Massachusetts Books

For fourteen-year-old Myx Amens, a walk down a city street is a sensory experience the likes of which Ken Kesey never approached with his notorious Acid Tests. Myx, however, requires no psychoactive substances to experience synesthesia - the sensory cross-wiring that results in seeing music, smelling colors, or tasting words. All he had to do was die a couple of times.

Myx has so carefully ordered his life in the Massachusetts town of Miracle that he can literally come and go as he likes, anywhere, any time. He knows a lot more about the residents than they know themselves, in some cases. Most especially in this case - the murder and mutilation of a small-town high-school bitch queen.

In his first novel, Dave Diotalevi presents a neatly-plotted mystery, as well as the most wonderfully disorienting first-person POV since Robert Montgomery's film noir classic, Lady In The Lake.

As a life-long synesthete, I can assure readers that Diotalevi's evocative prose offers a convincing authenticity. For example, my non-synesthete husband was taken utterly by surprise by the Big Reveal at the end of the book, while Myx more or less told me precisely what it was by the middle of the story. In addition, my husband experienced none of the sensory out-of-kilterness I felt. He's a pretty literal kind of guy. He was, however, as enthusiastically engaged as I was by this tale. Diotalevi deftly inserts clues in more forms - literary and pop cultural references, as well as more archetypal and iconographic images than John Campbell could shake a Jungian stick at.

Hints of a richly-textured backstory and foreshadowings of Myx's future activities offer hope for follow-up novels.

I can think of only two complaints about Miracle Myx. First, I was distracted by the frequent product placements. Myx's eidetic memory could register traits other than brand and model or style of food, clothing, and electronic gear. Some segments read like the novelization of an M. Night Shyamalan film. Second, the book was too short. I want more Myx!

I just love Myx, the sneaky, fascinatingly quirky, frightfully intelligent young man who takes on the mystery of some grisly murders in his small Massachusetts town. Somehow Dave makes us like this fellow who stops at nothing to learn all he needs to know about people.

And I not only love Myx, but I love the storytelling! Dave weaves this tale in a way that keeps us thinking, wondering, and laughing. Every page is interesting and fun!

I received this book in the mail yesterday. Started to read it almost immediately and could not put it down. Finished in one day. Very entertaining, kept me guessing all the way to the end. Recommend it to everybody I speak to.

Diotalevi hits the ground running with Miracle Myx.

Myx Amens is an astounding and addictive character that you'll immediately like and find yourself caring and cheering for. His synesthetic memory, two near death experiences, (I think he really died twice) and natural curiosity propel Myx into the realm of the next great fictional hero.

Diotalevi's rich writing style makes for a read that you can't put down.

Miracle Myx starts with Myx Amens, just finishing his last adventure and one quickly learns of his near supernatural powers through Diotalevi's intricate character development.

The author weaves an old world whodunit with an inexplicable modern day adolescent hero into one great read.

I highly recommend this book. When does the next book come out?

"I learned that nothing is yours until it's yours, and that you make it yours by taking it, protecting it and hiding it," says Myx Amens, a uniquely talented 14-year-old foster kid living in Miracle, Massachusetts. In Dave Diotalevi's debut novel, Miracle Myx, we encounter 42 hours in the life of Myx as he investigates a series of murders.

There's a seminal chapter in this twisty mystery of hidden secrets where Myx is in jeopardy from several thugs at the estate of their boss - a powerful Italian business man. Myx artfully escapes from the thugs and finds himself in the company of the boss' wife, Mama. Suddenly, Myx's intuitive mix of synesthesia offers up a song, for which he quickly scribbles onto paper. In Italian, no less. Mama reads it and recognizes it as her mother's homemade gnocchi recipe - written in her mother's handwriting. This isn't the first or the last time Myx uses his talents to tease out what someone needs at the moment they need it. And to this reader's point of view, this scene tells us much of what we need to know about the heart of this unique man/boy character whose primary desire seems to be easing the way of others. Particularly, if they are female.

One will read this book as much for fast-action, 42 hours in the life of Myx as they will for the poetic turns of phrase such as "My hand sang the music of its curves as I wrote," and "Air currents made the flames and shadows move in interesting ways. To me, they felt pliable and sounded like the wind in a field."

