V Books

I read this book simply because my boyfriend said he couldn't put it down. I was mesmorized by the bravery these men went gave out to fight the fire. After every page, I kept thinking to myself, "This is TRUE." I have a stronger respect for the brave fire fighters aroundt he world. Not only is this book about the fire and the fighters themselves, but it also depicts the family's devistation after the fact. Every page brought tears to my eyes. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially family's of fire fighters. Didn't want to put it down.

I didn't think a non-fiction book about the personal and professional lives of 'everyday' people would be so well composed. Sure, I expected to read about drama and bravery and tragedy, but Sean Flynn writes with well-tuned prose and a well-honed ear for the people and the town he reveals to the reader. He has done a great service in getting to the heart and soul of the protagonists and their loved ones. He does so without exaggeration, false bravado, or romanticism. The heroic fire fighters are shown three-dimensionally, and there isn't a phony note or word in the book. And like the true heroes in history, they are far from perfect human beings. In fact, the profound issue suggested in this book is that they are willing to risk their lives because they have flaws and have felt personal pain. How else could one feel so obligated to save utter strangers at the risk of their own lives and to have such an intuitive sense of how far your body and soul can go when they're up against a formidable foe. George Orwell said that it is the job of a human being not to be a saint. If my life was at risk, and given the choice who would try and save me, I'd pick these guys over any saint, preacher, minister, or holy man.

Note to who ever wrote the Publishers Weekly review. Get a map. The second largest city in New England is Worcester Mass. not WorcHester. Those of us born and raised there pronounce the city to rhyme with mister.

All that I can say is that Sean Flynn wrote this book about a horrific true event in such a way that I feel as if I lost my friends in the blaze. I can only imagine how the true friends of these 6 men felt and continue to feel each time they see a family member of one of their perished brothers. I'm not a crying man, but I cried at some points in this story b/c they hit so close to home for one, but for two you get so wrapped up in the lives of these men that you feel the stinging pain of realizing they have died. It's a sad story, that I actually remembered hearing about after i read the book, but it's also very motivating to anybody that has thought of becoming a FF. It's almost as its a test of your heart to be a FF. Like the beginning of initiation (hazing) to become a part of a fraternity. I know two other people that read it, that upon completion(one wasn't even able to finish) withdrew from the FF applicant process in which we all signed up together. Weeds out the weak...well kinda. :o)

Either way you look at it, this is good reading. I finished in in 4 days and I was continually fussed at for 3 of those days by my 9 month pregnant girlfriend b/c I wasn't giving her the attention she wanted. Now she's reading it and i'm not getting any attention. Go fig!

Buy the book! BTW...my addiction i speak of in my title just means my addiction to FF books.

I really enjoyed this book. My dad was a firefighter and I thought the writer portrayed the firefighters with a tough realisim without taking away their compassion for what they do. The families stories seemed to convey not only the day to day fears that all firefighters families have but, a small sense of what they went through when the unimaginable happened to them. Overall a great read by a writer who seemed to care about the subject.

This is a simple, clean and potent collection of the Timeless Wisdom that is forever shared yet never attained (who would "attain" Oneness when all there IS is Oneness?)

As the quote from Huang Po states, "Here it is, right now. Start thinking about it and you miss it". There are many such quotations, from likely and unlikely suspects - from Kerouac to Rumi; from Salinger (JD not Pierre!) to Thoreau, from Advaita to Zen. That in Truth All is One becomes clear and obvious to no one, as thought fades into the silent emptiness of what is.

As the author points out, "When nothing is avoided, everything is the face of what is".

There are so many great expressions that one might be tempted to set out to read this book from start to finish. But something seems to happen, as a page is turned, some words and space appear, and the "I" disappears back into the obvious formless IS - That which is - allowing and loving all that appears to it - That which is closer than breath, thought, perception - evoking direct experience of That is the accomplishment of this wordless Being as it simply and elegantly Loves Itself.

