Williams Books

In Chicago in the 1980s, Joe Clark had been a member of the Black Kings gang, but by 1996 he is an honest police detective though the murder of his brother six years ago still burns deep in his mind. At Romeos, another former gang member Chuck Thornton sees Joe for the first time in several years. Later Chuck mentions that to his partner Benny Schroeder, another member of the Black Kings.

Benny and Chuck kidnap black women for a living. When Chuck becomes greedy Benny kills him. Unaware that Joe is a cop Benny offers him an opportunity to make easy money. Joe notifies his superior and receives sanctioning to go undercover in an attempt to break the ring and save fifteen abducted women. Though working from the inside, Joe gets an ally when Chinese reporter Wu Chong tracks the death of his cousin to an organ harvesting gang tied to the Chicago mob.

Though organ harvesting has been used a lot lately and medical records are in the news via new laws on portability and government intrusion, readers will appreciate this powerful police procedural. The story line is fast-paced as Joe becomes involved with the gang kidnapping black women. Joe is a terrific hero, who is a converted believer in the law. Readers will enjoy his take on Chicago from a vastly different perspective than say Bueller.

Harriet Klausner

Williams knows how to spin a good tale and she does so in A Conspiracy to Ponder. When Joe Clark's brother was shot to death, it altered Joe's life. Now, six years later, as a police detective, he is investigating the disappearances of thirteen women in the Chicago area.

The larger plot involves an international donor operation, and the abducted women are being held in an abandoned hospital, where doctors perform illegal surgical procedures. Joe is aided in his search for the culprits by Wu Chong, a reporter from China, with an agenda of his own.

When Joe stumbles on to the bloody trail of a sinister man known as the Colonel, the plot begins to thicken. There are so many exciting facets to this suspense...an absolute must read!

M.I. Williams captivates readers with her superbly written yarn about the underworld of corrupt business and government officals preying on women to make money. The plot is intertwined with complex themes and robust characters that make for a read faster than a Nascar race. The author's personal experience with the disturbing notion of abducting black female women for vital organs only adds a deep chill to this "fictional" story. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense thrillers and conspiracy theories. This one has a special twist to it that will keep you spellbound for days after you've put it down! You know what I mean?

A Conspiracy To Ponder is a captivating novel of suspense and murder by Margaret I. Williams. Joe Clark, a police detective who must follow a winding trail of clues to learn once and for all who murdered his brother years ago. Joe must uncover the vile secret behind the disappearances of thirteen women and take a hazardous stand against a cruel and shadowy figure who uses his wealth and power as a shield against the law. A Conspiracy To Ponder is recommended as a superbly crafted, thoroughly exciting, page-turner of a mystery.

Margaret Williams pens an excellent thriller that describes an international conspiracy where black females are robbed of vital organs to heal the world's most wealthy. With corruption extending to the highest levels of government, Williams describes in fantasic detail an underworld crime ring with vast resources and global black market connections. This is a book I could not put down. What is even more impressive than the book itself, is that this is her debut novel! This book has the makings of a great screenplay, that will leave you spellbound.

The new addition updates this classic for the 21 century. The importance of history and examination continues to be the foundation, the limitations of imaging studies as well as their strengths are fully discussed. A most have for anyone caring for patients with abdominal pain.

As a General Surgeon in an undeveloped country (Dominican Republic) I have found this book very practical in order we may diagnosis in and acute abdominal pathology without the help of TAC. Must of the time we use clinics and ultrasound and the book gives the keys for a close aproximation to the diagnosis.
Perhaps is a popular book in USA but we have no translation of it in Spanish and I think it is excellent for helping medical students and residents to improve in their knowledge about acute abdomen.

historical point of view of surgical practice, this book give a concise but extremely useful method of clinical thinking.
items were treated with a logical approach, in a frendly manner , with wisdom and experience.
best then the chapters in the surgical or emergency txtbooks.

One of the most influential medical texts ever. Cope's work gets only more relevant with increasing fragmentation of care. I would argue the book is especially useful for those NOT planning a career in surgery. The work is concise, accurate, and filled with memorable language. If you spend half an hour on the appendicitis section you should be equipped to make the diagnosis correctly. Other sections are equally good, as Dr. Silen has the sense not to fix what is not broken.

I readed this book the first time 26 years ago, and it gave me a "sixth" sence as a suregon. Today I, as orthopaedical surgeon still have in my mind the essentials of the Dr. Cope's master-piece. I think it must be as a duthy ("a must be read book") in every serious medical school, to teach alumnii the surgeon's mind...even if the alumnii goes to clinical areas later on.

