California Books

Author Eric Konigsberg grew up in a prosperous and socially conscious Midwestern Jewish family, descendants of east European immigrants who had settled and made their living and reputation in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Sometime during his young adulthood, the author is surprised to learn that his father's uncle, Harold Konigsberg (Koyo), is a violent and notorious Mafia hit man accused of some 20 murders. Not satisfied with simple murder, he is infamous for permanently disturbing the surviving family members.

While writing a magazine story on mob crime, despite his family's objections, Eric becomes acquainted with Koyo, who has spent the last 40 years in jail on a never-ending self-led legal battle. Soon the author is being manipulated by his uncle to aide his crusade for freedom. His association with the crime figure ends when his life is threatened.

This intriguing story is told through the uncovering of family denial and lore, historical facts, statistical data on Jewish immigrant culture, narrative from victims families, facts from FBI and court reports and commentary from Koyo himself.

It's hard to say whether Konigsberg (Uncle Heshy) is a brilliantly manipulative businessman, a remorseless criminal, a loyal family man or just plain psychotic.

Maybe the moral of the story is: There are some basic issues children should take advice from their parents about--and forging a relationship with family members connected to the mob might be one of them!

Armchair Interviews says: Intriguing story that was most interesting to read.

Having known a great deal about the people depicted in this book, I do have to say that the author did a superb job. The only thing I did not care for is that 1 of the "accused" mentioned in the book is still living. I happen to be a "blood relative" of that person mentioned in the book. Although it is all a matter of public record I have to say that it is very uncomfortable knowing that Mr. Konigsberg would write this book knowing that there are other families out there who are not familiar with the events that took place,like he was. Mr Konigsberg is digging up alot of skeletons for some of the other families mentioned.

Blood Relation is a superbly written account of one family's secret connection to Mob violence in America. The characters are as sinister, vivid, and intriguing as any fictionalized "good fella" novella, but more frightening because every fascinating detail is true. Immersed in discovering his uncle's horrible history, Eric Konigsberg confronts his own perceptions of himself and his family. Best of all, it is a page-turning adventure for the reader.

I knew that I'd buy Blood Relation after reading the excerpt in the New Yorker magazine, but I had no idea how much better the book would be. Konigsberg's voice is very subtle, almost plaintive and self-abnegating, and maybe it's because he's not a hard-seller with a typically annoying therapy issue to work out that his point gets across so poignantly: how weird would it be to have a mass murdering psycho's genes double-helixed alongside yours and those of your whole family? What is it like to deal with shame, to have your family shamed, to feel somehow (if irrationally) responsible for gruesome, venally, crudely performed acts of murder that you yourself had nothing to do with, but must somehow, however tangentially, live with for the rest of your life? The story itself is fascinating for anyone who's into the fifties and sixties and the whole mafia scene and great crime stories in general. I mean, the main subject here is a true and fascinating psycho. The murders and the glee with which he executes them is beyond compare. But I think the most interesting thing for me is the delicate and evolving relationship between the writer and his uncle, the mass murderer. As a story about family, as a story about a journalist, the depiction of what it must have been like to go visit this creepy guy in jail over and over again, this guy who's manipulating you, but desperate to get his story out, who at one point gets angry at you and threatens to kill you, then later on, berates you, "Hey, you jerk, why don't you come visit me more often?? Everyone ignores me!! Where's the love???" -- it's just too odd of a scenario and too well-written not to titillate and fascinate. I'd definitely give it a ten, whatever your background is. I think for anyone with any kind of immigrant backround, which is to say 99% of America, it's a fascinating story about how hard we all try to fit in and what happens when a real weirdo/loser enters into the picture. I loved it.

Konigsberg's book is a success on many levels--as a period piece, a crime drama, and most impressively, as a profound investigation into what it means to be related to someone, anyone. Konigsberg does not flinch as he looks into what his murderous great uncle means to his family, his religion, his aspirations, and himself. An elegant, courageous work of art.

Thoshinsky executes a beautiful photo essay. Gritty, funny and remarkably touching. A brief and privileged glimpse into a world rarely experienced or understood by those outside law enforcement.

"The truth is most people don't like the police. They need 'em. They just don't like 'em." Peter Thoshinsky examines the delicate and brutal world of the San Francisco Police Department in his book, Blue in Black and White, sharing pictures he has taken over his 25-year tenure as a cop. These stark, graphic images show San Franciscans from all walks of life, fighting, demonstrating, and pleading to be released from their handcuffs, and always close by is the officer who has to deal with the civilian's actions. Each subject is treated with respect, no matter the crime or event shown, and Thoshinsky writes free verse and prose poems next to the shots explaining the unseen or unknown, giving the reader a window into a world few rarely see.

