Books and Authors Books

I can't wait for the author to crack out something new...this is by far, the best novel I've read in a VERY long time.

Make the points without the negativity. Other writing in this genre seems so sour, and depressing...Bachelder gets it done without the hate.

I don't know what else to say, besides, it's great...check it out. Funny and fun.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise - a funny, intelligent, ambitious, playful, political novel that avoids both cynicism and pretense. And a great ending too.

Though I don't have much against Bachelder's previous effort, Bear v. Shark, I don't have much to say in favor of it either. This is not the case for "U.S.!", which is one of the best books I've read this year.

As a writer who cares a good deal about politics and the way the world is going, I found this book an inspiration. What Bachelder is trying to do here, it seems to me, is find a way to engage with the world and American society without sounding pedantic or preachy, and also to highlight how difficult a task that is. The fact that he uses Upton Sinclair, one of the most pedantic and preachy writers ever, as his protagonist is genius.

While movie makers can be ham-fisted in their messages and get away with it (see "Crash" or "Fahrenheit 911"), with writers it's far trickier. They don't have the music, the camera effects, and all that other stuff to spice up or soften the blow of their messages -- only words. This makes most message-oriented novels feel almost embarrassing as you go through them, at least for me. At the very least, it becomes extremely difficult to connect with them once you realize they're out to convince you of something specific. U.S.! is a rare success in this respect. The arguments it offers both for and against ambivalence feel fair and natural--like the debates you might have in your head-- and its observations on American culture are dead-on without seeming snarky. Furthermore, Bachelder doesn't cheat and fall back on the deus ex machinas George Saunders seems so dependent on these days.

It's good to see a writer who, rather than finding an artsy, pretty way to turn his back on the world, is attempting to face it. I'm looking forward to Bachelder's future work. This is a writer who has exponentially improved since his debut.

Take this into consideration what if a bear and a shark and Upton Sinclair fight it out in a tank of water deep enough for the shark to maneuver efficiently, shallow enough to give the bear an even chance to hold its own, and large enough to hold Sinclairs inflated socialist ideals. Who would win?

Chris Bachelder returns to the ring after his debut novel, Bear v Shark, found its way into the hands of readers not too long ago. That novel was a wonderful mix of humor, poignancy, and Chris' style of what I like to call "chapter concepts" He takes your basic novel structure but instead of just telling the story in a straight forward manner he will use various different storytelling concepts in each chapter. In one chapter you may get a poem, or a television interview, and in another chapter you could simply get a listing of ebay auctions. Its a brilliant way to view his themes and characters from different points of view.

In his sophomore effort Chris Bachelder refines his techniques and tightens his themes for a novel that somehow manages to surpass the simple yet wonderful Bear V Shark. Again he comes in with a concept that seems rather absurd, muck raker Upton Sinclair continues to live on through an unexplained method of resurrection. Used as a tool for the left he lives on to spread his beliefs in socialism and the evils of capitalism. Bachelder never shows bias he simply portrays the man as he was and how he would adjust to this day and age.

I am ashamed to admit I knew very little about Mr. Sinclair going into the novel and trust me this is not a dull protagonist. He's akward, ambitious, and has the drive of a young man despite his frail dying body. The novel makes me wonder what would happen to Michael Moore if he found a way to live on. What happens to ones causes over a long period of time? Does change ever truly happen? Must we lose hope if the answer to that question is no? You won't get an answer after reading U.S.! but you will certainly get a little closer to forming one of your own.

A gem that has just happened to take the form of a book.

Hopes and shovels forever.

Definitely one of the stranger books I've read this year, but also one of the best. To a certain degree the book is limited by it's central gimmick -- real-life Socialist muckraking writer Upton Sinclair (about whom the reader need know nothing) keeps returning from the dead to spread the good word about the working man's struggle for a decent life. He "keeps" returning from the dead because every time he comes back, there are glory-seekers determined to put him back under in order to protect America from godless Socialism. If this sounds like some piece of strange science-fiction, well, it kind of is. But it's mainly a satire of the contemporary American political scene, with Sinclair standing in for the far left. But even more than that, it's a very clever and funny piece of satire -- which is rare indeed.

