I found this book very enjoyable and it moved well, its not slow on the get go, I also liked the ending, very different from his other books, which usually end with the guy getting the girl in the end, this time they.... enuf said (: And I liked the mention of a New Zealander, Cheers Bova...:

This was a book I just happened to look at because it had a cool cover and decent premise, so I decided to give it a shot. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining and how fast-paced it was - the kind of book you can read in one sitting. In addition, the book has a good, surprising ending - I don't want to spoil it for you. Peackeepers is the kind of book that should be made into a movie - although maybe they should wait a while because, on the surface, the plot seems similar to the movie The Peacemaker with George Clooney and Nicole Kidman (although the Peacekeepers is a much better story, trust me). Either way, even though this isn't Bova' most popular book, it's worth checking out.

Everyone knows Robert Louis Stevenson; everyone has at least one of the myriad books of his poetry. There are some stunningly illustrated collections of his poetry out now, notably two by Thomas Kincaide, among others. But how many of us have actually read all or most of his work? I'm guilty as charged.

This smaller, quieter version of Stevenson's poetry helped me finally, actually read all the Garden poetry. True, the illustrations are spare, but delightfully accurate. My children (7 and 10) were not as mesmerized by this book as they are by others with fanciful graphics, illustrations and larger type to accompany the poetry.

Still, this small book found its way into my purse to be used for waiting moments, e.g. at the orthodontist, doctor, and also to my bedside, where it's shear diminutive size did not dissuade me from reading "for only a minute or two." And within Stevenson's words and language lie the ferment of creative pictures. I liked to have my children close their eyes while I read short poems to 'force' them to use only their mind's eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures, moods, and images Stevenson conjures and at long last can understand why his poetry remains so classic.

Most everyone knows that Robert Louis Stevenson was sickly, both as a child and as an adult, and the happy result for the reading public was his nearly feverish flights of imagination. Here, in an edition of his classic "A Child's Garden of Verses," that fever is complemented in spades by the fantastical illustrations of English artist Joanna Isles.

Isles uses an arsenal of utterly frivolous flowers, borders, insects, birds, kings and queens, fairies, and more to expand upon the imagination exhibited in Stevenson's poems. The children in these pictures are depicted as being in charge, being at one with their environment, and being delighted to be alive.

Some of the illustrations hint at the influence of artists more famed than Isles (Henri Rousseau appears to be a special favorite of hers--see the illustration for "The Unseen Playmate," in which a boy lies down in weeds that might have sprung from the edge of Rousseau's painting "The Dream"). Using both primary colors and pastels, Isles creates a world within the world of Stevenson's verse. The marriage of the two is a happy one.

When I was younger, well 5 actually, I had the chicken pox. This was one of my mom's favorite books. The words in the poetry just soothed me. It seemed like the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, knew exactly what I was going through.

You can't forget about the little toy soldiers (a poem) at your feet because when you are sick for days, you can imagine all kinds of things in your mind. The curtains billow like sails, the bedpost is your anchor. I sat there in bed and just floated away with the fun of having someone to share my illness. It seemed like a had a friend right there with me.

I loved the pictures too. The little kids are old fashioned and it made me laugh because the boys wore silly clothes, but they fit the time period, my mom said.

I love this book and keep it by my bed when I need to be relaxed.

Hayley Cohen

Martin L. Gross is a terrific radio talk show guest, but pick up his "End of Sanity" and you may find it hard to put down. He does the reader a service in essentially listing in review, todays major politcal issues, especially those which have been created by the Politically Correct Movement, (with its insane '60s mumbo-jumbo) a cause that has wrought havoc in every American institution.

For those who have not closely followed these issues, the book is a good primer. While for those seasoned to the matter, Gross helps to bouy confidence that the elusive subject is definable, compelling, worth the fight against it, and most important - that the battle can be framed to identify the wrong headed foe, and make all aware of their distructive policies.

It is enjoyable also to read Gross' wit and sarcasm as he parades before us one absudity after another, documenting them all to prove that truth is stranger than fiction.

