Title: Light Infantry Tactics for Small Teams
Author: Christopher E. Larsen
Illustrator: Christopher E. Larsen
Publisher and/or Distributor: AuthorHouse
Pages: 252
ISBN: 1-4184-7207-7
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2005
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This highly experienced author and trainer has compiled an excellent commercial field manual on light infantry terms and tactics designed for soldiers and active war gamers such as paintballers. The illustrations and photos are good; his language is appropriate to the subject and the voice of an experienced sergeant. All groundforce military personnel should read and keep this book with them as a ready reference. We rated it a high three hearts.
Title: Overworld: The Life and Times of a Reluctant Spy
Author: Larry J. Kolb
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Riverhead Books
Pages: 467
ISBN: 1-57322-253-4
Price: $25.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Otherworld is one of the most fascinating memoirs I’ve ever read. The author grew up in a CIA case officer’s family, absorbing spy tradecraft as part of dinner and after dinner conversations. After his college graduation, he is offered a CIA recruitment and turns it down to go into the adventure tour business. He eventually becomes an agent for Muhammad Ali, traveling the world and gaining access to very powerful political figures, especially in the Middle East. Eventually, he is finally recruited into the CIA and finds himself on the run for his life.
As a veteran of 25 years in military intelligence, this reviewer believes the author to be the real deal. His knowledge of tradecraft is impeccable and his access to world-ruling decision makers is uncanny. I rated his memoir a solid five hearts.
Title: Personal Finance Simplified
Author: L. Richard Heward
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: eLibertyPress.com
Pages: 250
ISBN: 0-9755608-9-1
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date: March 2005
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Although there any number of personal finance books on the market, this one is unique. The author, an experienced debt counselor, has used narrative scenarios to teach budgeting, an understanding of the borrowing industry, debt management, obtaining a mortgage and credit, and how to rebuild one’s credit.
The use of story and narrative helps bring an otherwise rather important but dry subject to life, placing it in the context of real people with real challenges and problems. Many will see familiar situations unfold with very good solutions and techniques for managing one’s credit and debt while learning how to budget and save. Reading this book will help one run out of month before running out of money. We rated it three hearts.
Title: Letters Home
Author: Mary Ward
Publisher and/or Distributor: MareHaven Productions, Inc.
Pages: 157
ISBN: 0-9760172-0-2
Price: $15
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
The average military experience memoir is usually written from the soldier’s perspective. A somewhat less common approach is written from a soldier’s father’s perspective. That is one of the very validating aspects of this book—it’s written from a soldier’s mother’s point of view. Letters Home is about a mother’s son who seemed foreordained to be an infantryman from his youngest years. The author tenderly provides an intimate insight into her family, especially her young boy’s experiences. Woven in between interesting background information are a series of unedited letters from her son as he deploys to Iraq and fights for his life and the Iraqi people’s freedom. This is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the true dynamics of the Iraqi War and the military experience.
The author shares her fears, her frustrations, and her pride in a young warrior just trying to do his job in a maximally hostile environment. She points out there are plenty of support systems for married soldiers, but almost none for the young, single ones with anxious families. Her organizational skills provide ideas and information for other concerned mothers of military personnel. This is a very real-life book, deserving of serious consideration as one of the more worthwhile commentaries on lives at risk. We rated it five hearts.
Title: Highest Traditions
Author: Tony Lazzarini
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Voyager Publishing
Pages: 170
ISBN: 1-891555-02-2
Price: $18.95 Hardback
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Highest Traditions is a memoir of a helicopter door gunner’s experiences in the Vietnam War. This was a high risk position with a life expectancy of 20-30 seconds in combat. The author lived through over 250 missions as a door gunner, firing his M-60 machine gun at enemy soldiers during deadly combat assaults, providing cover for the infantry soldiers they were taxiing into harm’s way. This personal account of his 21-month tour of duty and how this impacted on the rest of his life is hair-raising and touching at the same time.
The author brings the realities of his tour of duty onto the pages of this book, which in turn, leap off into the reader’s mind and understanding. A vividly written yet tasteful account of a nightmare experience, this is leavened by the author’s pride of accomplishment in the difference he made in those lives he protected and saved. We rated his book four hearts.
Title: Charlie Battery: A Marine Artillery Unit in Iraq
Author: Andrew Lubin
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Hell Gate Press
Pages: 194
ISBN: 155571-642-3
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Charlie Battery is a touching memoir of a father’s feelings and knowledge of his son’s involvement in the war on Iraq. Using his son’s letters home, the media, the internet, and the memories of the returning marines, the author crafts a day by day experience of a marine artillery unit’s superlative training and deployment into the war zone and their subsequent, highly successful participation in one of the hottest battles of the war—the fight for An Nasiriyah. Charlie Battery was credited with a casualty count of 3,000 to 5,000 enemy personnel in one 10-round volley alone.
The author pulls the reader into the story and his conflicting feelings of pride and concern for his son in a realistic manner. This is an extraordinarily well documented account of what happened in the war to bring freedom to Iraq. We rated it a high four hearts.
Title: The Border Patrol Ate My Dust
Author: Alicia Alarcón
Translator: Ethriam Cash Brammer de Gonzales
Publisher and/or Distributor: Arte Publico Press
Pages: 203
ISBN: 1-55885-432-0
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is a collection of stories provided as on-air radio show call ins about how illegal immigrants made their way into the United States. Some were escaping death and persecution and some just wanted a job and a better life. A constant theme running through the stories is the corruption and dangers pervading the illegal immigration process. This is a worthwhile book to read to gain an understanding of who and why people will risk everything and lose everything to make it into the US for a chance at a new life, and the book masters its purpose very well. We rated it three hearts.
Title: The Pig and I
Author: Rachel Toor
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Hudson Street Press
Pages: 247
ISBN: 1-59463-008-9
Price: $22.95
Publishing Date: Feb 2005
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
The Pig and I is a unique memoir written by a lady who has been an academic publisher’s editor, a University Press editor, a college recruiter, and a writer. We follow her career path as we follow her trail of various loving men in her life. We also follow a trail of animals she has owned and how they compared to the men with whom she has formed relationships.
The author bars no holds in describing her ups and downs and the hard lessons learned along the way. It is interesting that she can easily find unconditional love for her pets but not for the men in her life, even after they continue to support her long past the end of their affairs. This is a touching story that demonstrates how important animals can be in people’s lives. We rated it a high four hearts.
Title: Diego Rivera the Red
Author: Guadalupe Rivera Marin
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Arte Publico Press
Pages: 296
ISBN: 1-55885-434-7
Price: $23.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is a biography of a well-known Mexican muralist who was also known for his left wing political views. Written by his daughter, the book covers his youth through his developmental years into his thirties. It frankly covers his many loves and first marriage as well as the people and events that shaped him into a communist. It is a stage setting book that leaves off just as he returns to Mexico from Europe to make his mark on the art world. He was a champion for the underdog as far back as a little boy, and was actually run out of his home town, along with his father, for his anti-establishment behavior under the threat of execution. We scored this book three hearts.