The subject is San Francisco and the boys and girls in blue who walk her streets, but the book transcends location. Market Street, 200 Leavenworth, Broadway, Union Square, North Beach, Candlestick Park, and McAllister Street all make appearances to remind us where the pictures were taken, yet the reader gets a sense that these images are everywhere, in each skid row alley of every great American city, and these are the men and women who risk their lives for their job. Capturing the mixed emotions most officers feel protecting citizens who also despise them for who they are, the book humanizes the police force for those who have never understood the weight that goes with the occupation.

Peter Thoshinsky investigates the realities of homelessness, mental illness, drugs, and cops' use of force with the integrity of someone who is there firsthand, and he wrestles with the truth and justice each officer tries to bring to a workday while trapped under a hot Kevlar vest, badge, radio, belt, and ammunition somewhere below the San Francisco skyline. He tells us that the police remind themselves every day, "That could be your brother, sister. Given a change of fortune, that could have been you." Thoshinsky reserves judgment of the characters he meets on his beats, and instead captures their portrait with a sense of anticipation, the reader left curious what happens next in the scene. Blue in Black and White educates with cop lingo like "B Caper," "Four Boys," and "Hondels" and memorializes fallen officers with a picture and a line or two in their honor.
This pictorial set in San Francisco shows the heart of the city and the people who live in it and protect it. It is accessible and moving for both officer and civilian, honestly examining the lives of the police as they move from the academy to the streets. The reader comes away knowing more about what it means to be in the line of duty performing a job no one wants to give credit for.

Blue in Black and White is a photography book of San Francisco's law enforcement officers, by police sergeant, experienced photographer, and native San Franciscan Peter Thoshinsky. Each two-page spread features a black-and-white, larger-than-life photograph of people keeping the peace on San Francisco's streets on the right, and a brief poem, caption, or insight on the left. A moving and unforgettable visual tribute, as well as a window into the daily routine of a difficult yet rewarding public duty.

Ever been curious about what it's like?...

Have a friend or family member who is one of 'them'?...

Think you already know what this calling is all about?...

It often seems impossible to express just exactly what it's like. With simple, stark and poinet photographs, as well as sparse, direct and accurate words, Pete Thoshinsky's, Blue in Black and White, comes about as close as one can.

Short of donning armor, girding weapons, and riding thanklessly into harms way in defense of others everyday, this is as close as you are going to get.

Thank you Pete,
Oro en Paz, Fierro en Guerra!

One of the most interesting things about loving books is that one never gets to the end of ideas for them. While there are indeed mountains and continents of sameness that can be safely ignored, one should never get blasé because someone will always find some way of surprising you and giving you something fresh to look at. I am not saying that in the history of printing there has never been a book like this one, but it is a very fresh look at something I have not seen.

And what is that? You say that it is just another book of pictures of cops? Well, it is a book of pictures of cops, but there is a big difference. This is a book of pictures of cops TAKEN by a cop. What difference does that make? Because we see the police officers the way a man who knows them and knows their job sees them rather than the way we usually see them depicted on TV and in the movies. We learn which assignments the cops like, which they don't, what some of the problems are, and even the tedium of the job.

Peter Thoshinsky was on the "Tenderloin Task Force" of the San Francisco Police Department. He shows us cops on the job and provides captions that help us appreciate the pictures. Some of the captions are merely informative, some are insightful, some are funny or ironic, and some are touching. And they all enhance the photographs.

I was particularly struck by the caption for "The Good Son"

Cop: "When was the last time you spoke with your father?"
Son: "Well, I call him every Sunday, `ya know, just to make sure he's ok."
Cop" "OK"
Son: ... "and so when he didn't answer the phone on Sunday, I thought something might be wrong".
Cop: "Yeah."
Son: "Yeah, so I come over and I found him dead just like that."
Cop: "So, when you called your dad on Sunday he didn't answer?"
Son: "Right."
Cop: "You must have been worried?"
Son: "Uh-huh."
Cop: "Today is Thursday."
Son: "Uh-huh."

Or the next picture of a female arm with wrist tattoos in handcuffs entitled "Tattoos and Bracelets".

Or: "The first rule of police work, the very first rule. Everyone lies. "I ain't got nothing officer, I swear it". See rule number one.

