Death Books

First an introduction: From 1986 - 1992 I was employed as an investigator at the Office of Capital Collateral Representative (CCR) in Tallahassee, Florida, where Scharlette Holdman worked as the supervisor of the investigators from October 1985 - March 1988.

I have known Scharlette since the mid-1970s death penalty debates at Florida State University, including the debate between Professor Richard L. Rubenstein (author of "After Auschwitz", "My Brother Paul", "The Cunning of History: Mass Death and the American Future", "The Age of Triage", "Religion and Eros", and other books) vs. Baptist Minister and Philosopher Will Campbell (the debate was circa 1977).

Her office, the Clearinghouse on Criminal Justice, was in the same wing of the Petroleum Building as my office at Common Cause in Florida (where I was a full-time volunteer during the day and worked at the Brown Derby Restaurant at night from 1981 - 1986).

The Petroluem Building was next to the State Capital, the Florida Supreme Court and the State Archives and Library. When it was torn down, the space and the space for the first CCR office became the Mary Brogan Art and Science Museum and a storm water retaining pond. The Petroleum Building was called by those of us who worked or volunteered there the "Forces of Good" (FOG) Building -- as opposed to FOE -- Forces of Evil, such as Associated Industries, the Chamber and other big business interests in Florida. The FOG building also included (not an exhaustive list) the Clean Water Action Project, the ACLU, NOW, Florida Legal Services, Migrant Farmworker's Organization (directed by Cliff Thaell, who has more recently been a Leon County Commissioner for about ten years or more), Mike Vasilinda's television news service.

About every two years at CCR there was a Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist purge due to the pressures and dysfunctions of the work and the people. I survived two such purges. With the third, I was the first to go in the spring and summer of 1992.

When Scharlette had essentially declared war upon CCR in 1987 and thereafter, some of us decided to investigate her background given some things that we had heard. Low and behold, Scharlette's claim of a PhD in anthropology from the University of Hawaii and a Master's Degree from Memphis State (now University of Memphis) don't exist. A claimed undergraduate degree from Memphis State: I no longer recall if this was confirmed by the university.

We used Scharlette's Social Security number, her maiden name and her married name -- with all this information, both universities had no record of Scharlette having received any degrees from these institutions.

As I understand Scharlette, she needed the "degrees" to confer upon her "credentials" that she really never needed as she is indeed then and now a national expert on capital mitigation, litigation, etc. However Scharlette can be deceptive, as her lack of a PhD and Masters so demonstrates. Even today she claims to have the degrees as when she gives presentations regarding capital cases, she is identified as "Dr." A key word search of her name will bring up some of the presentations that she has made in the past several years with the title "Dr." preceding her name.

If she has received any honorary or other degrees since 1990, that would be new information for me. If anyone can assist in this matter, please contact me at paul_d_harvill@yahoo.com or my mailing address: P.O. Box 38458, Tallahassee, FL 32315-8458. Thank you.

The recent actions by former Illinois Governor Ryan have raised many questions about capital punishment in the United States. I have read or heard several commentaries that have suggested the new focus on the death penalty may lead to its abolition. As an opponent of capital punishment, I hope this is true. But I doubt it.

A reader of Stuart Banner's "The Death Penalty: An American History" will realize very little new can be added to the debate. Banner provides an extensively detailed account of all aspects of the death penalty throughout the past 350 years. From colonial times through the execution of Timothy McVeigh, this book looks at the logistics, politics, and theology of capital punishment. The author comes as close to complete objectivity in presenting the history as possible. Banner is fair in showing the strengths and weaknesses in arguments for and against capital punishment. And he provides fascinating information concerning the debates that surrounded periodic changes in how the death penalty was administered. Throughout history there have been many debates: the merits of hanging versus electrocution; the arguments for and against public execution; the role of penitence (thus the name penitentiary) in punishment.

I found that this history of one issue was very much a microcosm of the broader history of the United States. For instance, I was not familiar with the legal term petit treason. This describes the concept of treason-an offense against someone to whom absolute loyalty is owed-in private life. Those convicted of petit treason were subject the "more severe" punishment of death by burning. In 17th and 18th century America two classes were capable of being convicted of petit treason. The classes were slaves "convicted of murdering their owners or of plotting a revolt" and women "convicted of killing their husbands." (p. 71)

Class played a pivotal role in the move from public hangings to jail yard executions. Banner describes how elites in the 19th century became appalled at public hangings because the large crowds were rowdy and displayed lower class sensibilities. Simply put, those in power were not opposed to hanging-they were opposed to being in the presence of the working class when the restraints of the workplace were removed.

Class, race, and gender divisions are evident in almost every area of this controversial issue. And no great American controversy would be complete with religious implications. In fact, no less a public preacher than Cotton Mather worried in the 17th century that he could rise to the occasion of giving the sermon to the crowd of thousands that attended executions. As the author notes about public hangings: "An execution could be a splendid occasion for reinforcing religious authority." To this day, capital punishment attracts those in authority to make religious arguments both in opposition and support of the death penalty.

As stated earlier, this book is not a polemic. It is an accurate history of one of our most contentious issues. As is the case with history, I am sure both those if favor of capital punishments and abolitionists can find many facts to support their beliefs. It is also true that a better understanding of history must allow all involved to reconsider some beliefs. "The Death Penalty: An American History" should be read by every legislator who will vote on state-sanctioned killing.

