Bikers from all walks of life, professional and blue collar,
articulate their "wisdom for the ride", accompanied by some great
pictures. All this in an elegantly designed package small
enough to put in your pocket or saddle bags. A timeless "big"
little book that really gives you your moneys' worth. 'Two
thumbs up, way up"

I was just a kid when I was sitting on the back of a bike and holding on for dear life. My arms around these two wide shoulders holding on with a vice like grip. I trusted my father and I knew he would never put me in danger. I remember the sound of the engine and the wind as we broke through some kind of a sound barrier or something. The sharp turns that we didn't slow down for and for sure I was going to fall off.The sounds and the screaming of the wind were a memory I grew up with.I didn't realize it then but it was the most exhilarating memory of my life.
It all came back as I breezed through my new copy of The Biker Code. Was it the fear of getting on the bike or was it just something that I just never got around to doing?
Every page brought me closer to that memory so very long ago. Did I just see my old man on one of the bikes or was I just looking for him? Why did I run away from it? Is it not to late? My God, how I just love all of those free spirited souls on every page. Is it not too late to go back to those memories?
A great book. An emotional journey. Maybe a dream that can be lived again.

This book changed the way I drive around bikers...because I didn't really understand their vulnerability, AND because I didn't appreciate their strengths. This book shows a side of bikers that non-bikers (like myself) need to see. It is both beautiful and moving.

Being of Norse ancestry and having a penchant for sword novels, I was drawn to this book. I wasn't disappointed. The old Norse Saga genre is usually weighed down by a lot of details and side stories. But after a brief saga like introduction to lay the ground work, this book moves quickly to set the stage for action and adventure. The story is realistic and seems almost historical. The characters develop within a geographic, social, political and economic landscape that spans two continents and two different worlds. Their stark environment, ancient traditions and complcated blood ties drive them toward mystery. Legend, fate and superstition guide them from their known world to the new world of the Skraelings. Here they must survive by their wits, their skills and their valor for there is no turning back.

Author Stuart Mirsky writes that he hopes "Blood of the North" will appeal to those readers "with a yearning for risk-taking, or who just love a little adventure set in a by-gone world."
He's much too modest, at least according to this reader, who
found it GREAT adventure, with fascinating insights into the culture of a long-lost age and characters who come alive page after page. If you long for a read guaranteed to divert you from the ills of 2002, look no farther.

Mr. Mirsky read my reviews of several other historical books and emailed me to see if I would read his book. I was honored by his request and happy to do so for I really like historical fiction.

This book is written with total integrity of tone and style of communication. It is stark and very straight forward which I appreciated for the author did not spoil the saga with modern styles of speech or cant. Neither does he get trite or phony as he describes events of that time and place for which he deserves many accolades in my opinion.

I enjoyed learning about the little known geography of Greenland and its inhabitants and their greedy territorality which is a powerful force in this saga. Sigtrygg, the "hero" is a descendant of Leif Eiriksson. He has to endure one impossible task after another to win his true inheritance which was stolen from his father, Thorgils, and himself by other Leifssons in Greenland. Sigtrygg faces rejection by his kinsmen because he is the illegitimate son of an illegitimate son of Leif Eiriksson from a summer encounter with a woman from the Hebrides. Thorgils finds himself unable to live the life of a farmer in Greenland, and instead spends his life roaming the ice and hunting for his livelihood as well as fathering a son with a native woman. Sigtrygg, is both sympathetic, mule headed, heroic and definitely a leader of men. Poor guy, if only he could overcome his appalling bad luck.

This fascinating story centers around Sigtrygg's conquest of a far distant island called Vinland originally discovered by Leif Eirickson. He trades Thorgil's farm with his greedy kinsmen for Vinland which is held in little value by the other Leifssons. Upon arrival Sigtrygg finds that he and his companions must engage the support of one group of natives in order to live there compatibly. However, during the course of his effort he is forced to battle with the native king of Vinland who is a vicious warrior and slaver. When he returns to Leif Eiricksson's houses on the coast of Vinland he discovers that he has been invaded by the arrival of his "kin" bent on retribution for alleged grievances over his departure from Greenland who are there to settle accounts according to their wishes and to take away his ship and to harvest riches from the land, as well as to claim his property and homes there for themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found the old viking Vragi to be one of the most fascinating and enigmatic characters of the story. The author has a fine way of making one care about his characters which is a real treat for the reader.

...I read this book at the perfect time. It deals with alcoholism, death, spirituality, love, and the finding of one's purpose in this big scary world. It's cinematic, it's deep, it's lovely. Holy moly it's good. And it's not just the mian character who is finding spirituality at the end of his life, Stuart Brown poured himself into Dangerous Parking as his final act in this life. It's way too bad that he won't be writing great books for years to come.

