It's a cliche, but one sign of a good book is that you read it in one sitting, that you can't put it down. The twin engines of gripping action/adventure and heartwarming man-boy love story kept me galloping through "The Toothache Tree." It's a very good book which I highly recommend.

Why not five stars then? Well, its main character, a kidnapper with a heart of gold named "Bill" is a nuanced character with both attributes and flaws. But the parents of the 15-year-old boy (Ham Jr. nicknamed Buddy) he kidnaps have too few redeeming qualities. No doubt there are greedy utilites barons like Hamilton Caine and melodramatic social butterflies like Melanie Caine, but these characters are not presented in a balanced way. And despite some fine lines, Galloway's prose is occasionally clunky. Also, the politically correct (of whom I'm not one) might take issue with Galloway's dated definition of masculinity. When the kidnapper and boy turn from enemies to friends, they drink whiskey together and shoot deer. His depiction of Native Americans might get the cuffs put on the author by the P.C. police as well.

But these flaws are overcome by the novel's strengths: a learned love of the land, a nice sense of plot and pacing, some harrowing action, and a tender, wholly believable love between males of different generations. Galloway pulls another neat trick in "Toothache Tree": He walks a thrilling line between eroticism and friendship. Middle-aged Bill and adolescent Buddy never have sex of any kind in the novel, but their bond is certainly charged with sensuality. Buddy is "handsome." His bright blue eyes are much remarked on. He wears skimpy red bikini underwear. Though bathing and swimming are natural outdoor activities, the hunter and his acolyte seem to get naked every chance they get, much like Jim and Huckleberry Finn.

The novel is in the tradition of classic masculine American literature like that of James Fennimore Cooper, Mark Twain, and Jack London. London's wolf is even present as Bill's trusty dog Brutus. It mirrors an American book of only 10 years before: Robert Bly's "Iron John." Like Bly's man-and-boy-bonding-in-the-woods story, "The Toothache Tree" has asexual eros, rite-of-passage challenges, and a bond forged in steel by the end. Galloway's spoiled-rich-kid-turned-capable-outdoorsman theme also recalls Rudyard Kipling's "Captain's Courageous."

Galloway's great accomplishment here is to take a psychologically unlikely scenario--a terrified victim of kidnapping forging a lifelong blood brotherhood with his abductor in a matter of days--and render it largely believable. Galloway strikes a nice balance between describing the mundane tasks and transcendent delights of wilderness living. Bill's passion for fleeing civilization, the theme of so many great American books, is unquestionable. So is his ability to handle "roughing it" in this manner and the joy he takes in passing his knowledge along. His love of nature is matched only by his love of a boy. What's not to love?

It is difficult to imagine a more adversarial relationship than that which begins THE TOOTHACHE TREE, by Jack Galloway. In this thoroughly satisfying read, 15 year-old Ham Caine is kidnapped, bound, gagged, stuffed into a cotton sack, then hauled off to deep, foreboding, Texas woods to be held for ransom. His kidnapper maintains a gruff, stern demeanor while the boy hopes for some way to kill him. Plans for ransoming take an immediate tumble when the boy divulges that his parents are somewhere in the South Pacific on a self-indulgent sailboat cruise, forcing a more prolonged togetherness there in those sweltering woods than the kidnapper had anticipated. In short order, the real characters of the pair are revealed-the boy is desperate for a caring, loving father, but no wimp himself. A lot more soft-hearted than a kidnapper ought to be, the man-dubbed "Bill," after a Teddy bear the boy once had-finds in that spunky kid something that had been missing in his life: a son. A one-time loser, matrimonially, he had long been aware of that basic, masculine need, but he never allowed himself to think about it. To no one's surprise, the pair form a quick bond-however unlikely, under the circumstances-there in those beautiful but tough, unyielding woods. It's almost as though there is too much to enjoy in their newfound relationship, and too little time to enjoy it, to maintain the original hostility. The kidnapper-a private pilot who once flew for the company headed by the boy's greedy, power-hungry father-is a natural teacher, delighting in enlightening the kid about the woods, about nature, and about life. The boy, no longer a captive, loves every minute of it, rejoicing in the discovery of a freedom and a sense of personal joy and companionship that he had never even imagined. The forest puts on an entrancing show: on a morning squirrel hunt, to provide breakfast, a ground fog rises up to become an "awesome" pink cloud in the trees above the pair, while squirrels gambol from limb to limb like will-o-the-wisps as man and boy begin quietly to enjoy each other. On a trek down the tree-arbored creek, they discover fresh cougar tracks in the sand. A poisonous snake dangles from a tree directly in their path. Coyotes, and wolves howl at night. The kid learns much of woodcraft, while the man learns the joys of having a son. There is badminton on a makeshift court beneath the trees, and skinny-dipping in the icy creek. And soap that floats. All the while, a skillful, clever FBI agent is doggedly determined to discover and capture the kidnapper; and a mother and father almost too easy to hate are more concerned about their appearance at a press conference on their return from the South Seas than for the safety of their only son. The son would be happy if they never returned. But fate is fickle, and for all the joy the idyll brings to the man and boy, things get pretty rough there in those Texas woods-dishing up a major helping of nerve-tingling action and edge-of-your-chair suspense. Twice. This book just won't let go of you. The major characters in THE TOOTHACHE TREE are fully developed, and abetted by a handful of delightful minor ones as well-including a pair of conniving Indians and a rollickingly dim-witted deputy sheriff. With all of the entertainment and joy of discovery the book provides, it is the heart-warming relationship between the kidnapper and his captive that carried this first novel of promising author Jack Galloway to the top of my must-read-it-again list.

