King Books

John J. Pullen is to be commended for writing a masterful and interesting account of the famed 20th Maine led by Colonel (later Maj. General) Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. From the founding of the regiment made up of fishermen, lumberjack and regular men of various towns in Maine, Pullen describes the unorganization and various other problems the regiment encountered when it was first formed.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was made Lt. Colonel when he first arrived to join the regiment and soon afterwards the regiment was becoming disciplined and effective, also under the command of Col (later Gen) Aldebert Ames.

From the first battles the unit fought in to the carnage of Fredericksburg and thus to Chancellorsville and finally to the 2nd of July 1863, Pullen describes vividly the heroic stance the 20th Maine made against the brave attack of the 15 Alabama and 4th and 5th Texas under Col. William Oates. The suprizing bayonet charge by the 20th Maine, when all seemed lost was a daring and bold moved that quite possibly saved the Union line and thus ultimately won the Battle of Gettysburg. The heroic regiment also fought bravely for the rest of the war especially at Petersburg where Gen. Chamberlain was seriously wounded.

Pullen does an outstanding job describing the everyday life of the regiment and describing various soldiers and the routine that made life away from home very tough to bear, however this regiment is to be commended for their commitment to the Union, to the state of Maine and to their families most of all.

This book is HIGHLY recommended to all Civil War Readers and once you start reading it, it will be hard to put down.

What would it have been like to have been there, on campaign with Lincoln's Army? Anyone with even a casual interest in the ACW has asked that question - for the most part any available answer is most unsatisfying. We can walk the battlefields, read the histories, even re-enact with reconstructed materials, but we can never really feel what those soldiers felt. The closest we may ever come is Pullen's The Twentieth Maine. Pullen writes as a Mainer about Mainers, but he maintains his objectivity, despite the closeness of the subject matter. Drawing extensively from primary sources, as well as his own experiences with infantry in Europe during WWII, Pullen draws us into the regiment made famous by its "end-of-the-line" stand on Little Round Top while serving under COL Chamberlain on the second day at Gettysburg. Pullen's strength is his ability to relate the men of the Twentieth Maine as individuals throughout their ordeal, each with their own hopes and fe! ars to be realized. Little Round Top was their first face-to-face, knock-down engagement and the results were beyond any realistic expectations. Chamberlain was a man constantly in the right place at the right time and so was the Twentieth Maine, several times saved from being fed into suicidal attacks and in the end honored with participation in the final surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse. This is without question one of the finest three or four unit histories of the ACW. A thoroughly enriching, rewarding experience for anyone with an interest in the ACW or the conduct of everyday men under far from everyday circumstances. Pullen reminds us that the true depth and breadth of the human spirit can only be guessed at, never really known.

Pullen did a masterful job of researching the history of the 20th Maine. He backed his research with clear, concise, powerful writing. He follows the unit from its inception in Downeast Maine, all the way through its "mustering out", touching on all the high and low points in between. His ability to clearly describe event through the eyes of often illiterate country boys is hard to match. He gives details most other histories assume the reader knows, such as what an average day in the field might be like, or how the men learned the mundane but necessary skills of formation movement. He never skimps on the thrill or the horror of battle. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the Civil War on a human scale. I have read this book many times, and will reread it many more, always finding fresh deatil.

This is one of the best regimental histories written about a Civil War outfit on either side. It is also a story of high valor and drama, of lost youth and heavy, heartbreaking losses. It is also the story of the maturing of a good man, Joshua Chamberlain, into a good soldier who does more than his assigned duty and ends the war with a general's stars, and more than one wound.

The regiment doesn't start with promise, however, and its first commander, Colonel Adelbert Ames, a hardened regular, is somewhat dismayed at his new command. However, hard work and professionalism pay off, and the 20th Maine does evolve into 'a hell of a regiment.'

The payoff is at Gettysburg on the second day on the far left flank of the Army of the Potomac on a wooded hill known locally as Little Round Top. Now commanded by the Lieutenant Colonel, Joshua Chamberlain (Ames being deservedly promoted to Brigadier General and brigade command), the regiment becomes the focus of the southern effort to capture Little Round Top and flank the Union Army. If one man could lose the war in the afternoon, it was Chamberlain and his homespun regiment from Maine.

They rise to the challenge, at heavy loss to themselves, execute a bayonet charge down the hill after running out of ammunition, sweeping up 400 prisoners and saving the Union left flank. It is the stuff legends are made of.

This is only one episode in this superb volume, and this book belongs in every Civil War collection. It is written with wit, verve, and accuracy, and it stirs the soul that our country was fought for and saved by men such as these.

A regimental history that really reflects the combat history of the Army of the Potomac from Antietam to Appomattox, this piece of Civil War literature is well worth your time.

Pullen puts you in the action so effectively that you really begin to wonder how regiments like the Twentieth Maine were able to perform so heroically for so long. Credited with single handedly saving the Union flank the second day Gettysburg, this unit produces one of the finest battle field commanders of the war: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

With a combat record second to none, the Twentieth Maine just may have saved the Union. It is because of their efforts that the United States owes such a deep sense of gratitude to the State of Maine.

