United States Books

Rarely have American President's set aside a lengthy paper trail of their thoughts on national issues, apart from the day to day strains of office, before they become President. The public is usually left to discern their thoughts and world views from a variety of sources, often indirectly from the candidate himself. Ronald Reagan though, from 1975 to 1979, gave over 1,000 short radio commentaries, usually around three minutes in length on a variety of topics, that give as clear an indication to what he thought and what he valued as could be expected for someone not in office.

This five CD set, of around a representative tenth of Reagan's more than 1,000 radio commentaries, represent a unique window onto what Reagan valued, and the situation, from his conservative point of view, of late 1970's America. Topics such as environmentalism, out of control government spending, onerous government regulation, religious oppression overseas and liberal thought in culture and faith are addressed with at times great seriousness, and even better genuine humor.

These audio commentaries by Reagan are occasionally interrupted by former Reagan aides and scholars who give historical context to the subjects Reagan addresses. Former aide Michael Deaver is clear that these radio commentaries were a principle way that Reagan wanted to stay public and active after his eight years as California Governor ended in 1975.

The overwhelming majority of these commentaries were written, researched and edited by Reagan himself. His previous experience with broadcasting and his ability with plain spoken English, that the American public saw on television throughout the 80's, comes over even more clear here. What is most remarkable is his sense of timing. There are a few commentaries that he obviously rushes through, usually when he is reading a letter; but most of them build up to a point and are succinct, even when he points to supporting material.

Yes, Reagan stood against communism, and that is a frequent topic of these radio spots. What most stands out though is his enthusiastic love and and admiration for America, its ideals and its people, spread over a vast continent, yearning to be independent and creative, were it not for liberalism in government and surrounding culture.

This CD set is a great primary resource to understanding Reagan, the late 1970's and what he wanted to accomplish in the 1980's, a time which was most definitely not inevitable from the years that Reagan speaks here. This CD set makes a great companion for car trips and other listening opportunities; and they would make especially great introductions to the time for those too young to remember today.

If you admire, respect, or just fondly remember Ronald Reagan you'll enjoy these CDs. Through the short radio commentaries you'll feel like you've gotten to know the real Reagan.

This product is simply amazing. Ronald Regan was one of the best Presidents this country has ever had. These recordings are amazing. Many of the issues that he addressed in his radio announcements are still relevant to today! Decades later!!!

This should silence the "nay sayers" about Regan's abilities and opinions. All these announcements were written by Regan himself between his term of Governor of CA and President. He clearly laid out his plan of defeating communism. It is amazing to hear how a "true" conservative thinks.

Each section is set up and reviewed so that you know the actual context in which Regan was speaking.

It was a true pleasure to hear Regan's views on Government, Freedom of Speech, and faith in the American people.

This series is a must for anyone who doesn't understand what it means to be a conservative. I just wish our current President (George W) would listen and practice Regan's example of what it means to be a conservative.

Ronald Regan knew how the world works, and the role the US Government should play in the lives not only US Citizens, but to the entire world.

I doesn't really matter if you're a dem or a rep, this is a voice that can speak to you if you're an american.

He was the greatest president of my lifetime.

First rate audio. First rate documentary. First rate ideas.

No matter what your political affiliation is, there is no denying Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest speakers and leaders of our time. The collection of audio commentaries by the 40th president of the United States is an everlasting testimomy to the personality and opinions which reached out and captivated a nation. After listening to his warm voice and sharp wit,it soon becomes apparent how he could almost effortlessly attract and win most people over with his words. The collection of commentaries contained in this CD, were recorded from his radio days prior to becoming president and provide insight into some of the issues and concerns of the American public during the 1970's. Its such a great collection, that his voice, thoughts and charisma remain with you long after listening to the CD.

A ROAD WE DO NOT KNOW takes the reader on the June 1876 campaign against "hostile" tribes that ended, as every schoolboy should know, in the defeat of the 7th Cavalry at the battle of the Little Big Horn, a river also known as the Greasy Grass to the Sioux. Mr. Chiaventone's first novel is not a great work of literature but it holds up pretty well against a lot of other historical fiction. A ROAD is told from the perspective of captain and corporal, chief and warrior, indian and trooper, white and red. Wrapped in fiction, the author provides a plausible explanation for why and how the battle developed, a puzzle debated by historicans for over a hundred years. The novel explores General Custer's decision-making prior to the battle, when presented with information from his scouts, and during the battle, when pressed by overwhelming numbers of warriors. It makes for a fascinating read to be especially enjoyed by history buffs. Mr. Chiaventone also is able to get into the motivation and thinking of the Ogala, Hunkpapa, Cheyenne, Arapaho and other Indians engaged at the Greasy Grass, showing the reader how these native Americans viewed the world without dragging down the novel with unnecessary and distracting "spiritual" discourse. A ROAD is a realistic novel, describing the rigors of the campaign as well as the violence of battle. A side note is that some 7th Cavalry survivors of the Little Big Horn were later killed at Wounded Knee, where a total of 26 troopers were killed and 35 wounded. Highly recommended.

I've read this book with great interest and excitement. I also comuunicated with the author by email several years ago, and consulted many "experts" on Custer after I read the book. Most of the stories we've heard about GAC are pure trash. GAC was a great hero in the Civil War, for which he has not been given near enough credit due to the despicable stories that have been told about him in the years since the Little Big Horn.

