On January 4 2001, my 15 year old son and I were in for a check up at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. Justin was diagnosed with leukemia June of 1997. During that appointment we met up with another family who we had gone through chemotherapy with. This other child had relapsed and had just had a stem cell transplant. While visiting with them I noticed a book they were reading. It was "There Are Survivors", they expressed a great comfort and joy in reading it. After leaving the hospital we bought our copy. Immediatley while reading, I was overcome with emotion on the strong personality of each of the family members, and the support each had for each other. As a mother who has helped her child fight to live, I could not have told the story any other way. The story was told from a loving and strong heart. I learned of Michaels' death before I had finished his story. Michael was a gift from God. Each person who reads his story will remember Michael from his incrediable positive and strong personality who touched many hearts. Each person who takes a moment to get to know Michael by reading his book, will always have a special spot in thier heart to cherish him.

I don't own the book just yet, but I have read some passages from the book on the Michael Cuccione Foundation web site. Right after I read the first couple paragraphs, I knew I had to get it. Like many people, I first heard of Michael from the movie 2Ge+her. I loved the movie and the series, but I didn't know anything about any of the actors. I didn't even know that Michael had cancer until I found out about his death. I started to cry, because it's so tragic that only 8 days after he turned 16, he died. I thought it was great when I learned about the accomplishments he has made. When I read about the radiation and chemotherapy, it made me think about how petty my problems actually are. It made me think about how greatful I should be that I'm in perfect health. I guess what they say is true. Only the good die young. We are all going to miss you Michael. Your legacy will live on forever and forever you'll be in our hearts. God bless.

Like most fans, I first saw Michael on 2Gether. I loved the concept and went to work on finding out more info on Mike and the show. Of course, Mike was my favorite, not just be cause he was cute, but I loved his personality. Once I learned that he, in fact, did have cancer, I was shocked. I ordered his book and read it. I am only 14, but I could only imagine the pain that he must have gone through. I had signed up for many fan newsletters and egroups that involved him and I was even thinking about starting a website dedicated to Mike. One day, I signed on to AOL and read that Michael had died. Even though I had never met Michael, I felt grief for him. He was very strong and his light will live on forever. I have a sort of tribute in my locker at school which is dedicated to Michael. I also gave magnets that I made to all my friends to put in their lockers so everyone can see what an impact he had on others. He prooved that you CAN fight something that's going against you. I reccomend you all to buy this book and learn the story.

We first found this book when my nephew was born, over 18 years ago. He loved it so much we had to read it several times each time he was at our house, so we got him his own copy. We still had to read it when he came over and his parents read it to him every night(no skipping pages allowed, no matter how many times we had read it !). Both copies were completely worn out. We have been looking for more copies since then. It is surely a sign of how good this book is that it is nearly impossible to find in used book stores.

This was my favorite book when I was a baby. My dad used to read it in funny voices, and I would crack up laughing the whole time! It's the anticipation that really gets you laughing! Now I am 17, and my 2 year old nephew is now enjoying it every day. It is an adorable, fun book that your children will enjoy and love time after time. My 2 year old nephew always says, "wead mahmahr book!" I recommend it to everyone!

I used to have this book when I was a little girl and I bought it for my two boys who are now older and have since gotten rid of it, and I LOVE THIS BOOK! It was my favorite as a child, it was my older boys' favorite, and now I've had a baby and I want it to be his favorite too!! Grover is just so silly and cute in this story that you just have to LOVE him!! Everytime I read it, I laugh and giggle because it is just too silly!! It is a definite must have for any child out there! Grover leads you all the way through the whole book telling about this scary monster at the end of the book and how frightened he is, and then ... well for those of you who haven't read it I don't want to ruin it for you...heheheh! Enjoy!

