I picked this book up at an airport in Europe and thoroughly enjoyed it on the flight back home. I felt I was bringing a bit of England home with me as well as a wonderful new friend. Upon arrival I immediately search out the sequel call "James, the Fabulous Feline" which I thought was even better. I am now hoping that there will be others as I am totally in love with Sir James. Please read these books if you love cats and are totally convinced that they are far more human than most suspect. Included are some interesting facts, but the whimsical storytelling and the comical situations are the main attraction. You are certain to find yourself conversing more respectfully with felines in the future.

This book held the attention of the reader with an ever evolving plot and a style that merged the ideas of haute culture and the language of the common man. The book is a great read for both young and old alike as it gives a view of the art world to those uninformed in it's ways along with a view of the Country life of England. Further elements of Egyptian myth and romance make this book a definite keeper. Hahn really did some research on this project.

Jacquelyn Dowd Hall and the other writers of _Like a Family_ created a tour-de-force study of cotton mill towns in the American South. It is a very rare book that captures such a clear, complex sense of history; Hall balances a careful sense of detail with a sweeping picture of life in the cotton-mill South by using a combination of oral and written sources. This book is perfect for scholars and non-scholars alike, and richly conjures a full picture of this period in American history.

Like a Family interestingly and accurately portrays life in southern cotton mills and mill towns in the central southeast, primarily North Carolina. The book examines family, work and community life; it is a social, cultural and political history. Working in the mills was harsh, dangerous and monotonous. Most employees left farms and a rural way of life to toil in the mills; for these people living under the constant eye of mill management was humiliating at times. The mills controlled not only the worker's jobs, but their housing, churches, schools, entertainment and shopping through company stores. It is important to note that this book does not leave out women's perspectives, as many mill workers were young women and working mothers.

A great deal of the content of this book was provided by interviews done in the 1980's of people who worked in the mills and lived in mill communities. This oral history is both fascinating and priceless. Most of the mills have closed and the memory and history of them is becoming scarcer to find as most of the mill workers who lived during the era portrayed in this book have died.

While most of the mills have closed, central North Carolina is dotted with the communities that are remains of old mill towns. I am from this region and my mother lives in Bynum, NC, a mill town dating from the mid-19th century. Several of her neighbors were interviewed for and written about in Like a Family. The old company store still serves as a post office and the mill community's church has regular worshipers. Unfortunately the rest of the community from the mill days, including the mill itself (which closed in the early 1980's and has burned down recently), have succumbed to time and aging from the elements.

Raymond Benson has done something that no other Bond author has done. He has taken the literary James Bond into the film business. This was a bold move for Benson, seeing as some of the hardcore Bond fans might not like the idea. However, this bold move deserves the highest praise. It not only provides for a new realm that Bond has never been to. It also makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a great read.

After a botched raid on a French film studio, James Bond is under pressure and having to deal with lots of red tape. However, an unusual breakthrough in the Union case puts Bond back to work. The mission will send him to France and Monaco where he will meet up with an assorted cast of characters. Some these characters are the lovely Tylnn Mingnonne, his long-time colleague Rene Mathis, and even his father-in-law Marc-Ange Draco. To add Draco in the storyline to close up gaps that Fleming left was another brave move on Benson's part. Yet, it worked out and was a pleasant and unpleasant part of the story. There are many elements to NEVER DREAM OF DYING which make it great. Buy the book to find out.

Raymond Benson took a chance with this fine book. It was well worth it though in my opinion. Benson has remained true to the original Bond of days of old. Most people seem to dislike this. This is merely because they are so used to the action-filled films, that they cannot appreciate Bond for the way he was created. To see Benson keep true with the Bond of Fleming's day earns him praise not only for this great book, but for being a great, bold and innovative author. NEVER DREAM OF DYING is a great book for many reasons. Bond's first outting into the film world makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a book that you should buy.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved, though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved,though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

This book made me want to scream, or cry. The characters are beautifully rendered, and some of them are dispicable people. That's what made it so unenjoyable to read for me.

The heroine, Isabel Archer, begins her adventures with much vitality and promise, yearning to see life and the world and not to settle prematurely into marriage and domesticity. Although James shows she's not perfect -- she's naive and somewhat conceited -- it's still pretty easy to fall in love with her. You look forward to seeing what great things her life will bring.

