Frank Hollon has masterfully joined the life of a prisoner, the life of hopelessness, with the source of hope, our creator. What better place to search out hope than serving life in prison for a crime you didn't commit? As I read this book I couldn't help but think of the many prisoners who might actually find hope in their hopeless situations.
On another surprise note, now I know what happen to the mouse game at the fair. All these years I've wondered why they took the gambling away, now I know. Thanks Frank!

I had been waiting for this title to appear used on Amazon before purchasing it. I am sorry that I waited that long! This book is an excellent read for people who believe in God outside of organized religion. (It's a great read for people who read, period.)

If you were just to read Frank Turner Hollon's biography, you might think that he was a Grisham copy-cat, but this book is far from the overdone lawyer conquers all plot.

It is a raw, sometimes harsh, look at life inside a prison and one man's journey to find meaning in any of it. Mr. Hollon's writing is simple, poetic, and profound. My favorite chapter, by far, was "history". It is a great piece for people who believe in God AND science.

I am an avid, but terribly slow reader, and I finished this book in three hours! I couldn't put it down, and I would wager that you will not be able to either. If you are looking for something outside of the Oprah Book Club fiction, give "The God File" a shot!

The God File is a very good book. The read was very quick. It shook my comfortable life. The book made me forget about the flying time from San Francisco to Memphis. I had to control my emotions by pausing the read - so not to wear my emotions on my sleeve. Frank Hollon has a very interesting mind. The main character makes one think deeply. The book makes one think about how important decisions are in ones life. Its nice to see one examine the good, especially when all is not well.

Dr. Male has written a beautiful and extremely helpful guide to wonderful heirloom tomatoes. I like to try different tomato varieties every year, and this book will be my guide to what to grow next year. I must add that I am mystified by the comments of Ms Emily White, who accuses growers of heirloom tomatoes of being snobs and fanatics. We just like good tomatoes. Heirlooms were handed down through the generations by family farmers, not snobs. I know quite a few people who grow heirloom vegetables, and they grow them for the taste, not some elitist attitude or for specialty markets. All my heirloom tomatoes end up on my surburban dinner table. I seriously question whether Ms White has ever grown anything. If she does grow tomatoes, I suggest that she try some heirloom varieties before criticizing those who grow them. If you love garden fresh tomatoes, buy this book!

Dr. Carolyn Male's book on heirlooms is all a gardener needs besides seeds to undertake a tomato garden. Anyone who's read her pithy, sometimes acerbic remarks on AOL's Tomato Forum or vegetable boards will not be surprised by the wealth of information between the covers of her book--or the style with which she conveys it. Just as a bite of a ripe tomato can burst with goodness, a Dr Male sentence bursts with information--there are no wasted words, much less sentences: the book is a nutritious read for those hungry to learn about tomato gardening.

Workman Press has also published gardening books about 100 Roses and 100 Orchids, which suggests that Dr. Male may have been constrained by their format. She has certainly optimized the possibilities within these limits, but it would be grand if she were allowed more freedom and space to share her wisdom, and to go into greater depth and detail. A big, fat, heavy, exhaustive tomato tome by this author would certainly find a place on my bookshelves.

And in the best of all possible worlds, the excellent photographs of the individual tomato varieties would be supplemented by more photographs of tomatoes actually growing in gardens: this would help both experienced and less experienced gardeners to plan their own, and to grasp the fine points of supporting the vines, as well as to visualize what to expect when the indeterminate plants are left to sprawl. The few excellent photographs of tomatoes "in situ" that are included are wonderfully informative and helpful.

Any gardener who acquires this book should be warned in advance that reading it will doom them to growing heirloom tomatoes. This year's crop of non heirlooms are still green on my vines, and I've already planned an extensive heirloom garden for next year. Thanks, Doc Carolyn, for the inspiration!

