soupy Sales to Les Paul and of course Davy Jones! It's neat to find out who inspired the celebrities to be who they are today.

Mary Guerra is an authority on fandom as she is a member of a fanclub or two herself. I know this since she belongs to the fanclub I run for Davy Jones, Davy Devotees. Though the concept of fandom is normally perceived as being something the nonfamous possess, Mary spent years contacting various celebrities asking them just who they consider themselves a fan of and what fanclubs they would join if they could! She received personal responses from legends in the field of entertainment like RoseMarie and Phyllis Diller to Les Paul, inventor of the electric guitar, Richard Petty, of racing fame, columnist, Liz Smith and "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. Shirley Jones, Peter Noone and Mary's personal favorite, Davy Jones of The Monkees, are just a few of the many other highlighted celebrities. If you've been a fan of anyone at anytime, this book gives you an interesting look at who those we admire actually admire. At times the featured celebrities provide laughs and at other times intriguing revelations. Overall this is a fun read with a lot of heart!

This book is fabulous. My husband and I found it to be a quick, entertaining read. We particularly enjoyed the entry from Mike Clark, our favorite radio DJ. It's interesting to see what people celebrities find heroic, and it conveys more of an inside look into their personality as well.

This is a great resource for my project managers espically for my training sessions. It is full of practical tips and useful information on the "soft side" of managing a project. Most engineers lack these types of skills. I highly recommend this text. JOHN R. OLSEN VP Construction Company

Project management is people management. This book provides great insights and profound practicle guidance on how to accomplish that successfully. Responding to the challenge of keeping contributors motivated in a high pressure environment, we are reminded: "All people are motivated. The question is:'Motivated by what?'" I also like the quote, "There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals." The graph contrasting Project Stages versus Team Development Stages on page 63 is also a very useful contribution. Anyone looking for some sound guidance on how to help people navigate the complexities of projects would be well served by reading this book.

Way back in 1513, Machiavelli, when he wrote The Prince, described a problem repeatedly faced by Project Managers. ?It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones.?

Randolph and Posner have the solution. A solid methodology for project management is certainly necessary, but not sufficient. Project management is not just planning, execution, and control; it is about people and bringing them together in a common vision. Most books written about project management focus on methodology but stop short of people aspects. Not so with this book; it explains how to manage this eminently critical resource in such a way as to optimize their performance on your project. Think of it as getting extraordinary performance from ordinary people. Checkered Flag Projects is a must read for all Project Managers.

No, the title is not a typo! This book takes place in an ancient China that existed long ago (or perhaps never at all), and Hughart's storytelling is just amazing. He builds a world that is noisy, colorful, alive, but also overwhelmingly funny. I laughed out loud many times throughout all three stories.

Other reviewers talked about Hughart's imagery and prose, but they gloss over what I consider to be the best part of these books (now bound together in one volume): they are funny. Truly a romp through ancient China and an escape from modern life!

