H Books

After reading "Don't Ever Tell"-Kathy's Story by Kathy O'Beirne and "The God Squad" by Paddy Doyle, I felt the need to inform myself further on the subject of absolute corruption and power in the Industrial Schools in Ireland. "Suffer the Little Children" gave me all the information, and more, on the shocking, shameful, collective sadism practiced in Industrial Schools, orphanages, convents and reformatory schools where different religious orders carried out dehumanising brutality and savagery on innocent little children who were placed in the institutions either through the Courts or the parents themselves to be looked after by the religious and to receive an education.
This book gives us the history of such institutions in the UK and Eire but concentrates on the Irish scene where they continued to exist up to the 1970's. It is well written and a most revealing exposé of a very dark, sick side of Irish history. It also includes personal testimonies which make the book even more gripping as they exemplify and confirm vividly the revelations of such an appaling system.
It also discloses the indifference and conspiracy of silence on an official level which brings to mind Molière's words "It's not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable". And for bad history not to repeat itself, we must keep informed. This book is a must read.

Ever since the movie .."The Magdalene Sisters" and Frank McCourt's book..."Angela's Ashes", Plus the fact that I am a quarter Irish and love Ireland and her people, I find I want to know more and more about her people and the TRUTH of how they have suffered yet have remained strong and vital and are proud and have given much to our world today!(England should be ashamed of what they have done for far too long, too!)
This book tells an awful story about the horrors of little children treated so badly for years and years. I know sadly that these wrongs can never really be righted for these victims or the words, "I am sorry" will erase the pain in their hearts, but I do hope eyes are open now and this cannot happen ever again to anyone....especially to children...no matter what country they come from and no matter what their color or race. Bless the children and keep them safe!! God bless Ireland...
Linda Steffey

This book presents a portrait of 20th century Ireland that will debunk any nostalgic or sentimental view of the so called 'Emerald Isle'. No shamrocks and leprecauns in this book, but a history of cruelty, abuse and power. It tells the story of how Irish children were incarcerated in huge numbers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in reformatory and industrial schools which were managed by the Catholic Church. Based on detailed historical research and interspersed with gut-wrenching first hand accounts of survivors of these institutions, it shows how an alliance between a power hungry Catholic Church and an indifferent Irish State resulted in the incarceration of the children of the poor. Rather than helping poor families, Church and State removed these children to bleak institutions where large numbers were sexually and physically abused and tortured by their Christian carers. I don't think that I will ever think about the Catholic Church and Ireland in the same way ever again. Anger, saddness, frustration, disbelief, but above all anger - why did this happen? I experienced all these emotions when reading this book. If you want to really understand Irish society, this book is essential and harrowing reading.

This book is one of true meaning an excellent written book, which show's the through Ireland. This books explains the mentality of the religious and states minds. Truly deeply sad book but very much worth the read. This book is excellent in the sense of giving true awareness to the Irish state.
Highly recommended.

This book is comprehensive and deeply moving. I could not put it down. I was disgusted and angry by the end of it. I am ashamed to be Irish and ashamed to be Catholic. How this could have gone on for so long with no help for these children is beyond words. If there is a hell, then open arms to all those sick and sadistic Brothers and Nuns, all of whom were operating in the name of God....! How dare they call themselves charitable and merciful. They are some of the most vile human beings in existence. Between that and the sex scandal in America, the Catholic Church owes many people an apology and some sort of restitution. For shame the Church still chooses to cover up it's misuse of power. If the Nuns and Priests and Brothers were not so sexually frustrated, maybe they wouldn't be so evil. Sorry to vent so strongly. After reading this book, you will feel the same way. Also read Do Penance or Perish, but not as good as this book. Thank you.

I consider myself a WW2 buff, I never really got into Submarines until as another reviewer pointed out, til I got the Silent Hunter 4 PC Game or simulation.Submarine life in WW2 must have been rough to say the least.
I wanted to educate myself further as to what these men went thru in WW2 and the Submarines they dedicated there lives too.
Submarine by Captain Beach was a great start as he introduces its readers his own Adventures aboard Trigger,Trante and the Piper. Throughout the book in different chapters he tells it readers about the Great WW2 American Subs such as the Wahoo, Tang Etc.
It set the stage for me at least to continue reading the books dedicated to each boat such as the Wahoo, Batfish, Tang..
Nothing but respect for these fine men that Served.

I picked up this book after seeing a recommendation over at the SubSim gaming forums. Being a fan of the Silent Hunter 4 submarine simulation game, I wanted to learn more about how submarine warfare really was in World War 2. Needless to say, hearing the stories from someone who was really there is incredible.

Edward Beach does a great job of describing life on a submarine. Everything from the utter boredom of fruitless patrols to the sheer terror of being depth charged by multiple enemy destroyers is here. I particularly like how the book is divided up. Every other chapter talks about a particular ship's triumphs or tragedies, while the chapters in between discuss the USS Trigger, a ship on which Mr. Beach spent a great deal of time.

