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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This brief (300 pages) history of the American Revolution, as seen through the actions of Adams, Jefferson, and Washington, is a thoroughly enjoyable, pool side type of read. Granted, it is a superficial history of the Revolution, but provides an interesting perspective of the motivations, interactions, and rather different personalities of the three founding fathers. Mr. Ferling's work does seem to be at times rather colored in favor of Washington and Adams, which might be expected, as he has written biographies of our first and second presidents. He makes some rather interesting comments about Jefferson's personality; comments which come close to a psychoanalysis of our third president. Overall, if you are searching for a history of the revolution, this work is not for you. If you are ready for a relaxing narrative of the revolution, and the actions of these three individuals, you will not be disappointed.

Ferling has written an interesting story weaving the lives of Washington, Adams and Jefferson together. Given that I have just begun to read about this period in American history, this book was easy to read, follow and understand. A good read.

So many books have already been published about the American Revolution as well as about Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. Ferling brilliantly analyzes all three towering figures within a specific historical context, to be sure, but also in terms of each other. He creates and then explores a matrix of juxtapositions between and among them, comparing and contrasting all three in relation to each other but also in relation to the historical context on which each had such a profound impact. What Ferling has created is both a history book of panoramic scope and a trilogy of interrelated (and to some extent interdependent) biographies. It is so well-written that I often thought I was reading a novel.

Since childhood, I have viewed certain books as "magic carpets." I include Ferling's book among them. It transported me back more than 200 years and deposited me amidst the brave and brilliant men who were about to set the world "ablaze" with their incendiary passion for an independence soon to be declared and eventually to be achieved. Ferling guides his reader through this highly combustible process. Of special interest to me is Ferling's presentation of Adams (characterized as the "Bulwark" of the American Revolution), a founding father not always mentioned in the same breath with Washington and Jefferson. With all due respect to Jefferson's accomplishments, Ferling concludes the final chapter with this observation: "To the end, he was incapable of accepting the reality of his culpability in the perpetuation and expansion of African slavery and the danger it now posed to the achievements of the American Revolution." And then in the Epilogue, Ferling asserts that the Revolutionary generation "was indeed fortunate to have had Washington and Adams as its greatest stewards and shepherds."

If you have a keen interest in the War for Independence and, especially, in those who led the new nation through and beyond that war, there is this magic carpet I know about....

It's not easy for me to review this book. If I were a beginner I don't think i'd go very far with it. To the more experienced trader, he will surely find something to suite his whatever style of trading, but never leading you to the point of re-thinking a trading system... unless you were losing money already!

The book tries too hard to show all there is about trading, but never going deep enough to explain things in detail, hence the fact that it's not for the beginner...

I found some interesting stuff on it, particularly on patterns, but when you get to the end of it, it leaves you with this feeling that something is lacking.

But don't let my words put you off; it's a 'good enough' one if you already know your way around in Technical Analisys and are looking for something more to spice up your creativity to apply to your own trading system.

No news here. these guys are purely technical. Hill, Lundy and Hill have written their book from years of experience with mechanical trading systems that have made them highly regarded experts. In black and white, what works and what doesn't, will be made clear to the reader from the knowledge of its authors.

It is estimated that 80% of the 30 billion dollars in the managed futures industry is traded by systematic methods. It is also estimated that 80% of the traders lose money. This book was written to allow traders to recognize and exploit an edge in the markets. Examples in both the futures and securities are made to prove the authors' point.

In the beginning, there is the almighty bar chart and a whole chapter devoted to its proper interpretation. According to these guys, all you need to know is in the charts and nowhere else. And with those bar charts a very simple and complete take on the Elliot Wave Theory will demystify even the most obtuse of the technically impaired. Walk-through examples of trading styles and applications of chart patterns are engaging and relevant to all kinds of markets.

The book contains an introduction to mechanical trading systems. Tips on what to look for and where not to look for a system will be very valuable to the inexperienced. Advice on hardware, software, data and testing are also covered, making it a worthy read for anyone interested in mechanical trading.