The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart is a work of sheer outlandish fiction. It is a beast of a book at 652 pages long and is not for the faint of literary heart, but once you finish the book, you realize how much you really loved it and wanted more. This book fulfill the axiom of "you don't know what you have until it is gone".
The use of cliffhangers made this plot of coming of age a truly fast and addictive read. In the book, a country boy named Number Ten Ox from the village of Ku Fu must embark on a journey across China with the sage Master Li, who has a slight flaw in his character, to save the children of Ox's village from a terrible affliction. On the way they meet up with any number of foul and despicable villains and foil them with a devilishly clever series of tricks concocted by Master Li and inflicted by Ox. A great example is their sales pitch of a goat that can defecate gold while eating nothing but garbage, but what the buyer doesn't hear is this description. " The servant brought up the rear dragging a cart filled with garbage and cheap copper disks covered in gold leaf with a goat tethered to it."
I found the book unique because of the characters. Characters often recur and appear in different roles each time. Several villains, after being tricked by the dynamic duo see the error of their ways and come back into the story as supporting protagonists. However, the role of protagonist is slightly blurred, and this gives the book its strange appeal. It is hard to distinguish which characters are right. The villains are seen through the eyes of Ox and Master Li, but some of the tricks of these two are just as dastardly as the plots of the villains. However, with the fate of the children in their hands, Ox and Master Li seem to have Right on their side, and that makes you care. The moral ambiguity in the book reflects life and I believe that Hughart was trying to apply this story to real life. As with real life, there is nor a clear sense of Right and Wrong when it comes to some issues.
This is a beautifully written book in the sense of pure, rich description. "Master Li and I dazzled the eyes in tunics of sea-green silk that were secured by silver girdles with borders of jade. The jeweled pendants that dangled from our fine tasseled hats tinkled in the breeze, and we languidly waved gold-spattered Szech'uen fans." Also, the story construction leaves the reader interested and, often, wanting more and more. The author uses cliffhangers, such as this one, to help the book along. Ox and Master Li cause a disturbance in a resort town owned by a powerful duke and they have been sentenced to death in a labyrinth flooded by the tides. "Slim dark shapes were sliding across the dark floor like snakes. It was water, and the tide was coming in" There is a distinct uncertainty about how it is going to turn out for our heroes and the reader wants to find out more. The author also keeps the story moving with humor as when Ox meets the beautiful Lotus Flower and falls instantly and implacably in love with her. "'My surname is Lu and my personal name is Yu, but I am not to be confused with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea, and everyone calls me Number Ten Ox,' I moaned. She laughed softly and she said, 'I shall call you Boopsie.'"
You can tell by the above description and quotes from the book that the characters were not exactly designed by a Chinese author. Barry Hughart was born in the Midwest and was raised in Arizona. He did serve a tour of duty in Japan, and, interestingly, he developed a love affair with China from his experiences there. However, the critics seem to agree with me. They say that it should not be missed and are " a witty and original romp" and an "Oriental bouillabaisse of adventure and mystery". The critics and I seem to be in agreement that this is the perfect book for those who thirst for adventure, but need it mixed with some humor and fantasy to drink a whole glass. In other words, if you are an avid fantasy fan, a fan of Oriental literature, or just someone who likes a well written, funny book, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox is truly the book for you

This special edition is quite beautiful, with all three books bound into one edition. Of course, the individual books still contain the same wonderful story, but this edition is perfect for anyone putting together a bookshelf or collection.

These novels are a must-read for anyone who is a fantasy lover, history buff, mystery fan, or a myth enthusiast. Hughart is a terrific storyteller and clearly knows his ancient Chinese lore and legend. The thrid book, Eight Skilled Gentlemen, is not quite as top-notch as the others. The first two (Bridge of Birds and The Story of the Stone) are both fantastic and fun to read.

All three books can be violent and bloody, as well as sexually explicit, but anyone who is a fan of anime will be familiar with the tone of these novels. Some of his metaphors require close reading, but an intelligent and close reader will have no problem enjoying these books.

Give these books a read-- pay attention to the well-constructed mysteries and brilliantly told legends. It is a shame Hughart did not write more of these.

I stumbled upon this incredible book in the used section of a local comic book store. I'd already read two of her other collections of pictures and stories and was totally siked when I saw this one. It really blew my mind, man. I mean, its a totally awesome experience, like blowing coke out of your nose or farting in the middle of class when its real quiet and everybody just dies of pure laughter. Its sad too, and serious as death. Lynda Barry is my eternal soul sister and she doesn't even know it. I only share this book with my favorite people in the world. Its one of my secret treasures. Its a totally radical and awesome story, man, you gotta believe me, man, its like, its like the best book ever. I love Lynda Barry.

This is a work of genius. "Now, how can you say that about such a book?" Well, have a look at it first. Barry's observations may be couched in terms of her odd protagonists, Marlys and Maybonne, but they are no less telling, cutting, emotive or perceptive for that. Never have I come across an evocation of adolescence which comes close to her achievement here. She manages to touch on love, death, commitment, family, joy (and even, very lightly, incest), and have fresh things to say about each. The scenes involving school and the love-rivalry between the sisters is unique in cartooning, and perhaps in the wider realm of illustrated literature.

