Stuart Books

Peter Jaffrey is a hunk. But, he's also a killer; isn't he? Margaret is destitute, and worried about her daughter; before, she is even willing to meet her dead husband's family. One day in the home of this family, and you understand that Margaret might be better off worried about destitution! Add to the mystery, a masquerade, Mardi Gras, a family mansion, weird relatives; you really have a marvelous old-time gothic.

This is a very unusual read. It's like taking a trip to the " big easy" with a very entertaining family! Peter, (the crazy one) is under house arrest, when Margaret comes to stay. She, and her daughter might be the cure that Peter needs. The mystery, sexual tension, and the fun of Mardi Gras add to the spice of this great book. It truly is a keeper!

Anne Stuart is amazing! She can take characters and make you love them so much that you never want the story to end. This is one of those stories. And this book is filled with characters who you wish you never had to say goodbye to. Peter is crazy (in love), smart, sexy and witty. Margaret is attracted to Peter despite his reputation for being a 'lady killer'. A fierce tigress trying to keep her wits about her, her daughter safe and herself sane in a house full of nutty relatives, she is a character you can wholeheartedly root for. The Mardi Gras scenes are enough to make you wish you were there. This remains my favorite of Anne Stuart's many wonderful stories, for the humor, the mystery and most especially for the romance between Peter and his Marguerite! A definite keeper!

Who wouldn't love Peter Jaffrey, sexy, handsome, and sensitive and "crazy" about Margaret Jaffrey. Peter, under house arrest for a murder he didn't commit, is so vulnerable you can't help but love him. Margaret, battered widow, homeless, single mom sees the potential in her late husbands sweet but sad cousin. My heart was with Margaret every step of the way, particularly at the voodoo madam's grave sight where, with all her life is lacking, she uses her one wish to ask for Peter's sanity. Peter in turn risks all, even his life, to be with the women he loves. The sexual tension between these two is only the beginning. This is not your run of the mill romance. With convoluted plot and serious obstacles to overcome, you can't help but pray these two make it. Anne Stuart is a master who knows how to create empathy with her hero's and heroines (in spite of their dark secrets).

This books has it all. Southern atmosphere, a dysfunctional family, lots of secrets... Oh, yeah, and a hero suspected of being an insane killer. Now is that Gothic or what?

One thing that makes this stand apart from many of the old Gothics is that the heroine is strong. She has to be to put up with this family. Also, there are sensual love scenes.

My only regret was that this wasn't one of Anne Stuart's longer romances. The mystery would have been even stronger then.

I gave this a B+ review at All About Romance.

Lew Fonesca is a widower from Chicago, recently transplanted to Sarasota, FL. He is working as a process server, but somehow seems to get involved in some investigations. This time an elderly nursing home resident is convinced she witnessed a murder. In another case, a 14 year old boy is the victim of a hit-and-run accident. The case of the hit-and-run is close to home since Lew's wife was victim of a fatal hit-and-run that remains unsolved. Anyone familiar with the Sarasota area will appreciate some of the local references. Hopefully, you will have read the three previous books in this series, although Kaminsky's books will stand alone.

At the conclusion of this book, we realize that there is more to come.
Like other reviewers, I recommend that readers not familiar with this series start from book one and read chronologically. The constant thread throughout the Fonesca series is his psychological trip through the healing process in the wake of his wife's death. First, he reaches a milestone where he is able to speak her name. Now, at the end of _Denial_, he finally realizes that he has to find his wife's killer.

As a Southwest Florida resident who considers Sarasota a second home, I always enjoy the settings in the Fonesca books. Here, we end up in the Asolo Theater, among other interesting spots.

The story itself is right on par with the previous books: Two mysteries that keep you guessing until the end. Lew Fonesca is the quintessential anti-hero--a guy you can root for.

This new release is the fourth novel in the "Lew Fonesca" series, and it holds up to the quality of its predecessors. I suggest that mystery fans read the four in order, starting with Vengeance, then Retribution, and third, Midnight Pass. Fonesca is a Florida-based process server and finder of missing people. He is struggling to cope with the tragic loss of his wife, and subsequent loss of interest in life itself. Slowly, through the four novels, which cover about two years of his life, Lew acquires a new family of friends and a host of interesting acquaintences. In "Denial" he tracks the unknown driver who ran down a 14-year-old boy, and solves a puzzling murder in an assisted living facility. He makes progress in his not-yet-intimate relationship with a social worker, and starts a "Big Brother" relationship with a needy teenage boy. Finally, there is a nice surprise at the end, when Lew makes a decision which might make the next book in the series the best yet. Highly recommended for fans of Robert B. Parker and Lawrence Block, or mysteries in general.

