Williams Books

Author Susan Braudy admits that she began writing this book to prove that Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and Truman Capote's unfinished novel Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel contained the REAL story about the tragic 1955 Woodward murder. While doing a thorough job of research, Susan found herself swayed.

Ann Crowell was a beautiful young girl from Kansas who wanted to be famous; she downplayed and changed her humble beginnings and enjoyed modest success as a New York City radio actress. She met wealthy Billy Woodward, Jr. and a tempestous love affair began for the two of them. Woodward's snobby family though Crowell beneath them, and never accepted her into the fold. Ann fought for acceptance until they day she died, attempting to better herself and mimic the gestures, vocal inflections, and sense of style that were part of the upper crust. Woodward preferred her as she was, and her social climbing caused many a problem for the marriage. Ann constantly sought Billy's approval in everything that she did; Woodward's affairs and bisexual leanings did nothing to help allay her insecurities. Tragedy came in the form of Ann accidentally shooting her husband, thinking he was the prowler that had been terrorizing the neighborhood. Although found innocent in a court of law, Ann was privately found guilty by society, and lived the rest of her days floating from one city to the other, looking for love and acceptance. It is truly a sad tale, and much more fascinating that Capote's acidic bitter grapes story that was founded on hateful gossip.

Braudy has used Ann's journals as well as firsthand witnesses to recreate her; Ann becomes a living breathing human being again through Braudy's account. What a heartwrenching tale, especially for Ann & Billy's children . I HIGHLY recommend this book! Plenty of great photos as well.

This is an excellently written book. So many true crime books tend
to bore me or I find too bloodletting to stay with it. This book is
a refreshing change. It is a big book but I find I couldnt put it down
til done. She explains beautifully all the trials and tribulations the
poor little girl from Kansas faced when she landed one of the richest
men in the country, Billy Woodward. Coming from two entirely different worlds, you wonder how these two stayed married so long before
tragedy struck. Their love and hate relationship ultimately destroyed
one then the other taking other family members down with them.
At about 420 pages, it is well worth the time to read this fascinating story.

Whenever I read about the rich and of the problems they may have, I feel less inclined to lament the fact that I am not wealthy. If ever there was a case to support the statement: Money does not buy happiness, this sad story should do it. If Ann Woodward had only studied the moral of Scott Fitzgerald's story "The Great Gatsby", the fairytale might have had a happy ending. Read this book, enjoy the excellent writing, but learn something of human nature that, deep down, you should already know.

This story had all the trappings of a Ross Hunter production of a Lana Turner tearjerker. I can see John Gavin in the Billy Woodward part. It was fifty years ago that Ann Woodward made a double-barreled blast into the headlines when she mistook her husband for a prowler and shot him. Twice. (The first time, she missed.) And thus was born not only the misery of Ann Woodward and her children but the delight of Truman Capote and his book "Answered Prayers." Tru intended to make the Woodward murder the highlight of his first excerpt in Esquire magazine, labeling her a "malicious Betty Grable." When word filtered back to her, Ann Woodward swallowed a cyanide pill leaving her two sons orphans. What makes this tale of passion and death so moving and sad is the children. Both of them followed their parents to an early grave. Both by jumping from windows. They say the murder house is haunted to this day.

Dominick Dunne would go on to soften Ann's image with the two Mrs. Grenville's, giving justification for her bewitching success in captivating society's finest and most eligible bachelor. She couldn't be completely bereft of any redeeming features whasoever.

Susan Braudy attempts to fully rehabilitate Ann's image here, and the mistruths told about her case. Her attempt is largely successful except for one major thing. Ann Woodward aimed at her naked husband (most prowlers arrive clothed) and fired. Twice.

Although meticulous, Braudy doesn't address a theory put forth that the elder Mrs. Woodward paid the prowler to confess to being on the roof that night. If that theory is false, then Ms. Braudy has posthumously exonerated Ann Woodward and is to be applauded.