Stuart Banner's The Death Penalty is a heavy hitting book that is absent the tendentious language present in Capital Punishment engagements to date. Moreover, it is remarkable for its impartiality as it weaves its way through the history of the death penalty. He explores how the Capital Punishment has been applied, for what kinds of infractions all the way from the Colonial times to today.

Banner challenges us to think of what role the American public plays in the process of punishment. Arguably, the same arguments posited almost 200 years ago about Capital Punishment are the same today as yesteryears. It begs the question, if this was written by someone who was pro-capital punishment, what would he bring up? In discussion, the answers were: the victims and the crime itself. Unlike The Contradiction of American Capital Punishment by Frank Zimmering, Banner does not provide closure but arguably ends the book, open ended.

Banner argues his points like any good historian. It is clear that he is passionate about putting it all out there and having the reader come to his/her conclusion. Banner works because writing about a subject that is more emotionally laden than most and still come across as objective is worth the price of admission. In a world of agendas and arguments it is refreshing, albeit long, to read a book that allows the reader rather than the writer to decide on such a contentious topic.

Miguel Llora

It's a testament to the balance found in Stuart Banner's history of the death penalty in the U.S. that I'm still unsure where he stands on the controversial issue. If I had to take a position, I would say that he's probably against it, but even after reading his three-hundred page book I can't be sure. That's a remarkable feat for a subject matter that immediately unbalances many people.

But "The Death Penalty: An American History" has other virtues. The book is scholarly, yet still an easy read for any interested layman; it is comprehensive, but doesn't get bogged down in details. Banner begins with capital punishment as practiced in colonial America and ends with public attitudes and constitutional issues in the late twentieth century. While the book basically follows a straightforward chronology, its chapters are arranged thematically.

Some of the most interesting parts of the book are in the beginning. How Banner describes public opinion toward the death penalty in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the way executioners then -- who often were killing a man for the first and only time in their lives -- handled their duties, and the relationship between the public who viewed the execution and the condemned man, were all very fascinating to me.

But no part of this history is boring. Banner does a remarkable job of sustaining interest even when the book turns to modern times, where the history of the death penalty focuses more on legal and abstruse matters. Banner always clarifies the issues at hand, explaining clearly and objectively the importance of what he is writing about. I cannot recommend this book too highly. If you have any interest in the death penalty, read it.

Most books that are written about the death penalty tend to be partisan either filled with impassioned criticisms or passionate defences. This book is unusual as it is measured and objective.

It is not a long book but it looks at a surprisingly large number of issues not only about the penalty itself but the ritual around it, the means used and a detailed explanation of the constitutional argument that led to its abolition and its resurrection...

In describing the way the death penalty is administered the one interesting point made by the author is the discrepancy in its implementation. Almost all of the death penalty cases occur in the Southern States. There appear to be a number of reasons for this one being the fact that these states have the highest rates of murder, the only crime which realistically now attracts the penalty. The author however makes the point that another key factor in the geographic distribution of the death penalty is the way that defendants are represented. In the North the state funds public defenders officers which provide a high standard of legal representation. This means that during the penalty phase of the trial care is undertaken to call evidence that will lead to imprisonment rather than execution. In the South the system of providing legal assistance is for the state to pay private lawyers to undertake death penalty cases. The fees are stingey and as a result defence lawyers are often have no experience or skill in running such cases. Mitigatory evidence is seldom called and the usual methods of arguing for a lesser penalty are not used. Capital cases in the South are littered with tales of incredibly incompetent defence lawyers.

The writer appears to be a legal academic and the most interesting part of the book is the explanation of the constitutional arguments over the legality of the penalty. The explanation of the arguments over how it was argued that the penalty was cruel and unusual and the legislative changes which were used to overcome these arguments is excellent and makes a complex area easy to grasp.

All in all an interesting book for those who wish to read about the subject.

I don't typically read this type of fiction. I gravitate towards legal fiction instead. The first chapters of this book may have changed my way of thinking. I would be very interested in reading the rest of this book. I find the topic especially interesting since I live and work less than ten miles from Reston, Virginia!

I thought this was a great idea for a novel. What do I have to do to get the full version? This topic seems especially interesting to me given the fact that it seems like there are always different viral outbreaks happening like MRSA and SARS. Additionally,I think this is interesting because it ties in the fear we all have of viruses with the real possibility that terrorists could try and use this type of virus as a weapon!

Death Scourge has everything -- strong settings, a strong main character, great pacing and style and a story line that won't let go. It's contemporary, and compelling. I want to meet Rishad Zharmakhan and find out what happens next!

this is a very interesting beginning. I would like to know how things turn out. It could possibly happen in our terrorist prone world. Very timely subject.

A remarkable intriguing idea for a historical and scientific seat-of-your-pants thriller. I wonder if the plot was actually based on any historical evidence. The author does the most with his intriguing idea. He clearly has a great knowledge of science and combines it with writing skills. The reader is kept wondering, 'What is going to happen now?" and keeps reading to find out.

This is without a doubt my favorite series of books out there. They are from top to bottom the most thought out and intriguing series I have ever read and I am SO glad that they have reprinted them so others can see what I have seen for years...JM is a great artist. I am reviewing this one in the series because it is my favorite. When this book picks up we know that Micky and Cordelia have spent a night of passion together but nothing much has come of it because they live in different worlds Cordelia is a sucessful Dr and heir to mucho money who is not very out to those around her while Micky is a semi-successful, slutty, and out private eye who struggles with the nightly question of whether to pay rent...feed the cat...or drink herself into a stupor. They have to come together to try and solve a series of murders that have Cordelia looking like the prime suspect. Along with their friends (the lawyer..the detective..the political "flunkie") they seek to answer the questions of who did it and why before time runs out. This book is filled with well written and funny dialog (and in a rare turn of events with lesbian fiction GOOD SEX scenes that don't bog down the story). I suggest that you read the Death by the Riverside book first since it is the 1st in this series but make sure once you read it to not forget to pick up this one and enjoy a really spectatular ride!

