Dunne Books

Samuel Florman gives himself a significant task: to explain who engineers are, what motivates them, how they derive pleasure in their work, and, most importantly, how their work is connected to the overall progress of civilization and the human race. He succeeds brilliantly, in a work that has deservedly become a classic.

Florman covers a great deal of ground in his book, with a focus on the last 150 years of the engineering profession. He quotes extensively from other works of literature and culture (from Homer to Paul McCartney), and has obviously read widely and thought deeply about his subject matter. He spends a good portion of his book refuting the views of people he calls antitechnologists, whose views were popular among the Sixties counterculture crowd. But ultimately, what Florman accomplishes is to provide a constructive, pragmatic philosophy of the Engineering profession, that allows society to move forward to solve the never-ending set of problems that we face.

As a good work of philosophy (or science) should, Florman's book (originally published more than 30 years ago) provides an intellectual framework for interpreting events of today. Although the views of the "strong" antitechnologists have failed to incite a large-scale revolution of Americans returning to the agrarian villages of yesteryear or the communes of the Sixties, the battle between technophiles and technophobes continues unabated. Florman's book provides insights into the debates over issues such as energy policy, environmentalism, genetically modified foods and drugs, land use policy, globalization, as well as the future direction of the U.S. economy, especially after the technology/Internet boom and bust of the late `90s and early `00s.

Ultimately, Florman would argue that these are not issues of technology; engineers can be directed to build fail-safe nuclear power plants or super-efficient solar energy collectors or both or none. These are decisions to be made by an informed citizenry, their political representatives, and regulated profit-seeking corporations - ultimately, a society that understands technology and risk, and that does not exhibit Luddite antitechnology biases. Meanwhile, I am sure he would be dismayed to see U.S. college engineering enrollments declining, especially among native-born Americans - there are plenty of people in the rest of the world who still value the Engineering profession.

I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about entering or already in the Engineering profession, to anyone interested in learning more about the profession, and to teachers and those in positions of influence over young people's choice of careers. Ideally it would also be read by politicians and antitechnologists; it would be very interesting to hear how someone would directly refute Florman's arguments.

In reading this book, I found quite a bit of agreement between myself and Florman. As a practicing engineer, I have fairly well defined ideas of my role in society, how society values my contributions vice those of others, and the needs for technology in our growing world. When I finished the book, I had a feeling that Florman was preaching to the choir. As an engineer, I was bound to think that my profession was important, and he really didn't have to convice me that our work has helped build society to what it is today. The problem is that I don't think a lot of non-engineering types are inclined to pick up this book and read through it, in much the same way that non-Muslims are not very likely to grab a copy of the Koran and read it.

This problem, I think, is symptomatic of what Florman is really writing about. The Catch 22 of the profession is that the vast majority of people aren't interested in understanding the contributions that engineers make to the world, because if they were interested, chances are they would become engineers. The same holds true for history of science/technology classes at universities, where most of the folks that are in there are trying to learn about the history of their discipline.

If you are not an engineer, reading this book will certainly broaden your understanding of the people who bring you everything in life. If you are an engineer, this book will likely add to your convictions as to why you became one in the first place.

This is a book for all engineers (and many scientists) who havbe ever had a crisis of faith in their work. It's a reminder, if one is needed, that engineering is human, humane work, and profoundly fulfilling in itself.

Florman gets off to a slow start, though. The first third of the book is apologetic, acknowledging the many social and environmental ills in which engineers have taken part. "Forgive us," he seems to say, "for not being better than the masters who command our work and the clients who demand it." The next third of the book takes on a shrill tone, an answer to the neo-Luddites of the 1960s and 1970s. Florman spends time answering their anti-technological absurdities and self-important elitism. Only in the last third of the book does Florman make the central point of this book.

Engineers, as a stereotype, seem boring, but perhaps that's becuase we lack so many of the stereotypical failings of other professions - avarice, personal arrogance, or violence. Engineering is no less creative than any of the "creative" arts, and is a profound expression of all that sets us apart from animals. It's part of the tradition of Homer and the Old Testament, where the ability to create was god-given, and the tradition of Chartres, where engineering skill was an offering to God. Florman notes that putting one's skills to the service of human needs is a living expression of the communal sense. I felt that myself when I acquired a breast cancer microarray dataset in the course of my work. It was the realization that those blank case numbers were real women, some now dead, and that I had a duty towards them (or their memories), their futures, and the futures of others. But most of all, Florman reminds us that engineering is fun. It answers personal, social, and even spiritual needs in ways that outsiders may never understand. I assure you, the greatest awareness of the world and its glories comes from direct involvement with it, and an engineer's life is about involvement with the physical world.

Issues have changed since Florman wrote this in 1976; it sometimes answers questions that aren't commonly asked any more. Still, it's the finest statement I know of what there is about engineering that makes a practitioner proud, even happy, to be a part of it.

//wiredweird

I read The Existential Pleasures of Engineering in my senior year of high school, when I was applying to Cornell (my first choice). I mentioned it in my alumni interview. It might have had something to do with getting in early decision, but that's not the point!

The person I really felt I had to convince was my auntie the Arts major and her husband, the HVAC engineer who'd been trained initially as a philosopher. This book didn't convince *them* but it did make it easier for me to buck their disapproval of my entering the profession.

I'd scored in the 99th percentile in spatial relations, and had won the senior award in Mechanical Drawing as the first girl who'd ever even taken this Industrial Arts Course at our school, so it was off to Engineering School for ME. Just proof that individual differences in various intellectual capacities are far more important than the statistically insignificant (3%) differences amongst groups of people of different gender. (Who was it that said something about requiring liberal arts majors to take stats in college? I took it in High School, along with Calculus, Physics and Computer Science. Maybe a certain engineer could stand to brush up on *his* stats. Hmm.)

