Buck Books

After completing Michael Creighton's book, Next, I scanned his resources: much to my surprise, he listed this book by Chesterton. I cannot enhance Creighton's comments in this review, but can state that G. K. Chesterton, a man with a remarkable gift of memory and humor and insight and wisdom, did us all a service (albeit 90 years ago) by penning this book. This one is not theological (as in The Everlasting Man), poetic (The Ballad of the White Horse), or in the form of a novel or short stories (all of which he wrote during his lifetime, such as the Father Brown mysteries, The Man Who Was Thursday, etc.). This book touches on life in the 21st Century in the United States of America: from topics ranging from political correctness, to genetics and eugenics, to ecology and the environment, to evolution, and even to the topic of whether smoking should be banned.
I've often pondered whether the United States has ever produced its own Chesterton (perhaps Will Rogers; but he did not write at the same depth or level as Chesterton, though his observations were always laced with humor). Notwithstanding, we should not miss Chesterton's messages.
Would that our press corps and educators and political pundits learn from him.
This rambling review will benefit no one; the benefit will only come if those who bother to read comments as mine buy the book and savor its delights.

The heading is a joke, by the way. I will say that when compared with abortion and some of the other big science/big brother things going on in the present, early 20th century Eugenics does seem almost quaint.
As for the work itself, it is bright and clever and witty as noted by many reviewers here, but give me C.S. Lewis any day for a novel. Chesterton also bashes Calvinists a bit, and as a Calvinist I think he is a bit misguided on this point. Maybe we're not a laugh a minute but I don't think we're the sorry example of Christianity he purports us to be.
Much of the book is edited, and I really like the editor's observations. I had a few quibbles though, he says 'woe' one place where he means 'woo', stuff like that. I guess if you're the editor you still need someone to edit you. Again, a quibble, but that combined with the anachronistic quality of the subject gave it a less than polished feel.
Still, I would recommend this book as a glimpse into what inspired C.S. Lewis' space trilogy as well as for a raw view into what goes on when government decides they know what is best for you.

Nothing by G.K. Chesterton is ever disappointing, but this is/was downright prophetic. It's a must read for all who seek a better understanding of the negative utopian forces and their politically correct power at work in society today.

It helps to explain historically how one politically correct slippery slope can and has led to another, (within public accepted opinion and mores), and the real and present danger of dismissing the amoral indifference toward human life of the left and some members of the right. It argues against a religion of science and/or government, of any man being bright, wise, trustworthy, enough to determine who has reproductive "rights," for others.

Since any argument against anything is an argument pro something, or some things, this is an argument pro human dignity, the value of life, the dignity and rights of family, the rights of man to be free from the tyranny of science and government "elitists," who deem themselves to be "supermen" and everyone else to be subjects under their rule.

For a collection of essays written prior to the first World War, Chesterton may have been addressing a modern audience rather than his contemporary one; yet anyone who has read Chesterton could say that regarding any number of his books. True, this book was published after WWI, much of it was written as a response to what Eugenicists were asserting at the time. A note for the editor: have the copy proofread prior to publishing. There are many errors which ought to have been caught before printing. The idea of re-printing the Eugenic articles is a novel idea.

On a final note, much of the eugenic ideal has been absorbed into modern thinking. The hate has been better disguised, but the hateful ideas are well incorporated into the fabric of modern life.

Eugenics is a GREAT EVIL. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parent Hood, was associated with Adolph Hitler. She wanted birth control for only people of color, the poor and the catholics. When the Holocost came up front, they pulled back. But, the philosophy hasn't changed. They are fighting to export abortion to foreign countrys. I really think that we really need to wake up. We have professors that think we should kill babys born with Down's Syndrom and Spina Bifida. This is after they are born. What more do we need to know? Pax

Gertie Johnson is a 66 year old widow in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with a
rather cock-eyed way of looking at life, and bright orange hair after a
little hair rinse mishap. Her daughter's Heather and Star never minded that
they were named after horses, but her son Blaze (who also just happens to be
the by-the-book sheriff of this little backwoods community) has always
resented it. Gertie has time on her hands and when a neighbor of hers is
found in his hunting blind with a bullet between his eyes, she's determined
to convince her son that it wasn't a hunting accident, but murder. So, she
enlists the help of her kooky friends, man crazy Cora Mae and Kitty (who
always has her hair done up in pin curls and never seems to find an occasion
big enough to warrant a comb out) and the three would-be detectives are
determined to find out whodunit. They stumble into more clues than any of
them know what to do with and Gertie refuses to be distracted by the
competency hearing her son Blaze has scheduled for her in court.

