California Books

I don't imagine anyone would ever call this a 'great literary masterpiece", but it was fun! That is what is so delightful about Jennifer Colt's books - they are fun! I love Terry and Kerry, identical twins who are anything but identical in personality, who are private investigators trying to scratch out a living in southern California. Jennifer Colt's writing puts me in mind of Sue Grafton with Kinsey Milhone - at times I laughed out loud reading this book.
It is a fun read and I enjoyed it so much I bought all of Ms Colt's other books about Terry and Kerry McAfee. Truly a lot of fun.

Another entertaining installment in the McAfee Twins mystery series. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the first. These books are too much fun!

If you like the genre of humorous mystery, you should also try the "In High Heels" series by Gemma Halliday.

> The red-headed twin PIs are at again. In a fast-paced, action-packed
> story, they manage to save a plane from terrorists and come off
> wearing bags over their heads to trying to keep their rich aunt and
> idler cousin from being charged with murder by an eager-beaver prosecutor.
>
> They look guilty to any and all when a headless corpse is found in one
> of aunt's rugs and the cousin turns up carrying the head but he can't
> remember how he got it. Involved in this messy situation are the
> denizens of the posh Malibu Canyon area. Will the girls be able to
> ferret out the killer or could they become his or her next victims.
>
> Add a cult of the rich and famous who believe in alien abduction to
> the tale and you have a tongue-in-cheek tale that will have you
> wanting to ride with the girls on your own pink Harley. The cast of
> fun characters includes producers who take advantage of starlets and
> those who want to join the movie star fraternity, trophy wives, cast
> off wives, and other members of filmdom's population, a cross section
> of that world that will have you laughing even as you consider the
> seriousness of the murder.
>
> A fun read that I'm pleased to recommend to any mystery fan who enjoys
> a lighthearted look at life in the fast lane. Beware the coke
> snorters and settle back for some enjoyable hours.
>
> Enjoy. I sure did.

After enjoying The Butcher of Beverly Hills so much, I couldn't wait to read this book. I hoped Colt wouldn't lose her touch, and she doesn't disappoint. She's a clever plotter and a pro at creating realistic dialogue and quirky characters. The fun starts immediately and never lets up, keeping you guessing the whole time. I look forward to The Vampire of Venice Beach, and hope that Colt has more Kerry and Terry adventures in store for her readers. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will find plenty to like here, but Colt has created an original series that can stand on its own merits. Skeptics might also enjoy the plot's zings at certain well-funded alien-centric Hollywood religions...

Double the fun! Twin sisters Kerry and Terry McAfee are PIs in Los Angeles. You can't miss them with their bright red hair and hot-pink Harley. They are a hoot!

Their rich aunt Reba finds a decapitated body in her new Malibu beach house. Detective John Boatright, the hunky detective Kerry is interested in, arrives to investigate. Then in walks their cousin Robert with a blonde-haired head in a mesh bag. He has no idea where he's been. Soon both Robert and Reba are confessing to the murder and end up in jail.

Terry and Kerry know they have to find the murderer to clear their cousin and aunt. In the process, they end up involved with Malibu movie producers, actors, cultists, and visitors from outer space. Can they sort through all the possible suspects and find the killer without putting themselves in danger and before Robert and Reba are convicted?

This series is fabulous. I just discovered it and can't wait to read the next book, The Vampire Of Venice Beach. There's also the first in the series, The Butcher Of Beverly Hills. I hope these girls will be around a long time. The writer has such great wit. I ended up laughing out loud many times from their antics. Kerry and Terry are quite different and that's what makes this work so well.

I highly recommend this book and series.

Randy Shilts's intricately researched biography of one of the greatest gay activists of all time, Harvey Milk, is not only a political biography, but a chronology of an entire political movement.
This is the second book I've read by Randy Shilts, the first being And the Band Played On. While there are certainly some differences between the two, Shilts's imaginative narrative writing is the same. The Mayor of Castro Street is proof positive that he [the author] can turn even the most mundane of political machinations into high drama.
Starting out when Harvey Milk was growing up in Woodmere, New York, the book traces his life from there. From his high school athletic career, to his college years, his time with the Navy, and his Manhattan years. When Harvey makes the move from New York to San Francisco, the book changes pace, and a gay political hero is born. The book is filled with snippets of his speeches, and in the back appendices, the eloquent words of Harvey Milk come alive, as some of his more famous speeches are reprinted there.
At a solid 380 pages (including appendices and sources) the book never drags. Everything appears to be cause and effect, which makes for some white-knuckle reading even if the reader is already familiar with the budding gay movement, Harvey Milk's participation in it, and the untimely tragic assassination of he and Mayor George Moscone by a homophobic zealot.
I must admit, there were certain parts of this book that gave me chills: Harvey Milk's beautiful speeches, the candlelight vigils, the many marches, and the White Night Riots. The sheer epic proportions of it all can overwhelming.
However, epic or not, this remains the simple story of a man and his dream, vision, and hope for his gay brothers and sisters, and all of humanity.

