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Grant
Ulysses S. Grant : Memoirs and Selected Letters : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant / Selected Letters, 1839-1865 (Library of America)
Published in Hardcover by Library of America (1990-10-01)
Author: Ulysses S. Grant
List price: $35.00
New price: $19.55
Used price: $9.78
Collectible price: $35.00

Average review score:

Superb
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-20
Well written history is a rare treat, and rarer still is a history by one who lived through it. Grant writes engagingly and humorously and with great humility for a man who achieved so much. That he wrote this in the throes of cancer, finishing it on death's door and yet has no sence of savig himself or self pity is remarkable. It's a pity there is no one like this in the elections.

Thoughtful and Compassionate
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-22



References to political memoirs often suggest that Grant's memoirs are some of the best ever published. Have worked my way slowly through almost 800 pages of his memoirs, the accolades are deserved. Autobiographies by their nature are bound to be someway self-serving (he makes no reference to his well documented drink problems) and I am sure many historians could pick flaws with some of Grant's recollections, but the book is exceptionally well written and interesting. To my surprise, the author comes across as being compassionate and showing a high degree of empathy for many he fought against during the civil war.

He is very honest in his commentaries and is not afraid to be critical of US policy. The Mexican-American war (1846-1848) was unnecessarily provoked and in his opinion "the war which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation. ... We were sent to provoke a fight, but it was essential that the Mexicans should commence it."

Grant is not shy in admitting that especially in his early military career, he was often frightened and would rather have been somewhere else when the bullets were flying. He is also self-effacing and sometimes humorous about his impact in early combat situations. "My exploit was equal to that of the soldier who boasted that he had cut of the leg of one of the enemy. When asked why he had not cut off his head, he replied: `Someone had done that before.' "

Grant is a very good storyteller and has an excellent eye for detail and description. His contrasting profiles of Generals Taylor and Scott whom he fought under during the Mexican war are models of clarity and painting pictures with words.

His account of the civil war contains numerous interesting anecdotes including one instance when inspecting a picket line which was close to a Confederate picket line. After his picket line called "Turn out the guard for the commanding General," he heard a similar command from the Confederate picket and a reference to General Grant. The Confederate line saluted "which I returned." - Amazing!

Obviously, the bulk of his memoirs relate to the civil war. He suggests that he was of the same mind set as Secretary of State Seward, "that the war would be over in ninety days." Grant is very respectful of many of his former colleagues who fought against him during this war. He has little respect for the "Demagogues who were to old to enter the army ... others who entertained so high an opinion of their own ability that they did not believe they could be spared from the direction of the state of affairs," but who constantly poured oil on the secessionist fire.

He lauds many of his comrades including Generals Sherman and Sheridan. While respecting Secretary of War Stanton, he does not appear to have been a great fan of his style of management. He also writes approvingly of Confederate Generals Longstreet, Lee, Bragg, Joseph Johnston and others, and takes great delight in ridiculing the military genius of Confederate President Jefferson Davis who he obviously despised. Grant writes sensitively of General Lee and the surrender at Appomattox.

The author believes the death of Lincoln was a disaster not just for the North, but for the vanquished South. "He would have proven the best friend the South could have had." Interestingly, Grant makes no reference to the Gettysburg Address and to the best of my recollection only references the Battle of Gettysburg but once. He was otherwise involved in the Battle of Vicksburg at the same time.

I glossed over some of the detailed military and battle descriptions in this book, but overall it is a great read. It is also interesting to note that the book saved Grant's penurious family from a life of poverty. Published by his friend Samuel Clemens, these memoirs became a bestseller after Grant died from throat cancer.

U.S. Grant in his own words...
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-25
U.S. Grant is often said to have been a failure at everything in his life except his marriage, war, and his memoirs. The latter, written as he was dying of throat cancer in 1884-1885, provide a straightforward account of his years in uniform during the Civil War.

Grant passes quickly over his Ohio boyhood and time at the United States Military Academy. His service in the Mexican War and his financial misfortunes out of uniform between the wars get only slightly more coverage. His story really begins with his return to uniform in 1861 as a commander of Illinois volunteers. The narrative follows Grant's campaigns in Missouri, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, his elevation to supreme command of the Union Armies, and the final grinding agony of the war in Virgina. The account ends with the cessation of hostilies in 1865.

