Finally, a book written by insiders in regard to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Certainly a rare find. This book is actually a compilation of papers/essays/letters written by numerous authors all of Israeli Jewish decent. Noted authors include Uri Avnery who fought in the '48 war and served in the Knesset, Ishai Menuchin who is a Major the Israel Defense Forces reserves, Dr. Yigal Shochat who served as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force during the War of Attrition, as well as numerous well-known and published professors of Political Science, all of whom teach at universities across Israel.

The book subverts many myths about Israeli politics in the OPT, but it does not do so in a black and white manner as so many other books do. It is a critical analyses of how certain decisions by those in power are creating a threat not only to Israeli citizens within Israel proper, but also a to Israel's democracy itself. This book criticizes key flaws in Israeli politics in regard to the Palestinian issue and provides solutions in their place; rather than simply attack Israel for all it's worth.

In addition to the logical, critical, thought-provoking, Jewish-perspective information this book provides, it also serves to effectively undermine anti-Semitic attitudes towards Israel. Many other books simply criticize Israel without providing alternate solutions given from Israeli Jewish perspectives.. those types of books end up in the hands of some anti-Semites who use the text (most often taken out of context) as metaphorical ammunition. This book is no such source for such idiocy.

To criticize one's own government is nothing new, but to do so in such a well-articulated manner, without ostracizing 1000s of years of Jewish culture, and all the while defending democracy while putting your public reputation on the line is not only genius; it's heroic. Read this book!

A book that challenges so much that one hears about the "justice" of Israel occupying Palestinian land is an important, necessary book. Although the title makes somewhat grandiloquent claims on the part of its individual writers (there is no risk whatsoever to these people, in terms of social position or even income, in writing these articles), it is important for Americans to hear other perspectives coming from Israel. Most of the articles are worth reading, although Anthony Lewis's contribution to the volume unfortunately shows his characteristic clunky prose and banality of polemic. But that is a minor quibble to make. This is a fine book.

I have read many great books that adequately cover the Israel-Palestine conflict, but this is one that achieves a high position on my list of books for those who also want an intro to the topic. Besides the fact that it thoroughly covers and exposes many myths, it also does it from an Israeli perspective, hence perhaps removing discomfort of anyone who might be tempted to read some truth but question it's source.

The book absoutely redefines Pro-Israel as something that is tied together with Pro-Palestine. The two are intertwined. What the American media projects as "Pro-Israeli" is really in the worst interest of both the Palestinians AND the Israelis and the book covers this quite well.

The book is split up into sections dealing with the rise of the conflict, escalation and so on. For example, a section is dedicated to purely military dissidents (very brave men) who speak out against crimes that they may have been forced to help once.

All in all, this book is recommended to the nth degree.

Tony Collings writes stories of courageous men and women who are fighting to bring the truth to their readers. Collings writes from the vantage point of an international correspondent who has risked his own life to cover world danger spots. This book should be read by anyone who values a free press.

For the American layperson who may not be familiar with the dangerous situations and murky but volatile undercurrents journalists often face in foreign trouble spots, Tony Collings book "Words of Fire" will be revealing in its accounts of journalists who have given much--even their lives--to the cause of truth and democratic ideals. As an international journalist himself, Collings knows well of what he writes. This work might even raise the level of regard in which journalists are held as defenders of the people's right to know. Here Collings is talking about the important issues shaping the growth and development of any of a myriad countries, not the latest American fad-gossip which passes for "news" on tabloid TV in the U.S. For the professional journalist with overseas experience--and I include myself in that category with friend and former CNN colleague Tony Collings--I found his work well researched, well written and a good account of what is the best in our craft.

