History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

River of Blue Fire (Otherland, Volume 2)

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Pretty bad compared to the others
Possibly the most interesting of the Otherland Books
Otherland....Greatest Sci-Fi Series of All Time!
Enjoy the variety of many different VR simulations in an exciting tale!

River of Blue Fire (Otherland, Volume 2)
Tad Williams
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0886778441

Amazon.com

Tad Williams began his Otherland series with the massive City of Golden Shadow and continues it with the equally hefty River of Blue Fire. Williams says it will require four (big) books to tell his complex, multithreaded tale, and at the rate that the plot of this second novel moves, readers will see what he means. Not that the book is a slow read; in fact, River is as much a suspenseful page-turner as the first book.

As River opens, we join up again with the ragtag bunch of searchers trapped in an astoundingly detailed and frightfully dangerous virtual world known as Otherland. Lurking in disguise among the group is the brutally vicious serial killer Dread, trying to find information that will help him overthrow his Grail Brotherhood masters. The group follows a ubiquitous river through world after world, unable to go offline, and subject to the increasingly terrifying certainty that things in this supposedly virtual place are all too real. Meanwhile, Paul Jonas, an amnesic (but somehow pivotal) character fleeing from two sinister beings, finds more and more of his memory as he does his own Huck Finn river trip. As in the first novel, each new world that the characters enter, from Paleolithic Ice Age to something suspiciously like Oz, is fully realized and completely unpredictable.

Williams is a master at parceling out information to the reader in dribs and drabs, which is frustrating yet tantalizing, like a particularly good computer game. When the group is split up and the adventure divides further, the reader senses the author as a puppet master, following some incredibly complex flows of information. The best course is just to hang on and enjoy Williams's deft characterizations, lush descriptions, and wildly divergent plot. If you've ever been white-water rafting, you'll recognize the feeling. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

New York Times bestselling author Tad Williams presents...

The mass market edition of Volume Two...

"A powerful, near-future cyberthriller."--Booklist

"Williams proves himself as adept at writing science fiction as he is writing fantasy....Fascinating." --Publishers Weekly

"An exciting addition to the growing virtual reality literature."--Library Journal

* A bestselling author--New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, London Times, Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

After our intrepid group of investigators get deeper into the
conspiracy, they discover the vast, artificial computer network that is
involved. When they dive in, from their various locations, they find a
serious problem. They are not able to disconnect from their
environment, and are now on a quest to stay alive.

They meet more people on the way, but they do not know that a
psychopathic assassin is among them, with more control of the
environment, and an affinity for machines.

Pretty bad compared to the others.......2007-04-18

As a person who is in the middle of reading book three I can say that this is the weakest of them. This may sound strange, but I really recommend to only skim over any chapter that involves Orlando and Fredricks on the river with the Chief (trying to keep it vague to prevent spoilers). It's 4 or 5 chapters worth of absolutely boring content. I can't really even remember what it was about. All of it but the last chapter of the story line you should skip because it's a lot like Huckleberry Finn, but they never leave the boat and nothing interesting happens.

I almost lost hope and almost never went onto number three. I'd give the other books 5/5. This one really gets a three and a half, but there's no option.

Possibly the most interesting of the Otherland Books.......2006-08-28

In this book we finally get to see the Otherland network in some significant detail. I felt like many of the characters and themes were developed interestingly, and the worlds within the network at compelling. At the same time, it was a little frustrating because by the end of this volume I still had very little idea of what exactly was going on. Williams was very stingy with clues in this book, so while the story progresses, don't expect to have any better understanding of what's going on behind the scenes. You can only guess (and probably incorrectly) at the connections between the various themes and characters. Nevertheless, some of the best adventures and most interesting worlds (Bug World, Oz, the Kitchen, Abydos, London, Xanadu, Aerodromia, Venice...) appear hear.

Otherland....Greatest Sci-Fi Series of All Time!.......2005-09-12

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed reading the Otherland series. In my opinion, it is the greatest epic novel ever written, even better than Lord of the Rings. I particularly liked that it was a book that was relevant to our times; I think a lot of what Tad Williams wrote may come true in the not to distant future. I simply could not put it down. Although some have complained here that he bounced around too much from story line to story line or that he could have wrapped it up in just one or two novels, I think those readers are just lazy or are part of the "I want it now" generation. I really could have cared less if he ever ended the series; I enjoyed it that much.

I have been a fan of Stephen King, Tolkien, and Asimov, and have read almost all the books they wrote. However, Tolkien and Asimov are dead and King seems to have got tired of writing the kinds of books we all loved. Anyway, I was looking for someone to fill the void and ran across the Otherland series. Thanks to Tad Williams for filling the void!

Enjoy the variety of many different VR simulations in an exciting tale!.......2005-07-07

In this second installment in the Otherland series (which is meant to read as one LONG single novel) the plot is uncovered to some degree through the travels of the characters through the Otherland Network, which they are starting to understand in bits and pieces. While some people seem to be bored by the characters adventures through numerous and wildly varying simulations and seem to just want resolution to the story, I enjoy all the different lands and experiences the travelers go through and believe that Williams is the kind of writer that does not include a lot of frivolous things in his stories. Even parts of the story such as the giant kitchen land with humanesque utensils and foods helps to shed some light on the workings of the network as well as lead up to important steps toward resolution (remember the freezer).

Basically, you've got to read these books for the right reasons. They were authored and sold as works to shine a light on what might be possible in the not too distant future with virtual reality becoming more and more a part of our lives. These books are so popular because people are intrigued by the possiblities of VR and so it is not surprising that Williams includes a lot of different circumstances for the reader to appreciate what would be possible in a future such as this. Dont complain that you have to read through another chapter in another simulation, enjoy it!!

Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Great intro to Shin
Understanding Buddhism
Reading for Naturalness
A Great Introduction To Shin Buddhism
An excellent beginning

River of Fire, River of Water
Taitetsu Unno
Manufacturer: Image
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385485115
Release Date: 1998-04-13

Book Description

With great spiritual insight and unparalleled scholarship, Dr. Taitetsu Unno--the foremost authority in the United States on Shin or Pure Land Buddhism--introduces us to the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan. Unique among the various practices of Buddhism, this "new" form of spiritual practice is certain to enrich the growing practice of Buddhism in the United States, which is already quite familiar with Zen and Tibetan traditions. River of Fire, River of Water is the first introduction to the practice of Pure Land Buddhism from a trade publisher and is written for readers with or without prior experience with it.

The Pure Land tradition dates back to the sixth century c.e., when Buddhism was first introduced in Japan. Unlike Zen, its counterpart which flourished in remote monasteries, the Pure Land tradition was the form of Buddhism practiced by common people. Consequently, its practice is harmonious with the workings of daily life, making it easily adaptable for seekers today. Despite the difference in method, though, the goal of Pure Land is the same as other schools--the awakening of the true self.

Certain to take its place alongside great works such as Three Pillars of Zen, The Miracle of Mindfulness, and Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind--River of Fire, River of Water is an important step forward for American Buddhism.

Customer Reviews:

Great intro to Shin .......2007-09-19

This book by far is the best in explaining Shin Buddhism and the Pure Land tradition. Also what really makes this book really nice is it isn't too complicated and has personal expirence throughout it. No longer do I carry missconceptions about this wonderful tradition. This gets 5 stars and has changed a Zen Buddhist's(that's me) ideas on once thought of as lazy chanting group.

Understanding Buddhism.......2006-11-06

Excellent English translation and interpretation of Buddhist prophets. The author enhances the understanding of Buddhism with modern day examples applied to ancient Buddhist philosophy and thought.

Reading for Naturalness.......2006-07-03

There are religious books you read for information and there are books that you not so much read as wade in them, the way after a long hike, you take your shoes off and wade in the cool waters of a mountain stream. This is one of those books. Taitetsu Unno takes up different topics, at random it seems, and passes them through Shin Budhism's unhurried, all-accepting gaze. When so many of the world's major religions seem to have spun off violent and hate-filled offspring, it is wonderful to learn about a way of humility that recognizes and can live at ease with human limits, a way of trust and surrender that does not relinquish the duty to act responsibly. This small book doesn't tell you about faith and gratitude and compassion as much as it gradually reveals to you its eternal presence in you.

A Great Introduction To Shin Buddhism.......2004-01-06

(4.75 Stars)

I need and want to read more about Pure Land Buddhism as I can't yet put into words what Shin Buddhism is. I know when I read reviews I like to fully know what the book is about etc and to be honest I cannot fully explain it, but I really enjoyed this.

I was unfamiliar with Shin Buddhism and actually after reading this book I want to know more.

I at first thought that Amida Buddha was a Christ type figure and that this sect of Buddhist worship him in that same way that Christians worship Christ.

Taitetsu Unno is a great story teller. I love the way this book is written. He compares aspects of Shin Buddhism with like or comparable aspects of other religions to help you understand. This is done in a non-competitive way and non-judgmental way that is so refreshing and helpful that you really get a good understanding of the concepts, ideas and feel of Shin.

Taitetsu Unno shares with the reader his own experiences, thoughts and feelings and I felt welcome on each page. The personal stories, examples and tales really helped me to understand with my head and heart - and it left me wanting to know more and wanting to share and be part of the namu-amida-butsu.

An excellent beginning.......2003-05-07

Rev. Taitetsu Unno is part of an esteemed family of Shin Buddhist teachers, priests, and scholars. So it's not surprising that someone of his background should create one of the best introductory texts on the subject.

This book's title comes from a Pure Land parable which encapsulates the premise of faith in "other power", namely that of Amida Buddha, which can best be described as the 'ur-Buddha' from whom all Dharmic wisdom and compassion springs. Specifically, Rev. Unno is writing here about the Jodo Shinshu school, one of the great schools of Japanese Buddhism which sprang from the Kamakura period of that nation's history, in the 12th and 13th centuries. Jodo Shinshu is, in fact, one of the largest sects of Mahayana Buddhism, but in the West is little-known outside of the Japanese ethnic community. But despite this ethnic concentration, the Shin faith is more or less a "Buddhism for Joe Average", irrespective of ones' skin color or land of origin.

The book is very well-written, and also well-organized given the amount...and often, complexity...of the information it imparts. Rev. Unno deftly opens up the teachings of Jodo Shinshu to anyone who might wish to learn, or for that matter might simply be curious. He deals excellently with both the historical perspective of this school, as well as the more complex philosophical issues posed by the Nembutsu-faith as well as its place in the mainstream of Mahayana thought.

Shin Buddhism is truly a faith that anyone can follow, without the complexities of what is referred to as "the path of difficult practice". And likewise, "River of Fire, River of Water" provides an uncomplex point of entry into this rich and enriching path. For anyone starting down this path, I would have to say that this...along with Dr. Kenneth Tanaka's "Ocean"...makes for an excellent point from which to begin. I recommend it unconditionally.

