Miller Books

This another well done story full of good characters. I want a sequel to this one. Josie and Rebecca are just great strong women and there were a couple of times I thought I hurt myself laughing. Great read I am gonna keep this one.

From the back cover:
When out-law-on-the-run Josie Hunter rescues a young woman from the clutches of three desperados, she unwitting sets in motion a chain of events that will change their lives. Soon Josie and Rebecca are reluctant companions on a journey that leads beyond secrets and past pain to a place neither ever expected to go. As they learn to rely on one another for survival in the harsh world, they eventually forge a bond far deeper than friendship.

What I liked about this novel was that the Old West setting was authentic. I really felt what a dangerous life they were living. The characters were all very interesting, likable (or hate-able) and realistic for the period. And most importantly the authors took their time developing and changing the characters, in particular the relationship between Josie and Rebecca so you had time to get to know them and care whether they became lovers or not. (Oh, and the sex is great!!)Another great thing was that this book is a good length. Despite being fast paced the authors still have lots to say to keep the book a satisfying length.
This is the best lesbian romance book I have read in the historical/western genre to date. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good read in that area.

Josie Hunter is supposedly a wild desperado...robbing trains and killing folks. Unfortunately, one of her gang turns against them and their final job has her gang running for the hills in different directions.

While Josie is riding thru the frontier with no place to go, she hears a scream. When she arrives at the scene, three cowboys are preparing to rape and kill a pretty, young woman. Josie tries to get the girl released without any problems, but the guys go for their guns and they die because they were stupid.

Josie takes the victim, Rebecca Cameron, back to the outskirts of her town looking disheavaled. Rebecca father, Caleb, is a drunken abuser and beat the [...] out of Rebecca because he doesn't believe her story.

So Rebecca runs away and begins following Josie's tracks. Josie almost kills her when she creeps on the outskirts of her campsite. After Josie gives into the fact that Rebecca is going to follow her, she relents and allows Rebecca to travel with her.

Rebecca attracts alot of attention, but it is always the wrong kind of attention, either from men or snakes. Josie is there to take care of the situation, with her gun.

The characters you meet along the trail boost the characterization of Josie. The events which occur during their travels make them both stronger and bond them together.

This is a great read.

Phenomenal... There isn't a better word to describe this book. Miller and Foster have teamed up on several occasions, but this is one of their best.

From the Back Cover... "Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles is an epic western saga with all the elements familiar to that genre; rousing adventure, heinous villans, heart-stopping action, outlaws-turned-heroes, and of course a romance that will warm the heart. At the center of this story are two women - one, a deadly gunslinger, bitter from the injustices in her past, the other a gentle dreamer trying to escape the horors of the present. Their destinies come together one fateful afternoon when the feared outlaw makes the choice to rescue a young woman in trouble. For her part, Josie Hunter considers the brief encounter at an end once the girl is safe, but Rebecca Cameron has other ideas. Enthralled by the enigmatic figure of the legendary bandit and desperate to escape a life that is quickly crushing her spirit, Rebecca decides to follow her rescuer - much to the older woman's chagrin. It is at first a difficult relationship but one which slowly begins to grow and change and deepen as the two unlikely friends share adventures, joys, pains, hopes and dreams, only to discover they also desperately want to share their hearts. It is a beautiful passionate love story that develops slowly, pulling the reader into this drama even as Josie and Rebecca themselves discover a growing intensity between them."

If you're a fan of Xena, you'll love this book. Period.

Much of the plot and experiences of the main characters seems to be a mirror image of Season 1. Rebecca is attacked and saved by Josie. Josie takes her home. Rebecca follows. Josie begrudgingly lets her come along. Josie helps people along the way and depends on Rebecca's way with words to help in many situations. Josie begins to change her reputation from "outlaw" to "saviour" as their adventures continue.

The only differences are the setting and the ability of the characters in this story to actually consummate their love after they slowly fall for each other.

I waited a long time for this one to hit my bookshelf. It is a fantastic read that I hope to enjoy again many times in the future.

