Product Description
Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 3 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James Athearn Jones is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James Athearn Jones then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

No problems, good bargin
The book was in good condition, and it arrived on time.When I am finished with it, I plan to donate it to my local library system, because I know they do not have a copy.(I tried there first.)

Old Soldiers Never Die
For my money, this is the definitive biography of World War II novel writer James Jones. I became interested in him again after an acquaintanceship with his daughter, the author Kaylie Jones. James Jones, I feel, was part of a "Second Lost Generation" of American expatriate writers who took up their buttresses in the Paris of the 1950s. Within a year of winning the National Book Award for his magnum opus "From Here to Eternity" and moving to Paris in the 1950s, on his heels was a young William Styron, winning the award the following year for his epic groundbreaking "Lie Down in Darkness." Others followed -- James Baldwin, Richard Wright, James Plimpton, Capote, Gore Vidal, Peter Mathiessen, Mailer, and others. So I re-read "Eternity". "The Thin Red Line", "Whistle", and also came to realize I had seen the screen treatment of "Some Came Running" with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. The Jones family saga is best covered by Kaylie Jones in her "Lies", as well as the film "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries", in which she curiously expresses dissatisfaction with author Frank McShane's "Into Eternity". McShane, an esteemed biographer and commentator on Raymond Chandler (and editor of his letters and some notebooks) has drawn an important portrait of James Jones and the era and milieu in which he lived. One of the most touching scenes in this book is the curse of an entire family beset by alcoholism, and James Jones' father, a doctor, one day realizing he was too drunk to treat a patient, waited until he was gone. Then he took a little .25 pistol and put it below his ear and fired. He had to repeat it a second time. This book is a cornerstone on the life of James Jones, regardless of Kaylie's sentiments.

A good bio of Jones
I don't really expect a lot from biographies.The facts are what is necessary for me.But I did enjoy reading this book about an interesting man of letters - an enigma in the alumni of American writers to be sure. Jones life is told in a cronologically fashion with many anecdotes andquotes given of this great writer and complex man. ... Read more

Product Description
Acres of Diamonds, by Russell Conwell
The Kingship of Self-Control, by William George Jordan
As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

MOTIVATIONAL CLASSICS contains a collection of three outstanding works that have been selected for the relevant principles and timeless impact they set forth.

Acres of Diamonds has a powerfully simple message which has helped millions of people recognize their potential for success. One of the most dynamic motivators of all time, Temple University founder Russell Conwell, promises if you will respond genuinely to the needs of humanity, you can find self-fulfillment in your own backyard.

The Kingship of Self-Control, by William George Jordan, is a book that will lead you expertly along the road of personal triumph by pointing the way to ultimate growth and happiness through self-discipline.

As a Man Thinketh will inspire you to make your ideals become your reality. You are what you think is the basis of this simple and profound message by James Allen that has impacted generations of readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Collection
Great collection of success literature. I especially enjoyed Acres of Diamonds:

Russell Conwell's book, "Acres of Diamonds" was developed from a speech he delivered to church congregations over 5,000 times. The proceeds he earned from this speech are reputed to have given him a fortune, which he used to found Temple University in Philadelphia.

"Acres of Diamonds" is the story of a successful farmer in India named Al Hafed. Hafed is tempted by the allure of wealth and sells his farm to search the world for diamonds. Years later he dies penniless, having not found diamonds. However, back home the man who purchased Hafed's farm accidentally discovers a huge field of diamonds on Hafed's former land.

Conwell uses this story to illustrate that success often lies close at hand, if you are willing to open your eyes and mind to opportunity. Conwell further suggests that most people are "pygmies of their possible selves," rarely achieving the potential of their innate abilities or local opportunities. Conwell also discusses his basic philosophy of business and gives several rules, or suggestions, for budding entrepreneurs:

1. The seeds of fortune are close at hand. Stick with what you know, find your niche, and don't be swayed by the allure of "greener pastures."
2. Find out what people want, and fill that need. This sounds obvious, but many entrepreneurs start with a product or service, and then try to find a market for their product or service. Conwell advises finding the market first, then developing a product or service to meet that demand.
3. Make the best possible product and provide them to a large number of people.

"Acres of Diamonds" was first published in 1921. It is still valid today, and provides valuable lessons to anyone attempting to achieve financial success.