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Seawolf Veteran Comments

Rich on Anecdotes but Lacking in Substance
Fire from the Sky: Seawolf Gunships in the Mekong Delta
Richard C. Knott
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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U.S.Navy Seawolves: The Elite HAL-3 Helicopter Squadron in Vietnam

Seawolves: First Choice

Seawolf28: Branded a Maverick as a Junior Officer this is a true account of naval aviation as seen through the eyes of one of the most decorated Navy pilots of the Vietnam era

To the Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam

Flying Through Midnight: A Pilot's Dramatic Story of His Secret Missions Over Laos During the Vietnam War

ASIN: 1591144477

Book Description

This is the dramatic history of the HAL-3 Seawolves, the U.S. Navy's first and only helicopter gunship squadron of the Vietnam War. The squadron was established "in country" to support the fast, pugnacious river patrol boats of the brown water navy. Flying combat-worn Hueys borrowed from the Army, the mission of the Seawolves quickly expanded to include rapid response air support to any friendly force in the Delta needing immediate, no-holds-barred assistance. Operating in two-plane detachments from specifically configured LSTs, hastily constructed bases, and primitive campsites, the navy gunships and their crews responded to calls within minutes. Flying in all kinds of weather, day and night, they arrived at tree-top level with forward-firing rockets and flex-guns blazing. Door gunners hung outside the violently maneuvering helicopters delivering a hail of fire with their hand-held M-60 machine guns. The Seawolves inserted SEALs deep into enemy territory, and extracted them, often despite savage enemy opposition. They rescued friendly combatants from almost certain capture or death, and evacuated the wounded when Medevac helicopters were not available.

Gleaned from historical documents and the colorful recollections of more than sixty Seawolf warriors, this is the first complete history of the most decorated Navy squadron of the Vietnam War. Naval aviator Richard Knott recounts the story of the Seawolves from the dawning of the concept to the moment the last squadron commander turned out the lights.

Customer Reviews:

Seawolf Veteran Comments.......2006-07-13

This is an excellent read. The facts are what they are and adequately support the "Sea Stories". Outstanding documentation and photos which gives the writer a grip on the reality of the Vietnam era warfare. It was especially gratifying to have the author go to extreme effort to conduct the personal interviews rather than just "wing it".

Gerhard E. Skaar
CAPT/USN/RET
Naval Aviator
HA(L)3, Det. 5 1969-70

Rich on Anecdotes but Lacking in Substance.......2005-11-16

The Vietnam War was the first conflict since the American Civil War where the U.S. Navy fought extensively along rivers. Riverine warfare demanded new technology and tactics, and the U.S. Navy responded to these challenges with remarkable rapidity. It quickly deployed a river patrol boat (PBR) based on a commercial design that drew only 9-18 inches of water and was powered by water jets. Fast and heavily armed with .50-caliber machine guns, the PBR proved very effective at interdicting enemy watercraft along the shallow tributaries of the Mekong River. The unarmored, fiberglass patrol boats, however, also turned out to be vulnerable to enemy firepower, especially machine guns and recoilless rifles. To protect the PBR force, the Navy developed the first and only light helicopter attack squadron in its history: the HA(L)-3 "Seawolves." Initially, these helicopters provided quick response close air support for the PBRs of Task Forces116 and 117, but eventually their role expanded to include medical evacuation, special operations, and air support for friendly forces in the Mekong Delta requiring assistance.

Fire from the Sky traces the Navy's Vietnam experience with light attack helicopters from the deployment of two Hueys on a landing ship dock Belle Grove (LSD-2) in 1966 through the disestablishment of HA(L)-3 on 16 March 1972. A retired U.S. Navy officer, and former editor of Naval Aviation News magazine, the author has written three other books on naval aviation topics, including a history of Navy Catalina patrol bombers in World War II.

In his acknowledgments, the author reveals he wrote this book as a Ramsey Fellow at the National Air & Space Museum, and benefited greatly from unit history records held by the Naval Historical Center's Aviation History Branch. He also interviewed numerous Seawolf veterans, including many of the unit's commanding and executive officers.

Given the author's substantive credentials and his access to oral history material, this reader expected a definitive history of the Seawolves-a book similar to Carol Reardon's recently published history of Naval Attack Squadron 75 in 1972, Launch the Intruders (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2005). In short, a book that blends operational history derived from an exhaustive examination of official documents with personal experiences gleaned from oral history. What I discovered was a book that contained some colorful descriptions of various actions, but not much else.

The Naval Historical Center recently declassified troves of documents on the activities of the Commander Naval Forces Vietnam (COMNAVFORV) and its subordinate units, including the records the River Patrol Force (TF-116) and the Mobile Riverine Force (TF-117). Knott never once refers to these documents, which include detailed action reports covering many the engagements chronicled in his book, as well as intelligence reports, monthly summaries, statistics, and other information useful for connecting HA(L)-3 to the broader war effort. Instead, he relies mainly on historical chronologies produced by HA(L)-3 and oral history to re-construct the unit's operations. As consequence, the book often struggles to place the activities of HA(L)-3 in a larger context. We learn a great deal about numerous small actions fought by helicopters and the derring-do of various pilots and door gunners but very little about how these efforts contributed to broader U.S. Navy operations such as Game Warden or Sea Lords. How effective were the Seawolves in protecting the PBRs and other small boats that plied the dangerous waterways of the Mekong River Delta? Was HA(L)-3 a force multiplier or an expensive luxury redundant with other air assets in the region?

Lack of context and broader analysis aside, I thought this book, given its heavy reliance on oral history, would at least illuminate the institutional culture of the Seawolves. However, even the book's combat descriptions come across as pedestrian because of the author's failure to develop his characters more fully. Unlike Reardon, who probes deeply into her dramatis personae, even going so far as to interview spouses, Knott rarely provides insights into the social backgrounds or ideology of the men who fought in the Seawolves. The light attack helicopter mission is not a traditional role for a U.S. Navy pilot. It's one more commonly associated with the ground services. How did Navy pilots fare in this role and how did their unique backgrounds help or hinder them in this strange role?