Women are often marginalized in history especially in stories about the Old West. BL Miller and Vada Foster have changed that by rewriting history, if only in fiction, with Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles. Women are front and center throughout the pages in this stimulating and inspiring tale of two women finding each other as well as themselves while they forge new trails.

Josie Hunter becomes an outlaw after she is accused of killing her best friend Genie. While on the run, she dispenses her own kind of justice, skirting the "law" quite often. It is during one of these times that she rescues Rebecca Cameron from a gang of men trying to rape the young woman. After this encounter, Rebecca becomes Josie's traveling partner. While unwilling to totally accept this spirited woman, Josie reluctantly lets her tag along.

The authors have invented a truly heroic character with Josie. While it may seem that Josie recklessly breaks the law every chance she gets, in actuality, on the frontier, the law was localized and very arbitrary. Being half Cherokee makes Josie's situation much more complicated. Although deeply flawed and displaying a brusque exterior, she risks her life more than once to save those who can't help themselves. Her compassion for others shows in all of her actions. Rebecca's character complements Josie, offering us innocence as well as a quiet strength. It is her belief in Josie's goodness that draws out the tough outlaw's deep feelings.

As a reader I have found that well written historical fiction is hard to find. Either the authors give too little detail, or they get bogged down in facts that do not move the story along. There is no balance thus the real events detract from the plot. This is not the case with Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles. It is interspersed with actual events that give the readers a flavor for the times. The setting is detailed and accurate. Josie and Rebecca's travels are full of action and variety which keep the book interesting throughout. Foster and Miller realistically portray the women in the story, the choices they must make and the way they are generally treated. The authors also deal with Josie being part Cherokee and the prejudice that Native Americans endured during those times. The authors never preach but let these crucial bits of overlooked history reach us through superb storytelling.

Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles is enjoyable and thorough without dragging. It will surely become as legendary as the great Westerns that have preceded it. I highly recommend this extraordinary account of our forgotten history as told through the fictional characters of Josie and Rebecca.

My title is part of the inscription her husband Charlie had placed on Patsy's grave marker.Time has shown that truer words have never been said.
All the letters in this book were written to Treva Steinbicker who started and operated her fan club.They corresponded very frequently from the time that Patsy started in the business in 1955 when she was was only 23.The letters continued till 1959.There may have been more and Treva probably continued until she was killed in a car accident in 1960;but no letters were found during that period. Patsy met her untimely death in a plane crash on March 5,1963.
More than anything else,these letters show what a huge struggle and sacrifice to health,family and security the artists of the 50's went through in establishing a career.The number of Country Artists ,who made a living,were only a few dozen,and it took many years to make it.However,the music they made came from the heart and soul and was so good because they really lived it.Today new superstars appear like autumn leaves,and in my opinion most of it is "studio" music and that which the Industry promotes.It is hihhly that the stoff promoted today will be enduring like that which we got from the artists of Patsy's time.
Try as they may,to replace Country Music with Pop,Rhinestone Cowboy stuff,Country Rock,New Country,Line Dance music,the music of the Legends like Patsy,Hank Williams,Web Pierce,Johnny Horton,Roy Acuff,Ernest Tubb,Loretta Lynn,and other artists of the 50's and 60's,the real Country music survives because of the simplr fact that Country Music is the music of the people,by the people and for the people---Not the music establishment and studios.
The thing that surprisedme the most is how little these artists were compensated These letters show that during the time Patsy made her greatest hits,she virtually lived in poverty.Just imagine how moch people who couldn't write a simple ditty or even carry a tune,made off Patsy.

I found, Love Always, Patsy to be quite compelling. I wasn't reading about Patsy Cline the superstar but "Patsy" the young girl working her way up. To be able to do that in her own words left me with a special warmth for the person and all she hoped to achieve. To spend time recapturing a "lost" time in the business of music. A more simple time. I would recommend this book not only to Patsy Cline fans but anyone interested in music, life, biographies, or a hard working housewife.

