Buck Books

This book is well described in the other previews presented here, so I won't add to that. I did enjoy the book. I would put it in the category of "Cozy Mysteries". However, the plot is predictable and the hero is just a bit too moody for my taste. I did like the heroine for the most part. This book is in the line of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, but instead of being set in the 30's, it's set in Victorian times. Read this for simple entertainment on a rainy day with a cup of tea. If you want serious Victorian mystery, read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The characters were great. I loved the mystery! I read this book over and over again. It's definately a keeper. The characters Susannah and Nicolas are great! and Jack the Ripper is terrifying! This book is totally enjoyable!

Here is the synopsis of the book from the 1992 edition:

Lovely, orphaned Susannah discovers her aunt slaughtered on the cobblestones of London's tawdry East End. Another victim of Jack the Ripper. Then she is taken in by Nicholas Craig, a wealthy and handsome man with dark, smoldering eyes and hair black as ebony. Susannah is irresistibly drawn to this mysterious benefactor, even as he torments her with his cold indifference...or is he just hiding the growing passion he feels for his beautiful ward? But even under Nicholas's roof, Susannah is not safe. For as The Ripper stalks without, strange things begin to happen within the walls of Nine Buck's Row. First there is a glittering diamond bracelet (a calling card of The Ripper?), then a hushed conversation she overhears with Scotland Yard, and then there is Daniel Lord, that devilish rake of a boarder who openly hungers for Susannah yet skulks in the shadows whenever she is around. Only one things is certain: one of these men would fiercely love and protect her for the rest of her life. And one won't rest until he sees her dead.

I got this book as a gift and am very happy with it. I learned from it how to interpret what I was experiencing in the woods when I was after the deer.
I like how the book is visually striking and the images helped make me get into the book. The author speaks with authority and I can sense that he really wants to help hunters be more successful, whether they are after someone's idea of a trophy or a meat deer.

Based on the title, the review here, and that the fact that the author was supposed to be a meteorologist, I got this book hoping it would explain wind behavior over terrain and vegetation patterns. I read through it and wondered if I had the same book as advertised. The author started off by qualifying that he is not a trophy hunter. The text reflects that. The title should have been Meat Deer in any Weather or Weather for the Novice Hunter. So why is it called Trophy Bucks in any Weather? To sell books to suckers like me, I guess. If I had been able review this book in a book store first I would not have bought it. The information is only tangentially related to hunting difficult deer. The much anticipated chapter on wind covered thermals, wind flow around large terrain features, like mountain ranges, sea\lake wind effects and trajectories in the wind. Thermals and trajectories are covered ad nauseam everywhere and the rest are too generic to be of much use. Wind flowing through and around woods is barely mentioned despite that is where the majority of whitetails are hunted. The author is mostly an open plains hunter and his examples and experience are drawn from that.

Despite the 272 pages, it is a short read. The text is large and the pages are laden with color photos which, while pretty, are often redundant and of little use beyond filler. There are few explanatory weather diagrams. The author also goes to pains to describe how he dumbed down his explanations. That is too bad for the reader.

As I said, I used the review as part of my buying decision. I returned to it after reading the book to see where I went wrong. Only then did I notice the reviewer appears to be the author by name. I know that is my fault for not reading closely but the author should have identified himself in his opening line. Instead, he wrote it in the third person and in his mind thinks this book warrants a second and third. He praises his well written text and he is right if you like bad puns and other wince worthy lines.

This book can be used by a novice to start with. The rest of us can move on.

Hunters have no shortage of "how to" books to choose from, but this one goes way beyond what's out there. Every outdoorsman knows that weather and nature are intertwined, yet it's almost impossible to find books that specifically address the hows and whys of that relationship. Trophy Bucks in any weather is the first of its kind - a book that shows how specific weather situations influence the behavior of deer written by a broadcast meteorologist who is an avid big-game hunter himself. Hunters have known barometric pressure affects deer behavior. The author tells you how and why. Hunters have known fronts affect deer behavior, but the author goes a step beyond by explaining what kind of front impacts deer in what ways. The book also contains information about reading the signs of nature to predict coming weather, how hunters can and should protect both themselves and their gear in certain conditions, and then puts the reader in the middle of actual hunting scenarios involving various weather conditions and "quizzes" the reader on how he or she would handle them. This book is very well written and contains some pretty amazing pictures and graphics. I suspect the information it contains can be applied to other game species, but would like to see a follow up for game-bird hunters and maybe one for fishermen. This is a great book to give any big-game hunter as a gift and a "must have" for any outdoors enthusiast interested in both weather and animals.