There are dozens of more like this. Fresh, insightful, and even touching. Not only for the cops (one picture is of an old women in a wheel chair flipping the bird to a cop), but also for the lost souls who are so lost they see the cops as the enemy rather than someone trying to help them (few people see being taken into custody as a help).

Very much worth having and lingering over.

Move aside Captain Jack and make room for Gabe Avery! Okay, not really - Jack is my favorite. But boy-oh-boy, Gabe Avery is an amazing leading man. He's strong and roguish and has that soft side that he only shows to the leading lady.

Blue Moon is a treasure hunt of suspense and romance filed with entertaining characters and an exotic location. There's plenty of adventure and excitement in the hunt for a sunken ship and its treasure. Fans of Linda's other "Moonstruck" books will not be disappointed as she tells this tale of Jeanne Madison - the sister of the Madison men from the other books.

It was difficult, to say the least, but Jeanne Madison has finally pulled off the impossible. She has secured financial backing to find and excavate a treasure laden 18th century Caravel off the coast of Yucatan. God has smiled on her so far, so what could possibly go wrong. Well, for starters, she hires Gabriel Avery and his ship, The Fallen Angel. After seeing the run down boat, Jeanne feels that's an appropriate name. Gabe Avery is bronzed, muscled, has a tatoo, and a teasing glint in his eyes. He wears his dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and isn't what she expected in a ship captain, but she has to admit he adds a certain something to the scenery.

Treasure hunting isn't for the timid, and soon a competitor who will do anything to succeed is trying to take over. Jeanne begins to think she is in over her head, both professionally and romantically. Suspense builds as they scramble to recover the treasure before it can be stolen from them. Nights spent on the beach with the moon working its magic on Gabe and Jeanne weaves a romantic spell, but can the lady PhD and the rough and ready ship captain find lasting happiness?

Blue Moon is the third book in LInda Windsor's Moonstruck series and it's just as much fun as the first two. Set in an exotic locale with a quirky cast of characters, lost treasure, romance and humor, it's a story you won't want to miss.

When archaeologist Dr. Jeanne Madison plans her "Blue Moon" expedition to look for the Luna Azul, and early 18th century Spanish galleon that sunk off the coast of Mexico, she has no choice but to hire the only captain her project can afford, Gabriel Avery. Her former professor and mentor, Dr. Remy Primston, accompanies her to Cancun to meet the captain of a charter fishing boat. The handsome, dark captain who sports a British accent is far from the crusty image she had. Far worse, he reminds her of a pirate and his blue eyes make Jeanne nervous. Worse, one look at his rusty ship, the "Fallen Angel", makes Jeanne wonder if it can even hold any artifacts they might find.

Jeanne returns to Cancun a few months later to start the expedition, along with students from Texas A&M University and a former classmate of Jeanne's who is now a photographer who will film their discovery, if any, for National Geographic. Accompanying Gabe on the expedition is his deck hand, Manolo, and Gabe's lab, Nemo. When Gabe's nemesis, Captain Marshall Arnauld of the "Prospect", suddenly shows up, Gabe fears Marshall will try to steal any discovery, just as he had stolen the rights to salvage a ship Gabe himself found several years earlier.

Excitement abounds when the first sign of the Luna Azul's contents are found near a coral reef, but it's nothing compared to the excitement that Gabe stirs within Jeanne when they share dinner, or when Gabe reveals his concern when she comes down with a fever. Then strange things begin to happen after their discovery: Gabe's ship suddenly develops problems, and a strange man keeps watching Jeanne and Gabe when they're on shore. And the excitement is only beginning...

Linda Windsor's BLUE MOON is an exciting novel filled with adventure and intrigue, deception and suspense. It is also a story of love, set in the exotic seas of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. BLUE MOON is a true treasure for any reader who loves a great romance, and one I highly recommend.

Twenty-six years old archeologist Dr. Jeanne Madison believes she knows where the eighteenth century Spanish galleon Luna Azul sunk off the Mexican coast during a storm. With her mentor Dr. Remy Primston they hire marine biologist Captain Gabe Avery to take the two marine archeologists to the locale. Though Gabe has strong references including those of her overly protective brothers, Jeanne has doubts that he knows what he is doing though she admits to herself he is quite a hunk.

Gabe has more doubts than Jeanne about the success of this sea venture. He has been betrayed before from so called friends plus the Pollyanna believer in God team leader looks too young to be a PH.D though he admits to himself he finds her fascinating and pretty. As they sail, Gabe realizes he wants her and not just for a sea cruise fling. He cannot abide her so called mentor who he feels holds her back. However, even worse in his eyes is her naive attitude towards a charming snake he once called pal; Gabe knows the rat is her rival who will steal the claim and the fame unless he and his crew give 200 % to the woman who inspires them to be more than they ever have been before.

