Clarke Books

The author recounts his command at the initial battle of Khe Sanh village, a shockingly one-sided precursor to the better known siege of the Marine fire base, which was again the prelude to Tet, the culminating point of the Indochina war.
By way of full disclosure: I know the author and think highly of him, but had no idea of his involvement in this battle, so long ago now.
This is a small book mostly intended for military professionals, but full of interesting detail for the outsider. It appears neither as literature nor as a scholarly work, but more as a collection of eyewitness accounts, anchored by the author's recollections, to cast new light on the whole Khe Sanh debacle. Together, they fill a void in history, and the book will surely be welcome among both veterans and professionals.
Colonel - then Captain - Clarke states that his goal is to offer lessons that should be heeded today. I found that his and his compadres' plain narratives are the strongest part of the book, and the lessons more subject to controversy. A body of opinion holds that you can't learn from history; it is countered by the observation that there is nothing else to learn from. My view is that we must learn from history, but if we try too hard we sometimes learn the wrong things.
Those of us who haven't been shot at have to be cautious in commenting on such matters, so I will stick with general observations. Clarke felt that missing Unity of Command was a millstone for the Allied combatants; specifically that the USMC, the US Army, and the ARVN were fighting different wars and did not aid and inform each other as needed. Clearly, as an advisor working with ARVN and Montagnard forces, he did not see eye-to-eye with the USMC at the fire base, nor apparently with General Westmoreland's general strategy of attrition and the obsession with body count.
For my part I never understood why the USMC is fighting land battles. I thought the Marines were supposed to board enemy ships. Perhaps they are not the first choice for COIN (counterinsurgency) duty.
Clarke and his hard-pressed, multinational team did not have this problem with the Air Force. If I saw a lesson here it was surely to not even think about "trying stuff like this at home" unless you have a superb FAC (I suppose UAVs today) and air power on demand, night and day. And clearly, that was Westmoreland's idea: let Giap try his Dien Bien Phu Nr. 2 and he'll see what difference B-52s make. Indeed, the report included calls Khe Sanh a "Dien Bien Phu in reverse." Air Power is usually oversold, but not when used in tactical support of troops. Just look at the "wrong lesson learned" by Israel in Lebanon, thinking to duplicate NATO's air-only campaign in Kosovo, a big enough disaster in itself.
Cpt. Clarke was most upset that his village was evacuated after having withstood a ferocious onslaught of three NVA battalions over 36 hours. It seems logical though - the place would either have to be majorly reinforced, or it was a goner eventually. And it bears mentioning that the NVA thought it was their victory, not Clarke's, as they forced the Allies to withdraw. (A 50-1 kill ratio means nothing to the Politburo.)
The lessons I was most interested in were classical COIN methods like the CAP (Civil Action Program) and the strategic villages concept. Clarke implies that these were the true path to victory, not "body count." Because of all the propaganda out there, it is worth noting that the ARVN fought bravely, the Americans had especially trusting relations with the Montagnards, and few in this area at least seem to have wanted to be under Communist rule. As in 1975, almost all headed for the helicopters, or the road to the coast.
When the first reports came back from Iraq of US soldiers kicking in doors and confiscating weapons, I thought of the praised CAP effort in rural Vietnam and went uh-oh, not good. Surely in COIN you work with the people, as Clarke did, not against them; you don't take their weapons, you give them weapons. If they turn them against you, you shouldn't be there to start with.
As everyone knows, William Colby got his idea for the strategic villages from the Rif-Kabyl situation; but in a general sense it is really the cornerstone of colonial or civilizational development. It was the idea behind the Roman colonias. It may be the only thing that works for Western governments, genocide being off-limits. Thus the ink-blot theories from Iraq - secure the people first, then agonizingly slowly, institutions can take hold. And no one can occupy the whole place. So when Westmoreland asked for 206,000 more troops, he might as well have said: My strategy (attrition) sucks.
Has there ever been a general who thought he had enough troops? When Clark Clifford became SecDef, he asked "what's the strategy for victory?" - There was none, except more of the same. Colonel Clarke reinforces my suspicion that it needn't have been that way. The VC was crushed during Tet, and there was no uprising. The rest was basically NVA against ARVN with diminishing US support. Before the 1972 offensive, it appears the Republic of Vietnam had the wind with it, except that American determination had collapsed at home.
Clarke sheds new light on an old plan. It always seemed that certain moves were critical to win: cut across to the Mekong and stop the NVA directly in Laos; close Sihanoukville, which turned out to be more important for resupply than first thought; and interdict the two railways to China and the harbors (which did happen in 1972). I remember Westmoreland writing (A Soldier Reports) in an offhand way that he thought the Laotian panhandle was the key to victory, but it was never tried. Or at least not until 1971 (Lam Son 719), which was a bloody nose for the ARVN, who could not do this by themselves. Clarke recounts how the plan for such an operation was floated in continuation of Khe Sanh, only to be shot down when LBJ went on TV and declared that he'd had enough, both in office and in Indochina. Thus Vietnam became a disaster squared - dumb to go in, wrong to leave. McArthur is always quoted as warning against getting sucked into a war of attrition on the Asian continent (and he should know) - but his point was that if you're not going for victory, you shouldn't be there in the first place.
I found lots new and interesting in this book: The Royal Laotian Army joining in with the Allies; Cambodian mercenaries being used by the USMC; close combat with rats and rabies, and so on. When all this was going on I was just a boy listening to the news, but I recall that this was expected to be culmination point of the war, which it sort of was; and I recall the posturing about "escalation" by going into Cambodia (and secretly, into Laos). Clarke makes clear what nonsense that was. The first rule in guerilla warfare is you cannot defeat an enemy who has sanctuary. Do the niceties of diplomacy apply to us but not to the enemy?
Finally, some words about presentation. This is a poorly edited book. Dropped punctuation,"it's" as a possessive, "Calusewitz", open-ended quotations, repetitions - you don't expect this from a major publisher. It makes for choppy reading in places. The author's practice of referring to himself in the third person can be disorienting, especially as he slips into the first towards the end. Some trivial errors: The O-1 is not a Piper Cub, and the speed of sound certainly not a kilometer per second. Reviews would have caught things like that.
One non-trivial slip stands out: Not once, but twice - as bookends, so to speak - the Colonel refers to Coventry as an example of how Churchill sacrificed a city to protect the Ultra secret, just, as he asserts, Westmoreland left the young captain exposed so as not to alert the NVA that he knew what was coming. Army folks might not have heard this, but this is one of the hoariest old saws in air power history; it is such a good story, like that of the Danes with their yellow stars, that no matter how many historians you throw at it, it will not go away. There's not a shred of truth to it, and if you thought about it, it couldn't have. The PM could not have saved Coventry if he had tried, and he couldn't have tipped off the Germans; for, unlike the RAF fighters, radar does work at night, and the enemy would have been none the wiser.
Just had to get that out! But it is irrelevant to the book's purpose. It is very good and interesting, and recommendable to all with both a general and specific interest in the subject.

