California Books

To give you an idea of how this book affected me, I have been an Amazon user for years and this is the first review I have ever left.
I actually bought this book somewhere else and only bought by it accident. I was really after another book that had no Christian leanings. I found this book by accident and hoped I would have a good weekend read. I started at about 9 or 10 pm Friday night and didn't stop until 5:30 am Saturday morning. After reading this I read some in my Bible to cofirm some of what the book talked about and I cried for I think a good hour or so after I read the book.
This book shows a beautiful example of God's love for us.
This is suprisingly the best book I read have on accident in my life. I have never read anyting by this author, but I will definately check out her other work.
Note: The NIV refernces are ok, but to get the beauty of the verses quoted check out the KJV of the Bible.

I cannot explain the impact that this book has had on my life. I was lent this book and after telling a friend 'I'm really not that into Chritian fiction' read the first page and kept reading the entire night. I am now reading it for the second time and ordered my own copy. I think this should be required reading for anyone who has ever fallen in love. Francine Rivers' classic retelling of the book of Hosea is beautifully written, she presents God's love for his people in a way that leaves no doubt that there is nothing we can do to make our Father love us less.

The character of Michael Hosea is absolutely mesmerizing. The love trust he has in the Lord as well as his commitment to his very worldy wife, Angel (Sarah) is inspirational. Although she has had a tumultuous and very difficult life, Michael listens to the Lord that this is the wife He has chosen for him, refuses to give up on her, and trusts the Lord in all things in their relationship.

After reading this book, I have decided to walk with the Lord in a much closer way. I think that it would be impossible for any woman to read this book and not wish that her own husband/boyfriend etc. (no matter how wonderful he may be) was a little more like Michael! This book serves as a model of what a relationship and life based on the Lord should look like. If you read one book this year, please let it be this one! You will NOT be sorry!

Time is short, so I try to read books that will improve my thinking (i.e. the classics I missed out on earlier in life). Books such as "The Tale of Two Cities" and "Emma," among others, are usually first on my list. My sister was reading this novel and said it was wonderful, so I thought I would read it with her.

After a few pages and great expectation, I could see clearly where this book was going: the same old romance format using a Christian wrapping. (WARNING - I am going to give away the ending in the following paragraphs, but I'll bet you can guess it anyway!)

First, the style of writing is lacking depth in every sense of the word. Where are the wonderfully intriguing character studies that I so love in Jane Austin's books? Where are the complicated sentence structures? It was very, well, predictable.

She is bad, he is good; she is still bad, he is still good; she finally repents, he finally wins her heart. I know God is mixed in, but really, He doesn't talk to us like that. We are to search Scripture to find the answers, not hear them in our heads, and especially not in bold print in a romance novel.

I got through one half of this book and couldn't stand it any longer. The dialogue was extremely weak, boring me to tears (a different kind of tears than other reviewers seemed to have shed). I had to skip to the end to verify what I already knew would happen. He got the girl, they lived happily ever after, ta-da.

A more realistic ending would have been that Michael got syphilis from his lovely wife and became disillusioned at the least, at the worst, he would have died. A book with a memorable ending that comes to mind is Edith Wharton's House of Mirth. I didn't necessarily *like* the outcome, BUT it had a powerful impact. It was REAL.

Get this from the library if you must; just don't spend money on it. Well, actually, don't even spend time on it if you have better reads waiting on your shelf.

As for those who have said that this is the best book they have ever read - there is a world of romance out there, but it can be clothed in beautiful layers of rich silk and embroidery, not only in plain sackcloth.

Hands-down, the best book I've ever read! Could not put it down. I was somewhat consumed by it and cannot wait to read it again. Go get this book!

This is one of the best books I have ever read!! Shipping was quick, too. Would highly recommend seller!

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer is a sequel to the heartbreaking memoir, A Child Called "It". Pelzer explains what happened after he was taken away by his abusive mother and neglectful father. This book is really uplifting and moving. I highly recommend this fascinating story and his quest to find a foster family who will love him unconditionally. Enjoy!

This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.

This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.

In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.

This book, along with another came in on time and for a great price. I Love this book.. I am now waiting to read the two books left that tells the rest of Dave's Story. There are 4 all together!

This book will open your eyes to child abuse. You will forever remember and reflect on what you have read. We all have a need to be loved.