The third Moonstruck tale (see FIESTA MOON and PAPER MOON) is an enjoyable inspirational tale starring an idealist and a cynic falling in love while on a high seas adventure. The story line is action-packed yet the key cast makes for a fun time as readers will appreciate the antics and competition between the three men now in Jeanne's life. As always Linda Windsor provides a strong thriller with interesting characters enhanced by an impervious belief in God.

Harriet Klausner

Dr. Jeanne Madison has secured limited funding to find and excavate the "Luna Azul" (translation: Blue Moon). It is a treasure-laden eighteenth century caravel off the Yucatan coast (Mexico). Along with Jeanne is the snobbish Dr. Remington "Remy" Primston who is documenting all for his future book, a few college students, and Ann Mills who is not only Jeanne's college classmate, but also a photographer with World Geographic magazine.

The tight budget forces Jeanne to hire the handsome Captain Gabriel "Gave" Avery. His boat may look ready to fall apart at any moment, but Jeanne knows that God will help her in her quest. Besides, Gave is the only skipper around that will agree to getting part of any treasure that they may find instead of a huge daily fee. Gabe and Jeanne are very attracted to each other, but Jeanne knows that a relationship between them is hopeless unless God helps Gabe see His light.

In the meantime, the American playboy Marshall Arnauld smells treasure. He has already stolen sunken site rights from others in the past, including from Gabe, and now he is after Jeanne's find.

**** This is the third in the Moonstruck series. The cover says it is the "new romantic comedy", however, I found very little comedy. Instead, I recommend this one as a Christian Modern Contemporary type of romance. A sweet read with lots of faith and a dab of suspense. Author Linda Windsor proves that you do not need a lot of steamy bedroom scenes and crude language to make a wonderful story. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The Bobbed-Haired Bandit is about a pair of poor newlyweds, Celia and Ed Cooney, who turned to armed robbery to better their lot, sriking terror in the hearts of Brooklyn grocers in 1924. The competitive New York City tabloid press turned the girl desperado into a media darling, an anti-heroine for the age - Jesse James, in a flapper dress.

The authors - both of whom are historians and "scholars of the media" - stumbled across the story by accident:

"Digging through yellowed clippings in a scrapbook at the New York State Library in Albany, we came across a criminal with an intriguing moniker: the Bobbed Haired Bandit. With so much type set on her behalf, she was hard to miss. There were hundreds of articles about her, none of them all true."

But these two fellows knew a good story when they saw one, and like me they have a fine appreciation for the rich vernacular of old journalism. They don't write headlines like these any more.

NEW GIRL BANDIT, A BLONDE,

HELPS KIDNAP TRUCKLOAD OF

SUGAR: TWITS CHAUFFEUR

***

BEWARE THE BOBS

***

DEPREDATIONS BY GIRL ROBBER

AND MAN COMPANION ROUSE

POLICE OFFICIALS TO ACTION

***

FORGET SEX - SHOOT !

Now tell me the last time you saw a word like "depredation" in a headline. Or "twit" as a verb. I love it!

Now back to the story. So this young lady and her man go on a tear, robbing store after store, making the police "look like brass monkeys almost every time the sun went down," in the lady's own words. The journalists of New York gave her the front page day after day, while the crimes of other, more ordinary folk were "passed over unnoticed" (Brooklyn Eagle). The lady robber became a blank canvas, and journalists threw lots of ink on her.

The authors did something interesting with all these old clippings, using newspaper articles from elsewhere in the same papers to explore other themes in the life of the city at the time, from the impact of Prohibition, the changing roles of women, on down to the weather reports to flesh out the full story of the "naughty scamp," to try to explain why she became the media phenomenon she was.

Then, like the Younger Brothers before them, the Cooneys attempted a poorly planned daylight robbery, and it was their downfall. Though they tried to flee, they were caught and returned to New York for a triumphant homecoming.

It turns out the journalists liked her story a lot more before she had a name. Before she had a poor childhood. Before the truth of what she was negated a lot of the coverage of her crime spree. In an extraordinary editorial, the influential newspaperman Water Lippmann had this to say about Cecilia Cooney:

"For some months now we have been vastly entertained by the bobbed-haired bandit. Knowing nothing about her, we created a perfect story standardized according to the rules laid down by the movies and the short story magazines. The story had, as the press agents say, everything. It had a flapper and a bandit who baffled the police; it had sex and money, crime and mystery. And then yesterday we read in the probation officer's report the story of Cecilia Cooney's life. It was not the least bit entertaining...."



