Market-prices

Another candlestick book that gets almost all of its material from Steve Nison's candlestick books.

Mr. Bigalow has taken Mr.Nison's work and ideas (Mr. Nison was the first to reveal candlesticks to the West) without so much as acknowledging this. This book just adds another indicator to the candlesticks without much new insight.

Mr.Nison's books are considered THE bibles of candlesticks. My feeling is if you are going to by a book on candlesticks, why not go to the master?

I read this book and nison`s book candlestick techniques 2nd edition, i noticed this book had no reference or explanation of a tweezer top and bottom reversal, which is an important pattern. Although the book is not as detailed as nison`s it is still quite sufficient. The last third of the book i thought had more to do with investment strategies. If you are ever in a bookstore and can compare this book to nison`s you will see the difference and judge for yourself. Still this book does give better examples than nison`s if your into combining candlesticks with stochastics. All in all a good read.

I have read several books on candlestick formations and signals. This book has to rate as the best, every candle and pattern is explained in a logical sequence but the best is the psychology of the bulls and bears is revealed to the reader. Each candle comes alive, not only is the pattern recognised but the uderlying interaction of the market forces are there for the reader, as though a cloud has been lifted from a dull scene. The Japanese signals are combined with Stochastics but in a simple manner allowing the reader to increase his knowledge and effectiveness of the signals. You will never be puzzled by the chart patterns after reading this book.

"indeed, Dow Theory, while credited to Charles Dow, was actually first put together by S.A. Nelson in the book The ABCs of Stock Speculation."

This reviewer's comment above is a bit misleading. The Dow Theory, as explicated in chapter's IV thru XX of Nelson's book, are actually abridged editorials written by Charles Dow (that orignally appeared between Dec 14, 1900 and July 31, 1902). Nelson in his book accurately attributes Dow Theory to Charles Dow, who was editor of the Wall St. Journal at the time.

Nelson's contribution to Dow Theory was the act of compiling Dow's editorials; William Hamilton (Stock Market Barometer, 1922) and Robert Rhea (The Dow Theory, 1932) were so impressed by Dow's ideas about how markets work that they were keenly interested in documenting his ideas in print, as well as extending those ideas.

Tom Dorsey's book provides the most important elements in learning Point & Figure (P&F) Charting, also known as Dow Theory. Yes, fundamental analysis is important in determing what stock to buy (or short), but P&F tells one *when* to buy or not, and provides the probablity of a certain gain or loss based on certain patterns. Dorsey also applies the same methods to chart technical attributes of the entire market as well as sectors, making the salient point that sector and market trends are responsible for 80% of moves in a particular stock's price. P&F is a much more useful theory in today's age - it's not graph paper like once upon a time - though with Dorsey's clear and thorough explanation of techniques one could perform it by hand either daily or via readily available data.

After reading Dorsey's first edition and observing the market I wouldn't touch a stock without consulting or constructing the P&F chart. The second edition builds on the first. Highly recommended!

Some people find a good thing early on and are smart enough to stick with it. I am not one of those people, but Tom Dorsey is. I've read about every TA book ever written, I've studied everything from stochastic to voodoo and back, and if someone asked me to recommend one single book for learning and successfully applying Technical Analysis in order to make money, it would be this book. The methods described are powerful yet simple, (which usually is the best), concise, (no filler), and include a strategy for any plan to make money in the market and avoid giving it all back.

From the overall concepts of Point and Figure Charting to the specific rules for managing your trades, your portfolio, and your money, you'll be happy you took the time learn what Tom Dorsey has shared about those little Xs and Os.

John R. Price has written a large number of books, but out of all books he has written, this is the best. This book serves as a wonderful introduction to what it takes to be a SuperBeing. Mr. Price explains the fundamental steps on the road to success, riches and lasting happiness. It is small by its size, so it is easy to carry with you, even in your pocket -- but yet it has a very empowering message that you can contemplate and read as you have a spare moment.

