American Books

I picked this up from the discount rack at my favorite book store and it stayed on my bookshelf for a long time before I thought about reading it. This is a pretty short book - you can probably read it in a day if you really get into it. I thought it was a really good story. This is not your run-of-the mill relationship story as it delved into the interaction between mother/daughter, father/daughter, and neighbor/neighbor. It was a good change of pace from what I usually read. I'd recommend this one for purchase. It's a keeper.

This story features several characters. Myra the single mother, who a cooks and sells food to support her, her teenage daughter Odile and her senile father Sebastian. There is also Rory, who is a young adolescent being raised in atmosphere of terror by his single father. Then there is Jacob an ex-stick fighter who was once a champion but now walks with a limp and makes his living doing leather craft. They all live in the same compound and their lives are closely intertwined. It is set in and about the environs of the capital city of Port of Spain, Trinidad. So one gets some glimpses into "Trini" life like some of the foods and Carnival. This story takes place over the period of a few months.

This book tackles several themes but one of the main is how mothers sometimes get so wrapped up that they do not notice their daughters are growing up before their eyes. And also that children often live by example, so if the mother is having sex with her boyfriend in the house as the child grows up, she will develop certain ideas about sex. Also how friction can develop between mother and daughter. I think this was a good read.

Soul stirring, thrilling, and passionate are three words to
describe Roslyn Carrington's debut novel, A THIRST FOR RAIN. Set in the small valley of northern Trinidad, the inhabitants of St. Ann's lives will change forever as each character anxiously anticipates the pouring rains and an end to the valley's prolonged drought.

Myra: Sensuous and provocative Myra, struggles with the role
of caretaker to her father Sebastian, raising her seventeen year-old daughter Odile, and her tempestuous, sexually-charged relationship with Slim.

Odile: Studious and obedient, Odile grapples with feelings of neglect and Myra's promiscuous lifestyle. Growing exceedingly tiresome of Myra's trysts, Odile becomes defiant and her self-destructive behavior lends itself to a horrific scene by the river.

Sebastian: After losing his wife to a tragic accident, Sebastian feels compelled to escort the citizens of St. Ann safely across the bustling streets. Labeled the town's madman, Sebastian has caused more danger to himself and adds to his family's emotional strain.

Slim: Smooth talking, high-yellow Slim, is Myra's intermittent lover. Slim has little regard for the occupants of this small apartment building and Myra's persistent cries for affection; but Slim cannot help noticing the budding beauty Myra's daughter has become.

Jacob: Former stick fighter Jacob, embarrassed by his infirmity, dwells inside a shoddy row house across the street. Jacob is slightly aware of the heaviness on Myra's shoulders and longs to be her knight in shining armor; staking claim as hero once again.

Rory: Rory, the boy next door, has yearned for Odile's attention and coveted Slim's machismo over the years. Only Rory's longing will change the lives of everyone before the torrential rains.

Told by each character in concise chapters, Roslyn Carrington has
created an unforgettable fictional cast with issues of great complexity. While characterizations were profound, I found moments where the story lacked Trinidad's customs and traditions. As a result of this, I did not fully connect with the Caribbean premise, which could have added more depth to this otherwise electrifying debut. I look forward to Ms. Carrington's sequel to A THIRST FOR RAIN.

Reviewed by Nicki Lancaster
APOOO BookClub

This book is so much different from what's out there. It tugs at your heart from beginning to end. From Rory's survival of daily abuse, to Myra's rejection from her lover, you feel it deep. The characters get under your skins quickly and you can't put this book down. And I understand there's a part two available! I can't wait!

Several stories have been written about single parent homes fighting society's most basic hardships in an effort to rise above predetermined stereotypes or much less, survive with a sense of normalcy. In the United States these achievements are often a tall order for families facing hardships like poverty, crime, and domestic abuse; likewise, in a poor rural setting on the island of Trinidad, families are forced to accept certain realities with time, hard work, and education as their only way out. Myra, a beautiful, hard working Creole style cook, who makes a living selling lunches to people out of a small hut in Port of Spain, Trinidad, strives to hold her business and family together while turbulent forces threaten to pull her whole life apart. On the surface, a reader sees Myra's struggle with her rebellious teenage daughter and a father with deteriorating mental health but this novel goes so much deeper in dealing with feelings of rage, resentment, disappointment and loss.

