Thoroughly researched and detailed, Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" will satisfy even the most knowledgeable Beatle fan. This monster reference book provides the who, what, when, where and why of nearly every day in the life of the Beatles. Every concert, recording session, film and TV appearance is painstakingly noted and described. In many cases, Lewisohn provides exact times and lengths of recording sessions. This is great for those of us who just have to know exactly when and where our favorite Beatle songs were recorded! Only upon examining the Beatles' grueling schedule can one truly appreciate how diligently John, Paul, George and Ringo worked to attain their status as the world's premier rock band. Simply put, the Beatles' earned everything they got and Lewisohn, arguably the world's foremost Beatle authority, drives that point home in this remarkable document. In addition to the daily entries, the author also includes rare photos, notes, concert bills and recording session track sheets. The overall scope and magnitude of "Chronicle" is nothing short of staggering. No other book provides such an accurate and detailed account of the Beatles' daily routines. Hard-core fans have long respected the dedication of Mark Lewisohn and, once again, have been rewarded with a Beatle document unlike any other. Highly recommended.

this is the 3rd book on the beatles by mark lewisohn that i have gotten, & it is sort of a combination of the 1st 2, "the beatles live", & "the beatles recording sessions"(the 2nd book paul mccartney wrote the intro to because he admired the 1st book so much).i swear, i have been reading books on the beatles since they have been being written from 1964 on, & these books by mark lewisohn are really all you need - maybe include hunter davies "the beatles",1968. "the beatles live" was my favorite, it describes so well the early days of the group in liverpool & hamburg.
if you know a lot about the beatles but you havnt read any of lewisohns books yet, you will find SO much info you didnt know. he researched these books for years, was given access to everything at abbey road, every show they ever did from 1957 on that is possible to know anything about is chronicled. Lennon would have LOVED the "live" book, it brings to life so well those early days in hamburg that he loved to remember.I dont know what else to say, i cant recommend them enough. these books are the next best thing to having a new beatle album, which we know can never happen.

Why is this the "First Beatles Book One Should Read?" Simply put, Marc Lewisohn (an EMI records reseracher) volume is a true labor of love, but not a "tell-all" or a "I was John Lennon's mailman" rip off.

This is a true, scholarly effort. It is a day-by-day account of The Beatle's professional, not personal, affairs. More than just what they did where on an particular day, it shows how hectic their early days were, how incredibly frantic was the Beatlemania in Britian and the USA and their best work (from Revolver on) evolved in the studio.

The book is intelligently writtena nd produced. Each year is a separate chapter, starting first with an introduction which puts that year in perspective to the Beatle's career. What follows is a day by day retelling of every concert, recording sesson, Radio/TV appearance, etc. It's a great companion to Anthology (CDS and video) as you get an idea as to how certain events played how, how certain songs were recorded and again, how crazy the early 60's were for the Beatles.

If anyone wants to know the who, what, where and why (especially why the Beatles broke up as professional musicians) this book, which first appaeared in 1992 and is finally reprinted, is the one book to have. I've read it once and plan to go back again and again.

Cell phones have become an integral part of American (and increasingly the world) society. They are ubiquitous in the business world and day-to-day life activities. The authors discuss in detail the risks associated with cell phones, particularly those of the digital variety. They tell the all to common tale of industry PR "spin" vs. public safety and common sense. While it may not be correct to state that cell phones cause brain cancer, the preliminary indications and not heart warming.

Thus far clinical studies have shown:

1) Cell phone radiation penetrates deep into the developing brains of children.

2) Cell phone radiation results in chromosomal damage to blood exposed to wireless phone radio waves. There is a link between chromosome damage and brain cancer.

3) Cell phone radiation breaks down the blood brain barrier. Think of the blood brain barrier as an immune system for the brain. As it breaks down, other environmental toxins more easily enter the brain and cause damage.

4) A number of studies showed a statistically significant correlation between brain cancer deaths and cell phone use.

5) Cell phone radiation can cause pacemakers to malfunction is they (pacemakers) are not properly insulated from cell phones that are within 6 inches of the pacemaker.

