Book Description
“Among the new voices in twenty-first-century crime fiction, Charlie Huston . . . is where it’s at.”
–The Washington Post
“Huston writes dialogue so combustible it could fuel a bus and characters crazy enough to take it on the road.”
–The New York Times Book Review
Reluctant hitman Henry Thompson has fallen on hard times. His grip on life is disintegrating, his pistol hand shaking, his body pinned to his living room couch by painkillers–and his boss, Russian mobster David Dolokhov, isn’t happy about any of it. So Henry is surprised when he’s handed a new assignment: keep tabs on a minor league baseball star named Miguel Arenas.
Henry has no pity for the slugger and the wicked gambling problem that got him in trouble, but he can’t help liking the guy. After all, Henry used to be just like him: a natural-born ball player with a bright future. But hell, that was long ago. Before Henry did some guy a favor and ended up running for his life. Before his girlfriend and buddies got gunned down by someone on his tail. Before he agreed to buy his parents’ safety with a life of violence.
And when Miguel gets drafted by the Mets and is sent to the Brooklyn Cyclones, Henry must head back to New York, back to the place where all his problems began–and where Henry might find a real reason to keep living, a reason that may just cost him his life.
“Huston reminds me of all my favorite writers–Pete Dexter, Robert Stone, Crumley. If there is such a thing as compassionate noir, Charlie has found it. He’s a true marvel.”
–Ken Bruen, author of The Guards
“Charlie Huston is the real deal.”
–Peter Straub
Customer Reviews:
Disturbing but compelling thriller.......2007-07-21
Life hasn't been easy for Henry Thompson. He found and lost four million dollars belonging to a gangster chief, had to kill way too many people, and he's now alive only because the gangster thinks he can be an effective hit man. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Henry doesn't even do well at that, having trouble pulling the trigger in cold blood. As a last effort to get some use out of Henry, the mob boss assigns him the job of escourting a number one baseball draft pick through Las Vegas. That one night changes Henry's life when the baseball player demands that Henry move to New York and become his permanent bodyguard.
In New York, the mother of one of Henry's victims tracks him down, sending her ex-Russian intelligence officer nephews after him. Bodyguarding a baseball player becomes the least of Henry's problems as he struggles to stay alive in the face of threats from just about everyone he meets. When the local police are a serial killer's biggest ally, things are definitely dangerous.
Author Charlie Huston sustains a compelling dark narrative. Henry Thompson is an overweight druggie who kills without any particular moral qualms, and whose desire to protect his parents smacks more of a strange obsession than true affection. Still, he becomes a sympathetic character as he continues to slide into deeper and deeper danger. Over time, Henry's options narrow, promising paths close down, and attractive choices become ever-harder to see. Huston does an excellent job showing Henry struggling--because he must, but without hope.
A DANGEROUS MAN is a strangely powerful story. In the dark world of this story, there really aren't any blacks and whites--everything is a shade of gray, and all the shades are dark indeed.
No Mercy at all.......2007-04-22
Charlie Huston is one mean guy. He puts his main character, Hank Thompson, through about as many bad things as one person can endure, and then some, in Caught Stealing, ratcheted up the pain in Six Bad Things, and then makes it pretty much unbearable in this latest entry, A Dangerous Man.
If you haven't read the first two books, then this third one won't make a lot of sense. Hank is a would-have-been-great high school baseball prospect who gets hurt before he even gets to the minors, kills his best friend in a drunk driving accident, and then wanders to New York City with a girl who promptly dumps him there. A decade later, he's tending bar part time, living in a crappy apartment, and he gets caught up, through no fault of his own, in the chase for a large amount of money which several different criminals claim as theirs. Most of the rest of the three books involve Hank finding it, trying to hide it (and himself), losing it, and then finding it again.
This third entry has Hank working as a hit man and enforcer for a Russian mobster who is one of the people who claim the money. As long as Hank can't come up with the money, he has to kill people for David or someone will be sent to kill Hank's parents. Hank's pretty good at killing, but he's so hopped up on drugs that his usefulness is beginning to wane. As the books starts, David wants Hank to watch a "friend" of his, a baseball player who has a gambling problem and a bit of difficulty with impulse control.
These are very good novels at some levels. The author seems to know the locales well. He seems to know the seamy side of Las Vegas and New York City pretty well, and he seems to have a good grasp of character. I enjoyed this novel, and look forward to the vampire private eye series, which seems rather interesting.
An outstanding trilogy.......2007-03-29
Taken together, "Caught Stealing," Six Bad Things," and "Dangerous Man" are brilliant. They belong on the library shelf with "Borstal Boy," "Lost Souls" and "Crime and Punishment" and other classic examinations of outlaw lives. These three books resonate especially strongly now, when we are so aware of how circumstances can strong-arm even the unwilling into enslavement to violence and destruction -- child soldiers, suicide bombers, even gang members, victims of hurt and destruction in every part of the world who can only stand the violence by deadening themselves to it and have no hope of an end to it until their own lives end. People like me have virtually no framework for comprehending what such lives are like. These books show what it is like for one inhabitant of such a life.
One of the best things about these books is that they achieve a moral vision while staying within the noir formula. They are like good sonnets -- all the better for their adherence to a strict formula. Huston's writing is beautiful too. After I finished reading the last one, I heard the song "500 miles" done by the Seldom Scene, which I love. I have never heard that song quite the same way I heard it then. Quite an achievement, to illuminate that song and so many others about lost souls.
Loveable Serial Killer -- and Book.......2007-03-16
I accidentally read this finale to the Henry Thompson trilogy after reading book one, but not book two. So, there was a lot of plot I wasn't familiar with. But this effort surpassed Huston's excellent first book in the trilogy and I am thirsting to read the second book. Once you get the hang of how Huston writes -- no quotes, occasional streams of consciousness, etc. -- you settle in for a very satisfying read. Though the plot borders on being unrealistic, it isn't. Huston knows how to spin a good yarn without insulting the reader's intelligence. Thompson is an unforgettable, likeable character (despite what he does for a living). Huston's an enjoyable novelist and I'm a fervid fan.
Does It Have To Be Over?.......2007-02-26
It very rarely happens where I am sad to see a book end. The thought of no more adventures involving Hank Thompson is certainly disappointing. This third and final book in the trilogy has Hank going out like he came in: with a bang. A great story, fantastic, gripping writing that has you reading at a quicker pace out of sheere necessity.
If you haven't done so already, start with Caught Stealing and read your way forward. Then again, if you HAD read the first two books, you wouldn't need these reviews to tell you this one is a must.
