Robert B. Parker, God Save the Child (Berkeley, 1974)

One of the great enduring mysteries in the literary world-and it says quite a bit that a piece of genre writing has had such a pervasive cultural effect-is the first name of Robert B. Parker's longstanding favorite good guy, Spenser. What short memories we have, for it's revealed in God Save the Child, the second Spenser novel. (The book contains the one scene where someone says his first name and isn't later contradicted. And no, I'm not going to tell you what it is.) Not only that, but it also pinpoints Spenser's age, which is something that's come up in more than one recent review. And yes, he is getting up there. (I won't tell you that, either. But pretty soon, the A&E made-for-TV movies will have to case Don Ameche and Garrett Morris as Spenser and Hawk.) For any Spenser fan, those two things alone should be reason enough to go back and correct any error they may have made by not reading this at their earliest opportunity. To cap off the must-read things about this book, it's where Spenser first meets Susan. Okay, get thee to a bookstore and get to work.

In this case, Spenser is hired to find a runaway kid. After a few days of wheel-spinning by both Spenser and the cops, a ransom note turns up; the kid's not a runaway, but a kidnap victim. Spenser enlists the help of a smart-aleck state cop and the kid's guidance counselor (Susan Silverman), and things go about the same way they usually go in detective novels. Those used to later Spenser novels will find the prose much drier than the average Spenser novel; whether Parker hadn't yet developed the distinctive Spenser style or whether the publisher was leaning on him to sound more like Ross MacDonald is anyone's guess. But don't worry, you won't be hurting for wisecracks, culinary commentary, and other such Spenserian traits.

While the book itself is vintage Parker, it's plain to see that the publisher was still thinking of Parker in dime- novel terms back in 1974. Hopefully reprints have corrected some of the more egregious errors of spelling and grammar, but if you happen to get your hands on the mid-seventies Berkeley paperback (...), be prepared for some painfully obvious screwups, if you happen to notice such things. I considered using the book to start a bonfire the second time Spenser "payed" a bill. (Amazing that they didn't spell his name Spencer throughout.) Obviously, it's not a knock on Parker, but still worth noting for those who get annoyed by proofreading errors in their pulp fiction. ****

Parker is starting to find his own style in this one, not just emulating his heros Chandler and Hemingway. And it's a good read. It's also the first in a long line of simplistic 'the kid is messed up and the parents are to blame' storylines. It's as if Parker went to a couple of counseling sessions with a Freudian psychologist and decided he understood everybody's motivation, and that gets more irritating over the years rather than less - particularly if you, like me, are the parent of a troubled teen. Life just isn't that simple. Also, if you read the whole series, you can watch Spenser move away from his prejudices against gay people, but if you haven't read the later books, this one might offend you.

I have read Robert B. Parker since I was 13 and devour his Spenser books instantly, as he is one of only three authors that I will buy in hardback (Grafton and Evanovich are the other two). So I feel qualified in stating that this is one of his best stories in the series.

Spenser is hired by the Bartlett's to find their missing son. Mom and Dad are far from perfect - Mom's a self-centered alcoholic, Dad's a passive workaholic. Kevin, the son, appears to have been kidnapped (I'll leave the plot surprises for you to discover!), and it's up to Spenser to save him.

This is truly Parker at his best. The plot is terrific and never becomes secondary to Spenser's emotional life, as sometimes happens. This also happens to be the book that introduces the erstwhile Susan Silverman, which adds a nice kick to the story. The fact that this story takes place in the mid to late 70's in no way detracts from its value.

Buy this book and treasure it!

In this book, Spenser gets distracted, overlooks clues, even loses a fistfight. And I enjoyed it. Seldom in the series does our hero behave less than heroically (Spenser even makes reference to his outfit with the cape and the "S" on his chest). I liked this more humble, more human, more fallible Spenser. The character of Rachel is hard to warm up to at first (and I consider myself a feminist), yet I like that, too. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, even humorless feminist authors. And Susan actually adds something to this story. Her insights are valuable and move the action along. It helps to remind us every now and again why Spenser puts up with the often exasperating Dr. Silverman. In all, a wonderful read.

Aside from EARLY AUTUMN, there is no question that this is Parkers best novel. It's funny, fast, lots of action, and a big ending. I read all of Parkers Spenser novels in a row, twice, about six years ago, and I've gone back and re-read this one a few more times.
Parkers short 200 page books are like movies, as you can have a bad day, come home, have a few beers and plow through a book in one evening. This is the one that always lifts my spirits.

LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE is a fantastic book, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan of the series. Spenser is his usual funny, witty, tough self, but here, more than any other book before this, his sensitive side is exposed. The book is basically broken into two parts. Part one is Spenser being hired to protect Rachel Wallace, a feminist lesbian author. The two clash beautifuly and the pages are full of humorous dialogue between Spenser and Rachel. The two are like oil and water; Spenser standing for everything that Rachel speaks out against. Basically, he's not PC enough for her. Although there is mutual respect there, Rachel eventually fires Spenser.

Part two is the "looking" part. Spenser finds out that Rachel has been kidnapped and he is rehired by the publisher to find her. Without Rachel there, Spenser is able to do his job his way. The Of course our hero finds her in the end. The poignant part of the story is that they both learn from each other. Spenser realizes that his machismo isn't always the answer, and Rachel learns that without a little muscle, she would've probably died.

It's a quick, fun read. Like always, Parker writes with a poetic beauty, realistic dialogue and action-packed adventure. I not only recommend this as a fan of mystery novels, but as someone who loves to read and can appreciate good writing. If you hven't read Spenser, pick up this book. Or better yet, start from the beginning and start the adventure.

Robert B. Parker, Valediction (Delacorte, 1982)

One of the best things that can be said about Valediction is that it sets up the events in one of the best Spenser novels to date, A Catskill Eagle. That alone is enough to make it worth reading. It's also a little heaver on The Continuing Saga of Spenser and Susan than many Spenser novels; judge as you will and buy accordingly. Somewhere beneath all that, there's a mystery waiting to happen. In this case, Spenser is hired by one of his foster child's dance instructors to find said instructor's girlfriend, whom he believes has been kidnapped by a sect of religious extremists. The story sounds wonky from the beginning, but what seems a little off at first ends up being stranger than anyone involved ever imagined.

The cast list reads rather like a Spenser's Greatest Hits novel. Almost everyone in here has popped up before in a Spenser novel, from kids to hoods. The framework of the characters is already set up, and the plot pretty much writes itself. It's empty calories, the kind of stuff you'd never catch the main character eating. However, this book is less about the mystery therein than it is about Spenser himself and how his changing relationship with Susan affects his own outlook on life. It sets the book apart somewhat, and that, combined with the events in the next book it sets up, makes this one a worthwhile addition to the canon. ***

Perhaps I'm boring but Parker hit a grand slam with me when creating the dynamic duo of Spenser and Hawk. While we still have the terrific tandem here, Parker throws a few curves at the reader in Valediction.

Right out of the box, you know this is going to be a nerve-wracking story. In the opening scene, Spenser has just come from Susan's Ph.D. grad ceremony when she drops the atomic bomb that she is moving to San Francisco for a new job. This sets the stage for Spenser's moods throughout this book.

Spenser's friend, Paul, asks him to look into a wherein Paul's boss, Tommy Banks, believes that his girlfriend has been kidnapped and brainwashed by a religous cult. While we learn that Banks may not be the most honest citizen, it really doesn't matter. For if you are in Spenser's way in this novel, you are in grave danger.

On a lighter note, Spenser meets, goes out and seduces the woman he has flirted with across the street via flirtatious smiles from their respective office windows. This relationship takes on a more serious tone but, can it last? Will Susan return to Spenser?

Parker takes you down a variety of paths in this one. Different for Parker but a good read.

This book leads into my favorite spenser, A Catskill Eagle, but is excellent all alone. This time we see Spenser after Susan has left him and he's tortured by her absence, not really sure he wants to live anymore, he gets sloppy at his job. His dreams when he is under the knife are very powerful. There are many great Spenser novels in his thirty-year history but in terms of character development he changes more through Valediction and A Catskill Eagle than he does in the other 28 books combined. This book also has the best action/survival scene in the whole series when an attempt is made by five men on Spenser's life, his actions are CHARACTER-DEFINING in a way a million words of dialogue can't convey.

Young creates two essays; one that recalls George Robert Twelves Hewes participation in nearly every important event of the Am. Revolution, a sort of Forrest Gump of his time, and one that delves into the existance of historical memory- the true service of this book.

