Montana Books

Here's a highly readable account of the big cosmological picture as viewed at the end of a wild astronomical century. We now know that this universe is immensely bigger and almost immeasurably older than anyone remotely imagined back before 1900. Ferris is very good at explaining things. For example he elucidates why Kepler had such a ragged time trying to explain planetary motion -- he had the right concept for years, but persisted in attempting to fit the theory to perfectly circular orbits -- until he finally stumbled on the correct answer, elipses. Ferris points out that Kepler's problem was similar to calculating the bounce of a football by dribbling a basketball. Exactly! This tour is studded with such vernacular explications. Is Omega exactly 1? Do you care? Should you? Ferris reminds us that the cosmology of 1600 led to the American Revolution, among other incidentals. Cosmology matters, dudes. This is a good'un.

Tim Ferris is an accomplished and celebrated science writer; he certainly knows astronomy and cosmology. But I found his style of writing to not suit me well. "Lay" science books must "bring along" readers of all levels so explanation of the basics is de rigeur, but for readers like me who already have a pretty good foundation, Ferris' style is, um, verbose is not the right word. It takes a lot of reading to get to parts that are new and interesting.

Maybe it's not at all the author's fault and I just chose the wrong book? I much prefer John Gribbin's books; and Steven Weinberg's "First Three Minutes" is a much narrower topic whcih I found to be much more compelling.

A very good overview of the current state of cosmology (even if now almost a decade old). The author though puts his philosphy into a number of parts of the book - which can be quite frustrating at times (hence 4 stars and not 5). If you can walk through these or are of similar mindset this book is a very good place to start your education into cosmolgy. It has a very good index, glossary of terms and references at the back of the book, it is just a shame did not also include a list of books to read in short section at the end - rather than having to go through the references. But on the whole recommended.

This is a book on cosmology: the study of the universe, the speculation on its direction and future, what we know and how we know it. Ferris gives us helpful analogies. Well written, good style. Journey through this mind warp; you will shake your head in amazement.

Tim starts with the early thinkers: Aristotle and Eudoxus. He then moves to the obvious: the big bang, origins and creation. He discusses: a collapsing universe, redshifts, distances and ages of stars--the different methods of measuring, shape and makeup of galaxies and the universe, structure of space, and black holes. He ends with prose on the future, the possibility of e.t. life, and God.

Could there be multiple universes or infinite regression? What is dark matter?--what may be 99% of the rest of the universe. Can inflation change rate of expansion? Is the universe isotropic? Enter the weirdness of quantum physics. There are many paradoxes. Tim was doing good until he brought in the theory of cosmic evolution, especially organic. He does caution to what evolution means.

He is an evolutionist--stuck in his faith (which he admits to); and this leads to materialism, relativism and humanism. He will eventually turn full circle--to creation. Timothy finds himself in the same trap he tries to build for creationists. A big mistake is made in thinking that religion and science are not compatible. "The secular explanation also assumes that stars and galaxies can form from regions of high density. But this has never been observed. No galaxy has ever been observed to form at all." What of the second law of thermodynamics? Some knowledge will be left to the unknown--as secrets.

"The big bang today relies on a growing number of hypothetical entities, things that we have never observed--inflation, dark matter and dark energy are the most prominent examples. Without them, there would be a fatal contradiction between the observations made by astronomers and the predictions of the big bang theory. In no other field of physics would this continual recourse to new hypothetical objects be accepted as a way of bridging the gap between theory and observation. It would, at the least, raise serious questions about the validity of the underlying theory." [...]

Wish you well
Scott

Every year I read about 5 books about cosmology and physics. So I know what I'm saying: this book really is great.

Sure, it's about 8 years old, too old in cosmology. In particular, the discovery that the universe is accelerating has changed a lot of the questions that cosmologists contemplate. But even if you read a book that was published yesterday, it'll be out of date next month. So you have to either hang out in the physics lounge at Princeton, or accept that you're gonna be behind a bit. As it goes, I think that this book is so good that it's certainly worth reading even though it's a bit old.

I especially recommend this book if it will be your first book on cosmology.

I bought it because of the discussion of the structure in the universe: superclusters of galaxies, and beyond them to the sheets and bubbles that seem to be the largest structures in the universe. I'd been curious about these things, and never read a good account of them until this book. He covered it all, including reviewing our local intergalactic neighborhood, the Virgo cluster and supercluster, and the mysterious Great Attractor. He discussed the formations of galaxies and stars and planetary systems, including our own solar system. Not since Sagan's "Cosmos" had I read such an enjoyable discussion of this topic--the one that fascinated me so much as a child.

That's high praise.