I ordered the book "Death by the Riverside" on a whim. After reading it, I knew I was hooked on Mickey Knight. "Deaths of Jocasta" was simply a fabulous story. The author displays an incredible sense of humor, but yet, there were times when I could have cried for Mickey as she struggled through issues and addictions. The mystery held my attention, but the parts that I really enjoyed were the explorations of relationships and friendships within this novel. I would have to say that this book is one of the best I've ever read, and look forward to reading the next two books by this author. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is a fifth book in progress.

Kudos to JM Redmann for writing another wonderful installment in the Micky Knight series. "The Deaths of Jocasta" is much more than the case Micky has been hired to investigate. Not only is the reader treated to a well-written mystery and realistic plot, but the dark past of Micky slowly unfolds throughout the book as she gives up alcohol and casual sex. Micky essentially fights her inner battle alone when her closest friends question her ability to remain sober and celibate. She doesn't know if they are friends or foes.

Will Micky be able to figure who is behind the threatening letters and shocking deaths of women before she becomes a victim herself? Will Micky be able to become lovers with Cordelia without putting her foot in her mouth? Will Danny reconcile her hurt feelings towards Micky for their failed relationship after college? Read this book yourself to find the answers to these and other questions. You certainly won't regret it!

The thirty years old, Barnard educated and underemployed, out lesbian, private investigator, Micky Knight has accepted a job overseeing security for a very exclusive and "festive" annual party hosted by Emma Auerbach. Of an old money New Orleans family, Emma has been a friend and mentor to Mickey for years. Sober and celibate for over six weeks, Micky is beginning to face the demons from which the liquor and sex allowed her to hide for over a decade. Although determined to remain sober, Micky does hope the weekend party brings an end to her loneliness, especially when the good doctor, Cordelia James arrives. Micky lost her heart to Cordelia months ago, during the events of "Death by the Riverside." But Emma's annual gay-la ends abruptly when the body of a young woman is found in the woods on her estate and everyone returns to the city.

At loose ends back in New Orleans, Micky goes to the library to check out some Dorothy Sayers books. "Some of her Lord Peter Wimsey books, not so much for detective ideas, but for dating tips." About which Micky concludes, "via Lord Peter, the method for making a woman fall in love with an offbeat detective was to save her from the gallows by proving her innocent. Somehow that didn't seem to have much bearing on Cordelia and myself." (p55). Of course, Lord Peter is right!

Life is complicated for Micky and company. More bodies show up near Cordelia's clinic. When they turn out to be young women who were patients at the clinic, the police see Cordelia as the prime suspect. Cordelia decides to hire Micky to investigate. Meanwhile an uncharacteristically restless, NOPD Detective Sgt., Joanne, increasingly angered by these events, is spending more time with Micky. Joanne senses Micky has similar ghosts in her past.

With the same tough, first-person voice of the first Micky Knight novel, Redmann directs the fast paced action of "Jocasta." Micky tracks down leads connecting the pasts of several characters with the current events. And the truth turns out to involve a dangerous combination of extremists --who justify murder in the name of life-- and people who crave old-fashioned, hateful revenge. Will Micky be able to take Lord Peter's advice?

Redmann presents serious and painful issues without hiding the pain, becoming pedantic, or losing her sense of humor. Her characters are well rounded, interesting women who deal authentically with their problems. One of the most impressive examples of this is Redmann's handling of child sexual abuse. Accurate and realistic, the depictions of the abuse and its ramifications run a spectrum of forms, parental reactions, and consequences from Micky to Joanne to Cordelia. This thread actually evolves throughout the Micky Knight novels as Micky has the opportunity to grow and heal.

This re-release of "Deaths of Jocasta" by Bella Books is a must for mystery lovers and in this reader's opinion, the covers of "Jocasta" and "Riverside" are the best Bella has produced to date. Ten years have passed since "Jocasta" was originally published. It is pinned to the early 1990s by technology --the lack of cell phones and email via the world wide web-- and Joanne's early adolescence (and rest of the crowd's ages in relation to her) is set prior to the Roe v. Wade decision (1973). However, the issues of the novel are very relevant today and Redmann treats the women struggling to survive them with respect and dignity. "Deaths of Jocasta" does not answer all the mysteries hovering in Micky's background. For that, readers should look for "The Intersection of Law and Desire" and "Lost Daughters," in order. Take Micky Knight home with you and laissez les bons temp rouler!

A previous reviewer must have forgotten that some people want to read fiction to be drawn away from the world of reality. Not everyone wants to be entertained by reality and solve world problems. Mickey Knight is exciting, moody, funny, sexy, strong, vulnerable, and TUFF, and the author develops the characters throughout the series. You will care about her and the other characters too. The story is full of action, mystery, romance with steamy romantic sex and just plain sex. Remember, this is the story of a street smart PI, so don't let an occasional bit of not so sexy talk from a sex scene make you miss this great series. It is one of 'THE BEST' written detective series featuring a lesbian. If you only read stories about perfect characters, with "NORMAL" everyday problems,who have perfect sex and during sex never talk the least bit dirty, then maybe you need to SpIcE up your reading with a little Mickey Knight! I say try the book for yourself and walk thru the streets of NEW ORLEANS with Mickey.

