Henry Books

Since I knew in advance that this was a wonderful Sicilian cookbook before I ordered it, there was no surprises for me when I received it. It is, exactly that, a wonderful cookbook. If you are looking for great Sicilian recipes ... look no further.

This much more than a recipe book--tho it is that as well. It is principally a social history of eating norms and the impact of successive cultural invasions: Norman, Arabic, and the like. It explains why Sicilians of various classes eat as they do, and it is fascinatingly well-written and researched. A real treat that explains why this is the best cuisine that modern Italy has to offer.

This much more than a recipe book--tho it is that as well. It is principally a social history of eating norms and the impact of successive cultural invasions: Norman, Arabic, and the like. It explains why Sicilians of various classes eat as they do, and it is fascinatingly well-written and researched. A real treat that explains why this is the best cuisine that modern Italy has to offer.

Having read every book by this author - I can recommend this
work to anyone who'd like to know what it was like for our
ancestors over the last 2500 yrs in Sicily. Within the pages, I found receipes that were handed down from my immigrant Girgentano
grandmother, Gesuelda. (Sicilian for Jesus). My family history project is only 10 yrs old, but by reading this book and making the receipes, I have come close to feeling and tasting the foods my Grandparents and their anscestors shared during their life time. Mary Taylor-Simeti has given Sicilian Americans a huge gift by writing about our Siclian history. If you want to know and understand more about why you are the person you are, Simeti's book can help in that journey.

This cookbook is the real deal. If you have some familiarity with Italian food and are looking for different regional cuisines(and especially if you're Italian and Southern)you will find a lot of joy in this book. There aren't really that many recipes, but there is a lot of interesting background about all of those invasions in Sicily. Sicilians are Arab,Norman, Greek, Spanish,French and God-only-knows. That makes for an interesting mix, and the food is the most interesting of Italy if not what you usually get in a restaurant. The recipes however aren't that different from Neapolitan dishes, just imagine more Arab and Greek influence. The food: I tried a fantastic baked ziti with hard-boiled eggs, cheese and a pork meat sauce, all covered with fried eggplant(no breadcrumbs) from the bottom in an upside-down cake sort of way. It was very good. Also interesting: chickpea fritters; mint and caper tomato sauce; fennel and olive pasta; an "Arabian" pasta timbale. Simetti doesn't hold you to weird recipe confines, her explanations just makes sense and if you play around with them, it's still fine. If you're at all interested in food this book is a good investment. (And don't you want to know why Sicily is said to be the only Arab country that recognizes Israel?)

Contained in this book are tales of things like leeches, moths, and an assortment of other spineless creatures. Each chapter is devoted to one such creature. Coniff is good writer, easy to read, and engaging. That being said he makes the perfect author to turn rather grim subjects into light reads. So while you're camping out this summer and swatting mosquitos you can read this book and marvel at the sheer amount of mosquito species out there and wonder which one is sucking your blood.

Richard Conniff's writing style is fun and easy to read. And although some of the facts he pours into the book may be gross, it's so interesting you are riveted. I think everyone-science lover or no-needs to read this book. I couldn't put the book down until I was done. Just to give you some extra info on what's in the book-he discusses many invertebrates such as flies, hagfish, moths and tarantulas, devoting a chapter to each invertebrate. He includes his adventures with these creatures along with it. Even the hardened scientist will find something new in this book!

I have no idea why I picked this book up but I am glad I did for I now take the time to look at the invertebrates that scurry climb or swim about me. Sounds interesting huh? Well, it talked about invertebrates in a way so that even the most mindless of people could understand. I actually learned things that I didn't take the time to listen to or care to read about in science class. I used to tell my Dad to kill that ugly-looking arachnid, but now I beg him to spare its little spineless life.

There is more to the world of nature than cuddly koalas, magnificent whales, and beautifully singing birds. Most of the animal kingdom, and much of the biomass on the planet, are invertebrates! Insects, spiders, centipedes, molluscs, crustaceans, echnioderms, worms, all greatly outnumber vertebrates and are absolutely vital to continued life on earth, and all are greatly unappreciated by the average person.

Richard Conniff takes us on a representative tour of several members of the invertebrate world. Though he only scratches the surface, he shows us some of the most fascinating of the "creepy crawlies," creatures that often have few admirers in the media or popular culture. From the fascinating world of flies to the invaluable leech to the hated fire ant to beetles, fleas, and giant squid and beyond, Conniff shows us the astounding world of invertebrates.

