Dunne Books

Weinsteins documented how a particular Christian sect with a disturbing "end times" agenda has worked itself into every level of the U.S. military! ...gee GW..thanks!

He talks about flyers at the academy...for 'LAST TEMPTATION' and is sharp enough to note that mels flavor is different...mels is catholic and gothic...while the 'endtimers' is protestant evangelical!!!!Still the academy pushes Mels movie!

Superbly written, with tight prose, this is a dynamic page-turner that will grab and hold your attention. At a time when the Administration of President Bush is filled with "yes men", Mikey Weinstein, graduate of the Air Force Academy, former JAG, counselor to President Reagan and attorney for Ross Perot, does not shrink from speaking truth to power. The events and truths he exposes are both deeply troubling and liberating.

"With God on Our Side" reveals the transformation of Mikey Weinstein from a prominent attorney into a world-class civil rights activist - the Founder and President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Within its pages Mikey's heart is exposed, along with his passion, his deep devotion to both his family and his Country. His love and commitment to the United States of America, its Constitution and its citizens are unsurpassed. From the moment he entered the Air Force Academy many years ago until now he has never wavered from honoring his pledge to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

Having experienced first hand the tyrannical legacy of the Bush Administration's legacy of dismantling the Constitutionally-guaranteed wall of separation between Church and State, I know all too well that what Mikey exposes in the prescient volume is but the tip of the iceberg. Like Mikey's own sons, I too have experienced predatory proselyzing and blatant religious discrimination; whereas Mikey and his sons have experienced it at the Air Force Academy, my experience has been within the Department of Veterans Affairs and its medical facilities. Since Mikey founded the Military Religious Freedom Foundation he has advocated not only for active duty and reserve military personnel, but also veterans. His efforts have directly and positively impacted my own life.

There is not a book I would recommend more than Mikey Weinstein's "With God on Our Side." Buy the book, read it, and see for yourself the terrible consequences of the destruction of the First Amendment's guaranteed protection of religious liberty.

Because a person believes in God and is a member of the Military, therefore, that individual, motivated by their belief in God, conspires to overthrow the government of the United States. Now you know what it's about, save your money for something worthwhile.

A fast paced, quick read, Weinstein's account of the troubles at the Academy raises many disturbing questions. Unfortunately, the military routinely invades privacy and stories of antisemitism are hardly new. Therein lies the problem with anecdotal evidence and the way the issue has been framed here. The separation of church and state, indeed civilian control of the military, has never been all that secure, resting, in part, on vague notions of privacy. Because Weinstein assumes the military is subject to clear, established Supreme Court principles, we are led to believe his is a reaction to an insubordinate, insurgent military. His stance does not allow us to ask whether the Court's principles are sufficient to protect everyone, including agnostics, and if it is a trustworthy agency to resist the attacks of evangelicals, particularly on those lacking religious affiliation.

More than two years ago the author of this book started the Military Religious Freedom Foundation as a watchdog to make the military obey the laws of separation of Church and State. His concern started with a specific evil at his alma mater, the Air Force Academy, the chronic harassment and intimidation by evangelicals to pressure Catholics, liberal Christians, Jews, and others to assent to a right wing, primitive faith. Weinstein explains how the military has been taken over by a fundamentalist agenda. What these chaplains are doing is a blatant violation of the famous wall between Church and State.

Various chaplaincy codes flatly prohibit the "proselytizing of any religion, faith or practice."(p. 74) In the command structure of superior and inferior of the military this may put government in the person of an officer in the position of commanding a soldier or cadet to convert or else. This prohibition of evangelizing the fundies reject as curtailing their freedom of religion, claiming that making converts is enjoined as an integral part of their religion. Anything less, they claim, is anti-Christian bigotry, a bias against the majority, and discrimination against their belief. Remember, in most circumstances when fundies speak of Christianity it does not include Roman Catholics and liberal or mainline denominations.

Mikey Weinstein has qualification to take on this struggle few can match. A family tradition of father, son, and grandchildren graduating from the Air Force Academy, law degrees and experience of service in the White House, and a network of political allies. The book is a narrative of events at the Air Force Academy and the military in general which lead Weinstein to found the organization. The book is a quick and easy read. It seems part of a push back on the inroads made by "born again" religious fascists on the administration of the country. In the long run I do think the believers in fascist Christian authority will lose.