The only real encouragement I got was from my Mechanical Drawing teacher, Mr. Campbell. Mr Campbell's encouragement and this book made it a lot easier to face the constant disapproval and lack of support I faced from people with extremely outdated and certainly *misinformed* attitudes regarding women in engineering. Anyway, nothing succeeds like success, and half those disapproving people are either retired or dead now, so the only thing that lingers is their legacy of destructive disinformation. A woman's work is never done!

Disappointing is the news that the second edition of The Existential Pleasures of Engineering asserts that women bring anything different to engineering than men do, even if it is couched in positive terms. Just think of us as technically talented people with extremely impressive CVs, *can* the speculation about our personal lives (and childbearing in particular -- men have children too, you know!), and we'll get along *just* *fine* thank you very much.

This is a book for new engineers. For a student who is choosing to learn mechanical, civil, aerospace, electrical, software, or another engineering discipline. For the high school student contemplating academic options. For the university student working through courses. For the apprentice engineer working on real problems for the real world for the first time.

For all of these it can be invaluable to know that the engineer is not only defined by the science and math geeks finding something they are good at. That is important. In addition the engineer has a valuable role in society. And the creative and analytical urges that may separate the student from the crowd are fundamental urges of the human. We create. We build. And we take joy from this. It is in the genome - from the baby working over the blocks to The Skunk Works building a U2 or SR-71.

Samuel Florman has written a philosophy text on why engineers do what they do, and feel what they feel. The mature engineers will have fought through any resistence and anti-technology populist imagery. We learn to laugh and reflect on Chaplin caught in the gears, and keep an eye on overwhelming those who the technology should serve. Indeed, the practicing engineers will also have learned to deal with the guilt tossed our way by the league of environmentalists who treat modern technology as a planetary evil.

Those engineers will enjoy this book but probably not be altered by it. As we know from the numbers, fewer and fewer students are entering the engineering professions each year. This is where the book is important. One of the most rewarding and fulfilling professional directions is often considered a social problem through negative "press", reinforced by peer treatment in school. Don't we all learn early that engineers will create something that will destroy us all? And the engineers are unnatural, nerdy types who do not fit normal society.

Witness the Q equivalent in Alias. Quick, name a positive example of an engineer in prime-time television. Has there been one since MacGyver?

Give students this book and allow them to form a more positive impression. Let them read quotes from works that praise engineers and their contributions. Let them learn that the engineer has had a good image through earlier history, reflected in works of art. This book can help the young engineer build some pride and sense of greater purpose, and not feel guilty about enjoying the creative process.

Perhaps this book would not have been written if there had not been a strong anti-technology sweep in American society. (And shared in many others worldwide). In that sense it is an apology for the engineering professions. Yes, sometimes our creations break. And those creations are sometimes critical to society. That does not negate the professions good. And engineers are not ones to dodge responsibility. We build it as best we can for the common good. It breaks, it is our fault, and we will improve and improve again.

Where would we be without the creations in the first place? None of us want the power grid to fail and the lights to go out. But how many want the lights to never go on?

I received The Existential Pleasures of Engineering while in college (first edition, mumble years ago). It boosted my confidence that I was preparing to do important things for society and that I would enjoy the work. That is a good thing for a book to deliver.

I suggest clicking to read the back cover.

If anyone is tempted to put this book away without finishing it, just wait. I loved the whole book, but the character of "Gerald" made this book a standout for me and had me laughing out loud every time he appeared. We all know a Gerald.

My sister and I both read this book , not just once but twice and in the future would read it again, it really is that good. No wonder it is listed as being on Rosamund Pilcher's bookshelf. Super Read!

What is it about Mary Sheepshanks that makes it impossible to put her books down? It must be the enchanting blend of reality and humor that gets me every time. Like her other heroines, Sheepshanks' Kate is a no-nonsense, "let's get on with it and cope with life" typical British character. But beneath that strength lies a vulnerability that grabs the reader's heart.

Kate's reactions to her lovely son and daughter-in-law, her strong-minded, bird-watching mother-in-law, her difficult and sometimes nasty daughter Joanna, and her enchanting granddaughter Harriet, all reveal different sides of her complicated personality.

Just when we think she's a typical dull countrywoman, Kate reveals her penchant for design, and a strong artistic talent that makes her needlework highly prized. Just when we think she's something of a prude, whose sexual feelings died with her philandering husband, she becomes strongly attacted to Jack, a newcomer with his own secrets.

The mixture of pathos, romance, good old British common sense, and sometimes uproarious humor (I found myself laughing aloud on the commuter train home one night) make this a good, comforting, and delightful read, especially if one is feeling too beleagured to tackle something heavier.

"Picking Up the Pieces" is an unashamedly romantic novel set in modern-day England. There are a good variety of characters who all have their hidden secrets which the author uses to keep the reader turning the pages. I particularly enjoyed the main theme of the novel - that being that too many families assume that once a women is widowed, her life is basically over. Kate's family have a hard time dealing with the fact that a year after the death of her husband (who we learn has been far from the ideal spouse) she is out and about socially, has discovered a talent which she can translate into a profitable business, decides to move house and meets and falls in love with a wonderful man who can fill all the emptiness that is inside her. Kate really comes into her own at a time when others believe she should be sitting by the fireside with her knitting. This was a light read but a very, very enjoyable one.

