5 comments about Looking For Trouble: Adventures in a Broken World.

1. Ralph Peter's book should be required reading for every Marxism-besotted and multiculturalism-drunk humanities department in the United States. He stumbled upon an elemental truth in a youthful visit to Tito's Yugoslavia with its communism-lite: "There was nothing like firsthand exposure to the dialectical materialism to teach that the dialectic rarely delivered the material. Leftist rhetoric is wonderfully seductive. The tragedy is that those stirring promises are worthless." Most of the book adventures over the center of that contagion, or as Peters likes to describe it, "across the rotting corpse of the former Soviet Union."
   This book gives that fingertip feel of anecdotal truth to this marvelous combination of memoir, travelogue, and social and strategic commentary. Not since the Comte de Custine traveled across Russia in the late 18th century (pegging the Russians as blond Orientals, by the way) has there been such a deft and insightful portrait of that immense and wasted land. Tongue in cheek he opines that he is convinced there is no word in Russian for maintenance; certainly the epitaph of the Soviet Union is "seventy-four years of deferred maintenance." But it is the lives blighted on the altar of ideology that draw out his empathy in the penetrating human portraits he sketches with his prose and everywhere is the waste of human potential, the lives emptied of a future.
   Yet, he does not overlook the beauty. Peters has a magic inkwell, I am convinced after reading almost everything he has written from his thrillers to his strategic essays to his incomparable Owen Parry series of Civil War murder mysteries. He dips his pen into a poet's ink of beauty and writes a description of the Baltic coast. "The route traced the Amber Coast, a stretch of cold, white sand as beautiful as Heaven on a holiday. Dark blue waves lapped a coastline of low dunes adorned with stunted trees, worn rocks, and golden reeds. Birds rose broad-winged from marshes, black against the blue-enamel sky. No end of books praise the palette of the south, the lemon light of Italy, or the hues of an Arab souk. But there are no colors so true and piercing as those of an early summer day I the north, when the white clouds temper the brightness, lulling your eyes before the sun reappears. The world grows deep and detailed: the gnarl of driftwood, talcum sand, the vast, competing blues of sea and sky. A walk on the shore becomes a stroll with God."
   Peters reserves a special contempt for that group of arrogant, Ivy-League amateurs in the Clinton years who bungled our relationship with the bewildered fragments of the old Soviet Union. Prisoners of their own delusions, they insisted that the old Russia of czar and commissar had vanished in a dawn of good intentions, a breathless, evolutionary leap worthy of the crackpot Marxist genetics of that fraud Lysenko. Peters more realistically noted, "We had passed through the Soviet sickroom just before the hour of death. Our inheritance was a grasp of reality that . . . but my views of Moscow were on a collision course with the optimists who knew Russia only from books or brief delegation visits. . . . But so many dreams vanished in the Soviet twilight and its savage aftermath that it is hard to have confidence." For his forthrightness, he became a prophet without honor in his own country and the object of senior policy-maker vendetta.
   But not all the obtuseness was in the White House. Peters' warnings about the new Russian being born were of no interest to the intelligence community. "If the data didn't come from a satellite, no one in the U.S. intelligence community was interested. The human factor was messy and unpredictable. Better to count tanks and ships and wait for a revival of the Cold War." It is a crushing indictment but one that rings with the clarity of a fine bell tone. Peters is not attempting to claim retroactive prescience. He was right on target for those of us analysts steeped in Soviet/Russian affairs. My own contemporary analysis on the same themes was dismissed as "fluff" by the technocrats.
   I served with Ralph Peters on one of his adventures, the search of American POWs who were consigned to the Soviet GULAG. I attest that everything Ralph has stated in both detail and essence is the simple truth. He said that we failed, and that was no more than a painful but honest fact, but it was not for the want of gallant and intelligent efforts on the part of men like Peters. Without his facility in Russian and his knowledge of the country's people and history, we would never have got as far as we did. It would have been a miracle had we succeeded, but it would have required us to outwit both the stubborn Russian determination to admit nothing and the desperate collusion of the U.S. Government not to look under that very nasty rock.
   Peters' final journey took him on a speaking tour of the Pakistani Army as a special guest of its chief of staff. Again he sounds the bell in the night as flames lick the dark horizon. Pakistan's great inheritance from the British Raj was the English language which gifts an incredible advantage to any people attempting to fully connect with the dynamism of the global economy. Instead he describes the loss of facility in English among the officer corps under the influence of Islamism. With that loss comes a haze of ignorance that cuts them off from the free flow of information and ideas and forces them inward to a closed circle of Islamist fanaticism and obscurantism. Considering Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, this is no little problem. He points out that the United States has abetted this problem by prohibiting the training of Pakistani officers in U.S. military schools in retaliation for their nuclear program, a classic act of cutting off our nose to spite our face.
   If you want insight into a maddening world told by a master story-teller, buy this book. There are thousand and one treasures here. Pete Tsouras



2. Marine Corps officers would call this a collection of sea stories -- tales of seedy fortune, hard-knock education, and derring-do that leaves readers in stitches, tears, or both. After three decades of globetrotting on behalf of America, this is a book that Ralph Peters has earned the right to write. All his hallmarks are on display in "Looking for Trouble": Kissinger-esque insight, Jeremiah-like candor, and a wit (and karaoke partner) that Mark Twain would envy. Reading this is the most fun I've had with travel writing this side of Robert Louis Stevenson and John Steinbeck.
   
   A cynical bookbuyer might discount the five stars and voluminous accolades as just a literary comrade's pep talk. However, this is Peters's first work of nonfiction that I thought rated five stars. His strategic tomes were interesting, colorful, and well-written. But Peters wrote those books with urgency, attempting to square away the post-9/11 U.S. military and educate the Pentagon's minions to prevent them from doing anything stupid (well, at least he tried). They didn't quite have that extra spark.
   
   "Looking for Trouble" does. And then some.
   
   I had thought about ending this review with quotes from the outstanding statements I found in the narrative. If I was going to grant Peters a perfect score, I figured I should at least show him off a bit to justify my judgment. As I was reading, I folded back each page that I found a remarkable sentence, unexpected insight, or laugh-out-loud outrageous illustration.
   
   I bookmarked 53 pages.



