Lee Books

Awesome. He uses exactly the writing style I love - everything is nested in a broad view of the sweep of Western Civilization - and he quotes the great authors at length for each point (like Augustine! and Lewis!). The book examines deeply each of the classical Seven Deadly Vices, with the following pattern.

First, it demonstrates the ways in which a given vice is far worse than the reader had previously suspected. Then, it shows how that vice is much more prevalent in society than he could have imagined. Finally, it shocks the reader by (partially) revealing the extent to which the vice is operative within himself. Pretty convicting.

Some of Guiness's cultural analysis is particularly interesting. Check out this section from the chapter on envy:

"Envy is less often traced at the public level where it has enormous consequences in many areas - for example, the excessive egalitarianism of all socialism and some forms of modern democracy, the excesses of affirmative action, the barely concealed appeal of progressive taxation and much advertising, the twisted motivation of therapeutic victim playing, the rage for rights and entitlement, the destructive tearing down by gossip columns and television 'gawk shows,' and the fact that any Western societies are becoming increasingly angry, fueling a disturbing culture of rage."

You'll love owning this book.

This book is a must-read! I was skeptical at first because I didn't see the vital importance of learning about the seven deadly sins and seven virtues, but I could not put this book down after starting. I love the way the sins and virtues were compared- I recommend it to everyone, it really opened my eyes. The only word of caution is that it is slow in the beginning, but stick with it and you will be rewarded.

Guiness uses classical and modern literature to take the reader through the topics of the seven deadly sins and seven Beatitudes of Christ. A must read for the college freshman or sophmore getting ready for lit. classes. Provides and excellent framework for interpretation of some of the world's greatest literary minds.

Os Guinness has put together an incredible collection of essays, quotes and works on the subject of moral clarity. The foundation for the study is the comparison of the "seven deadly sins" and how they contrast with the moral principles laid out within the "Sermon on the Mount" from the New Testament. While this study may not be unique, the presentation is so well done that the result challenges conventional thinking through ideological dichotomies that leave no doubt that morality can be defined as a moral standard.

What is amazing is the diversity of opinion presented. From Bertrand Russell and Friedrich Nietzsche, to Soren Kierkegaard and CS Lewis, from Isaac Newton to Calvin and Hobbes, the philosophy and moral presentations leave the reader with the task of sifting through the often opposing worldviews. Interspersed throughout are hundreds of quotes, poetry, and depictions of moral values - both post modern and ancient.

Each chapter looks at one of the "deadly sins" and it's "Beatitude" counterpart, and includes study questions and guidelines for further reading. This book could easily be the basis for a long study of philosophical morality from across cultural and generational perspectives. The study questions themselves are thought provoking and generate far too much to ponder and digest in one reading.

I would consider this book "very highly recommended" in every respect. This one will stay on my shelf, for repeated readings, for years to come. The index and citations alone are worth the price. I can also see this book as the foundation for study groups and further research. Simply put, it is well worth the time to read, review and consider.

This is a helpful collection of editorial articles, quotations, and excerpts from classics of literature or Christian devotion, accompanied by thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion. Each of the seven deadly sins is addressed by several descriptive excerpts and then countered by complementary virtues.

For those who appreciate Richard Foster's two anthologies of Christian devotional classics, "Devotional Classics" and "Spiritual Classics," this is an excellent volume to invest in. I actually found the content more accessible and more enjoyable to read for some reason.

Not the most imaginative or stimulating approach, especially for younger children with a strong creative bent, but it gets the job done and provides a strong foundation for using more creative, play-oriented techniques.

Although it is written for a classroom atmosphere, I bought this book as a supplement to my daughters homeschool curriculum and ended up using it as the one and only Phonics curriculum. It encourages creative writing as the student has to write their own sentence that contain a given word. Great for the first grade level. I highly recommend !

I purchased this title because I needed something more effective than what my child's first grade teacher was using. Step by Step Phonics is very easy to use. It is set up so even a parent who isn't familiar with teaching the reading process can use it with little or no effort.

