Thomas Books

This is a wonderful picture of the small Illinois town where my mother was born. It was a treat to see the mention of some of my family members. My great-grandfather was the owner of the Williams Mortuary. This was a treat!!

This accurate and off the beaten path history read like a murder mystery and showed me the various stages in the growth and death of a small town It also showed "what the simple folks did" to get get their booze during the depression era

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS IN TOWN WHEN THE BOOTLEGGER WAS SHOT AND KNEW HIM. THIS BOOK SHOWS THE TRUE LIFE AND STRUGGLES OF LIFE NOT JUST IN SMALL TOWNS BUT ACROSS AMERICA. EXCELLENT HISTORY LESSON OF SURVIVAL AND WHAT GENERATIONS BEFORE US DID TO GIVE US WHAT WE HAVE.

This is definitely a page turner--rare in nonfiction. Mr. Hallwas combines the suspense of a murder mystery and the facts of a history lesson and makes it all fascinating! I was born in the area and my family's surnames are mentioned throughout the book. Most of my family members have read the book and have SO enjoyed it! In fact it may have solved a generations-old family mystery of a missing relative! A must read for anyone with family roots in small town America!

This book is excellent. Definitely a "can't put down" book. Hard to imagine the quiet, sleepy town of Colchester was once involved with Al Capone, Shoeless Joe Jackson, bombings of homes of law enforcement agents, and murders, bootlegging and crimes of this nature!

ITS GOOD IF YOU WANT TO KNOW IN SIMPLE WORDS WHAT IS THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. HOW TO USE IT.

If you are interested in the Law of Attraction, Creative Visualization, New Thought, Unity, Religious Science, Abraham-Hicks, Carole Dore or Rev. Ike, I think you will want to read and re-read this extremely well-written book. It is different from other New Thought books in that it not only has new techniques to apply, but it also explains in very clear English WHY we aren't getting what we are visualizing. The author explains why affirmations don't work - and gives a work-around to use - another technique to create your treatment (he doesn't call it that). This is a book to read, re-read and keep re-reading. The tone is friendly, not preachy or condescending. This book is too good to fall by the wayside like so many New Thought/New Age books. IMO, it is destined to be a New Thought classic.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Born to Manifest".
I love how the law of attraction is explained, in simple terms, that everyone can understand.
The step-by-step tools provided are clear, and very fun to use.
Tom's down to earth, personal style of writing is great. You feel right at home reading the wonderful message, like you're listening to a special teacher or friend share their secrets with you.
I also loved the analogies, which provided a couple "a-ha" moments for me. I highly recommend this book to both people new to the law of attraction, and those (like myself), who have been familiar with it for some time.
Great read!

This book takes the Law of Attraction and breaks it down into steps you can take to make this natural law work in your favor. Most of us don't realize that we think more about what we DON'T want instead of what we do want. Tom Murasso outlines the tools needed to determine what we really DO want and the simple steps we must take to achieve our goal.

"Born to Manifest" is a quick, easy read that is packed with information humans need to truly take control of their lives and prepare themselves for our next evolutionary leap. The emphasis of this book is explaining the Law of Attraction (aka Karma) in clear, layman's terms and offering practical ways to make it work in our lives. Author Tom Murasso details exercises that everyone can do to help them along this journey. His writing style is very conversational, and he uses relatable examples making his ideas easily understood. For myself, who was already versed in much of this information, I found it a useful reiteration strengthened by some welcome new perspectives. For someone desiring to learn about these principles, this is a fantastic start. Tom says in his introduction that you'll "read and re-read until the end," and his statement was very accurate. This book is a great tool to have in your library that I imagine will become familiar and often visited.

