Stevens Books

I saw this book at a friend's house when my daughter was 6 months old and fell in love with it. I bought a copy for us and regularly buy copies for friends. My daughter, now 2 years old, loves to be read to and won't go to bed without six or seven or eight books. To Market To Market is still a favorite.

The pictures in this book are HILARIOUS !!!! This is a very funny, upbeat book with a bit of a vegetarian theme in a light-handed way. After reading it, our 5-yo looked back through the pictures and said "I think she bought some pets !!!" We borrowed it from the library but I am going to buy a copy to own just because the pictures are so funny...and the way the lady looks at the end of her shopping trips is *exactly* how I feel after shopping with our kids !!!

We first saw this book at our local Children's Museum. After reading it, I had to have this as part of our home library. The illustrations are so original, as is the funny story. It makes us laugh each time we read it together. Plus, the final soup is made of lots of different kinds of vegetables--a great healthy meal reinforcement for your preschooler.

My grandmother used to tell me this story and now I can pass that on to my grandchildren who unfortunately do not live in the same state. It's a wonderful story (with lines I still quote as an adult!) and terrific illustrations that will make you laugh right out loud.

The juxtaposition of the photograph-like mishmashed black and white backgrounds with the colorful illustrations of characters and key items make this book fun and interesting to look at. The twist on the nursery rhyme is hilarious and easy for children to identify with. My child loves to point out the different animals and vegetables and always laughs throughout the story (a lamb hanging out in the diswasher, etc gets lots of giggles). Makes vegetables fun.

Operation Desert Storm was unique in the annals of American wars. Soldiers were given thorough physical examinations, found "fit for combat", trained to fight, and then sent into a hostile environment with the intention of defeating Saddam Hussein's forces -- thought to be the largest military organizations on the planet. Upon arrival, most U.S. military personnel watched as technology did their jobs. After months of exposure to biological and chemical warfare (and only one hundred hours of ground fighting), most of them returned to civilian life without so much as a token physical exam. Then the consequences (perceived or real) began to emerge as a result of their having been subject to experimental vaccines, radioactive depleted uranium, and rage at the seeming indifference of the American government in general, and the Veteran's Administration in particular. The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy is Steven Manchester's vividly recounted and personal story of his experiences before, during, and after the Gulf War, along with stories of friends made and lost, battles anticipated but never fought, and broken promises to a generation of American men and women who answered the call of their country and put themselves in harm's way to advance national policy and security. No 20th century American military studies collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of Steven Manchester's The Unexpected Storm.

Truth is often times stranger than fiction, but rarely revealed in a biography.This book is a "MUST READ"for anyone is interested in the Gulf War.The author tells an excellent story about his experiences and those around him.

"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy, forget in time that men have died to win them." FDR


"The Unexpected Storm" is the story of one soldier's journey from the moment he and a friend made the decision to join the military to the quiet beach where he found peace at last.

Steven Manchester joined the army while still in high school. Later he transferred to the 661st M.P. Company, a National Guard unit out of Massachusetts. Normally the National Guard isn't sent into battle, but Saddam Hussein made life anything but normal in 1991. Sergeant Manchester found himself destined for Iraq, leaving behind a wife to deal with a work-related injury and financial difficulties alone.

He arrived under the most beautiful sky he had ever seen with a little bit of fear, and a heck of a lot of courage and determination. He wasn't fighting for oil as some would have him believe, he was fighting for all the women, children, and men who had suffered under the cruel hand of a sadistic leader. Sergeant Manchester's heart was in the right place.

The long grueling months in the hot desert took its toll. Hours turned to days, days to weeks, and weeks to months. He witnessed children blown apart by landmines, the twisted metal and burned soldiers in the aftermath of technological warfare, and senseless deaths. He dealt with a platoon sergeant who wobbled on the edge of insanity, and he was constantly sick from the inoculations and "preventative medicines" shoved upon him by the US Government. And, though the war was over, Sergeant Manchester still felt as if he were living on borrowed time and dodging the Grim Reaper.

I felt as if I were a ghost shadowing his every step, seeing what he saw, hearing what he heard, and feeling his emotions. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, but above all else I was touched beyond measure. In the end, Sergeant Manchester sacrificed almost everything for his country and the Iraqi people. He returned home to a hero's welcome, but also to a government that shoved him out the door and left him to fight his physical and mental pain on his own. Finding peace within him proved to be a cruel battle in its own right.

