California Books

I order 10-15 of these books at a time because they are great to give as gifts. This book is great for any childs self-esteem. I believe every child should own this book to understand that everyone might be different but everyone is special. We read it at night at least once a week.

This book is guaranteed to make a child feel like they are special. This is good for the shy child, the insecure child, and even the bully child. This is in fact good for all children no matter who they are. It shows how unique and special each child is.

Bought this for a 3 year old grandson's birthday. Read it to him .... and his siblings ... over and over and over and not a single one of us has yet tired of hearing it. Every child needs to acknowledge and celebrate his own uniqueness.

This book is AMAZINGLY poetic and as a new Mom brought a tear to my eye and butterflies in my heart....I recommend this to anyone who is proud of their children, and proud to be a parent!

I wish that this book was on a mandatory reading list to all school children!!! It not only sends a GREAT message to anyone reading it, it's fun...the rhyming...the illistration...it's definately a MUST HAVE for any child! I love it so much that I brought it to work and read it outloud to all the moms and grandma's in my office! BRAVO Ms. Richmond!!!

This is a well written little starter book for someone who doesn't know much about music. Nice CD as well. I liked it enough to buy another copy to send to someone else who was a beginner. She liked it as well as I did.

I know that there is a fair amount of dislike amongst certain more "snobby" musicians who frequent certain discussion boards regarding Melbay's music books. Quite simply, I would say to ignore them when it comes to this book as they have no idea what they are talking about. This is a great beginner's quide. I play a few musical instruments, but the Appalachian dulcimer is the first one which I attempted to play without 1:1 lessons. The book is very easy for individuals to follow and, if they follow everything the author says, they will eventually learn to play like a pro. It's a great guide. I would definitely recommend getting it, however, with the DVD.

This is a wonderful book / CD / DVD! As a complete musical idiot, I thought I would never be able to learn an instrument. I've picked up so-called beginner's books before. They usually start with the premise that you can fluently sight read musical notation. This book is truly for the beginner! The companion DVD is extremely valuable as Madeline walks you through the basics of playing the mountain dulcimer.

This is a great book for beginners. You do not need to be able to read music to enjoy learning to play the dulcimer with this book (there is also a DVD that goes with the book so you can physically see how she is playing). It has a ton of standard tunes and takes you though a few modes. I would suggest actually learning the notes and not relying on the tablature forever, but what can I say, I am a musician and I like people to expand their musical boundaries. This book is a good start.

This is a good beginner's book that covers all the basics and gets you started on the dulcimer, especially if you don't have a teacher. However, it quickly goes beyond the beginner's stage and discusses more complicated concepts like playing in different keys. A true beginner will want more songs at the easy level to play before getting into the more complex material in this book.

The CD and DVD that go with the book are very helpful as other reviewers have said. These are included in the new version of the book. If you look closely on the front cover image, you will see it says DVD included. So there is no need to purchase it separately. The quality of the image on the DVD, which is blurry and appears to be much copied, is why I am giving this teach yourself method book set four stars instead of five.

Try the newest publication at ISBN 1564148599 either through Amazon.com or Amazon.ca -- www.tarotreader.ca

This is the best book I have ever seen on this TYPE of subject. Studying astrology, numerology, cards, fung shui, etc., most books leave you with the feeling that after about 47 more books of the same type, you might start getting to the meat of the subject. Not these. This two-volume set tells you everything, from the ground up. There is no colorful formatting that the info. has to fit into, no little gimmicks to make it interesting. Goodwin is a graduate of MIT, and this book looks more like a textbook -- one fitting the serious student of numerology. But the book is still readable; this book is VERY thorough, but NOT AT ALL complicated. No other texts will be necessary for a lifetime understanding of how to use numerology.

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This book is one of a two volume set. I highly recommend that one buys both. However, if you can only buy one the volume 1 is a must but save up for this volume since it completes the subject.


Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 2) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I had used this book and its accompanying Volume 1 since the 1980's. For you trying to decide whether to purchase this, my nearly 20 years of experience with this volume is not as effective as my pointing to solid facts:
My grandmother is in her 90's so she has had a lot of life lived to this point. I could take her chart, from following the directions in this book, and match it chronologically to major milestones in her life.
One such example is that her year 1961 change from 6's and 2's to straight 1's. For the novice, 6's are love and balance traits, 2's are teamwork traits, 1's are independence traits. So what happened in 1961 you might ask... Her loving companion and husband, my grandfather died shy of turning 52. She has been single ever since.
I could named hundreds of examples from calculating life readings from this book, but this is simple example to which all can relate.
I highly recommend this book and, if you can get it, Volume 1 is must have! Matthew Goodwin truly has made some very valuable tools with his two volume on Numerology.


Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 1) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I cannot emphasize how strongly I feel that this book can help you in life.
I am an IT professional by trade and I am an Intuitive Counselor in my spare time. I use the knowledge gleened from this book daily.
You're still not impressed? I have been using this book's information since the 1980's when I first discovered this. I did life calculations on all of my close family and friends. I was amazed. This was better than any astology chart ever made for them. ACCURATE and USEFUL!
As a parent, I have saved myself some anguish by guiding my children into their strengths rather than fighting them into a weakness. An example is I have a child with strong 7's and no 3's. (7's are analytical and 3's are creative) She excells at geology and gardening and all things nature bound but cried after a couple of months in music lessons. She was better in music after having her relate the notes to mathmatical function so that she could "figure" them out.
You can tell if your boss is a team player by the location of his "2" traits. (2's being teamwork tendencies)
I could go on and on but you are probably reading this to determine if you should purchase or even just read this volume. THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL LIFE'S PATHS.
This volume cover the general gifts you have received based on the name you were given and then use and your birthdate. It can show you how you change when you have a name change (i.e., a woman marries and takes her husband's name or John calls himself Skip in certain situations).
If you would like to plot your life out similar to an astrological life reading, you will need volume 2 by Matthew Goodwin.

The best book on numerology by far.You will need volume 1 and 2 to put it together. This should not be your first book as it is so good and technical that you should have some knowledge prior to commencement.Just great.

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This book is one of a two volume set. I highly recommend that one buys both. However, if you can only buy one the volume 1 is a must.

Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 1) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I cannot emphasize how strongly I feel that this book can help you in life.
I am an IT professional by trade and I am an Intuitive Counselor in my spare time. I use the knowledge gleened from this book daily.
You're still not impressed? I have been using this book's information since the 1980's when I first discovered this. I did life calculations on all of my close family and friends. I was amazed. This was better than any astology chart ever made for them. ACCURATE and USEFUL!
As a parent, I have saved myself some anguish by guiding my children into their strengths rather than fighting them into a weakness. An example is I have a child with strong 7's and no 3's. (7's are analytical and 3's are creative) She excells at geology and gardening and all things nature bound but cried after a couple of months in music lessons. She was better in music after having her relate the notes to mathmatical function so that she could "figure" them out.
You can tell if your boss is a team player by the location of his "2" traits. (2's being teamwork tendencies)
I could go on and on but you are probably reading this to determine if you should purchase or even just read this volume. THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL LIFE'S PATHS.
This volume cover the general gifts you have received based on the name you were given and then use and your birthdate. It can show you how you change when you have a name change (i.e., a woman marries and takes her husband's name or John calls himself Skip in certain situations).
If you would like to plot your life out similar to an astrological life reading, you will need volume 2 by Matthew Goodwin.

Numerology : The Complete Guide (Volume 2) by Matthew O. Goodwin

I had used this book and its accompanying Volume 1 since the 1980's. For you trying to decide whether to purchase this, my nearly 20 years of experience with this volume is not as effective as my pointing to solid facts:
My grandmother is in her 90's so she has had a lot of life lived to this point. I could take her chart, from following the directions in this book, and match it chronologically to major milestones in her life.
One such example is that her year 1961 change from 6's and 2's to straight 1's. For the novice, 6's are love and balance traits, 2's are teamwork traits, 1's are independence traits. So what happened in 1961 you might ask... Her loving companion and husband, my grandfather died shy of turning 52. She has been single ever since.
I could named hundreds of examples from calculating life readings from this book, but this is simple example to which all can relate.
I highly recommend this book and, if you can get it, Volume 1 is must have! Matthew Goodwin truly has made some very valuable tools with his two volume on Numerology.

Glatzer has an exceptional talent. She has writing experience that smacks you in the face with its authenticity. She says, "Writers block is really more a case of opportunity knocking and you having your radio tuned up too loudly to hear it." (p. 10) and then goes on to explain how you might benefit from the big WB.

