Clarke Books

The authors appear to have done their research, and present the story in mixed third person objectivity and first person period prose. For the casual reader who has an interest in Civil Warfare, or more specifically, the Kansas-Missouri Border War, this is an entertaining book. For the scholar, it must be taken with a grain of salt. The authors have taken literary license to the extreme in their description of scenery, battlefield and camp site conditions, personal conversations, et cetera. Although the essence of news-worthy situations are, more often than not, accurately portrayed in historic newspapers, the use of quotes and eye-witness accounts are often biased and stretch the truth. The authors appear to continue in this vein of sensationalistic reporting. There is no way the authors could know of the detailed conversations that took place between officers, combatants, and/or farmers, and thus, their factual portrayal of these more intimate situations must be questioned. If they had told the story entirely in the third person, this book would be good and much needed reference. As presented, with interjections in the first person literary style, the book lacks a degree of credibility. This is unfortunate, as it is a great story of guerrilla warfare and otherwise well-written. 170 pp., Stackpole Books (1998).

Great biography of a Western Civil War barbarian. When it came to being ruthless during The American Civil War, Bloody Bill broke all bounderies. Not for the weak of heart!!

Thomas Goodrich did an outstanding job of researching his subject. I've read many other accounts of Anderson, but this is the most complete and revealing. It's unfortunate that Stackpole insisted on bringing Castel into the mix, as the two men's writing styles are so different. The end product, though the best work so far on a fascinating man, doesn't equal Goodrich's original work.

This book reads like a romantic western novel. A description of Anderson: "Dressed entirely in black- hat, velvet shirt, pants, boots- he was lean and sinewy and looked taller sitting in the saddle of his large black horse than his actual height of five ten." (p. 11, hardback edition) It continues like that for another 150 pages or so. The only thing missing is voluptuous maidens.
Castel's biography of Quantrill doesn't read like this, and Goodrich's "Black Flag" doesn't really have much style at all, as it is mostly quotes from primary sources. I don't know why they felt the need to write this the way they did, but it ruins the story. Both authors have done their work in researching, but the writing leaves much to be desired. A definitive account of Anderson still needs to be written.

Bloody Bill Anderson was a product of savagery in the early days of the Civil War's influence on Kansas and Missouri. The border war there was bloody and brutal. An eye for an eye conflict that escalated beyond anyone's imagination. The region was devastated. The atrocities that men were willing to commit against each other on both sides of the fratricide in that area are horrendous. Rocketing out of that soup came Bloody Bill. He is the prototype of a deadly psychopath. He was sadistic, ruthless and devoid of conscience.

Castel and Goodrich have outdone themselves in taking what little historical data is available to present as thorough an accounting of Bill Anderson's life as you're likely to find. They hone in on two of his most infamous rampages around Centralia, Missouri. You'll believe you were an eyewitness. However, they don't fabricate the stories or engage in fiction. The book is thoroughly researched and very credible in every detail. They could only have exceeded in this endeavor if there were more firsthand historical data to draw from.

Fact is Bloody Bill was a real individual and these events really did transpire. You will be transfixed even as you are horrified.

I worked in law enforcement in Arizona and was directly involved in this case. The book was very well researched and written.

Being from Phoenix I knew the story well. This is a good read, but prepare to meet evil as close to face to face as one can get without actually being there. I couldn't put this book down. I couldn't believe such evil and lack of conscious could reside in one person. Any man who can kill a toddler and involve his own sons in it is really beyond evil. Insane maybe? But, I don't think so. I think that Tison was so full of himself that he thought he'd always get away with the things he had done. And having that IDIOT Cardwell as the warden was Tison's ticket to the outside.... and the multiple murders of innocent people. Unbelievable, but true.

