Roberts Books

I came a bit late to this work of E Robert Orn, having already read his 'Not Quite Hell' and 'The Midnight Lunch Truck', both of which were published after this one. I guess I expected something like a work in progress...something not quite up to the standard of his later work but showing signs of his talent.

How wrong was I? Pretty much as wrong as I could be. This is just as good as the slightly more devilish 'Hell' and 'Truck'. Eloquent and with some excellent turns of phrase, 'Eye' takes you through an event.... skydiving..... that terrifies most of us, with skill, humor and an obvious knowledge of the sport. The descriptions of the exercise are wonderful.

Then ERO does what he does best. He turns the ordinary into something else and deflects your gaze, just enough to set your mind off on the wrong track, before he lands the knockout punch.

Just as that punch lands, you will fondly remember the journey through those azure skies and slightly darker clouds. Great stuff.

This story was incredible as it weaves a nice little family-style outing to go sky diving. We feel as though the characters, Alan, Janice, and TJ are well known to us, as they are brilliantly brought to vivid life by Orn's mastery work. The story moves along nicely, and appears nearly a literary type of story, but hiding just beneath the surface, and between the lines, is something sinister. Something that creeps along, edging to your reality, then plunges you into the very terror of it. I found the story strangely informative at first, and interesting. Then I found it exciting, wonderfully thrilling, and vividly imaginative, while being creepily realistic and frightening. You will believe in monsters that hide behind the clouds! I had already read Not Quite Hell, by Mr. Orn, and have now considered myself a complete Fan! Will be reading The Midnight Lunch Truck soon, and anything else I can find with E. Robert Orn's name on it.

The myths we read about are sometimes fun pieces of literature that some distant person makes up...Or,not. Allen, Janice and T.J. are friends that love the adrenalin rush of jumping out of planes for the fun of it under the canopy of a parachute. They are part of a unique group of people who find fun and camaraderie with others who enjoy the same thing. The day is just like any other, as these three friends prepare to get ready to get into the plane. They joke with each other and watch the clouds seeing shapes and can't wait to be among the clouds themselves. They have no idea what awaits them...

I don't want to give it away, so I'll just say that Robert Orn is a great storyteller and his characters and plot were well written. I really enjoyed this story.

Reviewed by Vickie (Tory Lynn, author of My Charming Protector)

As if I weren't already afraid of heights... E Robert Orn skillfully cajoles you into the sky with Janice, Alan and TJ for an adventurous leap. Once you're there enjoying the immersion into nature and organic freedom with them, the scenery changes to something even more riveting. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride "Into God's Cold Gray Eye".

E Robert Orn paints a vivid picture of life on the Drop Zone. He captures the easy camaraderie of sport parachutists and the banter that flows back and forth prior to a jump. It is after the exiting the plane that things begin to change. What really hides inside those dark storm clouds? Those who have never ventured there will never know.

I have never seen befor a book with more information packed into such a small package. NO Private Investigator's office should be without one! I know this... I'm a PI.

Doing both investigations in the military and civillian world this book is truely a 'must have'.

The great thing about it is that you can look through the book and easily brainstorm new leads to follow that you might have not otherwise tried!

It has a permanent spot next to this computer!

Mainly a telephone directory of over 2500 organizations (with brief descriptions) in USA. Non-USA buyers, like me, should have known this before buying.

This book is aptly named. It's an invaluable listing of addresses, phone numbers, web sites and more, offering fascinating and helpful information on an amazingly wide variety of subjects. It's like a "Farmer's Almanac" for Investigation. I have been working in this field for years, and still found countless interesting and valuable references. Mr. Scott is truly sharing his little black book with us. A great value!

The Investigator's Little Black Book 2 is an awesome collection of important contacts and resources for the real investigator. I'm sure this book to a lot of valuable time to create and I'm amazed that Robert Scott was willing to reveal these sources while he is still alive . . .This is the type of information you could only hope to inherit from someone, not simply buy it.

Law firms, collection agencies, process servers, investigators, no one should be without it.

Wegner brings a clarity to the topic that I have long been looking for. A great read for those of you who are lost in the maze of TCPIP. Very clear and complete. Great section on routing protocols for beginners. When will Wegner write some more?