Carl L. Becker's book on the Declaration of Independence first appeared nearly eighty years ago, and yet it is still a valuable and stimulating study of its subject. It is dated now, for two large reasons:

First, Becker wrote before the revolution in studying the history of ideas, and thus unavoidably predates the close-focus examination of the controversy between Great Britain and her American colonies in the years from 1765 to 1776. Two recent books should be read alongside Becker's monograph -- Pauline Maier's AMERICAN SCRIPTURE: MAKING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (New York: Knopf, 1997; Vintage paperback, 1998), and John Phillip Reid, CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, abridged ed. (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995).

Second, Becker focuses on Jefferson as *the* author of the Declaration, neglecting that he was actually the draftsman selected by the Continental Congress and his colleagues within the drafting committee. Thus, the Declaration -- no matter what Jefferson said about it in later life -- was not primarily a window into his own thinking about natural rights and democracy, but rather the final statement by Congress as to the reasons for breaking ties with Britain. To be sure, later generations have read it as an expression of Jefferson's mind -- rather than of "the American mind," as he put it. But, as Maier shows in AMERICAN SCRIPTURE, Jefferson's thinking was nowhere near as unique or advanced on these subjects as later hero-worshipping biographers have suggested.

In particular, as Maier has shown, the age-old dispute about whether Jefferson was or was not influenced by Locke is somewhat beside the point. Even so, Becker's fine book is indispensable for deciding whether we should read the Declaration through Lockean or Jeffersonian lenses, and whether we should regard it as a codification of American aspirations or as a hypocritical catalogue of principles we cannot live up to.

R. B. Bernstein, adjunct professor of law, New York Law School

This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class. Carl Becker expertly researched the events leading up to the birth of the Declaration. Carl L. Becker's research on the philosophical influences on the Declaration of Independence is some of the best scholarship on the subject. Becker notes that a by product of the Enlightenment is that "In the eighteenth century as never before, `Nature' had stepped in between man and God; so that there was no longer any way to know God's will except by discovering the `laws' of nature." Not only are the force of the ideas, such as pleas to natural law important, but also how the words sounded to the ear would become equally important for the Declaration to move people to rebellion.

John Locke, Algernon Sidney, and Charles de Montesquieu helped form Jefferson's political and philosophical ideas towards government, public service, and leadership. The Declaration is replete with the Natural Law philosophy of John Locke (1632-1704). David Lundberg and Henry F. May conducted a study of the 92 existing library records from before the revolution, to determine which authors colonists were reading. Their research found that John Locke was by far the most read philosopher in their study. Becker postulated that Locke's ideas had made a significant impression on Jefferson, since he found that the general tenor and phraseology of the Declaration closely followed key sentences from Locke's Second Treatise of Government. Jefferson must have read Locke's work several times to be able to borrow so liberally from them, and to be able to mirror his language so accurately. To illustrate the point, the following is an example of Locke's writing showing just how closely some of the phrases match from his Second Treatise of Government, and the Declaration of Independence.

The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges
every one; and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who
will consult it that, being all equal and independent, no one ought
to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions; for men
being all workmanship of one omnipotent and infinitely wise Maker.

Jefferson's original draft reads.

We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are
created equal & independent; that from that equal creation they
derive in rights inherent & inalienable among which are the
preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.

The "self evident truths" of the Natural Law philosophy espoused by Locke and enumerated in the Preamble of the Declaration, and found that both, essentially, declared that no person should be subordinated to another because of birth or class standing. In addition, people choose to leave the state of nature on their own free will and consent to be governed by a government of their choosing. Locke's specific concern is, "Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal and independent, no one can be put out of his estate, and subjugated to the political power of another, without his own consent." Algernon Sidney (1623-1683), a contemporary of Locke's and a political theorist who Jefferson reads, writes in his book, Discourses Concerning Government, "That man is actually free; that he cannot justly be deprived of that liberty without cause, and that he doth not resign it, or any part of it, unless it be in consideration of a greater good." The Declaration's wording is, "that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." These "self evident truths," that government is by consent of the governed, is the beginning of a political reasoning that all British subjects on both sides of the Atlantic came to understand was their right after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 in Britain, which was the inspiration for Locke's political philosophy.
The other reason for Jefferson to turn to Locke's writings, is his well-known ideas among the colonists regarding the rights and duties of citizens to overthrow an existing government when it ceases to provide for the proper welfare of its citizens. Locke, near the end of his treatise writes:
But if a long train of abuses, prevarications, and artifices, all
tending the same way, make the design visible to the people,
and they cannot but feel what they lie under and see whither
they are going, it is not to be wondered that they should then
rouse themselves and endeavor to put the rule into such hands
which may secure to them the ends for which government was
at first erected.