Glatzers's book sets an example for writers because it is fresh, carefully crafted, and entertaining. There are, to be sure, other books that address writer's block but this one is far more fun and less dogmatic than most. These are the fraternal twins that let this volume fill a much-needed niche in advice books for writers.
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Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. ...

If you've ever found yourself staring at a blank page all day, or doing mundane chores over again just to avoid that lost feeling, then you've experienced writer's block. And Jenna Glatzer says, "That's good news - it means you're a writer!" Even highly successful writers can't avoid this problem, it's like failure, it happens and we learn from it. What's more important, is that you learn how to manage it.

I believe all writers should now celebrate, because Jenna has written a humorous and practical guide that is chock full of tricks of the trade, versatile tools, and writer's block busting exercises that tackle this problem from all angles.

It's worth more than a quick read, I plan to keep my copy close by so I can refer to it when those 'moments' happen, and more importantly, I consider most of her strategies to be a proactive way to increase my creativity and amount that I write.

I interviewed Jenna Glatzer on "The Inside Success Show" and was captivated by her charm and wit. She's dedicated and a great example of how to proactively manage problems, not just hide from them.

Here's some other things I learned from Jenna:
** How Jenna Glatzer went from art to acting, and then finally found her creative outlet in a professional writing career!
** What determines when an idea isn't going to work (in advance)
** Why you need to rid yourself of myths and rules to write well.
** How to apply relaxation techniques to get back into "the flow"

** What 3 things you can do optimize your performance as a writer
** And much, much more ...

Whether you're a professional writer needing to jump-start your creativity, a college student needing to meet your deadlines, or a business person who needs to increase output, I believe you will find this book rewarding.

Randy (Dr. Proactive) Gilbert, Host of The Inside Success Show (TheInsideSuccessShow.com) and best-selling author of "Success Bound"

I'm buying a copy for each of my clients for Christmas. It helped me break out of the block, so I know first hand that this is a gem to share! Editors: I suggest you do the same for your clients!

The heroine waits for you to guide her through the perilous, emotionally charged journey upon which you have started her. Nothing! Absolutely nothing comes to mind. You are as blank as the page that stares back at you. Deadlines loom overhead and time just keeps on ticking by. Crossing your fingers, you begin to pick up where you left off. It's just that simple, right? Wrong - you stop as suddenly as you start. Nothing! Perhaps you should do something else to take your mind off of everything for a few minutes. Suddenly you remember the last time you took "a little break" but it took you weeks to get started again. Where is she? Where is the muse that helped you get this far? Abandoned now, alone with the blank pages, panic sets in as you realize that you have it. You have caught that dreaded writer's disease. You have writer's block. What do you do now?

Just grab a copy of Jenna Glatzer's OUTWITTING WRITER' S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN. As an experienced, published writer, Glatzer understands the frustration of having a blank page glare at you. Not only does she understand the frustrations that plague a writer, she has developed a comprehensive and easy to follow guide that offers a multitude of ways to combat the enemies of the creative process.

Glazter wants the writer to understand that a block is nothing to panic about. She considers it an occupational hazard that even the greats have to conquer. Glatzer lets the writer know that hope is not lost when the page continues to remain blank because there are many effective ways of slaying the beast. In each chapter the writer is encouraged to stay one step ahead of the game by examining reasons why writer's block may rear its ugly head. Exploring the psychological causes of a block such as anxiety, self-doubt, along with unreasonable expectations, Glatzer engages the writer to battle the enemy within first. Included with each chapter are creative writing prompts to help get the creative juices flowing once more.

OUTWITTING WRITER'S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN is a witty and inspiring way of tackling troublesome roadblocks writers are sure to encounter. From exposing the psychological reasons behind roadblocks to effective ways of eradicating these problems, Glatzer offers encouraging and motivating words to help the writer to write. So whether you are just a novice looking to get that first manuscript completed or an established veteran who needs a little encouragement this is one book no writer should be without.

Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Glatzer's entertaining writing style not only pokes fun at the dreaded "writer's block," but offers advice on other writing topics such as: how to find ideas, how to handle self-doubt and deadlines. Through her clever use of humor and seasoned with personal and other writing anecdotes, she demystifies and offers excellent advice on how to outwit this bane of writers everywhere.