Being born only months before CPT Bruce Clarke was to become a district advisor in Khe Sanh, it would be understandable for this ultranationalist and patriot not to understand the meaning of the book Expendable Warriors: The Battle of Khe Sanh and the Vietnam War. But, the way the story was told allowed this reader to become part of that time in history. Having served with Colonel Bruce Clarke later in his career, I witnessed his leadership skills first hand. Yet, as depicted in the book, even in 1968 he already possessed these skills, no doubt refined even further by the time I met him. This book is part memoir, part tactical assessment and part history clarifier. You need not be a career army or marine officer to appreciate and understand this book. I highly recommend it.

Richard Charles Dewees
Douglassville, Pennsylvania
President, The Dewees Group, Inc.
Former member of the "Fighting First"
Dagger Brigade, 1st ID - Big Red One

I was stationed not far from Col. Clarke, although in a usually more tranquil area. I met him on a few occasions, including on a trip to his Khe Sanh village. I also knew several of the headquarters leaders he wrote about. Let me say, that, although I have not finished Clarke's book, almost every page gives me the chills, and - no - I don't suffer from flashbacks. I keep saying to my wife - "Are you asleep?; I've got to read this to you!" Hard to believe almost 40 years have gone by. The story is incredible.

Bud Stevenson Fairfield, CA

First the disclaimer. I am mentioned very briefly, actually 2-3 times, in the book. I was one of the three American officers in the compound during the NVA attack. You'll have to decide whether this review is completely objective in light of my direct involvement.

I was there. That's the way it happened.