This smart, sexy novel from Dave Diotalevi may be his debut, but it is clearly not his first try at beautiful prose, evocative language, and moving storytelling. Let's hope there's more to come from this author.

Skehan uses the fascinating geology of Massachusetts to teach amazing amounts of geology. Great for anybody who'll be traveling around the state who's interested in understanding the land. I want more!

I have been looking for this sort of detailed, hands-on guide to Massachusetts geological formations for a while, & am delighted with Skehan's book. It's a bit of a tome yet readable and easy to bring along on roadtrips and hikes.

I read this book from cover to cover and was impressed with it's depth of information. I then actually brought this book into the field and it served me well. A great guide!!!!!!

James W. Skehan's Roadside Geology Of Massachusetts will please residents of Massachusetts and any with a special affection for its local geology, providing a geologic history of the mountains and rocks of the state. An organization by area makes it easy to locate the part of Massachusetts which is of particular interest, while geologic facts assume no prior scientific knowledge - lay readers will relish this guide.

I have bought other titles in this series when on vacation in the States, so I was delighted to find this book in a bookstore on a recent visit to Boston and Cape Cod. The descriptions of peri- and post-glacial geology were particularly illuminating as I walked beaches and trails on the Cape and Islands. Comparing these descriptions with older books on the geology of the Cape it is amazing how much detail is encompassed in a small number of pages. Similarly, descriptions of other areas familiar to me, such as Cape Ann, Boston and the Concord/Lexington area, all gave me a much better understanding. I look forward to visiting unfamiliar parts of the state, with this book in hand. It is not just for residents, but is a must for the vactioner interested in the natural history or landform of Massachusetts.

Attention All Cops: These books are Fantastic! As with all of Peters' books, this one I could not put down. They are all fun to read,and very well written!! Being a police officer myself, I can relate, you will too. Every one (yes, even us cops) who enjoys a good book MUST read these!! Enjoy!!!

If you like "true crime" you will enjoy this tale of a rogue cop on the take. Once Mr Mars completes his tedious research of his characters he writes a poweful novel about their greed that certainly is a page turner. Right from the very first "pay off" Joseph O'Fallon will take you on a ride through New England that you wont forget. You will ask yourself does crime really pay or doesn't it. So read it and find out what happens to Joseph O'Fallon and his cronies. You won't be able to put this book down. I'm waiting for his next book to be released in October.

Another brilliantly written novel. Peter Mars has hit the mark point blank! This story is reveling and very believable. I can see what happens when power and the burning desire for money are melded together. This story painted a crisp picture in my mind nailing me to my chair. This book is in hot competition with his other book "The Tunnel".

Wow! What an excellent book! As soon as i started i could not stop. I finished in 3 days. The compelling story of 3 men overcome with the plague of greed is absolutely fantastic. Great graphic accounts and and overall outstanding job in all areas of the book. This book satisfied my thirst for mystery,action,and a law enforcement genre of a book. Every account was significant and the story unfolded very vividly thus,making the book one of the best i have ever read. Now i cant wait to read both of the others. Pete i wont hesitate to say YOU are the man and thanks for the good read.

What in incrediable book. I started reading it and just could not put it down. These boston police officers did what, most parents of young children want to do to drug dealers.

I can not wait to read Pete Mars next book The Tunnell.

I put this up there with the Vietnam novels of Tim O'Brien. I was blown away by it. Too bad more people have not heard of it. Please read this book!

This is one of the best books written by a combat soldier in Vietnam. You travel with Ehrhart from his home in Perkasie, PA to boot camp and then to some of the most harrowing fighting of the Vietnam War. But this isn't just another great war story. There's a personal voyage of discovery--as there is in many war stories. But this one is into a deep and broad wondering, not just about the nature of war and the feelings roused by killing and seeing death, but into a broader horror about the truth of this war. Ehrhart slowly peels back the layers of his awakening, not so much to any truth, but to a series of questions about his own gullibility (perfectly understandable) and a nation's gullibility. The truth as it is revealed seems too simple to Ehrhart; the twisting of honorable intentions too obvious. But if he get's it, many of those he faces upon his return do not. What to do? Write about the simple yet profound truths he found in Vietnam, and keep writing about them since the follow-up books are very moving and affecting portraits of a man being honest about himself, and in the process divulging powerful insights about our nation. The personal in this case makes big points about who are all are as Americans. Can't recommend his writing highly enough.

