The funny, touching, unflinching memoir was totally eviscerated by Hollywood hacks. The book is full of whimsy and gentle irony; the film trades on sentiment and Rodeo Drive wisdom. The book is a small-scale Dostoyevsky novel in which the awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as it is terrible. The film is a cliched dying-mother tearjerker that panders to its Disney audience. The book brings to life a whole gallery of people; people of bone, flesh and blood all caught in a web of circumstance. It engulfs its characters in dramatic situations and drives them headlong with passionate desperation. In the film, these characters are cartoons who walk through predictable paces and have the most banal of revelations. In the book, their blood is warm, red and their hearts beat on.

Franz Lidz's life is like a painting, some parts sad and lonley, sometimes happy and exciting! I have never heard of a book so truly moving. If you read this book Iam sure you will be crying the whole way. Sometimes crying from laufter, sometimes with sadness.

Franz Lidz is a natural storyteller. The recollections that make up Unstrung Heroes are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always intelligent, perceptive, surprising, and most importantly, human. Most novels are disguised memoirs; this memoir is a disguised novel.

I've got a lot of BBQ books, maybe 40 or 50, and I would have to say this one has moved to the top of my list! Its got it all over the others. This book has "the vibe" its got soul, funk, rock and roll and some of the best damn barbecue recipes you'll ever come across. I'll have to settle for having to recreate the recipes as I am nowhere near this juke joint (but I am putting it on my BBQ Mecca list!)but just flipping thru the pages of this gaw-jus book I get a feeling like I can hear the music, smell the 'que and meet the characters that inhabit this place. Who says Dinosaurs are extinct! Chow time! Get cookin' get smokin! This is one 'Saur that Roars!

I bought Dinosaur's book not expecting much, given that it's "just" BBQ (forgive me) and that it's a restaurant cookbook (since books by professional chefs are often not feasible for home cooks to use, or else poorly written/edited/tested). I purchased it mostly because I'd been to the Syracuse restaurant, had a great time, and figured this book made a nice "souvenir" if nothing else. What a pleasant surprise: I've tried at least a dozen of the recipes (many more than once -- the real sign of a great cookbook) and all of them turned out wonderfully. And I'm not just talking BBQ -- I've made seafood, stews and braises, vegetables, and desserts from this book too. It's fun to read, and the instructions/layout are clear and comprehensive. A worthwhile purchase even for those who have never heard of the Dinosaur and have never set foot upstate.

WOW!!!! What can I say received the cookbook on monday and planned my trip to Syracuse today (friday). I'm a Syracuse native and on my trips back there it is quite rare for me not to eat every lunch and dinner at the Dinosaur. Like several of the other reviewers I'm a voracious cookbook hoarder and this book really stands out. It is absolutely my favorite bar-b-que book. It does a great job of capturing the funky vibe of the place and the recipes are unbeleivable, but you've realy got to go there.

Anne Bronte, the most underappreciated of the Bronte sisters, is a brilliantly talented author and storyteller. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a masterpiece of romance, suspense and simply a darned good read! Helen Huntingdon and Gilbert Markham are multi-dimensional characters. Bronte descriptions of the setting are moving as well. I can't say enough about this book, yet mere words don't do it justice. If you loved Jane Eyre (which I did), than the Tenant will be a novel you hold in high esteem. Read it, and then read it again. Enjoy!!

'Sick of mankind and its disgusting ways' Anne Bronte once scribbled on the back of her prayer book. Her evident harsh view of life, coupled with her moral strength as a woman, are beautifully interwoven to produce this novel; her masterpiece. Although never enjoying the popularity and success of 'Jane Eyre' and 'Wuthering Heights' - her sisters' books - 'Wildfell Hall' is quite fit to join any bookshelf of classic English literature. The themes include utter despair and the tragic consequences of a young woman's naivety; Helen felt that, although she could see Arthur's faults, she would be able to somehow change him once they were married. In reality, her marital experience was a disaster.

Anne Bronte creates a world in which the drunken, immoral behaviour of men becomes the norm and this may have been startling to contemporary readers - perhaps a reason for the book's panning at the critics. The narrative is built up delicately; first Gilbert; and then the racier, more gripping diary of Helen as she guides us through her married life; before returning again to Gilbert, whose tale by this time has become far more exciting as we know of Helen's past. Helen's realisation of the awful truth and her desperate attempts to escape her husband, are forever imprinted in the mind of the reader as passages of perfect prose.