At a time when print journalism has often been justly criticized in the U.S. as medium of entertainment, without independent moral backbone, Tony Collings has written a moving, brilliant record of the deadly struggle between a free press and totalitarian goverments around the globe. Collings is an experienced broadcast journalist and an eye-witness to much of the corruption and terror hidden and sustained by censorship everywhere, from Russia to Columbia. He argues that press freedom is an essential and enabling condition for the expansion of democratic reform in reactionary regimes. But perhaps what is most moving about WORDS OF FIRE is the many true stories of personal courage, the harrowing dangers faced by journalists in our historical era as they attempt to unmask the face of tyranny with only the truth of their words.

I tell you all, read the Apprentice Adept series. It is wonderful. P. Anthony created two worlds that are the same yet totally opposite in which a man, a serf, named Stile has to save his life with the help of a finely crafted, beautiful female robot named Sheen. Stile crosses from the science frame (Proton) to a world of magic (Phaze) in order to escape the threat on his life. However, in Phaze, the threat still follows him. Stile gains special magic powers in Phaze that help him and he also meets some new friends, a unicorn, a werewolf, a beautiful woman called the Lady Blue, and a vampire that helps him defeat the threat. But the problem is solved yet; Stile has to save Phaze and Proton from destruction. A wonderful Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel Anthony-style.

Beginning in the mundane setting of scientifically and socially advanced planet Proton, a serf named Stile makes his way to the top of the lowest social class: Serfdom. Stile's life soon becomes endangered. His only hope is a self-willed machine woman named Sheen who was sent to protect and love the little man. It doesn't stop there: Stile finds a gate way to another dimension where magic rules instead of science. Across this "curtain" Stile's life is still endangered, but he is a powerful magic-user called an Adept, the Blue Adept. As the Blue Adept, Stile Battles an unknown enemy that hunts him. Stile's friends: lovely Lady Blue, Neysa the Unicorn, and Kurrelgyre the Werewolf help him in the magic world called Phaze (similar to Piers' other magic realm Xanth) to protect him and find the anonymous conspirator. In Proton frame, Sheen and her self-willed robot friends aid Stile in protecting him and discovering the unknown menace. Later, Stile has to save Phaze and Proton from destruction. He has to battle Adept and Proton Citizens alike to save the worlds. A wonderful story full of adventure!

Another great series by Piers Anthony!! The way that he mixes modern thinking in with exciting fantasy is amazing. His vast imigination is so articulately translated to the page giving the feeling that he actually visited this place instead of created it.. and the plot thickens and keeps you hanging throughout each book. Bravo Mr. Anthony

I was fishing for something to read on my business trip to Chicago when this clean cut, well dressed but completely drunken guy stood beside me in an airport mini-mart. He handed me a book he'd had in his jacket pocket and told me he wrote it and sort of walked away. (no click) I read it on the plane. I read it again three times during my trip. I believe the guy who gave me the book to be the author. He'd signed it prior with a very nice quip. I am amazed that this is the only book he's published and would buy anything I could find by him. Very clever writing. Nice character development. I am a better person for having read this book. Thak you Mr Ziegler for an incredible life story!

This is a group of stories that seem disconnected and arbitrary at first. The setting slips around and may lose you during the first twenty "snap shots" or so. These five stories pull you in and have life that is refreshing, yet sometimes very disturbing. The curiosity of what may happen next keeps one reading further. Delightfuly so. I continued and found myself laughing openly in an airport awaiting my plane. Though these lives seem to have very little cohesion at first they may (and tend to become) linear and relative to each other. The fact that the stories may be true is intresting in and of itself. I understand that this book was written by an actual car sales person and the realities he shares regarding the human nature of himself and his peers is in every way as enlightening as it is refreshing. I can say that I felt better after reading Mr Zieglers' book and look forward to anything he may offer in the future.

A remarkable tour de force of restless, piercingly intelligent energy. Takes the seemingly disparate lives of several distinct characters and not only psychically ties them together, but brings them to shimmering, unforgettable life. Powerfully reminiscent of Charles Bukowski, Richard Brautigan, and Elmore Leonard. Fine literary company, indeed.

Anthony arrived on the science fiction scene with quite a bang with this novel. So much of a bang that it was nominated for the 1968 Hugo award, losing out on the award itself only to another truly brilliant work, Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light.