I am the secretary for the Always Patsy Cline Fan Organization and I have to say, I'm pretty picky about my Patsy Cline merchandise, info., etc.

This book was so interesting to me because you really found out who Patsy was. She struggled just like the rest of us. It blew me away at how tight things were for her. Although times were tough, she kept going to make her dreams come true.

You could really tell how much she loved Charlie and her new daughter, Julie. Randy wasn't born yet.

It was really easy to read and I couldn't put it down. It's a real treasure to have something like this about someone we don't know much about, because of how short of a time she was with us.

If you are in any way a fan of Patsy Cline, this is a must read for you. It also contains a few new photos.

Enjoy!

Thank you Mike and Cindy for sharing the personal letters of Patsy Cline with all of us. What better way to get to know someone, then to peek into their letters written to someone very special. Not only are the words that she writes very intimate and from the heart, but the paper they are witten on and the way they are written(phrasing and penmanship) give you insight into Patsy's feelings and personality. Since reading this great book, I have become an REAL Patsy Cline fan.

If you are looking for a book that tries to analyze Patsy Cline from a woman's perspective, read Margaret Jones' biography. If you want dirt and hack writing, read Ellis Nassour. But if you want to know Patsy Cline, read this book. Patsy wrote it herself with a guiding hand from Mike and Cindy. Patsy tells us in her own words what kind of a woman she is and she shares her dreams and disappointments in a way no other writer can touch.

Mike and Cindy let Patsy tell the story, intruding long enough to clarify a point or identify an obscure reference.

Is it really only possible to give this a five star rating? It is deserving of at least double that. 10 out of 5 is more accurate. Can this series REALLY be out of print? What the HELL?! Whoever can change this...I really and trully implore you to. If you ever happen to chance upon this review...

(This is a review of the Fantasy Masterworks edition. The Kindle edition is based on the VIE texts, which means that it uses the corrected version, and is therefore an alternative to the Andreas Irle edition if you want a digital version rather than a paperback one.)

Others have already described the book, I would only like to add that this particular edition is badly corrupt: sentences, or even whole paragraphs have been changed or removed to the detriment of the work, the order of two chapters has been changed at one spot (to similar effect), and so on, and so forth (more detail can be found from the VIE newsletter, Cosmopolis, available for download at the Vance Integral Edition web site).

Fortunately, there is now available a corrected edition, published by Edition Andreas Irle.

Curious, there are 3 possible Lyonesse/Suldrun's Garden books to review, with different reviews on each one. Perhaps Amazon might consider addressing this.

This is without a doubt Jack Vance's most serious, mature work. He creates a fantasy setting of islands between Ireland and France set in the dark ages (post-roman), and offers a wandering, detailed and vivid story.

Some spoilers are in this review. Strongly consider whether to continue reading, as major plot threads may be discussed or deflated.

Initially the story mainly concerns itself with Suldrun, but before too long, she is gone and we gain other main protagonists, Shimrod, Dhrun and Aillas. Aillas' effort to find his son greatly resemble some of his other rambling adventure stories, with the protagonist moving from one setting to another. The journey of Dhrun and Gwyneth is similar, with Shimrod eventually joining them.

Antagonists are competent and developed as well, with Casimir being entirely too competent and ruthless for comfort, while Faude Carhiliot (sp) comes across more as a brilliant opportunist rather than a competent strategist.

I would need to check dates but it is possible this is the first time Vance developed complex and rational female characters in his story, particularly Suldrun. I have read this criticism of his work and in some cases it does appear justified (whether relevant or not is another matter), but I see no such issue in this series.

A major difference in Lyonesse compared to Vance's other works is that Vance's trademark humor, often deadpan or delivered in flatline the most outrageous or self-evident comments, is present but very subdued, and never does one feel oneself to be in a more normal vance story, where such humor can be a central feature. Lyonesse feels much more serious, and there is some doubt as to how things might work out for the major characters, particularly given that he kills his initial protagonist off so easily.

A fabulous story; I could nitpick but it is hard to find fault here.