It is a very little known part of the Vietnam War. Everyone's eyes have been focused on the Marine Corps Combat Base at Khe Sanh and the months that it was under constant artillery and mortar bombardment. Without taking away from the bravery of those who had to withstand it, there is only brief mention at most in the history of Khe Sanh that the District headquarters compound, consisting of a mix of 175, mostly Vietnamese paramilitary and Montagnard tribemen troops under the direction of US Army and Marine Corps Advisors, and the Vietnamese military District Chief, repulsed an attack by a North Vietnamese regiment-sized force of about 2,000 fresh troops with brand new equipment that had just crossed from North Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The attack lasted for a period of about 36 hours before the defenders were ordered to abandon the District Headquarters. We were able to survive because the author of this book, a West Point graduate, called artillery "air-burst" rounds directly over our position at the height of the attack. The book describes the bravery of the Army medic, the Air Force spotter who directed jets to bomb the enemy positions, the failed attempt to bring in reinforcements who were ambushed by NVA lying in wait, and the "Puff the Magic Dragon" plane circling during the night firing its Gattling guns to protect the defenders. The defenders were eventually evacuated by helicopter on the second day or had to traverse enemy territory by foot to make it to the Marine Corps Base.

Having been ordered to abandon the District HQ, the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) took control of the area between the Marine Corps Combat Base and the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp, which the NVA later attacked and overran with amphibious tanks, thereby totally isolating the Marine Corps Base Camp.

If you want to know the full picture of the Battle of Vietnam, especially the complete story of the Battle at Khe Sanh, you need to know how the NVA planned and executed an objective that was intended to be the American version of the defeat of the French at Diem Bien Phu. The NVA, ultimately, lost the Battle of Khe Sanh militarily but "won the war" through its continued insurgency and the resultant media attention and reporting back home.

Are there lessons to be learned for our present military operations? I'll leave that for the reader to decide.

My son does not particularly enjoy reading himself, but this book series is one that he happily read. I highly recommend for any child that is interested in animals and some of the gross and interesting things that they do. We went to the zoo after reading this series too and my son had a ball seeing some of the animals from this series. He thinks these books are cool.

You can tell a good book by how quickly it becomes mangled. This book was and still is read often. Hopefully it will last until all the kids out grow it.

Freak Out! is one of my daughter's favorite books. This introduction to some of the stranger animals that share our planet -- from pink dolphins to blue-tongued skinks -- is chock full of interesting information and illustrations.

My daughter found this book to be both engaging and cool. She loves animals, and the neat thing about this book is that she learns about some very unusual ones and their bizarre and exotic qualities. She enjoys learning about the animals as well as seeing the vibrant illustrations that go with them. As an adult, I found this book to be well researched and clearly written. It's the kind of book I can easily read multiple times and not be bored!

There was a time when I was truly searching for all that author Duke Clarke's offers. In all honesty, money was the only area of my life that
I did not feel I was living abundantly. I began to
think perhaps it was as it should be. My family spent
a great deal of time together. I loved what I did for
a living, which also kept me home with my young
children, and my husband loved his job as a school
teacher. I have a great extended family, a fabulous
home church, a thriving marriage, and healthy, whole
children. Was my desire for more "wealth" godly?

After receiving Duke's emails and listening to his free audios at www.godwantsyoutoprosperfamily.com, I immediately ordered this book.
The book completed the transformation of my beliefs
about money, and ministered to me with such clarity
and truth and in such a matter-of-fact and encouraging
way. Hands down, it is the best $[...] I have ever spent.

Fast forward just a few short months from first stumbling
upon Duke's site: I make MORE money, working LESS hours.
I am more relaxed about money and enjoy my family time
even more. Without "money problems", I no longer lay
awake at night running numbers and wondering where the
money is going to come from. God is truly prospering
all that I do and continues to amaze me. For years, it
has been my desire to speak to corporations and women's
groups. God has now opened that door. I have also
signed with a large publisher to write my first book,
which will only allow my speaking business and ministry
to grow exponentially.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone I meet. I give it to my clients as part of a welcome package from me!

Dedicated to your WOW factor,

B. Michelle Pippin
[...]

In 10 short chapters Duke Clarke covers 5 commonly accepted ways of thinking that can rob you of prosperity and 5 chapters on how to change your mind to accept the prosperity that you truly desire.