My daughter quickly learned the phonics patterns and sight words in each unit. She can now pick up any book and read on her own. What I liked best about this book, children learn phenomenal spelling and writing skills while they are learning to read. My daughter really enjoyed learning and illustrating the poems too. It is a great program to use with your child and for primary teachers. I'm glad I found it when I was looking through Amazon's titles last fall. Thank you so much. Now that my child can read, I have one less thing to be concerned with as a parent. I highly recommend this title.

I have used this program with my first grade Title One children. ( These are children who do not qualify for special classes, but need extra help in Reading) It works, it is thorough, and the children really enjoy it! My ESL (English Second Language) students also have improved greatly through this program.

My daughter, Amanda, has been using Step by Step Phonics since she entered first grade. I can't say enough good things about this program. "Step by Step" is fun and easy to understand. Amanda was not very interested in reading when she began her first grade year. By the end of the first period she was already reading, due to Step by Step Phonics and the positive learning approach the author uses. I see a difference between my oldest daughter, Jennifer who was taught by traditional methods, and Amanda, was taught "Step by Step." Amanda learned in 3 months what Jennifer spend her whole first grade year learning. I recommend this program to anyone interested in teaching their child to read. I am looking forward to using this program to teach my two younger children to read.

A collection of heartwarming stories that honors mothers of all ages can be found in "The Story Jar." Top inspirational writers Robin Lee Hatcher, Deborah Bedford and Angela Elwell Hunt team up to produce a continuity story about an ordinary jar that holds an extraordinary power to encourage and heal the heart. The story jar was placed on the alter of a small country church each Mother's Day, and the mothers of the church would each contribute some small memento that has meant something to them during the previous year. Those mementos are the basis for a tale that weaves through several generations of women, and how they drew strength and encouragement from the lessons learned. Also included in "The Story Jar" are tributes from some of the country's top inspirational writers to their mothers including Lori Copeland, Linda Windsor and Jerry Jenkins. This book will inspire women everywhere to rejoice in the gift of children, and after all, this is the reason behind Mother's Day! Now, go get your mom a present!

You won't be disappointed in these tender stories of motherhood. The Story Jar truly celebrates the joys, the heartaches, the fulfillment of being a woman. --Lisa Samson, author of The Church Ladies

As a young woman is cleaning a church, the pastor's widow arrives for a last look around. They find a jar filled with little trinkets from previous church members. The widow explained the jar was "a story jar" and that each item had a special story behind it. Thus three stories emerge about some of the items.

*** A special book just in time for Mother's Day! In between each novella are poems and short true tales from various other people. Many of them are author names I recognize. However, several are not. I saw some poems from children about their mothers. It was so special and gave me such a warm feeling. The stories are inspirational. I found myself near tears of sadness at times, joy at others, and a few times a feeling of awe and wonder that only another mother could understand. Fabulous! ***

This book isn't just for Mother's Day--if you are a mother, have a mother, or would like to BE a mother, this book is for you. The three authors have given us such different stories--they cover all aspects of motherhood, including the desperate wanting to be a mother an infertile woman feels. A lovely book that's as honest as anything I've read lately. There are no easy answers, but God is faithful. I highly recommend!

As a young woman is cleaning a church, the pastor's widow arrives for a last look around. They find a jar filled with little trinkets from previous church members. The widow explained the jar was "a story jar" and that each item had a special story behind it. Thus three stories emerge about some of the items.

*** A special book just in time for Mother's Day! In between each novella are poems and short true tales from various other people. Many of them are author names I recognize. However, several are not. I saw some poems from children about their mothers. It was so special and gave me such a warm feeling. The stories are inspirational. I found myself near tears of sadness at times, joy at others, and a few times a feeling of awe and wonder that only another mother could understand. Fabulous! ***

These modern day tales of Lee Gandee's gandee experiences in the real world as a hexenmeister. He keeps daily logs of any movement of his gandee. Goto gandee.com for the live gandee cam...

It was my great pleasure to be able to know and study with Lee Raus Gandee or "Lee" as I called him in the mid-1970s. He was as fascinating and enigmatic as the book he has written. Sadly, Lee passed from this plane of existance in 1989.

