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Modern Day Mountain Man
Next generation Ed Abbey
Not what I expected
Last but not the Least
Egotist Writing About Another Egotist

The Last American Man
Elizabeth Gilbert
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
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Into the Wild

ASIN: 0142002836
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

In this rousing examination of contemporary American male identity, acclaimed author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert explores the fascinating true story of Eustace Conway. In 1977, at the age of seventeen, Conway left his family's comfortable suburban home to move to the Appalachian Mountains. For more than two decades he has lived there, making fire with sticks, wearing skins from animals he has trapped, and trying to convince Americans to give up their materialistic lifestyles and return with him back to nature. To Gilbert, Conway's mythical character challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be a modern man in America; he is a symbol of much we feel how our men should be, but rarely are.

Customer Reviews:

Modern Day Mountain Man.......2007-06-19

Fascinating read. You will come away admiring Eustace's work ethic and self sufficiency and will also question his intolerance for "us." Good lessons about American Utopian societies of the past and some of the lesser known facts about Mountain Men like Daniel Boone and Kit Karson. It is also "cold water in the face" to any dreamer who wishes to give everything away and start a new life in the wilderness.

Next generation Ed Abbey.......2007-05-31

In the end, Eustace Conway is no more or less human than the rest of us. He's got his own family issues and seems to be internally conflicted about what will bring him peace vs. what he should do. For those decrying Ms. Gilbert's awards, feel free to market the books you've written. The point of this book seems to be as much a reflection of her process to understand Mr. Conway as it is a description of his life. While her writing is more informal than "literature" (whatever that is), she effectively entices the reader to join in her journey. This book was enjoyable, as was Eat, Pray, Love. It provided a brief insight into living closer to the earth. Whether we agree is beside the point. Mr. Conway seems to be comparable to Ed Abbey in his view of the world, lust for life, difficulty in reconciling inner peace with changing other people's behavior, and inability to settle down with a family. We could all take away some of his respect for life (/nature) and our individual responsibility in recognizing how we each impact our environment. I'm looking forward to learning more about his efforts at Turtle Island.

Not what I expected.......2007-05-23

A friend suggested this book to me, because of my interests in nature. Although the book can be interesting, it did not hold my interest as well as I had expected. Not to mention the ending was completely the opposite of what I expected.

Last but not the Least.......2007-05-10

This story is captivating in it's subject and the style inwhich it is told. Eustace Conway is a genuine unique person worthy of our attempts to understand his perspective on our world. However, Elizabeth Gilbert's writing style that often times seemed to abandon any attempt to be objective is what really made this work so engrossing.

Egotist Writing About Another Egotist.......2007-04-28

Ack! Once again, Elizabeth Gilbert drips her cutesy, cloying, self-obsessed prose all over an otherwise fine book, and destroys its integrity and lasting literary value.
I was immediately hooked by Eustace's story, and it's a good thing too, or else I would have not been able to stomach Gilbert's immediate need to inform us that she had slept with Eustace's brother, Judson.
I don't know of any other talented, contemporary writer who so dramatically undermines their own ability to tell a compelling story by muscling into their reporting whenever and however possible.

Eustace is a grand subject -- and winds up being a memorable tragic hero for becoming every bit the cold despot his father is/was. In the long passages when Gilbert manages to keep herself out of the narrative, it's a great read. However, when she re-appears at the end like the perky, drunk, babbling cheerleader who just won't leave the party, she kills the momentum, destroys the emotional power of Eustace's story, and concludes the whole effort with the literary equivalent of a Valley Girl drawling, "oh my gawd, this guy is SO. HOT!"

Blech, blech, blech. So Elizabeth, did you get him into bed, or what? We know you're dying to tell us.

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A Must for McQueen Fans
The Real Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen: The Last Mile
Fantastic!
BITCH"EN

Steve McQueen The Last Mile
Barbara McQueen , and Marshall Terrill
Manufacturer: Dalton Watson Fine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Steve Mcqueen: The Last Mile

ASIN: 1854432265

Product Description

This is a Signed - Limited Edition book which comes with a 45 minute CD of Steve McQueen reviewing his scripts for the movie Tom Horn. This book covers Steve McQueen's final 3 1/2 years up to and including his untimely death from Cancer. Includes around 400 Color and Black & White Photos taken by Barbara McQueen.

Customer Reviews:

A Must for McQueen Fans.......2007-03-10

Wow, the photographs are beautiful and highly personal. It's like seeing a private photo album from this marriage. Plus the text is informative and revealing. I'm so glad this part of Steve's life is now so well documented.

It goes perfectly on my coffee table.

The Real Steve McQueen.......2007-03-10

Intimate, touching, insightful, sometimes hilarious passages into the life of The King of Cool, Steve McQueen. We live in such a visual, media oriented world that we tend to get preconceived notions of who movie stars are, based on what we see. The world saw Steve McQueen as the ultimate man- handsome, macho, cool, someone they could spend their hard-earned bucks on back in the day and get their money's worth at the theater. Barbara McQueen, his widow, saw the real Steve McQueen. She got to know Steve, the family man; Steve, the man who loved the great outdoors and his morning constitutional; Steve, the great mashed potato guru, airplane and motorcycle enthusiast. "The Last Mile" shows how little we all knew of his kindness and philanthropy; how little we knew of his yearning for happiness and how he ultimately found it. The photos in this book will enchant you, leave you wanting more. One of my favorites is one where Barbara embraces Steve from behind. That photo alone is worth the book to me. Beautiful model, handsome superstar, real people worn out from what life has dealt them. You can see it in their faces. It makes me sigh everytime I see it because there's not one person I know who hasn't been to that point and had nothing left but an embrace. You will love this book and you will want more. I guarantee you.

Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.......2007-03-10

This book takes you into the very intimate and private world of Steve McQueen between 1977 and 1980.

Consisting of approximately 150 color photos (most of which were taken by his wife Barbara McQueen) and accompanied by Barbara's recollections of their time together.

Unlike some other photobooks where you sense you are watching the star pose, this book shows you the absolutely unguarded and relaxed side of the man as he goes about his daily life, talking to friends, tinkering on his bikes, dozing in an armchair or washing down the pavement outside his airplane hanger.

These are the sort of photos you would usually never see of a movie star - Steve in the morning before he has showered, looking drowsily over a hot mug of coffee, househunting in Montana with Barbara, or lying asleep on the living room floor with his pet dog lying on top of him.

You really feel like you have stepped into Steve and Barbara's house, it is that personal.

The text accompaniment is also very entertaining and educational as Barbara shares her memories of how Steve wooed her, the initial problems he had to overcome in winning her parents approval of the relationship, his personal lessons to her on how to dismantle and rebuild a motorcycle (sadly unsuccessful) or a gun (successful), how he came to propose, and many other intimate and fun moments. Overall it takes you through their entire relationship and serves as something of an autobiography in itself.

All these photos are beautifully presented in a high gloss large coffee table book format.

Released with the first limited edition run of the book is a 45 minute audio CD of Steve verbally working through the script of the film "Tom Horn". It is fascinating to hear him talk about his vision of the film, rework the script and plan his character. You get a real sense of the epic film he wanted Tom Horn to be (but was denied due to the studio slashing the budget), and you realise just how insightful he was with film and acting. The amount of thought he puts into his role should forever dispel the notion that he just played himself on film.

Steve McQueen - The Last Mile is a very special book and no fans collection will be complete without it.

Fantastic!.......2007-03-10

A fantastic book on the last years of legend Steve McQueen! Great job by Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill! Touching moments! Great photos!

BITCH"EN.......2007-03-08

Just recieved "the Last Mile" in the mail. The photos and text are outstanding !! The book could have been twice as big. Great job Barbara and Marshall!!

Average customer rating:

The end is nigh
The end is near

Y: The Last Man Vol. 9: Motherland
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401213510

Book Description

Featured in The New York Times and on National Public Radio, Y: THE LAST MAN is the gripping saga of Yorick Brown, an unemployed and unmotivated slacker who discovers he is the only male left in the world after a plague of unknown origin instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome. Accompanied by his mischievous monkey, Ampersand, and the mysterious Agent 355, Yorick embarks on a transcontinental journey to find his long-lost girlfriend and discover why he is the last man on earth.

This volume of the critically acclaimed series features Yorick and Agent 355 preparing for their ultimate quest to reunite the last man with his lost love, while the person, people or thing behind the disaster that wiped out half of humanity is revealed!

Customer Reviews:

The end is nigh.......2007-06-05

I'm not ready for "Y: The Last Man" to come to an end, yet volume nine of the series, "Motherland," makes it pretty clear that conclusions are just around the corner.

Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's excellent Vertigo series has set Yorick, the last man, on a global mission of science and personal salvation. His constant companions are Ampersand, his pet monkey and the other surviving male; Dr. Allison Mann, a genetic scientist with many secrets; and Agent 355, a government bodyguard and assassin who keeps her secrets under lock and key. Also along for the ride is Rose, an Australian spy and Allison's lover, whose loyalties are still unclear.

More answers come to light in this book, as the apparent architect of the man-killing plague comes to light and Yorick discovers he isn't the last living man after all. Meanwhile, 355 mixes it up with a ninja, Allison starts bleeding and Rose makes an uncomfortable call home. In Paris, Yorick's missing girlfriend Beth may be waiting, while back in the United States Yorick's sister Hero, the mother of his child (a different Beth), a Russian agent and a former astronaut duke it out with modern Amazons. There is an unexpected parting of ways, a surprising death or two, a couple of emergency surgeries and some wild monkey sex. Portions of this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, while others will knock you back on your butt. And all of these threads seem to be converging, although it's still anyone's guess how things will turn out in the end.

I fear the next volume will be the last, so I am reluctant to read it -- but I hope it's published soon!

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(n e t) editor

The end is near.......2007-05-24

Brian K. Vaughan's compulsively addictive series is wheeling to a close, and when reading Motherland, the ninth collected volume of the series, this becomes all the more apparent. Things come to a head as Yorick, his pet monkey Ampersand, Agent 355, Dr. Mann, and Rose search for Dr. Mann's kidnapped mother, and learn that Yorick indeed is not the last man on earth. More secrets of the plague that wiped out the men are revealed as everyone makes more shocking discoveries, and 355 and the ninja named Toyota face off in a fight that one of which won't walk away from. In the meantime, Yorick's girlfriend Beth awaits him in France, while his other Beth and sister Hero are on the run. There is also a one-shot devoted to the super-model turned garbage girl that Yorick had a run in with way back in the first volume, which is interesting as well. While it's clear that the series is headed towards a close, Vaughan doesn't rush through things and keeps the book well paced. Co-creator Pia Guerra offers the same brand of artwork that you'd come to expect by now, so take it or leave it. All in all though, Motherland is another excellent volume in the Y: The Last Man series, and here's hoping the end is as great as the whole.