As the U.S. Navy enters the fourth year of the Global War on Terrorism, the service is once again taking a look at non-traditional missions such as riverine warfare. It developed the SH-60R, "Strikehawk," in response to deficiencies in attack helicopter aviation identified in the First Gulf War. This new helicopter carries offensive and defensive weapons, including Hellfire Missiles and .50-caliber machine guns. A comprehensive operational history of HA(L)-3 is therefore needed to help the Navy's leadership develop effective doctrine for this new helicopter. Unfortunately, this book will neither satisfy Navy leaders nor scholars of the Vietnam War. Written primarily as a tribute to the HA(L)-3 and its veterans, readers will find some interesting accounts of small actions as told by the people who fought in them but little information of substance on the broader contribution made by this squadron to the Navy's overall war effort in Vietnam.

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repetition of her first book
Overwrought Fluff
Another keeper!!
Exceptional Read and An Outstanding Newer Author
deep character study

Where the River Runs
Patti Callahan Henry
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451215052

Book Description

Meridy Dresden was once a free-spirited, fun-loving girl. All that changed when the boy she loved was killed in a tragic fire. Now, years later, Meridy must return to the South Carolina Low Country and summon the courage to make a decision that may destroy everything she's worked so hard to protect-including her heart.

Customer Reviews:

repetition of her first book.......2007-10-05

I enjoyed the author's debut novel "Losing the Moonn" but this one disappointed me. It was very similar to her first novel....and I am frankly getting a little tired of the women "remaining true to themselves" and "first love" themes that seem to dominate every book of hers..to the point that it is getting repetetive. We get it, Patti. We women should always remain true to ourselves, and never sell ourselves short, but also never adapt, change, accomodate etc. etc. and when we "recover what we have lost"--and in many of her novels it is not quite clear what exactly these women have lost--we always need to flirt with our former lovers to do so. So please do us a favor..you write beautifully.. so why dont tackle something different for a change? There are already enough Oprah-backed authors who churn out such rediscovery stuff for women with middle-aged angst.

Overwrought Fluff.......2007-08-22

This book has a very promising start. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to that promise. Henry's writing quickly descends into overwrought, at times maudlin, prose. In some of the reviews of her books Henry has been compared to Pat Conroy. While her writing is evocative of the South, it doesn't have the substance and control that Conroy's does. Some of the sentences in this book that were meant to convey a sense of melancholy, a regret for things lost, actually made me laugh because they were just too overdone. We're meant to feel sympathy and empathy for the main character, Meridy, but the author managed to make her seem spoiled and selfish instead of sympathetic. If you want to read truly lyrical, evocative, well written prose about the South, stick with Pat Conroy or Lee Smith.

Another keeper!!.......2005-10-11

I will be the first to admit that I just love these Fiction For the Way We Live series ~~ and this one is definitely one of the best books of this fall!! I have been in a reading slump for a long time ~~ and this book really took me out of it and into a different world. I just love it!!

This book is set in the Lowcountry region between Georgia and South Carolina. The Gullah proverb: "If you don't know where you are going, you should know where you came from" is the basis of this book. Meridy Dresden finds herself at loose ends when her son, BJ, is off at college and her husband, Beau, is immersed in a trial that he has been working on for over two years. Meridy takes a trip home to Seaboro and not only was it a trip home, it was a journey to rediscover that young vibrant girl that she feared had died along with her best friend who died tragically the night they graduated from high school.

Tulu, her former housekeeper and part nanny, shared with Meridy proverbs about the Gullah culture and shared with her some stories to help Meridy find her way back to having peace within her heart. Meridy embarks on that journey with fear and trepidation after all, it could ruin everything she has worked very hard for.

This book is written with lyrical prose and lovely scene-writing ~~ it makes me keep coming back for more. It was a soothing read too ~~ in today's frantic world, this book set a slower pace and made me sit and relax. It is about a woman embarking on self-discovery, her relationship with her mother and sister, best friend and husband. It is enlightening read and very emotional in spots. It is a book that I would recommend to everyone who loves reading this kind of book. It's perfect for those long dark winter nights ahead ~~ the book is set in summer and the warmth of the novel will linger long after the last page has been turned.

10-10-05

Exceptional Read and An Outstanding Newer Author.......2005-05-07

When she was growing up Meridy McFadden Dresden was a free-spirited, dare devil, fun-loving tomboy. Meridy and her two best friends grew up enjoying and living in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and all through school were inseparable busily charting out a life after college - it was all perfectly planned out. In one terrible moment all those fanciful dreams dissolved and her idyllic existence was changed in a matter of minutes with the death of her best friend killed in a tragic fire the night of their high school graduation. It was a night that changed Meridy's life.

Years later, Meridy is older, wiser and leads what appears to be a charmed life. Married to a handsome successful lawyer, she has a beautiful son with an athletic scholarship to Vanderbilt, the perfect house, and a perfectly scandal free life. Troubled, and looking for answers a trip back home would reopen wounds that had never healed as she discovered that the tragic events of that fateful night and the memories she buried along with her heart and who she was, have come back. With the help of her old Gullah housekeeper Meridy rediscovers pieces of her past and a friend who forces her to confront the pain in order to deal with the challenges she faces in her future as she summons the courage to make a decision that may destroy a life she's worked so hard to protect - including her heart.

*** As I write this review I question whether I can adequately put together the words ample enough to describe just how really great this book was. The beautiful images evoked by this authors lyrical prose and the emotional intensity of feelings she invoked are what separates writers from passable to simply outstanding and it is in this latter category that this relatively new author stands. This is simply an outstanding honest look at one woman's journey of rediscovering who she truly was as she discovered that you can return home again, especially if it means finding the most important things you seem to have lost along the way - like yourself. This is definitely recommended reading for intelligent readers who want to bask themselves in a splendidly lyrical and heart tugging read!