I was extremely impressed with Roslyn Carrington's amazing ability to develop each character with enough substance and detail that as a reader, you feel a sense of connection with all the people in the story. In a clever way, the author gave all the characters in the book a personality trait that in some way related to people we know in our personal lives and/or ourselves. As Myra's world slowly closed in around her "A Thirst for Rain" brings you deeper into her thought process as well as the minds of those around her. Even with the cultural differences of Trinidad to the States there is no ambiguity in the emotions that are being expressed by all the characters.

This truly inspiring and uplifting tale of hope and sacrifice should be considered an absolute must read for people who are ready for the ultimate drama. For me, "A Thirst for Rain" provided a wonderful example of how close knit communities can pull together in crisis and how the ability of one woman to trust can affect the lives of all those who care about her.

I realize that this is standard reading for the USMC, but it is billed as a tome for the civilian as well. I found it a bit too general for tactics, both for personal protection, as well as for law enforcement. OK as a general overview of battlefield/global warfare, but not easily adapted to other uses.

Warfighting has a very rare characteristic for a book: it depictes much more than it expresses across its pages.

I'm a former Alumnus of the most prestigious Italian Military School (Nunziatella, est. 1787), and in a sense a bit of someone with the military gene inside, having had my grand-grandfather in the Army and my father in the Air Force.

Presently I'm a manager involved in the medical field, working for one of the top pharma companies worldwide.

Looking at this book with both types of spectacles, I found a very remarkable piece of work, which deserved a very special place in my library, side to side with groundbreaking books like "The Prince" by Machiavelli, "The art of war" by Sun Tzu and "About war" by von Clausewitz.

Warfighting depicts the operating modalities of a recognized military Corp, the US Marines, and gives precious insights to commanders, for example about how leveraging skills and manouvering when fighting against a numerically stronger adversary.

When simply substituting the words "officer" or "commander" in the text with "manager", Warfighting becomes a leading-edge manual about ways of conducting business in the modern world, by lean, mobile and highly professional organizations more than by the old-style molochs.

Only tens of pages, dense of significance, something you will never forget.

Amazing.

Good book to instill leadership qualities in your workforce. This should be the basis for required college course in all business degree programs.

If you're into winning any sort of competition, not just warfare, this is an excellent book to read, concise and to the point. You can read it in a few hours and be forever changed by it. My only criticism is that, judging from the endnotes, it leans a bit too much on Carl von Clausewitz and too little on modern thinkers such as John Boyd, a USAF fighter pilot whose impact on Marine Corps tactics is considerable and widely acknowledged. As the disasters of subsequent German history would demonstrate, war is not, as Clausewitz believed, diplomacy taken to a new level. Wars are much more costly and difficult to extract oneself from than a conference in Geneva.

Also keep in mind that it's not enough to win a war. You also need to win the peace that follows. During World War I and for several years afterward there was a fierce debate over how to make a peace that would last. Pacifists thought the world would come to learn that wars don't pay, an idea so absurd no one mentions it today. Internationalists thought the League of Nations could keep the peace, even though it soon failed its first test, a war between Poland and Russia that immediately followed the war. Militarists, a group little seen immediately after such a bloody war, continued to insist on the importance of bigger and bigger battleships. Even Churchill, although he later regretted it, thought for a time that disarmament would work.

In retrospect, there was only a few who got it right and the one who got it right the best was a popular English writer, G. K. Chesterton. In 1932 he would warn that Germany was going to find itself a dictator and that the next war would break out over a border dispute between Germany and Poland, precisely what happened in 1939.

If you want to win a war, read this book. If you want to learn how one war can be used to prevent the next war, read Chesterton, who bluntly wrote in 1917 that, "Peace without victory is war without excuse." Chesterton also gave some of the most telling arguments against pacifism ever put into print, noting that: "the real point against the cause of Pacifism is that it is not a cause at all, but only a weakening of all causes. It does not announce any aim; it only announces that it will never use certain means in pursuing any aim. It does not define its goal; it only defines a stopping-place, beyond which nobody must go in the search for any goal."