A great book for those that love traveling and want to learn about some things to look out for when traveling. It is filled with humor and describes the reality of traveling to a remote area. It is a great read for those that have traveled and also for those looking to travel. The elephant polo part is filled with more humor and gives in inside look at a rare sport played by the wealthy.

Antonio Graceffo deserves nothing but kudos for the risks he took leaving his corporate job and New York to spend more time on an adventurous journey for additional perspective with his journalistic eye, the creative craftmanship of his writing, and his backpack. The verdict on his voyage based on the insights derived from his narratives and his publications should give one brief pause before the resounding yes to purchasing his books.

i've been reading Antonio Graceffo's storys and books and i enjoy them all, i really recommend buying this book its really worth it. His adventure is very intresting, many facts and funny conflicts. also check out his book "The Monk From Brooklyn" i say its a very good book... and to mention all the negative post with one star rating is obviously the same person. you can tell by comparing all his/her negative post.

It may be difficult for us to understand why a successful investment banker from New York, chooses to risk death and danger by crossing the world's second largest desert. However, when reading Antonio Graceffo's story, everything starts to become very simple and clear why he'd to do such a thing.

This is a story of one man's own challenge, to cross the Taklamakan Desert from North to South alone, although unachieved by men before. It allows us Westerners to gain insight to not only an experience we may never visit or encounter but also types of cultures and people we never imagined could still exist.

What's appealing about this story by Graceffo is his writing style as being ordinary and informal with snippets of dialogue to assist you in getting the `bigger picture'. For a less intellectual but entertaining read this is ideal. Antonio's genuine character, blatant or funny statements and honest thoughts all provide a fuller engagement with his journey.

Most people love a good story of knowing how a human overcomes something serious or survives danger. This is a story of survival from the extremely high temperatures, constant dehydration and consistent physical pain. This one man isolated, travelling nature's danger zone, riding miles on a strange impossible to ride three wheeler bike is remarkable.

I became so engrossed in this story, my curious self questioning can this guy really make it? Is it really possible for a human to survive such ordeal? Throughout the journey there are times when he feels as if he can't go on. By great will power and determination he becomes a hero and completes his mission.

The descriptions given are detailed enough to provide great visual imagery for the reader and therefore makes the reader feel as if they were encountering the journey with Antonio also. The various types of village people which he stumbles upon his journey provide an intriguing aspect to his story. You just never know what type of person he will meet next, some of these people pretty much save his life, and some of the conversation exchanged between them helps the reader gain insight to a completely unfamiliar culture we likely don't know enough about. It's very thought provoking meeting these characters in the book because it highlights the extreme different lives we lead. e.g. the Ughyur construction foreman Antonio meets randomly while travelling across the Taklamakan. The foreman earned in a month the equivalent to what a pair of sixty US dollar boots would cost. There are many people which appear in Antonio's travels which lead very simple lives living on what we would class as nothing, some are not even aware of what a camera is? It really makes you wonder how we are all a part of the same world.

I recently emailed Antonio and asked a series of questions referring to his book "The Desert of Death on Three Wheels".

He is currently living in Cambodia, writing articles about families and people living in poverty. He wrote the following to me in response to one of my questions:

"In the west we have no idea of true hopelessness and desperation. Most recently I did a story about sick people gathered in a temple where they believed the monk could cure them. They were desperate and poor and ignorant and uneducated and infecting each other. More than one thousand people living on top of each other in an area about three times the size of a football pitch.
What can I say to sites like these? They sadden me. There is so much humour in a lot of my stories. But that is often my way of dealing with the sadness I saw the previous day."

The Desert of Death on Three Wheels also has an added bonus story, it's about his trip to Thailand, where he plays for a team in a rather interesting sport called elephant polo. I won't go into great detail of what happens, or what kind of story to expect but I can guarantee you it is an extremely funny read. Filled to the brim, of course, with Antonio's witty and comic comments in reflection of his experience. Antonio does actually raise awareness for these elephants by fighting in a boxing match. He is a boxer as well as a writer! It is clear from my response from my online interview with him, that he really does care about the places and people he visits from around the world. He has a very unstable financial income writing about poverty, wars and the corrupt governments he encounters when travelling.

The Desert of Death on Three Wheels is an entertaining great story about a man who is compassionate about people and the places he visits. He converts his travel experience into a story overcoming what may seem the unobtainable. Everybody loves a good story don't we?

© Vanessa Hyde Nov 2005

An honest account of an adventure through a place most people would never have even heard of. The bonus story about Antonio's participation in an Elephant polo tournament is also an interesting look at a sport generally only enjoyed by the disgustingly rich. I really enjoyed these stories, and would recommend them to anyone interested in travel writing, because you won't have read anything else quite like them.

DESERT by Jack Dykinga is published by Harry Abrams, Inc., a company that publishes high quality art books and not, for example, vacation tour guide books. DESERT is 143 pages long, and contains 83 full-sized color reproductions. Dykinga uses a 4X5 camera, resulting in a higher quality image.

Many of the images are merely of flowers or of pretty scenes. Here, there is no attempt to produce a photograph of artistic merit. However, this slight shortcoming is overwhelmed by a number of novel and creative photographs.

