A fascinating and easy to read history of the Penn State Blue Band. There are some truly amazing photographs. I highly recommend this book!

This book really captures the spirit and essence of what is the Penn State Blue Band. I've marched in the band for 3 seasons and have, at times, tried to describe the exhiliration of the pregame show, or the dedication and pride I felt when I donned the uniform. This book does that perfectly. As years pass, and my memories fade of my experiences in The Blue Band, I will have this book to call upon, and help relive some of thos moments.

Stunning novel of obsession set in Switzerland from the 1940's to the 1950's. The character of Matthias was so well drawn I felt like he was someone I knew. Forget everything you ever knew about crime novels. This is a book that many of today's top criminal thriller novelists could learn from. I read it in 2 days, even getting to work late one day for having stayed up so late reading it. I couldn't put it down.

The film is equally dark and chilling, with only a handful of changes to the plot mechanisms that made the story more cinematic.

Friedrich Durrenmatt, The Pledge (Berkeley, 1957)

While Durrenmatt is a well-known and well-respected author, it took making a film of one of his books to get most people in the States actually reading him. This new film tie-in translation of The Pledge is a great way to start, and will hopefully lead a lot more Americans to a lot more Durrenmatt.

The Pledge is the tale of Matthai, a Swiss police inspector who becomes convinced during the investigation of a child's murder that the cops have got the wrong man. He promises the victim's mother that he will find the killer, and that promise eventually leads to complete and total obsession. The novel, told by Matthai's former superior over a long auto journey and dinner, leads exactly where you think it will, and then throws in a twist so nasty it's almost painful to read. Agee's translation was completed with an eye firmly on the readability factor, and this one goes relatively quickly (especially for a modern European novel); the payoff is well worth the time spent on the setup. Absolutely fantastic, and will cause me to have to revise my Best-of-2001 list. Very highly recommended. **** 1/2

I sought out this short but sweet novel after catching the last half of the Sean Penn-directed film (yeah, I snuck in at my local multiplex, what of it?) which it inspired. The film definitely drew me in, despite the fact that I had little idea of what was going on.

As is often the case, the book is more profound than the film (which is not a knock against the screen version; after reading Durrenmatt's fine novel, I went back to see the entire movie). Told in the sparest language, "The Pledge" is the story of one man's quest to set right a wrong, taking his responsibility (and its consequences) so far as to threaten his very existence.

As other reviewers have noted, this is not a typical thriller, replete with hard-boiled narrative and the requisite twists. I found "The Pledge" to more closely echo the writings of Camus, in its examination of one man's conscience as he faces a challenge he simply can't walk away from.

A complex story simply told, "The Pledge" asks the reader to look inward and ask: "How far would you go to keep your word?"

This Review refers to the paperback edition of Target Iraq: What the News Media Didn't Tell You, by Norman Solomon, and Reese Erlich and as introduced by Howard Zinn with an afterward by Sean Penn.

Target Iraq is a book of many aspects, covering varying topics relating to the recent Iraqi war from a pre-war perspective. The introductory chapters focus largely on the media and self-censorship, providing the reader with insight into how the larger media organizations conduct their operations. The book then goes on to describe the opinions of the Iraqi people, with both examples from public and private sources. After which it moves into the US propaganda campaigns and examples of why the majority of it is untrue, in the authors' opinions. Detailed in the later chapters is the use and visible consequences of depleted uranium, along with the UN resolution issues, and effects of the economic sanctions. Concluding the book is a chapter concerning US manipulation and discrediting of various aspects of the UN, followed by the motives for war. Also contained in the book is an introduction by Howard Zinn, afterward by Sean Penn, article by Seth Ackerman, Bush speech with analysis, and Resolution 1441 with analysis.

This book contains a nearly extreme bias at points; however, it does probe both sides of some aspects. It does manage to provide a decent overview of Iraqi public opinion, and properly warns that the opinions may change once the displacement of power takes place. There are also informative summaries concerning depleted uranium and the illegal no-fly zones.

The two authors, Solomon and Erlich, switch each chapter, giving the reader an interesting mixture of viewpoints. Solomon is the stronger literary presence throughout the book, yet is also quite lacking in his ability to back up his rather strong claims with proper evidence. The result is a shell of sorts, leaving the reader skeptical if they do not already have a proper background in the area. Erlich, on the other hand, wanders and is weaker in his content but stronger in his presentation of possible sources to collaborate his statements. Yet, Erlich has an intriguing literary form that allows the reader to come to his/her own conclusions. However, neither provides any form of a bibliography, forcing the unfamiliar reader through hours of research to verify their statements. There are also typographical errors in the appendices.

The private interview with the Iraqi civilian family is an invaluable insight into the opinions and thoughts of the Iraqi people. However, the literary styles and lack of sources subtracts heavily from the book. Overall, the book would have been a great and inspiring work, even after the war, had it been the recipient of proper source work and effort. Perhaps the authors could release an updated version with a proper list of sources.

This book brings up a few points that are not publicized in the main-stream media in regards to the situation in Iraq. It could be beneficial for those who don't read alternative press, and would like to familiarize themselves with a non-corporate media view. However, if you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the situation in Iraq, you might be disappointed in the book.

Personally, I thought that the chapter on self-censorship in the media was the most thought provoking.

What the authors have done is great. Solomon and Erlich actually paid attention to exactly how the US government and the news media talked the American public into accepting the 2003 war against Iraq. This book brings terrible truths into focus: the deceptive media practices from President Bush on down, and the inaccurate "information" provided by lots of supposedly fine American journalists, conservatives and liberals alike.

You have to wonder, reading this book, just how the situation got so bad that the reporters don't even seem embarrassed about repeating false statements endlessly! The misleading character of the media coverage about this war is brought home to the reader by Solomon and Erlich. Plus, there's a very moving introduction by the historian Howard Zinn. And Sean Penn in the afterword tells why he became so concerned about the war that was impending and now is history.

This is the kind of multi-layered book you can read easily and thoughtfully. And you can give it to people who might disagree with you and learn a whole lot from reading "Target Iraq." This book provides plenty of facts but it doesn't just pile them on; it puts them in an analytical context that demolishes the claims of the Bush Administration and its apologists.

I applaud this book for tackling such an illusive figure, however, there is little you will learn that you don't already know. As a lifelong Sean Penn fan I was hoping for more than what amounts to a thinly veiled gushing tribute to Mr 'Badboy'. Save your money for his movies!