3. This book is not, as some might expect, a collection of past Op-Eds, but rather an extraordinary retrospective at the 1989-1996 time frame when officers like Ralph (and General Al Gray, myself, and a number of others in the Army and the Marines) were seeing the writing on the wall: the end of big war and the emergence of global instability in every clime and place). Ralph actually walked the ground and had "eyes on."
   
   I was immediately charmed anew by the poetic writing and the visually elegant turns of phrase. I have in my notes: chuckled, amused, reminded.
   
   This review is going to combine my fly leaf notes with as many short quotes as I can fit in within my 1,000 word allotment.
   
   Notes first:
   
   Deep reading of Tolstoy and others set the stage for *understanding* today's culture and mindset in Russia. Earlier in his life, a subscription gift from an aunt to National Geographic opened his eyes to the rest of the world.
   
   Early on, disdain for how we spend billions on satellites and nothing on officers walking the ground. He notes that overt human intelligence can absorb and articulate what no satellite can provide: "the temper of the people, the taste of the land."
   
   USSR in 1991 was potholes and rust. In his "walk-about" he gained direct invited access to an MVD commander's office, to all of the local "secret" messages, and had invited "eyes on" the MVD special intelligence communications room.
   
   In the Bosnia-Kosovo run-up, which he and others anticipated, he learned that Europe cannot be trusted to act in unison or decisively in the absence of strong US leadership--France, Germany, and the United Kingdom all revert to their historical animosities, and despite their large standing armies, lack the political will or the deep strategic analytics necessary to use those armies in a coherent manner.
   
   His respect for Armenia is deeply rooted in his on the ground experience among them.
   
   Col Stu Herrington, whose book Traitors Among Us: Inside the Spy Catcher's World I have praised, is strongly praised in this book. He and the author were part of a team that worked with the Russians to address the long-standing concern over Americans being held in the Gulag, and the pages in this book, covering each of the wars from World War II onwards, are a complete surprise and essential reading for anyone interested in POW/MIA accounting.
   
   He blasts the US policy of crop eradication, and his devastating criticism of arm-chair politicians and ivory tower diplomats warms my heart.
   
   Late in the book he focused on Pakistan and I find this chapter especially vital for the public understanding of how the US is destroying its once-close ties to the Pakistani officer corps. The older officers are fully trained by the British or the US. The company and field grade officers are not, and are so delusional about Islam and so ignorant about the rest of the world as to be very dangerous to us.
   
   Throughout the book he laments the lot of women across most Islamic countries (with Indonesia and Malaysia as notable exceptions; I add this from my own knowledge and Ralph's official report to the Marine Corps in the 1990's).
   
   Now the quotes. Page number, then words:
   
   8 On [the Russian and Central Asian] frontiers, humanity is a brotherhood of smugglers.
   
   29 Only its women allowed the Soviet Union to endure as long as it did.
   
   38 ...I am convinced there is no Russian word for maintenance.
   
   45 ...worry too much about dead facts and too little about their antagonist's delusions.
   
   66 Artist and intelligence challenges similar: an eye for detail and ability to reduce complexity to coherence
   
   73 ...no one in the US intelligence community was interested. If the data didn't come from a satellite, it didn't count.
   
   87 What Belgrade lacked ... was human dignity.
   
   108 I knew we could overpower [Iraqi] military....I had seen...his officer corps...drunk and whoring.
   
   132 Conquest of Central Asia is a chronicle of...cruelty....Soviets are the champs....[others] tortured human beings. The Soviet Union tortured the earth itself.
   
   141 Bukhara is where Islam turned dark...
   
   146 The Clinton Administration was run by intolerant dreamers... With neither self-critical faculties nor experience of the world ...
   
   151 Islam froze by the mid-fifteenth century when science-fearing zealots....
   
   172 And there you have our diplomats. Unwilling to talk to our enemies... Unwilling to learn.
   
   200 Azerbaijan was the first place where I got n inside look at the nastiness of our Saudi "friends."
   
   204 Everywhere, the Saudis took an interest in human suffering only if it offered them an entry point for missionary activities. And any Muslim who wouldn't sign up for ... Wahhabi Puritanism was welcome to die.
   
   218 ...the callousness with which our government had treated the family members of our MIAs...
   
   231 [General McCaffrey] wasn't getting an adequate tie-it-all-together picture of the cocaine problem. Not from his staff, and not from the alphabet-soup agencies...
   
   239 You cannot take away the livelihood of the poor [coca crops] unless you have the wherewithal to replace it immediately and enduringly.
   
   244 Found wealth, when immature countries...hit the natural-resources lottery, is uniformly destructive of the souls of men and nations.
   
   251 [Army saw the future coming.] It was impossible, however, to persuade the Clinton White House, the intelligence establishment, or even our own services (except for the Marines) that our enemies, rather than our desires, would shape the future security environment.
   
   319 [Drug Czar] was not allowed to differentiate between hard and soft drugs.
   
   335 [At the Plain of Jars] I saw my country's dark side....we go mad now and then. And when we do, we leave desolation behind.
   
   This is an amazing book and for anyone who is concerned with strategic warning, honest intelligence, strategy, force structure, the need to rebalance the instruments of national power, and the future of humanity, will find this book inspiring.
   
   E Veritate Potens--From Truth, We the People Are Empowered
   
   See also:
   Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century
   Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places: 5th Edition (Robert Young Pelton the World's Most Dangerous Places)
   The Coming Anarchy: Shattering the Dreams of the Post Cold War
   The Warning Solution : Intelligent Analysis in the Age of Information Overload
   None So Blind: A Personal Account of the Intelligence Failure in Vietnam
   On Intelligence: Spies and Secrecy in an Open World
   The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political--Citizen's Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption
   Information Operations: All Information, All Languages, All the Time
   THE SMART NATION ACT: Public Intelligence in the Public Interest



4. As an avid reader of Peters' fiction, I've always thought of him as "the thinking man's Tom Clancy:" or, in the case of Owen Parry, one of the rare novelists who seamlessly intertwines history with narrative and memorable characters thereby enriching the whole.
   
   In LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, Peters again brings these skills to the fore and carries on the tradition of some the grand travel writers of our time: Bruce Chatwin, Paul Theroux and Jan Morris come to mind. He engagingly melds his colorful adventures, unforgettable fellow travelers and new acquaintances with a nuanced grasp of the history and geography of people and place on every page.
   