Book Description
Eleanor has always been looked on askance as 'the bossy American' by London society, the very antithesis of British virtue and propriety. Now, at the death of her husband, she has been appointed trustee to his estate, and the proverbial fur is flying. Infuriated, her mother-in-law sends Lord Anthony Neale to put an end to Eleanor's nefarious gold-digging ways.
Anthony and Eleanor clash immediately. He thinks she's a siren who uses beauty to entrap men. She thinks he's a haughty, cold English snob. Despite their initial misgivings, they are increasingly drawn to each other. But someone is threatening Eleanor, and as the break-ins and other malicious activities begin to pile up—it's Anthony who tops the list of probable suspects!
Customer Reviews:
nice book, nice writing.......2007-08-18
This was my first Camp book. I picked it up on vacation and it lasted me the whole week... Usually it takes me 5 hours to read a romance book.
The book was not BAD but it wasn't GREAT either. Sort of mediocre. Definitely not a must read.
Candace Camp masters the technique of writing, that is her language is good and her style smooth. But her story and characters were nothing to write home about. Okay, nothing more. There was nothing to dislike in the book but nothing to really like either. IMHO this author would have made a wonderful politician.LOL. She knows how to avoid pitfalls. But sometimes, the pitfalls are exactly what grabs my attention in a book. If the heroine does something impulsive and I want to grab her and shake her. Or if the hero's hang-ups make him into a jerk at some point before he snaps out of it. This book was so "literary correct" that it left me unaffaected throughout the book. Nor was it very sexy - and I like some spice in my romance books :)
Don't know if I'll read this author's book again. Depends on how desperate I am.
nice.......2007-06-09
When Lord Anthony Neale's older sister Honoria pleads with him to talk her son, Lord Edmund Scarborough's fiance out of the wedding, he is stunned to find himself so strongly attracted to the outspoken American, Eleanor, who informs him that she and Edmund have already married by special license. Eleanor, a wealthy heiress, meets Edmund and is delighted by his musical talent but is drawn to him by her protective nature because he is sickly and is dominated by his mother who demands all his time and money. Eleanor has a habit of taking on the weaker castouts and has in her employ several employees she rescued from dire situations and she is raising two orphaned children she took in off the streets. Eleanor takes Edmund to Italy hoping the climate will help his health but then he is killed in a freak boating accident and the Italian authorities demand that his body be burned under an archaic law dating back to the time of the plague. When Eleanor returns to England with Edmund's ashes and in charge of the trust for Edmund's sister Samantha, Honoria again approaches Anthony to intercede. Mistakingly convinced that Eleanor is a fortune hunter, Honoria says she believes Eleanor murdered Edmund. After making a few insulting insinuations about her character, Anthony is stunned to find out that Honoria is not only far wealthier than Edmund ever was but that her fortune is in line with his own substantial fortune. Vowing that he will make it up to her and tired of fighting his attraction to her, Anthony pursues Eleanor with everything he has. When it becomes clear that Eleanor is in danger and that there may have been suspicious circumstances to Edmund's death, Anthony vows he will protect Eleanor if it is the last thing he does.
This is a wonderfully written story and the characters interesting enough. I was happy with Eleanor, but at times, I thought the author shortchanged us with Anthony...the details on his life and background were sketchy at best and I like to know what kind of people my hero and heroines really are. The story was still entertaining enough, a little predictable a time or two but very good.
A Dangerous Man but a Delightful Read!.......2007-05-02
Lord Anthony Neale thinks Eleanor, Lady Scarborough, is a money hungry vixen who married his brother for money and an entry into aristocratic British society. Eleanor finds Anthony to be bossy, cold embodiment of all she hates about English aristocrats. To make matters worse, he and his family blame her for her husband's sudden death, only months after the marriage that they did not attend!
Humor, a spunky heroine and miscues of communication add up to a wonderful read. The suspense element makes for an intriguing fast paced read full of questions. Was Edmund's accidental death truly an accident? Who is this figure watching her in the shadows? Why is someone breaking into her bedroom? What item of value does she have that someone wants? Is Anthony trying to find evidence to discredit her among the aristocracy and ruin her reputation? Does the danger come from some secret of her deceased husband from their days in Naples? Who can she really trust?
The hero and heroine are just delightful and lovable, each in their own way. The character Honoria is so obnoxious and annoying --- I just love her! She exaggerates, she meddles, she criticizes, she expects that everyone treat her like a queen. Of course, she thinks, Edmund should have left his entire estate to her --- and if he didn't surely they will see that her beloved son meant to give her everything!
Not one page here is wasted. Romance, suspense, mystery and historical British society all come together to make this book a real treat. The historical and political background of Naples heighten the suspense and the ambiance.
my first time.......2007-03-24
I have never read a Candace Camp book before. Quite frankly, I'm not entirely into historical romances (Julia Quinn and Amanda Quick being the exceptions!). However, I was desperate and needed something to read, so I picked this Camp book up and promptly read it cover to cover. I liked the fact that the heroine was intelligent and strong-willed. I also liked the fact that both hero and heroine were capable of connecting the plot "dots" with some degree of speed and intelligience. Sometimes I just want to throttle the main characters as they belatedly come to some obvious connection or conclusion within the storyline. Sigh. But I am not a writer, just a simple reader who likes smart characters and a bit of sexy moments thrown in to make a book enjoyable. Enjoy this one!
Disappointer.......2007-03-14
As a Candace Camp fan, I was disappointed at how boring this book was. Unlike the Reed Business caption describing the book, I wouldn't ever label this a fast-paced read. The book only got started around page 100, and by then, I wasn't even sure if I cared.
In the romance sector, I give this book a 1 out of 5. The attraction between Eleanor and Anthony is implausible from the get-go. Anthony isn't a convincing hero. He has no energy, no smolder.
When it comes to characters, Eleanor is at least very likeable. She's intelligent and independent, which is always a happy alternative to the occasional wimpy, whiney heroine we see. The villain plot, however, was heinous. As soon as a certain character appears for the first time, you know he's the villain without having to flip to the end of the book to prove it to yourself.
The storyline was reasonably good, and I think overall, the entire book itself could have been better with a faster pace and a better hero. It's not a complete waste of time, but I wouldn't gush over it like other reviewers have. I'm still selling it to the used book store this weekend.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent content, professional; easy to find info
- How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before you get Involvd
- eye opener
- Yikes! I'm so glad I read this book!
