White Books

Table for One was laugh out loud funny. I mean really funny. I felt bad for poor Lucy who seemed to make more bad decisions than good ones, but I loved her anyway. She was a great heroine. Edgar was a fabulous hero, too, even if he was a momma's boy. I don't think I would've handled his mother as graciously as Lucy had. My favorite line in the story is Cricket. Cricket. That is during a part of the story where everything stops and no one makes a sound. Isn't that a fabulous way to describe how things go quiet and everyone stares at you. :) I totally loved the author's voice and I think she did a great job with the first person present tense point of view. That is very difficult, but she pulled it off. And this story was mercifully free of cliches. The hilarious thoughts and comments that Lucy had were incredibly well-thought out and very funny. This story touched my heart and tickled my funny bone at the same time. The spiritual arc was superb. I just can't say enough good things about Table for One. I'm thoroughly impressed!

I enjoyed this book cover-to-cover! Lucy's exploits had me laughing out loud more than once. These fun characters will live with you for days after you finished their story. I look forward to more and more by this wonderful author.

Really I do! Lucy Brocklehurst is a quirky, lovable character with zany dating mishaps that make you really feel for her. She's trying to make a living and pave a way in a male dominated field. As a Stockbroker she's pretty good. In love and relationships, she needs some help!

Then she meets the hot new youth pastor, but her plans for love are foiled and the geeky guy in the pew across from her comes to her aid more than once.

Wrought with trouble in her personal and professional life, will Lucy find true love before her thirtieth birthday, or be single and homeless?

Georgiana does funny well and I can't wait to read more from this up and coming author! If you're looking for a quick, fun,summer read then Table for One is my recommendation!

Georgiana Daniels is a fearless writer when it comes to putting her heroine into tight spots. Lucy (aptly named, for she reminds me a bit of Lucille Ball)can't seem to go trouble-free for more than a few minutes. I loved Lucy, and I think others will too.

Lucy Brocklehurst, a stockbroker, is almost thirty and still not married. She is a Christian and finds herself at a church with a 7:1 ratio of single women to single men. One of the single men is the handsome and sporty youth pastor. The other is a plain geek of a man, who lives with his overbearing mother.

Edgar Flowers is a Junior High math teacher and has a heart for God. Edgar has been praying for a wife and knows that Lucy should be his. Can he convince Lucy that she belongs with him? Will his mother ever accept the woman that he loves?

Table for One is a hilarious read. Georgiana Daniels wrote some down to earth characters in this book, and I had no problem believing the story. It felt like a good friend telling you about how she met her husband. Lucy is someone I would be a friend with, klutzy and funny. Edgar's mother would make any woman hug her mother-in-law and thank them for being so kind. Edgar is sweet and patient; he is the underdog you have to root for.

Tori
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Excellent depiction of how WWIII might start. Very accurate on new technologies and diplomatic machinations. Other reviews on Amazon were on point. The book reads very much like a movie script--it could be easily adapted to a film which I would certainly like to see. I believe the writer intended this to be a movie as the story line is very current and realistic.

Simply amazing book, it puts you in touch with the realizm and fackness of world politics. recomend that book to your friend or use it against your enemy. Hopefully Mr. Hawksley will have more books coming.

Have to admit, I wrote a scathing review for Dragon Strike and with good reason, it had a lot of techinal mistakes, and was a dry read overall.

So with a bit of trepidation, I picked up The Third World War. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. This book is up there with the best efforts of Clancy (Red October, Red Storm Rising) and Bond (Red Phoenix, Cauldron).

It has been a few months since I read it, and I was so moved by the story I was going to write a review then, but put it off until now.

Even though the story is not fresh in my mind, I can say that I was literally riveted all the way throughout, and the mistakes that plagued Dragon Strike were not present at all.

The story is gripping, and disturbing, from beginning to end. You are pulled right in as we globe hop from flare-up to flare-up, as events spiral completely out of control.

And the ending, well let's just say it left me chilled, and very few books have managed to accomplish this.

For any fan of the geopolitical/technothriller genre, this is a must read IMHO, and you will not come away dissapointed!