When I first met Lee in 1974, he lived outside Lexington. SC in a house once owned by Mary Englemeyer, a woman who was convicted of withcraft and tortured in 1798. Facing east on the highest point between two bodies of runing water, it was a proper "hex" house. During the three years I studied hexerei with Lee, the unusual became commonplace and I learned that magic was not only real, but a very serious business not to be taken lightly or for improper motives. Though in many ways, a tragic person who saw much sorrow and pain in his life, Lee was also a first rate hexenmister and was, in every respect, the "real McCoy." I once asked Lee " How does one become a Hexenmeister?" He answered "By being a hex until you can mamage it." Over the past twenty five years as a practioner of hexerei/powwow, that answer has echoed again and again in my memory. Real magical practice is a life-log spiritual pursuit as it was in the days when it was more common.

You, the reader, probably don't want to hear these personal anecdotes and memories. The only reason I offer them is to say that if you can get a copy of this book, it is worth your time to read and experience the depth and mood of hexerei/powwowing through the life and stories of a "real master."

Unfortunately, most of what has been written on the topics of hex, pow-wow, and german-american folk healing is out of print (including _Strange Experience_, sadly) or is grossly inaccurate compared to what i've learned about the subject living within ten minutes of both the west virginian and pennsylvania boarders. Mr. Gandee's autobiography is a rare gem next to these other works. In addition to an account of the peculiarities of his own life that lead him into lifestyles few other americans are even aware of, _Strange Experience_ gives detailed instructions on the use of "hex" signs, magical charms, "effective" prayer, and divine healing, and also embarks on many discussions of occult and mysteriouss topics, from dopplegangers to saintly miracles to spiritualism and the after life. Although Mr. Gandee reveals other spiritual and philosophical influences then those native to german appalachia, that just goes to show how organic and flexible the art of hex is, and how likely it is that it still survives in a few places today. For anybody serioussly interested in the magical and healing arts of pennsylvania, west virginia, and german-americans everywhere, this book will prove every bit as invaluable as "The Long Lost Friend" to scholar and practitioner alike.

Unfortunately, most of what has been written on the topics of hex, pow-wow, and german-american folk healing is out of print (including _Strange Experience_, sadly) or is grossly inaccurate compared to what i've learned about the subject living within ten minutes of both the west virginian and pennsylvania boarders. Mr. Gandee's autobiography is a rare gem next to these other works. In addition to an account of the peculiarities of his own life that lead him into lifestyles few other americans are even aware of, _Strange Experience_ gives detailed instructions on the use of "hex" signs, magical charms, "effective" prayer, and divine healing, and also embarks on many discussions of occult and mysteriouss topics, from dopplegangers to saintly miracles to spiritualism and the after life. Although Mr. Gandee reveals other spiritual and philosophical influences then those native to german appalachia, that just goes to show how organic and flexible the art of hex is, and how likely it is that it still survives in a few places today. For anybody serioussly interested in the magical and healing arts of pennsylvania, west virginia, and german-americans everywhere, this book will prove every bit as invaluable as "The Long Lost Friend" to scholar and practitioner alike.

Published at the time of the American occult revival in the 1960s-70s, this book takes you to a world not often seen in contemporary literature: the back country of West Virginia where superstition, hauntings and folk magic are an integral to the consciousness of its citizens. Chock-full of folk-remedys and magic, the book is also valuable beause it illustrates many of the "hex signs" which adorn the barns and houses in that part of the country. Amazing is a chapter where Gandee describes his adolescent sexual relationship with an older boy named, get this, Stud -- amazing at least for a book published in 1971. These tales are never dull, and this is an essential book for anyone interested in witchcraft and the occult.

This book contains interviews with a lot of the emcees out there. There's oldschool and newschool reprezentin. You'll find Schoolly D telling about his musical influences, ICE-T, Canibus and so on and so on. There's also an interview with George Clinton, remember this: without George Clinton there wouldn't be any rap. Don't wait order it now.