Average customer rating:

Brian Vaughan takes on the world of Trevor Brown.
BKV at his best
Another excellent volume in the saga of the last man on Earth
Everything Starts Coming Together

Y: The Last Man Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401210104

Amazon.com

If you're looking for a comic book that falls outside of the usual superhero fare, Y: The Last Man is one of the top choices around. A creation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerrera, it's a post-apocalyptic story in which a mysterious virus has wiped out every male on Earth, except a young man named Yorick and his monkey, Ampersand. In the eighth trade paperback, Kimono Dragons (issues 43-46), Yorick, Agent 355, Allison, and Rose are in Japan on the trail of the abducted Ampersand. Yorick and 355 find themselves mixed up with the Japanese mafia led by a former Canadian pop star named Epiphany, while Allison and Rose hope to find some answers in Allison's mother's lab. The remaining two issues (47-48) are standalone stories, "The Tin Man" and "Gehenna" (Goran Sudzuka takes over the pencils from Guerrera, with Jose Marzan Jr. still doing the inking), which explore the histories of Allison and Israeli solder Alter. Y: The Last Man is part of DC's Vertigo line and has some mature content, including nudity and graphic violence. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Brian Vaughan takes on the world of Trevor Brown........2007-05-12

Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Kimono Dragons (Vertigo, 2006)

(Note: the following review contains spoilers for previous books in the series.)

Yorick and friends have made it to Japan and are on the trail of Ampersand. The news of Yorick's existence is out, though there's no telling how many people believe it, since the story showed up in the Last Man world's version of the Weekly World News. That's on the background, though; this installment in Vaughan's excellent series is all about finding the monkey. Of course, to do that, they have to get through all the wonderful weirdness that is Japanese culture; no one said Japan was going to sober up once all the men were gone...

If you're already involved in the series, you already know what's in store for you. If not, you shouldn't be reading this, 'cause I've just revealed some big plot points, but I'm still going to tell you to get your [...] out there and start picking up Y: The Last Man. This is good, good stuff. ****

BKV at his best.......2007-02-22

Great work of Brian, it's a pity that Y is coming closer to its end. It will be surely missed.

Another excellent volume in the saga of the last man on Earth.......2007-01-12

Brian K. Vaughan's submersive and addictive Y: The Last Man never ceases to amaze, and this eighth collected volume is no exception. Kimono Dragons finds Yorick, Agent 355, Dr. Mann, and Mann's lover Rose in Japan in search of Yorick's kidnapped monkey Ampersand, who may very well be the key to the fate of mankind. However, also on the trail of Ampersand is the skilled ninja Toyota, who drops her own bombshell as a missing link to what caused the plague is revealed, all while Yorick and 355 deal with a schizo pop-star who has her own plans for the poor monkey as well. As the volume comes to a close, we get a glimpse of Dr. Mann's past, including her tumultuous relationship with her parents, as well as a look at the past of Israeli soldier Alter, and a shattering conclusion that will leave you salivating to see what happens next. Vaughan's storytelling is still excellent, and he manages to reveal just a little bit at a time without going overboard with the suspense. Pia Guerra's artwork does the job as well, which is what veteran readers would come to expect. All in all, Y: The Last Man still manages to be the most addictive Vertigo series since Preacher, and you'll be left begging to see how it all ends.

Everything Starts Coming Together.......2006-11-26

Brian K. Vaughan never fails to amaze. Whether it be with his political superhero book Ex Machina, his subversive teen book Runaways, his original graphic novel Pride of Baghdad, or his original hit, Y: The Last Man, he sure knows how to tell a great story. Though the previous arc, Paper Dolls, wasn't as strong as some of the other Y stories, it still had its good points, and as we learn in Kimono Dragons, Yorick's decision at the end is having some repurcussions. This story, as well as the two stand-alone backstory issues that accompany it, are amazing, and may be the best Y since the Safeword arc. That isn't to say that the stuff in between wasn't good, it was, but Kimono Dragons and Safeword are just that good.
Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, Agent 355, his bodyguard, Dr. Allison Mann, a geneticist, and her lover, Rose Copen, have finally arrived in Japan. They have been journeying here ever since Yorick's pet monkey Ampersand was stolen by a ninja named Toyota. This was mere moments after learning that Ampersand was the key to returning men to the planet after the plague. Upon their arrival, Yorick and 355 go to search for Ampersand while Dr. Mann and Rose track down Mann's mother. Allison believes that it is no coincidence that the port city that Ampersand was delivered to was the same city that she grew up in with her parents.
Yorick and 355 have to deal with some Yakuza members on their way to getting Ampersand back, with some pretty humorous results (let's just say that the new leader of the Yakuza is a pretty funny look at a certain aspect of pop culture). We also see Yorick and 355 begin to show feelings for each other, which could complicate things between Yorick and Beth, his girlfriend/fiancee who is waiting for him in Paris.
Speaking of people named Beth, Hero, Yorick's sister, has successfully brought Beth II and Beth, Jr. (Beth II had a one-night stand with Yorick about a year prior to the events of Kimono Dragons) back to the "Hot Suite" where the first male born after the plague is being held until he can become innoculated against the plague. Their victory is short-lived due to the arrival of a character who has caused numerous problems for our heroes in the past. Elsewhere, the encounter between Allison, her mother, and Rose leads to some interesting revelations about Allison and the plague itself.
Following Kimono Dragons are two one-shot issues that show some of the history of Allison and Alter Tse'elon, an Israeli militarist who believes that it is her duty to bring Yorick back to Israel so that the Jews may be repopulated while the Muslims die out. The two stories are very interesting and show us some of the characters' motivations for doing what they have done throughout the course of the series.
As I said, Vaughan never fails to impress, and knowing that the wait for the next trade will be about six months is excrutiating. There were some good cliffhangers in these stories, and from what has been said about the following arc, not only is it very good, but we are finally treated to some revelations that have been nearly 5 years in the making.

