Fraud Books

This was a fantastic book -- one of the best P I books I have read in a while. The characters were engaging and interesting and the plot made me stay up late into the night to finish the story. I highly recommend this book.

It's been quite some time since I've read a book as tight, exciting, and twisty as Dead Again. This novel has just about everything you need for a stay-up-all-night read and absolutely nothing you don't need. It's very well-paced, and I swear this is one of the hardest books to put down. Until I read his debut novel, The Eagle Heist, and was bowled over again by this new author. He just has a knack for getting you hooked right from the start and not weighing you down with a lot of character development until you're ready. And by this I mean he doesn't spend the first 50-100 pages introducing the main players and boring the socks off of you like a lot of authors do now. Austin gradually unveils each character over the course of the novel, so like in real life, you get to know them over a period of time. Austin two books are all about the character, and the action, plot, and narrative are secondary. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for character development, but I simply can't remember all there is to know about a person when 50 pages are devoted to them back to back. Just doesn't work, at least not for me.

I finished this book Dead Again at 4am this morning. I had to force myself to put this one down (just twice).

There's lots of details, and well delineated characters
I found the premise very believable, the storyline believeable, and perhaps most of all, the characters were believeable. Why sould I be surprised, Austin always hooked me in as a director . . .So why not with a book?

Read this book you'll like it if you like strong characters, I'm off to the bookstore to buy The Eagle Heist Austin's frist book.

This book is a sleeper. I had never seen it, or been told about it. Why! I found it at a book sale in NY. It is one of the best reads I have had in detective stories for a long time. It is fast moving, good plot and a great ending. I got to like Beauford Sloan after a few pages with him. I still can't understand why more has not been said about this book and the author. I am out to get another book by him, which looks to be his first, The Eagle Heist. This Austin has been hiding behind a film camera until now. I recommend this book. I am a avid reader.

I was going to say that the second Beauford Sloan mystery was too early to send our hero off to England to do the stranger in a strange land bit, but since author Raymond Austin is from that side of the Pond there is a sense in which he is on familiar turf. As was the case in "The Eagle Heist" the running conceit is that Sloan looks a lot like Wilford Brimley, although it is really the other way around because Sloan was born first. The author and the actor have known each other since they were stunt men in the good old days, so it has Brimley's blessing, and it is pretty cool that when you read these mysteries you can hear Brimley's familiar growl every time Sloan speaks.

"Dead Again" begins with Sloan stumbling upon a crime in progress, but that turns out not to be what this one is about. The Lester Hancock Insurance Company hires private investigate Beauford Sloan to England to check out a couple of deaths that have been ruled accidental by the local police. The first man who died was insured by the company for $20 million, while the second was an insurance investigator sent to investigate the first death. Sloan does not believe in coincidences and neither does the person who hires him to dig around and see what he can find.

This means that Beauford's regular allies, such as Detective Sergeant Bobby Hoy and his fellow P.I. Sally Peters, are back in Virginia. They get to help here and there, but mostly Beauford is relying on another old friend, Romo Gorrara, a well-connected stunt coordinator for the movies living in the U.K., and charming some of the women he meets into helping him with his investigations. These ladies prove to be more helpful than the inspector in charge of the investigation, who is not happy with the idea of some American ex-cop private investigator for a big insurance company coming around and double-guessing his work.

Like "The Eagle Heist" the more that Beauford pokes around the more people start dying. But our hero did not buy two deaths as a coincidence, so getting to a third and fourth body only get the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up again. This might be only the second book in the series, but there is a definite comfort level with Austin's character, thereby disproving the adage about the inherent relationship between familiarity and contempt. How many detectives are cute curmudgeons who censor their profanity when talking to ladies? Besides, it is not like you have to wondering about the casting if they ever film one of these stories.

Archbishop Chaput hits the nail on the head with this book written for all Christians of good will. This book is an easy read. I read it in a couple of hours. Yet the points that he makes are excellent. We really do need to stop leaving our faith at the church door and get out and change this country for the better. Read this book... it will challenge you and maybe even change you... for good.

The issue I want to introduce in a nutshell, and it is not really an over against critique but an expansion on this excellent theme, is this: When it comes to moral teachings that are not fully transparent to one's human reasoning, for example, involving the metaphysical distinctions regarding human life and human personhood (and especially as such distinctions might, for many in the political arena, reasonably raise parvity of matter questions that are particularly pertinent when values begin to conflict and compete), to the extent one obeys such teachings out of deference to a teaching authority and not rather as a consequence of reasoning one's way from an is to an ought, how could one then coherently urge such deference (what amounts to an obsequium religiosum or even fidei?) on others in a pluralistic society? It is not enough to claim that such a teaching authority's moral reasoning is grounded philosophically and is not essentially theological? That reasoning must also be genuinely compelling (perhaps especially to one's own flock, not to mention to a pluralistic society as a community of value-realizers writ large)? Metaphysical questions are at stake and metaphysics, by its very nature, is an exploratory and not an explanatory enterprise; it traffics in vague references and not robust descriptions, its language employing more so heuristic and less so theoretic concepts and categories, whereby metaphysics can legitimately probe but not conclusively prove realities. Hence, our deontologies should be considered as tentative as our ontologies are speculative, and urged, therefore, more modestly, which is to say more fallibilistically?

1) American democracy does not ask its citizens to put aside their deeply held moral and religious beliefs for the sake of public policy. In fact, it requires exactly the opposite. (Inside Cover, Render Unto Caesar)

2) Catholics strongly support a proper and healthy separation of the civil and religious dimensions of our national life. Of course, everything depends on how we define "proper" and "healthy." No one in mainstream public life wants to force uniquely Catholic doctrines into federal law. But the "establishment clause" does not mean that religious believers, leaders or communities should be silent in public affairs. In fact, healthy democratic life requires the opposite. (Separation of Church and State, Render Unto Caeser)

Indeed, the American response to the Enlightenment critique stands in stark contrast to the Continental approach, which marginalized religion with its secularistic, Enlightenment fundamentalism, marked by an empiricistic rationalism and scientism.

