D Books

A few years ago I visited these areas and the tour guide spoke with great certainty about everything. Come to find out almost everything is subject to question. Mertz is clear on what has been established, and what is theory. The time, energy and research put into Egyptian archeaology opens new avenues of doubt and make facts more and more elusive.

Mertz warns at the beginning that this is not a text nor a complete history. She says it is an collection material that she finds interesting. The first part was a little TOO informal for me. Mertz hits her stride with Hatshepsut and keeps the narrative strong through the end.

I loved this book. It's very well written and very informative - definitely not "dry" and "stuffy".

The book is interesting as well as fascinating with much information. Just what was needed to add to her Elizabeth Peters novels about Egypt.

For anyone who has an interest in Egypt or ever wondered exactly who the ancient Egyptians were and why their dynasties lasted for thousands of years, Barbara Mertz's "Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs" is the perfect introduction. More commonly known to readers as Elizabeth Peters, Mertz is the author of the popular Amelia Peabody mystery series.

Long before she started her career as a best-selling writer, however, Barbara Mertz began as a trained Egyptologist, with a PhD from the famed Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, the launching pad for many successful Egyptologists. These credentials make her the perfect person to write this history, as she is able to translate the rich Egyptian history of the pharaohs into something more easily understood by readers with no archaeological background, except an interest in Egypt.

This is not to say that the book is always easy reading, although Mertz tackles her subject with a passion and humor readers are unlikely to find in any other, more typical history tome. She manages to bring the Egyptians of old to life, translating ancient hieroglyphs into fascinating stories of individuals, each with their own purpose, strengths and weaknesses exposed.

She opens up the fascinating world of tomb robbers and archaeologists (which some claim are not so far apart in purpose or behavior at times). She demonstrates how information is extrapolated from archaeological findings and illustrates how history is revised over time as new facts and theories come to light.

Despite the injection of personality Mertz brings, this can be dense material at times. For anyone uninitiated in the world of the Egyptians, there are more than 30 dynasties, each with several rulers, falling into 10 eras, dating from the Stone Age Archaic Period to the time of Cleopatra and the Roman invasion. The sheer length of time and individuals and events covered is staggering.

With repeating pharaohnic names, unfamiliar landscapes and place names, conflicting historical research and theories, the book can be overwhelming at times. Yet the reward for sticking it out (dare I even say, re-reading parts) is worth the time and effort expended. Frankly, I read this book twice, cover to cover, and the second time around, I finally began to get a real sense for the overall arc of historical time period covered. And I would hazard to say that it seems even more likely that dipping in again would yield even more historical treasure and understanding.

The richest gift that Mertz offers in her overview of Egypt can be found in the simple stories of the rulers described here, in illuminating for the novice the archaeological tricks of the trade (and weaknesses of such methods) used to determine exactly (or to the best of anyone's knowledge) what happened so many years ago. Mertz's infectious passion for all things Egyptian (well, except possibly pottery shards) can't help but influence her readers to want to learn more. Through her book, she has opened the door to her own exciting world, and readers can't help but want to share in that magic.

Christine Zibas, Book Pleasures

Writing under the pen name Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Mertz started the Amelia Peabody series of tongue-in-cheek Victorian archaeological thrillers in 1975. But 11 years before then this trained Egyptologist published the first edition of "Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs".

Like many other books this traces of the history of ancient Egypt from the pre-dynastic to the Ptolemies. But Mertz brings her sense of humor to lighten what can be a dry series of lists of kings. She brings to life highpoints in the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, as well as the chaotic periods in between. Moreover, she lifts the veil and lets the reader in on many of the scholarly disputes, like those over the woman pharaoh Hatshepsut and the role of Nefertiti in the succession to her heretical husband Akhenaton.

It's also nice to see someone reveal the egomaniac Ramses II for what he was, a poor leader who lost the second Battle of Kadesh, and who covered his weaknesses by pasting his image everywhere.

