Warner Books

I read this book many years ago when I stumbled upon it in the library while doing research for a college paper. Published in 1972, this book by Robert Crichton is a lesson in the hardships suffered by Scottish mining villages many, many years ago. The heroine, so to speak, Maggie, is a determined woman who becomes controlling and bitter over the years. Her husband, whom she sought out and won practically through seduction, is quiet and reserved. It is heartbreaking to read their story, but you just can't put this book down. You feel all the love, horror, frustration and pathos of this family right along with them.

It's been over 20 years since I read this book, and still it haunts me.

One of my all-time favorite books. I would love to have a new copy

The Camerons was so real the reader could enjoy the story with all five senses. I'd pay nearly anything for a copy. The author, I believe, was one Robert or Michael Crichton.

There isn't a year that goes by without some pause to reflect on favorite past books read - The Camerons was decidedly a gem for me! It captures another time and place so vividly; it's a book of character with many enduring and fine passages for young or old to read well into the midnight hours!

My mother is a Cameron and she so reminds me of the short, dark, frugal heroine of the book. The book is written in such detail that I was able to identify with the hard life of the coal mines and the pinching and saving that the mother was able to do so that they could move "on top of the hill". (A newer book with the same them is Homer Hickam's, "October Sky"... The mother managed the money, saved and eventually kept enough to buy a house at Myrtle Beach) The book was shared with everyone in our family and each person had that sense of our past, our own history. Perhaps all who have that Scottish heritage and then moved to the new world as miners can understand the importance of this inspiring book. I really want a copy to share with my own daughter and my son, Cameron David.

"FANS OF ADMIRAL GALLERY'S UNIQUE BRAND OF SEA YARNS WILL LOVE IT." -- Herman Wouk

"Vintage Gallery humor! As long as Fatso lives, the U.S. Navy will Survive." -- WILLIAM J. LEDERER

"The U.S. Navy doesn't need a whole fleet in the Mediterranean. All it needs is a 70-foot motorized barge -- LCU-1124 -- commanded by a resourceful Boatswain's Mate First Class like Fatso Gioninni ." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

"It would take half the page to do justice to this ferociously funny novel... The imperturbable malice Admiral Gallery uses to spoof everything from the way the Navy is run to the poverty program is an exercise in risible ingenuity. This is one of the most hilarious sugar coatings over hard core of fact I have read and if it isn't made into a movie or serve as the nucleus for a TV series, there is no justice!" -- Jefferson Parish Times, Metairie, LA

"FANS OF ADMIRAL GALLERY'S UNIQUE BRAND OF SEA YARNS WILL LOVE IT." -- Herman Wouk

"Vintage Gallery humor! As long as Fatso lives, the U.S. Navy will Survive." -- WILLIAM J. LEDERER

"The U.S. Navy doesn't need a whole fleet in the Mediterranean. All it needs is a 70-foot motorized barge -- LCU-1124 -- commanded by a resourceful Boatswain's Mate First Class like Fatso Gioninni ." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

"It would take half the page to do justice to this ferociously funny novel... The imperturbable malice Admiral Gallery uses to spoof everything from the way the Navy is run to the poverty program is an exercise in risible ingenuity. This is one of the most hilarious sugar coatings over hard core of fact I have read and if it isn't made into a movie or serve as the nucleus for a TV series, there is no justice!" -- Jefferson Parish Times, Metairie, LA

"FANS OF ADMIRAL GALLERY'S UNIQUE BRAND OF SEA YARNS WILL LOVE IT." -- Herman Wouk

"Vintage Gallery humor! As long as Fatso lives, the U.S. Navy will Survive." -- WILLIAM J. LEDERER

"The U.S. Navy doesn't need a whole fleet in the Mediterranean. All it needs is a 70-foot motorized barge -- LCU-1124 -- commanded by a resourceful Boatswain's Mate First Class like Fatso Gioninni ." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