Hawksley is by turns brilliant, earnest, insightful, and frustrated. The eye and ear of a knowledgeable World Correspondent for disasters in the making calls out loud and clear. If an economic concept creates opportunities for man's deadly sins to play themselves out with horrific consequences, then The Third World War sets about showing us the possibilities. Hawksley expertly examines the roles of such things as chance, betrayal, confusion, greed, arrogance, misunderstanding, technology, against the backdrop of the Free Market notions which have no definable center. "If you lose India, you lose" says one character. "And if China withdraws support?" says another. "It is more complicated than that." Perhaps this is key to his view of potential cataclysm. Driving the text of The Third World War is Hawksley's seasoned, global experience of complexity, error, the role of communications and communicators, the narrow edge of facts known in time by decisionmakers. This is not a rousing tale for the adventurer in us. It is a call to thought and leaves us wondering why the global political/industrial complex in which we live has so few failsafe options. Common sense? Hawksley seems to say that no longer exists locally or globally. The Third World War is a provocative, timely and urgent read. To say it is 'chilling' is an understatement. It should be read inside the Beltway, at Downing Street, from Beijing to Geneva, from Singapore to Delhi, from Stockholm to Tokyo and Seoul. Weeping and flailing of hands is not enough. This is a call to action and cooperative action at that. Or as Hawksley intimates, is it more complicated than that?

I am flabbergassed why this novel has not had wide distributuin in the United States. I got it on Thursday and with a busy schedule just finished on Sunday Night. The way it is written is engaging and realistic; and very cautionary. It crystalizes the geopolitical relations we have today, and each countries agenda when looked at in a historic context are no relationships at all. The actual war is very realistic as modern terrrorist incidents and experimental Rouge Nation missile tests touch off a conflagaration. This book is well written, suspenseful and very entertaining. It is also realistic and frightening because the scenario centers around South Asia and the Far East, which in terms of international competition are violent and on the rise. There needs to be a publisher that can pick this book up and distribute in the USA, a must read for gobal war watchers! As good or better than Arc Light which up to this point was one of my must read novels.

I don't know how this book came to be in my "Recommended for you" list, but I am so glad that I bought it. I had to go to the American site to check out it's customer reviews & after reading the book I felt compelled to leave some. I sincerely hope that I do it and Thomas White some justice.

A nice small book yes, but not an easy one to get on with & digest immediately as it is quite philosophical in nature. This may put some readers off. It's certainly a very thought provoking and deeply meaningful book, full of short allegories that obviously stem from the authors many years as a hard working student and proponent of karate.

Any one who has studied the martial arts for some years and devoted even a moderate amount of effort to it, will recognise the many pearls of wisdom that lie amongst it's pages.

I was nicely surprised to find on one page hidden right at the very back of the book a karate lineage of the author which shows Thomas's karate lineage through his own famous instructor Master Tsutomu Ohshima, through Grand Master Gichin Funakoshi way back to it's origins in China (QED?).

Included are short & poignant extracts from various religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Rig Veda & the Tao Te Ching to name but a few.

I will have to read it a few more times yet to get a fuller flavour it's meanings but the initial and basic thread of the book is that karate is not just about kicking & punching, nor is it intended as a weekend recreational sport, but more importantly as a way of life, to be used thoughtfully in and outside of the dojo and that the biggest enemy to anyone is oneself.

Although first published over 20 years ago, it's message is timeless and worth using for meditating upon.

This small volume does more to explain the understanding of the benefits of a martial art than many larger books. From the very begining the simple and clear journey of one man to understand himself by following a way makes this a welcome addition to any serious student's library.

As stated in the title, this is one mans journey for understanding through Karate. The book is an excellant rendition of the thoughts and awakenings felt by some one deciding to take the journey for understanding through a Martial Discipline. Beginners in Karate may have some difficulty in grasping the content, but beginner and teacher alike can enjoy the shared feelings of gained knowledge. For further study I suggest; Nicol's Moving Zen or Jay Gluck's Zen Combat, although both are more technique extensive, the end is the same.

Sometimes the mental side of the martial arts gets lost in training. Mr. White's book attempts to put back some of the earliest lessons of the martial arts. It is one book that should be reread the longer you train. My copy is now falling apart, but after first reading it some ten years ago I am still learning from this small book.

