I Books

Grooks is one of the few books I've read many times. There are some amazing things hidden in this book; I am always finding deeper meanings.

Grooks are short poems, often humorous and sometimes politically correct, but mostly entertaining and accompanied by amusing illustrations

Amazon's listing only shows one of the 5 books that I have in my collection. These are quick (5-10 lines) and easy reads that you can bounce back with friends and loved ones after tea.

You will probably recognize more than one of his "Grooks" (extremely short axiomatic poems accompanied by small humorous illustrations). Almost impossible to describe, just by it if you have a chance.

I read (and owned) this whole series when they first came out, and got in the habit of buying extra copies to give deserving friends. Unfortunately I only still have the first three, due to the trials of moving :-(

It boggles my mind that they are no longer in print, as the wit and wisdom contained in these slender volumes belies the brevity of their format. I heard a rumor that they are going to go back into production sometime soon - if true I will probably buy a dozen of each for goft giving ;-)

I absolutely love all of Ms. Billingsley novels. She always leaves you wanting more. I hate when the story ends. I'm like a fein when it comes to her work. Very powerful stories that always leads the characters back to the WORD.

Like all her other books, this one was fantastic as well. Very well written. Made you laugh, made your cry. I could really relate to the characters.

ReShonda Tate Billingsley wrote a great novel when she wrote "Can I Get A Witness?" She wrote a very inspiring and heart touching story. ReShonda takes you to Houston into the life of Vanessa and Thomas. She leads you on a journey of heartbreak and decit. Vanessa is heart broken to find the news of her husband's Thomas' affair and the resulting effects of that affair. ReShonda did very well in writing this intriging story. It's an awesome page turner from the first page til' the last page!

Thanks for sharing ReShonda!!!!

Sisters Vanessa and Dionne seem to have trouble all over them. Older sister Rosalyn may not be in much trouble now, but she's seen her share and tries to assist as they try to get their selves in order.

Vanessa is brutal in her courtroom. She has dreams and her marriage sometimes collides with her time. When her husband is no longer capable of excusing Vanessa's missing in action tactics, she's caught up with pride and having to learn to not only forgive, but adjust. Is this marriage worth it?

Dionne, the baby of the trio, is used to being smothered with attention. She's in love with a man who hasn't vocalized his emotions for her. She knows he's married, but they are divorcing and Dionne is ready to be the newest Mrs. However, when love plays a cruel joke with her heart, Dionne is hell bent of seeking revenge. Will the woman scorned have love again?

I haven't had the pleasure of reading anything by ReShonda Tate Billingsley prior. I was engaged throughout the entire book and loved the way the bossy, intrusive aunt had her say. This is a book I'd easily recommend to all.


Reviewed by: Peaches

As `Can I Get a Witness?' opens we're introduced to Vanessa, a divorce court judge hearing a case about a cheating husband. Every day it was the same case, just different participants. The only thing that was appeasing was that this was simply a stepping stone to her political career. But what happens when, suddenly, the case being heard involves Vanessa and her husband? Not so ordinary now is it?

Rosalyn, the older sister, appears to have it all right. She's married to a preacher, with one son, cooks cleans and works. Her life is flowing correctly. But what her sisters don't know is that she's dabbled with the wrong and is now an advocate for what can happen. Will her sisters heed her advice?

Dionne has the ideal relationship, or so she thinks. Well it has a few flaws, but they are manageable. When Dionne finds out that in addition to her boyfriend being married that he has a girlfriend, she is no longer able to idly sit by. Will a decision she makes in haste destroy her plans?

Aunt Ida, the matriarch of the family, has a way with words. Despite what the girls get entangled in and whether or not they want her assistance, she's there; ready, willing and able to get them in order verse by verse.

`Can I Get A Witness?' is a wonderful novel about family, marriage and forgiveness. This is just one of those feel good reads.