Average customer rating:

Series starts good, but loses momentum quickly
great
Safeword
great series
avoid...

Y: The Last Man Vol. 4: Safeword
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401202322

Customer Reviews:

Series starts good, but loses momentum quickly.......2007-06-03

Although I really enjoyed the first two trade paperback collections in this series, I felt that the series lost momentum and originality in the later collections, and I simply lost interest. This is too bad, because it started out really good, and I can't help but wondering what could have been...

The story centers around the concept that the main leading character who somehow survived a plague that killed every male being on the planet, except for him and his pet monkey. He is now the last man on earth. Because of the plague the entire social fabric has broken down, resulting in gun-wielding wives of Republican representatives insisting on getting their husbands' seats and tribes of latter-day Amazons claiming males were meant to die.

The (now all-female) government determines that he must help to find a way to save the human race, while he himself would prefer instead to find his girlfriend who lives in Australia.

Perhaps the most fitting description of "Y: The Last Man" would be "a road trip story", but after a few issues you start to get the feeling that this particular road trip just isn't not getting anywhere.

great.......2007-06-02

great series, great book. Buy it. you wont regret it... unless you havent read 1-3 then you'll just be like what the heck is going on....

Safeword.......2007-05-26

I'm a big fan of Brian K. Vaughan's comic book work, so I jumped on this series recently, and although I loved the first story, I found myself disappointed by the second, and while the third trade did win me back over, I still felt like this book wasn't quite living up to my expectations--until Safeword. Both stories contained in this trade are excellent; the characters feel more real than ever here, and both stories have extremely serious ramifications for the future of the series. Pia Guerra is not an innovator, but her work is definitely solid enough to sell me on these stories. She knows facial expressions and anatomy, and considering the level of the writing, that really is enough. Absolutely recommended.

great series.......2007-01-18

what's to say about this that hasn't already been said? this is a great concept with tons of interesting story arcs, compelling characters. i can't say that i like all the artists that have worked on this comic equally but still, overall, totally bitchin' and awesome and stuff yo.

avoid..........2006-12-08

well vaughan's work is a double threat it is true:
1. the value for reading the words and looking at the pictures is 0/5 stars.
2. the value for using these pages to catch waste from birds in cages, or to be used as cheap tp...1/5 due to the less-than-optimal paper.

Average customer rating:

needs work
10,000 anecdotes don't equal history
challenging but rewarding
Capturing the Horror of Battle
Stories of Bravery

Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man
Hugh Sebag-Montefiore
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0674024397

Book Description

In May of 1940, the armies of Nazi Germany were marching through France. In the face of this devastating advance, one of World War II's greatest acts of heroism would be a retreat: the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk.

In Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man, we are given an unprecedented vision of these harrowing days. Hugh Sebag-Montefiore has created a bold and powerful account of the small group of men who fended off the German army so that hundreds of thousands of their comrades could exit this doomed land. These brave troops, members of the British Expeditionary Forces and the French army, held a series of strong points inland, allowing the rest of the battered battalions to escape to the coast. Those that remained were ordered to fight to the last man.

Much has been written about the efforts of the Royal Navy in shuttling soldiers to safety, but here we are given an unparalleled look inside this massive operation and the invaluable role played by the BEF. Without the ferocity and bravery of the officers and ordinary soldiers on the ground, the German army would likely have encircled nearly half a million Allied soldiers. The loss of these battalions, Sebag-Montefiore argues, could have dramatically changed the direction of the war,and enabled Hitler to invade a weakened Britain.

This is military history at its best: a judicious analysis of the movement of the war, and a vivid feel of what it was like to be on the front line. Sebag-Montefiore brings these men—the forgotten heroes of Dunkirk—to life, and it is their valiant exploits and devotion to their brethren that form the heart of this important book.

Customer Reviews:

needs work.......2007-06-14

For my purposes, there are two types of books, those I want to read again and those I don't. Sebag-Montefiore's I won't read again. While the subject is interesting, the battle maps ample and detailed, and the notes copious, the author has no feel for telling a story or making multiple stories hang together. He can't describe settings, scenes, and characters, or plot the action. He can't write interesting sentences. It seems as if he used the maps and notes to remedy the deficiencies of his writing style. Rather than describe a setting, he says, "Look at the map." Rather than organize the story, he says, "See the notes." He's collated a mass of new primary sources--a worm's eye view of the war--but doesn't himself work very hard at making the material come alive. About the only time the author perks up and gets a pulse is when he describes some minor English aristocrat's cavalier approach to combat--and cavalier seems to be the approach to his job the author favors.

10,000 anecdotes don't equal history.......2007-06-01

This book tells how hard British troops often fought in the battles for the approaches and perimeter of Dunkirk. However, once the author has finished with the anecdotes, he gives NO ANALYSIS of the story.