This is an important book for anyone who needs to understand the politics of our present American scene. One can not truly understand what the Clinton-istas believe and what they are doing, without such a book.

Enjoy.

Tom Geraghty - New York City

Martin Gross's book should be required reading for all university administrators, professors, and students. Mr Gross exposes the lunacy, insanity, and totalitarianism that pervades American life. From colleges and universities to government agencies Gross exposes an anti-intellectual movement that is reaching out like an octopus into every facet of American life. He correctly shows how the modern "New Establishment" is really no different from the McCarthyism of the 50's, or the Spanish Inquisition of the middle ages. He points out that if not stopped this anti-intellectualism will destroy the American Republic, and liquidate American culture, and heroes. This book should be a must read for all Americans, especially those interested in maintaining their liberty. Although anti-intellectual movements have always been around, Gross points out the pervasive and deceptive tactics used in today's culture war. He shows what is needed is a return to sanity, logic, reason, and a return to the ideals of America's Founders.

Sociologist Martin L. Gross has written the definitive criticism of racial/gender preferences, affirmative action, set asides, and other politically-correct nonsense. This text should be a must-read for human resources and university administrators, professors, government officials, and other members of the "New Establishment" (Gross's terminology).

Unfortunately, this important work has not been promoted as it should. I listened to an interview of Gross, and he has been shunned by most major media outlets regarding this work. They apparently don't want to deal with an intelligent argument against affirmative action and the "diversity" movement. The media would rather interview members of extremist groups in order to discredit the anti-racial-preferences movement. Gross also makes this point in the book.

I highly recommend this book. Please tell your friends and colleagues about it, because the media won't.

Let me first echo the sentiments expressed by others and comment on what a beautiful edition the Univ of Nebraska Press has produced. The margins are indeed wide and the type very readable. This edition is easily held, the illustrations nicely complement the text and the binding is quite durable. The introduction by Joyce Carol Oates is helpful albeit pedantic. Also, those who've read the Univ of Calif Press edition of Frankenstein will notice some overlap between this introduction and the one that Ms. Oates wrote for that particular edition. Nonetheless, the introduction is valuable.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of those stories, like Frankenstein and Dracula, that seemingly everyone has heard of and believes they understand("mythopoetic " in the language of Joyce Carol Oates). Much like the aforementioned works, the actual details of the story may come as a surprise to those who assume they know the story based solely on the popular understanding. For that reason alone I think the book is worth reading.

Dr. Jekyll is a respected if somewhat reclusive London doctor who has, through the course of years of experimentation, managed to create a solution which brings to the fore his evil alter-ego. Unlike many gothic literary villains, Hyde is not imbued with superhuman strength or exceptional gifts of any kind. In fact he is of a smaller and less imposing stature than most men. What he does possess however is a complete lack of compunction with regards to others. Hyde for example ruthlessly runs down a small child who gets in his way. As is the case with Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll creates something that he can't control and which eventually destroys its creator.

The inhumanity that the fictional Hyde displays can be seen in the non-fictious world on a daily basis. As such, there is a realism to the story which is missing from many horror stories past and present. The fact that such a short and captivating work exists in an attractively packaged edition makes this one classic that will be a joy to read for all.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a clasic so, naturaly, I had high expectations. I certainly was not let down. It has a totally unique style with much detail and extensive writing. Yet, this novel is a very quickly read novel, unlike other excessively detailed books like Dracula. This book is not boring. This book is fun. It doesn't ruin the plot with too much detail like other books. Other fantasy books are usually not even close to realistic. Whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is close to being conceived realistic. This book has a general morbid feeling to it where other fantasies are sometimes cheerful and happy. Robert Louis Stevenson is a realy good writer in my opinion.
He uses a very wide range of vocabulary. Stevenson uses many 19th Century terms that seem weird and different to me.
One thing bad about his writing is his punctuation. He uses way too many semicolons and comas. He makes one sentence out of six or seven sentences.
This book was not the best book I ever read, but was not the worst either. it was mediocre. however It was miles ahead of Dracula. Dracula is boring, whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is fast paced, quick, and fun to read. its pritty morbid which is kind of a down side, but Since it is very short it is a good book on my list.