I recommend you read "The Unexpected Storm", and then you'll understand why I continue to thank Sergeant Manchester and soldiers like him with every breath I take.

Truth is often times stranger than fiction, but rarely revealed in a biography.This book is a "MUST READ"for anyone is interested in the Gulf War.The author tells an excellent story about his experiences and those around him.

It's not often that I pick up a book about something other than the Vietnam War but I'm so glad I did. The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy by Steven Manchester is amazing! It's not that the war was amazing but rather the way the author has depicted it and perhaps amazing is still not the right word to use.

As I opened Chapter One for the first time Steve was talking about being onboard the C-5A Galaxy plane that was taking his National Guard unit off to the Middle East. He wrote candidly of his feelings toward the war and his fellow soldiers. He was open and honest throughout the entire book.

This was the first time the American public watched as members of the National Guard and various Reserve units around the United States were being deployed along with their active duty counterpart troops to serve their country. No it's not the first time units of that nature were deployed but this time was different. Everything was aired on television and the country quickly became aware of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform were making. Many were leaving spouses, children and jobs behind. In some instances both parents of children were being deployed and their children were being left with grandparents or other family members.

Steven's group was no different. Many members of his Military Police (MP) Company from Massachusetts were married and had families. Throughout the chapters he reflected on some of them. He spoke of how he and "his comrades have come to heal their nation from a ghost that has haunted them for two decades: the poltergeist of Vietnam." He wrote of seeing "the after-effects of 41 days of uninterrupted bombing." AND how "The Arabian Desert has been used as a testing ground for every new weapon in the American arsenal." He held nothing back including his feelings and emotions.

The war itself ended on 28 February 1991 but that's when Steve's group was really put to work. However, Steve's war began earlier when he was first injected with the many shots required of the soldiers before they could deploy. They were already getting ill from those shots and the pills they were forced to swallow frequently that were supposed to protect them from various known nerve agents. Now "Steve's body is invaded with its own ghost of torment." He and his fellow soldier's have been "brutally introduced to `The Mystery Illness'" better known to the American public as Persian Gulf Syndrome.

As Steve sat onboard that C-5A he reflected on his life, family, friends, and how he got to that point in his life. He realized he was 23 years old and now responsible for ten other lives in his squad. His wife was being left behind, out of work due to a back injury, to handle everything that he normally did.

He wrote about growing up in a loving household in New England-an area that I'm very familiar with-of his school years, and his best friend. Steve spoke of their very special friendship. His friend wanted to go in the Marine Corps but Steve thought that joining the Army and being trained as an MP would help him in his ultimate goal of working in Law Enforcement. They chose the Army National Guard. He wrote about their Basic Training, the first MP Company they were assigned to, and the company that Steve transferred into that eventually went to Saudi Arabia.

Steve wrote of his parents and siblings. He spoke of his uncle who served in Vietnam and how that war affected him. This author readily shared the love of his life, his girlfriend who became his wife, with his readers. They had a story book romance which went bad in large part due to the after effects of the war.

Steve wrote about finally getting the word that his group was returning home. They attempted to smuggle some souvenirs out. They were on their way to the most glorious homecoming scene in decades in the US. Steve had seen and experienced so much. He wrote "the Army had broken him down....He was affected physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually."

The soldiers were whisked through out-processing-nothing like what they went through when they were in-processed. "The Army wasn't even pretending to care. Like their Vietnam War predecessors, Uncle Sam just wanted them off his menial payroll." They soon learned "It was going to be a long fight." This was going to effect his relationship with his wife too.

His book went onto explain what was done to him, how it effected his relationship with his wife, and what he ultimately did. When his wife became pregnant he worried the whole nine months that he would have passed on his illness to his son. Steve spoke of deciding to change jobs and how he came to realize what would make him feel better.

As I said at the beginning this was an amazing book. This is one book that needs to be read in its entirety by everyone. Go through his life with him, journey to a foreign land, and pray for him as he goes. This is truly an inspirational story even though the author has changed the names of the people and units to protect them and wrote it in third person. I highly recommend it.

Hey, Guys! Bankrupt in the romance department? 'Gentlemen, Start HER Engine' offers some terrific insight about cashing in on romance! Read it and reap!