A Cross Estate was a book that I decided to read against my better judgement. I suspected that it would not be my cup of tea. But there was something about the idea that appealed to me-- something honest and fresh. I really appreciate that Mr. Kinsella gave me an opportunity to read the book. I rarely accept reading copies these days, since my work commitments make it difficult for me to promise to respond in a timely fashion.

A Cross Estate is, indeed, not my cup of tea. It is a kind of fable about human nature told against the backdrop of 9-11. I actually give him quite a few points for attempting the subject at all. It is such a hard topic that just about the only writer who hasn't given me hives when he/she tried to approach it is Paul Auster in The Brooklyn Follies: A Novel. It is really difficult to do the material justice. The book struggles against the weight of that image, and I am not sure that it ever really recovers from that fight. The base story (a young man torn between several sets of goals) is one that could have been written without the twin towers falling behind the characters.

This said, there are a lot of really nice moments in this book-- writing where the image flashes, and stands out from the rest of the pages around it. There are times when I found that he told too much-- using the narrative voice, conversations, etc. I wish that he had let his images do more speaking-- trust them a little bit more. To some degree this is the nature of a fable. And then we are back to my original problem. I do not really like fables.

I guess that it says something about the strength of the book and the writer that in the end, I almost liked this. The characters of Jack and his parents are naggingly human, and I found myself thinking about the issues raised after I closed the pages of the book.

This was Kinsella's first novel, and there is (for me) enough here to hope that he continues to write more work. Like I said, I would hope to see a whole lot more showing and a whole lot less telling-- but, again, that may just be a matter of personal taste.

Three stars with an extra star for several kinds of bravery.

I found the book, " A Cross Estate" a very poignant, moving novel. Much of the story is centered around the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the resulting emotional aftermath, the families of lost ones faced. I found myself "feeling" those same feelings of sadness, anger, sorrow, and loss that touched so many Americans on that tragic day.
The novel tells the story of "Jack", who, upon graduating from a prestigious college, must make a choice of either following his own dreams, or his parents wishes and heading to Wall Street to follow in his fathers footsteps. He chooses his parents wishes, leaving them, his girlfriend Veronica, and his dreams behind. His new job moves their offices to one of the twin towers. From there the story tells of how each of his loved ones dealt with his death.It is a story of heartbreaking loss, the healing that eventually comes, hope for the future,and love that never dies.

In A Cross Estate, William Thomas Kinsella weaves together a cast of characters whose internal and external struggles are complex and quite sad in its rendering. It is a world that straddles two eras in the lives of a young college graduate Jack Conroy, his girlfriend Veronica and his parents, Catherine and Alexander.

Book I revolves around Jack's quandary concerning his career choices. Should he follow in his father's footsteps and join a financial company on Wall Street or accept an offer from a nursery as a landscape designer? In the first few pages we learn that during Jack's college summer vacations he had worked at the Durham Nursery and prepared a few landscape design sketches-something he had enjoyed immensely.

Kinsella portrays Jack as a kind, competitive and energetic young twenty-two year old, graduating Magna cum Laude in the Class of 2001 from Duke University, majoring in finance with a minor in landscape design. He was captain of his university's swim team and above all, he deeply respected his parents as well as their choices pertaining to his future, particularly his father's desire that he emulate him and find his fortune on Wall Street.

However, matters become a little dicey when Jack tears up a letter he received from a Wall Street investment firm extending an invitation to him to be interviewed. He now finds himself torn between staying in Durham, North Carolina near his girlfriend Veronica or pursuing a career on Wall Street following the hopes and aspirations of his parents. What complicates matters is that Jack omitted to tell Veronica or his parents about the interview invitation he received.

Weighing his options, Jack feels that Wall Street is more attractive, as he feels it presents more opportunity to make a difference in the world and as he mentions to his uncle Browne, "I am my father's son," to which his uncle retorts, "Indeed. And from the time you were young, you've been made into his image."As for Veronica, she only wants what will make Jack happy, although deep down she would be terribly sad if he left for Wall Street.

Jack's dilemma begins to unravel when he and Veronica spend a week-end with his parents. It is here where Jack learns that his parents had received a copy of the interview invitation and they are quite perturbed as to why he has not followed up and arranged for his meeting. Moreover, they blame Veronica for his actions.

Jack defends his girlfriend, although she in turn is confused and angered by Jack's mother Catherine; she also feels betrayed in that Jack had excluded her from his confidence.

Book II picks up where Jack decides to accept the Wall Street offer; however, unfortunately within a very short space of time he becomes one of the tragic casualties of 9/11. The ramifications are far reaching as Kinsella depicts the extreme sorrow and fragility of Veronica and Jack's parents as they try to come to terms with Jack's death. Ultimately, some important event in the lives of Jack and Veronica is revealed and the souring relationship that existed between Veronica and Jack's parents is resolved.