I read this book on a family holiday in Santorini, Greece. Now, of course I know holiday reading should consist of a diet of Jackie Collins set against the gentle sound of the surf and the clink of ice in one's glass of Ouzo...and for me this holiday was meant to be a break from a stressful time. So, obviously, pick a book about an alcoholic with cancer, eh? But Stuart Browne's brilliant novel sucked me in from the beginning. I found the scenes in which he described his pain and cancer almost too real to bear, but knowing they were real for him made me feel I couldn't cop out and put the book down. I ended the book feeling as if I knew and loved him. Jackie Collins it wasn't...thank God. And thank you, Stuart, for your honesty and generosity.

Actually I bought this book accidentally. I am glad I did. When you start reading 'dangerous parking' you will not be able to stop. It's thrilling, funny, sad, creative, realistic, fantastic, strong, and much more. You will live with the main character, you'll feel with him, and for him. From time to time I just closed my eyes and let the picture flow. Great! Many thanks to Stuart Browne. To everybody: read this book!

Stuart Perrin has devoted his life to teaching people "how to use the stress and tension of everyday living and transform it into a life-giving spiritual force." A Deeper Surrender, his fifth book, details his personal transformational experiences and provides guidance to others seeking spiritual enlightenment.

Many people think they are ready for spiritual growth, but few are prepared to do the inner work necessary to achieve it, according to Perrin. He feels that regular meditation is essential, and explains how the energy generated by meditation can be used to activate life-giving forces.

Perrin emphasizes that "a spiritual life denies us nothing, not family, friendships, business, leisure, success, nor any other of life's abundant treasures. It just gives it all perspective." Living a spiritual life, however, is for many a step into the unknown, and he discusses the fears that can keep people from taking that step.

He learned how to overcome his own fears and hesitations from Swami Rudrananda (Rudi) and has continued teaching those lessons to his own students. Perrin says that everyone needs a teacher, but that a teacher or guru is just that, not someone to be worshiped. True to ancient wisdom, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

Perrin defines surrender as "a state of openness that carries us from moment to moment in life that allows us to let go of attachments and evolve to higher states of consciousness." He makes a clear distinction between rejection and surrender. Surrender has nothing to do with walking away from the responsibilities of daily life.

Perrin's teachings are based on several themes, including "total surrender to God, the development of the chakra system and awakening of the kundalini force," and transformation. A Deeper Surrender provides guidance needed for those desiring to lead a more spiritual life based on these themes.

This book opens the door of daily life to spirituality in a simple way that shows how living every day can become a spiritual experience, no matter where you are or what you do. Reading it was like learning something I already knew deep inside, an expression of Truth. For those who want to work on themselves, who strive for more out of life than the daily grind, and who want to learn how to grow spiritually while living a full and rich life in the Western world, this book can change the way you see yourself and the world around you.

Reading this book is like peeling an onion.....a very interesting onion at that. This book discusses meditation in a practical, down to earth and juicy way -- and it is the first book I have underlined in for a long time! It is easy to read and yet tells it like it is in strong language. Stuart Perrin has obviously done his work, comes from a deep heart space, and yet shares with us in a "no holds barred" kind of way. Whenever I read from it (and I read both whole chapters and "open it to any page" type of reading), I feel inspired to work on my spiritual life without feeling overwhelmed. I would recommend this to any student of meditation -- both curious beginner or serious student. I have bought several for gifts for a broad range of people.

A Fine and Private War is a full out action/adventure story in which a group of middle-aged corporate heads and their equally able wives are threatened by Jinnah, an international terrorist who has kidnaped and mutilated one of their grandchildren . Pay him 'One Billion Dollars' within six months, and hand over their jointly owned yacht Seafire, a former navy destroyer, or their loved ones will be killed.
Led by George Holbrook, a test pilot and former navy flyer, the group pretends to give into Jinnah's demands while secretly plotting to fight the terrorist. And as if things weren't already exciting enough, the U.S. Coast Guard believing the Seafire is smuggling weapons fires upon the ship as it sails from Boston harbor to a show-down with Jinnah half way around the world. Great plot with lots of twists and turns.

EXCELLENT book! A great read!! This is right up there alongside Tom Clancy, R.J. Pineiro, and David Hagberg. If this is Van Tine's first novel, I can hardly wait for the next ones, as they can only get even better. If you like a good techno-thriller, this is the one for you.