You may also want to read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill and "The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth" by Phillip Collinsowrth.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

James Jones
Excellent book. Story about a playwrite who becomes obsessed with deep sea diving and the bond he forges with diving instructor at the expense of his wife and friends.His wife is a former call girl who wants to make herself a better life as she tries to change him from wild playboy to respectable husband.The guilt of a past relationship with another female character in the book haunts him.I couldnt put the book down as with all the James Jones books I have read.Not as good as From here to eternity but well worth the read.I would put James Jones as the class of Post WWII American authors.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Rather dated, ho-hum recipes
In The New Yorker's marvelous compendium of food writing, Endless Feasts, there are two superior articles about James Beard, by Jay Jacobs.Those are much more fun to read than this book.One of the problems with Epicurean Delights is it mentions lots and lots of people that simply arent that well known unless you were in the restaurant business 30 years ago, in New York.That gets dull after awhile.After every section, there are several pages of Beard's recipes, none of which I found alluring.While Beard was undoubtedly at the forefront of the American food revolution, whatever trends he established have long been run over by later chefs, notably Alice Waters and the fresh-food enthusiasts.The end of the book gets a little gossipy in an unhelpful way, too.The author is listed as Evan Jones, but it was actually written by him and his wife, who was Julia Child's editor for Mastering the Art of French Cooking.You can tell, reading the book, that there are two writers at work, and one of them is better than the other.I'm going to get Beard's autobiography Delights and Prejudices and see what he has to say for himself. ... Read more

Product Description
The enduring popularity and success of Shakespeare is an international and cross-cultural phenomenon. The aim of the "Actors on Shakespeare" series is to provide an accessible, contemporary commentary to each of the plays via the top-class actors who have performed them. In 1964, at the age of 33, James Earl Jones won an Obie award for his portrayal of Othello in Joseph Papp's production in Central Park, New York. Over the next 25 years he went on to play the Moor a further six times with his 1982 performance being described as "definitive, masterly, magnificent". He brings his vast wealth of experience to this text, articulates the themes and issues in the play and looks at the personal and universal significance of the drama. ... Read more

Product Description
“Jones handles the narrative details of the campaign in good fashion. He sets the context of events, with full appreciation of the command question involved, and includes the reactions of individual officers and enlisted men. . . . Excellent.”-American Historical Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"Jine the Cavalry:" Wilson's Raid Through Alabama & Georgia
In the cold and wet spring of 1865, in the Civil War's fourth year, 14,000 Union cavalrymen under Major General James Wilson surged forward like a mighty deluge into the Confederate states of Alabama and Georgia. Wilson's orders were to tear through this untouched region and gut any remaining industrial capacity of the dying Confederacy. Wilson's Raid covered well over 525 miles in less than two months, proving MG Wilson an able commander, capturing or killing several thousand rebels and leaving a swathe of territory in smoking ruins. The large-scale operation would have had more fame and recognition had its success not been necessarily overshadowed by Robert E. Lee's surrender and the final end of the long and terrible war itself.

James Pickett Jones' "Yankee Blitzkrieg" is the only work in book form to treat Wilson's Raid in detail. It is primarily an operational history, focusing on the movements of brigades and divisions during the conduct of the great raid. There are enough recollections of lower-grade Union officers and enlisted men to give the feel of the action, from accounts of destroying factories to daring cavalry assaults on Confederate positions. "Yankee Blitzkrieg" is a well-written history of the Civil War's largest cavalry operation but it does suffer from a lack of detailed maps. Despite this drawback it remains a worthy addition to any Civil War buff's bookshelf, and is a highly informative account of Wilson's Raid.

The Campaign that Captured Jeff Davis.
In the spring of 1865 Union General James Wilson mounted a cavalry campaign designed to destroy the industrial sections of Alabama and Georgia that were still untouched by combat. From the Tennessee River to Selma and Montgomery Alabama and on to Columbus and Macon, Georgia this campaign was lightening fast, crushing everything in its path.

Moving 14,000 men over 500 miles in just a month is a remarkably uncommon feat. So is fighting 4 major battles along the way. But General Wilson's forgotten campaign not only defeated and captured Nathan Bedford Forrest but also captured Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens as well.

This book is the study of a massive Union cavalry operation that was executed with impunity, one that destroyed what little was left of the Confederacy. It is also the campaign that captured the Confederate government!

James Pickett Jones details this event exceptionally well. You will not be disappointed.

A vividly reconstructed account tracing Wilson's run
In the spring of 1865, Major General James H. Wilson and 14,000 Union cavalry troops destroyed key Confederate industrial facilities in what had been, until then, relatively unscathed areas of Alabama and Georgia. Yankee Blitzkrieg: Wilson's Raid Through Alabama And Georgia is a vividly reconstructed account tracing Wilson's lightning run south and places the campaign within the larger context of the last days of the Civil War. Historian James Jones describes in detail the strategic background of the raid, covers the raid from both sides, and notes the economic significance of the industrial facilities destroyed. Jones' description of Wilson's capture of Jefferson Davis is the standard interpretation of what happened when Davis was taken by Union forces. Yankee Blitzkrieg is superb reading for Civil War buffs and students of Civil War history.