Beyond the frank and up front story of the life of Harvey Milk, this book is an incredible source of information and understanding of the gay rights movement from before its beginning to after the death of Supervisor Milk. Easy to read, albeit long, it's definitely worth the effort. No matter your sexual orientation, this brings new light to an often misunderstood movement.

I read a lot of biographies and, while I love the genre, I'm often disappointed with the writing. This book, by the late Randy Shilts, is an exception. Shilts was a great writer, able to take a variety of facts and put them into readable passages (his "And the Band Played On" is another good example of this). Harvey Milk and the San Francisco of the 1970s come to life in this book. The tragedy of Milk's assassination and its aftermath are rendered in gripping detail.

In The Mayor of Castro Street, the late Randy Shilts paints a vivid picture, not only of the life of gay politician Harvey Milk, but of the fight for gay rights in 1970's San Francisco and the nation as a whole. After a description of the events immediately following Milk's death, Shilts begins the book with Milk's youth in New York City. He briefly describes Milk's years in New York, and spends the vast majority of the book on Milk's last five years in San Francisco. It was during his San Francisco years that Milk made his critical contributions to gay history, including encouraging the development of the Castro into a gay Mecca, and running for, and finally winning, elected office as an openly gay man in a time when most thought such things simply couldn't happen.

Shilts is a meticulous reporter. In his section on source material he details how he extensively interviewed Milk's former lovers, including Scott Smith and Joe Campbell. Many of the dialogues for the biography come directly from the personal diary of Michael Wong, a longtime Milk supporter. According to Shilts, dialogues with others who knew Milk virtually always corroborated those in Wong's diary. Shilts's history of the Castro area came from over one hundred interviews he conducted with area residents.

One of the best qualities of the biography is its astonishingly objective posture. Achieving something like objectivity is a tremendous challenge for the author of any modern-day history, and nowhere is this more true than in histories of the gay liberation movement. The living participants in that history inevitably portray it in a range of ways and often fight vigorously for placement of credit where they feel credit is due. Shilts allows those participants to speak for themselves, and focuses on telling the details of the story, rather than interpreting that story for the reader. It is this author's unique degree of commitment to researching and conveying all the details that allows him to present such an apparently unbiased account.

It is also Shilts's attention to detail that makes the book so tough to put down. It reads more like a novel than a history, and each segment leads into the next with a sense of a tremendous plot unfolding. In a style that would come to characterize his later books, such as And The Band Played On, as well as Conduct Unbecoming, Shilts manages to draw the reader into multiple stories of individuals that end in cliffhangers, only to be picked up again in a later chapter. It is these stories that make up the fabric of gay history in San Francisco and a portion of that larger tapestry called gay liberation.

Randy Shilts has taken great pains to present the man honestly, exploring his political and personal lives. The result is an illimunitating portrait of the Gay Rights champion, documenting his triumphs and ideals alongside his personal ambiguities and foibles. Milk's rise to power, as well as the city's rich gay history, are depicted with candor and clarity.

The assassinations are reported in graphic detail, as is the reaction of the people. Intial shock and grief turn to righteous indignation when, on May 21, 1979 White is convicted on two counts of "valuntary manslaughter" with a maximum sentence of seven years, eight months. The city explodes. Justice is thwarted. A martyr is born. Milk's murder galvanizes the Gay Community to stand up and take their rightful place in society. A great book.

I wish I had this book yrs ago when my husband was killed in Iraq 4 yrs ago. It's great. But it's geared to the widow within the first 2 yrs of her grief. But besides that, I still got alot out of book. I would recommand it to other military widows. We are in a different catoragory than other widows and this helps you find your way.

My husband was killed in Iraq last year. I found this book to be an excellent grief resource. It helped me to understand military grief a little better and showed me that the emotions I've been feeling are natural. I recommend this book for any military spouse and have even shared the book with my sister-in-law because I felt parts of it could apply to parents and siblings also.

This book is a true blessing for anyone who now has the unwanted title of being a military widow. When my husband was killed in a car accident 6 years ago, I became a military widow at the age of 24 and was left to raise our 2 1/2 month old son outside of the military life that we anticipated and were comfortable in. I began reading countless books about grief and widowhood, trying to find that what I felt was normal. However, there wasn't a book out there that addressed the special circumstances that surround being a military widow. This book addresses those additional issues with straightforward chapters and is full of countless "A-ha! I feel that way too!" moments whether one is reading it 6 days or 6 years after their husband's death. It is also a must read for those who love a military widow or who will be working with her as it can lead them to a greater understanding of what she is feeling. Whenever a military widow questions that she can survive, this book will assure her that she can and guide her through her journey. A job very, very well done!