A thorough overview of the Lusitania's construction, features, and last voyage, as well as Ballard's impressive modern-day expeditions to the wreck itself. For the record Ballard's investigations strongly suggest the "accepted truth" of the liner being a clandestine courier of munitions for the British war effort was probably never true at all: or if true then stored armaments were not a factor in the ship's sinking. Rather Ballard points to the culprit being coal dust residue that had infiltrated the inner hull, and was set off by the initial impact of the torpedo. This is a great sort of book. It appeals visually, intellectually, and includes some terrific mythbusting that comes as a result of sound investigative work.

Of course, Dr Robert Ballard will forever remain the man who found the Titanic, but in this book he also provides the reader with an extremely well documented account of the loss of the Lusitania.

Mysteries are mysteries and whilst there are those experts which insist such and such happened, there will also be those who assert the opposite. I shouldn't say this I know, but it the way in which Bob Ballard takes such a thorough approach to his subject, it leaves one feeling that the only book you need to read on the entire subject of the loss of the Lusitania is this one.

Exploring the Lusitania - yet another four-funnelled passenger liner built before WW1, is a large coffee-table book approx. A4 size. Just a glance at the pictures throughout the richly illustrated pages (227 altogether) reveals the extent of the research to which the author has gone on behalf of the reader. There are many historic pictures of the ship itself - including when she was no more than a keel. Others include paintings of the day, newspaper cuttings and postcards showing internal and external views. Then there are the photographs of the tragedy itself and the effect it had upon the people of Ireland. Photographs of seemingly unimportant people at the booking office and individuals such as the Captain. Dr Ballard has been equally thorough when it comes to detailing the U-Boat which sank the Lusitania and we are treated to almost the same level of coverage of vessel and individuals and their trade of war.

Once again, however, the author has put together the most outstanding collection of artwork created by Ken Marschall. From thousands of photographic images taken from the wreckage itself, Bob Ballard created a complete montage (i.e. a big photograph made up of thousands of little photographs) of the various sections of the wreck so that Mr Marschall was able to provide us with the most accurate paintings of various sections and even the entire wreck. The one painting I had to look at again and again was the painting of the sinking across pages 96/97. For a moment there I thought the world's greatest photographer had been on hand to capture the event.

I congratulate Dr Ballard on another excellent and professional job of work. Another outstanding book and yet again 5 stars are not enough.

NM

The illustrations and photographs alone make this book worth owning. It is very direct and to the point for the most part.

Also of interest is the contrast between Lusitania, a shallow water wreck, and vessels such as Titanic and Bismarck which are under miles of water.

Bob Ballard's string of investigations into famous shipwrecks, while doing solid science continues in this exploration of the Lusitania.

The famous Cunard liner was torpedoed off the Irish coast in 1915, and was one of the pivotal events that dragged an isolationist America into the First World War.

Ballard's work at laying the groundwork for his book is again exceptional. Cunard's need to battle the White Star and other cruise lines for the transatlantic business is examined, and the method was indeed an interesting one. Cunard entered into an arrangement with the British government to build the Lusitania and her sister ship, Mauretania. In exchange for a loan, the government got the right to call the ships up for wartime service, and the builders set up placements for deck guns on the vessels.

This was before it was found that using cruise liners as "armed merchant cruisers" was just not practical.

In any case, the setting of the scene as the Lusitania headed east is well done--the German government has given fair warning to anyone sailing on British or Allied vessel that they're fair game. A German U-boat is known to be off the coast, the Lusitania is traveling at less than full power, her captain chooses not to zigzag, then waste time taking an involved bearing on the land...and the end is known.

Question: Did Winston Churchill stake out the Lusitania and let her be sunk as an effort to get the US into the war? It wouldn't be out of his mindset, but there appears to be little in the way of proof that he did such a thing. Of greater interest is the secret correspondence between Admiral Tirpitz and Admiral Jacky Fisher, in which the latter tells his German counterpart that he'd have done the same thing in going after the Lusitania if the roles were reversed.

The examination of the wreck is sad; there's not much left of her, as the ship has been used for depth charge practice. There was not much of an effort to get inside her as was done on other ships. Perhaps there's little point.

Once again, Ken Marschall's paintings are stellar and the book is well worth reading...and looking at.