An Excellent study of one of the most ignored campaigns!
Yankee Bltizkrieg is one of the most enlightening studies of Wison's raiders in theirfinest hour. The book follows Wilson and his men from rain drenched northern Alabama to a triumphant capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Irwinville, Georgia. It explores how Wilson effectively moved over 12,000 men for over 500 miles in the span of about a month. A feat which would have made Guderian proud! It is a must for Civil War enthusiasts and military strategist ... Read more

Product Description
Step behind the scenes of Oscar winner Steven Spielberg's closed set to explore the perils that wait in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: A Photographic Journal. Dr. Jones dons his hat and holsters his whip for another death-defying adventure into the uncharted provinces of history in the latest film of the Indiana Jones series. Pit against the sinister ambitions of the Soviet empire, he must take vigilante action to save the world from the uncanny threats of ancient evils. From the jungles of the Amazon to the bazaars of Morocco we follow the cast and crew through the landscapes, cinematic battles, and diverse sets that challenged filmmakers for five months of shooting. Witness how the dark myths of Mayan mythology were brought to life, the reconstruction of early Cold War environments, and how Harrison Ford performed his own stunts in his most physically demanding role to date. From concept to cutting room floor access the creative force behind Indiana Jones and leap beyond
screen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A must have for any Indy fan!
My 6yr old son and his father both avid Indy fans love this book and snuggle up and look through it at night.The pics are great!

Must have for the Indy fan.
If you liked the movie, you'll like this book.If you didn't like the movie...there's no talking to you...and you'll still like this book.The photos are superb looking.I've never seen pictures printed so clear in a book before.I tend to like behind the scenes photos and there are plenty of them in here.To begin each chapter there is a one or two page summary of events describing the authors travels and thoughts.Each photo has a brief description of what is taking place and how it was photographed.Also, my book has no scratches whatsoever as described in the review below.Enjoy!

Beautiful pictures and printquality
This book has beautiful pictures and the quality of the printing is great. However the last page with the colophon had some serieus black and gray scratches. Those are not acceptable for the quality books Insight Editions brings out. There should be a better quality control on such books ... Read more

Product Description
A Tony Award-winning actor describes his parental abandonment as an infant, the severe stutter that caused him to retreat into silence for four years, his college years, and his theatrical successes. Reprint. 20,000 first printing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Power of self-esteem
I've owned this book for some time and finally picked it up and read it. I have always admired Mr. Jones' voice and acting skills. Here is an African-American that radiates culture, dignity, and has no time for "racism or racialism." He talks about the value of family, healing abandonment, the loss of his voice for most all of his teen years, and his discovery of the theatre. Woven through all of this is a portrait of a man of integrity, who knows what he believes and is willing to Stand on that. We need more of these men these days.

A WORTHY SHOW BIZ BIO

The voice is unmistakable - deep, resonant, compelling, and so are the words of James Earl Jones in the reflective memoir he has penned with Penelope Niven One of the most accomplished actors of our day, he has written an autobiography that is as intriguing as his performances.

Jones's 60 year history begins in rural Mississippi, moves to a farm in Michigan, continues as he struggles to find a place on the stage, and culminates in the theaters of the world.

He tells the story of his life on the professional level, including insights into his marvelous performances in "The Great White Hope," "Othello," and "Fences."He also relates his experiences on a personal level offering comments on his origins in a family of sharecroppers, a mother who abandoned him, his marriages, and his multiracial heritage.

This is also a book about voices.There are the stories he heard his grandparents tell, the sounds of life on hardscrabble land in the south.And, most surprisingly, the voice that enthralls audiences today once stuttered and then fell silent for eight years.Jones was mute from the age of six to 14.Of this experience, he wrote, "Because of my muteness, I approached language in a different way from most actors.I came to language standing on my head, turning words inside out in search of meaning, making a mess of it sometimes, but seeing truth from a very different viewpoint.In those years I spent in virtual silence, I grew a passion for expression."

Express himself he does.Whether written or spoken, the words of James Earl Jones add to the richness of our lives and language.

- Gail Cooke

A wonderful person; a great actor
This book gives wonderful background of the man who appears in many of the greatest movies and shows ever created.It shows how he overcame personal issues to succeed in his profession.I believe that this book is a goodread for anyone wanting to see perserverance in action.Jones shows thatanyone can do anything if they want it bad enough.