Grant's memoirs are remarkable reading for a number of reasons. First, they provide insight into the first-rate military mind of a consistantly successful general. Grant's ability to determine the essentials of a situation and remain focused on them are evident. Second, the memoirs are a classic example of clear, simple, English narrative. Third, they display the considerable modesty of a naturally reserved man, a departure from the egotism often found in the personal memoirs of famous men. Grant himself continues to be something of a mystery to historians; these memoirs do not really lift the veil of his sense of privacy.

The Union Army of the Civil War had more than its fair share of politicians in uniform and politically-minded generals. Grant was not immune to spinning history his way; careful-eyed scholars have found more than a few instances where Grant remembered only part of the story or settled a few scores with old opponents. Nevertheless, Grant's memoirs are a valuable resource for understanding the conduct of the Civil War, not least because Grant became such a key figure in the winning of it.

Grant's memoirs are highly recommended to students of the Civil War, and to scholars seeking to understand the art of war in the midst of rebellion.

Review of Memoirs of US Grant
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-10
General Grant's use of the English language is very interesting and informative. Absolutely a pleasure to read.

A Masterpiece
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-21
This book is a must-read for any Civil War or American history buff. Grant's writing is consistently clear, elegant, beautiful. He gives an engaging account of his wartime experiences that are accurate to the best of his ability, and he writes with introspection and humility. The personal letters at the end of the volume reveal much about this fascinating man, and are a welcome addition. Please read this one! Another wonderful book in this series is the volume containing Frederick Douglass's autobiographical works.

Grant
Birds of Europe
Published in Paperback by Princeton University Press (2000-04-10)
Authors: Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterstrom, and Peter J. Grant
List price: $29.95
New price: $18.76
Used price: $17.00

Average review score:

Birds of Europe - an excellent field guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-25
As time approached for my wife and I to take our first "river cruise" through Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands, I began searching the web for reviews on recommended field guides for birding that part of the globe. Most strongly suggested the Princeton field guide, Birds of Europe, as their first pick. Following suit, I ordered my copy from Amazon and was not in the least bit disappointed. I used the guide daily and the combined field notes, images and species distribution maps allowed me to identify each species with ease and with confidence. This is an excellent field guide which I strongly recommend to folks heading "across the pond" for some serious birding or simply incidental birding as they enjoy their European vacation.

Not a field guide, The Birds Field Guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-15

Very good guide, good pictures, good texts and very logical distribution of info. Lids are something ligth.
If a friend asks me advice, I have no doubt: Mullarney-Svensson guide.

The shipment was packed correctly and within the expected delivery time.

Wonderful Field Guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-25
This is just simply a wonderful field guide, and definitely the best bird book for European species. I also own the RSPB guide to British birds which I picked up on the fly in the UK; however, I chose to leave that behind in favor of Mullarney et al. when I relocated to Germany. The descriptions, field marks, and pictures are wonderful. It also has pictures and descriptions of both males, females and juveniles, which my other book didn't have for all species, much to my dismay (at least 1 instance for a sexually dimorphic species). It's also relatively compact making it easier to carry in the field. The ordering of the songbirds is a little different from Sibley, but this is easy to adjust to. This certainly is a must have for all birders that might be traveling to Europe.

Wonderful guide
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-25
It's a wonderful guide, with simple explanations and beautiful images.
For amateurs and ornitologists.

Very detailed!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-13
I was going to Europe on a trip where I would be doing some birdwatching, and bought this book based on reviews on Amazon. The book turned out to be great! Each bird has a comprehensive description with details on identification and distinguishing it from other birds with a similar appearance or bird call. Each also has an illustration with the birds in multiple poses, M/F, adult/young, and other features such as common surroundings which was very helpful. There's no quick-key by color - birds are arranged by groups rather than color - but I found this to be a minor inconvenience weighed against the wealth of info in this book.

