Qwilleran visits Junktown, expecting it to be a hangout of junkies (drug addicts). But Junktown is a place for junk (antique) shops! First modern art, second interior decorating and this time...antique. Poor Qwill.

This book is a little different from the previous two books. The previous books described prosperous, privileged worlds. While Junktown is an old deserted town which the City regards as a slum and wants to demolish. It makes this book somewhat deeper than the previous books how Qwill gradually loves this poor old town. And this book is relatively well-plotted as a detective story.

Unlike Koko, Yum Yum doesn't play a role as a sleuth. When it hails noisily, Yum Yum gets scared and hides herself, while Koko investigates the noise. It is interesting that such kind of small daily details show Koko's sleuth talent more clearly. And I'm quite surprised at what Koko turns on and off...it's just incredible!

The occasion for the move is a reporter's contest at the Daily Fluxion that will pay the winner [amt]. Qwill decides to write a story about Junktown, a rundown part of the city, that is filled with countless, equally rundown antique and junk stores, a Mecca for those who like their collectibles 'in the rough.' Without fail Qwill immediately finds a new home, a strange little apartment in The Junkery, the store, home, and boarding house of Iris and C.C. Cobb.

It will not surprise the reader to discover that the apartment was originally the residence of Andrew Glanz, a dealer who recently died in a gruesome accident, falling off a ladder onto an old brass finial in his store. Nor should it surprise the reader when Qwill decides to investigate the suspicious death, possibly motivated by the lovely Mary Duckworth, Andrew's lady friend and, hopefully, Qwill's date to the Fluxion's Christmas party.

The further into Glanz's death Qwill probes, the more suspicious it looks. Even worse, another 'accidental' death occurs, that of C.C. Cobb. Qwill carries Koko around investigating and the two cats pull off many antics on their own. And there is much to be discovered. How did Glanz really fall on the finial? Who was with C.C. when he fell? Where is the missing manuscript? Who is Mathilda the ghost? And where do Koko and Yum Yum keep disappearing to?

Qwill is unable to escape exposure to both the shady and bright side of antiquing as he finds himself working a store counter and sneaking into a condemning building looking for valuables. He barely manages to survive several of his own accidents, and for a time he is baffled. As usual the Koko and Yum Yum save the day, not only switching lights on and off, but learning to type and flush toilets as well. Team Meow once again goes into action to expose nefarious doings and bring evildoers to justice.

As always, Lilian Braun's characters and gentle satire are delightful. She seems to write with considerable knowledge of the antique trade, even managing to predict the future of collecting when she introduces the idea of tech-tiques several years before the craze took off. While she often uses similar plot gimmicks from novel to novel, Braun always manages to give everything a unique twist that makes her eminently readable.

That's what First Tiger did to me.

How many heads have we seen shaking; how many hands wrung; how many political platforms and how many new social agenda have all been predicated on the universal question asked throughout the ages--"Why do people do bad things?"

George Harrar's journey to the center not only mines a gem so rare its value is immeasurable, it--this exploration--does what Freud is still trying to do: Harrar's characters, among them teen-ager Jake; his lost father; Jake's friend, Frankie, make the understanding of human nature touchable, seeable, knowable; and ultimately, loveable, so that we embrace it in all of its polished--and raw--facets.

This novel is brash, crash, warm, loving, hateful, stripped, sentimental, scary, comforting; you don't read it--you experience it the way you do a dear friend who confides in you their story of their struggles and triumphs--you can't relate to everything firsthand, but surely, as their pathos unfold, you come to a deeper understanding of them and what it might feel like to be them.

Jake and his brethren in First Tiger should be a case study that the student of social work studies. In fact, First Tiger should be required reading for students of all disciplines from the teacher, the judge, doctor, pollice officer, CEO, line worker to the parent. Instead of head-wagging and hand-wringing we might all then bask in this archeological find for the ages, whether from our rooftops or desktops.

