O Books

Aspiring script writer Matt visits a hospice in order to gather inspiration for his great play. Spending the days getting to know the people staying there, Matt realized the hospice is full of stories, for anybody who cares enough to sit down and listen. From the lady whose sister ran off with a circus artist (or wanted to, anyway) to the old man who was just hoping to be reconciled with his children before he left this earth, Matt talks to them all, asking them what was their best experience in life, and hearing the stories they just have to get off their chest-before it's too late.

The idea behind Evacuation Plan is brilliant. Joe O'Connell works from the theory that "everybody has a story to tell," and you are left with the knowledge that this is without a doubt true. The book changes focus constantly with the chapters alternatingly being told from Matt's point of view, and then from the view of one of the people at the hospice.

The main thread running through all the stories is death and how to cope with it, but this is not a strong enough connection to get the stories linked together properly, and Evacuation Plan ends up feeling more like a book of short stories with a common theme, than like a full novel. This doesn't make the book any less worth reading, but it is always an advantage for the reader to know what to expect, in order not to be disappointed by the number of loose threads left hanging.

Though dealing with a sober subject, Joe O'Connell manages to be neither too somber nor engage in too much gallows humor. Death is faced unapologetically and straightforward-a very refreshing change from books that tend to either shy away from the subject, or wallow in it.

Armchair Interviews says: This is more a collection of well-written short stories than a novel, with the thread that connects are the stories at the hospice.

EVACUATION PLAN brought me to tears at several moments throughout the book. It's dark beauty and poetic interpretation of our struggle to embrace and accept death is heart wrenching in its honesty. A true work of art and a novel that O'Connell should be tremendously proud of!

"Evacuation Plan: a novel from the Hospice" is a wonderful blend of lives ordinary but with sometimes extraordinary elements. We all share these stories of life in some way, despite moments of harshness or unforgiving pain. There is always a common thread of "humanity" and ultimately forgiveness to be found, even if it's in the last moment of life. Elaine Williams

Hospice-----a place to die. The End. Joe O'Connell's Evacuation Plan is a beautiful contradiction to those very general concepts of human finality. For those who believe there is life after death and for those who don't, O'Connell has shown that there is life BEFORE death with each glimpse into the souls, hearts and memories of us all. Evacuation Plan reminded me of the woven potholders that my older brother and I made during our childhood-------over, under, around and through, and a final stretch to completion. Life experiences- fascinating, painful, endearing, complex, ugly, but a part of each of us, make this book a worthwhile read. Joe O'Connell's writing opens our eyes wide to see human beings rather than Hospice patients and those who are brave enough to go as far with them as mortals are allowed to go.---Eleanor Bosl, Joe's mother-in-law and very proudly, his friend.

You are in a hospice, and Rod Serling walks in and asks you to tell him a story. If you had to pick one event out of your life to tell him about, what would it be? Evacuation Plan, by Texas writer Joe M. O'Connell, is a collection of stories told to the novel's protagonist, Matt, who is a screenwriter working in a hospice so he can collect material. The occupants of the hospice -- dying residents, their family members, and the hospice staff -- are like the tattoos of Ray Bradbury's Illustrated Man, each one offering a tale that stands out in their lives. Like the loser who stares at himself in childhood pictures until the pictures come to life. Or the guy who gambled his wife in a game of Monopoly at his murderer father's Christian home for the deranged. Or how fate undid the fate of a young unwed father-to-be. These are stories of reflection, of the best day in one's life, the worst day, the turning points, and the close calls, some joyous, some sad, some bizarre. Not the stuff one would discuss on a first date or a job interview. The surreal atmosphere of the hospice, where angels might be eavesdropping, drops the guard of the storytellers, and sincerity prevails. Evacuation Plan is both entertaining and thought provoking, and it is a wonderful book.

This book came to me as a gift of Love at a critical time in my life. It was, in the most literal sense, a God Send! Since that time I have purchased and given many copies to loved ones. I still re-read it often. Peter Erbe's words are beautiful, full of love and life changing! Peter, wherever you are I send my love, wish you well and am so grateful for your contribution to the planet! Kara

Before I read this book, I remembered reading a book titled "The Power of Belief" by Ray Dodd. Ray mentioned in his book about "I AM" and the opposing belief "I Am NOT". It is either I AM or I AM NOT. Which is it? I AM or I AM NOT. I AM NOT is a dream state, or rather, a nightmare.

