Richards Books

Beautifully, gently written. Very touching anecdotes of Lakin's long and excellent experiences with children in elementary school. Lakin is sensitive and effective with his students, as a teacher, a principal and writer and gives the information that is both amusing and poignant.

"Teaching as an Act of Love" by former principal Richard Lakin explains the methods of teaching K-4 grade school children and how these impact children with different learning needs and abilities. Laced with the compassion and humor, the insights of an experienced professional glow as the kids say and do the funniest things. The book explores the shortcomings of excessive bureaucracy and testing in public grade schools, and the importance of building enthusiasm for learning at an early age. A very enjoyable read, with many helpful tips on how fill one's own children with a "can do" attitude in life.

This insightful and inspiring memoir demonstrates that a caring and dynamic educator never stops teaching. Richard Lakin opened the doors of knowledge and understanding to children by allowing their curiosity, insight and intuition to enliven their learning environment. Now he is writing about his experiences in a way that motivates parents and teachers to persevere in creating supportive and stimulating learning environments. I intended to share this book with a special teacher friend and then realized it is also a gift I will give myself and my daughter who is just beginning to shape goals and research options for her young son's education.

Teaching as an Act of Love is a real winner for anyone interested in kids and in education! Written with love, humor, insight, and humility, Lakin gives numerous real life examples of what works and what doesn't work in schools. The title says it all. Teaching IS an act of love,

As a retired French and Special Education teacher, I could relate to the basic premise of the book and enjoyed following Lakin through his many adventures in dealing with elementary school students. I laughed at the many examples of delightful children being themselves, empathized with feelings of bewilderment, got annoyed at the narrow "bean counter" approach to education. And I smiled many, many times as the difficulties melted away when genuine caring and professional expertise prevailed. Lakin is to be complimented for including all the school staff into his book, because, as all teachers know, everyone contributes a meaningful part to the whole effort..

I was impressed with Lakin's dealings with parents, always seeking what is best for the student, and engaging to help the parents provide meaningful support. He clearly understands that "One size does NOT fit all". This philosophy of education based on caring, discipline, listening, and acting out of commitment to the child touched me deeply.

This is a book for everyone!! Parents, teachers, all school personnel, and former kids will enjoy and be inspired by Lakin's experiences and philosophy. He takes us through his education career, showing us his vulnerabilities, and his capacity to find solutions through imagination, listening, and love. Congratulations to Richard Lakin for presenting us with an amazingly readable book about an amazingly complex subject: education.

Richard Lakin, a teacher and principal, speaks from long experience, learning from, modeling, and advocating for, caring classrooms which nourish children in their developing years. A refreshing and inspirational collection of stories for teachers and school systems who dare to make essential interventions in the health of our culture as a whole.

This book has a lot of very good information on trailing. Definitely would recommend it to all hunters. The are so many real life tracking stories that it gets repetitive after a while. After reading this you will certainly try harder not to wound a deer and will not give up the trail.

This book is a must read for anyone who has hunted or considered hunting whitetails. It is filled with exceptional detail and photographs to assist with recovering wounded deer. Hats off to Richard Smith and the people who assisted him with the production of this book. I feel he has done a great justice to the deer and deer hunter by writing this outstanding reference.

Any hunter who respects the animals he or she hunts, should read this book. All the detail you need is there, pictures are good (could be clearer) and all this with interesting details of many hunts.

All this in a package that is easy to read without being long, clearly laid out.

My only criticism is that I would like a table at the back of the book that I could copy and take with me in the field that lays out sign by type (hair type or blood colour) and probable injury with suggested wait time.

I have picked this book up over 10 times last season to re-read sections and expect to do the same again this season.

This book is a must read for any novice or expert whitetail hunter. Richard clearly describes the steps you should take to track your deer for several different shot scenarios, and color illustrations are included. Well worth the money, this book will help you find your next deer.