The above are based on elaborate human, animal, and laboratory experiments that examine the effects of cell phone radiation. The experiments in the book focus primarily on cell phone use - when the phone is near the head. If cell phone radiation is able to penetrate the human skull, the effects may be even more dramatic on soft tissue such as reproductive organs that may be continuously exposed to radiation by a phone carried in a pants pocket.

Based on the scientific evidence in the book you should avoid using a cell phone or being around one to be perfectly safe. Since that is not likely, the following precautions can be taken:

1) Despite the aggressive marketing practices of the industry towards children, keep cell phones out of the hands of your kids, they are particularly susceptible to the radiation generated by cell phones.

2) Use a hands free model and keep the phone away from your body.

3) If you put the phone up to your ear, point the antenna away from you.

4) If you have one of those cool little phones with a built in antenna, the whole phone is an antenna and you are getting a heavier dose of radiation. GET A HEADSET OR A DIFFERENT PHONE.

5) A cell phone has to pump out more radiation when the signal strength is low, try not to use the phone unless the signal strength is near 100%.

Initial studies show a clear link between cell phone radiation (especially associated with digital phones) and adverse health effects. In the next 10 to 20 years the effects will become apparent with the general public serving as the test subjects. Tread carefully on those wireless stocks over the long term, and take precautions today so you don't become a statistic. Many thanks to Dr. Carlo and Martin Schram for timely well written book packed with critical info for all wireless customers.

Having worked with wireless technologies for over 30 years, I am an expert in the subject and can verify that the contents of this book are true and undisputable. If you use any form of wireless technology, especially cell phones, you must take the necessary precautions! One thing that the vast majority of people don't understand is that, when cell phones were analog, there was a greatly reduced risk of radiation danger. The reason - analog radio waves are found in nature, i.e. they are natural. The real risk and danger is that today, all cell phones being manufactured are digital and transmit digital signals which are never found in nature because they are man-made. This type of unnatural radiation going through the body is flat-out dangerous and a very high risk to your health. Want to know what's even more scary? There is really no way to protect yourself from the millions of digital wireless cell phone signals passing through your body every day. You are not protected in your home, your office, or even in a bunker. The only type of building that may be able to ward off these digital demons are totally metallic buildings because they tend to relect radio signals. Beware!

I would have to say this book gets all the facts about radiation. I reccommend anyone who has a cell phone or knows somebody that you love that uses a cell phone get this book. It is very useful and mind blowing. Cell phones can give you cancer and cause brain damage. Im not saying to throw away your cell phone now, because I still use mine with cell phone accessory that blocks 96% of radiation. I reccommed everybody get this accessory (...) and BUY THIS BOOK!!!

Martin Blumenson's has created a fascinating and surprisingly readable biography of the World War II hero, General George Patton. Blumenson has taken the General's diaries, personal and official letters and combined them with letters written to him and newspaper articles written about him. These are arranged in chronological order.

The period covered by this book was the most active of Patton's lifetime. In the last three years of his life, Patton had adventures enough for several lifetimes. After playing a major part in the conquest of North Africa, then Sicily, Patton was sidelined for nearly a year after the slapping incidents. During this time a disinformation campaign was put forth to convince the Nazis that Patton would command a non-existent army group that was to invade the south of France. A month after D Day Patton took command of the recently formed Third Army and drove across Europe, playing a pivotal role in the Battle of the Bulge.

In this book, Blumenson splices together the actual documents written by and about Patton as the actual events unfolded. Despite being an amalgamation of material from so many different sources, the book reads like a novel. Blumenson very rarely adds his own editorial commentary. This is done in a way that enhances the flow of the narrrative. My only complaint is that it frequently is difficult to determine where these asides begin and end. This readability is what makes the book great and unique. Having read many other biographies that over-analyze and inject the authors' personal opinion into the narrative it is refreshing to simply have the facts laid out in front of you.