For example, under a section entitled "Where to Get Ideas," Glatzer writes: "Another myth is that great ideas are supposed to just come to writers. Like we're all just walking around, minding our own business when wham! A great idea falls out of the heavens and lands in our brains. I, on the other hand, am idea-challenged. The idea fairy rarely visits my home without my asking. I have to invite her, cajole her, and then sometimes bang her over the head with a stick and drag her unconscious body into my abode without my neighbors calling the police. My muse is my mortgage."

Her book, her advice and her writing style will inspire writers everywhere not to give up -- no matter what. Her book is also one that writers will return to again and again if not for advice and support then for a great pick-me-up when the writing gets tough.

Like the reviewer (below) from 1999, I read this in grade school back in the 1960's. A friend recently asked me why I became a writer and reader. I cited this book. Then I ordered a used copy and read it again a week ago. My 15-year-old daughter read it too -- pretty much in one sitting. This is a captivating story. The main character is very resourceful and a tremendous relationship develops between "Steve" and a coyote on the island. The writing isn't spectacular; it's a little bit of "Steve did this and then Steve did that." But the story is an inexorable tug of survival and man versus nature in all forms. Highly recommended for pre-teens and young teens looking for a bit of adventure.

I first read this book when I was ten or eleven years old, about 25 years ago. It made quite an impression on me, and I clearly remember checking it out of the library again and again so that I could re-read it. I wanted to fly planes more than anything at that time, so this story of a young pilot stranded alone on a desert island hooked me from the start, and there were times that I actually wished that I would find myself in the same situation, just to see if I could match his ingenuity. That never did happen - well, it hasn't yet - which is probably for the best, but this book still ranks as one of my all-time favorites. I'm now looking for it for my son, and I'm certain I'll read it again myself as well.

i thought this was the best book ever and i dont like to read much but i couldnt put this book down the author did a wonderful job. this is sorta like your tipical book about someone who is stranded on an island but then again it is so greatkind boring in the begining but after that its great.

This book is just like any other survival story you see out there. There is always a guy who crashes on an island, finds a friend, and then somehow gets off the island. For it to be a good book, it has to have some type of twist to it.

I also read the book in elementary school and now 6 years later, it is still amazing. It is one of my favorite books. It is a great story and I would recommend this to someone looking for a good book.

This book brought to mind the words of our Savior "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." The power to forgive comes not only in not holding a grudge but in also loving and wanting the best for those who have wronged us. With raw honesty, Evangelist Young shows that the true power to forgive comes from a loving relationship with God through the power of His Holy Spirit. More than that, however, it is a poignant revelation that God's desire is for all of us to love as He loves and to live victoriously through Him. This is an honest, reflective look at a victorious life in the Spirit. It is a balm for those who have been hurt. This is not about an incident but a journey to the release that comes through loving and forgiving through the power of the Holy Spirit. Evangelist Young has given a powerful testimony filled with insight into the Word. This inspirational work points to the purpose God has for each of us and the confidence we can have in the power to overcome anything through the Him. I couldn't put it down and wait anxiously for the next work.

The Power of Forgiveness demonstrates that using forgiveness and putting other's needs above your own can provide self-growth. John gives no illusion that forgiving someone is an easy task, but lets the reader know that it can be done. He shows that with God's help, we can be subjected to horrible things and yet live through them with dignity and a greater sense of wisdom and maturity. This book has a unique approach in the fact that by forgiving his wife, John gave his children a chance for a more confident future without being burdened by having to choose one parent over the other. This book speaks of using one's strengths and inward capabilities to overcome obstacles in life.

This book was written with much careful thought and planning. It shows that even a man of God can go through trials and tribulations and come out as pure gold. I wish that everyone would read this book so that we can have power from God to forgive. Roman 12:21 says "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." I'm glad that I read the book. It showed me that no matter what I go through, I should forgive. It helped me to learn that the person you love the most can hurt you, but to forgive them and move on. God has ordered John's steps with His Word. He will be blessed abundantly.

This is one book I could not put down. For many of us who
do not know how to forgive, cease to forgive, will not or have
not forgiven or has ask or never ask for forgiveness, forgave, and was forgiven- please read. With impact on the heart, mind, and soul- it introduces knowledge of self and self awareness from a individual to a "wholistic" perspective.

This is one book I could not put down. For people who cannot forgive, ceases to forgive, never ask for forgiveness, willing to forgive, has forgave, wants to forgive- please read. With an impact on your heart, mind and soul, it introduces knowledge of self and self awareness from a individual and wholistic perspective to forgive foe or friend.

