history

Those Mighty Canyons. Some of the most beautiful photography you will ever see anywhere hits your eye with a soft and magnificent touch in "Canyons of the Southwest" by John Annerino. The book covers some of the most rugged terrain on the face of the earth: the combined American Southwest and the Mexican Northwest. The photographs show a real grasp of what the camera can do under the hands of a skilled photographer with these mighty places on the North American continent. The book is approximately half text and half pictures. A telling blend, showing not only how these massive canyons were formed, but also gives an interesting treatise on the plant and animal life of the region. "Canyons of the Southwest" is a memorable record of one of the world's most spectacular regions. It is cited as a tale of living history and well it should be. -Neshoba Democrat

Everyone knows about the Grand Canyon, but what many of us don't know is that the Southwest is laced with canyons less traveled but no less spectacular. Lucky for us, Annerino spills a few secrets in this book, describing in words and fine photographs such places...an encticement to visit or revisit, in person, this stunning terrain. -Outside Magazine

Foremost are the photographs. I would call Annerino's canyon portraits the best of a really good lot, even over big-time large-format photographers. While the large-format works are stunning artistic studies of light and color shot with impossibly huge f-stops, Annerino's canyon photographs give expression to the phrase "wearing one's heart on the sleeve." His photos have an active passion that others lack. Anyone who knows him will say he is among the "hardmen' to tackle the Southwestern mountains and canyons, but that he is definitely the most sincere in his passion for place. Perhaps, because of this he lacks a calculated commercial view of the places he photographs. His images also record his own passion, creating compelling and unique photographs. More than any other contemporary outdoor photographer, Annerino's photos mirror his love of the land's people. In the text, Annerino portrays canyonlands people as part of what makes the places special. He has a deep affection for past and present native peoples, but unlike some Anglo North Americans, Annerino isn't a lost 20th century soul. Rather, he seems to have a straightfoward and genuine admiration for native people, and has learned a great deal about them. His research on each canyon's history is impressive. Annerino writes with an immensity commensurate with his subject. His style is old-fashioned, evoking an older, more grandiose era of writing of explorers like Powell and Pattie. While many modern writers seem bent on infusing themselves into as much of the story as possible, Annerino's style is not so full of himself as full of the intensity of his canyon experiences...Annerino is at his best when he writes about Mexico, especially the Big Bend passage where he talks about the injustices served the Mexican across the river at the hands of our national park there. An optimist who sees great things in the canyons, Annerino neither ignores nor dwells on the obvious problems facing the West like pollution and development. And fortunately, CANYONS OF THE SOUTHWEST is not a treasure map guidebook to these areas. -Desert Skies

Here's a bear's-eye view of the priviledged world of "Master," as the little American boy, his parents, nanny and his stuffed toy polar bear travel from winter home to summer home to luxury hotels around the globe in the pre-World War I days, as written quite matter-of-factly by the boy's mother. Poignant, dramatic adventures ensue when the family boards the Titanic on its fateful voyage. A wonderful introduction for youngsters to the historic event; equally intriguing for adults, with actual photos, many of which were taken by the the author/survivor/mother, including photos of her son with Polar, his toy bear. A fascinating glimpse at a narrow slice of high society American life. Hopefully with the release of the film "Titanic" in December 1997, this little book will see a reprint. Charming!

I found this book excellent! It's a great way for children tolearn, not only about the world's most famous maritime disater, butfor them to also have an understanding of what life was like for the wealthy to have lived during this era. I plan to be a teacher and have already acquired this book and have read it to several children. What a better way to promote history than through a true story, and with the perspective through a bear's eyes. Highly Recommended! If fact, I am doing a rhetorical criticism paper on this book.