So the Ghost of Christmas Past came to visit me this year. He came through a porthole in the ethers otherwise known as Google, after I entered my name. There he showed me "Under a Christmas Star," a book published by an apparently Mormon outfit called Cedar Fort. This was a collection of new Christmas tales by various writers.
Here is how the Cedar Fort website touts it:
Under a Christmas Star is a collection of Christmas stories---not sappy or sentimental ones, not dark or hard to understand ones, but stories that uplift and inspire---tellable tales. These are the brightest and most prized Christmas Stories. Most are true stories about people touched by the light of the Christmas star.
One writer was singled out for praise in an Amazon.com review by a teacher who said she was going to read the stories to her third-graders. That writer, by the way, was. . .
Me.
Not since I walked into the living room at age 11 and saw a gleaming lime-green ten-speed Schwinn Varsity under (well, beside) the Christmas tree have I had such a Christmas shock. You see, Cedar Fort didn't bother to mention to me that they were publishing my story that is not dark or hard to understand and uplifts and inspires tellable (sic) tales, and paying me a whole lot of Christmas nothing for it. Nor did they mention to me that my story was so compelling that they used it as the inspiration for the cover illustration of the book: Santa Claus pumping gas into a taxi cab.
Merrrrrrrry Christmas, Rip!
Now, when I say Ghost of Christmas past, here is what I mean: the story that Cedar Fort---a Utah-based outfit that publishes religious tracts and Mormon-themed stuff under Latter Day Saints Books---published without consulting me concerns one of my oldest, most personal and cherished Christmas memories. And I don't have many! Allow me to summarize:
When I was ten, I was sent on a Greyhound bus to visit my mother on Christmas Eve. My father and jealous stepmother had fought about it for days, but my father prevailed and I was dispatched to Newport Beach, California, with a paper-bag suitcase and a whole lot of ambivalence. I was to call a cab upon arrival, in order to be taken to the hotel where my mom worked as a cashier.
One problem: the old man had forgotten to give me cab fare---which I discovered just as the taxi arrived around 7 p.m.. To make a wonderful story short and less than artful, here's the punchline: Santa Claus was at the wheel. Really. His halls were fully decked. Red suit, black gloves, nylon beard. I didn't tell him I didn't have any money, figuring I could just bolt when I got to the hotel.
In the end, I confessed, and Santa explained that in all the Yellow Cabs on Xmas Eve in the area, only one had a Claus, and if you got him, you rode for free. See? Great story, eh? It sure as hell thrilled me as a kid, let me tell you. Father Christmas was watching over me that night, if not my father. There is more to the tale, but I don't want to get into that here. You can read it in full detail in my forthcoming novel, which should be available in late January, if you want.
Or you can read it in the Cedar Fort book, which I ardently, fervently, and otherwise enthusiastically hope you. . .do not.
Here's why:
I wrote the story used in "A Christmas Star" for the L.A. Times in the early 90's, and they slapped the cheesey headline on it: "How Santa Spread Cheer Without Eight Tiny Reindeer." At the time, I was writing regular essays/columns for what was called the "Life and Style" section, more affectionately known as "Strife and Bile" for its pandering to political correctness and touchy-feely sentimentality. I wrote about a hundred columns for L&S before being offered a regular gig there---only to have said offer rescinded because, as one enlightened editor ruled, "we have too many white male columnists here." (See 10/11/06 Riposte.)
(Merrrrrrrry Christmas, Rip!)
Well, the Times paid me for that article, about $350 or $400, I guess, which enabled me to buy a few extra ginger snaps to go with my eggnog that Yule. But the Times also did something that would make Santy frown, that would take the rosy red glow right out of his cheeks, something very, very un-Christmasy---something you would expect from Scrooge and Marley, Ltd.
Some might call it extortion. The Times called it "business."
This noble newspaper changed its freelance contracts to claim total rights to whatever it purchased---as opposed to traditional first-publication-only. And if freelancers didn't sign such a contract, the Times would not buy their work.
At least they didn't send someone to your home to break your knuckles.
At that time, I was what was termed a "regular contributor" to the Times. This meant I was a full-time employee without any of regular rights or regular benefits of full-time regular employees. This is also called "business." What's more, because I was angling for that full-time column which was later withdrawn due to my gender and race, I cut back all other freelance work. The Times, at that moment, comprised about 90 percent of my regular income.
Then there was the little complicating fact that I could just barely manage to get up and walk to the store every day to buy groceries, courtesy of a paralyzing three-year bout with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My Times paychecks, after rent, were going to doctors and supplements. Typing was a workout.
Did I want to sign that contract? Every bit as much as I would like to congratulate George W. Bush for a job well done in Iraq.
Did I sign that contract? You betcha.
Did I think that someday my Santa-in-the-taxi column might be licensed to a proselytizing Mormon publisher for profit? And used for the cover illustration?
You betcha I didn't.
And there are more presents under this tree:
The "author" of "Under a Christmas Star" is one Carol Jean Coombs. That's correct. Author. My name and story are in this book, but Carol Jean Coombs is on cover as the author, apparently because she compiled the contents. Gee, I'd sure like to be considered an "author" for compiling a bunch of stuff written by other people!
You're welcome, Carol, baby! Glad to oblige!
Of course, it just fills me with the Christmas spirit that Carol liked my story enough to want to compile it. And whew, that compiling is hard author work! Here's what Carol said to a little newspaper: "Getting permission from the copyright holders was time-consuming and because some of the stories are 20 to 40 years old, a real challenge." Right! Almost as hard as writing! I wonder how much of an author challenge it was to secure my column from the fine people at the L.A. Times.
Yes, of course I looked into suing. I know that's just so humbug of me, but gee, it's the season. So I spoke with an excellent attorney who specializes in theft of one's work. Well, it turns out that I have every bit as strong a case as Saddam Hussein had in that Iraq courtroom. Even if I wanted to sue, there is the little matter of the Times extortion---er, contract. And another little matter called a statute of limitations which gives me three years after publication to file (it's been five.) And another little matter called settlement not covering lawyer fees.
Ho ho ho.
It's just another example of legalized crime that defines our world, of course. I mean, you wonder why criminals bother to break any laws, when you can steal legally. No---no one here has broken any laws---not the Times, not Cedar Fort, not author Carol Jean Coombs. Moral and ethical laws are another matter, but anyone who believes in such things can go fly a reindeer.
Still, I can't help but say this is all not very. . .Christian.
So there you have it. My writing has helped enable some Mormons to make some money. Of course, I do not like or approve of the Church of the Latter Day Saints---I think their members are painting without a brush, buttoning without a shirt---and I suspect the Church would not like or approve of me. The closest I've ever come to a Mormon Church was stumbling around on codeine outside the Tabernacle one morning about 5 o' clock (long story.)
In the meantime, I hear that "Under a Christmas Star" is quite popular. A friend in Atlanta told me that when it was given away as a gift at a recent book club party, there were "ooo's and ahhh's."
I'm a commercial success at last.
Why, you might even call me a Christmas Star!
---RIP RENSE

This is a great Christmas Book to add to your Christmas book collection. The stories in this book are inspirational and full of the Christmas spirit. This is a book that the entire family will enjoy!!