There are hints in the novel that Kinsella would like to see his readers examine broader connotations to such concerns as parental guidance pertaining to counseling children as to their career choices. When dishing out career advice to our children, at what stage do we fall into the trap of becoming overbearing? There is also the issue of guilt and the blame we sometimes attribute to ourselves if our children's lives don't pan out as a result of our influence in their choice of careers. Most parents try to do what is best for their children however at what point must we stand aside and permit them to decide for themselves.

How often have we encountered individuals who are in the wrong job or profession and are miserable, often leading to health and family problems, all due to the wrong occupational choices. In the case of A Cross Estate, the result was tragic, as it resulted in Jack's death, for he happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. As so often happens, the "what if" syndrome looms in the back of our minds even when the ramifications may not be as shocking as the one depicted in this novel.

While A Cross Estate is inarguably a thought-provoking novel of issues, the entire novel doesn't completely hang together. For one, it would have been much better if the players had been more vividly and richly constructed, as I failed to become emotionally attached to them-something that generally is expected from a story of this nature. I also felt that there was not enough of a psychological charge illustrating how Jack was struggling against contradictory visions and indecision. And in the case of Veronica, in Book I she seems to be peripheral at best and only towards the end of the second book do we have some idea as to what she is all about. There was also an overwriting of chapters considerably slowing down the pace of the story particularly when Kinsella describes the property Jack's parents purchase after his death. I also found it odd that a prologue was included that serves little purpose.

In the end, however, A Cross Estate is a good yarn worthy of reading as it is a poignant and touching story depicting the experience of the human condition in moments of bleakest sadness to future hope.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

Jack Conroy is living life on his terms. Being the only child of Alexander and Catherine is a challenge at times, but the mutual love is always there. Jack is competitive in everything he tries and he loves to succeed. His Wall Street job after graduating from Duke University has him conflicted.

Jack is torn between following in his father's footsteps and his own passion for landscape design. Moving away from Veronica is difficult, but the couple agrees their relationship can work while Veronica finishes college and Jack pursues Wall Street knowing that once he succeeds there, he can pursue the life he truly wants. After all, they have all the time in the world.

William Kinsella uses his personal experience of losing some of his fellow commuters on 9/11 to create an intense story of true love, compassion, and the struggle to go on after the loss of a loved one. He brings the reader into the hearts of people directly effected by the tragedy. Compelled to write this novel for "everyone who never made it home," Kinsella has produced an emotional and historical work of fiction filled with hope.

Kinsella, a husband and father of two, commuted daily into the city to his offices in Lower Manhattan. He was there when the towers fell. He hopes 'A Cross Estate' keeps the spirits of those who died, alive. He lives in Basking Ridge, NJ and is currently working on a personal memoir.

William Thomas Kinsella has written an amazing first novel. The strength of each character's voice keeps the reader turning the pages. It is a thoughtful and powerful highly recommended read. Reviewer: Lisa Haselton, Allbooks Reviews.

This is not another 9/11 account, but rather an story of a family's journey through pain and grief, using the event as the catalyst. The characters are richly drawn and wholly believable, and almost everyone will find someone here to whom they can relate. Kinsella is a beautiful writer. There are many passages of pure poetry as he tells of feelings, places and moments of simple observation. The depiction of Catherine's emotional ride through her grief are particularly moving and dead-on. In the end, this is not a book of sadness, but one that is uplifting and affirming of the resilient nature of the human spirit.

This is a book that grabs the heart, encourages the soul, and strengthens the spirit! The title says it all!

My wife's dear, saintly Mother Gladys Wolf, first inscribed her signature in our well-worn hard-back copy, barely held together from early 1950's. Everyday sometimes, I look into this older copy because both daughters also have copies from 20+ printings!

Ruth Graham has introduced the later editions for new printings!

If we could find devotional books with writings by Jeanne Guyon, St Augustine, Charles Wesley & George MacDonald & Anna Laetitia Waring, Hannah Whitehall Smith, Longfellow, Whittier and unknown writers for today's readers, we may have more deeply commited christians who find daily strength! From one who is an indebted admirer of this collection by Mary Tileston! Retired Chaplain, Fred W Hood, "Barbara377" (Fayetteville GA United States)

Thank you for the fast shipping of The Daily Strength books,they will make great gifts- Thanks, Robert

Early AAs used several different "devotionals" for their morning meditations. Generally, the materials followed the same path as this fine devotional. That is, they cited a Bible verse, then come commentary, and often a prayer and other verses for study. Those who want to get the same results from "meditation" on the Bible that early AAs received would do well to obtain and use a copy of this book. It was studied and circulated by Dr. Bob among AAs and their families. It was in common usage along with The Upper Room, My Utmost for His Highest, Victorious Living, and The Runner's Bible. A well-stocked 12 Step meditation library should include Daily Strength and the others. It will enrich familiarity with the Bible and enhance the day ahead. I discuss all these in my title Dr. Bob and His Library (www.dickb.com/drbob.shtml).

