I've seen many of the Vietnam War movies (Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born in the USA). To me, The Proud Bastard would make the best movie of all because it's written by a grunt who was there. I'm a former magazine editor who doesn't read much these days. A friend told me about The Proud Bastards and I obtained a copy. I couldn't put it down, and read it cover to cover although that cost me some sleep. Its stream of consciousness style reminds me of works by Jim Harrison, an author I greatly admire. It is a gutsy, no-holds-barred account of the way things were in the trenches. I can't believe it hasn't already become grist for a movie.

As a career fighter pilot and a retired colonel with a combat tour in Southeast Asia, I always wanted to know what the war was like in the trenches--now I do. Don't pick this book up unless you like those stories that reach out, grab you and won't let go. This one did just that. I couldn't put it down. When the author was at Marine boot camp, so was I. When he faced the North Vietnamese Army, so did I. When he was severely wounded, I felt it. Proud Bastards is in the same league with Born on the Fourth of July and Private Ryan. Mike Helms' book is the "Top Gun" of Vietnam War sagas--a must read.

"The Proud Bastards" is one of the best books I've ever read. Michael Helms tells his true and pain story of MARINE boot camp and the Hell of Vietnam. The book is intense and extremely realisitic(because it's true). This is a story of a young man's right of passage to man hood through the horrors of war. A true classic and a must buy for everyone interested in the Vietnam War. "Welcome Home, A Salute to the forgotten Vietnam War Heroes" is another book E. Michael Helms will be appearing in. It will be out in December. Please e-mail me at AeroPosse3@aol.com for more information. Semper Fi, Mike!

Great characters...I like people I can feel for - either love or hate. This book has some of the best characters I have run into in fiction. A few are completely outlandish, but somehow beliveable, nevertheless. Great bad guys, great heroes, and lots of grey area between on real humans - trying to to the right thing, it seems, but bogged down by life, ethics, conflicts, that kind of stuff. Anyway, this is a MUST READ.

I could not put this book down and finished it straight through. It kept me up all night. It was such an absorbing and fast-moving story. There were a couple of stops where I had to close my eyes. The descriptions of stuff is just too real! This is a really fun read.

The most passionate and moving piece of fiction I have probably ever read. This is chock full of political intrigue and full of amazing detail on politics and every other subject under the sun...takes you away like Clancy...but better prose and style than Clancy. More important, Terry captures the reader's mind with his exploration of motivation, character, morals and integrity as they work in both the common man and in our nation's leaders. Do not miss an opportunity to read this book!

I saw this book in a store in Ireland about a month ago. I brought it back to the US for my kids and it was instantly their favorite. Swiftly is a wonderful adventure story for adults and kids alike. This book is a must-read for all parents to their children.

A great, traditional read! I bought SWIFTLY while on vacation in England, not knowing it was available in the US. It's beautifully written and will hold pride of place in our bookcase. My kids are now reading it for the THIRD time!

A lovely book; beautifully crafted and nicely plotted. I particularly liked the dialogue beteen the horse thieves. Although there is an undercurrent of raw menace, the chatter between the evil twosome is wickedly funny at times. All in all it's a splendid book and Michael Maguire has a superb ear for speech. The (almost human) greyhound is a joy and the fast-moving style of writing makes it an un-put-a-downable read. I bought Swiftly for my two teenagers while on holiday in Florida, and read it on the flight back to the UK. Great stuff! More please!

The authors accounting of himself as an officer of elit Marines is as serious and straight-forward as the missions they undertook in Viet-nam. Michael Hodgins skillfully, without the usual shoot em up bang bang of war novels, creates an accurate and exciting account of his time with 1st Recon. We are privy as readers to an inside look at preparations,logistics and worry not ever seen when looking at a small group of camoflaged men clinging to a ladder below a helicopter.

This novel will remain always an historical account of the Marine Corps involvement in Vietnam during its dangerous disengagement in 1970. Well done Michael Hodgens, I hope you will writr more.

Michael Hodgins captures the real spirit of the place and time. As a former Marine who served with the 1st Recon Bn, I can testify Mr. Hodgins presents a true and vivid picture of life in the bush, on an OP, and in Camp Reasoner. With all the distortions about Vietnam presented in the movies and on TV, as well as the anti-war prejudice of public school history teachers, this book should be required reading in the high school cirriculum. I hope someday someone will write a book that will tell us more about Lt. Skibbe, Lt. Rathmell, and Captain McVey who gave lost their lives protecting their troops.