When this game was published in 1993, most people associated "Buck Rogers" with the 80's TV series starring Gil Gerrard. A few people may have associated it with TSR's "Buck Rogers XXV" series. Buck's historic origins, however, date back to two pulp novels and a spin-off comic strip beginning in 1929. It is on this that the BR Adventure Game was based on.

Although most people in the late teen/young adult age bracket (the primary buyers of RPG's) would not have known it, the original BR was not out fighting aliens or interplanetary fascists. No, he was defending an embattled America against a world-conquering China. I can see that going over well in 1929 when "The Yellow Peril" was a staple in popular fiction, but in 1993? Didn't we renew China's status as a "most favored trading nation" that year? Frankly, in this day and age setting my players against "yellow foreign devils" (a quote from the comic strip) seems rather awkward and embarassing.

The game system is fairly simple and straightforward. There are four stats; strength, aim, brains and health. Each is given a descriptor with a ranking order; OK, good, better or best. Each level gives youm a certain number of dice for use when you make a check (OK gives you two, good gives you three, etc.). There are also skills which can be learned at basic or master levels, and experience chips you can earn in play, to give you additional dice.

The system is easy to learn and moves quickly (essential for a high action game). At the same time, however, it feels rather sparse. Plus, the descriptors way it down more than they enhance the feel. Why not just list an OK strength as "2 dice?" Sure it doesn't sound as pretty, but it's more useful.

My final analysis is this: the game system is good for simple, high action games, but not the best. I much prefer "Story Engine" (also descriptor based) or "Cartoon Action Hour." As for the setting, it may appeal to hardcore nostalgia fans or KKK members, but that's about all.

Unlike the earlier XXVc Buck Rogers game -- which threw out most of the traditional BR backstory -- The High Adventure Cliffhangers box set returns back to the pulp roots of Buck Rogers.

Set contains:
* 32-page Rule Book
* 32-page World Book
* 48 page Adventure Book
* 2 poster maps
* sheet of die-cut counters
* 10 six-sided dice
* 40 Experience Chips

Wayne Gralian
Wayne's World of Books

Guineveve Holland is definitely under her ruthless mother's thumb and is all set to not enjoy a season in London with her and her brother (Mama's favourite). She philosophically is resigned to not enjoy herself, but her situation worsens when; firstly, she begins to realize her brother is growing away into the world from her and then, secondly, Mama decides to marry her off. Guin (what an odd way to abbreviate it!)may not be to everyone's taste - those who like their heroines 'feisty' and annoyingly argumentative. She is far more a real young girl of the era, shy, retiring and especially made so by her mother's unloving snubs all through her life to date(A dreadful woman, well handled by the way.)
However, the ton are kinder than they appear and several members of it decide to take a helping hand to aid this Cinderella - principally Sir Frederick Hawkesworth.
Naturally the aforesaid becomes more entangled with the young lady more than he expects.
I very much enjoyed this story of more than just a simple romance. It was more of Guin's development from a young girl to a young woman of character. She comes to confidence and understanding.
Sir Frederick is not nearly so fully portrayed - but a well drawn gentleman nonetheless.
Well written - well done.

Gayle Buck's latest Regency romance novel is a rather old fashioned one that may not to everyone's taste, as the heroine of the piece, Miss Guineveve Holland, while she is extremely beautiful, and is slightly older than the usual teenage debutante, also happens to be a very shy and retiring young woman, totally lacking in self confidence.

Guinenvere Holland has always known that she was not her mother's favourite. And indeed Mrs. Holland seems to have reserved all her love and approval for her son (and Guineveve twin), Percival, the new Earl of Holybrooke. And Guineveve has grown used to putting the interests of both her brother and mother before her own, as well as fading into the background until she is needed to perform some task or the other. Now however, the Holland are in town for the Season, and Mrs. Holland has decided to concentrate on seeing that Guin is credibly launched into society, and to seeing that Guin makes a suitable match. The trouble is that Guin's expectations about her future does not match that of her mother's at all: Mrs. Holland, once a much sought after beauty but who (because of her own pettiness) somehow failed to make the advantageous match she so eagerly sought, has decided that Guin will fulfill her own thwarted ambitions; while Guin is not sure if she would like to be married at all. She would like nothing better than to return to the country and to spend her time riding about her brother's newly inherited estate. And then Guin meets the diplomat, Sir Frederick Hawkesworth, who kindly decides to take the shy young lady under his wing and to smooth her way in society. And suddenly London becomes a more magical place for Guin; who comes to the conclusion that she might like to be married, esp to someone as kind and as witty and as handsome as Sir Frederick. But does the kindly Sir Frederick return her regard? Or does he just view her as an object of pity, to be helped and then forgotten? Guin soon comes to the conclusion that she might have to armor her hopeful heart against Sir Frederick's charms, esp since Sir Frederick does not at all fulfill her mother's idea of a suitable parti...

