Travis Books

Here Karen makes us all think of our first loves , but unlike Karen most of us has never had a first love that becomes rich and famous and loved by most females. A first love ,Love story that leaves you wanting more. Karen and Travis were high School sweethearts and this book has that warming feeling of high school love but then he goes on to be one of Country Music's best male singers and Karen ... (sorry I cannot tell you the whole book :)

Karen Tritt Ryon tells her story that we can all relate to so well about our first loves....But unfortunately she has to watch her first love go on to fame. And her first love is not so easy to push to the back of her memories. He becomes the famous and sexy TRAVIS TRITT. A bittersweet, well written love story.

When I first read the former Mrs. Tritt describe how she thought she was better then Travis, when they first met... I should have known how this book would end. This is a one-sided and "it's all his fault" type of recounting of a life story. And a very bad one. I'm glad I bought this book used, so I didn't waste so much money on it. If you want to read how a bitter female can be very vindictive, buy this. But I'd suggest you don't waste your money. Read between the lines though, at what she doesn't say. That's very revealing as well.

I was looking for this book for so long.I finally found it on ebay.I love Travis Tritt I met him and his new wife when they were in Halifax ,Nova Scotia ,Canada.And I bet Karen has so many memories of her life with Travis BUT I can't say that I would be
able to bury the love .Way to go Karen YOU were so lucky to be able to say that you have the memories and this is a GREAT BOOK
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS BOOK .I LOVE IT ALOT

This is simply another "married too young" story. Sadly, Karen isn't able to see it as teenage infatuation. If she really loved Travis why did she share such personal intimate details in a book? Those moments are personal and private. And why would she and another married man both discuss their sex lives with each other(certainly, youth lacks wisdom)? She violated her marriage right there. I felt badly for him, as he was much more gracious and appropriate in his book. She should know from the Bible Travis gave her that when you awaken love before its time, things often don't go the way they should. You take the risk of disaster happening and there are no guarantees. Unfortunately you then become blind and think you're in love when you've just opened up something better left until marriage. This confuses a young person and perhaps made him resent her later on for ever opening up that box. It does take two. He has to take responsibility too, but from her description of his reaction when they "got caught" he had a conscience and knew he was doing something wrong. Their youth pastor leaving his wife and kids and running off with someone from church did not help things. I am sorry for both of them - they deserved better examples. Karen also lacks understanding - if my father had given me a fur coat after my husband just worked hard to buy me a new bedroom set, I would feel as if he was trying to one up him. This communicates "you're not good enough for my daughter" to me. From reading Travis' book I get the impression he is better able to see the relationship for what it really was. He's right - who would care if he was simply an air conditioner saleman? But since he's become famous, suddenly people care. People can change a lot after high school and often times do. The real Travis hadn't even begun to mature yet, thus these two kids couldn't have possibly known each other. She struggles to understand this; he does not. See it for what is was and accept when you build on such a foundation, the odds for succeeding are against you. It can happen to anyone. Simply recognize you made a mistake and don't blame each other. You were simply a couple of kids. Hopefully you both see it through adult eyes now.

At first i was a little worried that the book i ordered would be in crappy condition since it was half the price of what i would have paid in a book store but it was perfect. I would definitely do business with this person again.

I found this text to be a very interactive one, keeping students attention by involving them in the learning process. While it may be simplified in some areas, it is a first year text and does cover the topics clearly and coherently.

As far as first year texts go, I found this to be a useful and interesting one.

This was the book my school chose as it's General Psychology book. It wasn't very good. In fact, I strongly disliked it. It simplified some problems, while completely ignoring others. It did have some good points, but the majority of the book was skewed to match the thoughts and beliefs of the writers. Very .... book!

this book was very straight forward. it was clear and easy for students to grasp. As a professor, I was shocked at the rate my students were reading the material. I am very pleased by the book's explanation of key issues in modern psychology. It should be part of every professor's book collection and for pure enjoyment.

psychology is not a real science, and this is not a real textbook. Actually almost all of the pages in this book are devoted to finding out what psychology is. How can you learn any thing from a book which author don't know what psychology is?

