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

One wonders what Robert Mitchum's reaction would have been to this ambivalent, highly-detailed account of a life that was sadly convoluted and, at the same time, humorous in aspect. If Mitchum were alive today, the hope is the author wouldn't have frequented many of this controversial star's watering holes/pubs. What may best summarize this very detailed bio is the ominous tattoo on Mitchum's fingers in "Night of The Hunter": LOVE - HATE...or was it GOOD - EVIL? Either would apply in trying to sum up the reader's feelings at the end of this sizeable tome.

Although I enjoyed his films tremendously, this book would probably elicit a "To hell with this noise" response from Mitchum if he was indeed around today. He seemed to have signed off on his sensibilities and decency way too early in life, in spite of the traumas of his abysmal childhood. Typical example: The description of his autograph signature to an admittedly intrusive Aussie: "F--- you. Kirk Douglas". Is this the same actor who portrays such a sense of decency and integrity in "The Lusty Men" and "Rachel and The Stranger"?

It's painfully obvious that Mitchum wasn't one to "suffer fools lightly". But in doing so, he often played the fool himself. In spite of obviously not caring, it's certainly a considerable achievement to have held it together and even survived to the age of 80 in compiling such an extensive filmic legacy.

I can't say I was a big fan of Robert Mitchum's before I read this book. I bought it based on the reviews, and because I'm always on the lookout for a good biography. I hit the jackpot on this one. Lee Server's portrait of Mitchum left me feeling I knew him intimately. I found myself laughing out loud many times on the train to work at Mitchum's hilarious comments on the absurd world of show biz. Server interviewed zillions of people who knew Mitchum to draw a consistent and thoroughly convincing portrait of a man who was both sensitive and caring, and obnoxious - even dangerous - when he boozed it up, which was most of the time, it seems. Anyway, I can only say this ranks as probably the most entertaining biography I have ever read ... it ranks right up there with Scott Berg's biographies of Lindbergh and Hemmingway.

Actor Robert Mitchum was the Real Deal, and author Lee Server has written a wonderful book about him entitled "Robert Mitchum, 'Baby I Don't Care'."

Relatively unschooled, the naturally intelligent Mitchum hit the Depression era American roads at age 14. A dozen years later, in the midst of WWII, the roustabout made his motion picture acting debut as a bad guy in a Hopalong Cassidy western. That began a "magic carpet ride" that spanned six decades of glamorous, rough and tumble Hollywood history. Server's thoroughly researched page-turner takes us along for the ride. And what a life it was! If you love movies, you'll love this book.

Mitchum took a lifelong lunch bucket approach to his work. He was not about making high art, he was there for the paycheck. He showed-up on time, hit his mark, and delivered his lines. Then he went out and played hard, oftentimes until it was time to show-up again. As a studio contract player for RKO early in his career, he assured himself a lasting place in cinematic history by starring in many of the "dark" potboilers that became a beloved genre, film noir. When the studio system came apart in the mid-fifties, Mitchum transitioned into a globe-trotting international star who held his own with anybody for the next twenty years. He never quit working, even as age and lifestyle finally caught up with him. It is astonishing to remember that his last picture was released just six years ago.

Like all good biographers (and good filmmakers) Server does not get in the way of the story. He does not burden the reader with any amateur psychoanalysis or judgmental moralizing about his subject. As Server leads us chronologically through this unique actor's 120-film career, his admiration and sympathy for Mitchum are self-evident. But Server pulls no punches. As he so ably and entertainingly relates, Mitchum was a contradictory and sometimes complex character. A fundamentally liberal and philosophical man who enjoyed writing poetry, he was also quite capable of chauvinism, bigotry, and the crassest vulgarianism. Some of Mitchum's story hurts, but most of it is pure pleasure.

Pull on a trench coat. Stick a gat in your pocket. Saddle-up your horse and ride out and buy Server's book. Then take it home, get in your favorite armchair and "roll 'em." It doesn't get any better than this.