Bachelder wisely recognizes the limitations of his premise, and thus engages it in a very loose manner by riffing on it in lots of different formats. There is a running storyline concerning this iteration of the undead Sinclair, as he moves around the country aided by his secretary/personal assistant, holing up in remote cabins to write, and making clandestine visits to underground meetings. However, sprinkled into this are letters from Sinclair to his son, Amazon.com reviews of some of Sinclair's 90 books (most of which bear the dreaded "Be the first to review this item."), transcripts from a 1-800 "I Saw Sinclair" hotline, hilarious memos (including one from Sinclair to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabule about the need for instant replay), a reading list and syllabus for a writing course taught by Sinclair, newspaper editorials, interviews, an eBay auction listing (for a bullet that killed Sinclair), song lyrics, and other such artifacts of popular culture.

As we learn more about Sinclair, we also learn more about the cult of celebrity that has arisen around his killers. Indeed, the main story thread leads Sinclair toward a small town celebration (he thinks it's to honor him, but it's actually to burn his books), where the country's top Sinclair hunters (many of whom have been hired by corporate interests) hope to bag him. There's a great little subplot about the grizzled old veteran killer vs. the brash young upstart. There's another subplot involving Sinclair's folk singer son which suffers a bit from underdevelopment.

But beneath all this, there's a clear message -- the bumbling, almost unbearably earnest, permanently outraged, ever-pedantic Sinclair is a symbol of all that's wrong with the American left and yet paradoxically, also what's right. Although Sinclair's neverending sub-mediocre writing is mercilessly skewered throughout the book, his dogged dedication to (and faith in) an ideal is both touching and ultimately inspiring. This is another major theme of the book, the intersection of art and politics, and the difficulty faced by the artist who dares to mix the two. Bachelder's book manages the tricky task of both doing this and commenting on it at the same time, while shifting ably between slapstick comedy, family pathos, blind zealotry, pop culture riffing, and even moments of quiet reflection. This is both an entertaining and excellent novel.

Jacobus'characters are lost in paradise. As natives or tourists in the Islands of Hawaii, they seek to find themselves in a place of amazing beauty and compelling challenges.
His short stories are both entertaining and poignant.

Jacobus has given us a sensitive and evocative portrayal of stories in the Islands as he paints wonderful pictures of each individual we see facing life changing situations.

Clear,clean writing reminiscent of Hemingway's best.A must read for those who admire short stories with bite and sensitivity.

VOLCANIC JESUS by Lee Jacobus is a series of short stories set in Hawaii that seems to be the next best thing to a trip to the islands. Jacobus is at his best when he profiles the lives of native Hawaiians, one of the least explored of the "annexed American" groups. He catches and captures a floating culture whose traditions have been undermined with nothing to show for it but shopping malls and other American perks.
Indeed, their redeeming quality is resiliance in the face of anonymity.

I love to read. A friend sent me a gift of Volcanic Jesus. I found the book engaging and that the author is a master storyteller who can write about sex, faith, family, suffering and joy, and the human condition. I have visited Hawaii, but this was my first introduction to the decendents of the "first families" as the author tells of their "joys and woes". If you like to read, you will love the book.

While I didn't find every story particularly gripping or insightful, for those I didn't, there is someone I know who did so there seems to be something for everyone. The strength of these short stories is that the portrayals are so convincing to get us involved yet short enough to leave much to the imagination. The stories about the soon-to-be-guardian, the cancer patient, the mountain climber, the child on a road trip, and the sheriff were all powerful.

I picked this book up based on a friend's recommendation.

"We're In Trouble" is one of the best, and most memorable, books I have read this year. The theme: people in extremely difficult life circumstances, and their varied responses, is a difficult,painful topic to tackle, and there were moments where I almost could not take it. I hung on through the tough parts and found that the author took me places I don't usually go, and saw things I might not otherwise see, which, after all is part of why I read in the first place. I found this to be one of the most rewarding, thought-provoking short-story collections I have read in years.

Chris Coake doesn't subscribe to the wacky narrative experiments that seem to be infesting the American literary landscape lately. There's no funky type-setting, no illustrations, no cameos by comic book heroes or post-modern tomfoolery. But at the same time, it's not fair to place his work in the strictly neo-realist tradition either: the dull epiphany punctuated by a stream of quotidian events. He's just too original for that trap. He's experimental and conventional at once. The title story is three unrelated stories in one that share similar themes. The final story, "All Through the House", plays with chronology to maximize its cumulative affect.