May be i'm wrong or prejudiced, but psychology is not a science, and i don't like it.

if you're searching for a text and learning psychology because you have to, then i think Kalat's text is better.

Travis Thrasher has won me over as an avid fan...Second Thief was Thrasher's third novel, yet the second I have read and have thoroughly enjoyed. Fast paced, easy to read, hard to put down....it catches you from the first line and coaxes you into the story, and as usual with Thrasher's stories; it leaves you wanting more. He has a way of developing his characters to a point that, no matter how unsavory they may start out, you grow to care about them and hope the best for them. This tale starts with central character, Tom Ledger, leaving his job where he is bored with his ordinary boring life and has hijacked crucial company secrets from a computer which he plans to sell to a rather ominously dangerous bidder....Tom has been going no where in life, he has left the one woman that really loved him for what he thought was a better life. Boarding a plane to his proposed wealthy future,where he shall be set for life, Tom has no idea what fate has in store for him. Seated next to a minister with whom he wants little to do , Tom finds himself selfishly praying "Please God, let me live" as the plane suddenly loses control and begins to plummet into a Nebraska cornfield. Tom incredibly does live and his choices and beliefs are questioned as he faces his second chance at correcting his mistakes in life and his chance at redemption through his journey of finding his beliefs...the story moves along at a good pace and the ending has a moral, a great double meaning for the title and a great plot twisting ending that you won't see coming. I LOVED this book and cannot wait to pick up Mr. Thrasher's next novel....I almost feel like I am dishonoring him by reading his novels out of order. I usually like to start at an author's first novel to see by the time I get to the end of his works, where their strengths lie and how they have grown...well, I have read Travis' third and last novel and both are excellent and although there may be signs of growth, he remains markedly consistant and his stories remain quite strong...my only question is....which story should I read next....thank you, Mr. Thrasher, for putting out great stories with a moral to the tale, without being preachy...while being entertaining and thought-provoking and spinning a great yarn.....A+++++++

I have read several of Travis Thrasher's books and they have tended to be slow paced, intimate and heartwarming and I have come to expect the same ol' sappy formula. While I haven't thought of Mr Trasher as the best writer, his stories are adorable and I have hoped to see more depth, range and growth in his storytelling.

Well, my prayer was answered and boy was I irritated (at first). My initial response was has he has listened to those critics and now thinks he can write a screenplay for a Tom Cruise movie. (And this is coming from someone who wanted to see something different from the author) It took me a while to get into the story, to adjust to a more fast-paced novel.Also, Mr Thrasher's narrative style which while unique is even more disconcerting for this story type. Tom Ledger is a more jaded person than all the other characters in Thrasher's books I've read so far and his slow, painful and real transformation is worth reading the book for. However, what takes the cake for me is the ending twist. Much like when I saw the movie "The Sixth Sense",I never saw it coming and even though I criticized the book at the start of reading it, when I neared the end, it all came together and it was extremely well worth it. More importantly, I got the message .

Although this novel hit the ground running, I found the story a little "typical" and too bland. The author keeps your attention through a plane crash early in the book, but other than that, the first half seems mostly uneventful.

After drudging through that part, the author takes a new twist and envelops the character in a chase across the country. With a surprise twist at the end that I never guessed coming, Mr. Thrasher has won me over as a new fan.

I would definately recommend this book. The message is heart-warming and the end really throws you for a loop. Don't let the first few chapters get in the way of this great story!

This is the second novel I've read by Mr. Thrasher, and it has secured him a place on my shelf. The Second Thief is a fast-paced ride through the 48 (or so) hours surrounding one man's near death experience in a fiery plane crash. The novel's main focus is on the flicker of life in this man's insular life as a result of the accident. Given life when many died, he tries to avoid his rapidly approaching past long enough to find out "Why Me?". Why should he survive when so many died, and what is the burden that accompanies that gift?

