Beck Books

START OF BACK COVER TEXT - Redemption is the story of a young woman who finds out that the best things in life are often found in the last place you'd look for them.

Angel is a small-town girl who finds herself trapped within her worst nightmare, a state penitentiary. She finds inner strength, maturity, friendship and love while at the same time giving to others something she thought she'd lost within herself: Hope. It is the story of how Angel rediscovers hope blazing within the piercing blue eyes of another inmate, Ice. - END OF BACK COVER TEXT

The first in the Ice and Angel trilogy, `Redemption' is the beginning of an endearing story of two tragic characters brought to us by Suzanne Beck.

Tyler Moore is sent to Rainwater Women's Correctional Facility (aka the Bog) to serve 7 years to life for killing her husband. he court didn't care that he was trying to rape her at the time. Young and small, she becomes a target for the prison gangs, but is befriended by the Amazon gang and earns the nickname, Angel. After several months, a former prisoner, Ice (aka Morgan Steele) returns. Ice is the leader of the Amazon gang and is imprisoned for killing a mafia man. Tyler vows to break through Ice's exterior. As they become friends and more, Ice helps Angel get her conviction overturned, but then Ice escapes from prison herself.

Beck is also the author of `The Growing.' Unfortunately for her fans, she hasn't published much else.

Susanne Beck superbly changed the generally accepted view of inmates. The author success in making the inmates and their cause look good. Even though, the plot is hard to believe, when it is carefully considered, I was struck until the final scene. The only drawback is its cover. The publisher should give more energy into it. It looks like a cheap porno.

Wow. I have no words for the feast my eyes have just dined on. It's got to be the single most amazing and beautiful love story I've read. Suzanne has crafted a masterpiece in this one. Her words are well thought out and flow together like nothing before. The story carries a realisticism and so make the characters more believable.

It is the story of Ice and Angel (cute names eh?), two women who have fought long and hard to come to terms with their respective lives in a women's penitentiary in Pittsburgh, called The Bog (named for the many acres of swamp land that surrounds the prison). Both women come from broken families and so find theirs within each other. Oh yeah, and there's a couple mobsters and crooked officials running around making trouble to ensure your full attention.

Make sure y0ou have a whole night free when you sit down to read this one. Trust me, there's no putting this one down for anything- sleep included. I particularly recommend this one for people who enjoy drawing out the first time experience (mmm...yum, seeeexxxx...) well into the story.

I have to admit that I've gone back to write this after finishing all three books in this trilogy, but that's because Beck has managed to write such a compeling series that it made me want to write a review. Redemption is about two women who meet in prison, the only real resemblance to The Shawshank Redemption that another reviewer mentioned. Angel is in the Bog for killing her husband. She doesn't deny doing the crime, although he was in the process of raping and abusing her when it happened and she only intended to "stop" him with the bat. She comes into contact with an amazing cast of characters, from Corinne the librarian, known as the "Black Widow" for the several husbands she quite joyfully murdered, and the Amazons, a group of women who live by a code of honor and try to keep the peace in the prison between the gangs and the guards. Then one day, the founder of the Amazons is brought back to the prison. Ice is an amazing collection of characteristics. Raised by artistic parents until their untimely deaths, she has been turned by life into a cold blooded killer with a highly developed sense of honor. She can snap your neck with the same talent that she uses to cultivate bonzai trees. Prison life runs in her veins while she reads books in the original Chinese and Russian. She is feared, admired and worshipped by convicts and guards alike. Framed for a murder she did not commit, Ice has allowed herself to be convicted because of the murders she has committed and can't be convicted for. Ice has to be one of the most complex characters created in modern literature. And she and Angel love each other with a passion that is frequently breathless. Beck has a real ability for writing erotic love scenes that are realistic and not crude. The book is a fascinating vision of prison life, not something that I originally thought I would find interesting. You can read just this book for a terrific story, but the entire trilogy (Retribution and Restitution are the other volumes) tells a compelling story. These characters seem like real people. You'll wish they were just so you could meet them.

There are now a plethora of commercially produced uber based books, so many that I'm sort of getting weary of the older dark-haired woman (Xena) and the younger talkative blonde (Gabrielle) and their perfection. In some books, the events are the same as those in the TV show, just in a different setting. It's starting to annoy me that the jacket copy and publicity don't mention clearly "Xena Uber Fiction" so I know I'm not getting original character conceptions.
This book is a cut above in that is has a futuristic, edgy feel that avoids sentimentality. Beck is not afraid to transform the the Xena/Gabrielle characters as she builds her world. I really enjoyed it, so much so that I was able to forget its uber roots.