I purchased this book for my daughter. She read and finished the book and told me that it was well written and that it was very interesting reading. I didn't read it so I would be hesitant to recommend.

I loved this book! My heart goes out to Sharon Rocha and the rest of Laci's family.

I was pregnant with my 3rd son when Laci went missing and was so devastated to hear how she went missing. As time went on, and I looked at Scott on TV, I could tell he was guilty. He was blank, cold, and detached looking. I felt so sad for Laci and her son. She was so beautiful and looked to be like such a sweet loving woman. I was drawn to the story, and waited for her mother to write a book about her. I realized it might not happen, but was happy when she finally wrote this book. I read the book by Scott's half sister, and really enjoyed that book. I also read this book and cried like a baby at certain parts. I was confused how Laci could have been so trusting of Scott, as most women (or at least I thought) have women's intuition that would tell them something was wrong. I am happy that her mother wrote this book. I always wondered what went on with Laci's side of the family during this whole tragedy. Even though I cried many tears while reading this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

When the story of Laci broke news, I thought it wouldn't be as sensational as it turned out to be, I mean how many people go missing, or are murdered;my husband thought the same way. I began reading the books about Laci and the investigation, which covered forensic, and mental health issues, but no emotional feelings until I read Sharon's book. It's powerful in its own right. A must read!

This is a compelling book which reads very quickly, as it is hard to put down. Sharon Rocha paints a lovely portrait of her daughter Laci. You can't help be empathetic as evil moves in around her. I have an incredible amount of respect for her and the search-and-rescue fund/foundation she created. This tugs at heartstrings and elicits tears. I can't help but cry.

I was very satisfied with the level of customer service that I received from Amazon.com. As a college student I am always looking for cheaper books, so this has become one of my new favorite websites.

I never fully understood my grandfather till I read this book as part of a collage class on WWII. He never talks about the war. He has storys of his time in boot camp, and his time in Japan after the war ended, but none during the war its self.

I never understood what he went through, or how it made him who he is till I read this book. I knew he was a marine, and that he was stationd in the South Pacific, and I knew a few of the names of the battles he was in, but until I read Sldege's book I had no idea what he had gone through there.

I consider this book a must for anyone that has had family in the military, and for everyone else who does not know what our military has done, and continues to do for the American people.

I heard about this book and was able to find it easily online and at a great price.

I enjoyed reading this book so much I finished it in less then a week. Parts of it are featured on a PBS documentry called "The War" (Or somthing like that), anyhow, the book gives all the reader could ask for; loss, comraderie, and the absolute brutality of war. It is my favorite first person account I have read so far, although William Foley's "Visions From A Foxhole" is exceptional as well. If you were ever curious about a Marine's combat life, read this book, and if you have already read this book, go out and thank a veteran, or current soldier for what they have done for you so that you should never have to experience the horrors of war with your own eyes. Thanks Vets and current men of all wars.To those Marines: SEMPER FI

This book gives us an idea of how the shocking horror of the Pacific conflict turned normal guys and to-be college professors into killers that simply didn't have the option of seeing the other side as human. When the author describes why no prisoners were taken by either side, you've already read so much that it makes sense.

My library carries this book on Playaway and it was recommended to me by the librarian as "an entertaining, well-written fantasy story for all ages." I found out the book was also highly recommended by Voya and is something of a pop phenom as it is also mentioned in "Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies" and "Ancient Art of Fairy Magick".

I enjoyed listening to the story so much I decided to buy the book. The audio was wonderful and I loved how the characters came to life and the reading was excellent. Like the audio, the book is of exceptional quality with its dozens of full-page illustrations and illustrated end notes.

This second book continues right where the cliffhanger in the first book left off. Again, the story revolves around three central characters: Adrina, Vilmos, and Seth. It tells their story as the story of their imperiled worlds unfolds. Adrina is a young princess who has everything and nothing. Vilmos is a mischievous village boy. Seth is a powerful warrior elf.

As with the first book, this second book has many twists and turns that make for wonderful reading. Stanek continues to show a strong command of language and excels at building mystery and intrigue. The reader can't help but feel they are right there in this rich fantasy world. You feel for Adrina as she starts to see the world in new ways. Your heart wrenches for Vilmos when he is chased by shapeshifters called wolmerrele. Your gut aches when Seth is betrayed.