This book was a lifesaver! It provided tools and examples and really embraced my partner without putting him on the defensive. I recommend this book whole-heartedly. Thank goodness for authors that care!

I just finished reading this book. I loved it! It is very well written, and the advice is priceless. I am glad that there is and author out there who really understands women and what we need from our husband/significant other. Mr. Guerrero wrote this in a fun and unique way, that any man will understand. I laughed and almost cried reading this. I think that this book is a must read for any man, young or old currently in a relationship, or just starting one. The woman in their life will benefit from this book in so many ways. I can't wait to share this with my husband. Thank you so much for writing this book. I plan on giving my two boys their own copy when they become young men.

My wife and I read Steve Guerrero's book Gentlemen Start Her Engine and my being a male in my late 40's found it refreshing. My wife considers me "perfect" but after being married three times and now having 3 step children I've learned alot on my own and found Steve's book right on target. There were somethings that refreshed my memory such as walking in the house when my wife is cooking and letting her know how good the cooking smells (and it always does). I'm not a man of many words but for those of you that are like me "perfect" go ahead and pick this book up. You'll get reminded of some things you may have forgotten or just needed a refresher. For those guys that are having even the smallest of problems with your relationship this is the book to study.

Well done Steve

Randy Bornstein

OK, guys, it doesn't get better than this! At last, here's a book that actually spells it out for you and makes it so much easier to get along with your mate. As a woman, I can tell you, you will save yourself a lot of grief by taking Steven Guerrero's advice. The best thing is, he's not about telling you that you're doing a bad job. He's passionate about helping you learn about what makes a relationship work. BTW, this is really TWO books in one! He includes an instructional section as well as a workbook. Beautiful!

Women, this is also a great read for you because it helps you understand where men are coming from. Wouldn't you like to know what's going on in their heads? You'll smile and nod as you zip through each chapter, thinking, "Why isn't this required reading for guys in high school?" It should be!

Everyone will walk away with a better understanding of the opposite sex and will thank the author for his unpretentious, humorous, and easy-to-read style. Thanks, Steven!

Reading "It Takes One to Catch One" by Steven A. Knutson, was like being in the high Sierras near the John Muir trail under stars spread across the bowl of night like a crowded field full of blooming flowers sitting around a camp fire chased by wisps of smoke swapping stories with friends now gone. I've done that and more. But I haven't hunted and fished like this author has. I haven't been close to a grizzly with two cubs--so close that Knutson felt the touch of death as he tensed waiting for the claws and teeth to slash and bite.

The author of "Catch One" will tell you that this is fiction. It's not fiction. It's captured memories that are like a wild beast, and the story meanders as the author travels back through the years. Sure, there are flaws, but those flaws make this work perfect in the way it captures a wild, dying world most of us will never experience as we are tamed and conditioned to fool ourselves that we are free in noisy, crowded, smelly cities shared with graffiti, gangs and gray CO2 skies. What most of us breathe is not the pure air of Knutson's world.

Every sentence; every fragment and every run-on or intended, misspelled word along with happy or unhappy faces in places of periods, sculpt a unique image of the author and the world he grew and lived in--a place most of us will never see as corporations and greed pave nature and turn it into a parking lots surrounded by condos, casinos and strip malls.

Knutson's style is like `sitting around a wilderness campfire' with bears, moose, dear and bobcat lurking nearby in the brush waiting. As you read, you might find yourself wondering what kind of rifle or pistol you have or should have and is it ready. If you want the rivers and mountains and forests of this world to stay wild, don't tame this book. If you love to fish, Knutson's stories will send you places you may only dreamed about.

To tame this precious beast that Knutson calls "It Takes One To Catch One" would be a crime. I'm sure some editor or grammar maven with a corn cob stuck up his `you know what' would do it because of short sighted stupidity. If you are one of those `stuck in the mud' editorial types, you might not like what a home-spun, wilderness artist does with the written word. To bad, your loss--our gain. Before I go any further, I want to point out that I taught English grammar and literature for thirty years. I also edit my wife's novels (printed and sold in more than thirty languages and countries) before her manuscripts go to her publisher. I feel strongly that a style that goes with the character and voice of the artist are more important than a missing comma or quotation mark; fragment or run-on sentence.

I love to read books that take me places I have not been. "It Takes One to Catch One" was one of those books. I watched Knutson fish and trap not only wild animals for food and fur along with criminal types that would ruin what's left of nature for a profit but also the car of a neighbor trying to run down another neighbor's dog.