Edit (9/26/07) Having recently reread the rest of this trilogy, I would say that this series is Vance's best. This is compared to Tschai, the Demon Princes, the Cadwal Chronicles, the Anome trilogy, and Ports of Call/Lurulu, plus whatever else I have forgotten. A major storyline is developed incrementally, numerous characters develop and many are discarded/killed in the course of the story, and a viable, and fairly complete, ending is provided.

Jack Vance is a true master - of storytelling as well as the fantasy genre. Lyonesse - Book 1 was a brilliant, poetic, engaging, never a dull moment masterpiece. I would highly recommend this book to all fantasy fans.

Jack Vance was a thirty-year veteran of science fiction, a Nebula and multiple Hugo Award winner, when _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ was published in 1983. His assured authorial hand sets this novel apart from the huge majority of fantasy sagas, which are written by debut writers. Combined with vivid detail, including a seemingly endless variety of medieval foods, Vance's prose paints entrancing images of a fantasy world based on the lost continent of Lyonesse from the old Arthurian legends.

His shifting omniscient point-of-view may feel jarring to modern readers. Although this technique of "head-hopping" through multiple characters' thoughts in the same scene has largely been superceded in modern fiction, it was the default in Vance's era. It can leave the reader feeling distant from the characters, especially when the narrative gives large overviews of family or national history. Yet Vance's prose still places the reader as deeply inside the characters' emotions as any modern limited point-of-view, through the skill of his vivid and lyrical prose.

The organization of the book also shows the narrative fashion of a bygone era. Modern novels seize the reader by shoving many characters on-stage and immediately placing them in peril. In contrast, _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ starts with the birth of the title character and spends chapters summarizing her youth. The main character doesn't show up for almost a hundred pages, and several chapters in the middle of the book follow tangential plots. Yet all the plot threads coalesce in the end, along with the seeds of conflict for the rest of the trilogy.

Despite these antiquated narrative quirks, _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ still feels strikingly modern in several respects. The first is Vance's array of character conflicts based on the viciousness of realistic humans. There is no evil overlord, as became cliché soon afterwards from overuse by less talented writers. Yet Vance's human characters will do far more chilling things to each other than any overlord could. The second is the uncompromising strife that his characters face. The protagonists in _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ are constantly beset by torments from both enemies and friends. No good deed goes unpunished, and quests wander hopelessly. This is the same no-holds-barred style that many modern epic fantasists have adopted, for the astute reason that a brave character in peril compels readers to keep reading. This gritty or brutal modern style of epic fantasy originated with Jack Vance.

_Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ stands like no other work of early 80s epic fantasy--brilliantly rendered, harshly realistic, and dated yet still anachronistically modern.

Swirley's first book is a an absolute gem. The perfect gift for everyone you care about. The book is filled with inspiration, humor and gorgeous illustrations. I can't wait to see what this talent stirs up next!

This book is a wonderful gift for graduates to take with them as they leave home and for adolscence to help them shape their character.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in need of inspiration. I purchased this book for myself, but after seeing what a wonderful book it truly is I plan to purchase additional books as gifts for friends and relatives. You'll LOVE the illustrations that go along with the words of inspiration - there "YUMMY", as Swirly Girl would say!!!

For many years I have been buying and sending greeting cards that Christine Miller designs. Now I'm thrilled to have her delightful book! Christine is a gifted artist who combines her whimsical and colorful art with text that inspires us toward who we really are. This is a great book for artists and dreamers... but it is also the perfect book for anyone who is working toward creating something in their lives. I bought this first copy for myself to keep at my fingertips... but you can bet I'll be buying "Plant Your Dreams" as a gift book for many people in my life. Everyone can use a little delight in their lives...!

Plant Your Dreams and the Miracles Will Grow is a wonderful book to have and look through frequently, and makes a great gift, too. The illustrations are beautiful and uplifting, and the messages are truly inspirational.