   And, it's funny - full of the humor that comes out of truth, circumstance and honest self-awareness. (My husband had to tell me to stop reading passages out loud to him since he wanted to read the book himself.)
   
   Highly recommended to those who enjoy travel memoirs and/or have an avid curiosity about the world and times in which we live.
   
   Peters has a loyal cadre of readers. LOOKING FOR TROUBLE should find him both new ones and many more.



5. This book is a pleasure to read. Insightful and entertaining there is never a dull moment.
   
   Ralph Peter's story telling is first rate. The characters he has run into in his worldwide adventures are brought to life in this book...some are frightning and some hilarious and many are both (though they are only funny after the fact!)
   
   The insights and lessons you pick up along the way are priceless.
   
   Join Ralph on this most excellent adventure and you love the ride.

5 comments about Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

1. as with most books i've read, there is always something i see or hear that piques my interest in a topic/subject matter creating a domino effect that leads to obsessive reading. this seems to be the case here: "gimme shelter" led to sonny barger's "hell's angel" which led to the "gangland" television series and then to searching amazon.com for books about outlaw biker clubs, starting with "under and alone".
   
   the first chapter of this book was such an effective teaser that it actually fooled me into believing the book was ghost-written due to the author not surviving his undercover assignment ... it worked, because i couldn't put it down.
   
   the thought of a law enforcement officer having the courage to take such an assignment is one thing ... to follow through with that assignment and actually become a full-patched member of such an organization is simply amazing. even more impressive is the fact that queen does such an excellent job of taking the reader along with him ... a true "fly on the wall" perspective throughout the book.
   
   every chapter contains moments where you feel as if queen wouldn't survive his assignment and you almost breathe a sigh of relief when oftentimes, a random moment of good fortune is all that saves him.
   
   what makes "under and alone" such a good read is that the action never lets up ... it is nothing but a continuous series of battles: the battle to hide his true identity from a group in which every member is a potential murderer, the battle to portray himself as outlaw biker material yet not participate in criminal activity, the battle of being a father to his kids and maintain their safety during/after the assignment, the struggle of actually developing a fraternal relationship with men who he will eventually be sending to prison and the constant battle with the expected ineptitude of the agency responsible for keeping him alive. the best battle of all, however, is the continuous grief queen endures from one particular mongol ... "red dog".
   
   i found myself constantly flipping to the pictures in order to place a face with the name of those mongols he writes about ... even "red dog".
   
   the book left me with a feeling of apprectiation that there are people out there willing to do such dangerous work voluntarily. my only regret is that there is understandably no "where are they now" chapter because i would really like to know how certain mongols personally felt about queen and the success of his undercover work.



2. Billy Queen is clearly an amazingly smart and tough guy. His tale of inflitrating the Mongrols, moving from 'Hang Around' to 'Prospect' to Treasurere and then Vice President of the local chapter is fascinating and well written. And it will quickly disabuse you of any notion that the the Mongols are OK guys have chosen their own path. While some people may have been OK when they joined, Billy makes clear the gang and its members are all to happy to hurt and kill with little or no reason.
   
   Things the book does really well: Give a feel for day to day life in the gang, outline historical background to the Mongols/Hells Angels flue, give a sense of Billy's double life- knowing his gang friends would kill him at the drop of the hat, and that a large chunk of ATF would rather see everything he'd risked his life for throw away then chance the smallest public embarrassment.
   
   The things I found lacking: Would have to liked to know even more about the gangs structure and the relationship between the head chapter (Mother) and the local chapters, would have liked to see more detailed sketches on even more of the members. Still, these are pretty trivials issues.
   
   If you are interested in motorcycle gangs this book is required reading.



3. We hear many stories of the bad things our law enforcement personnel perpetrate against criminals. Finally a book that shows how courageous some of them are. Bill Queen is one of them, and has rightfully received many accolades. He deserves everyone of them. His sacrifice was immense. I hope he finds the comfort he so deserves.



4. SA William (Billy) Queen's 2 1/2 years of investigating the Mongols motorcycle club as an undercover ATF agent is pure guts, grit, and courage. Of the many things Billy proved over the course of his investigation perhaps the most important was that such clubs CAN BE infiltrated by dedicated and well supported law enforcement officers.
   
   This is a well-written, fast-paced page turner that once started simply cannot be put down until finished. Queen reveals both the Mongols and other outlaw motorcycle clubs for what they are behind all the media-hype romance...brutes on bikes whose only regard is for their own well-being and whose only respect is for their club patch.
   
   Kudos to Billy Queen for riding the hard trail and bringing down some truly bad guys - his book is a testament to Honor, Loyalty, and Duty of the highest order in the circles of professional law enforcement.



5. I'd bet from reading this book that alot of these Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs have been and are currently being infiltrated at various levels,by undercover police.There seemed to be in the book, alot of paranoia among the Mongol members from government agents in their ranks.I'm glad that there are still police out there that will take such dangerous assignments.It took Queen about a year and a half to build up the Motorcycle Clubs' confidence and he actually rose to the position of Mongol treasurer.
   I noticed however how alot of the poverty stricken Mongols rapidly gravitated toward Agent Queen and his "deep pockets" which would have aroused the suspicions of smarter type criminals,(if there even is such a thing)even considering Queen had been in the group for a year and a half.Too much money coming too fast that buys into about any criminal enterprise equals "STING".When something seems to be too good to be true it probably isn't.I admired the way Queen used the Mongols greed against them.Queen became sort of a "daddy" for them and their criminal enterprises and toward the end ,the Mongols seemed like kids asking for their allowance thus adding to their well deserved jail stints.You'd think one of the Mongols might have asked,"Wait a minute,Queen(or St. John) sells high-tech electronic equipment for an Avionics firm,maybe he's using some of it on us"But also remember how many stores are robbed right in front of a security camera with full lighting and witnesses.Greed is almost never rational though?
   Most of the victims of these Motorcycle gangs are other motorcyclists(loner types) too often non-affiliated with a gang and therefore wide open to be a victim of groups like the Mongols.It greatly deflated my image of the fearless tattoed lone wolf cyclist, who challenges the world and its ideals.Probably from reading this book his"mission" ends rapidly as he is found dead or unconscious along the road and his bike confiscated by gangs like the Mongols.His hot-Harley honey also confiscated by the Mongols.Everyone talks about doing something about "bullies" but few to none ever do anything about them.Queen definitely did and it's good to know there are people like him out there.