By far the most popular vegetable--er, fruit--that North Americans grow in their home gardens is the once scorned tomato. Nowadays, the majority of the tomatoes grown are red, hybrid and fairly disease and crack resistant varieties. Most are, without a doubt, excellent tasting, much better than the "tomatoes" found in the local supermarket--even during prime tomato season--yet for those who have grown and enjoyed heirloom tomatoes, even these hybrids (and a few open-pollinated varieties) are second rate.

I'll admit, I have yet to grow more than one heirloom varieties--something will change this summer, should the weather in these parts ever decide to return to seasonal. That one variety is a German commercial variety known as Matina, about which I will mention more in a moment.

There is a growing movement of tomato growers who are becoming interested in heirloom tomatoes, and since knowledge about all of the varieties of heirlooms--some of which have sadly been lost--has declined as gardeners turned to more dependable hybrids, books like Carolyn J. Male's 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden is a welcomed and important work.

The author, a professor of microbiology, is one of the most knowledgeable enthusiast of the heirloom tomato, and has apparently herself grown c. 1200 varieties. It is her passion of the heirloom, along with her extensive experience and her committed effort to researching the origins of numerous heirloom varieties, that led her to compile this book of one hundred varieties that she feels are the best that both the experienced and neophyte heirloom tomato grower will enjoy growing.

Central to the book is, of course, the section dealing with the individual varieties, but one should not over look the beginning of the book where the author deals with matters such as the history of the tomato, saving seeds and creating your own heirlooms in a clear and understandable manner.

Most people who get their hands on this book will, no doubt, do what I did and start with the "field guide".

The heirloom varieties are arranged in alphabetical order, and for each there are two pages, one with a brief description, and the other with a beautiful colour photograph.

Each description is fairly short, perhaps three or four short paragraphs and is followed by information sorted by following categories: type, origin, maturity, colour/shape, size/arrangement, yield, plant/foliage, taste, seeds (availability). Each photo is that of an entire stem that has been removed so that one can see how the fruit is clustered, as well as the type of foliage; in some cases one of the tomatoes has been sliced so that one cane see what the insides of the given variety looks like.

Since I have yet to grow a significant number of heirlooms, it is difficult for me to comment on the Male's choice of varieties. I do wish, however, that I would have made more of an effort to get my hands on this book before I ordered my seeds (which I did in a manner that I believe most people do, by basing my opinion on the little blurb that the seedhouse includes with the variety, no to mention the name (I also chose by stated place of origin (Germany and Russia).) One variety that I would definitely chosen was Black From Tula, a dark reddish/black with green shoulders midseason variety from the Ukraine. Others of note are Hungarian Oval, Marizol Gold, and Orange Strawberry.

That one heirloom variety that I have grown--having purchased the seeds unaware that it was an heirloom--is called Matina. Although this variety bears uniform 4 to 6 oz. red fruits, and is quite prolific, I did not find it to be the most enjoyable of tomatoes. I therefore was a little surprised to find it among the one hundred chosen for this volume. (It must be noted that several varieties that the author claim to be "highly recommended", such as Jeff Davis, Fritz and Old Virginia could not be included in the because they were "not available for photographing".)

I have no hesitation in saying that 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to get into heirloom tomatoes, or even those who simply have a passion for vegetable gardening.

First off let me point out that this book leaves out most biographical information about Sinatra -- it focusses on the recordings themselves. It examines Sinatra's approach and technique to recording and singing. That makes the book extremely interesting and is its greatest strength.

Unfortunately, that is also where its weakness comes in. The book is quite clincial and could use a few more anecdotes and stories -- more "colour" if you will. I'd like to hear more interviews with musicians who worked with Sinatra and from Sinatra himself to get a better idea of the people making the music, because I feel that that the force of Sinatra's personality counts for something in his performance. I personally think that "chemistry" counts as much as technique in music and would like more of that brought out in the book.

