Richard Books

In case you are unfamiliar with the Elfquest series, I highly suggest reading some of the past graphic novels in print starting with Fire and Flight and The Forbidden Grove before tackling the Hidden Years.

Wendy and Richard Pini, despite being well known in the fantasy circle, are still relatively unknown comic book artists. Which is a SHAME because their timeless Elfquest stories are extremely well-written. Often, Elfquest fans (such as myself) are very loyal and devoted fans that have been reading their stories for years (in my case 15 years).

In the Hidden Years, we get to see the years in between with Cutter and the Wolfriders after Rayak whisked the Palace of the High Ones into the near future along with his family: Leetah, Ember, Suntop. There are also stories that take place during different time periods like when Bearclaw was still chief and Cutter a mere boy. The stories are heartbreaking and center around the importance of family and finding a place to belong. Cutter somewhat adopts Tyleet, in place of Ember, and she becomes the "daughter of the whole tribe." The best story, as most have already indicated, is Tyleet's rescue of an abandoned human baby (sadly, due to his scar) and raising him. The second best story is the tragedy of Skywise's parents.

As always, the artwork done by Wendy is breathtaking. No other artist can draw Elfquest like she can. Richard is a master storyteller leaving the reader always wanting MORE. By far, this was my favorite graphic novel out of all the stories. Flawless artwork, and inspiring story telling.

Wendy Pini has certainly outdone herself! Her artwork has always been versatile, changing to fit the mood of the story. In this graphic novel, she used vivid watercolors to tell the tale. It's amazing! The stories are also superb, in the honored tradition of Elfquest. My favorite story is the one about Tyleet and her adopted human cub, Little Patch. Wendy Pini is definetly my favorite artist! :)

A collection of short stories, _Hidden Years_ fills in some missing spots in the storyline, mostly from the time period before the 'Shards'and Kings of the Broken Wheel timeline. It was really nice to see that a story could indeed be covered in the equivalent of one issue of a comic book. My favorites are the story depicted on the cover and the origin story for Skywise. No spoilers here, just go out and get it.

Wendy is arguably the best comic book artist of our time, and this little gem has got to be her greatest work ever. This is the very first book by the Pinis that I bought. (Which may I recommend that you don't get this first. You will be very confused, even though the stories are great in themselves.) This one book started the Elf-mania in my family. Now, I buy all of them, even the off-the-wall side stories that are more humorous than anything (see "New Blood" and "Worldpool"). It's really great artwork and rich color are the best. And Strongbow is a heartthrob.;)

In a slightly smaller format than the original paperback volumes, the Elfquest tales that occurred between the great espiodes of the elfin adventures on The World of Two Moons are all presented in full, glaring colors that really blinds your eyes which are more accustomed to the gentler tones of the colorized comic-book collections. Here you meet Strongbow and his wolffriend, Kyavek and her winged boyfriend, Ember and her coming-of-age discoveries, Tyleet and her foster kid, and Skywise and his ill-fated parents. Personally, I feel that the gentle little Tyleet had inherited her mother's child-hunger, so she had a chance to fulfill her aching maternal instincts with an abandoned infant from a nearby human camp. Pretty sappy, in my opinion. But all the Elfquest fans get to unlock even more mysteries about their most favorite elfin characters as well as color-saturated new stories to boot!

I bought this book when it was first published because I had worked with the author. I expected to find insights but I didn't expect that it would change my life, after all an expert MUST be from at least 50 miles away and I knew the author. Now years after it was published I have realized I need to read it again. Things the book taught me have stuck with me during my changing life and my relationships with my family, and how I view myself as a wife, mother, daughter, co-worker and friend. Since I gave my copy away to someone I knew needed the book, I am coming back home so to speak to read it again and examine myself and love in my Christian life and the love that surrounds us. I am going to recharge my batteries.

This book has totally changed my life. Jim is a great guy with an evident passion for God and the things He is about. Jim speaks straight to the heart though this book. It is a great, fast read but also carries a ton of depth. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. But fair warning...don't be surprised if Embracing the Love of God completely changes your life!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to understand and receive God's love and forgiveness. This book is written especially for believers who are honest enough to admit they have a problem in this area. James Bryan Smith writes in a way that is simplistic and yet profound based on truths from the Word of God. He shares about his own struggles and how he came to a place of acceptance of God's grace and love for him. If you have a desire to be transformed by the love of God, take the time to read this book.

