Blake Books

I read this entire series and like in all my reviews this far, I didnt want it to end!!! This was an amazing historical romance. The idea of Fencing in and of itself is rather romantic to me. Throw in good looking men and a wonderfully written story and this book is definitely a good read. If you like historical romance novels you should read the entire series. Try to start with the first book though b/c it'll make WAY more sence that way. LOL

Rio de Silva is one of about 50 legendary maitre d'armes, or sword masters, who make their homes in the Exchange Alley in 1840 New Orleans. They are a group of men of fearsome athletic power and reputation who are idolized by society but never introduced to young ladies from good families. Each of these men have their own fencing salons where they teach the intricacies of fencing and there was fierce competition among them. When her brother challenges Rio to a duel, Celina Vallier confronts him to try and stop the duel. But Celina doesn't realize that she is the perfect pawn for Rio's revenge, for she is to be betrothed to his sworn enemy. What sweet vengeance it would be to take the bride before the wedding. But neither anticipates the tangled web of scandal and danger that will soon follow.

This was an excellent book and Ms. Blake captured the flavor of old New Orleans completely. Living in Louisiana, I never new of the Master of Arms and their stories are truly fascinating. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

For a historical romance, it was good. The heroine was ok, not annoying. I loved the hero (kind of a Rhett Butler vibe at times). Something about the tall, dark, and handsome swashbuckler always hooks me into a story. And I love revenge novels. He's what gave it 4 stars for me instead of 3.
I found the conflict a little silly though. She agrees to have sex with him so he won't kill her brother in a duel? Weak. He wasn't likely to kill him anyway. And the villain was too forced. Of course he'd be fat, old, and disgusting, nothing spells pure evil better!
The history and the setting were great though. What could be anymore romantic than antebellum New Orleans?
Worth reading if a fluffy romance is what you're looking for. :)

I just finished CHALLENGE TO HONOR with a sense of coming home--home to a great traditional historic romance. Like a favorite dance to a favorite tune. Ms. Blake has never been in better form with her impressive knowledge and use of the setting--New Orleans in 1840. And I do love a carefully written book with good use of vocabulary.

Rio is one of those almost infallible heroes that never lets you--or the heroine--down. Those guys are becoming an endangered species. Celina is all a heroine should be--strong, beautiful, and smart. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, DAWN ENCOUNTER. Can't wait to see what Caid is up to.

And somewhat sadly, that isn't much of a good thing. I agree that CtA is similar to Blake's old plots; but when you think about it, most of her books were similar, but she was such an awesome writer, it didn't matter.

I was excited about this release because I'd stumbled upon Blake's 70's, 80's and 90's historical romances in my local library and fell in love. Her novels were always heart wrenching, passionate, spiced with lovely historical details and set in the sultry climate of New Orleans. CtA had the New Orleans setting, the innocent heroine forced to bargain her virginity to the hardened hero; but it lacked the passion, the fire that her older books had.

I really contribute it to her evolved writing style. I was disappointed in the book mainly because the way she wrote it is a 180 from the way she wrote her older books. Okay, I understand that she had to catch up with the times and readers' expectations of being in the heroine AND the hero's head, but Blake's old writing style was wonderful and witty and dazzling; and the change of it into the current mode of writing was the largest issue I had with this book. Because of this change, that was why CtA lacked the sparkling passion, it was why the historical details didn't feel as natural, it was why the hero and heroine lacked the mysteriousness they had in Blake's old books(especially the broody hero!).

But I'll purchase and read the next installment; because I'm a huge Jennifer Blake fan. But if you want a serious, heart wrenching Blake classic; try "Spanish Serenade" or "Louisiana Dawn" or "Midnight Waltz".

After 3 (three!) unsuccessful attempts at ordering and receiving this CD, I still do not have it. Amazon sent ALL THREE times, 'Healing the First Three Chakras'. I guess your number ID for the CD's is incorrect. If you will send THIS CD, Diary of a Medical Intuitive, I would be delighted to review. Thank you, Claudia Taylor

I loved this CD. Then again, I was at a point where I was ready to change my life. This CD will ring bells you didn't think you hand or send tingles up your spine letting you know you're onto something.
I have only one complaint: it was WAY too short!

I love her direct & to the point way of communication. She packs in a lot of information. I got a lot out of it and especially her CD's, and other books. I really have improved my life from reading and doing the work that she suggested!