His dear wife, Libby, spent the rest of her life trying to correct the defaming and hostile stories written about him. Because most of his family died at the Little Big Horn, only his enemies, such as Benteen and Reno, were left to tell the story. They were both jealous of Custer, and all the evidence points to Reno as the biggest flaw in the campaign, as he and his troops turned and ran in the face of an assault. This is explained in several writings about this event.

Custer did what most any soldier would have done in his situation. This book explains some of that, so I will not repeat it here.

Suffice it to say, read the book with an open mind, forgetting all the "disinformation" you've heard about him.

Why wasn't this book made into a movie? Well, if it had been an anti-Custer, or anti-American book, it would have been The left-wing, socialist, anti-American pukes in Hollywood would have seen to it. But, it is a realistic story not indulging in mythology or hate-mongering against a true American hero in the Civil War. Custer's conflict with the Grant administration over treatment of the Indians is also a truth Hollywood would not want to tell. That would undermine their hate for him.

With "A Road We Do Not Know" Mr. Chiaventone takes us, on both banks of the Little Big Horn River, as close to what really happened there June 25, 1876 as anybody will ever get. Chiaventone achieves this partly through extensive historical research and partly through empathy for the men involved in the events, all of whom, Indians and cavalrymen, emerge from this story as real people: There are no Noble Savages in this book nor is Custer represented as a fool. Chivaentone understands the "fog of war" and how it can blind otherwise valiant and experienced commanders: Eighty-nine years after the Little Big Horn the 7th Cavalary got itself into a similar debacle at a place called the Ia Drang Valley in Viet-Nam, and in 1965 they had air support and artillery. The only quibble I have about this excellent novel is the large number of footnotes throughout. They do not belong in a novel because they distract from the flow of the story. Someone at Simon & Schuster needs to be reminded of that: put 'em in the narrative, in the mouths of the characters, or in an "Historical Note" at the end of the book, but NOT at the bottom of the page.

I gave this two stars but it is a matter of taste. I was looking for straight historical fiction. To enjoy this read you must really be an avid fan of military fiction. For people with this interest, this might be five stars. For my taste, the author dwelt too much on the details of the military custom and practice that he reconstructed for the circa 1870s Seventh Cavalry. This amounted to the first half of the book and I got bogged down in it. But this preoccupation with military details ran through the remainder of the book and I think had the effect of dampening the climax. It seemed like there was more militaria than characterization so it was hard for me to be personally drawn into the climax. But I realize that this is exactly what some people want. I also felt that the characterization of Custer was a little too charitable based on the history I have read. I am a Native American and I got the impression form this book that Custer was almost benevolent in attitude towards Indians -- just a little egotistical. That's a stretch.

Not since May 29, 1981, the day I finished The Killer Angels, have I been so overwhelmed by the ending of a military action novel as I was by this book. It is fiction only because it supplies lotsa dialogue for June 25, 1876--the day of Custer's Last Stand. This book presents all the events as very concentrated in time, whereas I before reading it had the impression the events were spread over several days. I am confident this book is pretty accurate as to what happened. This is a very poignant book, and made me feel I was with the people on that fateful day. Most worthwhile reading.

Michael Troyan has a gift for biography. I hope he can collaborate with Turner Classic Movies to produce a video on the life of Greer Garson.
This book makes me wish I could have known Greer Garson. She loved and respected her mother, she loved her husband, she loved children and orphans and the disabled and disadvantaged. She loved her dogs, ranching in New Mexico, history, and she loved Texas...makes me love her even though I never met her. Good job, Mr. Troyan.

Michael Troyan has done a wonderful job of putting together an informative and enjoyable biography on a fascinating subject. In fact, I found the book so delightful as to find it to be one of the best biographies I've ever read.

While there is no doubt that the charming personality of Greer Garson herself that radiates throughout the book has helped in the formation of my favorable opinion, I give much-deserved kudos to Mr. Troyan for being able to present his subject to the audience in such a friendly manner. By that I mean that throughout the pages, I could feel the presence of Greer Garson, and after having finished the book, felt as if I had just finished reading a letter from a long-time friend.

The first half of the book, which deals with Greer's childhood, life in Britain as a stage actress, and the later move to Hollywood, is generally a smooth and easy read. The toll of the grinding studio system and the competition involved for the popular actresses of the time are keenly felt and one can get a very good idea of the kind of position the actress was in at the time. Eventually though, talent perseveres and success follows. Detailed and interesting accounts of each of Greer's films are available and are a joy to read.

The latter half of the book is a particularly refreshing read because of the relatively vast amount of information about Greer's later life outside of Hollywood. Personally, I had not previously been aware of her various activities and hobbies and learned a great deal more about Greer Garson than when I first started out. A sign of a good biography is new information, and this one certainly has its fair share.

Now, all other traits aside, the most notable accomplishment of this work is that it does not read as a stiff, dull and fact-driven thesis paper, which is a pitfall that so many biographies of this kind can fall into. Rather, it is an intimate yet respectfully distant portrait of a lovely human being who was also a remarkable artist in her own right.

This book on Greer Garson I highly recommend. It's very balances and tells of the good and bad times in her life about her career andher fmaily. Though i must admit I wished it had mentioned more about her interests and personal life off screem. But overall it's really well written and interesting book about alovely screen actress. Greer Garson really had class
and a wnderful grace about her in all of her films

Modern actors and actresses don't seem to have the charisma, style and elegance of yesteryear's stars. Maybe that's because most of today's actors are really nothing but pitiful celebrities striving to be what once was, when Hollywood was golden.

