California Books

I loved reading this book. It made me laugh and cry at times. Very well written.

I enjoyed reading this book as it told of one man's struggle and how he coped with Cancer. I appreciate the fact that he did mention other types of surgey and this provided the opportunity to read other books. I decided not to follow in his footsteps but we each have to decide what we think we need to do. Talking with my Doctor and using this book helped alot. Thanks for a good book.

A great book! Prostate cancer, and possible treatments, are not subjects that are easy to explain. However Dr. Dorso is able through his position as not only a physician, but also a patient, to explain possible cancer treatment options in a clear and understandable way. His story is personal and compassionate. Thoughout the book I found his experience became my experience. His sincerity and authenticity shine throughout. "Seeds of Hope" is definitely a must read for anyone who has cancer or who knows someone that has cancer. If I were a doctor I would prescribe it!

This is an excellent book, written by a physician, but from the perspective of a patient considering the many options available for prostate cancer treatment. It is particularly beneficial in describing the details of the seed implant treatment, and the impact of this disease on spouse and family. It should be read by every man who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer before a treatment choice is made.

This is an essential source of information if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer. This has certainly been a real eye-opener for me, here is a doctor, who suddenly finds himself as a patient. So well written, so personal, and yet so easily understood, none of the "latin" that we sometimes get from doctors, you feel as though you are actually sitting there with him, or even in his brain. He shares ALL his worries, frustrations, anxieties, relief's and his joys too as he moves forward in his goal to be truly the master of his own destiny. I highly recommend this book, to anyone who is having to cope/deal with prostate cancer. Doctor's too, cancer affects so many people, this book can even give you the professional a lot of insight into patients perspectives. BUY it NOW!

Having been brought up in a liberal culture which automatically assumed (and taught) that the adolescent rebel Rimbaud was a far more important poet than his old fuddy-duddy "conventional" lover, Paul Verlaine, it is very interesting to read Verlaine's actual poetry and compare it with the so-called poetry of Rimbaud, and to realize that Verlaine was, by miles and miles, the greater poet of the two.

As often is the case with general volumes of poetry, or books available in many editions, a good reveiw necessarily consists of two parts: first a review of the original material, and then a review of the specific edition.

For the original material, Verlaine is an amazing poet. He represents possibly the first and greatest lyrical poet to be initiated into modernity. His lyricism is not baroque, whimsical, or decadent - it is haunted and beautifull. It is like the music of Chopin (as it could be said that Rimbaud's is closer to that of Liszt). He represents a unique tract among the many poetic styles gestating in a Paris newly thrust into what we call modernity. There was the cynical and disolute Baudelaire, the ribald and frenzied Rimbaud, and then the melancholy and lyrical Verlaine. These three writers could easily be seen as a trifecta of greatness: they together represent the principal moods that have dominated literature to follow in their tracks.

The editions of a poets works, however, should certainly be considered independent of the poems themselves. Translation and selection of poems from such a broad body of work is both highly prejudicial, and (perhaps as a result) also creates a unique beauty in each seperate edition.

This edition, though, is a stand out among others available. First, because it probably is the largest English collection of Verlaines work (170 poems or so) and second because it's assembly, tranlations, and annotation reveal a very profound thoughtfullness on the part of the translator and editor, Martin Sorrell.

Most selections of Verlaines work are contrite and myopic, pick only certain early poems which have been translated and anthologized ad nauseum with no greater depth than that of a poem-a-day desk calendar or the litterary equivalent of easy listening music. In contrast, Sorrell's presentation is symphonic. The poems he has selected are true to the life of the poet - complete with ragged edges and blissfull moments.

How could one appreciate Verlaine's true genius if he is only shown in an artificial, sacrine, sanatized way? Sorrell boldly includes a large amount of poems from Verlaine's later work, largely disparaged by other critics, and provides very thoughtfull annotations about the inspirations, impacts, and ultimate relevance of each poem.