I have always believed that hip hop, is America's only TRUE culture. Originated in the U.S., and flourishing all over the globe, hip-hop has become a subject of great interest over the last decade. This book gives much insight as to the origins of hip-hop with interviews and ideas from legends like Grandmaster Flash, Doug E. Fresh and LL Cool J. At the other end of the spectrum, some of hip-hops newer and most intriguing artists are covered from Method Man to Busta Rhymes and even including some of the hottest local and underground rap groups to show the evolution of hip-hop in America. You will see that this virtual encyclopedia of hip-hop facts and philosophy doesn't miss a beat, as you find yourself continuosly nodding your head in awe of the detailed content as you turn each page. Anyone who has a thirst to learn more about the thoughts of their favorite rap artist, or to better understand the culture, philosophy and art of hip-hop, should purchase this book.

This book travels aboveground and underground to intelligently paint hip-hop through candid interviews with an exciting roster of artists. The knowledge that artists will impart in personal settings is truly amazing...the type of sincerety you won't catch on MTV or BET. Street Conscious Rap brought me to another level of understanding for rap and its surrounding culture. I strongly recommend this masterpiece.

Poet Ezra Pound once told literary critic Hugh Kenner that Kenner had an obligation to visit the great people of his time. In "Street Conscious Rap", H. Samy Alim takes this counsel to heart and hand, as he, with James G. Spady, records the words and ideas of hip-hop's innovators and creators. The resulting rarity--the makers of hip-hop speaking, without interpretation, of what they, themselves, think and do--is a resource for study and insight; a document with archival muscle; a testimony for all time.

The interviews in this book are so detailed and in-depth that it made me think differently about some hip hop artists and hip hop as a whole. For instance, Method Man, Common, and Xzibit provide some real insight into the creative processes and abilities involved in hip hop. And Grandmaster Flash provides a first-hand historical account that makes you feel like you were there when hip hop was just getting started. All of the artists tell such amazing stories about their lives and experiences that we don't really read about anywhere else. The book also shows how important hip hop is culturally, historically, and socially -- and the impact it's had on the world. If you're serious about hip hop, this is the book you need to get. It's off tha hook, y'all!

This is an intelligent, well thought out defense of integrating evolutionary biology into cultural antropology. Without any apparent ideological ax to grind, Lee Cronk presents a balanced, witty, and ultimately compelling case for a careful combining of these two frequently competing disciplines. The book is short (only 130 pages) so its argumants are condensed into brief, clear paragraphs followed by a wonderful array of delightful examples. Here are few of the examples used by Cronk.

Mukogodo tribes people of Kenya, studied by Cronk and his wife, profess equal affection and value for their sons and daughters but give far better care to their daughters because they are worth cattle and sheep as brideswealth.

Male scorpionflies use dead insects as gift-food for female scorpionflies to gain mating but will use saliva on a leaf or physical force if no dead insect is available.

Cronk and his wife speak Swahili. So when a Nike commercial had a Samburu warrior statement translated as, "Just do it," they understood that he really said, "I don't want these. Give me big shoes." Cronk's correct translation got into the media and he spent a fun week of interviews. Nike gave Cronk a free pair of hiking boots for all the free publicity.

Tanka women of Hong Kong only nurse their infants with the right breast. In their old age, cancer is rare in the right breast but equal to high western rates in the left breast.

I hope I have tempted you to try this book. It has a very serious purpose and makes a strong case for one side of an academic argument that has gone on for 20 years. But it is very well written, accessible to the general reader, and has lots of wonderful stories to boot.

This short (130 page) book convincingly argues that culture must be taken into account when studying human behavior from an evolutionary perspective. Cronk supports his thesis with well-chosen examples, including references to the Mukogodo, former hunter-gatherers of Kenya with whom he conducts research. His views on the integration of the study of human behavior with the sciences generally, and the role of biology in underlying a universal ethics ("it is not clear that it is a sound basis on which to develop a system of ethics or that it truly offers us any way around the problem of cultural relativism"), should interest many. One issue I wish had been addressed more, however, is the difficulty of comparing human behavior with that of other species (chimpanzees, etc.) if culture is taken into consideration.

This graceful and well written book tries to do two things. First, he reviews an extensive body of modern behavioral ecology. If you've never encountered the treatment of culture in contemporary evolutionary psychology, behavioral ecology, or biological anthropology, this book provides a very nice introduction. Second, Cronk argues that behavioral ecologists have understated the role of culture, and suggests how it be integrated into an overall theory of human behavior.