I long for yesterday when it comes to film stars: Betty Davis, Myrna Loy, Katherine Hepburn Ginger Rogers, and so many more. Oh, yes, and that includes Greer Garson. The beautiful and talented woman we thought was born in Ireland in 1908, was really born in London in 1904.

Author Michael Troyan delves into Greer Garson's life, as much as anyone could, given that she was an extremely private woman. He carries you through her intense desire to succeed as an actress, her `discovery' and career struggles to resist being typecast, all the way through her marriages, and to her death on April 5, 1996 at Dallas Presbyterian Hospital with Van Cliburn at her bedside.

I'd always thought of Ms. Garson as a brilliant actress who could get any part she wanted. I had no idea of her struggles with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. One of my favorite films is the record-breaking "Mrs. Miniver." I get chills thinking about her Academy Award-winning performance.

And while it felt a bit like voyeurism looking in on her life, I'm glad I visited it through Troyan's eyes. It was a satisfying trip. And the author did a marvelous job showing us a small part of the woman who was Greer Garson.

For a compelling look at one of the best actresses to ever grace the stage, big or small screen, read A Rose for Mrs. Miniver: The Life of Greer Garson.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a wonderful slice of our American film history.

An excellent read if you're into details. For me, the details got a little overwhelming, but I so much wanted to learn more about this actress that I admire greatly. Sadly, as the author himself stated, it was difficult to write a biography because Greer Garson was a very private person and did not give many interviews or express many personal opinions in public. However, he richly details her movies, her public service, and others' opinions of her (and a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold). I have always enjoyed watching her many films and am tracking down as many of them as I can on DVD so this made for a fine addition to my collection of her work. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading and loves any of her many films.

Richard McKenna's novel is not the reason for only 3 stars. The Kindle version of this novel is prepared by Rosetta books and their work is shabby at best. The text (no matter what type size I selected) is not left or right justified, there are numerous words misspelled (again not the author's problem). The text has instances of a correctly spelled word that clearly does not belong -- for example 'than', rather than 'then'. This is the first Kindle edition that I have encountered with these formatting / presentation / conversion to electronic edition issues. Don't buy the Rosetta edition for Kindle.

Jake Holman, the protagonist, probably has Asperger's Syndrome, which makes it easier for him to run machinery than to relate easily to other people. A very important factor is the change in Jake's personality functioning as the personal relationships which he develops for the first time with some characters who are empathetic to him allow him to overcome some of the impediments of his psychological condition and to function more fully as a self-actualized person.
However, the novel is not based on history. No American gunboat was atacked from the shore or river by the Chinese in the 1920s, although one was bombed by the Japanese in the 1930s. Thus the story's inaccuracy creates bad feelings against the Chinese Nationalists who are the legitimate government of China and defames China's government.

For a book that eventually got made into a Steve McQueen movie I was very surprised by the depth of this book.

McKenna does an excellent job of portraying China in transition, told from the points of view of the sailors on the USS San Pablo and from the missionaries at China Light, people whose world is literally shattered. The first part of the book focuses on the protagonist, Jake Holman, as he learns to adjust to life onboard the tiny San Pablo after having transferred from the Pacific Fleet. Everything is going to be perfect, he is going to have his own engine, his own engine room and be able to run it the way he wants to. Except that's not how it is on the San Pablo - most of the engineering work is done by coolies, cheap contract laborers who make their living by skimming off the ship's supplies. Coolies cook, clean, iron uniforms, swab the decks, maintain the engine and do all of the menial work leaving the crew to drill, and drill and drill and drill. The paper tiger of the San Pablo's small crew and it's three pound cannon is the only force guarding American interests - missionaries, factories, mines and more, this far up the Yangtze and appearances have to be maintained no matter how ultimately ineffective the reality may be.

By the second part of the book the Chinese have seen through it. The armies of Chiang Kai-Shek marching under the "gearwheel" flag of the Kuomintang are marching north towards the Yangtze while Bolshevist forces are working and agitating along the northern banks of the river. At first the coolies start skimming more and more off the top, and then they abandon the ship, running overboard and swimming towards a blockade of sampans that have started to surround and harass the ship every day. China is awakening to a sense of self-identity that had been suppressed for a very long time and the men of the San Pablo are despised relics of the old China, an abused and tortured China with no sense of pride or self-worth.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things for the crew to deal with is the fact that the people they are supposed to be protecting, largely missionaries, are full supporters of the Kuomintang. When the San Pablo is told to stand back and only defend American lives, not American property, it is because of the missionaries who have gone home and lobbied for American non-involvement in China. The reader feels the frustration, anger and demoralization of the crew as they are curtailed repeatedly from executing what is supposed to be their primary purpose - protection of American interests. The Chinese have also learned how to make paper tigers of their own from their Russian advisors and waste no time in churning out propaganda and sometimes outright lies about the San Pablo and their men. There is no place for the men of the San Pablo towards the end of the book - their country has for all intents and purposes abandoned them and there is no place in this new, alien China they find themselves in.


One last thing I will mention is that that most readers will be sent running for a dictionary of mechanical engineering by about fifteen pages in. I learned more about steam and marine engines reading this book than I ever expected to.

The Sand Pebbles is a wonderful, edgy, sweeping, panoramic novel, to be sure, and I highly recommend it for all those reasons. But one aspect of it makes it an unexpectedly valuable historical statement. It concerns the sailors of a US Navy vessel patrolling the upper reaches of China's Yangtze River in 1925 and....