I "knew" Rep. Rangel from his work in Congress. His life? Remarkable. Wish I could vote for him. Better than Obama for presidential nomination. And I am not black.

Congressman Rangel's autobiography is exceptionally candid. For anyone interested in politics this is a must read. He tells it as it was and is. I can't think of any political autobiography that is so candidly self critical. While Mr. Rangel does trumpet his many accomplishments he does not shrink from expressing doubts about himself. It is no wonder that his constituents have maintained him in office for 37 years and that he garners over 90% of the vote in each congressional re-election.

He a "little guy's champion." It would be difficult not to like him even if you do not agree with his legislative positions.

Rangel has chosen to forget at least one bad day while he was in Congress. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rangel permitted the Caucus to use the franking privilege of members to mail the Caucus' propaganda. The franking privilege permits members of Congresss to mail material without paying any postage. John Cervase, a courageous lawyer from Newark, recognized that this practice was illegal and filed suit against Rangel in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The Court rendered a judgment that prohibited Rangel from continuing this practice.
This was not the first time that Cervase had the courage to stand up to the Black Establishment. In the early 1970s, Kenneth Gibson, the Black mayor of Newark, appointed a 17 year old black to the Newark School Board. The teenage member persuaded the Board to adopt a resolution that permitted Newark schools to fly the "Black Liberation Flag". Cervase, a member of the Board, objected, filed suit, and won an injunction against the Board.
Later in the decade, Black "poet" Imamu Amiri Baraka tried to build a high-rise in the Italian North Ward named Kawaida Towers. The Italian residents objected because it was a racist Trojan Horse in their neighborhood. Cervase and Anthony Imperiale lead demonstrations against the Towers. The New Yorker published a good article about the controversey. Eventually Baraka, now the "poet laureate of New Jersey", abandoned his plans.
Hopefully others who stood up to Rangel will tell their stories about other bad days in his life.

Charlie Rangel surprised me with his wit and respect for the institutions he has served in. He is a far more humble man than I would have guessed, but he knows what factors directed his life. Anyone who wants to see how his race has moved up, survived urban conditions, and then served and contributed has to read this book. It also shows how much prejudice and ethnic ties affect politics more this yuppie-fied world we now live in will admit. It has always been this way, and Charlie Rangel accepts it realisticaly and displays the years since the Korean war where he has served his country in its government. I like watching Congressional moves and am personally surprised more do not hang with C-SPAN observing both houses in these critical times. I found myself agreeing with the Congressman from NY City more than I thought I might; he is a brilliant man and I am glad he accomplished becoming chair of the Ways and Means Committee. The years immediately ahead are going to be tough, and we need him there. I am an Independent, but will always vote Democratic after what this current administration has done to this country. My book on flying helicopters in Vietnam stresses the USA's mistakes there, but the Bush Administration has unbelievably exceeded those mistakes of the past.

I was flipping channels when I came across an interview with Charles Rangel on the Charlie Rose show. I was not familiar with him or his politics but he had a level of energy and charisma that led me to look him up online.

I enjoy political biographies and memoirs and was interested in his perspective based on his 30+ years in Congress. He has led a fascinating life from his boyhood days to serving the country in Korea to working the political machine in DC and NY.

"You can not imagine and dream what you have not been informed of." This statement in an early chapter foreshadows how Mr. Rangel built a career and a life with no precedent in his immediate surroundings. The human story of his adventures keeps the book interesting. He is a great example of a person who learns from his experiences and is continuously applying it while striving to make a difference with his politics.

The complicated mix of friendships, loyalties, opponents and foes are as expected with a political leader. Extraordinary stories describe his alliances and longstanding loyalties to his district. The fact that he has lived within the same area of Harlem since his childhood shows his dedication and commitment, as well as a marathon level of perseverance.

I may not agree 100% with his politics but he has a way of stating his position that is impressive. One example is his stance on the war and the draft. Having served in the military during wartime, he is uniquely qualified to represent the interests of our soldiers. His position that those who support a war should support a draft is thought-provoking. Meaning if you support the war, you should support potentially having those closest to you as active participants.

I'm surprised that I was not familiar with Charlie Rangel before, but I'm glad that I caught up with this biography. I appreciated learning about him, his career and most importantly his political stance that has and will continue to shape legislation.

This book brings out the dangers to todays military, and also talks about a war that took back seat to less important things. If you want to read a book of valor and courage in the cockpit of a F-14 tomcat you found the right book.