This Crazy Thing Called Love is a beautifully written book, spare and yet lush at the same time. I could not put it down because everything is spot on perfect, not least of all the idle arrogance of the upper classes who flocked to parties featuring those boring marionettes, the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor, who were reduced to charging their hosts by the hour for personal appearances.

Braudy knew William Woodward III and was actually introduced to Ann Woodward herself, and she writes about a meeting with her at her maisonette apartment which had me riveted to the page.

It is interesting to note that the Woodward women, strivers in their own day, all turned out to be perfect little snobs themselves. But isn't that always the case.

If you are as obsessed with the Woodward case as I am (I grew up nearby and remember the case), this is the definitive word on this particular crime. I read Truman's La Cote Basque piece in Esquire and of course Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs Grenvilles. I even drove out to the Woodward "Playhouse" where the murders took place and swung my car around on the same cobblestones Mary Queen of Scots walked over to her execution. Ann was so proud of them. Suddenly, there it was, the plain, art deco-ish exterior with the trellis and the porthole windows.

I noticed that Dominick Dunne had the author of this book on as a contributor to a segment he did on the Woodward murder on his television program. She has done a masterful job putting together this book. Although Dunne is not listed as a source, a clue is given as to who the real "Basil Plant" is in The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. It isn't Truman Capote, but an actual employee of a cruise ship, the cruise ship from the opening of The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, who knew both Dunne and Capote.

Five stars. Great read.

Unlike The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, this book is based on truth. The author was a friend of Mrs. Woodward's son. Doing her research she takes us through the nuts and bolts of Ann's marriage, and what most likely happened the night her husband was killed. It is probable that Ann did NOT mean to kill her husband, as he was her meal ticket, so to speak, and her entire life revolved around him and the comforts and acceptance (from society) that he provided her with. True, she was more emotional than the typical "society lady" who allowed their husbands to wander...

It was interesting how Ann had been brought up - by a liberated mother with apparently very poor taste in men. This book shows much empathy to Mrs. Woodward and explains a lot of unanswered questions.

I hardly put this book down after I started it. It immediately engaged me. I was concerned about the characters whether good or bad (there are plenty of those), male or female, "important" or more secondary to the plot. Hunter's use of a wolf as a way to deal with mental illness was especially effective. History was followed faithfully when it provided needed details; other details were, I guess, made up, but done very effectively and within the scope of the known facts. I have recommended the book without hesitation to friends and family and will continue to do so.

To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis & Clark is a very interesting read....not only a good historical fiction book, but also a compelling mystery. It was such an intriguing read that it was difficult to put down.

I especially enjoyed the characterizations. The development of the people portrayed in this book added a great deal of realism to this novel.

One can tell that the author researched extensively her subject matter. The book was quite authentic in time and place and sent the reader back to this fascinating period to learn more about this famous pair of explorers and the mysteries associated with their lives after their famous expedition.

As the book opens, its 1809, three years after the Corps of Discovery has returned from the West, Meriwether Lewis is governor of the Louisiana Territory and William Clark is General of the militia. While Clark is happily married, Lewis is plagued by malarial fever, is drinking too much and is dependent upon laudanum for the pains from the fever. They are both about to be swept into a treasonous plot to gain control of the Louisiana Territory. To say anything more would give away the whole plot.

A fascinating life-like portrayal of the last days of one America's great adventurers, and the author has provided an interesting theory on one of our country's great mysteries. Worth checking out for any one interested in this period of our history. Four stars.

"To the Ends of the Earth; The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark," is a wonderful work of historical fiction. I'll admit that in the beginning, the first twenty pages or so, did not grab my attention at all. I found myself wondering how on earth I was going to get through this entire novel. Suddenly it was an hour later, I was over a hundred pages into the story, and completely intoxicated by it. The story is absolutely incredible, and once I got into it, I couldn't make myself put it down.

We all know who Lewis & Clark were (if you don't, go find out on your own, I'm not going to explain it to you here.) but what we don't all readily know, is what happened to them after their three year expedition. That is what this book is about. It opens in 1809, and Lewis is a man in trouble. He's drinking too much, writing government vouchers for things that later will not be honored, postponing the writing of his novel, and lying to his best friend.