This book has answered questions I have had for a long time. A great read for those of you who are lost in the maze of TCPIP. Very clear and complete. Great section on routing protocols for beginners.

This book covers every aspect of the current version, as well as what will be a widespread migration starting in late 1999. These include: increasing the IP address size from 32 bits to 128 bits; supporting more levels of addressing hierarchy and an increased number of addressable nodes; supporting simpler auto-configuration of addresses; improving the scalability of multicast routing by adding a "scope" field to multicast addresses; and using a new "anycast address" to send a packet to any one of a group of nodes. As in other Syngress books, this one makes a complex subject accessible by including appendices, summaries, extensive art, and detailed indexes. This book should have been there in your shelf!

Not really very much more to say. If you need to know about IP addressing and subnetting get it here. A cover to cover read in two weeks and never forgotten!

Although the large text font (and relatively large price) suggests ulterior motives by the publisher, IP Addressing is a decent reference for subnetting and network addressing.

The language is kept fairly high-level, and most of the explanations are clearly written--if a little terse--with a fair number of tables and charts making the book accessible for both novices and more advanced users alike.

Since there are scant few books out there that are specifically dedicated to IP administration, this book exists as a viable option for system admins and curious readers.

The book is an outstanding novel of Civil War times as told by a soldier. The man was fascinating! I met Mr. Fowler shortly before his death and was totally fascinated by him. his study was like a museum of War related items and books. Even as he faced his maker, Mr Fowler was alert and full of life. I was thrilled when he gave me an autographed copy of Jim Mundy. When you read the book, it's like being there. The facts and places are so real! The world lost a great writer when he passed. his works will live long past him.
Thank You, Jim Fowler

This is very well written historical fiction which deserves to be much better known. Fowler clearly read many historical memoirs before writing this, and recaptures their flavor so well that I occasionally found myself forgetting I was reading fiction. At the same time, the narrative is more continuous and dramatic than one would normally get in a memoir. There are a few very minor historical errors, but in most cases the research seems impeccable. If I have a criticism of this book, it's that it doesn't transcend its memoir basis quite enough: it could use more drama, more extremity. Still, it is very, very good, generally on a par with Killer Angels and much better than the wordy and hyperintellectual Cold Mountain.

I usually don't like historical fiction but a friend recommended this to me so I went ahead and got a copy. I was not disappointed. I was drawn into the life of Jim Mundy as he sets off to fight for the South, falls in love, is wounded, etc. I learned a lot, too.

In October of 1861, Jim Mundy and the other young Confederate soldiers marching off to fight in the Civil War believed the Yankees would be whipped before Christmas. The whole reason Jim joined up when he did was because he was afraid the war would be over if he waited too long. Like most of the enlisted men, Jim's family was poor and didn't own any slaves. But that didn't stop him and the others from wanting to fight.

If determination and valor were enough to win a war, then by all accounts the South should have won, especially with soldiers like Jim Mundy. Told through his words, we experience the elation of early victories and the devastation of later defeats. With Jim, we also learn about specific battles, field hospitals, army prisons, and blockade running, all of the major features of the War Between the States. Stories written in a first person point of view can often be limiting. But to change that by taking the story out of Jim's hands and giving it to an omniscient narrator, floating above the landscape from battle to battle and side to side, would destroy the novel, leaving us with nothing more than a history text.

First published in 1977 by Harper & Row, JIM MUNDY was reissued by Stealth Press twenty-three years later. Unlike most recently published books, Stealth's packaging is quality inside and out. With full cloth-covered boards, decorative end papers and foil lettering, this is one book that you would be proud to display on any bookshelf and certainly worth looking for.

After I returned from a short trip to Gettysburg this summer, I wanted to read more about that historic battle. I picked up a few non-fiction books and reread THE KILLER ANGELS by Michael Shaara and was looking around for another novel with the Civil War setting. I found JIM MUNDY used on amazon.com. After reading the first page, a humorous letter written by an old Jim Mundy to his grandson, who is a student at Harvard and also named Jim, I simply couldn't put this terrific book down. The writing is in the form of a personal memoir and takes you from the early days of the war when a young Jim Mundy joins the 10th North Carolina Volunteers, through the battle of Gettysburg, to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. In between, it is at times humorous, at other times touching, and always exciting. After I finished reading this novel, I wanted to read more...I didn't want the story to end. I'm sure I'll read it again in the near future...and there have been only a handful of books that have had that effect on me. This book deserves more than just 5 stars.