If even one spiritual seeker reads this and "gets" that this instant before time is his/her True Nature, that closer-than-breath Vacant Awareness whereupon all seeking arises, fails, and gives up to Being-Just-That, then Mr. Baran will have done the greatest service a human being can offer a troubled world appearance: To remove that seeker from the path altogether and take that seeker beyond suffering, and remove any need for further help or support.

This wonderful book could be your Welcome to Now. Highly recommended, with great respect and love. Thanks, to The One called "Josh Baran".

Charlie Hayes (Author of Paradise Found: Recognizing and Living AS the Infinite Love That You Are).

Simplicity. Clarity.
Beautifully put together book. One of the best I have ever red.
Speaks for itself.
Nothing more to say.

My husband bought this for me for Christmas. We're faced with giving birth in February to a child who will require several open heart surgeries. I've been struggling with the anticipation and fear - mostly of the unknown. It's made the days hard to get through.

I've picked up this book no less than 10 times in the few hours since he's given it to me, and each page contains a small wisdom that reminds me to focus on where I am at this moment - even if it means embracing the anger and the fear. Each page is a gentle reminder that the moment is where we are; to dwell in the unknown is to miss living fully in the now. All the rest, everything before and beyond the now, is out of our control - and this book makes that concept a little less frightening.

Highly recommended.

I'm very happy to have encountered this little book... its size is conversely related to the wisdom of its content.
It has openned my eyes to a "new" reality and little by little is opening my heart to the present moment and nothing else.
The quotes or stories come from very different backgrounds and authors, all pointing to the same direction (or no direction at all) No matter what you believe or don't believe please allow your heart to enjoy the wisdom that you will find in this book, or more accurately, in you own heart.

Very inspiriting. Great read daily to give a person focus.

Sandman was unquestionably the finest piece of work to come out of comics in the 1990's. Neil Gaiman managed to craft an entire universe within its pages, a comprehensive mythology so complete and flawless in its execution that, at times, I find it hard to believe what I'm reading was the work of one mind. It's a conglomeration of all the world's mythologies, and he uses this tremendous microcosm as the backdrop for some astonishing stories.

Volume 2 of Absolute Sandman is when the comic starts to go down the rabbit hole, so to speak. There are moments of pure darkness and terror, as well as humorous one shots, and curious side stories. But what ties it all together is Gaiman's peerless mastering of the art of story telling. He knows how to draw you in, and he knows how to hold you there. A massive tome like this shouldn't prove so absorbing that I could read it in three sittings. It's not a quick read by any means, but once I'm in, I don't want to leave.

And no review of an Absolute release would be complete without mentioning the luxurious packaging. Beautifully bound, the book alone would be an impressive looking addition to any library. That it comes with an attractive slip case simply adds to the already considerable appeal. Even if you already own all the Sandman trades, it's well worth the cost to buy these, if you can afford the price. The over-sized art looks gorgeous, and the printing quality is superb. The extras in the back, particularly the complete script of an issue, only serve to seal the deal.

The book is over sized with with a removable box dust cover. The binding is gorgeous and cryptic. Truly inspired by Gaimans work. The pages are thick and colorful... filled with beautiful art and Gaimans amazing stories of his Endless characters.

Well, I was expecting quite a bit after reading the first Absolute Sandman, and this one delivers on all accounts. The stories are amazing (somehow, A Game of You, the one I thought I'd hate, I loved the most) and this book overall was even better than the first.

The price here is magnificent, way cheaper than store price and the price is a very small price to pay for the content. Veteran readers will, I think, be pleased with the extra content.

They took some great stories and provided them a proper packaging. A great way to read and reread the series.

If you like sandman, just a little, so you MUST have this absolute, its needless to say that it is unworldly beautyful, the kind of item that any sandman fan have (they don't have the option: "not to have", if (s)he don't have, (s)he isn't a real fan). It's full with Extras more than 100 pages of mindblowing Sandman's extras.
Really a Top "Must Have" I already have garanteed tne other 2.