For Advanced Truth seeker who is interested in metaphysics and self-help this book won't offer much new -- but it is a good gift for those who are lost in the wilderness of life and are open for new tools of mind to change things for better.

The best portition of this book is the interview with Jason Andrews -- which clearly explains what can be expected of your life once you master the principles of being a Super Being.

Along this book, you could read Darel Rutherford's Being The Solution which will continue from where this book ends.

LIKE MANY READERS WHO SEEK TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES I OWN DOZENS OF THESE SELF HELP, PHILOSOPHICAL, INSPIRATIONAL, NEW AGE BOOKS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THREE I CONSTANTLY GO BACK TO. I`M ON THE WEB NOW ORDERING ANOTHER COPY. MY ORIGINAL COPY IS SO WORN IT`S FALLING APART. AT FIRST THE NAME OF THIS BOOK KIND OF TURNED ME OFF BUT SOMETHING LED ME TO BUY IT (DIVINE INTERVENTION?). I`LL CUT TO THE CHASE AND SIMPLY SAY THIS BOOK IS FULL OF EYE OPENING, THOUGHT PROVOKING AND INVALUABLE INFORMATION. I CONTINUE TO USE IT DAILY FOR MEDITATION-INSPIRATION. I DON`T SUGGEST MANY BOOKS BUT THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR ANYONE SEEKING THEIR OWN DIVINITY. AS YOU READ EARLIER REVIEWS YOU WILL NOTICE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HAVE REMARKED THE BOOK TO BE "BLASPHEMOUS", "TERRIBLE" AND "FALSE". MANY TRADITIONALISTS MAY FIND IT TO BE AND MANY TRADITIONALISTS HAVE SIMPLY ACCEPTED THEIR FAITH WITHOUT QUESTION. HOW UNFORTUNATE. THIS IS A BOOK THAT CHALLENGES YOU TO BE EVERYTHING YOU`VE EVER IMAGINED AND SHOWS YOU HOW. THE DECISION IS UP TO YOU. THE OTHER TWO BOOKS I SUGGEST TO READ ALONG WITH THIS IS, DISCOVER THE POWER WITHIN BY ERIC BUTTERWORTH AND MANIFEST YOUR DESTINY BY DR. WAYNE DYER. TERRIFIC STUFF. HAPPY READING NAMASTE

I read John's "Superbeings" many, many years ago and it effected me like no other book I have ever read in my life. I have read numerous books since on spirituality and while they all "sparked" something in me, none have touched me the way superbeings did. Superbeings motivated me to change my life and follow my dreams! It inspired me to write my own book on self improvement which is titled The Turning Point by Crystal Rose. Thank you John for sharing this wonderful book with us!!!

Looks like Tom De Mark hired somebody to give him 5 stars on most of the reviews.
However his books are lacking in information as he always has some angle trying to sell you his software or consulting services.
The book is weak and unorganized.

the secret to trading success resides in the practice of discipline and in the adherence to a sound, basic approach to a rigid trading plan. the author ignores the former but discusses in great depth the latte almost to the point of obseession. i'm not criticizing his preoccupation(or fascination) with all variations and aspects of trading models--some simple others more complex--but no one can say they are incomplete. in conclusion i believe a reader can draw value from this book in direct proportion to the amount of time he devotes to learning these priciples. no one said that making money is easy but it is obvious that once the principles the author presents are understood, they should become second nature.

Tom DeMark's work is great...he gives insight into the trading mind of an institutional trader: one who must buy into a downtrend and sell into an uptrend. This is definitely a different perspective, if one is accustomed to thinking in terms of lagging trend-following indicators. Who cares if some of his writing style is not ideal? I know I don't. My goal in reading this book was to get into the mind of a great trader and pull out some gems; to try to grasp a little of his thought process, his perceptions of a market when he looks at a bar chart. Some areas are difficult if one is looking for a black-and-white, mass marketable system requiring invertebrate mentality. I think a good reason why he is deliberately vague at some points, especially pinning down EXACT inputs into his indicators, is that he may not want to be accused of hawking a canned trading system. (no I am not an attorney, nor am I giving legal opinion here.) Also, by leaving room for one to input many different values, Mr. DeMark also encourages individual reasearch into market dynamics and tailoring a particular indicator to ones trading style. Putting it personally, if I'm not willing to put the time and effort into backtesting and (I hesitate to say it) optimizing an indicator for myself, then maybe I should not be trading.