Grant
The Club Series: Introduction to Bridge - Bidding
Published in Spiral-bound by American Contract Bridge League (1990-01-25)
Author: Audrey Grant
List price: $14.95
New price: $64.25
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Great Book - Best Used in a Bridge Course
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-23
Audrey Grant's books - like Introduction to Bridge are exceptional. They are best used in a bridge class/training session where an instructor can lead and help the student through the the basics of bridge learning. The value of Audrey Grant's books are that they present a system of bridge which has revolutionized modern bridge.

Good Intro to Bridge
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
This is a great book for those interested in learning about Bridge. We are using it along with an instructor and it is great. Highly recommend it.

The How and Why of Bridge Bidding Revealed
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-23
It makes sense. No cryptic assumptions by the author. Discussion of every possibility, how to react, AND WHY. One of the best "tutorials" i have read in my life.
I started to learn bridge with one friend teaching a group of three. Made no sense. I bought this book, got pulled into the chapters, and at our next practice, i was leading half the session and teaching everyone.

Not exactly what I wanted.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-10
I've been considering returning to contract bridge after a 10 year hiatus and wanted to brush up on my bidding. I was looking for an intermediate/advanced overview of American Standard. This is a basic textbook obviously designed to be used in a classroom with a teacher. You will get basic bidding techniques and some recommendations on play. You won't get any conventions past Blackwood, Gerber or Stayman. Transfers, Unusual Notrump and the like aren't covered. If you're a beginner, this is a good starting point, though it would be best to use it with an instructor. If you're an intermediate or advanced player. Look elsewhere.

Audrey Grant is The Best Bridge Teacher!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-23
If you are new to bridge I highly recommend purchasing all four of Audrey Grant books in the ACBL Series... CLUB, DIAMOND, HEART AND SPADE. She is unquestionably the best bridge teacher for a novice. In layman's terms she is able to explain and unravel the mysteries of bridge. If you begin with the club book and progress through the series as they increase in difficulty... club, diamond, heart and spade you will be able to teach yourself how to become proficient in bridge painlessly. Her books are written in lesson formats... and they are used by many people who instruct bridge classes i.e. adult ed. Buy one... I'm sure you'll add the other three to your library. I also highly recommend her "Bridge at A Glance" pocket guide which is a quick synopsis of bidding and the appropriate respones thereof. I bought many bridge books before I stumbled upon Audrey Grant and wish I had found her books first! Good luck!

Grant
Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters
Published in Board book by Hamlyn (1987-10-30)
Author: John Grant
List price:
Used price: $114.49

Average review score:

Will there ever be a new edition of this title?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-20
Will there ever be a new edition of this title? It's been ten years. Any info. would be much appreciated.

Next Best Thing to Owning the Movies!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-11
I'll start this review by saying that, in fact, I haven't read THIS book, but I own Grant's older book from the '80's of the same title (which I bought from a used book seller for $3!), and I assume that this is the same material, but with some new stuff added. I plan to buy this newer book, because I can't wait to see this author's views on the subsequent movies that came out.

John Grant's description of the Disney movies and cartoons is amazingly detailed, and he profiles every character, from Mickey Mouse to obscure supporting characters that most people have forgotten about. While reading the entries, I remembered several movies and cartoons that I had seen as a kid, and forgotten about. It made me want to run out and buy all the old movies on DVD, so I could watch them again and relive this simpler time!

While Grant is definitely a Disney fan, he does look at the movies with a critical eye, and is willing to admit some of the shortcomings they had, including some of the racism that appeared in the earlier films (although I think he was a little too soft on this, which could be seen as insensitive to many people). He also has this charming, very British style of writing, that's addictive to read. Great escapist fun for any Disney fan!

When will there be a new edition of this wonderful book?
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-30
This is almost certainly the best book on Disney animation ever published - it is difficult to think of superlatives that other reviewers haven't already (quite rightly) used in their praise of it. (To the reviewer who complained about the omission of Eega Beeva: Eega Beeva is a character in the comics, not the animated movies.) Astonishingly comprehensive, beautifully illustrated, and written with the kind of stylish wit that makes the mere act of reading the text a joy in itself, the Encyclopedia deserves all the praise that has been heaped on it.