This handsome companion to the excellent National Geographic documentary is the best overview and photographic record of the Lusitania disaster I have seen. If you only own or read one book on the Lusitania, let it be this one! It covers the key issues surrounding the tragedy: Why did the powerful, double bottom ship go down so quickly (only 18 minutes compared to over 2 hours for the less robust Titanic)?; What caused the second explosion?; Was the Lusitania carrying arms? Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic and explored the Bismarck, uses advanced equipment to go down into the ocean's depths to answer these questions and to give us a glimpse of how the Lusitania looks today through remarkable photographs and the masterpieces of maritime artist Ken Marschall.

The text of the book is very well-written. It does not go into as much of depth as longer books as it explains the sinking through accounts of select survivors, some alive at the time of the book's publication. Still, it reveals many lesser known points. First Sea Lord Winston Churchill, in France at the time of the tragedy, might have ordered a naval escort for the famed passenger liner (pg. 78). It notes that the U.S. tanker Gunflight was torpedoed the week before (pg. 124). Unlike the documentary, readers learn that nurse Alice Lines--who was still alive when the documentary was made--actually missed the lifeboat when she made her desperate leap with baby Audrey (pg. 102). The book takes a fair look at the sinking. There is much empathy for the German side (Lusitania was, after all, an auxiliary cruiser in a war zone) and is quite critical of Captain Turner who ignored the Admiralty's instructions on steering a zigzag course away from the shore in areas where subs lurked. The most valuable part of this book on a informational level is that it solves the mystery of the second explosion some witnesses believed was a second torpedo or the explosion of arms in the ships magazine.

As interesting as the text is, the illustrations make this book the best on the subject. Photos and startlingly accurate period postcards give the reader a look at Lusitania's interior in first, second, and steerage classes. Posters and memorabilia illustrate the propaganda war which followed. Finally, pages 144-89 explore the Lusitania and compares the ship then & now in remarkable photos. The highlight is a well preserved first class tub and shower found just outside the ship compared with a period illustration (pp. 172-3). A fold-out shows the sunken giant in full length thanks to the excellent work of artist Marschall. His realistic paintings look like photographs!

The book is very thorough. It includes a critical look at the inquiries into the sinking, the fates of some of the major players including U Boat commander Schwieger, a brief look at Lusitania's sister ship Mauretania, and a chronology of the two Cunard sisters. The only inconsistency I found was that Schwieger reported that he did not know he had torpedoed the Lusitania until he saw her name on her bow; however, the Lusitania name was covered up at the time to trick the enemy during the war (pg. 203). Still, this book is an excellent introduction to the Lusitania story and a more than sufficient and revealing account if one chooses not to read further.

To say that Roy Neuberger's book entitled "From Central Park to Sinai" was a real page turner, is a definite understatement. This most engrossing and captivating book details the story of a personal transformation of a man searching for spiritual meaning and purpose in his life. The grandson of a great rabbi and founder of the "Mussar" movement in Judaism, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, Roy Neuberger's life couldn't be further apart from that of his grandfather. Educated in the traditions of ethical culturalism, Mr. Neuberger felt an ever present spiritual vacuum in his life and as such he embarked on a personal quest for truth, via the study of Catholicism, Protestantism and a whole host of other religions and value systems. He even wrote a book detailing why these other religions and their credos were superior to that of Judaism and why Judaism held no meaning.

Accompanying Mr. Neuberger on his trajectory towards spiritual fulfillment was that of his beloved wife, Linda, also a student of ethical culturalism. The fear and uncertainty that plagued Mr. Neuberger throughout his life could be simply termed as a man living through a perpetual anxiety attack with no relief in sight.

It would seem that G-d heard the inner cry and pain of Mr. Neuberger, and as destiny would have it, he was guided in the direction of Rebbetzen Esther Jungreis. That night in Neuburgh, NY changed the course of an entire generation of Neubergers. Mr. Neuberger was deeply impressed with Rebbetzen Jungreis' Torah message and he began to attend her classes on a weekly basis, despite the hardship of traveling such a long distance during a fuel crisis. Rebbetzen Jungreis served as a conduit to bring the message of G-d's love and compassion to a man who hungered and thirsted for spiritual guidance and meaning. In essence, Mr. Neuberger began to fall in love with G-d, embracing His Torah and commandments.