Beck's latest political thriller epic shows that journalists have taken the heat to uncover the truth long before journalist hostage took over today's headlines. Alan Whicker's recent TV opus "Whicker's War" lists 8 dead and 13 more wounded out of a camera news unit of 40, surely one of the heaviest toll inflicted on front line troops. In like vein, SPIKED shows how this kind of carnage can happen. Strachan is a newspaperman whose single-minded focus on advancing the story above all else, credibly reveals the danger in which foreign correspondents daily place themselves so you and I can read the latest from the frontline over our morning kippers. Set in Apartheid era South Africa, a Cold War oriented U.S. and a booming Britain, SPIKED is a novel with all the pace of an American thriller paired with multi-layers British wit and dash. Bears re-reading again and again for fresh impressions and insights or going over favourite scenes between its huge cast of wonderful characters.

The best adventure read in ages. Don't be put off if you haven't heard the name C.J. Beck before. This one's a keeper.

This science-adventure is a ten course meal. Carlos in Brazil hit it right. 'Spiked' sizzles.

It started long before Winston Churchill was captured by the Boers during the 'English War' as one of the villains in this adventure epic calls the 1899-1900 little local difficulty in South Africa. Reporters continue getting kidnapped and killed. Other than the military, there are few who deliberately put themselves in harm's way. Beck asks what would happen if in hunting down a story (on a character loosely drawn on the ballistics genius Gerald 'Supergun' Bull), a top flight Fleet Street journalist actually became the object of a hunt? What if the scientist actually achieved his ambition of building a supergun capable of launching missiles hundreds or even thousands of miles? And what if this relatively cheap, low technology fell into the wrong hands?

Much of the book seems to contain well-researched technology. One for our leaders to ponder when reviewing threats from the Middle East.

The premise is a future possible, not a future alternate like Robert Harris's 'Fatherland'. And is most timely when the only limitation for the 'bad guys' in the Arms Race is the lack of access to efficient long range delivery vehicles. The landscape is as vivid as 'Wilbur Smith' and Alain De Boton in the 'Art of Travel', the plot as tortuous as John Le Carre, and the technology and pace 'Tom Clancy'.

The hero, Jim Strachan 'works' for Winston Sipho Nukisa in a Jo'burg newsagency. Somehow Strachan has ticked off a Muslim cleric and is now hiding out in Johannesburg from a worldwide 'Rushdie-style fatwah. Strachan's bad trip is elevated by a tennis-playing blonde shaped like Anna Kornukova half his age and twice as dangerous. One moment he's in the shower with her, the next shipwrecked off the coast of Namibia. From the start this epic adventure envelops with the filmic panorama of David Lean and high tension action of Richard Donner.

As the cover notes say, there's "enough adventure here for three novels".

C.J. Beck impressed me with Sizzle but Spiked has really bowled me over. If you enjoy a good old-fashioned thriller you'll love this one. It was worth waiting for.

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

I bought this book on a whim - and my 4 1/2 year old daughter loves it! I thought she might be too young, but she followed along well. We read two chapters a night and finished it in 5 days. We'll be buying more, as I'm getting tired of reading the picture books :-)

This is the fourth Disney Fairies book I've read to my 3 1/2 y/o daughter. She just loves the fairy adventures and learning their names and their talents. When she's older I'm sure she'll enjoy reading them on her own but; for now we read it together. I'm so happy to have discovered these wonderful stories. This book by far has been our favorite adventure. Beck is an Animal Talent fairy which is very Dr Doolittle and brings so much more to a story. She learns alot about life beyond Pixie Hollow and discovers to trust herself and believe in her dreams. So much of Beck's adventure can be translated to any adversities anyone faces in life. I'm sure it's a story we'll discuss for a long time. You won't be dissappointed.

In my opinion, the best Disney Fairy books are those that have the conflict growing out of the fairy "talents". (The talents are both gifts and curses.)

Here, Beck's fascination with animals (she is an animal talent) leads her into an interest in exploring, and eventually to Vidia for advice.

It is too bad Vidia is usually being portrayed as the "bad girl". Her "speed talent" has become a "speed addiction" so she tends to break rules and disregard everything else as pointless. Her independent streak is her strength, but also her weakness because she is ALWAYS alienated from the "group"

I was excited at first when Vidia and Beck started talking because they would make a POWERFUL adventuring team! But no,... Beck is instead portrayed as not too bright and Vidia goes back to being an outcast.

