Agent Books

Everyone has had something in their childhood that they were passionate about, in George Bowling's case it is fishing. I thought that it was a great book about a middle aged man who is reflecting on the good and innocence of childhood- with a knowledge that adulthood and war take away the innocence without much notice. Before you realize it, you're in your forties and responsibility has made you forget about the simple pleasures. Anyone who is curious about or is a fan of Orwell should read it- it's well worth the time.

I read this book for a book club discussion we will have in January. I was actually really enjoying the story and the great writing by Orwell until the end. I'll be anxious to hear my club's take on the story as I was expecting an entirely different ending.
I could feel the character's frustration with his life....He was in a loveless marriage, he found no joy in his children, he hated his job and as if that wasn't enough he expected the bombs to start falling on his country at any moment. He wore his regret like a suit and I could physically feel his angst.
But I was disapointed when he returned to the life he so regretted. I had in my mind how it would end and it did not have him returning to the familiar and sad life he hated.

Most people know George Orwell by two of his later works - 1984 and ANIMAL FARM. What they don't necessarily know is that, in addition to the thousands of pages of reportage, journalism and essays he also produced in his all-too-brief career, he also penned six other books, including four novels and an autobiographical study of poverty (DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON) which reads better than 90% of the novels ever written. Nevertheless, Orwell is not really thought of as a novelist, but rather as a fiery political thinker who occasionally used fiction to make his points.

COMING UP FOR AIR is as good an argument for Orwell as a novelist as can be made without referencing his masterwork, 1984. Written during the "gathering storm" period of the mid-late 1930s, it reflects not only Orwell's anxiety, dread and disgust in regards to where the world was heading, but captures as well a keen sense of nostalgia for the world as it was during his own childhood - a world without secret police, bombing planes or political fanaticism. A world where it was still possible to believe that everything turned out all right in the end.

COMING UP FOR AIR is the self-told story of George "Fatty" Bowling, a wholly ordinary, lower middle-class salesman who lives in the "inner-outer" suburbs of London. Bowling is "full figured" (meaning fat), wears false teeth, has a nagging wife and two annoying kids, and lives in a generic rowhouse he'll never pay off. He's vulgar, cynical and tactless, but just perceptive enough to be capable of epiphany. One day, wandering down a London street, he's reminded of something from his childhood at the beginning of the 20th century, which he spent in a little farming town called Lower Binfield. Suddenly overcome with nostalgia, a feeling that the world around him is soon going to be smashed to pieces by war and political upheaval, and finally by the fact that his family is suffocating him, George decides to fake a business trip and spend a week in the placid countryside where he grew up - in essence, to crawl back into the womb. But what will the womb look like after the passage of twenty-odd years? Will it still provide comfort, or just reinforce his feelings that the world is not only changing out of recognition, but for the worse?

Like all Orwell's novels, COMING UP FOR AIR is at heart a political book, at once an attack on modern society and a warning that nostalgia for the past won't bring it back.
Masquerading as a "you can't go home again" sermon, the novel is actually about the brutal contrast between the modern world in which Bailey lives (which he hates), and the more pastoral, innocent time of his youth. Although Bailey repeatedly points out the harshness of life in rural England in those sleepy years before WWI, the feeling he himself returns to over and over again is a kind of clear-eyed sentimentality, an understanding that while conditions were physically tougher, people were actually much more secure mentally and emotionally, because the world they lived in was stable and not haunted by fear - of governmental tyranny, and of a greed-crazed corporate Kultur that would systematically disenfranchise and ruin independent business owners. Orwell shows impressive, perhaps even masterly skill at recreating the atmosphere of rural England in 1905, which in Bailey's mind is always summer - insects humming, a golden haze hanging over the fields, fish jumping in the farmer's ponds. The distinction between it and modern London, where everything is cold, chromed-over and streamlined, "even the bullet Hitler's keeping for you" is startling, and shows that Orwell, so often viewed as a mean-spirited misanthrope in public-spirited clothing, was capable of a very human longing for simpler times.

A fat middle-aged salesman goes back to his childhood home to fend off a rising anxiety in prewar Europe, and the result is tragicomedy.

One of the best novels I have ever read. Orwell was never better at creating a mood, an atmosphere, a state of mind, than in this book. It is engaging, witty, and powerful. I'm not sure I can say exactly what point Orwell (as opposed to the protagonist) was trying to make in this book, but I find a lot of resonance between his concerns in 1938 with a coming war and mine today. Not just a concern with a war, but a fear of the permanent, sweeping changes that war will bring with it.

