Clubs Books

The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table is a demonstration of New England civility in the 1850s. I believe it went through more than 50 editions by the end of the nineteenth century, so it must have been very widely read at one time. The book is packed with amazing observations. Holmes takes the time to wonder why the sense of smell is the quickest path to memory. He rails against puns in a way that is better than punning. He points out human flaws and praises examples of good living. Trees come alive, through prosaic description and poetic flights. Would you like to go back to the 1850s and have a conversation with a Boston intellectual? Here's your chance. There are many old copies of this book sitting around, but it's nice that it's come back into print (again).... (it's also a quiet love story, by the way)

The imaginary scene is a boarding house breakfast. Conversation is dominated by a lively gent who's seen it all. He holds forth on women, school, philosophy, rowing, interrupted from time to time with verses such as the Deacon's Masterpiece. It's witty, poignant, and rightfully a classic.

Two oral practices flourished in antebellum America: the lecture (or sermon) and the conversation. Lectures, such as Emerson's "The American Scholar" and sermons, such as the abolitionist sermons of Henry Ward Beecher, are well-known examples of this era. But it was also known as the Golden Age of Conversation, and its greatest practitioner was generally agreed to be Oliver Wendell Holmes, Senior.

Holmes was considered an important American writer until the 1920s when he was excised from the American canon by the modernists. They depicted him as willfully provincial, and elitist. What those critics failed to understand was that the Autocrat is also a comic pose, and that Holmes is making sport of everyone, including elitists. Holmes' democratic view of conversation as an open, free-wheeling discourse where anyone could join the Autocrat at his table, as long as they enlivened the conversation, ran counter to the views of his more elitist friends in Boston's Saturday Club in Boston. Holmes loved to talk, and his love for talk made him a democrat, or perhaps a true republican.

His Autocrat is a many sided character: stern and foolish, admonitory and celebratory, a polymorph who will don any temporaty mask necessary to keep the conversation alive. Holmes' playful metaphorical imagination is also a revelation. His gift for translating complex ideas into homey metaphors, aphorisms, and similes is nothing short of miraculous. In the words of another seriously comic American whom I'm sure Holmes would have delighted in, the Autocrat "floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee."

The Autocrat of the Breakfast table begins "in media res," in the middle of a conversation, with the Autocrat attempting to set the rules for conversation at his table. They are generous rules, but even they are open to sabotage by his tablemates at the boarding house. He begins by banning "facts" from his table as impediments to conversation, (a condition that should prevail on today's too numerous current event talking head shows. But I, like the Autocrat, digress).

Here's how the Autocrat starts: "I was just going to say, when I was interrupted, that one of the many ways of classifying minds is under the head of arithmetical and algebraical intellects. All economical and practical wisdom is an extension of the following arithmetical formula: 2 + 2 = 4. Every philosophical proposition has the more general character of the expression a + b = c. We are mere operatives, empirics, and egoists, until we learn to think in letters instead of figures." "They all stared. There is a divinity student lately come among us to whom I commonly address remarks like this. "

In other words, as Gibian says in his marvelous OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES AND THE CULTURE OF CONVERSATION: [The Autocrat] only asks us to study his beliefs the way a pragmatist would study the doctrines of any religion: "I don't want you to believe anything I say; I only want you to to try to see what makes me believe it." How refreshing in this age of factoids and statisticoids recited with rancor and ideological certitude, to hear the Autocrat and his tablemates at the boarding house attempting to fashion a democracy through and by their conversation. Nowadays all we have are the unironic Autocrats, control freaks like John McLaughlin, Ted Koppel, Rush Limbaugh, and that guy on FOX whose name I have, pleasantly, forgotten.

Listening to the Autocrat you can almost hear American singing. It's not exactly Walt Whitman's America, but it's still America in the hopeful, experimental antebellum era, and thus a good antidote to the cold technocratic chatter and lukewarm public relations cant we are showered with in this hypermediated century.

An interesting range of thoughtful opinions, imbedded in a look at American life in the 1850s, by the father of a future Supreme Court Associate Justice. Part of the charm of this book is in the fact that at that time horses had been the only means of human-assisted transportation for the last few thousand years (with the exception of the new-fangled railroad which was changing the world). Electronics were not even imagined. Automobiles were 50 years into the future.

