Warren Books

This book brought back a lot of memories for me - Warren as our Attorney General who sent the Japanese to the camps in 1942, as our Governor for 11 years, a good governor, a decent man, well respected, pretty much middle of the road with good appointments, my old friend Bill Sweigert being one of them. Earl Warren at Isle Aves in the Bohemian Grove in the early sixties, or in the sorority houses for lunch before a Cal game in the forties, a large genial man, unprepossessing, pleasant.

Then too there are the memories of the sixties when the "Warren Court" was the bane of the conservatives and "Impeach Earl Warren" signs were abundant in California, particularly in the Los Angeles area and in the South where the end of segregation had not yet been accepted, when we were shocked by some of its decisions restricting recognized police procedures. The Court did, as they said, "go too far into `freeing' the bad guys". I remember being particularly upset by two decisions - Roth and New York Times v Sullivan - which I felt then (and still feel) went too far in freeing the press from any reasonable responsibility for pornography or slander or libel. Particularly shocking was Griswold v Connecticut where, in a passage which will live as the high-watermark of judicial doublespeak, Justice Douglas found that the Bill of Rights had "penumbras" from which flowed "emanations' wherein could be found a right of privacy embedded in the Bill of Rights. And he found it , thus setting the stage for Roe v Wade a year or so later - a decision which almost every constitutional scholar now believes was wrongly decided and which set off a divisive national controversy which has split the country for forty years.

All this and much more is in this remarkable, well researched, highly readable 525 page biography written by Jim Newton a seasoned reporter for the Los Angeles Times and the former long time head of its Editorial Board. I had not realized what a dominating figure Earl Warren was to twentieth century of American politics - in fact how influential he as been over-all in the formation of our society. I can think of no Justice apart from Chief Justice Marshall who has been more of an influence in he Court. Nor can I think of a President - apart from Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and maybe Andrew Jackson - who has been a greater influence on American society. History will view him as truly one of our "greats". But he didn't start that way.

Earl Warren was first and foremost a Californian. He was born to working class parents in Los Angeles in 1891 and died in 1974 a age 83 in Washington where, far from California, he lies honored in Arlington Cemetery as a World War I soldier and one of the greatest of the great Americans.

His was a rather mundane career until he became Governor in 1942. He had an undistinguished career at the University of California and Boalt Law School, had been an infantryman without combat in the War, tried private practice briefly, didn't like it and then in the twenties went into the District Attorney's office in Oakland. He became a respected District Attorney, served several terms, became well known in Republican circles but to the end of his days remained a prosecutor, but a fair one. You don't have to be a tyrant to be a prosecutor. The essence of prosecution is to be fair. This differs from the essence of the defense, which is to get the best deal. possible for a guilty client. Fairness has nothing to do with it.

He was Attorney General of California from 1938-42 and then served three terms as Governor, being selected as Chief Justice of he United States by President Eisenhower in 1953, three years into his third term as Governor.

I don't think this brief review is the place to touch on all that he did as Governor or as Chief Justice. That's why you should read the book. Suffice it to say that he proved to be as collaborative as Chief Justice as he was as Governor. He was always a consensus builder, a talent without which we might not be where we are today.

His accomplishments? His Court ended racial segregation (Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Kansas), almost as important a decision as Marbury v Madison. The country can't segregate public facilities, nor can it reapportion or redistrict or gerrymander geography so as to deny blacks equal representation (Boynton v Virginia, Baker v Carr.) Every man has one vote (Wesberry v Sabdes). You can' have race-based elections (Gemellion).

His Court severely limited the then current police practices - too
much so in the opinion of many, including mine. A policeman can't stop a car or a person for questioning without reason to suspect that person of unlawful behavior by articulable evidence - not a hunch - real evidence (Terry v Ohio), nor may he question the person about a crime without a proper warning (Miranda). In fact the person doesn't even have to talk to him, He has a right to remain silent (Escobedo). Once the person has counsel, the police can't talk to him at all (Massiah). The person has a right to counsel, and if the defendant is indigent one must be provided (Gideon v Wainwright) and you can't have him in a lineup without counsel. (US v Wade). He has a right to a transcript and to counsel on appeal (Griffin v Illinois). Most importantly he cannot be subject to an unlawful search; and evidence found in such a search is not admissible against him at trial (Mapp v Ohio). (This ruling is, I think, the most hurtful to the prosecution of any of the Warren Court rulings because it has led to countless dismissals of obviously guilty persons and a myriad of decisions on the subject plus incentivizing police perjury in trying to avoid the consequences of an obviously unlawful search. For example "He consented to open the car" etc. etc.)

Then there are the decisions on fee speech, liberalizing the laws against pornography (Roth) and, most importantly in my opinion immunizing the press from libel in almost every circumstance where a public person is involved - and almost anyone who is the subject of a news article can be called a "public person" (New York Times v Sullivan). Sullivan held that a free press was immunized form suit for defamation of libel unless the plaintiff proved "actual malice" which could be equated either to knowledge of the falsity of the story or a reckless disregard of investigation. Either way the decision has polluted our media with nuanced or outright untruths.

Warren dominated the Court during his 16 years (1953-69) as Chief Justice, Always fair, always calm, always adroit he forged consensus among brilliant, independent men - men who had been intellectually blooded at the highest levels of academia or government and who rarely brooked any opinion other than their own. Yet he moulded them by personality, reason and calm judgment into a majority which followed his lead. Rarely was he in the minority.

