Brown Books

James Brown was a true innovator. Nobody can take his genius away from him. He has passed on to occupy the ancestral realm. Remember the ancestors are always with us, you simply have to invoke their names.

I recommend this book for any James Brown fans or casual reader of history.

RIP to the Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. This been a great blow and to all of us James Brown fans here. This book was the one I needed to keep me focused. Just read it all the way through earlier this year. Very strong, uplifting and powerful. James Brown was the Hero, the Legend, the American Pioneer. He wasn't just an entertainer or a hit maker or an artist, he's a man that have overcome alot on what's happening in the world: going thru poverty, business, the Civil Rights Movement, the world, loss of jobs, politics, way of culture, way of living, and a way to express ourselves thru a meaning of religion, life, hunger, soul, pain, and suffering. The Man had it all. Boy I'mma miss him and his talent. His spirit always captures us thru this day. GOOD GOD!!!

Thanks for all the hardship and legacy you put us into, Brother James Brown.

I bought this book a couple of years ago, and once I began reading the first page I couldn't stop until I'd finished the whole book. The things that JB had to go through as a young boy, it's a wonder he didn't wind up on death row, or in an early grave. It's a good thing that he turned his attention to music, and put all he had into it. Even though he was never really raised by anyone, or had a real family life he was able to make his mark in life. I'm glad that he acknowledges the power of God, and he knows what God can do. I enjoyed reading this book. This is a must read for everyone.

I'm 34 I had listened to some James Brown manly the hits. I had the oppertunity to see his show a couple of months ago. It was fantastic. I started getting some of his other albums like the big payback(my favorite) I must tell you I'm hooked I can't get enough of that sound. I finished this book today. It was awsome his takes on things are so down to earth. If you're down with Mr. Brown than you gotta read this.

What a life. What a personality. I have enjoyed this book enormously: You get the feeling that this is James Brown telling you his extraordinary story in a long and fascinating conversation. He talks about his music, his personal life and troubles, his philosophy, and, what I think is most thrilling, show business and stage performance.

My main goal in reading this book was resolving a personal doubt: Was he the genius behind his records, or was it Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley or his producers? After reading the book and listening to his records with lots of new insights, I have little doubt that the main driving force (although not the only one) in his records was himself. What Brown says about his music, where it came from, how it was made, what he intended to say, really made me discover many things in his records! For instance, if you have 'Live At The Apollo (1963)' (one of Brown's best albums) or have listened to it, DON'T MISS what he has to say about it -and play the LP again. I couldn't stop laughing for almost a quarter of an hour.

On another hand, I was also wondering: Is he a ruthless, egotistic and authoritarian character, as he is sometimes portrayed? In the book, JB openly and candidly talks about the discipline in his band, prison, guns, Black Power, and politics; and, paradoxically, in the end I finished with the impression of having received a lesson in confidence in man, tolerance, faith and spirituality. Soulful singers like him or BB King really have something to say about life-not only in their records.

On a last note, I think the (co-)writer Bruce Tucker has structured the book very well, hooking you from the beginning until the last page. As usual, it is better to avoid beginning with the prefaces and forewords, and leave them for the end. Only a little information about musicians in the sessions would have been welcome -although it is true that it's not the scope of the book.

Definitely worth reading it if you are a James Brown fan, and also very commendable if you are interested in music in general.

My wife provides daycare for our grandson, and this is his favorite nap-time story. He wants to read the book every day, and he never tires of it. His favorite part, of course, is the hug.

This is a regular baby-shower gift I buy, since it invariably delights everyone who reads it. The pictures are charming, the story is wonderful, and it's a (visually) lovely book. I keep a copy on my own shelf, just because I love to occasionally thumb through it. One definitely doesn't need to be an animal lover (although I expect animal lovers will universally love this book) to appreciate the illustrations and simplicity of the story. Highly recommended to young and old.

What a fantastic book to help children and adults alike to see and appreciate the heaven on earth that we are surrounded by! This book is truly delightful! I have used it to base lessons on for my Sunday school class of 3 year olds & they LOVE it! Earl & Mooch are THE BEST!

