King Books

Wonderful! Very insightful and informative. A great addition to anyone's bookshelf. I highly recommend it.

This is an excellent book to aid in the understanding of Shawshank Redemption, whether studying english or mass media.
I found the book to contain additional details on story boards and amended scenes, which indicate the way the script writer, Frank Darabont, adapted the story to film.
Thoroughly enjoyed the script, especially as I can read it in places I can't view the film, i.e. work.

As a rule, don't buy shooting scripts if you want to write a screenplay. Shooting scripts are finished products.

That said, screenwriters can learn from this exploration of the classic movie (yes, folks, it is a classic, it's been shown a billion times on TNT), by reading the deleted scenes (my personal favorite is one about the publicity of Warden Norton's prison-to-work scheme, in which Heywood, played in the movie by William Sadler, gets his best and sharpest lines for someone who's supposed to be the dunce of the movie), the storyboards, the explanations of which scenes were kept, etc.

And for people who just love the movie, it's a must-own.

This is a truly fantastic piece of work!!! If you really enjoyed the movie, and is fascinated by the art of filmaking, this book is for you. More than just the script of the film, the analysis by Frank Darabont takes to a totally different level and perspective. It actually makes you think like a Director. Other than this, just being in the production yourself... This is a true making-of The Shawshank Redemption, that is totally worth the price.

As Frank Darabont says in the introduction of the book, who else would buy the screenplay unless they really want to know more about the film? Sticking to that idea, Darabont has given the film student/buff, and those who simply love the movie, a real treat with this book. Not only does it contain the screenplay, it's the screenplay (I emphasize) AS IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE FILMING. He's published it exactly as he wrote it when he adapted it from King's novella. I point this out because, as Darabont himself points out in the intro, so many screenplays that are thrown out by merchandise wizards are nothing but the finished movie transcribed. And really, what good is that to someone who wants a deeper knowledge of the film?
Not only does he give us the original screenplay, he gives us a scene-by-scene comparison of the screenplay vs. the finished film, and why things got changed/added/left out. This, in particular, says a lot about Darabont to me. This is a man who wants to use his work not only to be what it is (a GREAT film), but to educate as well. This book inspires. He includes storyboards, as well (including a storyboard for a deleted scene- oh, goody, goody!) and introductions by both himself and Stephen King, and a summarizing bit of advice to budding filmmakers and screenwriters. I devoured this book in short time (one night), lol, and found myself going back to the film to compare and analyze- if you don't do the same after reading it, I'll eat my foot.. okay, maybe not. But something drastic, I warrant you. If you are at all inclined to learn about filmmaking, writing, or even if you just love "The Shawshank Redemption" (which is what lead me to the book in the first place), this is a real must-have. It's worth the price alone just to read what he had to say about filming Freeman's scene walking through the field after discovering Andy's message. Trust me. By the way, fellow "Shawshank..." lovers are welcome to ...discuss it. Enjoy this book, everyone. It's a real find. And I'm SO glad I chose to buy it. The ONLY reason I give it four stars as opposed to five is because, personally, I would have liked to have seen more storyboards.

I just attended a Bill Perkins seminar & read this book cover to cover afterwards; I would highly recommend both to any Christian man (even if you don't consider yourself a strong Christian). Todays world is so full of 'advice' and I've read many self help books plus attended many seminars both for professional/business and personal reasons; this little book is more important to me than I can express but fortunately everyone can read it for themselves and/or attend one of the 'Six Battles' seminars. Thank you Bill.

I believe every mens group should study this book. I know everyone who reads this book will see a bit of himself somewhere while reading it. I will be taking this with me to my next mens group and i will make sure our group studies it.
I enjoyed reading about David's Mighty Men. How great would it be if we all had our own group of Mighty Men to encourage us through the battles of life. How much better would it be if we were asked to be a Mighty Man for someone else. A great book.

I had the oppurtunity of attending a Six Battles event in April of 2005. I met Bill and spent time talking with him. What an awesome man for God! My interest was initially peaked when I read his life changing book "When good men are tempted" that helped fuel the change in my life. When I met Bill and he walked us through the "Six Battles" that this book outlines it was and continues to be life changing. I have since read the book 3 times and using this book have started a new men's small group study. I look forward to what God has in store for me and it all started with this Book! So Men , Yes this book will help you get on fire for him and help you in your daily battles.

