A collection of anecdotes, told by a real magistrate in Virginia which is at times poignant, funny, and distressing. Oh, the trouble some people have just getting on in life! The author describes what he deals with day in and day out, sharing his values and conclusions. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as it is both entertaining and educational. Would be excellent gift for high school or college students thinking about careers in social services or law.

The author's self-effacing style brought a reality to the situations that made me feel like I was there experiencing the insanity, fumbling along with him in search of a valid assessment of impassioned criminal complaints. The quick pace, wit and humor kept my interest such that I didn't put it down until I was done. The book gives a base working level picture of the front end of the criminal justice system in the Commonwealth of Virginia from the perspective of an individual (The Magistrate) who is interviewing cops as well as suspects and witnesses hot from the "scene of the crime" before they have had time to reflect on and organize their stories for their own benefit. It is a great study on the devious side of human nature as it applies to suspects, witnesses and victims weaving a tangled web to try to save their hides or punish their enemies. It is a window inside a government bureaucracy as viewed candidly by a bureaucrat that is still clinging to a conscience and a heart. This book is stimulating, amusing, emotional yet easy reading. I can see it as a best seller when it is discovered.

I've already ordered them as Christmas gifts. Certainly one of the most interesting, and well written, paperbacks this year. Sure to be a best seller.

Normally, people take "word play" to mean puns. This 64-page book features 18 tales from far corners of the earth--Japan, and the Middle East, China, France and Serbia, India and Africa--offering a different kind of word play. In each one, a central character says something that is at once the truth and a lie.

The last story, for example, tells of four boys in Suriname two of whom bragged that their respective fathers were the best traders in town. The third, however, smiled and said that his father had them beat and the fourth boy agreed: He had with one ear of corn purchased a cow, a horse and a donkey. The father had indeed started with one ear of corn, and had indeed purchased a cow, a horse and a donkey--but not all at once, as the other boys supposed. Rather, he had planted the corn ear, sold his crop, bought a cow, sold it and bought a horse and sold it and bought a donkey.

Similarly, another tale speaks of a poet named Mutanabbi who passed by Zubeida's house one day and decided to return that evening to propose that they be married. Halfway home, he encountered a handsome young man who was on his way to see Zubeida, "the most beautiful woman in the city," whom he also wanted to marry. Mutanabbi was afraid of losing his chance, so he told the young man that he had just moments ago seen Zubeida kissing a wealthy man. The young man left, feeling lost. After learning that Mutanabbi had married Zubeida, he accused the former of lying. After all, if Zubeida had really kissed a wealthy man, why would she have chosen Mutanabbi? Why, the wealthy man she kissed was her father, of course.

Another story features a Muslim holy man on the island of Celebes, who found a dark cave and crawled inside to escape from warring enemies. "If it hadn't been for the spider," he told his friends afterwards, "I surely would have been caught and killed." No one believed him, of course. But he had spoken the truth along with a lie. The spider had spun a web over the mouth of the cave, leading the holy man's enemies to believe that no one could possibly be inside. The man, however, had neglected to tell his friends was how the spider saved him.

(This particular tale reminds me of the Jewish tale of David, who as a boy had questioned why God made spiders. Unlike the Muslim tale, however, the Midrash explains that God gave even the smallest creature a purpose. When David was grown, King Saul became angry with David and tried to kill him. David fled and hid in a cave. A spider spun his web across the cave's mouth. That night, soldiers passed the save. King Saul reasoned that no man could hide there without tearing the web. And David thanked God for making spiders.)

From this book, children learn that different traditions are often similar. They also learn to carefully examine "facts." Things presented as truth may compose only part of the picture. Alyssa A. Lappen

More True Lies has 18 awesome tales that will tingle you. Once you start reading, you will never want to stop. More True Lies is the best story I know. My favorite is number 5, because a person dresses like a bandit and it really was a girl. That's what made me laugh. I like the whole truth because it is kind of weird reading a lie. That's why you should read this book. It's fantastic. I hope Shannon makes another book!

A truimph to brotherhood. Great political and high tech battle and wonderfully written tale.

In this two-book audio pack, you can listen to two more adventures from Hank, that hilarious cowdog. In the first story, Hank book #5: Faded Love, Hank goes to visit his One True Love, Beulah the collie. In the second, book #6: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, Hank must find out who's been murdering chickens before he gets blamed. I wouldn;t miss them!