Even after she was caught, and, along with her husband, sentenced to prison, Mrs. Cooney continued to be a blank slate on which various parties wrote rants. But these biographers don't let the story spin off into a sidebar. The last couple of chapters tell the rest of the tale of the bandit and companion, and by that point, she's visible as a flesh and blood person through the headlines, a heart and mind in addition to a journalism phenomenon. As the authors remark --

"Reading these stories... not only tells us how certain individuals and specific events were understood at the time but also reveals how the past is remembered and reminds us how history is made... "the record" of the past is documented mostly by the commercial mass media, which subject the events to a filtering of fact and fancy based on standards of popularity and profitability. For what mattered most to the newspapers of New York City in the Twenties is the same thing that ... [matters to] book publishers of today: telling, and selling, a good story."

And ain't that a final truth.

Celia Cooney, most celebrated as the "Bobbed-Haired Bandit" of the Twenties, comes vividly to life in this scholarly yet entertaining exploration of her brief life of crime and celebrity, with emphasis on the celebrity. Both Celia's own recognition of her fame and the multifaceted interpretations of it by police, press, and the public make for fascinating reading. Her duel persona as the aspiring flapper and expectant mother who joins her husband on holdups to make ends meet makes for one of the more compelling crime stories of the Jazz Age. Her later life, concealing her criminal past while raising her sons who knew nothing of it, presents a striking contrast to the young lady bandit who publicly gloried in her exploits. The photos are equally intriguing and belie the image of the dangerous gunwoman, especially when tiny, harmless-looking Celia is standing alongside husband Ed. And there are plenty of absolutely classic old crime cartoons from New York newspapers. Alternately funny, shocking, touching, and harrowing, this is one of the best historical crime books I've read in a while.

The Bobbed Haired Bandit by Stephen Duncombe and Andrew Mattson tells the story of Celia and Ed Cooney in 1920s New York. Newlyweds and newly pregnant, Ed and Celia decide to rob some convenience stores to try and make a better life for themselves. Because Celia has bobbed hair, flapper style, the story of their robberies quickly grab the attention of the newspapers and soon the police. The Cooneys find that the stolen money doesn't last long and after a succession of several small hold-ups, flee to Florida only to be captured shortly after the death of their newborn daughter. The authors spend a great deal of time in the beginning of the book discussing the sociological implications of Celia's celebrity, but they can't seem to decide on what exactly the public's obsession with her meant. Much ink is also given to the personal histories of the cops chasing them, but they detract from the real story of Celia. Perhaps one of the most captivating details is that Celia's sons didn't find out about their mother until she had passed away. Celia Cooney was a woman of mystery to the papers in the 1920s and remained one in her life, even to her family. Now there's a story.

The 1920s was a decade when few major metropolitan newspapers didn't have National Enquirer style headlines every day. Renegade women were a fixture in these potboiler stories: Katherine Malm, a.k.a. the "Tiger Woman" and lethal flapper Wanda Stopa titillated Chicagoans, and in New York, a tough little laundress named Celia Cooney was determined to burst through the economic barrier between the Haves and the Have-Nots.

Stephen Duncombe and Andrew Mattson have written the type of book I love: an intelligent re-examination of a now-forgotten media sensation. Celia Cooney and her husband, Ed, embarked on a brazen robbery spree after money worries galvanized them out of anxiety and into action. That's the simplified version. Seen from a broader perspective, the Cooneys' crimes provided an impetus for politicians and the public to argue their views on touchy political and social issues, such as consumerism, attitudes toward the poor, and women's liberation. While telling the story of Ed and Celia Cooney, Duncombe and Mattson also expose the ambivalent feelings that the New York public of the 1920s had toward social progress and change.

The authors did an especially good job of capturing Celia's spunky personality, and showing how it kept her spirits up from her degraded childhood right into her feisty old age. Well done.

This book is a historically accurate, compassionate and insightful look at a fascinating couple who committed robberies in 1923-24. She was pregnant and fashionable and he was the mastermind. Together, they set both the Police Department and the population of NYC on their ears. They were fast, gutsy and a little desperate.

The real story to me is one of triumph over adversity. Not only did "the Bandit" overcome a tragic childhood to become a strong, compassionate, fiercely loyal and independent woman, but she became a tax-paying, law-abiding citizen after her jail time. After her husband's death, she raised two boys on her own through the Depression and World War 2. She is a wonderful example of how it is possible to move past our negative histories and ethical blunders.

