Clinton Books

Houdini:
Master of Illusion


"IT HAS NOW BEEN POSITIVELY PROVEN BEYOND ANY CONTRADICTION THAT HOUDI IS THE HARDEST WORKING ARTIST THAT HAS EVER TRODDEN THE VAUDEVILLE STAGE," said an ad that was praising Houdini, the man who defies prison. In Houdini: Master of Illusion, the author tells about Ehrich Weiss A.K.A. Harry Houdini's life growing up in poverty and dying a rich man. "Harry" became fascinated with Robert Houdin, the father of modern magic, and named himself Houdini, or like Houdin. Ehrich married a woman named Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, who he called "Bess", and she performed and traveled with him for the rest of his life. I liked this book because it told about all of Houdini's death defying tricks.

One reason I liked Houdini: Master of Illusion was because Houdini thought of himself as "supernatural" and that he wasn't able to get hurt. That example teaches a lesson. On October 19, about a week before he died, a boy asked if he could endure blows to the stomach. The boy began to hit him in the stomach very hard and after a few hits Houdini said that he could stop. The next day at his show he had a fever and his stomach was aching, but he didn't let the pain show. He later fainted and was told to go to the hospital, and after much arguing he decided to go. He died a little more than a week later.

Another reason I liked Houdini is because of his passion for magic. In his life - time he had procured many books on magic for his personal library. If he was trying to learn a trick like breaking out of a straight jacket, walking through walls, or even making an elephant "disappear" he practiced and practiced until it was perfect. Houdini was also interested in spiritualism. As its popularity began growing he studied it and even tried to contact his dead mother. He spent a lot of his life trying to foil all of the frauds that claimed to be mediums.

Also, I liked this biography because Houdini never let his lack of further education slow him down. He wrote booklets that told some of his secrets, and he printed a magazine (spelling mistakes and all), and a book, A Magician Among the spirits, in the spring of 1924. Houdini often told about his lack of education in the speeches he wrote and in conversations. Houdini was proud of where he came from for the most part. Even though he was born in Budapest, Hungary, he claimed he was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. He probably told this lie because of his love to exaggerate the truth.

This book was interesting because Houdini showed people that you could do anything you set your mind to. In this book, it was said that Houdini's father never came to see him on stage, but he didn't let that discourage him because he knew his parents were proud. Houdini survived the police officers' verbal attacks saying that he was a fraud because he could always prove them wrong. He survived the hecklers in audiences saying that he didn't know what he was doing without addressing them at all, which took self - control. I liked this book because it showed us to be Houdini-i, which means to be like Houdini, who showed self - control and that was like Houdin.

S.Moore

Escaping cells, unlocking the world's strongest handcuffs, freeing himself from impossible positions, Ehrich Wiess, better known as Houdini, had an exciting life full of lies and deceiving. The book Houdini: Master of Illusion tells you all about the real Houdini.
It all began Ehrich Wiess making a promise to his father on his deathbed. He promised to provide for the family and treat his mother like a queen. He started as a photography assistant to his brother. They learned magic tricks in their spare time together and they gradually began performing together. They started out performing at any place that they could. 'Houdini' started out at a teen with clothes made with medals and buttons. He did card tricks and a version of "Metamorphoses", or where people magically change places in less than three seconds. Houdini is actually a combination of his nickname, "Ehrie", and his role model's name, Robert Houdin. By using his nickname as the first name of his 'nom de plume' and Houdini (meaning like Houdin) as his last, he created one of the world's most known name. He had a very depressing life and he never did get over his mother's death. A very unknown fact about Houdini to today's population is that he did act in movies for some time. Also he busted false physics after one lied about contacting his mother and father. He deceived many about his tricks and stunts, but to his mother he was always Ehric. He died after a young man, named Whitehead, asked to see how many blows Houdini could take. Houdini stood and took the blows and simply told him that was enough. It is believed something ruptured internally. Even when he had a 104 degree temperature, he refused medical attention. He died a few hours later. I would recommend this book, but there are a few reasons I like it that may make other people dislike it.
I like this book because it states his life before he was Houdini and what he was like. For example, the promise to his father that inspired his legacy. He promised riches to his family, which was at that time poor. Also it tells about his real name, and more importantly how he made it.
I also like this book because it was happy in some parts and it showed how Houdini fulfilled his promise. At one of his shows in England he had his mother sit on a throne to watch the show and she was treated 'like the queen.'
Another reason for recommendation is the secret ways he preformed his tricks. It stated he had naturally bowed legs, so when they tied him up he was wider in the leg region. When he straightened them the ropes 'magically' feel to the ground. He hid keys in his throat in order to get out of the hand cuffs. He even had a specially made box for him to be thrown into the sea while 'locked inside' made out of boards meant for the Titanic with false nails.
The best reason to read this book is because of the personal stories. On his final trip before his mother died he was asked to bring back size six slippers for his mother. He had gotten the news that his mother had died of an illness. He still bought the slippers and laid them by her side. Overall this is a very personal biography with wondrous stories about the real Houdini. This book is a definite must read.

-LL

The book I read is Houdini Master of Illusion. The most remarkable thing I read was how he escaped from all those handcuffs. My subject is important because it teaches you to keep trying. Other people who would like to read this book are amateur magicians.
The book I read was organized in a special way. The cover has the title, author's name, and a picture of Hudini's eyes. You can easily notice italics when they state a specific item or place. The book flap tells you a brief summery. And the text pretty much tells the whole story.