Jefferson, in the second paragraph of the Preamble to the Declaration takes Locke's words and constructs them thusly:
But when a long train of abuses & usurpations, begun at a
distinguished period, & pursuing invariably the same object,
evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government &
to provide new guards for their future security.

To prove to the world that rebellion was finally justifiable within the framework of Natural Law, Jefferson included a list of twenty-seven "abuses and usurpations" by the king in the Declaration.
The list of abuses by King George III, are an integral part of the Declaration, which proves that the king has, "in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the States." Becker wrote that the list not only delineates the continued abuses by the king against the colonists, but it also "comprises a list of American political commitments." The next few sentences are a few examples of the twenty-seven charges leveled against the king, and the political commitments that the delegates enacted during their tenure in the Continental Congress. The king was accused of impeding and disrupting the legislative process, and in some cases, dissolving them in the first six charges. These charges are especially important to the colonists, considering their penchant for legislative authority above any other branch of government. The eighth and ninth accusations charge the king with not protecting the judiciary from the interference by the executive branch of government. This idea of a separate judicial branch of government was an idea that was picked up from the French philosopher, Charles de Montesquieu (1689-1755), and would be incorporated in the U. S. Constitution. The king was accused of forcing the colonists to quarter British soldiers in their homes and with disbanding the local militias. Both of these acts were so egregious to the colonists, that they would not soon be forgotten, and a prohibition on quartering soldiers and supporting the militias would become a part of the U. S. Constitution. One can easily see that reading through the list of grievances reveals that it also reads like a bill of rights, which the Continental Congress is declaring to the patriots as values that it will protect. The Declaration also takes umbrage with the king for disregarding the years of legal pleas made to him by the colonists to prevent this long train of abuses from causing such drastic actions as breaking away from the mother country. Becker astutely notes that nowhere in the Declaration is the word Parliament mentioned. All of the grievances listed are blamed on the king, even though they refer to laws enacted by Parliament. This important omission proves that the colonists were never given representation in Parliament. They created their own legislatures in the colonies, since they believed it was the natural right of any group of British subjects under British law to do so. Therefore, on July 4, 1776, after adopting the Declaration unanimously, congress resolves that the title read "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America," and that every member of Congress sign it. Thus, this summary or compact of the eighteenth century American political mind and Enlightenment ideals burst into the world screaming for attention.

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

I have read this book, off and on, several times. It never ceases to amaze me. I tend to be a controversialist and rely upon this book often to help those who seem convinced that the Founding Fathers were of a particular religious persuasion. While foundationally on a personal level this may be true, in general they bowed down to a higher power: Reason. Yet this was not new to them nor were their political theories. Their roots came from somewhere else and that somewhere else was from the European soil they had left.

Becker does an awesome job dissecting the Declaration and its influences primarily from Jefferson through Locke. The natural rights philosophy chapter is awesome. This book is over seventy five years old and its arguments have been revisited and even countered but the book is still foundationally necessary for anyone who seeks to study the Declaration of Independence. In terms of studying the Declaration, there is before Becker's book and there is after.

There are many revealing insights and oddities that appear when Becker displays the lines that have been cut from the original draft (e.g. notice there is no mention of slavery in the final version; the reasons for its excision are included in the book). These little tidbits opened my eyes a bit to the relatively benign history of this document that I had been taught. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing so have a little fun and check this book out.