"Picking Up The Pieces" is a delightfully engrossing book about a 50ish widow named Kate whose life has fallen apart after the death of her husband Oliver. She is living in a woman's world where everyone including her hardnosed and uncompromising daughter Joanna, her sadly vulnerable granddaughter Harriet, and her delightfully wicked mother-in-law Cicely seems dependent on her.

What do you do when your life falls apart, Joanna asks her mom at one point. You pick up the pieces, Kate replies, and if the most important bit is missing you pick up what's left, reshape it, and make something new of it, like a patchwork quilt. And the reshaping of Kate's life is what this irresistible novel involving four generations of women is about. Kate first discovers her needlework skills can lead to a profitable business and then discovers that the handsome new millionaire in town is the love of her life.

This is a wonderful tale of a woman who was stronger than she ever realized, and of how she overcomes self-doubt and low self-esteem to become the woman she was destined to be.

Adding spice to this cozy English tale is a long-held secret involving paternity, a strained marriage on the brink of divorce, a car accident victim in America, and a teenager who shaves her head for attention. But it is the flawless writing of Mary Sheepshanks, her witty dialogue and wonderful characterizations, that will keep you reading to the satisfying conclusion.

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!

This is an exciting saga about a deceptive, deceitful, and dishonest pirate. Long John Silver revels in murder and personal gain, often bragging about his heartlessness. "Where there is good and evil there is damnation and salvation. You may presume that I am not fit to treat on salvation. I am. Only the damned are fit to treat on salvation because only they understand what they have been denied." Silver is exceedingly clever and forthright in a way that makes the reader see his immorality as likeable. We are in awe of his malevolent exploits, and revel in his brazen murders. However, there is more to Silver then just murder. He is truly a rich multidimensional character.

The pages of this "autobiography" are filled with rhythmic almost poetic prose. There are several stories, past and present, being told throughout this book. Not only do we get a story about Silver's life, we get a treasure hunt too. The way in which these threads intertwine makes the book stay fresh and keeps the reader entertained.

In a society where pirates have become the norm, this book breaks the mold. It has all the aspects of a good pirate tale (murder, deception, and most of all treasure) but it explores these aspects in a fresh way. Chupack has created a thoroughly enjoyable page turner.

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.

This was the first Robin Pilcher novel I've read, and I enjoyed it very much. I was impressed with all the variety of detail Mr. Pilcher wove into his tale. I also enjoyed how the characters all came together, and it was quite an ensemble to work with.

The only thing that bothered me, and I'm probably quite alone in this, was how Albert Dessuin started out as a potentially sympathetic character, then ended up as the villain. That was apparently Mr. Pilcher's intent, but it seemed a little strange to me that after Albert recalls what he did to Angelique and is overcome with remorse, he suddenly turns around and decides it was all her fault. Albert struck me as a tragic figure who I hoped would end up with some sort of happy ending along with everyone else. Maybe I'm just weird that way.

I think it would be really cool if Mr. Pilcher could take up Albert's story as he tries to put the pieces of his life back together and become a better person.

Despite, having been a devoted fan of Rosamunde Pilcher for many years, I have never read anything by her son Robin until now. He has evidently inherited her gift of creating warm and interesting characters, charming situations, and blissful romances. He even adds a bit of clever comedy and some heart-tugging male bonding. All in all, a delightful book perfect for an armchair escape to Scotland.

Set amidst the real-life Edinburgh International Festival, this fictionalized account is very informative regarding the entertainers and the behind-the-scenes action. A multitude of characters converge in Edinburgh and their lives will intersect with sometimes wonderful, sometimes tragic results. Among the endearing characters are: Tess, the marketing coordinator, who must deal with an old lover, a new husband, and a concerned boss; Angelique, the child prodigy who blossoms into a beautiful concert violinist with a dark secret; Leonard, the aging cinematographer who seizes one last chance to shine; TK, the juvenile delinquent with a flair for car-jacking; Rene, the comedienne her hometown is banking on to make her mark; Jamie, the handsome young college graduate with rooms to rent; Gavin, the attorney who gives solicitors a good name, and Roger, the fireworks mastermind who will give the festival the greatest starburst it has ever seen.

Each needs something but each has much to give. With the festival in full swing, new friendships will provide helping hands and a chance to make dreams come true.

This is one of the best books that I've read in quite a while. Mr. Pilcher is an excellent story teller and this book exhibits his talents to the fullest. It's not often that I would read a book a second time, but this book will definitely be re-read. The introduction of the many characters and the weaving together of their lives made this book difficult to put down. Outstanding!

This novel is different & somewhat less predictable than his earlier books. It is an entertaining novel about what can happen when one boldly believes in hope & dreams. Angelique Pascal is a fine Violinist excited by her invitation to perform at the Edinburgh International festival. the main conflict comes from the very unwanted overtures of her manager, a man obsessed with her unique beauty. She gets panicked after a very threatening confrontation with him, & spills her soul to Jamie Stratton a young graduate who insists she take refuge with him.

As the subplots develop, so to do the characters. There is an aspiring comedian who works as a brash bartender, a misguided thief, an elderly director, & a younger beautiful director. All the characters to varying degrees shoud be on the therapists couch. Their individual baggage adds to the main story. Most of their paths will cross during the festivals run as they all search for their own road to happiness. A good fast read.

What a gem of a book! And how sad it's probably two years until next time!

Everybody who has seen Robin Pilcher as having not only inherited his mother's (Rosamunde Pilcher) talent but also her writing style, is in for a BIG surprise with this book. "Starburst" is quite different from the author's other novels, and positively so. This book is a genuine Robin Pilcher novel, written in his own unique style. The only thing remaining from his mother being the name.