--- Marilyn, for www.allromancewriters.com ----

deep character study.......2005-05-04

Meridy Dresden is married to her college sweetheart and lives in an upscale home in Atlanta. She experience empty nest syndrome because their only child is at college while her spouse is busy on a case that will make him a partner in a prestigious law firm. She loves her husband, but feels disconnected from him as if their relationship is a façade.

Meridy learns from her mother that her childhood friend Tim is being asked to pay for the reconstruction of Keeper's Cottage; the townsfolk blame him for destroying it on graduation night. She returns to her hometown of Seaboro in the Low Country to set the record straight. While at home, she feels reborn as she opens up for the first since her high school boyfriend died. Now Meridy believes she owes her husband the truth about her life before him and prays he accepts and loves the real Meridy.

WHERE THE RIVER RUNS stars a beautiful woman who seems to have it all, but feels empty and only going through the motion of living. In returning to her home town, Meridy concludes that she must face all the aspects of her past that she buried even from herself if she is to become a whole person again. Fans of Anne River Siddens will want to read Patti Callahan Henry's deep character study.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

excellant characters and great story
A Historical, Mystery, Romance
This is more like it!
Good story, well written, but not very engaging to me...
Superb - Truly Romantic - a Can't-Put-it-Down Book

River of Fire (Fallen Angels)
Mary Jo Putney
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451188640

Book Description

Rebel, soldier, hero and spy, Kenneth Wilding-the Demon Warrior-returns from the Napoleonic wars to an empty title and a ravaged estate. A stranger offers financial salvation in return for Kenneth's entering the household of England's greatest artist to unmask a terrible crime. But he also discovers a dangerous new way of life-and an irresistible woman.

Customer Reviews:

excellant characters and great story.......2007-06-27

mary jo putney is a great story teller and bring her characters to life for the reader

A Historical, Mystery, Romance.......2006-08-07

Both Kenneth Wilding and Rebecca Seaton are very interesting characters but this book moves at a much slower pace than most of Mary Jo Putney's other books. And although it is a historical romance, there is a mystery to be solved. It's a good read, just not my favorite.

This is more like it!.......2006-06-06

After waiting for two years to collect the Fallen Angels books (so that I could read them all in a row), I've been very dissapointed in the series so far, with the exception of THUNDER AND ROSES. Now, after reading RIVER OF FIRE, my faith in Putney's writing ability is restored.

My main complaints with a lot of the other books in the Fallen Angels series was that the love story would get shoved onto the back burner while the mystery/intrigue took centre stage. This really annoyed me, as I want the romance to be the central theme in the story. That's why I read romance, and not historical fiction, because I want a story that is primarily a love story. RIVER OF FIRE delivers on that front. However, if you want a mystery where the villian is less obvious, then you might be a bit dissapointed. Yet, even though I had a pretty good idea who the villian was, Putney still kept me turning pages. The final showdown with the villian was well-executed. When I reached the last few chapters of the book I just couldn't put it down.

The characters were both well-drawn, and ones that I cared about. I cheered for them to get together. They were both flawed in human ways, but not overly flawed as to be unlikeable. That's a difficult balance for an author to strike, and I applaud Putney for a job well done. I also liked the peek into the art world. As someone who has studied music, much of what she said about painting (like how the desire to create art is like a fire in the blood) made sense to me. The way Putney used a shared love of art to draw the characters together reminded me a lot of the way she used nature to to do the same thing in THE WILD CHILD.

It should be noted that while this book is part of a series (book six), RIVER OF FIRE also works as a stand-alone. Though characters from previous books do make appearances, the reader won't be left feeling confused at all. And there are no loose threads to be tied up in the next book. I wasn't left with any questions at the end.

Not the best work Putney has ever done, but RIVER OF FIRE is a very enjoyable read, and I do recommend it. Other worthy works by this author include THE WILD CHILD, THE RAKE, and SILK AND SHADOWS.

Good story, well written, but not very engaging to me..........2006-05-31

I wanted to try a Mary Jo Putney novel because of all the wonderful things I've heard of her Regencies. I found River of Fire at the bookstore and the plot seemed interesting. River of Fire, while well written and historically accurate, failed to enthrall me. More on that later. Kenneth Wilding, Lord Kimball, has returned from the Napoleonic wars and finds that he and his sister are about to lose their estate. But luck changes when a gentleman offers to pay for his debts in return for working as Sir Anthony's secretary. Bowden suspects that Sir Anthony, his brother and a famous and praised artist, had killed his own wife and Bowden wants to gather evidence that would find him guilty. Bowden is aware of Kenneth's spy-like abilities when he was at war and has no doubt that he will do the job well. Kenneth has no choice but to accept the assignment. Besides, he too loves art, but has repressed his desire to expose his talent due to his late father's objection to such a thing. In his new job he meets Rebecca Seaton, Sir Anthony's daughter. She lives as a hermit after her reputation was ruined when she almost eloped with a poet. Rebecca and Kenneth share a common passion and talent for painting and an attraction between them is almost immediate. However, Kenneth has a job to do -- to gather incriminating evidence against Rebecca's father. How would she feel if she found out that Lord Kimball is working for her father under false pretenses? There are some twists throughout the novel.