Tison, Greenawalt and his misguided idiot kids were without a doubt stains in this world. Killing without regard to life is one thing, but the way they murdered innocent people, including a 22 month old child, speaks for itself. To suggest that the Tison boys were "scared" of their dad is rediculous to me. They are just as guilty, just as deranged and just as degenerate as their father. The girl who was found in the desert some distance from the scene was my girlfriend, Theresa Tyson. No relation to the murderers thank god. Theresa was a wonderful young woman with her whole future ahead of her. It's easy for these men to kill people who couldnt defend themselves. I call them cowards. I smiled the day I heard that Gary Gene Tison died. I wished that I was there to watch Randy Greenawalt be put to death in prison. Hell, I would have done it. I thought that his death was far far better than the one he deserved. I don't remember the name of the Author who interviewed me in Las Vegas all those years ago, if it was this Author, I think that his portrayal of the Tison boys showed them to be far too innocent. Truth is, they could have said anything about what happened because they killed everyone else. I hope they burn.

I read this book in August/September 1991 while traveling through the area where it all happened. The trip was kind of a premarital honeymoon vacation and our first trip to the US (I live in The Netherlands). I bought the book so I could read while off duty from driving the van and I guess it turned out to be a 'lucky' choice. From the first page on I was sucked into the story. I just could not put it away. As the story developed we came nearer to the place where it actually happened. I will never forget the day we passed Flagstaff. The book gave me the creeps. Still does.
This book screams to be put into a movie. Gary Tison makes Hannibal Lecter look like a school kid.
One of the most chilling books I've ever read!

I think Clarke is pretty close to the money. Randy Greenwalt took me fishing when I was a kid and did yard work for our family, his Dad was a bricklayer in my Dad's construction company. I still have a beautiful display cabinet that he built in his senior year woods class at Palmyra MO high school. Didn't know much about abnormal psych then, but in retrospect there was a lot about Randy (and his younger brother James 'Doc' Greenwalt) that I now realize was a short fuse waiting to go off. Dad often said that their father was too rough on them and it was just a matter of time before their pent-up anger blew in one direction or another. Randy was not a leader, but he was a dedicated follower, which meshed well with Tison's warped sense of purpose. Randy probably would have been a good Marine--his sister Darlene did have a successful Army career.

Most interesting study.

The book deserves a 4 but with Netware on the CD it gets a 5 even though its only a 3-user evaluation version. The comic-book approach is for entertainment but gets annoying after a while. It's more for beginners with little or no experience but won't really help if you're looking for something to help you with troubleshooting or more depth. Its a decent introduction to foundation information for the CNA exam, but you'll need to have practical skills to pass it.

I have the edition written by David James Clarke, IV. I really dislike this book because the author uses too much filler. He doesn't get straight to the point. Instead of explaining how to perform various functions in the simplest fashion, Clarke blathers on with his nature analogies.

All you need to pass the C.N.A. exam 50-653 is the patience to read this book and an understanding of the concepts presented therein. I easily passed the test with a greater than 700 score. I read the book twice and set up my own Novell test network so I could do all the labs, which is probably more than most people need to do.

BOOK LAYOUT
The chapters are clear, well organized, and the author really tried to emphasize the test material. There are no conventional questions at the end of the chapter. Instead there are word searches and cross word puzzles? However, the author goes to great pains to include workable examples (labs) in each chapter that help to reinforce the chapter material. These labs are great if you have a test Novell box to practice on or just setting up your first Novell network will be a great learning experience. The appendix includes many useful bits of information about becoming a C.N.A., C.N.E., Novell websites, and how to setup Netware for the first time.

MINOR GRIPES
The author does try to inject some life into what could be a boring topic by using comic book references. It really depends on your taste as to what you will think of his references but mostly they are ignorable. Where they really get annoying is in his design of the NDS tree. An example, "Click the Calculator.WHITE.CRIME.TOKYO.ACME." It gets a bit confusing if you don't want to master his fictional tree. What I did was create more business-oriented names for all my containers and users so I could easily identify them.

EXTRA MATERIALS WITH BOOK
The book does come with two CDs that contain a demo version of Netware 5.1 and the Novell client. These come in handy if you do not have a broadband connection to download ISOs of NW 6 and the Novell Client.