In this way Sorrell has created a very thoughtfull meditation on the life and work of Verlaine, and shares it with his audience so even a layman can appreciate it.

There is also a parallel French Text, which I find indespensible. Although not all of the translations are done the same way I would, diversity is what makes literature beautifull, and I am very interested to see the relationship between Sorrell's scholarship of Verlaine's life and the way in which he translates Verlaine's verses. This is a valuable tool not found if you were to simply read a French edition of Verlaine's poems or preuse an anthology.

In the end, this book is a excellent illustration of why translations and collections can be usefull even to people who have already read Verlaine in French.

[...] At any rate, for those who are not familiar with the movement, I would suggest reading, in this order: Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine and Mallarme, as that is the sequence in which they came to the fore of French Lit (though you could make the case that Veralaine and Rimbaud were contemporaneous, I would suggest that Verlaine's most important work came after his interchange with Rimbaud). Since these are the most influential French poets of the modern era, and had an impact on every modern "movement" that occured in literature thereafter, you can not go wrong with any of them. There are those who contend that poetry especially is lost in translation. I would agree, yet all these poets are represented by "facing" texts these days. The original text is mirrored by the translation on the opposite page. Oxford and Penguin both are good choices. The translators are uniformally well-educated and erudite, the printing is excellent and the overall scholarhip, including introductions, is top-notch. You can't go wrong with these editions.

Verlaine is perhaps my favourite poet--many of his poems are exceptionally beautiful, salacious even. However he wrote prolifically, and as is often the case with prolific artists, his work is of uneven quality. Nevertheless, at his best, Paul Verlaine's poetry is among the most remarkable that I've ever read. I highly recommend this collection.

'The reader seems to have some disaster of far vaster import than he can fathom. That is the mysterious effect of Mallarme's poetry. One gets a strange emotional effect past analysis'. So declares translator C.F. MacIntyre of a typically impenetrable Mallarme sonnet. Unfortunately, it's an effect the non-French reader will never experience. In translation, somebody like Robert Frost once said, what is lost is the poetry, and no other writer exemplifies this truism more clearly than Mallarme. Most translations will at least yield some sort of broad narrative or imagistic or intellectual sense. Mallarme's self-contained, bookish, exquisitely artificial poetry (Borges was a fan) exists on a plane beyond sense. It is an intensely intricate agglomeration of sounds, forms, distorted grammar, codes and riddles whose 'meaning' is not literal. Mallarme is usually compared to a costumier, jeweller or musician, such is this artisan's devotion to the poem as crafted object. The only real way to translate Mallarme is not to find literal English equivalents for his words as printed, but to find new word-constructions with sounds and resonances that transmute the originals' spirit, rather than sense. But if the translator had that kind of gift, s/he wouldn't be wasting it on Mallarme translations. Despite MacIntyre's best efforts, then, literal Mallarme in English sounds like the worst kind of sub-decadent pot-pourri, like the imitations of French Symbolism Oscar Wilde churned out in his youth. [...]This does not mean the volume is useless. French students struggling with the originals can use the translations as a kind of grammatical glossary, and will find MacIntyre's synopses and explanatory notes, with background and critical infomration, helpful, if dated. The casual reader, however, will find much to enjoy. After a few poems (including the famous 'Herodiade' and 'L'apres-mide d'un faune'), I gave up struggling with Mallarme, and gave into the pleasures of MacIntyre's annotations. A real-life Charles Kinbote, he doesn't even seem to like Mallarme very much: one poem 'is built up of so much nothing, like a fragile pastry of whipped cream. It is artful in the worst sense of the word... He should have had a stern editor! (As I have)'; 'Line 4 is particularly good, [a critic] insists, because it suppresses the classic caesura! I don't think many readers would suffer if the whole sonnet had been suppressed'. He refers to Mallarme's art as a 'dead end', execrates 'his miserably bungled up French', and cheerfully admits that he doesn't really understand the poems! So what qualified him to translate them?! A delectable egotism blows through the pages, from its overheated, homoerotic dedication, and the unwarranted, though very welcome, detours into autobiography and war memories, to the Olympian sneers at previous commentators. Published in sexually unliberated 1957, MacIntyre is forced to euphemise Mallarme's detailed and relentless erotics, which leads to some splendid tongue-twisting; the frequent suspicion that MacIntyre himself misses the point of a poem like 'What silk...' ('the mouth will not be sure/in its bite of finding savor,/unless he, your princely lover,/breathe out, diamond-like, in your/considerable tuft the cry/of Glories stifled as they die'), which he says is about a woman brushing her hair at the mirror (!), is quashed by his mocking one persistently misreading critic: 'Really now. I wish I still had Herr Wais's niaive innocence. I really do'. Barmy, endearing and delightful.

