Byrne Books

"See Them Die" is pretty much why people read Ed McBain, a gripping, taut suspense yarn leavened by the odd moment of wit or insight to the human condition, and an array of characters, some recurring in other McBain novels, others here for only the one time.

Forget mystery; as the title says we are to witness to a couple of killings. We don't know who, only that we are getting a God's-eye view of a city neighborhood one Sunday in July, as police surround a tenement building where a killer named Pepe Miranda is holed up. The usual gang of detectives from the 87th Precinct is here, less in evidence than usual except for the most bull-headed bull, bad apple Andy Parker.

A big reason for McBain setting up the story so is to give us a close-up view of Isola's Hispanic community, who harbor mixed feelings about Miranda. Most see him as a killer, but many can't deny a certain sympathy for a fellow Latino up against the system. Given the novel was written in 1960, McBain demonstrates forward-thinking in addressing the problem of racism beyond the more obvious issue of blacks and whites. At times he comes off a little shrill as various Hispanic characters have assorted epiphanies about the wrongness of crime, but he individualizes the conflicts to each character and examines the difficulty of upholding community standards when you are perceived by some as part of the problem based on the color of your skin.

McBain draws you long before the shootout itself, with an extended scene in a coffee shop with a group of disparate characters, including the bigoted Parker, a Hispanic detective named Frankie Hernandez, the shop's law-abiding owner, a sailor looking for a good time, a girl who might offer him considerably more, and a gang of aspiring street hoods, some of whom are more foul than others. Words always fly more excitingly than bullets in a McBain novel, and they do here:

"This neighborhood ain't for clean-cut kids."

"Who's clean-cut?"

"You're liable to be, if you don't take my advice. From ear to ear."

People take turns offending each other, offering opinions, and moving the novel's focus into many odd alleys that hardly help the central focus but give you that feeling, familiar to 87th Precinct readers, of being in a real city rather than turning the pages of a book.

Like many early McBains, "See Them Die" has a simplistic plot, and there are odd bum notes here and there. The Hispanic characters all talk to each other in badly-accented English for some reason, and we learn that the police have come for Miranda with hand grenades and flamethrowers (!), an odd lapse for the world's leading police proceduralist to make. But like so many other of his books, you keep reading, and getting something unique on every page, an world-weary observation about society or nature or a bell-ringing insight into what makes a character tick. "See Them Die" makes for a solid addition to a terrific series.

This is the thirtenth book I have read by EdMcBain and I think I have given all of them a five. He is a very good writer. This book is about so much. It is about Pepe Miranda, a hoodlum, who is holed up in a apartment and the police are trying to get him out. It is about Zip, a young man who so wants to be the leader of a gang but in the end finds that at least part of his gang is not more. It is about a very good policeman that is no longer with them. It is about a salior on leave and China, the girl he thinks is so pretty. It is about the people of that section and the hard life they live. The whole book takes place in part of one day in the lives of these people. The family of policeman of the 87th Preinct are involved, some good, some not so good. The book will hold your attention. You will feel like you are there and can related to some of these people. A good, short read.

The writing's still a bit purple, but finally we see a glimpse of the McBain to come--the McBain that knows what a mystery is and knows how to show it to us rather than tell it to us. The set-up on this book is simple--in the first chapter, McBain tells us that two people are going die this day. From then on, character after character, and situation after situation, is introduced, and everytime you think, "ah-ha! here's the one that's going to die," McBain pulls the rug out and disaster is averted. Or, when someone gets shot and you think, "no, this isn't the person to die, can't be," well, you're wrong. There really isn't a mystery per se here, but there is a quite a bit of tension and surprise. Also, McBain kills off a repeating character in such an unexpected manner, showing you the difference between his series and those of other mystery writers. For other writers, the characters are king. Pick up any Nero Wolfe novel, and you know that Nero, Archie, Fritz, Saul and Inspector Cramer will be there. Not so with McBain. His character is the 87th Precinct, and no matter who the cops and villains are, it is the city and the precinct that will be there.

