Maryland Books

Enjoyed the book very much. I lived in Baltimore for a couple years but had no idea there were such great things going on in the inner city. Very inspirational!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not a huge fan of football...but, when I read this book a year ago, I handed out copies to quite a few people! I just bought another copy for myself because I keep giving them away! I'm sure I'll have to order more.
Read this book.

Joe Eherman has captured what is wrong with sports. This is a must read for all coaches.

I had heard that this was an amazing book from so many people and I was definitely not disappointed - what a great story of what God can do through the life of one man wholly sold out to His glory! Marx is a journalist who grew up as the ball boy for the Baltimore Colts. One larger-than-life figure on that team of the 70s and 80s was Joe Ehrmann whose life took a radical turn when his younger brother passed away from cancer. After years had passed, Marx once again reunited with Ehrmann and was struck by what he found - the flamboyant football star was now a coach and mentor to young men using the game of football to teach about the necessities of life. Ehrmann's life was now invested in the lives of others teaching these young boys how to be men - Building Men for Others is the name of his program, but it's much more than a program or a set of principles, it's a way of life, a way to see others, a way to live that completely transforms others around you. The book was a great read and should be near the top of "must reads" for every father and coach.

It has been such a long time since anything I have read has spoken to me like this book did. The writing itself was run of the mill, usual sports cliches (some parts read like a sports illustrated piece) - but the message is its strength. After reading it, this book would not leave my consciousness. Days later I had to go back and read passages again, Joe Ehrman's "Building Men for Others" concepts invading my thoughts at all hours. Honestly, I do not even know how this book ended up on my bookshelf. One day I needed something to read and found it sitting there. Only hours later I am left dumbfounded, reflecting on who I am and ultimately determining that I could be doing much more with my life and perhaps finding satisfaction I never knew possible. Please read the book, you'll be glad you did.

I've just re-read this after 10 years. Sometimes the lens of nostalgia distorts memory so as to make a good book great.

Not the case here. Homicide is still the best account of urban America in decay; and the best 'police procedural' I have ever read, by such a wide margin as to render most comparisons meaningless.

If you have enough interest to read the reviews, then you absolutely must read this book.

I'm only halfway through the book but I can already give it 5 stars. It's not really a tale where the ending matters, but more like a narrative of the day to day grind of being a homicide detective. The book has ruined my ability to watch Law and Order and similar shows as watching a show where murders are solved (seemingly one at a time) in a one hour show week after week seems silly now. David Simon is a great writer. I am also a big fan of "The Wire" television show.

I had seen the the Homicide: Life on the Streets TV series before. Also was a big fan of David Simon's "The Wire".

This is an excellent book and I am looking forward to reading his other book, The Corner.

Homicide is one of the better of the crime reporting novels I have read. Simon was definitely at the top of his game.

He manages to write the book with more of a novel feel then a biography of the people involved. Other similar books, such as 'Homicide Special' try for the same thing, but you still feel the writer in their presence. Simon makes the reader feel as if they are there without feeling that the writer is intruding on anything.

The cases the officers work on are all interesting, and not all are slam dunks or even solvable. Many authors would feel a need to make their book have cases with endings. I applaud Simon for not giving in to that temptation.

Baltimore definitely plays a role in this book, and you get a real feeling for the city. You can see in this book the seed that would eventually sprout the series 'Homicide'.

If you are interested in detective work this is an excellent read. I highly recommend this book.

I read this book after watching - several times over - David Simon's most recent work, The Wire. I have always been interested in detectives and was drawn by this book because it is non-fiction. As well as being a highly enjoyable read, I would say there were three main takeaways. First, the detailed first-hand account of actual cases and methods of investigation (including related disciplines such as interrogation, medical examination, ballistics, trace evidence, etc. as well as the legal processes and challenges that lead to conviction) have made me much more familiar with the actual process of solving murders. Second, a basic understanding of the structure and organization of a homicide unit within the police department and how the system is incentivized to solve crimes. Third, an appreciation of how these detectives - through late-night drinking sessions and office humor - manage to make their lives livable when they are not dealing with the darker side of their profession. Simon's first book is really special, I look forward to reading it again someday.