--Michael W. Perry, Editor of Chesterton on War and Peace: Battling the Ideas and Movements that Led to Nazism and World War II

Elegant in its simplicity, powerful and profound in its application -- this is a superb, practical primer on leadership.

Want a book that holds your interest? I recommend this entire series. I discovered Gunn on accident; really it was a blessing! I liked this entire series. Good wholesome values and interesting plots that intertwine with the other books.

Like all of the other reviewers, I'd have to say this book was great. It was funny, had great romance. So you're probably wondering why I only gave it 3 stars. I didn't agree with all of the beliefs that Jake Wilde had (one of the main characters). Maybe the author was trying to point out in the book that his opion was wrong. I firmly do not believe that love is a chemical reaction. Love is a feeling, a gift from God.
The first few chapters were great. Then it began to drag a bit. The middle was the longest. I liked how she ended it. It was a great book.

This book is my favorite out of all the books in The Glenbrooke Series. Don't get me wrong. They're all good, this one just happens to be my favorite. It's about Meredith, Shelly's younger sister. I loved this book! It was really good! If you've read other books in The Glenbroke Series or the Christy Miller Series you'll love this one! I would recommend this book! It's sooo good!

I loved this book! I have to say that I really like Robin Jones Gunn's books. I started by reading the Christy Miller books and then found out about the Christy and Todd books. After I finished those I later started the Glenbrooke series. I really like this series and like all of the books I've read so far. This one though is one of my favorites!

While the author seems to be an able writer, the story line lacks real depth. Some fresh ideas and more realistic plot might help. Meri acts quite ridiculous and unbelievable at times, (the green ogre, the blow up man, the gold fish, constantly going over the same old mind conversations) Perhaps this book would appeal more to adolescents than adults. Try again, Robin!

I have an affinity for Beverly Jenkins books as she has been educating and romancing readers for many years now and I gobble up every one of her historical offerings. Although this isn't my very favorite (Try Topaz or Indigo), it's still a good read for my commute. Keep up the good work Beverly.

I enjoyed reading about Archer, Zahra(the Union spy), Arminata(Hariett Tubman), Archer's brothers, and mama. As always there is our history(black America), told by one of us, and a little erotica. However, the erotica is not lewd and is simply a small part of the story.

I love the Le'Veqs! I could hardly wait for this one to come out after I read the profile and found out it was about one of my favorite families (it's a tie between them and the Vachons). This one is defintely in my BJ's Top 5. 1. Indigo, 2. A Chance at Love, 3. Before the Dawn, 4. Winds of the Storm, 5. Jewel.

This series is Stellar. Not only are they well written and identifiable romance novels, they also take you on a journey in the life of the people of those times. It is a truly remarkable and educational reading experience. These period pieces are my all time favorite!

Another Beverly Jenkins hit. I've just about read all of Beverly Jenkins books and trust me this woman can deliver the best...it's never a disappointment with anything she's written. This is a wonderful historical romance book, if you are interested in black history and what black people have done to make the many contributions that we've had to this country, read this book. Beverly does an extensive amount of research when she writes historical books, or any book for that matter and is excellent with providing further insight and websites to further your knowledge. This is another book that doesn't disappoint.

Bravo! This book should be in every teacher's professional library! The world we live in today exposes children to the many ugly sides of humanity. Too often the people they look up to and aspire to become are not worthy of their devotion. Dennis Deneberg and Lorraine Roscoe have presented kids with an opportunity to meet real heroes. I use this book each year to define what it means to be a hero and to help 5th graders look beyond "famous" to see quality of character. This book inspires children to the best! Thank you Dennis and Lorraine! I am ready for the next edition!

Great Book --- I love the way it is written. It gives the reader not only information about a wonderful variety of American Heroes but asks questions about how the reader might be challenged to a higher standard. I'm looking forward to introducing my grandson to this book. I'm sure he will find many heroes in the book that he will want to find out more about.