Tracking wounded deer will put more deer in your freezer. If you hunt hard and put yourself in a positon to make a shot on a deer and loose the animal, nothing is more of a let down. There are so many variables involved in the hunt, the odds of making a marginal shot with a bow or gun is always there. I have been owning this book for so long, I can't remember where I bought it. I read it over every year and have loaned it to and insisted that hunting buddies read it. To me the trailing of a hit animal is only second excitement wise to making the shot. If you hunt long enough, at some point there will be a tough tracking job. When you come across this tough job and have read this book, you will surprise yourself at how much you see besides the obvious. The book starts off with hit or miss determination. Reading of the blood condition and color as well as hair type which is critical when starting the blood trail. This book will show in great detail the blood from different hits and what I have found to be an incredible asset, a color photo with hair from 12 seperate areas on a deer. Plenty trails start without blood and hair is your only clue. Next the author discusses vital or mortal wounds and how to go about approaching the trail based on your determination of the hit. Next Mr. Smith covers nonfatal hits, string trackers and tracking with dogs. Also the last two chapters cover mistaken impressions such as hitting the wrong deer or even two deer and other such instances,and the final chapter deals with stories involving finding deer shot by other hunters. The book closes with a Bibliography and a very helpful index.

The Photos in this book are incredible and there is even an actual deer carcas with a cut away view of internal organs. This along with the actual blood trails and recovered deer will amaze you.

From a personal stand point, this book has made the difference of a sad story of a lost deer and putting meat in the freezer after a tough tracking job. Not just for me but for many of my friends that I have helped. This book WILL make you better at recovering your deer. It will also get you invited on many tracking jobs because of your skill in tracking.

I have pictures of a 10 point that I shot in 1996 and I put the book in the picture because I found this animal because I learned what to look for from TRACKING WOUNDED DEER.It was 8:15 A.M. and I made a broadside shot with my 30-06 at about 100 yards from about 45-50 feet in a tree. At the time I didn't know, but I had just clipped the paunch side of the liver and the exit was through the paunch. There was no blood, but there were loads of hair and it may sound funny, but several stunned ticks on the ground where the hair was. After collecting the hair and sneaking off back to my camp, I was able to determine where the hit was from the photo of the hair in my book. My concern with no blood and tons of hair was that I had made a flesh wound and knocked off some hair. From the photo in the book I realize that hair was from the lower side of the deer. This gave me hope that I had actually hit the deer in body, but was it a gut shot because of no blood. After this determination my friend and I decided to wait a while, have lunch and then sneak back into the trail where I saw the deer run. After about 35 yards into the bottom we found a drop of dark blood. It wasn't much, but it told us that we had a liver hit. The blood sign was very sparse, but reading the blood splash patterns and other little clues lead us through many back tracks and past one of my buddy's lock on stands. After 3 hours and nearly 300 yards though fairly thick brush, my buddy spotted him. He pointed the deer out to me and I could only see the body to the shoulder, the view of the head was obstructed by some trees. The deer was laying upright just as if he were bedding and I though to shoot, but my friend could see the head and it was on the ground and the deer was dead. After the high fives and hugs were over, sure enough I had barely clipped the liver and exited about 2 inches above the white hair belly line on the opposite side. We got the deer out of the woods and my buddy still had time to make a quick evenig hunt and I had to do the cleaning and picture taking by myself.

Bottom Line: Tracking deer after the shot is a critical part of the hunting process. In that respect, this is the best, most educational book about deer hunting I have ever read. Sometimes I think I should just buy a case of these books and give them to all my hunting buddies. JUST BUY A NEW COPY OF THIS BOOK, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T GONNA BE ANY USED ONES FOR SALE.

Thanks to Mr. Smith for the Education!!!!!

I'm not much into westerns, but I sure liked this one!

This is rapid-paced action. With each event, Trimble paints the stage thoroughly, but he knows you are anxious for the story and so gets through it quickly. There is violence and brutality, necessary for the plot, but he doesn't dwell on it. It's presented, you know about it, and then he quickly moves on. I appreciated that.

I got so involved with the characters, I couldn't resist a peek at the last couple of pages very early on. Breathing a sigh of relief at the outcome, I could go back and finish the book leisurely. Not really "leisurely" though, because it was so hard to put down.

Richard Trimble's Trail of the Wolf is a good read with an important message between the covers.