In high school, kids spend time reviewing the Declaration of Independence and learning its meaning. This book goes well beyond that to inspect the thoughts and ideas that were prevalent in the late 18th century and how they influenced the document. Becker goes into great detail about natural rights theory according to John Locke and explores the ins and outs of its implications. This to me was the strongest and most enjoyable part of the book. He also explores the thoughts and ideas that were circulating Britain at the time.

Building on this foundation, he weaves a tale as to why certain things were worded as they were (like Britain being run as a ruthless tyrant), and why certain things were left out altogether (like slavery). He also closely examines the changes that took place in the drafts and attributes them to individuals who proofread Jefferson's draft. I really could have done without his granularity in this area.

In all, this was a fascinating read. For those of you who want to extend your knowledge beyond the simple presentation of the document you received in high school, I highly recommend buying this book!

This easy to read book disects the wording and phrases in all the various drafts of the declaration. It explores the origins of the ideas and phrasing used, and discusses why individual words or complete phrases were changed, added or removed as they were debated first in committee and later by the Continental Congress. This book is commonly cited by other authors. As an example, it serves both as a source for and wonderful companion to Bernard Bailyn's book "The Ideological Origins to the American Revolution"

This little New Testament includes one of the most thorough studies of the basic Christian principles that I have ever seen. The Master Outlines by Porter Barrington guide the reader through the truths of God using scripture. I encourage every Christian to get one of these for the Master Outline study and then get a few more to give away. It is the perfect size to carry anywhere and to use in witnessing. I don't know why the Master Outline study isn't available anywhere else but it makes this particular little Bible even a greater jewel.

This 'christian life study' helps has been in my library for the past 23 years. I tell every christian I meet, to get one. The Master Outlines compiled by Porter Barrington shows the gift that God has given this writer. If anyone would know of other works of his, I'd appreciate knowing about them. Wonderful study helps for EVERY christian, young or older.

I was fortunate enough to pick up this tiny treasure at a used bookstore for 98 cents. I suppose the bookstore owner thought that its small size meant it had an equally small worth. That could not be less true! Besides including some of the best books ever written (The New Testament books!) this small but mighty book contains Master Outlines of important principles of Christian life. I like Porter Barrington's system because he is not using his own opinion to supplant the Bible's words - he is letting the power of God's Word speak for itself and simply adding insights he has gained through his years of ministry. Mr. Barrington guides the reader along a journey through the New Testament, letting your mind develop in the Biblical principles. One of the features I most appreciated was the "God's Plan of Salvation" outline. I do not have a very good memory and I get easily flustered during personal witnessing moments - so it is invaluable to me to be able to pull my Christian Life New Testament out of my purse and open it immediately to a Biblical Plan of Salvation. This wonderful little book also contains two beautiful certificate pages at the end, one for honoring a person's date of Salvation and the other for honoring a person's date of baptism. This is a great way to keep a permanent record of the most important dates in your life. The very last page contains a chart for you to list friends you wish to pray for and witness to. I cannot praise the Christian Life New Testament enough. It is useful for every situation and every person. And as my 1978 edition says in the 'What the Christian Life New Testament Can Do For You' section: "It is small enough for the lady's handbag or the man's pocket." You can always have the confidence of having the Word of God with you wherever you go with this wonderful little book.

A wonderful step-by-step study outline and guide for both new and mature Christians. A great witnessing tool. Takes one from God's Plan of Salvation to How to Witness Effectively and all points in between.

I've given several away and am looking for a source where I can buy in bulk.

Once again, visiting the fictional Cape Light for Christmas is almost like going home for Christmas! The familiar characters are like family, and the story is always interesting, uplifting, and believable. Kinkade and Spencer are truly a team of authors that bring fiction to life and build a fan-base of people, like me, who are looking for good, clean reads that have a posative Christian message.

