Franz Lidz's life is like a painting, some parts sad and lonley, sometimes happy and exciting! I have never heard of a book so truly moving. If you read this book Iam sure you will be crying the whole way. Sometimes crying from laufter, sometimes with sadness.

Franz Lidz has written an absolutely brilliant, intelligent, sensitive, meticulous and - yes - affectionate memoir. Best of all, this book enriches our understanding of the strange, wonderful, richly complex men who were his father and uncles.

It's interesting to watch the jagged leaps and bounds by which this hilarious, unsentimental Lower East Side memoir became a sentimental tearjerker about a beautiful mother dying of cancer in L.A. That Hollywood gets Jewishness wrong again and again should come as a surprise to no one (Remember Melanie Griffith in "A Stranger Among Us"?) But the story of "Unstrung Heroes" is a rather spectacular example of Disney not getting anything about New York at all. The movie is a sanitized ode to motherhood, that is that it is practically impossible to watch without crying. I cried (many times) while reading the book, but somehow the tears felt more honest.

I've got a lot of BBQ books, maybe 40 or 50, and I would have to say this one has moved to the top of my list! Its got it all over the others. This book has "the vibe" its got soul, funk, rock and roll and some of the best damn barbecue recipes you'll ever come across. I'll have to settle for having to recreate the recipes as I am nowhere near this juke joint (but I am putting it on my BBQ Mecca list!)but just flipping thru the pages of this gaw-jus book I get a feeling like I can hear the music, smell the 'que and meet the characters that inhabit this place. Who says Dinosaurs are extinct! Chow time! Get cookin' get smokin! This is one 'Saur that Roars!

I bought Dinosaur's book not expecting much, given that it's "just" BBQ (forgive me) and that it's a restaurant cookbook (since books by professional chefs are often not feasible for home cooks to use, or else poorly written/edited/tested). I purchased it mostly because I'd been to the Syracuse restaurant, had a great time, and figured this book made a nice "souvenir" if nothing else. What a pleasant surprise: I've tried at least a dozen of the recipes (many more than once -- the real sign of a great cookbook) and all of them turned out wonderfully. And I'm not just talking BBQ -- I've made seafood, stews and braises, vegetables, and desserts from this book too. It's fun to read, and the instructions/layout are clear and comprehensive. A worthwhile purchase even for those who have never heard of the Dinosaur and have never set foot upstate.

I must admit that I avoided purchasing this book as I have been disappointed in the past with cookbooks that are written for a particular restaurant. Too often, the recipes in such books are only close approximations of the real items. Alas, this book forgoes that tendency and gives the actual menu directions. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que cooks traditional 'American cuisine'. The recipes for 'Not Your Mama's Meatloaf' and 'Macaroni and Cheese Shepherd's Pie' were big hits. Each section (Beef, Poultry, Seafood, Pork etc.) contains some suggestions for the barbeque novice. But what separates the 'Dinosaur' from other cookbooks are the recipes for sauces, rubs and marinades. I have grown habanero chiles in my garden this summer and used them to make the hot version of the Mutha Sauce. Problem is, I can't get enough of this stuff. The combination of tastes will just dance on your tongue and you too will use it in more and more recipes. The Creole Rub is also an easy to create but versatile spice combination. On a lighter note, the compilation of the best of Dinosaur graffiti is hilarious. It is obvious that this establishment takes its food seriously without taking itself all that seriously. Buy the book....make the sauces....assemble the rubs and try the recipes. As the authors suggest, this will be only a guidebook for you. Feel free to experiment with your own spices and flavors. If it isn't already, barbeque will become an indispensable part of your culinary experience!

Edward Gorey was a master of the macabre. Seemingly inappropriate, always bizarre, Mr. Gorey walked the taboo tightrope in his stories and illustrations. Here are fifteen such delightfully atrocious tales, compiled for the convenience of his very demented fans (including yours truly).

First is "The Unstrung Harp" about a befuddled and (in appearance) paranoid writer who trudges through his maddening existence, as so many a writer inevitably will. The casual reader might find this tale odd, but anyone who has ever taken to writing seriously will feel nothing but empathy. Has one of the greatest ending lines of any story I've ever read.