This book was sooo good...Please don't hesitate to get it! Take your time, and drink in the love of God that comes through the pages...
Nothing can separate us from the LOVE of GOD! That is what James Smith explains so well in this book. I just finished it, and know I will read it again. This book encouraged me and lifted me up. He definitely has a gift from God...to teach, help, and encourage...with references throughout, to the Word of God. I look forward to reading more of his books. As another reader said, this book will probably become a classic.

Embracing the Love of God is thought provoking and is,in my opinion, a potential "spiritual classic". Mr. Smith's extended essay is organized around three topics: Knowing God's Acceptance, Receiving God's Forgiveness and Experiencing God's Care. Read it, and keep it to re-read, when you need encouragement. Embracing the Love of God was a blessing to me, and I recommend you buy it.

I loved your book. Great motivater!! You hit very close to home several times.
I have joined weight watchers probably 20 times with little or no success. The
instructor always told me that I didn't eat enough. I guess hearing it from you
helped. I workout M-F for 2 hours/day, but I only had one big meal around 3 and
a couple protein bars the rest of the day. I also can't lift weights (which I
love to do) because of a torn rotater cuff. So, I gave up on it all. Sunday I
read your book. Monday I went to the gym, bought a body fat scale, and ate 5
small meals/snacks. It was great! I also drank my water which I normally don't
drink any water!! Thank you!
I do have a couple of questions. I apologize if I missed it in the book, but is
there a total daily consumption of protein, fat, and carbs that you should have?
I think I remember fat should be around 27, right? My other question is milk,
how does it fit in? I know I am geting calcium with cottage cheese, string
cheese and yogurt, but I would also like to have a glass of milk. I do take a
calcium supplement also. Well, thank you again for writing the book. I hope I
can be like one of your success stories in the book.

Dr. Rick has written an easy to understand comprehensive book that illustrates the key things you need to do both nutritionally and with exercise to become and remain fit. As a 43 year old desk jockey struggling with weight, but interested in endurance activities, Dr. Rick taught me two important things that I believe will have a long lasting effect on my current fitness and will allow me to live a longer happier life. First, I need carbohydrates in my body in order to burn fat when I exercise. Second, I need to prevent overtraining in order to run, bike, or swim longer and faster by exercising at a more comfortable pace (lower heart rate). Since meeting Dr. Rick and reading his book, I have already lost over 1% body fat and have started running ten miles. I also recently beat, by a considerable margin, the time I ran a 10k just months ago by running at a more comfortable pace.

These two insights I learned above are analagous to the insight I had when I finally heard a ski instructor, after not listening for many years. In order to ski you have to do what is counter intuitive - you have to lean down the hill. In order to become fit, you have to do what is counter intuitive - you have to eat more often and you have to train more easily. Buy the book and go to Dr. Rick's website.

For me, Forever Fit was about getting my body, mind and soul healthy. The way in whick Rick Kattouf delivers his message about being Forever Fit, in this book, is gentle, powerful, and impactful. Knowing Rick personally as my coach, I can say that Rick and his book have inspired me to make life changes. I have lost 15 pounds in 4 months, toned up, gone down a dress size, and have implemented healthy eating patterns. By reading this book and being open to Rick's wisdom he shares, my life is changed. I know by following Rick's Forever Fit program, I will meet my health and nutrition goal in one year. And I will be Forever Fit.

Dr. Rick is amazing! The wealth of knowledge that this man has in the realm of Fitness, Nutrition, and the Human Body is amazing! Whether you are overweight,and a novice just getting started, competitive athlete, or a person just wanting additional information to add to your own way of Living a Healthy Lifestyle.........this is the book for you. I have personally studied Fitness and Nutrition, and thought that my background was efficient enough to get me to where I wanted to be both physically and mentally.....I am a 37 yr. old female, I eat healthy foods, I workout 4 times a week, and live a healthy active lifestyle.....But I just hit a road block. I was not happy with where I finally ended up with my TOTAL BEING. I needed more. I have known Dr. Rick for almost 8 years now. I know about his background in Health and Fitness and thought I would pick his brain. Since reading his book, he developed a personalized Health and Fitness program for me. I was skeptical at first, but gave it a try. Can i just say that I have never looked better, felt healthier, and get really excited when people think that I am in my 20's. My PHYSICAL BEING is elated!!! My advice....Read the book..... If you still need more personalized attention, contact Dr. Rick. Find out what he can do for you to stay fit for life. His website is www.teamkattouf.com We only have one life so let's make it the very best we can!