Strictly speaking, Conniff includes one vertebrate in the mix, the lowly but extremely unusual hagfish, so it is not only invertebrates. Having said that though this was an excellent book, one well worth reading. Popular science writing at its best.

Conniff's book _Spineless Wonders_ had me fascinated, for the most part. His subject: invertebrates, with about ten different chapters on different creatures, such as leeches, dragonflies, tarantulas, etc. NOT ALL POPULAR INVERTEBRATES ARE COVERED IN THIS BOOK. In fact, if there is not a chapter devoted to your favorite invertebrate, there will be little or no information on that beast. There are many examples. Jellyfish, starfish, bees, crabs, clams, octopuses and lobsters are but a few that Conniff chose not to cover.

If you need detailed information about an invertebrate not covered in this book, or if you need more detail, I advise you to seek out a book on that specific beast. Also, you can look into Robert Barnes' book _Invertebrate Zoology_, but that book...is best used at a public or college library.

On the plus side: there aren't many good books on invertebrates for a general audience, and _Spineless Wonders_ is one of them. Most folks, while they might be able to stomach ten or twenty pages on leeches, don't want an entire book on leeches. In fact, most full length books on leeches, dragonflies, etc. are indeed academic tracts targeted at serious collectors or graduate students and professors.

Conniff's writing is usually lucid and entertaining. He held my attention until the end of each chapter... almost. Still, there isn't much popular writing on invertebrates in general, so _Spineless Wonders_ is well worth a look.

ken32

this was a very good book and i enjoyed it a lot. everyone should read it because it has a very good story line. i would reccomend this book to people who love to read.

My seven year old daughter and I finished this book last night. She was very sad to have it end. What a wonderful account of the devastating storm that hit the islands of Assateague and Chincoteague and the relief efforts to rebuild the islands and the devastated wild pony population.

It was very heartwarming to read in the epilogue excerpts from actual letters of children that sent in their hard earned money to buy back the ponies sold at previous Pony Penning Days to replenish the wild herds of Assateugue. These children and others like them preserved a tradition that had been maintained for over 100 years and because of them continues on today. In fact, Marguerite Henry dedicated this book to those very children that made it all possible.

Marguerite Henry does an excellent job of using local dialect in the telling of the story, especially with Grandpa and Grandma. You can not help but become involved in the characters and their concerns become very real to you.

I read this book many many years ago and had forgotten a great deal of the story. One of the things I did remember was Misty being put in Grandma's kitchen to wait out the storm.

If you are like me and read this book many years ago I encourage to reread it. You will be glad you did.

Marguerite Henry really did it again! She wrote another great book. The only bad thing about this book is they save the best parts for last! If you get bored while reading, keep on reading for it is worth it. You will love this book...Read it!

-Emily Patton

This is the true story of Misty, a famous horse who gave birth to a foal named Stormy during a raging, devastating storm. The book then presents an accurately detailed account of rebuilding the island of Chincoteauge after the storm.
The plot of this is exciting and suspenseful book twists just to the reader's liking, and has times of slow sadness. The odd regional colloquial speech of the characters may sometimes confuses the reader, but it is so well written you it presents a mental picture better than a movie.
This is a very interesting book to me. Its many scenes convey many different emotions: some humor, some happiness, and some intense sorrow. I am also extremely inspired by Paul Beebe, who shows courage and self-control as I would like to. It is a favorite of mine, and a worthy addition to any bookshelf.

No pony would want to be pregnant in the middle of the big hurricane that killed almost everything in Chincoteague and Assateague. Paul and Maureen love the fact that Misty is going to have a baby until the storm hits. When Paul and Maureen leave Misty, everyone is extremely worried. Misty needs to find a way to survive along with her unborn baby! This is a wonderful story that will have you hanging on to every page. I recommend this book to anybody who has read Misty of Chincoteague or anyone who likes horse stories.

Upon encountering this book in Foyles on Shaftsbury Ave I picked it up and dusted it off. It was discounted so I bought it... it has been invaluable to me in the past and I thank myself for finding it almost everyday.

Inside the book are all the classics of bad thinking analysed -- everything from the common red herring argument, to argument from authority and the classic Popperian argument that an argument must be weak if it cannot be proved wrong (something amazingly the vast majority of people just do not seem to get).

All of the beliefs that lead to much of the misery in the world and the poor allocation of resources to solve the worlds problems are all here... indeed if people were to read this book the malaise of mysticism, faith-based healing, religious fundementalism, bad science and even worse political reasoning would be avoided...

