Howard Books

Embalmer's Nightmare really kept my attention. I enjoyed reading about all the mishaps that Frank Russo encountered as an embalmer. I wonder which incidences the author actually encountered. I'm really hoping for a sequel...one with a more positive ending for Frank. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who enjoy King/Koontz type books.

Elaine Childers

Everyone searches for a book that will grab hold of their imagination and take them to the edge & back again. Mr. Howard has done just that. Embalmer's Nightmare takes you on a wide ride of one mans attempt to live a normal life while living in a world consumed by death and insanity. An absolute must read!

This was an excellent read and takes the reader on a journey behind the scenes with a Funeral Director/Embalmer. We have all encountered death at one time or another and have probably been curious about what happens behind the scenes of a funeral home. Mr. Howard opens the door a crack for a peek at the humor, sadness, stress and frustration that we don't usually hear about. He pulls the reader into his personal hell and makes you wonder what is fact and what is fiction. Have we heard the last from Karin??

Michael A Howard has opened the door, into the world of: EMBALMING! A topic that I am sure everyone at one time or another has wondered about. And at one time or another will experience! Mixing fiction with non- fiction, this extraordinary author takes us on a journey into the world of embalming; and shares with his readers a glimpse into the life of the characters that make up this book. You will meet, just to name a few: Six Toes,friend and confident Bob,Spanky and Worley.They will bring you to laughter, then to serious reflections, from with-in their unique personalites. And of course there is: Karin. What nightmare could be complete without a Karin?
Mr.Howard has written an intriguing book and has left this reader thinking: What is real and not real?
You will have to read:EMBALMER'S NIGHTMARE, then decide for yourself.....is it real?

James McKinley Hibbard
Author of: Sin Of The Poppas

This audio book really got to me. It started out slow, with Nick, the main character trying to sort out how to deal with the death of his father in a car crash, and hearing a variety of "voices,"as he seems to wander in and out of reality. I found myself wondering where this strange beginning was going, but very quickly I was caught up in Nick's predicament. Several things take place later in the story that will break your heart. It is masterfully told by an outstanding narrator and I found myself wiping tears from my eyes on several occassions, as the story came to a close. Although the two-tape audio book is an abridgement, it is very powerful. I also like the way animals are strangely "drawn" to Nick. A real keeper...don't miss it.

I am a reader for a french publisher. I read this book some years ago and I loved it, but it was not bought by my boss. I did regret it, and I have since look for it in vain. Now I am so pleased to find it on Internet. It's one of the most heart breaking story I ever read, and I wish to share my admiration with my sons and you ! Do read it if you like poetic and realistic story. I'd like very much to let the author know much I appreciate his book. I never forget it, trough I read so many books a year. Thank you M. Lowry Lamb

I found this novel to be very moving emotionaly. It's structure and plot were well constructed and conceived and although you know where the story line is going you are suprised by the resolution.

"The End of Summer" is an awesome story, handling grief and loss realistically yet strangely...after all, how many people find solace and wisdom from puddles? Yet I could picture a lonely meadow where an injured soul could sort out their thoughts and receive "advice" from nature. Don't long walks often clear our minds and help us put life into a better perspective? This story is for someone who is trying to understand life and death, love and hate, gain and loss, or for someone who is just trying to reafirm or understand their spirituality. And what a powerful message for those who are intent on destroying all that is around us - "...everthing is part of the dance...do not break the beautiful rhythm of the universe..." Thank you John Lowry Lamb for your insight and images.

The Essential Man-Thing, Volume 1 is an excellent publication that focuses upon storylines and elements not found in a typical comic book. As opposed to having as the protagonist a crime fighter superhero such as Captain America or a save the world team like The Avengers, Marvel Comics centered this series around an anti-hero guided by primitive emotions, a swamp creature who comes to be known as Man-Thing.

Initially, Man-Thing was a leading government scientist by the name of Ted Sallis, who was assigned to reproduce the serum created during a World War II experiment that made scrawny Steve Rogers into the indomitable Captain America. Whether the serum was truly recreated is unknown. What is known is that Sallis would be hunted down by enemies seeking the newly created formula, and in effort to protect his work, he injected himself with this chemical concoction. After being chased, Sallis loses control of his vehicle and ends up submerged deep in the swampy waters of the Florida Everglades. It is then that the injection reacts with the elements of the swamp, causing Sallis' physiology thus humanity to be severely altered. It is then that the origin of the Man-Thing has arrived!