Forever Fit will put a smile on your face and fun back into your life. It is a user friendly program based on eating real food - you know the tasty stuff our bodies nutritionally crave, at LEAST FIVE TIMES A DAY! Yes, you read it right...a plan that encourages you to eat to get into shape. That's a pretty good deal and the best part is it works! The plan simply incorporates exercise, diet, and a good mind set. Rick has a fabulous zest for life and you can't help but get caught up in his belief that you can achieve any of the goals you set for yourself because deep inside YOU KNOW YOU CAN. Rick, in his wisdom, is able to unleash the courage you have and need to make the changes you desire. The time to do so is now...rock on with Forever Fit because you deserve to be.

This book contains four separate sections, one on each of the cardinal virtues. In each of these, Pieper takes a look at the virtue as defined, or often mis-defined by the contemporary world and he contrasts this with how the Church in general and St. Thomas in particular understand that given virtue. What emerges is a picture of true humanity. Often what the world offers us is appealing but insufficient, God calls us to go deeper and strive to reach higher, and in return He promises us true joy. As other reviewers have noted, this is a challenging but rewarding read. The insights it provides leave much to ponder as to how we can truly begin to live more richly in God's desire for us.

Of the three Josef Pieper books I have read (namely i) the anthology and ii) Faith, Hope and Charity and this present one), this has been the best for me. Pieper excels in crystalline clarity of thought; he exudes the wisdom of St Thomas. The brilliance of this book lies in Pieper's ability to see the depth of meaning in things, how we human being are configured towards right order and that when we damage and destroy this order, such as by committing an injustice, we not only damage others but counterintuitively harm ourselves more. Pieper examines Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance, shows their ranking in the order of virtues and shows how they interrelate.

Pieper has shown me something I would simply never have come to know myself, namely that prudence (as classically understood, not the cunning of the tactician, as understood in modern times) is the pre-eminent virtue. But, not only that, he shows clearly the true nature of the virtues and distinguishes them from the counterfeit virtues which society labels by the same name. Pieper is particularly good at showing how counterfeits of these virtues are in fact manichaeistic in nature, often showing disdain of the body. Thus, he cites St Thomas as saying that in paradise the pleasure which man derived from the sexual act would have been greater rather than impaired by an over-spiritualism. He is also excellent on anger. The tendency towards an overly spiritualist attitude with disdain for the body has resurfaced in recent years (see, for example, the talks of Anthony de Mello SJ where he indicates that Christ's manifestation of the natual passions, such as anger, is indeed a short coming!). Referring to St Thomas, Pieper shows that "anger" at times may be in fact a manifestation of right reason and the lack thereof may show deep spiritual disorder.

In this book, one finds one continually surprised, almost taken aback by a train of thought. The real star of the book is the Great St Thomas, mediated by the great Josef Pieper!

Simply brilliant reading. Living naturally is what the crux of this book is all about.

The book delves into ethics, civics, justice, philosophy, psychology, and I think it is a healthy tool for understanding classical literature: Shakespeare, for example, and the inner psychology of his characters as this moral plain, that Pieper describes, is so much closer to his than most of what we hear in our modernity.

Pieper, here, spends time defining what the classic moral compass is, taken primarily from the last officially sanctioned church doctor St. Thomas Aquinas. Pieper brings Aquinas and other philosophers' language up to date, for the ears of the modern mind. Christianityfs definition has too much to do with how it's enemies, or alterior users, wish to define it and Pieper spends a short time correcting this in places.

If you liked this you might like Pieper's Virtues of the Human Heart which is a bit less discriptive but more powerful.

Pieper also makes the point that the most important stuggle is the internal struggle for meaning and direction in any organization or person.

