This book is exactly what the title suggests, a biography of J. Edgar Hover. The author tells a story that lends credit to all the rumors and assumptions that good old J. Edgar Hoover was the most powerful man in American politics for at least 35- 40 years. This book details his career from the start of the FBI to his death. The book did have details on how the FBI was created, some of its major issues over the years and crimes, and the "black bag jobs", but what I really liked was the details of how J. Edgar dealt with Presidents. Given the ego of the men that were president during this time in history, it really must have been hell for them to have Hover with so much power over them. There probably has not been in American history any one man that can say so many Presidents, an interesting accomplishment, personally hated him.

The book is a lot of fun to read because page after page details a lot of the abuses of power and stories of political intrigue that usually only are detailed in fiction. The time frame of the book is also so interesting to most of us, because this in not agent history, but times that many of our parents lived through, WW 2, the Cold War, JFK, Watergate - the book is almost a run down of the major events of the last century for the American nation, and he had his paws in every little bit. There is even details of very basic corruption on the art of Hover and a little on the edge of the rumored homosexuality. Overall a tour de force of the life of J. Edgar, if you are interested in the man, the FBI or American politics this is a book you not only need to read, but will be very glad you did.

J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets by Curt Gentry is a biography of J. Edgar Hoover one of the most powerful men in Washington, D.C. In his time, Hoover kept files on everyone in power, he trusted no one and his paranoia isolated him further.

Hoover was a bachelor and a private man, but he was not a particularly honest man. He blackmailed, threw his influence around, used illegal wiretaps, and was seroiusly flawed as a human being. America's "number one cop" loved to use sexual slander as his favorite tool to destroy all who crossed his path.

This book reveals Hoover as a man who was frighteningly obsessed and had the power to change U.S. History and wasn't afraid to use it if it made him a national hero. Hoover was director of the FBI and during his tenure he manipulated presidents, the Supreme Court and Congress. No one was immune to him and his incorruptible FBI.

I found this book to be written well, as the narrative flows, the reader in enveloped into intrigue and into Hoover's web of paranoia. J. Edgar Hoover spread his political cancer far and wide making him virtually untouchable. A shocking tale of a man for nearly fifty years who would destroy anyone with his virtually unchecked power.

A very good read that will fascinate the reader and keep your intrest throughout.

A candid and thoroughly scrutinized synopsis of the life and times of J. Edgar Hoover and his FBI. It is with a hint of cynicism that the author states that Hoover was a blackmailer, a common embezzling thug, and a thief. I could not disagree with Mr. Gentry's narrative, nor could I have imagined a story as fascinating and apalling as JEH's being compacted into less than the book's 800 pages.

I recommend this book over any other FBI/Hoover biography currently available.

I've been catching up on Wells' work lately, and up to this point, I've been fairly impressed. His best work, written at the turn of the century, holds up fairly well: it's entertaining and thought-provoking (The Time Machine, War of the Worlds).

I wasn't very impressed with this book, however. It doesn't read like his other works. The story probably could have been told in 20 or so pages, definitely a short-story candidate. I was amazed that Wells stretched this out to its present length, as the middle 40-odd pages were quite dull and really didn't go anywhere.

The science behind the story (while iffy, of course), is fascinating. Griffin is a great character, but more could have been done with him, besides his spending so much time having to convince people that he IS, in fact, invisible ("I am invisible. I really am an invisible man", etc, etc). It gets mind-numbing after a while. I guess the biggest let-down of the book is the fact that the title gives everything away. Once you've seen the cover, you pretty much have it; no real surprises. Yep, he's invisible, and there ya go.

What a great idea to assemble scifi icons from Star Trek to perform various H.G. Wells's classics! Of the works they've performed are: The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

This audio recording of The Invisible Man was easy listening, and fun too. It's definitely worth a listen. I'm going to have to check out the others!

One side note, obviously the original work was abridged and adapted for audio drama. You'll still want to read the classic.

