Carter Books

The most evil mobsters in this book are:

Joseph Bonanno
Al Capone
Paul Castellano
Frank Costello
Carlo Gambino
Vito Genovese
Sam Giancana
John Gotti
Sammy Gravano
Meyer Lansky
Lucky Luciano
George Moran
Dean O'Banion
Dutch Schultz
Bugsy Siegel

This is without any doubt the best book in the 'Most evil ...' series there is. It's hard to put down, because of all the new facts (new to me anyway). It gives a great insight into the lives of some of the most cold-blooded, murderous mobsters. 5 star +

Could not put this book down after I picked it up. Awesome and eye-opening. Would very much like to speak with the author

One of the most wonderful books highlighting places of interest in my home state of MS.

Miller and Carter have once again produced a magnificent melding of words and images. This is a classic work that transcends interest in a single state and a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in Southern or architectural history. I don't live in Mississippi, but this book will be on my gift list for many friends across the country.

This book literally got me through the three weeks between my diagnosis and surgery. Dr. Joseph is a caring, intelligent woman whose personal experience and ability to articulate it are extraordinary. She covers standard and alternative therapies in a non-threatening and easy to understand way. The story of her spritual journey was remarkable.

This books is more than about breast cancer. It deals with working with doctors, emotional wellbeing and nutrition. It is how every woman should treat herself all the time, not just when faced with a life threateing disease. Very informative and easy to understand

OFFSPRING OF EMPIRE is, in one aspect, history of a powerful landlord family, Kochang Kims, their interactions with Japanese colonial authorities and the active role they played in the growth of textile and other industries throughout 20th century Korea. More broadly and importantly, it is a rigorous and insightful analysis of the emergence of industrial capitalism in Korea. When it was initially published, the book received criticism from Korean scholars for challenging the then-dominant model of the nationalist scholarship; "sprout theory," or the notion that indigenous sprouts of industrial capitalism were nipped by the colonial exploitation by the Japanese. Recently, however, nationalist scholarship has come under attack by a new generation of Korean historians. Much of the nationalist criticism -- including the claim that the book "rationalizes" Japanese colonial rule -- were operating under the (unstated) assumption that economic development was an unquestioned good, and since the Japanese colonial rule was evil, it could not possibly have helped Korean economic development. Some young Korean historians are now seriously questioning this assumption. Economic development , in either colonial or postcolonial Korea, no longer appears to be an unquestioned good, given its gross human rights violations, environmental destruction and other negative legacies. (North Korea in its way had to deal with the legacy of colonialism -- it can be seen as a nation where nationalism, emerged as an oppositional ideology to the Japanese colonial rule, has been elevated to the level of religious credo. The result of this, as we all can plainly see, has been disastrous to the basic human dignity of North Koreans) The evidence for continuties between colonial and postcolonial regimes is too numerous and obvious to be brushed aside. The fact that there was economic development under the colonial rule by no means justifies or excuses the Japanese domination, an act of profound disregard and contempt for the people of Korea. Acknowledging this fact simply opens the way for raising more questions and topics to be investigated about the nature of Japanese colonialism. The critical attitude of many young Korean historians indicates, indeed, that one of the most important negative legacies of Japanese colonialism, i.e. absolutist, unyielding allegiance to nationalism, (which so often breaks down into the "blood is thicker than water" variety of ethnic chauvinism) is becoming the thing of the past. Read OFFSPRING if you are interested in modern Korean history, modern Japanese history and East Asian economic development, and make up your own mind.

OFFSPRING OF EMPIRE: THE KOCH"ANG KIMS AND THE COLONIAL ORIGINS OF KOREAN CAPITALISM 1876-1945 is a detailed economic, historical, and biographical polemic about the origins of capitalism in Korea. The author argues, that Japanese "(c)olonialism...for better or worse...was the catalyst and cradle of industrial development in Korea...". Using the example of two brothers, Kim Songsu and Kim Yonsu, Eckart reveals a rough portrait of middle-class life in pre-and-Occupation-era Korea. Wading through economic statistics, newspaper clippings, boardroom minutes, and interviews, the author also contends against nationalistic, whether South Korean ("sprouts theory") or North Korean, theories of Korean development. What remains is the disturbing thought, that the glue holding nationalism together on the Korean peninsula, is morally bankrupt.

