May Books

Exhaustively researched and beautifully crafted, this book provides a much needed insight into the inherent flaws and complication posed by the FBI's informant system. It's historical -- in the sense of looking at historical events -- but it's also extremely relevant to the problems of today.

Gary May is a talented storyteller and his account of what happened to Viola Liuzzo is riveting. I spent Christmas week with his book in hand, taking every opportune moment to continue learning about this young mother's quest to do something right about the civil rights movement and how she was partly the victim of Hoover's FBI. Often, I felt that I was traveling along with Liuzzo as May's tale unfolded - I felt I was in the car when she was murdered. Great book. Couldn't put it down.

Gary May brilliantly tells the story of the murder of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo on March 25, 1965, and exposes the violent misdeeds of KKK members, who mostly considered themselves to be doing "God's work" when they harrassed, beat, and murdered blacks as well as white citizens who were unfortunate enough to get in the way. The career of the self-centered, attention hungry, redneck informant Gary Thomas Rowe is skillfully retraced, and the ineptitude and negligence of FBI agents and the organization as a whole are exposed. The copy I have is an "advance uncorrected page proof" (review copy) and has frequent spelling and punctuation errors; thus the four star rating. Otherwise, I would have given this book a full five stars, because it is excellent.

Forty years ago, a civil rights movement grew in the south that was opposed by white supremacists who thought blacks should not have equal opportunities in shopping, dining, transportation, and education, and who were ready to use violence to maintain segregation. The murder in Alabama of white civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo on 25 March 1965 got the immediate attention of the nation, and of President Johnson, who was proud to be able to tell the nation twenty-four hours later that the murderers had been caught. It was a killing by Klansmen, but not one of those that went unsolved for decades. The only reason the murderers were caught so quickly is that with them was an informant, the FBI's man who had infiltrated the Birmingham Klan branch and who reported the crime and the criminals immediately. Johnson was proud, J. Edgar Hoover was proud, and the informant, Gary Thomas Rowe, was a hero. The problem is that the story is far more confused and Rowe's heroism and the FBI's tactics are far more questionable than they seemed at the time. In _The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo_ (Yale University Press), history professor Gary May has told an exciting story full of ambiguity and of criticism for the FBI, and has described a long-ago society which accepted that skin color was an individual's most important characteristic.

Rowe was recruited by the FBI in 1960; he was a bartender, bouncer and machinist who accurately proclaimed himself a hell-raiser, and so he fit into the Klan. An informant has to act the role of a group member, and this means enthusiastically participating in what the group does, which Rowe did. He worked up the Klan hierarchy and did provide valuable information, but also he participated in brawls along with his fellow Klansmen. He was in the car with three other Klansmen after a Selma-Montgomery march. The shooting wounded a young black civil rights worker and killed the driver, the mercurial 39-year-old mother of five from Detroit, Viola Liuzzo. He was the main prosecution witness in the trial of the other three, but even so, they were eventually found innocent of murder, only being found guilty in federal court of civil rights violations. Rowe's role in the murder is not clearly that of a mere observer and informer. He may have tried to influence the others to call off the chase, but he may also have shot at the car himself, and thus may have been an accessory to the crime. The Liuzzo family was devastated and torn asunder by the murder, and although they had originally joined in the general approbation of Rowe as hero, two decades later they sued the government in a wrongful death lawsuit; the judge threw out the suit because, among other reasons, Rowe was in his estimation not violent or dangerous, but a model public servant. Rowe died in 1998, a bankrupt ne'er-do-well who blamed the FBI for not supporting him in the way he had expected.

Liuzzo's story has been largely forgotten, although she was the only white female civil rights worker to be martyred during the days of demonstrations in the South. This is, however, Rowe's story, and it not only stands as a remarkable recreation of a tumultuous time, but is a cautionary tale for our own time. As May points out, Hoover to his shame used informants as pawns against Martin Luther King and against the movements opposing the Vietnam war, and the FBI has subsequently had its own thugs in the Mafia who were personally guilty of murder and robbery while getting FBI salaries. There are calls for more "human intelligence" in the actions against terrorists, but we should remember that it is not simply a matter of paying snitches. The costs of supporting informants who are supposed to be acting like miscreants, and may do a convincing job in their roles, may be incalculable, and the information gained by such ambiguous means may not be worth the resultant mistrust of government agencies.