This is the first book in the Yooper series (Yooper being what the locals
call the Upper Peninsula) and it was a real hoot. These gals are as
delightful as Anne George's Southern Sisters were. Gertie is eccentric and there is
literally no telling what she's apt to pull next, so this is going to be
another series to keep an eye on, I'm thinking.

Being from Michigan, I know how faithfully this book catches the spirit and feeling of our U.P. (Upper Peninsula).
It's a unique place and this book nails the characters! It was a fun read, and I immediately bought the next two books in the series!

I REALLY wanted to like this book. After all, I'm a native of Michigan, although from the southern part to be sure. Plus, I always like to support books about older people, since I'm now one of that category, too. But really now!

One of the supposed benefits of aging is the acquisition of wisdom and the foolishness of thinking one knows it all. In fact, the definition of insanity is to repeat the same action over and over expecting a different outcome each time. One can hardly wonder that Gertie Johnson's son Blaze (named after a horse she never had) and now the local sheriff, sought a court hearing questioning her ability to live by and care for herself.

Any responsible child would do the same if an elder in their family behaved the way Gertie does, with little or no regard for anyone else in the world. Especially as her husband had died just a bit more than a year earlier, and goodness knows, that'll throw anyone off-kilter for a while. In addition to bunches of stereotypes, she also makes way too many generalizations about the Swedes and the Finns and several other nationality groups who shall remain un-named here.

She's politically incorrect on nearly every page, but that didn't bother me so much as her continued insistence on doing stupid things. (I prefer to think she's politically irreverent, because she's not at all mean-spirited about it.) She's lived in the U. P. for too many years to not respect the climate and the weather conditions there. Having never driven any sort of motor vehicle in her life, it should come as no surprise that trying to drive a pickup truck in a northern Michigan winter would see her in a ditch. Several ditches, in fact. However, she does mostly injure only herself, physically, at least. Not that she doesn't sometimes do in others (not fatally) but it's about three to one in her favor.

So, with all these complaints why did I give this book 3 stars? Well, it is well-written, with a lot of good-natured humor, and it's very descriptive of the area and the people within the book. The geography is spot on. I just wish Gertie wasn't so hard-headed that she continually endangered her family and every other person in the book in her quest to become an investigator. It's certainly not the worst book I've ever read (and I did read it through to the end) but it's not the best, either. It's sort of in the great middle somewhere. I wish I could have liked it more. I'm not sure I liked it enough to want to read more of her tales, but we'll see . . .

I love this book! Murder Passes the Buck is one of those tongue-in-cheek mysteries that suspend reality enough that you can go along for the ride and just enjoy the wacky characters and their adventures. And these characters are a little wacky. Baker has set this book in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and peopled it with Yoopers (think U.P.'ers and you eventually get to Yoopers).

I have to admit that I was predisposed to this book because I do live in Michigan - but I am a Troll, not a Yooper. Trolls live under the Mackinac Bridge in the Lower Peninsula, Yoopers live above. I have met a few Yoopers here and there and they are different. The ones I have met are tremendously resourceful and hardworking and willing to eat any varmint that comes their way - all of which comes from living in a hostile climate, I suspect. Baker has created an entertaining and fun look at life among the Yoopers by keeping it farcical and light-hearted.

Our heroine, Gertie Johnson, has decided that her neighbor was murdered in his hunting blind and when her lazy son Blaze, the Sheriff, says it is an accident, she decides to investigate. She tromps all over the frozen North with her grandson Little Donny and her friends Cora Mae and Kitty and, along the way, teaches herself how to drive (sort of), dyes her hair orange (okay, that was an accident), and learns how to use a stun gun (OOPS!).

This book is very funny, the mystery is pretty good, and the characters and setting are fantastic. If you like a comedy/adventure mystery, this is right up your alley.

Did I guess it? Yes. Will I read more? Just as soon as the next one comes out!

Picture Grandma Mazur of the Stephanie Plum series sporting hunting orange, living in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, and trying to operate her own PI business, and you have the laugh-a-minute fun of Murder Passes the Buck. The mystery itself takes a backseat to the wacky characters, but if you love slapstick fun, you won't mind. I found myself laughing out loud every few pages.

I didn't read this book! I'm relaying my husband's critique. I read Forward's more recent book Toxic Parents and it was sooo helpful. My Christain counselor somewhat assigned it as homework between my 1st and second appointment. Wow! So we decided to try this one. My husband read both her books first as my personal screener (yes, he's that wonderful). He felt reading this book might be more of a hindrance to my healing since it so raw. Warning! It is not Christain, (neither is Toxic Parents) and has some thoughts that would be disturbing to a healing Christain. He felt it was more about telling tragic stories about incest vs ways to heal. He felt Forward grew a lot as a person and counselor between writing the two books. If you're new to the healing process of incest, I strongly recommend the Toxic Parents as a starter, then use [...] to find a local Christain counselor.