I enjoyed this book. It give a fine first hand account of what life was like in the California gold mines at the beginning of the gold rush. The letters are well written with great attention to detail.

Edited with an Introduction by Marlene Smith-Baranzini, The Shirley Letters: From The California Mines 1851-1852 by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe presents the contemporary reader with vivid first-person accounts of what it was like to live in the midst of the great California gold rush. Written in the form of letters by a doctor's wife who lived through the thick and thin of boisterous events, The Shirley Letters encompass mob violence, summary justice, a duel to the death, a rowdy July 4th celebration, and much, much more. A first-rate primary source, The Shirley Letters offers especial insight to American history and is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and academic reference collections.

This book is a marvelous true story of what it was like, in California, during a time which will never come again. The author's detailed descriptions and wonderful style of writing takes the reader there, to the Old California, when it wasn't a state, it was a wild untaimed country unto itself. Truly beautiful.

I have one of under 200 original copies, signed by the author, it is my treasure. I am so glad to see it here, offered to the general public. I obtained it just last month, and wanted to share it with every woman, man, child I know! I thought I was going to have to type the entire book just to give a copy to my mother. I thought that because of the small number printed that there wasn't any way I would find another one, but low and behold, here it is, reprinted only this year, on Amazon. A must for any Californian.

Stunningly vivid work. I've read many books that cover the Gold Rush era. This one is by far the best at bringing it to life. It was written by a woman who lived right where it was happening, when it was happening. Written for the popular (newspaper) press of the time, her stories paint a picture of the setting, the people, and the values of the day that is simply unmatched.

Even better, the editor has done an admirable work of putting the author's life and work into context, with a helpful introduction, endnotes, and glossary of place names.

Dame Shirley's classic (and often humorous!) letters portray the California gold rush in all its excitement and ethnic diversity. At last an edition has appeared that sets her writings in context! Editor Marlene Smith-Baranzini has done students, researchers, and history buffs a huge favor by putting together THE definitive Dame Shirley collection, complete with excellent introduction, interpretive footnotes, maps, photographs, and even a glossary. Reccommended for anyone interested in California history or just in search of a good read.

From LONDON FIELDS [1989] by Martin Amis: "Features include fool-the-eye dent-marks, a removable toupee of rust on the hood, and adhesive key-scratches all over the paintwork. An English strategy: envy-preemption."

From SHOW AND TELL [2001] by John Lahr: "In fact, [Wallace] Shawn, who admits he's actually 'a very arrogant and vain person', preempts envy by constantly spoiling any picture of his own distinction."