"It would take half the page to do justice to this ferociously funny novel... The imperturbable malice Admiral Gallery uses to spoof everything from the way the Navy is run to the poverty program is an exercise in risible ingenuity. This is one of the most hilarious sugar coatings over hard core of fact I have read and if it isn't made into a movie or serve as the nucleus for a TV series, there is no justice!" -- Jefferson Parish Times, Metairie, LA

Cap'n Fatso
"FANS OF ADMIRAL GALLERY'S UNIQUE BRAND OF SEA YARNS WILL LOVE IT." -- Herman Wouk

"Vintage Gallery humor! As long as Fatso lives, the U.S. Navy will Survive." -- WILLIAM J. LEDERER

"The U.S. Navy doesn't need a whole fleet in the Mediterranean. All it needs is a 70-foot motorized barge -- LCU-1124 -- commanded by a resourceful Boatswain's Mate First Class like Fatso Gioninni ." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

"It would take half the page to do justice to this ferociously funny novel... The imperturbable malice Admiral Gallery uses to spoof everything from the way the Navy is run to the poverty program is an exercise in risible ingenuity. This is one of the most hilarious sugar coatings over hard core of fact I have read and if it isn't made into a movie or serve as the nucleus for a TV series, there is no justice!" -- Jefferson Parish Times, Metairie, LA

Cap'n Fatso
"FANS OF ADMIRAL GALLERY'S UNIQUE BRAND OF SEA YARNS WILL LOVE IT." -- Herman Wouk

"Vintage Gallery humor! As long as Fatso lives, the U.S. Navy will Survive." -- WILLIAM J. LEDERER

"The U.S. Navy doesn't need a whole fleet in the Mediterranean. All it needs is a 70-foot motorized barge -- LCU-1124 -- commanded by a resourceful Boatswain's Mate First Class like Fatso Gioninni ." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

"It would take half the page to do justice to this ferociously funny novel... The imperturbable malice Admiral Gallery uses to spoof everything from the way the Navy is run to the poverty program is an exercise in risible ingenuity. This is one of the most hilarious sugar coatings over hard core of fact I have read and if it isn't made into a movie or serve as the nucleus for a TV series, there is no justice!" -- Jefferson Parish Times, Metairie, LA

One of the most incredible books I have ever read. I had the honor of meeting Col. Dramesi at age 14 in Mt. Home AFB, Idaho. He and my father Col. David Reiner worked together flying F-111's. He has been and always will be an inspiration in my life. I have read this book countless times and over the years did countless book reports in school. Col. Dramesi is a hero's hero!

I had the distinct honor of serving under Colonel Dramesi after he became the Wing Commander of the 509 Bomb Wing (M), Pease AFB, NH. When I knew him at Pease AFB, Colonel Dramesi was a quiet man, but he deserved everyone's respect. His outstanding book recalls his captivity in the Hanoi Hilton and is, by far, the most descriptive of all books I have ever read about what these HEROES experienced. The book depicts his experiences of being shot down over Vietnam, an accurate description of the deplorable conditions in which he was forced to endure in Cell #6, his recollection of personal torture for literally 38 days in a row, his two escape attempts from the Hanoi Hilton, and the sorrowful loss of his friend Capt Ed Adderbury. Although I have somehow misplaced my copy of the book (I am looking for a replacement), I remember that Colonel Dramesi was, and always will be, worthy of the following statement: "Welcome Home American." A "must have" for anyone who wants to know the truth about our POW's in Vietnam. Colonel: You will never be forgotten!

I've read the book Code of Honor and found it to be absolutely amazing! Colonel Dramesi is a very brave man who has been through a lot in his life. I have had the opportunity to talk to him and learn of his feelings about the war and being imprisoned. I would recommend his book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Vietnam War and the prison camps in Hanoi.

Lt. John Dramesi was assigned to the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB,SC in 1958. We were on temp duty at Matagorda Bombing Range in TX. On take off in his F100 he hit a herd of deer. I forget how many. We painted the amount on his plane. His landing gear was crippled and he made an emergency landing at Foster AFB,TX. I was sent to repair the electrical damage. I read his book and am not suprised at his bravery. What a man. We had many of them at Myrtle Beach.The Maintenance men called him "THE DEER SLAYER" after that.