I like the way the author describes the art world and how unconventional they are during this time period. According to the author, Sir Anthony's career gives him license to behave improperly and in scandal, for it makes him all the more eccentric and admired. He and his late wife had engaged in some scandalous behavior, including taking on lovers on the side, and their daughter is well used to their gatherings and colorful ways. The time period is quite well written and I was impressed with the author's ability to create plausible plot devices that would fit with the Regency era. The suspense plot is well done as well. I had an idea who the real killer was long before it was resolved, but I was still impressed with its execution. However, despite all that, I wasn't very engaged with the novel and its characters. I expected a more complex hero in Kenneth. He is a war veteran, a scarred one at that, who had lost the love of his life in Spain, and I expected something more palatable because of those things. Rebecca is all right as a heroine, but the author spends too much time telling the reader that she's an eccentric and a gifted painter instead of showing that she is those things. I also thought that she and Kenneth lacked chemistry and I didn't find their love to be very believable. This is obviously part of a series and the reader gets a lot of back story without much detail. I hate when I pick up a book without knowing that it's part of a series. Ah, well, River of Fire failed to enthrall me, but I have not given up on Mary Jo Putney. I will give her another chance because her historical writing is pretty good. Perhaps a Putney read will have more stars from me next time...

Superb - Truly Romantic - a Can't-Put-it-Down Book.......2005-06-01

I can't imagine any negative remarks at all about this intelligent and superbly-written book. It was fascinating from the start. The romance was beautiful, secondary characters were interesting and I found it to be one of the better romances I have enjoyed from many years of reading.

We learn much about an artist's world in history. This was a good enjoyable and good read.

Average customer rating:

gorgeous, lush and beautiful book
Eye Candy

Pele and the Rivers of Fire
Michael Nordenstrom
Manufacturer: Bess Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1573060798

Book Description

Color-rich paint and paper collages, and playful easy-to-read text bring the story of Pele to life for children in Pele and the Rivers of Fire by Michael Nordenstrom. The book introduces Hawaii's beloved volcano goddess and her siblings to young readers in an inspiring tale about personal strength and over coming adversity.

Customer Reviews:

gorgeous, lush and beautiful book.......2002-11-06

This is a beautiful, engaging book with amazing collages in vivid colors. I truly enjoyed reading it and looking at the pictures.

Eye Candy.......2002-10-02

Pele and the Rivers of Fire is a beautiful story of Pele, the goddess of fire. This children's book is for anyone, childern or adults, who appreciate stunning artwork, and stories about Polynesian folklore. One of my favorite parts of the book is the glossary. It teaches you how to say the Hawaiin words and my kids have since been running around the house calling each other pahoehoe (PAH hoy hoy) and Lo'ihi (LOH ee hee.) It's a great bedtime read and will undoubtedly be passed on to future generations.

The Call of the Wild, White Fang & To Build a Fire (Modern Library Classics)

Average customer rating:

Jack London's Finest Fictional Work (?)
Call of the Wild
Tim's Book Review For White Fang
Three classics in one!

The Call of the Wild, White Fang & To Build a Fire (Modern Library Classics)
Jack London
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 037575251X
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Book Description

Fiction        U.S.A. $7.95
Canada $10.95

To this day Jack London is the most widely read American writer in the world," E. L. Doctorow wrote in The New York Times Book Review. Generally considered to be London's greatest achievement, The Call of the Wild brought him international acclaim when it was published in 1903. His story of the dog Buck, who learns to survive in the bleak Yukon wilderness, is viewed by many as his symbolic autobiography. "No other popular writer of his time did any better writing than you will find in The Call of the Wild," said H. L. Mencken. "Here, indeed, are all the elements of sound fiction."
        White Fang (1906), which London conceived as a "complete antithesis and companion piece to The Call of the Wild," is the tale of an abused wolf-dog tamed by exposure to civilization. Also included in this volume is "To Build a Fire," a marvelously desolate short story set in the Klondike, but containing all the elements of a classic Greek tragedy.
        "The quintessential Jack London is in the on-rushing compulsive-ness of his northern stories," noted James Dickey. "Few men have more convincingly examined the connection between the creative powers of the individual writer and the unconscious drive to breed and to survive, found in the natural world. . . . London is in and committed to his creations to a degree very nearly unparalleled in the composition of fiction."

Download Description

Generally considered to be London's greatest achievement, The Call of the Wild brought him international acclaim when it was published in 1903. His story of the dog Buck, who learns to survive in the bleak Yukon wilderness, is viewed by many as his symbolic autobiography. White Fang (1906), which London conceived as a "complete antithesis and companion piece to The Call of the Wild," is the tale of an abused wolf-dog tamed by exposure to civilization.

Customer Reviews:

Jack London's Finest Fictional Work (?).......2005-04-30

These three stories are amongst London's best fictional works- some say they *are* the best, especially, "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang", it all depends on one's taste, of course, but rest assured, these stories are gripping and the intrigue of their moving plots keeps one glued to the book.

As a freind once said of "Call..." and "...Fang": "These are just about the two doggone best [canine] stories I have ever had the pleasure to read!". Indeed.

All three stories are set in Alaska during the gold rush days of the late 1800's and London spent time there to absorb the feeling of this beautiful, but unforgiving land. He is so descriptive of the landscape, one feels like they are there themselves. This is the magic of London's writing- he so expertly drops the reader right into the scenery and the characters. Indeed, we see and feel what they see and feel- even the animals- especially, the animals, for they have personalities that engage and create both sympathy and admiration for their trials, tribulations and triumphs. London is one of those that the measure of literary genius is judged by and taking in just about any of his works will demonstrate why.

The basic storyline of the "The Call of the Wild" has a dog named "Buck" who is living in a comfortable setting in California, suddenly yanked away by black-market dog thieves who are selling them to the ravenous needs of the gold prospector's supply market where they are then pressed into the tortuous dogsled industry. Buck eventually gets free and joins his native soul-brothers, the wolves. From the human world back to his ancestral roots, hence, the calling of the wild instinct.

"White Fang" is the antithesis of Buck`s situation: a wolf pup raised partly by Indians, wolves, and eventually being absorbed all the way into the human world... you guessed it, in California where he settles into the same basic comfortable world that Buck was torn from. The tale of how that turn-of-events happens is as engaging as Buck's story.