I adore this book! It's simply drawn yet the message is so profound. Read this and think about how you can make your own world heaven on earth. Makes a wonderful, thoughtful gift for all your loved ones, children and adults alike!

I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but Patrick McDonnell is the next Charles Schulz. Mooch and Earl and the rest of the gang never fail to give an endearing, cheerful, often funny view of the tender issues that face our furry friends as well as the world at large. I have converted many, many folks into Mutts fans - and I give this particular book "Just Like Heaven" to every child I know. Birthdays, Easter, Christmas, and for no occasion at all other than I love them, and I love Mutts.

Paula McLain's Like Family is a riveting story of three girls' lives as they move from one house to another in the Fresno, California foster care system. Many altering factors lead to the girls' entry in the foster system, including the imprisonment of their father, the abandonment by their mom, and the incapability of their grandma to take care of them for long. The girls deal with many different obstacles in their foster homes including strict rules, sexual exploitation, and deprivation of water! The life-altering events are written in extremely descriptive and graphic detail that capture the reader's attention and don't let go. I'm not normally a reader of non-fiction novels; I generally find more interest in fiction books. However, as soon as I opened this book to the first page, I discovered that even non-fiction books could be entertaining and enjoyable. I couldn't put the book down, from start to finish. It was a dramatic, funny, emotional book that I would recommend to any girl or woman (Guys wouldn't like it much, I'm sure!).

Paula McLain's account of her childhood is compelling reading. I am deeply concerned with the dismal state of the foster care system and the impact of it on our community's children. I have also been a foster parent. Ms. McLain's writing is powerful and personal, a beautiful and touching memoir allowing the rest of us to experience the abysmal consequences of parenting taken too lightly (by biological parents or misguided fosters or officials entrusted with responsibility). The reader does not have to have a specific interest in this topic to be moved and gain value and insight. Ms. McLain takes full responsibility as an adult to have her own life work, even with the vestiges of her childhood forever present. No whining here, which makes it all the more powerful. A quick read, highly recommended.

Paula McLain's book is excellent. It deals with an extremely tough subject in an honest, heart-wrenching, sometimes funny, but never "feel sorry for me" manner. It was well worth every second I spent reading it.

What sad, sad childhoods the three sisters in Like Family had. This compelling tale may break your heart or inspire you to become a GOOD foster parent; what it won't do is leave you unmoved. Read this beautifully written book and weep.

Poet Paula McLain's memoir of growing up among foster families because of her ex-con unreliable father, and a mother who took off for the movies for sixteen years, is an American tragedy with a bittersweet ending.

McLain's characters, the people she meets during her harrowing journey through a foster-care system increasingly gone mad, are both abusive and pitiable, criminally unfit to be their own children's parents, and yet as adrift as Paula and her two sisters, Penny and Teresa. McLain's prose is a long-overdue love letter to her wry, spunky, strong personality, the children and families rebelliously proud of their differences in mainstream America, the love coming from real parenting such as McLain's father's ex-wife Donna, McLain's churchgoing Granny, and the kindly Fredericksons, a foster family for the McLain girls, the forgotten Americana of the 1960's and 1970's, the heartbreak of teenage girls looking for love in sexual embraces, and most of all, the unbreakable bond between McLain and her sisters, Penny and Teresa, who are as fascinating as she is.

Even McLain's absent mother, who returns miraculously out of the blue, as often happens in real life, gets sympathetic treatment. A brilliant, complex memoir.

I bought a copy of Lisa and Lottie at a garage sale, so I first read it as an adult. Since it was written by a German in 1949, I thought it was a very lovely and clever metaphor for the Post World II division of Berlin. I later learned that Kastner had been blacklisted by the Third Reich and that his books had been burned. Am I that far off in my analysis? I'd be interested to learn what others think.

I read this book many, many years ago as I am 32 years old now, and havent forgot about! I have a daughter who is 10 years old, and cant wait to share it with her. This book has stuck with me for years!!! I would highly recommend this book to anyone!!! Such a great story!