It is an excellent soure of information for childern and adults.
The amoount of History and everyday likfe experience is wonderful.

My daughter loves all the American Girl series she's read... this one is different because it is more modern. Like all the others I think this is very educational. I imagine most little girls would enjoy this set!

My 8 year old daughter who is an American Girl fan asked me for this boxed set of books, and she read every single one night after night until she finished reading them all. Then, she went back and read some of the books again. The books revolve around Julie, who is an American Girl Doll who grew up in the seventies. Historical facts about the seventies as well as fictional events that Julie encounters make up the books' plots. I highly recommend this set for any American Girl fan, especially if she has the Julie doll. This set is a super way to encourage reading.

I bought the new American Girl series "Julie" for my daughter, who has all the other American Girl books. Molly is still her favorite, but Julie moved past Kit into second place. We both read the Julie books and loved them. The books take place in the mid 1970's and deal with issues such as divorce, friendship, Title IX, and the Bicentennial. If you buy these books, be prepared to explain to your daughter the meaning of the words "groovy" and "far out".

Author Megan McDonald and illustrator Robert Hunt have created a memorable character in Julie Albright, a considerate, passionate young girl who is ready to make changes and take changes as they come.

Julie is one of the American Girls, books which offer realistic glimpses into America's past through the eyes of young girls. The Julie books begin in 1974, when Julie is nine years old, and end in 1976. There are six Julie books in all.

The first book, Meet Julie, begins shortly after her parents get divorced. Julie moves to another part of San Francisco with her older sister Tracy and her artsy mom, who opens up a shop called Gladrags below their apartment. Although Julie gets to see her father (and her rabbit Nutmeg, and her best friend Ivy) every other weekend at her old house, things just aren't the same.

By the end of the first book, Julie is a little more confident and a little more content. Though still sad about the divorce, she settles nicely into a pattern with her parents, and she enjoys her new home and her school.

Throughout the course of the series, Julie grows more optimistic and thoughtful. In the second book, Julie Tells Her Story, she is assigned a "Story of My Life" project in class and conducts tape-recorded interviews with her family and friends. Happy New Year, Julie shows how she always finds things to celebrate and appreciate, while Julie and the Eagles finds Julie raising awareness and money for injured feathered friends. Julie's Journey follows her on the wagon train that celebrated America's bicentennial. The sixth and final book in the series, Changes for Julie, considers communication and politics when Julie befriends a hearing-impaired classmate and runs for student body president.

Now I'm happily picturing a grown-up Julie working in politics or education, and wishing there were more books in this delightful series. Like the other American Girls books, each of the Julie books includes vignettes explaining and depicting real-life events that happened in that girl's time period. The vignettes in the Julie books were written and compiled by historians and writers such as Susan McAliley and Nika Korniyenko. With Julie's books taking place in our recent past, parents can easily bring up their own childhoods while discussing these books with their kids.

I saw your book in the bookstore a few days ago. I did not buy it right away because after reading it in the store I thought it was not for me due to my recent arrival back into AA. Your approach is radicle but after a few days I thought about it and decided to buy this book. I have been battling this disease for years now and I decided I had to give it another chance. I will apply all the tools I could find because after many attempts to stay clean, I kept returning back to the bottle. I am optimistic about this attempt to stay clean because I do like the realtity of this concept. Even though it is not oriented on a twelve-step approach it does allow the freedom for me to incoropate my current tools and enhance them with the exercises and more importantly ERP.

Thank you and keep the information coming.

This book was great. The concept is so realistic and simple but the actual sessions seem unbelievable. I would love to experience them myself. If you have any trainings. let me know, I want to tell my therapist about ERP.