"To Build A Fire" is a very short read and describes a man and the unforgiving, harsh winter of the Alaskan outback. He finds himself trapped by an intense snow storm and soon realizes that this normally easy trek is turning dangerous. What will happen? London skillfully gives us the psychological drama of harsh realities setting in.

For those that have not yet taken in any of London's work, this book is a good place to start. One might then want to take in more, including London's non-fictional work.

Call of the Wild.......2003-01-31

I thougth that it was a good book. There is some good action in it but at the same time its a very sad book. Although the character is a dog you can relate to him how he is a outcast and no one likes him to learning the way of the wild and becoming a good sled dog. He is a fast learner to the law of club and fang and is a strong leader. This was a good book with a great ending and i would suggest reading it.

Tim's Book Review For White Fang.......2001-10-25

The book White Fang was about a wolf-dog that lived with his
owner.Then one day his master got drunk by drinking and his master
sold him to a mean man.

Three classics in one!.......2000-07-29

I remember reading "To Build a Fire" in school in eighth grade. It is a fairly short story about a man travelling in extremely cold conditions who falls in a creek and, in order to stay alive, has to build a fire. It by itself is a great story, but along with "White Fang" and "The Call of the Wild," this is just an excellent book for anyone who likes life and death struggles and, well, dogs and wolves.

Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America

Average customer rating:

For what it is, it isn't bad
History Light
Great book
Concise Book
Useless and Biased

Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America
John Charles Chasteen
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0393050483

Amazon.com

Made up of 20 very different countries, Latin America has sometimes been treated as though it were a homogeneous unit, one mired in poverty and political instability. University of North Carolina scholar John Charles Chasteen's sweeping history of the region imparts a sense of how diverse--ethnically, linguistically, culturally--Latin America truly is, and of how that part of the world is rapidly changing, mostly for the better. (For example, he writes, "in 1980 most governments of the region were dictatorships of various descriptions. In 2000, elected governments rule almost everywhere.")

Chasteen observes that, although Latin America came into being under the imperial aegis of a few European powers, principally Spain and Portugal, it quickly branched into sometimes conflicting regions with widely differing ideas of economic development and government. He goes on to examine the careers of some of Latin America's most important historical figures, among them Simon Bolivar, who spread a revolutionary gospel of independence throughout the hemisphere, and Lázaro Cárdenas, the Mexican president who, in 1938, nationalized the oil industry and set his nation on a difficult course toward economic self-government. Of particular interest is Chasteen's consideration of the many reasons Latin American governments have clashed with that of the United States--among them disenchantment over the 1947 Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Germany at enormous cost, while offering almost no assistance to needy Latin American allies.

Designed as an undergraduate textbook, Chasteen's survey offers a useful overview of a region that, although of growing importance in world affairs, remains little understood. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

A concise, integrated, chronological narrative--includes all the high points of Latin American history while exploring its complexities. This amazingly brief history of Latin America will delight any reader. Fully informed by the latest scholarship, this cleverly written survey spans six centuries and covers twenty countries. John Charles Chasteen presents a compelling narrative of the Latin American experience, animated by stories about men and women from all walks of life, and enriched by insightful analysis. The famous and not so famous characters of Latin America are here: Cortes, Malinche, Moctezuma, Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz, Bolivar, Father Manuel Hidalgo, Juan and Evita Peron, and, of course, Che Guevara. This is a story of despair and hope, the processes of conquest and colonization, race mixing and class construction, revolution and republic formation, and the elusive quests for sustained economic growth and political and social equality. This beautifully written, concise history will be especially valuable for business and recreational travelers on their way to Latin America.

Customer Reviews:

For what it is, it isn't bad.......2007-10-10

I am reading this book for a class on Independence and Nationalism in Latin America and find that it is only appropriate for a very general survey of Latin American history. It is, perhaps, too concise! It is, however, informative and a very simple read. Chasteen wanted to make a history of Latin America readable and approachable and this book is definitely both. I would recommend this text with reservations. It paints a picture that is somewhat biased and full of holes. As an introductory reader, however, it succeeds.

Would have given it a four-star rating, but the edition pictured (2006, second edition) is riddled with typographical errors. The index cites pages that are either blank or diagrams not related to the terms. Not exactly helpful! For example, the entry for Diego Rivera points to page 215, which is BLANK. The other side of the page (216) is in fact a mural by Rivera, but what gives?

History Light.......2007-05-21

You have probably seen movies about Che Guevera or Eva Peron, but do you know in which countries they had influence? You probably know how the Cold War affected U.S. policy in Asia, but do you know how it affected Latin America? You may know about European immigrants living in New York or Chicago, but did you know they flocked to Latin America as well? If the answer to these questions is "no," you need this book. It is a quick, easy read, covering more than 500 years in a little over 300 pages. Of course, details are sparse, but it is an excellent way to gain a basic understanding of our neighbors to the south. I was particularly glad to see segments that told about the lives of particular groups in Latin America since its European conquest to present including minority groups and women. Ever had Moctezuma's revenge? Now you can find out why Moctezuma is so angry!

Great book.......2007-03-09

This is a very good book for Latin American history. Have used it for tests/quizzes and have no gotten uner a B. Provides and takes you through Latin American history.

Concise Book.......2006-03-08

I was assigned to read this book for my class in Latin American Studies. I especially liked the time line the author inserts before chapter 1 and the time lines he inserts for each period. The information in this book is extensive and serves well as a textbook.

Useless and Biased.......2005-12-28

I had to read this book for a course on Latin America. The author is clearly very biased, if you agree with him you will most likely enjoy the book. Chasteen often states his opinions as fact, stating several times that marxism would have been a better option for Latin American countries (how well did this work in the USSR?) Also, he skips over details that don't support his thesis; while he goes in great detail describing the killing and torture commited by government forces, he never acknowledges the torture and murders commited by guerrilla forces.