Next is "The Listing Attic", a series of devilish ryhmes with correlating illustrations. Many of these are horrible in design yet strangely you'll find yourself laughing at the unfortunate mishaps that fall upon the characters.

Now, on to "The Doubtful Guest" about a mysterious penguin-like creature that arrives at a residence only to act in a seemingly irrational way, doing things for inexplicable reasons. Personally I think this is nothing more than a metaphor for the unexpected in life and how it's more irrational for people to waste time trying to make sense out of these things. But that's just me.

"The Object Lesson" is just plain confusing, as if Mr. Gorey was just penning random thoughts and then illustrating them. Definitely weird.

"The Bug Book" is pretty childish in design and, to me, not particuarly noteworthy.

"The Fatal Lozenge" is another series of ryhmes, although the level of morbidity and violence is pretty much maxed out. Reading these you won't find yourself able to laugh, only maybe able to produce a nervous twitter as you ponder how very real these situations could be.

"The Hapless Child" is nothing short of a masterpiece, evoking every emotion from love to terror this tragedy should have a place in American high school curriculum, but alas public education systems in this nation would rather not deal with horrible reality.

"The Curious Sofa" is an attack on preconceived notions of sexual morality, being pornographic only in suggestion the point is that if someone who considered him/herself to be in the right in his/her sexual ideals he/she wouldn't understand the innuendo of the words and illustrations. A very interesting piece.

"The Willowdale Handcar" is a story I didn't like.

"The Gashlycrumb Tinies" has to be my favorite Edward Gorey piece, a sinister telling of the Alphabet with a small child meeting its demise for each letter, kind of an anti-Alligators All Around. I have a separate review posted for this story as it is deserving of the title of literature.

"The Insect God" is another disturbing work involving intelligent, and apparently religious, giant sized bugs.

"The West Wing" is a series of illustrations that force the reader to create his/her own captions for what is depicted.

"The Wuggly Ump" is a silly song about a very hungry monster.

"The Sinking Spell" is another tale of an unexpected visitor, a creature on an indecipherable journey.

Last, is "The Remembered Visit" about a woman who can't forget the odd travels of her youth or her meeting of a once famous man.

That's it, the coffee table book to beat all coffee table books, the ultimate conversation piece. But, then again, everything Edward Gorey did was worthy of conversation.

The artwork in Amphigorey is absolutely amazing. The style is reminiscent of a very old cartoon. Every single frame of each story is so detailed, and the lines are so intricate and precise, it's as if Gorey spent days on each drawing.

The stories which are illustrated by these drawings are very creepy. Many of the stories are incredibly pointless. Some of them end awfully, others don't really end at all. Some aren't stories, but rather collections of poems with a title. At times, things get quite disgusting. For example, in one set of alphabetical poems entitled "The Fatal Lozenge," the last poem goes like this:

The ZOUAVE used to war and battle
Would sooner take a life than not:
It scarcely has begun to prattle
When he impales a hapless tot.

This is accompanied by an illustration of a baby pinned through its abdomen with a sword and blood dripping down. But no matter what, everything in this collection is interesting and unique. This book is at no time dull or boring. Plus, it makes a great conversation piece. I love showing people my Amphigorey book! Most people have never heard of Edward Gorey and are entirely surprised that such a bizarre book even exists.

In any case, if you don't already have it, you should definitely get this book! It's such a great thing to have around the house, you'll never regret owning it!

This book is GORGEOUS. I first discovered it while hanging about at a Christmas party at the house of a pair of my uncle's co-workers. I didn't know any of the guests, so I looked around the house and discovered the host's collection of antique books, Amphigorey among them. When the lord of the household found me sitting in his rocking chair and reading, he graciously invited me to borrow the volume, which I did. How grateful I am!