Lew Fonesca, rendered a widower in Chicago four years ago when a hit-and-run driver killed his wife, has relocated to Sarasotsa, Florida. Formerly an investigator in Chicago, Fonesca tries to lead a low key life as a process server. Mired in depression and grief, he lives and works out of a low-rent office. For a depressed guy lost in himself, Lew seems to be the social hit of the town. He knows just about everyone, so it seems. This of course leads to him being called upon to help people.

In this novel, on the same day, an elderly woman in a nursing home calls Lew because she thinks she saw a resident being murdered. No one, of course, believes her. But Lew will investigate, just as a favor. Minutes after receiving this call, Lew is summoned to the office of one of his process serving clients. A senior partner introduces him to a woman whose son was recently run down by - are you ready - a hit-and-run driver.

When not talking to his neighborly therapist about his depression and grief, Lew is sort of hanging out with an assortment of other women in town. All acquaintances at best; no lovers for the grieving Lew.

So Lew is on the case helping to determine if indeed a resident of the assisted living facility has been murdered . . . and tracking down the hit-and-run driver who keeps calling Lew with tearful apologies when he isn't trying to run Lew down with his car.

It all works out in the end. With the help of a gunslinging refugee from what seems like 19th Century Montana, a little assistance from a friendly police officer and other odd and wonderful coincidences, Lew tracks down all the killers and solves all the mysteries.

Not exactly edge-of-your-seat reading. The plot is a bit too filled with happy coincidences that allow Lew to plod on. The characters are thin and sure do know their platitudes and cliches. Oh yes, Lew also helps a troubled young black boy out as well.

Overall, a lightweight mystery, fun to read. Sized right for a long flight, a rainy afternoon or a sunny day at the beach.

Jerry

Reclusive Lew Fonesca needs closure, but he is in "Denial," which is the name of Stuart Kaminsky's new murder mystery. Lew was devastated when, four years earlier, his beloved wife Catherine was run down and killed by a hit and run driver who was never apprehended. Overcome with grief, Lew abruptly left Chicago and moved to a dumpy apartment in Sarasota, Florida. He now ekes out a bare bones living as a process server, subsists on fast food, showers in the Y, and watches old movies on video.

Like Greta Garbo, Lew claims to want to be left alone, yet somehow he has accumulated a host of friends and acquaintances who care about him. These include eighty-year-old Ann Horowitz, Lew's therapist, Sally, a caseworker with whom he has kept company for three years, and seventy-four year old Ames McKinney, a gun-toting six-foot-four enforcer who gives Fonseca much needed muscle when he inevitably gets into trouble.

Lew was an investigator in Chicago, and he hasn't lost his touch. In "Denial," he takes on two new clients. One is an elderly woman named Dorothy Cgnozic, who swears that she witnessed a murder in Seaside Assisted Living, a facility for senior citizens. The Seaside staff scornfully dismisses Dorothy's allegations, so she hires Lew to prove that "she is not a demented old woman." Lew's other client is Nancy Root, a divorced actress whose fourteen-year-old son, Kyle, was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Lew takes on the second case reluctantly, because it reminds him too much of the tragedy that robbed him of his wife. When Lew looks into Nancy's eyes, he sees a heartrending grief that mirrors his own.

Kaminsky has a laid back, dryly humorous, bare bones style of writing. Lew is a deliciously sarcastic narrator. When Fonesca shakes hands with a strong and formidable woman, he states, "She had a grip that could crack walnuts." The cast of characters includes the quirkiest bunch of individuals that you are likely to meet in any murder mystery. There is even an alligator named Jerry Lee, who is the unofficial mascot of one of the residents in the Seaside Assisted Living facility.

"Denial" is more whimsical than realistic. The two murder mysteries in the book are not exactly classic whodunits, nor are the solutions to the crimes particularly logical. However, the plot is engrossing enough, and Lew proves to be a dogged and skilled investigator. The novel is most noteworthy, however, not for the mystery elements, but for the insightful way that Kaminsky portrays the walking wounded. The criminals in this book are ordinary individuals who are hurting, so they lash out at others, making self-destructive choices that ultimately lead to their downfall. In Lew's case, however, there is hope. With the help of his wise therapist, Lew has begun to take his first tentative steps towards escaping the prison that he has so laboriously built around himself. "Denial" is a poignant novel that will entertain Lew Fonesca fans and may even gain some new readers for the talented Stuart Kaminsky.

