Frank Hollon has masterfully joined the life of a prisoner, the life of hopelessness, with the source of hope, our creator. What better place to search out hope than serving life in prison for a crime you didn't commit? As I read this book I couldn't help but think of the many prisoners who might actually find hope in their hopeless situations.
On another surprise note, now I know what happen to the mouse game at the fair. All these years I've wondered why they took the gambling away, now I know. Thanks Frank!

Frank Turner Hollon's The God File is, by turns, tragic and hysterical, prosaic and pensive. It is largely an entertaining work of philosophy and metaphysics, as any work which undertakes finding proof for God's existence must be. But this is not about ontological proofs, teleological arguments, or categorical imperatives. This book is about proof of God in the details of life--whether revealed in Gabriel Black's memories or in the frightening interior of an Alabama prison. Mostly, as Black himself observes, the proof of God is found in the search for God.
Although I found myself laughing out loud at times at the Clyde Edgerton-like predicaments of many oddball characters, mostly I found myslef thinking about weighty and important issues. And there are many of them here to reflect upon.

The God File is a very good book. The read was very quick. It shook my comfortable life. The book made me forget about the flying time from San Francisco to Memphis. I had to control my emotions by pausing the read - so not to wear my emotions on my sleeve. Frank Hollon has a very interesting mind. The main character makes one think deeply. The book makes one think about how important decisions are in ones life. Its nice to see one examine the good, especially when all is not well.

A penny for our thoughts? More like a nickel and dime. Back before Woolworth's closed, you would have been able to buy this book there . . . along with a package a hair nets, a package of socks, the latest 45, genuine polyester bloomers, parakeet food, the cheapest eye shadow and lipstick known to woman (and an occasional man), and, at those special stores with a famous Formica-topped lunch counter, a grilled cheese and Coca-Cola. Today, Woolworth's is a mere memory to those middle-classers who spent time and money there. Woolworth's may have closed in 1997 (after 188 years of business), but author Karen Plunkett-Powell keeps the legacy alive as she takes readers on a nostalgic stroll down the aisles stocked with this and that. The reminiscences and recollections from die-hard customers add a warm touch but it's the test and photos take make the trip worth it.

Chock full of information, photos, illustrations and trivia, this book is a must read for anyone who ever worked for or shopped at the late, lamented Five & Dime.

From penny candies, grilled cheese sandwiches and banana splits to details on the founder and the company, this book is painstakingly researched and written in a enjoyable style.

I've been a fan of Ms. Plunkett-Powell since reading her excellent "Nancy Drew Scrapbook" and I thoroughly enjoyed this new trip down memory lane.

Like rock and roll, Woolworths will be forever engraved in the psyche of baby boomers. In this book, I discovered what precipitated Frank Woolworth's rise from New York hayseed to Merchant Prince. Woolworths was the first store to give middle America a new world of goods, instead of a bill of goods. Through enchanting pictures,heart warming time capsule memories and energizing text, I could revisit the store that sold affordable cologne, boxed stationery and enough candy for the sweet teeth of America's youth. Ms. Powell takes us boomers on a delightful walk down Woolworth's memory lane.

First off let me point out that this book leaves out most biographical information about Sinatra -- it focusses on the recordings themselves. It examines Sinatra's approach and technique to recording and singing. That makes the book extremely interesting and is its greatest strength.

Unfortunately, that is also where its weakness comes in. The book is quite clincial and could use a few more anecdotes and stories -- more "colour" if you will. I'd like to hear more interviews with musicians who worked with Sinatra and from Sinatra himself to get a better idea of the people making the music, because I feel that that the force of Sinatra's personality counts for something in his performance. I personally think that "chemistry" counts as much as technique in music and would like more of that brought out in the book.

This is not enough of a flaw to stop you enjoying the book, it is very engaging and will appeal to anyone who loves Sinatra's records. I still highly recommend the book.