Title: Abandoning Vietnam: How America Left and South Vietnam Lost Its War
Author: James H. Willbanks
Illustrator: Ms Robin Kern
Publisher and/or Distributor: University Press of Kansas
Pages: 384
ISBN: 0-7006-1331-5
Price: $39.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is an important, timely work. The author, a professor at the US Army’s Combat Studies Institute at the Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, spent twenty-three years as an infantry officer and served in Vietnam in the early 1970s. He watched and researched how the US government pulled out of Vietnam, leaving behind a corrupt and ill-prepared South Vietnamese regime to be rolled under by the enemy North Vietnamese. He shows in detail the political and military mistakes the US made that led to an inevitable defeat of the South Vietnamese.
Having just turned over titular government to the Iraqis, will the US make the same mistakes again? This book is a must read for all foreign and military policy enthusiasts. It is important reading to better understand how “saved” governments need to be supported and trained, rather than abandoned in the lurch of a withdrawing US. We gave this book a five hearts rating.
Title: Before Lewis and Clark: The Story of the Chouteaus, the French Dynasty That Ruled America’s Frontier
Author: Shirley
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 509
ISBN: 0-374-11005-0
Price: $27.00
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
The mid-continent frontier of the late 1700s to early 1800s was an interesting region. Originally opened by French fur traders along the super highways of the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers, it was governed by fierce Osage Indians, the French, the Spanish, and finally the new American nation. Through it all, one family stood out: the Chouteaus (show-tows). They established a mercantile empire based primarily on the fur industry and trade with their fierce Indian neighbors. Rather than fighting and conquering, the Chouteaus chose the tools of diplomacy, accommodation, and respect. They got along with all people and made a profit at the same time. When Lewis and Clark came through with their Corps of Discovery, the Chouteaus supported and enabled their endeavors, while opening their frontier St. Louis mansions to the officers.
The author tells a fascinating story of how these men and women from France and New Orleans traveled to our country, established a foothold, learned to live with their Indian neighbors, and carefully select spouses to further the family’s development. They even sent their best and brightest sons to the new West Point Military Academy at the behest of Captains Lewis and Clark. This is a straight up history book of a critical time in the development of America and a family that showed the foresight and fortitude to support that development in any way they could while respecting and caring for the Native Americans who chose to move their villages just to be near the members of this charismatic group of French merchants and diplomats. We rated this book four hearts.
Title: Cities on the Plains: The Evolution of Urban Kansas
Author: James R. Shortridge, Ph.D.
Illustrator: Various
Publisher and/or Distributor: University Press of Kansas
Pages: 480
ISBN: 070061312-9
Price: $
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is a superb historical and geographical account of how the cities of Kansas developed. Now I know you folks on the coasts are wondering what on earth this has to do with you, and I would say everything. Kansas was a linchpin of the start of the civil war—a major deciding factor between pro and anti slavery interests. Large Wall Street fortunes were invested in the development of this region, which was considered the gateway to the west. If Kansas hadn’t developed, there would have been no railroad barons. If Kansas hadn’t developed, neither would have the Southwest, California, Oregon, and Washington, much less the intervening states.
This is a fascinating story of mercantile ambition, development of a transportation system, displacement of Native Americans, cowboys and trail herds, and the safeguarding of homesteaders and miners passing through. It is a study in logistics during nation building. Through it all is the drama the fortunes and misfortunes of whole communities at the mercy of Eastern big-money decision makers. The book chronicles the teen years of our nation. We rated it five hearts.
Title: The Way of Kendo & Kenjitsu: Soul of the Samurai
Author: Darrell Max Craig
Illustrator: Alan Park & Jimenez Blanco
Publisher and/or Distributor: YMAA Publications Center
Pages: 266
ISBN: 1-59439-002-9
Price: $22.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Although Japanese sword fighting may not be everyone’s interest, there are still plenty of aficionados. The author has written a definitive work on the subject. Kendo, using padded armor and split-bamboo swords, is a sport. He covers its essentials. Kenjitsu is the much older code of sword fighting, which has no rules and uses real, metal swords for practice.
The book is remarkably well illustrated and the text provides excellent information on the topic. The author provides not only the movements, descriptions, and customs, but what to look for in collectible swords and other equipment. He also provides an extensive glossary. We rated this book five hearts.
Title: Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America’s Superstate
Author: Robert Bryce
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Public Affairs/Perseus Books
Pages: 327
ISBN: 1-58648-188-6
Price: $26
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Cronies is a well-researched, straightforward examination of the business and political relationships amongst the power elite of Texas. It’s been said; if you want to understand politics, follow the money trail. That is exactly what the author has meticulously done. He shows the sweet deals, the corruption, the conflicts of interest, and the revolving doors between high industry positions and high government positions. We have the best government money can buy, which is exactly what has happened—the United States of America bought and paid for. If you want to understand how an oligarchy can come together and how it works, read this book. We rated it four hearts.
Title: Emmylou Harris: Angel in Disguise
Author: Jim Brown
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Fox Music Books
Pages: 240
ISBN: 1-894997-03-4
Price: $17.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This unauthorized biography of the queen of traditional and alternative country music gladdened my heart. Back in the early 1970s when I was a young Army officer stationed in Washington DC, I played the same coffeehouse circuit as Emmylou Harris did before she was “discovered”. Imagine my delight when I stumbled across this book at the Book Expo America this year. The author uses his own observations and many other interviewers’ perceptions to tell the story of Emmylou’s career and the background of all the different musical genres she has sung in. It is a complete analysis of what she did, why and when she did it, and who else was involved. We rated it four hearts.
Title: Muggles and Magic: JK Rowling and the Harry Potter Phenomenon
Author: George Beahm
Illustrator: various
Publisher and/or Distributor: Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
Pages: 394
ISBN: 1-57174-412-6
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2004
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is a very complete and extraordinarily helpful compendium of everything booksellers and fans need to know about the author of Harry Potter, the books, the movies, and the merchandise. Read this book and become a walking encyclopedia of Harry Potter knowledge. This book’s release is timely for the release of the third Harry Potter movie scheduled for this June. We rated this reference work a solid five hearts.
Title: Sting: Broken Music, A Memoir
Author: Sting
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Dial Press (Random House)
Pages: 337
ISBN: 0-385-33678-0
Price: $26
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is Sting’s own memoir of how he developed from a milkman’s son into one of the most highly acclaimed pop composers and singers in the business. This is a book especially for musicians. It is fascinating from a technical perspective of how he worked to develop his talents and knowledge. The harsh realities of one-night stands with marginal groups in even more marginal clubs engenders real respect for how he persevered in order to win international acceptance and acclaim. This book is also about his relationships with his family, his women, and his fellow musicians. We rated it five hearts.