There are few authors writing for young people today who have as much ability as Eoin Colfer. He could easily write best-selling long form fiction for adults, but luckily for us, he concentrates his special abilities into weaving fanciful tales that are appropriate for school libraries. Nearly all of his tales are set in or involve Ireland, and he brings the magic of the Emerald Isle to every line of his prose. Airman is a suspenseful tale that is a fitting homage to The Count of Monte Cristo. Airman tells the story of Conor Broekhart, a young man born in a hot air balloon, destined for greatness in all things. One inexplicable twist of fate puts Conor on a path of survival, and ultimately, revenge in this frenetically paced, edge-of-your-seat page turner, set against the backdrop of a fictional empire built on the real Saltee Islands off the coast of Ireland. Intrigue, politics, love, betrayal, high-adventure, flight... This book really has it all. Young and old, male and female alike will love this book. Fans of the Artemis Fowl series will appreciate the smart dialogue and careful pacing, as well as the dynamic characters. For me, Eoin Colfer is among the two or three finest writers alive that writes for young people. This book is rare gem.

"No, Little Saltee is not a place for mirth. No Maypoles nor circus antics. Especially not for Conor Finn...."

In the 1800s, Little Saltee, an island off the coast of Ireland, had become widely known to those who were imprisoned there as "Hell." At the age of 14, Conor Broekhart has seen his beloved tutor killed, discovered a conspiracy against the king (who had been like a father to him), and been thrown into the Little Saltee prison and branded a traitor. This has been through the power-hungry efforts of the conniving Marshall Hugo Bonvilain. Surely nothing could be worse than these things --- but the horrors of Little Saltee and the madmen who rule that dark world make these nightmares far more threatening.

Upon his arrival he meets Biltoe, a guard personally assigned to Conor who will do anything to make the boy's life even more miserable. After numerous beatings Conor is initiated into the "Little Saltee Kiss," a process consisting of being thrown into a pool of flesh-eating mites and then being branded for life.

"The mites went to work...scraping his skin with their infinitesimal teeth. To Conor this seemed like macabre torture: but to his person, these mites were a boon. Plant spores, agitated by the mites, disinfected his wounds, which the mites cleaned by eating all traces of infection. They chipped off blood and scab, diving deep into gashes, chewing back to the bare wound."

Conor's only hope for survival is to flee. He has always dreamed of flying, and under Victor's careful teaching, he has learned much about the process. But how can a flying machine be made in this terrible place? His every move is monitored and every day brings new ways of torment from the brutal guards. As the years pass he fights hard for survival and a place of respect among his fellow prisoners, all the while carefully ploting his miraculous escape.

With the intervention of a wise but blind ex-prisoner, Conor comes to realize he cannot just "fly-away." He must let his father know that he is still alive, see Isabella (the king's daughter and Conor's dear childhood friend) and save the little kingdom from the twisted plotting of the evil Bonvilain. He knows that his mission has become much more complicated and that he truly risks losing everything if he does not succeed. Though only 17, he has lived and seen much more than most men twice his age.

Eoin Colfer --- the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series --- brings in elements of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and other favorite classic tales. Suspense, adventure, mystery, intrigue and even a little romance make this a refreshing, totally satisfying read. The question now is, what happens to Conor? Will there be a follow-up to AIRMAN? We can only hope so.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

No, Little Saltee is not a place for mirth. No Maypoles nor circus antics. Especially not for Conor Finn...."

In the 1800s, Little Saltee, an island off the coast of Ireland, had become widely known to those who were imprisoned there as "Hell." At the age of 14, Conor Broekhart has seen his beloved tutor killed, discovered a conspiracy against the king (who had been like a father to him), and been thrown into the Little Saltee prison and branded a traitor. This has been through the power-hungry efforts of the conniving Marshall Hugo Bonvilain. Surely nothing could be worse than these things --- but the horrors of Little Saltee and the madmen who rule that dark world make these nightmares far more threatening.

Upon his arrival he meets Biltoe, a guard personally assigned to Conor who will do anything to make the boy's life even more miserable. After numerous beatings Conor is initiated into the "Little Saltee Kiss," a process consisting of being thrown into a pool of flesh-eating mites and then being branded for life.