The authors bring precious bits of wisdom with their experience. Though systems are mechanical in design, the mental toughness required to achieve success is important, and much can be learned from the experienced. Make no mistake, this book is not about easy money, but about the reality of achieving success. As the authors put it:

"There is a giant chasm between knowledge and a successful trader. Few of us are able to make the leap, and those that do must be on the alert or they will fall back into the abyss."

This book gets straight to the point and works almost as an encyclopedia of trading methods, theories and systems. Written by John Hill of Futures Truth fame, you would expect a lot of backtesting and system development info - which there is. As an experienced trader, I did pick up numerous new ideas that might be applicable to my own trading methods and that's really all you can really hope for in any trading book.

Some minor gripes are the somewhat lack of clarification and examples at times, relying only on a single chart for an example before moving on to the next idea. This can be quite difficult to follow for a new trader. Also, the Drummond Geometry chapter is just a verbatim article that can be found on the Tedtick webpage.

Otherwise, this is an excellent keeper book.

Although one would expect Captain America to be be the spearhead in the 60s Marvel battles with Communism, there is only one story in this book with a Communist villain. For the most part, Cap is shown battling sinister organizations and remnants of the Nazis. And Battle he does, Kirby shows more kinetic energy in these stories than any of the other series he worked on. Perhaps it was the fact that his connection with Cap goes back to the 40s. Every story shines with drawings of Captain America flipping, jumping and slamming his way through battle after battle. And we get classic stories from the 60s-the Sleepers, Nazi superweapons programmed to arise in the 60s, The Cosmic Cube, the most powerful device in the universe. Add to this great villains like the Red Skull, Zemo, the Adaptoid and Modok. I only have one quibble with the book, the starkness of the black and white art does not allow us to see Cap is risking his neck to rescue a black Air Force pilot from Vietnam-the pilot is white here. In many pages, the Black Panther when out of costume is white. The only inkling we get that the greatest of the black superheroes is actually black comes because some of the pages had to be photocopied from actual comics. The Panther was a groundbreaking character in comics but his relevance is almost lost in this anthology.

Alright, let's clear the air as far as reviews go. Yes, this is a black and white book (ALL Marvel's "Essential" books are), and the print is only a little better than newspaper print, but it still won't smear easily and it's cheap. ...

I do have to knock off one star for the lack of color, but it's still a solid 4 star book for the sheer amount of material presented at such a low cost.

The collected stories are reprints of "Tales of Suspense", the book that featured Cap before he got his own title, from issue #59 (his first appearance in the series) to issue #99. At issue #100 the book was re-titled "Captain America", and issues 100, 101, and 102 are included as well.

Essential Captain America Vol. 2 picks up at issue #103 and runs up to issue #126. But before you criticize 40+ issues in volume 1 vs. 20+ issues in volume 2 , realize that "Tales of Suspense" was a book split between Cap and Iron Man. There may be half the issues in volume 2, but they're twice as long. It all balances out, really.

Just be careful what you expect vs. which volume you order since the same reviews post for both volumes.

The only problem (aside from the black and white that people love to moan about) is some of the writing doesn't hold up so well by today's standards. (Insert "Golly!" here. Or mention somebody in "deadly danger".) Although as long as you take into account the time period this was written in, it's just fine.

Including Avengers issue #4 would have been nice too, since it's Cap's first (true) appearance since WWII, but I guess there's always volumes of Essential Avengers... All things considered, if you want a full run of Cap's coninuity, this is the most financially responsible decision you can make.

I thought this book had some of the best Captain America comics ever! They had great stories of good vs. evil, with patriotic Cap in the lead, and fantastic artwork by the late great, Jack "The King" Kiby. The Red Skull is a featured bad guy quite a bit, and he makes for excellent opposition against Cap. Finally, I like the length of each individual comic in the book. 20 pages is too long, and I like the 12-page format used in all but 3 of the Cap comics. Buy and enjoy the Essential Captain America Volume 1, then buy Volume 2.

A quick perusal of "Ignatius Rising" reveals why it has taken so long to produce a even the thinnest of biographies on the man behind "Confederacy of Dunces." With the exception of the story behind how the novel got published (which only occupies the book's last pages), there's nothing at all remarkable about Mr. Toole's sad, mundane life. The authors try valiantly to dig up research and credible eye witnesses to shed some light on the mysterious Mr. Toole, but they are not entirely successfully. How else can you explain why we are forced to read--in their entirety--so many of Mr. Toole's redundant letters home from the Army?