This is, hands down, the most valuable resource for military widows and others who stand by as she walks down her new path of military widowhood. After my husband was killed four years ago I searched desperately for some sort of road map, some touchstone to let me know that I wasn't alone. This book answers that and many more unanswered questions for newer widows and those who have walked this road for years. I think that this is a must read for anyone and everyone who has any contact with military widowhood.

Military Widow: A Survival Guide shows tremendous insight into the challenges a young military widow experiences. I desperately needed this book when my husband, a Navy pilot, was killed in an A-6 crash. Joanne Steen and Regina Asaro give validity to the unspoken thoughts and feelings that many military widows go through. The book gives practical suggestions for dealing with difficult situations and contains great references to survive and manage the months and years after a traumatic loss. In addition to being an unmatched resource for widows, "Military Widow" is a must-read for her family and friends and a practical tool for the professionals working with her.

This book has shown me that average everyday people and people with amazing abilities can live their dreams. This is something i wish to achieve within myself. By reading this book and hearing how their passion bursting out within, I see the possiblities of a different life unfolding. Cheri Lutton lives what she preaches, thus making the book genuine and true.
I encourage anyone who fear living their dreams to read this book. You will find that living your truth is not so scary after all, and that many people around are doing jumping off that cliff with joy and inspiration.

WOW! I had such an incredable experience reading this book! There are times when I am feeling a little down or I am in some need of inspiration, and re-reading some of this book helps me to get back what I am lacking at times...courage and inspiration.

You cannot help but feel Cheri's constant enthusiasm. She seemlessly weaves together countless inspirational stories from all walks of life. Cheri has demonstrated a true gift to touch each and every one of her readers in a variety of ways by sharing with us the lives of relatively few.

For anyone that feels they are not as blessed as others then this book will change their mind. We are all courageous in our own way and Cheri helps us understand this by writing about famous people alongside unfamous people. Placing them side by side and admiring all of them for their perserverance, faith and courage. We tend to honor heroes for great big things like scoring the winning touchdown or winning the presidency, but we can also honor the single mother who struggles to feed her family or the person who pursues a dream through tough adversity. Put down that negative newspaper and pick up this book! It will help spread some goodness in this current climate of fear we have in the world today.

This book should be required reading for everyone! I loved the book so much I just ordered a copy for my mother. There are not enough words to properly explain the way this book leaves you feeling!!

I was delighted to come across this incredible book by Margaret Wyman. Having taught fourth grade in California for ten years, I thought I had a good understanding of the relationship between the native Americans and the Spanish. This indredible story of a Kumeyaay Indian woman, took me to new heights of understanding, and stirred emotions in me from compassion and sadness for the natives, to rage and disgust of the Spanish. The author does an exceptional job of bringing her characters to life. I literally could not put the book down as I raced to learn the fate of these intriguing characters. Margaret Wyman writes with passion and ingenuity. I highly recommend this fine book.

Besides telling the dirty truth, this book will keep you reading and biting your nails until the very end. (In fact, you will be asking "What's Next?") The book is that good!
Just remember that beyond the kind, decent, misguided and sometimes sordid characters, the story is historically accurate, even when the truth is frightening and shameful.

Margaret Wyman has written a compelling story about early California and its invasion by Spain and the Catholic church. Surprising twists and turns are followed through the intertwining of the lives of the natives, the Spanish soldiers, the Mexicans, and the "black robes". Good and Evil, sanity and madness, religious fervor and native beliefs are all portrayed in this novel.
I hope that her future titles will be as readable.

Mission: The Birth Of California, The Death Of A Nation is an historical novel set against the conquest of Southern California by the Spanish crown, set at the same era as when the United States was fighting for its independence. A brutal tale of the subjugation, forced religious conversion, enslavement, and massacre of California's native people seen through the eyes of a young woman who personally experiences the worst and most vicious of the conquistadors' treatment. A disturbing but highly recommended saga by Margaret Wyman, Mission accurately depicts the historical, genocidal impact that foreign settlement had on California's native population.

Margaret Wyman was blessed with the gift of story telling. She has the extraordinary talent of bringing her characters to life. I only wish I had the talent and eloqence to encourage you to read Mission. I found myself discussing Web with one of my friends as if I were reminiscing about my own sister. On daily walks along the trails of Lake Hodges I envision Web and feel her spirit as if she truly existed. Web's story has touched my soul and enlightened my view of Southern California history.

Arthur tells it like it was, Just try to survive, one day at a timr.

I enjoyed the book for the most part, although I did not agree with the author's attitude toward his service time, he seemed to be an officer that truly cared for his men and knew what was going on.

Wiknik's NAM SENSE is one of the best memoirs by a grunt, and I've read most of them. I was in Wiknik's battalion but did not know him. His sense of the absurdities in the Army as well as the real strains on a grunt in the field are more candid that most memoirs. I can vouch for the authenticity of the story on page 63 about the soldier hanging from the chopper by a rappelling rope ... it was my unit that was being inserted, and I can never forget the horror of that event. I would rate Wiknik's book among the best VN memoirs along with those of Brennan, Burns, Foley and O'Brien.

