K Books

Barnabas Sackett's life from his evasion of the Queen of England in Europe to fighting and befriending different tribes of Indians North of Jamestown and South of Plymouth. Makes a long drive seem much shorter! John Curless has a perfect voice for this story. One of Louis Lamour's best!

I discovered books on CD from a coworker. Having a one hour and ten minute commute each way makes listening to books on CD a great way to enjoy the travel time.
I found this book very well written and very well spoken. One person having to read the voice of many characters is probably not the easiest thing to do. This reading is well done. I found myself sitting in the company parking lot just to finish a chapter before facing my workday. This was my first L'Amour book on CD and it was very enjoyable.

Sackett's Land and To the Far Blue Mountains make a complete story of the life and times of the Sackett progenitor. The combination is entirely satisfactory. L'Amour had the ability to tell the story well, and he developed that ability with years of work and research. It is probably fortunate for Sackett enthusiasts that he wrote the first books in the series later in his writing career. We benefit from his seasoned skills.

As in his westerns, in this book L'Amour focuses on what he finds interesting and what he thinks the reader will like to know. For the most part, he doesn't go into the technical detail that some authors pursue, but he paints a clear picture. The reader has a feeling of being there, or the strong sense that they could be there, right along with our hero.

The Sackett family saga is the story of an American family. Like all of L'Amour's work, it is wholesome and educational. He consistently hits on themes that his readers recognize, the importance of education and critical thinking, respect for our fellow creatures and the world in which we live,loyalty to family and friends, and taking positive action to shape one's own life. All that and a fun story too, for the cost of five bucks.

Dramatically narrated by John Curless, To The Far Blue Mountains is an flawlessly recorded audiobook presentation of yet another of Louis L'Amour's classic western novels featuring the hardy endurance of the Sackett clan as they addressed the challenges of life in the Old West. To The Far Blue Mountains follows Barnabas Sackett, who is on the run with his steadfast wife Abigail and his only escape is to the west. This is a superbly written adventure story of earning a life for oneself on the frontier, surviving all manner of hazards both human and environmental, and eventually prospering despite the hostilities of nature and man alike. To The Far Blue Mountains is an enthusiastically recommended audiobook for personal and community library collections!

I picked up this book because the intro on the back cover sounded good and I've liked almost every L'amour book I've read. Its written in a first person narrative as though he was sitting across from you on the couch telling the story.

The first half of the book is terrific, following his escape from England. We learn of his thirst to be out in the wild open spaces of the newly discovered America, he is falsy accused and is running from the law collecting people to join him as he describes the new beginnings they can have in the New World. Its very tightly written (though I think his escape from prison was way too easy) and you really love the character.

Once the group got to America things changed. In an effort to show the WHOLE life of Barnabas the whole story changes, now we have 50 years of history in 100 pages. So the narrative changes from a day-by-day upbeat story where friends are joining the group to a list of significant events, usually where one of the group dies from an indian raid. It becomes a series of "we built a fort", "xxx died in an indian raid", "the fort burned down", "we went down to sea and traded our skins for supplies", "yyyy died in an indian raid", "we built another fort", etc.

I didn't like the ending either, I think the whole story basically got pretty depressing towards the end with all the group dying or leaving to go off and do other things. All the next generation were grown up and strong but we don't have the emotional connection with them that we did with the first group.

If there is one important question that will affect your entire destiny it is, "How do I hear the Voice of God?" Written in a style that it more a personal counseling session that literature, this book will bring comfort to a confused heart.

One of the most important question you can ask that will affect your entire destiny it is, "How do I hear the Voice of God?" Written in a style that it more a personal counseling session that literature, this book will bring comfort to a confused heart.

In this practical and biblical examination of the gift of prophecy, Cindy Jacobs clearly defines what prophecy is and how it works. Attention is given to both personal prophecy and corporate prophecy.