It is so simple that even a child can understand it and yet so deep that one can study it for years to deepen the understanding of the whole subject.

The only reason that prosperity has remained a secret to so many is that it has not been taught in a way that is easily received and understood.
This will help anyone who wants to know the principles that work for anyone.

You owe it to yourself to get a copy of this little book and share it with those you love to help them have all the prosperity they desire.

I've read this book through once already.....very quickly. Quickly because it's a great read and holds your attention. I plan to read and re-read it many more times as I tend to glean more and more from books as I continue to read them.

The thing I loved about it the most is the simplicity in seeing that God truely does want prosperity for His people. This is a topic that many, many Christians struggle with, stumble over and just can't seem to get a handle on. I was one of them for many years, yet, knew in my gut, that poverty or a lack of prosperity just couldn't be God's Will for my life.

Duke has brought a much needed focus to this subject and demonstrates from the scriptures that it *is* God's Will and that's it's available for everyone and anyone. I firmly believe it will totally change Christian's lives forever.

Great book.

I read this book last weekend and couldn't put it down. I'm not big on reading books as it's not that fun to me but this was so easy to read ,easy to understand, easy to remember. The text just flows smoothly and the information is timeless and priceless, you will NOT be disapointed!
Paul Hucke

This is an invaluable tool for the serious grower. Any experienced gardner will be able to use the information in this book to fabulous advantage. Although highly technical, (the authors go to great lengths to substantiate all the material presented in a scientific manner)the book is formatted in such a way that it can be used by anyone to diagnose and treat pest/disease problems event by event, rather like an encyclopdia. It is thorough and formatted logically and concisely. This is an excellant troubleshooting tool which works exceptionally well with pest and disease encyclopedias in the gardener's library.

This is a monumental effort, 220 page plus book well laid out and researched with heaps of references and an easy to follow index of pests and diseases plus biological solutions as the title indicates. Members may recall that John McPartland in fact all the authors were very helpful to NZHIAI some time back regarding MAF's (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) request for information regarding industrial hemp pests and diseases. By NZ standards this book is quite pricey (NZD 150-00 plus landed) That said I would suggest if you are re serious regarding growing industrial hemp this book will become as it is rapidly for me "Your bible." There is so much information my head is spinning. It is attractively bound and could well become a collectors item. No problems with NZ customs. In a word it is BRILLIANT. A credit to the authors. It can be obtained from the website below. Only took a week to get here.

Having only been able to get an overview of this imposing tome, I came away thorougly impressed. for by far the most comprehensive book on the subject, this book should become indispensable. in a field dominated by the likes of ed rosenthal and jorge cervantes, it's nice to see a work that's more academic than either e.r. or j.c. are inclined to churn out (not that they don't provide a great service to the public as well!) if you've got the time, and are serious about cultivation, this work will resolve a lot of nagging questions and issues you might have in a professional, well-organized fashion.

Hemp diseases and pests An amazing new tome on cannabis cultivation. from CC On-line, by Pete Brady

Here's the perfect recipe for a book about cannabis: use three authors who have spent decades studying cannabis horticulture, combine them with an international publishing company, and give them enough resources to create an oversized book with professional citations, illustrations, and binding.

This perfect recipe has produced a gorgeous new book, HEMP DISEASES AND PESTS - MANAGEMENT AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL. The authors - Dr. John McPartland, Robert Connell Clarke, and David Watson - are premier marijuana researchers whose credibility and breadth of knowledge are legendary.

McPartland is a medical doctor, botanist and cannabinoid researcher. Clarke is the author of two epic texts, MARIJUANA BOTANY and HASHISH!. Watson runs HortaPharm, the Dutch cannabis breeding consortium supplying specialty cannabis to UK med-pot research projects conducted by GW Pharmaecuticals.

HEMP DISEASES AND PESTS is a fascinating, practical book, and an upcoming issue of CANNABIS CULTURE will give a more complete summary of its features. For the purposes of this brief online review, however, I assure you that this book will significantly increase yield, efficiency and quality for any marijuana grower who follows its advice.

The book includes photos that help growers diagnose dozens of plant dysfunctions, including enemy insects, mites, mammals, and fungi, environmentally-caused problems, overwatering, and nutrient deficiencies. It tells growers how to protect their crops using biocontrols instead of toxic chemicals. It describes ideal soil components, harvesting guidelines, and curing procedures.