I couldn't put it down. The stories are without exception warm and meaningful. I am giving this book to my grandchildren. Sharing these stories is sharing the best of Christmas with them.

This gem includes 25 stories that will appeal to readers of all ages. Most are true. Each story tells of the warmth and love of others--the real light of Christmas. They uplifted and inspired me. The author selected her best stories, most unavailable elsewhere, from a collection gathered over more than 40 years. Authors vary from famous writers and newspaper reporters to people who just wanted to share a personal Christmas experience. The 25 stories are short-- perfect for the whole family to read together each night throughout December. This is a book I will read over and over again--at Christmas time or whenever I want to remember the goodness we all have inside us.

Most collections of stories, Christmas or otherwise, have a bunch of mediocre selections, a few good ones, and one or two great ones--but this book manages to have ALL great ones. Plus, they're not those sappy ones that make you roll your eyes; they're touching without being obnoxious. Maybe it's because almost all of the stories are true experiences, told in a straightforward way. My personal favorites are "The Gold and Ivory Tablecloth" by Howard Schade, "A Christmas Gift I'll Never Forget" by L.D. Hummel, and "My Christmas Miracle" by Taylor Caldwell. Okay, also "How Santa Spread Cheer Without Eight Tiny Reindeer," by Rip Rense. (I'm a school teacher, and I'm going to read some of these to my third graders in December.) Enjoy the joy!

This is a hero. Really. Anybody that can come through all he did-and laugh about it-MUST be a hero. I rather expected to be bored when I saw how long it was going to take him to actually get to the prison camp. Uh uh. Not at all.

As a member of the younger generation, I take off my hat (if I wore one) to Bill Ash. He has a brilliant sense of humor-and yet doesn't belittle or diminish the severity of his situation. Something that could very accurately be called a fire, despite the clichedness (word?) of that phrase, is conveyed, very modestly, as burning inside of him. Somehow he gives some of it to the reader-that calmness, that strength. If he can go through all of that-and not be bitter-surely I won't complain about all the little molehills bothering me. Right?

However, even all of this might not be enough to commend a book, some books that should by all rights be amazing aren't. But Bill Ash and Brendan Foley together make something magnificent.

In summation:
Amazing book. Couldn't put it down. Don't miss it.

I was ill and needed some light reading and found this on the cheap rack at my local bookstore. As one who's best memory growing up was reading The Great Escape I'd read most accounts of those involved. I didn't think a peripheral player in that drama would have anything new or give much insight but I was wrong. His strength was escaping but you read where he probably lacked a bit on the other side of the wire. It's to the readers' benefit.

Ash doesn't waste the readers time with unnecessary personal history but that which he shares is interesting - especially the parts about riding the rails as a college graduated hobo. He was one of the earliest Americans to go to Canada and volunteer. His perspective of his training is unique and you get an Americans perspective of what life was like living in England during the darkest days of WWII. When he finally gets shot down he gets very lucky then unlucky. His account of his interrogation/torture is more detailed than what I've read in most other POW stories.

His time as a POW though is the real meat and potatoes of the story. What's truly insightful and interesting are his profiles of the early escapers. I was fascinated with his description of the original Big X (Pre-Roger Bushell), Jimmy Buckley who was unfortunately killed - it's touched on in the Great Escape. Getting the idea that escape would be easier from an NCO POW camp, he made the switch and his account there provides some original and amazing stories. I thought the NCO's would not have been as resourceful as the officers but this book proved me wrong. The NCO's were some of the most colorful and inventive escapers of the war. Certainly more needs to be written on their experience. Particularly the story of the incredibly heroic George Grimson was worth the book alone. I've had to re-read his story in the book a few times.

One mass escape at the NCO camp was amusing. The POW's fooled the Germans into believing none had escaped, then only those caught were missing and so on until the Germans became thoroughly confused. The POW's even fooled the Gestapo many times without serious recrimination.

Ash's final days as a POW are some of the best, most descriptive I've read and he ends to book perfectly. I enjoyed the easy prose and his is a story that deserves all the acclaim it gets.

"Under The Wire" by William Ash (with Brendan Foley). Sub-titled, "The World War II Adventures Of A Legendary Escape Artist And `Cooler King'". St. Martin's Press, New York 2005.

William Ash was raised in Depression-Era Texas, where he learned the hard way that life is rough. Those lessons stood him in good stead when he became an expert escape artist from the POW camps of Nazi Germany. As he said, on page 22, his "twilight actives" prepared him by: "...being an unwelcome nonpaying passenger, learning how to avoid the attention of guard dogs or the authorities, sharing food and political discussions with men just as badly off as myself , and sometimes just learning to laugh in the face of everything the world could throw at me." He calls his younger days as "An Apprenticeship In Escapology".

Building on the first two chapters, he then relates the story of his decision to fly for the RAF, his aviation training, first in Canada, and then in the actual combat zone in England during the Blitz. Because of his flying for the RAF, he had to renounce his American citizenship. There are vivid descriptions of London under the bombs, with destruction and fire seemingly everywhere. Then comes the chapter that changes everything: "The Day Of Reckoning". (page 85): "I cut my engine, since it was clearly full of holes and not doing much good".