He's convincing, deliberate and never gimicky. His stories have a sort of devastating quietness about them--stories that are invested in character and craft--stories that are unsettling, that are bristling and building like a dormant volcano, adding pressure upon pressure toward the last sentence. The final affect is startling, pure and terrifyingly beautiful.

These stories are often dark but never cynical, haunting but humane. There's a morality behind the trauma, a design that seems to redeem its horrors (Coake never compensates for the trauma--but there is something that is always subtlely gained, extracted from it. In "Abandon", for instance, it's a sense of accountability, of true devotion). The title of the collection is evocative of its theme--but to say these stories confront the cataclysmic seems to undermine their subtlety. It's not the event that matters but the way that the characters respond to the cataclysm. In clumsier hands, these stories could be vulgar, almost melodramatic. But Coake is in such control of his craft that he pulls each one off masterfully.

In short, this is the strongest and most consistent story collection I've read in years. If you care about literary fiction: Read him. Go. Now. Get this book. Read it. And Enjoy.

The prevailing theme of these short stories is of love, in the face of death, and this core idea is viewed from a fascinating variety of angles: long-married love confronting terminal illness, sudden death of friends turning a young man into a reluctant father, love entwined in jealousy, depression and violence, love born of heroism. Each scenario presents real characters, people we all know, tightly drawn, speaking words we all recognize. You read these stories with a near sense of having heard of or known these people. I read this book straight through, gripped by each unique story, and look forward eagerly to future work from this author. Don't be dissuaded by the seemingly dark content; some of these stories are actually uplifting, or at least come to a satisfactory close.

As other reviewers have stated,these unusual stories combine the themes of love and death in some very troubling and thought provoking ways. An amazing debut collection of short stories with nary a dud in the bunch. My favorite by far was "All through the house", but all these stories are much better than the standard fare gracing the best seller list. Christopher Coake has an illustrious career ahead of him.

I keep this book handy for a quick read and the perusal of some wonderful art. It's colorful, restful, and thought-provoking. It keeps reaffirming for me that reading is definitely a passion to be pursued amid all the busy-ness and daily stresses. It's a terrific gift to give your book-lover friends and family!

It would be difficult for a book lover not to thoroughly enjoy this collection of writings about books. A great resource for thinking about books, reading and writing, for ideas about how to go about reading and writing, and for just finely crafted writing by lovers of books.

Bascove's art which adorns this collection creates a marvelously private, cozy, bookish world where voices seldom sound aloud, and the world outside is muted, allowing the reader or writer to be in the world on the printed page.

I am pleased with the handling of my order of "Where Books Fall Open". The book arrived in a timely manner and in good condition. I will always buy from Amazon.

This is a gorgeous book! It is filled with essays and poems and thoughts on reading, writing, and the love of books. The writings are from various authors some classic and well known and some I haven't heard of before. Some writings I liked a lot better than others. (-Regardless of the ones that didn't 'speak' to me, I still consider this a great collection of writings on the subjects I love.) The paintings are rich in color and detail and anyone who loves books/reading/writing will enjoy these highly eye appealing pictures that depict people with books! I'd love to have some of these to hang in my home!

This is a beautiful gift for yourself or someone you know who loves the literary world.

Buy it and enjoy!

This anthology of prose and poetry starts out strong .... prose selections from Italo Calvino, Lynne Schwartz, Roy Blount and Anne Fadiman are wonderful, affectionate tributes to reading, Also, I think this is the first time Steve Martin and Jane Austen have appeared together, and both are fine. There are also a LOT of poems here, and some are better than others, as with all poetry. This is a mix of contemporary (Fran Lebowitz, Billy Collins) and classic (Cervantes, Elizabeth Barret Browning) selections that explore reading, writing and books. Artwork by Bascove is of a style consistent with the cover -- bold, colorful and primitive, sixteen paintings that also feature books. A percentage of the profits go to First Book, a literacy program for children.

I'd say the quality of the selections is uneven, but you will undoubtedly find something, and probably many things, that will please you. This is a small volume that can be read quickly, or savored, and as an object it is very pleasing. This would make a fine gift for a bibliophile you know.