Okay, so Wells didn't load the book with the violence seen in the recent movie Hollow Man. Consider when the book was written, and what was comparable at the time. I, for one, was engrossed in the book and read it in about three sittings.

Wells excellently portrayed Griffin (Invisible Man) as a man crossing back and forth from sanity to madness. You may catch yourself considering how you would overcome his difficulties, or how you might abuse his power.

What really stood out for me was the tongue-in-cheek undertones Wells incorporated into the story, such as the cockney dialect and rustic behavior of the people of Iping. Also, consider Wells' narration during intense moments, such as the fight between Griffin and the people of Iping...
"...[Huxter's] shin was caught in some mysterious fashion, and he was no longer running, but flying with inconceivable rapidity through the air. He saw the ground suddenly close to his face. The world seemed to splash into a million whirling specks of light, and subsequent proceedings interested him no more."
Later elaboration of the events included the terrifying realization that Griffin was "smiting and overthrowing, for the mere satisfaction of hurting."

If you find the book difficult to follow, try the version adapted by Malvina Vogel, complete with illustrations by Pablo Marcos. It's not as powerful, but easier to understand.

Taylor's work on Bismarck is strangely contradictory. While he often makes reference to issues in German history that only knowledgable readers would understand, he also deals with the subject matter in a very superficial manner. While I found the work engaging and quick to read, it left me with a lot more questions than answers.

If you are looking for an in-depth review of Bismarck's life, don't go here. But if you want a quick read that deals effectively with the greater issues of Bismarck's career, then this is it.

Arrogant, confrontational, self-absorbed: one would be hard pressed to determine if these characteristics should be found in A. J. P. Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman or if they should be in his autobiography. Moreover, it is curious that many other distinguishing characteristics of Taylor's Bismarck are in many ways reflections of Taylor himself. This parallel could even be extended one step further to claim that Taylor's assessment of Bismarck might be similar to the present assessment of Taylor; that is, both must be praised for their remarkable achievements but praised in such a way that they would be opposed to it.
Taylor, England's most flamboyant historian,# often broke the traditional bounds of the field. He brought history to television, radio and the newspapers. He closed the gap of the historical wait period by writing a history of the origins of War World II in 1961. His flashiness aside, he produced many historical masterpieces including Bismarck. In this work he goes beyond the face value of Bismarck's recorded statements and examines the actions, and subsequently his motives, to find the true character of this monumental figure. He develops the notion of a opportunistic and self-centered Bismarck as opposed to loyal servant of the king whose great foresight brought the unity of Germany.
One major theme of the book is chance. It is argued that it was stoke of luck that allowed Bismarck even enter the field of politics, the bad health of another deputy. Even his great foreign policy was based on providence. Repeatedly Taylor asserts that Bismarck had no plan, rather he would let events unfold and then act from there. Furthermore, when Bismarck intentionally carried a line of policy through it would normally backfire causing him more harm. Taylor remarks, the genius of Bismarck lie not in brilliant initiatives but in being able to recover from past blunders.
Closely related to the theme of chance is the notion that Bismarck had no enduring principles. His own greatness was the only value that he held to as he morphed from reactionary to liberal to conservative. He proudly boasted to the Reichstag "I have no fixed opinions... there are no eternal truths" (138). Beside his own will, the only other exception of complete devotion was his family. However, this might even be challenged. One the boldest claims of the book is that some of Bismarck's landmark achievements, unification and social reform, came as by-products for his bid to stay in power. Explicitly, his main motive for introducing bills was to split the Emperor and Reichstag and thus increase his power; and similarly his main motive for foreign policy was to split the Great Powers to increase Germany and subsequently his power.
In many respects it is a difficult task writing the biography of a man who is a deceptive diplomat. Bismarck's documents and speeches are overflowing with contradictions. It seems that Bismarck's policies stemmed from the hope of a desired outcome instead of personal convictions. Nonetheless, the historian has the difficult task of sifting through the political jargon to find the true motives of this complicated person. Taylor largely discredits Bismarck's talk of humble servitude towards the monarch and instead supports the Bismarck's claim of his own greatness. However, how can one claim certitude with a man who has changed his memoirs repeatedly, had no scruples in contradicting facts, and supported so many opposing principles? This is a contributing fact to the case that this debate will go on. As it does, Taylor's work will do much to help guide those who seek the motives and beliefs or the real Bismarck.