Travis Thrasher again creates believable characters, but doesn't flesh them out much during this short novel. That's okay, since they aren't the point. While the book has action, this isn't the point either. The real novel is inside Tom Ledger's head, as Thrasher once again shows us the inner workings of a guilty conscience and a rocky past. While Ledger is very deadpan in his self-analysis, the gradual increases in emotion and insight are the rewards that appear as the novel progresses. This Pinocchio's wooden heart is slowly struggling to become real, and THAT is what the novel wants its readers to care about. And this is exactly what it does. A fine read.

The Second Thief the third novel of Travis Thrasher, author of 'The Promise Remains' and 'The Watermark.' Writes this thought-provoking story about a desperate man, Tom Ledger, living on the edge in search of comfort and ease. It begins as Tom is willing to risk his own soul, maybe his own life by stealing his employer's closely guarded secret of vital company documents to the highest bidder. Not knowing what is going to happen to him-within hours of commiting his first crime. He's flung into a life and death drama. He boards an airplane along with one man, Kent Marks. The one man who will introduce him to the one thing that will save his life. Suddenly the airplane drops like a rock into a Nebraska cornfield. One thing of a miracle, he survives the crash. Now he faces what could be the final moments of his life.

Even at the most crucial time Tom's attempt at prayer is self-serving. Like something out of the Twilight Zone, Tom walks away from the wreckage. Tom takes a journey through the seedy underworld searching for answers why he was spared from the accident. Why was he given a second chance? That's what Tom Ledger got. When we get second chances everyday. Tom had his second chance before his final journey. He meets Earl after his rescue. This old fellow helps him in his search for life and God. Then flashbacks and fast forwards of his aunt and uncle Dale & Lily, his estranged brother Sean and his former girlfriend, Allegra and the son he never knew, Tommy. Everything he left behind had come to find him. The second chances of making things right. Here he confronts his past and all the consequences he must encounters with all the corporate espionage, terror and even murder. Trying to connect with his past he makes life and death decisions. I'll leave the question to you, the reader. Will he make the choice to follow a path that will destroy everything that he ever held dear? Or, will he find another way to his redemption and salvation? Like Tom, if you were given a second chance. What would you choose? Just remember, the Thirty-Second Psalm [Psalm 32]. It sure let me see the light about second chances. Perhaps it will for you, too.

In his introduction to this book David Travis says that he wants readers to consider "that some images are expressions that found their form because of particular human conditions in the lives of the photographers." That certainly sounds like a more achievable goal than the exploration of talent and genius described in the subtitle.

Of the seven essays included, five are devoted to the photographers Brasai, Andre Kertesz, Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand. Two essays are more general dealing with the relationship between mathematics and photography and narrative and photography.

The essays about the artists are chatty little stories, most of which seem to support a thesis that photographers careers reflect a movement from trying to please their public to trying to please themselves. The essays are interesting, but don't seem to lead to what the author himself calls the "aha" phenomena. Since the audience for this book is likely to be people who take a serious interest in photography, rather than the man on the street, the reader is unlikely to be surprised by the conclusion that some pictures nail us into a moment while others are full of ambiguity. And the essay that says that some mathematical models call to mind the work of some photographers is more likely to tell us something about the mind of Travis then about photography.

It's nice to know that even when the artist Michel Seuphor pressured Kertesz into taking pictures of Piet Mondrian's studio, Kertesz was able to impress his vision upon the picture, or that Stieglitz's affair with the 23-years-younger Georgia O'Keefe affected his photography (I should hope so!). Still, I got no new insights into photography, although that may be because I've noticed that I myself seem less interested in pleasing others and more interested in pleasing myself as I've grown older. I'm not even certain that the author's narrative achieved his goal of showing us that the photographers' lives shaped their pictures, although I'd have been willing to accept that thesis without any supporting essays. Still, the book reads quickly and interestingly, and even if it provides one with no new insights into talent and genius, it's an enjoyable way to while away a day.

"At the Edge of the Light" is a collection of seven essays on Brassaï, Kertész, metaphors about the parallels between photography and mathematics, the role of narratives in photography, Weston, Stieglitz, and Strand.