Conor's only hope for survival is to flee. He has always dreamed of flying, and under Victor's careful teaching, he has learned much about the process. But how can a flying machine be made in this terrible place? His every move is monitored and every day brings new ways of torment from the brutal guards. As the years pass he fights hard for survival and a place of respect among his fellow prisoners, all the while carefully ploting his miraculous escape.

With the intervention of a wise but blind ex-prisoner, Conor comes to realize he cannot just "fly-away." He must let his father know that he is still alive, see Isabella (the king's daughter and Conor's dear childhood friend) and save the little kingdom from the twisted plotting of the evil Bonvilain. He knows that his mission has become much more complicated and that he truly risks losing everything if he does not succeed. Though only 17, he has lived and seen much more than most men twice his age.

Eoin Colfer --- the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series --- brings in elements of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and other favorite classic tales. Suspense, adventure, mystery, intrigue and even a little romance make this a refreshing, totally satisfying read. The question now is, what happens to Conor? Will there be a follow-up to AIRMAN? We can only hope so.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

I loved The Airman, I think it has the perfect blend of Comedy, Drama, Suspense, and everything else in between.
This is the story of how Connor goes from being Sir Connor Broekhart who saved the King's daughter and who dreams of flying, to Connor Finn, rebel, who helped in the murder of King Nick.
After he had a witnessed the murder of the king and the king's friend (Connor's teacher) by the Marshall. Connor is captured and taken to one of the toughest prisons in the world, at age fourteen.
So, the book is about how Connor survives and changes to escape the prison, in order to help his family and his beloved Queen Isabella from the Marshall, by the only way possible... to fly. Flying had always been Connor's dream and destiny and now it was Connor's ticket back.
This is a good young adult book and one of my favorite qualities about it is that it is a good read for boys as well as girls. And a smart read for anyone with big dreams and wild imaginations.

I am a big fan of Colfer (author of Artemis Fowl series), and I originally picked up his new one because I'm trying to read everything aeronautical out there in YA and Mid-grade for my own piece of fiction.

...But now I think this is my favorite Colfer yet!

Colfer has described his Artemis Fowl books as Die Hard with fairies. If that's the case, then this is Count of Monte Cristo with aircrafts. He takes Dumas, Wells, and Verne by the throat and adds his own witty, resonant voice beautifully. The book starts off with mostly setting and background, but once the action starts, it doesn't let up, leaving YA readers with a bit of fun, history, science, literature, and heart.

In 1878 Conor Broekhart was born in the sky, and since then, all he can think about is returning. A natural genius, his only playmate on the sovereign Greater Saltee Islands (off the coast of Ireland) is the fiery Princess Isabella. The two become embroiled in a political plot when the king and their tutor are assassinated and Conor is framed. He's sent to the Little Saltee Island prison, a work camp for diamond mining. Conor meets an old, blind American musician who teaches him the only way to survive the misery of the place is to forget his old life and focus on his one passion left to him: inventing flying machines.

Colfer deftly changes point of views, and seamlessly provides narrative without slowing his well-known action and understanding of science and technology. Clever names, clever plot, and deliciously crafted words. My only criticism is that the resolution seemed a bit abrupt, especially in the end where Colfer doesn't resolve the tension he had built up so well between Conor and his father. But on the whole, I spent most of my time thinking, "I wish I could write a book this well!"

One part Count of Monte Cristo, another Around the World in Eighty Days and The War in the Air, and a fourth nothing like you've ever read. I would recommend this to any teen reader or adult who loves action, but I wouldn't recommend it for tweens, as it is an older audience than Artemis Fowl because of the length, language, and misery in the prison scenes.

You will be hard pressed to find a more thorough, accurate account of a military unit than this work produced by Phil Nordyke about the 82nd Airborne Division. It is obvious that Nordyke went to great lengths to not only tell the story of this fabled military unit, but did so through the accounts of the men who actually made the history he so vividly recounts. This is a wonderful historical resource that will be used by historians for generations to come. It is also informative and entertaining.