I am a "part-time" fan of Star Trek, having always been interested in the world, but not exactly a know-every-registry-number-of-every-ship kind of fan. But, having bought this very rich and detailed book, I must say my interest in Star Trek has multiplied tremendously. As an encyclopedia, it doesn't quite bear reading page-to-page, but flipping through it makes for very interesting reading. I am grateful to the authors for additional notes made to many entries, attempting to explain side-points or discrepancies; also, the many diagrams, pictures, dates, episode references, and even the occasional off-beat entry like, well... "mashed potatoes" for one! The appendixes, including gorgeous pics of the ships of Star Trek, episode timelines, historical timelines, and so on, are absolutely wonderful.

The best way I can summarise my rating is: the dedication and love for Star Trek demonstrated by all the writers/contributors in this book is ample and obvious. Congrats.

I can't imagine being a die-had Trekker without this book: the ultimate reference to people, places, things, events in the entire Star Trek universe from the original series of 1966 through all the movies and series right up to Voyager. This updated edition is not quite as smoothly integrated as previous updates--the last couple season's worth of shows and Star Trek: Insurrection are all treated in a separate (but extensive) section at the back, but a decent cross-referencing system lessens the inconvenience. I find it the ultimate can't put-down book-start to look up a subject of interest and you'll find yourself drawn from entry to entry until you've forgotten exactly what it was you were looking for but find yourself seized with the intense desire to rewatch several episodes. Unless you're the most serious Trek fan, you probably don't need the updated edition if you have an earlier one...but for those who do, it's a wonderful guide.

As the Star Trek Universe got bigger, with more spin offs, movies, books, and alien races, so did the base for its Star Trek fans, so it is no surprise that the standard and definitive one volume work on the subject should get bigger too. The newest edition of THE STAR TREK ENCYCLOPEDIA is a monumental reference book that is as comprehensive as it is physically imposing. In its more than 700 pages of a continually snowballing phenomenon that was the birthchild of the late Gene Roddenberry, the rabid Star Trek fan (who else would read this?) can cross-reference every human, alien, planet, creature, ship or any other proper noun that was mentioned even once in any of the Star Trek series or its descendants. Michael and Denise Okuda, the married duo who did most of the writing acknowledge in the Introduction that a large cast of helpers were required to painstakingly find and correct errors from past editions. This book is loaded with hundreds of beautiful photographs and drawings, each of which illustrate one item in the Star Trek universe. As in most encyclopedias, this one is in alphabetical order, with each entry given a complete description/analysis. Bold-Faced terms indicate they are further defined under their own names elsewhere. For example, do you remember the episode from the original series about the mirror universe with an evil Kirk and bearded Spock, where unreliable crew members were put in the 'agony booth?' Well, the term 'agony booth' is listed and fully described with appropriate cross-references. Unlike other reference texts, this one has a separate supplement to include references to episodes in the various ST reincarnations after the 1996-1997 seasons. Finally, it contains additional helpful sections on historical timelines of major events, complete listing of all episodes from each spinoff, and a cast of all characters who ever appeared in any show.
Exactly, what is the purpose of such a text? I know why I use it. When I see an episode that mentions even off-handedly a minor reference to a singular event, I flip open this book to see if it is there. And it always is. Now if I could only be so motivated about the mundane details of my non-Star Trek life. And that perhaps best defines who likes Star Trek and why.

Whenever I read a book, I generally use highlighter and underliner to mark the sentences and words that convey the true meaning and essence of what the author wants to say. While reading The Tibetan Book of Living And Dying, I had to stop using the highlighter after a few pages only as the most of the words on each page were worthy of being highlighted. Indeed, the author has said so much precious on every page that a reader must read and re-read the book and with every reading she/he gets more and more knowing.The subject of death has been most puzzling and perplexing to humankind since the time immemorial. The Eastern way of looking at the death as only a 'transition' is explained by the author in a profoundly simple manner. The book certainly helps one to understand the true meaning of the phenomena called death. This understanding helps one to reduce the irrational fear of death. From the lives of the great men and women we know that those who 'lived' a life can only meet the 'death' with equnimity. Thus the author has first taught the art of 'living'. It is only through right type of living that we can 'live' the death also.
I suggest that this book be read by all the Buddhist as well as by non buddhists also. Every one who reads it will find something for him/her.
I salute Sogyal Rinpoche for giving us a wonderful gift of THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING.