All three stories were well written. These stories deserve their own stand alone novel! They were great. All the stories pulled you in and you hated to see the characters go! I would love to hear more about Erin and Raimi as well as Tre' and Dr. Summer Lane.

All three stories were great. Francis Ray's story was about Samantha Clark, a former manager of a bed and breakfast. Samantha answer an ad for a housekeeping position and never expects to find the handsome Ethan Rawlins, a man still in pain. Shirley Hailstock's story is about a woman that was hurt when her prom date stood her up. Now he has returned and she is trying to fight the attraction that still lingers. Donna Hill's story is about a radio relationship expert that has no relationship of her own, when she meets the handsome program director, will all of that change?

If you only had one wish for Christmas, what would it be? Would it be something materialistic, or would it be to find love with that special someone, on the day that is set aside to celebrate the birth of the one who is the epitome of unwavering love? In WINTER NIGHTS, an anthology with stories from such notable authors as Francis Ray, Donna Hill and Shirley Hailstock, we are treated to three endearing stories of true love at its finest.

Though each story was your typical romance with the happily ever after ending, the authors managed to portray deep emotions that have you rooting for the characters as they embark on that often bumpy, but ultimately rewarding, road to love and happiness. Next time you're feeling blue and need a little something to bring a smile to your face, or you want to escape from the pressures of life, pick up a copy of the newly re-released WINTER NIGHTS. You're sure to come away with a full heart and the knowledge that true love really does conquer all.

Reviewed by Renee Williams
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Again my girl Ray out did herself with another great read! "Winter Nights" kept me up all night! I encourage everyone to go out and get a copy. They even have it in paperback now!

Francis Ray's, "Until Christmas" is a touching novella about a young woman who not only touched the heart of the high school principal, Ethan Rawlings, but Samantha also won the hearts of Ethan's twins, Alan and Alex. Samantha, aka "Sam," was hired as a combination housekeeper, babysitter temporarily, but only until Christmas. At least, that is what Ethan told the twins and Sam, as well as himself. However, it was much too late for all of them to abide by this decision. Each was starved for the other's affections and each had become too attached to give up. The twins, not only saw Sam as their housekeeper/babysitter, but they saw her as a friend. She could play ball and was not afraid of their dog. The twins' affection went deeper still. Although they were in contact with their grandmother, they were still minus a mother figure. Sam with her winning ways, not only because she was a good cook and let them help her in the kitchen, but because it was who she was, had become special to them and they wanted her with them full time. Not only had Sam become special to them and the twins had become special to Sam, but Sam had also affected the twins' dad. Ethan's feelings for Sam were more than that of an employer, more than that of a friend. Somehow, in that short time, Sam had imbedded herself into Ethan's heart. Was he willing to allow a new love interest into his life or was he still shadowed by the deceit and experience of his ex-wife and the deceased mother of his twins. Ethan thought he had a solution to the problem when he reluctantly agreed to keep Sam, "but only until Christmas." However, love does not have a set time to go away. Therefore, until Christmas, turned out to a lifetime of love for Sam, Ethan, Alan and Alex. "Until Christmas" was the best. Way to go, Ms. Ray.

"Kwanzaa Angel" was a sweet remembrance into the past with a chance to correct the future. Erin had been hurt in the past by Raimi, who had reentered her life. Would Erin give in to her feelings that never dissolved for Raimi and become involved in a new relationship or would she revert back into the past? "Kwanzaa Angel" was about the Kwanzaa celebration, but with a twist of love for Erin and Raimi. Good story.

"'Round Midnight" was about the New Year's celebration. I loved the story of Dr. Summer Lane, the psychologist who now has a job at the radio station as a counselor on the air. Her show airs around midnight. It is at the radio station where Summer meets Tre Holland, one of the bosses. Everyone thinks Summer is a snow or ice maiden because Summer stays to herself and does not socialize with the others. However, Tre is attracted to Summer and sets out to melt the snow. Summer also has feelings for Tre and wants the ice to melt from around her heart. However, after getting together, somewhere while the ice is melting another freeze comes along and the ice around Summer's heart becomes another block of ice. Summer and Tre suffer heartship and are temporarily separated. Tre sets out to recapture Summer's love and to permanently melt the ice. He knows a new year will be approaching and is determined to be in Summer's life when the new year begins. So, he sets out around midnight to make it happen. Will Tre succeed in his endeavor? Read "'Round Midnight" and see what the New Year has in store for Summer and Tre. Great story with just the right amount of heat.