This book is an outstanding account of recon battalion actions in Vietnam. It is well worth reading. I served with Mike before the war. He was a straight shooter then, and a straight shooter in Vietnam

James Thurber is undoubtably one of America's greatest writers ever. "The Thurber Carnival" is an brilliant collection of his works.

I was introduced to Thurber's works two years ago,by a short story of his that was included in my English textbook. I was instantly charmed by his writing. Ever since, I have read everything of Thurber's that I can get my hands on. Through my readings, I have discovered several key things:

1. James Thurber was NOT just a humorist/satirist. Of course, I have stayed up late reading his stories laughing out loud, yet there is more to the stories. Thurber not only chronicled people of his time, but people of all times. His works show that the little eccentricities most people possess are the very things that make them interesting. Take this excerpt from the story "Recollections of the Gas Buggy", included in "The Thurber Carnival":

'Years ago, an aunt of my father's came to visit us one winter in Columbus, Ohio. She enjoyed the hallucination, among others, that she was able to drive a car. I was riding with her one December day when I discovered, to my horror, that she thought the red and green lights on the traffic signals had been put up by the municipality as a gay and expansive manifestation of the Yuletide spirit. Although we finally reached home safely, I never completely recovered from the adventure, and could not be induced, after that day, to ride in a car on holidays.'

2. That excerpt brings me to my next discovery: James Thurber had quite a way with words, which to my knowledge, no author since has been able to near. Thurber's words transport you to another world, an amazing world, where everyone even slightly insane is portrayed with kindly satire. The character Briggs Beall, from the story "The Night the Bed Fell," is a perfect example of Thurber's wit.

3. An additional point I discovered is that Thurber's works need to be shared. I treasure this book so much that I brought it with me as traveled to Nebraska to visit my friend, just so I could read parts of it aloud to her. Whether it is a driving adventure with a Russian boat specialist("A Ride With Olympy"), an amusing maid("What Do You Mean It Was Brillig?"), or the light bulb smashing Elliot Vereker("Something to Say"), Thurber's stories need to be shared.

For these reasons, as well as others, "The Thurber Carnival" is a most wonderful book. James Thurber's writing is nearly magical, as well as his characters. This is a great book to pick up again and again, if only to read one of its great stories.

I grew up with this book. First published in the mid-40s, it lived in the center of a built-in bookcase over my father's desk in the family room, and I was drawn to it time and time again during my childhood.

At first, I was convulsed by Thurber's uniquely hilarious cartoons. His dogs and his women are priceless...drawn in a style that nobody has ever been able to duplicate or capture.

It was only later, as I grew older, that I could appreciate Thurber's written humor. The "Thurber Carnival" (and it is) is a compilation of essays and excerpts from "My World--and Welcome to It," "The Middle Aged Man on the Flying Trapeze," and others. These were Thurber's earlier works that were very much a product of their times, but oh, so funny! Thurber was one of the great commentators on the vagaries of everyday life. Along with Robert Benchly et al., he set the tone for an entire generation. I still have this book, and I absolutely cherish it. It's hard to do Thurber justice in a review. All I can say is--buy this book and wallow in it. You'll be glad you did.