If the Belgians and Dutch had given the British time to reach the "true" Dyle River line, could the British and French have stopped the Germans (not just the few troops sent through Belgium, but the whole German Army as anticipated)? An important question, and from the anecdotes the author has selected, I think the answers are probably NO and NO--the Germans were just too good. But I would really like to read the author's analysis on this issue.

And why couldn't 400,000 of the best British and French troops hold on to one strip of land (Dunkirk)? Were they totally out of ammunition and unable to resist? Since defense is supposed to be more powerful than offense, they should have been able to fight off the Germans for weeks, not days. Why? Again, no analysis.

Forgive me, readers, but I don't like the Martin Gilbert approach that "history is a million facts listed one after the other". I may disagree with the author, but I would like to know what he thinks!!!!

challenging but rewarding.......2007-05-19

The amount of research done to produce the book is staggering indeed. It seems as if every British unit has been displayed, most in favorible, even heroic, terms, but a few do show up in disgrace. The French Army, from its chain of command to its troops actually facing the Germans, receives far fewer compliments. The author has placed his maps at the back of the book, requiring the reader to flip back and forth which sometimes results in a loss of place in the vast array of pages. It would have helped to have sketch maps throughout the text, especially for readers not that familiar with the geography of the battle zone. Some other terms were confusing to an American reader. The "carrier" referred to often was finally discovered to be a brother to the Bren Gun Carrier, just not ready-equipped with the Bren Gun. The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle is also a weapon with which Americans are not easily familar, especially for fending off heavily armored tanks. Among the watercraft, the "Drifter" is still a mystery, even in its common role in carrying troops out to larger vessels. Another mystery was the "Fairey Battle" fighter-bomber about which American readers would have heard very little since it was already obsolete when it was inserted into the fighting. This is not a book to undertake lightly. It details a number of the massacres done by German troops not only of surrounded and even surrendered soldiers, but also villagers uninvolved in the fighting. Overall, however, the picture painted by the author draws on extensive research of both old and newly discovered sources, It contributes much to a fuller picture of how close the Dunkirk Evacuation was to a complete disaster, and how many risked their lives to salvage enough of the Allied Forces to ultimately face-down Hitler and the Whermacht.

Capturing the Horror of Battle.......2007-05-13

By piecing together war diaries, personal recollections and regimental after- action reports, Mr. Sebag-Monitfiore manages to capture the personal horror that was man to man combat in the Second World War. Although the story of Dunkirk has been told several times, this effort adds a lot of personal detail that is incredibly informative.

Stories of Bravery.......2007-04-12

This book is a well written collection of individual British soldiers' accounts of combat actions throughout the 1940 campaign in France and Belgium. It is not restricted to the actions around Dunkirk, instead covering the initial landing of the BEF in France, the phoney war winter, the initial movements to the Escaut line, and the initial encounters with the Germans along the Escaut. The book also highlights the actions of scratch units protecting the western flank of the BEF as it retreated to the coast at Dunkirk. The evacuation itself is covered in the same anecdotal style but is not a focus of the book. Over 20 maps are also provided.

The book is written almost entirely from the British perspective - once again, the activity of the French and Belgian armed forces don't get much coverage.

This is not really a comprehensive military history, as the focus is on individuals and their part in the dramatic events of May and June 1940. Discussions of the larger strategic and operational picture are provided in places, but not comprehensively, and often seemed to break the flow of the book. For example, several pages are devoted to the British cabinet discussion of a French proposal to use Mussolini in a mediation role, followed by more individual platoon level combat action.

Two chapters are devoted to British actions during the remainder campaign after Dunkirk, including the trapping and surrender of the 51st Highland Division at St. Valery and the sinking of the Lancastria. The book suffers from a lack of focus on strategic vs individual discussion here as earlier.

Still, overall, this is an entertaining read. Serious readers of military history might want to read this for the coverage given to the BEF prior to and after Dunkirk, which even if limited, far exceeds the coverage given in most histories.

Average customer rating:

Incredible...
Cut out 200 pages and it would have been great!
Loved the book - another GREAT ONE
Kinda guy stuff, I suppose
Story that is rather slow to unravel

Last Man Standing
David Baldacci
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446525804
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

Last Man Standing has the essential elements of a terrific David Baldacci novel: a tough but tender-hearted hero, dirty dealings in the nation's bureaucracy, and a roller-coaster plot. Web London, a member of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, froze up on a drug raid and thus became the sole survivor of a remote-controlled ambush that killed six of his compatriots. Now the only witness has disappeared and the inside man on the botched raid has gone underground.

As a pretty psychiatrist puzzles over the corners of Web's brain that kept him alive, Web himself stays on the move. He's certain that the ambush is connected to the prison escape of a neofascist leader, Ernest B. Free, whom he helped arrest five years earlier, and a series of new murders leads him to a Virginia horse farm and the driving force behind all the carnage. It may seem as though Baldacci gives away the mastermind too soon, but both the bad guys and the good guys are complex enough that there's plenty of punch all the way to the last page. --Barrie Trinkle

Book Description

Web London roars into a dark alley one night with his FBI Hostage Rescue Team. Seconds later, the team is ambushed and every man is deadexcept Web. As the FBI conducts their investigation, the suspicion surrounding Web deepens. Now, he needs help from an unlikely ally in his desperate search for the killer of his friends, and finds himself up against a force determined to finish the job that began in the alleykilling the seventh and sole surviving member of Charlie Team, Web London. Based on the real-life FBI Hostage Rescue Team, Last Man Standing heralds David Baldaccis highly anticipated return to the thriller genre. The New York Times bestseller Wish You Well (Warner 10/00), David Baldaccis most recent hardcover, has sold more than 580,000 copies. Saving Faith (Warner, 11/99), Baldaccis previous thriller, sold more than 460,000 copies. His phenomenal hardcover debut, Absolute Power (Warner, 1996), netted over 1.8 million copies, and became a successful film starring Clint Eastwood.