Thanks,

This book was intense. I heard about it from a friend so I bought it. The idea was rightv on, the exercises so real, but the pictues and session, WOW!!!. It seems very intense but after reading more and doing more, I realized just how real ERP is. I like the idea of choices along with the concept of not being dictated by the addiction, but moreso giving the person power over their addiction. Nice concept. Thanks again for the ideas and help. I highly reccommend this book to anyone with a addiction.

I saw your book in the bookstore a few days ago. I did not buy it right away because after reading it in the store I thought it was not for me due to my recent arrival back into AA. Your approach is radicle but after a few days I thought about it and decided to buy this book. I have been battling this disease for years now and I decided I had to give it another chance. I will apply all the tools I could find because after many attempts to stay clean, I kept returning back to the bottle. I am optimistic about this attempt to stay clean because I do like the realtity of this concept. Even though it is not oriented on a twelve-step approach it does allow the freedom for me to incoropate my current tools and enhance them with the exercises and more importantly ERP.

Thank you and keep the information coming.

I had to write and tell you that I bought the book and found it very provactive. As a substance abuse counselor, the book was right on the money. It talks about the reality of the addiction and makes clients look at how their drug use encircles all aspects of their lives. Nice job! I reccommend this book to anyone working in the field who has an open mind to change. ...

Thanks You;
TM

This is not a review, since I'd only say great things about my book. But, I will say there's a possibility the book may become a motion picture. The screen treatment is in the hands of three major production companies.

Dr. Bob Alottsa

Since I was the Radio Officer of this ship I could be a bit biased but I did enjoy reading it. The authors spent many years in the research and interviewing of the surviving crew and other people who were envolved. They did a good job and I believe this story would be of interest to anyone who wishes to know more about this phase of WW2. Almost all the survivors are no longer living now. So it is fortunate that we have this record for the people who will be interested in years to come. Thanks Don Foxvog and Bob Allota.

Dr. Alotta has done it again!
"The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon"is an excellent addition to any collection of Maritime or World War II history. After spending many years gathering first hand accounts and recently de-classified US Government documents, the author has transformed long ago events into a fast paced and riveting story of struggle and survival on the North Atlantic's deadly "Murmansk run".
This story again reminds us of the sacrifices made by the seamen of our Merchant fleet during WWII. Without their courage and dedication to duty, this world would have been very different from the one in which we have been raised.
I give thanks to my Dad, Dick Burbine and the crew of the SS Henry Bacon, as well as to the men of the HMS Zambesi.
Dr. Alotta -- Great Job -Well Done!

Donald Foxvog and Robert Alotta effectively collaborate in The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon to dramatically present the powerful story of an American freighter in the crux of the WW II high seas. The mission of the SS Henry Bacon was to save the lives of nineteen Norwegian refugees fleeing from the Nazi Army onslaught. The freighter's mission would exact a blood price from its faithful crew. A deadly and harrowing true story filled with heroic sacrifice and sad tribute, The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon is highly recommended reading for anyone with a strong interest in naval history and a unique contribution to personal, academic, and community library World War II studies collection.

I have read this book twice in it's entirety and some sections of it three or more times. Dr. Alotta has woven together the words of these seamen as they relived their last voyage on the Henry Bacon. Many books on historic events do not give the reader a grasp of how terrible the conditions are that the soldiers and sailors endure in their battles. In this book, you get a feel for how cold and icy the water was. You can picture in your mind what it must have been like to stand on the deck of a sinking ship in the arctic waters knowing that if you stayed on the ship you would die and if you jumped in the water you still might perish. Thank you to Dr. Alotta for writing this book and thank you to all of the brave men and women who have fought our country's battles.

this book is great for leaders looking for emerging leaders, it analyzes the
key aspects of todays leader subordinate relationship, and how it is changing and evolving.
Despite the authors optimism it provides great insight
al nymc

I enjoyed all aspects of this book. For me it was the perfect read. The way the author drew you into the facts and the storyline was interesting and a real page turner. I highly recomed this book to everyone.