Harry Houdini was a master magician, escape artist, and is as popular today as he was back in the early 1900's. But still, much of his life remains a mystery. Fact or fiction? Houdini told many lies about himself, and this is the book that uncovers what really happened.
Houdini: Master of Illusion is about the life of Harry Houdini, the great magician and escape artist. It takes us through his humble beginnings and Houdini's deathbed promise to his father that he someday pour golden coins onto his mother's lap. After learning magic working as a photographer's assistant with his brother, they performed together for a short period of time before setting out on their own. Harry thrived on his own, reaching fame through vaudeville performances and European shows. In every city that Harry visited, he went to jails, broke free from cells, and escaped from handcuffs. Harry worked almost all of the time and soon lost physical ability. He looked at least ten years older than he really was. After he was through with vaudeville, due to movies, Houdini did a lot of work with mediums. After Houdini was convinced that they were phony, he spent tons of time and money trying to let the public know about this phoniness. Harry spent much of his private time grieving over his lost mother and visiting graveyards. Finally, after many years of doing countless escapes and feats, Houdini died. He died on Halloween, 1926, at 1:26 PM, of a ruptured appendix, for it flooded his stomach with advanced peritonitis. Houdini is just as popular today as he was back then, so in a way, he still lives on. This is a great book because it has happiness, sadness, and was interesting.
This book is happy, because it is about a success story of a poor boy. It was happy when Houdini made the first flight ever in Australia, when Harry and Bess finally buy a house, and when Harry made an elephant vanish, a feat that made everyone want to head out to see Houdini.
Houdini had many sad things happen to him in his life. One was growing up in poverty, also when he was getting too old and tired to perform, something very sad for a performer. But, the saddest thing of all for Houdini was when his mother died. He had always had a bit of an obsession for her, but it truly showed when she died. Houdini grieved for her the rest of his life.
Finally, this book was interesting. It was interesting to learn that Houdini told many lies about growing up, where he learned magic, and his education. It was almost like he was trying to change who he was. It was also interesting to find out that when Houdini performed his great milk can escape, he had fake chains on the milk can. All Houdini had to do to get out was get out of handcuffs while squeezed inside of the milk can and push up. Another interesting part of Houdini's life was that he almost instantly lost fame when movies came along. Vaudeville houses were becoming less and less popular. Houdini decided to get into the movie business, but didn't do that great because other actors could do the stunts that Houdini did without risking their lives. That meant that Houdini wasn't as unique as he had been.
Houdini: Master of Illusion was a great book because it had happy parts, sad parts, and above all, was interesting and was hard to put down.

This book was not bad but it did have some slow parts. I really liked the way Harry Houdini does all of his great tricks. To the way he hangs upside down in a strait jacket then gets out to the way hegets hung by his feet inside a tank filled with water with hand cuffs on and then gets out. Through out the book ge does many tricks but my favorite trick is when he gets out of a "burglar proof" room. But it was a pretty good book.

While I began this book believing that African Americans are too inclined to support any white leader who isn't blatantly racist, I ended by at least acknowledging that President Clinton went further than previous presidents in adressing the complexities of race. It's a credit to the author that he presented a balanced view of a complex subject and represented a broad and diverse group of thoughtful individuals. This book makes you think. I highly recommend it.

Before reading interviews of various folk who comment on te love affair between former President Bill Clinton and black America, I suggest first reading the two chapters near the end of the book, "A Race Man in the White House" and "A Drum Major for Change." In these two chapters, Wickham puts his finger on a simple but important fact about Clinton when he writes that rather then distance himself from the black community he made an effort to bring the races together and "he tried harder than any other president to make race less of a factor in our lives.

Moreover, Wickham writes: "What impresses me about Bill Clinton is that he does not view black skin as a 'disagreeable mirror.' More to the point, he has shown a greater willingness than any other president to look African Amercans in the eye not with condescension, as Lew Payne points out, but with an uncommon sense of fairness."

In his 310-page book, Wickham makes it clear that Clinton did not use magic to woe black America. He appointed an unprecedented number of African Americans to top jobs in his administration and he tackled America's racial problems head on. And while the Republicans attacked affirmative action, Clinton promoted a "One America" initiative to help build a bridge of understanding between whites and blacks.

The book is loaded with interviews with a cross-section of black America. Over and over again, the same theme is sounded: Bill Clinton was well liked because he made the connection that other presidents ignored. Clinton made the connection that past president did not make because of racism or ignorance.

Wickham has weaved together a number of interesting interviews of African Americans of different walks of life in a way that make this book easy reading. I recommend this book to all students of history and those who want racial progress.

While there may be countless books written about the lives of presidents from an historical perspective, "Bill Clinton and Black America" is a fresh look at the life of a president from the very mouths of his contemporaries.

Interviews with people from all walks of life give the reader an up close and personal look at Bill Clinton -- the man. It's candid, compassionate and real. Excellent read!