The book does cover a great deal of history, but the excessive bias takes away from the credibility of the text and the learning experience. I would reccomend finding a book that focuses more on fact than opinion.

The Ballad of Little River: A Tale of Race and Restless Youth in the Rural South

Average customer rating:

Sad to say my family got brought into this book
brilliant depiction of the american outback
racism born from despair
The Ballad of Little of Anything
Why burn a church?

The Ballad of Little River: A Tale of Race and Restless Youth in the Rural South
Paul Hemphill
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Leaving Birmingham: Notes of a Native Son (Deep South Books)

ASIN: 0684856824

Book Description

Except for a massacre of five hundred settlers by renegade Creek Indians in the early 1800s, not much bad had happened during two centuries in Little River, Alabama, an obscure Lost Colony in the swampy woodlands of To Kill a Mockingbird country. "We're stuck down here being poor together" is how one native described the hamlet of about two hundred people, half black and half white. But in 1997, racial violence hit Little River like a thunderclap. A young black man was killed while trying to break into a white family's trailer at night, a beloved white store owner was nearly bludgeoned to death by a black ex-convict, and finally a marauding band of white kids torched a black church and vandalized another during a drunken wilding soon after a Ku Klux Klan rally.

The Ballad of Little River is a narrative of that fateful year, an anatomy of one of the many church arsons across the South in the late 1990s. It is also much more -- a biography of a place that seemed, on the cusp of the millennium, stuck in another time. When veteran journalist Paul Hemphill, the son of an Alabama truck driver who has written extensively on the blue-collar South, moved into Little River, he discovered the flip side of what the natives like to call "God's country": a dot on the map far from the mainstream of American life, a forlorn cluster of poverty and ignorance and dead-end jobs in the dark, snake-infested forests, a world that time forgot.

Living alongside the citizens of Little River, Hemphill discovered a stew of characters right out of fiction -- "Peanut" Ferguson, "Doll" Boone, "Hoss" Mack, Joe Dees, Murray January, a Klansman named "Brother Phil," and his stripper wife known as "Wild Child" -- swirling into a maelstrom of insufferable heat, malicious gossip, ancient grudges, and unresolved racial animosities. His story of how their lives intertwined serves, as well, as a chilling cautionary tale about the price that must be paid for living in virtual isolation during a time of unprecedented growth in America. God's country is in deep trouble.

Customer Reviews:

Sad to say my family got brought into this book.......2007-09-05

It's hard for me to describe. I find it a nice story to read, but I feel it would be better if I did not know the truth. I spent the first 19 years of my life in and around Little River. I have 2 uncles there and my family live off County Road 59 and have for over 100 years. We are the Lamberts. And as much as I am enjoying the book thus far, I deeply regret the way he portrays my paralyzed uncle. The facts are far from right. My uncle was driving his truck, there were NOT 2 trucks "drag racing", the truck that hit my uncle was my uncle and dad's DRIVER, as my family OWNED the business he portrayed as being owned by someone else.

We spent a long time at Dixie Landing fishing on weekends, and my uncle and dad spent 16 years playing at Frosty Acres as the River Road Band. They still live down there. I moved to Huntsville 7 years ago with my own family, but still make frequent trips to South Alabama. This man will never understand our life there, where time stands still, and family is family regardless of whatever quarrels might go on.

Thank you for a good read, but next time, why not ASK the people whom you are talking about for facts, instead of every gossiper you find at the local store?

brilliant depiction of the american outback.......2003-01-09

Hemphill captures each character, and has unerring diction, in this profile of life in rural southwestern Alabama. His detailed portrait of Little River and Baldwin County could stand in for any number of out-of-the-way old places in the New South. Contrary to other reviewers, I found that Hemphill does arrive at a truth, even if it isn't what many might hoped to find, namely, a Klan conspiracy to burn African-AMerican churches. Hemphill finds this, and it was news to me: the African-American family is stonger than the Anglo-American family in the Outback.

racism born from despair.......2000-08-26

An excellent book! It reminds me somehow the situation in what formerly was called "East Germany". The thing I like the most, is that the author doesn't fall into the trap of segregation between "them" and "us". He talks to everyone and nearly everyone is talking to him. Read it!

The Ballad of Little of Anything.......2000-07-10

Digging through Hemphill's rambling Faulknerian sentences, disfigured O'Connor-like characters, and sensationalized tabloid-type facts, I couldn't find a plot. And I knew what was going to happen. Mr. Hemphill obviously found so much gossip he couldn't stand to leave any of it out, making for a long and winding trip up and down and around and through Highway 59.

And while many of his facts were correct, many were terribly skewed: I suppose making for a more salacios tale. Read at your own risk of falling to sleep.

Why burn a church?.......2000-06-28

I strongly disagreed with the Kirkus review of this book. I don't think that Hemphill went to Little River trying to make a connection between the burning of St. Joe Church and the other church burnings that had occurred elsewhere.

I think he went in order to find out what would make a bunch of drunk teen-agers want to burn a church. Indeed, he examines the race issue in Little River. While some of the inhabitants are cordial to those of other races, for many, it only goes skin-deep.

He examines the pathetic ignorance and hopelessness of that little "wide place in the road" and shows that this, probably more than anything else, led to the crime. Race didn't have everything to do with it, except that when the kids felt like burning a church, it happened to be the one black folks attended. Even as drunk as they were, it probably wouldn't have occurred to them to burn down a white church. Such is the core lack of respect they had for the black citizens of Little River and their place of worship.

I think Hemphill has written a book of great importance for us Alabamians, anyway. If we are to press forward in equalizing race relations, we must look at ourselves, and face how we feel about people of other races, and this book forces us to do just that.

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