Download Description

It took ten seconds for Web London to lose everything: his friends, his team, his reputation. Point man of the FBI's super-elite Hostage Rescue Team, Web roared into a blind alley toward a drug dealer's lair, only to meet a high-tech, custom-designed ambush that killed everyone around him. Now coping with the blame-filled words of anguished widows and the suspicions of colleagues, Web tries to put his life back together with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Claire Daniels. To do so, he must discover why he was the one man who lived through the ambush--and find the only other person who came out of that alley alive . . . a ten-year-old boy who has since disappeared.

Web's search leads him from inner-city Washington, D.C., to the rolling hills of Virginia horse country--while people connected to him are violently silenced. Acting on his instincts, Web believes he knows where the killer will strike next. Only this time, he may not survive the attack. Last Man Standing is an explosive psychological thriller about a man desperate to find answers--from the secret terrors he has kept from himself to his unbearable guilt. His fight to save himself and those he cares for will come at a high cost . . . and threaten everything he has grown to believe in. With vividly realized characters and a breathtaking pace, this is another spellbinding novel from David Baldacci, one of today's best storytellers.

Customer Reviews:

Incredible..........2007-05-30

...in its mediocrity. I have a hard time believing that David Baldacci even wrote this. Having read and enjoyed several of his other books I at first guessed it was either a very (very, very) early work where he was still a "green" writer or it was a later book where he'd suffered Author Burnout.

The plot isn't too complicated. You have this super-Gman type who, in the opening chapter, freezes during an assault by his team and ends up being the "last man standing," or in this case, lying down. After that, it's basically a story of why his team was set up and why he froze, including a tremendously tedious visit to an - surprise, surprise - attractive psychoanalyst. Then there are some scenes with his coworkers that are trite to the point of agony.

This story has so many things wrong with it, besides what's already been mentioned. First, there are too many point of view characters which makes the story hard to follow. Then there are far too many areas of the book where nothing of interest happens. For example, if you're going to detail a therapy session in a book it'd better be a revealing one - Baldacci's wasn't. Calling the book dull is an understatement.

After the first chapter the story drags on and on with little or no build up to sustain interest. Compared with the rest of the field it deserves no better than 2 stars. Against Baldacci's other stories it merits less than 1 star. If you've never read Baldacci before, please skip this one.

Cut out 200 pages and it would have been great! .......2007-04-18

Have you ever seen a movie that had a great beginning and a great ending and everything in-between was lacking...well, that's what this book was like. You could have cut the book down by about 200 pages and it would have been a great book. I gave it four stars because overall it was good, but had too many fillers.

Loved the book - another GREAT ONE.......2007-02-26

I'm a new fan of David Baldacci. This plot isn't simple and I didn't have it figured out a quarter through the book. I really appreciated that. The book moved along fairly quickly and I was never bored. Can't wait to read my next David Baldacci book.

Kinda guy stuff, I suppose.......2007-01-29

This review is for the Pocket Books First U.S. Paperback edition, 2002, 548 pages. LAST MAN STANDING was on the USA Today top 150 best sellers list for 24 weeks between November 2001 and November 2002, reaching the peak position of number five.

The story begins as the seven member Charlie Team, part of the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Unit, is raiding what they believe is a drug gang's operations center. They intend to capture accountants with knowledge of the drug network. But it's a trap. Instead of computers and clerks, they encounter deadly crossfire from automated Gatling guns. All but one of the team is slaughtered. Web London, the last man standing, is alive only because he inexplicably collapsed, paralyzed, just as the attack begins. Five-hundred some pages later we understand why Web collapsed, who set the trap and why. Well, sort of understand. Some motives and actions are not eminently logical.

This story is about alpha men, both the good guys and the bad. It details the Hostage Rescue Unit, the selection criteria for its members, their training, gear and operating methods. There's the inside dope on weapons, night vision goggles, gangsters, hot cars and breeding race horses. Kinda guy stuff, I suppose.

Story that is rather slow to unravel .......2006-12-19

This book took about 100 pages before it really captured my interest. However, even then, there are just too many subplots and details to make this a fun read.

Given the way the story unfolds, it's almost amazing that Baldacci was able to tie up almost all of the loose ends in the final 100 pages.

You can tell that Baldacci is a very talented writer, but subtelty is not part of his repertoire. This story was more complex than it really needed to be.

To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War

Average customer rating:

Very dissapointing
to the last man
Key to understanding 20th century history
The Great War
Not Up To Par!

To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345461363
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Book Description

Jeff Shaara has enthralled readers with his New York Times bestselling novels set during the Civil War and the American Revolution. Now the acclaimed author turns to World War I, bringing to life the sweeping, emotional story of the war that devastated a generation and established America as a world power.

Spring 1916: the horror of a stalemate on Europe’s western front. France and Great Britain are on one side of the barbed wire, a fierce German army is on the other. Shaara opens the window onto the otherworldly tableau of trench warfare as seen through the eyes of a typical British soldier who experiences the bizarre and the horrible–a “Tommy” whose innocent youth is cast into the hell of a terrifying war.

