Dragonwings: Golden Mountain Chronicles: 1903 (Golden Mountain Chronicles)

Book Description

Will Windrider
take to the skies?

Moon shadow is eight years old when he sails from China to join his father, Windrider, in America. Windrider lives in San Francisco and makes his living doing laundry. Father and son have never met.

But Moon Shadow grows to love and respect his father and to believe in his wonderful dream. And Windrider, with Moon Shadow's help is willing to endure the mockery of the other Chinese, the poverty, the separation from his wife and country'even the great earthquake'to make his dream come true.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Book--4 stars.......2007-04-27

Dragonwings is a good book to read because you have a good feeling to know someone's dream came true, like Moonshadow's father's dream. Moonshadow is a young man. When he was just eight years old, he had a chance to join his father who he had never seen before in the United States. He went through a difficult time passing immigration. This book talks about how Chinese people settled down in Chinatown and the experience in 1906 with the big earthquake in San Francisco, and then how Moonshadow and his father relocated to Oakland. Moonshadow's father is a good kite maker, and he has a fabulous dream to make a flying machine. Moon Shadow writes a letter to the Wrights telling them how his father likes to fly too, and wishes they can help him. The father's dream came true when he made a flying machine in 1909. Lawrence Yep's historical novels shows rich traditions and the culture of the Chinese community. I will recommend this book to people who are American born Chinese because they can learn from this book about how difficult it was for their ancesters to get into this country, and how they worked so hard and how they survived in white society, so they will appreciate them. Overall it is a good book to read, I just have some words that were hard to understand for me, maybe because they are too old fashioned.

Upset.......2007-04-18

I was honestly upset with this book not as good as i thought it would be, I mean the story was just boring overall.The only thing I thought was interesting that they used kites and I would be curious to ask the author why.

snooze fest.......2007-02-22

horrible
I am 13 years old and I hate this book
we read it in english class this year. About two people actually fell asleep reading it in 5th period. Really boring. There was one exciting part to the story. The names are hard to keep track of. I also don't like the fact that all throughout this book the boy refers to the white men as "demons". At first I thought the book was suposed to teach a lesson. But in the end it didn't
don't buy this book

Dragonwings.......2006-11-30

Wow,this is the best book I've ever read in years.This book starts off with a boy named Moonshadow,Moonshadows mom,and grandmother.They are in there farm allways workinging in the farm and not having any fun.
Moonshadow always wonders how the goldenmountains (America)looks like.When Moonshadow visits the goldenmountains and finds his dad there.The white demons (white people) are mean to the chinamen and all yhey care about is themselves.

Dragonwings.......2006-05-25

Moonshadow starts out as a shy little boy who lives in China who was curious about The Land of the Golden Mountain (America). Men from China would go to America in search for a better life. This is what Moonshadow's father did. One day Moonshadow was told that he had to choose between either staying in China and never knowing his father or being taken to his father in The Land of the Golden Mountain, he chose to leave. On the boat he was very frightened because he heard the older men telling stories of how they were almost tortured in America which did not make it any easier for Moonshadow to leave China. When he arrives he encounters a couple of "scary" things before they get to where he will be staying. Everyone with the last name of Lee works in a Laundry Shop, which is owned by Uncle Bright Star and White Deer. Moonshadow is greeted with Demon (white people) clothing. He already doesn't like what he sees. Moon shadow faces many difficulties such as being mugged, robbed, being picked on and racism through out the whole story. Towards the end of the story Moonshadow's father Windrider discovers that he wants to peruse his dream and he will need Moonshadow's help to achieve that dream. When he tells everyone that he will be moving out they are hurt and angry. They live by a white demoness and her niece, Miss. Whitlaw and Robin. While they are living there Windrider works as a handy man for Mr. Alger. Everything is perfect until the Earthquake comes. Miss. Whitlaw and Robin, Moonshadow and Windrider have to separate. It is up to Moonshadow to take over there new house because father is working on his dream but, will he finish in time and will it work? You find out!

Son of a Preacher Man: My Search for Grace in the Shadows

Average customer rating:

God Uses No Perfect People
Jay communicates the love that Jesus has for you no matter what organized religion says
A touching autobiography.
Eloquent, heartfelt and honest
He's a REVOLUTIONARY with the RIGHT idea !!