Combine this with "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" and "Down and Out in Paris and London" and you get a very good look into Orwell's mind, and you can see the architecture behind his better-known books, "1984" and "Animal Farm." But both of those books, however great they are in their own way, are both curiously cold and impersonal. Here, we have Orwell at his warmest and most human.

If things made any sense, this is the kind of book that every teenager would read, the way they read (or at least used to read) Vonnegut and Ayn Rand and J.D. Salinger.

Oddly, the pocket book cover quotes the NYT that this book is a 'charming ... minor masterpiece'. It took me a while to realize that this is exactly the case.
The novel is set in London in 1938, with WW2 looming. It was Orwell's first novel after risking his life in Catalonia. It was his last novel before Animal Farm. He still had ambitions to play in James Joyce's league as a novelist. He greatly admired Ulysses. In a way, his George Fatty Bowling is Orwell's Leo Bloom in London. But not quite. As charming as the novel is, it is also the final proof that Orwell was not the great novelist that he would have wished to be. He was a great essayist. Even his two later masterpieces, Animal Farm and 1984, essentially demonstrate that he was in first place an essayist and a man with a message.
Coming up for Air is the monologue of a middle aged middle class man who takes a break from his oppressive family and job life. He is the antisocial character who paints his front door green, where all others are blue. He escapes for an outing and 'comes up for air'.
The story is told by the hero in an odd mixture of stream of consciousness and autobiography. One might say, Orwell told parts of his own life story. And that is the crux of the matter: he remains the intellectual who sympathizes with the proles and despises the upward ambitions of the lower middle classes.
The book is a failure insofar as Orwell never manages to let Bowling speak. Bowling is just a pretext for Orwell's own words.
The book is not a failure, because what Orwell has to tell us of England between 1893 and 1938 is well worth knowing. Bowling should be an uninteresting man, by all criteria, but Orwell fails to let him bore us.

Like Pinter, Mamet is the master not of just the words but the spaces between them; shapes the silence that holds the words together; and reveals the true (subconscious) forces that grip his characters and drive them right over the cliff of their own greed. He is a direct descendant of Pinter and Beckett. A legend.

The film version of Mamet's play with Jack Lemmon and Al Pacino is incredible and having recently attended a production of this play in the West End of London I was intrigued by the slight differences between the screenplay and the original. That's what prompted me to purchase the play and read it.
Mamet's language is powerful and the cadences that he writes for his characters really drive the action and reveal truths about their characters in subtle yet absolute ways.
This particlar version has some great introductory material about Mamet's life and work as well as some critical analysis of the play that I found very enlightening. For me this was well worth the special order.

Glengarry Glen Ross, a real estate sales firm run by contentious and pugnacious animals, connives innocent folks into buying land at above market value. In David Manet's shocking "Glengarry Glen Ross", the ugly and cutthroat side of sales comes alive in three cantankerous salesman that do whatever it takes to keep their head above the cutoff line, the sales quota, and a younger sales manager precariously holding his position of authority over them. Parts of Glengarry come alive in brilliant voices that uncannily mimic true sales forces. Most of the play, however, divulges into long-winded rants that fail to thrust the plot forward. Manet's use of profanity is excessive and is a weak attempt to create a realistic sales environment. Yes, people swear and lie and bicker, but Manet's dependence on these moors, instead of a rich plot and multi-faceted characters, is unsuccessful and tiresome.

Another play I've read (and reviewed) on sales that packs much more a punch is Miller's "The Death of a Salesman".

The Alec Baldwin scene that's in the movie version is not here in the play. As I understand it, the terrific Baldwin
scene was written later and made part of the screenplay especially for Alec.

All I can say is: GET THE MOVIE.

There are only a few truly perfect things on this earth. A Chicago dog is one of them. There is nothing quite like it. This play is another little piece of perfection. Loved the movie, oh yes, but the play is just as good, which is a rare thing indeed. Often the movie version is superior to the original and vice versa. Here there is perfection on both sides. A glorious script is brought to the screen intact. No doubt much credit belongs to the director and cast, but I suspect that Mamet had something to do with it, too. It's hard not to love this sweet taste of poison. Levine is a character to adore and despise and then back into when he isn't looking. Wouldn't you just love to sleep with him, stab him and then leave him for dead? The writing is superb. Mamet's got the one-act tragedy down cold. Will he ever write a full-length play?