I couldn't put it down. Stuart M. Van Tine obviously has lived at least part of this story himself. A former "blackshoe" destroyer sailor, he remembers the fine details of the ship and life at sea which add immeasurably to the story. The technology is believable, and either real or just over the horizon, and he makes it come alive. The same is true of his characters. This is simply an outstanding first novel. There clearly is room in the plot for a continuing series of books, and I hope he writes them!

I first read Hie to the Hunters as a young boy. I still read it every other year or so. This is a young person's book with many adult lessons. Sparkie is a 16 year-old, tobacco chewin', fox huntin', overgrown teenager from the hills of Kentucky. He rescues Did Hargis from two bullies who are using him for a punching bag, and takes him home to the hills. Did is a soft city-slicker kid who is the resident poster boy of the local school. When Did first meets Sparkie's father "Peg" and mother "Arn" he is amused at their homey mannerisms and country ways. But Did soon learns that all knowledge is not found in books. He learns from his new family more than he had ever learned from his own father who operates the local hardware store. He even learns to sleep in the barn's hay loft with a hound dog or two for a blanket. Sparkie and Did coon hunt, fox hunt, and run a trap-line together. At first Did is all thumbs, but he soon learns the tricks of being a mountain-man and fits right in.

Meanwhile, a feud is brewing between the fox-hunters and the tobacco-growers. The tobacco-growers blame the fox-hunters for letting their hounds run through their tobacco and so they set out poison in the tobacco fields. In retaliation, tobacco barns start going up in flames one by one. Also, Did's dad isn't too happy about his leaving home to live among these "backward hillbillies" and gets the sheriff and town locals after Sparkie's folks. Did wants to stay, and the result is a cornfield fight between the mountain people and the city people. The mountain folk are at the annual corn-shuckin' when trouble breaks out. Did has just found a red ear (and thereby earned a kiss from his girl) when his dad and half the town come over the hill. Corn-stalks, fists, and insults are flying all around that night, but the issue still isn't settled.

There's much more to read about in this warm, moving, fictional account of two boys from different worlds learning how to be men together. The language in the book reminds one of the movie Sergeant York. If this all sounds interesting, believe me, this book is fun, action-packed, and moving. I recommend it to anyone who longs for simpler days and true family values. Hie to the Hunters is a classic.

--Note: Update of earlier posting

I read this book as a teen and have never forgotten it! It is probably the best book I have ever read and I recommend it highly to readers of all types of books. They won't be disappointed. However, they may cry! I know I did.

this is one of the first books I read when I started reading adult fiction and even at 37 I enjoy reading this great human life like book

Stuart Sutherland neatly skewers all those pieces of human behaviour that have driven you mad because you couldn't understand how humans could ever act like that, with a simple understandable explanation; They aren't rational.

This sounds like a truisim, and it is. But critically, it's the insight that irrationality is itself a specific form of human behaviour, that is entertaining, revealing and I would even say liberating in its effect.

For example; YOU think that by reading this review you are going through a rational process at the end of which you will make a considered decision on buying the book. In fact, you've decided already. What you're really doing here is justifying that decision.

I bought 30 copies of this book in 1994 and gave a copy to every member of the marketing department. Now I want to buy more, but my advocacy can't stretch to US$40 a copy for hardback. Please mr publisher, do another run of paperback!

Sutherland's book became a constant companion for me the week it arrived. I began reading it at work during lunch, and found myself quickly drawn into...better said, hopelessly slipping into a vigorous head nod and agreeing with this author's purpose and insights. He clearly says his purpose is to demonstrate that people are very much less rational than is commonly thought of and to set out systemmatically the many reasons this is so. Nobody is exempt (p. 3) The convincing magnetism for me was the undeniable brute reality of the arguments, which I could easily spot as I went through my work day with my colleagues. The chapters on obedience, conformity, and in and out groups directly helped me appreciate more the struggles that I see my Japanese colleagues and students have, as well as internationals living and working in Japan experience. His book helped me accept and avoid some conflicts with some "leaders" by providing me with the poignant irrational category. Otherwise I would have used a different language set to describe their "irrationality". I enjoyed this book through and through. He covers all of the bases...and I do mean all from historical, medical, military, education, finances, with great studies and nicely illustrated stories. The transitions from chapter to chapter, and the pithy summaries at the end of each chapter makes the reading flow. It is a book that definitely provided some great coffee break material at work as well a lot of laughs at home. Still the benefits are to be seen in my personal reflection and application to my own thinking. This report suffers from the halo effect Sutherland describes. His one chapter at the end on the "Causes, Cures and Costs" did leave me wanting more as I felt the curtain was drawn too quickly. But I was not negative because I felt I had got my monies worth from many of the preceding chapters. This is the first book I have read by Sutherland. He is a great writer and I am looking forward to getting into some of his other works. His book is not a formal treatise in logic that one would get from an expert like Copi, or Kahneman. Indeed some research indicates that even with formal training, there is little improvement in our reasoning skills. Nevertheless, Sutherland provides us with a conscious raising book that is sufficient to keep us all humble and honest. Thank you Dr. Sutherland for the tips of how I can make my world a the work world I live in a bit more tolerable with a smile. I hope the book is in line for a second edition.