I remembered writing a poem after that about an imaginary conversation I have with an angel and asking this angel how do I wake up from this nightmare, or what Peter O Erbe mentioned in his book, amnesia. We are all God having a human experience and worst of all, we have amnesia, and we have forgotten who we are and this amnesia is the root of all our problems.

And after reading Ray Dodd's book, I found Peter's book in a new age store, used book section. Was it an accident?. No. I was ready and my consciousness attracted the book as much as the book was attracted to me. Yes, the book chosed me and I chosed the book. When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

GOD I AM is a fantastic book to read and have, especially if your life is not working, is in a mess, and you need to set if right once more. Do not be surprised if harmony returns to your life after reading this book and applying the wisdom in it.

The information from this book comes from a loving and wise consciousness of which we are all a part of, and Peter is the instrument for the information to be uniquely communicated in a unique flavour. There are many books with the similar themes, but you will be drawn to the ones that you resonate.

Personally, I like Peter's style of explanation, although certain sentences i have to reread to understand the messages in its entirety.

I strongly recommend GOD I AM to put your life back in order again.

Love

El Solaris RP
[...]

Regardless of what spriitual path you have chosen to walk, God I Am: From Tragic to Magic will resonate with many truths within. It's a wonderful addition to a Course in Miracles and overall an extremely helpful source. Enjoy.

this man is highly intelligent as well as spiritually aware. This book tells it as it is, so it is one of these precious books that helps clarify yourself, and reveals the Truth of Life if one stays with the text, that is if one meditates the sentences that call for it.

on reading many "spiritual" books over the past 35yrs,this has got most of the answers,it completes the cycle,I felt I was reading what I had patterned together over the many years,but it is the only book to give me the final answers i have been in search of,and now need to only search with-in.Yes,hard to take in all that it is,but it is IT.Thank-you Peter for having the understanding of relating this insight ,with such clarity and simplicity,of examples,I hope many others every-where read this incredible book -judy

I couldn't put this book down. I read it at the perfect time for me. I've studied and taught the Bible for decades from a Christian viewpoint, but I've always been drawn to the connection between Judaism and Christianity. This curiosity has led me to spend more and more time in the Old Testament, or Tanach. This book is the account of another Christian Bible student with a similar attraction to Jewish thought; however, Dickson went directly to the source and attended regular study sessions at a local synagogue. Through this book I have been stretched intellectually and spiritually in ways that are brand new to me. My resolve to learn more on these subjects is stronger than ever. I've even signed up for Hebrew lessons at a local synagogue. I am excited about the possibilities of future spiritual growth as I dig deeper into the Scriptures revered by Jesus and his disciples.

Very well written, thought out. He covers alot of area and does it very well. Everyone should be open minded and read this book slowly.

This was a great read. Highly recommended.

The book reads smoothly, uses comfortable language, and flows in a logical way. Dickson employs several mini-stories throughout the book to introduce and illustrate the subject matter of that chapter.

Dickson touches an area of Christianity which is desperately needed. We embrace so much of our faith without having any knowledge of its roots or foundation in Judaism. Christianity and Judaism are not synonymous. They have significant differences, and Dickson does not ignore these differences, or try to homogenize the two faiths. But they ARE similar, and Dickson does a great job of showing just how so many of the themes in Christianity overlap with those of Judaism, even if that doesn't appear to be the case at first glance. Most of Dickson's focus is not on the minutiae differences of Christianity and Judaism, but is on the larger elements of our faiths, including the differences in how we approach our faith, and how we answer the hard-to-answer questions.

Allow me to share my favorite aspect of the book. Dickson discusses, in detail, the difference in the way Christians and Jews deal with difficult questions about our faith. I grew up in the church, Dickson is correct in characterizing the way most Christians answer those questions: we often try to make them seem less difficult than they really are, and look to some pre-fabricated answer found in our "ways to answer those questions" manual. Many questions are off-limits as quasi-heretical, meaning that we often never quite satisfactorily examine the things in our faith we struggle with. By Contrast, according to Dickson, no question is off-limits for Jews, and they embrace difficulties and questions concerning their faith. I believe more Christians should react like the latter. We should be willing to ask questions--the answers in our manual may be correct, but we should be willing to go and see.