All I could think after reading this book was HOW DARE YOU!

How dare you make me laugh, cry, and and get so involved in the story that I had to read it all in one sitting.

I couldn't put the book down once I started it and my kids kept asking what was so funny every time I would break out into laughter. I'm glad that nobody was paying much attention, they would have seen tears between the smiles and thought I was going crazy. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster.

Peggy, Mister, and Missus were all very real from the beginning and it was as if I was watching their lives unfold in person.

CONGRATULATIONS! It's a wonderful book....
Now may I please have control of my emotions again?

I could write so much about this wonderful book but to sum it up, it's one of the best novels I have read in at least the last ten years. Everything is neatly intertwined, and the author makes the characters loveable but still fawed. This book shows how race differences should really be handled--with love. Congratulations to the auhor for doing such a magnificent job. I loved the book!

I was caught up in this book the second I read the back cover. How many novels do you know that actually make you feel like you're right in the story with them, that what's going on is real and true to life? Well, this one does, and I can tell you that after reading it, I had a whole new apprecaitation for racial differences. DeVincent-Hayes make this story real, and she made me look at what it might be like on the "the other side." I just love this story. I wish [...]would pick it up for her book club and her Harpo would make it into a movie, I cried and broke into laughter in so many places in this story. Peggy is such a likeable character, even with all her flaws. Mr. Ellen is just like James Earl Jones, and Mrs. Ellen is so cool. This is a wonderful family story.

Why is it that good books like this "22 Friar Street" aren't bestsellers? Is it because such a book isn't vulgar, profane, violent? Our society should want books like this that reflect on human relationships and show us not only in the good light, but also with all our flaws and shortcomings. The author of this book should win a Nobel for her superb writing skills and exceptional insight into humanity; more importantly, Oprah ought to celebrate it on her bookclub, and Ron Howard ought to make a movie out of it. It's a story that shows humanity in a clear light--what our expectations of each other are, what are stereotypes and preconceived notions consist of and how damanging they can be. Never have I ever run across a book that has gapped so many chasms as this book, such as blacks and whites, young and old, wealthy and poor, cultured and uncouth. This story just blew me away. In some places, I laughed so hard that people in the doctor's waiting room stared at me; in other places, tears rolled down my eyes. You have got to read this story! Great work, DeVincent-Hayes!

Whooowee! What a ride this story takes you on...unbelievable! Not only is it a roller coaster of a ride, but it has characters that you just fall in love with, even ol' meany Aunt Audrey who really doesn't hate Peggy after all. This book is like a wide beacon on dark seas because it shows how we can brighten up our beliefs and change society and fix all the inhumanity we often put on others. I loved Peggy and Mr/Mrs Ellen. This book sucks you in and keeps you glued to it without your even knowing it. Buy a copy for yourself; you won't be sorry. It's a true, wholesome family story and a quiet lesson in what it means to love each other despite cultural, racial, educational differences.

I have never taken the time to review a book on this site but if any book ever deserved it, it is this book. This is the story of the first death row inmate ever exonerated by DNA evidence. I have long held the opinion that the death penalty should be abolished because our system simply isn't reliable enough to impose that ultimate punishment that can never be righted should the system have failed. This book is real, concrete, powerful, moving proof of that idea.

Kirk Bloodworth spent 9 years of his life locked in prison, cockroaches crawling all over him, inmates urinating through the front grate in his cell because he was a "child killer", the guards forcing him to paint the gas chamber where he was awaiting execution. He missed his mother's funeral, lost his 20's, was forced to turn into a near animal just to survive, and had to think daily that he was going to be killed by poisonous gas or spend the rest of his life in prison for something he did not do. Can you even imagine what that must feel like?