Tapping into the core of the western philosophical tradition, Pieper shows the reader how the ancient virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, have a universal and pressing contemporary application, in the world of human decision making....i.e., the right thinking that clears a path ahead. Formulated out of the Greek, Roman, Hebrew, and Christian traditions, he reminds of their elemental spirtual basis in Faith, Hope, and Charity.

He notes with special emphasis, the primacy of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence, as the clear eyed and humanly perfectable, effort to take a hard, and as objective as possible, look, at the entire factual context of a decision. And, in one of the most beautiful chapters among many in this wonderful book, is Pieper's elucidation of how this caluclation is aligned and informed by the the Spiritual Virtue of Charity.

I find the book to be both a practical and a spiritual insight into human awareness itself.

I first came into contact with this work because it was a required text for my seminary class on ethics. Pieper is a first rate German philosopher and expert on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas.

If you study this book, The Four Cardinal Virtues (fortitude, temperance, justice, and prudence), along with his other book, Faith, Hope, Love (the three theological virtues), you will have a wonderful primer on ethics.

One word of warning. Philosophy is not light reading. I know, it was one of my majors. Philosophy written in German and translated into English produces a book not for the timid. If you are willing to take on the challenge, more power to you. It is worth the effort, but you should know what you are getting into before you put down your money. This is a book for those who want to think and wrestle with ethics. It is not for everyone.

This is an outstanding collection from a legend of the image Lee Friedlander, a massive, massive book that's quite affordable.
There is art, street imagery, nostaglia, a gusher of photos of sheer beauty from a glance that Friedlanders eye is drawn to.
Beginners, collectors or professionals will find this tomb a timeless collection that cannot be ignored.
Look into photographers William Eggleston, Helen Levitt, Saul Leiter, Robert Adams and Garry Winogrand just to mention a few for more visual classics.
Saul Leiter's new book is quite unique relative to style, really a beauty.

This is the most comprehensive look at the work of Lee Friedlander to date, ranging from the beginnings in American jazz photography to landscapes to a large body of self-portraits. It is accompanied by an inclusive essay that surveys Friedlander's entire career, written by Peter Galassi the Chief Curator in the Department of Photography at the MoMA.

This is not the average retrospective catalog. A broad range of work is presented in 764 plates spanning five decades and arranged in groups. Some organized by theme and style while others are dedicated to specific books (Friedlander has published over 25 to date.) The photographs were not maliciously narrowed down or traditionally arranged. The artist himself had a large part in the selection and sequencing processes. The photographs are organized so that we can look back and see what the artist may or may not have intended from the beginning.

One group in particular compares new and old photographs and investigates the large change and learning experience that comes with a new camera. Friedlander started with a 35mm Leica, a street photographer's best friend, and he perfected his craft with it. Later in his career he decided to make the change to medium format and he revisited all the same problems. This section demonstrates the similarities and differences of working with different formats such as composition with a square frame, but also shows a new understanding of the medium and a range of new possibilities.

Friedlander's sense of humor is apparent in much of his work. It is not coincidence, but a decisive moment that captures these juxtapositions and visual metaphors that communicate irony and humor. The large size and scale of the book is necessary to accommodate comparisons between several similar photographs on a single page. For Lee Friedlander the quantity becomes part of the quality. His best photographs are made better by sharing the page with an image from the same series.

I had never heard of Mr. Friedlander when I saw his exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. There is no way to describe his work in words; you just must experience it. Beyond his keen eye for black and white photography, he has a sly sense of humor that permeates his works. Many of these would be suitable for framing and placed in places where you might not normally hang a photo. This book is a great coffee-table book to be savored and enjoyed. Throw some pillows on the floor and flop down with this huge book and turn the pages slowly.

At 8# and 480 pages, this book is an immense collection of Friedlander's portraits, self-portraits, nudes, landscapes, images of the streets and more. In 2005 the Museum of Modern Art held a traveling retrospective of Lee Friedlander showing 500 of the photographs in its collection.

This catalog, which accompanied the retrospect, gives us closer to 800 photographs. The work extends back to 1964 when John Szarkowski saw a bold originality in the photography of Lee Friedlander and began collecting his work for the Museum of Modern Art. Three years later in 1967 Friedlander, Garry Winogrand and Diane Arbus became the new face of documentary photography in the MOMA exhibition `New Documents.' Under Szarkowski's direction, and later that of Peter Galassi, the museum amassed Friedlander photographs for the next four decades.