A Book that helped heal my wounds
Not only do I know James Earl Jones as an actor(rather than darth vader) I respect him as a very unique individual, who touched some parts in my life. I was having difficulty in school: I stammered in school and was very shy. There were things in my life that I held back for a long time. Like James. I hope that his name will carry on both on stage and off. I definitely recommend this book to those who want to know the person and get to understand him that way. I know I do!

I never expected to have so much in common with a black man.
Mr. Jones and I are both part Irish, have a childhood history of stammering, went into acting which helped the speech problem and we may have other things in common. I very much enjoyed this book and I recommend it to others. Why only a "9"? In the middle of the book he states that he is a member of the NRA and just drops the subject. He must know full well that it doesn't jive with his life or his beliefs. But he just dropped it. A great idea for a second book: pick up this subject in the wake of the Murrah building blast and then look at the comparisons between the OJ trial and one of his signature roles, Othello ... Read more

Product Description
“The name is Jones. Indiana Jones.”

He’s back. Everyone’s favorite globe-trotting, tomb-raiding, wisecracking archaeologist is finally at it again–hurtling headfirst into high adventure and relying on his wits, his fists, and his trusty bullwhip to get him out of deep trouble. But the man in the jaunty brown fedora and battered leather jacket is no ordinary digger in the dirt. From the fabled lost Ark of the Covenant to the legendary Holy Grail, he’s salvaged the world’s most amazing artifacts, while beating the baddest villains and defying the most breathtaking odds.

Now it’s 1957, the atomic age is in full swing, and McCarthy-era paranoia has the nation on edge. But for Indiana Jones, the Cold War really heats up when his latest expedition is crashed by a ruthless squad of Russian soldiers. Commanded by a sword-wielding colonel who’s as sinister as she is stunning, the menacing Reds drag an unwilling Indy along as they brazenly invade American soil, massacre U.S. soldiers, and plunder a top-secret government warehouse. Their objective: a relic even more precious–and powerful–than the mythic Ark, capable of unlocking secrets beyond human comprehension.

Fast thinking and some high-speed maneuvers help Jones turn the tables, and a one-in-a-million escape narrowly saves him from certain death. But when he’s tarred as a suspected spy and fired by his university, Indy thinks it may be time to hang up his hat.

Fate, however, has other plans. Suddenly the road to retirement takes a sharp detour when a colleague’s kidnapping leads Jones into the depths of the Amazon jungle on a desperate rescue mission. With a hot-headed teenage biker as his unlikely wing man and his vengeful new Russian nemesis waiting for a rematch, Indy’s back in the game–playing for a prize all the wonders of the world could never rival. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

A great way to enjoy the movie
I have a couple books by James Rollins, but Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the first one I've read. I figured it would probably be the least like his normal style since it's a novelization so I wouldn't be shocked if it was very different from his usual style.

I was a little disappointed with the science fiction ending of the movie when I first saw. I've come to see the logic with it having seen the movie a second time and read Rollins book. The original Indiana Jones movies were set in the 1930's and 1940's and followed the style of movies of that time. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull follows the Cold War and science fiction themes of movies in the 1950's.

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is set in 1957 as the wisecracking and whip cracking Indiana Jones seeks the origin of a mysterious crystal skull. He is racing against Russians who are seeking to steal the skull for its reputed mystical powers. Along the way, Indy also discovers he has a teenage son he doesn't know he had.

Rollins followed the movie pretty closely, though there are some extra scenes, primarily at the beginning of the book. In the book, you get to find out how the Russians captured Indy by the opening scene of the movie. I thought Rollins did a good job of maintaining the pacing of the moving in written word.

Knowing the movie and having heard Rollins describe his own style, I would say the two are a perfect fit. The proof is in the book.

Cameras, Lights, Action!
This books follows the script of the movie closely so if you have seen the latter the plot will be known to you. Nevertheless the book does draw you into its whirlwind of action and danger and archaeological mysticism. Peru becomes the backdrop for the plot with all of that country's legends and association with higher cultures, etc, etc. The pace of the book is pell-mell and it never lets up. The writing style employs actions verbs in punchy sentences. Indiana Jones races with the Russians, who are out to capture, use and kill him, to find the crystal skulls and their meaning.
The Griffon Trilogy (Pt. I)

Better than the movie
If you weren't thrilled with the movie, don't be put off by the book - the whole family enjoyed listening to this on a recent trip. The kids listened to the book before they saw the movie, and preferred it to the movie. I saw the movie first, and enjoyed the deeper understanding of the plot line you get from the book.
Be prepared for a fun, but melodramatic beginning, but I think you'll find you want to RETURN! to the book.