Due to a corrupt adversary within the US government, Lewis sets out for Federal City (the then name for Washington DC) In tow, are all his journals, maps and notes from his previous expedition. En route, Lewis is faced with enemies and allies alike, sometimes making it impossible for him to tell the difference. Hearing that his friend may be in trouble, Clark packs up and leaves after him, hoping to save his friend.

Its hard to explain what takes place on the journey to Federal City without ruining the story for those who would like to read it. Just know that its full of twists and turns, ups and downs, chaos and honor. It's a story you won't soon forget, and one that should be added to any historical fiction library.

A must-read for any fan of American History or just a plain-old great story. Lewis and Clark are alive with wit, patriotism and loyal friendship. The supporting cast will have you cheering the good guys and reviling the bad. Frances Hunter weaves fact and fancy so well in this story that you can't tell the difference between. Well done. I can hardly wait for the next one.

My Father (a WWII veteran) and I made an extraordinary trip with Cavanagh through the Ardennes in 2005 and we both have re-lived our trip with the aid of this book many times since then.

No one knows the Ardennes battlefields like Will Cavanagh ... No one. "A Tour of the Bulge Battlefield" makes that very evident.

If you have any interest at all in the Battle of the Bulge, I would highly recommend allowing Will Cavanagh to guide you, either in person or by way of this book.

I was a battlefield tour guide in Europe for over three years. One of our most popular tours was the Ardennes Offensive aka "The Battle of the Bulge". Since we only had a day, we would drive up from Luxembourg City, paralleling the 3rd Army's relief route, and tour the Bastogne perimeter. If I had this book, I would've recommended this to my customers who wished to visit other sites of the battle. "A Tour of the Bulge Battlefield" is designed for the tourist who wishes to tour the battlefield(s) for himself/herself. Well researched and written, one could almost use this book as a secondary source in itself. The six chapters cover the entire battle, from the north around Stavelot, to the south in the Ettlebruch/Diekirch area. Each chapter is in itself an excellent capsulation of the battle and movements, both German and American. However, this is not a guidebook in the traditional sense, there is nothing about lodging, and very little regarding food, and other questions most tourists have. Also, what few maps there are inadequate, surprising considering this book is designed for auto-touring.

If you get several maps, the excellent Michelin series comes to mind, plus a traditional guidebook, and some `net research regarding transport, renting a car in Belgium/Luxembourg/Germany, this book would make for an outstanding historical vacation.

In 1985, I journeyed from Aachen to Namur, Liege, Dinant, and Libramont on the way to Bastogne. I made the journey without a guide book and so spent considerable time just wandering around Bastogne and sort of stumbling upon things in that area. What a boon it would have been to have had Cavanagh's outstanding book for reference.

This little gem is full of outstanding text and some really great photographs not found in other books on the subject. This book deftly combines period photos with contemporary ones to bring the reader in. Appropriate and detailed unit maps accompany the text and make this book a bit more than just a tour book.

In fact, this book is really one of the better overall texts on the Battle of the Bulge. It is truly one of those books that you enjoy poring over again and again, as you learn something new each time.

Really, can't sing it's praises enough. Sure wish I had had it back in '85.

I recently followed the trail of the well-known 'Kampfgruppe Peiper', with the help of this amply illustrated guide, from the then frontline in December 1944 at the German border to La Gleize/Stoumont in the Belgian Ardennes, about 60 kilometers from its point of departure. With the help of this guide it turned out to be a fascinating experience. The reader gets a very good picture, by surveying the terrain and reading this text, of the heavy fighting which took place in this area in this fateful period that took its toll on civilians and military alike. This guide provides not only an excellent description of the route Peiper and his men took but also contains much interesting background information. It also provides descriptions of the routes taken by the main German formations in other sectors of the front during their failed push to the west. A plus of the book is definitely that it pays lots of attention to the German perspective on what happened. This aspect is often neglected in other English language literature on the subject, e.g. in the Toland volume on the Battle of the Bulge. A minor point of criticism on this book in my view concerns the maps. The book contains maps, but as the author himself says in the introduction, the reader needs the relevant Michelin maps of the area as well to complete this otherwise very useful battlefield guide.