Arrogant, confrontational, self-absorbed: one would be hard pressed to determine if these characteristics should be found in A. J. P. Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman or if they should be in his autobiography. Moreover, it is curious that many other distinguishing characteristics of Taylor's Bismarck are in many ways reflections of Taylor himself. This parallel could even be extended one step further to claim that Taylor's assessment of Bismarck might be similar to the present assessment of Taylor; that is, both must be praised for their remarkable achievements but praised in such a way that they would be opposed to it.
Taylor, England's most flamboyant historian,# often broke the traditional bounds of the field. He brought history to television, radio and the newspapers. He closed the gap of the historical wait period by writing a history of the origins of War World II in 1961. His flashiness aside, he produced many historical masterpieces including Bismarck. In this work he goes beyond the face value of Bismarck's recorded statements and examines the actions, and subsequently his motives, to find the true character of this monumental figure. He develops the notion of a opportunistic and self-centered Bismarck as opposed to loyal servant of the king whose great foresight brought the unity of Germany.
One major theme of the book is chance. It is argued that it was stoke of luck that allowed Bismarck even enter the field of politics, the bad health of another deputy. Even his great foreign policy was based on providence. Repeatedly Taylor asserts that Bismarck had no plan, rather he would let events unfold and then act from there. Furthermore, when Bismarck intentionally carried a line of policy through it would normally backfire causing him more harm. Taylor remarks, the genius of Bismarck lie not in brilliant initiatives but in being able to recover from past blunders.
Closely related to the theme of chance is the notion that Bismarck had no enduring principles. His own greatness was the only value that he held to as he morphed from reactionary to liberal to conservative. He proudly boasted to the Reichstag "I have no fixed opinions... there are no eternal truths" (138). Beside his own will, the only other exception of complete devotion was his family. However, this might even be challenged. One the boldest claims of the book is that some of Bismarck's landmark achievements, unification and social reform, came as by-products for his bid to stay in power. Explicitly, his main motive for introducing bills was to split the Emperor and Reichstag and thus increase his power; and similarly his main motive for foreign policy was to split the Great Powers to increase Germany and subsequently his power.
In many respects it is a difficult task writing the biography of a man who is a deceptive diplomat. Bismarck's documents and speeches are overflowing with contradictions. It seems that Bismarck's policies stemmed from the hope of a desired outcome instead of personal convictions. Nonetheless, the historian has the difficult task of sifting through the political jargon to find the true motives of this complicated person. Taylor largely discredits Bismarck's talk of humble servitude towards the monarch and instead supports the Bismarck's claim of his own greatness. However, how can one claim certitude with a man who has changed his memoirs repeatedly, had no scruples in contradicting facts, and supported so many opposing principles? This is a contributing fact to the case that this debate will go on. As it does, Taylor's work will do much to help guide those who seek the motives and beliefs or the real Bismarck.

Even men will enjoy Suzanne Yalof's book. Ms. Yalof puts a funny spin on falling for the wrong person. O.K. so maybe men don't go shopping or call their mother when the going gets rough, but there are parts of John Doe that every person can identify with!! I laughed out loud.

I throughly enjoyed reading this book! It was right on the money.....a great read for anyone who's love life has been dashed on the rocks but can laugh about it and HIM now.