As a lifelong subscriber to The New Yorker, I have especially enjoyed reading Lahr's various "Profiles." Fifteen of his best are anthologized in this volume. The subjects are Woody Allen, David Mamet, Frank Sinatra, Arthur Miller, Liev Screiber, Roseanne, Irving Berlin, Wallace Shawn, Eddie Izzard, Neil Labute, Bob Hope, Ingmar Bergman, Mike Nichols, and the author's parents, Mildred and Bert Lahr. My personal favorites are those which discuss Sinatra, Miller, Roseanne, Hope, Bergman, and Nichols but I was pleased to re-read all of the others also. Lahr has a somewhat specialized form of genius for crafting what are indeed "profiles" rather than portraits, much less in-depth character analyses. Even when fondly discussing his own parents, he seems to have no limiting biases, "baggage" or predilections. It is high praise to note that the reader feels as if she or he is a "fly on the wall" during Lahr's conversations with his subjects...and at other times, as if the reader can hear him thinking aloud while alone and in reflection. Lahr's is a naturally casual style (so sophisticated that it seems effortless), perhaps most evident when discussing Bob Hope. According to Lahr, Hope's wife Dolores and the children were "extras" in his life. "It was hard for anyone in the family to get much of Bob Hope." Lahr shares this without judgment, suggesting implications without manipulating inferences.. With Hope as with each of the 14 others, Lahr's objective is to capture the essence of his subject, the esential qualities and characteristics which are revealed in "defining moments" of inimitable behavior or utterance. Lahr's reader (at least this one) is left to wonder what he would have to say about so many others such as Saul Bellow, Hillary Rodham-Clinton, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Fosse, Jackie Gleason, Sam Peckinpah, Jackson Pollock, Martha Stewart, and Oprah Winfrey.

In these days when performers are celebrated -- and demeaned -- for being famous, every little tidbit of information is up for grabs by the media. I say this as someone who was a journalist for nearly 20 years (and is now an entertainer). What's missing on the market: candid performers' profiles that still convey WHY great performers are GREAT performers and -- sometimes -- great people or great creeps. Show and Tell contains 15 of John Lahr's BEST New Yorker show biz profiles. The zest and verve of these creative folk and Lahr's excitement writing about them is all here. The subjects: Woody Allen, David Mamet, Frank Sinatra, Arthur Miller, Liev Schreiber, Roseanne, Irving Berlin, Wallace Shawn, Eddie Izzard, Neil Labute, Bob Hope, Ingmar Bergman, Mike Nichols, and his parents Bert and Mildred Lahr. You don't have to even know who these celebrities are (you'll enjoy this book if you're in your early 20s) to love these profiles: each chapter tells you how they got from point A (childhood) to point B (becoming great entertainers, playwrights etc) -- and about all the joys and obstacles along the way. Don't expect simplistic tabloid journalism but more detailed interviews. The Bob Hope profile was controversial when it was first published since it not only hinted at adultery but etched a portrait of a man who created a corporate comedy machine -- and even needed cue cards when performing at a private party. But there's tons of info amid these revelations. My other favorite profiles and tidbits include: Woody Allen (his casting method for movies sometimes boils down to him looking at someone for a few seconds), Bert Lahr (his frustration at not having made many movies, unlike some of his vaudeville colleagues), Roseanne (her rage-based comedy; how she wrested control of her t.v. show from what would have been sit-com mediocrity),Irving Berlin (the 20th century's most prolific and perhaps great composer adapting to all kinds of music from the century's beginning UNTIL rock...which finally did him in). There are many others but the point is: these are unlike any other profile's you'll read. They celebrate the joy, creative "juice" flow, toil, and heartbreak of show biz and performing arts creativity -- and you'll want to read them again and again.

Celebrities are fair game it seems for every hack, two bit journalist, and paparazzi. Their names are money and their pictures, weight loss, ageing, personal crises, and habits appear to be of endless fascination to the reading public or a fair proportion of it. What about Sinatra's links to the mob? What about Woody Allen's prediliction for young women? What about Mike Nichol's anger? What about Igmar Bergman's womanizing and tax evasion? Give me a break! There is much tosh, pap and babble written by those not fit enough to sharpen the pencils of the subjects of these profiles by Mr Lahr, but you will not find it in SHOW AND TELL. Mr Lahr is a writer worthy of these legends and that, dear reader, is indeed saying something. Revealing, interesting, incisive, entertaining and gripping, Mr Lahr and his editor at The New Yorker, have done a brilliant job. Perhaps the best short pieces I have ever read on the subjects contained therein. Brilliant.