"Starburst" takes place in Edinburgh during the annual festival. We are following some very different people/destinies through those three weeks in August, first separately and then when they accidently intertwine.

Robin Pilcher's knowledge of the various aspects of the festival and the professional secrets behind the many kinds of art being performed, as well as his insight into the human mind, whether it's world famous violinist Angélique, retired cameraman Leonard, comedienne cum housewife Rene or young car thief T.K. struggling to go straight, is impressive. These people are made so alive they literally walk out of the book.

I've got to especially mention "the two roses", Rene from "'artlepool", Yorkshire and Matti from Lancashire. I'm convinced their show at the "Underbelly" is real, and would somebody please get me a ticket for next year?

"Starburst" is warm, funny and beautifully written. Often I just stopped and repeated sentences, enjoying the masterful use of the English language. Rene's hilarious remarks in cockney, Angélique's stilted speech with charming bits of French thrown in, Leonard's polite gentleman English and T.K.'s badly twisting of his mother tongue.

The description of the city of Edinburgh during the festival, from classical concerts in famous concert halls to simple street performances, is vivid. I have never been to Edinburgh - until now!

The book is not without drama. It's not only a colourful description of partakers and events. Destinies are determined, lives changed forever.

With "Starburst" Robin Pilcher has taken a huge step forward in his authorship. A professional reviewer has written "why has this guy not started to write earlier?" Agreed. But how glad I am that he finally did!

I have never seen "True Confessions" the movie, and I never had really thought about Mr. Dunne until reading Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" about his decline and death. He seemed like perhaps the more interesting of the two, and worth a trial.

At first I thought, uh-oh, another book with an Irish-Catholic family with a cop and a priest as brothers. And, my, the language is certainly not for someone easily offended by vulgarity. As an example, the n-word and many other ethnic and racial terms appear frequently. You can get away with that in a book set in the post-war 1940s, I guess.

After putting those aside, I really warmed to the story. Mr. Dunne wrote so clearly and with deceptive descriptive power. The murder mystery part of the plot hardly matters to the novel's drive, as the focus is more on the brothers and their relationship to their respective worlds, and secondarily to each other.

Tom is more of a regular cop, sometimes effective and sometimes not, hampered by a frankness, cynicism, and unwillingness to play the games, such that his career and personal life are nothing much. Des is a rising star or near-star in the church, using some of those same skills that his brother as, only with much more effectiveness and attention to his superiors. His true talent is as a "getting things done" guy, on path to be a bishop, and not for his holiness. One can't help but wonder what he's really doing as a priest.

Mr. Dunne does not paint a respectful picture of the LAPD, but that's nothing new for crime or detective stories set in LA. Many authors are doing the same theme today, 30 years later, and not necessarily with any better writing. What is more disturbing for potential readers is the image of the Catholic Church, concentrating more on fund raising, building projects, and its own prideful objectives than in the holiness of its leaders and members. Des's "getting things done" skills are often applied to making deals and dispensing favors in return for "donations" or other benefits.

And don't forget to look the other way when it's inconvenient not to. Ultimately, the deal making leads to the downfall of Des through guilt by association, if not worse. The story is not one of redemption, because it's not clear that the main characters ever really regret what happens or some of their major decisions. This seems to be just the way it is and you may get it in the end or you may not. I'm not sure there is a truly appealing character in the entire cast. Is that Mr. Dunne's view of human nature or merely a particular theme in this novel?

Several previous reviewers have mentioned that they regularly go back and reread this book, and I count myself among them. "True Confessions" is in fact a triumph and John Gregory Dunne's best work. When it is said that a good novel by a "genre" writer "transcends the genre," it usually means that the author has written a novel good enough to be judged apart from that genre. In "True Confessions," John Gregory Dunne writes a book that achieves the status of literature while deliberately staying within the conventions of the detective novel, a much more difficult task indeed.

The plot of "True Confessions," as one previous reviewer noted, is really a MacGuffin for an exploration of the author's more serious concerns. The story revolves around a fictional version of the real-life murder of a woman in the 1940s in Los Angeles, the "Black Dahlia" case. Detective Tom Spellacy catches the case, which through sensational newspaper stories catches the popular imagination, and with it the pressure to solve the case.

Tom sees himself as a failure, a one-time boxer with a glass jaw, now an LAPD detective trapped in a loveless marriage with a wife slowly losing her mind, a kid who never met a candy bar she didn't like, and a guilty conscience not entirely undeserved. His brother Monsignor Desmond "Des" Spellacy, by contrast, is bright, likeable, and ambitious, pious and practical at the same time. He is the handsome war veteran, the "Parachuting Padre," who has set his sights on a Bishop's miter and perhaps a Cardinal's hat. He is charismatic and careful, as he makes his way through the duties of life as a professional Catholic. He woos the faithful on his weekly radio show, and works the owners of auto dealerships and mortuaries on the golf course to increase the building fund of the Archdiocese. He knows that all men sin, and though his conscience is sometimes troubled, he is not above selling indulgences to achieve the greater good.

These very different brothers, who spend their occasional time together shadow-boxing about sin and absolution, corruption and salvation, come into collision with one another as Tom's investigation of the underlying murder increasingly involves Des. Before the story is over, both will make choices of immense consequence for themselves and each other.

