5 comments about Unaccompanied Women: Late-Life Adventures in Love, Sex, and Real Estate.

1. From the first sentence, I was hooked. Her outlook is so unusual, quirky and her style an academic/down-to-earth melange is enchanting. I enjoyed every "embarrassing" moment.



2. Do you enjoy listening to elderly people whine? Then this is the book for you.
   
   Jane complains (endlessly, interminably) that there's no man in her life. But whenever men call her, she immediately hangs up on them. Well, no wonder she's lonely.
   
   Seems she'd rather stay home alone and brood over her hunky, young former lover, who's moved on and gotten married.
   
   She can't afford to live in Berkeley, yet refuses to do the sensible thing and move somewhere less expensive.
   
   She complains about being out-of-shape, yet does nothing to get herself in shape.
   
   She wants a rich man to buy stuff for her, but when she gets one, she finds something in him to complain about.
   
   Seems to me that most of Jane's problems are self-inflicted.
   
   If you want to read a book by a feisty, sexy senior, skip this one and buy something by Helen Gurley Brown.



3. I am conflicted about Jane Juska. On the one hand, I really liked this book. Say what you will about the woman, she is no slouch in the writing department. I know she liked teaching, but by being a teacher and not a writer for her whole life, she has denied readers what would have been many great books, I'm sure. The title is misleading. "Adventures in Real Estate" the most so. She is not looking to buy a house, she's trying not to go homeless. People will scoff at that, thinking writers are millionaires, but they're not. There isn't really much sex, and a lot of times she goes off tangent, but you really don't mind since she's such a great writer (though she does construct some oddly grammatical sentences at times). She's honest, sometimes embarrasingly so, and she puts her heart and soul out there--no easy feat. That being said, she is probably one of the most pretentious writers you will ever read. She either thinks she's wonderful (everyone recognized me at Berkeley) or awful (I couldn't bear to put my photo online). Usually, though she thinks she's wonderful. She's her own worst enemy pining over a married younger man, when there are plenty of nice available men she could be with. She is also a little anti-arab, as one previous person mentioned, and she seems to put down other people do, in a very sly way that almost flies under the radar but not quite. Still, this is definitely worth reading because the woman has a way with words.



4. UNACCOMPANIED WOMEN: LATE-LIFE ADVENTURES IN LOVE, SEX, AND REAL ESTATE follows on the heels of Jane Juska's best-seller A ROUND-HEELED WOMAN, surveying women's fears of growing old, being alone, and never settling down. Stories of women who, like her, have yet to find love but are determined to find it provides insight, humor and irony and will make the perfect gift for any unaccompanied older woman still looking for love.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. First, I give JJ credit for having the guts to put herself out there. But I'm confused: she went after sex, so why is she continually whining about not finding love? Perhaps if she put the intention of "relationship" out there with the same zeal as her initial ad, then she'd attract one. And why NOT go online??? You know, I'd like to think that with age comes some wisdom, but even I, single and about 18 years younger, don't write drunken emails or sob continually about lost love and then claim my feminist credentials. It's a bit much to see that at 71. I kept wanting to tell her to Get a Life! Enjoy the travels! Make yourself happy!
   
   The other whine I found unattractive is the "I'm poor, so buy me..." a diamond, a house, a free dinner. When a guy tells me he'd like to buy me a gift, the LAST thing that would ever occur to me is to suggest a HOUSE. But in materialistic California (and Berkeley qualifies, despite its granola reputation) there's so much money that envy is common--and so is this sense of entitlement. JJ appears to have lost her manners. All this whining that others need to provide "stuff" for her--we all make decisions about our lives and hers was to teach, then to retire, and then to write. If I were JJ I'd figure out how to leverage my modest "fame" into enough money to buy a place myself, if it's so important to her. Or I'd have used the proceeds from my original sale, added to them and then bought a small place. Take responsibility for yourself!!!
   
   As far as the book goes, it is all over the place. It's really more like a collection of loosely connected essays. I might have enjoyed them more if they had some coherent point and if she wasn't continually whining about her lost "loves" and her financial condition. It got old. Was disappointed in the book.

5 comments about Coming Back Alive: The True Story of the Most Harrowing Search and Rescue Mission Ever Attempted on Alaska's High Seas.

