Agent Books

Thaxton was recently enlisted in the Union Army when his regiment was called to the battlefield. He barely had any skill or practice with a gun so he was forced to pick up the techniques along the way. His generals showed him the way and put him in the most dangerous job of all - the aerial observations. The objective of aerial observation was to simply map down enemy forces from the air view. Thaxton began as a private and was promoted to Lieutenant within weeks for his amazing skill and accomplishments. Thaxton was in the air on his hot air balloon mapping down enemy lines when all of the sudden the Confederates made a surprise attack and forced the Union lines to retreat leaving Thaxton behind enemy lines. Thaxton was completely astonished to find himself being lowered from the air and into Confederate hands. Throughout the rest of the story, Thaxton was imprisoned and escapes with a few others and journeys back to the Union lines. This story was vividly described and well written, great characters, and an excellent plot.
This book was very well written and adventurous from its details and descriptions of actions occurring throughout the story. The battles and fights were well described so I could imagine exactly what was going on. The imagery was designed perfectly just so the reader could be aware of what was happening. The first battle of the book was set in a field but later changed to the woods so even the settings changed from scene to scene which was a twist.
Characters in this book were described very well also. They physical traits and how they acted were both clearly stated for all characters. That showed me what to expect out of each and every character for what they might do later on in the story. Given how one character acted I guessed what he would do next such as Thaxton would run away but the author always changed it so this time Thaxton didn't run away. Some characters like Red, were described as being dangerous and clever so I assumed he would come up with a plan of escape and that was exactly what he did. Red constructed the plan for escape with Thaxton and a few others.
The plot to this book was obviously thought out for a while by the author as he showed it in his work. The plot was about a kid that gets captured and escapes from a prisoner of war camp and tries to get back to his lines but encounters several problems along the way. One of these problems is that he meets his cousin that looks exactly like him. His cousin takes Thaxton as an enemy although his cousin is a double spy and works for the Union and the Confederates. Thaxton's cousin challenges him to a duel and Thaxton wins by pure luck. As Thaxton continues on his journey to his Union lines, he meets his dying uncle. His uncle leaves Thaxton with his extremely large estate and fortune.
High Spy was a very good book that I found interesting and exciting. The author kept me guessing what would happen next after every page. This book had an amazing plot that was unique, unlike any other book I've read before. I would recommend it to all readers that favor action and adventure.
-k hurdle

With the introduction of a new character, the entire Spy High universe gets an overhaul. We learn about another school, social roles begin to change and the truth about Johnathan Deverauxe is revealed to us. Also, the elements of scinece fiction really take off here. A.J. Butcher said, "The best part of writing science fiction is that if you need something, you can just make it up." We continue to see teh change of the kids as they become young adults. This book starts their second and last year of training.

Devereaux Academy is a top secret training school for young secret agents. But the kids call it Spy High. The story opens with the Bond Team -- Lori, Ben, Jake, Eddie, and Cally -- returning to Spy High from a break, yet still reeling from the death of their teammate, Jennifer at the hands of Dr. Frankenstein on a previous mission. For that reason, they don't exactly accept Bex, their new recruit with open arms. It's not her spiked green hair, or body piercings, or even her big attitude that makes them suspicious. It's the sabotage of Eddie's SkyBike during practice. And the booby trap that springs up for Lori and Ben in the Gun Run training scenario. Then Cally's cyber-cradle malfunctions nearly suffocating her. When the Bond Team members find out that Bex lied about her background and she's sneaking around the campus late at night, they think she might be a double agent. They take their concerns to Senior Tutor Elmore Grant but he dismisses them. The Bond Team are on their own. Not only do they have to get to the bottom of the mischief at Spy High, but they are just as determined to uncover Bex's true identity.

"The Paranoia Plot" is the 4th book in the Spy High series. While it's helpful to have read previous books in the series, it's not necessary to the understanding of the story or characters. This book is loaded with fast-paced action and enough plot twists to keep thinking readers on their toes. With fun, futuristic props like shock blasters, space-spheres, holograms, and clones, Spy High reads like a video game inside a book.