As a 16 year practitioner of the martial arts I found Thomas White's words to be inspiring. He has captured the essence of budo training in what normally must be read between the lines of technical manuals - The non-physical elements of Karate Do that are always assumed to be there, but most cannot explain...because no technical manual can guide one to the spirit of the arts. Thomas White has created a wonderful book that describes these mystic elements in what is the only literary form that could capture such an essence - poetry. Sometimes direct to the point, other times more abstract, but always with purpose. All passages reflect the experiences of this humble man on his journey toward self perfection through the martial arts. I have brought this book out countless times to share appropriate quotes and passages with my students. Buy this book. Share in the journey.

"A Time Like This" builds fiction around the current world so realistically that it becomes scary. The alternate history begins with the theme that another candidate won the controversial election of 2000, and that the events of the last eight years were met by a different president, a man whose prime drives are to prevent global warming and to avoid military conflict. The story is told from the view of Trevor Wynne, an affable, hard-working, and naive young man straight out of college in the Miami area. His part time job bringing voters to the poles and a degree in public relations lands him a job working first for a new congressman, then the White House as a writer.
The story reveals the dangers of one-sided justification in politics. "A Time Like This" shows that wrong decisions based on warped justifications have wrong consequences, as simple as that, and that the cumulative effect becomes a human tragedy. The scenes at the end of the book become almost surreal.
We haven't left the situations Wm Tate builds his novel around, but with another election looming, the author constructs a strong case for careful thought from the voters to produce a balanced and honorable government. "A Time Like This" is highly recommended, especially at this time.

I LOVED this book! It grabbed me and then never let go. Stayed up late reading it, and it was worth the missed sleep! O.K. Wm Tate, you have my attention!

Any political junkie or current history buff will find this novel difficult to put down!!! Those out there who are anti-Bush may begin to count their blessings. The analysis and conclusions (while probably slightly exaggerated for dramatic effect) are based on very sound reasoning and research.

A Time Like This is a riveting tale that takes the reader inside the walls of the White House, under the bias of the media and into the hidden roles played by our government officials. A clever depiction of political manipulation that begins at the voting polls and continues through every monitored press release, every private meeting, and every coincidental death.

Wm Tate has created a great mix of interesting characters to execute a well-developed plot. Filled with betrayal and moral compromise, Tate engages his audience with every page and proves himself to be a solid writer and a master of detail.

It is a bold expose, wonderfully written, and a recommended read for every American.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a fascinating concept. The 2000 election was so close that a handful of people in Florida could have changed the results by voting differently. The author, Wm Tate, asks the logical question: What if that had happened?

The story follows a young man who goes to work for a political campaign in 2000 almost by accident and then follows his career with the new administration in Washington. It provides enough detail to almost make you think you are working in the white House, flying on Air Force One, etc., and eventually evolves into a thriller as he begins to suspect there may be some nefarious goings on.

The conclusions in A Time Like This are chilling and thought-provoking. While you may agree or disagree with them, they'll certainly remind you that your vote does count in this election year. I recommend it, especially if you're following the current political races: whether you're a Democrat or a Republican--maybe even more so if you're an independent.

This book is a must read for the historical enthusiast! It was written by a knight about knighthood. The viewpoints and situations are very far removed from our preconceived ideas of the middle ages. It is written very well and reads almost in a 'modern' way. This book was difficult to read in some places, but for the most part was so interesting that I couldn't put it down.

An absolute romp, filled with fighting, romance and intrigue. A fictional story written in the fifteenth century about a knight that rivals any that ever lived and many that never did. If your after medieval fiction this is one you should have, it rivals anything that Chaucer wrote.

Sheer genius! A joy to read! If anyone out there has my copy - I WANT IT BACK!!!
If you are in anyway interested in the late middle ages, chivalry or early literature... BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!

