This is a must book for anyone seeking an understanding of POW life as well as a better understanding of events inside Japan during WWII. Edward Hale takes us on a journey from a carefree life in Guam to Japan as a POW for most of WWII. Helen Gordon, Hale's neice, does a good job of editing Hale's memoirs. After reading the book, I had a much better understanding of how war and POW status impacts human behavior. Gordon is to be commended for making Hale's wonderful memoirs available to the world. This is one of the best books about POW's I have read. For this reason, I gave this book 5 stars.

Beaten, starved and constantly terrorized, Hale's story renews your faith in America and its fighting men. Hale's story of his Navy life in Guam just before the war is a prelude to his poignant experience as a POW. As a reader, you will feel the thunder of bombs, the palpable fear as shot and shell destroy your world... and the gut wrenching fear to know your life is at the mercy of murderous Japanese soldiers.

Hale's is a story or bravery and courage that bears retelling until the end of time. Unknown to the men and women of Guam, they were forfeited to the Japanese months before the war by the decisions of Roosevelt and Churchill, intent upon defeating Hitler. Transported to Japan, the men suffered as slaves to the Japanese war efforts and ultimately saved by the dropping of the atom bombs. Hale's story belongs on the shelf of any student of World War II.

The Lonely Planet guides are excellent for any locale..but this edition (covering Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Portugal and even Morocco) is a must-read for the quintessential backpacker jumping on a plane for Europa. These guides excel at recommending lodging of many price ranges (from youth hostels to 5-star hotels) and meal choices of the same range (excellent recommendation for outdoor markets.."buy a loaf of bread, a block of cheese and a bottle of wine here"..which is a plus as many guides catering to this area focus on only older travels with large budgets..or persons seeking to spend only a dollar a day or some insanity..it's always good to have the most information possible..and it's included here. Entertainments ideas from free plaza and park visiting to museums, discotechqes, architecture, boat rides etc. etc. are included..good for young and old. It even lists culture-sensitve information such as appropriate dress for visiting churches and monasteries as well as travel-safe tips for women. Book your Eurorail pass and get going.

Lonely Planet has great books and this one certainly was. It's very thorough and tells alot about things that interest travellers. They are up to date and tell you the pros and cons of the different countries. I liked it alot and I know that other people will too.

"Life, Love, and Laughter: Gifts of the Spirit" by Helen Heightsman Gordon is a delightful collection of poems containing reflections on the human condition both humorous and compassionate. The writing is direct and spare, often eloquent. Many of the poems are rhymed and metered, but these are expressed with such ease that the form calls attention to the subject rather than to itself. Always there are people in these poems--from the daddy with a sagging rubberband mouth drawn by his child to the beloved husband with a failing mind. Highly recommended.

I received my copy of "Love Lyrics in Light and Shadow" and was immediately so engrossed I read it all in one sitting. Before I was finished I had tears running down my cheeks. Helen Gordon manages to speak directly to so many of the common experiences we all have in life that I was amazed. Even my husband,who never reads poetry, was impressed. This author is one talented lady!

I got interested in Marina from a Discovery special on the Spanish Conquisitors and sought more information. Voice of the Vanquished by Helen Gordon was one of the few books I found but I'm glad I did. She brings this amazing story to life in such a vivid manner despite so little historical information.
Many times I couldn't put this book down, as often it brought tears to my eyes pondering these people and events. Marina certainly was one of the most facinating and misunderstood women in all of history. If more people heard her story it would certainly be the subject of a grand Hollywood production it is that amazing. I honestly don't know how she has escaped attention for so long.
Read this book and you'll understand.

I first heard the story of Marina on a Discovery special about the Spanish conquests and was hooked and thirsty for more.
After searching I found this book and ordered it.
What a great read! Rarely do historical charactors come alive and inspire us as much as this one did for me.
I suspected Marina was a facinating woman but thanks to Helen Gordon I know.
How this story of an 18 year old Indian slave girl who was almost certainly singularly responsible for Cortes' success escaped attention I don't know.
Marina had to be one of the most intelligent and clever people who ever lived to pull off her feats.
Get this book and enjoy a story you'll never forget.

Author Helen Gordon skillfully inserts us into the pre-conquest days when the Aztecs ruled many subdued tribes in the Valley of Mexico. For me, VOICE OF THE VANQUISHED provided an eye-opening reinterpretation of the conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes and his small band. Customs, religion, social order of the indigenous peoples are vividly re-created in the lives of fictional villagers who must endure the arrogant demands of the Aztec priests for human sacrifice and tribute. Gordon's portrait of the historical character Malinalli/Marina, drawn from 16th Century Spanish sources and codices of Aztec artists, shows her to be a young woman of intelligence, beauty and ourage. Following her wise father's admonition: "Never yearn for something you cannot have," Marina grasps at what few options she does have. The astonishing result is that she becomes an interpreter and major advisor for Cortes, helping him to form alliances with enemies of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. The portrait of Hernan Cortes, drawn from historical documents including his own reports, reveals him to be much more complex than just a cruel and insensitive conqueror. He becomes an understandable and admirable -- though flawed -- man of his time. I felt a fresh breeze of truth and the warm sun of added knowledge in this history in fiction form.

As an adult preparing for bat mitzvah, this book was much too basic for me. I also attend synagogue regularly, and most of this stuff is routine from the service.

While this book was well written, it is for novices and non-attendees and their children.

I do not have a title to recommend for adults preparing for bar/bat mitzvah.