As with all of the Cape Light novels Thomas Kinkade brings the characters to light for a teary, jaw dropping, happy loving novel. All of the past characters are brought into this book so you don't forget anyone and we even meet a new one...who is painted perfectly, you just want to tell her to go home! A book you'll want to keep reading, then when it's over, you just want MORE! I can't wait to read the next one "A Christmas to Remember"

The book is written a bit like the Mitford Series in that it is a small united community with all the ups and downs of life. There are personality clashes, misunderstandings, discouragement and all the other negatives in human relations. However, the journey to learning to love and accept others and ourselves is full of interesting thought provoking experiences.

I have read each book in this collection in a day I can never put them down..He writes with hope just like he paints the light in his pictures..I don't know how he does it but he captured my heart with this uplifting story ..we hear of so many disturbing stories and so much trash in books these days it was just awesome to read a book that made me feel good about the world and to give me hope .I love these books waiting for the next book.

The Christmas Angel
by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer
I know it's not Christmas but a good story but a good story is a good story.
We all know of Thomas Kinkade as a great painter of light, but have you read any of his stories? This is in the Cape Light series.
This book tells more of Emily, a mayor, she's older and recently married. Emily had a daughter over 20 years ago that her mother talked her into giving up. She now has a good relationship with her daughter, but has missed all of the bringing her up.
One morning Emily was jogging she spies something moving in the cradle set up outside the church, a little hand. The baby inside starts an adventure you don't want to miss.

All across the United States Churches are dying, and pastors are discouraged. Barnett's book isn't the 'cure,' but points to an important element of giving pastors and churches new life -- serving and loving others in Jesus' name. It sounds simple, and it is. But it means being willing to do what Jesus did, to dwell among the people and to love them no matter what. I highly recommend this book for pastors and churches who want to start dreaming again.

This was a great resource for me since our vision is very similar and Pastor Matthews personal struggles and experience with the community not only enlighten the reader put those of us in similar ministry can gain hope and affirmation. What a blessing this book is and the reality of it so striking. I loved every minute in reading he accounts.

I was surprised to see this book was printed in the year 2000. The reason for the surprise is threefold: I firmly believe it is destined to become a classic so expected a higher sales number and currently there are only four reviews at amazon.com and lastly out of the four reviews ministry is mentioned often, yet the book is clearly intended for those who directly minister as well as for "the rest of us". To me, the hallmark of Matthew Barnett's work is the SINCERITY throughout, which was very refreshing. In the book, Matthew Barnett recounts how (at least at the time his book was published) it is common for other local churches to actually post signs stating "No Gang Members Allowed"!! Praise God that Our Lord does not place such constraints. "The Church That Never Sleeps" will awaken your mind, will and emotions to the Lord's calling for outreach and not only inreach in our daily lives. I enjoyed the many references to his relationship with his Father, Pastor Tommy Barnett, not because of "who they are" but because their Father-Son bond is a model for any parent at any time. A powerful reminder of how parents can influence their children by not only their action but their words and their time. This is slightly off-topic in a way but when Matthew's vast early and cumulative exposure to his Dad's Ministry is referred to, it caused me to recall a certain very young actor that people scoffed at for stating (on "The Tonight Show")his early exposure to the world of acting had prepared him to move into directing movies...two boys who grew to men, different backgrounds, influenced and influential, one goes on to Minister the Lord's work and the other films. Each has had a continuing impact on many lives as a response to their childhood and inner direction. Very interesting to me and this led to my further understanding we each have the same sort of choices to affect many on a daily basis. Which road will you allow The Lord to direct you? As a result of the book, I am very interested in checking out not only the L.A. Church but as well Rick Stoker of Wilmington, North Carolina, who relinquished a very successful career as a physician for college-level basketball teams in order to establish his own ministry. The book makes it so very clear even someone like me can help (disabled, chronic illness) even with small donations...I read once all those little errors the grocery stores make that customers rarely catch amounts to huge sums of money for the grocery business...hmmmm, I can choose small donations to help the Lord's outreach through these two individiuals. That is how the book inspired me. The book came to my attention courtesy of Joyce Meyer and her daily (televised locally, also via cable, also via radio, also via her website, including "podcast") program "Enjoying Everyday Life". Matthew Barnett was a recent guest. The one word that for me best describes this work is: sincerity. Destined to be a Classic.