Son of a Preacher Man: My Search for Grace in the Shadows
Jay Bakker
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006251699X
Release Date: 2001-12-24

Amazon.com

By any standard, Jay Bakker has had it rough. The son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jay was only 11 years old when his parents' empire collapsed and his family was vilified as the epitome of televangelism's excesses. Jay Bakker's autobiography, Son of a Preacher Man, unflinchingly addresses all of his family's major scandals, including his father's affair with Jessica Hahn and his mother's battle with drug addiction. Bakker also reveals that by age 13, he had developed a serious drinking problem, and that was only the beginning of a long period of rebellion that intensified during his father's years in prison. After his father's release, Jim and Jay began to rebuild their relationship, and Jay, though still struggling with alcoholism, discerned a calling to ministry. After several false starts he built a ministry to young people in Atlanta called Revolution. As a minister, Bakker's main interest is in the kids that churches overlook--the pierced, tattooed, smoking, drinking kind. The message of this ministry, like the message of this book, is simple: "Jesus loves you for who you are, not who you can become." Bakker says that he still works every day to learn that lesson, and to pass it on to others, as he does with some eloquence in Son of a Preacher Man. --Paul Power

Book Description

In Son of a Preacher Man Jay Bakker, son of famous televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, tells the compelling story of growing up in the glaring lights of a television studio. It's all here: the Bakker family's public disgrace, the fall of the PTL (Praise The Lord) media empire, and Bakker's subsequent plunge into a morass of anxiety and selfdestruction. But Son of a Preacher Man is more than a tell-all -- it is a story that dramatizes the human toll of this tragedy on the Bakker family, with insight into the seismic shifts that nearly destroyed his father and wrecked his parents' longtime marriage. It is the story of a prodigal son's return to the true meaning of God's love and acceptance. It is the story of a boy who was lost, but on the journey back from ruin finds a better way to understand and live life. It is the story of discovering God's grace and of becoming a man.

Despite years of disillusionment, alcoholism, and heartbreak, Bakker managed to continue on his spiritual quest. First he worked to redeem his father...then his faith. Bakker began his service with Revolution, a ministry for skateboarders, punk rockers, and hippiesthe street kids he knew best. He shared the message that saved his life -- the message of Jesus that God's love is infinitely generous. Now Bakker has a large and growing ministry among the tattooed and pierced of downtown Atlanta who feel rejected by the traditional Church yet flock to hear his message of grace and love.

Ultimately, Son of a Preacher Man is a story about resurrection -- of one lost young man, of his disgraced and imprisoned father, and of the hope that can't be destroyed by the machinations of power-hungry preachers, The long, lonely road that Bakker traveled taught him that you can't earn or make yourself worthy of the love of God, but if you are willing to let go and open up, that infinite love is waiting to welcome you home with open arms.

Customer Reviews:

God Uses No Perfect People.......2007-09-26

My title was a statement made by Jay Bakker. Those few words are true enough to be scripture. 'God uses no perfect people'. Reading those words stops me dead in my tracks. So profound. It is what makes a Christian carry on when they feel defeated, unworthy and doubtful. I need to remind myself of this constantly. Jay found it out and it was revolutionary to him and he even became a part of a church called Revolution. It's all because of God's grace. Thank you Jay.

I found his book VERY interesting reading and finished it in a day. He really had a difficult time and struggled so much. I'm glad he overcame the difficulties of growing up in the PTL scandal and made it through the years of drinking and drugs and back 'into the fold'. Not the fold as most know it, but a much different one which I hope is doing some good in spreading the Gospel. He has a very radical way of doing it and I wonder, but he wouldn't want me doing that. I'm just not so sure one wants to share the Gospel through just being there as opposed to by example. But if it is working for them and changing lifes then I'll stay out of it.

I would have been interested in knowing why Jay got SO into tattooing and piercings. I know it is a phenomonen today but I can't ever find a person who can really explain WHY they do this other than that is is popular, they like it, it looks good, it defines them, etc., etc. But how? Why? I don't think they are going to like this as they age. I would have liked him to explain why he got all the tattoos that he did and why. Did he really think it out for the long term or was it a short made decision?? Is this supposed to appeal to young seekers of Christ?

Jay communicates the love that Jesus has for you no matter what organized religion says .......2007-06-30

"Son of a Preacher Man" gives a candid glimpse inside Jay Bakker's life. As you may know, Jay Bakker is a Christian minister and the son of televangelist Jim Bakker. He discusses his father's religious dynasty that lasted from the 1970's through the mid 80's. He discusses his parents ministry, PTL (I learned that PTL stands for "Praise The Lord.") And he also explained his father's arrest and how it painfully effected him.

Mr. Bakker also frankly discusses his addictions to alcohol and other illegal narcotics. Although his father's absence severely diminished who he was inside, he does not blame his father (or his mother) for any of his vices. I found that very refreshing because Jay was willing to admit his shortcomings without having to blame anyone else which is only too common.