This book has been such an inspiration for me and my daily struggles of creating balance between God, my family and work. Bill really puts things in perspective and creates an easy to understand guide of what truly works. Breaking things down into 6 battles we struggle with day to day is perfect for any man. I feel that my relationship with God and my wife has grown so much stronger and deeper because of this book. Thank you Bill! I highly recommend this book to anyone!

"Six Battles Every Man Must Win" by Bill Perkins is focused on the spiritual battles men must face every day. The six battles listed include:

1. Fight for your identity
2. Fight for personal holiness
3. Fight for your family
4. Fight through pain
5. Fight for your friends
6. Fight for a strong faith

Each of the battles made sense, although I couldn't really relate to the family fight as I'm not married. However I'm sure that many men could relate to it.

I was most impressed with the chapter on fighting through pain. Bill nails the internal struggle that Christian men go through when dealing with pain. Temptation always starts with a baby step, disguised to seem like nothing at all. However it always leads to a slippery slope.

I enjoy Bill's idea of "buddyship" or the need to have male friends. Bill lists a number of reasons why it is important to have male friends, but like the majority of the book, he doesn't give practical advice regarding how to develop relationships. I really would have liked to have seen more practical advice regarding what to do, not just what I should do.

Regardless, this book is a good easy read. I didn't find it life-changing but it was a good review of issues that need to be dealt with as a man. 4 out of 5 stars.

My only previous experience with Gasoline Alley was a Mad Magazine parody called Gasoline Valley that focused on the interesting fact that the characters actually grew older as the series progressed. The Mad Magazine parody showed Skeezix aging from a baby into an old man just as the comic does however this volume features only a couple of years so at the end Skeezix is just a toddler. Gasoline Alley isn't a hilarious comic; instead it's a sweet, light hearted view of small town life in the early 1920's. The comic revolves around Walt, a big hearted confirmed bachelor who finds a baby deposited on his doorstep. This being the "good ol' days" Walt just keeps the baby becoming Uncle Walt (later in the book he does actually go to the effort to make it a legal adoption).

A lot of the jokes are repeated, for instance Walt, the only bachelor among his circle of friends, constantly uses the line `I know when I have it good' after seeing his hen pecked buddies. We also get to experience Walt's continual struggle with his weight. There are a few extended storylines including a shady land developer who takes the Gasoline Alley gang for a bit of money. The longest story is about the arrival of an attractive young lady named Blossom and her developing relationship with Walt.

Three things stood out for me in this collection. First was the always meticulous job done by editor Chris Ware who goes above and beyond the call of duty. There is a ton of fascinating background information on cartoonist Frank King. My tip is that any publisher who wants to release a comic collection like this one should call on Chris Ware. He is a man with serious passion for comics. The second thing that caught my attention is how clean and pleasant Frank King's drawings are. But what I enjoyed most about Walt and Skeezik's was the glimpse at life in the United States prior to the Great Depression.

What you need to do when reading through these comic strips is to try and put yourself into the era. These comics were created over 85 years ago and it's like peering into a time capsule. There is not a single mention of television or pop culture. Most of the residents of Gasoline Alley are chiefly concerned with the mileage they get on their tires or the cost of a new hat. Volume one pretty much satisfied my curiosity and I probably won't buy further volumes but that takes nothing away from this excellent collection. You definitely get your money's worth and it literally took me months to get through the entire book.

Commentary and editorial aside, the heart of this book is the wonderful Gasoline Alley strips. For those who honestly can't imagine what daily life was like before automatic shift, television, modern medicine, sexual liberation--this book is like being pulled through a time warp into the 1920s and 30s.

It has a lot of the same flavor as For Better or Worse. It's infested with genuine American characters. (Fair warning: the portrayals of African Americans are deeply stereotyped--but also remarkably sympathetic in terms of human feeling.)

DO NOT read it all in one sitting. Try to limit yourself to ten strips a night. Like movie serials, comic strips that appeared in daily newspapers took months or years to fully develop a story arc. You can't rush through that--and why the heck would you want to?

This collection was a little before my time, but it is great to read about the earlier days of Gasoline Alley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The photographs really provide insite into the authours life and basis for the comic strips. I really enjoyed the dated chronology of the strips. It also provided me with a humorous way of conveying the social, political and economic happenings of that period in American History. Absolutely Fantastic, I can not wait to read the second book in the series.