OVERALL
The book is a great resource that covers all the material found on the test. I will be keeping it as a reference book. If you read the book with the intent of learning how to become a C.N.A. then you will not find many if any "shocker questions" on the cert test.

I passed the 50-653 Netware 5.1 Admin test yesterday with a score of 714/800. Passing was 568/800. This is the only book I used to study, and I can tell you that all of the exam questions referenced things I had learned/remembered from this book. It took me 3 weeks of hard studying, I read it carefully once then reviewed it a second time.

I give David a 5 on this book. 1st off, it has what you need to pass the test, and then some. On top of that, the complaints you've seen about superheroes and long story lines and confusion arising when mixing these stories with Netware information really doesn't apply so much to the 5.1 version of this book. I read his 4.1 and 5.0 CNA versions previously, and that's where the reputation for filler was earned. I was very relieved that he kept it to a minimum in this book, earning him a 5-star from me. I got everything I expected from this book, including a 725 mark (584 to pass) for the test. Install the server from the companion cd and run through the excercises. Makes all the difference in the world. Thanks Dave.

My nine year old daughter loves fairy books about Tinkerbell and her friends. She absolutely devours them as soon as I get them. What a boost for her imagination!

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

My daughter & I have enjoyed reading this book together. She is five and although she is not reading at this level yet, she is comprehending the story well with some limited input from me.

This book is another in the series on fairies in Neverland. This one relates the story the missing fairy crown and Vidia's struggle to clear her name.

I hope they publish more in the series as my daughter enjoys stores about faires, as well as mermaids, angels and princesses.

The is a great book for in-between readers--my five year old daughter is not quite ready for regular chapter books, but feels too old for picture books. She has been a frustrated and apathetic listener recently, but absolutely loved this book and asked me every hour to read more. My seven year old son overheard me reading it to her and joined in--and he loved it! Both kids have begged to get more books from this series. They are a great mix of wonderful color pictures, interesting story, and writing that appeals to a broad range of pre and elementary school kids.

Hi well to start I read this and a lot of the other disney fairy books and this one is my favorite. I guess I like it the best cause it's kinda a mystery and I love mysterys and it's about Vidia my favorite fairy. The only problem I can see is it's a short novel and I like long ones. But overall I like this book gotta go hope this was helpful Brooke.

My daughter and I purchased this wonderfully complete volume for a granddaughter who with her husband is moving to Oregon to build an eco-friendly home on a plot of land. This well-illustrated handbook should help a lot.

What a wonderful book! I love the way it is set out in two sections... the theory and the practical. The conversational style of writing means that I feel like I have a friend on hand, ready to talk me through the whole process, explaining terms, concepts and methods in a clear, concise way.
I'd say if you are only planning to buy one book on alternative building methods, this should be the one.

This book is an excellent reference on how to build while taking the environment into consideration. I was really impressed with how they integrated traditional building techniques with Green Building techniques. The book covers what to think about before you even break ground, site work, foundation work, non chemical termite prevention, walls, windows, doors, roofing, flooring, and landscaping considerations. Where Green products make the most sense, they are used. In places where the authors chose a more traditional method (concrete in the foundation, small amounts of rebar, a mass produced new door, and timber roof trusses) they go into detail about why they chose that method (long term energy efficiency outweighing the initial energy cost of the raw materials). While grey water systems, rain catchment systems, composting toilets, and solar power systems are encouraged, they are not covered in any detail in this book. The demo house being built throughout the book is a tiny one room guest cottage, instead of a home that a family could live in (composting toilet outside) so that's why I only gave 4 stars. I would have loved to have seen a whole family home built, but maybe that would be several books.
Not everyone can move to an ecovillage and live in a 200 sq ft cob home (even if they dream about it). This book brings green building into the reach of many more people and shows how to build a home that is much more likely to pass code and be a real possibility in today's society. I plan to use it as a guide when I build my own home in the future.

recieved product within one week great book thinking about building using all natural products

Myself, being in the building industry, really appreciated that there was a believer and a skeptic to write this book and build the house using the thoughts they had. I like the honesty of the authors and how they worked thru to a common goal, and shared each step along the way. I even found it to be a great book on general engineering, helpful in reminding me of things I already know, and reinforcing them in less conventional ways.
This is a very hand's on book with loads of pictures and illustrations and for all of us with "pie in the sky" ideals, there is the balance of reality in time, costs, and functionality of green building.