For anyone who has read the Peabody books, including the depiction there of Sir William Flinders Petrie (and his approach to feeding his staff), Mertz' homage here to the founder of modern Egyptology is interesting.

In her forward to this Second Edition, Mertz says she thought she wouldn't have to do much to revise the earlier work. But then, she adds, taking into account four decades of new discoveries proved to be a challenge. There are places in this book where she discusses post-1964 work, but the addition of the new material is seamless, with no sense of things just stuck in.

This is a delightful introduction to the fascinating history of ancient Egypt.

Neal Shusterman's Unwind is a true contemporary American classic. It goes far beyond just simply story-telling. It is very similar to Animal Farm. It is so much deeper than its plot. It deserves to be ranked with Catcher in the Rye and The Diary of Anne Frank. It should be mandatory reading for all high school and college students. Neal Shusterman is absolutely the John Steinbeck of Young Adult Fiction.

After the Heartland war, a war between the pro-life and pro-choice armies of the United States, the Bill of Life is created. It states that a child cannot be aborted until they are between the ages of 13 and 18, when they can be "unwound" or have their body parts harvested for other uses. It isn't "killing" the Bill of Life says, but rather changing their form of life.

But three teens, Connor, Risa and Lev who all come from entirely different situations, battle to survive until they're 18.

This book was one of the most impacting books I've ever read. I am a huge reader and read probably two books week. But it took me a day to read this book.

It makes you think about life, and what life means, and what a soul is. Read this book and your thoughts about life will forever be altered. Five stars to Neal Shusterman.

This is a MUST READ.

This was a book I bought on a whim. It had an interesting premise so I thought "why not". That was almost a year ago and I still can't get this book out of my head. It is one of those stories that hit you in the gut just when you think that every topic has been written about. This was an entirely new idea wrought with intense emotion and survival from every character. There was no overlap in 2 dimensional character traits. Each character was fully developed, had a voice and you could feel their point of view. The book was so disturbing in a "Twilight Zone" sort of way. There was no sugar coating or breaks given to the characters. Their was no apology for the situation it just was. The reality of that sets an ambiance that you won't be able to get out of your head for some time. This is a book I would love to see my teenager having to read for an English class. It is wrought with discussion topic possibilities and could stimulate some intense discussion. I could type on all day about the wonders of this literary masterpiece. The emotion, the depth, the color, the pain and the creative world in which it was weaved is beyond description. You must read it regardless of the genre you like. I can't imagine anyone not being in awe.

Unwind is one of the best books I've read in a really long time. The characters are interesting and complex, even secondary characters are fully developed.

This book was amazing! The plot works off of the controversial topic of abortion. In the book, abortion is outlawed, but parents can choose to 'unwind' their children between the ages of 13 to 18. The children are taken to a harvest camp, where their body parts are separated and used as transplants for other people. In the book, it's called 'living in a separated state.'
The story has 3 protagonists: Connor, Risa, and Lev. Each are being unwound for a different reason. The entire book is basically their fight to stay alive.

Tim's story is amazing. He is an unbelievable man who has persevered through many trials. I liked the beginning of the book better than the latter parts. The part where he focuses on his story is much more interesting and captivating. A good, easy read.

I keep this book at all times to give to friends who have had surgery or any kind of physical "ailment." It is very inspiring; and I recommend it even to those who are well!

I read this book after being in a wheelchair for a year. Even though I had to spend another year in that chair, my outlook on life changed completely! I am now buying copies for others who are in the same circumstances. I would recommend this book to anyone who is suffering from depression or discouragement due to a debilitating injury or illness! Life is not over! A new chapter has just begun!