The first essay on Brassaï covers a long swath of his life, but the parts I found most interesting where those about his relationships with other artists in Paris during the late 1920's and 30's, particularly Henry Miller, and his intellectual influences, such as Goethe and Nietzsche. The best word I can find to describe the narrative and writing in this essay is "pleasant." I particularly enjoyed Travis' description of Brassaï's work as capturing "flow and duration", and contrasting it with Cartier-Bresson's "decisive moment." I found this description of Brassaï's work to be among the best aspects of the book.

The second essay deals with Kertész. Although Travis discusses much of Kertész's work during the 1920's, he mainly focuses on the picture "Chez Mondrian," Kertész's relationship with Mondrian, and even much on Mondrian himself. While I did enjoy this essay, I didn't take as much away from it as the others.

The third essay was by far my favorite, not just because it is about the relationship between mathematics and photography and I am a mathematician, but because it is genuinely deep and novel. Travis discusses the creative process in photography through metaphors with mathematical reasoning and proof in the (relatively) accessible field of number theory, even going so far as to proclaim that "there is no difference in the way a creative idea comes to a mathematician and the way one comes to a photographer." Although most of the metaphors are just that, and effectively so, the comparison between Euclid's proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and Cartier-Bresson's "Hyères, France" approaches a true bijection. This example was my absolute favorite part of the book. Travis goes further and explains the role of beauty and aesthetics in mathematical creativity, drawing upon Hadamard's "The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field." Here Travis also gets into the role of the subconscious in both mathematical and artistic creativity.

A respected curator of photography, especially at a place like the Art Institute of Chicago, going off and studying mathematics, and then coming back and teaching so much about photography, has to be one of the most remarkable intellectual exercises I have every encountered.

The fourth essay deals with how the presence or absence of narratives in photography affects our experience of the artwork. This leads to the primary discussion of the last three essays on artists in old age. Travis tries to show the importance of the later work of Weston, Stieglitz, and Strand, and the tenor of his arguments are summed up in one he makes about Strand:

"What then is there to say about a photograph of an autumn leaf, especially one in black and white? Beyond some diagram of composition, the answer to this question depends on the photographer who made it. Of Paul Strand, there is a lot to say. Of a leaf centered in his 1973 'Fall in Movement', there is less."

Travis does note that Strand himself felt photographs should stand more or less alone. I can't give an opinion on this issue, but, like all the other essays in this collection, the last four are a joy to read.

As noted by a previous reviewer, the photographic printing in this book leaves much to be desired. While mostly a distraction, the poor print quality strongly interferes with what Travis has to say about Weston's "Point Lobos."

All in all, this book is a must read if you have an interest in the art history of photography or art photography in general.

Whether it's a re-interpretation of Bresson's "decisive moment" or his feeling of strangeness that Kert?sz's Chez Mondrian remained unpublished and unknown for so long; David Travis' seven essays make for an excellent afternoon's read and offers insight into some of the subtle nuances that comprise the gamut of photographic genius. In fact, I found his essay on Kert?sz more interesting for what it said about Mondrian than about Kert?sz himself although it does provide context for his meticulous compositions Chez Mondrian and Mondrian's Pipe and that the Mondrian studio environment may have "helped to discipline [Kert?sz's] lyrical eye."

I'm afraid I was less than convinced with the curious relationship of number theory to photographic composition. Particularly the statement attributed to Cantor that "...these two sets form the same size of infinite set.." (an absurdity without dimension) and I switched-off from the details at that point. I did however, enjoy his conjecture regarding the role of the subconscious in both mathematical and artistic creativity and the acknowledgement that inspiration and perspective is often found far away from the perceived comfort of our own artistic discipline. For me this is where the book's title made every sense and on reflection served as it most important lesson.

Travis' final three essays offer plausible conjecture into the generational stages of Weston, Stieglitz and Strand not only with regards to the chronology of creative expression as identified by the Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu but also because there is much within the Rikyu aesthetic that speaks to their latter work. Well recommended!!