I worked around Col.Dramesi, while I was stationed at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. I was fortunate enough to get an autographed copy of his book when it was first released. He was a living legend at Plattsburgh, and people were truly in awe of him. Thank you, Colonel Dramesi, for serving your country so honorably!

There is no such thing as a bad Ross MacDonald novel, but while this is good, it isn't typical of his best work. MacDonald's Lew Archer novels are correctly judged to be the great successor works to the great stories and novels of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Together the three writers constitute the Great Triumvirate of the American hardboiled school. While MacDonald doesn't write prose quite as brilliant or memorable as his two predecessors, he created characters of greater depth and complexity. He also wrote a larger quantity of great novels than either Hammett or Chandler.

Despite all this, THE DROWNING POOL does not stand out very far from what Hammett and Chandler had achieved and it did not really put on display MacDonald's later innovations. If there is a theme running through MacDonald's best books like THE CHILL or THE INSTANT ENEMY or THE MOVING TARGET is it this: "The sins of the fathers will be visited unto the second and third generations." In almost all of his mature novels Lew Archer starts off investigating some incident in the present that ends up having roots 20 or 30 or 40 years earlier. His novels always puts me in mind of Yeats's "Leda and the Swan," where the rape of Leda by Zeus in the form of a swan inevitably leads to the tragedy of the Trojan war: "A shudder in the loins engenders there/The broken wall, the burning roof and tower/And Agamemnon dead." There is an intricate causality in the Archer novels. Things happen not because of anything happening right here and now, but in almost foreordained fashion because of actions in a previous generation. THE DROWNING POOL has a smidgen of this, but not much. The causality developed here is the later view of causality in embryonic form.

The amazing thing is that even though this is not quite as breathtaking as later MacDonald novels, it is still absolutely first rate. Ironically, this is one of his best-known novels, even if it isn't one of his very best. The reason is easy to identify: it was made into a movie starring Paul Newman. In fact, though MacDonald is clearly one of the Big Three hardboiled writers, unlike Hammett and Chandler -- both of whose novels have been turned into several great films -- MacDonald's books simply do not lend themselves to conversion to movies. Paul Newman did play Lew Archer as Harper in two movies, but they were not of the same quality as the best films based on Hammett and Chandler books. HARPER was a film version of THE MOVING TARGET, so both the title and the main character underwent a name change. Unbelievably, MacDonald's best book -- and one of the two or three greatest hardboiled novels ever written -- THE CHILL has never been made into a movie. The film that is closest to the world of Lew Archer has no connection to any novel by MacDonald, Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN, which is much closer to MacDonald in spirit than to either Hammett or Chandler.

Still, this is must read MacDonald. His books would get better, but that isn't to say that this isn't a good, even a great, novel.

Of all the classic heroes in hard-boiled fiction (Spade, Marlowe, etc.) I've always found Lew Archer to be my favorite. Maybe it's because MacDonald does such a superlative job illustrating Archer's flaws, doubts and shortcomings. Rather than some iron-jawed superhero, he's a compellingly complex person whose battered conscience ultimately makes him more heroic. Many readers consider The Drowning Pool to be the best Archer book and it's hard to argue that contention. If pressed, I might rank The Way Some People Die just a little bit higher, but both books are so good it's stupid to quibble. I haven't read The Barbarous Coast yet, but look forward to diving in soon.. and afterward I might have to revise my opinion regarding Archer's best case once again.

A different Lew Archer here than THE BLUE HAMMER Lew Archer. The tone is in TDP is more gritty and hardboiled. Lew is less the romantic toward the ladies he meets. I like Macdonalds' writing in TDP. A less polished and more direct style has its appeal. There's less psychological development of the characters, more emphasis on plot.

I hesitate to call this a classic because some people consider "classics" as dull and out-dated. And there's nothing dull or out-dated here (well, maybe that paying $10 to be driven from Las Vegas to L. A. is a bit out of date).

