This book is somewhat brief and high level, but it does a good job describing how components should interact within the enterprise. It is also gives a good description on how to define component interfaces.

The book is well written and well organized but does not go into much detail. The book can be read quickly and gives a good high level view of component-based design. It does not offer rigorous definitions of the elements of CBD nor practical guidelines for factoring a design into components and services. It is certainly not "definitive". The book by Herzum and Sims is a better source for architects and developers.

My primary goal to read the book was to find out more about components, especially how to design EJB components for the enterprise. The author explains very well what a component is, the importance of component specifications, and how to apply component techniques. The book is not specific to any component infrastructure. It covers COM as well as EJBs.

I liked the detailed cbd modeling example at the end of the book as well as the author's list of useful resources on enterprise-scale application development.

This book really should be the final word on the "debate" about whether, and the degree to which, traumatic memories can be repressed. The authors thoroughly and rigorously examine the scientific evidence showing that traumatic memories are indeed often forgotten. They also show, at great length, the many logical holes in the arguments of many of the proponents of the so-called "false memory" position.

Yet the book's great strength--its thoroughness--is also its weakness. Presumably because so much of this so-called debate so clearly disregards scientific evidence, the authors go to exhaustive lengths to show the scientific evidence for amnesia of these memories. That's a wonderful and important thing to do. But it also doesn't always make for the most exciting reading. Thus the one-star reduction: in their desire to make sure that every angle is covered from any possible attack, the authors end up repeating themselves a fair amount. The book (weighing in at more than 650 pages of text) could probably have been cut to about 450 pages without losing anything. Then it would certainly have been a five star book.

This award winning APA book is a remarkable and notable contribution to the literature addressing impact of traumatic
exposure in memory and culture, specific to the legal arena. Brown, Hammond, and Sheflin have researched and synthesized considerable information about clinical practice, theoretical
and research perspectives on approaches to trauma treatment,
and adjudication of related disputes and damages in the
courts. A must for anyone - clinician, lawyer, judge,
client, clinical instructor, educator, law enforcement
professional, and others who find themselves involved in
these issues.

This is a magnificent work, skillfully combining research, case review and practical guidelines for clinicians who are practicing in the complex field of trauma recovery. It is both an essential core reference work and a key guide to negotiating the thorny interaction of psychology practice and the law. My highest recommendation.

In response to Hank Adams review on Esther Ross, Stillaguamish Champion. Regarding the weakness ascribed to the book by Hank when Ruby is delving into comments made by Mad Bear about Dick Gregory. In footnote 6 of Chapter 7, a reference is made to the citation for Ruby's claim of Mad Bear's judgement of Gregory. The source cited is Arlington Times December 15, 1966: "Of the Nisquallies, the Tuscarora remarked that they had made a bad mistake by importing Dick Gregory, Negro comedian, to draw attention to their cause. (Gregory was arrested and brought to trial last month on a charge of illegal fishing.) The Indian and Negro problems are not the same. There is no parallel, Indians owned and occupied the land, while the Negro people were brought in as slaves of the white man. Therefore, he said, the Medicine Creek Treaty was not allowed at Gregory's trial." The authors properly cited their source of information before making the statement.

