Big Books

Due to ever degrading literary taste of our post-war generation, Stefan Zweig has been forgotten for few decades,in spite of the fact that the first half of the 20th century , Zweig was perhaps one of the most famous and popular authors in the world. He and compatriot Hugo von Hofmannsthal had almost pararell lives.They were both some sort of literary prodigies(Hofmannsthal and Zweig earned their fame in their teens).They began their literary careers as poets and ended up writing various kind of literary genres,including libretto for Strauss. Also both ended up committing suicide. Zweig wrote many memorable fictions ,but only one novel.And, this is "Beware of Pity".
The novel is a kaleidoscope of the Habsburg dual monarchy.Zweig's talent lays on his superb description of human psyche of each characters and representation of comtemporary time. this work well represents decaying , both morally and physically , Habsburg dual monarchy. It shows how anarchoronistic system of mores( of K.u.K) that led otherwise good natured and a bit simple minded Leutenant Hoffmiler conered to the desperate situation. Does Hoffmiler deserve his fate? read book and decide that by yourself. what amazed me was how well Zweig synchronized and symbolized tragic denoument of kekeskalva family with the outbreak of" the war to end all wars". This is both pcychological and historical drama par excellence.One of forgotten masterpiece that recently rediscovered. Thank you NYRB to bring Zweig back.

This is an intense, psychological drama, and a page-turner to boot! What's so great is the wonderful language, the "lofty" writing. I just loved every page, and our poor, tortured hero.

It's a fabulously written book about love instigated by pitty, which can be very dangerous. Worth reading as this kind of thing still happens every day.

...no, not the book by Dave Eggers, but this masterpiece by Stefan Zweig. I came upon this by accident, and bought it, intrigued by the story outline and the reviews below. Only very, very rarely does a book have the power to draw me into the lives of the characters, probably because they're usually just that - characters. Not so here. Here we have flesh and blood and all that entails. I'm still amazed at Zweig's story telling. He's the kind of writer who could make a shopping list fascinating. I lived and breathed every single word in this incredibly beautiful book, and, as has been said elsewhere, the tension becomes almost unendurable. I can hardly do justice to it in a few words. Weirdly, I often found myself smiling, not because it's a funny book, far from it, but just through an appreciation of Zweig's supreme mastery of his art. This is one of those books appearing only a few times in your life that wring emotion out of you whether you like it or not. A heart-breaking, unforgettable and life-enriching experience.

I'd also like to praise the translation, by Trevor and Phyllis Blewitt. At no time is there even a hint that you're reading a translation - something that occurred to me only after finishing the book. On the contrary, it seems to me that the elegance of the language and all the magnificent virtues that contribute to Zweig's humanity and genius have been faithfully rendered. The proof is in my twin disappointments; coming to the end, and learning that there are no further full-length novels by Zweig. I'll definitely be reading all his other works, though.

In the introduction to this book Joan Acocella tells Zweig's story as a writer. One of her claims is that despite his enormous popularity as biographer, essayist, writer of great novellas and stories, this novel is his masterpience. The novel is in essence the story of a feeling, of 'pity' of how it becoming the obsession and duty of the main character turns self- serving and destructive. Briefly , the book revolves around the relationship between a poor Austrian officer Hoffstein and a crippled seventeen year old daughter of a wealthy family Edith Kekesfalvas. After he has inadvertently insulted her by having asked her to dance he becomes bound into a relationship with her, in which she falls deeply in love with him without his truly reciprocating. This is how Acocella reads the protagonist's reasoning and its result after her doctor informs him that it would be disastrous for him to abandon her.