I believe this book about leadership, challenges and generational gaps, should be read by all leaders past old and emerging new leaders. I enjoyed reading this book and hope many more generations to come will do so as well. Carucci's points are logical, as he accurately describes a younger generation of managers as highly mistrustful of their own managers and averse to taking on leadership positions because of a very strong perception of risk. Carucci's central theme is that emerging leaders have already decided against following a traditional management style, so long-established managers must break specific habits in order to retain the needed talent. Each chapter focuses on a specific management trait and is framed by a fictional case study that Carucci admits is a best-case scenario. It is up to the new emerging leaders to define the preferred management style, and make the most of their life experiences to be successful. They also need to take what they have learned from their past and past leaders to inspire and motivate future leaders of the next generations to come.

Ever have the gut need to just be inspired? To read material, especially on an over-serviced subject like leadership, and want to exclaim with conviction, "YES!" Leadership Divided is the book that will take you there. As an emerging leader in a major government organization, I spend many days wondering about my future and the leadership career that will unfold for me. I hear over and over that there is a "shortfall" of leaders for the future, and as such, my development is essential for the sustainability of my organization. Yet my experience doesn't match that belief. What I have found is that there is definitely a crisis, but its not one of shortfall. (Diane at Harvard Business review who wrote the review above clearly never cracked open her copy of the book - had she, she would have known the quote she references was from the TV show "The Office." She completely missed the point! That's the kind of integrity shortage that makes us emerging leaders so cynical about leadership!). The crisis is one of relationship. Page after page, I was able to locate myself in the words and stories of Leadership Divided. I am being "developed" as a fast-tracked leader, and find myself fighting not to roll my eyes at some of the empty platitudes being put forth as leadership. In the wake of such leadership trash, I have finally come across a book that rises above the noise and says something of great substance. Don't miss this one!

Working for a large monopolistic organization, you tend to experience the worst management has to offer. I found this ground-breaking book revelatory in explaining why traditional approaches to leadership have failed. More importantly, Carucci powerfully and poignantly offers an alternative that can work. Too often, those of us in the management ranks of organizations, daily grinding out ways to "make it work," are invited to cynicism through the callous and insensitive behaviors of leaders who believe in the rightness of their actions. I would strongly urge anyone tasked with the development of leaders in their organizations to make Leadership Divided the centerpiece of their theory and practice.

Through the exploration of six relational patterns, Carucci blends the practical and profound in both hard-hitting research and a gripping novelette. The story is compelling as it captivates you with believable scenarios and characters you come to love and resent. Leadership Divided is truly a "must-read" for anyone claiming to be serious about their own leadership development.

Very comprehensive. Obviously written from the heart by someone who has been there and knows what he's talking about.

Leadership is a challenging subject to teach; however, LTC Campbell based on his experiences as a follower and a leader clearly exemplifies the true definition of a leader. His personal accounts are thought provoking for the leader in training or for the experienced leader who has the courage to make positive changes! "Leadership is a behavior, not a position" was the most profound concept that I learned from LTC Campbell. Thank you Sir!

I'm an Army Officer and combat veteran. This book is informative as well as entertaining. The personal stories that LTC Campbell shares are truly inspirational. Persons in leadership/supervisory positions at all levels can benefit from this publication. Thank you Dr. Campbell, this is a jewel!!

My greatest comment is, finally. This material is a must for all in leadership/managerial positions. Very easy reading and quite difficult to put down. You can actually feel where the author is coming from through his true to life experiences, combat and peace time. Leadership that was developed from many different levels. Definately not a book filled with fancy quotes but a true training tool. I would suggest it to be mandatory reading at all levels of leadership. You will be surprised what is caught not taught. This is THE book.

What an entertaining book! Spencer Campbell is the "Dr. Phil" on leadership. Down to earth, full of personal experiences based on a life that makes Hollywood seem dull, this book addresses many of the questions all of us have asked ourselves at one time or another. Ever had a boss whom you just shook your head and wondered how in the world did he/she get in that position? Chap 2 addresses those questions. At the end of each chapter the author summarizes his key points. Plain speaking, this book is very easy to read. It should be required reading in all military schools and ROTC classes or for that matter any class that focuses on leadership. We are giving this book as a graduation present to young adults who are about to begin their professional lives.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a must read for the ones interested in his life as well as in his writings.

