W Books

As a trained mental health professional, I wanted to read the book for purely academic and research reasons. However, I found myself going on a personal journey of exploration into the relationship between myself and my father with schizophrenia. This book was amazing to me on multiple levels.

Unfortunately, most readers of this book, as well as the author of the book, even if he is his son, are misinformed. I've spent a lot of time around mentally ill people who really do seem to have something dead wrong in their brain/body biochemistry, as well as imbalances of all sorts. Charles Lachenmeyer, the Outsider, was not crazy, except for the extremely stressful situations that he was forced into from OUTSIDE ( pun intended ) sources. He was no fool, he had a PhD in sociology and was a University professor of the same. A man doesn't just go from that kind of being to a homeless guy sleeping in a puddle of his own urine on a park bench in -0 degree weather. His books are still in the sociology section of Borders and Barnes n' Noble bookstores. What happened was that Charles came up with a multi-million dollar idea as to how to revolutionarily re-structure society in a much more efficient way. However, he refused to share his idea with his colleagues, thusly with the government. Charles wanted full credit for his own idea, and rightly so. So his colleagues teamed up with various government and probably military agencies to try to ruin his life, basically to torment him into sharing his breakthrough idea of sociology. Anyone who is naive enough to doubt that various agencies are well-versed in mind-control technology and psychological warfare, needs to seriously deprogram themselves from their own mental conditioning. MK ULTRA, MAJIC, OPERATION MIND CONTROL, etc. as well as other operations are no mere conspiracy stories, even the agencies themselves willingly admit that they did these operations now, being that so much time has passed. Unfortunately, Mr. Charles Lachenmeyer was subject to their torture devices. His embarrassing dreams at night were, in turn, reenacted the following days in braod daylight public view to humiliate him by " strangers ". His family life was sabotaged away from him, leaving him all alone except for his comanion, his dog. Of course, then, the dog was kidnapped away from him, leaving him emotionally bankrupt and spent. He was then subjected to the final part of the plan, which was to make him seem like some crazy " schizophrenic " spouting off conspiracy stories, and unfortunately, even his son Nathaniel, bought into this. The whole time Charles was homeless, he was writing, more and more he was expanding on his breakthrough, as well as exposing the mind-control that he was subjected to, probably naming important names in his book. Charles was ultimately killed, and " his papers were mysteriously lost in a flood in his apartment " ( how convenient to lose all of the evidence ) All in all I think Nathaniel did well to honor his dad in this book, and I do believe that his intentions were good. The book is excellent, and I read it back to back 3 times in a row. But .... Seem like he was simply a brilliant man that became schizophrenic? Well let me pat you on the back, that's exactly what they want you to think.

I found the Outsider to be a fascinating book, one that really opened my eyes to the problems encountered by those suffereing from mental illness and schizophrenia. The son's journey to understand the father and piece together the last few years of his life is heart-wrenching and the reader truly sympathizes with his pain and anguish. A terrific book that I heartily recommend.

THE OUTSIDER brought the pain and the struggles of Charles Lachenmeyer to life. Charles was a brillant sociology professor who gradually was transformed into a victim of paranoid schizophrenia. Even at his lowest points, he kept trying, and he kept believing in humanity. In one letter to the author, he wrote, "No matter how adverse the circumstances--and mine have been adverse--there is never any reason to give up . . ."

This book breathes life into a person with mental illness, and it brings understanding. It left me in tears and with a deep respect for Charles.

I truly believe this book should be read by everyone, not just people that are going into the mental health field. I was required to ready it for a Social Work class I am currently taking at the undergraduate level; however, I can say without a doubt it is by far the best book I have ever read! Lachenmeyer really brings home the stigma and heartache that is experienced by people and their loved ones suffering from such a debilitating mental illness. Most people are unaware of the devastating effects mental illness can have on a person and their family. This book highlights so many issues concerning mental health as to responsibilities of people in the system, stigma, prejudice, and the tolerance of society in general to someone suffering from mental illness. Moreover, this book was really an awakening that this could happen to anyone at any time. I wish everyone could read this book as it really teaches a lesson on humanity!!

This is the autobiography of Japan's greatest ace pilot to survive WWII. Saburo Sakai became a hero in his homeland and his account of his place in the Pacific War is even-handed and illuminating. In the early days of the war, victory seems to come relatively easy to him and the other pilots in his fighter group due to their superior training and the excellence of the Mitsubishi Zero fighter. As the war wears on, however, and the United States becomes more fully engaged on its Western front, the tide turns and the situation becomes increasingly desperate for Sakai and his compatriots, until the inevitable crushing defeat. Sakai, along with his co-authors Martin Caidin and Fred Saito, presents exciting accounts of air battles and Saito's harrowing experience piloting his aircraft back to base after sustaining injuries that should have killed him. As good as this stuff is, I was glad that the home front wasn't neglected in his narrative. In addition to being a great air warrior, he also lived a wonderful love story with his future wife.