I wrote a review of this novel some time ago, but for whatever reason it was not posted. In that review I expressed a desire to read more work by K. C. May. Is there more? Will there be? While I am not particularly a fantasy aficionado, this one caught and held my attention.

K.C. May's first novel, The Kinshield Legacy, is a spellbinding tale of magical moments with truly unforgettable characters. You will find this book difficult to put down as you follow the twists and turns of a finely woven story, cheering on the main character as he follows the path to his destiny. I find most first novels to be mediocre, but this one was definitely above the norm. We can only hope that the next installment will be soon forthcoming!

I was hooked from beginning to end. The Kinshield Legacy sold me on reading more fantasy instead of my usual mystery/suspense fare. The characters are wonderful - well-drawn, interesting, multi-faceted. I found the writing to be superb, especially for a first book. The riveting story and artfully-created world drew me in and kept me there. I look forward to more from K.C. May.

I've read many second, third, fourth, and even later novels, that were not as well written as this. The strong story arc, somewhat tortured but good-natured hero, and sympathetic supporting characters make this a pleasure to read, and I will wait impatiently for the second volume. While I expect K.C. May's writing to mature further with succeeding novels, she's written this in straight-forward language, which keeps the reader well abreast of the story as it unfolds. Not always an easy task when characters change sides and the charcters are hiding plots within plots.

If, like me, you find the scarcity of good High Fantasy or Sword & Sorcery being published by main stream publishing houses to be short-sighted, swing your support to the independent houses who still recognize that this market has an audience. The Kinshield Legacy is a good place to start.

There are many books about Napoleon Bonaparte, and probably even more about his campaigns. "La Grande Armee" is set apart from those works since it focuses on the men who fought and died for Napoleon. Blond makes this apparent from the start and it is an objective that he rarely strays from throughout the book.

The book covers the campaigns of the Grand Army from the thwarted attempt to invade England (1805) to Waterloo (1815.) "La Grande Armee" does an excellent job of delving into the life of the average grunt: the disease, the pillaging, the marches, even the horde of prostitutes that followed in the army's wake. Blond gives due consideration to the many non-French foreigners that filled the Army's ranks, and he gives particular interest to the budding medical corps of the Army.

'La Grande Armee"'s greatest strength are the details it presents: from the tactic of Russian playing dead on the battlefield and then getting up to shoot the advancing French in the backs is hard to ignore. To American readers, the chapters on the Spanish insurgency will be particular interest. Many other books of the era gloss over the Iberian campaign, especially after Napoleon himself later refused to enter Spain in an attempt to rescue the situation. That slow, tortorous defeat experienced by the Grand Army will make any reader wonder if the United States is headed down the same disastorous road in Iraq.

Of course, the famous retreat from Moscow is covered in all of its tragic detail, as is the Battle of Nations, and Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo.

Overall, "La Grande Armee" is an excellent book and one that remains very relevant right to this day!

Georges Blond takes the reader with Napoleon and his men as they march from Boulogne to Waterloo with a completeness that one would expect from an autobiography. The book describes the day-to-day life and death in the army of the Emperor with all the detail of a conversation with a grizzled veteran at a Parisian café. Mr. Blond provides character sketches of some of the leading historical figures of the time that illustrate motive, desire and fault. His descriptions of the Peninsular War and the retreat from Moscow vividly illustrate the suffering and horrors of war in the Napoleonic era. The author's in depth treatment of the medical services is most enlightening, describing the frightful lot of the wounded in gory detail. The reader cannot avoid having an increased respect for the physicians Rene Desgenettes and Jean Larrey. Touching on the political, personal and military histories of the period, the book provides the reader with a unique vantage point from which they may view battles like Austerlitz and Waterloo in a new light. The descriptions of the campaigns and battles avoid tactical details while providing sweeping descriptions that answer many of the how's and why's of the conflicts events. With the chronology, maps and statistics included in the appendixes, this book will become a valued addition to the library of any student of the Napoleonic era.