NAM SENSE ranks as one of the best books I've read about Vietnam from an combat infantryman's prespective. It is well laid out and Wiknik has put his thoughts and emotions in every sentence. This is a riflemans combat tour in a book and he's not shy about sharing his feelings with his to often incompetent leaders. As a "Shake N' Bake" warrior, I too know what he had to deal with from all avenues and can testify he did an excellent job.

Not every book engages me. Not every book makes me give up sleep in order to continue reading. Not all books begin at the beginning and end at the end, but this one does.

This author tells his story, giving life to his memories, making you feel as though the events he chronicles happened weeks not decades ago. He may have left things out for the sake of time, space or his own personal reason. But if there are holes in this history, I was unable to find them. The story is tight without being uptight. He doesn't pull any punches and is not shy in the least about speaking the truth as he sees it. This sometimes means a tough criticism of those who were his superior, our government and the American people. But who better to judge than someone who lived the story? He speaks from practical experience and some an incredible experience some of them were. They might even be hard to believe except for the fact that many that he relates are well documented by many other sources.

His entire book is very well laid out and gives you what I believe is a very clear picture of how a regular young man did some quite extraordinary things. Much of what he did, he feels was just what he should have been doing, trying to use his head to keep himself and others alive and whole, keeping his integrity and self respect intact, but if that was an easy task, then there can be no explanation why so many men were unable to do the same. The more logical explanation is that he may have been a down to earth young man, wanting not a lot more than to stay alive, but he was no regular guy. He was born to be a leader. Not the sort of leader than sits back and doesn't get involved. Not the sort that never knows what is going on but thinks he knows how to get the work done. Nope, he knew how to get the work done, because he was one of the workers. How better to lead than by example?

It can't be easy to decide to write about your life, especially a part that many who share similar memories would rather forget. But then to write down those remembrances, detail by detail, favorable or not, to finally throw caution to the wind, is impressive indeed. Much credit should be given to a man who could easily brush over the unglorified, untidy and unimaginable but doesn't.

If you are looking for a book completely free of chest pounding, he-man GI Joe and check me-out I am a hero talk, then you have found the right book. If you were hoping for a story that will just tell you how a man might end up in a place a gazillion miles from his home, fighting a war whose motives changed like the directions of the wind, this is the one. He will answer your questions and offer you more. In his own quiet, conversational, plain-speak way, without shouting it from the highest peak and without a single whisper of HE-man talk, Mr. Wiknik proves he was and is a warrior, an American hero and a living part of our history. If you ever had questions about the war, if you ever doubted the intentions of the powers that were, without a doubt when you close the covers of the book you will have no concerns about the motives, integrity or will of the man who went there.

A return to savings. A tax cut is designed too encourage the rich too save. The rich create jobs and invest in ideas. The savings of the rich increase innovation by infusing money that produces products and services, in the economy. However, excessive governmental debt is the thief in the night destroying all wealth.

Banks use these savings too fund new corporate projects. The innovations attract foreign investment as they seek to profit from the new ideas. The stock market booms and jobs increase. Economic growth reaches an impass as government spending increases beyond a safe amount of government debt. Debt to finance rebuilding of natural disasters ($61 billion) and the Iraq war (est $200 billion). Perpetual debt, debt that can never be paid off. In 1990s, a $5.6 trillion surplus existed and by 2002, $4 trillion had been spent, and by 2005, -2 trillion was spent or borrowed. Debt is suppose to decrease during economic booms and the neoconomist are predicting future boom and future debt reduction. Debt slows down growth, as money becomes more difficult to risk and acquire. At the same time the government becomes increasingly burdened with the interest it must pay on the money borrowed.

The Fed attempts to slow inflation by increasing interest rates soaking up liquidity and cooling the economy. The Fed raises interest rates is hoped to keep inflation in check. High fuel costs threaten too increase inflation. The responds by raising interest rates and the rising interest rates have the affect of stifling corporate earnings and dampering Research and Development thereby slowing down innovation. The rising interest rates makes debt vehicles look more attractive increasing purchases of U.S treasuries.

As long as innovation remains strong investors will not flee from stocks because this sector represents growth. A tax cut on earnings increases the amount of money moving into the commerical sector. As money becomes tighter, companies cut back workforce, insert technology to increase production, and delay product introduction. What is expected is more with less. More productivity from less employees.

Investors become uncertain about stocks and seek refuge in Bonds or Commodities. The Fed attempt to quell fears in the bond market about rising inflation. If an investor believes the Fed has contain inflation than the investor will be more optimistic that growth and continue investing into the market.

If the economy is perceived to be slowing down that current bond prices go up. Economic slow downs hold longer-term interest rates down making existing bonds yields more attractive.