As a 5th grade teacher in a mostly rural area, this book has allowed my students to get to know so many different American heroes. I was so impressed with the book myself, that I read the whole book cover to cover in one night! I have had parents of my students ask if their child could bring the book home so they (the parents) could read it and enjoy it as well. Our school wrote a grant in order to purchase about 50 copies of the book and it was probably some of the best money our district has ever spent! I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages - it's a gem!

My New Year's resolution..one of them, is to read more with and in front of my children. I brought this book home and read to them one or two of the figures. They LOVED it. We read from it almost every night now. They fight over who gets to pick the figure we read about and actually ask me to go and get it. It's really nice that they are learning about older historical figures but also recognize some of the faces they are reading about. I try to make my kids understand that great people are not born that way they are normal people who aspire to greatness. This is a great way to teach them that and then some!!

I read all these great reviews, so of course I got the book. It's good. I like that each hero has two pages, and the book is thought-provoking.

But it's slanted...

These _are_ good heroes to admire, but for the life of me, I can't think why a book like this would include Sandra Day O'Connor and exclude Clarence Thomas.

I prefer the Childhood of Famous Americans series -- the books are more in-depth and enjoyable, and more politically neutral.

Just finished reading "All for the Union", and it's well worth the effort. A quicker, light read -but highly interesting and lives up to its buzz.

I won't repeat the very good commentary in previous Amazon book reviews, but I will offer these observations:
- As this diary is a day-to-day account by a front line Union officer, I'm surprised at how much idle time there was- especially during the winter months (ala Revolutionary War).

- It's amazing that units in the same corps can be so frequently rotated in & out of the front line battle. During the siege of Petersburg, the rotating (and advancing / retreating) was frequent. My thought when reading the book was that the high-level Generals better know what they are doing, as the unit leaders closer to the front probably DON'T have much visibility into "big picture" plans and tactics.

- Glad I never have to rely upon foraging off the land, and eating hard tack and other nasty field provisions. Tough folks, these soldiers. Especially my people, the Irish, who suffered bad injuries when playing horse games on their days off..

Enjoy this very good Civil War book!

We have works on the Civil War written by generals (e.g., the memoirs of Ulysses Grant and James Longstreet) and other officers (E. P. Alexander, Moxley Sorrell). However, equally valuable is the view from the bottom, by the foot soldiers. From the Confederate side, the paradigm example is Sam Watkins, "Company Aytch". From the Union side, Elisha Hunt Rhodes fills the bill. He rose through the ranks, and his diaries and letters provide a first-hand, ground-level view of the war in the east. As the Introduction by one of his descendants notes (Page xv): "He participated in every campaign of the Army of the Potomac from Bull Run to Appomattox with rapid promotions up to the rank of colonel in 1865."

Incidents are described plainly and with an eye from the front. On pages 15 and following, he describes the march to Bull Run, the state of the troops, the weariness experienced on that march. Then, the battle itself and aftermath are described in an economical manner. Here and after, his observations of fellow soldiers and officers is most useful, giving the reader a sense of what he was perceiving.

On pages 106 and following is his description of his regiment's (2nd Rhode Island) and his corps' (VI Corps under General John Sedgwick) march to and role at Gettysburg. While the corps arrived late, its uniting with the rest of the Army of the Potomac was a great morale boost for the Union forces, as this Corps was the largest in the northern army, bringing it to full strength at this bloody conflict.

Then, his description of the bloody battle at the Wilderness, where he took the measure of Grant, after vicious fighting. In his diary on May 7th, 1864, he noted (page 138): "If we were under any other General except Grant I should expect a retreat, but Grant is not that kind of soldier, and we feel that we can trust him." In that phrase, he captures nicely the bulldog tenacity of Grant as a General, and identifying what was different from him compared with other commanders of the Army of the Potomac.

His rendering the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, where General Phil Sheridan jousted with Jubal Early's forces is is insightful. He speaks of the classic surprise assault on the Union position while Sheridan was off consulting with Washington. The surprise attack rolled up the Union lines for a time, although the VI Corps held pretty well. His description of Sheridan's role is interesting, as his simple coda for this indicates (page 185): "Hurrah for Sheridan!"

And, finally, these lines (page 221): "Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men! Thank God Lee has surrendered and the war will end soon." Thus, his response at Appomattox Court House.