Generally, I give my books of fiction away but this one is a keeper. I found myself underlining and making note of page numbers to refer to again on the title page. I was amazed by Mr. Ignatius's insights into the Middle Eastern Arab mind. (Simultaneously, I thought that anyone with any insight into human nature could understand what has happened to the world since 9-11.) Mr. Ignatius is obviously is quite knowledgeable of the Middle Eastern psychology and the relationship of 'cause and effect.' The 'spy story' is a fine one but whether it portrays the real world operations of various spy agencies I cannot say though they seem authentic. Definitely not James Bond or Jason Bourne. In my opinion this tale of fiction is wonderful in explaining what has remained unexplained since September 2001.

Having spent time in the Middle East, I found this novel haunting with it's authenticity. I am sure Mr. Ignatius has taken some characters from real life and disguised them a bit. For anyone interested in how an intelligence officer operates in real life, Agents of Inocence is a must read.

Kingmaker

Ignatius brings his experience as a journalist in both the Middle East and Washington and spins a revealing tale around the facts as Beirut was transformed from the 'Paris of the Middle East' to a battlefield of madness.

Very well written - in depth and fascinating. Sad because it seems to be so close to the truth about the CIA and its various spy agencies really work. Highly recommended.

Compelling spy novel, and very realistic, it puts you right there, but in the end the central theme is flawed. The Israelis/Americans are not the same as the terrorists of the world--there are definitely two sides out there, one with good guys and one with bad guys.

The book was well worth its price. It is full of insights and helpful tips about what an average person can actually do to feel better and enjoy life more. I can't say that about most books in this category.

On the downside, there are quite a few conjectures and highly subjective opinions between the good nuggets of information. I think the author would have put out a more meaningful book by limiting himself to the plausible and sound topics and conclusions.

With that in mind, I'm holding on to this title and reread passages from time to time.

I thought I knew a little about nutrition before I purchased this book, however I was blown away with the amount of new material I discovered in this gem. I noticed my energy level and concentration ability increase like I never experienced before. Bravo to Jean Carper for the amount of important information that has changed my life for the better!

While there may be a lot of good information here, it is inseperably mixed with a lot of personal opinion and drum-beating. Instead of just compiling reports from qualified MDs, PhDs, etc., Carper regretfully goes one level further and INTERPRETS these studies for us. Unfortunately, she is not qualified to do that. Her background is not in medicine or health, she is just a writer. She wants to sell books, so she becomes super-positive with all her "analyses". Sorry, Ms Carper, your embellished opinions are not objective, are not scientific, are often flat WRONG, are not separated from the factual information, and thereby destroy what might have been an informative book. I suggest Holford's "Optimum Nutrition for the Mind", or Stoll's "Omega 3 Connection" for those interested in more science and less hype.

Let me cut to the chase, there are numerous supplements you can take to keep your mental facilities in top working order, but if you are looking for the ONE thing you can do that will provide the best overall results - take a multivitamin daily.

Ms. Carper has provided another fine study of the current research (circa 2000) related to the human brain and the effect of various supplements or lack thereof. If there is one complaint that I have about the book, it is that it is dated, continued research in the field would argue for an updated edition of the book.

The four sections of the book cover the workings of the brain, what to eat, what supplements to take and how to prevent vascular problems from affecting your brain. True to her usual form the author presents the research for each topic, broken up by nutrient or supplement, further broken down by details of the impact on the brain of a shortage and the research data to support claims that the nutrient or supplement may correct the problems, and how much to take for full effect.

The discussions are intriguing in that the author's conclusions require so little action on the reader's part to correct or prevent the stated neurological problems (topics range from depression to aggression to forgetfulness to age related problems like Alzheimer's).

One of the reasons I bought this book was because I was heading back to grad school (in my 40s), and I wasn't quite sure I was up to it. Having completed 13 semester credits in biological and chemical sciences over two 6 week summer sessions with a flawless 4.0 grade average, I can say that I feel at the top of my mental game and ready for admission to grad school. My current set of supplements include: a multivitamin with minerals, coenzyme Q10, Omega 3 fish oil, ginko biloba and grape seed extract.

Getting back to my initial statement, unless you have a perfect diet (be honest), you need a multivitamin with minerals to ensure that you are providing the basic nutrition for a healthy brain, once you are there you can look into the other supplements for further improvement. P-)

This is an excellent book. It is a "must have" item for anyone wanting to improve the functioning of their brain. I purchased one copy of his book for myself and another copy for my best friend. I feel certain that I made a vey wise choice in purchasing "The Miracle Brain"

James Twining is an author I have not read before. He was born in London but spent much of his childhood in Paris. After graduating from Christ Church, Oxford with a first-class degree in French Literature. he joined the investment bank UBS, working in their corporate finance division. In 1999 he left to set up his own company and in 2001 was named as one of the eight 'Best of Young British' entrepreneurs in The New Statesman. James lives in London with his wife, Victoria, and is now a full-time writer.