I picked up this book on a whim & I'm glad I did--it only took reading one or two of the (cartoon) frames for me to buy it. It's a down-to-earth but funny trip! It is just funny! Reminds me of when I was 14 & all the crazy things I went through-guys, siblings, teachers, parents. The two main characters are so quirky, but you gotta love them! It's like you're let into their minds & you know every little thing they're thinking. Seriously, this book is funny & insightful, & good to read on a late night at home when you're alone & the rest of the world is asleep. I can't wait to read Lynda Barry's other books.

Jerry Layne Rogers, Sr. -- wrongfully convicted and innocent. From 1989 - 1992, I was his investigator at CCR.

Mr. Rogers' case consisted in 1992 of at least 80 boxes of documents, from court files, prosecutor and law enforcement files, trial and evidentiary hearing transcripts, etc. Mr. Rogers's case was the largest and most complicated that CCR [The Office of Capital Collateral Representative -- a state agency in the judicial branch of Florida government] has ever represented that I am aware of.

The second largest and most complicated was that of Mr. Gerald Stano, whose lead attorney during most of the development of his case was Mark E. Olive.

In 1995, Mr. Rogers began receiving pro bono representation from the Washington, D.C. law firm Covington and Burling. The result was an unanimous Florida Supreme Court (FSC) 26 page opinion ordering a new trial in Mr. Rogers' case due primarily to prosecutorial misconduct, in particular Brady v. Maryland violations.

To read the opinion, go to the FSC website, then at "Public Information", to the recent opinions, to the year 2001, then toward the bottom at February 15, 2001, one will find the FSC opinion.

During the summer of 2002, Mr. Rogers was re-convicted, however sentenced to life upon the jury recommendation. Now twice Mr. Rogers has been wrongfully convicted.

In 2004, the Florida 5th District Court of Appeal denied relief. The FSC declined to accept jurisdiction and thus denied the petition for review.

Mr. Rogers' case is pending Federal review.




For those interested in reading the narrowly decided by four to three vote Florida Supreme Court opinions regarding two more death sentenced persons whose innocence is an authentic issue, please go to the FSC website, then go to the recent opinions, then chose the correct year and scroll down to the following two cases:

Roy Swafford: April 18, 2002

Peter Ventura: May 24, 2001


Additionally, the issue in the below cases is DNA testing that proves that Roy Swafford did not rape Brenda Rucker:

Roy Swafford: March 26, 2004 Case Nos. SC03.931 and SC03.1153

The best books on Florida's death penalty history, cases, etc. are David Von Drehle's "Among the Lowest of the Dead" and Michael Mello's several books, in particularly "Dead Wrong" and "Death Work", all available at amazon.com. Below is an introductory history lesson:

First an introduction: From 1986 - 1992 I was employed as an investigator at the Office of Capital Collateral Representative (CCR) in Tallahassee, Florida, where Scharlette Holdman worked as the supervisor of the investigators from October 1985 - March 1988.

I have known Scharlette since the mid-1970s death penalty debates at Florida State University, including the debate between Professor Richard L. Rubenstein (author of "After Auschwitz", "My Brother Paul", "The Cunning of History: Mass Death and the American Future", "The Age of Triage", "Religion and Eros", and other books) vs. Baptist Minister and Philosopher Will Campbell (the debate was circa 1977).

Her office, the Clearinghouse on Criminal Justice, was in the same wing of the Petroleum Building as my office at Common Cause in Florida (where I was a full-time volunteer during the day and worked at the Brown Derby Restaurant at night from 1981 - 1986).

The Petroleum Building was next to the State Capital, the Florida Supreme Court and the State Archives and Library. When it was torn down, the space and the space for the first CCR office became the Mary Brogan Art and Science Museum and a storm water retaining pond. The Petroleum Building was called by those of us who worked or volunteered there the "Forces of Good" (FOG) Building -- as opposed to FOE -- Forces of Evil, such as Associated Industries, the Chamber and other big business interests in Florida. The FOG building also included (not an exhaustive list) the Clean Water Action Project, the ACLU, NOW, Florida Legal Services, Migrant Farmworker's Organization (directed by Cliff Thaell, who has more recently been a Leon County Commissioner for about ten years or more), Mike Vasilinda's television news service.