A good book to give to cleints as home work, but I would not suggest doing it on your own w/out support.

I was hoping to gain insight into the repercussions of incest. I couldn't get past the beginning of the book, as it was filled with Freudian pseudoscience.

Perhaps another revision is in order.

This is one of the best books I have read regarding the subject of incest and child abuse/molestation. It is clear and percise like that of "Beauty For Ashes", honest,truthful and courageous like that of "Nightmares Echo...It makes the reader understand the ramifications of Incest and the devastating effects on the child. I believe this book should be read by everyone in our society over the age of 15. Remarkable book!

"Incest was once called the ultimate taboo. Today we realize that it is a reality with which millions cope on a daily basis. In this insightful and sensitive book, Dr. Susan Forward, bestselling author of Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them and renowned expert on sexual abuse and addictive relationships, uses twenty-five case histories--including father and daughter, mother and son, siblings, grandfather and granddaughter, mother and daughter, and father and son-to explore the traumatic effects of incest and to analyze its causes and consequences on every member of a family. In Betrayal of Innocence, Forward shows that the public's new awareness of the problem and increased availability of treatment can be of enormous benefit to victims and their families. By breaking the silence that has always surrounded this devastating subject, Betrayal of Innocence offers practical help and comfort to the survivors of child abuse and to those who love, live, or work with them."

This is a typical Pearl Buck story with polished writing, fascinating images and a haunting love story. The story takes place during the start of Communist China and concerns a Chinese man and an American woman, who are married. The couple originally live in China, where the husband is a professor at a great Chinese university. The man has historical roots in the beginning of Communist China. The woman is a bewildered American woman who is parted from her husband by the very same communism. The story is from the woman's perspective and details her lonely life back in her native New England, the growth and travails of her half-Chinese son and how all learn to live with new realities.

Like all Pearl Buck novels, the language is impeccable, the voice articulated and the reader wishes it were longer.

This book is chraming and inspiring. I highly recommend that you get your hands on this book. Very good book.

As a great fan of Pearl Bucks' stories, I was less pleased with this one. Elizabeth, a girl from Vermont, falls in love with Gerald, son of a Scottish college professor and his Chinese wife. Gerald never seems to be at all comfortable in his skin and seems to be constantly battling his two cultures. Elizabeth really forces marriage upon him, trying to overcome his initial reluctance with the strength of her love, and against the advice of her family, moves with him to Peking where they live happily and where their son Rennie is born.
When Communist forces begin the take over of China, Gerald sees no future for his wife and son under this regime and sends them back to America. It's really a sad book with Elizabeth never ceasing to miss Gerald and raising her son alone. M/s Bucks' prose is stilted in the extreme in this book and while this style reads well for conversation between Chinese people, I can't believe that any American woman would talk like this, even after spending 10 years in China.

Pearl Buck attempts to set across several themes - ties to country and to family, wisdom somehow being passed down from the ancestors, some sort of odd idea of the sisterhood of women, and the beauty of first love that endures. Unfortunately, the result is a muddle, and, by the end of the book's first third, one may find oneself yawning at the 'voice' of a middle aged woman droning on and on about how wonderful her sex life has been.

Elizabeth, our heroine and narrator, extols the beauty of nature constantly - whether it is to Vermont or Peking to which she is referring - and there is some naturalness in her vivid descriptions of sunrises and ewe lambs chewing the grass. Otherwise, she seems unreal - a vague woman who seems to think herself hugely wise.

The situations and dialogue are sadly artificial. Elizabeth's sermons to her son make her sound more like an ancient sage than a mother; then, when she fears that Rennie cannot love a girl whose heart can 'only hold one cup' (this, apparently, was confirmed when Elizabeth met and judged her equally one-cup mother), she suddenly shifts loyalties and, with the sisterhood of women coming first, breaks her son's romance lest the girl not be 'protected.' Quite dramatic - and totally out of order for two teenagers having a brief romance while the girl is in Vermont for the summer.

The influence of ancestors is always appearing - and shifting. Rennie, Elizabeth's son, first looks like Gerald, then his mother, then has a Scots rather than a Chinese profile - and his perpetually changing is accompanied by an apparently inherited wisdom. At 17, he is an impeccable son and student, but still has some roughness around the edges. By the advanced age of 19, he is a mature sage, the immaturity vanished, whether through ancestral wisdom's penetration or the magic of his having found the woman whose heart's measure is on a par with his.