The first time I knew I'd made a wise choice by voting for Bill Clinton was while viewing news footage taken of him the first few days he took office for his first term. He was walking with some aides around the White House and two elderly African American women waved and smiled to him. He walked over to them and began talking. Just then an aide stepped between Clinton and the two women with his back to the two elderly women. Clinton became furious and part of what he said to the aide had to be bleeped out to be shown on television. The footage was meant to show the temper of a new president. What I saw was a president rightfully ticked at a staff member for disrespecting two elderly African Americans. I remember thinking "d**n, Clinton gets it". To better understand why black america loves Clinton (besides hiring more blacks in his cabinet than any other president, balancing the budget and starting and supporting job and education programs), I would recommend that you read "Invisible Man". With Clinton, for a change, we weren't invisible, we mattered and weren't taken for granted. He didn't say dumb things like "It is a terrible thing to lose one's mind" at a United Negro College Fund function or assume that welfare benefit increases was an important issue to African Americans (we work!). He had a respect for the history and the people that had never been seen before or perhaps since ( I once saw him unexpectedly be asked to recite the Negro National Anthem. He recited the first two verses without struggle and then sang the THIRD!). For the first time, I had a feeling of safety. So, in a sense, he was "more black" than Clarence Thomas who climbed up the ladder of opportunity built by many black heroes and continues to block the climbing of it to young African Americans today by tearing down Affirmative Action laws. To the reviewer who had the nerve to make suggestions on what African Americans I should admire ("Thomas and Rice"), I'd thank you to mind your own business. How dare you? Do you have a clue about the black experience in America? I think not. I love this book because it's a reminder that even if I don't see another great president like Bill Clinton in my lifetime, I at least got to see one. And for that I am truly thankful.

While I began this book believing that African Americans are too inclined to support any white leader who isn't blatantly racist, I ended by at least acknowledging that President Clinton went further than previous presidents in adressing the complexities of race. It's a credit to the author that he presented a balanced view of a complex subject and represented a broad and diverse group of thoughtful individuals. This book makes you think. I highly recommend it.

Mainstream lesbian comedian (and Provincetown resident) Kate Clinton's humor is showcased in this collection of 26 short pieces -- part stand-up routine, part essay, part schtick. Some of them are quite funny: "Whenever a woman describes herself as 'post-feminist,' I picture women lashed to posts. Joan of Arc was an early post-feminist." Some are mildly amusing: "Jean Harris was an early hero of mine. Who hasn't wanted to blow away a diet doctor?" Some are perfectly dreadful: "When CBS sportscaster Ben Wright claimed women don't make good golfers because their boobs get in the way of things, I thought, 'Two words, Ben. Beer. Gut.'" Once you get her started, you might want her to shut up. For a bit.

If you like lesbian and gay humor you are in for a treat. Kate will keep you laughing from the first word until the last word of this book. Laughter is the best medicine.

I found myself laughing throughout this wonderfully funny book, however it would have been considerably funnier preformed. Clinton is among my favorite Comediennes, and proves again to have an inteligent wit. The book drags in places, however, when tone and motion are simply necissary additions. So I recomend having someone read this to you while adding tone to their voice and motion to their bodies! Or simply watch her live or listen to one of her CDs.

I first saw Kate Clinton on "Out Loud and Laughing" and found her extremely hilarious. I found her topics in her comedy to be something I could really relate to, as well as her dry, sarcastic wit that was applied to every single comment, almost as sinful as buttered popcorn. I had been looking forward to this book for a long, long time.

Imagine my surprise when I read the book and hardly laughed, but more importantly, had to FORCE my way to get to the end. It was a difficult read not because of the language or the topics, but because I didn't care about what she had to say. It seemed too wordy, as if there wasn't any real point she was trying to make, but that she had to fulfill her 60,000 word contract deal.

I had better hopes for Ms. Clinton's book and hope that if she releases another one, she has a goal in mind; namely, a point.

Great book, but I wanted to verify the statement by Maggie B. concerning Rosie O'Donnell. My cousin, Wanda, is in her chub club and before she was allowed on the set, Rosie herself stuck her head in the green room and said, "If any of you are queer, keep it to yourself".

If you read this book, and have a non-blinkered outlook on politics (in which case, congratulations you rare and beautiful thing!), be sure to have a barf bag at your feet. Burns is not a historian. He is a mouthpiece for the left wing of the Democratic party. Of his books I have read (excepting his somehow excellent, but sadly out of print "The American Experiment" trilogy), not one qualifies to be called "history." "Propaganda" is the more fit term.

Historian James MacGregor Burns and Georgia Sorenson have written an interesting book about Bill Clinton's failed effort to be a success by becoming a "centerist" U.S. President. Their excellent book, title DEAD CENTER: CLIINTON-GORE LEADERSHIP AND THE PERILS OF MODERATION(1999), is worth reading.

The authors contend, rightfully, I think, that Bill Clinton tried to please everybody, and ended up pleasing no-one (well, almost no-one). Pulitzer prize winning historian James MacGregor Burns and his co-author Georgia Sorenson argue that the price of centrism is high. They state that in choosing a centrist strategy, Bill Clinton rejected the kind of leadership that might have placed hiim among the historic "greats."

They review Clinton's presidency (which they imply was a failed presidency), and state that Clinton lacked creativity in fashioning new policies, the courage to press for reforms and other changes despite popular apathy and opposition, the conviction to stick to grand principles no matter how long their realization might take (they imply Clinton was a notably mediocre President, and that he must really be grouped in the unprestigious ranks of Presidents who were fence sitters).

Most interestingly, Burns and Sorenson contend that Clinton (and by association, Albert Gore) was notable for his lack of commitment to the people to fight for their welfare at any personal cost. This is quite a charge considering that the main Gore Presidential candidacy battle cry was "I will fight for you!"