This book has much to offer, for young readers and for adults. It is a wonderful glimpse into history, told from the perspective of a Steiff polar bear, who is very much a part of the life of young Douglas Spedden. His family's travels and his young life unfold in a beautiful text that is illustrated with sensitive illustrations and historical photographs. The Speddens traveled on the ill-fated Titanic. The incredible drama of that event unfolds in the most personal narrative. The magnficent beauty of the ship is conveyed as the family enjoys its commodious luxury. The drama of its sinking is compelling as well as touching in the describtion of the heartbreaking separation of Polar from young Douglas. This is how a young child would remember such an event. Fortunately, Polar is found and reunited with his friend.

The story behind the story is as wondeful as the book itself. Leighton H. Coleman III found this wonderful manuscript in his grandfather's barn. It was written by his cousin, Daisy Spedden. How brilliant of a mother to convert a traumatizing event into a story for her little boy! Her tender insight, the wonder of discovery and the perfect blending of history and narrative--ocean liners, wonderful bears--all of these components make this a perfect children's book that is both educational and entertaining (for parents, too!). I have given scores of copies to my friends with children and to my many adult friends who are fascinated by ocean liners and the Titanic. The book is well-crafted with much to offer.

Dr. Andrew Gordon's lengthy study will surely become the definitive account of the Battle of Jutland. Gordon provides an easy read with dispassionate analysis of the facts: a rational and sensible reassessment added to many revelations unearthed by the author's in-depth research. The book starts with an account of Jutland up to the delayed arrival of the 5th Battle Squadron (Evan-Thomas) to the Hipper-Beatty duel. Evan-Thomas and Beatty's handling of the advance guard (along differing tactical doctrines) provides the perfect point of departure and reference to the mid-nineteenth century Pax Brittanica, in which the Victorian Navy struggled to promote a workable combat doctrine from its opposing pool of 'authoritarian' and 'autorcratic' Admirals. The problems faced by the Grand Fleet at the onset of war, and highlighted by inadequacies at Jutland, can be traced to, and explained by, the wardroom battles of this era; particularly over the use of the cumbersome signal book and how best to adapt it to 'real' combat situations, governed by the ever-changing factors of the technological revolution. (Symbolised by the 'all big gun' Dreadnought.) Ultimately, the pioneering development in this field was arrested in its infancy by the sinking of HMS Victoria and the consequent loss of its foresighted Admiral, Tryon (inventor of TA; an initiative based battle signals procedure). The central discussion is followed by a return to the gunfire of Jutland where we witness how this 'arrested development' affected the course and outcome of the battle. The dispositions and handling of the Fleets by Jellicoe, Beatty, Scheer et al. are masterfully analysed; their respective shortcomings and doctrinal reasoning put across fairly. No encounter is left un-discussed, no surviving statement left without reappraisal. The post-Jutland analysis and Beatty-Jellicoe confrontation then come the focus of scrutiny from which we can deduce our own conclusions. Dr. Gordon's account if full of amusing anecdotes. I particularly liked the attention to individual experiences of the battle, and naval life, which are tied in to the relevant discussion: we are reminded of Tryon's last signal before the collision: "What are you waiting for?"... or that the spotter on Fisher's ill-fated battlecruiser Invincible was the German composer, Wagner's, godson. A later reference to the 'Jutland prize for creative writing' is typical of Gordon's lively prose. Furthermore, there is an interesting account of Freemasonry in the service, providing an explanation for many an admirals straight- jacket of 'dutifulness'. The book commendably puts the whole naval episode firmly into the context of the late 19th and early 20th century, with all its corresponding ideologies and imperialistic assumptions that disintegrated so painfully on the fields of Verdun and the Somme.

