May Books

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.

Finally, with my busy schedule, I was able to curl up, relax, and read this book and I must say that I regret waiting so long to read it. This book is an EXCELLENT read...for teen girls/boys, mothers and fathers. Ms. Love did a wonderful job writing this masterpiece and targeting EVERYONE. Some of you out there may feel that just because you don't have a teen daughter that there's really not a need for you to read this book. WRONG!!! Reading this book may enlighten you to information that you didn't have a clue about. What stuck out most about this book in my opinion is the fact that this is the Very first book (that I know of) that has focused on teen girls dating older men. We have so many books available about rape, drugs, STD's, domestic violence, etc., but this is the first to focus on May-December relationships (and everything else that I just named).
Everyone wants to put their trust into someone who can sympathize and also empathize with the things that they are going through. Well, Ms. Love opened the doors of discussion to a huge amount of people who were afraid to communicate, by informing readers of the personal tribulations that she has gone through in her lifetime.
I jumped up and screamed, "Hell Yeah Girl" when she made the analogy of going to back to school being hard at first but then becoming easy...just like skipping school was hard at first but then became easy. That statement should have given all confused teen girls the courage to turn their lives around and make a change. The statement was very powerful and in all actuality, I'm 25 years old and I never looked at it from that perspective.
Ms. Love is an inspiring writer ahead of her game and I hope to see more work from Ms. Love in the near future. I'll be the first out to buy it and the first to read it...Not letting anything come before supporting Ms. Love as she continues to strive towards helping others help themselves.

This book has provided excellent advice to my teen daughters and myself. With her down to earth approach the author has identified the male preditor and captured their young minds to bridg the gap between parents and their daughters, as she speaks of her own experiences. After reading this book my daughters are now looking at things in a whole different way! It has made them more aware of the adult male prdatory practices. I think every parent should read this book with their children just as I have. This book is a must have parental tool!

When I read this book, I thought that it couldn't be a real social problem. Then I talked to my teen age daughter and she said 'yea' like it was no big deal. That scared me! Now I'm trying to tell other parents about this. This book helped me to remember some things that I forgot as a teenager. It also helped me to realize how important it is to listen to my kids. Everybody will get something out this book no matter if you have kids or not!

This book is very well written. I was not a reader until I read this book, now I'm buying books in twos' to read. The author kept my attention from the time I open the book until the end. I could not put the book down, because I wanted to see where the writter was going next. I will be looking for other books by this author. It's a must have for all, Mothers, Fathers, Educators, Children, Media and any one that can read. The author make you feel where she have been and everyone can relate to some parts of this book whether it be you or someone you know. I have purchase 10 of the books for friends and family. You want regreat this one unless you are the predator.

Irish Secrets: German Espionage In Wartime Ireland 1939-01945 by Mark M. Hull (Assistant Professor of History, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri) is a 383-page exploration of why World War II German intelligence basically failed in the Irish State, and offers the documented view that the german effort represented a genuine menace to the Allies (including Northern Ireland) as well as the wartime neutrality of the Irish Republic. So much more than a stodgy historical study, Professor Hull offers the reader a truly gripping and comprehensive account of the intelligence war in Ireland and showcases the story of a brilliant, creative, and ultimately successful Irish Military Intelligence in waging a counter-espionage campaign that would overwhelm the German intelligence operations. Strongly recommended for personal and academic World War II Military Studies collections, Trust Yourself To Transform Your Body draws upon newly released intelligence files in several countries, in-depth interviews Professor Hull was able to conduct with surviving participants, and other previously unpublished primary sources.

It's not often that a history book comes along that catches my interest. When first starting to read "Irish Secrets," I thought I would be in for another historical timeline reading. As I kept reading, I was captured with the informative and humorous, yet tragic stories. Mark Hull has put real-life incidents together to tell the truth, whether liked or not. You do not get lost in the first chapter with the events occuring out of place, instead, you are given an understanding of the German Intelligence Service and the tools used to achieve an ultimate outcome of events. For Example: agent basic training, radio transmission secrets, secret inks, a coding system, and the people that were chosen.