Aine O'Conner manage to capture the cadences of the various actors very well. While reading the text, I could almost hear the men speaking their words. I suspect that she didn't edit the tapes very much, save for verbal pauses (the usual "uhs" and "you knows") and for length. Ms. O'Conner also included several photographs (many were candid) that were sprinkled throughout the various sections.

While Ms. O'Conner asked many insightful questions, she didn't follow through on many. Indeed, at times I was a little disappointed that she failed to follow up on specific points; however, that point is trivial compared to the overall effort of the book.

If you are a fan of any or all of the actors listed, or simply are curious to see how contemporary Irish actors are dealing with the joys and disappointments of Hollywood, then you should enjoy this book.

_Hollywood Irish_ is a fantastic collection of interviews and photographs of six handsome and talented actors: Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Pierce Brosnan, Aidan Quinn and Patrick Bergin. The simple introduction provided by Áine O'Connor sets the mood for the rest of the book well. As she mentions, the interviews do reveal insightful, private information: "Liam Neeson reveals how he considered leaving acting and how he found the confidence to continue; Pierce Brosnan, simply and openly, shares the painful story of his wife Cassie's death; Stephen Rea discusses the relationship between acting and politics; Aidan Quinn talks about the Irish identity and its many paradoxes; Patrick Bergin reveals the temptations of an actor's life and the difficulties of doing love scenes; Gabriel Byrne tells us about the risks and illusions that surround fame." In a nutshell, that's the book. Each actor discusses his beginnings, both in life and as an actor. Each discusses, in some capacity, how being Irish has impacted him. Each actor's profile comes with several b/w photos from childhood, movies and family collections. At the end, one can find each actor's filmography. The only complaint I would have regarding the book is that the material is dated (only current to 1997) and I wish an updated version could be compiled. That criticism aside, though, this is certainly a title worth owning.

This book provides a facinating, indepth journey into the lives of six very capable and successful actors. Many humourous and sometimes tradgic tales of life in Ireland and struggles to make a name for themselves there and in America. Each actor tells of personal hardships that they have battled throughout their lives and how they have created such prominent status in today's Hollywood scene. Each story is spoken first hand which adds to the richness of these beautiful retold memories. This book provides a greater sense of who these men are by recalling tales from childhood, adolecence and adulthood which explain their journeys to becoming the great actors they are.

The authors took a unique "marketing approach" to enterprise security. I believe it is correct in theory, yet difficult in practice. The reason: unless security is at a "strategic" position in your company/industry (that is, doing security good will let you beat competitor ...), you can't get users' attention! And a marketing campaign with little attention can't get you anywhere.

The security of a business is truly dependent on everyone, from the head of the organization down to the cleaners. While many, if not most, people are focusing on the security of the IT department against external threats, certainly with justification, many of the security breaches do not involve external attacks. The published statistics vary as to the actual percentages, but they are consistent in claiming that a large percentage, if not the majority, of IT security problems are of internal origin. Furthermore, there is a great deal of dumpster diving that takes place between organizations. Millions of dollars spent on securing the computer system can be wasted if someone drops key information in a garbage can to be picked up and used by a competitor.
With all of these problems, the only way that an organization can keep its secrets is to adopt a policy that applies to all employees and is well-defined, effective and rigidly enforced. The authors of this book set down such a policy, with varying levels of restrictions, depending on the quality of the information. Many of the steps they use in constructing a security policy are similar to those used to build software:

* Organize security by resource and domains, which is similar to the segmentation of tasks in software.
* Complete the baseline security analysis, which is similar to the determination of the market for the software.
* Complete the requirements, which is equivalent to the definition of the software specifications.
* Identify gaps and prioritize needs, which is equivalent to setting priorities on software features.
* Selecting and planning the projects, which is equivalent to setting down the software life cycle plan.
* Security technologies, which is similar to determining what tools to use in the software construction.
* Security follow-up projects, which is equivalent to doing a software post-mortem.