Young relates the events of Hewes life through contemporary biographers who had on hand the last of the revolutionary warriors. Contemporaries, intent on justifying and embellishing the memory of the revolutionary fathers, left a clear track of what the people of 19th century America wanted to know and to believe about their forebearers. It matters little that it would have been extremely unlikely that Hewes was present at every event he recalled.

That is Young's point. Sometimes, the story tells us as much about the historian and the market for his writing as it does about the event being recorded. Historical interpretation is recollection of events and placing them in context. Even immediately after an event, the eyewitness accounts vary. Today's historian may fall prey to superimposing current attitudes and values on prior events as those these are determinants.

Young's Shoemaker is a valuable caution to interpreters of history.

Alfred Young's book is a well-written example of how ordinary people shaped the Revolution. History tends to limit itself to the "Great Men" of the time, but sometimes an ordinary person like George Robert Twelves Hewes finds himself recorded into history. In this case, Hewes just happened to outlive many of the others who fought in the Revolution, and his experiences managed to live on in two biographies written about him while he was still alive. But Hewes is only part of the story. The rest of the book details how certain events of the Revolution have been forgotten (or at least not celebrated) such as the tar-and-feathering of John Malcolm. Young's book is striking and poignant, and it is written in a curt manner. I would suggest this book to anybody who has an interest in the American Revolution.

How did the idea of a revolution take hold among those who cared little about a tax on tea? The story of an apprentice shoemaker, (the lowest of the trades, we learn) who, one year humbles himself at the house of a successful Bostonian businessman, and, the next year refuses to doff his hat to a British ship's captain on the street. What changed him? Divided into two parts, the first half of this book is excellent, the second half less so. More academic than a pop history, but still a good read, I'm glad I bought it. The kind of book that leaves you feeling you learned something and read a good book at the same time.

I read this book a little while ago, and it was great! The characters came to life, and I felt that I was there. I was a bit dissapointed in April Kyle's parents, how could they be so uncaring towards thier daughter. I will read Spenser again....

I'll be honest, I'd have to look up the word ceremonious to be truly certain of its meaning, but that's not terribly important here. In short, it's a great book! I saw the TV movie first which made me want to read the book. It may have been the first Spenser movie I saw, although I used to watch the series when I was a kid. Guess that dates me a bit. I am a big fan of the Spenser series, and this is one of my favorite Spenser books along with Early Autumn. I've read eleven, so I'm sure there are more favorites to come. I think I am so crazy about this one because the outcome is so unusual. Unexpected. Maybe I'm biased...Robert B. Parker is my favorite author, but he is for a reason, and that reason is Spenser, Hawk, and Susan (among others). They are good characters. They make for good books. This is one of many, but it is one I highly recommend.

I recently finished Spenser's latest, WIDOW'S WALK, and really didn't like it one bit. Thank goodness for CEREMONY, which reminded me of everything I love about the series. The story was complex and meaningful -- student April Kyle has a terrible homelife and turns to hooking. What is worse, what's more damaging to her still evolving psyche? Susan is serious and struggling with real issues. Hawk is a loyal, supportive presence. No extraneous subplots, no strained wise cracking. Just good storytelling. Highly recommended.

This was Parker's first Spenser novel, and after having read most of those that follow, it was interesting and surprising to find that Spenser wasn't a terribly likeable character in the "early days." I like him much better in later books. He's a sleaze in this first book! But The Godwulf Manuscript has all the Spenser-style wise-cracking, irreverent, sarcastic wit that makes me laugh as I read. Interesting plot. If you've never read a Spenser novel, start with this one but read the later novels too. It gets better!

Robert B. Parker's first Spencer novel, The Godwulf Manuscript is a fun and sometimes addictive read of thievery and murder. While not high literature, this book is a classic in its own right, written in 1973, where Spencer became the typical cardboard cutout detective that we see in many B-movies. Witty and sarcastic, and many times flattened emotions to send the "I am not amused" lines of dialogue. While today this might seem blah to some readers, if read with the idea that this is the first of its kind in the back of your mind, it may be more appreciated. Aside from this, the story is well told in the simplest way without getting fancy. This series went on to some 12 novels and a TV series, 'Spencer for Hire.'For a fun quick read, those who enjoy mystery will enjoy this book.