The Rules of the Game adds to our under- standing of those factorsin the battle of Jutland which make it such a fascinating example of the "fog of war" and the mind-sets of commanders hobbled by tradition and their own preconceptions. Gordon explores the backgrounds of the various British admirals -- Jellicoe, Beatty, Evan-Thomas, etc --who commanded elements of the Grand Fleet. The book's format is unusual: it begins with an account of the opening phases of the battle, then backtracks 100 years, delving into the personalities and events which shaped the Royal Navy after Trafalgar. The author has his heroes and bete-noirs -- those who attempted to bring realism into fleet maneuvers and those who could see no farther than the shine on a ship's binnacle. The Victoria sinking of 1893 and the deqath of Admiral Tryon played a major role, according to Gordon, in arresting evolutionary practices in ship handling and signalling. Midway through the book, we get back to the battle, which is clearly described , although not in such detail as accounts by Corbett and Marder. The author obviuosly has access to new material, which he utilizes to present us with new perspectives on both British and German command decisions. I highly recommend this book to any student of naval history for its intelligent use of sources, clarity of writing, and thoughtful conclusions

I have read many books of military history covering a variety of campaigns, but never have I read one with such breadth and insight as this. The enormity of the drama embodied in the moment the fleets met at Jutland is for the first time matched by an author's ability to depict a context rich enough to help us understand the influences which fed this cataclysmic misfire of naval strength.

Gordon focuses on the tension between doctrine's role as a useful tool for helping a widely flung set of commanders act in concert when distance, smoke, and angst prevent their communication and how a careless search for practical doctrine might invite a stifling dogma in its stead. As Gordon so fluidly writes of the malaise gripping the "fleet that had dozed unchallenged in the long calm lee of Trafalgar", the trust Nelson placed in subordinates had not long survived his death in that battle and its heir was an officious busyness centered on sparkle and conformity.

Particularly delightful in this work and an aspect not to be missed is the benefit to be realized by using two bookmarks when reading it, with the second preserving your spot in the end notes. Its 100+ pages of notes manifest a stringent and complete attribution of his borrowings, but a great many of the notes are not simply citations of others work but illuminating tidbits well worth savoring as you plow along the main text.

A new reader will also find that color has not been sacrificed in the rush to meet the obligations of covering so large a battle. My favorite anecdote was one of an untroubled officer on HMS Lion who, unaware that the Germans had truly been sighted, calmly finished preparing his sandwich as action stations were rung. The mental picture formed of his arriving on the bridge with mouth full and hoagie in hand is not unlike someone doing "the wave" in the audience at Ford's Theatre as Lincoln takes his seat.

I mean the 5 stars. I have given 5 copies of this book to people I know, simply to ensure that they might understand the mania for naval history it has fanned in my heart. If there is any justice in this world, this book will enjoy a massive new print run.