Once I read an essay about anthologies written by Jorge Luis Borges. All anthologies (he said, I don't remember the exact words, but I do remember the idea) are arbitrary conventions, but only time makes real, unforgettable anthologies. Although I agree with the Argentine writer, I must add that time is sometimes an unfair judge. So unfair that it left behind this masterpiece of Catalan literature, one of the greatest book I've ever read, a book that stands alongside such undisputable masterpieces as "El Engenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de La Mancha" and "War and Peace". Joanot Martorell built the Universe. After reading his rich work, we cannot but regret how poor is the literature of our times, how narrow-minded are the presumptuous writers of nowadays. "Tirant lo Blanc" is not just a chivalry story. It's much more than that. It's a book about love and romance, about honor and war, about sex and chastity, about boldness and bravery. Its settings comprise several countries; it has more than a hundred characters, many of them richly portrayed with subtle psychology. We, readers of the twentieth-first century, use to look despicably at the literature of the middle-ages for we take the "dark age" as a decaying era between the classical times of Greeks and Romans and the Renaissance (Dante is an exception to this tough judgment). If you think thus, read this book and you'll find how wrong and unfair your pre-conceived ideas are. I bet you'll be surprised with Martorell's boldness in sexual affairs, with his mastery of plot, with the unpredictable behavior of his characters, with the unsurpassed richness of scenarios. You will find that the literature of our times is too conventional notwithstanding all the modernist and post-modernist' experimentations.
But, be aware: this book is just for those who really love literature. If you are looking for entertainment, please buy another book. You will not bear its slow pace, the endless dialogues and the sometimes boring letters the characters send one to another.

Writen about 100 years prior to Don Quixote de la Mancha, and the appearance of the modern novel, Tirant Lo Blanc is a refreshing and interesting masterpiece on Mideaval society, love and the rules that governed the nobility of the time.

Indirectly, it gives us a look at the lives of Catalan knights, troubadours, merchants, peasants, sailors and the clergy. The book is politically incorrect (thank goodness), and if you are tired of modern "cleansed" interpretations of life during the middle ages, you need to read this book. Be prepared for the unexpected, and also be aware that its structure will at times give you the feeling of a slow read. But, as I said, the material is pure gold!

The availability of this volume (or even volume I) in the US is almost rare. And if they are available, they are selling for horrendously high prices. I had my sights on these volumes ever since their first edition. But they were never available. Though volume I is perhaps available through Amazon.com, volume II can certainly be obtained from Amazon.co.uk. Fear not US buyers, they ship internationally. Though it may say Out-Stock, it is worth a shot to reserve a copy.

I'm in possession of both volumes, and I'd read through both volumes (which took a while, don't get me wrong) and volume two was definitely my favourite since I've always been interested in the interior of the Olympic Class ships. This is a book for those who are either interested in the Titanic and/or the Edwardian Maritime/Nautical history. It is a must have for any collector! Of course, you will not be tempted to read the entire volume if you have no interest in the dimensions of a square-port, or the thickness of a door frame, but just looking at the abundant amount of pictures is already a task within itself! Bruce Beveridge with his accuracy, precision, research, detail, and overwhelming amount of the information will definitely blow you away. From the dimensions of each door and window, to examples of water closets (toilets) and artist representations of an officer's room will keep you busy for hours. This is gold for those who really want to know the ins-and-outs of the Titanic. You just can't get anymore detailed than this.

The only criticism I may have for the volumes is the index page. The listed pages do not match the pages in the book (the index and pages do not match the information bearing on a certain page). It is just a small setback, but the wealth of information offsets any mistakes (if any besides the index page) that these volumes may possess.

The research done by Mr. Beveridge is commendable in the highest degree, to my own personal opinion! Just simply a terrific must-have for any historian, nautical-engineer-designer enthusiast, or simply, Titanic fanatic!

Being a huge Titanic enthusiast, I was so excited to finally get this book! I have e-mailed a couple of the authors and they have been really helpful in answering alot of my questions. I am still waiting to get Volume 1, and don't really understand what is taking so long to get it, but if it is anything like Volume 2, the wait will be worth it. I really love the interiors of the ship and Volume 2 really concentrates on them. The authors have really done their research and this is the definitive book on the Titanic! I really urge all Titanic lovers to get these books. You will not be disapointed.

Have you ever wondered what the "Titanic" may have looked like from within? Have you wondered what lay beyond the riveted steel plates of the "Ship of Dreams?" Perhaps you've wondered what it looked like as one dined in any of the three classes? If you've pondered any of these questions, then "Titanic: The Ship Magnificent" is most definitely the book for you!

This two volume series covering the ship goes into ornate detail about every aspect of the ship. Volume one covers the construction of the "Titanic" and includes chapters that cover everything from the double-bottom to the funnels, masts, and riggings. Volume two covers the fitting out of the behemoth liner. One learns what they would have seen, had they been on the "Titanic's" doomed maiden voyage. If one purchased this encyclopedic volume, they learn how different classes' cabins looked and what might have been available for purchase in the ship's barber shops.