I love reading mysteries. I've torn through John Sanford, Michael Connelly, Jeffrey Deaver, Elmore Leonard, Ross MacDonald, and the like...and so, it's with a little shame that I admit I hadn't read a Spenser novel before now. My mother told me that the authors I was reading now, while good, were basically following the formula that Robert B. Parker had been perfecting for the last 25 years. So rather than picking up "Potshot", his newest book, I went to the used bookstore and found myself the first book in the series. Although a little out of my element with references to people and styles that were popular when I was three years old (the book was first published in 1973), the story crackles like any on the shelves today. I was reminded of the gritty violent world that Dennis Lehane portrays in his Boston mysteries starring Kenzie and Gennaro, and the wise-cracking wit of Robert Crais' Elvis Cole. Of course, now I realize that these PI's owe a great deal of their success to Spenser. The plot of the mystery in "The Godwulf Manuscript" was fair and interesting, but ultimately it is secondary to the captivating character of Spenser and the people surrounding him. I cared less about the unfolding of the mystery of where the Godwulf Manuscript went and who took it, than I did learning about the people who were involved in the deadly circumstances surrounding it. An excellent first book of a series. I'm thrilled to know that 27 more Spenser books are in my future!

Many of the reviews I've read about Robert B. Parker's latest Spenser novel, Back Story, suggest that it is unlikely to win any new Spenser fans. This may be true, but Parker's 30th Spenser offering seems to be designed not with new fans in mind, but for old Spenser junkies like myself who have grown older along with the gumshoe, Susan, Hawk, Lt. Quirk, and the rest of the series characters. After several novels, a series become less story-driven and more character-driven. Back Story is a classic example.

Hired by surrogate son Paul Giacomin for a box of six Krispy Kreme donuts, Spenser sets out to solve the murder of a woman who died in a 1974 bank robbery. Following a trail that's nearly thirty years old, he soon discovers that several people don't want the murder solved -- and that some people are willing to kill to keep it under wraps.

Character-wise, Parker pulls out all the stops. In addition to Hawk, Paul, Quirk and Belson, we are re-united with some of Parker's more colorful characters: former Joe Broz gunman Vinnie Morris; Junior and Ty-Bop, two enforcers for black crime kingpin Tony Marcus; and Ives, the mysterious Company man (too bad Parker didn't find a way to weave Rachel Wallace into the story). There is very little suspense in the book, but that's never been Parker's strong suit anyway. Action-wise, the series peaked with A Catskill Eagle, but there are just enough punches and bullets here to keep the story rolling, culminating with a shootout in Harvard Stadium. And of course, there's the fabulous verbal interplay between Spenser, Hawk, Susan, Quirk, Frank Belson, and just about everyone else. Susan, whom I've often found superfluous to the series, shows her value here, as she helps Spenser through a brief bout of self-doubt. Hawk is -- well, he's Hawk: unfailingly loyal to Spenser and Susan, deadly to just about anyone else. And Spenser never lets us down, working a dangerous case for no money, finding out things his client (a co-worker of Paul's) would rather not know, determined to see the case through to the end. Not many people can understand the complex moral code he lives by, but Susan does, Hawk does --and maybe that's enough.

If you're a fan of detective fiction and you've never read a Spenser novel, I would recommend that you begin from the beginning and pick up The Godwulf Manuscript, the inaugural novel of the series (I would also wonder what planet you are from, but that's neither here nor there). The Spenser novels truly are one of the great treasures of contemporary American fiction. Back Story is a satisfying read, but it is nothing special -- unless you spend a little time with the characters first.

Let me say first, I am honored to own all 30 Spenser novels. I consider myself a collector to be sure but a consumer first and foremost. For those new to Robert B. Parker (RBP) and Spenser, Spenser is "Shakespeare meets Mike Hammer (and then some)." What's not to like? Well, with the last few offerings, RBP has, in my opinion, slipped a bit. In his last Spenser offering, WIDOW'S WALK, I was thoroughly disappointed in the uncharacteristically slow pace and lack of Spenserisms; not to mention the total lack of identification of the killer. In BACK STORY, RBP makes a partial comeback to the wit all Spenser fans have come to love, but it is still substandard. And, call me sadistic, but where the heck is Hawk? Yes, he's still in the storyline but his role is somewhat geriatric. I enjoyed the brash, somewhat dark side of Hawk. A bit more mystery and a lot less familiarity.