The difference between this book and the devotionals written today is like the difference between a prime rib steak and a bologny sandwhich. A lousy analogy, but point made. "Daily Strength for Daily Needs" is full of reflections that must be read over and over in order to fully grasp the sentiment. Part of this is due to the excellent writing and terminology used from years ago, however it is not a difficult or frustrating book to read. There is a rich and reflective depth brought forth in a verse,a piece of poetry and then a reflection by a Christian from the 16th century to 18th century.This is the main devotional I have used for about 8 years now and it is full of underlined thoughts that have been compelling.Each year when I cycle back through it, I am always challenged afresh.I hope mine will last for 40 more years--it is rich beyond comparison.

Who among us hasn't struggled with the comnflicting strees of life - children, spouses, family, work - and tried to achieve a balance that will answer everyone's needs? For Dr. Renee Altman these all come crashing together when the center of her world, her daughjter Molly, is kidnapped. Det. Jessie Drake copnfronts her own individual conflicts as she races against time to find Molly and apprehend the kidnapper without endangering others who are objects of his hate.
Rochelle Krich draws her characters with such realism you feel like they are part of your life. She skillfully weaves the tension of the drama with character profiles in a way that draws you personally into the plot. As with all her books, this one is difficult to put down before the end. You'll be missing a wonderful treat if you don't read this and the other Jessie Drake books.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was so good I almost finished it the same day I began reading it. I am looking forward to reading all future books that she writes. I am hopeful that her critics will put her up there with Faye Kellerman and others of her genre.

"Dead Air" is Krich's best novel since "Speak No Evil". Jesse Drake is back. She is an LAPD detective who has previously appeared in several Krich novels. This time, Jesse is investigating the kidnapping of Molly, the daughter of Dr. Renee (a radio psychologist), and the murder of Molly's nanny. Renee Altman and Jesse Drake used to be friends, but they drifted apart over the years. Now Jesse is once again involved with Renne as she delves into her friend's troubled life. Not only is Renee in torment over Molly's diappearance, but she is also upset about her separation from her husband, Barry, and the sinking ratings of her radio show. Jesse and her colleagues must find out who kidnapped Molly and where the child is being held. Could Barry, Renee's estranged husband, have had something to do with the child's disappearance? Or is the kidnapper someone with a grudge against Dr. Renee? Krich captures the atmosphere of "radio psychology" well, as Dr. Renee lambastes her callers with scathing advice and withering criticism. Dr. Renee is a thinly veiled Dr. Laura, whom the author mentions in the book several times. Krich explores the theme of how effective and therapeutic radio psychology can ever be. Do radio psychologists serve a beneficial purpose or is what they do shallow and harmful--"microwave psychology," as one character derisively labels it? Krich explores Renee's and Jesse's personal and professional problems nicely and the book is exciting and entertaining. "Dead Air" is a timely and engrossing mystery.

I waited for this new Jesse Drake book and was not dissappionted in it. It kept me spell bound to find out who had Molly .I enjoyed learning more about Jesse,but I was hoping her relationship with her ex would go in a different direction.I am really interested in how Jesse adds her jewishness to her life as a detective.If you enjoy Kellerman than you will love Krich and her characters as they keep you turning the pages for more.

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have devoured recently. I am not a reader who keeps trying to figure out "who done it" before the author reveals the ending. But I truly appreciate a finely crafted mystery with unexpected twists and turns. Krich juggles several potential culprets convincingly. Just when I thought the ending was in sight, she turned another corner in the story line.

After reading this I had to find another title by Krich to see if she was this good or if she just wrote a real "winner." Having read _Speak no Evil_, I can say, "She is a wonderful writer." I also devoured the second book by her. Now I intend to find as many of her titles as I can. I hope her publishers take notice of her "out of stock" and "out of print" titles and make them available as soon as possible.

She is an author to discover, if you haven't read anything by her yet.

This was a strange read, because the author continually expresses her surprise for certain techniques and methods of the book conservators craft as she discovers them during her early learning and apprenticeship. I find this odd, as I've done a bit of self-taught bookbinding, and have encountered most of this knowledge through reading, and that the author purports to be a reader and decent student.