I've read this book in Elementary School. I used to have a copy of it. It somehow got misplaced. Since of the moving I have done. I've also tried looking at libraries to find it. I haven't found it at a library. I believe this book belongs on the Children's Classice Literature. It really deserves that recognition. Disney made three sequel to the orginal one. Also the remake. Since, the Original Film is a classic so should the book!

I read this book as a ten-year old and it stuck with me for what has been the next seventeen years. Warm, wonderful, very charming. The ORIGINAL, BEST and should have been the ONLY version of the Parent Trap. I wish I had known that this book would be largely forgotten, I would have held on to my copy to share with my own kids.

I first discovered this book whilst searching for novels to serial-read to my class (I am a primary school teacher.) Having seen the original 'Parent Trap' and read 'Emil' as a boy, I felt Lottie and Lisa would be good to try. With one exception (a class containing mostly angry, macho boys), all my classes have enjoyed it, even loved it. Most children have seen the Parent Trap (sadly, most never saw the Hayley Mills version), and they are intrigued by the comparison in plots and characterisation. The reference to Shirley Temple and the double standards of American censorship at the time leave them puzzled, as does the excitement at the prospect that, when the busload of new girls arrives at the holiday home, 'one of them might have a ball (to play with'). Explaining to them that this book was written shortly after WW2 when toys were in short supply in Germany, helps them understand.

WARNING: Any teacher reading this to a class of 8-12 year olds, be ready - Chapter 9 is an emotional minefield: I've noticed my voice getting shaky towards the end of it. Just letting you know.

I listened to the Burl Ives song when I was a little girl. Now that I have my own little boy, I was so happy to find the song in a sturdy board book. You can still find Burl Ives singing "Little White Duck" on iTunes. :)

This is probably my 14 month old son's favorite book. We read (sang) it three times in a row today. I think it helps that the illustrations are incredible, and the lyrics flow nicely.

If you're looking for a baby gift, Little White Duck would be a great choice.

I bought this book for my 21/2 yr old daughter after her Kindermusik teacher read it to her class. The children loved all the animals and quickly learned to anticipate with excitement who is coming next. The rhythm of the words is delightful, and I find myself humming it throughout the day. A real classic that every child should read.

This book is great. I sang this book to my babies when they were only 4 months old, and they loved looking at the pictures. They still love the book and song. We always sing it in the car. After months of reading this book, we put it away for a couple of months but brought it back out when we started sign language. It is fun signing with this book with appearances by a little white duck, green frog, black bug, and red snake sitting, swimming, and playing in the water.

Even if you don't know this song, the rhythm of the lyrics, the story, and the illustrations will keep your child's attention to the end.

The fact that it's been pc'd (everybody lives in the end because it was "just a play") is fine. It's less likely to be traumatic (as opposed to, say, Go Tell Aunt Rhody) for a small child.

Another keeper.

(*)>

What an insightful and healing book! Every page has powerful insights where most books might have 20% of real content. I couldn't wait to get through it and read it again. The first six chapters are analytical and the rest provide encouragement and direction. I have recommended this book to almost everyone. I bought several extra to give out as loaners.

As a Behavior Analyst I see a lot of these life situations in the work place (people bring their dysfunctions to work). Managers can learn great techniques to improve performance of staff. You are going to run into dysfunctional people, learn how to handle them!

I bought this book for quick reading on a plane. This title may do the content a disservice, but I did buy the book. I would rather that the title were the sub-title but please read on. Initially while reading the book I was prepared to give it a 7 out of 10 positive score. But as I moved toward the end, the book and advice got stronger and better. The conclusion brings me to rate this book a 9 out of 10. The reason for the seven or the nine was primarily due to the title and expectations. I like to share things with friends, and I was fearful that they might think I bought the book with them in mind. Strong advice, not preachy, and not I'm OK but your not, and well worth the full price. If you have difficult people in your life, buy this book. Thanks Elizabeth, but how about consulting with me on the next title? :)

I bought this book at Krogers while waiting for my wife and
it really turned me around in my view of SUP's ( Screwed Up People).
It is very common sense book on learning how to spot SUP's , dealing with SUP's , and letting SUP's go . A must have for anyone who deals with people in a work environment, home, or on the golf course.