(Unfortunately) Better than the Movie
It's something of a cliché to say that any novel is better than the movie made from it.However, when you consider that this Audio CD is really a novelization based on the script of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, then how good the movie could've been really jumps out at you.

Living in Southern California, I spend a lot of time sitting on freeways.(Notice I didn't say "driving" on freeways.)To make the time lost in rush hour traffic more palatable, I've got a ton of Audio CD's that save me from boredom or the horrors of talk radio.

One of my latest acquisitions was James Rollins' adaptation of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.Read by L.J. Ganser, I almost liked it more than the movie.

As with any book, you get more of the "back story" usually based on the internal monologue of the characters.Here you get a lot more.While the movie starts with the break-in at Area 51, Rollins starts his book by answering the question, "how exactly did Indy end up in that trunk?"

In addition you learn what the relationship between Oxley and Marion is and why it estranged Indy from both of them for years.It makes the story of Mutt's relationship with "Ox" more believable.And it even explains why Oxley would retrieve the skull, go all the way to Akator, then turn right around and put it back where he found it, something that was just a little bit vague to me after only having seen the movie.

There's also a chapter in the book where Irina Spalko performs an autopsy on the Roswell alien stolen from Hanger 51 and she discovers that the alien's have a crystalline skeletal structure.It sounds like it could've been a scene in an early draft of the script and goes a long way in explaining the Soviet Union's interest in the subject.

As for the tale itself, Rollins' takes Spielberg's wild tale and keeps you engrossed enough that you don't have time think to yourself "ya gotta be kidding me."Unfortunately, the same wasn't true of the movie.

Spielberg's on-screen fascination with aliens started with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, followed by the Sci-Fi Channel mini-series Taken and, unfortunately, ended up as the main plot-point in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.I don't have a problem with alien movies, per se, but there were so many tortured premises in the movie that I personally felt that it detracted from what could've been a much more successful (certainly more easily understood) tale.

Given Lucas' penchant for making movies in threes, I'd hoped for at least one more Indiana Jones movie.But given the relatively lukewarm response, even from die-hard Indy fans, I'll be surprised if another script is green-lighted (as they say in Variety-speak.)Hopefully, I'm wrong.The movie came in with so much build-up, and so much anticipation, that perhaps nothing could've lived up to the expectations of the fans.

Back to the Audio CD, there was one reference to "retinal scans" that was so out of period that I noticed it.Sure the idea was around in 1935, but the first actual device wasn't invented until 1975.

But I'm nit-picking.Science Fiction, whether read, heard on an Audio CD, or seen in a movie requires a suspension of disbelief; at least if you're going to do more than just roll your eyes and groan, "ya gotta be kidding me!"

Rollins tells a good tale and L.J. Ganser does an excellent job performing all of the spoken parts.It's a great way to pass the time stuck in gridlock.Personally, I'd much rather be following Dr. Jones' latest adventure, instead of worrying about getting to that meeting on time.

Great Indy adventure
I'm a big Indiana Jones fan & James Rollins is a first-rate author. Put the two together and you have a winning combination. This is a great adventure story. I had high hopes for it and the book delivered. Its classic Indy fun. Its written with the same feel as the movies have - Rollins nailed it. I thought the movie was great too. Rollins book is a perfect companion to any and all who enjoyed the movie, who are Indy fans, and those who just like plain old-fashioned adventure stories. The book also gives the reader more details about stuff that happens in the movie which I appreciated. Time and money well spent. ... Read more

Product Description
A powerful and agile warrior, Wilhelm takes leave from Denmark with five ships and more than one hundred men in the early spring of 953. A group of fearless Vikings, their mission is to pillage the English coastline and return with their spoils. Wilhelm doesn't know his journey will last more than a thousand years. When Wilhelm nearly dies in a vicious battle, Kristin, a Valkyrie, nurses him back to health. She takes him to her home of Valhalla, a place where heroes live forever. The ruler Odin discovers the deceit and expels them; they cannot return until they perform a heroic deed that changes history. Forced to live on earth as ordinary humans-but people who do not age-Wilhelm and Kristin have many lifetimes to experience the joys and sorrows of earth. On their epic journey, they participate in events that change Western civilization-from the execution of Joan D'Arc to the apprehension of Jack the Ripper. Throughout a thousand years, Wilhelm and Kristin assimilate into ever-changing time periods and acquire wealth and education. But will their heroic work be enough to lead them back to Valhalla and ever-lasting life? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I didn't know that this was only part one
an interesting premis based, I guess , on the wandering jew. Well written with interestng characters but I was slightly peeved when I realised that this is only part one of the story. While I look forward to part 2 (not a sequel )I do feel that the book should have been labelled as part 1.