Chapters that describe two case histories, role-based authorization, single sign-on access restriction, and preparing the organization for security are also included. The authors point out that security is a state of mind and not simply of those that are paranoid. There are a lot of unscrupulous people in the world and we must all do everything that is sensibly possible to protect the property of our organizations. This will only continue to become more of an issue as the assets of businesses become more and more informational rather than structural.
This book is one that all managers should read. It explains in detail the reasons for a security policy and how to implement an effective one without alienating the employees and customers.

Of all the security books I've read this one stands out as the best for two reasons: (1) it lays out what is needed and the steps to take to develop an enterprise security policy in a clear, logical sequence, and (2) there no gaps in the proposed process. Indeed, it appears that the authors had 'due diligence' as their foremost principle when they wrote this book. In addition their experience is evident by the way they approach the subject and tie it together.

The approach is straightforward: initiate, assess, gather requirements, perform a gap analysis, develop a baseline and implement. What makes the approach unique is the 'divide and conquer technique that partitions the business into security domains. This has benefits beyond decomposing the complexities of enterprise security into manageable pieces - it can also be linked into enterprise problem management and business continuity planning processes because you're forced to examine your resources and systems, and to prioritize them according to their criticality. I also liked the discussion of policies, which discussed the merits of identity-based and role-based approaches, and included excellent advice on policy auditing. One strong point about this section was the treatment of finding documented *and* undocumented policies. This material is applicable to anyone who is involved in policies and procedures development, regardless of whether or not it's related to security. I also especially liked the chapter on trust modeling. This is one area where I learned much from the book.

I've only touched upon key elements of this book. A review of the table of contents will reveal that it's complete and filled with case studies and important discussions of technologies that can be employed to create an effective enterprise security posture. This book is obviously applicable to security specialists, but is also useful to business continuity planners, service delivery practitioners and service providers. It is, to date, the best book on security from among the 20 I've read, that I've come across. It's also a complete recipe for a successful development and implementation of enterprise security policies, processes and procedures.

Fone, Byrne R.S. editor. "The Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature".
Columbia University Press, 1988.

Something for Everyone

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

In a single volume we have a taste of gay literature, from Ovid to the present day. In other words, "The Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature" has a smattering of everything written by us and about us. It is a great book for the beginner and a wonderful resource for all of us. In includes poetry, drama, non fiction prose, essays, biography. It has articles on love, on friendship, on intimacy and desire and on man-man sex.
This is one book that will never bore you and it includes many items not usually included in the canon of gay literature. Even those of us that read gay literature on a regular basis will find some surprises here. Exclusively male, it covers the entire span of literature, every genre, every major gay author is included and the selections were chosen with care and obviously love and respect. It's a hefty volume at close to a thousand pages and a bargain at the price of about $30.
Dr. Bryne R.S. Fone has don e an admirable job in assembling this book and he has reason to be proud. He, himself, is no stranger to gay literature being professor emeritus of English literature at City College of New York.
Organized chronologically it not only presents the literature but it interprets it as well. Divided into sections, there is an introduction at the beginning which explains how the selections fit into the scope of gay history and culture. It is extensive and adequately covers the entire gay writing experience and I found it so interesting that no matter the age or the language, we have always loved and that love has always been expressed in the literature of the period.
This was no easy task, assembling a book like this but the selections have been meticulously chosen and assembled in a way that the book flows from period to period, from selection to selection. Beginning with part one "Inventing Eros" we get a chance to see how men loved in ancient times. The texts come from such places as Mesopotamia, the Old Testament and quite naturally from Greece and Rome. Moving forward we learn of sodomy as depicted in ancient texts in the section entitled. "Inventing Sodom". From romantic friendship between men to more serious affairs of the heart, we get insight about the nature of masculine desire. Moving along the chronological timeline, we cross the spectrum of time dealing with Europe and Asia and enter the brave new world of America and not an author nor an era is left untouched and not included.
This is a monumental work and it is a tribute to men writing about men and should be part of every gay man's personal library.
I thought I would spend a little time telling you about the modern age but I am not discounting what came before. After all, there would be no modern age of literature, it there had not been those writing prior to it.
In the section entitled "Out There; American Literature from 1969', the selections are included in sections such as "Becoming Gay" and include "Questions" and "Answers" but also "Celebrations". "Politics", "Grieving" and "Surviving" with selections from authors such as Andrew Holleran, James Baldwin, and Edmund White--names familiar to Literary Pride members.
What a wonderful and welcome addition we have with this incredible book. I am so glad to have it and whenever I want to read something about us, I can just pick it up and find something of relevance. That is a blessing in itself.