This book is what real ministry is all about. If you are just starting out in the ministry, this book is especially helpful. Matthew Barnett brings you from the beginning of his ministry through his amazing journey to a thriving full ministry today. He brings us back to what is real in ministry. You will be forced to examine your life, your ministry in the light of what the gospels say real ministry is all about. This book will challenge you to come up higher and to throw off some of the old ideas about what church is.

Great book. For me, and I think for many others, it wasn't so much that the book had any new revelation or teaching as much as it reminds us of the true simplicity and purity of real ministry. You know, the stuff that we used to do when we were younger, and it worked, before we got sidetracked with OUR aganda, OUR goals, OUR ministry career. Thanks Matthew! Let's keep it simple. Phillipians 2.4 should be the theme verse: "Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

From toddler-hood, my father was enthralled with everything that involved flying and aviation, and despite the depression and financial difficulties of the day, my grandfather granted his son one of the greatest gifts of his life by taking him to the Cleveland Air Races. He's never forgotten it, and it remains one of his strongest memories - so much so that he speaks of it again and again, even now at nearly 80 years of age. Well, my father did become a pilot, owned several planes and continues to be an aviation fanatic. This book, with its fabulous historic photos, brings back the experience for him. I'd like to have seen a bit more textual background, in addition to the wonderful photos, but I feel this book is a must for anyone who ever enjoyed that big buzz at Burke Lakefront Airport.

From the poignant photo on the frontispiece to the last page, a superb collection of pictures accompanied by an illuminating and focused text makes for an outstanding presentation.

Thomas G. Matowitz, Sr., a Proud Pop

Thomas Matowitz's book explores the historic Cleveland Air Races from a new perspective. The books gives a wonderful overview of the race locale and setting in the Cleveland area. Many books already describe the aircraft and pilots that participated in this famous race, but this books goes further to tell the history of the airport, the controversies and the early development of air racing in the United States. Cleveland is the birthplace of American air racing competition that continues today at the Reno National Air Races.

Inbetween the two world wars the development of aviation was proceeding at an extremely rapid pace. Both engines and airframes were improving very fast. One of the driving forces was the various air races. To win the Schneider Trophy was the goal of the plane that became the Spitfire.

One of the big time air races was held at what was then the world's largest airport, the Cleveland Municipal Airport. From 1929 to 1949 the world's fastest planes came to Cleveland every Labor day.

In order to make their planes ever faster all kinds of improvements were made in their design. Here retractable landing gear was proven to make planes faster. The photographs show the development start with the first bi-plane racers. Here new planes were flown in to be shown to the world: the brand new DC-2; the radial engined Curtis P-36, soon to be re-engined with an Allison V-12 and become the P-40; the brand new Douglas B-18, scheduled to become the main bomber of the Air Corp; and its replacement the Y1B-17; Seversky P-35s, which with a company name change and a few modifications became the Republic P-47; Grumman F3F-2 fighters, the last biplane flown by the Navy and Marines. And later on, Corsairs and P-51s; and the shape of things to come, the P-80.

This is a remarkable collection of photographs, some of which are said to have never been published before. It's an awesome collection of a couple of hundred pictures.