And then it all falls apart. After 200 pages of building her up, James marries her to a scoundrel and spends the next 300 pages suffocating her, one liberty at a time. Others have described this book as "uplifting" and spoken of Isabel's strength and courage; I honestly can't see what they could mean. I found it genuinely painful to see such a beautiful character destroyed. With all credit to James's writing skills, this book made me miserable. I couldn't wish it on anyone.

this, my first novel by henry james, was recommended to me by a trusted friend privy to my affection for the work of austen, the brontes, wharton, bowen and hall. i must admit to having had reservations about a victorian novel with a female protragonist written by a man, but was pleasantly surprised to find that james had depicted the female perspective, in isabel archer, with notable aplomb. i was a little disappointed that, in spite of the book's length, i felt there was a huge leap from the first half of the book, which firmly establishes the young miss archer as a woman intent to never marry and the second half, which finds her rather abruptly married to the third of three men who have made the appeal to her. still, this is a classic work of literature that deserves all the praise it has received. it is far more dense than works by the aforementioned authors and, as such, makes awful subway reading--unless, of course, your train breaks down and there are no crying children or blaring boom boxes in your car.

Henry James has truly outdone himself with this book. While it is no longer my favorite James' novel, I still think it among the best novels written in the English language. The character of Isabel Archer is an indelible part of literature. The story begins with an American woman, left parentless and penniless, being discovered by an expatriate Aunt. The Aunt convinces her to go England with her so that she might meet her cousin, Ralph. Isabel eagerly agrees. She is idealistic and has always wanted to see Europe. Her aunt agrees to pay for the expenditures. Once there, Isabel falls in love with their house, Gardencourt, and grows to enjoy her frail, sweet, ironic, and funny cousin. Before Isabel knows it, she has become ensnared in a one-sided love affair with a handsome English nobleman, Lord Warburton, little knowing what to do. Despite the urgings of her aunt, Isabel rejects his proposal in the desire to wait for something better. Soon, her elderly uncle dies, but not before she charms him with her intelligence and subtle beauty. Ralph insists that his father leave Isabel a substantial fortune, so that she might be able to live as she wishes. When the uncle dies, Isabel is left with 70,000 pounds, or about 200,000 dollars. From here is where the true story begins. I will not reveal more of the plot, which unwinds slowly and with assurance. James, being a master of prose, knows how to manipulate a sentence in a multitude of ways. His lilting, ironic, verbose writing style lends class and charm to Isabel's ultimately tragic tale. Some modern readers aren't able to handle James' subtle style. Unfortunately, many of us have had to fight the effects of shortened attention spans. Reading a slow-paced and brilliantly conceived tale like this will surely help cure short attention spans. Once you begin the story, it grows on you and affects you greatly. James is difficult getting used to, but he grabs you with his excellent descriptions of passionate people. Finally, the brilliance of this book lies in its tragedy. Even though many readers can predict early on where Isabel's confidence and naivete will lead her, James makes the journey bumpy and fascinating. He also slowly injects the story with dread, as we begin to sense the true malevolence of Madame Merle's and Osmond's vicious plans. Their acts are pure Machiavellian glee. Only in the final third of the book does it become clear of the true nature of the scheming M. Merle's plans. James also leaves several important plot points until near the end of the novel. All of this leads to a long, engrossing, and sad story of a young woman "affronting her destiny", as James puts it. Rarely has so romantic or so devastating a book been written. The ending is the final kicker. Unlike the happy ending we suspect, James leaves readers with open interpretations and many possible questions regarding Isabel's TRUE feelings about men. It also most vividly presents her sexual repression and fear that dominate the entire book. James knew the reserves of the time dictated that such topics not be discussed, and he cleverly uses this theme discreetly. However, he also uses it as a sort of indictment on the times, with their lack of passion and sensuality. Many readers expect a conclusion to the story, but, as with real life, stories simply go on. The ending is perhaps the most modern thing about the book. It also makes certain readers know that Isabel's life will never be one of happiness. This is an exquisitely haunting masterpiece.