Although HEMP DISEASES AND PESTS is not intended as a "grow book" that focuses on lighting, security, and clandestine techniques, its scope, accuracy and detail make it an incomparable textbook that every marijuana grower should have. It is interesting and entertaining, immaculately presented and organized, and features the most innovative and reliable techniques for keeping your plants healthy and happy.

HEMP DISEASES AND PESTS is a large, 251 page, professional book with a professional price. It's well worth it. When I grew my own marijuana, I was often puzzled by plant problems. If I'd had this book, I could have easily eliminated those problems. HEMP DISEASES AND PESTS will likely increase the yield of your garden by at least 50%- if that's not worth, I don't know what is!

The book is a telling glimpse into the lives of some of the women of the Vancouver Downtown Eastside.
As a community worker with hard-to-house ex-psychiatric residents in the area, in the 1980s I ran a Women's Group to address the risk of AIDS in relation to prostitution.
The dying wish of a long term dear friend of mine was that I remain in contact with his two daughters. This book available at the Vancouver Public Library--and the excellent video of the same name that aired on TV available at Douglas College that includes an interview with her--give me a means to follow the career of his youngest daughter. I hope to hear from her again soon, and hope she is alright.
Now I'll go ahead and buy the book. If only I could discover whether the video is available for sale to the public.

'Heroines' is a book that is so much more and so much deeper than most photographic books. The images that are presented in this book are, on the one hand, beautiful, thoughtful images and on the other hand, deeply touching and challenging, because of the subject matter. This book humanizes an element of human nature which we often just refer to as the 'drug problem' or 'the addicts,' this reminds us that these are people just like you and I, who have chosen a darker path. This is an important photographic work which has value far greater than just a nice collection of images. The print quality is excellent and the text is interesting, well writen and thought provoking. Overall a fascinating look into Vancouver'e downtown Eastside Heroin and drug Culture. Money very well spent. Great work Lincoln Clarkes!

I grew up in this neighborhood, knew a lot of these women so I may be a little biased, but I LOVE THIS BOOK.
In Vancouver, people try to hard to ignore this part of town, to ignore the people in this part of town, make believe that this problem does not exist in their "perfect" city.
Vancouver is beautiful, but obviously there's a problem.
This book makes it impossible to ignore that fact.
You see the girls as people, as beautiful women, as someones sister, daughter or mother.
They're vulnerable and hurting and you can't ignore them anymore..

These photographs by Lincoln Clarkes in this amazing book will change the way people look at Canada in general and Vancouver in particular. These are friendly and exquisite black and white photographs of drug-addicted women who live and work (usually as prostitutes) in Vancouver's downtown eastside neighborhood, a neighborhood unique in all the world for bearing the majority of an entire nation's overdose deaths, if not drug traffic as well. Clarkes captures the humanity and the artistry, as well as the desperation, of these women ... and of the city, too, which now must look at itself in different way. Heroines really is an epic work of photography and of social documentary.

The editors of Business Bestsellers, a popular German/Austrian publication, has just declared Let Your Fingers Do the Talking as "one of the best 36 business books published in 2000!" Business Bestsellers is a subscription publication that is sent to hundreds of thousands of European business executives.

The editors of Business Bestsellers, a popular German/Austrian publication, has just declared Let Your Fingers Do the Talking as "one of the best 36 business books published in 2000!" Business Bestsellers is a subscription publication that is sent to hundreds of thousands of European business executives.

In Let Your Fingers Do The Talking: Using Word Of Mouth Advertising On The Internet, author, public policy consultant, and marketing analyst Godfrey Harris presents a comprehensive discussion, along with detailed program ideas, on stimulating word of mouth comments on the Internet about products, services, places, and events to expand e- commerce sales. An invaluable, highly recommended primer for on-line entrepreneurs and corporate marketing directors, Let Your Fingers Do The Talking also includes analyses of how to convert any traditional advertising approach to a word of mouth program and how to determine what works in terms of word of mouth, what doesn't, and why.