"So he descends ever deeper into hypocrisy. In the process, Zweig gives us a piercing analysis of the motives underlying pity. Gradually Hofmiller realizes how much he enjoys the courtesies paid to him for his emotional services, how it pleases him that when he arrives at the Schloss his favorite cigarettes--and also the novel (its pages already cut) that he had said in passing that he wanted to read--are laid out on the tea table. Nor is it lost on him that his own sense of strength is magnified by Edith's weakness and, above all, by his growing power over the Kekesfalvas, the fact that if he, a poor soldier, does not present himself at teatime, this great, rich household is thrown into a panic, and the chauffeur is dispatched to town to spy him out and see what he is doing in preference to waiting on Edith. Beyond the matter of power, however, Hofmiller finds that the emotion of pity is a pleasure just in itself. It exalts him, takes him to a new place. Before, as an officer, he was required only to obey orders and be a good fellow. Now he is a moral being, a soul."

This end in destruction is somehow a foreshadowing of what would happen to Zweig.Having been betrayed with the rise of the Nazis by the Europe he loves, tried to make a new home and life with his second wife in Brazil. But it does not work out and the both of them are found after having taken fatal overdoes of drugs hands intertwined.

Well I have just got the book but feel so fascinated as each page moves. It has reinforced my understanding also. How companies waste their time and HR department undertake such a process that will put off any candidate seeking career opportunity. We all know that CVs hide more than they reveal. and the best of the talents do not apply for the jobs.

All that is required in what Chris Resto aptly advises is to reflect contagious energy , fresh perspective and abundance in aspiration.. The job seeker wants is a career accelerator and not a mere job.. The Recruiter wants is a profit accelerator. Unless that bandwidth does not happen, the very exercise shall be futile. Yes one does get a job but managing and growing in it is the real challenge.

Since I happen to run Professional Mentoring Programmes and Pre placement training, the first thing that I advise people is to put the CV into a shredder. Because the Recruiter needs them more than the job seekers.. So first read the Nick Corcidilos ASK THE HEADHUNTER ([...]) That is indeed a must read for avoiding the HR Dept traps. Jeffrey J Fox also advises the same in Don't send a CV.. But now Christ Resto in this new title Recruit or Die explains the dynamics of Job market and best practices.

Read all this if you want the " right job " and never be a CV pusher.

with best wishes

RK Dhanvada
rk@dhanvada.com
India

I have gone through the interview process three times at MIT, twice as a student and once while an employee at Microsoft. I have also interned at Thomson West, which is frequently mentioned throughout the book. From all of my experiences with these companies and others, the information presented in the book is extremely accurate, both from a process perspective and the attitudes of students.

For a company, I loved that the book focused on:
1. Knowing what you are selling - I have talked to many employers who did not have a clear idea of this, and it was a huge turnoff. The book provides a great list of questions to help you identify what you are selling to students.

2. Establishing personal relationships with your recruits - When looking at competing offers, in retrospect, I realized that I have always chosen the company where I had the greatest relationships with the recruiter, other alumni, etc. The book emphasizes building these relationships and provides great suggestions on how to build them.

3. Setting expectations appropriately - This is a prevailing theme throughout the book, and I couldn't agree with it more. The book lists everything from making sure you tell recruits when you will follow-up with them to how to properly set expecations about recruitment goals within your organization.

While the primary audience of the book is recruiters, as a current student, I also found the information in the book helpful in navigating the interview process the second time around. I used the contents to identify companies with great recruiting processes, ask more meaningful questions about the companies, and provide better feedback to companies on how they could improve. While juggling information from so many companies, it even helped remind me of what was important to me about the next company I work at: career growth, opportunities to solve challenging and meaningful problems, and the culture of the company. I can't wait to apply what I read in the book when I start recruiting for the next company I work for.

Whether you are a student, a new recruiter, or an experienced one, I would definitely recommend picking up Recruit or Die!

I graduated college a couple years ago and I think the viewpoints on college students and grads are dead on. That's probably because they're from tons of actual interviews with students and grads ha. The book is definitely well researched and I would be very attracted to any company who practices the things this book recommends.
Also, I found this book applicable to many aspects of recruiting in general. Many of the concepts work great for student organizations on campus, similar to non-profit orgs or small businesses that can't afford to pay large salaries. If you're the leader of a student org, I recommend reading this to improve your recruitment tactics. There are many parallels you can draw between a college org and a business when it comes to recruitment, like applying job fair tactics at your next tabling fair (or whatever your college calls it... a day or days when many/all clubs table and flyer).