The book consists of seven essays, most of them based on 1991-2001 lectures. The first two deal with Brassaï and Kertész, who were active in the early part of the twentieth century. The next two concern the parallel between creativity in mathematics and in photography, and the importance of narrative in photography. The author concludes by musing on late photographs (or sets of photos) from three outstanding photographers: "Point Lobos" by Edward Weston (1944), the "Equivalents" series of clouds by Stieglitz (1920s - early 1930s), and "Fall in Movement" by Strand (1973). Some 10 pages of notes follow the 162 pages of text.

I found the book thought-provoking, and many of the photographs were new to me, but the book could have been improved in the following ways. First, an index would have enabled the reader to find specific passages or artworks of interest. For example, one might like to see again the paragraphs on Poincaré on pages 74-75, or the photos by Sternfeld on pages 80 and 85. Second, it would have been nice to know the dimensions of the original photographs. A work that is only a few square inches in size will have a different impact than one that covers an entire wall. Third, virtually the entire book discusses creations by white men; it would have been nice to introduce some diversity in race and gender. Finally, while the off-white matte 6"x8.5" paper is lovely for the text, it does not allow high-quality reproduction of the photographs. Pure white semi-glossy paper in a larger format would have been better.

Buy this book from Amazon.com!

I enjoyed this book and sailed right through it. It's a story of personal adventure that captures the cultural mood of the times, as experienced by a thoughtful young adult caught in the crazy stew of the late 1960s. There is sex, drugs & rock & roll, moral reevaluation, mystical events, all tempered with the perspective of 20-years-later hindsight. Charbeneau's philosophising on the state of man and his world is woven throughout, bringing insight to his character's motivation, but also shedding light on the thinking of the times. If you wonder what all the hubub of the 60s was about, this story brings an insight into what it was like to be a young person experiencing (at least a facet of) it firsthand, and how it resonates today.

I think that everyone from our generation will see themselves in Bob and Lara.

Hope it gets some promotion - it deseves to be marketed to the over 80 million boomers that would love it!

I'm going to read it again when my wife has finished.

Is it possible to combine a compelling story with thoughtful meditations on sexuality, human relationships, politics, religion, the meaning of life, and the legacies of the turbulent 1960s? First-time novelist Charbeneau happily accepts a challenge that would scare away many veteran writers and readers - and, by gosh, he carries it off. There's a message in this novel - many messages, really - but the story of Bob and Lara and Ann and Tom command center stage from the first page to the last and keep the reader turning the pages. (Will Bob and Lara be able to find happiness and forge a relationship that transcends their erotic and mystical union they enjoyed in 1968?)

The four main characters share experiences, drugs, and spouses as they travel through Europe in 1968. Although the war in Vietnam, anti-war protests, political activism, the Presidential election, and the Parisian "Days of May" are part of the story, sexual liberation is the primary means by which the characters experience the Sixties. The story stays safely and sanely within the universe of the characters (don't expect any special guest appearances by Bob Dylan, Jerry Rubin, or Richard Nixon in this novel), Bob's stream of consciousness mediations link the story to the larger events of 1968 and the Cold War and the larger cultural context of traditional American value and the Sixties challenge to them. Only occasionally do Bob's often poetical meditations morph into Charbeneau's ideologically-tinged rants. Only occasionally does the deftly-written, vernacular-laced descriptions and dialogue trip on a jarringly inappropriate word. Travis Charbeneau knows his subject and has something to say about American civilization in our time. To the author's credit and to the reader's benefit, Days of May communicates its message by creating real and compelling characters and making the reader care about what they do, what they say, what they feel, and what they think.

I finished Days Of May this evening. I really did enjoy it, relate to it, and identify with the characters. I'll be reflecting on the story for a long time. You have accurately and sensitively captured the feelings of my generation that resulted from the idealism, the fear and the baggage, all created by our own minds. Thank you.