Since that time, Mr. Neuberger and his wife have raised a beautiful family steeped in Torah values and has spread his joy and understanding of spiritual truth with hundreds of people who he has invited to his home to enjoy the uplifting experience of Shabbos.

Mr. Neuberger's story will not only inspire, but will captivate the heart and soul of the reader. It is a must read for anyone searching for guidance and truth and even for those who are not searching for anything in particular. It is a welcome addition to any library and will remain within the recesses of the soul for posterity.

Roy Neuberger's journey to find himself is extremely inspiring. It goes to show you that a man can have all the money in the world,but without a some spiritual guidance, what is he really living for? In some ways his wealthy background was a great hinderance to him. His parents did not give Roy all the proper attention and guidance as the Ethical Cultural Schools merely confused his thinking.

Finally after 31 years, a colleague woke him up to the fact that he is a Jew whether he realizes it or not. Mr. Neuberger finally realized that he was not giving his own heritage a chance. Finally he asked to visit a synagogue with a friend and it so happened the Rebbetzin Jungeris was speaking there that night. At that point a chain reaction fo events triggered in Mr. Neuberger's brain that this was answer he was looking for.

The rest of the book consists of many powerful miracles based on prayer and faith in G_d. Although many of the stories are repeated from Esther Jungeris' The Committed Life, it is still a pleasure read about people turning their lives around by believing the Power of the Jewish Religion. Judaism encourages its followers to be strong and persist towards acheiving happiness and overcoming obstacles.

This book will make you believe in miracles even if you are not Jewish. An inspiration to us all.

Mr. Neuberger is a very enthusiastic and sincere man of faith, and these qualities shine through in his book.

This book has the power of spiritual elevation reinforced by a sense of personal discovery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in religion, who can appreciate religion as an experience where personal growth and community involvement are not contradictory; but, parallel and mutually reinforcing.

Roy Neuberger's personal story has a strong message even for non-Jews and for people who are not religious. His personal search for God is very moving and is written in a charming, conversational style. I was especially taken with his numerous stories about he and his wife, Leah, helping so many people from various walks of life. There are important messages in this book that will help all of us to live better and more enriching lives.

This was a heartfelt story of a mensch who was dissatisfied with the lack of spirituality in bland liberal universalist culture in which he was raised. Eventually, he found true joy in Jewish orthodoxy. However, if you're pondering deep metaphysical issues, you'll find assertions here, but not deep abstract notions of different "isms" and why they are true or not. I was also uncomfortable with the assertion that Jewish assimilation caused the Holocaust.

A exceptionally well written book dealing with the ever befuddling question of "where do we come from?" Or better yet, "What happens if..?". If you are a person that likes to think about such things, you will really enjoy this book. It is told in the context of a fantasy story, but the basic underlying concepts and ideas are there. A wonderfully spun story of dealing with self-discovery and with circumstances beyond control.

All seven of this wonderful series will keep you intrigued. Full of mystery, color and wonderfully sarcastic cats, the surprise ending with shock you. I never saw it coming and in a day where everything is so cut and dry, something as creative as this is a diamond in the rough. I was lucky enough to find all seven book at a half price book store and was shocked to now discover them out of print. These series should be on the shelves for ages to come.

My husband and i, always avid scifi readers, devoured all seven of these books in the early 1980's. At that time, these books .. this story .. were among the most satisfying i had ever read (that august catagory includes the likes of Tolkien's stuff, the Dune books, etc). We moved recently and in the process of readying ourselves for that upheaval, we went through the bookcases and tossed books we'll never open again (gasp! heresy! ). During that process, however, i came across these books and sank to the carpet, caught immediately. Now i'm fully immersed in this world again and lost in this great story.

I can't believe they're out of print. That's just wrong.

I picked up the first volume in a yard sale, and couldn't put it down. The entire series is amongst my most treasured titles, and I feel lucky to have found them all. PLEASE re-release these titles (preferably all in one hardcover) so others can enjoy!

These books depict a journey both physical and spiritual. The hero, Rikardon, and his partner Tarani make many discoveries about themselves and the world they inhabit. Many of the discoveries are a surprise and I won't give them away.