I found this book very provocative. The anecdotal comments throughout the book, personal accounts on each campaign and method which the author introduces character sketches as the applicable historical figures come into context were refreshing and enlightening. Despite references to Maps in the appendixes of the book, I found the author's description of tactics and battle movements to be somewhat confusing at times. I was a little disappointed with the amount of attention given to the last years of Napoleon the 1st's reign. All in all, a good, enjoyable read. DPS

Blonde has written a superb tour de force in a style which makes one think you are reading a novel and transports you to the battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars. One learns a plenty of the lot of the common soldier and meets characters such as Murat, Ney and other lesser knowns. All in all a brilliant history without the boring prose of some better known history books!

Again, Peddicord finds a magical way to weave wit, humor, love, surrealism, and darn good writing into a novel with picturesque words that leave you questioning your own obsessively organized views of life. If you can take anything away from this novel, take from it an outlook on life that will inspire you to live more spontaneously, freely, and on the verge on a state of non-reality.

In all honesty, I found a brief portion of the book (towards the middle) that seemed to drag on a bit too long. However, the beginning and ending of the book make up for this somewhat jet-lagged feeling for 50 pages or so.

The personalities and ideals of the characters are so charming, so "out there," but rather brilliant. Towards the end, Jay was a good friend and confidant, and I was just about ready to invite the dog to curl up into bed alongside me.

Again, like other Peddicord novels there always seems to be an underlying message, if one can only take the time to find it. I believe his message in "...Jay Gould..." would be to screw the "American Dream,' the rules and regulations, the clausterphobic lifestyles we're quickly heading into, and courageously swan dive into the experiences life has to offer, regardless of the consequences. This book inspires you to LIVE actively, rather than passively watch as the years pass you by. And if you don't feel inspired in some minute way to do just that, I suggest you read the novel a second time.

If nothing else, you'll fall in love with this incredible piece of work, and perhaps someday be inspired to find your own piece of Paradise.

The Late Jay Gould May Be Alive and Well provides for a perplexing course of affairs to ponder. How refreshing to read a brilliant sense of humor in today's paralytic (or is it politically?!?) correct world. Masterfully defined characters will have your heart leaping and your knuckles whitening with each chapter. This writer left me wanting more - I hope he can write as fast as I need to read.

You probably know the experience of leaving a theater after a thoroughly entertaining movie, shaking your head in amazement and wondering "How did they do that?" But never before reading "The Late Jay Gould..." have I done that with a book. Writing is more dexterous than camera work and words are more nimble than pictures, so we expect literary works to be more efficient and inventive than movies. Even so, as I left this book I shook my head in amazement and wonder and thought to myself, "How did Lou Peddicord do that?" I can answer only by saying that he is a great writer. He has created a world of fascination, joy and heartache with galloping plot and languid rumination, sweeping scope and intricate connections, playful befuddlement and razor-sharp insight that we can only hope some movie-maker will attempt boldly to put on screen. The masses need to meet Jay Gould and Christine Nostrinco, the love of his bittersweet life, as they strive to live nobly and make sense of it all.

i have been reading since prior to grade school. i will read just about anthing once, but there is a special bookcase in my bedroom for the books that i know i will read over and over. my husband asked me just how i could keep reading the same books, time and time again. i tried to explain that some books are like great memories that you want to recall throughout your life. these special books touch you in some way that adds to the meaning of your existence. they are like an epiphany, whether they teach a more in-depth view of the world or of yourself. "the late jay gould may be alive and well" has now joined a permanent home in this bookcase with the likes of "to kill a mockingbird", "alas babylon", "illusions" and "the alienist".