3) The author draws significantly upon the thought of the late theologian, John Courtney Murray, S.J., who played a considerable role at Vatican II in the elaboration of the Council's pioneering Declaration on Religious Liberty, "Dignitatis humanae." Murray argued (and Chaput agrees) that the founding documents of American democracy drew upon a natural law vision that affirms universal truths about the human condition. Thus Catholics, with their commitment to the natural law tradition, have a crucial contribution to make to American public life and the political process. Indeed, how can one possibly contribute to the common good unless one brings to the discussion and debate one's deeply held values and moral convictions? ('Render Unto Caesar' answers crucial questions about intersection of faith and politics By Fr. Robert Imbelli L'Osservatore Romano)

This is all very consonant with Pope John Paul II's words from Fides et Ratio: "Although times change and knowledge increases, it is possible to discern a core of philosophical insight within the history of thought as a whole. Consider, for example, the principles of non-contradiction, finality and causality, as well as the concept of the person as a free and intelligent subject, with the capacity to know God, truth and goodness. Consider as well certain fundamental moral norms which are shared by all. These are among the indications that, beyond different schools of thought, there exists a body of knowledge which may be judged a kind of spiritual heritage of humanity. It is as if we had come upon an implicit philosophy, as a result of which all feel that they possess these principles, albeit in a general and unreflective way. Precisely because it is shared in some measure by all, this knowledge should serve as a kind of reference-point for the different philosophical schools. Once reason successfully intuits and formulates the first universal principles of being and correctly draws from them conclusions which are coherent both logically and ethically, then it may be called right reason or, as the ancients called it, orth(o-)s logos, recta ratio."

Also, consider these reflections of R. Mary Hayden Lemmons ( First Things, April 1995, On Natural Law: Carl F. H. Henry & Critics):"Moreover, believers ought not deny the universal accessibility of moral norms. For if moral precepts were not universally accessible and if their justification belonged only to the realm of faith, then moral norms would bind only believers. ... ... Moral claims are justified through logical arguments that appeal to the requirement of human nature and dignity."

However one grounds one's moral philosophy, indeed, the Catholic affirmation of human moral reasoning capacities over against any fundamentalistic fideisms recognizes and affirms the efficacies of moral discourse even in pluralistic societies. However ...

4) Pluralism is a demographic fact. Nothing more. It is not a philosophy or ideology or surrogate creed. It does not imply that all ideas and religious beliefs are equally valid, because they are not. Pluralism never excuses us from speaking and acting to advance our beliefs about justice and the common good in the public square. (Introduction, Render Unto Caesar)

5) Obviously the common good demands a respect for other people with different beliefs and a willingness to compromise whenever possible. But for Catholics, the common good can never mean muting themselves in public debate on foundational issues of human dignity. Christian faith is always personal but never private. This is why any notion of tolerance that tries to reduce faith to private idiosyncrasy, or a set of opinions that we can indulge at home but need to be quiet about in public, will always fail. (Introduction, Render Unto Caesar)

6) We can't separate our private convictions from our public actions without diminishing both. In the words of the author, "How we act works backward on our convictions, making them stronger or smothering them under a snowfall of alibis." (Inside Cover, Render Unto Caesar)

This affirmation of the willingness to compromise seems in line with a Catholic tradition of political realism, wherein the best is not allowed to become the enemy of the good. Such compromises are practical and not theoretical, which is to say not a capitulation to any insidious indifferentism, facile syncretism, false irenicism or moral relativism but, rather, an approach that is both incremental and principled.

7) American Catholics and other persons of good heart are part of a struggle for our nation's future, says Charles J. Chaput. Our choices, including our political choices, matter. Catholics need to take an active, vocal, and morally consistent role in public debate. We can't claim to personally believe in the sanctity of the human person and then act in our public policies as if we don't. (Inside Cover, Render Unto Caesar)

Religion News Service caught up with Archbishop Chaput to talk politics and theology, as the Democrats were holding their national convention in his backyard. RNS asked: "Why should non-Catholics agree with church teaching on abortion?" and Chaput replied: "This is not a Catholic position, it's a human rights issue that our faith encourages us to support. To identify this as a Catholic issue is a trap. It was the law of the land for decades. It was the way human beings thought human beings should be treated. That's the kind of question that irritates me." (http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/1760 )

Chaput also recently corrected Joe Biden: "Sen. Biden is a man of distinguished public service. That doesn't excuse poor logic or bad facts. Asked when life begins, Sen. Biden said that, "it's a personal and private issue." But in reality, modern biology knows exactly when human life begins: at the moment of conception. Religion has nothing to do with it. People might argue when human "personhood" begins - though that leads public policy in very dangerous directions - but no one can any longer claim that the beginning of life is a matter of religious opinion. (http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=29157 )

These are all excellent commentaries on the place of religion in public discourse and are consistent with the document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States," wherein it is written: "What faith teaches about the dignity of the human person and about the sacredness of every human life helps us see more clearly the same truths that also come to us through the gift of human reason. At the center of these truths is respect for the dignity of every person. This is the core of Catholic moral and social teaching. Because we are people of both faith and reason, it is appropriate and necessary for us to bring this essential truth about human life and dignity to the public square. The Catholic community brings important assets to the political dialogue about our nation's future. We bring a consistent moral framework--drawn from basic human reason that is illuminated by Scripture and the teaching of the Church-- for assessing issues, political platforms, and campaigns. We also bring broad experience in serving those in need--educating the young, caring for the sick, sheltering the homeless, helping women who face difficult pregnancies, feeding the hungry, welcoming immigrants and refugees, reaching out in global solidarity, and pursuing peace. The Church equips its members to address political and social questions by helping them to develop a well-formed conscience. Catholics have a serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with human reason and the teaching of the Church."