Add this reviewer to the list of people who hold Paradise Lost up to the lofty title of The Greatest Epic Poem in the English Language; it is not only this, but one of the best in any language. Writing unabashedly in the tradition of unrhymed Homeric epic verse, Mitlon was working well within what was earlier purveyed by Homer, Virgil, and Dante -- but he brings his own distinctive touch and flair to the work. The opening lines of the long poem are clearly inspired by Homer, as are other elements, but Milton has a very unique poetic style; long sentences, often with the principle verb at the end, being one of its mainstays. This language is very grandiose and quite complex; it takes a while to get used to it -- you will have to pay very close attention during the first book -- but, as with most classical literature, once the reader gets the hang of it, it goes quite smoothly. The Divine Comedy of Dante has a more towring reputation than does Milton's Paradise Lost -- for one thing, it is older -- but I among those who find Milton to be superior. The Divine Comedy is, certainly, an undisputed masterpiece, but, where it was, more or less, a satire and a thinly-veiled attack on many of Dante's political enemies, Milton's work deals with much more complex and profound subject matter: why mankind fell, how the gods themselves operate and think, the nature and attractiveness of evil and sin, the importance of love in human relationships, the moral problems of God's justice. It is true that Dante's work is more original; Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, at least in seed, come straight from The Bible. But Milton only uses these stories as a springboard for the exploration of the latent moral and ethical problems lurking beneath. Milton explores these problems with a refreshingly fresh perspective -- strictly within the Christian tradition, to be sure, but far from fundamentalist, and even quite radical for its day. Although some cite the work as Christian apologist, there are certainly many elements within the poem that many of the more hard-line Christians would be taken aback by; it was, of course, even more controversial in its day. One thing about the work that often gets pointed out is that Satan is a far more interesting and appealing character than God. This, in my view, does not have Milton unwittingly on the Devil's side, as some critics have suggested. Rather, he is pointing out how appealing sin is always is: of course it's interesting, of course it's appealing -- otherwise, we wouldn't keep falling for it again and again and again. If we saw its razor-sharp fangs and [dripping] mouth, we would have stopped getting ensnared in its trap long ago. However, as a non-Christian myself, I cannot but disagree with some points of Milton's theodicy; the last two books, in particular, and Paradise Regained as a whole, were, for me, quite hard to swallow. I found the more human elements of the poem to be its most intriguing. Milton paints Adam and Eve as quintissentially human characters who possess many of the same feelings that we all share: joy, happiness, fear, sadness, depression, and, most of all, the overriding paramount importance of love. The act of Adam, who was not himself [evil], eating of the apple so that he could follow Eve, no matter what doom was to befall her and them, out of love for her, is still one of the most touching moments in all of literature -- as Mark Twain, in the voice of Adam, later said, "Wheresoever Eve was there, THERE was Eden." God, Satan, and the various angels are also endowed with human characteristics; most Christians today seem to have forgotten that God created Man "in His own image", and that He is not a perfect creature. Likewise, Satan is not entirely evil -- certainly he is ambitious and narcissistic, but so are many humans -- indeed, many have seen him as the hero of the poem (an errorenous view, as I see it.) God often comes off as extremely cold and hardly forgiving or merciful; indeed, to many readers, myself included, this poem doesn't come anywhere near its stated goal of justifying the ways of Gods to men, but only reinforces the views we already had (Mark Twain, whom I have previously mentioned, has a very different view of the situation, closer to my own perspective, that is worth seeking out.) Whatever one's objections to the theology and theodicy expressed within the poem, the poem remains a great work of literature -- poetic, grandiose, profound, extremely readable, and thought-provoking. The shorter sequel, Paradise Regained, is also included in this edition. This work, in my view, comes nowhere near the glory of it's predecessor, but it is still a good read and it is very handy to have it included in this volume as well. For that reason, I highly reccommend picking up this particular edition of the works; also because the introduction, written by Dr. Susanne Woods, is very good, and it has notes provided by the wonderful Christoper Ricks, who also edited the poem for this version. Unlike many editors, he does not include so many notes that they become cumbersome and distract from the text: they are genuinely helpful and there are not too many of them. This is an absolute classic not only of English literature, but of world literature, and a monument in the tradition of epic poetry that you owe it to yourself to read.

I must admit that this has been probably one of the hardest texts that I have ever read ( well in league with Thomas Paine's Common sense). However, it, i.e., Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks(Editor) also is one of the most beautifully written and well written pieces of literature ever produced. Milton, has a sense for language that can only be compared with the great writers of the literary tradition, e.g., Dante, Shakespeare, and Thoreau. Writers of today lack these skills and cannot write with the same complexity as the great authors of the past. A good example of this when one reads Dante's Inferno or Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.; these stories are both good examples of a lost art that Milton was a master at. The art of writing a story in the form of a poem without the story in question sounding phony or having lines that do not make sense. The story itself, i.e., Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks(Editor) is very hard to follow if one is not a biblical scholar and most of the angels are new to me ( which does not disturb me a bit, since most people nowadays, do not study the Bible as they did during the life time of Milton and his contemporaries). Overall, I would have to say that this story, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks (Editor) is easily one of the most thought provoking stories that I have ever read and I will definitely recommend it to anyone remotely interested in well written literature.

I have read alot of classic poetry, and it is great to read one in its native language,which is very beautiful. After reading this I can see, and you will be able to see why this is one of the most well known pieces of literature around. This along with The Divine Comedy (which I recommend) are responsible for many peoples present views of Heaven and Hell.