If you like World War 2 history, and you want to learn more about US submarine warfare during that time, this book is for you. It's a book that I found very hard to put down.

You could populate a small city with people who were introduced to submarines with this book and an even larger city with those that stuck around for Ned Beach's subsequent works. I have recently re-read this book after who knows how many years and am blown away by all of the aspects that pulled this thing together! The writing is as knowledgeable as it is visceral, it packs a punch like a torpedo's warhead! It is also personal, technical, emotional and (auto)biograhical as Beach weaves his own story into that of the greater "silent service" of the World War II years. The book staggers the experiences of Beach's boats against those of notorious skippers like Morton, Dealey, O'Kane and others. There is a small amount of sanitizing of events (guess which!) which is understandable given the original date of publication. You owe it to yourself to re-read this epic! Lucky you if you are a first-time reader, it won't be your last!

I have read many books on submarines and how they were used in World War II, and this book gives great short stories on some of our best subs, interwoven with stories of the author's own sub. This book will lead you to want to find out more about the other subs in the book, and get the full story of their exploits.

"Submarine!", by Edward L. Beach, tells the story of several submarines of the United States Navy during World War II. The overarching narrative begins in 1942, with narrator Beach "fresh out of Submarine School." We watch Beach rise up the ranks as we learn of his fellow submariners and their ships.

Beach treats the subs as characters themselves; he notes, "All ships have souls, and all sailors know it" early in the book. He develops this theme throughout the book. The interwoven stories of the subs are arranged as chapters, each focusing on one or two ships.

Beach's prose at its best is exciting and action-packed, at times reminding me of an old-fashioned motion picture adventure serial. Yet at times he also attains an epic gravitas, and ultimately the book is quite moving. The one criticism I will make is that at times the book felt like it could have used a more judicious editorial hand; I believe that the book's 354 pages might have been reshaped into a leaner and more efficient text without sacrificing the essentials of the narrative.

I found "Submarine!" especially fascinating for the wealth of technical and tactical details that are interwoven into the adventure; it's a virtual encyclopedia of submarine information. Among the many topics covered are test diving, the use of a sub to plant a minefield, dealing with defective torpedoes, how two subs can work together to attack a target, the uses of the periscope, "silent running," and much more.

Within the book are certain chapters that really stand out, and can even stand alone as self-contained mini-epics. Among these is the story of the encounter between the U.S. sub _Archerfish_ and the Japanese supercarrier _Shinano_, a behemoth 50 times as massive as the sub. This section contains some of the book's best writing. "Submarine!" is an important and entertaining contribution to the canon of American war literature.

This is one of the most unusual books I've come across in a long time in the way it thoughtfully blends learning from the author's life and many different disciplines of study. By carefully organizing the material into two sections, Robert Kamm makes some very profound ideas easy to understand. There are wonderful insights about why we so readily give in to the speed of the information age. Especially enjoyable for me was Chapter Four which peels back the Superman myth layer by layer to reveal some startling messages. I also found quite unique among all books on family and workplace issues Kamm's emphasis on the importance of the grieving process in helping us grow. The scope of the book is almost too ambitious, but he pulls it off with passion. A courageous and eloquent work.

Extraordinary depth of thought yet expressed very clearly. The most comprehensive book of its kind available--moves from a theory about human nature through a fascinating explanation of the underlying meaning of the superman myth, to personal application, then professional and organizational. Very wise on intrapersonal dynamics. A unique applicatiion of the grieving process as part of a liberated person's standard operating mode. Insights could be as valuable to just anybody trying to live their live or apply to business, social, religious and political leaders. Being in business myself, I'm impressed that a business leader, or any leader for that matter, who really "gets" the author's message could revolutionize his way of operating and lead his people to higher productivity, more genuine satisfaction and a better balance between work and family. One of those books that, if it hits you, it hits you hard and you want to share it with a lot of people you know. Author's description of superman made me feel as if he'd been peeking into my psyche, my father's and my grandfather's. Strong stuff...and apparently only the first in a trilogy. More, please, Mr. Kamm!

Best selling author Harvey Mackay wrote "Swim With The Sharks", describing the dog-eat-dog world we live in and how to be the dog that eats. In "The Superman Syndrome," Kamm brings the voice of compassion, integrity and openess to the service of humanity as the way we ought to conduct our lives. He provides the counterpoint to Mackay: "Swim With the Dolphins."

When we choose to live a life at speed, not depth, we choose an unrelenting willingness to sacrifice family, love, marriage and all else in pursuit of success. That's the synthesis of what Kamm calls "The Superman Syndrome."

For men in particular, there's an opportunity to cast the Superman uniform aside in favor authentic selfhood and family. Kamm says it's where "the inner and outer journeys are inextricably woven together...to tear down the wall of illusion between personal and professional realms."