Archer's hired to discover who sent his client's husband a letter accusing her of infidelity. Introduced to the family and friends at a party as a Hollywood agent, he is sensitive to the growing tension and explosive atmosphere. The reader knows of course that somebody's going to be murdered, but these early chapters are among the most skillfully written to build suspense that I've ever read.

Written in 1950, the inclusion of a homosexual couple was quite daring although there is not graphic description, and isn't significant enough a factor of the plot to either offend or attract a reader.

Read this and I'm sure you'll find it on your own list of crime classics.

In this skillfully written tale of murder and intrigue, Ross MacDonald manages to "out Chandler" Raymond Chandler. It's Southern California, circa 1950, and hardboiled detective Lew Archer finds himself traversing the same landscapes Chandler's Philip Marlowe does in The Big Sleep, High Window and The Long Goodbye.
The plot of The Drowning Pool is complex enough to be interesting without being convoluted or forced. Greed, blackmail, homosexuality and family dysfunction all play roles in advancing the nicely paced narrative. Thrown in for good measure are seductive women, a number of action scenes and a Lolita like teenager named Cathy.
MacDonald's very descriptive prose is quite effective. And there's plenty of memorable dialogue. My personal favorite: "Your reminiscences fascinate me. May I take notes?"
You'd be hard pressed to find a more satisfying example of noir crime writing. An enthusiastic 5 stars.

I have found that Amazon reader ratings, taken as the averages presented, are pretty true to reality, though I might be slightly more of a critic and give books, in general about half a star less. However, this book lives up to its rating! The only thing I can't figure out is why more people have not read it (assuming the number of reader reviews is an indication of the number of readers). Anyway, if you enjoy well-written, thought-provoking literary works, you WILL want to read this one!

I have to say that the beginning of the novel can only be appreciated once you get beyond it. Taken on its own, it is not particularly interesting and would not have drawn me in. Keep reading. Immediaqtely after the first chapter, the intrigue takes hold. This unpredictable, brilliant novel has received my ultimate praise!

Psychologically deep, well-plotted, heart-wrenching, almost Dostoyevskian grandeur. Haven't been as moved and disturbed by a novel since R Yates *Revolutionary Road.*

Simon Mawer's The Fall is an excellent work of fiction, one of the most enjoyable novels I have read in a long time. The story concerns several intertwining relationships that span the late 1930s through present day England. The novel opens as Jamie Matthewson, world-renowned climber falls to his death in a climb he was sure to fail at. His old, somewhat estranged friend Rob Dewar hears of the accident over the radio in his car, and immediately heads to attend the funeral and Jamie's wife and mother, to the displeasure of his wife. Rob's return to the climbing world he left behind years ago forces him to recall, for our benefit, his relationship with Jamie and the reasons for its disintegration. Rob's story involves not only Jamie and Rob, but the relationship of all of their parents many years ago. The narrative shifts between Rob's first-person explanation of the Jamie-Rob years and a third-person narrative of their mothers' friendship and various loves during World War II England. The Fall is a fascinating look at many "falls"--falling to one's death, falling in and out of love, falling into sin, the fall of one's life. It's a compelling, well-written read. Enjoy.

I read "The Gospel of Judas" last year. So I chose this book for our book club's reading selection. I can't say everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. Most people were distracted by the mountain climbing scenes. Everyone though it was a great story but I am not sure they got as much out of it as I did. As an english major I am a little more tuned in to seeing under the imagery and the words that Mawer chooses. I loved the play with light and dark. And the thought provoking situations. It made for great conversation in the group. And I got to read an author who isn't crusty all over with boring language. Mawer doesn't beat you over the head with the metaphors, he simply puts them out there and you either enjoy them or you don't. It is a great read for readers of all levels. Something for everyone!

This is a powerhouse of a novel that will have you reading compulsively until you've turned the last page, and will leave you deep in thought long after that. "The Fall" has achieved a place on my Top 10 list of favorite works of fiction.

Rob Dewer hears on the car radio that his old friend and mountain climbing partner, Jamie Matthewson, has fallen to his death while making an almost suicidal solo climb. Although the two men have not been in touch for years, the news hits Dewer hard, stirring up a series of memories and strong, unresolved feelings from long ago. He immediately turns his car towards Wales and begins a journey, not only to bring comfort to Matthewson's widow, his old friend and former lover, Ruth, but into the past where decades old secrets and betrayals are disclosed.