D.C. Poyer's novels read like Clive Cussler on the high seas. This book is an intriging novel of suspense and action. It brings cocaine, conspiracy and intrigue to Dare County, North Carolina. I also recommend Bahamas Blue. I have an affinity for the beaches and high seas of the Carolinas, particularly North Carolina, having lived in Wilmington and having traveled from the northern extremes of the Outer Banks to the southeastern beaches of the Grand Strand. There is no better setting for a novel than this.

I read Poyer's Blue books out of sequence. I read Lousiana Blue first, then Bahamas Blue, The Sea Down Under, and finally Hatteras Blue. I enjoy Tiller Galloway's character, though not as much as Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt.

Although Hatteras Blue does not delve into the technical aspects of diving nearly as deep (no pun intended) as the other books I found it to be more believeable and entertaining.

I discovered Poyer by mistake when someone put a copy of China Sea in my mailbox at work. I find Tiller Galloway in the "Blue" books and W.T. Halvorsen in the "Hemlock County" books to be more interesting than Dan Lenson in the modern Navy books.

I mentioned Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt character earlier. If you like a great adventure book thats a ball to read get a Clive Cussler book. After you've read everything from Cussler sit down with a Poyer book. They are not the quite the same but I find Poyer to be informative and entertaining.

An author that actually knows something about diving is rare. One of that category that can actually spin a yarn is a gem.

This is the best diving book I've read. It's mostly technically accurate, and the highly fallible leading man is more believable than your usual Roger Ramjet hero type.

I highly recommend the entire series.

As a prior David Weekley homeowner, I was amused to discover this title among the construction offerings. Based on Mr Weekley's reputation as one of the country's largest privately-owned builders, I purchased an almost-new Weekley home in Florida. Within a year of moving in, the roof was buckling, structural and design errors, water intrusion and toxic mold forced us to evacuate the home. The only hammering I heard from Weekley representatives, was the hammering of contractors working on leaks and other structural defects.

I bought this book because it was highly reviewed and by the title I would have imagined it was the perfect consumer's guide to learning all about mortgates, real estate markets, first time home buyers programs, what "points" are, how the inspection process works, financial pitfalls, how to pick a realator, what steps to go through when you are going from renting to buying, the bidding process, etc and found very little on these topics within the pages. The title is completely misleading. This book is about how to build, repair, and do structural assesments of houses. The author is a builder, and builds houses. His expertise is in building. He spent more pages talking about drywall than mortgages. If you are building a library of home buying books, this might be the 25th or 26th book to get because it deals with construction, but if you are buying a house for the first time, save yourself the hassle of returning this and don't buy it.

My wife and I are beginning our search for a new home in Baton Rouge. Upon the advice of a friend and the fact I'm an information nut I decided to read David Weekley's book. I found the book to be an excellent common sense (which most of us don't have when making the biggest financial commitment in our lives) approach to the entire process of building or buying a home. The glossary of terms was extremely helpful when "talking the talk" with potential builders and lenders. Buying this book may be the cheapest "mistake insurance" I've ever purchased.