Once again we find Porfiry Petrovich and his intrepid crew (augmented now by his son Iosef) deep into the criminal mafias in the 'new' Moskow. Sasha has been sent undercover the underworld of dog fighting, with Elena Timfoyeva along as his girlfriend/prostitute. Iosef and Arkady Zelach are sent to look for a 'yelsinesque' politician whose power in the Duma can prevent the passing of some pending problem legislation. Porfiry and the Vampire (Emil Karpov) are looking into the killing of a mafia lieutenant that could set off an all out war between the Chechian and Tartar mafias.

As always, Porfiry is called on to work on other important matters at the same time. He knows that something is wrong with Sarah, and that she has been seen her cousin Leon the doctor who has cared for her brain tumor. At the same time Sasha's mother (Lydia Tkach) has come to beg Porfiry to put Sasha (who seems to be losing his personal control) on a desk job before he gets himself killed. Maya has told Lydia that she is leaving and taking the children to Kiev. Iosef continues to pursue Elena, and has once or twice again asked her to marry him, at one point she's ready to say yes when they are interrupted.

Readers of he series know that everything will turn out all right in the end and Porfiry will be able to make a deal with the Yak for some favor. What is interesting is that we find out that Zelach has another talent, that he is able to kick a soccer ball over half a field and land it where he wants (he even impresses a professional coach).

Once again, Kaminsky has done a phenomenal job in evoking the sociological changes that were occurring in Russia (in 1998) as people were trying to adjust to the end of the Soviet Union.

In his 13th Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov adventure, author Stuart Kaminsky once again takes us inside the "new" Russia with a realism that is at times stark, amusing, tragic, and even romantic. Kaminsky has the unique ability to write of modern day Russia with a "feel" that is at once real and compelling. The Curtain has fallen on the political system of the Soviet Union and out of the depths of the ashes rises not the Phoenix but a complex, confusing, and dangerous atmosphere that indeed is alarming to its citizens, who, naturally, long for breaths of freedom. Who will rule out of this rubble is the mystery! The collapse of communism merely has opened up another evil--organized crime. However, enter Inspector Rostnikov and his team of crime fighters of the Moscow police.. Throughout the series, readers have come to respect the wily, one-legged Inspector (known as "The Washtub," due to his weightlifting in his freetime), who is a realist at heart, yet both a sentimentalist and a romanticist. In "The Dog Who Bit A Policeman," Rostnikov's squad faces the destructive forces of two Mafia gangs, hell- bent to kill each other and to control the country, one precinct at a time. Kaminsky's books always carry parallel campaigns and Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva are assigned to hound out the perpetrators of illegal dog fighting, a fast rising and highly profitable "business." Elena's romantic interests with Rostnikov's policeman son continue to expand while the "Vampire" Emile Karpo's task follows more the political line of crime fighting. He and the Inspector try to solve a series of gang-related murders but which also involve high level political figures. Kaminsky has the ability to invoke the power of description and episode of modern Moscow and of the feelings of the general Muscovite. One doesn't have to know first-hand Mother Russia to appreciate this series as the author's ability to bring out the landscape and atmosphere is outstanding and noteworthy. For a great mystery read, this series, and especially this book, is superb. Dos vidanya!

I always thought that no author could rival Martin Cruz Smith when it came to writing Russian mysteries. But Stuart Kaminsky's Porfiry Rostnikov series certainly comes close. I just finished The Dog Who Bit a Policeman, and so far, it's the best of the bunch that I've read thus far.

As post-Soviet Russia moves into a state of greater lawlessness, groups of Russian Mafia are vying for control. Things are getting out of hand and more and more people (innocent and otherwise) are being killed. Chief Inspector Rostnikov and his assistant, Emil Karpo, are trying to keep the conflict between two rival groups from escalating to an all out war. Another group of Mafia is running regular dog fights, and Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva go undercover in a very dangerous operation to infiltrate this brutal and deadly enterprise. Meanwhile, Rostnikov's son, Iosef (who is now a policeman) is working to find a Moscow government official who has gone missing. In between, the central characters must also deal with a host of other issues. Rostnikov's wife, Sara, has apparently had a relapse of a brain tumor and needs further surgery. Iosef and Elena have started dating, and Iosef wants Elena to marry him. Sasha's wife, Maya, is fed up with the brooding Sasha and is threatening to leave. Corruption is still very much evident, even among police officials. And there is not enough money, goods or food for most of the Russian population.