The size of this collection provides a rare opportunity to see the span of an artists work. Unlike a concise selection of what is considered an artist's best images, this catalog is a detailed description of Friedlander's life's work. Its size suggests that Friedlander is one of America's greatest photographers because he is one of the most prolific.

by its scope, this book, like the photographer who's work it represents, is unique. not just the amount of photos, but the richness of them, their cool intelligence. it is a major volume, by one of the most influential non-color artists of our time. many people either hate or love friedlander's work, and i love it. if you do, just looking at this book a few times will be a great joy. if you're lucky (and rich) enough to buy or own it - what a treat.

Who wouldn't love a funny green creature who loves to eat flies! My grandaughter surely does! The simplicity of the story, the words that rhyme, and the cartoon-like characters are appealing to very young children (my grandaughter is 4). She laughs and laughs (and I do too) every time I read it. I can't skip a word, because she knows the story by heart! I now own almost every book Tedd Arnold wrote!

Green Wilma is an adoring, rhyming tale of a girl who wakes up one morning and discovers she is green. This story is full of bright colors that fill the pages of this book and show the personality of the characters by illustrating the eyes bulging out of their heads. This book expresses the talent of children's imagination. Your children will love the characters and the silly illustrations that give hints about Wilma's metamorphosis. The ending was a surprise because something happened that I would have never expected. Green Wilma is a sweet childish book that your children will adore.

Reviewed by Erin

After reviewing the book called Green Wilma, I discovered it was not only a satisfying book but one which made my eyes water and lurch out from their sockets. This book is about a young girl, Wilma who wakes up one morning with an appetite for flies and soon discovers she is a green amphibian. Her parents, feet trembling on the floor, appear scared half to death by Wilma's slimy, green, new texture. Rebelling against her parent's orders, Wilma goes to school and ruins other kid's appetites by her repulsive act of devouring filthy, many-eyed flies. As I easily turned each page filled with detailed illustrations, the hilarious book approached the end. This book, even with me being a picky reviewer, I rate at 4.5 stars. Why, because my only unanswered question is, how does Wilma turn into a frog anyway? If the author would explain this phenomenon, I would gain more understanding of the book's main character, Wilma. The book Green Wilma, funny and entertaining, in my opinion is a book recommended to children and adults as well.

Reviewed by Josh

The writing in Green Wilma was like a baby's board book. There were only three or four words on a page. The language, simple, unappealing, and childish, did not earn my liking. The book, absolutely no phrases contained in it, made me get really mixed up while reading it. It was hard to understand and hard to know what's happening with no phrases.



The pictures, simple images of people with bulging eyes, did not go with the story. The story was carefully written to rhyme, while the pictures were sloppily done. The people in the pictures have huge eyes, tiny bodies, tiny legs and arms. Because of these exaggerated features, I did not enjoy looking at them.



Green Wilma was very confusing in the ending. Something happens where the girl (Wilma) is chasing a fly into a pond. She jumps after it, catches it, and falls into the pond. Then the text says all frogs know better than to sit on a log while dreaming and there's a picture with a frog on a log. I think it is confusing because I wasn't sure if there's just a frog dreaming on a log or if there's really a girl named Wilma. Overall, I give this book three stars out of five stars. by Alina

This is a very cute book and it's a fun book to read over and over again. It's actually fun for all ages!

For fans of the classic horror movie - this is the written adaption of the screenplay - plus, added material that never made it into the original film. There are chapters that describe Michael as a boy and also an explanation of why & how the Myers' family was destined to go down into the horror Hall of Fame. A spooky, scary read!

It took me a long time to track this book down, but it was all worth it. The book is just as awesome as the movie. It has more of Michael at Smith's Grove, and about Dr. Loomis's time with Michael. I loved it! If you are fans of John Carpenter's Halloween, then you will love the book just as much as I did.

When reading Richards work or watching Carpenters classic - you still find that the bogeyman will never be forgotten.

I read this novelization of Halloween, I got it from a used book store and it was one of the best movie tie-in books I ever read and just as good as the movie it's based on. Yes that's right, the movie came first and than the book when it's usually the other way around. This book goes into a lot more detail about Michael Myers and why he is the way he is and does the things he does which kind of makes this book even scarier than the movie and I highly recommend thus book to fans of the Halloween movies! Very creepy!