In doing this he revolutionized our society in ways we tend to forget or overlook because society as now changed has generally accepted the changes. We would never go back to the way it was in 1953, nor could we. We could never go back to segregation. We could never abide a defendant's being convicted without representation, without, a fair trial or by misconduct on the part of the police or the prosecutors. (In fact most of us have forgotten how the criminal courts operated before the Warren Court changed all that.) Nor will we be restrained in our speech, on what we can watch, or where we can vote - or even if we can vote, being black.

None of this was done without protest - by the South, by the John Birch Society, by the religious right, by millions of people who considered themselves "conservative". (I was never one of them) But now- by and large - most of us have come around to accept the way things are.

However laudable the changes have been there is a troubling aspect to the way in which they came to be. Huge societal changes were imposed by decree upon the American people without any public participation. By the stoke of a pen agreed upon by nine elderly men one quarter of our nation was enfranchised, given rights they had never had had before and three fourths of the nation was ordered under penalty of imprisonment to accept them as equals. This was judicial legislation, pure and simple - judicial activism - freighted, to be sure, with the best of intentions, but nevertheless passed without a peep of citizen input.

But what about next time? What restraint is there on the reach of a supreme court Decision? Should there be any? Should we always assume that the nine men and women of the Court really have the best interests of the Country at heart and will avoid any action or decree which will imperil or society or our economy or our liberties? Or that they are not acting with self interest as opposed to the larger interest of the country?

I have two answers to this troubling question.
The short answer is that there is no type of restraint, short of a Constitutional Amendment of some sort, which could be imposed without having the "restrainer" - be it Congress or the Executive - subject to the same concern. Examples: Congress' Court Packing scheme of 1934; Andrew Jackson's defiance of the Court in 1835 ("Now they have acted; let them enforce it")

A longer answer is that popular democracy by its very nature must and does rely in the final analysis on the good sense of the people of the United States; and the people of the United States have almost always demonstrated good sense when faced with serious problems of an institutional or Constitutional nature. They are not going to devalue the Supreme Court as one of the three co-equal branches of government. Furthermore, each of the branches of our Government - The Legislative, Executive and Judicial - have tended to right themselves, to purge themselves either voluntarily or by public pressure over time, the one possible exception being Congress. So while one may cringe at the nonsense written by Mr. Justice Douglas, the Court is essential and this book convinces the reader of that fact and of the fact that Warren was a truly great man - one of our greatest.

I found this book in the bargain bin at the university bookstore last December and bought it for $4 (Canadian) as a holiday or end of term present for myself. I ended up finally reading it this past June, while on vacation. The book is a lengthy one and well-researched.

I ate this book up and have dog-eared a few sections (Brown case and some others) for teaching the Supreme Court sections of my American Politics courses. The book does so many things and I'll note a few: shed light on the multi-faceted politics of a liberal Republican prosecutor, California Governor, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Warren Court really did help make the nation with decisions on so many important cases. I have a broader affinity for Warren after reading this book. The book also explored the relationship or lack thereof between Warren and Nixon. The book's coverage of Nixon was honest and unfavorable, which was insightful to read about the sparring between the two men.

This book is great for anyone interested in the law, California history, Supreme Court history, or American Politics. The book's tone is written for a learned lay audience or an academic one examining the history or psychology of the Court and decision-making.

This is a remarkable book of Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the 1950s and 1960s. The author does a superb job describing both the personal feelings and professional dealings of one of the US's most notable (or notorious, depending on your perspective) activist judges. Few these days remembers him as the Republican governor of California and vice presidential candidate, and that era gets extensive treatment, laying out the roots of his judicial philosophy The book clearly presents the arguments of why Warren was such a success at judicial consensus building and therefore one of the most effective supreme court justices. Interestingly, the book also has one of the most rational descriptions of the Warren commission buried within its pages (explaining both the strengths and weaknesses of their process) and does not try to hide the warts of the man. This book is a fantastic learning opportunity.

I grew up in a neighborhood and a time when "Impeach Earl Warren" signs were common. As an engaged teenager I closely followed the changing legal landscape of the late fifties and early sixties as the Warren Court rearranged the legal landscape and with it the social order of our nation in the areas of civil rights, criminal justice, freedom of speech, privacy and the role of religion in public schools. Even today as a practicing attorney I admit to strong philosophical disagreements with some of the Warren Court decisions. Having said that, Jim Newton has produced a masterpiece in his book "Justice for All."

First, this book is a marvelous biography of one of the most notorious men of the 20th century. From humble beginnings in the dusty backwater of a turn of the century Bakersfield, California to Chief Justice of perhaps the most influential court in the world, Earl Warren's story is compelling. In addition you are treated to a wonderful and readable history of California politics in the first half of the 20th Century, a time of unparalleled opportunity, growth and change in the Golden State. That alone is worth the read.

Nevertheless, the real gold nuggets of this book lie in its recounting of the internal politics of decision making within the court, as Chief Justice Earl Warren, guided not so much by legal principle but by what he perceived to be the "right thing to do", rewrote and redefined some of the most important constitutional issues of our time. While such a disclosure, poorly written might leaden the eyelids of all but the most inspired, Newton masters this task by writing a clear and easily understood layman's explanation of the facts, the legal and social issues and the courts resolution. I found myself excited, engaged and highly entertained by Newton's easily understandable prose. I was in a sense a fly on the wall as some of the most important legal decisions of the 20th century unfolded before my eyes.