This book of letters tells the story of Steinbeck's life. As his third- wife the book's co- editor Elaine Steinbeck makes clear in her introduction Steinbeck was a life- long letter-writer. Steinbeck usually started his day writing letters to his friends, and business- associates. They were the warm-up for his real writing.
Steinbeck speaks frequently in these letters of his love of writing. He writes with a refreshing frankness and directness. The book tells in no doubt an incomplete way the story of his struggle for literary success, of his three marriages, of his relation to his parents, children and a number of friends.
Steinbeck seems in these letters a fundamentally decent, loyal , hardworking person. However one of the interesting elements in the letters is seeing how his relation to certain people, most notably his wives, changes in time. His first wife Carole in the early years is described and written about almost exclusively in superlatives. After his divorce from her he speaks about those years as ones in which each was angry at the other much of the time. His second wife, the mother of his children left him after five years, and his initial enthusiasm for her naturally cooled. Though he vowed not to marry again when he met Elaine SCott, who was then the wife of the actor Zachary Scott he found apparently the great love of his life. In one especially moving letter he will thank her for their life together and for her especially good relation to his two sons. Another exceptionally good letter is written to Elaine's daughter who is about to marry. His advice to her again shows him to be caring and non- conventionally wise.
One especially notable set of letters are those he wrote to his lifelong friend Carlton A. Sheffeld( Duke). Another are those to his publisher Pascal (Pat)Covici.
I have never been a special fan of Steinbeck, but reading these letters I have a sense I somehow did not fully appreciate his work. So these letters will probably move me to reading more of his work.

Steinbeck left an autobiography of sorts when he died, a collection of personal letters to his friends. His widow and his friend worked together to gather the letters from everyone they could. They edited them for clarity and published them in chronological order.

The result is the personal story of a very creative, complex writer who worked every day with his hands. When he wasn't writing novels using pencils and a legal pad, he was mending the fence or fixing the roof. He loved people as much as he loved solitude, so he began each day by reaching out with these letters to his friends around the world. He talked about his surroundings and his thoughts and his ongoing projects.

All of this would be enough to make a wonderful book, but there's the added benefit of Steinbeck's writing style. Steinbeck used as few words as possible, always trying for a poetic effect without pretension. He wanted to be honest and accurate, but he knew the value of capturing an image or feeling with a colorful use of words. As a result, this massive book is a pleasure to read, from start to finish. Steinbeck's writing style keeps you interested but never overwhelmed.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed a few Steinbeck novels. Aspiring writers should read it, as well. When you're done, read the Steinbeck chapter in 'Alcohol and the Writer' and Jackson Benson's books on Steinbeck. You'll be glad you did.

If you appreciate the art of letter writing, you'll be delighted with this collection of letters from John Steinbeck.

Wow! can this man, write. But perhaps "write" is the wrong term - "think" is better. Wow! can this man think. And then he is able to express those thoughts in a clear, eloquent and, most of all, honest way that is a treat to read.

The book begins with a letter from the young, penniless author to a friend. At the time, Steinbeck was in isolation when he took a job as the winter caretaker of a lodge in Lake Tahoe. From there, he takes us along on a life journey through three marriages, financial success that always made him uncomfortable, fame that he often detested, Pulitzer and Nobel prizes, adventure in settings from the Sea of Cortez to Saigon.

The insights are astounding. His lack of pretension in the midst of his success amazes.

Here was a sensitive, often gruff but completely honest man who was not afraid to reveal himself in total to the friends he cherished.

Can't put it down in any sense. This collection goes right through Steinbeck's life, from his twenties into old age, and contains many letters to key people in his life interspersed with helpful commentaries by his wife to give the reader a sense of what Steinbeck was facing when he wrote. Highly recommended, and very moving in many places, whether humorous, joyful, or passionately angry.

"I learn that all of my manuscripts have been rejected three or four times since I last heard. It is a nice thing to know that so many people are reading my books. That is one way of getting an audience." -- JS

"One very funny thing. Hotel clerks here [Monterey] are being instructed to tell guests that there is no Tortilla Flat. The Chamber of Commerce does not like my poor efforts, I guess. But there is one all right, and they know it." -- JS in the years before the Chamber of Commerce boosted Cannery Row as a tourist shrine

"I'm trying to write history while it is happening and I don't want to be wrong." -- JS before penning the Grapes of Wrath