Title: Manhattan Medics: The Gripping Story of the Men and Women of the Emergency Medical Services Who Make the Streets of the City Their Career
Author: Francis J. Rella, NREMT-P
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Elysian Editions, Princeton Book Company
Pages: 215
ISBN: 0-87127-260-1 (paperbound); 0-87127-258-x (hardcover)
Price: $14.95 (paperbound); $22.95 (hardcover)
Publishing Date: September 1, 2003
Reader: Isabelle A. Harman
Rating:
This compelling story about a Manhattan medic’s desire to help those in need in spite of his own life struggles is a testament to the hearts and souls of all medics throughout the United States and beyond. Mr. Rella transports us through a time machine to the historical tragedy we know well as 9/11. Those of us who witnessed the destruction of the twin towers, whether in person or through the magic of television, will relive with Mr. Rella the events of that day and beyond. What we will experience is the anguish, frustration, disbelief, and altruistic behaviors evoked by those who have chosen to help others but couldn’t because there were so few in need. Take the time to experience what Mr. Rella has painted. Its vivid colors, described through words, fills a blank canvass and transports us into the known and unknown. We rated this book four hearts.
Title: How to Speak Dog
Author: Stanley Coren
Illustrator: Laura Hartman Maestro
Publisher and/or Distributor: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 274
ISBN: 0-7432-0297
Price: $14.00
Publishing Date: 2001
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating:
What does it mean when your dog wags his body and pushes his rear up against you? Or when she lays her ears back or puts her paw on your knee? Every movement a dog makes means something, and they read us as they do one another. Unfortunately, human body language is different from dogs; therefore they often misread our intentions. Stanley Coren draws on extensive research as well as years of personal experience to help us learn how to learn to communicate with our canine best friends. Complete with a visual glossary of different doggie body language and a handy Doggish Phrasebook for quick reference, How to Speak Dog is a must read for all dog lovers. We give it five hearts.
Title: The Other End of the Leash
Author: Patricia B. McConnell
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Ballantine Books
Pages: 246
ISBN: 0-345-44679-8
Price: $25.95
Publishing Date: June, 2002
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating:
Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Patricia McConnell is uniquely qualified to study the relationship between dogs and their owners. Drawing on her experiences treating problem pets as well as raising and training her own shepherd/pets, she examines the many ways in which people and dogs interact. She shows us how, with only a calmer tone and slight body movement, we can get dogs to do what we want without resorting to hitting and yelling.
Reading The Other End of the Leash before getting a dog could enable dog owners to avoid many common problems encountered when they bring home their bundle of fluff. It is entertaining and informative, and should be required reading for all dog owners. We give it five hearts.
Title: PetSpeak
Author: The editors of Pets: part of the family
Illustrator: Wendy Wray
Photographer: Dennis Mosner
Publisher and/or Distributor: St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 485
ISBN: 1-57954-337-5
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2000
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating:
Your dog’s tail is high, stiff and wagging. Is she being friendly or hostile? Your cat is staring at your ankles and twitching his tail. What is he thinking? PetSpeak is a comprehensive book about dog and cat behavior. Covering everything from body language to anxiety and behavior problems, it contains much expert advice and techniques to make it easier to understand and train your pet. We give it five hearts.
Title: Strange Birds from Zoroaster’s Nest: An Overview of Revealed Religions
Author: Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: None The Less Press
Pages: 256
ISBN: 1-932053-12-3
Price: $24.95
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This nonfiction examination of many of the world’s religions and their doctrinal ties to the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism is fascinating to say the least. The author was married to an Iranian and watched the political takeover of Iran by an Islamic theocracy while on the ground in that country. She brings both the academic skills of a professional historian and the pragmatic experience of observing the revolutionary changes of Islam to portray and explain how many of the world’s religions came to be, how they have changed over time, and where they seem to be headed. She especially warns how the adoption of any religion by a state or political entity is the kiss of death for that religion, as it was originally revealed. This is a thought provoking and should be read as background information to enable people to better understand what is happening in our world today and where it seems to be headed and why. We rated it four hearts.
Title: From the Mouths of Babes
Author: Paul Grey, Ph.D.
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Lost Coast Press
Pages: 244
ISBN: 1-882897-61-7
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2001
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating:
Paul Grey and his wife are thrilled to find a place as members of a church, presided over by a popular and charming minister. They work hard to help their church thrive, including teaching Sunday school. Paul is put in charge of the two- and three-year olds. Although caring for so many young children is tiring, he has help from older children and, sometimes, other adults. Because the head of the youth services has so much to do, Paul feels that he can best help by caring for the toddlers. After teaching that group for nineteen months, the unthinkable happens. The mother of one of the children accuses Paul of molesting her daughter. Paul is sure the police won’t even file charges, once they investigate and find the allegation can’t possibly be true. Unfortunately, getting the truth out isn’t as easy as he thought it would be.
Dr. Grey compares his ordeal to the Salem witch-hunts, and the similarities are striking. He wonders what good could have come out of his tribulations. I think his answer is his book. Because I read Out of the Mouths of Babes, I will always question whether people charged with crimes like he was accused of, as well as other crimes, are actually guilty, especially when there is no prior history of molestation, and no physical evidence. This is a troubling and thought-provoking book. We give it three hearts.
Title: The ABC's of Credit
Author: Frances Anne Hernan and Faye Schliep
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: McGavick Field Publishing
Pages: 122
ISBN: 0966692387
Price: $12.95
Publishing Date: June 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
This is essential reading for young singles and couples starting out in life. ABC's of Credit explains in plain language the pitfalls and sly tricks of the credit card companies, the horrendous danger of consolidating debts into a home mortgage, the importance of managing your credit report contents, the wisest ways of choosing lenders, and tips on managing your money. Essential means just that. This would make an excellent high school or college graduation gift. We rated it three hearts.
Title: Our Stories Remember: American Indian History, Culture, and Values through Storytelling
Author: Joseph Bruchac
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Fulcrum Books
Pages: 192
ISBN: 1-55591-129-3
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
Our Stories Remember is an eloquent portrayal of all things in the subtitle. The author, a nationally acclaimed writer and storyteller with over 70 books to his credit, pulls no punches about the cultural abuse of the Native American. Yet, he does so in an erudite, tasteful manner. Probably the most important aspect he dwells on is the differences between how Europeans and Americans relate to their world compared to the Native American.
He is able to draw illustrations from many of the Native American groups. His ability to interweave language, spirituality, cultural correctness, art, and science of the Native Americans is awesome. We rated his book four hearts.