This is just the book you're looking for whether you are a beginner or an experienced hunter. Practical, insightful, a gold mine of information. Read it with a highlighter in hand, and be prepared to get out into the field and put the techniques into practice immediately. I realized my pre-scouting left alot to be desired. This is a must-have deer hunter's information resource...

Aggressive Whitetail Hunting is a superior book on hunting trophy whitetails. Frankly, I'm tired of books were the authors spend 200 pages telling me how great they are by recounting their exploits on fully guided hunts in hunting preserves.

Greg Miller is a true outdoorsman who hunts on public land and small farms in Wisconsin. His helpful tips, especially on hunting rublines are sure to make you a better hunter. As someone who must hunt heavily pressured public land I figured I would have to use Aggressvie Whitetail strategies to be successful. I applied the lessons learned in this book and bagged a nice eight point buck on public land.

If your a begginer, or someone who wants to bag a bigger buck this is the book for you.

This is a very informative book. I especially like the section on rub-lines and how Greg clears up misconceptions about scrapes and rubs (and rub-lines). I think the chapter on rub-lines is the most important. There is alot to learn in the rest of the book. E.g. chapters on hunting small tracts of land and performing "small" drives. If you want more information on rub-lines, check out Greg Miller's "Rub-Line Secrets" -- that one is a 5 star book.

Gets right to the point. Explains how to have quality hunting when there are limitations on how much time you can spend in the woods. This guy is obviously a hunter, not just an outdoors writer.

This the end all book for serious deer hunters. Whether you are a novice or an experienced hunter, this is the book to follow.

All american girl is the storyr of the golden oldies of the Womens National soccer team! It shows how some 10+ ordinary girls came together to make a HUGE difference in the history of sports! Best book ever!!!!!!

This book will give you the facts and inside scoop of the wonderful ladies. Some of the stories the team tells are hilaroius. It's not the best book I've read but it's great for young girls to see how they got to the highest level.

This book is fantastic. It gives an inside look at each player to pass through the National team program for an extended period of time. Includes player interviews and a sort of "rap"sheet for each player, like their most embaressing soccer moment, their favorite number, and other interesting facts. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about the Womens National team. Don't Miss it!!

If u don't have this book, u must buy it because i never liked soccer untill my friend bought me it. I was hooked. I read it 5 times that is how good it was. Please buy the book. If u don't, you are missing out....... BIG time.

If you are a fan of any player on the US womens team and wonder what they do in there life (Yes they do have a life out side of soccer)this is the book for you. Your brothers picking on you saing girls cant play sports. Will now you can prove him wrong. Hand him this book tell him to read the first page, it will make him think twice before he makes fun of womens soccer again. This book has each player tell about there life in and out of soccer. They tell of all the interesting hobbies they have and some of am even rat on there team mates. If you buy this book and dont enjoy reading it you are not a true womens soccer fan.

"Big Cicadas" is a pleasant surprise that stays with you long after you finish it. It reveals its story through short vignettes that capture the feel of a life lived in a small Pennsylvania community in its many facets and through subtle imagery that allows the reader to see the characters both as they see themselves and as others see them. Nothing ponderous here! Just a great read.

"Big Cicadas" is a modest but remarkably accomplished first novel. Gregory Miller renders the many facets of small-town life -- bright and dark, salutary and sinister -- with a skill that evokes Sherwood Anderson's "Winesburg, Ohio," and the author's talent for capturing the inner lives of young people took me back to Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and Stephen King's "Stand By Me."

In Jay Jarvis, Miller has given us a believable and fascinating protagonist, a principled individualist reminiscent of Mersault in Albert Camus's "The Stranger." The central mystery -- why won't Jarvis sign a manifestly rational and benevolent petition? -- comes to a surprising and satisfying resolution.

So this is a novel with many influences -- but ultimately Miller transcends them to give us his own unique voice and vision. Readers of all literary tastes will fondly recall the hours they spent in Still Creek, Pennsylvania, with its suspenseful eddies and subtle currents.