Tom's partner is a hard-boiled, wisecracking cop who eats off the cuff at his favorite "cheap Chinese" restaurant, and gets his suits from movie studios after every Sydney Greenstreet movie finishes shooting. He is Tom's, and the reader's, Falstaff, confronting us with his queasy morals, inconvenient truths, and asides about life and the job that make the reader laugh in spite of himself. Dunne also takes a hard, and sometimes hilarious look at the Catholic Church after the war. It is run as a modern American corporation, selling rosaries and salvation as if they were Chevrolets.

The great achievement of "True Confessions" is that Dunne deliberately chooses such a seemingly confining "ring," the pulp genre of detective fiction, within which to present the spiritual and temporal fights which engage the two main characters. He uses every convention of hard-boiled Chandler-esque postwar L.A. detective novels, every stereotype of Irish-American cops, priests, and politicians, and turns them all on their heads to present a tough, unsentimental view about what the country looked like as "The American Century" entered its second half.

In "True Confessions," Dunne manages to sort out facts from fiction, the real from the romanticized, true human conflicts for which there may be no resolution from the satisfying but empty trickery of the last chapter of a whodunit. With a seemingly dead-on and often wickedly funny portrayal of the voices, thoughts, prejudices, shortcuts taken and deals made, by real people in real life, he tells a story of power, ambition, mendacity, failure, occasional tenderness, and maybe even redemption. He turns the stew of pulp fiction into a true cassoulet for his readers.

Strong language, strong everything. This is an adult novel in the best and most serious sense of the word. A "Father Brown" mystery it ain't.

True Confessions is so well written that you may not realize that the apparent lack of style IS the style. No flowery prose, not a wasted word. Expert craftsmanship.

Other reviewers have described the book as a mystery story. No such thing. The mystery is a MacGuffin, and the plot itself is just a device to, first, gradually reveal to us the characters, and, then, subject each of them to self-revelation and growth.

Although there is much irony and many clever bon mots in the story, its overall tone is bleak. I give it only four stars because its lack of sunlight mars our acceptance of it as reality. The film, on the other hand - an excellent adaptation - contains perhaps too much sunlight.

Summary: a great read, but don't hang your interest on its being a detective story.

I initially purchased this book in 1980, and have read and re-read it at least once a year, ever since! The cynicism Dunne uses to capture the emotions of the two main characters. The Spellacy brothers, Des, the Priest, and Tom, the cop, not only establish their parts in the murder of the "Virgin Tramp," but also come to grips with their own Irish Catholic life journeys. This one is a "must read" for both mystery lovers and those who enjoy a smile when they read!

I love this book. I have read it many times and still continue to read it. Why?

I love the protagonist, a cynical, hard-boiled Irish cop who picks up on every defect of everyone he meets and offers up a wisecrack that makes you laugh out loud. If he can substitute a street word for any noun, verb, adjective, pronoun, or conjunction, he does--but in such a precise context and rhythm that it makes sheer poetry.

This book is not for the squeamish--he uses four-letter words, racial slurs, racial epithets. He includes people of his own Irish-Catholic background. As a matter of fact, they are often the focus of his caustic observations. I love every minute of it. I eat it up. Like I said, it's sheer, stimulating poetry--it's like a whiff of salt breeze or the sting of salt water on an open wound; it's like a very dry martini.

Then there's the fact that Dunne has created a noir novel that is exactly like film noir. It envelops you like an L.A. fog and never really dissolves. L.A. in the 1940s was the perfect setting for noir--as Roman Polanski proved in his great film CHINATOWN. Like all great writing, Dunne produces this aura as if by magic.

So if you've ever ridden in a squad car, dressed in a silent-movie vamp costume, on a Halloween night in the city, because you've lost your way and the cops are trying to keep you out of harm's way, but they can't resist turning the red light on and blowing the siren, and taking you along on a few calls on the way home just to show off; if you've ever hitchhiked on the Jersey Turnpike and been picked up by a cop, and ended up havin g a conversation about all the important things until day breaks and he brings you to a truck stop; if you have a soft spot for cops; if you don't mind bad language; if you like mysteries; if you have a sense of humor; if you love noir, you might give this book a try. I think it is a masterpiece.

This is a thoughtful review of the mistakes in management by the Bush Administration, with each chapter focusing on one issue or event in fair chronological order. Readers can see the common links or characteristics in each example; and analyze the compound effects of these behaviors, as they weakened the public trust. It should be a primer for candidates who need to realize that governing takes a different skill set that electioneering.

I voted for this guy twice. This book makes me stop and wonder why ? Far be it for me to slam the president of the USA - BUT - this book makes you wonder if he has all the facuties necessary to be president of the local YMCA. It will make you think hard about the next election

Good Buy

Z

Despite its unnecessarily ungracious title and dust jacket photos, I purchased UTTER INCOMPETENTS with cautious enthusiasm. Seeing Tom Oliphant's name on the cover, I immediately saw the book's physically unimposing but sprightly author on the TV screen of my mind's eye - wire-rimmed glasses in place, intentionally anachronistic bow tie neatly resting beneath his chin - opining with his cautious phrasing and sly humor on the politics of the day. Ah-h-h, I thought, 250 - 300 pages of Mr. Oliphant's gentle wit and well-tempered wisdom.

While UTTER INCOMPETENTS is not without its merits, this book is regrettably rather less than I expected it to be. Mr. Oliphant sets out with the best of intentions. All Presidents have successes and failures, he notes, but in the seven years to-date of the Bush II Administration, how has it been possible to have almost nothing but failures? How could a President turn every opportunity into disaster, every disaster into sheer chaos and even death, every small victory into ignominious defeat? What do all these failures have in common, either systemically or from the nature of the personalities involved?