I had never really understood the appeal of Gasoline Alley. I sensed that it was a pleasant enough "slice of life" comic strip, well drawn and harmless. I had given it a glance now and then over the years, not even beginning to sense the iceberg that was always there, just beneath the 3 or 4 daily comic panels. This was all before I was exposed to the collected early stuff and the absolute genius of creator Frank King. Now, after having just finished the first volume of "Walt and Skeezix" which covers years 1921 and 1922 of this wonderful strip, I am simply very grateful to the Montreal publishing house, Drawn and Quarterly, for undertaking the multi-year project of collecting all the dailies from the King years.

The effect of this strip is somewhat cumulative, and Jeet Heer puts it best in his introduction when he writes "Gasoline Alley needs to be read in bulk to be appreciated." As I read along, it became increasingly clear to me what an astonishingly bright gem I was looking at. After I had read about six months into the dailies from 1921, I knew I was onto something very, very unique. The story of Walt and Skeezix unfolded exactly at the pace of real life, with all the well drawn characters growing older in real time. This infuses the strip with an immediately gripping "realism" that in turn makes the reader identify in a powerful way with the characters. The moments of subtle insight into human nature are many and so brilliantly done I found myself re-reading a single daily strip two or three times to truly savor it, finding ever-deepening levels to appreciate (if this sounds like hyperbole for a review of a comic strip, all I can say is buy this volume and I bet you will agree).

I don't want to gush and ruin your enjoyment of this work. You should come to it yourself, on your own terms. I will just say that you can truly sense the earth turning as you read these pages, and that this strip contains some of the truest, purest moments of understanding that I have experienced in any book.

One can look at this collected work as an incredible record of American life, or simply appreciate Frank King's wonderful art, and be well rewarded for all effort. Just beneath the surface, though, lies a much larger and impressive piece of art. Chris Ware, editor of the series, writes in his preface "I am convinced that after all these books are published, Gasoline Alley will stand as one of the most individual, human, and genuinely great works in the history of comics." Amen to that, brother. I will go further even than Mr. Ware: I believe that Frank King's Gasoline Alley, taken as a whole, is one of the greatest works of literature by an American.

Drawn and Quarterly Books deserves a medal of recognition for this multi-volume publishing project, and I personally regret every mean thought I have ever had about our neighbors to the north.

This work is highly recommended. -Mykal Banta

This book is a very quick read with lots of pictures!! Don't let that fool you though - it is VERY important and enlightening information. Every mom and dad to be should read this book!

I am amazed at how such a simple techniqe like the Belly Lift can make such a positve impact on the childbirth experience. Whether or not you are concerned about "back labor" you can learn something from this book! It's an easy read - I read it in one sitting!

Carole Bombardier (Charlotte, NC)

This book really explains why moms have back labor and how to help prevent it, with a great tool to use during labor if you have it. Pictures really help to get the point across quickly and easily!

This book has easy to understand information that will make a world of difference for anyone trying to avoid the pain of back labor. If you've had back labor before and want your birth to go differently this time, or if you think you *might* have back pain with the birth, READ THIS BOOK! You will learn valuable techniques that you can actively use during your birthing time.

This is a quick and easy read that truly makes sense for any mother-to-be. While in labor with my son, I did feel a small bit of back pressure at the beginning and, during the next birthing surge, employed the belly lift technique... back labor no more!

This, no doubt, is one of the best works on prayer in the English language, if not the best. A book to be read slowly, quietly and with much concentration. Every line has good rich teaching for us all. Thanks to Baker Book House for compiling this complete printing.

This book has challenged me and helped mold my understanding and practice of prayer. It calls the believer to stretch and reach further in prayer, putting faith into practice. Bounds' emphasis is on scripture and dependence on Christ.

About 11 years ago God drew me into an greater understanding and deeper practice of prayer than ever before in my life. I inquired concerning some of the leading "Prayer Ministries" around the world and wrote several of them and asked this question: "What are the top 25 best books ever written on prayer?" Six replied. Many of the same books were recommended, but 1st Place and 2nd Place were the same on all 6 lists. Andrew Murray's book: With Christ In The School Of Prayer was either #1 or #2 on each list. E. M. Bounds writings on "prayer" was also either #1 or #2 on each list.
No book, not even Murray's, has ever been written on "prayer" that can hold a candle to The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer. In fact, if you read this book (actually 8 little books) and it doesn't revolutionize your prayer life, then you need to re-read it until it does. If you read this book and think that it is "mediocre", that will be more of a statement about you than about this book. Seldom is any book hailed as the unquestioned "Greatest Book" on a particular subject by ALL the specialists on that subject, but this one is. And the experts are right. So bless yourself or someone today and buy this book. Then get ready for the revolution! God bless. Mike

Its one of those books that you could close your eyes, flip it open to any page, run your finger down the page to any point, open your eyes and it'll be a quote that you want to put in your sermon on prayer. Get it. Read it...daily.