Excuse me? Hello? There were US Navy vessels a thousand miles inside China? In 1925? In the heyday of "isolationism?" During the supposedly minimalist administration of "Silent Cal" Coolidge? Can you imagine the equivalent, were the tables turned: that some foreign power might assert its "right" to protect its expatriate nationals by permanently stationing gunboats on the Ohio between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh? The arrogance of it (and its undoubted cost to the US taxpayer) is staggering.

If highlighting this absurdity was any part of author McKenna's immediate intention, it's not apparent. He was too great an artist to flog any political point-of-vew. But his realism requires him to portray the ambivalence of the sailors on the front line of this policy, the rigidly-repressed doubts of the captain, the hostility of some of the putative beneficiaries, the cheerful advantage taken of it by a few, and the stubborn resistance to alternatives or change everywhere.

Some weeks ago, I was playing channel flip on the telly, and came across an old movie on a cable station. Happily, I caught it at just the begining, and settled in to watch this tale of American Navy men aboard a rickety gunboat in China. In fact, I was interested enough to find a copy of the book that the film was based on and happily settled in to read.

The Sand Pebbles tells the story of the San Pablo, a creaky, none too sturdy gunboat from the Spanish-American war cruising the rivers and lakes in Hunan Province in China. Much like the boat, the crew isn't much too look at either; under the command of Lt. Collins, they're a rough lot, at the very bottom of the barrel. Into this world comes Jake Holman, another American seaman, who has come to the San Pablo to find a place where he can fit in, without the annoyance of the petty demands that the Navy sets on their crewmen.

As Holman finds out very quickly, he doesn't fit in very well at first. For one thing, there's the system of letting the local chinese coolies do all of the work, while the crew merely sits back and, well there's a lot of topside drills. Holman hates it, being one of those sorts who would rather be with his beloved engines than around other people. It's a trait that instantly sets him apart from everyone else in the crew. They don't care what's going on, just so long as they don't have to do much, have good chow and clean quarters, with on board coolies to do the laundry and give daily shaves, and liberty now and then. They grumble a bit, but it's friendly jibbing -- they know they have it good here, with a fine soft perch, and are collectively known as the Sand Pebbles.

But Holman -- it's not so good. He almost immediately gets into a fight with the coolie who is running the black gang in the engine room, with consequences that will have much more serious repercussions later. He takes another coolie, Po-Han, who has promise, trying to teach him the inner workings of the ship's engines, but a lack of communication skills make it nearly impossible. Holman struggles to fit in, but it not easy.

We also get to met other crewmen, from Frenchy Burgoyne who is smitten by a delicate Chinese girl that he could never marry; Red Dog Shanahan, perpetual troublemaker and wise-mouth; Lynch, one of the petty officers with a Russian woman tucked away in Hankow. Finally there are the missionaries at China White, a nearby religious outpost. Holman is attracted to Miss Eckart, a young woman that he is drawn to despite the deep wide of culture and morality that separates them. For a while, everything seems to be settling in place, but all too soon, revolution is growing and soon the San Pablo will be right in the middle of it all.

I have to say, I was really impressed with the book. Author Richard McKenna takes the time to create a world that is very alien to most of his readers, and his own knowledge from serving with the US Navy gives the details of living on board a gunboat an authentic flavour. While many readers will be offended by the slang and abuse that is very misogynist and racist, it also brings forward a past that most of us never knew. McKenna is simply writing about the world as it was at the time -- where other nations and races were viewed with outright suspicision and no one worried much if such terms as 'slant eye,' 'Slopehead' or 'chink' was hurled about. But McKenna is also careful in how he does it as well -- the reader will find themselves being rather unsettled as they read, and left to decide for themselves if times have really changed much in the last forty years since this novel was published. In any case, it is certainly a very good read, with plenty of introspection, action, and the day to day lives of men who are being forced into a untenable situation and one that may have no survivors.

I recommend this one for any one interested in military history, China in the 1920's, or just want a good story about bravery and heroism in a desperate time.

In this new edition, Robert Shenk provides an introduction that talks about Richard McKenna's own adventures serving in China with the US Navy, his attempts to write after leaving military service (he wrote science fiction at first), and then the experiences that brought around writing The Sand Pebbles. The book is now published by the Naval Institute Press as a Bluejacket Edition, a collection of books that focus on naval and military subjects.

It really doesn't matter about your attitudes about war with this one; instead it focuses on the people who work hard and serve, sometimes in awful places and situations and explore their lives and thoughts, and how they survive. It's just about a five star read, and I was left with quite a few questions and thoughts myself once I had finished it. It's a very different sort of novel than what is being published today, without the hyperaggressive macho of most military thrillers today, and one that feels and sounds realistic.

Five stars. Highly recommended.

Some people may shy away from this book because they think its about basketball. Wrong -- it's about life, about a person who happens to play basketball.

I think every girl should read this book, because it deals with Cooper's issues with self-esteem and confidence, overcoming poverty, and her pursuit of excellence. I also think every mother should read it, because the book shows how effective a role model Cooper's mother was to her. Maybe mothers and daughters should read this book together, and have discussions about it.

This is not an overtly Christian book, but Cooper is a Christian and does not hide her faith. It is not really an evangelistic book, though one can say it is pre-evangelistic.

This autobiography is one of the best, if not the best, that I've read. It's amazing how Cynthia Cooper writes her own story to motivate and make readers have more confidence. She's a real example of a true athlete hero, someone that can be a role model to all. Thanks to her and her success in the WNBA, she's given Women's Basketball a new meaning. Her determination and motivation to become successful is admirable. This book is really an inspiration to those who lack self-esteem and self-confidence. I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone because is really interesting and inspirational. I'm proud of Cynthia Cooper because she's a real good representative of Women's basketball and a great example of determination and success. She also proved that with God's help, anything is possible.