From the start, the author singles out his main causes: "...tight ruling circles; a strong penchant for insularity and secretiveness; intense ideological motivation with a strong mixture of hubris; strong ties to demanding interest group supporters; and an obvious backseat for the habits of traditional policymaking that emphasize transparency and the give-and-take of consensus-building compromise" (page 21). Oliphant adds three more factors later, unwillingness to compromise, excessive cronyism, and the repeated choosing of actions that maximize short-term political gains at the expense of longer-term objectives. Invariably, reality ultimately overtakes the misleading statements from the political short-term and leads to squandered opportunity and systemic distrust and citizen disapproval, reflected in President Bush's steady decline five-year decline in approval ratings.

The remaining 90% of the book consists entirely of recaps of various Bush failures. Oliphant runs them off chapter-by-chapter as though from a punch list: oil prices, environmental protection, health care, global warming, immigration, the economy and deficits, taxes, Social Security privatization, gay marriage, Katrina, Terry Schiavo, and anything and everything associated with Iraq and terrorism. Unfortunately, each example consists mostly of recapping the events themselves, with occasional but far-too-superficial references back to his causative factors - the closed bubble of advisors, the hubris and ideological inflexibility, the stubborn resistance to changing course. In one of his best lines, Oliphant observes that Presidents must recognize "at their level of responsibility the most navigable distance between two points is rarely a straight line."

In the end, UTTER INCOMPETENTS represents an entertaining compendium of the trials and tribulations of George Bush's Presidency, but little else. Oliphant introduces no new information regarding these events, nothing that couldn't be found from a little Internet searching and back issues of newsweeklies, newspapers, and a few political journals. There are no surprising facts garnered from personal, insider interviews, no journalistic legwork, no confidential sources. Instead, Mr. Oliphant delivers a catalog of events and failed policies wrapped loosely around the simple and not overly insightful premise that they share in common the isolation, ideologically-driven certitudes, and gross incompetence of a few individuals who took valued political power over the best interests of a country and its people. Combine these factors with a Republican-controlled Congress that shared this vision of political power and abandoned its Constitutional role as a check and balance on Executive Branch power, and you have the shambles that now constitutes the Bush II Presidency.

Tom Oliphant's prose reads easily, and his recaps of events and issues are concise and on point. As a refresher of what the years since 2000 have wrought, UTTER INCOMPETENTS is an entertaining and competent compendium. As an analysis of how and why, it is less so. Already well informed readers will likely have the reaction, "Been there. Done that." On balance, three stars for a book that could have been much deeper, much more thoughtful and analytical from someone who ostensibly makes a living doing just that.

I cannot understand how Congress has not started impeachment proceedings against the Bush/Cheney criminal conspiracy. It is plain to many of us that it is more than incompetence and this book proves it.

Oliphant hits the nail on the head. To say I'm not a Bush supporter is an understatement. Now I more clearly understand why. Bush supporters will hold this book in disdain precisely it is so true. For all of "W's" failings it would be charitable to have pity on him. And also on our nation for having him as our president. Oliphant mentions that Bush reads 100 books a year. I'm suprised he can color that fast. This is a frightening, but revealing read.

If your not familiar with Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone, it should be noted that they're writers and book collectors who often write about their love and/or obsession with book collecting. "Warmly Inscribed.." is their third such book. It's not uncommon for this pair to enter a bookstore just to see what's there and walk out $500 lighter with a first edition under their arm. This is their world of hardcore book collecting. So why on earth would someone pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars for the same story that can be bought as a beat up paperback at a garage sale for under a buck? The Goldstone's first book does a better job of answering this question. In essence for investment, for art (first edition books are often in much better shape-book binding wise), and to be closer to "god'. What's it like to hold a book that Mark Twain himself probably held or Charles Dickens? And this is where "Warmly Inscribed leads us.

The book is broken down into 6 main chapters with an additional afterword. About half of these chapters deal with the darker side of book collecting and selling. How can one be sure if Mark Twain held a certain book of his, even if he supposedly signed it? One chapter specifically dealers with forgers and a book buying system that both hunts down , but due to greed and economics, encourages forgeries. Another chapter speaks of the Internet, which has both help and hinders the local corner bookstore, another about the struggles of starting a new bookstore. A old joke goes "How do you make a million dollars? Take two million and open a book store."
Other chapters are lighter in tone. One is about the Library of the Congress, which could merit a book unto itself; another focuses on a classic author lost to time and another chapter takes us to a Florida book convention.

The stories, based on light reporting, are often very fun and informative. They do a pretty good job of making the book world, which is complicated-even for collectors, relatively easy to understand and appreciate. This particular book seemed a little fragmented in that there is no consistent theme and some of the chapters seemed a little light on material. The Florida Book Convention chapter was charming, but offered little in clarifying book collecting or book buying or books in general. Still, the Goldman's books are an easy way to spend a weekend escaping into a world of leather bindings, cool dust jackets, and cover pages.

The book world is changing and in the afterword, the Goldstones make of point of showing that the first edition Harry Potter books are already bringing in thousands more than most of the great influential writers of the past 100 years. What does it mean? That's probably for the reader to decide. The Goldstones don't take and major stand on the issues, they're just there, like the rest of us, for the ride.

I always enjoy the Goldstones' book travelogues. Perfect for the beach or whenever you need a light and enjoybable read.

This pair write tales for bibliophiles, and this is their third book-about-books, featuring every aspect of the bibliouniverse, including: collecting, libraries, book fairs, catalogue and Internet trading, rare book dealers, independent booksellers, readers, and writers. In this volume, we meet Ken Anderson, the `New England Forger' who specialized in Pound, Yeats, and Eliot signed volumes before he was caught; we visit the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Reading Room of the British Museum, and the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale.