In a recession, government is expected to increase debt, spending more, in order, too stimulate growth. So during a boom the new revenue accumulates from taxes. Cut social program whenever possible. The government social machine is a false ideal and will not produce a greater society by spending tax money as its fuel to build infrastructure. The only hope is growth and innovation produced by private machinery.

However, if economic growth does not increase than government revenues will not increase. Economic growth is the key to government revenue. Government spending can not remain constant and perpetual without dramatic impacts on the economy. With $5.4 in surplus, the government believed it could afford a tax cut and spent $2 billion on debt reduction and $1.4 trillion too the emergency reserve.

The author presents an interesting question, "What happens when a country can not pay its interest payment?" The author briefly explains how these countries experience hyper inflation and destablized currencies. At $500 billion a year in interest payments pressure not to increase debt seems prudent, yet more debt continues to accumulate. I think this is the heart of the issue raise about the new economy, "Can it make its interest payments"?

Tax cuts were expected to generate revenue, however, heavy debt and inflation inhibit tax revenue generation because companies don't produce as much. Inflation means higher interest rates and higher taxes.

The following correlations are not true: 1. Unemployment decreases shortly after a tax cut 2. The poor will immediately spend their tax refund money. Most of the poor were discovered to save their tax money. 3. Research and Development will produce immediate innovation cash flows.

The rich save over 50 percent. The savings can be used to invest in company projects that stimulate economic growth . However, if the economy is contracting, company put off new project because money is hard to get.

Research and Development offer a marginal return on the investment. The biggest problem with R&D is that the innovations do not alway equate to profits, increased consumer demand, and immediate introduction in the market place.

How does the government eliminate Taxes over a trillion dollars in taxes? Getting rid of the capital gains tax, dividend tax, interest tax, and estate tax. Taxes targeted at the working class. Interestingly the author does not talk about the consumption tax that congress wants so desparately to pass into law.

How does the government raise money for government spending? U.S Treasuries which are considered the most stable security in the world. Are there any limits to how much money can be produced? A policy of a strong dollar means foreign investment finds favorable investments in dollar denominated securities. A strong dollar means U.S manufacturing production and profits go up and higher profits means more tax revenue.

The author points out that the Laffeur curve did not gain strength. The Laffeur curve suggested the same amount of tax revenue could be gain at a low tax rate verses a higher tax rate. By lower the tax, the consumer had more disposal money, and spent more and the increasing in spending produced tax revenue.

Individualized Social Security accounts may not mean investment profits. The stock market may become bearish and return to a mean of 15 PE causing billions in reduced equity. Fees associated with the broker, transaction, and maintenance will cut into investment profits. The assumption of 7 percent growth perpetually may not hold up.

Imagine it is 2012, what will the new economy look like? By neoconomist standards the economy will be a pulsating capitalist machine with individuals incomes surge higher and money being stashed away. Economic growth will exceed 4 percent. Tax collections will be growing, debt decreasing, and interest payment reducing. The government will defray its debt and long term interest rates will be decreasing. There will be no taxes on wealth and savings. Foreigners will see the U.S stock market attractive for investing. Even China and India will not be able match the high returns of U.S companies. Innovation will create and insatible demand for American Labor. The Unemployment rate will fall. Individualize Social Security accounts will pump billions of dollars into private companies. Senior Citizens will have a new level of disposal cash available. A new era of American economic supremcy, if it can become a reality.

"Neoconomy', along with `What's the Matter with Kansas' are probably the two most influential books I've read in the last five years. Forget all you know about Supply-Side Economics and Trickle Down Theory, Daniel Altman has written an easy to understand book on what the heck the Bush Administration is attempting with all those tax cuts and why they target the wealthy.

In a nutshell the Neoconomy is about reducing taxes on unearned income and savings in order to increase the accumulation of capital. This capital could be used to modernize, increase productivity and raise the holy grail of economics, the GDP. The country would theoretically attain more wealth, higher standards of living and a happy future for all. It's not an insane plan and it has the support of many well respected economists. The first problem with the plan is that it seems rather self serving. George W. Bush assembled a cabinet with an almost unprecedented cache of wealth. The author estimates their combined assets at between 3 and 30 times the value of the second Clinton administration. These are exactly the people who will benefit most from tax cuts on unearned income. They are also people who can afford to take considerable risks with our economy and still come out fine if things go sour.

The other larger problem is in the very nature of the leadership of George W. Bush. He surrounds himself with like minded people and gathered an economics team consisting almost entirely of supply-side adherents creating an echo chamber of ideas. These are people who have taken economics beyond mere theory into the realm of religious dogma. Unfortunately when tax cuts and growth are the only path to salvation everything else tends to get shortchanged. It has occurred to business owners that some of the things holding back growth include employee benefits, high American wages, regulations and assistance for the poor. The obsession with growth sometimes seems to reach the level of pathological and government finds itself ripping away at society's foundation in order to raise the tower higher. The author also points out that capital accumulation on its own is useless. You also need an educated society in order to both develop and use new technologies. Meanwhile the administration has consistently under funded education programs, worked to cut college grants and shown disdain for the scientific process (Read `The Republican War on Science' by Chris Mooney to see how bad it has gotten).