Edward Gorey is the Renee Magritte of literature. I have always loved bizarre, vague, puzzling works, and Amphigorey is delightfully, bitterly twisted. The characters are so spectral. On each page I see... not nightmares, but dark dreams surfacing. This wild, enchanting book ranks alongside William J. Meyer's comic book saga, White Bread, as one of my favorite "what the hell is going on" works of literature.

Within the borrowed volume I read, I discovered an artifact that may be of immense value. It was a printed invitation decorated by a copy of Edward Gorey's drawing of the Gashlycrumb Tinies and their Grim Reaper nanny. In Gorey's handwriting, the invitation gave the names of two gentlemen and continued "...and the Gashlycrumb Tinies demand your presence at their home at 8:00 pm on ALL HALLOWS EVEN [that's not a typo], 1975." The invitation announced a costume contest and gave an address and phone number. Ah, to have attended Mr. Gorey's celebration! He is surely the master of Halloween.

Like it or not, everyone who lives long enough is sooner or later going to become disabled. Read about it here and now from a brilliant writer and extraordinary person. Mr. Hockenberry covers every aspect of disability, from sensitive descriptions of his feelings about his body, to the horrendous insensitivity with which many so-called able-bodied folk react to him, to vital discussions about the social injustices perpetrated on disabled people at every turn. All this and more is woven into a tale about the amazing world of a courageous, iconoclastic, humorous, and outrageous individual who lives a very exciting life. Thanks, John, for one terrific read, with a hundred or more important messages for all of us.

Hockenberry doesn't really need more people to tell him how good his book is. However, he does need a person considered to have a disability (Deaf) to tell him--Great JOB! And to recommend to all those undergoing the process of learning to deal with a disability and grieving over loss of abilities, to read this book. It will help significantly. He learned in a shorter period of time, and had a significantly better outlook on his new disablement. He also brings up the fact that sometimes the obstacles placed in our way are of our own making. The Americans with Disabilities Act is not going to solve all of our problems...and as a country we are lucky to have it. But many of those problems won't be fixed until we the Deaf and the disabled get off our collective butts (excuse the pun) and do something about it. This means becoming active politically and otherwise. Mr. Hockenberry needs to write a followup since his career has gone in different routes now...and we see him more often on television. How has this newfound fame added or detracted from his life? I didn't always agree with him...I too have worked with mentally disabled adults, and sometimes found his attitude shocking, though I think he was merely very young at the time. But I am recommending this book to my students, to people I work with who are disabled, to my computer group (the SayWhatClub--we all say 'what') and anyone else I can think of. Ok Mr. Hockenberry, get busy writing the sequel! Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

First book I've ever read that I feel compelled to recommend as a MUST READ for everyone. It's extremely eye-opening (at least to this reader) on the subjects of physical limits, our relationship to our physical selves, and even the meaning of life. You don't need a spinal-cord injury to appreciate Hockenberry's perspective on friends, family, work, American society, or journalism. This book is intelligent, reflective, funny, tragic, introspective, and, as far as I can tell, brutally honest. When John Hockenberry is the lens, the photo is exquisite

"The Complete Stories" has everything the beginning Kafka reader neads to get started. Of course this is required reading for the Kafka enthusiast.

A well thought-out forward by John Updike prepares you for your journey into the amazing and complex mind of Kafka. The book is divided into two sections, one for the longer stories and one for the shorter stories (most of which only take up a page or two).

The stories themselves are great. "The Metamorphisis" is included, in which Gregor Samsa awakens to find himself in the form of a rather large insect! "The Penal Colony", "The Judgment" and "A Country Doctor" are also included.

There's certainly hasn't been an author since Kafka able to play upon the fears and emotions of the human mind, those thoughts playing in out head, when we realize that maybe some of this could happen to us.

If you enjoy "The Complete Stories", be sure to pick up "Amerika", "The Castle" and "The Trial". These are Kafka's three novels and will complete your collection. All very much worth it!