Esther Ross, Stillaguamish Champion, reads like a novel. It is the thirteenth book by Robert H. Ruby and John A. Brown, co-authors of several popular Pacific Northwest Indian ethnohistories. American Indian activist LaDonna Harris describes it as "A story about an American Indian woman who takes incredible risks." Esther's daring schemes for tribal identification were played out over fifty years (1926-1976).
Legislators who met up with Ross still mention the fiery-eyed Indian woman chief obsessed with the goal of federal recognition of the Stillaguamish people. The tribe was a signatory of the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty, yet without federal recognition the Stillaguamish could not carry into effect the treaty promises-rights to certain lands, use of certain waterways. Eventually the policy makers with whom Esther kept company by way of her frequent trips to the Capitol declared her a nuisance. Her long-winded speeches, highly repetitive, and her disregard for protocol irritated the officials; she would talk far beyond her allotted time, and she wouldn't go home.
Ruby and Brown invested almost a decade piecing together Esther's story after her son Frank offered them the five footlockers of primary documents and secondary source materials which Esther had kept. While the materials provided a close look at twentieth-century Indian politics and federal policy, the compelling subject was Esther Ross, a woman ordinary and extraordinary, complex and creative, tricky and tenacious as a bulldog.
Ruby points out that Ross "was a double minority, one-fourth Indian and a feminist before that word was coined." Hard to believe that this same Esther never knew she was Indian until near the end of her high school years. Her father was Norwegian, and Esther lived her girlhood in white Northern California society. Her mother, not noticeably Indian, did not enlighten her daughter regarding Stillaguamish blood quantum. Esther's father died when she was ten. When Esther was twenty-two, in response to a call from Indian relatives in distress, Esther and her mother moved to Washington State where Esther, ignorant of tribal history, decided to "uncover her identity."
To strengthen her quest Esther searched the vicinity of the Stillaguamish River for a legitimate source of land to qualify as a land base for her people. She sought ancestral burial grounds from the whites who owned and plowed them. Instead she was offered some bones from an exposed site. Applying her flair for the dramatic, Esther would spill these human bone fragments across the desk of governor Dan Evans in Olympia and later, display them in the national Capitol.
In pre-war days Esther's foot-going treks to visit Stillaguamish families increased the tribal membership to more than sixty, but post-war visits revealed a group more interested in award moneys than in Esther's larger goals.
During 1964 Esther's path crossed that of Herbert Holdridge, a retired brigadier general who advocated buying up Nevada desert land and turning it into a sovereign nation for American Indians. However, she had far greater interest in fishing rights for the Stillaguamish, a matter of sustenance and revenue. Joining the Poor People's Campaign (1968), Esther and her son Frank were bused to DC where Esther made her presence felt.
The Boldt Case would make the difference. The federal government was contesting the state of Washington's control of Indian fishing rights. The government attorney advised that Indians were entitled to fifty percent of the fish harvest; the state had ruled five percent. Judge George Boldt would try the case in Tacoma's U.S. District Court. And Esther Ross would have her "fifteen minutes." Fortunately for Esther-and the courtroom-David Getches represented Esther as special counsel. When she took the stand, he guided her through a review of Stillaguamish River history. Judge Boldt's ruling favored the tribes. The grumbling of non-Indian commercial fishers was heard for years, but the Stillaguamish had won the right to fish.
It would be difficult to add up the thousands and thousands of miles Esther Ross traveled during her fifty-year crusade for Stillaguamish recognition by the federal government. Or to say how many state capitols she visited, how many elected officials heard her speak-badgering, cajoling, but never threatening-on behalf of all unrecognized tribes who 120 years ago had chosen to stay on their homelands rather than accept the reserves chosen by white men. Their great-grandfathers had signed a treaty that would preserve fishing rights, but those rights had been denied the landless Indians. Esther became, eventually, champion for the whole, her mission self-sustained despite her meager income. Esther's complete and absolute dedication was not doubted. Perhaps this accounted for her supporters even among those persons who deplored her outrageous schemes.
Among such schemes was one that would temporarily disrupt the national Bicentennial pageant. The escapade began June, 1975 in Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border, where three horse-drawn wagons and Western-clad riders headed for the 200th National Birthday Celebration, a 3000-mile trek to Valley Forge. It was son Frank's idea to set up an attack, to waylay the wagon train until the Secretary of the Interior unconditionally recognized the Stillaguamish tribe. Frank called television and radio stations, and Paul Harvey on his daily national newscast announced the impending attack. Indian activism of the 1970s was recalled-siege at Wounded Knee, takeover at Alcatraz, trouble at Fort Lawton. The "attack" might prove to be more than symbolic.
At Stillaguamish headquarters (Island Crossing), Frank stopped the wagons. And Esther, age 71, a wrinkled little woman wearing Indian clothing, stood in the middle of the road and read her speech. An assistant to the interior secretary assured Esther that the document granting tribal recognition would be ready in thirty days. Eight months then passed without word from the government, and a new secretary of the interior, Thomas Kleppe, was appointed.
Two years after the Boldt decision Esther "recruited" a steelhead trout from the Stillaguamish river to play a part in a scheme that stunk to high heaven. Needing to familiarize Kleppe with her drive for tribal recognition, she air-freighted him a frozen 18-pound trout labeled "Washington Salmon." The flying fish had begun to age en route; on arrival, dockers, holding their noses, wanted someone from Interior to take it off their hands immediately. Kleppe's response to Esther was to thank her and mention his preference for beef, saying he had given the beautiful fish to his neighbors.
Esther had problems within her tribe. They referred to her style of leadership as nepotism and resented her hiring whites as assistants. They challenged her right to increase, then decrease, the blood quantum for tribal enrollment to suit her personal intent. They openly wondered how much of tribal funds she was spending on herself. The Stillaguamish wanted Esther stripped of privileges and functions. It was more than two years since the promise made at the wagon train; push needed to become shove. Esther Ross sued the Department of Interior. Judge June L. Green heard the case. On October 27, 1976 Esther Ross' goal was achieved: the Stillaguamish had a recognized place in time.
During January, 1988 Esther began to sicken. Ever-protective son Frank cared for his mother until her death August 1, 1988, a month short of her 84th birthday.