5 comments about Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion.

1. Sara Miles' book "Take This Bread" is a perfect read for our times. Her realization that feeding others is an ultimate act of goodness came during a worship service. But the real story is what she did next. She went out from that church and created a feeding program when others said it couldn't be done. Then she helped others create feeding programs. I have recommended the book to people of different faiths and political views. They all love it. And even more, they have been inspired to get involved in helping the hungry. The new paperback version contains a Readers' Guide - perfect for book groups.



2. take this bread is one of the best left-of-center spiritual memoirs i've read, ever.
   
   sara miles is a self-described liberal, an intellectual journalist who spent much of her life covering wars from the side of the oppressed (often in stark contrast to u.s. policy). she grew up in a staunchly athiest home (though both of her parents were children of missionaries, which ends up playing into her story in surprising and deeply satisfying ways), and was, as she says, the last person her friends would have expected to start talking about jesus.
   
   sara walked into a san francisco church one day -- called, one might way; compelled, she wasn't sure why -- and took the eucharist. and something clicked, in that moment. she had an encounter with jesus that she was never able to dismiss or shake off. eventually, her connection with jesus became a compelling call to feed others, as she was fed. sara started a food pantry, literally ON the alter of her extremely nervous church. the book walks through her multiple conversions, and those of the people around her, many of them already professed christians.
   
   the comparisons to anne lamott are easy (especially to anne's first spiritual memoir, traveling mercies). both are brilliant with words; both are liberals from san francisco, who grew up in book-loving, athiest, intellectual homes; both are liberal in every sense of the word; and both are deeply in love with jesus and passionate about following his lead. this -- i think -- is what seperates both anne and sara from classical liberals, who spent a good deal of their time distancing themselves from jesus.
   
   but sara miles and anne lammott are not the same. sara doesn't have annie's wit, which, while i absolutely adore annie's wit, makes this book somewhat more compelling, and a bit less like a collection of witty, liberal, jesus-y essays. if annie's "theme" is her self-loathing and insecurity, sara's strong-willed theme is: food. food weaves its way through every chapter of the book: from her childhood, to her experiences as a chef in new york, to her connections with people in the third world, to her intitial and ongoing experience with jesus, to her establishment of one, then many, food pantries. it's hard not to read this book and not simultaneously hanker for a chunk of some cheese you can't pronounce, and want to give that cheese to someone who wouldn't otherwise experience their next meal.
   
   wonderful, wonderful reading. challenging at points. highly edible. deeply nourishing.



3. From the moment I began reading to the last page I was hooked. I think this is a book that every church should own and require all outreach workers to read. In my view, Ms. Miles grasps and conveys in a succinct and direct manner just what it means to act out one's faith, a faith that has nothing to do with politics or what is expedient, or what will please people the most. There is a need, one responds, and that's all there is to it. Ms. Miles does not romanticize working with the homeless, feeding the hungry. She presents the challenges and difficulties clearly and realistically. This is not "fun" work. It's not meant to be fun. Yet,as I read this, I was struck by her understanding and acceptance as well as the clear conviction that this is what she was meant to do. Again, a very worthwhile read,immensely helpful and hopeful.



4. 'Take this Bread' is a wonderful book, funny and profance and touching. I loved every page. I liked the commentary on the clergy and learned so much about how to love the other. Miles brought me to face my fears. Her take on Christianity as a complex, disturbing, scary way to live is so real. With fine writing she takes us into what it means to incarnate our religion, and it's painful to face that. Luckily, her humilty, mistakes and humor keep us on her side and thinking about how we might go forth too.



5. "Take This Bread" by Sara Miles is delightful, heartwarming, and a great insight into one spiritual journey. I read it with tears streaming down my cheeks while I laughed out loud at some parts. Truly a gift to those of us who are questioning the Christian Faith and our place in it. The descriptions of St. Gregory's make me want to make a trip from Ohio just to worship with a diverse and interesting congregation. I can feel in inclusiveness of the building and its people, as well as the joy that emanates from them. A book I have ordered in paper in which to write and underline those parts that speak directly to me. Thank you!

5 comments about We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France.

1. The book is a charming account of a life in France.
   It might seem self-indulgent, but one should note
   the humble origins of the authors.



2. some of the anecdotes are interesting, i found overall the book was a featherweight and self- aggrandizing.



3. This was my introduction to Patricia Wells, about whom I've heard and read so much over the years. Her cookbooks may be wonderful, but the writing in this book certainly is not. The language is uninspired and the details she and her journalist husband choose to share about themselves are almost embarrassing. There also wasn't a single recipe that sounded appealing. The descriptions of Provence were lovely, and it's nice that they've made such a happy life for themselves, but somehow the way they present it all just comes off wrong. Readers would be much better served by picking up Jacques Pepin's charming memoir, The Apprentice.



4. What a delightful book! As a browsed through the bookstore, I wasn't sure what to pick up. The title intrigued me and I sat down to browse the book. 95 pages later, I had to buy the book. I couldn't put down the wonderful love story that weaves throughout the book. I most of all love the sense of humor for love, fashion, food, and Paris! My time is limited when reading for pleasure and this book is on my top 5!



5. Let me start by saying that I have copies of all of Patricia Wells's cookbooks and generally like them. "Bistro Cooking" is a particular favorite. This book, however, was a chore to read and rather than enhancing my opinion of her as a person it nearly negated everything. The book is co-authored with her journalist husband--with each taking turns with alternate chapters. They come off as very shallow, self-absorbed, and self-serving people. The book is riddled with black and white photographs--most looking canned and posed as if for an advertisement for her cooking school. It was just too much to hear about her beauty and exercise regime--eyelash curling and all. Upon seeing a woman in the street that looked haggered and spent, her husband turns to her and applauds Patricia's efforts in not letting herself go as this woman obviously had. Just too awful to bear reading this stuff. I don't know what I expected this book to be--but certainly not this. If it weren't so much trouble I would return it to Amazon.

5 comments about A Vineyard in Tuscany: A Wine Lover's Dream.