But I was also surprised by how well other things in cosmology were explained. Of course the question of the geometry of the universe was well explained; even better, the discussions of inflation and Linde's chaotic inlation and multiverse were great. The issue of dark matter was very well covered. Relativity was explained well enough, and the world of quantum physics was explored enough to make the points Ferris wanted to make. (He didn't explain Smolin's black hole based multiverse, probably because it's a lot more speculative than Linde's inflationary multiverse.)

Every pop science writer has to simplify things, and at some point offer explanations that someone will consider inadequate. I thought his discussion of the principles of life on earth and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life were great, but they were probably a bit too brief for someone completely unfamiliar with the topic. I think a first-time reader would not understand several points in his description of quantum theory. But hey, when you're sure you don't understand quantum theory, that's evidently about as close as you'll ever get.

The same goes for his discussion of the anthropic principle and God. Now, actually I basically agree with Ferris' worldview (strong agnosticism), and I think his discussion of it was spot-on. But if I had to write it, I would have gone a bit more slowly, explaining things in a bit more detail. You can find among these reviewers some who criticize Ferris for saying that cosmology doesn't prove God's existence. Well, it doesn't. Ferris also explained that it doesn't disprove God's existence. But Ferris doesn't flatter theists as much as some other writers in the field.

All the same, the general discussion about the universe was great.

Incidently, if you're primarily interested in quantum physics rather than cosmology in particular, I recommend Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe." Not so well-written, but in greater depth is Nick Herbert's "Quantum Reality." If you're primarily interested in multiple universes, look at Smolin's "Life of the Cosmos" but especially at Guth's "The Inflationary Universe." And if you're interested in the end of the universe, I suggest Davies' "Last Three Minutes." And finally, although it's a bit dated in some respects, the best exploration of the theological implications of cosmology (which bothered some reviewers of this book so much) remains Paul Davies' "God and the New Physics."

If you haven't read about cosmology yet, get one of these books and enjoy it. Regardless of which one you choose, scientific cosmology is one of the most fascinating, mind and soul expanding topics in the world.

I read this book way back in 1974 when an old Army buddy Lt. Tom Couch told me to read it.
I am a Veteran of the War in Southeast Asia. I can attest to the happenings during my tour of South Vietnam. I quickly learned that the War as it was being played out during the years of 1971-1972 was a losing proposition. We were wasting all our assets for a Country who in truth wanted to be left alone.
Halberstam has set in cement his views of a conflict that was invented in the minds of the powers to be in Washington. LBJ was the actual catalyst in the venture. In retrospect LBJ reminds me of a fellow Texan George Bush who reacts the same way 30 years later. Think about that, it is a true comparison.
Although JFK had ventured into this Southeast Asian scenario, Halberstam feels that JFK would not have escalated this conflict. Maybe Yes, Maybe No!!
The hubris of McGeorge Bundy and Robert McNamara would rush LBJ into the War to end Communism in Southeast Asia. This is what LBJ wanted to hear. Damn the torpedoes, full ahead!!!!!!
In the meantime General Harkins was perpetuating a fraud on the U.S.A. in stating we controlled all the aspects of the Vietnam Conflict. He indeed did not tell the truth of the happenings in the fields of South Vietnam. We indeed were not winning.
Later General Westmorland continued this masquerade. The U.S. sent over 500,000 troops into the quagmire of Vietnam. These governing Whiz Kids in Washington were indeed wrong. So now Old Friend, please learn from this ignorance. The beat goes on. Do we ever really learn.
Halberstam understood way back in the 1960's, we also should learn that the best and the brightest really knew nothing!! They were wrong!!!
This is a great read and I rate it 5 Stars. If I could I would rate it 6 Stars. Bloody Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An excellent review of the origins and causes of the Vietnam conflict and a must read for the serious historian to understand the liberal, leftist viewpoint. To be fair in one's analysis however, the author's views need to be contrasted to a viewpoint from the right. A good comparative work is Vietnam at War: The History 1946-1975 by Phillip Davidson. Some where in between the views of these authors probably lies the truth.

The author tells us about the Vietnam War. This book is not about the battles or the people in the front lines, but about the people behind the war. Primarily he covers the American political actions that help create and expand the war. The book was completed in the early 1970s, so the war had not ended yet. The Pentagon Papers had been published, and the author uses them to good effect to solidify the understanding of the process put forth in the book.

There's a lot of good information in the book, with many short biographies of significant people in the decisions (as well as some with seemingly peripheral connections). While the general flow of the book is linear with respect to time, the continual interruption of the flow by the biographies (which go back and forth in time without regard to the general flow of the book) is somewhat annoying. The primary source for the book is a large number of interviews the author did with many of the people directly involved in the decisions.