Mr. Bakker also explains how Christian fundamentalists totally turned him off to modern-day Christianity. His family was more than blackballed after his father went to prison. And again, I would think that anyone treated like this would not allow organized religion into their lives but Jay Bakker is a fighter and he kept up the good fight. He helped form his own church (Revolution) which was in total contrast to what the fundamentals did. His church welcomed anyone that would listen. In fact, Jay preferred to preach to the all the "sinners" that the world had already thrown away.

I never knew too much about Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. I remember the SNL sketches with Dana Carvey and I saw Tammy Faye on talk shows but I didn't know why she was famous or why her husband went to prison. Earlier this year there was a very informative reality program on the Sundance Channel about Jay Bakker that got me very interested. Unfortunately his show disappeared before I really got to learn very much about him; but luckily I found this book.

After reading this book I learned that Jay does not judge or condemn his congregation and feels it is more important to preach the universal word of love. I recommend this book to anyone that is questioning their faith because Jay will communicate that Jesus loves you.

A touching autobiography. .......2007-06-25

For someone who grew up in a glam and glitzy tacky lifestyle, Jay Bakker has really been through it all and has experienced a lot. Watching your family torn apart, seeing someone you love being put into a hard situation, and trying to deal with it all as a teenager is hard to do and it nearly killed Jay Bakker.

As a Gay Buddhist, I find Jay Bakker impressive and I commend him for facing his demons and finding his true faith. I find his work for the gay community and the punk rockers to be what Christianity should be about. If you ever want to know what it's like to struggle with life and judgment to rise above it all, this is truly the story for you.

Eloquent, heartfelt and honest.......2007-06-18

Jay Bakker's memoir about his experiences as son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and his emergence as a minister himself is an engaging portrait of the phoenix rising from the ashes. Bakker does not shy away from any part of the painful scandal that engulfed his family in the late 1980s-90s. What emerges is a portrait of a young man with a spiritual calling, to minister to the young people who have no where to turn to for spiritual guidance because of their looks, dress, or affects. "Son of a Preacher Man" is a brief, well-written memoir that shines light on how courageous it is to persevere against all odds, and finding the integrity and spiritual sustenance to do so.

He's a REVOLUTIONARY with the RIGHT idea !!.......2007-03-25

Simply put... Jay Bakker has taken the hate & judgement out of Christianity and actually put back the love, understanding, tolerance & forgiveness it was meant to have. How amazing that he not only lived through the scandals of his parents PTL days & his own substance abuses... only to rise above it all to become a genuinely compassionate human being full of the loving spirit his father only seemed to pay lip service to. I only hope his Revolution impacts more and more people as time goes on. Jay & his wife deserve all of the happiness & blessings this life has to offer...and if it exists... in the hereafter as well. Read this book... you will be inspired!

Lord of the Shadows (The Second Sons Trilogy, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Awesome !
Great Series
It just screamed '4 Stars'
good ending
ripe

Lord of the Shadows (The Second Sons Trilogy, Book 3)
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 055358670X
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Book Description

Darkness threatens Ranadon again in the form of an eclipse. The Goddess wants to give the people of Ranadon a sign—and only Dirk Provin can interpret it. To do so, Dirk has systematically betrayed his one-time allies to join his most hated enemies. Now, with neither side trusting him, Dirk sets his own devious plot in motion

Senet’s Crippled Prince, Misha, has found unexpected and tenuous sanctuary among the Baenlanders of Mil. To secure their trust, he offers them the one thing they cannot refuse. Meanwhile, Alenor, Queen of Dhevyn, betrayed by her husband, Kirsh, and Tia Veran, deceived by Dirk, set out for revenge and to finally free their people at any cost. As the second sons and the rest of their generation
pursue different paths to survival and freedom, they discover that the will of the Goddess—and of men—works in mysterious ways. And as Dirk’s old enemies join with new ones, his attempt to save Ranadon may cost him his friends, his love...and his life.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome !.......2007-03-19

I enjoyed this book. It has so much to recommend it. I do not like to give away the plot so I will tell you that the character development was a joy to read. I am always searching for a new wonderful author. I think I have found one with Jennifer Fallon.

Great Series.......2007-02-13

I love all of Jennifer Fallon's books, I have read everything she has written and I love how they all intertwine. Some information you don't get in one series and you find explanations in a different Series. I am half through the last book of hers called Harshini which is also great. I will miss her writing when I move on to read something else. If you like Scifi you will love this.

It just screamed '4 Stars'.......2006-07-24

I stayed up all through the night reading this conclusion to The Second Sons Trilogy. I read it somewhat feverishly--Fallon keeps you in an ironclad hold the entire time. It's the type of trilogy that could probably spawn more books--all, if done well, just as engaging...and predictable.

I am proud to say that I must be the smartest person on the fantasy world of this story. I was always four steps ahead of the characters. Nothing--and I mean nothing--came as a surprise. Yep, knew which characters would end up together. Yep, knew how the climax would pay out. And yep, knew who would die.