Author Simon Mawer writes, "At some time or other you must confront your past. We are our past...There is nothing else, and none of it can be undone." Mawer visits the past of a group of people who are intimately connected through friendship, love, lust, jealousy, competition, hatred and blood ties. The enormous power of some of Mawer's characters is almost overwhelming at times, as is their extreme fragility and vulnerability. His prose is masterful and poignant. The plot is riveting, compelling, almost brutal, in its honesty. I have never been very interested in the sport of climbing, but Mawer's narrative transported me, time and time again, on exhilarating treks up mountainsides; the action so vividly described that I felt that I was one of the climbers. His descriptions of landscapes, both fierce and bucolic, are as visual as paintings. Mawer is indeed a master craftsman.

This is a novel of love, of moral choices and decisions that life forces us to make. Sometimes the repercussions of these decisions echo into the future, for generations to come. This is truly one of the most amazingly original novels I have read in years and it has effected me deeply. I cannot praise "The Fall" highly enough!
JANA

I received this book as a gift, sent to me by my friend Carol Howard. After putting it in the mail, she sent an email to let me know "a special book" was coming. She didn't want to spoil the suprise by telling me the name of the book or its author, so here (with her permission) is how she described the book:

"It is a great book by a very famous author and by the time you finish this book your consciousness will be changed forever. You will never look at the world in the same way ever again if you sit down and read the book all the way through in one sitting especially. But beware, you will experience small tremors and convulsions in your body as you read through this book for it has a profound effect on the consciousness and really gets the energy going. I don't want to tell you the name or the author because I want it to be a surprise. But he is very famous and has a cult following and is hailed by critics as one of the most original thinkers of our time. This book definitely lets you see into parallel universes and stimulates creative thinking among other things. So I really hope you like it and I also hope you save this email so you can tell me if I described the book accurately to you."

Next day she added: "...don't worry, even though the writer and the book have a cult following and it is very cathartic, the followers are not too rigid because it is about stuff that everyone can relate to, and also has a lot in it about animal communication and their view of our world that is often revolutionary and startling."

Well, I was surprised, to say the least. Although her description was completely misleading, it was also completely true! As she'd warned, I indeed experienced "tremors and convulsions" (of laughter) and all the rest. I laughed out loud. Then laughed again when I re-read Carol's email description.

By the way, of all the cartoons in this volume, I had only seen two before. But your mileage may vary.

In summary, this is a great book that I was lucky enough to get from a great friend with a great sense of humor.

It was an ok purchase. I am a die hard fan of far side as it appeals to my sense of humour. However, it had about as much duration as the average archie comic and left no lasting impression. No desire to re-read. Overall a fair book.

i can't tell you whether or not to buy this collection, you either like gary larson's work or you don't. and if you know his work, and everyone does, you already know if you want this. it's a winner. and has a brief intro by stephen king--it comes to no surprise that king is a fan of the far side. they seem to fit together.

I'll write the review for this book as soon as I'm able to stop laughing.

The Far Side Galleries are literature's version of greatest hits CDs. This edition is even forwarded by Stephen King.

The artistic masterpieces in this one come from the books Brides of The Far Side, Valley of the Far Side and It Came From the Far Side. It may be cheaper to buy these books individually instead of this gallery so compare prices before purchasing.

The advantage of owning the galleries is that some cartoons are full page size which is three times the size of the original books. Not all cartoons are full size though just some.

Classic cartoons contained in this one such as dogs looking at slides with one pointing to the screen, "Now in this slide we can see how the cornered cat has seems to grow suddenly bigger, Trickery! Trickery! Trickery!" Another has a guy waking up with a post it note on his left foot where his toe should be with the words "Went to market" on it. The classic human parody of nagging where a bear demands of her husband who has No. 8 shaved into his fur, a huge tag with no.8 on his ear and a needle sticking out of him "Late Again! This Better Be Good!"