This was an incredible book and I think everyone should read it. We need to know the stories of people like Kirk Bloodworth because there are many more of them out there and we owe it to them to at least be aware. And, even though you know the main outcome of the book before you start, it still managed to have a surprise ending that literally gave me goosebumps. Definitely add this to your "to read" list.

I met Kirk Bloodsworth on an airplane ride, and what an amazing person. His perserverance and positive attitude about his experience is true. The book is a true reflection of the man.

Tim Junkin does an excellent job of recounting the horrid turn of events that led to Kirk Bloodsworth's arrest, indictment, conviction, and second conviction for a crime he didn't commit. Neither Bloodsworth nor Junkin ever lose sight of the fact that an appalling crime was committed, and Junkin is not afraid to show Bloodsworth, warts and all.

The arrogance of the prosecution in this case is staggering. Even when faced with incontrovertible evidence that the wrong man had been charged, convicted, sentenced to death, and incarcerated for years on end, the prosecutor's office refused to acknowledge that it had been mistaken. Moreover, it waited a decade after Bloodsworth's exoneration to run the DNA it had through CODIS. Unbelievable.

The quibbles I have with the book are few. I wish there had been a detailed index. While the bibliography is immensely helpful, I wish it had included some texts by Elizabeth Loftus or Robert Buckout on the unreliability of eyewitness testimony. In fact, Buckout was hired as an expert by Bloodsworth's defense team in his first trial, but incredibly not permitted by the court to testify. Finally, like many nonfiction books about legal cases, Junkin's book begins almost at the end of the story and then backtracks, finally picking up the story's final threads again toward the end of the book. This tack leads to some overlap and redundancy in storytelling. It may be bothersome to some readers. Is any one of these complaints enough to merit subtracting an entire star from a review of the book? No. Maybe half a star, if that.

If the book Bloodsworth interests you, you might also want to look at the website [...] for more information about the wrongfully convicted and how dedicated lawyers,scientists, and lay people are helping them to see the light of day again.

Jerry Layne Rogers, Sr. -- wrongfully convicted and innocent. From 1989 - 1992, I was his investigator at CCR [The Office of Capital Collateral Representative, a state agency representing death-sentenced persons].

Mr. Rogers' case consisted in 1992 of at least 80 boxes of documents, from court files, prosecutor and law enforcement files, trial and evidentiary hearing transcripts, etc. Mr. Rogers's case was the largest and most complicated that CCR has ever represented that I am aware of.

The second largest and most complicated was that of Mr. Gerald Stano, whose lead attorney during most of the development of his case was Mark E. Olive.

In 1995, Mr. Rogers began receiving pro bono representation from the Washington, D.C. law firm Covington and Burling. The result was an unanimous Florida Supreme Court (FSC) 26 page opinion ordering a new trial in Mr. Rogers' case due primarily to prosecutorial misconduct, in particular Brady v. Maryland violations.

To read the opinion, go to the FSC website, then at "Public Information", to the recent opinions, to the year 2001, then toward the bottom at February 15, 2001, one will find the FSC opinion.

During the summer of 2002, Mr. Rogers was re-convicted, however sentenced to life upon the jury recommendation. Now twice Mr. Rogers has been wrongfully convicted.

In 2004, the Florida 5th District Court of Appeal denied relief. The FSC declined to accept jurisdiction and thus denied the petition for review.

Mr. Rogers' case is pending Federal review.




For those interested in reading the narrowly decided by four to three vote Florida Supreme Court opinions regarding two more death sentenced persons whose innocence is an authentic issue, please go to the FSC website, then go to the recent opinions, then chose the correct year and scroll down to the following two cases:

Roy Swafford: April 18, 2002

Peter Ventura: May 24, 2001


Additionally, the issue in the below cases is DNA testing that proves that Roy Swafford did not rape Brenda Rucker:

Roy Swafford: March 26, 2004 Case Nos. SC03.931 and SC03.1153



Please also read other books about Florida's death row by David von Drehle and Michael Mello - also availabe at Amazon.