This is not just another book on Gettysburg. It is a long-overdue study of this important battle written from the point of view of what Lee and his generals knew before and during the 1863 battle. The authors care-fully craft Lee's background and his history and relationship with other leaders including Jefferson Davis and Jeb Stuart. They describe Lee's plans and the actual battle, including the failure of subordinates to effectively utilize their artillery on the disastrous last day. The authors did not base their presentation on how the battle turned out. Instead they explored the actions of the Confederates and analyzed the facts known to Lee, Stuart, and the others to determine the basis for decisions and courses taken. In doing so, Bowden and Ward reach conclusions drastically different than those of many other historians, showing that many of the popular myths about the battle are indeed false. By using Stuart's initial troop movements while Lee was moving north, they show that Stuart did indeed have orders to move north rather than take his wayward ride around the Union forces. They show that Lee's orders to Richard Ewell to take Cemetery Hill were not discretionary. They not only look at actions taken; they also examine options not taken. Lee's generalship in this battle is shown to be much better than often credited to him. The arguments of many of Lee's critics are addressed and refuted in detail. Even a reader with great knowledge of this battle will benefit from this book. It is a "Must Read" for every student of the War.

Bowden and Ward provide a well-researched and compelling look at one of the most researched and written-about battles in American history. I have read more than 20 books about Gettysburg and countless others on Lee's generalship. "Last Chance for Victory" was one of the most thought-provoking and compelling books on this topic I have ever read.

The author's analysis of Day Two of the battle is a refreshing look at the many controversies surrounding the battle and Lee's battle plan. Their analysis of President Davis's decisions prior to the Gettysburg Campaign and Stuart's famous and controversial "ride" also were refreshing and compelling.

In addition to forcing readers and historians to reassess traditional concepts about Lee and Gettysburg, this work is well researched.

Most important, it is well-written. The text flows easily and in many instances it reads like a novel.

I could not put it down.

This book is a must buy for any serious student of the Civil War or military history. It is also approachable for those new to the Civil War and Gettysburg.

Whether you agree with the authors' final conclusions or not, you should read this book. You will never think the same way about Gettysburg and Lee again!

There are numerous reasons why this book is superb, and why it has been named as part of the curriculum at the School of Advanced Military Studies at the United Stated Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

1) The description of Lee's art of war, and the explanation of what Lee believed had to be done in order to give the Confederates the best chance to win is rooted in the lessons of the Great Captains, and has never before been presented this clearly;

2) Lee's vision of victory and how he could accomplish same through his operational objectives for the campaign, along with the military, logistical and political forces at work that combined to influence his decision to transfer the defense of Richmond out of Virginia and into the North, and how these continued to bear upon his decisions once the battle was underway, are laid out clearly;

3) The Lee-Stuart controversary is dealt with in unprecedented clarity. Bowden and Ward's presentation of the facts and analysis provides, for the first time, a clear understanding of what all the principals involved knew and understood at that time, and how Stuart, once he reached Haymarket, made a decision that violated Lee's restraining orders and resulted in him compromising his command and the trust placed in him by Lee;

4) The entire issue of how and why Lee concentrated the Confederate army in the Cashtown-Gettysburg area is explained in
detail. The timeline provided by the authors concerning when and where Lee received information, his resulting orders and more, demonstrate the continued implimentation of his operational plan and goals;

5) Thank goodness, that for the first time ever, we have two authors that have deleved into thoroughly and explained properly Lee's role in the July 1 fighting. What's more, Bowden and Ward present, for the first time, the entirety of all the issues---and there are many of them---involved with Lee's pursuit orders to Richard Ewell following the battle that day. Further, the authors demonstrate, conclusively in my military opinion, why so many past and present writers. along with so-called students of the battle, are confused over this issue. These are just some of the reasons that the chapter dealing with July 1 is impressive;