My name is Sandra M. Allen, Chief Esther R. Ross Was my Mom and grandmother.

My brother David has received a history book for his birthday about yrs after grandma passed away in 1990 and we had noticed that the full information wasn't in it about Stillaguamish and this is when we decided to have Esther's(grandmas)story written.

I spent from birth till I was 16years old on the road with grandma and I had an education that I thought should be shared and here it is. To me Grandma was a role model and someone I wanted to live my life by and follow. In the book tells everything both good and bad in some eyes, but everyone has a opion. When my dad (Frank)and myself talked about it too me I wanted a book out because I wanted to have people read and see what she did and was able to do. To me she did more then she was ever given credit for. David and myself gave our education while growing up but in this book everyone can see why we are proud to have had the experience. I have finished high school and college this year will be going on to law school to finish grandmas work... I will be going for Land and Water rights and am very proud to have had her as a Mom and as a role model. My Father Chief Frank Allen passed away one week before seeing the cover of the book on May 14.2001 it was given to us at the gave site, this is to us a wonderful book and has everything in it that we wanted and to my brother David and myself we hope schools will use it and hope that it encourages people to not give up and that one person can make a difference. This women you all are reading about was a legend, role modle,history maker,mother,and friend. She had people who couldn't stand to be around her and she had people who couldn't wait to see her she was a honor to be around and I am proud to say this book is a 5 star. This wasn't to be about facts or to please everyone this book is from us to you the readers its not just one more book Ruby and Brown have written, this is a part of our lives and a way to keep it all together for our children and grandchildren and so on this is opening up our lives to you to share with you what kind of women she was, she was a loving, caring and I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for her and my dad Frank Allen, I would have been like my other siblings out drinking and no education or just given up but my goal in life is to be like her and do as she would have me do. So please take the time and read about my mother/grandmother, and see why we wanted to share her life with you and I hope she can be a role model for you also or your children. I was with Esther till she was taken from us and went on to school and when I graduated I dedicated my diploma to my grandma and dad cause without them I wouldn't have had the wisdom or strength to try and be the most I could be....