One of the things that make this book so good is its ability to make you think-it encourages you to examine what you believe. You will find yourself pondering the things you read throughout the day. I cannot agree with everything that Dickson asserts in the book, and there are some areas in which I felt he could have elaborated and discussed more thoroughly. But the book DID make me think, and it did have an effect on what I think about a couple of issues. If you read this book, and consider the things discussed in it, there is a fair chance that your view on an issue or two will be tweaked in some way too.

The book is great. The book is easy to read, and enjoyable. While I still don't necessarily agree with everything Dickson says, those things are rather minute and mostly insignificant. People interested in the subject matter should definitely read the book. I am confident that you'll enjoy the book, and that you'll be glad you bought it.

This was neat. But in saying that, it was by no means at all, a light read. Athol Dickson made you think. A great writer of fiction, he writes great stories, with a message. But when he wrote, "The Gospel According to Moses," he is to be taken very seriously. Upon joining a Chever Torah group, his faith was challenged. And his faith was ultimately strengthened. He wasn't afraid to address difficult questions.

When I read this, Dickson wasn't afraid to to discuss what a Christian believes, opposed to what a Jew might think. And he wasn't afraid to apply Torah and Bible scripture. He takes examples in The Bible like Moses and Abraham, and events in their lives. He begins by stating, "Life's most important moments are often disguised as the commonplace." In this case, in the situation that Athol Dickson knowingly put himself into, that is most certainly true. Did he expect to be challenged? Possibly. He wasn't afraid to expose the differences. Or was he? Where does Jesus fit in this? You'll know soon enough.

So, if you want a few of the topics that Dickson addresses in a nut shell, I'll give a few. In the opening chapter, Dickson talks about dealing with doubts. He'll talk about why God lets us suffer. He'll discuss finding connections between obedience and grace. And in the final chapter, he'll ask a real tough one: Are Jews going to Hell? He discusses a lot of other stuff as well. The topics are 13 chapters total. I would dare to say, give this a try. If you have tough questions, then maybe this has the answer. Will it give you satisfying results? Only you can answer that.

Is this possibly a "Jesus Freak Among the Jews" account? Quite possibly, and a little more. It was awesome.

Based on insights gained from his experience as a Christian guest in a Reform Judaism Bible study, Dickson offers his thoughts about God, scripture, and interfaith misunderstandings--such as the relationship of faith to obedience, grace to works. 'The Gospel According to Moses,' one of the most refreshing books I've read in a while, has caused me to study the Jewishness of the Christian faith, which in turn has brought new depths of understanding of and awe for God and the Bible--and more questions to contemplate and explore.

Andy writes as if speaking directly with you. Such a complex topic is difficult to explain without some confusion. However in Healing the Eternal Soul, background into regression therapy and past lives, details on how to do a regression are so clearly stated that the reading is very informative, easy to read, smooth to follow and the book, quick to finish.

Anyone is Interested in past life should read this beautifull book. I learned a lot from it for my personal work and for myself . Is full of information Is one of the most complete and clear of the existing book on this issue.

I've purchased this book out of curiosity about the mere existence about past lives. Not having any previous experience on this field this book just open the door for me and says -hey you can do it too! It told me much more, about techniques-how to get there, and most importantly how to heal the problems that we drag along from past lives; along with lots of down to earth practical issues of what to do if.. situations. The author's kindness and compassion shines throughout, reading is easy and comprehensible even for a complete new discoverer. I highly recommend it to everybody interested in healing!

Andy Tomlinson's book is a comprehensive one for everyone who wants to know what is past life regression therapy. I highly recommend this book especially for regression therapist and trainees and also for anyone who is curious about this. It is easy to read also for the non-native English speakers like me. It includes the methods and the content of past life regression therapy so the reader gets an overall idea about this therapy and the various benefits of it!

This book is a valuable addition for any past life regression therapist. Andy explains the various techniques in an easy way and additional questions will help any therapist in conducting a successful session. One whole chapter is spend on a spiritual regression, which is a real plus since it offers a wider perspective of this amazing therapy. Absolutely recommendable for therapists and those interested to learn what happens in a past life regression session.