The correspondence between Gottlieb and Toole, however, is worth the price of the book, and that's why I recommend it to friends. Mr. Gottlieb has the distinction of being the only person in publishing who was in a position to evaluate Mr. Toole's manuscript based on its merits. His sensitive yet honest appraisal of the book is, in my humble opinion, right on. "Dunces," in its published form, is a funny but highly flawed novel, certainly not worthy of the lavish praise and prizes that were bestowed upon it by those intrigued by the book's tragic circumstances.

I trust that even if other readers don't agree with Mr. Gottlieb, they'll at least see him in the light of truth rather than as the cariacture created by Mr. Toole's demented mother.

The authors are to be congratulated for doing their best with very little material. I finished the book with a better understanding New Orleans society. Alas, I wish I also had a better understanding of Mr. Toole.

I finished Ignatius Rising very quickly, maybe because of my great interest in the book A Confederacy of Dunces. There is certainly a wealth of information here for the Dunces fan. I must say right off that Gottlieb ,the N Y editor, seemed to want the book to be perfect or maybe was just making excuses because something in the book offended him. I didn't feel he was really trying to help Toole, more like just stringing him along. The authors here play down that Gottlieb might have been offended with something in the book and therefore didn't give it it's due consideration. I still don't buy that, after all Gottlieb read the m.s. so he must have realized that Dunces was a masterpiece. I think editors having so much power over an artist's work can be a little intoxicating and blinding, at least this may have prooved true for the editor in question here. I don't really know of course and there are still unanswered questions in this regard upon completing this informative work. There are facts here I never knew, like there being an earlier version of Dunces with Ignatius being called something else. Towards the end of the book the tragic visitation of Toole's depression makes for tough reading. The authors deserve a lot of credit for digging out this much info on Dunces and Toole. I just can't say after reading this tragic story that I walk away from this book with an all together good feeling.

I still remember the first time I read "Confederacy of Dunces" lying on the bed in my college dorm room, kicking my feet laughing. I have returned to it many times and still consider it the funniest book ever.

So when I saw the biography of J.K. Toole, the author and suicide, in my local bookstore I had to buy it. I did not anticipate, though, being so swept up. The authors do an outstanding job compiling the minute details of Toole's too-short life, which could not have been easy since he was unknown and until well after his death. I was surprised how interested I could be in his grade school years-- although that is in large part owed to my fascination with Toole going in.

The key mystery to me has always been about Toole's relationship with Robert Gottlieb. For an unpublished novelist (indeed he had barely published anything) to gain the attention of perhaps the leading book editor of his genration is incredible. What happened? Why was it not published?

It's hard to fault Gottlieb. His letters-- reproduced over his own initial objoections-- show his committment to the book. On the other hand, his objections to the book-- that it lacked "meaning"-- were, however sincere, maddeningly unhelpful and unspecific, as he admitted.

Thelma Toole is presented as a domineering, overbearing, grandiose nutcase. But her successful effort to finally have the book published shows a great strength. It's actually inspiring.

Toole eventually killed himself after despainring of the book ever being published. This "failure" hardly explains his act-- how many failed authors go on with their lives or write a second book that is published? Suggestions are made about his homosexulaty (closeted) and his finances (bad since he had to support his parents). Neither is enough. But the events leading to the tragedy, the descent into madness, are touchingly detailed.

One mystery remains. Nevils and Hardy, also first time authors, show that Toole was an excellent student, though hardly a world-beater when he ventured beyond New Orleans. They reproduce many of his letters. While the letters are fine, there is not a single inkling of either the prose style, the imagination, or the comedy that is on every page of Toole's novel. Though we are told constantly how funny Toole was in real life, we never see it. Where did the genius in the book spring from, and why was it not eviedent in any of his other work?

A chilling thought occurred to me towards the end of the book. The authors reproduce a letter from Thelma Toole to her lawyer. Shen concludes a trademark harangue: "My nervous system is drained by this harrwoing legal matter." That's Ignatius all over.