Towards the first goal, Cronk opposes the traditional notion in cultural anthropology and structural-functional sociology that holds that people's actions and values are reflections of the dominant culture. In Chapter 1, he gives several elegant examples of how people affirm their culture, while at the same time behaving in ways quite contrary to its dictates. In Chapter 2 he reviews the evidence that there is a universal human culture, and that it is rooted in human biology. The evidence is impressive and strong. In Chapter 3 he argues for the unity of the behavioral sciences around the coevolution of human genes and culture, and the marginalization of ethical philosophy that results from increasing scientific knowledge of human behavior. He illustrates this in Chapter 4 with a review on the universalities and particularities of human mating patterns, on which there is much evidence, most of which is quite hostile to the traditional notion that humans are highly manipulable through the proper acculturation. In perhaps the most original chapter in the book, Chapter 7, he argues that traditional cultural relativism is a vicious enemy of freedom, thus turning a traditional critique of sociobiology on its head. I am in complete agreement with him here.

Cronk begins his own approach with a review of memetics, which is an evolutionary model of cultural diffusion. I think memetics is incurably fuzzy and quite useless for analytical purposes (mostly because it provides no theory of when memes spread and when they die out), but Cronk is a bit more tolerant. In Chapter 5, he provides his own theory of culture, which is that culture is a set of tools that people use to achieve their own ends. In this approach, people are active participants in making their lives, not the passive dupes who simply play out their culturally-dictated roles, as in most of traditional social theory. I am partial to this view. Indeed, I wrote a long article on the subject in 1981, and it appears front and center in Samuel Bowles and my Democracy and Capitalism (Basic Books, 1985).

I have two criticisms of the book. First, culture is not merely a tool. It also sets up conventions that give rise to what game theorists call Nash equilibria, in which, given the behavior of others, one's optimal behavior is quite narrowly truncated. This 'conventional' notion of culture must appear along side and instrumental view of culture. Second, I think we need analytical, mathematical models of behavior, without which all the theorizing in the world is just so much talk. Cronk doesn't go into this side of behavioral ecology, and in particular does not do justice to Boyd and Richerson, Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman, and others who try to model gene-culture coevolution.

Received this book for Christmas and am trying to decide how many to order for gifts! Not just for scientists or anthropologists, but spellbinding for anyone interested in or sometimes puzzled by human behavior.

`That Complex Whole' works on several levels both within the field of anthropology and for readers outside of the field. Within anthropology, I can think of at least three levels: as a meaningful springboard for discourse among professional anthropologists, as a tool for graduate students in anthropology who seek to understand the history and complexities of their field, as a resource for undergraduates who are discovering ways to study human behavior. In addition to anthropologists, biologists interested in the evolution of human behavior will also be enlightened by this book. Anyone interested in human behavior will find they can understand the topic as it is described in this book. Cronk uses examples from science fiction and popular culture that illuminate his points in a funny, sometimes laugh-out-loud way. The book invites you to think about science, human behavior, biology, and evolution in new ways. I highly recommend it.

I have to say WOW to Marilyn Lee's "BloodLust" and WOW WOW to Jaid Black's "Naughty Nancy". To Treva Harte's "A Little Too Charming" I have to say Huh? The first two stories were amazing. Jaid Black is more talented than most romantic writers I've read, including Johanna Lindsey and Virginia Henley. Of course the sex and passion are there, but so is the story! Marilyn Lee's story was fantastic. I think she'll make the ladies want tall, dark and handsome more than ever before! I just didn't feel the continuity in Treva Harte's story. I honestly thought the guy was too soft, then BAM! he wasn't. It just didn't transition as well as the other two stories.Despite my complaints, I still thoroughly enjoyed all three stories. I highly recommend this anthology!

Wow! This is the first book from the publisher Ellora's Cave that I have read, but it will NOT be the last. This was a fantastic anthology that has me ready to read many more stories from all three of these talented authors.

The three stories are tied together by the idea that it is three friends meeting at a halloween party, all of them hoping to (or at least thinking about the possibility) of getting laid. All three of them find their heart's desire.