Kafka can be a difficult figure to approach for some. His presence looms for some readers as foreboding as that strange unapproachable structure in The Castle looms for the character in that book. One way to get around this is to learn a little about Kafka's own life, especially his relationship with his father. And also to learn that his economical & concise way with language he learned as a student of law and his fascination to the point of paranoia with bureaucracies of various kinds he may have picked up in his career as an office worker in an insurance company. Kafka may never become all together human to some readers. To those who share his particular temperament, however, he will seem very human and become a favorite though a kind of quiet one that lurks in the fringes of your bookcase. These stories are a great introduction. Though they are all prose works in some cases they seem to possess qualities more often seen in parables than in twentieth-century prose ie: use of symbols & layers of possible meanings being more evocative(though sparse) than specific. His work is certainly pessimistic, his landscapes are oblique, and chances are you will have your own way of looking at Kafka the more you read(and there are a vast array of ways to interpret his work). One interesting reader, Jean Paul Sartre, characterized Kafka's work as "the impossibility of transcendence". His exaggerated worlds(Swift was one of his own favorite authors) do provide interesting glimpses into that very often written about terrain alienation but few have ever delved into it so deeply. After Kafka you may be lead down one of the more interesting paths in the history of literature which includes Nabokov, Borges, Cortazar, Calvino and many many others.

Kafka was perhaps the greatest writer ever to live and this volume shows it. Every story, even every sketch of an idea that Kafka wrote down comes filled with brilliant emotions and deep meaning conveyed through simple and serious language. Shakespeare has none of the lyrical abilities of Kafka, and Homer could only dream of equaling Kafka's mastery of plot. Kafka out-psychoanalyzed Freud, and wrote circles around Joyce. His stories seem modern even by today's standards, the things that haven't come true yet in his works I believe will eventually, while I don't believe him to be a prophet he certainly had a great understanding of humankind and knew where it was headed.

"A Country Doctor" is in my opinion the greatest short story ever written, a dark dream sequence with all kinds of slimy worms writhing beneath the surreal surface plot, sticking out through the rotted boards that Kafka puts down to allow us to see what we're standing over. "The Judgement," a purely perfect work of psychology, Kafka dipping deeper and hitting more nerves than in any of his other stories, giving us a picture of what it's like to be a genius controlled by a domineering, and a nonunderstanding father. And of course there are the smaller works from "Meditations," little snippets of images that flash through the mind, a kind of literary whispering in the ear while sitting in the dark. "The Burrow," another favorite, perhaps the most claustrophobic work of fiction ever conceived, the darkness of the tunnel affecting your mind for days.

Read this book, in it the greatest treasure a writer ever gave us shines, a golden nugget, hidden deep within a dark pool that seems unswimable. Take the swim, and I garantee that you will find the nugget. Ignoring Kafka is like denying yourself the best there is.

It was heartening to read of the slow but sure conversion of the father from the non-patriotic elitist northeasterner to the supportive America-loving patriot. He now seems to understand that freedom is not free; that it has to be paid for in each new generation by those young men and women who are willing to serve their country and stand between our enemies and us. His young son understood it pretty well as things developed, plus he quickly realized that he was going to get something invaluable out of his Marine service - his own self-worth and a lot of confidence.

I hope that these two authors follow up this book with a second one. I believe that the readers are going to want to see "how all of this turns out." A normal person who has the attitude of the son, John, is almost always successful. I want to be there when it happens.

The caterpillar to butterfly story of the development of young men who have joined the military is an old, old story. Certainly many books poke at this timeless theme, and Hollywood certainly isn't unfamiliar with the same theme. John Schaiffer and his father Frank do justice to this idea without becoming trite or syrupy.
The book examines what it mean to become a Marine. But it also directly and indirectly digs into the idea of commitment to a higher idea...in this case giving up oneself to become a member of an elite group of fighting men, and in the process getting back more than one gave up. It flip flops between John's narrative and his fathers observations. Interesting.
As a former Marine I found a connection with John. Having gone through bootcamp in June of 1967 in San Diego, the connection to this new generation of Marines is immediate and profound. This, as all former Marines know, isn't new. The membership in this club spans all generations. No generation gap here.

If you're a former Marine, you'll want to read the book for obvious reasons. If you're not, read it anyway. You'll gain some respect for the youth of today.