Warren is not portrayed as a flawless Deity (he after all recommended and supported the forced incarceration of Japanese American's in WW II) but rather as a multi-faceted personality whose core belief was in using the power of government to do good for the common man and whose political and legal judgment evolved to blend with and sometimes challenge the social and legal fabric of our nation.

I was amazed to learn of his post Miranda concern (fueled by a very real and I would say predictable jump in crime in America after Miranda) that perhaps the court had gone too far in defining the relationship between those who would do harm and those who are ultimately charged with our protection. Thus while the basic concept of Miranda is appropriate and now fully integrated into the fabric of our legal system, later Supreme courts thankfully have more clearly defined the boundaries under which we balance the rights of the accused and the right of our citizens to be free from the terror of criminal activity.

OK enough politics, after reading this book, I am wiser, far better informed and far more sympathetic to a man so many have reviled as the father of judicial activism. Such a label in the absence of context does a huge disservice to this huge man and his historical significance. This book provides a context and insight that far surpassed my expectations. Regardless of your politics or your view of judicial activism, this is a truly enlightening book worthy of your time.

I rarely give a 5-star review on a book. This one gets one for a stack of reasons.

When I finish a biography, I ask myself if I feel like I know the person. I feel I know Warren.

Another reason to like this book, it makes no bones about Warren's bad decisions, his support of the uprooting of Japanese in California in 1941. The author is not shy about criticizing Earl Warren.

Finally, I am a layman. It is a tough task to explain complex legal decisions to a non-lawyer. But Newton does it quite well.

One other thought: After all the learning I did by reading this book, it makes me quite critical of any and all the "teachers" I had in government and American History. They could not teach a politician to steal.

The struggle to be free is a major theme of The Wild Man. The protagonist, a dashing bullfighter by the name of Antonio is a captive of familial expectations, professional obligations, and the strict gender roles of Spain during the last years of Francisco Franco's rule. Antonio shares the weight of these societal burdens with his twin sister, Josefina, a former marimacho (tomboy) who skirts the edge of propriety with her moderna ways. These forms of captivity are echoed by an entire society held in thrall by fascism and the imprisonment of wild animals for bloody sport.

Antonio begins the story as a well-known bullfighter from an aristocratic family. Though bullfighting is a decidedly blue collar sport, fans have embraced him due to his flair in the ring. I have to say that I am not a fan of bullfighting. Not in the least. However, Patricia Nell Warren's amazing descriptions of the technical and artistic foundations of the sport gave me an appreciation of the tragic beauty of the sport.

At first, Antonio is content to satisfy the "Big Hunger" of his desires with furtive encounters in other countries. Then a chance encounter with a peasant named Juan throws Antonio's world into turmoil. From the get go, the powderkeg of their class difference threatens the burgeoning romance as much as their sexual orientation.

Juan is brought to Antonio's under the pretense of tutelage. Juan, his junior by 6 years, will take his place in the ring. Or so the hope is. However, Juan's skills in the ring don't quite fit the plan. Unwilling to be the "kept man" of a landed lord, Juan abruptly breaks off their romance. However, Antonio isn't so quick to give up and hatches a plan to win Juan back. Usually these moments in romance novels get a shrug from me at most. But I was honestly not sure of how this would turn out, and my heart was racing as Antonio put his plan into motion.

Antonio's relationship with his twin sister was another cornerstone of the narrative. As young kids, they were inseparable. Climbing trees, riding horses, dreaming of bullfighting... the two twins approached life with a shared devil-may-care attitude. Antonio relished his twin sister's tomboy antics and refused to call her Josefina, preferring José.

Their conservative parents resented this bond and took steps to break it. When they were no longer allowed to sleep in the same room, the twins would use the branches of the mulberry tree outside their rooms to sneak around. Eventually their parents severed their immediate connection completely by sending José to convent school and Antonio to military school. Years later, though, both twins discover that their old bond remains.

"Dig you feet in." Those were the words José told Antonio as a kid, when he struggled to keep up with her while climbing trees. Don't give up, you won't fall, trust me. "Dig your feet in" becomes Antonio's battlecry. As the crushing vice of their society begins to threaten their very lives, the twins face the danger together, united once again.

Antonio's struggle to be wild and free, to love the man who stole his heart, opens his eyes to all the other forms of captivity surrounding him. He sees the shackles of feminine propriety forced on his twin sister and the socioeconomic barriers that hemmed Juan in. But Antonio's growth doesn't end there. He begins to make a connection between his own captivity and that of the bulls he routinely puts to death. The seeds of empathy slowly flourish, leading to a profession that he never would've imagined in his younger days.

I could go on about this story, but I want to leave you with some surprises. One tip, though. Buy the book, but don't read the summary on the back! It gives one major story element away immediately that I truly think would've worked best as a total surprise.

Set in late 1960s Spain that is struggling under the yoke of Francisco Franco's oppressive dictatorship, Patricia Nell Warren has woven a story of relationships, repression, and the human spirit's yearning to overcome. Author of The Front Runner, the novel that is generally considered THE breakout gay novel that has paved the way for all that have followed, Warren has exceeded herself in many ways with The Wild Man.

