Owens Books

With a gift for lean, driven prose, during his lifetime Joseph Hansen (1923-2004) was regarded as one the finest authors working within the classic California private eye genre. His best-known works are a series of twelve novels written between 1970 and 1992 that feature insurance claims investigator Dave Brandstetter, a tough, no-nonsense detective--who also happens to be homosexual and is utterly unconcerned about that fact.

Originally published in 1984, NIGHTWORK finds Brandstetter employed to investigate the death of Paul Meyers, an independent trucker whose firey death was first deemed an accidental crash but now looks very much like murder. Assisted by his lover and sometimes-associate Cecil, who is still recovering from bullet wounds received in the previous GRAVEDIGGER, Brandsetter is quickly involved in an unexpected array of witnesses and suspects: a faithless wife, an eccentric who spends his time watching his neighbors from a Victorian mansion, a black minister whose efforts at reaching out to gang members proves a miss-fire--and most particularly a mysterious woman known only as "Duchess" and a questionable detective named Smithers, who may or may not be involved in illegal toxic waste dumping.

At one time The Los Angels Times described Hasen as "the most exciting and effective writer of the classic California private-eye novel working today"--and NIGHTWORK bears the statement out. Hansen's prose is lean but never sparse, his characters flawlessly created, his plots often a bit too plausible for comfort. He is also noted for his talent in evoking Los Angeles and its surrounding communities, and no where is that gift more beautifully on display than in this particular work. A strong-arm page turner indeed.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I'm reading Night Work for the second time and loving it. Hansen's tale reveals a rare and authentic knowledge of Los Angeles and Southern California. He writes well about Dave Brandstetter, a rich, rich gay detective; Cecil Harris, Dave's young African-American lover; and all the aspects of L.A. that I love, including the cars, the rain, the slums, the food, and the people. This story, published in 1984, concerns the coverup of toxic waste dumping in the canyons, which really happened. How could anyone be so vile as to poison our awesome mountains?

In the frame of a murder investigation, Hansen gives life to his characters -- real people, some of which you may recognize in their natural habitat. There are cameo appearances by the suave Jaguar salesman and the sweaty Culver City used-car peddler. Here are some people, too, that I hope you've never met -- the odd ones and the bad guys.

You'll find, too, a few, I don't like this word, but here it is, subplots. A lot's going on and it's all intriguingly tied together. Good people, some almost saintly, live on these pages along with the other kind, who are driven by their fears or their greed. And did I mention the yummy food and the tempting drinks?

Instead of hot babes, this mystery presents us with hot dudes, such as a young Irish ne'er-do-well and a suave, beautiful Latino detective. The only thing I don't like about Brandstetter is that in middle age, he feels old and worn out. What's that about, Joseph? We Californians stay young forever, don't we?

"Nightwork" is the seventh Dave Brandstetter mystery by Joseph Hansen. The series is set in and around Los Angeles. Dave, a death-claims investigator is looking into the death of Paul Meyers, a truck driver. Someone placed a bomb under the truck and it blew up with him one night. Dave learns that Meyers had been doing nightwork to make extra money. Who killed Paul Meyers? Was it Silencio Ruiz, a gang leader who was sent to jail on Paul's testimony, and who vowed to kill him when he got out of prison? Was it Bruce Kilgore, a teacher, with whom Paul's wife Angela was having an affair? Does it have anything to do with Paul's nightwork? The plot and the characters are strong. Hansen is an excellent mystery writer. It's just too bad that there were only 12 of the Dave Brandstetter mysteries written.

Book seven in the Brandstetter series finds David comfortably settled with a still-fragile Cecil, and looking into the death of a trucker; a trucker who was on the wrong road at the wrong time of night--with a bomb taped to his rig. Hansen writes classic hard-boiled PI novels which start out in prosaic fashion, but weave and wind to brutal and surprising conclusions. The writing is always spare and vivid, with shrewd characterization, snappy dialog, and 'atmosphere' you can smell, touch, and taste. One of the few writers who actually merits comparisons to Chandler and MacDonald, Hansen also set the gold standard for the sub-genre of 'gay mystery.' NIGHTWORK is one of my favorites for the interaction between Dave and Cecil, and the chiaroscuro of Dave's private life and the grim world he works in.