Shot down over occupied France, William Ash is helped by some French farmers, who struggle with his high school French but help him to find the underground resistance. He is, however, captured in Paris in June 1942, but not before he was able to enjoy the city of Paris as any tourist would do. The bulk of the book, from page 101 (the capture) to page 307 (his return to London) deals with his experiences with German Prisoner Of War system. The Gestapo threatens to shot him as a spy, as he is in civilian clothes, etc. He is "rescued" from the Gestapo by the Luftwaffe, as the German Air Force claimed all air force type POWs as their responsibility. Ash then relates his travels from camp to camp, through bombed out German cities, and finally arriving in a POW camp about as far East as the Reich went. His escape attempts are recorded in detail and his punishments, each time he was re-captured, made him, as the book flap recounts, the "real-life `cooler king'". This book documents a real-life "Great Escape" story.

The subject matter for this book sounds grim: Ash starts off talking about life in the Great Depression, and ends up talking about his experiences being thrown into (and escaping out of) German POW camps. In fact, though, this is one of the most thrilling, funny, suspenseful and inspiring books I've read in some time. Ash's optimism, indomitable spirit, and wonderful sense of humor got him through the war, and they're all on display on just about every page.

Ash is also a keen observer--a trait that no doubt helped him pull off his daring escapes, and one that enables him to bring the characters he met along the way to vivid life.

In short, "Under The Wire" reads like a great thriller. The fact that it's all true makes it all the more gripping and inspiring.

When I began reading UNDER THE WIRE, I expected a story of heroic "derring-do", recalled with a sort of misty, stiff-upper lipped nostalgia by a Grand Lion in the winter of his remarkable life.

Instead, I got so, so much more.

Bill Ash's life is remarkable by anyone's yardstick. From his earliest childhood in Depression-era Texas, he was a hero, ready and eager to take on any bully. While America watched as Europe fell to a maniacal Hitler, he made a decision to personally take on the biggest bully in modern history.

Remarkable? Brave? Courageous? Yes, all of these adjectives describe the heroic life of Bill Ash.

But his life, and his story -- told so extraordinarily well by Ash and his co-writer, Brendan Foley -- is also funny, human and a lesson in living one's life with heart and a true moral compass.

There is as much Huck Finn and Jack Kerouac in Ash's war stories, as there is John Wayne.

Like all great tales of history, UNDER THE WIRE does more than offer adventure after adventure (and WOW, what adventures Bill had!)

The book offers a sense of the times, a sense of the politics, insights into the dangers, the choices, the cat-and-mouse existence of a Prisoner of War.

Bill played cat-and-mouse with the Third Reich, and did it brilliantly.

And I have never read an adventure story with so much genuine humor!

UNDER THE WIRE is a glorious tribute to the sort of person we long for, but never really see anymore: a true hero.

And it's a great, entertaining read.

This is a story that takes you back to a time when the Civil War had just ended and slavery has ended as well. Virgie is a young girl who is trying to keep up with her five boys who go to school. She wants to go to school herself. Her brothers tell her things like, "girls don't go to school", "school's too hard", and such. Virgie is a very determined young girl. There is a lot of American history information in the story. It talks about things like, the Quakers, who were a religious group back in this time who had come over to America. This group of people helped out the slaves during this time. The story also talks about Abraham Lincoln, who was against slavery and fought to end slavery during his term. This story goes on to show Virgie in the field with her mother picking pole beans and talks about her stirring soap for her Mama. These were some of the many chores young slave girls were to do during this time. Virgie continues to ask her mother and father if she can go to school. This story is by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard who is telling a story about her grandfather's life during this time. Her grandfather is C.C. in the story.

In VIRGIE GOES TO SCHOOL WITH US BOYS, a young girl is unable to go to school with her six brothers. After much begging, she finally convinces her parents that girls should be able to learn also and reassures them that she can travel the seven miles to the school run by the Quakers. Though one would imagine the journey is rough for a small child, little Virgie keeps up with her brothers and arrives at school with them, ready to learn.

While this story is loosely based on the author's grandfather (one of Virgie's brothers), it symbolizes what many blacks must've felt during the Reconstruction period -- the need to use education as a stepping stone towards freedom. As with a lot of his other books E. B. Lewis uses the watercolor medium for VIRGIE GOES TO SCHOOL WITH US BOYS. His illustrations perfectly complement the story, bringing the reader into each page, and closer to Virgie and her family.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

My children always grow quiet with wonder when I read this tale of Virgie and her brothers, former slaves of the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. To learn to read and write, the boys travel seven miles each week to get to the school founded by Quakers (folks who love the Lord). They slosh through a river with their pail full of food and move silently through a dark wood. Their little sister Virgie longs to learn too and over the summer she lets everyone know it. After months of her prodding, Virgie's parents agree that she too is free and that even little girls needed to learn. Her big brother CC looks out for her on the trip (she falls in the river but doesn't cry) and enjoys her wonder upon seeing the school and the wonderful, beautiful bookcase full of books. "I'm going to read them all," she says touching them lightly. And from the wonderful writing of her descendant who wrote this book, we know that she must have. It's a beautiful story.

?Girls don?t need school.? This is the initial tone for Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys in the beginning. This book is honest with its stereotypes and use of language (considering the time it is set in), yet liberal in it?s moral. This book is sharp in its interpretation of how life was immediately following slavery, yet daring enough to portray life honestly and frank. The illustrations are vivid and clear allowing the reader to perceive Virgie?s(the main character)exact environment. As you read the book, the pictures draw you into the story as if you are another sibling for one of her brothers to pick on. The emotions on each character?s faces are clear as if you can read their minds. The watercolors bring the characters to life right before your eyes and portray life as realistic as a picture. Any child would get lost in the beautiful art in these illustrations, as well as learn a little something about the importance of learning.

Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys is notable for its subject matter and illustrations. The story concerns a young African-American girl in Post-Reconstruction Tennessee who hungers to follow her five older brothers to school; young African-American girls did not typically attend school during this time. The story is told in first person by one of the brothers, who is sympathetic to her cause. (Some of the brothers are against her accompanying them, and their comments add tension to the story--will their predictions come true?) The illustrations, watercolors by E.B. Lewis, provide an engaging yet gentle way into the text. The book provides a story interesting to young school age kids (is it possible that kids could actually yearn to be able to go to school?), and also an avenue to talking about social history. As a linguist, I especially liked the respectful yet accurate depiction of Black English Vernacular, which lends the book an evocative note. The book is 'officially' recommended for ages 4-8. Because of the history theme I would extend that to ten year olds.