This is probably the best book for those who are new to the Prophetic. It does an excellent job of outlining the history and basics of the gift of Prophecy (and Prophetic Intercession), teaching fundamentals that are needed to operate in ministry, and to recieve prophetic words more appropriately. More important than the information it provides is the fact that it motivates you to minister prophetically, and addresses much of the fear we have when we begin to operate in that realm. This book was not only packed full of information and encouragement, but Cindy Jacobs does an excellent job of making it an effortless read. In fact, it would have been easy to read in one sitting, had I not been so engrossed in the learning that I had to put it down each chapter and think and pray about each section. Overall I greatly recommend it for beginners who are just learning, and even the more seasoned ministers that need an encouragement boost.

Even though I have not finished reading this book, I have found it to be most helpful to me in regards to my prophetic ministry. I recommend this book to anyone who desires to know and understand the prophetic.

Thank you,
Betty J. Harris

Interesting last novel in the Starbridge series by Susan Howatch. Would recommend it to anyone but particuarly to those who have read the previous five novels in series. Helps if you are an Anglican,Episcopalian or Roman Catholic. Starbridge series is both emotional and theological. Starbridge series is set in mid-twentieth century in southern England when theology was going thru some changes and allowing some more High Church thinking into general circulation, but with many battles on the subject. The series had mostly to do with Anglican clergy attempting to work out some theological/emotional conflicts.
Linda Sheean

Knowing that those likely to read this review may well already share my love for the series as a whole, I shall begin by saying that Susan's gift for characterisation, with a great honesty and much room for grace to do its work, is always superb, and here at a new peak. My general approach to her main figures in the series is to see Jonathan Darrow as someone I'd love to hear preach but might be nervous to meet (even if he tends to compress 40 years worth of direction into a week's retreat) - Neville Aysgarth as someone I'd like to shake by the shoulders - Nicholas Darrow as one I'd closet with a library of the first fifteen centuries of Christian thought before he'd be allowed out - and Charles Ashworth as the ultimate Christian intellectual with whom I'd love to share weekly four-hour lunches with the best claret on the table. In this volume, Charles is once again the key character, and the reader finds, as he himself gradually learns, that the old glittering image is still much alive and as troublesome as ever.

Watching this character struggle with bereavement and grief of all varieties, and finally face the long-hidden "demons" which lurked in shadows to affect his relationship with his children and with his old nemesis Aysgarth, is incredibly moving and insightful. Dramatic though the plot becomes, it is a marvellous work wherein a seasoned bishop comes to new self-knowledge, humility, compassion ... and, while I'll not give the ending away, ultimately a specific setting of happiness which some readers will have thought he should have snatched 30 years before.

I listened to what I wanted from a work called "Absolute Truths"-I who am desperately conservative in Christianity and most things. After Charles Ashworth's triumph in "Glittering Images," and his overall positive portrayal in the books between that and this, I didn't want to find out that the truth I thought he had found, and that Howatch suggested he had found, was a lie, another of the tragic misconceptions that Howatch regularly and regretfully demolishes in her characters ("Anti-Sex Ashworth" toppled by doubt and lust stronger than his convictions-what a depressing concept).

It wasn't. But in the interim between "Glittering Images" and "Absolute Truths," Ashworth's grip on the truth had shifted until he had become a false man holding a true thing, or, to put it another way, Ashworth had grown as much as he could during "Glittering Images," but he still had far to grow, and "Absolute Truths" pushed him farther.