Title: Stay Alive
Author: Robert K. Spear
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: The Writers' Collective
Pages: 208
ISBN: 1-932133-21-6
Price: $16.50
Publishing Date: June 2003
Reader: Jane Deskis
Rating:
Stay Alive: Survival Tactics for Hostages was written with the layperson in mind. A book you can't put down until you have read every word, this book not only tells you how to prevent becoming a hostage, it takes you through all the stages of being a hostage, and what you should do to survive with your mental faculties intact. It tells you how to persevere through such an ordeal and come out alive. It gives you information on how to protect your family at home, in the carthings that families should be doing to make their kids safe. What a plethora of information! In the post 9/11 America, this book is a must. All families should read it.
Title: Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War
Author: Robert L. Cantrell
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Center for Advantage
Pages: 122
ISBN: 0-9722914-0-7
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating:
As a retired military intelligence professional and conflict theorist, I must say this is the best interpretation of Sun Tzu's classic work I have read. The author focuses on the meanings behind this ancient Chinese war philosopher's writings. He puts them into a modern context, making them easy to understand. Apparently the Department of Defense agrees with me on this, since they have selected Mr. Cantrell's book as a text for the National War College in Washington DC. This is a must read for all military officers and business leaders. It rated a perfect five hearts.
Title: The Stakes: America and the Middle East; The Consequences of Power and the Choice
Author: Shibley Telhami
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Westview Press
Publisher Website: www.westviewpress.com
Pages:204 (with notes and index)
ISBN:0-8133-4078-0
Price:$24.00
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Andrew Firth
Rating: 4 hearts
Amidst the deluge of commentaries and opinion attempting to bring some clarity and direction to the Middle East debate comes a considered and balanced perspective from an individual who for some time has been involved at a high level in the world of international relations. The Stakes is a wide-ranging and astute summary of the turbulent melting pot of the Middle East, offering wise counsel against treating the issues involved as monolithic and simply linked. It offers a realistic portrait of the salient issues and suggests an alternative approach to those who advocate the use of force as the primary means of resolution in the region.
Telhami focuses on the region through the lens of the terrorist threat manifest on 11th September 2001. He explores the true nature of that threat, emphasising its complex nature and detaching its motivation from a more commonly held belief in its religious foundation. Instead, Telhami notes the dangers of any disenfranchised minority, pointing out Western nations' tendency to demand actions and engagement with Middle Eastern governments regardless of their impact on respective public opinion. Such relationships often demand increasing repression from regimes whose public support opposes closer relationships with the West. Discontent and militancy can follow. Telhami, stating his case comprehensively and relevantly, deals with these issues with pragmatism and insight, offering the reader an opportunity to understand the underlying causes of international conflict and terrorism.
The book then moves through the specific targeting of the United States and outlines the central importance of Israel and the strategic significance of the Gulf Region itself. It flows through these issues without breaking stride, making connections across the spectrum of the subject in order to illustrate the holistic nature of the environment. To say that this book is thought provoking would be a huge understatement. Its conclusion is masterful and its reasoning difficult to argue against. It demands attention and is essential reading for anyone with even the least interest in the future of international relations. 4 Hearts.
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Title: The Horse Doctor is In
Author: Brent Kelley, DVM
Publisher: Storey Books
Publisher website: www.storey.com
Pages: 406
ISBN: 1-58017-460-4
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Kate Fox
Rating: 4 hearts
Dr. Kelley's book is an "All Things Bright and Beautiful" type book written specifically for horses. The book covers any and all topics related to horse ownership, breeding, horse diseases, and daily care.
Although Dr. Kelley's aim was to write a book on horse care written for
the common man, he is too much the veterinarian to get down to an 8th grade education level. He includes many medical terms, and a glossary in the back to help with definitions. More encyclopedia than storybook, this book still will help any new fledged horse owner and should be in the horse owner's library. Anyone wanting to own a horse would do well to read this book before buying an equine.
A well written book and very clean of errors, Dr. Kelley shows a prodigious amount of horse sense. I highly recommend it. We rated it four hearts.
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Title: Raptor! A Kid's guide to birds of prey
Author: Christyna M. and Rene Laubach and Charles W. G. Smith
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Storey Kids
Publisher Website: www.storeykids.com
Pages: 118
ISBN: 1-58017-445-0
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Jane Deskis
Rating: 5 hearts
Raptors! What an amazing book! This book had it all; great pictures, short blips of information that makes it easy to read, interesting facts, trivia, and projects for the young student to the adult to create. A super, well-put-together book any library would be glad to own. Homeschoolers take note; this is what you are looking for in a guide book for birds of prey. This book deserves a strong rating of 5 hearts.
Title: The Barefoot Fisherman
Author: Paul Amdahl
Publisher and/or Distributor: Clearwater Publishing Company
Publisher Website: www.barefootfisherman.com
Pages:135
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2000
Reader: Allan Lechner
Rating: 4
The Barefoot Fisherman is an excellent book for the beginning fisherman. It tells you how to catch fish, where to catch fish, and what to use to catch fish, and gives you examples on how to catch different types of fish. It covers both fresh water and the ocean. He explains how to look for rods, reels, fishing line, lures, bait, and flies. This would be an excellent gift to a young child going on his/her first fishing trip.
This was an enjoyable book. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Amdahl's anecdotes. I would recommend this book to the boys in my Boy Scout troop to go along with Fishing Merit Badge book. We rated this book four hearts.
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Title: Canine Courage
Author: Tiffin Shewmake
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: PageFree Publishing
Publisher Website: www.doghero.com
Pages: 197
ISBN: 1-930252-89-7
Price: $15.00
Publishing Date: December, 2002
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 4
Why do dogs often risk their lives to save humans? What breeds are most heroic?
Canine Courage attempts to answer these questions logically and explain how much heroic behavior is a response to a natural canine loyalty to its pack or herd. It examines the long relationship between dog and human. Although not discounting love, ESP, high intelligence and other motives, Tiffin Shewmake shows how much canine behavior is inbred, and that hero dogs, while possibly motivated by altruism, may simply be reacting automatically.
Anyone who loves dogs and is as intrigued as I am by stories of dog heroism, will enjoy this book. We give it four hearts.
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Title: Every Woman's Quick and Easy Car Guide
Author: Bridget Kachur
Illustrator: Terry Dovaston
Publisher and/or Distributor: Storey Books
Publisher Website: www.storey.com
Pages: 262
ISBN: 1-58017-451-1
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 4
This how-to manual may be titled for women and its author is female; however, I know plenty of men who would be well advised to read this excellent tome on the basics of automotives. It not only tells how a car works and the hows and whys of maintaining it, the book also addresses travel and breakdown safety issues. Every teenaged daughter and son who wants to get a drivers license should read this. We rated it four hearts.