Stanek has a knack for writing strong prose. There are enough details to see everything that's going on but not so much the story is bogged down. The dialogue continues to be excellent as well and it's one of the reasons the story works so well in audio.

I highly recommend The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches II (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 2) (Keeper Martin's Tales) but don't miss The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales). You need to start with the first one to understand the story.

I also recommend

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches III (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 3) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 4) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

Over all an excellent series and like C. S. Lewis's Narnia this is one story everyone should read at least once in their life. If you are looking for a good read or listen, I don't see how you can go wrong with this one.

This book created a beautiful picture of a world that every child has or will dream of. The Kingdoms and the Elves #1 is one of those please don't end books. You would think there is no possible way Book #2 could be better but it is. This is a book is for all ages to sit down and enter a world full of magic.

The second volume in Stanek's popular "Keeper Martin's Tales" continues the story begun in The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches. Vilmos the unlikely mage and Xith, his mentor, are journeying toward destiny while Adrina, the young princess of another land, is caught up in the struggles to save her people as she journeys south. Seth, the leader of the elves, is in trouble, and all hope for him and his people seems lost.

Stanek's skill as a wordsmith shines in this one. There is a large cast of characters and complex story lines, yet the clear thoughtful prose makes the plot easy to follow. Readers must be familiar with the first novel before beginning this sequel.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches 2 is a wonderful book with an epic story and detailed environments. The author, Robert Stanek, describes the world of Ruin Mist with such detail that you can envision every place in the book easily, every character as if they were right in front of your, and every event as if they were unfolding right there before you. The book starts with the divided companions coming together, some for the first time. Previously, Adrina and Emel had split up, Xith and Vilmos were separate, and the elves were struggling to stay afloat. The story is amazing and immediately sucks you in so you have to see what happens at the end. I give it five stars out of five stars.

To sum it up in one word: AMAZING!!! I discovered this author about four years back when I read his "The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #1." I've since read everything he's written and have multiple editions of each. My favorite editions of the illustrated ones - all of the illustrated ones are top shelf.

Many reasons to like a good Stanek novel have been pointed out in the reviews. His prose is spare yet his descriptions are sharp. He is a master storyteller and able to create whole worlds and whole characters. The plots of his books are well paced with many twists and turns.

In this book, the many threads finally come together fully and the reader finds out exactly what's happening (at least part of it). Adrina meets back up with Emel. The elves arrive. Vilmos gets to use his magic. Lots more. I was surprised when I got to In the Service of Dragons and found some of the things foreshadowed here come to fruition.

Highly recommended.

I had the pleasure of joining a few hundred people today, in Malibu, to celebrate the birthday of this beautiful and enormously-gifted author! It was truly a pleasure to meet the woman who I have admired since reading, "Lilla Belle the First Stages." "Lilla Belle" stirred my heart, like few books that I have read. I laughed, cried, and it made me think. This is a glue-book. Once I started reading "Lilla Belle," I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read Ms. Cole's latest, "F.A.T. CHANCE." Hats off to you, Ms. Cole! Happy Birthday, and keep bringin' the hits. Thank you for autographing "Lilla Belle" and "F.A.T. CHANCE." And thank you for sharing your talent. You are a class act. You are one in a MILLION!

Lilla Belle touched my heart! This book also made me think. I have read it three times so far, and I just received it on Saturday. Truly an UNFORGETTABLE CLASSIC!

"Lilla Belle" is an unforgettable book, that stirred every emotion that I have as a human being! I was filled with anger, laughter, tears, and much cheer! This book educates, and speaks volumes to ALL! And it certainly didn't hurt that the BEAUTIFUL little girl on the cover, stole my heart!

Lilla Belle is a well-written, heartwarming novel that stirred my heart, especially, in major ways! This is a book for all. Old folks, (like me), and it's a very good book for our young folks, too. I loved the book, and I hope to meet the author one day.

TEARS, JOY, PAIN, LOVE ... YOU'LL EXPERIENCE ALL OF THE ABOVE!
EXCELLENT BOOK THAT TOUCHES THE HEART IN A MAJOR WAY!

Shattered Sword by Parshall and Tully is simply breathtaking, the most thoroughly researched and lucidly thought out history of an event that I have ever read. Setting out to tell the story of Midway primarily from the Japanese side they have created the new standard of that crucial battle in the dark days of 1942 that shines as an example of scholarly effort without parallel.