One of the earliest feminist novels, the underrated Anne Bronte writes in this a classic, and - defying the views of her early (male) critics - a claim to the position of one of England's finest ever female writers.

I read "The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte for my review of personal reading in English last year and I thought it was really gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

It tells the story of a young woman's struggle for independence, against law and a society which defined a married woman as her husband's property. The novel, which uses extracts from her diary and narration from her neighbour, is very interesting and quite realistic.

It seems to me that the most interesting thing about the novel, is the build up of tension Bronte uses to sustain the reader's attention. It is stimulating and creates a little excitement in the book.

Helen Graham moves into Wildfell Hall with her son. She is a single mother and earns her living as a painter. Her neighbour, Gilbert Markham, takes a sudden interest in her and wants to find out everything about her. Although she is quite content being friends with him, she wants nothing more. As soon as he becomes too personal, she reminds him that friendship is the principal of their relationship. As they spend more time together, though, she learns to trust him and reveals the truth about her past. She is living at Wildfell Hall under a false surname, hiding from her husband who is an adulterer. The only other person who knows of this is her landlord, who Gilbert learns late in the novel, is in fact, her brother.

One thing which I found gripping about this story, was the build up of tension Bronte used. She took her time, revealing one thing, building up the tension again, then revealing another. She continued to do this throughout the story, and this is what kept me interested. It is a story, in which two people who love one another, are prevented from being together by society and their own natural reticence. We know romance often has this, but Bronte creates a strong desire in the reader for them to be together. She puts real obstacles in the way of their love for each other, such as the fact that Helen is already married and has a child to her husband. This therefore, causes the reader to understand the story more.

When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what to expect. I was even more bewildered when I opened it up and looked at the drawings. I thought to myself, what in the world is this? Then I started reading.

Edward Gorey's work is at times subtle or broad, ironic or slaptstick, and always brilliant. How dare this man call himself a children's book author! His books are for everyone, not just tots. Startlingly funny and morbid, the books in this volume (and his other collections) will make the reader laugh and snicker until they are sick. The dark humor of "the Gashlycrumb Tinies", the burlesque of "the Curious Sofa", the absurdity of "the Doubtful Guest", the dry wit of "the Unstrung Harp", every story is different. Every story is a gem. Gorey's books are a must-have for absolutely everybody.

Edward Gorey was a master of the macabre. Seemingly inappropriate, always bizarre, Mr. Gorey walked the taboo tightrope in his stories and illustrations. Here are fifteen such delightfully atrocious tales, compiled for the convenience of his very demented fans (including yours truly).

First is "The Unstrung Harp" about a befuddled and (in appearance) paranoid writer who trudges through his maddening existence, as so many a writer inevitably will. The casual reader might find this tale odd, but anyone who has ever taken to writing seriously will feel nothing but empathy. Has one of the greatest ending lines of any story I've ever read.

Next is "The Listing Attic", a series of devilish ryhmes with correlating illustrations. Many of these are horrible in design yet strangely you'll find yourself laughing at the unfortunate mishaps that fall upon the characters.

Now, on to "The Doubtful Guest" about a mysterious penguin-like creature that arrives at a residence only to act in a seemingly irrational way, doing things for inexplicable reasons. Personally I think this is nothing more than a metaphor for the unexpected in life and how it's more irrational for people to waste time trying to make sense out of these things. But that's just me.

"The Object Lesson" is just plain confusing, as if Mr. Gorey was just penning random thoughts and then illustrating them. Definitely weird.

"The Bug Book" is pretty childish in design and, to me, not particuarly noteworthy.

"The Fatal Lozenge" is another series of ryhmes, although the level of morbidity and violence is pretty much maxed out. Reading these you won't find yourself able to laugh, only maybe able to produce a nervous twitter as you ponder how very real these situations could be.

"The Hapless Child" is nothing short of a masterpiece, evoking every emotion from love to terror this tragedy should have a place in American high school curriculum, but alas public education systems in this nation would rather not deal with horrible reality.