After seeing the movie first, I definitely see why some portions were left out. I can honestly say that Patterson scared me. I would not read this book if you live alone, as the scare factor is too high. Even after seeing the movie I was skeptical of my guesses at the killer. I thought that the identification of the killer was dragged out too long and could have been completed shortly after Cross discovers the house. Certainly the history behind the main character's life work is more complete in the book. It makes more sense as to why Casanova chooses Naomi after Cross's involvement in another high profile murder case earlier in his career. The survived victim, Kate McTiernan, is an excellent female character that the reader instantly gains respect and admiration for. Cross and McTiernan are an unlikely pair matched to find the killers. While they complemented each other well in the search efforts, the romantic interludes while they are attempting to capture him were not very appealing. The reader is left hanging at the end as you wonder what happens to both of the main characters and whether they ever find that someone to hang onto. Casanova is a very smart and patient killer who's fantasies are incredibly thought out and equally as horrifying. The most disturbing part of this villain is that he blends in so well with the rest of society and can put on such masks. I loved the short yet poignant chapters and would recommend this read to preempt the movie, as long as your sweetheart is just a yell away in the next room.

Wow! After just finishing this book, I am breathless. This novel was ASTOUNDING. I had never read any of James Patterson's books, but I know that will change now. I loved the idea of twinning. Very well developed!
The story starts off when the Cross family finds that Alex's beloved neice has been abducted and "kidnapped", leaving the family in shambles. Alex Cross goes to investigate her kidnapping. As the story develops, Cross' only lead is Katelya MecTiernen, a beautiful medical intern that escaped from the "bad guys." I absolutely loved Kate's character. She is well written, and I love that fact that she could hold her own against intruders instead of the traditional idea of helpless women being taken without a fight.
The book progresses, taking the reader on a never-ending thrill ride, straight up to the very last page. It is scary, and I promise you that once you think the book is finished, you better think again! I definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Patterson shows us just what kind of talent he really has. Among the best in terror and Suspense novels I've ever read. I must admit I saw the film before I read this book and I'm sorry I did. As good an actor as Morgan Freeman is he could never make an Alex Cross and they also left out Samson, Cross's partner who is a vital part of the Story line.
Cross is a Washington DC detective, not only that, he is also a qualified psychologist. When his neice goes missing Cross goes in search, and so begins our adventure. We are introduced to not one but two glorious Lunatics as Murderers... The problem is they are on opposite sides of the coast. The Gentleman Caller is working out of LA and Casanova is working out of Carolina. Where is his neice who has her??
...
This is only the start things begin to heat up when Cross discovers that Both the Gentleman Caller and Casnanova are competing against each other... Join Cross, Samson and Kate McTeirnan in Investigating and discovering who Casanova and the Gentleman really are. Hold on though you're in for a rough ride. With graphic images and Pattersons twists and turns you will hold on to this book for dear life and not let go until the last page is turned.

Along Came a Spider is the first installment in the detective Alex Cross series by Patterson. I did not read these books in order, but that has not detracted from the flow of any of the books. Since I have read the other books first, and the first book last, Detective Alex Cross has changed somewhat into a mellower, more likeable character. I did not see the movie, but had envisioned Denzel Washington to play the smooth and sophiscated Alex Cross and was disappointed in the choice of Morgan Freeman. But after reading this book, Morgan Freeman fits Alex Cross in this book perfectly - for this book only!!!

I love Patterson's books and have read just about all of them. I find them to be engrossing, suspenseful and I just can't put them down. He foils me with the ending each and every time!!

In this book, Patterson has a serial killer at large, Gary Soneji, who has kidnapped two children, and who wants to be known as somebody. Jezzie Flannagan from the FBI, is also on the case, giving Cross support to capture the killer. Three great strong main characters, exposed to the reader so as to get into their psyche, yet intertwined with each other to make for one incredible story.

The ending is a blow out, which is what I love about Patterson - hanging on to the edge of your seat with each and every page, and giving you the shocker at the end. I love it! His books are definite thrillers and shockers!