If you are a Bambi lover (a person that doesn`t know what living in the real world means), someone that thinks squirrels and bears and deer are cuddly and cute creatures created by a Disney cartoon, this book is not for you. It will probably give Bambi lovers nightmares. On the other hand, if you miss being out in the wilderness and understand that `wild' means danger of another type and you embrace that danger, don't miss out on the adventures in "It Takes One To Catch One". There are two-hundred-and-seventy-eight pages of laughter and `seat-of-the-pants' adventure waiting.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for [...] 5/08
I love this book! Throughout It Takes One To Catch On,e I found myself trying to separate fact from fiction. I've always heard that "life is stranger than fiction," so I suspect there is a lot of truth in this narrative. Steven Knutson writes from a personal perspective. He shares memories of his younger years from a "seasoned" perspective.
Knutson's personality shines through in his book. He easily laughs at himself and invites the reader to join in. I do want to make one tiny suggestion. Please removed the smiley faces. You do not need them, and they distract from the story. Reading It Takes One To Catch One is like sitting on the front porch with a dear friend while listening to him reminisce. Mr. Knutson, please tell me another story. For a lighthearted look at life, rush out and buy It Takes One To Catch One.

Was sharing with a friend that this book is a great read in these economic times, if for no other reason that to show that a person with an adventuresome spirit can survive and enjoy the process.

Be it Minnesota, Montana, Washington State, Alaska or parts of Canada, the stories make you feel as if you are with the author.

And in some ways they also reminded me of the TV show Northern Exposure, as well as some great songs from Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Alas its fiction, and I rarely ever read fiction.But its great fiction.

My husband, Brian and I have long known Steve and through those years he shared snippets of his vast and colorful past. Those stories and tales were always telling in his unique sense and style of humor. His stature and demeanor places one in awe and wonder as to how this guy survived his youth of sometime deliberate acts in his quest for adventure and his lust for life. I read the manuscript first and all who know Brian knows he has no sense of humor; but I'd hear gut-busting laughter from down the hallway and knew he was reading It Takes One to Catch One. Steve will take you on a journey into his world of adventure from his early youth into his (almost grown-up years). He grew up during a time of not so much plenty but turned it into a time of growth and change for himself. He could have easily turned out to be the original and true Real Bandit, but his lessons of life revered him to become the man we all came to know and admire. By no means should you allow yourself to think he's old as he would have you believe. That zest for life burns bright this day and I cannot wait to get my hands on his sequel. I purchased his paperback for our Alaskan library and recommend it HIGHLY. It's filled with his humorous tales and stories of life lived to its fullest....sometimes on razor's edge (that's the prepetural kid in him) yet always focused. How else could he have survived it all?

This book is a must read for anyone who ever dreamed of Alaska. Knutson is the consumate Alaskan sportsman. From law enforcement, to hunting, trapping and fishing, Steve does it all and tells his tall tales like he is sitting around a campfire. If you want to hunt sheep or bears, or snowmobile at night in subzero weather, or catch big fish in remote lakes this book is for you. Outdoorsman the world over will love these adventures. It is a great contribution to Alaska's back country lore.

For those thousands of us waiting 12 YEARS for Galen Sword to return, the wait it well worth it! "Dark Hunter" is available now thru Babbagepress.com in a special edition Trade Paperback and it is incredible.

It picks up exactly where Nightfeeder leaves off: with Galen and crew facing murder charges for the death of Ja'Nette. Or is she really gone? You'll have to snatch up a copy of "Dark Hunter" to find out!

Now that the series rights are firmly back in the hands of the Reeves-Stevens, can you believe that we'll soon be reading all NINE of the Chronicles of Galen Sword? RUN, do not walk, to Babbage Press, and see for yourself!

OK, IT'S A TAD PAST JANUARY 2000. AND STILL I AWAIT 'THE RETURN OF GALEN SWORD'. ANY HELP WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED.

Nightfeeder is an excellent continuation of the Chronicles of Galen Sword. I can certainly relate with the reviewer in NZ. I found the first book (Shifter) fairly soon after it came out. It took 6 years and one of my favourite bookshops (Bookworm in Kingslynn Norfolk UK) to get Nightfeeder. It is a compliment to the authors that I remembered reading Shifter and bought the second book. As an avid roleplayer (sad I know) I have based a whole world around this genre. Excellent and I look forward to may and at last getting my hands on the 3rd volume. My comment would be to the Reeeves-Stevens combo is continue. Maybe this will be the next great dark fantasy series, because it certainly has the potential.