its characters are plentiful and varied, their personalities painstakingly real and vital. even the dog has a fully developed personality and role; one that is intricately necessary to the process of learning that this book takes us through. it would be difficult to believe that anyone would be able to read this without periodically laying it down to ponder a self realization that has jumped from the book into your head. the questions it provokes, such as what we expect out of our own lives and those around us, gives a new meaning to the word "accountability". most importantly, it asks why we deny ourselves the joys in life that are right at our fingertips by establishing our own personal walls to keep us apart from them. whichever character you identify with in this book, you will find a revelation.

at its start, a seemingly light and airy story about a magical man and the characters he touches, "the late jay gould may be alive and well" is actually much, much deeper. it attacked my stoically safe attitudes toward life and the boxed-in, nonsensical rules by which most of us follow. by its ending, i was wishing that i could live my earlier years over again, and made me promise myself that i will finish the remainder as tenaciously as humanly possible.

This book was good for a short read. It was not as good as the original little women. The book was about 4 sisters Joe, Meg, Beth, and Amy and what their life was like. If you are looking for a good short read this is one I would sugest.

This edition of LITTLE WOMEN is great! First of all, there's the wonderful story of the March family in the years during and after the Civil War, as the 4 daughters -- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy -- grow to womanhood, experiencing joy and overcoming obstacles and tragedy. This edition stays true to the language and grammar used in the original. I have read versions of the novel in which the girls' grammar is cleaned up for them!

In addition, the introduction by Susan Cheever is first-rate; it is neither too long or too short, and she beautifully ties it to her own experience without being cloying.

Another reason why I so highly recommend this edition is because there is a glossary at the back to explain some of the obscure (to modern readers) terms and obsolete slang. Also, there's a nice essay/review by G.K. Chesterson, who warmly praises Alcott's book.

Read the tale of four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy as they grow up together. Learn about their hardships as they face each problem thrown at them side by side. This is a wonderfull book and is beautifully writen. I teches someone a lot about the value of family, friends, and true love. This book is more than what others amount to and would reccomend this author to anyone.

Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.

The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.

The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.

There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.

Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.

Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.

Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.

"Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.

THIS IS A TOUCHING AND SENSITIVE PORTRAYAL OF THE LIVES OF FOUR YOUNG GIRLS LIVING WITH THEIR MOTHER WHEN THEIR FATHER GOES TO WAR.IT TAKES PLACE DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND IS A HEART WARMING EXPERIENCE. DESPITE ALL THE STUGGLES THE MARCH FAMILY HAS TO BYPASS TO MAKE ENDS MEET,THEY SHOW NOTHING BUT ENDURING COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER AND THIS DISPLAYS AN IDEAL FAMILY. THIS IS AN UNFORGETTABLE STORY THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER ANY BETTER.IT IS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL AND WILL STAY WITH ME FOR LIFE. NO MATTER WHAT IS TAKEN FROM ME, MY MEMORY WILL ALWAYS REMAIN AND SO WILL MY HEART.

LITTLE WOMEN was absolutely wonderful! I would suggest it to anyone.

Little Women is a long book, throughly describing the March sisters' life during the Civil War. Louisa May Alcott has an excellent way of bringing the girls' real personalities to life, even 130 years later!!!! Little Women is a riveting book that propels the reader back in time to the Victorian era with its anti-woman tendencies. Even at the ripe old age of 11 or 12, this book will never leave you. Take my advice: man or woman, boy or girl, this should be one book you read in your lifetime.

Little Women is a book set in the American Civil War telling the lives of four girls, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, set on the authors own experiances. THis book is really good because it has wonderful description so you're living the lives with the characters. It is humourous and funny, but it is also a very heartwarming story of the families struggles while the father, Mr March, is away fighting for the freedom of black people. My personal favourite character is Jo, who is the heroing of the story. She makes friends with her next-door neighbour, Theodore Laurence and they have any number of troubles. Jo constantly tries to comtrol her quick temper through the story and I think it is very good reading for anyone with a quick temper, or when anyone wants to relax with a good book. The book is quite predictable but it has a lot of good laughs and the storyline is exceptional. Over-all I think this book is good for anyone to read

The time is 1854. Louisa May Alcott is 22. Yes, this is the Louisa who later writes Little Women and goes on to become a famous author. In this book she does the sleuthing.