Completing the school year for a teacher is a rewarding experience. The summer that follows is a time of renewal, self-exploration, and a time to pamper yourself in you own pleasures. Gregory Miller's first fiction venture was the greatest of these pleasures for this public school educator. Having dealt with the complexities of leaving my home in a small Pennsylvania town that really does not understand anything (nor does it want to know anything) outside of itself I can appreciate the views that Miller has presented. This is an excellent read I would recomend to anybody who has ever had to come to terms with being able to see outside the walls that their home has established for itself... I too look forward to future works of the author...

This debut work is remarkable in its simple charm and understated complexity. The rapid-fire chapters create quirky memorable, but beyond all else truly real characters. The life which Miller breathes into these creations is full and colorful and engaging. While the tale of small-town life, it holds a quality of relevance for anyone looking for answers or courage in the face of adversity. BIg Cicadas is a book to which I know I'll be returning on a regular basis.

I received a copy of Big Cicadas just after it hit the bookstore shelves. It went right into the stack on my desk, in the queue for summer reading but with about fifteen others ahead of it. Then the stack got knocked over, reshuffled and BC wound up on top... I wish it had happened sooner.

Reading Big Cicadas was my first diversion in several years from biography, historical fiction or action/adventure. But then, Big Cicadas has elements of all three in a homey, thoroughly enjoyable small town fashion.

It is the biography of every stranger who ever settled in a small town where everyone knew everyone else and where visitors were more welcome than new settlers.

It's a journal of small town-style adventure. The author sets the stage so effectively with his writing style that even the most worldly of readers finds excitement in the same day to day events as the story's characters.

And it is history and sociology as well.

Still Creek is a 90's town with 50's values. Here the residents are content to enjoy the seasons while the town drifts into the next stage of sociological evolution in its own good time.

I recognized all the characters and all the scenes from my own youth. The sights and sounds of summer, the voices, the people, the tragedy and the recovery... all were as real and believable as a childhood memory. The author's gift for seamless joining of dialogue and scene description makes the small town action move along like a ride on a super train - fast, smooth and satisfying.

I'm looking forward to Gregory Miller's next effort.

When I first started collecting Cameos it was very confusing which ones were worth collecting. This book showed me what to look for and what to watch out for. Well worth the money!

I liked the book. It could of had alot more information in it because there was a few things that I did not get answered...like I had hoped. But I guess you can't expect one book to give you all the information that a person seeks.

The book is very thorough and spotting every important and relevant issue concerning old and newer cameos. Very easy to read and remember, giving all that's good to know about cameos. Recommended for anyone interested in knowing them - collectors, dealers, teachers...

The only thing is that almost all of the photographs are in black & white, and in a rather poor quality. If the photos were in good quality color, this would have just made the book perfect. I, for one, would be happy to pay for the difference.

If you love cameos and collect them this is a wonderful little book for you. Tells you the history, the types, the reasons for certain styles, how to tell the age, how to tell the value, and all the necessary terminology for discussing them. Good illustrations are also a plus.

When most people think of cameos, they think of the standard woman's profile carved from shell and mounted as a brooch or necklace. But the art of the cameo encompasses far more than that. Historically, it dates back to the ancient world, and over the centuries many materials have been used in making these works of art. Although female heads are probably the most common subject, mythological figures, animals, portraits of individuals, and many other things have found their way onto cameos. The quality can range all the way from cheap mass-produced modern items to fine hand-crafted pieces worthy of any museum.

Anna Miller's "Cameos" is a wonderful introduction to cameos. She covers the history of the form, the subjects normally found and what each one looks like--very useful in an age where few people know their mythology. She describes the different materials that have been used in making cameos--including lava from Mt. Vesuvius, shell, agate, onyx, plastic, and glass. There's an extensive section on how cameos are made and on the people who made (and make) them. One particularly useful discussion describes the differences between traditional hand-carved works and those made by modern ultrasonic machines (vital for any modern buyer). The author also gives information on how to evaluate quality and condition and on market value. The book is illustrated throughout with black and white pictures, and there is an extensive color section in the middle. One of the best things about this book is that the author is able to convey her appreciation of the art of cameos to the reader. "Cameos" is an essential reference for anyone who wants to acquire a knowledge and understanding of this art. Highly recommended.