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Title: Fundraising for Nonprofit Groups, 5th Edition
Author: Joyce Young, Ken Wyman, & John Swaigen
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Self-Counsel Press
Publisher Website: www.self-counsel.com
Pages: 216
ISBN: 1-55180-261-9
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 3
This 5th edition is an excellent guide to fundraising, which has been updated to include the internet. The topics covered are inclusive enough to make this a good textbook at the college level, while written for the layperson in readability. It includes: hiring and firing of fundraisers; organizing volunteers; fundraising tools (including websites); the types of funding; developing sound strategies; how to approach funders; the uniqueness of smaller communities; using direct mail, telemarketers, and the internet; planned giving or behests; keeping the money coming in; working with consultants and volunteer workers; and overall strategies. We rated it three hearts primarily because of its highly specialized topic.
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Title: Horse Care for Kids
Author: Cherry Hill
Illustrator: Numerous
Publisher and/or Distributor: Storey Books
Publisher Website: www.storey.com
Pages: 116
ISBN: 1-58017-407-8
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 5
This is a superbly written and wonderfully illustrated equine training and care manual for young riders. The language is age appropriate. A constant theme emphasized over and over is safety. The book includes horse selection, grooming, feeding, behavior, care of stable & pasture, health care, handling & safety, and enjoying one's horse. The author is a well-known trainer, breeder, and educator with 24 equestrian books to her credit. Parents would be wise to have this book in hand when their children are ready to go horse shopping. We rated Horse Care for Kids a very high 5 hearts.
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Title: Finding My WayThe Autobiography of an Optimist
Author: Evelyn Stefansson Nef
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: The Francis Press
Publisher Website: www.francispress.com
Pages: 304
ISBN: 0-9665051-5-8
Price: $26.00
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 3
Born in 1913 to Jewish-Hungarian immigrants and raised in Brooklyn, Evelyn Stefansson Nef, survived the death of her father, her mother's mental illness, divorce, depression, and the deaths of two husbands. Some might have given up, but she is indomitable. Her many friends and acquaintances could fill a volume of Who's Who. Finding My Way takes us back to the early twentieth century, through the Great Depression, World War II and into the end of the century. It gives us a fascinating history. We give it three hearts.
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Title: Witness to Barbarism
Author: Horace R. Hansen
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Thousand Pinetree Press
Publisher Email: jeanhansend@yahoo.com
Pages: 353
ISBN: 0-9720849-0-8
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date: December 2002
Reader: Jane Deskis
Rating: 4
"Witness to Barbarism" was one of the most enthralling books about early post World War II Germany I have read in a long time. The pictures were outstanding - never been seen before - compelling the reader to go on. This was a book that you can't put down until you finish the appendix. Mr. Hansen gave us valuable insight into pre-war Hilter and how he came to have such power over the country and those nations around Germany. He intertwines his military work as a prosecutor at the Dachau war criminal trials with interviews from five of Hilter's non-nazi stenographers. These five men relate to the reader Hilter's personality traits, how he manipulated the circumstances, and people around him to get what he wanted. They gave the reader an inside view of history in the making. I would highly recommend this book to any student of history.
This book receives a rating of 4 hearts
Title: Barnyard in Your Backyard
Editor: Gail Damerow
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Storey Books
Publisher Website: www.storey.com
Pages: 416
ISBN: 1-58017-456-6
Price: $24.95
Publishing Date: Nov 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 5 Hearts
This is a superb beginning homesteader handbook to raising chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, sheep, and cattle. It is absolutely required reading for anyone interested in moving back to the land and becoming more self-sufficient. The information is very complete, easy to understand, and well illustrated with pictures and drawings. Many problems, what causes them, and how to overcome them are addressed in this wonderful primer.
This reviewer has known the editor for years and used to have her on his radio talk show as a subject matter expert on the above subjects. I am not surprised to see the high level of professionalism found in this essential book by Storey publishers. We rated it five hearts.
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Title: Home Buying Without the BS! Information Without the Overload
Author: Todd Thornton
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Hall Street Press
Publisher Website: www.withoutbs.com
Pages: 240
ISBN: 0-9709545-0-6
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 4 Hearts
This how-to book is written from the house buyer's perspective, rather than the owner's, as so many of the other how-to real estate books are. The author provides excellent information about what's important in home buying; what to watch out for; and how the process works. The author is especially good at teaching the homebuyer how to use the internet to his advantage. We rated this book four hearts.
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Title: Sell It By Owner and Save
Author: Michael M. Kloian
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: How To Publishing
Publisher Website: www.how2sellbyowner.com
Pages: 192
ISBN: 0-9707346-2-X
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 3 Hearts
This how-to guide to selling your own home is fairly inclusive of the many concerns owners may have about the process. It includes the essentials in layman's terms and explains the process step-by-step. The author makes a good case that a home may be sold without the assistance of a realtor. This should be read by anyone contemplating selling his home as a viable alternative to using a real estate agency. We rated it three hearts.
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Title: Sound Recording Advice for the Home Recording Studio
Author: John J. Volanski
Illustrator: John J. Volanski
Publisher and/or Distributor: Pacific Beach Publishing
Publisher Email: soundadvice@san.rr.com
Pages: 336
ISBN: 0-9721383-0-7
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date:2003
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 5 Hearts
This is an excellent book for those of us who enjoy producing music out of our own homes. It could easily work well as a text or a reference for a college music technology class. The author has exhaustively covered the waterfront when it comes to understanding and doing home studio recording. This book is especially valuable when it makes suggestions about the equipment composition one should use for different budget levels. No serious recording musician should be without this extremely complete reference and how-to book. It is filled with tips, shortcuts, and valuable hints. As an example, a paragraph about burning one's own CDs was easily worth the cost of the book. We rated it five hearts.
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Title: Angels in Vietnam: Women Who Served
Author: Jan Hornung
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: iUniverse
Publisher Website: www.iuniverse.com
Pages: 327
ISBN: 0-595-24090-9
Price: $23.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 4 Hearts
Angels in Vietnam is a wonderful compendium of memoirs, stories, and poems by and about the women who served in Vietnam during the warnurses, Red Cross Donut Dollies, WACs, Special Services, missionaries, and ladies from New Zealand and Australia. It's also about the ladies left at home. It's about vets and PTSD and The Wall.
The author was an Army helicopter pilot in the 1980s and was greatly influenced by the stories the Vietnam Vets had to tell about the women they knew in harm's way. She managed to find many women who both served and who have learned to communicate their experiences. We rated this book four hearts.