1. Based on the other reviews, I had high hopes for this book; I expected a more thorough story of his experience starting his own vineyard, people he had interacted with and the "terrior" of his vineyard embedded with light-hearted anecdotes. Instead, I found the details lacking. Little time is spent on the characters who appeared in the book, the restoration of the estate, planting and cultivating of the vineyard, wine-making decisions, and his (and his family's) tie to the place. The fact that this book is written in many short chapters averaging less than 10 pages each should have been the first sign. I do not doubt that Mr. Mate will be an interesting guy to have a drink with, and I am sure that he has many interesting stories to tell. But after reading this book, I get a feeling that this is a tale of a wealthy individual (despite his repetitive mentioning of being/getting poor as a result of this endeavor) who spent his way to have people make great wines from a land he has purchased. While this statement may not do him justice, and perhaps that is what this book is meant to be, but more on the people, more on the place, more on his (or the wine maker/consultant's) philosophy of how to cultivate the land and make a great wine will greatly improve the book.



2. A Vinyard in Tuscany by Ferenc Mate is the second in a series on life in Tuscany. In a genre loosely known as expats move to Tuscany, Mate is truly in a class by himself. If Frances Mayes is the standard ,then Ferenc Mate far excells her in poetry , lyrical description , humor and sensitivity. If after reading this book, you don't want his life then you better check your pulse. A love song to Tuscany and the art of wine, makes Frances Mayes akin to watching paint dry. Read The Hills of Tuscany as well which he wrote about first moving there 20 years ago.



3. Ferenc Mate's second book on Italy (buy the first one "Hills of Tuscany" also, they are distinctly a matched set to be enjoyed one after the other) is, if possible, even better than the first one. He had a wonderful understanding of Italian culture and is able to convey that to his reader. If you have ever visited Italy, or are planning to, then his books are a must read. One of the things I really like about Mr. Mate's writing is it is appealing to both men and women. I love being able to discuss a book with my husband. In fact with this one, it is the first time I have heard my husband laugh out loud while reading. At first I thought he was choking and when I ran into the room he said "honey, it's the part where he is driving the tractor". Michael and I spend two weeks in Tuscany every May and truly, in this book, the essence of the Montalcino area is captured and wrapped up like a Christmas present for the reader.



4. Out of all the book I have read on Italy, A Vineyard in Tuscany is the funniest and at the same time the most informing book about life in this southern part of Tuscany. Ma`te` has a great ways with words and offers a rare glimpse into secret world of Italian Culture. Other reviewers have summarized the book; I will not do that now. Instead I will speak of how the book affected me. Just the mere thought of the word "Bulls eye" puts a broad smile on my face. When I first read the passage where it's located, I laughed so loudly my wife rushed into the room to see if I were ok. Ma'te' lets us see the dry subtle humor of the people in this area. Although it does a great job of showing the warmth and passion of Tuscans when it comes to food, wine and business, the region itself is the star of book.
   On our first trip to Italy 5 years ago, my wife and I did the usual Milan, Venice, Rome triangle with one day in Tuscany kind of trip. By luck we had chosen the Banfi Castle to dine in and stayed in the near-by hill town of Montalcino for just one night. My wife and I concluded that this 24 hour period was the best of the entire trip. Every year since then we have returned to the tiny village of San Angelo Scolo for days of relaxation, great hospitality, food, wine and the beautiful land of Tuscany. Little did we know that Ma`te` had restored his estate, planted a vineyard and discovered ancient cities and springs just minutes away. Tuscany is that kind of place where adventure and surprises lurk around every turn. Reading his book brought back fantastic experiences of our trips there. We will be back to San Angelo Scolo in 37 days, after reading this book I wish I were there now. I highly recommend it to people who are dreaming of a trip to Tuscany or experienced travelers.



5. Mr. Mate's charming and funny story of realizing his dream to own a vineyard in Tuscany is not to be missed, and is even better than his earlier book, The Hills of Tuscany. Mr. Mate's humor, warmth and friendliness come shining through in his wonderful tales of his Italian friends and neighbors, the Italian way of life, and his exploits renovating an ancient friary and developing an award-winning winery in the beautiful town of Montalcino.

5 comments about Celebrity Detox: (The Fame Game).

1. I was so excited about getting this book for my vacation. I wanted something light, interesting and I was curious about the inside scoop around Rosie's time at The View. When I read all these reviews, I wasn't sure if I should bother. I went ahead and bought it anyway--I'm a daredevil! :)
   I got what I wanted. There were some kibbles of information I didn't know about her co-hosts and some other celebrities. That was fun. Rosie sure tells it as she sees it. I don't accept that as the whole truth but I like hearing people's sides of the same coin. I did have some trouble relating to her love of Babs...it came off as a little sad too me how much she idolizes some people even as she's telling her readers all the reasons why celebrity is an illusion.
   This was no "War and Peace" if that's what your looking for. This is no objective, weighing both sides, kind of memoir. This is Rosie talking about her life as she felt it. That to me, is interesting and I read this book in two sittings. I really enjoyed it and recommend it as long as you have properly aligned expectations!
   
   Tiffany Christensen, author of "Sick Girl Speaks!"



2. I think this book had a certain kind of honesty we would all appreciate in respect to celebrities... Rosie shows a "behind the camera" glimpse into fame, fortune and life as the Rosie O'Donnell. As a Rosie fan myself, I was not at all disappointed. She is Real, honest, and true to herself! I loved the book! I recommend it to all!



3. I read and enjoyed Rosie's last book: "Find Me". After watching her on the View and vaguely following the blow-up between she and her co-host, Elisabeth, I was curious about how that built up. When Rosie claimed she was writing this book to "answer those questions" about what happened that day and immediately after, I looked forward to her explanation. That's why I was disappointed by "Celebrity Detox". It didn't go there. In fact, there's hardly a word about the incident prior to the last chapter (about five pages). Instead, she focuses on ear transmitters far more than anyone cares to read (or know). She talks about the Trump scuffle but doesn't even do her position justice in her own book. I came away from those chapters wondering if her beef was with Donald Trump and his poor behavior or her hurt over a quote that Trump assigned to Barbara Walters. Shortly after that, she goes off on the ear transmitters and how she saw the other hosts (who wore them even after Rosie's refusal and wishes) slowly came to agree with her and speak their mind (implying that, prior to that point, they'd been getting prompting and feedback in the devices). In the last chapter, she only mentions Elisabeth by sharing that she'd sent her and e-mail of support only a week or two before that Elisabeth may have been put-off by (Rosie tells Elisabeth she loves her and is proud of her asking John Stamos to stay and do crafts). But, that's where it ends. She never goes into the background regarding how Elisabeth disrespected her by not defending her in another interview. She says nothing really tangible about the feud at all.
   