First these authors clearly did their homework, and to say that they explore the battle in the utmost would be an understatement. Setting the stage for the battle with germane explanations of the geopolitical, then strategic, and then operational backdrops that led up to 4-5 June 1942 the authors then delve into the battle wielding an awesome array of salient information ranging from the psychological makeup of the senior Japanese commanders on the scene, to Japanese naval doctrine of the time, to the naval architecture of the four Japanese flat tops, to how many bomb carts each carrier had (and are thus able to derive such details as the quickest possible practical TIME, down to the minute, it could have taken to re-arm waiting dive bombers and torpedo planes in the hangar bay) to even the names of individual Japanese pilots in the CAP and when they were launched. What emerges is a picture of the battle in toto, grounded in a thorough understanding of the pacific campaign and the entire war itself, aided by a completely fresh and unbiased look (which subsequently shatters many myths about the battle) and delivers not just the most accurate picture of what happened and why during the fighting, but also what it meant in the larger scheme of how the rest of the war was fought and ultimately won (or lost by the Japanese). This is truly the stuff history is supposed to be about.

What is better yet is that the book, in a surprising cut against the grain for pieces written by more than one author, reads both like an erudite intellectual analysis and Tom Clancy-esque action thriller. Throughout the book you are taken from the strategic and coolly logical minds of senior commanders, to white knuckle seventy degree dives in the cockpits of cascading American SBD's flying through walls of flak and marauding Japanese zeros. Later you are privy to the acts of desperate survival of Japanese engineers sweating in the asphyxiating air of the engine rooms in their carriers as the ceilings above them start literally glowing red from the heat of uncontrollable fires ravaging above and blocking their only route of possible escape.

After setting the stage of the history of the Japanese naval war in the Pacific up until the time of the battle and explaining the strategies, doctrines, and technical features (i.e. carrier air wing make up, command organizations, etc.) of both the American and Japanese navies the authors place you onboard the ships of the Kido Butai for a minute by minute account. This in depth and detailed account takes you from the moment they sortie from Hashirajima bay to their ignominous retreat mere weeks later. The writing is crisp, fast paced, and clear, conveying information, tension, emotion, and action all at the same time without compromising any of those features. Told primarily from the Japanese side it is taut and disciplined, delivering information to the readers as it came in real time to Nagumo and the staff of the Kido Butai on the cramped bridge of the Akagi and under fire, instead of giving the reader a truly "God's Eye View" of the battle. There is just enough delving into the worlds and actions of Nimitz in Pearl Harbor, Flether onboard the Yorktown, Spruance onboard the Enterprise, and several other American forces to give appropriate context and understanding, but the reader is basically experiencing what the Japanese commanders were going through. This allows the reader to truly appreciate the Clausewitzian "friction" that plagues any battle, and to understand the decisions the commanders made at the time. After the fact everything is tied together by the authors to deliver a true picture of exactly what happened each minute of the battle. The scope of the battle and the author's telling of it is enormous, covering not just the more familiar strike on Midway istelf and ensuring carrier duel, but the ordeal of survivors from each carrier as they attempted, futilely, to save their ships then abandoned them, to the harried Japanese retreat and the less familiar American attacks on the Mogami and Mikuma which ultimately led to the latter's destruction.

The book sets the record straight on many things, of which I cannot mention all. When the American dauntlesses rained down upon the Japanese carriers at 1020 however it is clear that their decks were NOT full of a strike package just moments from launching to crush TF 17, this was a myth that was propagated by Mitsuo Fuchida after the war's end for self serving purposes as well as dramatic flair. VT-8's heroic and fatally doomed torpedo attack did not draw down the Japanese CAP, instead it was just one of a series of hurried and poorly organized American attacks that virtuously threw the Japanese into confusion and left them reacting to conditions rather than shaping them. The Americans were not so outmatched as is commonly believed, but still won a glorious victory ableit against a deeply flawed plan developed by the actually bullying and overbearing Yamamoto (who was restricted from leaving Kure Naval Harbor while in Japan to visit Naval General HQ in Tokyo on fear that other resentful officers there would literally kill him.)