This is the first series of the Alex Cross novels created by James Patterson. I have read all of them three or four times each by now..they really are that addictive. Alex Cross, the fictional love-of-my-life, is a tough, detective/psychologist in the Southeast side of Washington D.C. Alex has a wonderful family and best friend Sampson (who I always imagine as a Forrest Whittaker type) who help him get through his daily doses of crime and maiming. Let's talk about the story...it was a normal day at the Washington Day school, until two students, Maggie Rose Dunne, and Michael "Shrimpie" Goldberg are kidnapped. Their favorite math teacher, Gary Soneji takes them, burries them in the ground and demands a huge ransom. These two students were children of the most prominent families in the area. Alex and Sampson are taken off a brutal crime in the D.C. area and forced onto the Goldberg-Dunne kidnappings. Everyone gets involved. Secret Service, FBI, and the Washington police all try to work together to solve the crime. This book has so many twist and turns, and plots within plots, it will make your head spin. Every page you turn reveals something new and exciting. Even when Gary Soneji is caught....nobody is sure who is responsible...Gary seems to have a split personality (Remember Adam Stampler from "Primal Fear") and the outcome of his trial is questionable. You have to read this book...Alex Cross books like this one, and "Kiss the Girls" are movies now, but they never let you see Alex in an intimate way.... he has a loveable family, his best pal Sampson, and lots of juicy romances. All of these are left out of the movies. Why? because Patterson wants you to see the movie...love it...and then read the books..because he KNOWS you too will like it better than the movies and read the whole series. I promise, the books are really are not comparable to the movies.

This is my second Patterson-Cross book, after "Kiss the girls", which I really liked. Both are part of a series featuring the psychologist-detective Alex Cross, a tough Washington DC cop.

"Along came a spider" is an interesting book. It's the first one in the "Cross series", where the readers are introduced to the main characters that will make part in the series, like Cross, his partner Sampson, Cross family, etc.

Patterson has a very peculiar style of narrative. His chapters are usually short, wich makes the reading very fast-paced and thrilling. Also, Patterson has two kinds of narrative: one in the first-person where we see what Alex Cross is experiencing and believing, and it's a very personal and one-sided narrative; the other style is in third person, where the reader follows the steps of the main suspect of the crime the story is about. So, to be clear, we KNOW who the killer/murderer/kidnapper/whatever is from the very beggining. Does this spoil the plot or the reading? No! Patterson is master in delivering sub-plots, twists, nuances about characters along the book, all very interesting, and they make the pursuit/manhunt very enjoyable.

In "Along came a spider", Gary Soneji is the kidnapper fanatic about the Lindberg case, who intents to make history by taking away two very important children. Cross and his teammates in DC Police, FBI and Secret Service have to stop him before he strikes again. This is just the first plot of the story, and it keeps changing every ten or twenty chapters.

One thing I found annoying, though, is that Patterson made Cross something like a super-human being. There were times when I thought Cross was virtually invincible. But that is something minor.

What really matters is that Patterson created believable characters in one really good thriller. I will surely read the other books in the series, and I'm waiting for Patterson's incursion in medieval times "The jester".

Grade 8.8/10

The Celestine Prophecy was a great idea for a way to get spirituality across to the public: a synthesis of the most popular threads of 'New Age' thought that were circulating in the mid-1990s, packaged as a fast-paced action-adventure novel. The underlying metaphysics claimed to embrace all religions, yet also professed to be based on an empirical approach to life.

Sales show that a lot of the sensationalism which surrounded Celestine faded with Redfield's consecutive books. Some of this is just the nature of trends: anyone who has such monumental success with their first publication has little chance of producing a sequel that achieves the same results. On the other hand, there are some factors that could account for this decline in popularity.

In his second book, The Tenth Insight, Redfield compromised part of his original formula by introducing themes like reincarnation and animal omens--subjects that departed from the religious middle ground which initially let many people stay open to his theories. He also told his readers that human beings have abilities which are a good stretch further away from Pop Mysticism than communing with nature or perceiving auras. His third book, The Celestine Vision, was nonfiction, and discussed progressions in science and social thought that Redfield believes are precursors to a major revolution in global consciousness; it did well enough, but didn't come near to his early success.

With the release of The Secret of Shambhala, Redfield returned to the ongoing fictional storyline, continuing where The Tenth Insight left off. In this book, he posits that the energy generated by our thoughts and emotions actually goes out into the world as a force that he calls 'prayer,' and influences both outer events and the awareness of the people with whom we interact. I found his theories (which are embedded in the text as elaborate monologues followed by scenarios which illustrate them) to be as applicable to my own experiences as any other book in the series. The concepts were more advanced--and therefore, more challenging--than those in Celestine. This has probably contributed to its (relatively) low sales up to this point.

I really liked The Celestine Prophesy and The Tenth Insight (Redfield's previous books), but this third adventure is the best yet! Redfield may never be a Pulizer prize winner for his often confusing prose (especially in the first book), but his writing is improving rapidly and I was gripped by this adventure from the first chapter.