The book is set in the old Southwest, with a set of very believable characters, good, bad, and all varieties in between. The author has clearly done his homework on the geography, customs, and language.

I won't give too much away, but the substance of the book is an exploration of a what if: What if a town in the New Mexico Territory had fallen for one of the great public policy delusions of contemporary America? The consequences are disaster. Trimble's working out of the ramifications are exciting, well-hewn, and illuminating.

I hope the author has more books like this one in him.

Westerns have never been my thing - I can take them or leave them. This one was hard to put down. I became involved with the characters and stayed on the trail with Blackie. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read!!!! I can't wait for another book by this author.

If you like westerns, "Trail of the Wolf" is a refreshing new look at what the west was really like. It is written in a style that does not follow the same old worn-out western formula. In fact, it is more than a western. Action, adventure, human nature, are all in this book. The author paints such a realistic picture of the late 1870's west; it's like he was an eyewitness to the events portrayed in the book.

The story is set in the New Mexico Territory in 1878, in the quite little town of Gold Creek. There is a cause and effect to all our actions. What happens when the residents get complacent about their lives brings to light what can happen in any age, not just "the Wild West".

This is a story that is as fresh as this morning's newspaper. I couldn't put it down until I finished. There are very few books today that I can say that about. If you want a book that will hold your interest, entertain, and give you an insight into human nature, this is a book you should not pass up. A great read.

This is the first western novel that I have ever read, but if Dick writes another one, I will surely read it. ... and this was a real treat. The characters become so real, and the suspense is dynamic. I am very familiar with the territory described in the book, and again, it is very realistic.

Have read it cover to cover a few times. This is a book that should be read in schools. A shocking and mostly untold portion of American history. To read about the extent of continental US Nuclear testing and the often covered up dangers (By the AEC) is a real eye opener. Many of the stories are told from the perspective of eye witnesses and include other bits of timely and relevant history that help to capture the moment. Pages of diagrams detailing the fallout patterns of many tests show that fallout was often scattered across the entire country (instead of just endangering the NTS area). A "must read" for anyone with an open mind towards real facts and American History.

As one who has lived very close to this subject for nearly half a century, I find 'Under the Cloud' by R.L.Miller THE most exhaustive and comprehensive examination of our atmospheric nuclear testing program I have ever found. It's a facinating read, I've read it cover to cover, every single word, at least twice. The extensive fallout maps,the juxtaposing of 1950's social factors alongside the myriad of events (shots) provides the historian as well as the curious, with an insight not only to what we did,but why we did it. 'Under the Cloud' will make you feel like you're huddled in the trench 7000 yards from Ground Zero or having a cocktail in 'Doomtown' waiting for Apple II. If you only read one book on our Nuclear Testing Program, or can only have one book on this subject in your library,EVER, make sure it's 'Under the Cloud'. Order it now, but be advised,you're not going to put it down until the last page.

Richard Miller's "Under the Cloud" is probably a must-read for any of the late baby-boomers like myself who grew up during the Cold War but mostly after above-ground nuclear testing had ended. I was born in 1957 and for most of my life, the above-ground tests were a thing of the past and not really much discussed. But Miller's book reveals how I and most others of my age were probably victims of fallout to some degree. The book provides a very good sense of time relative to the major test series and documents much of the fallout movement and intensity. Miller's narrative style is easy to read but at times a just a wee bit melodramatic. It also gets confusing for the non-physicist as he tends to change units of measurement for radiation exposure constantly - in one test the exposure is in rads, then it's in roentgens, then it's in millicuries - and most of us don't know the relationship. But these criticisms are quibbles with what is for the most part an outstanding book and a very revealing look at something the government wouldn't want you to know. Along with Richard Rhodes' books on the nuclear program, this is a first-rate volume.

Excellent and thorough account of the nuclear testing era in America, the South Pacific and the Soviet Union. The book's focus is the open air testing in Nevada, and details of those tests and fallout trails in the 50s and 60s. The book is written in a style that makes it fascinating, not bogged down with complex scientific jargon. It sidesteps to describe what was going on in American culture at the time, in the cities that were virtually unaware they were downwind of deadly exposure. Author explains how it all occurred, why, and the tragic legacy it has left.