Though Elizabeth traces and retraces Gerald's reasons for needing to stay in Peking, it remained a total puzzle to me. No single idea was developed enough for the whole to make sense.

"Letter from Peking," a novel by Pearl S. Buck, is narrated in the first-person by its main character, Elizabeth MacLeod. Her narration begins from her home in rural Vermont in 1950. Elizabeth has been separated from her husband, Gerald, due to the poltical upheaval in China; he has remained in China to attend to his duties at a university. Gerald is the son of a Scottish-American and a Chinese woman.

As the novel unfolds, Elizabeth reflects on her past life with the absent Gerald. She also tells the story of her ongoing relationships with her and Gerald's son, Rennie; with Gerald's elderly father; and with other people in her life.

"Letter" is a fascinating look at how international political forces can act like a "tidal wave," affecting families profoundly. The book is also an intimate look at a marriage from a woman's perspective, and a compelling study of a biracial young man (Rennie) who is struggling with his dual heritage while making the passage to manhood. There is also an element of political intrigue and danger, although the focus of this book is family relationships and emotions.

Although the dialogue is occasionally a bit stiff, overall I was very impressed by the subtle artistry of Buck's prose. She has an eye for details: an old man's dragon-headed cane, the birth of a calf, "arching maple trees blazing with autumn fire," etc. At its best she attains a delicate, economical poetic prose. This is a fine novel by a writer who, in my opinion, deserves more attention.

Since I read the Good Earth, I fell in love with the authors' style and the wonderful way of delivering her message. This book is a piece of art.

I really enjoyed this book as Ms. Buck was able to take the reader inside a family caught in a changing world during the Chinese revolution and show how the characters each acted and reacted according to the information they had and what they believed or wanted to believe about that information. Madam Liang, who is coming to terms with disillusionment about the revolution and her past part in it, and her daughters, who had been sent to America for education and protection and their return to China with patriotic and idealistic expectations, are classic generational viewpoint studies. The shocking ending to the story was unexpected and expected all at once. The basic story is still relevant today.

I thought this novel was a wonderful introduction to the mindset of the Chinese people, both those living in China, and those living in America, towards the new government. It was an enlightening story because as an American, we view it simply as a government as one that took away everyone's freedoms, which it did. Yet, of course, it's not that simple. The story is about that deeply-rooted devotion to one's mother country, no matter what changes it goes through. It also reveals what led to the change of government, and what problems arised and what new changes occurred afterward. Through Madame Liang, representing the older revolutionary generation, the story showed how the revolution failed, and she saw how certain mistakes in history were made. Through her daughters, it showed the hope in which the younger generation had for the new China, and their attempts to restore a strong nation within the new framework. Also revealed was the the repression of emotions, through Grace, the eldest daughter, her hopeless lusting after Liu Peng, yet knowing that his mind was narrow and brainwashed in the Communist school of thought. Of course, the repression of individual thought was evident with John Sung, the scientist who refused to create weapons to be used against Americans. The stories surrounding Mercy and Joy, Madame Liang's two other daughters, was interesting in that they both struggled with their loyalties to China, but love, in Joy's case, kept her in America, while experience in the new China, forced Mercy to escape. There were a lot of interesting themes throughout the story, the theme of love in light of this new way of life, the theme of pride in one's own race and country. The style in which the story was told was very different from that of "The Good Earth." Here it was a much more fast-moving narrative, and a great modern story.

I couldn't put this book down, but there's just one thing that bothered me, and that was the ending, which seemed so abrupt. All of a sudden certain events happened which bluntly put the entire story to an end. Certainly these events were convincing, yet it still left me completely shocked and almost disappointed once the novel was finished. That's the only reason why I gave it four stars.

I have read more than a dozen novels by the extraordinary Pearl S. Buck, and this is one of my all time favorites. Buck's lucid writing, and deep understanding of complex cultural issues makes this a gem. Set against the back-drop of the Chinese cultural Revolution, THE THREE DAUGHTERS OF MADAME LIANG charts the deeply personal journey and loss of one Chinese family. There is a sophistication to Buck's writing that is not always immediately apparent, but once you become used to her voice, the deceptively simple prose gives way to deeply moving insights. This is a glowing, powerful novel about a family and a country at a crossroads. Don't miss it!