A real world account of the many events that can occur on a daily basis in your life. It made me feel that I was not alone and that other people were facing the same problems. Not only facing them but how to face and resolve them. A friend told me to just put the book down and open it now and then to any page - and it always seems to hit the perfect page.

This is an excellent book that is easy to read, and offers solutions and helpful techniques for almost any adult. You almost always deal with at least one "screwed up person" every day. I have recommended it to patients who have benefitted from it.

She does an excellent job of explaining forgiveness, and moving forward.

Worth every penny.

You will be pleased by this book- generous amount of good pictures on this famous WWII battle tank. I found the coverage of the variants and production very useful. To top it all off the price is excellent!

While not perfect, this is a very good history of the M4 Sherman. Better use of photos and (more important) coordination of photos would have upped this to five stars in my opinion. For example, in many cases one model of tank is being discussed while all the photos show a completely different model. Very good use of diagrams, which ARE usually located on the correct page. Well worth the money, if you want perfection you'll be spending more.

The M4 series medium tank, commonly known by its British-applied nickname of "Sherman", was one of the most important weapons of the Allied ground effort in WW2. The Sherman started as one of the best tanks in the desert when introduced in North Africa, but soon fell behind German tanks in guns and armor. This was because US doctrine didn't emphasize tanks fighting other tanks, but the German doctrine saw the tank as the primary anti-tank weapon. While not a great tank killer, the Sherman was available in large numbers, not only for US forces but for many Allied nations. It also proved itself quite an adaptable design, with room for growth and was able to serve a number of special roles that were never even envsioned when the tank was originally designed.

This soft cover book covers much of the technical developments of the Sherman tanks. Mr. Green uses many period photos, plus views from restored tanks to illustrate the many changes and variations in the Sherman's design. He looks at the tank in the context of actual useage. He also touches on the US tank crews, one of the secrets of the Shermans ultimate success in battle.

For the money this book is a good investment in the basics of the Shermans design and use. Very useful to military historians, wargamers, model builders and tank buffs.

Military specialty libraries strong on World War II history won't want to miss M4 Sherman At War, a survey of a tank which played a key role in every aspect of the battles, enabling the Allies to manufacture enough units to overwhelm the superior German tanks they faced. The design and employment of a tank which beat the odds is reviewed in chapters packed with vintage black and white photos, cut-away diagrams, and historical and design facts: a fascinating, involving read.

The M4 Sherman is THE American tank of the Second World War, seeing service in all theaters of war and being operated by a number of Allied units. That being said, the Sherman was a badly designed tank that was never the equal of its German contemporaries. That Sherman crews accomplished so much says more about their courage and steadfastness rather than the quality of the tank they manned.

The Sherman went to war an under-gunned, under-armoured and under-powered tank whose boxy, too-tall silhouette provided German tank and anti-tank gunners easy opportunities for kills. In a rare, pre-war blunder Chief of Staff George Marshall decided the M4's main mission was to be a weapon of explotation rather than a slayer of enemy tanks. The newly created tank destroyers were tasked with that duty. Yet realistically how could a Sherman crew pick and choose its opponents in a combat situation? Nevertheless Marshall, aided by General Lesley McNair, pushed through this doctrine and Sherman crews went to war in a seriously flawed design.

Green and Brown do an excellent job of documenting the Sherman's flawed beginnings, the seemingly endless - and usually unsuccessful - attempts to upgrade the basic design and its armament along with the stateside struggles between various Army bureacracies that hindered production of the best possible design.

Likewise in describing and illustrating the tank, its various components, and combat record, the authors do a bang-up job. The book is packed with photos, cutaways, profiles and digrams, many in color along with dozens of wartime photos and contemporary acccounts of the M4 in action.

All in all, a comprehensive, insightful, well-illustrated, and entertaining guide to a a combat legend. And only $19.95!

Recommended!