Burns/Sorenson review the disasterous faillure of Clinton's 1993-94 health bill and ascribe the failure of it to Clinton's centrism. They remind readers that Clinton rejected the highly intelligent Canadian health plan model, which has been successful for decades in attaining a liberal good, universal health care. Clinton tried to avoid alienating highly paid doctors and insurance companies. The result was that his health plan had no particular idology, pleased nobody, really, and failed miserably. The ironic thing was that Clinton's health bill was the most noble effort he made in his Presidency, which went downhill from that point.

Buy and read this excellent book. It's a good read, and great discussion of how not to be a U.S. President.

This book will be a tad bit aggravating for those of you out there that are fans of President Clinton and do not like criticism placed at his feet. If you do not mind an upfront and realistic review of his presidency then this book is a good start. First off a bit of a warning, this book the purports to try and gage the Clinton Presidency and how it will be judged historically yet it was written while he was still in office. A minor point given when the book was published, but still worth noting. I also want to touch on the fact that this book lists four authors, I usually shy away from books with multiple authors, because I am always bothered by different writing styles commingled. I find I am always on the look out to see if I can find when one author stops and the next begins. This book had none of this; the authors did a very good job of speaking with one voice.

Ok so now we get to the real meat of the review, did the authors do a good job of presenting the Clinton Presidency? I think they did, this book is one of the few I have read that did not spend more then a few pages on the personal scandals and the right wing witch-hunt that took place. The authors spend a good deal of time on the domestic policies issues that Clinton worked on. I think they also did a good job in bringing out the working relationship Bill had with Hilary in regard to the heath care program and subsequent defeat. I would have liked it if the authors had spent more time on the foreign affairs section of the book. I felt they skimmed the Middle East section and could have spent more time talking about Europe. Also completely missed was the issue of terrorism and what the administration did or did not do.

Overall the book was good. It was a well thought out and written book that is a good overview of the first 7 years of the Clinton Administration. It can be a bit dry and it is not a book that can be read with an eye on something else. The authors main point, inserted maybe a bit too freely, was that by always moving to the center and governing by public polls produces an average result and truly great Presidents follow an agenda based on philosophy regardless of public opinion. As for how the authors summed up the Clinton presidency I will leave you with a quote from the book. "If Clinton truly aspired to presidential greatness, the strategy he had chosen ensured that he would never achieve it."

Twenty years from now, when time has allowed for an author to look back on and write on the Clinton Presidency with some emotional detachment and real perspective, this book will be in the bibliography. Burns and Sorenson provide the most complete review of Clinton's legacy to date, superceding, as an academic source, Joe Klein's more recent, more opinionated and more reader-friendly "The Natural". That said this book has many flaws. It is denser than frozen cookie dough. Stuffed with the kinds of details that only poltical science professors and their students could stand to bear for even one page (for example, I came across the book while writing a senior thesis on the Post-modern presidency...if that excites you this book might be of interest)so it can be a sluggish read. It is also tilting to the left but that actually makes it's criticisms of Clinton stick more then say, a book written by Right-Wing Conspirators (and there are plenty of those if you are just into Clinton bashing for the love of it).

The book also suffers from the fact that it was published before Clinton actually left office so issues like his last minute pardons are not touched on. In contrast to The Natural, where Hillary comes off as a villain, here, for virtually the same reasons Klein criticizes her, she is the star of the Clinton Era. An oasis of ideolgical purity, striking in its contrast to the vacuous desert of the"the Third Way" centrism that enslaved Clinton and Gore. A bit hyperbolic, but that's the gist of the epilouge, incidentally written before Hillary's run for the Senate so perhaps Burns and Sorenson were on to something.

The book deserves kudos for focusing on substantive policy issues and evaluating Clinton on those rather than getting caught in the trap of focusing the many personal scandals and confusing them with his professional failings. Burns and Sorenson on one page offer one of the best retorts to the vicious, partisan and very often malicious attacks on Clinton. Yet,they aren't soft on him themselves and therefore one can not dismiss this book as propaganda. Rather, it is a truly substantive study that may be driven by the authors policy concerns but makes evaluations based on substance not smoke.

A good academic book. The Natural's conclusions, I think, will stand up as being more historically accurate than Dead Center's but for a really detailed look at the Clinton Presidency this book is indispensible.

This provocative yet thorough analysis of Bill Clinton's tenure in office provides an almost convincing argument against Centrism and its implementor. As a Bill Clinton fan, I must say that the author's arguments nearly swayed me to believe that Bill Clinton may have failed in what they called "transformational" and "principled" leadership of the country. They trace the beginnings of Clinton's presidency, from his inauguration speech of change and renewal, his failure of health care reform, his foreign policies to the Gingrich revolution and finally to impeachment. Within each, the authors argue that Clinton failed to bring any sweeping reform or decisive leadership but instead brought tactical politiking, dealing and governing from the vital Centre. The reader is left wondering whether Centrism is good at all. In fact, one gets the impression that Clinton's legacy lies in a tangled web of disjointed policies and no over-arching vision.

However, I think the authors miss the point that whilst Clinton did promise change and succeeded in some ( balancing the budget, welfare reform, NAFTA) and failed in others (health care reform,arguably race, campaign finance), the political environment he was in and also the post cold-war era constrained such sweeping changes. The Gingrich revolution forced Clinton to think more pragmatically and more tactically as re-election loomed. Impeachment (his own doing) poisoned Congress to a standstill in enacting any later reforms. In fact, whilst I agree that Clinton failed to deliver the high hopes he had promised from the start of his presidency, the situation changed to such a degree, that to survive politically, he had to govern from the centre ( see his triangulation). To a small degree, Clinton's presidency was a product of its times; there was no Cold War or major crisis to display "principled" leadership as with Reagan.