The New Yorker is famous for its witty prose, "casuals," and most of all---its Profiles of famous and not-so-famous people. The New Yorker is also famous for unbelievably long pieces (sometimes taking up the entire magazine) and occasionally being so "in" that the readers are left "out."

John Lahr has all of the virtues: elegant, thoughtful writing, and he leaves you wishing for more. Mr. Lahr specializes in Entertainment Profiles, a difficult undertaking. He avoids the landmines of sound-bytes, scurrility, fawning and trivia. He delivers fifteen gleaming, sharp-edged Profiles on disparate personalities.

I feel the best are the ones that are not contemporaries and/or friends of the author with the exception of the lovely word portraits of his parents, father Bert, and mother Millie (who might or might not have had an affair with Joseph Cotton!) Mr. Lahr needs a certain amount of distance to do his best work. He is clearly an admirer of Woody Allen, and it shows. I felt we were seeing the brushed up and shiny side of this highly complex entertainer. Bob Hope is given the finest dispassionate treatment; Lahr steps back and allows Mr. Hope produce his own cause and effect. The reader can judge for himself. I was left thinking, as my grandmother would say, "this is NOT a very nice man." To me, Roseanne was frightening with her rage and skewed perspectives. It wasn't what Mr. Lahr said about her; it was Roseanne being herself. The Profile on Frank Sinatra left me with a emotion I would never, ever thought possible in conjunction with Ole Blue Eyes: pity.

I read this book straight through, almost at one sitting. I found it that fascinating. But it can be read at leisure. Just start anywhere; there's not a loser to be found!

Wow! I just finished this book & am amazed at the example Joe Massengale has lived by. If you're looking for a book on parenting & how to live your life, this is it. Character, determination, focus, love, confidence... what else can you say. Joe Massengale leads his life by example & instills all of the above qualities in his children.

I would encourage any parent or anyone looking for a blueprint on how they should live their life to the fullest to read this book.

As the father of two sons, ages 14 and 11, I found the book to be very inspiring, uplifting, and valuable. The authors deliver beautifully on the title's promise to tell a powerful story about how a father succeeded in raising six successful sons and the back cover's promise to articulate the ways in which the qualities of confidence, fortitude, pride, persistence, fearlessness, and focus are important for a successful life. But beyond that, the way the book is organized and the excellent writing gave the experience a depth of richness that was much greater than I anticipated and more pleasure than I could have felt justified in expecting.

We can all learn from Massengale. Each of us has our own story; our own past,our own struggles. What makes Joe's story special is how he transcended incredible adversity all the while teaching his children these invaluable lessons.

Joe Massengale is a remarkable man who's led an extraordinary rags-to-riches-to-rags-back-to-riches life...from fearing for his own poverty-stricken life in the days of lynchings, to working his way up to owning his own race horses in Hollywood. His biography alone would make an inspiring, thoroughly readable book -- but having it woven through such valuable lessons, and memorable object lessons, all in service of passing on hard-earned down-to-earth wisdom on something as crucial as character-development...well it makes this book all the more important. And how refreshing to have a "good for you" book that's so well-written! David Clow not only writes elegantly, but knows how to get out of Joe Massengale's way to let his subject's own distinctive voice come through clearly. That Joe Massengale happens to be African-American makes me wonder why Oprah Winfrey hasn't devoted an hour to him yet, but let me hasten to add - his lessons are UNIVERSALLY relevant. You do NOT have to be any particular color to "get" this wisdom, nor to need it. Turning children into responsible adults is the hardest and most important job in the world, no matter your color, age, station in life...or gender. Yes, I'm saying even moms can get something valuable from ths book. So could kids, single adults, you name it - anyone with an interest in the being, and shaping, productive, respected members of society. Only perfect people need not learn these lessons, and if you think you're perfect you need this book more than anyone! Need I mention, as I glance at the calendar, that this would make a HECK of a Father's Day gift?