The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table is a demonstration of New England civility in the 1850s. I believe it went through more than 50 editions by the end of the nineteenth century, so it must have been very widely read at one time. The book is packed with amazing observations. Holmes takes the time to wonder why the sense of smell is the quickest path to memory. He rails against puns in a way that is better than punning. He points out human flaws and praises examples of good living. Trees come alive, through prosaic description and poetic flights. Would you like to go back to the 1850s and have a conversation with a Boston intellectual? Here's your chance. There are many old copies of this book sitting around, but it would be nice if it came back into print.... (it's also a quiet love story, by the way)

I found this audio book to be a relaxing escape from the stressful preparations one has to make for the coming of their first child. I listened to little bits of this CD on the way to work, and discovered new and interesting facts about caring for my son. It was very relaxing and helped me step into the role of new father without all of the anxiety.

This is a terrific resource which I highly recommend to new parents and/or baby caregivers. It is extremely user-friendly and is great for anyone (most of us) short on time. I was especially impressed with the detail and quantity of information given, and found the narrator to be both professional and warm. The CD format is a terrific twist on a very functional must-have item for expectant parents, childcare providers, or anyone who loves babies. It has now become my shower gift of choice!

I was a bit anxious about being a new father, so my wife handed me a book she had been given. But, the last thing I wanted to do was carry a book around with me that had a pregnant woman in a rocking chair, holding a teddy bear. Time was also a commodity, so... I bought this audio book. These CDs are quick and painless, just like they promised, and they are full of useful information for new parents. I don't think I'll be "standing on the sidelines" now. If you're not a new father, then give it to someone who is.

This is a fantastic idea! I had taken a simple class on baby care before my daughter was born, but was working so much I never got a chance to read the books I was given. Before I knew it, little Anna was here. My husband and I took one CD each, listening to them in the car on the way to work, and then traded. The tips are very helpful for first-timers. I didn't know about the honey, or not to breastfeed after working out. The CD's are worth every penny.

Finally, someone gives us a break. It's not that I don't want to read up, and take classes. I'm just to busy to be believed. I have a daughter on the way, and I am a real estate agent. My time is not my own right now. So, between open houses, I have listened to this 2-CD set that my wife bought for us. It informs you about things like "over stimulation" and "gas", and even gives you a simple play-by-play about putting on a diaper. The tips are in a very organized format. We are still taking a class, but at least I won't go in there feeling like a complete idiot.

Very good read. Still reading it but the first section alone is worth the price. I wish they would have released it in 3 sections so I can easily travel with this book.

The hacker ethos is beautifully captured in this anthology. I've often skimmed 2600 at bookstores but it was only when I went through this hefty tome that I realized how deep and rich are the culture and accomplishments of the hacking community.

More than just the cartoonish representation in popular media, the hacking movement is a testament to creativity and innovation. Rightly so, this book is a celebration of cleverness and ingenious engineering instead of the more malevolent applications.

Emmanuel Goldstien and his companions have written alot about hacking over the years, but now most of their writings have come together in tome form.

If there was anything you ever wanted to know concerting what hacking was like before the explosion of the Internet, or how hackers have been portrayed with biased by the media and in some cases the government, this is a must read book.

If you subscribe to 2600: The Hacker Quarterly or if you patiently wait at the book store or mail box for a new issue every three months, you will definitely want to pick up this book.

It will be interesting to see in the future, online hacker zines to try their hand at publishing their writings such as TOTSE and Phrack.

I am attending Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) in NYC this week-end, and have just spent time with this volume. Unlike the individual issues, all of which I have had in my possession over the years, this volume is HUGE, readable, indexed, and priceless. I mean that--PRICELESS.

The publisher is to be saluted for not only putting a great deal of effort along with the editor, the founder of 2600 Magazine and also of the HOPE conference, for making this volume a true reference work. I was immediately impressed by the selection of "best of the best," the organization of the material, the index, and the fact that the publisher moved away from the micro-print that was used to keep costs down on the volume of knowledge being transmitted in the individual journal issues, and instead went for a high-end glossy, "just right" white space presentation that should be in every Information Technology library across the country, and is also a collectible for anyone who pretends to know anything at all about information INsecurity.