Tim draws on his vast understanding of pain and suffering to write this and other books. He is a kind man, who loves God and wants to serve Him with all he has. Even through the pain, he still desires to share his faith and tell his story. Joy is one of the most difficult ideas to grasp, but Tim does it and lives it. This book is great for all readers, young and old, healthy and sick. You will find a renewed perspective on life and living every minute of it with the joy that comes from above

The author's story was very interesting to read. The way he handled being seriously injured in a mountain climbing accident, and then having to live the rest of his life in severe pain, was highly inspiring. I hope I can apply the same principles to improve my attitude about life and overcome depression!

great book, check it out!! awesome fight scenes, believable and realistic.

a fine mix of love, magic, adventure, and a sense of duty to a greater cause. I really enjoyed it.

also read salvatore (drizzt stuff), and Harry potter

give me some more--I luv it!

JUst when you think there isn't any more fantasy out there, someone comes along with a tornado to make you think again!!11 check it out man I love it and can't wait for more---------000

I initially wrote this book for family and friends and while a good story, I had no idea it would make the best selling list! Sorry for all the errors (I could have used an editor), and on page 261, the first line of the second full paragraph should be moved down to the third line from the bottom...the many monsters, etc.
I am currently writing the second book and trying to nail down an agent as well as a larger publishing company...be patient, its coming!
Thanks again for your support--Cheiron

"The Art of Effortless Living" by Ingrid Bacci is a quest for personal empowerment and transformation through meditation and yoga.

Ingrid Bacci provides well developed practical approaches to creating an 'effortless' lifestyle.

Connection to the Higher Self is important along with various practices to develop physical and emotional awareness.

Also read:

Nexus: A Neo Novel

Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao

a must read for dealing with your own health and finding your true pleasure in life.

Ingrid's book is about learning to live your life from an inner place. A place that allows you to access your inner wisdom and get in touch with feelings and feeling your body. She talks about how we have gotten to a place of stress in our lives and informs us on how to let go of that. She mentions the fact that not only are our minds, thought and actions so stiff and so frozen, but it also effects our health.

I highly recommend this book it is a jewel and will guide you on a new path of effortless living that brings joy and well being into each moment. I hope that she writes another book, her input and the way she writes is like listening to a dear friend who has your best interest in mind. Awesome book, I have highlighted it and will treasure it and go back to it for inspiration many times.

This book was suggested by a friend and it was exactly what I needed at this time. It is a great resource for making work and life transitions with ease. I have always been looking for a book like this one, and I finally found it. It is a truly wonderful book.

This is a book that everyone should read. It teaches you to realize how we spend a great deal of effort on many areas in our lives. It makes you understand how to simplify your life by easy steps to take daily. Through this book, I learned how to breath properly and how not to let little things in life stress me out. That is all wasteful and useless. Think "effortlessly" and your life will flow gracefully as you start to realize the wonderful things in your life that you were too filled with effort to notice before. This is one of the best books I've read this year and recommend it to everyone. It's easy to read and understand and it will teach you to live effortlessly and allow you more time to enjoy yourself. Buy it!!!

The image evoked by the words on Nomi's gravestone led me into long ruminations about the ways to comprehend, and ultimatly tranform the sadness of, the death of a young life. How many of us have warded off the searing emotion of imagining the loss of a child? This is Fein's personal story as he tries to cope with his loss, honor his daughter's memory, and move foward with his life forever altered. The book is filled with a personal wisdom that is both deeply philosophical and searingly personal. To read this book is to vacillate between crying one's own tears for the loss of Nomi and being inpired by her own unique and powerful spark. The book is Fein's personal journey, but the story he tells is deeply and movingly universal.

I picked up Fein's book yesterday at the library and sat for an hour reading it without putting it down. Although I was familiar with Fein's writings within the Jewish community, I didn't know anything about him personally. I thank him for writing such a deeply personal story about such a tragic loss. I feel sorrow for his and his family/friends' loss, but also for all of those who never had the opportunity to know his daughter.

Leonard Fein's story of a parent's unspeakable loss of a grown child and the grieving that follows it begins as his personal story, gradually becomes our universal story, and remarkably by its end even fills us with hope.