In the skies, meanwhile, technology has provided a devastating new tool, the aeroplane, and with it a different kind of hero emerges–the flying ace. Soaring high above the chaos on the ground, these solitary knights duel in the splendor and terror of the skies, their courage and steel tested with every flight.

As the conflict stretches into its third year, a neutral America is goaded into war, its reluctant president, Woodrow Wilson, finally accepting the repeated challenges to his stance of nonalignment. Yet the Americans are woefully unprepared and ill equipped to enter a war that has become worldwide in scope. The responsibility is placed on the shoulders of General John “Blackjack” Pershing, and by mid-1917 the first wave of the American Expeditionary Force arrives in Europe. Encouraged by the bold spirit and strength of the untested Americans, the world waits to see if the tide of war can finally be turned.

From Blackjack Pershing to the Marine in the trenches, from the Red Baron to the American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille, To the Last Man is written with the moving vividness and accuracy that characterizes all of Shaara’s work. This spellbinding new novel carries readers–the way only Shaara can–to the heart of one of the greatest conflicts in human history, and puts them face-to-face with the characters who made a lasting impact on the world.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Very dissapointing.......2007-06-01

I expected a lot from this book, hearing so much about Shaara and how he makes history read like literature. This was not the case at all though. The characters are all so stereotypical, the plot is stereotypical. I read a quarter of the book and had to stop because it got so tedious. He is more concerned with the history of what happened, not exploring the minds of the men that fought in the war.

to the last man.......2007-05-06

This is a not to be missed "novel", based on actual participants in the
Great War! I couldn't not put it down, I recommend highly this book to all who have an interest is the war or merely would like to learn more about the history of the war that changed the map of Europe

Key to understanding 20th century history.......2007-04-26

I never read any of Jeff Shaara's previous works and I knew very little about the Great War beyond the basics. This book follows very different aspects of this struggle from the horrors of trench warfare to early air warfare. The evolution of the AEF's leader General Black Jack Pershing is also contained therein showing some of the complex politics involved in the relationship between France, England and the fledgling AEF. Real people are the focus and the contrast of brutality and chivalry as well as the unbelievable waste of humanity is mind numbing.
It testifies to an effective end game strategy in a conflict to truly conclude a war rather than to sow the seeds for future conflict.

The Great War.......2007-04-06

Being an avid Jeff Shaara reader, I was a little weary of reading this book because of how different warfare was by 1914 as compared with in the 19th century. Shaara did a masterful job with his civil war books and I was overjoyed to find that To the Last Man is his best novel yet. It is written primarily from the point of view of General Pershing, German Ace Manfred von Richthofen, Raoul Lufberry, and then towards the end from a marine corps private fighting from the trenches.

The best chapters are those from Richthofen's point of view. This was a true German hero in the war, responsible for at least 80 confirmed kills and who knows how many that were unconfirmed. He was the greatest pilot on either side and died a legend. He is shown to be honorable, daring, courageous, a role model, somber, and generally good natured.

Those from the point of view of Pershing are good as well, though with Pershing it is all mainly about politics (having to keep the French and British at bay) and his own fight to keep the U.S. Army distinct from either the French or British armies. His relationship with Joffre and Petain was particularly interesting.

Lufberry was a American pilot fighting for France long before America joined the war. His tale is particularly unique because he was more French than American really, having grown up in France, yet still retains his loyalty to America. He also is motivated primarily by a need for revenge against the Germans for shooting down a mentor of his earlier in the war. He is a very serious pilot, though his relationship with the lion cub is quite humorous.

Shaara has that certain skill at making you feel like you are flying that plane in the middle of a dogfight, or "going over the top" from a trench, or even sitting across the table from Foch and Haig trying to convince them of you battle plans. That is what makes him such a great author. He writes his book very cleverly and with great effort at historical accuracy.

This is an Outstanding book.

Not Up To Par!.......2007-04-02

This may seem unfair to review a book I am not finished reading, but the tedium I am finding may force me to "retire" the book early. I am a "Shaara-head" and have read, and enjoyed, everything he has written. I am even saving "The Rising Tide" for "Beachtime". But the personalities selected are not all that interesting (except Pershing) and the details are excruciating.
I will not abandon Shaara and look forward to a sequel to The Rising Tide (which I havn't even read yet!)

The Truth About Love: The Highs, the Lows, and How You Can Make It Last Forever

Average customer rating:

very good book
excellent, practicall and right on
A Life-Changing Read
Is the Magic Gone from Your 'Romance'?
The best I've ever read!

The Truth About Love: The Highs, the Lows, and How You Can Make It Last Forever
Dr. Patricia Love
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684871882

Book Description

Don't break up before the breakthrough!

Have you ever believed that you have fallen out of love, or said "I still love him but I'm not IN LOVE anymore?" In this groundbreaking guide to the physiology and psychology of lasting love, Dr. Pat Love reveals that love has normal, predictable stages that include highs and lows, and that many couples mistake the lows for the end of love. The Truth About Love is an inspiring, practical guide that will teach you how not to break up before the breakthrough realization: You can create the true love you long for with the partner you already have.

Customer Reviews:

very good book.......2007-03-30

I thing every body should read this book at least once every few years as a reminder... even if we think we know enough about love by now....

excellent, practicall and right on.......2007-01-17

This book is full of good old common sense views on life and living with another especially in the context of having made a comitment to another. if your interested in the real basics behind maintaining and enjoying a comited relationship with another person, this is a great starting place.