Six Lessons for Six Sons, written by Joe Massengale and David Clow provides a enlightening approach to providing your children with important gifts to guide them through life. The authors have identified the gifts that help individuals believe in themselves and develop the strength to deal with the inevitable setbacks we all experience, and rise above them. This book is extremely well written, unpretentious, and presents, in a simple straight forward way, six qualities that lay down a foundation for living a rich, admirable and principled life. Massengale and Clow do an outstanding job of presenting these lessons in a way that should inspire fathers (and mothers too) to look at the art of raising children to be productive members of society. It stands head and shoulders above all of the self help books on the market today.

The six lessons are ones that I wish I had in raising my own sons.


Kevin J. Lyons, Ph.D.
Editor, Journal of Allied Health

I have read many of her books, and have yet to read one yet I did not enjoy. Speak No Evil is no exception. Ir is well written, and I was suprised by the ending, enjoy.

First book I read by this author - and I now plan to order all the rest! I read this book in one day - couldn't put it down ! A really good legal courtroom suspense story which keeps you guessing right until the last few pages. Recommended

Young criminal defense attorney Debra Laslow, observant daughter of an Orthodox rabbi, faces agonizing moral dilemmas and mortal danger in this outing.

When the beautiful, brilliant and heartless Madeleine Chase is found murdered, Debra inherits her client, a respected doctor accused of date rape. She also finds herself under scrutiny for the murder - she had quarreled publicly with Chase and had been seen coming from her building around the time of the murder. Then another attorney, a friend, is murdered and Debra finds the body. As police suspicion deepens, Debra begins to get threats from the killer.

Meanwhile, her client's victim is an Orthodox Jewish girl, a member of Debra's community, and there is strong pressure on her to drop the case. And, in fear for her life, Debra begins an investigation of her own.

Krich's approach is thoughtful, literate and absorbing. She depicts the difficulties of being an Orthodox Jew in a high-powered job, the close knit comforts of the community and the application of Jewish philosophy to moral decisions.

And she doesn't neglect suspense. Her heroine is resourceful but not foolhardy in the face of mortal danger and the solution of the mystery (in a smashing climax) is a total surprise - although the reader will be a step or two ahead of Debra in the last few pages.

This is a legal thriller that you don't want to put down. I read the last 230 pages in a morning, and will now read her other books. In the genre of Faye Kellerman, Rochelle Krich's writing easily matches or exceeds Kellerman, which is quite an accomplishment.

In my opinion, Krich is the most intelligent and readable mystery novelist of the 90's. Her female heroines are always exceptional, and Debra Lazlow (of Speak No Evil) is a prime example. Krich's premise is highly believable and seems to come from today's headlines. The action moves at a rapid clip, and there are plenty of hairpin plot-twists and moral quandries to delight fans of both detective stories and legal courtroom dramas. Also make sure to check out Fair Game, by the same author.

I really did enjoy this book. I love the way the author pokes fun at the LA "hip-whazee" and entertainment crowd. I only gave it four stars because I got through it too quickly...I wanted more!

funny, Funny, FUNNY!
Take a chance on a new voice; read it, you'll laugh - guaranteed.

"Starbucks Nation" is a fresh and highly creative first novel from Chris Ver Wiel. His approach is biting, astute, observant and, above all, absolutely hilarious. This novel exposes the mentality of a shallow, celebrity obsessed society while simultaneously taking you on one heck of a ride. Extremely enjoyable read.

Insightful, funny, wacked. Nails morning shows, Hollywood, 'celebrity', dumbing down of America, lack of attention span, the herd mentality....but all swallowed with a little dose of hope, and absolute humor. Great read, quick read, fun read. Our here reminds me of great lost souls from 1930s darker comedies. A must.

Brilliant, original and funny! Thank you Chris Ver Wiel for coming up with something telling and far enough out there that those who think there is nothing new, ever, will thank you! I thank you! Way to go to piss off the very people who will review your book too! Love it!