One of the most entertaining books I've read in years. Ropp's trek from Houston to Biloxi to Omaha and, finally, Washington,is authentic and that's from someone who trod in those steps a few years earlier on the way from navigator and electronics training to retirement from the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force thirty years later. Highly recommended, especially for anyone who ever wore a uniform, especially a blue one!

A very funny book, and as a former flight surgeon it's a little too close to the truth!

James McM. Owen has written a very entertaining book about life as a junior officer in the Air Force in the 'good old days' forty or so years ago. My military years were in the Navy but, I'm convinced, the service is the service and what the Air Force imposed on the hero and his associates was typical of service life in general. Thankfully, I never had such lousy duty as Shimia! The book seems to pick up speed as it rolls along and I was very disappointed when the the story was finally over. Looking forward to Mr. Owen's next book -- he is a very good storyteller.

"No Time for Pilots" by James McMillen Owen depicts military life like it really was in the 60's and 70's. Military people and their spouses will relate closely to the comedy and tragedy of military life. This may be a novel, but Owen's descriptions of incidents and places are realistic. I remember well those 50 degree temperatures at Eielson AFB, Alaska and the shrimp boats at Biloxi, Miss. For those of us who are no longer involved in military life, this book will bring back vivid memories of the places we have been and the people we have met along the way. For those readers with a non-military background, this novel is an insight to military life. The author makes living in many different locations and traveling from base to base seem as exciting as it actually was. Owen's use of humor throughout the book is especially entertaining.

I have enjoyed all of her books. If you like historical fiction that is light reading but entertaining this is the book you want.

Though The Nun's Tale is one of the darker stories in the series, I enjoyed the book very much. It dealt a little more with the ramifications of warfare and how it was conducted during the 14th Century but there were enough twists and turns of plot to keep the mystery going as well. As in some of her other works, Robb again brings the ending of this one to a realistic conclusion. Above all, it gives monastic life at this time very realistic look.

Again the notes to the back of the book are a great help with the history of the period. In each novel the author introduces some of the background material: religious and political personalities of the time, historic events, pertinent social information, etc. One of the more unique facts I discovered were that soldiers who were taken to the European mainland during wartime were not always returned to their starting point. They were merely abandoned when the nobility returned home unless they could pay their own way back. This left freebooters to run rampant in the countryside of the invaded country and contributed to the hardships suffered even after the war.

The book is a good source of learning about this period in history, and might make a good starting point for students who find history a "dull" subject. The is thoroughly readable and comprehendible to anyone from junior high to adults. It might, however, be a little more mature than some parents may prefer for their junior high students. The test would be to read it oneself.

In the spring of 1366, Dame Joanna Calverley appears in Beverley England after an absence of several months -- and after having been reported dead and buried. Though Dame Joanna claims to have been resurrected in order to return a relic she had stolen from St. Clement's nunnery, no one knows the truth of her story. Did she ever really die? And why did she run away from St. Clement's in the first place? Soldier-sleuth Owen Archer is sent to unravel the mystery, and he and his wife, Lucie, are dragged into the case until they are in danger of losing their lives. Candace Robb's mystery is a well-written story and an easy read. Characters, setting, and plot are all well-developed, drawing the reader into Owen and Lucie's adventures.