As I said above James Twining is a new author as far as I am concerned and I think it is always exciting to read a new author for the first time. You probably know whether the storyline for the book appeals to you, as you have probably chosen to buy the book. However does the authors writing style and the way they approach the subject gel with you as well. Are the characters plausible, do you warm to them. Well speaking for myself the author ticked all the right boxes and I can't wait to get to the bookshop to buy another one.

The book is full of intrigue and suspense. The book revolves around the lead character, Tom Kirk, the world's greatest art thief (I am not sure how you calculate these things. Is there a league table of art thieves?) and Jennifer Browne, an FBI agent desperate for another chance to prove herself.

A priest is murdered in Paris and his mutilated body is thrown into the Seine. The priest has taken a secret with him to his death and this is revealed during his autopsy. Jennifer, an ambitious young FBI agent is assigned to the case. This is her big chance to put her career back in gear, after screwing up three years ago.

Her investigations uncover a daring robbery from Fort Knox and Tom Kirk is the prime suspect. This could not come at a worse time for Kirk who is trying desperately to put his past behind him. At the same time he is being pushed from behind to complete one last job . . .

I found Twinings latest international thriller to be quite exciting. Good plotting, full of action, full of twists, and overall very satisfying.
From inside: "You see, despite what you might think, not all thieves are robbers."

Tom Kirk is a former C.I.A. operative turned spy who is accused of stealing several "double eagles", which are coins supposedly destroyed upon a Presidential order in 1933. Enter Jennifer Browne, a disgraced F.B.I. agent who inherits the case. She works with Kirk to solve the theft of the coins. But, as is always the case in these kinds of books, there is more to the story than meets the eye.

if you like DeMille, Cussler and James Rollins, you will love this book, trust me. Tight, fast-paced, no useless "it was a dark & stormy night" filler that Ludlum and Folsom love so much. A very good read, I enjoyed it from start to finish. Good job, James!

A good solid tale. After reading Mr. Twining second book, The Black Sun, I decided to give his debut novel a go. I am glad I did as I found it a slightly better read. The Double Eagle is an interesting story that combines the talents of recently retired famous art thief and former CIA agent Tom Kirk, and current FBI Special Agent Jennifer Browne as they hunt for 5 Double Eagle coins stolen from Fort Knox. The twists and turns of this who-done-it takes one on a dizzying ride through Europe in search of the elusive coins. Along the way friends become foes, and foes friends as Tom and Jennifer unravel the mystery of the missing coins. Excellent plot and good solid ending for a debut suspense novel. Character development was a little light but acceptable. Numerous characters but Mr. Twining does a good job keeping the reader informed and not overburdening the story. All in all an excellent debut novel.
Highly recommended for that day on the beach or lazy afternoon on the deck. No gratuitous violence or sex. Very little coarse language. I am looking forward to Mr. Twining's next book and more about Tom Kirk.

This is a very worthwhile read but not as fulfilling as the original blockbuster 'By Way of Deception.'

The ending is pretty weak, we are supposed to believe that Victors (book author) old friend send a kidon (Mossad assassins) group to 'take care' of Victor. It is also my opinion that the author over stretched when he vouched that Bush Sr had nothing to do with the Iran-Contra affair. Read 'Compromised' for a believable account of the involvement of many 'well placed' individuals in the Iran-Contra affair. Nevertheless, I find most of the book to present itself as being fairly credible.

More thrilling stories of almost impossible levels of Mossad skulduggery. I'm sure most readers will find themselves very thankful for the fact that the Mossad is, mostly, thousands of miles away.

The Mossad is simply too important to not get educated about. This is another good insider account by Victor Ostrovsky.

This is an excellent book, probably one of the best ones I have ever read. In my opinion it says the real story about israeli intelligence, how they think, how they act, and how dirty they play with everybody, even with people who have helped them. You MUST read this book.

This book is a factual account of events as they occurred before the publication of his first book (Chapter 28). The Prologue gives his family history, and why he joined the Mossad. Chapter 1 tells how a NATO sleeper cell was used to create atrocities that could be blamed on Communists, and destabilize the left leaning Belgian government (pp,4-5). Chapter 2 tells how they worked with an American company that had desired technology (p.10). Chapter 4 explains how the Jordanian peace initiative was stopped. In Chapter 6 Victor was kicked out of the Mossad, and immediately recruited into a secret organization. Chapter 8 tells how a new head of the Mossad was stopped from taking office. Chapter 9 tells of his secret mission to the KGB to offer himself as a spy (Chapter 13). This would expose a suspected mole.