This is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the Battle of The Bulge. Will Cavanagh's latest book is a fascinating account of the battle. Take a ride in the Tiger Tanks of Kampfgruppe Pieper, feel the enthusiasm as they go on the counter offensive. Stand with the exhausted Americans, feel their terror and dread as they defend against the onslaught. All this is accomplished through numerous first hand accounts, told by the participants. The book is complete with many maps and numerous photographs of the participants. Most of the photos are from the authors personal collection.

I have traveled with Will Cavanagh and listened to his lectures. No one knows this history better.

After I finally convinced my 9 y/o son to read The Cricket in Times Square, he was hooked on Harry, Tucker and Chester. He read this book and was sad it was over. Get the whole series, plus Oscar Lobster's Fair Exchange if you have a boy who doesn't like to read too much because these characters are all interesting to boys. Girls love them too, but it is hard to find books that appeal to boys, besides Captain Underpants that is.

This was the best book I ever read! The book was about were Tucker (a mouse) and Harry (a cat) to go to help their friend Chester (a cricket) save his home and the home of other animals on the countryside. My farviote character was Tucker a very nice and smart This is a great book it got me to read all the other books in this series and I never read. You won't be disapointed!!!!!!!!!!

This was the best book I ever read! The book was about were Tucker (a mouse) and Harry (a cat) to go to help their friend Chester (a cricket) save his home and the home of other animals on the countryside. My farviote character was Tucker a very nice and smart This is a great book it got me to read all the other books in this series and I never read. You won't be disapointed!!![.]

Except for Charlotte's Web, this is perhaps the best young person's book in existence. The narrative makes you visualize so thoroughly you will be left with the feeling that you have seen a movie. Don't miss this book!

I wanted to read this book because the book I read before Tucker's Countryside was the Cricket in Time Square. This book is the sequel to the Cricket in Time Square. When I read that there was a sequel to the Cricket in Time Square I looked for it in my bookcase to see if I had it. When I found it I began to read the back of the book and it seemed interesting to me.

The book was about a bird named Robin took Tucker mouse and Harry cat to Connecticut where their old friend Chester cricket lived. They found each other and Chester showed them around the countryside. They found out that his home was going to be destroyed by the bulldosers to make room for the new homes. The towns people won't have a place to play either. Now it is up to Tucker mouse and Harry cat to save the land.

My favorite part of the book was when Harry cat found this girl that would take care of him. This part is my favorite because the girl reminds me of myself because I have five cats and three of them are strays. Harry cat was going to stay at the little girl's house, but he decided to go back to Time Square with Tucker mouse towards the end of the book.

This is a wonderful case book for caregivers. Many different situations are included and the essays are thoughtful and well written. It's a must for all those involved in such cases, including health and psychological problems. I came away with many ideas to help in my own caregiving.

fwt

The variety of emotions and experiences in this beautifully written and profoundly felt collection covered about 80% of my gifts and disasters during my 12 years of 24/7/365. It's wonderful when we can read that others share our sorrows and joys while putting careful and caring words and analysis to them. New Wave CareGivers are not your father's Buick anymore.

Most of us are amateurs in caring for ill people. As one reviewer wrote, the burden of doing so "is apt to descend upon us like a blow from fate, stunning and unforeseen. ... [Then] something cracks open -- a father or a friend gets cancer, a mother succumbs to Alzheimer's, a husband has a terrible accident, a child dies -- and what Virginia Woolf once called "extreme reality" floods in." Any one of us can find ourselves unexpectedly tested to the limits of our endurance.

In number terms, there are 30 million caretakers in this country, and of course at least 30 million patients. As our population ages, both numbers are sure to grow, and the number of patients will undoubted grow faster than the number of caretakers.