In this story, Ehrhart beautifully tells of the I Corp Marine's experience in '67-68. The cost, both physically and spiritually,to the soldier has to my mind never seemed so true. Can the innocence and ignorance, if indeed they are different things, last in the face of the reality of war's warped and mishapen environment? What happens to the soldier when faced with his own ignorance and the evils of war, for which he is in many ways responsible? The tension between the two different Ehrharts in the book lies in the attempt to justify his actions in Viet Nam to himself, and if nothing else, to find some comfort even from outside himself. He is both proud and disgusted (I wish I had a stronger word here) by his "accomplishments" in Viet Nam. Where do we find ourselves when the conflict is over? The answer is perhaps nowhere, perhaps in the shower. (You must read the book to understand my last statement):)

Was required reading in a class I took about the Vietnam War. Reading this memoir rapidly went from a school assignment chore to pleasure. I read the next two books in the series the following summer. Ehrhart exposes his inner self on the page to the point where it can actually be somewhat difficult to read. He gave a lecture to our class at the end of the semester, and it was quite moving. Do check it out.

The Vietnam war, what was it like for a combat marine? Read this book and its sequel to find out. Mr. Ehrhart is a gifted storyteller. His story is unique. It's amazing how little it is referred to in bibliographies.

This copy of Walden is beautiful and the extensive notes are very helpful.

150 years ago, a philosopher went to live in the woods off a small Massachusetts pond, and write about his experiences and meditations. Today, his thoughts, opinions, and experiences inform and educate us, enlightening us to a world of possibilities. Henry David Thoreau wrote Walden, and now all of us have a chance to spend time there in this richly illustrated edition.

Jeffrey Cramer, Thoreau scholar, has meticulously put together this labor of love for the book, as is shown on each and every page. Writing a short, insightful introduction to this book, and carefully research notes in the margins of the book, add layers of understanding to an already powerful book.

I hadn't ever visited Walden prior to this book. As a Walden novice, it served as an excellent introduction to an amazing man and an amazing work. I'm sure that both novices and scholars will benefit from this wonderful literary escape from the world. Yet the escape teaches us more about the world than we might ever know. Thanks to Cramer, and thanks to Henry for crafting this word feast.

I have at least six or seven different editions of Thoreau's greatest classic, and this one is my prized possession. Of course, if I took his ideas more seriously I would simplify things and give away the other copies, but they have my notes in them and I find it hard to let go of them. Part of the problem of this edition being so beautiful, on excellent paper, with very useful notes and images, is that I would hate to mark it up with the lines and notes that I have included in some of the other editions. Still, that's a good problem. The notes in this book are useful notes -- not just a haphazard list of some scholars' remarks (not always authoritative) on favorite passages, and not speculation, but clear sources for some of the obscure references in the text.

On the book as a whole, it is worth noting that Walden is rich in ideas and is one of the most profound American philosophical classics, and no reading could exhaust its wealth. It is much more than a journal of Thoreau's time alone in the woods (as it were) on the banks of Walden Pond (as it is often thought to be by those who haven't read it - I know because I often ask my students what they know about the book before they read it).

A quick introduction to the project of Walden, that will help organize and make sense of some of the variety of Thoreau's remarks here, is to think of his remarks as falling under three rough stages:
(1) an account of the problem we face, that we waste away our lives trying to make a living, that we seek to acquire property for the sake of freedom but find ourselves encumbered, that we associate the rise of modern technology with enlightenment but find that our technologies and advances increasingly take us away from ourselves and our self-sufficiency, and make us dependent on what we do not individually understand.
(2) an account of an experiment undertaken to discover what is truly essential for a life of fulfillment, and the discovery that a complete and worthwhile life can be achieved through a deliberate simplification of desires.
(3) an account of the many remarkable discoveries that can be made about ourselves and about the natural world and the relation between these when we voluntarily simplify our lives.

This is a book to read and return to throughout one's life, and there aren't many books that really merit such attention. Given its importance, having a copy in what is probably the best edition available now makes a lot of sense.