This is the auto biography of one of the greatest Japanese airplane aces, Saburo Sakai. The story is really well written, on the ground style, and especially gives you the perspective of the war seen from "the other side". We have been educated to read History from the winner perspective, and in this view all the Japanese are horrible monsters without any humanity... this beautiful book will change your mind and teach you that war is the most horrible things in this world, that human beings suffer and feel the same feelings, and that there are no "right" wars. Wars is ALWAYS bad...

Samurai! documents the wartime exploits of Saburo Sakai, the greatest Japanese fighter pilot to survive World War 11, in which he was credited with downing 64 enemy aircraft. Sakai, who died in September 2000 of a heart attack became a legend in his own lifetime. This book explains why.
Samurai! takes us from early victories over the Chinese airforce to the later dogfights with the Dutch, the Australians and, finally, the unstoppable Americans. Sakai, in describing his journey from a rookie pilot to the final surrender, also chronicles the rise and fall of the Japanese Imperial Naval Air Force as seen from one of the most spectacular cogs in its vast apparatus.
Saka, who was never decorated for his actions, was a truly amazing fighter who was held in adulation by his mechanics and wingmen. Indeed, of all Japan's aces, Saburo Sakai was the only one who never lost a wingman in combat. This is an astounding record for a man who engaged in over two hundred aerial melees. But then again, Saburo Sakai's story is an astounding one.
His retreat from Guadalcanal is evidence enough of that. Having suffered paralyzing wounds in his left leg and left arm and having being permanently blinded in his left eye and temporarily blinded in his right eye, with jagged pieces of metal in his back and chest and with the heavy fragments of two 5-caliber machinegun bullets imbedded in his skull, he managed to fly his crippled Zero all the way back to New Guinea. That is the stuff of Hollywood legends.
So too is his dogfight against 15 Hellcats over Iwo Jima. Although he only had sight in one eye, Sakai managed to out manouver the Hellcat fighters and land safely back on the besieged island. His escape from Iwo Jima is also the stuff of Hollywood legends.
Hollywood bases its stories on legendary warriors. And Sakai and his comrades quickly became legends as their honed skills and Mitsubishi Zeros allowed them to cut a swathe through their Chinese, Dutch and Australian enemies. Sakai's accounts of those earlier battles are like reading th accounts of Cochise, Crazy Horse or Geronimo. Sakai and the other Japanese warriors of the air went out and did what they felt they had to do. Their Zeros were as precious to them as the finest steeds were to the warriors of old. They were the cream of the crop.
Unfortunately for them, their numbers were whittled down as the war dragged on. Midway accounted for over 300 of Japan's best pilots.The Americans, meanwhile, came relentlessly at them with their Wildcat and Hellcat fighters, which were purposely designed to outpace the Zero. Time and again, Sakai stresses that it was only the Americans' lack of combat experience that saved him.
They didn't save the others. As the war dragged on, the standard of the average Japanese pilot plummeted.
This book is not a glorification If this book glorifies anything, it is the futility and blaspehemy of war. Sakai describes how business went on as usuall in China even in the middle of combat zones. He describes watching Australian pilots being eaten by sharks. His account of how his superior skills saved him at Iwo Jima reflect the skills he noted in the Dutch and Chinese pilots of the earlier chapters. The Japanese, who had been the confident hunters I nthe earlier chapters, were now the prey. Usually, they were sitting ducks, powerless to do anything but volunteer for a kamikaze mission or to train the young novices who made the bult of the kamikazes.
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, another top air ace who was later shot out of the air in an unarmed transport plane, was one of these. Sakai describes him as bing "unpredictable in the air, a genius, a poet who seemed to make his fighter respond obediently to his gentle, sure touch at the controls." Sakai constantly uses similar imagery to decribe his love for the Zero. This book has been reissued on countless occasions. Read it and find out why.

Sakai gives us insight into the progression of the war from the Japanese perspective, revealing the mindsets of those on the other side, without meandering into the chronological army list minutiae that many others succumb to. Action and emotion, quandaries of conscience and honour are always the subjects discussed.

Very good book. Highly recommended - very pleasureable read.

Also of increased value to those of us who play WWII combat flight simulators (grin).

This book shows that combat warriors on both sides have the same thoughts and concerns. They worry about their families and complain about their leadership.

I bought the Classics of Naval Literature volume after reading a library copy. That's how much the book impressed me. The top-surviving Zero naval ace of WWII, Sakai had realistic and controversial opinions of Japan's role in the war. He did much to build postwar friendships with the United States, even at risk to his own life.