- "Truth is light"
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How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved: Describes 8 Types of Dangerous Men, Gives Defense Strategies and a Red Alert Checklist for Each, and Includes Stories of Successes and Failures
Sandra L. Brown
Manufacturer: Hunter House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Domestic Violence | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Self Defense | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Sexual Abuse | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Dating | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0897934474 |
Book Description
What is a dangerous man? Most women would answer: one who is physically violent. But abusive behavior is often more insidious. Men who want mothers, not partners, who prey on lonely, passive women, who are mentally ill, addicted, or emotionally unavailable, or who won't go away when asked to leave all fall into this dangerous category. In this book women are encouraged to take responsibility for their own safety, are shown how to choose men wisely, and learn how not to make the same mistake twice. Thirteen chapters cover all the red flags of a dangerous man, offer stories of women's successes and failures dealing with each type, and provide safe ways to get out of a hazardous relationship. Armed with this valuable information, women have the tools they need to cultivate positive and healthy relationships with men.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent content, professional; easy to find info.......2007-07-14
Wish this book was out years ago! Very good regarding subtle signs (as well as obvious) early in the relationship. Love the Red Alert Checklists.
This is NOT a "man bashing" book, the author invites us to look at ourselves as well. Describes some behaviors that women may have that attract a dangerous man.
How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before you get Involvd.......2007-05-26
This book showed me what I was doing wrong, and it enabled to to avoid other dangerous men - it greatly changed my life. Thanks!
eye opener.......2007-05-19
Sometimes we avoid stress by keeping ourself in the dark....however learn that it takes more energy to move around in the dark than the light. The more we know, the brighter the light...the brighter the light the easier it is not to trip on the trash on the floor. The men have issues...we may as gentle women learn to forgive them spiritually, however their behavior is "Trash" and they are acting as if they do not understand the word "Respect"...they don't. The sad part is...the absolute saddest part is...they don't get it....and you cannot teach a person to have a conscious...reading this book helps the light become bright and your life to be easier rather than more stressful. Once you read this you can identify it is "them" with the problem...and your only problem was "Believing in them" and taking their lies for truth. This book does uncover hurtful truths...however a truth is a truth and is there whether you want to believe it or not.
Yikes! I'm so glad I read this book!.......2007-03-07
If you've ever wondered if you're the "crazy one," or why you seem to attract losers, this is a very insightful book.
This book opened my eyes to what a bad situation I was in, and just how bad it could end up. I always suspected that some of the guys I've dated had mental problems but would talk myself out of it. Now I see how important it is to trust these initial red flags and uneasy feelings. Even if your guy is not pathological, if you've got red flags and discomfort, this book wisely advises you to get out fast and why. The unfortunate thing about these dangerous men is that they are so charming, affectionate, intelligent, and desirable at first, that you are long-since hooked before the creep in them emerges. This book gives practical advice for how to recognize potential issues before you're hooked and his personality has changed.
For anyone who's skeptical, no, I did not think this was a male-bashing book or "any guy could fit into those categories." Not so. It even gives a list of traits to look for when analyzing whether yours is a healthy or unhealthy relationship.
It's a quick read and well worth it.
"Truth is light".......2007-01-28
How to Spot a Dangerous Man is a compelling, forthright, no non-sense book which will help the open-minded reader face her relationship/insecurity (among other things) demons. Ms. Brown not only discusses the how's, the why's, but offers insight on how to stop the madness. I just purchased four additional copies to pass on to my daughters and the workbook for myself.
The fact that professional women, older women, previously hurt women are continually falling for dangerous men is eye-opening. The facts are not to be ignored; IF, you want to do something different.
I highly recommend this book for ALL women; young and old.
Average customer rating:
- How to spot a dangerous man workbook
|
How to Spot a Dangerous Man Workbook: A Survival Guide for Women
Sandra L. Brown
Manufacturer: Hunter House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Sexual Abuse | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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-
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ASIN: 0897934520 |
Book Description
What is a dangerous man? Most women would answer: one who is physically violent. But abusive behavior is often more insidious. Men who want mothers, not partners, who prey on lonely, passive women, who are mentally ill, addicted, or emotionally unavailable, or who won't go away when asked to leave all fall into this dangerous category. Most women who have dated one dangerous man have in fact dated two or three, according to research. How to Spot a Dangerous Man Workbook, designed for use with the author's book How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved, contains useful exercises from the author's highly successful workshops for women, including 22 worksheets and quizzes to help readers develop their own personalized list of "do not date" characteristics. The author’s extensive research in this field makes this hands-on guide an important aid in both avoiding a potentially dangerous involvement and recognizing — and getting out of — an existing one.
Customer Reviews:
How to spot a dangerous man workbook.......2007-01-09
I think it is a must read if you want to brake the circle of having the same men in your life who lead to the same dead ends time after time. I lost 20 years in the dating game. This book showed me why... :-)
I am able to deal with men and myself differently all together and can already see that I benefit. I was able to spot a few "dangerous" men quite quickly into getting to know them. I didn't say much, they just got lost. I was also able to walk away from potential hurt. I am happy about that.
I would like to suggest though that you read the book how to spot a dangerous man first before you attempt the workshop workbook. It did help me to do some of the exercises. What I mean is I did understand where the author came from and why she asked some questions...
Average customer rating:
- The wild west and proper british society come together
- they were made for each other
- stetsons, gunsligners & regency bodice rippers? Wow!
- Great book by a great author...
- You know the saying "your past will catch up with you..."
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A Dangerous Man
Connie Brockway
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Brockway, Connie | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Baker, Madeline | Beverley, Jo | Brown, Sandra
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ASIN: 0440221986
Release Date: 1996-06-02 |
Book Description
Mercy Coltrane, a brash young American woman, travels to England to search for her estranged brother. Strident in her quest, she seeks out the help of Hart Moreland, whom she knew years ago as Duke the Gunslinger, the hired gun her father enlisted to protect his land. Now Earl of Perth, Hart is back in his native England in a hard-earned position of respect and power, and the last thing he wants is a reminder of his dishonorable past. But Mercy Coltrane proves to be much more than just a painful reminder of the life he left behind. Vibrant, beautiful, and witty, Mercy embodies the life of happiness that Hart desperately craves. Connie Brockway is an author who understands the underlying fantasy of romance and dazzles readers with her emotional perception of love. She writes with keen intelligence about the most important desires of the human heart.
Customer Reviews:
The wild west and proper british society come together.......2007-05-20
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Having never heard of Brockway I didn't know what to expect, but she delivered with a witty novel that kept my attention the whole way through.
The mystery is quickly figured out but that doesn't detract from the story. The characters are nicely done, though there are a couple of groan worthy moments during the sex scenes where the purple prose gets a bit out of hand.
I like heroes who have believable flaws and Hart's was completely understandable. Mercy, his heroine, had a bit of the too-stupid-to-live syndrome but was a fun read nonetheless.