I was very excited to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. I am a leading edge member of the millenial generation and I work for a college in career services, so this book is quite relevant to me. Resto and co. are very accurate in describing what college students want out of work and how they operate, as well they should be accurate-they also work with students. Their suggestions are pretty good as well-I will be very curious to see if any of the recruiters coming to our campus employ these suggestions!

If your company recruits new hires by going to college campuses, you need to read Recruit or Die, no matter how good you think you are at recruiting. If you have a formal recruiting program or even if you just attend job fairs looking for good new employees, this will still be a valuable book for you.

The good advice begins in the Introduction, where the authors ask and answer the question: "Why Microsoft, McKinsey and Goldman Sachs?" They point out that all three of these favorite places for graduates to seek employment have a great brand. But other companies do, too.

What sets these three apart from the pack is what they do. The authors identify four things.

They won't settle for anyone other than exactly the recruits they want.
They work harder and smarter than their competitors to know their target audience: the recruits.
They sell themselves better than their competitors do.
They present a united front.

That's strategy. Tactically, the authors tell you that contact is king, that you should sell your people first and your company second and that courtesy and class go a long way.

The authors suggest that if you follow the kind of diligent process that the recruiting stars follow, you'll get great results. I think they're right.

Years ago, when police departments suddenly found themselves facing massive retirements with few recruits showing up at the door, I designed recruiting programs for police departments. Almost everything I learned that's positive is here plus a ton of details that I wish I'd known at the time. You can cut your recruiting learning curve by reading Recruit or Die and applying its lessons.

You'll learn to think, for example, about your company and the jobs you're offering from three perspectives. You'll ask yourself what the differences are between what you have, what recruits think you have, and what recruits want. That set of distinctions, alone, can help you sharpen your offerings and your process.

Again and again you're reminded to build on your strengths. You're reminded to meet the questions and needs of the people you want to recruit. That's all good, but there are some things I wish were different.

There's too much emphasis on "talent" as "people who've done well in school." Sometimes the young person who's dramatically improved performance late in school is a better choice for your company. One Fortune 200 company used that as part of its target recruit profile for years.

There's also way too much emphasis on big schools, big companies and the east and west coasts. Scan the schools whose students are quoted in the book and you're hard pressed to find any schools in the Midwest or in the South below Chapel Hill.

There are virtually no smaller company examples even though the lessons of the book are adaptable to small companies. And there are virtually no small schools represented either.

The fact is that the bulk of college graduates will be something other than first-tier brains and come from something other than first-tier schools. They will go to work at companies of all sizes, all over the country.

I wish the book reflected that reality better. But even if you're a small company recruiting at a small state school in a Midwestern state, there's a lot of good practical nuts-and-bolts advice in this book. You'll find a wealth of information on the operational details of attending job fairs, effective job postings, following up with recruits.

The bottom line is that if you need to recruit, you need to read Recruit or Die.

THis story is classic. I use this book so much that I have to retire my old copy and replace it with a new one every couple of years. It is a fabulous vehicle for storywriting in the primary classroom.

I have been reading Pat Hutchins books to children for many years. They are wonderful!! Rosie's Walk is a great book for sound effects! As Rosie goes obliviously on her walk,the fox encounters all sorts of sound effect producing trials. Great fun!

We have the board book edition, and I have to admit, I didn't think my 2-year old was going to like it when I first flipped through it. There didn't seem to be much to it --- no eye-catching illustrations and not much text. Shows how much I know... My daughter loves it. The story is less about Rosie the hen and more about the fox --- what happens to it from page to page. It is truly a sequential story and shows cause-and-effect: on one page you see the fox leaping towards Rosie, who is walking past the pond. On the next page, you see the fox in the pond. Your toddler will make the connection on her own: "Uh-oh. Fox fall in water."