The last problem is that the Neoconomy may just flat out fail. Like the weather, economics can be affected dramatically by small unexpected perturbations. It's difficult to predict what will happen in six months or next month much less decades in the future. The Bush administration is treating economics like a hard science when in reality it's based on difficult to predictable human psychology. Changing the tax codes may have exactly the opposite intended effect. By reducing taxes on dividends people may actually begin to save less rather than more if they have specific retirement goals. Unfortunately Bush's extreme tax cuts are intended to handcuff lawmakers and force us down one path. The Republican groupthink is also the likely cause of the wildly optimistic (bordering on obscene) predictions about job creation that rivaled anything made in the run up to the Iraqi war. People forget now but the numbers being offered by the administration weren't just wrong they were `we have no idea what we are talking about' wrong. The scary thing is that these same people who were as wrong as wrong could be on job creation numbers seem to have absolutely confidence that they can precisely predict the effect of Social Security privatization decades in the future.

`Neoconomy' is Daniel Altman's first effort and he smacked this one out of the ballpark. Economics can be a rather dry and confusing subject but Mr. Altman manages to write a book that is lucid, informative and engaging. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the direction the United States is traveling.

Lets start out by saying this is book to bash president bush but rather it shows what the president and his economic advisors ideas and plans and what the effect and possible effects will be.
This should be another one of those books that should be red before the election because some of these ideas will be considered radical by some.

The main idea for the bush plan is to have the tax cuts and such to put more money out for companies to have pools to borrow from and this inturn will stimulate the ecomony. But this is an experiment could go wrong. This administration can afford to experiment because if it does go wrong bush and his cronies will probably lose some money but they will still have many millions to live on, it will really hurt the middle class on down.

It is no secret that most of the tax cuts have benefited the so called rich by cutting taxes on estates dividends and savings. All of these people get the most of their income from stocks and real estate. Yes these cuts are for everybody but how many people from the $40,000 level on down can save and invest to get these breaks. Would you not think that if the president really wanted to stimulate the economy he would gear cuts toward the majority. With the tax cuts bush signed into law in 2001 the book shows that for those making $50,000 or less the tax difference is less than a $1,000 compare that that make $500,000 or more they get breaks at least 10 times that amount don't you figure those on the lower end of the scale could use the money the most.

Another example is the estate tax cut while they figure if they cut the tax it will encourage more investment but in reality it has probably encouraged them to save more for there heirs because of course less tax.

Just like in the Reagen era alot of these cuts are based on future years where they figure the economy will be strong but what will the effect be if the economy is in a poor state as it is in now you do not have all the projected revenue and you have record debt that has to be paid sometime

This book is written so that it is pretty easy to understand on a subject that at times is dry and difficult.

We all know about the war on terrorism. And the war in Iraq. The debates about these things are fairly clear. Or at least ubiquitous.

And yet perhaps the Bush Administration's central and most groundbreaking effort has to do with none of these topics, but rather with the economy. The Administration is seeking to re-orient it from top to bottom. And there is little coverage of this in the news.

Daniel Altman explains it to me in crystal clear and easy prose. What I liked the most was the sort of intellectual history approach he takes, showing where the ideas for the "neoconomy" came from, as in what professors espoused them, who their students were, and how they came to positions of influence in Washington, and the responses over the years to their ideas. It's a fairly small group with a distinct lineage--think of the economists' equivalent to Wolfowitz and the Straussians.

One striking thing, if I read it right: the desired endpoint for the Neocons is a society in which only working people are taxed. A person who derived their income not from salaries, but entirely from stocks, bonds, and the like, would not be taxed at all.

The neoconomists' measures, supposedly undertaken for the bland and admirable goal of enhancing savings, inevitably end up being regressive.

Altman is quite rigorous and judicious, weighing the arguments on their own terms, following them to their logical conclusions, noting contradictions and inconsistencies in their own logic.

What's being touted is quite different from what's really going on, as the neoconomists themselves admit. It seems, apparently, that an attempted revolution is in the works, behind the scenes. This book peels back the veil and lets us know what is really going on.

I came away from this book with a better understanding of both basic economics and the real paradigm shift that is potentially underway in the largest economy on earth.