For almost a century Edward McKendree Bounds' (1835-1913) books on prayer have been classic works, stimulating and inspiring Christians to develop a fuller prayer life and become prayer warriors. A forceful writer and deep thinker, Bounds spent the last nineteen years of his life reading, writing, and praying. He rose at 4 a.m. daily for many years, and was indefatigable in his study of the Bible.

As breathing is a physical reality to us, so prayer was a reality for Bounds. He took the biblical command "pray without ceasing" almost as literally as animate nature takes the law of the reflex nervous system, which controls our breathing.

Because Bounds so diligently practiced what he preached, we was able to capture the essence of prayer, and his works live on to call today's Christians to higher discipleship and an energetic, God-devoted prayer life.

This was my first Patricia Potter book. I read it within a couple of days - pretty fast for me. I had to get to the end. Problem was, it seemed like the book went on, and on, and on, etc. Alex and Jenna are two very strong leads and I liked that about this story. Alex is haunted, but very sexy. Jenna is strong, stubborn - the works. I give this story 4 stars for the strong characters, the interesting prelude which was pretty lengthy - even before the leads met, and her good storytelling ability. It loses a star in the last 100 pages or so when the plot did so many twists and turns, I just wanted it to be over already. Also, I agree with the other folks who said the editing and typos were annoying. Othewise, I would reccommend it for her writing ability and characters alone.

This is another wonderful book by a wonderful author, who knows how to bring her characters to life. Having real history behind them doesn't hurt, but not all authors pull it off.
BUT: why were there so many misspelled words? The book was full of them. This became very annoying.

The horrors of Culloden will never be forgotten and I'm embarrassed to say that the very county in which I live is named "Cumberland." God, what an awful man he was! It's a shame that the Highland way of life was practically wiped out because of this evil man and fine people were killed. But through all this, P.P. managed to give us a breathtaking story of love and danger. These are very memorable characters we'll not likely forget.

This book captures the readers attention from page one and the action and subtle romance doesn't stop. Although I'd like to believe Alex and Jenna and Robin and Meg could truly have found peace and contentment, it seemed unlikely given the events of history, which the entire book was based upon. I often wonder if Alex or even Robin would have been involved in the French & Indian War. Given Alex's loyalty and strong sense of duty, I think he would have been involved.

The horrors Alex and Meg and Robin and even Jenna endured during their lifetime was tragic and they all deserved happiness. Somewhere in the midst of all the tragedy the author managed to bring joy and romance to the main characters, which made for a very interesting story.

This book is very important to read: mostly because so few people know about the bushmeat trade in Africa and its impact on the great apes. The book goes into why apes are worth saving, the contribution of logging to crisis, how the crisis is kept hidden, and suggestions on how to alleviate the problem. You will be very surprised to learn the lengths, difficulties, and dangers the contributors of the book go through simply to bring this issue into the spotlight. I also found it very shameful how the crisis has been ignored and exacerbated by the media and the conservation groups.


Honestly though, I felt the book was a little long. It's not actually a long book, but its longer than it needs to be. It seemed to get a little repetitive as the author kept hammering the same points over again. Also, though the author does include an aside on vegetarianism and its merits (while discouraging veganism), he is not a vegetarian himself. While this is, of course, not the subject of the book I feel that if he is going to argue to protect the great apes on the grounds of their sentience, than it is wrong to overlook the sentience of cows, chickens, and especially pigs (who have the same mental capacity as a dog). This is just a minor criticism, but it did bother me a little throughout the book.

So yes, you should read this book. Its very thorough, detailed, complete, and compelling. You will learn a lot and, if the authors have succeeded (and I think they have), you will be sufficiently outraged and willing to contribute to the cause.