An element I found annoying was the typesetting of the book. In general, I'm tolerant of these things, but, as this is a book on book arts and the author worked as a typesetter for some time, one would think that more attention would be paid to this. Specifically, there is only a word space (1/5 em) between sentences, not the age-old standard of 1/3 em (or even the 2 spaces that is acceptable giving 2/5 em). Also, the excerpts are set in too small a font, which contrasts poorly with the main text face. This detracts from the pleasure of reading a book, and should have been more carefully considered. I suspect the publisher is to blame, not the author.

The book also seems to lack a broadness to the characters; their personalities, life, and interests are confined to the conservation department. Although the book is clearly a loving tribute to a master book conservator, one doesn't really learn about the man (nor much about the author).

Wilcox artfully narrates her experience as an apprentice for Bill Anthony, a famous book binder and conservator. She artfully interspeses observations about books she is restoring with phases of her life as an apprentice and other texts. She evokes the spirit of craftmanship, of taking many years, much time, and much patience to develop mastery of her craft. Great for book art students, art students, or those considering an apprenticeship of any kind. Of particular interest to those who've made books before, because they will understand vividly the technical descriptions of her project (thought these are accessible to the lay person as well).

Someone who knew that I was in the Interdisciplinary Book and Paper MFA program at Columbia College Chicago gave this memoir to me. It's a really nice read---especially since the bookbinding world is a small one, and everyone in it knows everyone else, as people travel around the country giving workshops. Always interesting to read about people who you've had as teachers. I found it very well written, an evocative and accurate depiction of an obscure art/craft/lifestyle choice, an illuminated window into a small, specialized world.

A practical person can read this book as an extended essay on how to approach an apprenticeship, and how to bind conservation texts. A spiritual person can add layers to the stories and extrapolate life lessons. Either way, the main character/author is extremely sympathetic character. Her teacher had amazing gifts, both as a conservator and as a teacher.

The book is deceptively short. Looks like a quick read, but was so meaty and detailed, I found myself reading it for several weeks in order to digest all the material carefully.

If your taste runs to the obscure, the "sleeper," I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

A Degree of Mastery tells the story of one woman's journey through the education and apprenticeship necessary to become a book preservationist. Annie Wilcox, a bright woman with an impressive past in the field of English and writing, begins to take an evening class in bookbinding at the University of Iowa taught by a world-reknowned preservationist, William Anthony. Little does she know that not more than two years later she will become the first female apprentice ever to study under the direct supervision and teaching of Bill Anthony, an honored position granted only to six others before her. Through her apprenticeship, Wilcox learns the art of preservation and the dire need for conservation in every library, but especially those libraries that house an archives, manuscript or rare books collection. Through Wilcox's autobiography, the reader learns the basic process and means by which book preservation becomes possible as well as the importance and value of conservation in today's libraries. It is a wonderful piece of literature well-worth your time.

Another wonderfully written account of the atrocitites that Jewish Poles faced during WWII. A must read for ANYONE or ANY color, ANY religion, ANY ethnic background!

Mr. Ungars' nephew, his wife and daughter - happen to be my neighbors and close friends. So when reading this, it becomes a much more personal story to me and my family when reading this.

William Ungar's memoir of survival is the single most moving account of the Holocaust that I have read. With vivd and heart-renching portrayls of his young wife, infant son, other raltives and friends who perished during the Holocaust, Destined to Live brilliantly depicts the devestating emotional toll the Holocaust wrought on those that survived. Without a trace of bitterness, Mr. Ungar describes how he managed to survive the Nazi's occupation of Poland, and went on to create a powerful life that postively impacted the lives of countless others. Destined to Live is not a memoir about survival for survival's sake. It is a gripping tale of how humans, even in the most dire and unjust of circumstances, can use the powers of love and perseverence to create true beauty and greatness. If I were to recommend one book to someone who wanted to learn about the impact of the Holocaust on those that survived, I would recommend Destined to Live.

I have read this book and have learned so much more about my husband's employer. We always knew Mr. Unger had a heart of gold. He has helped our family so much through hard times, when the economy was so low. Never once has he laid his employees off. My husband, Joe Iervolino began working for Mr. Unger when he was 19. He is now 65 and ready to retire and still working for Mr. Unger. Throughout all of the hardship this man endured, he has always shown compassion and loyalty to those he employs. There must be thousands throughout the United States. He came here almost penniless, yet he has made thousands enjoy the best of what being a middle class American has to offer.
His sponsorship of the Holocaust Museums in NY and DC has educated millions of people. His company, National Envelope has given thousands of people well meaningful employment. The next time you throw out an envelope that contains junk mail, a letter from a loved one or a bill, you are probably handling a product made by a National Envelope Employee, such as my Joe.
Read the book. It will touch you in such a way as he has touched our lives and made us thankful that this immigrant made it to our shores.
Destined to Live is one of the best Holocaust survivor books I have ever read. It will open your eyes to how inhumane some men can become. After becoming a victom of such men, William Unger not only survived but, became a great human being. He shows only compassion to others and hates no one. He is the ultimate survivor and an example to all of us who suffered through any sort of inhumanity. I feel this book is a "Must Read" for everyone, young and old, alike.