This book should be read by or to everyone at some point in their lives. It not is not just for the buddhist. As His Holiness, the Dalia Lama explains, no matter what religion you practice the goal is the same: happiness. This book can be an inspiration at all times in life. Once you have read it through once, it is organized in such a way, so one can go back and read certain sections to help along the way. Sogyal Rinpoche captures the essence of his purpose of creating the book when he writes: "to learn how to die, is to learn how to live." That simple statement is a social commentary on the development of modern society and the direction it is heading in. The ageing and dying are quickly isolated and doctors are rarely educated in emotional or spiritual care. Sogyal Rinpoche's proposes a new attidute to those who are in a stage that we all will reach at some point. His beautiful writing style and comforting compassion radiates from the pages themselves. I do not associate myself with any one religion, but consider myself a wanderer following my own road in search for answers, for all those who feel the same, this book can illuminate some of the darkness that surrounds us all who have not yet awakened.

This book gives you a spirutal, personal and intimate understanding of death and dying. More than that, it compels you to stop and take a deep and serious look at your own life and your own death. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying helps to alievate your own fear of dying and helps you take the responsibility to prepare for your death. At the same time, it gently helps you prepare yourself for the death and dying of a loved one. The teachings and personal experiences of Sogyal are simple to understand and intrepret and incorporate into your personal life. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for every introspective person as well as for those facing the death of a loved one.

Mika Waltari's "The Egyptian" tells us the story of one physician of ancient Egypt, Sinuhe, set against the background of the reign of the fourth pharaoh Amenhotep, whose attempt to impose monotheism on his polytheistic country was one of the strangest and most fascinating experiments of early civilization. Sinuhe is a foundling, adopted by a lowly physician, and in the tradition of ancient times, trained to follow in his adopted father's footsteps, coming of age at the same time a decisive event is about to take place: the death of the reigning pharaoh, Amenhotep III, around 1380 BC, and the accession of his son, Amenhotep IV, who styled himself Akhenaton.

Sinuhe is a loner and a wanderer, whose self-imposed exile from his native country takes him to Syria, the ancient Hittite kingdom of Hatti, and Crete, before finally returning to Egypt, at the same time that Akhenaton attempts to overthrow the reigning god Ammon and his priests, and install his own vision, Aton, the one and eternal god, in Ammon's place. As a political move, trimming Ammon's power in Egypt may have been a wise idea; the priests' power had grown so great that it was challenging that of pharaoh himself. But as a religious experiment it was a disaster, especially in a country as rigidly conservative as ancient Egypt where change of any kind was anathema. We see Akhenaton as a visionary out of touch with reality and with his people, a tragic figure doomed to failure. And we share Sinuhe's ambivalence about this enigmatic figure, intrigued by pharaoh's vision of one just god who brings equality to all mankind, but repelled by the spreading social chaos this vision brings with it, especially when it threatens his own security and the lives of those he loves.

Waltari bring us some of the people that have only existed in the pages of history books -- Akhenaton himself, his incredibly beautiful wife Nefertiti, his scheming, conniving mother Queen Taia, the boy king Tut, and Horemheb, the military general who became pharaoh after Akhenaton's death plunged the country into near anarchy. But "The Egyptian" fortunately doesn't read like a history textbook; Waltari makes ancient Egypt and his characters come vibrantly alive. And Sinuhe himself is wholly believable; a man of his own time and all time, sometimes wise, sometimes foolish in the extreme, trying to find his own place in his world, sometimes succeeding and sometimes not. Waltari is not only a great novelist but a fine historian, and he kept the background scrupulously accurate. The book is true to its time and its location, and Naomi Walford's excellent translation into English keeps the reader moving along effortlessly from the first page to the last. "The Egyptian" is Waltari's masterpiece; it's one of the best historical novels ever written.