The University of Nebraska Press edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is beautiful! The illustrations by Barry Moser, woodcuts that progress chronologically through Dr. Jekyll's life as it is described in hints throughout Robert Louis Stevenson's story, are atmospheric and evocative; a picture of a boy being guided by his father, for example, echoes Dr. Jekyll's comments that he has a "fatherly" interest in his alter-ego, Hyde, while Hyde has a son's "indifference" to the father; the cover illustration is a portrait of Dr. Jekyll's father destroyed by Mr. Hyde on a rampage.

Joyce Carol Oates's introduction is worthwhile, especially for those readers who know the story, as most English-speaking people do, in its basic framework, but who have not yet actually traveled the dark road with Dr. Jekyll and his friends.

It is a pleasure to read a classic book in such a carefully crafted edition. Too often books such as this are printed in cheap editions with narrow margins and lousy type; this one fits comfortably in the hand and is easy on the eye as the reader is drawn into this allegorical nightmare.

This review refers to the University of Nebraska Press edition only.

I've read Mr. Gross' book, The End of Sanity, which I thought was well written. Hence, when I saw this book on my local library shelf, I figured I might as well give him another try.

Overall the book is very well written, with a very compelling story of "average joe" Charles Palmer, who becomes a congressman via the death of his local representative and within a short time is propelled very dramatically into the Oval Office. Good Story filled with political intrigue, murder, greed. Truly many of the things that make for a good mystery, and in this case a political maverick is in the middle of the whole thing.

One thing that bothered me about the story was the lack of respect given to the Constitution. President Palmer, in his new administration, calls for the abolition of the Electoral College, the resurrection of FDR's Works Progress Administration, as well as more federal meddling in campaign finance. Some of these ideas show a lack of understanding for how the founding fathers intended the President to be selected. The WPA idea is flatly socialistic, and as far as campaing finance? The government should butt out of it. Many would scream about that suggestion, but if government weren't providing the milk for everyone to drink, they'd be little, if any, incentive for "buying" your local congressman or senator.

The other problem I had with the book was what I felt was a lack of moral intregity from the principal character. Yes, I mean good old fashioned chastity. I do not believe that a true leader can be immoral, because immoral people are not just immoral sexually, they are also dishonest. There was no reason why the main character could not have been a MORAL individual.

Overall, however, a well written and well though out drama. Well worth your time.

"Man of Destiny" is every political conservative's dream and every political junkie's nightmare. The story centers around policial neophyte Charlie Palmer and his meteoric rise to the presidency of the United States. Through a series of unlikely, but entirely possible circumstances, Charlie, an average "Joe" with definite Libertarian/conservative political views, believes that government is horribly bloated and needs to be radically changed. He also believes that a majority of Americans agree with his conclusions. The unexpected death of his representative opens the door for him to not only be elected to Congress, but to play a pivotal role in his party's convention. His radical leanings capture both the imagination of the country and a wealthy Western busisnessman who bankrolls Charlie's independent run for the presidency. Underneath this "rags to riches" political story are two significant subplots: Charlie's past and the opposition of the two major political parties. While Gross' book was an exciting read, it lacked several things that could have taken it several steps closer to being completely believable. These include: 1. Charlie's interaction with the mainstream media. A political candidate in today's media environment would literally be swamped by the media frenzy. The focus in the book is on a small group of media personalities and their reactions to Charlie. I thought the conflict between Charlie and the media could have really been developed to show the love/hate relationship politicians have with the media. 2. Charlie's relationship with his chief of staff. While mentioned several times, it was never really developed to the point where it could have been a significant part of the story. It almost seemed like it was an afterthought. 3. The lack of character development of most of the major characters. The emphasis of the book is on the political revolution and Charlie's role in that revolution. Not enough space is devoted to really developing the characters and how they think, reason, and feel. I completely enjoyed the book because of its topic and the result. But the book could have been twice as long and, as a result, twice as good. For everyone who is fed up with politics as usual, and dares to dream about what could be, this is a definite read. A solid effort

This book has many decent ideas; some of which I agree with and some of which I disagree with. However, he gets some facts wrong; especially in the area dealing with Congress. For example, he says that the Majority and Minority Leaders are not elected by the people. This is a false statement. The Leaders are elected to the Congress by the people, and are installed in these particular positions by their colleagues. To make the claim he makes is misleading and false. He also provides no substantiation for other claims he makes. He says that there are party workers on the federal payroll. THis may or may not be true, but he provides no evidence to back up the claim, he merely makes it. The book has some good ideas, but taken as a whole it is deficient.