Thus Howatch, as in the rest of this Starbridge series, follows a plot sequence of strength debilitating into weakness, then supernaturally resolved into strength (or truth to lies to truth, or any number of other ways may describe this spiritual falling and rising pattern). We cannot however assume that the characters will live happily ever after, that their lives are "solved," or even that the weakness resolved in the novel will never return in later years. Howatch's cruces do not involve perfect or perfectible people, but perfect moments of grace that make the rest of lives better or in some way bearable. In a sort of backhanded optimism, Ashworth writes in the midst of his revelations, "Dimly I realised that this state of companionable hell could be classified as a form of survival." At the end of "Absolute Truths," Howatch permits Ashworth an idyllically happy old age and a platform for reminiscence, a sort of sop to him and to her for six dramatically painful novels in the series, but we must not forget that after "Glittering Images" Ashworth needed "Absolute Truths" to correct him further. After receiving revelation that revolutionised his life, he needed more revelation. As such, these novels are some of the most true-to-life of any fiction I've read portraying the Christian way of living. They give hope, not for all things to turn out alright, but for all things to "intermingle," as Ashworth insists, for good-and for there to be moments, rising above the doubt and pain, in which we may see God and absolute truths as clearly as our eyes can function. We may live a long time, decades, in the strength vouchsafed by these moments. Then we may need another, as Ashworth did.

When we started out in Book #1, the narrator, Charles Ashworth, was still fairly young. In this novel, he is again the narrator but he is elderly and the bishop of Starbridge. Being this age, he can wind up everyone's story. There is his whole generation of people and their families in the Anglican Church plus his childrens' generation of people. Of all the books, I'd say this one you better read as #6 and not out of order. There are simply too many stories which are wrapped up here that won't have the same impact on you if you haven't read books 1-5. This novel has its share of worldly problems with: gay priests (2), the ghost of Jardine appearing in the cathederal, an exorcism of the cathedral, a possible embezzlement by Dean Aysgarth from cathedral funds, a suicide, death of a spouse and finding another spouse. It also has combined therapeutic-spiritual sessions again with Jon Darrow as spiritual director for both Ashworth and Aysgarth. Once I started any of the 6 books, I couldn't stop reading till the end and this one was no exception.

Although this is the last book in the Starbridge series it is actually set in time before its immediate prequel, Mystical Paths. Howatch obviously had good reasons for doing this; no other book could have rounded up the series so perfectly, and certainly it was a delight to return to Chares Ashworh as narrator, who began the whole series. This time Charles is at the evening of his life. He has been the Bishop of Salisbury for some years.. Some of those nearest and dearest to him have passed away and he has to come to terms not only with the sense of loss, doubt and lack of direction, but also with his wayward Dean, Neville Ayesgarth, who still insists on going off on a tangent in affairs of the Cathedral. As in Scandalous Risks, scandal seems only around the corner and Charles has to develop very strong spiritual muscles in order to bring matters to an outcome worthy of a Christian.
I must not forget to mention that in this novel Starbridge Cathedral itself - in the other books merely a background stat - becomes a major character, and a star player during the Grande Finale The climax of this book is not only deeply moving, it is also absolutely perfect. As is the entire series.

I have read about half the book so far.

One thing that irks me is all the footnotes. I have not counted them but they must total in the thousands. While I agree that it is important not to use somebody else's work without acknowledgement, this book seems to take it to the extreme. I can tell that the author(s) must be English majors because normal people would simply not use so many footnotes. It would have been better to use the "shotgun" approach - a statement something like "some statements in this book are not entirely those of the authors, other works have been used blah, blah, blah...."

As for the content of the book, there is the overwhelming hint of inside advertising for various companies. Examples are good, I agree, but I get the feeling there are many hidden advertisements for various companies.

A lot of the information is common sense. I thought this book would give me more insight into the way advertising works, so far I have been underwhelmed to the point of disappointment.

I can only hope the rest of the book will make up for a lackluster beginning.

If I had to choose one book as a survival book in the adfield, this would definitely be my weapon of choice.
It has down to earth and truthful advertising insights about how things work or don't in the advertising universe.

It really, really is a must have for all us who deal from the agency side or the marketing side of the ad business.
Better if any agency and client read this before to fully understand one another, in working better off as one team aiming to one vision.

This book details and focus everything from the psychological point of view.
This one is definitely a keeper!