"The Curious Sofa" is an attack on preconceived notions of sexual morality, being pornographic only in suggestion the point is that if someone who considered him/herself to be in the right in his/her sexual ideals he/she wouldn't understand the innuendo of the words and illustrations. A very interesting piece.

"The Willowdale Handcar" is a story I didn't like.

"The Gashlycrumb Tinies" has to be my favorite Edward Gorey piece, a sinister telling of the Alphabet with a small child meeting its demise for each letter, kind of an anti-Alligators All Around. I have a separate review posted for this story as it is deserving of the title of literature.

"The Insect God" is another disturbing work involving intelligent, and apparently religious, giant sized bugs.

"The West Wing" is a series of illustrations that force the reader to create his/her own captions for what is depicted.

"The Wuggly Ump" is a silly song about a very hungry monster.

"The Sinking Spell" is another tale of an unexpected visitor, a creature on an indecipherable journey.

Last, is "The Remembered Visit" about a woman who can't forget the odd travels of her youth or her meeting of a once famous man.

That's it, the coffee table book to beat all coffee table books, the ultimate conversation piece. But, then again, everything Edward Gorey did was worthy of conversation.

I was introduced to this book by a friend of mine whose sense of humor is almost as twisted as that of Gorey himself. He delighted in sharing with me "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" (in which small children meet their doom in alphabetical order) and "The Curious Sofa: a pornographic tale" (in which Gorey lays sexual innuendo so thick that it becomes absurd and absolutely hilarious). After wresting the book from the aforementioned friend's hands, I read the rest of it. To my delight I found morbid limericks and quatrains, stories apparently composed of random sentences, and tales of tales of mishap and tragedy--each accompanied by illustrations in Gorey's macabre style. I would recommend this collection to anyone who has outgrown Dr. Seuss but still wants to look at the pictures.

An incautions young lady named Venn
Was seen with the wrong sort of men
She vanished one day
But the following May
Her legs were retreived from a Fen

Hockenberry doesn't really need more people to tell him how good his book is. However, he does need a person considered to have a disability (Deaf) to tell him--Great JOB! And to recommend to all those undergoing the process of learning to deal with a disability and grieving over loss of abilities, to read this book. It will help significantly. He learned in a shorter period of time, and had a significantly better outlook on his new disablement. He also brings up the fact that sometimes the obstacles placed in our way are of our own making. The Americans with Disabilities Act is not going to solve all of our problems...and as a country we are lucky to have it. But many of those problems won't be fixed until we the Deaf and the disabled get off our collective butts (excuse the pun) and do something about it. This means becoming active politically and otherwise. Mr. Hockenberry needs to write a followup since his career has gone in different routes now...and we see him more often on television. How has this newfound fame added or detracted from his life? I didn't always agree with him...I too have worked with mentally disabled adults, and sometimes found his attitude shocking, though I think he was merely very young at the time. But I am recommending this book to my students, to people I work with who are disabled, to my computer group (the SayWhatClub--we all say 'what') and anyone else I can think of. Ok Mr. Hockenberry, get busy writing the sequel! Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

First book I've ever read that I feel compelled to recommend as a MUST READ for everyone. It's extremely eye-opening (at least to this reader) on the subjects of physical limits, our relationship to our physical selves, and even the meaning of life. You don't need a spinal-cord injury to appreciate Hockenberry's perspective on friends, family, work, American society, or journalism. This book is intelligent, reflective, funny, tragic, introspective, and, as far as I can tell, brutally honest. When John Hockenberry is the lens, the photo is exquisite

Like it or not, everyone who lives long enough is sooner or later going to become disabled. Read about it here and now from a brilliant writer and extraordinary person. Mr. Hockenberry covers every aspect of disability, from sensitive descriptions of his feelings about his body, to the horrendous insensitivity with which many so-called able-bodied folk react to him, to vital discussions about the social injustices perpetrated on disabled people at every turn. All this and more is woven into a tale about the amazing world of a courageous, iconoclastic, humorous, and outrageous individual who lives a very exciting life. Thanks, John, for one terrific read, with a hundred or more important messages for all of us.