Unexptectedly huge in size and overall encompassing the general backstory of a show which deserves more attention than it has received, this ONcE in a LIFEtime book ultimately fails to capture the true essence of Llanview and its rich history--a history full of some of the most compelling contemporary drama ever to be seen on television (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Don't let the book's enormity fool you: although it contains a generous pictorial ensemble, the book comes off as more (glitzy) style than substance, which is completely opposite of the greatly substantial and stylishly subtle drama series that is ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

Nevertheless, Hyperion has produced a book most OLTL fans thought would never come into fruition, and for that alone the ABC-affiliated publishing house deserves a thousand kudos. Gary Warner's latest edition should be well received by OLTL fans all over.

I eagerly await the publication of this book about ABC soap opera ONE LIFE TO LIVE. If it is anything like the author's first two books (on ALL MY CHILDREN and GENERAL HOSPITAL) then it promises to be outstanding. Those books are regarded by soap fans on the internet as the source authority. The book are filled with wonderful photos and amazingly interesting storyline memories.

This book is a wonderful historical memoir of one of the most daring and well-written shows on daytime.

Not only does it chronicle the show's rich history, it includes wonderfully bright and vivid color photos of many of the most-loved actors/actresses/characters that have been on the show.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of OLTL!

"The Price of Vigilance" by Larry Tart and Robert Keefe is noteworthy for it makes us aware of not only the need for such flights but how costly some are in human sacrifice. The recent Chinese incident is likened to many such episodes during the Cold War, although many were not so lucky and paid the supreme sacrifice; such as the crew of 17 of the C-130 turbojet shot down September 2, 1958 near the Turkish-Soviet Armenian border. My brother M/Sgt George P. Petrochilos was one of the 17 who perished that day.

The authors also in their informative way present the technology and terminology in a clear and comprehensible manner. When one reads this book they can readily understand the need for intelligence surveillance flights. I heartily recommend reading "The Price of Vigilance."

Theresa Petrochilos Durkin

The Price of Vigilance is one of the most informative and historical books of the Cold War that I have had the pleasure to read. I have used this book for researching my own book, THESE GUYS, to come out in about 18 months. The unit 6901st in Zweibrucken (West Germany at the time of Cold War) is mentioned many times, which is difficult to find, if at all. The transcript of MIG Pilots shooting down our C-130 - tail # 60528 is hair raising. This is reality. This is military history at it's best. Writing is superb!Citations are as good as the book! Well done, Larry Tart and Bob Keefe. I salute you.

"The Price of Vigilance" would probably be a great PhD dissertation in military history. The reporting is very detailed, and the analysis seems to be objective. The last 50 pages of the book are appendices, reference notes, and an index. Included are many excerpts of letters, reports, and interviews. These excerpts give the book a human touch and help liven up the at-times monotonous recitation of facts and timelines.

The first chapter of the book was written after most of the manuscript was complete, as a review and partial analysis of the EP-3E incident on Hainan Island, China, in April 2001. The book went to press before the plane was returned to the U.S., but the authors comment on changing attitudes in the world of airborne surveillance as compared to the height of the Cold War.

If you're a SERIOUS student of surveillance activities in the the Cold War, you'll find this to be a worthy textbook. More casual readers will probably have trouble getting all the way through.

The bloody Siege of Krishnapur in 1857 is the pivot around which the action revolves in this Booker Award-winning novel by J. G. Farrell, but Farrell's focus is less on Krishnapur and the siege than it is on the attitudes and beliefs of the English colonizers who made that siege an inevitability. He puts these empire-builders under the microscope, then skewers their arrogant and superior attitudes with the rapier of his wit, subjecting them to satire and juxtaposing them and their narrowly focused lives against the realities of the world around them. Remarkably, he does this with enough subtlety that we can recognize his characters as individuals, rather than total stereotypes, at the same time that we see their absurdity and recognize the damage they have done in their zeal to spread their "superior" culture.