An excellent account of what it is to fly modern fighter bombers such as Tomcats and Hornets in wartime theatres.This book is quite similar to the movie "Top Gun". Following a recent showing of the movie on The History Channel;Ann Medina (sp) interviewed a Top Gun pilot.He said that the movie was very factual.I believe this book is also very factual.As powerful,complicated and expensive that these modern war planes are,they are very difficult to fly and have their limitations.As well as that,they are easily damaged and take a great deal of expensive maintenance.
The men who become Top Guns are the cream of the crop in every way.They are smart,leaders,brave,competitive,excellent physically and at the same time imaginative,free thinkers and extremely disciplined.They know that they can die at any moment but are still able to perform.The teamwork,love, trust, and respect that must exist in order for them to do this work is well described in this book.
WE all owe a great debt of gratitude to these fine men and pilots.

Former Air Force public affairs officer Robert Wilcox was given a unique opportunity to write about the combat experiences of a frontline naval squadron flying the rapidly retiring F-14 Tomcat. VF-41's time in the Tomcat was usually personified with their shootdown of two Libyan MiGs in the early '80s, but their resurgence in the later '90s earned them strong praise after their conversion to the strike fighter role.

Lots of attention is given to the turnaround that the skipper effected with his squadron after a few years of decline. The turnaround led to the squadron's tasking in the skies over Kosovo against the Serbs in 1999. The development of a new way to fight, and the need to train the newer, junior pilots into lethal warriors while dodging enemy fire takes up the majority of the book, and readers will come to know the members of the squadron well after Wilcox' treatment.

While not as crisply written as Angles of Attack (by a former A-6 attack pilot from Desert Storm, since he was the author), the book is an uncommon opportunity to get a feel for they way that the Navy operates its squadrons, and the challenges that come with added responsibility and rank. Overall, the book makes a strong case for the Navy's ability to train and mold its leaders with a new generation of challenges, while making tis subjects all too human.

Black Aces High is an unusual book but a terrific one. Usually books about fighter squadrons give a lot of technical detail about airplanes and how they fight. Well this one does too. But that�s not the emphasis here. The emphasis is on the flyers, who they are and what they go through in a modern fighter squadron. The Black Aces fly off the USS Roosevelt. Their fighter is the aging F-14 Tomcat, still pound-for-pound one of the greatest fighters ever made. Their assignment was Kosovo, a precurser to Afghanistan and Iraq. We meet them, learn the problems they are facing, and then go to war with them. War is scary and the Aces are full of trepidation. But the core of officers mustered by and including skipper Joey Aucoin leads by example. There is a great group of younger aviators too. This is a war diary. It shows you what really goes on in a navy fighter squadron. They�re not all flag-waving heroes. But they get the job done. And its a tough dangerous job. Even the reluctant step up, which is the true definition of a hero. This story is a credit to the fighting men America produces.While there is a lot of shouting about how to do it, they are not going to be denied. The Black Aces subsequently led the bombing in Afghanistan and were later deployed to Iraq. Buffs as well as novices will enjoy this
realistic view - Barry Pitts, So Cal.

Robert Wilcox follows the aviatiors of VF-41, a navy F-14 fighter squadron, as they learn a new brand of war in the skies over Kosovo in the spring air war of 1999. Though much of "Black Aces" (the title refers to VF-41's nickname) tells the same legends of naval aviation that I've read since about 1987, it does cover an important moment in the history of the F-14. Though the plane is on its way out (the Navy has already begun phasing out the earliest models, with the plane to completely exit operations by 2010), F-14's were given a late-in-life new mission of ground attack, probably meant to fill the gap between the already phased out A-6 Intruder and the not-yet-ready for primetime F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet". Equipped with laser and infra-red sensors, and armed with laser-glide bombs, Tomcat crews - pilots and radar-intercept officers - scour the hilly, forested terrain of the former Yugoslavia for Serb forces. Flying from the USS Roosevelt, Tomcats pass the mouth of the Adriatic (off the "heel" of Italy) and into Kosovo. Unfortunately, not fighting a true war, Serb forces don't attack or hide out in the open before they sweep into Kosovar-Albanian enclaves, forcing the American fliers to rely on their sensors and no-small degree of detective work to locate the enemy. For Tomcat crews, their eventual success is bittersweet: their ability adapting Tomcats to strike roles (for decades, the F-14 was a dedicated interceptor, more singular in that role than F-16 or F-15 fighters that were equipped with ground attack weapons) will do less to earn the aging fighter a reprieve than validate and pave the way for the plane that will replace it. Wilcox doesn't hint much at the "Supre Hornet" and doesn't begin to approach the controversy that the F-14 v. F/A-18E debate has reportedly ignited among naval aviation professionals. (On the last page, Wilcox mentions Super Hornet in glowing words - it's the plane of the future.)