The two highly likable writers/readers/collectors, sometimes with daughter Emily in tow, warmly open their lives to their readers who, like them, get excited by books and appreciate the connections with people across time and place, with all their idiosyncrasies and passions. The Goldstone's books are not-to-be-missed gems.

I liked this book better than their first two. The somewhat precious plural narration is considerably more charming when it's not so constant, and their travels here are usefully varied. Most of all, this book is meatier, which really helps. The informative section about the New England forger adds a needed note of factual reportage. For me it anchors the rest of the book.

I knew the Washington book scene fairly well at one point, and their account is a mixed success. The section on the Library of Congress is nicely done, but they managed to miss the two best bookstores in town: Booked Up, which they knew about but somehow couldn't manage to get into (?), and Andy Moursund's Georgetown Books in Bethesda. Also, although it's true that more people should know about it, I feel their appraisal of the Folger is lame and tame--the Folger always struck me as a really odd museum, consistently barely interesting enough to warrant a visit yet almost ludicrously top-heavy with Shakespeare First Folios. In this day and age, is there any conceivable need to have 79 First Folios in one place? Any independent-minded curator, it seems to me, would divest two-thirds of them to fund a broadening of the collection and an enlivening of the exhibits. (It's also almost anti-conservationist to have all of them together, where they might all be destroyed at one fell swoop by a natural disaster or an act of terrorism. It would be much better for their safety to spread them around a bit.) I would have liked a more critical viewpoint here.

The Goldstones are not only savvier book people now, which is a relief (I found the "Duh, what's a nice book?" tone of "Used and Rare" too benighted), but they're getting to be better writers, too. The set-piece about Bearite is a hoot, and, despite her sparing appearances, Emily is strongly characterized as a sidekick--I really laughed at the vision of her sitting in the audience at sparsely attended book signings asking her parents how long it took them to write their book. I hope she figures more prominently in book #4. Next time, England? Archer? Get going, Goldstones!

Authors Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone are also book collectors and, in "Warmly Inscribed," they share their experiences in the used, rare and antiquarian book world. The tales are charming and anecdotal, filled with their love of books, and come across very conversationally, as if you were chatting with them over coffee instead of reading their adventures in a book. Also, it makes that particular world seem less stuffy and very accessible to everyone.

Each chapter shares a small bit of the vast world of books and booklore, from the first chapter that deals with the immense colleciton of the Library of Congress (as well as their lovable eight-year-old daughter Emily and a missing teddy bear) to the true story of the New England forger Ken Anderson who created quite a to-do with the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America. Plus, they give much of the history of books, bookfairs, and even a glimpse into the life of writer Max Beerbohm.

This is a wonderful book to read, whether you're into book collecting or not.

I was curious about this series but my wife talked me into checking out the 1st book at the library before buying the series. Well, after 15 pages I put the book down & ordered all 8 books in the series. If you like action & unexpected twists & turns, I highly recommend this series.

As with the first two books from the Eagle series, I was totally entertained. I highly reccomend these books to anyone with an interest in ancient Rome and its military in particular.

Simon Scarrow is a teacher at a Sixth Form College. He has run a Roman History programme that takes parties of students to a number of sites and museums across Britain and I assume that while doing this he gleans lots of useful information for his books on the Roman Centurion, Macro and his Optio, Cato.

First published in 2002, this is the third book in the series. The book opens in Britain in the year 43 AD. The Emperor has returned to sunnier climes leaving the Roman army to continue its rape of Britain. After a protracted effort the Second Legion have been instrumental in quashing resistance in Camulodunum, leaving time for Macro and Cato to rest with the rest of the Legion.

Their General, Plautius has had the distressing news that the ship carrying his wife and family to Britain has been shipwrecked in storms off the south coast. The survivors have fallen into the hands of the Druids, who now wish to use them as a bargaining tool for the release of members of their sect who have been captured by the Romans.

Unless their demands are met in full within one month, Plautius's family will be burned to death. The general decides to give Catp and Macro the opportunity to seek out the hiding place of the druids with a view to rescuing his wife and children before the month runs out. The general sees this as his only hope, as bowing to the demands of the Druids is not the Roman way . . .

A good read, with Macro and Cato continuing to get into and out of scrapes. The first in the series was a very good read and spurred me to continue. This was the second I read, even though out of sequence (The Eagle's Conquest is the second of the series). I am a bit disappointed in this one because of the profuse amount of British slang, e.g.,"Oi! Careful, you hopeless wankers. I've got your number." I may read more of the series but I'm not as enthusiastic as after the first.

Well, once you've got a good thing going, it's easy to grab the next book by an author. Not since Lawhead have I been anticipating the next release so eagerly. Some might say the pacing is slow in spots, the heavy-duty action of a Roman Legion is replaced by another focus, and so on... well, this is a fine read by a good author. The Druid aspect is quite well done and as a whole, Scarrow paints an inviting landscape and characters, though it's the foggy barrowlands and harsh conditions of an isolated mission. The blade is still sharp here.

Author Phillips follows a handful of champion steer wrestlers on a year's round of rodeos, focusing mostly on 23-year-old Luke Branquinho from Los Alamos, California, who in 2004 went to the National Finals and finished first, with over $193,000 in overall earnings. That is the book in a nutshell. Readers follow along as Luke, his brother Casey, best friend Travis Cadwell, and a colleague Marc Jensen crisscross the West to compete at dozens of rodeos. The steer wrestling itself and the competition get almost as much attention as the long-distance rig driving, poker playing, carousing, beer drinking, junk food eating, gambling, pot smoking, cell-phone talking, and the idle conversations, story telling, boredom, practical joking, raillery, tomfoolery, and high jinks that fill the time between rodeos and rides.

