United States Books

Nancy Deville is a medical writer who became alarmed at the national upward trends regarding obesity and other health problems of the general American public. In her researches she uncovered an unpleasant truth -- the food industry has a significant responsibility for what is happening to American public health. The result of her research is "Dead By Supermarket" in which she reveals the benefits of real food while exposing the health risks of eating factory foods, serial dieting, taking drugs. Of special note is what Deville discovered concerning the intrigue, corruption, and simple ineptness within the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Using sold research to show just how the government and the medical community collude in the propagation of disastrous nutritional advice, "Death By Supermarket" is a vital and necessary call to action on both a personal and a political level. Informed and informative, "Death By Supermarket" needs to be on the Health & Medicine shelves of every community library in the country -- and considered an essential study for health and nutrition advocates, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in personal and public health.

"Death By Supermarket" is a five star book. The author's Grandma, the first healthy eater in the family, who is quoted a number of times in the book, would be proud of her Granddaughter. Even though Grandma was seen as the family oddball, she stuck to her beliefs and eventually passed them on to her Granddaughter Nancy.

For years my philosophy concerning food has been to "Let your food be your medicine bottle." To finally have an author echo these beliefs and gives additional insight as to how to walk them out is truly refreshing. We should shop for fresh, locally grown foods as much as possible. When going to the supermaket, we are to shop the outside isles of the store, where the whole foods such s meats, eggs, dairy,fuits and vegies are found. You want to stick with whole grains, whcih haven't had all the nutrients processed out of them as have refined grains, with only a few of those nutrients being replaced with synthetic vitamins, etc. It's also important to buy 100% free range meat, dairy and eggs, which don't have growth hormones or antibiotics, aren't crowded into farm factory facilites or fed species inappropriate food and are slaughtered most humanly. It's also important to purchase Alaskan Salmon, which isn't full of mercury and other toxic industrial waste contaminents. As Chief Seattle said, "How we treat the land, we treat ourselves." This is also true of how we treat our animals.

The whole food always contains various nutrients in the proper amounts that work as a team to nourish your body. Some of these nutrients haven't even been discovered yet. You definately can't seperate one or even several of these nutrients from the whole food and receive the same nutritional benefit. Also different foods are high in different nutrients, which is why you need to eat a variety of whole foods from all of the three main food groups, fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Having said that, much of our soils have become nutritionally depleted, becuase of unwise farming practices and so you want to purchase organic grains and produce when that is possible. You also want to eat the freshest food possible. Wilted organic produce, which has been shipped long distances and sat for extended periods of time on the supermarket shelf is unhealthy at any price. You are better off purchasing really fresh non organic produce.

Nancy's message really needs to be read and embraced by every American, especially those with the strongest Puritan ethics, who really believe that food isn't meant to be savoured or celebrated. Our Creator gives us all things richly to enjoy. Mouth watering real food is meant to be eaten with gratefulness, leisurely enjoyed with family and friends as the good gift that it is to us from an all loving God. Also our bodies are more than a machine, and food is more than the fuel. Our bodies are a fearfully and wonderfully made creation and food is a gift meant to enjoyed as it nourishes us.

I have read MANY books on health/nutrition, but few are as effective at getting the message across while still being enjoyable to read. I loved the pace and style and honesty of the book. I didn't want it to end, as I found it motivating to read a bit each day. You will not be disappointed with this book. It would be a great gift for those you love, as well.

I am only half-way through Death by Supermarket and it is already having a profound effect. I am purging my house of high fructose corn syrup and aspartame for starters. I've lost 6 pounds in two weeks without even thinking about dieting. I just finished the chapter on factory milk and have curtailed my consumption. The line about drinking dead pus was what did it for me. My sons and wife are waiting impatiently for me finish the book and pass it along. There should be a copy of this book in every home.

Once in awhile, if you're really lucky, a book comes along that will change your life. Death By Supermarket is one of those books. Initially,I was curious about it because of its intriguing title and now I'm a huge fan and supporter of its message. I have always eaten pretty well--or so I thought--but so much has changed after reading this book.I eat only real food now--foods that have been picked, fished, hunted, and milked. i have completely turned my back on "factory foods," imitation, fake food with ingredients on the label that can't even be pronounced. You've heard of a "fast food nation." Well, i think we have become a "factory food nation," and it has to stop. Reading this book motivates one to stop eating the processed junk and the fake this and that. It's the best diet book out there--and it isn't a diet book! If you eat real food, you will never have to diet again and your body will return to its normal weight. Nancy Deville is an amazing woman with a very important message for all of us. Death By Supermaket is a page turner!
P.S. Don't drink diet colas and don't eat splenda!

I was given this book for Christmas and - being a huge nostalgia fan - I LOVE it! So many great photos and interesting stories. This is a must for anyone who loves show business success stories.

This is one of the most entertaining reads I've ever had...WOW! What a surprise! Highly recommended!!!

This book is full of wonderful information on the subject of ventriloquism and is a great history book as well, about a bygone era that was once a vital part of American TV entertainment. It's a must read for any trivia buff!!

Oh My gosh, this is THE BEST BOOK I've EVER read! This awesome book is garenteed to educate you on 4 of the best ventriloquists in american history! This is an awesome book, filled with lots of photos and fun stories. WELL WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY!

Okay, I admit it: I grew up watching Paul Winchell on TV. And my best friend carved his own dummy, and practiced ventriloquism, while I acted as "audience". So, dummies and ventriliquists formed my warped view of life, later leading to Monte Python and Firesign Theater. What makes ventriliquists fascinating is their combination of surrealism, fantasy and real-life issues, projected into their own, small theater. By "suspending disbelief", these performed create real persons and real stories. If you love imagination and those who create imaginary worlds, you'll enjoy this book.

John Elmore shares shocking and interesting facts, and personal war stories about our legal system. "Fighting for Your Life" provides 150 pages worth tools--from advice that can be a virtual "get-out-of-jail-free card,"--to knowledge that can SAVE YOUR LIFE. I recommend this book for everyone. As a law student getting ready to practice, I found this book to be an easy read, but not easy to forget.