Copyright (c) 2005 by Peggy Tibbetts

I have recently read the Paranoia Plot, by AJ Butcher. I think it was an amazing book. This was about the Bond Team, a team of teens at Spy High, who are in training to carry out the will of Mr. Devraux, the founder of Spy High. In the last book, Jake's girlfriend and teammate Jen falls in the line of duty, in this case stopping a gang leader named Talon. The team gets a new member, Bex, and ... well, if I said anything else, I would give away the story. It was very well writen (no mistakes), and it had a capturing plot. When Bond Team found out the plot, I felt what they felt. I laughed with Bex at Eddie's attempts to win her heart. I felt relieved when the good guys finally won out. It was a wonderful book, and it held my interest to the end. I gave it five stars, and I think if you read it you will agree that it earns every one.

Excellent book with insightful stories. This book helps you manage your real estate career and provides examples from a start-up as a single agent to building your own team. It goes beyond the day to day business activities to discuss what other things you should do, not only to develop a successful career, but ensure a successful life!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories of successful realtors working at PMZ Inc. The inside look at what a career in residential real estate is really all about was so helpful for someone like me who was really interested in a career change. This a great book by an obviously brilliant business executive who spends 85% of the book on allowing other people to tell their stories. How refreshing is that? Buy it...it is a fun, informative read.

This is a terrific read for anyone interested in the field of real estate. Take tips from the pros who are actually out there practicing and learn lessons from the man who runs the company! A Great read!

What a great read! I am a business student in the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and stumbled upon this book as it was listed on the "suggested supplementary reading" list distributed by the professor in my upper-div real estate investment elective. I loved this book from beginning to end - I think that it especially provides a realistic point of view into residential real estate, with great tips on how to get started, networking and important keys to success. It is clear that this author knows what he is talking about and I love how he combines useful business tools and tactics with personal accounts of the real-life application of these tools by real estate agents. If I could give this read 6 stars, I would. It has really inspired and moved me in an incredible way!!

This book is phenomenal -- I could not stop reading this masterpiece of research and prose after I found out that my greatest hero of all time was also a fellow Portuguese man. I should have guessed that since Zarco was, no doubt, endowed with unique bravery and forsight not seen beyond Portuguese lands. Trying to know more about these testosterone-driven heroes, it came to my surprise (really, now it seems pretty obvious to me, but before I didn't know) that not only Zarco was Christopher Columbus, but also that Neil Armstrong is Portuguese too. ...

I found the theses presented in this book fascinating and very thoroughly argued. Much of the evidence is very convincing. Some has been available before, but a great deal is new, specially the part on decyphering the cabalistic signature. I am puzzled by the lack of response from the history experts.

The amazing investigative work of Barreto proves Columbus was (1) a spy, (2) Portuguese (NOT Italian), and (3) JEWISH! Barreto breaks the secret code of Columbus' signature and exposes the explorer's covert life. The book is filled with history, adventure, politics, and intrigue. THE MISSION: To foil Spain's quest for India. THE REWARD: Discovery of a New World and Portugal's rise as a global power. The author examines the circumstances which led to the oppression of Jews in Europe, and how this forced secrecy gave Columbus the opportunity to become one of the greatest covert agents in history. The discoveries in this book are so astounding, one wonders why this book is not getting greater attention. This book is intensely satisfying. The amount of information in the book is so vast, you have to read it more than once; but you'll love every minute of it!

There are really no adequate adjectives to label this work. This breakthrough work of art is a fantastic challenge to all historians that ever dared to whisper the word Columbus in their thoughts. It is obvious that the so-called professional historian community is not going to like what Barreto explains with extraordinary detail because they would only be achknowledging their own ignorance. There is a multibillion dollar industry living under the myth of a Genoese Columbus and offering false documents to prove it. There are books based on those false documents written by people with "a name" in the historian community begging the public to perpetuate the lie because in all honesty, they can't sleep at night with their hard pillow filled with corrupted cash. To date no historian has successfully challenged Mr. Barreto's arguments. Why? I tell you why. Because Mr. Barreto is most probably right and all those Samuel Morisons out there will die first before they admit to it.