Patton had an amusing tendency to give sarcastic nicknames to his rivals and adversaries. Omar Bradley is "the tentmaker," both for his Arab name and his tendency towards caution, Eisenhower is "divine destiny" for his political ambitions. General W. Bedell Smith, Eisenhower's hated chief of staff, is variously referred to as Beadle and Beetle. At the same time he is privately mocking these people, Patton takes great pains to praise and flatter them publicly. He even admits to himself in his diary that he is a shameless bootlicker and rear-end kisser when necessary. Patton justifies his actions because he feels he must be a sycophant to fulfill his destiny of leading men in battle. Patton even advises his son (who was a West Point Cadet at the time) that the way to advancement at the Academy is to seek out the Commandant and Superintendent and suck-up to them and their wives as much as possible.

I had low expectations for this book. Every other collection of the letters of famous men I have read has been interesting in spots but unreadable as a whole.Even the famous collected letters of Pliny the Younger are mostly dreary reports to the emperor and uninteresting notes to friends. For Blumenson to have created such an entertaining and informative document from similar material is a remarkable achievement.

I used this book while writing a paper for my Graduate level International Relations class. Although it is not considered a classic, it possess and delivers enormously relevant information regarding one of the greatest and most controversial master of war acknowledged in modern history. I commend this book as an pleasurable read, as well as an highly effective intellectual reference instrument.

Although a fan of General Patton, I hesitated to purchase this book. The title indicated a daunting book for reference only, rather than one for reading. But one shouldn't judge a book by its cover; I was wrong. "The Patton Papers" is surprisingly readable, and a must for anyone who would seek to understand this American hero. From diary entries to personal letters, Martin Blumenson weaves a fascinating story that makes one feel one is a part of the Seventh and Third Army staff! I recommend that you read a biography first ("Patton: A Genius for War" is excellent) so that you have an overview of Patton's life. A word of caution: reading this book will dampen your enthusiasm for the movie "Patton," as it makes clear the multitude of historical inaccuracies. A really great book!

Martin Goldsmith, a senior commentator for National Public Radio, paints a vivid and poignant story about his own mother and father in "The Inextinguishable Symphony." Goldsmith's parents, both German Jewish musicians, were forced to work in one of Germany's Judische Kulturbunds, which were really little more than forced Nazi propaganda. By creating the Kulturbunds, which only Jews could join and attend, the Nazis hoped to cover up their inhumane treatment of this ethnic group.

Both of Martin Goldsmith's parents were talented, highly trained musicians. His father, Gunther Goldschmidt, was the son of Alex Goldschmidt, a prosperous clothing store owner in Oldenburg, Germany and a World War I veteran. Gunther, a budding flutist, was eventually forced to leave music school simply because he was a Jew.

Goldsmith's mother, Rosemarie, was a violinist who had been trained by her own father, the director and owner of the Gumpert Conservatory of Music in Dusseldorf, Germany. Both Gunther and Rosemarie considered themselves Germans first and Jews second, and both were happy to be accepted into the Kulturbund...at first.

On 9. November 1938, the eve of the horrible "Kristallnacht," the Jewish community in Germany was forced to take another look at their comfortable Kulturbunds, for it is on that date that the Nazis chose to burn synagogues and Jewish places of business. When Alex Goldschmidt marched down the streets of Oldenburg with other young Jewish men in protest, he was rapidly taken to prison. The Nazis, however, attempted to "smooth things over" by telling the Jews they were only "protecting" them from other, angry German citizens.

In 1941, when the Nazis closed the Kulturbunds, Gunther and Rosemarie escaped to freedom in New York City. Other patrons and musicians, however, did not make it to safety. As a memorial plaque at one Kulterbund reads, "Almost all of those who worked here were murdered in concentration camps."

The Goldschmidts, now the Goldsmiths, eventually settled in Ohio where Martin Goldsmith was born in 1952. Although his father gave up music forever, his mother later became a member of the Cleveland Orchestra.

"The Inextinguishable Symphony" is a book about Nazi Germany that gives us another view of the era and of the Holocaust. Rather than focusing on the camps as excellent authors such as Elie Wiesel and Primo Levi have done, Goldsmith focuses on the plight of Jews who managed to remain out of the camps, yet lived very restricted lives.