At the beginning of 2006, Java 6 is looming on the horizon, so this book could be considered obsolete, were it not for the fact that most veteran java programmers have remained lazily barricated in the previous ( and now enciant ) java versions. In another case of the disciple surpassing the master, java grows form the simple, crystal clear laguage it was at his birth to a way more intimidating beast than C++, and if you happen to be one the programmers who have been left behind this text is a good and now cheap chance to absorb the features added in the 1.4 realease: NIO, assertions, regexp. NOte that this is not a java tutorial, it has been written for programmers already fluent in java, but needing a tutorial on the 1.4 extensions.
The presentation style is really clear, but I do have some issues with the code examples which in some case are a bit contrived and in a couple of cases are flawed.

Don't judge a book by it's title. I had hoped that the book would be a good primer on not only the newest version of Java but of Java itself. As a novice I was disappointed. It did provide some nice insights into where Java wanted to go and how the changes would get it there. But I had hoped for more. When I get more experience with programming I look forward to coming back to this book and more fully appreciating what it offers.

This book explains for an experienced Java developer the new features introduced in JDK1.4. Particularly the sections on assestions and Collections are very lucid and I found them very helpful. All the examples in the book are presented in a detailed and clear manner and on going through them, it is easy for a reader to understand how to use the APIs.

Novice programmers may not find this book helpful as it seems to be targeted for those developers who are already using some flavour of Java 2 platform.

I found this book to be a good tutorial when upgrading to Java 1.4. Afterwards it was also useful as a reference book.

The book clearly explains the new concepts and features in Java 1.4 and has many examples. It doesn't waste time explaining how to program in Java instead sticking to the new features. It is good to have a book that focuses mainly on new features instead of being filled up with information that is already known.

It is a good book for finding out the new features of Java 1.4.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I have to say that I was a bit offended by some things I read. I am a groomer, and in the story, the heroine makes it clear that she does not think highly of groomers. She visits a grooming salon, and much was made of the fact that the groomers were unprofessional, slovenly, and dumb. It was mentioned at least twice that groomers do not know how to "really" groom any show Poodle, and that all they do is "tie some bows on the ears and send them home." She doubts that groomers can do quality work on any show dog, especially since her Aunt Peg, a show dog handler, spent several hours doing a show trim on her Poodle.

Well, pardon ME. When a show dog handler can trim an entire poodle by hand, with no pieces sticking out, and scissor a perfect top knot, THEN you can tell me that the show dog handler has true grooming skills. As far as I am concerned, the extent of the grooming *they* do consists of mostly brushing and fluffing. I don't think it is necessary to snidely comment on the so-called "non-skills" of pet groomers just because the majority of dogs we groom do not end up in the show ring. Talk about snobbery.

Yes, I know this book is fiction, but apparently the author's opinion of groomers is not. This 'groomer-bashing' occurred in another of her books, and I just cannot ignore it anymore. I will be the first to admit that there ARE many slovenly, unprofessional groomers out there. But the things I read in this book offended ME, and I happen to be the consummate professional groomer. I work pretty darn hard, and I don't need some author constantly belittling my industry. It's certainly not fun to read.

The fact that I gave the book 3 stars despite this gripe? I guess I was feeling generous. Who would've thought a groomer had ANY redeeming qualities, right?

LIKE ALL HER BOOKS THIS ONE IS JUST SUPER , IT KEEPS YOU TO END ON YOUR CHAIR , YOU NEVER KNOW WHO DID IT OR WHY ! PLUS ON TOP YOU GET ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE DOGWORLD , WHICH SHE IS PERFECT REVIALING TO YOU ! IF YOU LIKE DOGS AND A GOOD MYSTERY THIS IS A BOOK FOR YOU !!

I was so delighted when I found this series. I don't normally pick mysteries, but am an avid dog-lover.
I do not agree that Melanie "...wear(s) on your nerves because she is so obstinate about EVERYTHING." She's tough; she's had to be, as most single parents do. She's also had a lot of change in her life just in the year that's taken place in the books.
This series, and author, are on my favorites list.