If you are a "Titanic" buff, if you are interested in cruise ships, or if you would just like to learn more about the great "Titanic," then "Titanic: The Ship Magnificent" is definitely the book for you!

This is a meticulously detailed volume, and belongs in the library of any true Titanic collector. It is not a casual "reading" book -- it covers the fitting out and fixtures on the Titanic -- from ceiling and wall design, to toilet design. It is lavishly illustrated (although most of the photos are from the sister ship, Olympic). This is a finely detailed volume that no true Titanic collector can ignore. Highly recommended, but definately not for casual readers. You won't find any Titanic "story" here -- this is pure shipbuilding material, with rare and wonderful photos, drawings, and illustrations. Strangely, Volume 2 of this set was published in the US before Volume One (which is being released in July!)....so you sort of get a backwards release of this set that was published in the correct order in Britain.

Although, I am only in possession of volume 2, I am fortunate to have seen both 12 pound books. I am very grateful to the editor, Art Braunshweiger for allowing this. The books that have been written about the Titanic could fill a wing in a library, but only a small selection have new and thought-provoking information between their pages.

Titanic the Ship Magnificent is one of the few books in recent times that a Titanic enthusiast can be excited about. The care and research that went into these volumes is evident from the many new Olympic and Titanic pictures, the well-written text and the feeling that you are exploring the ship as you read along.

Everyone who has been involved in this large project has every right to be proud of these books that no doubt, will be used as reference tools for years to come.

Patrick White is one of those rare writers - Well, the only other one that comes to mind is Halldor Laxness - who is able to create great literature out of the seemingly mundane. How he accomplishes this feat is not a simple matter to explain in a review, but it has, in part, to do with what White describes here as the "mysticism of objects, of which some people are initiates." I could say that this is primarily a book about an uneducated fellow in the Australian Outback who clears some land, raises a family and then dies. I would be quite correct, just as correct as I would be in reviewing Laxness' book, Independent People, as a story about sheep. But I would be leaving out, well, thunderbolts like this:

"Iron lace hung from dark pubs, and the heavy smells of spilled beer. Dreams broke from windows. And cats lifted the lid off all politeness." P.22 (in my edition).


But, more importantly, I would be omitting what perhaps can't be included, the deep sense of wonder imbued in the sinews of the work. It makes all modern novels with blurbs such as "ends by exposing the dark forces at play within the heart of man" and such like ring hollow and trite. All forces of the heart, dark and light, are at play throughout the book, from first page to last, but the reader has to let these forces slowly seep into his or her own heart and mind. They aren't emblazoned on a marquee. They aren't easily accessed. But, for that, they are the more dearly prized once they begin to stir one.

It's no great surprise that there are so few reviews here of this quiet, deep work of art. To the average reader, it must come across as ineffably boring, but, for lovers of literature and art, it is moving beyond my ability to convey, moving "with all the appearance of aimlessness, which is the impression that spiritual activity frequently gives." P.397

This is one of the greatest novels ever written. Whites style is always powerful;each word, each paragraph builds vividly in your mind, and within a simple story framework he explores how human ambitions, hopes and dreams are eroded by nature and the eras we live in.
All that occurs is that Stan Parker builds his farm,takes a wife,has two children,lives through flood and drought and sees the area in which he lives expand,grow and change. No one but a supreme master craftsman can illuminate such a plot with such powerful and biblical imagry (man in Eden,the brief hopes,the failings and disallussions of human existence,the reuniting with God)
So powerful was the writing that, when White refered to a sewing machine on a hill late in the book,the image created in my mind some 400 pages earlier of that scene during the great flood instantly came back. White has that unique capability.
And the story rings true for all of us. Stan had his dreams of how things would grow,yet it is things outside our control that thwart these ambitions. Was it his fault Thelma grew up ashamed of her parents and as a prissy shrew? Or that Ray turned out to be a petty hoodlum and ended up being murdered? Something in human nature makes us blame ourselves for other peoples free will.
An extraordinary book.Not for those who like something quick and easy,but definately for anyone who loves literature and wants to be wholly absorbed for the duration of a classic book.

This is a truly extraordinary novel. It demands a certain amount of quiet to be read well. I found myself reading it more like poetry. Because of White's compelling storytelling and writing style, it held my attention despite the fact that very litte happens. Perfect to take on trains, airplanes, or to the beach.