To the story...Spenser's "surrogate" son, Paul Giacomin, turns up in Boston with a bag of Krispy Kremes and introduces Spenser to a young woman friend, Daryl Silver (nee' Gordon). Daryl asks Spenser to solve a 28-year-old murder (remember, 28, not 30-year old!!). The victim was Daryl's mother, shot to death in a Boston bank when a radical group calling itself the Dread Scott Brigade staged an armed robbery in 1974. The crime was never solved, and now Daryl has come to Spenser for closure, though his fee will have to be the price of a bag of donuts. With true Spenser brio, he readily accepts.

Spenser immediately begins to see the facts of the old case don't add up. For one thing, the Dread Scott Brigade allegedly took responsibility for the robbery, and there are photos of the perps. However, strangely enough, no one was ever caught. As Spenser dives deeper into the case files of the authorities, he discovers the FBI knows things it won't share, and Daryl's perpetually-stoned father has sources of income Spenser can't explain. Not only was the case seemingly dropped before it got started, it has been covered up. A key FBI intelligence report is missing from both the Boston Homicide and FBI files. And, in a contrasting twist, Spenser discovers the mob wants the case closed as well.

After an author successfully writes 30 novels with the same main character, achievement isn't at issue. And this story is worth the read if for no other reason than the author is RBP and the main character is Spenser. The combination is difficult to resist and I'll continue to read all of RBP's Spenser iterations. However, and this will be unpopular, RBP is not focusing on Spenser and Hawk in the fashion he used to. Pinpointing my issue, Spenser's wit is present but laconic relative to past offerings. Hawk is present but impotent relative to past offerings. The ending, well, let's just say it passed with a wimper. Not the usual RBP blast.

All-in-all, BACK STORY is worth the read if one is a Spenser fan. However, in this reviewer's opinion, this book just barely reaches the 4-star level. I'm hoping for more wit and action in the next offering.

As a reader who was introduced to Robert Parker and his Spenser detective novels by watching Robert Urich in the television series, I was saddened by Urich's death last year since in a way a part of the Spenser mystique for me had died with him. Thus, I was delighted that Spenser reappeared in BACK STORY, which as the thirtieth book in the series seems to have refined the characters to their essence. And we also have Jesse Stone, the chief of the Paradise police department and the main character of three Parker novels, become periperally in this Spenser case as Parker devotees probably guessed was inevitable. (Will Sunny Randall be next?)

Paul Giacomin, a character in previous Spenser novels (and a surrogate son for Spenser) and now a successful playwright, visits Spenser with Daryl Silver, an actress and friend. While visiting Daryl's aunt in Boston twenty-eighty years ago (when Daryl was six years old), Daryl's mother Emily Gordon was murdered during a bank robbery by the Dread Scott brigade, an unknown revolutionary black power group reminiscent of the Black Panthers. The murder was never solved and the group members were never identified, and Daryl hopes Spenser will investigate the case so she can finally have closure. The police had hit a dead end, but of course Quirk still remembers it and would love to close an old case but isn't particularly hopeful regarding Spenser's chances of so doing. Things look even bleaker when it becomes apparent that all copies of the FBI file regarding the case have mysteriously disappeared.

As Spenser follows up on old leads, he is soon threatened (first verbally and then shot at my a group of hit men). Of course, the danger that first he and then Susan Silverman face mean that Hawk is an almost continual presence in this story, much to the delight of all true Spenser fans. The story includes almost all the usual cast of characters that have made this series so successful (in addition to Quirk, Hawk, and Susan - Vinnie Morris, Tay Bop and Frank Belson all have bit parts). We are introduced to Nathan Epstein, who is delightful in his essential role as Spenser's FBI liasion. The bad guys include both the mob and other assorted characters from Daryl's childhood years. None of them are likely to appear in future stories, especially since more than the usual quota meet their demise at the hands of Spenser and Hawk.

As Spenser gradually uncovers the truth and learns that it is not exactly as Daryl described, she becomes so emtionally distraught that she asks him to quit the case. However, since he had agreed to take the case as a favor to Paul and his only fee had been a box of Krispy Kreme donuts, he declines to end the investigation. Partially because he believes since he now has reopened the case that he and Susan will continue to be in danger unless it is solved, but also because as Susan observes using her fine psychoanalytical skills and thorough knowledge of Spenser's character (and reinforced by some wonderfully rich imagery from Hawk), he "can't quit early... [he] has to know how it will turn out".