When I finished reading this book I was fighting a lump in my throat, tears welling in my eyes, and a heart bursting with pride

Maybe it's the old Marine in me; I became one 61 years ago, and like everyone who has ever worn the Eagle, globe and anchor emblem, I am still one. I felt so proud for John, the son, and his accomplishments. He appears to be the "Classic" Marine!

The book made me feel good about John's whole family whose loyalty and love made his early ordeals at Parris Island less burdensome. And Frank's role as Father couldn't have been handled better even if pre-scripted.

Marines everywhere and "wannabees" will love this story.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is just chock full of ideas about bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerwalking, good nutrition and just plain living. Try the Steve Reeves power drink. The only problem I have with the book is that Steve Reeves suggests doing over twenty exercises per day three days per week. I don't know how many weeks a year he normally worked out but he admits that many years when making movies he only worked out maybe three months a year. This regimen works without breaking you down for three months maybe, but surely not twelve months a year for many years. In several places in the book it is insinuated that Steve did not always work out like perhaps he should. According to him he never had trouble maintaining muscle mass because of his lifestyle. So he slacked sometimes. As a result he probably did not overtrain much. This agrees with my personal experience also. The pictures of Steve when he was sixteen show that he developed similar to Arnold just packing on the pecs and lats in virtually a single year. It is too bad more do not follow the simple principles in this book. Try his squat routine: work up to squating half your bodyweight 100 times. That is my eventual goal and I am interested in what happens to my body in the meantime. Some of the exercises may be a little old but they will still work.

I believe that this is the best book for bringing out your potential.It is intense--you work out hard three days a week and then rest four. This is the way the natural guys, Reeves, Ross, Park, Delinger, Grimek, Stephans, Eiferman, Tanny etc did it back in those days and they got some incredible results--drug free.The other thing I like about this training program is that it gives you the time to have a life outside the gym.I just heard of Steve Reeves passing. How unfortunate. HE was indeed one of the real legends of bodybuilding and will be sorely missed.Buy the book and use it. It's the best.

Interested in knowing a lot about the living legend SteveReeves? Please enter. If you're into bodybuilding, all the rightstuff for building a classic physique is here; how and when to work out, what to eat, what not to eat, when to rest, etc.; every ingredient for achieving a great build naturally. In addition to bodybuilding, Steve also unveils his everyday recipe for staying physically fit for life. Some of the topics include the power of walking, the importance of water, getting smart about nutrition, etc. With 175 rare pictures of Reeves, the book also delivers on biographical data: from childhood, to bodybuilding fame, to worldwide movie star, to Reeves' current activity. It's all documented, it's all interesting and it's all the write stuff.

'Sick of mankind and its disgusting ways' Anne Bronte once scribbled on the back of her prayer book. Her evident harsh view of life, coupled with her moral strength as a woman, are beautifully interwoven to produce this novel; her masterpiece. Although never enjoying the popularity and success of 'Jane Eyre' and 'Wuthering Heights' - her sisters' books - 'Wildfell Hall' is quite fit to join any bookshelf of classic English literature. The themes include utter despair and the tragic consequences of a young woman's naivety; Helen felt that, although she could see Arthur's faults, she would be able to somehow change him once they were married. In reality, her marital experience was a disaster.

Anne Bronte creates a world in which the drunken, immoral behaviour of men becomes the norm and this may have been startling to contemporary readers - perhaps a reason for the book's panning at the critics. The narrative is built up delicately; first Gilbert; and then the racier, more gripping diary of Helen as she guides us through her married life; before returning again to Gilbert, whose tale by this time has become far more exciting as we know of Helen's past. Helen's realisation of the awful truth and her desperate attempts to escape her husband, are forever imprinted in the mind of the reader as passages of perfect prose.

One of the earliest feminist novels, the underrated Anne Bronte writes in this a classic, and - defying the views of her early (male) critics - a claim to the position of one of England's finest ever female writers.

I read "The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte for my review of personal reading in English last year and I thought it was really gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

It tells the story of a young woman's struggle for independence, against law and a society which defined a married woman as her husband's property. The novel, which uses extracts from her diary and narration from her neighbour, is very interesting and quite realistic.