The Word-of-Mouth-Advertising champion and chronicler applies his proven techniques to the Internet. Godfrey Harris combines the least expensive form of advertising with the most efficient method of spreading the message: Drafting email messages that recipients want to forward to friends. Harris shares secrets, provides figures and cites case studies to show you how to get more bang for your promotion buck. Glossary and index. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com

--Dick Hogan, The Irish Times (May 25, 1999

"In this thoroughly researched and elegantly organised study, [Clarke] makes a significant contribution to understanding of the historical and political origins of race-based violence in the United States. The The Lineaments of Wrath, Clarke combines archival research with an impressive range of secondary sources to examine key aspects of contemporary violence in America. It is an extremely valuable piece of research." --Desmond King, Oxford University

its title from the words of Thomas Jefferson. The author reminds readers that Jefferson used this phrase 'to describe the 'unhappy' effects of slavery that he observed in the faces of white and black children.' In his comprehensive, no-holds-barred study Clarke, a political scientist, reviews the history of race relations from slavery and Emancipation, the immediate post-Civil War period of Reconstruction to 'Restoration' and the emergence of Jim Crow segregation (what white southerners once called 'Redemption') to the ill-fated move to the dark ghettoes of the 'Promised Land', the urban north. He highlights the brutality of slave-holders, organized Klansmen, lynch mobs who scoffed at the law, and law enforcers who also did, and continue to do so. He writes about the devastating effects of race riots on communities and of widespread black-on-black crime. And he offers hard evidence of the persisting problems faced by inner-city African Americans living in anomic conditions marked by fear, disillusionment with the legal system, disdain of authority, broken families, and broken lives. The first chapter, 'Violence Begets Violence,' is a recurring motif in this sobering rendition of America's greatest tragedy." --Choice magazine

of violent oppresssion of African Americans by white Americans with the current explosive subculture of black-ghetto violence. As no other book has done, Clarke explores the deep historical roots of our late-twentieth century crisis in American race relations--an urgent example of how the present must learn from the past to insure a future of peace and civility." --Richard Maxwell Brown, Univ of Oregon

WOW! I was worrying if it was old book but it was so neat. WHEW!! I read it and put it away in the shelf. I feel good to read. Thank you!

This book reminds parents of deaf children how crucial it is that they give their child a language rich environment regardless of whether they decide on signing or not. I am an educational interpreter and see children who are so far behind on their language skills because they don't get enough language support at home. I really encourage anyone who has a deaf child or works with deaf children to read this book.

A truly outstanding and eye-opening resource for parents of deaf children. Our deaf son is 14 months old and we have been reading numerous publications to try to prepare ourselves for his education. This book is full of important and eye-opening recommendations that I'm sure we will use on a daily basis in the years to come.

David A. Stewart and Bryan R. Clarke are two dedicated teachers with years of experience working with deaf children. In Literacy And Your Deaf Child: What Every Parent Should Know, Stewart and Clarke effectively collaborate to create an instructional guide specifically appropriate for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children who want to do everything they can to ensure their hearing-impaired child learns to read and write with fluency and competence. Also discussed are the practices and issues of hearing aids, cochlear implants, speech reading, and sign communication. Emphasizing the developmental link between American Sign Language and English literacy for children who learn and use it, Literacy And Your Deaf Child is an excellent informational and guide volume and is very highly recommended for anyone who works with hearing-disabled children.

This wonderful self-help guide I stumbled upon years ago and have read numerous times. My copy is highlighted, with pages falling out, but never the less... one of my all time favorites. It's easy to read style, with short sections of only a page or two are wonderful for when you are feeling a little down, troubled, frustrated or angry. It is at those times when reading something uplifting is most beneficial, but your concentration for "heavy" reading is almost non-existant. That is when this book is so ideal.

The book is divided into three parts, Part 1, "Me Vs. Myself", deals with how to live with yourself... how to be happy, how to not let things bug you, etc. It is wonderful... and has helped me out of many bad mind-sets. The book states that there are only three major obstacles to happy living... injurious feelings, overreaction to others and your confusion as to your place in the scheme of things. This section then goes on to explain in simple terms, how to overcome those obstacles.

Part 2, "Me Vs. You", is basically about not letting the actions of others bother you. Here we are reminded that it is not the person who has to put up with unreasonable behavior who has the problem, it's the person who is behaving unreasonably who actually has the problem.

Part 3, "Me, Myself and God", is about our relationship with God or a higher power, and reminds us that help is available instantly, at all hours of the day and night through him.

