harry lives an interesting life, but it isn't portrayed as such.

I found this book to be a fascinating study on the life of one of baseball's immortals. I grew up listening to Harry on WGNTV and this book illustrates just what a great man Harry really was. I was fortunate enough to have him sign this book for me prior to a Cubs game at Wrigley. It is one of my most prized possessions. This book is definitely worth the cost.

This is just a fantastic tale of an enthusiastic man who goes against all odds in fullfilling his dream of becoming a sportscaster.

I purchased this novel anticipating some amount of naval action. While it does contain some action, the author's knowledge of the subject seems to be lacking in some respects. He speaks of cannon being run out, loaded, and run back in, and of bar shot consisting of two bars connected by a chain (I can't imagine anyone trying to fire that mess from a cannon - bar shot was two half spheres connected by a short bar).

The main story concerns the feud between two officers, and the murder of an officer aboard a Royal Navy ship. Much of the action seems unlikely, but officers could become tyrants aboard their own ships. A captain commiting piracy by taking supplies from a British ship and then sinking the ship would almost certainly end his career (especially an officer without influence).

The story becomes a matter of intrigue aboard the ship, with various factions, secret routes, a hidden compartment, etc. The plot is based on some of the more evil aspects of Royal Navy service.

Hard to miss with this combination mystery/detective story/nautical yarn. Harry Ludlow is an ex-Royal Navy officer now operating his own vessel as a privateer. His ship is destroyed, and he and his crew are taken on board the Magnanime, commanded by one of Harry's old enemies, Oliver Carter. James, Harry's brother, who had also been on Harry's ship, and is hardly a seaman, is discovered standing over the body of a murdered Magnanime officer. Harry must find the real killer in order to clear his brother.
Using his knowledge of the sea and ships, Harry worms his way into the good graces of some of the other officers and sailors. A raft of dark secrets soon emerges, including a secret space where several of the men and officers, would gather to conduct unmentionable activities.
I would rank Donachie somewhere between O'Brian and Forester. The addition of the mystery adds a nice twist to what would otherwise be a very credible naval series.

Devil's Own Luck is the first volume in the author's projected 'Privateersman Mystery' series and is a recommended pick for any who appreciate swashbuckling action, the high seas, and a good mystery. Take Forester and O'Brien and add intrigue and you have the makings of this novel, which blends a whodunit with naval experiences.

I remember when Harry Kemelman's 'rabbi' series were best sellers in the 1960s/1970s. Thirty years on, after the books are all but forgotten, I decided to try out 'Friday the Rabbi Slept Late' - the first in the series. Was it worth the wait?

The story is about a rabbi in New England who is dealing with bureaucratic hassles with his congregation. Yes, apparently even amongst the Jewish orthodox politics is a fact of life. Just when the rabbi (Rabbi Small) seems to unable to cope a murder is committed outside his temple. And Rabbi Small is both a (reluctant) sleuth and murder suspect. (..you can guess the rest)

While Harry Kemelman is a capable writer and the book makes for fun (albeit light) reading, the story has telemovie or TV crime drama feel to it. It left me neither shaken nor stirred.

Bottom line: a light read, perhaps better suited to young teens. But this book cannot hold a candle to the works of Agatha Christie or Patricia Highsmith.

Rabbi Small is a young, "rookie" rabbi at a synogogue in an upstart, suburban Boston community which only recently has had many Jews in the town. The congregation would prefer a "star" that they can show off to their Gentile neighbors--a man who presents himself well at community events--more than they want a spiritual leader and teacher. Unfortunately, Rabbi Small doesn't quite fit their bill: he is often unkempt, he gets lost in his books, he refuses to participate by blessing the boats in the town's annual regatta. He even publicly chides the Sisterhood for serving non-Kosher food at one of their luncheons. At the same time that the Rabbi's contract comes up for renewal, there is a new problem--he is implicated in the murder of a young woman, whose body is found in the synogogue parking lot and whose purse is found in his car. Forming an alliance with the local Irish-Catholic police chief, the Rabbi proceeds to solve the crime, while simultaneousl! y working to win over the confidence of the synagogue Board of Directors to keep his job.

The book is a short, one-or-two nights read, easy to get into. As a mystery, it rates well but not among the great mystery classics. Kemelman's strength as a writer lies not in his build-up of the mystery tension, but rather in his ability to portray characters, including their admitted foibles, within their social context. The portrayal of suburban synagogue politics is uncannily accurate, as well as the struggle within the Yankee town to deal with the specter of prejudice and anti-Semitism when the Rabbi becomes a murder suspect.