An Excellent Read
The story mixes the past and present seamlessly beginning with an ambitious Norse Warrior who is struck down in battle.With brilliant writing we get an insight into the life and faith beliefs of the Vikings.Jones easily jumps from the far past to the present, then back again.As the story unfolds we see the transition into modern day.For a first time writer, this is an amazing work.Once started it is hard to put down.When you think you have it figured out, like life, something different happens.

Jones tells a wonderful tale.The ending of the book leaves you hungry for its sequel.I highly recommend it.

Enchanted.....
The Last Viking was a wedding gift. My beloved husband and I took turns reading it to each other on our honeymoon in the San Juan Islands. Kristin is my hero! I can't wait for the sequel.

The Last Viking: Wilhelm's Thousand-Year Quest to Regain Valhalla
An epic combination of history and mythology which is hard to put down and when the end of the story is at hand, leaves you waiting impatiently for more.It is an exciting adventure story to be read and enjoyed before Hollywood discovers it and makes it into their next spectacular!

A Very Enjoyable Read
This is the type of tale that N.C. Wyeth would have loved to illustrate had he still been alive. Jones tells his tale, weaving Norse mythology and Christian legend seamlessly into a very unique view of these complimentary traditions. Wilhelm-sophisticated with a thousand years of learning and Kristen - his super-strong companion who is empathetic towards humans unlike any other Vahallan. Especially enjoyable are the scenes of battle between the English and French, led by a surprisingly unique Joan of Arc. This is a must read, a book, once started,you'll have trouble putting down. The Last Viking is quite a literary accomplishment for a first-time novelist.

Steve Goetz
Irvine, California ... Read more

Product Description
It's Simon's esteemed reputation as an auteur that brings him to the attention of Lady Hermione Kinsale. She needs another speaker for her week-long writers' workshop. But much to Simon's surprise-and chagrin - best selling mystery author Dorinda Darlington appears on the list of attendees. Simon knows first-hand how the reclusive author values her privacy...because Simon is Dorinda. The blatant impersonation has raised his hackles - and Simon's fit to kill. But someone beats him to the punch. "Dorinda" is found dead, flattened by a stone urn pushed from the terrace. Now, cloistered with a killer, Simon tunes his heightened senses to the movements of his fellow authors. And as the workshop develops into a tension convention, Simon grows more determined to take a bite out of crime - before bloody murder claims another victim. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

getting better
As far as mysteries are concerned I expect genre loving readers will still find this second episode at fault. The very classical rules of very classical detective stories require that the readers be given all necessary inditia to solve it for themselves.

It does not happen here and the identity of the murderer is entirely unexpected.

As for the rest I was happier than with the first book: this series is apparently not meant to be more than just entertaining and entertaining it is.

The writing is quick, light hearted; there are repetitions and redundant statements but fewer than in the first episode not to mention that Simon is much more likeable here than it was there.

An easy read for a lazy afternoon: this book is nothing more but also nothing less than this.

Vampire Mystery
Another very enjoyable read.Simon Kirby-Jones is a real tease though leaving Giles wanting!

Those pills...
Has no one but me noticed that on page thirteen of the first book, Simon explains that he must take the pills twice a day? And then throughout this second book, he takes them three times a day?

What's up with that?

Cute but needs more Vampire action
This is really a cute cozy mystery but it needs more vampire type action. Simon did not vamp out not once.. (sad face) and he needs to get with his boyfriend if he is going to have a lover.. GET on with it already ... haha
I will get the other books and read them.. they were cute.

Not very good at all
Simon Kirby-Jones needs a stake driven through the heart.
It would truly be a mercy killing for this character. ... Read more

Product Description

"The urgent question of our time is whether we can make change our friend and not our enemy....To renew America, we must be bold...must revitalize our democracy....Together with our friends and allies, we will work to shape change, lest it engulf us."

With those inaugural words, William Jefferson Clinton began his first term as President of the United States. Now, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and a former White House aide provide the first penetrating, thoughtful evaluation of President Clinton's leadership.

Before he was voted into office, Bill Clinton told the authors in an interview that he wanted to be a transforming leader, a president who would fashion real and lasting change in peoples' lives, in the tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But how has this president, who has sought to lead from the center with his vice president, Al Gore, and the First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, measured up against his own stated goals and the aspirations and performances of other presidents since World War II? From the health care debacle and the 1994 midterm elections that swept the Republicans to a majority in both houses of Congress to the effect of scandal and impeachment on his ability to govern, Dead Center examines the leadership style of Bill Clinton and offers a forceful challenge to the strategy of centrism.