This edition of Walden is a joy to read, with lovely typeface and layout. I am not a Thoreau scholar, but found the annotations accessible and absorbing. The layout allows you to read Walden straight through or wander off into the annotated notes, depending on your mood.

A book that serves as a miniature vacation every time you open it.

Walden, since the age of fourteen, has always been a special place for me. Ironically, I did not disturb the leaf laden path through Thoreau's wood until seven years after, but at a young age I enjoyed the utopia this book offers. Interestingly enough the surface was read, and with little understanding of history, of which I know have a Masters degree, I did not know the context. With this Annotated version you are thrusted further into Thoreau's world than ever before. I suggest strongly to read the text, then start over with just the annotations. It takes you into the historical/political context of the book's purpose, and from that, into a world leading to civil war, that would traverse those growing pains into a time of reform. Truly a book before its time, yet speaks to the reform movement of the latter 19th c., and perhaps today.

This book will make you jealous to think that 18 and 19 year olds write this well.

It would be very wise to read this and adopt the level of quality these young men and women used in their essays. Some of the events are extrinsically insignificant or common, but these bright students displayed the intrinsic value of each through excellent writing, grammar, and detail.

I'm leaving the military for college, and the essay once seemed like a massive hurdle for me. Using these essays as a standard, I no longer have that fear.

Good advice. But who's kidding whom ... it's going to take more than a great essay to get into Harvard. You need the GPA and strong test scores. If your grades and credentials aren't up to par, it doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on that pig.

Vernon M
Cambridge, MA

This is a fantastic book. As a first-generation student, I had no clue what to expect from a college essay; I had no idea what made an essay good and what made it bad.
Although this book doesn't directly teach you what a good essay is, the amazing essays in here allow you to 'absorb' the good writing and use it to your advantage.

Vernon (poster before me) is correct here; you still need the grades, the scores, the extracurriculars.. or else the book does not help much.
However, if you KNOW you have a strong profile but do not know what to expect from a college essay (like me), then this book is right for you!

I can't thank this book enough. I learned good writing only paying $14 instead of something astronomical for those editing services.

Ironically, with the help of this book, I got accepted into Harvard's rival school :)

[Handsome Dan] out.

These essays were very good, some of them were very moving. I found that this book explained the college essay process and was an easy read.

This is a fantastic collection of application essays. If you or your child is in need of examples of well-written essays, these 50 essays are just the thing for you. Not only are the essays themselves printed, the book also provides an analysis for each, by the Staff of "The Harvard Crimson". Within each analysis, you learn what topics to choose, what to avoid and how to keep the reader from discarding your essay. If they worked for Harvard students, they'll definitely help you with your school.

Angela the Upside-Down Girl is a revelation. Emily Hiestand is one of Robert Frost's true poets, "one upon whom nothing is lost." As she trains an eye of the rarest perception on the world we thought we knew, we discover the heart of light within ordinary and not-so-ordinary things. I marvel at her scope: her Weltyesque Aunt Nan Dean; her eloquent witness to the power of faith and community at Union Baptist Church; her love affair with automotive neon, which manages (as Emerson never could) to be both transcendental and funny; and, of course, there's Angela, whose gravity-defying grace can be seen as a figure for the whole book. But perhaps most engaging of all is the voice of our guide--Hiestand herself--the unifying principle through the book's many travels, wise, witty, shimmering in its clarity, a wonderful companion.

Angela the Upside-Down Girl is a revelation. Emily Hiestand is one of Robert Frost's true poets, "one upon whom nothing is lost." As she trains an eye of the rarest perception on the world we thought we knew, we discover the heart of light within ordinary and not-so-ordinary things. I marvel at her scope: her Weltyesque Aunt Nan Dean; her eloquent witness to the power of faith and community at Union Baptist Church; her love affair with automotive neon, which manages (as Emerson never could) to be both transcendental and funny; and, of course, there's Angela, whose gravity-defying grace can be seen as a figure for the whole book. But perhaps most engaging of all is the voice of our guide--Hiestand herself--the unifying principle through the book's many travels, wise, witty, shimmering in its clarity, a wonderful companion.