My absolute FAVORITE book as a child! Simple, clever, and humorous all at the same time. GREAT for children starting to read! A+

We fell for this after watching the scholastic dvd series. It's on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video and we're hooked - love the detailed pictures and watching where thefox is headed.

Dr Seuss comes through again. Fun to read, good morals, excellent story.
Lots of fun!!

This is my favorite Dr Seuss book (even though I discovered it only a few months ago). The story and pictures are excellent and (importantly) it is particularly easy and fun to read aloud.

Unfortunately, this book is advertised as being suitable for 5-8 year olds only - NOT TRUE! This book is for ANYONE of ANY AGE who enjoys stories.

This book is so appropriate today, maybe more than when it was written in 1948 (a response to the New Deal, perhaps?)! I'm sure I appreciate the message (beware of freeloaders!!) more than my kids, but they enjoy the story and the pictures (as always) are priceless. Dr. Seuss was a national treasure and his books are all terrific.

This book should be in every child's library (and most adults as well). This is the starter book for Orwell's Animal Farm.

I first read this book when I was a little girl. I was really impressed with it then, of all the Dr. Seuss books I thought it was the best because of the message. The poor moose is so soft-hearted, he lets everyone take advantage of him. It has a wonderful message for children to learn about "users". If you only read one Dr. Seuss book to your children, read them this one.

The book was better than I expected, and arrived before I expected it to.
Great buy. Thanks. :D

This book is so much fun. I'm a digital artist and use Illustrator as my tool. I learned so many techniques from this book. The pictures are big and bold and the author teaches without making you feel like a novice.

I bought this book for my husband and he loves it. He is constantly drawing little pictures for me. It will certainly bring out the inner artist in you. This book is easy to follow along with.

A casual glance through this book originally made me think it looked too cutesy and not what I wanted. I'll still say that too many of his characters and examples are cutesy, and rather stilted. But there's a lot of excellent material here. I found several tips that I (so far) haven't seen in several other books. I've had several nagging questions: Exactly how do I get things done? How is a finished cartoon created? On what size and kind of paper, using what tools? Blitz walks you through all of that stuff. The section on drawing backgrounds and perspective was also really handy.

I'd say this is the single best book I've seen to get started on cartooning. Even if you want to draw some other, very different style (like, some kind of dark Batman comic or something), if you have little or no cartooning experience, this book will be helpful.

I don't consider my self to possess any artistic abilities when it comes to drawing. I wanted to enter a contest on YouTube where I had to draw pictures of things. I got this book. Followed the easy to use instructions, drew my pictures, entered the contest and won the $5,000 grand prize. I would definitely say I got my money's worth from this book and much much more. Highly recommended.

I bought this book and another for my father. He was on the USS Enterprise during his time in the navy and has recently started reading old war books. Great price and arrived very quickly. My dad was happily surprised when he opened this gift. I don't expect he'll ever read the whole book but he's read bits and pieces of it since Christmas.

This is one of the best books ever wrote on WWII. I wish it could have gone more into the actual deck operations but you cannot really fault the auther. What astonishes me most is the number of times pilots understood that they had no fuel and would have to ditch into the ocean but still pushed on watching there friends and squadron mates go down in battle. I recommend to everyone.

Two sections in this book stand out in my mind. One was the section talking about the crew as they enter Pearl Harbor immediately after the attack. You could feel the emotions as you read about them and you could imagine how they felt as they saw the destruction. The other is the ending. It was almost as if the author were writing about the death of a person instead of a ship.

This is a very well writen book about a very important ship in our history. There are not too many ships that have the record of the Enterprise and there probably will not be too many more like her. The book reads like a novel instead of a historical book and it breathes life into the ship and her valiant crew.

If you enjoy WW2 History. Specifically US Navy genre, it can't get any better than a book about a ship whose name will live forever(and deservedly so). Got an old 2nd hand book years ago and it remains my prized book.

I absolutely adore this book, and am on at least the third copy I've owned, having worn the others out.