This book is a must have/must read for anyone interested in studying, or participating in, the legal system. John Elmore's experience and insight are delivered in an easy to read way that makes the book an incredible resource for students or practitioners.

Fighting for your life is a resource guide for anyone and everyone no matter what their relationship to the law! Law Students, Practicing Attorneys, Criminal Defendants, or family members and loved ones of somebody who is either in jail, has been arrested, or is facing criminal prosecution can all benefit from owning this book. John V. Elmore offers each of us a practical, hands on, "If I'm in trouble, this is the book I need to read" guide to understanding your rights and making sure that they are not violated. Most importantly, the author has experience and knowledge of the law from every angle; He was a criminal defense attorney, former state trooper, and former prosecutor. In his book, he tells you exactly what to do and how to do it so that when you find yourself in a position where you are fighting for your life, with his book you have a fighting chance to win.

As a African-American prosecutor, I am often frustrated by the number of young African-American defendants who come into the courtroom completely unprepared and unaware of how the criminal justice system operates. John Elmore's book is a must read for anyone facing criminal charges.

Fighting For Your Life: The African America Criminal Survival Guide told by John V. Elmore, Esq. and Foreword by a friend of the literary community, Mr. Tony Rose is the most responsible book on the planet.There is something that rang a familiar air of discord as I glimpsed at the chained arms on the cover of Fighting For Your Life: The African America Criminal Survival Guide told by John V. Elmore, Esq. and Foreword by a friend of the literary community, Mr. Tony Rose.

I knew immediately that if I was not interested in fighting for my life, I would not open the book, and no matter how mysterious the picture on the cover with two fingerprints that look the same, but if you look carefully, do not match at all. My very own hands longed to free the cuffs of another black man whose time did not fit the crime, and by no means do I condone crime. I am speaking for my brother, father, sister, mother, grandparents and friends who lost love ones who wound up behind bars thanks to the unfair practices of the judicial system while their white counterparts got slaps on the wrists, but this is another story.

The truth is, as I read each page of one of the most "Think Before You Act" books ever written to help Black Americans stay safe in situations, or even avoid crime, the focus became clear that this book matches its title, and is indeed the first African American Justice Survival Guide ever to approach the answers to the questions Black African Americans have asked about avoiding the fatal flaws of the criminal justice system. It leaves out subjective opinions or views that could cause even the most innocent man to wind up dead. It happens everyday, and rather than for folks to remain ignorant of the fact that like criminals the criminal justice system does not discriminate between which blacks should suffer the injustices in situations, Fighting For Your Life: The African America Criminal Survival Guide is a wake up call for everyone.

It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what you are wearing, how much money you have, or how well you are adored by the community you live in. YOU too can be a victim of the criminal justice system, and not to take away anything from the hard working police officers who protect the community and sincerely care about the communities they protect and serve. We are talking about a universal code of conduct that once this book becomes a part of university law study curriculums, criminal justice undergraduate classes, required by youth in detention centers and those subject to light time in prison, and. or as a gift to perhaps your young son or child, the world will begin to play it safe when it comes to doing the job of being a civilian or an officer of the law.

Fear breeds in those who serve the justice system due to unpredictable deaths and murders of peers in the force that cause underlying tension, and retaliation. Racism still runs amuck. Ignorance still breeds within our own communities when we respond to situations with pride. I say, read Fighting For Your Life: The African America Criminal Survival Guide to WAKE UP and understand that nothing is more important than saving your life, and even if it means you have to fight for it. You will discover Defense Attorney, John V. Elmore's complete tour of the criminal justice system from the point where those who stand accused or violated can acquire a public defender or attorney for hire, the client's rights and crime report to what to do if you are a victim of brutality, wrongly accused, or required to attend preliminary hearings.

Readers will also, be given pointers on attire in court, making bail, and if not...the grand jury process and some top lawyers who can be contacted and will help the accused fight for one's rights. It doesn't get any better than this.

On a lighter note, I have to discard all reviews of books about the criminal justice system after reading this book which really presents the facts. I encourage all urban writers to read this book before attempting to write a single line about crime and outcomes in novels. If you need facts, this is a great tool for the urban writer as well.

As a reviewer, Fighting For Your Life: The African -American Criminal Justice Survival Guide is certainly on the top of my list for fact checking and research. IT is a thorough and accurate guide that is intelligent, sensible, and can be the cure-all of calling a truce between the criminal justice system and those accused. Yes, if you are guilty, there are penalties, but this book wants you to only do the time if it if fits the crime, and keep you living, because even the criminal has a family.

This is about humanity and cutting down the abuse and brutality of youth who are the product of the environments in which they live. The story is not finished, and we still owe another book to the survivors. I would have liked to read more about Hurricane Carter, Alfred Houston, Angela Davis, and even Mr. Tony Rose. This book will definitely welcome the trend of survivor stories. Def Jam's Bruce George is dedicating an anthology to The Bandana Republic, and Neshee Publication is acquiring stories for Fight To The Finish Line. All of these books are in demand

by our youth, young adults, local gang members, those serving time, those of the criminal justice who want to better understand their role as officers of the community, parents and people who care about the state of America on crime, and of course...address what we all need to know to survive. A new genre is born. All praise goes our to John Elmore, Esq., a criminal defense attorney, former state trooper, father of four boys, teacher and attorney general.

If you are looking for a book that uses current lingo that is so easy to understand then this is the book for you. Like me you have probably read the prosperity Masters and yes, the lessons are timeless, however to read modern day examples are priceless! I felt as if I knew Ms. Gaines personally. Her stories were hilarious, thought provoking and a blessing to my life. I dare you to try the first law which is tithing and watch something miraculous happen in your life! We all have read or heard about tithing but Ms. Gaines breaks it down like its never been broken down before. I was so moved I tithed to her for writing this classic! Don't pass this book up! Every seeker needs this one in their prosperity library!