If you enjoy books about politics, or the back office "whys" about how large enterprises come to pass, you will like this book.

This is an important book for anyone interested in how the US became inextricably involved in Vietnam. It holds pertinent lessons for the predicament in which the US now finds itself in Iraq. Unfortunately, the book requires a determined reader to plow through some 650 pages of close-spaced narrative, as the author frequently diverges on tangents that drift away from his main thesis points. A principal thrust of the book is the influence of key players on the decision-making process and their inter-personal relationships. Accordingly, there is substantial biographical information, which is interesting, but distracting. This is not a military history; very little mention is made of the operational and tactical aspects of the conflict.

I read this book for the first time over ten years ago and returned to it for the bitter relevancy it has as I reflect on our situation in Iraq today.

I wil never get sick of reading these things! These are classic stories that have finally been revealed for their cruelty to others... or not. I have to wonder just how serious Mr. Garner is as he writes these. The familiar stories are changed to how things would be if everyone was concerned with doing things with a healthy dash of PC. The result is hilarious, biting, and revealing into our overly PC culture. But if you don't want to do the analysis, read them for their humor.

The era of political correct humor has passed but...

These are still entertaining. If you want to develop a "politically correct" speaking style for humor or career advancement, you will not find a better primer. To learn how to speak without pointing your finger, you will still have to watch politicians. For that, I recommend old campaign debates by Senior and Junior Bush campaign footage.

A very quick read, I had a good laugh. Some of the word combinations are a little difficult even with a college degree. I would say that it deserves a rating of PG13 since there were some words that I would not want young children to read. The humor is dry and more British, some Americans would take offense at several references. I had a serious giggle.

Take some of the most beloved fairy tales and modify them (robotically) such that they can be deemed politically correct and what do you (author James Finn Garner) get: ridiculous, unfunny stories that can best be described as "annoying." Adjective modifications are simple and predictable: replace "poor eyesight" with "optically challenged," "short" with "vertically challenged," "stinky" with "odor-enhanced," "poor" with "economically disadvantaged," "cruel" with "kindness-impaired," and "hot" with "thermally enhanced." Plot changes are unoriginal and boring: the big bad wolf falls dead "from a massive heart attack from eating too many fatty foods;" the pigs "liberate their homeland," the witch and the prince team up to exploit Rapunzel's singing talent, the males at Cinderella's ball get into a fight, and an impotent prince, upon seeing (and thus becoming cured) the seemingly dead Snow White, requests of the "Seven Towering Giants" that he be allowed to "...take the cure..." (read - satisfy an attraction to corpses) with her (p 54). Thankfully, readers will not have to waste much time slogging through its seventy-nine short pages. Equally bad: Once Upon a More Enlightened Time. Many times better: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka, and Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne.

I had the pleasure of reading this one when it was first published in 1994 (now keep in mind, that was not that long ago...this is important). At the time I found the book to be hilarious. The author has taken a collection of some of our favorite bedtime stories, fairy tales, if you will, and rewritten them to make them "politically correct." Some of the stories the author has modified are Little Red Riding Hood, Chicken Little, Rumpelstiltskin, The Billy Goat Gruffs, Cinderella, The Frog Prince and Jack and the Beanstalk. There are more, but this gives you some idea of the content.

I recently reread this work. My, what a difference. While I still enjoyed the stories, I found them to be not quite as funny as I did during my first reading. I also read quite a number of the reviews that are posted here addressing this work, many of which are quite good, several drew different conclusions, and some were written by the clueless. I thought and thought on this matter, wondering why I did not snicker the same as before, then I realized....I, and apparently many others, have become completely or partially desensitized! It is not the author's fault, it is our fault and the fault (if fault it indeed is) of our society! What was simply funny in 1994, the satire used at that time, simply does not work as well today as it did then because so much of what was satirized at that time, has now become reality. We are use to the words "logically challenged" rather than simply "stupid." We actually have become the thing that the author was satirizing! This, for me, makes this book extremely interesting!

The author has done a very nice job of lampooning our politically correct society. As pointed out by several reviewers, yes, the author is indeed trite at times. The thing is, that when this work was first published, what is considered trite now, was not at that time. If you doubt this, then listen closely to the evening news for a few nights running. Now I do agree with a number of reviewers in that these stories should not be read all in one setting. Spread them out. Reading them back to back can be a bit of a chore and they do loose their effect.