Redfield's strength is his ability to share spiritual truths within a story, making it much more palatable than boring prose. His main character is a pilgrim, learning these truths as he goes thru a colorful adventure, sort of a spiritual science fiction at times. I find his message resonates deeply within me... and I'd much rather read it in a story format.

I was reading this book during a life challenge and it helped me focus on the energy I could expand to resolve the situation. And it worked. I was reassured over and over, and while my adventure didn't take me thru the mountains of Tibet, it opened new doors of possibility.

Redfield has transcended the mundane once again, splintered barriers, and teaches us new ways to look at life....

I don't always buy everything that Redfield has to offer. I LOVED the Celestine Prophecy, but didn't care for the Tenth Insight. But this one is a MUST buy, and a MUST read. For anyone out there that is looking for spiritual growth, and ways to enhance or broaden perspectives through life, this is IT. Some of the ideas I have heard before, but I have never absorbed them as completely because it's never been presented in this riveting way. People are offended by the constant use of government as an enemy, but do remember, that this is a fictional book, and the author has an artistic license. Look for the message(s), and you'll be a bigger better more enlightened person.

Murphy Lee
May 22, 2002
Double Indemnity
By James M Cain

The book Double Indemnity, by James M Cain is a mystery about an old man, Mr. Nirlinger, who is murdered by his second wife, Phyllis Nirlinger, and insurance agent, Mr. Huff. Mr. Nirlinger's daughter, Lola, was just an innocent person who has many suspicions about Phyllis. This story has many twist's and one is when we find out the truth about the first Mrs. Nirlinger's death. This book is brain candy for those who love mysteries, as for those who like regular novel's I would not recommend this book. If you are looking for an interesting twist on what you would normally read than read this book because if you are very open minded you will consider this book somewhat worth the read. As for me I did not like the book but I would recommend it for people who like mysteries and those who just want to open there spaces, you might just enjoy it.

In many ways, DOUBLE INDEMNITY is POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE redux -- the main exception being that POSTMAN's greasy spoon is replaced by a cozy upper middle class Spanish suburban house. In both books, a man is inspired by a sexy, discontented married woman into murdering hubby for gain.

POSTMAN's drifter is now a cocky insurance salesman (Walter Huff) who thinks he can both beat the odds and get the girl (Phyllis Nirdlinger), and -- why not? -- her daughter Lola as well. If you know anything about Greek tragedy, you can bet that the hubris mechanism is ready to spring into action with jaws agape.

James M Cain writes a tight novella that can easily be consumed in a single sitting. It's just that you feel you've been watching cockroaches mate from a great height. Few of Cain's novels show the least sign of sentiment, let alone liking, towards their characters. Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder's script for the film is actually far superior because the character of Keyes is developed into a moral center around which the story unrolls. (It also helps that Cain's INDEMNITY has a really gonzo ending.)

Nonetheless, Cain is what he is -- and his stories are always worth reading. But do see the Billy Wilder movie version!

Against better judgement, people fall in love for stupid reasons. Even worse, people try to work the system. . .tweak it for financial gain. The protagonist of this story does both. At the beginning, he lusts after Mrs. Nirdlinger and grows to regret it. yet, he is willing to meet his fate with her at the end, all after plotting with her to kill Mrs. Nirdlingers husband.

There are good things about this book. For one, it depicts the insurance industry as corrupt -- they don't want to pay out on claims because they cost too much.

There are bad things too. Mrs. Nirdlinger is only passingly shown as psychotic. James M. Cain could have spread out a few more subtle hints here and there.

Plus, the main character seems too detached about everything with little emotion about his situation (his growing distaste for Mrs. Nirdlinger, however, is a notable exception.).

Yet. No matter how old this work is, it still stands head and shoulders above a lot of genre fiction out there today.

After taking some time off from his series character, James Hall has returned to writing about Thorn, a man who treasures his fierce independence only slightly less than his love of crusades. When last seen, Thorn was recovering from a mad doctor's unnecessary treatments, but now (without any real explanation) he is back to peak health and enjoying the mellow life of fishing, beer and beautiful women.

In this story, his idyllic life is disrupted when a plane crashes while he is out at sea. It soon becomes apparent that this crash was not accidental, but is the result of a dysfunctional family and the nasty weapon they have developed. This also gets Thorn entangled with Alexandra Rafferty, the heroine of Hall's previous novel, Body Language.