I hestitate to add one more criticism -- Obviously one can not go into exhaustive detail about every single Sinatra recording, but I found it odd that Sinatra's greatest album "Songs For Swingin' Lovers" is barely mentioned while an entire chapter is devoted to the out of print (in US) "Close To You". I realise this is a personal preference, but I found it disappointing.

Granata does a great job taking us behind the scenes for the technology and people who brought us the best popular music of the century. The photos, which focus on the studio instead of the amply documented night life theme, are probably worth the price of the book, but the author is an expert in recording technology and provides anecdotes and discussion as to how and why Sinatra had such an impact and continues to make his mark.

Because we take it for granted today, it is easy to forget that the way in which recordings were created had much to do with the kind of music that was recorded. Granata notes one occasion on which a perfect take had to be remade because a three-and-a-half minute song was too long for Columbia's equipment at the time. What stands out, though, is that for all the bad press Sinatra gets for his impatience on movie sets, he clearly managed the recording process down to the minutest details during the Columbia and Capitol years, resulting in a degree of musical excellence that was not exceeded even during the technologically more advanced 1960s Reprise era. Granata gets high marks for explaining all of this in a way that is highly readable for those of us who love music and have limited understanding of engineering concepts.

The most fascinating chapter may well be the one dealing with a nadir of Sinatra's career, the Duets project of 1992/3. Throughout, we learn that Phil Ramone was constantly selling the project to the singer, while FS (to his credit) continually called the whole purpose of the project into question. If you think Duets sounds like a mistake, you should read this account of how Sinatra was pushed into making these pale remakes from his legendary songbook.

Also worthwhile is Granata's recommended recording list in the appendix. If you are a new Frankophile, this is a great place to start and will lend additional meaning to the text, because you can HEAR how FS works the voice and lyrics in Ol' Man River and other classics.

Highly recommended, even if you already have Friedwald's excellent 'The Song is You.'

Chuck Granata's book, placed on the shelf next to Will Friedwald's SINATRA: THE SONG IS YOU, gives the admirer of Sinatra's art a superb and fascinating look at WHY this man was the greatest popular singer of the 20th century. Where Friedwald goes into great detail explaining the unique musicianship of the man, Granata gives his readers the knowledge of how this artistry was captured and preserved for generations of listeners. Anyone interested in Frank Sinatra, great music, the recording industry or the technology of sound recording must own this book. In an age when innovation is often hard to come by, Granata truly has broken new ground! --Scott Allen Nollen, author of the forthcoming SINATRA AT THE CINEMA (Mindnight Marquee)

Frank Anton's story of captivity in unique among Vietnam POW tales. Most previous Vietnam POW stories have been written by Air Force or Navy pilots shot down over North Vietnam and held captive in Hanoi jail cells. Anton was captured and held in South Vietnamese and Laotion jungle prison camps for 3 years. He then made the long march north to Hanoi where he was captive for another 2 years. His experiences with other American prisoners held in jungle camps (average group of 17), many of who did not survive, is heart rendering and obsorbing. In spite of the title the book is not a political essay on the conduct of the war, or a bitter tirade about not being rescued. This is a warm story about the human suffering of a small group of US soldiers who spent a part of their life in hell. Paul J. Kratz, US Army (retired) Vietnam '66-67, & '70-71.

In January of 1968, helicopter pilot Warrant Officer Frank Anton was shot down in Southern Vietnam and spent 5 years in captivity. Many prominent books have been written of U.S. POW's in Hanoi's prisons but this story is a riveting look at POW's held in prison camps in Southern Vietnam which may have been worse.

Frank Anton has written a very detailed and graphic account of severly brutal conditions and treatments he and others suffered at the hands of the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. For 3 of his 5 years in confinement in the south (he spent time in 4 different camps), he weaves a harrowing tale of torture, starvation, non-existent medical treatment, disease, and barbarity suffered by prisoners. He further adds that during his confinement, he was witness to many Americans dying in the camps and also of betrayal and enemy collaboration by one of their own.