Be-that-as-it-may, the book is well written, fun to read, and I think, even more to day than it was when it was first written, a reflection on us as a society. Poking fun at ourselves is healthy, poking fun at the way we act as a society is healthy. On the other hand, taking this work, and most others of this genre too seriously is not really all that good. Recommend this one highly. It is well written, well done and well worth the read.

Don Blankenship

If you're southern,you'll love this book. The characters jump off the page and become part of your life.

A thoushand thanks to Ms. Jackson for her beautiful work on Between, Georgia. It is brilliant and made me light up inside from the luminosity. The characters are endearing and I found them just a little bit scary as I am related to a good half of them. Between is so real I could flat out walk my way from Berneses's house to the Baptist church with my eyes squeezed shut. The story combines the perfect combination of plot and twist as to not make me any crazier than necessary. Ms. Jackson has landed a sharp harpoon right to the tender spot in my heart making me wonder if the copy I hold in my lap just might not be the deux ex machina intended for me! Hmmmmm?
Joshilyn Jackson's other books now sit atop my wish list and I cannot wait to get my hands on them. A. Binson

I read this book first and am so glad I did. Between was so funny and she writes with such a creative style. I so thoroughly enjoyed it, laughed out loud and absolutely could not put it down! People complained it was unrealistic - who cares - it's fiction - it was fun entertainment! She is a very gifted writer. She describes my own world so well - being from the other side of Atlanta from her and now living in Alabama as well!

I'm sure I'll be called a prude, but I don't usually like books with tons of locker-room language. Don't really see the point. Same with movies - they are just as good.......anyway, for anyone who cares, any occasional language didn't effect the story at all.

But when I read god's in Alabama, I had a hard time getting through it for that reason only.

And today, I finished The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. Again, it was so very well written. Not all that much language, but just tough, tough subjects. I applaud her for tackling these subjects. Although she invoked about every emotion that exists, which I guess is what defines a good author, I wish she will stick to the humor side of her giftedness. She is just so good with humor!! I love reading her Acknowledgments as much as the books because you can hear her very descriptive humor as if she were talking directly to you! Thank you for a fun read!

Loved this book! Characters had depth and were insightful! All of her books are GREAT READING!

I didn't want this book to end! I thought it was very well written and all in all a good book!!

I would recommend it!

If you haven't read a Chicken Soup book buy one NOW. When you find one that fits your life it is inspirational and comforting to read.

They definitely name this series correctly~It will comfort your soul while your read it.

Bring your Kleenex!

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

I love this book, it's a feel-good book and can be read in short bits and pieces, ideal for someone like me who doesn't get a great deal of spare time.

As CEO Coach, Poet and author of a leadership book that helps leaders unleash their genis, the genius of teams and the genius of corporations, I have found the stories in this book to be inspirational. Story telling preceeds the written word as a form of communication and as I tell my CEO's, is the best way to inspire people. This book is full of masterful stories. Additionally, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield are doing good work in the world. They help people help themselves. Support them and their work by buying their books. Paul David Walker Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

Help sort out life's challenges; this book provides a basis for life's everyday choices and decisions and comfort for times of stress.

This is the original Chicken Soup book. It was filled with all kinds of various good true stories.

I finished this book last nite. Gads, what did we do? How was this extermination of the Indians allowed by a loving god, let alone by us Christian white people? I wonder we can live with ourselves. I know it's easy to judge the dead, the times and dangers were so different,..still I can't believe our policy, even our glory, was to kill women and children and old men. As a Republican white middle class guy,..after reading this book I just feel tremendously ashamed. Like I committed a murder and never got punished for it. I want to make amends for what we did to the native americans. I want to take my family to Little Big Horn Park, ..I want to show my kids the whole story from both sides. Thank you, author, for an exceptional labor of love in this very moving book.

This is a well-documented reference that provides an interesting insight into the political workings and influences within the U.S. army at this time in history. It also provides a sad awareness of the utterly irresponsible actions of the U.S. government, and the "White Man" in general, as it pertains to the treatment of the native Indian tribes of North America------a sad tale of how "The end justifies the means." seemed to be the operational motto for the U.S. government.

I am 3/4 of the way through this book. Yes, it reads well. Yes, there are some errors and even some questionable use of source material (in my opinion). But still, it is a good story that Donovan tells. But it should be read in conjuction with other books on the topic and not as the final word. And Donovan does slant things against Reno. Yes, Reno may be guilty of not fulfilling his duty that day (and quite honestly, not being a war veteran, I don't feel completely comfortable criticizing the guy) but the following is a clear example of how Donovan clearly has it in for him:
p. 461 (bottom)-- Captain Thomas French told a New York Times reporter that Reno had been DRUNK during the hilltop fight and had hidden himself from the command..." NY Times, January 19, 1879.
Now here are the actual words from that newspaper clipping:
"Capt. French, of the Seventh Cavalry, who is credited with great bravery at the battle of Little Big Horn, and a coming witness before the Reno Court of Inquiry at Chicago, stated today that he saw nothing of Major Reno from the evening of June 25 until noon of June 26; that Reno was out of sight, and that he (French) could not find any one who did see him; in other words, that Reno slunk away in a hole and left the command to Benteen."