I first bought this book in 1992 along with the first Galen Sword book (Shifter). I personally love the book and have read it and reread it numerous times. And, like a few others that have posted, I have lent the book out to others, and all who have read the books have been beside themselves with admiration for what was written and those who wrote it. So, you can see how sad it is when I have to tell them there was no third book written, eventhough there was obviously a third book in the series.
So I ask simply. Is there a third book? If not published, is there a way to get a copy of the third book? Or at the very least, can someone tell me what is in Australia?
By the way, if you could not guess. I very much enjoyed the books, and found the authors unique vision of the supernatural to be completely entrancing.

Vol. 1 and 2 were the best I've ever read, but I am unable to find Vol. 3 The Return Of Galen Sword ( Dark Hunter ) any help would be great.
Thanks ( eyepieright@mag-net.com )

Good story--could not put book down after I started--easy reading book...I really injoyed it...

Holy Cow Ranch Boy this is amazing. I now know more about Sebring and ranching than I ever knew before. Like many of your readers I was raised in Sebring too. I am a little nervous because I had a very nice female cousin who was raised on Crescent Drive where and when Ranch Boy was -- her name wasn't Jane but I'm still wondering.

The book is very graphic. There is some plain talk which is not for the young. On the otherhand the pictures done by the author are outstanding. All in all a rowdy ride through a time and a town. My time in Sebring was a little earlier but our coming of age wasn't so much different. Bet the kids there today are doing the same things!

H. Steven Robertson takes us on a journey. For some, a journey revisited, for others one that was / is needed. There are many
a written word about love, life, and triumph or tragedy. But, I
have never seen it delivered in such a riveting way. This author
reaches you with his superb descriptive prose. The story line is
novel, but it takes you much further than just the growth of the
lead character; it strikes to the heart of character in each of us. The book delivers to you a social fabric that once predominately existed in this country, genuine simple hard times.
It makes you laugh, it makes you cry and invokes the reader's emotions. It warms your heart and touches your soul. I wish I were there again, and it is my goal to recapture as much of it as I can. This book is a tremendous contribution to everyone young and old. I hope they make a movie. I would give it 6 stars if I could.

Set in rural Florida, Ranch Boy by H. Steven Robertson is a story about coming of age, as a young man by the name of Robbie Duncan matures and yearns for freedom from his father's stern and absolute control. Fulfilling his dream of becoming a cowboy, Robbie soon learns that the reality of ranch work is far harsher than the dreamy illusions he once held, as tending to animals and laboring in orange groves is physically exhausting work. Yet satisfaction and independence come of a job done well, in this moving and thoroughly entertaining story of personal growth and accomplishment.

Steve Robertson and I both grew up in Sebring. He was the handsome jock; I was the martial arts geek who didn't play team sports. He grew up with a militant, demanding father. I was sort of a "preacher's kid," but no less demanded of.

Those insignificant differences in background aside, I loved Ranch Boy. Steve has a simple style of writing that draws you right into the world of the teenage protagonist. His descriptions of the town, the people, (many identified by their real names), the work on the ranch, his neighborhood, and especially the boy's relationship with "Jane," are so accurate and poignant that no one who grew up in that place and time could possibly do other than identify strongly.

I knew Steve at that age. I knew the people he writes about, the teenage doubts (although he doesn't admit to many), the ideals and mores of the time, the young people he grew up with, dated, palled around with, played ball with, worked on the ranch with, and loved. He's got it dead on. If you remember the early '60's...if you were an adolescent in those far more innocent days...then you owe it to yourself to read Ranch Boy. If you don't, obviously you won't be sorry...but you'll sure as hell be missing a wonderfully nostalgic experience, and a good tale as well.

This is a fabulous book. It's fun to read, heartwarming and you'll shed a tear or two. Not too heavy on the real story behind factory farming, but still gives you an idea of what it's like and what a fabulous place this sanctuary is. I joined the Sanctuary after reading the book! It's a must read for animal lovers.

This a wonderful book that just may change your life. If you are an animal lover you will find this book inspiring and thought provoking. Impossible to put down!