The power of Fein's book was felt by me most deeply as a parent. To be presented with the portrait of this daughter, to consider the poignant relationship she had with her father and with her community, is to be called to reflect anew on the way one cherishes one's own children and the unique contributions they make to their world. The book is a nuanced, searching presentation of life and loss and love. I am augmented for having read it.

Leonard Fein finds words to express what I had thought were unexpressible thoughts and feelings. By doing so, he allows us to look at ourselves intimately, but without fear. His honesty with himself helps the reader consider and confront the difficult and painful. In the end, this book is extremely comforting.

I have only read the version of Babi Yar by Anatoly Kuznetzov. I'm not sure it is the same book as the one described here by A. Anatoli. However the book I read in 1980 left an indelible impression. The horrors of human cruelty and survival instincts of the oppressed are portrayed very well by the author especially since it is being told from the viewpoint of a 12 year old. As someone else commented; it is not for the squeamish.

I first read this book in high school as a shelf clearing library rat. It was not recommended, it was not widely known, it just sat on a shelf gathering dust. As far as I could tell, I was the first person to check this book out of my high school's library....books used to have cards glued to the back page where you signed your name...this one had no signatures. I read "Babi Yar" 3 times in the next 2 weeks and was stunned at the inhumanity of people towards people. I actually had trouble sleeping for a while. I didn't run across this book again for another 25 years. It kind of jumped at me from the shelf at my local library. It offered the same brutal emotional clubbing at 41 that I had experienced at 16. No different. How horrible can we actually be as humans? Pretty damn horrible it appears. The progessive rape of Kiev (et al) by Stalin, the Nazis, and Stalin AGAIN is a mostly overlooked story. This one tells it quite well. Music lovers should listen to Al Stewart's "Roads to Moscow" for a somewhat hurried reference.

This is by far the most significant piece ever written about the Holocaust. Amazingly, the author was a KGB agent while writing the book. He died under very mysterious circumstances.

It is amusing that one of the reviewers questions the authenticity of the story.

I recommend reading books by Elie Wiesel and Imre Kertesz as well. Read Yevgeny Yevtushenko's great poem too.

I am reluctant to believe that this novel is all true. It is sold as fiction, placed in libraries in fiction, and even teh Library of Congress lists it as such. Whether or not, it remains that this is an intruiging novel. I read it when I was a senior in high school back in 1996, and it has always been in the back of my mind.

Read it, research it, form your own opinions.

Some questions remain that I wonder about. Why were there no forensic tests or archaeological digs? Surely there is nothing to hide anymore. I would really be interested in reading further into this story and seeing what information can be gathered using science.

I am sorry for the above commenter's obvious pain my initial review caused. I was, I believe, researching in the worng way.

I read this book in the original Russian. I could not put it down until I read the whole thing. As far as truthfulness I have absolutely no doubt, since his accounts are the same that I have heard from my own grandparents who fought in and survived in the war. To the reviewer below - Jeannette DuPree (South Carolina), what do the modern historians doubt? The thousands of victims (including the immediate members of my family) of German brutality? It's revisionist lying.

My grand daughter's are anxious to get started building! I bought this and the Stokes Guide to Bats. They love the books. Easy to use and with a little help 8 & 10 years-old understand the blueprints.

Maybe I'm too sold on what's marketed as variety.

I agree with what other reviewers have said, that these are good bathouses and the instructions are easy to follow. I just wish there were a little more variety in terms of design.

The book, by the way, over and above the houses does have some reference information on bats including where to put the houses. That was helpful.

If you're into bats, and would like to make your own houses, this is the book I would recommend.

Lots of good information in here. This book went into detail that I'd never even thought about. Definitely worth a buy if you want a good house that will attract bats.