I listened to this book on tape (unabridged) on a long trip, and it was suspenseful enough to keep me on the edge of my seat for approximately 11 hours. My only minor complaint was that hearing it on tape, it was difficult to keep the characters straight at the beginning. My only other recommendation would be to read the Rostnikov series in order. Since the personal lives of the characters continue to evolve with each book, it would make for better continuity. Still, a Kaminsky book, in any order, is better than most mysteries out there today.

Stuart Kaminsky's characters are so real that I welcome their return as I would an old and dear friend. Life never seems to get easier in post-communist Russia, and crime still runs rampant, but our team of detectives (the only ones in the police department seemingly incorruptible) plod slowly along until the crimes are solved. Each character has his/her own style, but my favorite, is Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov -- philospher, master detective, solver of problems, lover of fine music, weight lifter, husband, father and friend. Intrigued with American mysteries (Ed McBain novels), he has the uncanny ability to tap into the minds of criminals to solve the crimes. This is a definite read for lovers of intelligent mystery books with interesting quirky characters.

Stuart Kaminsky's characters are so real that I welcome their return as I wowuld an old and dear friend. Life never seems to get easier in post-communist Russia, and crime still runs rampant, but our team of detectives (the only ones in the police department seemingly incorruptible) plod slowly along until the crimes are solved. Each character has his or her style, but my favorite, is Inspector Porfity Rostnikov -- philospher, master detective, sometime psychologist, lover of fine music, weight lifter, husband, father and friend. Intrigued with American mystery books (Ed McBain is his favorite writer), he has the uncanny ability to tap into criminal minds to solve the crimes. This is a definite read for lovers of intelligent mystery books with interesting quirky characters.

As an aspiring WW2 B-24 and 392nd BG researcher, I regard Wright as a real teacher in his use of archival and original sources. A review of the bibliography, notes and appendix is a quick education in how to use available research tools. Going thru the boxes of unit histories, Missing Air Crew Reports and German KU files on downed allied aircraft at the National Archives in Washington, DC, is something I also would like to do. His efforts in tracking people down by any means, including letters to very old addresses, is a new option for me. In addition Wright is a fine story teller and interesting to read.The Corky crew flew during the first half of 1944, some of the toughest, highest attrition missions as the 8th AF broke the Luftwaffe prior to D-Day. The detail of each crewman's life during the war and after is such a huge task, requiring years and years, very hard to put this down. Our father was a Lead Pilot in the 392nd BG, a few miles from Old Buckenham, and flew on these same missions, so this is indeed a special book for us.

One of the problems for those interested in books about air warfare in World War Two is that you've read it all before. At least it seems that way. There are books so imitative of other books that the reader may question whether he read it all before.
You won't get that feeling when you read "An Emotional Gauntlet". No, Sir. This is as fresh as the smell of 100 octane on a crisp morning. Author Stuart J. Wright brings freshness to his topic that we thought had been burned away in the 50's and 60's.

You are not confined to barracks when you read "Gauntlet." The author takes you to British hamlets and cities where the Luftwaffe can be expected when least expected. B17s and 24s machine guns hammer.

This is good stuff! You are not going to fall asleep reading it. Stuart was too young for WW2 but he researched his book for more than ten years! He interviewed a great many survivors of Europe's air war some of whom you may recognize if you flew out of Blighty when the going was rough or at any other time.

This is not pulp fiction. Veterans of the Eighth may well recognize planes and people from their own wartime experiences Former bombardier Alan Eagleson, a character in the book has turned up at air shows in the Greater Boston area and your Reviewer, a 10th AF vet, has enjoyed talking to him.

"An Emotional Gauntlet" is filled with photographs. What fun on a snowy evening to scan the photos with the aid of a magnifying glass and perhaps identifying a long lost pal in a long ago scene. READ IT AND ENJOY!
John Brennan

This is a must read for anyone interested in the daily life of a real B-24 combat crew. Stuart has done an excellent job of presenting the difficulties and challenges of an American air crew in England, as he takes you from the early days of crew training to each of the (very)tough missions flown. One feels as if you are actually part of this team. I came away with a sense of awe and admiration for these men "just doing their job" amid the daily horrors of combat over Germany, and the very real risk that they would not be coming back every time they flew.