I have only one complaint. This is the third edition, and was published in 1998. Why oh why has there been no subsequent edition? What has gotten into Disney's corporate head that they have not begged Mr. Grant, well known for his extensive writings elsewhere, to bring the story of Disney animation up to date? Such a book is desperately needed!

Great Disney Resource
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-22
This is a definite must-have for any Disney fan. The book is divided into three basic sections: Characters in shorts, characters in television shows, and characters in features. Each category has a mention of every Disney character created until 1997 including interesting articles about them. This is also a great place to find information on lesser-known or forgotten Disney characters such as Spike the bee from a number of Donald Duck cartoons and Little Hans, a star of his own wartime propaganda film. Combine this with hundreds of pictures from the films and you have a book that is sure to be a favorite of any Disney fan.

No Disney fan should be without it!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-17
First, while the title of this book is accurate, it is also misleading. This is no fluffy, flimsy book containing some fun descriptions of Disney characters from the latest popular films. This is an intense, in-depth look at EVERY Disney animated character since Walt began his career. The book is divided into two parts, "Shorts" and "Feature Films". The shorts have the usual gang, Donald, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, and so on. After each characters bio is a list of every Disney short they've appeared in. Don't be worried or fooled by by this truly encyclopedic book - it is not a boring A to Z book. Color photos pop off of every page, including some from rarely seen Disney shorts. The feature films section not only includes detailed character bios, but plot summaries and "making of" details, cast and crew credits, and more. You buy this book, you will have a list of EVERY Disney short ever made (including the early "Alice" shorts and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit), every feature film in chronological order, and enough information about each one to be the champ of any Disney trivia game!

Grant
On the Banks of Lethe
Published in Paperback by StoneGarden.net Publishing (2006-11-19)
Author: James L. Grant
List price: $14.95
New price: $9.18
Used price: $9.85

Average review score:

I am going to have vulture nightmares.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-13
Mr. James Grant managed something I do not frequently come across in books, movies, or other mass media.

Dude wrote a love story I actually bought. Hell, most people's "love" I don't actually buy. It's a lot of "well, I've been with you for x amount of time so that's love now, right?" or "OMGZ MENT 2 B!!!!!!!!1" both of which are idiotic. But Mr. Grant, being happily married and in what seems to be as true as love gets, has managed to capture what it is about that that actually works.

And then messes with everything. It was getting where I was like "Ocrap they're happy now. ARGH."

It was beautifully done and made me really care. And also as horribly messed up as I have come to expect from Mr. Grant. I approve wholeheartedly.

Try waking up naked in the place of your nightmares..
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-27
And that's just one of the scenes in this book that takes the reader by the throat.

James L. Grant has matured as a writer in strides five feet long since "Pedestrian Wolves" .

There is little to compare the two books. While P.W. was a booze soaked romp in boots through New Orleans, Lethe is a slow crawl up your spine with those same boots caked in dust and blood, and the plot structure of JLG's second novel is complex and concrete and indicative of an author coming into his own.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

I bought a copy for my Mom and she told me "James writes very well. Lethe had me scared witless and on the edge of my seat from almost the first page."

I agree. I meant to do that to her.

A side note...I grew up where James L. Grant did; the setting for Lethe, and he captured the creepy feeling of it more completely than i am comfortable with. He made me scared to ever go back.

I eagerly await this man's third novel. I rate this one 4 stars so that I can give his next piece five.

I couldn't put the book down until I finished it!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-02
I have been a fan of Grant's work (which, I might add is in forms other than novels) for a good while. Even so, I really had no clue what to expect when I cracked this book open.

What I found was a novel I couldn't put down until the wee hours of the morning. Even at that point, I put the book down not because I was tired, but because I had finally finished it.

And what exactly did I find?

I found a story that is marvelously constructed, realistic (even with it's dark fantasy), and unexpected (in a good way!). I grew close to Grant's vibrant and powerfully-written characters. I laughed with them when they laughed and I cried at with them when they cried.