This is a readable and interesting book not only for westerner but also for us Japanese. However I would like to read much more on Greek and Latin literatures. And next time more comprehensive volume including Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Persian and Arabic anthologies I hope to read.

In addition, the editor didn't understand the Greek language well, since he erroneously thought that " Amores " of Lucianos(p.23-24) is different work from " Affairs of the Heart " of (Pseudo)Lucianos(p.49-).

This book is a newer version of the one I had someone in Glasgow send me years ago. I bought it for my Uncle's birthday as he was born there. I thought I'd get him his own. It's got a lot of newer terminology for the Glaswegian langauge/slang that I have heard about for years. While it does contain some of the old school terms, it's mostly new-speak. Good fun to read, but it would be really good to have a lot of the older stuff there that I have been using my whole life on my friends and colleagues. I could actually point to a reputable reference to show them what it means!

Having Celtic ancestors, I'm always interesting in things Scotch/Irish, especially humor and THE COMPLETE PATTER has some hearty chuckles within. It's a dictionary of the common street language, slang and everyday lingo you'd heard in Glasgow, etc. Some of it is bawdy, some of it is pretty insulting, but it's all part of the culture. It's akin to HOW TO SPEAK SOUTHERN a little booklet that was published many years ago, poking fun at Southern dialect and manners (or lack thereof) Each chapter is headed with a cartoon in the same vein as Terry Gilliam's work in Monty Python. So if you want to know what an "oyster" is or the meaning of a "sanny" browse though the COMPLETE PATTER. Just don't forget to turn "oot" the lights when your done.

I have not had much experience with SQL Server (as an administrator). Also I was not aware of some tricks defined in this book. Moreover I learnt about the various fancy joins and how to use them.

GOOD book for beginners to intermediate readers!!

This all-in-one multimedia training course is all you need to pass Microsoft's SQL Server 7 exam 70-028. Includes the browser-based "SQL Server 7 Multimedia Cyber Classroom"--over 100 digital videos and over two hours of expert audio demonstrating hundreds of key procedures; the bestselling book "MCSE: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 7"--a complete expert tutorial; and coverage of SQL Server 7 installation, configuration, security, logical structures and more. But I still think that u should read other books as well in order to gain more knowledge because the more books u read the more knowledge u gain, give it try. I am giving it four stars because not a single can be complete u have to take a look to others too.

A comprehensive examination of the factors leading up to the civil war, the war itself, and the negotiated peace. Byrne provides an unbiased view that concentrates on both the political and military strategies adopted by the Salvadoran government and by the FMLN. Additionally, the extent to which other actors influence the course of the war, such as the Catholic Church and the U.S. government is examined. Overall an excellent account.