I was introduced to this book several years ago when I was in the ad agency industry.
Since then, my issue has been read and re-read, referenced countless times.
My copy mysteriously disappeared (hey who could blame them??) so have just rebought the newest version of this book.
The book is brilliant because it gets behind the psychology of the buyer, allowing you to really and simply understand the thought process behind the buying decision.
Others who have touched on the subject of the psychology of reasons why we buy have made the content too heavy, too theoretical and let's face it - Boring with a capital "B" ... but not these authors.
It has great examples of ad campaigns throughout the book.
Personally this book has helped me design and write more responsive advertising campaigns as the many learnings from this book have stayed.
This is a must-read for anyone in an ad agency, students of marketing and advertising, and anyone in the marketing industry.
Buy this book, you won't regret it.

and you should read it. it keeps it's promise(advertising and the mind of the consumer:what works what doesn't and why).its all there in the book, explained, with plenty of examples and pretty complete. if you are interested in this field buy this book, and then consider other books if you really want to, but dont miss out on this book.simply a very good book. we should have more books like this.

The most clearly illustrated book about the once mysterious mechanics behind advertising. I wish I would have read it ten years ago when I joined the ad. industry.

I discovered Betty MacDonald when I was about twelve years old, after checking The Egg and I out of the Carmichael Branch library here in Sacramento, about 22 years after it was first published. My parents had mentioned that the egg ranch Betty lived on with her first husband in the 1920s, which she writes about in The Egg and I, was located some miles from the place where we lived in Washington state, in the late 1950s. Furthermore, they had actually taken a day trip with friends to look at the old place, sometime after the book and the movie of the same name came out in the 1940s.

This familial connection, however faint, to an old, famous book and the movies it inspired, piqued my childish mind, and I eagerly started reading about life on a chicken ranch on the Olympic Penninsula. I fell in love with Betty's easy, friendly, hysterically funny, down-to-earth yet somehow elegant prose, and immediately checked out her other autobiographical books: The Plague and I, Anybody Can Do Anything, and Onions In The Stew.

In all of her autobiographical books save Onions In The Stew, Betty uses the first chapter to presage her theme by describing her experiences as a child in a large, boisterous family, in loving and extremely funny detail. In Anybody Can Do Anything, Betty describes life with her family and her two young daughters, Anne and Joan, in Seattle after she has left her husband and the egg ranch behind. The Depression is on, and Betty, now a single mother, struggles with her large and interesting clan to make ends meet, somehow finding a lot of laughs and funny adventures, often with her exuberant sister Mary, the inspiration for the book, along the way. Anyone who is interested in what life was like in Seattle in the 1930s, in witty character descriptions, and in a personal glimpse of how families coped with the "Great Depression", will find this book fascinating, not to mention frequently hilarious.

Betty, I miss you and the way you used to make me laugh out loud--I was sad when I finished reading Onions In The Stew for the first time and then realized it was the last autobiographical book you wrote: the tuberculosis finally caught up with you in 1958, when I was only four years old, still living in Washington, not far from your home on Vashon Island. I re-read your books many times as I grew up, even visited Vashon Island, and often wished I could have met you and your family. It's silly, but I've always felt a sense of loss at never having known you, because I am sure you must have been a marvelous friend. Your sense of humor had a profound effect on me, and inspired me in my earliest writing attempts. It's been many years since I've read your books, but I've never forgotten your irrepressible, bona-fide funniness. Wherever you are, thank you!

My husband is one of Betty's nephews.All of the sisters had an incredible wit about them - probably because of their mother Sidney Bard. She did a wonderful job raising her children with out her beloved husband Darcy. It's too bad the children and grandchildren didn't learn lessons from Betty's books. She would be sad to see the way the family turned out.

It's just so heartening to know that others love Betty MacDonald's books as much as I do. I've been giving Anybody Can Do Anything as my female gift book of this year.

we get the story of what she and the children did with themselves.