Plot twits and dramatic moments/situations/scenes are NOT cheesily executed. When something dramatic would happen, it would fit right in with the story. Instead of muttering to myself, "Where the hell did that come from?", I would find myself understanding how all the pieces of a puzzle were gradually coming together and I would want to continue.

The writing is mature (a pleasant surprise after reading so many "this-is-my-1st-or-2nd-novel" writers' sophomoric styles of syntax/verse). The book also moves at what I feel is just the right pace: not too fast and not too slow.

Essentially, Grant's entire book, from beginning to end, is amazing. This is one book you won't be able to put down, and it will leave you with an eerie feeling at the end that so many horror novels today fail to deliver.

Damn fine work
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-20
Lethe keeps your head spinning from start to finish. Each time I thought I had figured out what the hell was going on, I turned the page and found out that I was wrong. Grant splices humor and horror together so neither gets old or lets you get comfortable. I'm generally a fairly slow reader, but this took me around 2 days to finish, because I really didn't want to put it down.

A truly mind-blowing read that will have lasting effects.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-03
Why it took me this long to read this novel, I cannot say. I'd been meaning to pick it up since its release, and immediately after diving in I could honestly say I regret the wait.

Bringing us a highly intelligent and riveting novel that manages to skullpunch you with every visceral emotion that rampages through the protagonists, Grant will entrench you in a beautifully crafted love story right before yanking you out of it and beating everything you knew to that point with a rusted meat tenderizer. Then, he repeats the process.

I've never had a book rattle me so much as this one. After a night's sleep I'm still visibly shaken by Lethe's conclusion. I'm not sure if I want to buy Grant a beer or punch him in the sternum.

If you don't smoke, you might want to pick up the habit before reading this novel; you're going to need a cigarette when you're done. Trust me; it's worth it.

Grant, if you read these reviews, then congratulations. You made a grown man cry and thirst to do it all over again.

Grant
Vanya
Published in Paperback by Kingsway Publications (1975)
Author: Myrna Grant
List price:
Used price: $5.16

Average review score:

Great Book!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-09
Great book, must read for anyone that loves missionary type stories. Power of God is displayed in this young man's life. Fantastic.

A powerful and inspiring book
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-02
This true story is testimony to the fact that miracles still occur. I was very inspired to exercise my own faith in the face of great opposition. Vanya's faith was such that he almost seemed naive to the problems of being so open as he was in a Soviet system.

What a testimony!

-doug

Powerful!
Helpful Votes: 31 out of 31 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-16
This is a book about God's faithfulness to His own in spite of suffering, persecution and death. It is about one man's relationship with the Living God, to whom he had abandonded himself totally. It's a book about what is truly important and worth clinging to when there is absolutely no other hope. I read the story of Ivan Moisyev years ago with tears, awe and humility and the memory of Ivan's story of faith, suffering and, ultimately, martyrdom for the cause of Christ still haunts me. It left behind on my soul the burning questions, "If I were faced with such terrible persecution how would I respond? Would I remain faithful to Christ to the point of death? Could I really love and forgive those who might so terribly persecute me?". All these years later I'm left with the challenge to be willing to surrender everything, including my life to God in Christ.[...]

Serving God and country in the Soviet Army
Helpful Votes: 48 out of 48 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-19
Vanya was a young man drafted into the Soviet Army in 1970. He had been a believer for only two years, but during that time he had internalized the Scriptures, even though he didn't even own a Bible. His first priority upon arriving in the Ukraine for Basic Training was to find a private place to pray each morning. Thus before he had been in the Army for a week he was already in trouble for his religion.
This book chronicles, using the God's-eye view approach to telling the story, the relentless persecution that followed, culminating in his heroic death by torture for refusing to recant. Fearless before the might of the Evil Empire, Vanya was the stone upon which many stumbled and were broken, but only became more hardened to all efforts to conform him to the Soviet Ideal. Though plagued by doubts, Vanya found his faith miraculously strengthed in his darkest hours, and left behind a trail of new believers and demoralized interrogators wherever he was taken.

His death accomplished what his life couldn't: the Soviet Army admitted defeat and never again applied its utmost force to a believer in hopes of turning him from the faith.