I fell in love with this book when I first perused it many years ago at the house of a friend. Whenever I would go over there I would grab it from off the shelf. It was very old, so I never suspected it was still in print. Needless to say, I was thrilled to obtain my own copy, which remains on my bedstand.

I love this book. The poems are great and I can find the poems that Anne says in the movie, "Anne of green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlee" I love the poems. I like These are the Times That try Mens Soals.

My father had an old copy of this book that he read as a child. He loved to read his favorites from this book, or simply recite them from memory. They are classic rhyming poems. Another favorite book of mine is "Poetry for a Lifetime", a beautiful volume which includes a number of these poems, including "Plant a Tree" and "Home". It has a much larger number of poems and is illustrated and has comments from the editor. I highly recommend both books.

I read this book as a child 40 years ago. The poems in this book are timeless classics. I look forward to sharing them with my own children.

This was my Dad's poetry text at college in the thirties. Every Christmas during his life he would read the 'holiday' poems to our family. I have carried on the tradition for my children and grandchildren and each year they await the reading of 'Bairnies Coodle Doon' and 'Jes for Christmas', two wonderful stories that bring forward the lives of children of a hundred years ago. If tradition is important to you and if you want to introduce your family to poetry as America knew it for the first 200 years, this collection if highly recommended.

If your thinking that this is another sister-girlfriend book,
let me be the first to tell you, Not!
All I Need is full of unexpected twists and turns that three friends experience in life.
With busy shedules they have to find time to catch up with
each other.
Each woman feels that their friend has a better life. But ahh, if they could only walk in each others shoes.
Jacquie Bamberg Moore is a Welcomed newcomer

"ALL I NEED" was an excellent read. It kept me glued to the book from beginning to end. I hated to put the book down! Anyone who has Close friends should read this. I would love to read a sequel. I really identified with this book. In fact, I bought the book for my closest girlfriend. It was great!

If true friendship is valuable to you, read this book! You will not only relate, but I'm pretty sure you will identify with one of the characters. It takes you on a drama filled journey of three sister friends who are unique in their lifestyles, personalities, and principles. While Umi, an educated business diva struggles with balancing her business matters and personal affairs, Randi, the can't say no to sex diva, gets herself into some hot water trying to juggle her multiple male relationships. On the other hand, Michelle the educated, stay at home diva has the privilege of making sure the home front is comfy for her husband and daughter, not knowing that her life is about to take a major turn.   
In the midst of managing their own life drama's, their friendship will not only be tested, but pushed to a new level.

"All I Need," is a wonderfully written novel. Michelle, Randi and Umi are three long-time friends, who have built a strong sister based relationship. These three women are very different and unique in themselves, but they share in their love for one another. Michelle is a housewife and who has spent years wrapped into being a wife and mother. Michelle starts looking at her friends lives and begin feeling emptiness inside, when suddenly a horrifying incident strikes and changes her life instantly. Randi who is a researcher for a major newspaper gets wrapped up in raging hormones, which backfires on her. Umi has an advertisement career and she feels high in the clouds. Umi only wanting an elite prestigious man, soon finds out that a man with money doesn't always bring happiness.

Jacquie is definitely on my list of great storytellers. This novel will have you laughing and crying, oooohing and awwwhing, happy and even outraged. The characterization is so vivid, you feel as though you know each one of them. You will feel their pain and share in their happiness as you walk through their lives with them. I suggest everyone pick up a copy of this wonderful novel. With writing skills like this and the ability to grab her audience at the very beginning and hold them so until the end, Jacquie Bamberg Moore will be in the Literary Arena for a long time to come.

This novel is about the friendship of Randi Michelle and Omi. Each one has something different to offer their long time friendship. Omi is the career women in the group - who finds out not all kings come with shining armour. Michelle is happy being a wife and mother until tragedy strikes sending her in the arms of a tabboo relationship - Randi bored with being a researcher for the New York Times seeks her satisfication in the office but not doing office work. All three of these women show us what it means to be a true friend and how to rise above the bad. This book is a must read for everyone looking to strengthen their relationship with someone close to them.