About every two years at CCR there was a Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist purge due to the pressures and dysfunctions of the work and the people. I survived two such purges. With the third, I was the first to go in the spring and summer of 1992.

When Scharlette had essentially declared war upon CCR in 1987 and thereafter, some of us decided to investigate her background given some things that we had heard. Low and behold, Scharlette's claim of a PhD in anthropology from the University of Hawaii and a Master's Degree from Memphis State (now University of Memphis) don't exist. A claimed undergraduate degree from Memphis State: I no longer recall if this was confirmed by the university.

We used Scharlette's Social Security number, her maiden name and her married name -- with all this information, both universities had no record of Scharlette having received any degrees from these institutions.

As I understand Scharlette, she needed the "degrees" to confer upon her "credentials" that she really never needed as she is indeed then and now a national expert on capital mitigation, litigation, etc. However Scharlette can be deceptive, as her lack of a PhD and Masters so demonstrates. Even today she claims to have the degrees as when she gives presentations regarding capital cases, she is identified as "Dr." A key word search of her name will bring up some of the presentations that she has made in the past several years with the title "Dr." preceding her name.

If she has received any honorary or other degrees since 1990, that would be new information for me. If anyone can assist in this matter, please contact me at paul_d_harvill@yahoo.com or my mailing address: P.O. Box 38458, Tallahassee, FL 32315-8458. Thank you.

Death Penalty Cases is a well written, concise, and unbiased overview of 19 United States Supreme Court cases chronicling the recent evolution of capitol punishment in the United States. Each chapter is devoted to a single case and begins by detailing the issues the Supreme Court addressed in that case as well as the rule of law that arose from the case. This method of presentation is appropriate for insuring that adult readers understand the legal basis of capitol punishment but are free to form their own opinions about the ethics and morality of this hotly debated subject.

My 2-year-old grandson doesn't usually pay attention when I read to his 3 1/2 year old sister. But this book gets him into my lap every time. She loves dinosaurs, he loves everything sports, and they both love this book. His parents got it for him at Christmas and I knew it was a must for Grandma's house too, so I ordered it. It has a great read-aloud rhythm, excellent illustrations, and I find the writing/story enjoyable.
I suspect our babes also like it because one of the dino teams wears green & white...go MSU Spartans!

My 2 year old is a hockey nut. We got this for him and he loved it instantly. The book has wonderful illustrations and identifies all of the different kinds of dinosaurs. The wording (rhyming) makes it so fun to read that my 3 year old daughter likes it to even though it's not pink.

What an excellent book! The writing is clever and the illustrations are amazing -- they have a lifelike quality and you can almost hear the dinos roaring. The illustrations manage to look appropriately frightening yet friendly at the same time, and my 3 year old can't get enough of this book. The best part is, the adults love reading it as much as the kids because it is so entertaining and exciting to read. The author uses the real names of the dinos, so it also is quite educational. The meateaters vs. veggiesaurs theme helped my toddler understand the different types of dinosaurs. What a cute touch that each dinosaur has his name on his hockey jersey and on the scoreboard. There are also several subtle yet important lessons that come out, such as when you behave badly you go in the "penalty box." And of course after insisting on reading this book at least 6 times per day, my toddler even finally understands how to play hockey and other ball games by analogy. This is one of the best children's books I've seen for a young dinosaur enthusiast.

"Discovering the Writer Within" is like having a classroom in your backpack. It's organized by days, and each day starts with an exercise. This is followed by a section that briefly asks you questions about what you wrote. Following this comes a longer bit in which one of the two authors (Bruce Ballenger or Barry Lane--they initial these passages) discusses the exercise and its related principles at length.

Often the author will take the opportunity to share his own exercise results, complete with commentary on what works and what doesn't, why, and what the author got out of the exercise.

This book is primarily designed for those people who don't really call themselves writers yet. It's for people who aren't sure of what they're doing or how to go about getting started. If you haven't written professionally yet, if you still sit around wondering what you should do when confronted with a blank page, this could be the perfect book for you.