A Powerful and Stirring True Story...Wow!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-25
I loved this book; the adventure, the trials and triumphs, and the amazing ending. A fascinating story from beginning to end. It is another favorite in my personal library. A treasure!

Grant
The Wall of Night
Published in Paperback by Jove (2002-03-26)
Author: Grant Blackwood
List price: $7.99
New price: $2.99
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Even more suspensful than End of Enemies
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-31
I literally read the last 200 pages of this book in one night staying up until 3 am to do so. Espionage and entrigue all over the place, this book is great.

However, I have to hope that Grant based some of the events of this book on reality or other fiction (particularly the early escapades of the Zi's), because if he thought about that on his own, then he is really one sick cookie.

Second Time's a charm.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-09
I enjoyed Blackwood's End of Enemies...it was fast paced, exciting and well written, so I had high expectations for his follow-up novel, The Wall of Night.

My expectations were exceeded.

The writing is tighter, the plot even more compelling, and Blackwood seems to have developed an even greater ability to place you in the action ( see the Fighter jet scene). No Sophomore jinx here.

Tanner once again shows himself to be a fully developed and engaging hero. His loyalty to Soong is both laudable and believable and the pain he feels after one of the plot twist'a is palpable.

The Wall of Night is a great read, but if you haven't read Blackwod's End of Enemies, I'd start there. You'll appreciate the growth of Tanner's character and Blackwood's skill as a writer.

Second Time's a charm.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-09
I enjoyed Blackwood's End of Enemies...it was fast paced, exciting and well written, so I had high expectations for his follow-up novel, The Wall of Night.

My expectations were exceeded.

The writing is tighter, the plot even more compelling, and Blackwood seems to have developed an even greater ability to place you in the action ( see the Fighter jet scene). No Sophomore jinx here.

Tanner once again shows himself to be a fully developed and engaging hero. His loyalty to Soong is both laudable and believable and the pain he feels after one of the plot twist'a is palpable.

The Wall of Night is a great read, but if you haven't read Blackwod's End of Enemies, I'd start there. You'll appreciate the growth of Tanner's character and Blackwood's skill as a writer.

Another winner!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-29
I found Blackwood's second Tanner novel even better than the first, and I can only see Blackwood's books getting better and better in the future!

Tanner is a man with a past, and in The Wall of Night he's given an opportunity to make right something in his past that went terribly wrong. Briggs Tanner is a refreshing everyday hero who isn't "super human" or "all action". He's an average man with a very above average job. He's humble. And I find that very appealing in a character.

I can only hope that we see more novels from Grant Blackwood featuring Briggs Tanner. I want to learn more about him and his life while watching him as he continues to do jobs that others aren't willing, or have the training, to do.

Espionage/Thrillers usually aren't the kinds of books I read, but for Blackwood I will continue to make the exception. Highly entertaining reads!!

Great thriller from a new author
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-04
This is the second book I have read by Mr. Blackwood and it was as thrilling as the first. This is pure escapism action with a fairly plausible plot line. Briggs Tanner is a great protaginist although he seems almost super human sometimes and is able to escape from impossible situations. This story is similar to those of Clancy and others, but with less technical detail and more focus on plot and characters. The only fault I can find is with the editing. There were quite a few typographical errors that should have been caught. I have seen similar errors in other books from this publisher.
I hope Mr. Blackwood brings back this cast of characters in future novels.

Grant
Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult
Published in Paperback by The Disinformation Company (2003-10-01)
Author:
List price: $24.95
New price: $15.27
Used price: $13.49

Average review score:

Serious
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-06
It's rare to find such a clear-thinking, practical guide. This one is great for finding out a little about everything and leaving with your head still screwed on straight. Loved the frightening writeup on DPT.

Quite the Shock
Helpful Votes: 23 out of 25 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-16
Because I consider it my duty to buy any book with the words "Magick" or "Occult" in the title, I picked this one up against my better judgement. On the whole, my initial fears were that this would be cartoonish, poorly written and obtuse. Even the name, cribbed from one of Aleister Crowley's works, worried me. That being said, I am very lucky that I purchased this book anyway.