Chapter 15 explains how Libya was blamed for a discotheque bombing in 1986. The US retaliation kept Libya "out of the picture". Victor then learns how turmoil was created between Kuwait and Iraq. Chapter 17 describes the safe house system in London. Victor traveled to Jordan to advise them on detecting moles. Chapter 21 tells of "humanitarian assistance" to blacks in Soweto, using a Baltimore hospital for cover. Were they testing medications and diseases? Victor explains the Pollard affair, why Pollard knew too much. Pollard's information was traded to the Soviets to release Jews; Pollard was used and then flushed! Chapter 22 tells of his visit to Egypt, and their interest in Robert Maxwell. Maxwell bought media to influence public opinion, and to provide a cover for assets in other countries; page 204 tells how this worked.

Chapter 23 tells how background information was obtained from strangers (p.208). The Vanunu affair is explained (p.209). In Chapter 25 Victor decides to write his book on the Mossad. Operation Hannibal sold military supplies to Iran. Page 228 tells how Kurt Waldheim was branded as a Nazi! Page 231 explains how a politician was smeared and defeated. When this politician tried to clear himself, he was lured to Geneva and given a heart attack (pp.234-5). In Chapter 26 Victor travels to Paris to tell the French secret service about the Mossad's links with fascist elements (p.242). They later asked Victor to investigate the leading advocate of privatization in the US (p.244). This member of the Libertarian Party sought to destabilize a French South Pacific island.

Chapter 27 tells about the propaganda campaign against Saddam Hussein (p.247). Iraq targeted Iranian cities using information from American satellites. Pages 250-1 tell how a reporter (who knew too much) was lured into a fatal mission. Then there is the planted story of Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction". Page 259 tells of the safest sanctuary around - an airport! Chapter 30 tells of President George Bush's visit to the Madrid peace talks, and the failed assassination attempt. Chapter 31 explains Robert Maxwell's partnership with the Mossad, and why he had to be silenced. It was not that he knew too much, but that he began to talk too much under pressure of bankruptcy. Chapter 31 ends the book with his tour of Europe to promote his first novel. A problem occurred in Belgium; Victor knew of the corruption of the Belgian police force. Victor then realized that his connection in the Mossad was no longer reliable (p.290).

For a thinking person, the revelations in this book should spawn probing questions about the Mossad's part in geopolitics from pre-9-11 to 2004. Ostrovsky outlines how the Mossad, unlike any other secret intelligence service in the world, uses the vast Diaspora as "assets" to do their bidding. It is organized so that the Diaspora (over 50,000 strong) become temporary Mossad agents on an as-needed basis.

This structure accomplishes two things:
(1) By playing on the 'help the homeland' aspect of requesting help for Israel from the Diaspora through whatever the 'asset's' position or job skill can produce, it naturally compartmentalizes the significance of a job, and reduces costs. The Mossad has only 1200 agents worldwide, but calls on the considerable PR skills of the B'nai B'rith, JDL, and ADL to advance its aims on an as-needed basis. Ostrovsky shows in event after event how this is by design.

(2) The Mossad can get away with meddling in the politics of foreign countries by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objection to its methods; or similarly, by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objections if its gets caught. Again, Ostrovsky shows in example after example how this is by design.

The recent 2004 scandal in New Zealand is a case in point. This involved Mossad agents caught stealing New Zealand passports from paraplegics. Or the more disturbing US-based AP reports from Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida in the last five weeks in which Israeli agents were caught near nuclear sub and fuel stations, or trying to enter federal installations. The only reporter willing to follow up these stories is Daniel Hopsicker, a respected journalist, of online MadCowProd News. When you realize that these agents caused an entire Navy Sub station with nuclear missles to close down (May 20, 2004) because sniffing dogs discovered bomb material in their moving trucks, it makes Ostrovsky's detailed warning about what the Mossad is doing in the US all the more alarming.

I think the information I found the most distressing was how the Mossad uses US national print and broadcast media and reporters as assets. This a propaganda machine that at this time can only lead to more US sons and daughters coming home from Iraq in body bags. I say this because Ostrovsky is adamant in this book, published in 1993 or 1994, that it has been the Mossad's express policy for years to get the US into war with Iraq.

Without becoming one, that is.

Alongside the author's previous "By Way of Deception." This book, also a best seller, contains a depressing and chilling expose of The Mossad, Israel's intelligence service.

