Full Books

If you are interested in the history of Poland, and want to learn about contemporary life in that country, but are tired of reading dry accounts written by someone without a real connection to the country and its people... this book is for you!

I enjoyed the manner in which Mr. Sikorski provides both a personal and national history, woven together to keep the reader interested. I would have enjoyed more details about the actual reconstruction of his manor house. However, his insights into the post-Communist government, it strengths and weaknesses, and his accounts of involvement in the Solidarity movement were very interesting.

I hope he writes another installment when he eventually finishes the manor house and the current Polish government has a chance to play out its role in Polish and world history.

When Poland emerged from under the mantle of Communism I followed the news avidly. This is the reality of what was going on behind the scenes. I have, for example, completely changed my mind about Walesa. It's a great read but I must criticize it for being too sparse with it's stories. Having been in such a priveleged position the author surely must have been able to give us more. I echo the sentiment that there must be a follow up. The juxtaposition of reconstructing your house while helping to reconstruct your nation is beautiful!

This book is an excellent read. Very accessible and full of insight. It is subtle in its observations and friendly in its tone. The people you meet and their stories are fascinating and the generational dialogue is worthwhile - anyone who seeks to understand how relationships and lives are changing will enjoy this. Bravo to Ms. Bateson!

Mary Catherine Bateson has written another account of her experiences as teacher and learner. Her earlier work with Johnnetta Cole led to a seminar at Spelman of intergenerational women. Although the age, background and socioeconomic status of the participants were vastly different, it comes as little surprise if you know Bateson, that the common themes of self-actualization, faith and truthfulness to self shone through. What is most remarkable is the trust Bateson establishes which enables both students and elders to share so much of their lives so candidly. Interspersed with reflections on their lives, are their thoughts on women from the course readings. If you can't get to George Mason and take a seminar with Bateson, this might just be the next best thing!

What's great about this book is how practical and usable it is! In fact, the author coins the term, "practical leadership". And it is the practical side of things that I take away from this book. Things I can put to use--now. For instance:

One of the great (and practical!) lines from the book reminds us that, "No one has ever made a bad impression by listening." If you see yourself as a leader, then you have to take that to heart. Also, the book tells us that we should, "develop an appetite for change." And it reminds us that a full contact leader is a leader of the future.

There's much, much more to be mined, and it is worth owning the book, if only to find ONE LITTLE THING that will work for you.

As an author, myself, in the "full contact" project management field, as well as someone who is actually working at the craft of management and leadership, I find that this book contains many nuggets for me. Get it!

(...)

Wally puts real, usable information to help lead and grow an organization the RIGHT way. This is a must on any leader or aspiring leaders reading list!

Had enough of football, can't wait for basketball? Full-Court Quest is the perfect gift book for any sports fan who loves inspirational stories this time featuring young women who played full court basketball and won while wearing dresses.

A find of several arrowheads on our land in western NY sparked my interest in reading Full Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School: Basketball Champions of the World by Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith. Once the authors introduced me to the players on the basketball team named world champions at the 1904 World's Fair, I found myself immersed in the players' lives as they transitioned from life on reservations and farms with their families to their coming of age at a boarding school, separated from their own cultures.

Because different tribes had been settled in one location at the Fort Shaw Indian School, there existed the potential for conflict, but instead these girls supported one another while negotiating the illnesses that plagued them from time to time, as well as surviving the deaths of parents, siblings, and friends. Starting with a soccer ball and a basket nailed to the wall, they progressed through and over many obstacles to become the "champions of the St. Louis world's fair." Not only did they play two twenty-minute, full-court basketball halves, several times a week and sometimes twice in a day, they also performed pantomime, played musical instruments, and recited poetry as part of their "demonstration" of how Indian girls could become "civilized." They raced up and down the court and through the Northwest exhibiting their talents, recruiting new students, accepting challenges from whites who could barely score against them, showing grace and modesty each time they won.

Even though they were exploited to gain money for their school budgets, these diligent young women put all their efforts into perfecting their performances and heroically presenting a positive view of Native Americans at a time when the whites who lived on their native lands ridiculed, criticized, and denigrated them.

Through newspaper and magazine articles, BIA reports, letters, and oral history from their descendents, the Fort Shaw Girls' Basketball team emerges from the pages as a group of unique individuals, each with her own distinct personality. Numerous photos of the girls and extensive notes add to the details of their lives.

The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, originally intended to celebrate the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, became the showcase for Native American crafts and lifestyles that were quickly disappearing. The Fort Shaw girls represented the future with their recitations, dance, and exhibition basketball games just as the exhibits represented the past. Their biographers and descendents deserve our praise. Recommended for women's, multicultural, and regional history collections.

by Susan Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

If you like reading fly-fishing memoirs you'll love this book. It's a wonderful collection of Nick Lyons' best work. Some of the essays are funny. Some are philosophical. All are well-written. Nick Lyons' love for the sport comes through on almost every page.