Tom Matowitz Jr.'s latest regional effort is another stunner for Ohioians familiar with his work. As a former employee of a Cleveland-area library, it has always been great to read Matowitz's various regional magazine and book efforts and this one is among his best.
In fact Matowitz's new book has national appeal as it delves into the fascinating minute of the famous Cleveland National Air Races of the 30's and 40's. This author/pilot has scared up important photographic documentation of this aviation pinnacle and has written some of the most well-researched and humane copy and cut lines I seen in quite a spell. Matowitz is a name Ohioians, and others, will hear again. A must for aviation fans of all stripes.

As a die hard Patrick O'Brian fan and an amateur history buff this book was intriguing to me. It is very well written and presents the life story of an amazing British Navy hero not well known today.

David Cordingly does a superb job presenting the real life exploits of Cochrane, which incredibly are every bit as extraordinary as the fictional exploits of Captain Jack Aubrey in the Patrick O'Brian Master and Commander series.

I highly recommend it.

A great story and a great read about a great commander by my new favorite author, Thank You, Sir. I am going to order "Billy Ruffian".

I am not an O'Brian fan but I do love C.S. Forester. This gripping true life narrative was an easy read and was more exciting than the fiction that used Cochrane as an inspirtation. This unfortunate tragic hero's life is told in gripping detail from his self-claimed sabotage as a naval officer to his failed career as a reformist politician in the Napoleanic Era of England. The scientific advances both in military and civilian pursuits are also touched on as scientific curioisty and their failure to commercially take advantage of their discoveries seemed to have run in Cochrane's family. For those who love those fictious sea tales of both O'Brian and Forester, this is the real thing.

Many readers will come to David Cordingly's The Real Master and Commander from a desire as fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester to learn more about the remarkable man whose life provided the raw material for the tales of Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower. Make no mistake, however, Cordingly's excellent historical biography deserves to be read on its own merits.

Lord Thomas Cochrane executed such stunningly audacious feats - successfully attacking much larger ships with his small sloop Speedy, leading an attack of fireships on the French fleet at Basque Roads, and helping Chile and Brazil establish their independence - that one might cry `what pitiful stuff' if one read it in a work of historical fiction. But it really happened.

Cochrane was a flawed man who could not restrain himself from reckless attacks on powerful forces in the navy and the government generally. When he found himself entangled in an infamous stock exchange fraud (the leaders spread false rumors that Napoleon had died and then sold their shares when the market predictably spiked), he discovered that powerful men were only too happy to see him convicted and drummed out of the navy. Cordingly judiciously sifts the evidence of Cochrane's guilt or innocence from our vantage point nearly 200 years later.

In addition to his naval feats Cochrane also fought for reform causes as a member of parliament. His intemperate tactics and language did him little good. Of course, he was quite right in insisting that either the electoral system would be reformed from within or reformed with a vengeance from without.

After several years in the `wilderness', Cochrane sailed to South America and successfully aided the rebellion against Spain and Portugal. He eventually wore out his welcome there as well, in part due to fights over prize money. From there he went to the Greek Fiasco, as Cordingly aptly names it. He spent his remaining years fighting with some success to restore honor to his name. A sad dwindling away for this remarkable man.

A must read for fans of Age of Sail historical fiction and an excellent histroical biography.

I think I am correct in saying that I have read all of the biographies of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, published in the last few decades, and I would rate this volume as the being the best of all, giving good coverage of all phases of Cochrane's long naval and political careers. Unlike some authors, Cordingly is careful to match Cochrane's own accounts of his activities against other primary sources, and to give equal balance to Cochrane's activities in the wars for South American independence with those during the Napoleonic Wars.

Cochrane was an extraordinary man, his genuine history perhaps more amazing than any of the fiction inspired by his real-world activities, this is a biography that does him justice, lauding his good qualities and achievements without hiding his flaws and failures.

From the moment the author introduced Tara Bartlett, I felt I knew this character. Following Tara in her search for her biological parents, the perils of her job as a game specialist, and her travels, was exciting and interesting. When Whitman Bull Chief enters her life, sparks fly! I loved everything about this book: the characters, the setting, the events. I also really liked the message in the book: respect and understanding of other cultures. This heroine is an excellent role model for all young women, and especially for Native American women. Great job, author!