Spain, in all her rustic beauty, deep traditions, and centuries-old history of violent repressions perpetrated by the Catholic Church, the throne, and governments that often backed and supported it, the political background of The Wild Man is a vital part of this story. Warren, having lived and worked in Spain during the period that's depicted in The Wild Man, has imbued the story with nuances only a real understanding of the climate and history of Spain can render.

Antonio Escudero is The Wild Man. A fading bullfighter in the traditional style, battling an old injury and his own inner conflict, at thirty years old, he is edging towards retirement. Fueled by his crumbling conviction about the meaning of his art, he carries another burden. Living in a country known for its long history OF violent racial and ethnic cleansing of Moors, Jews, intellectuals, dissidents and homosexuals, Antonio is a maricón. He is a homosexual. He has dealt with his needs, "the Big Hunger," by seeking physical pleasures while abroad, and hiding his reluctance to marry in the accepted bachelorhood of the torero. With his confidence shaken from the old injury, with his yearning for a relationship rather than a tryst, and with the pressures to wed placed on him by his family, Antonio is at a crossroads.

As Antonio limps from the ring after a fight at Santander on Spain's north coast, a working-class man wearing bloodstained coveralls leans out and offers a drink to Antonio. He is one of the butchers employed to dress the bulls that are killed in the ring. Antonio accepts the drink and moves on. After the fight, as Antonio and his entourage are leaving the arena and getting into their car, a man reappears in the crush of people scrambling for a piece of the toreros. It's the man who offered Antonio the drink. As the crowd presses in, Antonio's feet slip, he loses his footing and the young man, Juan, grabs him. Hidden in the mob of screaming people, Antonio feels Juan press his hips against him, and the unmistakable hardness in his pants. As Antonio jumps into his car, he pulls Juan in after him so that he won't be arrested by `the Grays,' Franco's police, there to squelch the mob's enthusiasm for the fights that could, at any time, erupt into a political riot. Antonio thanks Juan and offers him money. Juan proudly refuses. Juan is driven to a safe place, dropped off, and vanishes into the night. Thus, do Juan and Antonio first meet.

Over the course of the next days and weeks, Antonio's obsession with the man he saw, overwhelms him. Under the pressures from within and those from without, he risks his twin sister Josefina's trust. Called José, she and Antonio have always been close, and are both viewed unfavorably by their family. Each in their own way, they rebelled against the old traditions. They are an upper-class family, and Antonio's choice to become a torero was not well received. José did the unthinkable when she moved, unmarried and alone to Madrid, and got a job as a journalist, reporting on the Bullfights. When Antonio breaks down and shares the secret of his homosexuality and his obsession with a stranger he saw briefly in Santander, José shares a secret of her own. She, too, is a maricona. She, however, is not without a secret love in her life. Her long-time lover is Antonio's soon-to-be fiancé, Serafita, a friend of his sister's long before she ever met Antonio.

The story follows Juan and Antonio as they fumble through misunderstandings and false starts. Throughout all are Juan's deep pride and his angry refusal to be bought by Antonio's wealth and status. Antonio and Juan share a love of their native land, of the flora and fauna, and this provides them a mutual meeting ground, and indeed, a way to secretly fulfill their desire. Paralleling, and closely tied to their story, is José's and Sera's. In time, the four come to an agreement, a pact: two marriages of convenience. Before this can be brought to fruition, events unfold that threaten not only their shared dream to live as they need, but their lives as well. In Franco's Spain, torture and death for maricones is a real possibility. Underlying the main plot and intertwined throughout is a subplot of an Old Spanish relic of archeological value. This becomes a vital element in the events as they unfold.

The Wild Man is first and foremost a beautifully written story of love. The characters are fully drawn, fully realized, and well crafted. Warren paints Spain with brushstrokes both honest and loving, portraying a place that is both physically beautiful and at times, brutally cruel. The subtleties of the political currents and old Spanish traditions, set against the human spirit's striving for fulfillment, is moving and tragic, horrific and hopeful, yet ultimately a story of promise and optimism. Indeed, with long strides, Spain today has overtaken the United States in tolerance and basic human rights for gays.

The Wild Man is an absolute work of art, a true masterpiece of gay fiction, or rather, simply, of fiction, set in heady and intoxicating Spain, whose passions are revealed at times, not only in what she proudly displays, but also in what she once tried to hide.

Patricia Nell Warren's first gay novel, THE FRONT RUNNER, is my favorite book. I read it back in 1975, and while I found her two sequels, and subsequent novels to be well written, thought provoking, and thoroughly entertaining, none quite lived up to that first amazing reading experience. That is until I read THE WILD MAN, published in 2001.

Both novels deal with well known athletic figures. Both men are gay, one a distance runner the other a matador. Each is searching to find, and hold on to, love in a hostile environment. This, however, is where the similarities end.

In THE FRONT RUNNER, the hero, Billy, and his lover, Harlan, try to live openly as a couple, in the early seventies, before such relationships were commonly accepted. In THE WILD MAN, Antonio Escudero lives in sixties fascist Spain, where an openly gay relationship could mean prison or death.