Whether you know Christel or not, listening to her CD is enlightening. Her story is a wonderful adventure of the mystical world. Christel offers insights into how to find your own truth. Absolutely enjoyable!

Listening to Christel's journey was delightful and inspiring---It was the "kick in the pants" I needed to change things in my life.

Now in a fully updated fifth edition, Allison Blake's The Chesapeake Bay Book is a comprehensive and thoroughly user friendly: guide to all the great getaway adventures to be found in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. Maps, indexes to the best places for lodging and dining, recreation opportunities by locale, and much more, enhance this superbly presented travel guide which is ideal for anyone planning a local day trip or an extended vacation in the Chesapeake Bay environs.

Now in a fully updated fifth edition, Allison Blake's The Chesapeake Bay Book is a comprehensive and thoroughly "user friendly: guide to all the great getaway adventures to be found in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. Maps, indexes to the best places for lodging and dining, recreation opportunities by locale, and much more, enhance this superbly presented travel guide which is ideal for anyone planning a local day trip or an extended vacation in the Chesapeake Bay environs.

This book, now very-dog-eared, is indespenible for our weekend and holiday sojourns to the Bay area. It is well thought out and organized in a manner that allows us to plan our getaway, and all the details - from finding the best crabcakes and quaint inns to the selection of our tranpsort of choice - the sailboat charter or kayak - with a minimum of fuss. The author is thorough in researching the details and finding the Bay's may hidden treasures, so all that we have to do is enjoy this gem!

a college friend invited me to spend a few weeks with her in annapolis, but, when she got a job she couldn't refuse just before i arrived, i had to fend for myself entertainment-wise. thank heavens i wandered into a local bookstore and picked up this book. i didn't know a thing about the area. nor did my friend really. (i'm from texas, and she just moved there from connecticut.) but, with the help of this guidebook and a rental car, i wandered happily throughout the back roads of the chesapeake region. i found great little towns to stop in with its help, deliciously fattening restaurants to eat in and cool things to see. if you're a newbie there, i highly recommend that you pick it up!

You know the author has actually been to a place when she offers details like that. And Blake does, on page after page - and topic after topic. The book's history sections are comprehensive, then - voila! - great info on recreation and right-on reviews of restaurants. It seems obvious that not only does she live in the region, but plays in it, studies it, embraces it. As a complete novice to the area, I used the book when exploring my Chesapeake roots, and found it was about all I needed.

A heartbreaking account of 19th century war crimes and genocide in the American west. This is not a liberal rant on the evils of America as you might expect. It is a collection of short historical treatises on key events in Indian-White relations of the 19th century. The events described shed new light on how zealots among private citizens, the military, and the state and federal governments used deception to genocide in dealing with American Indians. To truly understand the history of western expansion, one must face the reality of its cost. Mr. Blake has given us a concise and moving account of a side of history we would rather forget but must face to understand. It is one-sided, indeed. It is also true and long overdue.

It is true as the author states that those who have done previous reading on this subject will find little that is new in this book. I have read other works on the conflicts between the Native Americans and the Whites as the latter encroached on their land, but still found the book to be enjoyable. Those with little or no background will find much to learn about this infamous part of our nation's history. Author Michael Blake has chosen twelve incidents between the warring factions and provided the reader with an interesting review. Such incidents as the Sand Creek Massacre, The Battle (?) of the Washita, the Little Big Horn, Wounded Knee, and others, some of which are not so well known, are included. The book is 170 pages long including the index, and is larger than a conventional hardcover which I feel is a definite plus. Also included are a number of photographs of the areas covered and the individuals involved. My one negative comment is the lack of the Fetterman Massacre and Wagon Box Fight near Fort Phil Kearney in Wyoming in 1866. The book is easy reading, and whether you have a background in this area or not I feel you would find it interesting reading. I would especially recommend it to young people in middle or high school.

Blake is a terrific writer, and if you want a place to start learning about the Indian Wars, this is a pretty good one. It's very clean, focused writing, with nice photos at a decent size (unlike the usual grainy small photos publishers skimp on.) But if you want more info, Utley's books are better. And I was a little put off by the sensationalistic chapter titles, like "Shock and Awe." On the other hand, the prose is terrific, and the history is very solid.