Is it possible that Thelma had a hand in the book or was-- even weirder-- it's ghostwriter? It's a bizzare notion and I have not one shred of evidence to back it up. But throughout the biography, Thelma is portrayed as not of the sensibility to even appreciate the book or its humor. Yet she is the one person-- including J.K. Toole-- who had the strength and faith to see the project through.

In the end, I recommend "Ignatius Rising" to anyone who read "Confederacy" and loved it. As to those who read it and did not love it, they lack all sense of taste or decency. As to those who never read the novel, read it first, then read the biography of the tragic author who (probably) created it.

The author maybe isn't as well known as say Dick Francis or Sam Llewelyn, but is similar to them in that he writes this novel giving us insight into the "rare" book trade along with a mystery that will grab you from the 1st page. Ex-cop turned Bookseller Cliff Janeway is a gritty, no-nonsense lover of books and part-time investigator. When asked to "retrieve" a woman known as "Eleanor Rigby" from Seattle for an old acquaintance, it seems like a quick and easy way to make some money to buy more "rare" books. It turns out that Janeway gets alot more than he bargained for! A sequel to his book, "Booked to Die", this novel follows in the same vein of Francis and Llewelyn in that it couples the author's love of books with a incredible mystery. Dick Francis KNOWS horse-racing, Sam Llewelyn KNOWS sail-boats, and John Dunning KNOWS books. All three KNOW mysteries! A must read!!

John Dunning definitely knows his stuff--As a lifelong bibliophile, it's a joy to discover an author who not only writes an excellent mystery, but gently instructs us in fascinating subjects as well.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Cliff Janeway's tips about book collecting, the part of the story that gripped me was the detail and insight Dunning gives into the passion "small press" publishers have for their art. In a time when more and more attention is focused on electronic dissemination of information, it was a great pleasure to find characters who still care about the feel and smell of paper, the look and design of type, and the artistry and craft of making books by hand.

As Janeway would no doubt tell you, buy two copies of this book, one to read and one to add to your collection!

If your one of those people like me that loves the smell of a new book, are picky about what you read, and find yourself organizing your books with your own little system, here is something special for you. Like Walter Mosley and Ross MacDonald, John Dunning's work is much more than a mere detective novel.It is a novel of intrigue and murder amidst the book world, or more to the point, those who love books and spend much of their time looking for that first edition copy of....

Cliff Janeway is the Denver bookman and part time detective who gets involved looking for a girl who may have in her possession a rare, and unheard of, Grayson Press edition of Poe's "The Raven", a book worth a fortune. Things are not always what they seem and as Janeway tries to help the young and frightened Eleanor the story becomes more complex and dangerous. This mystery is exiting and compelling, peppered with insights and observations about books from a writer who loves and respects them as much as we do.

This is a book you will love and respect after finishing it. It is a wonderful and exiting read and Cliff Janeway can stand side by side with Easy Rawlins and Lew Archer in American detective fiction. We are treated to keen observations about humanity during this twisty tale of books and murder. Dunning uses the rain in Seattle and the snow in Denver for atmosphere and there is almost a wistful feel to the ending.

Written in '95 this was the second Cliff Janeway novel. "Booked to Die" was the first and is also highly recommended. We can only hope Dunning will give us a third one day. This is a smart read that will be enjoyed by anyone who loves books. If you like an intelligent mystery with sharply drawn characters, and observations on our society as well, then this book is a must have for your library. A treasured find.

UNIX as a cammand line program is mostly like a dark night and this book for sure is like a bright star helps you find your way. It is so easy that a beginner can read and learn about UNIX and have fun running and palying with it. I give it 4 star because it sometimes has too much explaination about an easy issue and miss some more basic information which can help the reader get stronger with UNIX. It is still the only book teaches you and be sure won't waiste your time. It gives you confidence with UNIX. Another weekness of this book is some wrong commands or exercises that can be fixed in 3rd edition. The nice thing with this book is being a hands on book. Do not read this book in a library or away from your computer. Put it on your desk with your computer because for every pages in this book, you need to practice it. It will walk you through the Master of Masters.