This is not enough of a flaw to stop you enjoying the book, it is very engaging and will appeal to anyone who loves Sinatra's records. I still highly recommend the book.

I hestitate to add one more criticism -- Obviously one can not go into exhaustive detail about every single Sinatra recording, but I found it odd that Sinatra's greatest album "Songs For Swingin' Lovers" is barely mentioned while an entire chapter is devoted to the out of print (in US) "Close To You". I realise this is a personal preference, but I found it disappointing.

No book has ever captured the experience of a recording session and the recording experience like Charles Granata. Long known as an authority of Frank Sinatra's work, this book actually conveys why Sinatra's recordings are classic and still speak to us. Granata's viewpoints are fair and, in the case of the controversial Mitch Miller recordings, as balanced as a writer can be in presenting all sides of the story. His interviews with such under-appreciated musicians such as arranger George Siravo ( who contributed far more to the canon of Frank Sinatra than most people realize) are particularly valuable. I am delighted that he has quoted extensively from Nelson Riddle's arranging book (which I edited for publication), which has much valuable information about how Nelson worked with Sinatra. The history of the recording field, rare photos and even reproductions of score pages simply make this a must-have volume.

Granata does a great job taking us behind the scenes for the technology and people who brought us the best popular music of the century. The photos, which focus on the studio instead of the amply documented night life theme, are probably worth the price of the book, but the author is an expert in recording technology and provides anecdotes and discussion as to how and why Sinatra had such an impact and continues to make his mark.

Because we take it for granted today, it is easy to forget that the way in which recordings were created had much to do with the kind of music that was recorded. Granata notes one occasion on which a perfect take had to be remade because a three-and-a-half minute song was too long for Columbia's equipment at the time. What stands out, though, is that for all the bad press Sinatra gets for his impatience on movie sets, he clearly managed the recording process down to the minutest details during the Columbia and Capitol years, resulting in a degree of musical excellence that was not exceeded even during the technologically more advanced 1960s Reprise era. Granata gets high marks for explaining all of this in a way that is highly readable for those of us who love music and have limited understanding of engineering concepts.

The most fascinating chapter may well be the one dealing with a nadir of Sinatra's career, the Duets project of 1992/3. Throughout, we learn that Phil Ramone was constantly selling the project to the singer, while FS (to his credit) continually called the whole purpose of the project into question. If you think Duets sounds like a mistake, you should read this account of how Sinatra was pushed into making these pale remakes from his legendary songbook.

Also worthwhile is Granata's recommended recording list in the appendix. If you are a new Frankophile, this is a great place to start and will lend additional meaning to the text, because you can HEAR how FS works the voice and lyrics in Ol' Man River and other classics.

Highly recommended, even if you already have Friedwald's excellent 'The Song is You.'

Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle is an extremely well-researched and balanced history of Guadalcanal.

First and foremost, I'd describe this book as a first-class history book. It is unique in it's account of Guadalcanal in it's balance and depth of research. By balance, I mean the book covers the naval, land, and air battles -- as well as from both the American and Japanese perspecive. And the book is exceptionally well-researched from newly declassified primary sources. So when I say this is a "history" book, I mean a serious history book.

In particular, I liked the insight and interplay of the American commanders -- particularly King -- as well as Roosevelt, Chruchill,Nimitz and McArthur, and all the way down the chain of command to the Marine commanders. There is signifcantly more politics, maneuvering, debate, and confusion than I would have previously thought.

The book did not elicit the strong emotional response of Bradley's "Flags of Our Fathers", a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Nor did it match the Flags in its detailed accounts of struggle, bravery, and heroism. But this book may exceed Flags in it's overall excellent historical account of a landmark battle. If you're a WWII history buff, I recommend both books for different reasons.