Cynthia Cooper could be a role model for anyone. She knows how to play the game of life as well as basketball: when to hold, when to fold, and a whole lot more.
What impressed me most? Signed to play in Italy, Cynthia didn't hang around being homesick. She took the opportunity to learn and grow.
My favorite scenes:

(1) New to Italy, she'd never even heard of famous cathedrals that someone asked her about. Later, she could have discussed the architectural history and features -- in Italian.

(2) She asked Ford to give her a marketing internship -- and she felt right at home with the men. I use this example a lot when I talk to parents who are concerned that their daughters are more interested in sports than school.

(3) She takes us behind the scenes of the championship Comets.

Hard to put down, well-written, honest -- the perfect gift for any WNBA fan or any young woman looking to her future, in or out of basketball.

Cooper's book has made me relieze that nothing can turninto something. Also Cooper provides a positive role model for anyonewho wants to better themselves and improve their way of life. This is a book that can be enjoyed by all. There was problems growing up, college, overseas (work) love, and death of loved ones. This tells the reader that everyone faces problems at many different stages of life. Also how they could be overcome with the correct outlook. END

This book is about the story and life of a great know person and athletic. It has its good times and bad times. It tells you what happened in her life till the time she published the book. It tells you from her first time she touched a basketball until she became the leauges MVP. If you want to read a great story about a player and her good times and bad times this is the book you should read. It is for sure the best book I've read about a great person and a life she lived. You should get this book no doubt.

I have the hardback (2001) edition. This was an excellent read, especially for all of us that read war history. It was refreshing to read of the human side of a warrior and his daughter. You won't put this one down until it's read. This is an important book especially for those that may still hold hatred for a specific person or race.

The Souvenir is a marvelous book for book group discussions, and is especially appropriate for Jewish groups. Ms. Steinman writes poignantly about her father, her family, and herself in relation to the military experience of the World War II theater of operations in the Pacific, and its aftermath. This is a story that is relatively unknown, since many histories and memoirs of World War II focus on Europe. Although not a book about Judaism, this is a very Jewish book. It is very much in keeping with the Jewish storytelling tradition: of creating and telling a good story that is important for the audience to hear, and to feeling a connection to the characters and values in the story. The themes of repentance and renewal (tshuvah in Hebrew) are vital to maintaining and nurturing relationships of family and friends, especially at the time of year when the Jewish holy days of the New Year (Rosh HaShanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) occur. I was moved to tears a number of times. There are valuable lessons to share that will broaden our understanding and compassion for veterans, their families, and Jewish values.

Rabbi Wendy Spears

You see all the reviews having 5 stars out of 5 stars--I couldn't bring myself to agree. This book starts being really quite good--it drew me in--but then it started to dddddddrrrrrraaaaaaaaggggggggg. I put it down for a while and tried again (I did this 3 times) when I decided to give it up for good. I think it could have been better. :(

Louise Steinman has hit it out of the park with this wonderful, moving memoir about her father, Norman Steinman, his war experiences, and the way those experiences shaped his life--and his relationships with his family. It is also about Ms. Steinman's own odyssey in experiencing her father's war, through reading hundreds of her father's war-time letters discovered after her parents' deaths, talking to other Pacific War veterans, and visiting long-forgotten battlefields in the Philippines. Ms. Steinman eventually makes a special journey to Japan to visit the family of a long-dead Japanese soldier. It involves a simple errand: she needs to give something back...

Ms. Steinman shows that the scars of war run deep and the impacts are felt through succeeding generations. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Like so many in my generation, the author, like the rest of us, really had no clue as to what made her father tick. These men, and women, of the "Greatest Generation" were a different breed. I had to blink twice when the author described her father, his attitudes, work ethic, treatment of his family and on and on. She could have well been describing my own father.

The author, after her father's death, discovers a box of letters written to his wife (the author's mother) during the war. Her father fought in the Pacific, taking part in some of its most brutal of battles. Amongst the letters, in an envelope, was a Japanese Flag, a "souvenir flag" which her father had sent home. The flag was of the type carried by many Japanese soldiers, which was a sort of good luck piece. The story is basically Ms. Steinman's search for the family of the soldier whose body it was taken from and a story of Ms. Steinman's search for her father, i.e. who really was her father, and how had the war changed him?

Now I will be honest, there were parts of the book that disturbed me. I am not all that certain if the author ever did have a clue as to what made her father the man he was and how the war truly affected him. The author never actually says it, but after reading her description of her father, which gave us some idea of the kind of man he was, there is really no doubt where he got the flag, and how he got it. He did not seem the type of man who would simply pick up a flag off any old dead body and keep it. While this falls into the realm of speculation, I think it probably would have been better if the author had faced reality. Be that as it may, the author did quite a good job with her research and I certainly admire her objectives.

The book is well written, easy to read, and quite informative. Like another reviewer here, I have the feeling the author actually found out more about herself than she did of her father, and that is actually a very good thing. I do recommend this one highly. You certainly will be richer for having read it.

D. Blankenship

The Spy Wore Red is one of three books written by Aline Griffith Romanos who worked as an undercover spy during WW II. I discovered this book in a used book store in 25 years ago, read it several times, bought her other two books, The Spy Wore Silk and The Spy Went Dancing, gave them to my family to read; then went out and purchased them in again! I have read them more times than I can count over the years, and they are definitely in my top ten list of favorite books. This is not a book that will take you days to read, and, one you will recommend to your friends!