With presidential elections on our doorstep, Altman's 'Neoconomy' comes to bat with light to shed on future repercussions of the Bush Administration's economic plan. Altman's 'Neoconomy' is refreshingly un-biased allowing the reader, whether PH.D or undergrad, to determine what America's economic futrure holds in store.
Altman is charismatic, intelligent and makes his points fairly and concisely. I was thouroughly convinced of this after listening to him speak in San Francisco.

i really enjoyed this book, i'm not even finished with it yet but some of the quality of the book was taken away by the poor editing! some of the chapters were missing entire words at the end! some of the sentences were gramatically incorrect and i kept reading them over and over saying...that's not right...we don't laid down, we lie down! stuff like that really took away from the book because it was a fantastic story. i really enjoyed the element of faith and how there are good vampires and bad vampires etc. it was realistic, like...if there WERE vampires, this is how it would be. either way, i would definitely advise this story being read, just please have an updated version!

This is a great read.

Great, because it has a common sense idea that is missing from most stories of this genre.

The genre, "supernatural horror," ultimately goes to a war between good and evil (yep, heaven and hell), because these would be the source of power in the story. So the ultimate source of power is on another level--not the level the story is about (our everyday homes and neighborhoods). But hey, the vampires, zombies, and other things have been around for a long time. And we are still here, too. Something we don't usually see in these stories must be equalizing the landscape, or else ordinary humans would have been gone a long time ago. What equalizes a vampire? They have supernatural powers, so regular folks are out-gunned. In any war, if the sides are not matched, the war does not last long. In the literature vampires, zombies, et al., have been around a long time. So what holds them in check? Doesn't have to be a "good" version of the evil creature--just something with power and method of its own that it can use to engage the enemy. That's war. Even a supernatural one would have to have this equivalence of power.

There are popular movies about renegades that have reason to hate the supernatural villains, but vampires alone would have over-run the world before most of these popular characters started. Besides, these stories are usually more about special-effects or martial arts or something--not really horror stories but more like action-adventure-martial arts-horror. Whatever. There's only one movie I've seen recently that is an exception to this, "Constantine." But since this isn't a plug for movies, let's move on... ;)

"Night Biters" revitalizes the role of the church in this type of story! Instead of the lame "Exorcist" angle in which the demons have power that is clearly uncontrollable, here the war could have lasted this long. God is on our side through supernatural beings at this level. That's what I was referring to before, when I said that ordinary humans would otherwise be gone. In run-of-the-mill horror stories a recurring theme is that the heroes are so outmatched they have to sacrifice themselves--and leave this plane of existence--in order to win. So in time they'd all have moved on, leaving us here. There must be something more powerful that fights here and wins often enough to balance the war against evil. This story touches on this with style; it's a story told intelligently in a way that makes sense.

So is it scary? Yeah, because the writer tells the tale in a way that evokes vivid images of what the characters are going through as all of these peculiar things happen. It's not a predictable story. I found myself liking some, and wondering if they'd make it...but it's war. Casualties are inevitable. How does it end?

Check it out! It's a great read!

Adrian Harper's Night Biters offers some fresh ideas to the fantasy genre. The magical compact disc is as effective a talisman as a ring or trinket in other period work of fiction. It also solidifies the effectiveness of hip hop in a way the reader will find appealing. Graffiti spray painting is also featured, skateboarding is taken to new heights and I will never see using a Super Soaker the same way.

The writer skillfully depicts the story's teens as youth who regret some of the poor choices they have made and the impact those decisions have on their families while ably avoiding stereotypes. He also offers some interesting views on vampirism viewing it more to an addiction than a spiritual damnation reminding the reader that there is always hope. Filled with clever twist and surprises, Night Biters is a delight.

This is no R L Stien! This book has a diverse group of hip hop characters from the Bay Area that are actully intelligent and not based on stereotypes. The book has teens in the Bay dealing with regular teenage issues, as well as vampires gang violence. The characters are cool, there's African American's, Vietnamese, Latino's, Filippino's, Jews, Goths, ravers, taggers and possibly dirty cops and a guy who eats a rat. If you LOVE hip hop, or you're from the Bay Area you need to read this book. I love Night Biters because it's real hip hop, it's not derogatory or dogmatic, it's just real and entertaining.

The book is written in the style of how Traffic and Crash were made as movies. A ton of individual stories, all intertwined into one explosive plot. Read this book, you won't be disappointed. The story is based on actual events in 1999 leading up to the change of the century in the backdrop of the worlds most integrated group of cities. Two teens come here to spend the summer and find that some of thier friends have become vampires and are dealing with personal issues like abusive stepfathers, drugs, gangs and police (damn taggers!). Doooooood read it!!!

Night Biters is my favorite book, I visited the Bay Area and have saw the old Montgomery Ward building. It was too scary a building for me to enter but not a vampire. I also like that us Pinoy's finally got some recognition and respect in a book. Dragonbrush is my dog I liked the way he and Tioni looked out for one another and how he showed that he really appreciated her. Jamilah is cool but too stuck up for my taste, I wouldn't want my sister taking all my favorite clothes just because she wants them. But in the end they all looked out for one another.

