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Book reviews for "Gerard-Libois,_Jules_C." sorted by average review score:

The Rough Guide to England
Published in Paperback by Rough Guides (18 April, 2002)
Authors: Robert Andrews, Jules Brown, Phil Lee, and Rob Humphreys
Amazon base price: $16.07
List price: $22.95 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

Hits the nooks & crannies.
This reader looked thru oodles of travel books for information for the "remote" places of England vs. the typical visiting grounds like London & Bath. Key elements looked for were: concise transportation prices/options (especially on the railways & bus) , detailed regional maps, and alternate information places to contact (e.g. Dept. of transportation in Brighton, or Tourist info. on the Isle of Wight). This reader was not interested in finding the best place to stay -- but would respond in saying that this information was "broad" compared to a Frommers or Michelan vesions of text. This book's material filled in several holes that other travel books with pretty pictures and fluffy text could not. Bully for that!

Cheerio---I'd bloody give it 10 stars!
Last summer, I made my first trip to England, and it was absolutely wonderful! Felt like I was going home to my roots.
Also to see first-hand the areas where the RAF bravely held off the Nazi air attacks, and the civilian wardens watched the skies and the shores, it made me very thankful for our friends across the Atlantic.
The Rough Guide was a critical part of this memorable vacation.
It is frank and factual, but also upbeat. You will save money, and time, reading it. but you'll also be prepared to savor the history of the place, and meet the helpful and friendly people who live there. We took our Rough Guide everywhere. It was like a trusted, and good-spirited English friend. And it will sit on the top of our day packs during our next trip there.

Helped us plan a great trip
A year ago we went to England armed with the Rough Guide. I can't really compare it to other travel books (other than one of the Michelin Green guides, which we also used), but the Rough Guide worked for us. We particularly liked the fact that it did not only dirct us to the sights "everybody" would want to see. The writers were actually pretty up front about attractions that they considered to be overrated. The book was also really useful for the early stages planning our trip, because it provided a nice broad overview of the regions.


Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/Completely Restored and Annotated
Published in Paperback by United States Naval Inst. (1993)
Authors: Jules Verne, Frederick Paul Walter, and Walter James Miller
Amazon base price: $18.87
List price: $26.95 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

A Happy Reader
I injoyed reading this book. It is one of Verne's better pieces of writing that I heve reviewed

excellent book
This is one of Verne's best books. It is full of scientific and technical/technological details (I had to use several encyclopedias/dictionaries to find some words' meaning), historical references - no doubt Verne researched the topics thoroughly. It is also humorous in places but certainly entertaining and serious on every page. As the story progresses you will discover Verne's view on society in sentences like "The world needs no new continents, it needs new people." As for the storyline, you will never guess what happens next. Every intelligent person with an open mind will find this book a must read.

A vast improvement
Most of Jules Verne's works were hastily translated, with many "improvements" made in the process, such as deletion of scientific exposition, as well as deletion of many moments deemed by the translator as dull.

This, the Restored and Annotated version of 20,000 leagues, is a VAST improvement over previous English editions. The translation is very well done, and the annotations explain what has been changed and what previous translations accomplished.

Highly recommended!


Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Pass in Review, 1)
Published in Paperback by Denlinger's Publishers, Ltd. (28 November, 2001)
Author: Jules M. Seletz
Amazon base price: $13.95
Average review score:

Review of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by Jules Seletz
This historical fiction book was very good. I learned a lot- it supplemented the basic understanding I had of U.S. and world history. It was filled with golden nuggets of trivia, for example , statistics on WWI and WWII casualties. It revealed the thread of continuity from WWI to WWII, and gave a broad picture of how Nazism took over. All this plus the personal story of a Russian Jewish immigrant, Abe Stein, whose son Jacob becomes the main character in the latter half of the book. Jake,s teen-age years and experiences are honestly portrayed, including some brushes with the same Anti-Semitism his father and grandfather had encountered.

A Book Everyone Shoud Experience
I read "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Book One of the Quartet, Pass in Review", because I liked the author's style in his medical mystery books. I hoped his historical fiction would bring me the same pleasure. I wasn't disappointed. I came away with several thoughts. Although this was a historical fiction, I had an incredible feeling of what Jewish families went through at that time in history. I was able to imagine the fear they experienced, and the excitement of starting a new life in America. I felt a need to know more. I can't wait to read more of the books in this series. This author has proved that no matter what the subject, he keeps you rivoted to the book till the end, and wanting to read his next book as soon as possible.