I don't buy any of it, not for a minute. But, this is a much more enjoyable read than several of the so-called "thrillers" I've read recently. Just suspend your disbelief, dive right in, and be swept away!

Aline, Countess of Romanos has written a spectacular book. I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading an autobiography and not a work of fiction. Aline is an agent for the OSS during World War II. She blends into Spanish high society and manages to complete her mission and introduce the reader to the thrills and chills of being an undercover agent. She also gives us a glimpse of Spanish Aristocracy, bull fighting and the inner workings of a nineteen year olds dilemma of befriending people who may be targets of her investigation. I have read all of her books but like this one the best. It is full of action, drama, and even a touch of romance. I have recommended it to all of my friends.

I have purchased 4 books by Aline Romanos. I absolutely love them. The fact that there is truth behind the story and that she really was an upper-class lady as well as a spy excites me. I find myself wishing I lived an adventurous life. She has a talent when it comes to recreating her life and exploits. I could not put it down!

The most respected historian in the field of espionage, Nigel West, studied all of Aline's spy books marketed as nonfiction and concluded "...all four of Aline's books should be regarded as fiction, and nothing more..." Read "Counterfeit Spies, Chapter 3, by Nigel West, 1998.

I just wrote a review for another one of Mr. Vasquez's books. I have three of them (Weather Forecasting Handbook, Weather Map Handbook, and Storm Chasing Handbook). All three of them are absolutely fantastic.

Tim Vasquez is very well-known and respected in the meteorological community, and with good reason. No one disputes him knowledge. We all know people though, who are geniuses at what they do, yet who are very dry and boring when they attempt to teach their subject. Vasquez is definitely not one of those sorts. Nor is he the kind who tries so hard to liven up a subject that he waters down the information with silliness. He presents his information in a solidly informative way that reads very well without coming across as dry.

This book in particular, is ideal for those with any interest in storm chasing. In fact, I would call it a "must-have". It gives a very no-nonsense description of how to approach various types of storms. It has a terrific chapter on forecasting (not nearly as in-depth as his Forecasting Handbook of course, but still extremely informative and detailed). It has tons of other information, but you're wasting time! Stop reading reviews, and just buy his book! It's well worth it.

I wish this book had been available when I began storm chasing in 1982. It would have saved me countless hours of frustration and thousands of miles of trying to observe the wrong storms in the wrong place. Tim has expertly explained the basic details of making your own severe weather forecast which, in my own opinion, is most of what good ethical storm chasing is about. His writing is very readable yet is also technical enough to delve into more advanced facets of forecasting and, if your forecast verifies, how to manage yourself once in the field. As an added bonus, much of the book is dedicated as a "tour book" to many areas of the great plains of the USA. While this may seem odd to some, this is quite valuable since many (and I do mean MANY) hours spent on the road during a chase are in "down time", waiting for storms to form or finding hours to fill once the cap decides to dominate. Overall, I cannot highly recommend this book enough. Tim's other books are equally as valuable and are a welcome steroid injection to the intellect of anyone who is interested in the atmospheric sciences.

This is an excellent guide for those entering into the hobby of storm chasing. As anyone just starting out quickly realizes, storm chasing isn't anywhere near as simple as pointing your car towards dark skies and driving in a straight line. :) This book explains how chase safely, how to increase your chances of actually catching a good storm, and what tools work best at getting you where you need to go.

The book consists of two main sections. The first section is devoted to storm chasing, divided up into chapters about saftey, methodology, forcasting (this chapter will only make you want to purchase Tim's other book, which is devoted entirely to forcasting), and equipment. The second section is more or less a list of interesting things to do and places to see when waiting for something interesting to happen happen in the sky. This may seem like something that would be intuitive, but wait until it's you who're stuck out in the middle of rural Kansas at 10AM waiting for the cap to break. Tim even gives you GPS coordinates, so you can't loose.

Almost any chaser even half-way involved in chasing has heard of Tim Vasquez. He's had tons of experience with both chasing and writing -- many years ago, he published a regular little rag called "Storm Track", which was a perodic newsletter/magazine. Eventually, stormtrack moved to the internet ... . It was always a great source for chaser info.

I'd reccomend this book to anyone who is thinking of getting into chasing, and for a lot of people who already are. Chasing is one of those hobbies in which knowing more not only increases your success, it decreases the odds that you'll get yourself killed or, worse, kill someone else. This book gives you a lot of good information in a very understandable format.

A fairly comprehensive guide to introductory storm chasing. A little more info on the forecasting would have been good, though much of it is covered in Vasquez's Weather Forecasting Handbook. After a one-week storm tour with Silver Lining Tours in 2003, this book really helped me to make sense of the things that I saw and springboarded me on a year of research so that I will be better prepared for my 2004 storm chase with SLT. The tips that were included gave me the goal of trying to see something other than a tornado (which we did not see on the tour last year). It made me realize the beauty of other storm structures to the point where now I just take delight in sitting and watching cumulus clouds rise and fade. Thank you, Tim Vasquez, for helping to ensure that this year's chase will be even more fulfilling than last year's!

I've now bought three copies and given two to friends. Tim knows storms and he knows the ins and outs of storm chasing. I just wish he'd writtin it before I started chasing so I didn't have to learn the hard way. This is a must for anyone interested in chasing. From forecasting to food, with information on equipment, chase partners, safety, and things to do when the weather's good, this book is a great resource. It will be in my bag on my next chase.