After 3 years of confinement in the south, Anton and the surviving members of his camp, in an incredible display of courage, strength, and determination, are forced to march on foot for an astonishing 6 months to one of Hanoi's prison camps known as the Plantation. For an additional 2 years, this was Anton's new home before being released from captivity in 1973.

Upon arriving home, Frank Anton was debriefed by the military and he eventually found out, to his dismay and horror, that our government know exactly where he was the entire time he was being held and that no serious attempts were considered to rescue him or his fellow soldiers.

In the last chapter of this book, which is absolutely astonishing, you will find out why no attempts were made to rescue many POW's. Additionally, you will learn the current fate of large numbers of POW's that were left behind and are currently unaccounted for in Vietnam. This information is highly disturbing and tragic and paints a very callous and unscrupulous portrait of our government with their regard to our missing servicemen.

This book is exceptionally good and comes highly recommended. As a side note, Pfc Robert Garwood (possibly the most notorious U.S. POW collaborator of the Vietnam war) is featured prominently in parts of this book. For those interested in the complete story of Robert Garwood, you would be well rewarded by reading "Conversations With The Enemy: The Story of Pfc Robert Garwood" by Winston Groom and Duncan Spencer.

There is no way I can summerize what Frank Anton went through. To say it was hell would be a gross understatement. A must read not only for Frank's story but for the truth about Bobby Garwood (traitor without a doubt), and how our government knew where Frank was being held in South Vietnam for three years and did nothing about it. Frank recalls one particularly poignant moment; "The day before Thanksgiving, as Kushner cradled him (Grissett) in his arms as he had the other three (prisoners who recently died), he looked up at Doc and said, 'Tell my mom that I love her.' Then, with his dying breath, he whispered his last words, the words I will never, ever forget: 'Wake me when it's over.'" Grissett became the forth man to die in 1968. Not since reading Dieter Dengler's "Escape from Laos" have I read about such barbaric treatment. You will be brought to tears while reading this book and there are too many startling revelations to recount here. This book is priceless!

I read this book when I was eleven or so and have spent the rest of my reading life in search of something that fascinated me more. Tolkien's was the only fiction that may have done so, but it is, of course, nothing like Wasp.

WASP is a short, simply written book, but it has some quality that makes people mad for it. I think it is the sardonic omniscient voice that adds so much to the flavor of WASP: the voice of the Author himself.

A new edition was published not long ago that was completely unabridged. I felt the slightly abridged version read better (It's always good to cut out the fancy talk.). But I may just be used to the same slightly shorter edition most people have read.

If you want a guaranteed fascinating read (and be swept away on wings of reading enjoyment!), buy this book now. Be forewarned, however, that some might say it kind of glorifies terrorism.

I first read this book in early 60s and have reread it a few times since. It is a timeless story of how one man, with some essential supplies, can disrupt a whole world. More importantly to me was that soon after reading it for the first time, I read a review of it in Astoundin magazine. There the reviewer mentioned THE GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEIK and THE REVOLT OF GUNNER ASCH. I found Scweik heavy going but the Revolt of Gunner Asch introduced me to Hans helmuth Kirst. I have been reading Kirst ever since. Apparently, somebody in Germany has recently come out with a trilogy of videos "08/15 Trilogy" which comprises the first three (of four total) Gunner Asch novels: The Revolt of Gunner Asch Forward Gunner Asch The Return Of Gunner Asch. and all this became available to me because Eric Frank Russell wrote the WASP.

Eric Frank Russell is absolutely the master of showing the possibilities of humanity at its best. Using a metaphor whereby a wasp in a car causes the driver to have an accident, killing four grown men, a man is convinced to go in alone and take down the government of a hostile alien planet. It's truly inspring to see this man, using nothing more than his brain and some supplies sent with him, torment and annoy the government, thereby aiding Terran forces.

This book lays the best foundation for architectural study and design of any book ever published. It should be required reading at every university and would make a great primer for high school students with enlightened teachers.

