James Longstreet is the classic example of the man who lives too long and says too much. This fictive attempt to excuse his pitiful performances and to detract from Robert E. Lee (who was conviniently dead and therefore unable to defend himself when this book came out)is definitely worth reading as long as you keep in mind that what he's saying is probably a little left of the truth. Recently, there was strong evidence unearthed that Longstreet didn't even write this ode to himself. In short, a better and shorter version of the content of this book can be found in Shaara's "Killer Angels".

This is a fairly long book written by Longstreet a few years before his death as one of the longest living of the great generals of the Confederacy. He wrote many controversial articles prior to this book in the late 1870's that sparked controversy during the building of the Lost Cause syndrome. Since Longstreet does seem to have some memory issues with some battles such as Gaines Mill, parts of the book may be a little disappointing; however, he provides pretty good detail on his Gettysburg participation that is probably the most significant part of the book. The issue of what occurred on the morning of the second day of Gettysburg with Lee is in some conflict with previous testimony but Longstreet clearly states that there was no "sunrise attack order". He also defends his proposed move to the right but offers, what almost seems a publishers delight, a view that "Lee's blood was up" and there was no recourse but to attack. Unfortunately, Longstreet spends little time on his Tennessee campaign where in brutal winter conditions his wonderful command totters into disharmony. Although I wonder how much involvement Longstreet had with ghostwriters due to the loss of the use of his arm from the Wilderness, the demeanor seems consistent with "Old Pete". Perhaps if Longstreet followed D. H. Hill's view of never speaking ill of the dead, he would have a place in Richmond. In contrast to "Old Pete", D. H. Hill who was a cranky and outspoken critic during the war and but effective general, following his own rules Hill was rather boring in his lack of commentary. What is phenomenal about Longstreet is the great punishment he has taken from earlier CW writers about Gettysburg because of his post war views while in contrast Jackson was not held nearly as accountable for his failure to participate properly in the 7 Days battles where the war could have been won. Contrast Longstreet's role at the battle of Glendale with Jackson's

If Longstreet had died of his wounds at The Wilderness, he would be in the Pantheon with Lee and Jackson. If he'd never uttered a public word about The War, he might well be in that Pantheon. But after Lee's death, and in the humiliating pain of Reconstruction, Longstreet was the only surviving icon of the Army of Northern Virginia. Longstreet saw The War over and went on with his life. In doing so, he committed the unpardonable sin of renewing his old acquaintances, doing homage to the ruling party, and putting food on his family's table. As the lesser lights among the general officers began to seek a profit from their war, someone had to be blamed for the Army of Northern Virginia's failure. The Virginians wrote the history; the the Georgian, Longstreet, got the blame. Longstreet was an imperfect man and an imperfect commander, but neither Longstreet nor Lee lost the Battle of Gettysburg. Gallant Virginians get that honor. If Viginians Ewell, Early, and A. P. Hill had done anything useful on 2 July 63, American history might well be written with a different accent. By the time of this memoir, Longstreet was a wounded and defensive man under sustained and violent attack by the "Lost Cause" crowd in Virginia. Read his memoir in that context.

maybe the best bond on print to date. wished they would make a movie of it. it keeps you clued to the page wondering whats going to happen next.. a must read... get if you can.

This one is good. VERY good! One of the best villians in a long time. Plot is a little twisted, but you don't notice two much. Final challenge is the best part of the book. Stunning!

This is such a great book and i love it i baught it have reading it when i rented the book at the libary. Now i have read it 3 times and i am reading a 4 time write now. I never get sick of it! Broken Claw should be a movie! You have to read this book it is the BEST!

If you've ever caught a bluefish in The Race, this book will appeal to you. You can smell the bunkers and you feel the power of the fish. You also get a lesson on mankind's uncaring attitudes toward anything but our own selfish desires. He's a little long-winded sometimes, but still a good read.

This book was given to me late last summer after I had pulled a blue out of the waters of Chatham, Ma.. I am a year rounder on Cape Cod, but I hadn't caught a fish since I was a boy. I was positively giddy for days. The blues are a mean spirited fish. They'll bite a hook with no bait on it when they're feeding. Anyhow, I caught me a fighter (my tale is growing as I type!).