Suffice to say this series is very well written with well fleshed out characters (both human and non), a good historical background woven into the story, and a fast paced and detailed storyline which makes the book(s) hard to put down. They should not be out of print.

This book came to me as a gift of Love at a critical time in my life. It was, in the most literal sense, a God Send! Since that time I have purchased and given many copies to loved ones. I still re-read it often. Peter Erbe's words are beautiful, full of love and life changing! Peter, wherever you are I send my love, wish you well and am so grateful for your contribution to the planet! Kara

Before I read this book, I remembered reading a book titled "The Power of Belief" by Ray Dodd. Ray mentioned in his book about "I AM" and the opposing belief "I Am NOT". It is either I AM or I AM NOT. Which is it? I AM or I AM NOT. I AM NOT is a dream state, or rather, a nightmare.

I remembered writing a poem after that about an imaginary conversation I have with an angel and asking this angel how do I wake up from this nightmare, or what Peter O Erbe mentioned in his book, amnesia. We are all God having a human experience and worst of all, we have amnesia, and we have forgotten who we are and this amnesia is the root of all our problems.

And after reading Ray Dodd's book, I found Peter's book in a new age store, used book section. Was it an accident?. No. I was ready and my consciousness attracted the book as much as the book was attracted to me. Yes, the book chosed me and I chosed the book. When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

GOD I AM is a fantastic book to read and have, especially if your life is not working, is in a mess, and you need to set if right once more. Do not be surprised if harmony returns to your life after reading this book and applying the wisdom in it.

The information from this book comes from a loving and wise consciousness of which we are all a part of, and Peter is the instrument for the information to be uniquely communicated in a unique flavour. There are many books with the similar themes, but you will be drawn to the ones that you resonate.

Personally, I like Peter's style of explanation, although certain sentences i have to reread to understand the messages in its entirety.

I strongly recommend GOD I AM to put your life back in order again.

Love

El Solaris RP
[...]

Regardless of what spriitual path you have chosen to walk, God I Am: From Tragic to Magic will resonate with many truths within. It's a wonderful addition to a Course in Miracles and overall an extremely helpful source. Enjoy.

this man is highly intelligent as well as spiritually aware. This book tells it as it is, so it is one of these precious books that helps clarify yourself, and reveals the Truth of Life if one stays with the text, that is if one meditates the sentences that call for it.

on reading many "spiritual" books over the past 35yrs,this has got most of the answers,it completes the cycle,I felt I was reading what I had patterned together over the many years,but it is the only book to give me the final answers i have been in search of,and now need to only search with-in.Yes,hard to take in all that it is,but it is IT.Thank-you Peter for having the understanding of relating this insight ,with such clarity and simplicity,of examples,I hope many others every-where read this incredible book -judy

I am - or was - an overweight teen. I really love the show Growing Up Gotti and once I heard that Frankie had a diet book comng out I thought that this would be a perfect oppurtunity for me to loss the weight for good. I ordered the book and it exceeded my expectations. Frankie is truly a great writer. This book encouraged me to follow his diet steps! Now, only half way through my diet, I have lost 24 lbs. And it is thanks to Frankie! So thank you for helping me and others lose extra weight for good.

I wish there was more publicity on this book. I had watched the show and goggled the show for images and came upon a picture of him before the show and was shocked to see his weight and even more shocked at what he is today. After viewing the sample pages provided by Amazon, I knew I had to grab a copy. I am 10 years older then Frank but he touches the core of my problems. He is an admirable writer that can be respected by all ages. I really appreciate his honesty, sincerity and encouragement. He taps into emotions and experiences that I have yet to see in any book, and for it to target the young generation is phenomenal!! Thanks Frank :)

i love the growning up gottie show
it of the chin, but anywayz, hi frankie, i just wanna say that u look soooooo fooooone,now we girls can see ur the real frankie
u look amazing

The author of this book was just arrested for drug posession. Diet and exercise, or was there something more?

Lies and scandals.