No longer is Ted Sallis a flesh and blood human being; instead he is a 7-feet tall swamp monster composed entirely of plant and vegetable matter. He cannot speak, nor is he able to go back to civilization due to his deformed state. Thus, he thrives in the Everglades, dwelling among other creatures; any vestige of the cognitive capacity possessed by Ted Sallis has apparently ceased to exist within The Man-Thing, but is anyone really sure?

Under typical circumstances, the Man-Thing would likely remain in isolation and not come into any direct contact with humans. He has become a solitary figure with an uncanny ability to sense and elude those from outside his dwellings. So any record of seeing him might just as well join the ranks of The Loch Ness Monster and Sasquatch. However, this would not be so.

Where Man-Thing dwells is key to his survival. The algae and various types of protoplasm and vegetation serve as nutrition thus sustenance for this wild creature. It is because of both this basic necessity and the disregard for the environment that a selfish, corporate executive by the name of F.A. Schist has that Man-Thing must come out of hiding. Within this conflict is a reflection of the myriad financial dilemmas that parts of America were actually going through and a continual growth versus preservation duality that was not so highly entailed in other comics.

Sure, there were times that the alter egos of superheroes had to move from place to place, but it was only within the confines of financial difficulties or government reassignments. With the Man-Thing, however, none of those particular concerns are in his domain. His home is his way of life; there are essentially no ifs, ands, or buts. And with Schist entering the scene and wanting to demolish much of the swampland so that he can build and expand his enterprises via construction, we have in quite a few pages numerous clashes between the blue collar workers under contract with Schist and environmentalists who want to protect the local plants, trees, and wildlife.

For many readers, it is perhaps this stage that has them wondering for the first time if characters who, in many ways, might be regarded as heroes for doing what it takes to provide for and feed the family within the confines of U.S. law might be vilified as enemies in the broader context for carrying out the plans of a greedy individual whose business dealings have, unfortunately, been protected by law or the loopholes thereof. In one sequence, a construction worker exclaims, "I don't work...my kids don't eat...! That's the simplest ecology there is, right? Heck, we ain't villains--just hard-workin' guys tryin' to earn a dollar!" And it is from the Man-Thing storylines that we witness exploitation of the lowest common denominator: acknowledging the scarcity of resources for the common man and using that predicament to create and perpetuate dire situations setting everyday people against one another!

All in all, this bound volume creates a seeming paradox about comic book publications. Several themes in the Marvel World originated and championed by the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko team were inspired by Ayn Rand, and during the publication of Man-Thing, Rand and her intellectual contemporaries were vehemently against the environmentalist movement, for it was portrayed as a threat to subordinating the human race to other species and also destroying property rights, thus individual rights. Interestingly, Man-Thing simultaneously personifies what could be extrapolated as the best intentions of the environmentalist movement and the darkest, destructive elements of unregulated capitalism. How close to reality these opposing themes are is still up for debate after almost four decades!

In effect, one might suppose that Marvel, because it constantly upheld a pursuit of happiness philosophy in its themes, went off track with issuing Man-Thing. In response, I say that this volume reinforces the phrase "moderation in all things" which was pro-Aristotelian, which even Rand, herself, claimed to be!

The book is a good combination of drama, mysticism, ecology and action, because, unlike other swamp things, "Manny" doesn't spend entire stories feeling sorry for himself; if danger arises, he is there to face it and, if need be, enforce his own brand of mute justice.
Great were the guest appearence of "Ka-Zar", the agents of "AIM" and "The Glob", but the introduction of "Howard, The Duck" was both hilarious and welcome, for that loquacious fowl really "went" with all the bizarre stuff around him!!!
Is there a "Volume 2" coming?

The comic starts off slowly, repetitively, but soon flowers into an existential, anarchic,nihilist-naive, neo primitivist landscape, which prefigures and pre empts and "pre imagines" Charles Burns "Black Hole" and aspects of Alan Moore by decades.

The action takes place in a swamp -- a secluded place, a dank,, threatening, yet pure place, untouched by the corruption of man -- yet it's a place constantly under threat from corrupt, violent men,pushing at its ( mental and physical/psychical ) edges and boundaries.