I heard it many times before - tithing will demonstrate to the universe that you trust that there will always be more.... yet I never did it. That is until I read this book. What made it easy for me where 2 things, one Edwene didn't tell you where to tithe to, other then wherever you are spiritually fed.... well that makes it easy. The second point was - try it out for 6 months - if it didn't work for you you can stop.... well I was hooked after 2 weeks. Now I receive money and I am excited about sharing it with whoever inspired me ~ fed me spiritual food... my children, my church, Edwene, a speaker, a song writer, etc. This book has touched me deeply.

This is a great book. I listened to it first on CD and loved the author's chatty wisdom. I bought the book so I could refer back to it often. A small book but full of very important spiritual laws.

Listening to this CD, with Edwene's pleasant voice along with hearing her life experiences, is a pleasant alternative to music. I'm listening to it for the third time and considering looking for more CD's from this production company.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I've been reading several books about attracting prosperity, but they were all lacking one thing. That one thing is how God is involved. This book finally connected the two for me. I now see how you can attract prosperity and still honor God. What I appreciated the most what the difference between "go" signs and "stop" signs. Sometimes I get confused on what God is trying to tell me. I recommend this to all those spiritual people that are still trying to find guidance.

This is one of the most poignant books written about figure skating history. I knew the story of the 1961 tragedy, but this book focuses on each skater in ways I've never seen done before. MUCH more here than just a focus on the famous Owen family. Good reading, well worth the price. ORDER IT!

If you are a fan of figure skating, this book is a definate must read. It opened my eyes to things about skating and competition that I did not know as a former figure skater. It is a wonderful tribute to the skaters of the 1961 U.S. Team.

In 1961, the greatest tragedy in U.S. figure skating history - and possibly world figure skating history - took place when a Sabena-Belgian Airlines Boeing 707 developed problems trying to land at Brussels airport. The plane nosedived into a farmer's field, killing everyone aboard. Among those on board were 18 members of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating team, who were heading to the World Championships in Prague. This is the story of those skaters.
This book focuses largely on Laurence & Maribel Vinson Owen, as well as Stephanie Westerfield, who were the most well-known members, but also mentions skaters such as Laurie Jean Hickox and Doug Ramsay. It talks in-depth about the training & competitions they went through to become U.S. Figure Skating team members, as well as the terrible accident itself & how it affected U.S. Figure Skating at large - especially the rush to produce new skaters to replace those so tragically lost.
Journalist (and adult competitive figure skater) Nikki Nichols has done an excellent job in telling the very real stories of these people who were the Americans' best hopes for 1964, and never got to perform. Most of today's figure skaters have never heard the sad story of the 1961 US team, and this book is an excellent telling of their story. Highly recommended.

.......the Vinson-Owen legacy in its fifth generation.......?

This is the story of the 1961 American figure skating team whose plane crashed, outside Brussels, en route to the world championships in Prague, killing all aboard and changing the face of American figure skating forever. Previous reviewers criticize the author for relying so heavily on speculation, but for an event that happened nearly five decades ago and many of the people who could tell the story are deceased as well, I think she did an excellent job.

To me, the biggest scandal in the book was not the Laurence Owen/Stephanie Westerfeld rivalry, but rather the dissolution of Stephanie's family shortly before the crash. Her parents have both been dead for over 20 years and therefore cannot tell their stories, but to have a child who was a champion figure skater AND a budding concert pianist.....are there enough hours in the day?

Maribel Vinson-Owen didn't seem to be the most likable person (a vast understatement) but she blazed trails without realizing it. A Radcliffe graduate, the first woman sportswriter at the New York Times, AND she nearly destroyed her coaching career by allowing a black skater to practice at her rink? That took some guts. This skater, Mabel Ferguson, continues to promote skating to the black community.

This book is a quick read, and I ordered it at the library the day before seeing "We Are Marshall", about a plane crash that also killed 75 people. The Sabena crash officially had 73 casualties, but one of the passengers was pregnant and a farmer was killed on the ground by falling debris. It doesn't look like things have changed much regarding the treatment of crash survivors' families, but that's another book altogether.

Most of the 1961 performances can be viewed on You Tube.

I truly enjoyed this book. One of my best childhood friends died in the 1961 plane crash, her name was Laurence Owen. This book brought back many memories of a wonderful young girl taken far to soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Figure Skating. It gives insight to many of the wonderful people who died on that February day.

Books

The Grunt Padre
By Father Daniel L. Mode
Reviewed by Cos Ferrara

When Vincent R. Capodanno, Jr. decided to become a Maryknoll priest, he expected to be bringing the word of Christ to foreign lands. But it is unlikely that he expected to be the Christ-bearer to American soldiers in Vietnam during one of the deadliest of wars. After spending seven years in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Father Vincent requested permission to become a U. S. Navy chaplain and serve Marines in the field of battle. And serve he did.
The Grunt Padre by Father Daniel L. Mode (CMJ Marian Publishers, Oak Lawn, IL, 2000), tells his story. The book is the result of painstaking research over a number of years into the life and death of a quietly heroic Catholic priest. Father Mode read every available account on Father Vincent. He spoke to Father Vincent's family, his fellow Marines, and military officials who investigated the priest's heroism before the appropriate medals and honors could be bestowed on him. Once word of his research spread, Marines from across the country sent their accounts of the grunt Padre to be included in the book.

The Grunt Padre
Father Vincent Capodanno arrived in Vietnam in April 1966, to begin his 12-month tour. The United States had 385,000 troops there, with an average of 40 US soldiers dying there every month. In speaking of Father Vincent's ministry, one Marine said: "He was not standing on any soapboxes. The only thing he asked of the grunt Marines was the honor to be with them, and that meant he had to become one of them." "Grunt Marine" is a term that by rights should only be used by enlisted infantry Marines. They use it to remind themselves of the seriousness of their training: sweat in peace saves lives in war.
Father Vincent lived as a grunt Marine. Another Marine said he "was not a religious leader who did his job and then returned to the comfort of his own circle. Wherever they went, he went. Whatever burdens they had to carry, he shared the load. No problem was too large or too small to take to Father Vincent. He was available to them day and night. In a short time, the grunt Marines recognized Father Vincent's determination to be with them and one of them. The men respectfully and affectionately dubbed him "The Grunt Padre."