If you're at all interested in architecture, this is really one of the unanimously acknowledged essential books to have and to study through. Ching covers every imaginable basic idea of architecture in a very clear, accessible, and readable manner, all using his own excellent hand-drawn sketches and diagrams and hand-lettered text. In fact, the presentation alone is like a case study in how to do it right; taken together, the book is an invaluable learning resource and guidebook.

After seeing this book on the shelf of a friend's architecture office, I bought it for my homeschooled children who are genuinely interested in architecture and building...Their dad (who teaches drafting and construction) and I could not put it down! The drawings are clear and so comprehensive. The book covers so much...Architectural styles, drawing types, etc. Mostly in drawings with very little text. So many architecture books are filled with heavy text, that you are lost in it, rather than learning the ideas and concepts. That is not a problem here. It is not to say that in any way this is a simplistic, elementary book...I'm sure it is used at the post-graduate and professional levels. The drawings and captions/info just say so much more than all those words! We are all learning a lot from this book, and are looking forward to buying more of this man's work.

This book follows the Gilbreth family's adventures from just after their dad has died until all the children are grown and married. The mishaps are humorous, the children are realistic and funny, and the plot is inspiring. However, this book lacks the one element that made its predecessor so incredibly wonderful: Dad.

Dad was the one who had the hilarious techniques, the atrocious standards, the crazy ideas. He was the one with the impossible ideals, superb gifts, and vibrant personality. Dad was the one who insisted that his home become a model of motion study and a picture of order. Incidently, Dad was the one that gave Cheaper by the Dozen its laughs, its suspense, and its plotline. Without him, Belles on Their Toes is funny, but feels lifeless because there is no Dad there to knock someone's elbow on the table.

I did enjoy reading this book and some parts had me laughing out loud. But if you're looking for another gripping story like Cheaper and the Dozen, look elsewhere. The main conflict of this book is Mother's struggle to send all of her children through college. It is a story about learning, maturing, and accomplishing goals.

I found this book in my cousin's room and did not emerge until, bleary-eyed, I had read it cover to cover. Since then, I've re-read it dozens of times, along with the prequel, Cheaper by the Dozen. Gilbreth family fans will want to know Frank Gilbreth wrote another, adult book, about his father. Also, the University of Texas at Austin has the Gilbreth motion-study film collection.

If you enjoyed Cheaper by the Dozen, reading this book is a must! After Father Gilbreth dies, Mother is left to carry on with her dozen children. The hilarious (and sometimes ridiculous) escapades in this book range from Tom, (the cook) having trouble dosing the Gilbreth clan with castor oil, to first dates and general instruction for the girls by their brothers on how NOT to get kissed! This book is HILARIOUS! Trust me - this is one you DON'T want to miss! Settle yourself down in your favorite easy chair and laugh yourself silly with the amusing escapades of the Gilbreth Clan!

If you are a fan of the Lone Ranger, movie serials and/or Clayton Moore, this is a must read. Moore is quite possibly the only movie serial star alive today. He provides a wealth of inside information on how they were made. His insights into the production of the Lone Ranger series is also quite facinating. His feelings on portraying the Lone Ranger come across as sincere and genuine. He also seems to be a very pleasant person and a real pro. However, what keeps the book out of the five star rating are a few details that he skips over. For example, he glossed over why he was replaced by John Hart in the role of the Ranger for a year. I think there is more to the story. Moore also describes his longstanding friendship with Tom Neal. I would have been interested to learn about Moore's feelings about the murder that Neal committed in the late 60's. Maybe that kind of sordidness doesn't belong in a upbeat and positive book like this. All in all, a great book that must be read by Lone Ranger and serial fans everywhere.

Whether you are a fan of Clayton Moore or the Lone Ranger or not, this book is extremely interesting. The book is full of unknown facts and trivia and has many pictures of the screen image of The Lone Ranger and of the real life hero, Clayton Moore. By reading this book, even someone born after the 1950's can begin to understand why this gentleman has affected so many people in such a positive way. All of Mr. Moore's film and t.v. credits are listed and show why he is even more than the beloved Lone Ranger. The book should be in every library and home in the country.