Anthony introduces a multitude of ideas in this work: a flower that shows whether or not your significant other truly loves you, a galaxy-spanning 'message' that kills humans in its path by hypothermia, a naturally formed inorganic based consciousness, a type of grub that quite literally eats absolutely everything. But the most significant idea is a genetically modified type of human, the minionettes, all physically identical and the very picture of absolute female perfection, who have their emotional circuits inverted, where the kindest thing you can do to them is hate, abuse, deride, and punish them.

Anton Five, knowing nothing of her true nature, has the misfortune to fall in love with one of these minionettes, a love that is an obsession, a mixture of real love and conflicted hate, as the object of his emotions, after only three brief encounters, goes to space. It becomes his mission in life to track her down, even at the expense of his farm and a rejection of freely offered true love by a daughter of the family of Four. And due to this obsession, he eventually is sent to the prison planet Chthon, where the prison is the naturally formed caves and tubes formed by ancient volcanic action and that no one has ever escaped from. Within this prison are real monsters, truly horrifying and very unique, many of which are seen only from offstage or half-seen, and the very indistinctness this lends to these creatures adds to their effect. Some of the images of this section gave me nightmares for years after the first time I read this book.

Anton is a fully delineated character, not very likeable - in fact he's amoral, selfish, a loner, single-minded, and at least something of a psychotic. But there are occasional glimpses of a different man hiding inside, one capable of giving and receiving love, who knows pity and can empathize with other's misfortunes. The story, outside of all the fantastic ideas so casually tossed around, is really about his development into a fully rational human who can allow his emotions full sway when appropriate.

The story construction is rather unique, using both flash-backs and flash-forwards from his time in prison. This is deliberately done, as there are a set of parallels/contrasts between the actions in the prison and the actions at other times in Anton's life, which help illustrate the man and his changes. This construction has the disadvantage of lessening the suspense, but the added meaning given by this structure more than compensates for this. At least part of this book can be viewed as an allegory for the travels of a man through the stages of life, and Anthony buries quite a bit of symbolism inside his creations.

The power of this book resides in the changes Anton goes through and its tremendous imagery coupled with some truly different and unique ideas. Be prepared to put as much effort into reading and comprehending this book as it would take for a classic 'literary' novel - this book is a far cry from the grade-B space-operas of yesteryear.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Piers Anthony was one of my first fantasy reads. I read his Robot Adept and had to have all the books on the series, plus a lot of others from other series! It stole me away from romance and mystery, being far more interesting! From his novels, I crossed the threshold into fantasy and sci-fi, reading many good writers' works. Chthon is a cut above the rest, despite it being a first work and I applaud an already celebrated author for yet another great work of fiction!

Though the Xanth series was (im almost certain) one of the first series that any one ever read on this author, i found that the immense amount of sheer brain capacity needed to assertain every little metaphorical and ever single sub-based plot screwing in this book was alot more "mature" then from his previous more childesh books. Though they are not childesh in content literature, only really in characters. I have found that in most books he has incredible amount of beutifully puzzling puns and writing that i wish to assertain one day, al in all i definetly rate this book up there. If anyone else is interested , check out Barry B. Longyear, He wirtes an incredible fiction called the Godbox although it is quite rare and difficult to get ahold of , i suppose you can start at your local library. Anywho , thanks and hopefuly Piers pulls through with a few more good books.

This book was just given to me, I never really gave it much thought to read it. I love Fantasy and not as much the Science Fiction genre. But the beginning story of the little boy named Hope and his family is quite a surprise. When a book can actually make me want to turn the page, but then not want to. The story is so gripping and tragic. I really enjoyed the book. I cant wait to get my hands on the rest.

I loved the Bio of a Space Tyrant series. Refugee was one of the most affecting/haunting books I've ever read. It is not for the weak stomached. There is much violence in this book, but it's not about the violence it's about the human will to survive. The first four books in this series, Refugee, Mercenary, Politican and Executive are excellent page turners. The fifth Statesman is good but not quite the same level, a little anticlimatic. But don't miss out by not reading at least the first four!