Whatever It Takes
He heard confessions, instructed converts, and administered the sacraments. He also walked dangerous perimeters, accompanying Marines positioned in distant jungle outposts.
In his spare time, Father Vincent wrote letters of condolence and information to families of dead and wounded Marines. One family later wrote of such a letter they had received from Father Vincent: "It had been a week of terrible worry for us, and his letter was the most important thing in the world to us."
Asking to be assigned to the operations entailing the greatest risk, Father Vincent went on many dangerous operations. On November 25, 1966, during Operation Rio Blanco, Captain David L. Walker was wounded in an open, flat rice paddy. He lay hopelessly in pain and exposed to enemy fire. He could not move. He later said:

Father Capodanno was the first at my side, even though he had to run about 75 meters through heavy enemy small arms fire. After summoning a Corpsman, he then assisted in carrying me to a safe area where I was med-evaced. During this time he was constantly exposed to enemy fire.

With the Medical Battalion
After eight months working with field combat units, Father Capodanno was transferred to the 1st Medical Battalion. The wounded were carried by helicopter to the hospital 24 hours a day. During 1966, the Medical Corps there treated more than a million South Vietnamese civilians and nearly 6400 wounded Marines and sailors.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was particularly important to the wounded who were fearful that they might die. In addition, Father administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, known then as Extreme Unction, to many about to die.
Lieutenant Joseph L. LaHood, a Navy doctor, commented on the gentle and effective way Father Vincent carried out his pastoral duties:

I am a doctor and after a year in Vietnam saw much. But never had I seen such dedication and selflessness, not as a sticky "piety" but as a "way." For the hundreds of cigarettes he held for the wounded, many of whom could no longer reach their hands to their lips, and for the hundreds of letters he wrote and helped to write for his men, the Marines will never forget that he is one of them. This priest of God is a hero.

Operation Swift
With three months left on his tour, Father Vincent asked for a six-month extension. On September 4, 1967, while people back home were celebrating Labor Day, Father Vincent was accompanying his Marines on Operation Swift. Lieutenant Joseph E. Pilon, M.D., gave this account:

On Labor Day our battalion ran into a world of trouble. When Father C. arrived at the scene it was 500 Marines against 2500 North Vietnamese Army regulars.....
Casualties were running high and Father C. had his work cut out for him. Early in the day, he was shot through the right hand, which all but shattered his hand--one corpsman patched him up and tried to med-evac him but Father C. declined, saying he had work to do.
A few hours later a mortar landed near him and left his right arm in shreds hanging from his side. Once again he was patched up and once again he refused evacuation. There he was, moving slowly from wounded to dead to wounded using his left arm to support his right as he gave absolution or last rights, when he suddenly spied a corpsman get knocked down by the burst of an automatic weapon.
The corpsman was shot in the leg and couldn't move and understandably panicked. Father C. ran out to him and positioned himself between the injured boy and the automatic weapon. Suddenly, the weapon opened up again and this time riddled Father C. from the back of his head to the base of his spine.

Father Vincent was one of 127 Marines who died in Operation Swift in the Que-Son Valley that day. He was awarded the Bronze Star of Valor, the Medal of Honor, the highest military award the United States can present. He also was given the Purple Heart. A United States Navy vessel was named in his honor--the USS Capodanno. Perhaps the tribute that would mean the most to Father Vincent is having his name inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C., along with the other 58,181 dead and missing soldiers from the Vietnam War.

In May 2006, Father Capodanno was publicly declared Servant of God, the first step toward canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church.

A Painful but Uplifting Read

While this book is not for the feint of heart, it does tell a story of Christian sacrifice that should be heard.


1187 words

A lot of things come when you hear those words. Being a Veteran from the US Navy a Hospital Corpsman I know all to well what those words mean. I know the sacrifices that a Non Combatant goes through when he accepts that Torch of Freedom. Fr Vincent Capadano also understood what it meant to be a Non Combatant as well. He died coming to the aid of a Fellow Non Combatant a Mortally Wounded Corpsman. I read this book and I was forced to put it down several times to calm my nerves and tears. Never before has a book moved me like Grunt Padre.

A week ago I sat in the Stands of Parris Island watching my son graduate Basic Training as a brand new Marine. My thoughts returned to that book I read so many years ago. I bought the book and am giving it to my son as one of his Christmas Gifts. Every Marine should read this book. Every Catholic should Read this book.

"The Grunt Padre" is by all definitions a true testimony to the spirit of peace and slavation that Christ brought mankind and the humble example of Christ's teaching in action as epitomized by Lt Capadono's ministry to his 'Marine congregation.' His story is further testimony to the efficacy of the Chaplain's Corps in maintaining the soldier's ethical and moral compass in the most trying of circumstances . . . war.

One need not wonder that if Chaplains such as Lt. Capadano had been assigned to Ahbu Ghraib whether such atrocities would have ever occurred.

This book should be on every middle school and high school summer reading list if not mandatory reading during the school year. Such a story needs to be told to all our children!