The first story was Bloodlust by Marilyn Lee and was my favorite out of the bunch. It features a very sexy vampire (my favorite alpha male!) and made me wish that I could have (or be had by!) a vampire of my very own.

The second story was A Little Too Charming by Treva Harte. The hero is a witch who has discovered that to save his family from a curse brought down from the Salem Witch Trials, he must love the descendant of one of the women executed during the trials. This story would have been better if it had been longer. I wanted to know more about the curse and the history of the two families, but the story was still very good.

The third story was by a fave in the world of romantica, Jaid Black. This story was called Naughty Nancy and is in Ms. Black's very popular Trek Mi Q'an series. Although I have never read one of the Trek Mi Q'an Books, I have now purchased the first in the series and am loving it. Jaid Black is a very talented author who even had me interested in what it would be like to love a "gargoylesque" shape-shifter. Very erotic!

I really recommend this book to all readers who like their romance very erotic and spicy. Not for the tame of heart, but definitely a fantastic erotic read!

All three stories in this Halloween anthology are fun!

My favorite is Naughty Nancy by Jaid Black. Although it's part of her Trek Mi Q'an series, it stands alone very well. Jaid Black has a way of making the bazarre very [physical]. I love her takes on the "beast" theme - be they gargoyles, ape-men, or humanoid.

This is a keeper!

I have read romance for a long time and really enjoy it. It is stories like these that have inspired me to try writing myself. I have read most of what Jaid Black and Marilyn Lee have written. I really like their work. This is the first Treva Harte's work that I have read and it will not be the last. These stories while very hot all show the beginnings of what turn out to be wonderful relationships.

Bloodlust is the first in series of stories about a family of vampires. Mikhel and Erica are perfect together. Once Erica gets past the terror of a full blood female trying to kill her and Mikhel.

The Jaid Black story is set in the future history of the Trek Mi Q'an series. This is also a very good story. Jaid Black can write lush story populated with characters you can identify with. Her Trek Mi Q'an sereis will have you laughing and crying and cheering the Heroines on the conquer their seven foot plus husbands.

Treva Harte story is about the need to remove a curse and find redemption. Along the way the two lovers learn the meaning of love and understanding.

I would recommend anything written by Jaid Black and Marilyn Lee

This anthology is one of the best I've read in a long time. Three friends meet at a Halloween party and then meet three very different and sexy men who rock their world. This books offers something for everyone from a hunky vampire to a modern witch to an out of this world hero.

The writing is hot and the love scenes are hot. I can't wait to read more about the vampire in the next book.

I love this book and a close second is "Ox-Bow Incident" I read them both regularly. I spent more to have this edition. It is well worth it.

One of my favourite books of all time. I have re-read it at least 10 times!

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a call to 1960s American society to take action in the Civil Rights Movement. This is the story of a young, white girl in a small 1930s Southern town. She grows up learning from her father, the town lawyer, appointed to defend an innocent black man accused of the rape of a white girl. The author depicts the reality of injustice and prejudice in everyday life at the time. This timeless classic portrays racism, segregation, and the need for the Civil Rights Movement in a deeply moving novel, which is a must-read for all.
Lee takes a stand for Civil Rights in To Kill A Mockingbird, portraying the hate and injustice of segregation. She tells how an innocent man is absurdely accused of rape, solely because he is black. Atticus Finch, the accused's lawyer, clearly proves that his client is innocent, but the all white jury still rules Tom Robinson (the accused) guilty as charged. This page-turning novel calls attention to the need for acceptance, tolerance, and desegregation.
Atticus Finch was looked down upon for defending an African American, but he taught his children, as Lee teaches her readers, to stand up for what is right. Harper When asked why he was defending Tom Robinson, Finch replied, "if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head". Written in the 1960s, this book is a call to conscience as powerful as the marchers in the street, the sitters in the restaurants, the pioneers in the courtrooms, and the oppressed all over the country.

by: Cierra Campbell, Zoe Kurtz, Leah Ragen, Lila Weintraub, Selena Wyborski

Delivered very fast in plenty of time for christmas. The book is beautiful, THANK YOU

My mother bequeathed her 1962 college edition hardcover to me in 1988, four years after I finished high school. It would be four more years before I myself went away to school, though I knew the story nearly by heart by then.