Phillip Kurata's vivid prose style and deep sociopolitical insight capture the essential conflict of post-colonial Tunisia; but more than that this spectacular literary debut speaks to an eternal question confronted by every man and woman: How do I live truthfully and what price do I pay for compromising my integrity? Kurata makes these costs explicit through richly drawn characters and the consequences their actions bring about. This novel succeeds because, unlike so much contemporary fiction, it possesses a moral center that pulls the reader into the lives and locale of a distant yet all too familiar place. It is fair to compare "The Reluctant Agent" to works by Lampedusa, Hemingway, Koestler and Solzhenitsyn. I hope there will be an encore performance.

Anyone who ever spent time in a third world country in the post colonial cold war era will recognize the characters and settings in Phillip Kurata's The Reluctant Agent. The country is Tunisia shortly after its independence and Habib Ben Hamed is caught between his own world and that of the former French colonizer. Unfortunately Habib is at home in neither and becomes caught up in a postcolonial drama he cannot fully comprehend nor control. The political rhetoric is of socialism and progress but the reality is that of power and domination as the world of the colonizer gives way to that of the local ruling class.

Reminiscent of Graeme Green's best work Kurata draws the reader into a rich psychological world of men and women caught up in historical forces that sweep them along to inevitable endings. The exotic settings of North Africa, colorfully described in clean declarative prose, amplify the inner turmoil of a hapless Habib caught between his heart's desire and the cruel reality that denies it.

My own postcolonial third world experience was in Somalia at the end of the cold war but the settings and characters differed little from those described in Kurata's novel. I saw many Somalis draw sustenance from their former colonizer's culture even as they moved quickly to their own destruction crushed between the early socialist rhetoric of their postcolonial freedom and the twin barbarisms of dictatorship and cold war politics. Many of today's headlines stem from the cold war and postcolonial issues still unfolding in developing countries. Thus, Habib's dilemma is as relevant today as it was twenty to twenty-five years ago. Kurata, who lived in Tunis, saw to the core and created a world that allows the rest of us to see it too.

I'm an occasional reader of fiction spending much of my time scanning newspaper articles and opinion pieces dealing with U.S. foreign policy and world affairs. So Phillip Kurata's first novel, The Reluctant Agent, though set in the '60's of a turbulent Tunisia, was a real find as it addresses contemporary issues of cultural and political conflict in a repressive Islamic society. Ben Hamed is the protagonist, an unlikely hero, an Arabic 'everyman' who just wants the good things in life but finds himself caught up in an escalating spiral of intrigue and danger in order to survive. Kurata has an artist's eye for background detail and character development. The story builds and carries the reader forward to what becomes an extremely powerful ending.

"The Reluctant Agent" is Phillip Kurata's first novel, but in its lean, evocative writing and uncluttered structure, you'd never guess it was the work of a first-timer. In leading Habib ben Hamed, a feckless Tunisian intellectual, to his inexorable fate during the political unrest of the 1960s, Kurata brings home two major truths: that in times of injustice, the war between conscience and personal safety is usually unwinnable; and that revolutions eat not only their young, but anyone in their paths. Kurata has been compared with Graham Greene and Albert Camus; in his detailed insight into how dictatorships work, he obviously knows his Orwell and Arthur Koestler as well. In its persuasive portrayal of the collision between modernism and traditional Islam, "The Reluctant Agent" is urgently pertinent reading in 2002. The deceptively simple yet compelling story keeps you turning the pages to the final paragraph, which is breathtaking in its lethal spareness. "The Reluctant Agent" is a must-read for anyone interested in the literature of revolution and politics.

I've read all of Ms. Hingle's Desires and they are constantly getting better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Secret Agent Dad. I started and finished teh book within one day. Blake and Josie are wonderful characters. Ms. Hingle brings them together in a very clever way and, as always, the sexual tension is amazing. Ms. Hingle excels with sexual tension. I loved the twins--Miranda and Edward. There was a little twist at the end of the book that I found a little surprising and very pleasing. This book is part of a five book series, the Texas Cattleman's Club, with each of the five books written by a different author. I read probably 5 to 6 romance books during an average week. I would highly recomment Secret Agent Dad. It is a book that definitely puts a smile on your face and leaves you feeling good. Try it, you'll like it!!