A Life-Changing Read.......2006-12-03

My marriage counselor recommended this book but I had already made up my mind that divorce was imminent. Then the book came in the mail and I read it in one day. It was like Dr. Love wrote about my relationship! It forced me to look in the mirror and realize that if I made changes, instead of expecting only my spouse to change, my marriage might be salvaged. It is an extremely easy and quick read, written using simple language. I cried tears of joy after realizing that hope was not at all lost. The exercises provoked thoughtful discussions with my spouse and we are both now committed to trying many of Dr. Love's suggestions. True love goes through many transitions and you must be able to adapt to the different stages (which takes work!) Buy the book - it shows you how to recognize when changes are needed and how to make them.

Is the Magic Gone from Your 'Romance'?.......2006-11-10

Not enough pizazz in your relationship? No more thumpity-thump in your heart when it comes to 'romance'? Before you decide to dump your significant other, read this book. Both my husband and I can honestly say that the information went a long way in saving a perfectly good marriage - we just didn't know that we had one. Now we're pretty sure of it and hope to spend many more happy years together, truly in love.

The best I've ever read!.......2005-09-24

This book is poignant in nature and is spiritually, mentally and emotionally satisfying. This is by far the best book about Love that I've read in a l-o-n-g time. I haven't read a book yet that remotely comes close to the insightful content of this particular book. "Dr. Love" really knows how to get her distintive message about love across to such a wide array of audiences. Thank you, Dr. Patricia Love for helping me redefine love and utilize your practical skills for keeping the true love that I have with my partner of 9+ years alive. I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with how to keep love alive or/and how to redefine true love in ways you may have thought of but never put to use.

Average customer rating:

A three-hour tour, with a stop in the outback.
Fantastic
captain of the very special forces vaughan...
Fun
More pieces to the Y puzzle

Y: The Last Man Vol. 7: Paper Dolls
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401210090

Book Description

The saga of Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, continues in PAPER DOLLS, writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Pia Guerra's award-winning VERTIGO series. In addition to catching up on the adventures of Yorick's monkey Ampersand (whose body holds the key to stopping the male-killing plague) and telling the origin of Agent 355, PAPER DOLLS chronicles Yorick and 355's search for Yorick's fiancee Beth in Australia -- a search that yields a large dose ofunwanted publicity for the Last Man, and deadly consequences for those he cares for!

Customer Reviews:

A three-hour tour, with a stop in the outback........2007-05-12

Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Paper Dolls (Vertigo, 2006)

(Note: this review contains major spoilers for earlier books in the series. If you're not up to date with the series, and you plan to read it, don't read this review until after you've read book six.)

Vaughn's Y: The Last Man just keeps getting better as it goes on. Yorick and co. are on their way to Japan to search for the kidnapped Ampersand. This book focuses on a part of the trip where the crew stop in Australia to look for Yorick's missing girlfriend Beth. As always, Paper Dolls features almost nonstop action, but the action never gets in the way of character development. If the series stays this good, Vaughan will have created one for the ages. ****

Fantastic.......2006-12-26

The beat ongoing Vertigo series since Preacher keeps rolling along with Paper Dolls, which gives the answers to some questions as well as opening a whole new batch of new ones. Yorick, Agent 355, and Dr. Mann have finally arrived in Austrailia in search of Yorick's girlfriend Beth, only instead to find a journalist who plans on making Yorick's existence the headline of the century. Also in this volume, Yorick's other Beth who he had a fling with, is in a bit of an unexpected situation. Not to mention that Agent 355's origin is revealed, and Yorick's kidnapped pet monkey Ampersand (the only other living mammal on the planet) makes a break from his ninja kidnapper in Japan. Fans of the series pretty much know what to expect here in terms of the story and art, with Brian K. Vaughan further orchestrating the ever evolving story while dropping hints of what is to come here and there. Pia Guerra's art remains the solid work that you'd come to expect as well, and at the same time it's nothing spectacular. All in all, Y: The Last Man continues to be pure comic gold, and here's more proof.

captain of the very special forces vaughan..........2006-12-08

really the guy is the ultimate poseur. avoid at all costs.

Fun.......2006-07-16

the whole series is great brain candy. Fun to read and leaves you looking forward to the next one!

More pieces to the Y puzzle.......2006-06-08

In "Paper Dolls," the seventh volume of "Y: The Last Man," the story jumps across the globe -- and the timeline -- with reckless abandon. It begins in Sydney, Australia, where Yorick and his team are aboard a sub bound for Japan, where the other last surviving male -- Yorick's monkey, Ampersand -- has been taken for reasons unknown. But Yorick's girlfriend Beth may also be in Australia, and so too is a tabloid reporter eager to find evidence of the last surviving man. Who knows what mayhem will erupt if Yorick is exposed?

Then things get complicated, as the story flashes back and forth in time, filling in pieces of the backstory for Agent 355, Agent Mann, Ampersand and others. Yorick's sister Hero discovers indisputable evidence of his recent visit to California. Even the Catholic Church gets involved, as its all-female leadership quests for its new pope.

"Paper Dolls" is not just furthering the story of "Y," it's also filling in a lot of missing backstory along the way. Ultimately, it provides more questions than answers, however, and if you're like me, you'll finish it even more eager for volume eight. The story is coming together like a vast, global puzzle, but the pieces obviously aren't all on the table. Meanwhile, writer Brian K. Vaughan keeps dangling enough plot twists to keep readers on the hook; not since Neil Gaiman's landmark "Sandman" series have I looked forward so much to the next book in the series.

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