6) As impressive as the book is up to the battle of July 2, it is my belief that the best part of LAST CHANCE FOR VICTORY are the two chapters that deal with Lee's initial plan of battle, and the actual fighting on July 2. In spite of all that has been previously written about Gettysburg, Bowden and Ward are the first authors I know of that PROPERLY explain Lee's initial plan of action, AND how and why it was modified to the en echelon mode of attack once the Federals realigned their positions on the South end of the field. Lee was present to scout the enemy positions, ascertain those changes, and issue a change of orders accordingly that took into consideration the new relative positions of the armies that was consistent with the best way to accomplish the mission for that day. Moreover, the description of the fighting on July 2, COUPLED WITH the explanation of how the en echelon plan of attack was being implemented and how and why it broke down and what that meant to the detriment of the Confederate cause, can only be described as just superb;

7) Lee's plans for July 3, how these had to be modified, and how the attack that did take place that afternoon did not materialize as had been planned, are covered in a succinct manner that helps the reader identify how the attack failed and the multiply people responsible for its failure (including Lee);

8) The summary of the book ("Reflections") provides additional insight (including more analysis than what has already been given) to the most important issues that contributed to Lee's defeat. It is a powerful conclusion to a hard-hitting book.

Are there any drawbacks to the book? Yes, given the reality of today's short-attention span public, and those with their minds already made up, there are. And after reading two recent so-called "reviews," I am more convinced than ever. THIS IS NOT A BOOK THAT CAN BE ABSORBED BY "BROWSING THROUGH" AT A BOOK STORE. THIS IS NOT A BOOK THAT CAN BE CLAIMED TO BE READ BUT THEN CRITICIZED IN A SPECIOUS WAY BECAUSE THE READER HAS NOT READ THE BOOK CAREFULLY ENOUGH IN ORDER TO GRASP THE TOTALITY OF THE
AUTHORS' ARGUMENTS. This does not mean that everyone who reads this book should AGREE with the authors. What this means is that there are legitimate criticisms and those which are not.

LAST CHANCE FOR VICTORY is a highly detailed book that provides in-depth analysis never before presented involving very complex historical and historigraphical issues. As such, it reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Robert E. Lee at his greatest trial by combat. The testiment to this book is in its accomplishments, which to date are:

Winner of the 2001 Douglas Southall Freeman History Award

Winner of the 2001 General N B Forrest Southern History Award

Winner of the 2001 Grady McWhiney Award of Merit

Winner of the 2002 Bonnie Blue Society Literary Award

and, arguably the most telling accomplishment, part of the curriculum at the US ARmy Command and General Staff College.

Buy the book; read and study it carefully; enjoy it.

JS

If you're looking for a powerful extension to the yearly guide to publishers and editors, look no further than the "2002 Writer's Market Online." The online edition is a direct link to your writing career. Not only do you get everything contained in the standard print edition, but you also get access to a feature-filled site.

You can search a database of over 4,000 publishers and agents looking for your work. Listings are always up-to-date with the latest submission guidelines, contact info and current needs.

The Submission Tracker is an excellent tool for recording your submissions, tracking responses and even gauging yearly income and taxes. The Tips Library is full of industry help for the seasoned professional as well as the aspiring writer. Tips on agents, queries, manuscripts and more are all covered by leading publishing experts.

One of the most helpful features is Your Writer's Market. Once you register, you're asked to fill out a personal profile. When changes are made to the publisher and agent listings that are in your specified niche, you'll be notified so you can stay on top of your writing game.

Any writer, especially a freelancer, who constantly sends out queries and manuscripts, needs to have the "2002 Writer's Market Online." The tools offered are invaluable and can help save you both time and money.

There are few events in life that I look forward to more than receiving my shiny new Writer's Market each year. Once again, the good people at Writer's Digest Books have outdone themselves. This exhaustively researched book contains more than 8,000 places to sell your work-- what more could you ask for? Oh! How about pricing guidelines, expert advice, info about agents, writing contests, syndicates, organizations for writers...