Is this book better than other galleries? Well that's a matter of opinion, different ones appeal to different people. Should you buy it? Yes!

I LOVED this book. I read a lot, and don't love most of what I read, but I loved this book. Kamla quickly and steadily emerged as the wise and quiet commentary over the unstable and difficult struggle faced by the family she came to love (and not love).

I swear I could SMELL and TASTE India while reading this book.

I am exhausted. I have just spent the last week racing around India in the late 1940's, struggling with the loss of love, fighting to keep faith and belief alive, and despairing at the imperfections of the human heart. Aimee Liu's Flash House is a myriad of subplots all rolled into one dazzling central theme - fighting for what you believe in and never giving up on what or who you love.

Joanna Shaw met her husband Aidan in a 'Maze of Mirrors' attraction at a beach-side carnvial. From word go, his interests in the world, his unique beliefs outside of Joanna's previous "Pleasantivlle" life were a gasping, sweet breath of fresh air for Joanna. When Aidan follows his journalism career to India, Joanna packs up their home and their son Simon and dutifully and happily follows. Settled in New Dehli, Aidan leaves Joanna asleep in their bed to set out on what she has been told is an 'assignment'. In his absence, Joanna goes ahead with her employment in New Delhi - running a Safe House for rescuing child prostitues...one of which becomes elemental in ironically rescuing Joanna. From the minute little Kamla, the girl with the turquoise eyes, rests her sight on "Mrs Shaw" she "claims" her as the physical entity of her freedom. After suffering a savage destruction of her innocence, Kamla runs to the only place she can think of, Joanna's residence. Amidst highly volatile political unrest, Joanna takes Kamla in after learning of her history and decides to deal with the consequences of personally rescuing an Indian orphan later. Just days later, Joanna receives a telegram of Aidan's disappearance after his plane went down in the Karakoram mountain range and Joanna's entire existence gets thrown off course.

So begins this wonderful, wild adventure told with scissor-sharp precision by the glorious writer, Aimee Liu. As it increasingly appears to the reader, the circumstances that Joanna met Aidan in, the maze of mirrors, may have laid the groundwork for what Liu slowly reveals of their smoke and mirror marriage. Accompanied by Lawrence Malcolm, an Australian friend of Aidan's and little Kamla who proves to be a talented translator, Joanna packs up her son Simon and does the only thing she feels sure of - going after Aidan.

This novel explores the strength, the stubborness, the fraility and the invicibility of unconditional love and all of the complicated mess of emotions that are unable to be contained, that don't fit neatly into a clean little box. Liu's language and descriptions left me breathless and shaking my head - walking alongside these beautifully crafted characters was an absolute joy...with the ultimate question of Aidan's location dangling above me like a carrot for the entire journey. Flash House is a convicting satsifying and unpredictable read and overall was a perfectly paced tale of adventure and love, a combination that Aimee Liu has pulled off with great skill and authenticity.

If I could give this novel ten stars, I would because this is everything that a novel should be. The twists and turns in the plot capture your interest and hold you captive yet it is the rich lyrical use of language that truly make the book memorable. This is an author who uses words like magic to weave you into a spell of love and intrigue.

The epilogue of this plot-driven novel is satisfying at all levels and the author does the reader the great service of truly wrapping up the novel to a lovely and believable ending.

The only negative that I would caution about is that on occasion the jump from the novel being told in the voice of Joanna to the voice of Kamla is not a smooth transition. However, it is hard to conceive of any way in which the author could have made the transition less jarring.

In the beginning it is somewhat disappointing that Aidan is not a fully drawn out character that would allow the reader to fully understand why Joanna is so driven in her search for the truth. Yet as the novel progresses, it becomes more clear why the author is so clever in slowly revealing the complexities of this character.

The insights into history and culture whet your appetite to learn more about Asia in the post World War II era. This is a book that will capture the delight of book clubs for the foreseeable future!

Set against the backdrop of The Game in which the U.K. and the Soviet Union strive to influence India's future, this historical espionage novel is a terrific read. The story is a good one, the writing better than usual and the detail and ambience superb.