I would like not to see the parallels. Any rational and compassionate person should like not to see the parallels. But the parallels are there, and Miller lays them bare in this devastating and meticulous extended analogy.

This is an astonishing book. Its thesis is provocative, to say the least, and it may not be for everyone -- but if you've ever wondered if just maybe our current federal drug policy wasn't delivering quite what you'd hoped, crack this book open and prepare to lose sleep.

The author has done the work and now the citizens must spread the "gospel". Like a seer Lawrence is able to anticipate the insane trajectory of where this drug war is leading. Though the picture he paints is ugly, if these drug warrior zealots are not vigorously challenged now he clearly shows how much uglier it will become. The evil of Nazi Germany and that of the US drug war are clearly shown to progress via the same chain of events: identification, ostracism, confiscation, concentration, and the final solution ie annihilation. Miller is an American hero doing the best he can to awaken conciousness.

This is one of the most powerful books I've read in a long time. Richard L. Miller deserves an award. In this book, the author details the erosion of civil liberties by the current war on drugs. For those familiar with this area, he trots out the typical points: harsh penalties for minor violations and loss of civil liberties for all.

But what makes this book special is the author's analysis of legal issues and history. Richard Miller is an independent scholar who has written about Nazi justice (in "Nazi Justiz"). I thought his application of Nazi jurisprudence to the drug war was overkill at first. Little did I know just how wrong I was. As one reviewer put it, this book will help you lose weight.

What sets this book above the others on the drug war is that Miller explains how the war effects the innocent, and how innocence is no longer an adequate defense. In fact, Miller has a Justice Department official quoted as saying that innocence was not a defense to forfeiture of assets. He argues that asset forfeiture has corrupted law enforcement at all levels.

In one example, Miller tells of an elderly couple in one California county who owned a mutil-million dollar ranch adjacent to a national park. Apparently, the Park Service wanted the land, the local law enforcement the assets (in the form of the house, possessions, etc.). Thus, police had to get a warrant to raid the property. First, they searched it illegally. This is a typical tactic of DEA agents and local law enforcement, who search a house and either plant or discover evidence that they can use to get a warrent later. Regardless, the courts have determined that even illegal searches and seizures are acceptable in the war on drugs. All of this is documented in the book. Even in the illegal search, no drugs were discovered. An elderly couple, go figure?

If you think that stopped the police, DEA, et al., then you haven't read the book. One local officer testified before a judge that "thousands" of marijuana plants were being cultivated on the property. This testimony was based on a lie told to the officer by another. Although both were aware of the lie (and the couple's complete innocence of ANYTHING), this way neither officer could be chared with perjury. Needless to say, the judge issued the warrant.

During the raid, the husband was sleeping. He was roused awake by his wife's screaming and was shot to death as he put down his rifle, which he had becuase he thought he was being robbed and was defending his wife. The agents participating in the raid evicted the wife. Even agents of the U.S. Park Service were involved, in case you doubted their complicity.

It gets better. The location of the ranch was in a different county than the one in which the local police were from! They went out of their own jurisdiction for the express purpose of seizing property from people THEY KNEW were innocent. All of this was expressed by the county prosecutor (where the ranch was), when he said that they appeared to be motivated by a desire to obtain the property and assests of its owners.

This book is meticulously documented and researched. The analysis of the legal issues with references to the Nuremburg Tribunal and Nazi legal principles is stunning. As well as his telling of the internment of Japenese-Americans to demonstrate how segments of society can be treated if the propaganda warriors desire their elimination.

If you're not enraged by the time you're finished reading this book, your heart is dead.