Some Relevant Distinctions

Some of the distinctions that have been introduced are those between faith and reason, the teaching of the Church and human reason, personal and private issues, religious and civil dimensions, justification in the realm of faith and justification through logical argument, private convictions and public actions, the beginning of life and the beginning of personhood, and so on and so forth.

From a sociologic perspective, such distinctions bring to mind additional distinctions that have a direct bearing on our present consideration. In a pluralistic society, we might recognize that not all of our definitions and distinctions, concepts and categories, seem to enjoy universal acceptance. This holds true whether we employ them in descriptive, normative, interpretive or evaluative modes. Our concepts and categories can be characterized in many ways. I have found it useful to distinguish them, from the standpoint of any given community of value-realizers, as negotiated or nonnegotiated by that community. The nonnegotiable concepts and categories I like to call semiotic for they make our communications possible and without them we could not establish any meaning at all; they would include various first principles and other noninferential propositions to which we all pretty much assent out of practical necessity, however we might otherwise attempt to ground them philosophically.

The negotiated categories and concepts then fall into three buckets: the dogmatic or nonnegotiated, the heuristic or still in negotiation, and the theoretic or negotiated. The reason such distinctions are salient to our discussion is that, as we move from a religious community of value-realizers into a wider, pluralistic community of value-realizers, the lingua franca is going to necessarily change, which is to recognize that --- not only are our descriptive, normative, interpretive and evaluative stances going to possibly (probably) differ, which is enough of a problematic, but --- many of our concepts and categories are going to be subject to renegotiation, which is to suggest that many of our dogmatic beliefs will have to be bracketed and some of our heuristic placeholders will have little normative force for others.

Usually, we will still have all of our semiotic concepts and categories and most of our theoretic ones, too, which, serving as givens (the is), can help us reason together toward the normative (the ought). Now, there are some who, with Hume, would deny our ability to reason from the descriptive to the prescriptive, from an is to an ought, from the given to the normative, who do not affirm even the inherent normativity of epistemology, itself, and all I can suggest is that, if they should come for tea, hide your silver spoons.

All of this is to suggest that the Society of Jesus is correct in saying: "When abortion laws are changed, it will not be the imposition of a narrowly confined religious position upon an unwilling majority, but rather the consequence of a new broad-based consensus grounded upon persuasive and reasonable arguments accessible to people of all faith traditions and people of none ... ... ... ... ... ... ... We must acknowledge, however, that phrases such as `the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' and `the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family' in documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are phrases with contested meanings that others understand differently than we do." (A Statement of the Society of Jesus in the United States on Abortion)

As Catholics enter into public discourse, there are additional distinctions that come to bear. One involves the Church's hierarchy of truths and doctrinal authority; see this discussion by Cardinal Dulles at http://woodstock.georgetown.edu/church_studies/reese/ec/ec-7dulles.htm , this one by Dr. William May at http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/wmay_authority_nov06.asp.

What is at stake in these discussions are distinctions between the various "voices" of the Magisterium and the types of responses they require from the Faithful, sometimes distinguished as the assent of faith (obsequium fidei) and religious assent (obsequium religiosum). There are further distinctions that come into play such as: a) obsequium religiosum, which means to be acknowledged with reverence and adhered to sincerely (somewhat analogous to that which is commonly called "the benefit of the doubt") or one with the searching church, working for clarification; b) voluntatis obsequium or obedience; c) intellectus obsequium or deference; d) attention bienveillante or cordial attention; e) docilité d'esprit or willingness to be instructed; and f) obsequium fidei or the unconditional acceptance of faith, which is an unqualified mental acceptance (beyond but not without the propositional), whereby we are one with the believing church holding firm to a doctrine.

What all of these orientations have in common is that they are a form of assent, which represent an unconditional belief in propositions that can be apprehended even if not fully comprehended; the object of assent is truth. Per Cardinal Newman, simple assent is an act of the intellect "direct, absolute, complete in itself, unconditional, arbitrary, yet not incompatible with an appeal to argument, and at least in many cases exercised unconsciously," and which, via one's illative sense, the extension of assent to non-logically proved propositions is not unreasonable.

The above-discussion of the hierarchy of truth, voices of the Magisterium and responses of the Faithful vis a vis various types of assent has only an indirect bearing on our consideration to the extent we must draw a further distinction, with Cardinal Newman, between assent and inference, which he considers to be a proposition intrinsically dependent on other propositions, where the object of inference is truth-like and ultimately syllogistic. This, then, introduces another assent, complex assent, which is made consciously and deliberately with acts of inference as its antecedents.

To wit, then, per P.J. Toner `s entry on Infallibility in The Catholic Encyclopedia: "Assent is given not to the logical force of the syllogism, but directly to the authority which the inference serves to introduce; and this holds good in a measure even when there is question of mere fallible authority. Once we come to believe in and rely upon authority we can afford to overlook the means by which we were brought to accept it, just as a man who has reached a solid standing place where he wishes to remain no longer relies on the frail ladder by which he mounted. (Volume VII. Published 1910. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1910.)

Now, even as we properly suggest that our fellow Catholics "[must] bring to the discussion and debate one's deeply held values and moral convictions," before we either explicitly or implicitly suggest that they are somehow a) "putting aside their deeply held moral and religious beliefs" b) "muting themselves in public debate on foundational issues of human dignity" c) "[reducing] faith to private idiosyncrasy, or a set of opinions that we can indulge at home but need to be quiet about in public" d) "separating [their] private convictions from [their] public actions ... diminishing both" e) "smothering [their convictions] under a snowfall of alibis" --- it seems to me that it is incumbent upon us to inquire of this or that fellow Catholic as to exactly what type of assent they have given to this or that moral teaching. (Hence, the Bishops' desires to meet with this or that politician?)