From the opening pages, Farrell builds suspense as the English colony ignores reports of unrest in Barrackpur, Berhampur, and Meerut. The flirtations of the single women, the amorous attentions of the young men, the boorish and insensitive behavior of the officials, the gossipy whispering of their wives, and the unrelenting efforts to maintain the same society they enjoyed at home--with tea parties, poetry readings, and dances--all attest to their degree of isolation from the world around them. When violence breaks out in Krishnapur and all the inhabitants take refuge in the colonial Residence, Farrell turns it into a microcosm which illuminates their misplaced values and goals as they interact with each other and face dangers from without--and from within. The siege continues for more than three months, with bloodshed, disease, starvation, lack of water and medicine, and the summer weather taking their toll.

Farrell's dark humor is unparalleled. Using irony, understatement, and a sense of the absurd, he conveys his disapproval of colonialism without resorting to the harshness of polemics. By concentrating exclusively on the English in the Residence and not on India's local population (ironically reflecting the approach of the colonizers themselves), he makes their behavior appear ridiculous in its own right, rather than ridiculous in comparison to other cultures. Mr. Rayne, the Opium Agent, calls the sale of opium, "progress." The Padre cannot understand why the Bible was originally written in an obscure language like Hebrew, rather than English, which is "spoken in every corner of every continent." A dying man offering up his last, heartfelt prayer is told by the Magistrate, "Yes, yes, to be sure, don't worry about it." The heads from a collection of small sculptures of the "great minds of Europe" are used as deadly explosives when shot becomes scarce.

Through his precise imagery, his acute eye for memorable and revealing details, his unerring ear for dialogue, his ability to maintain pace and suspense, and his humor, Farrell creates a historical novel with the enduring qualities which make it as relevant today as it was when published thirty years ago. Mary Whipple

I had never heard of J.G. Farrell or The Siege of Krishnapur until one day I was scanning a list of winner of England's Booker Prize and I noticed that Siege was out-of-print in America. I was so intrigued I sent off to England for it, but it is now also available in the U.S.

The novel narrates the story of the British community at Krishnapur during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, when the entire community holed up in the Residency (like a governor's palace) for months under siege. Farrell's style is highly cinematic, reminiscent of great movie epics about that era, such as "The Man Who Would Be King," - lots of scope, majesty, explosions, and bright-red uniforms, added to the day-to-day domestic squabbles of the community. Farrell's take is not a shallow war novel though; he is witty, ironic, inspired, and sad in turn.

The book features remarkable turns of fortune and engaging details on every page, all of which were dramatically motivated and apt. (Examples: When the besieged run out of ammunition, they create canister shot by stuffing ladies' stockings with silverware. There's a sudden infestation of flying bugs that will make you jump right out of your chair. Two doctors have an argument about the cause of cholera with dramatic consequences. A lucky shot by a Lieutenant....well I won't spoil it for you.)

The main character, the Collector, seems to stand in for all of Britain as he is transformed by his Indian experience: first arrogance and a passion for bringing British 'civilization' to the uncivilized, then bravado as he stands up to the initial assaults, then despair as he watches the failure of mere ingenuity to overcome the natives. In a wonderful little coda at the end of the book you can see how he has been utterly transformed by the experience.

A wonderful find, a 'must read'! I'm off to read the rest of Farrell's novels!

The Indian soldiers, called sepoys, in the Bengal army of the British East India Company rose against their British rulers in Meerut in May 1857, and the violent uprising quickly spread throughout British ruled India. The action in J. G. Farrell's Booker Prize winning-novel revolves around the bloody siege of Krishnapur. Farrell's point of view is unusual because, instead of focusing on the uprising as a whole, or the siege in particular, he homes in on the British colonialists who administered and inhabited Krishnapur. Mr. Farrell did not need to contrast the English with the Indian population to illustrate the colonials' narrow-mindedness, absurdity or their attitudes which made the rebellion all but inevitable. Using superb wit, irony and satire Farrell clearly portrays his characters with their pretensions of cultural and religious superiority and their narrow focus on life.