This book embodies the "Live and Let Live" philosophy of life. The author, Vincent P. Collins, has done a wonderful job of cutting right to the heart of injurious emotional issues and presents them in a way that even the most depressed individual cannot help but relate to and embrace. In today's stressful society, almost everyone suffers from some form of depression, frustration, anger, guilt or worry. With that in mind...this book should be required reading!

This book provides the best outline I have ever read, short of the Sermon on the Mount and the book Aloholics Anonymous, to put life in perspective, first to Self, then to Others, and finally with God. I read this book at least once a year and have attended group sessions wherein we go through the book, topic by topic, sharing our experience, hope and strength, one by one. I think that this book should be published by someone. (bluejean2@juno.com or jeanballow@yahoo.com)

The author to that book is Collins, Vincent Paul; not Vincent Paul, Collins. This man was a priest in my town and I knew him personally. The book is still being asked for by many people around here and is still being touted as very insightful and helpful for people who have low self-esteem.

This book provides the best outline I have ever read, short of the Sermon on the Mount and the book Aloholics Anonymous, to put life in perspective, first to Self, then to Others, and finally with God. I read this book at least once a year and have attended group sessions wherein we go through the book, topic by topic, sharing our experience, hope and strength, one by one. I think that this book should be published by someone. (bluejean2@juno.com or jeanballow@yahoo.com)

This book has done something that no other book has ever done for me, made me truly interested in history and anxious to read more. To be perfectly honest this is a subject I am usually not very interested in. Fortunately I was provided this book by a great publishing group -Triad. I knew that it was on my to be read pile, and because it isn't very long thought I would pick it up and "get it over with". Wow, how judgemental can I be, right? Well, thank you Sharon M. Clarke and Vern Firestone for making me see that I literally can't judge a book by it's cover.

To say that being a coal miner is a dangerous job would be an understatement - each year there are over 93 deaths and thousands of injuries. Sharon M. Clarke has written a wonderful story which uses mining as a backdrop for some extraordinary characters, and leads you on a journey that will tug on your heartstrings. It is not one you are soon to forget.

The Evans family have nothing holding them back after Mari loses her
mother, and Rhodri's job at the mine is rendered redundant. They decide that now is as good a time as any to start over, and what better place than America. So they pack a few items and board a ship with their 3 young boys.

Once here they decide that New York is not for them and they settle in New Salem, PA. It is a mining town, which is ok with the Evans' as this is the life that they are accustomed to. Unfortunately, working in the mines was similar to slavery - you arrived here with nothing and the mine set you up with a place to live and the essentials, but you used credit that the mine set up. It became almost impossible to get ahead so you became trapped in a very dangerous and very hard life.

The sorrow that this book exudes is overwhelming at times. I think what makes it so is the fact that this is how people lived their lives. The author has an uncanny ability to weave historical elements into the story, and really make you feel as if you understand what the individuals were going through. Starting with the sinking of the Titanic and the effect that it has on Mari's neighbor and best friend Catherine, to the effects of a heartbreaking loss due to Anthrax, and what emotions are evoked when the oldest boy enlists in the military to fight in WWI.

This story encompasses so much history and brings it to light in such a fantastic way, it was truly a page turner. Many people today, myself included, are not aware of the hardships that these people went through just to survive daily - the children received a knitted scarf and an orange for Christmas gifts and were THRILLED - can you imagine that happening today?

This may be the story of just one family, but we all should be able to read this and see what are ancestors did in order to provide us with the way of living most of us are accustomed to - I am hopeful this will make some of us take stock in our lives and do things that will leave a lasting impact on
our descendents.

I don't give out 5 stars on a book lightly - it doesn't mean that I didn't like the book, in fact I love a lot of books that I only give 4 stars to. It takes a special book to earn 5 stars, and this one has done it. Thanks to Sharon M. Clarke, and hope to read more by you soon!


This book will be raffled off the first week in February. To enter this raffle visit www.uponfurtherreview.org and sign the guestbook underneath any book you are interested in.

As always if you have any questions, feel free to contact me at tracee@uponfurtherreview.org

Mourning Redemption captures a segment of American history with wit, charm, drama and love. This story is as raw as an abusive husband and father, as frightening as the Black Maria bearing her injured, dead and dying coal miners to their families for a final farewell and as tender as young love and a stolen kiss.

