Bridges Books

I read this book in order to prepare myself to transcribe for Mrs. Miller's upcoming novel, and I found it to be a lovely true story that encompasses World War II, but more so, the forever changed lives of those who lived it. Easy to read and easier to connect with, this story brings to us not only the war but our vital human connection with those around us and around the world, the importance of peace and understanding, and a lesson on the fallible nature of stereotyping our "enemies". I look forward to Mrs. Marako Miller's coming novel, which I expect to be even better.

Ever since my June 12, 1999, comments on "Bridge To The Sun, I've received many personal e-mails requesting a copy of my movie video. Please do not ask me to violate copyright laws. Do as I did...keep checking your local cable listings or inquire of the classic movie channels when "Bridge To The Sun" will air again, and then set your VCRs accordingly.

I attended Mariko Miller's lectures about her family and just had to have the book. For those who want to know major events since, Mr. Terasaki was the liaison after WWII between Emperor Hirohito and MacArthur. He was "writing" a book during this period, but when Mariko got it translated from the court Japanese to the more common dialect, it proved to be much more valuable. Publicly Emperor Hirohito said very little about WWII. He dictated his thoughts on it to Terasaki instead. Terasaki's book proved to be an invaluable historical document. Mariko lives in Wyoming and is writing her own book. She mentioned in her lectures how easy it was to figure out where her parents were on a given day and time in the days leading up to WWII. She just requested their FBI files and it was all there. Keep an eye out for Mariko Miller's book. It should be even better than BRIDGE TO THE SUN.

Having lived in the modern Japan for 10+ years, I was impressed by how beautifully Mrs. Terasaki captured the spirit of Japan, and somewhat jealous that she experienced things (I don't mean the war, mind you) difficult to find today. This is a great book, and my only complaint is that she didn't write more.

Incidentally, I actually found out about this book from a Japanese mini-series that was re-broadcast recently called "Mariko". It had a few more details not found in the book, such as the fact that Mr. Terasaki used phrases regarding Mariko (esp. "Mariko is not well today") as a code with his brother and others in Tokyo to relay how discussions were progressing during the tense time right before the Pearl Harbor attack. Also, I found out that Mariko is alive and well and living in the US.

As literature, this book is not the best. However, as a historical first-hand document that recounts a personal, interesting, and very unique story, this is superb. This book may not read easily for some since the writing style can be a little scattered. This characteristic, though, reveals a rawness in the writing. Terasaki is genuine, and she opens a window to many intriguing subjects. These subjects include: foreign policy between Japan and America surrounding World War II, cultural contrasts between the two countries, perspectives on love, the life of ambassadors in the WWII era, Japanese perspectives on Americans in that era (and vice-versa), the treatment of the different classes of people in Japan, separation of civilians and government, Japanese WWII propaganda strategies, Japanese military actions in China before the US entered the war, Japanese perspectives on the American occupation after the surrender, and so much more. This text contains plenty of substance, even if not in a most polished form. I would recommend borrowing a copy through your local library rather than paying $$ for it.

Man, I loved this book! It was such a dramatic conclusion to what, in my opinion, is a great series. I thought the whole thing was very creative. I bawled my eyes out at the end. Worth every minute. After finishing the series about 6 months ago... I'm reading it again and loving it as much as the first time.

Daughter of Ancients was definitely my favorite book of the series! It was a good ending though I think that Berg left room enough that she could have written more novels in the same world, so I am a bit disappointed that she didn't. Really a great series and good example of how talented Berg is to have been able to pull off something so complex.

This series has it all:

1. In depth characters
2. a good plotline
3. just a touch of romance
4. a whiff of magic
5. Strong storyline.

Miss Berg does not stray from her first intention, she does not stray from the morality of her characters, she makes them blossom, come to live and evolve like real people.

In fact it's all about the main characters and the magic is crucial yet second in command.

For me this series is well-thought, thorough, the characters jump of the pages into reality and well I enjoyed it a whole lot.

It's intriguing, surprising, unpredictable and yet a constant.

Well done

The whole Bridge of D'Arnath series has been riveting. The last of the series is not anti-climatic like many wrap-up books. It is a very good book.