This book is seen as the essential learning tool around here. It guides us along without pain to the place where we are really quite confident and quite skilled. Clearly it must be used hands on -- at the terminal -- it gives instructions, then explanations in a way that knowledge and skills grow quickly. It is obvious that the authors know a lot about how people learn and how to support that learning.

Although not a reference book, command summaries are located at the ends of all chapters and the index is extensive allowing us to go back to look at a topic easily.

Can't understand why it isn't 5 stars from everyone. Lots of good concise reference books out there -- this one does not attempt to be that. This book is like a tutor, but costs a lot less.

This text is a wonderful way to actually learn how to do unix. It told me what to type, explained what was going on, and gave me enough repitition to actually master the skills. The author anticipated my questions and mistakes. In less that a week I have become quite solid -- I can not only use the commands, I can solve problems. The text is not a cook book. It is a guided examination that I used at the terminal. Although not a reference book, the command summaries at the ends of the chapters made finding answers easy. The mix of hands on guidance and detailed explanations of the underlying structure was perfect for us.

The story opens with a great premise - a mobster on trial for murder has his psychotic friend and enforcer select one member of the jury, and threaten all she holds dear unless she can persuade the rest of the jury to return a verdict of "not guilty". While the book deals with the trial and the deliberations of the jurors, it's gripping, terrifying, and makes you wonder what could possibly happen next.

But then the verdict comes in - and you discover that there's still a third of the book left - and from that point on, the story takes a sharp turn into overkill. What happens after the verdict is given is totally unbelievable - although, to Green's credit, the eventual resolution of the story did pique my interest again. The characters of the Teacher and Annie are totally believable - again, right up until the verdict is read, and then I couldn't believe a thing they did afterwards.

The best character in the story? Slavko Czernyk, the private detective who's killed off about halfway through. What a pity. If Green had made him the principal character, or if he had resolved the plot almost immediately after the verdict, this would have been a compelling, un-putdownable thriller. As it is, though, this book reminds me of a lot of movie reviews I've heard recently - great first and second acts, but it collapses in the third act.

George Dawes Green, The Juror (Warner, 1995)

George Dawes Green wrote The Caveman's Valentine, which netted him the Edgar. He then followed it up with the euqally acclaimed The Juror, and proceeded to drop off the face of the earth, foiling a carefully-plotted career as a bestselling mystery novelist. Go figure. Based on the quality of his first two books, a whole lot of folks wish he'd come back.

Green's second novel introduces us to The Teacher, a part-time mob enforcer, Taoist, and grower of rare orchids whose present job entails tampering with a jury to make sure his part-time employer doesn't go to jail. Problem is, the Teacher starts getting emotionally involved the the juror, and the two of them end up doing a rather dysfunctional dance that ends up with a whole lot of people dying.

It's an absorbing novel, and a quick read. The characters are strongly drawn and identifiable, and the plot is excellently paced. The book's main flaw is that it relies a bit much on coincidences (of the "of all the gin joints in the world..." variety) that stretch credibility too far. But mystery novels rely on coincidence, and so we have to be willing to forgive Green in order to bask in the luxury of his writing. And it is certainly worth forgiving him, as the characters he creates here will be with you long after you turn the last page. *** 1/2

A brilliantly readable piece of work. Doesn't seem like only a second book Personally I feel the book is made more readable beacause of the brilliant chracterisation of the Teacher, the Mafia fixit man. His sheer brilliance and personality make u want to find out more and more about him What makes him Tick is what will keep u going. Buy it Read it and thank me later email at aptechch@giaspn01.vsnl.net.in

Dunning has taken us out of the book shop (Booked to Die, The Bookman's Wake) and transported us to the world of radio drama during World War II. The station itself (WHAR) becomes another important character in the cast of many characters. Before many pages are turned, you get to know a whole "family" of radio actors, producers, and technicians. The central character in the story is Jack who has followed Holly Carnahan to New Jersey in order to help her discover what has happened to her father. In the process he gets a job at WHAR and finds his niche as a writer of radio shows. As Jack pursues the clues to the disappearance of Carnahan, he discovers several other disappearances that have occured and searches to discover the link between them. The story jumps between his attempt to solve the mystery and his growing career in radio with the romance with Holly finally being realized. It makes for a good read although at times it seems a little convoluted with too many political subplots related to the disappearance and murders. It is well worth the read and we learn a lot about an era where radio was the medium. If you like a good mystery that teaches you something while making you think, you'll enjoy reading "Two O'Clock Eastern Wartime".