If you got this far, this lovely volume, easily worth $60, is a real value at the much lower price being offered, and I hope enough people buy it to occasion a reprint or a second volume.

It merits comment that this is not just a volume of hand-picked items from a single journal. The editor and his closest colleagues created a community of over 30,000 hackers (whom I have always said are like astronauts on the edge with the "right stuff") and this volume LITERALLY represents the 30,000 who were decades ahead of the US Government, which is still--as are corporations and public utilities--largely stupid about information system security, to include our Supervisory Control and Direction (SCADA) systems, all of them on the Internet.

For a really good time on what the Chinese know and can do that we cannot, see my Memorandum, easily found online, . They brought Dick Cheney's plane down over Singapore in Feburary 2007, and when he got off to stretch his legs, told him exactly what they could do, and what the US would not be allowed to do. Thus did the power of the information age move East.

Other great Hacker books (the last one is the ultimate public hack, taking back the power):
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit, Twentieth Anniversary Edition
The Hacker Crackdown: Law And Disorder On The Electronic Frontier
The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders & Deceivers
The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage
Cybershock: Surviving Hackers, Phreakers, Identity Thieves, Internet Terrorists and Weapons of Mass Disruption
Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace

Three DVDs, the first based on the real-life of the editor of this book:
Hackers
The Net
Live Free or Die Hard (Unrated Edition)

There are two sets of hackers: these, and the ones who came out of the Homebrew Garage Club (Lee Felsenstein, Eric Hughes, etc) and tended to created businesses rather than live free. Bill Gates is certainly in that number, as are Stewart Brand and others. The most famous Free/Open Hacker in the first group is Richard Stahlman, whose book on the origins of Free/Open Source Software (F/OSS) is most recently complemented by Yochai Benkler's book on Wealth of Networks. With a tip of the hat to Nat at O'Reilly, open source software is Darwinism, while malware and proprietary software are Intelligent Design that is not so intelligence. VISTA by Microsoft is the biggest scam in history, for the first time forcing documents to be uniquely tied to the Microsoft operating system and not processable anywhere else. It is time for Microsoft to die, or come to its senses and put its money into F/OSS while monetizing the transactions. Bill Gates has called F/OSS communist. In my view, that makes Bill Gates a fascist. My money is on F/OSS.

I would like to first point out that information in this book and others does not mean that someone should go into someones system or other types of areas. Informing people on potentials that may hurt them in the future does not mean or imply someone will steal or hurt another. It's mealy for security. For example if you told someone their sneakers were untied that doesn't invoke a reaction that you wanted to steal them!
The problem with any form of security is it assumes that people breaking generally cannot think. It's been said that locks keep honest criminals out. Of course the other problem with this is if there's no forced point of energy that could nullify insurance claims!

I listen to 2600's Off the Hook and Off the Wall radio shows (streaming, wbcq, wbai, wusb). I encourage people to do so because they are brining up things that frankly most of the media won't. For example practically all locksets on the market are compromised via "bump keys" not a peep came out of the major media on this. Top rated mainstream locks are about 15 minutes for someone to open! Like it or not the more we obtain new technology the more we better get used to using it.

Getting into this book it has quite a large amount of articles going back decades. Much of this stems from the concept that somehow someone has created something that cannot be opened. Never assume something cannot be done with a piece of electronics!

I've experienced a number of interesting related things. I worked for a company that hosted all internal finance documents on a server that granted access not only to everyone in the building but everyone in the company! No password required! At the very least put a password, restrict access to certain terminals etc. I also worked for a major retailer that had back doors into their own systems from a hr portal people could view at home. Huge amounts of data could be found on policies and procedures that the management did not want people to know. All of this was access one could get at work without passwords so it wasn't even violating a law.I should say that I myself was hacked a number of years ago. Someone ended up saying I was selling a motorcycle on ebay using my account! Not cool but it was a learning experience.

Also 2600 makes good points as that it seems that we are no longer simply buying products but buying licenses. But since a license is an agreement it technically is NOT an agreement when there's only one party engaging.The innovations that have been achieved with technology should not be used by the government to data mine people and/or for companies to dictate their usage.