This book has helped me much more than any one ever has. If you have ever been dumped by someone that you thought was the "one," this book is definatley for you to read. Two years ago, I broke up with a person that meant more to me than any one ever has and it was the hardest thing that i ever had to do. But when i picked up this book one day at a local bookestore, it impacted my life in the most positive way. I learned that i had to grow from this experience instead of wallowing in my own self pity. Thank you Suzanne for writing such a fabulous book!

John Irving fans should not overlook this gem of a book, though it departs drastically from the style that Irving is known and loved for. While there is little of the over-the-top humor and element of the absurd that made him famous, the deep-felt humanity and compassion that fills his characters is here in abundance. This is certainly the leanest, most serious, and yes, the saddest of his many fine novels. It tackles a thorny and complex subject - the effect that a ménage a quatre has on the two couples involved - with honesty and grace. For one of his earlier works, this book shows a surprising level of maturity, both in the terse, precise prose and the nuanced, layered approach to the subject matter. Irving's exploration of human emotion and the consequences of our decisions and actions are remarkably reminiscent of similar work by Philip Roth and Richard Ford years later.

This book was written early on in Mr.Irvings career. It has those wonderful, quirky, little off center character,so carefully developed. It's no Owen Meany, but it is still a wonderful read.

"The 158 Pound Marriage" is another example of John Irving at his best. He masterfully explores the consequences of infidelity in a modern marriage through a story of two couples, each in love with another's spouse. Though the wrestling imagery can get tiresome after a while, it's a fitting theme for a book whose characters are wrestling with the choices they have made in their marriages. The characters are all well developed, and the non-linear plot flows with ease. The one warning I would give is not to pick up this book looking for another "Garp." There is, was, and will always be only one "Garp." Let "The 158 Pound Marriage" stand on its own merits and you will not be disappointed.

The book is wonderfully helpful in reaffirming the absolute normality of anger, depression, fear, and sorrow of a painful divorce, breakup, or loss. It's nice to know that it's OK to feel everything and nothing all at once. From the moment I began to read the pages I felt better. Now I that Dr. Gray has helped me discover the problems, I can tackle them and overcome them and learn how to love and be loved better.

I have so far only listened to the Audio Tape Version of the Book, MARS AND VENUS STARTING OVER. As Usual, Dr. Gray does NOT use "psycho-babble", but rather REAL LIFE issues in lauguage that the lay person can easily understand. My Divorce is almost final, and I would HIGHLY recommend this Audio Series to ANYONE who is just beginning the process of a Divorce, (or really at ANY stage in the process). I am eagerly awaiting the Pocket Sized book of the same title. This book, with the full text, instead of the condensed text of the 3 hour audio tape version, will contain in it, I am quite sure, even MORE good, useful and helpful information about the subject/Process of Divorce and learning to not only start one's Love Life over again, but to learn to Love again without fear of the same thing happening again and to Live a normal life, Love again a member of the opposite sex, helping one to re-marry, if one so chooses, and not repeat the mistakes made in the previous Marriage (in My case, my first Marriage). If you have never read ANY of Dr. Gray's material before, I fully expect that you will be very pleasantly surprised with the content of this Book.

Recently divorced after 37 years, nearly two years have passed... this was the first "help" I found that really hit me personally... helped me to understand some of the "whys" "hurts" and guides to make "tomorrow" better. The thought process we all have needs motivating and guidance from time to time.. we all have the answers for our problems if we only understand how to start seeking and doing something about them. Dr. Gray accomplished this in the book. Couldn't lay it down, the book's content filled a "hunger" within me for turning my life toward a more positive tomorrow. Excellent "reference" manual.

Set aboard a Mississippi side-wheel steamer in the 1850s, Melville's novel charts the progress of the American character at a time when the old frontier was giving way, albeit slowly, to a new, urban frontier.

"The Confidence-Man" works at so many different levels that it is no wonder Melville's readers weren't quite sure what to make of his ninth novel. It is a call-and-response of idealism suborned for the purposes of sheer humbuggery, material theft and moral sophistry.