This is one of the best books I have read. I am against prohibition. Many people are but whenever the subject comes up in conversation the retort to my sugestion that prohibition be repealed is typically something along the line of "all you want to do is smoke pot" ...followed by some chuckling and then some stories about the days when we use to get high as kids.
This book is not about smoking pot. It is about the use of the drug war and prohibition law to circumvent Americans civil liberties. It is very well written. It helped me to form reasonable counter arguments to the for mentioned statement such as... "is it OK to strip search a child?"
This book is made even more relative when used as background material to analyze what I witness while watching the Judge Alito confirmatio hearings.
The scariest part of this book is watching the events described come alive right before our eyes on C-span.
I think you should read this if you, like me, suspect that something is rotten in Denmark and the official version of what is happening just isn't making sense.

This book is an anomaly amidst the typical drug policy literature available. Miller's argument stems from his scholarship on Nazism. He applies Raul Hilberg's "chain of destruction" to the current "war," not on drugs, but on drug users. William Bennett was less than secretive about his abhorrence for those who used drugs, especially those "hard-core users who were too far gone to care about" - stated differently, the real issue is not the drugs themselves, but the type of people who use drugs. America is full of social problems, e.g. poverty, crime, &c.; problems that most politicians are timid in addressing because of the complexities involved in solving them. Yet, politicians need a platform to stand on and the American public needs a scapegoat. Drug users, that most alien element in the population, according to Miller, are the perfect group to identify, ostracize, confiscate, concentrate, and then annihilate as scapegoats for all the ills in society: in fact this sequence of stages is Hilberg's "chain of destruction." It is from his "seminal" study on the Holocaust, later published as: The Destruction of the European Jews, that Hilberg constructed his theory of the chain of destruction. Nazi Germany, like America, was in the throes of profound social discord and the public demanded a scapegoat. The Jews became the literal manifestation of a scapegoat for the German people. Hitler, faced with harsh social problems, exercised his own prejudices to isolate, blame and thus use the Jews as a scapegoat for Germany's problems. It was identification of the scapegoat with a real entity and the eventual acceptance of this scapegoat by a German majority that led to the conceptualization and employment of a "final solution" for the riddance of social ills from German society. Miller's argument is provocative, to say the least, in that he sees a direct correlation between the processes of Nazism and the processes of the "drug warriors." Moral indignation when it is directed toward a highly specified group of people can have disastrous consequences. Miller is not the only scholar who has applied the scapegoat theory to drug users in American society, but he is the first to take it to its disturbing, but logical end.

i really like this book. i have many yoga books, videos and decks and this is amongst the best. as an instructor i find the descriptions and visuals very helpful. i like the sequences that are written out. it's just a good book to have. this is a book i'd feel totally comfortable referring to my students for their home practice.

Excelent book, as a begginer in yoga I find it quite complete and very illustrative on the different excercises.

Essential Yoga is like a medicine cabinet for yoga practitioners. Inside are simple, precise, and thorough single-page guides to about 100 essential poses, warm-ups, meditations, and breath exercises...plus, what is far more important, two chapters full of creative and unique routines and sequences. Each pose is simply and crisply illustrated, and detailed instructions are given. (It's particularly nice that the book is sewn to lie flat, a feature which makes it quite easy to use while actually practicing! This nicely supports the premise of the book, which is to be a text that is for the practice of actual yoga--and not just "about" it.) Each pose includes English and Hindi names, suggested modifications and variations, and a sentence or two about its physical and mental benefits. What really makes this sublimely practical book a "medicine chest", however, are the sequences. From short vinyasas (everything from Camel to Sun and Moon Salutations) to complete workouts of several lengths and intensity levels, the back chapters of this book contain everything you need to begin a home practice for all moods and occasions. Best of all are the short series geared to various physical goals and/or ailments (from "Biking", "Golf" and "Skiing" workouts to programs for "Toxin Flush", "Cold Prevention" and "Depression")--they're effective and eminently doable.

This is by far one the best illustrated Yoga books I own. Very descriptive and many poses

I loved this book. I started yoga to destress from work, but I found that when the yoga instructor called out positions by name, I was lost. I found myself staring at what the instructor was doing and losing the benefit of yoga. This book not only helped me learn the positions, it also has some really great routines you can do at home.