I reread Mockingbird every year at Eastertime, though I am not particularly religious, nor do I mark this time in any other particularly hopeful way. Many true bibliophiles I know still talk about this book and the way it changed them forever.

It deserves better than to be assigned reading to captive 6th and 10th graders. They read it then because they have to, not because some kind librarian or insightful teacher, or intuitive parent, sends it their way, like a lucky charm.

I am not a Southerner and unless you can call a Western New York born mother and an Owensboro, Kentucky bred father any sort of meaningful Southern influence in my life, I do not know why this story fits my life so well. It filled a need I never even knew was there until I closed its covers on first reading it.

I am a fan of both the writing and its message, its dual edged sword of hope and sorrow, the tragicomic aspect of its mood and setting.

I wanted to be Scout as a tomboy girl and when grown, to be Atticus; my cats have borne those monikers well.

I only wish my husband had not told me I could not name my own son after my hero.

A rare case where the movie and its inspiration are as beloved as its author, To Kill a Mockingbird, N words and all, needs to be read more---and not just as some lame excuse for a paper writing exercise. Scout, Jem and Dill come alive in these pages. They have meaning in their world and in this one.

The dialogue, minus a few colloquiallisms, is readable and real. You will laugh out loud at times when Scout makes her mind known to you.

You'll wish Atticus was a real man. Maybe you'll even feel a little guilty about wanting him to replace your father in real life.

And Tom Robinson? He'll break your heart. He should.

I was once told my Coleman family had some relation to Harper Lee's father's family and, if that bit of fiction has even the remotest grain of truth to it, I am even happier now than I was just having imagined it.

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

The first book, that goes with this one is; The Only War We Had. Both these books are a compelling read, and I enjoyed them very much. The author writes directly from his journals keep during his 12 months in VN. He quotes the journal day by day and then expands on that from his memories of the events. His memory is reenforced by letters to his beloved wife.
As a vet myself (91b20) I really enjoyed this book, but being an enlisted man, I am reminded this is written by an officer.
That's not meant to be criticism, just an observation. It sounds like he was a remarkable officer.
And excellent history of man and his commands. I'm really glad I read it. I noticed he has made some TV appearances on the history channel. I assume as an expert on VN., makes me want to watch for those.
Thanks for your service Col.!

I've had these books for more then 20 years now - taking them with me through flood and fire. The first is SECOND 6 months of his tour while, "The only war we ever had: A company Commanders Journal" is the FIRST 6 months of his tour in Vietnam in 1968-1969.

M. Lee Lanning was the youngest person ever to lead an entire Company of 200 soldiers even though he was only a First Lieutenant, all at the age of 23.

I find these books truly fascinating - they show the horror, the boredom, the friendships made and the attempts at comedy used to stay sane during wartime. I never thought that a "War Memoir" would ever capture my attention, but this did it. Many (if not most) war books are written by the pencil pushers or REMF's and not someone who actually held a rifle and saw the enemy.

Each page is straight from the diary that his father gave him before he shipped out - then what follows is his memory of that day.

One of my favorite excerpts:

"Our move was delayed when one of the FNG's (F-ing New Guy), who had joined Bravo Co. at Crystal (their main base) a few days before, saw something in a clump of bamboo. Seconds later he approached me carrying a heavy, cone-shaped object that I immediately recognized as a 105mm artillery round. From it's shiny exterior, I deduced it was a "dud" from our fire before assaulting the bunkers.

The FNG, proud of his find, had no clue what he was cradling in his arms. As calmly as possible, I told the man to walk back into the jungle for at least 50 meters, gently place the object on the ground and return to my location. The tone of my voice, and the fact that all the others were scrambling for cover, definitely got the troop's attention.

Without a word, he followed my instructions. I braced for the expected explosion as he turned away and slowly walked towards the jungle..."

If you get this make sure you also get "Only War We Had: A Platoon Leader's Journal of Vietnam" that is the first of this series - it contains his journal entries from the first 6 months of his tour.