I was a bit annoyed to open the package from Amazon and see this glorified pamphlet inside. "There goes ten bucks!" I thought. Don't let the size fool you, though. When I opened the booklet and started flipping through, I saw that it really is an excellent guide. It is far superior to anything else I have seen on the subject. I have seen bat houses for sale in my area that do not come close to meeting the well researched guidelines described in this book. Worth buying, definitely. I just wanted to combat the mosquitos in my neighborhood -- now I will likely join the Bat Conservancy and build houses for any friends who ask.

This is a very concise and thorough book on how to construct a successful bat house.

I am a voracious reader and I read this about the time I entered high school. It is one of the very few books that I can remember reading several times. It did engender interest in the books of the bible that were about women, and I really think that it helped me cope in a way with being a foster child from the age of 8 to 17. I still remember it and it's been about 40 years since I read it for the first time.

If one book I have read comes close to being "perfect", it is
"Behold Your Queen"! The biblical characters come alive, as real people, the "tour" of ancient Persia is vivid, and the story -- (straight out of the Bible....yet anything but dry
and stodgy...in fact, it may send you TO the Bible to read
the original!) -- exciting, romantic, scary, and in the end,
triumphant!

Courage and moral values are at the core of this book -- but
they are not taught by rote here. REASONS for these things
are given. Also -- there's a lovely lesson in "dating" --
how to get a guy interested in you. Simply -- be interested
in him! The love story between Ahasures and Esther is that
of two young people who find each other in the midst of lone-
liness, (each is an orphan), and splendour....yet it is the
splendour of their love that shines through.

Esther's love is tested when it is revealed to her that the
Prime Minister, (Haman), plans to have all people belonging
to one race in the Persian Empire killed. These people are
the hereditary enemies of Haman's people -- the Amalakites.
Unknown to Haman, the new Queen Esther is one of those
people -- the Jews -- whom Haman would have destroyed. Haman
does not know this, (initially), because Esther was told by
her Uncle Mordechai, (who brought her up), to keep her
origins a secret. (This is another lesson of this book --
though told as children we must always tell the truth, the
maturing person realizes that some things -- things that
would hurt others, or even one's self -- need not be told
...at least at first) How Esther decides that she must
risk her life so that she -- and all other Jews in the
Persian empire -- can at least defend themselves...is a
lesson in courage for all time. She not only risks her
life...but also his love, which she has found so precious...

True, there are some non-politically correct parts of this
book. Yet they are minor....and could easily be remedied.
For instance, at the beginning of the book, Queen Vashti
is banished because she refuses to appear at a banquet
clad only in her royal crown, at the behest of drunken
guests. (This is why a beauty-contest is later held
throughout the empire to choose a new queen.) The message
here might be, "Obey your husband or else" -- and the
danger of wives, following Vashti's lead, and disobeying their
husbands, is indeed what Ahasures's counsellors warn against.
However....one of them saying, "...And even wherein a wife and
husband act as one, lovingly consulting each other, as did
your royal parents, there will be strife...for the wife will see she need not even consult her husband any longer -- and
one will again become two!" -- could now be added. Also --
(to please traditionalists, (boo!) -- who believe that Ahasures was an older man, and that Esther -- true to her faith -- did not really love him, another minor change could be made. In fact, when I told a relative of mine about this book, mentioning that in it, Ahasures and Esther fell in love in it, he said, "Oh -- that ruins the whole story!" -- oh, if only I had had the book there for him to read!) So, to please these tradtionalists, Ahasures could stay in love with her, remain
young and handsomne, (sigh!), and Esther could remain deeply
in love with him, (double sigh!!) But -- to make tradition-
alists happy, Ahasures could also be shown to take some
interest in Judaism, (which -- before Christianity -- was, (in my own estimation) the most moral, and perhaps the only moral religion in existance. (Later on, it was joined by Christianity and Islam, two other highly moral, modern religions, of course). Ahasures could even be shown to be toying with the idea of conversion,and/or gaining more and more respect for Judaism even if he doesn't convert. This would please the traditionalists no end, and so they would be, (at least a little bit!) in favour of the deep romance that is gives this wonderful book so much of its essence, charm, amd power! Ahasure's growing interest in Judaism could be added after Haman's demise, towards the end
of the story. It would fit beautifully there, as Ahasure's
coming defeat, at the hands of the Greeks, (with their new idea
of "democracy") could also account for this: the shadow of defeat often leads to intellectual curiousity and growth....
In fact, in another telling of this story, "Esther", by Nathanial Weintrab, just this coming defeat at Greek hands is touched upon, and added. These very, very slight changes changes could be added, to make the book more viable
for today's audience, and added to keep traditionalists
happy, too.