Richard Metzger, the compiler and editor of this collection, has done the occult world a great service by bringing together this series of articles and publishing them in one soft cover. Containing the works of authors such as William S. Burroughs, Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, Timothy Leary, Donald Tyson and Robert Anton Wilson, this collection isn't any sort of theoretical discussion of magic. What you'll find here instead is a series of examples from fairly famous people who have actually practiced magic.

Many people who've been practicing or living magically for some time will still have a lot to learn from this book, just as I did. The examples are eye-opening in some cases, and at the very least thought-provoking in others. I often found myself saying "Wow... I've never thought of doing it THAT way."

My only real objection is the heavy emphasis on the use of illegal and illicit drugs. I understand that the use of these substances has been linked very closely with the occult, especially in the United States, but the way this book seems to promote the use of these substances upsets me. Still, there are enough examples of magic without drugs to satisfy my tastes.

All in all the book is very well put together, with a lot of detail, good editing and nice illustrations and pictures. I whole-heartedly recommend it to students of magic from intermediate to advanced. Beginner's might want to get a little more grounding before experimenting with some of these ideas, though. Good luck!

The One They REALLY Don't Want You to Read
Helpful Votes: 35 out of 37 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-19
If the occultophobes of the world had any sense, they would leave the Harry Potter series alone and forget all about it. THIS is the book they should be trying to burn.

Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult is a collection of essays and articles by leading voices in the occult world. A total of 40 written pieces take up roughly 350 pages here. A small sampling of these includes Phil Hine on magickal initiation, Donald Tyson on the Enochian Apocalypse, and Boyd Rice on the connections between the Biblical Leviathan and the mythic Dagon.

An entire section is devoted to the infamous Aleister Crowley, his life's work, and those who took his ideas and ran with them. Fiction writer Grant Morrison (The Invisibles) delivers his philosophy on modern magickal practice as a lifestyle. Erik Davis discusses the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft and its significance to the practicing occultist. Tau Allen Greenfield debunks the popular history of Wicca, and P.R. Koening exposes the fraudulent "Caliphate" Ordo Templi Orientis.

This book reprints an interview with late Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey by author/musician Michael Moynihan (Lords of Chaos, Blood Axis) and Dr. Stephen Flowers's essay "The Secret of the Gothick God of Darkness." Only Robert Mason's article on the "Ahriman Consciousness" seems strangely out of place; it reads more like a vaugely Christianized version of David Icke's conspiracy theories than the work of a practicing magician.

Be advised this is not a "spellbook" as such; a few articles give practical advice for starting points and point the way to futher study, but the book as a whole is an exhibit, not a seminar. But it's a very well-assembled and stimulating exhibit; read it to learn, evaluate, and be inspired.

Young readers or newcomers to this area of interest may be surprised to learn here there is much more to the world of magick than astrology, Wicca, and themed-deck Tarot cards. This book is a joy in that it not only acknowleges the existence of a darker, more volitile side to the occult, but gives it legitimate coverage beyond a cursory two-sentance summary in dismissive, generalized terms. This is not commericalized, superficial reading. No Three-Fold Law. No love spells, vampire poetry or tips for naming your "familiar" (cat). This is a challenging and colorful showcase that gives a small sampling of the forbidden knowledge shamans of the Lost Age knew firsthand and embroyonic quantum science is only beginning to point to. Get your copy now... before the book burners do.

Acidhuman
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 32 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-10
"Richard Metzger opened the drug fetus's industrial BDSM play into the abolition world and transplanted the era respiration-byte sending program of the acidhuman body encoder to the digital chimpanzee's cerebral cortex." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

Fantastic!!
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-26
This book, unlike Metzger's MISERABLE TV series is a joy to have. If you are a person open to the idea of alternate realities then you will find some of the best speakers from that fringe world here. You should not think of this as a typical "disinfo" offering such as "You Are Being Lied Too". This material would more easily be imagined as a series of essays along the lines of subject matter Robert Anton Wilson might discuss. Much of it deals in one way or another with magick and alternate mind states.