Highly recommended for anyone. Should be of interest to all since as the book so accuruately reveals, we were all downwinders.

I remember in the 50's and 60's being taught to get under my desk in case of a nuclear blast and to stay inside in case of nuclear fallout. Naturally this would only come from Russia and even our small town in Wyoming had a fallout shelter, we thought this was great as our state had several ICBM silos. After reading this book I was once again educated on the perils of nuclear fallout, NOT ONLY WAS IT ALL OVER THE USA, IT WAS MEASURED BY OUR GOVERNMENT AND AT NO TIME WAS ANYONE WARNED TO STAY INSIDE OR TAKE ANY PRECAUTIONS REGUARDING, FOOD, WATER OR LIVESTOCK. This is a crime against humanity and the fallout is still with us in the extremely high cancer rates that follow the fallout maps. The most incredible thing about this book is that it really happened and the American people were and still are totally uninformed. How many RADS were you exposed to? Check it out!

One of the most interesting books of the 90's. An icon of it's time. Expect it to be a bestseller the coming years. Congratulations to the author!

this is a real nice small artbook, never saw one like this before.

This is a great art book with a wide variety of artists. Makes a great present!

This is one of the most sympathic small art-books that we've seen the last year. A relief that Snitker has made the effort to match the famous Lawrence Wiener with suchs talents as Michael Hill. Please continue with this kind of beautyful editions.

this is a beautifull artboo

The next best thing if you weren't able to make it to this record-breaking exhibition in Washington and Los Angeles. This book, an overview of the exhibition, is an extremely thorough and interesting overview of the 70 works on display. But it's more than that. I was very impressed with Richard Kendall's commentary in the book. Not only is this a comprehensive and thoughtful look at the "Van Gogh's Van Goghs" exhibition, it's also an excellent look at Van Gogh's life and career--period. I might have expected this--this major exhibition was superb and this catalogue is a worthy companion. Exhibition or not, this book is first-rate.

I have this book and I am so glad ,I discovered it. I am, a painter,and have always been influenced by Van Goghs work. However most of the books I own do not have very good quality , printing .This book however is excellent! It is very close to , standing in front of the original painting. I would recomend this book to anyone that loves Van Gogh. I am so proud to make this book a part of my art library. Get it while you can!!

Vincent van Gogh is the artist who I feel I relate to most on a personal level. His demons are my demons. His yearning to some day find "the right girl" is my yearning. His spiritual faith in God is my spiritual faith. His weaknesses are my weaknesses. His strengths are my strengths. I'm very fond of van Gogh. He made many mistakes, including getting involved in a doomed love affair with a prostitute, or how he cut off his earlobe in a fit of anguish. Well, okay, I identify with him but that's something I've never been tempted to do haha. Vincent was a troubled and tormented and deeply under-appreciated artist in his day, only managing to sell one or two paintings in his life. Now he is among the very most popular. His works sell for many millions, even minor works.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Interest in Van Gogh heightened with Hollywood movie with Kirk Douglas an Hollywood actor. My mother has a wood painting of sunflowers (l6) and she asked that we research this for her, it has numerous local newspaper clippings taped to the back, which raises even more questions. It is signed Vincent? I saw a one man narrative of Van Gogh's life depicted by his brother Theo, Actor: Jim Jarrett called Vincent. It was much informative of the letters Vincent wrote to Theo. . This enlightened one as to Vincent's odd behavior. Vincent the man. Mr.Kendall, if possible please cooresponde back. My sister is also in contact with you. Thank you for reading this message and any redirect would be appreciated.

One of the best pieces that I ever read explaining paintings along the different periods which were passed by Van Gogh. Also, it gives a complete ride through his life and personality.