I think readers would do well to always keep the word "confidence" in mind as they read the novel; it recurs time and again in different contexts throughout the book. Melville's purpose is to highlight the rift between what things seem to be and what they truly are. It is eerily existential in tone and readers familiar with Kierkegaard and Camus will be delighted by Melville's keen appreciation for the absurdity of the human condition.

The wretched reception of "The Confidence-Man" undermined what little was left of Melville's own self-confidence as a writer whose work could support his family. In one sense, this was a grievous shame, because Melville lived for nearly four more decades and, presumably, could have spent that time producing more great literature had his contemporaries simply recognized the intellectual genius of his work.

In another sense, though, "The Confidence-Man" is a fitting send-off to a literary career hobbled by critical inattention and plain bad luck. Melville's America is not an America where dreams come true (note how China Aster is destroyed by his) and where confidence -- optimism -- is rewarded or even warranted. Yet, it is an America recognizably closer to the one we live in than those crafted by Melville's contemporaries -- Emerson, Thoreau, Irving.

"The Confidence-Man" is a very complex novel of ideas. This particular edition is very useful because it provides fairly thorough annotation throughout the book. I would highly recommend it for use in a graduate course on American intellectual history, particularly juxtaposed against Emerson and Tocqueville's analyses of American society and culture.

Quite an Original

The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade
I am specifically reviewing the Northwestern University Press edition of Melville's "The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade."

There is a Norton Critical Edition of this novel edited by Hershel Parker, but it doesn't seem to be offered by Amazon.com. It is offered at at W.W. Norton's website... The Hendricks House edition edited by Elizabeth Foster is another good edition, but it seems to be out of print at the moment.

On November 12, 1856 Herman Melville and Nathanial Hawthorne took a walk among the sandhills near Liverpool, England. They smoked cigars, and Hawthorne wrote about a week later that Melville spoke of Providence and futurity, and he, Melville, had pretty much made up his mind to be annilated.

"The Confidence-Man" is the last novel that Melville published during his lifetime. I agree with Newton Arvin, who called "The Confidence-Man" "one of the most infidel books ever written by an American; one of the most completely nihilistic, morally and metaphysically."

About 150 years after the book was first published, and about fifty since the book was first taken seriously by literary critics, The Confidence-Man is not a settled matter. In fact there remains excessive discord among readers and critics about the worth of this novel. Some compare it to Swift's "Tale of the Tub," others will tell you that this book is static and formless.

The idea is simple enough. On April 1 a devil in the guise of a deaf mute goes aboard a Mississippi river steamboat, and begs for charity. In rapid succession he transforms himself into a crippled Black man, a man with the weed, the man in the grey coat , the gentleman with the big book, the man with the plate and finally the Cosmopolitan. In these different guises he gulls and diddles people. He asks for trust. He is not always successful, but he can take solace in his failures. The reason for the devil's failures is the cyniscim, mistrust and mysandry of his marks. It is their human failings that accounts for his failures. And that's not so bad for the devil.

Melville's control of his material was never greater. I recommend the Northwestern Newberry edition because it contains draft fragments of chapter 14. You can see how carefullly Melville wrote this novel. The blandness of the prose is deliberate. If you read the surviving drafts you will see how Melville purposedly silenced and muted his message. Perhaps Melville was too successful for even close readers get lost sometimes.

At the end there is an increase of seriousness. An old man closes his Bible and asks for a life preserver. The Cosmopolitan hands the old man a chamberpot which appears to be full, and calls it a life preserver. The Cosmopolitan then extinguishes the lamp, and then leads the other into the darkness.

With "The Confidence-Man," Melville offered a final novelistic expression of his hopes, doubts, and frustrations about the American nation on the verge of Civil War in the late 1850's.