In this book, William Monk wakes in a hospital in Victorian London with no memory of who he is or even what he looks like. This devastatingly frightening condition is no match for Monk though; his deep-seated instincts, which made him a formidable police detective (as he learns is his profession), lead him to slowly figure out, little by little, who he is and allow him solve a brutal murder.

Anne Perry provides a good mystery with a twist. I really liked the way she provided insight into Monk's thought process, fear and confusion while trying to discover all he can about himself.

I gave this book four stars instead of five only because I guessed ahead of time a significant plot point; however, this book is still a four star novel because I was surprised by the ending and was very impressed and fascinated by the way Perry introduces her characters, lets us get one impression of each, and then provides more in-depth information and personality development.

This book will pull you right in!

William Monk awakens in a Victorian-era London hospital with amnesia. Over the course of this book, he returns to his job as a policeman, hoping that work will help him regain his memory as well as his detecting skills. What's fascinating is that not all he discovers about his life before the accident is flattering--including the fact that he may very well have been responsible for a serious crime. Over the course of Perry's new series--this book being the debut--Monk's past will at various times haunt, delight, and maybe even endanger him, and the people who come to be his allies don't always like him, but their loyalties to one another shine through. As with the Pitt mysteries, Anne Perry's trademark detail and eye-opening descriptions of what Victorian life was really like make this an entertaining way to read away a winter afternoon

I have read 3 or 4 William Monk books, but didn't pay any attention to order. I have really enjoyed them, so I thought I would start at the first and read them all in order. Now I more clearly understand about Monk's amnesia. It was really fun learning about Monk's 1st meeting with Hester Latterly. Great ending, although I felt very sympathetic to the killer. I love Anne Perry's books. Next, I'll probably read the Thomas Pitt novels in order.

Stock market investing books usually come in two flavors.

The first group of authors tell you to look for certain price and volume patterns; that the stock price depends on those patterns because those patterns are a reflection on human behavior.

The second group of authors tell you to look for certain ratios in the financial statements; that the stock price depends on those ratios.

Then there's this book, which tells you that the price could depend on a lot of things, like mergers and acquisitions and the synergy they generate, executive compensation, competitive strategies, stock buybacks, etc. But they don't tell you how to calculate those factors into the stock price. The book is a good book which certainly provokes thought. And it's probably good for finding stocks for the long term investor. But for me, it's a little too impractical. And a little too academic intellectual guru voodoo. When I have money at risk, and I have to make quick decisions (which can affect my net worth), I like to keep things simple and easily measurable which technical and fundamental analysis allows me to do.

This book should be required reading for every active investor today. Too often pundits throw out terms like market leader,growth stock, value stock, recession resistant as reasons to buy a stock, and try to predict where the "market" will go for the next six months. Expectations Investing will help you learn to throw away these lazy investor labels and instead provides a framework for evaluating a particular stock in terms of what the current price is saying about how good or bad the future for the company may be and whether it merits your purchase or sale. You will learn that every stock, market leader or not, has a whole set of assumptions embedded in the current valuation- this book will help you learn to think in these terms and evaluate whether those assumptions embedded in the current price are reasonable. The book debunks some popular myths and provides highly illustrative examples that make some technical issues easy to understand. For the pro, coverage of executive compensation, option analysis as well as key chapters on competitive strategy and other operating issues will definitely stimulate the thought process. At the same time the basics of valuation are covered in an easy to read fashion. Finally, the Notes section itself can lead the intellectually curious to a "pot of gold" of information. Turn off the business TV and put your popular financial magazine on the coffee table and read this book instead !