Although this book was published originally in 1991 (reprinted in 1997), the full effect of the events it describes are still unfolding. Relations between the two Koreas, and both Koreas' relations with foreign nations, particularly Japan, China, Russia, and the United States, are complicated by questions from just this period of history. Where is Korea? Who are the Koreans? Both these basic questions continue to unnerve Koreans as they try to locate themselves in the larger world outside Asia. Eckart's argument undermines the Korean argument, that Koreans were developing into a modern nation just like any western nation. He also undermines the role of Koreans in the capitalist development of their own country. He even, by questioning the origins of Park Chung Hee's inspiration for developing South Korea after the Occupation, undermines all of Korea's development efforts. One is left with the disturbing thought, that Korea, as the average Korean loves to say, is the land of one racial group, a theory fraught with serious moral implications.

Eckart's argument also frustrates the search for an alternative to authoritarian development by a strong government, whether colonialist or Park-esque. Its as if the Americans had crowned Washington after all, instead of devising an original alternative to the despotism the revolutionaries had just defeated. As Korea stumbles through reform with a president highly unpopular and limited by constitutional restrictions, these thoughts,this book raises,take on more urgency.

ONCE UPON A CHILD INSPIRES PARENTS TO FIND AND RECORD THE GREATNESS,GRANDNESS, AND GOODNESS IN US ALL. ONCE RECORDED, REVIEWED AND REMEMBERED, IT MAKES US EVER BETTER. THIS BOOK HELPS EACH OF US TO LEAD A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE. PLEASE READ IT AND USE IT, AND GET THREE FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME. MARK VICTOR HANSEN AUTHOR OF CHICKEN SOUP SERIES

You think you'll remember all the special, wonderful things your children say, but you won't. My oldest child has only been talking for 1 1/2 years, and when I go back and read some of the things he has said, I laugh, I'm amazed, and I want to cry! And I can only imagine how much enjoyment he'll get out of it when he's grown. It's a wonderful keepsake book to have for each of your children.

This book is a must for any Christian library, A. A. Hodge lays out in wonderful and understandable form a systematic thinking toward God. Each chapter broke down into understandable and easy to comprehend form. From chapter 1 "Christian theology; its several branches; and their relation to other departments of human knowledge." To chapter 43 "the Lord's supper" Mr. Hodge brings theology to life. A must in my opinion for any pastor, teacher or individual who wants to further their knowledge of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The explanation of Angels and the rise and fall of Satan are well explained.

This is THE definitive book on Reformed Presbyterian theology. Hodge is strong not only in what he explains, but also how he explains it. Each section is divided into questions, as if someone was interviewing Hodge. He then answers each question in a very logical, ordered manner, giving the reader a very clear perception of each particular concept. Hodge leaves nothing uncovered, but rather touches on a very wide spectrum of Reformed theology, and every time his argument is succinct and backed with scripture. Everyone interested in theology, clergy or lay-person, should read this book to gain a deeper understanding of what the Reformed persuasion believes and why.

I think 'can this couple be saved' says it all. Laurel and Elaine have been together 4 years but it might as well have been 4 months. Neither knows how to communicate with the other. They both love each other but are unable to express it or express their unhappiness. Laurel has completely shut Elaine off from her life and rebuffs any attempt by Elaine to get closer. They both are passively letting the relationship end. It really was interesting to me to see where the story would take us. As always with this author the book is very well written and is a complete page turner that you could easily not put down until the last page.

Don't miss my favorite from this author "When Love Finds a Home"

Two women, loving partners who have entwined their lives, can lose everything if they don't communicate. That's what happens to Laurel Becker and Elaine Alexander after a series of miscommunications and erroneous assumptions drive them apart.

Laurel is driving herself crazy trying to keep her late lover Chris' bookstore from bankruptcy. She spends every free moment either at the store or working for the store. Her current partner, Elaine, is at her wit's end. She wants to help ease Laurel's burden, but Laurel is too proud to accept that help. Leaning on the shoulders of their friends and coworkers, both women spend all their time either worried about or angry with the other. The final straw is when they begin to suspect each other of cheating.

Laurel kicks Elaine out, closes the store, and goes somewhere to think. In the meantime, Elaine is worried sick about Laurel and searches frantically for her. When they reunite, things are chilly between them. Will true love and patience prevail over the memory of a dead woman?