The lessons the authors draw from this battle are applicable even today. The Japanese primarily lost the battle, and the entire war for that matter (although for the entire war the relative industrial might of the US played a far more important role than it obviously could have in this single, early on confrontation), due to an operational rigidity born of national culture and character. This rigidity left it unable to correctly learn lessons from its past operations, anticipate future operations as well as enemy capabilities and reactions to such, and, most critically, to adapt to real world circumstances when their overly elaborate plans inevitably began to unravel against determined and unpredicted enemy actions. (The Japanese expected to face a cowed, fearful, and largely reactionary and passive US Navy at Midway, and not the aggressive and ably commanded force that Nimitz actually sortied to meet them and that guided itself on the flexible principle of calculated risk rather than dogmatic devotion to operational planning.)

I simply can not say enough good about this book. It is useful to anyone with an interest in history as an example of the heights that that discipline can reach and the edifying fruits it can bear when practiced properly, to those in the military who seek a better understanding of how war actually is fought and can be fought best, to someone who wants to read about a real world battle written with the excitement and drama of a great fiction author.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Haven't finished its reading yet, this book is a superb job about the battle of Midway. With every data carefully referenced and a lot of research in the JPN archives, most of them ignored so far in western bibliography, this book torpedoes a lot of myths that have risen around the famous naval battle over the years.
Reflects, in my opinion, the real "fog of war" that both navies had to fight with those days.
It is mainly focused in the Japanese side, giving credible answers to questions that had been ignored over the years by all history books that I have read.

"Fantastic" is not enough to describe this book. The research which has gone into it and the amount of details presented is absolutely unbelievable.
In the wake of this book, I don't think there will be any further need for continued discussion over the relative action of the US and IJN fleets and what really happened near Midway on that fateful day.
The explanation of Japanese tactical and strategical thought which lead to their demise is clearly spelled out and it finally lets the reader understand the how and why of the action Adm. Nagumo took at the time.
Altogether, I could not have asked for a better book on the subject.

Simply a must-read for anyone with a serious interest in what happened off Midway in June 1942, and why events unfolded the way they did. The authors explain not only what happened, but why - in exhaustive detail. And therein lies the reason I could not in good conscience give this outstanding work 5 stars.

When the subject is as complex as this battle, and the research so comprehensive, any author has a responsibility to write as concisely as possible. Doing so respects the reader's time and improves the chances of the less dedicated making it through the text. Not only is this book unnecessarily wordy, the authors sometimes use three or four paragraphs to explain a point only to spend another paragraph or two summarizing and/or providing 'in other words' alternative explanations. Frankly, the average reader may be hard-pressed to finish this work. I half expected the last page to be a submission form for three hours of credit.

With that said, the afterglow is a pleasant one for those of us with a deep interest in this battle and the patience to read through to the end. The authors do a fine job of explaining why they're explaining. For example, with great effect they use Japanese carrier procedures and doctrine as evidence indicating what was actually happening in specific timeframes. Another example is showing the real role the decimated American torpedo squadrons played, which was critical but not for the reasons most people believe. The research appears impeccable and the conclusions reached on points where absolute evidence does not exist make sense.

The authors are perhaps a bit snarky when addressing some other sources on the battle, but I believe that to be a product of their own passion for accuracy, the battle, and the Imperial Japanese Navy as opposed to any intended animosity.

Bottom line: highly recommended, but be prepared to invest some time.

I was rather surprised that the authors make no mention of the actual prime source for the Battle of Midway that most Americans carry around in their heads: the 1976 film, "Midway." With familiar names like Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford, Robert Mitchum, Hal Holbrook and Charlton Heston, the film reinforces the popular wisdom that an under gunned American Naval task force, on June 5, 1942, surprised the main fleet of Japanese carriers bearing fighter planes helplessly exposed on the decks. Certainly I had never heard the names Yamamoto, Nagumo and Genda prior to seeing the film one rainy summer afternoon. After reading Parshall's and Tully's masterful study of the battle, I was even more surprised to learn that this enduring version of the Midway encounter came not from the understandable pride of American historians, but from the pen of Fuchida Mitsuo and Okumiya Masatake, whose "Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan" [1955] served as a template for historians, school books, and even Hollywood.