Krishnapur's chief administrators, like those throughout the Empire, were seemingly impervious to warnings of the upcoming upheaval - and there were many. Even when news was brought to Krishnapur's Collector, Mr. Hopkins, of the savage rebellions in other parts of India, he remained almost surreally calm and detached. "There was no cause for alarm and, besides, now that everyone had finished eating, a game of blind man's bluff was being called for."

Preparations for a long siege were finally made and all British subjects and Eurasians were offered shelter at the Residency. When the sepoys finally take-up arms and attack, Farrell's characters find themselves under siege from within and without as the long period of confinement, terrible heat, dwindling food and water supplies, disease and death take their toll. These besieged middle class English men and women are given the opportunity to show the stuff they're made of in this extreme situation and some, remarkably, rise to the occasion, surprising even themselves.

"The Siege of Krishnapur" has become on of my favorite novels. Farrell's extraordinary writing, his imagery, eye for detail, dark humor and ability to maintain suspense are outstanding. He creates and develops characters as individuals and portrays their growth and/or decline with the eye and intensity of an artist. Above all, Mr. Farrell's view of the British middle class, who ruled an empire and were confronted with history in the making, deeply effected me - and made me laugh too. Most highly recommended!
JANA

This book was difficult to put down. Of all of the books I've read regarding the subject of reincarnation, I found this one to be the most interesting. Most of the time, when a book is written about the after-life, it's someone who has had a near-death experience. The aurthor of this book was experiencing this "astral plane" of the after-life while he was dreaming, and found comfort after he contacted his beloved brother who had passed on. Many a person may scoff at the notion, and think this is a good piece of entertaining fiction. If so, so be it. However, if you have more of an open mind, it makes you think . . .

I first read A Soul's Journey as far back as 1985 or so, I'm not sure. Point is, it really helped me in ways that I never ever imagined possible! My father passed away on 22 November 1997. Cancer. Since I had read this book, and had "a better understanding" of the concept of life-and-death, his suffering was the only pain I felt. At no time did I feel sad for his death. My mother was obviously quite shattered. They'd been together for some 28 years. She had never lost anyone close to her - she grew up in a children's home, so was not close to her mother or biological father. I introduced her to a copy of A Soul's Journey that I got from the local library. She read it, we had long discussions about it, and she was literally fine within days afterwards!

I recommend this book highly!!!

If you ever wondered about this, read this book. I read this book as a teenager and re-read it again recently. It is based on a true story based on the author's experience. He was taken out of his body to visit the 'other side' of death. Reading this book gives a person hope and reassurance that death is not the end. There are other books published about life after death but I think this is one of the earlier books and the message remains the same. It's not the comfort or material gain one takes to the other side, instead it is compassion and love.

This book is huge at 560 pgs; of course, i guess that's nothing compared to these past couple Harry Potters so perhaps i should just say, "substantial." It covers literally Woodhull's entire life (and a good deal of her sister's, Tennessee Claflin), as well as offering am in-depth view of the political and social climate at the time. It devotes a particular amount of time to the changing nuances of her "free love" doctrine and other participants in that movement (one which was, most certainly, ahead of its time--we don't generally think of Victorian times and Free Love in the same boat these days), and the Beecher-Tilton adultery trial.

I found the book to be facinating from a suffrage-history POV, contrasting events depicted/documented within with my memories of the "women's movement" from history classes. Goldsmith isn't afraid to throw stones (mostly by quoting their own less than tolerant words) at suffrage icons Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B Anthony, and others, in the course of depicting an unbiased view of the debate that raged for both women's and black men's suffrage at the time. She is both sympathetic to Victoria and Tennessee (she does a very good job in depicting the bizarre, abusive, nomadic carnival-like nature of their childhoods and family life while growing up), and willing to point out their flaws and transgressions (both women engaged in prostitution, blackmail, and other acts of "questionable ethics").