A week or two later, my birthday rolled around and I was given a copy of this book to whet my newfound appetite for angling. I read the book over the course of the winter, a chapter here, a chapter there.

Hersey's portrayal of a summer's worth of fishing trips with The Fisherman and The Stranger is charming, informative & humorous. I learned more than I think I'll ever get to employ about snatching a blue. The notion of the sea's natural progression through the seasons is held dear to The Fisherman.

The narrative format seemed a bit of a stretch at times. The Fisherman's long, fact-filled, oceanic diatribes were hardly conversational. I found myself shrugging this off easily though and accepting the info for what it was.

I guess it would be nice to have the time to fish everyday. Alas, I live a minute from the beach and can rarely find the time to enjoy it. The book inspired me to get back out there this summer and catch me another blue. This time it's going to be a maneater!

If you enjoy the sea, and the life within, you'll learn a little something by reading this book. Happy fishing...

John Hersey's book is a treasure. It is conceived as a series of conversations between an accomplished fisherman and a stranger, who, in the beginning at least, is predisposed to dislike fishing as a brutal pastime. But Hersey, page by page, chapter by chapter, lures the stranger (and the reader) into the deep mysteries of the sea and the complex world of ocean life that so many of us take for granted. The detail about the habits of fish, particularly the bluefish, is fascinating, but this is also a celebration of life and the way that man and sea are inter-dependent. Without being sentimental, Hersey teaches us what it is to love oceans, fresh air, and even the brutal cycles of life. If that is not enough, the book is sprinkled with anecdotes, poetry and recipes. A book that cannot but help you appreciate our oceans and John Hersey's skills as a writer.

SMERSH is back in this intigue packed adventure that has Bond running from Ireland to Hong Kong. However, The Bond girl is ditzy and not as interesting as most of the women he usually shacks up with.

This is one of John Gardner's weakest bond books. VERY, VERY complex plot and hard to understand. 007 protects members of W.W.II spy ring. Kind of boring :(

Buy this and read it!! Grab something and hold on! Great excapism from the second author of the 007 books!

Normally, I wouldn't bother with a book that was based on a television screenplay. However, I bought this one by mistake (thinking I was getting MacKinlay Kantor's Andersonville) and decided to punish myself for carelessness by reading it.

It must be admitted that the book reads quickly. This is because it is written at about a third grade level. Unfortunately, this picturesque effect is spoiled by the language and content, which seem to indicate that Vaughn thought he was writing for adults.

The characters are invaribly one-dimensional; the noble ones are totally noble, the evil ones purely evil. About the only one who seemed even remotely human was the commandant Wirz, who seemed to at least have some inkling that the prisoners were being mistreated. But he was able to excuse himself because he was just following orders, and, besides, if the prisoners would just show some discipline and obey the rules, everything would be fine.

Wirz's dialect is a scream, as is the accent of the Confederate soldiers. Oddly enough, they seem to be unaware of it; when one Union soldier (Gleason) escapes and makes his way home by temporarily joining up with the Confederates, he continues to speak his good unaccented Pennsylvanian and nobody seems to notice.

This whole Gleason adventure, by the way, is totally irrelevant to the story, seeming no more than an excuse for a sex scene with a Confederate widow.

There are many moral and philosophical issues arising from the Andersonville experience that Vaughn does touch on briefly, for example, to what extent does our environment excuse our actions? But the development of these ideas never scratches the surface, and there is no closure; the ending is incredibly weak and unsatisfying.

One never really gets the sense of what Andersonville was really like, but then, it would be impossible to make a really true film about it. Get a history book with some pictures of Andersonville captives, and you'll see why.

If you want to read a good novel about Andersonville, get Kantor's. It's not as easy to read as this book--and you'll probably have to skip a television show or two to get through it--but it's well worth the effort.