I should know - she was my grandmother.

I really recomend this book because it talks about Latina women including famous women who are Dominican, Puerto Rican, Mexican and from other Latin American countries.
This book includes famouse female Latina singers like Selena. I learned a lot about her, that she was born in 1971 and died in 1995. She had one brother and one sister. Selena had sold more than 35,000 CD'S before her unfortunate death.
This book has 11 chapters and 13 women are featured in each chapter. This book explains when the women were born and when they died and what they accomplished in their lives.
Another woman I will like to talk about is Julia Alvarez. She is a great Dominican writer. Alvarez won the 2002 Nebraska Book Award for ''Before We Were Free.'' Also Mrs. Alvarez wrote the book ''In the Time of the Butterflies'' to remember the real life murder of the Three Mirabals sisters who were assassinated for the opposition of the dictator Rafael Trujillo.
If you want to know more information about Selena, Julia Alvarez and other Latina women read ''The Book of Latina Women.''
I really recommened this book for anyone ages 10 and up.
This book meant a lot to me because it talks about women from my culture and my friends' cultures. It is also important for us to learn about successful women from many cultures. You can be someone like the Latina women from your culture;
these women are good role models for all of us.
Shaina

Sylvia Mendoza reminds us that Latinas are smart, savvy, and powerful. The Book of Latina Women is a must-read book for young Latinas, young Latinos, and everyone looking for inspiration.

For so long women's accomplishments in society have been overlooked. This book does a marvelous job of detailing the many great contributions of women, and in particular, of Latina women. For any Latina and her daughters, this is an inspirational book that shows just how far you can reach!!

Concise enough to be a reference guide, yet meaty enough I coudln't put it down, Sylvia Mendoza's choice of Latina women and the material she selects to highlight for each, make a compelling read. From Malinche (my favorite) to Selena, we learn who and what drove the lives, passions and successes of these amazing, but often overlooked women. From trailblazers to entertainers, doctors to activists and leaders, the glimpses into their lives educate and inspire. I'd love to read the same delightful sweep of 150 Latina men, 150 Black women, etc., etc.
This informative and entertaining and charming book is a must for EVERY library: town, school or home!

I am writing to say how entertaining this new book features such Latin superstars like
Vikki Carr, Gloria Estafan, and Selena. It is time we salute such great woman, and special thanks to Grammy superstar Vikki Carr for making Latin music popular here in the US. No one has done more to promote the culture in the US marketplace! I am very proud to see that the website that Vito Cifaldi and Daniel Maglione maintain, www.VikkiCarr.net is credited in this new book as well., and finally get credit for all their work.
Vikki, there's no other site that has brought so many of us fans together, we know you are proud of them and the world is proud of you! Everyone needs to stand and give Sylvia a standing ovation for giving us such an entertaining book to read. Thanks Sylvia
Gregory LA.

Touch therapy is the oldest and finest modality of healing on this planet. It treats the cause of an illness. This is one book that should remain on the market especially now with Reiki and Touch Therapy being used by more and more professionals, even in hospital settings. Patients should have the opportunity to understand that there is real hope, not traditional hopelessness. I am thankful that Ruth Montgomery wrote Born to Heal. I have been using this approach for 25 years and I have seen what it can do.

This is a fascinating story about the use of life energy!
Other recommended reading: Time To Heal by Linda Pynaker - this story will show you how you, too, can share healing energy!

I first got my hands on this book years and years ago. It was powerful then, and remainds one of the most awe inspiring books I have ever read! The medical profession, and scientific field will someday acknowledge Mr.A and the life energy's power to heal.

Previous reviewers have emphasized Mr. A's actual healing, a great thing, indeed. I was rather intrigued by his life philosophy, given at the end of the book.

For example: "The highest universal wealth is to be contented and to be at peace within yourself."

"...the more wisdom one has, the easier life is, because what people understand they do not fear."

"Wisdom can be dampened and distorted by education."

Tell me about it. I have a doctorate in psychology from a recognized graduate school, but wisdom? Well, I was wise enough to read this book, I guess that's something.

Mr. A tells the author, "We must reach for the higher and give to the lower, according to our level of wisdom...If everyone were doing this, people wouldn't be impairing their health by trying to outmaneuver each other on the present monetary basis...this would keep the human cycle closer to the natural cycles of the universe."

Wow! Have you ever heard anything so full of truth?