"The Thurber Carnival" was a beloved companion of my early youth; I laughed out loud again and again at the stories of "My Life and Hard Times," the hilarious "Fables for Our Time," "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," and other classics. What was really important to me about Thurber was that he came from the same part of Ohio that I did, and actually had had relatives and attended family reunions in Sugar Grove, Ohio, where I grew up. That meant all the world to me, because it showed me that someone who had ties to Sugar Grove could be a famous writer. Now, I love Thurber's work more than ever; as an adult, I can better appreciate the nuances of a story like "The Catbird Seat." Thurber's work is a precise, funny, yet deeply serious portrait of an America which had just recently completed the transition from a frontier to an urban society. Women, having just won the right to vote, were flexing new-found muscles; men, divorced from the need to wrest a living from the soil, felt suddenly unmoored and emasculated; a new breed of self-help authors arose to make a quick buck from the newly uncertain populace; and oceans of alcohol fueled the newly stirred resentments between the sexes.Thurber recorded it all, in a prose style as elegant and lucid as any in the history of American literature. "The Catbird Seat," "Fables for Our Time" and the self-help parodies of "Let Your Mind Alone!" are every bit as fresh and pertinent as when Thurber wrote them 60-odd years ago. Unfortunately, some aspects of his work--most glaringly his portrayal of African-Americans--have not stood up so well. But one can only say of Thurber what the Duc de Saint-Simon said of Louis XIV: "His virtues were his own, his faults were his times'." The best of James Thurber ranks with the best of Mark Twain, Ring Lardner, Woody Allen and any other American humorist you can name.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I've read nearly every Barbara Michaels book-and this is by far my favorite. I once spent two hours describing this book to my friend in minute detail-and she loved it! Dashing Andrea, dreamy Stefano, vivacious Miss Perkins, ever-changing Francesca are the key players in one of my favorite stories. Bravo, Ms. Michaels, for writing this story!

I have collected and read many of Barbara Michaels' Books and this one is My favorite. Set during the Italian Revolution, it gives you a different perspective of Italian History, through English eyes. It was very well written, so much so, that you feel as if the excitement in the book, is very real!! The main characters are intelligent, witty, and daring. You cheer for them throughout the book. I wish this were made into a movie, so visual people, like myself, could indulge in it further. Whether you're a closet romantic, history student, or mystery buff --- you'll want to read it twice....like I did!!!

I am a HUGE Barbara Michaels fan, quite possibly because she has the ability to encompass mystery, thrills, and romance, without dwelling too much on one aspect. Which holds true for this book as well. You will absolutely love Francesca, Stefano, and Miss P., for their wit, and intelligence. I wish this book were turned into a movie, so all of us visual people can watch all the events unfold, IN STEREO! At any rate, if you're a closet romantic, history student, or mystery buff, this is sure to enthrall you!!!

Despite the criticisms levelled at Trollope for his "authorial intrusions" (see Henry James for example) this novel is always a pleasure to read. The characters take precedence over the plot, as in any Trollopian fiction and this is what makes a novel like BARCHESTER more palatable to the modern reader, as compared to any of Dickens's. Some readers may find the ecclesiastical terms confusing at first but with a little help (see the Penguin introduction for example), all becomes clear. What is important, however, is the interaction between the all-too-human characters and in this novel there are plenty of situations to keep you, the reader, amused.

Do yourself a favour and take a trip back into Nineteenth century where technology is just a blink in everyone's eye. What you will discover, however, is that human beings have not really changed, just the conventions have.

"Barchester Towers" has proven to be the most popular novel Anthony Trollope ever wrote-despite the fact that most critics would rank higher his later work such as "The Last Chronicle of Barset","He Knew He Was Right" and "The Way We Live Now".While containing much satire those great novels are very powerful and disturbing, and have little of the genial good humor that pervades "Barchester Towers".Indeed after "Barchester Towers",Trollope would never write anything so funny again-as if comedy was something to be eschewed.That is too bad,because the book along with its predecessor "The Warden" are the closest a Victorian novelist ever came to approximating Jane Austen."Barchester Towers" presents many unforgettable characters caught in a storm of religious controversy,political and social power struggles and romantic and sexual imbroglios.All of this done with a light but deft hand that blends realism,idealism and some irresistible comedy.It has one of the greatest endings in all of literature-a long,elaborate party at a country manor(which transpires for about a hundred pages)where all of the plot's threads are inwoven and all of the character's intrigues come to fruition."Barchester Towers" has none of the faults common to Trollope's later works -(such as repetiveness)it is enjoyable from beginning to end.Henry James(one of our best novelists,but not one of our best critics) believed that Trollope peaked with "The Warden"and that the subsequent work showed a falling off as well as proof that Trollope was no more than a second rate Thackeray.For the last fifty years critics have been trying to undo the damage that was done to Trollope's critical reputation."Barchester Towers"proves not only to be a first rate novel but probably the most humorous Victorian novel ever written.

This is the second of the six Barsetshire novels, and the first great novel in that series. THE WARDEN, while pleasant, primarily serves as a prequel to this novel. To be honest, if Trollope had not gone on to write BARCHESTER TOWERS, there would not be any real reason to read THE WARDEN. But because it introduces us to characters and situations that are crucial to BARCHESTER TOWERS, one really ought to have read THE WARDEN before reading this novel.