Most people believe that the products and services they buy and use will work properly and have (hopefully) integrity. When that trust is taken away it means everything is compromised. If a building collpases you can physically determine as to why but with a network it is not always apparent.

I highly recommend this book because it reinforces the mindset that technology is supposed to be free and open to use.

Beware, Dawn is one of the best mysteries I have ever read! It's about a girl named Dawn, who starts to get weird phone calls and creepy letters during a contest for the Best Baby-Sitter, so she doesn't want to tell anyone one about it. Soon, she figures out that every other Baby-Sitter is getting the same creepy calls & letters, except for Kristy, but the ending is still a great surprise. You really should read this book at night because it sends chills down your spine and makes you afraid that someone might be at your door!

The book is about a person who threads Dawn but should she tell the other members or not?

This book is full of mystery. Kids will enjoy the susppenss of the book . Melissa Marie

At Stoneybrook Elementary there is a Sitter-of-the-Month contest. Dawn wants to be the best sitter of course and soon she gets threatening notes from a mysterious Mr.X Then all kinds of freaky stuff starts happening to all the Baby-sitters. What will happen next? Read it to find out.

I Like This!. When Dawn starts getting threatening notes and odd phone calls while she is baby-sitting, she doesn't know what to do. The notes are signed "Mr. X.," and they are beginning to get scary. Normally, she would tell the other Baby Sitters, but this time is different. The kids at Stoneybrook Elementary are having a Sitter of the Month Contest. The siiter for the month has to be someone who is in control, someone whose jobs always go smoothly. Dawn wants to win, But how can she win while Mr. X is sending notes?

If you loved Bertrand R. Brinley's two collections of stories: The Mad Scientists' Club and The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club or the final novel The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club, then you'll also love "The Big Kerplop" The boys return in the first novel-length adventure of the Mad Scientists of Mammoth Falls, which is in fact a prequel that explains how the club was formed and how founding member Harmon Muldoon got expelled, becoming their nemesis in the short stories.

Jeff Crocker, Charlie Finckledinck, and Harmon Muldoon are fishing in the fog on Strawberry Lake when an Air Force exercise goes wrong resulting in something rather large landing near the boys with a loud Kerplop! Thinking that the Air Force might like to have whatever it was back, the boys attempt to calculate their position using basic scientific principles. Their thinking turns out to be correct when the "something" is revealed to be a hydrogen bomb! However, when the Air Force fails to find the bomb where the boys calculated their position to be (or anywhere else for that matter), Jeff, Charlie, and Harmon take matters into their own hands, gathering together the future members of the Mad Scientists' Club both in order to prove that they were right and to find the missing hydrogen bomb. Hi-jinks ensue.

As a boy, I was terribly disappointed by "The Big Kerplop" that I had waited six long years for because I had assumed based on the brief published descriptions of the upcoming book, originally titled "The Sunken Village", that we would finally see the restored midget submarine in action. Instead it turned out to be a prequel, and the midget submarine was never used. Rereading it now, I can better appreciate what turned out to be a very fine novel, a worthy companion to the previous books, that revealed a lot more about the characters than the short stories had disclosed. However, I can also more clearly see the chronological problems introduced by this prequel, specifically, the logic problem arising from making the boys such huge heroes at their club's founding that their subsequent anonymity and treatment like a bunch of normal kids makes no sense. In addition Harmon Muldoon is portrayed as such a total jerk that the reader is left wondering how Jeff and Charlie could stand him long enough to be friends with him at the beginning of the novel.

Note: the Purple House reprint of The Big Kerplop!: The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club is worth picking up even if you own the extremely rare first edition of The Big Kerplop; A Mad Scientists' Club Adventure because the text is based on the original manuscript, restoring a number of passages that had been cut for space reasons. It also includes an introduction written by Bertrand's son Sheridan. First time readers would be well advised to read this novel after reading the short stories in chronological order; for subsequent rereadings this novel can be placed first where it belongs chronologically.

If you liked the previous Mad Scientists books as well as I did, you will like this one, too. It is like your favorite cartoon turned into a full-length movie (provided it is a good one, which this is). The discover and suspense are well worth it, especially for developing minds.

Purple House Press is reissuing The Big Kerplop! in 2003. At last the elusive third book in the Mad Scientists' Club series will be available to everyone who wants to read it!