Carol Berg, in my humble opinion, is the very best living writer of "dependable" fantasy...i.e. nothing that offends my sensibilities, but transports me to a place I'd like to be, filled with people I'd like to know. While I consider each of her books I've had the privilege to read as safe territory, her characters are anything but safe, each generally beat to a pulp one or more times in each story line. Some would consider this violence excessive, but it always moves the story forward and promotes the philosophy of pain and hardship's place in selflessness. A lost concept in the cocoon of ease and comfort in which most of us dwell.

Daughter of Ancients delivers all the promise of the preceding Bridge of D'Arnath books. It is satisfying, suspenseful, rich and so very human...with the delightful tendency of Carol Berg to often surprise us thoroughly and tie her plot lines together without the too-tidy endings that so many authors fall into. Thank you, Carol, for the gift of your imagination and the concise nature of your beautiful writing!

Malachy Murray's Unique New York is fantastic! More facts and information than I've ever read before on any books of New York. He has so many great stories that I've never been told about. I've taken his Circle Line Tour and he's fantastic. He knows just about everything about the great city. I'll be moving to the Big Apple soon and his book is beyond insightful. Highly recommended for any history buff or New Yorker!
Thank you Malachy!

Entertaining and informative review of New York. Great to read before a trip or if you have lived in NY for some time. Malachy Murray is a talented tour guide on the Circle Line Tours.

The way Malachy Murry brings the reader closer to New York and the great history behind the big city is both exceptional and breathtaking. If you have the slightest interest to know anything about New York - this book comes highly recommanded.
In mid-August this year my wife and I had the pleasure of taking the full tour with Circle Line around Manhatten and our tour guide, Mr Murray, made that the most interesting, informative and enjoyable tours we've ever attended.
Thank you,
Janne & Trond, Norway

Visited NY the last of August for the first time. Malachy was the tour guide on the Circle Line boat tour my son and I took around Manhattan. For everyone who thinks history is boring, you will thoroughly enjoy how he gives you a recap of the how's,when's, where's, and why's of NY. This book models the tour talk he gives while you look around at all of the history and famous sights.
It's light reading that leaves you with an education! He published this by himself so enjoy a handmade product full of his humor and unique twist on the Big Apple. Want to know where that phrase came from? This is where to look!

We were lucky enough to get on a boat of the NY Circle Line where Malachy Murray held a microphone in his hand - and the attention of his audience as well. He made history come alive, and through his colourful comments on NYC the two hours on that boat went by without a boring minute.
This book is a fabulous way to remember this great tour of Manhattan, providing anecdotes and facts, and all of it in Malachy Murray's unique style.
Well done, Malachy :-)

Word cannot begin to say how insightful this author is. And still speaking to us many years after his death.

Once again Andrew Murray gives excellent counsel for spiritual growth. Every believer needs help along the way and Absolute Surrender is a great tool to use as a springboard. The message is meaty and to be taken in with the intent of life transformation! As Jesus lived His life in absolute surrender to Father God, so must we, and this book points the way!

THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOK I HAVE EVER FOUND OTHER THAN Andrew Murray,THE POWER OF Intercession. I suggest the whole world would Understand the Bible A whole lot clearer if they just read Andrew Murray Books. What A wonderful Evnagelist he was.

This book was truly insightful and should be used as a tool to assist all who strives to improve their Christian walk.

Right up there near Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presence of God" (free online at the Practice Gods Presence web site) are the wonderful works of Andrew Murray. "Absolute Surrender" is a classic in every sense.

These gifted children of God have a way of restating, enlivening, and magnifying the very words of Our Lord and do greatly glorify Our Father.

Siljander gives an outstanding treatise on the breakdown between 2 religions that influence over half of the world's population. A book of hope in a time of fear of an "Ambassador" who has grasped the true meaning of being an Ambassador of reconciliation who has not only been successful politically but who has found the key to the "misunderstanding" between all cultures and religions. An absolute must read for anyone who is serious about being part of the solution instead of the problem.