Michael Blake is author of DANCES WITH WOLVES, and in INDIAN YELL: THE HEART OF AN AMERICAN INSURGENCY he not only reviews past practices but connects them to modern-day policies. Twelve significant conflicts receive survey in INDIAN YELLOW, a narrative which covers conflict between Indian and white man during the nation's expansion. The analysis dispels common myths and stereotypes of the Indian Wars, uses research to analyze both military and cultural interactions, and provides important connections to today's events and concerns among Indian nations.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

From Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves, comes a brief account of the "Indian Problem" between 1854 and 1890, described in Indian Yell: The Heart of an American Insurgency. Blake tries to capture how the American Indian was, and is treated, by picking twelve of most significant conflicts/events in American Indian history.

The dust jacket gives voice to Blake's intention: "Beginning in 1854 with a decrepit cow that wandered onto a Sioux encampment that sparked a slaughter, and ending with the last freezing gasps of breath from the victims of the Wounded Knee in 1890, the horrors and shame of war within our borders is recounted." Sounds fascinating, right?

Unfortunately Blake tries to do too much with too little. If the reader isn't steeped in the history, the reader will be as lost as the Indian way of life. Key information is missing in each event.

For example, in "Deceit," the chapter is supposed to provide illumination on how the Apaches were lied to and the fall of Cochise. Instead, sentences like "A new general, known equally for self-promotion and effectiveness, was installed to oversee a mammoth military commitment" leave the reader wondering what is happening. Which general? Does his name live in the history books? Should I know him? Could it be Custer? His name is never mentioned.

Sentence like the one mentioned abound throughout the book. I found this jarring and interruptive to an already dull narrative.

There are two saving graces to Indian Yell. One is that the chapter titles are creative and interesting "The Music Freezes," "Burned at the Tongue," and "Shock and Awe." Second, is that at the end of each chapter, Blake provides a "Recommended Reading" suggestion to further enlighten the reader of that episode.

As far as reading Indian Yell, readers would be better off taking the author's suggestions and reading his recommendations.

Armchair Interviews says: History lesson that leaves much yet to be learned from this author.

A very well written life of a middleweight boxer who succombs to a tragic end. The author weaves in some interesting characters of the time, especially Heavyweight champ Johnson. Written with a very quick pace.

As always, Blake writes with wicked verve and electricity as he gives his account of the Stanley Ketchel saga. Part travelogue, part compelling character study, part epic flaying of the American soul, The Killings of Stanley Ketchel takes the reader all over the American West in its first half, and then on to New York and back again as Blake traces the antic doings of Stanley Ketchel, the mercurial if short-lived middleweight champ. It's a dynamic rendering that depicts its subject in full, but centers on Ketchel's growing obssession with restoring the heavyweight crown to the white race after it has been captured by the impertinent, outspoken, and outlandish African-American, Jack Johnson.

One caveat for the reader: I felt Blake took a little too much poetic liberty with his re-creation of the Ketchel-Johnson heavyweight championship bout in Colma, California in 1909. Blake's rendering has Ketchel's infamous double-cross decking of Johnson being so punishing that the champion is down and almost out for a count of 8. Johnson then recovers, lunges at Ketchel, and knocks him cold (and minus some teeth) for 15 minutes with a thunderous right. Johnson thus retains his crown but leaves Ketchel, although battered practically beyond recognition, hungering for another shot at him. This is a gross over-exaggeration of the facts. Ketchel did knock Johnson down in the 12th round, but Johnson barely brushed the canvas before he was back on his feet, walloping Ketchel with that lethal right. The fight film shows this. But it must be conceded that it better serves Blake's fictional potrayal of the obsessive Ketchel to have him come within a hair of victory only to be manhandled in a way he had never experienced before.

More accurately presented in the book is the most famous of Johnson's fights, the one against the Great White Hope, Jim Jeffries, in Reno on July 4, 1910. Blake conveys vividly the total dominance of the black champion over the former champ, and the agony and despair of the virtually all-white crowd as they share Jeffries' humiliation. The aftermath of the fight, with Johnson, Ketchel and the racist author Jack London all driving down to a negro brothel, is made up entirely out of whole cloth, but really does no disservice to the truth of Ketchel's life in the same way that the misrepresentation of the Ketchel-Johnson fight did.