Little did I realize when I bought the book that I would someday meet him. I visited him in his Tokyo home and hosted his visit to Naval Air Facility Atsugi. My book is now autographed.

Clever and creative character development, mind absorbing details takes you into the characters lives as it was long ago. A story whose creatively orchestrated plot fascinates you and grips you until the end, anticipating the intrigue of Book II.

A great book to read for all ages which takes you away to the Medieval era with details of life long ago, with virtue and honor and chivalry and nobility to enchant your wishes for the characters and idealize attributes to strive for.

A Very entertaining and enjoyable read with a map to follow and peoples lives at stake for the outcome of Truth.

I read this book in three days while on vacation in Maine. I could not put it down. While it does have a prominent theme of action and fantasy, a Sword For The Immerland King is overflowing with new ideas and true wisdom. F.W. Faller starts each chapter with a quote or proverb that relates to the following chapter. They are all very wise and relevant, and I found myself looking forward to reading each new proverb. For example, two in particular that caught my eye: "Who is the greater prisoner: the caged man whose mind transcends his physical boundaries or the untethered being whose mind holds him in a cage?" and "We are forever doomed to suffer with histories defined by those who are able to shout the loudest.". Faller also deals with some spiritual ideas, such as "cymbic" relationships and the myriad layers of the "vorn" (sort of like the soul). The characters, plot, and scenery are very skillfully developed and described. Aside from everything else, FW Faller has an exquisite way with words, a talent that he exercises in weaving this intricate tale that I will most certainly re-read after I've finished the sequel!

I was happily surprised to find out that there are still great fantasy authors out there who can not only spin a good yarn, but also do so in a way that shows morally why some ways of acting are better than others. I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.

A Sword for the Immerland King is one of the best, if not the best book I have yet read. It is a fantasy good for almost all ages that can comprehend the complex story line. The characters are real and come alive during the book. It is action packed and the world of Tessalindria is an incredible nation with a complete history. I am strongly looking forward to the next book.

The Sword of the Immerland King captivated me with a story in the epic proportion of the Lord of the Rings. With exquisite imagery and just the right balance of suspense and imagination, the author succeeds in creating a book that you never want to put down. Personally, although I read dozens of books a year, I'm not an avid fiction reader. But since I knew this author, I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed. I finished it in less than a week and now I'm reading it to my two boys (8 and 6) who only complain when I stop reading to them!

Fantastic job! I am hungry for the second volume.

I have had this book for over a year now. I use a highlight marker to highlite the informative tidbits. This book can be hard to digest because of his knowledge of chemistry and the human body.Most of his health tips are very easy to read though. I have been on a high dose vitamin regiman for most of my life and I have not had any serious health problems. I look, act and feel much better than people half my age. (I was born in 1964).Dr. Pauling started the vitamin revolution back in the late 1960's. This book (How to live longer) is like a Doctors journal. As I said earlier- alot of the book is hard to understand unless you know something about chemistry. Dr. Pauling himself took 18 grams of vitamin C a day and lived to the age of 93. I myself take about 7 grams per day but I feel that is good enough for me so far.Dr Pauling also took his own urine samples to do tests on vitamin C and he found out that only 15% of the vitamin C is excreted through the urine! That means that the other 85% is being used by the body.Go on youtube and you can watch video clips of Linus Pauling discussing the importance of vitamins.
Thank you for prolonging our lives Dr. Pauling!

I don't have enough words to tell how this book is valuable to me.
You gotta read it! It will change your habits and spam your life time on earth!
Good luck!

While I agree with those who contend that even in large doses vitamin C undoubtedly doesn't cure cancer, neither do the deadly poisons of chemotherapy and radiation. Unlike the horrible side effects and life shortening poisons of chemotherpy and radiation, even in large doses vitamin C won't poison your system and shorten your life. Having said that, I convinced that you can take to much of even an excellent vitamin such as C.

The mildest form of chemotherapy, mustard gas was used in WWI. It was so difiguring that it's use was outlawed at that time. The form most often used in present day cancer treatment is the most toxic form available. As it burns the tissues, radiation is no safer than chemotherapy.

In the 1970's Nixon declared a war on cnacer, which meant he was declaring war on our bodies. I'm not war with my body, but rather desire to do all in my power to treat as the fearfully and wonderful made creation of God that it is.

While not a cure for cancer either, a truly healthy diet, optimal doses of all vitamins and minerals, fresh air, moderate sun exposure, plenty of rest, dealing with emotional issures, etc, can prolong people's lifes, give them a better quality of life with less pain and in less advanced cases even reverse the disease. Way to often we are looking for a magic bullet supplement or treatment for disease. There are no magice bullets, but rather we all need to take "responsibility" and care for our bodies the way they were designed to be cared for. Prevention of disease not cure should be our emphasis.