Unlike any other 'true espionage account' you might have hitherto read it is, as the saying goes, impossible to put down. Absolutely riveting. Though by the end the question is not 'Who are the good guys?' It's more like ' Who in The Middle East is NOT completely insane ? '

Ostrovsky was a former colonel in the Israeli armed forces before he joined Mossad. No one contends that he was a field officer, well connected and in the know. He was fired after a fracas in Cyprus, in which he contends he was forced to take the fall for his incompetent superiors. This would never have happenned in the Israeli Defense Forces, not without a proper hearing. However The Mossad, as he never tires of telling us, is a law unto itself.

According to the author it has become a 'rival state' comprised of good ole boys answerable only to the Prime Minister--at least in theory. In fact, it answers to no one.

Dissatisfied intelligence officers who have been, rightly or wrongly, given the boot writing scathing memoirs is not news.

However if, say, a CIA operative turned 'liberal' upon termination of employment alleged ONE TENTH of what Ostrovsky alleges, the scandal that would follow dwarf Watergate and Iran/Contra combined.

Among a few:

* The Mossad regards anyone in Israel who believes in peace with the Palestinians, or withdrawal from the occupied territories as little better than a traitor. It has sold arms and provided information to fundamentalist extremist Muslim groups via third parties in order to undermine the stability of Arab States and the credibility of their leaders with The West. Anything to keep the conflict burning.

* The Mossad planned to assasinate president George Bush Sr at the Madrid peace talks in 1991, due to his policy of pressuring Israel to the negotiaing table by freezing their loan guarantees.

A special Kidon (bayonet, i.e; hit men) unit took three Palestinian extremists from Beirut and set them up. The Mossad was to kill the 'perpretators' in the ensuing confusion after they had shot the president. Due to inside info Ostrovsky obtained, he was able to blow the whistle and the plan was cancelled--as were the three Palestinians, at the Nes Ziyyona facitlity, an ABC (atomic, bacteriological, chemical) warfare lab where the author contends top epidemiogical scientists routinely use enemies as human guinea pigs.

* The Mossad, did indeed murder their billionare operative Robert Maxwell, let Jonathan Pollard hang out to dry, and (ready?) assasinated Israeli general Yekutiel Adam a.k.a. "Kuti" because he had been appointed its head and they didn't want an 'outsider' taking over.

Now if all this---and much more---sound like the ravings of a lunatic, he's an extremely meticulous and detailed one.

Still, one wonders if the Mossad is a loose cannon, why Ostrovsky chose to trust anyone in it, after fleeing Israel.

He tells us that after getting sacked he got news that he was about to be made a liason to South Lebanon (as good as a death sentence) and a certain Ephraim---a higher ranking officer saved him by helping him escape to the U.S.

Whereupon Ephraim called in the favor qnd talked him into 'reforming' the organization by doing everything possible to undermmine it, thus bringing 'liberals' like Ephraim to power.

If we're not through the looking glass yet, here we go: The undermining consisted in Victor volunteering his services as an ex-Mossad agent to The British, The KGB, The Jordanians (!) and The Egyptians, among others.

The KGB didn't bite because they had a mole inside--however their refusal confirmed Ephraim's suspicions--he uncovered the mole and became a hero. The Brits were more accomodating, but cheap. The Jordanians--well, you've got to read that chapter, suffice it to say that according to Victor he had to fly to Jordan, whereupon things got very James Bondian and even more surreal. The Egyptians threw him in a cell.

In the end, Ephraim does take over but then he tries to assasinate Victor, to tie up loose ends.

Compelling, well documented, and absolutely nuts.

This should be a must read for any beginning broker, and it should be a skills improvement book for any experienced broker.

Don't be mislead by the introduction to the author at the start of the book. The author appears to have been a professional student in his younger days, who had no idea what he wanted to do in life. He has two liberal art undergraduate degrees from two different colleges with a major in philosophy, then he started to work in his dad's commercial real estate firm. I thought oh boy! Do I really need to waste my time on this book?

The book is an excellent primer for those who might be interested in selling commercial real estate. It would even be a worthwhile read for most residential RE agents. It covers many areas which could transfer knowledge to residential agents. While I can see some of the reviewers would be disappointed because it includes many basics in real estate a person considering entering the field should know and gives them a feel for what it's like to work in the field. The author has a variety and good understanding of the entire field of commercial RE, as has had many management positions within the field. What more this isn't book written by someone who has never been in real estate. There are plenty of those books in the market place. Likewise this is not a book about how to get rich quick, which are plentiful in the market place.

Is the book general - yes! Is it informative - yes! Is it interesting reading - yes! If you're a pro in commercial real esate with over ten years experience it's not the book for you.

I would say the book was pretty informative and relatively insightful. It seems there are very few good books on commercial real estate brokerage - and I would recommend this one.

The book is a good broad brush of concepts...if you hunger for knowledge about commercial real estate, this is a good book.