Rappaport and Mauboussin expertly utilize the often misapplied DCF model to identify and analyze market assumptions that determine stock price. In the age of irrational exuberance, the disparity between market value and intrinsic value is often dismissed as the product of a fickle and unpredictable market. Rappaport and Mauboussin, however, remind us that the market is indeed rational in the long term and changes in stock prices are the result of changes in market expectations. The "Expections Investing" methodology helps investors to understand current expectations and anticipate expectation revisions.

A financial model is only as good the assumptions behind it. The forecasting process invariably reflects the assuptions of the analyst, which tend to be biased by experience and preconception. "Expections Investing" teaches investors to avoid predilection by reverse engineering DCF models from stock prices, allowing them generate figures that reflect market assumptions rather than their own.

This value-agnostic process produces greater accuracy in many areas that are frequently overlooked. Rappaport and Mauboussin expose the fallacious nature of models based on forecast periods and discount rates that are assigned in an arbitrary fashion. They correctly state that the finger-in-the-wind approach is not sufficient and can greatly distort the final analysis. "Expectations Investing" also highlights topics (i.e., valuation of employee stock options) of which the significance is often underestimated or ignored in traditional valuation analysis.

Everything you need to know about how to value a stock is inside this book - somewhere. Finding it however, can be a problem, as it sometimes seems that the editors used the random dart theory of selection in putting together the chapters. For example, in order to understand the concepts presented in Chapter two, you need information that is contained in Chapters three and five. Once you figure out how to navigate it, though, this book is a valuable resource and a powerful educational tool for investors from neophyte to intermediate. It's encyclopedic in its scope, and the pages in the included glossary are sure to become dog-eared from use. We [...] recommend this book to investors of all levels. Beginners will learn critical concepts and terms, while more experienced investors will come to rely on this book as a trusted reference companion.

Finally, there is a book that answers the question, "what is the stock truely worth?" The software makes it really easy to value companies, and has helped me a great deal in my investment decisions.

This is a great book that delivers on its promise to teach the reader how to value stocks. The valuation process is broken down into easy-to-understand parts, then brought back together to determine final results. Using the tools in this book and the software, I can intelligently and quickly review stock recommendations from my broker or make picks myself. This book will more than pay for itself.

Tanya Huff has been turning out fine fantasy work for some time now. "Blood Price," an early effort from 1991, is the first volume of a vampire series that focuses on three main characters. The first of these is Victoria Nelson, once a homicide inspector with the Toronto police, she has been forced to retire by the start of retinitis pigmentosa. Tough and intelligent, Vicki refuses to be beaten by the disease and has set up as a private detective. Mike Celluci was Vicki's partner on the force and her lover as well. Anger over Vicki's decision to leave the police force has separated the two lovers, but sparks still fly when they are together. Their bickering disguised a deeply held mutual affection.

A sudden rash of hideous killings, throats torn out and blood drained, brings Vicki and Mike back together. As the body count mounts Vicki begins to suspect that the killer is not quite human. The newspapers warn of a vampire, but Mike refuses to believe that any such creature can exist. Vicki is not so sure. When she manages to be present at the next killing she discovers Henry Fitzroy at the death scene. Henry, a handsome, intelligent writer of romantic novels, manages to convince Vicki that he is not the killer. But to do so he must reveal that he is a 450 year old vampire, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, no less.

Henry realizes what Vicki does not. The killer is not a rogue vampire, but a demon, called into service by someone in the city. But the creature serves two masters, the human who called him and one of the greater demons of hell. By using the killings to spell the name of the greater demon across the Toronto landscape, this evil force intends to open the way for a reign of terror on the earth. All Vicki and Henry have to do is identify which of the greater demons is trying to cross over, catch the lesser demon, and stop the human mage who is casting the summonings. Piece of cake.