There's not as much focus on the Spiritualism movement, though the overview is thorough and the author depicts in great detail the ways in which Victoria and Tennessee were involved in it as trance speakers and predictors of the future, both from a very young age. She presents the oracles and visions and claims of spiritualists without passing judgement on them, though it's hard not to do so onesself as a modern skeptic reader--the descriptions of Victoria's frequent "possession" by spirit guides, particularly when speaking in public and in other stressful situations, coupled with her traumatic childhood, are reminiscent of depictions of modern dissociative identity disorders.

To read the book as a modern woman is somewhat horrific; one can't help but think along the lines of "what would I have done back then," when Anthony Comstock was arresting people for even discussing contraception and women were considered the property of their husbands. Goldsmith investigates a lot of related issues, giving brief synopses of cases of abortionists, midwives, spinsters-by-choice, servant-class mothers of illegitimate children who were imprisoned for "infanticide" when their babies died in childbirth...ugh. Horrible reading, but important.

All in all a facinating overview of activism, alternative spirituality, and the tumultuous political climate of post-civil-war America, centered around the life story of the country's first female Presidential candidate.

What an absolute joy of a book. Goldsmith seems to have found the perfect centerof the femininist storm in Victoria Woodhull, an outspoken advocate of women's rights, free love, and spiritualism. The telling of her tale (and this book reads like a plotted novel) involves the inclusion of tales and talk from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Henry Ward Beecher, President Ulysses S. Grant, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and cameo appearances from a host of others (including the prudish New York City "in"fighter, Anthony Comstock). Much of the telling involves the infamous Tilton-Beecher scandal, a story whose recitation touches on much of the post-Civil War atmosphere of spiritualism,financial skullduggery, the new religious practices of revised Calvinism, and, of course, equal rights for women. This is a fascinating read and wonderfully written. You don't need to be a history buff to pick this up.

You couldn't make this stuff up. I was mesmerized.

It's interesting to go back and read some of Florence King's earlier works. This book is clearly from the beginning of her writing career: Her writing is not as sharp as it was in her column ("The Misanthrope's Corner"), and she occasionally tends to delve into long spells of almost too much information.

That said, "Southern Ladies and Gentlemen" was one of the funniest books I've ever read. As a Northerner (and infatuated with the South), this book is an insightful - and hilarious - glimpse into every-day Southern culture. After a couple trips to the South, and then reading this book, I can see where her descriptions come from - and how frighteningly (and laughably) accurate they are.

While this book is occasionally punctuated with the sexual remark (or "saucy outburst"), the point is still very much in the text: The South has a very regimented set of codes for its citizens to follow. Women, all at once, have to be scatterbrained and pert, "saucy" and chaste...This balancing act, of course, is written about numerous times throughout the book.

This is an introduction to the South, letting the reader get a sneak-peek behind the scenes, so to speak, of the social, sexual, and political culture. As is King's way, it is full of sarcasm, wit, and hilarity: She does an excellent job of entertaining the reader.

Just like everyone else, I've read and re-read this book until I'm forced to buy another copy - it's the funniest, most accurate depiction of life in the South! Born a Texan and raised in Alabama, I went to school with Good Good Ol' Boys and Self-Rejuvinating virgins (Muffy, are you reading this! ) And I swear, I really did have this devastingly handsome Good Ol' Boy whisper, in the height of passion, that he'd kill for me. Honest.

In this book which candidly reveals every detail of existence in the southern lifestyle, I have found more unforgettable humor and perceptions than any other form of entertainment I have yet witnessed (barring Ellen Degeneras' latest HBO comedy special). It is as if King just sat down one day, with a boiling sense of her troubled but well protected youth, and wrote. Wrote endlessly and without thinking, just sketched the facts and did not leave anything out for the sake of being proper. Stories of people who"are just staying awhile" and how southern homes are full of people who took two years to drink a glass of milk.She explains that "Sears sells more camp mattresses and foam rubber pallets in the south thatn anywhere else in the country." Her honesty concerning her parents,her horrific and clinical accounts of Southern myths regarding pregnancy and sex and all that nasty stuff, her shere generosity in sharing truths of human nature, all work together to form a wonderfully magestic and important work of art. Read this book. please.