So please share this with others and I hope the memories of our life with our mom/grandmother and father will live on. Dad and Grandma always were together and now they are together in peace.
I miss dad and grandma so Dearly but with this it makes it as they are here with us still and I can still her my grandmas voice when I read the book so many memories. Some people have a scrap book we have a history richer to us then gold that is what dad and grandma left me the richest person on earth a life time of fighting and tears and sweat to give me and my children and theirs an IDENTITY and its one we hold close to our hearts.

I am consistently impressed with the fiction (mostly) contained in the New Canadian Library series, published by McLelland & Stewart. Gabriele Roy's 1945 novel The Tin Flute is certainly no exception. A story of late depression-era Montreal, Tin Flute is almost a laboratory-like setting of individuals beset by grinding poverty, and how they respond. Very much a novel of characters, Roy continually asks the reader whether, as the novel's eventual hero, Emmanuel, muses after volunteering for the army after Hitler's invasion of Poland, "a guy can help himself sometimes by helping other people," or whether the immediate retort of his comrade, "a guy has his work cut out these days looking after himself", is more true. Florentine, the desperately poor waitress who forms the center of Roy's plot, longs for (and eventually becomes impregnated by) the rake Jean, while Emmanuel more chastely pines for her. Roy gives the perfect one-sentence description of Jean: "He could be kind if his kindness caused him no problems." Florentine muses about herself (and I believe Roy asks the reader): "Sweetness brought you nowhere. That's what had ruined them all." Roy's ending to the novel is wonderfully ambiguous, and leaves open the questions of goodness, opportunism, and purpose she raises throughout.

Shortly after it was published, The Tin Flute surprised Canadian readers and was soon widely read and enjoyed internationally. Its author, Gabrielle Roy, reached out to an audience with eloquent, flowing prose, by describing the very depth of the human condition through the Lacasse family.

Briefly: the main character of the novel is the oldest Lacasse child, Florentine. Her poor family, residing in the slums of Saint Henri, Montreal, rely heavily on the wages she brings in as a waitress. Rose-Anna, her mother, struggles to care for her growing family and struggle through tragedy, while the father, Azarius, is unable to maintain a job. Florentine's life is turned upside down when she meets a handsome man named Jean, an affair that is doomed from the beginning. A crushed Florentine turns to Jean's friend, Emmanuel, for his love, although she cannot return it, as she is still torn over her feelings for Jean. In the original French, it was entitled, "Bonheure d'occasion" which cannot be perfectly translated. However, the English title of "The Tin Flute" is very suitable and expresses the message of the novel from the smallest Lacasse child, Daniel -- his only great desire was to have a shiny tin flute, a symbol of all that he would never be able to call his own, in a poverty-stricken existence.

With this groundwork, Roy paints a convincing and enthralling portrait of an impoverished family, troubled love, and mixed ideals in the midst of World War II. It is a novel well worth reading and will leave you with new insight into the human condition and the brutality of poverty. Although some phrases are lost in the translation to English from the original French, the translation is highly successful in being as nearly as effective as the original.

For related themes (although from very different perspectives & times) you may also wish to explore Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, and Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

If only more books were written like this! The Tin Flute is the poignant story of a young girl growing up in poverty in the slums of Montreal. It is the 1940's, war is brooding. And we are introduced to a French Canadian family faced with unemployment, too many children, and despair. We suffer as the mother, pregnant again, searches on foot for affordable housing. Her daughter works at the five-and-dime and is inlove with a man who holds contempt for her class and social background.
I have read this story three times. It is without a doubt, one the greatest books ever written of its genre. If you enjoyed "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" or "Angela's Ashes" you will no doubt love this story equally well. It is unforgettable.

This sloppily-written, poorly-edited effort nonetheless provides a valuable inside look at the National Football League. Through the eyes of umpire Chad Brown, I gained a better understanding of the difficulties, challenges and rewards which constitute the professional life of the "zebras". Mr. Brown responds convincingly to the complaint, "How can those geezers keep up with the young, fast athletes of the NFL?" And he demonstrates that the 100-plus NFL officials would be their own harshest critics, were it not for the coaches, certain players, and the supervisors in the league office. It's an entertaining look at a world most of us will never know, marred by several minor factual errors, lackadaisical writing and insufficient editing.