Since Japanese historiography has shaped the Midway story for over six decades, Parshall and Tully decided to address their gripping minute-by-minute account of the battle through the eyes of Japanese experience and intentions in order to restore a sense of perspective. In truth, much of Mitsuo's narrative and interpretation is not as much defective as it is deficient. Midway was the product of complicated forces; its individual tactical events at many turns had lives of their own. Thus, only by breaking the battle into dozens of microcosmic signatures could Parshall arrive at something resembling a true chronology of the encounter, though war is such a hellish psychological event that exactitude is its first victim.

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was for the US the beginning of the beginning. For Japan it was the beginning of the end. It may not have been clear to Americans in 1941, but Japan's eastward expansion to Hawaii was something of a Pickett's Charge moment save that Japanese efforts had, for a time, a more favorable psychological outcome. Parshall's map [20-21] makes the Japanese problem crystal clear: advancing across the Pacific meant investment north and south as well as east. Japan at this point had been at war since at least 1937, first with China and then throughout Southeast Asia.

In these circumstances the Midway situation takes on a whole new look. The Empire's interest in seizing the Island had little to do with westward expansion, and much to do with protecting its holdings. Possession of Midway would allow the Japanese to cut US supply lines to Australia. Achievement of the goal was certainly within capability, given the limitations of the US Pacific Fleet, had not the ambitious Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku overreacted to recent US sorties with a complicated plan of his own for Midway. Yamamoto violated a basic tenet of war--massed force--to execute simultaneous action toward Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians. Parshall is careful to note that this Aleutian action was not a feint, as is popularly believed, though Dutch Harbor had questionable value in any strategic equation.

With two carriers off to the cold north, Yamamoto proceeded to Midway with four carriers instead of six, and just a one carrier advantage over Halsey's three. [Bill Halsey, of course, would be hospitalized with shingles and replaced by Ray Spruance for the Midway expedition.] The result is basic history, with the US destroying all four Japanese carriers with the loss of only the Yorktown. Parshall certainly does not diminish the accomplishment, nor do he and his colleague entirely deny the element of luck. More often, he takes the dramatic edge off of events, reminding his readers that in war the best schedules go awry, runways get congested, radios break, intelligence gets manhandled, and weather conditions change.

Parshall believes that that US Pacific fleet was not quite the crippled eagle it is often portrayed to be. Between the Pearl Harbor and Midway encounters the Lexington and the Yorktown had embarrassed Yamamoto on several occasions in his back yard. The US Navy had learned quite a bit about aerial warfare despite the fact that at Midway its planes were somewhat inferior. Vice Admiral Nagumo, commander of the strike force, found himself repeatedly surprised by the Americans' tactics and capabilities, though admittedly some of these tactics--with tragic and needless loss of life--were as much a surprise and shock to the Americans' own commanders.

Parshall observes that American forces did enjoy an overall edge in technology, planes notwithstanding. Photographs of the late Soryu, Kaga, Hiryu and Akagi carriers throughout the book reveal tinker-toy vessels of another generation, which in some cases were actually Gerry rigged when designers changed schemes. US carriers enjoyed greater simplicity and a much more efficient deck technology, particularly in the design of elevators which allowed for rapid turnover of planes for duty. Most notably, American carriers enjoyed much safer and more efficient fire control systems, which gave the Yorktown an added essential day. From a humanitarian standpoint, Parshall brings home the terrible suffering of Japanese sailors primarily from fires resulting from poor ship design. As a rule the rank and file of the Japanese Navy manifested an amazing courage and devotion to duty; Parshall's account puts the responsibility for their plight in the appropriate places.

Parshall's decision to write from the Japanese perspective was quite daring and very successful. As befits a military work, nearly one-third of this book is composed of maps, photos, and an exhaustive bibliography. It is hard to imagine how the author could have been more helpful with his illustrations of ship movements and time lines. And yet this is a work with a gripping story line. The revised truth about Midway is still a captivating tale, about commanders coping with strain and sailors loyal to their comrades. For all its technical information, Parshall's work can best be described as eminently human.

Best book to read if want to know about you. The only one person in this world that introduce you to you. Don't look for peace anywhere because it's just right inside of you. To know more about you and peace please read this book.

This is an enthralling story of a remarkable man. I don't usually enjoy biographies but I couldn't put this one down. Highly recommended!

"Peace is Possible" is a captivating account by Ms. Cagan about Prem Rawat.

Intriguingly, this man from a small town in Northern India has won international acclaim from heads of state, esteemed institutions of higher learning and philanthropic organizations for his unflagging effort to unlock peace in people's lives.