This book is far more than a biography; it's an excellent study of the make-over of the US Army's personnel and educational system, under Marshall's guidance at the Infantry School. It's a study of the interplay between Churchill and Roosevelt. It's a study in the subbordination of the military to civil rule in America. It's a fine summary of "how we lost China," as if anything could have saved the Nationalists from their own venality and ineptitude.

It's a study in how a man of personal fortitude, rectitude, and character made such a contribution in service to his nation. We are blessed to have such figures on occasion in American life. Marshall goes into my personal list of heroes in American public-life alongside George Washington, George Mason, and Robert E. Lee.

This book is excellent in every way. The prose is well-written, and the compelling narrative keeps things moving along at a brisk pace.

Well, I'm glad I tackled it! I rank it alongside biographical masterpieces like Edmund Morris's two-volume biography of Teddy Roosevelt and Ron Chernow's biography of Rockefeller. Simply put, this is one of the best books I've ever read.

For anyone interested in the WWII era, or generally the history of America in the first half of the 20th century, this is MUST reading.

James B. Hagerty
Cincinnati Ohio

Marshall's towering integrity (he wrote no memoirs because he wanted no one profiting from them) has kept him in history's shadow, though he wasn't exactly cloaked in anonymity during WWII (since he reported to Roosevelt, and gave orders to MacArthur and Eisenhower). I hope more young people will read about him, and emulate his character.

Marshall is the last of the great Americans that the Clinton Democrats have not trashed in some fashion, denigrating generally accepted history in furtherance of their own self-serving, power-seeking, heck-with-our-nation political agenda. That's probably because the Democrats just haven't yet discovered Marshall... since they've never been too keen about reading serious history, and there's never any material about Marshall on MTV, CNN or the Spice Channel.

I will admit Woodward does seem to have a bias toward Powell, but not enough so that you think he is forcing him on you. He doesn't paint an overly rosy picture of Bush, often leaving you wondering about Bush's decision-making skills or intentions. This may only be because he was not able to personally use Bush as a source.

So is this what achievement is all about? Not really, say these authors. There's a system for success, and it's simple. In fact, simplicity in life is part of the magic. But it all starts inside. As the book explains, "what's in the well comes up in the bucket."

This is an interesting book because it's written by three authors-three people who have "been there, done that, and taught others." But the book is written in the singular. The authors realized that their ideas were bouncing all over the place, so they engaged a writer to "harmonize them into one voice." Clever idea, but a little unnerving at times, knowing that there are three people behind the message.

Readers will begin the journey through this book by Defining Success. Chapter 2 talks about Creating Desired Results, with the obligatory four-quadrant model. The dimensions of this one are Failure and Success, Frustration and Fulfillment. The Impact of Thoughts, Words, and Actions is explored in the third chapter. Values are addressed in a chapter entitled "Reflecting on Your Belief System" before an advisory chapter on getting clutter out of your life. The balance of the book focuses on creating an environment for success. It's a "typical" self-help book, but well put together.

Extra features include the inspirational quotes you might expect, sprinkled through the pages. A 19-question assessment at the back of the book serves as a summary, but could also be taken before reading the book as a sort of benchmark. The Points to Ponder at the end of each chapter add value to this book, moving the reader from absorption of good advice to a pensive and self-reflection mode to stimulate progress.

The lessons learned about being centered and living in the "now" have greatly impacted my life. The chapter on "Clutter" has created even more satisfaction and peace in my daily life. I ask myself the following question: Are there things that tie me to my past that prevent me from enjoying the present? Try it, you'll experience a wonderful sense of letting go and enjoying life more!

One drawback with the book is it only covers PID control and its variants, but doesn't cover state-space control. While state-space control may be considered "overkill" by many control engineers, state-space is used in industry. The decision to use state-space is often not in the hands of individual engineers, so it may not be an option to ignore state-space. It would be nice if Mr. Ellis could cover state-space in his next edition of the book.