The book is well written and is a great overview of the VJ culture, the DVD is full of excerpts form live perfomances by the major artist around, interviews and CGI videos. A must-have for VJS!

Just finished reading this book and have to say its amazing.

very insightful cross section of the Vj community. Much to be learnt about the wide range of VJs out there.

It has a good mix between articles on specific issues, looking at the world of VJs, and technical articles explaining how established VJs have their setup.

The DVD has been produced to a very high standard, and like the book lots of informative content is on it.

The book looks beautiful with all the UV pages, and so much design work has gone into it.

anyone who has not got this book yet is missing out big time, recommended to the highest degree.

I was contacted by D-Fuse for an interview for a book a few months ago. I am a VJ as well and I was expecting some sort of paper bag book when it came out. I got it yesterday, a day after my birthday in fact and I have never seen a book (if you can call it just that) with so much detail and so much artistic value.

The audio-visual art + vj culture is one of those books you need to have in your livingroom for your friend to look up despite its content yet. Tp make it better there is so much information inside, even a graphic on how many VJs are per country.

Is a book compared to those of Frank Lloyd Wight. Is one of those books that make you feel like having one even you do not know what is about. The best thing is that you will learn a lot because of the way all reference are managed. And you know what? I'm on page 160!!!

Really good work regarding content and desing, I am very very impress. I am about to get another one, one to show to the people and another one for me.

This book is a brilliant piece of art as much as it is a great resource for beginning and established VJs. The presentation of pictures and graphics is stunning, and looking at all of the eyecandy in the book can be inspiring.

This book does a great job of showcasing the best talent in the business in the form of interviews and articles. There are also some really great tips and how-to guides that even the most experienced VJ can learn from. Equipment hardware and software is covered thoroughly and explained in detail.

This is truly a book all VJs should add to their bookcase because it will always serve as a great reference tool as well as entertain and enage you as a casual reader. I highly recommend this book to all VJs and people that have a passion for motion graphics and live performance art.

This book was several years in the making, and I admire the dedication of those involved in getting it to print.

Unfortunately, that means that in such a rapidly-moving field, it's a bit out of date. Several of the acts featured have disappeared off the radar by now, and there are some quite glaring omissions - such as the EyeWash DVDs, Resolume software (currently used by around a third of the world's top VJ's) and uh... PC's. This wouldn't bother me as much if not for the tagline on the back cover which touts 'full details of the hardware and software available for VJing are provided'. I'd suggest that 'examples of hardware and software available for Mac-based VJing are provided'.

If you get the impression that you need a pair of Mac Powerbooks to VJ from the setups and info given in this book, don't worry - that's not the case. The scene featured in this book is just one aspect of international VJ Culture, and it's been curated from a particularly Mac perspective.

It's a graphic-design triumph - you couldn't ask for more beautiful, slick presentation. The background of Faulkner and other members of D-Fuse as print-based graphic designers with decades of experience between them really shows. Personally, I find the layering and shiny panels a bit distracting and hard to read at one sitting, and I feel like I should put on gloves every time I pick it up as the slightest touch leaves great grubby fingerprints on some of the shinier pages. But it's a stunning, jaw-dropping book, which is just what the scene needed.

To be honest, I don't see this as a book to read so much as to show-off. VJing is a very visual artform, so what better way to communicate what it's all about than in gorgeous, awe-inspiring imagery? Even if it's a bit of a struggle to actually sit and read it cover-to-cover, it's the PERFECT coffee-table book. You couldn't ask for a better showcase for potential clients, newbie wannabes or... well... your Mum... to show what VJing is and why you're dedicating yourself to it despite the bad pay, the expensive equipment, the long hours, etc etc.

A friend of ours runs a Band House, where touring members of bands stay when they're performing in her town. She's a VJ, and so in a good position to plug 'have you thought about using visuals?' on a daily basis. She said this book's been the perfect way to do that - she just leaves a copy lying around and the muso's thumb through it over their breakfast.

The DVD is a huge improvement over that provided with Spinrad's 'the VJ Book'. There's a load of great material on it, and most of it's of an equivalent standard to the imagery in the book - the glamour, high-end of the VJ scene. Positively wow-worthy, and the most impressive DVD collection of live VJing I've seen to date. Some of my favourite parts though were cut very short - eg just a minute or two long - and then there's the bizarrely out of place inclusion of long swathes of content by Elliott Earls, most of which has little to do with the VJ scene - eg a long mockumentary called the Saranay Hotel. Given that there was so much other great VJ content that could have gone on there, I can't work out why Earls' doco was included. It's got nothing to do with VJing or audio-visual art, and the quality is so vastly different to everything else on the DVD.

Like Spinrad's VJ Book before it, I've bought multiple copies of this book/DVD to give away whenever I can afford it. I take a copy to meetings with new clients, and I lend copies to newbie VJs that come along to our Plug n Play nights. The real problem is keeping a copy for myself, as everyone wants to take it home.

The VJ scene is really still very young - maybe equivalent to the DJ scene of two or three decades ago - and we need some impressive look-at-me Superstar VJ's to get the public to take notice, so that the rest of us can get on with doing what we do with hopefully a bit more attention being paid to what's going on behind the scenes on the screens.

I think this book is probably the single biggest factor so far in that process of getting the public to take notice. It's a lush, visually stunning celebration of a new phenomenon. Thanks so much to Faulkner and the rest of D-Fuse for giving this to the scene. Every VJ should own a copy. Or three.

VJ kattyb, VJzoo.com

This is a must read for anyone interested in this subject.
God bless

This book was not what expected, however one of the things that impressed me and that I really like about the book is the history it provides of plural marriage - it's roots, the reasons the church denounced it, and more.