For Hall, one of the sharper writers in the field, this is not his best effort. Compared to past novels, his villains this time are only slightly warped and the chemistry between Thorn and Alex is relatively minimal. In addition, Thorn isn't as interesting as in the past, perhaps getting stuck in the rut of many series characters.

Nonetheless, even weaker Hall is entertaining reading, and there is a lot of fun along the way. If you've never read Hall, you'd think this was pretty good crime fiction (and you'll be even happier when you read his other books). If you are a Hall fan, you should find this slightly disappointing, but still a worthwhile read.

I am subject to a strange form of psychopathic dysfunction which compels me to read the last book in a series before going back and reading any of its predecessors. Or it feels that way, anyway. Usually the reason is that everyone is raving about a book and I am too impatient to read 10 books just so I can read the latest and bestest. Generally this theory works out; I like the latest book and go back and read all the rest of the series with the serene knowledge that, even if the author trips up a bit, it will work out in the end. James W. Hall is such a case in point.

The story opens on a Braswell family fishing expedition, where the oldest son is pulled overboard and drowned in the process of tagging a giant marlin. After that short prequel, the scene shifts forward to the Florida Keys ten years later where Thorn, the hero of these mystery/adventure tales is boating with his (soon to be ex-) girlfriend. Technically, I believe she breaks up with him for being too interesting. In any case, this piece of business done, a commercial jet crashes right in front of him. Thorn goes to the rescue, and notices that another boat, which he later tracks to the Braswells, is not helping at all. This is the first tightening of a web that draws Thorn into direct conflict with the wealthy and powerful Braswells, their compulsions, and a weapon that can destroy electronic systems.

The Braswells are the ultimate dysfunctional family. The are headed by A.J., who lives only to find Big Mother, the fish that killed his son Andy. Johnny, the youngest, is a bit of a psychotic space cadet who loves knives and gangster movies. Cleaning up after everyone else is Morgan, who runs the family company, keeps Johnny from becoming a serial killer, and has some very weird problems of her own. It is Morgan who has cooked up a scheme, using some of Andy's formula's and plans, to create a world class weapon of destruction. The Braswells have only one reaction to people who get in their way, and Thorn naturally moves to the top of the list.

On Thorn's side are Alexandra Rafferty, a police photographer, and her father, the mostly wacky but sometimes wise Lawton Collins. His good friend Sugarman also plays a vital roll. The bill is filled out with countless other characters, some witty, some grim, and all well painted. While 'Blackwater Sound' is mostly action, Hall's ability to build character is outstanding, and has to be a large part of the reason that readers keep coming back. I am tempted to compare these stories to those of the dean of Florida mystery writers, John MacDonald, who is a long time favorite of mine. But the truth is that both of these writers are masters in their own right. Certainly, if you like one, you will no doubt like the other. By all means, read this novel. As I've indicated, there is no problem with starting at with this volume, or any other.

Man, I like this guy! Finished _Blackwater Sound_ last night and it's another winner. I always feel like I'm doing him a bit of a disservice because I get so into the books I don't want to set them down, and I tend to read faster and faster. I know I'm not giving all the lyrical descriptions of the setting, etc. (on a par with those of James Lee Burke), the attention they deserve. And now I have to wait another two(?) years for the next one.

In this book, Hall brings together Thorn, his series character, with Alexandra Collins, the crime scene photographer he introduced in _Body Language_. Thorn is out on his boat one night when he witnesses the crash of a jetliner, which narrowly misses him as it makes a water landing. First on the scene, he swoops in to rescue survivors and spots another boat nearby, with a trio of suspicious-looking folks just standing by, not doing much to help. Later, onshore, he's threatened with a monster knife by a big, baby-faced kid, Johnny Braswell, one of the three.

This draws him into a complex mystery involving a HERF gun, capable of knocking out the electronic systems of jets, cars, banks, etc., and the Braswell family, who are some of the scariest villains Hall's created yet (and if you've read his work, you know that's something).

Since Alexandra's father, Lawton, who suffers from Alzheimer's, is pulled into the mix, when he's kidnapped by the Braswells, she gets involved and it isn't long before she runs into Thorn and his friend Sugarman. There's the usual mix of darkly humorous dialogue, over the top violence, truly evil bad guys, and the virtuous, moral influence of Thorn. Though he isn't really a detective, he does fulfill the same role, relying on his own personal code of ethics to see things through. And Hall is great at describing settings, too. Whenever I read one of these books, the first thing I want to do is book a fishing
vacation to South Florida. Very highly recommended.