I mean it most earnestly when I tell you I wouldn't have a career without this book. And ever since I got the online version, I'm not sure how I lived without it. I use it every day to keep track of my submissions. It even tells me when it's time to follow up on a query, and allows me to record notes about different markets-- I can punch in my deadlines, payment info, contact names, etc.

Of all the books in the world, this is the only one that I can say with full confidence is an absolute necessity to those who want to make a career of their writing. The price is meager compared to its benefits. No matter what you write, you'll find markets for it here.

--Jenna Glatzer, Editor-in-Chief, AbsoluteWrite.com

To many people writing is a hobby, a special interest, an expression of deep thought, and to others a profession - and a paycheck. Whatever oneswriting endeavors are intended for, there are many ways to express oneself and many avenues to getting work seen by others. 2002 Writer's Market Online edited by Kirsten Holm and published by Writer's Digest is one of the most exhaustive printed resources available today for getting work published, to get your name out, and to get paid for doing it!

This mammoth 1112-page book features thousands of publishing opportunities - the names, contact information, and publishing guidelines for book and magazine publishers, literary agents, and companies accepting business and education writing, greeting card writing, playwriting, and screenwriting works. National and regional publications cover topics such as beauty, business, entertainment, finance, health, history, hobbies, journalism, music, nature, parental guidance, pets, religion, romance, science fiction, sports, technology, and the travel industry. Readers will also learn about hundreds of literary contests and awards that will bring in money and create name recognition that's important and often necessary to launch and maintain writing careers.

Readers also have at their fingertips solid writing advice that will help them get their work noticed. Contributors to this fine work offer guidance on handling contracts and agreements, major copyright concerns, setting writing fees, writing query letters, manuscript formatting, submitting manuscripts, finding online and offline markets, syndicating columns, writing for the online market, and publishing on the Web. Special insider reports sprinkled throughout the book offer readers additional insight on other topics important to writers.

2002 Writer's Market Online features full access to Writer's Digest's www.WritersMarket.com Website that features the full electronic edition of the printed book, additional listings, updated listings, an electronic newsletter, and additional writing helps and tools able to enhance anyone's writing career. Persons buying the book receive a full one-year subscription to this very helpful online service. This book and the accompanying Website are indispensable reference works for members of the freelance writing profession. These two resources provide up-to-date information about the people they need to know to powerfully advance their writing careers. They are highly recommended reading!

There are 60 illustrations, excellent paintings, with the accompanying text that inspired it. The colours are very well down, and each painting is brilliantly done in terms of publication. There are nine artists represented. These are:

Inger Edelfeldt: 7 paintings

Tony Galuidi: 2 paintings

Roger Garland: 10 paintings

Robert Goldsmith: 2 paintings

Michael Hague: 7 paintings

John Howe:10 paintings

Alan Lee: 10 paintings

Ted Nasmith: 10 paintings

Caro Emery Phenix: 2 paintings

My personal favorite is John Howe. He brings out a lot of dark imagery. I don't know why, but Hague's stuff just does not appeal to me. I have seen him do Lewis's Pilgrim's Regress, and some other stuff, and I just don't like his style (also saw his illustrations for WIZARD OF OX). His are of THE HOBBIT. Galuidi has almost a computer generated quality, and his work is especially intriguing, although there are only 2 of his paintings in this collection. Lee is good. All in all, this is a fair book, collecting the paintings of artisits brining about their own vision of Tolkien's classic saga. Over all, a four star book (bumped up one star because of Howe's supreme quality).

This is a collection of 50+ paintings based on various works by Tolkien, which fans of Tolkien will no doubt enjoy. It may be of speial interest to those who watched the movies (and who hasn't, who read Tolkien...) as you can clearly see how some of these paintings are replicated in Jackson's movies; it takes but a moment to catch it in the film, but if you see the pictures enough you'll recognize it.