BLOODSWORTH is well-written and provocative and interesting. But Kirk Bloodsworth in his youth was not a sympathetic character. Had he been executed, it wouldnt be a great loss to society. He comes across as a kid with no future, in bad company, going from one buzz to the next. I suspect the murder rap saved him from a pedestrian execution by his doper companions. His antics and histrionic emotional displays are annoying. Bloodworth's sense of entitlement is annoying. And youre compelled to wonder about what sort of criminal nonsense he got away with before the murder rap.

Yet, his situation occurs all the time. When the child-savers and newspapers and cops and prosecutors get into a feeding frenzy, such as Bloodsworth experienced, they want blood. And it is a career killer for anyone in the system to champion a contrary theory that exonerates the defendant. Been there, done that.

I had a good time reading through this reprint of Morris Morgan's 1893 translation of Xenophon's "The Art of Horsemanship" (350 BC). Unlike many of the other ancient Greek translations and authors, this one is very easy to read.

The text itself is fairly short and reads quickly, sprinkled with wisdom. After the text is another short portion from 1893, which talks about "The Greek Riding-Horse", based on Xenophon and all the other available sources. Additionally, the footnotes to the text are quite interesting--I read them, for the most part, en block after reading the text.

As the title implies, the text is a very hands-on, practical guide to "everything you need to know" about how to take care of and look good riding a horse, reading like a "Horsemanship for Dummies" book. If you're interested in Ancient Greece and horses, you've got to read this short "instruction manual", though if you're only interested in the ancients, it's still fun to breeze through this text, nevertheless.

If more people took the time to educate themselves about horses and horsemanship in general and Xenophone's book in particular, perhaps we not see so many "show horses" of various popular breeds so physically manipulated by in breeding for only one or two specific traits rather than breeding for the whole horse. What was true in Ancient Greece is truer still today - without good feet, balance in the body and common sense a horse is worthless. Bravo to Amazon for bringing us this excellent book dirt cheap!

The material in this book is thousands of years old but amazing in how modern the approach is to horsemanship. Most of Xenophon's advice is timely even today. It shows how little has changed over the centuries.

This is a must if you are passionate about horses. It is so clear and to the essential point that it is a pleasure to read.

Xenophon covers several aspects of horsemanship, from grooming, leading, and choosing a horse, to mounting, riding, and training a war mount. Very, very interesting to see what is still applicable today. While this isn't a "training" or even a "horse care book," its a great historical reference from those interested in how horses we cared for and trained 2000 years ago. However, for those looking for a story or a book to teach riding skills, I suggest you look elsewhere. Those interested in dressage will find this worth-while, as it is considered the oldest text on the subject.

I'd highly recommend this book for people who already know something about Catholicism, but need a bit more depth in order to understand why Catholics believe what they do. I have used it as a resource for people who are Catholic but it has been a long time since they have had catechesis, or for non-Catholic Christians who want to understand more about Catholicism.

It may be a bit too detailed for someone just beginning the Inquiry or RCIA process unless they want a thorough resource book, but in this case I would definitely pair it with a simplified copy of the Catechism.

It makes a great gift book too!

This is required reading for the Catholic, literally as many catechism classes require it. It is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith in general. It is full of useful information laid out in an informative and well written manner. It is easy to find information and questions. That being said it is also very dry, but its hard to make a book like this a page turner.

I use this text frequently for inquirers into the Catholic Faith. Every one says it is witten in a very interesting style. Many can't put it down once begun. Well written and faithful to Catholic Church teaching.

My seminarian friend recommended it to me. At times Opus Dei can be too black-and-white with no gray in between, but this book is still a wonderful way to connect all of Catholicism. I go to Mass regularly and have gone to a Catholic HS, but I still didn't feel like I knew my faith. This book was able to show me how we do know a lot about our faith, but we just have a problem making sense of what we know. Also, his analogies are brilliant. I use them constantly in explaining Catholicism to others.