Too bad.

These chapter books are terrific, got them for our 13yr. old Grandaughter, she LOVES them!!
Thanks for a GREAT book!!!

While I was never a dedicated fan of the Jonah Hex / Weird Western Tales series DC put out in the 70s and 80s, I definitely liked the reincarnation of Jonah Hex in 1993's `Two Gun Mojo'. Freed from Comics Code constraints, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Truman, and Sam Glanzman put together a blood-splattered storyline with plenty of eerie goings-on, pathos, and Lansdale's unique sense of warped humor. "Riders of the Worm and Such", the 1994 follow-up, went more for humor than horror, but was still an entertaining read. Lansdale was going through a burst of productivity in the Western genre at this time (his coeval title for Dark Horse, `Dead in the West', is worth searching out, but be advised it goes a bit too over the top with the grue).

Jonah Hex now has his own ongoing series, up to issue #33 as of early July 2008. It continues to be one of the few Western titles with any kind of staying power on the comic store shelves. Compilations of earlier issues in this series are now seeing distribution as softcover graphic novels, hence `Guns of Vengeance', which features issues #7 - #12.

In this series, Hex occupies a Wild West where homicidal behavior and moral depravity are steeped into every nuance of daily life. This is the perfect setup for lots of violence, and `Guns' - or rather, Jonah and his trigger-happy compatriots - delivers. Every bullet strike calls forth a detailed, over-the-top spurt of gore, and in some stories the body count gets high enough to carpet the streets with corpses.

The stories in `Guns', which are written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, are all standalones rather than multi-chapter stories, and center less on the horror or supernatural themes that are the bread and butter of the `Weird Western' titles. `Jonah Hex' focuses more on Spaghetti Western-inspired plots revolving around revenge and retribution. Gray and Palmiotti occasionally provide moments of black humor, but only the `Gator Bait' tale (i.e, Jonah Hex issue # 10) comes close to a Lansdale-style grotesquerie. Featuring a family of inbred backwoods types who enjoy feeding the occasional trespasser to their pet alligators, `Gator Bait' is simultaneously funny and grisly and one of the better stories in the compilation.

Overall, the artwork in the `Jonah Hex' series is good, and the issues compiled in `Guns' don't disappoint in this regard. The artwork by David Michael Beck, Paul Gulacy, Luke Ross, and Dylan Teague has an appropriately realistic style with lots of washed browns, grays, and blues. Moebius set a high standard for modern Western comic art with his famous `Lieutenant Blueberry' series, and DC's editorial staff seem to recognize this in assigning artists to `Hex'.

While the long-term fate of the `Jonah Hex' series is never secure in this superhero-focused world of comics retailing, I'll be looking for more compilations to appear on the store shelves and I'll be picking them up. If you feel some nostalgia for the Old School titles like Marvel's `Two Gun Kid' or `Rawhide Kid', the old Weird Western Tales series, or Lt. Blueberry, treat yourself and grab a copy.

I'm a long time reader of Jonah Hex from years ago when it first came out. I was very disappointed with the way the artwork in the Hex series basically ruined a fantastic character and comic series.
I was NOT disappointed by Face Full of Violence. It is 100% pure Jonah Hex all the way and the artwork is great just like the original series was.
Great stories, great artwork and inking, I hope they make a hundred of them because I would buy them all. If you've read any of the original series, this is a must buy.

I remember Hex from the day, this Hex looks a lot like Eastwood...but still has (some of) the spirit of the original HEX. I wish they would bring the old back in a colour compilation.

One of the most underappreciated characters in one of the most underappreciated genres in comics gets resurrected and reinvigorated thanks to the writing tandem of inker Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. A duo who worked together on a series of holiday-themed Punisher one-shots (none of which were anything if at all to write home about mind you), both writers are firing on all cylinders with Jonah Hex: Face Full of Violence, which collects the first six issues of the revamped series. Instead of focusing on one continuing storyline, Face Full of Violence contains six seperate stories all involving our favorite scarred outlaw, as he pursues kidnappers, has run-ins with those from his past, and generally takes on all comers without blinking an eye. The stories themselves are gritty and violent without going over the top in terms of gore and profanity (this isn't a Vertigo title, it's under the DC banner), but it retains plenty of attitude and a mature tone that isn't seen in mainstream comics too often these days. The art by Luke Ross and original Jonah Hex artist Tony Dezuniga is nothing short of great, making an already sweet package even, well, sweeter. All in all, if you dig old western comics or have fond memories of a man named Hex, this is a must own.