   However, if you're not looking for more insight on the squabble, then the book is okay. It's often repetitive. But, based on Rosie's art and poetry, it makes sense that she would have certain themes throughout the book. If you're looking for a perspective on how celebrity makes you different, then this may be the book you want to read. And, if you'd like to have a better understanding of why she left her own show, then I'd recommend this. Her reflections of 9/11 between she and her brother are interesting (and I've had my daughter read them as an example of how perspective is, at times, everything).



4. There is one word to describe this book and that is Wonderful. I was amazed. She put her life out there for all to read. She shared her personal feelings, almost like therapy. I loved this book. I love Rosie. I do suggest you read Find Me first. Fame is an addiction and I can understand that without ever being famous. I think Rosie truly is a kind soul and this book will reflect that.



5. What was she thinking when she wrote this. Sounds like the rantings of someone who did not mget her way.Total ranting and blame placing everywhere but where it belongs. No wonder this book was never promoted anywhere.

5 comments about The Pursuit of Happyness.

1. This book was very motivational and taught me a great lesson in humility, perserverace, and hope. I would recommend to everyone!



2. I have read a few reviews that where readers preferred the Disneyfied movie to the strong and honest look at a real human life that Chris Gardner exposits in his book. That's a bit sad. I find his honesty refreshing and courageous in a world where many look askance on the rougher edges of our humanness while ignoring the courage it takes to reveal warts.
   
   This book inspired me and is about to change my life. It is the portrait of a man who never succumbed to self pity in spite of many odds stacked against him. He did not give in to bitterness either. He blamed no one for his plight, simply pushed forward and found solutions to each crisis he faced. He has set an example for the many people of all races recovering from abusive childhoods.
   
   It is not so easy to get the demons of low self worth and self pity out of your head when they have been placed there by parental figures and communities either convinced of their own moral superiority or simply exercising their own brand of ignorance over a childhood span of 18 years. It is a struggle, daily, until it is rebuilt and often times depends solely on the kindness of strangers who may or may not be from the polished set.
   
   The fact that he prevailed from sheer dogged determination and a refusal to accept the labels others applied to him is a wondrous and beautiful thing and should spark hope into the hearts of those who know his story all too well from personal experience.
   
   If you prefer the pristine bubble of a Disneyified existence, stick to the movie. If you are not afraid of the grit of human life and are not easily offended, read the book. It is far superior and much more satisfying.



3. If you're interested in reading the book because you saw and loved the movie, you should be forewarned that you will find the effect of the movie somewhat diluted here, and also that the movie's version of events matches in very few particulars the actual events of his life as recorded in his autobiography.
   
   That said, the book provides much more background about Chris Gardner's life, and it is a fascinating and ultimately triumphant story--and, in the latter part of the story, his commitment to his son does shine through.
   
   His idol-worshipping meeting with Nelson Mandela at the end is a bit much, but otherwise Gardner's story is told with admirable sincerity and intelligence. And best of all, he's completely unapologetic about pursuing material wealth and prosperity, and saying that these are part of his pursuit of happiness. People who've been dirt poor are typically more honest about things like that than the self-righteous idiots who've been comfortable all their lives and never really had to work and then tell us sanctimoniously that "money can't buy happiness"--true, it can't, but it sure helps.
   
   And Chris Gardner's story is well worth the money.



4. If Chris Gardner had any morals I'm sure they wouldn't have come out in this book as he goes to great lengths to tell you every sexual exploit he's made in his lost, disgusting, immoral life. I couldn't finish it. Talk about all his sexual escapades! ...and his inability to keep his d**k in his pants, and worse still, his inability to keep a wife because of it! He's a moral black hole taking thousands of susceptible people with him into the depths of crude, rude, disgusting, immoral, sex addiction-type behavior. There's nothing HAPPY about this book!
   
   I just threw mine away. If it would have fit in the toilet I would have flushed it. I'm sure it would have gotten stuck in the u-bend causing me even more misery to add to the misery I felt reading this life-sucking black hole of a book.



5. Where the movie of the same name lifted me and inspired me, this book came crashing down on me. It crushed me because it turns out nothing in the movie was true. In fact, far from being the hero that Will Smith portrayed on film, the real Chris Gardner turns out to be a skank, a thief and a murderous thug. The fact that Gardner retains these attributes through to the end of the book and continues to defend them means there is no happy story of redemption and thus, no real happy ending (except that the man is now rich).
   
   Structurally, the book was supposed to be about a father's love for his child but Gardner's son doesn't enter the story until 2/3rds of the way through. Even then, the book continues on into exposition of the father's life, so it is more like a biography. I did like the writer's style but since the book was co-written, I doubt if it was Gardner himself that I was reading.
   
   If you loved the movie, do not buy this book. Continue to believe that Will Smith's character was an honest, moral man who deserved the success he got because he pursued it ethically and persisted against his hardships without complaint.

5 comments about Breathing the Fire.

1. I could not put this book down. Anyone who wants to understand what it means when they hear or read about bombs going off killing or wounding civilians or soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan should read this book. Even weeks after reading this book, I am not able to get it out of my mind.
   
   Also. the reader gains insight into what reporting from a war zone really means.



2. The average American is too far removed from the reality of what the true cost of this war has been in human terms. I am a recently-retired Department of the Army civilian, and when my friends ask me what I think about the war, I tell them about my recent visits to various Army posts (e.g., Fort Hood & Fort Lewis). I describe the newly-added rows and rows of handicapped parking spaces to accommodate returning troops, as well as seeing too many young soldiers waiting in line at the Burger King with missing limbs, horribly scarred faces, etc.
   