This book is a fascinating account and one that is extremely well-written. I would recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in this period in world history.

National Public Radio listeners have known Martin Goldsmith for years as the friendly, reassuring voice of "Performance Today." Encyclopedically knowledgeable about classical (and rock) music, Goldsmith has a relaxed and comfortable on-air style that helps to make classical music more accessible to broad audiences. That same style is found in "The Inextinguishable Symphony," helping to make another complex subject - the Holocaust - more accessible to audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with it.

But this isn't just "another book about the Holocaust." Nor is it about tragically anonymous victims. It is instead about Goldsmith's parents - Gunther, a flutist, and Rosemarie, a violist - who meet and charmingly fall in love in Nazi Germany in the '30s, as well as about Grandfather Alex and Uncle Helmut and other family members and friends, each of whom Goldsmith makes real and sympathetic through his rich, exquisitely detailed, and heartbreakingly honest narrative. These are people that the reader comes to care about deeply, and we celebrate - and in some cases grieve - their fates. Goldsmith is a helluva storyteller.

But the book is also not just a love story (Gunther literally does risk his life for his young sweetheart) or merely an author's purely personal journey in search of his own roots. Through the vehicle of his remarkable parents' own individual stories, Goldsmith explores the only-dimly known, but fascinating, story of the Judische Kulturbund - the Jewish Culture Association - to which Jewish musicians, actors, and others were artistically exiled in Nazi Germany. Goldsmith reveals much about this controversial and complicated organization which, although the only source of culture for German Jews, knowingly served the Nazis' propaganda purposes. The reader marvels at how much the "Kubu" was able to accomplish under such hateful conditions, but is also forced to ask, "What would I have done in these circumstances? Would I have risked my life just to make music?"

This is a troubling, but ultimately triumphant, book about real people trying to live their lives, their love, and their music in unthinkable times. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in music, in the Holocaust, in cultural history, or simply in a good love story well told. Bravo, Gunther and Rosemarie and Martin Goldsmith!

From the first few pages of Martin Goldsmith's brilliant novel, I could not put it down. This book is a highly detailed, fascinating account of a little known piece of history. Although everyone is familiar with the attrocities of the holocaust, the author offers up a haunting account of the events from a cultural perspective, a truly personal account revolving around his own parents lives and how they were able to survive Nazi Germany. I had studied the holocaust in history classes in high school, but none came close to Goldsmith's painstakingly thorough account of the rise of national Socialism in Germany in the 1920's and 30's. Written simply and in a matter-of-fact style, the author pulls no punches and offers the reader a truly engaging study of the events leading up to WWII. But at the same time, the reader is also drawn in by the powerful bond between his mother and father and their love for the beautiful music which they had grown up with. I'm no musician, but was certainly fascinated to learn of all the wonderful Jewish contributions to our world culture. And although I certainly am quite removed from all events of the holocaust, I have never been so emotionally moved by a story before. This is a beautiful book and a must read for everyone.

Citizen Washington is not your typical historical novel. While it is held together by a single voice, it is broken up into many short perspectives that lend the story of George Washington a varied examination. At first I found this inconvenient, but once I got to know the people speaking, I welcomed them again and again as they returned to add their view of an event. The story is told without sentimentality or heroics. In fact, the battles fought (or retreated from) are described very simply and directly. It's been a long time since I studied American history, so it was refeshing to read how the Revolution was fought and won from a "novel" point of view. Citizen Washington is definitely worth a read. I found the Federalist vs. Republican debate especially helful, told, as it is, from characters near the debate.

This is an excellent historical novel about George Washington. The novel presents Washington through the eyes of many of the people who knew him, including his wife and his slaves as well as the other great men of the day. It is a good approach for describing a very complex man with many sides.

The book focuses primarily on Washington's life up until the time he became President. The book does cover his entire life, but his years as President are skimpy by comparison to the rest of his life. The author's interest is more on who Washington was as a man than on his public accomplishments. Focusing on his formative years provides more insight into his character.