This is to suggest that some Catholics might have, with utmost deference and a most cordial attention, demonstrated a clear willingness to be instructed, and further, that these very same Catholics have, then, with all due reverence, sincerely and obediently adhered to and acknowledged, sometimes with an obsequium religiosum, sometimes with even an obsequium fidei, this or that moral teaching of the Church, even as they have not consciously and deliberately engaged an act of inference in following a logical argument, although, again, not unreasonably extending such assent to a non-logically proved proposition.

This is also to suggest that other Catholics, with the same deference, attention, willingness, reverence, sincerity, obedience, acknowledgment and obsequium may have assented even though they have indeed engaged an act of inference but, in so doing, could not, with all intellectual honesty, be moved by this or that syllogistic force or concur in this or that logical conclusion, perhaps, in all good faith, not even recognizing certain of the concepts and categories employed in such arguments. This is to suggest that the snowfall of ad hominem characterizations of such loyal Catholics and faithful citizens would melt before it hits the ground, because such rash judgment is one thing that assuredly has no place in our public square.

Only if one, as a believer, engages in both assent and inference, however formally or informally, can one then honestly urge such convictions on the wider community of value-realizers through such formal argumentation as is the currency of political discourse. As we know from cultural appeals and imagery, political communications also (maybe even mostly) employ our imaginations and subrational faculties. There are many believers who, not unreasonably, but without conscious reflection, deliberate assent or formal inference, sincerely hold, practice, and are genuinely convicted of, certain moral teachings; such believers can still give profound witness to the secular world through the example of their lives in protecting innocents and serving those in need, and also through narrative and storytelling; still, it behooves all to strive toward a more conscious competence and ongoing intellectual conversion that they might better contribute to formal public discourse. With St. Francis, I'm not wholly convinced that the formal discourse would be more efficacious than the living witness, but it's still best that we take a holistic approach and cover all evangelistic bases. Still, as Newman suggests, we want to eschew any "slavish reliance on the capricious ipse dixit of authority".

http://www.geocities.com/rc4o08/abortion_politics.htm

A concise review of the American history of Catholicism that calls us to better integrate our private and public life.

Archbishop Chaput has made a clear and concise explanation of the issues for which Catholics, and other believing Christians, will be responsible for deciding on election day. His emphasis on LIFE, in all of its forms beginning with conception through death is paramont. No other issue can superceed its gravity. If we continue on the path of "excusing" politicians who rationalize "choice" as a course for their votes, then our society is doomed to failure as was the Roman Empire. The book helps clarify how one must priauthorize the issues in the coming election.
Highly readable, and important for any believing adult.

Archbishop Charles Chaput eloquently explains the necessity and obligation of Catholics and all Christians to be part of the political process. This book is obviously divinely inspired and a great read!

Excellent book. Well written. Should be read by all New Jersey
citizens...

If you are interested in and fairly familiar with New Jersey politics and politicians this is a reasonably entertaining and informative book. It's no page-turner, but not bad.

According to this well written and documented book the elected have not ever been to New Jersey! It is not only amazing but downright disheartening to read all the unbelievable events that have gone on for years by both parties in all parts of the state. No wonder so many people leave this beautiful place. They can't afford it. What really makes you mad is that there is little hope for future change. This book will make your blood really boil!!

Even if you live a continent away in Washington state, "The Soprano State" will amuse, educate and yes, horrify you. Authors Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure have put together an appalling catalog of the "worst of the worst" New Jersey politicians and public servants and their most outrageous shenanigans.
As the authors note, "why should such a wealth of lunacy and depravity" be enjoyed only by New Jersey? My personal favorite, in a chapter titled "All Aboard the Gravy Train," is an anecdote about how sometimes "the legislative gravy train delivers real gravy." In that case, New Jersey taxpayers coughed up $124,000 over three years to purchase 300 lunches each day the Legislature was in session to feed 80 members of the assembly, 40 senators _ and lobbyists. The lunches were trucked in from a well-connected restaurant 57 miles away!
¶ It's tempting for us outsiders to feel smug, but there's also a nagging worry: what if our politicians are just less obviously outrageous, and our reporters more lapdog and less pit bull?
¶ Beyond the entertainment value, this book is a cautionary tale, reminding us that citizens anywhere can be fleeced by those we elect.
¶

As a former kid from New Jersey I purchased the book as
somewhat of a lark. After devouring the material it was
no longer a lark. The pathetic corruption is so clearly
detailed and documented it makes your head spin.The New Jersey I left in 1974 had an outstanding public school system which has been decimated by the lads in Trenton,
draining resources from small school districts and pumping
those funds into inner-city enviroments. No measurable
improvement is to be found. the State is bankrupt,under-
funded pensions and corrupt at every level of government.
If you live in NJ you have to read this.Then start packing

This book provides invaluable info for individuals, business and organizations who want to protect themselves from identity theft. And if you happen to bu among those unlucky people whose identity has already been stolen, this book will help you recover (and quickly) from the damage. Easy to understand and yet detailed enough to cover all the bases - from emerging threats to ongoing scames. Also tells readers how to plan effective anti-theft policies and systems. Well worth your time!

This book is quite timely and very thorough, going from defining the problem to providing solutions. Everyone should take note of the valuable information provided to avoid this growing problem. From a professional standpoint, I was particularly impressed with some of the technical solutions Mr. Vacca provided.

This book is right on the money. I personally experienced an identity theft to the tune of [$$$] on my credit card. Everything described in this book is consistent with my experience and information shared to me by the bank representative and the detective assigned to my case. I strongly recommend that anyone who conducts electronic commerce (who doesn't!)to read this book. This book clearly describes the many elements of personal risk and the controls one can demand and implement for security and peace of mind. Highly recommended.