Her friend Dorothy Brownly Wortham is recently returned from her travels in Europe after her wedding to Preston. Louisa and her friend Sylvia Shattuck have been invited to Dorothy's for tea. Also in attendance are Dorothy's twin sisters Edith and Sarah, their brother Edgar, and their aunt Alfreda Thorney. Unfortunately the one person missing is Dorothy. After waiting for quite a while, she arrives. She says that tea was for tomorrow, not today. She won't say where she's been. She seems quite distraught and asks everyone to come back tomorrow for tea. She asks Louisa to arrive a little early so that they may talk.

Louisa is distressed and determined to arrive early to find out what is wrong with Dorothy.

The next day, Dorothy is once again missing. After everyone arrives, Constable Cobban of the Boston Watch and Police arrives to announce that Dorothy had drowned. Her dog Lily was found drowned with her.

Louisa and Sylvia attend the autopsy but it proves to be too much for Sylvia and they leave. Louisa is determined to find out how and why Dorothy was murdered. Yes, it was murder.

Louisa ends up putting herself in danger and bringing gossip upon her name in her quest to find the murderer.

While historical mysteries are not my favorite, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun having a famous author do the sleuthing. I thought I was well written and the characters were so well developed that I had trouble figuring out who did it. That always makes it a good mystery in my eyes.

I look forward to reading more books with Louisa doing the sleuthing. I recommend this book.

Although they are as poor as can be, they live in an exclusive section of Boston so Louisa May Alcott and her family mingle with people of high society. Her father doesn't earn much money and the family's work with the Abolitionists and the underground puts the Alcotts in danger yet they are a close group bound by love. In her early twenties Louisa May wants to be a writer.

She is excited about seeing her friend Dot Wortham's home after a year long honeymoon in Europe. Dot noticeably upset asks Louisa to meet with her tomorrow at a tea party. The next day Louisa May learns that her friend's body was found floating in the Charles River. Bruises around her throat and injuries to her head lead the police to believe she was murdered by her husband who society thinks married Dot for her money. Louisa is more attuned to the behavioral nuances of the families of Dot and her husband and thinks the killer is still at large. Wanting justice to be served, she starts her own investigation and almost ends up as the killer's next victim.

LOUISA AND THE MISSING HEIRESS is a charming amateur sleuth novel that will appeal to fans of historical cozies. Anna Maclean brings the 1850's in Boston to life and readers see how even in the North the social issue of slavery permeates the culture. The heroine is charming, intelligent and independent, a woman who knows what she wants and will work to obtain it. This is the first installment in what looks to be a delightful new mystery series starring a totally wonder protagonist.

Harriet Klausner

In this first book of a promising new series, Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, tells readers of a time in her past when she helped solve a murder mystery. Shortly after going to a tea party where her friend, Dorothy Brownly Wortham, acts strangely, Dorothy is murdered. Dorothy had told Louisa she wanted to speak to her, but was killed before she had a chance to. Louisa is determined to find out how and why Dorothy was murdered.

This was an extremely well written, well researched book. Louisa really came to life as a character, as did the rest of her family, especially her mother, Abba. The time period also came to life through the book. The mystery itself was well plotted, and the identity of the murderer unexpected.

I'm looking forward to more books in this series.

A new sleuth has arrived on the scene, the author Louisa May Alcott. Ms. Alcott was known to have written a few thrillers herself when not writing things like "Little Women." Anna Maclean has gone back and recreated this aspect of Louisa's life with amazing fidelity; however Ms. Alcott does not just write mysteries, but also solves them.

Written with the precision and skill of her historical novels, Jean Mackin creates a minor masterpiece in her debut as Anna Maclean, mystery writer. The plot winds itself in and around pre-Civil War Boston with the beauty and complexity of a Medieval tapestry. The story is entangled with numerous characters functioning on many levels, often seeming to contradict themselves, leading us down many blind alleys. I must admit I could not put this book down. Just when I thought I had figured out who the guilty party was I discovered some new reason why they did not do it. The ending is quite a surprise. If you are looking for an entertaining historical mystery, and value good writing, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This is a book to dive into, and lose yourself for days. Madame Chiang Kai-Shek is that good a story, and this is that good an account of her life. Madame Chiang used her political cunning and legendary drive to seduce supporters to her side of China's epic civil war during the middle part of the 20th century.