A long look at one airplane, one crew involved in the air war against Germany during World War II. The airplane is the Corky, a B-24 Liberator. The story starts with the people the made up the crew before they entered the military service. Finally on Tuesday 7 September 1943 the crew met together as Crew 25, 734th Squadron, 453 Bomb Group. Five months later on the 5th of February the first of a couple of milk runs over France, within a week they were over Germany. By the 25th of June the crew, not without loss, had completed their combat tours. Their war was over.

Stuart Wright is from the small village in England where the 453rd was stationed. He grew up on stories about the Yanks in and around the village. A chance meeting when he was fourteen began a friendship and collaboration with Bill Eagleson, the pilot of Crew 25. Years of research later, this book is the result. As Mr. Wright says: "This is not so much a book about airplanes or war; but a book about people." One crew of people that made a difference.

Stuart Wright owes m several hours of sleep that I missed because I had a very hard time putting the book down. The style is fascinating and compelling. Even though I was a B-17 driver, even though I went to the Eighth on a replacement crew (not original cadre), even though I never had the pain of losing a crewmember, teh book riveted my attention because of the resonance it established between me and the characters of the book's crews. This book is a towering addition to the literature of the Eighth Air Force. Thank you.
Craig Harris B-17 pilot 457th BG, Station 130 Glatton.
e: charris4@nc.rr.com

Exodus (The New American Commentary) I found this book to be extremely informative and helpful in leading a small group study of the book of Exodus.

I am very pleased with the book and the time that it took that i got it. Not to mention if you are interested in the Book of Exodus this is a good commentary to look through. he (Stuart) is very interested in the event of the exodus.

This is a wonderful commentary. He writes in an easily understandable style. The commentary is very thorough. A good evangelical commentary.

The thing that most impressed me about Douglas Stuart's commentary on Exodus for the New American commentary series (Broadman & Holman) is the easy proficiency with which Dr. Stuart exegetes how a particular Hebrew word or phrase should be taken in context, weaves in the ANE background, and demonstrates the way the theology not only relates to Exodus and the rest of the Pentateuch, but to entire biblical corpus. Those familiar with Dr. Stuart's prior work will not be surprised by the depth of scholarship undergirding his insights here. For a conservative commentary that is sufficiently meaty but still easy on the eyes, one could do no better.

Exodus is a pivotal book, a key volume not only in the Pentateuch but in the whole of the Hebrew bible. And Douglas Stuart is a first rate evangelical Old Testament scholar (who has already penned commentaries on Ezekiel and some of the Minor Prophets). Put the two together and you have an important and powerful combination.

There have been a number of good commentaries on the book of Exodus. Many consider the 1974 volume by Brevard Childs (Old Testament Library) to be the best written, albeit by a non-evangelical. Good volumes of a somewhat more conservative and evangelical variety have been penned by Enns (NIV Application Commentary, 2000) and Durham (Word Biblical Commentary, 1987). But this is the newest and perhaps best treatment of the book. Part of the New American Commentary series, this just released volume will long serve as the first port of call for evangelical assessments of this important Old Testament book.

Good commentaries offer a balance of two things: the technical, grammatical, cultural and other background material, along with sound theological analysis. Both exegesis and exposition are required. This volume fulfils both requirements nicely.

Stuart has clearly done his homework. (He says he consulted over 1700 items, not all of which are featured in the bibliography.) He is up on all the relevant literature, and is aware of the current debates. He also writes well, and is able to provide the theological sense of the book, and individuals passages throughout.

Given the constraints of the series, his introductory remarks do not occupy much space (only 50 pages out of an 800 page work). But more detailed discussions of important points are scattered throughout the commentary. Thus a number of excurses into various disputed issues, difficult topics, or theological hot potatoes are interspersed in these pages. Surprisingly however one such item, the Divine name YHWH as revealed in Exodus 3:14, receives no separate excursus, but just a half page discussion (along with a half page footnote, leading the reader to further study).

While acknowledging that extra-biblical evidence for Exodus is thin, he is more optimistic than writers like Durham about the book's historicity. He also ascribes Mosaic authorship to the book.

His thematic approach to this book is to highlight the servant theme: Israel's' exodus from Egyptian servitude is replaced by servitude to Yahweh. The transition from being servants of a bad king to being servants of a good king is the overriding motif of the book, although Stuart lists eight other key themes, including the necessity of law, the promised land, and covenant relationship.

The commentary itself is a nice blend of giving the sense of the text along with the various technical considerations that need to be addressed. More scholarly discussion is reserved for the footnotes, which are plenteous and lengthy. Thus the main body of the text can be easily followed, but the numerous excurses and footnotes take the reader to more advanced levels, when deeper considerations are called for.