I first read this book when I was a girl junior in high school. That was in 1967, which was 22 years after it was written. I just finished reading it again and love it even more. I am 53 now and have read many novels but none compare to my favorite book, The Egyptian. And now that I am older I have come to appreciate the complexity of the characters, their sorrows, their joys, their virtues and vices even more. The writting style is rythmic and lyrical with ancient language like the Songs of Solomon. Yet the plot is easy to follow and the story is enthralling because it is based on historical events and people.

I fell in love with Sinhue as a teenager and have yet to find a more strangely attractive male character in any other book. Sinhue is not a man of action, but a thinking man who loves deeply and is loyal and compassionate. Yet he is also flawed in a way that makes him all the more mysterious and vulnerable. His wiley slave Keptah, the love of his life, Minea, who dances before the bulls in her homeland of Crete, the Pharoah Anknaton, the princess Baketamon and many more characters both fictional and factual are skillfully created and come alive in the beautifully described setting of the ancient world.

I was very gratified to read the other reviews. It seems I am not alone in my life long love of this magical novel. Read it because if you don't you will be missing something in life. But I warn you, no other book you read afterward will ever quite measure up to it.

"The Egyptian" came about as a result of Mika Waltari's experiences during WWII. Published in Finland in 1945, this book is truly a commentary about the terrible social upheavals experienced by Europe during the war years. The abomination of war, the waning belief in religion, and the unravelling of society are some of the themes that resonate from ancient Egypt to mid-20th Century Europe.

This historical tie notwithstanding, the real beauty of this book lies in the way Waltari uses small details to transport the reader to a bygone era. The period that starts with rise of Amehnotep IV (later Akhenaten) and concludes with reign of the great general Horemheb is one of the most compelling chapters of Egyptian history, and this book succeeds in making it into a gripping tale of idealism, stupidity, courage, and politics.

It is truly amazing to see the historical figures fulfill their appointed roles, acting before the background of the first monotheistic religion (doomed to fail through good intentions), a war of conquest, political manipulations, love and loss, and ultimately, fate. In the best tradition of Waltari, the male characters are richly three-dimensional, with moments of courage and moments of cowardice, with hints of idealism and hints of opportunism, and above all, with human frailties.

Truly a delightful read, even if it forces the reader to ponder issues well beyond the action that takes place on the written page.

Book Review : Drug Crazy by Mike Gray (Random House, N.Y.- June, 1998)

America's War on Drugs, declared originally by Richard Nixon and waged with varying degrees of enthusiasm by every President since, has become a nearly invulnerable monster, thriving on its own failures and seemingly capable of destroying anyone reckless enough to speak out against it. Its simplistic central premise- drugs pose unthinkable dangers to our children, and therefore must be prohibited- has helped elect legions of politicians who then cite the latest drug scare as reason for tougher crack-downs, harsher laws, and more prisons. So completely has this idea of "illicit drugs" become society's default setting, and so beholden are politicians and others to it, the policy itself receives no critical scrutiny from government and little from academics dependent of federal funding. "Legalization" is a deadly brickbat hurled indiscriminately at all critics without thought that in a society based on capitalism, it is the illegal markets which are abnormal.

Although several scholarly, historically accurate books have pointed out shortcomings of this policy since the late Sixties, not one author has effectively attacked drug prohibition as a policy based on a completely false premise, incapable of preventing substance abuse problems; indeed, certain to make them worse. None, that is, until Mike Gray. A professional from the film world, Gray may have written the book no one else has yet been able to: a concise, readable, historically accurate, and well documented indictment of our drug policy. Very few reading his book all the way through will see the drug war the same way they did before. A major question then becomes: how many people will read it? Will it sink without a trace, overlooked like so many earlier criticisms of official policy- or will it be discovered by a public growing increasingly disillusioned by a perennial policy failure which is jamming prisons, impoverishing schools and colleges and effectively canceling! many Constitutional guarantees of personal freedom? Read by enough people, "Drug Crazy" could do for drug reform what "Silent Spring" did for the environment in 1962.