You could meditate on this your entire life, better yet act on it. I could, too.

Thank you Mr. A and thank you Ms. Montgomery for helping me in this way.

Diximus.

Ruth Montgomery chronicles the remarkable healing work of Bill Gray, the "Mr. A" of "Born to Heal". Numerous healers throughout the United States are now trying to replicate this important work. A center for those studying the work of Bill Gray can be found at www.pathwaysforhealing.com. It is well worth checking out. You might even be able find an actual photograph of "Mr. A."

Good story telling. Keeps pulling you through the pages. What's next, Benson??

History is one of my hobbies. When I read that this book combined history with fiction, it was a must read for me. It was very easy reading and much fun seeing how the war shaped the lives of the "Bottom Five". I hope the authors come out with another book in the near future. Teens, as well as adults, would enjoy it very much. I plan to pass it on to my step-granddaughter. She is an avid history buff like me. Scanlon in Sarasota, FL

I have read the book three times. It is interesting how the author has woven actual facts into the story line. I found it a very timely topic at this time, with so many of our men and women in military service. These gallant young soldiers do make a difference in war time. The characters are believable, and the dialogue and English humor are delightful. I wouldn't be surprised to see this story on the silver screen.

A timeless cluster of stories set amidst WW I.
This is a super first novel for these authors.
I hope it will not be their last.
This story is full of action, suspense and human interest.
War stories can be dull, this is anything but. There are visions of the English Empire that are most timely right now as America toys with its own version of empire.
No, this isn't a message book it is just a fun read.
Enjoy!!!

I loved the characters in this novel and the great British humor. In addition to that, the storyline was well-plotted, and it held my interest throughout. I'm a history buff, and I found it entertaining as well as informative to see how the author wove historical facts into the book. I learned some things I didn't know -- for example that the British Royal Family changed their name to Windsor during World War I because of their German heritage. I thought the author evoked the period very well and showed it's relevance to today's world. I loved the characters' interaction with Winston Churchill and the beginning of the intelligence services, as well as the romantic mystery that played throughout. I highly recommend it.

Jan's books are a pleasure to read. You can enjoy reading them a few moments here and there, and they will keep you smiling. This book is full of common sense ways to meet life's challenges. There are many practical tips to survive the hard times, keep your grace about you and live through the rough spots--your humor will keep your friends wanting to be there for you and likewise they'll want you there for them in their times of need. I love Jan's appraoch to everyday life and her reminders to keep things in perspective with a smile.

Just finished this book and loved it. It is in layman's terms, easy to understand. Jan's approach to long life makes sense--eat carefully, positive attitude, exercise and avoid stress. Any cancer survivor will appreciate her humour, candor, and advice. A great gift for someone going through kemotherapy.
Can't wait for her next book!!!! Karyn

This book is a delight. Jan looks straight into some heavy issues, takes a deep breath, and bounces right back with good advice, great humor and an 'is that all you got?!?' attitude. Her honesty about her experience and her life's challenges really help me look at what I am going through with less tunnel vision. I highly recommend this book.

Jan King,

Thank you for writing such an inspirational book!
BOUNCING BACK has helped me understand and deal with some issues I am having in my life! Your feedbacks were great and really helpful to me.
Thank you very much and please keep writing books like this to help people like me heal with more ease things we go through in our lives!

Marcella Freire (San Diego, CA)

Jan King's writing is so uplifting. It's so helpful to have a cheerful voice from someone who has conquered some of life's most difficult challenges. The belly laughs from how funny Jan is are great too. I really needed a good laugh!! I am so grateful that a friend gave me a copy of this book, it was just what the doctor ordered. No matter what troubles you are confronting, the advice in this book will help you handle your tough choices with grace. :)

Martin Lindstrom is the new, young, energetic marketing guru that the world has been waiting for. Fabulous information. Infectious energy. Saw him recently on Bloomberg Television -- he looks like a kid himself but has thoughtfulness and brillliance way beyond his years. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

This book is inspired. And it's not just for 'ad-folk', but anyone who appreciates how much influence kids has on the future of branding. The message in BRANDchild is super-powerful. Just see how beautifully the examples in this book elucidate the idea, taking it beyond ideology to reality backed by tons of data and research. If you want a how-to manual on the future of kid's communication, you've found it. If you're anywhere near business, you'd better wake up and listen to Lindstrom's advice in BRANDchild.