Thoreau lives! Emily Hiestand could take you on a trip down the most familiar street in your town and show you things you've never seen before. She has a way of noting the realities of everyday existence that simultaneously lights up their surfaces and illuminates their deeper significance. What a mind this writer has. What an imagination. --And what a way with words. I simply loved this book.

I knew Emily for a very short time when I lived in Boston. She and my sister were friends, along with a group of people whose lives centered around a triple decker on Wendell Street.

A new book from Emily is like a long letter. I get to catch up on her life and comings and goings. I always feel sheepish about not staying in touch when I'm through with it. She writes such beautiful and thoughtful things, I think. I really need to write her back.

Reading her prose is exactly like having a conversation with her. I can hear her light, sweet voice as if I'm at a reading, and can summon her laugh in my mind's ear too.

It's impossible for me to separate my acquaintance with Emily from her work, but I will say I'm always astounded with her descriptions and way with words. She is at once erudite and approachable, and her work is always informed by both these things. Being a poet, Emily brings thoughtful cadence to her essays, and very often I will read them outloud to myself.

For those of you who don't know Emily personally, you will after you read this book, and what's more, you'll want to know her better. You'll also learn that New England watersheds are not only interesting but epic in their own way, and that stories are told in the details.

Thanks Emily. I'm doing quite well and think of you often.

[An] enchanting new book of essays.... Many personal essayists today try to capture our interest by being confessional but run the risk of revealing, like clumsy strippers, what we'd really rather not see. Hiestand has taken the more unusual risk of writing about the quotidian, and produced a tour de force. "Oooouuuweee!" as her cousin Bill would say. What a good book this is. --Boston Sunday Globe Book Review

Angela the Upside-Down Girl is about how to live creatively, see life through an artist's eye. With a subversive sense of humor and a wicked ability to pierce convention, [Hiestand] takes us on her journey to discover a meaningful sense of place in a chaotic world. Her place turns out to be North Cambridge, which she describes with the freshness and originality of Joyce in Dublin...

Angela the Upside-Down Girl reveals Emily Hiestand's exceptional talents which include an artist's eye for color and form, a cu! ltural anthropologist's ability to get people to tell their stories, and a poet's facility to express what is felt but not seen. --Cambridge Chronicle

Rich, revealing, and often hilarious... This book travels between only two places...but it travels so deeply into each place, both their pasts and their presents, that you come away from it feeling enlightened and enticed, and ready to hop on the next train heading north or south. --Hope Magazine

...and I say, also, "What a good book this is!"

-Chuck Eisenhardt

Thanks for giving me more insight to how my Friend J'Michael died. This book brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't even begin to imagine how these Men suffered such a horrible death.

The fact that someone would read this book and regard Captain Mike Goodridge as a cowboy clearly shows your lack of competence related to the marine salvage industry. Anyone who reads his resume would clearly see that he is regarded as one of the best commercial salvors in the country and is consulted on many cases up and down the coasts. Had Mr. Goodridge been called by the Coast Guard when they knew divers were needed he clearly would have been there in time, to first stabalize the vessel, and then rescue the trapped men with spare air tanks. The reviewer who regards him as a cowboy either has a personal vandeta against Goodridge, which is the most likely, or probably has never seen a salvage situation and therefore has no idea what it takes to complete an operation like this. Capt. Goodridge has stabalized and saved hundereds of boats from sinking while running Marine Services and Tow Boat US. The Coast Guard knew this but still danced around the red tape, fearing they would be up-ended by a civilian. This incompetence, which is still present today, cost three men their lives, and the family and friends a life of heartbreak. Shame on you for regarding this hero as a cowboy.

This book is a must read for all who knew Jeff, John Mike, and Kevin. I know I felt as many others did, That we needed to know why there rescue went wrong. Although it was a very hard book to read. Kate Yeomans did a very fine job on her research. I'd like to thank her for telling their story. They deserved it.

Gripping, Riveting. Great for anyone interested in tales of the sea, but is AN ABSOLUTE MUST-READ for recreational boaters and working mariners. Kate has done a wonderful job explaining and tying together many complex and even frustrating story-lines to shed light on the way these tragic events unfolded. Aside from the accident and subsequent rescue attempts, she provides great,well-researched insight into the privatization of the marine salvage/towing industry and subsequent policy changes within the Coast Guard. Great Work.