Sometime far in our past, humans took up rocks and sticks to hunt food instead of scavenging from other predators. With our meat available today in shrink-wrapped containers it's easy to lose sight of that long-standing tradition. Others in the world still obtain meat in the traditional environment. The difference is that instead of spears, the weapons are high-powered shotguns. Instead of skulking through the forest seeking prey, hunters are now given rides by timber carriers using deep-penetrating access roads. In this book, Dale Peterson reveals the transformations forest hunting has undergone in West African nations. It's not a
pleasing picture, but it's valid and it's important. And it must change.

The bushmeat trade has many implications, but Peterson has chosen three significant ones. One, of course, is that by killing chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas for food, we're consuming our nearest relations. The primate line divided only 12 million years ago, with the descendants of one line becoming today's mountain gorillas. The other line led to chimpanzees and bonobos with a spur turning off about 7 million years ago leading to you and me. The proximity of chimpanzee and human DNA patterns is no longer news, but the reminder needs to be flashed occasionally.

Another implication is health. With so much attention given to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it's worth reflecting on its origins. More importantly, as Peterson reminds us, is to consider how it works. HIV/AIDS appears to be a recent evolutionary virus quirk. It adapts and evolves with amazing speed. The roots of it remain in the African forest and a new strain can emerge at any time. The best means of transmission from ape or monkey to human is through blood - that stuff the hunter is soaked in as he butchers his forest kill.

The third theme is the question of human relations with the rest of our environment. Human population growth is presented in a novel framework. How many humans come into existence every day is contrasted with the great ape population. Peterson calculates that the entire gorilla population is equalled by new humans every twelve hours. Population pressures in the "developed" world lead to demands for African timber products. In turn, the timber firms are cutting great swaths of forest using displaced populations for labour. To feed these workers, hunters are hired or loggers hunt and apes, due to their availability and size, become a major food source. In a feedback cycle of habitat reduction and hunting, the apes are simply being exterminated. Recovery would require sharply reduced logging. Peterson notes that trees are being taken that began growth in Michaelangelo's time, but their replacements will be cut in only forty years.

Peterson is effusive in his description of the significant role played by Swiss photographer Karl Ammann. Ammann's chance encounter with a logging truck driver revealed the role international logging firms play in the ape slaughter and the extended bushmeat trade. The logging firms, particularly CIB, contend they are providing "employment for locals, health services, food and education". Peterson explains the falsity of this contention, with "health services limited to a nurse and schools and teachers paid for by the workers' families.

Peterson argues that the long-established bushmeat tradition is already lost, displaced by commercial logging practices and new, mass hunting methods using guns, sometimes lent by government officials. If we can change a culture, such as was done with slavery, hunting traditions no longer tenable can be modified, as well. He cites the willingness of Americans to spend minimal annual funds to protect wolves, bears and other fauna. Why not establish a fund for ape protection. He calculates that US$1 billion per year could be raised with an individual contribution of but US$50. Not an enormous sum, given that other donations and military expenditures far exceed it. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

What animals we eat are selected by what culture we grow up in. Distant societies think nothing of eating dogs. Some closer ones think eating horse is completely acceptable. Then there are frogs, snakes, and insect larvae. It is all a matter of getting enough protein. One man's protein is another man's atrocity. Americans are used to eating meat they find in Styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic, but the indigenous peoples of central Africa have always eaten the animals living around them: elephants, antelopes, porcupines, rodents, and so on. They don't mind a stew of gorilla or a chimp's sirloin, and what of it? It's the way they have always done things. Tribal languages, in fact, often use the same word for wild animal as they do for meat. The world, however, is not the way it always was, and a shocking book, _Eating Apes_ (University of California Press) by Dale Peterson, shows that apes on the menu is not something the world ought to continue to accept.

We ourselves are members of the tribe of great apes; chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans are on the branch with us. But if African tribes don't share our scientific view or our squeamishness, traditional hunters, in predation balance over the centuries, surely are not going to do lasting harm. Traditional hunting, however, is no longer traditional. There has been an invasion from outside the continent by logging companies, making huge profits from our demand for hardwoods. The companies have lots of workers, many of them from the region, and all the workers have to be fed. Hunters, many of whom are also from the region, are hired to bring in the protein. Bows, arrows, and nets have given way to the far more efficient and deadly wire snares and automatic rifles and shotguns. Perhaps if greater firepower were the only threat to our primate cousins, they could still make it. But we are destroying their habitat (again, mostly by logging), and primates will suffer before other species because of their slow rate of reproduction. There are plenty of species headed toward extinction, but few because we are eating them, and none so close to us evolutionarily. In addition, butchering the apes may be the way humans got HIV and Ebola viruses. It may well be that you haven't heard of the problem of eating apes into extinction because the conservation organizations are keeping quiet about such a downer of a message, and because they are, believe it or not, in partnership with the loggers.