Her father had been a mining engineer, and although he died fairly young he had been able to save quite a bit; her mother had come from a 'good' East Coast family--not REALLY rich, but apparently quite well off. Betty and her siblings had grown up in large houses with music and dance lessons. However, the Great Depression reduced the family's portfolio to wastepaper. The children had never been taught to actually *do* anything, and actually going out to work for a living was something that they (especially the daughters) had never thought that they would have to do.

The story of how they scrambled to make ends meet during the 1930s would have been grim, but the Bard family despises self-pity above all other faults, and Betty is able to find humor in any situation.

After women having to work to survive during the 1930s, and having to work in the 1940s when all the men were off to war, is it any wonder that the women of this generation and their daughters wanted to retreat into domesticity during the 1950s?

This book is hard to find, so if you get the chance, snap it up!
This is a hilarious account of the author's life post-"Egg & I."
Betty moves from the chicken ranch back to her family's home in Seattle.
Sister Mary, undaunted by the fact that Betty has no experience, eagerly launches Betty's business career and social life.
The mishaps that ensue are absolutely hilarious.
Skillfully written, this book makes the Depression a laugh riot.
BUY IT!
I only wish that Betty had written more books.

I think you could use the ideas in the book without taking them so far, and making the mortgage companies so much money.

The subject that most intrigued me in this book was the discussion about Effective Percentage Rate. It's amazing how considering the home as an investment can change your strategy and overall wealth creation over time.

I wish my family would read this book! They don't realize how they are throwing away countless opportunities to enhance their financial plan and protect their assets. I know they would benefit from the tables within the book that illustrate how choosing a loan strategy can dramatically impact the accumulation of assets over time.

As someone who truly cares about financial independence, this book educated me on how I can take advantage of my real estate holdings and increase my wealth. Using a counterintuitive way of thinking really opened my eyes. Utilizing these simple strategies of leverage, liquidity, tax savings and arbitrage will increase anyones balance sheet. If you are serious about keeping your hard earned money, and don't want to transfer your wealth to financial institutions, you must read this book. People who understand interest earn it, people who don't pay it! Make sure you understand this simple concept as explained in this book.

Everyone always pay attention to the management of their assets, few people realize the management of their liabilities can create as much or more wealth. Being a mortgage lender who for 25 years encouraged everyone to pay their mortgage off as soon as possible I have in the last few years learned that is not always sound advice. The financial planning revolution in the mortgage industry has accelerated in the last 5-6 years as a result of planners such as Douglas Andrews ("Missed Fortune 101") and Ric Edelman ("Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth" among his many) showing the industry and the public that in most cases paying your mortgage early is a bad strategy. We all think that we want to be "mortgage free" and for the most part this is because our parents and grandparents have always advocated this. This thinking goes back to the depression where banks could foreclose on a house even if the payments were current. The banks did this because they had to have liquidity to fund the run on cash from stock investors facing margin calls.

The basic premise is to use only a small part of your downpayment on the mortgage and invest the rest. The government allows you a tax savings that subsidizes your mortgage payment and you have the rest of your funds to invest in a side account. This account will grow and through compounding will increase to a point that in most cases far before the mortgage term is up you have sufficient assets to pay the loan off in a lump sum. However it is wise to keep that liquidity and let it grow. Besides the investment growth you are keeping your funds liquid in case of a financial emergency. If you lose your job or your house is destroyed by nature (Katrina) you have funds to live on because the bank won't loan you money against the property in either case. By being liquid you can weather whatever situation arises.

While financially carrying a large mortgage is the smart thing to do I have many clients that say peace of mind is worth more than the wealth growth or liquidity. Regardless of the financial advantages, to many people peace of mind is more valuable than additional money. No matter how you feel you owe it to yourself to investigate the options and make up your own mind. I have seen a lot of people totally change their mindset from this book and the others I mentioned.

Definitely a must read for anyone seeking to become financially sophisticated in his understanding of how real estate, particularly his home, functions in terms of overall wealth creation.