CDR Staffor has written an absolutely magnificient tome. He covers both the scope of the War in the Pacific, and the exploits of the Enterprise herself very thoroghly and in incredible detail.

I've always been interested in the Enterprise, especially considering that my dad was a pilot in the last Air Group ever assigned to the ship.

Her story is the story of the pacific, and the coming of age years of naval aviation. The early giants of naval aviation commanded her, and the greats of this horrible war flew from her decks, and helped to build her legend.

This book is one of the pillars that must be read in order to develop a thorough understanding and appreciation of the war in the Pacific.

It's just a great shame that the campaign to save her from the scrapper's torch failed. It's ironic that the ship that the enemy could never destroy ended up losing her life to a torch a few hundred miles from her birth place.

All I can say is WOW...I just got back from Phoenix Raceway and had the opportunity to tailgate with Big John and the Ginn Racing Team...Big John is FABULOUS...The food was hearty and healthy too! Can you believe he made me eat all my veggies??? Well that was not hard to do because they were delicious...I am a Soldier in the Army and I have sampled some of the finest chow around the world...And I must say that Big John is the man!!! I am purchasing this book because I am a believer...Absolutley OUTSTANDING chow...A big "HOOAH" to Big John...Army Strong!

It is an answesome cookbook. The sloppy joes are A must make. There are even Deserts in there.

If you have NEVER tasted anything this man cooks, on or off the track

GET THIS BOOK!

He's a great friend and a great cook. I've been lucky enough to enjoy his food while on the NASCAR circuit.

Great book for your camping buddies.

The book was so entertaining and have tried a couple of the recipes already and they are great. Haven't seen "Big John" in over 20 years, but thought the book would be a great present for a friend, Bob Stout (not knowing that Mark had sent Bob the website and he'd already ordered his own copy). Just like having John in the room, reading the anecdotes.

Good recipes that are easy to follow, interesting stories, very informative for new tailgaters. You don't have to be a race fan to enjoy this book.

I can't recommend this book (written by 2 teachers) highly enough. The teaching guide at the back of the book is fabulous for parents and teachers.Filled with 10 pages of questions, activities...to begin teaching young children reading skills. I have been using it with my 4 and 6 year old- they love it- I'm about to buy a new copy-it's so warn. What a chance to participate in their reading experience, develop a love for reading and get them ready for school. Buy it with the second in the series Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Success- this one is a real bargain at $9.95.

Every parent of a 3-8 year old and teacher should have this on their bookshelf. A fabulous story about self-esteem along with a fabulous reading guide at the end that shows us how to teach out kids reading.I've read this to my 4 year old grandchild at least 5 times and used the guide to discuss the story. These authors also did the same with [[ASIN:1578863368 Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Success]. Buy them both. You won't be sorry.

Pricey but well worth it. I found another book by these author-educators that also has a reading guide to start the youngest child on learning to read.Absolutely invaluable. Additionally, it is an outstanding storybook to share with children up to 8 years of age with beautiful and heartfelt messages every child will enjoy. Splurge...you will be glad you did. Also check out "Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tail of Success."

The story weaves several good life lessons into an entertaining
story that children can relate to. The reading guide encourages active parent participation and encourages families to make reading a part of everyday living. I know my grandchildren, Jordan and Isaiah, will enjoy reading it over and over again.

An outstanding book for parents to share with children up to 8 years of age.The beautiful and heartfelt messages along with the funky illustrations will be enjoyed by all. But most of the reading guide that shows and instructs parents how to teach their children reading is invaluable !!!

If The Velveteen Rabbit had a prequel, it would surely be Margaret Wise Brown's classic story that appears every year at Easter time, The Golden Egg Book. This is a little story about the miraculous accident we call friendship--which is to say it as about the miracle that emerges when we accept each other. That acceptance comes despite the hurt we often unwittingly, or selfishly, inflict on each other.


The story begins: Once there was a bunny. He was all alone. One day he found an egg. He could hear something moving inside the egg. What was it?