I knew which random bits of information from Neris would be important. I speculated and I was correct. I got not one jolt of surprise from these novels. Well, no, that's a lie. The R-rated content shocked me several times over. But on a matter of plot, there are few surprises to a careful eye.

There is one other problem I have with this book and its two prequels...in the writing itself. Fallon is more than obsessed with long, tedious sentences. Sentences should never take a reader out of the story, but Fallon's did. They typically started the chapters and threw you right out of the action screaming "What? Where did that come from?"

Is Lord of the Shadows a great book? No, I don't think I would say so. Good? Definitely. Do I recommend it? Yes, if you're over the age of 15/16.

It will hold you in an iron fist that won't let go, but it is predictable and has some insanely long sentences. All together and thought about, it just screams 4 stars.

good ending.......2006-03-23

This series has given me many nights of delight. I loved reading it and look forward to other works by this author. The characters are well done, the action exciting. I especially liked the interplay of the main characters, if definitely helpted the story to move along.

If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it.

ripe.......2005-06-06

In the third book of the trilogy Ms Fallon finally harvests what she seeded in the previous books: her world and characters outlined to the detail, she is now able to build a good exciting plot, with lot of action and many interesting twists. This last book is quite hard to put down.

Dirk, the main character, is now interesting, lovable; Marqel and Tia, who previously seemed rather lunatic and unbelievable, finally act consistently. On the other hand Ms Fallon loses grasp of the two main villains: one dies and the other becomes pale and vague.

The writing is neat, always to the point, with lot of humour and a bit of slang as if the author finally had relaxed a little. No masterpiece is to be expected but a bit of solid reading.

Son of the Shadows (The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Absolutely breath taking
Magical
Not good enough
A few too many threads - of evil
A Great Continuation

Son of the Shadows (The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 2)
Juliet Marillier
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765343266

Amazon.com

Second of the Sevenwaters trilogy of novels about the last days of heroic Ireland, Son of the Shadows takes up the story of the children of Sorcha, who saved her enchanted brothers, and Hugh, the Briton she married. Sorcha's daughter Liadan is a gifted seer and healer who thinks, in spite of her visions, that she knows what the future has in store for her--caring for her dying mother and then an alliance marriage to Eamonn. A chance meeting on the road carries her off to care for a dying man--one of the mercenaries of the sinister Painted Man, Eamonn's archenemy and a killer for hire. Liadan discovers that she cannot choose whom she loves and that she and the Painted Man are as bound up in destiny as her mother and father were before her.

This is an intelligent historical romance in which the supernatural is a part of the character's everyday lives to an extent that makes it hard to think of the book as specifically a fantasy--these are people to whom the beings of forest speak on a regular basis and to whom sorcery is real. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

Beautiful Sorcha is the courageous young woman who risked all to save her family from a wicked curse and whose love shattered generations of hate and bridged two cultures. It is from her sacrifice that Sorcha's brothers were brought home to their ancestral fortress Sevenwaters, and her life has known much joy. But not all the brothers were able to fully escape the spell that transformed them into swans, and it is left to Sorcha's daughter Liadan to help fulfill the destiny of the Sevenwaters clan. Beloved child and dutiful daughter, Liadan embarks on a journey that shows her just how hard-won was the peace that she has known all her life.Liadan will need all of her courage to help save her family, for there are dark forces and ancient powers conspiring to destroy this family's peace--and their world. And she will need all of her strength to stand up to those she loves best, for in the finding of her own true love, Liadan's course may doom them all . . . or be their salvation.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely breath taking .......2007-05-26

The combination of celtic lore and romance give this book a beauty all its own. I love the tattoos and stealth around every corner and the never ending love and faith that is written throughout the pages.

Magical.......2007-05-10

This is a wonderful book, although Daughter of the forest was still my favorite. This book still stays in my top 20. I love the way Marrillier interwines magic and love all together in a historical fashion.

Not good enough.......2006-11-07

I read this book in four days and found it to be WAYY to predictable as the first one. Girl meets man. Gets pregnant. Has to save man from certain doom. Finds out she loves man. Has baby. Man finds out baby is his. Finds out girl is heir to throne. And so on. So many people told me the sevenwaters Trilogy was an excellent read. Well it wasn't due to one factor and it's called Creativeness. I recommend something else for entertainment.

A few too many threads - of evil.......2006-11-04

This book started out a little more quickly than Daughter of the Forest (Book 1), but wound itself up in too many subplots of bad people doing progressively badder things, and good people turning out to be bad, and lots of unexplained cruelty. There is some sort of resolution, but the character development of one the main characters (Bran, by his alias) is rather shallow.