I rather enjoyed "Cupid's Choice." The novel concentrates mostly on showing us how much under her mother's thumb Guin is, and on how retiring and unsure Guin is as a result of this. And because the authour does such an excellent job of arousing our sympathies on Guin's behalf, this novel really works. The authour also does a rather wonderful job of portraying exactly how selfish, unpleasant and pushing Mrs. Holland truly is, and just how little regard she has for her only daughter. The novel also focuses on how, with the help of a few good people, Guin gradually gains self confidence and poise, so that she is finally able to take her life in her own hands and act assertively on her own behalf. As such, Guin's romance with Sir Frederick does get relegated very much into the background. But this was not, in my mind, too great a detraction, as the novel was really about how Guin comes into her own. And anyway, the bits that dealt with Sir Frederick and Guin's romance were rather good and conveyed that tantalizing air of romance that the authour was aiming for.

The novel unfolded smoothly and briskly, though there were a couple of chapters toward in the end where things did bog down a little. Gayle Buck also did a wonderful job of depicting all the characters in this novel -- her portrayal of Mrs. Holland was magnificent. And while I have a suspicion that not too many readers may appreciate our heroine, Guineveve Holland, deeming her too insipid and mousy (the trend lately seems to have been for Regency heroines to be really assertive and feisty), I found Guin to be a rather refreshing change of pace. All in all, a rather fun read.

I found the book very useful for my MSc course. It is well written except for one part that I disagree with, pp27-28, where terrorists were described as "not very intelligent" and operated without a "coherent plan of action."

Terrorists are as normal as you can get [see Hendrick, C. (ed)(1987) Group Processes and Intergrouop Relations: Social Psychology of Terrorist Groups, Sage, Newbury Park, pp234-235]: everything about them is average. The fact that they have been able to carry out so many missions and have been successful in killing so many people tells us something. While risk managers may fear them or choose not to fear them, the greater fear is if we underestimate their potential.

Dr. Buck covers the subject very thoroughly. Terrorism, just like any other hazard requires thoughtful planning when an incident occurs. Planning for disasters is not new and this guide provides the reader with a step-by-step method to prepare for such an event. Many existing plans for other hazards already give jurisdictions a substantial capability to meet the challenges of a terrorism incident. This book is a must for anyone who is tasked to prepare for a terrorist incident.

Yes, it's very old, but you still have to own this, if you are going to do anything with Umbrian. Anyone enthused about Sabellic languages should burn incense to the publishings gods in thanks for this affordable reprint. Compared to the $150+ Olms reprint, this edition is dirt cheap.

...for apparently it won't be reprinted and it is the only Oscan and Umbrian grammar ever made and available on the market. I give it 3 stars because it is quite old (1930s for the second edition) and then it lacks some accuracy in the most technical aspects of its linguistic analysis.
But some may give it 5 stars because of its priceless and unique linguistic value, and witness.
And look at the price: it is more than affordable.
Concerning the content, this grammar constantly refers to Latin in a comparative and typological perspective, and analyses Oscan and Umbrian morphology, syntax, phonetics, providing precious information about the available texts and being thorough even in the analysis of Oscan and Umbrian prepositions, conjunctions, for example, which are generally eluded or little studied in many grammars written during this period.

Jack Buck: Forever a Winner

Great book about Jack Buck. A good gift for any Cardinal fan that ever listened to Jack!

Nothing but good things can be said about Jack Buck. He was one of the country's most beloved anouncers and will be remembered so. This would have received a 5 star rating if his son, Joe Buck, wasn't an author. The only reason he has a job is because of his father. Joe Buck is a pathetic excuse for an announcer and it is a shame that he can choose, at will, each Sunday game he wants to cover (usually the team with the best record, bandwagon Joe?) He has a knack for pointing out the obvious and giving absolutely no insight into game.

Journey to Honor

By James G. Buck

While I confess I know Mr. Buck, I will also confess I am not a Civil War buff nor a Military Historian fan for books. Yes, I spent many years in the Military, I paid my dues.

This book captivated me from the start, I bought it and Buck didn't send it to me. I heard he wrote it and I aggressively sought the book out It depicts the day to day of the New Jersey 23rd and General McClellan up to the point Lincoln was convinced to relieve him of command.