Once I started reading this poignant, well-written story I couldn't put it down until I had read the last word. Kathy Stevens writes a heartfelt saga of the lives of many beautiful creatures who are rescued from extreme suffering and brought to her sanctuary in the Catskills where they are showered with love and attention. We get to "see" these wonderful beings regain their health, develop hilarious personalities and blossom under the loving care of Ms. Stevens and her dedicated volunteers. You will weep with sorrow at the mistreatment these animals suffered prior to being brought to the Sanctuary; you will laugh out loud at the quirky personalities displayed by the animals; and your heart will sing as you share their triumphs. A must read for everyone! I plan on visiting the Sanctuary in June for its annual shindig. I can't wait to meet the four-legged residents!

Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (5/08)

Kathy Stevens leaves her career as a high-school English teacher and creates a "teaching sanctuary"--a place for farm animals who have been abused that would also teach others about the impact our treatment of animals has on us and the environment. She turned a neglected farm into Catskill Animal Sanctuary in 2001 and has never looked back. In her first book, Ms. Stevens shares some of stories of the over 1000 animals she, her staff and multiple volunteers have rescued in the first few years of the sanctuary's existence.

Through her poignant and often humorous storytelling, Ms. Stevens introduces the reader to Rambo, a violent sheep who eventually learns to trust and love humans enough to alert them when another animal is in trouble. We meet Buddy, a blind horse whose will to live appears gone, and walk with the author as she gives him the confidence and trust to find joy again. Readers will laugh out loud at the story of Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with the staff and even demands to sleep in the author's bed.

There are many more stories in this wonderful book that will delight the reader. It was evident in every single page of this book how much Ms. Stevens loves these animals and how much they love her back. The author does touch on the reality that most livestock face -- both in their short lives and how they are slaughtered -- as she continues her mission to educate people about the reality of our meat-eating society. This information is stated well and meant to educate the reader. It does not detract from the book at all and truly it is the lessons taught by the animals at the sanctuary that will stay with the reader. I would recommend "Where the Blind Horse Sings" to everyone, not just animal lovers, as the joyful and uplifting stories contained in the pages will touch their hearts and bring a smile to their faces.

After my brother-in-law & family visited the CAS and became a vegetarian, truly a jaw-dropping feat, I knew this place must be pretty special. Then, they gave me a copy of this book for my birthday and I became a vegetarian!! I've laughed out loud and cried - make that 'sobbed' so hard. I've read (the happy) parts to my children at bedtime. This book so powerfully fills you with emotion that I can pretty much guarantee you too will be inspired to do something ...something life-changing, be it for yourself or some other inhabitant of this earth. It is a wake-up call for your soul! Thank you Kathy and your amazing volunteers for being real life angels.

Bought as a gift for a 21st birthday. Will be a memory that he can keep for a long time with a personal message on the inside front cover.

Great gift idea! Would highly recommend

My daughter is 24 years old and she is an aspiring artist. Andy Warhol is her very favorite. I got her this book for Christmas and it is her most favorite thing. She says that the detail that it has is facinating and compelling. One word of advice though...it is one HEAVY book so make sure that you are in a comfortable place to support it while you are reading.

This is a real great (and large ;-) ) book with beatiful reproductions of Andy Warhol. My children love to go through it. It was also for sale on the Warhol exhibition in the "Stedelijk Museum" in Amsterdam last year.

Definitely worth the money!

I've recently got into andy warhol and this is the second book i have by him. The book has stunning portraits/photographs/art thats what i love about andy warhol everything is unique and different.I wasn't sure what to expect with this book however i'm glad that I purchased it.

You also might want to check out "Men - Andy Warhol"

Fantastic pictorial book...worth every penny. If you are a fan of Warhol, this is the book to own. Great prints of Andy's work from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s - including rare prints. You won't be disappointed - it is all here. The dimensions are impressive at 17" x 13" x 2 1/2", and it makes for a beautiful coffee table book that you will be proud to display. The pictures are sharp, both in color and b&w, and many are full-page, including pics of Andy and Edie. Outstanding!

I make it a point to read pretty much every book that comes out about Iraq and environs. Though there has been no recent shortage of first-rate books about the region, this one packs a punch like you wouldn't believe.

To tell you the truth, I haven't seen the book since I first lent it out. The guy I lent it out to lent it out to someone else and so on and on. That I have yet to get it back should tell you something.