Amen.

I had Bob Kamm's book for several months before I slowed down to read it. I knew better, but my life was caught up in speed at the expense of depth. Bob has a hard hitting way of reminding me about the importance of relationships, without leaving me bleeding on the side of the road. So, after reading the book, I gave it to my son to read, and now I'm going to get another copy for my daughter and son-in-law. This is a must read for all of them. For someone you love, read The Superman Syndrome.

I expected this book to be about our being inundated with information and how that drives us to be super-human and create something in us that makes us seem sick. What I got was a hundred pages of reviews of Superman (the movies, comics, and other items) and then 200 pages of how to fix our problems as a result of our Superman myth becoming reality. But the real gist of this book is that we are addicted to the working speed of the information age (which is a synonym for today) and, as a result of this, we are denying our most valuable job: to be effective parents. If we change the purpose of our lives to be children-focused, then we will have a better society. No argument there. What he suggests is very much akin to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which I happen to agree with. While his writing is imaginative and flowing, in general, I found this book redundant, not very cohesive, and not well organized. I agree with the findings he presents in the last half of the book, but it certainly could be more succinct. The title could better reflect the content.

Vitruvius's 10 books (or chapters) on architecture lets you view life through the lens of the 1st century BC builder. While Vitruvius does explain the principals of how to build various buildings and rules for the construction and use of columns, perhaps the most amusing part of the book is his description of life and the things that govern it. Throughout the book he describes certain materials that should be selected for building and their composition of the four basic elements: earth, air, fire, and water. In some sections he spends an excessive amount of time making a point, and some points are glossed over. Many of the things he describes we are still doing to this day. A fascinating read all in all.

however, it is an ancient book... I used the dimensions and architectural scales to build my model of a greek temple. Very informative when it comes to that, cause not many books have to-scale drawings of the building.

I like Homer, Herodutus, Thukidydes, Plutarch, Takitus, Gibbon, Mommsen and many other ancients and their (relatively) modern interpreters.

But my latest read, recommended by Moses Finlay in "Ancient Econonomy", is Vitruvius.

And I like Vitruvius a lot. The only reason I gave him 4 stars rather than 5, is that he is not the greatest, in the sense of the above-mentioned.

Nevertheless, as far as knowledge and insight into ancient life go, at a level one removed from the "greats", Vitruvius is the greatest I've so far encountered.

Not only does one gain a feeling for life among the educated and capable strivers of the time immediately following the Ceasarian revolution, but also for the immense impact which Greek brilliance had upon the Romans.

One also learns much about aesthetic theory and is given interesting and practical lessons in building and architecture, from the beginning and development of dwellings, the general learning required of architects, the particular characteristics of different types of stone and wood, the design of cities, the three orders of temple architecture (Doric, Ionian and Corinthian), dwelling houses, the sounding vessels in theatres (dolby surround as already implemented long before Christ) and ingenious machines, including such inventions as the screw-pump of Archimedes (the Syracusan Greek inventor).

Vitruvius gives us the general principles of ancient aesthetic theory, the exact proportions of traditional architectural conventions and the geometric rules for determining the directions of the eight known winds.

Like all elegantly entertaining classical writers, he intermingles everything with relevant anecdotes from, and references to, the great Greek philosophers, fine artists and fine artisans of the past who were the exemplary authorities of his (and later) time.

As the title betrays, Vitruvius' work is divided into ten books, each of which contains an extemely relevant and interesting general introduction, followed by several chapters on theory and application, including very practical examples of the construction, proportions and generally applied mechanical principles relevant to the specific subject matter of the particular book.

This work is better, broader and more intelligently written than all of the books I've read on building which I've acquired at second-hand bookshops in England, and which were written anywhere from the end of the last century (1890-1900!) through the 1950s. No wonder that this fellow's work remained definitive through to the renaissance (not the Carolingian, but that of the 14th-15th centuries), a duration of 1,500 years!

I imagine that most modern day architects, adding a litte modern statics, materials and building code knowledge, and assuming enough practical building experience, could do worse than to rely otherwise on Vitruvius.

Basic raw materials and basic building skills have been around for a long, long time. Common sense and wisdom, too.

Furthermore, for the interested classicist, even though not specifically interested in architecture or building, this book gives a really immediate feeling for the gigantic influence not only of Greek thought but also of Greek applied artistic and technical skills (geometry comes to life!), aesthetics and craft work on the (Western) Roman world.

Again, I can only say, a refreshing, entertaining and informative read by a practical yet educated man of ancient times. Obviously a bestseller through the ages and, indeed, timeless in its relevance and actuality.

Highly recommended also for beginners in the study of the ancient Greek language, because of its many Greek quotes (in Greek letters, no less)!

Altogether a highly readable, informative, insightful and educational book with a rarely found mix (in ancient literature) of both the "higher" things and the eminently practical.