In fact, I liked The Nun's Tale more than Robb's first two Owen Archer mysteries. (Actually, I sat down and re-read the first two books in the series before I read the third one because it had been such a long time since I had read them that I didn't really remember the stories. I found that I liked the first two books more this time than I did the first time I read them.) The Nun's Tale did such a good job of holding my interest, that I could hardly put it down. The history was interesting, and the characters were believable and very strong. The only part that I wondered about was why the characters who were suppose to be so good at unraveling mysteries - and seemed to be pretty discerning people - didn't catch onto the brother/sister thing that was going on much sooner than they did. This was something I picked up on fairly early in the story. And I also have to say that I didn't really find Dame Joanna to be a very likeable character - and, in many ways, she wasn't suppose to be very likeable.

These memoirs have been quoted in Toland's book on WWI and now in Farwell's book. It was good to go to the source because of the writing of the Carl A. Brannen, the editorial comments from the editors, and then the addition of the excellent view of the son in 1990. This should be a must read for every Marine and for anyone who wants to know about war.

When America declared war in 1917, Carl A. Brannen was an 18-year-old freshman at Texas A&M. He finished out the fall semester of his sophomore year and then enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1918, reporting for boot camp in February. Immediately upon graduation, he was shipped overseas to France to join the American Expeditionary Force under Gen John Pershing's command. After more training in Europe, he moved to the "front" to join the 6th Marine Regiment under the Army's 2d Division as a replacement for marines killed in the first 48 hours of the battle of Belleau Wood. Brannen kept a very good diary. We discover that he is not a heroic figure-just a marine trying to stay alive. He knows that a foxhole or trench is a valuable piece of real estate in face of murderous machine gun fire. Brannen understands and appreciates the difference between his gas mask and those the French have (they are better), so he watches for a spare one. He knows what hunger is and how much a hot meal means, when he can get one. He also knows what thirst is and how uncertain resupply is in a combat situation. Brannen quickly learns the difference in the sound of the explosion of a gas, shrapnel, or high-explosive shell. He stayed in Belleau Wood until it was captured on the first of July, a great morale victory for all the Allied armies. Brannen wasn't relieved until 16 July 1918. Instead of receiving a period of rest and recovery, he and his fellow marines were trucked to the battle area of Soissons, where he participated in an advance led by tanks. The Germans countered the attack with near-point-blank artillery, killing Brannen's best friend. It took only 40 minutes for his regiment to be nearly annihilated. Brannen, however, is a survivor. He participated in battles in Saint-Mihiel, Mont Blanc, and the Meuse-Argonne. Following the armistice, as a member of the 2d Division, his unit became part of the Army of Occupation. Pershing kept the army sharp by means of a rigorous postwar training program. Brannen writes about how morale plummeted in this situation since most soldiers only wanted to return home. Just when Brannen began to feel down, he was selected to join the ranks of a regiment referred to as Pershing's Own. He had fought with the 4th Marine Brigade in every major battle and had survived-a claim few people could make. The 6th Regiment, composed of three thousand men, suffered 1,161 killed and over 4,656 wounded for total casualties of 5,817.

Over There is a very moving book. Brannen, who knows he was lucky to survive, is a quiet man in a heroic way. If it were not for his son and some dedicated scholars, the papers, photographs, and diary entries that tell his story would have been lost. This book, together with Robert Asprey's At Belleau Wood, provides a poignant reminder of just how terrible war really is.

Private Brannen's memoirs, written some twenty later, are fragmentary and somewhat impressionistic, but impart well the combat experience of the World War One Marine, from Belleau Wood, St. Mihiel, and Soissons, to the Meuse-Argonne.
His recollections, accompanied by period photographs, are expertly annotated to provide necessary historical context and perspective, and further expanded by Brannen's son, who visited the scenes of combat in the 1990's and added new photos of those famous battlefields. This is a valuable addition to the history of World War I, and will be of special interest to students of the Marine Corps.