These 19 people have written honest accounts of their experiences. The essays will help anyone understand the possible tests to their own endurance: the blow may happen to you as a caretaker or as a patient -- in either event, it will help to be as prepared as you can be.

Caretakers in this book describe the burden as "a black hole of time and energy," a "Black Balloon," "our own little prison," "Planet Autism" and "this unfamiliar country with different weathers, different rules." The caretaker's love is often meaningless; "You and your love don't help me," Helen Schulman's father says. "How could this be? How could this endless reservoir of affection and attachment and respect that I felt for this man prove so powerless, so worthless?"

Dr. Jerome Groopman finds that when a friend is diagnosed for cancer, "for the first time in my career I had reached my limits as a treating physician... [Now I'm only a] physician once removed."

Many caretakers can't escape at all. Scot Sea, the father of a severely autistic 15-year-old girl, describes the daily routine as "just the same scene from the same interminable clip on the late show from hell". He has contempt for those "New Age pests, overdosed on media mythology," who tell him "that being the parent of an autistic child is a blessing." Nevertheless he continues to take care of his daughter.

Helen Schulman echoes the thought: "I think that people like to believe there is a reward in the end for caregiving. There were no rewards."

So does Ann Harleman: "MS is something that goes on happening .... Something huge and black that descends slowly and inexorably and surrounds you ... Bruce and I have christened it the Black Balloon. To anyone who sees me ... I seem to be in their world, the world of the well. Going about my work, going about my life. But, actually, I am inside the Black Balloon with Bruce."

Eleanor Cooney writes of reaching her limits: "I felt hard and mean and full of sorrow all at once, and it drove me truly mad. Drove me, in fact, to drink." She moves her mother into an assisted living center, who finds her too "high maintenance" for the staff to handle. With her mother back home, she asks" "What would you do? I'm still waiting for the answer."

Abigail Thomas cares for her brain damaged husband: "Sometimes I feel as if I'm trying to rescue a drowning man and I only have time to rise to the surface for one gasp of air before I go back down again. There is an exhilaration to it, a high born only partly of exhaustion, and I find myself almost frighteningly alive."

Ann Harleman writes that her marriage improved when her husband was moved to a nursing home: "I'm no longer his physical caregiver, I'm no longer implicated in his illness. ... Because our bodies don't connect, our hearts can."

There are essays here by Andrew Solomon, Amanda Fortini and Julia Glass discussing the patient's perspective: "the helplessness of surrendering to another, the paradox of both wanting attention and not." No one speaks for the patients who have no one to be their caretaker, an increasingly large group of people. And, you may find some essays weak, too light hearted or too New Age or even too self indulgent.

My personal advice: don't judge others too harshly. Sometimes the very best that someone can do is far below your own standards. Each of us has to face these challenges, whether caretaker or patient in our own way. It is very easy to criticize how others face their challenges, but if this book does nothing else, it should convince the reader that there is no "right way".

Robert C. Ross 2008

"An Uncertain Inheritance" is a most wonderful book; I simply can't recommend it highly enough! It contains some of the most powerfully written short essays about taking care of very ill family members at their most vulnerable -- whether they be parents, children, dear friends or siblings.

I first read "An Uncertain Inheritance" several months ago, when I was sent a copy to review for my website, Honest Medicine. I loved it from the first page to the last. Among my favorite essays are those by Ann Hood ("In the Land of Little Girls"), Eleanor Cooney ("Death in Slow Motion"), Abigail Thomas ("The Day the World Split Open") and Susan Lehman ("Don't Worry. It's Not an Emergency"). But for me, the most touching true story of all was cartoonist Stan Mack's "The Elephant in the Room," abridged from his very tender book "Janet and Me," also available on Amazon.

I realize that, despite its uniformly excellent reviews, "An Uncertain Inheritance" probably won't be a best seller, because caregiving isn't a "sexy" topic. But it should be a best seller. As former First Lady Roselynn Carter has been quoted as saying, "You either are a caregiver, have been a caregiver or will be a caregiver." That's each and every one of us.