From the moment I turned the first page of this marvelous novel, I was drawn into the story of the Evans family, as they crossed the Atlantic to settle in New Salem, a coal mining town in southwest Pennsylvania. Here, the miners are but cogs in the coal mining "machine", endlessly yoked to soaring credit at the company store, poor housing and food and lives filled with hard work, black coal dust and ever present danger. The only chance many have of breaking the vicious cycle lies in the grave and any stolen moments of joy in the interim seem as precious and rare as gemstones.

I was drawn into the forbidden love of "bad boy" Orville Jenkins and Kelly Hennessy, which tugged at my heart strings as a pregnant Kelly was sent packing to Michigan to have her child. As the world goes mad in the midst of the Great War, Orville is filled with dreams of being united with his love and their young son, Morgan, but Kelly dies while he is still overseas and Orville passes on as well, leaving poor Morgan a young orphan. Morgan's return to New Salem on Geraint Evans' broad shoulders heals many wounds, proving to all the resilience of life itself. Despite the incredible struggle and numerous setbacks, life is indeed to be treasured, savored like fine wine and renewed in the eyes of the very young. Like the boys of New Salem, may we swing life's bat with all of our might and grin with delight at every home run. This book is a triumph.

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (2/07)

"Mourning Redemption" places the reader in the lives of a Welsh immigrant family, immediately bringing you in as "one of them" as you follow their lives. Triumphs and misery, happiness and fear, all a part of every day living are brought to you through the pages of this wonderfully written book.

The Evan's family begins their trek to a new world in the early 1900's when the father, Rhodri, makes the decision that it is time to leave their homeland. After his wife, Mari, has experienced many tragedies, the last being the death of her last surviving parent he realizes that even if she doesn't think it's necessary perhaps it's time to move on. He loses his job as a miner, giving them nothing to hold onto but each other and the decision is made to follow suit of many others of those days and go to America.

The family moves to a small mining town in Pennsylvania, where they quickly blend in with other immigrant families and settle into a life of normality. The author takes you through the many happenings of the days, from the sinking of the Titanic and how it affects the family and family friends to the World War, by weaving the bits and pieces of history throughout the storyline. Making you feel as though you are a part of their life, you rejoice in their small wonders and cry with them at their disasters. You realize the astounding difference that one family made in our world, making you realize that perhaps you too have made a difference.

My favorite aspect of the story is a young man named Orville who is basically an outcast to the small town, as both parents are simply nothing more than worthless drunkards. Orville gets just one taste of how a family truly should be when asked to stay for dinner with the Evans family and this one encounter remains with him for the rest of his life. To see how it truly changed the direction of this young man's life, creating a war hero and true gentleman by just this single encounter speaks louder than anything.

Touching, dramatic, simplistic and amazing, the author takes you through a passage of time when the world was constantly changing. Touched by the characters that she creates, so true to life and authentic, you will forever remember the story of the Evans family and the world around them. Absolutely one of the best books I've read in a long time. "Mourning Redemption" is one of those books that just goes along smoothly until you find yourself turning to the last page and thinking "Oh, I want more!"

Sharon M. Clarke has written a story of Welsh immigrants that reminds me of 'How Green Was My Valley' - and that is high praise indeed.
It is a beautiful epic novel that brings us on the journey of the Evans family - Rhodri, his wife, Mari, and their children. Clarke gives us vivid pictures of their journey to America and their experiences in a new country.
The Evans settle in New Salem, PA. It is a mining town. If you had no education and had a family, and wanted to eat, you had two choices - work at the coal mines, or steel mills.
In this area, mining was king. You worked in the mines, they owned you.
You owed them for your housing, the tools you used, the store you got your food from, etc. - By the time they deduct all costs, sometimes you only had pennies for your pay. A hard life.
Mourning follows the events of its time - the Virginia Mine Wars, the sinking of the Titanic, the unrest in Europe, and subsequent start (and horror) of WWI - and Geraint, the oldest of the Evans children's participation in the war.
Clarke also shows us the terror that the Spanish Flu caused - that pandemic claimed millions of lives around the world - including America, and it very poignant given the threats of flu pandemics today.
The scope of this book is amazing.
For those of us who are descendants of immigrants during this time of the early 1900's, this book will touch your heart. It is a story of love, conflict, history and redemption, and it is not to be missed.