In a comic medium of decompressed stories and multi-part crossovers, Jonah Hex completely exposes an old school tradition by crafting clever, witty and meaningful stories in stand alone issues. Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Luke Ross are able to take a classic DC character, in a under appreciated genre, and captivate the audience. This collection offers readers a little taste of what the monthly title has been able to deliver on a monthly basis. Very happy that I've been getting the monthly title but this trade will sit on the bookshelf with some of my other titles.

The Leningrad Codex (so named because it was housed in a museum in Leningrad, when it was Leningrad) is the oldest complete codex of the Hebrew Bible -- a codex being a book form, as opposed to scrolls; the other existing ancient codex, the Aleppo Codex, has a few sections missing; it may be older, but the incomplete nature (especially as it is missing part of the Torah) make its use limited. The same is not true for the Leningrad Codex -- for a thousand year old book, it is remarkably complete. Comparison of modern Hebrew Bibles to this text helps to highlight textual transmission validity and authenticity; other texts of the Hebrew Bible through the first millennium of the common era are incomplete or in fragments; the Dead Sea Scrolls, apart from being scrolls and not in codex or book form, date from pre-canonical times.

The Leningrad Codex is a big book, meant for public use. It is ornamented, with thick white parchment pages, and unusually has the wording of the text vocalised (Hebrew is generally written without vowel or vocalisation marks). In addition to the text of the Hebrew Bible, it includes an introductory section that dates the manuscript (to roughly 1008 to 1010), and places it as originating in Cairo, a city which at that point still had a significant Jewish and Christian community. The conclusion has Masoretic lists and a few poems, one by Moshe ben-Asher, and one by the scribe of this text, Shemu'el ben-Ya'aqob.

This is a photo-plate edition of the entire text, largely in black-and-white high resolution plates, with additional full-colour plates of carpet pages and a few text pages to give a sense of the natural colouration of the regular parchment pages. This edition was filmed in 1990 by a team from the University of Southern California, experts in the task of ancient document photography. The importance of preservation of this document cannot be overstated; given insecurities in all parts of the world, but particularly the former Soviet lands, rare and valuable items are vulnerable. This is a standard document against which later Hebrew Bibles are measured; it is an important milestone in the path of development of the texts.

There are nearly 1000 picture plates in this text, which include the front cover and backpiece of the book. The photography is so clear that the fading of one page onto the next or the bleed-through from the backside can clearly be seen; the photographs are not retouched for this purpose. All are in Hebrew. As this is a photographic reproduction, there are no textual notes, footnotes or other inserted text as a guide -- what you see is what you get.

This is not a book for the average Bible reader. Even more advanced biblical scholars will likely not need or come across this text. However, for those whose study requires comparison of texts, study of transmission and integrity of the text, this is a very worthwhile text. It is one that would make a fine gift to the libraries of churches, synagogues, seminaries and religious schools. It is a massive book, one that would look good on a lectern or on display in a museum or library. Even the facsimile copy is a work of art.

I wish to apologize about my bluffingly account about the margins of this book.
In the previous review I wished to rate this book 4.5 stars, which i couldn't, and now I rate it 5 stars so that it averages to 4.5 stars.
You'll find the margins are not as wide as I said in the criticism below. Actually the whole margin area is barely the same as the text area. Margin of the original codex + a little margin of the photography + margin around the photo adds up to as wide as the area occupied by the text.
The reason that the black-and-white photo gets darker than the color plates might be that the photo films are less sensitive to yellow than to blue. Since the parchment leaves are somewhat tinted in light yellow, the photocopy couldn't help appearing darker than it actually is.
If I could make touch with the publishers, I would like to advise them to use special film more sensitive to yellow light when they make the revision.

As a theological student I was overwhelmed the first time I saw this book. Now that I own my own copy, I have come to appreciate it even more -- especially since I can actually READ it now rather than simply look at it.

Access is a must for serious biblical scholars. After all, why do we learn biblical Hebrew -- in order to read the Bible in its original language. Though the Biblia Herbrica is a faithful text, why should we rely on anything but the oldest available complete text?

The introductory historical notes and additional notations are invaluable as well. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK IN MY LIBRARY and probably will continue to be for many years.