The Nationalist regime, headed by her husband, was hated by the Chinese people for its notorious brutality and corruption. But as portrayed by Madame Chiang, especially to American audiences, Chiang Kai-shek's government was a modern, educated bulwark of democracy and freedom for a country whose history had allowed little of either. Indeed, Madame Chiang personified the vaunted hopes, bitter disappointments and complex misunderstandings of the U.S.-China relationship, which vacillated wildly during her exceptional 105-year lifetime. Laura Tyson Li's incisive new biography, rises to the tall task of capturing this pivotal figure in all her splendor and humiliation, against a backdrop of war, revolution and unending political turmoil. Li, a journalist with a decade of experience in Asia, accurately portrays her as "beautiful, vain, witty, spirited, capricious, scheming, selfish, and driven."

What a character. What a tale.

The book opens in the waning days of China's second-to-last emperor in the late 1890s, when Mayling Olive Soong was born in Shanghai, the youngest daughter of a businessman who had made a fortune selling Bibles and presided over a family of savvy, idealistic and recklessly ambitious children. One married Sun Yat-sen, China's first president. Another became finance minister and acting prime minister of Nationalist China. Another became one of China's richest women. Mayling became Madame Chiang Kai-shek.

In an era when few girls learned to read and fewer traveled, Mayling was schooled in Georgia, then graduated from Wellesley College, where she excelled at French, violin and religious studies. She returned to Shanghai in 1917 just as China lurched into a bloody warlord period, and soon she was courted by the most severe warlord of all, Chiang Kai-shek. He divorced one wife and sent another off to Columbia University before Mayling agreed to marry him.

During World War II, Madame Chiang became a superb envoy to the United States, where her address to Congress in 1943 thrilled Washington, and her barnstorming across the country won renewed support and money to defeat the Japanese. In China, she was a poised partner to her husband, softening his imperiousness while sharpening his political machinations.

In Li's telling, husband and wife (who shared a bedroom with a screen separating their beds) could not have differed more. He was an early riser; she stayed up late watching movies. He was ascetic; she insisted on luxury. Still, they called each other 'Dar' (short for 'darling') and for years collaborated to cement fragile political alliances and keep a shaky hold on power.

The book has delicious tidbits, such as an affair with Republican presidential nominee Wendell Wilkie and her insistence on getting silk sheets when she stayed in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's White House.

Overall, Li delivers a thoughtful portrait of a complex woman and resists the considerable temptation to crucify her. That is a refreshing contrast to the shock-and-awe approach seen in so many recent books on prominent figures in China's recent history. Li deconstructs critical historical events with skill: the Xian Incident, when Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped by rebellious generals; the 50-year house-arrest of the leading kidnapper, with whom Madame Chiang developed a curious friendship; Madame Chiang's mysterious disappearances for months at a time, caused, Li thinks by physical and mental illnesses, including debilitating hives, breast cancer and nervous breakdown.

More reporter than writer, Li assiduously draws on Madame Chiang's extensive personal correspondence, from archives around the world, to explain each stage of her drama. It's a spellbinding period of history. And it does not end well for the Chiangs. The Nationalist regime crumbled to the Communists in 1949. The Chiangs fled to Taiwan, admitting no fault, but blamed President Truman and vowed to retake the mainland. That dream faded gradually after Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975.

Madame Chiang's antagonistic stepson, Chiang Ching-kuo, would oversee a murderous suppression of dissidents as head of Taiwan's intelligence network. Paradoxically, as president, he later paved the way for the launch of Taiwan's democracy just before his death in 1988. That year, at age 90, she tried to rally Taiwan's Old Guard and prevent the onset of democracy she once spoke of so often. She failed.

Madame Chiang lived out her days in New York, watching China and Taiwan as one became capitalist and the other became a democracy. Despite her illnesses, she lived until 2003.