In the tradition of DH Lawrence, Thomas Mann and Halldor Laxness, Patrick White has written a story that teases out the secrets of a family's existence and, in so doing, explores, without ever mentioning them expressly, the issues and mysteries universal to humanity.

The plot could barely be simpler. In the early days of Australia's nationhood a young man and his wife set off into the bush to begin their lives together. They find some land, build a house, have a family, grow old and finally die. Around them the dramas of life unfold: friendships, disasters, disappointments and infidelities. The book is less about them, though, than about the unremarkable moments in between. These times of quietness are White's triumphs. His unhurried prose admits us to the intimacies of the characters, their griefs, their dreams and their successes. We share in the man's unarticulated affinity with the land, the woman's chronic loneliness. We notice how many words are never spoken, how many uncertainties never resolved.

By the end, one sees that the characters' struggles are his struggles. Briefly, perhaps, one's view of life becomes wider than his self, and a larger landscape, if not a plan, crystallises in the world. You finish the last page, close the book and sit still and speechless for a second, as if someone real has died.

I have read two of White's novels: the present work and Voss. The present novel, The Tree of Man, is more complex than Voss, and unlike Voss here the author manages to breath some life into the characters.

Patrick White gained fame as the Australian Nobel prize winner in literature, and as a person with a prickly or difficult personality. He was educated at Cambridge but settled and wrote in Australia after World War II. He wrote about a dozen novels and a biography.

This is a good novel and it deserves 5 stars. After a dozen pages or so it becomes clear to the reader why White is famous: he has an unusual style and he is a gifted writer. There is no question about his writing ability. We see great writing ability in Voss and that skill is present in The Tree of Man.

The story is set in rural farm country in Australia and it follows the life of a young couple through to their deaths at old age. The male protagonist is a bit like the Voss character. In any case, we follow their lives, and the births and lives of their two children, and the lives of a few of their neighbours. The story describes the day to day life of a typical farming couple, along with the problems and challenges of raising children on a small rural farm. The story of the two children are followed into the marriage of the daughter and we follow the troubles of the adult son with the law.

I liked the way White handled the four family members. The lives of the four are realistic and interesting; they are human and one can relate to their actions. The discouraging feature of some of White's writing is that the characters seem stiff or cardboard like. His Voss character was not a man to show much emotion or talk. There are any passages that simply describe Voss's activities in that slightly dry book. The present book is much more complicated and White does a much better job with his characters. They are human and give way to temptations. Each character shows a wide range of human emotions.

Overall, I thought it was a good book and an interesting read and an interesting book to read if you are interested in the works of Patrick White.

I have been reading gaming books since I was nine and gaming and gamemastering since I was in Junior High School (I am now a senior in college). In that time, I have read dozens of gamemaster guides for different sci-fi and fantasy worlds. The Vampire guide is the best of all of them, and it is one that everyone running a campaign, Vampire or otherwise, should read. Most gamemaster guides are the same thing as all of the others: they have the same campaign generation and adventure writing advice, the same NPC advice, just with the flavor text appropriate to the game in question added in. The Vampire guide is different. In addition to providing all of the behind-the-shield knowledge relevant to Vampire and its storylines, it also has sections on topics like 'How to deal with Problem Players.' It touches on the interpersonal aspects of gaming in a very blunt manner that all other gaming guides seem too squeamish to handle. Included herein are sereotypical 'problem players' that most of us have seen (or been) at some point and advice on how to deal with each of them. Three clans new to this edition (the Baali, Nagaraja and True Brujah), new advantages (age, military force, arcane) and new disciplines related to the new clans (all with powers detailed up to ten dots) are provided, as well as Vampire history and the like. In the history section, there are tips for gaming in any era from prehistoric to the present. In true White Wolf spirit, there is a good bit of humor in the book. The 'Problem Player' section in particular provided great entertainment.

Until many other role playing games, "The Worlds of Darkness" are story based. Thus the storyteller is the single most important person in the group and players will often join or leave a group based on the personality of the storyteller and their ability to create an intriquing journey. But it is also very challenging to be a storyteller, especially if you are used to the less story-focused role-playing games where the DM or guide focuses on technical matters over characters or plot. This is a great book because it makes a lot of good suggestions, gives some needed guidelines, and also spends a good deal of time being honest about the storyteller's role, power, authority and the dynamics of players in this system. Does it answer every question? No, but it will help you become a better storyteller and everyone in your group will benefit.