If wishes were horses, they'd be American Cream draft horses in Catherine Tudish's debut novel, American Cream. Evocative and beautifully written, American Cream is a gem of book that will draw you in and transport you as only a well-told story can.

Virginia McLeod has returned to the farm in southwestern Pennsylvania where she grew up. Her father Nathan, nearing 70, fell off the tractor and broke his arm; no milking cows or haying fields for him this summer. So Virginia packed up her teenage son, left her surgeon husband in Maryland, and headed back to the life she left as a young woman when she went off to college.

Virginia's mother Caroline died a couple of years ago, and now Nathan is married to Lydia, the woman who used to work in the school cafeteria. As the summer unfolds and her father recovers, Virginia grapples with her father's new life, reconnects with her best friend Henny, and faces her first true love, West.

Most of all, Virginia must confront her unacknowledged desire to keep the past alive, a hope that is embodied for her by American Cream horses. With white manes and cream-colored coats, they are smaller than some draft horses but smart, sweet tempered, and beautiful to see. They are at once a link to history, when plows were pulled by such horses, and a gambit for the future, that may or may not pay off.

American Cream captures life on the American family-owned farm--a hard way of life that is giving way to modern commerce and concerns--but it transcends place and could be the story of any woman's loves and losses. The writing is graceful, smooth as silk and light as real whipped cream. The narrative focuses on Virginia, but Tudish adopts the interesting convention of interspersing chapters here and there in the other characters' voices, a technique that is extremely effective. The result is both down-to-earth and literary, with characters that are completely human and utterly believable and themes that are as deep and rich as the western Pennsylvania soil.

American Cream is the kind of book where you get swept up into the lives of the characters and you miss them when you're done. I, for one, would love to hear more farmlands southeast of Pittsburgh. Happily, Tudish has also published a collection of short stories set in the same area, called Tenney's Landing. I also look forward to wherever Catherine Tudish takes us in the future.

The cream of the crop of 2007 novels. Tudish doesn't write about mammals or freaks but about "folks," and she has the ability to make readers care deeply about her people. The novel returns to "Tenney's Landing," scene of her stellar 2005 story collection TENNEY'S LANDING. The novel's heroine Virginia Rownd navigates through the thicket of the past in a return to roots and traditions that bind as well as fulfill. Tudish's crystal clear prose is unadorned yet elegant.

This book, as well as her earlier "Tenney's Landing" are profound in their use of quotidian situations explore profound human dilemmas. Terrific character development, the juxtaposition of the bucolic and the horrific and the hilarious and the poignant make her the most recent addition to my list of favorite writers

Tudish brings to vivid life a cast of endearing but slightly eccentric characters, each one with difficult choices to make. Although the book's country settings, chores, and folkways are described in loving detail, this is not a sentimental story. Bad things happen, people get hurt, and a way of life seems to be falling apart. Readers will root for Virginia, Tudish's plucky central character, who returns to her rural childhood home to confront all manner of social and family upheaval. Is this a tale of paradise lost or regained? Readers will have to decide for themselves. Enjoyable, thought provoking, and highly recommended.

These are just a few of the words I could use to describe this beautifully written story of return. If you're reading Catherine Tudish's work for the first time, you'll be astonished by what you discover. Welcome to her growing fanclub!

If you love spiritual journeys, and thought provoking books, you will love this one. I can't wait for the next three! I had a hard time putting the book down to go to bed? I am looking forward to Caryn's future books.

It was refreshing to read a page-turner that deals with spiritual growth and healing. The story is an inspiration!

Can there be a link between a modern day corporate
vice president and a member of the ancient Elemental
Council? Lucky for us Caryn Colgan's initial effort in her four
volume series can answer that question. While leading us
on a ride that transitions from the lower Paleolithic epoch
to the high stress business world of today's St. Louis.

With an ever-growing cast of characters, nicely fleshed out,
each with their own bit of synchronicity, Colgan places us
squarely in the center of the action in the boardroom
and in fields and forests of the ancients.

As her main character strives to understand her complicated
dreams, she's forced to take a hard look at how she's been
handling her life this time around. When a new set of friends
intervene and enlighten her, the idea of coming to grips with
one's karmic destiny takes her to a new level.