This is a good story and is certainly not "formula." It's the story of two women who haven't been unfaithful, but appear to have been because of a communication gap. If only they had talked rationally... However, we all have "if onlys" in our lives.

If you have never stumbled across the writings of Octavius Winslow, you don't know the treasure that awaits your discovery. This particular work, "The Precious Things of God" is one of his finest! Although written in older language, the words will come alive to every modern heart. When you read this book, you feel as though Winslow is sitting beside you, pleading the very precious truths and real promises of God. He is constantly reminding the Christian of his/her secured relationship with God because of the righteousness of Christ. The volume is packed with theological insight, while written in a pastoral or devotional style that makes for easy reading. (Once a few pages have been read, one grows accustomed to the 19th century flow of argument) I highly recommend the book to a person undergoing a season of trial or hardship. The words on every page help lift sullen eyes to see all things with a true spiritual perception. This is an amazing work!!!

Written in a style reminding one of the puritans whose hearts were aflame with love for God. Who really appreciated the Things of God and could see with a spiritual eye what the natural man will never see. This book has also been of great benefit to me as an outline in several bible studies. Visit http://members.tripod.com/litsixdays to see chapter nine of this book and five bible studies borrowing from Winslow's outline.

William Carter's extraordinary, exhaustive history of Preservation Hall is a love letter not only to New Orleans' venerable rebirthplace of traditional jazz, but to 40 years' musical and personal lives of those watching over it and playing in it.

Carter covers all the bases tracing the Hall's timeline: its creation, mission, musicians and the songs and lives they preserved. He recalls the Hall's strong-willed, soft-hearted entreprenuers, Larry Bornstein and Allen and Sandra Jaffe. He carefully charts musical and personal histories of band members and local legends like trombonist Jim Robinson, drummer Cie Frazier and irrepressible pianist 'Sweet' Emma Barrett (who judging from her spotlight among several breakout pieces, was often sour, bitter, or salty). You realize, as it stands amidst seedy strip clubs and franchises like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Preservation Hall exists for those loving the music for what it does for and to them, not the flash it throws at them.

Carter writes that 'enjoy' has the impact in New Orleans 'achieve' has in the rest of the country. But as 'Preservation Hall' winds down you see those words as synonyms describing the feisty comeraderie these heritage musicians brought their work. You come to love their quirks on and offstage, (Carter splits his postscript between hilarious band anecdotes and heartfelt celebrity tributes). You see and hear joy they brought audiences worldwide, including US presidents, Supreme Court Justices and icons like Woody Allen, Frank Sinatra, and Mick Jagger. The Hall and its music helped draw tourists back to New Orleans when the city rebuilt its vacation trade on its jazz and party history. You mourn as original band members, for whom the Hall and its tours provided their long-running work and steadiest income, pass from the scene followed by their manager/mentors, Bornstein and Jaffe.

The book justifiably praises Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Kid Ory, Buddy Bolden and other legendary New Orleans jazzmen, whose spirits pervade every block of Bourbon Street and whose legacy the Hall preserves, not exploits. But sadly, it also charts unkind potshots from modern band members like Dr. Michael White. His disparaging comments about 'a bearded, pot-bellied guy standing there blasting Louis Armstrong solos at 90 miles an hour" seem aimed at Al Hirt and Pete Fountain, men who also loved classic New Orleans jazz, took it mainstream and whetted American appetite for it during the early 1960s "folk music" boom. This is an example of what is at best provincialism or what Carter calls 'Crow Jimism,' a reverse descrimination (acknowledged and hinted at in some of Jaffe's printed interview remarks) where every older black musician is thought more authentic, and thus better, at his instrument than his white counterpart.

'Preservation Hall' will delight those wanting to understand more about New Orleans' rich jazz history, or wanting an historical recreation broken up by hilarious anecdotes and great music. If the book came with a complete musician's list and discography (or better yet, a sample CD!) it would have been perfect. But everyone reading 'Preservation Hall' will rest it hearing New Orleans jazz in their minds, or wanting to.

This is a wonderful book. Mr. Carter has done an excellent job
describing the origins and growth of Preservation Hall, the citadel of traditional New Orleans jazz at 726 St. Peter St.
He profiles many of the musicians who played at the Hall, and manages to do it in such a way that the reader keeps turning the pages. I usually run out of steam about the middle of books like this one, but that was not the case with this one.