There is no more respected presidential historian than James MacGregor Burns, author of several acclaimed books on leadership and the Pulitzer Prize-winning study of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Georgia J. Sorenson adds her own insights as a political scientist and presidential scholar. Their combined efforts have resulted in an incisive, informative, authoritative work and an absorbing read.Amazon.com Review
When Bill Clinton first ran for president in 1992, write James MacGregor Burns and Georgia J. Sorenson, "he had professed a strong hope to be a transformational leader who would shape large and lasting changes in American society." In Dead Center, published in the final months of Clinton's second term, they take stock of his emerging legacy. The result is not flattering. Clinton won't be regarded as a "great" president in the tradition of Washington and Lincoln, they argue, or even a "near-great" one, because he pursued a centrist agenda in office. "A contradiction lay at the heart of Clinton's leadership: if he truly aspired to presidential greatness, the strategy he had chosen ensured that he would never achieve it." Pragmatism ("which today means only expedient, narrow, and short-term self-interest") may have kept Clinton in the Oval Office, they go on to say, but it hardly defines a true leader. "The test is 'what immediately works?'--with no consideration of broader, long-term aspects," explain the authors. They don't suggest Clinton has been a lousy president, but that he falls far short of the mark he set for himself early on. He knew how to win, but not how to lead. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Ugh!
If you read this book, and have a non-blinkered outlook on politics (in which case, congratulations you rare and beautiful thing!), be sure to have a barf bag at your feet.Burns is not a historian.He is a mouthpiece for the left wing of the Democratic party.Of his books I have read (excepting his somehow excellent, but sadly out of print "The American Experiment" trilogy), not one qualifies to be called "history.""Propaganda" is the more fit term.

Meet Me In The Middle
This book will be a tad bit aggravating for those of you out there that are fans of President Clinton and do not like criticism placed at his feet.If you do not mind an upfront and realistic review of his presidency then this book is a good start.First off a bit of a warning, this book the purports to try and gage the Clinton Presidency and how it will be judged historically yet it was written while he was still in office.A minor point given when the book was published, but still worth noting.I also want to touch on the fact that this book lists four authors, I usually shy away from books with multiple authors, because I am always bothered by different writing styles commingled.I find I am always on the look out to see if I can find when one author stops and the next begins.This book had none of this; the authors did a very good job of speaking with one voice.

Ok so now we get to the real meat of the review, did the authors do a good job of presenting the Clinton Presidency? I think they did, this book is one of the few I have read that did not spend more then a few pages on the personal scandals and the right wing witch-hunt that took place.The authors spend a good deal of time on the domestic policies issues that Clinton worked on. I think they also did a good job in bringing out the working relationship Bill had with Hilary in regard to the heath care program and subsequent defeat. I would have liked it if the authors had spent more time on the foreign affairs section of the book.I felt they skimmed the Middle East section and could have spent more time talking about Europe.Also completely missed was the issue of terrorism and what the administration did or did not do.

Overall the book was good.It was a well thought out and written book that is a good overview of the first 7 years of the Clinton Administration.It can be a bit dry and it is not a book that can be read with an eye on something else.The authors main point, inserted maybe a bit too freely, was that by always moving to the center and governing by public polls produces an average result and truly great Presidents follow an agenda based on philosophy regardless of public opinion.As for how the authors summed up the Clinton presidency I will leave you with a quote from the book."If Clinton truly aspired to presidential greatness, the strategy he had chosen ensured that he would never achieve it."

The First Good Academic Read on the Clinton Era
Twenty years from now, when time has allowed for an author to look back on and write on the Clinton Presidency with some emotional detachment and real perspective, this book will be in the bibliography. Burns and Sorenson provide the most complete review of Clinton's legacy to date,superceding, as an academic source, Joe Klein's more recent, more opinionated and more reader-friendly "The Natural". That said this book has many flaws. It is denser than frozen cookie dough. Stuffed with the kinds of details that only poltical science professors and their students could stand to bear for even one page (for example, I came across the book while writing a senior thesis on the Post-modern presidency...if that excites you this book might be of interest)so it can be a sluggish read. It is also tilting to the left but that actually makes it's criticisms of Clinton stick more then say, a book written by Right-Wing Conspirators (and there are plenty of those if you are just into Clinton bashing for the love of it).

The book also suffers from the fact that it was published before Clinton actually left office so issues like his last minute pardons are not touched on. In contrast to The Natural, where Hillary comes off as a villain, here, for virtually the same reasons Klein criticizes her, she is the star of the Clinton Era. An oasis of ideolgical purity, striking in its contrast to the vacuous desert of the"the Third Way" centrism that enslaved Clinton and Gore. A bit hyperbolic, but that's the gist of the epilouge, incidentally written before Hillary's run for the Senate so perhaps Burns and Sorenson were on to something.