This book is truly Cherished. When I was doing my undergrad studies alol my professors got jealous of my owning this book. This is the Oldest Full connon of the Tenach, The Hebrew Bible. There are fantastic folio pages of rich colour. Whether you are a Jew, Muslim, or Christian this is an important text in terms of Biblical Scholarship. The only warning that I would give is learn Hebrew before obtaining or else you will be frustrated as 99 44/100% of the book is written in Hebrew. Every Synagogue and Church Library would be greatly enhanced in adding this very important text. Even Sunday School teachers would be blessed owning this book. I am in Seminary now and find that I use this book on a regular basis. I know that this book is rather on the pricey side, but it is a truly once in a lifetime purchase. This is a book to be used, loved, and adored. I hope that this review has been Helpful. Baruch HaShem Yeshua HaMashiach

I'm quite cynical the most time, so you could regard the book better than what I describe. This twice as heavy as is necessary photo-copy of a millenium-old manuscript on parchment pages, with the signature of the proof-reader, is at least good for the decoration of your book-shelf. It's beautiful! The good points of this book are mentioned by other readers so I'm going to point out the bad ones.
The text pages are photographed in black-and-white, which diminishes the readability - compared with the color plates of the masoretic rules. The photo itself seems not to be taken in the optimal ambient light. Yes, you can distinguish every corner of the characters from the parchment background. But the contrast is quite week at many of the pages.
And the area of each page is three- or four times as wide than the area occupied by the text itself. This makes the book at least twice as heavy as it would be necessary - be careful not to crush your toes or fingers! But it might be regarded to be good if you have a lot to write in on the margins. Or the margins could be regarded as good protection of the text; This facsimile edition could last another millenium.

This is such a treasure! It shows life inside Termite Terrace and preserves the history like a textbook. The author shares stories that aren't covered in other books and talks about the people who weren't in the spotlight of the Golden Era. I was amazed to find someone who had lived through it and been there had written this. Any students of Looney Tunes, animation, or cartoon history should read this book.

If you've read any other animation history books, you've gotten a basic idea of how things were during "Golden Age" of the 30's and 40's. But not only is Living Life Inside The Lines one of the few books written someone who actually worked in animation during that period, it's the only book I've seen written by an ink & paint artist, which gives it a point of view of the animation world that other books never mention.

Sigall also tells stories of people like Irv Spence and Phil Monroe who were a big part of animation history, but have never gotten much mention in books. And having worked at numerous studios and ink & paint houses, she has very broad perspective on how the animation industry has changed from the 30's thorough to the 80's. Plus her pleasant demeanor makes for a nice, easy-going read.

If you're interested in animation, this book is a perfect supplement to your library.

I know the son of the writer and was eager to read her book. I have done computer animation and presently am in involved in video production. I found this personal history of the early days of animation to be fun, informative, and came away feeling I had a better knowledge of the people involved in this wonderful form of visual art!

If you love animation, history of early animation days...this book is a wonderful read!

When Chuck Jones received his special Academy Award in the mid-1990s, he wondered aloud from the stage where all the "laughing faces of Termite Terrace" had gone. They're right here in Martha Goldman Sigall's wonderful book. Martha was a central participant in the Golden Age of the animated short: she inked and painted on timeless, classic films directed by Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Bob McKimson, Frank Tashlin, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, and others, and almost certainly contributed to more animated films than all of them combined, probably without receiving a single screen credit in that era. But she sketches the men and women who sketched Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry masterfully in this extremely well-written book, which, like Martha herself, is very warm, funny, and people-oriented. Her personal portraits of artists like Treg Brown, Virgil Ross, Ben Washam, and many others are a crucial contribution to animation history as well as a fun and funny reading experience.

This is the best book on the Schlesinger studio (birthplace of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many others), and provides perhaps a thousand important details about that historic cartoon studio and MGM's that aren't found elsewhere. Martha sketches the 1941 strike, the Red Scare, wartime Hollywood, and other events from the animation community's perspective, and also sheds light on the historic industry locations such as 861 Seward, where six different studios sought shelter through the years; the neat and clean (but long gone) MGM building in Culver City, and the shabby Van Ness home of Leon Schlesinger and his "kids".

In what may be the last major eyewitness account of the classic era of animation, Martha raises the spirit of those long-gone laughing faces, and humanizes the creation of the great cartoons and timeless characters that will last forever. The joy she obviously felt in her career infuses the book and the reader.

Martha and her husband Sol, who, happily, is also heard from here, have always been like beloved grandparents to animators in Southern California (one of which this author was for a few years), but in 1996 they kindly donated themselves to the Warner Brothers Museum and are now officially public treasures. If you're not in the area, you can claim your share of them right here in this wonderful book. They should designate a rating higher than five stars for it.