With a tidy summation in the final chapters of the Element of Air,
if we've been paying attention, we now know that an ancient
society seemed to have it all figured out when opposing forces
dropped in and upset the cosmic balance. Our heroine meanwhile
has come to realize that by setting her ego aside and extending
compassion even to her enemies, she has taken the first steps
towards reuniting the Council and regaining that connection
between humankind that was lost so long ago.

Caryn has written this book so well that it captures the reader by the first page. Ancient Pact encourages its readers to open their hearts and minds to new possibilities and new answers to everyday life situations. If you are willing to read this book you may find yourself wanting to explore your true soul self. AND, while reading this book I suggest that the reader ask her/himself, in which direction do I feel most comfortable? Go ahead, be brave and enjoy the read, its magnificent!

In this fictional account author Caryn Colgan has shared experiences from her own life. It is so well done that it is difficult to separate biography and fiction as they intersect. Caryn has masterfully blended her story into the personality and life circumstances of the fictional heroine Karan Coleman.

In the story Karan has troubling dreams that take her back to ancient tribes and early cave dwellings. As Karan tries to analyze her dreams she notes, "...dreams help the mind wrestle with difficult issues, solve problems, and even jolt the dreamer to examine issues ignored in consciousness."

Informational and often profound, the reader is given much for later contemplation and deeper consideration. After a series of seeming coincidences Karan is told on two separate occasions, "Coincidences are where life and destiny intersect." In her search for purpose Karan is reminded, "Every life has a purpose, though few actually embrace its full potential."

Giving the reader another thought to ponder, Caryn writes, "All of this defies the logic you crave. But then, spiritual matters are not really rational nor are they subject to empirical evaluation, at least not with our present technology."

Conversational dialog is the medium Caryn chooses to use in introducing life principles and metaphysical thought into the story line. She writes intuitively with a mission as though driven to awaken the reader's responses to a complex theme of an ancient pact in the contemporary life issues Karan if facing in a competitive career field. From the introduction right through to the epilogue I was gripped by the narrative. Caryn Colgan is a superb communicator and a natural story teller.

Although metaphysical and New Age in emphasis this is a compelling story that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all readers seeking spiritual answers for life's probing questions.

Some of the content may be difficult to classify as entertainment. That said, this is an insightful and profound read worth every second spent with this collection of short stories.

A collection of short stories that combine great writing and thought provoking ideas. A unique exploration that leaves the reader still immersed in the stories themes long after having put the book down. There is a reality of truth that flows through the stories which are at times beyond belief. This is made possible by the universal themes of domination, pride and others. A great read that gets the highest recommendation.

This book was amazingly emotionally compact. It was a mental rollercoaster. Having a wide range of intense and disturbing explicit stories that read deeper than the number of pages. Never boring.

If the title of this book suggests to you a series of essays with a clear moral or other sound ponderings which will move you to make some activist stand, you're mistaken.

It is, however, a book that will return you to the days of hiding under the covers, flashlight in hand, reading things you ought not to. Only this time, you wish your mother would walk in & catch you, so you would stop. She's right, this stuff will give you nightmares.

With taboo topics such as incest, rape & slaughter, you'll feel that if anyone were to see you reading this material, you'd deserve nothing less than a spanking & a weekend grounded to your room. And the grounding would be the worst part ~ This book makes you wish you were in a place full of people & distractions so you would have an easy way to avoid the images & feelings in your head. Then again, it may make you wonder about all the people around you, and what stories they could tell. Maybe you're better off at home, alone, after all...

If this sounds like I hated the book, think again ~ I just interviewed the author!

(Consensed Review)

Perverse. There's a 'Clockwork Orange' sense of forced exposure here, leaving the reader feeling something like a violent loss of innocence upon finishing the book. Poignant and sharp throughout: writing elegant, the voice unassuming and without affectation -- a difficult feat carried off rather marvelously. Dominant to most of the stories is a feeling of helplessness, sexual and otherwise (don't miss "The Space Between Us" or "Mercy Killer II"), and while there is tenderness and a loving touch here as well, they're reserved for the characters of purity -- all animals (in one case, a fur coat).

A unique combination of themes. As soon as I finished reading I started looking for more by this author. Highest recommendation.