Thoroughly researched, and utilizing both American and Japanese field reports, Frank has written the definitive account of America's first offensive struggle of WW II. The seven naval engagements are given the same detail attention as are the multiple land clashes. Most vivid among the latter were the days and nights along Edson's ridge and the Battle for Henderson's Field. Of particular interest were the accounts of the taking of Gavutu, Tanambogo and Tulagi, adjacent islands that several works overlook altogether. This invasion should never have succeeded; we lacked both air and naval superiority, two prerequisites for any amphibious assault. In those first few months, when the enemy could have swatted us like an annoying bug, he hesitated and committed resources piecemeal, a mistake the Japanese would make over and over. The monumental strategic importance of the Solomons seems to gradually dawn on each side as the campaign progressed. Unusual for a book of such detail, from the Tenaru to Edson's Ridge to the final escape of the decimated remnants of the Japanese defenders sixth months later, the action never slows. A liberal sprinkling of front line troops' reflections would have made this a truly remarkable read. Admittedly, I've been spoiled by Ambrose.

Most references to World War Two in the Pacific cite the decisive American victory at the Battle of Midway as the turning point in that conflict - the high tide of Japanese aggression. This book carefully refutes that position. The Japanese were still on the offensive after Midway (in part because the Japanese Navy neglected to inform the Japanese Army of the loss of four front line fleet carriers in that battle). The Japanese were still fully capable of seizing and severing American lines of communication with Australia - depriving the U.S. of a required base for future offensive operations. The dual campaigns in New Guinea and Guadalcanal from August 1942 to January 1943 (both resulting in successful Allied counter-offensives) represented the critical shift from the strategic defensive to the offensive for the Allies for the balance of the war. As Frank so ably demonstrates, there was nothing inevitable about the six-month struggle in the southern Solomons that started when the First Marine Division went ashore August 7, 1942. Both sides suffered significant setbacks and suffered from leadership lapses at critical junctures. In the end, it was the U.S. superiority in high command decisions and material that seemed to tilt the balance. The Japanese were surprised and very slow to believe that the U.S. was committing itself to an offensive campaign so early in the war. An objective analysis reveals that the Japanese had every reason to be surprised and U.S. leaders had every reason to be pessimistic as to the final outcome, especially after the early disaster at the Battle of Savo Island revealed relative U.S. weakness in surface ship actions. Guadalcanal came to be known as Starvation Island for the Japanese and the U.S. also came to recognize the conflict as a battle for logistics supremacy - which equated to air and sea supremacy, while soldiers and marines suffered tropical deprivations and hard fighting against a fanatical foe on the ground. Frank's work attempts to tell the complete story - air, sea and land - and he is successful. No mean feat. His research casts new light on an aging but important subject. As the World War Two generation fades into the past, it is all the more important to to reassess the history and importance of these events. Guadalcanal the history by Frank is a landmark study on perhaps the critical campaign of the entire cataclysm that was the War in the Pacific.

Who would have thought that a movie of this caliber would have derived from the mind of Stephen King? What's just as profound is the movies ability to maintain and expand upon the integrity of the original story. This screenplay contains the entire shooting script as well as many scenes that didn't not make it past the final rewrites. Frank Darabont also reserves a couple of chapters to explaining his process of getting the movie made. Stephen King also lends his thoughts on Franks vision for the movie, an outstanding achievement for a first-time director.

Wow. This is the first word that came to my mind after finishing reading this screenplay. Now, everyone knows how good the movie is, but reading this takes it to a whole different level. Included in this screenplay is extra scenes not seen in the final cut of the movie, a scene-by-scene analysis of the film, storyboards of important sequences, character photos, and last but not least, 2 forewords - one by Stephen King and the other by Frank Darabont, both giving insightful comments on the making of the movie and the novella 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption'. All in all, this is one of the most worthy purchases i've made as far as screenplays are concerned, and I recommend it to one and all - especially those interested in film analysis and movie making.