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Title: Understanding Muslim-West Alienation
Author: Arshad Khan
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Writers Club Press
Publisher Website: www.iuniverse.com
Pages: 150 (with index)
ISBN: 0-595-23709-6
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Andrew Firth
Rating: 4 Hearts
Debates, arguments and discussions about the characterisation of the contemporary international environment were sharply polarised by the terrorist attacks of 11th September 2001. Since then, individuals across the world, and especially in America - arguably the central pillar of the Western world - have been trying to make sense of those events and more particularly, the motivation behind them. It is often difficult to focus on the key issues that have contributed to the condition of international relationships at the turn of the millennium, especially as they are often interpreted and understood in different ways depending upon one's cultural background and perspective. Arshad Khan's new book is a major contribution to our fundamental appreciation of why relationships are perceived to have broken down so dangerously between the West and the Muslim community.
Khan's own life experiences he has lived and worked in both the Middle East and the United States - bridge the cultural gap between the modern Western world and traditional Islamic society. In tracing the history of Islam he selects the key events that have shaped its doctrine and presents its modern perspective on the world in a way that is neither dry and academic nor monolithic and dogmatic. In outlining the recent developments of Western foreign policy he presents a view on how their implications were received and interpreted by those who came to be influenced by them. That there has not always been clear and congruent understanding of these policies from all sides is a central theme of Khan's work. His message is clear. Firstly, the current situation has far less to do with religion than politics and secondly, both 'sides' have to understand the true basis of the other's ideology. These fundamental misperceptions have to be addressed by individuals as well as governments if there is to be any progress towards resolution of the current international situation. Mistakes and misapprehensions have to be acknowledged by all concerned, and a renewed spirit of cooperation and tolerance has to be adopted. This book sets the parameters for such an environment of understanding.
Arshad Khan's book is a broadly based and very readable presentation aimed at crossing the conceptual divide and encouraging mutual understanding. Much of his writing is in brief outline, and would therefore be of only cursory interest to experts in the field, but is an excellent summary of factors that have hitherto been misrepresented and communicated only indirectly and incompletely. It also offers a comprehensive background for thought and further, more detailed, exploration. If one wishes to take part in the present debate in even the smallest way, this book is an essential primer. We rated this book four hearts.
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Title: How to Get Organized Without Resorting to Arson: A Step-by-Step Guide to Clearing Your Desk Without Panic or the Use of Open Flame
Author: Elizabeth Franklin
Illustrator: Elizabeth Franklin
Publisher and/or Distributor: Clara Fyer Books
Publisher Website: www.franklinizer.com
Pages: 222
ISBN: 0-971495-6-5
Price: $19.95
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Allan Lechner
Rating: 4 Hearts
Liz Franklin takes a different and unique look at personal and office organization. She helps you to set up an organized system that conforms to you individually which provides a synergistic effect on what you can accomplish, allowing you to completer more than ever before. Her descriptions of work personalities, organizing styles, and access types are clever, comedic, and useful. As you read about these you will say to your self, I do that. Ms. Franklin also provides you with options on how to maintain files so they are beneficial to the user. She also provides methods to keep co-workers from stealing your time or passing off requirements to you. She also provides descriptions and diagrams to increase the flow and efficiency of work in your office.
One of the things I really liked about How to Get Organized Without Resorting to Arson is that it does away with the axiom that every other how to get organized plan stresses and allows you to handle a piece of paper more than once without feeling guilty or like your inefficient. If you follow the book chapter by chapter you will definitely be better organized like it or not. If used in an office setting everyone should have a copy of the book and participate in the changes needed to become a more effective office. We rated it four hearts.
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Title: Finding the Hope in Lost Kids Lives
Author: Yehudah Fine
Illustrator: N/A
Publisher and/or Distributor: Unlimited Publishing
Publisher Website: www.Unlimitedpublishing.com
Pages: 244
ISBN: 1-58832-043-X
Price: $12.99
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 5 Hearts
Yehudah Fine, also known as the "Times Square Rabbi," is well qualified to write this heartwarming book. A compilation of stories based on composites of young people with whom he worked during his years of service on the streets of New York City, Finding the Hope in Lost Kids' Lives is realistic, sad, and even humorous at times. It shows us a life that most of us will never see, but that could affect any of us. Someone should make a television series based on this book. We give it our highest rating: five hearts.
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Title: Too Young to Retire: An Off-the-Road Map for the Rest of Your Life
Author: Marika and Howard Stone
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: The Writers' Collective
Publisher Website: www.writerscollective.org
Pages: 82
ISBN:
Price: $
Publishing Date: 2003
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 4 Hearts
You've finally retired. Now what? You've looked forward to retirement, but now find that you need something to do. You're bored. Or maybe you need a little extra cash. Too Young to Retire might be just what you're looking for. Covering everything from health to hobbies, alternative employment to travel, this book is full of ideas and resources to help you think through your options and decide on a path toward making the most of your "golden years."
The authors have put much thought and research into this book and it shows. We give it four hearts.
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Title: State of the Game: A Look at Baseball as it Enters the 21st Century
Author:Thomas U. Tuttle
Illustrator: Mori Studios
Publisher and/or Distributor: Beavers' Pond Press
Publisher Website: www.beaverspondpress.com
Pages: 216
ISBN: 1-890676-58-6
Price: $18.95
Publishing Date: 2000
Reader: Allan Lechner
Rating: 4 Hearts
State of the Game is a fast paced read and extremely well written. Mr. Tuttle is not only a fan of the game of baseball, he is passionate about it. The book contains entertaining anecdotes from fans, players, and the people behind the scenes. He writes not only about major league baseball, but also the minor league, college, and town teams.
As the title states, Mr. Tuttle does look at the future of baseball, but he takes a narrow focus. The majority of the book is about how changes to the game will affect the Minnesota Twins. We rated this book four hearts.
Title: Adventure Without End
Author: Bangs, Richard
Publisher: The Mountaineers Books
Publisher Website: www.mountaineerbooks.org
Pages: 221
ISBN: 0-89886-860-2
Price: $16.95
Publishing Date: February 2002
Reader: Allan Lechner
Rating: 5
This book is a series of short adventure and travel stories the author has taken all around the world: From a river in Africa full of hippopotamuses to sea kayaking in Canada looking for killer whales, from the mountains of Peru looking for Inca ruins to the bottom of the Grand Canyon looking for the holy site of the indigenous people. It is from the view of an avid outdoorsman and adventurer. While the author is a risk taker he doesn't foolishly rush into something. He performs risk analysis before deciding what to do. For example; scouting rapids before running them, hiring professionals to work with, and seeking counsel from those who have gone before him.
The author did an excellent job at getting his ideas across. The book was easy to read for the most part, but he did use words I had to go to the dictionary for their definition: words such as dyspepsia, tintinnabulation, gallimaufry, eponymous, crenellated, etc. This was a distraction for me, but not enough of one to not finish the book. The book was very fast paced and the characters the author introduced added to the stories. You can tell the author loves what he does by the strong emotional response the book has on the reader. We rated this book five hearts.