Not everthing is bad news of course. They outline Clinton's foreign policy successes in Ireland and the Middle East but also his hesitant meandering in Haiti and Bosnia.

The overall picture is one of a work in progress - a President learning on the job, trying to enact "bold change", later displaying tactical and political skill and subtly reforming the people's view of government. At the very least, this book strongly initiates the debate on the Clinton legacy and his leadership. It is by no means the end.

Alright, I'll be the first to admit that as a die-hard political news junkie, I had a hard time passing On the Road with Hillary one up. When I'm looking to get the latest bit of political gossip (all the better to meticulously pick apart with a fine toothed comb and later blanch about in a heated blog post) I want it to be a clear cut, unimpassioned view of the issues. I apologize to editors everywhere but; opinions - especially political ones - are just far too messy. And, no, I don't miss the irony in that statement regarding the type of essay I'm currently writing. But as we all know, books are stuffy subjects and, upon picking this book up, I felt a bit of inflammatory rhetoric couldn't hurt, right?
Immediately, I could tell this one would be a doozy; and it wasn't the bright pink and neon yellow color scheme. No, a book on either of the Clintons was bound to be a wholly impassioned one. There was the chance of either a right-wing rail against the very fundamentals of the Clinton machine or a reproachful decry of the news media's special hate for the
ex-presidential family and undying loyal support that Clinton activists are famous for. Despite the cover sporting a look best described as "embarrassing", this book falls in the latter camp.
For many, this reading would be a bit of an outdated one. Published before recent political events, this book misses the time line entirely of Hillary: presidential nominee to instead trace the path of Hillary: presidential wife. This is apparent in the books subtitle: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Journey from Arkansas to the U.S. Senate. Told by one of Hillary's best advance men Patrick S. Halley, it becomes readily apparent that this would be for the most part a feel-good novel. And I'm not ashamed to confess that, putting aside all personal political stances, I felt good reading this.
Quick, with writing balanced by a rather well-paced, good-sized read, On the Road knows how to tell and entertaining story. And that is no small feat. Despite the rather frantic, heady life of those in the political arena - the work itself can be boring, monotonous and - well - make for a less than exciting tale. That however is not the issue here. Far less likely than this, you'll probably noticed instead the almost single-minded liberal slant that Hillary adopts. There is an attempt to make this seem like a natural outgrowth of years dedicated to the former first lady. Of course, one must realize that it would be hard to be around such company and not be caught in the excitement of their cause; but we are only ever given a sneering commentary of the right that edges on domineering.
The humor in On the Road with Hillary is dished out a mile a minute. At its best he reaches nuanced conclusions hitting on the ironies of the distressed political world. At its worst, well, you be the judge of such quaint jabs such as one chapter entitled "Cookie Monster" in regards to, of course, a certain line said by Hillary that certainly offended a large demography of stay at home moms. Its hard to come off hating the man though; he is just as quick to make a self deprecating joke after faulting on the opposing party's line. It doesn't hurt that his tone stays consistently affable and unabashedly his own throughout. He is quick to remind and the reader (should) know; the book is nothing more than an extended anecdote (along with a surprisingly enjoyable process analysis of the work involved in advancing) that takes on an unrelenting unashamed view exclusively from the left side of the camp.
His devotion with the stance, the Clinton campaign, and Hillary herself never falters and borders on more than one occasion with outright adoration. It is to be suspected that working personally with Hillary in a highly emotional, stressed environment would lead to more than just a professionally based connection. As he constantly shows: there will be sweat, blood, and tears. There is a certain level of discomfort placed upon the reader, however, as we are left to speculate upon just how closely he feels with the former first lady. Yes, he's worked with the woman for a good number of years and most likely receded his hair line back a few goo inches with the amount of stress involved; but we are given no mention of his wife back home after such sentimental remunerations of Hillary or even if he has a wife back home to mention. Off-putting as this may be, we are only subjected to endure this a few times throughout the entire course of the text and doesn't prove to be too bothersome.
Upon finishing On the Road, one is most likely to be left with a feeling of new appreciation (if not unguarded hate if you're the type of person that Halley likes to poke so much fun at) for the type of work involved, gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the political life, breathe a sigh of relief along with Halley after a particularly stressful advance job, or feel the heady rush of achievement upon success in the political campaign; for as in all campaigns, sweet victory is a battle won but it remains only a battle in the more far-reaching war.
On the Road with Hillary is not only a celebration of the Clinton family, a look into what really goes on behind the scenes, and a poke - however lighthearted and fun - at the right, but is, at times, an insightful piece too. There is a constant pervading sense that Patrick S. Halley is always on the cusp of some deeper realization. That is, when he puts aside the left or right-wing rhetoric and makes larger extrapolations on politics itself, his ideas are made substantial. However these moments are too far and few between and become obscured just as quickly as they appear by a self-deprecating jab; almost as if he feels uncomfortable when departing from tired ground to make his own view.
An interesting read but certainly not a running candidate amongst the echelons of great political writings, On the Road with Hillary should not be entirely dismissed. It is nhot for everyone to be sure, relying almost exclusively on opinion as its fueling force. But perhaps it is up to the reader to put aside their own opinions, here, and look at a side they may not have seen with a measured nuanced view where he does not. Perhaps there is no greater task asked of the reader than to share along with Halley in his sunny eyed recounts of politics in a celebration of its best, worst, and funniest moments.