However, the swamp is protected by the pure of heart, Man Thing -- the beast is a being who instinctively despises corruption, the concept of "might makes right" thuggery and the bully. In other words, a very modern comic figure !!

The art is great too, with lots of good character profiles of 70's hippies, anarchist bikers, draft dodgers, homophobic hard hats, 1950's rockabilly gangs,hippy chicks and eccentric professors.

Get ready to take the man thing trip, from the swamps to the edge of the stratosphere out to the edges of your dreams, blurring waking and sleeping consciousness!

Great stuff, from a somewhat dull start on to a great set of tales : If you are into existential,lonely central figures and very "post modern", apocalyptic themes,expressing a deep mistrust of modern society, then you'll love Man Thing. I can't believe he was left behind and taken over by Swamp Thing and "Black Hole" ! Man Thing deserves a far higher profile and respect in the comics world.

When my local comic book store got its copies of "Essential Man-Thing, Volume 1," one of the clerks made a point of urging me to buy the book because it included a couple of issues of what he maintained was the comic book with the greatest name in the history of the Marvel or any other universe. He was referring, of course, to the first two issues of "Giant-Size Man-Thing." I did not comment on either the appropriateness of this declaration being made in a loud voice in the presence of young children or the attendant irony of this information being gleefully communicated by someone who has six inches and about a hundred pounds on me. But I did let him know that I already had my own copy that I could read about the Man-Thing regardless of size in the privacy of my own home.

Man-Thing made his (its?) first appearance in May 1971 in "Savage Tales" #1, and while there is a tendency to think of the Marvel character as a second rate version of DC's much more successful Swamp Thing, that character first appeared a month later in "House of Secrets" #92, the June-July 1971 issue. The first appearance of Man-Thing was written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas, with Gary Morrow as the artist, where as the first Swamp Thing story was written by Len Wein and drawn by Berni Wrightson. To make things even more interesting, Conway and Wein were roommates at the time, and Wein wrote the second Man-Thing story drawn by Neal Adams (originally intended for "Savage Tales" #2, it was incorporated to a Ka-Zar story by Roy Thomas drawn by John Buscema in "Astonishing Tales" #12. Obviously Conway and Wein knew what the other one was doing, and there is evidence that Wein took pains to make their origins dissimilar. Collected in Volume 1 and arranged in chronological order, are "Savage Tales" #1, "Astonishing Tales" #12-13, "Adventure into Fear" #10-19, "Man-Thing" #1-14, "Giant-Size Man-Thing," #1-2, and "Monsters Unleashed" #5 & #8-9.

Originally the biochemist Theodore "Ted" Sallis, the Man-Thing was created when Sallis was betrayed by his lover who was in league with agents from Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) for wanted his miracle drug formula. When the origin was revised this became a super-soldier serum (in the manner of how Captain America was created), and it was the mixture of the serum and the swamp were Sallis drown that caused the transformation. When Steve Gerber took over the script and revealed the Everglades includes the Nexus of All Realities, magical forces became retroactively involved in the creation of the Man-Thing as the guardian of the Nexus. Sallis' intelligence was basically destroyed and the defining elements of the shambling muck-monster were that the Man-Thing sensed strong emotions and reacted to fear with rage, secreting a chemical (or magical?) corrosive so that "Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch," starting with the woman who betrayed him and continuing to those the creature comes upon as he stumbles through the swamp and keeps coming across humans doing bad things and deserving such punishment.

Much is made of the first appearance of Howard The Duck in "Fear" #19 (originally a duck whose name is revealed to be Howard), but the story I remember best is "It Came Out of the Sky!" in "Fear" #17, where Gerber takes the well-known origin of Superman and plays out what would have happened if the kindly old couple had seen a space ship crashing to Earth in 1951 and gone the other way rather than face Martians or Communists. It would be 20 years before Man-Thing would release the babe inside, now the fully-grown Wundarr, who thinks Man-Thing is his mother. That issue was the best bit of satire by Gerber and an indication of what was to come when Howard the Duck got his own strip, but when we had Korrek, Warrior Prince of Katharta comes out of a half-eaten jar of peanut butter (also in "Fear" #19), it is hard to take things seriously, which I would think it a prerequisite for a comic book where the end game is supposed to involve things burning because they fear the touch of the Man-Thing.