This is a must read. I met Father Vincent while I was in a Chu Lai hospital where he was stationed. It was sometime in January 1967. I remember his first visit with me; he brought to me a small transistor radio and some cookies he had received in the mail. I was immediately awed by his presence. He raised my spirits and made me feel special in a place that was overwhelming and intimidating. For the brief time I was there I would visit him in the chapel and had some wonderful conversations with him. When I returned to my company (C 1/7) area I would occasionally see him. I recall we were on an operation and one Sunday he provided services right there out in the field (one of the pictures in the book). A number of us Marines (regardless of faith) would gather and he would lead the service. It exemplified the importance of faith and the unimportance of individual beliefs; we would all prey to the same God. I recall we were on a line sweep across a field and a Marine about three down from me had tripped a land mind. Two Marines were down. Father Vince ran at full speed past me and went in front of the line with no regard for himself. Within a matter of moments he was the first to arrive at the aid of the fallen Marines. I knew then that he would not survive in Vietnam; his dedication to us would be his sacrifice. It wasn't until after I ended my tour of duty and was home that I learned of his death. There is not a day goes by that I do not think about him. I have this book proudly displayed in my office and enjoy talking about him when anyone asks. Recently I published a book Life with an Angel and I'm working on a sequel which will be based on my experiences in Vietnam and will be dedicated to Father Capodanno. He has had a profound impact in my entire life. For that I will always be thankful that God allowed me to share a small part of Father Vincent's life. I hope that this book and his memory and inspiration will live forever.

I saw the documentary of Fr Vincent Capadano and tears came from my eyes. Something that never or rarely happens in my life. I now have to re read the book again.

I feel like I know Sgt. Martinez better than I know many of my family members and friends. This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's well-written and the story of his personal redemption is remarkable. I found the author to be very honest, which works best with someone insightful and thoughtful, so this isn't some self-indulgent story of how cool his combat experiences were. In fact, he comes across as humble, caring and grateful for the opportunity to serve his country with honor.

I learned a lot from his description of boot camp about the tactics that the Marines use to achieve the culture they need to be effective. Publisher's Weekly didn't seem to grasp this, but you really get an insight into how they turn a wide variety of teenagers into men who would die for each other and for the rest of us, as well.

I am thankful that Sgt. Martinez took the opportunity given him to turn his life around. I couldn't stop thinking how proud his parents must have been of him, and I was so glad to learn that he was awarded the Navy Cross before his father's premature death.

Thank you for your service and for recounting some of your experiences for us, Sgt. Martinez!

This is an awsome book i hope whoever is reading this review decides to get the book. I havent actually read the book but i can tell it will be a good one just by looking at the cover.

I have recommended this book to read to all my friends, I
read it in one full day, just could not put it down.
It's written with honesty, to the point, words written
directly from Marco Martinez's heart and mind.
My husband (a retired Marine) read it and was flooded
with memories of Camp Pendleton.

this book is not only for military personnel and their
families, everyone from all walks of life should read this
book. All teens should read this, it will give them an
insight of what it takes to keep America Free.

To all those who says, "Support our Troops", read this
and you will truly appreciate our military serving this
free country, USA. Freedom is not free.


Marine Sgt. Marco Martinez is truly a great American,
may success follow you always, God bless you.

This book is a smooth read taking you from the author's life as a gangster to becoming a marine to fighting in Iraq. I wish it was longer I really enjoyed it. I'd also recommend the book Lone Survivor for anyone who enjoyed this book.

I am proud to say that Marco Martinez was a student of mine. It was an honor being the teacher of such an outstanding American hero. His book is an extraordinary account of personal responsibility, devotion to duty and love of country.

He is also an excellent scholar with unlimited academic potential.

I wish Marco the best of everything. He represents the best America has to offer.

Michael Fremont Redfield

I read books in a wide variety of topics. I decided to read about Lewis and Clark because I felt I just did not know enough about it and I felt that I should. When I received the book, I opened it and was fearful that I made a mistake because it was made up of journal entries, day by day in Lewis and Clark's own words. I started reading and I found myself immmediately engrossed in the story. I mean immediately. You can read the letter from Jefferson containing the instructions and mission of the expedition- just fascinating. Then you get the story of the expedition, day by day, straight from the horses' mouth. I could not put this book down. I could not stop talking about it. I used Google Earth (so cool!!!) to follow the Missouri River into the Rockies, across the mountains, finally to the Columbia to the Pacific and then back. Canoeing up rivers, down rivers, fighting bears, trading and smoking with indians, fighting with some indians, at times overheated, at times freezing. Surving on the land with strategy and forethought. I learn an incredible amount of information about that time in our country's history. I was blown away. And the greatest part, I had to keep reminding myself of, is that it was absent all of the politically corrected revisionism we read today. This story is straight from them. They are sitting down at night and recording what they experienced in 1804 (05-06). Those notes are delivered to you via an author Bernard Devoto who uses only the most relevant parts of the journals (leaves out the volumes of strict scientific research data). Then, when he has to make the occasion insertion of a letter or two to make sure a misspelled word is not misinterpreted, he gives very clear instruction on how he has denoted the change. He also, upon occasion will give a summary of events, or a note of interest.
The end result is a splendid story, rich in historical information, written by the men who lived it, about one of the most important events in our country's history. I leave you with this excerpt, logged Sunday August 18th, 1805 by a man who is in the middle of the American West, where no white man has tread before, trading and smoking with Indians, shooting bear and deer to survive, canoeing upriver for 2000 miles;
"This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this subluminary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence..."

I would use one word to characterize this work: Timeless. To relive the great expedition through the words of Lewis and Clark themselves is a fantastic experience. I think that most people who enjoy American history will love this book. People who are not inclined to read or enjoy historical non-fiction might find it tedious (such as students forced to do so for class assignments), as it is long and detailed.

I previously read Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" (which itself is excellent), which contains many passages from these journals, but the journals themselves are unsurpassed.

This work has been edited for the general reader. Many entries have been considerably shortened in the hope of gaining a wider public. For the most part only the highlights are kept, being the actual journal in its full version is so extensive. Most of the original punctuation's and spellings are kept (this gives it a feel of nostalgia). There is repetition. But this, I would think would be impossible to overcome. DeVoto has "produced a straight forward text which could be read without distraction".