As with Sam Watkins' observations, so, too, with Rhodes'. These observers provide a valuable and insightful perspective on the war from the ground level. Well recommended for those interested in the soldier's view of the Civil War.

Whie the Army of the Potomac suffered the usual soldier hardships we also have to realize these soldiers suffered some very bad generals in comparison to the Army of the Tennessee. We see the participants sense of this in the memoir. It is best placed in the heirarchy of the Civil War memoirs it must be placed beside Sam Watkins's "Co. Aytch." High praoise indeed.

Anyone who is interested in the Civil War has to read this book. All for the Union is the diary of Elisha Hunt Rhodes and covers the four years that he spent in the Union army. Entry by entry, the reader can watch Rhodes go from an enthusiastic young man, to hard, weary soldier. Appalled by the death and destruction early in the book, by the end, laying down to sleep between the dead and dying barely justifies a comment. A wonderful read.

If you are interested in more than big names and big battles this book is well worth reading. Elisha Hunt Rhodes shares his experiences from his enlistment as a boy having never been away from home until his mustering out as a man having earned the rank of Col. He writes in an honest straight forward manner about every aspect of daily life. His strong belief in duty, sense of right and wrong and his ever important sense of humor show in everything he writes. He's an optimist that made it through the war with all these attributes intact. Thankfully for us he kept this diary so that we can understand a little more about life during the Civil War.

The things this man has done are amazing. Not everyone will like the part about doing everything he can to keep John Kerry out of the Oval Office but I sure as hell did. He is a true American Hero. Read and keep this book.

A must read for anyone who wishes to understand what sets the "military" man apart from his civilian counterpart. This book also goes a long way in describing the angst that still resides with our Vietnam Vets and the betrayal they felt from the US Government, the media, and the citizens.

Excellent! For those history buffs, it tells of his military and civilian accomplishments for all veterans.

This is a great book that is bound to be of interest to many pilots.

It is the story of Misty 1, the leader of the Top Secret Squadron that flew some of the most dangerous missions of the Vietnam War, alone, solo, on the deck, with no wingman or back up. But it's more than that. Much more.

Most of our tales of American heros are old, from the Revolutionary War or perhaps World War II. This book starts there, but there is so much more.

It's a story that Americans should know about a deadbeat kid from the wrong side of the tracks who bettered himself and served his nation with honor. I got misty eyed in places.

And the end of the book -- when Colonel Day and his wife successfully fought Washington politics and self-serving revisionist history is the stuff of legends. When our own government sought to betray its veterans, Bud Day's small law firm sued in the Supreme Court and prevailed. The story of what really happened behind the scenes in the 2004 election was even more amazing. God bless Colonel Bud Day, and God Bless America.

Americans should read this book. It should be required reading for high school history classes. This story exemplifies the service, deeds and honor that made America great, not in the long-ago past, but today; not just in the past but also for the future. It's timely reading for the 2008 election. Bud Day was John McCain's roommate in the Hanoi Hilton prison camp, where they both suffered torture and inhumane treatment.

This is a story of honor and the American Dream, and Robert Coram tells it well, and in honor of the father he never understood.

I wish I could meet Col. Bud Day and thank him personally for what he has done. The book reads a narrative of his life from childhood in Sioux City to this day in Florida. I am very impressed. Col. Day's life is an example every man and woman should and could follow. A man of righteous convictions, morally and spiritually strong and right and above all, he has been in the service of his country for more than 6 decades. He volunteered to fight in WW II as a Marine, then as an Army reservists in yrs after WW II and later as an Air Force officer pilot in Korea & Vietnam. He did every thing asked of him truly the right way. He was shot down in 1967 and held captive as a POW for more than 6 yrs. His life is filled with honor and sense of duty and courage. I wish I could be him. Colonel Bud Day sets an example for the people and readers can model themselves around his character. There's nothing wrong with this man who has won the US Congressional Medal of Honor. The book is terrific and an easy read yet it is hard to put down. I couldn't. I am going to read other works by the author Mr. Coram. I loved this book and I believe every young men and women should read this book to learn a few simple things. Regardless of your nationality and politics, this man, Bud Day, has things to offer and it is best that we learn. Highly recommended book!