Buck had a wealth of knowledge to assemble and write this book. He had the diary of one Josiah Crispin, a Quaker private who served in H Company of the New Jersey Volunteers, assigned to the Army of the Potomac. Buck also had access to the partially recounted record of the 23rd. The Military hardships that abounded then are ever so commonplace in embattled Military Units of today. The "Copperheads" of that day and age are ever present when America is at war, preaching their morale breaking vile spew aimed at destroying civillian popular support for military efforts, the enemies Fifth Element.

Buck, a West Point Graduate, Class of '71, understands full well the bloodiest War in American history was not fought over the issue of Slavery, a thoroughly scurrilous plague of early America, but simply a matter of State's Rights, those Rights not enumerated to the central federal government were those of the People and the States.

Lincoln, while revered highly, broadened the scope of the central Government immensely while usurping powers the Founding Fathers intended for the People. It was the broadest expanse in history, unmatched in even today's politics.

The book, Journey to Honor, was well written, researched and thought out. I felt I was there with Crispin and his H Company of the 23rd New Jersey Volunteers. Duty, Country, but above all, honor. I highly recommend James G. Buck's first flight into Historical Fiction to any and all.

Steven A. Knutson
Retired Alaska State Trooper
Author

This is Jim Buck's first book and the fact that is it so well written is remarkable in and of itself. Even more intriguing is that Mr. Buck has unearthed a missing piece of our history. No doubt, the Civil War is a well researched and definitely well portrayed part of our heritage in both book and film. However, the history of this part of the Union Army and the war has been lost from both the official Army records and the written history of the period. Mr. Buck not only found it, but has presented it from several view points that draw the reader's interest at a very personal level. We are introduced to the 23d New Jersey Infantry Regiment as it it mustered by the New Jersey Governor. We follow a young Quaker volunteer from family to battle to death. We see the war from his enemy's point of view. We get to experience the inhumanity of war and the deep humanity of soldiers on both sides. Finally, we get to experience the confusion, fear, organization, and movement of battles that until now have been lost to us all. From a technical point of view, the reader's first impression is of a book that might be historically based, but takes liberty with the details in order to make us interested in reading what might be a dry piece of history. In fact, Mr. Buck ends the book in such a manner as to leave the reader astounded at the book's historical accuracy, especially in light of the fact that this part of history has been lost for 150 years. One need not be a Civil War buff to enjoy this book, nor need one be interested in military history. In the end, the book leaves the perceptive reader introspective and moved by a story that was very nearly lost to us all.

For a first effort at an historical novel, James Buck's Journey to Honor is a good read.

The book, based on the diary of Josiah Crispin, a member of the 23rd New Jersey Volunteers, mostly follows the life of Crispin and his buddies from when he signs up in September, 1862 to its climax at the battle of Salem Church in May of 1863.

Plagued by unqualified officers elected to their rank, the book examines the 23rds journey from a mostly ignorant mob into a disciplined and effective fighting force.

It's a painful journey. Initially believing their nine-month enlistment would be spent in garrison duty, they quickly find themselves attached to the Army of the Potomac and are caught up - untrained and poorly led -- in the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg in December, 1862.

Through Crispin's diary and Buck's research and imagination, we get a rare insight into the life of a private soldier in the early days of the Civil War. At Fredericksburg you learn what it is like to be part of a small squad of men involved in a huge conflict. Often not knowing exactly where they are, what is going on around them and not understanding what they are supposed to be doing, the "fog of war" becomes very personal.

Unlike so many accounts of the Civil War, Journey to Honor is very much a soldier's story. You get a good feel for what it was like to be a Union ground ponder at a time when disease was more deadly than combat, and the Army of the Potomac was being humiliated by the Army of Northern Virginia. The reader gets a glimpse of the close friendships that are built, the rough teasing, the heartbreaking sorrow when comrades are either killed or succumb to typhoid, dysentery, cold or primitive medical treatment.

Buck, a West Point graduate himself, gives a vivid account of the horrible winter of 1862, '63, one of the worst known, when the men were living in barely habitable huts that often were awash in water and infested with vermin. And the amazing ability of the common soldier to find something to joke about in even the worst conditions.

But he also shows how, slowly, the Union commanders learned how to deal with its army: discipline tempered by caring; officers who worked to build their soldiers' pride and earn their trust. You see the transformation of a rabble into fighting force.

There, too, is the story of how the army's medical corps began to deal with the problems of terrible hygiene, poor food and, sometimes, indifferent officers.