I purchased a Koran just over a year ago after bringing a Turkish young man to America to get his education. I thought I needed to understand what he might believe.
About a year ago, I took him to a three hour study providing some of the material from this book, namely Jesus in the Koran. What I originally thought would help my new student understand more about Jesus,opened my eyes to what could become a very significant bridge to Muslims, teaching them of Isa (Jesus) from their own Holy Book the Koran.
Recently, I was told that "A Deadly Misunderstanding" was out, I purchased it and could not put it down. I talk to everyone about this and now have something in print I can give to them.
I am an evangelical, Bible thumping, born again, Christian as is Mark. But this information has opened my eyes to what I knew all along. That namely, we were missing something to bridge to the Muslim people, but I just did not realize what.
Muslims have become excited that we would even consider reading the Koran and many of them have no idea what it really says. Further, there are things in our Bible that confuse them. This book will help you understand that issue for Muslims.
I can now only hope that Obama, unknowningly today, may provide a Spiritual opportunity to build the bridge between Muslims and Christians (Followers of Christ)by allowing Mark and others to receive more open doors to teach Isa (Jesus) from the Koran and point out the misunderstandings Muslims have about our Bible.
A Spiritual answer is the only answer to stop the battles between east and west. These will only become worse unless we teach them what their own Holy Book says.
Don't miss reading this book. It may be the most important book you will read in your lifetime. It could be a world changer of significance with help from our God.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone (Christian, Muslim or any other religion) who wants to understand the truth about what the Q'uran actually says about non-Muslims and how Christians should deal with Muslims. Mr. Siljander has done extensive linguistic studies so that he can compare what the Q'uran says in Arabic and what the original language of the Bible (Aramaic) says versus the accepted English translations. You will be amazed and the misunderstandings on both sides of the Muslim-Christian issue. Personally, I think our next president would be wise to place Mark Siljander in a position as an ambassador to the Middle Eastern countries (Muslim, Jewish and Christian) as well as with the majority Muslim countries in other areas of the world.

I could not put this book down, and even read some parts twice. I've enjoyed conversation with my family sparked by the ideas found in these pages. Arabic words that have been irresponsibly thrown around by world leaders, media, and even religious leaders are clarified. Mark Siljander does not erase the fact that Christians and Muslims have differences, but he dissects key aspects of language that have created huge and unnecessary misunderstandings between the two faiths.

I read this book with great interest. Congressman Mark Siljander has done a terrific job of explaining through his journey how to build bridges and how to overcome challenges between Muslims and Christians. He explains in his book, how he related to Muslims be reading their holy book and explaining the common themes in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I do not want to give any more clues, but only work that descirbes this book is EXCITING - I am excited to be a follower of Jesus and look forward to building bridges with Muslims - in the name of our Lord.

WotF XIX is a compilation of excellent stories (with a few, notable exceptions) spanning the genre range from historical fiction through horror and fantasy to science fiction. Despite the ever-present copy-editing errors, this was a very good read.

I would put the stories in four categories of excellence (well, three of excellence and one of crap).

Group One: The best

Walking Rain - Ian Keane's tale of supernatural beings in present day America, reminiscent (but not derivative) of American Gods, is compelling. The writing is lush, the characterizations beautiful. Hands down the best of the best. I can't say enough about this story. The book is worth buying for this story alone.

Into The Gardens of Sweet Night - Algis Budrys weaves a fairy tale-like tapestry of words as a boy takes a fantastic journey into the sky looking for the fabled gardens. Sometimes the discussions on freedom get a bit thick, but still great.

Blood and Horses - Myke Cole brings us a story of military sf where rebels riding horses seek the oil that gives life, losing their own blood fighting against a technically far superior opponent.

Group Two: The very excellent (in no particular order)

From All the Work Which He Had Made - Michael Churchman's style is strikingly odd at first, but within a page he had made me a convert with this interesting tale about the development of a humanoid robot exploring the questions of his soul.

Dark Harvest - Geoffrey Girard brings us a story about what happens when you find your worst nightmare dying in a field, and it becomes a tourist attraction. Excellent writing, and a wonderful story.

Beautiful Singer - Steve Bein's story of a haunted sword is elegant in its way of presenting feudal Japanese culture and characters. Every word of this story echoes with the culture of the samurai. The only thing holding back this most savory of writing from the top slot was the way the ending rushed together (a common difficulty in short-story writing).