Randy Kadish

I've enjoyed reading all of Mr. Lyon's books and this volume is a wonderful collection of his essay's. I think that both old fans and those just discovering Mr. Lyons will find a lot of gems here. I especially enjoyed following him on his journey from a young angler with a certain philosophy to a more seasoned angler with a wealth of wisdom to share with others.

This is the type of book that you can read straight through or revisit over and over again.

This book provides much background information at to why Jesus didn't speak much about money. It also helps understand the Reformation and stewardship. I consider this an excellant book for anyone who wants a true understanding of what the Bible really says about money.

Miller reminds us that the subject of money--whether stewardship, the concept of tithing, or simply plain old money--comes up often in the Bible. He scours all portions of the Bible to show us what the Bible actually says about money and how it impacts our spiritual and temporal lives.

His book is not a survey and it is not a concordance. It does not deal with every mention of money in the Bible; but Miller helps us examine the way that we relate to the use of money and the purpose of our money. This small book helps us to examine our relationship with God and our relationship with money. It is the sort of no-frills and attentive book that Miller, a church consultant, is known for writing. Good to have someone offering a commonsense examination of the Bible's teaching on money.

Photographer Serena Macafee is just trying to tread water. Since the heartless and violent murder of her sister and her subsequent injuries, Serena suffers from post traumatic stress and has been unable to form healthy relationships with the opposite sex. Using men for sex and then leaving with no strings attached has worked for Serena, and she assumes her new subject, Kevin Riley, will have no problem with what she has to offer. When Kevin kisses Serena during a storm, Serena and he begin a torrid and erotic affair. The next morning, when Kevin pushes for more than what Serena wants to give, she leaves and heads back to her house. Of course, she had to leave anyway - she has appointments to keep. One in particular is heart breaking and when a decision is made that puts Serena's life in danger, she does the only thing she can think of - she returns to the bayou and the man that made her feel again.

Sculptor Kevin Riley fights his attraction to the photographer invading his life and taking pictures of him for a photo spread. Unable to keep his hands off of the beautiful, if somewhat standoffish Serena, Kevin isn't prepared for the feelings and emotions this woman evokes after one night. When Serena acts like nothing happened after their `sexcapades' the night before, Kevin is unable to maintain his silence. When he pushes Serena for more, however, she escapes, evidently not wanting to talk about their time together. But Kevin is nothing if not patient, and so he waits.

Kevin Riley is one of the hottest heroes I have read about in a long time. Muscled with long hair and a beguiling smile, quite simply he made me melt. His loving manner towards Serena had me sighing more than once as he divulged glimpses of his romantic side. I thought him quite perfect. Serena's character had to evolve and change. Accustomed to depending on no one other than herself, Serena had to learn to love and trust Kevin. That took some doing because as with all people who have experienced something traumatic, her trust level was basically zero. I found her gradual belief in Kevin's love insightful and very gentle.

I adored FULL EXPOSURE. I found it extremely suspenseful and in fact, I did not guess the villain until the very end. I LOVE when that happens because as a reader, it means that the author thought through the plot and came up with a viable and highly enticing ending. Add in two characters that fit together so completely they could have been stuck together with glue, and you have the perfect read.

***Natasha Smith for Romance Junkies***

The victim of a vicious attack years ago, Serena Macafee has walled her heart away, keeping everyone in her life at arm's length. When she takes a job photographing popular sculptor Kevin Riley for an upcoming book, she finds it impossible to keep him at a distance. Worse, she's not sure she even wants to.

Kevin can't stop thinking about the sexy little photographer following his every move. It doesn't help that she is staying in his house while working on the book. Proximity and attraction work their magic and before long they find each other in each other's arms.

It isn't long before Kevin knows he wants this relationship to go all the way, but their romance is plagued with obstacles. Kevin must break through Serena's reticence about relationships while protecting her from a dangerous stalker if he is to have any hope at a future with her.

The thing I love most about reviewing books is the opportunity it brings to discover authors that may have otherwise slipped past my attention. Finding new author Tracy Wolff is a great example of this. With her book FULL EXPOSURE, she easily puts herself on my list of favorite authors and I am eagerly looking forward to her upcoming releases.

In this story, Ms. Wolff tells the tale of a woman who has experienced unbelievable tragedy yet survived through it - although barely. Her current survival, however, is threatened by an unknown stalker, a man already well past the edge of insanity, but who is pushed even further over that brink as Serena finally finds happiness in new lover Kevin.

Serena's reaction to the escalating threats from her stalker might at first confuse those of us whose first reaction it would be to report the issues to the police, but for someone whose past experience with law enforcement is less than satisfactory, it might not be so farfetched. Of course, that little plot point makes for a much more interesting story, as well.

My heart just went out to Serena. This woman has suffered beyond belief, and is fighting for her own sanity in the only way she knows how. She has had only herself to depend on for so long that opening up to Kevin is almost as frightening to her as her stalker. Her pain is palpable, and reader's can't help but feel a great deal of empathy for her. Watching her as she heals that damaged part of her heart and psyche is a beautiful thing.