It's probably quibbling too much to even bring up the above elements. The book is, after all, a novel, one that features a fascinating main character and an extremely colorful, if almost relentlessly violent, storyline posted on an amazing American landscape. Blake brings to life the early twentieth century in hardscrabble America, and in doing so does that thing which he always does so well, which is to reveal the teeming, dark underbelly of the American dream -- or is it the American nightmare?

I just finished this book. Bravo James Carlos Blake! This was masterfully conceived. I love the old days. I love boxing. I love great writing. This book has all of those, and more.

LONG LIVE STANLEY KETCHEL!

Buy this book.

In this engrossing novel based on the life of middle weight boxing champion Stanley Ketchel the Ragtime era of the early 1900's is brought vividly to life. The story begins with Ketchel running away from home and riding the rails as a teen-aged hobo after a fight with his step father which he believes has resulted in his death. It progresses smoothly into his discovery as a boxing prospect while working as a bouncer in a saloon out West. It then chronicles his rise and astonishing record of wins and K.O.'s both in and out of his weight class. The descriptions of the fights are edge-of-your-seat exciting and gory in places. His womanizing ways are also marvelously and entertainingly evoked. The dialogue is crisp, realistic, and humorous throughout which is one of this author's major strengths along with painting a vivid picture of that time period. Boxing fans and readers who like historical/biographical novels will really get their money's worth out of this book!

I've been reading reviews. The more I read, the more I see that readers are believing this novel is Stanley Ketchel's biography. It may be well written as readers who are fans of Mr Blake's stories, will attest. But, do not be regaled, into believing this, smarmiest of the smarmy tale. The elder Mr. Kiecal was not Stanley's step-father. Stanley Ketchel did not leave home because of any violence between he and his father. At 12 years of age, his mother gave him permission to leave home. He was not an alcoholic, he seldom drank at all, he was a prankster, and he only smoked cigars, when he attended social events. The factual tale, is fabulous without benefit(?) of fiction. So, please, don't settle into this story. This fictional composite, dabbles more, in folk-lore, than what actually happened in this courageous, and powerful young man's short life. Thank you, and please remember. This is written from imagination. Creative, but predominantly, a fabrication, none the less.

I purchased this for my wife so that she could better understand her iPod and iTunes. My wife is happy with this product and therefore I am happy with this product.. Need I say more..??

Three hours of reading and I still feel helpless with my I-touch. I am a collage grad. I've read text books that are better written.

For an Ipod novice this book is great. The pictures of the different steps to accomplish a task makes this the book to get!

I bought this book recently as I wanted to learn even more about probably the greatest, most enduring gadget of this generation. Unfortunately, and I entirely blame myself for not reading further, the book is about 24-30 months out of date. This, in gadgetry terms, is aeons. Nonetheless, I found one or two things I didn't already know, so it wasn't entirely wasted. I guess what is really needed is an updated version to take in the latest ipod developments.

This book is filled with very useful information. It is easy to follow and look for certain topics.

Bobby Blake (Edgar Gaines) is a very interesting person. Of course,
he looks good! However, this book allows the reader to get to know
Edgar Gaines, the person.
I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Edgar very briefly
about ten years ago. I hope I will have the chance to talk with him
in person again someday!
Anyone who has enjoyed watching Bobby Blake movies should also enjoy
this great book!

I would have thought that the last thing a book about a porn star would be is boring! But this poorly written and badly edited offering is like taking sleeping pills and then going to the opera. There are no revealed secrets, no juicy insider revelations, very little sexual titillation, and absolutely no self examination.

If anything this book is full of self delusion. I found it interesting that throughout the book the author refers to others, in passing, as "Hos" ,and decries "Whorish" behavior. Yet he seems not to appreciate that the "escorting" he depended on so much is simply a nice term for prostitution. He never looks in the mirror to see the true whore reflected back at him. He is totally blind to the obvious anger deep within him that propells him to agressive and sometimes violent sex play. He simply explains this as his trademark "style". He makes all types of strange choices even before he becomes a pornstar; his explantion for all this is silly. The most glaring lapse is his failure to see that the same exhibitionism that led him to stand up as a southern preacher, may have lead him to the hyper-exhibitionism of the porn business.