With current advanced technology across the world, crime is also changing in most countries and more sophisticated counter measures are required. John explores the main victim of crime, which is our own identities and it's vulnerability to theft. He gives a full account of how it is done and how to avoid it. Another great book by John.

How many times have you disposed of items containing personal information (e.g., credit card statements, Electric Bills, etc.) without destroying them first or utilized a personal computer in a public place (e.g., Airport, Train Station, etc.)? After reading Identity Theft you may think twice. John Vacca presents an informative text that enlightens the reader on current methods employed by identity predators and how to protect yourself and your business. Mr. Vacca also addresses the Internet environment and the increasing use of E-Commerce, and exposes the dangers that exist both from the user and developer perspectives. For the IT professional, Identity Theft offers many informative essays on the use of digital signatures, Smart Cards, Optical Cards and Encryption as protection methods. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Dianne K. Salerni is a true genius. She knows how to capture her readers' attention and hold it . . . to the point of distraction! For me the best part of a story is characters so real I get to know and like, dislike or alternate between the two. High Spirits has this in spades - the Fox sisters are truly engaging as are the many supporting characters in the book. The twists and turns of this story are riveting. Just when you think oh, I know where this is going, she throws you a curve ball that has you on the edge of your seat unable to stop reading, despite any responsibilities that await. Please, please, please write your next book right now!!!

I found the Fox sisters to be a revelation not only to the reader but to the spirit world. The book is well written and entertaining as you follow the girls from something unplanned to profession. I was quite amazed at how their lives not only changed others, but put them in positions of control and in some cases danger. I would recommend this to anyone who loves history. Even though it could be described as a "teen book" it is for anyone of any age.

High Spirits is an excellent book, and Dianne Salerni has an incisive ability to get into the characters' minds. Her characters were actual people, true, but she has a way of taking them out of the past and sitting them right down next to us, making it feel as if we are seeing their story firsthand.

High Spirits actually seems to be two books in one. The first half is the history of the Fox sisters and how they became famous spiritualists, believed to be able to communicate with the dead. As their fame grows, so too does their infamy, and they must deal with nonbelievers and detractors, some of whom are willing to resort to violence. This lends itself to some harrowing, suspenseful moments.

The second part of the book is a romance, as Maggie Fox falls in love with a man who loves her in return, but is unable to find the courage to make his feelings public. Meanwhile, he demands that she give up her life of spirit rapping, which angers her family to no end as it is their sole means of support. Torn between betraying her family or losing the man she loves, a man who makes these demands yet is unwilling to commit, Maggie rides an emotional rollercoaster. We sit by her side at all times, through the constant ups and downs, not knowing how the ride will end.

It is an enjoyable ride, nonetheless, and one well worth taking.

Some movies bring tears to my eyes; books seldom do.

High Spirits starts with the haunting of Hydesville in 1848. It follows the real life adventures of two sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox. Maggie starts the story by telling us that she began the `deception' when she was too young to know right from wrong. Kate, the younger of the two, regrets her sister's use of that word. To Kate, the dead are real, and the spirits talk to her.

I have well over a hundred books sitting on bookshelves in my study. Some of them I've already started. Since I lost interest in most of them, the bookmarks are still waiting between early pages for me to return. Many of the books I buy end up neglected orphans in need of foster parents.

Books on the best seller lists seldom satisfy me, because they are shallow or seem like a story I've already read. It's almost as if most of them were chosen by those politically correct people we know are out there monitoring what we say and think and learn--people very much like a `few' of the characters in High Spirits.

However, when I find a novel worth reading, it's like walking into an undiscovered country. High Spirits was one of those.

High Spirits is about the lives of the Fox family and two sisters that are devoted to each other. Kate and Maggie are credited with starting the spiritualist movement as a prank. When I first picked up High Spirits, I thought I was going to be reading about ghosts and romance.

To my surprise and satisfaction, I soon discovered that High Spirits offers much more. High Spirits turned out to be a story told on many levels. At times I found myself chuckling. At other times I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if one of the characters I liked was about to suffer a horrible fate.

High Spirits is also about a dysfunctional but loving and loyal family surviving in a cruel world. On a more personal note, they are like us. It is easy to identify with them. When danger looms from skeptics that threaten Maggie's life, her older sister Leah Fox rescues her in a daring and risky escape that leaves Maggie in heart-pounding terror. Just thinking about myself in the same situation under the same circumstances had me breaking out in a cold sweat, and I'm a combat veteran that served in Vietnam. Maggie was a young girl.

The romance in High Spirits arrives later in the story. Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the most widely celebrated American adventurer of the day, eventually walks on stage and fall "madly" in love with Maggie. What turns out to be a complex relationship stands equal to Romeo and Juliet; Tristan & Isolde, and Tony and Maria of West Side Story. That's as far as I'll go. My lips are now zipped shut. Hollywood, pay attention. Stories like this are rare, and Maggie and Elisha were real people.

In High Spirits, the harsh lines that separate the privileged and powerful from the working class show that dysfunctional people come from all levels of society. However, those at the top have the power to do more damage. What they are capable of doing to hurt others is more like a tidal wave washing over distant shores and leaving nothing but destruction and misery in its wake. When Elisha's mother interferes with his love for Maggie, horrible consequences are set in motion.

Although High Spirits reveals that most of us are human at heart, a few inhuman monsters populate our world and wreck havoc wherever they can for selfish, egotistical reasons.

If you are looking for adventure, romance, heartbreak, a bit of history, and a story that will touch you, I recommend this novel. Reading High Spirits will be a journey of discovery that might squeeze out a tear or two like it did for me.

High Spirits: A Tale of Ghostly Rapping and Romance is a novelistic treatment of a real incident from American history, the story of the Fox sisters, whose childish pranks of communicating with the departed were taken seriously first by family members, then neighbors, and then the community, ultimately growing into a genuine phenomenon. The resulting movement, known as spiritualism, became quite the rage from the 1840s until after the Civil War. Traces of it are not unknown today.