Nevertheless, the novel demonstrates the truly great accomplishments Washington made to American history. Without Washington, we would not have won the Revolutionary War: he provided the military strategy, the determination, and the leadership needed to win. Without Washington, we would not have become a country: he provided the leadership the 13 colonies needed to come together as a union. Without Washington, we would not have become a democracy: he resisted efforts to anoint him king, and he voluntarily relinquished power--first as commanding general who won the War of Independence, and later as the nation's first President.

Washington was an admirable person, and deserves the adulation the nation gave him then and since. But of course he had his flaws, and Citizen Washington conveys them, particularly via the characters in the novel who did not idolize him. Such was Washington's force of personality, though, that even his detractors were in awe of him.

This novel is particularly valuable as an adjunct to a nonfiction account of Washington's life, the best of which is James Thomas Flexner's Washington: The Indispensable Man.

This novel was one of the most informative books I have ever read. Not only did we get a run-down on the usual suspects of the era, Jefferson, Adams, and Washington, but the insight gained on the characters which history misses sometimes, like Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox and Martha Washington made the book very hard to put down. The way Martin intermingles fictional and non-fictional characters is a work of genius. This novel is a fast-paced, fast-reading tale which NEVER bogs the reader down with an endless string of statistics and facts. The story is always the most important part of the book, and Martin hit a home run spinning this tale. I would recommend this novel, obviously to any Martin fans, but also to anyone who has wondered what historical fiction is like. I can not wait for his next novel!!!!

I first read "We Don't Die" several years ago after a close friend had passed away and a co-worker recommended I read George Anderson's story. I thought I knew how to grieve, as I had lost several family members and friends over the previous few years. I was overwhelmed. As soon as I finished the first book, I read "We Are Not Forgotten". His communications are truly healing, even for those who have not had the fortune of meeting with him. Reading his books reassure us that dying is not the end and that loved ones are not forever gone. And for those people who don't particularly enjoy reading, let them know that his books are very simple and extremely fast reading. This should not be missed.

All the books by and about George Anderson are excellent and MUST READS for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one. To be read with an open mind, - but in my case,(a former MAJOR skeptic) I literally began calling some of the people in the book and others that had met with him and was assured by ALL of them that the readings in the books were accurately reproduced. One suggestion - read "WE DON'T DIE" first, then "WE ARE NOT FORGOTTEN." "OUR CHILDREN FOREVER" is also excellent, and "LESSONS FROM THE LIGHT" is worth reading as well. Read the books & do your own research about George- he's been put to the test on TV (Donahue;Unsolved Mysteries/48 Hours) and they are worth having on tape.The readings in the books are very impressive, loaded with details he could not possibly have about strangers- it's easy to be skeptical and believe only what you can sense yourself. But George (who was close to death himself as a child)proves there is something MORE. And IF he were a "Con"- he wouldn't still be doing this at such high demand after 19 yrs. Read. Take comfort. Research it yourself. Speak to those who have spoken to him. "We are not Forgotten" includes the story of David Elliott's father's reading (he was also interviewed later on TV).This was a skeptical man who began his journey to George thru the "We Don't Die" book. THEY SAY ONLY DEATH & TAXES ARE CERTAIN. WRONG. Some people may cheat on their taxes, but none of us can cheat death.And until it affects us, we forget how many people are in pain everyday from grief.It doesn't end at the funeral, AND it does NOT end 2 weeks (or months) later either.Grief can last months, years, or a lifetime when you lose a loved one. If you have lost a loved one and are feeling the pain of the loss - read the books about George Anderson.They are worth reading AND re-reading!!! Open your mind and your heart. When you lose someone you love sometimes faith is not enough; proof is needed that your loved one is alright and George Anderson's books and readings help provide that. Excellent.

George Anderson's books were a life saver for me and my family. After the unexpected death of my brother last year, these books helped us through the grieving process. The information offered so much hope and ultimately strengthened our spirituality. Joel Martin did such a wonderful job of proving George's credibility in George's first book, "We Don't Die", that we were compelled to read all his others. I highly reccommend these TREASURES to anyone who lost a loved one or who just needs to know more about life after life. I am eternally grateful to people like George Anderson. Not only has his gift helped so many people, but George's pure goodness shows through in his work. Because of George, I now know that my wonderful brother will live on forever, watching over us.