In this country, we are taught to consume rather than conserve. With the looming threats of the government eventually eliminating social security and corporations no longer offering pensions, we need to protect our future and you can do this more confidently by following the 7 Steps to Borrow Smart and Retire Rich!

The "7-Step Borrow Smart Solution" is an exciting process that provides all of the necessary tools for deciding how best to finance your home. Most people don't realize that there are things to consider other than interest rates and loan fees.

Reading this book will help you to tear down the wall of financial misconceptions acquired in your life, and will give you new knowledge and the confidence to apply what you have learned in a more practical way in order to obtain the results you once thought impossible.

I want my clients and my fellow advisors to understand how owning your home can affect many areas of one's net worth and that there is a new and better way to evaluate one's financing decisions. I've learned ways to increase my family bank safely and conserve it by following the tools provided in this book.

Many fortunes,
Chuck Oliver
CEO American Equity Advisory Group
The Chuck Oliver Team

This should be required reading for anyone in a leadership position. Dr. Deming is the "father" of the Japanese business revolution that took place after WWII.

Timothy Kendrick Author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

Mr. Aguayo writes as one who studies the efforts to produce quality, from an MBA, trained in the field, to view and review the management training in the US with that taught to the Japanese by Deming. His insightful examples and comparisons are invaluable to the reader, in furthering our understanding for the need to improve quality. Quality not as a product, but as a means and total way of life.

The Quality is far beyond a simple theory. It is a vision of the life and how it must be lived .
There is a powerful statement of the Samurai code : Do not make anything useless.
And this is the way you get close mre and more to the essential doctrine and quality philosophy .
Deming was a pioneer in this sense, because he knew to establish patterns of behavior and systematic direction for an issue that mostly of the real artists own in his inner world .
His reading is absolutely recommended for any kind of reader .
And his presence must be a perpetuum mobile for the management no matter your discipline field is!

Although I agree the book is dated in its examples, etc...

This book captures the essence of the way at looking at quality, no matter what field you may be in. The examples are dated, but the simple premise of what the book discusses is as important as ever today. The companies I have worked for since graduation from college (1992) still haven't come close to thinking of quality as described, and it was a hot topic in my production management classes during that time. The readability of the book is excellent; real-world (not classroom) analysis that keeps you interested in the subject without confusion.

The one dis-heartening (sp.) thing in this book is that for low- and mid-level managers, it's difficult to be an agent of change when nobody else believes or is comitted to this practice. Everywhere I've been so far still put too much emphasis on things that Deming calls crazy. I'll leave that for a management effectiveness book to discuss, but it's a read that anybody would find useful.

This is a good that has stood the test of time that is very useful for those who need a gentle introduction to Total Quality Management. Although the book is about 15 years old with some rather dated examples, the message it gives is still relevant and important.

The book written in plain language that focus on the essential quality and productivity message without statistical abstractions, which make it easily understandable to a wide readership. Those readers that have not read Deming's "Out of the Crisis" or Mary Walton's "Deming Management Method" will benefit the most from reading this book.

As with all Donkitas books, it is exciting and imaginative. I wish she could keep writing stories for this series.

All of the Dragon books by Donita Paul are well done. The characters are loveable and exhibit many of the struggles, doubts, introspections, etc. that all of us as regular humans experience although our lives are not set in an imaginary world like theirs. This book has a bit more sadness in it than the others but it is presented in an interesting, vulnerable and satisfying and grace filled manner.

We are enjoying these tales of multi races and critters as they interact in their adventures. They may have been written for young people, but even in our seventies, we like them. These tales are truly fantasy, with only a little relationship to real life. And that's what make them fun to read. If you like dragons, you'll find several different kinds and sizes here.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Each successive story in the "Dragon series" by Donita Paul has been more fleshed out, complex and satifying. I can not wait for the next book to be released. Thank you Donita for creating a world for both young & old to enjoy.

it draws you in and can't let go. couldn't till i read all four that i have

This is a fascinating book, and this from a reader more into fiction than historical biography - but the best fiction writer would be hard pressed to come up with a character like Ernie Pyle.