For example, JOSHUA TREE AT DAWN AFTER SPRING SNOW discloses a dark cloudy sky, tinged with purple, a shadowy snow-covered desert, and a grove of snow-covered Joshua trees--all cloaked with pre-dawn shadows. It is difficult to tear one's eyes away from this photograph.

DAWN ON THE PANAMINT MOUNTAINS and CRYSTALLIZED SALT FORMATIONS are two photographs that continue with the artist's experiments (successful experiments) with pre-dawn photography of the white desert. Here, the whiteness is not from snow, but from white salt.

Jack Dykinga has also focused his attention on cracked lakebeds (dried mud). CRACKED CLAY AND THE MESQUITE FLAT reveals a fascinating heart shape in a patio-like area of cracked sand. The cracked mud area abuts a region of desert that is soft sand.

Another fine shot, MESQUITE FLAT SAND DUNES AT SUNRISE, features a patio-like area of cracked sand, each pentangle of cracked mud is covered with warty clumps of earth. An open area in the middle of the cracked mud patio contains an open area in the shape of a diamond. At the center of the diamond-shaped open area is a small growing bush. The diamond-shaped area with the little round bush resembles an eye.

RACETRACK AT SUNRISE and RACETRACK AT SUNSET are fascinating images--the most unusual in this book. Each shows millions of tiny pentangles of cracked mud, stretching off into the distance. In the foreground are a couple of flattened areas resembling thick ruler-lines. The flattened areas were produced by small boulders, somehow propelled over the mud by the wind. At one end of each ruler-line one finds a boulder.

Again, if one is able to tolerate the abundance of conventional "pretty" scenes of flowers and sunsets, one should purchase this book, if only to view the seven great photographs discussed in this review.

Mr.Dykinga's skill as an artist is further demonstrated by his book, STONE CANYONS OF THE COLORADO PLATEAU, also published by Harry Abrams, Inc. STONE CANYONS is especially distinguished by its focus on a park called, Vermilion Cliffs (Paria Canyon, The Wave, Coyote Buttes), a park that is rarely the subject of published photographs. STONE CANYONS also uses the style of depicting scenes just before sunset (or just after sunrise), when all but a thin line of the horizon is steeped in shadow. Stand aside, David Muench, here comes Jack Dykinga.

There is a knock at my door and here is the UPS man delivering my order from Amazon.com. Among the books: Desert, The Mojave and Death Valley Photographs by Jack Dykinga, text by Janice Emily Bowers. I barely had time to read more than a page or two of the text before it made me want to go straight to the photos to see the place she was clearly, and intelligently writing about. And I was not disappointed: It was overwhelmed with joy of at being able to share the keeness of Mr. Dykinga's fine and perceptive photographic vision of that place. This is a more subtle body of work than the previous books based around his photographs.

The Sonoran Desert had a similar effect on me years ago and expanded my sense of what ilandscape photography could be. Stone Canyons did not have as great of affect on me as the first book

More than anything else, the images in this book remind me why the large format camera is such a tremendous aid to seeing something more clearly and perceptively than you can with the naked eye. even more so than a 35mm or medium format or easily portable digital gear can. Some of the photos even have a sense of humor to them and when did you last see that in a photograph of a natural landscape? The reproduction of the images appears to be first rate and the design and typography of the book match its contents in quality.

In short there are wonderful things to be found in this book.

This book just shows how spectacular a desert can look with the magnificent photos around the Mojave desert and Death valley of emptiness, stark flowers and blooms and just superb landscapes. It'll give you some inspiration to find something to look for even in a desert.

I know I will as I will be going to Ayer's Rock (Uluru) in Australia in a few months and it's also a big desert!

This book is a beauty, some of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen.

I spent the first week of September in southern California this year, and on Sunday before Labor Day I drove from Los Angeles up to Death Valley. I hadn't been there since I was a child and I have to say although it is a desolate and lonely place (and 114 degrees at Furnace Creek the day I was there) it is also one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The sand dunes at Mesquite Flat alone are worth the trip.

Everyone should see it, but if you can't buy the book. My copy came shrinkwrapped in plastic which I really like, the last thing you want is to buy a nice book like this in a bookstore where someone has spilled coffee on the pages.

As I went through this book, I kept asking myself, am I looking at the dessert or am I looking at the landscape photographs of Jack Dykinga? I've been to the Mojave and to Death Valley and I don't remember them looking so beautiful.

Dykinga's style reminded me of the work of Eliot Porter, with modern film stock. Most of his pictures have the same subtle quality, created by the use of analogous colors, that is, colors near each other on the color wheel, and varying only by tint or small changes in hue. A Dykinga picture almost always has one dominant hue like brown or tan or blue, and the hue rarely feels intense, even if it's a field of California Poppies.

It's obvious that Dykinga's work utilizes a large format camera. Everything is in sharp focus from foreground to distant mountains, thanks to small apertures and the ability to twist the light through his camera. This means that the picture is not going to immediately draw your attention to one aspect of the scene by controlled focus. More likely, the viewer will have to work his way through the picture, discovering things along the way.

The layout of the book seems to be well considered. Quite often two plates with similar subject matter will face each other and there is a synergistic effect from the comparison. For example, I delighted in examining two facing pictures of desert sunflowers. In both cases the yellow orange flowers have a hilly background, but one group of flowers is pushing up through dried-out, cracked clay, while in the other picture the flowers are growing from a small body of water collected for a brief time from rainfall. The mud and the water are both magenta in color but the textures are completely different. The thoughts that arose from the juxtaposition were not only about the variety of the desert but also about the nature of color and vision.