Kafka was perhaps the greatest writer ever to live and this volume shows it. Every story, even every sketch of an idea that Kafka wrote down comes filled with brilliant emotions and deep meaning conveyed through simple and serious language. Shakespeare has none of the lyrical abilities of Kafka, and Homer could only dream of equaling Kafka's mastery of plot. Kafka out-psychoanalyzed Freud, and wrote circles around Joyce. His stories seem modern even by today's standards, the things that haven't come true yet in his works I believe will eventually, while I don't believe him to be a prophet he certainly had a great understanding of humankind and knew where it was headed.

"A Country Doctor" is in my opinion the greatest short story ever written, a dark dream sequence with all kinds of slimy worms writhing beneath the surreal surface plot, sticking out through the rotted boards that Kafka puts down to allow us to see what we're standing over. "The Judgement," a purely perfect work of psychology, Kafka dipping deeper and hitting more nerves than in any of his other stories, giving us a picture of what it's like to be a genius controlled by a domineering, and a nonunderstanding father. And of course there are the smaller works from "Meditations," little snippets of images that flash through the mind, a kind of literary whispering in the ear while sitting in the dark. "The Burrow," another favorite, perhaps the most claustrophobic work of fiction ever conceived, the darkness of the tunnel affecting your mind for days.

Read this book, in it the greatest treasure a writer ever gave us shines, a golden nugget, hidden deep within a dark pool that seems unswimable. Take the swim, and I garantee that you will find the nugget. Ignoring Kafka is like denying yourself the best there is.

Kafka has to be the one of the most influential writers of the century, not just for his ability to capture the alienation and unreality of much of modern life but because his vision, which is simultaneously totally bizarre and strangely moving, freed writers to try more and more daring ways of expressing themselves. After all, if one can write a moving story about a man who wakes one morning to discover that he has been turned into a huge cockroach, what can't the writer do?

The impression left by these stories is all the more interesting when one realizes that Kafka wasn't a starving, drug or drink demented artist, but a minor clerk in a German insurance firm. A dull and orderly life. Of course, if you've ever worked for an insurance company Kafka's sense of unreality and alienation might seem natural.

These are unique and wonderful concoctions. Anyone who wonders what 'Kafkaesque' really means should take a peek into his world. These stories are the best place to start. Then on to The Trial for the full, gruely experience. Wonderfully horrible.

Kafka's stories prove that he is a literary genius. His stories are easy to read and extremely deep. The light reader who just skims the page will not do that well with this book. But, if you are a person who loves to think about what you read, this book is for you. Kafka deserves much fame and intention because of his stories. Every story has an inner-message that can only be found by contemplation. The inner meaning usually has to do with life, respect, and love. Follow my advice, buy it, read it, love it, and E-mail me to tell me about it (allennickell@wesnet.com).

It was heartening to read of the slow but sure conversion of the father from the non-patriotic elitist northeasterner to the supportive America-loving patriot. He now seems to understand that freedom is not free; that it has to be paid for in each new generation by those young men and women who are willing to serve their country and stand between our enemies and us. His young son understood it pretty well as things developed, plus he quickly realized that he was going to get something invaluable out of his Marine service - his own self-worth and a lot of confidence.

I hope that these two authors follow up this book with a second one. I believe that the readers are going to want to see "how all of this turns out." A normal person who has the attitude of the son, John, is almost always successful. I want to be there when it happens.

When I finished reading this book I was fighting a lump in my throat, tears welling in my eyes, and a heart bursting with pride

Maybe it's the old Marine in me; I became one 61 years ago, and like everyone who has ever worn the Eagle, globe and anchor emblem, I am still one. I felt so proud for John, the son, and his accomplishments. He appears to be the "Classic" Marine!

The book made me feel good about John's whole family whose loyalty and love made his early ordeals at Parris Island less burdensome. And Frank's role as Father couldn't have been handled better even if pre-scripted.

Marines everywhere and "wannabees" will love this story.

Frank! Thank you. My son became a Marine last May 10th and reading Frank and John's book brought it all back to me (from my side of the story). I haven't laughed out loud reading a book in years. Frank touches every concern, fear, regret, and revelation I went through. The way we treat our military, the reasons why the Marine Corps is so attractive to young people, why Marines love their Corps and each other. I was especially impressed with his observations about the people who showed up for graduation. On my video tape I made of my son's graduation you can hear me say, "Now this is real American diversity in action. Look at all these different types of Americans!" I was proud and humbled of my son and the other sons that marched before us. I thank God we have the Marine Corps and that our sons are part of it. Frank and John have shown a way for us citizens to understand what a precious thing we have in our children and our Nation. Again, my thanks to Frank and John for sharing this great experience with the Nation our children protect.