The three investigators, separately and together are challenged to a race against time. Hampered by Vicki's night blindness, Henry's vampire hours, and Mike's refusal to consider an inhuman killer, it will take all of their energy and a fair amount of luck to track down the elusive magic user. There are lots of plot twists, some hair-raising brushes with death, and very satisfying conclusion. This is a fine start to what will develop into an exciting series.

Inevitably, the reader will make comparisons between Vicki Nelson and Hamilton's Anita Blake. They have much in common. Their personalities are similar, but Vicki doesn't quite have the attitude that Blake does. Of course, Anita has far more powers than Vicky does. And Henry, while attractive, is no Jean-Claude. All of Huff's characters, even while they are squabbling, have far better manners. Hamilton is a stronger author, but saying so is unfair to Huff, who is hardly lacking in writing skills. If readers are willing to judge this fine series on its own merits I think no one will be disappointed. If you are looking for a new Anita Blake, seek elsewhere.

I'm not usually a sci fi/fantasy/horror reader (I usually read mysteries), but I got hooked on one subgenre after reading the first Anita Blake novel by Laurell Hamilton (I have since read the entire Anita Blake series as well as the opening novel for the Merry Gentry series). Perhaps that is because Hamilton's novels, as well as the "Blood" series by Tanya Huff, are real-world mysteries with fantasy/horror elements added as a twist.

Tanya Huff's "Blood" series is set in present day Toronto and features ex-Homicide detective Vicki Nelson, current Homicide detective Mike Celluci (Vicki's former partner and sometime lover), and Henry Fitzroy, 450 year old vampire (illegitimate son of Henry VIII, romance writer, and potential lover of Vicki's). This unlikely trio, who do not always like or understand each other, must work together to stop Evil (in the form of killer demons, etc.) and keep Toronto safe, while keeping secret from everyone the fact that there really ARE vampires, demons, werewolves, etc.

While, in my opinion, Laurell Hamilton is the best writer of this subgenre, Tanya Huff is a close second. I read the first 4 of the "Blood" series within a week and will be sorry to finish the series after reading "Blood Debt". However, I have just discovered Huff's newest series, "Summoning", so I can't be too sad. The only problem is, there were 3 years between the first "Summoning" book and the second (which just came out in paperback this year), so I may have to wait awhile for the third!

Like many others drawn to sci-fi/horror novels. I picked up this book after the recommendation of many on this site who compared it to the Anita Blake series. This series is definitely up there. It is a total of 5 books, and this is the first in the series.

Vicki is an ex cop turned private investigator who had to leave the police force because she is losing her night vision. One night at the subway station Vicki finds a murdered body, and even though she has left the force, she feels compelled to investigate this crime (and it helps that she is finally hired to investigate the crime). While investigating she meets Henry, a romance writer who is also a vampire. Henry has his own reasons to investigate the crime. Vicki is unable to see at night. Henry is unable to go out during the day. They both have to work together to discover the murderer.

I do not want to give too much away, but if you are looking for a good vampire series, give this one a try. You will not be disappointed. If you would like the exact order of the series, it is Blood Price, Blood Trail, Blood Lines, Blood Pact and Blood Debt. This book and the entire series gets five stars!

When I saw the cover of this book, with Ben Stein and his co-author lounging by the pool, bags of gold coins and gold ingots at their side, I thought it would be a send-up of investing books. Oops.

In spite of the kicky title and irreverent writing style, this is a genuine attempt to educate investors. It's full of rather conservative, long-term advice. Look for undervalued stocks. Don't jump in and out of the market. Diversify. When Stein and DeMuth talk about Market Timing, it is not a reference to day trading, rather to buying stocks when they are cheap. Buy low, in other words.

Their thinking on dollar cost averaging is refreshingly sensible. Instead of the Bob Brinker style of investing a fixed amount every month (or year or whatever) regardless of cost per unit, you should wait until the stock is cheap, then buy as much as you can. This assumes the investor has a brain, and enough discipline not to mess it up, which seems to be Brinker's fear.