Reviewed by Katie Weekley for Small Spiral Notebook

Within the few chapters of debut novel, Marie, Marie, Hold on Tight, Terri Brown-Davidson wallops the reader with the two big tragedies of her narrator: the death of her baby sister, Alyssa Ellen, and the ongoing abuse by her mother. What else could possibly happen that could keep us reading? Even Marie seems incapable of imagining any change or improvement in her life. She seems to turn to her boyfriend, Dell for help, telling him:

"I love you too," I say softly, tracing his cheek with one finger. "But if you tell anyone about my mother, I promise I'll never speak to you again."

I know he believes me because he shuts up quickly, not angry but despairing: I'm excellent at reading emotions - Momma's given me years of practice.

Marie has spent the years since Alyssa's death, tiptoeing on the edge, nervously anticipating any change in her mother's mood, yet loyally standing by, defying anyone who says she deserves to be treated better. Marie understands the restlessness of her mother, the woman who before clocking in at the meat-packing plant every day, sits gazing out at a field of rippling veldt, only able to escape in her mind, and only for a few hours a day. Marie fears she may be cursed with the same wanderlust, impossible to fulfill.

Terri Brown-Davidson's writing is as taut as the fine tightrope Marie is walking. In a situation where the protagonist seems to have no hope for change, Brown-Davidson manages to maintain a gripping narrative, densely weaving Marie's past and present. Brown-Davidson has previous published a book of poetry, and while this influence is evident in her lyrical, visual style, she has deftly matched the richness of her writing with an cold, economic presentation of events, telling us exactly what we need to know about Marie.

This novel is about the dead-end cycle of abuse, and how difficult it is to escape the damage done. And although it is not a happy story, it is strangely optimistic, because only when Marie is faced with the worst situation yet, does she find the strength in herself to believe that she does not have accept the same destiny as her mother.

This novel is riveting from start to finish. Marie, the teenage protagonist is so well drawn and compelling, I had to stay with her to the end.

There are few contemporary novels which cross genres so effectively, and this one did just that. Not only is it a literary story filled with georgeous language, it's a horror story too. Brown Davidson does not shrink from exploring all the dark corners of what Marie must endure. Like the best of Stephan King, Brown Davidson forces us to experience the unspeakable.And it makes for an unforgettable read. As a literary novel, comparisons can be made to Janet Fitch's "White Oleander." Both present powerful female adolescent protagonists who must live by their wits.

Plan ahead. You won't put this book down until you finish it.

Terri Brown-Davidson is such a masterful writer that you're reminded of the power of words on every stunning page. But she's more than a poet of language and imagery. She's an artist of the human psyche. It's a dark tale about a girl who suffers the most horrific abuse and is unable to escape. And yet, there's a light in this child that can't be extinguished. Her secret world of hope revolves first around art, and then a young man who falls in love with her and sees the beauty of her soul. So as dark and haunting as this book is, it ultimately tells the tale of that vital spark of humanity that stays lit even in the direst circumstances. To me, "Marie, Marie, Hold on Tight" is a book about hope.

Terri Brown-Davidson's haunting first novel Marie, Marie, Hold On Tight, dark as a Grecian tragedy, illuminates the twisted relationships of the beautiful, but unstable, Jennifer Prescott and her daughters, Marie and Alyssa.

When Dan, Jennifer's lowlife poster-boy of a lover, returns after a six-year absence and takes over, teen-aged Marie, the gifted, but alienated, anguished - and inescapably unreliable - narrator must face the disarray and grief of her childhood; and confront her own crime as well as the inexplicable crimes of her wayward mother; a mother often indifferent and careless of her daughters, yet magical:

But then, we all loved the globe. Worshipped the globe, as well as Momma's animation that resulted from her playing with it. She'd spin it with one elegant nail, slam the finger down on a continent before it slowed. We'd squeal, excited as she was when it paused, though we knew that most times Momma cheated, tried to make it stop on Africa.