A call for revolution talks about a crisis,that truly exists in the american government.Every crisis, have economical, social, and political bases Gross talks about just a face of this crisis that is the economical aspect of thi s problem.Although gross is harsh and show with great courage the truly nature of the "government racket",it is not enough.If a revolution is needed to prevent the wrongful and damaging work of washington,a book has to present a global crisis in all fields. Gross proposes to solve the Economical problem,not considering the Social, political implications.It is impossible to make a peaciful revolution using just partial solutions.It is impossible to make a peaciful revolution,because anger and unjustice required strong answers.The merit of Gross are all in his courageous attempt to struggle against unjustice,that must be the achievement of everyone who is interesting to destroy it ,in any way.

A lucid and precisely documented explanation of why, no matter which of the two "established" parties you vote for, nothing ever seems to change for the better on our national political scene. If you are one of the politically homeless who is savvy enough to realise that politicians from the two established parties are not acting in your best interests or the best interests of your children, this book may be for you.

This is a dandy anthology presenting short works from excellent western writers of the past(L'Amour, John Jakes, Hamlin Garland and others) and the present (Elmer Kelton, James Reasoner, Bill Pronzini, Bill Crider and others). A nice selection of stories that displays the many facets of living, working and surviving in the old west.

It's an interesting, even gripping, read but the real point is whether it is true. The notion that Martin Bormann was a Russian spy, codenamed Werther, has been around a long time, but this book has to be considered the definitive case for the prosecution. At best, the evidence is hazy. The author stresses that Bormann had unrestricted access to the minutes of Hitler's military meetings once his (Bormann's) stenographers started to take the minutes in 1942. There is speculation on Bormann's address book which, it is claimed, has one curious entry perhaps relating to Red Army spy 'Lucy'. Much of the book is devoted to German reverses on the eastern front, so maybe battles such as Stalingrad and Kursk were influenced by the fact that the Russians knew what the Germans were going to do next. On the other hand, there are some factual errors in the book, on Zhukov for example, and Bormann's actual role and importance in the nazi hierarchy are surprisingly patchy. If Bormann's remains had never been found in Berlin, it might be easier to argue Kilzer's thesis which would work better if the henchman had actually escaped or disappeared without trace. As it is, one is reluctantly drawn to the conclusion the case is not proven. Neither for that matter was he whisked out of Berlin in 1945 by British secret agents to spend his retirement in South Coast tearooms, nor endure his post war years in South America before succombing to liver cancer as argued in other accounts. We need to remember that Bormann was a drunkard by the mid war years. To place him at the center of a complex communist conspiracy, for whatever reason, is a tremendous claim. In fact, the pill is just too big to swallow.

Kizer's book gives a historical account of the Russian spy ring operating in Germany during WWII, the main players and their motivations. He describes how the master spy 'Werther', operating within the OKW of Germany, gave Russia the keys to successfully defeat the Nazi's in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk which were the turning points of the war. Kizer lets you know early on who he suspects Werther is and then carefully builds his case based upon the historical record and actual transcripts from the spy. The book is a real page-turner that reads like a mystery novel. You get a feel for how a historian has to pick up the fragments of a story and put them together into a readable context. This is the best historical novel I've read this year.

In my opinion none of the other reviewers who unfavorably reviewed the book read it carefully. In any case, they didn't address the problem posed by Mr. Kilzer, namely who had daily and intimate access to the discussions carried on in Hitler's HQ for more than 3 years? Only Bormann with his stenographers qualifies. Are they afraid of the implications of the revelation that Stalin may have a hand in the Holocaust?