(The "score" rating is a feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Carl Andrew Brannen died the year I turned 18. The same age he was when he began his journey through the Marine Corps, into France and back home to Trinity County, Texas. I have visited his battlefields several times and have used "Over There" as a field reference guide. In the summer of 1999 I stood in the Soissons battlefield with my 4 children as they lay in the same road in about the same place their great grandfather clutched the earth for a dozen hours or so waiting for the German counter attack or darkness or death which ever came first. He with a couple of dozen Marines were all that stood between the German line of defense and the rear echelon for most of that fateful day. I read his account out loud to them as we walked down the road and know that it brought insight and meaning to them as it would any American. Knowing that there are thousands of decendants of war veterans with stories untold, I highly recommend this book as a way to begin your own personal journey to discover the trail, Washed with Tears, as my Uncle Joeseph Patrick Brannen, C.A.Brannen's son, and one of the authors of this book, might say. C.A. Brannen's point of reference for his experiences was that of his uncle Eaph Dial, a Civil War veteran of Hood's Texas Brigade, who from 1862 to 1865 fought in most every major engagement his brigade was a part of. Like Eaph Dial, my grandfather was also a part of every action the 2nd Division participated in between June of 1918 and the end of the war. His war decorations include 5 battle stars all of which are featured in this book. C.A.Brannen's dash across no man's land at Soisson's and Blanc Mont Ridge was often described to me as child listening with great awe, as similar to the Confederate attacks at Gettysburg. There is a bit of every American in his story and ought to be read. It is a quick read, complete with historical research to confirm his accounts and is perfectly suitable for readers of every age.

This book rocks! It covers practically all the major topics of an introductory course in graduate Real Analysis. Excellent solutions that aid in the understanding of the material. This book's worth is immeasurable, or should I say, non-measurable.

There is no problem solutions for Real Analysis texts available in U.S. since most of the teachers believe that Math students in grad level should be more creative. However, not all students in Real Analysis are potential mathmatician. If they lost in class and must study by theirselves, they may feel frustrated missing all the stuff contained in problems. The material in "Principles of Real Analysis" may not superior much than other famous text(like Royden, I think Royden is clear enough but too much mysterious things lie in problems.). But use it with this workbook, you will find much comfortable in self study. It helps a lot not only in my homework assignment, but also in my understanding.

Great guide, must have for anyone taking Real Analysis.

Before buying this book, I was failing Real Analysis. Now I have a prayer of passing. Thank goodness I found it in time. For it to be of use, you need to buy the companion book "Principles of Real Analysis", same authors. On the down side, it doesn't have an index, but overall, well worth the money. Besides, it is the only source I've found of worked-out Real Analyis problems outside of borrowing from other students who have already taken the course.

This book is a nice book for introduction to manufacturing system for undergraduate level for industrial engineer. The book covers Forecasting, Aggregate Planning, Inventory control (certain and stochastic demand), Push vs. Pll Production Control Systems, Scheduling, Facility Layout, Facility Location, Quality control and Reliability. In Forecasting chapter, the book provides a lot of good basic forecasting methods such as moving average, exponential smooting, trend-based method, and seasonal series. In Aggregate Planning chapter, the book covers just the basic concepts and models which can be done better. For inventory control chapters, the book does a nice job and cover a lot of detailed basic models which is a good introduction. In the Production Control Systems chapter, this book also has done a nice job in covering detailed basic ideas of the MRP subject such as lot sizing methods in MRP but JIT section could be done better by adding some more detaile on key factors of JIT's success and the use of time buffer instead of inventory buffer. In Scheduling chapters, the book covers a very basic models for scheduling which is again good for introduction. The rest sections of the book are nicely written with the level of introduction. Overall, this book is good and nice to have. One comment on the cover page is that the formulation for EOQ is very wrong and should not happen for the book on manufacturing system.

The book provides an easy introduction to the complex area of production and operation analysis. Nevertheless the relevant instruments and solutions in production and operation analysis are covered and the big picture of dealing with production and operations is shown clearly. The clear language, the illustrations and the examples make it a book best suitable for education and self-study.

This is an excellent book for Operations Management electives at an MBA level or an introductory text for Operations majors at graduate school (both business and engineering). The book is self-contained and all the chapters can be studied independently. All the basics of the classical Operations Management are covered.