Ultimately, Madame Chiang was "a deeply flawed heroine," Li writes, "that rare creature who stuck resolutely to her beliefs, however misguided some of them may have been, through the decades and the trials."

Reading "Madame Chiang Kai-shek: China's Eternal First Lady" was like going through everything in the attic and leaving nothing unexamined. Tyson-Li covers every aspect of Madame Chiang's life without ever letting us forget that life's relevance for today. The "Dragon Lady's" significance never disappears in the wealth of the personal, historical, political, psychological, medical, and religious dimensions of her complex life. Her fanatical anti-Communism calls to mind Richard Nixon's personal crusade. Her use of religion to define her and her husband's sense of destiny parallels certain leaders who employ religious language for similar ends. Her manipulation of people and events exceeds the ambitions of any demagogue who has come to believe his or her own public statements.

All this and more the author achieves with vivid prose that takes you into private parlors where Madame Chiang herself has invited you to tea, but leaves you feeling that just maybe everything you've heard is really true and that your hostess is neither monster nor statesman, but an enigmatic individual using the world as a stage to work out her insecurities.

It's surprising to note that this is the first biography of one of the most politically influential women of modern times, but MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK: CHINA'S ETERNAL FIRST LADY remains the only title to provide the complete story of a woman who seized unofficial and official power during China's civil war. Her position against Chinese Communism and her diplomatic relations affected decades of Chinese-American relations, so this book is key to a thorough understanding of not just the woman, but Chinese politics and influences in particular.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Laura Tyson Li has assembled a spectacular bio. It's page turner with the authority and detail of an encyclopedia. LTL has managed to keep her opinions out of the text. It isn't until the last chapter when through an informed discussion on the Madame's possible motivations that LTL becomes subjective.

While almost every aspect of this life is intriguing, certain people and episodes stand out. I had forgotten Zhang Xueliang until he emerged after a 50 year house arrest, after which he & his wife move to Hawaii. Apparently he was able to keep his pre-war fortune, or had been cared for financially; he is deemed a friend of the Madame. (Another 5 year house arrest of a physician who botches an operation of the General suggests house arrest is a common punishment for "friends" and other professionals.) Madame's war time US appeal for funds, with its cross country caravan of staff whom MCKS treats "as coolies" is certainly an episode worth a small volume. (The $800,000 she raises goes to her personal account.) While the Wendel Wilkie relationship (true or false) is intriguing, I fixed on the William H. Donald relationship, which may have been a professional friendship and refuge from her husband's authoritarianism, but her end of life treatment of him suggests something else.

There are a host of issues worthy of their own books. Perhaps these books exist but I don't know about them. One issue is the "arrival" of 2 million mainlanders to the island of Formosa, who's 7 million citizens seemed to have some degree of prosperity under the Japanese. While the Chaings arrive with resources, others huddle in makeshift places and cry at night. "Invasion" appears to be a better word for this arrival (particularly after 2/28), but it is certainly not portrayed as such (or allowed to be portrayed as such) by the Nationalists who felt entitled to rule and had the resources to make it so. Even later, Madame objects to the appointment of Taiwanese to government posts.

Another issue deserving its own book is Madame's money. Whether or not the NYC exterminators actually saw it, a closet of gold bars is not far fetched. For maybe 30 years, Madame's "charity" received a % of all imports to Taiwan. There were several "vacation" homes in Taiwan, one built at a cost of $2 million. Then, the resources brought from the mainland to Taiwan. This money provided Madame with luxury and a large staff until her death. How large was it? How was it acquired (any from the US war assistance?) and where did it go?

MCKS can be noted for her longevity alone. There must be something Guinness-worthy about her survival despite many years in a war zone, continued medical treatments, operations including several for breast cancer, nervous afflictions, a late in life automobile accident, lifelong cigarette smoking (and potential drug abuse) and at least one assassination attempt. Any one of these factors would tend to predict an early demise, not a life of 103 years.

If you read this book, it's riveting, so be prepared to give it time. Also, the level of detail might make continuity difficult if you have to make gaps in your reading time.