Added to what? To a NEW PRINTING OF THIS BOOK! And,
as well, perhaps a MOVIE VERSION???? This book cries out
for both....for courage, tolerance, moral values and love, have no barriers of place, or people. BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! is a
story for all time -- and, perhaps, especially for our own time,
when courage, tolerance, moral values, and love, often seem
at various times, to be derided as old-fashioned and unnecessary.
The story of Esther is a great story in all respects, and never was it better told than here. Our post-911 world NEEDS a
movie of BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! -- or at the very least, a reprinting of this book. Who knows -- even Osama Bin Laden could learn a thing or two from it? I hope so ...and why not?
(STEVEN SPEILBERG....PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!!! I know I am not
the only person who would love for these things to happen!)

Behold!

Like other reviewers, I read this as a young person at about age 8 or 9. I have re-read it many, many times since.
It was also my first exposure to the Middle East, and ancient culture.
It's the story of Esther, from her young maidenhood to her rise as Queen of Persia.
Beginning with her as an innocent girl brought up with strong morals and respect for others, we follow her as she is selected to be taken to the King of Persia as a prospective wife. Throughout her journey from naive youngster to cosmopolitan sophisticate, she never loses the values she was raised with.
The characters come alive, and the scene descriptions are vivid- you will feel like you're there!
The two best things about this book (IMO), are the enchanting descriptions of Ancient Persia, and the emphasis on being true to yourself above all else.
Esther showed us that loving yourself and being courageous enough to stick to your principles makes you more beautiful and valuable than any superficial, cosmetic facade ever could. This book makes doing the right thing seem much more attractive than having power and fortune.
I was lucky enough to find 2 hardcover copies at a library auction, and they are keepsakes I will pass on to future generations!

Yes, this once "dry" biblical tale is brought to stunning life by Malvern. It sticks closely to the biblical account (keeping the age group in mind) and even shows how hard a decision Esther faced after the saving of her people began. A book that will inspire anyone and will be picked up time and again. Please bring back into print. Many of Malvern's books were my "friends" growing up, I would desperately like to visit them again!

Behold Your Queen! is a wonderful retelling of the Book of Esther. Malvern's writing incorporates credible motivations into the story, and adds a rich wealth of detail that make the story come alive with a vivid vitality. I first read this story when I was 8, and did not stop reading it until the (misguided) library withdrew the book from its shelves. If I could find a copy it would be on my shelf today, and eagerly reread. I would love to share this book with a new generation. As a teacher, I know this book has much to offer to young women facing difficult decisions about family, loyalty, honor, faith, personal safety, and love. Hadassah faces difficult choices in dangerous times, and Malvern's tale gives the reader the opportunity to share in the anguish and fear in Hadassah's choice, as well as in her final triumph and affermation. PLEASE REPRINT THIS BOOK!!!

If you are interested in World War II, medicine, practicing law, magic, family dynamitic this is a great read.

Peter Baird's novel is great. It mixes life with all kinds of emotion, War with families, careers, friends, parents and children.
The magic starts right way, getting to know the characters and ending when they get to know their selves.
From a boy growing up, to relationships, career, war, and friends even our own lives could get intertwined with the characters..
It gives us a glimpse on what the war was like, how it affected people and how they dealt with their decisions, how people managed and supported the ones they loved.