I loved this book! I picked it up on impluse, just liked the look of it. I had no idea when I finished it, I would put it down as one of my favorites. Joanna Shaw and the people who make up her family and life are unforgettable.

If you never listened to IZ then you should. He was the best Hawawii had. This book contains alot of good songs. The problem is alot of them are written in Hawaian so dont expect to play and sing them if you dont listen to the music. It is a shame that the best Blues,Rock,PoP and yes Hawaian music always come after the passing of the singer. Give this a shot. Music is music for all and in Hawaii IZ was the best.

Transcriptions of Iz's most popular tunes from several of his albums. I'll never sound like him, but it's good to see what he was doing and try to imitate it. Beautifully illustrated.

I just happen to love the music of Izzy. When you buy this sheet music book to go with your Izzy cd's, that's the perfect combination to start practicing your ukulele or guitar. Don't forget to buy your cd's. They don't come with the book. This is the book only.

I like the different pieces that call for acoustic guitar 1 or 2 and also for 1 or 2 ukuleles.

Any IZ fan (especially those Ukulele players) should own this book. With the 10th anniversary of his passing his popularity is growing and having this songbook with continue to keep him near you (I just I had my ukulele strung with a low 'g').

INSPIRED BY BROTHER IZ'S MUSIC, A FELLOW MUSICIAN IS QUITE HAMPERED WHEN THE SONGS ARE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOMINATED BY THE LETTER "K"!

THE MUSIC BOOK IS A TREASURE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ATTEMPT TO HONOR BRO. IZ BY IMITATION. THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT ONLY 12 SONGS ARE INCLUDED.

WITH THE RESURGENCE OF POPULARITY, PUBLISHING MORE (OR ALL) OF HIS SONGS MAY BE A VIABLE OPTION.

Really enjoyed this book and am trying to get the rest of them in hardback. Baldwin does a superb job of writing of the order of Heinlein, Zahn and Laumer (my other favorites). His technology descriptions make you think these anti-gravity and hyperspace things really work! Please write more!

The Helmsman is a great start to an excellent series of books that revolve around the main character, Wilf Brim, and his adventures in space. While the basic story line, lowly peon advances to fame and riches while gaining love of beauteous princess, is predictable it is done with a style and class that make the reader ignore that aspect. Also, the gritty reality and attention to details help to make Wilf Brim's universe real in the readers mind. Overall this book is an outstanding read alone or beginning to a series.

If I had to make a complaint about this book I would have to say that the author does not give enough information on Wilf's background. While there are repeated references to his past and his family there is never any detail given. While this is not a terrible thing, flash backs can sometimes be annoying, the author references back to them too much to leave unexplained.

I was a bit hesitant, after reading most of the first chapter, because it seemed like there was a ton of really "heavy" description of stuff, and it was starting to bog down.

But I continued reading, and I was glad I did. Though the "heavy" descriptions may not get any lighter, the pace definitely picks up to a good level. This book is an excellent sci-fi tale, with interesting (not to mention fun) characters, a terrific plot (except for at least one point which I'll bring up later), and an ending which makes you want to read the next book in the series (which I want to).

There was a slight disturbance for me with the relationship between the main character (Wilf Brim) and his love interest. The fact that she decides to continue on with her arranged marriage to another man, and keep Brim around `on the side' seemed to rub me the wrong way. The marriage didn't happen in this book, though, so there's always hope things will turn out for the best.

Plenty of action, a little romance thrown in, and plenty of cool technologies to marvel over make this book a good one in my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I believe you will too.