There are a few things in the book to commend the author; most noticeably his committment to fighting AIDS in the Black community, and his warning to young black gay men to be cautious before rushing into the porn business. While this book did not make for a good bedtime read; I would not, if I had a chance, kick Bobby Blake out of bed.

This book was obviously written to make a quick buck. In this I wish the author well. I wish him well in the new career path he is now following. One day he may actually be able to write a truthful honest memoir. That day is not now.

I absolutely adore Bobby Blake's "work," and as a young gay brotha I truly thought that reading about his story would be interesting, thought provoking and well informative. I was immediately taken back by the poor sentence structure of the novel. It is very hard and somewhat insulting to read a book that reads at such a remedial level. While I was not expecting a scholar's voice to come through, I thought that book would atleast read as if someone who completed high school constructed the biographical sketch.

I found some of the events in the book to be unrealistic and sensationalized. I finished the book in one day, hoping that as I continued my reading that it would get better. Extremely dissapointed and do not recommend you to waste your money...even if it is ONLY $10 at the present.

Bobby Blake is a very interesting person, and that is revealed in his memoir. Although the memoir is written with British writer John R. Gordon, the voice of Blake is clearly in this work. Despite the stereotyping of porn stars, Blake is very intelligent, insightful and political. After hearing him in interviews, it is obvious that the man is quite articulate. This work is a candid look at his private life as well as his career in porn, and he makes it clear that working in porn was a career, and not the beginning and end of his personality. Blake allows the reader to see the person, or alter ego, of the porn persona, and one will find that interesting, controversial and enlightening. Blake provides a very insightful look at the porn industry, and this is very welcomed from a black person's point-of-view. Much of the literature about pornography is about white porn stars, written from a white point-of-view, which rarely handles any discussion of race. In addition, Blake explains his decisions made personally and professionally. I respect that he doesn't name individuals (unless they are already well known in the porn industry, for instance) because the work is about his life, not theirs. If there is a major message in this memoir, it is that by stereotyping people, and putting them in boxes, you don't realize the full spectrum of those various personalities. He is still a young man, and one might wonder if he decided to write this work too soon. Even so, the work is well timed, and include a wealth of information.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. I did find myself re-reading many paragraphs to get the meaning correct--not that it was a confusing read, but instead I wanted to make sure I understood where the author was coming from. Mr. Blake took a big risk exposing himself like this, letting his feelings and vulnerabilities out for all to see.

Regarding the first few chapters, I really enjoyed reading about the many forces that came together to shape him. Everyone has a story to tell about how they came to be who they are. I personally always enjoy learning about what makes a person, any person, tick, but I found Mr. Blake's story much different from what I expected.

Throughout the book there were many sad moments, and while I didn't mind reading about them, I had to stop reading a few times because things like remembering different friends/family dropping like flies in the 80s, the pains of breakups, let-downs by friends, etc.

His thoughts on church and religion were particularly well written. It made me think: Can you imagine what would happen to so many of these churches if every gay and lesbian, bi and transgendered person just got up and left???? I have been for a good church over the years because of this, and am still looking for a good fit for me in NYC that is inclusive without me having to part of an exclusively gay congregation.

I found the porn industry chapters fascinating. These are the parts of the book I had to read twice, particularly the rivalry chapters (Bam, Tiger Tyson, etc.). At first I thought, "is this guy for real? he seems a bit full of himself" but after re-reading it, its not that at all. In business, regardless of the industry, you have to be smart, sometimes ruthless, and cunning. God gave us wisdom and cleverness to work our way through the minefields of life. This is exactly what Mr. Blake's done, and in spades! Well done.

It's great that he wrote about how he stood up for himself within the porn industry. Some people are naive enough to believe that in the porn industry, people are so liberal and open-minded that they are all passed the racist and ethnic hatred and bias found in other industries. His book is an important tool for the young ones looking to get into the industry, a reminder that things have changed, but not completely, and the best defense is a strong sense of self, confident and proud.

But the chapters about Flexx-Deon were very sad. I'm glad he wrote about the experience, and I hope people don't think its just him "throwing him under the bus" as they say. I don't know Mr. Flexx-Deon so I won't put his life o the spot, but speaking in broader terms it's true that so many gay guys don't plan for their future, particularly hispanic and black gays. They don't spend their money properly. They don't think about their needs 10 years from now, or even 10 weeks from now, living check-to-check. They don't think about what will happen if they lose their jobs ( guess they move back home or live with family or friends), or what happens if a family member becomes ill and is unable to care for him or herself. We live in such a self-absorbed world now. Perhaps with some luck some of these guys will read Mr. Blake's book, so they can see themselves from the outside in, and realize that they are not just doing damage to themselves, but end up leaving a long trail of collateral damage in the form of loves ones.