Beyond Peleliu by Peter Baird gives the reader a closer look at families left behind by husbands and fathers who went off to fight in World War II. Many of these men returned, as the father in this story did, as distant and sometimes unrecognizable from the men who went to war. The chronicles a son's life-long quest to understand the father who went to war.

A work of great literature, this book is not. An entertaining diversion while on vacation, it definitely is. I especially enjoyed some of the characters (e.g., doctor's wife who is a Christian Scientist and also magician), and the plot had some ingenious elements. But much of the story seemed hurried. The characters were not as fully developed as they should have been, which, at times, made it difficult to understand their motives. To expand upon this point and to highlight a few technical flaws, I must disclose some elements of the plot. So, read no further if you don't want to know how the story ends.

For example, we never learn what drove Dr. McQuade to inflict himself with a wound on Peleliu, beyond the general trauma of the war. It would have been nice if, when he confessed this to his son, if he had explained in greater detail what drove him to do this. And, with respect to the story's credibility, it is almost impossible to believe that a surgeon, seeking to inflict himself with a wound, would choose to shoot himself in the hand.

You also have to suspend disbelief when reading the account of David's big trial at the end of the story. He and one of his associates freely exchange e-mails that contain open admissions of unethical and criminal behavior, as does the Governor of California. No politician or litigator with a half a brain would ever commit such things to writing.

But, like I said at the beginning, apart from these flaws, this is an entertaining book. But, in my opinion, it is not much more.

Beyond Peleliu by Peter Baird (Ravenhawk Books-June 2006) is a powerful book that follows the McQuade family through the years since World War II to the present. Though Tom, who served as the prime story teller through the eyes of his son, faced a lot of adversity from early in his life, he demonstrated that not only could he overcome the adversity but that it helped shape him. Helped him to be the person he wanted to become. We saw his daily challenges--from questioning the safety of vaccines to dealing with loss. And right from the title you see the effects of the War on the family--it's not just Peleliu, it goes beyond that. It's their life.


However this story was not just Tom's tale. It showed how the experiences of one person can filter through and have ramifications for their family and friends for generations to come. At the same time we were able to see David's curiosity as he learnt more about his father's life--what made his father the man he was. This was key in light of his father's current struggles--the dementia might have made it hard for David to see his father as this man who went through and saw so much. It may have helped David to see that he wasn't as different from his father as he might seem. When he got the call from Dr. Roberts, he knew something was up but he accepted it in a realistic way--he needed to do things on his own time. He couldn't rush but at the same time, he knew he didn't have forever.


The writing was tight and that served this story well--it allowed us to `hear' each story as a separate section of the elder McQuade's life, which was what I believe the author intended. Each chapter could have stood alone as a short story of what Tom had gone through, however, this didn't keep the stories from being viewed as parts of one long life story. It was easy to see how these stories built upon one another and taught the family in a way no school book ever could.

By the time I finished the book, just a short time after I'd started it, I felt as if I knew the McQuade family.

Wow! I am at a near loss for words. I received Beyond Peleliu 2 days ago from Amazon and finished it last night. I must say that I had a hard time sleeping after finishing the book. Obviously, the book touched me in a very meaningful way, as I'm sure it has other readers, based on the reviews.

Reading this book is a life-affirming event. The pain endured by the McQuades is so genuine it drew tears from the eyes of this (usually) unsentimental reader. And if you happen to be a lawyer (or fan of quality legal story-telling) the chapters dealing with David McQuade's trial and aftermath overwhelm with authenticity and genuine drama.

In less capable hands this multi-generational saga could have ballooned into a 500-700 page "epic." But Baird's writing is so concise and powerful, one feels that each word was chosen with care.

In short, this is a masterful novel. That it is a "first" is all the more astounding. One can only hope that Peter Baird will put his massive talent to use on another novel. If you don't buy another book this year, buy Beyond Peleliu.