The fascinating, appalling, sad tale of the lunatic American, John Minor, who became one of the most prolific contributors to the Oxford English Dictionary as it was being created by its learned Scottish editor, James Murray --- while Minor dwelt in an asylum for murder. An amazing tale, well worth telling, even if Winchester pads it with purple prose and much tangential material. Perhaps the most important part of the book is the debunking of the myth that told how Murray and Minor met, and how Murray was only then clued in to Minor's position (in fact the Scot was told before by a friend). Oddly, this myth is reprinted, as fact, on the dust jacket. Winchester also adds drama to the tale, which is like painting the lily; he tries, for example, to force a sort of parallelism on Minor's work on the OED and improvement in his condition, though the story he tells doesn't support that; Minor just stopped contributing as he declined, though the OED continued apace. I would have liked to read more on Murray's prodigal depth of learning and his method of work --- but this is mostly Minor's story, and it's an enthralling one.

Simon Winchester answers this question with a story of violence, passion, tragedy, and sympathy. What more could you want in a story about a dictionary? I love books that shine with the author's enthusiasm for the subject. _The Professor and the Madman_ is just that type of book. Winchester obviously loves language and word origin. He gives the reader a look at etymology that is detailed enough to make you feel like a scholar, but selective enough so that you aren't overwhelmed with the rather dry science of language. But this is only the secondary plot. The main story, that of the obsession of the scholarly but homicidally deranged Dr. W.C. Minor, the focused and driven brilliance of Dr. James Murray, and the Oxford English Dictionary that brought them together is thrilling and tragic. Winchester does a great job of sharing with the reader the sadness and regret of Dr. Minor's amazing intellect trapped inside his deranged mind. If you've ever had a relative or friend succumb to Alzheimer's or another mental disease, you can understand the tragedy of such an intruguing person losing a battle with sanity. The story is so unique that it could only be true, and Winchester seems to have researched it thoroughly and accurately. I highly recommend it.

The Professor and the Madman deals with the role of asylum inmate Dr. William Minor in the development of the Oxford English Dictionary, and with the relationship of Dr. Minor to James Murray, the OED's longtime editor. The book's main strength, and also its primary emphasis, is its treatment of Minor's downward psychological spiral, beginning with his traumatic experience as a surgeon in the US Civil War, continuing through the murder that landed him in the asylum, followed by his extremely productive years as a volunteer researcher for the OED, and finally through his severe sickness in his later years, when he no longer channeled his energies into the OED and slipped even further into insanity in the absence of the obsession that had linked him to the outside world. The book deals with many tangential matters as well, giving a brief but interesting history of the dictionaries predating the OED and going into some detail regarding the development of the OED itself and the lives of its primary editors, notably Murray.

Especially near the beginning of the book, I felt that Winchester was going off on a few too many tangents, as though he thought he needed filler to give the subject a book-length treatment; for example, he spends nearly four pages discussing the definition of the word "protagonist," and, after telling us that in Shakespeare's time there weren't any English dictionaries, proceeds to do nothing but restate that fact for the next two or three pages. His tangents are, admittedly, written in a charming style, but they can be frustrating for those of us who might like Winchester to simply get to the point. Another thing that disappointed me was that Winchester spent very little time speculating on why it was that Minor chose to obsess himself with the OED, and why his contributions tapered off around the turn of the century. Of course Minor was bored and had relatively few options because of his detainment in the asylum, but clearly most people in his position found other things with which to busy themselves. The fact that both Minor and one of the other greatest volunteer contributors to the OED, Fitzedward Hall, were Americans with psychological problems is an interesting fact. Considering that Winchester was audacious enough to speculate that Minor's autopeotomy near the end of his life may have been a result of his shame over romantic feelings or possibly even acts involving the widow of the man he murdered, it's disappointing that Winchester didn't spend much time considering the much more central question of why the OED attracted Minor so.

Despite these weaknesses, The Professor and the Madman is an interesting book and on the whole does a very good job dealing with Minor's schizophrenia. Short and written in an engaging style, it's a quick read and was well worth my time.