I am not educated with this part of history. Frankly, I find it boring in the classroom, but not with "Irish Secrets." You will get to know the people and feel their half achievements and full loss. You will go to Ireland and have landed in the wrong area only to come upon a long hike through the roads, I believe the gent walked about 70 miles...of which he was dressed out of sorts! He is very easily spotted as a foreigner - not too well planned. You'll have illicit affairs, entrapment, thrilling escapes and ultimately see the inside of a jail cell.

This book is beyond a doubt, one of its own kind and should be read for the classroom, but also for pleasure! A simple "Spies Like Us" all the way humor. The classroom reading list should include "Irish Secrets" for scholars to learn a bit of forgotten history and enjoy a well written bit of work on the authors part. Irish Secrets is very well written and thorough in its recalling of a time went wrong. I enjoyed the book from start to finish and urge others to do the same.

This book has amazing insight into the realms of Irish and German espionage history. I found the reading to be thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. Dr. Mark Hull brings a bit of humor into a subject that is difficult to entertain. I have never been an advent reader of any type of historical writings and found that once I started reading, I honestly felt capitivated by the reconstruction of history in this book. Unlike most history books, Dr. Hull has brought to life a writing that is serious in depth of subject, yet could be viewed world wide on a theatre screen as thoroughly enjoyable (James'Bond anyone?).

I would recommend this book for a history class or just for the enjoyment of sitting down on the sofa with a good book and a cup of wine for a relaxing evening at home.

Irish Secrets provides a stunning insight into a now forgotten aspect of the Second World War - Nazi Germany's secret overtures to neutral Ireland, 1939-1945. Berlin sent a "dirty dozen" agents by parachute and U-boat to Ireland, whose wartime leader, Eamon de Valera, was striving to maintain strict neutrality in the face of strong pressure to join the war (mainly from British Premier, Winston Churchill).
Mark Hull, a professor of modern history at St. Louis University, has produced the most detailed study of the agents sent to Ireland by Germany. They included a German circus weight-lifter, an Indian and two South Africans. Most were en route for missions in England, but all were caught and incarcerated in Athlone army camp in the Irish midlands (luckily for them because they would have faced executiion if discovered in wartime Britain).
The most colourful agent by far was Dr Hermann Goertz, who parachuted into Ireland just north of Dublin in 1940. Goertz was wearing his Luftwaffe uniform and medals in the mistaken belief that he would be shot if caught in civilian attire. Goertz who was in his 50s and a First World War veteran, asked a startled Irish farmer if he had landed in Northern Ireland by mistake. The farmer asked the German agent "You wouldn't happen to know Ballivor?" (the nearest village), at which point the conversation abruptly halted as Goertz went on the run.
As Professor Hull points out, Goertz had the most success among the German agents, remaining at large for 18 months. But it's believed that the Irish Army deliberately kept him on a long leash, checking all those with whom he came in contact, including the German ambasador, Dr Eduard Hempel.
Goertz was unsuited to a spying mission, however, and spent his time in prison writing love stories, practising suicide drills, and dreaming about taking over the leadership of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). After his post-war release, he was so alarmed at the prospect of being repatriated to Allied-controlled Germany (he feared he would be tortured to death by the Russians) that he took a cyanide pill and died instantly, in 1947.
Professor Hull's book - which is destined to become a standard work of historical reference - will prove an invaluable read for anyone intersted in recent Irish history, Ireland's historical links with Germany and, in particular, Nazi Germany's attitude to Europe's neutral states (which included Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Turkey).
It is noteworthy that the foreword for Irish Secrets was written by none other than Enno Stephan (the former head of German Radio's French-language service), whose 1963 book "Spies in Ireland" did much of the spadework on this fascinating topic.

(Dr David O'Donoghue, Dublin, Ireland).

This book sneaked under my radar but I'm glad that a kind friend, who had seen my review of a book of Alcott scholarship, sent me a copy of the ARC, which may differ slightly from the published version.

Kit Bakke belonged to the radical Weather Underground and thus identifies with Louisa May Alcott's idealistic and radical side, to the extent that she disparages LITTLE WOMEN (shock! horror!) in favor of such mature novels as WORK and MOODS. To her credit, she practically persuades the reader that these are important documents of American literary history, although she never really convinces me into believing that LITTLE WOMEN is a lesser work than we had thought. She just isn't skilled enough as a polemicist to make the case. Nor is she talented enough to pull off the fancy of being two people writing e-mails to each other over a century, herself and Alcott, especially when she has to update Alcott about all the social and cultural changes that have occurred since Alcott's death like US involvement in Vietnam and the Beatles vs. the Stones argument. (Rock music is "very experimental, loud and dramatic, with lyrics by handsome young men all about relationships, nature, and politics.")