This book is a quick read about a man who has lived most of his life playing a fictional role and how it has affected his everyday life. Clayton Moore was certainly not a great actor as attested by his lack of meaningful movie roles. When he became the Lone Ranger everything changed as he became that fictional character in real life. I enjoyed some of the tidbits of making the tv series and of course there could have been many more. Moore mentions alot of movie/tv actors in the book and never has a bad word for any of them. His replacement John Hart in Lone Ranger from 1952-53 is also reported favorably. Mr. Moore says he was fired from the series and given no reason. I would think there is more to the story. All and all this book is for nostalgia fans and Clayton Moore seems truly to be a "nice guy". There should be more people like him in the world.

Why is this book good and why is it worth your money? I feel that it really is worth its cost because it offers excellent analysis on the strokes of the pros. I often hear conventional tennis instructors talk about how it is wrong to try to copy the pros. This is entirely wrong... why not copy the best, the most talented, the most dedicated? This book helps you do exactly that. The pros went through the trial and error process and the thousands of hours of practice to perfect their timing, rhythm, and feel. The pros have the best strokes and it is very obvious when one compares this to the avg club player. I believe this is an excellent book because it analyzes the strokes of the best of the game and tells you how to apply this to your game. It helps you improve and is simply excellent.

is just awesome! I went from being a 1.0-1.5 player to being a 4.0 just using Frank's book. Before I could hardly hit solid groundstrokes and now I'm doing it with ease. Great job, Frank!

A good representation of what is common to all good tennis strokes. Emphasis is on common denominators that can be applied quickly and effectively. A very effective book.

The Waste Land, published in 1922 and considered one of the major works associated with modernism. This poem deals despairingly with the state of post-World War I society, which Eliot saw as sterile and decadent. Numerous references to religious imagery, mythology and literature of the past are used ironically to point out the comparative emptiness of Eliot's time.

The Waste Land is sometimes considered to be the greatest poem of the twentieth century. This collection from Dover (at an amazing price) includes this and several other of Eliot's poems. The Waste Land, however, is considered to be his masterpiece, his 'epic,' in a sense. In fact, it is interesting to compare Eliot's bleak vision of a land of waste to other, earlier epics.

The poem is in some sense a warning, in another sense a cry of despair. The image of the wasted land, of the spiritually degenerate human race, is depressing, yet the poem ends with a glimmer (albeit faint) of hope--salvation is possible, however unlikely. I am no expert on this poem, and like most people understand only fragments of it, but what I have gained from the poem I have found to be very enlightening, and very stirring.

Eliot draws many references from the old legend of the Fisher-King, and an idea of what this legend is about (in all its many forms) is useful in interpreting the poem. This is undoubtedly one of the classics in both English literature and modernist writings, and very worthwhile for anyone who is willing to take the time to study it.

T.S. Eliot wrote "The Waste Land" against the backdrop of a world gone mad-- searching for reason inside chaos, and striving to build an ark of words by which future generations could learn what had gone before, T.S. Eliot explores that greatest of human melancholy-- disillusionment. This is a difficult poem, but one well-worth exploring to its fullest. The inherent rhythms of Eliot's speech, the delightful, though sometimes obscure, allusions, and intricate word-craft, create an atmosphere of civilization on the edge-- in danger of forgetting its past, and therefore repeating it. In the end, only the poet is left, to admonish the world to peace, to preserve the ruins of the old life, and to ensure that future generations benefit from the disillusions of the past.

"Prufrock" is perhaps the best "mid-life crisis" poem ever written. In witty, though self-deprecating and often downright bitter, tones, Eliot goes on a madcap but infinitely somber romp through the human mind. This is a poem of contradictions, of repression, of human fear, and human self-defeat. Technically, "Prufrock" is brilliant, with a varied and intricate style suited to the themes of madness, love, and self-doubt.

Buy this. You won't regret it. If you're an Eliot fan, you probably have it anyway. If you're not, you will be when you put it down.