A page turning look into World War II from someone who could have been your neighbor but was far more than what you would have expected.

I have no idea why a modern rendition of this story has not hit the big screen - it seems a natural, captivating story that would educate as well as entertain.

this must be THE book to read on war - what it's really like in all of its aspects - his description of the beach, after D-Day was gripping and haunting and it has stayed with me many years later -

and how he relates the everyday and ordinary in war -

and how, in any group or organization, it's often a small percentage of the people who are carrying the load - that's just one example of the many insights and truths in this book that relate to all of life, not just life in a war zone -

and it is a great book for anyone to read - a stunning life achievement for ernie pyle -

James Toban has written a stunning book in "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II". Toban has succeeded in giving readers the rare opportunity to see the human frailties concealed within one of America's greatest and most valuable World War II correspondents.

James Toban present a picture of the complex Ernie Pyle; a man that entered the World War II carrying only a broken Remington typewriter and a deep desire to describe the life and hardships of the horrific world of the infantrymen to the American public. The reader will learn of the contradictory Ernie Pyle. The Ernie Pyle who despised war, but who could not stay away from the physical and emotional anguish of battle. The Ernie Pyle who loved his wife, but who continually left her behind to travel to the front lines. Ernie Pyle, the seemingly frail and terrified journalist who demonstrated his bravery by traveling to the front lines to be with and write about "his boys". Ernie Pyle, a genius for writing about the common soldier, but who needed constant reminding that he was the best at what he did. His articles became legendary and the hope and news link for Americans with loved ones in the front lines.

James Toban's "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II " is a must read for World War II readers and all readers who wish to know about the human spirit and about a plain old fashion brave American.

About the only complaint I can offer about this outstanding biography is that the title is slightly misleading. Ernie Pyle's years as a war correspondent are the subject of about three-quarters of the narrative, which is appropriate. It was the period in which he did his greatest work and achieved international fame. But this is more than just the story of those pivotal years; the first 25 percent of the text is an excellent overview of Pyle's childhood on an Indiana farm and his pre-war adventures in journalism, including a six-year stint in the thirties and forties as a kind of Charles Kuralt in print. Pyle and his wife roamed across the nation in their car, and he wrote about the people he encountered along the way--ordinary people, the sort who don't usually find themselves the subject of newspaper articles.

When the war came, Pyle knew he had to answer the call to go overseas. But thankfully, he realized that he didn't need to provide the same sort of coverage every other journalist was doing. He would let them handle the stories of the grand strategy, interviewing the generals and prime ministers. He would tell the story of his average Joe, now transformed into G.I. Joe.

James Tobin has a wonderful gift for storytelling and description. He introduces us to Pyle and the key players in his life so vividly we feel that we know them as flesh-and-blood individuals. He quotes from Pyle's works liberally enough that we get a true sense of the man's unique gifts, but not so much that the flow of the story bogs down.

This is an almost perfect biography of one of the true greats of 20th century journalism.--William C. Hall