THIS BOOK IS VERY GOOD AND KEPT MY INTEREST THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE TIME I READ IT.

This story was disjointed, abstract, distrubing and confusing to the point that it hurt my head... yet I want to read it again. Although I'm not sure I understood everthing that happened, you get so caught up in the the agony of the characters insanity, one must read on to try to make sense of it. This is a book that you will read over and over to try and understand and just when you think you've got it... you will have doubt enough to read it once again!

This book is very good it is about children deserted on an inhabited island.It is all about jealousy,leadership and hate.
It is good because it is quite scary and when they go crazy they go crazy. The ending ! marvelous i haven't seen a better book yet wich has a better ending than this book.I also think that it would be quite fun being deserted on an island but when you read this book you won't want to be left on an island ever.

Galloway has been compared to Virginia Woolf and in the first few chapters of this novel is equally opaque. Where is the reader ? Who are these two women, which, if not both of them, is the psychiatric case ? Is there a horrible history hiding there ? In truth, the book rambles from scene to scene with a minimalist plot and is often tedious. It is enlightened by clever use of language, sharp observations and occasional humour. She makes frequentuse of metaphor - the frustrated boxer dog, the frog etc. - to demonstrate that men are shallow creatures and that women have better lives when they stick together. She laments the power of sexual attraction, however residual, that men still possess.

For a male reader it is a bleak read - are we that shallow ? - tarnished by generalisations which if written by a male writer (John Updike ?) would have led to cries of misogyny, but the book becomes stronger the longer it proceeds and in the end proves a worthwhile read.

Although I can't say this was a totally knockout read, I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed traveling the French countryside with Cassie and Rona, the book's enormously likable female protagonists. Once I adjusted to Galloway's rather inventive literary style (no punctuation to denote dialogue, stream of consciousness narrative, loose spacing within sentences and paragraphs, etc.), I was off and running. Cassie's contrary and cynical nature is the perfect foil for Rona's perpetual Pollyanna personality, the clashes well illustrated in short vignettes and terse conversations that will leave the reader laughing out loud on occasion. Stopping at various French tourist attractions and sites along the way (many highlighted in hilarious travel book lingo within the text), the Scottish duo cope with rude male behavior, snarling dogs, decrepit hotel accomodations and their own dramatic mood swings. With a long history of taking "holidays" together, Cassie and Rona explore not just the unfamiliar terrain of the French countryside, but also the sometimes startling interior landscape of their own psyches. The resulting literary journey is well worth the reader's time, so sit back and enjoy the ride! This book is a wonderful testimony to the power of female friendship.

A fan of Galloway's first book, I loved this even more. I am horrified to read that the only on-line review here is by a man who think this book is somehow a slight to him! It's not about men at all, it's a book about two women, and their thoughts on men occur as part of the narrative they have between themselves. That the two women have an exrtemely funny, leg-pulling as well as tender relationship with each-other doesn't seem to reach the over-sensitive British male reader, though it does reach the male reader with a sense of humour. It's not a "story" (go to the movies for those), it's a meditation about love, aging, what success might be, European identity and, above all, companionship. I have taught this book in high school (Brit Lit) as well as given it to friends and have yet to find a US male who doesn't find it a hoot (or who didn't learn something from it about the weaknesses and strengths of women alone). In short, it's a wonderful, thought-stuffed, gentle yet stimulating book that says it all about modern Scottish fiction. If Galloway isn't appreciated at home, maybe she should to the States!

This book is drawn largely from the archive of the Central of Georgia's company newsletters/magazines. It is a treasure trove of photos of the employees and customers of the line, but does not as heavily emphasive the rolling stock and motive power. So most of the pictures of maintenance and locomotives are shown within the context of showing the employees. The book is pretty light on operational issues and so is not very useful for those who would be looking for maps, equipment lists and other operational details. Still, its a fun read and captures the feel of the "golden age" of railroading.