Antonio is a bullfighter in the classic tradition, but at thirty, and recently recovered from a near leg losing goring, his career is winding down. After a successful performance in the costal city of Santander, Antonio is almost crushed by an adoring crowd outside the bullring, but is rescued by strong attractive slaughterhouse worker, Juan Diano. The brief look and touch they exchange is enough for both to become obsessed with one another but, because of the society they live in, intimacy is all but impossible.

The secrecy required to be together isn't the only problem the men face. Antonio is an aristocrat from one of Spain's oldest families, and Juan is little more than a peasant. They are both proud Spanish men full of machismo, and they spend a great deal of time butting heads. Antonio wants to give everything to Juan, but Juan refuses to be bought. Also, neither man wants to admit his love to the other, but they will never give each other up.

This novel is full of Spanish history and tradition. It has wonderfully drawn characters and situations, providing a detailed portrait of life under the tyrant, Generalissimo Franco. It is a fascinating and often frightening story.

THE FRONT RUNNER had a profound effect on me when I first read it as a closeted nineteen year old boy. It was the catalyst that helped me come out as gay. I've read it dozens of times over that past thirty-something years, and it holds a very special place in my heart.

THE WILD MAN has had an equally profound effect on me as an older gay man, and, it's served to strengthen my pride and self respect. It is clearly some of Warren's finest work. I wish I had read it sooner, but I know, like THE FRONT RUNNER, I'll read it again many times.

amazon.com's editorial reviewer complains that The Wild Man too often reads like a romance novel. DUH! It IS a romance novel, among other things . . . the best romance novel I've ever read.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I'm about halfway through, and I love it, love it, LOVE IT . . . the mix of romance, religion, history, environmentalism, feminism, the bullfighting metaphors, and especially the underlying message that lesbians and gay men need one another to survive in a hostile world. The difficult love scenes between Juan and Don Antonio ring so true! I never dreamed women understood about gay men who refuse to kiss and who won't accept the sexually passive role because it isn't "manly," but Ms. Warren understands, and she dares to write about it here. And she is courageous in addressing physical abuse in gay relationships (i. e. the characters of Josefina and Sera). I picked up this book after reading James M. Cain's extremely homophobic novel "Serendade," which is set in Mexico. This book is the anecdote to that one . . . it's like a breath of fresh air.

I'm reading it now as a library lend, but I plan to buy The Wild Man as soon as I can afford to do it. It fairly cries out to be made into a movie! I can practically hear the flamenco guitars on the soundtrack.

Wow, I didn't think Ms. Warren could ever top "The Front Runner". But then comes "The Wild Man". Truly an amazing book, neck-and-neck with Mary Renault's "The Persian Boy". The best words to describe this book are in her book itself, so get it and read it. And don't make the mistake of passing over the Author's Prologue -- this little bit at the beginning of the book sets the stage for the entire novel.

I just went on Amazon to purchase a copy of DUMPED by Sally Warren for yet another dear friend who is going through a painful (aren't they all) divorce. I was amazed to read the "Superficial and Useless" review written in 2000. What? Superficial? Useless? Trite cliches? Is this reader for real? Each time I pass a copy along to a "DUMPED" friend, not only do they find it insightful, comforting, and enlightening, but they also swear it has helped them through their ordeal more than any other book on the market. Each teller's tale rings true. This is a marvelous book! I've lost track of how many copies I've shared with wonderful women who have been DUMPED. Until today, I've never heard anything but the highest praise for this work. I wish this reviewer well, but totally disagree with her review.
Susan Varian, Longwood, Florida

It was very bizarre how many EXACT conversations I found in this book that I had had with my husband (now ex-husband, of course) - this book is the best thing to read when you are dumped! I carried it around with me for months in case I needed a pick-me-up.

For the first time in my life, I found myself being the "Dumpee". Somehow, in the fog of hurt I found the book Dumped! I began reading the preface and immediately found three things that had happened to me that are "classic" in being dumped. I was hooked and rapidly read this wonderful book. It was of great help in my realizing what had happened, what I could do to pull myself out of the slump I was in, and to realize that I am still a likeable person. I have since passed Dumped! on to friends who have been dumped...seems to be an epidemic lately. Buy it...you'll like it!

A friend gave me a copy of this book "Dumped" and it has been like finally having a friend who understands what I have been through. Six months ago,my husband left me for another woman after 16 years of marriage. I didn't know that there was Hell on earth until that happend. When you are dumped, it is really hard for other people to understand the trauma and emotion. While I got sympathy at first, after the first few weeks, people don't want to talk about it anymore and yet I couldn't seem to control my own emotions and began to feel like a pariah. While I understood that, I really didn't understand a lot of my own emotions and trauma. Ms. Warren has put it all in perspective for me and really made it easier to cope with this dramatic change in my life. I just hope that many other women ( and men) will have the chance to read this book. I would suggest that it would be useful to read it before you may be faced with a breakup as it would really help you to understand the signs and perhaps deal with them without so much pain and trauma. Thanks for your help Sally.

This book is a bunch of trite cliches and not worth much in terms of trying to understand what's happening to you when you go through something so devastating. It's all about buying yourself lattes and getting massages. It is really a recycled version of "The Rules" applied to a breakup and it is not worth your money.