My review focuses on matters undeveloped by the other reviews.

Ungar's childhood in Krasne (near the Zbrucz River) repudiates the notion of anti-Semitism (and Christian-clergy hostility) being the constant companion of Polish Jews: "Both Father Hankiewicz and Father Leszczynski mainly preached the loving kindness of God. Because of the priests' behavior, the peasants didn't bear a grudge against Jews...The result was that I had the unbelievable good luck of growing up without either hatred or fear. My playmates were Polish and Ukrainian children and no one ever insulted me or tried to beat me up...Of course, they knew I was Jewish...But they considered me one of theirs." (pp. 66-67).

At least some of the sporadic anti-Semitism which Ungar later did experience was clearly related to the entrenchment of Jewish economic hegemony, which worked against Poles. One Pole said: "I don't know about Lvov, but around here they [the Jews] own all the big buildings, they own the stores, they own the banks. They take our money, and you can bet that they make sure Poles can't get into business themselves." (p. 86)

Ungar provides a seldom-heard Jewish viewpoint of service in the Polish Army just prior and during the German invasion of Poland in 1939. He discusses training, tactics, mobilization, and his wounding during a Luftwaffe air raid.

Polish nationalists commonly suppose that even totally assimilated Jews (like Ungar) seldom become Poles at heart. Along these lines, Ungar candidly admitted that: "I would never have called myself a patriotic Pole..." (p. 31).

After Poland's defeat, Ungar made it back to Lviv, in the Soviet-occupied zone. He touched on Jewish-Soviet collaboration: "It also seemed to Wusia [Ungar's first wife] that they [the Soviets] trusted Jews more than Poles or Ukrainians." (p. 120). "Besides that, you began to see Jews in high positions, which would have been unthinkable before. There were Jewish army officers, Jewish party members, and Jewish city officials." (pp. 136-137)

Up to the time of Operation Barbarossa, most local Jews thought of the Germans as a cultured people who wouldn't do especial harm to the Jews (p. 154). After the Lviv Ghetto was formed, some of the Jewish ghetto police acted reasonably towards their fellow Jews. "But many acted more like devoted servants in the hope of ingratiating themselves with the Gestapo. Others were just callous, brutal people, untouched by any of the nobler sentiments when it came to hunting down their fellows. That was how the Germans turned Jew against Jew." (pp. 171-172). "Neither of us knew any [Jewish] policemen, besides which, many of them were cruel and unscrupulous." (p. 277).

While at Janowska Labor Camp, Ungar was denounced to the Gestapo by oberjude (the German-appointed chief of the Jewish workers) Tenenbaum (p. 253, 276).

Contrary to some reports, Ungar never claims to have been at Belzec. He saw some bodies along the railroad tracks, inferring them to have originated from a failed escape from a Belzec-bound train (p. 298, 321).

Unfortunately, Ungar cheapens his work through a sudden outburst of primitive Polonophobic innuendo late in the book. He denigrates the AK after accusing it, without a shred of supporting evidence, of being behind the killing of Rabbi Barfield. (p. 313, 316). Following Yitzhak Shamir, Ungar blanket-slurs the Poles for imbibing anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk. (p. 316)

When the Germans invaded and conquered Poland, a young Polish soldier was in more peril than most. Wilo Ungar was Jewish and badly wounded. Because he wore the Polish uniform he was given the last rites by a priest who thought Ungar was Catholic. For the months after his recovery that he was held prisoner by the Germans he was saved by his captors ignorance of his ethnicity. Finally released he made his way back through war-ravaged Poland on crutches. He was given refuge by Polish families and eventually smuggled himself across the German-Soviet border, was captured by the NKVD and imprisoned as a spy. Ultimately he made his way back to the city of Lvov and reunion with his girl. They married and when Germany turned on Russia, they and their baby Michael managed for a while to evade Nazi roundups but in 1942 they were caught and separated in a time when the Nazi holocaust was being carried out in earnest. Highly recommended for students of the Holocaust, Destined To Live is the riveting story of Wilo's search for his family in a world of love and death, organized violence and the indomitable human spirit.

Bill and Sandra McGee have authored a fascinating account of an almost forgotten era of the Old West. The old days of the romantic Nevada dude ranch unfold in a format reminiscent of "The Love Boat". Told through the eyes of real life cowboy, Bill McGee, we see east coast patrons come and go through the gates of the famous Flying M E Guest ranch. The dude guests are mostly women arrived to establish a six (6) week residency before securing a quickie divorce. And while lounging at the Flying M E, who could blame a girl for romancing a handsome cowboy? The wonderful photographs alone make this coffee table book well worth its purchase. Fans of the old west should seriously consider adding this fine book to their collection.