I think the book cover says it best...one day Hope Hubris would be the most powerful man in the solar system, but first he was a refugee.

Would love to hear from other Refugee fans or anyone who enjoyed the Space Tyrant series. I am conducting some research and would appreciate your input.

It was well worth the wait, a breath taking read. I hope he writes more historical fiction, his style is very good and the story will keep you up at night to see the end.

Most people who know of Piers Anthony are familiar with his light fantasy. I have read (and re-read) his "Incarnations of Immortality" series, which takes place in a version of our reality where magic holds equal status with science, and each major aspect of reality - death, time, fate, war, nature, good, evil - is run by an ex-mortal who has, by choice or chance, inherited the job of running that aspect.

"Tatham Mound" is not in this series, and it isn't easy to believe that it was even written by the same author. If you read the Author's Notes in "Tatham Mound" this apparent discrepancy gets explained. Piers Anthony had a deal with his publisher and editor that, for every so many high-volume-sales light fantasy books he wrote, he could write one completely of his own choosing. "Tatham Mound" is one of those "his own choosing" books, and is truly magnificent.

"Tatham Mound" is the story of a Native American man just before and during the Spanish discovery of the Americas. The young man is injured and cannot be a warrior; he instead becomes a traveler and earns his living by telling stories and relaying news from village to village, tribe to tribe, ranging from his home in Florida, north into New England, west into the Great Plains, south to Mexico, and eventually back home. Along the way, the reader learns how the great victory and conquest for the Spanish in the "New World" was a devastating tragedy for many Native Americans. Entire cultures were lost, while others were irrevocably altered and damaged. Some of this was deliberate and cruelly intentional, while much of it was due to ignorance, apathy, and tragic happenstance (e.g., the measles brought by the Spanish wiped out entire villages at a time).

While this book is often going to be catalogued as "historical fiction", which will drive away many readers who think that category too dry, "Tatham Mound" is a stunning and magical example of epic tragedy told by a master wordsmith. It is an outrage that this book is out of print, while the bookstands are cluttered with a significant amount of pulp that is best suited for kindling.

Tathem Mound is a wonderful book about a native Floridan, circa 1500. It includes many cutures in the area including Maya, Creek and Cherokee. It also tells some of the myths in the Native Oral Tradition beautifuly. It gives insight to what may have happened within a native family around the time when the conqestadors first landed. Due to sexual content, it may not be sutible to younger readers, but the myths make lovely bedtime stories.

Where Angels Tread is a remarkable Christian novel by Anthony Ducklow, an accomplished inner city school teacher and creator of the award-winning television program, "Captain McCool and Friends". Nathaniel O'Brien is a disillusioned young man embittered by church conflict and congregational hypocrisy who seriously considers walking away from his faith. That's when a mysterious stranger takes Nathaniel on a journey past hardship, encountering a fallen angel, and coming to Golgotha itself where he witnesses the collision of forces over the fate of mankind. Where Angels Tread is commended to a Christian readership as being a profound and intensely spiritual novel.

As a "recovering catholic" who has had my own disillusionments about the church, I found this book as a "road back" to what the church is really about. The fictional depiction of Jesus dying for our sins hit home as to the magnitude of what the son of God did for us.

The book was easy to read, and as one reviewer already commented, hard to put down.

WHERE ANGELS TREAD by Anthony Ducklow is a wonderfully creative and imaginative work. The book contains two basic story lines. Part one begins with a young minister taking the reigns of his new church and follows along as he deals with personal and organizational challenges that are probably quite typical for someone in that profession, not the least of which is a new and dynamic assistant pastor who has visions of splendor not quite in alignment with his own.