Consider this passage found on page 78:

"I chose to live in plural marriage. I believe it to be a celestial principle calculated to turn me into the person I want to be - full of love, kindness and faithfulness.

"This principle puts my soul to the test as it divides my carnal, selfish nature from my spiritual nature and makes me choose between them every day. Whichever nature I choose is strengthened, so I know that through the years this process will form me into the woman of pure, Christ-like love I want to be, if that is the path I follow."

This is just one example of the dedication to higher spiritual principles which permeates the testimonies found in this marvelous book.

Here is another quote from page 80:

"I have been very blessed in living the principle. I now have a little boy who couldn't be loved more. I have a wonderful sisterwife who loves our little boy as though he were her very own. I have a great husband who conducts himself in a Godly manner, and who loves and provides for his family."

I find that so beautiful!

How I wish that all those who profess to being Christian and to following the Word of God would take the time to do as the Bereans did and search the Scriptures - openly and honestly - to see for themselves.

Where in the Scriptures is polygamy condemned? You might be surprised to know that God portrays Himself as a polygamist (Ezekiel 23).

For my part, I bow before these women and their husbands for their dedication to marriage and family and higher spiritual values. Were only this dedication not from something which has been added to the Bible - i.e. the law of celestial plural marriage. Surely, the Dominion Mandate is principle enough, were it to be taken seriously.

Voices in Harmony is a book which looks at Mormon plural marriage from the point of view of the women involved. It is very beautifully written and insightful. At times it is very moving, for example when terrifying episodes of persecution (of polygamists) are described. Yet they remain a very spiritual, very religious people, and that undoubtedly is a strength for them in this unusual domestic arrangement.

A curious fact garnered from it: the women of Utah were amoung the first in the world to be granted the vote. Washington DC granted them the vote in 1870, in the hope that they would vote for the anti-polygamy candidate. Unfortunately, the polygamous Utah wives were happy with their lot, for they voted for the Mormon candidate. Just 17 years later, in 1887, Washington evidently came to the conclusion that the women of Utah could not be trusted to vote for the "correct" candidate, and so they were disenfranchised. This happened as part of the infamous Edmunds-Tucker Act.

It also occurs to me that there is a fratricidal element in this: in 1890 the LDS Church publicly retracted its support for plural marriage, in return for more respectful treatment from Washington; and nowadays, these "monogamy-only" Mormons appear to dominate state institutions in Utah--the recent Tom Green case (covered briefly in this book) being an example.

I wonder, had this polygamous community been, say, moslem, or jewish, or hindu--or even patriarchal pagan--and not Mormon, wether people would want to bother them. Perhaps it would not make any difference, even so: I recall reading on the Niqabi Paralegal site, that the Native American tribes were pressured by Washington into making polygamy illegal in their tribal law, in exchange for more respectful treatment. Some tribes conceded. Others did not.

But back to Voices in Harmony. Another curious historical fact: President Buchanan at one point sent an army to Utah, to finish off polygamy once and for all. But the army did not fire a shot, and had to be recalled, when the Civil War broke out."Buchanan's Folly" it was called.

This is curioser than it seems: I recall reading, in Schott's Miscellany, that Buchanan was a bachelor president. A bachelor president declaring war on polygamous Mormons! Interesting.

Voices in Harmony is absorbing reading, and thought-provoking. The middle section, in which 100 plural wives speak in their own words, is especially interesting. It occurred to me that even monogamous people, who want to learn the secret(s) of happy marriage and family life, could learn from this.

Finally, there is a book that tells of the faith, hope, courage and determination of women that live to fulfill what they want to have in their lives. You won't find any of the ridiculous sensational garbage that you read in the news. This book is about down to earth women like you and me. Women that have endured great hardship to live their religion. An excellent book for anyone wanting to know what the truth is behind the headlines and scare tatics of the news. This is truly a heartwarming journey through the lives of women from different groups and ages. Women who have dedicated their lives to living the principles they espouse.

This was purchased as a favor to a friend who wanted an add'l copy to send to his mom.

Excellent book - practical spiral binding inside a hard cover, so the book will lay open nicely when you are working from the recipes. Beautiful pictures of the foods and various B&B's along with many tasty recipes that are not too complicated for the average cook. Information on several B&B's is included as well. I have given this out as a gift twice already.

I made the Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle for a Neighborhood Harvest Party, and I won the award for the best dessert brought! People raved about it and said it was awesome -- beautiful and delicious! One of the neighbors decided to purchase the cookbook to give to her daughter who was wanting an outstanding dessert to serve for a party.

There are so many different and wonderful recipes, it's hard to start. But I have to tell you about the Beer Braised and Balsamic Vinegar Lamb with Rosemary White Beans. Give me a break!!! I couldn't even read the recipe without salivating!! (How embarassing!) It is one of the most unusual orchestrations of flavors I've ever experienced!! This is a special dinner, a night when you polish the silver candlesticks, chill some nice wine, and hope for rain, because you won't want anyone disturbing you at this dinner. The only thing I'd add, are a few of your best friends, then enjoy this elegant culinary event!!

This book contains illustrations, descriptions, and 11 specific items of information about 85 different Bed and Breakfast Country Inns in the state of Washington plus their most requested or favorite recipes. I especially liked one simply called "Bubble Bread" which included nuts, brown sugar, butterscotch pudding mix, and cinnamon in the ingredients!! The book lies flat when opened, has a beautiful hard cover,and is attractively printed in two colors. The authors also thoughtfully included tables of oven temperature equivalents, baking pan sizes, liquid and dry measures (including metric conversions), and high altitude adjustment suggestions. A special feature appearing throughout the book is entitled "Carol's Corner" where one of the authors records hints and happenings which developed during the testing of all recipes submitted. Tantalizing titles of some of the recipes are Banana Blueberry Muffins, Northwest Salmon Pie, Santa Cruz Sweet and Sour Zucchini Salad, Apple Breakfast Lasagna, Comeback Hash, and Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle. You'll love the book for yourself and it would make a much-appreciated gift.