Many critics and reviewers take a negative point of view on this novel, saying that the narrative instability and episodic nature of the novel represents Melville's anger with the increasingly poor reception of his later novels, including the brilliant "Moby-Dick".

Over the course of the novel's first half, we are presented with a string of characters who spout the virtues of charity and trust, all supposedly different manifestations of one Confidence-Man. The confidence-man engages passengers of the riverboat Fidele from St. Louis to New Orleans in philosophical, literary, personal, and business-related conversations. This is the heart of the novel, even in the second half, where only one confidence-man appears. As in Cervantes' "Don Quixote," you are able to tease out more about the ambiguous purposes of the novel through speeches rather than actions.

At points amusing, horrifying, and sad, "The Confidence-Man" is difficult, if not impossible to categorize in any simple fashion. An extremely worthwhile read, especially if you read it as a prophetic work of the American Civil War and try to figure out for yourself if Melville thought things would turn out alright, or if the US was due for an apocalyptic judgment.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the man behind the LOTR, The Hobbit, and the Silmarillion. Largely based on Tolkien's own letters, as well as perspectives from critics, friends and family, Pearce's book offers a fresh and insightful perspective of Christianity's influence on Tolkien's philosophy and use of myth. I have seen no other work that provides such an articulate and well documented linkage between the man's faith and his works. Pearce succinctly and effectively dismantles claims that Tolkien is either reactionary or escapist, while furthering the case that the creative genius is one of the most important and influential authors of this century. As a Christian, I am inspired by Pearce's description of Tolkien's Theocentric approach to life and to his work. Traveling in Christian "fundamentalist" circles, I too often see Tolkien's name associated with occult and New Age activity. Of all criticisms leveled at the man and his works, I'm sure that these unfair allegations would hurt this devout Christian more than all others. Only a profound misunderstanding of the man and his myth ( and Myth, in general ) could lead to such a confused opinion. T:M&M also educated me as to the profound impact Tolkien had on his fellow Inkling, C.S. Lewis, the renowned Christian apologist, whose own works, including the Narnia tales ( which were heavily influenced by Tolkien), are staples in every Christian bookstore. And yet Tolkien's name is often pronounced with contempt in Christian circles. Again, this book may help to silence this kind of calumny. Furthermore, Pearce's book has prompted me to read the works of G.K. Chesterton ( another noted apologist ) , as well as more of the letters, essays, and unfinished tales of Tolkien himself. T:M&M reminded me of my early days as a born again Christian. Having discovered Tolkien two years before I "discovered" Christ, I now recall the odd sense of familiarity and recognition when I read the Bible for the first time. At the time I simply attributed this to a primitive recognition of the Truth which is hardwired into the hearts of all men. I still believe that, but I also recognize that I was "remembering" my previous experience with Tolkien. His myths were just as he had intended them - a variation on the theme of the "True Myth" of Christ Jesus. Thanks to Mr. Pearce for helping me recognize this.

"The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work" (Tolkien, in a letter to Robert Murray)

These words might not be to the liking of many Tolkien critics, analysts or pseudo-writers that have been trying to unravel the Tolkien Myth. I believe that many of them have been at least partially unsuccessful due to the simple fact that they underestimated or totally overlooked the main essence of Tolkien's life which was his spiritual faith as a Catholic.

Of course, this is by no means popular for a writer. Indeed , being a Catholic can mean instant "unpopularity" in certain cases; a paradox considering that Tolkien is by all means an extremely popular personality. Probably popularity has been helped by misunderstanding the man as a consequence of so many superfluous opinions by wrongly called "Tolkien experts".

It is thus with great enthusiasm that I read this essay by Joseph Pearce. It is a well documented and objective work that reaches on to the very deep roots of Tolkien's motivations and perceptions of the world which were based on his Christian beliefs and his life as a convinced Catholic.