I'll definitely be looking for Brockway's other titles in the future.
they were made for each other.......2005-09-24
This story was readable and had potential, but I had overwhelming problems with both the main characters:
Moreland was a stick in the mud (or he had a stick somewhere) which rendered him unlikeable. All he cared about was appearances --- a character flaw that was sometimes amusing and often irritating. His obsession with convention was worse than any sour spinster and rendered him just as manly. Doesn't everyone want a hero who says to hell with the rules? He may have been a dangerous man in the wild west, but he was a milksop in elegant England. Moreland's eventual fall from grace I found more puzzling than romantic and too little too late.
Mercy's character started out well but after being presented as brave and honorable, she soon deteriorated into a blackmailing whiner. She was annoyingly obtuse about following instructions when tagging along on the search for her brother and just annoyingly obtuse about said brother altogether. After calculating, scheming, obsessing, and blackmailing her way through England I wasn't really endeared to any of her causes, period.
stetsons, gunsligners & regency bodice rippers? Wow!.......2005-08-19
Thats it!
I MUST read slower! This gem from Connie Brockway is to be savoured, not sped through - how does one read slow enough to make a delightful book like this last a week, rather than a few hours?
A ridiculous combination of prim Regency & menacing Westerns turns into a magic mix in Brockways capable hands. Never too grim in spite of the sober & tormented Earl of Perth, Hart.
The delightfully articulate Merry Coltrane runs into Hart at a very proper country houseparty hosted by a duke, Ashton, who is expected to announce a match with Harts youngest sister Annabelle momentarily.
After his outrageous past as a gunslinger in the Wild West, Hart has been living circumspectly and pouring money into his sisters futures. Which they may or may not have appreciated...
Merry is seeking her brother and attempts to hire Hart to find him - not an attempt which goes over too well.
The rest of the story draws out a grand tale of attraction, reputations, love and as ever with Ms Brockway - Wit.
A wonderful book to grin through, and wow! As someone who has never had the slightest interest in the bygone days of American lore, (not since Little House on the Prarie, at any rate) I am freshly entranced with the myths:
lowslung holsters
battered stetsons
dangerously attractive ranch hands
John Wayne?
kotori 2005
Great book by a great author..........2005-08-01
Couldn't get into this book for long time simply because the opening pages began as a western (I'm generally a regency only kinda gal)...so, consequently I missed out, for a long time, on a great book. There are some hilarious moments when the heroine, Mercy, is purposely getting titles wrong. Some sizziling moments that are drawn out, like the brush of a hand. And the hero's (Perth) love for the heroine is so desperate it makes your heart flutter. I have never been disappointed by Brockway. Why not 5 stars...few spelling errors (I am guilty of the same but I am not published), the matter of Perth's title first came from a cousin, then from an uncle. One of the main characters is named Fannie, which is the vulgar English slang word for vagina. And Mercy's hair was brown then red then brown again then red once more. Otherwise it was a fantastic read.
You know the saying "your past will catch up with you...".......2003-09-16
Mercy Coltrane has arrived in England to look for her brother that mysteriously disappeared. There is one man that can help her - the hired gunslinger that went by Hart Moreland when working for her father on their Texas ranch. He later returned to England and Mercy is out to find him to help her. While staying at her hostess' home, this wealthy, striking in looks (men can't take their eyes off her), and strong-willed woman is introduced to the Earl of Perth - a mysterious, cold-hearted, emotionless, serious man who is none other than Hart Moreland. He is there to accept the proposal of marriage for his sister. He has worked hard to make his family's reputation respectible and influential all to be lost now with his dishonorable past being revealed by Mercy. The only way of keeping her quiet is to work with her in find out the where abouts of her brother. Hart finds out that Mercy is also in danger of losing her life while he is in danger of losing his heart to her. No other woman has been able to break through that wall his placed around his heart until now. It truly is a sensual romance that will touch your heart. I hope you will read and enjoy it!
Amazon.com
Fred Cuny, a fearless and hugely ambitious Texan, was nicknamed "Master of Disaster" for his handling of relief projects worldwide. He stood out in a bureaucratic world with his unorthodox methods and obvious success. In 1995, during a visit to a mountain border town in Chechnya that was under heavy Russian bombardment, Fred Cuny disappeared.
Renowned war correspondent Scott Anderson became so involved in uncovering Cuny's fate that he risked his life several times in Chechnya. He describes a larger-than-life character who could have come straight from a Le Carré novel--a flawed hero who habitually lied about his past but to whom hundreds of thousands of disaster victims owed their lives. All wars are cruel, but Anderson succeeds in convincing us that the random savagery shown by the combatants in Chechnya made its terror unique. Against the background of a ruined country, he interviews Chechen rebels and traitors, Russian generals and pathetically young conscripts, and shadowy operatives who steered Cuny toward danger. Lies and changing stories make the mystery of what happened to Cuny ever more impenetrable, yet Anderson continues his stubborn detective work. With writing that has the fluidity and psychological insight shown by the author of the novel Triage, Anderson brings to this book a passion not usually found in journalism and makes it literature. --John Stevenson
Book Description
A swashbuckling Texan, a teller of tall tales, a womanizer, and a renegade, Fred Cuny spent his life in countries rent by war, famine, and natural disasters, saving many thousands of lives through his innovative and sometimes controversial methods of relief work. Cuny earned his nickname "Master of Disaster" for his exploits in Kurdistan, Somalia, and Bosnia. But when he arrived in the rogue Russian republic of Chechnya in the spring of 1995, raring to go and eager to put his ample funds from George Soros to good use, he found himself in the midst of an unimaginably savage war of independence, unlike any he had ever before encountered. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared in the war-rocked highlands, never to be seen again.
Who was Cuny really working for? Was he a CIA spy? Who killed him, and why? In search of the answers, Scott Anderson traveled to Chechnya on a hazardous journey that started as as a magazine assignment and ended as a personal mission. The result is a galvanizing adventure story, a chilling picture of "the new world order," and a tour de force of literary journalism.
Customer Reviews:
Cuny was a man with a mission !.......2005-08-12
I read this book a couple of years ago, and just recently reread it. What a fascinating story. For those who are interested in humanitarian crises, and what it takes to make things happen; within the myriad non-governmental organizations and governments as well; this is the book for you.
Cuny's CV reads like a laundry list of the disasters (mostly manmade) of our time. Bosnia and Chechenya are the two most prescient issues in this book. Anyone who engages in these types of activities in the future would do well to read this book to see what kind of energy and fortitude it takes to get things accomplished.
Cuny's demise is a tragic story with an even sadder ending, but I will let the reader get there on his/her own...
A joy to read about such a remarkable person.