Only if you really know your New York sports would you realize that Marty Appel's in a much more unique position to write a tell-all book about the 1970s Yankees than many other athletes. During his progression over 10 years from Yankees' fan-mail gopher during the Horace Clarke years, to PR director during the 1976 World Series, Appel had once-in-a-lifetime encounters (with the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Mike Burke, Gabe Paul, George Steinbrenner and ... Oscar Gamble) every single day.

"Now Pitching...", finally out in paperback, shows Appel's origins as a Yankees fan when everyone else was rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and how he turned his love for the game into a career (when everyone else was watching the NFL). Most of the book covers the Yankees from 1968 to 1976, Appel's reign. Although many of the stories are familiar to baseball readers from what seems like 100 other books, only Appel is giving you the inside view. Nowhere else will you get such insider detail about Oscar Gamble's infamous haircut, Sparky Lyle's theme music, or George Steinbrenner's management style.

The book flags a little -- only a little -- when Appel leaves the Yankees and makes his mark in other ventures, such as team tennis and local NYC broadcasting. The most interesting part focusses on Appel's brief fish-out-of-water turn with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics organizers.

Marty Appel's been a very lucky guy -- who else gets to be friends with both Mickey Mantle and Billie Jean King? "Now Pitching for the Yankees" is several cuts above your standard baseball autobiography.

When I bought this book I thought I was in for just a number of inside stories on the Yankees. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the ups and downs of the career of Marty Appel. True, much of the book covers his years with the Yankees as their PR director during the 1970's. He was there for the years when the Yankees played in Shea Stadium in 1974 and 1975 and during the time big trades were made involving Bobby Bonds, Mickey Rivers, and Willie Randolph in addition to the signing of Catfish Hunter. He enjoyed working with George Steinbrenner but did have one particular low moment with George following the publication of a Yankee yearbook which contained photos of players with hair longer than what suited the Boss. Marty took a chance one day to ask clubhouse attendant Pete Sheehy to tell him all about the Babe and Pete provided a revealing secret in four words. After leaving the Yankees with Joe Garagiola Jr. Marty worked at a number of baseball related jobs, some of which proved to be more rewarding than others. One of those jobs was with Topps Chewing Gum, and I believe I found a mistake on pages 294-295 where Marty states that Topps began issuing trading cards in 1950 with All-American football players before they did baseball cards. The All-American football cards he refers to were issued in 1955. Topps first issue of baseball cards came in 1951 with the Topps Red Backs and Topps Blue Backs which were cards designed to be used as a baseball game. The low point was his move to Atlanta to work with the Olympic games that were going to be held there. This move proved to be a mistake, but it was a risk that he took. Interesting advice is given to young readers to never take anything for granted, be a good listener, read everything you can, and respect those you deal with. Marty Appel hit a grand slam home run with this book just as he did with an earlier effort on Michael Kelly entitled Slide, Kelly, Slide and in working with Bowie Kuhn on his book entitled Hardball. His latest effort, Now Pitching for the Yankees,is another first rate job.

Oddly enough, the year's best "New York baseball book" is one that you might not have seen: Now Pitching for the Yankees, by Marty Appel. Appel, who spent most of the 1970s working for the Yankees, is a fine writer, a wonderful storyteller, and doesn't shy away from revealing something about himself. The sections of the book concerning his brief periods of non-baseball employment didn't particularly interest me, but the great majority of the book is about Appel's positions in the Yankees PR department and with WPIX-TV, which broadcast Yankees games. Appel clearly adored Phil Rizzuto, then one of the Yankee broadcasters, but that doesn't mean he can't be honest about the Scooter ...

"Phil always did play-by-play, never color. If he was the color commentator, you might as well not have him there at all. His concentration would be gone, he would be saying hello to everyone walking by the broadcast booth, he would be running out for cannolis, and he couldn't add much about the players because he didn't really know them ..."