What a great read! This is the first book in this series of 5 that I have read, but I will read the others! Can't wait to find out what happens to the other members of the Cattleman's Club. Sure hope the other authors are as talented as Metsy Hingle. I read this in one sitting, couldn't put it down.

I loved every second while I read this book. Josie is a woman down on her luck and alone. She is not glamorous or outstanding, just a woman who takes life day by day and wishes for her dreams to come true. They do when she meets the extremely sexy Blake Hunt. This book kept me so interested I looked for every book by the author I could find. Take the time and read this book. It is worth it!

Royal twins Miranda (sugar britches) and Edward have lost their mother. Now they are in danger of being political pawns, and their aunt wants them brought to safety. That's where the Texas Cattleman's Club comes in. It's a club of five wealthy bachelors who set out to rescue a princess, and in the process each find true love. In book four of the series, author Metsy Hingle leads us through a royal rescue and a new romance between Blake Hunt and the widowed Josie. Blake, who has former Cobra training, is assigned to enter the palace and rescue the twins right out their cribs. Next he is to deliver them to the aunt in Royal, Texas. Naturally, when so much is at stake, what ever can go wrong -- does. While transporting the babies, Blake finds himself driving through the worse storm Texas has ever had, and he has already decided babies and bachelors do not mix. Widow Josie, who Blake renames, takes him and the babies in once she discovers them. There is instant chemistry; physical attraction is no doubt mutual, but Cupid can't seem to get the deeply hidden romance off the ground until both partakers' pasts are cleared up. Do they both have that kind of patience? And will both be accepting of each other's past lives once Blake's amnesia is cured?

What a great quick read. The mixing of intrigue and romance has always been a plus for me in category romances. I liked the way Ms. Hingle handled the replay of the royal rescue as Blake relived it. Written in italics, the scenes carry a presence of danger and intrigue; I found myself whispering the scenes in my mind. The story is well written; the characters are likable and true to form as far as I'm concerned and the plot is very good.

The Texas Cattleman Club series titles are: Texas Millionaire by Dixie Browning, Cinderella's Tycoon by Caroline Cross and Billionaire Bridegroom by Peggy Moreland. Secret Agent Dad by Metsy Hingle is the forth in the series and Lone Star Prince by Cindy Gerard, which was out in December of '99, was the last title in the five part series. They are all available at Amazon.com, and I heartily recommend them to any romance, but especially category romance readers.

This book is fantastic! When my son was telling me about it, he gave me more details and descriptions of what happened than any other book he's read. He was reading it and would go "do you know what happened now, Mom?" We just ordered the next two books and hope they are just as good!

Jack Stalwart is a 9 year old secret agent. He receives missions from his ordinary looking globe and jumps into the map on his wall to travel around the globe to his adventures. This is a great read for youngsters who long for adventure. There are great gadgets and this volume has a rampaging dinosaur loose in New York City. Karen Woodworth Roman wwww.librarians.info

Though there are some mystery series available for young kids, there are no secret agent or spy series. And this one is great. It can be read aloud to young kids or by themselves for early elementary aged children. Our son loves identifying with Jack, a young child who belongs to the GPF - Global Protection Force - a super secret international agency, whose detectives are all young. And the books are complete with all the super "high-tech" gadgets one would expect from a James Bond type series set for a much younger crowd. (In fact, for adults, the series is a bit of a spoof of the adult James Bond version.) The books are not meticulously researched like the Magic Tree House series. The educational component consists of introducing children to different parts of the world. As a parent, I've enjoyed reading them to my 7 yr old son (and they made a great follow up to a visit to the International Spy Museum in Washington DC). For the most part though, these books are really, really fun reading in a an action, spy, secret agent genre that is not otherwise available for kids. I have the next two books on pre-order and can't wait for them to come in! We've even started gifting them for birthday parties.