The essay begins with a lively description of the turbulence caused when several reader polls established Tolkien as "The Author of the Century". Although this is an interesting (even fun) part, the most valuable comes from the rest of the book where we discover a proper view of Tolkien as essentially a Catholic author. Pearce , convincingly achieves this through an impartial presentation of documents, facts and original testimonials that permits us to glimpse the "Real Tolkien".
Written in an agile and practical style, it permits a clear and pleasant reading without falling into the usual dull academicism of many essays.

I consider this, along with "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien" a most illuminating source to enjoy and truly understand the creator of such beauty as "The Lord of the Rings". Regarding beauty, let me end quoting Tolkien again: "...Our Lady, upon which all my own small perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded"

J.R.R. Tolkien's work and life have been misconstrued by critics who never understood a modern man's devotion to faith. He was misconstrued even by his "authorized" biographer. Pearce pierces through the crusts of insult and mischaracterization of Tolkien (the first chapter reprints some of the fiercest critical comments by those who lack the imagination to see past the mundane in literature and who write "Lord of the Rings" off as a childish fantasy), and his study is an excellant overview of Professor Tolkien's life and works. Though Pearce's book can be read in a day, it has sufficient grounding and insight to explain why Middle-Earth is so full and satisfying when so many other very-well-thought-out subsequent fantasy worlds appear hollow. This book is must for Tolkien's fans and for anyone interested in the intertwining of faith and literature; and a quick, fun, and enlightening read for anyone interested in twentieth-century literature, who is undogmatic about what that literature must be. Those who brand religious faith (particularly Tolkien's devout Christianity) as irrelevant and/or literature as nothing more than a tool mirroring their own Nihilistic mindset will not understand this book at all. "The Lord of the Rings" will probably be read into the Fourth Millenium, and this fine study of its author dispenses with the patronizing and pseudo-Freudian claptrap that so often surrounds Tolkien and his sub-creation like a dreary fog, directing sunshine into areas many critics and academics wish were left foggy.

Reading The Water-Method Man is akin to watching a very early (pre-Annie Hall) woody Allen film. Funny, a bit outrageous for its time, and fascinating to compare to later (and better) works. The Water-Method Man is very much like Garp (30 year old man struggling with adulthood), and has a lot of similarity to Hotel New Hampshire (many quirky stories set in Vienna). It wouldn't take a rocket scientest to assume all of these novels have some basis in Irving's own experiences and psyche. The end product is a humorous yet superficial read. Folks expecting a rich, memorable story (as found in Owen Meany and Son of a Circus) should look elsewhere.

For those unfamiliar with John Irving novels, The Water-Method Man will appeal to men (it's a bit sexist but far from vulgar), and those who can remember the "free spirit" days of the late 60s/early 70s. John Irving fans, especially those with a soft spot for Garp, should definitely place this book on their must read list. I personally found it to be equal, if not better, than Garp in every way.

When i went through the reviews i could'nt help but notice that most reviewers compared 'The Water Method Man 'with other John Irving books and this book seems to come out poorer in comparison.Luckily(or unluckily) for me this novel was my first John Irving book and hence I enjoyed it thoroughly!I really enjoy and admire Irving's writing and his method of a story within a story('Akthelt and Gunnel'in case of this book)is a class act! Of course Irving's characters are extremely compelling and bizarre.The main protagonist Fred 'Bogus' Trumper is a guy you do not understand or even like,a perpetual graduate student who surprisingly abandons his wife and child and later on his girlfriend only to come back in the second case.However in all honesty Fred is not the only 'nutcase',there's his friend cum foe ,filmaker Ralph,his weird diabetic German friend Merrill to name only a few.However in spite of all Fred's shortcomings(and boy are there lots of them!)I still went on to really like him(must be something really wrong with me!)Ofcourse ironically Ralph's movie based on Fred's life gets loads of critical acclaim and funnily people think that the central character is fictional!I recommend this book and hope that people should read this book for itself and not compare it with other of the author's books.