I didn't like this one as much as I did "Tales from the White Hart", but it's still one of those books you just can't put down!

Not Clarke's best novel, but still, nonetheless, a good one. Although the prose retains his characteristic hard-core scientific accuracy, poetic descriptions, and sly wit, this work is also more suspenseful than most of his other books. Although "space wars" are an extremely common theme in science fiction (being, indeed, the mainstay plots of some authors) it is extremely war in a Clarke novel. Earlight, however, focuses on it, and even has a full-fledged war scene. Mind you, it is not your typical "pulp" SF corny war scene, but rather one told in strikingly believable detail, complete with scientific accuracy and poetic prose. The book will keep you reading. Definately a book you will want to pick up if you are an ACC fan, though new fans will want to pick up 2001, 2010, Rendezvous With Rama, or Childhood's End instead.

Clarke is famous for using a fictional premise as a vehicle for discussing scientific ideas, and rightly so. His ideas are so interesting, and his explanations are so clear that no one minds if the story sometimes takes a back seat to the science. In _Earthlight_, a secret agent visits the lunar colony to find the spy leaking classified material to Earth's other colonies. Clarke uses this premise to explore two main ideas: what life in an established lunar colony would be like, and how a conflict between Earth and her colonies might arise.

Clarke's description of a 200-year-old colony is fascinating. His discussions of the problems created by the hostile lunar environment, and his solutions to them, are clear and interesting. What was surprising to me is that these descriptions, written almost 50 years ago, haven't really dated. There are some anachronisms; all communications are auditory, for example - television wasn't forseen, much less the Internet. But the majority of the ideas are as plausible and compelling as when they were written.

The development of the conflict between the Earth and the Federation of colonies is somewhat less successful. The main reason for the conflict - competition for limited resources - rings true, and Clarke captures the feeling of life during a time of political tension leading to conflict. However, his descriptions of events and motivations feel a little too simple for what we'd expect to be a complex political situation. The concluding battle, employing highly speculative science, is a jarring contrast to the earlier, reasoned discussions of the science behind the lunar colony.

These are nitpicks, however. _Earthlight_ succeeds in the ways most important to Clarke and to his readers. If you're familiar with Clarke's other work, I think you'll enjoy this novel. If you haven't read Clarke before, this novel is a fine introduction, although you would do equally well with his better-known works.

This is one of my all time favorite Arthur C. Clarke books. Published in 1955, Earthlight is a practically unknown work in Clarke's massive canon. The minimalistic plot flourishes in the ultra-realistic society of the Moon. There are three elements that make this work stand out.

1. The Plot.
An accountant is sent from Earth to the moon as a spy to root out a spy who is leaking information about Earth's goals to leach the moon of minerals Earth greatly needs. The background is the tension between the outer colonies and earth (something explored in length in MANY well known classics to come, Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is the first to come to mind). Clarke manages to maintain the tension throughout. I really like the external quality of the plot - the main characters have little influence on the main events but rather have their own secret tensions between each other. This forms a ultra-realistic feeling and immerses you in Clarke's world.

2. The Descriptions.
Since the accountant has never been to the moon the scientists at the observatory make a point to describe and explain the workings of the colony on the moon in great length. Again, adding to the ultra-realistic tone of the work. Likewise, since Sadler is sent to investigate the inner workings of everyone at the observatory, Clarke describes the more minute activities associated with Moon life which can be very interesting.