I am not a professional reviewer, nor am I a Vietnam vet. I passed by the authors booth at an expo and bought the book, in large part to clear my conscience for not joining my friends in the Vietnam experience. I returned to my booth and could not put the book down. I returned to Richard many times during the 3 days that we exhibited and he is a genuinely humble man who answered all of my questions. How did you know exactly where you were in that engagement? "I checked the after-action reports in Washington" he replied. How bad was the water available to you in the field? "Not only was it polluted, but it picked up the odor of the plastic canteen and the iodine tablets". I finished the book in about 7 hours and bought four more for gifts.
If you didn't serve, you need to read this book! If you did serve, I salute you.

"It was a cold and foggy Northern California evening, and I was waiting to board my flight to South Vietnam." And thus the memoir begins for one soldier.

During the nineteen-sixties, the U.S. and its troops found themselves embroiled in a war in South East Asia, namely Vietnam. At one time the area was known and French Indo China. A boy from Brockton, Massachusetts, boards a plane in San Francisco, California for his trip half way around the world to fight in a war that was unpopular by many. Will he survive and come home a man, and older than his years? Read on the book to find out.

The setting, people and the war are seen through the eyes of a grunt (low-ranking soldier), as a newbie during the Vietnam war of the sixties is a slice of life. This book gives you a good look into Vietnam and the war the U.S. found itself embroiled in.

I found the first person look at what some called an unpopular war and soldiers coming home being spit on for doing their duty to their country something that shows what the people that went to South Vietnam and fought in the jungles and rice patties had to contend with. Whether or not you feel it right or wrong to be in Vietnam, it's a fact that the U.S. sent forces there. For those that wish to see what soldiers went through in Vietnam, I recommend this book as a good look into that time and place. Reviewer: Bob Medak, Allbooks Reviews.

Goo-oood Morning Vietnam! In an almost journalistic, diary style, J. Richard Watkins presents his own story in Vietnam: No Regrets: One Soldier's Tour of Duty.

When a boy becomes a man in Vietnam, we cry with him. We feel his fear. We hear his prayers. And we rejoice when, after it is over, it is to his mother's arms he first goes. For by now, his greatest fear is whether or not the unconditional love will still be there for him. Or will his parents be able to see right away how he has changed, what he has done? And will they turn away in disgust from this man that is still their son? As I read the Epilogue of the most comprehensive coverage I have thus far read from a soldier's viewpoint, only then did my tears run. For after all that he'd been through, this soldier's greatest fear was indeed whether he would or could go back within the warmth and comfort of his family and friends without their seeing, somehow, what he had done. There...in the jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia.

For the majority of time, Watkins was a radio transmission operator whose duty was to communicate with the artillery batteries to call for artillery support when needed. That meant that he was always with the commander of the unit and he was always right at the front! Watkins's non-fiction narrative is packed with memories, fresh in his mind, though he left Vietnam in 1970. If I were reading it without knowing the date of its being published, I would have thought he was there, writing for a newspaper, or in a journal. His message is frank, open, and honest. His views are his own, but he's willing to share them. These are the facts, as he knows them, and he's willing to state them loudly and clearly!

For the average person back in the States, I never knew, for instance, that the Infantry was the man on the line. The army's rule of thumb was that out of every ten soldiers in-country, nine of the ten would be giving support to the ones that were actually in a real combat situation. (p.69) What that means in actual numbers was that it was only about 40-50,000 men who actually fought on the front lines¡ it was the Infantry and then there was everyone else. Those are the men who trudged through the jungles hunting the enemy. They are the men who stood duty during the monsoon rains through which they could not see the man next to them. They were the men who risked their lives the same men moving from place to place. Now there was a turnover within the Infantry. Most had tours of three months. Watkins, for an unknown reason, was there six months before he got his first R&R. He had gone over his immediate superior's head to ensure he was able to leave.

It was not the first time I had learned that many men died in this war due to actions by their superiors. One of the most incredible stories shared by Watkins was when a new officer volunteered for them to immediately leave on a rescue mission to try to save a group of Green Berets, even though they had just returned from an extensive patrol. Once there and in the midst of battle, the reality of this officer's decision became apparent even to him as they ran out of water, food and other necessities and he had to send for emergency support. The new officer had acted without regard to the safety and needs of his own men! And everybody knew it long before he did!