The All American All The Way is the best book I ever read!!!
There is no foul language that I remember. It takes you through training to Berlin.
The 82nd Airborn Division stood and hooked up to jump the first mass combat jump in history, on July 10th 1943. Badly scattered on the drop,they looked at their maps to see if they knew where they were. Finally they arrived where they needed to be and in do time were fighting a small band of forces so they thought, but turned out to be tanks accompanied by infantry.
If you want to know more about the 82nd Airbore buy this book!

My father served in the 82nd with 504th parachute regiment from its inception to the war's end. He talked very little about his experiences. Mr. Nordyke's marvelous book, with its accounts by the men who fought the battles, helped me to know my dad better. It will help anyone to understand what combat is really like and the great heroism of these ordinary Americans - almost all of them mere boys. Highly recommended.

I've just finished reading "All American All The Way" and I must say that this book is by far the very best book written on any WWII unit that I have read. With many veteran accounts, Mr. Nordyke takes the reader along from airborne training, the formation of the division, and the actions that the division participated in from Sicily through Germany.

One can almost hear the roar of battle as the author, and the veterans describe fighting in the hedgerows in Normandy, or street fighting in Holland. I very highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in WWII history.

This is a very extensive, impressive and total history of the 82nd airborne division, what was called by Generals in WWII as the greatest division of the time (of course the 101st airborne would probably argue that). The scope of this book is amazing. In its 776 pages (yes, it is long but very interesting), it lays out all the campaigns fought in WWII including Sicily, Salerno, Italy, Normandy, Netherlands, the Bulge, and Germany. And, the book tells the story at the individual unit (down to company and platoon) and individual level. It is told in the words of the heroes who fought in the 82nd during the war. As mentioned in one review, this should become the standard for not only this division but for any division for laying out the story of the heroism and the tragedy of this war.

Very informative, great pictures, covers everything you need to know to raise a wonderful garden.

I've been slowly entering gardening as a serious hobby and this book was perfect for me. Whether you've never gardened before or have done it for years, this book is a wealth of valuable information. I spent hours reading it! Gorgeous photographs and easy to understand intructions and information -- this book has become an indispensable reference for me.

The information and photographs get a 5-star Rating. The binding (0 stars) fell apart the second time I opened the book.

I was a little disappointed with this book because I thought it would have more information on specific plants. It gives very little info on the specific plants and focuses on the design aspects. As a novice gardener, this book has not been very helpful to me. Don't buy it if you want a general reference guide.

This book covers almost everything including how to grow Blackberries and grapes which caught my attention and how to take care of cuttings, which I had never done before and had all sorts of doubts about. Thanks to this wonderful jewel, my back yard is now filled with all sorts of exotic flowers and plants that I have grown from cuttings off of other plants and flowers in only a few short weeks.

My husband bought me a greenhouse in February 05 so I thought this book would be perfect for us. We have tripled our flowers and plants by using this book. Now the back yard is half filled and the greenhouse is totally filled thanks to this book! Total cost was only for the soil and pots that we needed, everything else was all cuttings placed in water or placed directly in the soil until rooted.

This book is very expensive but worth it's weight in gold!
I love it!

I've never been so satisfied buying a product than when I purchased this book. Being both a Pirates of the Caribbean movies fan and moviemaking artbooks collector, I savor every inch of artwork featured in this book. I love all the artworks depicted here, but my favorite is the Kraken part, as well as most artworks done by Crash McCreery. A superb collection that any of you, movie artphiles, dare not miss.

This is a treasure-trove of fantastic (and often quite grotesque!) drawings, paintings, digital artworks, and more from the creative people that made the "Pirates" movies. It's a hefty book and makes for a great conversation piece on the coffee table.

If you are a fan of the Pirates Movies this is a must have book! The art work in this book is amazing how they show them bringing the characters from conception art work to the big screen. Some truly amazing pictures in this book very vivid like you walked into the film. Love the Book and would highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic book! I can't say enough about how well this book was put together. It's oversided quite like the "Book of Codes" from the movie with splendid artwork throughout. Needless to say I am quite pleased. If you enjoy great production artwork this volume is for you.