"Ernie Pyle's War" by James Tobin was a thorough read. Tobin described Pyle down to the very last detail, uncovering almost every aspect of his life. After reading this book, the reader had a clear view into Pyle's mind and was able to recognize the feelings he possessed about his professional and private life. The way Tobin intertwined Pyle's messages home with biographical details along with interviews of acquaintances, made this story an easy read. "Ernie Pyle's War" earned five "stars."
Tobin's style of writing was one reason this book was so effective. He used partial quotes from Pyle to title his chapters, which brought an immediate sense of intimacy to the story. Tobin began the book with a chronological introduction to Pyle. This style of writing, although typical for biographies, was well suited for this story and not at all cliché. Readers were able to become acquainted with Pyle as a young man and then mature along with him as he grew into an established adult. By describing Pyle as a young man, readers were able to understand more clearly why he was the way he was as an adult.
Tobin used vivid descriptions to paint a picture of Pyle in the minds of the readers. This was an important aspect because Pyle's physical demeanor was one of the main problems and/or benefits in his life. As a child and young adult, his size hindered his relationships. But, as a war correspondent, the people saw Pyle as more of a hometown boy rather than a studious journalist. This added to his success as a war correspondent.
After transitioning into Pyle's career as a war correspondent, the story line became more tedious. Pyle was in and out of combat and the surface facts of his life were boring. Tobin, understanding the paleness of biographical data, used Pyle's messages home to spice up the story. Like most people, Pyle's life was not what it seemed to be. Besides leading a "glorified" life as a war correspondent, he had major problems at home. Tobin showed the audience this by weaving together Pyle's biographical information with the messages he sent home. This gave the reader a sense of what Pyle was actually feeling. Using these messages instead of his columns allowed reader's to see the "real" Pyle.
Tobin uncovered personal feelings about his professional and personal life, which gave the reader a feeling of empathy toward Pyle. Showing that he did not feel like an outstanding reporter, let readers see Pyle was human. Tobin successfully showed the man behind the pen by opening up Pyle's mind to the audience. He did this by using Pyle's own letters and messages home that contained intimate details of his life. Without the added touch of Pyle's actual writing, the story would have failed to be as successful.

Ghetto Sorrows is a MUST READ. This is the first book I read by Keisha Horton, so I'm just going to say, GO GET IT!!!! Keep doing what you're doing Ms. Horton, look forward to reading more from you....

It took me forever to get a copy of this book--but it was well worth the wait. This book had me hooked from the first to the last page. This was a great story. What I want to know is why isn't Keisha writing anymore!????

Carmen is a young woman that is a true rider or die chick and is indeed loyal to the game even til the very end. She's a statistic in the system as a ex-convict and society as a young girl that was blind to a man's selfish request that threatens her dignity. But, despite, the wrong that has been done to her, she still strives to live a better life and not let life's unfair treatment determine her destiny. Upon release from prison, she has her eyes on the prize, but we all know that life has so many crooks, corners, and turns that if not careful, we can be detained. Her obstacles are realities in the faces of her life-long, loyal best friend, China, that's caught up in so much sheistiness with her 'man' and her drug habit, her old love, and her new love, of which she has no idea of his true intentions. Her loyalty seems to be her achilles heel, because she can't seem to let go of the past and where she has been to see what's right before her very eyes.

Ms. Horton has did an excellent job in her urban literary debut. I enjoyed this read and highly recommend it. If I have to make a prediction, I would say with a great amount of confidence, that we will be seeing bigger and better things in Ms. Horton's future! Major props Ms. Horton! Congrats! Continue to mesmerize us with your Ghetto Tales!

Carmen held it down for her man like only a Bonnie would do for her Clyde. With her release just moments away, Carmen decides that she will walk on the positive side of the track and become a better person. No longer trying to wear the latest fashions and run the streets, she wants bigger and better things for her life.

China is use to the fine life of hot cars, clothes and stacks of money thanks to her drug lord boyfriend, Frank. Awaiting Carmen's arrival she knows things will get hotter than ever and they can reap the benefits of being a hustler's wifey.

Ghetto Sorrows is a down to earth and heart wrenching book of friends, love and the hustle. This is definitely a five star piece.

In Ghetto Sorrows, Keisha M. Horton tests the strength of the friendship of China and Carmen. Carmen, recently released from jail, wants to avoid the lifestyle that landed her there in the first place. China on the other hand, with her friend away managed to sink deeper into the streets. Can Carmen convince China that the streets mean her no good? Or will China lure Carmen back to the streets?

Ghetto Sorrows is an excellent debut and a must read.