We seem to be surrounded by bad decision making on all levels...from 'road rage' on our highways, to the city council, from the school board to the boardrooms of America. When your fellow man's 'logic' seems to defy reason, turn to Stuart Sutherland for solice, explanation, better decision making strategies...and good hearty laughter. You'll see yourself, your family, friends and co-workers brilliantly described...for better or worse. Best of all, the author gives really rather simple ways to improve our thinking on a daily basis, and helps to understand others who aren't thinking clearly.

Easy to read and to learn basics of estate planning. Particularly liked the graphical examples showing the flow of money with different type of trusts used. I have read other estate planning books, and the graphical method was the easiest to grasp versus just written text examples (the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"). Great book to learn the basics.

Though I had the honor of reviewing this book before it was published, I can say it is an outstanding resource for those looking toward retirement and estate planning. Stewart Welch takes a complicated and very important subject and boils it down into understandable bites of information. The book provides the reader with explanations of various estate planning and retirement planning ideas, analyzes the applicability to the individual situation and leaves the reader with sufficient information to make an informed decision. Congratulations Stewart.

Outstanding information that gives just enough detail to guide you through each of the "tools" that can be used for estate planning, without boring you to death with examples. You won't learn the exact how-to details, but the author suggests how to take the next steps, whether it be wills, trusts, or more elaborate schemes such as off-shore accounts. See NoLo Press for cheap do-it-yourself will and trust software.

This books has it all. Southern atmosphere, a dysfunctional family, lots of secrets... Oh, yeah, and a hero suspected of being an insane killer. Now is that Gothic or what?

One thing that makes this stand apart from many of the old Gothics is that the heroine is strong. She has to be to put up with this family. Also, there are sensual love scenes.

My only regret was that this wasn't one of Anne Stuart's longer romances. The mystery would have been even stronger then.

I gave this a B+ review at All About Romance.

Peter Jaffrey is a hunk. But, he's also a killer; isn't he? Margaret is destitute, and worried about her daughter; before, she is even willing to meet her dead husband's family. One day in the home of this family, and you understand that Margaret might be better off worried about destitution! Add to the mystery, a masquerade, Mardi Gras, a family mansion, weird relatives; you really have a marvelous old-time gothic.

This is a very unusual read. It's like taking a trip to the " big easy" with a very entertaining family! Peter, (the crazy one) is under house arrest, when Margaret comes to stay. She, and her daughter might be the cure that Peter needs. The mystery, sexual tension, and the fun of Mardi Gras add to the spice of this great book. It truly is a keeper!

The book begins with Emerson Wyatt MacVey III being in Heaven for 17 months after dieing of a heart attach. He has not changed from his greedy,selfish and self centeredness he possessed while on Earth.He is sent back to Earth with an assignment to right the wrongs he was responsible for when he was alive. He goes back as Gabriel Falconi with a new appearance and new identity.

Gabriel works very hard to accomplish his assignment because he is being weighted in the balance to see if he will be allowed to return to Heaven or will he be sent to "that other place".

Gabriel's character shows both sides of the human nature.The reader is able to feel the emotions (or lack of)in MacVey's personality which is typical of many people but also the warm,loving and caring personality of Gabriel which is found in most everyone.

I enjoyed reading the book very much.It really made me stop and think about what I am doing to others while I am alive because,in reality,I do not think I will have a second chance.

Anne Stuart ( one of my favourite writers) gives us a touching story of second chances. And as usual, Stuart is the BEST at the bad boy being redeemed by love. Emerson Wyatt McVey was a ruthless corporate executive that destroyed hundreds, maybe thousands of lives by closing factories. On a Wintry holiday night, his car goes off the road and he dies, but he is given once chance to come back as another man and make right three lives he destroyed. Carrie Alexander is one of those he destroyed and it is through her love McVey will be redeemed or not. A beautiful holiday tale, with Fallen Angel being a special special Stuart tale.

I love re-reading this book. Redemption and remorse are strong themes - but overall there is a comforting feel about the book. I'm not sure whether it's because it's set in a loving town at Christmas or whether it's because the characters are all so heart-warming, but there is definitely a cosy, loving feel tot his book. It's one of Anne Stuart's lighter romances but definitely up there with the best!