I suppose one reason that I never saw the dessert the photographer portrays is because most of the pictures were taken at the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. To have been that many places in the desert at just those times would have taken me months and months. At the very least, I can be a philistine and thank Dykinga for saving me a lot of time.

As to the text in the book, my feeling is that it probably has to be included for marketing purposes. Janice Bowers' essays seemed poetic and show that she loves the desert, but like most such commentaries, they do little to illuminate the photographer's work. I suppose the essays are worth reading once. The pictures on the other hand can bear many, many viewings and add something to the sense of the place each time.

I finally concluded that I was looking at the desert through Jack Dykinga's eyes when I viewed this book. I resolved to return to the actual desert again and see if I could continue to see it through his eyes.

Our 14-year-old kitty died recently and for my two children, ages 4 and 7, the loss was devastating. I checked this out from the library (along with Cat Heaven, by Cynthia Rylant, another fantastic book) and I cannot believe how much this book helped soothe the pain of her loss. My four year old asked to read it several times a day, and we got to the point where we laughed more as we read it than cried. It's a touching, sweet story, worth every penny.

I like this book because its about a cat. It's a cat named Desser. I think that the book is a litle sad.But in the time it gets way beter.I think other kids should read this book too.I like books like this because they always have happy endings.

This is my most favorite children's book, hands down! It's sweet, humorous, touching and sad --all in one--and the pictures are so beautiful and expressive. We originally borrowed it from the library and as I read it by myself (because I couldn't stop looking at the beautiful pictures) and cried my eyes out remembering all 3 of my dear kitties that have passed on, I knew I had to have my own copy. My four year old daughter loves it as much as I do... and I know she sees our current cat through different eyes now!

If you love this book, then let me suggest the book, "Florence the Goose: A True Story For Children of All Ages." They both share "true stories," animals who change the lives of the narrators immeasurably, a sublimly painful detailing of loss and exquisite artwork!

A perfect book for cat lovers and children, especially those dealing with the loss of the beloved family cat. The illustrations and text bring to life the cat personality and the interactions between young children and cats. I am ordering one for me and one for each of my siblings because it so reminds me of our childhood cat King Topence, who was almost human by the time he died at 18 years old.

Buy this - try it out. Ever wanted to make sure that your children know exactly why you feel the way you do about something or someone? This book will show you how to put all of your values on paper - you need this.

I purchased Barry K. Baines, Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, at the suggestion of a friend who had read it and been inspired to write an ethical will for her children. It seemed like a good idea to me. We cannot help but relay our values and beliefs to our children--they pick them up by osmosis. I think, though, that we seldom sit down and think through what we would LIKE to convey to our children, including ways in which we have not lived up to our values or would like them to do better than we.

At the same time that I bought Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, I also bought Rachael Freed's Women's Lives, Women's Legacies: Passing Your Beliefs & Blessings to Future Generations. I prefered this book. It may be that I prefered the second book because, as a woman, it spoke more to my concerns, but I think not. Dr. Baines focuses on his work with the terminally ill, and the healing power of putting our thoughts on paper. Many of the examples he gives read like old Polonius's hipocritical, "Neither a barrower nor a lender be...," platitudes that most in this culture would accept. Ms. Freed takes us on a journey of discovery--discovery of ourselves. Whether done in a group, as Ms. Freed suggests, or independently, as I would most likely tackle such personal writing, her topics are likely to bring us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and enable us to create a more personal document for our loved ones.

Dr. Barry Baines provides a thoughtful explanation of ethical wills, describing for readers the historical context of the practice and outlining how people today can leave a lasting legacy for their loved ones by putting their values on paper. The guidance he provides in this handbook makes it possible for anyone to write an ethical will, whether they've just learned of the practice or grown up reading ethical legacies of their ancestors. This is an excellent guide.

Ethical Wills is a must read for each and everyone of us! Not only is it fascinating to learn about the history behind such wills, but the workbook he provides the readers with is such an valuable tool.
We all need to be concerned about writing an ethical will while we are still able to communicate our wishes. My late mother had Alzheimer's and it was so very devastating and frightening to see her no longer able to communicate her wishes. Thankfully, we had spoken about what she wanted her last wishes to be long before Alzheimer's destroyed her mind.
I do not know if I, too, will one day suffer her same fate so I am taking all of the necessary steps NOW while I am still able to communicate to make my final wishes known. This book has been an invaluable help to me as well as another wonderful new publication by Renata Marie Vestevich. "Grant Me My Final Wish: A personal journal to simplify life's inevitable journey." This book is a wonderful companion to Dr. Baine's book. While his book is a workbook of sorts, Ms. Vestevich's book is a beautifully bound journal that you can write in whenever you have time. These two books work beautifully together. Ms. Vestevich's book leads you gently through the process of making your final wishes known to your loved ones. She guides you through the process of making that ethical will in a very compassionate manner. There is even a place within the journal for you to place beloved pictures and write down special memories.
None of us likes to dwell upon our eventual death. However, having seen my mother destroyed by Alzheimer's and her being no longer able to communicate even the simplest of wishes, I strongly urge all of you to take steps now to make your last wishes known!
These two superbly written books...each very special in their very own way..will help you do just that.

Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper provides a terrific introduction to ethical wills, with historical background, specific guidelines for writing an ethical will, and a variety of samples. With its reader-friendly tone and clear suggestions, Ethical Wills makes a useful handbook for anyone interested in creating such a document. I especially appreciated the sample wills to show a range of approaches.
This book was a great help to me when I started writing ethical wills. As a member of the Association of Personal Historians, I help others record their own ethical wills and family stories. I keep this book in my professional library and recommend it often.
My only beef? It's too short! I wanted more samples and more history. Guess I'll have to wait for Dr. Baines' next book.