If you like to play vampire and like to play often you will eventually run into the problem of the GM and other veteran players getting into fights, moving, getting bored with the game, or getting married. This leads to the break up of groups and then it is necessary to find another group.... or make your own. Some times its hard enough to find other experienced players, much less match up everyones schedule. I think the next best thing to do is teach new people. This is more true to the game anyways. When first embraced the vampires know nothing about kindred society and the powers that vampires wield. This sets you up for a very realistic game.

You know all the times you were playing in someone elses game and thought "I could have done that so much better" here is your chance. BTW Its harder than you ever imagined, but also rewarding when you do a good job. If you just want hack-and-slash vampire campaigns, though, the players handbook has all the info you need. This book is almost too much information but if you want a very complex and detailed story it is highly recommended.

Welp, this book is like a combination of the dirty secrets of the blackhand and the elysium. I found it really helpful in making elder vampires and dealing with the new changes produced ever since the 3rd edition came out. They had little detail ruling, e.g. does a vampire have fingerprints? Plus some inside information on the changes happening. It describe _a lot_ of the bloodlines and what happened to them, including Baali, True Brujah and Nagaraja. I recommend this book to storytellers, not players.

This helpful book includes information on elders and their society (from ELYSIUM mostly), mechanics for century-spanning chronicles (scattered and without as much detail as in other sources, unfortunately), an informative FAQ section, a section on how vampires interact with other World of Darkness creatures, advice on creating short (tournament size) games and possible alternative settings. There is a discussion about bloodlines including the modern Baali and the Daimonion discipline and material salvaged from SECRETS OF THE BLACK HAND- True Brujah, Nagaraja and their unique disciplines. A chapter covers the Hand's secret history and recent demise as an independent sect. The book offers suggestions for using free-form techniques to make the chronicle less numbers driven and more story driven- alternatives to merits and flaws, game balance treated as giving player characters equal story attention rather than equal powers, etc.

Unfortunately, some material seemed organized in a haphazard way. For example, elder society was in the chapter on vampiric existence but vampiric authority structures and power wielding techniques were over in the storytelling chapter. Things like this made it difficult to get an overall sense of where things were without reference to the index.

In places, it seemed overly long on theory and short on specifics. After reading the section on theme, concept and mood I was thankful that there wasn't going to be a quiz and wondered if this is really something you can learn from a book- especially with only broad suggestions about using music, props and (what'll they think of next!) descriptions. Specific suggetions for darkening a chronicle that seems too "nice" (and the reverse) might also have been more helpful than all the sidebar reminders to keep it cynical.

A fascinating story of an almost impossible achievement and well worth a read. But the really incredible part is the account of the air to air refuellings, especially one in a terrible electrical storm, hundreds of miles from the nearest land and both planes [the bomber and the tanker] running low on fuel! Really hair raising.

This is a wonderful story in the true spirit of the Dambusters. It tells the story of the efforts that were necessary in order to drop a stick of bombs on the airfield at Stanley at the start of the Falklands war and the subsequent liberation of the Island from the argentine occupation. The book focuses on the determination of all those involved to make it happen and the unsung heroes who contributed. A great adventure story, not jingoistic at all, it details the many mistakes as well the sucesses.

I was stationed on Ascension Island as the US Base Commander at the time of the Falkland war and played a part in the drama told in this book. The author, Rowland White has gone to great effort to gather the facts of this story and then weave them into a most interesting book. Military buffs and fliers everywhere should enjoy the planning and execution of this most daring raid. Well written and well told.

Bill Bryden

This book is amazing.

I'm not normally into factual books, but this one took my fancy while back home in England and I had recently discovered the efforts to get Vulcan 558 restored and flying again - I saw one at an air show as a kid and it was awe inspiring, both the sight and the noise. It also didn't hurt that Clive Cussler, my favorite author, had a quote about the book on the back cover.

The book had me hooked immediately and I made time to read it instead of reading it when I had time. The story itself provoked a number of emotions being a Brit, firstly embarrassment and anger reading about the state of the RAF's fleet, but then an immense sense of British pride when the massive obstacles had been eliminated and the attack was on. I was 12 when the actual event took place, so didn't think it was a big deal. This book highlighted what an immense achievement it really was.