A fairly interesting book. O'Donnell lists the campaigns of the elite troops of this theater of command, details the plan of battle, and then gives the oral histories of those who served in those campaigns. Most of the veterans are at the end of their lives, so these oral histories present a heartfelt tribute to the difficulties these soldiers endured during combat. What surprised me most was how these soldiers/veterans got choked up recounting the battles they went through, and the friends they lost. Freedom isn't cheap, and these soldiers are living proof of how America was affected by the battle.
This is a good read. Oral histories are good at describing the personal experiences of soldiers, but they don't put perspective on the actual battle campaigns. If one wants to know more about the War in the Pacific, one needs to read a general history, before reading this book.

This review is of the Audio CD version of this excellent book. Jeff Riggenbach did a fantastic job reading this text. He managed to give proper emphasis without drowning the material.

Many soldiers are reluctant to talk of their wartime experiences for fear of seeming boastful. O'Donnell got these veterans to open up and tell their stories. They did so that the fallen heroes would get proper credit, not to tell of their own exploits in a grand fashion. Many of the other reviewers have told of the specific episodes relayed in the book, but what struck me was the depth of feeling that these men had many decades after the fact. One soldier tells of looking up the family of a fallen buddy after the war. It was as if he felt driven to tell them of their son's valor and his worth to his fellow soldiers. Another tells of a friend he saw die in combat after having met his wife and been their with him during the arrival of their child. It was a common theme that these men had these experiences with them every day, if only just beneath the surface. I highly recommend it to those who would like to grasp the depth of the sacrifice these individuals made on our behalf.

I read this book after "Beyond Valor" by the same author and I wasn't disappointed. "Into the Rising Sun" is a collection of first hand accounts of the brave men who fought in the Pacific. The author sets up the accounts with some background material to make more sense to it all. After re-living some of these battle through this book, I started to understand what a living Hell these guys lived through. The intensity of the Japanese soldier was astonishing.

This book has special meaning to me since my father was a Marine fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He was at Guadalcanal and Okinawa .I now know what a hero he was!

This is the second of Patrick O'Donnell's books. O'Donnell is a gifted oral historian who's been collecting the recollections of men who were soldiers and served in the Second World War, partially through a website he set up some years ago, and partially through other sources. This compilation shows off O'Donnnell's strengths, and weaknesses (such as they are) and is a good example of his work.

O'Donnell, for whatever reason, is very attached to "elite" infantry units. In his book on the European Theater, this included paratroopers, rangers, and the members of the 1st Special Service Force. In the current book, which covers the Pacific Theater, the distinction between "elite" forces and the regular ones is somewhat more blurry: Army Rangers, paratroopers, and members of Merril's Marauders are the participants from the army, but the author chose to distinguish the Marine Raider and Parachute units from other Marine outfits. This is a weakness as all of these forces were disbanded in 1943-4, and so the book would be rather truncated as far as the Marine Corps went for the last 18 months or so of the war. This (of course) is unacceptable, so the author merely follows former members of these specialized units who were absorbed into other, regular Marine regiments.

The result is that some battles are covered in considerable detail here, while others (notably Saipan and Peleliu) are ignored because the Marines who participated in these campaigns weren't "elite." This includes members of the 1st Marine Division, who were arguably the most experienced in terms of combat against Japanese soldiers. So what's here is rather skewed and somewhat disjointed, but if you accept that, then the material that's here is worthwhile.

I enjoyed this book, within its limitations, and I would recommend it and the others in O'Donnell's series, provided you accept what they are.

Well, if other reviews don't say it already, this book was one of the more brutally honest books written about war against Japan. Its honest because its brutally politically incorrect. The American soldiers who relates their stories, tell not only of the horrors that the Japanese troops committed but additional horrors of what they did to the Japanese troops. This was no-hold bar combat, where there were no "good guys" or "bad guys" per say. The stories related in this book was all about killing, surviving and living on. In doing so, anything goes and there were no rules. It may be that many general readers may be kind of shock to read so honest account. Some of them may not like the read how the Americans in these pages acted with certain amount of brutality that almost mirror their enemies. But then, what is war after all, right?

My husband purchased this book, but I'm going to write a review for it. He loves it, BUT...read the other books referenced in this book first, otherwise there may be some spoilers in this book. My husband only read part of it and then ordered one of the other books before he reads the essay about it in this book.

Flannery O'Connor has offered a challenging call for Christian artists to be good at what they do. She has reminded the church that beauty, the senses, and art must not be neglected.