Although opinions are the spice of life, and the important thing is to read, I beg to differ with the readers from Chicago and Los Angeles. I rather thought they missed the point of a historical romance. You shouldn't expect it to read like "A Thousand Acres" by the Pulitzer Prize winning Jane Smiley. "A Year and A Day" is a sweet story, steeped in history, spiced in sexy scenes, with a pleasing rise and fall of action and adventure. It didn't bother me for the characters not to "speak" in that time period's history--what a horror that would have been, dear readers. What could be worse than Fanny by Erica Jong, written with capital letters and archaic dialogue, written that way deliberately!!! Not meant to be a lowly romance but a literary novel? It ended up so unreadable and distracting and irritating that it was egg on Jong's pretty face.

"A Year and a Day" evoked an early time in Scotland, and I must say it's one of the sweetest love stories I've ever read. I'm saving Henley's book for granddaughter when she's a little older.

I liked this book alot. I liked all of the characters and I thought it was a sweet love story. Some of the other reviews have not been as positive on the language from that time period, but I think it depends on why you read and what you are looking for. If I am looking for true history, then I pick up a history book not a historical romance. Although I agree the verbage was primarily 20th century, I enjoyed it and do recommend it to those who are interested in light reading with a good romance!

I liked this book a lot. I liked all of the characters and I thought it was a sweet love story. Some of the other reviews have not been as positive on the language from that time period, but I think it depends on why you read and what you are looking for. If I am looking for true history, then I pick up a history book not a historical romance. Although I agree the verbage was primarily 20th century, I enjoyed it and do recommend it to those who are interested in light reading with a good romance!

After repeated bouts with injuries while training using other programs, Jeff's program got me out the door and running a faster marathon.

My initial reaction to his run-walk method was sheer disbelief. After working his plan for a month or so I was converted. I cut 20 minutes off of my personal best with this program. I feel that the Galloway method really teaches you how to work with your body. Most programs try to jam your body into doing a marathon. Galloway's edges you into it and as a result makes it easier for you to complete the training and the marathon.

The book also presents a very realistic attitude about running and running marathons. We all aren't Frank Shorter or Catherine Ndereba. This book helps to turn us everyday runners into marathoners.

I recommend this book more for a beginner marathoner rather than for someone who is more competitive. Galloway gives plenty of valuable information and training tips but I disagree with his approach. Galloway recommends a fairly minimal amount of training and although this approach may help someone finish a first marathon, I don't feel one can improve greatly without significantly more mileage than he recommends. Also, he recommends walk breaks but, if you are well trained and pacing yourself properly, these are not necessary. All in all, I find Bob Glover's Competitve Runner's Handbook to give better advice for marathon training.

A friend recommended this book to me and I am so glad she did. She is training for a marathon and I am not... at least not yet. This book will give you strategies and guidelines to help you train for a race of any length. I currently do 5K runs and have a 10K (my first!) scheduled later this summer. There are tips and advice about all aspects of running including: walk breaks, drinking water, cross training, training in various weather conditions and more. Galloway says that virtually anyone can finish a marathon with his 6 month training program and I believe it. In fact, after reading the book I am motivated to give one a try... maybe next year though!

Galloway does repeat himself a lot. I think this is because readers may chapter-jump when using this book and he wanted to make sure certain things were stressed. It didn't really bother me, but I thought it was worth noting. Also, does Galloway own the company that makes PowerBars or something? He just raves about those things! :-)

For the cost of the book, I was expecting some more advanced concepts than examples such as how to set a table, get gas for your car, and get ready for work. This is a workbook for students learning for the first time how to create workflow diagrams. For a working professional, it is useless. It does not deal with real work situations and its complexities.

Viva la words! User friendly at its best. Can't put it down. I kept asking myself, "How can something so practical be so fun to process."

This 89 page book has two things going for it:

(1) Logical approach to mapping work processes

(2) Clear, concise writing

Ms. Galloway's logical approach to mapping work processes is evident from the table of contents, which contains:

Introduction to Mapping

Select the Process

Define the Process

Chart the Primary Process

Chart Inspection Points

Develop Inspection Standards

Draw Lines and Arrows

Chart Inputs and Suppliers

Chart Subprocesses

Plan Future Activities

She keeps this approach simple and assumes that the reader knows nothing about mapping work processes. I like the lack of fluff and concise (if not terse) writing that is augmented by over 50 figures and illustrations.

If you want to learn how to map work processes this is the book with which to embark on your learning experience. I give it five stars for its clarity and completeness.