This is a modern (contemporary) love story of an Indian woman and the man who wants to share her life. It introduces the reader to Indian customs and traditions and does so with dignity and interest. I was fascinated - I hated to have the story end!

Terra Bartlett's journey to find her biological parents, and her journey to find herself before she can commit to the love of her life, is told with sensitivity and charm. The author either lived the Crow Indian culture or researched carefully. Whichever it is, I appreciated learning more about this group of Native Americans. Their culture, and their home in Montana, sounds wonderful!

Terra Bartlet works for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and is a Native American woman. The description of elk collaring, deer tracking and Terra's other duties fascinated me. The romance with Whitman Bull Chief is almost secondary to the story, but contains the warmth and wholesome sensuality of Ms. Olsen's first novel, Big Sky Dreams. This was another excellent offering from this author.

Adopted as a child by white parents, Crow Indian Terra Bartlett is raised in a white world. When she meets the man of her dreams, however, he is a Crow Indian. With sensuous description and smoldering chemistry, they fall in love. But until Terra can trace her "roots" to the reservation, she cannot commit to Whitman Bull Chief. I cried when she went back to the reservation and met---but that would be telling! I LOVED this book!!

First person narrative of the Boer War written just one year after the end of the war. Gives unusual insight into the life of a Boer commando during this conflict with the mighty British army.

Excellent primary source for research papers on the Boer War! I highly reccommend it!

Written in a matter of fact style, the simple experiences of a young man at war are piled one upon the other with no guile and in a straightforward manner. What emerges is one of the greatest stories of war of all time. This stands alongside Dispatches and Black Hawk Down but is perhaps even more remarkable as it was written by a young man at war, not a professional writer or journalist.

Written by a teenager, albeit, a resourceful, fit, intelligent son of a farmer and distinguished South African, it recounts in considerable detail the honourable soldiering on horseback and mule of young Deneys Reitz. His many encounters with the enemy; the harsh weather, difficult landscape, starvation and disease on a guerilla operation that lasted over two years, is testament in part to luck, but also to his survival skills, marksmanship, courage and tenacity. A great read which should be read with some advantage in conjunction with The Boer War by Thomas Pakenham.

Commando is the first and best known of the Deneys Reitz trilogy. It autobiographically tells the story of his part in the Boer War. He started as the sixteen year old son of a prominent Boer politician and ended with him joining Jan Smutts on his raid on Port Elizabeth. This is a story of guerrilla warfare based on minimal resources, for instance they used to visit the abandoned camp sites of British Columns just to pick up ammunition that the Tommies had dropped. They then used this to attack the very soldiers who had dropped it.

However, at the end of the Boer War Reitz was unable to accept British rule and went into exile and this is where the second volume, Trekking On starts. After a disastrous effort at hauling freight by ox cart in Madagascar which nearly cost him is life, Reitz is persuaded by Smutts to return to South Africa where he regains his health and enters local politics. At the outbreak of W.W.II Reitz joins the South African Army and takes part in the putting down of the Maritz rebellion and the campaigns in East Africa. Once the Germans are defeated in Africa he travels to England and , having decided firmly which side he would prefer to be on, joins the British Army as a private. Following a chance meeting with Smutts in London he experiences a dizzying rise in rank and ends the war, after seeing much action as the Colonel of a famous Scottish regiment.

The final book in the trilogy, No Outspan, covers Reitz's life in South African politics between the wars and concludes with him as Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa sitting on an advisory panel to Winston Churchill. in London. During this time he is visited by an Englishman who returned to him the Mauser rifle he took from him when Reitz became his prisoner during the Boer War. The last time I heard this rifle is still in the possession of Reitz's son and is regularly shot by him.

The Trilogy has been published by Wolfe Publishing as a one volume set in recent years and if you see a copy for sale, grab it!