Based on more than 12.000 declassified U.S. documents, documents of the FMLN insurgents, and interviews with leading participants in the Salvadoran civil war (1980-1992), Hugh Byrne provides the reader with solid and very interesting information about the conflict that cost between 75.000 and 100.000 lives. Citing CIA cables, he displays the role of the United States in prolonging the war, but also shows how the US changed its policy in favor of a negotiated settlement when Bush replaced Reagan as president. It is also one of very few books that doesn't treat the FMLN as a unitary actor, but distinguishes between the 5 guerrilla groups and their respective origins and strategies. Having read some dozen books on the Salvadoran conflict, this book is highly recommended. The reader interested in detailed information on the role of the UN as mediator/peacemaker, however, should read other books, such as "Negotiating Peace in El Salvador" by Tricia Juhn, "Keeping the Peace" edited by Doyle/Johnstone/Orr or read the first hand account of Mr. Alvaro de Soto himself, chief UN negotiator and personal representative of the UN's Secretary General, in "Herding Cats" (1999).

John Byrne breathes new life into the Fantastic Four by replacing Thing with She-Hulk. With great, highly classic stories in the previous paperback, it's time to take the team in new directions.

We begin with a story called "Masque of Doom", which proves that even though Dr. Doom has been killed like 86 times in Marvel comics (I'm exaggerating slightly), he never really, truly stays dead. Next is the wedding of Black Bolt & Medusa, which seems included because Byrne has done stories with the Inhumans in previous issues. Byrne takes the team into new directions beginning with issues 269 & 270- introducing the giant new menace called Terminus. It's a visually appealing (in my opinion) 2-issue conflict. This is followed by a deliberately Kirby-esque blast from the past in issue 271.

The new direction continues with "Cowboys & Idioms" in issue 272. It's the first issue in yet another 2-part story, which Byrne has been using with great effect, that blends past, present & future, involving Reed's actual dad(!). Issues 274 & 275 are inked by Al Gordon, which officially indicates an artistic transition in this series, as Byrne had inked himself up to this point. It seems Byrne needed to lighten his workload a bit, since he had been penciling & inking both Fantastic Four & Alpha Flight every month for a little while now. Al Gordon's interesting inks are only seen on these two issues; the next paperback introduces Jerry Ordway as the regular inker on the series.

My favorite issue here is 275, which pits She-Hulk vs. a very sleazy, skin-mag publisher. Yes, this issue is creative & famous: It's yet another reason why Byrne's run is often considered second only to Lee & Kirby. Interestingly, it also kind of serves as an unwitting preview to Byrne's quirky & fun run on She-Hulk in the late eigthies/early nineties. John Byrne & She-Hulk make an excellent team!

Included in this volume:
*Issue #268- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Annual #18- John Byrne plots; Mark Bright pencils; Mike Gustovich inks
*Issue #269- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Issue #270- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Issue #271- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Issue #272- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Issue #273- John Byrne writes, pencils & inks
*Thing #19- John Byrne writes; Ron Wilson breakdowns; Mike Gustovich finishes
*Issue #274- John Byrne writes & pencils; Al Gordon inks
*Issue #275- John Byrne writes & pencils; Al Gordon inks... my favorite here

Great stories from a time when comic book storytelling was very different. My only complaint is the two stories that do not feature Byrne's art. There is such a strong and sudden shift that it is jarring but this is part of a complete run of FF and to leave it out would not tell the whole story. Kind of wish Marvel and Bryne would put aside their issues and we could see new Byrne art for the covers of these collections!

3-1/2 stars. I consider volumes 3, 6 & 7 in this series to be about average to slightly above average in quality. In volume 6, Jerry Ordway takes over on inks to lighten Byrne's FF/ Alpha Flight workload. Really, I'm a *huge* Byrne fan, but this Byrne-Ordway team-up just didn't really work for me. They're both well-respected professionals; I just didn't think they were a great artistic match. The visuals in this paperback seem a little bit flat & uninspired- at least when compared to Byrne's earlier work. Even the colors leave a bit to be desired...

I guess it's the writing that saves the day- it's interesting to say the least. I don't know what got into Byrne here, but here's a sample of what you'll get in this, one of the thickest editions in this series: Mephisto & Doctor Strange; eternal torment; a Ben-Johnny-Alicia conflict; the origin of Dr. Doom; the topic of explicit racial conflict & hate; the destruction of the Baxter building; a hate-filled kid; the Hate-Monger; Malice the mistress of hate; the Psycho-Man; Daredevil- the man without fear (issue 281); the Scourge (Secret Wars II #2); and the general topic of vengeance. Yikes!