This book is the start of a classic, fun, SCI-FI series that you will not regret reading. The Directors cut is worth every bit for its quality, printing and layout. The story is as fun as ever, and is one of those fun books that you can read and reread again and again. It is a lot like the stories of the late Robert Heinlein, in the lines of "The Rolling Stones" and "Starship Troopers". By the time you finish, you will find you do care what happens to Wilf Ansor Brim, will he get the Princess Margot, and what will happen in the Galactic war? The story loosely follows WW1/WW2 history, with many of the grand battles, long deployments, and special missions. It has a lot of the elements of fun and adventure, where Wilf meets up with characters from every spectrum, and beats the odds. Bill Baldwin has created a wonderfully fun series, which ages well, and is well worth the investment. Give it to your kids to read, and get them hooked on reading by having fun, and going back to the days when SCI-FI was an adventure, and not always hooked on deep technical accuracy to explain everything. In the Wilf Brim universe, starships travel faster than light because they can, and Bear like people have replaced Scotty as the ever present "fix it" engineers. Get it, and have fun!!! ...

In this re-release of Bill Baldwin's best selling The Helmsman, Timberwolf Press kicks off the Wilf Brim series. If this first installment is any indication, the series should reach best selling status once again. The first paragraph of chapter one was so well written, I read it through three times. This man can write!

Wilf Ansor Brim - the helmsman - is a charismatic character indeed. Through intelligence, skill, and grit he has raised himself from humble beginnings to reach what to most would be an impossible goal. Determination has taken him from life in lowly Carescrian mines to one as officer of the Imperial Fleet. His courage eventually transforms him into a decorated hero of space battles, mingling with royalty in palaces of State.

Wilf Brim is a warrior with the soul of a poet. In The Helmsman, we meet his compatriots - Nik Ursis, the huge Barbousse, Capt. Collingswood - as Wilf sees his first battle action. He soon gains a reputation as one who excels at whatever he's assigned, whether it be blockade duty, ground battle, or rescuing prisoners of war. Through it all he forges strong bonds of friendship, gaining respect from peers and commanders. Oh, and his life is not all battle action all the time. Wilf finds love with Princess Margot Effer'Wyck. The beautiful royal is scheduled to marry another man, but seeks out Wilf to be her secret lover. Does she really love the commoner, or is he simply a pleasant diversion? Maybe we'll find out in future books if Wilf and Margo stay together.

The battle action is tremendous and the characters well defined. Bill Baldwin turns a fine phrase. Whether you are a sci fi genre fan or not, give this one a try.

I have very high standards when it comes to idols (at least by my warped definition). Mrs. Lynn managed to be both an idol and hero to me. She is a strong out spoken female that refuses to compromise her beliefs to fit into a cookie cutter/hollywood type image. The best day of my life was getting to visit her ranch and pose for a photo on her steps. I love both of her books although Still Woman Enough is my favorite as she is completely relaxed in being herself. Loretta Lynn is an inspritation for all women young and old that have had to overcome hard challenges in life.

I have been completely in love with Loretta Lynn ever since I saw "Coal Miner's Daughter." I didn't even know who she was til I watched the movie at age 14, then I read the book and became hooked on her music. She is an amazing woman. Her life has been hard, and she doesn't take any of her success for granted. She is who she is. What you see is what you get with her. I don't know if anyone who reads her book could relate to half of what she has experienced, but it makes for interesting reading. I was lucky enough to see her live in concert a month ago, and when she walked out on that stage, I was brought literally to tears. I just couldn't believe this woman I admire so highly was actually standing in front of me. I'll never forget that night. And I will never stop loving Loretta Lynn. Read BOTH of her autobiographies. Both are excellent.

This is one of the greatest books that has ever been written. My father was a coal miner until he got hurt. I sing my self and loretta is just so good. Being from the same state she is i guess the reason she has such a influenece on my life. If you read this book you will love it.

A grandmother at 28? Wow! I learned a lot of interesting things about 1) the country music star, and 2) about coming up hard and making it work out.

This book is Loretta Lynn's tale of her childhood in Butcher Holler with her poor but pround parents. Her parents allow her to be married off to a man she barely knows when she is 13. Amazingly, she remains married to this man for the rest of his life.

Anyway, the husband encourages Loretta to sing publicly because he thinks she has a great voice. And I don't need to tell you how the career goes, because that's pretty popular knowledge.

All in all, this was a great book. Very well developed and informative, whether you're a country music fan or not.

Very interesting. This woman has led a very difficult life, but she never seems to lose her spirit.