Trollope presents a dilemma for most readers. On the one hand, he wrote an enormous number of very good novels. On the other hand, he wrote no masterpieces. None of Trollope's books can stand comparison with the best work of Jane Austen, Flaubert, Dickens, George Eliot, Tolstoy, or Dostoevsky. On the other hand, none of those writers wrote anywhere near as many excellent as Trollope did. He may not have been a very great writer, but he was a very good one, and perhaps the most prolific good novelist who ever lived. Conservatively assessing his output, Trollope wrote at least 20 good novels. Trollope may not have been a genius, but he did possess a genius for consistency.

So, what to read? Trollope's wrote two very good series, two other novels that could be considered minor classics, and several other first rate novels. I recommend to friends that they try the Barsetshire novels, and then, if they find themselves hooked, to go on to read the Political series of novels (sometimes called the Palliser novels, which I feel uncomfortable with, since it exaggerates the role of that family in most of the novels). The two "minor classics" are THE WAY WE LIVE NOW and HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. The former is a marvelous portrait of Victorian social life, and the latter is perhaps the finest study of human jealousy since Shakespeare's OTHELLO. BARSETSHIRE TOWERS is, therefore, coupled with THE WARDEN, a magnificent place, and perhaps the best place to enter Trollope's world.

There are many, many reasons to read Trollope. He probably is the great spokesperson for the Victorian Mind. Like most Victorians, he is a bit parochial, with no interest in Europe, and very little interest in the rest of the world. Despite THE AMERICAN SENATOR, he has few American's or colonials in his novels, and close to no foreigners of any type. He is politically liberal in a conservative way, and is focussed almost exclusively on the upper middle class and gentry. He writes a good deal about young men and women needing and hoping to marry, but with a far more complex approach than we find in Jane Austen. His characters are often compelling, with very human problems, subject to morally complex situations that we would not find unfamiliar. Trollope is especially good with female characters, and in his sympathy for and liking of very independent, strong females he is somewhat an exception of the Victorian stereotype.

Anyone wanting to read Trollope, and I heartily believe that anyone who loves Dickens, Austen, Eliot, Hardy, and Thackery will want to, could find no better place to start than with reading the first two books in the Barsetshire Chronicles, beginning first with the rather short THE WARDEN and then progressing to this very, very fun and enjoyable novel.

This is to the response from Gloria Alibaruho dated 25 December 1999.

I just read your review of the book, Sacred Bond: Black Men and Their Mothers. You said in your review. "All of the mothers are acquainted with life as a journey rather than a destination." I think that is a very profound statement - your focus on "journey" implies a continuous activity as opposed to "destination" which is a fixed point in time. Too often, whether we set the stage or someone else does, we focus on a fixed point in our lives, the time when the journey is completed. We forget to celebrate the activities that brought us to our goal. This celebration serves to strengthen us and provides inspiration for the next day. That is why some goals are never reached - the preparations for the journey are not made and then we loose sight of our destination. Metaphorically, it is like taking a hike in a dense forest and forgetting to bring a map or compass.

I have a notebook of quotations that give me inspiration and I have just included your quotation in the book. Thanks for your words of wisdom.

Sincerely,

Susan Lightfeather lightfeather@exotrope.net

From the beginning to the ending of this book, I cried and laughed. It is the most uplifting book I have ever read in my life. It helped me to reminisce on my upbringing and how I am blessed to have had my mother and both grandmothers set examples for me as strong matriarchs. Sacred bond is very precious to me, especially now that I have my own son. I haved learned some of the things I should focus on and encourage him with from this book. It has helped me to see that I too need to be involved with my son not just while he is a baby but always. It helped me to see that I should make sure he is educated and stand up for what he believes. This was a resounding theme I got from all the mothers in Sacred Bond. I also learned from Sacred Bond that once my son achieves adulthood I should be active in his life, but learn to let him live his own life. James Love's story about his mother Henrietta Love was my favorite. Through his tragedy of being shot while under cover as a narcartics agent, he was helped to see his mother's strength and learned how it affected his life as a narcartics agent and in general. He thought his mother would go off her rocker when she found out he had been shot. Instead, she was cool and kept her head. She was strong through it all and helped her baby heal and get back on his feet. My favorite picture in the book is the one with Eric H. Holder, Jr., United States Deputy Attorney General and his mother Miriam Holder. This photo captures the love and pride a mother has when she sees all the work and devotion she has given to her child or children come to fruition. I could tell from the photo that both were proud to be apart of the other.