"The Three Daughters of Madame Liang" was Pearl S. Buck's last major novel and it holds its own with the best of her work. In Madame Liang, Buck has created a fascinating character, a woman who is very much her own person. After doing the very un-Chinese thing of leaving her husband when he takes a concubine, which he claims is his right because his wife has produced no son, Madame Liang determines to make her own way in the world and opens a gourmet restaurant that caters to the high and mighty of the People's Republic (even good Communists appreciate good food). She has not only survived, but thrived, by keeping a low profile and providing her customers with the best. But she has sent her three daughters, Grace, Mercy and Joy, to America to be educated; and now, after many years separation, Grace has been called home by her government to serve the new society.

Madame Liang has her own opinions about the new society which she has prudently kept to herself. But Grace, back home in China, throws herself into her work as a doctor and embraces everything blindly, including a young physician named Liu Pang, who parrots everything he has read in Mao's Little Red Book. Mercy, the second sister, is a musician, whose talents are not in demand in the People's Republic; but she misses her home and induces her new husband, a rocket scientist, to return to their country. For Grace, the return home is the fulfillment of herself; for Mercy and her husband, it is a disaster. Meanwhile, the third sister, Joy, a painter, having found romance and happiness with a fellow artist who has left China for good and never intends to return, remains in America to make her life with him.

Madame Liang watches the growing tension and hostility dividing the two older sisters with alarm and resignation. She can't live her daughters' lives for them; all she can do is keep on living her own life. But her own life can't survive the insanity of the Cultural Revolution; the very success of her restaurant means she's an enemy of the working classes. The Cultural Revolution sweeps everything away in its path; including Madame Liang.

Buck writes with a flow that keeps her book moving effortlessly along like an unbroken skein of thread (one gets thoroughly caught up in the narrative before realizing that there are no chapters; the book moves from one scene to the next till the final page), covering some six or seven years from the end of the 50's to 1966. Through it all, Madame Liang's continually expressed faith in her country and people suggest that, whatever her own fate, China and its people will survive in spite of themselves. Although the book is ostensibly about her three daughters, it's really the story of a remarkable woman, and through her, the story of China in transition.

This book provides a good insight into how the GOP went from small-government and minimized spending to big spenders as to maintain their power in DC. Essentially, the GOP gave up their principles for political gain. As such, the GOP mirrors the Democratic Party in enlarging government, but to their own contituents (Theocon and Neocon). While Bush did not start this trend, he embraced it through "compassionate conservativeness" very quickly and ensured the GOP stayed in power by spending money like there was no tomorrow. While the GOP were in power, Bush never vetoed one spending bill. Amazingly, after the Democrats took over the House and Senate, he got religion (so to speak) and transformed into a fiscal conservate who promised to veto every spending bill that went above his requested amount. Wow, I guess pigs do fly after all.

After all is said and done, the GOP is now the party of Big Government Theocracy as it caters to the "faith-based" with major spending and tilting the goverment to more "conservative" (if you can call it) direction. On that note, I do congratulate Bush and the GOP for delivering the big government that Pres. Clinton tried, but failed to achieved.

Affirming or negating the simple proposition, "there's little conservative about George W. Bush," is an excellent indicator of political preference in America. The left, as so many of their positions are rooted in emotion as opposed to reason, would vehemently dispute the validity of that statement. Those on the right know better of course. With less than a year left in his presidency, at least a sizable plurality of conservatives would agree that "compassionate conservatism" was nothing more than a Carteresque government spending spree. It was a Grand Old Spending Party that Mr. Bush emceed. Republicans managed to place a man in the White House with no more respect for fiscal responsibility and economic liberty than Lyndon Baines Johnson. The era might one day be known as Nixon 2: Bankruptcy Boogaloo.

Well, humor aside, such a view of the era is something we already have as Moody's is talking about lowering the rating of our national bonds at this very moment. Buck Wild: How Republicans Broke the Bank and Became the Party of Big Government tells the whole story of Mr. Bush's war on fiscal responsibility and also informs us as to how much the Republican Party has become the Party of Washington, D.C.. Slivinski shares some excellent material with his readers here. In fact, I've already referenced some of the text's charts and figures in my own writing. I guess this is to be expected though in relation to someone who works at the impeccable Cato Institute which does more to advance individual liberty then the majority of our Congressmen.

The vignette I liked best was the one concerning an old school senator from Maine who asked Howard Baker, upon the young man's arrival to the senate, if he liked "the smell of the marble." Meaning that once you smell the infrastructure and take in the perks of Washington you'll be "ruined for life." This is something that has happened to a plethora of our Representatives over time unfortunately. They get to know people, form relationships, and then suddenly forget the reasons why we sent them there in the first place. Yes, it's rather obscene but it's an all-too human outcome. The description of earmarks and the way in which pork barrel projects are rammed through sessions will definitely horrify you. Actually, most of this will horrify you if you happen to be a conservative like me. It's a necessary but deflating account of the defilement of the GOP.