3. The external Events/backdrop.
The battle at the end is immensely detailed (although the main characters are not directly involved). The tension results in a immense climax but like in many wars the end is not clear as both sides sense some sort futility in the endeavor. Again, the results of the battle do not deal directly with the main characters but rather their own struggles and eventual outcomes is a microcosm of the greater interplanetary events.

Arther C. Clarke manages to develop, in a dense 155 pages, a ultra-realistic future with realistic characters (perhaps slightly one-dimensional - but then again Clarke is not known for his characterizations), a compelling backdrop, and ultra-realistic day to day events. A top notch effort, sadly, unknown to most sci-fi readers.

This is a very fine novel by Clarke even if some of the science is now out-of-date. The novel is set several centuries in the future. There are essentially two "nations" remaining, Earth (which includes the Moon) and the Triplanetary Federation, which encompasses Mars, Venus, and some of the outer satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. The issue is that in this novel Earth controls most of the solar system's supply of heavy metals e.g. titanium, high-grade iron ore, etc. Therein lies the conflict.
After several centuries of peace, the possibility of war once again looms. Clarke creates the atmosphere for this masterfully.

The story is told from the perspective of an intelligence agent sent from Earth on a counterintelligence mission on the Moon. The storyline does not move at a breakneck pace by any means. Rather, the story moves in a leisurely fashion that gives the reader a fascinating look at what a Moon colony might one day be like. Despite this, the book moves to a climactic ending that is startling and absorbing. This book is an excellent read.

This is a book that might have been made into a movie. Clarke is one of the giants of science fiction. Highly recommended.

Jude Clarke's book is a beautifully written account of her struggle with lupus. She uses symbolism to describe the different stages of the disease. Being recently diagnosed with lupus myself, this book was immensely helpful. It helped me to realize that what I'm experiencing is normal for someone with the illness. I gave the book to my sister to read and it helped her to understand much of what I am going through. I'm giving it to my mother next and then I'm going to re-read it myself.

The Language of Water is an inspiring and heartfelt story written from a feminist perspective of a women stricken with a volatile immune disorder. As an aspiring swimmer, I was severely lead astray by the title, however upon reading this book I was left in complete awe in regards to how much of it was contradicted continually throughout. I had the benefit of meeting with the author amongst my peers for a brief discussion and question period. Granted Jude Clarke's personal battle is commendable, as is the path in which she fought against her systemic lupus. I take nothing away from her, nor this book as every piece of art has the ability to reach out to someone. Clarke, a local artist apparently began painting and this book as a sort of outlet against the `flares' brought on by her lupus. This fact was never fully substantiated, as contradictions behind the origin of both projects were evident in the book and upon discussion with the author. This book produces real life accounts in dealing with, at this time, an incurable disease. Clarke's autobiographical struggle and story is entertaining and insightful. It proves and provides hope to those needing an example of look at me, I made it through and so can you, triumph under fire, and that it is possible to lead a normal life even if you are faced with severe odds. I disagree with many of the other reviews. The book did breach on self pity, as it was also subject to contradiction. Clarke stated that she wanted to keep the disease to herself, in the book, but then publishes a book? This tactic is only effective if no one reads her works. Again I take nothing away from Jude as a person, this book is an interesting read and will reach out to her prescribed audience.

Jude Clarke shares an unselfish account of a life afflicted with Lupus. As an aspiring nurse I was interested in the dynamics of this disease and how it affects its victims. This book not only narrates the first hand account of what life may be like for a person dealing with the chronic illnes of Lupus but also the psychological difficulties of alcoholism and manic depression. The use of various themes of setting provide insightful connections to Clarke's most intimate moments spent with her supportive family and the varying levels of illness intensity. This autobiography written to inspire others afflicted with Lupus is an easy, uncomplicated read, and is definitely an excellent reference to assisting others with any chronic illness. It is prophetic to the fact that a "good life" is possible despite disease.