When I first read some of Flannery O'Connor's short stories I was baffled and a little disturbed by them. This book helps the reader to gain a deeper appreciation of O'Connor's craft, of her use of the grotesque, and how she exercises her art. To read O'Connor merely on the surface is to do it all wrong. There are many levels on which she is writing and on which she can be read. These essays not only serve as a guide for those seeking to understand O'Connor and her art, but in a more general way they serve for all readers and writers alike, by providing insights on the craft of writing.

The recurrent subject in this first-rate collection of essays and occasional pieces is the business of writing. O'Connor was scrupulous in her insistence that the writer begin with the humblest of materials, the sights, sounds and smells of the concrete world. She found unreadable, apparently, those writers who had nothing to offer but one abstract psychological insight after another. At the same time she recognized that writers skilled only in giving the world's body a fond description would never transcend mere competence. And of writers merely competent, she asserted that there was in her time a glut. What distinguished the writer of the first rank, always a rare bird, she maintained, was vision, vision of a sort, allied with the aforementioned competence, that enabled such a writer to reveal through concrete events something of the mystery of our existence and experience on this odd planet. Such vision, she consistently held, was a gift that could not be learned in creative writing classes. Therefore, when asked if she thought such classes for writers stifled many talented practitioners, she quipped in her memorable style that such classes, unfortunately, "didn't stifle enough of them."

I haven't read anything by Flannery O'Connor since "All Things That Rise Must Converge." I fell in love with her stories. There is so much life in them. I read this work to get an idea about her "sitz im leben", her life-situation, her milieu. A lot of it is correspondence, and there are some presentations as well. I am wondering if it speaks to the modern would-be novelist as much as it spoke to writers of her time and place. She says that one needs to write out of the context of where you are: the place, the people, the geography. This is mandatory, not optional.

This book is for writers. I appreciate her writing about how to be Catholic in the South, a very small minority. She has contributed much to finding faith in the stories of life, even violent and brutal stories. I look forward to my next work of hers.

Try the newest publication at ISBN 1564148599 either through Amazon.com or Amazon.ca -- www.tarotreader.ca

This is the best book I have ever seen on this TYPE of subject. Studying astrology, numerology, cards, fung shui, etc., most books leave you with the feeling that after about 47 more books of the same type, you might start getting to the meat of the subject. Not these. This two-volume set tells you everything, from the ground up. There is no colorful formatting that the info. has to fit into, no little gimmicks to make it interesting. Goodwin is a graduate of MIT, and this book looks more like a textbook -- one fitting the serious student of numerology. But the book is still readable; this book is VERY thorough, but NOT AT ALL complicated. No other texts will be necessary for a lifetime understanding of how to use numerology.

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This book is one of a two volume set. I highly recommend that one buys both. However, if you can only buy one the volume 1 is a must but save up for this volume since it completes the subject.


Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 2) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I had used this book and its accompanying Volume 1 since the 1980's. For you trying to decide whether to purchase this, my nearly 20 years of experience with this volume is not as effective as my pointing to solid facts:
My grandmother is in her 90's so she has had a lot of life lived to this point. I could take her chart, from following the directions in this book, and match it chronologically to major milestones in her life.
One such example is that her year 1961 change from 6's and 2's to straight 1's. For the novice, 6's are love and balance traits, 2's are teamwork traits, 1's are independence traits. So what happened in 1961 you might ask... Her loving companion and husband, my grandfather died shy of turning 52. She has been single ever since.
I could named hundreds of examples from calculating life readings from this book, but this is simple example to which all can relate.
I highly recommend this book and, if you can get it, Volume 1 is must have! Matthew Goodwin truly has made some very valuable tools with his two volume on Numerology.


Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 1) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I cannot emphasize how strongly I feel that this book can help you in life.
I am an IT professional by trade and I am an Intuitive Counselor in my spare time. I use the knowledge gleened from this book daily.
You're still not impressed? I have been using this book's information since the 1980's when I first discovered this. I did life calculations on all of my close family and friends. I was amazed. This was better than any astology chart ever made for them. ACCURATE and USEFUL!
As a parent, I have saved myself some anguish by guiding my children into their strengths rather than fighting them into a weakness. An example is I have a child with strong 7's and no 3's. (7's are analytical and 3's are creative) She excells at geology and gardening and all things nature bound but cried after a couple of months in music lessons. She was better in music after having her relate the notes to mathmatical function so that she could "figure" them out.
You can tell if your boss is a team player by the location of his "2" traits. (2's being teamwork tendencies)
I could go on and on but you are probably reading this to determine if you should purchase or even just read this volume. THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL LIFE'S PATHS.
This volume cover the general gifts you have received based on the name you were given and then use and your birthdate. It can show you how you change when you have a name change (i.e., a woman marries and takes her husband's name or John calls himself Skip in certain situations).
If you would like to plot your life out similar to an astrological life reading, you will need volume 2 by Matthew Goodwin.