This book is typical of John Riggs. It seems like you know who did it but the twists and turns make it uncertain as who is really the guilty party. And there's always a surprise at the end. His novels aren't long but easily merit a "hard to put it down" status. Give him a try but be prepared to want every book in this series of mysteries. Thank you.

This is one of the best quality short story collections to be published in quite a while, as Hodge has once again delivered quality fiction for the intelligent reader.

This collection opens with the thought provoking "Madame Babylon", a story that immediately grabs the reader with a sexual taboo, yet reminds us that within everyone there is a bit of voyeur and exhibitionist. But Hodge doesn't stop there, like with every story in this collection, he takes the idea even further, explores a few deeper themes, themes that examine and question the very things we take for granted, and then wraps it all together in a way that leaves the reader fully identifying with the protagonist, which sometimes isn't a comfortable thought at all.

"Cancer Causes Rats" is another unique story in the collection. Part mystery, part thriller, part horror, this story will keep you guessing the outcome until then end, and that ending will leave you horrified. In this story, like many others, Hodge turns logic upside down and makes it still seem right, leaving the reader with thoughts and impressions afterwards that just can't be shaken.

Three stories in the middle of the book are set in the British Isles, and although he is a native of America, Hodge manages to capture the feel of Great Britain better than many British authors today. A line from the story "Cenotaph" sums it up best: "The thing about England was, you could scarcely throw a mossy stone without hitting something to remind you of how vastly _old_ the place was." "Far Flew the Boast of Him" is a story set in the shared-world setting of Hellboy, but Hodge tackles this in such a way that pre-knowledge of the shared-world is not required, yet he manages to contribute to the mythos in an insightful way not usually accomplished by other authors.

Leaving no genre untouched by his skills, Hodge includes a western in this collection. Not a fan of westerns myself, I expected this story to be my least favorite, and was pleasantly surprised. "Pages Stuck By a Bowie Knife to a Cheyenne Gallows" is one of the best stories of the collection. Offering more than just a typical western, Hodge pushes the boundaries of the genre in this story set in a splintered, anarchic Missouri during the Civil War.

The Endnotes offer the insatiable reader with wonderful little insights into the stories behind the stories. Where the fiction reveals Hodge's intelligence with small glimpses of his sense of humor, the Endnotes expose the author even more, leaving the reader with a warm sense of familiarity for Hodge.

Honestly, I don't know why this author isn't more widely recognized. Hodge has consistently published high quality fiction over the course of the past ten years or more, and yet remains absent from the average reader's vocabulary. With Lies and Ugliness, Hodge has delivered again. And although it has been said many times about many books, the fact remains true with this one: Those who do not read this collection will be missing out on wonderfully intelligent stories that leave long lasting impressions.

I started reading some of these tales to my 5th grade students as a way to get their attention at the end of the school day. To my amazement, they loved them and kept asking for more. They were so inspired, that they've even come up with some tales of their own and I've had to look for more folktale books.

I have read this read this book twice and still use it for reference. I am an instructor in this field and am searching for more copies of this book for my students. This is the best publication of it's kind. It gives step by step instruction on the pre test & post test interviews of test subjects. It also teaches the old examiners as well as the new, how to make the most of an examination. Whether you are a Polygrapher or a Voice Stress examiner you need this book.

This is one of the good books in this series. It's more realistic then the latest ones. Enid is acting like a total snob, and I can't believe the way she is treating Liz just because she got into the "cool and popular sorioty" (I'm in College and there is no such thing as an "in crowd".) I was so glad when Enid got what was coming to her it really starts with the next book. Todd gets what's coming to him too. Speaking of Todd, he is a jerk, it was obvious from the way he just slept with Lauren that he would have slept with anyone as long as he loses his virginity. Jessica made really big mistake she sleeps with Mike MCAllery, whom she hardly knows and according to his rep. he could have had anything. Other than that the book is good, the scenes between Celine and Liz are hilarous. Tom and Liz have more chemistry then she and Todd ever had and I'm glad they end up together. And Liz ended up happy and Todd and Enid ended up depressed like Liz once was.