This book is awesome and powerful!!

Nancy Missler gives biblical advice on how to love God's Way and she delivers this life changing truth in a beautiful and simple way!

It doesn't matter if you're a guy or girl, young or old, married or single- if you are a Christian you have to put this at the top of your reading list!

Nancy Missler's book is for those who have gone through life difficulties. And who hasn't? Every person goes through something in life that will challenge us to grow either emotionally, or spiritually.

It could be a difficult marriage, or a depression, or a painful childhood, or past mistakes, or perhaps a betrayal of a friend. The book gives many examples of how people have pulled through trying times. How did they do this? By learning to love themselves and others God's way.

The Way of Agape encourages us to look at the bigger picture, and seek out God's love in the midst of our difficulties. Nancy Missler encourages us to begin to see things from God's perspective. If God truly lives in our hearts, how can our lives reflect this fact? Nancy Missler explores this and the many facets of love and relationships, and scriptures related to God's love.

Experiencing tough times is something we can all count on , and having God's tools available to cope, not only builds character, but builds and heals lives..what can be better than that?

Nancy Missler has offered us something of real value that we can use and apply in our daily lives. Great book and great study on love.

So many of us who claim to be Christians believe that we are loving others with the love of God. The dilemma is that only God can impart that kind of love to us as we seek His will above our own. Nancy Missler uncovers the reasons for the failures in our lives and shows us the only way to truly overcome them - by loving others and laying down our "right" to our own feelings, desires, and ways of doing things that are typically diametrically opposed to God's ways. This book is one of the most influential and instrumental instruction manuals for maturing your walk with Christ, freeing you up, and opening up your love floodgates. Nancy teaches us what it means to love God in practical, easy-to-recall terms. She outlines a practical methodology for rising above the challenges in life to achieve victory and progress rather than always repeating our failures. Read it and gain victory!!

There are very few books I would call "life changing," but The Way of Agape is one of them. Even if you're already a Christian, this book is a must read.

Also the book could use a good editing, and sometimes you might feel your wading through some small sections, the message Missler is giving is clear and extremely important.

You really gotta read this one.

I went through this book with the study guide in a women's bible study group and haven't been the same since. I highly recommend it. It gave me not only a new perspective on God's love but practical tools for applying God's love in every day situations. On a scale of 1 to 5 I give it a 6.

It's kind of a catch 22. You can write the best web copy but if your website loads slowly no one will stick around to read it. But how can you make your site stand out, while keeping the loading times reasonable?

Fortunately, Website Optimizing shows the average person how they can have full website optimization. Now you don't have to make a choice. You can have a quick loading website that looks professional and still create great web copy that demands attention.

I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by Website Optimizing. I expected it to be heavy on optimizing code and graphics. I never really expected this book to discuss web copy. Putting the two types of information together makes perfect sense.

This book does more than talk about the basics of SEO. It dives into topics that go well beyond the `technical' aspects (e.g., keywords, titles, etc) and talks about persuasive language, fast load times and engaging websites. Once I saw this, I was very intrigued and told Andy that I'd be happy to review the book.

I'm glad I said yes. The book is excellent...and from what I've seen, it is THE book on Website Optimization. Gone are the days of scouring the web for bits and pieces of info on how to optimize....this book contains it all.

Unlike most other books in this genre, this book is much more than just an overview of the concepts of website optimization. Detailed descriptions, case studies and in-depth discussions of the `why, what and how' of optimization are provided to allow the reader to immediately take action with their own websites.

For those of you interested in the entire spectrum of website optimization (i.e., page load times, search engine friendliness, optimization techniques etc), this is the book for you. I expect that this book will be THE website optimization book for years to come.

I sometimes marvel at how much certain authors can pack into a few hundred pages. That's certainly the case here.

Up to now, when people asked me about doing better with their websites, I'd refer them to a small stack of books and a few more web resources to get them started. With this, I won't need to: everything they need to know is here in one place.

I liked that he uses real examples and isn't afraid of code. Too many books in this genre are either all code or ignore it entirely.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be recommending it to others.

Andy has written a very thorough, very detailed, relentlessly practical book about how to make incremental changes to your website that you can measure and prove to improve its performance and (most importantly) to increase your effectiveness and profits from internet commerce.

This book is detail oriented and presents a very methodical approach towards web development as a path of continuous improvement, continuous measurement, and cumulative advantage from focusing on the precise details that matter. Andy is on top of his game and is sharing his techniques - a sure winner.

Andy King scored a big hit in 2003 with his first book 'Speed Up Your Site'. It's a guide which still has its own live web site where you can analyse the effectiveness of your web pages. This latest magnum opus goes way beyond that in scope and depth.

It's a guide to maximising every aspect of a website and its performance.It's an amazingly practical manual, with page after page of ideas, suggestions, and strategies for getting your pages more widely known and read. On the whole, it's not too technical, and he supplies snippets of code only when necessary. All the tips are within the grasp of anyone who is used to running a web site, and along the way he explains the principles of search engine optimization (SEO) as well as briefing you on how SEs treat your site.

This is an up-to-date account of how search engines such as Yahoo and Google rank your pages and deal with search requests. He also presents real-life case studies in which he shows 'before and after' makeovers of professional sites. These are most instructive in that the 'before' pages look attractive and professional enough - until their underlying weaknesses are analysed and rectified. The improvements give what are claimed as up to fifty times more site visitors per day, and in the case of a cosmetic dentist the need to employ more staff and move to bigger offices in Philadelphia.

The first half of the book deals with search engine marketing optimization, which can be expensive as one enters the world of paid advertising. But the second concentrates on things which anyone can do and afford - making pages smaller, lighter, and faster by trimming off the surplus fat. In an age of faster and faster broadband connections, web users are simply not prepared to wait more than a couple of seconds for a page to appear - so you've got to make important pages lean and speedy:Web page optimization streamlines your content to maximise display speed. Fast display speed is the key to success with your website. It increases profits, decreases costs, and improves customer satisfaction (not to mention search engine rankings, accessibility, and maintainability).