I feel privileged to be a privy party to this great inheritance of ancient learning. And I thank the Internet and Amazon for enabling those of us who are interested in learning to have access to this great library with its wonderful database, which makes everything not only easy to find but also to possess (and to own).

The humanist's dream! Your own infinite library. Cyber-Gutenberg!

This is a wonderful look at the world and its building materials through the eyes of Roman. Great insights into Roman perceptions about how the world worked.

I really enjoyed reading this fascinating book. However, when I compared it to another translation (a two volume edition, translated by Granger) it seemed that it was missing some bits of information.

It was easier to read though, so if you are interested in a casual read, this is the book for you. For a research project, you should probably stick to Granger's books.

I found this to be a very charming book that shares an endearing message. Told in a fairy tale like fashion, this is the story of an old man who lives in a small house in the middle of a dreary looking place "near nowhere and close to forgotten," filled with, basically, piles and piles of junk and scrap metal. However, despite his sad circumstances, the old man never seems to lose hope and we don't see him complaining about his situation as many people probably would do. Instead the man just keeps working to clean up the junk and, most importantly, he keeps dreaming. Every night he dreams of living in a vibrant forest full of life until one day he comes across a peice of garbage that gives him an idea. "The idea grew roots and sprouted" and eventually the man has built an entire forest, complete, with animals, out of the junk. Though not as beautiful as the forest in his dreams, he never loses hope. Eventually a pair of birds come to nest in the tin forest, bringing with them seeds, which eventually grow into plants, which attract other animals. Over time the tin forest is overgrown with a real forest and real animals and low, the old man has turned his dreary home into the vibrant forest of his dreams.

The illustrations are enchanting. The story begins with pictures of a dull and misty gray landscape and, throughout the book,develope into a dreamy forest of golds and greens. The beautiful artwork enforces the fairy tale like style of the story.

I read this book to my son, who is 19 months old, and with the text being short and sweet, it was able to keep his attention all the way through.However, I don't expect that he'll be able to fully appreciate the beautiful atmosphere that the illustrations create for a couple more years. (At his age he is more drawn to bright, bold colored illustrations and the greys of this book didn't quite grab his attention.)

All in all, it is a beautiful little story with a great message: No matter what your circumstances are, never let them dictate your attitude or your future. Never stop dreaming.

The story is touching and the illustrations are haunting. The ethos of the old man, to make something out of seemingly nothing, is a wonderful trait that many would be lucky to emulate. The language is poetic and the artwork striking. I would recommend this book to be part of any school library collection for its content, language, images and message.

I was drawn into this book the first time by the beautifully intricate illustrations. It has a dark, lonely feel to it, and reminds me somewhat of Maurice Sendak's work (especially the work of Dear Mili). On a second read, I enjoyed how the text is spare and achingly poetic. It's just a gorgeous, gorgeous book.

I used this book in a 3rd grade class as the last lesson in a rainforest unit and it worked wonderfully well. After reading the story, the students loved doing a picture walk of the beautiful illustrations and noticed many interesting things about them not obvious from the first perusal.

The Tin Forest is recommended for readers from 4-8, but this book, to me, is a wonderful book for all ages. The story teaches the lesson of hanging onto one's dream, of not letting it go, of nourishing it, tending to it, until it indeed sprouts leaves and blossoms into a life of its own. The old man constantly held onto his dream, and never gave up what he wanted to achieve. He had hope and that hope spurred him on. The forest he constantly dreamed of became a reality.

He lived in forgotten place, where he was surrounded by trash and objects that others once wanted, but no longer did. He tirelessly cleared away the trash, organized it, and dreamed at night of his forest with wild animals and lush flowers. One day, the idea came to him of making his own forest, if one was not going to spout up amidst all of the garbage. He made a forest of "things", a forest of tin, fashioned only after his own imagination and the books he devoured each night. He made trees, and flowers, and plants and the wild creatures that would inhabit his forest. Then one day, a visitor arrived in the form of a colorful bird, eating the crumbs the old man gave him, and singing his thanks back to the man. Sadly, the bird left the next morning, which left the old man very lonely.

Yet, the next day, the old man awoke to the melody of his visitor and his mate. They brought seeds to plant and decided to make their home here, in the tin forest. Soon, green shoots sprouted, flowers bloomed and various wild animals came to the forest to make their home. . . . "And in the house lived an old man who never stopped dreaming."

This book is just precious and the illustrations are just as wonderful and precious. I absolutely LOVED this book! A wonderful tale of teaching children that nothing is beyond their grasp.

"There was once a wide, windswept place . . . . but where there is a dream, hope can grow."

Dave -- I think "To Whom It May Concern" is a really great story of the tour of duty in Vietnam from the prospective of the DUSTOFF flight medic, the life-saving "cargo" for whom the wounded searched the sky. A story from the prospective of a "Guy in Back" (GIB) whose duty was to care for the wounded and whose DUSTOFF organization,aircraft,equipment and on-board crews were for the sole purpose of supporting his life-saving mission.