In telling his story, Wilcox follows the planes and pilots of VF-41 - from the "Hinges" (senior pilots) to the "Nuggets" (untested and sometimes not quite proficient new guys). Wilcox reveals the pressures that nearly crush the senior pilots - who must battle the poor weather and the F-14's poor serviceability as much the enemy. He also reveals the faults (and strengths) of the nuggets - at least one of whom appear to be using regulations as an excuse for their less-than-aggressive flying. Wilcox gets very close to his pilots - quoting them almost word for word. You get a sense, as he recalls individual statements - that
there's more going on then even he understands, even if he gets enough to encapsulate some thoughts in brackets. The writing is also embarassingly bad in spots - with Wilcox often summarizing a paragraph or completing a thought with a single-sentence paragraph that makes the book sound less like a history of war than a first-grade reader. Organization could also have been improved - Wilcox starts describing the faults and strengths of a Nugget - only to tangent into another pilot before giving closure to the initial assessment of the first. We also learn fairly late in the story that one of the F-14 pilots had transitioned from the A-6, the vintage carrier-strike jet whose role the F-14 was now trying to fill. You'd think that pilot's experience would have made him a prominent member of the squadron - but not to Wilcox.

"Aces" has the feeling of a rush job. Wilcox accompanied the Roosevelt doubtlessly knowing as much as the rest of us that the 9/11 attacks would reduce the Kosovo war to a blip on the minds of many Americans. He reminds us that the F-14 can be a trying plane or that landing on aircraft carriers at night or in poor weather can be an ordeal rivaling combat, but he doesn't take us inside the minds of those pilots. Wilcox likely thought that he had already done as much to humanize his pilots by showing them lose their temper, miss targets, get chewed out by superiors or by displaying questionably unagressive tendancies for a fighter pilot - and had to "balance" things to stay in the Navy's good graces. The result is that we a get a sense that it's a challenge to fly the F-14, but not
why.

A witty fast paced story of 4 friends, each with their own problems who slowly confide their problems with each other as they bond over chocolate!

Humor abounds from the heist to the rafting trip (if you want details - READ THE BOOK). But have a hankie close as there are a few tearful scenes also.

I have only two complaints - it wasn't long enough - I need a book two, and I craved chocolate through the whole book. Hmmm, craving it now just thinking about the book.

Grab your favorite chocolates and indulge in the guilty pleasures of the book and your chocolate.

It was awfully tempting to join in on the chocolate indulgencies alongside the four very interesting women who are the main characters in this story. They each have unique stories that aren't totally comedic. I could truly visualize this as a movie, it's got tons of laughs, great characters, some touching drama, and a wonderful parody of Oceans Eleven. This is not deep literature, but if a pleasurable read is your goal, grab yourself a copy. Warning, you may gain a lot of weight reading this. In fact, the only thing I couldn't figure out is how Lucy wasn't totally obese given her chocolate obsession.

Another fun confection (pardon the pun, I just couldn't help it after vicariously consuming all that chocolate!) from Carole Matthews, The Chocolate Lover's Club is really the story of several very likeable 30-something women who share their trials and tribulations around a table in a posh chocolate emporium. I wish they had one here!!!

While drinking the richest of homemade hot chocolate or imbibing the latest spectacular one-of-a-kind confection, Lucy (our heroine) and her friends suffer all kinds of truly serious problems as they help each other through. Although the book is truly frothy in tone and feel, it in fact explores internet gambling addiction, divorce, relationships, and a host of other problems that are handled with great humor--but great delicacy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I enjoy all the author's works. It's definitely worth a read, lots of fun, and terribly endearing.

I did not like this book at all. I found it very hard to stay interested. I also did not like the way the author kept flipping between the name of the boss and the word Crush. I picked it up expecting much more than waht I got. All the book did was make me hungry for chocolate, I honestly didn't get into the characters or the several situations that were going on.