The problem with most baseball books is that they're written by people who don't write particularly well. But this is Appel's 16th book, and he knows what he's doing. If you want to know what the Yankees were like before (and during) Billy Martin's various turns at the helm, Now Pitching for the Yankees just might be the best place to start. By ROB NEYER

I waited two long years for this book to roll into my favorite used sci-fi and horror bookstore. The day it came I raced home and read it until I was finished. It is a well crafted story. This book takes place on a boat on the Mississippi river--prehaps an unexpected place for a vampire tale. The characters a fueding an almost good against evil--it works wonderfully in this story. The characters in this novel are well constructed and enjoyable to get to know. The plot is well defined, complex, and detailed. All I can say is that this is a great story. I urge anyone to try to get a copy if they can. I often feel like so many times like Fevre Dream was unfairly put out of print. If you can find it, I hope you enjoy!!

This unique novel is definitely one of the best I've ever read. It's a completely different take on the legend of vampires. Martin's vampires are not undead humans, but rather the remains of an ancient warrior species similar to, but, in some ways different from, man. His vampires don't sleep in coffins, nor are they vulnerable to things like garlic and holy water. They are, however, light sensitive, and, most importantly of all, they have a thirst for blood. It's the struggle of one of these vampires to lift the curse of that thirst that drives the story. "Fevre Dream", though, isn't really about vampires, it's about the struggle for acceptance, and, most of all, friendship. It's the friendship between the crusading vampire and an old Mississippi riverboat captain named Abner Marsh that is the center of this fast-moving tale. Martin creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere throughout, with his story racing through a background of life on the Mississippi river in the 19th Century. The author keeps us interested throughout with a series of twists and turns that throw our two friends together, tear them apart, then toss them together again as they join the struggle to end the thirst and bring vampires as much into the human world as possible. And, the last few pages are simply some of the most touching prose I've ever read. A super read. If you can get a copy, do so, though I'm certainly not giving up mine. Oh, and I e-mailed the author a few years ago to complement him on this work. I was shocked that he wrote me back and said that he's been considering a sequel to "Fevre Dream". We'll have to wait, though, as he mentioned that he would be tied up with a fantasy series, which turned out to be the excellent "Song Of Fire And Ice." We'll wait, George, and thanks.

While the aforementioned Buffy has a vein of humor running through it, *Fevre Dream* is a more serious story. But don't let that keep you from reading this book!

I have to admit, I struggled through the first three or four chapters, and it was kind of touch and go for awhile after that as to whether I would or wouldn't like it. (Once I start a story, I try to finish it no matter what, good, bad, or indifferent.) But I pressed on, and by about the tenth chapter, I was hooked.

What hooked me was the 1850s U.S. riverboat milieu which Martin so deftly draws you into (I felt as if I were actually there, plying the Mississippi!); the characters, from the gruff, courageous Cap'n Abner Marsh, to quiet, anguished Joshua York, to loyal Toby the cook, a black man given his freedom by Cap'n Marsh when he agreed to be his cook; and one of the most original plots I've come across in speculative fiction. I mean, who would've thought to put vampires on a U.S. riverboat, plus give a different, interesting twist to the vampire mythos?

A small caution: There is some foul language in the book, plus use of the "n" word, which some might find offensive. However, I think it was realistic to the time and place, plus the language came from characters where it made sense, so I came to accept it.

I picked this up at the library, and it took me the full 4 weeks to finish it. With the great descriptions, finely-etched characters, and a unique plot, I'm glad I stuck it out.

I first read 'Sandkings' in the annual Best of SF edition of OMNI magazine when I was in 8th grade oh so many years ago... I am STILL in awe of this story. When I saw the book at a store several years ago I figured maybe George had taken his amazing short-story and lengthened it to novel-size...or had simply written a sequel or well I didn't really care as long as it was built upon the best short-story I had ever read. I am sorry to say that it was just a collection of short stories

with 'Sandkings' being one OF them. This in NO WAY dimishes how utterly original this story is, though. I'm telling you the last written line of 'Sandkings' is worth the price of the book alone...but please, please do NOT spoil the surprise by skipping ahead and doing so. The main character is flawed in that he loves to be sadistic with these tiny adaptable creatures that learn to revere him as deity. But what happens along the way is horrific...and amazing. Spend an hour or two and read this short story and get to know one of the best novelists of the past 20 years. George R.R. Martin is fast becoming one of THE prominant names in the fantasy field (just check out his 'Song of Ice & Fire' series beginning with 'A Game of Thrones') but he was first a sci-fi author...he's not just good at both, he's fantastic...