A Few Days North of Vienna - Brandon Butler takes us along as a band of thieves join up with a group of vampire hunters to eradicate those evil creatures. The plot is nothing new or innovative, but the writing is top notch, and that's more important anyway.

Group Three: The still excellent (still in no particular order)

A Ship That Bends - whatever Butler lacked in innovation, Luc Reid makes up for in spades with his characters who live on a flat world and must build a bending ship if they wish to sail to the other side without falling off. The ending is its great weakness, suddenly ending the story before it really reaches its climax. Fun world, great writing, but it just stops cold.

A Silky Touch to No Man - a weak ending is also the problem with Robert J. Defendi's exploration of life in the near future where virtual reality has become the only reality. For a murder mystery, it was painfully apparent "whodunit" from the very beginning. But the writing is strong and the world well conceived (almost scary, actually) which makes it fun anyway.

Gossamer - Ken Liu offers a scenario where Earth finally makes contact with an alien species, and has no idea if they can even communicate. Art seems to be the only thing the Gossamers are interested in, but what does that mean? Interesting twist on the first contact plot.

Numbers - Joel Best brings us a stark account of a world where mathematicians can do almost anything, including make animals and people. In this world one woman seeks to create the perfect mate, but learns that perfection (and creation) are about more than doing everything flawlessly.

Group Four: The stories that really don't belong

Trust Is A Child - Matthew Candelaria's overly long story of negotiations with aliens is really just a painful rehash of about a thousand other identical stories, offering no new slants or anything. That alone wouldn't make it so horrible, but the main character is painfully stupid, and the plot has a hole in it the size of a small star system (it has to do with her being stopped by Marine guards while the aliens can just cruise on by and enter her private quarters without explanation). Also, her solution to being stopped is just horrible (apparently the guard is even dumber than she is). Still, with a good edit and re-write, I think it could have been decent, so I wouldn't write off the author.

A Boy and His Bicycle - Carl Frederick offers a story about just that: a boy and his bike. They don't do anything interesting, or go anywhere fun, or give us any reason not to hope that they just crash into a bus and die. The only saving grace is that it's short and over quickly. And to think this story got first place that quarter...

Bury My Heart At the Garrick - Steve Savile takes the prize for plodding, pointlessness. This story of Houdini was confusing, but not in that good way where you want to know what's going on, more in the way where you just don't care and want to skip to the next story. I kept reading to see if it would get better (imagine a short story that took me a week to read!). It didn't.

A Boy and His Bicycle is a great story.
(I put this in so I don't continuously trip over the review by someone who apparently didn't get it. I must offer the disclaimer however, that I wrote that story. It's a subtle tale, and I'm very grateful that the judges understood it and gave it a First Place award.)

This anthology, Volume XIX, (IMO) contains richly tapestried stories, strewn with new ideas or new takes on old ones. I've no doubt that before long, many of the authors will be Hugo winners

Before he went on to invent Cybernetics, L. Ron Hubbard was a prominent author of science fiction and eventually launched annual collections of science fiction and fantasy drawn from the best and the brightest in the field. The newest addition to the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers Of The Future" series is volume 18, ably compiled and edited by long time science fiction expert Algis Budrys and highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan and science fiction enthusiast. Included in this outstanding anthology are: The Dragon Cave (Drew Morby); The Haunted Seed (Ray Roberts); Rewind (David D. Levine); Windseekers (Nnedi Okorafor); Magic Out Of A Hat (L. Ron Hubbard); Lost On The Road (Ari Goelman); Graveyard Tea (Susan Fry); Carry The God (Lee Battersby); A Few Tips On The Craft Of Illustration (H. R. Van Dongen); Memoria Technica (Leon J. West); Free Fall (Tom Brennan); All Winter Long (Jae Brim); The Art Of Creation (Carl Frederick); Advice To The New Writer (Andre Norton); The Road To Levenshir (Patrick Rothfuss); Eating, Drinking, Walking (Dylan Otto Krider); Origami Cranes (Seppo Kurki); A New Anthology (Tim Powers); Worlds Apart (Woody O. Carsky-Wilson); Prague 47 (Joel Best); and What Became Of The King (Aimee C. Amodeo). L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future, Volume XVIII concludes with "The Year In Contests" by Algis Budrys and "Contest Information".