For proponets of limited government this is a must read. I've often thought that if I really knew how to follow the money, I'd get closer to the truth of our government. This book is basically a historical map on federal spending, and should come with a warning: it'll make you mad as hell. Its worse than you even suspected.

Stephen Slivinski for president I say. We'll just work on the last name, call him "Ski" or something. I hope he reads this, I'd like to thank him for his work, and my awareness.

Andy Johnson, Salem VA.

Don'e blame me, I voted *** Libertarian ***. This book does a fine job of showing how the "two party" system has become one big party at your expense! Only the Libertarian party offers a real alternative to the tax and spend Democrats, and the borrow and spend Republicans!

Steven Slivinski's BUCK WILD does an excellent job of documenting the migration of the Republicans from a party of limited government conservatism (Goldwater/Reagan) to a party of national greatness conservatism (Brooks/Kristol), compassionate conservatism (Brooks) and big government conservatism (Barnes).

Starting his analysis in 1994 with the Republican Revolution, Slivinksi argues that the Republican Party stuck to its Contract With America pledge to scale back a federal government "that is too big, too intrusive and too easy with the public's money," but only for a short period. From 1995 through 1997, the Party was able to limit discretionary spending, move towards a balanced budget and pass welfare and farm subsidy reform under intense opposition. Beginning in approximately 1998 when a strong economy produced a surge in federal revenues, the Party started to abandon its limited government roots in favor of expanded spending, targeted tax breaks and increased government pork. This transformation reached its apex under the GWB administration, which has presided over the largest expansion in federal spending since LBJ (in total) and Nixon (after excluding defense and homeland security expenditures). This leads Slivinksi to conclude that the Republicans have become the party of big government.

Many who disagree with Slivinski's and others' criticisms of the Republican spending spree, like to argue that federal spending increases should be evaluated as a percentage of GDP, rather than in absolute terms. While I disagree, the record from 1995 through 2006 lends little support for this argument. In 1995, when the Republicans took control of Congress, federal spending was 20.7% of GDP. By the time Clinton left office in 2001, Congress and Clinton had shrunk federal spending to 18.4% of GDP and if left to increase on auto-pilot, federal spending would total approximately 17% of GDP today-- a dramatic decrease indeed. Instead by 2006, GWB and the Republican Congress had expanded the federal government to 20.8% of GDP, effectively reversing the gains of the previous decade.

What started out so fruitfully in 1994 with the Republican Revolution has ended with a bloated federal government and a Republican Party with little direction. BUCK WILD explores all of these areas and more. There are also plenty of behind-the-scenes accounts (e.g. Gingrich vs. the Gang of Eleven) that make the book both informative and entertaining.

I read one of Ms. Miller's McKettrick books last year and found it ok. I picked up "The Man from Stone Creek" a couple of weeks ago, in the need for a good book on a long weekend (and I love historical Western romances) but couldn't find anything in the bookstore that really caught my eye. This book is a definite winner. The build up to the main conflict and the character development are great, including the conflict that builds between the main characters. I can't wait to read the sequel to this one!!

I'm never dissapointed when Linda Lael Miller's name is on the cover. Excellent book!

I am a recent fan of Linda Lael Miller and I really enjoy her books because she has a way with making her characters alive and interesting. The Man From Snowy River is about an under cover G-Man who is poseing as a school teacher of all things and the female lead is a shop owner with a young brother to support and of course they clash over the brother who the teacher feels is spoiled by his sister, you then have the bad guys who the G-man is out to get, i will not get into the nitty gritty of the story as it would spoil it for the readers but in a nutshell, it is a great story, the characters are well done and it will leave you with a smile on your face.

With an impressive number of audio book titles to his credit stage actor Buck Schirner has established himself as a first rate narrator. His reading of the story of Ranger Sam O'Ballivan is arresting (no pun intended) and vital as he effectively captures Sam's first impression of Haven, Arizona, as well his gradually growing attraction to postmistress Maddie Chancelor.

Sam arrives in the border town of Haven in search of a rough gang of thieves who have been wrecking havoc throughout the surrounding territory. He comes disguised as a school teacher whose first order of business is to straighten out the ranchers' undisciplined children who have been creating a little havoc of their own. One of the most unruly young ones is Terran, Maddie's younger brother.