For a light mystery, a sort of "Murder, She Wrote" with sociological insight and a Jewish twist, try this first of the "Rabbi" mystery series.

There's no need for me to recap the story- others have done it already. I do believe that some reviewers of this book, and other books in the series , have missed the point. Rabbi David Small is not a detective who enters a crime scene, recreates the events in his head and presents the police with the killer. He is a student, and a teacher. He is a man who has trained himself to think "outside the box" as the term is now. That is how he manages to lead the police to the criminal.

Another fantastic element of these books is the insight into the Jewish religion. As a gentile (and Protestant Christian) I may not agree with all of the rabbi's beliefs, but I can, and should, respect them. In a foreward to the new editions The late author explained why he began writing about a rabbi who was often in conflict with his congregation. It was because many people of his faith were not aware of the rich heritage or the historical purpose of the rabbi. His agent liked the book but thought he should add a mystery element to it. Thus was born the crime solving rabbi.

Do these stories move with the speed of an Agatha Christie yarn? No. They don't even try. Kemmelman tells stories about people- the crime is often secondary. Are they charming and entertaining? Oh, yeah.

This is the book to start with. Then hang out with the rabbi on every day of the week. Then SOMEDAY. Then ONE FINE DAY. Then on THE DAY THE RABBI RESIGNED. Then on THE DAY THE RABBI LEFT TOWN. Your only regret will be that Mr. Kemmelman only wrote 11 Rabbi Small mysteries.

This isn't a bad book, but it's namesake _The 50 Greatest Movies Never Made_ does a far better job at similar material. There is almost no overlap between the two books, despite the fact that the former book does cover a good deal of science fiction.

Where I think this book fails most is its approach. It's spends a lot of time dealing with production notes on the movies that were made instead (for example, Alien3), instead of the movie that wasn't made (Aliens vs. Predator). Furthermore, it never gets to the key issue -- why would this particular unmade movie have been great?

So, I'd recommend this book only as a follow-on if you've already read the "original".

A must for all Sci-Fi and film fans (like myself!). I'd always wondered why some of the greatest Sci-Fi stories had never made it to the silver screen and why the one that had were often very disappointing; after reading this book, I now know why!!!

Not only due to you get all the facts and figure regarding the featured "never made" movies, this book lets inside the hearts and mind of the people that tried their hardest to make these movies happen and the studio management idiots that stopped them!

Like movies? Like Sci-Fi books? Want to know why your favourite stories never made it to celluloid? Read this book and find out!

This Rabbi Small mystery is truly absorbing; I couldn't put it down. It's not only a mystery novel, but partly a spy thriller: you get two for the price of one. Rabbi Small and his wife spend the summer in Israel, where a professor from their home town is murdered and a boy from their home town (now attending Yeshiva in Israel) is blamed. The murder, it turns out, is connected with a Druze conspiracy to steal a PLO weapons cache--which naturally brings the Mossad and Shin Bet into the picture. Simply gripping.

At the same time, Harry Kemelman tries to use Rabbi Small as a foil to discuss the state of modern Judaism. He explains the Jewish customs which come up in his novel, by making Small explain them to his gentile friends--or argue about them with other Jews. And he doesn't just explain; he opines: Kemelman lets you know just what he thinks of ultra-orthodoxy, the "born again" baal-tshuvah movement, and a few other hot issues in modern judaism. American Jews especially are likely to enjoy the "home town" feel of the Rabbi Small mysteries.

Non-Jews may find it eye-opening to catch the glimpses of Jewish culture, religion and ethics. As a tiny example, Small reminds his wife not to appear interested at an Israeli shop, because it would be wrong to raise the shopkeeper's hopes and then dash them. In addition, there are all the other issues mentioned above.

Kemelman's explanations are at least as important as his plot, and there is a fair bit of it. You may find that a touch heavy-handed, but I think that Kemelman pulls it off pretty well. The book is really a gripping whodunit.

Even better, it's the rare sort of whodunit with a complicated enough plot to keep your attention. Turning to the end won't help you; the mystery is solved, but there remain a few unanswered questions "for reasons of national security". I think that adds a satisfying realism.

I thought that this book was quite intersesting and enjoyable. I dont know if all the locations in Israel is as accurate.