I purchased this book so that I could learn what being on the "Advance Staff" was all about. Also I wanted to read something from the perspective of a relatively unknown staffer, one that wasn't being either touted or persecuted by the mainstream media. (Prior to this book I'd never heard of the author, though he apparently was on O'Reillys show.) In general, the book was interesting, though at times I thought it a quite partisan, and often came away with the feeling that the author had more than an employee/employer interest in Mrs. Clinton. (Maybe a bit of a crush on FLOTUS there Mr. Halley??) For that reason, I tended to take some of the book with a grain of salt.

Mr Halley is simply a stooge for the Clintons; he is their response to Drudge they hate so much for having first revealed the Lewinsky story; needless to say, Drudge is as a disgusting a character as anyone trying to balance out his role in the media at the behest of the Clintons who know no limits so far as manipulating public response to their doings is concerned;
nice try, Mr Halley--put on a cap instead of Drudge's stupid hat and make a few bucks along the way...

There is always a possibility that your stalwart support of Senator Clinton (D-New York)will yield a second-tier position in the future Clinton II administration.

Just finished this book. I found it to be a very honest account of Mrs. Clinton. A must read. I've always found it amusing that all the Clinton "haters" out there buy the books and read them!Interesting.

Patrick S. Halley's book On the Road with Hillary is a terrific, rollicking, fun read. For Hillary fans, political junkies, or just folks who want to know what really goes on behind the scenes, this is a great book.
I'm not a political junkie but I learned a lot from this book and enjoyed it...Halley is a great story teller, and he tells a story as if you were in his favorite pub in Boston, with him regaling you with tales of a trip just completed, laughing over a glass of his favorite potion, Guinness stout.
Halley is one of the pople that set up appearances for political figures. He prepares successful appearances for Hillary all over the country, from isolated rural college campuses to big city parades and fund raisers. He visits umpteen countries, suffering the hardships of dining in Paris and visiting the poorest places in the world, including Mother Teresa's orphanage in Calcutta. Through it all he never loses the pinch me sense of wonder of a working class kid who makes it good on his native talents but still can't believe his good fortune.
One of the best parts of the book is getting to look at Mrs. Clinton as a real human being. Halley is an unabashed Hillary lover, and he is right up front about that. The thing I liked though is the book does show her as a real flesh and blood human being, and not the one dimensional figure we get through the media at times.
Halley has a real talent for finding trouble and then getting out of it, usually in a daring and funny way. Some of his best stories are about how he wound up buck naked in the lobby of Tokyo's finest hotel, in a losing test of wills with an enraged yak, and in a shoving match with President Clinton while an aghast Mrs. Clinton looked on. But everyone will have a different favorite from this book.
So Hillary bashers, down a quart of maalox and loosen up a bit! But for Hillary lovers, Hillary neutrals, people who like politics, or just people who like fun, this is the book for you.

Not only did he place his own character on the line, but Mr. Brown has risked his life and that of his family in an attempt to set the record straight, and help uncover some of the dirt on the Clintons and their associates.

The book is an excellent read, and I hope to hear more from this author in the future.

On 10/31/98, L.D. Brown appeared before thousands on the Washington Monument grounds, plus a live national C-Span audience. He announced that what he was about to do, he was doing with reluctance, because of the increased risk that his disclosure would pose for his family. But he felt it had to be done. He announced that the investigation into the death of Vincent Foster could not be properly concluded until someone INTERROGATED Hillary Rodham Clinton about her affair with Vince Foster. "You've heard the rumors and the denials, but I'm here to give first person evidence that it was real. I saw it and talked to them both about it. And she's never even been interviewed!"

What was especially disconcerting was that this brave man's statement, about his observations as the state police driver of Governor Clinton's limo and, later, as the husband of Chelsea's nanny, was spiked nationwide. If this type of story can be made to disappear, who will carry the truth to the American people? When the "main stream" doesn't want such a story aired, it is up to witnesses to publish. This book's addition to the "body of evidence" in the public domain will make future analysts of the Clinton years even more incredulous that the national mass hypnosis has been so successful!

L.D. Brown writes a deeply troubling story, backed up by documentary proof, included in the book. These facts as well as other things which have become public since Clinton left office are defining for anyone who is willing to consider the evidence. The author writes in clear conversational english which makes the impact of the story that much stronger. It is one to which ordinary people can relate, particularly anyone familiar with the sometimes lethal ugliness of organizational politics. He takes the reader, step by step, through his relationship with Clinton-who went from friend and mentor to enemy and tormenter.
I voted for Clinton twice and staunchly defended him during the impeachment investigation and hearings. Eventually the evidence of his ruthlessness, greed, and amorality was too much to ignore. I highly recommend this book for anyone like me who had a hard time letting go of an idealized version of Bill Clinton and his equally appalling wife.

I found this book to be truthful. J D Brown writes about his illegal dealings with the CIA and Clinton. His life has been ruined by the Clinton Machine. In this book he shows how he witnessed the illegal activites in Mena as well as Little Rock. He writes how he has paid dearly for being close to that man, Bill Clinton. I found it hard to put this book down. My hope is that JD's family has peace when Cliton is out of office. This book is well worth the price. Don't miss it.