Robert L. Holt's "STOP Skyjackers" is a must-read for all who fly the once friendly skies as a passenger. Since 9/11/01, every passenger must be extremely aware of the fact that your own life may depend on your own reactions to a radical or radicals' attempt to takeover a plane in the air, or on the ground, while you are a passanger on that aircraft. STOP Skyjackers gives you the many concepts and planning tools to be prepared to save your own life, if needed during a skyjacking. This book, if read by most air passengers, could create the bond we all need as customers aboard the world's heavily traveled airlines. If you think that the devastating skyjackings of 9/11 were a one-time-event...think again! The War on Terrorism has just begun, and we, all residents of earth, are a part of it. STOP Skyjacking is the first truly training manual of this long-term war against terrorism.

This is for real... if you're going to be traveling you must read this book. Knowledge is power. Gain all the power you can! Even if one is not traveling, this book is important to read. We need to know all we can to better understand the situation which we are all dealing with against any and all terrorists. The author gives us serious tools to deal! Thank you Mr. Holt!

Everyone should read this! Not just travelers! But definitely all travelers should! It's a must read!

Transportation authorities may assure us that flying has never been safer. But why is it that pilots still want to carry guns? Perhaps they feel, as Bob Holt certainly does, that you can never feel too secure. A former Marine pilot, Bob wrote this book to share his own insights into the responsibility we all have to help make travel safe for everyone.

I know Bob Holt personally, so I cannot be objective about his book. I watched him put everything aside in the months after September 11 in order to write it. His passion and his sincerity are real. His suggestions are certainly worth knowing, even if you don't agree with them. Who knows? They may be life-savers.

Stop Sky Jackers: 60 Steps That Can Save Your Life is a solid, eminently practical, no-nonsense traveler's guide and instruction book specifically designed for airplane passengers whether they are on local, regional, national, or international flights. Written by a former Captain of the U.S. Marine Corps Robert Lawrence Holt, Stop Sky Jackers informs passengers about suspicious behaviors to watch for, how to prepare to fight back against attempted skyjackings, rallying other passengers to resist, and what to expect in a hostile, possibly lethal situation that has become all to common in the last few decades. Simply put, in the wake of the September 11 attacks, Stop Sky Jackers should be mandatory reading for all air travelers -- it could save lives, both in the air and on the ground.

This is a great history book on the great Mongol Empire. It clears up a lot misunderstandings and superstitions about the supposedly horrible Mongol barbarians and gives a reliable account of their rule in this time period. It covers Temujin's (aka Genghis Khan) beginnings to the end of his forebears rule. It has pictures from the past and of re-enactments of Mongol cavalry - you will rarely find this elsewhere. The Mongol Empire was a militaristic nation, so this book lacks on the military strategy and warfare of the Mongols. Only the basics are covered.

I love the occasional suprises in life; you know the very unexpected which enriches you forever.
When I bought this book I really wasn't interested in Ghengis Khan but I thought maybe I could find out more about the group. Well, the book ws written beautifully which madefollowing the sory and timeline very easy.
I found the author had a scholastic approach to the subject which is what I sought and had the ability to incorporate mady other aspects tpo the Khans which gave me the unusual perspective that I always desire. You know the knowledge that lets you lord over others who happen to feel they are experts and expect that noone else knows. Thats my kind of fun.
Anyway, the book incorporates the necessary maps and some beautiful artwork that really enhances the book. Unfortunately, I mark up all of my good book with underlines, exclamation points and many many stars for futile future reference
The only criticism I can offer is that beside his references to many of the major cities that he invaded and then re-constructed there was no mention of the modern names of these places which requers me to search them out on the internet.
If you are a history lover and want a dry but fascinating look at this period, BUY THIS BOOK!
I fmr: Marshall reads this- well thank you for writing this book you have given me the power of knowledge.

This is a great overview of the part of Mongolian history that most intrigues westerners, the years of the great Khans. It is a very accessible book that doesn't require any prior knowledge on the part of the reader, and hopefully inspires them to look deeper into the people and the nation of Mongolia.