And you also get to see the maturing of a new author. In the beginning, when dealing almost exclusively with information from Crispin's diary, you get the feeling that something is missing, that you are not quite connecting with the characters. But as the book progresses, and Buck begins to expand his sources and research, the book becomes much more satisfying.

This book is well worth a look by anyone interested in Civil War history.

An awesome (literally) book. Twisted in the best sense of the word. Must have been a real challenge to write and illustrate a book kids and adults could enjoy without going all cutesy and Disney. I happen to know that kissing bugs, also known as assassin bugs, are not cute or cuddly. But this only makes the book's central ideas and story line -- which I won't give away here -- even more interesting. This book, both the words and the art, will stay in my head a very long time. I hope Mr. Buck and Mr. Harris team up again for more bizarro lit adventures.

The cover of The Kissing Bug states that it is "a children's story by Daniel Scott Buck," but this book has much to offer adults, like me, who enjoy the freedom and playfulness that children's literature allows. But this book is dark--there is blood and death. It is also quirky and fun. It's a mix that can be disconcerting, but in a satisfying, alluring way.

The central character is an insect named Kristopher the Conenose Kissing Bug, categorized by the author as a bohemian--he is an artist driven by the urge to create. He also has a crush on a human female. No, Kristopher doesn't follow the rules, but what exactly is acceptable behavior for Kissing Bugs? That's something the book explores. Is war acceptable? Does it depend on the circumstances? Kristopher seems to be swept up in circumstances beyond his control as the book takes a series of dark turns.

The writing style is simple, like a children's book, but that is not a weakness. I enjoyed reading it. I also enjoyed the artwork of Evan Benjamin Harris, who did the cover, and whose drawings are featured throughout the book.

I recommend it for children and adults who still enjoy their Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton.

The Mash & Smash cookbook is a favorite in our household! We've been trying to change our family's eating habits to eating more from scratch, wholesome food, and this cookbook fits in nicely with this. We find that the recipes don't usually call for a lot of refined, highly processed foods as do many children's cookbooks. We think this book is very well-written and the directions are clear and easy-to-understand. I love the way each recipe not only lists the ingredients they will need, but also the tools to get ready. It even lists adult helper in the tool list if one will be needed for the stove or oven. The recipes are rated one hand if they are easy & need no adult help. They are rated two hands if they are a bit harder and you might want an adult around to help out if you are a beginning cook. Recipes with three hands are the ones that require adult help. The introduction of the book even suggests to ask an adult for permission to use the kitchen first (which I really appreciate). It also gives a few basic tips to start out with, such as clearing and wiping your work space, washing your hands, reading the safety rules, reading through the recipe before beginning, gathering ingredients and tools, and following the steps of the recipe in order. Finally, it says to be sure to clean the kitchen when you are done. There are tips given to create your own mash & smash recipes, safety rules, and a basic ingredient list of the types of things to have on hand for the recipes (mostly things our family has anyway). There is a glossary of tools that lists the basic tools used in the book, and explains what they are and why you might want to use them. There are explanations for a few basic skills such as cracking eggs, cutting, draining beans, grating & shredding, greasing pans, measuring dry or wet ingredients, peeling, etc. There is also a handy measurements conversion chart.
The book chapters include:
1. Breakfast Bites
2. Goodwiches
3. Sips, Dips and Crisps
4. Side Dish Funnies
5. Supper Stuff
6. Sweet Treats and Freezer Pleasers
There are tips and facts placed in the sidebars scattered throughout the book as well.
My 8-year-old daughter & I both give this cookbook two thumbs up! We also have the Rachel Ray cookbook for kids, but find it much harder to use and often has a lot of ingredients we aren't likely to have on hand. For it's simplicity and ease of use, we definitely prefer to Mash & Smash.

Kids love to try new things, and they love to use their hands. But with cooking, many recipes require a sharp knife. Not so in the Mash & Smash Cookbook! All of the recipes insist that kids use their hands and either squish or shake the ingredients to blend together.

I love to pick up quirky cookbooks from my local library, and some of my favorites include recipes that I can try with my 2 boys. Cooking with kids is fun, and it is even more fun for them when they can become active participants in something as cool as smashing food!

The book offers cute illustrations, but no color pictures. It is also in a paperback format, with no spiral binding...a must for any cookbook in my house.

Included are such yummy recipes as: Wake Up Shake Up (a smoothie type beverage), Honey Cream Cheese Squeeze, French Fingers (French toast), Grandma Jo's Granola, Pizza Stuffers, Green Monster Mash, and Smash and Squish Spaghetti Sauce.

Enjoy!