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Title: A Barn In New England
Author: Joseph Monninger
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Chronicle Books
Publisher Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
Pages:288
ISBN: 0-8118-2974-X
Price: $23.95
Publishing Date: 10/2001
Reader: Kate Fox
Rating: 4
Joseph Monninger is the most gifted writer of metaphors and similes I have ever read. Not slighting Stephen King, who slings a mean phrase himself, but in my opinion he comes in a close second to Mr. Monninger. This memoir is an easy, pleasant story of a new family's making a large old barn into a home. The lessons they learn along the way about renovating old structures, and the locale are interesting. I highly recommend it and rate it four hearts.
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Title: Living with Brittanys: A Survival Guide
Author: William L. Buchanan
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Baylaurel Press
Publisher Website: www.baylaurelpress.com
Pages: 118
ISBN: 1-931093-00-8
Price: $ 9.95
Publishing Date: 2001
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 4
Living with Brittanys is a must read for those who own or anticipate owning a Brittany Spaniel. It is also for all dog lovers. This touching, poignant memoir of a couple's experiences with three different Brittanys they owned during their lifetime will bring a lump to your throat, when you're not grinning with the book's humorous anecdotes. These cunning, headstrong hunting dogs are real clowns of the universe.
The author uses excellent humor and good settings to illustrate the peculiarities of this breed. If you're a dog lover, you'll laugh out loud at this one. We rated it four hearts.
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Title: Demon Doctors: Physicians as Serial Killers
Author: Kenneth V. Iserson, M.D.
Illustrator: None
Publisher and /or Distributor: Galen Press, Ltd., Tucson, Arizona
Publisher Website: www.galenpress.com
Pages: 441
ISBN: 1-883620-29-5
Price: $28.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Alice M. Hall
Rating: 5
Demon Doctors is comprised of true-crime accounts of a half-dozen physicians who committed serial killings, Soviet and Japanese doctors who implemented state-sponsored murder on a massive scale, and a handful of other physicians who committed murders for reasons of human passion. Because the profession of medicine is held in high esteem, murder by physicians is incomprehensible to most people; therefore, these stories evoke curiosity in the public at large and a "must read" book for readers of the true-crime genre.
The author, Kenneth Iserson, M.D., himself a practicing doctor, has carefully researched historical and contemporary sources to present a cast of infamous characters. Included are several nineteenth and early twentieth century physicians (or imposters) with grisly and colorful crime-histories. The story of an American woman doctor, Linda Burfield Hazzard (1868-1938), known as "starvation doctor,"is well-described. The murders by Dr. Harold Frederick Shipman, the English physician of recent infamy, are particularly interesting due to the new revelation in July of 2002 that he may have killed more than 215 of his patients. The accounts of murders ordered by totalitarian governments and carried out by doctors are especially chilling. Iserson provides introductory and concluding chapters that probe the psychology and behavior of mass murderers. The bibliography and index are helpful.
For the reader of crime literature, this book is fascinating and morbidly compelling. The publisher's note that another volume by this author is yet to come promises a repeat experience. We give this book a strong 5 hearts rating.
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Title:Hideous Dream
Author: Stan Goff
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Soft Skull Press
Publisher Website: www.softskull.com
Pages: 483
ISBN:1887128-63-8
Price:$18.50
Publishing Date: 2000
Reader: Andrew Firth
Rating 3
Military intervention operations are nothing new. For centuries the world's leading powers have used their martial capabilities to shape the international environment in their favour. History has proved that Clausewitz was absolutely right to recognise the relationship between diplomacy, economics and the military instrument of state power. At its basic level the deployment of a nation's armed services demonstrates resolve and commitment to a political agenda in its willingness to risk the lives of its sons and daughters if necessary. Often, the best accounts of such operations come from those sons and daughters themselves. Their understanding of the requirement for and legitimacy of a military deployment brings a crucial insight into the operational environment in question.
Stan Goff's book, Hideous Dream, is a fascinating account of his participation in the United States' military intervention in Haiti in 1994. As operations sergeant for a Special Forces detachment he is able to present a credible description of how strategic policy objectives were translated to the soldier on the ground dealing with the people of Haiti. In doing so Goff discloses a fundamental misconception among his fellow soldiers as to the real nature of the operation and their role within it. During the course of the book Goff becomes bitter, self-critical, outspoken, incisive and disenchanted and Hideous Dream is all the better for it. He brings life to accusations that United States soldiers failed to realise that their presence in Haiti was to be of benefit to their country only if the population embraced the effort. In this way Goff correctly identifies that the support of the local people, if not a centre of gravity for the operation, was certainly a decisive point. His efforts to understand the situation from the point of view of the Haitian were absolutely correct, if perhaps his methods were, at times, questionable. Goff's operational flexibility and openness is refreshing, and his unconventional approach to his profession is a benchmark for the evolution of the military mindset following the end of the Cold War.
In addition to his central exploration of the military/political interface, Goff's work is also of interest to the student of small-group dynamics and leadership. As he continues his own personal development through the deployment, so the cohesion of his team dissolved, and Goff tells the story well, bringing out his own failings as well as the contribution of other personalities and the environment.
Although this is a relatively long book, its layout makes it a quick read, each chapter being a pointed vignette, building one on the other to create the layers of Goff's thesis. It would benefit from photographs and illustrations, however, in order to reinforce the empathy that one builds for the author; their absence is unfortunate.
Stan Goff's credibility as an experienced Special Forces soldier makes this book a unique contribution to our contextual understanding of the relationship between politics and the military in the contemporary world. Hideous Dream is recommended reading for anyone interested in international affairs, military history or leadership and is equally valuable to the professional and layman alike. We rated the book three hearts.
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Title: The Life Writing Class
Editor: John Patrick Grace
Illustrator: various
Publisher and/or Distributor: Publishers Place, Inc.
Publisher Website: www.publishersplace.org
Pages: 218
ISBN: 09676051-7-2 (hrdbk)/ 09676051-6-4 (pprbk)
Price: $ ?/?
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating: 4
The Life Writing Class is a compilation of the best stories from a tutorial class on writing autobiographical material from the Huntington, West Virginia Museum of Art. Twenty authors are represented by twenty-six vignettes. Some stories focus on the students themselves and some on their ancestors. The authors range widely in age and experience, yet there is a common thread of folk wisdom running through all their writings. The stories range from poignant to funny. Some are bitter and some are uplifting. All are well crafted, a compliment to both the authors and, especially, to their teacher, Dr. Grace, who leads by example, including a touching eulogy to his high school athletic coach father.