Mired in Mystery.......2004-10-11
I selected this book because I'd read the author's previous work, wanted to know more about Chechnya, and was curious about a man who would try "to save the world." Anderson's telling of the tale of Fred Cuny is illuminating and thought-provoking. I wanted to share this story with others who also knew little about the world where Cuny lived and worked. The continuing unrest in Chechnya makes this book as timely as it was on the day it was published.
Scott Anderson leads the reader down the shadowy path taken by Fred Cuny and leaves one with the certainty that uncertainty like that faced by Cuny still prevails in many parts of the world. Recent events demonstate that even between the relatively safe borders of the USA, terror remains a daily concern. The people of Chechnya and other places where Fred Cuny worked to help others have known terror much longer.
a little less author, a little more Fred.......2004-03-14
This is definitely a captivating tale about a horrid and bizarre situation, but one wishes for a little less of the author's not so interesting tale. The author strikes me as a bit too macho, exaggerating the risks and missing out on important details of Fred Cuny's life (focusing too much on the macho aspects that the author clearly favors). Definitely worth a read but don't be turned off by the author's overblown bravado.
fantastic.......2004-01-10
What an inspiring man Fred Cuny was en what a great story.
A lovely written book about a great man. There should be more people like him. Great book.
A great read, but with some intensely irritating errors.......2003-08-30
The book reads like a thunderclap. It starts quickly and picks up pace, holding the reader's fascination the entire time. Anderseon summarizes the humanitarian aid community and the situation in Russia well. (Full disclosure: this reviewer is an expatriate in Russia working with refugees.)
The errors in the book are therefore almost unforgiveable. It's simply incredible that someone who supposedly did so much research made such fundamental mistakes as:
1. Referring to the newly constructed Embassy--the one with all the bugs--as "miles" from the older Embassy where he was speaking with the Ambassador. The two buildings are separated by about three hundred meters, and are visible to each other.
2. Referring to a "two-million" dollar ransom for Cuny on one page, and eleven pages later referring to the individual who made it as the man who demanded "three million" dollars.
There are other errors as well, all of them inconsequential to the flow of the story and its overall conclusions. I must admit, however, that it left me wondering what other facts did he get wrong that I did not know about.
A final quibble is that Anderson presents Cuny's positive achievements as simple facts. There is no doubt that Cuny achieved much during his life, and he did a lot of good, but he and his approach to humanitarian aid were (and still are) much more controversial than the author indicates. The people Anderson blithely dismisses as angry at Cuny's accusations of ineptitude should have been given a greater say on how -they- felt about -him-. This is minor, however, and simply means the reader should be aware that the author has a bias, which is neither surprising nor unexpected.
Book Description
Using the same mix of snappy prose, accessibility, and insider knowledge that he employed so successfully in omplicated Women,Mick LaSalle now turns his attention to the men of the pre-Code Hollywood era. Highlighting such household names as James Cagney, Clark Gable, and Gary Cooperand lesser-known ones such as Lee Tracy and Richard BarthelmessLaSalle shows how conceptsof manhood and heroism changed as the talkies came in and the Great Depression took hold. The smiling, confident hero of previous years fell out of favor, and new heroes emerged: gangsters, opportunists, sleazy businessmen, shifty lawyers, and shell-shocked soldiers. They were men whose existence threatened the system.
Customer Reviews:
One Mistake.......2006-02-07
I wish I could have given this book 5 stars, but Mr. LaSalle had made a minor mistake. In the book's first chapter, he made the mistake of comparing most of the major actors of this era - especially Clark Gable - to the recent film star, Tom Cruise. In some attempt to put Cruise at a disadvantage, he described the actor as being "amiable" and youthful in compare to Gable. One, Cruis is more than an "amiable" actor. He has made a career of portraying some rather ambiguous and/or dark characters during the past twenty-five years. And two, he stopped being youthful a long time ago. I think that Mr. LaSalle may have been blinded by Cruise's famous smile and failed to give a more accurate portrayal of the actor's career.
Those Pre Code Females!.......2006-01-29
Mick LaSalle has done a fine job in recording the accomplishments of actresses before the pre code "censorship" era (1929-1934 or thereabouts!) . If you are at all interested
in films of the thirties this is a MUST! And if you are just interested in films in general this will surely be "of interest". And if you are a Norma Shearer fan it is a MUST!
ANOTHER GREAT BOOK.......2003-08-31
It's a toss-up as to which of Mick LaSalle's great pre-Code books (his previous is COMPLICATED WOMEN) is superior. COMPLICATED WOMEN is a work of advocacy, in a sense -- he wants to rescue the women of pre-Code from obscurity and critical neglect, and he does so ably. This book is more cool-headed amd critical. It's also funnier. It feels more grounded in the real politics and culture of the early 1930s. The research goes deeper. The book is longer. I think they're both essential reading, demonstrating a passion for film and an understanding of history that's impressive, rare and indispensable.
Greatness before the Censors Came.......2003-04-02
The Golden Age of movies is sometimes taken as the glorious silent era. However, it can be argued that the films made right after the advent of sound provided more realism and more to think about than movies before or since. In a vital and entertaining study, _Dangerous Men: Pre-Code Hollywood and the Birth of the Modern Man_ (Thomas Dunne), Mick LaSalle lovingly analyzes the films and movie heroes from around 1929 until 1934 when censorship took over. Those interested in the history of film, and in learning more about giants like Cagney and Gable, as well as about important but forgotten former stars like Richard Barthelmess and Warren William, will find this book irresistible. After 1934, it was a long while before American films were made without a censor able to clip scenes, and LaSalle demonstrates that the pre-censorship (or "pre-Code") era was a time for realism as well as idealism in the movies.
LaSalle demonstrates that silent films were really productions of the Victorian era; men were expected to have sobriety and character. World War I, Prohibition, and the Great Depression changed all that. There was a deluge of pre-Code gangster movies, and every major actor played a gangster, even Spencer Tracy and Boris Karloff. The gangster movies, and the war movies, provided a new look at how a person might live in the world and live with himself; there was a good deal of introspection within the characters displayed on screen that would vanish when the Code came into force. Along with serious evaluation of such moral matters, pre-Code movies were full of pacifism. Repeatedly the young idealistic heroes go into battle only to be shocked at the destruction they themselves have wrought. These movies exalted individuality and distrust of governments that led citizens into pointless wars. Pre-Code films emphasized the heroism of getting wise and taking care of oneself, not the heroism of battles and bugles. There is a good brief history of Code censorship here, showing the role of the Catholic Legion of Decency and its regrettable effects. Not only did the Code enforcers impose wholesomeness on future movies, they insisted that when the pre-Code films were re-released they be re-cut into more acceptable form. Sadly, sometimes the censored version of a pre-Code film is all that remains. It was not until the ratings system came in 1968 that the Code was dismantled.