I love reading stories from animations golden age and this book is especially charming.
Most people don't know it, but the ink and paint departments in all the major and minor studios were the real unsung heroes of the cartoon business-many ladies being accomplished artists in their own right and having the ability to take well drawn line drawings and just adding the right touch to each cel that the scenes would really shine. Water effects being one of the areas of animation that without great inkers and painters could tend to look "hokey".
I give this book 5 stars, but I wish it had more pictures!!

Dr. Beck's book gave me hope for my son. He has been addicted to heroin for 8 months. American psychiatrists need to read this and start a program here. It is needed so badly. Methadone only gives you another addiction to break and opportunity to sell again to support the heroin habit when the cravings kick in. The FDA needs to approve buprenorphine.Buprenorphine along with treating the underlying problems, usually ADD, is the key.The holistic approach is the only way to treat with permanent results. The underlying problems, usually ADD, are brought out in this book. When I read this book everything fell into place and made sense. I am now seeking people that may be able to promote this book and help get clinics open.

This book is what it would be like if addiction therapies were working perfectly and it would be smooth sailing. I believe that if addicts and their loved ones had plans like this they can be saved.
our families situation was like many others, my husband was an addict for at least 15 years. In and out of rehabs and jail - methadone works for awhile then they get sick of going everyday or they get dosed down too fast to make room for others. We thought we had a saving grace in suboxone. He was on Buprenorphine but his appointments were once a month and maybe 4-5 minutes long. His Dr. was the head of a psych dept in a major hospital in boston. The thing is insurance won't cover the appts so the Dr who would normally get hundreds of dollars an hour has to make it affordable for an addict so you get what you pay for. In our case it was 75$ for 5 minutes. My husband started to sell the suboxine on the street for heroin. With suboxine you can stay straight all week then get high on the weekends. If he went overboard and sold to many he would just buy them on the street for himself. It's sick and this needs to be solved with more contact between the dr and patient but can't until the government gets a grip and the insurance companies cover the visits like a normal treatment. Anyway this is exactly how my husband died dec 27, 07 20 minutes after selling his script. I literally had put all my hopes in this therapy. His Dr. never even called to give his condolences, I think he had a suspicion about what my husband was doing. This books approach will work but all the pieces have to be just so. You should bring this book to your appts and get specific with the doctors.

This book is very enlightening and informative, but I'm concerned that the powers that be in the Australian government giving the doctor so much grief about his treatment have done away with him. The emails and phone numbers on his Web site are inactive. I even tried sending a fax and it wouldn't go through. I was trying to get information on US treatment centers following the doctor's treatment plan. I hope this innovative pioneer has not been snuffed out by the system.

As an addiction medicine physician for the last 15 years, I feel that his book is extrememly helpful in educating on recovery from heroin addiction. I recommend it without reservation!
Sincerely,
Joel Nathan, MD
www.nabumed.com

This is a MUST HAVE for any physician, counselor, support person, or health care provider. I would like to see this book as University (or any teaching facility's) curriculum. It's a logical approach that should be applied in addition to or in lieu of a 12-step program. I say this because many addicts don't have the faith needed to rely on a "higher power"; they need alternatives and Dr Beck's theories address these alternatives.
Definately worth applying, especially when counseling for an addiction with a typically low recovery rate.

This is so incredibly enlightening, world changing, life changing, you name it. Everybody should know about this book, like the last reviewer I am surprised that they don't. Knocks spots of Byron katie and all that, much more sensible, practical and applicable, but it has the potential to enable the reader to access the most spiritual of realms.

As I was reading this book, a constant thought I had was why this book was not as well-known as many others on self-improvement or stress management. Maybe the idea of achieving peace of mind through thought labelling and paying attention to one's senses sounds too simplistic. Maybe the idea that the solution to transforming one's life lies within oneself sounds too good to be true. This book deserves to be read by more people who are in need of an answer to life's many seemingly unsolvable issues. Give this book, more importantly yourself, a chance by picking up a copy of it.

I found this book very informative and like the simple step by step explanations.

Important for all doctors, of medicine and chiropractic, or whichever, is the fact that the mind and thought are the origin of some forms of illness and physical dysfunction. It is a difficult thing to reverse thoughts, or stop them in their destructive tracks. This book is a tool on how to do it. Mr J. Krishnamurti's writings uncovered thought as a destructive thing for me many years ago. Dr and Mrs Block's book puts a practical, doable slant on thought related disease and deceit of the true self. The best ten bucks you'll ever spend.