In reading these early stories again my preference is clear for the later issues collected here when Mike Ploog took over as the artist on "Man-Thing" #5. Frank Brunner was my favorite Man-Thing artist, but all he did were covers (including the one for this collection, which was from the cover of "Man-Thing" #1), and Ploog was the artist who got most of Marvel's horror comic titles off the ground, starting with "Werewolf By Night," but also including "Ghost Rider" and "The Monster of Frankenstein." So it was usual, but quite welcomed, for him to show up in the middle of a book's run. Gerber was focusing more on human stories where the peculiar justice of the Man-Thing's burning touch was most appropriate, as opposed to all the mystical stuff with Dakimh the Enchanter and the results are a lot better. No doubt because Gerber was enjoying unfettered freedom in writing "Howard the Duck."

"Man-Thing" was a mixture of horror and crime along with fantasy and science fiction, and the appearance of other Marvel superheroes such as Mr. Fantastic and Tony Stark in "Giant-Size Man-Thing" #2, usually did not work. However, there was a little more success with villains, most notably the Fool-Killer ("Man-Thing" #3-4). This was one of those comic books where I tended to like the art more than the stories, such as when Tom Sutton finished John Buscema's layouts in "Man-Thing" #13 and Alfredo Alcala did the art for #14. So when we started getting text stories by Gerber with accompanying artwork by Pat Broderick, I would tend to just look at the pictures and not bother with the stories. Ultimately I find Man-Thins is one of those characters were less is more, because there are only so many injustices a muck-monster can address while shambling around the Everglades.

Following treatment from early stage breast cancer, my rehabilitation needs mainly involved regaining flexibility and strength in my affected side and reducing the fatigue I felt after chemotherapy and radiation. I generally followed the illustrated exercises in the book, doing half one day and half the next. (At first I often had to take days off in between.) I also tried to walk and swim as much as I reasonably could, which the book encouraged me to do.

I found many of the pointers in the book on aerobic exercise quite helpful in this regard. Also, doing as much as I could around the house and going to work helped keep me physically active and gave me a sense of control. In addition to my excellent medical treatment, I am convinced that these exercises helped me get back my full use of my arm, and within about 3 months I was just as flexible as I was before. I only wish the exercises would have helped me grow my hair back more quickly!

I had been looking for an easy to use reference book for rehabilitative exercises for my wife who was experiencing lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. I found many of the symptoms my wife was experiencing along with many exercise goals designed to address many of her problems including dyspnea or breathlessness, fatigue, balance and coordination problems. The illustrated exercises were easy to follow with specific applications for each exercise. Adequate safety is also a concern for the author, particularly in cases of severe balance deficits. A similar format is also followed for several other cancers. In sum, this is an excellent resource for cancer patient, caretakers and health care professionals in the cancer field.

Exercise Therapy and the The Cancer Patient is the first book that I've seen that refers to rehabilitative exercises for a broad spectrum of cancers. Clearly laid out and well illustrated, it begins with a brief overview of cancer and its treatment and then focuses on rehabilitative exercises for cancers that most directly lend themselves to exercise therapy. The author recognizes, however, that exercise is not so much directed to the cancer itself but rather to the effects of its treatment and the inactivity that follows that adversely affects the individual. In my case, as a prostate cancer survivor, I found the exercises to help regain the core strength I had lost from surgery to be particularly helpful. The goals are clearly spelled out along with necessary precautions. Exercise Therapy is a book that I think should be in doctors' offices, as well as in the hands of those trying to maintain a level of function throughout the cancer experience.

Most of us do not exercise as much as we should. And when we decide to get active we try to "get serious" and over do it by quite a bit. We end up hurting and decide that we can't exercise and do ourselves a double hurt by settling back into our sedentary ways with a sense of defeat to boot. In this way we cheat ourselves of the physical and emotional benefits of appropriate and regular exercise. Now, compound this resistance if you are diagnosed with cancer.

Now, first off, just as the book indicates, you simply MUST check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, especially with health factors such as cancer.

That caution being said, this is a very good guide to therapeutic exercise for cancer patients. If you are supporting a loved one who is dealing with cancer, helping them stay active can help them feel better, provide some endorphins to help their mood, and keep them strong as they go through often debilitating treatment.