This book was awesome. Ms. Yeomans writes a terrific story that will have you sitting back totally buried in the story she tells. Having had many friends and acquaintances in the fishing industry who have had similar experiences, most of them fatal, I can only surmise that the entire United States Coast Guard needs to be revamped, all its employees trained, and that the Guard MUST be held accountable for the actions that they take, or in this case, that they refused to take by not allowing Mike Goodridge to assist in the rescue. Had he been able to communicate with the Coast Guard and been given the real truth about what was going on, I feel certain that these three men would not have drowned. As to the comment that Mr. Goodridge is a cowboy, I can guarantee that everyone of the fishermen I talk to and work with would call him or a member of one of his franchises (SeaTow) in a heart beat, rather than taking the chance that the Coasties would not appear on time.
A must read for anyone involved with the commercial fishing industry. Well read, excellent plot, extremely well researched and heartbreaking. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to find out about the perils of maritime salvage, commercial fishing, and just for a plain old damn good read.

Nona Caspers
University of Massachusetts Press Amberst, 2006
ISBN: 978-1-55849-644-6
Nora Caspers has a unique style of writing. In several of her stories, she takes the mundane and demonstrates the significance of the act. Such as the mere act of breathing; it does not seem so important until you are drowning.
The connecting thread in this anthology is rural life. Having grown up in a rural area during the 60's, it is easy to relate to many of the stories. Caspers has a talent for breathing life into her characters. Not every author is capable of connecting characters to readers. The descriptions of rural life made me feel almost like I was once again lying on my back watching the clouds form designs that only I could see, running barefoot through the tobacco patch, or pulling grass to feed my pet rabbit. Each story is slightly dark and has a bit of humor. The young adults are struggling to discover who they are and what their place is in the scheme of life. They desire to soar to higher heights. In reality, few of us attain the heights we seek.
Heavier Than Air will leave the reader pondering the story long after finishing it. If you are looking for happy-ever-after, this book is not for you. If you enjoy books written in an unassuming style that will stir your emotions and make you think, you will enjoy Heavier Than Air.

This book reminds me of Dorothy Parker. She wrote of New York. Caspers writes of the Midwest. This is real classic writing. As a lover of all things classic like Sinclare Lewis and F. Scott Fitzgerald and their stories of the part of the country they knew, Nona Caspers is a writer of the Midwest and its unique culture and people. They are real and funny and warm. Caspers goes deep and looks at things as they really are.

Put this wonderful book on your night stand. Read it and enjoy it. You'll treasure it.

Highly recommended.

-Susanna K. Hutcheson

Heavier than Air, by Nona Caspers is a beautiful book. I read most of the book in one night. Although it's a book of fiction the characters have an authenticity and a humanity that brings them to life on the page. It's the beauty and emotion in the language and the landscape that lends texture and truth to the narratives. The vivid images of life and longing are compelling they uncover unusual aspects of the hearts terrain.
"I don't want you near me," she said. "Go home."
"In the hottest part of summer the corn takes on sharp edges, and thistles grow between the stalks though they can be avoided if you stay in the rows. I ran barefoot in my shorts straight at the corn stalks, smashing against the cobs, scraping the thistles against my skin. A sharp pain shot up my side and rose to my heart and I honestly believed I was having a heart attack, that my heart was cracking like and egg that falls out of a tree."

While reading "heavier than air" your heart opens up to life and passion and longing. A must read a beautiful book!

Rose Offner

Reading Nona Caspers is more than simply exploring the world of one writer's view of the world from the vantage of raw countryside of Minnesota. Reading Nona Caspers is a discovery of a writer with particularly well-honed gifts of creating unforgettable characters who become etched on our minds in the same way the great American writers of the past (and present) have entered our perception of what this country is all about. Caspers writes with a fluid style that wastes no words but describes nature and those animals that fly, crawl and walk this strange territory of rural Minnesota - and the rest of this country - in both harmony and dissonance. She manages to enter realms of thought and situations other writers avoid, and from these peculiar places she creates characters both strange and sad, some who border on decisions edging on ostracism and some who have already entered a plane misunderstood by friends and family.