The book deserves kudos for focusing on substantive policy issues and evaluating Clinton on those rather than getting caught in the trap of focusing the many personal scandals and confusing them with his professional failings. Burns and Sorenson on one page offer one of the best retorts to the vicious, partisan and very often malicious attacks on Clinton. Yet,they aren't soft on him themselves and therefore one can not dismiss this book as propaganda. Rather, it is a truly substantive study that may be driven by the authors policy concerns but makes evaluations based on substance not smoke.

A good academic book. The Natural's conclusions, I think, will stand up as being more historically accurate than Dead Center's but for a really detailed look at the Clinton Presidency this book is indispensible.

Clinton/Democrats needed Centrism for politcal survival
This provocative yet thorough analysis of Bill Clinton's tenure in office provides an almost convincing argument against Centrism and its implementor. As a Bill Clinton fan, I must saythat the author's arguments nearly swayed me to believe that Bill Clinton may have failed in what they called "transformational" and "principled" leadership of the country. They trace the beginnings of Clinton's presidency, from his inauguration speech of change and renewal, his failure of health care reform, his foreign policies to the Gingrich revolution and finally to impeachment. Within each, the authors argue that Clinton failed to bring any sweeping reform or decisive leadership but instead brought tactical politiking, dealing and governing from the vital Centre. The reader is left wondering whether Centrism is good at all. In fact, one gets the impression that Clinton's legacy lies in a tangled web of disjointed policies and no over-arching vision.

However, I think the authors miss the point that whilst Clinton did promise change and succeeded in some ( balancing the budget, welfare reform, NAFTA) and failed in others (health care reform,arguably race, campaign finance), the political environment he was in and also the post cold-war era constrained such sweeping changes. The Gingrich revolution forced Clinton to think more pragmatically and more tactically as re-election loomed. Impeachment (his own doing) poisoned Congress to a standstill in enacting any later reforms. In fact, whilst I agree that Clinton failed to deliver the high hopes he had promised from the start of his presidency, the situation changed to such a degree, that to survive politically, he had to govern from the centre ( see his triangulation). To a small degree, Clinton's presidency was a product of its times; there was no Cold War or major crisis to display "principled" leadership as with Reagan.

Not everthing is bad news of course. They outline Clinton's foreign policy successes in Ireland and the Middle East but also his hesitant meandering in Haiti and Bosnia.

The overall picture is one of a work in progress - a President learning on the job, trying to enact "bold change", later displaying tactical and political skill and subtly reforming the people's view of government. At the very least, this book strongly initiates the debate on the Clinton legacy and his leadership. It is by no means the end.

BILL CLINTON TRIED TO PLEASE ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME!
Historian James MacGregor Burns and Georgia Sorenson have written an interesting book about Bill Clinton's failed effort to be a success by becoming a "centerist" U.S. President.Their excellent book, title DEAD CENTER: CLIINTON-GORE LEADERSHIP AND THE PERILS OF MODERATION(1999), is worth reading.

The authors contend, rightfully, I think, that Bill Clinton tried to please everybody, and ended up pleasing no-one (well, almost no-one).Pulitzer prize winning historian James MacGregor Burns and his co-author Georgia Sorenson argue that the price of centrism is high. They state that in choosing a centrist strategy, Bill Clinton rejected the kind of leadership that might have placed hiim among the historic "greats."

They review Clinton's presidency (which they imply was a failed presidency), and state that Clinton lacked creativity in fashioning new policies, the courageto press for reforms and other changes despite popular apathy and opposition, the conviction to stick to grand principles no matter how long their realization might take (they imply Clinton was a notably mediocre President, and that he must really be grouped in the unprestigious ranks of Presidents who were fence sitters).

Most interestingly, Burns and Sorenson contend that Clinton (and by association, Albert Gore) was notable for his lack of commitment to the people to fight for their welfare at any personal cost. This is quite a charge considering that the main Gore Presidential candidacy battle cry was "I will fight for you!"

Burns/Sorenson review the disasterous faillure of Clinton's 1993-94 health bill and ascribe the failure of it to Clinton's centrism.They remind readers that Clinton rejected the highly intelligent Canadian health plan model, which has been successful for decades in attaining a liberal good, universal health care.Clinton tried to avoid alienating highly paid doctors and insurance companies.The result was that his health plan had no particular idology, pleased nobody, really, and failed miserably.The ironic thing was that Clinton's health bill was the most noble effort he made in his Presidency, which went downhill from that point.

Buy and read this excellent book.It's a good read, and great discussion of how not to be a U.S. President. ... Read more