I like this book because it has many helpful illustrations on how to execute the exercises it sets out. There are nine chapters. The first provides an overview of cancer and the various treatments used. Chapter 2 goes through the MANY benefits of exercise. Obviously, if you are an experienced athlete you will already know this stuff, but for most folks, this will be new material or a beneficial refresher.

Chapter 3 goes provides exercise tips and introduces many kinds of exercise equipment. Chapter 4 focuses on exercise for breast cancer patients. I very much appreciate the way the author lists the benefits of the exercises listed as well as offering cautions against certain kinds of exercise for each type of cancer.

Chapter 5 goes through lung cancer, chapter 6 goes through cancers of the abdominal area, chapter 7 deals with brain cancer, chapter 8 with blood related cancers, and chapter 9 with bone cancer.

The author then provides some final thoughts, a glossary, some references, and six appendices that include screening information for exercise therapy, exercise by muscle groups, a cardiorespiratory exercise record, strength training exercise record, the side effects of common chemotherapy regimens, and a list of some possibly helpful websites.

I also like that the book is spiral bound so it will lie flat as you have it open to a page learning an exercise. It will also last longer through repeated use.

Frankly, I wish no one needed this book. However, many can benefit from this and I hope it can help you or someone whom you love and care for.

Great stand alone or companion book to the larger text. Lots of great info. Will travel with it always. Read it on the airplane...the person next to you will keep peeking at it.

Great resource. Up-to-date with input from the most well-known names in wilderness medicine. Small enough to carry in a backpack, but packed with helpful info. Includes everything from packing/planning to critical care in the wilderness. Best resource I've ever seen for this material.

If you consider Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine text to be "The Bible of Outdoor Medicine," then this will be a welcomed addition to your reference library. The fieldguide takes many of the most important topics from the original text(such as high altitude emergencies, envenomations, and trauma management) and paraphrases them just enough to be of benefit to both the weekend outdoor warrior and the expedition medic. I particularly was interested in the various ways to utilize common outdoor gear and improvise traction devices for orthopedic injuries. This book is also great in that it is small enough to fit comfortably in your backpack or glove compartment, readily accessable when needed. I highly recommend adding this book to your home or office library.

This is an excellent condensed version of the full text. It is the only medical field guide I have found that is written for a medical doctor instead of an EMT or paramedic in an austere environment. I am a physician in a military special operations unit and carry it on all deployments, whether in the U.S. or other countries. It is the perfect size to carry with my field gear and trauma pack, and is quick, easy to use, and reccommends very up to date and rapid treatment plans. A must have for all medical professionals practicing in the pre-hospital environment! For medical professionals going to remote locations that are limited by what they can carry on their back, very few texts/guides can be brought along. The solution to this limitation is simple; pack your Sanford, your Pharmacoepia, and THIS BOOK. It is the best text for it's size and weight available.

As an adopted adult I found this book a very interesting read. My heart went out to the author who was an abandoned baby and had little or no chance of finding her birthparents. She later went on to relinquish a child herself whom she was later reunited with. I found it interesting that although she was adopted herself it didn't seem to give her much insight into her daughter's psyche. She came at the relationship very much from the angle of a bithmother. I felt it quite sad that she couldn't have tapped more into the invaluable resources that being adopted gave her to understand her daughter. I really enjoyed this book and is a valuable insight into the mind of a birthmother. It also shows that reunion is a very difficult and emotional process for all involved. People need to go into it with their eyes wide open and expect the unexpected, read as much as you can on the subject and gets lots of support.

The author spent hundreds of hours and traveled many miles trying to uncover the secrets of her birth. Being slipped into a flimsy paper bag and deposited on the porch of a lonely farm house would make anyone wonder: Why? Why not in a nice basket, on the steps of a church, on a door step in the city? Or on the steps of an orphanage? Did the young woman who placed her on the porch and scurry away know whose porch she was leaving her baby on?

Sally's quest to find the answers took her to several states, into libraries, police stations, hospitals, churches, courthouses and into many homes interviewing people who were around at the time of her abandonment. She consulted psychics and others.

Sally's also writes poignantly and vividly of her search for the daughter she gave up for adoption, its ups and downs and twists and turns, that are typical of all too many adoption searches.