User "L. POWER lp542": while Linus Pauling is a great mind and his vitamin regimine is a wonderful way to maintain a healthy immune system, his mega-doses of Vitamin C are ABSOLUTELY NOT a primary treatment for cancer, as you suggested. It is irresponsible of you to suggest that taking large doses of vitamin C can push one's cancer into remission. The only effective prescriptions for cancer are those offered by leading oncologists, like surgery, if possible; chemotherapy; radiation treatment; radiofrequency ablation; monoclonal antibodies; etc. It is irresponsible and morally abhorrent to suggest that vitamins can be an effective primary treatment for cancer when leading oncologists have never supported this hogwash. You are presenting a supplementary treatment as a primary treatment. And, since cancer is a fatal disease, your advice can actually shorten the lives of patients who would otherwise be receiving treatments that actually work and have been proven to do so in double-blind randomized placebo trials. Do you really believe that a random book (written by a Nobel laureate or not) contains secret cancer fighting tools that leading researchers and oncologists are not aware of? If vitamin C loading was so groundbreaking in the treatment of cancer, don't you think there would be articles about it in major medical journals and presentations on it at the annual ASCO (American Society of Clinincal Oncology) convention? There is a reason that mega-doses of vitamins are not used as primary treatment at cancer hospitals. That reason is that vitamin C loading is NOT a proven primary treatment for any type of cancer. There are NO studies proving that vitamins can push any type of cancer into remission. Those cancer patients you mentioned who are alive today are not living because of their vitamin loading. They're alive because of the primary treatment (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation, monoclonal antibodies, etc.) they received.

I have not read this book, but I somehow doubt that Linus Pauling would suggest in it that vitamins are a good primary treatment for cancer. In fact, I'm sure he didn't. Something this riculous could only come from a crackpot poster on Amazon...

My grandmother was taking about 26 different meds for all sorts of conditions, COPD, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol, fibromylagia, etc. etc. I figured most of her symptoms were a result of over medication and side effects. I first got the book "Best pills, Worst Pills" to review her meds. I highly recommend it. Then I started getting books on nutrition and vitamin supplementation. This book by Pauling is the best I have read. After you read it, it will give you a better understanding of how to look at you health from a big picture point of view. The other book I highly recommend is a book by Hoffer called "Putting it all together: The New Orthomolecular Medicine". He writes more about his clinical experiences. If you read the Hoffer book first, you would probably be a little more skeptical, but if you read the Linus book first, it will give you a better foundation for accepting Hoffer's propositions. GET THE BOOKS!!

Interesting, detailed story. Typical Kertzer. A must read for students of Italian, Church and/or Jewish history.

We are accustomed to viewing excellent documentaries on the TV and the big screen. It is nice to find a literary documentary just as enjoyable. The mid 19th century was an incredible time for change. Europe was adjusting to the post Napoleonic ideals of political and religious freedom. The United States was fighting against the secular immorality of slavery. Prussia was building a military machine to dominate Europe. Italy was struggling with a unification which would require shedding the medieval yoke of the Catholic Church. In the midst of these changes a 6 year old Jewish boy , Edgardo Mortara, is kidnapped within the Papal States under orders of the Inquisition. The charge is that the boy has been secretly baptized. The baptism cannot be undone and therefore the boy cannot continue to live with his Jewish parents. Governments from around the world protest the kidnapping and Pope Pius IX responds with traditional dogma. This is a wonderful researched narrative which brings together themes which will be of interest to Christians, Jews and any reader curious about the changing role of the Roman Catholic Church in this period of European history.

The excellent DVD, "Secret Files of the Inquisition", (available from Amazon and Netflix) dramatizes part of this story and includes commentary by the author, David Kertzer.

Simply one of the most insightful books I have ever read. Thank you Mr. Kertzer for illuminating this fascinating event in our history.

Douglas Wood has already summarized and evaluated this book, justly praising its historical worth. I'd like to add a note about its shock value; in a moment of history when anti-semitism seems to be a joke in some people's minds, surely this is a book that might make the pain and folly of bigotry "real" in terms of a single family, and therefore accessible to readers who can't empathize with mass tragedy.
It's also quite a thrilling book to read, by the way, a better detective story by far than Dan Brown could manufacture.

A Jewish family's illiterate Catholic housekeeper sprinkles well-water over an infant child and furtively mumbles the baptismal sacrament. When the Inquisitor learns of the deed, he orders the kidnapping of the then six-year-old Jewish boy. This foul deed is almost certainly sanctioned by the highest levels of the Catholic hierarchy. The police forcibly remove the child from his family's Bologna home and swiftly transport him to the Church's House of Catechumens in Rome for reeducation. Despite all protests from the boy's family and the Jewish community and in the face of a destabilizing international uproar, the Holy Father refuses to yield. By holy grace, the boy has been miraculously saved and the Church keeps him, inculcates him in the Catholic Christian religion, and assiduously converts the boy.