This book has been like a miracle for me. It tells you HOW to
reach that beautiful spiritual place so many of us have strived
for with little or no success. It's so simple! I can't thank Dr. Block enough for quite literally changing my life. I hope to
get a chance to meet him in person one day. By the way, this is the first book I've ever written a review on.

This is another GREAT book from Tom Morrisey! I have only cryed at one movie(Joshua) and certinly NO BOOKS, untill now. Dark Fathom is a hard-to-put-down book! LOVED IT!

Beck Easton is leading a double life. Most know him as a partner in software company Blue Corner Technologies. Few know him as a member of the National Security Agency. Instead of a supposed business trip for Blue Corner, he's actually on assignment in Columbia assassinating a couple of drug dealers at the opening of Dark Fathom. But he's tired of his double life and ready to cash in. As soon as Blue Corner goes public, he plans to retire and leave his NSA days far behind.

Unbeknownst to Beck, a sinister Al-Qaida plot is quickly falling into place that could kill thousands. The government calls on Beck to do them one last favor--find Ahmed bin Saleen, who they believe is the plot's mastermind. No big deal, his superior tries to persuade him. You won't even need to bring a gun. Beck reluctantly agrees to tackle the job. His search takes him from Berlin to Canandaigua, NY, where he discovers a man murdered and floating beneath the lake's thick ice. Apparently bin Saleen means business.

But it's in Bermuda where the pieces fall into place. According to Dark Fathom's premise, during World War II a Nazi plane carrying a plutonium bomb intended for New York City crashed in the Bermuda Triangle before delivering its "cargo." Ahmed bin Saleen will stop at nothing to find that bomb, and neither will Beck. Armed with the latest underwater searching technology, he and his friends comb the waters for the missing plane as bin Saleen stealthily follows. Will they find the bomb before the terrorists?

Morrisey's definitely done his homework in Dark Fathom, a prequel to his previous novel Deep Blue. Straight from the prologue he had me wondering if Germany really did have a flying-wing jet bomber like the one described (they didn't, according to the author notes), and his sharp eye for specific details brought the story to life. He even personally drew the maps at the beginning of each section.

Beck Easton is an ocean-diving Indiana Jones. The guy's been to sniper school, can fly or drive just about anything, is an accomplished diver, and speaks German, Spanish and French. We watch him put most of these skills to good use in Dark Fathom. Some of the technical descriptions of diving equipment got a little tedious, and the romance subplot might seem a bit tacked on, but neither of these hindered my enjoyment of this bold adventure novel. Perfect for Clive Cussler fans and all those who savor page-turning action.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for Infuze Magazine (http://www.infuzemag.com)

Beck Easton is a software architect and owner of Blue Corner Technologies, a highly profitable encryption company. At least that's what the government wants everyone to think. Beck is actually a cover operative for the government and has traveled the world over on classified missions.

And he's had it with both jobs. His last mission left him questioning what he does in the government's employ, not a good sign. His co-owners of Blue Corner are, against his wishes, taking the company public. When that happens, he's cashing out his shares of stock and retiring to Florida to run a diving business.

But his retirement plans are put on hold when two things happen. The first is when he meets Angel Brower, an interior designer hired to work on the future offices of Blue Corner. Corporate expansion never looked so good.

The second is Ahmed bin Saleen. He is a Saudi terrorist and he has struck pay dirt. Years of searching for an elusive weapon from World War II is about to give his fellow terrorists their long-dreamed of weapon.

The stakes in Beck's cover ops career have never been higher. Failure will kill millions. Success will give him a future he had, up until now, only dreamed of.

Tom Morrisey incorporates little known facts from World War II to write a fast-paced thriller. Dark Fathom is an intense read with an ending that haunted me for several days after I finished it.

Beck Easton wants out. The Navy SEAL is finished after his last black op takes down a drug lord on Christmas Eve before the eyes of the family. His mentor suggests a staged, easy withdrawal from the service. Easy? Nothing this guy does is easy. As his cover, he serves as principal in a Silicon Valley tech dot-com that manages to stay profitable. When Beck's partners decide to re-design the corporate headquarters in a geek-friendly fashion, in comes Angela Brower, specialist in industrial ergonomics. The redesign succeeds wildly, but the interpersonal chemistry fires off with a bang. The challenge? She's a committed Christian, and Beck isn't. According to Angela, this is "a line a God-fearing woman doesn't cross-or even get near." How's a marriage-minded ex-covert-operative to win fair lady when the Creator of heaven and earth stands in the way?