There is naturally a lot of acronyms involved throughout the story relating to Rank, job title or equipment etc. and they can get a bit confusing, but they are integral to the story and didn't break up the flow.

I really didn't want this book to end and I'm now looking for other books either Falklands war related or other British war related as I loved the way you could see the events unfold and how it all came together.

I'd recommend this to anyone who remembers the Falklands as a kid as it's a real eye opener. If you get the chance to see XH558 fly for the Falklands 25th commemoration you will see what all the fuss was about.

BTW - thanks Bill for your involvement on Ascension Island.

Like the author, I was ten years old at the time of the Falklands Conflict and I can remember it well. I can also remember the incredible noise when a Vulcan bomber made a low-level pass at a local airshow. These two memories made the subject matter immediately applealling.

Rowland White has accomplished a considerable feat in researching the conflict and the historical records concerning the Vulcan and its crews. It is questionable whether Britian made a significant impact (militarily) by bombing the Argentine forces at Stanley, but the raid undoubtably sent the message that Britain was taking the invading forces seriously. National pride and righteous indignation was the order of the day and the armed forces had the immediate support of the British public.

Not only has the author given a historically accurate account of the Falklands War but has also provided several accounts of Soviet activities during the Cold War - the incursions into British airspace and the monitering of British activities off the coast of Acsension Island were two ancedotes that the British public had very little idea of during that time. 10 out of 10 for a well researched book and deserving of a 5 star rating.

I was very pleased with the book all the info in it was excellent!!!!

I enjoyed everything about this book. Not only are the trail maps well drawn but the descriptions of the waterfalls almost makes you feel like you are standing next to the falls as you are reading about it. One thing that makes this book unique to hiking books is the Historical Detour section at the end of each chapter. I enjoyed learning about the history of the White Mountain National Forest and the many stories about how these waterfalls got their names. I might add that the photography in this book is excellent. There are some beautiful shots of almost every waterfall mentioned in the book. Not only is this book goood for finding good waterfall hikes but it also makes for some relaxing reading.

I am an avid hiker of the Appalachian Mountains from the Carolinas to Maine. As such, I have purchased my share of guidebooks. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best guidebook ever published. It reads more like a novel. I live in both Florida and New Hamphire and I find myself picking up this book to read for pleasure when I'm in Florida, 1000's of miles from the White Mountains. This book is efficient. As the title suggests, one can cover 100 waterfalls in 30 hikes, most of which are not very grueling. The book describes the waterfalls in detail but reads like a novel. It uses descriptions from early guidebooks as well, some over 100 years old! The directions to the waterfalls are clear and well written and include vital statistics like distance to each, vertical elevation gained, difficulty and altitude. A sketch map is shown for each hike (although one would use a separate topographic map for the actual hike). In addition, and I think this really separates this from other guides, a history is included for each hike of the area. These histories include Indian stories predating European settlement, stories of the early European settlements, the first grand hotels and even ski resorts. It truly gives the reader/hiker a sense of time and place. If you hike the White Mountains get this book!

This book inspired one of the best vacations I've taken (while closest to home!)exploring the waterfalls of NH. The directions and descriptions are accurate and easy to follow, and the falls themselves are exquisite--even in dry August weather, when we saw them. This will be a gift to friends, to be sure. Experienced hikers will appreciate it, but it's suitable for beginners. Not many geriatric hikes, however.

To my thinking there is not much more thrilling than turning a corner to find a spectacular and beautiful rush of water cascading over cliffs or through a rocky terrain. Who doesn't like waterfalls?!

This terrific guide to the waterfalls of New Hampshire's White Mountains details 30 hikes to 100 waterfalls, so many of the walks take you to several falls. A regional map pinpoints the thirty treks and a lengthy introduction relates waterfall nomenclature and origins, tells you how to use the book and offers tips to make your trip enjoyable. Detailed within four subregions (the Connecticut , Pemigewasset/Merrimack, Saco and Androscoggin watersheds), entries are 6-10 pages long and include location, distance, altitude gain, difficulty, access information, a map, trail and hike details, and a photograph of the falls.

An indispensable guide for waterfall lovers, particularly those travelling with kids.

The book concludes with appendices on regional geology and camping facilities, a bibliography and an index.