Despite his unique station as the fourth and youngest son of a highly venerated life teacher, Rawat's personal accomplishments reveal a deeper theme. His apparent unwavering commitment to those who seek his guidance worldwide, regardless of the challenges thrown his way, is most striking.

According to the account, Prem Rawat grew up in a bustling household often occupied with people wishing to debate or implore his counsel. He was raised by a strictly devout Hindu mother and educated by ill-tempered monks at a Catholic grade school. Nonetheless, he evidently forged his own path, remaining steadfast to his experience of what his father had shown him.

The result reads as a living example of trust. At the tender age of eight, only Rawat can console others upon his father's death, and he soon becomes the mentor for his father's many students. At age thirteen, he leaves school and travels from India by himself to spread his message West, not knowing what he will find. The story that unfolds from there remains fascinating.

Many of the practitioners of his knowledge seem to verify what Prem Rawat has steadfastly asserted for many years, that there is a peace inside one can know through experience, not just belief. Prem Rawat seems dedicated to imparting what he knows to those who sincerely want it.

Peace Is Possible: The Life and Message of Prem Rawat

Simply Wonderful!!

How wonderful to learn about Prem Rawat's history in such a readable and entertaining way. I was moved to tears and laughter many times. He has done so much for people all over the world, myself included. A good starting point for anyone seeking self knowledge.

This is a terrific book about small town family life after the Depression, baseball in the "Golden Age", and friendships. Also there is a great history of World War II and special military troops to entertain our troops. The friendships that evolve in this biography are endearing to all.

What an excellent book. So well written you will not want to put it down!
Read this book it is a classic, especially if you are interested in WWII era history and baseball of course!
Gary Moore is a real gentleman he responded right away to an email, with a humble and heartfelt response. D. Bradshaw

This book is a fun one to read to "meet" some real people in America's heartland. The history lesson is interesting too. I had no idea our country set up Army and Navy baseball teams for entertaining the troops. The sad story of his alcoholic decline rings true in so many lives, but the redemption through an unexpected friendship warms your heart. We all need to remember that our accomplishments do not define us.

I'm not a reader or a writer. I read this book word for word, cover to cover. My love, Sandy, bought it and hoped it would interest me. I have a passion for baseball and enjoy history. I also enjoy hearing about those who go after their dreams and fight off adversity.

Playing with the Enemy...Wow! I couldn't put the book down. I finished at 12 midnight and had to email the author, Gary Moore. This book is not just for those who love baseball or enjoy history. It is a human interest story that teaches so much about life. It's also about a son who needed to know more about his fathers past.

I volunteer at a high school and coach baseball. I will use much of what I read about Gene Moore when motivating players. It's the morning after reading the book. I've spent all morning emailing friends about Gene Moore. This includes baseball players, family and friends and anyone I know who enjoys reading a good book.

You'll enjoy this book. I've always liked the slogan "baseball is life". For those who never had a passion for the game...read the book...you'll see what I mean.

Earl Altshuler
San Diego

This book is a wonderful read. You won't want to put it down until you have finished it. All of us can be inspired by Gene Moore's story. Even when dreams are dashed we can look around to see God's blessings in our lives. Sometimes it takes an "enemy" to point out our most precious gift - our family and their love for us. Don't delay. Read or listen to this book now.

Fields of Fire is not just an excellent novel about Vietnam. It's an excellent novel. The characters are believable and complex; the scenes are replete with meaning and context without being overbearing, and the story line keeps one's attention while it teaches some lessons about life and war--during combat, awaiting combat, and during moments of reflection. It has a rare combination of pragmatism and romanticism that I can only attribute to the author's views on life. Webb, himself a fearless ex-Vietnam vet doesn't disparage anyone--even he character "Harvard," a clueless Ivy-leaguer forced into combat. Rather than create a stereotypical 'egghead' type, Webb treats him with sympathy. He does the same for gung-ho combat freaks as well as for the average soldier who is just trying to stay alive. I might call the style something like 'Hemingway a la mode.' Webb's style is both denotative and expressive; but he does not work hard at the spare style Hemingway championed. There's some nice 'adornment' along the way. If anyone knows the Buffy Saint Marie song 'Until It's Time for You to Go', you will find it used here in the most sensitive and moving of scenes.