By the time they reached young womanhood Maggie and Kate Fox had achieved near-celebrity status. The proceeds from their appearances financed their blue collar family and allowed them access to the highest circles of society in New York City, Philadelphia, and so forth. Maggie, in particular, developed a relationship with Elisha Kane, an adventurer and explorer whose exploits earned him his own corner in history and fiction.

For this reader, however, the history is not ultimately the point of the book. The story is a rewarding and entertaining study of two sisters, their family, and their acquaintances, as they grow and develop and mature (or fail to). The author has done a splendid and totally convincing job of filling out their lives and personalities and putting real flesh on the bare bones of history. The romantic relationship between Maggie Fox and Elisha Kane is especially well depicted, for example. Good historical fiction is capable of putting us not only in other minds but in other eras, and High Spirits does this beautifully. One can read all the history one wants of the position of women in Victorian society but this book can show us what it actually felt like.

In addition the story is masterfully written and edited. All in all this is a first-class novel.

I often play with Nigerian scammers though not to the extent that the author does. Some of his responses to the scammers email are really funny. A lot like the annals of "The Porcine Princess".

There are some hilarious pages in this book, some that had me crying and unable to speak. If the author had a little more variety it would have been a great book, but it did seem to repeat its formula in the responses to the email scams after a while.

A laugh-riot from start to finish--the funniest book I've read in years.

This was one of the funniest books I have enjoyed in a long, long time. The content is fun and light and makes for an easy read. There were times I had tears in my eyes and pain in my stomach from laughing so hard. It's an excellent book for when you need a break from this mad, mad, world.

It's one of those purchases you won't regret.

Highly recommended!

The Publishers Weekly review above is on the money, in that this book is gleefully offensive.

I'm fine with that.

If you're fine with that as well, this book will make you snort with laughter at inappropriate times. Do not read while sitting in bed next to your sleeping spouse. She will eventually punch you in the chest for waking her up.

It'll be worth the bruise.

Tread softly into the "Marquis De Fraud", you are about to come up close to an anonymous murder! The carousel of sinister characters begins slowly, and you will not be sure who is good or who is bad. But does it matter? They all want something. The speed picks up and the chase is on, more murder, theft and fraud. Who can be trusted? What outrageous thing is going to happen next? Enjoy this speeding carousel and do not take it too seriously, it could be dangerous! I'm sending this book to my mother, she loves murder and mystery. I loved it!

"The Marquis de Fraud" may entitle Phillip Reed to be called the American Dick Francis. Like the best of Francis' work, this book grabs the reader in the first few pages: an intriguing prologue, a horrific crime. Soon we meet the well-drawn characters who will come to matter to us as the plot twists and turns and pulls us along. Reed also does a fine job of creating a sense of place, the world of horse racing, especially the "backside" of the track. The characters are multi-dimensional; even the good guys have their dark recesses; and one of the finest characters of all is a horse named Epic Honor, who broke my heart. One word of caution for the reader on a strict schedule: I started reading this book at 3 pm. and couldn't put it down until I'd read it through. My sleepless night was well rewarded, though, as I came to feel I'd spent the time with good friends. I'll be looking forward to Phillip Reed's next work.

I really enjoyed the Marquis de Fraud. I've read Reed's other novels "Bird Dog" and "Low Rider", and all his novels have a common link: Casts of interesting characters, and fast paced story's that keep me turning the pages late into the night. Unlike his earlier books which revolved around Car Dealers, this book is centered around Horse Racing. Which I knew little about but found quite interesting.

Central to the story is a slime ball Con Man named Malcom, who rips people off using his Scottish charm, of their life's saving and investments. There's more, this guy has the audacity to steal a valuable race horse and take it where ? Of course there's good guys, somebody has to find this guy and deal with him. But It's a dangerous and bloody path. Well, read the book for yourself. You won't be disappointed !

This book is simply the best mystery I have read. Its non-stop action sceens and careful descriptions of intense moments allows you to enter into a new state of reading. Once you start, you cannot stop. Philip Reed has now passed up all other mystery authors and currently holds the lead as my favorite author.

This is Phil Reed's best one yet. The action is non-stop, the characters are fully developed, the plot is never dull. The story flows and you are pulled along with it. This writer keeps getting better and better. I just finished this one and am already looking forward to his next! If this were an audio book, I wouldn't be able to leave my car until I had heard the last tape!

I bought up a bunch of puzzle books of all types to keep my mind active after having foot surgery. By far this is my favorite. I have never seen anything quite like it. If you like the games Clue or Masterpiece both of which I do then this is the book for you.

You get to learn the history and facts of very famous works of art. You then become a dectitive and have to figure out which prints are fakes and which are real and who forged them.

It comes with a plastic magnifying glass. You make a chart and head out to find who done it. It is challenging enough for an adult to have fun but I am sure very doable for children too.

Adults don't think these are just for kids. Great for keeping your mind sharp.

Perfect gift for the child with an interest in art and a love of reading.

Our kids love solving mystery games. They seem to be having a lot of fun with this book, but getting them started was a little slow: there is a clue-tracker sheet that one must create before moving on with the book and, for some reason, our girls (9 and 12) seemed a little put off by this task. But, now they have done that and seem very engrossed in the art scandal.

My only recommendation is to 1. Maybe plan to help your kids create this clue-tracker sheet or, 2. The publisher should include it as a tear-out item in the book (which probably adds to production cost).

I have found that this book sets the stage for helping children to really look at art. The "fraud puzzle" presented in the book makes the children really spot unique techniques of the artists in several different styles. They are able to see what makes one style of art unique from others over the centuries as styles changed.