   I also tell them about this book. It is of critical importance in raising awareness about what thousands of military and civilian personnel have had to endure because of the war -- a war that most Americans find too abstract to maintain any real interest or involvement. I know for a fact the book has already served as a catalyst for young soldiers who struggle with the decision to open up and talk about their own traumatic experiences.
   
   Early on she describes the scene on a Baghdad street as she lay bloodied and mutilated from a horrific bomb blast that killed three others and nearly killed her. You feel as if you are an actual bystander as she describes everything from that point on in such detail that the phrase "sugar-coated" would never spring to mind. She describes her victories, her setbacks, her fears, the mixture of helpful and not-so-helpful advice she received, and much more. She paints a picture most everyone of us can identify with, were we to ever be in her situation.
   
   I winced more than once while reading about what she had to endure on the road to recovery. I occasionally began to tear up, but there is humor and inspiration contained in her account as well. Again, her level of detail is amazing.
   
   After you read it you cheer for her ultimate success in beating the odds and recovering, but you are also reminded of the staggering numbers of other Americans who have suffered similar trauma. How many? The New York Times recently stated that approximately 30,000 U.S. military personnel have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in the book Kimberly points out that 82% of them are believed to have suffered extremity wounds -- that's over 24,000 men and women, all with their own stories that we will never know.
   
   If you read "Breathing the Fire," you will have a very good idea of what those stories might be like, and you can then ponder the question: "What has happened to them?"



3. I found this book to be an excellent read. It was encouraging to know the type of wonderful caring treatment and concern of dedicated healers to men and women of America who are working in these kinds of conditions. It's a factual, sensitive, gripping story of the wounding and recovery of one of our beloved journalists covering the war in Iraq.
   God bless them and God bless America.



4. I pre-ordered this book because I have known Kim since college. I looked at the pictures but couldn't bring myself to read the book right away. I was afraid I couldn't handle the truth - another one of our college friends had visited Kim during her rehab in Baltimore and had told me how she was doing then, and I was scared of reading the whole story. So, I only picked up the book now, three months later. I figured it was finally time to find out the whole truth.
   
   It was not an easy read. But, as they say, "war is hell." And Kim takes us on her all too real journey and out the other side. She not only shows us how she survived covering the war in Iraq, but also how she navigated a medical system in which some professionals don't always listen to their patients, but also shows us how the best ones do. She exposes a news business in which women journalists are sometimes judged not only by their skills but also on their looks. She reveals her truth, which while not always pretty, is ultimately beautiful. She also admits her fear of failure, something many women of our generation have had to conquer, although perhaps none of us quite so vividly and with the world watching.
   
   Kim's book truly is a tribute to those who were lost that day, those who survived, and all those who help the survivors, including Kim. The truth of this war, indeed of any war, is an ugly one, but this book offers us a glimpse behind the curtain. It is vitally important that we look.



5. "Breathing the Fire" is an excellent, detailed, documentary of the rehabilitation process that many of our soldiers must go throught after battlefield injuries. This first hand account is done in detail by a professional reporter who suffered severe, life threatening trauma on that same battlefield. Her courage is astounding, and a tribute to her tough personality. I was astounded with her capability to "fact find" her ordeal in detail, leading to a self debriefing that would help heal the psychological trauma of this event. Amust read for those of us dealing with soldiers suffering battlefield trauma, and the associated psychological pain.

5 comments about Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir.

1. Take a young child who relies on his parents for a fair-minded view of the world. Add a major dose of terror and uncertainty in describing an irrational, mean-spirited God who will strike you down if you walk four steps without a yamulke or dare to eat a McDonald's burger (as if God didn't have more important things to worry about). Sprinkle in liberal doses of hypocracy from abusive rabbis, teachers, and parents. It's a sure formula for a very confused, very angry adult.
   
   We've seen it with Islamic fundamentalists...with certain Christian evangelists...and here's the Jewish version of the story. Shalom (his name means "peace" in Hebrew) navigates a rigid orthodox upbringing, where the simplest day-to-day activities -- eating, dressing, even opening a refrigerator door during Sabbath -- have the potential to bring down the wrath of God. Since, in many children's eyes, God equates father, it's no surprise that this fear is maximized because Shalom's father is physically and emotionally abusive.
   
   Shalom Auslander uses humor (just like Augusten Burroughs, his advertising background has kept him in good stead; this is a breezy read in places) to reveal the downright silliness and ultimate harm of fundamental religiosity. His anger at his parents is very thinly veiled, and his desire to be a better father for his own son is poignant.
   
   It's always been amazing to this reader that grown, intelligent men and women take ancient religious precepts at face value, without exploration or examination (Auslander quotes directly from the Talmud about a particularly gruesome torture for those who flaunt God's rules, for example). I urge those readers to pick up a copy of Christopher Hitchen's book "God Is Not Great". However, I suspect that certain readers won't be able to get out of their comfort zone and admit what Shalom Auslander already knows...it is nothing short of theological abuse to submit innocent children to mean-spirited, fundamentalist beliefs of ANY religion.



2. What a great read about a boy's life within a Jewish household. It is a sarcastic look at the double standards and tedious rules within his family's faith. Loved his perspective on the reality of strict religion and how it impacts the life of a boy living in a world full of temptation and identity.
   
   Karen



3. Auslander grew up an ultra Orthodox Jew In Monsey, New York. This memoir is his rant against the strict rules of his religious faith. But most of all it is a rant against the vengeful, fear inducing God with whom he is raised. Auslander's rebellion includes the eating of 'traif', non-kosher food. The first time he eats a Slim Jim, purchased at a heignborhood community pool, he pukes into a garbage can. This doesn't stop his venture into the world of 'traif'. He indulges in Big Macs with milk shakes, pizza with pepperoni, forbidden marshmallows made with gelatin (a pork by-product). Will his marshmallow feast result in the death of his sister? He looks at porno magazines and wonders if this is enough to kill his father by being hit by a car. In essence Auslander thinks he is a very powerful fellow in God's eyes, as his Heavenly Father is sure to punish he or his family every time he violates one of the 613 Commandments by which Orthodox Jews live their lives. It seems as if God has nothing better to do in this world of poverty, disease and war than to watch over the doings of Auslander. This is hubris on a cosmic scale.
   
   This rant can be hilarious at times. His description of his Yeshiva's Blessing Bee made me laugh out loud. But 300 plus pages of rant begins to wear thin. Leaving the Orthodox faith and his family, he finds himself a father obsessing over whether to circumcize his soon to be son. This is the Foreskin's Lament.
   