Read the book. Think about what it would be like to be abandoned in a paper bag, a ladies hatbox, the back seat of a car, under a stairwell, in a garbage can or a dumpster. Sadly, it happens all too often. And when it does, chances of the abandonded baby ever finding out who she or he is are practically nil.

Who wants to be identiied as being so callous, thoughtless or unfeeling? Accused of such unconscionable, and in many abandonment cases, criminal behavior? Hardly anyone, apparently. Very few abandoned babies are ever claimed by their families. They are left to wander through life ever searching, seeking, peering into unknown faces, looking for their own.

As an adoptee I know the hurt and pain that goes along with that but I have never seen it written about more honestly and clearly than in this book. It is a very touching story and a remarkable book. I cried and laughed and felt with Sally every step of the way. It is a great book and a great read and it will especially touch the heart of anyone involved in adoption in any way.I would recommend it to anyone and I have loaned out my book many times.

Of all the books I have read about adoption or from a birthmother's point of view, this is the most honest. As the mother searches for both her birthmother and her only daughter she gave up for adoption she lets the reader experience what she is going through. Searching for answers she shares her research with the reader. The 50's era are discussed, bonding verses attachment delved into. A grown up Safe Haven baby, she gives a voice to all those now being legally abandoned in hospitals, mostly with no questions asked.

As a longtime James Bond fan, I picked up this book in New York recently. The author David Giammarco is a journalist who has done an extraordinary job documenting the 007 films, starting from Ian Fleming's literary conception to how the film legacy took flight. The author - whose keen knowledge is clearly evident - takes the readers up close and personal with all the Bond actors, filmmakers, and production talent with his in-depth interviews which detail so many great stories and little-known anecdotes throughout the entire film history. Quite an exhaustive and comprehensive effort! Fun to read and many great pictures. Among the positive recommendations on the back cover are from Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, so I knew this would be worth reading. And they were 100% right! A brilliant film companion book!

Amazing! I've been a fan of the Bond films for over 20 years, and this is the first book that has brought together everyone's first-hand accounts. Almost every Bond book I've been disappointed with because they were written by arm-chair quarterbacks, but David Giammarco is a journalist who has been a part of the 007 world, spent time with most of the Bond particpants, and can truly write what it is like to be on set and behind the scenes. It is very well-written, with many interesting facts and stories that even I'VE never heard before! His interviews with Roger Moore were quite amusing, and reading Sean Connery tell his version of Bond-mania was very fascinating. Getting to hear Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby's side of the story was also quite interesting. It was also great to see how well Mr. Giammarco showcased Pierce Brosnan's contributions to the series. Mr. Brosnan has been vastly underrrated in the media, but this book gives us far more insight into the man and pays him his due rewards (after all, we all know Pierce is the best Bond since Connery!!!) The author and Pierce seems to have a really good relationship, and perhaps that why the normally reticent Mr. Brosnan opens up as much as he does.
Plus, you can't beat hearing all the many great stories from the "classic" Bond directors like Guy Hamilton and Peter Hunt, Ken Adam (his account of Connery almost being eaten by a shark during the shooting of Thunderball was quite funny)as well as the many Bond Girls, Villains, cast and crew. I liked what Desmond Lewelyn told the author and I learned a whole new side about lovable old Q.
Also, the contributions to the book from Hugh Hefner, Kevin Costner, Harison Ford, and that infamous CIA spook E. Howard Hunt were quite fascinating and take this book to a whole new dimension than those other Bond books.

It's clear Mr.Giammarco knows the Bond legacy inside and out and his access to everyone is an invaluable resource for us Bond aficionados. I've been waiting a long time for a book like this - a really fun read. I highly recommend it. No Bond fan will be disappointed!!!

David Giammarco says he's a Bond fan. Lot's of people say they are something, but David Giammarco is what he says. This guy loves Bond and he lets it all hang out in this book.

For Your Eyes Only:Behind The Scenes of the James Bond Films is exactly what it sayd it is. It's full of behind the scenes information for all 20 movies from Dr.No to Die Another Day. There are interviews with people who worked on the films. David talks to directors, producers, writers, actors, and anybody and everybody who worked on the films.

There is an overview of each film and then the interviews. The interviews are your basic Q&A format. David interviews anybody and everybody that had to do anything with the films.

I love the interviews with the guys who played Bond. They all talk about the love they had for the films and the fun they had making them. They give you their perspectives on the movies and the things done in the movies.