The introduction is lengthy; discussed are: the importance of the Louisiana Purchase; the history and purpose leading up to the exploration; earlier expeditions, such as Thompsons' and Mckenzies'; and Lewis' and Clark's background. This was said of these two great men: "The two agreed and worked together with a mutuality unknown elsewhere in the history of exploration and rare in any kind of human association", and "Ingenuity and resourcefulness [by Lewis and Clark] in the field are so continuous that a casual reader may not notice them".

Each chapter is identified by the author whose journal it is taken from, such as Lewis, Clark, Biddle, Orduray, and others. The journal writings have been left as original, giving it that early America mystique. On the 14th of May, 1804, 32 men embark in search of a trade route from the Atlantic to the Pacific:

Dangers lurk around every curve. Indian, grizzly, and immense animal herd encounters are prevalent throughout the journey. To think of the rich bounty contained in the wilderness of the past is beyond comprehension. With leadership that is both strong and wise, Lewis and Clark take this large party of men on a blind epic journey. And on looking back, it was relatively safe. The treatment of the Natives is to be commended, even though many tribes were untrustworthy and warring to other Nations. Trade with the Indians was essential if they were to survive. Also recorded were observations and behaviors of the different tribes. A few of these tribes possessed a huge wealth in horses. Lewis and Clark's party purchased these horses both for traveling overland (which I was never aware) and for food. They did not seem to be displeased with eating horse-meat, dog or roots, which they bought and traded for. The days spent on the Pacific coast were to be the most miserable. The medical remedies used were almost comical; some that were proved beneficial have since been lost through time. The journey ends over 28 months later on the 25th of September, 1806.

I don't know if we can understand completely, how important this expedition was for our country. The undertaking involved in putting this book together from the hundreds of pages of numerous journals is truly amazing. And finally: Appendix I contains Jefferson's instructions; Appendix II is the personnel (32+); and appendix III is the list of specimens brought back.

Wish you well
Scott

I recently took a college class about the hidden history of the West--and it was a great class, one of the best ever--but one of the books we read in there was all about the Native American perspective of the Lewis and Clark expedition and while it was interesting to hear that take on the subject, I couldn't have been more at odds with the discussion that followed, most of which had to do with the low characters of the men of the expedition, the subversive agenda behind it all, and the thought that the world would have been a better place if the entire undertaking had never taken place.
That's because, to me, there has never been anything cooler than the Corps of Discovery, than the journey West, than Lewis and Clark and their whole ragged crew.
Actually, I take that back: the journals they kept...those are even cooler.
From Lewis's insightful reflections, to Clark's lyrical descriptions, to their hilariously bad attempts at spelling, to the thought of moving unknowing into America at its most pristine, these journals have it all. This is the quintessential American adventure story, an amazing account of men against the unknown. This edited collection of the journals, well-compiled by Bernard DeVoto, is one of the greatest things I have ever read, and ever since reading it, I have had an undeniable love for Lewis and Clark, and for their expedition.
Words fail me, but they didn't fail these guys, because here is the West of 1803, vividly rendered for us all to see today. When I first read these in 1999, they convinced me to move into the wild, onto the water, and I spent seven months afterward living out of a canoe...keeping a journal of my own.
If you haven't read these journals, do yourself a favor, and do so now: read them. DeVoto has already made it easy for you, by picking out all the most interesting parts, and by putting them in context with a well-written introduction. You need this book, and you may not even know it.

I am not an accomplished reader so it has to really hold my attention to finish a book. This book is written exactly from L&C's journals. Lots of mispelled words and some confusion. Sometimes hard to follow. Sometimes the minute details are a bit much. They don't really expound on things. I guess what they go through on a day to day basis is somewhat mundane at times. Overall a decent read IMO...I wouldn't get it again if I knew what I know now. Oh well. Enjoy!

Michael Shapiro does a superb job not only of capturing the excitement of the Brooklyn Dodgers' last pennant-winning season but also of explaining just what the Dodgers meant to so many Brooklynites. Set against the background of the Walter O'Malley-Robert Moses negotiations that would determine the fate of the Dodgers, Shapiro provides logical proof that it was not O'Malley's intention to move the ballclub but that Moses kept making a fool of him to the point where remaining in Brooklyn would have been rather humiliating for O'Malley.

Though never elected to any office, Robert Moses was the most powerful official in New York City in the late 1950s. His power was further enhanced by the fact that the Mayor at that time, Robert F. Wagner Jr. was both lazy and indifferent, and would not have gone far in politics except for the fact that his namesake father was a very popular U.S. senator. If O'Malley was going to get the land and permits to build a new ballpark, he was going to have to go through Moses and Moses couldn't have cared less as to what became of the Dodgers.

O'Malley tired desperately to be taken seriously by Moses and the NYC politicians to where he even had the Dodgers play seven "home" games in Jersey City in 1956. In the end, the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, not because O'Malley plotted to take them there but because L.A. politicians eagerly and actively courted O'Malley to move to their city while their New York counterparts, especially Moses, gave him the brush-off.

O'Malley wanted to build a ballpark at the junction of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, where multiple subway lines and the Long Island Railroad converge. Moses at first wanted O'Malley to build a ballpark in a hard-to-reach part of Bedford-Stuyvesant and later proposed having the city build a ballpark on the site of what is now Shea Stadium. Anyone familiar with Brooklyn knows that if you're riding the subway, it's easier to get to Yankee Stadium from Brooklyn than to go out to Flushing Meadows, where Shea Stadium is.

In any case Los Angeles made O'malley an offer he couldn't refuse--300 acres in the heart of the city, where multiple freeways converge. New York officials made no effort to compete as Brooklyn didn't count for much in their eyes. When the Mets were created a few years later there was no question in their minds that they should represent New York and use the orange "NY" logo formerly used by the New York Giants, rather than the Brooklyn Dodgers' "B."

50 years have now passed since the Dodgers moved, and Walter O'Malley has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The ballpark he built and paid for (which opened in 1962) remains one of the most beautiful and popular in major league baseball. Shea Stadium, on the other hand, built by Robert Moses with taxpayers' money and opened in 1964, will soon be torn down. What is more, New Jersey Nets owner Bruce Ratner is currently trying to arrange to move his NBA basketball team to that same junction in Brooklyn that O'Malley originally wanted.