Still, I had to finish it to try to see what in the world prompted some things and how it would all turn out. Mildly satisfying. As with the first book in the trilogy - good for passing the time when flying or waiting in a terminal.

A Great Continuation .......2006-09-25

With this being the second novel in the Sevenwaters Trilogy, it takes you into the next generation of the family who's linked destiny is to save the magic of the forest. Sorcha's youngest daughter, Liadan takes center stage in this well rounded story, bringing back to life the family and the previous beloved characters of Daughter of the Forest.

Liadan takes on her own voice as she details the trials of her own life, bringing readers into the bittersweet death of her mother Sorcha, the loss of her sister Niambh when she's turned out of the house, and the discovery of her heart's soulmate in Bran, the young chief of a band of outlaws. Readers who adored the first book of the trilogy will find this addition apt and satisfying.

Though Sorcha's tale is far more moving and more poignant, this one still had me crying a bit. I was moved by the sadness of Sorcha's passing, having truly enjoyed her story better. Some other reviewers stated that they felt there was a lacking of magic in this book, and I'd have to agree. It certainly didn't detract from a great story, but I think this second novel could have been more moving if it had been as magically beautiful as its predecessor. One downfall to this book was that I felt that the ending was not as complete as the first was. This one seemed like it wanted to rush for the ending and I didn't get the closure of how Liadan and Bran settle with the final choice of where they'd live. in fact, I'm hoping they marry because that never even seemed to important for the two to talk about. And since the 3rd book picks up with Niambh's daughter, I highly doubt my curiosities will be answered in the final installment. I guess I have to read it and see...

Anyway, the return of Sorcha and Red were a welcome treat along with a set of new characters and their own plot mechanations. I highly recommend this book, especially if you bothered to read the Daughter of the Forest.

My recommendations: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Archangel by Sharon Shinn, The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll.

Average customer rating:

Great adventure, multi-faceted characters, unique!
A great addition to the Fifth Millenium Series
Great addition to the Fifth Milennium series!

SHADOW'S SON (Fifth Millennium Series)
Shirley Meier , S.M. Stirling , and Karen Wehrstein
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671720910

Customer Reviews:

Great adventure, multi-faceted characters, unique!.......2004-06-18

I haven't read the rest of the series -- I picked this book up at random and read it, and now I'm dying to get the rest! The story's pretty darn unique, and the characters -- especially lusty, hot-blooded, death-machine Sh'kaira -- are awesome. This is not your average adventure story.

I want to know how Megan and Sh'kaira met, how the rest of the family came together. I want to read the full account of Sova's adoption, and of Megan's son's birth and sale, and Megan's escape, and -- yeah. You get the idea! It's one of those "read it and you're hooked" books. I advise you to get a copy (of the whole series) immediately!

A great addition to the Fifth Millenium Series.......1999-04-16

I read this about six years ago and what stuck in my mind was the torment Megan was going through to find here lost son. She would do ANYTHING to get him back. I highly recommend this book to any readers of Fantasy.

Great addition to the Fifth Milennium series!.......1998-09-21

Shadow's Son gives people who have read previous Fifth Milennium novels a long-awaited look at Megan and Shkai'ra's family--not their separate childhood families, but the family they have forged for themselves as adults. The character of Sova particularly appealed to me, probably because her "outsider's perspective" on Shkai'ra is refreshingly honest. Definitely worth a read for the populace at large, *highly* recommended to 5th Mil fans.

Our Fathers' War: Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation

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Review of Our Father's War
Boomer whining
Incredible insight
Dad Didn't Know Best
Fathers and Sons of War.

Our Fathers' War: Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation
Tom Mathews
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0767914201
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Book Description

It is fair to say that Tom Mathews’s relations with his father, a veteran of World War II’s fabled 10th Mountain Division, were terrible. He came back from the war to a young son he’d barely met and proceeded to bully and browbeat him—for his own good, he thought. In the course of puzzling out almost fifty years of intermittent conflict, Mathews came to understand that their problems were not simply personal, they were generational—and widely shared by millions of other baby boomer sons. And so, to write this powerful book, which traces the kinetic effect of the war on the men who fought it, their sons, and their grandsons, Mathews has uncovered nine other dramatic and telling father-son tales of veterans in some ways missing in action and how internal war wounds shaped their lives as fathers. These include a combat infantryman whose life was saved by the fabled Audie Murphy, and a black member of the storied Tuskegee Airmen corps. In a moving final chapter, he and his father return together to Italy to revisit scenes from the war—and attempt, at long last, to forge their own separate peace.

In a very real sense, Our Fathers’ War tells the secret history of World War II and its echoes down the years and generations. In the course of doing so, it offers a portrait of evolving styles of American manhood that many, many fathers and sons have been needing and awaiting.