Like the film maker he is, Gray opens with a tight close up: Chicago police on a drug stake-out. The view quickly expands to the futility of enforcement against Chicago's massive illegal market. first from the perspectives of an elite narcotics detective and then through the eyes of a dedicated public defender. A comparison with Chicago seventy years ago during Prohibition reveals that police and the courts were equally unable to suppress the illegal liquor industry for exactly the same reasons: the overwhelming size and wealth of the criminal market created by prohibition. This beginning leaves the reader intrigued and eager to learn more; he's not disappointed.

The rest of the book traces the history of our drug crusade from its idealistic populist origins, starting in 1901 when McKinley's assassination thrust a youthful TR into the White House. The 1914 Harrison Act, purportedly a regulatory and tax law, was transformed by enforcement practice into federal drug prohibition with the assistance of the Supreme Court. Drug prohibition not only survived the demise of Prohibition, but emerged with its bogus mandate strengthened.

Thirty years of determined and unscrupulous management by Harry Anslinger, the J. Edgar Hoover of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics shaped drug prohibition into what would eventually become a punitive global policy. Anslinger was dismissed by JFK in 1960, but not before politicians had discovered the power of the drug menace to garner both votes and media attention.

Illegal drug markets have since thrived on the free advertising of their products which inevitably accompanies intense press coverage of the futile suppression effort and dire official warnings over the latest drug scare. This expansion was accelerated when Nixon declared the drug war in 1972. Gray covers that expansion beyond our borders in Colom! bia ("River of Money"), in Mexico (Montezuma's Revenge"), and also at home ("Reefer Madness"). He also describes how some European countries have blunted the most destructive effects of our policy forced on them by the UN Single Convention Treaty ("Lessons from the Old Country").

In his final chapter, Gray opines that the push to legitimize marijuana for medical use may have exposed a chink in the heretofore impregnable armor of drug prohibition. Beyond that, he believes that the policy, having thrived on relentless intensification, can't allow relaxation without risking the sort of scrutiny which might reveal its intrinsic lack of substance, therefore, any change must come from outside government. He doesn't offer a detailed recipe for a regulatory policy to replace drug prohibition; rather he suggests that it will be very similar to that which replaced alcohol Prohibition after Repeal in 1933- a collection of state based programs, sensitive to local needs and beliefs.

There is a desperate need for this book to be read and discussed by hundreds of thousands of thinking citizens. The pied piper of drug prohibition has beguiled our politicians and led us dangerously close to the edge of an abyss. Mike Gray's warning has hopefully come just in time and could itself be a major factor in initiating needed change of direction toward sanity.

Thomas J. O'Connell, MD

I have recently finished reading an excellent book about what is probably the most important issue in America today, the War on Drugs. Titled "Drug Crazy" (How We Got Into This Mess and How We Can Get Out Of It) by Mike Gray, it is a candid expose of the political hot potato that presents a greater threat to the Bill of Rights than most people suspect. Well organized, almost conversationally written and thoroughly annotated, it is a fast read - hard to set down. I breezed through it in two days, and then spent a couple of hours on-line spot checking some of his citations. It's all there. This is not the raving of some conspiracy theorist; rather, it is an appeal to reason, a revealing look at the many sides of a complex issue that has been thus far addressed with only the most simplistic remedies. Read it. It could change your perspective on a lot of things. It is probably the most important book you will read this year.

I have always wondered why the subject of drug use, addiction and legalization of drug use in the United States has been so polarized. In my years of experimenting with drugs such as Marijuana, amphetamines etc. I learned there are obvious reasons to use caution in the use of all drugs,whether street or legal ones. I find it interesting that all the attention from the press and govenment is always focused on the illegal street drugs and users, yet statistical facts bear out the reality that prescription drug addicts out number street addicts by a hugh margin. I find the book DRUG CRAZY, to be a breath of fresh air and sanity, documenting the real story of the genesis of drug laws and attitudes in this country. Any law that is legislated and enforced based on lies, manipulation of facts is not a law that belongs in a Republic such as ours. Mr. Gray has done an outstanding job in researching the actual documented history of drugs in america. I do not advocate the use of drugs for anyone, especially our youth, that is a personal decision made by free individuals who must take personal responsibility for that decision based on a study of the facts of each drug. This cannot be done if those facts are distorted or deleted from view. If you are confused by all the claims made by those who advocate the WAR ON DRUGS then please, please read this book. Your jaw will drop open when you find out how our present drug laws have come about.