The McGees have pulled together a remarkable historic and pictoral event in Nevada history. Nevada's easy divorce laws attracted the rich and famous to well known Divorce Ranches, complete with horses and swimming pools. Bill McGee was a wrangler at one of the better known "ranches". McGee introduced divorcees to horses and the spectacular Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the daughter of a former owner of one of the nearby smaller divorce sites (we didn't offer horses or a pool), I was impressed with the results of the McGee's research. Many of the photos have not been produced before; they interviewed many of the ranch's former "guests" and provided information not available earlier. This book is truly a collector's item. The Divorce Ranch years brought many new residents from the East who subsequently enriched northern Nevada's cultural community. Before the McGee's this Nevada saga was largely overlooked.

A great and very personal account of the times when everybody who was anybody spent six weeks in Reno to cut the bands that had bound them in their homes,churches, cities and states. Provacative text supported by even more provacative photographs.

Biographer:Adriana and veteran attorney: Tom Williams, San Francisco

View a clip at www.divorceseekers.com -- Click on CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO.

I'm honored to appear in this and another special feature, RENO MEMORIES, both on the newly-released Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 4 (Charlie Chan in Honolulu / Charlie Chan in Reno / Charlie Chan at Treasure Island / City in Darkness) (4DVD). Both special features are peppered with photographs from my book, THE DIVORCE SEEKERS.

The producers were looking for a firsthand account of life in Reno during the 1940s, the heyday of the Reno six week divorce. I was working as a dude wrangler then on the Flying M E, an exclusive divorce ranch outside of Reno that catered to wealthy divorce seekers. As the movie opens, the Mary Whitman character, in a cab on her way to a swank Reno hotel, could have been any number of divorce seekers who came to the Flying M E. She looks the part, believe me. The dialogue for the Cab Driver is pretty authentic, too.

CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO is a fun Reno divorce movie.

If you love history, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and cowboys, this book is for you. Being from Minnesota and working at Lake Tahoe in the mid-70's and now being a resident of Reno, I found this book to be a lot more than it's title indicates. Yes, the Reno area was known for being the Divorce Capital of the World, but Bill McGee takes the reader into the back mountains of the Sierras, into the world of New York socialites settling in Virginia City and into what must have been a unique place to live and work - the Flying ME Ranch. The Flying ME was located in what I think is one of the most beautiful spots in Northern Nevada today - Franktown. Even before I knew of the dude ranch, this spot between Carson City and Reno is one of beautiful ranches with white picket fences, Ponderosa Pines and mountain views second to none.

Bill and Sandra take the reader back to a time that was unique and one that will probably never exist again. The photography is wonderful and probably tells a story all by itself.

This is definitely a worthwhile read and a great coffee table book!

D. Geraghty
Reno, Nevada

This is a refreshingly good read! I so enjoyed the journey and would highly recommend Doin' Jimmy to anyone who enjoys a good plot, great characters, suspenseful twists and just plain entertainment! This is a talented writer! Can't wait for the nezt story from W. Allen Werneken.

I read this book along with other members of our book club and thought it was excellent. I especially liked the way the characters were developed and just when you thought you had a situation figured out, it surprised you. It's a book you will find hard to put down.

Doin' Jimmy was one of the best books I have read in quite a while. The characters were so well developed and the story had many twists and turns. I would highly recommend this book to any book club. It will leave you with a great discussion to be had without a doubt. Great writing and our book club would love to see this book made into a movie.

This book is a gem - and what a movie it could make! I have read many different types of books over the years, but few have grabbed my attention like this book did. I have read 5 recent "best-sellers" with our book club... Doin' Jimmy belongs at the top of our list - this book should be a best-seller!! I found myself turning the pages of Doin' Jimmy with eagerness to find out what was going to happen next. The author has developed a fantastic suspense/thriller story; the characters are very interesting, and the plot grabs you from start to finish. Congratulations to the Mr. Werneken and many thanks for a great book - I'll be giving it as a gift this Christmas!

This book was a great read. The characters are wonderfully developed and believable. The twists and turns of the plot makes the story a real page turner. Our book group read it and all 6 of us loved it! Highly recommend it !