Partly LaSalle's book is a warning, and one especially pointed now that certain forces within the government find censorship in various forms appealing. LaSalle has enormous admiration for the films described here, but says, "Even vitality such as this can be squelched if a close-minded faction is obsessed, pernicious, and willing to organize." He has seen a lot more of these pre-Code pictures than his readers have, but anyone who enjoys the movies will be eager to take a look at these films after reading this book. Pre-Code films showed war brutality, governmental corruption, and harnessing courage to subvert the system. LaSalle writes, "These may be healthy things for individuals to know, but they aren't what governments like to see pumped into the public consciousness."
Favorite Book of the Year?.......2003-01-03
I guess it's too early to have a favorite book of the year, but I can say with certainty that, had I completed it in 2002, Dangerous Men would qualify as one of my top two or three -- and probably the best non-fiction book I've read: So smart, so authoritative and, as some other readers have pointed out, so funny -- funny, even as you're learning something fascinating on every page.
It is hardly the usual sort of film book. Rather it's a brilliant investigation into the nature of manhood in the twentieth century, using these films as markers along the way. At the same time, it is a movie book in the sense that you come away dying to see the movies. I'm going to be using the list that the book provides to help make my video choices in the coming months.
What a wonderful Christmas gift. I already ordered Complicated Women, because now I can't get enough of the subject. You'll probably feel the same way, too. By all means, this is a book to get.
Amazon.com
As the subtitle of David Quammen's Monster of God: The Man-Eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind suggests, his fascination centers on those animals that raise human "awareness of being meat," and he likens the historic impact of these predators to modern-day car accidents: sudden, unexpected, life-changing. While his research is extraordinary--encompassing extensive field work and diverse reading on the science and lore surrounding predatory animals--Quammen's peripatetic mind jumps from history to psychology to ecology and from Africa to Russia to Australia, sometimes leaving his readers without a base camp to recuperate during the breath-taking journey.
His research on the lions of Gir forest in India, on the crocodiles of Northern Australia, on the bears of the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, and on the Siberian tigers of Far East Russia finds animals held in constant tension, encircled by every-expanding human populations. But Quammen doesn't oversimplify the conflicts. Often, in fact, Quammen has so much to say about competing interests that he makes several false starts before finding his true theme. Recalling his reading in the l970s literature on crocodiles in Africa, for example, Quammen abruptly jumps to a failed farming and reintroduction project begun in India before finally settling into the investigation of Northern Australia's Crocodylus Park.
These changes in geography, time, and perspective can be disorienting in a book that is already complicated by its several competing approaches. Adding to the abundance, Quammen explores human population growth projections, images of the Leviathan in the Bible, keystone species theory, the Muskrat hypothesis (the idea that the "wastage parts" of an animal species are the ones most likely to suffer predation), and the 1994 discovery of the Chauvet cave paintings. Yet Quammen, author of The Soing of the Dodo moves with such ease through this wilderness of ideas that even the most difficult material becomes palatable. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
"Rich detail and vivid anecdotes of adventure....A treasure trove of exotic fact and hard thinking."—The New York Times Book Review, front page
For millennia, lions, tigers, and their man-eating kin have kept our dark, scary forests dark and scary, and their predatory majesty has been the stuff of folklore. But by the year 2150 big predators may only exist on the other side of glass barriers and chain-link fences. Their gradual disappearance is changing the very nature of our existence. We no longer occupy an intermediate position on the food chain; instead we survey it invulnerably from above—so far above that we are in danger of forgetting that we even belong to an ecosystem.
Casting his expert eye over the rapidly diminishing areas of wilderness where predators still reign, the award-winning author of The Song of the Dodo examines the fate of lions in India's Gir forest, of saltwater crocodiles in northern Australia, of brown bears in the mountains of Romania, and of Siberian tigers in the Russian Far East. In the poignant and troublesome ferocity of these embattled creatures, we recognize something primeval deep within us, something in danger of vanishing forever.
Customer Reviews:
Land Eating Mammals.......2007-03-11
By the time I completed David Quammen's "Monster of God" I had to wonder "who's the predator here"? Of course given half a chance it would be the four animals (Asiatic Lions, European Brown Bears, Saltwater Crocodiles and Siberian Tigers) he covers in his thoughtfully written book but as he points out, along with other naturalists and conservationists, they are not being given half a chance. For me this was a very sobering read and I had to put it down for a couple of weeks before I could bear to finish the last ten pages. There are glimmers of hope sprinkled throughout the book with Mr.Quammen masterfully guiding us through these fragile wild places where these "monsters" are intended to be stalking (us!). The section on the Asiatic lions and the Maldhari people in India, caught in a push-pull situation, was very moving while the Brown Bear section set in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania was chilling. The passages about Ceausescu's "shooting expeditions" are blazed into my memory almost as a metaphor of what man is doing to the whole bloody planet. It isn't the easiest reading style but I felt in very capable hands with Mr. Quammen showing us once more that time is, in fact, running out for these magnificent animals and for us.
Great Read...but some will hate it. .......2006-02-12
Great read...Quammen interweaves history, culture, science, folklore, and exotic locations to describe four alpha predators: the Asiatic Lion, the Australian Crocodile, the Romanian Bear, and the Siberian Tiger.
Quammen is an accomplished naturalist and master of literary prose whose expansive topics and mastery of prose will delight some and madden others. Topics in the book range from the epic poem Beowulf, to the discovery of the Chauvet Caves in France, to H.R Giger's creature used in the Alien movies.
This is not a "Maneaters" or "How to Survive a Bear Attack" type book. If you expect that type of read, you'll be sorely disappointed. Also, whether by accident or design, Quammen focuses on alpha predators that to a limited extent, coexist with humans within that culture. (Quammen even states that similar interactions with the bears in Yellowstone Park or the lions in Africa, as opposed to the bears and lions in Romania and India respectively, he describes in the book, would probably result in certain death.)
Quammen neither demonizes nor coddles these creatures, but instead clearly establishes their proper role in the environment and what effect man's exploding population will have on them in the next 100 years. Intelligent, thoughtful, and provocative writing.
If you can discipline yourself to read through the entire book, you just might find it enlightening.