This book does not present an especially difficult mystery for the reader to solve, as several of the elements of the solution are in fact telegraphed relatively early in the story. However, there are enough details which involve the usual misdirection to keep the interest of the reader. And some of the characters, such as the aging hippie who is Daryl's father and the associated imagery are wonderful. It also has some of best dialog and psychological interplay between Spenser, Susan, and Hawk in any of the stories in the series. Over the years, their characters have grown comfortable with each other, in fact they have become among the most enjoyable characters in this genre. Both the male/female and black/white interplay is done in a meaningful and enjoyable manner. So, if you are a new Robert Parker reader, don't hesitate to start with this book although you will probably not enjoy it as much as those readers with an extensive background in the series. And if you are already a fan, this is another excellent addition to the series, despite the death of another old friend besides Robert Urich.

Robert Boston has written a valuable contribution to current literature about the Religious Right. His personal observations of Religious Right leaders and organizations in action establish a credibility which a purely academic study could not. And he really covers the waterfront with discussion of influential organizations like the Rutherford Institute and the Traditional Values Coalition which most authors ignore. And as a Democrat, I can certainly relate to the author's conclusion that the Religious Right is basically a con game to lure people who would naturally gravitate to the Democratic Party into the conservative Republican fold.

However because the author has no strong theological interests, he overlooks the great danger which the Religious Right poses to Evangelical Protestantism. The actual purpose of the Religious Right is to allow people to consider themselves good Protestants while at the same time rejecting important New Testament teachings. For those who are uncomfortable with the Christian target audience being "all men everywhere"(Acts 17:30), the Religious Right permits the establishment of Our Private Religious Club--for "traditional families" only, thank you. And the list of major discrepencies between Religious Right teachings and New Testament teachings is long and substantial. Because Mr Boston overlooks the worst aspect of the Religious Right movement, he has understated his case.

I know its a bad anthology but just look at his picture. Look at that smile, you'd know that there is the evil smile right there. Now, to back my idea that Pat Robertson is evil, look at the things he is "preaching":

- Patty likes to preach hate, which he is GREAT at. Oh, hate this and that, lets hate all the Hindu and all the Jews and all the Buddhists and all the Mulisms and even Catholics and some Protestants but just not Patty!
- Patty actually proclaims that "he can communicate to God", basically you know he is right there insulting Him by preaching all the blasphemy and hatread.
- Patty is absoutely 100% sure he is going directly to heaven without question, at least that's what he wants people to think that he is! And fool people into feeling free to drink and cuss and harm others just as long as they "find God" at the very last second. By this, he taking more innocent people away from the rightful God that awaits them.

Well there you have it! What kinda of a preacher would preach hate? The last time I went to a chuch I don't remember the preacher preaching hate! Even people of different religions won't preach hate so why would a "Christian" named Patty Robertson be doing so?

Finally, keep in mind that Pat Robertson is a millionaire, and owns several estates. However, I don't remember reading the newspaper saying he made great donations to churchs!

The last word: buy this book to see why Pat Roberstson is so dangerous, it doesn't matter if you're right or left-wing, we should always be viligent and aware of the danger and evil around us to avoid it.

Boston's book is a valuable contribution in the effort to expose the "Christian" Right, because they have become far more influential politically than most people realize. Boston's experience and insight gives us a closer look at the situation, and his work is a great companion to other works, such as A Pilgrim's Path: Freemasonry and the Religious Right, by John J. Robinson, and Real Prophecy Unveiled: Why the Christ Will Not Come Again, And Why the Religious Right Is Wrong, by Joseph J. Adamson. These books shed light in a world made dark by religious bigotry and hypocrisy, and the latter gives us the true meaning of prophesy to dispel the "end times/last days" nonsense. I just wish more people would seek and find the real truth, because the sooner people get the message the sooner we can put an end to the conflict, division, and violence.

Boston does an excellent job of defending a principle that too many Americans have been lied to about for too long. With an overview of church-state history, legal issues, and a well-reasoned attack on the Religious Wrong, Boston's book is a breath of fresh air in the polluted skies of sectarianism. A quick note, one of the reviewers of this book noted that "separation of church and state is not written in the Constitution." Ignoring the poor grammar he used, he obviously didn't read the book. That point, and it is a valid one, is discussed by Mr. Boston. It is unfortunate in our time that people who have never had a taste of oppression, never a glimpse of tyranny, seek to run for cover under state-imposed orthodoxy. Keep the church and state forever separate in every way. I know what I'm talking about, my family grew up in Iran!