What will be needed is the courage to challenge cultural convictions. It is possible for the West to value (or at least claim to value) sensitivity to other cultures, but in the case of eating apes, it will have to impose scientific knowledge of close kinship, risk of disease, and impending loss of primates to get the native cultures to change. It may even be possible within the corporate culture, which mines habitats to get at profits, to insist not just on sustainable development (a nebulous idea the logging companies pay lip service to) but to take on a wider view of environmental improvement. You can figure up the odds of occurrence of these cultural changes, and especially if you look at our past record, you will not be optimistic. Peterson includes an appendix of what you, and what conservation organizations, can do; he obviously is not giving up hope. Perhaps it is a sign of hope that his reasonable and dispassionate account of this disaster will start many people thinking about the previously covert problem of the loss of the apes. Nevertheless, this is a profoundly disturbing and sad book, and will not be forgotten by those who can get through it.

American and international conservation organizations may be doing little more than feel-good guilt assuaging with many of their slick magazine glossy photos, while ignoring a huge elephant right in front of the world's faces and refusing to show readers the problem.

So says Peterson in the challenging and disturbing book Eating Apes.

Peterson writes about the hunting for bushmeat in Central Africa, specifically hunting great apes - gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. He accuses the Wildlife Conservation Society of doing little more than giving PR flak to a German logging concern in the Congo, CIB, a decade ago, just at the time public pressure was starting to ratchet up on the issue, in large part due to photographer Karl Ammann.

He also accuses Wildlife Conservation, the magazine of WCS, along with National Geographic and other such magazines and other media for generally downplaying or even spiking the issue. Ammann, as interviewed in the book, is even blunter, noting how several wildlife conservation magazines said they didn't want his pictures specifically because they were too controversial and, in not so many words, too guilt-provoking while showing that the modern western-nation wildlife preservation industry wasn't wearing any clothes on this issue.

Read Eating Apes. Then rethink your donations to wildlife groups, at least without some strong letters to the editor.

With its appealing cover-picture of two baby chimps and its appalling title, "Eating Apes" is a must read for everybody interested in conservation in general and the survival of the great apes in particular. Although I've been already aware of the bushmeat crisis through voluntary work at a zoo, this book hit me hard. The scope of denial by many - individuals and conservation groups alike - paired with risky relationships between NGOs and logging companies is driving our closest living relatives - the great apes - to extinction. Dale Peterson's book encompasses every aspect of this difficult and very complex issue and Karl Ammann's pictures and comments provide further evidence of what really is happening. Everbody who makes or is going to make decisions regarding the bushmeat trade, logging, development and conservation in central Africa has to read this book before making those important and far-reaching decisions. My next task will be to check with the various conservation groups I support, to find out what they are planning to do about this subject. Depending on their answers, I may well choose to cancel some memberships. Something I haven't actually thought about before reading this book - so I hope that many others will follow suit and choose action over complacency!

This is a real mind-bending read! M. B. Lemanski shows himself to be a masterful storyteller with this debut work. He offers a fresh perspective on religious extremism--namely, that no one faith has a monopoly on it. The author takes us on a surprising spiritual journey in this tale about the ultimate worldwide war--Armageddon. It is surprising because the only eventual winners in this tale of the horrors of such a war are those who abandon altogether the strategy of war. It is spiritual in that the reader is deftly persuaded--both by the chain of events as well as the words and the aura of the hero Janus Philio (a character skillfully developed by Lemanski)--to reexamine his or her notions of truth and belief, as well as how one arrives at both.

Another surprise throughout is that somewhat irreverent images of established religion and oddly believable politico-religious personalities are subtly contrasted with what seems like a reverence on the part of the author for something else. It's worth the time spent to discover what that something else is--something which has eluded human beings perhaps as much as the knowledge of God.

Although author M.B. Lemanski may have portrayed the second coming in an unorthodox, and what to some may appear a disturbing way, yet the yarn has a strange plausibleness to it, for those who know the history of prophets and prophecies. He proves that mind bending can be entertaining.