This was the best book I read since Bridget Jones. I am in the process of reading The Chocolate Lover's Diet. I find myself rooting for these women. Would love to see these books turned into movies.

I wasn't expected to be drawn into this series, my being a loyal Mark Manning series fan. I was pleasantly suprised. I give credit to Michael Craft's ability to create wonderful characters. If you loved the Mark Manning series, come home to Claire Gray and get immersed in an enthralling cast of characters equally as mesmerizing as those in the Mark Manning series. Mark even guest stars in the 2nd novel in this series.

An interesting start of a new series with the main character a theatre director, introduced in his short novel "Rehearsing" Here Claire Gray, a renown Broadway theatre director comes to Palm Springs to build a theatre program at a new college for the arts built buy a billionaire software magnate geek (can you say Bill Gates anyone?) Anyway, Mr. Crofts skills at narration, story development and complexity are improving with every book. I truly enjoyed this new one since the emphasis was not strictly on gay characters but a healthy mix of gay and straight characters. in many ways the only flaw in the characterizations I found was that the lead character, a woman, is written more like a strong assertive gay man rather than a true woman.

I've been a fan of the Mark Manning series for a while now. When it was announced that Mr. Craft's next work was not going to center on Manning, I was heartbroken, skeptical, worried that we'd never hear from him again.

Then I read 'Desert Autumn.' Quickly. I had a hard time putting it down. Nancy Drew to Mark and Neil's Hardy Boys? I'm not sure it's even legal to put it that way, but there it is.

And I'll say it again if you like.

Bottom line: If you enjoy Craft's other works, you WILL enjoy this book.

Claire is a very well known and respected theater director from New York. After a lot of pressure from a billionaire developer, she agreed to head the theater department at a new theatrical college near Palm Springs. Then, after only two weeks in the desert, a colleague's wife is found murdered. Claire, having directed murder scenes in theater, now has an urge to help solve this murder.

Along the way, Claire meets Tanner, who was initially a suspect, and convinces him to enroll in the new college. Tanner, who is less than half her age, is very anxious to do just that. For an audition, Tanner recited a monologue from a play that Claire wrote. She was very moved. Then they took their relationship to a new level, with a little bump and grind.

Claire works her way through several suspects, and does indeed finally solve the murders. Yes, there was a second murder. There was one person who could have put the pieces together and nailed the murderer sooner, but the murderer searched him out and killed him as well. I was shocked at who the murderer was. I had some suspicions, but was blinded by other possibilities.

This was an excellent first book of a new series. I cannot wait for the next books to come out. I hope to hear more about Tanner, and look forward to hearing about Thad Quatrain as the school opens and classes begin.

...not by the mystery, but by all these glowing reviews! I thought the writing was tedious to the extreme, and the murderer was obvious before the murder even took place. Some of the characters were interesting, but the book itself was far, far too long.

I really enjoyed this book and the way that Francesca survives the breakdown of her marriage and comes through with flying colors. The ending was delightful. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Francesca's Party is a great book to read on a rainy day. It pretty much follows Francesca through the final year of her marriage to big time banker, Mark Kirwan. She had the most seemingly perfect life, two loving grown sons, a rich husband with a comfortable marriage, living in a huge house in a swanky part of town. All was well until She saw her husband meeting another woman at the airport and not going on the "business" trip he was supposed to have been going on.

These events led Francesca to take her life into her own hands, and she created a whole new world for herself with some ups and downs along the way. I love reading about the cozy lives of people from Ireland and this book doesn't disappoint, I will definitely read more of Patricia Scanlan's books!

I found this book in the dresser drawer of an Irish B&B last week and took it, leaving behind a boring Fern Michaels book that didn't grab my interest. I'm SO GLAD I grabbed this book to read on the plane home! Francesca's Party is a delightfully fun "light read" and held my interest from one end of the Atlantic to the other. There was even plenty to read once I got back to Chicago. The three main characters, Francesca (the jilted wife), Mark (the cheating hubby), and Nikki (the other woman) are all very plausible. Scanlan gives great life to all three with her POV switches throughout the book. I was very pleased with the ending. More, please, Ms. Scanlan!

I liked this book and began to read her others. The only reason I didn't give it higher was because Francesca kind of got on my nerves in the beginning. I think we should have had more about her life afterwards. She moped just a bit too long but the ending was so satisfying that I forgave the moping.