I hope that everyone who reads the wonderful reviews this book has received will buy it!

Julia Schopick
www.HonestMedicine.com

All of us at some point in our lives will need to confront the issues written about in this eloquent collection -- whether it's our parents, our spouses, our siblings, our friends, or even ourselves. The writers here tackle the subject with intimacy, poignancy, grace...and a great amount of courage.

There are stand-outs for me in this collection: the writer Helen Schulman asking her father, "We all love you, we still have fun together, we still can enjoy one another, does any of that help at all?" Her father's reply: "No, you and your love don't help me." As a daughter myself trying to tackle my mother's depression after my father's death, this line really resonated.

Then there's Eleanor Cooney's remarkable essay, "Death in Slow Motion", about her mother's descend into Altzheimer's disease and the toll it takes on her -- unflinchingly real, not at all flowery, straightforward and raw. Or Ann Hood's essay "In The Land of Little Girls", about the death of her five-year-old daughter...which broke my heart by the courage it took to go back to those emotions and write it so perfectly. And Amanda Fortini's "The Vital Role" about her own debilitating tropical illness and her symbiotic relationship with her caregiver: "a story that arose from a perfect confluence of needs: one person's desperate need to be cared for and another's equally urgent need to care."

I could go on and on about these gems, all focusing on the most elemental of needs -- connection, intimacy, loss, courage. This is an important book, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

This book has good information but would have preferred the pictures to be in colour

Don't look any further than this author. This is a top-notch resource for learning the details about uncommon fruits and vegetables in the American marketplace. Information is detailed and specific for each vegetable and fruit. A great buy!

I have the original of this book and find myself constantly reviewing it every time I come back from the tropical food markets. This book is very helpful even if one is familiar with and have grown up eating these kinds of fruits and vegetables. This book provides americanized recipes which is good because aside from being nutritious, most of these fruits and vegetables are beautiful and aesthetically presentable. You can serve fruits and vegetables that do not need to be masked by some gumbo-colored sauce. If you are the kind of cook who likes to serve beautiful dishes this book comes handy. You don't even have to follow the recipes just to use the vegetables. Once you become familiar with the vegetables you will discover how compatible they are with the common vegetables found in your regular supermaket on a dish of your own recipe. For example you could prepare a chicken dish with sliced tomatoes, potatoes, red and green bell peppers,carrots and bok choy with thickened chicken broth with your own choice of spices. The book details the following for each fruit and vegetable: Scientific name, description, beautiful illustrations, selection and storage, preparation and nutritional highlights.

I have an earlier edition of this book, and have really enjoyed using it. It includes background and the author's commentary on each fruit or vegetable (and, as one of the authors notes, not your "garden variety" fruit and vegetables, but unusual things like kumquats and quince that those of us who grew up on iceberg lettuce may not have encountered.) She also includes a sampling of recipes for each item. The recipes have the author's usual creative flair, and all the ones I have tried have been really great. But, unless I was really more interested in the fruit part of the equation, I would look into buying her new vegetable book first. It was just published in December 2001, and would therefore be more current. There has been so much change in bringing some of the more unusual foods to market that it may make most sense to have Schneider's most recent book.

I began to browse through Ms. Schneider's book because I had some unusual fruit on my hands that needed to be cooked. I became ENTHRAWLED by the fascinating information about vegetables and fruit from A to Z, but not our usual apples and oranges varieties. I couldn't put it down. I will be giving this book to everyone I know!

Wow! This is the best brief study of HAMLET I have ever seen, and I have seen many in almost five decades of reading about the Bard. Students will benefit immensely from the author's ability to convey a huge quantity of facts about a long, complicated play without boring, confusing, or talking down to them. The plot, characters, themes, and much more are covered with care, attention to detail, and enthusiasm, revealing what must be a life-long love of Shakespeare. Indeed, Nardo, a historian by trade, and quite a good one by the way, seems equally at home in the world of Shakespearean criticism, which turns out to be fortunate for all the rest of us! So, I say "get thee to a library" and take out this marvelous little book!