1. An excellent read for any offshore fisherman anywhere- recreational or commercial. Author also blends beautiful descriptions of Alaska along with the suspense of the rescues. A great testimonial to the hard work and sacrifices made by our USCG.



2. I have read some reviews that have been placed on this book and I understand where everyone is coming from. Spike may seem to throw a lot of words in there to describe something and the writing might not be absoluately fluid and pleasing. BUT...Spike Walker is a fisherman first, a book writer second. I saw him on Deadliest Catch where he sat with all the crab boat captains in Dutch Harbor. He writes about this stuff because he lived that life. He might not be able to write a book like The Perfect Storm, but he has been in the middle of the Bering Sea in the most unbelievable weather you can imagine. So while Junger was able to write an amazing and almost "perfect" book, Walker makes up for it in living the life of a crab boat fisherman, knowing those who have been lost at sea, tasting the Bering Sea as he pulled crab pots on deck, and living to tell about it. I anticipate everything he writes because he lived it. He did not simply research and write about it.



3. I know Spike and this is the first book of his I have read. I started reading this at night on my graveyard shift job and couldn't put it down. I spent the winter of 1979-80 in Unalaska working as an engineer at Pan-Alaska Seafood's crab plant and know what Alaska weather is like. I've seen king crab boats with 3" of ice on a 3/4" cable, and the rigging and railings full of ice. I'm from Astoria, Oregon and know lots of fishermen who fish Alaska. I can't imagine anyone having a hard time believing this. Spike nailed it, I felt as though I was in the H-60 with the crews. Its hard to imagine waves of the size described, but I know they do happen in big storms. This book gives an accurate description of the Coast Guard and the kind of weather they go out in to help those in need. I can't comprehend people who tear apart a writer for too many adverbs, writing style, etc. This is a helluva book, Spike is a great writer who does his research well and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes factual adventure stories.



4. This is one of the most mesmerizing books I've read, and definitely one of Spike Walker's best. You will not believe what the fishermen and Coast Guard rescuers go through... tossed about in 50-70 foot seas in leaky survivial suits in 38 degree water in the middle of the night for hours on end. The human will to survive, and the human will to succeed will never be better captured by a more riveting account. Spike Walker's writing captures the right level of detail and he artfully weaves together human emotion and extreme adventure.



5. Excellent book. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Very well written.A good look over the shoulder of the Coast Guard and at the life saving service they provide.

1 comments about Writing on Stone: Scenes from a Maine Island Life Photographs by Peter Ralston With a Foreword by Philip W. Conkling.

1. This book is beautifully written and describes parts of island life from a summer resident's point of view, in addition to the deep feelings caused by the loss of a son who is now buried on the island and has, thus, become part of the island's history. Amazingly, there is nothing sentimental about this book; just heartfelt. Highly recommended to anyone who shares an interest in Maine's island heritage, or summer residents' place in it, or how one family has coped with their personal loss and incorporated it into Maine island culture. Thank you for sharing these very personal feelings and stories with a larger audience.

4 comments about The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton.

1. Completed only a few weeks prior to the close of the author's long, successful and happy life, The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton is the life story of one the modern era's most prolific authors, credited with approximately one hundred books on topics ranging from philosophy, theology, poetry, literature, fiction, and history. Written in an amiable, accessible first-person voice, and illustrated with some forty rare black-and-white photographs, The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton is a "must-have" for researchers and students of Chesterton's literary work, and highly recommended for college and public library collections. A witty, insightful chronicle brimming with wisdom, experience, and more than a few life lessons learned the hard way.



2. Like many English majors upon graduation I was sick to death of Enlgish lit and sold my books off at the local used book store. As "classic rock" seems to be whichever moldy oldies a radio station wants to play, so "classic lit" is similarly a mixed bag of whatever gets shoved into the Norton Anthologies.
   
   Much later I found out how politically motivated such anthologies are (especially the non-fiction ones) and as usual, the Oxford Press ones proved to be far better collections. But reading Chesterton's autobio, I realized how little I got out of my one Victorian lit class, and how much more there was to this era than Thomas Hardy and George Eliot.
   