I haven't read this book in over 20 years. The other reviews written here say a lot for the way this book finds its way into your life. For me, my kung fu teacher gave it to me to read. One memorable line that has stuck with me permanently was when Justin asked his Buddhist teacher if he knew any magic. The teacher told him to look around, all that he saw was magic.

If I need its lesson again, I'm sure the book will turn up.

Yes. this is my second copy of Grandmaster..... this book hits a satisfying spot inside me. It's intense, a great combination of spy thriller and eastern mysticism. I can read it every 2 years or so, and love it every time. Too bad the new edition has such a cheesy cover compared to the original paperback issuance. It looks like a chess manual, which it certainly is not, although chess plays a serious part between the two main characters as they meet again and again throughout life. Get it!

They were born on the same day on different continents as Justin Gilead is an American and Alexander Zharkov is a Russian. They first meet at ten years of age over a chess game. However, that night Justin watches assassins kill his father in a seedy Paris bar. He is rescued from the same fate by monks from the highest mountains in Asia who were looking for him as they believe he is the latest reincarnation of Brahma. For the next decade and a half he lives and studies Buddhism under their tutelage.

However Russian troops attack and burn down the remote monastery. Justin survives but is filled with rage and a need for vengeance against the Russians. He obtains work for the CIA enabling him to focus on his target Zarkhov, the chief of the Russian top secret espionage elite unit Nichevo. The life and death chess game between two masters will leave one as the GRANDMASTER and the other dead.

Readers will quickly understand why this novel won an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1985 though the Iron Curtain has since fallen, turning what was contemporary back then into historical especially the insight into the life and death of grandmaster chess as played by the Russian Bears. Justin moves the action-packed plot forward as his Buddhist trained skills enable him to accomplish seemingly impossible achievements; on the other hand Zarkhov is a vestige of the Soviet Union adding to the sense that this is a historical thriller. Fans will marvel at how newlyweds (at that time) Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran gifted their readers with a novel that remains tense and exciting though the perspective has changed.

Harriet Klausner

What is it about this book? It seems we read it and then lose it. Rather like Gilead and his medallion. I read it about ten years ago in a local community college library. When I finally had money to spend to buy my own copy I couldn't find it. I was about ready to decide that I had imagined the book. Then I found it in a local used bookstore. And found out there is a sequel! I snapped them up immediately (even though I don't really have the money to spend at the moment but I couldn't risk not being able to find the book like before.) Thank you, Molly and Warren.

I found this book for the first time in a box of family give away books. I read it and loved it. That was several years ago, and now I re-read it every time I run out of books to read. Warren and Cochran do a great job of relaying the eternal struggle of good and evil alongside the modern storyline of international spy-games. I didn't want to stop reading this book when I reached the last page. I was happy to find that Warren and Cochran wrote High Priest to follow where Grandmaster left off. Both of these books are quick reads that often times go too quick.

I found this book just about the time the author started eHarmony. The service was not available in my area, but I felt that he had a great idea. I purchased the book in order to learn more.

I had been divorced and had sworn off men and decided I would never marry again. I read the book and was amazed at how the author took the population and showed us how the pool of potential mates was narrowed and narrowed by our location, desires, etc.

The "must have" and "can't stand" lists have saved my life. By not only learning about myself, but also by actually putting pen to paper and figuring out what I really wanted and more imporatantly how to recognize those I did not want, I was able to focus on my future.

I am happy to report that I am very happily married to my soul mate. While we were dating he teased me about this book over and over, but now he sees the tremendous benefit in the knowledge this book provides. I have continued to recommend it to all my friends and family. It worked for me and can for you too!

This book helps you really look at yourself, learn to know yourself, then you determine what traits are really important in a mate. What bugs you, what can you live with, what things can you just not stand in a mate?

This book helps you look at common wish lists for a mate and find out what matters most to YOU. Then you learn to determine if someone has these traits, so you don't waste your time on dating someone you could never be happy with.

This book makes sense, and helps people pin down what really matters to THEM. I'd recommend it highly to anyone looking for a relationship.

If you are in a relationship and its not working out, this book could also help you figure out what's wrong. This one should be on everyone's book shelves, its a great book to loan to friends and family if you don't need it yourself.

This book uses sound principals of true personality compatability.

A great book to help people identify what they are looking for when they are dating. I can honestly say that this book should be mandatory for people prior to dating! :)

An excellent guide through an introspective process, which will reveal those aspects of a potential mate that are key for you. Once you can see what is so important to you that it will ultimately make or break a relationship, the rest is pretty easy. Read it. Think about it. Second dates with people who couldn't possibly be "the one" will no longer be necessary. This was the book that made the difference for me. I give it an A+.

I am a military chaplain. One of the questions I face comes in the area of relationships. People looking around for the right one. I have suggested this book numerous times to others. It worked for me. I would highly recommend it for someone recouping after a bad relationship before going back or to another relationship.

There's not much more I can add to the glowing reviews, except to say that this is my favorite book about science-fiction movies. In fact this may be my favorite book about movies, period. Great insights, a wealth of data, and a keen understanding as to why these films continue to entertain and fascinate us. (I loved watching these movies on TV years ago and love to collect them on DVD today.) True, some may find certain assessments a bit nit-picky --especially for some of my personal favorites -- but the author's affection for the genre cannot be questioned.