When I finished Language of Water, I couldn't wait to recommend it to others to read. It was enlightening, encouraging, and creative. The book captured my attention at the beginning with the symbolic narrative of the wolves and the wildfire. By inserting the small symbolic narratives at times when Clarke was battling, fearing, or just thinking about the disease gave me a mental image and an emotional feeling of her life with lupus through the actions of the wolves and the wildfire. This alternative, creative method informed and educated me of the endless battle with lupus and how acceptance, understanding, and life are still possible.
I also enjoyed the paintings scattered within the book. Clarke explains how she created some of her painting. I am now curious to experiment with some of her techniques she used, particularly, I am interested in her style while in France.
I believe Language of Water is an excellent book for anyone to read and a mandatory book to read if the reader or someone the reader is close to has any type of illness. The book gives hope and suggestion to the reader, and as a nurse, I will be recommending this book to my future clients.

The Language of Water is a story of strength and endurance. In writing about her struggle with perhaps the most bizarre affliction known to humankind, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Jude Clarke imparts to her readers an astounding example of grace. Clarke's humility and unerring will to not only survive, but to share the beauty she is blessed with through her art makes her story that much more profound. Clarke's genuine style presented in the form of diary entries communicates a sense of time passage. Through Clarke's story the reader experiences, intimately, the feeling of darkness, loneliness, and slowness of time that are only felt in the solitude of sickness; yet there is never a hint of self-pity. Although the book's cover cites a content strictly involving a woman's struggle with disease; it holds far more than that. Clarke's story is filled with the beauty of art and love that is ever present in her life; through the flares brought on by Lupus, in the relationships she nourishes and that in turn nourish her, in the adventures she refuses to miss out on, and in the volumes she speaks through the medium of watercolour on canvas.

The Language of Water is a work of literary non-fiction. Clarke's book presents itself not only thru her written words, but with her watercolours that echo the books title, poetry and song lyrics written by John Lent, and Van Morrison's "Sometimes We Cry" as the soundtrack.

I found The Language of Water impossible to put down once having begun reading. I cried through more than one part of Clarke's story. I cried tears for sadness and pain, for triumph, tears of incredulity at the iron will that made this book possible, and tears for all those missing the lessons that their own lives are trying to teach them. The Language of Water is not a sad story though; it is a story of victory. Clarke is ultimately victorious over the most crippling part of illness, fear. While sharing her story, Jude Clarke embodies a plethora of human qualities, portrays a myriad of emotions, and teaches life's most valuable lesson...never give up.

I am generally very wary of spending money on management books. But in this case, my own manager recommended this book to me, and I have since passed that recommendation on to several others.
As with many management texts, much in this book is light-weight common-sense, spiced up with anecdotes - and I resent paying good money for that - but unusually there is some real insight here too.
In particular the authors have done a great job of classifying the various forms of communication that leadership requires, and explain how to balance them.
It is clear throughout the book that leadership communication at it's best is an art, but an art that can be learned. This book will not make you a great leader, but it will certainly help you improve. At the very least, you will be able to avoid sounding like a character from "The Office."

"The biggest problem with leadership communication is the illusion that is has occurred." and "The cry for more communication is often the symptom of the undiagnosed disease, mistrust. The disease is cured with authentic communication, not more communication." These are two great quotes from this book. A good read. Highly recommended! It has joined my Top Ten Business books list.

Seemed very shallow as though it was written for 1 purpose only, to sell. Nothing but a bunch of anecdotal stories that have aleady been recounted over and over again in your standard MBA program with a sampling of Public Speaking 101 class thrown in. Kind of like being invited to dinner, expecting a big t-bone steak and baked potato, and only getting salad. I think the author would approve of that imagery

The most effective leadership messages speak to people through three channels -- factual, emotional and symbolic, according to Crossland and Clarke. Their advice to build all three channels into your communication makes great sense. The book offers lots of practical ideas and engaging examples to help you do just that. It's everything I look for in a business book -- a useful concept, hands-on ideas for implementing it, and an accessible presentation. Great info, great value.