My 5 year old son loved this book! If I didn't make him put it down to go to bed he would have read it all in one night. When I woke up the next morning his light was already on and he was reading the rest. He needed help with some of the words but understood most of it. My son tends to get bored quickly so this was one book that really held his attention (it also helps that he is really interested in dinosaurs as well).

It's a nice introductory chapter book with very short chapters that are 5-7 pages long. The illustrations every couple of pages help hold the kids attention.

The book begins by introducing Jack Stalwart and his bag of high-tech secret agent gadgets such as a fly board, neutralizing spray, and goo gel. Jack solves mysteries with the help of his magic map that allows him to transport himself anywhere in the world. In this book he travels to New York City to solve a mystery involving a missing dinosaur bone. With his quick thinking and assistance from his gadgets, Jack solves the mystery in the end. The gadgets really excited my 5 year old and at the end he was wondering if the map lets Jack travel through time if he returns one minute later.

If you're looking for a book that is more scientifically plausible, this is not it, but this is a great story that fires up the imagination and is a nice introductory chapter book if your child is starting to move beyond Curious George and Dr. Seuss.

The authors of this book are real storytellers. Once the action begins it never stops until its over. Kyle and friends are on the job even when they're not. And the ending? What a surprise. It seems as if anyone can write a book these days, but these two authors tell a story. Hats off and kudos.

Teenager Kyle Kyle Parker pulls his group of junior detective friends together again to solve another mystery. This time it conerns the mother of his friend, Lucinda Winston, the brainiac who secretly adored Kyle in the last book. In their search for clues and answers to the mystery Kyle and his friends scour New York City, and the book pulsates with the sights and feel of the big apple.
While it's quite amusing, the subject matter is not: a stolen formula which might cure cancer and the plagiary by an unscrupulous collegue never is.
A sure-fire hit for young readers.

"Secret Agent" by these talented authors is a favorite book in our house, so we eagerly awaited the sequel, "Secret Agents Strike Back."
We were enthralled again. It's another clever adventure in New York City with smart, funny and caring teenagers who reflect those real qualities in kids. The portrayal of strong relationships between parents and teenagers is realistic and touching. And the adult friend of the secret agents, romance writer Percy Percerville, is hilarious. Don't miss this or anything else Johnston and Spizman produce.

I loved it! I planned to read a chapter or two before bed and ended up sleep-deprived because I read the whole thing. I couldn't put it down.
I loved:
- The narrator's strong voice - I felt as if I'd sat down next to a fascinating stranger who was filling me in on the juicy details of a story I'd read about in People magazine.
- The setting - Manhattan is brought to life through specifics that will make a non-urban reader feel as if he's a part of the action.
- The story - It's filled with suspense and great twists experienced by likeable characters.

I highly recommend it for kids and adults - fun read!

I am everything for the band and I find the information in this book very valuable depending on the role I play each day, either managing my self or preparing a set for a show, great material, I carry this book with me everyday hoping to have it all memorized.

THIS BUSINESS OF CONCERT PROMOTION AND TOURING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CREATING, SELLING, ORGANIZING AND STAGING CONCERTS provides new cutting-edge career paths in the notoriously difficult music industry, which has been virtually transformed by digitalization and online copying. Promoters of music have kept industry secrets to success tightly to themselves - until now. Here's a book for any looking to become involved in the music industry and for business pros seeking an edge: from ads and promotion to managing performers, gaining publicity and venue staffing, here are all the keys to industry success and the secrets which fuel such successes.

This book was a good compilation of facts to keep an
Indie band on track to be successful. Add Tour Smart by
Martin Atkins and you should avoid many pitfalls other
bands have faced in the past

Finally there's a book that gives a complete and current look at the inner workings of the concert business. Barnet, Berry, and Waddell have filled a void - no, make that a chasm - of reliable, contemporary guidance to those either in or considering earning from the concerts and touring industry. The concert business requires as much planning and risk management as any enterprise, and This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring gives the tools and guidance to avoid the quicksand. My resume includes concert production and promotion but my personal library now includes this book. Thanks Rich, Jake, and Ray.