Oh... and if you're a business person, like I am, you will immediately benefit by avoiding 90% of the rubbish that passes for wisdom in the business/ self-help section of your bookstore.

Treasured.

In my biased opinion, this ranks as one of the finest books on the subject of critical thinking. Unfortunately, it is highly priced on Amazon.com, but one can find cheaper alternatives on the internet. Thouless focuses a lot on how social proof, and other biases do impede one's ability to think rationally, especially when facts are not conclusive, or when there are more than two plausible arguments in a given scenario. Good for policy makers, students, regular folks, and people who routinely make decisions under uncertainty.

I last read this book about 15 years ago as a student and the lessons of the 38 dishonest tricks used in arguments detailed in the book have left a life-lasting impression on me. It is an invaluable book which is still relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1930. Could the copyright owner(s) please reissue this book or better yet, contribute to the public domain?

Reading this book opened my eyes to exactly how badly crooked thinking runs our society today: how little emphasis we place on actual evidence and argument, what kind of dishonest argumentation our politicians and news providers use, etc. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I had to go to a used bookshop in Perth, Australia to find it! Why isn't this masterwork still in print? We need it just as much now as they did in the 1930s!

Although written at the end of the 1930's, the book is amazingly relevant today and one of the most clearly presented and well thought-out books of its kind that I've ever read. It is well worth your time.

Over 50 years ago I read these books in Swedish (original language)and now I read them in English. I just love them, to me they are the best fairy tales ever written for children and for adults. Jan

Tove Jansson's tales from the Moominvalley are fascinating reading for adults and children alike. Although I read my first copy in Finnish, the English translation is equally enjoyable. I am surprised that Disney has not yet bought rights to the series that would make wonderful animated movies.

This is not exacly a book for kids and much as I liked some of the other Moomin books, I used to hate this one. Only after my visit to Finland this year and seeing the museum of Moomins did I re-read all the books.

I fell in love with them. Totally and permanently.

If not for anything else, get this book for the story of the Hemulen who loved silence. I actually had tears in my eyes when reading it.

Beautiful, warm, mature and full of hope, like all the other Moomin books.

I picked up this book because I thought I hadn't read it before, wanting to see the Moominvalley books through adult eyes - not to have my childhood memories of favourite books tarnished. As it turns out, I had read "Tales from Moominvalley" before (the fungus-covered granny was the trigger for my recollection), but I was really relieved to find that Tove Jansson's books are just as good as I remember - and there is, I think, even more for the adult to appreciate and enjoy than there is for the child.
I generally dislike the short story genre, but not when it's done like this. Every short story is simply that, a short story; not a contrived literary exercise with the obligatory "twist in the tail". Jansson's stories are charming little gems, full of wonderful moments and images, thought-provoking and touching. Her characters are often the lonely, the lost, and the troubled, and she makes you feel for them and understand them, without ever becoming ridiculous or sentimental. The tales about Snufkin and his tune and the Fillyjonk who believed in disasters are shining examples of this. But Jansson can write humour and happiness just as well, as the tales of the invisible child and the fir tree show.
I really can't speak highly enough of this book. Jansson's wonderful insight into people, her spare, deft prose, and her brilliant imagination make a great combination. Buy it for your children or for yourself.

As many readers have noted, Tove Jansson's Moomin books may be appreciated by adults as well as children (particularly children who are of a quirky, thoughtful bent, in grades 4 and up.) The "Tales" is a late collection of short stories and not a complete novel like most of the other ones (beginners should start with "Comet in Moominland" instead), but it contains all the characters we know and love from the series. As usual, Jansson deftly captures the exact mood of the time of year portrayed in each tale, as well as the complicated inner workings of the misfit characters, with a few deft words. Two of these stories are absolute masterpieces. The first is "A Spring Tune," in which the fiercely independent Snufkin is prevented from writing a melody by a lonely, talkative squirrel. The other is "The Fir Tree," which comes at the end of the book and is perhaps the finest Christmas short story I have ever read, which is praise indeed. (Were ever layers of irony so superb? All writers take note of this one.) In between we get an offbeat collection of curious tales, not as memorable perhaps as the novels but jolly good fun, and emotionally pure like all of Jansson's amazing body of work. How else to describe it? Read for yourself.