A major contribution toward the value of Vietnam: No Regrets is inclusion of pictures. Additionally, his almost-journalistic approach to reporting on the beauty of Vietnam from the air, as well as actually riding in the helicopters, and in his openness on sharing his times away from base¡both in the jungles and out, make for a more informative reading. I think I enjoyed most his quick decision to find his way to see his best friend who was in the Marines and how he hopped rides to get there and back. I could almost envision the look of surprise, shock and pleasure when they stood looking at each other once Watkins had found him! Finally, his open inclusion of the heartache caused by a Dear John letter should make any woman who ever considered writing one to a serviceman immediately change her mind!

Watkins shares that he quickly learned tomorrow was promised to no one. (p. 79) He shares that when you are in the midst of battle, you want to be gone; but once you are out, you miss the adrenaline and want to be back. It works for the time period in which you do battle. But his greatest advice, received almost as soon as he was there, was to be sure to leave everything behind when he left. Watkins remembered that advice, and as his tour ended, he worked hard to ensure that he was able to do that!

Perhaps this book illustrates that those men will never be able to truly forget their time in Vietnam. Vietnam: No Regrets is graphic in its violence, the need to seek out and destroy the enemy while ensuring that their own men were not hurt. It includes mistakes made, but it includes prayers lifted up in both supplication and gratefulness. Watkins made it through Vietnam and has shared a major part of his life as a member of Alpha Company 1/27 Wolfhounds, Twenty-fifth Infantry Division. Thank you!

It seems to me that young men leaving for the service, going into war, would benefit from this book. But would it be preparation? According to Watkins, probably not, because what was experienced in battle must be experienced to understand it! Still, Watkins presents an effective balance in his book and, in my opinion, has presented a major contribution to the story of Vietnam. For those who are searching for answers about a war that many will not even talk about, this is a Must-Read.

Easy and enjoyable read. Vivid detail and real insight into life on the front line. Nice combination of a war book and a personal interest story.

I have been lucky enough over the last few years to have been associated with about dozen veterans from the old Wolfhounds. I have read several books about them now and I am becoming a strong believer that this was a special group of men. Author J. Richard Watkins writes his own memoirs from his "tour of duty" in Vietnam with the 1/27th Wolfhounds, 25th Infantry Division. He was there from late 1969 through 1970 and he chronicles his year long physical and emotional journey in his book "Vietnam - No Regrets: One Soldier's Tour of Duty."

This is a grunt's eye view of the real war that took place in the jungles and the rice paddies of Nam during that time. It is not about some guy's imaged adventures in Saigon or some other in-country big base. This is about the guys who went out there for weeks at a time humping their equipment across the land in the heat and the rain. It is about the 10 percent of those who served in this war who saw combat and experienced warfare weekly.

The author takes us out on patrol with him as a "newbie" and his first ambush. The mission was successful but they killed two children and an old man in the process. It takes its toll on our young soldier. Even this many years removed from that accident of fate - he truly feels some spiritual and emotional pain, even though he did not personally fire a round, he knows he was part of the team. From this story, near the beginning of his book, we realize that there is more to this man's story than just details of events that he writes about.

The book explores the thought processes that go on while out on patrol or on an ambush. It covers the "Dear John" letter from home and his friendship with his fellow Wolfhounds. There is a subtle emotional thread that runs throughout this book that makes Watkins very human and vulnerable. Readers will find themselves liking the men he writes about and will be able to feel their pain and joys as well.

The book is well written. It is an honest portrayal of what life was like out in the field for the combat soldiers. The reader will feel at times that they are experiencing these events as first hand observers, as the author pulls us into the story with good descriptions and phrasing.

This ranks as one of the best books out about the Vietnam War from an ordinary soldiers' point of view. A must read book. The author has captured the essence of that experience and that time in our history! I enjoyed the book very much and could relate to what the Watkins talks about and where he was at. I believe that non-veterans will gain a lot of knowledge about that historic time and the men who were a part of it by reading this book.

This book is given the personal endorsement of the MWSA President.