I will be amazed if someone doesn't make a movie out of this book, especially given the renewed interest in World War II. It's almost impossible to read and not see the scenes come to life before you - usually in black and white with Bogey as Jack and Bacall as Holly. Both the mystery of why people at radio station WHAR keep disappearing and the story of the station itself are enough to keep one up turning pages way past midnight. The one major drawback is that this is a tale of 1940s America written with a little too much late 20th century sensitivity. These average Joes in summer 1942 seem to know way too much about what's going on in Nazi concentration camps and are extremely liberal in their views of race relations and gender equality. While noble, it distracts from the seemingly realistic portrayal of the Golden Age of Radio.

In 1942 Southern California, writer Jack Dulaney loves the untouchable Holly Carnahan. Jack struggles with producing a second novel, earning money by walking horses at the track. When Holly flees to Regina Beach, New Jersey in search of her missing dad, Jack follows out of concern for his beloved's safety.

In the Jersey south shore community, Jack lands a job as a writer at radio station WHAR. He soon realizes that he is quite good at cranking out well-written radio dramas. Perhaps it is because of his writing skills that allow Jack to notice the strange behavior on the part of WHAR employees. He finds sudden disappearances as mysterious as the disappearance of Holly's dad and certain links to the Nazis. Jack worries that Holly is in danger while she is concerned that her actions brought danger to him.

TWO O'CLOCK, EASTERN WARTIME is a fabulous historical fiction novel that vividly brings to life a small East Coast community during World War II. The historical perspective, especially that of the powerful role of radio as a forerunner of television, is brilliantly depicted. The mystery stays subtlety in the shadows, truly enhancing John Dunning's homage to the communication role radio played during wartime. Fans of World War II dramas will find Mr. Dunning's novel endearing for its resplendent account of a bygone era.

Harriet Klausner

I found this book to be a very enjoyable book to read and if helped fill in a few spaces left about the great names of the Civil War before they became Generals. I have always enjoy reading accounts of the war with Mexico and seeing how the future enemies of the American Civil War fought together, saved each others lives on occassions and learnt the common lessons of war. This is a very interesting and well presented account although I found the battle scenes lacking in depth but I would suppose that was not the authors main focus but more on the people involved. I think it may have helped to have added a few maps of the fighting in Mexico and the Valley as if you have no prior knowledge of these areas you really do not appreciate the efforts involved in moving from one point to another. Overall this is a decent book and most people should enjoy immersing themselves in this bit of history.

This is one of the best Civil War books, I've ever read. John Waugh brings so many of our Civil war Generals, both North and South, back to life. We learn so many interesting details about their lives at West Point. This book had me laughing, with their antics at West Point, it rather reminded me of my own "boot Camp" life in the military 25 years ago. I can still see Thomas J. "StoneWall" Jackson, sweating at the blackboard, to try and solve problems,walking at the same pace, even when the others hurry to get out of the rain. The Fight that almost broke out, in the Church at West Point, between two future leaders.

One of the things, John Waugh does, is very emotionally grab you by the throat, as he describes StoneWall Jacksons dying, his wifes and Lee's reaction, and the funeral. I literally, had to put the book down and wipe the tears from my eyes. I've read about this incident, many times before, but Waughs version, really got to me.
McClellan, A.P.Hill, Pickett, Wilcox, Stoneman, Darius Couch, Sturgis and many others are brought to life.

I have so many Civil War books to read, but I certainly want to read this book again, in the future.

If you're a real Civil War Buff, you owe it to yourself to read this. To me, it was as good as Shelby Foote.

I've been immersed in my Civil War studies for about 2 years, and Waugh/Mc Pherson's effort is an absolute joy. The life and times of key (and minor) personalities of this particular graduating class are spotlighted through their studies at West Point, Mexican/Indian War exploits and sorrowfully, to the final conflict of America's Civil War. One of the true instances where one "cannot put the book down". Highly recommended, indeed.