This is a great read. This book doesn't just contain the screenplay to one of the best movies of the 1990s. It also has a delightful introduction by Stephen King which explains his relationship with Frank Darabont and describes his "dollar baby" policy concerning his short stories and novellas. There is also a sort of short foreward by Darabont briefly describing how the movie came into being. This book contains the complete shooting script (deleted lines and all) and a bunch of notes by Darabont illuminating why certain scenes were cut, lines where changed, etc. Anyone interesting in filmmaking would really benifit from reading this. For those who aren't even in the least bit interested in how a movie is made, this is still a delightful read. It is a good thing, perhaps one of the best of things.

Having just finished reading it for the third time, I believe that Cancer Ward is a very fine novel, rich at many levels: in its depiction of Soviet provincial society in 1955, a poor society just emerging from Stalinism; in its portrayal of many separate characters (doctors, nurses, patients, hospital workers) in that society, many of whose lives have been permanently damaged by the terror and the GULAG, but in different ways; and, as I know from personal experience, in its depiction of the isolated world of the cancer patient, from which the rest of society is seen dimly, as though through dirty glass. In spite of all medical progress, the basics of this world have not changed much in 50 years: the core treatments are still surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and the side effects both long and short term can still be brutal.

The ending of the book will disappoint those who want a happy ending, or just an ending with all the loose ends tied up. In real life, though, loose ends usually stay loose. My thought is that Solzhenitshyn intended the reader to understand that for the characters and the society who are so damaged by the past there can be no happy endings; the best they can hope for is to continue from day to day, grasping at whatever happiness briefly comes their way.

Cancer Ward is often overshadowed by its predecessor, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and its successor, the immense memoir, The Gulag Archipelago. While the worldly impact of those two works is perhaps greater, the aesthetic power of Cancer Ward is stronger than both of those works. The story is poignant and powerful, reaching out and probing deeply into the essential questions that are never answered by not only Soviet society, but western culture as a whole. The religious message that emerges is stunning and unique, recalling the works of Dostoyevsky. Overall, this is an excellent book, and any reader who enjoyed One Day or Gulag will be blown away by this work.

Reading Solzhenitsyn's "Cancer Ward" without the historical background of the country in which it is set, a casual reader would be shocked to learn this book was banned by the Soviet government for many years. This book would seem to be nothing more than a sad story of life in a poor country's ward for terminally ill cancer patients. But through the interaction and description of the doctors and patients in Solzhenitsyn's brilliant novel, especially the loveable protagonist Kostoglotov, it becomes apparent that the ward is the Soviet system in a microcosm. With that understanding, this becomes one of the most scathing indictments of a totalitarian state written in the 20th Century. Even Orwell's great novels were not as passionately and directly damning of the Evil Empire.

This is a very typical Russian novel in that the setting is very stationary, the plot is slow moving and not well-defined in many parts, but it is also psychologically deep and gives the reader an immensely profound look at the minds and souls of its characters. But what separates this from so many Russian novels, especially those of the 20th century is that it slams the Communist regime while taking a bleak, Dostoevsky-like view of man as well. Kostoglotov's experiences at the end of this book are not as cathartic as those of Dostoevsky or Tolstoy characters, but the hope that he has is clearly the same in that it stems from a source greater than him or any man. This is an emotionally challenging book and the interpretation of the ending is divisive (just read some reviews here to see both opinions), but that just adds to the genius of this book. I believe the ending is phenomenally beautiful and Solzhenitsyn at his best.

This is a classic that is unfairly dismissed by today's modern, Western, intellectual elites, but its historical significance is undeniable. This book along with a few others inspired the anti-Soviet movement in the U.S., its allied countries, and the democratic revolutionaries inside of Russia in their eventually successful quest to destroy the most murderous empire our world has ever seen.

"Two things he liked: a free life and money in his pocket. They were writing from the clinic, 'If you don't come yourself the police will fetch you.' That's the sort of power the clinic had, even over people who hadn't got any cancer whatever."