A few weeks after a failed attempt at suicide, I found this book when searching for some understanding of suicidal feelings. When I read the stories and the quotes of those who have overcome the tempation, I felt that someone really did understand the way the mind narrows to the point where sucide is the only option. I bought copies for those who were surprised, and hurt, by my attempt. If you battle suicidal urges or want to know what it is like to enter the "vortex", I would reccomend this very helpful book. I thank the author and all he interviewed.

Almost every book about suicide focuses on its causes, often chronicling the final descent of its victims. This heartfelt study does something different and long overdue - it examines the lives of "failed" suicides and lets them describe how they emerged from of the seemingly bottomless darkness that nearly claimed them. Harrowing in its depiction of the pain that fills the suicidal mind, deeply moving in its stories of overcoming that pain and living beyond it, this book is an invaluable resource. By the time you turn the last page, hope will be even more tangible to you than despair. A book that should be kept permanently in print.

Having the disorder of depression; and teetering in and out of suicidal thoughts; I went in search of a book which explained what I was going through. After reading several books, I came across this one. THIS IS IT ! It is the ONLY book I have found that "gets it". I have bought 5 copies - one by one - and have loaned them all out to friends and therapists whom I wanted to really understand what I was going through.

This book was almost an obsession....I HAD to keep reading it. It also managed to give me some hope when I didn't think it was possible and wasn't looking for any.

I'd buy a copy to keep for myself, but I can't find one....This one needs to be put back into print ! It may save lives.

After losing my brother to suicide a few months ago, this book was recommended to me to gain an understanding of his mental state before he took his life.

The author, Richard Heckler, articulates the suffering of one who is suicidal with great skill and insight. He also demonstrates a deep and clear understanding of the thought processes of those who have suffered long term and chronic pain, disfunction, and significant trauma.

It was with terrible sorrow that I recognized my lost brother in these pages. It was equally painful to find myself in the accounts shared, but I was not left feeling hopeless. Dr. Heckler diligently presents the hopeful possiblity of relief from such despair.

This is a truly wonderful book, written with profound compassion for those who suffer. I would recommend it to anyone who has survived the death by suicide of a loved one, and to those in pain who seek a deeper understanding of themselves.

Dr. Heckler, through his brief quotes of interviews and journals, was able to travel through the REAL LIFE experiences of about 50 people that had attempted suicide and survived. You will see a variety of processes that brought these individuals to the door step of death.

Dr. Heckler is the ONLY person, involved in suicide research, to paint and define the components of the recovery from any attempt. You will see a very wide variety of recovery approaches. I feel the reader, whether a support person of someone who attempted or the attemptee, will gain TONS of insights into ways to start the process of recovery.... Litterly the most difficult task you will ever take on..

As a member of a Marine rifle company in Vietnam in 1968-69, I found this book to be dead on, in its portrayal of the day to day life of a grunt. This book, for the most part stays clear of the political messages and other distractions that infect many of the other books about Vietnam. If one was to ask the author why this would be, I would guess that his response would be, that a Marine in the bush does not have time to reflect upon anything other than the mission at hand. I was also glad to see a book about combat in Vietnam,that was written by a black Marine. The year of 1967 was a deadly year for the Marines, especially for those Marines in and around the DMZ. The NVA were determined to kill as many Marines as possible, in order to sway public opinion in the United States. They (NVA)did this knowing that they would probably lose every battle and suffer untold casualities.

This book is a rollercoaster ride...It is both exciting and very revealing.

The viewpoint of the author made me wonder how I would have stood up in his place...I cared about the people in it.

The author Mr. Guidry is a good man, he was my World History teacher at Highland High School in Palmdale, CA. This is the book that sparked my interest in the history of war...

He was a quiet man but there was something about him, when he taught us students even those that hated history couldn't help but be amazed at how history just came alive. This isn't some book some historian wrote but a story of a war through the eyes of a soldier.

Every chance I get I recommend people to read this book. If you do I promise you will not be disappointed.

I loved this book very much and to anyone who reads this i hope that they will also take this wonderful opertunity to read this book. I have read this book 3 or 4 times and i really enjoyed it very much. It was EXTREAMLY detailed and Richard Guidry captured every detail to each blade of grass. A MUST READ LOVED THE BOOK.