It was much better than I expected it to be. I read it all in one day, I just couldn't put it down! Now I understand the whole Michael Myers thing! It was kinda creepy!

I am still reading the book and am now on page 186. I feel compelled to add my review now before finishing the book. I am 63 and came along too late for WWII. All of the airmen Dick Baughn talk about in this book are my heros! The pilots and air crew members mentioned are old enough to be my parents. They were honorable, very talented people who made many sacrifices so I could grow up in the relatively safe, secure time from 1945 to 1963. Thank you General Baughn!
Jeffrey Blair
Wharton, TX

The Eagle's Last Flight
Brigadier General Richard M Baughn (USAF, Retired) is one of those rare authors who can pull a period of World War II history off a dusty book shelf and breathe fresh new life into it. In his latest book, The Hellish Vortex, he describes the air campaign in the European theater between 1943 and 1945, during which waves of American B-17 and B-24 bombers, escorted by P-38, P-40 and P-51 fighters, pounded Germany. In the same narrative, he chronicles the daily lives of the men who flew them. The result is pure magic; a book well worth reading. How did he do it? It's simple. For one thing, he is a good writer and for another, he flew P-51s in Europe during the same period. As the saying goes, he has "been there, done that." It works every time!

The principal character in the book is 2nd Lt. Robb Baines, a nineteen year old fighter pilot who arrives in the U.K. underage and under trained for his new assignment flying P-51s and escorting bombers to Germany. Like most nineteen year olds, Baines, who I suspect is General Baughn's alter ego, secretly wonders if he is up to the task at hand. But tangling with German ME 109s and ME 110s is dangerous business with no margin for self doubt, as Baines quickly found out. In time, he became a seasoned combat veteran, a confident leader, and a candidate for bigger and better things in what would become the United States Air Force in 1947.

There are several other characters in the book worth mentioning. There is "The Colonel", a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, the group commander who led his pilots with a calm steady hand; "Big John," a sergeant whose well meaning support for the war effort included seducing the wife of a local chicken farmer to get eggs for the pilots' predawn breakfasts; and "Rocco", Baines' long suffering wing man who lives his life with characteristic gritty, New York City bravado. These characters, and many others like them, add spice to an already well prepared dish. Speaking of spices, there is love, romance and sex in the book as well; but the author is careful not to let these asides draw him off the main theme of the book.

One of the things I like about The Hellish Vortex, is that the author periodically inserted excerpts from a paper entitled "The Army Air Forces and 8th Air Force during World War II," purportedly written by Baines while at The Armed Forces Staff College. These asides afford the reader a chance to take a break and look at the big picture. It was there that I learned things I never knew, or had forgotten, about the growth of American air power between World War I and 1947. And it was also there that I read a statistic I still can't get out of my mind; namely, "There were 41,802 airmen killed in a force that never exceeded 100,000 pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and aerial gunners." This grim statistics reinforces something I have always believed, namely: that it is tempting for warriors to tell their stories loudly, garnering praise and admiration wherever and whenever they can. But the plain truth is that not all warriors are heroes; just as not all heroes are warriors; and those that are, often prefer to speak softly in deference to the heroes that never made it home.

This is a book about real heroes, written by a soft spoken man who remembers those who could not make it home. It is a book to read and remember.

For anyone interested in the air war in Europe this is the book for you. The fact that it is written by a P-51 pilot gives it credibility. The War College report from the 50's is a nice touch. The stories about the interaction between the Bittish people and our servicemen is an important aspect and tells it like it was. I recommend it highly.

I'm a WWII buff and originally saw this reviewed in the WWII magazine recently (June 2008). It's definitely different in that is is very detailed and technical in the moment-by-moment descriptions of what flying a P-51 fighter (mainly as bomber escort) was like, and also in describing day-to-day life for this young pilot in war-time England. The author Richard Baughn was a decorated P-51 pilot, and he states that what he set out to do was write a book about what it was really like. The book is a fictional account of a 19 year old pilot. It succeeds on both the fictional and the historical level, containing interesting characters, fast action, and a not small amount of action with the ladies.
One aspect of this different book is it makes you very aware of how extremely hazardous every mission was for all the airmen (fighter and bomber crews alike), with a much higher casualty rate than for any other service. The hazards posed by flying in bad weather, collisions, and various other accidents added greatly to the casualty rate. One final interesting point - from the description on the book it sounds like they lived on SPAM througout the war. Makes you want a nice SPAM sandwich.