At potentially great risk to his personal safety and that of his family, Dr. L. D. Brown offers a disconcerting, inclusive, first person account of the moral duplicity and political corruption of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Crossfire is an intelligible, detailed disclosure of the the Clintons' insidious personal and political impropriety from the state level to the White House as experienced by Dr. Brown. He makes no effort to conceal his own involvement in order to protect his integrity and provides pertinent documentation to verify his claims.

I, for one, am grateful for his courage in offering the truth, as he knows it, to posterity by means of historical literature. I definitely recommend that anyone who is interested in insight regarding the Clintons and their administration read and consider the content of this book.

I have to wonder at the personal turmoils of an author when his work takes a sudden, dark turn. The Burns brothers I've come to love are back again, this time with wild brother Roberto having turned himself in after escaping prison, and now working with the feds in an operation to take down drug lord Jesus Hidalgo-Paez, known for brutally murdering informants and their entire families. `Berto's younger brother, Wyoming state agent Antonio Burns, is in on the operation, ostensibly to keep volatile Roberto in line. They get their spying station downriver from Hidalgo's compound set up and send Roberto, an old acquaintance of Hidalgo's, in to gather information to hopefully put him away for good.

Anton loses his objectivity almost immediately when he realizes the level of danger his beloved older brother is in. He has every right, however, when he learns the two feds running the operation have gone rogue and have sent his brother into harm's way without the permission of their superiors. Anton's every instinct is to pull Roberto out as fast as he can, but when they have difficulty obtaining a warrant, the feds push `Berto harder and put him at more risk instead.

What happens next sends Anton on a dark journey into the deepest parts of his soul, and we begin to see that the more straight-laced brother may be just as destraillado (unleashed, as their mother says) as the wild brother he always idolized. It is no wonder he goes there, as the very foundations of his life are shaken and he begins to open his eyes to things he did not want to see.

Though I cannot fault this novel for its darkness, which seems to reveal a deeper part of Anton's character, I found myself wishing I could reach into the book to give him a much-needed hug. Things will have to start looking up for the tougher, harder Anton in the next installment of the series, simply because he got taken so low this time out.

Excellent concept,excellent characters and very credible plot, until the very end.

Still a great read!

Although I don't quite get the rock-climbing mystique, the two (anti-)heroes of the book, Antonio & Roberto Burns, are interesting enough to want to read more. The plots are essentially incidental to the relationship between these two polar-opposite brothers and their relationships with the law and justice. Although it is Antonio who is the de facto 'hero' of these books, it is his unpredictable, out-of-control, wildman brother who is the more fascinating character. I rated this book with 4 stars instead of 5 because of what happens to Roberto at the end, a fate far too extreme and unfair for the character I've come to appreciate. I can only hope that in "Badwater," the next installment, some of the horror visited on him can be reversed or mitigated so that he participates fully as a well-drawn and compelling character.

NOTE: I couldn't wait for months for Badwater to come down in price and ordered it full price from Amazon: the only book I've ever done so with, and for the reason that it begs to be read NOW! :)

Once again an author ASSUMES we've read his/her previous books. This book started ... where? when? and so slowly. Who is the main character? What's his/her name? I have no clue where in the world these people were and certainly not what time frame. Present, future or past? I'm happy that the author is a rock climber, but I don't care. If I wanted to read a book about climing - I'd get one. This was supposed to be a mystery but there was nothing to suck me in and ask questions. I got to about page 30 and when the FBI lady started cleaning the bathroom, I gave up. I simply was not engaged enough to continue reading. I still didn't even know the main character name and quite frankly, didn't care. I mean, if you're on a secret mission and want to hide, why would you bring a dog? Hello, they bark!

This book was SOOOO Awesome. Why there are only three reviews so far I do not know. I have read every book in this series and I have to say it is the best series I have ever read besides Patricia Cornwall's Kay series. I love Antonio Burns and in this book, I got to love his brother Roberto also. We were introduced to Roberto in previous books, but never got to know him well until this installment. This book was probably the best in the series, but they are all amazing. I will read this series again and again, and this is a book worth owning at hardcover price. The author is so talented in his writing that it blows you away. He makes everything so real and exciting that all you can do is read until the end and be disappointed that the thrill is over. This is one of those rare books that I became so involved in, not only the storyline, but the characters who are so well developed, that when I had to put it down to do something in "real" life I was in a fog and disoriented because my life had become Antonio Burn's life. I could not think of anything except getting back to the book. I can't wait until his next one. This story was more emotional than his others and it had me crying more than once and even laughing. I ADORED it. You will not be disappointed.

Since this is the only book available on Ibatis, so i purchased it.
But the latest version of ibatis has a lot of changes and this book is based on the older version.
I got a lot of information on ibatis online.
Download ibatis and go through the docs( there is Ibatis_SqlMap.pdf ) and same some money ;)

This is very good book with nice examples and I think this is even better book for users who have never used any form of ORM

claro y conciso..
con ejemplos puntuales ,, este libro se deja entender a pesar de estar en ingles y de que mi nivel en java no es tan alto.

The book is concise, good structured and it's enough expresivo. This is the first book that I read in English and I understand in its entirety.

Congratulations Clinton

I now have a much better insight into iBatis because the authors provided both background design and detailed information about the product. It was much better than the documentation I found via the web (there's lots to be said for technical and editorial review of a book).

The setup and code examples are excellent. I also like the writing style and structure of the book. Clear and logical.

However, I would like an expanded section on using the Spring DAO with iBatis, as this is now the recommended approach over the iBatis DAO.

Although I was already using iBatis, this book is a welcome addition to my library.