The self-sufficient Ranger is in for a surprise when he meets Maddie, a very pretty and proper young woman who has a temper and toughness all her own. She doesn't take kindly to his comments about her brother, yet finds the newcomer strangely appealing.

Before long Sam becomes aware of a planned train robbery and pulls out all the stops to capture the brigands before they make off with a load of Mexican gold. The surprise is in who the robbers turn out to be.

For those who like romance and skullduggery served with a Western flavor, this one's for you!

- Gail Cooke

I've read many books by this author. The last two books have been my favorites. The Man From Stone Creek is a western story that's beautifully told. You can picture the Arizona setting. Maddie is strong and vulnerable at the same time. Sam is everything you want in a hero. He's tender and caring, but he's all man. I could not put the book down. Very much worth the hardcover price, excellent read.

If you like biographies and are a sophisticated reader, this book is spot on. Every sentance was a work of art. As a woman writer - the story of Pearl Buck was particularly fascinating and inspiring.

I think that Peter Conn's book is an incredible achievement. It is apparent that he has taken great pains to sort through a massive quantity of letters, published writings, and FBI files about the writer and humanitarian Pearl Buck.

Thankfully, this is NOT the sort of dirty-laundry biography, so popular now, which serves only to tear down its subject. Conn is factual and honest to the memory of a great woman, who accomplished much in her lifetime.

The book follows Pearl Buck from her missionary origin through her unexpected literary success, into her high-profile career as a spokesperson for Chinese/Eastern issues and the founding of the Welcome House (an adoption agency) and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation.

This biography inspired me to read through more Buck's novels. She was so prolific! I strongly recommend _Good Earth_ and _Sons_, as well as _Kinfolk_, and especially _The Mother_.

Conn's biography points out the factors that have led to her omission from the literary canon. Primarily, she was writing about the experience of women during a time when women's issues were dismissed as frivolous and un-literary. Also, she worked at such a great pace, that her writing is uneven, and not all of it of the great quality that earned her the Nobel prize.

I think that Peter Conn's book will remain a splendid resource about Pearl S. Buck for years to come! Good reading!

Peter Conn's sweeping biography of Pearl Buck is as fascinating and provocative as Ms. Buck herself. I have been an admirer of Buck's writing for years, however I never knew the true depth of her character and achievements until I read Conn's book. Not only was the Nobel Prize winner an excellent writer and champion of Chinese causes, but she was a staunch supporter of civil and women's rights, a tireless fundraiser, and an advocate for inter-racial/international adoption. She was a fearless and often controversial speaker on behalf of the under-represented and oppressed, and made a great impact on public opinion towards racial and gender equality. Conn covers all of these diverse aspects of Pearl Buck beautifully. His book is very well researched, well organized, and well written. He presents all sides of his subject - good and bad - in an unflinching and intelligent manner. He discusses the circumstances under which Buck wrote her greatest books, her first 40 years in China, and her experiences as a prominent global literary figure. I couldn't put the book down - it was wonderful to discover that the writer whose books I have cherished for so many years had lead such a compelling and multi-faceted life. There is much more to Pearl Buck than even her impressive body of literary work suggests - and Peter Conn has done a tremendous job of revealing the many sides of this remarkable woman.

This book, although entitled, "Pearl S. Buck: A Cultural Biography," only skims over her life in the barest manner. There is very little of her life in this tiresome book. She was a remarkable woman with much talent; the author takes great license in criticizing her work. I wanted to learn about her - not what the author thinks of her writing. If I hadn't been such a fan of hers, I would have tossed this book after the first hundred pages.

I've just finished reading this compelling biography about one of my favorite authors. I can't it rank five stars, even though I'd like to, because I'm STUNNED by Conn's acrimonious protrayal of Christianity and Protestant missionaries in China. He's totally accepted Pearl's often limited and onesided perceptions, and then gone even further off track. Of course, what both of them say is true to a minute degree, but there's so very much more to the whole picture that they omit. I feel qualified to make this observation since I'm writing a trilogy of novels inspired by my family's century of close ties with China. The first book, based on my grandparents who moved to China in 1892, is entitled Hungry River: A Yangtze Novel, which is now available on Amazon. My father was born in China in 1904, as was I in 1942. I have a son born in Taiwan in 1968. My family rejoices in our international Christian heritage, which joins that of thousands of Chinese. I wonder if Conn is aware that today there may be as many as 80 million Christians in China in spite of decades of horrific persecution? That one statistic alone should be enough to balance his frighteningly negative analysis. In conclusion, I do agree with Conn's evaluation of the place Pearl's writings should have in American and world literature. I hope his biography will help her once more achieve her rightful literary stature. At the same time, I do regret deeply his evaluation does not bring fair balance to her extreme views of Christianity and Protestant missionaries among the Chinese in China. I hope he reads Hungry River!