So, I was a young man sitting in a movie theatre waiting for "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (with Donald Sutherland) to begin. I happened to overhear two people raving about this story they had read in Omni magazine called "Sandkings." I was so impressed by their reaction to the story that I made a mental note to seek it out myself.

A few months later, I found the back issue of Omni magazine and rushed home to read it. After assimilating the last glorious line of "Sandkings," I decided right then and there that it was my favorite short story of all time.

Nearly twenty years later, it remains my favorite short story.

Admittedly, I'm more of a horror fan than sci fi or fantasy fan, so Sandkings is closer to my heart that his other works. However, if sci fi and fantasy is YOUR cup of tea, you'll also enjoy the other very well written stories in this collection (including "Way of Cross and Dragon" and "In the House of the Worm.")

But I can honestly say that "Sandkings" is worth the price of admission alone. It's a true modern masterpiece.

I wish i had some pet sandkings! But since i dont i am glad to have this book. The title story is the best of the 6 and is worth the price alone. The other stories i found to be very good were "Star Lady" and "Bitterblooms". Sandkings is really a moral based story on what power can do to people. Martin Uses the metaphor of a man who is a deity to some insects.... but trust me they are MUCH MUCH more than just insects...

Bitterblooms was a cool little story with Vampires, a Girl Trying to get through the dark woods, and a mysterious house in the middle of nowhere....

Star Lady is basically the story of a girl and an alien boy with golden skin who land on a planet and are made slaves by a pimp. its got a really cool ending...

Buy this book if you can find it in a used book store.

I've read literally thousands of science fiction novels in the last 35 years (all the masters back to the very beginning), and Tuf Voyaging rates as one of the top five science fiction novels of all time. When it comes to a plot and ideas that that stick with you, it rates number one. I've waited in vain for a sequel or a film or a television dramatization. Tuf Voyaging tells the story of a highly moral man gifted with virtually absolute power. I read it every few years and continue to flip flop about the rightness and wrongness of his final acts. Was Tuf corrupted, or was he indeed uncorruptible? In the end, was he a man, or was he a god? It's that good. It doesn't let you go. The book touches on issues humanity faces everyday, issues that are becoming increasingly more urgent: populations outstripping food sources, species extinctions, short term political thinking, cruelty, abuses of power, etc. I keep two, very much read and battered copies of the book, one for myself and one to lend to others. This is the book that sent me in search of everything else George R. R. Martin has ever written. While his writing is always excellent, Tuf Voyaging is his greatest masterpiece. The book creates a variety of emotions in the reader, amusement (it has wonderfully humorous sections), anticipation, dread, exhilaration, and uncertainty. Once again, it's unforgettable and has been responsible for single handedly hooking several young people I know on science fiction. If you haven't read it, track it down and do so. If you have read it, read it again and see if your opinions have changed. If you have any influence on the author, demand the character return in another book!

I'm shaking my head wishing I had taken better care of my Tuf Voyaging. This is science fiction the way I like it: an interesting character, unusual situations, clever writing. No techno-babble, no first of a 4-part "saga" or "cycle" or whatever, no pseudoscientific straining to make us believe the science. Good storytelling, episodic self-contained tales, a fun read. Only Zelazny's Lord of Light comes to my mind as a book I'd reread in parts again and again. Or would reread if I still had my copy.

I first read this book on holiday in 1989, I put it away on the bookshelf and take it down every couple of years and read it again. All I really wonder is what happened to the second promised Haviland Tuf book, it mentions George R R martin is working onit on the jacket of my book. Well worth a read Steve