This book was a lot of fun for my son and I. Readers are told that four gangs of forgers have replaced most of an art museum's paintings, and only we can help figure out which are real and which are forged. Using a magnifying glass, you compare 8" by 5" four color paintings to 4" by 4" originals, looking for changes (such as missing items or objects with different coloration). This allows you to fill in a chart which allows you to deduce the forgers, the snitch and the unchanged paintings, thereby saving the museum. 34 painintgs are here, by Van Eyck, Piero, Uccello, Botticelli, Raphael, Leonardo, Gossaert, Massys, Holbein, Marinus, Brueghel, Avercamp, Brugghen, Rembrandt, Steenwyck, Velde, Hooch, Vermeer, Chardin, Perronneau, Gainsborough, Turner, Constable, Watteau, Os, Delaroche, Ingres, Morisot, Degas, Monet, Rousseau, Seurat, Van Gogh and Picasso. Each painting is accompanied by a couple of paragraphs about the artist and the painting. We both enjoyed finding the mistakes, filling out the chart and solving the puzzle; the game also stimulated a discussion of painting and artists. It took us a few sessions to solve everything, but it was enjoyable time. I would buy other books by this author.

The book has good facts on latest threats on cyberspace.
I admire the author's plot setting in how he tried to combine a real
life scenarios from a informative story line.

As a point of improvement, it would be great if he invested more on a more exciting story, so that an avid reader wont get sleepy in the middle of the book.

This book is an excellent quick read, with stories and information that will draw you in until you finish the book, and then scare the pants off you to the point that you never want to make another online purchase again.

The authors break each chapter up into three unique pieces which cover the topic for that chapter from three different angles. Being in the IT security field I am always interested to here compelling true stores on security breaches and security incidents. These stories were by no means a letdown to those interests. I was completely astonished to find how integrated the identity theft trade was with methamphetamine use and abuse. In addition, the book also does an excellent job of detailing out how banks and credit reporting agencies do and/or don't work with you if your identity does happen to become stolen.

I would highly recommend this book to every information security professional; online shopper; individual interested in the roots of phishing, computer viruses, and identity theft; and anyone responsible for the well being of a business, organization and/or its employees.

I highly recommend Zero Day Threat by Pulitzer Prize winner Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz. This is a must read for anyone who currently uses or contemplates using the internet. Ignoring the information in this exceptional book is like journeying to a foreign land without speaking the language or carrying a GPS. The risk may be as great as walking down a dark alley with all your earthly goods exposed to any predators waiting for an easy target. The book is interesting, informative and full of good advice. Not only will you understand why the internet has become a huge risk - you will learn how the organizations that you thought would protect you actually put you at risk! The book is loaded with practical recommendations that you can put into use right now that will help you practice safe computing and guard your identity and credit. Don't close the barn door after the crooks have escaped with your horse. Read this book now and avoid spending hundreds of hours, frustration and your money to fix a problem you could avoid. Better safe than sorry - and this is just the insurance you need.

Excellent book re: the international scope of identity theft. From thief to enabler, the authors follow the chain of criminals from start to finish. You'll never feel as secure as you did before you read this book.

Zero Day Threat: the Shocking Truth of How Banks and Credit Bureaus Help Cyber Crooks Steal Your Money and Identity is an interesting and eye-opening look at how banks and credit card companies make ID theft and fraud rather elementary. But with all that, this book must be read in the larger context of how today's society deals with, and is often oblivious to risk. When is comes to risk, American society tolerates tens of thousands of drunk-driving deaths, gives millions in federal tobacco subsidies, and is oblivious about near-epidemics such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. With all that, it is doubtful that the myriad horror stories Zero Day Threat details will persuade Congress or the other players to do anything to curtail the problem with identity theft and internet fraud.

The internet and web have indeed revolutionized society, and there is hardly an industry that has not been positively affected by the net. On the down side, the net is the new conduit for criminals. For example, in the few years before the web became ubiquitous, U.S. and international law enforcement nearly had a noose around the child pornography industry and brought it to a near standstill. After the web, authorities have given up hope that child pornography can ever be contained.

Similarly, white-collar crime and fraud has been exacerbated by the net. Zero Day Threat details the various loopholes that criminals use to carry out their attacks and crimes. Each of the book's 18 chapters is divided into 3 section, exploiters -- which details how the crime lords and their teams carry out the crimes, enablers -- which details the history and current practices of credit card companies, banks, credit bureaus, and data brokers, and expediters -- which recounts how technology and technologies enable these crimes. I found that the breaking up of the chapters into such triplets is occasionally confusing, and you are left wondering what story you are in.

The book is based on the premise that the payment industry, namely the credit card companies, banks, credit bureaus and data brokers have created an infrastructure that is pliable, nearly endlessly extendable, but paper-thin when it comes to security. The system is built for ease of access, ease of granting credit, but without a robust security infrastructure or privacy controls.

Consider that the PCI Security Standards Council was not created until late 2004, and that will give you an idea how security is anathema to the industry. The outgrowth of PCI is the PCI Data Security Standard which is the first uniformly created set of comprehensive security requirements for enhancing payment account data security. While the industry debates the efficacy of PCI, attackers are busy at work running innumerable fraudulent schemes.

The authors paint an honest appraisal of the lack of security in the industry and have their facts in order, although an occasional hyperbole does creep in, for instance when the authors repeatedly state that the hackers in question went weeks without sleep. But a huge error is where they state in chapter 11 that PCI is controversial, with some merchants complaining that it is too costly to implement. There is nothing controversial about PCI, and the security controls it requires are sorely needed. While merchants express their discontent about security and its associated costs, attackers steal from underneath them. The quicker the merchants get that they needed security, the quicker the attacks will stop. But as the book shows, that will not happen anytime soon.