Anyway, there isn't much new here. It's solid investing advice, breezily presented, so if you need a refresher, or are new to investing, this isn't a bad book to start with.

Stein and DeMuth succeed impressively in their primary aim, which is to prove that there are better times than others to invest in the stock market, and that a market timer who pays attention to the signals they describe can achieve significantly higher returns than a steady investor who buys in regardless of price. To determine whether the market is over- or under-priced, they rely upon valuation methods that will please the heart of a classically trained economist or business school student: price, P/E ratio, dividend rate, and price-to-book, comparing today's figures to the 15-year moving average. Examining the performance of the S&P 500 over the past century, they convincingly prove that a strategy of doubling up investments in "buy" (under-valued) years and avoiding investing in over-valued years delivers superior performance to a buy-and-hold (or dollar cost averaging) strategy.

Although what Stein and DeMuth have proven seems like common sense from one angle (buy heavily when prices are low), it is not what most of Wall Street and the financial press urges investors to do. Nor is it emotionally easy to follow this advice, since it means buying at times such as the middle of the Great Depression, when the popularity of stock market investing is at its lowest ebb, and it means avoiding buying when the market is zooming to the moon, and it seems as though every neighbor of yours is making a fortune in Internet and telecom stocks (the late Nineties). Stein and DeMuth do a great job describing these situations, to provide the internal fortitude needed to follow a buy low strategy.

The debate over this book arises over how applicable it is to the average individual investor (its target audience). All the research conducted by Stein and DeMuth concerns the S&P 500, and they freely admit that the conclusions they draw do not necessarily apply to other indices, markets, or individual stocks. Furthermore, they look at 20-year results, so the final verdicts for the last 20 years (including the bull market of the '90s) are not in yet.

However, Stein and DeMuth cite many others studies that are aligned with their general strategy of buying under-valued stocks, and summarize the superior results that these other studies report. Because of this, and the book's sharp wit and hard-hitting style, this book is a great introduction to value investing and the fundamental methods of valuing stocks. The boom and bust of the late Nineties and early 2000s prove that far too many investors (and professionals) don't pay enough attention to stock market valuation.

This book won't tell you how to make a quick fortune. It won't tell you how to identify the next Microsoft or Dell Computer. But it does tell you how to identify better times to invest in stocks, and can help you avoid huge losses from investing in bubbles. Because of the strength of the book's advice, which recent history proves is so often ignored, and the fact that it is a short and entertaining read, I highly recommend it.

Finally, at last, a book about the financial market that combines great advice with true wit and common sense. I've bought it for everyone I know. (Including my three year old son... A must for every Mom who'se thought about entering the market, but has never quite felt able to trust it before. With these chaps you're in safe, informative, entertaining hands. Alison Larkin

The aspect that I liked most about this story was the unusual main character, Alaina. She is not your typical female that most romance writers use. This one has a very rough past. The plot of having Alaina (a writer) traveling through time to end up in one of her own romance novels set in the wild west was pure escapism and lots of fun.

When Lightening Strikes, is a great time travel/fantasy romance story by Kristin Hannah. Alaina Costanza is thrown back into time, captured into the latest romance story she is writing. Unbeknownst to Alaina, her villain character, Killian, is actually her soul mate, reaching across time and space to Alaina to rectify the loss and love in both of their lives in the late 1870's.

I thought the concept was ingenious and really enjoyed this book of time-travel! I also found it interesting that Hannah picked out several elements from her book, The Enchantment, and used those elements in this book! I thought it very clever!

Hannah once again paints a heroine who is strong and determined, with supporting characters that are as equally believable. The reader is immediately drawn into the story, and I thought that the story line moved great! This is the last book of Hannah's that I had left to read, and it, too, did not disappoint me.