This 1997 paperback edition is a combo reprint of the hardcover editions of volumes 1 and 2 which were originally published in 1982 and 1986, respectively. My only quibble -- and this is a minor one -- is that several movies that were not readily available for the author to view when these books were written have since been issued on home video and/or DVD. And there's at least two omissions: the sci-fi comedy GEISHA GIRL (1952) and the space adventure MOON WOLF (1959). Both of these obscure titles were later released on video. So I wish the publisher would allow the author to update the text, to incorporate new information and fresh appraisals.

Despite some outdated material, this is still the definitive book on the subject and I highly recommend it.

This is a terrifically entertaining and informative compendium of 1950's science fiction movies that, for fans of this inexplicably overlooked genre, will serve as an almost endless supply of delectable brain candy. Other reviewers have nicely captured the essence of this book; I'll simply add that this is the one volume you'll want to keep by your bedside and savor night after night.

do you ever wonder about the old days? how people thought about space and time, and oh yes, giant monster bugs? then look no further than this fine and funny volume. from 1950 to 1962, warren covers the best to the worst with a wry sense of humor and a clear love for the subject. almost everything is covered, from obscure jungle movies, to elaborate space epics. if you want to know about these old films, and have a laugh or two, then by all means pick up this book.

If you're a fan, or even a casual watcher, of science fiction movies of the 1950s and early 1960s, this exhaustively researched, 2-1/4-inch-thick tome deserves a prominent place in your library. It is, quite simply, THE definitive reference book on the subject. Period. There is none better. The conscientious reviewer MIGHT point out only one minor "problem"--but more on that later.

Mr. Warren does an unbelievably thorough job of presenting the most minute details of virtually every American science fiction film produced from 1950 through 1962. The classics are all here, of course. "Destination Moon," "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Thing From Another World," "Forbidden Planet," "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "War of the Worlds" each receive 10 or so pages of treatment (in very small, closely spaced print, mind you). Mr. Warren tells you everything you could ever want to know about the script, the director, the actors, the special effects (such as they were, in those days), the budget, the editing, the musical score and the reception that each movie got on its initial release. He includes meaningful, interesting details and fascinating anecdotes, many of which I can't imagine how he managed to dig up. Lesser films such as (to pick a couple at random) "Mesa of Lost Women" and "The Rocket Man" get only a page or so, but still with full discussions of each film's production and how it fits into the genre. Well-chosen still photos, typically printed in full-page size and in many cases not the same ones seen in other books, illustrate some of the movies.

I found that the best way to use Mr. Warren's monumental work is to refer to it just after watching one of the films that it covers (which means ANY science fiction movie of the era). With the screenplay fresh in one's mind, reading the relevant chapter adds immeasurably to the viewing experience, much as a director's commentary does on a DVD. You can, of course, read "Keep Watching The Skies" through from cover-to-cover, but only at the risk of information overload. Its usefulness is sure to last for many years--as long as there are VHS tapes, DVDs or (if you're very lucky) old 35mm prints of classic science fiction movies to watch and enjoy. It adds new meaning to the term "reference book."

Now, for the one and only "problem" with "Keep Watching The Skies." The book consists of two parts. Part 1 covers the years 1950 through 1957; Part 2 covers 1958 through 1962. Both parts were apparently once issued as separate volumes. For this reissue, both volumes are bound together. Each part has a comprehensive index, but ONLY for that part. Thus, it can be a little difficult to find a specific film if you don't know its year of release, especially since many films in Part 1 are referred to--and thus indexed--in Part 2, and vice versa. A single integrated index would make Mr. Warren's magnum opus much easier to use. With that single tiny quibble aside, I give "Keep Watching The Skies" the highest possible recommendation. Five stars is not nearly enough. It deserves a galaxy of stars.

Bill Warren is obviously very knowledgeable concerning classic science fiction films, having spent a lifetime researching the subject. "Keep Watching the Skies" is not only factually accurate, it is also extremely entertaining to read.

Highly recommended for all fans of the genre.

I am buying yet *another* copy of this book, as we no longer even pretend to lend it- nobody will give it back! This has been a favorite book since our youngest was 4. She's just turned 11, but when she's under the weather it comes out for another read. Every family- and certainly every 5 year old boy!- should have this as a bedtime storybook. Even the chapters are just the right length. Although the price has gone up n recent times, it is worth every penny- this is one you want to own.

We have books in the family library, and then some very special books go into each child's library. This is one of those books. There is no better book to read to a five-to-six-year-old. It has a loving father-son relationship, complete with exasperation on both parts. It has a roll-off-the-chair laugh-out-loud bedtime story that gets extemporaneously spun by the father, and it has day-by-day life. Get this book, read it to a child. If you don't have a child the right age, read it to a friend's child or grandchild. Read it.

It's a tough business to tell a child a favorite story again, and again, and again, both for the storyteller who's tired of telling it and for the child who has, like a true die-hard fan, grown into a very devoted yet demanding critic. The story must be told "just-so", exactly the same way it's been told before and at the same time fresh, new, and even better than ever. Wolf Story is a story about telling a story, and both a parent and their child will recognize themselves in 5-year-old Michael and his father as they share the ritual bedtime story, a story about a very nasty wolf named Waldo. Little Michael seems to "know" the story even before he's heard it, but he isn't altogether conscious of this. He knows it much better than the tale's storyteller/author, his father, and isn't shy at all offering suggestions when his father doesn't tell it right.