Jacob's Rescue was a great book. I like this book because I like books about the Holocaust. I feel bad for the Jewish people because the Germans did horrible things to them. In the story I felt bad for Jacob because he was kind of guilty for everything that the family had to do like move or spend a lot of money. This book was so good that I could read it again. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books about the Holocaust.

Jacob's Rescue

I have never read a book about the Holocaust before and I didn't know much about it. This book is through a Jew's eyes and how bad it really was to be a Jew during the Holocaust. This is a book about a boy named Jacob who has to live with a Christian family because he is a Jew, and he needed a place to hide or he would be killed by the Germans. You read about all the problems a Jew would have gone through during the Holocaust. I really like this book because it was exciting and I couldn't wait until I read the next chapter.

I realy enjoyed this book called Jacob's Rescue. I really liked it so I would give it a five star rating. This is one of the best books I ever read! It is a true story about a Jewish boy named Jacob in 1943. The Germans are trying to kill Jews. A Polish family named the Roslans hid Jacob in their house. The Nazi troops were thinking that the Roslans were hiding a Jew. I think that it was amazing how the Roslans went out of their way to save Jacob!

It is the mark of an outstanding book that in today's postmodern culture, a book can grip both the reader's attention and imagination until the very last word. Mike Yon's prose shows the talent of a budding writer with vast potential. His book offers the layman a unique opportunity to understand the mentallity and lifestyle of an actual Special Forces soldier. Mike Yon lends true insight with what is probably the first contemporary objective account of the Special Forces Qualification Course and the larger than life figures that made it and Special Forces the one of a kind elite unit that it was and still is today. This is definitely an excellent read and Mike Yon is a writer to keep an eye on.

For many, "Florida" conjures visions of a vacation near a sunny beach or a trip to Disney World.

Mike Yon paints an intimate picture of his life growing up in a small town in central Florida. His boyhood took place where most coast dwelling Floridians have never been. At times his adventures read like wild fictional stories... but as someone who grew up a childhood friend of the author, I can attest to the truism of his memories.

From his experiences in the military, in business, at home and abroad, Mike Yon, tells his story in a way that makes it hard to put this book down. This book is riveting from page one!

It was the first day at summer school before 10th grade. I took a creative writing class to get some extra credit towards High School graduation and a good GPA. My teacher gave us a choice of three books to read so we could discuss writing styles, one book of which was Danger Close. My teacher read the book in 4 days while on her vacation and decided we could learn alot about expression and writing style from it since Mike Yon makes you feel like you're with him in the whole book. I was so amazed at what I learned about life and how other kids can overcome problems by just taking time to think about what is right. Danger Close is the best and well written book I've read since the beginning of Jr. High School. It is so good, my Dad is even reading it. My mom and sister would dig it too. Our class ended and I got an 'A' because I was really into this book. I'm also going to join ROTC this coming year. I think everyone should read Danger Close because it's a really great book that you just can't stop reading.

This is a difficult book for me to evaluate; here are some thoughts I had after reading Father Elijah several times.

Michael O'Brien has been compared to Dostoevsky, a natural and unavoidable association. Chapters 11 and 12 of Father Elijah, The Confession/Another Confession, is gripping prose straight outta Eastern Europe, heady philosophy dispensed by two formidable caricatures.

The anecdote about the rabbit Ludmilla astonishes me still, and I've read it dozens of times. Maybe you aren't as fond of rabbit tales as I; it ends sadly. The final paragraph of Chapter 12 might be the finest paragraph of any of the Last Days novels.