"The Leader's Voice" reveals how to change static communication and poor performance into dynamic communication for extraordinary results. A manager speaks to only ensure the job gets done. The leader's voice uses facts, emotions and symbols to motivate and create change. A leader carries out authenticity, and foresight to not only get the job done, but to also promote a willing to go the extra mile. Providing plenty of proven examples from leaders throughout history, with the ABC's of leadership, "The Leader's Voice" equips the reader with the necessary information to remove any obstacles preventing success.

Boyd and Crossland practice what they preach. Their written communication style is direct and to the point, with the determination to make a difference. Using the pictures to stir emotion, the various type fonts to personify symbols and the straight facts from the lives of other leaders immediately captured my attention. They did a fantastic job organizing the material and appealing to my creative core. I would recommend "The Leader's Voice" to anyone attempting to motivate a crowd of one to one hundred and one or more.

Now let me reflect . . .

I used to complain about my mother fixing so much tuna casserole. Her response, "There are alot of starving people in the world. You should be thankful we have food on the table." When my father knew I didn't feel as smart as my sister because of my grades, he would tell me, "You're intelligent. You just need to study a little longer." And when I cried after being hit by a car, my grandmother's words consoled me with, "If God looks over the sparrow, surely he'll take care of you." These voices addressed me with emotion. These voices encouraged me with facts. These voices motivated me with symbols. I now realize these are the voices of the leaders in my life.

This book was Hot. I loved it I am a fan of Ms. Clarke you go Girl! A book about two gorgeous males hot and sexy serving up sexually challenged women in their sex-for-hire profession is a page-turner. My heart went out to Trevor the sexist out of the two, he's phyiscally fit, abundantly packed and attentive,the way he treated the women he was with made you wonder how such a good man he'll make if he we're to settle down. But don't mistke it Trevor wants out of the game, he's burnt out and having countless unattached sex is leaving a whole in his soul and he starts to yearn for the one woman he can't have. Just when he make his decision upon leaving something drastic happens, a sexy must read, enjoy!

I loved this book. It was well written, and had me reading and reading. The sex scences were very HOT, my my is all I can say!!. I read this book in one day. I couldn't put it down.

The only thing I did not like was the ending. i didn't want it to end. I hope the reader writes a second book to this story because were a few loose ends she left open. Hopefully she did this on purpose for a second Novel.

I loved this book, I read it in 1 day. I look forward to reading more books by R. Moreen Clarke. I am hoping that a sequel to Quench My Thirst is in the works.

I love this book, once I started it was hard for me to put it down...which is a good think if you like to read.

QUENCH MY THIRST is about Damian Adams and Trevor Calhoun, two gorgeous, single men who venture out as entrepreneurs in the "service" business.

Damian and Trevor both earn six figures as high powered salesmen for a major company in Chicago, IL. When one of Damian's lovers unexpectedly pays him for his skills in the bedroom, Damian decides to start his own business servicing women, and brings his long-time friend, Trevor, in on the profits.

Damian and Trevor become very successful at their business venture. After several years in the business, Trevor decides it's time to retire and settle down. Before he can break away, one of Trevor's clients gets too attached, and their encounter causes a tragic turn of events. This tragedy gives Damian and Trevor time to think about how the secrets and pain in their lives have clouded their thinking.

QUENCH MY THIRST is a story about friendships, secrets, and new beginnings. The characters all had secrets that hindered them from releasing their true feelings. In the end, strong friendships helped them release their anger and hurt, and ultimately open the door for bigger and better opportunities.

....could so sharp-eyed an author collect such a crazy quilt of legends, stories, hard data, speculation, and eccentric responses to the oft-denied relationship between the San Andreas Fault he paces from north to south and the folks who live atop it. He has a reporter's knack for getting at the subtext of whatever details catch his attention--and the subtext is often deeply poignant, coming as it does from the shadow side of a given community.