The writing is tight -- evocative, compelling -- it's difficult to select a sentence to convey the effect. Perhaps the following paragraph wherein Marie, convinced she is herself ugly (despite signs the blight is ending), knows her mother is beautiful, a view reinforced by the reactions of strangers:

"We glide through double doors, Momma preceding me, and eyes - many eyes - move toward her emerald-suited splendor; just loud enough for me to detect, a man murmurs to his wife, "My God: what hair," and I sense Momma grinning beside me, pleased beyond reason as she tosses snack after snack into the shopping cart--"

Haven't you known women like Jennifer, women who shop as greedily as they devour attention? But Jennifer is inscrutible, complex; and like the best of mothers tries to prepare Marie for life by taking her along not only to the market but to more than one workplace:

". . . at the Kawasaki factory . . . hunched over a table littered with bolts, screws, her shoulders bent into an "S" as she worked along the conveyer-belt, her fingers spasming, sweating as she struggled to keep up . . . the other women older, fatter, coarse, their faces lined with grime, their gray hair tucked into spiderweb nets, their faces forced blossomings of moles, sun-toughened skin: they hated my mother because she was young - because she was beautiful - . . . shoes tapped out the rhythms of "Hound Dog" as they sang and joked and laughed, their fat fingers never missing a screw; and when Mother sagged over the conveyer belt, her knees buckling, the teasing increased, the vitriol sharpened, shouts of "Prescott, Prescott, where're your balls?" filled the long gray room, and still the belt rolled over, rolled on as Momma quietly fainted and two tough, muscular women stepped in hastily, pulled her away from the line."

Marie reasons her mother's gallant efforts to stay afloat are a way of apologizing - although for what is going on at home there can be no apology - of demonstrating she can do no better and the unspoken hope Marie will have a better life than her own or that of Alyssa, of whom neither can bear to think. Jennifer's job at the abattoir is clearly the end of the line as far as financial independence goes.

"The meat-packing plant is huge and square and gray, like an enormous box that leaks sweat, water trickling down its outer walls. There are some windows set into the box, but they show only an inner darkness, shadowy shapes, people moving within, so quiet they might, themselves, be a dream. Steam rises from several pipes that push up like thick fingers from the roof of the plant. Grabbing Momma's hand as we approach, I feel a weird excitement though Momma doesn't look pleased."

And Marie will have a better life, if she can get past the horrific scene six years ago when Dan left. If she can come to terms with her mother's subsequent actions. If she can stay with Dell, the young poet who is her soul mate, and whose love may help her escape the past to become the artist she is meant to be.


*the title is from T. S. Eliot's The Wasteland

This review first appeared in Issue 19 of In Posse Review

Marie, Marie Hold On Tight
by Terri Brown-Davidson

Terri Brown-Davidson's novel Marie, Marie Hold On Tight is not for the squeamish and should, perhaps, have been titled, Reader, Reader, Hold On Tight. But, despite the depths of depravity that are explored a shaft of light shines througout the novel. Marie's is a story of cruelty, insanity, incest, and murder. Her's is also a story of love and survival. A reader with courage will know and understand Marie and hope, maybe pray, that she will endure. Read this book and be rewarded. Mrs. Brown-Davidson's writing is poetry disguised as prose.

Five stars.

I am not a particularly polished reviewer, so I'll make this short. Larry Brown's final book, even unfinished, is a stunning work of fiction. This is the rare book that will have your heart breaking for a child who loves his daddy when the man is unlovable, have you worrying about the welfare of a giant catfish AND give you some insight into Tourrette's syndrome. That doesn't even tell you about the beautiful, perfect writing that will have you seeing, feeling, hearing and even smelling the land that his characters, his beautifully drawn and tangible characters, live in. I never met he man, and I didn't even read him until he passed, but I miss Larry Brown tremendously. When you finish this book, you will, too.

A Miracle of Catfish is an unabridged audiobook presentation of a countryside novel by Larry Brown, which he completed and sent to his editor shortly before his unfortunate death in 2004. Young Jimmy feels alienated from his cold and distant father, and tries to find a friend in next-door neighbor Cortez who has started to truck in catfish for his new pond. But Cortez is plagued with a tangled mess of difficulties: his contentious daughter has a son with Tourette's; his farm hand might be a murderer; and he keeps a terrible secret hidden away in the barn. Additional notes on the story's ending are included, in this modern-day classic that continues Brown's traditional themes of coping with isolation and loneliness, as narrated and performed by professional actor Tom Stechschulte. 15 CDs, 17 1/2 hours.