Customer Reviews:

Review of Our Father's War.......2006-03-05

I thought this book was well written and thought out. I am 50 years old and the son of a deceased WWII veteran. While it did not answer all my questions it helped me a great deal in attempting to understand my father and the way he was. God Bless Tom Mathews for his poignant and touching tale.

Boomer whining.......2005-11-19

this book is just another example of the blame game... nobody takes responsibility for their own actions... couldn't it be your father was a jerk before he went to the war... i don't doubt that the war had a profound effect on them, but so did the depression in which most of them grew up... my father was in the war, saw allot of combat, was at the liberation of a concentration camp, and came home and raised his family with love and kindness. he didn't feel like he needed to psychoanalyze the whole experience... he shielded his kid's from the war because it was ugly and talked about it only with his fellow soldiers... what's so wrong with that...

Incredible insight.......2005-10-09

A must for any child or spouse of a combat veteran (any war).

Dad Didn't Know Best.......2005-10-05

This book is very good at getting to the core of why so many sons of "The Greatest Generation" didn't have good relationships with their fathers after they returned from war.
Sons reminisce about their struggles with fathers'spirits that were "killed by the war", leaving them empty and ill- equipped to raise sons after their horrifying ordeals. They wanted their sons to be without cowardise, "like little soldiers" leaving no room for what they thought were mistakes.
This book arrived in A-1 condition.

Fathers and Sons of War........2005-09-20

Written from the viewpoint of the innocent sons who were mistreated by fathers who had served in WWII, it attempts to explain that the abuse was not personal but generalized. Those vetrans who survived atrocities, which left internal war wounds, took out their suppressed aggression on their own sons by bullying and browbeating them. My dad was physically abusive to his two son so much so that the elder got married at the age of seventeen just to get away from home. He would chase them up the highway in a wild tantrum hitting them with anything he was able to lay his hands on. The younger took his revenge fifty years later by putting him in a barren room at a nursing home to die.

Dubbed a secret history, it echoes down through the years and generations, from sons to grandsons. It's a sad history of evolving manhood. Could be that's why the baby boomers of today still talk like boys instead of men -- their masculine growth was stunted in childhood.

Men refuse to talk openly about their deepest feelings. War changes men's lives as combat shapes the soldier to survive at all odds. After the War, those feelings don't just vanish. The fear and harshness they endured is taken out on their own sons on the homefront, as they continue to fight their internal devils.

No anonymity here; they believed that candor offers the surest approach to the mystery of their military fathers and why they acted as they did with the guilt they could not dissipate. It's true -- you always hurt the one you love by saying and doing the wrong things.

Tom Matthews is the author of STANDING FREE about Roy Wilkes during the Civil Rights upheaval.

This Mean Disease: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Mother's Anorexia

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A sad but hopeful tale of a boy growing up in a dysfunctional family...
An Important Contibution to the Literature
Recounts the starvation disease's impact not just on his mother, but on his entire family
A Great Memoir
A gripping memoir

This Mean Disease: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Mother's Anorexia
Daniel Becker
Manufacturer: Gurze Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0936077506

Book Description

The impact of anorexia nervosa on families can be devastating. Daniel Becker combines the innocent recollections of his childhood with the insightful observations of a mature adult in this story of his mother's 30-year obsession with food and her eventual death from anorexia nervosa. He provides an intimate portrayal of how he, his father, and his two brothers each struggled to balance their loyalty to Mom against the increasing awareness that only by separating from her could they ensure their own survival.

Beginning with his earliest memory of her packing a suitcase to leave for the first of many hospitalizations, Daniel must reconcile his love for her with her repeated absences and bizarre behaviors. Part cautionary tale and part exploration of how a person with an eating disorder affects their family members, this biography is valuable reading for individual sufferers, their families, and those who treat them.

Customer Reviews:

A sad but hopeful tale of a boy growing up in a dysfunctional family..........2006-07-31

This is a heartwrenching tale of a young boy whose mother, suffering from a then-rare disease called anorexia, spent literally years institutionalized with her illness. As a result, the author, Daniel, never formed the appropriate bonds with her and other members of his family. The focus was always on his mother and her illness, which no one understood. While I found Daniel's perspective interesting and touching, I was left wanting to get into the Mother's mind, into the heart of her anorexia to understand more about this baffling disease. I also suffer from this "mean disease," and I have a son who is young. I will carefully try to avoid making the same mistakes Daniel's mother made; luckily, great strides have been made both in psychiatry and in eating disorder treatment since Daniel's mother was in "treatment". While this is a good read for anyone who has a loved one suffering from anorexia, it is frustratingly sparse in any explanations for the disease itself, focusing instead on the devastating effects on the immediate family. If you are an ED sufferer, read with caution...this tale is very guilt-inducing.