Bayou Blood Brothers: Tyler/Nick/Jules (Harlequin Intrigue 606)
Published in Paperback by Harlequin (2001)
Authors: Rebecca York, Metsy Hingle, and Joanna Wayne
Amazon base price: $4.25
Average review score:

Bayou Blood Brothers
Three authors deliver three very good connected stories in "Bayou Blood Brothers," the tales of three childhood friends threatened by someone from their past. Readers looking for steamy suspense will find it here, though some may wish the authors had written a trilogy of three separate books so they could have had more of these stories.

Rebecca York begins the set with "Tyler." An undercover federal agent is surprised when his latest case brings him into the life of the sister of his boyhood friend. Tyler feels he let her brother down. When killers chase them into the bayou, can he do right by her? York doesn't have much room to tell her story, since she has to provide the prologue that sets up the trilogy and the events that lead into the next two tales. Eighty pages isn't much to tell a whole story. As a result, there isn't much to "Tyler," a straightforward couple-on-the-run tale with few surprises but good suspense and a high level of sensuality. There aren't many twists and some may have trouble believing these two could fall in love in such a short period of time. Good atmosphere and page-turning suspense do compensate. Fans of constant action and steamy love scenes will find them here. Four Stars.

Surprisingly, the best story in the set doesn't come from an Intrigue author but from Metsy Hingle. In "Nick," a man returns to his hometown for his brother's wedding to the only woman he's ever loved. When his brother is murdered, Nick becomes the prime suspect. Can he find the truth and reclaim the only woman for him? Hingle's story is the best because she manages to combine all the elements of a full-length Intrigue into her eighty pages. Both characters have interesting and involved histories that make them seem more three-dimensional. Hingle keeps her characters in constant danger, but she also spaces her story over several days. It is fast-paced but doesn't feel rushed. This is the only story where I really felt like the characters had a chance to talk about their relationship. By the end I was convinced they would last as a couple. A good mystery, dangerous situations and enjoyable antagonists make this a joy to read. It's not easy to pull off in eighty pages (some writers can't do it in 250). Hingle does it with ease. Five stars.

Joanna Wayne finishes the set with "Jules." A murder brings Jules close to the truth of the man out to get him and his friends. It also reunites him with his first love. Can Jules protect her when her involvement with him puts her in danger? Wayne's story is a solid follow-up to the second one. It has some good character development and twists along the way. The climax is somewhat weak. The dangerous situation the characters find themselves in is so contrived I couldn't understand how this could be happening to intelligent people. Wayne does offer some chilling scenes and confrontations with a truly evil villain to keep readers turning the pages and the romance is solid. Four Stars.

The Louisiana bayou country is a setting that has mostly been forgotten in Intrigues (out of the last 100 Intrigues, only one full novel and one novella were set in Louisiana, both in New Orleans). It's a shame these stories couldn't have been offered as three separate books to allow readers to spend more time in this setting and the authors more time to build their stories. The idea was strong enough to support a trilogy. For what it is though, readers looking for fast reads will enjoy "Bayou Blood Brothers," so much they'll probably wish there was more of it.

"TYLER" IS BEST NOVELLA
"TYLER" in BAYOU BLOOD BROTHERS was just selected as the
winner of the 2001 Golden Leaf Award for Novellas by the
New Jersey Romance Writers.


The Hogan Mystique: Classic Photographs of the Great Ben Hogan by Jules Alexander
Published in Hardcover by Broadway Books (1997)
Authors: Martin Davis, Dave Anderson, Ben Crenshaw, Dan Jenkins, Ken Venturi, Jules Alexander, and Tracy Behar
Amazon base price: $60.00
Average review score:

Be sure to understand what you are getting
Whether you find this book worth the money will depend on whether you think Ben Hogan was the God of Golf (or at least one member of the Trinity). It is a large-format book, and the quality of the photographs (all black-and white) is excellent. I believe they were all taken on the same day, when Hogan allowed Jules Alexander to accompany him. They pretty much just show Hogan at work on the course, and they do capture who he was. The accompanying comments and essays are interesting, but the photographs are the stars of the book. Just make sure you realize that you are getting a series of photographs taken on one day -- this isn't a retrospective of Hogan's career, and there are no swing sequences or anything like that. If you are a Hogan worshipper, however, this book is a must.