Guaranteed this clever book will have you both laughing out loud at times, but I was also very pleased to find an amusing children's book that manages to operate at different levels without the wisecracking or cynical tone so common in children's literature now. Children can easily see the story from the point of view of the father, of little Michael, the scary wolf and the little farmer boy, Jimmy, who stands up to him. This makes the story all the more delightful for them. What a treat!

Five-year old Michael is a demanding taskmaster, and his father must be creative to tell a wolf story within the constraints laid down by his son. For instance, the wolf must be named Waldo. A terribly fierce wolf named Waldo. Good natured teasing and realistic conversation make this the humorous and sweet story of a father and son who enjoy each other's company.

Every year I read Wolf Story to my second graders and at the end of the year when I ask them their favorite chapter book read to them, Wolf Story is chosen every year to be the favorite. They love to follow the adventures of Rainbow and Michael. When you complete Chapter 1, the kids are hooked. They can not wait for the next day. I have even had kids who have been sick ask if I can re-read a chapter that they missed or if they can stay in at recess to read the missed chapter on their own.

Wolf Story is wonderfully written and captivating to young children. Every year I can not wait to read the book. I find myself anxious to share the next chapter.
When my own children have children, Wolf Story will be the book that I can share with them. I strongly recommend this book to every child and to every adult who enjoys reading to their children at bedtime.

What do you get when you combine Heinlein with Trevanian and throw in a bit of Mikey Spilane? It appears we get Warren Hammond. Browsing the sci-fi section, I was lured in by the fantastic cover art, mission accomplished there Mr. Publisher. The summary sounded fresh so I threw down the plastic and took it home. I was not disappointed. Hammond has brilliantly merged some of my favorite genres and I look forward to his future efforts.

I love a good SciFi mystery and wish there were more of them around. This pleasing dark noir SciFi is an engaging and complicated hard-boiled page-turner with nice twists and turns. It's a ruggedly built noir, with a light SciFi frosting that has me looking forward to the sequel, Ex-KOP. A very successful first novel.

What an adventure! An entire Sunday flew by because I did not want to come out from between the covers of this book!

I do not read for pleasure much anymore. I read to do research, to get directions, for political insight, or to keep up with my profession. I tend to read in short, intense bursts for a purpose. I only bought this book because Warren is my neighbor.

I was excited to hear that he wrote and published a book. The least I could do was buy it and read it.

I was blown away before the end of the first chapter!

This nice neighbor, who helped me shovel snow from around my car several times last winter, and who puts up with my cats hanging out in his yard year after year, wrote this astonishing book.

I have not been so wonderfully transported into another time and place by any book in many, many years. I enjoyed every page. I could not put it down. Once I started it, I could not stop reading. I didn't want it to end.

I had no clue. I was hoping I would like his book, but I had no idea it would be this kind of a fantastic read!

This book is a pleasure, with textures that are complicated, and not pretty. It's rich and gritty. The words I would use for this book are not the first words that I would think of to describe Warren. I love that. He is the real deal, an amazing writer. This book knocked my socks off!

Yes, I think I might be biased because I live next door to Warren and his wife, and I really like them as people. But, I know that is not what glued me to each page until I finished the book!

Buy this book! Make him famous. I want to see the movie!

Once I started reading KOP, I was unable to put this page-turner down. It's exciting, it's interesting, and it has great characters. This book reads like a cross between L.A. Confidential and Bangkok 8. It's way cool! I can't wait to read the sequel.

I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend. I am now about 100 pages into it and can honestly say it started off good and gets better each page. It is about a corrupt police force on another planet several hundred years in the future. The main character is a kop who formally was an "enforcer" (he beat people up) whose conscience (and live in girlfriend) finally got to him. He is still with the force but only does collections now. His friend and former partner who is the Chief of Police asks him as a favor to get involved in a homicide case. He reluctantly does, and finds himself investigating a very interesting case with his new inexperienced partner. I won't go any further as I don't want to ruin anything for the reader, but I highly recommend buying this book!

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

I was very skeptical about this book/method. Especially because I'm skeptical about anything that involves "steps" and such things.

Anyway, I just got the book 4 days ago and I have gone through the first "step" and it's being a great blessing. I encourage anyone that is dealing with addictions, bad habits, or just hurts from the past, to read this book or try to participate of a Celebrate Recovery group.

Highly recommended.

If you are on the road of recovery or if you are searching for answers as you face the challenges of life, Life's Healing Choices is a practical book to help you find hope as you overcome the hurts, habits and hang-ups that we all face in some way on another in this life.

As the Serenity Prayer denotes "accepting hardship as a pathway to peace", this book helps us to understand why we struggle and how; with God's help we can overcome those struggles. The book is a great read and in a very non-threatening way revels how much God really loves and wants to help us. I recommend it to everyone.

This is a well written book for anyone dealing with personal issues. In a simple to understand common language. After reading this book I felt sure God really did care about me and I believe you will also.

Life's Healing Choices is an excellent read for anyone who is struggling with a hurt, habit or hangup or knows someone who is struggling. John Baker takes an honest look at the issues facing people today and offers hope and solutions for living a full and abundant life. The testimonies in Life's Healing Choices demonstrate that, no matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in, there is a solution. A must read!