An Important Contibution to the Literature.......2005-10-20

Daniel Becker makes an invaluable contribution to the literature regarding families impacted by Anorexia. His is a very readable story that will surely help others tell about their experiences without judgement or blame. This Mean Disease should be on every psychotherapists bookshelf. Neither pathologizing the patient nor the family, Mr. Becker tells the story of a family's ordeal and best efforts to heal.

Recounts the starvation disease's impact not just on his mother, but on his entire family.......2005-10-14

This memoir of author Daniel Becker's mother, a survivor of anorexia nervosa, recounts the starvation disease's impact not just on his mother, but on his entire family. Throughout his childhood his mother was obsessed with food and the family secret of his mother's disease which influenced the entirely family. From Jewish and family rituals to his mother's feelings about her anorexia, THIS MEAN DISEASE offers a poignant chronicle by another family member other than the usual sufferer - and brings to life many family issues surrounding an anorexic family member.

A Great Memoir.......2005-10-12

This book is first and foremost a wonderfully written memoir. In the current field, filled with recollections of growing up in alcoholic, schizophrenic and other dysfunctional families, Daniel Becker's book stands out as a straight-forward story about growing up with an anorexic mother and it's effects on his brothers, his father and himself. Becker's mother was diagnosed with adult anorexia at a time when very few had heard of the word much less knew how to spell it. The author not only provides the reader with a great deal of information about the disease but writes about its consequences upon the entire family dynamic. Above all, this is an honest attempt by Becker to make sense of his own childhood as well as This Mean Disease's effect on his adult life.

A gripping memoir.......2005-09-28

Dan Becker's, This Mean Disease, is a stark portrayal of the consequences of his mother's long battle with anorexia nervosa. This gripping memoir, which reads like a novel in which the author becomes the leading character, is a must read for anyone connected to this devastating disease. The book is unusual because it comes from the male perspective, a viewpoint that Becker conveys in sometimes painful honesty. But This Mean Disease works on other levels of the human experience and will be of interest even to those who have been spared direct association with the mean disease. The author's strained relationship with his father, which begins with interactions that barely achieve superficiality then gradually deepen as they both come to terms with the illness and their feelings, will find a ready audience for fathers and sons who struggle to express deeper thoughts than predicting the latest pennant race.

The Shadow of the Almighty: Father, Son and Spirit in Biblical Perspective

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Good Primer on the Bible's Trinitarianism

The Shadow of the Almighty: Father, Son and Spirit in Biblical Perspective
Ben, III Witherington , and Laura, M. Ice
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0802839487

Book Description

"The Shadow of the Almighty introduces readers to the nature of God by exploring the biblical references to God as "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit." This fruitful approach offers fresh insight into the meaning of the biblical language used for God, giving readers the background necessary for properly understanding the trinitarian perspective of the New Testament and of the Christian faith." "Divided into four chapters, the book looks at "Father" language in early Judaism, at "Father" language in early Christianity, at "Son" language, and at language designating the Spirit. This thorough review of the traditional God language across the biblical texts shows what the earliest Christians understood by using these terms and, ultimately, what these terms mean for modern faith and practice." "While much of this material is deceptively familiar, the authors' close examination of how and where the different terms are used reveals some surprising results. It makes clear, for example, that speaking of God in trinitarian terms was not as radical a departure from early Jewish monotheism as many have thought, and it shows that while early Christianity was characterized by disparate ideas, the first Christians nevertheless shared a common understanding of God. Equally engaging findings of the book include the authors' support for the traditional gendered term "Father" when speaking about God." Complete with helpful questions at the end of each chapter, The Shadow of the Almighty provides an excellent place to begin a deeper study of God.

Customer Reviews:

Good Primer on the Bible's Trinitarianism.......2004-12-24

This is an excellent biblical study of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Witherington and Ice masterfully engage in exgetical and literary study of the Old and New Testaments, examining how the language for the Father, Son and Spirit contained therein offers the raw elements of a Trintarian doctrine of God.

This book is a helpful introduction for those needing to examine how the Scriptures develop and portray the different persons of the Trinity. Witherington and Ice weave together the biblical images of Wisdom Christology, the Son of Man imagery and the like to show how the New Testament develops its Trintarian Christology. Likewise, they examine the life giving power of the Spirit in the Old Testament and it's further development in relation to the carismata and the formation of the Church commuity.

All in all, this is an excellent study of the biblical material pertaining to the three persons of the Trinity. The only real shortcoming that I encountered in reading it was the ways in which the authors felt that the Spirit was not portrayed as personal in the Old Testament. I think the Old Testament's understanding of the Holy Spirit is much more nuanced than the authors do, particularly in the nearly explicit Trintarian language of Isaiah. However this is a minor complaint about an otherwise excellent book. Highly recommended.