All in all this is a very fine commentary indeed, which should serve both student and scholar for many years to come.

I couldn't put it down. Stuart M. Van Tine obviously has lived at least part of this story himself. A former "blackshoe" destroyer sailor, he remembers the fine details of the ship and life at sea which add immeasurably to the story. The technology is believable, and either real or just over the horizon, and he makes it come alive. The same is true of his characters. This is simply an outstanding first novel. There clearly is room in the plot for a continuing series of books, and I hope he writes them!

Stuart M. Van Tine's A Fine And Private War is a deftly written technothriller novel. Jinnah is a dedicated terrorist who extorts wealthy westerners for enough money to purchase a state-of-the-art ship and nuclear weapons. It's up to George Holbrook, an ex-CIA operative and a military test pilot to oppose Jinnah and turn the terrorist's high-technology ship into a kind of Trojan horse. A Fine And Private War is a tense, exciting, highly recommended story for the action/adventure enthusiast.

A Fine and Private War serves up a veritable banquet of thrilling suspense as the confluence of events plunges the reader into the world of terrorism. A diverse group of people bought shares in an old Navy destroyer that was transformed into a yacht called Seafire. A terrorist leader has his own plans for the Seafire and for monetary extortion. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

George Holbrook, a tough ex Navy veteran and one of the owners, is elected by his constituents to devise a plan to deal with Jinnah, the terrorist leader. They can meet the extortion with their combined incomes as Jinnah proved when he provided files on each of them that detailed their assets. Besides the yacht, he is demanding one billion dollars. The question uppermost in Holbrook's mind is, what does he want to do with the money? Little does this group know how their lives are about to change by the decisions they make.

This is a `techno thriller' equal to anything written. Mr. Van Tine is an extremely talented writer destined to join the ranks of Tom Clancy and other writers in this genre. It is a riveting tale that will make a fine movie. Don't miss out on one of the best books to be released in the new millennium.

Carol Kluz is the coauthor of Countermeasures (suspense) and author of (The Prophecy Unfolds (fantasy).

A Fine and Private War is a full out action/adventure story in which a group of middle-aged corporate heads and their equally able wives are threatened by Jinnah, an international terrorist who has kidnaped and mutilated one of their grandchildren . Pay him 'One Billion Dollars' within six months, and hand over their jointly owned yacht Seafire, a former navy destroyer, or their loved ones will be killed.
Led by George Holbrook, a test pilot and former navy flyer, the group pretends to give into Jinnah's demands while secretly plotting to fight the terrorist. Great plot with lots of twists and turns.

It's been more than 4 years since I first bought this book and wrote the above review. Since then I've reread my copy many times, it's just that good. Over the years I've continued to check and recheck Amazon for a new book by Van Tine and I'm still waiting. I know that life sometimes interferes with what we want to accomplish but when a reader finds a good author .... well they just want to read more and more of their books.

A new sea mystery/thiller would be greatly appreciated (too few of them around) but I would welcome anything by this fine author.

EXCELLENT book! A great read!! This is right up there alongside Tom Clancy, R.J. Pineiro, and David Hagberg. If this is Van Tine's first novel, I can hardly wait for the next ones, as they can only get even better. If you like a good techno-thriller, this is the one for you.

This book has been an excellent source for information concerning Drake's life and the violent political era in which he lived. The combination of several authentic and contemporary 16th Century sources give validity to the generous amounts of information contained therein. Sir Francis Drake became a man of destiny, with the flaws and foibles all such heroic men have; the book shows many examples of his brave humanity in a very brutal age, as well as the hard decisions he had to make in the name of fulfilling his pledge to Queen Elizabeth I to complete the grand and dangerous voyage. The details of his actions during the attack on the Spanish Armada showed a clear picture of his part in the battles; likewise the events after his being knighted were noted (often such progressive accomplishments of his life as a man and official of Plymouth have been beglected in other books). As a writer currently working on an illustrated chronicle of Drake's Circumnavigation, I feel most grateful for the excellent period portraits, pictures and maps which have helped me to gain more visual insight into the complexities of Elizabethan Maritime History. The work has been well-researched; it breathes life into a bygone age, the effects of which still reverberates over 400 years later.