The Invisible Girl becoming the Invisible Woman is the overall issue here. This might be my least favorite volume in the series, and it's definitely *not* for kids. Thankfully, the Secret Wars II issue brings us Spider-Man, Power Man & Iron Fist, and some much needed comedy relief. I'm probably not the only person who felt Byrne & Ordway weren't the best combination. In the 1st issue we see, "...And introducing the inking wizardry of Jerry Ordway!!!". In the last issue we see, "...And welcome back to Al Gordon inker". I far prefer Byrne-Gordon to Byrne-Ordway, but I think it's best when Byrne inks himself. I have nicer things to say about Ordway in volume 8.

Included in this volume:
*Issue #276- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #277- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Thing #23- Ron Wilson breakdowns; Bob Layton inks
*Issue #278- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #279- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #280- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #281- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Secret Wars II #2- Jim Shooter writes; Al Milgrom pencils; Leialoha & Rubinstein inks
*Issue #282- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #283- John Byrne writes & pencils; Jerry Ordway inks
*Issue #284- John Byrne writes & pencils; Al Gordon inks

I was introduced to the Fantastic Four via Marvel's Greatest Comics no. 36, back in the early 1970's; it reprinted the second part of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's introduction of Galactus and the Silver Surfer. I was pretty young at the time and didn't know Kirby from apple butter, but later I learned of the legend of Jack "The King" Kirby and appreciated his and Stan Lee's work on the FF even more. John Byrne's run is considered by many to be second only to the Lee and Kirby run, and this installment in the trade paperback reprinting of his 1980's work on the series sees him firing on all thrusters. This book will make you love the She-Hulk, and it contains the exemplary story of Franklin Richards (Reed and Sue's son) fighting Mephisto, the Lord of the Underworld. Not to be missed.

This is the first book I ever read by this author.I loved it the minute I read it.You have a dashing rake named Phillip but he is not one of those nice rakes.No this Earl is rotten or is he? In the end because of a strong minded Jane who never had people trully care for her, Phillip shows his true color.It takes a lot of curage and things go from bad to worse but everyone pulls through.A wonderful book with great characters and nasty vilons.A must read!
I am most defenitly reading her other books!!!

Marcus Benedict Rothwell, Seventh Earl of Hawkbridge, was distressed by his sister's letter informing him of a series of family mishaps; the news that his grandmama had yet again taken under her wing some impecunious person who may well be a sponger bent on taking advantage of the old lady's generosity and good-heartedness certainly did not help, either. Marcus thus went immediately to Hawkbridge Manor in Devon to eject the widowed Mrs. Amaris (Amy) Chantry who was now companion and latest protégée of his grandmama.

After one glimpse of the surprisingly young and innocent-looking Amy, Marcus was a goner. He felt an immediate attraction to her, and she him. But Marcus, sensing that Amy was not who she claimed to be, was determined to find out her true identity while Amy, haunted by a sordid past, was equally determined not to let anyone disturb her new-found peaceful existence...What exactly was Amy's secret? Can these two find love despite their mistrustfulness of each other?

I enjoy Julia Byrne's writing style very much: her prose is elegant and apropos of the time period of the story. The ensemble of characters, although mostly run-of-the-mill, does offer a few nice surprises. The Dowager Lady Hawkbridge, for one, is endearing and refreshingly hilarious--I enjoy every scene in which she makes an appearance. The same can't be said of the hero and heroine, however. While likeable, they seem a little bland and hard for me to warm up to. And the plot is somewhat threadbare; there's not that much happening in the story. That being said, AN INDEPENDENT LADY is still a solid Regency romance whose well-executed and not-so-tame (according to traditional Regency standards)love scene will leave you breathless.