It's a testament to the strength of Patricia Scanlan's writing that her readers, whether male or female, can empathise with her characters. In this tale of a betrayed wife, we meet a real woman: no Jackie Collins-esque maneater, but a real human being, complete with frailties, faults and vulnerablility. Scanlan manages to avoid the obvious trap of creating a cartoonish lothario in Mark and a martyred heroine in Francesca. Even "the other woman" is portrayed with depth and sensitivity. And that's what keeps you reading. You KNOW these people: you work with them, you live with them, you've grown up with them. You quite possibly might BE them.

This is old-fashioned story-telling at its best. No pretensions. No clever-cleverness. Something some of Ms. Scanlan's peers might care to note. In an age where there is a worrying return to the boorish objectification of women (check MTV, magazines and many youth-orientated TV dramas if you don't believe me), it is refreshing to presented with such a credible character in a book. Somewhere out there, there MUST be a TV producer who can recognise the excellent mini-series waiting within these pages. And when that is broadcast, perhaps Scanlan's wonderful "Promises, Promises" and "Mirror, Mirror" will be filmed too.

I got this book for my husband for Father Day and he absorbed it in about 3 days! Must be some interesting book ....He stated it was a really good read. Not to mention I recieved 20.00 off the bookstore price by ordering on Amazon ....

If you are an Arizona fan you will love this book for the personal info the newspaper never could give. Interestingly written too. All basketball fans will enjoy the coaching insights.

For basketball fans this book is a humorous look in to the hectic life of a hall of fame basket ball coach and his college players. A very enjoyable and insightful book. It kept my interest throughout the whole book and brought many smiles.

Glad Lute had a good year with pen and paper because he certainly didn't have a good year on the courts.

I just finished Lute! and thoroughly enjoyed what I read. Ironically, I finished the book a couple of days after the North Carolina Tar Heels (go Heels!) thrashed the Arizona Wildcats by 20 some odd points. Reckon this was payback for the times Arizona beat UNC in the March Madness Tournaments of years past.

Among the topics covered in the book were:

1. Lute Olson's early childhood and early love of basketball.
2. Various coaching jobs - high school, Long Beach State, Iowa, Arizona.
3. Relationships with certain coaches (Roy Williams, Bobby Knight, John Wooden, Al McGuire, Jerry Tarkanian, Pete Newell, etc.).
4. His long-time marriage to his first wife, Bobbi, whom he obviously loved very much and was deeply hurt by her passing.
5. His current marriage to Christine Torreti.
6. Relationships with various college basketball players.
7. Summaries of his various seasons at the colleges he coached at and how they ended (sometimes after a deep run in the NCAA tournament, sometimes, an early first-round exit).
8. Relationships with other family members and various friendships.
9. Description of his recruiting, publicity, and other basketball coach-related duties.
10. Several instances of good humor.

The book was a joy to read and I gained a deeper appreciation for Coach Olson. As a matter of fact, if I had a son who was college basketball material, I would count it a privilege if he played for Coach Olson at Arizona (assuming, of course, that none of the basketball powerhouses in the ACC were interested in him!).

All in all, a great read about a class act. Highly recommended.

Being a big Hemingway fan I was very excited to get this book after I first discovered it. I was looking forward to photographs of Papa and the places in his life. That's what I expected after "looking inside" another edition of the book at Amazon, which was the only choice to look at. I sure was surprised to get a little paperback with not a single photo. I saw the book I thought I was getting for $5 in a used bookstore the other day. There is no warning that the book you get is entirely different from the one you get to see. Albeit I only paid $1.41 plus $3.99 shipping for it from The Big Book Sale - it is not what I wanted or what was advertized. I will be disputing the charge. BEWARE.

I found this book to be good but not great. It is a mix of a short Hemingway biography and a travel book. For those that want an introduction to Hemingway and like to travel, it is an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it. If you are looking for a detailed Hemingway biography or a travel book only, then I would not recommend the book.

Also, some chapters are better than others. For example, the short section on Pamplona (within the chapter on Spain) is well written and entertaining. But the rest of the chapter on Spain and bullfighting is rushed and incomplete in my mind, given that bullfighting was a subject of so much of Hemingway's writings and that Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" was practically an English language treatise on the subject.

Further, at times, the book seems to be more of an independent travel book than a "following in the footsteps of Hemingway" book.