My one complaint is that the book spends too much time northward. One reads 3/4 of it and gets no farther south than Hollister. I hope future editions will include more about Southern California. Highly recommended.

The fear, fatalism, and futility that earthquakes inspire in Californians may be the one true element that binds them all despite their political, sociocultural and economic and, may I add, hydrological divisiveness. Still, earthquakes may not necessarily factor in the psyche of people who live a comfortable distance from the state's many faults or for people who do not think they should be affected at all. The book probably works out fine for readers who have not been to California or who are curious about earthquakes and the alleged capabilities of some people to make predictions sans scientific instruments.

The strongest message that I got from the book is this: Just as the beauty of California belies the terror that its geologic instability can bring about, the popularity of the state as a favorite destination belies the sad realities that come with unstoppable population growth: the lack of rootedness and an appreciation for history, the ever-increasing isolationism of gated communities and housing developments, and the homogenization of suburban living, shopping, and other recreational diversions. The description of teenage ennui in privileged Saratoga, the suburban anonymity of Cupertino in Santa Clara Valley and Palmdale in Antelope Valley, and the increasing hazards of spending a weekend at the San Gabriel Mountains were particularly telling.

Earthquakes may cause people not to move to, or to move out of, California, but the big challenge for Californians is to balance a viable economy with preserving what is left of this gorgeous state. The author lamented the lack of community in places that have just sprouted from what once was rangeland or farmland. Will the sense of community improve when immigrant communities are more established? The children of immigrants and transplants will have to understand the history of this vast state and listen to the voices of reason (voiced out by its eccentrics? bohemians? environmentalists?) in order to come up with a solution to preserve the attributes that make California great.

The author takes a trip down the San Andreas fault from the North Coast to the Salton Sea, and talks about the communities (villages, San Francisco, Palm Springs) along the way. These California towns are facing the same problems with developers wanting to make a quick buck and local governments desparate for tax money to build prisons. The author's geology is lacking, but his sense of the people he's met makes up for it.

Thurston Clarke explores the San Andreas Fault from end to end in this highly entertaining book. Along the way, he examines California and Californians, and consequently is able to offer some fresh insights into life in the Golden State.

The book is presented as a series of vignettes, based on his experiences in various locations along the fault from Humboldt County south to the Salton Sea. Not surprisingly, some sections are more effective than others. His treatment of the legacy of Indian massacres in the Eureka area is hauntingly vivid, as is his analysis of Ferndale's attempts to resist losing its soul to commercialization and yuppification. He also provides what ultimately proves to be a passionate discourse on the never-ending controversy over logging and clearcutting along the north coast.

Another excellent section of the book comes much later, when he explores the hellish new suburban landscape of Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley, His dissection of the emptiness of "the suburban dream" in that sad community is masterful.

Perhaps surprisingly, the weakest aspect of the book is his treatment of geology and earthquakes. He gives WAY too much space and credence to earthquake prediction quackery, including folks who *claim* to predict quakes through headaches, planetary alignment, and the analysis of radio waves. Here, Clarke comes across as gullible and a bit too eager to find "some grain of truth" in pseudo-science.

Also, whereas one cannot expect any book of this scope to be error-free, Clarke commits some small factual blunders here that can grate on the reader who knows better. He misterms an earthquake's "hypocenter" as its "hydrocenter," and actually, the phenomenon he is referring to is its "focus." He misplaces the feisty coastal town of Bolinas in "East Marin," and he cites the Coalinga earthquake as having occurred in 1982, instead of 1983.

In a lengthy book of this kind, I suppose such errors can be overlooked. The freshness of Clarke's insights and his skill as a journalist make this book well worth reading for any student of California history and culture.

Clarke makes it clear that he does not like California. He doesn't see why anyone would like California. He goes into great detail critcizing California and the people in California. The problem is, he NEVER suggests anything better; he never presents anything about anywhere that he *does* like. This makes for dreary, and at times infuriating, reading.

Then again, I'm from California.