Of all parts of the book, I liked the ending the most. It shows Mr. Blake having come full circle--literally, since he's living in the house he spent many of his early years in.

Well done, Mr. Blake.

Yes indeed, i hope the black man and the red man read this book and realize that white supremacy will be here as long as white people are here. The author of this book was overwhelmingly honest and she lets you see through the eyes of a woman whom could not ignore the evil of her own people's society. I know many black men who accept the wicked ways of the west as normal, nothing could be further from normal. Brothers must realize who their enemy is and act like it and if we dont we can no longer blame our situation on anyone but ourselves. This a white woman telling the world that white supremacy is as much engrained in white culture as tight jeans, warring with colored races and tacky suits. This is from the horses mouth and we would do well to take heed to her warnings.
Free Aristide!!!

I bought this book hoping to learn more about the Nation of Islam's idea of Yakub, the man Elijah Muhammad said created the white, blue-eyed devils. I was sorely disappointed. Blake Fardan barely touches on the story in this book. I read the whole book, but even though it's less than 150 pages, I somewhat regret wasting my valuable time.

What Blake Fardan does write is a treatise on how whites have abused blacks. Some of this material is true and worthy of consideration -- but has been dealt with much more adequately by other authors. The horrors of the slave trade, for example, is amply dealt with in most histories, and institutional racism does continue to be a problem. Her portrayal of whites stealing culture from black Egyptians and hiding it in the rituals of Freemasonry is ill supported by the facts available to a Ph.D. in anthropology, however, and one would have expected her to have buttressed this argument with more data than secondary sources which can be obtained from grocery store paperbacks. This is the doctrine of Elijah Muhammad -- but we can learn that from the man himself. Entities within the U.S. government may well have been involved in distributing narcotics within the United States, but she should cite more than one source to prove this.

Blake Fardan is incapable of understanding that social forces are impersonal as well as personal. The 5+ pages spent on how the white man has evilly planted the need for expensive car stereos into the black man's heart could be better understood with a reference to Rousseau -- society creates needs that did not exist in nature. I think black men should be able to decide for themselves whether they want subwoofers, though I understand that capitalism and capitalists generated this desire. Blake Fardan seems to think whites should be kind and not sell subwoofers.

Troubingly, Blake Fardan does pervert the teachings of the Nation for her own ideological gain. Blake Fardan is a white woman, one of those who joined the Nation during a brief window following Warith Deen Muhammad's restructuring of the organization. She portrays herself as somehow a Caucasian but not white. This runs counter to the whole idea of Yakub, which is that Yakub created whites such that they are biologically inferior and inclined towards evil. This largely is a tract about how Blake Fardan herself should be held blameless, while she wags her finger at the rest of Western civilization. One wishes Blake Fardan had done something more worthwhile to alleviate her white liberal guilt.

Perhaps the most irritating part of the book are its many typoes and Blake Fardan's poor writing style. It seems to have been poorly digitized via some scanning and OCR software and never proofread. This is in addition to the weak writing one expects in a blog but not in a published book that has gone through three editions.

In short, if you're thinking of buying this book, save your money. And if you're thinking of getting it out of some library that foolishly bought it, save your time. If you want to know about the teachings of the Nation of Islam, read Elijah Muhammad's Message to the Blackman in America (or, for the Yakub story specifically, Nasir Makr Hakim's compilation of his writings, Yakub: The Father of Mankind). If you want to read about how whites have oppressed other ethnic groups, that material abounds elsewhere. Fardan Blake's espoused purpose, galvanizing the white man and woman to action, could have been served much better with a more thoughtful and less inflammatory (and proofread!) book.