Robert Vaughan's Andersonville brings to life the horrors that the union prisoners had to deal with on a daily basis. This is not meant to be a historically accurate novel telling the reader all the events that took place in the prison. The book shows the reader what the average prisoner had to go through. Vaughan does a good job showing the savage attacks of the Raiders, a group that attacked new prisoners and robbed them of their supplies. Vaughan also does a great job showing the boredom that filled the prisoners lives. The conflict that man has with himself by not drinking the water and by going a couple of days with out food. This book is a quick read and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with unique twists in the story line. I recommend this book to Civil war Buffs and anyone who is looking for a good book to read on an airplane or a train.

Andersonville was a most serious death camp for captured Northern Soilders. When I saw the movie it broke my heart to see the way we were treated by southerns. The account was well written and the part where the Raiders were on trial and then the part where they were hung. Showed that there was some justice being served,espically with Wirtz holding them while trial was being readied. The real test was shown with the escape and recapture, it is known now that the first duty of any military personnel is to escape from the enemy. My heart really goes out to those who fought and were captured by the Rebels. In the end of the book the tomestone of Martin Blackburn was a good way to close this book. It os sad to know that Those who died in this conflict put there lives down to defend this country. I pray that we never have a consentration camp here in America with Americans held in it ever again.

Thank you S.R. Haldeman, Scott M. Great Lakes Naval Hospital

This is really a good book for Java Developers who wish to develop XML based applications. Couple of chapters have good examples and explains concepts in a very clear format. Also the book is upto date with all the latest concepts in XML world.

I have been working with XML for a while now, and this book offered a great coverage of most aspects of what XML application developers need to know. I am not able to keep up with everything happening in this very broad part of the industry - and this book provided enough coverage of the areas I'm not able to focus on on a regular basis to help me stay current. I'd recommend it for anyone who's working with specific areas within XML and want to stay current with the broader scope of what is going on. I'd also recommend it for anyone who is new to XML and wants to know the various Java APIs out there.

This is surely one of the Best Books availale in Market for Java Developers. I have been waiting to read a Book which covers all the latest XML API and how use them using latest Java Tools. Thanks to Wrox Publications for bringing this book to us. It covers how to do XML programming using all the latest Java API line I/O Sockets, Developing Presentation Logic, Developing Configuration and Deployment logic, Using XML in B2B applications. In short no other book in Market provides such a clear understanding of how to develop Java Based XML Applications.

Also it clearly explains how to use the latest Java Based XML Parsers like Xerces, Xalan and more. Friends if you need to get upto date with all the latest Java Based Parsers and different XML API, then this Book is really the Best one.

If you enjoyed Dr. No or Goldfinger, you will probably enjoy this novel. Bond versus meglomaniacs is a given in this series. Although not as memorable as some of the other Bond novels, Scorpius is classic Bond fare.

John Gardner turns in a solid Bond thriller that manages to be a little different than usual but still solid. This time, he goes up against the head of a fanatical cult bent on destroying England's political system. The book works well because the threat feels very real and imminent throughout the book. Bond does a little more detecting than usual, and despite what could be done with the premise, Gardner reigns it in and keeps it mostly down to earth. Not one to start with, but another underrated Gardner entry.

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Back in the late 1950's, author Ian Fleming created a unique character, one that would have all the style and charisma to live on through different storytellers. This character, James Bond, is most known for being the quintessential 'spy' or 'secret agent', and even considering the character's dangerous occupation and sometimes-questionable lifestyle, has become a sort of fictional role model for many people. But even though Mr. Bond originated from the world of literature, in a way, he is most known for his flamboyant and action-packed films, which are both light on the intellectual stimuli, and heavy on the one-liners.

Throughout the years, though, Bond's adventures have not only been continued on the silver screen. His outings also lived on through the literature world, being passed on to new authors, who each portray Bond in various ways, while still retaining all the charm and sophistication of Mr. Fleming's original Bond. But, as is usually commonplace, the novel adaptations of Mr. Bond's exploits have been much more detailed and thorough in describing the art of a covert spy, than just showing off by killing as many people and sleeping with as many women as possible like many of the films, particularly the most recent ones, have been doing. This is not to say that the films are essentially no-brainers, it's just that imagining what is happening in a particular scene through very descriptive and detailed words, is much more enjoyable than seeing it being played out in front of you on a screen.