The bunny is determined to find out what's in the egg, and he jumps on it, rolls it down the hill, throws a rock at it.... His effort wears him out and he falls asleep, during which time the duck inside the egg hatches, sees the bunny and wonders at the sleeping bunny curled up alongside his shell.

The duck, in its turn, pokes and prods the bunny until the long-eared one awakens.

The two critters marvel at each other and what circumstances have brought them together--briefly, for they are very young. It is enough, they agree to accept each other and be friends. And no one was ever alone again.

I read this over 100 times to my daughter when she was little. I also read it that many times when I was a child. I love this book and any books by Margaret Wise Brown. Also read the Whispering Rabbit and loved it.

I read this to my 2 year old niece every time I see her. We have a different edition, I think, and the pictures are simply beautiful. The text is such that my niece can easily follow along and even remembers certain parts by heart. It is a wonderful story that really captures and holds the attention of a young child. A simply wonderful story.

I love this book, my mommy checked it out for me from the library. I am only7 months old. My mommy has read me other books and they are okay, but this book is great!!It makes mem so happy,as soon as mommy gets it out I go crazy laughing and smiling and clapping my hands. My favorite part is when the chick finally comes out of the egg. This is a great book!!!

My grandparents gave me a copy of this book for my first Easter, in 1960. My mom says I loved it, then my subsequent siblings, nephews, and nieces loved it some more. My old, "well-loved" copy is literally falling apart.

Every night in the last month, my 17-month-old has wordlessly gone to her bookshelf, grabbed my old book and plopped into my lap to read her favorite book. If she is reluctant to finish getting ready for bed, all I have to do is show her the book, and she quickly waddles over and plops down.

But tonight when she opened my old book, the pages weren't there ... they'd all fallen out ... even with all the years' accumulation of tape. With some trepidation, I logged on after she was in bed, hoping to find at least an old copy with a used-book seller through Amazon (a handy feature that has helped out in similar situations.) I was thrilled to find it had been reissued. We'll add a new layer of tape to the old one to hold on until the new copy arrives. We'd like to thank the publishers and Amazon ... I suspect the new copy will be in a similarly "loved" state in another 40 years.

D.H. Brown's Honor Due is about a retired Army Special Operations Major, who is thrown back into the arena of warfare. "Once a special op's warrior always special op's warrior". You don't ever let your guard down. You learn things about people and their ways that you wish you never had. You always stay prepared.

The Major takes one look at the guy who entered his local watering hole and the warning bells of survival start to ring. He doesn't ignore these bells because they have served him well his whole adult life and kept him alive in some of the worse battles in Vietnam. Looking at this young man, the Major knows three things. One, someone wants him dead. Two, someone has made the ultimate mistake of bringing him back into the game of warfare. Three, he is going to have to kill this guy.

Finding his longtime friend from Vietnam tortured to death was a low blow and one someone would pay for. The Major is now set on a mission of revenge and he's back in a zone - predator vs. prey. There's a blood debt that must be paid and he won't stop until it is paid in full.

D.H. Brown has written a top-notch novel. The suspense that he has put in this book will keep you turning the pages or tossing and turning through the night if you dare put it down before reaching it's end. In his debut novel he shows the reader that he has mastered the art bringing the reader inside his world. You won't only read Brown's novel - you will feel his characters to your very core.

D.H. Brown has earned a space on my book shelf with this superb tale and I look forward to reading more of his work. This is just the beginning of the Citizen Warrior Series and I wait anxiously for the next. Excellent work and highly recommended! 5-Stars, Reviewed by Michael S. Timlin, Authors on the Rise Book Reviews.