I was volunteered to coach soccer for older kids. I highly recommend this book if you find yourself in the same position.

The author's recommendations about coaching and drills made the season a complete success.

I bought this for my daughter who volunteered to be Soccer Coach for the first time. I say she wanted to do it but perhaps was more stong armed into doing it. She found it helpful.

I'm a second year coach with very limited playing experience. I played soccer during elementary school but it was essentially mob ball. This book has helped a great deal. It gives great suggestions for organizing practices and the drills, ahem I mean games, are great. The problem, analysis, solution section is also very helpful.

The book gave very helpful information. I have never coached anything and it gave helpful insight into giving the best experience I can into my son's 4 yr old soccer team.

This book helped organize my practices and provided ideas for drills that kept my U8 Boys team interested the entire season. I received numerous compliments from parents that their kids enjoyed the variety of "games" (i.e. drills) we played in practice. My team went 11-2 this past season and all my players chose to return for the spring season over baseball and other sports. I honestly feel this book improved my coaching style and played a large part in the success of our team.

I was looking for a book so that my granddaughter could get a sense of how truly blessed she is to grow up in this century. I am not an avid reader and this was the first book I have read in a long time. The book was only 214 pages but painted a vivid picture of the life and times during the 30's. I read the book in 2 days and loved every word. Being one of the first blacks in a field that has been predomanently white for decades, I too was wrongly accused of doing things and suffered unjust conquenceses. Bravo to the author, please put this on your must read list.

This is a nice book to buy your child if you want to enlighten them on the way of life that existed long before their time where they can appreciate the resources and choices that are available to them in in this generation.

As a grammar-fiend, I must say that this book is really lacking. I realise it was written in the vernacular for a purpose, but really, after only 4 pages I found continuing to read the monstrous grammar painful. This book is practically a guide to how to speak as if one never had any schooling.

If I could've given this book 10 stars, I would've. I'ma 19 year old inner city black male--that said, I was on the verge of tears while reading parts of this novel, and crying isn't something regarded as "ok" to do where I come from (or for guys period). Emotionally maturation is a must when reading this. TRUST! This is my first review of any book. I've never felt so compelled to write one, to ask people "Hey you ever read a book called Billy?" The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it. And as far as the "grammar fiend" review up above--the dialect in the book is reflecting Southern talk from the 1930's and it only adds to the book, it captures the time period beautifully. Please (future readers) dont let that become an obstacle!! (And after the first 5-10 pages you get used to it)

1937. Mississippi. Two teenage girls. Two young boys, ages ten and twelve. A fight ensues and one of the girls ends up dead. The community is outraged and more interested in revenge than justice. Why? The girls are white and the boys are black. Should that matter? Regardless, it does. French unapologetically drops the reader right into the times with all its prejudices glaring. It's impossible to avoid an emotional reaction to Billy. The grief of the families' losses, Billy's confusion about what's happening to him as well as what happened during the fight, and the blatant racism all serve to make the reader question whether things have really changed since 1937 or whether all that racism really just boiling under the surface searching for any excuse to break free.

If you can get past an idiotic short introduction by Bill Murray, you'll enjoy a wonderful experience. Billy Collins has created true poetry that will make you think and laugh.

I heard Billy Collins speak in Wellington early one chilly Sunday morning. He commented that he was amazed anyone would want to get out of bed and listen to him on such a cold day ...he wouldn't! Of course we all thought it worth the effort, nothing beats hearing a really superb poet reading his own work superbly.I heartily recommend this cd, it's always in the most played pile near my cd player and on my ipod,so that I can listen to him any time.
A great selection of his work and interesting pre-ambles before each poem.

As always, Billy Collins is above and beyond in his poetry readings. Great humor, great heart and an accessibility rarely found in intellectual circles! You will fall in love with him and with poetry all over again.

This is a figure of speech of course - once upon a time... never mind, but you'd burn your dinner or if it's cooked, then the food on your fork will miss you mouth, if you try to cook or eat as you listen to Billy Collins read. It's a treat.

My high school students fell in love with Collins. Even the chronically apathetic perked up during his reading... use this in your classroom, and follow it up with selections from Poetry 180. You'll be glad you did.