All of Laurien Berenson's Melanie Travis mysteries are entertaining and I've read most of them. My only objection is that Melanie Travis begins to wear on your nerves because she is so obstinate about EVERYTHING. There isn't just a few things she is hard headed about but everytime she comes up against something, she braces her feet. She is stubborn about her dog, her son, her job, her ex, Sam, her aunts and the list goes on. This becomes not only predictable but very boring. Melanie needs to become somewhat flexible and leave some of the pig headedness behind to make these books not only entertaining but more believable. Ms Berenson does an excellent job of transporting you to the dog show world, it's just that sometimes I wish she'd leave Melanie at home to grow up!

This book is specific about roles - I am on bedrest with a great husband who is doing everything but the book has the husband watching football on tv while grandma does everything for the family. Wish there was something that didn't focus on specific roles for everyone - it doesn't even make sense to my child as our scenario does not include a doting grandma but a dedicated father. The father in the book is some idiot who watches tv all day and is like another child that needs to be cared for - I feel sorry for the author.

When a woman is confined to bed during her pregnancy, life changes for the entire family. Routines are disrupted. Household roles shift. For young children who do not understand what bedrest is, this can be a frustrating, even frightening, time for them. Written by Heidi Travis (a music therapist who weathered her own pregnancy necessitated bedrest with a four-year-old son in the home) and colorfully illustrated by Mark Hoffmann, And Mommy's On Her Side is an ideal, explanatory picturebook that is as fun as it is informative for young readers preschool through first grade.

A friend gave me a copy of this book when I went on pregnancy bedrest. I read it with my 8-year-old daughter and she loved it! She was frustrated with me being confined to bed and was frightened I was sick. The adorable illustrations and short, simple verses made it a fun book to read....over and over again!

There might not be any substantive proof that Edgar Rice Burroughs read "Gullivar of Mars" before he started writing his own classic Barsoom series, but if you have read "A Princess of Mars" and "The Gods of Mars" then you would have to conclude ERB did read this 1905 Edwin L. Arnold novel. Of course, Arnold owes a debt to H. G. Wells and "The Time Machine" as well, not to mention Jonathan Swift, but it is the connection with ERB that has managed to keep this book in print, and deservedly so as far as I am concerned.

The basic story of "Gullivar of Mars" is that Lt. Gullivar Jones magically ends up on Mars and travels around the Red Planet trying to rescue the beautiful Princess Heru. The villain is the evil Ar-Hap, who is trying to conquer Seth, the city of the beautiful Hither folk. Originally published in 1905 as "Lieut. Gullivar Jones: His Vacation," at the time the comparisons to Swift's satire would have been clear, while from our vantage point the parallels to Burroughs are glaringly obvious. However, Gullivar Jones is nowhere near being a hero in the mold of John Carter. He certainly tries a lot, but like the original Gullivar he does not have much luck.

Keep in mind that this novel was written in 1905 and that Arnold would have been quite familiar with the utopian tradition represented by not only Swift, but Samuel Butler's "Erewhon," Edward Bellamy's "Looking Backward: 2000-1887," and other late 19th-century works where a traveler to a distant place (or time) experiences a strange new world. There are more adventure elements in Arnold's story, to be sure, but there is also a stronger sense of satire than you would find in most Burroughs pulp fiction yarns (with a few notable exceptions mostly to be found in his Venus series). With the Hither folk as lazy but sensual people, who have forgotten the knowledge and the slaves that built their advances socieites, Arnold certainly seems to be making a political point. The Hither seem like nice folk, but this is not a good society. Meanwhile, the "bad" guys, the Thither people, exhibit much more human compassion towards the strange visitor from another planet. Then there is Gulliver, who has no doubts about his superiority to both races and who actually claims part of Mars for the U.S.

Still, this novel will also remind you of a serial, where the hero has a series of adventures, one after another. Of those it is the idea of the River of Death that really stands out (the dead are floated down the river, which has some interesting effects the more up river Gullivar travels). This would be a fairly interesting science fiction adventure on its own terms, but the obvious connections with the Burroughs novels makes this the most interesting non-ERB novel ERB fans could read. This edition in the Bison Frontiers of Imagination Series offers a introduction by Richard Lupoff and an afterword by Gary Hoppenstand, which put "Gullivar of Mars" in its appropriate literary contexts with regards to both the genre and the times.