Per sub-title/introduction, this novel is an apocalypse. It's one of the better ones (I've read many apocalypses), but I don't think that is necessarily saying much. O'Brien's perspective of John's Revelation is important, and he develops it as consistently and coherently as I've ever seen. Hands down, the best Christian apocalypse I've ever read. And that is most definitely not saying much. I have tender feelings towards Why Do Birds by Damon Knight, and The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle. Why Do Birds is about a huge black box. The Black Cloud is about a huge black cloud. Both books deserve wider appreciation.

As for O'Brien, he is considered one of the shining stars of modern Catholic literature. It is a well deserved position, if only because of the phenomenal Strangers and Sojourners, the most poignant and powerful novel of the past fifty years, hands down. I can't say enough good things about S & S.

I didn't know what to make of Father Elijah after the first read. The orthodox Catholic in me was delighted with O'Brien's perspective. The literary critic in me found the pedestrian attempts at vernacular dialogue annoying and unrealistic. The dialogue succeeds when it is archaic (the Confession chapters) and this goes triple for Strangers and Sojourners.

What bugged me the most was the main character, Father Elijah. I didn't find him appealing. I couldn't visualize him, or feel any communion with him. Linking him with both the Holocaust and modern-day Middle East terrorism seemed too convenient. We are never given a specific age for David Schaeffer, but we can easily calculate his age at 70. Then we are expected to believe that a 70 year old monastic, on a mission from God and the Pope to call the anti-Christ to conversion, will have an absolutely chaste yet psychologically powerful romantic dalliance with a cute little Italian number. I'm not buying it. The life the man had lived, the death and tragedy which was a constant companion, could not result in the portait we are given. Father Elijah is a spiritual weakling at times. His delays and bouts of depression are Hamlet-ic. And the climax of the book? Ugh. Thank goodness for the archangel. And I can hear the response - "God can choose anyone; we are all weaklings without the strength of God; success is only possible with God." That's great. Using the priest traipsing around northwest Canada would have resulted in a better novel. If the intention was to give a frustrating protagonist to the reader, O'Brien succeeded. But it's the angel that saves the day at the end. You get the feeling any of one million Catholics could have done just as well in Elijah's place. Or that is how I feel.

What else doesn't work? The anti-Christ. A European political leader (I mean, everybody knows the anti-Christ is going to be European, right?) who apparently has the stuff to intellectually seduce a 70-year old monastic. Again, it just doesn't work for me. He lacks Maurice L'Oraison's evil streak as well (once again, the more attractive anti-Christ is hanging out in Canada of all places). Good old Billy, the chubby side-kick? It was a relief when he exited the novel. His dialogue made me cringe, his Tolkien references got old real quick. The convenient secondary characters - attractive widow, stigmatic bilocator, despicable Cardinal, Karol Wojtyla-esque Pope. Ugh.

Why am I being so negative? I didn't feel so strongly about this book until I read, and re-read, and re-read, Strangers and Sojourners. Father Elijah is an inferior book, and its flaws are readily apparent in the comparison.

I recommend this book nonetheless. The highs in Father Elijah are astounding, albeit far-between. The fundamental message is vital and timely (but come on, we all know that the anti-Christ won't enter the scene until 2030!), it is stirring and comforting prose for the Orthodox Catholic (or orthodox Christian for that matter), and it doesn't shirk away from the evil present in the world and in the Church. A Pope once told us that the smoke of Satan had entered into the Roman Church. Dark days are coming, but the final outcome is assured. The trick (if it is even worth the effort, and I think it is) is putting it in words. Many have tried, and Michael O'Brien does a damn good job. Not a literary classic by any means, but the plusses outweight the minuses.

This book deserves placement in the pantheon of such great religious works as "The Shoes of the Fisherman." It is at the same time an utterly devastating commentary on modern times and a rousing defense of Catholic orthodoxy.