   Being more and more known as a Chesterton fan-atic and having garnered three pages of notes, bon mots and one-liners from this book, why do I give it four stars? Simply because I require Randall P. or some other competent commentator to provide far more copious footnotes of all things Victoriana. A great deal of history and literature (Victorian pop culture)is herein lightly touched on or briefly referred to by G.K.C. as if readers actually knew what he was talking about.
   
   A friend listened to this book on tape and his take on it was that unlike Orthodoxy and other Chesterton works which continually dazzle the reader, this one is concerned more with enlightening them. Rather than quote the whole book, as one may be tempted to do, I'll confine myself to this reflection on World War One, which Chesterton calls the Great War since this book from 1936 falls before WW II:
   
   "What would the Kaiser, with his mailed fist and his boasts of being Atilla and the leader of the Huns, even in time of peace, have been like if he had issued completely victorious out of a universal war?...What has come out of the War?(?) We have come out of the War, and come out alive; England and Europe have come out of the War, with all their sins on their heads, confused, corrupted, degraded, but not dead....The only defensible war is a war of defence. And a war of defence by its very definition and nature, is one from which a man comes back battered and bleeding and only boasting that he is not dead."
   
   Chesterton has done this reader a great service of actually making him interested in the Victorian era, and rekindled something of that spark for reading that being an English major plodding through a Norton Anthology nearly inevitably kills. He's done something more than breathed life into an oft-dismissed and dusty age, in his lust for life he holds out the promise of breathing life even into our own.



3. Let me begin by saying that this is really not so much of an autobiography as the title Autobiography implies that it is. Chesterton, being a very humble man, chose not to talk about himself during good portions of this book. Of course, there is a lot of discussion of himself (otherwise it would not be an autobiography at all), but there is much that is simply about the world at his time and the thoughts that he has. It is almost more like Augustine's Confessions that a real autobiography (by this I mean an autobiography of his ideas rather than his actions).
   
   In this outstanding book, Chesterton gives us his life story, starting with his childhood, leading into his slight involvement in occultism, then to his conversion (when he realized that all the things he thought he had discovered by thinking were what Christians had believed all along), and into his literary career and political activities. Along the way we get his views on materialism, determinism, naturalism, educations, science, Catholocism, evil, art, the common man, ethics, war, politics, truth, writing fiction, optimism and pessimism, nature, human rights, etc. You get the picture. Chesterton talks about just about everything that was a major issue when he wrote this (1936). He finished it right before he died and it was published posthumously. I personally liked it more than Orthodoxy, which I liked very much. This book is almost like an expanded version of Orthodoxy with some of Chesterton's life story mixed in. Definitely worth reading. It is probably one of my ten favorite books that I have ever read.
   
   His discussion of optimism and pessimism near the end of the book was especially good. This was a major issue then, as modernism's Idea of Progress was clashing with the despair following the World War and the Great Depression. He ended up concluding that neither is the correct stance. He states that "The two sins against Hope are presumption and despair." He goes on to say that what we should really be doing is not presuming that things will go right, or despairing that they will go ill, but rather we should be appreciating what we have. Some things are perhaps hard to appreciate, but this book is not one of them.
   
   Overall grade: A+



4. As always, Chesterton here weighs in with mountains of brilliant insights and poetic experiences. This is a very broad book, covering the whole range of Chesterton's interests, which spanned literature and politics and myth and orthodoxy, among other things. As I progressed from chapter to delightful chapter, I found myself chuckling now and scratching my head again and racing to jot down my thoughts at the end. Few authors I have read carry such a solid understanding of so many areas as Chesterton, and certainly even fewer present it as accurately and as beautifully as Chesterton.

   But you can get a lot of this insight in his other books. This book in particular was enjoyable to understand in a small degree how Chesterton lived out what he believed. It was very encouraging to see that all of these wonderful thoughts need not stay bottled up in the head; they must come out in jokes and essays, books and beer. It took Chesterton a number of years to believe in orthodoxy, and he made some blunders and learned many things in a difficult manner. But in the end, Chesterton lived as a manalive, and this was perfectly in keeping with his final philosophy. We would all do good to read this book and take some lessons from the wise man who was Chesterton.