I just read book 2, Bayou Savage, "The Ghost Wars" and picked up and finished this first book becasue I love these characters. I throughly enjoyed both books!!!! My opinion is that if Jeff Foxworthy wrote a ghost fighting action hero series, they would read like these book. The Razor character is my favorite....

I can safely say this is one of the coolest books I've ever read. Russell takes guitar playing to a new level in this thriller about a "Guitar Ghost Hunter" who battles ghosts with an Old Fender Guitar, and the legend and circumstances surrounding his life and death. If you like science-fiction that won't take you 6 years to finish reading, you'll love this book. Perfect for readers of all ages, and musicians in particular.

Imagination! The author can hardly harness all of the ideas that flow through this work. So innovative and creative that one never knows exactly what's going to happen. Once you think you have it figured out...bingo! - another plot twist. A marvelous new, fresh take on the "200-year-old man" concept. Musicians will love this book!! It's a page burner!

What a cool idea to have a ghost slaying guitar! The futuristic setting and the flashbacks to the 20th and early 21st Centuries are right on. I found myself trying to be a part of the whole story. The Savages are such real characters. Bayou trying to please his father and Razor, the ghost ass kicker, always ready for the challenge. The song references brought back many great memories and the humor throughout the book had me reading with a smile on my face. Hopefully, there will be more of the Savage family coming!

I loved this book. An original story that was fun to read. My imagination soared to new heights, stretching my mind. Intellectually and spiritually stimulating.

As readers, we expect many things from a good piece of historical fiction. "River of Souls" by Ivon Blum delivers on most of those expectations.

The subtitle, "A Novel of the American Myth", refers us to that subgenre that deals with the same 19th century West that Horace Greeley had in mind. The novel tells the story of a number of men (and one woman) seeking their fortune and/or deliverance in a rumored or dreamt new environment further west from wherever they began. Blum's selection of his main characters runs just slightly askew of the predictable: a Spanish-American cowboy, two mountain men (one American, the other French-Canadian), an escaped slave, and a coming-of-age girl cast out by her father. All of course have 24-karat hearts.

The author provides just enough nuance to keep these characters from becoming stereotypical. Less successfully drawn are subsidiary characters such as the manipulative banker and the evil sheriff. And don't look here (after a half-hearted attempt in the early chapters) for a sophisticated depiction of American Indians. But in this type of novel we expect history to play the major supporting roles, and in this respect Blum doesn't disappoint. The California Gold Rush, the progression of the Santa Fe Trail, and the nature of the New Mexico territory are prominently cast.

Blum doesn't necessarily deliver historical accuracy. What he does provide is its cousin -- a sense of believability. He has created a fictional universe that seems internally consistent and artfully rendered. It doesn't completely coincide with the myths of the West on which many of us were raised; instead and more importantly, he gives us a world which seems slightly more complicated and therefore considerably more convincing.

But he doesn't do this effortlessly. In his determination to create a novel voice of his own and unique dialects for his characters, the sweat sometimes shows through. Yet, instead of being annoyed, I found myself appreciative of the attempt.

As for the plot itself, it struck me as well-paced and adequately complex. Covering the years 1846 to 1853 and locales from Santa Fe to San Francisco, the chapters are short and forceful, advancing the story-line in mostly unexpected ways. Blum does not always seem in full control of his chronology, but he always manages to steer things back on course before losing the reader. A few story lines are left dangling and the book could use a map or two. But these are minor quibbles, and I'm confident most readers will finish "River of Souls" with satisfaction.

River of Souls transports the reader into the real southwest and uses this as a backdrop for exploring coming of age issues in a turbulent time. None of the western stereotypes exist, so when the reader connects with tangential facts and events, it seems all the more real and satisfying. The historical reality combined with the interpersonal intensity of the characters make this a surprisingly enjoyable read.

Ivon Blum did extensive research for this book, which shows, even while it's an entertaining read. The reason I titled my review as I did is that this book is about love. There's a lot of family love before we get into a romantic interest for Pedro (Pete) Cortez. When we do meet up with Becky, she has been brutalized and is almost dead. Once she regains consciousness, under Pete's care, she's a real little spitfire. Adventure abounds, with Black Hess being the most evil of all characters. Pete searches for and finds gold. A good read and a painless history lesson, take it from a woman and a retired librarian.