The lead story, 'Country Girls', is one of the more realistic examinations of a young girl's discovery of same sex love with all the peripheral highs and lows that confrontation presents. In 'Wide Like An Eagle's Wings' we meet a young girl obsessed with the JFK campaign for presidency while coping with the a deeply moving, succinct account of a personal tragedy of death. Characters such as the sad Mr. Hellerman who is hospitalized as one unable to cope with the dwindling losses of his family land inheritance and hopeless future of his farm mix with other children and stunted adults who face changes in their lives that seem to force them into precarious places.

Not a book of sad or dreary tales, this, but one that is unafraid to make us think about the weightier subjects of life while entertaining us with some equally finely tuned comedy. Nona Caspers is a brilliant writer who has found the fabric of American fiction that she drapes and sculpts and molds as well as any of her fine colleagues whose names are household words. Reading HEAVIER THAN AIR is a tasty prelude to what is most assuredly going to be a fine career for a gifted writer. Very Highly Recommended! Grady Harp, June 08

Read this collection! These stories rich and deeply satisfying and moving--I read straight through and then read some of the stories again (Country Girls, The Fifth Season, Wide Like an Eagle's Wings). This book is for everyone who loves stories and great characters!

We rarely experience rural people with such complexity and compassion--a farmer, Mr. Lawrence Hellerman--you'll LOVE him and the way he looks at the world as he's trying to recover from a breakdown in a hospital. And the girl who collects cow bones and falls in love with a farm girl, and the woman who invites her mother to visit her in San Francisco after a break up with her girlfriend and then loses the mother in the park. You will love these people and you will witness the generosity of great writing. The San Francisco Chronicle said the stories rev up Willa Cather's lesbian undertones with Denis Jonson's (Jesus Son) deadpan plains rowdiness" -- and that the artistry rewards rereading: "simplicity this precise takes time, talent and considerable cultivation." And it was on the Editor's Choice list (underneath the Bestsellers Feb. 25 2007) in the New York Times Book Review! BUY THE BOOK OR GO TO THE LIBRARY-- BUT READ IT.

I picked up this book to read while waiting for an oil change, and I laughed out loud. You wouldn't peg me for a person who would get such a "kick" out of a book on football--I'm a female English teacher. But the author does a great job of describing how he felt when he joined a semi-pro team made up of people who don't run in his usual social circles. I have given copies of the book as gifts to a wide range of people (a lawyer, a college coach, my mother, my aunt, and a friend who also played semi-pro football, for example), and all of them have called to tell me how funny the book is. They each recount a scene or two, laughing as they describe events from memory in great detail.

This book would also make a great birthday gift for any guy who fears he's headed over the hill.

This is a funny, inspiring, wonderfully readable book. It's about love, sports, human nature, team, and one person's growth. Highly recommended.

Anyone who enjoyed the movies Rudy, Invicible, The Rookie & Hoosiers will want to read this book by Mark St. Amant. Once again the ordinary guy succeeds when he fufills his dream with hard work & determination. That's how a 37 year old author was able to become a place kicker for a minor league football team, even though he never played a game of organized football on any level. Mark accepted an unexpected invitation to place kick for the Boston Panthers of the EFL. You'll enjoy his journey from a struggling doubting Thomas to a league all-star his second season. His insight to human nature & racial tensions is worth the read as well.

This is just a terric book--exciting, well-written, and smart. It gives hope to all armchair athletes, besides being a really detailed and wise study of human hature with sports as the backdrop. This is the kind of memoir everyone can relate to--an "everyday, normal" person doing something out of the ordinary and writing about it with depth and insight. This book would make a great gift for the thinking sportsperson.

"Just Kick It" is an excellent follow-up to Mark St. Amant's first book "Committed". I found myself laughing out loud on the train ride home from work. But it is more than just a funny story of an ex-soccer player becoming a place kicker for a semi-pro football team. Mark St. Amant does a wonderful job bringing the reader close to his teammates, each taking a different path to semi-pro football. In describing their stories, I felt closer to the team. "Just Kick It" is about much more than just a football season. And the members of the Boston Panthers are much more than just football players. It is about decisions, priorities, and looking at life from the perspective of others. Keep writing mark, you have a unique talent.