In the west we've all heard of Ghengis Khan, and we have our preconceptions of "barbarian" cultures or the terrible hordes of Mongol warriors; the reality behind the myths and legends is well worth knowing. I first encountered the "Storm from the East" video series on TLC and it has since re-played {but rarely} on THC. The film or video is only on offer to educational institutions at a very high price, so the most a layman can hope for is a quality tape from TV -or- this book.

The book follows the video script almost verbatum, with many of the same maps, diagrams and stills from the live footage shot in Mongolia. It's a wonderful substitute, and an easy to digest history lesson.

The relationship of the medieval Mongolian nation to China and the western European nations is fascinating, and thanks to "Storm from the East" it is easily understood. The book is written with a gentle sense of humor, but does not belittle nor aggrandize the Mongolian people or the historical Khans.

An excellent book for all interested in the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire. Written in an exciting and lively way, the reader is left thirsty for more, even though the book itself is factually complete without inundating the interested layman with boring, left-alone facts and dates.

This book is based on a BBC documentary of the same name. The book is written so that any history freak can read and enjoy it. Many, Many pictures and maps make it more understandable. Some of the pictures are even re-enactments and are very interesting to look at.

I have read every one of Padgett's books, and enjoy them all tremendously. These are mystery stories written for literate, thoughtful people, and I can't understand why Padgett's books are so hard to get! Abigail Padgett is a thoughtful, lyrical author who assumes her readers will "get it" without spoonfeeding. I read this book "out of sequence", but am grateful to get my hands on anything this talented woman writes in any way I can.

I have read every one of Padgett's books, and enjoy them all tremendously. These are mystery stories written for literate, thoughtful people, and I can't understand why Padgett's books are so hard to get! Abigail Padgett is a thoughtful, lyrical author who assumes her readers will "get it" without spoonfeeding. I read this book "out of sequence", but am grateful to get my hands on anything this talented woman writes in any way I can.

Abigail Padgett is one of today's best mystery writers, right up there with Laurie R. King. "Strawgirl" is the second in her series about Bo Bradley, a manic-depressive child-abuse investigator. Sounds like a downer, but it's not. Ms. Padgett's literate writing, deft storytelling ability and complex characterization make this a most enjoyable read. Bo Bradley is an admirable, courageous and likable character, as is the psychiatrist and cult researcher Eva Blindhawk Broussard, who is introduced in "Strawgirl." I had to seek out a secondhand copy of this book, and it was well worth the effort.

Abigail Padgett is one of today's best mystery writers, right up there with Laurie R. King (and that's high praise). "Strawgirl" is the second in her series about Bo Bradley, a manic-depressive investigator of child-abuse cases. Sounds like a downer, but it's not. Ms. Padgett's skillful, imaginative writing, ingenious plotting and complex characterization make this fascinating reading, high on my list of unputdownable books. Bo Bradley is a most admirable, courageous and likable character, as is psychiatrist and cult researcher Eva Blindhawk Broussard, who is introduced in "Strawgirl." I hope the publisher will make this book available again soon. I had to seek out a secondhand copy, and it was well worth the effort.

I don't know how the novel of crime (no use calling it a mystery because this book does not follow the standard mystery format of crime, suspects, detective discovers identity of criminal, at all) has become a favored method by which writers examine society. It probably says something about our society that here the killer and the bureaucrats seem equally souless.

Abigail Padgett has a message. The message is that the mentally ill are more often the victims than the perpetrators of criminal acts. Her positive characters are all survivors. Bo, her main character is a manic depressive, the sole surviving member of her family. Eva Boussard, a psychiatrist, is the survivor (so far) of breast cancer. Rombo is a surviver of alcoholism and hatred by his father. Andy became a pediatrician after his daughter drowned due to neglect.

And all of these people go on doing the best that they can, sometimes getting side tracked from their own purposes because of their basic humanity in an effort to save a little girl whose sister was raped and whose mother committed suicide, free an innocent man and stop the real killer. And they do it with grace, humor and much humanity.

Highly recommend.