I've owned this book now for about 3 years and have read it through all the way, once. I've gone back to sections for refresher information, many, many times. What I like the most about this book is, if you do not have the capacity (time, or stamina) to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) all the way through - this is an excellent way to get "more than the basics" of what is in the CCC in a very clear, concise manner.

From the very first page (just like all catechisms of the Catholic church) it starts with the three fundamental questions. Who made me? Who is God? Why did God make me? Just that first page will have you hooked and you will not want to put it down. I constantly recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 because it is that clear in it's method of explaining the faith. I do not believe this book is for anyone looking for a "dumbed down" version of the faith, and by that I do not mean there is anything wrong with the book written by Fr. Tregilio called "Catholicism for Dummies." Quiet the contrary, these two books are just for different types of readers.

Another interesting observation on this book is the different kind of people that love it. I have met such different personalities and ages of people (13 to 79) who love this book that I think that fact is also a recommendation of the book.

Read it, it's good for answering all your questions AND will untangle any misconceptions you have developed along the way, or just remind you of what you may have forgotten.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book.

As a long time horse and mystery story lover, I'm always on the lookout for books that combine the two. I've often been disappointed in what I have found. I've read quite a few in this genre with glaring inaccuracies about horses. Or, if they get the horse stuff right, the characters are weak, the plot is convoluted, the pace is off, and the writing is painful. This author gets it right, gets it all right! She obviously knows the difference between a Quarter Horse and a Shetland Pony, the characters are engaging, the plot is interesting, and the story moves along at a decent clip. Even if you aren't a horse lover, it is a good mystery, even if you aren't a mystery lover, it's a good horse story. I'll be looking for more from this author.

A wonderful fun book. I enjoyed how the plot moved from A to B without leaps of faith. It is great to have a horse mystery where the author obviously has been around horses and the horse show scene. Can't wait for the next book.

This is a great book. I couldn't put it down once I started it. I really enjoyed it and I look forward to her next one:)

What an excellent book! It grabbed me from the very first page & ended with me wanting to read the next book! You know how authors include excerpts from a chapter of the next book in a series? Well, when I finished this book, I was dying to read an excerpt from this author's next book! The Misplaced Horse is very well-written ~ it's as good as ANY of the mystery books that are written by famous authors. It has the added bonus of being written around the horse world. It's refreshing to read such a book that's not full of mistakes about the horse "stuff". I once read a book by a VERY famous author who was talking about a big Tennessee Walker. Then the character went on to say that this big TW was 13.1hh. Nothing like that happens in The Misplaced Horse! The characters are well-developed & the storyline will grab you & hang onto you until the end. I'm going to get copies for everyone I know who likes mysteries or horse books. The Misplaced Horse is a great gift.

I loved this book from the beginning. It was neat to find a writer who doesn't just write about the horse world but obviously knows a lot about it too. Things were accurate to true life PLUS it was a great story! What a bonus!

CAUTION: Be aware of your surroundings if you are in public! You will find yourself bursting out in unexpected, uncontrollable laughter. This book, in fact, all of the books by Pat G'Orge-Walker are absolutely, positively, downright hysterical! I would love to see these characters brought to life on stage in a play.

I have never, ever laughed so much and so hard at any book in my entire life! I laughed so hard that I cried. My co-workers would come over to my cubicle to see if I was alright since I was usually the only person in my row after 5pm and I would find myself laughing out loud even though I tried hard not to. This was a wonderful, wonderful book and I was sorry to finally finish it. I have read all but one of this author's books (I am having trouble finding the last one as it is out of print now). Of the 3 that I have read, this was the funniest with "Cruisin On Desperation" being next. Definitely an enjoyable read!

This novel is off the wall.It is very funny,lively, and page turner.
It really blend with some of our church folks these days maybe, not as much, but it's there.I look forward to reading more from Pat.Keeping it real!!