One of the better aspects of this book is the very personal voice it's written in. Usually co-authored books are written in a neutral voice in order to avoid noticeable differences between each author's work; in this case each author is allowed to retain his voice. Sometimes one or the other will even discuss his reactions to one of the other author's exercises. This very personal viewpoint is often exactly what's needed to convey the real lessons Ballenger and Lane are trying to teach. It also makes the material more interesting, and gives you the feeling that you really are sitting in a small classroom with an interesting and enthusiastic teacher.

Ballenger and Lane are teachers as well as writers, and it shows--in a good way. They neither kill your enthusiasm with criticism nor promise that evaluation and revision don't matter. They use their own experiences to show the ups and downs of being a writer, and the lessons to be learned therein.

To be honest, I really couldn't find any problem with this book. The only remotely negative thing I can think of is the fact that most of this book will be old hat to experienced writers--but then, it isn't aimed at experienced writers.

This book allowed me to silence the internal critic in me that kept telling me that my feelings don't matter, aren't interesting, and probably aren't spelled right. :)

Overall, this book allows one to be freed from tyrannous writing rules. There are forty exercises in the book that guide you in essential techniques such as brainstorming, clustering, freewriting, and revision. This book allows one to open up their creative wellspring to pour forth a gusher of new ideas and possibilities.

Fantastic book for the person who can hear the writer inside them saying, "write something, write something..." but need a place to begin. I was in a writer's block when I picked up the book, lost from not having something assigned to me from a teacher or writing class. Once I started, I couldn't stop coming up with ideas. I have shared the book with friends who have always wanted to write and weren't sure they could, and now we discuss results over the phone. A really enjoyable book!

The population bomb has gone off. We don't feel the blast because today's children haven't had their children yet. Barry Dantzscher has imagined one possible outcome of that blast, a massive die-off of humans from plagues, human engineered plagues. This die-off is not the only, nor even the most shocking, example of what may lie ahead. Dantzscher has imagined this possible world in detail. There are religious ascetics who whip themselves as they circle the Lincoln Memorial, much as Christians in the Middle Ages sought release through ritual suffering. Dantzscher's characters are as believable as you and me, and their actions, as credible as the daily news. Like Freud, Dantzscher sees honesty in the give and take of sex, and the seeds of aggression and madness where there is none.
I wonder, did the dinosaurs also say there's no such thing as global warming?
Norman Gates, English Instructor, San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, California

Just finished reading this insightful novel which shouts Brave New World to me. Here I am seeing our country decline and along comes a novel that makes sense of the bleakness and is relevant to what is happening in the world today. The fast pace and excellent dialog carry it to its inevitable conclusion with nary a dull moment.

I have to say I LOVED this book - not in the sense that it's a heartwarming "feel-good" novel, because it's not to say the least, but this book really MAKES YOU THINK and is politically radical in the greatest sense of the word (Thank God someone out there is thinking!) A tale of bioterrorist conspiracies and government coverups, Mr. Dantzscher lays it all out in terms of pointing a finger back at the society that creates his characters' world of genetic engineering and mass destruction. An excellent piece of fiction that examines from the inside out just where our society might be heading...if it isn't already hauntingly there. Highly recommended read. Definitely well-written. Hope this work gets the attention it deserves. A++

Fast paced thriller set in the world of high tech. I am not a computer person, but thoroughly enjoyed this novel and really got into the whole world of hackers and viruses and competition between programmers to top each other's products...Really a great thriller for anyone who enjoys page-turners. I learned a lot about a world I have little connection to, which was a blast, but also really got into the characters, the story, and the outcome, which is chilling. Loved the author's style, and his inclusion of actual events from history, including many "famous" computer viruses of the last ten years. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS GREAT THRILLING READ!

Mr. Silverstein has created a tremendous novel that takes us through the boom -- and then the bust -- years of the techno-splosion and the software wars. The characters are real and compelling; the plot is suspenseful with many twists and turns; and the details are full of a sense of realism that can only come from a true industry insider.

This is a smart techno-thriller. Instead of depending on a lot of unnecessary physical violence, the book gets into the havoc computer viruses can cause. It is tightly written, has interesting characters, a strong plot, and a good love story. Highly recommended!