Grant
CHOOSE TO LOSE PA
Published in Paperback by Houghton Mifflin (1992-02-25)
Authors: Nancy Goor, Ronald S. Goor, and Katherine Boyd Grant
List price: $10.95
New price: $0.01
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.95

Average review score:

More with Goor
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-03
Choose to Lose: A Food Lover's Guide to Permanent Weight Loss I have used two other books by the Goors. This is a very helpful book for those who want to have a permanent change of eating style. It is NOT a diet book, but a whole new way of eating that results in a full tummy and weight loss.

13 years later and weight still off
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-04
I struggled with my weight especially after having a child 16 years ago. I am a registered dietitian so that made it even more humiliating--knowing what I should be doing, but not being able to do it. I picked up an earlier edition of this book 13 years ago and it changed my life. I walked 6 days a week religiously. I felt the diet was very easy to follow and loved some of the recipes in the book. After 3 years and 40 pounds later, I started running and have been running ever since. Thank you Choose to Lose for transforming my life. I love who I have become.

Hopeless..not any more!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-13
This is the only plan that has ever worked for me. I had always been vastly overweight and tried every diet. Just do it..it works even without salads and exercise and you are not hungry. You choose your weight with every decision on what goes into your mouth. Just do it.

Choose to lose
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-21
I read this books years ago, and when I found out the book was revised I had to have it. This book teaches you how to make a healthy eatting change for life, or just to lose those unwanted pounds. It tells you the importance of why you should not avoid carbohydrates, and it is very easy because you choose what you eat to loose weight, as long as you dont exceed your daily calorie or fat intake per day. It also teaches you why on 1000 caloried diets dont work because your body think it s starving and you dont loose weight because of so few calories. You can also save up for splurges. I think the hardest part in following this diet is eatting more than I am use to, when most diets you hardly eat. If interested in a positive eatting change where you can eat what you want, lose weight, drop your cholesterol level, and make this change for life, this is the book for you, I just love it, and the new me, because of it. Thank you Ron & Nancy Goor M.D. and Katherine Boyd R.D. for writing and sharing this book.

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-25
This is a great book, I've lost about 15 pounds using the techniques outlined, and have gone down from a 38 inch waste to a 35!!!! And I'm Still loosing. I'ts simple, keep count of those pesky fat calories, you will see results!!! This Book is a way of life for eating.

Grant
Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding.
Published in Hardcover by Cornell Maritime Press (1972-06)
Author: Bruce Grant
List price: $29.95
New price: $18.49
Used price: $14.30
Collectible price: $52.99

Average review score:

Treasure for mankind
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-05
This book has been in my wish list for years, I have been working with leather for the past 3 decades,and
I find this book to be the treasure for those working in the leathercraft world.I am glad that I have this book
in my library of leathercrafting. I am going to study and utilize this book for the years to come. Etsuo Fuwa

Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-03
A wonderful informative book to help you learn the skills required to do any leather braiding...

Great Place to Start
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-28
This book explains everything you could possibly need to know to get started. It can be a little hard to follow in places but with a little patience it really can be a big help, and has all the answers I was looking for.

A lifetime of experience within these pages!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
For lovers of leather braiding, this work is the Bible. Grant exhaustively covers a wide range of braiding techniques. His attention to detail and step-by-step instructions are superb. Sometimes his drawings are a bit primitive but they serve the purpose intended. His book covers how to make and work with rawhide, tools of the trade for leather braiding, various braid techniques such as twist braids, the Conquistador Braid (a fabulous and intricate braid for making belts, wrist bands, etc.), flat braids, round braids (for whips, etc.), various knots, and a wide range of horse tack (saddle and bridle).

Education in Braiding Techniques
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09
Excellent book for an incredible number of different braids. Lots of pictures and diagrams, (thank goodness) to better teach the techniques. The author throws in a little history education on the use of many braids. The only downer is that it is in black/grey/white, no color. Most of the diagrams are hand drawn (nicely) so it may take a second, third, seventh look to see which direction to go. In this day of CAD and graphics, I guess I expected a better visual. But then, the information that is handed down to the author from long, long ago, may call for this style of visuals? In the end, fantastic book, I'm glad I bought it and I'll keep it, and use it for many years to come.
ab designs LLC


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