Frank Gotti's diet and exercise book really reveals the trauma of being overweight as a kid/tennager. I couldnt believe the before and after pics! And the heartfelt text inside. Frank was not afraid to show his sensitive side, in an effort to help others lose the weight as well. I applaud him--he has guts!....(and he's gorgeous!)....Katie Ross

A lot of the approbation or criticism of a book like this has to do with the accuracy of the translation, which is something I'm not an expert in. What I can say about it is that this translation reads like a novel. It leaves you with the impression that Herodotus is telling you a story, rather than the impression that you are reading a bit of ancient Greek literature translated by some stodgy classicist.

The story itself is excellent. Basically, it's the story of the rise of the Persian Empire, culminating in the war with the Greeks. It covers things like the battles Marathon, and Thermopylae. But it's much more than that. Herodotus surveys the geography and cultures of the people who existed during that time. Much of what he recounts is hearsay and mythology, which I imagine can be frustrating for the historian but is actually very entertaining and fascinating for the general reader. There are also numerous short stories interspersed with the larger narrative, especially in the earlier chapters.

This is a fantastic book, which I think even people who normally wouldn't read classics would enjoy. In fact, I think this books is most comparable to a book like "The Lord of the Rings". If you enjoyed that, and you like history too, then you'll probably like this book.

Who am I to write a review of Herodotus' The Histories? I am not a classicist, a historian, or a scholar. I wouldn't know the difference between translations, which one is "most true" to the original, which one provides the most accurate analysis of the texts and its accuracies and inaccuracies. So, I have decided that the only way I could review this book is to express how readable it is for a non-scholar who wants to read one of the most ancient of histories, of a time and place far removed from our own, about alien cultures and beliefs, and a complicated war between the ancient Greeks and Persians.

The only reason I read this version is that when I mentioned to my brother once that I had never really read any of the Greek historians, he said I had to read this one and then loaned me his copy. It took me a couple of years, but I finally got around to it. And I found that what he told me is true. The Histories is extremely readable and interesting. Herodotus spent a lot of time giving a background of the conflict, and mixes the historical with what we would call the mystical or fantastic. A lot of time is spent describing the cultures of the Egyptians, the Persians, and the various Greek city-states. If I forgot the significance of a name, I could just look him (rarely a her) in the index, where a short description could be found. If I became confused about where the Thracians were from, I could look at several helpful maps in the back.

There were several times that I became overwhelmed by the details (I guess I didn't appreciate knowing what colors and costumes each people wore during battles). I also had difficulty following from one battle to another, but I'm not sure if that was the fault of the text.

I therefore recommend this for the casual, armchair historian who just wants to learn more about the ancient Greeks while reading a good story. I suspect the book would also work for the more serious scholar who wants to study the text.

Having had a couple years of Greek in college (just enough to be dangerous) I have to say Grene's translation looks to me the most literal and readable at the same time. The old Rawlinson translation is stylish but not as close to the Greek as Grene. de Selincourt's Penguin classics effort loses style points compared to Rawlinson, and yet manages to perhaps be even a bit further from the Greek. Waterfield's Oxford classics just reads as flat and featureless as the Wall Street Journal's finance pages, and yet isn't very close to the Greek either! Grene alone seems to open a contemporary English speaker's ears to hear how Herodotus would sound if you were actually a Greek speaker of the 5th century BC (and isn't that exactly what we want our translators to do for us?). I like his point that with the Homeric overtones, Herodotus should sound just a bit "odd" a little archaic, yet lively. I think Grene hit the mark right on the head, and of course Herodotus himself is a gas. Totally entertaining, and highly recommended.

On a side note, does anyone know how to pronounce Mr. Grene's name? I realize he's Irish, but it's an unusal name and I've never heard it pronounced...

this is to my mind the only translation for you. Herodotus was not a historian; rather, he was an inquirer, and a displayer of inquiry. I've never read another translation that captures the profound uncertainty about the operation of the universe that radiates from every sentence of his Greek.

The ancient world is a wonderfully unfamiliar place, once you've let go of your preconceptions: reading Grene's Herodotus is a very good way to start letting them go.

David Grene's translation of Herodotus' "The History" is a good version of the Greek historian's magnum opus.