I had to do a report on "Hamlet" for a college class and remembered seeing this book in the juvenile section at my local library. I figured "what the hell?" and gave it a look, not expecting much, since after all it was written for kids. But I was wrong, at leat partially. It WAS witten in such a way that kids will get a lot out of it. But actually ANYBODY will get a lot out of it because it is loaded with information about just about every aspect of the play. In fact, I would say that even though the book is short, I got more useful information out of it than from some of the more advanced ones I looked out. The author writes in very clear language and covers all the main points, and also makes the reader understand why the play is so good and so famous and important. So I am giving the author five stars for a first-rate job of explaining a difficult subject.

Millions of words have been written about Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Why not a few more?, especially if they're good ones. And these most definitely are. The author has captured the essence of this timeless play in a few short, but extremely well-crafted chapters. The chapter dissecting the characters is especially well-written and insightful. And the bibliography is first rate. English teachers in high schools and junior colleges will be remiss if they pass up the chance to use this remarkable volume in their classes. I highly recommend it to all those who wish to be, or claim to be, educated.

One of the best books available about Hamlet for general readers. The author explains the plot, charactrs and themes very clearly and makes the play highly accessible to anyone. A terrific little book that should be used in all high school English classes. If I had seen it when I was in high schol I proabably would have liked Shakespere a lot more than I did in those days.

This little companion book to Hamlet written for students can only be described as outstanding in all respects. It covers the plot and characters and themes and so forth, all in very thoughtful and easy to read prose. My first introduction to Hamlet was the movie with Mel Gibson that came out a few years back. In the book, the author, Don Nardo, talks about how a person's first Hamlet stays with him and colors the way he sees the play ever after, and I have to agree that he's right. Later I went out and rented the version with Laurence Olivier, which by the way is a really great film, and while I was watching it I found myself comparing it to the one with Mel Gibson. Anyway, Nardo's book is crammed with interesting information and well worth looking for at your local library.

I put this up there with the Vietnam novels of Tim O'Brien. I was blown away by it. Too bad more people have not heard of it. Please read this book!

This is one of the best books written by a combat soldier in Vietnam. You travel with Ehrhart from his home in Perkasie, PA to boot camp and then to some of the most harrowing fighting of the Vietnam War. But this isn't just another great war story. There's a personal voyage of discovery--as there is in many war stories. But this one is into a deep and broad wondering, not just about the nature of war and the feelings roused by killing and seeing death, but into a broader horror about the truth of this war. Ehrhart slowly peels back the layers of his awakening, not so much to any truth, but to a series of questions about his own gullibility (perfectly understandable) and a nation's gullibility. The truth as it is revealed seems too simple to Ehrhart; the twisting of honorable intentions too obvious. But if he get's it, many of those he faces upon his return do not. What to do? Write about the simple yet profound truths he found in Vietnam, and keep writing about them since the follow-up books are very moving and affecting portraits of a man being honest about himself, and in the process divulging powerful insights about our nation. The personal in this case makes big points about who are all are as Americans. Can't recommend his writing highly enough.

In this story, Ehrhart beautifully tells of the I Corp Marine's experience in '67-68. The cost, both physically and spiritually,to the soldier has to my mind never seemed so true. Can the innocence and ignorance, if indeed they are different things, last in the face of the reality of war's warped and mishapen environment? What happens to the soldier when faced with his own ignorance and the evils of war, for which he is in many ways responsible? The tension between the two different Ehrharts in the book lies in the attempt to justify his actions in Viet Nam to himself, and if nothing else, to find some comfort even from outside himself. He is both proud and disgusted (I wish I had a stronger word here) by his "accomplishments" in Viet Nam. Where do we find ourselves when the conflict is over? The answer is perhaps nowhere, perhaps in the shower. (You must read the book to understand my last statement):)

Was required reading in a class I took about the Vietnam War. Reading this memoir rapidly went from a school assignment chore to pleasure. I read the next two books in the series the following summer. Ehrhart exposes his inner self on the page to the point where it can actually be somewhat difficult to read. He gave a lecture to our class at the end of the semester, and it was quite moving. Do check it out.