The basic story is that Steven Vincent was your typical dingbat liberal living in the Big Apple as an art critic, believing that God was in his heaven and that all was right with the world . . . and that in particular Islam was a basically peaceful but tragically misunderstood religion.

Then September 11th happened, and in a fit of shock, grief, duty, and curiosity, Vincent hied himself off to desert lands as more or less a roaming reporter for hire.

The book relates his transformation from smug liberal to one who was truly concerned about constructing a fairer portrait of the chances for peace and progress over there.

So far, so good. And whatever you think of his politics, and whatever your position on the war is, and blah blah blah blah.

Listen: the thing that really pushes this book over the edge into the realm of greatest books I've ever read is what happened to Vincent after he wrote it. I won't spell it out here, but you can easily find out on the net.

God, knowing the real ending makes the final third of this book unbearable. Truly unbearable. Some of the most emotionally exhausting and harrowing reading I've ever done.

See, he meets this woman named Nour. And God! God! I can't take it.

Sparrow, O sparrow!

First, let me say that Steven Vincent died for this book. He was murdered because he wrote brutally honestly about the dark underbelly of Iraq, about how here (and much of the Middle East) life is cheap and what passes for culture twists minds and perpetuates continued ignorance in the majority of the populace. Steven is gone now, but his opus is still available and if you only read one book about Iraq in your entire life, then In the Red Zone should be that one book.

I read this book in one sitting, from cover to cover, all 240 pages in the span of about six hours. Everything you need to know about the war, Shia, Sunnis, Kurds, the occupation, what the future could hold - it's in here. The good, the bad and the ugly are all laid out for you. This book will be of equal fascination to both pro and anti-war readers because Steven didn't sugarcoat a thing when he wrote In the Red Zone. He didn't sugarcoat Iraq one iota and he died for it.

Life is cheap in cultures that glorify death. Steven found that out the hardest way. His death has a silver lining - Nour - his brave Iraqi intrepreter. She was shot by the same vicious parasites that killed Mr. Vincent but survived and is still somewhere in Iraq (as far as I know), guarded, silenced or both. Steven and Nour are microcosms of the relationship between America and Iraq. Read In the Red Zone. It will force you to make adjustments to everything you thought you knew. In the Red Zone is Chapter 1 in the story of 21st century. Other Americans and Iraqis will be stepping forward to write Chapter 2. Are you one of them? Which side will you step forward on?

This book manages to deliver a concise, beautifully written account of Iraq, as seen through the eyes of Iraqis and foreigners living there in the early post-Saddam years. We hear from Iraqi men and women of all backgrounds, American "activists", soldiers, policemen, and clerics...to name but a few!
Mr. Vincent begins his journey on the highway that leads from Jordan to Baghdad. This highway gives the reader a pretty good idea of what Iraq as a whole will be like. On it, shiny SUVs and junkmobiles alike zoom at breakneck speed through the desert, avoiding roadside thieves and potholes. Should travelers need a break, they can lounge on one of countless picnic tables installed in years past on this road by Saddam's "planners", and refresh themselves with blasts of wind and sand under the 116 degree sun.
The author travels to Baghdad, the Sunni triangle, Kirkuk, Basra, and to the Holy Shia cities in the south. He reports the views of the cynics, and the disillusioned, as well as those of the (not at all scarce) intrepid optimists who persist in believing in the possibility of a democratic Iraq.
Mr. Vincent doesn't mince words as he describes the many unpleasant and even horrible scenes he finds throughout the country, but also of the growing pockets of Iraq reclaimed from destruction. Throughout he gives a very even-handed account, such that we can identify with both foreigners and locals, and with passionate Iraqis on opposite sides of many ideological wars.
I found his chapter on the Shiite pilgrimages and holidays, excellent. (In order to gain entry to these, he poses as an American Shiite, and must recite boilerplate Muslim creed in his broken Arabic). Here, we join him in his immersion and admiration of the Shiites' as he recounts their history of perseverence in the face of centuries of Sunni domination, but we also join him as he confides his more cynical verdicts on the Shia glorification of bloodshed and death he witnesses during several religious celebrations.
I also found his chapters on life in Basra outstanding. Here Mr. Vincent recounts his experience under the wing of a brave and iconoclastic Muslim woman, Nour, a Basra native. As his guide, she risks her reputation and indeed her life (she receives serial threats from those who view her as out of line), as she guides him to interviews with mullahs, fanatics, moderates, opportunists, party figures, and soldiers, and translates for him their warnings, criticisms, and their....occasional admiration, accompanied by pleas to carry on, and report the truth about Iraq and their dreams for its renewal as a nation finally free from dictatorship to us, the future readers of their story.