The quality of the paintings are uneven, and each one has its favorite. Like many people, I find Hague lacking, but also Edelfeldt, who isn't bad but whose style is not unique enough in my opinion.

My favorites, on the other hand, are Howe, Garland, Nasmith, Lee and Galuidi. Garland, my favorite, has a unique and glowing, almost 'mystical' style that does the book justice. Howe's pictures are also intriguing and beautiful, and feel true to the book (and thankfully, he seems to dominate the book in terms of the number of contributions). Nasmith has some splendid landscape pictures, though his vision of the characters leave something to be desired (especially of a fat, distorted Boromir!) Galuidi's sci-fi, computerized style may not appeal to some, but I find them interesting. Finally, Lee's soft watercolors are very appealing, and his vision of the characters is near-perfect (especially Galadriel and Gandalf).

"Tolkien's World" is a very handsome book: large, hardcover, sleeve-cover, fine print and paper. It consists on a serie of paintings divided by books (The Hobbit, LOTR, Silmarillion, etc.) printed in the largest scale possible and with great definition. Beside the picture there is the passage of the book which inspired the painting. In the end there are one-page texts about or written by each of the artists, explaining their influences and relation with Tolkien works. My favorite artist is, without a doubt, Ted Nasmith, that draws very realistic pictures. Second place is John Howe, with his dark and intriguin style. All in all, a pretty nice book. I was very satisfied with it and it helped me to figure the places and events of LOTR. Be aware that there's a book that is kind of a sequel to this one: "Realms of Tolkien: Images of Middle-Earth", which I'm planning to get. It is written on its purchasing info that the author is Ted Nasmith, so is the cover authory. Lucky me.

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. This book illustrates the sort of gentleman that is lacking in our society today, lacking even in our churches. Truly an example for all to follow. Well done Reverend Wilkins.

Three cheers for a great read AND a great life - once you've read this book, you'll understand why Gen. Robert E. Lee still stands today as the most beloved and respected military leader of all time. The simple truth is the man was motivated by honor, duty and most important of all, faith, and everything he did was premeditated by him with those ideas in mind. How refreshing a story after one has been bombarded today with stories of those our children look up to who are motivated by greed and ego and talk about somebody "disrespecting" them - it is very difficult to respect someone spouting obscenities, covered with tatoos, hair dyed eye-popping colors, and sporting metal earrings dangling from various parts of their face! They say "I'm not a role model." I think that is a cop-out spoken by someone who decided he wanted all the glory and money and fame without living up to the responsibility that goes along with it. It's too bad strong and moral leaders, men who stood up for what was right and were willing to pay whatever price that cost, who knew they were role models and did their utmost to be good ones, whose stories we've read about in history class about men down through the years from earliest history through the colonies and the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, seem also to be "Gone With the Wind".

Whether or not Mr. Wilkins is a "revisionist historian" or not, (is complete objectivity really possible?) this book depicts a man who stands head and shoulders above military professionals throughout U. S. history. Nowhere have I read about a man of such faith, honor, integrity and humility than Robert E. Lee. Lee's greatness cannot be separated from his faith, because his character flowed from his faith. Trying to understand such a man apart from his relationship with his creator is impossible. Mr. Wilkins need not apoligize for focusing on Lee's faith, for I believe General Lee would have wanted it no other way. I wish every newly commissioned officer in the U. S. military were required to read this book.

I'm new to the "tropical" look of gardening. This book does indeed have wonderful photos and descriptions of many tropical plants that are suitable to various garden zones. The problem I had was in looking up plants for whom I know only by their "common names". I would have given this book a five star rating if it only had a cross reference section for those of us who are not proficient with a plants latin (botanical) name. What I have had to do in order to learn a tropical plants botanical name is go on the internet (logging on to horticopia plant search), entering what I think is the common name for a tropical plant, and then when it comes up with a list of botanical names, looking it up in Mr. Riffles book. I understand that there can be many, many common names for a plant. How about just putting in the most widely known common names so that at least I would have a chance of finding it in the book ?