This is one of the best fiction books I have read on the air corps since Len Deighton's "Goodbye Mickey Mouse". I had heard of Marines having had a couple of weeks of basic training in WW II and being given "training" on the 19-day sail to Guadalcanal, but I did not know that pilots had sometimes had very little training. Thank goodness this pilot read the manual on P-51's on the boat ride to England. With only a couple hours in the P-51, his instructor put him in the cockpit and said basically, "Go solo". And then he was sent to a unit and certified as combat ready. You get the feeling that too many kids were treated this way and became cannon fodder. I had never seen the statistics that the Army Air Force had the highest percentage of fatalities of any of the services in WW II. My eight uncles and cousins, who fought in WW II, always felt the air force had the best deal, but after reading this book, I realize how little the sacrifice of 155,000 airmen has been acknowledged.

"Strays," the opening story of "The Ice at the Bottom of the World," is one of the strongest in the collection. The first image of the story is a particularly fine example of image setting tone, and in a very short space defining characters, relationship, and place.

The title story from "The Ice at the Bottom of the World" is also a strong piece. The characters are drawn vividly and with little wasted space. The tension between the characters and within their lives is efficiently developed. There is no waste. The narrative is as lean and hard as the lives it depicts.

Both of Richard's collections remind me of the work of Larry Brown and Kevin Canty. The prose is spare, the characters are rough, the humor (what there is of it) is absurd and dark. Even though I can appreciate this sort of writing, it is not a place I would like to dwell for long. Thankfully, the collections from all these writers tend to be short. The quality of the stories also varies a great deal. Some stories are downright brilliant, others I could do without reading.

A path of clear words directly to the feeling. Strays, the first story on the book, is just a masterpiece. Forget about complex metaphors or shining adjectives. This is a clean picture with the essential elements. Mark Richard's command of the language drive us inside a delicately composed environment of hopeless hopeful pain. The carvering after Carver. The headrest after Hempel.
A friend from Spain recommend this book.

Richard is a virtuoso, a master of the craft. The first piece in the collection sets a high expectation that is fully satisfied with the writing that follows. Here are stories about the south with voices as clear as daylight. There are familiar landscapes of the south: a small cabin near the river as in "Her Favorite Story" and a farmhouse as in "Strays." This modern landscape grows, too, to include the suburbs as in "This is Us, Excellent."

There is a haunting simplicity found in Richard's characters. They live life without the fear that perhaps they should have. A sense of dramatic irony grows in the reader as if it were a play inside a theater. All of these stories are freighted with disappointment, marred by traged, or terrorized by old ghosts and various wants. There is a resigned sorrow througout and the feeling that doom is not far off like a dark cloud moving in from a distance.

What is deeply moving here is that many of the characers do not anticipate change. They do not even seem aware of it or of hope. Instead, dead things rise to the surface as in "On the Rope" where a former flood rescue worker glimpses a plastic bag caught on a fence and is brought back to memories of the "boiling waters" that drowned the town.

The immediate sorrows are understated either by voice or events that follow so that in a way, the immediate pain is cauterized. But once we look away from the wound we realize the whole body has gone with runny sores and rot.

Richard's stories speak loudly about doom, decay, and seemingly incongruous naivete in the same fashion as Steinback in The Grapes of Wrath and Faulkner in The Sound and The Fury.

What may be perhaps most disturbing here in all the lyrical prose and landscape is that the people do not change-- they are immobile like statues. What changes life then is only the inevitable event that is death.

Not since William Faulkner or Eudora Welty have we seen such a consummate master of the Southern short story as Mark Richard. Like Faulkner, his style (or styles, perhaps I should say) can take some getting used to, but if you just relax, and let the words flow over you without "waiting for the paint to dry", you'll find you get the picture. Indeed, this is the same way I read Faulkner, allowing the stream of consciousness to form its own image and successive afterimages (it's a more passive kind of reading, I suppose, than what you would engage in with a post-modern novel by DeLillo, say).