However, what sets Kit Bakke apart from other writers is her sheer love of life and the ease with which she fits together two eras that seem, at the outset, so very different as to have nothing to say to each other. She tells us about a contemporary who, inspired by the Cuban revolution, named her daughter "Guevara," then changed the baby's name to "Guava" when radical chic faded and nouvelle cuisine caught her eye.

Bakke also makes Alcott's minor works sound interesting, especially her final uncompleted novel, DIANA AND PERSIS, which she sums up into four leading questions, "Can a productive and creative single woman be happy?" "Can a married woman maintain her personal life and friends?" "Can women be both personally happy and professionally successful?" "Can people be happily married and still respect each other's privacy and basic human rights?" Not all of these questions are of the same timbre or register, but it is almost as though they were too weighty for Alcott to answer fully, in the occluded times she shared with millions of other deracinated American women, not even "given the vote" for another 40 years, and that the effort made in posing the questions quite possibly carried her off--for she did die young, after all, needlessly so, having worn herself out in a lifetime of suffering, labor, sorrow, misunderstood love, and a dream of equal rights for all. Many recent commentators on Alcott have pointed to her productivity and likened her to a writing machine, a woman who'd write anything, from horror to melodrama to jokes, as long as she got her penny per word, and made her out to seem like an Erma Bombeck of the 19th century. In Bakke's version, that's all wrong, and she labored mightily to actualize herself in everything she did and, more importantly, in the words she left behind.

I thought this was so refreshing! Generations of women think they konw Louisa, as Jo in her novels, but really there was so much more! I appreciate that Ms. Bakke has given us insight into the 19th century struggles, as I read this book at a time when I felt frustrated by what is going on in our country today. It is good to know that we have made progress, over the last 140 years, and even over the last 40 years since the 60s. One thing I could have used even more of, was insight into those movements of the 1960s...

I read this book in one sitting. It was a non-stop read. What was intriguing to me was the use of the correspondence between the author and Louisa May Alcott which seemed quite legitimate because they share similar backgrounds in different eras. It reminds me of another great book, written 30 years ago, by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, "A Woman of Independent Means" which uses the letter-writing conceit exclusively. Kit Bakke is on to something and I hope she is at work on another book.

What is it about those old Concord folks that causes us to revisit them and put them in fictionalized settings? First it was "Mr. Emerson's Wife" (by Amy Belding Brown), and now "Miss Alcott's E-mail." I admit that after hearing about this new title, I just shook my head and figured its premise would be silly before I even held the book in my hands. I'm happy to report that I was wrong, wrong, wrong! Ms. Bakke has brought Louisa May Alcott to life for contemporary readers. More than that: she's made Alcott relevant to 21st-century Americans.

Using a unique writing style, Bakke first retells part of Miss Alcott's life story, taking time to weave her own reminiscences into the historical narration. She then "e-mails" the chapter to Louisa herself, who reacts and responds to what Bakke has written and continues the correspondence. Once we suspend our disbelief that this technique is possible, we find this a memorable format that's sure to appeal to readers who enjoy learning more from historical fiction than they did back in school history classes. Topics covered include Concord, Fruitlands, transcendentalism, the abolitionist movement, women's rights, writing, earning a living, dealing with family, and nursing. In see-saw fashion, both women discuss committing to a cause and doing what seems morally right in a situation. Bakke's involvement in the Vietnam anti-war movement and her career in the health profession make her the perfect person to relate to Louisa's own involvement in abolition and as a Civil War nurse. The biographical chapters and personal letters cause us to equate the 1860s with the 1960s, and we can understand the connections without being told they're there. The further along we read, the more we realize that our struggles are/were very similar. And we might speculate how far men and women have really come in the past century. Or not.

Librarians and bookstore clerks will struggle to figure out where to shelve this book, for it is fiction, biography, and contemporary memoir rolled into one package. I hope that dilemma doesn't deter its potential audience from finding it, for these pages are well worth delving into.