"The Tropical Look" is a book that has great value to plant lovers and gardeners no matter what their climatic zone. Mr. Riffle has captured the essence of the plants he describes and has added value to the reader by detailing how these plants, hardy or tender, will fit into a "tropical look" landscape. No matter where you live you will enjoy the vivid descriptions and accurate botanical descriptions and names of the plants in this book. Plants, and their Latin names are always in a state of flux - Mr. Riffle has done a commendable job in selecting the names and descriptions that are accepted by the scientific community. His vivid word portrayals paint a "mind picture" that allows the reader to visualize each of the many plants he describes. As a "palm specialist" I especially enjoyed the accuracy of his descriptions for this specialized group of plants. Accurate information for this group of plants is lacking in the literature, and this book greatly adds to our knowledge of palm horticulture. It is easy to see that Bob Riffle is not just a "backyard gardener" who collects plants - he has a scientific mind that collects information and distills it into the written word that we all can read and understand. No matter what your level of plant expertise you can learn a great deal from this book. It is no wonder that it has already won so many prestigious botanical book awards. If you enjoy plants, particularly those that will provide you with the ability to provide a tropical look, then you should definitely purchase this book. I highly recommend it to all.

This book just received the American Horticultural Society's Garden Book of the Year Award. It's filled with over 400 color photos of tropical and tropical-looking plants from both coasts -- Lotusland in Santa Barbara, the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek CA, the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, Fairchild Tropical Garden in FL, David Fairchild's home in Coral Gables (The Kampong), Texas gardens and various other locations around the country and the world.

The plants are easily found in alphabetical order, first by genus and then by species (with nearly 5,000 species, cultivars and hybrids listed) and the pronounciation of each has been mercifully included. The encyclopedia portion of the book also includes the plant's family name, the plant's common name, the growing zone, light and moisture requirements, special considerations of the plants and how to propagate. The author's obvious love of these plants shows through in the lively descriptions, and when you're reading about a new discovery you have Mr. Riffle sharing your passion for the plant and telling you what you need to know to ensure its survival.

Chapters following the encyclopedia read like horticultural cheat sheets for those of us without formal training who want to learn: If you don't know your leaf shapes from a hole in the ground, illustrations and names are in the back of the book along with illustrations of other leaf terms, inflorescences and stems, and flower shapes and parts. A glossary complements the illustrations with definitions of terms such as "ovate" or "petiole" as well as words commonly used such as "perennial." Also in the back of the book is a conversion chart for fahrenheit to celsius, inches to centimeters and feet to meters along with formulas for conversion if you don't want to take the entire table with you.

Plant lists are included for those with a landscapes to fill and special needs to be addressed such as which plants are salt tolerant, erosion controlling, fast growing or drought tolerant. If you know you want tropical-looking plants but don't know where to begin, there are lists such as ferns, fragrant plants, groundcover plants, shrubs, trees, and hedge and screening plants.

I leave The Tropical Look on the desk and am constantly using it as a reference when reading other garden books or magazine articles. Obviously, I love this book!

This book is an incredible adventure about a man who has had more adventures than 100 men combined. this story takes you to china and into combat.It is riveting and easy to follow. The audio version of the book is highly recommended and is read by Gen scott himself. it is packed with emotion! What one must realize is that gen scott has written 12 other books, the latest being "The day i owned the sky" in 1986. He is alive and well, 90 years young and living in Warner Robins, Ga., right outside of his hometown of Macon. He continues his work by helping raise money for the Museum of Aviation located at Robins AFB. He even carried the olympic torch when it came there, running the entire length..at 88 years old!! There is definitely more to the general than just this one book, and i implore everyone to jump in with both feet!!