This is a great book, just like all their other stories. I like the way when they have a problem they just think up a way to solve it, and then they think up a way to do that. And they're not afraid of the army or anybody, they just do what they have to do. I know this book was written a long time ago, but they sound just like guys I know. (only smarter) I wish there were more books like this out there because I would sure read them too! The mad scientists club is great!

In this book, Henry and the other young mad scientists help the military locate a nuclear missile that has landed in the local lake. It is the third book in the series. It has a much more complex storyline than any of the the other Mad Scientists stories and makes the guys question the purpose of their endeavours. In an earlier adventure, we are given to believe that the military would be the best place for the young scientists to grow up, but in this story we see that the military has serious flaws. This is radical for a story from this era, especially from an author who was part of the military-industrial complex himself.

An old fashioned macho detective with a new twist, he's dead and filled with cauked up holes. This book crosses several genres, and might be of particular interest to readers of vampire novels, mystery and science fiction. There are some great new ideas concerning vampire society, ghosts, imps in bottles, and your general undead. The author has done his research as well, and scenes are very detailed.

Okay, so you've got this detective who's dedicated his existence to ridding the world of evil. He's strong, sensitive, and...oh, yeah...he's dead.

"Blood and Shadows" is a new kind of detective novel; not only are the stakes much higher (the destruction of the world), but our hero isn't the virile, sexy type. Eric Baine, the Dead Detective, patches himself up with spackle after gunfights. He wears a metal plate to cover up the missing part of his head. When faced with (well, relatively speaking) mortal danger, the spirit controlling his body takes over and obliterates any threat with a blinding green light. Mike Hammer, he ain't.

Therein lies the beauty of this novel. Main spices this supernatural tale with dark humor, morals, and even romance. The relationship between Baine and Ming Li, his mysterious Chinese muse, is touching--simply because it's one of the more seemingly possible things in a universe of impossibility. Dead guys need love, too.

The fact that this is Main's first published novel is a shame--this quirky concept has fleshed out nicely and, should Main continue to offer new Baine adventures, he will have breathed new life into a dying genre. (Okay, the puns are a little much...but you get the point, right?) "Blood and Shadows" is a funny, gripping, wonderful novel.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).

If you took the best of Elliot Ness, Anne Rice, and MacGyver you would get the main character, Eric Baine. He is witty, intelligent and clever. He finds himself in some unpredictable situations, but when you are a dead detective anything is possible. The author, Michael Main, does a great job relating this guys misery and struggle between the world of the living and the dead. I had a hard time putting this one down. I am looking forward to seeing more stories about Eric Baine in print.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).

This is the author's own story of growing up on a cattle ranch on the island of Maui, Hawaii about 1900. Her descriptions of the exotic landscape and culture and her obvious joy in living this type of free outdoor life made me feel that I had lived there with her. I didn't want the book to end, so I read several of the author's other books. They are also very enjoyable, but I like this one the best, because it is a true story.

Armine Von Tempski grew up on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Her autobiography, 'Born in Paradise', describes in finite detail her love of the islands and the cultural traits of the Hawaiian people. Anyone who has a love of the islands, especially Maui, will enjoy the early 20th century accounts of events that took place. The infantile detail she pays attention to, enhances the beauty of the book. It makes you long for the inner peace of living such an idyllic life.

Thanks, Paul M. Goyette

If you are a lover of all things Hawaii, know that this book is for you. Although this autobiography was written by a European after our dubious disturbance in these islands, Armine captures the feel, the smell, the magic, and the beauty of Hawaii in the early 1900s. Raised by a father with a great sense of adventure and love of his daughter and Hawaii, Armine lives a charmed existence and details it beautifully for us to escape to. If you have been to Maui, you will particularly love to read it with a map or memories in hand, to even better picture what she paints on the canvas of her book.

My mother has a copy of this book. I read it and found out that Armine and I have alot in common. We were both born in Hawaii, she on Maui, me on Oahu, but moved to Maui when I was 2 years old. We both have alot of fond childhood memories of the islands, events and our family and friends over there. She met royalty, grew up on a 10,000 acre ranch called Haleakala (pronounced hale-a-ka-la) Ranch situated on the volcano of the same name. It is now Tedeschi Winery (they make pineapple wine!)