Please, will someone tell me where French said Reno was drunk?

Again, the book must be read with caution and with so many footnotes, many that are hard to confirm without seeing the original material, it is a painstaking task!!!

9-25-08
Well, I have finished reading this book a couple of days ago. My rating remains the same. I have located several errors (including an error in his bibliography giving credit to an author for a book he didn't write and some errors of fact elsewhere in the book). However, seeing as my initial review has not received a warm welcome with two "not helpful" votes, I prefer to let those who enjoy wallowing in their own lack of knowledge continue to do so. The book was a valiant effort but falls short of being a classic (in its current state) in my opinion. I have suggestions, but again, my thoughts appear to be unwelcome.

Terrible Glory -- good name for a terrible book. If you are looking for someone pimping for Custer and Benteen this is the book for you. Custer can do almost nothing wrong and Reno can do almost nothing right. According to this book Reno was drunk most of the time during the Little Bighorn battle -- except Reno saved most of his command and Custer lost all of his. Save your money.

"Courage, boys, we've got them." These are reported to have been among the last known words of George Armstrong Custer as he lead 210 men of the U.S. 7th Cavalry into combat with more than a 1,000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors.

"A Terrible Glory" is James Donovan's 388-page account of the principle Indian and non-Indian characters and their actions in the events leading up to, during and after the legendary Battle of the Little Bighorn on 25 June 1876. Donovan documents his fast moving, well crafted but almost matter of fact narrative with 83 pages of footnotes and a 24-page bibliography. There are also generalized maps showing troop movements and the location of events (most of which, apart from the largest one reproduced three times - on both end pages and just after the title page - being too small to easily read) and 48 photographs of American soldiers, civilian, Crow and Arikara army scouts and Sioux war chiefs.

In addition to his detailed telling of the 25 June combat itself, among the more interesting aspects of the story as told by Donovan, in my opinion, are:

1. The role and character of Custer's civilian, Crow and Arikara scouts: they all warned Custer that the Sioux gathering was the largest assembly of Indian warriors they had ever seen and advised him - to no effect - that it was too dangerous for him to engage such a large force. All reportedly acquitted themselves well according to their assigned tasks and the army's expectations.

2. Custer's failure to learn from prior experience leading the 7th against Indians in the Battle of Washita eight years earlier: in that action Custer skirted disaster - and lost a number of men who were detached from the main force - because he attacked without adequate reconnaissance and divided his tired troops. That experience failed to prevent him from making the same mistakes on a larger sale in 1876.

3. The lack of training and readiness among the majority of the 7th's troops: according to Donovan many of the soldiers had little or no competence in marksmanship or horsemanship, and the 7th's officers made no systematic attempt to train them prior to the 1876 campaign.

4. The whitewash of Major Reno's drunkenness and poor behavior at the Little Bighorn at the army's official 1879 court of inquiry: due to an apparent desire to preserve their regiment's honor and their personal reputations - at the expense of Custer's and that of the other men who died - the 7th's officers lied or disingenuously shaded the truth about Reno in contrast to their damning descriptions of Reno in newspaper interviews, reported conversations and private letters that have since come to light.

5. It was the 7th Cavalry, under some of the same officers who fought at Little Bighorn, that committed atrocities - that were whitewashed by the official inquiry - at Wounded Knee in 1890, apparently in an act of revenge for their prior defeat by the Sioux.

My conclusion is that "A Terrible Glory" provides an interesting and reasonably comprehensive and balanced account of Custer's last stand that will satisfy the needs of non-historians seeking an understanding of the events and context of "last great battle of the American West". Highly recommended.

This was a very well researched story about history's bloodiest mutiny. I found the most interesting parts of the book were the details of life on board a Dutch spice trading ship in the early 1600's. The story of the shipwreck & the life of terror that followed for the survivors was also well written. If you are interested in historical non-fiction adventure books this one should be on your list to read. I would say "Skeletons on the Zahara" is slightly better & if you haven't read it already Nathaniel Philbrick's "In the heart of the sea" is one of the best in the non-fiction adventure realm.