This book is THE book fans of Larry Brown had been waiting for. Brown's style is fully realized with this book (a book that unfortunately was never finished--Brown died suddenly before that could happen)and every one of his dented and warped characters step off the page and into the readers head fully formed--and then they don't want to leave. And while an ending would have been nice, this plump novel is worth reading (and rereading) and it proves not only Brown's vision and purpose but also that life is one unpredictable trip and that we'd best do what we need to/want to NOW. Thank God Larry Brown did!

Another reason to mourn Larry Brown's untimely death is the fact that we will never know just how the lives of the people he created in his final masterpiece would have turned out. Would Cortez have become the father little Bobby deserves, replacing the hapless and clueless daddy who can think of no one but himself? Would we ever know any more about the fish man? Perhaps we already know enough about all the living, breathing, all-too-real characters Larry imagined for us by the time we come to the page where we are left wanting to know more about them and about the others living in his imagination, waiting for future books that won't be written. It's a rare talent who can keep us interested in and even hopeful about the fates of some pretty unlikeable and apparently unredeemable people. Bobby, Bobby's daddy, and Cortez are among Larry Brown's finest creations.

'A Miracle Of Catfish' was unfinished when author Larry Brown died unexpectedly. Because the book was almost finished, publication of Brown's last offering to his fans was possible. The book uses ellipsis to show where editing was done, and though unfinished, includes the notes that Brown left behind as to how he planned to wrap up the novel.

In Brown's languid southern prose, he explores the lives of several people living in the quiet, countrified outskirts of a small town. Cortez Sharp, a 72 year old man who's wife is disabled, decides to dig out a large pond on his property and stock it with catfish. He lives a solitary life, preferring to be left alone with his vegetable patches and herds of cows. His daughter Lucinda lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend Albert, who suffers from Tourettes Syndrome. Cortez calls Albert 'The Retard', driving a wedge between him and his only surviving child. Cortez carries a dark secret with him, one of horrible proportions.

There's Jimmy, a ten year old boy with bad teeth, who lives near Cortez's farm in an old trailer. Jimmy struggles with his father's temper, his two half-sisters Evelyn and Velma, and his desire to fix the go-kart his daddy built for him. Jimmy's Daddy (known only in the book as 'Jimmy's Daddy') is a typical redneck loser. He drives around in his old '55 drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, fights with himself over trying to treat Jimmy better, and has an affair with a woman at the stove factory where he works that turns out bad (in pregnancy) which threatens his life and marriage to Jonette.

And then there's Cleve, an old black man who used to work for Cortez, mean as a polecat, and murderous to boot. He's been in prison twice and though he swore he'd never go back, he's not quite done committing crimes.

Typical of Brown's unhurried and languorous prose, there's lots of smoking, beer drinking, and driving around. There's surprises like DUI's, tractor accidents, unwanted pregnancies, affairs, fishing, hunting, and a young boy worried about having puppies.

These aren't exactly people you would want for neighbors, but Brown brings them out fully fleshed and alive, and you know there are people out there just like Brown's characters. Everyday folk struggling with everyday problems, inner monologues that both repulse and enchant, and scenes that will suck you into the story despite their slowly building climaxes.

While I highly recommend Brown's work, I would recommend 'Joe', 'Fay', and 'Father And Son' as a warm up to 'A Miracle Of Catfish', simply because this is an unfinished work and may leave the novice Brown reader feeling flat at the abrupt end. It's sad that this is the last time we will hear Brown's voice in the literature world. Enjoy!