The book mainly tells the story of a white child growing up in paradise amongst hawaiians, portuguese, japanese, chinese, koreans, and other people of different races. She took pride in being called a "paniolo" (hawaiian for cowboy).

Excellent book for everybody!

This book was purchased by me on a recent trip to Maui. I bought it in a museum gift shop in Lahaina. I was instantly transported back to Paradise--Maui. This is the story of a young girl being raised on Maui in the days of paniolos(Hawaiian cowboys),horses and cattle. She invites us to share in her adventures being the eldest daughter of a cattle ranch manager.

Armine shares her trials, joys and sorrows of growing up in Maui. Encouraged by her loving father, she was taught strive to do her best and to take some risks in life.

Many of the places she writes about are places that still interest many of us now. She brings to life a Maui that is far different now.

A good book for all ages. Enjoy!

David Brentridge was the only Brentridge heir left alive that knew about the family secret. Many men and even a woman sought out the rumored gold hidden on Brentridge property. None had ever breached the security of faithful work hands, the pool of poison, or the gun of David Brentridge himself.

Recent deaths led David to believe that his enemy Will Janely, was on the lookout to get his grimy hand on the gold. David was right in suspecting Will; but he never would have guessed who actually rode away that day with the small fortune leaving David for dead.

That one day put life in motion for David. He knew he must marry to sire a child of his own to pass on the family secret to. The only problem was, he didn't know where to find her as she has up and disappeared. In the end David got what he wanted all along; he was willing to pay the price in gold, too bad it also cost a leg.

Mr. Lambert has written a western that is a wickedly detailed , weirdly worded book of pure excitement. The characters exploded from the pages coming right to life. This story was very detailed, so much so that it distracted me from the story time to time. With that aside this is definitely a 4 heart worthy series that I will be sure to follow.

Did David find Consuela again? Are they living happily ever after? Did he produce a heir and a spare like he hoped? Does the secret live on? Did he find another opening in the treasure room? Is there more treasure or another darker, deeper mystery? Who pulled him out of that tunnel? What was amiss in the treasure room that he couldn't put his finger on? Oh yes, inquiring minds want to know. When is W. Lambert III going to write the next book in the series to answer all these questions....Or has W. Lambert III already written it? Where can I get it?

Love the book. Just what I needed on a sunny Sunday afternoon drifting on the lake ... relaxing. Perfect!

I could not put this book down. W. Lambert has written this twisted and twisting plot excellently. During the "hunt" scenes I am reminded of the short story "The Most Dangerous Game." While gold may be what everyone is after, both the prey and game turn out to be humans.
Every detail in the book is strategically placed and timed to result in a shocking and revealing ending. This book is raw--human raw. We see the characters for who they are and not who they pretend to be--with a few surprises. Death is present many times during the story; each depiction is realistic and relevant.
I cannot wait for the next book by W. Lambert

When author Christopher Dane, whose 1981 book RIDERS OF THE DRAGON presaged the Heaven's Gate suicides and arrival of comet Hale-Bopp, recommends THE BRENTRIDGE GOLD -- "Great! Fantastic! Unusual! A book I wish I'd written!" -- I sit up and take notice. Nor was I disappointed.

A sci-fi fan and a western afficionado, I found THE BRENTRIDGE GOLD, subtle enough in its plotline to satisfy readers of both genres. In fact, if you aren't a die-hard fan of the Ancient Astronaut theories, you might very well be misled into believing Lambert has written a western with just a very interesting and very unique storyline. However, if you are a true believer, there's enough insinuation of things "above and beyond" (including "Pakal, The Maya Astronaut" on the cover) to get the juices and the ah-yes-there-you-have-it! thought process working overtime.

Lambert, not new to the book scene provided some now classical reads in the eighties (ENCORES IN FADE; MICHAEL THE MASTER; ASSIGNMENT GREY AREA), and it's great to have him back from retirement [or from wherever else -- (cue "The Twilight Zone Theme") do,do do,do -- he's been], especially with a book that I predict will become a cult classic in its own right.