"Miss Alcott's E-mail" is a well-crafted book that should be read by many women and shared by mothers and daughters, especially when half of those readers (either the mothers or the daughters) are Baby Boomers who are part of Ms. Bakke's generation. The title will also appeal to book groups, since a set of beginning discussion questions appears at the end of the volume. Fans of the Transcendentalists should be pleased with this one as well.

It is the time of the Russian revolution where anyone connected with the royal family is no longer safe. Anton has been trusted with command by the tsar to take two servant girls from the royal house into safety. He soon falls in love with one of the girls, Oksana who seems to be hiding a secret from him. The two are constantly at odds but Anton has vowed to keep her safe. When he finds out her secret, will he still keep his promise to her or will he betray her trust?

I was afraid when reading this book I would be lost because I hadn't read the 2nd and 3rd book in the series. I had read the first book, Ekaterina, and had enjoyed it very much. However this book reads as a novel by itself although reading the other books will probably help to connect the complete storyline. I'm a huge fan of Russian history especially when dealing with the Russian royal family. I have always found the rise and fall of the last Tsar of Russia and his family fascinating. This story weaves historical fact with fiction beautifully. It's a really good story too, with lots of suspense and romance. What I also enjoyed about this story is that while most stories during this time period focus on Anastasia, this one was mainly about Olga. It was nice to read about a different perspective. It was obvious lots of research went into writing this book. I could almost imagine I was part of the story myself, trying to get into disguise and running for my life. Even though I haven't read the two books in between I can see how the first book and the last book tie into together with lots of clues finally being revealed. Excellent historical fiction and highly recommended.

This final book in the "Hiers of Anton" series was superbly written and I enjoyed it so much. Downs and Warren have done an excellent job in this book, as well as the series as a whole, in telling the story of this Russian family and how they discover who God has called them to be. The story grips you from the beginning and the ending is awesome! This series was written backwards, starting with the most current family members and ending with the oldest. I look forward to reading the series again, only in reverse! Downs and Warren have won a fan in me!

"Oksana", the fourth and final book in the Heirs of Anton series, is by far the best of them all! "Oksana" delivers a monumental punch within the first few chapters that, despite some dragging parts in the middle of the book, will keep you entranced until the very end. The romantic element in this novel also feels more authentic than in the previous novels, even if it is far-fetched. "Oksana" ties up all the loose ends and questions of the Heirs of Anton books in some unexpected ways, and delivers a fantastic and genius ending to the series.

I'd say more, but chances are, if you have been reading the series, you already love it, and already plan to read the final book. If you have not read the previous three novels, I encourage you to read them as they were designed to be read, in reverse-chronological order ("Ekaterina" first, then "Nadia", then "Marina", and finally, "Oksana").

After finishing "Ekaterina", the first book of the Heirs of Anton series, I wondered why on earth I would want to read the next three novels, when the mystery had been solved in the first one? Sure, a few questions lingered, but not enough to really hook me. But somehow I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I bought the rest of the series - and I am SO GLAD that I did! Each book in this series has been a joy to read, each complex in and of itself, and yet also contributing to the underlying plot that is woven throughout all four novels. This is, without a doubt one of the best fiction series I have ever had the pleasure of reading!
(I don't give out 5 star ratings very often or easily, so i truly recommend this series!)

Grade: A

Just before the Royal House of Romanov in Russia is forced into house arrest by the Revolutionists, Imperial Tsar Nikolai Romanov entrusts one his most precious belongings to a young Mennonite, Anton Klassen. Agreeing to protect and escort two of the Tsar's servants to safety, Anton travels to the palace to retrieve Oksana and Yulia.

Oksana, however, carries many secrets with her as Anton takes her away, including the fact she is not who she claims to be. Originally born Olga Nikolaeva Romanov, Grand Duchess of Russia, she uses the name of the faithful chambermaid who exchanged places with Olga in the palace. Trained to be her body double, the real Oksana chose of her own free will to remain behind to save Olga. Now under a borrowed name, Olga will have to learn to cope with a new life, even as she waits to be reunited with her family.

I find it very interesting that the books in this series have been done backwards as it were, with each book in the series going further into history instead of forward. Oksana is probably the best book in the Heirs of Anton series, aside from the first one, Ekaterina. Downs and Warren have written a wonderful romance combined with suspense. Oksana was a very well done novel.