The boy kidnapped in the name of religion? Edgardo Mortara. The Holy Father in question? Pope Pius IX. The year? 1858. That's right 1858, not 1458, not 1658, but smack dab in the middle of 19th century Europe.

Historian David Kertzer tells the complete tale in his excellent work, `The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara.' As Kertzer relates in the epilogue he learned to his surprise that there was no reliable work on this topic. Kertzer sets out to remedy this gap and succeeds by examining the episode in fine detail. Using detailed court and police investigation records, Kertzer explores numerous evidentiary questions such as whether the baptism took place at all, whether the proper conditions for a valid lay baptism existed, who put the girl up to it, and how did the Inquisition find out about it?

The story is told against the background of the movement to unify Italy under secular rule. And here is yet another surprise for the uninitiated reader, including this one: until 1861 the Pope was still the temporal ruler of a wide swath of the Italian peninsula (this rule continued on a lesser scale to 1870). The treatment of young Edgardo was one of the factors that helped build support across Italy and internationally for the Risorgimento or Italian reunification.

The episode also hastened Pius IX's evolution, shall we say, to reactionary beliefs. Pius IX not only made papal infallibility part of Church dogma, but he also issued his infamous Syllabus of Errors in 1864, a broad attack on rationalism, science, and religious freedom - really a frontal assault on the Enlightenment and most other signs of progress in the previous three centuries. If Kertzer's book does nothing more than direct his reader's attention to this astonishing document, he has succeeded in the historian's task.

Kertzer examines the trial of the Inquisitor in detail and the formidable difficulties facing the prosecution. For example, what crime did the Inquisitor commit when his acts were legal at the time he committed them? Would the new government prove willing to violate the fundamental principle that the accused must have had notice of the illegality of his acts?

As for Edgardo, he remained with the Church fathers until he reached his majority and by then his conversion had firmly taken hold. He went on to become a famed proselytizer for Catholicism especially among the Jewish peoples. This role may help explain why this story has remained untold: it embarrassed Jews and Catholics alike.

Some readers may find the detail devoted to the investigations and trials to be excessive, but bear in mind that Kertzer is writing the seminal history of Edgardo's kidnapping. A fascinating tale full of surprises, very highly recommended.

a very poignant story of a boy who 'escaped' from a concentration camp. His trip to where, he doesn't know, gives so much insight to what would be going through a child during this era of time. He doesn't know anything about the outside world. This is often times humorous and then sad at others. It is a powerful story that should be read by all. There aren't really any EXCITING parts but plenty of in depth story. Mrs. Holm brings a story to paper that will not be quickly forgotten.

Wow! What an awesome book. My 10-yr-old son had to pick a book of Historical Fiction for a book report for school. We chose this one because it seemed familiar to me, then came to realize that I read it when I was a kid under the title "I am David". We took turns reading the book aloud, my son was so into it. Every boy, actually every kid, should read this book, if only to appreciate freedom and opportunity and the love of family.

When freedom is near,all, young David has to think about is how to get away without being caught. I will encourage the young people to read this book because it is a really good and easy book. In this book you will find out what David had to go through in order to get his freedom, and what dangers he had to confront on the way.

This book is about a twelve-year old boy named David. For all his life he was in prison and did not know what the outside world looked like. When David finds a great opportunity to escape many problems occur and needs to find a way to be free and safe from his old life.The title of my book was North to Freedom by Anne Holm. This book will catch your attention and will end you up with a thought of children all over the world,
and how they are being abused and kept in prison.

Some good facts about this book were, how David had help
from the guards. " You must get away tonight", the man had told
him" (Holm 1). I liked the fact that David wasn't alone in prison that there were people that cared for him, this shows that not all men that keep children in prison are bad. In David's way to freedom, he found many honorable men that helped him reach his goal. " ...I'll give you a lifebelt, and you must try to drift ashore.." (Holm 25). Here David was found by and Italian man that was headin to Italy, but the kind man left
him on board and gave him a lifebelt were he could reach Italy without being caught.

There were also many bad sides to this book. Some facts I did not like were that it ended to fast and not to much detail was given. The end of the book was kind of "weird", I would have not expect it to end the way it did. There were some points of the book that I did not like, for example, when David was suffering on his way and the fact that he was scared of people. Also that David was a chicken in some parts of the book, he was scared to help other and was a little selfish.

In conclusion, the book was interesting to read. It had many ideas that shows the world about how little kids like David suffer because of mothers errors. I would give this book an eight, form a scale of 10. It is a really good book, I liked the way it was explained even though details were needed it was very good explained and there were a lot of interesting parts. I liked this book because it caught my attention and wasn't hard to read. I learned that David fought for his freedom and this story makes me think about the American dream, freedom.