As I said, good but not great.

I really like Michael Palin's travel documentaries, both the BBC TV programs and the books based on the programs. He has a knack for finding interesting people and places, and he presents it all with wit and charm and a personal engagement that is beguiling. The books are beautiful with lots of great color pictures, most taken by photographer Basil Pao.

This book is based on the BBC TV program where Mr. Palin traveled to all of the places where Ernest Hemingway had lived and traveled. One can't really say the program "follows Hemingway's footsteps" because some sequences are presented out of order, but it's all there:

Chicago and northern Illinois (Hemingway's youth)
Italy (WW I and duck hunting)
Paris (Hemingway's start as an author)
Spain (running with the bulls, bullfighting)
Key West (fishing, boxing)
Africa (hunting, airplane crash injuries)
Cuba (fishing, Hemingway's home for 20 years)
Montana and Idaho (dude ranches, Hemingway's death)

Each chapter that describes a place almost invariably leaves the reader smiling and thinking that it would be interesting to visit that place oneself.

Incidentally, my high opinion of this book (and the associated TV program) has nothing to do with any interest in Hemingway's authorship. I read "The Old Man and the Sea" when I was in high school, and have not read anything by Hemingway since. Still, I find his life interesting, and I think that Michael Palin has made a great travelogue by visiting the various places and telling about Hemingway's life.

I can especially recommend the audio version of this book, which is read by Michael Palin himself. He does a great job of delivering the dialog of the various people, all with their different accents.

Of course, the audio version of the book does not include the beautiful photographs, so the very best strategy might be to get both, and listen to the audio version while commuting and then look at the pictures when you get home.

Rennie Petersen

If you are going to engage in some armchair travel, you could do no better than to have Michael Palin as your guide. I love all of his books, possibly even more than the accompanying TV shows. The only reason this one gets four stars from me, instead of five, is by comparison- I thought the conceit of following Hemmingway's life's path was less engaging than some of his more challenging itineraries (but add the extra star back on if you're a Hemmingway fan). Like others who have reviewed here, I was compelled by reading this book to seek out some of Hemmingway's work, and I think I was able to appreciate it better knowing something about the man. (But I'll admit, given the choice of reading him or reading Palin, I'll take the Python any day of the week.)

I am not a Hemmingway fan - the idea of a macho yet self-destructive soul holds no appeal for me. Likewise, I find his prose turgid and bland, unlike his contemporary, Steinbeck. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Michael Palin brings his charm, understated wit, and consummate travelogue-writing skill to the book, and Basil Pao brings fantastic photography and art direction.

Hemmingway's life and travels provide an overarching theme to the book that brings us from place to place. Since most travelogues use geographical locations to provide the arc, the eclectic globe-trotting in this book is refreshing, while at the same time logical. Likewise, within each chapter we see a variety of locales that won't necessarily make a standard travelogue, because Hemmingway lived in these places and discovered a number of out-of-the-way sites that give a better feel for the actual culture of the cities and countries we're visiting.

I've personally visited four of the places in the book - Montana, Chicago, Key West, and Paris. That I wish to return to those places and experience the parts I missed, as chronicled in the book, is a testament to Palin and Pao's skills. Presumably a fan of Hemmingway would get even more out of this book than I did, but you obviously don't have to be a Hemmingway afficionado to appreciate and enjoy this book.

Pirates of Pensacola is a great pirate book! A must read for all pirate fans!

This book was a great idea that didn't come to fruition. It's basicly a comic book without illustrations, or a B movie that you feel compelled to finish watching just because you started it.

I found this book to be lacking in plot, with too many characters with little to no character development. I read this book in under a week and I still could not follow which character was which. And since it was supposed to take place in the present, the occurances were too unrealistic. I didn't hate it but it was just okay.

Based on the reviews, I expected to be swept away (ha) by the book. I wasn't. It is fun and action packed. I enjoyed this book but never felt attached to the characters or their plights - as it reads like a movie script, moving quickly from scene to scene.

This is a great movie...I mean book. The way Mr. Thomson gave details, it was like "reading" a movie. A modern day book that is clean and very funny. But keep in mind, it is a pirate book. There is blood and death. Don't know how Mr. Thomson combined death and funny, but he managed to do just that.