This particular author, James Gardner, has written over eleven books based on the character in the last two decades, and by past examples of previous authors, he would have had a lot to live up to when he wrote his first bond novel. His seventh, Scorpius, is very true to both the novel-style Bond and the movie-style Bond. Landing somewhere in between, Gardner's Scorpius has all the detail and description of the books set out against the interesting plot and outrageous scenarios and villains of the films. It's an interesting mixture, and combined with his articulate use of words, makes for an enjoyable experience.

The story sees Bond start off partway through an intense training weekend at a British army base and receiving orders from his chief 'M' to return to the headquarters of MI6, a British intelligence outfit. The pace of the story is greatly increased when he learns he is being followed on his journey back. Gardner's use of this method to heighten the suspense and pace of the story is accomplished very well, and makes the reader want to keep reading on. Bond is then thrown into a mission to investigate a religious cult called the Meek Ones, founded by a mysterious man called Father Valentine. The Meek Ones are also believed to be behind a multitude of terrorist bombings on numerous British politicians. Further down the track, in typical Bond style, Father Valentine turns out to be none other than exiled arms dealer Vladimir Scorpius. This, although told very early in the text, is quite an interesting story device that Gardner uses, as Bond has to pretend he doesn't know Valentine's real identity, adding another layer of suspense to an already twist-ridden storyline.

Gardner's use of words goes even beyond being able to capture the attention of his readers. It is easy to see through the author's enthusiastic representation of the character of Bond, that he enjoyed writing this novel as much as if he was reading it. This is even portrayed through his attention to detail when it comes to how Bond does his job, showing a true appreciation for the art of espionage. Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that Gardner, before becoming a writer, was actually a Royal Marine and a stage magician, and this somehow influenced his storytelling ability, as his descriptive nature highlights not only the honour, but also the trickery that is required to survive in the covert spy world.

The character of Scorpius is very well portrayed, but somewhat flawed. On one side of the scales, we see an extremely intimidating character with "eyes of pure evil", and is described as "the Devil personified", and on the other, it is hard to take Scorpius seriously, as he seems quite comical in the sense that he sounds too unreal, and too unbelievable. In my opinion, this is the only blemish on an otherwise clean sheet. But this aside, Scorpius is your typical Bond villain (minus the physical characteristics), and he is actually quite convincing if he is believed to be the psychotic madman Gardner, through Bond, describes him to be.

Even without the exotic locations of usual Bond adventures, Gardner's Scorpius is a fantastic insight into the fictional world of James Bond and his work with MI6. Easily comparable to the films and even Ian Flemming's original tales, Scorpius' tale of fanatical cults, terrorist bombings and the world of espionage is filled with enough plot-twists and suspenseful action to keep you interested from the moment you first open the book.

This is a reasonably good, though dry, effort at examining the life of the mellifluous-voiced British actor, James Mason. The book is paced well and there is a fair amount of information on most of his movies. However, there is a lack of information on Mason's personal life, especially regarding his unusual first marriage to the ascerbic Pamela Mason.

Though Pamela Mason was a loud-mouthed and shrewish adulteress, she was also extremely witty and interesting in her own right. Anyone who recalls her appearences on L.A. TV shows from the 60's and 70's will still chuckle at her endless tirades, usually ending with the predictable sentence, "James was so dull."

This book actually provides convincing evidence that James *was* boring. Mason comes off as depressed, rigid, indecisive and inrodinately unhappy. He makes many poor choices and instead of getting over them and getting on with his life, he broods about the negative consequences of his actions. For example, he moves to Hollywood and instantly detests California and American life, yet he inexplicably continues to live in the States for another 15 years. Hello, James... what was the problem?

It is never explained why James stayed with Pamela for so many years, even when he was miserable in her presence and unhappy living in America. When he finally does divorce her, he ends up shilling out millions in alimony and making a succession of wretched movies in order to pay off Pamela.

