A nice story based in the real hard times of the American civil war, the men on both sides who fought in it and the shared passion for the love of their sport, Baseball.

This is a common story of ordinary men fighting for survial and as it is now common knowledge, both sides really did meet up and play sports. This was done in high secrecy as if found out, those participating could be delt with hashly. Another reason is that spying would be just to easy... which is pretty much what this story bases itself on.

When you take two pieces of American history like baseball and the Civil War you are bound to have an interesting book. Mr Dyja has written a wonderful story that not only desrcibes the horrors of the war but uses baseball as a way for the north and south to get together outside the battlefield. Who will betray who? That is the central question as the story plays itself out. The battles are deadly for both sides and the play by play of the games is done with edge of your seat excitement. I would be interested to know if this book was based on any type of facts or is it just a wonderful story. If you are a civil war buff, a baseball fan, or both - you will enjoy this great book.

This book delves into the least studied element of the Civil War. Everyone's talking about teh generals, and the women, and the technology, and the slaves, and the politics. This book delves into the MEN who fought the bloody conflict. It looks at their feelings and emotions as Union and Confederate pickets exchange info during a series of baseball games. The mystery element is thrown in as the spies identity jumps in your imagination from character to character. He is, however, identified, and his character changes throught the different events in the story. There are, however, 2 things that I found bad about this book. 1-the cover has men with teh crossed rifles on their kepis. That was POST Civil War, during the Indian Wars on the plains in teh 1870s-1880s. 2-The use of the term Billy Yank. That was also POST Civil War. Unfortunately, many writers make both those mistakes. All in all, a wonderful book! Buy it! Read it! Make it a movie!

This is a nice collection. Don't be fooled (or discouraged) by the packaging, which tries to market these short pieces as "therapy and inspirational self-help". That makes them sound like New Age fluff. They're actually well-selected extracts and complete stories from some of literature's best writers. What they share is a moment in which the protagonist or the writer suddenly understands something significant - either about themselves, about life, or about the nature of reality. Commendably, editor Thomas Dyja doesn't skew his selection towards religion or to one particular philosophy, but rather gives us as broad a range of epiphanies as he does writing styles. There are some nice juxtapositions: none better than putting Henry James' dense yet rewarding "The Beast in the Jungle" up against a delightfully fresh extract from Jean Shepherd's "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash". What his selections show, time and again, is one of the great virtues of literature: the way it speaks up for what is hidden, for what we might otherwise have missed. It whispers through the fissures of the world.

"Meet John Trow" is an average read. I gave it a go since I wanted to relive the days I spent as Pvt Crapshot Cuddy in the 52nd Tennessee Infantry. The antagonist in this novel (Steven Armour) does a little re-enacting (he assumes the part of the somewhat devilish character John Trow) in order to escape the quotidian boredom of his homelife and the increasing turmoil of his job (something about selling snacks by using wizards). Anyhow, I have several complaints about this novel:

For starters, I don't like reading about characters whose names I can't be sure how to pronounce (one of the reasons I dislike reading Russian authors). Is it John "rhymes with cow" Trow or is it John "rhymes with toe" Trow. The author never says and it bothered me. Secondly, the book drags. Steven Armour/Trow (I decided to pronounce it Trow as in Cow) isn't a very likable character. He makes dubious decisions and makes far too much of his trivial problems. His infatuation with his re-enactment charcter and the belief that he's actually being possessed by him is ridiculous and difficult to buy into. The surrounding cast is no more likable and the mystery aspect is fairly predictable. I would've also preferred a tad more Civil War re-enactment scenes and less moping around reading fabricated love letters.

On the other hand, I did enjoy some of the conversations and dialogue--the author does have talent. And when he gets himself a story he'll really be doing something to stand up and shout about. Also, I liked the interplay between Trow (Cow) and the red-headed vixen who was Trow's chubby commanding officer's very confused wife. Nothing like that ever happend to Cuddy in the 52nd. Overall, an average read. Short on the Civil War, long on fantasy nonsense, good dialogue, decent writing, and a tad slow.

I loved this book! I think this author is very talented and I don't understand some of the other critics. Who cares if you don't know how to pronounce a name?? I can't believe that would stop someone from reading Russian novels or
great story for that matter. Before I get too far off track here - let me say again, I really enjoyed this book and plan to recommend it to one of my books groups and I hope I don't have to wait too long for another book from this fine writer.

More and more frequently it's been proven to me that one should listen to the reading suggestions made by friends with similar interests. Since I enjoy expository prose more than narrative, I tend to resist recommendations when they are novels rather than books of information, but every now and then someone who shares my interests will recommend one that is a "good fit." Meet John Trow by Thomas Dyja is a example. It is a very complex novel, recommended by a friend at work with whom I'd like to write ghost stories and with whom I share a number of interests. The book is part ghost story, part murder mystery, part Civil War history, and part a search for a philosophy of life. Whether any of these things are subjects in which the author himself has a real interest or experience or whether he just did his homework, the book works, at least for me.

The central character, Steven Armour, is bogged down in a mid-life crisis. His wife Patty seems angry all the time, his son is a stranger to him, his daughter suffers undiagnosed petit mal seizures which cause difficulties at school, his coworkers treat him with the indulgence reserved for the "elderly" and "out of the loop," and his elderly father, a widower, perennial child and the arch antagonist of Steve's wife Patty, is hoping to move in with the family. It's not that Steve's problems are unique; but his solution to them is. Introduced to a Civil War reenactment group while on a family outing, he is goaded into joining, and once involved gets REAL involved.

While I was a little disappointed in the ultimate solution of the mystery part of the book--I'm a romantic at heart--I felt that the book was greater than the sum of its parts. On the way toward recreating the life of a private John Trow, Steve learns things about himself and his life. We should all be so lucky. He comes to view the goals and purposes that he had accepted as grounding principles from the perspective of an outsider which helps him make some changes. Freed of the group think of modern life, at least for brief periods, he manages to become more centered and clinical in his judgement. For anyone caught up in the hectic pace of modern life as Steven Armour is, some of the points that Dyja makes about choices, taking control, taking responsibility, owning mistakes, and making changes are significant. In fact they are far more significant than the actual plot of the story, which is in fact a little light weight.

The book is a good read for anyone with an interest in ghosts, the Civil War, Civil War reenactment, and family dynamics. More important it's a good book to prod one into considering ones own priorities and where they lead.