The book is an honest effort to recreate the experience of being on the road with this fraternity of men in their twenties and thirties, living out dreams of rodeo glory, pitting skill against luck in the arena, building friendships that qualify as a rough-and-ready kind of male bonding, struggling with disappointments, and dealing with physical ailments that range from colossal hangovers to serious injuries. You won't find much padding - no history of steer wrestling, no side-trips and detours into related subjects, and very little character study or analysis of the sport itself. It's pretty much play-by-play - whether behind the scenes or out in front of the crowd - ending in a 40-page account of the ten-day Finals in Las Vegas. A quick read, with a 16-page section of great action photos and thumbnail portraits of the cowboys featured in the book.

I got very interested in the characters, and learned some things about the life of a rodeo cowboy. It's a good summer read.

I bought this book as I college rodeoed with some of its characters. Appears they haven't changed much. The author did a great job of showing what it really is like out on the road. Not just the glitzy outlook but the behind the scenes.

Phillips takes all those fans of professional rodeo on the road at 85 miles an hour in a 350 pickup, pulling an alumumum trailer loaded with horses and living space.Due to the descriptive skills of the author, the reader becomes a silent witness to the good, the bad, and the ugly side of life with the rodeo cowboy. I couldn't put the book down.

I had read a glowing review of Blacktop Cowboys that piqued my interest. Though my husband describes me as a neo-aristocratic fashionista, little did he know that up to the age of 11 I rode western saddle and particpated in, albeit very small, local rodeos. There is something about these men (and women) who capture a part of America that holds a seemingly romantic life. Hats off, literally, to Ty Phillips! He wrote a wonderful book on today's steer wrestlers. And thanks to the gentlemen who allowed Mr. Phillips into their life. Without their participation I don't know if Mr. Phillips could have written so honestly about them. Mr. Phillips does not romantize, per se, about the life, but is able to put one there, watching the milesigns go by, feel the dust in one's nose, and the frustration or joy of an event. Whether one has an interest in rodeos or cowboys, buy this book, you won't read anything better. Thank you Mr. Phillips for writing about a subject few of us will ever know as well,than through your words.

This is a good book -- there was a recent book by Michael Corcoran (also for sale here) titled: For Which It Stands -- very good writing, very interesting book. I highly recommend it!

This 'flag' book sifts throughthe historical evidence to uncover the truth behind the Betsy Ross myth; she did sew the original flag with cloth she had for her friend, George Washington, but was not the designer. The amount of stars has varied over the years, as the number of states increasd. My favorite was that with 48 stars.

How can you do a biography of an object? It's more a chronological history of the beginning, selecting the design, using Britain's color scheme. It was honored by the Union soldiers during the Civil War and the marines' raising it on Iwo Jima was a photograhic memory.

Mary Pickergill chose the star-spangled banner. Samuel Driver gave it the name 'Old Glory.' Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem. Francis Bellamy is father of the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. School teacher from Wisconsin, B. J. Cigrand, is credited with starting 'Flag Day.' Austronaut Buzz Aldrin planted it on the moon in June, 1969 during Apollo 11's voyage into outer space.

During a national tragedy, the flag is lowered to half staff. Politics always display the flag as patriotism and nationalism. Liberal or conservative, Democrtat or Republican -- we all use the same stars and stripes. During the Viet Nam War, it was a devisive emblen of a devided nation, almost along the lines of the American Civil War (only the South had their own fighting flag), and was burned as a form of resistance.

Marc Leepson wrote SAVING MONTICELLO and researched his subject well with an Index and Bibliography. I once had a flag which had flown over the U. S. Capitol back in the Seventies, from the office of my representative, Robin Beard.

The American flag means different things to different people. Lee Greenwoood paid homage to it in "God Bless the U.S.A." John Wayne did a recitation of that marvelous old flag, and Neil Diamond was most appreciated of it in his song, "Coming to America.' Kate Smith used it as a background (as did Patton) shen she sang "God Bless America." It is our most obvious symbol of freedom.

Dear Marc, I just finished reading your book 'Flag'. It was 'Great'. I was fascinated with all the information about the flag that I did not know. I must commend you on the way you put all the facts together so that it was an easy read. I find myself telling others how informative the book is but I won't lend them my copy because of the personal note you wrote in it and I want to make sure It stays in my library.

It was nice seeing you in Reno.

Take Care and keep writing.

Semper Fi!..........................Pat Toro, President, VVA Chapter #32

This is a history of the American flag--the Stars and Stripes. It's not about the Confederate flag or the Lone Star or Bear Republic flags, although the author does mention them.

This book is a really well written, deeply researched, fact-filled history of Old Glory from the beginnings to today. It's also objectively written. What we get are the facts, lots and lots of them. There's something fascinating on every page.

"Flag" is the kind of book serious students of American history will love. Marc Leepson has written an account of our nation's most enduring symbol that includes all the scholarly elements but still brings a popular history to those of us that wouldn't know a monograph from a monorail. The book begins with the initial uses of flags in our nation's history through the controversey surrounding its creation up through its modern day use as a statement of patriotism and politics. The book hits all the highlights and some of the abuses without being overly pedantic or preachy. Leepson has accomplished a rare feat - bringing scholarship to the masses and doing so in a delightfully entertaining way. It is exactly the kind of history that should be read by everyone who has an interest in our nation's history - and that should be all of us.