A quick read for pro football fanatics. Adds another perspective to the to the multiple facets of the game. Focuses on the game from officials' perspective. Enhances the fan's understanding in what has become the true national pastime sport.

This book strongly shows the characteristics of a middle class African American male, who gradually becomes independant. He shatters his limited resources and boudarnies, to succeed to his current, highly profound profession of today. Mr. Brown is a role model. He reaches back into his heritage, shatters the racial and prejudice stereotypes of African Amercans, to obtain, one of the few, NFL offical positions. Mr. Brown, subtly, shows the population that anyone may succeed, no matter what color of the skin, but as long as one tries hard, and put forth his or her best effort. As a active reader, I found Inside the Meater Grinder too be quite humerous. I, as an African American activist, I strongly feel that the Black Community should be proud of Chad Brown for his successfulness in life, which is described in this novel. He describes how a determined African American male in a white dominant world, has maintained his ability as an Excellent offical and racial queries. Congrulations, Chad Brown. Keep of the good work, your people are proud. You go Chad!

" Here's the second book in a planned series of ten adventurous historical fiction titles from social studies teacher Alan Kay. Cousins David and George Adams find themselves "caught between two worlds," and the only way of escape is to find David's father, John, who lives in a wild territory known as "Bleeding Kansas.

Kay treats readers to a rich description of the countryside during the boys' journey. They experience the "sweet, refreshing scent" of a wide, wildflower-strewn prairie, where "green grasses waved in the wind like waves approaching a shore." The boys meet animals unheard of back in Boston, and insects like fireflies, which George compares to "millions of tiny lanterns.

Their appreciation of new sights and sounds are short-lived, though. Upon reaching David's family and realize that David's parents are heavily involved in a dangerous plot with John Brown, whose secret plan to overthrow the Federal government involves starting a violent slave uprising across the South. Feel the tension of a family divided, as members realize the risks of taking such a stand. Will they help John Brown in his dangerous plan, or make it to Harpers Ferry in time to warn the townsfolk and stop him in his tracks?" -- Bonnie Bruno...

-- "The second in Alan N. Kay's Young Heroes of History series, On the Trail of John Brown's Body, is every bit as good as the first.
Whereas that book juxtaposed the plight of a slave family and a northern family filled with abolitionists and sympathetics, this book follows the adventures of two boys and their fathers as they journey to the Kansas Territory in the days when John Brown cast the longest shadow in the land.

David and George, two of the young heroes from the first book, are the main characters here as well, along with their fathers. They have typical frontier adventures, but always in the background (and often in the foreground) is the specter of war, brought on by the increasingly violent actions of abolitionists like David's father.

The arrival of the boys in "Bleeding Kansas" brings that state's bloody conflict into sharp focus. And by having David's father, John, be a part of John Brown's brigade, the author gives us an up-close glimpse of the passion (and, some will say, madness) of Brown himself.

This book succeeds the most by having the reader follow the typical adventures of young boys (playing baseball, getting into fights, doing odd jobs for spending money) while at the same reminding that reader that the setting for these typical adventures is Civil War-era America. To his credit, Alan Kay succeeds at both.

As with the first book in this series, I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent portrayal of young people in the 19th Century. David White, editor, Social Studies For Kids, ...

"What I Believe: A Young Person's Guide to the Religions of the World," by Alan Brown and Andrew Langley, is overall a well written book. The book includes several chapters, each of which is dedicated to a major religious tradition: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Shinto. There is also a "catch-all" chapter which gives limited information on other traditions: the Jain faith, the Baha'i faith, Rastafarianism, etc.

The various chapters describe certain aspects of these religions: the founding figure, customs, festivals, rites of passage, holy books, etc. The articles also describe some of the diversity in each tradition. The book also has a helpful glossary at the end.