This book covers all areas you may need to run your operation and then some. It includes everything from menu planning and the proper equipment needed to marketing, how to hire good employees and how to handle inspectors. No aspect is missed. No matter what area you are concentrating on, it is covered in this book. From colleges and churches to prisons and nursing homes. It even includes a history lesson on the non-commercial food service industry. Being able to know these little facts will impress clients and vendors.
The authors even advise on programs to look for when purchasing a computer to run your operation and how to design an attractive Web site. It's a step by step guide for someone just starting out in the industry. The authors clearly break down the many, many aspects of the operation. Even offering advice on how to spice up the menu (roast beef becomes succulent roast beef with Au Jus and peaches become yellow cling peach slices.
Although the size of the book may seem overwhelming at first, it's less intimidating when you realize that about half of it is useful charts and forms. All are extremely detailed and helpful. Most you will want to copy or tweak a bit and use. You will probably want to take notes or have a highlighter handy while reading this book.

Many books claim to be the end all be all when it comes to instructing managers and preparing them to lead a team in the food service industry. None of them compares to The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook. It is a step by step guide to every part of managing any non-commercial food service industry, whether it's a church, a prison, a nursing home or even the military. I have never seen a more complete and thorough explanation of what is required of a manager. With its in-depth explanation of money management, menu planning, purchasing and inventory, food handling, safety and literally dozens of other necessary components to being an effective manager I highly recommend this book for anyone looking into management as a career.

The food industry is something that is increasingly under scrutiny for new legislation whether on the type of food served, or the conditions under which it's prepared. Anyone who is taking on a management role in a non-commercial establishment such as in a nursing home, or is perhaps considering setting up their own catering business supplying food for companies will find this is THE book that will not only get their business up and running, but will do so in such a way that it should run smoothly and successfully.

The book is a comprehensive guide to the non-commercial food industry. It covers everything from the basics of what a non-commercial food service is, right through how to set up accounts, the kind of equipment you should have, how to hire employees, statutes you must adhere to, marketing and so on. Everything you could possibly need to know in order to run a non-commercial food service is right at your finger tips. Everything is set out in a logical manner so that you can either read it right through before even starting your business, or use it as a reference guide to dip into when you need to know something once you are established.

At over 600 pages, it's quite a hefty book, but the style of writing flows easily and the print is eye-friendly so that the amount of pages and sheer volume of material presented in it isn't as off-putting as it could be!

Accompanying the book is a CD that contains the forms presented in the book in a ready to use format. This makes the book not only a great reference manual for the industry, but also a hands-on guide to get either started, or better organized in your business.

There would be a lot more people with the confidence to start up their own businesses if there were more "how to" manuals like this one!

Have you ever been in a hospital during lunch time but were afraid to try the food? We've all experienced bad cuisine at places like hospitals, schools and churches, but after reading The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Henkel, I realized that it doesn't have to be that way. If you're a food service manager, then this is the book you can't live without.

It discusses real issues like bookkeeping, operational expenses, necessary computer programs, endless menu ideas, recipe costs, inventory, equipment, packaging, nutritional information, delegation tips, kitchen cleanliness, equipment, first aid, inspections, dishwashing, and food storage. Nothing is overlooked, not even the signs of food allergies, customer service issues, marketing and advertising, catering, taste testing surveys, personnel issues, and surprisingly - how to deal with kickbacks from vendors.

I love the fact that it discusses the history of food service - going back to the time of chuck wagons - and how it provides checklists, forms, employee quizzes, and actual case studies. After reading this book I not only was hungry, but was looking forward to my next meal at a hospital cafeteria.

The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager's Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Hinkel is a solid reference source which would be indispensable to a new manager and a helpful resource to even the most seasoned veteran.

It effectively covers all the bases for this niche, with everything included from history and menu planning to quality control, labeling regulations, employees and marketing. Filled with numerous checklists and questionnaires, restaurant managers can easily tailor their plans and ideas to best suit their specific needs, whether their restaurant is part of a church, school or prison. It offers numerous reference sources, both on and offline, for further research as needed.

In so thorough a publication, it would be nice to see some information or links on the many non-commercial restaurants that also grow some of their own food onsite, benefitting their bottom line as well as the residents, workers and patrons. Other than this slight omission, it could easily be called the bible of the industry.