This is an engaging historical fiction novel. Set in post World War II Europe, it is also published under the titles David, and I Am David. With the help of one of the prison gaurds, 12 year old David escapes from a communist labor camp in Bulgaria with no idea what to do other than go to Denmark. The story weaves in many important themes, such as freedom, beauty, truth, and love. There are many intriguing characters, like Johannes his fellow prisoner, the family of Maria, a Danish lady in Switzerland, and a dog named King. As David crosses countries and borders, his understanding of life, God, and the aforementioned themes grows as his journey progresses. Through it all he is determined to remain true to himself. Truly an engaging read, and a good study on physical and cultural geography for kids.

I have a copy of this book from the UK that is called I Am David. It starts with a man telling David, "You must get away tonight. Stay awake so that you're ready just before the guard is changed. When you see me strike a match, the current will be cut off and you can climb over -- you'll have half a minute, no more." This starts David's journey not just to freedom and home, but also to learning how to live as a regular kid after only living in a concentration camp. It's a serious book but one that should be read.

I laughed, I cried, I remembered. Great book written by someone who knows. I highly recommend this book. Yes, it tells stories about wartime, but it is written in such a way that the whole family could read it together.

Once I started reading Chuck Truitt's book, I found it very hard to put it down. He writes in a down to earth manner just like you were there with him.

The author and I were in Vietnam during approximately the same time period though in very different roles and locations. The book conveys a sense of immediacy and presence that evokes many memories of that unique conflict, and the story is told with genuine irony and humor unusual in books about Vietnam. The reader will find the book rewarding whether they are veterans of that war or not.

Charles Truitt is a gifted writer whose stories are a pleasure to read. Pop A Yellow Smoke is a refreshingly different outlook on life as a Marine during the Vietnam War. Never has a history lesson been so amusing. A pleasant combination of facts, explanations and real life experiences givers the reader a glimpse of the every day lives our men lived. A soldier of the cross, Charles Truitt is still a true Marine at heart and I would highly recommend this book to anybody!

A refreshing glimpse of reality in the "war zone". Very subtly forces you to reconsider your priorities. After over a year since reading the book, I still find myself reflecting on various episodes that brought back wonderful memories of my own experiences in the Corps and in everyday life. I wish the Commandant would make this required reading for all Leathernecks. Great job, Gunny!

Gary "Gunny" Johnson, USMCR '82-'93

ISBN 0789429160 - Cute little board books featuring animals are everywhere, so finding a novelty among them is a pleasant surprise. The touchable, feel-able parts of this book are fairly large and the variety of them is nice.

You're invited to meet the animals on the farm, offering children a tactile experience that non-farm dwellers might otherwise miss out on completely.

That the book also introduces new adjectives into the vocabularies of small readers is a great plus. The only potential negative is that, if you get a used copy, the Touch and Feel parts aren't what they ought to be. The pig's spongy nose, in particular, can get completely flattened and the touchable spot of the chick on the cover will fade after many pettings. Buy it new, and it's well worth it; used, not so much.

Both my kids loved this book from a very young age. The touchy feely aspect really draws the attention of little ones. And all in all the books are quite durable. Mine have been well loved by our two, and are now heading to our baby cousins. The farm and baby animals were my childrens favorites.

This was my daughter's first board book and the first book she took an interest in. She loved the photographs of the animals, as opposed to drawn illustrations. The book includes a variety of textures and recognizable farm animals.

My 2 year old enjoys this set a lot. She loves touching the furry parts of the cards and they are super sturdy (cardboard). There are about 5 cards that are way to hard for her limited vocabulary so we make up the names, other than that they are great!

Whenever we go out to eat, we are sure to take this book along. It keeps my little boy (11 months) entertained while we wait for our food, and works like a charm. There is nothing better when he is screaming his head off than to pull out this book and presto, instant smile. He touches and feels and tries so hard to say baa at the sheep at bark at the dog. It is well worth the money. And so far it has held up remarkably well (even though there is rice in the dogs fur and cheese on the lambs wool).

All I can say is I loved every single thing about this book. After the first few pages I was so engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down! All the characters are so lovable. Even though they have their own serious issues, you can't help but want the best for them. W.A. Hoffman is a very talented writer and I'm so glad I discovered these books. JUST BUY THE BOOK!!! I PROMISE YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!

This is an excellent book. I enjoyed the history although some of it may not be accurate. It is predominately about two men coming to terms with their past lives and how it has affected their present ones. Both men grew throughout the book. The sex scenes were tastefully written. Will and Gaston fell in love with each other the fact that they were both men was secondary. I enjoyed the supporting characters - they were interesting and three dimensional. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the sequel.