I read this book in its first edition 45 years ago when I was in grade school and the movies were full of the glamour of war. Scott sidesteps the glamour and the heroics and presents a personal view of daily decisions and commitment. There are young men today who would do well to take a look at what went into Scott's personal values and why the author decided he had a helping hand in the cockpit. There is far more reality and humility than, for example, Charles Lindberg's "Spirit of St. Louis". I also recommend Antoine de Saint-Exupery's Wind, Sand and Stars.

Against overwhelming odds, Col.Robert Scott takes you through aside of World War II rarely seen or talked about: Our Efforts overChina. Well written, it gives a feeling for that era. and you realize a small amount fo what they went through. Fellow pilots stafed after the "chuted", etc etc. This was the quickest read I have had in a long time!! Great Stuff!

One at the front: The really own words of the master are excellent. One must make sure that only 43 sides of the only 7 x 5 inch small book are interviews with Bruce Lee. The rest consists of interviews with the former interviewers. However, as a paperback this book costs not really a fortune. But the words of the master are absolutely worth-while, as already mentioned at the beginning.

I wouldn't wbuy this unless you're'a die hard bruce less fan. buy the warrior within by john little. it covers far more of bruce's philiosophies then this book.

This book gave me a further insight into the kind of person Bruce Lee was. This is due to my reading a couple of others about him. The impression that was most re-inforced was that he was a positive minded person. The other thing I picked up here was that he was the kind of person who always evaluated himself on a regular basis to see how he could improve etc.
The bad thing about thing about this book is the interviews with the interviewers; these are nothing more than opinions about Bruce by men who, in my book, didn't know Bruce long enough to warrant their opinions to be worth printing in a book. I think these were included to give volume to the book. Because I was only interested in Bruce's own words, I learned nothing from these bits. (It is because of these wasteful bits I only given 3 stars)

This book is a biography of Lee the man, not an examination of one of our history's most notable generals.

The military side of Lee is, of course, a major part of Thomas's story. However, he has attempted to paint a charactor study of Robert E. Lee so that his deportment and decisions during the Civil War can be seen to flow from a man molded by tradition, duty, honor and the uniquely historic family from which he came.

This means that the book spends much time on Lee's pre Civil War life as well as time delving into his relationships with his family and others. The result is a readible book that gives the reader an entre into the man Robert E. Lee. Those looking for a military expose or exploration may be somewhat disappointed, but this is still a worthwhile book.

Thomas has given us a post-revisionist portrait of Lee that addresses the general as a human being much better than it presents him as a brilliant military strategist. His complicated relationship with his rakish father, his sainted mother, his demanding wife, and his children are all central foci of the book; his relationships with those outside his family get relatively short shrift. It is amazing how little of this book deals with the actual history of Lee's Civil War battles; more attention seems to be given to his involvement in the Mexican War. Indeed, the book seems to give disproportionate attention to his life prior to the Civil War, with relatively lesser attention to what happened after he became commanding general of the Army of Northern Virginia. Since the latter period is that in which he made his mark on history, this focus is rather disappointing. But Thomas does a relatively able job of dispelling the image of Lee as "the marble man," and for that, Civil War afficionados owe him a debt of gratitude.

Emory Thomas is ambitious but ultimately correct in proclaiming his compelling Lee biography a post-revisionist portrait. He attempts (with admirable success) to balance his respect for Lee's character and ability (without Douglas Freeman's blatant worship and apocryphal stories) with honest accounts of his faults and contradictions (minus the carping of Connelly's 'The Marble Man' and Nolan's 'Lee Considered'). In the process, Thomas has captured as much as any writer is able the humanness of Lee. I was struck throughout the book by events and words that mirror my own aspirations and failures. I think the highest praise I can offer Thomas's book is that this avid Lee fan and Civil War buff felt like he had met Robert E. Lee for the first time