I loved this book and throughout the rest of my life will always refer back to it from time to time as I grow with my own son. I hope that one day my son will be able to look back and say that I too was a strong, devoted and determined mother. Most of all I hope he can say he is proud to be my son. I don't think any of the sons in sacred bond would trade their mother in, regardless of the situations they grew up in. I hope my son will fill the same about me.

As I read this book, I could see myself in every one of the mothers. I laughed, I cried, and I was blessed to be touched by their experiences. As a mother, it was reassuring to read that I am on the right track. Through their trials and tribulations, the bond strengthened. To the authoris: Thank you for capturing these magnificent stories. To the mothers/sons: Thank you for letting us into your life.

English 385.150
5/23/02
Dr. Michelle H. Martin
Book Review
Doberman, Mary. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. Illus. Michael Emberley. Boston:
Little, Brown and Company, 2001.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You contains many different short stories that two people can read together. All containing positive lessons, each story has at least two characters who face a problem or experience an adventure. For example, in "The Dime," the pig finds a dime, but his friend the cat feels that the money belongs to him. Instead of the characters keeping the money and destroying their friendship, they decide to purchase a book and take turns reading the book to one another. Another story that has a positive lesson is "I Hate My Hat." The characters in the story are raccoons, and one raccoon continually says, "I hate my hat." The other raccoon says that "hate" is not a nice word to say and compliments his friend for wearing the hat so that no one needs to speak the word "hate" at all.
The book also possesses characteristics of a play because the text offers two speaking part. One reader reads the purple colored sentences, the other reads the pink colored sentences, and both readers read the blue sentences together. The color-coding also teaches the concept of following directions. Children of all ages need to know how to follow directions because they will encounter many areas in their lives that will require them to follow directions both at school and at home.

My 4-year old, who has not yet begun to read, absolutely loves this book! We started reading 2 stories at bedtime and ended up finishing the book. The rhythm and rhyme of the stories really held his attention and the repetition helped him to participate even if he didn't know the words. Once he begins to read, this book will be a joy to do together. It has definately been added to our regular rotation.

As the Mary Ann Hoberman explains in her introduction: "Here's a book/With something new-/You read to me!/I'll read to you!/We'll read each page/To one another-/You'll read one side,/I the other..." This clever and unique picture book includes 12 very short stories, written like a dialogue, and based on simple, lighthearted, friendly themes, that are perfect for emerging, and early readers. Each part is color coded for sharing and fun. I read the purple lines, you read the red, and we read the blue lines together, and then maybe switch. Ms Hoberman's joyous, rhyming text is full of rhythm, energy, and repetition and complemented by Michael Emberley's charming and humorous illustrations. You Read To Me, I'll Read To You is a delightful introduction to the joys and wonders of both reading, and reading together. As the author reminds your young reader at the end: "...But there are other/Books to read./Hundreds/Thousands/All we need./Any time/In any weather/We can sit/Right down together./In the shade/Or in the sun/Choose a book/That looks like fun./One that's old/Or one that's new./Make-believe/Or really true./I'll read one line/I'll read two./You read to me./I'll read to you."

A good read, i've read it twice now. The plot leaves the reader wondering what happened to the crew of the derelict earthship "Conqueror" and goes from there. The sequal, Antares Passage is also good, but not as strong as the first. Now if only there was a third novel to find out how the war ends...

I have found it hard to find good science fiction books. Ones that are more "hard science" than straight story telling, but still have an enjoyable story to tell. This is the second of McCollum's books I have read and they are both excellent. I found the concepts very interesting, and the story engrossing. In general, the book was very enjoyable to read. When I finished it, I couldn't stop myself from starting Antares Passage, despite the fact that it was 1:00am and I had to get up in the morning...

Antares Victory, the conclusion to the Antares Dawn/Antares Passage series was completed on July 4, 2002.

Michael McCollum
Sci Fi - Arizona