If you enjoy traditional New Orleans jazz, and have ever been to or plan to go to Preseration Hall, you gotta read this book.

This is a quick read about how American Defense has to change from the Cold War strategy to deal with other types of threats. I just returned from Europe and heard from European friends about their feelings on the United States. We are highly respected and looked up to as "the" power. We need to deal with the rest of the world accordingly. The authors give us some ideas as to how to do this.

The authors provide a coherent discussion of fully half of the security challenges facing us in the 21st century. They wisely avoid the debate swirling around the so-called Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA)-but deserve credit for their predecessor "offset strategy"-and simply note that the absence of "A List" threats gives us an opportunity to strengthen and maintain our traditional nuclear and conventional capabilities against the day when a Russia or China may rise in hostility against us. The book as a whole focuses on the "B List" threats, including Russia in chaos, a hostile China acting aggressively within its region, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and catastrophic terrorism. They note, correctly, that most of the spending and effort today is focused on responding to the crisis de jure, some but not enough resources are applied to preparing for the future, and virtually nothing is being done against the latest concept, that of "shaping" the environment through "forward engagement." Perhaps most importantly, they introduce the term "defense by other means" and comment on the obstacles, both within the Administration and on the Hill, to getting support and funding for non-military activities with profound security benefits.

Although others may focus on their discussion of Russia and NATO as the core of the book, what I found most helpful and worthwhile was the straight-forward and thoughtful discussion of the need for a new national strategy, a new paradigm, for dealing with potentially catastrophic terrorism. Their understanding of what defense resources can be applied, and of the impediments to success that exist today between state & local law enforcement, federal capabilities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and defense as well as overseas diplomatic and intelligence capabilities, inspire them to propose several innovative approaches to this challenge. The legal and budgetary implications of their proposals are daunting but essential-their proposals for dealing with this one challenge would be helpful in restructuring the entire U.S. government to better integrate political-diplomatic-military-law enforcement operations with judicial and congressional oversight as well as truly all-source intelligence support.

Interesting side notes include 1) the early discovery in US-Russian military discussions that technology interoperability and future collaboration required the surmounting of many obstacles associated with decades of isolated (and often secret) development; 2) the absence of intelligence from the entire book-by this account, US defense leaders spend virtually all of their time in direct operational discussions with their most important counterparts, and there is very little day to day attention to strategic analysis, estimative intelligence, or coordination with diplomatic, economic, and law enforcement counterparts at home; 3) the difficulty of finding a carrier to send to Taiwan at a time when we had 12 carriers-only four appear to have been "real" for defense purposes; and 4) the notable absence of Australia from the discussion of security in Asia.

The concept of Preventive Defense is holistic (requiring the simultaneous uses of other aspects of national power including diplomacy and economic assistance) but places the Department of Defense in a central role as the provider of realigned resources, military-to-military contacts, and logistics support to actual implementation. Unfortunately the concept of Preventive Defense has been narrowly focused (its greatest success has been the dismantling of former Soviet nuclear weapons in the Commonwealth of Independent States), and neither the joint staff nor the services are willing to give up funds for weapons and manpower in order to make a strategy of Preventive Defense possible.

This resistance bodes ill for the other half of the 21st Century security challenge, what the author's call the "C List"-the Rwandas, Somalias, Haitis and Indonesias. They themselves are unwilling to acknowledge C List threats as being vital to U.S. security in the long-term (as AIDS is now recognized). I would, however, agree with them on one important point: the current budget for defense should be repurposed toward readiness, preparing for the future, and their concept of preventive defense, and it should not be frittered away on "C List" contingencies-new funds must be found to create and sustain America's Preventive Diplomacy and its Operations Other Than War (OOTW) capabilities. It will fall to someone else to integrate their concept of Preventive Defense with the emerging concepts of Preventive Diplomacy, International Tribunals, and a 21st Century Marshall Plan for the festering zones of conflict in Africa, Arabia, Asia, and the Americas--zone where ethnic fault lines, criminal gangs, border disputes, and shortages of water, food, energy, and medicine all come together to create a breeding ground for modern plagues that will surely come across our water's edge in the future. On balance, through, this book makes the top grade for serious bi-partisan dialogue, and they deserve a lot of credit for defining solutions for the first half of our security challenges in the 21st Century.