While I do not get a chance to read much science fiction, I decided to pick up this book mainly because I enjoy short stories. And I must say that this book surprised me. There are a number of well-written, very entertaining stories in this book. There is also a good amount of variety. As more than 12 authors contribute to this book, if you are not a fan of one story, you can move onto the next. There should be four stories in this book that will captivate you. From the quality of the prose and the structure of the stories, I was at first surprised to see that these are first time authors. Now realizing that these are contest winnners from L Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest, it makes more sense. My favorites include Oragami Cranes, Eating Drinking and Walking, Windseekers, and Rewind (for it's writing style).

It's not perfect but I found this anthology very satisfying. When every single one of the stories is able to take me somewhere interesting, then the anthology is worth the money.. Favorite stories: Graveyard Tea, Windseekers, and Origami Cranes.

I can't find the review of this book that interested me... I thought it was in the Wall Street Journal, but can't locate it..

What a stroke of luck to find this book! I spent the same era of my life in the '50's living in a small town in Ohio. The differences from 1957 to 1967 seem small... Most notably the Vietnam War and what it contributed to childhood thoughts of boys.

Mr. Crader has written a wonderful story... but his greatest gift to us is the unbelievably accurate dialect he uses. Mark Twain's dialect useage in Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn come to mind. Congratulations Mr. Crader.

He also captures the world of adolesent "boy thought" perfectly. The naivete of Tommy as he tries to understand the mind of an adolescent girl is amusing and accurate. Tommy seems to understand the adults better than the girls! But isn't that normal at that age?

Tommy and his friends are getting to live a 5th grade life that seems
sadly missing anymore. Kids nowdays are too "plugged in" to spend the time outdoors that this book reminds us used to be the NORMAL way for a kid to spend his time. Parents should take away the video games, IPODS, and cellphones and buy their kids a bicycle and turn them loose outdoors! Oh, wait.... this world has changed and those freedoms seem to only exsist in our memories and in wonderful books like this one.

Stan Crader instantly and accurately takes me back to growing up a young boy in a small town. He masterfully captures the heart of young Tommy and the town of Colby, Missouri and transports the reader there in vivid detail. His character development is absolutely amazing and engrossing. The reader really doesn't want to put the book down; it's an emotional, funny, charming ride and next thing you know it's the last page. Stan, we want more!

The Bridge is by far the Best book I have read in ages. The way Mr Crader writes takes you back to the much simpler times of your childhood, especially if you were a child in the sixties and brings back memories of such wonderful, simple times. When a day just riding your bike around town with your friends, was a day filled with adventure. The similarities to my own childhood were amazing. Stan takes the reader back to a time
of knowing everyone in your town and feeling safe there. Of Saturday movies, the local grocery store and gas station, baseball games and the place where everyone gathered like the Houn Dawg. And wanting to be cool like the teenagers hanging out there. The reference to the music of those days, like San Francisco (my favorite song ever),Wendy, Summer in the City and Penny Lane all make you remember who you were hanging out with then and what fun stuff you were doing. And watching the Andy Griffith show, which my brothers and I still do daily. We also had a young man in our town killed in the Vietnam war and I could not understand then why my father took it so hard and seeing him cry. So this book makes you laugh and cry and mostly ...just remember. So thank you Stan Crader, for the wonderful trip down Memory Lane, first crushes, Bazooka bubblegum, sno-cones and all. Looking forward to your next book. Thanks again!

It was hard for me to say goodbye to Tommy and his cohorts when I finished The Bridge. Stan Crader did an wonderful job of keeping the narrator's voice as an adolescent boy, never forgetting to use the perspective of Tommy's take on the adult world. The author's wry sense of humor kept me laughing out loud. The Bridge is evocative of the times and is one of the most delightful reads that I've had in a very long while.

"The Bridge" is a story that allows the reader to escape to a simpler time and place. For those who grew up in a small town, it will bring back memories not recalled for years. For those who didn't, it will make one wonder if such a place ever really existed. In a style akin to Jan Karon's Mitford series, the reader is engaged with the nuances of each character, as if knowing them in person. Highly recommended.