I had a couple of minor criticisms that kept me from rating this a 5 star book. First of all sometimes it was hard to figure out what character the author was talking about. For example one of the main characters in the story was Jeronimus Cornelisz. Sometimes the author would use his first time , then he may use his last name, then both or he may just switch to calling him by his trade (apohecary)...then maybe call him by his position of a member of the crew or maybe just a random word to describe him. Add to this the fact that several people in this book have the same or almost the same first / last names it can get a little confusing. I flipped back to the index many times to make sure I knew who the author was talking about.

Another minor point was that the story really takes up about 200 pages of text. 130 more pages are detailed info about characters before & after events in this story took place. Another 150+ pages beyond this are notes & Index. In total the book is almost 500 pages but like I said the meat of the story is less than half of this.

These are minor points which don't take away from the fact that this is a great but gruesome adventure story.

This is a first rate historical book. Mike Dash has done a wonderful job of writing about a dreadful into the evil of man, in such a way that makes it readable. It is straightforward and unapologetic. "Batavia's Graveyard" accounts the action taken by the people who were shipped wrecked in truly desperate conditions, and explains how certain flaws in personalities can feed off each other. This is not a book for the faint of heart, because it is a story about mass killing, committed in most violent means contrived.

This was in my view an edge of the seat thriller of the world greatest mutiny. The author placed the historical narrative in perspective by outlining in sufficient detail, the individuals involved, the prevailing political and religious climate and the Dutch East India company mentality and methodology, placing all in their historical context. The scheming, planning, execution and finally the retribution of the mutiny are all stripped bare to provide a brutal insight into the the human psyche of paranoia and survival nearly 400 years ago. The development of and the understanding of the lead protaganist Jeronimus Cornelius was excellent.The narrative is fast moving from begining to end but interspaced with periods where the reader can really reflect and understand what it mght have been like to be trapped on a flat barren island off the West Coast of Austalia with your family, friends and some callous schemers and murderers for company. The coincidental appearance of the rescue ship on the day the mutineers attacked the remaining survivors and the subsequent race between survivors and mutineers to reach the vessel was thrilling. The final summarization was also very helpful and re-assuring that the punishment actually did fit the crime in those far off days. An excellent read.

I came across the bloody story of the shipwrecked Batavia as a footnote somewhere and decided then and there that I needed to learn more about it. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was wowed by the almost unbelievable story of mutiny and murder in the seventeenth century.

The nonfiction book "Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny" by Mike Dash is a detailed, readable, and exciting portrait of Jeronimous Cornelisz, a Dutch apothecary (and heretic) who lost his child and abandoned his wife to escape dept and scandal by going to sea. He ended up on the Batavia, the flagship of the Dutch East India Company, which was making its maiden voyage to Java. While on board, Cornelisz helped incite a near mutiny, and then survived a horrible shipwreck on a desolate chain of islands near Australia. Only after the Batavia's commander and his officers sail away on a gunboat to find rescue does Cornelisz make a true power play, taking over an island with his cronies and engaging in deliberately vicious acts of violence meant to terrorize and subordinate those survivors allowed to live.

The detail in this book is amazing. If you want to know what life in seventeenth century Netherlands was like, look no further. If you want to know what life was like at sea in the seventeenth century, this book is for you. If you are at all curious about the Dutch East India Company, this book will give you a great introduction to one of the most powerful companies in the world ever. And, if you want to read about a real horror story and real-life adventure, well, "Batavia's Graveyard" has it all.

Do note that this story has moments of extraordinary violence, including rape and the cruelest of murders. The rapes are not provided in detail, thankfully, but the murders are. The fitting executions of the killers are also described in astounding detail. All in all, it is not a book for those with weak stomachs.

It says a lot for a story when it begins with a shipwreck and builds in intensity from there.

Batavia's Graveyard, painstakingly researched and written by Mike Dash, starts shortly before the proud, richly laden Dutch merchantman Batavia, on her maiden voyage for the Dutch East India Co. in 1629, shattered its hull on a coral reef near Australia and some 1,500 miles shy of its destination in Java. It could have been a simple story of survival if not for the presence of Jeronimus Cornelisz aboard the doomed vessel. At first glance a simple, mid-ranking official for the company, Cornelisz harbored heretical ideas and an overblown sense of his own importance in the scheme of things -- and he had the intelligence and charisma to bend others to his will. Long before the shipwreck occurred, Cornelisz had plotted mutiny and piracy on the Batavia. But once he found himself stranded with more than 250 survivors and limited resources to keep them alive, the Dutchman decided to take matters into his own hands and decide who should live and die.