Lo he usado para cursos de administracion (licenciatura y posgrado)y de ingenieria industrial. Resulta muy apropiado para ambos tipos de cursos. Existe version en espanol.

The Atlas arrived in good condition and in a timely fashion. I was especially pleased because I was unable to find it in our two local bookstores. This is the second time I have ordered and received a book from a "secondary" source listed under Amazon.

This is a great book for studying (and teaching) about the solar system and the stars. My 9 year old read this every night until the day we had to return it to the library. I bought it right away after that. Amazing photographs - very attention getting. Great for all ages.

This book is beautifully illustrated and presented. Intended for my 4-yr-old, even my 2-yr-old now knows the names of most of the planets and understands their orientation. I would recommend this book to any and every parent.

This is a great buy for the pre-teen with a brimming curiosity. Comphrehensive and straightforward it made me want to do some traveling of my own! I especially liked how the information is presented in an easy to read-easy to grasp style for kids, yet doesn't condescend. I plan on giving this to my nephew in the hopes that some of his neverending questions about the universe will be answered!

THis book is fantastic. Our Lord said we must repent, He sent the disciples out in twos to tell us we must repent and Peter said we must repent to be saved. THis book explains why a Christian must be repentant and what it truly means to repent.

I've been a Christian for nine years, and have read countless books. By far, this is the BEST book I have read outside of the Bible. In a day and age when the Gospel is being watered down so much, people need to know what it means to REPENT. Without repentance, no one can enter heaven. Regardless of what position they hold in a Church, how long they have been going to Church, or what their father, mother or grandparents did. Each person will stand before God on judgment day, and if one has never repented and believed the gospel they will perish. This book is CHALK FULL of scripture from Genesis to Revelation pleading with men and women to repent. This book is PERFECT for a men's or women's Bible study, I highly recommend it!!! [...]

One can go to any of the major Christian bookstores and not find one honest, straightforward book on repentance. This is one from a man who has walked out his repentance for over 50 years. I read through it in a few lengthy and painful evenings and it's time to read it again.

May those who are honestly seeking Jesus find this book helpful. It's much like Brother Roberts' particular style, which tends to be both instructional and convicting.

In short, this is a must read for any serious disciple of Christ.

This is the only thorough-going work on repentance I have found. And thorough it is, being used by several seminaries. The fact that it is published by the highly reputable Crossway Books speaks of its integrity, and I can personally speak of its breadth and depth. A warning: this is not an easy book to read because it exposes personal areas that need to be addressed through repentance. It is not a theological abstract. Roberts, in typical fashion, with scholarship and compelling examples and illustrations, thoroughly fleshes out the biblical requirement of repentance and calls the reader to practice it.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ethel Pochocki. This book is one of my favorites, but anything this gifted and tender author writes is bound to be wonderful. (No, I'm not a relative of hers!) I assumed when I first "met" her that her stories were mainly for children; it was awhile before I saw that the themes she uses are universal, and any age reader will find something to mull over. Get ready for a warm glow.

Illustrated by Mary Beth Owens, who has exquisitely captured Ethel Pochocki's wild & flowing tale, when you open ROSEBUD & RED FLANNEL you venture into the whimsical & enchanting, with an endearing ending.

A RebeccasReads heirloom family treasure.

I'm so glad to see this book still in print! This was a favorite "Bedtime Storytime" book in our public library when it first came out...and the story bears out that love is stronger than adversity, longer-lasting than physical beauty, and, in the end, the rewards of love far outweigh vanity and pride. A sweet and funny book for all ages, especially for those with a favorite pair of pajamas that are put on the clothesline to dry!

I am delighted that this book is back in print! It is an engaging story illustrated with gorgeous watercolors. Rosebud is a rather refined nightgown, and is not impressed at first with Red Flannel, the pair of long johns that adores her. How her opinion of him changes and her respect for him grows is a story that parallels many a human love. Their deep commitment to each other is a lesson in lasting love. This book would be a lovely wedding present.