The interviews with the Bond girls are fantastic. Some of the most beautiful woman to ever live have been Bond girls. From Ursulla Andress to Halle Berry you have interviews with most of them. They are all awesome ladies who enjoyed the pictures and love the place they have in pop culture because of it.

If your a Bond fan you have to pick this one. I doubt you'll have a question that this book can't answer. I've been a Bond fan for over 15 years and this is the most informative Bond book I've ever seen. You won't regret buying this one.

If your a fan of the James Bond films and you want to know everything about the films than this is the book you have to buy. This book gives a great behind the scene look at the films and at the actors who portrayed the suave secret agent. Each actor is interviewed by the author, and share there point of view on Bond. Also each movie is featured and discussed. I think this book is very fun and a great read. I really enjoyed the authors style of writing and hope he writes a book like this about the Bond novels in the future.

A big robber of joy and happiness in life is the resentment we carry toward others and ourselves. Self righteousness may motivate us to harbor the resentment against others, shame causes us to harbor it against ourselves. In both instances the resentment we carry is self-destructive. We must learn to forgive others and ourselves. The life we may destroy if we don't forgive is our own! Joe Beam does an excellent job of helping us understand key biblical texts and our own aberrant behavior with a view toward experiencing forgiveness. A great resource for Bible classes or for one's own personal study, reflection and growth. Don't let pent up anger and resentment devastate your life or that of your family. Get this book and begin healing today.

This book is not what some might think by seeing the title. It is not affirming the theory of "once saved always saved." Rather Joe Beam refreshes the soul and mind by Biblically explaining how God forgives.

Joe presents a very important study within the book regarding Legal guilt and personal guilt. This study is worth the price of the Book. His best book is "Seeing the Unseen."

Ever wondered if God really forgave you for something? Have trouble forgiving yourself for something you did or didn't do yesterday or years ago? If you answer yes to any of the above, you must read this book. Joe, in an easy reading format, gives great insight into the subject of God's Grace, our need for it, and how to know it works for you.

If you have trouble understanding God's forgivness, this book is for you. It has changed my life. It lays out in detail how God works in our life to help us forgive our self so we may heal. It removes the stumbling blocks that keeps us from receiving God's mercy and grace! It is a book to read and reread. One that would be a blessing for bible study. I encourage anyone that has been fighting this battle or that knows someone is going through one, to get a copy and share it with others.

What a wonderfully executed collection of male photography! The men are stunning, the artistic value is self-evident, and the settings are idyllic. What more could one ask for? SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL AND SENSUAL.

Howard Roffman is an excellent photographer. The fact that he takes pictures of men nude is even better. His photos are not just to stir the senesual side of you. He takes his photos in a way to see depth of the model, the individual in the picture. Many posses are sexual but classie. He is showing the male form is ways that you see more than a nake man in the photo. Every book of his buy I am inspired by what I see. Takes a man with talent to pose a man to show more than his body.

Friends & Lovers is a major new work from acclaimed photographer Howard Roffman. Friends & Lovers is Roffman's 8th photo book and at 176 pages is the largest book ever published by Bruno Gmünder.
With his signature photo-narrative style, Roffman documents the real-life relationships of 7 attractive young men in the transition between the innocence of youth and a more worldly perspective of adulthood.
The book chronicles Roffman's own journey as much as it chronicles that of the 7 young men. The journey began for Roffman in 1999 with a chance encounter between himself and a young man named Jeremy. The encounter began a sequence of introductions as each model brought a new member to the group. Inspired by the strong bonds and passionate relationships within the group, Roffman photographed these young men over a three-year period, culminating in the book.
Friends and Lovers goes far beyond Romanesque posed images of muscled men and instead creates a world of real characters not afraid to expose their true relationships or give us insights into their most intimate moments. Commenting on the book, noted photographer Tom Bianchi has stated, "Older gay men might wish that they had this kind of erotic and playful start on their romantic life journeys. Roffman's book celebrates the fact that this kind of youth . . . is real for those who choose it now. He captures many elegant tender moments that suggest that this is always how we should have been."