A must-have work for the Hogan fan
This book is appropriately titled. The photos are truly classic and do a wonderful job of portraying the on-course Hogan, particularly his steely focus and gorgeous swing. The accompanying text is solid. I most enjoyed Ken Venturi's comments which accompanied the photos, as well as Dan Jenkin's recounting of the man behind the mystique. I was somewhat disappointed that the photos are all from the late 50s, mostly from the same tournament. Yet, this is only a minor issue. Every true Hogan fan should add this work to his or her collection.


Invasion of the Sea (Early Classics of Science Fiction)
Published in Hardcover by Wesleyan Univ Pr (2001)
Authors: Jules Verne, Edward Baxter, and Arthur B. Evans
Amazon base price: $17.47
List price: $24.95 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

The timely appearance of a book unknown here
The Invasion of the Sea is unusual for its time in its political complexity and temporal setting, looking ahead to the 1930s. Indigenous customs and colonial opportunism clash as plans are made to irrigate the Sahara desert, opening the inland to new commerce and ports for the French navy. Verne's writing is modern in his immersion in multiple points of view, opening from the native perspective, then shifting to that of the French colonists. Verne had no illusions about the overseas power plays of his own country.
Verne makes clear how the respective sides view the situation; the West seeks to remake nature to its advantage, while the East has adapted to their surroundings. The West wants to change the land, failing to realize that the desert
is home to the tribes of Bedouins. Flooding the land and changing its fundamental purpose becomes the ultimate form of imperialism. While recognizing its political shortcomings, Verne still valorizes the heroic aspect of the human attempt to
harness nature.
The first half of the book establishes the region and the dimensions of the conflict, comparing the different cultures of the Arabs and the Europeans. During the last half, Verne foreshadows the final outcome as nature asserts its own primacy over human plans. A monstrous earthquake shifts the land, allowing the sea to flood the Sahara, overwhelming even the designs of the French. The characters in The Invasion of the Sea are men (and an Arab woman) in action--bandits, French soldiers and an engineers--but the novel is not as exciting as the general reader might hope.
The translation by Edward Baxter is ideal; he fluently transfers Verne's French into readable, contemporary English. All of the 43 engravings and photographs from the original French edition are included, bringing to life the scenery and action of the story in the context of their time. For years it has seemed that this novel could not be more timely, considering confrontations between Arabs and the West, yet its appearance in English comes at a historical moment whose aptness could not be exceeded. While scarcely a lost masterpiece, The Invasion of the Sea is a worthy and important addition to the Verne canon and science fiction literature.

A "must" for Jules Verne enthusiasts!
Invasion Of The Sea is the first English edition of a novel written in 1904 by Jules Verne, best know for his classics "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "Around the World in 80 Days." Meticulously translated from the original French by Edward Baxter, Invasion of the Sea is an engaging novel that takes serious look at political and imperial struggles in North Africa. When a canal is proposed to create a sea in the Sahara Desert, the way of life of the Islamic tribes living there becomes threatened, and they declare war to protect their lands, prompting a cataclysmic struggle that only natural forces can surpass. A thought-provoking and serious tale, Invasion Of The Sea is recommended for Jules Verne enthusiasts.


The Protector (Harlequin Temptation, 891)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Harlequin (2002)
Author: Jule McBride
Amazon base price: $4.25
Average review score:

My, my, my!
It's a steamy tale, full of lust and intrigue. Not for the faint of heart!

enjoyable police procedural romance
Manhattan precinct captain Sullivan "Sully" Steele is considered a great cop renowned as the "great protector" by everyone who knows him except for one particular female. His two brothers and his father are also highly regarded police officers. However, a shadow has fallen on the Sullivans when their dad vanishes with several million dollars he apparently embezzled from a fund containing public donations to help cops.