My name is Denny. I am the 12th chapter in this book. I am proud and honored to be in this book. To be among these 11 awesome and incredible stories. Even if I wasn't in it, I feel this book should be required reading in every school in this country, it is that good. I thank everybody involved with this book. Do yourself a favor and get it, it will change your life. "No Excuses, No limits" Denny

Life's prevailing propensity for trial and tribulation set stages to examine real life drama. In doing so, there are compelling and compassionate means in which people have persevered to make meaningful differences through the agony of adversity. The aforementioned is a testament to Montel Williams' attempt along with Daniel Paisner to shed insight to a montage wrought with gut wrenching dilemmas that warrant your attention. Mr Williams has been witness to, have been involved in, and have been the recipient of the type of angst that not only try mens souls, but forces them to be the catalyst for change. As I read this book, I couldn't help harkening back to previous episodes that depicted the caring spirit of someone who truly wanted to make a difference. 'A Dozen Ways To Sunday' and the twelve stories of hope and courage should have a profound effect on you. The authors uses twelve personable points of contention to illustrate exhibitions of clarity to give readers reasons for allowance to step outside of themselves to acknowledge that...no matter how you hurt, there are others that hurt more. This is done by the 'never say quit' attitudes displayed, and the ways they've stressed non verbally the importance of faith. Their messages in each poignant case shows how important to them the need to encompass viable vestiges of strength, resolve, and vision to heal wounds.
Take for example the case of Sulieman Beyah who battled the maladies of Lupus and a kidney transplant to be able to found a nonprofit to help others that shares his plight. Consider too, the story of a couple who felt that no amount of children was too much for them in adopting ten siblings! Then there's the story of Ian O'Gorman. This is a unique trial of how high hopes for a new tomorrow spurred efforts by him to persevere through the ravages of cancer. He accomplished it by keeping a smile on his face, and possessing a winning outlook in being the backbone of ways to help defray costs for cancer patients the world over. You will meet these people and the others as you read on.
I've asked myself who is this book for? And why dramatize in print problems faced by a handful of suffering people? Beyond any doubt, I was able to ascertain that taken together, these stories of hope, faith, and true grit presented a larger than life perspective told through the eyes of one of the most caring television personalities who endeavored to illustrate how certain truths can be attained by believing. Albeit, 'A Dozen Ways To Sunday' may be looked upon as oxymoronic in light of the title, but underneath these twelve profiles the author(s) does nothing to dispell the notion that there would be many more with issues to spur the need to achieve success. I feel that the intent here, as Montel laments, is for us to "learn from these stirring individuals, and make a difference". He goes on to say that, "I've learned from the hand I've been dealt that time is the barometer for change to be able to give something back, to push forward in the name of perseverance".
You'd want to read this book for the passionate insight beneath the surface of the lives Montel has touched---and who touched him--while giving us these heart felt stories. You'd also want to read this book because a part of us always want to be at the forefront of inner peace by making a way for those that are less fortunate. And if by chance you are moved, then you will do what's expected of you. Buy this book there's a message within!

If you want to give your family and friends a gift that can change their lives, please consider giving them this book. It contains 12 stories of 12 amazing and courageous people who will help you put your problems into perspective and, above all, help you see how to live life with "no excuses and no limits" (as Denny Chipollini would say--see chapter 12 for a motivating story! You won't be able to blow off those exercises as easily anymore once you read his story!!!!). We all want to enjoy life to its fullest and be grateful for the gifts we've been given, but sometimes in this hectic world it's hard to connect with how to do it. This book helped me connect with the compassionate and hopeful side of life without a personal tragedy. Thank you for sharing these stories!!

If you read about Eddie Lama in this book or saw him on the December 18 'Montel Williams' show, you should see the award winning documentary about his work called "The Witness". Howard Rosenberg, film critics of the Los Angeles Times said, "The Witness is one man's truth that cries out for mass exposure... may be the most important and persuasive film about animals ever made." This video is available through Amazon. Seeing it might very well change your life.

"The Witness" is produced by "Tribe of Heart" a film production group that makes use of storytelling, visual media and the arts
to present a vision of a compassionate future. They are at
http://tribeofheart.org/

Information about Eddie Lama's "Oasis" sanctuary for animals AND humans is here: http://www.oasissanctuary.org/

If you are looking for an inspirational gift for the holidays or any special occasion for family or friends, please consider getting them this book. This book contains 12 amazing, inspiring and motivating stories about 12 incredible people who have taken action on some of the worst things life can hand out to make a positive difference for others. These stories will get you fired up and it gives us all examples of what it means to live life with "no excuses and no limits"! (see chapter 12 on Denny Chipollini--that's his motto for living life and once you read his story, it won't be so easy to blow-off exercising anymore!). Do you often find yourself feeling worn down by the daily grind of life? I know I do, but reading these stories helps me to see how to reconnect with the compassion and hope in my life without having to go through any personal tragedies like so many of these people have gone through. It can really make a difference in peoples' lives--thanks for sharing these stories!