This is Howard Roffman's eighth book, and a beautiful display of youth it is! All 176 pages of this book showcase seven young men who are on the verge of adulthood in natural settings in and out of doors. What is intriguing about these photos is the playfulness of these very young, handsome men, who are naturally photogenic as they get naked and have fun in bed, in the woods, and in the bath. These images will someday be a beautiful history and reminder to these young men of the time when they were at perfection in their youthful beauty. Roffman knew two of these young men who introduced him to others, who were friends and some of them lovers. Roffman is a wonderful photographer and each book he publishes seems to get better and bigger. He certainly knows how to capture and freeze the beauty of youth, and his fans are thrilled that he does. This book should be in every serious collector's library. Touching and Tender, and beautifully designed!

Joe Hanssen

"Fury" is a great book that addresses the fury that occurs in people's lives. It was written in part by the late founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill Bright. It is a historical novel and covers the time from 1825 through 1826. The main character of "Storm" is now the uncle to the main character of this book.

Here is another historical set during the time of the Great Awakening and the preaching of Charles Finney. It's about a boy named Daniel Cooper, who runs away from his uncle's home after witnessing a brutal killing by an upstanding man in the community.

He runs from God and his family, only to stumble across people who have been changed for the better by the new evangelist. That's when it gets exciting. Daniel's life and family are in danger and he must return home to set things straight.

Highly recommended.

Following his parents' ship sinking at sea as they were returning to America after preaching in England, teenager Daniel Cooper goes to live with his aunt and uncle in Cumberland. He works for casket maker Cyrus Gregg, a powerful businessman. One night in the alley behind the store, Daniel is playing his recorder when he hears a noise and sees fellow worker Emil Braxton knifed to death; the killer and Cyrus make plans for Epps to get paid for the hit.

Daniel informs his Uncle Asa and Aunt Camilla what he observed, but they don't believe him. Asa tells Cyrus what Daniel related to him. Daniel falls into a trap, but escapes Epps' attempt to silence him. Epps has fooled Asa, into thinking he is a pal; so the two men chase after Daniel.

In the upscale town of Wright's Settlement, Daniel befriends evangelists who heard a charismatic evangelist preach.. They keep him safe while he confronts Asa, who believes him about Epps but not his best friend Cyrus. When his Uncle returns to Cumberland, Daniel follows to keep him safe from the long lethal reach of Cyrus.

FURY is a cat and mouse thriller that focuses on a protagonist still hurting from the loss of his parents leading to his turning his back on God until he finds him again when he most needs him. Epps is a complex villain, who likes Asa and regrets having to kill him and his nephew, but will do so because he wants to remain inside Cyrus' influential circle. Readers will enjoy this fine historical suspense tale.

Harriet Klausner

Fury starts out with a bang and doesn't let up! Set in 1825-1826, Fury captures the message of repentence and forgiveness through Charles Finney's preaching, when the revival now referred to as "The Great Awakening" shakes upstate New York. The main character, Daniel, is running for his life. As the reader, your pulse will pound with his as he tries to evade a killer hot on his trail. If only he had obeyed his uncle and stayed in bed. If only he hadn't been out that night, he wouldn't have seen his coworker murdered. Thus the story begins...

Daniel cries for help so many times, but no one believes his story about being pursued by the killer. He's angry with God, his uncle, and just about everyone for his losses. Daniel has also hardened his heart by resisting the Holy Spirit, but as he runs from the killer, he discovers that God had been there with him all along.

Fury is an engaging story demonstrating the power of deep faith, and the discouragement that often comes from battling fear, such as the real threats perceived by Daniel's gut instincts. Many difficult choices have to be made, and often without much time. When Daniel is dragged to church by friends to hear Finney preach, his world is altered...permanently.

Riveting and thought-provoking, Fury leads the reader down a dark path paved by the enemy, and places readers in various situations alongside the deceptive killer, the concerned uncle, the forsaken aunt, the runaway teen Daniel, and even Daniel's wimpy boss. From each of their points of view the reader gets a healthy dose of each characters' perspective.

There are light moments as well, to help break up the intensity of the story, like when Daniel pretends to be a tree come to life to scare off some boys who were picking on a younger brother, whom Daniel fiercely identified with. There were also tender moments like when Daniel realizes for the first time that beauty in a woman is much more than skin deep.

Fury is a passionate story about life during hard times, death nipping at the heels of a young man, the redemption of lives, and the impact revival can have on an entire community. Fury comes with my highest recommendation, especially to history buffs.