The authors of, "The Success Principles for Teens" could have titled their book, "The Success Principles for ALL."

I came across their book by accident and after reading several passages, I added it to my collection of books. The authors have done an excellent job in putting across the theme of, `...taking full responsibility for everything you do, think, and say. The book doesn't tell you how to live your life. It does provide the reader with instructions on how to achieve a better and happier YOU. According to the authors, "This book contains what [they] call the timeless `ingredients of success.' Just like there's a recipe for your favorite dish, there is a recipe for achievement too."

Their book consists of twenty chapters. At the end of every chapter the authors include a "My-to do-List." An example of the list after the first chapter is as follows:

1.The Kids on the Block"Realize that the person in charge of my life is ME. I am accountable for the quality of my life.

2.Search for the facts and look at things as they are, so I can improve them. Then create a new vision by seeing things as I'd like them to be.

3.Eliminate my excuses because (a) no one wants to hear them and (b) all they do is slow me down.

4.Acknowledge that blaming stems from denial and doesn't accomplish anything because no matter how much I blame things outside of myself, blaming won't change me or my circumstances.

5.Realize that I can change anything and everything simply by doing or thinking something different. Understand that it's not what happens to me; it's how I respond that matters. And how I respond is completely up to me.

6.When I ask myself a different question, I will trigger a different response, which will, in turn, create a different outcome.

7.Remember that results don't lie. The easiest and fastest way to find out if something isn't working is to pay attention to the outcome I am currently getting. [based on the equation E + R = O; Event + Response = Outcome]

8.Pay attention to alerts or signals that I get from other people or my intuition. These are often signs that can help me prevent unwanted consequences later on.

9.Keep in mind that I have everything I need to get the results I want."

The contents of the book are challenging, fast and easy reading. Best of all, however, once you start reading you don't want to stop, or put the book down. The reader, more often than not, will say, "I never thought of it that way." Or, "That really makes sense."

The contents, even though, directed to Teens, can definitely be helpful to adults as well. It is never too late to learn and practice how to take full responsibility of one's life in order to be more successful and happy. As the authors say in one of their many side, and inspiring notes "Surround yourself with the best, and you'll achieve more than the rest." The last chapter's side note states: "Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be exceptional."

I strongly recommend, "The Success Principles for Teens" to all Teens having a difficult time in life. To adults, and to the young at heart who feel they have missed something in their lives. "The Success Principles for Teens" is also excellent reading for Social Workers, parents, teachers, school administrators, to the clergy, and in particular, to everyone who wants to improve the quality of life.

This is a must read for teens and young adults.I bought it for my 17 year old and I wish I would have had it for my other children when they were teens.

Success Principles for Teens is the result of Kent Healy's partnership with Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Healy, teen entrepreneur turned twenty-three year old author and motivational speaker, lends his youthful voice to this inspiring book.

"I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you're a musician, a writer, an athlete, or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you will win - if you don't, you won't" This quote by Bruce Jenner, Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon captures the essence of this extraordinary compilation of success principles.

Encouragement abounds for teens desiring improved grades and healthy relationships with peers and parents. The first step is for young people to take responsibility for their own lives.

Chapters build on one another: goal-setting and facing fears, rejection and feedback, track small successes and focus on the prize. Main principles are gathered at the conclusion of each chapter with a to-do list. The book is a comprehensive and practical resource presented in a teen-friendly format.

"I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat." Quotes like this one by Sylvester Stallone in addition to others successful and well-known people appear every few pages. Stories by teenagers who have overcome obstacles to attain their best are interspersed with true stories by both authors.

This book must find its way into every junior high and high school library. As an adult, I was inspired after reading through this book. I shared some of the stories with my teenagers and strongly encouraged them to read it also. It contains the spark necessary to launch today's youth into fulfilling adult lives.

Armchair Interviews says: Inspiring message for teens and adults/parents alike.

This book tells you everything you need to be successful or at least better your life. I'm a teen myself and I just read the book. Already I feel more motivated to strive for the life that I want. Before reading this, I had no ideas of what I wanted to get out of life or what I even really wanted to do with my time here on Earth. I've recommended the adult version of this book to my single mother because I beleive in the authors ability to help people better themselve and acheive their dreams. Every high-school student should read this book, or even read it at earlier ages.

Mr. Canfield and Mr. Healy have created a wonderful, much-needed tool for teens. Adults will benefit as well.

In my work with teenagers as an ADHD Coach/Consultant I recommend "The Success Principles for Teens: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be".

It is a very positive book that gives hope to teens that may be experiencing challenges in their life.

My three favorite principles are Principle 1: Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life, Principle 13: Ask! Ask! Ask! and Principle 19: Give Your Best to Be Your Best.

Thank you!

jenny and cameron were all they had in each others lives. they were both outcasts in school, and both had bad families. cameron had an abusive father and jenny's mom was never home. then one day cameron leaves without telling jenny, making her believe he died. jenny moved on with her life, going to a new school and changing her appearance. until one day, 8 years later cameron returns.

i never had friendship the way these two had. their unconditional love for each other is so pure and amazing, making me question all my friends. my only disappointment was the ending. i couldnt stop crying. i had such high expectations about them both, i was rooting for them to be together. i hope that there could be a sequel to this book, maybe 15 years later. i want to see if they will end up together. i would really want to read it, if there was a sequel.

i love all the characters, and i really love this book. the ending is sad but its worth reading.