The first few pages had me wondering if I'd just wasted my money on this book; the language was dense, sometimes awkward, with word and phrase repetitions. I wished a bit of editing would have tightened it up a bit and got me immediately involved in wanting to invest my time in this 500+ page novel. But I soldiered on and was gradually caught up in the incredible adventure! Now and then a few typos or odd usages and such would pop up, but I no longer cared. The prose (reminiscent of classic 19thC adventure tales), began to just flow, perhaps as I became more accustomed to it, but more, I think, I was just caught up as the characters were introduced and the story was established.

It's a fabulous picaresque narrative, set in 1667, told in first person by Lord John Williams, Viscount of Marsdale who has been adventuring in the capitals of Europe as a duelist, assassin and all around rogue, bedding both women and men in an audacious manner that would give Casanova a run for his money. He's been away from England for a decade, ever since some major unpleasantness between he and his cousin--and total lack of regard from his father. But weary of his dissolute lifestyle, he returns, only to find he's still not ready to settle down (he's still just 26 years old). When his father proposes that he act as his agent in his investment in a Jamaican plantation, he agrees to go. Even though he takes his responsibilities seriously, once he arrives he is intrigued by the buccaneers who are based out of Port Royal. When it is suggested that he may find it interesting to go roving with a ship in search of Spanish prizes, it doesn't take him long to sign on.

Introduction to the life of a buccaneer through Will's eyes is just fascinating. If you love sea adventure, there's a ton of it here as Will's first trip encompasses raiding pigs, making the dried meat boucan, careening, taking a galleon and being shipwrecked. He also acquires a matelot: a bunk-mate; Gaston, an aristocratic Frenchman who is said to be mad. But Will senses a kindred spirit in Gaston--or at least a well-read and agile mind in a man of a similar background, whom he can befriend-- although he eventually hopes it will become much more than that. Unfortunately, both of them are scarred by their pasts, Gaston even more than Will, so the course of true love runs far from smoothly.

Aside from Will and Gaston--two unforgettable and intricately drawn characters, there are many others, most amazingly sympathetic given the wild frontier-like quality of Port Royal and the Caribbean, such as the helpful agent, Theodore and the core of friends Will makes among the buccaneers: Striker and Pete and the Bard. The book is full of complex and interesting characters, both good and bad. The historical background seems solid enough, the details feel real. This is a substantial book, with a depth and richness that is not often encountered in most sub-genres. It is a world filled with people and events that one can immerse oneself in thoroughly and hope to never leave.

It's a fascinating read that deserves its accolades. I don't feel I can adequately express how good this book is! I can't wait to read the subsequent books in this amazing series.

I was very surprised at how much I fell in love with this book. It sounded remotely interesting since it contained a slash (M/M) romantic pirate story with some hints of angst. It's so much more than that. This book is fantastic. The angst and hurt/comfort were better than I ever could have dreamed. I won't spoil anyone, but these themes are much stronger than the book description suggests.

Beyond that, this book was written amazingly well. I have never read a book before that made me feel completely absorbed into the story. I wasn't reading to find out what happens next or to get to the good parts. The point of view allows you to feel like you're part of the story. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was really there. When I stopped reading, I felt like I was transported back to a different world. The book is that engrossing.

Another thing I love about this book is that the secondary characters all have depth as well. You get to watch them grow as the story progresses. No character is truly minor, and they all end up important in some way. Details you thought in the beginning were just filler, end up important. It all comes together in the end.

Finally, I've noticed that most independent slash books have poor grammar and spelling, which you must overlook to read the story. This book has no such problem.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to any fan of slash, historical fiction, hurt/comfort, or angst. It's the angst, hurt/comfort, and romance that make the story one of the best I've ever read, but even without all of that, this book has merit simply for the quality of its writing.

I bought "Raised by Wolves" thinking it would be a rattling good read. It is, but it is marred by poor editing, historical inaccuracies and a peculiar use of English. The main character, Will Marsdale, writing in 1666, claims to have lived through the Reformation (which took place in the previous century); he is, of course, referring to Cromwell's Commonwealth. He searches London after the fire looking for the "block" in which the family home was situated. London had a medieval street pattern. "Blocks" were never a feature of English towns. He also speaks of going to "mass" at a time Catholicism was proscribed and Catholics persecuted.

The author's attempts at seventeenth century English result in clotted verbiage which at times is nonsensical; for example, "I didn't think he'd be so conducive" (to what?) and "I will endeavour to try" (try to try?) Pepys never wrote like this! There are also elementary spelling mistakes - "miniscule" and "supercede" for "minuscule" and "supersede".