This is an excellent book about marketing to children. Based on extensive research into the attitudes, perceptions, emotions and preferences of children around the world, it tells you in no uncertain terms how to target one of the biggest and most influential consumer populations on earth. Children between the ages of 8 and 14, dubbed "tweens" ("tweenagers") by the authors, are a curious group. They are also a lonely, insecure group with an engaging mix of naiveté and sophistication. Devilishly hard to capture, they are a rich economic prize, controlling an enormous amount of money of their own, and strongly influencing their families' purchases, even of major appliances. This book shows you what matters to these kids and what false notes to avoid if you want to tap into their buying power. We acknowledge that some readers may be uncomfortable with such tactics as setting up a web site that pretends to belong to a friendly child in order to attract kids and start buzz about some brand, but the book's reporting is accurate, practical and forward looking, for good or ill.

This book is the secret weapon for anyone who markets to kids or wants to. Lindstrom manages to make the subject entertaining and engaging while teaching you a pile of indispensible techniques to capture a kid's heart.

Not only does the book teach you how to market products better, it gets you thinking different. Suddenly, you're developing products and strategies with kids in mind, and you understand why certain products are big hits with kids.

Another funny thing about this book...it helps you to understand kids better. For readers with their own kids, this could be the greates value of all.

Martin Lindstrom does a great job letting the reader know that the root of success when communicating with kids is understanding kids, their lives, dreams and hopes. He not only analyzes data from 7 countries, but includes his own experiences with working with kids and with kids related brands. He is able to get his point across without being boring, looking at the subject form different angles.
I also checked out the MartinLindstrom.com site. I think it is a great site, with tons of brand info related to kids and general brand trends. Well done!

Like little snippets of life, Walton's short gems capture the soul of a situation and tell the reader all he or she really needs to know about the characters and the situation. Each two to five page story in Buddha in a Tea Cup is a tiny world unto itself, and each presents characters during a small moment of epiphany.
Like sitting in a park, quietly observing the lives that pass you by, reading this book allows one a peek into the human condition as played out in individual daily dramas, and to catch these ordinary people at a time when they look up for a moment, and realize something basic about their lives.

With an economy of words, Todd Walton paints these little scenes, without preaching or driving home his point with a hammer. Like a Zen Buddhist meal, these stories leave you satisfied, but not gorged.

Meade Fischer

The middle path - the path between total indulgence and total denial in order to find peace in life, one of the central themes of Buddhism. "Buddha in a Teacup: Tales of Enlightenment" is a compilation of over forty short stories each focusing on an aspect of the Buddhist dharma, the teachings emphasized by the Buddha. Stories humorous, erotic, mysterious, and sad alike all bound by common themes of mindfulness, love, patience, and other important themes to Buddhists. One doesn't have to be a Buddhist to enjoy "Buddha in a Teacup: Tales of Enlightenment", as it was written in a way to be appreciated by even secular readers. Highly recommended to short story collections and Buddhist studies shelves.

Have read all of Todd Walton's novels. All wonderful reads. BUDDHA IN A TEACUP, comprised of many short stories with a Buddist bent, is another great read from a talented writer! I am a reader who doesn't usually choose to read short stories but since it is a Walton book, I bought it and was delighted with each story. I'd love to read more about many of these characters. Some of the them I recognized from other of his reads which made it even more fun (to think I was 'in' the know somehow). In any case, this would make a great gift for anyone who loves to read....loves real character studies, even in a short story format. Bravo, Mr. Walton. And I would suggest to anyone who reads this that they get hold of (ie: buy) more of his books for many hours of fabulous entertainment!

I don't really like short stories for the most part. Most end when I've invested in the characters and want more than the story has delivered. These sketches move past quickly and, like traditional Buddhist stories, are deceptively simple. Then they end at an unexpected moment. The point often has slipped past me until I slow down, reflect on it for a while and use my own life experiences to find what is beneath the surface. The stories have a wonderful way of drawing me in as a partner in finding the meaning of life and love in the depth of simplicity.

It is a beautiful, rich red cover with lean gold lettering; it looks like a gift already wrapped. Inside, a tidy font and very spare design give it a thoughtful, aesthetic look. Like the design, the content has been whittled to the bone and is reminscent of an earlier English language Buddhism classic, "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones." Both are collections of stories exemplifying Buddhist principles otherwise hard for most westerners to grasp. Walton showed masterful editing: nothing wasted, everything with purpose, Each chapter I read I thought to myself, "This is my favorite," then I reached the subsequent chapter and felt the same. The stories are like little lights that go on, illuminating the path of Buddha's teachings, exactly as one would hope. A charming, provocative read.