Part two is Nathaniel's story. Nathaniel is a member of the church who has become disillusioned with the mutinous assistant pastor, the infighting congregation and Christianity itself. He soon finds himself in the middle of a spritual struggle that includes demons, exorcisms, good and evil angels, spritual warfare, time travel, and personal encounters with Jesus Christ and the Devil.

It is a compelling story. And it is well-told. The author's style is refreshing in its simplicity and directness. Yet this simplicity in no way compromises the intense and profound quality of the story. To the contrary, the characters and their thoughts, as well as the action, of which there is plenty,
are enhanced by this style. The reader is right there meeting the characters, hearing their voices, observing their actions and seeing what they see. We are always looking forward to the next page, to the next moment, the next emotion.

Anthony Ducklow has written a book which will communicate to anyone. Atheists, agnostics, and believers alike will find a lot to like in WHERE ANGELS TREAD. The story is honestly told, with demons and doubts and blasphemy lurking between the lines. "Everyman" can relate to this tale because of its integrity. That's what makes this story work.

If you want to be entertained, if you want to be challenged, if you want to become immersed in a retelling of "The Greatest Story Ever Told", read this book.

Love, war, sex, intrigue, betrayal, all in a scary foreign setting make Tony Anthony's book one I could not put down. The war scenes were particularly gripping and the tension at times was almost unbearable. i would recommend this book to anyone who likes a well-paced, well-written tale.

I was fortunate enough to hear Tony speak at this book signing about the book and how his experiences in the Vietnam War as a miliitary photographer, his subsequent return home, living the Vietnam Vet life and his subsequent involvment with Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. SO with a great sense of place he was able to creat a novel about war, love, spirituality,the 60's and the lessons of Vietnam that is just dying to be made into a great movie to help understand the present-day quandaries. He is a marvelous writer and continues his wonderful sense of introspection, following a quadruple by-pass contemperanous with the book being published that can be found in his 'blogging' at the beneathbuddhaseyes.com website.

Using words as his palette, Tony Anthony paints scenes of Vietnam so breathtakingly beautiful that the brutality and ugliness of the Vietnam War are a sacrilege by contrast -- a flagrant violation of the divine order of things. The story is filled with adventure, intrigue, corruption, greed, life and death. But most of all it is the story of a passionate love affair of the sort that can only be born of living in the midst of chaos and cataclysmic events. We are swept up in this affair. We feel its passion. We want these lovers to win their war, even though they take on formidable foes. That love can conquer under these conditions is a testament to its power. It is the one true thing in a surreal world of lies and deception.

There is no doubt that the author has lived what he writes about, and one wonders what is fact and what is fiction. It is this grounding in reality that makes this story ring true. Those of us old enough to remember the Vietnam War and lucky enough to escape it, get a taste of its ugly reality. And for those under-appreciated Veterans of the war, it offers comfort and a compassionate understanding of the war's lasting impact on their lives. Beneath Buddha's Eyes is a great read on many levels!

Get it. Very well done book. It just about have anythimg you want to know except for the kitchen sink, but who cares for the kitchen sink this is Doo Wop.

In recent years, due primarily to the PBS series on Doo Wop, this musical genre is being rediscovered. Finally, there is a comprehensive book on the who's, why's and what's of the definitive music of the 50's and early 60's.

Although this book sometimes over-emphasizes the specific sounds of the music (shoop de doop etc.) and spends too much time on certain groups, it is a great (and relatively inexpensive) resource for song titles. I especially liked the chapter on song styles from different parts of the country.

If it has a weakness, it isn't as comprehensive a guide on specific groups as is Jay Warner's book on singing groups. Still, all in all it is an excellent resource guide and a book any Doo Wop afficianado should have in a collection.

nowadays it's hard to get folks to sing on key.but this book showcases many great Acts that had there stuff together&were the real deal.you get alot of insightful information that details the great stuff from the good stuff.a solid comprehensive book that is very detailed&on point all the way through.this is a very important form of Creativity that needs to be fully appreciated by many.it's the basic for Harmony in any group that wants to be taken seriously as a vocal group.a must have great facts&insight.