I missed the Vietnam War by a year or two. I served as an 11B from 72-78. I always wondered what it would have been like to have been there in a rifle company. Plenty of books about SF and LRRPs, but not very many written by a real platoon leader. I never had a tremensous desire to be an elite soldier in an elite unit (if I could have even made it). I only wanted to be a rifle squad leader. This book really made me feel what it would have been like. What I missed. It is a real world book. Not a battle every minute book filled with stories of great exploits. Just a real world grunt in Vietnam book. I recommend the companion book "The Only War We Had."

this book is the best book ive ever read.This book started out in hawaii lee was a luitenant at the time but he wanted to upgrade his level in office so he was asked to become company commader his journey through the viet kong was very exiting it was full of action and outrage his tale was very inspireing he stood up for his men and became very popular as bravo company commander and became one of the best plotoon in vietnam his wife lived in sanfracico her name was linda when lee move out of the states his wife was pregnant with there girl rosallie.he was waiting to come home after 8 months in the war he was a month awayfrom coming home to the states when he got a rear job which he was waiting for and then took his long ride back home to sanfracisco.

I missed the Vietnam War by a year or two. I served as an 11B from 72-78. I always wondered what it would have been like to have been there in a rifle company. Plenty of books about SF and LRRPs, but not very many written by a real platoon leader. I never had a tremensous desire to be an elite soldier in an elite unit (if I could have even made it). I only wanted to be a rifle squad leader. This book really made me feel what it would have been like. What I missed. It is a real world book. Not a battle every minute book filled with stories of great exploits. Just a real world grunt in Vietnam book. I recommend the companion book "The Only War We Had."

Debra Lee Brown debuts with a satisfying read in THE VIRGIN SPRING--a perfect Harlequin Historical. Laird Gilchrist is a wonderfully tortured hero. Rachel is a mysterious yet strong heroine. There are some truly touching moments between them that make their story a pleasure.

The masterful Debra Lee Brown crafts an intriguing tale of historical romantic suspense.

The tormented Gilchrist is having enough trouble resuming his role as leader of the clan Davidson after a fire ravages his body and nearly destroys his spirit. The last thing he needs is to be looking after a lovely lass with no memory of her past-- or is it? A beautiful story of the healing power of love is woven with enough intrigue to keep readers turning pages quickly. Debra Lee Brown makes an impressive debut-- definitely an author to watch.

Readers of Scottish historical romance are in for a real treat! With rich detail, intricate plot, and finely drawn characters, Debra Lee Brown creates the ultimate historical romance. Few writers can make flawed heroes delectable and yet Gilchrist Mackintosh is the proverbial to die for with an extra twist. Rachel is a stunning heroine that readers will cheer on until the very end. Don't miss this exciting tale! Denise A. Agnew, best selling author of BRIDGE THROUGH THE MIST

I just finished Debra Lee Brown's THE VIRGIN SPRING and loved it! As a long-time fan of Scottish historicals, I was excited to see a new author of this very popular subgenre. Ms. Brown's first book has everything the savvy historical reader demands. The hero, Gilchrist, is the kind of hero I love--a true tragic hero with scars not only on the outside, but deep within as well. The heroine, Rachel, has been struck by her own tragedy--she is found by Gilchrist at the legendary virgin spring, and does not know who she is. The gradual revelation of her true identity brings on treachery and betrayal that nearly threatens to tear Gilchrist's clan apart, as well as Gilchrist himself. Set against the cold, harsh highlands, with excellent, interesting secondary characters, The Virgin Spring is a terrific read. I am excited by this new author and hope that she and Harlequin stay partners for a long time to come. Kudos to you, Ms. Brown!

A True Blue Fan

In THE VIRGIN SPRING, award-winning author Debra Lee Brown has written a beautiful story of love and passion that will warm your heart. The hero is a man of power and pathos, while the heroine is likeable and strong. The amnesia angle was not contrived or cliched, but was as fresh and interesting as the rest of the book. I love Scottish historicals and found Ms. Brown's book to be both accurate and entertaining. I look forward to her next offering!