When I came across River of Souls, I thought, sure, another shoot 'em up instead of car crashes. Blum proved me wrong. His characters came alive in my mind and I began to care about each one. Of course, that Black Demon character felt more like a rattle snake slithering through the open door making me want to pick up my feet. The shifting scenes reminded me of what I knew of the gold fields but gave me so much more of the drama. If only the history text books could be so intense, I wouldn't be learning afresh now at my age. A robust romp through the Southwest that kept me turning the pages.

This is a man's type of story about very real men living raw outdoor life without apology. The author's vivid desciptions including all five senses made me miss the outdoors and tell us that the author has spent time there and understands the environment as well as the times.

This is for anyone who has ever fallen in love with this wonderful city, that is any who has ever, however briefly, been there.

The format is, as it is for all the "Then and Now" series to show vintage photographs paired with modern shots of the same view. The captions describe the scenes, giving short historical backgrounds. Anyone who has ever spent any time in the city will recognize some of the modern views and will probably find themselves interested in the vintage shots giving the history of the scene. Those who are planning a return visit just might want to slip this slim book into their luggage to take sightseeing. It also just might make a welcome reference for anyone reading about the old days in the City or watching an old film set there.

Lovely to look at and reasonably informative. Will be most enjoyed by fans of San Francisco. I can't see midwesterners enjoying this book. But if you live in or have visited the city by the bay this may be the book for you.

I received the book as a gift vut I would gladly paid for it.

This book is wonderful. A must have whether you live in the Bay Area or have visited here. Worth every penny.

These are a great series of books, I own each of my Favorite cities in the US. Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. It is really cool to see old pictures of the cities compared to current pictures.

I'm not using "conservative" in the current political sense, obviously. Everybody knows that John McCain has less than a snowball's chance in Gomorrah of winning in SF. I using the term conservative in its root meaning, something like "saving what was valued in the past." Preservation and conservation have the same Latin root. San Francisco has conserved more of its past than any western American city, and I could make a case, I think, for its preservation of more old-fashioned city life even than Boston or Savannah.

Except for the tiny downtown financial district, San Francisco "looks" old. The vast majority of houses, churches, and schools were built in late Victorian styles and have been lovingly restored in the same styles. Even the relatively "new" streets of the Sunset are old-fashioned now, predominantly in modest Art Deco style of the 30s and 40s. And it should be no surprise that ATT baseball park is a booking success, since it's strikingly old-style brick in construction, with a street car stop at the front gate.

San Francisco is a bastion of old-fashioned independent mom 'n pop businesses. There are thriving corner groceries and open-air once-a-week markets: independent restaurants ranging from very cheap to ultra expensive, but hardly any chain restaurants in the neighborhoods. The big chain grocery stores like Albertson's struggle to stay open in competition with locally owned stores like Andronico's, which has six stores around the whole Bay Area. There are more independent fitness centers and gyms in the neighborhoods; 24-hour fat farms are not the norm in SF. There are no malls that would be recognizable to most Americans in downtown or neighborhood San Francisco. The only malls - and very small they are by US norms - are on the suburban fringes.

Even Boston is cut up by freeways today, though the traffic is no better managed than when I lived there in the early '60s. Seattle is sliced in half by its ineeffective central freeway. San Francisco is the place that blocked freeway construction in the late '60s. Several freeways have been demolished in SF in the last ten years! Streets in SF are narrow and parking is tough, but a measure to build more parking lots was recently defeated at the polls, and any attempt to chop wider streets through SF would meet with armed resistance.

Baseball is the number one sport in SF. The fans of the football team pour in from the 'burbs to the hideous modernistic but crumbling stadium just at the edge of the city. The basketball team plays in Oakland. Any town where baseball rules has got to be considered conservative!

People in SF are conservative dressers, especially by California standards. I know women who live in LA, who carry clothes they consider drab to SF when they visit, so that they will not stick out like the inflamed rear view of a peacock's tail. One never sees "his and hers" outfits on the streets, especially not pastels. Men wear less bling per capita in SF than in Omaha. A neck chain and an open shirt would get you sneered out of polite society in SF.

Sweet old-fashioned window boxes are everywhere in SF. Street tree plantings are lovingly maintained. Open space is all-important to San Franciscans, and it's by stubborn resistance to development than SF has preserved more open space (finangling the take-over of decommissioned army, coast guard, and navy bases) than any comparably populated region of the USA. Nature is inherently conservative.