This book was well written and had some solid information, but I felt it lacked detail. The book spends a lot of time talking about salesmanship and very little time really explaining the details of either evaluating or negotiating commercial deals. Honestly, I really liked Loren Keim's book The Fundamentals of Listing and Selling Commercial Real Estateand John Peckham's A Master Guide to Income Property Brokerage : Boost Your Income By Selling Commercial and Income Properties , 4th Edition better. Both went into detail on where and how to find clients, particularly online, and both did some detailed explanations of evaluation techniques, pricing strategies and understand the terminology.

This book is a hands on approach on how to make it on the commercial real estate arena,anyone who thinks they can come and make the big money on the ultra competitive world of commercial real estate easily is dreaming.He give you the stepping stones on how to build your business from scratch and it comes from someone "who's been there" not someone trying to peddle you into a "magic" way to make the big money.I applied some of his techniques and they DO work if you are willing to put the time and energy.The stuff he shares with you here will take you an average of 5 to 7 years to learn if you start on the business with little or no experience. (and more than half of your commision if you work for a big kahuna commercial brokerage firm)Good Job!!

This book is an OK read. Not the kind of book you can't put down but a good read. The author is a bit pretentious in his story telling and thinks more of himself than the acts he participated in. Most people from this side of the law usually put the job before themselves, not this guy.

I bought this as a gift and the recipient loved it. Couldn't put it down! Thank you.

If you can stand a few hundred pages of some greedy FBI agent patting himself on the back the entire time -- this book is for you.

One word, Wow! I Could not put this book down. Read it in two days. How this Cuban born FBI Agent prepared for his role as a Sicilian and was able to infiltrate the Mob posing as one of their own, while working other undercover investigations, was simply AMAZING! It walks you through the other cases that he was assigned to and describes the many different roles that he played and how he was able to pull them all off so convincingly and without any suspicion. This book was so good I can not wait to read it again. Unlike other books where the undercover Agent or Detectives does not thank others who played a role in the success of their cases Agent Garcia can not stop acknowledging them. He also exposes a few of them for their inexperience in handling big cases. Those are great chapters because you really feel his frustration and disappointment with their management decisions.I will highly recommens this book to all.

What a great story about this courageous and wonderful man! I could not put this book down! FBI Agent Garcia makes you feel like you are there beside him every step of the way as he captures these hard core criminals. You feel his every emotion and you seem to go inside his head and become part of his stories. The FBI must be very proud of this legendary crime fighting Agent. He is sincere and pays compliments and acknowledgement to those who were responsible for his successes. This book will truly stand the test of time and become a True Crime classic for generations to come.

This book definitely leaves you kind of worried, showing you some of the deadliest pathogens known today. This microscopic world of bacteries and viruses has proven difficult to deal with in latest years due to misuse of antibiotics and the creation or formation of new strains like Influenza, a virus capable of pandemic. Thing is, as the author explain, there are several ways to be infected, airborne, by food, mosquitoes, even bioterrorism, a situation that makes you think if your country is prepared to keep it under control. The book read easily and softly, especially good for the layperson and in my case, awoke an interest to know more about it.

I enjoyed this book -- it gives a good overview of many of the viruses facing us, and the issues with our underfunded and ignored health system. I particularly found the chapters on viruses as the root cause of many chronic illnesses to be interesting, and the chapter on West Nile in New York was particularly interesting.

I found The Coming Plague to be more gripping, and Virus X to connect more emotionally, so I have to say I prefer those books to this one. At points this book seems a bit too much like a survey (which of course it is), and I found myself wanting to have either more scientific depth or more character depth.

When reading this expose I had to remember that Ms. Drexler is a medical reporter researcher, and as such there are areas of her research that may not have been done in depth...otherwise the book is easy reading... The author has much to say regarding new and emerging viruses and bacteria and their ability to penetrate the animal-human barrier. Doctors and researchers are baffled in their attempts to locate the culprits which were in some examples birds spreading germs that jumped to humans. The flaw was Ms Drexler's misses the mark on the origins of the aids virus, choosing instead the old dry tail of the natives ate the green monkey story - ergo, they got the virus. This did not take much work!!! As current evidence shows the problem runs much deeper.

As a neophyte in the understanding of bacteria and infectious desease I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Knowing how fine a line we walk in our symbiotic relationship with bacteria is as frightening as it is fascinating. I belive this book should be required reading in schools.

After hearing Madeline Drexler speak at my university, I had to read this book. It is clear that Ms. Drexler has put forth a lot of effort toward producing a well-researched and well-written book. There are many quotes from professionals on the front lines of infection control, and there are many examples of normal people suffering from frightening and strange emerging infections.