It's interesting that I seem to be in the minority in considering this Irving's best work. By comparison, I feel that the more popular _Garp_ and _Owen Meany_ are overly contrived, needlessly wordy and take themselves too seriously--especially the latter. I would even describe _Owen Meany_ as self-important and pompous.

_The Water Method Man_, on the other hand, has all of John Irving's signature style--irony, wit, creativity, intriguing characters, eloquence, and bizarre events (the ones that are so highly improbable--yet you're forced to admit--while laughing til you cry--well, that COULD happen!)

Plus, it's endowed with a light touch, an easygoing feel, and a final realistic optimism--a sense of a profound potential for goodness in life despite all the pain and ridiculousness and humiliation that may come along. This isn't an uncommon theme for Irving but he achieves it here with the greatest clarity and simplicity.

I would recommend this over any of his other novels, particularly for a first-time reader of Irving. _Garp_ and others have many pleasures, but to me, _The Water Method Man_ is Irving's best.

This complex thriller offers one of the most heavily fleshed out characterizations in recent years; that may be the book's biggest drawback, however. The interesting premise of a Nazi "catcher" still on the prowl is fascinating, but at the same time, Katzenbach makes us plod through a lot of superfluous narrative, that overstates many of the characters' inner thoughts and slows the pace down a little too much.
Overall, though, characters like Simon Winter; Walter Robinson, and Espy Martinez, are glowing in their richness and intricacies. Even Leroy "F" Jackson, an ignoble druggie, turns makes an astounding turnaround in dealing with the horrifying murderer.
There are some riveting scenes, as well; early in the book, there's a scene where Sophie gets ready for bed, and it is laid out so slowly that it creates a tremendous aura of suspense, as you know the old lady is going to bite the bullet. Unfortunately, other lengthy scenes, don't quite have this edge.
The ending is quite well done, and it has one of those "ah no" endings.
All in all, despite is plodding pace, it's a very well written story.
RECOMMENDED.

Unlike some of the other reviews offered herein, I found this book quite refreshing. It offered a story that moved at a decent pace and offered some unlikely heroes. While this book isn't the best book I've read, it was quite compelling in its storyline. I found it immensely refreshing to find that the protagonists were not your everyday, run-of-the-mill "supermans". If you want to find a story that compels you to read further, yet without "suspending disbelief" too much, then this is the book to read. If you search for "the" book to define suspense fiction, maybe you should look elsewhere, however, if you want to find a diverting story, with nice balance, read this book! I'm going to read more from Katzenbach.

This is an excellent book of suspense and drama based on an interesting premise. For some, the war never ends and the hatred never diminishes. The joy of the hunt and the thrill of the kill must continue forever. Such is the mindset of the man known as The Shadow Man. For the elderly Jewish survivors who now live in Florida, their worst fears are realised as the horrors of their past come back to haunt them and, even worse, to kill them.

The Shadow Man was one of the people in Nazi Germany who was known as a catcher. A Jew who worked with the Gestapo identifying and flushing out Jewish citizens before sending them to the concentration camps. Seeing him and being seen by him was thought to be synonymous to death. Of all the catchers in Berlin, The Shadow Man was the most feared and most hated.

When one of the Miami Beach residents swears she has spotted The Shadow Man right there in the neighbourhood, the news is treated with some scepticism. But when the number of suspicious deaths begins to grow, the unthinkable possibility becomes more and more likely. The Miami police are up against a man who has had over 50 years experience. Okay, he may be a senior citizen now, but he's still very good at what he does and is just as determined as ever.

There are some remarkable characterisations in this story making it more than just a run of the mill suspense drama. From the suicidal ex-cop, Simon Winter, to prosecutor / avenger Espy Martinez and junkie Leroy Jefferson. All make vital contributions and at times provide some telling insights into what may motivate different people to act.

This is a fast paced thriller with a slightly skewed spin that manages to capture the attention from the opening page.