Having researched extensively about the relationship between liberty and security in the United States since September 11, 2001, I would have to say that "The War on Our Freedoms" has provided me with the most fascinating information about the issue. The book provides an account of how civil liberties continue to be rolled back beneath the feet of many citizens without much attention paid to the fact that America is quickly losing sight of its founding principles and most important values. The essays found in "The War on Our Freedoms" carefully yield a perspective on the war against terrorism that many Americans have begun to overlook. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is passionate about upholding civil liberties for all Americans and to anyone who is knowledgeable (or would like to become knowledgeable) about the importance of the system of checks and balances that our Constitution mandates.

Reading this book, comprised of info from many sources, I got frankly angered by the way this administration, as well as others in the past, used tragedies and wars to take our freedoms from us and invade our privacy on a whim. I understand some liberties must be sacrificed in times of conflict. The government just after 9-11 was running straight from the executive branch without any checks and balances. Of course who would dispute or bring up civil liberties in times of crisis, obviously not anyone in the courts. People were labeled enemy combatants and contained without right to trial, any proof of guilt, and held months without anyone even knowing their whereabouts. Many were probably guilty, but some were innocent and in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our government wanted to get people to act as spies, surveying their neighborhoods, spying on neighbors, getting your library to turn you in as a terrorist for reading muslim literature or something containing dissent to the govt. Luckily that brilliant plan of ashcrofts has not gone over to will not be tolerated, and should not be tolerated by the citizens that are supposed to be the backbone of our democracy. Very informative book. AMerica must fight to revise this orwellian act that is the patriot act.

I read this book cover-to-cover on a flight from L.A. to New York, and found it both well-written and informative. Indeed, I thought it was such a good survey of the major legal issues in America's war on terrorism that I assigned it as required reading for my American Law & Terrorism seminar at UCLA.

This book provides the "backstory" for many of the key issues I plan to cover, such as prohibition of material support to foreign terrorist organizations and how that law squares with America's First Amendment jurisprudence. For the most part, this book takes a critical position against most of the current legal arguments advanced by the Bush Administration, e.g. that the President should be allowed to designate enemy combatants. But each article presents its argument in a fairly balanced way.

Also, the articles do a great job of explaining the law at a college-graduate level, as opposed to a lawyer's level. That's unusual for most books on the subject, and I think it makes this a must-buy for anyone interested in the subject.

In every era of this nation's history, there has been a small minority of wise and prescient thinkers who, unwilling to drift with the popular current, warn us of the forces threatening our basic freedoms. Labeled as agitators, often despised and feared in their own times, these are the people who take seriously the enlightened principles of the American Revolution. They said no to slavery when the rest of the nation was indifferent to it or saying yes; they protested child labor; they demanded the 8-hour day and the minimum wage; they said we must protect our air and water. Their passionate devotion to the ideals of democracy has chopped away at the greed and denial that grows in America like weeds if no one is watching. But whatever the issue, our nasty habit in this country is to ignore the voices of protest. Then we struggle and suffer and people get hurt, very hurt. Eventually the agitators of yesterday become the heroes of the new day. Why can't we learn to listen before the damage is done? This book is a compilation of essays that MUST be listened to. These people are telling us -- with passion, intelligence and good sense, and without greed or agendas and certainly without denial -- about the delicate balance between national security and civil liberties, about the crucial importance of the free trade of ideas, and the danger of popular intolerance of dissent. If we listen now we can prevent that moment for the historians of the future when they say, "How could they not have seen what was about to happen?" As Anthony Lewis says in his essay "Security and Liberty," "If we are to preserve constitutional values - the values of freedom -- understanding and resistance must come now." This book is a MUST READ for everyone who cares deeply about the direction of this nation.

Comprised of a series of scholarly essays on the gradual of secretive reneging of US civil liberties post-9/11, "War on Our Freedoms" is an important book for anyone living in the United States to read. Though some government opacity and reining in of rights is always needed in the wake of an event such as 9/11 or the war in Iraq, this book is a chilling reminder that there is a thin line that we seem to be crossing, unbeknownst to most Americans.