This is an amusing book which should bring smiles to winelovers, graphic designers and those with a taste for the unusual and quirky. Many of the labels are striking in their originality, others recall sixth-grade humor and bad puns and some actually relate to the wine inside the bottle. The text is informative.

Peter May chose this collection of wine labels with humor and with deep knowledge of wines from different parts of the world.

Peter's website is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the subject. He is constantly adding to the collection, and has a number of references to other collections of wine labels. winelabels.org

This is a fun book to spice up those quiet moments.

Peter May has been writing about wine - and collecting wine labels - for many years. He's put his prodigious talent to good use by compiling this book, which includes over 100 fantastically funny labels from around the world. Now, we all know that we should buy wine based on its merits, on its quality and cost effectiveness. However - admit it. You've bought a wine based on the label, at least once. I know I have! "Fat Bastard" springs to mind. The name was just too funny to walk past. How about Goats do Roam from South Africa, which is a clever play on the Cotes du Rhone wines of France?

Each label is shown in full page high color, so you really feel like you have your own "label collection" without going through the mess and hassle of having scraped them off by yourself. It also makes it incredibly easy to identify these wines the next time you walk into the wine store. Peter gives a full description of each wine including what makes it special. He even provides tasting notes should you actually want to drink what's inside the bottle.

Many of the labels are quite inspiring. There is Rasteau, a Cotes du Rhone that has braille markings on its label. This allows those with vision problems to easily identify and organize their wine bottles. Why don't all manufacturers do this? Rude Boy and Rude Girl have color changing labels where the cover models actually "lose their clothes" when the bottle is at the right serving temperature. A number of the bottles are great for collectors who adore certain movie stars. There's the Marilyn Merlot as well as the Presley Pinot.

Sometimes the best wine to bring as a present for someone isn't the most expensive on the shelf - sometimes it's the bottle that is tasty and has a label that will be talked about all evening. Peter rounds those up for us, and makes the journey quite enjoyable.

From the very beginning: Peter May's, and Robin Garr's, introductions to this book are a piece of great work in broadening the horizon to a really enjoyable world of wine.
The looks of the book show that Peter's May's remarkable collection of unusual wine labels has been in the hands of very good people. And, I want to tell you what my wife said when I handed the book to her to see: "It feels like one wants to touch it!" - I believe that says everything on behalf of purchasing a copy of your own. It's great to see things in the web, but the same on real paper just gives you the best vibes.

The info Peter May gives about each label, and the wine behind it, is great reading. I truly believe that the world of wine lovers needs his kind of angles to make wine the fun it should be!

This book is an excellent gift to a wine lover with an open, dionysian mind!

In a way I consider this little book to be a classic already now.
- Hannu Lehmusvuori

The May Day Murders kept me in suspense all throughout the story. Like Wittenburg's first novel, the characters are believable and the reader is drawn into the story from the very beginning. The small town setting in the Midwest was a great setting for such an edgy thriller/mystery! I highly recommended this mystery novel!!!

This is truly one of the best murder mysteries I've ever read! Right from the start, I was drawn in to this story and couldn't put it down! I highly reccommend Wittenburg's novel to anyone who likes an intriguing mystery with characters you can relate to (and fear)!

A really good mystery/thriller full of great tension. As in Katherine's Prophecy, Wittenburg paints the environment nicely with his visually-inspired writing style. Impossible not to get caught up in the story. Hard to put down.

I consider this novel a great contemporary work of mystery - a jewel in the treasure which such a genre is.
The plot of a mystery novel is probably the most important part of it - and here Mr Wittenburg provides the reader with a hard but coherent puzzle of events which is always thanked. But the plot is nothing without characters, and characterization is what I appreciate the most in this book. The author has given their characters a realistic psychological depth - even subject of a comparison with Jung's archetypes - and that is what makes the reader enjoy it. We can easily identify ourselves with the fictional people of the book, and I would say that Sam Middleton has much of autobiographic.
Doubtless, this novel is something that the fan of mystery literature will enjoy.

Rafael Pascual.
Granada, Andalusia, Spain.