All of these issues are dealt with in detail - and I particularly liked the fact that he was prepared to repeat some of the techniques when they occurred in different contexts. It's not always easy to grasp some of these technologies in one simple pass. Especially as - in the case of optimizing images - he explains no less than sixteen possibilities for cutting file size and speeding up downloads.He's also keen on the optimization of style sheets and shows an amazing variety of techniques for creating what he calls 'CSS Architecture'. Here too there are no less than ten strategies explained which offer cleaner, tighter, coding and the use of structural markup to beat browser peculiarities and rendering delays.

Most of his explanations are clearly articulated, but occasionally he lapses into less than elegant repetition and jargon, which could deter the inexperienced:

"By converting old-style nonsemantic markup into semantic markup, you can more easily target noncontiguous elements with descendant selectors."

Fortunately, this sort of thing only happens occasionally. There are some very nifty tricks for creating buttons and rollover techniques using style sheets, which saves the time to download a graphic files button, and thus once again speeds up page rendering.

He puts in two chapters on advanced web performance and optimizing JavaScipt and Ajax on your site which I have to admit went beyond my technical competence. But then it's back to terra firma with understanding the metrics of your site's performance - that is, knowing how to analyse the statistical data returned by website analysers such as Google's Analytics and WebTrends. I've never been able to understand before what page 'bounce rate' was until it was explained here - and I was astonished when I saw the results from some of my own pages!

As the search for more detailed information and for planning campaigns goes on - so the process becomes more like a science. There are graphs and formulae scattered around these pages to prove this. It's the same for Pay Per Click advertising (PPC). All I can say is that if you are in this league, Andy King is your friend, and his advice is here thick on the ground to help you.

Recieved order promptly. Book was in great condition. Smooth ordering process. Would def. recommend. A+

Juliet Marillier's The Well of Shades combines poetic writing with strong character development in this third installment of the Bridei Chronicles. The two main characters, Faolan and Eile, are among the most realistic characters Juliet has ever portrayed. Both of these characters share tragic pasts, but with the help of each other, work to overcome them. Juliet Marillier did an excellent job at interweaving multiple storylines in this novel without neglecting any characters or plots. As always, the historic setting of Marillier's work draws readers in to a new world, filled with love, war, earthly spirits, magic and transformation- in both body and soul. Readers of the previous two books will be amazed at the heart warming development of Faolan and Broichan.

This is by far Juliet Marillier's best book yet (And all of her books are worth 5 stars), but new readers should be advised to at least read Blade of Fortriu first.

In the sixth-century, bard and king's spy, Fortriu Faolan of the Uí Néill clan has been assigned three complex and difficult tasks. Pict King Bridei orders Faolan to locate a cleric Colmcille. For himself, Faolan needs to go home to Erin to make peace with his family whom he left behind a decade ago after they were all devastated with the death of his oldest brother. Finally the hardest task of all of all is that he owes his late friend Deord the courtesy of informing the man's family that he died.

Faolan travels to Cloud Hill to deal with the most demanding of his chores, but finds an even more formidable task awaits him when he meets Deord's indigent sixteen years old daughter, Eile and her infant. He puts his personal quest and that of his monarch on hold to escort the child and grandchild of his brother in arms back to the safety of King Bridei's court. However, instead of returning to his mission, he and Eile become entangled in a scheme to destroy Bridei's half-fey son, Derelei. Bridei' enemies hope tis he beginning of the end of the ruler's dream to unite the country under his rule.

Book Three of the exciting historical fantasy Bridei Chronicles (see THE DARK MIRROR and BLADE OF FORTRIU) is a terrific entry as the audience learns more about the pasts of Bridei and Faolan. The story line is fast-paced and will elate fans of the series yet newcomers will have no problem understanding the plot as it can stand alone. Readers will enjoy Faolan's latest escapades as he teams up with the teenage daughter of his late friend.

Harriet Klausner

Marillier is back on track with her Chronicles here. She brings in new characters, develops changes in old ones, twines them together, sprikles on some passion dust, and viola! Who would not be enchanted once again? It's like I've always said about her, she tells this story, and for myself, I feel like an adult version of the child Saraid in this novel, I want that over and over. I find this story and the setting deeply satisfying. I will say the time she portrays to me always feels historically somewhat later than what she is writing about, but I do not care, she does what she does better than almost anyone writing this sort of fantasy. I'm thinking she's got enough started here with the next generation to be able to arc this story through more time yet, and I certainly hope she does just that.

Juliet Marillier's written another winner in her third installment of the Bridei Chronicles.

"The Well of Shades" takes place almost immediately after the second book ("Blade of Fortriu") ends. A heartbroken Faolan returns to his homeland to complete an intelligence mission for Bridei, while also confronting the ghosts of his past. A side quest to inform Deord's family of his death brings Deord's daughter, Eile, into his life. Already open to his emotions (a result of his friendship with Ana from Book Two), his relationship with Eile helps him learn to heal and to love.

Book Three continues to focus on Faolan's road to rediscovery and learning how to feel again. Providing a fascinating backdrop is Bridei's leading Fortriu in a tenuous peace shortly after a great war (Book Two) and in the face of a rapidly changing political climate. A smaller side plot involves Broichan coming to terms with his past and a devious schemer from the Light Isles.

Overshadowing all the events is Bridei's concern that he has offended the Nameless God by not continuing the human sacrifice ceremony at the Well of Shades. But the Well and the ritual itself are just a reflection of the characters' need to come to terms with their past.

While the first two books focus more on the actions of the characters, Book Three really delves into the underlying motivations of the people of Fortriu. We learn more about the characters as their carefully constructed worlds fall apart and they learn to deal with that. Gripping and emotionally intense, this book (and series) is highly recommended.