"Honor Due" is a suspenseful, action-packed, entertaining thriller. A
novel that draws the reader into the Vietnam War, describing what D.H.
Brown had to face, and how he survived the horror. The author penned a
compelling story through the main character as Major, defining his haunting past, history during the Vietnam Era, and the bravery of one
hero who was determined to prove that life was still worth living. The
Major's mission was to find answers, and seek truth as to what happened
when South Vietnam was falling. Through his terrifying journey, he was
determined to seek vengeance for his fallen brother, and family. With
courage, one warrior manages to find healing as romance blooms, and he
is able to see light at the end of the tunnel. In comparison to reading
novels about the military, "Honor Due" stands out with pride in an
excellent performance that was written from the heart of a true warrior.
In many war stories, we only see the cold, bloody, and the angry
perspective of war. In this novel, through the fascinating character of
Major, we don't just see the ugly. The journey through "Honor Due" takes
the reader to the battlefield, then to the sunset where peace, and love
bloom like the flowers. Unlike most military novels, D.H. Brown has a
unique way to invite the reader into the Vietnam Era during traumatic,
uneasy times. The Major pours a fresh, brewed cup of coffee from across
the table as he tells the story of his military nightmare, without
decorating the violence. Most important, the story is told from the
genuine characteristics of the Major's realistic personality. The
protective, sensitive, loving man that he was before becoming the Vietnam
soldier, and his own battle to keep that self-respect. I applaud the author in his first book of "The Citizen Warrior Series." The Major was
appealing, the plot was superb, and the story was interesting from
beginning to end. I recommend "Honor Due" to teens, adults, and all
readers who enjoy thrillers with a blend of romance, and humor. This
novel was as chilling, and dramatic as "the Deer Hunter" with Robert
Deniro. The Major told his story with as much heartfelt emotion as
there was in "Armageddon." The true meaning of the word hero light up
the pages in "Honor Due" on the same scale as viewing "the Patriot"
with Mel Gibson.

Geraldine Ahearn A.I.O.M
CCRN/ Author of 6 books
Author Geri Ahearn, INC.
Fellow Member of the ABI Women's Review Board

Few Americans know about the American forces fighting with the Montagnards in the central highlands of Vietnam. A battlefield for some 30 years,"the `Yards" were one of the country's 54 major ethnic groups. Allied with the Americans, the Montagnards were horribly persecuted by the victorious North Vietnamese after the American forces left the country in 1975, with many emigrating to the United States.

Author D.H. Brown, a Vietnam vet who fought with the Montagnards, has written a fast-paced thriller based on the CIA-Special Forces-Montagnard relationships that continued after 1975.

With the hero patterned after a special forces vet living in the Pacific Northwest rainforest, Brown's story drags the hero, ex-Special Forces, back into the CIA- Spec Ops - Montagnard confusion of the late 1960's - early 1970's. His `yard' friend suddenly and brutally murdered after an attempt on his own life, Brown's hero finds himself falling in love with his friend's daughter as they chase and are chased by a renegade CIA hit team. The action is realistic and convincing as our two defend themselves before a thrilling and surprising conclusion.

"Honor Due" is D.H. Brown's first literary effort, and the first of a planned trilogy and is well worth reading.

With clear, crisp details and riveting action, D.H. Brown has penned a compelling novel that gives us a glimpse inside the mind and heart of a Warrior. Through the character of Major we see the cold, calculating killer who is always vigilant and prepared to be defensive. We also are allowed to look deep inside to see the caring and committed man who would go to any lengths for those he loves and respects. This book transcends the usual hype and hollowness of other military novels because it is written simply and from the heart.... the heart of a real Warrior.

[...]

MACK BOLAN FANS WILL LOVE THIS BOOK.

Some secrets age well, others tend fester. The good Major has retired, but some of his secrets have not. They come to visit the Major in his secluded Northwest forest home--armed to the teeth--and stay to feed the trees. All of which proves the old adage, "Two men can always keep a secret if one of them is dead."

This is the best debut novel I have read in some time. The characters are solid and the scenes are well set. Though occasionally predictable, the plot (I would like to have seen the author's take on the cops finding the body of the old man in the Major's freezer while he was sleeping with the old man's daughter) holds the reader's attention and satisfies the needs of the arc of the characters.

Old snake-eaters and old snakes have one thing in common; they are cunning and deadly. I look forward to my next visit with the Major in HONOR DEFENDED.