Freelance journalist Vincent first visited Iraq in September 2003. While other reporters sheltered in insulated compounds or heavily-fortified hotels of the "Green Zone," he lived and traveled in the "Red Zone," that is without security and among ordinary Iraqis. In all, Vincent has penned one of the best-written accounts of post-Saddam Iraq, one of the few that captures the debates, issues, and contradictory emotions that Iraqis are juggling.

In the Red Zone fills a void left by the many think-tank pundits, academics, and journalists who wrote books in the wake of Saddam's fall, where the Iraqi voice is often lost. Vincent's account has the advantage of bringing to light his encounters with ordinary Iraqis. Among other experiences, he was in Karbala when a series of bombs killed 140 in the city in March 2004; and while traveling in Basra, he was briefly interrogated by U.S. intelligence. He makes no attempt to cover the minutiae of daily Iraqi politics but instead takes a big-picture approach.

That said, In the Red Zone has its limitations. There is little discussion of the Kurdish issue and minor errors of fact pop up--for example, the date when Iran's Safavid dynasty began.

In contrast to the usual journalistic practice of adding color to an article by including an occasional man-on-the-street interview, usually conducted by an Iraqi assistant, Vincent provides a deeper insight into Iraqis. He introduces the reader to Qasim, a Baghdad art gallery owner who, because of a club foot, managed to avoid the carnage of the Iran-Iraq war; Assad al-Abady, deputy director of the Iraqi National Organization for Human Rights; a secular Sunni woman torn between her love of freedom and the "humiliation" of having it delivered by foreigners; a Fallujah policeman who swears blood lust against Americans after U.S. soldiers kill his son; a Shi'ite taxi driver still euphoric over liberation; and a Christian woman in Basra whom Vincent later learns had been raped in her youth by Saddam's police.

Vincent also spent time with foreigners. He details a long conversation with a Canadian antiwar activist who lectured him about U.S. "human rights violations" but would not condemn insurgent terrorist attacks on Iraqi civilians or visit Saddam's mass graves. Vincent also describes a surrealistic encounter with CodePink, an American peace group, during which one member doubted that Saddam really was that bad. He also notes the Iraqi reaction to Western peace groups. "How can people accept for so long the crimes of a dictator, then rise up to try and stop a war begun to remove that dictator from power?" one Iraqi lawyer asked. "Antiwar activists should examine their consciences."

Michael Rubin
Middle East Quarterly
Summer 2005

Although he died while free-lancing in Iraq, I am thankful that this great journalist was able to write this book before he left us. It is an extremely interesting look at life in Iraq, the Iraqi people, and the challenges we face there. I'm sorry about his untimely death, and wish he could have stayed around to write many more compelling and inspiring books such as this one. God bless his family and bless the memory of this brave man.

without a doubt the most clear, coherent and educational introduction to astrological archetypes. steven forrest's syntax embodies the essence of capricorn: rich, yet concise. every reader will be moved and enlightened, engaged and empowered.

Not the same old perspective on why to use astrology. One natal chart has the possibilities of 10,00 personalities. Check yourself against the intent/purpose of each house to see if your life reflects living at optimum or the pits. Raise your baseline of self awareness and learn the understanding of moving toward more wholeness...thus more cheer, contentment, bliss, success.

Basic fundamentals.....and you think you know them.....but still, as I'm reading....I'm learning more and more.

The Inner Sky is the best book I have found on learning how to read and interpret birth charts on your own. It doesn't contain already written interpretations, instead it teaches you step by step what each planet and sign represents and shows you how to put it together and form your own interpretation, and it is so basic and do-able! I recommend this as the starter book for anyone wanting to learn to read birth charts - hands down!

I knew nothing about astrology before this book. Nothing about signs, planets and houses. Now I know what I bought this book for: read my own birthchart.
The author explains everithing you need to understand and read the informations in a birthchart.
Besides this, the author uses a very easy language and style.
The best thing in this book is that you don't get confused. The author teaches you a sistematic way, step-by-step, to read a birthchart and not to be a "fortune teller".