   One doesn't have to be a trained psychologist to figure out Auslander's hatred of his Heavenly Father is related to his hatred of his drunk and physically abusive father. But instead of coming to a resolution of this with his $350 per hour shrink, he rails against the 'theological' abuse of God. The destruction of his familial relationships deeply saddens me. Similiarly it is implied that Auslander's wife, Orli, is similiarly estranged from her family but this is glossed over in the book.
   
   There is much that is worthwhile here. Auslander is a Philip Roth on speed. I just hope he comes to terms with his rage. Otherwise every book this talented author will write will be poisoned by his continued rant.



4. His candor and wit are refreshing.
   I,too,used to want to get out from underneath the gnawing suspicion that my thoughts and actions had consequences. But one word proved the existance of God for me. Israel. So while I'm a Christian and my perspective differs from Mr.Auslander's, I can still relate to his predicament. The persistant pervasiveness of the Book and the people of Abraham just can't be seen in any other culture on earth. And this despite just a bit of "opposition" through the years, shall we say. God chose them to communicate His truth and His plan in written form to solve the mess we're in since sin entered our DNA. It's been available for all to hear/read, take or leave, believe or disbelieve.
   
   I may not like it sometimes. But, like Richard Gere cried in An Officer and a Gentleman, "I got nowhere else to go!"
   
   (hey, of course Christians always get "preachy." Try and see it from our perspective, it'd be like being on the Titanic, seeing the iceberg and not yelling get in the boats. So if a Christian doesn't preach at you they just don't care whether you know God has a place in a lifeboat with your name on it. Indulge us. Or at least treat us as you would a crazy relation at a family gathering, with patience and understanding)



5. I loved this book, and found myself laughing out loud several times on crowded subway cars. Auslander manages to create humor and warmth out of painful childhood memories and an obsession with a vengeful God, and is clearly a talented writer. I had a hard time putting it down when it came time to go to work, or bed, and I really look forward to reading more from him.

5 comments about Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story.

1. I read this book for a college course and found it shocking and heartbreaking. I grew up very close to where the event of the story take place. After I had finished the book I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Tyson. This is when I began to become suspicious. I also met the offspring of people involved in the story. They, along with many other residents of Oxford confirmed what I already suspected. Much of this story is COMPLETELY MADE UP! Some of the events did actually happen, but are blown WAAAAAY out of proportion, and the means by which Mr. Tyson acquired some of his information are very shady. So my verdict: as a piece of fiction I think it's a beautifully tragic piece of fictions. As a "true story" this novel loses all credibility and so does Mr. Tyson for any of his other work and he should be prosecuted for his slanderous words.



2. I recommend this book not only to those of us who lived through the time but also to younger adults who care about racial issues in America. The author's personal account allows readers to experience recent history through his eyes. The book is informative and a very good read!



3. Blood Done Sign My Name is a non-fiction work that combines the personal memoirs and research of Timothy Tyson, Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin. The most striking aspect of the novel is the description of Dickie Marrow's murder from the points of view of different citizens of Oxford. This unique feature makes the book appealing to many age groups. Teenage readers can relate to Tyson's personal anecdotes about growing up in rural Oxford, North Carolina. Even if younger audiences do not understand the symbolism behind the text, they can still enjoy the well-developed characters and eventful plot. Adult readers can gain insight into many themes concerning race and white supremacy. Tyson elegantly expresses the naiveté of children on the issue of morality and treatment of other races. This is best conveyed in the passage where young Tyson taunted a black child solely because his friend had started an insulting chime. The author describes that it was fear--not hatred--that bred the twisted idea of white supremacy. Parents can also connect with the decisions and actions of Vernon and Martha Tyson. The Tysons believed that their children should be exposed to many different opinions yet respect all races. The difference in perspectives in the work allows readers of all ages to enjoy and understand the truth behind the Civil Rights Movement.
   The book contains a few minor flaws that diminish the lucidity of the text. The plot is rather erratic; from time to time, the events are not connected perfectly. This technique may be Tyson's personal style of writing, but it proves to be rather confusing at major points in the plot. For example, Tyson usually explains a personal memory of the murder and follows it with completely unrelated information about another character. These discontinuities in the plot make the book difficult to comprehend at first. Gradually, however, the reader gets acclimatized to this original form of writing. The gaps between personal stories build suspense and enable the reader to process a feasible prediction for the sequence of events. The novel also includes many extraneous details about minor characters that play an insignificant part in the plot. Tyson extensively describes his mother's childhood, even though his mother does not affect the sequence of events in any fashion. This extra information, however, does not detract from the book's overall theme. Though the story contains a few negligible weaknesses, Tyson maintains his overall claim and presents it in an interesting and distinctive manner.
   Blood Done Sign My Name is an enthralling story that expresses the moral wrongs of racism. To call it a mere story does not do Tyson proper justice; it is more fitting to call the book a documentary. By citing several engrossing stories throughout the novel, Tyson maintains the reader's attention and successfully proves his thesis. Other than its occasional lack of continuity, Timothy Tyson has written a classic non-fiction work for readers of all ages.



4. I finally got around to reading this memoir this summer and was in awe of the author's narrative gifts. This story reads like a novel and is full of plain human wisdom, an emotional openness combining humility and pride, wry humor, sharp political analysis, and a can't-put-it-down story line that comes to terms with America's number one cultural problem: racism. This is a book of local history that gets at the human condition, and a work of history that reads like great literature. I'm telling everyone I can to read it, and that includes whoever reads this. Don't pay attention to any of the so-called "corrections" made by some other reviewers here. This is a must-read historical work that shows an astute and perceptive ability to understand its widely varying participants' points of view and experiences, while not shrinking from the moral and historical obligation to draw judgments. There is only one word to use: *brilliant.* (I'm not one to use that lightly when talking about either autobiography or
   history.)
   
   Disclaimer: The writer of this review is a professional historian with a Ph.D., but one who has never met Timothy Tyson.



5. Few books are as challenging for me as this one. I lived through the years of this story and consistently refused to believe that our racism was as extensive or deeply rooted as it was. Take away: the challenge to see it in our present day and to do something about it.