The Key to Sir Francis Drake was that he was in the essence a shallow water boatman.The technique of long distance navigation had been discovered and exploited by the time Drake hit the water. Drakes first edge in his line of work was that he sailed to the West Indies with shallow water boats on board his transatlantic ships, in partially assembled form or complete 'ready for action' towed behind. His second edge was that he had the sponsorship of the Queen of the Realm, E1. With The Royal Patronage, like 007 he could do whatever, no problem. Let Sir Fancis test his new maritime tactics in the shallow lagoons and bays of the Caribbean against the hated Espanish, if he succeeds everybody's rich, if he fails he's dead. In the early years Sr. Francis exploited every advantage; particularly the huge differences in time and distance between the government of Spain and its Western claims. In Francis' time those regions barely qualified as any governmental area, so far from authority and management they were. Happening upon a likely victim, our pirate simply cut a deal with the site governors, the treasure caravan leaders, and the treasure ship captains in transit. Francis took most but left enough to make the employees rich. He cast off with fair regards for all people, and everybody involved looked forward to the "Good Pirates" return next season. Philip of Spain was more circumspect. Over a period of years he established his authority via clear management lines of responsibility and procedures for the transportation of loot and filthy lugar. After the Spanish King consolidated his realm, Sr. Francis days were done. The Spanish had yet another use for our pirate hero. It was Spanish Literature that was first to elevate Sr. Francis to the place of folk hero, epic warrior, and national poltergeist. For a generation whisper of "El Dragon" was sufficient to warn every child to bed and more importantly every shipping manager, captain and dock clerk to do his best for King and kind.

I started this book expecting to read of the charismatic sea dog and protestant zealot of school history lessons. Instead a far more complicated and contradictory picture of a man who to modern eyes is both admirable and despicable - much like the Queen he served.

Here Drake is a man of paradoxes. He started his career on slave ships but grew to despise the trade and became the first European to interact with the Cimarrons - escaped slaves - as equals. Drake was capable of fiery nationalism, and a passionate hatred of Spanish Catholicism but yet consistently treated his Spanish prisoners with the utmost courtesy. Perhaps the greatest duality of Drake was one that was apparent during his own lifetime - his dual service of personal fortune and national, English protestant, interest. To Drake these were not as distinct as they seem today, but perhaps it is the only fault of this book that they are not better resolved.

John Cummins' excellent book practically reads itself, a highly recommended look at an amazing and complicated man.

Reading about Drake's many seagoing professions, I can't help relating his exploits to those of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. While your average corporate adventurer doesn't risk life and limb on long maritime voyages, the desire for fame and fortune is the same.

Francis Drake, as Cummins presents him, was a man of common birth who sought to make a name and a great deal of wealth for himself. Early in his career he was a slave trader along with John Hawkins, but if we are to believe what Cummins says, he found it distasteful.

He later took to a highly successful career as a corsair and explorer, raiding Spanish shipping for gold and becoming one of the first men to circumnavigate the Earth. Cummins' portrayal of Drake as an egalitarian holds up under scrutiny. He employed men of many backgrounds in his crews including African Cimarrons who had escaped from slavery under the Spanish and fled into the jungles of Latin America.

Cummins explores Drake's exploits in great detail without apparent bias. He doesn't shy away from showing the man's less appealing traits in his portrait. One of the things that stood out was Drake's behavior during the battle with the Spanish Armada. Drake had a hard time suppressing his piratical urges when he often was needed for more military endeavors. Nevertheless, Drake stands out primarily as a man of honor in a tumultuous time.

If you enjoy biographies, history or just a good pirate tale (that's real!) I highly recommend this book. It's a fascinating story of a man whose inner passion and desire for glory drove him to great things.

I started this book expecting to read of the charismatic sea dog and protestant zealot of school history lessons. Instead a far more complicated picture emerges, a man who to modern eyes is both admirable and despicable - much like the Queen he served.

Here Drake is a man of paradoxes. He started his career on slave ships but grew to despise the trade and became the first European to interact with the Cimarrons - escaped slaves - as equals. Drake was capable of fiery nationalism, and a passionate hatred of Spanish Catholicism but yet consistently treated his Spanish prisoners with the utmost courtesy. Perhaps the greatest duality of Drake was one that was apparent during his own lifetime - his dual service of personal fortune and national, English protestant, interest. To Drake these were not as distinct as they seem today, but perhaps it is the only fault of this book that they are not better resolved.

John Cummins' excellent book practically reads itself, a highly recommended look at an amazing and contradictory man.

evrey thing was right it got me $999,999,999,.99!