This is a great story for anyone that is into imagination! Let Earl take you on an adventurous journey! The Trees have them down and out Blues and to resuce is no other than Outer Space Earl.

This book was exciting from the start! Earl and Grandpa are out to help save the tress because of their "Blues!" For my younger child the book was a great tool for helping her learn how to read, and most importantly she had enjoyed it!

This book is very well written and so much fun. Grandpa and Earl really keep you entertained with their silly tactics, and we cannot wait for the next adventure that Outer Space Earl takes us on! Love this book and these characters!

Exciting story line with great illistrations that entertain along with the story. CD read along allows my kids to follow the story and with the sound of chimes knows when to turn the page. Great book for kids starting to read. I will get other books in the Long Hill series.

This book does a great job explaining drug class pathophysiology, as well as outlining nursing considerations, and implementation. A very well rounded approach for nurses and nursing students!

This is a great book that will help you understand pharm as well as patho. I use it for both subjects

Helpful and easy to follow text. Illustrations, graphs, and charts very helpful.

This Pharmacology book is a very easy reading. Each chapter is only 5 to 7 pages long. At the end of each chapter are wonderful study questions that cover all important aspects of the chapter. There is also a great website you can go to for other study questions and NCLEX questions for nurses.

I ordered Phlip Vera Cruz: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement to gain insight into Filipino farm worker culture in America. What I got was more than I ever expected. I learned about the differences between generations, of the vast sea of Central Valley and Delano culture, and the history of Filipinos in America, whose hardships were endured by transplanted and misunderstood culture.

I've since learned that generational gaps in understanding Filipino culture exist that tear the rooted fabric of Filipino culture, making its historic transformation to Americanism nearly forgotten by many of the younger generation. Craig Scharlin's book of Cruz's memoirs provided a means through which I could research and begin to understand what many Filipino youth have never gained.

I picked up this book because I am a Filipino-American and knew little of the contributions of Filipino-Americans to American society and even had non-Filipino friends tell me of this man and the contributions to the UFW and labor laws in America. It's a sincere story of an honest man who bridged people and cultures and stood up for what was right and worth fighting for. I read it over one weekend and had a hard time putting it down. It's a great read for anyone interested in the UFW, Cesar Chavez, Filipino-American contributions, labor laws, and/or inter-racial relations.

I am often dismayed when college aged Filipina/o Americans, many of whom are the children and grandchildren of post-1965 immigrants, cannot appreciate the lives of the Manongs, early Filipino immigrants from the the 1920's & 30's. I realize that it was a long time ago and there are many other Fil-Ams to recognize and honor, but I believe that this first large wave of immigrants to the U.S. is a part of Fil-Am history that should not be ignored. The life of Philip Vera Cruz epitomizes the lives of many of these immigrants who came to the U.S. as migratory and service sector laborers but became activists by protesting labor exploitation. Further, Vera Cruz and other Filipinos played an integral part in the formation of the United Farm Workers. Young Filipinos often complain about not knowing their history or the role Filipinos have played in U.S. society. This biography is a good place to start learning about where we've been and what we've done.

An very intimate portrait of his struggle as a new immigrant, farm worker and then later activist, Philip Vera Cruz honors us with his reflections in `Philip Vera Cruz: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement.' Authored by Scharlin and Villanueva, Cruz gives us a personal account of his encounters with Cesar Chavez and the rest of the ilk of the United Farm Workers.

In an effort to handle the situation that the Filipino migrant workers found themselves in, they cherished the set of connections between friends and family and established cultural, religious, and community organizations, not to mention fraternal organizations. According to Vera Cruz, Filipino migrant workers subsequently organized labor unions and established charters in the AFL. It is established in common sense understanding that the farm workers movement was a Mexican American movement that was set in motion by the 1965 Delano grape strike in the San Joaquin valley (3, 8-21). In reality, the farm workers movement was actually initiated in the 1930s with the Filipino Workers Association, the Filipino Labor Union, and the Filipino Agricultural Laborers Association. In this account we read that the 1965 grape strike was instigated by the Filipino Labor Union, headed by Larry Itlong, and was joined a week later by Cesar Chavez and his National Farm Workers Organization (31-51). The two unions were merged into the United Farm Workers with the support of Philip Vera Cruz, who became a vice president of the UFW (xiii). Philip Vera Cruz provides us with poignant insight regarding the Filipino immigrant experience at the turn of the century and beyond:

"New immigrants, who will compete with the workers already here, are arriving everyday from the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Arab countries, from Jamaica, and especially Mexico. Third World countries have been exploited so much by the multinational corporations that their people, moved by extreme poverty, leave their home countries to seek work in an industrialized country like the United States. The multinationals suck the wealth out of their homeland like a vampire sucks blood. And these same big businesses here greet these new immigrants with open arms. These poor foreigners bring their cheap labor which means increasing profits for the big corporations. When the present group of workers here start to get organized and win some of their struggles for better wages and benefits, then the big agribusinesses here in California, with the help of the government, try to bring in new groups of workers" (145).

Immigration was cut short in 1932, when the Great Depression severely curtailed recruitment of Filipino workers abroad. In 1934 the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act by the U.S. congress re-categorized Filipinos as aliens and limited their entrance to the U.S. to 50 per annum with a specific but contradictory agenda. According to Vera Cruz it was caused by the fear and insecurities of workers here over their job situation. Although it is not reflective of the conditions of ALL immigrant groups (particularly Asian) Vera Cruz's experience does echo that of Carlos Bulosan and forms part of the discourse and narrative of the manong experience. As mentioned previously, Philip Vera Cruz honors us with his reflections in Philip Vera Cruz: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement.

Miguel Llora

I have not read anything before that does such a careful, insightful, and interesting job of analyzing and comparing the world's great religions and their founders. PHYSICIANS OF THE SOUL by Dr. Robert May also brings a wealth of psychological insights to spiritual claims and experiences and an enrichment of spiritual light to psychological phenomena. In a world where religious fanatics continue to attack one another and everyone else, mislead their followers, and spread confusion and hostility everywhere, PHYSICIANS OF THE SOUL is a refreshing, clarifying and much needed work. I hope it will be widely used in
classrooms as well as for individual enlightenment.

Rev. Luther E Peterson B.A., M.Div, Pastor Emeritus of St. Olaf Lutheran
Church, Minneapolis Minnesota

As a Christian, taught that mine was the one true religion, when I learned of the other major religions I was suddenly skeptical about them all. In fact, I became an atheist. This book answered for me, some of my questions and doubts and I find myself a believer again. There is unity in all of the religions and the differences are cultural rather than spiritual. This book is written from the heart, by someone who actually experienced the religions, rather than an academic. It's very well written and I recommend it highly.

This rich experiential study of the wondrous relationship of the great spiritual teachings of Lao-Tzu, Moses, Jesus, Siddhattha Gotama, Krishna and Muhammed expanded my experience with these Great Ones. It is so personal, so readable, and so well laid out that it was a great joy to read. I have been working with the souls and egos of my surgical patients for a quarter-century, and May has given me a gift that I now share both directly and indirectly with them. The experience of reading his book is immensely helpful in understanding the difference between soul and spirit. Indeed, May is a shaman helping us recover the loss of our species' soul that occurred when we entered the Age of Reason, could not prove the soul's existence, and threw it out.

Robert May shares with us his search for the authentic self, the self realized. He sets before us some spiritual teachings of the world. From Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam he takes us through these teachings and also gives us his own spiritual history. Other author's that I consider worth reading in the quest of the spiritual life are Henri Nouwen, Morton Kelsey, John Sanford (both Jungian) and M. Scott Peck.

David Paul Frediani is the perpetrator and Helena Greenwood is the victim. Around 15 years is the time period of investigation and this case was finalized in the year 2000. All up-to-date stuff. You discover the history of DNA and its application to crime detection which is a fascinating subject and also the fact that hundreds of inmates have been released from prison as it was proven they were innocent. The thrust of this story however, are the deeds of David Frediani, his incredible self-made alibis, those who helped him (a handful of people), and how he was eventually brought to justice because of the work of a handful of law enforcement people. I thought if the volume was cut by about 25 pages it would have rated 5 stars. This is one of the early detections using DNA and if it had occured much earlier then Mr. Frediani would have gotten away free...forever.