Tom Morrisey knows piloting, diving, and quite a bit about a whole lot of other interesting pastimes. His expertise shows, and lends verisimilitude to a good adventure yarn. At the same time, the romance stays low-key though it always held my attention. Told primarily from the man's point of view, it gives enough insight into the male psyche to be satisfying.

Without inserting a spoiler, I will admit the ending disappointed me. Both this book and its publishing predecessor DEEP BLUE are terrific reads, either for a guy who can tolerate a little romance or a gal who can stomach a smidgen of adventure.

Four stars in my book.

Reviewed by Deb Kinnard

Dark Fathom by Tom Morrisey traces the action-filled adventures of Beck Easton, as he trails a member of Al-Qaeda in a race to recover a weapon that could take millions of American lives. As he increasingly realizes the urgency of his assignment, the presence of Angela Brower-a business associate turned love interest-complicates matters. Easton's experiences with danger, love, joy, and grief will change him forever.

Fast-paced and suspenseful, the book wastes little time getting into the plot. Readers first meet Easton in the middle of an assassination mission that makes him realize he wants to leave the NSA. But his boss and friend, Bill Spalding, convinces him to take a mission tracking down the Saudi terrorist Ahmed bin Saleen to find out what he is up to. Eventually the mission leads to a life-or-death struggle upon which hangs the fate of millions of lives.

Easton's morality, ingenuity, and style make him a likable character. But he is not a Christian, and guilt haunts him. His relationship with the devout Angela highlights some of the difficulties a Christian faces in a relationship with a non-Christian, as well as the challenge of the double life of an NSA operative.

Overall, the book is very enjoyable. Morrisey's experience and research allow him to give interesting details throughout the story. For example, as a pilot and a diver, Morrisey provides realistic accounts of Easton's adventures in the sea and the air. The book may especially appeal to lovers of action adventures, but it also contains a touch of romance. Older teens and adults of all ages will enjoy Dark Fathom. - Jonathan Young, Christian Book Previews.com

I had this book when I was a teen and lost it. I've read it a few times. I can't say that about many books. I've also read More Forgotton Town a few times as well. A must have for anyone interested in Jersey history.

Including Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey I also owned 4 other books by Henry Carlton Beck.
I purchaded these books in 1982 and read them over and over until the pages became worn.
There is no better way to study and get to know the ghost and forgotten towns of southern New Jersey than through these books.
Henry Carlton Beck put his heart into every word and deed, the information coming from that is wonderful.
There is no better reading on southern New Jersey that can be found on book shelves.
These books will live on forever and to experience his windom in these is a real blessing.
I lost all my books to a fire but plan to replace them next month.
If your interest is in southern New Jersey these are the books to have on your shelf.

Beware that once you read this book, you'll be hooked on trying to find these towns.

An excellent reference for those looking to disover the history of Southern New Jersey.

Henry Charton Beck spent much of his spare time in the 1930s traipsing around the rural areas of New Jersey searching out local history and lore. He wrote about what he learned in newspaper articles and then in full-length books. This book is the first in a series, published in 1936 (always in print since then, but never revised).

Beck is concerned with the tiny settlements that grew and died mainly in the Pine Barrens, a huge, sparsely settled area that stretches across a good portion of southern NJ. Beginning with Ongs Hat, he tells about 37 different places, one per chapter. The chapters are short, and all the places were visited by Beck, with much of his narrative told through his own eyes. Many of the places are still identified on larger topo maps (there are no maps in the book, unfortunately); very few of these places were ever large enough to support a post office and were merely placenames. Photos grace the book, though what is depicted in them has long disappeared for the most part. Also missing, though it would be very helpful, is an index.

Beck's style has the effect of drawing the reader out into the field to see what he's seen. I've been to quite a few of the places mentioned in the book and have enjoyed having the book along with me. Being almost 70 years old, the book is somewhat outdated (some isolated areas he writes about outside of the Pine Barren reserve are filled with housing developments and strip malls now), but it's still a great book on the local history of southern NJ of long ago.

Need a brief escape from the modern world? Want to know what life was like a hundred years ago in Southern NJ? This is the book for you. Mr. Beck wrote in a beautiful, yet folksy style about the people and places that once existed in what we now call the Pine Barrens. After reading this, I am anxious to go back and look for some of these places myself.