Providing a wealth of information needed to succeed in the writing industry, *Writer's Guide...* is an excellent tool for both aspiring and established writers. A most successful literary agent and author, Jeff Herman possesses a thorough knowledge of the industry which he shares an in-depth volume for writers. In the late 1970s, Herman made a living by cleaning public toilets. Just a decade later, he launched what would become the most credible and successful literary agency in the United States. His laborious efforts that paved his way to success have been channeled into his work, cutting out multiple steps and energies for other writers. As he writes, "The publishing business is a mysterious place, even for veteran (writers)...This book will help you to break the code, unmask false wizards, and empower you to challenge the obstacles." In an industry where nepotism and knowing the right person seems to be the only way to get published, Herman's work encoura! ges and inspires writers to remain persistent and optimistic. He states, "Growth and success cannot be known by those who give up or fail to even try." His own rags to wealth story lends credibility to this statement. In over 550 pages, Herman lists a multitude of United States publishers, University and religous publishers, as well as Canadian publishers, who are all anxious for innovative writing and new ideas. Each publisher listing provides the address and telephone number of the publishing house, a brief history of the company, the types of books published and several sample titles of recently published works. Writers are also provided with the contact names of whom they need to query. In the case of larger publishers, each editor is listed with a brief description of what he or she is looking to publish, so that writers may send their work to the correct individual. The only drawback to Herman's publisher description is that he does not provide information on ! which publishers accept manuscripts only from agents. There! fore, *Writer's Guide...* is best used by cross-referencing the book with *Writer's Market.* However, for the writers who wish to minimize their solicitation efforts, Herman provides an agent listing of about 200 pages. These listings provide thorough information on the agents such as their work experience, preferred clients, works sold, what they prefer to and not to market as well as a brief statement giving advice to writers on soliciting manuscripts. Also provided is the commission fees of the agents and, in a few cases, reading fees. Following the listings, Herman and company have written various articles geared toward increasing a writer's chances for success. For example, the writer will find advice on how to properly contact agents and publishers, how to write the perfect query letter, how to write book proposals, how literary agents work, as well as many other useful article that will keep the writer inspired, optimistic and informed. A writer without the *Writer's G! uide...* is comparable to a traveler without a map. Except for writing the manuscript, Jeff Herman has done all the laborious work for the writer. By utilizing the tools provided by Herman, the writer will save many hours of aggravation and wasted effort.

Providing a wealth of information needed to succeed in the writing industry, *Writer's Guide...* is an excellent tool for both aspiring and established writers. A most successful literary agent and author, Jeff Herman possesses a thorough knowledge of the industry which he shares an in-depth volume for writers. In the late 1970s, Herman made a living by cleaning public toilets. Just a decade later, he launched what would become the most credible and successful literary agency in the United States. His laborious efforts that paved his way to success have been channeled into his work, cutting out multiple steps and energies for other writers. As he writes, "The publishing business is a mysterious place, even for veteran (writers)...This book will help you to break the code, unmask false wizards, and empower you to challenge the obstacles." In an industry where nepotism and knowing the right person seems to be the only way to get published, Herman's work encoura! ges and inspires writers to remain persistent and optimistic. He states, "Growth and success cannot be known by those who give up or fail to even try." His own rags to wealth story lends credibility to this statement. In over 550 pages, Herman lists a multitude of United States publishers, University and religous publishers, as well as Canadian publishers, who are all anxious for innovative writing and new ideas. Each publisher listing provides the address and telephone number of the publishing house, a brief history of the company, the types of books published and several sample titles of recently published works. Writers are also provided with the contact names of whom they need to query. In the case of larger publishers, each editor is listed with a brief description of what he or she is looking to publish, so that writers may send their work to the correct individual. The only drawback to Herman's publisher description is that he does not provide information on ! which publishers accept manuscripts only from agents. There! fore, *Writer's Guide...* is best used by cross-referencing the book with *Writer's Market.* However, for the writers who wish to minimize their solicitation efforts, Herman provides an agent listing of about 200 pages. These listings provide thorough information on the agents such as their work experience, preferred clients, works sold, what they prefer to and not to market as well as a brief statement giving advice to writers on soliciting manuscripts. Also provided is the commission fees of the agents and, in a few cases, reading fees. Following the listings, Herman and company have written various articles geared toward increasing a writer's chances for success. For example, the writer will find advice on how to properly contact agents and publishers, how to write the perfect query letter, how to write book proposals, how literary agents work, as well as many other useful article that will keep the writer inspired, optimistic and informed. A writer without the *Writer's G! uide...* is comparable to a traveler without a map. Except for writing the manuscript, Jeff Herman has done all the laborious work for the writer. By utilizing the tools provided by Herman, the writer will save many hours of aggravation and wasted effort.