The best book on numerology by far.You will need volume 1 and 2 to put it together. This should not be your first book as it is so good and technical that you should have some knowledge prior to commencement.Just great.

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This book is one of a two volume set. I highly recommend that one buys both. However, if you can only buy one the volume 1 is a must.

Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 1) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I cannot emphasize how strongly I feel that this book can help you in life.
I am an IT professional by trade and I am an Intuitive Counselor in my spare time. I use the knowledge gleened from this book daily.
You're still not impressed? I have been using this book's information since the 1980's when I first discovered this. I did life calculations on all of my close family and friends. I was amazed. This was better than any astology chart ever made for them. ACCURATE and USEFUL!
As a parent, I have saved myself some anguish by guiding my children into their strengths rather than fighting them into a weakness. An example is I have a child with strong 7's and no 3's. (7's are analytical and 3's are creative) She excells at geology and gardening and all things nature bound but cried after a couple of months in music lessons. She was better in music after having her relate the notes to mathmatical function so that she could "figure" them out.
You can tell if your boss is a team player by the location of his "2" traits. (2's being teamwork tendencies)
I could go on and on but you are probably reading this to determine if you should purchase or even just read this volume. THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL LIFE'S PATHS.
This volume cover the general gifts you have received based on the name you were given and then use and your birthdate. It can show you how you change when you have a name change (i.e., a woman marries and takes her husband's name or John calls himself Skip in certain situations).
If you would like to plot your life out similar to an astrological life reading, you will need volume 2 by Matthew Goodwin.

Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 2) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I had used this book and its accompanying Volume 1 since the 1980's. For you trying to decide whether to purchase this, my nearly 20 years of experience with this volume is not as effective as my pointing to solid facts:
My grandmother is in her 90's so she has had a lot of life lived to this point. I could take her chart, from following the directions in this book, and match it chronologically to major milestones in her life.
One such example is that her year 1961 change from 6's and 2's to straight 1's. For the novice, 6's are love and balance traits, 2's are teamwork traits, 1's are independence traits. So what happened in 1961 you might ask... Her loving companion and husband, my grandfather died shy of turning 52. She has been single ever since.
I could named hundreds of examples from calculating life readings from this book, but this is simple example to which all can relate.
I highly recommend this book and, if you can get it, Volume 1 is must have! Matthew Goodwin truly has made some very valuable tools with his two volume on Numerology.

I applaud this engaging literary accomplishment by author Rick Spier. In O'Sullivan's Odyssey, Rick has proven himself a story teller with exceptional ability.

It was thoroughly enjoyable to escape into this marvelous story of historical fiction set in Ireland and the Civil War South. The Author captured my attention and drew me in through his skillful and compassionate character development, the human element that engaged me at every twist and turn of this compelling story. The bonus for me was realized in the author's poetic and creative use of language and dialect. Reading this story was an experience that opened my mind and challenged my heart.

Rick Spier's compelling account of a young mans journey to find himself and firmly establish his rightful place in his family's history. The struggles he encounters are many and varied - both within himself and elements beyond his control. Not unlike the incredible challenges and hurdles many immigrants faced in America's early years. I found myself easily enveloped in Rick Spier's story - experiencing the angst of his hero's failures and joy in his successes. Rick Spier is obviously a talented writer and storyteller - I felt as if I were along on the journey myself...........

this book will keep you awake. The story line moves quickly and it is enthralling and educational at the same time. Historical fiction at its best. You will learn to love and to hate the main character with all of his ups and downs and imperfections. The other characters in the book, his family and friends are just as vivid and real. Descriptions of the landscapes and the surroundings are done with incredible detail. It makes me want to visit Ireland and the American South to retrace O'sullivan's Odyssey because this book took me on a trip I did not want to end.

Have now read O'Sullivan's Odyssey twice and will be back for more. The layering and intertwining of the impact of one generation to the next grabbed my attention and would not let go. All the more impressed as this was Rick Spier's inaugural novel.