Kristin Hannah has quickly become one of my favorite authors due to her ability to draw the reader intensely into the heart and plot of the story, with believable and true to life characters. Her love stories are warm and sensitive, with the heroine able to overcome obstacles in her life, and embrace love once again. I have found that all of Hannah's books contain messages of struggle, hope and love. And as always, once you fall in love with the characters in her books, you are dying for a sequel!

"When Lightning Strikes" definitely struck a chord with me.

The basic plot of the book is as follows. Alaina (Lainie) Costanza is a romance writer, but she's no wimpy, frou-frou darling. Nope, she chain-smokes, drinks on occasion, wears tacky outfits, and is generally a hell-raiser. There are reasons for her behavior I'll get to in a moment; suffice it to say that only two things are keeping her together at this point: her writing talent, and her teenage daughter, Kelly.

John Killian is an outlaw, a former Texas Ranger who feels like he's lost everything. His wife died years ago and he couldn't save her; once that happened, he felt his soul rip apart, and decided to live down to his reputation. Now he's the leader of a notorious bunch of outlaws.

How do these two relate? It's not as simple as it appears at first. At first, Lainie gets thrown back from her time (early 1990s) to Killian's time (late 1800s); Killian isn't exactly overjoyed to see her. Lainie is in a state of shock at first, thinking it's all a dream.

But it's not.

Instead, Lainie finds out slowly that Killian is her soulmate. And that she, in an earlier life, was the wife that left him alone. And as she and Killian learn to trust each other again, they overcome nearly insurmountable problems.

Item 1: Lainie was gangraped at least once. Used to do drugs. Her parents abandoned her, and the foster system didn't work. Her daughter is the result of the rape; she kept her daughter and loves her, which shows enormous strength of character. (As if being creative and reaching for her dreams wasn't enough strength for anyone; well, this is a romance, and I suppose this is a bigger "hook" to grab the reader.)

Item 2: Killian was a Texas Ranger, as I said before, and was a very good law enforcement officer. He was married to Emily (Lainie's previous incarnation), and was sent off on a mission to Mexico. While there, he got thrown in jail; she waited for a long time, then, (perhaps after being raped and abused herself because her husband was gone -- she lived on the Texas frontier alone), ended up killing herself. That's how John became a villain; he felt like he must be one, because his beloved wife had left him like that. And he blamed himself for being thrown in jail, and couldn't forgive himself.

Both characters are looking for salvation, and in this book, they find it. In each other, granted, but that's what they needed. Both needed a second chance with the other, to be able to love and be loved in return. They get that chance through an unusual twist; they don't want to give it up, yet if Lainie doesn't return to the 20th century, Kelly will be put in foster care -- and Lainie knows all about _that_.

So, she and Killian believe it's a choice between love of parent for child and love for each other, and both make love to each other with a sadness that is palpable. Instead of being joyous, they are miserable; they know this is all they are ever likely to have. Yet, how could they pass it up?

How Ms. Hannah brought off the obligatory happy ending is up to you to find out; I will say that I enjoyed it and found it reasonably realistic. (I still wonder, though, how Killian found the 20th century, what he found to do, how Lainie was able to get him the ID she'd so blithely talked about, and what Kelly thought of him. This book demands a sequel.)

So, even though some of the historical details one of the editorial reviews talked about were missing (Lainie doesn't spend much time on detail; she does talk about what the men wear and a lot about the scenery), this book deserves five stars. For more than one reason; it's not every book that shows that love, even a love like this, can be funny, sexy, sweet, poignant, and sad, all by turns.

Yet love, in real life, _is_ like this. And that is why I'd give "When Lightning Strikes" five stars.

Two more things. The character of Viloula is wonderful; check her out. She might live in the late 1800s, but she's a modern woman indeed, and I believed fully in her characterization. Also, Ms. Hannah is to be commended for how she writes her love scenes; the dialogue and description crackles with life, and it shows exactly how Lainie loses what barriers she has left and surrenders to love. And to herself.

Highly recommended. And by far the best book Ms. Hannah has ever written.