Anca Vlasopolos, an English professor at Wayne State University, provides a vivid immersion for the reader into her journey with her beloved mother from Romania of the '60s through the maze of "Bad" Detroit. She provides in lyrical language her love for her mother, her passion for her city, and her indignation at injustice.

I selected this book because I enjoy biographies and history. I have been reading various histories of World War 2, and this book was interesting in that respect. I want to learn the "human" side of history (versus the military or government view). Ms. Vlasopolos paints a very detailed picture of life in Eastern Europe immediately after the war. A secondary, intertwined biography of her mother adds greatly and importantly to these details. I did, however, find this book difficult to follow at times. In my opinion, this book was written for Ms. Vlasopolos fellow literature experts. Numerous references to the literary works of others left me feeling fairly uneducated, my Master's degree not withstanding. I finished the book with a significant reading list that one might consider a "pre-requisite" to reading this book. My high school French failed me in a few places, as well! While I describe these concerns as shortcomings of the book, they may simply be my own. I found it amusing that while presenting stereotypes and prejudice in an appropriately negative light, the author feels it necessary to mention that she would never sleep with a Republican. I came away from this book with a feeling that, once again, a European had to point out cultural weaknesses of Americans (language, literature, and food). Perhaps that is a goal of this professor, to make the reader want to improve and learn. If so, she may have succeeded! However, she may have also put valuable educational material out of the literary reach of many.

Dr. Vlasopolos, Womens Studies Director at Wayne State University, has written an extraordinary memoir that will appeal to many audiences. Her control of language is masterful yet subtle, and Ch. 15 ("Misplacing Detroit") is perhaps the best rendering I've ever read of those of us who have lived in and left and returned to Detroit, articulating the enitre palette of emotions and of love-hate that we cherish for that city and its peoples.

This is the most moving and meaningful memoir I have ever read. The author tells a personal history, a national and international history, as well as a short history of western thought in a way that ties together beautifully. Near the start of the book, it is said that religion is a control over what goes into and out of the mouth, and this metaphor sticks with the incredible telling/story-telling throughout.

A stunning memoir of enormous power--a work both accessible and phenomenal. This book, with a lyric and incisive style, uses the politics of appetite, language, and other modes of communication (or censorship) as a lens through which to describe the author's and her family's (primarily her mother's) lives and various displacements. Filled with vivid details that range from the nightmarish (the stories Vlasopolos's mother tells her of Auschwitz) to the exquisite (the precise flavor of sour-cherry liquor, or the burnt-sugar smell of the Paris Metro), this memoir is at once a story you can't put down and a poem you never want to end, whose every phrase makes your breath catch in your throat with wonder. The book combines the personal with the political movingly with a seeming effortlessness that is as fascinating as it is impressive. A hauntingly beautiful book: no one should miss this.

Besides helping to deal with the grief,crushing sadness,and the anger, this book also talks about concrete things that can be done after ones loss. He talks about the the criminal justice system and financial issues. He covers loss of children,spouses, friends and parents. What to expect on holidays and a nice chapter on spirituality.

I thought this book was informative but could have offered a lot more in-depth information. It is good for someone looking for some very basic ideas.

My 21 year old brother was viciously attacked and beaten to death by a group of random teenage guys. They did this for "fun". They're the kids that prey on the homeless people or in my brother's case, he was walking down the street to his car at night. The worst part is that they only wanted to beat on him for kicks and "didn't mean" to kill him. They're claiming it was an accident and they didn't mean to have him sustain severe brain injuries. This book described everything I was feeling. I joined therapy groups, but no one seemed to understand. Most of the people I met lost their loved ones of a prolonged illness, an accident, or old age. I felt alone and that no one understood my situation. My brother was a murder victim. He was literally here one day and gone the next. The book made it easier to know that there are unfortunately many people out there who feel the same way I do. It would have been easier to accept if there was a reason for his death. This book explained everything I was feeling. It really hit home with me. I highly recommend this book for those who have lost a loved one so abruptly!! This book has kept me sane for the most part.

This book will prove very helpful for anyone that has had a sudden traumatic death of a loved one. The book covers various kinds of sudden death and explains how it can effect each person it touches. It is a teaching tool for advocates and a learning tool for victims. Being on both sides of the situation I find it a prized book in my library.

It's true; the book is short, simple, and basic. I had such trouble concentrating after my brother was murdered and my parents were seriously injured, that I could barely read a paragraph at a time, something Lord obviously understands. This book clearly expressed the shock and sorrow of my experience and helped me understand that what I was feeling was normal, when nothing else in my world was normal. I stood in the bookstore and re-shelved all the books about dealing with terminal illness and long goodbyes. When I found this one, I sat down in the aisle and cried. I sent it to some of my family members and to an acquaintance whose son committed suicide and, years later, feel immense gratitude to Janice Lord that her book was available when the bottom dropped out of my world.