This Product/ Purchase was very satisfactory. The book came on time as specified at the time of purchase. The descriptions at the time of purchase made the decision to buy this item very easy, as it assured me that this was what I was looking for. There were not only detailed descriptions of what was inside the book, there was also examples of some of the images inside the book, giving a preview of what to expect. The only suggestion/ concern I had with this purchase was that the packaging could have protected the book more than it did, as when it arrived there were a few slight mishaps when the book encountered the sides of the box on a rough delivery. Other than that I am happy with the purchase.

This product arrived as pictured and described. I bought it thinking it would put a little fun into my day, but it's just too much for me. I felt kind of silly taking it out of my purse around the professionals I work with. However, this is still a good product for anybody who doesn't mind looking a little.. er.. young at heart. Just think about whether it is something you would actually use, because I ended up not using it. =[

At first i kinda had my doubts about this planner cuz i wanted something different but this seemed way too out there for me. But i bought it figuring if i dont like it i can send it back. This planner is great!!! i agree with the other reviews that it doesnt have enough pages, but for the bargain price i bought 3 and just transferred the pages over....this is a great gift for yourself or ur girlfriends.

I bought one of these for each of my daughters (19 and 30)- this is just too funny... it is a great organizer- for school or work. And it has attitude!

i have had at least 4 of this and i have bough at least one as a gift , i love it , only wish you could get refills i always by a new book , but other than that i will continue to purchase this item

This is a really cute planner, it's very girly but it doesn't have a lot of room for appointments! Other than that it does have a lot of writing room for notes and other things.

Blood of Angels is one of the best suspense novels I have read in quite some time. Set in Nashville it features Thomas Dennehy, a lead prosecutor who is known for his closing arguments and who has sent more than one criminal to death row. His new case, for which he plans to go for the maximum penalty, is against Moses Bol, a Sudanese immigrant accused of raping and murdering a white woman in a gritty part of town. As the case is contemplated a bombshell drops. An anti-death penalty professor claims he has incontrovertible proof that an executed convict that Dennehy put on death row, Wilson Owens, was innocent of the crime for which he was put to death. This throws the prosecutor's office into disarray, as well as the case against Bol, as an activist preacher claims Bol is innocent. In the meantime Dennehy thinks he's being stalked by someone, and acts directed at him get increasingly more frightening. He is soon visited, yet again, by his past, in a harrowing sequence of events.

This novel is definitely an intricate, well thought out work of suspense. The characters in this novel are very well drawn and Dennehy's relationship and interaction with them gives the novel a very personal touch.

Two thumbs up for this one.

The start was a bit misleading ( I thought I'd stumbled upon an anti-death penalty rant disguised as a novel ), but was pleasantly surprised to find myself in the middle of a fantastic thriller.

I recommend readers go through the bargain hardcover book section of their local bookstores and experiment with new authors on the cheap. That's how I found Reed Arvin and now I plan on reading all of his books.

Thomas Dennehy, Assistant District Attorney of Davidson County Tennessee, has his hands full in Blood of Angels.

The case of one Wilson Owens has come back to haunt the DA's office as new evidence has come to light that the State of Tennessee may have executed the wrong man two years ago.

Dennehy was the prosecutor in the case known at the Sunshine Grocery murders and has the singular notoriety of having convicted two men in separate trials and of separate crimes of killing the same woman. This in itself puts a tornadic twist into this book that would make it a brilliant story, but Arvin goes one-step further by hurling the racially charged murder of a local white-trash girl by a Sudanese immigrant into the mix.

Kwame Jamal Hale has come forward and delivered what may prove to be very damning evidence that he, not Owens, was the murderer at the Sunshine Grocery. His claim? He knows where the heretofore-undiscovered murder weapon can be found. Dennehy, his boss David Rayburn and soon-to-be retired fellow prosecutor Carl Becker, can only wait and watch as the circus rolls into downtown Nashville and the DA's office prepares to tender their resignations en toto, if it is proved that Wilson Owens was innocent and unlawfully executed.