In the afterword to the book Hoffman speaks of having studied the subject of pirates in depth, which is commendable. Unfortunately she is too anxious to share her research with us at length and devotes several passages to aspects of pirate life we would rather not know - the curing of pigs, the origin of words and other irrelevant details. Other aspects of seventeenth century life, for example the laws on primogeniture and entail, she ignores.

Despite these shortcomings the reader still wants to know what happens to her amoral characters. It is a pity that more pruning and checking wasn't done at the editing stage. Reading "Raised by Wolves" would have been far more enjoyable. It would have really rattled on then!

This is the "Base" novel to the series. Introductions are made as well as history. The next book to read is "The Captains"

This new series is the answer to my prayer. Griffin is one of a handfull of authors who really KNOW war, whats involved and what actually happens. He dosen't just describle battles or campaigns, but tells you about the REAL people who do the fighting to make our country safe and strong. Alot has been said about the details of military life and how it affects the combatants and thier families both during war and peace times,but Griffin lets you actually see it. When Tom Clancey said Griffin was a great writer, it said alot about both mens abilities

I just picked this up one day at the book store because I was looking for something different. I was not disappointed. The Lieutenants was very interesting, and well written.

This wasn't a "page-turner" where you just had to find out what happened next, but the characters and situations were so engrossing that it was a very quick read anyway. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I will probably read at least the next book in the series, if not the entire series.

I would recommend this book even if you are not a big fan of military fiction, and if you are, then I'm sure you'll definitely enjoy it.

First off, this book is a novel and the genre is drama, not war. It is not about war but about the culture and relationships, history and traditions of men who prepare for and fight wars.

This book and its series is set against a wide variety of military challenges and most of them do not fighting another country. A series of careers overlap through through these challenges and the cast of characters grow to respect, loathe or just get along as they push through competing agendas and common projects. Some characters spend long periods of time in career lulls, others seem to have the right blend of traits to push past the rest only to succeed or fail under circumstances they have little influence in shaping. The fortunes of war effect soldiers in peactime as well.

The most interesting aspect of these novels is that the author lets readers get into the consiousness of almost every sort of solider. The reader meets the various characters as they meet one another and sees and thinks what they do from their various perspectives. They tell their own stories, ambitions and worries so you know whats going on in their minds. At times, the reader gets to walk in the shoes of the young private thrust into new situations, then the reader is in the head of a more experienced soldier who meets private. There are the career elisted men, the younger and older officers, the career trouble makers and cilivians who have put on uniforms, there are men whose sons are fighting beside them or wives who worry about them both. There are men who advance quickly and men who the war exposes as being out of their league.

Generally, the men must form quick impressions of their comrades. Then the impressions change or deepen. Men of oddly different backgrounds form deep friendships or intense animosities. Men find one another personally challenging, useful, an obstacle or whatever. The reason this is all important is because their lives and the future of the country hangs on every decision they make and this is what makes for such interesting and compelling reading.

There are countless tomes about battles and campaigns but very little exploration, of how comrades of the same uniform interact with one another, bond or form relationships. How can the shakey events of a single hour one afternoon effect two mens' careers and create an unalterable bond that no other influence can break. How can a lifelong relationship be broken in the same amount off time.

While this novel is unlikely to fill in your knowledge of any particular battle, it may inform your understanding of every other historical book you read by letting you get into the heads of men at every level of the fighting.

This series is much more broad that The Marines series in its time span and focus. I actually only involves so much actual fighting as to give the basis for forming judgements of mens characters in peace time. The Marines Series focuses more on military operations even if it involves very little fighting.

Awesome stuff.

If you want to understand the "culture" of the military, read this book. Then, if you liked it, read the whole "Brotherhood of War" series, of which it is the first book. I spent four years in the Navy (one in Vietnam), but I never really understood the positive side of the military until I read "The Lieutenants." It's easy to find novels that are critical of military values, and it's easy to find patriotic "action" novels that just accept those values without exploring their origin or purpose. The strength of "The Lieutenants" is that it gets inside the heads of a wide variety of soldiers, not just the five main characters. There are good guys, bad guys, and then there are "the warriors." The focus of this book is to explore the values of the small cadre of professional combat soldiers that exists within the Army, thriving in wartime and and struggling against the bureaucracy in peacetime. Yes, this novel has many flaws. The author has his odd obessions and I'm sure most readers will find at least one thing to dislike. But after re-reading this novel for sixth or seventh time over a 20-year period, I have become more tolerant of these weaknesses. W.E.B. Griffin has a unique grasp military culture and is a strong advocate of its often harsh codes of conduct. His writing caused me to re-consider my own experiences in the military and has had an effect on my political values. There are not many books that I can say that about. So, in my opinion, if you can get past the flaws, there is much of value here for anyone who wants to examine their own attitudes towards war and warriors, and perhaps even their own "warrior nature."