The Introduction provides context for the translation to come. It is useful and functional, although Knox' introductions to The Iliad and The Odyssey (Fagles' translations) strike me as better at putting the work in its place. Nonetheless, the Introduction is serviceable. Grene notes of Herodotus' work that" "There are two worlds of meaning that are constantly in Herodotus' head. The one is that of human calculation, reason, cleverness, passion, happiness. There, one knows what is happening and, more or less, who is the agent of cause. The other is the will of Gods, or fate, or the intervention of daimons."

In the History itself, Herodotus ranges widely geographically, and considers many different countries. With these, he discusses in detail such varied matters as hygiene, sex, culture, animals, religion, geographical features, and so on. He appears to have tried to ascertain as best as he could what the actuality was and what hearsay or rumor was. One of the more interesting examples of this is his effort to understand the role of Helen in the Trojan War (2, 120). Here, he doubts the veracity of Homer's rendering of the causes of the war. He believes that Helen never did go to Troy, because Priam would not have been willing to risk his empire over one woman. At other places, he clearly states the different versions of some incident and then renders his own best judgment as to what he thought the reality was. In short, he did not simply retell tales that he heard. When he is not sure what actually happened, he says so (e.g., 1, 49; 1, 75).

In the end, Herodotus has done a great service for many generations, by putting down, as best he could, his understanding of the history of the various actors of his time and before. The reader will find it difficult to keep all the people and countries straight. The volume features a useful set of maps, providing a sense of the different countries mentioned, as well as the travels of armies on conquests.

The book moves ahead in a majestic trajectory to ultimately describe the Persian-Greek War, with Xerxes leading his great force into Greece. Herodotus provides detail on many aspects of this conflict, which the Greeks eventually won, after battles at Thermopylae, Salamis, and Platea.

For an early effort at history, Herodotus' work is important to be aware of. And Grene's translation makes the work accessible to readers today.

There's nothing I love more than Klingons heading into battle. Even the phrase, "It is a good day to die," makes me smile whenever I read or hear it.

Another great book that deals with the Klingons.
Years ago I had quit reading Star Trek, but now I am back.
This is very original work and very interesting to read.
You have a long running space battle and an equally long running ground battle, and every crew member is important and well developed by the author. Very fun to read.
Worf and Martok make a very brief appearance, but that is what I like about this series, it is wholly original with very good characters and both the men and women have equal parts.

With all of the proper introductions taken care of in "A Good Day To Die," Keith R.A. DeCandido's second I.K.S. Gorkon book, "Honor Bound," wastes little time on catching up the reader and dives right into the battle between Captain Klag and his allies in the Order of the Bat'leth and the honorless General Talak and his legion. With so much fighting going on (superbly illustrated in DeCandido's written word), you'd think that there would be little room left for character development. However, the reader gets to learn even more about Klag, Dorrek, Kurak, Leskit, Toq, B'Oraq, Goran, and even a few of the Children of San-Tarah as the battle on land and in the stars gets more violent and savage.

DeCandido cleverly intertwines combat sequences with flashbacks (especially in the mind of Kurak) and keeps the action at a quick pace. The bulk of the story is the actual battle, but DeCandido ties up everything nicely in the end and leaves the reader hungry for more in the third installment of the Gorkon trilogy, "Enemy Territory."

For anyone interested in "Star Trek" and especially those who love the Klingons, I highly recommend the I.K.S. Gorkon book series. Be sure to read "A Good Day To Die" in order to get a solid basis for the entire trilogy.

Brad R.A. DeCandido should write every novel focusing on Klingons from here on out. He not only incorporates characters from the televised Star Trek Series (TNG and DS9), but creates his own characters that are thoroughly Klingon and very intriging. I believe KRAD has a better feel for Klingons than any other Star Trek novelist.

Captain Klag has just lost San Tarah though honorable combat after judging the Children of San Tarah as honorable foes in the previous novel "A Good Day to Die." However, the PetaQ General Talak has ordered Klag and his crew to violate their word and surrender their honor as Klingons. Klag decides to call on the Order of the Bat'leth, the age old association that Chancellor Martok has once again commissioned to be the champions of honor within the empire. The resulting battle is one that Klingons will sing operas of for at least a generation.