I always recommend this book to every author or literary professional who doesn't own it already. I find it invaluable in running my literary agency, can't imagine NOT owning it. Julie Hill, Literary Agent and Book Publicist

Providing a wealth of information needed to succeed in the writing industry, *Writer's Guide...* is an excellent tool for both aspiring and established writers. A most successful literary agent and author, Jeff Herman possesses a thorough knowledge of the industry which he shares an in-depth volume for writers. In the late 1970s, Herman made a living by cleaning public toilets. Just a decade later, he launched what would become the most credible and successful literary agency in the United States. His laborious efforts that paved his way to success have been channeled into his work, cutting out multiple steps and energies for other writers. As he writes, "The publishing business is a mysterious place, even for veteran (writers)...This book will help you to break the code, unmask false wizards, and empower you to challenge the obstacles." In an industry where nepotism and knowing the right person seems to be the only way to get published, Herman's work encoura! ges and inspires writers to remain persistent and optimistic. He states, "Growth and success cannot be known by those who give up or fail to even try." His own rags to wealth story lends credibility to this statement. In over 550 pages, Herman lists a multitude of United States publishers, University and religous publishers, as well as Canadian publishers, who are all anxious for innovative writing and new ideas. Each publisher listing provides the address and telephone number of the publishing house, a brief history of the company, the types of books published and several sample titles of recently published works. Writers are also provided with the contact names of whom they need to query. In the case of larger publishers, each editor is listed with a brief description of what he or she is looking to publish, so that writers may send their work to the correct individual. The only drawback to Herman's publisher description is that he does not provide information on ! which publishers accept manuscripts only from agents. There! fore, *Writer's Guide...* is best used by cross-referencing the book with *Writer's Market.* However, for the writers who wish to minimize their solicitation efforts, Herman provides an agent listing of about 200 pages. These listings provide thorough information on the agents such as their work experience, preferred clients, works sold, what they prefer to and not to market as well as a brief statement giving advice to writers on soliciting manuscripts. Also provided is the commission fees of the agents and, in a few cases, reading fees. Following the listings, Herman and company have written various articles geared toward increasing a writer's chances for success. For example, the writer will find advice on how to properly contact agents and publishers, how to write the perfect query letter, how to write book proposals, how literary agents work, as well as many other useful article that will keep the writer inspired, optimistic and informed. A writer without the *Writer's G! uide...* is comparable to a traveler without a map. Except for writing the manuscript, Jeff Herman has done all the laborious work for the writer. By utilizing the tools provided by Herman, the writer will save many hours of aggravation and wasted effort.

This is a fascinating book about a subject too few people know anything about. The book is extremely well written by a very thoughtful author. It's history but it reads like a novel. Excellent!

I re-read this book not long ago, and on a recent trip to Belgium, I made a point of taking a day to visit the places where the author was active during the war. This book made it all come alive.

I am only 3/4 through in 5 hours last evening. Will continue this evening! A page turner, and interesting learning: as Dr. Bodson learns, we too, learn. Recommend for ALL readers! Dr. Bodson was a professor of mine in college and his writing is as he speaks - concise and not to be forgotten after a first read (or listen.)

I borrowed the book from a family friend and could not put it down! I hung on every suspenseful turn. Mr. Bodson's account was brutally honest and extremely informative. I learned a great deal about the true face of the war and many detailed events I never would have imagined. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in underground tactics or a love of war stories. An incredible journey!