My brothers and I have always been into physical fitness and weightlifting. I suppose we inherited this interest from our father, who was a total Steve Reeves nut, constantly talking about how he wanted a physique like Reeves. I have always been impressed with Reeves' physique, especially since he was a natural bodybuilder in the forties, when steroids were nowhere to be found, so I thought i would give this book a try. At first I scoffed at the routine in the book, but said I'd try it anyway. My friends laughed at me in the gym for trying it, calling it "old school" and everything, but after two months I felt great and apparently the results were there as well. I am happier with my physique now than before but I got a lot more out of the book than just a good routine to follow. Reading about Steve Reeves, his lifestyle and attitude, is very inspiring. The man was truly ahead of his time and now I can see why my dad was so impressed. I definitely recommend anyone interested in keeping in shape to read this book and give Reeves' "classic physique" routine a go. Though exhausting, it is well worth it.

Excellent book,Period.
After studying many body-building books, I've come to realize...simple is better. I want the classic physique I watched on TV as a kid with Reeves's movies. (sorry Arnold!)
This has helped my training and motivation even during off times from working out. With realistic goals and entertaining narrative, you want to hit the gym and get the perfect V cut along with realistic goal of a equally porportioned neck/calf/bicep-size Reeves worked hard for and really stresses upon.
I'm not there yet but people have noticed the difference in the past 2 years. :)

So much hoopla out there about how to train. Steve Reeves clears the air and offers a sensible program to achieve a natural, classic symetrical physique. Reeves went from nothing to Mr America in five years while spending four years in the Army. If you discount the time spent in the Army, Reeves actual training time was more like months, not years. One year later he won Mr America. Next year he won Mr World and two years later, after a year layoff and training for only 7 weeks, beat the great Reg Park for the 1950 Mr Universe. Whats my point? Obviously this guy knew something about training and all it's all in this book. At his peak, Reeves was arguably the best of his time and his only losses were shrouded with controversy. He had better lines than Zane and was bigger and more symetrical (no 16-inch arms and calves here) Reeves had a incredible V-shape and huge calves. He was the best proportioned, most perfectly developed bodybuilder of all time. Had he been born 20 years later and had the advantage of pharmaceuticals, advanced food supplements and equipment, he probably would have mopped the floor with Arnold, Sergio and spaghetti-biceps/calves Frank Zane and the drug freaks thatfollowed.. The book is a must read for anyone who wants natural gains and look their best. Sorry to hear about Reeves passing last spring. He was the original icon of bodybuilding and so many of us owe our beginnings in this sport to this great star.

I just finished reading John's book and I am totally awestruck over what I just read. John's experiences as a Ranger will keep you glued to the book. I simply can't imagine living through the kinds of firefights these men engaged themselves in. It's truly sad that heroes such as these men were had to return home to a world where they were often looked down on. The first thing I did after finishing John's book was to sit down and write him a letter personally thanking him and telling him how proud I would have been to have served with, or been a friend of, a man such as him. What a heroic story! I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to educate themselves on just about every facet of what it was like to serve in Vietnam - from a grunt to the elite Rangers - very well written!

I got word of John Leppleman's book from the author himself. Upon entering the sport of skydiving, I bought my first rig from John. He gave me a few details on his new book that he just wrote. Grabbing a copy of it, I found it to be fascinating from start to finish. This book told it all. From the line duty of a grunt, to a ranger, to boat support, John did it all in Vietnam. I have now read over twenty vietnam books focusing on Rangers and Lurps. I don't think I would have gotten into them as much if I had not read John's book. I am now in the process of reading it again. I think that there is enough detail and information in his book that I didn't catch it all the first time. For anyone who wants to read a thorough book on the war, this is a must.

As a former Infantry grunt myself, I respect John for his no BS attitude from stupid NCO's and Officers. John did it all- Airborne Infantry, Rangers and River Boats. He was defintely in the s*%t! I read many, many books about Vietnam and this was by far the most graphic, detailed and exciting book of them all. Just too bad that Sgt. K didn't get killed. While I was in Kuwait me and my whole platoon read this book and loved it!