Written by defense markets analyst M. B. Lemanski, The Flesh of Kings: The Final Battle Begins After Armageddon is an exciting novel about the battle for humankind's future in the wake of Armageddon. A teacher and mystic going by the name Janus Philio has claimed the title of King of kings in Jerusalem and performed miracles to help heal the world. Is he the second coming of Jesus Christ, or the latest in a series of Antichrists, or something else entirely? Preacher's son and former NFL superstar Julian "the Mighty" Quinn earns political power in what is left of America; his distrust of Philio entangled him in the machinations of a secret society set on assassinating the King of kings. A tense, action-packed adventure ensues, in this disturbing yet utterly absorbing post-apocalyptic tale.

After being disappointed so many times with the "fast food" literature available today, I was thrilled to read Mr. Lemanski's "The Flesh of Kings".
His style is reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as he literally dismantles so many of the icons of today. Human beings in his world can trust no one, assume nothing, and certainly take nothing for granted. I find this a healthy attitude from which to describe the world we see.
To me, this book is a friendly wakeup call for all of us who spend our time in the pursuit of creature comforts instead of really seeing today's world and its many dangers.
Mr. Lemanski's humor has a edge and I throughly enjoyed his book.

Wow! The Flesh of Kings is a great read. The author certainly has a way with words and will take you on an adventurous and interesting journey into the near future to examine what life might be like after Armageddon. There is an underlying message that begins to unfold near the end which is simple, something we all want and something we sometimes fail to give.The novel ends with a glimpse at "what's it all about." The author is a real storyteller. The novel is worthwhile, entertaining and will leave you with a lot to ponder.

The end of days is also the beginning of days. Julian Quinn is a former professional football player who happens to find himself struggling for survival in an area of southern California called `The Zone.' The Zone is a creation of the new order of America which came about due to a terrible war that arose in the Middle East. The country we know today no longer exists. Julian begins a journey that could only happen to one or two individuals in a millennium. Along the way he meets varied characters and is posed many questions. How will he answer them? Will mankind survive? Read this book and be carried along to its conclusion and all will be known, maybe.

M.B. Lemanski is the former head of an aerospace consultancy and Wall Street defense markets analyst prior to joining Reuters as a writer in the area of science and technology.

This is cleverly and ably crafted tale of a possible future of mankind that could arise out of the raw material of today. Mr. Lemanksi is truly a master of the English language and its tremendous vocabulary. This only adds to Mr. Lemanski's ability to weave together the different characters into a complete and congruent whole. This book is well-recommended and is worth reading even for those who might disagree with its point of view. After all, what is fiction but a way to learn and to grow.

A myth-like story about an ancient race of female warriors and one girl in particular who would be Queen, beautifully written. A fantastic YA novel for teens and adults. The best by Hoffman I have read so far.

One of Alice Hoffman's few YA books, this story of an Amazonian princess will capture you like no other read. The ways of the women warriors are brutally intense, and for the first time are questioned, by Rain, who vies for her mother's attention but still attempts to defy the ways of tradition. The characters are strong, each of them contributing to the choices made by Rain, for good or bad.

The Foretelling is a gripping book from beginning to end. Your care for the young princess grows as you learn more and more about her destiny, and her will to change the fate of her people to peace. Her strong connections with horses and bears seem spiritual, and make this story of pain and violence almost gentle and compassionate. I guarantee everyone will enjoy it.

This book is short and that's unfortunate because I think the story could have been made longer but regardless it was a very compelling story. I liked how it was written and Rain I instantly loved as a character. Amazon women I have always heard of and reading about them was really interesting and fun.

The characters were strong, the dialogue was always short and to the point, and the story telling itself in Rain's eyes kept you hooked. I also read Practical Magic and that's how I got to know the name Alice Hoffman and I'm glad I did because both Fortelling and Practical Magic were worthwhile books.

In this intense yet complicated fantasy story, Rain attempts to gain her mother's notice and acceptance by being the best of warriors in their Amazonian tribe. The product of a rape when her mother, Alina, wasn't much more than a child herself, it is hard to gain the Queen's approval. Although Rain knows that she's been raised by Deborah, the wise priestess, to one day be Queen herself, she also pays attention to Deborah's promises of a much grander destiny.

Rain doesn't totally understand the Queen's desire to so thoroughly destroy her enemies, even though her own cousins, Astella and Asteria, are two of the fiercest warriors in the tribe. When Alina takes Penthe as her companion, and Penthe's daughter Io seeks to be Rain's sister, matters become even more complicated. Rain wants nothing more than to ride her horse, Sky, to garner her mother's approval, to earn the place as rightful Queen that will someday come upon her.