This is A great ethics book, not just for scientologist but for everyone. It explains justice and ethics and why they are different. It also talks about "SP" or suppresive persons, and how they are detrimental to someones sanity and ambitions.

But what I Found most helpful, were the conditions. LRH explains that at any time someone who is out-ethics (doing unethical things) is in A certain condition, and they can redeem themselves from these conditions, and get ethics back in, by following a certain formula for each condition.

I Have read through this book countless times and have found it to be an essential tool for living in this society. The book is absolutely invaluble, and anyone who thinks otherwise is not nuts, they simply haven't looked at the bigger picture. Most people that slam Scientology aren't wrong from thier point of view, but they fail to look at everything there is to look at, which consequently makes them look rather silly and disappoints me in that our society commonly slams what they do not understand. Stop fearing Scientology, it will not bite you !! It may even help you, you decide...

This book clarifies the difference between morals and ethics -- what we do because we think doing them makes us "good" and those things we do because they lead to a better existence for ourselves and our fellows.

We don't live in a vacuum, despite what the materialists might think. This book is how to live well ourselves - without hurting those around us.

This is a revolutionary approach to the subject. I wish more business leaders would become familiar with these concepts! It would make a better world for all...

This book has been a useful tool for me in my business. It shows how to track statistics, and how to evaluate those statistics.

Once the statistics have been examined, then specific tools are given to increase them over time.

My business has increased by 8 times since implementing these tools! I am no longer in a mystery about how to increase business, when to promote, when to cut back... the formulas given are clear, and easy to implement, AND THEY WORK!

I am a VERY satisfied customer!

L Ron Hubbard is possibly the most controversial man of the 21st century.
I read this book while researching into supernatual phenonema like near-death-experiences, psychics, out of body experiences, as Hubbard made several claims in this area.
While the book doesn't talk about that, or Scientology techniques, it is an interesting read. You won't find philosophical arguments here - the emphasis is on workability. Hubbard's philosophy (which is a version of utilitarianism based on survival) is intuitively a better ethical philopsophy than anything I studied at Oxford.
I also gained an understanding of why Scientology charges money for its services, and found Hubbard's arguments about why people attack Scientology interesting (though I'm not in a position to judge them).
The book is also a good management book - on par at least with the One Minute Manager.
Hubbard was an intelligent and interesting character. If he was a charlatan then was certainly a complete genius who continues to deceive today.
On the other hand his principles seem sound and aimed at improving the human condition.

L. Ron Hubbard's insights into the behavior of humans are presented in the book 'Science of Survival', and there's even a handy fold out chart, so one can evaluate each human individually. Google "Xenu" for more information about Scientology. Since the Scientologists are on a rampage to have critical reviews of any books by L. Ron Hubbard deleted, and are having some limited success (all but one non-4 star review has been deleted here), I made this a four star review just for the fun of it.

This book is awesome! It will teach you how to make other people do what you want them to. Once you understand the inner workings of someone's mind, you can exploit that knowledge to manipulate them as you desire. It has a neat, fold-out map.

I just finished reading Science of Survival, cover to cover and really got my wits around it's content. I had some familiarity with it over the last thirty years (being a student of both Dianetics and Scientology) but I never really grasped it the way I did this time.
I've noticed that some people have an almost magical quality to make things happen, while others, no matter how well founded the intent or how great the intellect, seem to struggle. This book not only addresses this issue but also provides insight into what is behind this and what can be done to improve one's journey through life, especially in dealing with both the good and the bad intentioned individuals that we all can come across.
Give it a shot. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
By the way, after reading it I suggest you listen to the Science of Survival lectures that were delivered by Mr. Hubbard. They further strengthen the understanding of the material.

This may be one of the worst and most offensive books I have ever read in my life. The truly upsetting thing about this book, is that it is passed off as self help literature. It is poorly written and has very little flow throughout its chapters because the author rambles on and writes in circles. Hubbard fills his writings with his own made up words that require google to figure out if you are unfamiliar with these types of texts he produced. It is also filled with quotes such as, "In any event, any person from 2.0 down on the Tone Scale should not have, in any thinking society, any civil rights of any kind, because by abusing those rights he brings into being arduous and strenuous laws which are oppressive to those who need no such restraints."