Meanwhile the bond hearing of the suspected Sudanese murderer Moses Bol comes to court. The DA is dealt another blow when bail is set at $1.5 million and is paid by one Fiona Towns, a Presbyterian preacher of a dying central Nashville church that has less the dozen members.

These two stories together are not enough for Arvin. He tosses in the failing personal life of Dennehy, a cast of characters that make every page a thrill to turn and just enough action for you to gnaw your fingernails down to the cuticles. Dennehy has a wit and dark sense of humor that would be depressing if it were not written so well. Add his ex-wife, her wealthy doctor second husband, and a daughter that truly loves her daddy, and you have the full package in a legal thriller that you will be proud to recommend to every fellow fiction reader you know.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love legal thrillers, check this one out!

I loved "The Will" by Arvin and grabbed "Blood of Angels" as soon as it was released in hardcover. It is a book to own and I will read again one day. Great suspense, character developement and plot. This book has it all. It's one of those you can't put down once you start it.

As a former resident of Nashville and currently living in the city of Frankling (the hero's city) I was expecting to be somewhat familiar with the sites and locations. What I was not expecting was the absolutely riveting story - a police procedural of the first degree. I now know how residents of New York, DC, LA & Chicago feel when they read stories that take place in their city. The areas described are well-known and provide a reference point for the story.

This is the New South. Absent are evangelicals, the dominant Democrat party, close-knit generational families and a whites only landscape. Instead, Thomas Dehenny, the district attorney, is a driven, dedicated hard-drinking, divorced father who never attends church. One detects that the author (through Thomas) decries those who devote their lives to defending murderers and rapists. He asks, What about the victims? Who speaks for them?

In this case, there is a strong possiblity that the wrong man was executed. The crime involved two defendents - the shooter & the medic who actually killed the woman through negligance (he was on meth). At the same time, the city is rocked by the brutal murder of a Nationite woman by an African refugee. The struggle between low-class whites (The Nation) & the growing numbers of refugees and immigrants is real & depicted with accuracy. Into the fray steps Fiona Tonws, local Presbyterian minister/activist. Despite their positions, a romance breaks out between the two. The real villian is revealed midway through the book & he is as horrible and clever as they come. The ending was sheer perfection as was the entire story. I cannot say enough about this book! Buy it.

This is a history of the Jewish Brigade Group of the British Army, formed on 19 September 1944. They saw action in Italy in the spring of 1945 but did not have the opportunity to enter Germany until after the war was over, possibly because of the reaction some of them have to a group of German POWs - they attacked the POWs and the Jewish officers had to stand between the Jewish soldiers and the POWs. After the surrender of Germany, Sergeant Israel Carmi and Captain Johanan Peltz visit the survivors at Mauthausen and return to camp with revenge on their minds. Carmi requests a transfer to military intelligence and begins gathering information on the commanders of the SS - and forms an execution squad made of Jewish soldiers. Throughout the summer of 1945, they execute by their estimate 300 Gestapo. Then in July 1945, Peltz and Carmi go into Poland to execute a Gestapo agent hiding as a Catholic priest. As they enter the church, they discover the priest is conducting a class of teenage girls. One of the girls makes her way to them, sees the Star of David on the shoulder patch of their uniforms, and declares her wish to return to her own people - her parents had hidden her in a Catholic orphanage. They forget their original mission and take the girl back to a Displaced Person camp near their camp. This launches the Jewish Brigade Group into a new mission - rescuing Displaced Persons and smuggling them into Palestine. I recommend this book on how history can be changed by a small decision.

It is excellently written. A true story. You do not want to let go.