On her first journey alone, Rain comes upon a bear cub, which she takes back to camp. She names him Usha, and together with Io the two girls raise the cub as if he were a horse. Although Rain and Io soon discover the mistake of doing so, it's too late--Usha is killed in battle, and Rain still doesn't have the love and acceptance of her mother.

THE FORETELLING is a coming-of-age story set in a fantastical land of the Amazons. Rain is a compelling character who, although she tries so hard to be vicious and fierce like her fellow tribe-members, always leans more towards peace for all men and compassion towards her enemies.

Not to be missed by lovers of fantasy stories!

My name is Doug Hiser, author of the 2006 novel,The Honey Bee Girl. I have been reading and collecting Alice Hoffman books since I discovered Turtle Moon. I have read them all and The Fortelling is my favorite. I loved her narrative and moving story. In some ways it reminded me of Clan of the Cave Bear and also of mystical ancient cultures that we see only in dreams. Alice Hoffman's prose is the main reason I fell in love with her books. She is the magic realism of writing the way Michael Parks is of the dreamlike reality of art and Frank Frazetta is the master of fantasy painting. The Fortelling is a short work of literary genius accessible to everyone. She has deep intense knowledge of the emotions and feelings that most people can only guess about. Discover her writing through this compelling work and then find your way into her other books. You won't be disappointed. Doug Hiser

If you are studying ancient history with your elementary student, you must read this series of Gilgamesh books by Ms. Zeman. This one is the first of 3. It is a great story of love, loyalty, and greatness, the oldest written story in the world, and is wonderfully illustrated. I orginally borrowed them from our local library and then purchased them because my 6 year old loved them so much.

While this version is certainly accessible to children, I don't agree with many of the liberties the author took with any of these stories in the series. The many translations out there for adults at least attempt to stay true to the story. I regret that I cannot share these more accurate versions with my younger kids because of the description of at least one particular excerpt; I've had to settle for these. I believe if a person is going to adapt a classic to suit children that one should keep true to the story as best as possible, not adding and creating their own useless elements to the story. The Epic itself is wonderful, but I am still looking for an appropriate version that retains most of the original elements. I do appreciate the efforts of the author to share this amazing story with children.

Gilgamesh the King:

"Gilgamesh was part god and part man. He looked human, but he did not know what it was to be human." And that was his trouble, for he lacked empathy and forced his people to build a monument to his pride in the form of a huge wall.

The people sought help from the Sun God who ordered that a man Gilgamesh's equal be created. When Gilgamesh is told of this wild man, Enkidu, "the strongest man in the world," he seeks to destroy him.

Will the people of Uruk ever have rest from their toils? Can Enkidu survive?

Recommended for eight to twelve year olds, this book is the first in a three part series. The illustrations are done Mesopotamian style and add to the story. An author's note on the last page gives some back-ground information on the story of Mesopotamia, Uruk, and how the tale of Gilgamesh came down to us.

The Revenge of Ishtar

The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh the King, The Return of Ishtar, and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh are exceedingly well-written and show many different themes and life lessons. The themes of friendship, revenge, good vs. evil, ambition, and immortality. But I think the most essential, underlying message is about love. Enkidu shows love to Shamhat and Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh shows love to Enkidu and his city, Shamhat shows love to Enkidu, and the city shows love to Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Shamhat! Love is woven into the theme of eternal life. I think these stories would be fabulous for anybody but recommended for 5-12. I am in middle school and we are reading these stories in class. I enjoyed these stories tremendously. So if you want to teach your children about death or love or friendship, these would be the ultimate choice.

We really appreciate the beauty of this series of books as it covers "The Epic of Gilgamesh" in an appropriate and accessible way for our children. We love to use actual historic documents in our study if possible, but the actual epic is too uncomfortably graphic even for our older children, so we use these for everyone as we study Mesopotamia, Sumer and Babylon. There are not many books that cover these Near East cultures, which makes this set especially valuable. Along with "Our Young Folks' Josephus" as our history spine, "Science in Ancient Mesopotamia" and "Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors: An Activity Guide (covering Hittites, Nubians, Mesopopotamians and Egyptians) this series helps considerably to round out our ancient history studies and to teach our children about one of the most ancient tales in the world in a beautifully engaging way.