This is an excellent book on climate change, and in particular the less seldom discussed evidence for climate change in the tropics. It will give readers a first hand account of not only the process of scientific thought but also some of the personalities and egos that are involved in cutting edge research. Lonnie Thompson is the rare scientist dedicated to a quest for the truth who is not driven by his resume. His unique mode of operation is one many scientists could learn from. The book is also full of high adventure and documents the sacrifices that are made in search of scientific data. A true adventure story. The writing style with long sentences takes some getting used to but it is still clearly written.

Thin Ice by Mark Bowen is a great story, well told. The book captures the excitement of experimental climate science and the extremely hard work that it entails. Anyone who likes books about scientific endeavors will enjoy this book. After reading it I understood the arguments about climate change much better than I used to. Unfortunately, the bottom line is pretty grim. The author is both a scientist and an alpine climber. Climbers take the loss of the glaciers very personally, and this book, while not being weepy or overly political, imparts the message that humans urgently need to confront the issue of climate change.

My son recommended and bought this book for me. At university studying environmental science he started as a sceptic on anthropogenic climate change. He read widely. This book inspired him by clearly portraying the excitement of scientific discovery. Written by a physicist it describes the career of Lonnie Thomson an ice-core specialist and his research group. He had to fight bureaucracy to get to collect and analyse ice cores from the world's tropical ice fields. They have spent more time above 22,000 feet than any others. In parts it reads like a mountaineering epic such as Annapurna. But all the heroics are clearly determined by scientific goals. It is a story of team work and the excitement of discovery. They made the connection between ancient climate change and rise and fall of civilisations from ice cores dated to a single year or even a season of a single year. This is complementary to a more detailed account of rise and fall of civilisations Collapse by Jared Dimond. Bowen, being a physicist, provides a simple clear explanation of carbon dioxide rise and its connection to climate change. This book concentrates on the science and pre-dates but underpins the latest IPCC reports on the seriousness of anthropogenic climate change. My son has converted to believer and is vigorously pursing a research career after being inspired by this book. It is a well written and gripping account of modern day science which should be widely read. Thoroughly recommended.

This is one of the best books I've picked up in years. Mark Bowen has produced a landmark piece of work. It's both extremely informative as well as being very readable.

The story centers on ice cores pulled up over the last 25+ years from the fast-disappearing glaciers on the tops of the world's highest mountains -- a grand adventure in itself -- with the results being put in the context of the current science of the greenhouse effect and global warming, the possible environmental collapse of numerous ancient civilizations (since the ice core records go back many thousands of years), with just enough on the politics of controlling carbon dioxide emissions and the way scientific research is done to keep things interesting and real.

As someone who tries to keep up with scientific developments -- as difficult as that is with the major news media being myopically focused on sensationalism and celebrity (right now it's the JonBenet Ramsey rerun...) -- I felt like I was being caught up on all the many important details and various threads of a story that I already sorta knew the larger outline and implications of.

If I had one complaint it was that the book seemed to need many more graphs than the single one it contains. Some of the subject matter is just technical enough that this would have been much better than the several paragraphs of carefully constructed words needed to convey the same idea. I suppose publishers think that it'll scare off too many customers if they see graphs in a book.

Highly recommended and deserving of much more attention than it's received (based partly on the paltry number of reviews here). Buy a copy for yourself and an additional one to give to a friend or colleague.

This is travelogue, musings, science, story-telling, and a gentle (non-polemic) argument about a critical present-day issue. The previous reviewers (especially the first two) and Bill McKibben's dust-jacket comment are good guides. Some of the author's descriptions of mountain scenery are quite beautiful. Although I always have been concerned about climate change based on the "precautionary principle" and "responsibility to future generations" ideas, this book helped me put some meat on the thin bones of my understanding. It also reached me at an emotional level, since the reader spends so much time with the scientists and get a close-up view of how they arrive at their understandings.

The book does not simply follow a chronological narrative, but branches off for visits to related topics. I found this style of organization effective and fun. (Like a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon where you frequently stop for a day to explore side canyons.)

There are 24 pages of notes and 21 pages of (about 400-500) references.

I highly recommend this children's book about the Christmas story for all ages! The story is told well for even young children to follow, but is profound enough for adults to enjoy. The illustrations are my favorite part of this book!! They are so colorful and inviting and bring the story to life. I specifically like the broad ethnicity Bettoli uses for the characters, as many cultures can see themselves in the pictures, and I believe this would allow many different people to personally relate to the story, no matter their background. The Holy Family actually looks like the region where they lived. I plan to use this book for many years with children and adults of all ages! Thank you for such a wonderful redering of the Christmas story!