God bless Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

Certainly one of the 20th century's most influential artists, Frank Frazetta has finally been given the showcase his work deserves. Featuring virtually all of the paintings that made him a legend among artists and fans alike (Conan, Tarzan, et al), "Icon" also includes a stack of previously unpublished and uncollected art, photographs, and some fascinating commentary by Fenner and Frazetta himself. From drawing comics for EC to ghosting "Lil Abner" for Al Capp to painting movie posters for Clint Eastwood, Frank Frazetta has proven again and again that he is one of the most exciting creators in the history of fantasy art. Often imitated, never equaled, Frazetta is the best and "Icon" is a *must have* book!

Frank Frazetta is by far the greatest fantasy illustrator of the last 50 years. His paintings are fit for the walls of any fine art museum. Icon is a wonderful book containing many of Franks finest and most famous works along with some never before seen art work from the master. This book is a must have for any fan of fantasy art. It contains interviews and information on many of Frazettas paintings with a wonderful insight to Franks life and legendary carear. Well printed and bound Icon will make a great addition to your coffee table. BUY THIS BOOK!

This is "Icon," which is book one of three, all of which are now available. Even though all three discuss all eras of his life and career, this Icon book is probably the best one to start with, since it shows many of the works that made him famous.

This book has a bunch of the Edgar Rice Burroughs paperback cover paintings, (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, etc.), and Conan the Barbarian covers, too. The text explains how the Frazetta paintings on the paperback book covers were responsible for outrageously high sales of these paperback books. This is probably what Frazetta is most famous for, these paperback covers that started a trend of sci-fi fantasy paintings that were as brutally dangerous as they are beautifully painted.

This book discusses Frank Frazetta's early childhood art, how he got into illustrating and comic books, comic strip work ghosting Lil' Abner for Al Capp, being wooed by Hollywood stars, doing movie posters during different decades, etc.

All three books discuss the same eras, but with different details and commentary from different friends and associates. There are also plenty of insightful quotes from Frank in all three books, which explain his outlook concerning his artwork and doing business with his artwork over 5 decades.

I remember Frazetta best for his Molly Hatchet album covers, which are both in this "Icon" book, but they are credited to the original paperback covers that they were first commisioned for, so Molly Hatchet is not mentioned.

To me, a kid in the 1970's, Frazetta was recognized as an expert in his own category, but his work was not common to come across. So I am very pleased with all three books in this trilogy, that finally brings most of his career together in three nicely made art books.

All three of these books are very informative and nice additions to any fans personal library. If you like Frazetta at all, then you should be quite pleased with "Icon," "Legacy," and "Testament."

After Baum's success with the first book, he penned the sequel "The Marvelous Land of Oz". It was a decent book, but it was missing one important element. Dorothy. He corrects that oversight in this one, and the book (and the rest of the series) is all the better for it. Dorothy makes her second trip to Oz, this time with her chicken Billina (don't worry, Toto would also return in later volumes) and the action is non-stop. If you planned on reading the series and had a tough time getting through book 2, don't stop. They keep getting better and better as Baum develops into a first-rate author. Read them in order and don't stop until you've finished book 14 (and then even dip into the books by other authors, none are as inspired as Baum's, but some of them are pretty good).

And if you've read all the Oz books and are looking for other titles that are just as magical and just as inspired, try the Chronicles of Narnia, King Fortis the Brave or Abarat. All will introduce you to other magical worlds that are every bit as fun to visit as Oz.

Firstly, if you are new to the Oz series, read The Marvelous Land of Oz before reading this book. Marvelous Land of Oz is what directly follows the original, infamous Oz book.
Believe me they just keep getting better.
This is a lovely book to read aloud to children of all ages. I highly reccomend all of the Oz books for their amusing, imaginitve characters(in this book, The Wheelings and Billinia are introduced) , their fantastical situations (trees with lunch boxes full of food, talking chickens, a shipwreak, all in this one), sweet plot and storylines. These books still stand the test of time (written over 100 years ago!)for good reason.
This book really sets the tone for the rest of the books to follow and in my opinion the best. A must read for every family.