Rob Boston presents an intelligent, well written argument against the threat of the Religious Right movement in America. He traces church- state relations from several hundred years ago to the present day and confronts the non-seperationists with zeal and passion.

Why do many Americans fall so easily for the propaganda and historical distortions from the Religious Right? I think the main reason lies in the attitudes that many Americans have toward people in authority. Not just religious authority, but other authorities as well, such as political figures, teachers, and even our elders. Many people seem to falsely think that individuals in positions of authority are incapable of wrongdoing, even when they have been proven wrong in the past. I cannot count the number of times that I have heard a person in an authoritarian position make an outrageous statement which is then quickly taken as gospel by the gullible public. Sometimes, the individual in authority will later contradict himself and even his contradiction will be treated as infallible by the public! This has never ceased to amaze me.

Rob Boston states several times that he is unsure whether the Religious Right is ignorant of the facts or withholding the truth. In the case of the followers of the movement, I think ignorance and vulnerability are at the forefront. But the leaders of this so- called "religious" movement can only be described one way: they are bona-fide liars! Pat Robertson and the rest of the leaders are willing to sacrifice honesty in order to further their political agenda. These leaders have studied the constitution and American history history extensively. They would have to know that what they preach is completely false, beyond all shadow of a doubt.

We all need to take a stand against these extremist groups to protect our freedom for ourselves and for future generations. Remember: apathy is the #1 tool used by the Religious Right. We need to get up and fight!

Not nearly enough people in this country are aware of the machinations of the "Religious Reich" trying to overthrow our democratic institutions. This book could do a lot to remedy that problem.

Incidentally, it's a meaningless argument to say that because the First Amendment doesn't explicitly say "separation of church and state," such separation must not exist. By this logic, the Bill of Rights doesn't exist either. Show me one place where "Bill of Rights" is explicitly spelled out in the Constitution...

I have read several Spenser novels chronologically starting with Mortal Stakes. This was my least favorite so far, but I still give it high grades. Parker is really stretching credibility in a story that boils down to a fight between two boys over a girl. It is a really big and complicated fight, and it involves mercenaries, gun manufacturers, CIA, FBI, so on and so on. But Parker somehow pulled it off. I can't help but enjoy the dynamic of Spenser, Hawk, Susan, et al. As with all of Parker's books, the strength lies in his characters.

Overall, it was an entertaining but not quite great book; it was just a little too farfetched to get a five star rating. But if you are a fan of Spenser, you have to read this book. It is of crucial importance if you are following the relationships and the development of the characters.

Having read all of Parker's Spenser novels -- and all but the first are very good or better -- this one is the best. It integrates all the familiar Spenser characters from earlier novels, even Rachel Wallace, sheds further light on the relationship with Hawk, and, most especially, on that with Susan Silverman, which is the subject of the esoteric title. It shows Spencer sensitive and suffering over the woman he loves, seems satisfying psychologically to me, although I'm not sure Susan would act quite as she did. But that's a quibble. This is Parker at his best, Spenser at his height, and a good, rip-roaring, cross-country adventure story to boot. I like God Save the Child and Mortal Stakes and Early Autumn and Small Vices very much. But if I had to take one Spenser book with me on a long, boring journey, this would be it.

This is Robert B. Parker's best Spenser novel and best novel to date. Besides updating the hardboiled/film-noir/detective novel genre for the new age, it has always been clear to me that Parker, an English Professor who has taught at Tufts and Harvard, is also exploring the concepts of the Hero and the Heroic in our decidely un-heroic, if not anti-heroic, age. He does so masterfully here.

The book soars on many levels. Lovers of literature will not be disappointed with many obscure allusions--not the least of which being the title of the book. Action fans will find plenty of violence. Lovers of pithy prose and repartee will also not be disappointed.

Parker accomplishes the almost impossible: an exciting novel that manages to be literature at the same time. No mean feat, but he's been doing in for 30 years. If some of the later novels fall somewhat flat, e.g. Small Vices, Hush Money, Pale Kings and Princes, this book repays endless rereadings. And, since discovering it in 1987, I've read it at least a dozen times. It repays each new reading. Truly a book for a life time.