After reading this book several times to my 4-year-old daughter, I am starting to believe this is a children's book for adults. I challenge any current or former pet owner to read this book without shedding a tear. This book is beautifully written and illustrated. It is the rare children's book that touches both kids and adults. Believe me, as a father of two I have read hundreds of children's books, and this one is special. My 4-year-old has been asking about heaven and what happens when people get sick. This book helps answer some of those questions in a very touching, memorable and thoughtful way.

My son (a 1st grader) does not like to talk about emotional issues. When our beloved dog died, he didn't say anything about it for 24 hours. The next day I read him this book and we both began crying mid-way through. The lovely story enabled my son to open up and talk about the grief he was feeling. I like the message that we keep the memory of deceased loved ones in our hearts and memories.

The Forever Dog helps children [and the child within us all] feel the painful loss of a beloved pet and move on. Cochran is a masterful wordsmith who makes us chuckle at how such a mangy puppy could become such a beloved and loyal friend to his young owner. And the mother speaks words of profound healing as she gently helps her son understand that his inner pain can be transformed by love into something that he will have forever, just as promised.

This book belongs on the book shelf along with "The Fall of Freddy, the Leaf" [Leo Bussaglia] and "The Dead Bird" [Margaret Wise Brown], to give to someone who is suffering with grief after the death of a loved one.

And veteranarians across the country will be wise to stock many copies of this book for their clients [of all ages] who lose their beloved pets!

Caroline Boynton, LMSW, MA
New York City

What a wonderful book, perfect for anyone suffering a loss, young or old. When Corky dies Mike is sad and angry. His mother gently reminds him of all the wonderful things he shared with Corky and that the memory of those things will live in his heart forever. Lovely illustrations also.

Corky was the best dog ever. Mike got him as a puppy and taught him all he knew. They took walks, Corky slept on Mike's head, and lots of other fun stuff!

One day, Corky got sick and had to go to the veterinarian's clinic. The next morning, Mike's mom had sad news: Corky was too sick for the doctors to save.

Inspired by his own experience, Bill Cochran brings children a gentle story about losing a favorite pet. For many people, this is the first time they must deal with death and grief. As children, it can be hard to understand that a beloved friend isn't going to return, and even more difficult to understand the onslaught of emotions. Cochran's approach takes young readers through the steps without letting on that it's what adults call the "grieving process." All the kids know is that they can identify with how Mike feels about losing Corky, and then see how he comes to accept it.

Hand a box of tissues over with this book when gifting it to a grieving child. Tell them it's perfectly okay to cry, and even a good thing. And if they're not ready, they will be. This is a wonderfully sweet book for such an occasion. Of course, it's a nice story even if there hasn't been a loss, as it can also encourage children to learn compassion toward others who are having a hard time.

I highly recommend THE FOREVER DOG to anyone who has feelings.


Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
08/18/2007


(This review is dedicated to Dandy, Tinker, Chrissy, Dillon, Middie, and Alice.)

This is little book brings the realitilies of eternity home in easy to understand writings.

This is a thorough book about what we are all headed for when we die. Best be prepared ahead of time and not have the Last Judgment a big surprise.

Pope Pius XII was quoted as saying, "The greatest sin of the twentieth century, is the loss of the sense of sin." In this short book Fr. von Cochem writes on each of the four last things, Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell. His chapters are short as is his book. His language is extremely vivid, and I would suspect that most modern readers would have trouble accepting not only the beautiful and fantastic image he paints of heaven, but more lilkely how stark and terrible he paints Hell. This is not to say I don't think this book is useful. If it doesn't inspire the emotions it did with its original audience, at least perhaps it will be helpful in bringing people to realize that perhaps God is mightier than the semi-senile Grandfather figure we often want to believe He is.

I was very inspired and enlightened after reading this book. The opening chapters on the separation of the soul from the body were exceptional. Beware of the chapters on Hell (a large portion of the book). They will make most depair but for some (as in my case) they will stengthen their resolve to seek God at all times. Those chapters made me see Christ's exhortations about Hell in a new light. In other words, I take them more seriously now. I read and re-read the chapters on Heaven and the reunification of the soul with the body. They are so uplifting that I had to pause often to reflect on what I had just read. I remember one evening before retiring I implored God to give me a glimpse of Heaven for just a moment as the decription I had just read seemed too amazing to believe.

I encourage all to read this short spiritual book.

Do your very best to Love the Lord (Jesus Christ) with all of your heart.
Believe in Him (now, tomorrow, and everyday), and ALWAYS PRAY to Him when you are at the house, in your car, at church, and even when you are studying, etc.)Ask Him to come into your life. Yes, this book is important, it also talks about hell, but to avoid hell one must be a good christian. So don't envy, don't lust after the opposite sex, don't rape, don't molest, don't coveout, don't kill, don't lie, etc. Buy this book, and learn a new way of living life, plus pray to Christ everyday with all of your heart. Have and get salvation because not everyone is going to go there. Many will go to hell. But changing your life -ones dirty life to a new one(a cleaner one) and accepting Jesus Christ into your life guarantees you Eternal salvation. Once you die, you will then see the Lord and He himself will judge you according to your acts...so be very good while you are here on this earth, because once you die it is too late(then the Judgement). For example, think of the killers who have killed babies,or a woman or man who hates the opposite sex(gender mysoginy) and were damned to hell because of their hatred toward life/people...they will be thrown into the lake of fire by Christ's Angels, and they will burn in sulphur, forever and forever and forever. The flames will never stop, they will burn forever and forever and forever. Get this book, and get the Bible,and Have Christ in your life because He is good and because He cares for you. Even if some one who is dieing on a hospital bed still has a chance at salvation, but that person will have to repent, and ask Christ for forgiveness...he or she also has to pray to Christ (verbally or mentally)depending on the patient health.