This book had its moments that was funny and it makes you think about our "church folks". I enjoyed how things turned out in the end. I'm waiting for the next book to see what happens with Miss thing that was talking to the lawyer.

When Mother Eternal Ann Everlastin dies, the fried chicken hits the fan in Pat G'Orge-Walker's, Mother Eternal Ann Everlastin's Dead. After being a faithful member of Ain't Nobody Right But Us--All Others Goin' to Hell Church, pastored by the Rev. Knott Enough Money, Mother Everlastin moves her membership. Needless to say, the Rev. Bling Mo' Bling, of The No Hope Now--Mercy Neva Church, is all to happy to receive the wealthy-widowed-several-times-multimillionaire into his fold. When Mother suddenly dies with her hands clutched to the cash register during service, the antics begin as everyone competes for Mother's millions. Unknown to everyone, the overbearing Mother is still running things from the grave as she teaches the members of both churches a lesson on serving God with a sincere heart.

If you have ever gone to an African-American church you will recognize some of the antics in Mother Eternal Ann Everlastin's Dead. Although I am not a particular fan of this particular genre, I found this book to be laugh-out-loud funny at times. Walker managed to bring over-the-top characters to life while delivering a powerful message in the process.

If you are a Christian fiction fan and you like a good laugh, do, by all means, get a copy of Pat G'Orge-Walker's, Mother Eternal Ann Everlastin's Dead.

T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub

I got exactly what I thought I was buying. This is a really convenient way to have a textbook, because you can just stick it in a three-ring binder and take it with you! Also, you can just take a few chapters if you want, or the whole book! The pages are a little thin, but it's a wonderful educational textbook. As a B.A. in psychology, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to have a great learning experience and a textbook that doesn't cost a fortune.

The book was in excellent condition mater of fact it was new. I was very please with the time of shipment.

The Seller was great - item shipped in a timely fashion and the looseleaf version is much easier to work with than regular hardcover texts.

The book is easy to read and it gives great examples to better understand the concepts. I would recommend this book.

The book treats many cases and reaches high level of coverage; it is very helpful, that in practice one can find many similarities, since the cases are very realistic and explained in depth. My opinion is, that it is valuable because it is applicable.

What a joy! Don't you just love it when you "discover" a great new treasure?

If you're looking for a new suspense author, who writes with a solid spiritual thread, you need look no further. Linda White, with her first published novel, will not disappoint. The strength of her research adds a powerful element of believability, and her main character, Cassie McKenna, becomes a woman you will want to hear from again.

I took this book with me on a quick trip to Aspen, along with another "just in case". I didn't need the other one.

If you read this book, you will join me in eagerly waiting for Linda White's next.

Bloody Point is far from the run-of-the-mill FBI story. With believable characters, fantastic descriptions, and a plot with many unexpected turns, this is a book I truly enjoyed. Inspirational while extremely entertaining, Bloody Point is a book men and women will both enjoy. Well written and highly recommended.

The grieving widow pushing away the people she loves most. The partner that found out you can be healed in more ways than one.

The only thing I found wrong there were a couple of men that were interested in Cassie and you felt that she was on the verge of letting one of them into her life then they were never heard from again in the book. Maybe next book she'll explore the possibility of love again.

I can't wait for the next installment of Cassie & Jake.

This was a great book with a fast moving story. I liked that Cassie had a supportive, involved father who had wisdom to share with her. Cassie worked hard to find answers to her questions, even when it meant putting herself in danger. I had a hard time putting this book down. It is easy reading, and kept my interest. This book dealt well with several topics such as divorce, death, depression, and finding faith.
This story would be appropriate for fifteen year olds and up.

Bloody Point is a page turner from the first page. It is a gripping story of intrigue, deceit, lost love, tragedy, with realistic spiritual challenges and blessings. The local history of the Chesapeake Bay along with intricacies of sailing bring a special flavor to the story. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a murder mystery or detective story.