Part of the reason why identity theft will not go away anytime soon is similar to the problem in the air traffic control industry, as detailed in Terminal Chaos: Why U.S. Air Travel Is Broken and How to Fix It. There are too many players in the game, all of which focus on their own interests, and no one wants to take responsibility for the problem. The fact that the Social Security number (SSN) is still used as a key personal identifier, combined with the ease at which an individual 's SSN can be obtained and misused should be enough to give anyone pause.

The primary purpose of a SSN has been to track individuals for taxation purposes. But in the last decade, the SSN has become a de facto national identification number. When established in the 1930s, the Social Security Administration meant for the SSN to be used as a way to track a person's earnings for Social Security benefits. Despite its narrowly intended purpose, the SSN is now used more for non-Social Security purposes, than for the reason it was created. Today, SSNs are used for identity verification, and are the de facto identifier for the credit and financial services industry. With SSNs being aggregated by the millions, they are the fodder for the stories in the book.

Book such as Silent Spring, which helped launch the environmental movement, and The Jungle, which exposed the corruption of the American meatpacking industry, were watershed books that changed America. While Zero Day Threat is not in the same category as either of these books, it is highly unlikely that the level of outrage it will create will be much, nor the indignation significant. Because as bad as identity theft is, and as much grief as it causes, there are far too many politicians, powerful companies, lobbyists and more that are in the way of any change.

Nonetheless, Zero Day is a most interesting look at the many players that work together to facilitate the countless identity theft rings. The book is an absorbing look at the many international players and their enablers involved. While identity theft is not going away anytime soon, Zero Day Threat details the problem, and shows what you can do to ensure that you are not a victim.

Actually, I picked this book up at my local library because it was just sitting there and it didn't cost anything. But to my surprise it was a very informative book.

Like all books and readers, no shoe fits all but the author did try and was successful as far as I'm concerned.

After this reading, I definitely see my broker in a different light. As an options trader, I've learned things that were right there in front of me and just didn't see it. Great info regarding industry tricks.

There was too much detail in certain areas but you can speed read those and continue to you find the gems that appeal to you. Very good read.

Best wishes

So, you think you broker is honest, maybe not!

The book explains that yes brokers are concerned about making you money, but they are more concered about making money off of you first.

The book explains how investment firms pressure their
stock brokers (aka financial analysts, money managers)
into creating as many "hidden" charges off your account as possible.

One big think the book points out is to watch for excessive
trading and the "hidden" cost of spreads and mark ups and mark downs.

One really good point was about the use of margin.
Most brokers do not explain to their clients the costs and
risks associated with the use of magin( borrowing money to buy
more stocks.)

One hidden cost of margin involves Flat Fee accounts where the money you borrow (and pay a good rate of intrest on) increases
the amount of assets in you flat fee acount, so you pay that
1 or 2% flat fee on the margin too.

Another key point in the book is ask you broker to tell you
what all you expenses total to as a percent of your assets.
You may be suprised how much they reall charge you.

You may not be so happy with your broker when you realize, yes
they made you a 15% return this year, but the market average(at same risk at you assets) returned 25% for the year.

And your broker only got your broker did not have you invested
in those assets that would have given you higher return becuasse
he got a bigger commission ( or hidden costs) on the assets that made you less money.

Many many games revealed about your "honest" broker.

The book has a little fluff so it could be a bit shorter, but the book is full of the many tricks your broker maybe using on you.

So for starters:
Stop your broker from usng high risk high commision product
(lke futures).
Stop your broker from using margin ( borrowed money).
Stop your borker from trading too much with too little reutrn.

Books gives a current and accurate picture of brokers,
on Jan 13,2004 a story on the front of the NY Times and
the Wall Street Journal stated Morgan Stanley was finded
for getting kick backs from sell certain mutual funds.
And in Sept 2003 Morgan Stanley was fined for holding
contests to see who sold the most of Morgan Stanley Products.

Tracy Pride Stoneman and Douglas Schulz were way out ahead of the Wall Street fraud/conflict of interest cases at the big brokerage firms. This book basically tells you what you should look for in brokers (and in most cases, the brokers don't want you to know). It really goes back to the old credo "buyer beware". As in selecting any service, you must perform due dillegence in researching and selecting a good broker and the products that are right for your investment goals and strategies. This book tells you how to do this in simple straightforward langauge. Great information here! Excellent on-line trading information and what to do and expect if you do have problems. Information is power and this book is definitley a POWER BOOSTER!

In many things it is better to say "Know thyself" but if you have a brokerage account it is best to say "Know others before thyself." This is a wonderfully concise and insightful book. The authors are able to convey their in-depth knowledge in an understandable and direct manner. They describe what to look for, how to detect it, and what action to take if you suspect brokerage misconduct. This book will educate as well as hold your interest.

I was disappointed to find several errors I believe would not be made by people with real expertise in the brokerage industry. On page 34 the authors contend that analysts "work in the investment banking departments of such large firms as Merrill Lynch, Prudential, and Bear Stearns." Actually, the analysts work in the Equity Research Departments of those firms, which are separate (although they interact with Investment Banking Departments at Merrill and Bear). Prudential advertises today that it does not do any investment banking and therefore has no conflict with research.

Page 41 says "Analysts hold no brokerage licenses. Therefore, no securities rule or regulation applies to them." These statements could not be more wrong. I do not know any analyst that does not hold series 7 and 63 licenses. I do not know of any brokerage firm that allows its analysts to publish research without first having passed the series 7 and 63 exams. There could be small, regional firms that permit this, but the major firms require their analysts to be registered representatives. The authors repeat their mistake on page 74.

The math on page 176 does not work for the "spread" issue. The authors obviously did not proof the offer price, which should have been $10.50, not $10.00.

After spotting these errors, I skimmed through the rest of the book. Although the issues the authors address may aggregate information for the investing public, nothing they say is earth-shattering. The book seems more to ride the tide of dumping on the investment community and offers little in the way of a position on fixing what is wrong. I am the first to agree that the system could be improved, but so could this book.