First Sentence: It was not yet dawn and already he could smell death.

A young woman has died from her Meth addiction and her father vows revenge. He blames the Red Boyz, a group of young Ojibwe men, and their leader. When the leader and his wife are found brutally murdered, there is fear of a war breaking out between the whites and the reds.

Cork O'Conner, former sheriff and part Ojibwe, is asked to help find the killer and keep things calm between the two factions.

Krueger once again displays his writing talent. His characters come to life, added by his dialogue. They are real people with real relationships, good and bad. There is poignancy to them and you see their growth, not only through the series but in this particular book. Krueger's sense of place takes you to the location. He invites you to share in the sights, sounds and smells.

My one small complaint is that the introduction to the characters in a confrontational scene seemed very abrupt. It felt as though Kruger needed to get past that point in order to get to the final scenes in the book. It wasn't terrible but left me with a feel of "where did they come from?". But that could just be me.

From reading this, I suspect it is the last in the Cork O'Connor series. I appreciated Krueger tying up the ends with the family through and after the final climatic scene. While I understand an author wanting to move on, I shall miss Cork, his family and friends. [Note: It appears there will be more books in this series.]

It was just OK. I like the author because he writes about places in Minnesota and that is where I am from.

This author challenges the reader. A few times previously I thought he had given up on Cork. But he keeps coming back. But the ending here could be the end, maybe.
Travis McGee never had an ending. I wonder if the author does this to protect against the vagaries of fate. He also gives away the far future of another character, or does he? When an author can leave you thinking, he's done a good job.

Another great book from Kent Kruger. The Cork O'Conner decetive series is always like a continuation of the last one you have read, but with a new chapter. I highly recomend all of Kent Kruger's books.

We ordered these books on September 11th and received 4 of the 12 ordered today - it was like Christmas! I want to thank Amazon and your team of sellers for the prompt service and quality of books received. Please keep up the good work. We are very appreciative on our end! Again, thanks!

And I mean that in a good sense! I am in the process of reading all the V novels and I will be posting the reviews here on Amazon as I finish them. Of course, I begin with the story that started it all. Now, first of all, let's give a little credit where it's due - and that would be the fact that Kenneth Johnson wrote the original mini-series for TV and this book is a novelization of that mini-series (and the follow-up 'The Final Battle' which was written by a host of other writers based upon the ideas of Mr. Johnson, himself). So, this is actually a Kenneth Johnson story although A.C. Crispin is not without merit for doing a fantastic job coveying nearly the entire ten hour event into one novelization.

In fact, the entire first half of the book was so gripping that you couldn't stop turning the pages. The intensity of the moments before the visitors showed themselves were there, the strong relationships the characters had with each other were all there. Ms. Crispin captured it all brilliantly. What was equally brilliant, and a bit of a pleasant surprise, was her taking license for a brief moment to introduce (in chapter one) a major character from 'The Final Battle' just before the first mothership roars into the skies. And no, I'm not going to tell you who it is - you'll have to get the book and find out for yourself.

The second half, which was 'The Final Battle' half, left me quite a bit disappointed. A lot was left out. Perhaps it was done for space issues, or perhaps deadlines loomed and it was decided all the unimportant stuff could be skipped, or in some cases I got the feeling that Ms. Crispin was writing from a "working script" where some of the issues hadn't been quite developed yet. . .whatever the reason, I was disappointed. In the first half of the book, every little scene was included which really built up the emotions towards the characters by the time we reached the climax. In the second half, we breeze past everything else - including Juliet's entire conversion process - just to get to the birth of Robin's baby(s), it seems. Ah well. I still loved it and it made for a great read. Highly recommended!

A novelisation of the entertaining and advanced for its time tv mini-series.

Aliens come to Earth and offer what seems like a good deal, in turn for what seems like not a lot.

All is not as it seems, and there is one hell of a lot of snakes in the grass, as the hungry aliens take over.

A resistance forms to combat them.

love the plot.. very interesting story.. the writing isn't so great but the plot is enough to keep me reading

The "V" pilot book has the same contents as the famous TV series. It follows the TV series pretty exactly, with just minor changes.

As a fan of the cult series, I can advise the lecture of this book to all other fans heartily. If you haven't seen the TV series - why, it's a good book anyway, check it out.

For the most part I love novelizations, and "V" by A.C. Crispin, is one of the best that I have read. The writer does a great job keeping the reader the book form of a great mini-series. A MUST for any fan of the "V" series.