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Jonathon King never disappoints!
4.5 - 5 Stars - I have become a big fan of King's work.
Meandering and unremarkable
Doesn't cut it
Not Impressed

Shadow Men: A Max Freeman Novel
Jonathon King
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0525948074
Release Date: 2004-03-25

Book Description

A gripping new chapter in the Max Freeman series, from the critically acclaimed, Edgar Award-winning author of The Blue Edge of Midnight.

It begins with an 80-year-old mystery. Three men—a father and his two sons—vanished while working as laborers on a dangerous project to build the first road through the Florida Everglades. Now, years later, a series of letters are unexpectedly discovered by a descendant of these men. Driven by the need to know what happened to these lost members of his family, he starts asking questions—and is quickly stonewalled. With nowhere else to turn, he enlists the help of former Philadelphia police officer Max Freeman.

Living in his isolated shack in the Glades, Max starts his longshot investigation into the fate of the men. A newly minted private investigator working with his friend and attorney, Billy Manchester, Max is surprised to meet resistance immediately at every turn. The search for the truth quickly turns violent—and Max finds he has more to worry about than just 80-year-old ghosts. For there are powerful interests that want to make sure that the shadows of the past remain undisturbed—including some who will kill to make sure that they do.

Combining powerful storytelling and rich characters, Shadow Men establishes Jonathon King as a new master of modern crime fiction.

Customer Reviews:

Jonathon King never disappoints!.......2007-09-20

I admit, I'm a big fan. But, darn, he is so good. I feel like I'm right there in the Everglades, the descriptions are that good. Max Freeman is such an interesting and complicated character. He has become almost real to me.

4.5 - 5 Stars - I have become a big fan of King's work. .......2006-05-28

It's the characters, dialogue and sense of place that draws me in and keep me there page after page. Max and Billy are great characters with a strong, involving history. The secondary characters are interesting, rich and dimensional. The contrast between the city and the Everglades, as well as the time Freeman's spends on the water between the two, adds an atmosphere and richness to the story. The plot is a bit weak--I never did quite understand the motive for the killings in the 20's, but the sense of melancholy and nature versus nurture was compelling. I'd certainly recommend giving King a try.

Meandering and unremarkable.......2006-02-26

Max Freeman, an ex-cop turned PI who is haunted by the violence in his past, investigates an 80-year-old murder case. The result is a pretty formless thriller without any thrills. Author Jonathan King seems to recognize the plodding nature of Max's investigation, because he makes a number of digressions to scenes of violence from his hero's years on the Philadelphia police force and an unrelated sub-plot concerning a policeman who beats his girlfriend. The conclusion of the mystery is unsatisfying and there is scarcely a single scene of true suspense. The prose is direct but unremarkable. The strongest aspect of the book is its Everglades setting, but King does not evoke it nearly as well as, say, Tony Hillerman's masterful description of the southwestern desert.

Doesn't cut it.......2006-01-17

When I read The Blue Edge of Midnight I thought it was about as strong a first novel as an author could hope to have, except for maybe the few truly genius writers in the genre. I have no idea what happened to King here, but, as other reviewers have stated, this is by the numbers and even then gives little to keep the reader interested. In fact, there is not a single physical confrontation, a single scene of suspense or thrills, only a very weak and ultimately uninteresting mystery.

I want to make it clear I am not bashing King. I will read his other books and hope this was an aberration. His prose remains excellent but prose does not equal story. My only saving grace is that instead of buying this I got it at the library.

Not Impressed.......2005-09-27

I didn't read The Blue Edge Of Midnight, but I saw that it won an Edgar, so I figured Shadow Men would at least be a good read.

I didn't like this book. I had a hard time finishing it. Not a single character, including Max Freeman, stood out in any way for me. The whole book felt like a write-by-the-numbers exercise to me -- a little local color, a little romance with a local cop, a little backstory about Freeman's own father, a little more local color, etc. etc. etc. All the Everglades scenes felt tacked on, like a bad imitation of James Lee Burke. The dialogue was routine, and there were more than just a few convenient plot contrivances that rang totally hollow to me, not the least of which was the mysterious writings in the old trunk that just happened to mark all of the graves.

I wish I had liked this book better than I did. There was nothing about this book that hasn't been done much better by other authors. In my opinion, it's a mistake to mention Jonathon King in the same breath with Connelly, Burke, McDonald, and others I've seen mentioned. All in all, I was not impressed by Shadow Men or Jonathon King.

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Winter Shoes for Shadow Horse
Linda Oatman High
Manufacturer: Boyds Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 156397472X

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