Your knack for describing the nitty-gritty of hairy DUSTOFF missions makes the reader an onboard white-knuckled straphanger; the sights,the sounds and even the smells are vivid --

The portrayal of the importance of the DUSTOFF "team" concept becomes paramount. The interweaving of the timely actions of all crewmembers during "hang" times on the ground was impressively unfolded, whether while attempting to save a ground troop or, on occasion, saving yourselves (saving your own butts - as it would read).

DUSTOFFers will relate to the endless spectrum of emotions experienced during a DUSTOFF tour of duty; the pucker factor, the fun and funny, the sad -- and DEROS. DUSTOFFers who would like to revisit DUSTOFF "Combat",will like this book.

The sparsely entwined political vein relating to President Johnson's personal/political impact on the war as Commander in Chief adds an interesting sidebar.

Congrats on a fine book.

Si Simmons

Your book is great.I feel the tension, smell the blood and everything else we had to go through.I even felt the loss of crew members. In the 247th we had a dog named DUSTOFF.I know how important those pets become.I returned to Dong Tam and several other places mentioned in the book. It has offered some therapy and healing for me as I read through.Although it offered healing and therapy,it brought back some memories that I had stuffed for so long and would have preferred they stay hidden back in the bottom of my memory. But that is okay.I have thoroughly enjoyed the book.I would like to talk with you when and if you do not mind.If it is okay with you please send me your phone number and I will call some evening,and we can talk.

I finally took some time off and spent a week in Daytona taking your book with me to read. It's a good thing I waited until I had some time on my hands because once I picked it up, I didn't put it down until it was finished. I thought you did an
outstanding job of recreating the visuals and the the emotions which occured during an actual evacuation mission. The verbal exchanges between pilots and crew,dustoff and the gunships, Paddy Control and the C and C aircraft all brought back vivid
memories of a time long past. I think I actually arrived close to where your story ended as I was on emergency leave when Gwinn and Ortiz were shot down and the crewchief
was killed. I was assigned to the 82nd in november of 67. I did make it back in time for TET and was an A/C by then along with Colley And Lochmiller. We Replaced Mr. Thorton(Stoney) and Mr. Robbins(Rotton Robbie) and I think Capt. Gwinn as aircraft
commanders. My time line for events is pretty hazey though and I'd love to discuss it with you some day. I also enjoyed figuring out who the characters were. I picked up on some easily and am still not sure about others. Capt Gwinn, Major
McBride, Ortiz,,Robbins, Thorton and Duncan jumped out at me. The
rest I'm only guessing and could use some insight as to their identities. The bottom line is I thouroughly enjoyed your book and think it is a fitting tribute to the Dustoff crews who fought and died performing ther missions of mercy. Again Thank
you!
Dick Levy

H. D. Guthre, a former Dustoff medic, writes a heartfelt and soul wrenching memoir of those experiences in a captivating book called "To Whom It May Concern". This book was written much like a novel and the flow of the dialog and the action helps to visually implant the action scenes into the consciousness of the reader. His words make the story vivid and alive.

The author uses a unique writing technique and style that uses the third person to tell his personal story. He even changes his own character's name in the book to help him cope emotionally and spiritually with the remembrances and having to deal with the past. It works well. Only at the end of his book when you read what happens to each person in his book that you put it altogether and realize that the author is SSG David Scalon from the story. He does not try to hide it as he goes on to write about the author where you see that what happened to Scalon is what also happened to Guthre; and they are in fact, one in the same. Not many professional writers could pull this off but Guthre's use of this writing method only makes for a much better telling of the experience. The author is more able to expose and express his emotions and relate to the events as an observer.This affords the reader a closer an uncensored emotional look at what happened.

The book starts right off with combat action and violence, fear, courage and death. The book's opening passages will hook you right away and you will not be able to put this book down until you find out who in the unit makes it out alive or at least what happens to everyone. One satisfying inclusion in his book is that the author gives the reader some brief up-dates in the lives of some of the men he wrote about.

This book also has several interesting side stories like the similarities between what is happening in Iraq now with Haliburton and what happened in Vietnam with Brown & Root Construction; which we learn is the old name for Haliburton. It seems they over charged and did business the same way then, making a huge amount of money from their friends in the White House.

Another interesting story, which would make a great book all by itself, is the story of the murder trail of an Army Medic from the same unit (The 82nd Dustoff). The author captures the essence of that event and weaves it into his book so that the emotional impact really hits hard on the reader.