Ozma of Oz is the 3rd book in The Wizard of Oz series and follows The Land of Oz. In this book, you will be reunited with many well-loved characters and be introduced to characters you will soon love.

Dorothy, who was not in the last book, again comes into this story. After being shipwrecked, she and Billina, a yellow hen, arrive on land. They wander around to see where they are and discover a new friend, Tik-Tok, a wind-up, mechanical man. They also find a castle. Inside, lives the family of Ev, who have been captured by the evil Nome king. Only a princess who can change her heads lives inside. Dorothy, Billina, and Tik-Tok decide to rescue the Ev family with the help of Ozma. --I won't mention who Ozma is because you may not have read The Land of Oz. You will find out in a later review.--

I would highly suggest this book, along with The Land of Oz because of the adventures and fun.

Very few blackjack books can live up to their hype. This book has been heavily promoted by Frank Scoblete who is a very popular gaming writer. I bought it because I tend to buy everything about blackjack in the hope, rare, that I will learn something new from it. Most times the blackjack book doesn't really offer me anything to write home about...or even write a review about. But I must say that not only does Mr. John May's book live up to the hype, it surpasses it. I learned several new and devastating advantage-play techniques that are just wonderful. I would recommend you get this book fast before the casinos discover what Mr. May is writing about and start watching the games even more closely than they currently do. This book will have a strong appeal to experienced blackjack players and they will learn new techniques from it just as I have. I put this on a par with the two or three best blackjack books ever written!

The biggest problem with John May's "Get the Edge at Blackjack," is the introduction by Frank Scoblete. "The book you are holding is a blackjack nuclear bomb," is how it starts, and the hype increases from there. One is left with the impression that by merely applying a few of the techniques in the book, the casinos will become veritable ATM machines. Naturally this is not the case, and the reader is left feeling vaguely let down. Which is a shame, because there is much to like here. There are indeed techniques that have heretofore received little or no publicity, and much that is of use to the serious blackjack player.

Another nitpick: Scoblete's intro further states, "There is information in [the book] that has never appeared in print in a mainstream book and there is some information that has never appeared anywhere except in the secret world inhabited by a handful of elite professional blackjack players." Well, I'm flattered. While none of the material may have ever appeared in a paper and ink book before, blackjack aficionados who have visited the Green Baize Vampire (May's alter ego) website and/or May's Card Counter Cafe may find that much of it has a familiar ring. This is not inherently a bad thing - after all, much of Don Schlesinger's "Blackjack Attack" was previously published in issues of Arnold Snyder's "Blackjack Forum" magazine. Still, I certainly have never considered myself an "elite professional blackjack player."

Oddly, (considering that this is supposed to be a collection of advanced techniques) the book starts with a brief summary of the rules of blackjack, followed by a recap of basic strategy. Next is an introduction to card counting, including a brief description of the Hi-Lo count.

Then we have a system comparison chart that is sure to spark some controversy. It shows both the Knockout count and Arnold Snyder's Red 7 count as being marginally superior to the time-honored Hi-Lo in all three areas: betting correlation, playing efficiency, and insurance correlation. To further complicate things, May provides no information as to how he arrived at these figures (what game, rules, etc.).

The first section of the book is concluded with a brief discussion of multi-parameter counts, and May's thoughts on cover and camouflage. I like this quote: "While the expert card counter plays blackjack against the dealer, he plays poker against the pit; that is, his play is geared toward the intelligence of the pit personnel." Indeed.

By this point the veteran player is likely chomping at the bit: "When do we get to the good stuff?" Part II carries the enticing title: "Advantage-Play Techniques - How to Become a Casino's Worst Nightmare!"