Michael Shapiro is an excellent writer and his book is highly recommended!

THE LAST GOOD SEASON, by Michael Shapiro, earns itself a provisional rating of FIVE STARS in my mind, based primarily on the quality of the writing (which is uniformly excellent) and the depth of the research (which, within limits, is exhaustive). Yet the book deserves, like Roger Maris' "61*", to be only a qualified ***(**) success.

Much of that qualification comes from Shapiro's heavily touted and slanted thesis that Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley was not responsible for the Dodgers' departure from Brooklyn in 1957, after Robert Moses refused to build a replacement for the aging Ebbets Field.

Shapiro's grasp of the facts regarding Brooklyn is somewhat fuzzy. He says, "Jews went to Midwood [High School], poor blacks to Jefferson." Yet in the Dodger era, Brownsville was predominantly (70%) Jewish. It was not until later that Brownsville became a black neighborhood. Shapiro waxes rhapsodic about Midwood (his childhood home?) but slights the rest of Brooklyn. He admits that by the time he became aware of the Dodgers they were gone. Ironically enough, even while granting O'Malley absolution in absentia he makes and supports every argument as to why the man did not deserve it.

Shapiro blames, among other things, "white flight" for the Dodgers' relocation, but then argues that fans come in all colors. It's as if, in pardoning O'Malley, he is trying to convince us of something he really doesn't believe himself.

According to Shapiro, "Robert Moses is the bad guy in this story." This is an incredibly strong statement, particularly since Shapiro admits in many places that O'Malley was mendacious, that he was arrogant, that his plans for a new Buckminster Fuller-styled stadium seemed, at best, to be for public consumption only (O'Malley stole the scale model from the actual designer, Billy Kleinsasser, and used it without permission or recompense at public events), that he dealt with player and staff salaries in increments of hundreds and thousands of dollars not hundreds OF thousands of dollars (i.e., star pitcher Preacher Roe claims his highest Dodger salary was a paltry $28,000.00 in 1955), that he did not understand the "Little People" who were Dodger fans, that he once (as a youngster) traded a stack of Dodger baseball cards for one Giants' Christy Mathewson, that he fined employees who mentioned Branch Rickey's name in his presence, and, in short, that he was not really a fan of the team he owned.

Shapiro wants to paint horns on Robert Moses' head, and in some sense they do belong there, but not necessarily in the sense that Shapiro would prefer. Like the Master Builders of Ancient Egypt he had virtually unlimited power in his sphere. The ironically-named Moses was a man with a vision for New York, and he set about creating that vision of shining, rising buildings (such as Lincoln Center), vast bridges (the Throgs Neck, the Whitestone, The Triborough, and the frighteningly huge Verrazano are all his), and endless parkways (as a sampling, the Cross Island, the Belt, the Northern State, the Southern State, the Meadowbrook and the Wantagh) linking New York City and its expanding suburbs in a net of urban development. Yet this visionary had pathological flaws. Monomaniacal in his sphere, he had no compunction about unilaterally razing hundreds of city blocks, evicting tens of thousands, and altering the neighborhoods and neighborhood patterns of New York without a thought. Such changes brought other, unanticipated changes---the "through" expressways of The Bronx relegated it to a kind of backwater status accelerating its descent into slum conditions, and Moses' chopping up of neighborhoods in Brooklyn balkanized the Borough into a patchwork of disconnected rich and poor enclaves. Moses was more successful on sparsely-settled Long Island and in Westchester, where his road network created rather than changed demographic patterns.

When these two prima donnas met head-to-head, they treated each other with barely-concealed contempt. Although Moses was at first favorably disposed to a new stadium in downtown Brooklyn, this agreement soured within days. Without access to O'Malley's papers (which he was refused by the O'Malley family), the reason for this sudden souring is unknown, and ripe for speculation. Moses pressed, at first, for a new stadium in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a declining neighborhood; O'Malley refused. Moses promised him a new stadium in Flushing Meadow, Queens (the future Shea); again, O'Malley refused, declaring that the team was to remain in Brooklyn---he countered with an offer to build in Brooklyn, on the site of a ramshackle meat market. Moses refused to condemn the property (a first for him).

This bickering was never about questions of civic-mindedness, fan appreciation, nor humanitarianism. This was strictly a personal issue between the two men that affected millions of people.

While this was going on, the 1956 Dodgers struggled successfully through their World Champion season. Shapiro's snapshot of the team is far more detailed than his portrait of the politics, and is a joy to read. Shapiro is at his best as he describes the dynamic tensions that existed between the various Dodgers, the great negotiator of personalities, Pee Wee Reese, and their fanbase. It is clear that Ebbets Field was no longer a suitable home, at least without major modifications. Parking was very poor, a serious concern in the emerging era of the suburban commuter fan; the stadium itself needed to be revamped, the plumbing fixed, the seating rearranged. Still, Ebbets Field was only 45 years old, and was a solid structure, despite its flaws.

If O'Malley was indeed "desperate to stay in Brooklyn" as Shapiro posits, then why weren't his efforts directed toward staying? Why was he engaged in a stalemated battle of wills with Moses over a new stadium? Perhaps O'Malley simply wasn't "desperate" enough. Certainly, Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park still stand in less than desirable locations, but they draw dedicated fans nonetheless. Had O'Malley spent a part of his considerable fortune buying up some surrounding properties and building a parking complex, and then incrementally improved Ebbets Field with better seating and new amenities, the Dodger fanbase would have continued to travel to Flatbush.