Don't miss this one if you like your westerns with a twist you're not likely to find in your typical run-of-the-mill cowboy novel, or your sci-fi really out of the ordinary! And since the books presents itself as merely the first in "The Pleiades Portals Series" of books, be sure not to miss it, because of predicted upcoming-more-of-the-same!

While I usually won't read Westerns, the idea of one involving "Ancient Astronauts" intrigued me, because I love science fiction! The science fiction and adventure elements keep sneaking into the narrative, along with hints of possible supernatural activity. Still, author W. Lambert III stays tightly focused on the Western-style hero, David Brentridge.

In fact, David takes up most of the ink in this book. We often see only him, or just him with brief appearances from the other characters. Fortunately, Lambert makes David a unique and fascinating character who slowly reveals more and more about himself and his family through his actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

The people who keep crossing David's path in one way or another might want the Brentridge gold, and he rarely can decide which of them to trust. Lambert even holds back from the readers why the gold involves so many secrets, far beyond any obvious fortune, but he gives us fascinating hints and glimpses through David and an ancient shaman. He also gives a fast-paced, unpredictable read.

My kids love this so much we listen to it over and over. On more than one occasion my son has asked ME to stop singing so he can hear the music. The narrative is fun and engaging. I wish they would release more cds!

"If the children in your life like the recent bug movies or have ever owned an ant farm, they may be ready for BUGSTERS. An assortment of buggy friends, each with a distinctive voice and personality, deliver two stories: one about cooperation, another about fear and rumors. The messages are unmistakable, but not overbearing. The theme music is catchy. TOP NOTCH!"

My husband and I took my son (5),daughter (7), and the Bugsters, on the road to visit my parents over the holidays. We were more prepared this time, because last time, the crayons and the lap activities just weren't enough, and we don't have a VCR/DVD player in the car. I have to say that these stories really captured their attention, and sparked conversation. The CD is exceptionally done, the stories are thought provoking, the characters all have different voices, and the sound effects are fantastic. We couldn't get enough of it. I only wish we'd had more.

My husband and I took my son (5) and daughter (7), and the Bugsters, on the road to visit my parents over the holidays. We were more prepared this time, because last time, the crayons and the lap activities just weren't enough, and we don't have a VCR/DVD player in the car. I have to say that these stories really captured their attention, and sparked conversation. The CD is exceptionally done, the characters all have different voices, and the sound effects were fantastic. We couldn't get enough of it.

We took this audio book camping and the kids just loved it. My boys are 4 and 6, and they were drawn into the stories right away. The sound effects make all of the action come alive, especially in the dark. We sat and talked after each story about the lessons the kids learned. One is about working as a team, and the other one is about facing your fears, but what was most important was that my boys admitted some fears that I was able to help them face through the trip.

This is one of my very truly most favorite childrens books.
You will never see band aids the same way again.

My almost 5 year old son LOVES this book! I am not sure what is his favorite part - the colorful boat, the inside of the whale, the bandaids - but we have read this book at least 3 or 4 times a week for the past four weeks.

Classic Book. My son first saw Burt Dow on a videotape of the Robert McCloskey books. At first, I couldn't find Burt Dow in any bookstores, but was glad when I finally did. My son loves the book and loves to play Burt Dow.

This book was one of my favorites growing up. Unlike other favorites that I found weren't so great anymore, this one has held up. It is much better than either Blueberries for Sal or Make Way for Ducklings because there are more plot turns and the color in the book just pours and splashes out of the book. The illustrations are just fabulous.

The book also uses nice alliteration and allows you to read it straight out or in voice (as a new englander or maybe Arlo Guthrie in Alice's restaurant - a sing-songy cadence -- check back after you read it twice and see what I mean). There are some repeated parts (descriptions of sounds and the leaky parts of the boat) that make the book fun to listen to for pre-readers as well as aurally rocking your child to sleep. My son has liked this since he was about 5 (now 7)

A terrific story with great illustrations.

This has always been one of my favorite books. Burt Dow has so much charracter. This is shown through the wonderful text and insigtfull pictures. Children should relate easily to the simple happy way in which Burt Dow thinks. Besides helping to reveal the wonderful charracter of this man, the pictures are also each a wonderfull piece of artwork in and of themselves. I especially like the ones of his old sea-side house with his garden and his boat. This book is a Classic.