The writing in this work is of high calibre. The battle scenes are described so vividly, you can picture the ships and subspace eddies in your mind. The San Tarah are developed as a fascinating species who not only have a strong warrior ethic and are highly effective fighters of their own, but as the denoument of this story will show, they also place a very high premium on honor and integrity.

This was a great read and I can't wait to get to installment three "Enemy Territory."

The first two books in Kieth R.A. Decandido's new Star Trek series, The I.K.S. Gorkon, are, in reality, one story. These two novels follow the adventures of the Klingon Defense Force ship Gorkon and her captain and crew as they embark on a new mission:


"to explore strange new worlds...
to seek out new life and new civilizations...
...and to conquer them for the greater glory of the Klingon Empire!"

In the beginning, the reader finds himself witnessing the honoring of a ship's captain and the rebirth of an Order. That captain, called Klag son of M'Raq, is being inducted into the esteemed Order of the Bat'leth, an Order devoted to honor and duty and the precepts of the greatest Klingon to ever live: the Emperor Khaless, who created the Klingon sword, the bat'leth, from a lock of his own hair after throwing that lock into a volcano.

More than this, though, Klag and several other captains are ordered to enter a system called Kavrot to find worthy planets on which to plant the Empire's flag. Klag and his crew find such a planet, but then things take quite a change. The natives of this world, called San-Tarah, wish to compete in contests to decide their fate. Should the Klingons win, the San-Tarahns would willingly cede themselves to the Empire. Should they lose, Klag leaves and no Klingon will ever set foot on the planet again.

Of course, nothing is ever so simple as this. Inevitably, there is treachery afoot. Klag's superior does not think much at all of this contest or of the captain himself. What happens to Klag and the San-Tarahns? Read and find out.

This reviewer found the first two books of the I.K.S. Gorkon series to be fast-paced, fun, and very funny at times. It was also very "real", which is not always easy to portray in a sci-fi setting. The characters and their motivations, for the most part, were believable and this reader shouted "'Qapla!" with every success and consigned the villains to Gre'thor every time the crew of the Gorkon met any kind of defeat. The writing was wonderful, with very few editorial mistakes. The settings were vivid, to the point that the reader could feel the grass and smell the blood, hear the battle and taste the smoke and fire in the air, could almost feel the touch of a bat'leth or mik'leth handle wrapped around his fingers. If you like sci-fi novels, and specifically Star Trek novels, pick these two up. You'll be in for a rare treat

This is a great CD. I was concerned that hypnosis would not work on me, but the last couple of times I've used the CD I've awakened from my "trance" and noticed I'd been drooling! And I was sitting up to listen!

At the beginning of the recording Ms Decker says that in case of emergency you will be awake and alert. For some reason she restates this a couple of times in the course of the program. I found this very distracting and unnecessary. Generally the content is good, but sometimes it sounded too much like reading from a text.

Of all 20 of the CDs I have bought for meditation and hypnosis this is the one that stood out. It's very easy to follow, with no difficult visualizations, but a deep and wonderful hypnotic state is acquired. I put this on my MP3 player and now anytime I have an emotional pain in my mind I go right to this CD and it is erased, and replaced with a calming peace and emotional control. Janet is amazing and I hope she makes many more CDs. Thank You!

I listen to audiobooks daily and these are among the very best in terms of quality, relistening value, help and self growth. The total package is superb. Sit down relax and indulge.

I have been telling coworkers and friends about the change in my life and health. The power of suggestion is powerful. I no longer look like I stayed out all night. I look forward to my time relaxing with them. I own 5 cds by Janet Decker.

I have used one other Janet Decker CD besides this one. Voice is soothing, no trouble settling down and actually relaxing during this stress filled holiday. Got my skeptical boyfriend to try it and he enjoyed it. We both find Ms. Decker's voice soothing and will definately buy more of her products, especially the one for deep sleep as my BF is an insomniac. I have tried other CD by other people and the ones by Janet Decker are just a better choice...in my humble opinion.