It takes real courage, wit, and divine intervention to produce a work such as this. I have been searching for this book for years, and I finally get to place this masterpiece in my libray collection. Some things are man-made, while the obvious is sent from "The Heavens"!!!

dis be hella deep nome sayn? Word. I be gots my edgjamucatiums from de brubbas like dis here dat be ritin dis book. psickoligy- dat be de key to our problims. We need to get back to de Egyipt times when we was de masters and de jews be de slaves. I be whippin me a wite man to build me a peeramid and ridin around in a horse draun chariet wif spinnin rims an a dope sound systim if we cood git back to dat...word. We muslims still gots slaves in many part of de world as we speek like mawritania and pakistan and we need to git more of dem. Feel me? We was de first slave masters. Wich country was the first in histry to outlaw slavery? Denmark...as you may know, whitey run dat place. He tryin to keep us down cuz he know we gon put him back in ta work building peeramids like we was back in Eguipt.

Only a self hating white person or a mentally challenged Afro-centrist would take anything in this book seriously.

If you look at the barely understandable and grammatically incorrect reviews above you should be able to understand my point. This book is great for many things however, such as wrapping fish, birdcage lining and it makes a great campfire!

Enjoy.

A decent intro into the concept of Glycemic load, but most of the book is really recipes. The diet part could be summed up in one sentence. Eat low GI foods witha daily GL of less than 80.

This is a wonderfully concise book with a lot of helpful information. It is also very humorous and down to earth. It does a great job at explaining what glycemic load is and how to apply eating this way to our everyday lives. I recommend this book to everyone, whether or not weight loss is the goal, especially with the way we eat in the US.

First, do not let the 1 star sway your thinking about a low GL, on the contrary. The 1 star is our opinion of the "book", not of the "diet".

As to the "book" - We just purchased the GL Diet book, and I have to tell you how incredibly disappointed we were
We had done our research, been following a Low "GI" plan with good success, but found the GL to be a far better concept than simply a Low GI, so we were excited to purchase a book that would provide guidance as to HOW to follow a low GL lifestyle

I wish that were the case, but in the entire book there is but a passing reference to "Load", that being a highlighted bullet box on page 12 about having a daily load of under 80 vs. over 100

THAT WAS IT! 223 pages and dozens of recipes
and not one single mention of the "load" for any of the foods they suggested or the recipes they provided.....not one mention

How does a person KNOW if they are under 80 or over 100? ...beats me! Sorry, but you'll have to go elsewhere to get information like that, because you sure won't find it in this book.

Much of the book is admittedly helpful, in a general sense, but with no proof, no examples or reference tables to the GL of individual foods or recipes "disappointed" far more accurately describes our overall impression

Basically we feel we paid for a few recipes, and learned absolutely -0- more about the GL in foods than we already knew.

An English friend came to visit and bought the GL Diet book with her. After years of trying one diet after another it's made a real difference to me, I lost 26lbs and have more energy than ever and best of all I've been able to keep it going- I don't even feel like I'm on a diet- it just become a way of life. The Diet Freedom website is full of good tips and ideas and the authors always respond to your questions. It's like having your own personal support network on line!

Jeff (Panaorama City CA)

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John Kenneth Muir's text on the British TV series Blake's 7 is an enthusiastically written and well researched one. Given Muir's writing pedigree, which includes similar analyses of programs such as Dr Who, Space 1999 and Battlestar Galactica, plus his examinations of the films of directors such as Wes Craven and John Carpenter, it is evident his knowledge of the sci-fi/horror genres is exhaustive and admirable. As opposed to previously books which offered little or no in depth analysis, Muir's book looks at each episode with a critical eye. This is not new, however: various Internet sites have forums and reviews of episodes in which fans offer their opinions. However it is comforting to be able to read a list of them in the old fashioned form of a book (the Luddite in me!). His analyses are very well written. Thankfully they skim over the plot descriptions (anyone reading this book would know the plots backwards anyhow), and offer many interesting points. I can't say I agree with all of his conclusions, but that is the wonderful thing we call democracy. If everyone agreed on everything, what a boring place it would be! Muir savages some episodes I hold in high regard; however I respect his opinions and uphold his reasoning, as I would anybody's. Apart from the episodes, Muir writes some very interesting essays - the "anti-Star Trek" one is, in my opinion, the best. The examination of the sci-fi story arc and the shorter piece on sexual machinations among the crew also hold the interest. Putting Blake's 7 into a historical context, relating it to sci-fi programs of its day and also more recent programs such as Babylon 5, is also well done, maintaining that Blake's 7 has not had its day and is still relevant in today's deconstructions of the genre. Although this book is excellent, there is one major irritating fault - the book seems to have not been proof read at all, with glaring mistakes. For example, his examination of the season B episode "Weapon" refers to Fen as Coser's companion, when she was Rashel. The cast list to "Traitor" (Season D) credits David Quilter as "The General" and not "The Tracer", while the essay on sex, naturally discussing the controversial gender themed episode "Power", constantly refers to it as "Rescue". There are countless others. This criticism may come across as nitpicking, but for an author of Muir's calibre, especially given his insights and knowledge of the program, along with his other writing efforts, they are unforgivable oversights. They may have been simple typographic errors, but Muir, of all people, should have noticed them before publication. However, this should not detract from the book's excellent writing and interesting observations. For a fan of Blake's 7, it is very worthwhile and engaging, able to be read and re-read.