I just made Kitty Morse's Mint tea from her book Scent of Orange Blossoms. For years I have been digging and chopping away at a large patch of spearmint that takes over a section of my yard trying to get rid of it. Now after making Kitty's mint tea I am looking for another empty space to plant more. A simple infusion of fresh spearmint leaves, a little green tea and some sugar provided am amazing treat.

The Scent of Orange Blossoms is a lovingly assembled cook's tour of a regional cuisine that obviously has special meaning for the author. All eight of Kitty's cookbooks have been beautifully written and illustrated, but this one, with its mouthwatering recipes and pages of luscious photos by her husband Owen, is truly a feast for the senses.

I spent three wonderful years living in Morocco and although I learned many recipes from Moroccan neighbors and some from Kitty herself, I have found in her latest book new combinations of spices, fresh vegetables and meats that I can't wait to try. Most of the Sephardic families had left Morocco when I lived there in the seventies and most of their recipes had gone with them. Kitty's meticulous research with Danielle and the wonderful stories and letters that illustrate this tome make it as much a history book as a cook book.

More than anything else, at this time of great conflict and crisis in the world, The Scent of Orange Blossoms is a wonderful reminder of how Jews and Arabs can live (and cook) together in peace and harmony as they did for centuries in Morocco.

I must go now and begin preparing my preserved lemons (p. 20).

Salaam and shalom.

A celebration of Jewish cuisine that came from the interaction between Jews and Moslems in North Africa and Spain. When the author Kitty Morse led eating tours of Morocco, the highlight was a meal at the villa of retailer Danielle Mamane in Fez el Jdid. Both women have collaborated on this well designed and interesting book of recipes. I recommend it for its recipes, design, stories, and photographs. In addition to recipes, letters between mothers and their newly married daughters, and introductory stories, the authors list menu plans (with recipe page numbers) for the Jewish holidays, as well as the more Moroccan Jewish celebrations of La Mimouna (Pesach period), Hillula (visiting sages), and Kappara (pre-Yom Kippur). For Jewish weddings, there is the customary flan (t'faya). For Mimouna, the recommended recipes are Chicken with Orange Juice; Sephardic Mafleta pancakes; and couscous with raisin and onions confit. My favorite recipes include Walnuts with Pomegranate Seeds (which uses a heavy dose of orange blossom water); a cucumber with lemon salad; fish filets made in Fez style (with tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic); Fresh Fava Bean Soup with Cilantro for Passover; Chicken Couscous with Orange Blossom Water for Yom Kippur; Harira or Lentil and Chickpeas Soup (for Moslem Ramadan and Jewish Yom Kippur break-the-fasts); Meatballs in Onion Cinnamon Sauce, Chicken with Saffron and Ginger and Onions; and Honey Doughnuts for Hannukah. There are Fish Fillets a la Fassi (Fez style); Dafina Shabbat Stew (skhina); Chicken with Garbanzo Beans in Tetouan style; and Tangier style Potato Stew that uses preserved beef (kleehe). The Tagine of Beef uses carrot and turnips as well as cilantro, garlic, ginger, and tumeric. The Cornish Hens with Fresh Figs uses 12 figs and 12 threads of saffron; the Chicken with Onion and Tomatoes uses toasted almonds, ginger and eight threads of saffron. Preserved fruits, lemons, and kumquats play an important role in the cuisine. There is a recipe for Sephardic Shabbat Challa, and the Top of The Shelf spice that is often used; it includes a blending of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, mace, salt and ginger. La Maguina, a vegetable and meat frittata, is sliced like meatloaf. Some unique soups and salads are a white and chard soup a la Tangiers; a fennel salad; a tomato and bell pepper salad with garlic, paprika and sugar; fava bean salad with cumin; and tomato with preserved lemons.

Excellent book for people who want to have a solid base of Moroccan cooking.
Finally recipes of our favorite foods with precise measurements.
AE