Kevin is the perfect man for her. He is domineering enough to not allow her to hide away from him, yet patient enough to give her the time and space she needs to deal with her issues.

The suspense in FULL EXPOSURE is as important to this story as the romance, and Ms. Wolff does a splendid job weaving the intrigue throughout the plot, peppering the book with slight hints to the villain's identity. The climactic ending is a heart-stopper, with moments that will make you gasp in fear before leaving you breathing a sigh of relief at the happy ending.

FULL EXPOSURE is an admirable debut into the world of romantic suspense for Tracy Wolff, sure to motivate readers into talking about this book.

**Courtesy of Wild on Books**

I really like these books, where the character is previously presented in an earlier book, and he comes across as being cold, detached, and hard-nosed. And then he comes along in his own story, and more of the same is shown! Formidable might be a good word for it. I loved the hot sex scene in the 'closet.' Loved this book.

Fans of the Colby Agency series have undoubtedly been on the edge of their seats to find out which trusted Colby employee has been leaking information to the agencies arch nemesis, the evil Errol Leberman. And many readers have no doubt been anticipating a book centered on the stone-cold investigative expert Victoria has hired to ferret out the rat, as it were. Cole Danes was introduced in Harlequin Intrigue #801, Situation: Out of Control (ISBN: 0-373-22801-5) as a ruthless, obsessed investigator who always gets his man, regardless of collateral damage. This unflattering portrait does not change (to Webb's credit) when he becomes the protagonist in this story. His calculation and extreme hard-heartedness make him a somewhat unusual hero for Harlequin, but it only enhances the enjoyment of the novel.

For the past two years, a stranger has made the life of single mom, Angel Parker, a living hell of fear. A ruthless killer has threatened the life of her child if Angel doesn't discover and pass on the knowledge he needs to perpetrate his evil deeds against Victoria Colby and anyone connected to her. Just when Angel believes the nightmare is over, a kidnapping proves it has just begun. Angel's one hope is the man whose job is to turn her in, the very man whom the stranger insists she lead to his execution.

Can Angel trade one life for another, dearer than her own? What is the secret Cole Danes keeps that makes this personal? Is it possible Cole's heart is not made of stone, but beats faintly behind stone walls? And, if so, can she reach it before times runs out?

For a great start to the Colby Agency saga, read Webb's Safe By His Side (ISBN: 0-373-22583-0), Harlequin Intrigue #583.

My other half and I own a copy of this book and between the illustrations and the prayers and accounts of firsthand experiences of the Sea Deities, it is highly treasured in our home. Very high-quality work.

I believe that this is the first book of its kind, a devotional exploring practitioners' personal experiences with Northern European sea Gods. The poetic eddas vaguely describe Vanic patriarch Njord walking along the ocean or the Nine Waves who gave birth to the God HeimdallR, and their parents Ran notorious for drowning sailors at sea, and Aegir known for being a god of hospitality and brewing. Rightfully, these seemingly obscure Gods deserve their due. I found many of the essays to be very inspiring, loving, heartfelt, educational, and certainly tools for expanding my own religious practice. I love the personal hands on accessible tone of Krasskova's devotional compilations. There are some particularly beautiful prayers in this book.

Along with beautiful full color ocean inspired photographs and artwork, including never before seen original work from the extremely talented KC Hulsman, all profits from this book benefit the Big Sur Land Trust, so not only are you exposing yourself to insight and tools for worship, but helping to preserve the environments sacred to those Gods. If you are hesitating over buying this, don't. Its a truly invaluable work.

Full Frontal Murder was one of the most suspenseful mysteries I have read. The characters were good, and the plot was well done. A great continuation of the Marian Larch series.

Rita and Hugh are in the midst of a nasty divorce that includes child custody of their four year old son Bobby when someone tries to snatch the child. Only the quick intervention of a police officer stops the abduction from being successful. Though each parent accuses the other of orchestrating the incident, the lad's wealthy grandfather believes that a true kidnapping for ransom was attempted. The NYPD assign Lieutenant Marian Larch to investigate the case.

Before Marian can dig deeply into the investigation, the case unravels as the lead suspects, the parents, are murdered. Still, Marian inches closer to solving the case when her lover, private investigator Curt Holland is kidnapped. His abductors want her to drop her investigation or they will torture their victim till he dies. Marian, who has always feared a commitment, now has a new fear to deal with: the potential loss of her beloved, who will certainly be killed if she does nothing.

Barbara Paul has written numerous mysteries, but her Marian Larch series is by far her best. Marian is the complete woman of the nineties as she struggles with her ambition and independence Vs a commitment to her lover. FULL FRONTAL MURDER adds much insight to Marian's motivations as her personal and professional lives crash together. The Larch books are one of the finest police procedural series because it takes readers to the inside of Manhattan through the senses of a fantastic multi-dimensional protagonist.

Harriet Klausner