Keep in mind that in this "Tone Scale" having "No Sympathy" scores you a 1.2, while having "Sympathy" is lower (and worse) at 0.9. Homosexuals are placed at 1.1 while .375 is labeled as "Making Amends" even further down a "Victim" is 0.1. The author goes on to say, "There are only two answers for the handling of people from 2.0 down on the Tone Scale, neither one of which has anything to do with reasoning with them or listening to their justification of their acts. The first is to raise them on the Tone Scale by un-enturbulating some of their theta by any one of the three valid processes. The other is to dispose of them quietly and without sorrow." I would not recommend this book to anyone except as an example of hate.

As there is so much misinformation about Scientology (read the one and two star reviews for a real laugh) I wanted to write a brief book review. Unlike other low star reviewers who complain about the author, I will actually use the book:

First off, this new edition now has larger print and brighter paper for us old guys who need to read with bifocals. And the glossary and defined words are all in the back rather than as footnotes, which reduces the clutter. Good job on that.

What's not changed is the original premise of Hubbard's self-help books: that something can be done about the human mind and that anyone can use these data without a psych degree. In fact the book is subtitled The Prediction of Human Behavior and it certainly does that.

The acknowledgement page was sobering: "To 50,000 years of thinking men, without whose work Dianetics could never have been formulated -- the credit is theirs, not mine -- LRH".

The book is divided into two "Books". Book One The Dynamics of Behavior is based on a fold-out chart.

Each chapter summarizes and expands on the info on each column of this chart. Example: Column P "Sexual Behavior and Attitude Toward's Children" is then followed with a Chapter of the same name. What makes kids tick? How is your emotional reaction to sex talk an indicator of future behavior?

Column W, "Persistence on a Given Course" is followed with the chapter of the same name. Are you persistent or do you give up on your goals easily? Especially useful for me was the chapter "Method Used by Subject to Handle Others".

Book Two gets into handling people who want help with Dianetics, what a practicioner needs to watch for and so on. Book Two is especially useful to those who have already read the Dianetics book and want more info on helping others.

Even here, you can glean data that helps you with employees, friends, smart guys, shy girls, etc., etc.

An expanded index, glossary and appendix section rounds out its 679 Pages!

You could read the whole book or jump around to areas where you may need help or are simply curious. Good book for psychology majors and those wanting an alternative view.

happy reading!

Finishing this the second book in The Bronze Horseman Trilogy by Paulina Simons- is no small feat. A 500+ page tome- it's no light read. (By the way, here in the states, the second novel in the trilogy is titled Tatiana and Alexander- but most elsewhere in the world, it's Bridge to Holy Cross.) But finish I did and loved every minute of it!

If you've never read The Bronze Horseman and its sequels- it's a sweeping epic that harkens back to the days of the mini-series: think The Winds of War and The Thornbirds. The first in the series, The Bronze Horseman, is set in Leningrad during WW2. The book literally takes you through the gamut of emotions before leaving you with the two main characters, Tatiana and Alexander, separated- one facing torture and uncertain death at the hands of the precursor to the KGB and the other suffering TB while interned at the hospital of Ellis Island.

Tatiana and Alexander begins there, but it also takes you back and tells you Alexander's story- something which we didn't get as much of in TBH. Alexander has all the qualities I LOVE in a hero. Noble, strong, and totally in love with his woman. So much so he resists temptations of the nubile flesh thrown at him while separated from Tatiana, and it's his love for her, and perhaps a touch of fate, that keeps him alive. They simply couldn't break him. He was brought low, yet he stayed strong. This mix of humility and strength never fails to hook me. I have to say, he's got to be one of my all time favorite heroes- and I can't believe I forgot that till now!

Tatiana is just as perfect. She makes her way to a new land, thinking her husband and the love of her life lost to her and then gave birth alone to his son. Yet, when she discovers a scrap of hope that he IS alive, she is willing to give up all to find him. (These books are SO romantic.)

The second book brought it all back and I think it's just as good as the first- though in a different way. It's not about these two together like in TBH, it's about who they are apart AND together. Excellent read, once again.