I grew up reading pirate tales from Treasure Island to Coral Island. They inspired me and thrilled me. Long John Silver was the original pirate. I had forgotten much about that time of my youth in the '60s. Then along came Captain Jack Sparrow and his three outings that maybe was not highbrow enough for the critics, but guess what? I was thoroughly entertained. Then I read about this book. I was intrigued. This was a much more sophisticated life of the storied corsair. Chupak does a great job of recreating the life and times of a pirate, with authentic language, geoography, maritime backgound, and politics of piracy - remember, most were officially sanctioned. This book has inspired me to go back to the books of my youth. It's a rollicking tale - yes, it's pace is uneven but at the end of it you put it down and say "wow." I was thorougly immersed, and could almost smell the gunpowder - I was entertained!!

Adventure lovers will find quite a different presentation in this sequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. For this is the story of Long John Silver, the "Bristol dog" who is hell bent on finding the legendary treasure, minus the romance and nobility of the original tale. For Silver makes no bones about it - and there are plenty of bones shed in stark brutality - he is a pirate, a thief, a man without scruples and thus a man who trusts no one else. In many, many ways Silver is more a realistic, exciting story because each character is true to his swashbuckling, irreverent form.

Betrayal is a moment away and self-serving survival is remaining wary of the motives and actions of every next man or woman. What stands out most notably in this version of the treasure hunt is the fascinating, individual characters who play very different parts in assisting Silver's search for the meaning of the codes that will assist in finding the treasure. Captain Black John is a violent, calculating and cynically humorous master who values Silver's cleverness but is not clever enough from eventually being destroyed by the man who has escaped death innumerable times. Peel educates Silver in reading and writing while claiming all the while he would as soon "gut" Silver at a moment's notice. Edward, the original owner of the mysterious Bible holding the clues to the treasure hunt, and Solomon are riveting characters with their own unique tale to tell of life abroad. Mary and Elizabeth, Bones, Billy, Jim Hawkins and so many more fill these pages with a conviviality and defiance that never loses the reader's pull deeper into the story.

What will the code, headpiece and word "Blood" reveal to the ever-sharp Silver and just what pirate adventures will fill his coffers to fuel his single-minded visionary journey to unimaginable wealth? The story is told when Silver's in a fever which loosens his tongue and intrigues his listener, who would love to know the secret so he may find the treasure after Silver is hanged, unless he escapes before that can happen.

Although no profanity fills these pages, which makes it a great read for young as well as older readers, Chupack is a master at conveying the late 17th Century language, pirates' life, and some relevant political and religious commentary as a filler to the tale. Chupack present's Silver's narrative in an easy, flowing yet riveting fashion, demonstrating a skill that will hopefully continue in future historical fiction ventures.

Well done, Edward Chupack!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on July 26, 2008

Pirates are supposed to be nasty, treacherous [...] and Silver was one of the worst. Maybe he was the BEST! You can't help but like the guy although you couldn't trust him at all. Written as a "memoir" through the fevered haze of illness, Long John Silver shows us what his life really was all about, and it's fascinating. Even love glances off of his flinty hide and changes his course minutely, for a split second, and in a few of his rotten crevices you'll see a good heart working a vile kindness.

Ed Chupack has written a REAL swashbuckler and no one is safe.

Forget Johnny Depp. There is a new pirate on the black waters, and it is Long John Silver. Silver, as imagined by Edward Chupack, is a fun-loving, witty, daredevil who happens to stick a sword or saber into anyone who dares defy him. Is he a hero? I think not, but we can't help but like the rogue-really like him-because he does everything that we want to do. Ever want to tell your boss what you really think? Ever want to hose down your neighbor? Ever want to be in total command of...anything? You can do it vicariously through Silver. The writing is stellar, and there is a surprise on every page because of Chupack's mastery of language. If Nabokov wrote a prirate book, this would be it. Please someone, make a movie of this book!

At times, this story of mayhem and plunder, treachery and murder moves along quickly. At other times, especially when it talks of treasure found though ciphers and symbols who meaning is obscure if not outright unknown, I found myself confused and lost. It was easy to put the book down and not want to pick it up again. However, once I realized there was a pattern after the order of "The Thousand and One Nights", I started ignoring the mystery of the treasure's location and focused on the stories that Long John used in an attempt to prolong his life. This was much as Scheherazade did.

Perhaps if I were more of a fan of Pirate stories my interest in finding the illusive treasure would be greater and more of the book of interest. As it is I can only give it three stars.