The book is not without flaws and inconsistencies. For example, the authors mention "new cults" without really explaining the term. Also, they seem to leave out any real acknowledgment of secular humanism, atheism, or religious liberalism.

Overall, the book presents a rather sanitized look at world religions. The authors write, "As long as we respect each other's beliefs and allow people to practice their religion freely, the world should be a happier place. Religion can help us to live like brothers and sisters." A nice sentiment, but often far from harsh reality. Despite its flaws, however, "What I Believe" is an admirable achievement overall.

What I Believe is a brightly illustrated "first-person" introduction to various world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Shinto, and Taoism. Each major belief system is told through the eyes of a cheerfully drawn child who compare and contrast the major tenets of their faiths. Color photographs are interspersed with drawings of the children describing what it means to be of their faith, traditions, festivals, and practices around the world. This is a simple introduction to comparative religion, and it would be nearly impossible to try to describe all of the variants of each religion, so it comes as no surprise that there are a few details that have been left out. For instance, no mention is made that while Jews remember the near-sacrifice of Abraham's son Isaac, Muslims believe that the story is told about his son Ishmael - a minor differenc to some, but obviously not to Jews and Muslims. Much of the section on Christianity focuses on Catholic and Anglican worship, describing special garments that priests wear, saints, candles, and other trappings not traditionally found in many Protestant services. Finally, there are a few editing mistakes that obscure meaning: is the Buddhist meditative cloth a thanka or a tharka? Other than those glitches, this is a nice addition to any library for children, as it seems to be written from an ecumenical point of view, encouraging children to learn about and respect one another's faith systems. From a non-expert point of view, it does not seem to contain offensive or questionable information, and the fun illustrations are an easy way to introduce children to a variety of cultural and religious practices.

Want a quick read on the basics of wine, but you only have half an hour? Or do you have a wine snob friend who you want to tease a bit? If so, then the "Bluff your way in wine" book is for you. Written by an expert who has a long history of real wine knowledge, the book is accurate, but lighthearted and fun.

The book is geared not towards truly educating you on fine wines, but instead giving you the code words and key behaviors of a narrow-minded "wine snob". It's sort of like an etiquette manual for an Archie Bunker wannabe, for someone who wants to spend time with him and not say the "wrong thing".

To start with, the book is only 55 small pages, if you don't count the table of contents and glossary. The book is geared towards someone who doesn't have to remember details, and just wants the basics to survive a cocktail party full of "only my way" winos.

For example, the book says there are three types of wine - red, white, and rose "which is to be avoided". Some wine lovers might point out that there are many rose wines of value, but certainly, if a reader of this book turned his or her nose up at any White Zinfandel, many wine snobs would applaud this behavior.

One of my favorite sections describes the use of decanters. Apparently "the aim is to make the performance resemble a Black Mass." The candle is used "to induce ceremonial atmosphere."

The book goes over the basics of wine tasting, and how to describe a wine, all in a light-hearted, humorous fashion. Keep in mind, though, that the book is made for wine snobs, and not wine lovers. For example, the section on Chardonnay says, "The world's No. 1 white grape, it also tends to taste roughly the same wherever it is grown." Any Chardonnay fan will tell you this is far from the truth.

The ending section of the book, on key producers and winemaking regions, is also in need of an update. The glossary is full of interesting asides - the description for "vin de table" reads, "wine which will drink you under the table."

A fine book for lighthearted reading, or for a prank for a wine snob. For someone looking for complete information on wines and regions, I'd go with one of the other books created for that purpose.

This small collection of four pieces of short fiction (ranging from a short-story-like 10 pages to an almost novella-length 50) is an excellent introduction to the work of Gabrielle Roy, one of the most important figures in Canadian and French-Canadian literature of the 20th century. Against an often stark natural backdrop, Roy imbues her very human stories with enough warmth to get you through a winter in the Yukon.