Heavy on context, light on gore.......2006-02-04
While Quammen himself has remarked on the natural world's "great capacity for vulgar entertainment," he is reluctant to travel far down that path in Monster of God. Indeed, if you came looking for gory details of terrifying animal attacks, you'd better be prepared to find them hidden amidst long stretches of historical and political information. You will learn far more about nomad buffalo herders in India, the plight of the aborigines in Australia, and the hunting trips of Nicolae Ceaucescu in Romania, than you will about any particular predator species. Quammen is careful to provide context--possibly too much context. He has a point to make about social class and resource management, a theory he gives the unlikely name of "the Muskrat Conundrum," and he feels there's a lot of historical and economic ground to cover, before we can understand what man-eaters have to do with the social class of the people they eat.
His goal is for us to sympathize both with the predators, teetering on the edge of extinction, and the people whose lives dictate that they live among and fear these predators. A former novelist and literature scholar, Quammen presents the human side of the story with astute characterizations of varied personalities. His approach is the intimacy of immersion journalism. Though disguised as a sensationalist page-turner about animals that kill people, Monster is, at its heart, a conservationist's tale.
A problem that generally plagues the literature of conservation is the unrelenting dreariness and pessimism that can galvanize the thick-skinned reader but leaves all others inert and despondent. In contrast, David Quammen's dire predictions, put into a rich context of history, society, environment and gripping dramatic prose, place Monster of God into another category: not quite a guilty pleasure animal attack book, and not the bitter pill medicine of standard environmental writing. Instead he's presented a combination of both forms, a scholarly yet entertaining monster book with a conservationist's conscience.
Huge amount of information, a bit tiresome to read, and nothing about God........2006-01-22
I was somewhat disappointed by "Monster of God." This book has a wealth of information on India's lions and tigers. There are also great quantities of material covering the other man eating species he investigates (Aussie crocks, Romanian bears, etc...) The reading of "Monster of God" can get tedious at times. Sometimes it reads like a travel journal, other times like a dissertation paper. The bibliography is enormous. There are also many historical examples and related events.
At 430+ pages of text and long index and bib, the book does offer great resources for those interested. Unfortunately, many readers might be put off by the dragging pace that is often found in the writing. How many examples does one need to understand that animals will kill people? How many accounts of footprints or animal signs is needed to make a point? Therein is my problem with this book. There is so much material that the author's main point gets drowned out by the piles of facts and statistics. If "Monster of God" were more efficiently edited and redacted making the central idea of the text clearer I would have enjoyed it much more. Lastly, the title is confusing. There are a few references to the Bible, but God is absent from this book. Perhaps a better title would have been, "The Monsters of History" or "Evolution's Monsters" or just plan "Man Eater and Man."
Great food for thought, but sorely needing illustrations!.......2005-12-29
This is a well written, though somewhat scattered attempt to better understand the book's subject and subtitle: "the Man-Eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind". The strength of the book lays in David Quammen's thorough research, including his personal journeys into the actual predator habitats he discusses, and pithy nature writing skills. He focuses on four specific species of lion, crocodile, bear, and tiger; each located respectively in India, Australia, Romania, and Siberia. Many of the best parts of this book come from Quammen's interactions with the local inhabitants who are directly involved with these big game animals, living with them day to day in one way or another. These peoples include both indigenous and non-indigenous cultures such as the Maldhari of Gir in India, the Yolngu of eastern Arnhem Land in Australia, and the Udege of the Bikin River valley in the Russian Far East. Quammen talks with and utilizes the tracking services of and indigenous knowledge of these peoples along with Orissan villagers in India, Carpathian shepherds in Romania, and a number of scientists and other individuals along the way, making Monster of God a mosaic of travelogue, anthropology, history, nature-writing, and biology.
It was the enticing subtitle of the book which originally attracted me to it and I expected more psychology and history than I got. The sections where Quammen actually focuses on these topics include interesting comparisons between kingship, power, and lions; paleontological speculations about dragons and the biblical Leviathon; discussions on Beowulf and Gilgamesh; as well as observations about modern cinematography in the form of the sci-fi Alien movies. At seemingly random points he makes references to all of these sources, which are all pertinent, but fails to make any real ground-breaking insights.
My main criticism of this book is that it sorely needs illustrations. With only a few redundant maps indicating the four main regions in which Quammen travels, the absence of photographs, charts, graphs, more maps, and other illustrations was conspicuous. Were Quammen's editors desperately trying to cram this book into under 500 pages? Was Norton too cheap? With a $26.95 hardbound list price I can't imagine that was the issue, but by the way, I've seen this book being sold brand new in a local used bookstore for under $7 so keep that in mind when purchasing online. Or did Quammen not think pictues important? Whatever the case, you'll surely understand what I'm talking about in the chapter where he makes comparisons between canine teeth among various carnivores, or tantalizes the reader with the "overwhelming" cave paintings at Chauvet which he had "obsessed over for several weeks" while writing. A few reproductions of the Alien or Jaws movie posters would have been a nice touch, as would pictures of dragons and other mythical beasts constantly referred to in the text. How about the people who took Quammen in and helped him write the book - it would've been nice to see them represented pictorially. And most obviously, where are the animals themselves? Beyond the useless maps all we get is a single, hypothetical algebraic equation on page 423 which supposedly defines what a keystone species is or isn't!
In spite of these unforgivable oversights the book deserves at least four stars and I've given it that, but should have only three if I were to base my rating on a strictly consumer standpoint because for the prices they're asking for books these days I feel slightly ripped off. Nevertheless, the writing is worthy of four or five stars so if that's all you care about, then you'll probably be happy depending on what you're looking for. As a travelogue and update on the current status of the four big-game animals represented here which are on the verge of extinction, it is a nice blend of background and current affairs. But if you're looking for a more in-depth analysis of the policies surrounding poaching, game reserves, hunting and preservation, then you'll find nothing new here. If you've come to this book like me because the sub-title topic sounded interesting you might not be 100% satisfied with what you were looking for, however you will probably discover new topics of interest to pursue elsewhere.
Overall, Quammen touches on a variety of complex subjects, but provides little more than an enticing introduction to them. They include ecology, conservation & preservation, game reserve management, zoology, poaching, habitat destruction, climate change, and the very serious matter of black markets for animal fetishes and "herbal medicines". There was enough material here for a larger book, or perhaps two or three volumes. I came away from this book wanting more, not less.