J. Aundre Clinton, did an excellent job on his first book. Inspite what people say or think continue to keep writing interesting books. I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait to see what's next. It's great to see a young man from the Delta go on to be a great author. LOOK OUT E. LYNN HARRIS YOU GOT SOME COMPETITION!

I'm not actually 12. Just didn't feel like filling out forms.
I commend J. Aundre Clinton for his efforts at becoming an author. Although the book was very intriguing, I disagree with the inspiration for the book. It was actually written based on some of his high school experiences. As a matter of fact, he used some actual clues in the book that would let anyone that went to school with him know exactly who and what he was talking about. This is THE BEST MAN for the year, especially since I can go to the halls in my high school and look at these people's graduation pics.

I just finished reading Sins From the Past, and I have to admit that I'm very impressed. The storyline was very inviting and captivating. Once I started reading, I just couldn't put the book down. Mr. Clinton is a great storyteller and very good writer. I can't wait to see what he will write next. Great job Mr. Clinton.

I was given this novel last year as a Christmas gift and was finished reading it by New Years Day. I am actually re-reading the book again and once again I am unable to put it down. It's a great 1st novel by the young author and I am hoping for a sequel very soon. Five of my friends has, also, read their copy and agree that it's one to add to your collection.

J. Aundre' Clinton did a great job with this book. I couldn't put it down. The storyline drew me in, and I couldn't help but to wonder what was going to happen next. I'm Looking forward to the second book. Good job Mr. Clinton!

As an armchair mountaineer and occasional peak bagger I love his whole series. A few of the characters are a stretch but setting, the plots and most of the principals make his books a total escape pleasure.

In a book I suspect was written first and sold second, McKinzie kicks off the Antonio Burns series. Anton is a Wyoming agent who busts meth labs, and he's meeting his Air Force colonel father and ne'er do well brother Roberto in the Wild Fire Valley in Colorado for some mountain climbing and a confrontation of Roberto for his habits. Wild Fire Valley is a busy place when Anton and Leonard Burns arrive to wait for Roberto. A group of environmentalists is there raising a protest over the valley's impending development at the hands of David Fast, who swapped the valley with the government for some valuable lynx habitat lands. Fast wants to turn Wild Fire Peak into a ski resort and the surrounding valleys and meadows into condominiums and strip malls. Leading the opposition to this development is one-eyed Kim Walsh, who lost her eye in the wake of a sexual assault 12 years earlier. Accompanying Kim are pretty, blonde, dread-locked Sunny and her hotheaded boyfriend Cal. As expected, David Fast, his hired thug Alf Burgermeister, and a bunch of other hired muscle disrupt the protest. When Fast's construction site burns shortly thereafter, everyone believes Cal did it, which is why he's found beat to death that night, and Sunny disappears, last seen driving frantically away from the scene.

The local cops, unwilling to listen to Anton's story about Fast and his hired muscle, choose instead to arrest Roberto, on the sole grounds that he has a record. With the police unwilling to lift a finger to go after the real killers and his father called back to Washington on an urgent military matter, Anton must clear his brother's name on his own, along with his huge dog Oso.

Kim Walsh, concerned for her friend Sunny, insists on accompanying Anton on his search to Arizona and Lake Powell, where they believe she's hiding. Unfortunately, Fast and Burgermeister think so, too, and spot Anton and Kim. With no help from the authorities, they have to save not just Sunny and Wild Fire Valley, but a secret cave filled with Anasazi ruins, as well.

Like the other Burns novel I read, I found myself not only drawn to the beautiful places he describes, but also to the characters who make them come alive. Anton is a very likeable guy with a wry sense of humor and a soft heart. Roberto, his wild, drug-addicted brother, is the perfect foil, in some ways very much like Anton, and in others dangerously wild and prone to the unpredictable. Their relationship with their father is complex, fraught with deep respect along with a certain amount of resentment.

This was more of a thriller than a mystery, as there is no secret to whodunit. There was plenty of tense action, and a few chuckles, as well, making for a very fine series kick-off. McKinzie has created a fine cast of characters and crafted an entertaining story in which to meet them.

Point Of Law is the first book by Clinton McKinzie, which I decided to read based on the positive reader reviews it generated. Unfortunately for me, I didn't enjoy it very much and, thus, will probably be the last book by Clinton McKinzie I'll read (at least for the foreseeable future). The plot started off interesting and exciting; however, what ultimately developed was mostly predictable. Further, I found the characters to not be particularly well developed, resulting in my not caring one way or the other about what happened to them. The main mystery for me was to see if I could make it to the end without resorting to skimming pages. I must admit that I did not succeed in doing so. If I was to rate this book with a word (rather than a number) I'd assess it as a "fair" read. With so many books out there and so little time to read them, my recommendation is to skip this book -- unless you have a strong interest in rock climbing.

There was a very promising start to this book. Very engaging characters in Antonio Burns, a special narcotics agent, his Air Force Colonel father, and his live-on-the-edge, drug-addicted brother. They have a complex and compelling relationship with each other. I loved the parts of the book where they interacted with each other. Great scenes involving rock climbing. The problem is that the main plot has been done hundreds of times before. I didn't feel the characters outside of the Burns men had any special chemistry together and I never really cared about what happened to them.

Anton, Leonard and Roberto Burns characters make this a better book than it is and make it worth reading. A special mention for Anton's dog, Oso, who stole every scene he was in and should probably have a story of his own.

Fast, exciting and well written.