It seems to me that the most interesting thing about the novel, is the build up of tension Bronte uses to sustain the reader's attention. It is stimulating and creates a little excitement in the book.

Helen Graham moves into Wildfell Hall with her son. She is a single mother and earns her living as a painter. Her neighbour, Gilbert Markham, takes a sudden interest in her and wants to find out everything about her. Although she is quite content being friends with him, she wants nothing more. As soon as he becomes too personal, she reminds him that friendship is the principal of their relationship. As they spend more time together, though, she learns to trust him and reveals the truth about her past. She is living at Wildfell Hall under a false surname, hiding from her husband who is an adulterer. The only other person who knows of this is her landlord, who Gilbert learns late in the novel, is in fact, her brother.

One thing which I found gripping about this story, was the build up of tension Bronte used. She took her time, revealing one thing, building up the tension again, then revealing another. She continued to do this throughout the story, and this is what kept me interested. It is a story, in which two people who love one another, are prevented from being together by society and their own natural reticence. We know romance often has this, but Bronte creates a strong desire in the reader for them to be together. She puts real obstacles in the way of their love for each other, such as the fact that Helen is already married and has a child to her husband. This therefore, causes the reader to understand the story more.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a riveting novel by the "least famous" Bronte sister Anne. The main character is Helen Huntingdon, who also uses the assumed name Helen Graham for part of the book.

Narrated in part by Mr. Markham, the gentleman farmer who falls in love with her, and partly by herself in diary form, the Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a sad portrayal of the miseries Helen Huntingdon endures at the hands of an immature self-centered husband.

The story starts out with Helen, an intriguing beautiful "widow" who comes to live in a deserted moorland mansion called Wildfell Hall with no one but her maid and young son as companions. She excites the gossip of the local townspeople by her refusal to mingle in the town's social life, her strong opinions on the upbringing of her 5 year old son, and by working to support herself as a landscape painter. Mr. Markham, the gentleman farmer, rather than being repelled by her fiercely guarded independence is intrigued by her and determines to learn more about her, falling in love with her in the process. Helen becomes the butt of sinister gossip when it is discovered that she and Mr. Lawrence, her landlord, are not the strangers to each other that they pretend to be in public, and it is rumored that something is going on between them romantically.

It is in response to this falsehood that she turns over her diary to Mr. Markham, who at last learns within its contents her true identity, why she is at Wildfell, and why she can not marry him. He also learns the astonishing identity of Mr. Lawrence. Helen's diary traces her life from a naive girl of 18 to a courageous woman of 26, and the sorrow and trials she endures in her marriage to a wretch of a husband, the womanizing, alcoholic Arthur Huntingdon.

John Leppelman gives an unvarnished, first hand account of an Airborne soldier in 3 tours of Vietnam. The battle descriptions are very detailed and description of life there very lucid. The book is well written and moves quickly. The totality of the book's battles and struggles hits you like a sledgehammer. Definitely a read if you want to understand the Vietnam War or soldier.

I just finished reading John's book and I am totally awestruck over what I just read. John's experiences as a Ranger will keep you glued to the book. I simply can't imagine living through the kinds of firefights these men engaged themselves in. It's truly sad that heroes such as these men were had to return home to a world where they were often looked down on. The first thing I did after finishing John's book was to sit down and write him a letter personally thanking him and telling him how proud I would have been to have served with, or been a friend of, a man such as him. What a heroic story! I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to educate themselves on just about every facet of what it was like to serve in Vietnam - from a grunt to the elite Rangers - very well written!

This book is a page turner. On my forth time reading it. It seems as if you are right along side with John during his three tours. From the Herd to River Boats to the Charlie Rangers he did it all. Must read if you like to read about Vietnam. No bull tells it like, what it really was. Thanks for the true story of Vietnam John.