Quammen predicts that by the year 2150 there will be no more lions, tigers, or bears. 30,000 years of human/alpha-predator co-habitation will have ended. The question of what this means from a psychological standpoint is what this book attempts to answer and professes to focus upon, but succeeds more in describing current affairs and biology than in psychology, literary history, or mythology - as would be expected from a nature-writer. I'm not disappointed, but Monster of God is a meandering, tangential journey through the "jungles of history and the mind" through the eyes of a talented and knowledgable nature-writer who seems conflicted between viewing these "man-eaters" as great, mythical beasts with profound historical impact on human psychology, and seeing them more in the manner of some of the more jaded hunter personalities he encounters throughout: as either commodities, or simply, as nothing more or less than animals. The fact is that they're each disappearing because of human encroachment and the impacts of extinction are uncertain. Whether we respect, rever, or detest these great man-eaters most of us do in fact fear them out in the wild, even though most of those making decisions about their fates do not have deal with them day to day (another interesting side-subject which Quammen calls "the muskrat conundrum" where the poorest people live in dangerous proximity to these animals). And perhaps this is Quammen's point and question, that the "wild" is disappearing and without it or the actual remaining beasts that have formed a vital component of our mythology, history, and psychology what happens to us? Will we remain respectful, reverential human beings? Or become something else, something worse than a beast when our only fears are each other and sci-fi horror movies?
Book Description
Along the Bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh stretches a strange and beautiful flooded forest. This enchanted forest is called the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve and is home to more tigers than anywhere else on earth. There are said to be some five hundred tigers here. Nowhere else do tigers live in a mangrove swamp. And nowhere else do healthy tigers routinely hunt people. Yet about three hundred people are killed each year by the tigers of Sundarbans. No one knows why. The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans is a mystery story, but it is also a story about science and myth, about people and tigers, and about different ways of seeing the natural world. Sy Montgomery traveled to Sundarbans searching for answers to the mysteries surrounding these tigers. She listened to what scientists had to say about the unusual tiger behavior and to the stories of the villagers who revere the very animals who hunt them.
Customer Reviews:
Majestic Beasts.......2003-08-31
Men's fear and fascination of monsters have been with us since the dawn of time, and while the imagination of our forefathers was the main source for describing these beasts under the sea, up the snowy mountains or deep in the jungle, our technological and scientific age helped us to unravel a lot of these mysteries,and sadly bringing a lot of nature's animals to the brink of extinction in the process.
Yet, this fascination, and apprehension remain with us to this day.
While Jaws was responsible for keeping a lot of people out of the water for a while, me included, the portrayal of the great white shark was too over sensualized to be scientifically accurate, something author Peter Benchely tried desperately to redress years later.
The man eating Lions of Tsavo, were real yet a rarity in the history of man against 'beast, a historical incident that was all but forgotten, to be revived later with the film Ghost and Darkness.
Yet there is another animal out there, and most specifically in the Sundarban region of India, bordering Bangladesh, who also feasts on people each year, and who very little is known about, a mystery as dense as the region it inhabits,(one of the last true wilderness in the world,) the majestic tiger.
And to that end, Sy Montgomery has done a wondeful job in investigating this elusive animal, writing a unique book of its kind, that is part natural history, part detective story.
The Sundarban tigers are unlike any tigers in India, or in the world. They regularily attack humans, even snatching people from boats in the middle of the river.They are both feared and revered by the locals as creatures of divine power/source(a phenomenon that in itself has allowed many wild animals to coexist in relative peace with humans)
However, the plight of the tiger is one tragic story, (some subspecies extinct while others following suit in an alraming speed) and the impression I got from Montgomery's book is not one of fear, although there are some scary moments in the book,tracking the elusive tiger, but one of respect for this beautiful creature. An impression that convinced me these attacks were against people going inside the tiger's territory, invading its lair, as opposed to the well documented cases of man-eating leopards and wolfs that boldly invade human's territory.
Saving the Tiger at all costs is another impression I got from this book, a need that becomes ever more pressing, realizing the relenteless onslaught from loss of territory or poaching the tiger faces every day.
By all account buy this book, and I guarantee you too will be fascinated by the story of when that beautiful animal do what it is instinctively programmed to do to survive.
Cool!.......2001-12-19
I never knew that there are man-eating tigers until I read this book.On an island off the coast of India where for some reason the tigers eat people. Scientists don't know why. This book is very interesting and I recomend it!
Book Description
Attacks by bears, cougars, sharks, alligators, snakes, lions, tigers, and more
Customer Reviews:
Lions and tigers and bears and crocodiles and sharks, OH MY!.......2006-12-14
I ordered this book for a friend and it looked interesting. I decided to read it myself and LOVED it! Now I'm buying my own copy. It isn't as graphic as I expected - so it won't "gross you out." It gives tips on surviving bear attacks which I thought were very interesting. According to this book, there are two types of grizzly bear attacks. The DEFENSE attack happens when you surprise a bear, get close to cubs, or get close to it's kill that it is still feeding on when it gets hungry. This is the type attack where the advice is to "play dead" with your arms protecting your head. The PREDATOR attack is when the bear is hunting you. If you are grabbed out of your tent while you are sleeping or otherwise attacked without provocation you are probably thought of as "FOOD." The advice is to fight with anything you have or run. This book also covers the Tsavo man-eaters. These lions were the true inspiration for the movie "Ghost in the Darkness." This is a great read!
An interesting look at deadly animals.......2006-04-08
This entertaining and sometimes frightening book is a collection of personal accounts of man's run-ins with various deadly beasts. I found the chapters on bears and crocodiles were particularly engaging. Before reading this I believe I underestimated these animals. I was somewhat confused by the inclusion of elephants and venomous snakes, which while certainly dangerous do not qualify as the titular "Man Eaters."
I most enjoyed the more modern accounts of animal attacks. Some of these chapters were written before today's era of conservation and have the flavor of the "great white hunter" to them. While the gruesome nature of the human deaths described is disturbing, it is equally so to read one author's casual mention of his personal killing of "1400 elephants."
I would recommend the book because of several very good chapters, but there are certainly chapters which do not live up to my 4 star rating.
Some of the selections are terrific, others lame.......2004-10-22
Summary: A series of essays that revolve around the topic of dangerous animals and their life-threatening encounters with humans.
The book is divided into sections by animal; the first third of the book or so is devoted to bears, and there are also sections on lions, crocodiles, elephants, snakes, sharks, leopards, and cougars. By far the most entertaining material is to be found in the bear section, with other interesting stories about sharks and crocodiles. Some of the stories are told in the first person by the people who have had the harrowing experiences; others are more clinical in nature.
The Good and the Bad: Some of the essays were really excellent, particularly the ones told in the first person. The story of a geologist who lived after being partially eaten by a black bear was the best, and a journalistic story about a series of shark attacks was also very good. Another standout was the firsthand account of the lions of Tsavo. The scientific-sounding accounts, on the other hand, were generally boring, and redundant. The book would have been better with about five fewer selections.
What I learned: Snakes aren't really very dangerous, and will never pursue a man as prey. If you have to be attacked by an apex predator, a bear is preferable, as you have at least a chance of surviving. On the other hand, a crocodile is the worst, as a single bite generally ends your life.
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