Perec's literary output was as varied as anyone's, comprising everything from encyclopedic novels to comic couplets, but he was consistent in one way--the quality of his writing was always excellent. Each of his works revelled in the myriad delights of language, whatever its subject. In this novel, published posthumously in an unfinished form, he uses the generic elements of the mystery novel, confounding and fulfilling them at the same time. A writer disappears from a fictional French African colony, and an unwilling acquaintance is drafted to study the vanished man's final manuscript for clues. The usual dangerous woman makes an appearance, and there are plenty of veiled warnings that the search should be dropped, but at each turn the narrator, well-versed in fictive custom, recognizes the conventions and turns them on their heads. The chapters abound with references to other works, classics and potboilers alike, and the plot in fact begins to hinge on them. Perec scholars or fans will additionally note a host of allusions to his own oeuvre and coded biographical details. Mystery aficionados will be disappointed that "53 Days" was never completed, but its editors have included the outlines and notes that wrap the story up; anyone with an interest in the writing process should find that these appendices more than make up for what's missing.

My grandfather wrote this book, so I'm probably a little partial. I only got a copy signed by him a short while back before he passed away, and I am thrilled at the way Ewert is described. From when he met his love, to when he met his fate. This book burrows deep into Comintern activity, and since the author worked for the CIA, is very true. It does, at times, say what Ewert was thinking, and it is doubtful that these feelings are correct. It gives an excellent definition of Ewert, but not much of anyone else. The book advances quickly, with Ewert going through his teens into his twentys in the first chapter. This is a good book for anyone who likes reading about spies (albiet it is not James Bond) and communism.

As sais in the title this book provides some basic blacksmithing techniques. You'll find a lot of drawings showing the way to make the tools needed in your shop by using "scrap" metal.

A good initiation to metalworking but definitively not a book for the experimented blacksmith.

Just so people don't get confused, I thought it might be a good idea to mention here that this is exactly the same book as Bill the Galactic Hero on the Planet of Ten Thousand Bars, or if it isn't it's virtually the same. On the whole the book is good, although I must say it isn't as good as some of the others in the series. It has its amusing moments, but it is a bit on the bizarre side, no denying. If you enjoyed the previous outings of Bill then you ought to read this one for continuity sake if nothing else. I know this isn't a stellar review, but it's still a good book and worth the time it takes to read.

I had hoped this would be an in-depth exploration of
the inner workings and motivations of Presidents Truman
and "Ike" -what I discovered was a poorly researched, boring
book. It's almost as if Mr. Neal assumed putting both
names on the book's cover would make it a seller. Buyer
beware. You can find more in-depth material on these
men and their times right here on the internet. Also,
it turns out, Mr. Neal received monies from a Truman
Foundation, which is a poor ethical choice on his part, in
presenting a history that the reader assumes is unbiased.
If you like to see pictures of "Harry & Ike" -many which
have been printed elsewhere, you may enjoy "Harry & Ike"
the book. Quite a letdown as to what I expected.

Hitler, Hitler & Stalin, FDR & Stalin, FDR & Truman among others.
Some with no connection. Obviously Naploeon didn't know Hitler. I'm kinder that most reviewers. But this was cooperation, not a partnership. The author strains for similarities. They were both poor boys growing up at the same time in mid-America 200 miles apart.
Childish & paranoid come to mind in decribing their relationship after Ike decides to run in 1952. Truman's problem was he idolized generals such as Pershing, Marshall, MacArthur & Eisenhower. He would have stepped aside for MacArthur or Ike if either had wanted to run as a Democrat in 1948. Then he became paranoid that Ike might take him up on it. Ike said he wouldn't run & Truman thought that meant forever. When Ike did run as a Republican to deny Robert Taft the nomination Truman felt betrayed, even though Ike was doing him a favor. He attacked Ike & his character viciously. Of course Ike responded in kind. There were other issues mostly personal. Their foreign policy was seamless from one administration to the next. They basically ignored each other until Kennedy's funeral when they had to sit next to each other. Good history of two great Americans leaders 1945-52 & slightly tarnishing their image after that.

Harry was wild about Ike, until Ike gave him hell, sending Harry on a crusade in Illinois. I have read a dozen or so books by and about Harry and Ike, none of which adequately explained the root causes of their falling out or their eventual reconciliation. This book fills that gap. Ike was politically naive, as Harry feared. I agree with the author that Ike would have been a better President if he had followed the advice of more of his friends, including HST, and less advice from his political handlers. This is an excellent book.