I also recommend another Webb novel, Missing Soldiers (or is it Lost Soldiers-sorry, forget), a book set many years later, in which an ex-Vietnam era Vet is called in to help solve a Vietnam War mystery: a different book, a different style, a different genre, but as good as or better than this one.

The style of the fiction writer Webb pretty much complements the politician/real-life Webb, now Senator of Virginia. He demonstrates fictionally in his novels that honest and thoughtful and critical examination of one's country comes from that deepest of places: from a patriot's heart who loves his/her country to the point of reverence and becomes rightly indignant when the values one cherishes are transgressed by those who claim to be upholding them. This might not be the place to mention it, but if you think I'm suggeting what Webb things of George W., you're right.

When I finished this book I felt that it was probably the closest I would ever come to know the senselessness and horror of war. It wasn't an easy book for me to read but I feel it's important to bear witness to those horrors that exist in our world if only to validate the sacrifices people make for my benefit.

James Webb is a straight shooter. It verbalizes the action, nonsense, self-serving behaviour of some officers and the bravery of others and the people who have to carry the orders out. I was in during the latter end of Korea so I did not see combat. This book goes hand in hand with Oliver Stone's movie "Platoon".

The book is visceral and true to all that I have learned about the Vietnam conflict. What a horible waste of life of young and old alike.

It seems that a country fighting for its life can not be subjugated forever whether we like its politics or not.

I have great respect for Jim Webb as an author and as a new Virginia Senator. I enjoyed his book very much.

"Fields of Fire" is the best novel of the Vietnam War, bar none. A few have run a very close second ("Body Count" by William Turner Huggett, for instance), but this one sets the standard for what a Vietnam novel should be. I'd place it in the Top 10 American novels of the second half of the 20th century.

The men who make up the unit in "FoF" are realistically depicted, and I'm sure they are based on men that the author led during his time there. The reader actually feels like a member of the unit, and he or she starts to empathize with, and even like, most of them. The combat scenes will have you on the edge of your seat, and you feel it when certain characters give their lives for their country and friends.

This has yet to be made into a movie. I believe any movie based on "FoF" would be superior to "Platoon," and other Vietnam flix, and would make a great bookend with "We Were Soldiers."

Of the many admirers that state this book is the sine qua non for understanding the Vietnam War, few are combat veterans. What troubles me is that several reviewers have expressed thoughts akin to worship, a phenomenon relished by authors and publishers ever since the making of Red Badge of Courage. In the 1970s, I met James Webb while working at the Naval Academy. Later, when I saw that he had published a novel about Vietnam, I got it and began to read. But I couldn't get far into the story. I tried several times but found its style and tone too poetic and storybook. The book tried desperately to expose me to a narrow set of fictional names, places, and events that were impossible to accept. I couldn't give up my own experiences in combat (1968-69), those inexplicable moments of survival with men that sacrificed their lives to save mine. The book didn't come to my defense but weakened my experiences with another story that wanted to decide the outcome of the war for me in words conforming to a style relished by publishers and book lovers only. I suspect this is the same for most veterans (soldiers and marines) that saw heavy combat in Vietnam. I'm troubled by the thought that war stories such as this one exploit with hyperbole and polemics mainly to make a profit. Suffice to say that Webb knew exactly what type of writing publishers were craving, and he wrote this story primarily to be published, making sure not to burn any bridges along the way. It is indeed fiction rather than history or autobiography. In this way, it was indeed a political statement, and those that think it is an anti-war novel are mistaken. There are no anti-war books or movies. They don't exist. A well known film historian recently said of the movie Paths of Glory, "Should the whole world watch this movie, there would be no more wars." This is a specious as saying that if we made everyone a cop, there would be no more crime. Books and movies about war, especially those with "searing truths" about combat, do not add to our understanding of war, nor do they prevent anyone from picking up a gun and going to war. In fact, the more searing the story, the more likely the readers or viewers will want to experience so-called truths for themselves, to watch others die, to kill others and be made heroes for it. Is there any wonder why we went to war in Iraq? For a nonconforming, nonprofit-oriented book about the Vietnam War, see "Traces of a Lost War" by Richard Barone. Independently published, it goes for broke in its denial of the "war story," fully admitting that its own words cannot touch or come close to the war they attempt to describe.