The Vietnam war, what was it like for a combat marine? Read this book and its sequel to find out. Mr. Ehrhart is a gifted storyteller. His story is unique. It's amazing how little it is referred to in bibliographies.

I bought this book and was hoping it would ease my long flight to Hong Kong last month. At first I wasn't even sure if I would be able to finish it before I got back to the States. But let me tell you, I finished reading it during the first 10 hours of my flight. Mr. McCormick's story in Vietnam is so touching, so well written and it just kept me turning the pages one after another. The experience Mr. McCormick had makes me feel like there is something missing out in my life for not having an experience like what he had. I highly recommend this book to anyone, because Mr. McCormick reminds me of the rules of survival. Sometimes you just have to learn to adapt to different enviroments fast enough in order to survive. He also makes me aware that anyone can become a hero, regardless of his or her gender, race, color, sexual preference, age, and background, etc., as long as one can risk one's own life in order to save or protect others and make this world a better place. Mr. McCormick and our troops who are fighting now are all my heroes and I wish this book can become a movie someday.

I Read the book as soon as it hit the shelves. I enjoyed the narrative and the contrast between his past and his future. McCormick had me feel as if I was a part of his infantry with all the attention to detail of the surroundings and his fellow soldiers. The book also had humor and sorrow to keep you interested. I'd love to see this book become a movie or documentary. I would recommend this to all who like, Band ofBrothers, Saving Private Ryan and any other well made War depictions.

I've read many books on the struggles of war. This book is different in its portrayal of the inner struggles of the warrior. Excellent account by a decorated veteran.

McCormick's book is like a wonderful piece of folk art: unaffected, spontaneous, from the heart and compelling. Here is a Vietnam that we haven't seen before, a Vietnam seen from the eyes of a bewildered suburban young man scared by forces beyond his control and struggling with his own sexual identity. For those of us who lived through that horrific period of American history, it is a compelling reminder; for others, it is a very different slant on recent history.

A Walk on the Sidewalk opened my eyes to what went on in Vietnam. McCormick's book gave me a feeling as if I had been there with him experiencing what he did, and made me realize even more that those who served were true heroes not only to our country, to eachother as well. I laughed at his jokes and cryed his tears. A family member of mine served almost exactly a year before McCormick, and never speaks of the war or the horrific things he experienced there. While I understand why he feels this way, I give McCormick such a tremendous amount of credit for being able to share his experiences and feelings this way, and would highly recommend this book to anyone, to include those who served in the Vietnam war. Bravo McCormick you are a true hero!

Fantastic message. Every parent of a young athlete should read it, and every aspiring young athlete should read it. Alan Williams demonstrates everything that is still right about wanting to succeed as an athlete... and the way to go about it. And for those athletes that are a "can't miss" or already there, the example and impacts that a Robert O'Kelly can make on those kids fighting to succeed are priceless. I made every girl on my 12U AAU basketball team read it.

They always say if you want to know what the Coach or the star of the team is really like, then you should ask the last player on the bench. This is exactly what Allan Williams does as he takes you on a journey through his life and times of triumph and dejection on the Wake Forest men's basketball team. It's a great story for basketball players and non players alike. truly inspirational

Walk-on is a must read for coaches, parents (especially fathers),star athletes and "bench-warmers." Alan Williams is a living example of what it means to be a team player. His story is a great encouragement to the athlete who loves his/her sport, but rarely "gets in the game." The book also brings out the positive relationship he has with his father.

Realistically describes the role of the non-starter in college athletics; worth reading for the roles of determination, family and faith in an individual's life. Good to share with high school athletes aspiring to play in college. Quick read, not the very best writing, but not awful either.

This book is incredibly inspiring and one that anyone will enjoy reading. I would give it six stars on a scale from 1 to 5!!!!!