The experiences of those in this Dustoff unit show a part of the war that many will never fully understand or appreciate for what it took to do this job. I know because I flew as a crew-chief/door gunner into many hot LZs to pick up wounded men. The major difference was that I also had an M-60 machine gun to defend myself and the Dustoff crews were naked of any weapons taking huge physical risks daily in Vietnam. My hat is off to all of them for a hell of a job! To me they are all heroes--every single one of them!

This book is riveting and will make you better understand a part of the Vietnam War that few have any real information about. This book has my personal recommendation. It also receives the MWSA's highest rating for books of FIVE STARS!

The book is about the real heroes of Vietnam!

If you buy this book, you better take a trip to the mountains, find a quiet den or just hunker down in the back yard because once you start, there is no putting this book down. The author captures every feeling, every smell, all of it. Even someone like me who was never in a war, finds himself wrapped up in it's outcome. The book had all of it. The ending is superb and makes the reader understand how cruel we were to our soldiers of this war who gave all in a cause that they were sworn to protect. God bless the Dustoff Medics, they really were the grandfathers of todays "Life Flight Helicopter"crews, many of these same pilots have given their lives after the war flying medical missions.One of them, Dennis Palcic, went down in bad weather with his entire crew, on "Air Heart One, while attempting to save the life of a critically ill patient right here in Walton County, Florida.

"Mary H. Manhein is the author of The Bone Lady: Life as a Forensic Anthropologist.
The director of the Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) Laboratory at Louisiana State University and a deputy coroner for East Baton Rouge Parish, she lives in Baton Rouge with her husband."
[from the book of the back flap']

"Trail of Bone WILL FEED THE PUBLIC APPENTITE for things forensic but also educate about how the scientific investigative process works."
--- Douglas H. Ubelaker, author of Bones: A Forensic Detective's Casebook
[from the book of the back jacket]

This book is very well written. The author is very good at telling stories. The cases she picked for this book were interesting to read about.

Manhein gives an outstanding look at what is involved in being a forensic anthropologist. The book is full of inspiring stories about lost souls that finally find their way home, as a result of hard work by the police and Manhein's team of experts.
Anyone interested in the field of forensic anthropology will enjoy this book. It gives an accurate look at the skill, dedication and devotion needed to be a forensic anthropologist.
I highly recommend this book as a great read and good addition to anyone's bookshelf.

Mary Manhein's "Trail of Bones" is a wonderful book that offers practical insight into the lives of real people in law enforcement, victims, evidence and everything in between. Mary does not have to be overly descriptive in her accounts because the importance relies on the the truth and not some sensationalized version of truth. I like to think that captivating people are writing their own stories. She seems to care a great deal about the effect her work has on others. She does not try to impress us with terminology that is purely mechanical. I think this creates greater credibility to her work. She is someone who really inspires others like me in law enforement to never stop caring about the victims.

This book was well written. Ms. Manhein always shows great dignity to a body when she is describing her work. She also shows great compassion for the family members of any victim. I love the type of work that she does. She gives credit where credit is due and inspires her helpers to the highest level, while expecting them to perform there. I hope she will write more books with such compassion. An Avid Reader.

This is the powerful and true life story of a man named Harold Morris, who was convicted and sentenced to a life in prison, and the long and difficult road to his personal, moral and spiritual redemption.

This is an excellent book where the writer tells us how he ended up in the Georgia State PRISON with two life sentences for a crime(robbery and murder) that he didn't commit. He goes back to the beginning when he was a teen and retraces his footsteps-the ones that took him to prison. Somehow, through the blessings of God he found Jesus Christ inside that rathole of a prison and his whole life changed forever. If you know someone in trouble with the law, someone who is searching for answers, get this book and GIVE it to them. READ IT to them if you have to. It can make a big difference! Harold Morris is an excellent writer and I have already started reading another of his books-The Law of The Harvest and it is very good as well.

One of the best testimonies I have ever read! Couldn't put it down until finished. Difficult to see how this could happen in our country, but one can see how God uses all things to work for good.

I saw this video some 17 years ago and have bought the book twice since. Harold is an excellent communicator relating his true life story of Gods transforming love. Harold was a star athlete in high school and had a promising life, but he instead chose to party his life away and was betrayed by his "friends". He ended up in prison serving 2 life sentences for a crime he didn't commit, but his life was transformed from that of a troubled, angry young man into one of love, purpose, meaning, truth and beauty. Harold was befriended by the young son of a prison employee and some other Christians who showed Harold Gods love which worked a miracle on Harolds heart causing him to become a Christian himself and dedicate his life to helping others find Christ. Harolds story affected me greatly and the lessons I learned I put to use on a daily basis all these years later.
Thank you Harold and may God bless and keep you.

A true life story of an all star athlete who takes the wrong road and turns to drugs, alcohol, night clubs, and a fast life for acceptance! After a murder is commited , harold winds up with 2 life sentences at the White elephant (Georgia State Penn)! He explains how he got there, and the changes that were made in him through Christ. It is interesting to read how this man survived 10 years of violent prison life thorugh his walk with GOD! Don't confuse this story with Movies such as Blood in Blood out, this is the REAL thing! This book is well known with the Inmates for Christ organization.