This is the sweetest Christmas book you'll find anywhere. Its easy rhymes and poignant pictures will enchant you and your child. My three-year-old son has already memorized parts of it and will read it along with me. It warms my heart to hear him recite the story of Jesus' birth. I have given this book as baby gifts several times, and the parents have all loved the book as much as I have.

"This is the Stable," is one of the most refreshing books I have seen on the birth of Christ. As an adult reader looking at these enchanting pictures and reading these simple words, I couldn't wait to turn the page to the next illustration. As I read and delighted in the images, I felt a lightness of being, a hopefulness and a joy. I can only imagine the impression of what a young child would feel being introduced to the birth of this wondrous being of light through this book.

The simplicity of the words of Jesus's birth are so sweet and dear and the illustrations speak volumes.They embrace a magic and universality that is so needed in our world of separation of religions. The large voluminous angel wings wrapped around this story lets one know there is a divine order in all things. My hat is off to you Delana Bertoli and Cynthia Cotton for creating this little masterpiece that shines the light and wonderment we so need in this world for our children. A must for all young readers!

This is the PERFECT Christmas book - I bought two dozen copies to give away as Christmas gifts. The traditional Christmas Story is told in a simple yet engaging manner. The artwork however makes the story come alive - it's amazing. When one of my grandchildren (who happens to be half African American) saw the picture of Baby Jesus she said "Look Grammy, Baby Jesus is the same color as me - light brown!" and indeed he was. I especially loved the angels who appeared to the shepherds: Miss Bettoli had each dressed in a glorious bright colored flowered robe. When I saw that picture my first reaction was, "I knew my mother (since deceased) wasn't wearing a boring white robe in heaven - she wouldn't have worn bland colors when she was alive so I'm sure she wouldn't do it in heaven"! Can't rave enough about this book.

This is a captivating telling of the Christmas story for youngsters. But for me, the illustrations are what make this book stand out from others. Kids will be drawn to the gorgeous colors and the rendering of all the characters - human and animal - so that they're immediately likable and comforting. There's so much rich detail that every page encourages the creation of its own little story beyond the brief text. And there's something there for adults, too. We big people can appreciate these illustrations as artwork, admiring and enjoying the rendering and composition. I'd like to think that kids with a creative eye could learn something about art as well as experience this lyrical rendition of the Nativity, which makes it a twofer in my book.

I am a financial advisor and have read many personal finance books. This is without question one of the best finanical books I've ever read. Mr. Brock does a fantastic job of clearly explaining how money works in a way anyone can understand. He also does a great job of addressing/identifying the proper and healthy ways to look at your finances. I routinely convey his concepts to my clients.

Yes, I agree -- this is a "must read" book. It covers many aspects of finance, but realizes that the main aspect is psychological. No, it is not a psychology treatise, but it helps point in the right directions. The author has been in the same position that many of his readers are. Take a look at it. You can probably find a copy at your local library or via inter-library loan.

Brock entertains the long-standing notion that hard work and prudent planning lead to eventual success. As a person who considers himself to be non-religious, and a strong advocate that religion is not a necessity to build character and long-term happiness, I never-the-less thoroughly enjoyed reading about his viewpoints on fundamental principles for living.

The one caution that I would offer to readers, is they take his advice on student loans and never-ending abundance, with a grain of salt. Yes, it is advisable to reduce student loans to a minimum. However, taking out a substantial amount of student loans is not necessarily a bad idea. For most individuals (not those in the authors income bracket, or most of the clients that he deals with), it is extremely hard to get through a doctorate program (let alone a bachelor's program at a first tier school), without doing so. In this case, the value of taking out student loans and acquiring further education clearly outweighs the ability to choose a risk-seeking career. After all, it is an extremely small percentage of people who are successful as an entrepreneur, as opposed to those who seek a more stable career, requiring higher education. I have had experience in both and can vouch for the fact that in specific industries, such as financial services, you need to know key people, to be successful. No matter how much the industry tries to reject this notion, it is fact.

To address the second issue, it is fundamentally obvious that the earth's resources are limited, a view that Brock admittedly looks over. Responsibility necessitates conservation.

The book for the most part is fantastic; however, it does offer an extremely Republican viewpoint.

This is the most complete book on personal financial management ever published, it is just that simple!

There is only one caution I would set forth, successful individuals don't become successful without consulting experts, this book does not replace the guidence an advisor provides but, it is a great starting point for those looking to enhance their knowledge base. I have been known to recommend this book quite frequently to my own clients.