Rick Spier has written an intelligent, informed, moving and very entertaining novel that will grab your attention and hold it from cover to cover. You need not be a Civil War buff, or have any particular interest in Ireland to get caught up in O'Sullivan's Odyssey. A great read, destined to become a great movie, I'm sure.

richie was a friend first and later my brother-in-law. you need to read this book to understand what the brave pathfinders endured. i was very lucky to have personally know him before and after the war. writing this book was both theraputic and heart wrecthing for him but, he knew he had to write it. the big c took his life much too early. rest in peace brother.

This is one of my favorite audio books. The narrator does a fantastic job.

Great book. Absolutely loved it. Very sad he's gone and won't be able to follow up on the next tour he did.

I was in Vietnam with the 9th Inf Div Pathfinder Det (13 Pathfinders for the entire division) and the 1st Bde 101st. I knew about half of the people that were with Rich Burns at the time, but don't remember meeting him. I can vouch for his accuracy of a lot of what happened during that period of the war.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about what we did. There is a US Army Pathfinder Association that is trying hard to gather more information from those of us that did this job. It's located at www.USPathfinders.org. For those interested, There is a history section that might be helpful.

i cant say anymore but its a must read dam good book

Patrick Demarchelier is one of the best artist of this age; his Photographs are pieces of history. Into this book you'll find his masterpieces: emotions in B&W!

A must own book for people that love b&w photography. Patrick is excellent at getting the perfect angle for the image. The way the natural light and shadows enhance the objects is great. The true persons are drawn by the way the pictures are taken.

My 12 year old saw this book on one of the display tables, picked it up... for the cover (naked lady) and glanced through it. He then later came running up to me saying... Please buy this book. The pictures are excellent. Well now, my son is interested in photography as a hobby.

This depicts some of what we know and expect of Mr. Demarchelier. His ability to capture so much in a photograph, in a look, is what makes him so incredible as an artist. If you are a fan of his work, this work should be part of your collection.

This is one of the best books of portraits that it has been my pleasure to view.

Before going further, let me observe that the book contains much female nudity that would earn an "R" rating if this were a motion picture.

Glenn O'Brien in the book's introduction captures the essence of the book well, "The beauty standard is being raised once again."

Whether the subjects are beautiful (and many are) or not, the result is the same -- a deep look into the personality and character of the model done in large, vivid detail in wonderfully contrasting duotone. One of the best tests for this book is to compare the celebrity images you see here with others you have seen of these same people. These images are more warm, more revealing, and more fun to see. Mr. Demarchelier has a light touch that gets out the happiest version of a person. You'll find yourself laughing and smiling your way through this collection, for sure.

The portraits displayed here are uniformly of very high quality, and provide nice contrasts of subjects (nose rings, boulders, children, and elephants among the beautiful people).

Here are some of my many favorites:

Nude, St. Barthelemy, 1994

Nude, St. Barthelemy, 1989

Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales, London, 1993

Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and their daughter, Los Angeles, 1994

Versailles gardens, Versailles, France, 1994

Gianni Versace, Paris, 1992

Nude, New York, 1995

Corbassiere, Paris, 1994

Helena Christensen, New York, 1992 (second image)

Cindy Crawford, Leh, India, 1989

Jasper Johns and Leo Castelli, New York, 1993

Roy Lichtenstein, New York, 1993

Naomi Campbell, New York, 1990

Isabella Rosselini, New York, 1994

Robin Williams (4), New York, 1990

Robert De Niro, New York, 1990

Sisters, St. Barthelemy, 1991

Christy Turlington, New York, 1990

Alice Dodd, New York, 1994

Natasha Kinski, New York, 1993

Warren Beatty from "Dick Tracy," Los Angeles, 1989

Elton John, Paris, 1992

Janet Jackson, Miami, Florida, 1993

Arthur Demarchelier, New York, 1991

Patrick and Mia Demarchelier and their three sons, New York, 1987

Meg Ryan, New York, 1994

Claudia Schiffer, St. Barthelemy, 1991

Paul Newman, Beacon, New York, 1994

Elle Macpherson, New York, 1990

Cindy Crawford, New York, 1990

After you look closely at these images, notice how lines and flaws provide balance and perspective in the same way that perfect figures provide proportion. How can you create more waves of enjoyable symmetry?

Drink deeply from the bubbling joy of humanity!