This is a really good look at the evolution of the US NAVAL aviation in the jet age.

I enjoy the history of jet aviation,both the land and naval air powers of the United States and this book is a great read about the jets and ships that built up the post war power of the US NAVY.

One of the best books I have ever read about aircraft and their developments. It is a must for anyone in aviation or anyone interested in history. Well researched and the author gets the point across with out laboring on the subject. I wish he would write one on the attack jets of the era.

This book is an outstanding look at the most fertile period in aviation, the transition to jets, specifically the creation of high performance aircraft that could accomplish the most difficult feat in flying- carrier operations. Thomason reviews the misfires as well as the world-beaters, from the little-known Vought Pirate to the masterful McDonnell Phantom. Well written, concise and authoritative. Highly recommended!

This is a very interesting, complete and nicely illustrated review of US Navy carrier aviation from post WWII to Vietnam conflict.
In my opinion the best way to understand how US Naval aviation transitionned from post war interrogations to angled fly deck with F8 Crusader and F4 Phantom.
A must have for Naval aviation enthousiasts.

When ground forces in Iraq run into trouble, they have on-call air support -- Navy F18s in orbit -- ready to come into action. Although these fighters are based on aircraft carriers far out to sea, they are able to remain on patrol in Iraq all day by repeatedly refueling from aerial tankers.

In his new book, Tommy H. Thomason skillfully describes a time when the Navy struggled to find ways to keep its fuel-hungry jets in the air for minutes -- not hours. In those days, an aircraft's endurance was key to naval air operations. Early carrier operations depended on carefully cycling thirsty aircraft on and off the ship.

"U.S. Naval Air Superiority: Development of Shipboard Jet Fighters 1943-1962" is a comprehensively researched volume is stuffed with engrossing photographs, first-rate 3D Drawings, and very helpful charts and tables.

The author has meticulously gathered information on Navy aircraft starting with the modest McDonnell FH Phantom I, through the all-world McDonnell F4U Phantom II.

I found Mr. Thomason's coverage of several lesser-known designs to be very interesting.

Very early in the Korean War, Grumman touted its bulbous Grumman XF10F Jaguar to be the Navy's first general purpose fighter. Based on a Nazi inspired variable sweep wing design, its poorly designed control system made it dangerously unpredictable in flight tests. After lengthly delays and substantial modifications, its overall performance was mixed -- the complicated Jaguar was just too heavy. Grumman's overambitious XF10F proved so troublesome only one test pilot ever agreed to fly it.

Consider the FJ-1 Fury, which was an updated version of the famous U.S. Air Force F-86 fighter that adapted surprisingly well to the aircraft carrier -- it was loved by its Marine pilots.

What Navy fighter had great success against the Migs in Korea? The harmless-looking 2-man F3D Skyknight night fighter bagged 7 Migs against only one loss.

His book comprises 15 chapters arranged in chronological order. The Navy jets have been marshaled into chapters chronicling first designs, second-generation jets, Korean War fighters, supersonic jets, and mach 2 fighters.

The author has dedicated a full chapter each to the innovative Vought F7U Cutlass -- the "Ensign Eliminator"; the well-mannered Douglas F4D Skyray -- a very fast climbing, radar equipped all-weather fighter; and the standard setting McDonnell F3H Demon -- the only all-weather, radar-missile-armed fighter in the fleet before the F4 Phantom II.

The Navy had three jets operational in the Korean War. The F2H-2 Banshee, F9F-2 Panther, and F3D-2 Skyknight. Most of the Navy missions were flak suppression and cutting communist supply lines. Air battles were rare because Migs did not often go into the areas of Navy jet operations.

Due to problems with Westinghouse jet engines the Navy could not deploy swept wing jet fighters that were more of a match for Mig-15s. The Korean War proved that refinements to Navy carriers were needed including better catapult systems, lighting, navigation and instrument approach aids for night and all-weather landing operations.

In analysis, Mr. Thomason reveals that carrier based aircraft by nature have more difficult design requirements than land based aircraft. He suggests that this contributed to lower speed and range performance in early Navy aircraft.

In retrospect, Mr. Thomason explains, "The Navy's approach to creating a world-class fighter was straightforward. It simply funded successive aircraft programs with five different manufacturers until experience and competition generated one." The Navy did not give up on its traditional suppliers even after successive failures.

In many cases, Navy fighters suffered most from inadequate power. Mr. Thomason argues, "As engine companies were challenged to produce more thrust with less fuel and at a lower weight, engine durability and reliability occasionally suffered."

Looking back on this period, the author explains, "As it turned out, straight-wing jets were relatively easy to operate from aircraft carriers with minimal changes to the carrier itself. Swept wing aircraft took considerably longer to put into service, partly because the Navy was too ambitious with the mission requirements in the late 1940s and partly because Westinghouse could not repeat its early engine success."