I read this book years ago but I can not get it out of my mind. This is one of the best written True Crime Books I have ever read. It is interesting from page one. It absolutely writes like a true who done it type novel except this is TRUE and the author has you wondering what happened to these poor babies. She makes you think that some mysterious thing is going on with these babies. The story builds and builds until the truth comes out who killed these precious babies. There are pictures included of her babies. These babies were absolutely beautiful babies. The author gives details of the deaths of the babies and how they reacted when they died. How the oldest fought the whole time. I had a hard time getting through some of these descriptions but I could not lay this book down as I just had to know in my own heart WHY someone did this horrible thing to such precious babies. This book is so detailed.

I read this book in a day and a half cover-to-cover. I could not put it down, simply because page after page I was left dumbfounded at the absurdness of the people involved in this story. I am appalled and enraged by the ignorance, stupidity and apathy of all who knew this woman and stood silent as she killed her children in the same arrogant pattern over and over again. As for her husband, he must have been in a coma not to catch on after the second time. This is a sad statement of the human condition- close your eyes, turn away and don't get involved. The jury was out to lunch on this one, as well, with a depraved indifference verdict. Given the obvious, this was clear-cut premeditated murder -each time she killed, she would mate, give birth and kill again. If it looks like a snake, sounds like a snake and acts like a snake..... sounds like Murder One to me. Perhaps the only redemption for those 9 innocent souls is that they were spared surviving and growing up at the hands of this calculating monster they would have called "mother" and that simpleton poor excuse for a man they would have called "dad".

Very well-written and researched. I've re-read this book many times, and each time I see a different aspect of Marybeth or the people around her. Ms. Egginton gives opinions from various scientists and other examples of mothers killing children. I do believe the theory Marybeth killed eight of her children, after possibly causing Jennifer, her third child, to be born with meningitis (because she wanted her born on Christmas). There is quite a bit of research into Marybeth's childhood, however, I wish that her brother had remembered or told more about her possible abuse at the hands of her father. If you don't receive love as a child, you can't give love as an adult. It's no excuse, as she certainly knew right from wrong and had sense enough to lie about the deaths to everyone - I believe she mainly killed them since she learned of the attention it brought her - and because she believed she was a bad mother, could do nothing right, and might as well kill them to get it over with. For some reason, she never learned her lesson, just kept trying again. What would be a nightmare that most people (with consciences) would never recover from, was no big deal to Marybeth. I don't think that she'll ever understand that these babies were human beings in their own right who deserved to live just as much as she thought she did.

Marybeth Tinning's case is fascinating. She had nine children and every single one of them died before they reached school age. There was Barbara, Joseph, Mary, Jonathan, Nathan, Michael, Timothy, Jennifer, and Tami Lynne. Jennifer was the first to go, born sickly and dying after a few days without ever leaving the hospital. It is thought that this is the only Tinning child to have died of natural causes. Marybeth murdered the other eight.

It was thought that Barbara and Joseph, the oldest Tinning children who died a short time after Jennifer, died of Reyes Syndrome. People thought it was odd, though, that Marybeth never shed a tear. As the children were born and buried one after another, their deaths were mostly chalked up to SIDS or something similar. It got to be kind of local joke: "Look at the birth announcements; the Tinnings had another baby. I wonder how long this one will last?" Many suspected Marybeth of having killed the babies, but some thought it was just a genetic deformity in the family. That was, until the Tinning's two-year-old adopted son, Michael, died for no apparent reason. That's when the authorities started to move in.

This book covers Marybeth Tinning's life, marriage, the births and deaths of her children, and her trial and subsequent imprisonment. It's clear that she suffers from Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, the pathological need to injure those close to her and bask in the sympathy she gets. It's a fascinating story, though I admit the characters didn't seem all that real to me -- more like ink on paper than actual human beings. I recommend this book anyway, for all true-crime fans and those curious about infanticide.

Marybeth Tinning gave birth to nine children. After the third-born died at 8 days old due to a suspected self-induction (she wanted the baby to be born on Christmas day) with a coathanger caused meningitis, her other two children (aged 4 and 2) died within the next 8 weeks. She went on to have more children, and even adopted one, who all died one by one.

Unbelievably, it wasn't until the 9th died that the public in her county, social services, police, coroner etc managed to collectively work together to bring a case against her. Previously all of these agencies knew she had children that had died, but none knew the number or all of the information -except her close friends and family.

This book has been meticulously researched, it really is very thorough and well written. As a mother I found it at times unbearable -so many questions remain unanswered. The book contains a photo of each of the children, who were all beautiful.

Gripping reading, but also it is really important to learn something from this -when a child is in distress, no matter how small your suspicion or how afraid you are of offending people -do what you can to protect the child. This is officially the mother's job, but when she is suffering from Munchausen by Proxy she is unable to carry out her role.

That's a 'nice' way of putting it. Read the book and make up your own mind.