Keep in mind, you don't know what you don't know until someone tells you something you don't know.

Brock's book has had an amazing affect on my finances. I've learned how to better budget my money and many investment tips. It ties in morals to the spending of money which adds a definite twist. It goes into great depth yet is spelled out so that anyone can understand.

Existential entropy is the dominant theme of Steve Erickson's sixth book, a meditation on the persistence of memory, the disappearance of the real, and the no-man's-land between fact and imagination.

With limber, hypnotic prose and vivid imagery, the nameless narrator leads us through a landscape of paranoia, sex, and decay. Though this no-man's-land takes the shape of L.A. early in the next century, the novel's axes are psychology and identity, not society and technology.

One of the narrator's obsessions is what he calls the Cinema of Hysteria: "movies that make no sense at all - and we understand them completely." Similarly, this tale seems plotless; but, as in Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49, the arbitrary oddities slowly coalesce into a haunting whole. Erickson has spun a cunning web - less a book of laughter and forgetting than a seductive insomniac nightmare of hysteria and amnesia.

I've heard some folks say that Erickson's Amnesiascope is one of his lesser works, but in my view it is head and shoulders above his other novels. "Amnesiascope" is an apocalyptic prose-poem about life in L.A., and where "Rubicon Beach" dragged with long, tedious dream-sequences, "Amnesiascope" soars by providing enough humor, detail, and vividly-imagined cityscapes to keep you fascinated by every page. As I read it, I occasionally thought to myself, "This reads like Henry Miller." Later, in an interview with Erickson, he mentioned that Miller was an inspiration for this novel.

this is a good book i cannot believe that it is out of print! I lent a copy to a friend and have never had it returned.
I read this before i ever visited L.A. but having been there now, you can see the jumps in imagination that he makes about a possible near future for the place. Dingy hotels and fires in the streets, subversive writers and strange and exotic grrls who just seem to turn up and then vanish. He describes a place that made me think of cities in warzones, in movies like Full Metal Jacket and The Killing Fields. What is so good is that the story veers between fiction and what sounds like autobiography a lot and so constantly keeps you on your toes and just a little off-balance in this dream-like world.
L.A. just before the end of the world, or maybe just after?

Erickson's dark, quirkily romantic future L.A. has the resonance of one of J.G. Ballard's apocalyptic landscapes. Like voyeurs, we're ushered into a world of flickering volcanic fires, leaking hotels and anxiety-run-rampant in the tradition of DeLillo's "White Noise" and Pynchon's "Vineland."

"Amnesiascope" is far more than a meditation on nightlife. Erickson's meticulously wrought characters are what propels this odd, gorgeous book. At once experimental and character-driven, "Amnesiacope" succeeds in its well-honed balance between landscape and psyche, empathy and urban detachment. There wasn't a moment I didn't like; "Amnesiacope" stands as one of the most moving near-future novels to have graced the genre.

It is a shame that this book is out of print, because it is one of those books that I would love to recommend to friends to read. The book is many things at once: provocative, sexy, imaginative, fun, sad. The back cover features a blurb comparing him to Pynchon, Nabokov, and DeLillo. Although I don't see the comparison to Nabokov, I would add my own comparisons: J. G. Ballard (especially books like CRASH and VERMILLION SANDS), William S. Burroughs, and even Neal Stephenson. The authors mentioned would prepare a would-be reader for the unexpected and the unusual; it might not prepare the reader for the beauty of his prose.

I fully expect this book to be in print again in the near future. Until then, I would urge any fan of literature to search this book out and read it. It is often beautiful, frequently haunting, and always original.

Goddamn! One of the best books I have ever read!

Get it!

Excellent reading. Very informative and it kept me interested the entire time. I would recommend for anyone!

Extremely fortunate to have worked with Smokey during our years at Circle Track Magazine and all his years at PRI (Performance Racing Industry).
THIS IS INDEED THE BEST DAMN BOOK IN TOWN. You'll love it.

Simply put this is one of the best books about racing I have ever read. Smokey's stories are entertaining, hilarious, and insightful. His kind will not be by this way again! If you like racing of any kind, this book is a must read. It is well worth both the time and the money.

Smokey tells it just like he sees it. No political correctness here. If he thinks something stinks, he says so. He has no love lost for Bill France and company, but respects many others.

His writing style is straight to the point, amusing and raw. But it's the way he sees things...and he repeats that point...that it's just his opinion and urges the reader to make up their own mind.

I highly recommend this set. And I salute you, Smokey.