Ironically, the Navy fighter's highest priority of defending the fleet from attacks by supersonic bombers was never put to the test.

When Andy Ramos was in grade school his parents were friends with a woman whose daughter was a little loco. Unfortunately, whenever crazy little Glory had a meltdown Andy was the one they got to calm her down, earning both of them embarassing reputations. When the mother and daughter left, Andy re-invented himself. Taking the trumpet lessons he took from his grandfather and melding music and talent Andy became the skateboarding trumpter "painting" the scenes around him with his own blend of musical instrumentation.

The summer that Andy and his band are ready to "break out" who comes back but Glory. However, the Glory that has returned is not the crazy little girl Andy knew, she's now a driven softball player obsessed with becoming a leading pitcher on a national team. As fate would have it Andy and Glory learn to play off each other, inspiring and driving their respective abilities to new heights. But, is this effect a mystical connection or are they being manipulated by another force?

Under the Baseball Moon has got to be one of the most unusual stories I've read in a while. The content involving a trumpet player and softball player, the music, the language and storytelling are all unusual and inspired. Although the Crossroads references are something I'm familiar with, not much else was. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and think it would be a great recommendation for kids pre-teen and up.

My review of this fantastic book:

There are a lot of books out there on the market. There are good books, there are bad books. Sometimes there are books that stand out as great. "Under the Baseball Moon" by John H. Ritter is one of those stand out books. It's about a teenage boy named Andy who has dreams of using his unique style of trumpet playing to become famous. Things become complicated when Andy crosses paths with his childhood friend, Glory Martinez, who has a dream of her own of becoming an Olympic softball pitcher. Things are further complicated when Andy meets a mysterious man in black who offers Andy fame and fortune for free. BUT what's the cost of free? This book is exceptionally well written and easy to follow. There are many dynamic characters with their own personality. This combined with the author's witty remarks makes an awesome duo.

What I liked most about this book is that it's captivating. In many sports books you lose interest due to predictability and cliche endings. Overall this book was fantastic. I would definitely recommend "Under the Baseball Moon" to anyone looking for a fun read.

I have never enjoyed a book so much or been so surprised by a book as I was by Under the Baseball Moon. You start off thinking it's a sports story, then you realize it's a musicians story, then you see that it's really both mixed in together and SO MUCH more. It's very difficult for me to descrbe it, only to say this book now stands as my favorite book of all time. It's humorous and mysterious and has the most amazing plot and so many interesting characters you really like. You get so taken away by this mysterious thing that's happening to Andy and Glory that they become like your closest friends since it sweeps you away too.

I won't spoil it for you except that you need to pay attention all the way through tthe book because the ending will ASTOUND you. I hope they make a movie out of this book real soon so then I can see everything that happens in real life. I would say ten stars if I could its such a good book!!

John H. Ritter returns with another great baseball fable, this time adding the elements of jazz music and a little more romance. Just as in THE BOY WHO SAVED BASEBALL, there is still a bit of possible magic and some very quirky and entertaining characters, including a protagonist on a mission, Andy Ramos. According to Andy's heartthrob, Glory Martinez, when the moon looms large during a daytime baseball game, it is what fans call "a baseball moon."

Just as Andy and his friends, Tran and Lil Lobo, hope for the success of their garage band, Glory also dreams of being a big softball star. She and Andy discover that his trumpet seems to infuse her softball playing with magical power. A few musical "improvs" on Andy's trumpet, and Glory's pitching and hitting improve "two hundred percent better," according to her best friend, Kayla. Together, the two will do amazing things, under the "baseball moon".

John Ritter weaves his usual magic and creates an even better novel--a little more literarily complex, just as magical, and even funnier than his earlier works. Recommended for ages 11 to 18. (Please see the latest issue of VOYA for even more details.)

The finest contemporary author of baseball books for teens has written not just another baseball - or, in this case, softball - book; rather, a multilayered and thoroughly engrossing love story starring two 15-year-olds determined that this will be their "breakout summer."

Freestyle skateboarder Andy Ramos "paints the town" with his old trumpet and his unique style of music, "cultural fusion." Glory Martinez also has grand dreams, of a career in fast-pitch softball. Yet first she needs to make the travelball team and impress the scout from UC Berkeley.

Andy and Glory soon realize that each makes the other's craft better - takes it to a higher level. But is some strange "outside force" responsible for Andy's breaks, or Glory's shoulder problems? Did Andy make a deal with the devil? What's going on in this "organical beach town filled with soul," Ocean Beach, California?

This magical mystery tale is told with brilliance, grace and style, from the lyrical first page to Andy's song lyrics that end it. "Under the Baseball Moon" gets my vote for breakout book of the summer.

(A version of this review originally appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly.)