It might be somewhat hard to believe if this were fiction, but Dash has drawn his story from the logs, court records and testimonials of the day. As history, Batavia's Graveyard is a gripping, deeply disturbing tale. Dash should be commended for his ability to present the story with such perfect balance between sensational drama and stark historical facts. There are enough notes and references to sate even the most passionate researcher, and the narrative never falters in its flow.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

Judy Blunt blew me away with this wonderful memoir. Details so crisp and clean, almost too stark. She reminds me of Annie Dillard in her ability to look at nature dispassionately while allowing the reader to absorb the sometimes horrifying details that challenge you emotionally. She also looks at her own life in that same dispassionate manner, giving the reader the same kind of space to make emotional connections. I love this book so much I talk about it when I teach memoir writing. It deserves more attention than it's getting.

Amazingly raw biography of a life about which most US citizens have no understanding. Eloquent breathtaking descriptive writing.

Judy Blunt's Breaking Clean is a clear, concise picture we get from her life in northeastern Montana, a small town called Malta. She provides great detail with vivid memories and she uses the memories of others to connect with readers. The book was awarded thePen/Jeraud Fund Award for work in progress and the 2001 Whiting Writers' Award.

She begins with her home, and engages the reader into a trip down memory lane. And if you have never read or experienced what a Montana blizzard is like, you will gain tremendous insight into one, the Blizzard of 1964, and its massive impact on the ranch and livestock. Blunt goes into enough detail and information that keeps the reader fully informed without asking more questions. A chapter on fighting fire was another of nature's forces she experienced.

We learn about the school in a small town, horses, pets, teenage lifestyle, to marriage and harvesting and divorce. The sequence of stories is told well.

This is an insightful memoir, descriptive, and emotional....MzRizz

eloquent...evocative writing.With the mid-20th century as the setting Blunt brings her land, her emotions, her experiences alive with an honesty that is at once brutal and tender. This is an all absorbing story of self awareness and liberation; I read the book through twice without stopping.

WOW. What a woman. I was especially curious to read this book since Jeff and his family are from Montana, and lived in Missoula for quite some time. It is too bad life still isn't like that in a sense. Seems more things have gotten in the way and it is falling apart. Kids don't know the meaning of "going to play".

I applaud her for not sticking with the marriage. The in-laws were a bit much. Knowing the land would never be her's was a bit much.

Good read but not one to be taken lightly and def not a beach read.

Ok, so maybe I expected too much.

How do you like your politics? To the left? To the right? None at all; just want a good battle between aliens and humans? I'm partial to the latter, personally. So, here's the deal; If you like yours to the left, you'll find the politics in "contact harvest" amusing and it'll reinforce what you already feel about America and her allies. If you like yours to the right, you'll find the constant-lifting of historical revisionist thinking from the left-copied and pasted into your favorite video game of all time.....irritating. If you "poo poo" on politics being injected into everything you see and hear on tv, in the movies, or in print media, you'll find no reprieve here. To top it off, the story's not that great; but that already seems to be covered by the rest of the posts here; so, thought I'd give you another angle.

Sorry, Avery, it's not your fault.

Why did I give it two stars? Because it's Halo, and I just couldn't give it one star. I just couldn't.

Thrilling, entrancing, well written book. For those who love Halo or those who just like SciFi this book is a MUST READ. This book tells the story of the ultra elite warriors the SPARTANS as the do their best to defend the galaxy from the conquesting race...The Covenant.

Contact Harvest was surprisingly good. The author thoroughly fleshed out Johnson's character and, like the other novels, added much more depth to the overall Halo storyline. Staten did a great job at describing Humanity's first contact with the Covenant, shedding light on exactly what their motives are, as well as a great deal of their internal politics. A definite 'must read' for anyone interested at all in the Halo story arch.

This is a great novel in a great series. A must for any Halo fan.

I didn't expect to see the Master Chief in this novel at all but I was nevertheless disappointed by his absence. Other small details that didn't accurately align with the games made it lack authenticity. A fun read but not near as good as the books by Eric Nylund.

Attending a party honoring her ex-boyfriend is not on the top of Milagro de Los Santos' list! Unfortunately, she finds herself stuck at an utterly boring party until she catches the eye of the mysterious and fascinating Oswald. What follows is a vampiric comedy of errors as Milagro is caught in a war she never knew existed, between vampires and the secretive association stalking them.

HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA is sheer fun! Marta Acosta writes a book full of snarky humor with a fabulous cast of characters. Who can't help but love Milagro? She wants to fit in but just can't seem to find her niche until she meets up with Oswald and his family. It is quite refreshing to read about a character who is down on her luck and yet still has such spunk and self-esteem. And Edna, well, what can I say about Edna except that I hope to see more of her?

HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA takes the old theme of vampires versus those who hunt them and spins it totally on its head. Marta Acosta's vampires are not your typical ones; heck, they don't even want to be called vampires despite their craving for blood! HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA is easily recommended for anyone who likes their vampire stories both funny and a bit romantic. I can't wait to see what Marta Acosta has in store for Milagro in the sequel, MIDNIGHT BRUNCH.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I've been a little burned out on vampire characters so I was hesitant to try this book but I'm soooo glad I did because it was wonderful!! The writing is snappy and intelligent and the characters are people you really like and care about. I wasn't only happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, I was HOOKED! I immediately checked all my local bookstores for the next two in the series and when I couldn't find Midnight Brunch I immediately ordered it online! Head and shoulders above most of the vampire books out there, Marta Acosta has developed a series that is laugh out-loud funny, but also one that touches on so many important and sensitive issues, and she handles them with grace without being preachy. I can't recommend this series enough!! I only hope she keeps writing about the Grant clan at Casa Dracula for a long time!!

The title of this book caught my eye when a bout of depression had hit me, and I picked it up, hoping for a pick-me-up. And boy, am I glad I did! From the very first chapter, I fell in love with Milagro de los Santos, the spicy, sharp-tongued chica at the center of the tale. If there's any gal who can take on an accidental turning, a deceptively formidable dowager head of a folksy family of vampires, a pair of decadant crooked Eastern European vampires, an evil ex-boyfriend and the vampire-exploiting secret organization he's in cahoots with, she's that gal, and she handles everything that circumstance throws at her with charm, style and a well-placed tart remark. The vampirism elements are handled lightly and delicately, something very welcome in a genre that has plenty of more heavy-handed treatments. It's a gleeful screwball comedy of manners, like a nifty blend of "The Philadephia Story" and a Jane Austen novel, that never once takes itself too seriously. Marta Acosta peppers the first-person narrative with gleeful little turns of phrases and wacky similes that made me laugh and which beg to be read out loud, even to yourself, just to hear them! There are romantic tangles aplenty, but the romance never overloads the story, and the sexual elements, while present, never get too detailed. Okay, so it's not Sherrilyn Kenyon, and the story loses steam a little toward the end, but it's stil a great book to read when you need a laugh with a little bite to it.

HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA
MARTA ACOSTA
Romantic Comedy

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Milagro de Los Santos isn't having much luck in the men department. But when she finds herself at a party for her successful ex-boyfriend Sebastian Beckett-Witherspoon, she can't imagine that a passionate kiss with handsome Oswald Grant will literally change her life forever--and put her on the run from her ambitious ex, who just happens to want to rid the world of her new `kind'.

Oswald Grant was only at the party to keep an eye on Sebastian, but then he kissed the beautiful Milagro and now things are quickly headed out of control. Now that she's been turned, its Oswald's duty to protect her from Sebastian and his group, all the while helping her adjust to her new way of life. Which isn't exactly easy when he brings her to his family's country home and his grandmother takes an instant dislike to Milagro and seems to be out to do whatever it takes to make sure she's miserable.

HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA is a really great spin on the old vampire tales. Caused by a `genetic condition', Ms. Acosta's vampires are being hunted by CACA, Corporate Americans for the Conservation of America, who are out to rid the world of vampires. The one scene that sticks out in my mind after reading this book is when Milagro and Oswald end up hiding in a closet after Milagro is spotted at her friend's party by Sebastian's new girlfriend. Outside the door, the devious Sebastian and said new girlfriend are arguing. It's a hilarious scene that makes me smile just thinking about it.
Milagro's struggles to fit in on the ranch with the vamps, as well as trying to come to terms with her new status made this an enjoyable read. I think though one of the biggest highlights for me in the book was the relationship between Milagro and Edna, the grandmother. I loved their dynamic. In fact, the scenes where Edna grudgingly takes Milagro shopping are some of my favorites. Overall I found HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA to be a really fun read. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, `Midnight Brunch' (also available now).

To learn more about Ms. Acosta and her books, check out her website at: http://martaacosta.com/

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
May 2008

Although I really liked this book, I wouldn't quite give it a 5 star review. It had a pretty good story line that kept you intrested and wondering what was really gonna happen between Milagro and Oswald. It was very funny in alot of parts, and Milagro had alot of depth to her character. My only wish was that the rest of the characters had been nearly as developed as her. I know she was the main character for the most part, but it would have been nice to know the other characters more. And I was very disapointed that Gabriel had not been brought into the story more. I found him an interesting, and very funny character that just made short "guest appearences". But, I would read the 2nd and 3rd books to this series, and would reccommend them to most people.