The Mark of Zorro is an outstanding book about the masked rogue helping the poor and oppressed. It tells the first, the original story of Zorro. Fighting for justice and for a love of a girl, Zorro has to prove his toughness against the corrupt governor, Captain Ramon and a fat landlord, called Sergeant Pedro Gonzales. The story takes place in a California of former times.

The love for Lolita Pulido is the essence of the book. Besides Zorro, there is Don Diego Vega, a lifeless caballero with a rich and influential father, Don Alejandro Vega, who asks Señorita Pulido to become his wife. The third man fighting for Señorita's love is Captain Ramon. As a high ranked military captain, he, too, has influence in the country of Old California. The reader will soon realize, that Senorita's heart speaks only to Zorro, the Curse of Capistrano. But Lolita's father, Don Carlos Pulido, a mistreated caballero of good blood, needs his daughter to marry Don Diego Vega or Captain Ramon, as it is his desire to become rich and influential again. In fact, Don Carlos is not informed about his daughter's love to the highwayman.

Zorro's job in the pueblo of Reina de Los Angeles is not done, after he gained the Señorita's love. The Curse of Capistrano helps the oppressed and mistreated natives against the corrupt governor and his army. Zorro fights several times with the governor's soldiers, Captain Ramon and Sergeant Pedro Gonzales. Although the highwayman seems to be an undefeatable enemy, the soldiers, led by Gonzales, always make fun of Zorro, by telling untruths about embarrassing defeats. The showdown, of course, will be in the end, after the Pulido's rescue from the jail, which keeps the reader on the edge.

Johnston McCulley shows an awesome skill for introducing new characters. He plays with the traditional image of good and evil. Zorro, the heroic figure, fights for peace and justice. Although considered a highwayman, he acts gentleman-like and charms the beautiful Senorita Lolita Pulido. On the other side, there are the soldiers and servants of a corrupt governor. Sergeant Gonzales, for sure, is the best example of the evil. Described as a fat landlord the reader often sees him drinking wine excessively in the pueblo's tavern. He does not even get close to capture the Curse of Capistrano. The most interesting character besides Zorro, is Don Diego Vega the lifeless caballero. He seems to struggle for the Senorita's love not with love by himself but with his money. Don Diego, also is a friend of the landlord and because of his name, the Don is highly respected by the governor. The lifeless caballero will show some great surprises throughout the story.

Overall, the Mark of Zorro is an exciting book, which keeps the reader interested from the sword-clashing intro to the dramatic showdown. The story of a heroic rogue, the love between Zorro and the Lolita and the soldiers' unsuccessful chase for the reward produces an awesome literary opus.

EN ESPAÑOL

Spanish paragraph de Cristobal

The Mark of Zorro es un libro muy emocionante. Sucede en California Vieja. El carácter principal es Zorro, Un caballero que lucha para la justicia. Él lucha para el amor de Señorita Lolita Pulido. Pero Zorro o La Maldición de Capistrano es cazada por el ejército de gobernador. Esta situación produce un cuento impresionante. El libro es magnífico y usted lo debe leer también.

Who could resist giving this book five stars? (Obviously, not many!) Johnston McCulley presents the first appearance of Zorro throughout the world in this classic novel of old Spanish California. Originally published in 1919 and entitled "The Curse of Capistrano", this novel is one of the most adventure-packed stories you're probably ever going to find! If you haven't read this book, you should!!!

Many people have seen "The Mask of Zorro" starring Antonio Banderas. Even more are familiar with Guy Williams' 1957-59 portrayal of the legendary hero, or even Duncan Regehr's series in the early 1990s. But very few have, unfortunately, ever read the book that started it all, "The Mark of Zorro", originally entitled "The Curse of Capistrano" in its initial 1919 release. This is such a shame. Few Zorro stories of today -- excepting some fan fiction -- can rival the genius in Johnston McCulley's work(s). His Zorro is the ultimate adventurer.

Zorro's best-kept secret is the fact that there wasn't *one* Zorro story written by Johnston McCulley -- there were sixty! A wonderful new company is currently in production of republishing every one of these classic stories. I've read some of them; they're every bit as good as "Mark". Truly "must-reads". Miss them at your own expense.