This is a worthy addition to my Blake's 7 collection. It's very informative and well written. It's also obviously a labor of love. They don't come much better than this. A+

I bought this John Muir book on Blake's 7 when it first appeared on Amazon.com and felt it was a waste of my forty dollars. I have been in B7 now for approximately 11 years and for a while collected everything that there was to collect. Now I am more selective. One reason I dislike this book is that it told me nothing new of importance that I did not already know. If you own Blake's 7: The Inside Story by S. Wells and her husband, The B7 Programme Guide (revised) by Attwood, and all the various comics, magazines, and poster books put out by Marvel (a total of 34 items), you have a good idea of Blake's 7. And not one of these items cost [$$$] apiece.

Now if you know absolutely nothing about B7 and have nothing else collected, then this book might be worthwhile. But for my money, I'd still say that you should buy Blake's 7: The Inside Story instead if you want a book about Blake's 7. And this book comes with plenty of interesting photos. The Muir book has no photos.

This Muir book is padded with a lot of trivia from other TV series that Muir has researched and written about. Frankly, I did not care which props that B7 recycled from other shows, for instance.

In many cases, the information was just a plot retelling of the 52 episodes with trivia added that I didn't care about.

If I had written this review when I first bought the book, it would be more detailed. But my memory has faded.

I really do not recommend this book. If you want to buy it, then I recommend you try to find it used and pay no more than [$$$] for it. Or better yet, borrow it from someone and reimburse them the postage. It truly is not worth the [$$$] that it costs new with postage, in my opinion.

I got this book because I love Blake's 7, have for years. I was quite interested in reading a professional opinion on the show.
Muir does an excellent job discussing the history of the show, citing some behind the scene stories of how things came about. He also does an excellent job of focusing on Terry Nation, his ideas of the future, and his take on social issues such as slavery, prejudice, tyranny, and genetics (to name just a few). But, unfortunatly, the analysis begins to fade after the discussion of series 2, and drops more into plot summaries and discussion of guest stars and their characters.

This book seems more devoted to Terry Nation and his stories, and after Nation left the show (after series 2), Muir has very liitle critical discussion left.

Also, the book is lacking in images, having only 9 images (b&w), none of them from the actual series (I am uncertain if he was unable to get the rights to publish photos. If he could not, then this is excusable).

However, having pointed out the books flaws, the first sections is well worth the read.

Ever since watching the Blake's 7 television series on late night PBS stations in the 1980s, I've wanted someone to publish a book like this. Mr. Muir has created an objective and detailed analysis of the series, its creator, characters, scripts, symbolism, and influence. The author is not an agent of the BBC, he is a student of the science fiction genre with a lot of knowledge and research behind him. As a result, the text is very fresh and honest, free from institutional bias or propaganda, giving the book (if you'll pardon the expression) an almost "liberated" feel.

Included in the text are background on the series origins and history, a discription of Nation's intent to mix aspects of "The Dirty Dozen" and "Robin Hood" into the series, critical reviews on each of the 52 episodes, an excellent analysis of the Blake's 7 story arc, an examination of the shows place in science fiction history, and several essays on the characters of Blake and Avon and their relationship with each other. The commentary on the series finale is also the most complete and inspired analysis of the meaning of that episode that it has ever been my good fortune to come accross.

This is fantastic reading, and I found myself literally sitting up in my chair saying "Holy smoke, I've never noticed that before." The book sent me scrambling for my episode tapes to view the show again in a different light. There are so many layers to this show, and this book gave me a lot to think about.