What has always amazed and impressed me most about Roy is her ability to successfully maintain a tension, in her fiction, between the fact that her characters are so often uprooted or rootless and the fact that they have, despite this, a real sense of and feel for (and even love for) their setting. Immigrants, vagabonds, and wanderers all move restlessly across Roy's Canada, unable or unwilling to settle, and usually searching for some unobtainable rest. From different perspectives, Roy traces their wanderings with care and grace, and genuine sympathy.

My favorite piece here is "Where Will You Go, Sam Lee Wong?", which focusses on a recent Chinese immigrant to the Great White North, and narrates his difficulties planting himself and thriving in the harsh ground of his newly chosen world. A close second is "Hoodoo Valley," a brief glimpse of an entire community of new arrivals from Eastern Europe in search of a place in Canada that reminds them of their former home.

Bookending these two immigrant narratives are the first and final stories, including the title piece, which closes the book out in a beautiful way. The French title of the story (and thus of the collection) is "A Garden at the Edge of the World," which captures a little more bluntly what Roy does in this flourishing finish. In what is here called "A Garden in the Wind," Roy situates us at the border--recognizable but not absolute or permanent in any way--between the mapped and known and habitable and controllable Canada, and the endless sprawls of naked land that fan out in almost every direction.

In a strange way, then, Roy manages to make her Canada (she's from Manitoba) imaginable simultaneously as a center or final destination AND as the very marginal threshold of what is known. It's this willful and well-managed blend of opposites--of lovability and unlivability--that makes Roy's fiction such an interesting, moving and edifying read.

There is a great deal of wry humor in this book, as well as genuine shock and pathos as the main character tries to figure out who he is and who he will become. Although some have disdained this book because of "stereotyping," I think it is important to recognize that the whole concept of the stereotype evolves from the fact that often there really ARE certain national or ethnic characteristics observable in a citizen's actions! As someone who has worked daily (and very happily) with Japanese nationals, I resent stereotyping when it interferes with someone's ability to recognize uniqueness and individuality, but I do recognize, as the author does, that there is a national character involved, too. As the author of this novel lived and worked in Japan for many years, one must conclude that he would not have done so if he had not enjoyed his life there and the friendships he presumably made with many Japanese people. I suspect that many Japanese readers enjoyed this book, too.

Depressing as it is to agree with the Kirkus Review, I do. This is an elegant take on an uncomplicated, emotional story. A young man learns to forgive his parents their frailities and, in the process, understands his attraction to white chicks. A gutsy move for the author, since according to the jacket photo, he himself is a white guy, choosing to write from the point-of-view of a young Japanese artist with a troubled family history. Nonetheless, Alan Brown uses humor and beautiful descriptive sentences to make it work. Does he stereotype the Japanese? I think a more important question is: Do we care about Toshi or do we put the book down? I did... and I didn't. Plus, the "Epilogue" is perfect. (But then, I'm white and own my own copy of "Breakfast at Tiffanys".)

I always feel uncomfortable when someone tells me not to buy a book, giving the impression that if I read it and have the audacity actually to enjoy it, that there's something wrong with me! Given the fact that no one else has reviewed this book in the past six months, I guess other people also react this way. Well, I read Audrey Hepburn's Neck, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! There is a great deal of wry humor in the book, as well as genuine shock and pathos as the main character tries to figure out who he is and who he will become. As for the accusation of stereotyping, I think it is important to recognize that the whole concept of the stereotype evolves from the fact that often there really are certain national or ethnic characteristics observable in a citizen's actions! As someone who has worked daily (and very happily) with Japanese citizens for ten years, I resent stereotyping when it interferes with someone's ability to recognize uniqueness and individuality, but I do recognize, as the author does, that there is a national character involved, too. As the author of this novel lived and worked in Japan for many years, one must conclude that he would not have done so if he had not enjoyed his life there and the friendships he presumably made with many Japanese people. While one need not like the book or even agree with what the author says, I think it is important that reviewers "play fair."