Another great book by Paulinna Simons! She never disappoints. If you have read others, read this one!

WOW, In 2001, I read the first book in this series (only I didn't know it was the first in a series until recently). I was incredibly moved by the love stoty in The Bronze Horseman and absolutely loved the characters. I was disappointed when it ended. For years, I checked to see if a sequel was out and after a while, forgot to check. A few months ago I discovered that Tatiana and Alexander was available and when it arrived in the mail, it was like a "bronze" gift. This book has a different writing syle but still filled me with more insight and stories of these two strong and resilient characters. It's one of those books that my family knows to "leave me alone when I'm reading" or else!
Can't wait to read the final book in the series.

I read this series in order. First is "The Bronze Horseman", second is this book "Tatiana & Alexander", and third is "The Summer Garden." They are all very long books. All three are exceptional!!! I laughed, I cried, I loved the couple like they were my personal friends. You really need to read them in order or else the sequels will bring up lots of questions/confusion. The Bronze Horseman is obviously open-ended leading to the sequel. You could read the second one, Tatiana & Alexander and stop there because it isn't obvious that there's a sequel. But I recommend the last one, The Summer Garden, because it is soooo good. I don't know when I got into a series more. Highly, highly recommended!!!!

In this melodramatic, epic sequel to "The Bronze Horseman", Paullina Simons follows Tatiana and Alexander after their parting when Alexander is presumed dead, and pregnant Tatiana escapes to America via Finland and Sweden. Love and war are the two main motifs here and the story focuses more on Alexander, than on Tatiana (who was the central character in "The Bronze Horseman"), although the action goes back and forth between these two protagonists. Additionally, the time and space constraints do not apply (as opposed to "The Bronze Horseman" where the rules of chronology applied, here the narration is non-linear) - the action jumps freely between the past, when Alexander is a boy and a teenager, and present, when he struggles during the war as a prisoner and soldier, and between Alexander's journey from Russia to Germany, and Tatiana's life in the New York City with their baby son, Anthony.

The novel begins in Boston, in the 1930s, when Alexander's parents, the Barringtons, make the crucial decision to emigrate to the Soviet Union and renounce the American citizenship. This was already mentioned in "The Bronze Horseman", but here Alexander's family life and childhood in the Soviet Union are described in grisly detail. The disappointment with Communism and subsequent deterioration of the family shape Alexander into the tough, secretive man, living only for himself, desperate to survive, running away into the steppe and finally to Leningrad, where he becomes an officer in the Red Army - until he meets Tatiana and the love for her turns his life upside down. Alexander survives Soviet prison and interrogations, the work with the prisoners' battalion, the escape with the soldiers under his command through ruined Poland, running away from the ruthless, deathly Stalinist system, and the prisoners' camp in Germany, although he is starving, wounded and physically at the end of his capability. On his way, he meets Tatiana's long lost twin brother, only to lose him again, and tests the friendship and the military fidelity and discipline.

Tatiana in America holds to the strange, unexplainable belief, that in Europe torn apart by the war she can find her husband, although everyone believes him dead. All her efforts are directed only towards this goal, To reunite with Alexander, she overcomes unbelievable obstacles and, of course, they are finally reunited and move to Arizona (I hope this is not a spoiler, since it is the ending to be expected in such novel, isn't it?)... So that their story can be continued in the last part of the trilogy, "The Summer Garden", which I cannot wait to read.

Surely, the ending in Arizona is a little absurd (although, who knows, maybe it was possible then), as well as all the coincidences that bring Tatiana and Alexander together. When the novel is read as a romance, it is pretty old-fashioned (rare nowadays in the tradition of "Gone With the Wind", "Doctor Zhivago" or "The Blue Bicycle"), and no doubt, delivers its promise and is a material for a great movie. For me, the highest value of "Tatiana and Alexander" is in the fabularized background and descriptions of the reality of the Soviet life in the hardest period of the 1930s, the spies and moles, the interrogation methods. Paullina Simons was born in Leningrad, in the dissident family. Her parents and grandparents, heavily stricken by the Communist regime and the war, escaped to the US in 1973, when Paullina was 10, so probably she has some first-hand information about the times, which she faithfully portraited in her novels.