When I bought it, I was in the middle of another book at the time, so I thought I would read the first chapter to get a feel for the prose style. I never put it down. O'Brien draws you in and never lets go. I guarantee you will feel emotionally drained after completing "Father Elijah."

Those who have felt an uneasiness about the decline of religion in contemporary times, or those wishing to understand the philosophical roots of Catholicism are advised to get this fine book.

This is the second book I've read on the subject of the Millenia and, although I enjoyed the first one (Left Behind by LaHaye and Jenkins), Father Elijah is by far a better piece of literature. Michael O'Brien was able to capture the spirit of of the "Apocalypse" from a Roman Catholic perspective that made the plot and message much more insightful and spiritually fulfilling. I found myself putting the book down and entering into deep meditation and prayer at various moments throughout my reading. Also, the characters were quite special, almost like Icons of individuals we have read of, known or seen in todays world, making the literary work much more timely. I hope other readers enjoy Father Elijah as much as I did.

Have you ever wondered about what life was like for a young teenager growing up in the Union Army during the Civil War? If so, then Harold Keith's book, Rifles For Watie, is the book for you. It follows th journey of a teenager named Jeff, who, in his youthful enthusiasm, joins the Union Army during the Civil War. On this journey he meets friends, makes enemies, and falls in love. He is surprised by the ferocity of the fighting and finds no glory in the victory. This book would be good for teens to young adults.
Rifles For Watie is organized in an easy to read, orderly fashion. There are no jumps from here to there to confuse you. There are however, periods of time with little or no action. An example is, "We stayed in the fort for 3 whole months waiting to get into action." The author also gives you side information about the war as a whole, which will help you keep your bearings on the years.
The age group that I think would get the maximum effectiveness
from enjoying this book would be young adults or people interested in the life of a soldier. The vocabulary is easy to read but the fact that Keith puts in the Kansas accents and spellings might make it slightly harder to read for some. The author also deals with subjects akin to young adults, changing emotions, questioned ideals, and loss.
The amount of emotion in this book is astounding. The author weaves in how Jeff feels and thinks. He describes in detail his thoughts using fear, suspense, and longing, among them. He uses Jeff's emotions by telling how flustered he gets when he met Lucy, a young Rebel teenager his age.
Rifles For Watie is a "must read" for young adults teens and people who like war novels.

I was somewhat skeptical of reading "Rifles for Watie" when I saw that it was originally written in the '50's, believing that any book that old must be sappy and cheap. I was certainly suprised! This book ranks very high in my favorite books.

Jeff Bussey, a teenage Kansas boy, decides that he wants to join the Union army, especially after southern bushwackers come near his family's home. Jeff is sure that fighting the Confederates will be a great adventure for he and his friends, but he is soon suprised - when he sees the results of terrible battles, he begins to doubt the honor and excitement of war. When Jeff falls in love with a spirited Cherokee-Confederate girl, and also when he gets involved with some other Confederates, he learns that the other armies are just made up of boys like him, who fiercly honor their country.

This was an excellent, exciting, interesting, and, at the same time, educational young adult novel on the Civil War, and I'd definitely recommend it for ages 12 and up! You may also enjoy "The Journal of James Edmund Pease", "The Boys' War", and "Soldier's Heart", also on the Civil War, and, on the also intriguing Revolutionary War, the book "Johnny Tremain" and the wonderful movie "The Patriot.

I first discovered this book when my school librarian aunt brought home a copy one summer to preview. It become probably my favorite library book from 4th to 12th grade. I probably checked it out 20+ times.

"Rifles.." recounts the adventures of Jeff Bussey during the western campaigns of the Civil War in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri. It tells of friendships on both sides of the war. His love of the rebel girl Lucy, his friend Noah the tramp printer and the life of a common Union soldier and a Rebel Cavalryman. The book recounts battles and the small world within them that a soldier plays, often missing the large results that are defined with the outcome. It tells of courage, and fear and determination as Jeff is pursued for miles in his daring escape from the Confederate army.

This book you must include in your home library. I still pick up my copy and read it again, still as enjoyable as the first time back in Idaho.