Although regional in perspective, the stories have lessons that may be applied to people of all walks of life. The authors have captured the spirit of America in their writings. We rated this book four hearts.
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Title: Men Are Like Fish
Author: Steve Nakamoto
Publisher and/or Distributor: Java Books
Email/Website: menarelikefish@mindspring.com/www.menarelikefish.com
Pages: 208
ISBN: 0-9670893-2-8
Price: $14.95
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 3
Want to catch a man? Men Are Like Fish will give you commonsense pointers for finding, attracting, and keeping good men. The idea sounds calculated, but the ideas in the book aren't really. Most of the tips are things that most sensible people would do automatically, but there are some practical ideas on where to meet eligible people, how to converse without scaring them away, and letting go, if the relationship can't work.
Steve Nakamoto writes with humor and insight. Although a bit repetitious at the first, Men Are Like Fish covers all aspects of the dating scene. Any woman interested in finding a "keeper" should read this book. It has some good advice. We rated it three hearts.
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Title: Quality Time Anytime
Author: Penny Warner
Illustrator: Susan Spellman
Publisher and/or Distributor: Meadowbrook Press
Publisher Website: www.meadowbrookpress.com
Pages: 243
ISBN: 0-88166-425-1
Price: $ 9
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Bob Spear
Rating 5
Quality Time Anytime is a wonderful aid to parents for making the most out of every contact they have with their children. The author has devised 200 educational, fun games to play with your children in thirteen settings. Many of these games encourage completion of the work of the moment while making the experience fun and educational for life skills. Every young parent should have this book. We rated it five hearts.
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Title:The Fire Escape is Locked for Your Safety
Author: Molly J Baier
Illustrator: Lisa Jacyszyn
Publisher and/or Distributor: Lost Coast Press
Publisher Website: www.cypresshouse.com
Pages: 195
ISBN:1-882897-65-X
Price:$16.95
Publishing Date: 2001
Reader: Andrew Firth
Rating: 3
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 the world expected instant democratisation and the development of a free market economy in Russia and its satellites. That this has not been an easy transition is explained between the lines of Molly Baier's The Fire Escape is Locked for Your Safety, an account of her 1999 journey from Ukraine to Vladivostok. The book is a fascinating insight into conditions experienced by the ordinary citizen, and their perspectives on the evolution of post-Soviet society.
In a little under 200 pages this book is striking in its understatement of the frustrating dichotomies and hypocrisy that make up the daily life of those people to whom the reader is introduced. This is real life, not some principled and academic treatise on the socio-economic transition of a former communist system. Baier's thesis, that ordinary people have no understanding of their ownership of the prevailing administrative system of government and that the national infrastructure itself does not own the economic and political product of the state, is disturbing and somewhat pessimistic. That the ordinary citizen is empowered with such natural resilience and optimism is the central oxymoron of the book. The sad fact is that those people Baier describes in her work cannot grasp their ability to change systems for the better through their democratic collateral at the local level of their township, village, or even the desk in front of them at which they work. Neither, intimates Baier, can respective governments manage to induce that change of mindset, to release the freedom of individual thought and action necessary for free market expansion, shackled as they are by criminal dominance, atrophy and corruption of their economic systems.
Baier paints a haunting picture. On the one hand the people of the former Soviet Union have not perceived any significant improvement in their daily lives. Indeed, in some areas, such as employment and crime, conditions seem worse. On the other hand, if the governments could focus a currently divisive economic system, the free market that is currently shackled by criminal cartels and the black economy might well realise its potential when supported by a newly released, imaginative and capable population. Unfortunately this shattering of a glass ceiling seems to remain out of reach if Baier's sample journey can be taken as truly representative.
The story of Baier's journey is interspersed with 'side-bars' - points of detail that clarify or expand the issues raised by the narrative. Some may find this juxtaposition cumbersome, as it tends to interrupt the flow, but this is a minor criticism. Baier's book is an engaging travelogue which will be enjoyed by all those open to expanding their environmental understanding of this corner of the new world order. Alternatively this is an easy and rewarding read for an aeroplane journey or that well-deserved winter afternoon in front of the fire. It is recommended as an entertaining, revealing and significant contribution to modern commentary on the post-communist bloc. We rated this book three hearts.
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Title: And I Thought I Was Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies and Meshugaas
Author: Judy Reiser
Illustrator: Randall Enos
Publisher and/or Distributor: Katalin Media, NY, NY
Publisher Website: www.katalinmedia.com
Pages: 176
ISBN: 0-9707619-0-2
Price: $12.95
Publishing Date: 2001
Reader: Allan Lechner
Rating: 3
Judy Reiser has put together a delightfully amusing book about people's idiosyncrasies and strange habits in regards to money, eating, clothes, sports, bathroom behavior, and other strange quirks. It is only 169 pages and is easily read in one sitting.
As you read this book, you will have many ah ha! moments, thinking to yourself, "I do that". Upon finishing the book, you will realize you're not as weird as you thought you were. As a matter of fact, in regards to bathroom behavior, this would be an excellent book to read while spending quality time in there, if you catch my drift. We rated this book three hearts.
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Title: Real People Don't Own Monkeys
Author: J. Veronika Kiklevich, DVM
Illustrator:
Publisher and/or Distributor: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Publisher website: www.sourcebooks.com
Pages: 248
Publishing Date: 2002
Reader: Kate Fox
Rating 4
A veterinarian storybook, similar to All Things Great and Small, this is a
more modern version, with updated pets and veterinary techniques.
Ms. Kiklevich has had some interesting and humorous experiences in her years
of veterinary medicine, and her chapters on Lazarus Turtles and pot belled
pigs are hilarious. However, my one problem is her moralizing. She makes a
judgement against guns in one chapter without ever blaming the guilty party.
Also, she is less than honest with some clients and colleagues in favor of
the animals, and I find that a bit repugnant. All in all, a good read, with
serious potential if we can tone down the soapbox. We rated it four hearts.
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Title: The Joy of Sax: America During the Bill Clinton Era
Author: Walt Brasch
Publisher: Lighthouse Press, Inc.
Publisher Website: www.lighthouseeditions.com
Pages: 384
ISBN: 0-9676354-5-4
Price: $17.95
Publishing Date: Copyright 2001
Reader: Judy Schuler
Rating: 4
Walt Brasch is refreshing, a liberal who admits his slant. In fairness, he isn't an extreme liberal. As a conservative, it scared me when I found that I agreed with him on many of his positions, such as personal responsibility and movie popcorn. On those points his satire was right on target. Other issues, such as health care and the Clintons' honesty, started (in my conservative view) with a faulty premise and missed the mark. Still, The Joy of Sax is full of hilarious satire. Liberals will probably enjoy it most, but conservatives will also appreciate the humor. We give it four hearts.
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