This book was exactly what I needed to round out my education on Greyhound racing. The first few chapters cover the basics -- how racing works, what to expect, and how the percentages pay. It is fairly elementary for someone who has been at the track a few times but there were a few lingering questions I had that this book answered.

The crux of the book is McBride's system for long-term profit making at the track. From his numbers, one would guess it would work. In short, his strategy is to take a months' races and categorize them. By doing an analysis on the post position, early leader, class changes, late speed and maneuvering ability, one can see which patterns becoming more distinct. Knowing that early speed racers, for instance, do well at a particular track would be a definite advantage. Each track has its own advantages and disadvantages.

I noted some of the mistakes that I was making and some of the knowledge I had picked up the hard way (by losing). However, McBride's system doesn't really appear to be for the casual gamer. It appears it would take at least an hour before a race to score a guide and just generating the 30 races worth of data could be time consuming (at least an hour or two an evening). The math behind the grading process is very simple and could easily be done by a computer program. Also, McBride's system is not for the "cheap" gambler. He advocates betting a 4 or 5 (around $12 - $24 a race) box trifecta for maximum winnings. His experience and samples indicate this is the highest pay off percentage.

This book is crafty and must be read with a clear head. I recommend it to anyone; gambler or not . I contains a slice of something about living in America. Rarely will we find these types of books in the future. I suggest sportsmen and sports-ladies take a copy and preserve it.

This book covers 98% of all you need to know about the races, handicapping, betting, and scoring dog races. Probably the best value in greyhound racing books.

I read the Book by Mr. McBride and I must tell those out there who have the chance to get a hold of a copy of this fine book to do so. The book pretty much entails all the knowledge you need whether you are a novice, or an expert player or handicapper. If you have played the greyhounds for a long time, it will aid you in polishing up your skills in the racing game. Overall, this is an excellent book and value.

I've had this parody, plus 2 related others -- "Martha Stuart Better Than You At Living" and "Martha Stuart's Excrutiatingly Perfect Weddings" -- for almost 10 years...and they still make me laugh out loud and smile, when I need a good laugh or smile. Brilliantly -- and, yes, lovingly -- put together by showing respect to the great detail that makes Martha such a Drama Queen. Expert humor...buy, buy, buy! ;)

Uhh....it's almost TOO well done!!! The subtlety, the sarcasm. Martha herself would be proud of the ideas and craft concepts presented. You will find yourself laughing out loud. Fits perfectly on my coffee table next to my real "Living" magazines. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Get it before it goes out of print! This is a collectors item of great writing!

This parody magazine will get even Martha devotees to laugh. The authors have taken Martha Stuart's well known love of detail to the nth degree - and then twisted! The tongue-in-cheek articles are so close in style to articles in the authentic magazine that you'll forget for a moment you're reading a parody, until suddenly the absurdness hits you - right between the eyes.

I like Martha Stewart and yet this book had me laughing out loud. I'm ordering extras for my relatives. In this parody, Martha makes water from scratch, and there's also an article on how the Homeless, don't have to be gardenless.

Having grown up in a neighboring community and being acquainted with Clyde Roy Pack, I find it a great pleasure to read this account of his experiences. He is truly a nice person from another era (but younger than I).

A wonderful book that reminded me of my own childhood, growning up in a Coal Camp in Virginia called Seaboard in the fifties and sixties. Much of the same things that Mr. Pack did as a child I have done also. It's so good to relive the memories.

Having grown up in Paintsville, Kentucky, I took all the history for granted. Then, I moved and I began to miss my roots. Going "home" for Apple Day, I bought Mr. Pack's book and was not dissapointed. Having always looked forward to reading his articles in the Paintsville Hearld, I knew that this book would be everything I expected. What I didn't expect was to be able to talk to my parents, aunts, and uncles about things that Mr. Pack talked about. Not only did I get to learn things about my ancestory, I learned about my family, and spent many nights learning about my mom's family through her and my aunts.

Well, I have to start by saying that Mr. Pack was my grade school art teacher, my high school English teacher and one of my best friend's dad. All that aside, it is a gosh darn good book. Clyde is a skilled writer and his imagery is wonderful. The book gives a good picture of the period in Eastern Kentucky (based on what I've heard about that time from others) without being campy or stark. Ready for the pop quiz now, Mr. Pack.

Clyde Roy Pack's tale of days gone by shows life in a coal camp through the eyes of a young boy. This book sheds light on the positive effects of the people around him. It is very well written and entertaining. Muddy Branch will be impossible to read without laughing out loud a few times.