What follows is indeed "good stuff." Card Steering, Card Sequencing, and Shadow Play are described in detail. How much to bet when your first card is known (as a result of these techniques) is discussed. This has already caused some controversy on blackjack websites, as May recommends betting 40% of one's entire bankroll if it is known that one's first card will be an ace.

Oddly, we get get a couple of anecdotes regarding blackjack legend Lawrence Revere, author of "Playing Blackjack as a Business." While Revere was a colorful character, and these are most interesting, they seem a bit out of place.

Other advanced techniques covered include Hole Card Play, Glim Play, and Stacker Play.

The much-hyped section on beating continuous shuffle machines is more a series of suggestions than a tried and proven method. The problem is that more needs to be known about the inner workings of these infernal contraptions. However, it is reassuring to know that someone is working on ways to beat these things.

There is a description of a betting progression, of sorts, that sims indicate is effective. It's not what you think.

Many of these techniques may be of little use to the casual player. Some require extensive practice, and several require team play in order to really be effective. Others require situations (sloppy dealer, etc) that rarely occur.

However, any military expert will agree that merely because a particular weapon is not used very often does not mean that it should not be carried. The blackjack pro or serious part-timer needs to have a variety of "weapons" at his/her disposal. You may not know that you're going to be dealt an ace very often, but when it happens, you'd better be ready.

The book concludes with a chapter on Internet casinos. At first I questioned the inclusion of this, but found it to be an interesting summary. I have no interest in exploiting this form of blackjack, but if I ever change my mind, the basics are here.

Bottom line: Definitely not for the beginner, and of limited usefulness to the recreational player, Get the Edge at Blackjack is nonetheless a worthy addition to my blackjack library. I would recommend it to anyone serious about making money at blackjack.

John May's Get the edge at Blackjack lives up to the hype on its cover, unlike most gambling books. This book is not a beginner's book although it does have some "review" sections before getting into the heavy material. I found that many of the techniques were new to me and I have been playing blackjack for many years. The book is very well written and it flows. I would recommend this to anyone who already plays blackjack and is looking to learn unique methods of getting the edge that very few people have heard of. This is a really good book.

This is a great book when you know almost what you mean, but can't think of the exact word that just nails the nuance you are looking for. Organized by subject area, it's not the first place I would look to think of a word, but more as a reference. In fact in the user's guide they tell you 'The best way to become familiar with this book is to use it, especially as a quick reference for certain types of information: a list of the world's currencies; or a list of medical prefixes and suffixes; or a list of cylical events.'

They also offer the ability to look up foreign equivalents for words. It has a Table of Content, what the call Guide Words (which are like subject areas), and the index. Definitely a great reference source, if you are at least passingly familiar with the subject.

I am obsessed with words and with lists, so this book is my Bible. You can do so much with Word Menu if you enjoy word play and writing. Sometimes I randomly pick a word and start brainstorming around it until I have material for a short story or the beginnings of a poem. Sometimes I just pair adjectives and nouns, getting a kick out of what comes up.

I think this is a really great book to give a kid who is getting into writing. It is arranged in such a way that a person can just page through it and get lost in the world of words. It's so much more than a thesaurus-- if I had had this as a kid, I would have filled many more notebooks with my writing; I just know it.

Every writer needs this book. It is not negotiable. I was lucky enough to find a hardcover copy of Word Menu about five years ago on a bargain book table, and at least once a month, I rave to my wife about how much I love it.

All true writers know that nouns and verbs are the meat of writing. This is what makes Word Menu great. The book puts words into categories like walking, hats, and ships. Suppose you know what a certain type of gun is, but you don't know the name--with Word Menu, you'll find the exact name of the thing.

I read somewhere that the author, Stephen Frazier, made this book his life's work. He is now dead, but what a legacy to leave behind! I think the next step for someone eager (or crazy) enough would be to produce a visual word menu, because often we know what an item looks like, but we don't know its name. A great, great reference tool.