O'Malley did not do this. He wanted land, and a lot of it, on the cheap---had Moses condemned the meat market, O'Malley would have bought the property for pennies on the dollar, a very attractive possibility to a man who squeezed a penny hard enough to put a permanent wave in Lincoln's beard. Los Angeles offered him that and he jumped, literally across a continent, to get it, taking his team about as far from Brooklyn as it was possible to go in his desperation to stay. Yet, if he'd REALLY wanted to stay, Flushing Meadow beckoned. And despite the fact that Flushing is not Brooklyn, the New York football Giants play in New Jersey's Meadowlands and still remain a New York team (the O'Malley-inspired move of the baseball Giants from Manhattan to San Francisco is another issue). In 1957, many of Brooklyn's fans were Long Island transplants, and more would be as time passed. Queens, while not the best of all possible worlds, would have been a convenient waypoint for fans from the old and new neighborhoods.

For that matter, had either O'Malley or Moses given a damn about Brooklyn, they would have cooperated in building a new stadium and reinvigorating Brooklyn. Neither cared to.

"Walter O'Malley was not a bad man. He was devoted to his wife and his children loved him," Shapiro points out. That's nice to know. But O'Malley was also an S.O.B. in business. The two are not mutually exclusive. "Only a sentimental man," Shapiro writes, "would have stayed." Maybe so. But the Dodgers and the Dodger fanbase needed a sentimental man, they needed a fellow fan, they needed a man who loved the team and who loved Brooklyn. What they had was Walter O'Malley, who saw the team merely as a moneymaking concern. O'Malley's actions speak for themselves, regardless of Shapiro's revisionism. And if O'Malley was "not unique" among team owners but merely "so obvious" about his profit motives, the blame is still his for eroding the spirit of The Game, and beginning the slide to where we are today in baseball with its overly mobile nonentity franchises, bloated payrolls, stars on steroids, cupidity and stupidity, and fan disinterest.

In the face of necessity, sentiment oft-times does not serve. But in circumstances of choice, such as faced by the Dodgers, sentiment can be a hedge against callousness.

What O'Malley (and Moses) failed to grasp is that a ball team is more than an agglomeration of men in uniform standing around in an open field. He (they) failed to grasp that a baseball game is more than just nine innings and a cold toting of runs, hits, and errors. It is a conversation at a water cooler, a friendly argument over lunch, an invitation to meet at the ballpark on Saturday afternoon for dogs and beer and a chance to see The Duke of Flatbush. It is a sense of neighborliness, a sense of pride, and was---still is---an important part of Brooklyn's special identity.

As Roger Kahn says in The Boys of Summer, "In the best of all possible worlds the Dodgers would be in Brooklyn and Los Angeles would have the Mets."

That's as it should have been.

This book probably doesn't get the sales or the attention it deserves, because the title and the cover make it look as if it's intended just for baseball junkies. But it's far more than that. In just 332 pages, Shapiro tells four stories:

1. The story of the National League pennant race in 1956.
2. The story of why the Dodgers (and therefore the Giants as well) decided to move to California in 1958.
3. The social, demographic, and economic changes that Brooklyn (and, by extension, much of urban America) experienced in the post-World War II era.
4. Thumbnail sketches of the personal lives of the core players in the Brooklyn Dodger lineup from 1947 through 1956.

None of these four themes is given short shrift. Furthermore, Shapiro has organized this book beautifully. He seems to have done a perfect job in choosing exactly where to break the narrative of the Dodgers' wins and losses, and insert a section about the changing character of a neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Not only that, but Shapiro's writing is superb. Here is his account of the last pitch of the last Dodger game of the regular season - a game they had to win in order to clinch the championship, with Dodger Don Bessent pitching to Pittsburgh's Hank Foiles:

*****
Don Bessent went into his windup. The last thing he thought before releasing the ball was, he later said, "Tight, keep it tight."

Hank Foiles swung. The next thing he heard was the thud of the ball in Roy Campanella's mitt.
*****

You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book. You just have to enjoy good writing and a wonderful story, wonderfully told.

I have long been interested in the old Brooklyn Dodgers, having read multiple books on the subject. This is among the best. First of all, it is an excellent read. There is plenty of baseball included in its pages, and the Dodgers teams of the 50s were always interesting. But I learned much more than I expected from this book about the politics that led to the team's move to California. It's too bad the franchise couldn't have remained in Brooklyn, but the reasons they left were different than I would have imagined. The book also paints the picture of a post-World War II New York that was rapidly changing. As a lover of baseball, history and baseball history, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Wow. First let me say that I'm not a Brooklyn resident or a Dodger fan and picked this book up without knowing anything about it. The book turned out to be one of the best baseball books I've read in quite some time.

I was drawn into the book immediately. It is clear in the Prologue that Shapiro is a very good writer and that the book is as much about the fifties and Brooklyn as it is about a pennant race. The book is enjoyable on both fronts.

Shapiro does a great job of weaving a portrait of the changes going on in Brooklyn in the mid-fifties and giving younger readers a good idea of what it was like to grow up in that era. It is clear that Shapiro has done quite a bit of research and I think the reader really gets a good look into the personalities of the players and other characters in the story.

Any fan of baseball history will do himself a favor in buying this book. It truly deserves more acclaim than it has received.

The books and color pictures really are wonderful. The downside to this set is, and it's been mentioned before, that these are only the first five books.

I loved the Laura books, they were all great, I remember when my mother read these books to me, alot of memories come back when I look at them. However, I do wish they had picked a better illustrator! Look at them, none of the characters look real. Laura and her family were real people, couldn't they make them look like it? Garth Williams is one of the worst drawers I've seen!
Anyway, that was my biggest complaint.

Giving this to our daughter for Christmas. Nice to pass along to our kids.

The Little House series is one of my all time favorites, my absolute favorite of the whole series is Little House in the Big Woods. The descriptions of everything from the foods they prepared, what people wore and how they entertained themselves. Watching Laura grow up through the series was a real treat and this would be a great series for any girl around the age of 10 who can grow with the series.

This is a beautiful set. We love to read it as a family and learn how they used to live. We actually are learning a lot as we enjoy the stories. So worth the cost and the illistrations are so lovely to look at.