Drexler's book offers a warning that we must focus on public health issues if we hope to avoid the tragedy that an agent such as a pandemic flu could cause. The book is filled with warnings about the overuse of antibiotics and the inefficiency of public health beauracracy and lack of funding. I hope that more professionals and lay people read this book and heed its message.

Thief of Words robbed two hours of my life. A middle-aged agent "reluctantly" agrees to a blind lunch date with a stranger because he has a nice ass. Over the course of the next seventy excruciating chapters, "the couple" exchanges a mirage of sappy emails, goes out on one date, and enjoys one night of sweaty, unprotected sex. Apparently middle-age intimacy happens at the same rate that soap opera babies age!
The story's pacing is off. Its dialogue is too controlled and artificial. The main characters show no depth; rather they appear desperate.
Bottom line: Don't Let Thief of Words Steal Your Time

While the author's style is inoffensive and carries the reader along from page to page, ther's little substance lurking beneath. I was reminded of the kind of fiction that once appeared in magazines like Redbook and Ladies Home Journal---romantic sturm und drang, with minute descriptions of everyone's clothing in every scene. I was so tired of the heroine's long, flowing, incredibly red hair, mentioned over and over again, that I would have gladly pulled it out by the handful. And if the female half of this two-in-one author is really a literary agent (which would certainly help explain how this thing got published), I hope she has by know come to the realization that the email novel as a genre is done, overdone, and needs to go.

In a time of anxiety, here is a poetic, sensual tale of desire, folly, love and forgiving that updates The Bridges of Madison County brilliantly. The hero makes pictures with words of exotic locations and doesn't need to be an aloof loner whom the heroine, in a haze of post-coital euphoric insanity (a purely male invention), sets free to wander the world because, after all, he must not be caged. The heroine, dissatisfied with her life of routine that includes a successful career as a literary agent, falls deeply under the spell of seductive e-mails that rewrite her troubled past. But Annie Hollerman knows that words can betray as well as charm, and romantic journalist/divorced father Jack DePaul is part of a world she has succeeded in erasing from her past.

The boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-wins-girl-back plot seduces us, much in the way that Jack and Annie's words enchant, for a simple reason: it works. Like Annie, we want to believe in the stories that end, "and they lived happily ever after," the resolution of misunderstandings and the power of love and forgiveness. The romantic conventions are pleasantly familiar, but the plot really isn't the star of the story.

The main appeal of this sensitive novel, penned by an astute male writer, is, of course, the seductive words, filled with the hearts and souls of perfectly matched lovers Annie and Jack.

I borrowed this book from my local library and am about to buy one of my own. Reason? There is so much poety of language in this book - sentences and phrases that leap out and echo in your mind. I wanted to underline them! (not recommended for a library book, so I'm getting one of my own). What I particularly liked was that the book's title was reflected in different contexts in the plot and that it focussed on the intricacies of finding a love, not necessarily "falling" in love.

This love story is well told and is refreshing and realistic in this too explicit, too over-the-top, writing era; a story about getting another chance to re-live a life where every regret can be replaced with a beautiful memory given an imagination, National Geographic :-) and a flair for words..

If you like words, you'll love it!

In 1982, Annie Hollerman had a great job at a North Carolina newspaper and, at 26, showed great promise as a journalist. With fiery red hair, she was not a great beauty but had enough looks and brains to make a difference. Until one horrible mistake changed everything.

Twenty years later, Annie runs a literary agency in Washington DC. Two years divorced, Annie's long-time friend wants to fix her up with Jack DePaul, editor at the Baltimore Star-News. Jack is also divorced and has a grown son. He has a passion for good writing and loves words. "A part of Annie wanted to say yes. But there was always another part, a bigger part, that warned her to steer clear of her past and anyone who might pry it open." Stay away from journalists.

Reluctantly, Annie and Jack have a blind date, which goes so well it surprises them both. Between dates, Jack woos Annie with eloquent and romantic e-mails, creating a new and imaginary history between them. But when the past and present collide, where will it leave Annie and Jack?

What captivated me most was timing. Coincidentally, I stumbled across this book as I was getting to know someone new in my life. I could easily relate to the first date butterflies, flirtatious e-mails and first kiss anticipation.

Witty romance written by a man? Well, almost. John Jaffe is actually a pseudonym for the husband and wife writing team of John Muncie and Jody Jaffe. This is their first book, which is also based on their meeting and romance. "It's the prequel to our current lives." A very good story that includes wit, romance, friendship and honesty. Just good writing from a new and welcome talent.