The half-mile strip of upper Haight Street, which gets the attention of the "screaming heads" on TV and radio, is not populated by San Franciscans. It's the runaway and stumble-away refuge of the discontented - the "poor abused confused missused" - of all the dysfunctional "conservative" families and communities from Modesto to Miami. They come to SF to enjoy the true conservative values of privacy, tolerance, and neighborhood friendliness.

Benerson Little, a former Navy SEAL, has written an excellent reference work on how piracy actually worked. In short, it's not anything like the mythical descriptions we get from cinema or novels.

The depth and breadth of his scholarship, as evidenced by this work, is highly commendable. He ranges from detailed descriptions/explorations of weapons and tactics to the dynamics of contracts, leadership, and organization. It was an excellent read and I particularly liked it since it provided me more insight into how warfare, outside the confines of most forms of legality or convention, is waged in a modern context.

For example: He details how a pirate crew is put together, from financing to recruitment to employment contracts (the articles) to financial compensation. To me, this was valuable since many of the financial dynamics he details are present in modern criminal economies, from the cyber crime of the Russian Business Network to the IED cell operating in Iraq.

Another example: Very precise examination of the armaments and ships used by pirates to ply their trade. Everything from the advantages of multi-shot and flintlocks to the efficacy of oars and canoes. For me, it was a very illuminating exploration of how weaponry can be altered to provide tactical advantages to an outnumbered and outgunned attacker.

So, if you are interested in finding out how pirates truly operated - or - you want to gain a more insight into 21st Century guerrilla warfare, this is the book for you. Buy it today, read it, and pass it on to a friend.

Final note: Benerson should be giving classes on this subject at Annapolis and West Point (I am sure he would be oversubscribed).

Hope this helps,

John Robb
Author of: Brave New War: The Next Stage of Terrorism and the End of Globalization

An excellent resource to understand the how-to of piracy. From firing a broadside to boarding, it gives the reader a handle on how the pirates were able to outfight and outsail their prey with smaller ships and sometimes fewer guns.

This book is not an easy read, but it's not intended to be. If you like histories of pirates or Colonial America, this is a vital reference.
The author details every aspect of the sea rover's life - ships, weapons, gear, even their compensation system.

Mr. Little is a retired US Navy SEAL officer and his experience shows, especially when discussing strategy and tactics.

The numerous appendices make this a work I'll refer to many times in the future.

If you want to know how pirates in the America's worked then this book is for you. If like me you have seen too many Hollywood movies this book is an eye-opener.

Piracy was a business. A pirate was a businessman and so any attack would be measured by a commercial cost/benefit analysis first. So it was done as cheaply as possible using commando methods. That is why it is good the writer having been a naval seal knows and understands these methods. Which he discusses well.

One doubt on this book I have is it discusses how a professional pirate would have done it, I am sure that many pirates were amateurish. A few people decide to go pirate take over a ship and learn on-the-job. This book only discusses the ideal tactics. Not how it was often done but how it was suppose to be done.

I also found it fascinating the discussions of the social structure of the ship. The pirate leader does not have a formal chain of command like the military caption have. He is in charge ultimately because the crew want him to be in charge. If he does not match up to the crews expectations he is out.

I hope the writer does a sequel on Muslim and Chinese pirates.

PS I even like the recipes at the end and am keen to try them out. I wonder if one of them the rum punch with lime was popular as it would stop scurvy. The medical benefits of citrus foods was known about this time although not proven till the late 1700s.

I would like to offer a little more balanced review of this book, which otherwise seems to only get rave endorsements.

First, the good part. This book indeed seems to be a scholarly study of all things related to sea rovers. It is funny at times and can be a good read.

However, being a novice in the area of sea faring and sailing I found it hard to understand and less of a satisfying or interesting read than it potentially could have been. It also is dry and heavy on factual statements, like a boring academic course, and low on anecdotes and entertainment. Other reviewers seem to imply that the book is based on personal pirate stories but references to these in the book are rarely more than passing half sentences. The book also lacks maps and illustrations, wich makes the material all the harder to understand, for anyone but sea rovers. Maybe I am not part of the intended audience, so this review is intended for the folks like me who don't have the required background, sea roving 101, or didn't intend to take a course on the subject.