Ultimately, the real tragedy is that a man as intelligent, urbane and handsome as James Mason (not to mention his stupendous voice!) handled his career in such a haphazard way. He was a marvelous screen actor, but wasted his talent in many potboilers. This book doesn't really explain these poor choices and doesn't reveal enough about Mason's private life.

I really enjoyed this biography by Sheridan Morley on James Mason. It is really good, and tells much about his life, but more about his career. It's a very good read though, and you will learn about him from it. It's well written and really is an interesting read for any fan of James Mason.

I found this book at my local library and am somewhat disappointed to discover that it is out of print. Durant and Harwood seem like good people, if a tad too serious about matching Audubon step for step on his collecting trips around the country more than 150 years ago. I was consistently amazed at their earnestness in seeking out a particular view or clearing or ditch that the artist might have stopped at.

Clearly this was a labor of love for them, and their dedication, not to mention their scholarship, is commendable. It has been said, however, that an author should resist the urge to tell the reader EVERYTHING he or she knows. I know that rule gets thrown out the window when what is being written is more academic than artistic, but this book was apparently intended as both, and I can't tell you how boring it was to read paragraphs that consisted of nothing more than the names of all the plants the author saw around her. The bird lists made for only slightly less dull reading, but only because I'm a birder.

The book is really a combination travelogue/biography/history. It succeeds best at the last two, and some passages and descriptions are quite poetic. But less minutia, no matter how fascinating to the author, would have been most welcome. The urge to record and relate everything (including a photograph of the authors' makeshift drying rack, moist socks included) kills some of the joy of this book.

But I learned a lot about Audubon and grew to respect the authors' experience and knowledge of natural history - Harwood seems to be a highly expert birder and ditto for Durant as botanist.

I will also be seeking out a permanent Audubon exhibit and the artist's grave, which I learned are nearby in New York.

Though the book often came across as a little too indulgent, the zeal and genuine love the Harwoods bring to their work (and they work very hard) is truly inspiring.

I couldn't disagree more with the last reviewer. I read this book more than ten years ago and it is still the best source of information on the life of Audubon, as well as the most enjoyable read in the large Audubon literature. It fired my interest in Audubon more than any other book. The fact that the authors contemplate the people, places, plants, and birds that they found in Audubon's path -- and the changes that have taken place over nearly 200 years -- only adds to the book's value. This is history (natural and biographical) in 3D, and brings Audubon to life like no other book about him.

This book is written in installments: first-person narratives by people who know the main character. Most of them are only a few pages long, and few of the narrators repeat. Thus, it's impossible to really sympathize with any of them. The main character himself, gunslinger John Wesley Hardin, is hard to like: we never get into his head, and from the outside he looks like just another gangster. The reader sympathizes briefly when he's wounded and imprisoned, only to be put off when he commits his next act of mindless violence or drunken stupidity. The post-Civil War American West, as presented by the author, whacks the reader over the head with violence, lawlessness, and what I felt were rather gratuitous scenes of sex with prostitutes. I'm all for "gritty" historical fiction, but here it sometimes seemed like the author was just trying to show off. Without emotional content, grit is just an irritant. Having said all that, the book is intelligently written and apparently well researched, and it might be somebody else's cup of tea more than it is mine.

There was nothing like the American West in the history of the world and figures like Hardin exemplify it; deadly, brave, sad and foolish all at once. His death seemed a relief because by 1895 there was no place left for the bravado of a gunslinger who would draw over an insult.

I found the writing format, the telling through other's eyes, less engaging and certainly less tasty than Blake's current style.

This was some book ! Absolutely outstanding in every respect - as a story, in its style, very exciting, excellent dialect, really funny in spots, ..... Chapter by chapter I went from hating the arrogant ... (John Wesley Hardin), to wanting to be a Hardin. If he really was as portrayed in this book (which I doubt), he was mostly the kind of person I respect - leave him alone and he'll buy you drinks all night long and otherwise give you the shirt off his back. Meddle in his business, get in his face, or harm his family and he'll whip you or kill you. Now don't get me wrong. Any reader would try to see where they fit in, in that day and time and I am pretty much left with the sad conclusion that I would have probably been a sorry, boot-licking peddler of some kind . . . . not a Hardin.