SWEETHEARTS
SARA ZARR


Rating: 4 Enchantments

Jennifer Harris' life has undergone a serious transformation since the last time she saw her childhood best friend Cameron Quick. Gone is the shy, chubby outcast Jennifer and in her place is Jenna Harris, a teenager who is popular, happy and dating one of the most hottest guys in school. She is in fact everything that `Jenna' knows Jennifer never could be. But when her long lost friend Cameron suddenly reappears in her life, a friend she thought dead, both are faced with the stinging memories of the past that no transformation can truly leave behind.

Confronted by her past and the truth about Cameron's disappearance, Jenna struggles to come to terms with who she was then and who she is now, all while rebuilding one of the most important relationships of her life.

Full of emotion, SWEETHEARTS is a beautifully written story about the power of friendship and its ability to transform. Anyone who's struggled to fit in will be able to sympathize with Jennifer's desire to transform herself into someone else.

This is Ms. Zarr's second young adult novel.

Reviewed by Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
February 2008

As a child, Jennifer Harris was a social outcast. She was nicknamed the Fattifier, because she was chubby, and made fun of for her lisp. Her only friend was another outcast named Cameron Quirk. They were always there for each other, and Cameron made everything bearable for Jennifer. And when he suddenly leaves without even saying goodbye, Jennifer is devastated. She thinks that he is dead, and no one tells her otherwise.

Now Jennifer Harris is Jenna Vaughn. Her mom got married and Jennifer changed her name and her personality. She's got friends, a first boyfriend, and a loving family, all that she could ever want. But she can never forget Cameron, and memories of him haunt her constantly. So when Cameron just shows up one day at school, everything is changed for her.

Throughout the story, Jenna has flashbacks to when she was Jennifer. And Jenna is not quite sure if she likes who she is now, and not sure if she wants to become Jennifer again. When Cameron was her best friend, she could be anyone she wanted to be, but as Jenna, her whole life seems to be a lie.

Sweethearts was a beautiful story about how the strongest bonds of friendship can span any distance or amount of time. It was one of the saddest and most romantic books I have read in a long time, and it made me cry. It was filled with such raw emotion that I felt I was inside Jenna's head, living her life with her. And while the ending isn't perfect, it is filled with contentment and hope.

I highly recommend Sweethearts to everyone, especially girls who can't let go of their childhood sweethearts. It was a beautiful story, and I am glad I took the time to read this incredible story. I hope all of you get to read it too.

[...]

This is an excellent growing-up novel for any teen. Jenna Vaughn is a senior at a small charter school in Utah who, on the outside, has it all - friends, a boyfriend, a great body etc.

What Jenna's friends don't know is her rocky childhood or the one boy who helped ease her loneliness.

Peppered throughout the book are memories, little things that Jenna remembers about Cameron Quick and her own childhood. She remembers the day he snuck a ring and a note into her lunchbox saying that he loved her. She remembers being teased by the popular kids and being called Fattifer. She remembers the week Cameron spent at her house and how hyped on sugar he got after eating chocolate chip pancakes. She remembers the dollhouse he built for her birthday and escaping from his father. She remembers compulsively stealing food.

One day Cameron doesn't come to school and then he's just not there for a few months. When Jennifer finally gets her courage to ask the teacher says that he's moved away and the kids at school tell her he has died. Either way Cameron is gone and he didn't even say goodbye. Eight years later on Jenna's birthday Cameron shows up again to place a birthday card and a cheap plastic ring in her mailbox.

Jenna is thrilled Cameron is alive and hurt that he never contacted her before this. She's never forgotten what he meant to her but she's not sure how to incorporate him into the new life she's built for herself.

There are aspects of the book I really related to and I really felt some heart-tugs for Jenna and Cameron. The book was well-written in almost a journal style with randomly interspersed memories and completely from Jenna's point of view. The reader only knows what Jenna knows and sometimes this is helpful and sometimes it hinders the whole Cameron picture since it's based on her childhood information.

I felt the end was unfinished but even that felt right after I thought about it. Jenna's mother said she always felt there was something unfinished about Jenna and Cameron and Jenna reflects later that that unfinished something was love. The book felt unfinished because their love is unfinished and that made me feel infinitely better about the ending and not really KNOWING how the two of them end up and if it all works out.

All in all an excellent book.

What attracted me to this book initially was the cover (I saw it at the Little Brown stand in Bologna) - doesn't that frosted cookie look yummy? I also liked the jacket copy: "Sweethearts is about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts." So yeah, not exactly high concept, but I like to read "quieter" books every now and then too. And this one was just lovely.

High School Senior Jenna Vaughn has a cute boyfriend Ethan, tons of friends and seems to have it all together. But she still carries the scars of a solitary childhood - one in which her harried single mother didn't seem to have time for her and she only had one friend - fellow outcast and first love Cameron Quick who disappears one day without explanation.

When Cameron suddenly reappears years later, Jenna must come to terms with a traumatizing event in her past, confront her mother about her abandonment issues, and figure out what place Cameron, Ethan, and her new friends have in her life.

I found the story and Jenna's character arc to be very authentic. I have to admit, my first instinct was to scoff when I found out how relatively tame the "traumatic event" was - I mean it is very far from Cupcake Brown's childhood as she describes in her memoir A Piece of Cake (I urge you to check it for a great true story of triumph over adversity). Upon further reflection, I realized that within Jenna's scope of experience and from her narrow point of view, this one event was in fact earth-shattering.

The writing is top notch throughout and I'd be hard pressed to come up with a last chapter that is more beautifully expressed than this one. This book really makes you think about how certain people have touched your life and left a lasting mark in your heart.