This is an early science fiction novel that was originally published in 1905. It is about an American Naval Lieutenant, Gullivar Jones, who takes a magic carpet to Mars. It is somewhat reminiscent of the works of H.G. Wells, specifically The Time Machine. That is to say, in both books the protagonist encounters two seperate races, one peaceful and one violent. Anyway, this is a pretty entertaining book. It features an intriguing blend of science fiction, quest fantasy and gothic horror. There is also a fair amount of humor in it. Fans of early science fiction should give it a read.

Gullivar of Mars (1905) by Edwin Lester Arnold - 193 pages - rating: 8.0/10

More than just a swashbuckling adventure, although much adventure there is, Gullivar of Mars is an intelligent blend of high fantasy, gothic horror and epic romantic voyage.

The writing style is classic English which does require a few pages to become accustomed to, but only a few. Once done the reader will find its unique flare to be particularly engaging and enjoyable rather than a burden.

Many suggest that Gullivar of Mars, which was written some 8 years prior to Edgar Rice Burrough's A Princess of Mars (1913), had a significant influence on the popular Burroughs novel, but you will find little similarity in style or plot. The two novels are entirely different with the exception perhaps of the location of events. I must quickly admit that A Princess of Mars remains one of my favorites of all time.

Gullivar of Mars is an excellent novel that flows smoothly and will surprise and delight you in ways you will not expect.

Claus Kellermann
2006 February 20
Sci_Fi_Researcher@yahoo.com

Excellent coverage of the waning yet most prolific years of creativity at the 500. The apparent passing of the indomitable Offy to Ford and the 4-banger's turbo reincarnation. The transition from and the last hurrah of the roadsters as they succumb to the rear engine revolution ushered in by the Cooper-Brabham & Lotus. Early NASCAR names and dragracers try their hand with innovation. Granatelli brings the roar of the Novi the futuristic whine of the underhandedly outlawed turbine and finally get his Indy win with a Ford to close in 1969. Well covered in photos and detailed text.

Very nice photos -- particularly the abundance of color. Given the title, though, its surprising that at least a third of the book deals with Indy's early days. Interesting historical context, but not totally on point.

There are a number of minor inaccuracies distributed throughout the book, particularly regarding misspelled names. Also, much of the core 1960's narrative draws heavily on Leo Levine's Ford -- The Dust and The Glory. At times it reads almost like a book report. More seriously, there is at least one instance that borders on plagiarism: in describing Jim Clark's initial impressions of the Indianapolis track, the author says that Clark found it a bit dull. From Clark's autobiography "Jim Clark at the Wheel" Clark states (referring to the same) that "overall I found it a bit dull."

I recommend this great book if you are an Indy racing enthusiast. The more I get into it the more interesting it becomes. I have seen and read many books on the history of Indianapolis racing cars. While I first thought from the title and descriptions that it was about the 60's, on cracking it open it became apparant that it reviews many decades of innovation at Indy. What is also unique is that, although other books have covered these Indy eras, this one bring new pictures, annecdotes and some spin that brings new perspective to a subject that has been covered before in other titles. What is also apparant is that there probably exists even more material for even more indepth review of any of the eras presented; in particular not only the famous vehicle and engine designs that were successful, but also the more novel ones founded on apparantly sound principles(at least to their designers and supporters) that were never able to realise their supposed potential.

What it really brings to life however is a different time when "the cars were the stars", when innovation and trying different solutions was part of the competition. It was a much different time than the current era of limited technology in chassis and secret leased engine designs.

Lets hope that perhaps Indy might exercise some vision as it moves into its next engine formula to rekindle automotive creativity in racing that can be shared and appreciated by racing enthusiasts. How about Hybrid methanol/electric powered racing cars?