I'm amazed at how much information the author managed to get into this book, written with the guideance of Rabbis, cantors and educators frm the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements. If you hate reading pages of useless information and are looking for a well-researched, tightly written guide for preparing for and celebrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, I doubt you'll find many books better than this one. In addition to the basics you'd expect to find (Planning, Budgeting, the Ceremony), there are also special sections on interfaith and divorced families, what questions to ask about preparation (what a timesaver!), lessons and tips from families and teens who have completed Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, making the Theme meaningful, whether or not to use a party planner, tips for families with special needs children and more.

I have never written one of these "reviews" for amazon.com before, but I feel compelled to share with readers this fantastic, absolutely indispensable book. If you are planning a bar or bat mitzvah for your child or grandchild, or know of a family that is planning this important coming of age ceremony for their child, this book is for you. My daughter became Bat Mitzvah several years ago, and I really wish this book had been around when we were going through the experience. It is such a valuable guide! I gave the book as a gift to a close friend, and he said that it helped his family create a truly meaningful experience for all of them, in planning the service for his daughter's becoming Bat Mitzvah. The book is designed to help families "cope" with the myriad details involved in planning for this wonderful family life cycle event. The book is particularly sensitive to interfaith, divorced, and alternative families, and their unique needs and experiences.

There is also a particularly wonderful chapter on the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience for a special needs child. What I particularly like about the book is the fact that it contains contributed chapters from rabbis, cantors, educators, sociologists, and other experts- and even parents and teens- all of whom share their unique perspectives. This isn't one person's "philosophy", but rather a compendium of insights, ideas, and advice. The cover of the book says "How to manage the process with grace, joy and good sense". The book succeeds in that, and I can't imagine anyone planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah for their child without this handy family guide!

Good on forms - lacks any practical information on using with Exchange Server 5.0. Group enabled scheduling (as done with Schedule+) is not touched.

The information on creating and publishing specialized forms and templates is not as thorough as I'd have preferred. There is enough information to get started on form design, but the authors stop short here, instead devoting attention to customizing using Visual Basic.

I've found this book, as with all books from Que to be excellent reading. Every chapter of this book is explained so the average user can understand- even the advanced sections. Each chapter comprehensively follows the next, so the reader can follow quite easily.

As a dedicated Girl Scout volunteer, I bought several of these books thinking I would donate them to local schools. I was very disappointed when I discovered that the story starts with Juliette at about age 5 defending the Confederacy, with family slaves packing for her trip north to escape the war. As an adult I respect the Southern heritage which I share myself. But this is such a contoversial topic I find it difficult to understand why a book for children would start here. I gave the books to my adult friends but would not recommend it for children. Of all the things that Juliette Low did, said and accomplished, I'm confused why a children's author would put such emphasis on this part of her life when she was only 5 years old.

The bodacious Juliette "Daisy" Gordon never hesitated to prove that girls and can do anything boys can do. During the first five years of her life Daisy knew the deprivations of the south during the waning years of the Civil War. She also knew the pleasures of playing in the woods with friends. After General Sherman captured Savannah, Daisy and her family traveled north to Chicago to seek refuge with her mother's family. When the war ended and her northern neighbors celebrated, one small voice cheered the south and sang Dixie. Such bold defense of the south characterized Daisy's strength and loyalty.

Years later Daisy learned to give up climbing trees and to enjoy parties and dancing. Eventually she married, traveling to Scotland to live in a castle with her husband. But after he died, Daisy's life felt empty, until she heard about the Boy Scouts. Recalling her own childhood love of roaming the Georgia woods, frolicking in streams and playing with friends, Daisy vows to give girls the same opportunity as boys, founding the first Girl Scout troop in Savannah, Georgia in 1912.

Author Helen Boyd Higgins captures the powerful spirit that founded the Girl Scouts in JULIETTE LOW: GIRL SCOUT FOUNDER. Daisy's impetuous spirit and love of nature come alive in this tale for young readers. Details like the lack of sugar for cake during the Civil War will surprise readers who have never known such deprivation. This southern girl's first experience with snow, and the power of loyalty to friends and country, provide a powerful reading experience, bringing this historical personage uniquely alive. A fascinating read, JULIETTE LOW comes very highly recommended.

Written by Helen Boyd Higgins and enhanced with occasional black and white illustrations by Cathy Morrison, Juliette Low: Girl Scout Founder is the latest in the Patria Press "Young Patriot" series, a set of historical biographies that introduce young readers to great figures from history. Juliette Low introduces the reader to the young woman who believed "There's not one thing I can't do that boys can", and who eventually founded the Girl Scouts organization to cement her words. Very highly recommended for school and community library collections for young readers, Juliette Low is inspirational biography presenting a superb role model for young girls.

Helen's ability to capture our precious aging moments in humour along with her sensitively delivered and thought-provoking commentaries make her writing very enjoyable to read. She can help us observe our aging from a less cynical perspective and appreciate these moments that pass by us as gifts of which we can be eternally grateful.

This is a large collection of analyses of various health care and social welfare policies and programs. Some are fairly unbiased, but most do not let other opinions and conflicting facts interfere with their thoughts. Most are also far too scholarly or research-oriented to be of interest to normal folks, as analysis of all the numbers is lacking. Robert Fellmeth's essay on child care is the finest and the sole one worth reading, in my opinion. I cannot recommend better books on health care programs and policies, but a much better discussion of welfare reform can be found in Gary Bryner's book on the subject.