This book is great! Everything about it is so interesting, and still realistic. Jessica Wakefield falls head-over-heels for Michael McAlley, despite all the warnings everyone has given her. She does something very big in this book, which I won't spoil, but you'll be surprised. Anyway, Mike and her have a very intense relationship, but she catches him with many other women and gets suspicious. Steven and Billie who live upstairs from Mike talk abotu Jessica and Mike's relationship a lot. Steven goes balistic. Elizabeth Wakefield is dealing with fitting in. Her ex-boyfriend, Todd Wilkins recently dumped her, and Tom Watts has a crush on her. But she's worried about her weight. This part in the book was very realistic. I am thin, and don't have weight problems, but while reading it the pain she was going throyugh with not having to eat such delicious food was very well written. It was so well-written I literally felt her pain. Even though I don't have weight issues and am in great shape, while reading I felt like I was worried about eating to much sweets. I totally felt for her. Todd Wilkins and Tom Watts, who are rivals both love Elizabeth. Tom and Liz work on a story for the WSVU news, but it may effect someone close to her. Meanwhile, William White, whom Celine loves is totally into Elizabeth. His obsession with her is way above normal. Anyway, back to Jessica and Mike. Jessica and Mike grow extremely close, and she does soemthing very, very big that will change her life forever. You will enjoy this book and I reccomend it to anyone. This book is great!

The only problem I had with this book was the fact that the Tom and Liz thing was beginning to get tedious. It's so irritating when you know that both characters like each other but are too scared to say anything in case they get rejected. Jessica's floating on cloud nine since she lost her virginity to Mike McAllery a tall dark handsome hunk of a man. Only problem is that he seems to love his women. I think Jess is kidding herself, I mean, twice she's caught him in the arms of another woman and yet she's willing to get him the benefit of the doubt. I think she made a big mistake by sleeping with him. Guys like that aren't worth it. Which leads me onto Todd. I cannot believe that he slept with Lauren Hill! Good for Liz, she did the best thing by waiting for the right moment to lose her virginity. At least she won't end up hurt like her sister. Celine is being a complete witch and spreading nasty rumours about Liz but, luckily Liz has found a friend in the form of Nina Harper. She'll soon put a cork in Celine's fat mouth. Although I wish someone would put a cork in Alexandra's mouth - ever since she's changed her image from dorky Enerd to sexy Alex, she's been nothing more than a royal pain in the you-know-what. Keep reading this gets better and better...

This is an excellent book. In it, John Perazzo examines, chapter by chapter, some of the common myths and sociological fables that continue to separate parts of the US populace today. Perhaps his most valuable contribution is showing how so-called leaders such as Jackson and Sharpton have twisted reality to suit their own ends. To me, the most compelling and honest part of the book looked at the myth of race in the United States. US blacks are clearly the most privileged people on earth, yet vicious racists such as Kwesei Mfume, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Carol Moseley-Brown continue to perpetuate groundless black grievance, hatred, and jealousy towards our larger society. This stands in direct contradiction to the tremendous achievements of many, many blacks, who are now predominantly members of the US middle-class. Perazzo correctly and explicitly points out (in Chapters 3 - 7) that a comparative handful of vicious racial hypocrites (Jackson, Sharpton, et al) distort and hinder (the "myths" in the title of the book) what ought to be an honest, helpful conversation on society in America today. As a black man, I feel privileged to live in the United States, and don't understand why anyone could possibly complain about how we've been treated here when we compare it to the horrid, brutal life common throughout Africa these days. Perazzo has authored an impressive appeal for us all to set aside the people who wish to gain by anger and bitterness, and he wants us all to work together for a common good. This is a great book - I'd highly recommend it. His extensive foot-noting and meticulous research make it a valuable text for those of us who want to help all Americans move forward peacefully and with our due intelligence. Buy it today at Amazon.com and pass it on to a friend.

This was one of the most upsetting books I've ever read. There were chapters that moved me to tears. Truth can be bitter but it really does set you free. I learned more about Africa from Mr.Perazo's book than I did from 4 years of Black Studies in college. The majority of the book contends that race relations are as bad as they are because certain people profit by keeping us divided. It was a powerfull book and it left me with much to think about. It's not for kids but it ought to be a required text for college students.

This book is a welcome addition to the mountain of expository evidence, which depicts the cupidity and disingenuousness in which the civil rights industry is awash.

This book is surely one giant step toward the inevitable awakening of America. An awakening that will cause the entire world to condemn the narrow-mindedness and self-interest of all race hustlers, particularly the well known intellectual Lilliputians: Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. The author points out the double standards of the civil rights industry whose very existence depends on pointing out racism everywhere, even when it isn't there. Perazzo exposes the hypocites with well researched facts and statistics illustrated with anecdotes.

This book harmonizes with Jared Taylor's books: "The Real American Dilemma" and "Paved With Good Intentions" et al, as isolated voices become a chorus demanding truth and reason in discussions of race.

This book should be read by everyone concerned with the future of America.

This book should be read twice, twice by everyone in Academe and in the media.