Helena Greenwood was the head of marketing at a biotech company in southern California. She was present at the dawn of DNA testing in her industry, and when she heard about the newly patented method of DNA fingerprinting, she told the directors of her firm, "This DNA fingerprinting is going to be big. I think we should get into it." She was just the person to influence the firm in that direction, but in 1985 she was murdered in the front garden of her home. There was a suspect, but no witnesses, no fibers, no fingerprints, and the homicide department put the murder in the archive for more than a decade. Then a resourceful investigator found physical evidence in the file, and, ironically, used the same DNA testing on it that Greenwood had been promoting. The history of this case, and the results, are told in a fascinating detective story, _Pointing from the Grave: A True Story of Murder and DNA_ (Miramax) by Samantha Weinberg. The book does not simply relate the facts of the case and profile the personalities involved, but it also gives a satisfying and useful history of DNA research and the effect of that research on forensic investigations.

Weinberg intercuts her murder story with visits to labs and descriptions of the history of DNA going back to before Watson and Crick. One of Weinberg's digressions is to the Innocence Project, which has used DNA evidence to free wrongly convicted prisoners. The Project's efforts have shown that courts and juries are more badly flawed than anyone had previously suspected, and have increased the importance of DNA for fair legal investigation. But the useful digressions in _Pointing from the Grave_ all hang on the story of Greenwood's murder, and that story is very well told indeed. In 1998, an investigator found Greenwood's fingernail clippings taken at the autopsy, and thought that perhaps under the fingernails would be skin samples for investigation. When Greenwood had been murdered, such evidence was useless; fifteen years later, it provided the basis for the arrest of a charming sociopath who at the time of the murder had had been out on bail for sexually assaulting her. His lawyer attempted to use the defense that the science was untested, to "persuade the jury it was voodoo," but in 2001, juries had heard enough about DNA successes, and prosecutors had had enough experience with demonstrating the reliability of such evidence, to make a difference.

Weinberg has interviewed many of the scientists whose work she mentions, and has had jailhouse interviews with the accused. She has become friends with his family, who are sad figures ("they were the essence of the American suburban family") trying to understand how a nurturing and non-abusive upbringing could have turned out so. There are vital portraits of all the players at the trial here, and a summary of the proceedings that is exciting. Unforgettable is Greenwood's father; he was proud of his science-inclined only child, and devastated by her death. "There's enough sadness in the world," he said, "without people killing each other." He compared it to stones thrown in a pond, "... the ripples as they grow outward bring misery to everyone." When he said this, prostate cancer was painfully killing him in England, but he had hung on to life for years hoping to have his daughter's death resolved. He heard the verdict relayed to him by telephone, and died only hours later.

I have been looking for books about forensic science as I want to go into that, and found this wonderful book. It is almost hard to believe that it is true! The author really weaves the true story line in with the history of how DNA testing was discovered and developed. And it is even more amazing that the victim was involved with geneics and DNA herself. This book was as enertaining as any fiction book with forensic science.

I walked into this one knowing the outcome and essential facts. This case had been covered on either Unsolved Mysteries or one of the many forensic shows available through cable tv and I was immediately familiar with it.
The pleasant surprise was the book's essential structure and Ms. Weinberg's writing style. This was a true story that in many ways was written like a great crime novel. Her cast of characters had well developed personalities. Her research was meticulous. She was able to build a level of suspense when her reader already knew where she was going. Weinberg managed to maintain a level of objectivity and even a level of sympathy for the perpetrator while managing to be mindful that this person wasn't innocent.
As for my own reaction to this story, I became almost immediately hooked. There was almost a creepy aspect here as I had stayed at a hotel no more than 2 blocks from the scene of the crime last October. Her descriptions were so intensely visual that I almost felt like I was in Del Mar witnessing the crime scene first hand. I kept thinking that this all seemed so surreal. On a certain level I kept thinking the title could have been Murder In Paradise.
This book was researched very thorougly and many people who were involved closely to the victim, perpetrator, or the investigations conducted were interviewed at length.
Of course, as the title implies, the victim was indirectly responsible for nailing her murderer 15 years after the fact. While there is a certain irony in that, by no means is that the whole story.
I read this book in slightly over 3 hours. Usually I don't speed read when I'm reading for pleasure, but it was so compelling I just couldn't wait to move forward.
Be forwarned that I only review books that I really like or really detest. I absolutely loved this one.