How this book went under the radar is beyond me! Steven Spielberg should make a movie out of this, and it could be better than "Saving Private Ryan"! This is a true story, of the first official Jewish military fighting unit. It was formed, when the British government, agreed to send 5,000 Jewish volunteers to fight in Europe, during World War II. Let your heart, mind and soul, be put in the place of a Jewish soldier: Millions of Jews being exterminated in the concentration camps, and you aren't allowed to fight back, as a recognized official unit or brigade. Now your chance comes! This book, first delves into the different types of men in this group. The feeling of helplessness, even after being approved and organized, because they're kept away from the main fighting. I was deeply impacted, as I was told, that no one, had ever worn the Star Of David, on a military uniform before. What a wonderful contrast, to the Star Of David being put on all the Holocaust victims sleeves, as a means of humiliation. When the war ends, this Jewish Brigade, decides not to stop! They continue to go after Nazi officers in hiding, and people who stole Jewish citizen's artwork and valuables. Two individual scenes, brought pride to my chest, and tears to my eyes. One was when, two of the Brigade, finally tracked down one of the Germans, who had performed various atrocities against the Jews, and one member of the Brigade, said to the war criminal: "In the name of the Jewish people, I sentence you to death!" The other scene, was when members of the Brigade, came to the gates of a concentration camp, and the skeletal survivor's in pajamas, stood looking at them, and did not speak. One soldier said, "Don't be afraid" in Yiddish. "The survivors still did not speak" "The soldier felt guilty-of his health, his strength, his good fortune, to have been spared." "He tried again, "We're Jews," he said. "Confused, a man pointed to the Star Of David on the soldier's sleeve, and asked hesitantly, "You're Jewish angels?" I could not put this book down, and have tried to think of a million different reasons, why no one has made this into a movie. I bought the book for my son, who, with starting a new family, and a new job, doesn't have time to read. But after starting this book, he read it every morning before work, and at lunch, and finished it in a week. I bought a copy and sent it to my brother, who is the busiest guy I know. He never has time to read. He read it in a week, and then passed it on to an older gentleman where he works. I sent a copy to one of my best friends; he finished it in a week. We all still discuss, and quote this book today, and I read it over three years ago!

I met Howard Blum at a book signing at the JCC in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He was there for his book "The Eve of Destruction". He is an amazing story teller and has a powerful story to tell. This story is told thru the eye's of three men and a woman, Israel Carmi, Johanan Peltz, and Arie Pinchuk, Leah Pinchuk. The British in almost a regretfully way allow a Jewish Brigade to be raised from voluteer's from Palestine. A brigade of 5000 troops who fought the Nazi's in the Italian campaign. These brave men then take on another mission. Their most important mission in their lifes, rescueing Jewish orphan children. These troops stationed in Europe after the conflict were privately hunting down war crinimal's when almost by accident they rescued a ophan Jewish girl. Darkness had almost consumed these men in the never ending spiral of death when God stepped in and handed them the orphan girl.
"The more he killed in cold blood, the more he ensured that the horror the Nazis had let loose would continue to triumph. His only hope was to make a movement away from this ruinous faith. And now he knew what he had to do. For the first time he started to envision the beginnings of a plan, an active strategy, that brought with it the possibility of a world beyond all the evil."
Now you would think this would not be such a difficult problem, however the British were determined not to allow any more Jewish refugee's into Palestine!
A thrilling true story that will keep you in suspense till then end! This was a little known unit that contributed so much to humanity.

Howard Blum has written a compelling true narrative of a small group of Jewish soldiers who fought the Nazis along side the British Army in WWII. This little known slice of history is conveyed persuasively in The Brigade.

Blum discovered this small piece of history by accident when visiting the US Holocaust Museum. After he pulled together scores of interviews, he chose to tell the story through the eyes of three soldiers and one survivor, the sister of one of the soldiers. This telling is what gives this book its potency.

The strength of The Brigade is that it reads as a novel, and the reader cannot turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens next. Blum's accurate portrayal and attention to details is what keeps us focused on the reality of this amazing story of courage and perserverance. He reminds us through his excellent storytelling that this did happen.

The book is not another war novel that expounds on the accounts of military victories. It shows the sacrifices and the souls of these men who risked their lives to save their people. It reveals their struggles and their doubts as well as their triumphant spirits.

The Brigade is a must read. It is uplifting and demonstrates the human spirit at its best.