Internal Affairs officer Judith Hunt believes Sully's dad is guilty and plans to prove it even if she has to rip Sully's image in the process. She admits to herself that she finds Sully quite attractive while he reciprocates her deep feelingsbut both hide it from the other. As Sully wants someone to love, he desperately tosses a bottle with a note inside into the Hudson. Judith finds the note and a mail box relationship starts with neither knowing the identity of the other. Even if they did and love blossoms into full bloom, nothing can come of this because his dad remains between them.

Though Sully's mom hiding her Lotto winnings just to get her sons married when her husband is in deep legal trouble seems strange to this reviewer, fans will enjoy this police procedural romance. The story line hooks the audience early on two levels. First readers feel the tension between the lead characters and second fans observe the investigation as it unfolds and causes havoc and misunderstanding between Judith and Sully. Jule McBride provides a strong tale entry that ties up the Sullivan threads yet entertainingly can stand-alone.

Harriet Klausner

Big Apple Bachelors Series
This is the best one of the Big Apple Bachelors series. Sully is a class act.


Valentine Babies
Published in Paperback by Harlequin (1900)
Authors: Anne Stuart, Tara Taylor Quinn, and Jule McBride
Amazon base price: $5.99
Average review score:

A Nice, Light Read.
"Valentine Babies" is an entertaining anthology containing 3 stories centred on Valentine's Day and babies. All 3 stories were fun and original. I wasn't really expecting to like this book, so it was a pleasant surprise to have really enjoyed it!
The first story, "Goddess in Waiting" by Anne Stuart is the best. Marike is a larger than life woman who runs a maternity shop/shelter for pregnant teenagers. When William arrives one day in his Gucci suit looking to have a maternity wardrobe made for his sister, it's clear that these two couldn't be more complete opposites. But William finds the funky and compassionate Marike irresistible, though she's far from his usual type. Now he just has to convince Marike that they're right for each other! This story was fresh and original, and I thought it was great!
Next is Tara Taylor Quinn's "Gabe's Special Delivery". This is the story of two very different people who fall in love and rush into marriage, only to have it fall apart because of a misunderstanding. However, a beautiful baby girl helps them find their way back to each other. Bailey and Gabe are both very likeable characters. This was an enjoyable read.
Finally, Julie McBride's "My Man Valentine" is a sweet story about friends becoming lovers. Eloise has lived next door to C.D. Valentine for two years, and has been fantasizing about him since the day they met. Her plans to profess her feelings for him on Valentine's Day are interrupted when she suddenly finds herself babysitting for a very unhappy little girl. C.D., however, comes to help out, and he and Eloise finally admit that their feelings run deeper than friendship. This is a lovely romance and is sure to please readers.
Overall, this anthology is great for light reading and a few hours of relaxation. Each story is fun and romantic, so pick this book up and enjoy!

A Good Anthology
A read that is centered around Valentine's Day and babies, this was a mostly pleasing anthology for me. I'm not a fan of anthologies--stories too incomplete, rushed. Ms. Stuart manages somehow, to convey a complete romance in her story. There's a prologue that makes you wonder....an epilogue that is really cute. In between you have, as the girls call him, a "hottie" for a hero, and a very different heroine. Sexy, fun, and romantic...and the story makes sense. Ms. Quinn's story was my disappointment. H/h spend most of a short story, apart. And, Gabe's gift from his "ex-wife" made no real sense,to me. Finally, Jule McBride does a story with one of my favorite romances--friends becoming lovers. I didn't like the use of the baby, in this one. But, the story is romantic and is a good, sexy read.

This Valentine delivers.
GODDESS IN WAITING, written by Anne Stuart and the first of this collection, gives us Marike, a long-legged completely exasperating female whom William Lambert wants the minute he sees, despite the fact that she's not his type. His type is geared to match his life: sophisticated, elegant, and worldly, everything that the smart-mouthed, quirky Marike is not. And while he annoys her completely upon their first meeting, she is immediately drawn to this tall, sexy man. You'll race through this romance, enjoying the dialogue, the characters, and the wacky world that Marike inhabits. The duct-tape dummy scene is hilarious and easy to envision thanks to one of the best wordsmiths this genre has to offer.

There are few writers who can construct this short form so very well, so make this your introduction to Anne Stuart if you've never read her before. A collection like this is a perfect sampler. I confess that I got this book for her story alone, and I haven't even bothered to read the other two yet. But one Anne Stuart gives you more than your money's worth.


Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars: The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency, 1988
Published in Hardcover by Warner Books (1989)
Authors: Jules Witcover and Jack Germond
Amazon base price: $22.95
Average review score:

Well, They Got Half Of The Facts Right....
This is actually my favorite in the series of political books by Germond/Witcover (henceforth, G/W). I will praise it and then criticize it.

It is worthy of praise for its excellent coverage of the immolation of Gary Hart and Joe Biden. It also does an outstanding job giving the history of Republican and Democratic parties in elections since 1960.

The weakness comes from the obvious liberal bias that Germond has. They get angry with George Bush and the campaign he ran - although when they get back around to covering the 1992 election, they don't mention the dirt that Bill Clinton threw without any network complaints.

They book also demonstrates that the liberal elite just don't get it. In the final analysis, there's a complaint about the GOP hanging Vietnam around the necks of Democrats as being "unpatriotic," and imply Bush merely continued that. But Bush actually succeeded in playing the kind of superficial game that Democrats usually play at the polls - and their only anger is because he won.

For example, it is common for the Democratic Party to say that the GOP will "cut" Social Security. I have debates on tape going back to 1960, and this argument has been made by every Democrat since 1976 (at least). But they know full well this is mere demagoguery. In fact, G/W do not bring out enough the fact that Dukakis was demagoguing that very issue - or the fact that he said he was a "card carrying member of the ACLU" in the primary but considered it "negative campaigning" when Bush hung the ACLU around his neck. The only problem the journalists have is NOT with the superficiality of elections, but the fact their chosen guy got beat.

However, if one looks past the usual liberal jargon, it does read very well. They also have an excellent chapter on the Michigan caucus (GOP side) that Pat Robertson exploited. Their hatred for Robertson is evident in the book, too.

Great Critical Analysis of a Tragic Campaign
Seasoned Washington professionals Jack Germond and Jules Witcover take the proper critical approach to a presidential campaign that in many ways represented a tragic slap in the face of democracy. Voters were so turned off that participation plummeted to 49%. This was the campaign where Willie Horton and the Pledge of Allegiance dominated. The book's subtitle of "The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency" was accordingly apt.

When the media-orchestrated campaign of Roger Ailes, known as "the mudmeister," along with cohort Lee Atwater, who had been trained by none other than Richard Nixon, reached fever pitch, and a "news event" consisted of Republican nominee, Vice-President George H.W. Bush, visiting a flag factory, Dan Rather and his CBS news cohorts refused to cover the event. CBS explained to the Republicans that if they wanted serious coverage then the campaign needed to get serious and talk about substantive policy matters rather than hide behind the flag and expect to receive prime time attention. Voters in other states envied the Nevada prerogative of voters, which permitted the alternative of the truly turned off, a vote for "None of the above," which turned out to be a popular category.

Germond and Witcover present a detailed account of a campaign where glossy imagery and mud slinging obscured the real issues, beginning with rising American debt, which would continue to burgeon after Bush's victory over Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis. A highlight of the Republican's campaign was his promise at his party's New Orleans convention of, "Read my lips! No new taxes!" This was an irresponsible promise in view of the pervasive reality that economic circumstances vary and policies need to reflect those current circumstances.

Teddy White-Style Fun
Fellow political junkies think I'm crazy for considering 1988 such an entertaining election, and they have a point: '92 featured the Perot boomlet and the eventual winner running third in the polls in summer; '96 had Buchanan's shocking New Hampshire win and Clinton's strange comeback; and 2000, was, well, 2000. Maybe it's just that '88 was the first campaign I followed. But it was a dirty, sleazy fight, with two unappealing nominees. Both campaigns were riddled with mistakes -- Bush's choice of Quayle, then-frontrunner Dukakis refusing to campaign during August. Most interesting is the desperation inside the Democratic Party as they see their best shot in years collapse before their eyes. This is just a good, solid campaign book in the tradition of the old Making Of The President series.


Give It Up: And Other Short Stories
Published in Hardcover by NBM Publishing, Inc. (2003)
Authors: Franz Kafka, Peter Kuper, and Jules Feiffer
Amazon base price: $11.17
List price: $15.95 (that's 30% off!)

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