The opening story, "Strays", is, in some ways, the *perfect* Southern short story. Farcical and funny, you can read the entire story online here. Do, and I bet you'll be hooked. They're all terrific, and the final story, "Feast of the Earth, Ransom of the Clay" is a triumphantly disturbing Southern gothic tale. "Fishboy" is probably the most stream-of-consciousness and disorienting of the bunch -- and if you like it, note that Richard subsequently took this story and developed it into his novel of the same name.

Very, very highly recommended!

Mark Richard's collection of stories "The Ice at the Bottom of the World" is a rare gem. Not many writers are so capable of dealing with so much and being so profound using so short a form of narrative. Some writers need hundreds of pages and don't develop so beautifully their characters or plots. Here with something like 10 pages, the author is able to break our hearts, heal it and explore some dark sides of human soul.

At his best, in stories like "Strays", "This is us, excellent" and "The Ice at the Bottom of the World" (my favorites, by the way), Richard takes his reader to a wild ride to an unknown place. But, every story has something in common: it takes a little while to realize where the writer wants to take us to - in other words, it takes some pages until he reaches the actual plot of the narrative. This is a risk device since readers may find themselves to be lost in the first paragraphs, but Richards is so good that he keeps you reading until you find where you are going to.

On the other hand, they are not easy stories. Neither the theme, nor the language is easy. This is a barrier that we have to overcome every new beginning. A daring move that every reader should accept with pleasure. His characters are normal people trying to find a place in their own world, therefore, what 'we' would call outsiders. Most stories are about them getting to know themselves better, but readers are aware of them a lot better.

Richard's "The Ice at the Bottom of the World" is a book that should be read every now and them. His stories are short - it doesn't take to long to read them - but their effects on the readers lasts even longer.

This book was in very good condition, and I would buy again from this seller.

The Lord has blessed everyone through Gayle Irwin as the Spirit of Jesus is displayed for us to view between the paper covers of this book.
Bill Bracken, Pastor Calvary Stanberry

This book outlines in clear and unwavering language what it truly means to be a servant. It was very apparent that what most Christians consider being Christ-like and a servant to mankind is off the mark. Gayle Erwin will point you in the right direction without any vacillating at all. There are several occasions where Mr. Erwin is critical of even himself and how he has behaved in his walk with God.

If you consider yourself a Christian, other than the Bible, this is one of the most important books you will ever read.

I was raised in a church organization that was cultlike in its legalism. We read the same Bible as everyone else but by the time I was 7 (about when I could read it myself), it was clear to me that the God being taught and the God of the Bible were two very different people. As the child of my parents, my mind believed what I was taught but as a child of God, my heart could never accept it. Jesus is the man that Gayle Erwin wrote about and the God who had been speaking to my heart for my whole life. I just had to get my head straight. The Jesus Style was the tool God used. Most people reviewing this book remark on its depiction of true Christianity. For me, it simply saved my life. I couldn't find the real Jesus anywhere and had begun to think that maybe that person about whom I was taught as a child was the real Jesus. I was ready to turn my back on God and walk away, my life had been so painful. In the pages of this book, Gayle Erwin described the Jesus my heart had always known and of course, backed it up with scripture. I cannot explain the joy I felt to have been so affirmed. I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew the Jesus I read was different and so did Gayle Erwin. This book is in its 40 somethingth printing now. I am sure hundreds of thousands of copies have gone out. But I believe that God inspired this work of Gayle Erwin to pull this girl out of the despair that legalism causes, to put my feet back on the path and get me moving again. A couple of years ago, it was my greatest happiness to drive to hear Gayle Erwin speak. I hoped I would have a chance to talk to him. I wanted to thank him and I did. Without any God in my life, I don't know where I would have ended up. God used this man and this book at that particular time to reach me. If you are reading this, it is entirely possible that Jesus is trying to reach you too. Do what Gayle Erwin did....Listen. You have no idea how your life could change.

If you have ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus, or if you have ever wondered "What Would Jesus Do?" then this book is a must read.

Written in plain language, this is an easy read. I found it to be an absolute joy to read it and gained some interesting insights in to the style of our Lord and Savior.

Truly a delightful, useful book, I recomend it to everyone.