   Oh, one minor word of warning. Much of the book deals with rather obscure commentary on even more obscure English events in Chesterton's time. I'm sure all of it is incisive and trenchant material, but many times I couldn't make heads or tails out of what he was talking about. But it was nevertheless fun to read despite the mystery of it all.

5 comments about Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict.

1. When first seeing this book pop up on Amazon, i thought it was a book Alice Cooper had written about Golf. Kind of a text version of something like "Leslie Neilson's stupid little golf video"
   
   However I was surprised to discover that this is actually an autobiography written by Alice with focus' on gold chapters in between each chapter.
   
   To be honest, I read the first little golf bit and skipped the ones that followed and just read the biography chapters.
   
   Alice starts from when he was aged 10 and how his family would move from Detroit to L.A back and forth till finally settling in Arizona. And then onto what Alice did in high school and how he got into playing music and writing songs, and the struggle to make it as a successful group.
   
   Alice covers all the events that have happened with him from the mid 60's to mid 2000's. Pretty much all of the stories are there, the drinking, the chicken incident, first hit's, the break up of the original band, how he met his wife, alcohol abuse etc...
   
   I found this to be a pretty good read for the Alice Cooper fan. About the only story I thought was missing was when the python escaped down the hotel room toilet and popped up a week later in someone else's toilet.
   
   Instead of going for the usual tell-all tales, in between each chapter Alice writes a bit about golf, about 12 steps to to chapters how what he has learned from playing golf also adapts to the real world, and also lends a few tip's to anyone who plays golf... I don't, so i skipped most of that as I said.
   
   Overall it's a pretty interesting read, and it's amazing just how many celebrities Alice has met, known and been friends with over his 40 odd years as one of the greatest rock n roll legends of all time.



2. This candid book tells the story of Alice Cooper as well as him giving tips on golf. If you thought it was only about golf, it is not. In fact it is so much more! Alice takes us from the very beginning of his life and keeps us hooked to the last page. He has some amusing stories to tell as well as some sad. You will learn the truth about the chicken on the stage incident and relive other highlights throughout his career..Alice is a true rocker and he still rocks hard today. The original shock rocker and still the best! Alice Rules!



3. Where do I start? This book not only arrived in mint conditon thanks to the wonderful service provided by Amazon, but was the absolute perfect addition to my collection of everything Alice Cooper! If you love Rock n Roll, if you love Alice Cooper, or even if you just love playing Golf and need some awesome Golf Tips you gotta buy this book! Great price! This book isn't all about Golf either, because anyone who has had an addcition problem can relate to this, and it's nice to know that even a celebrity can have normal issues that we all face in life and overcome them! GREAT READ!!!



4. First, I'm old an school Cooper fan - it was a band, not a person. Second, I don't like golf; I think it's nearly as boring as Zipper Catches Skin. So I waded through the rock and roll chapters (skipping the clearly-labeled dozen golfing ones interspersed through the book) and finished it feeling not particularly wiser about Alice Cooper. In short, it is a very homogenized history of Cooper the musician. Like many reformed alcoholics, he'll tell you he was *the* hellman booze fiend of all time. I wished he'd spent more time discussing the minutia of his early days. (And let's face it, bar a couple of fluke hits, there hasn't been much of note from him since 1977). The tedium of his drinking is equalled only by that of his Christianity, but at least he doesn't proselytise. One can only hope that in time someone will write a true and accurate history of the original five Coopers, a band of trailblazers who have a story definitely worth telling.
   Now, to the golf. And this is where Alice is really scary. I decided to wade through the golf stuff and, to be honest, got more out of that than the rest of the book. In fact, by the end of his 12 chapters on golf, I wanted to go down to the local links and sign up for some lessons. Seriously. I still do, three days later. And I've never held a golf club in my life. My only complaint with the golf stuff - about which I know absolutely zilch! - was that it came across in parts as a big advertisement for a particular brand of clubs. But besides that, I'm thinking "Why not?". Hey, if it's good enough for J Mascis and the Coop...



5. Exelent book, writen in a way that you feel that Alice is next to you talking about his life, mixing the chapters between his Rock life and his Golf life... and what a life! Thanks Alice for sharing all those moments, the good and the bad, all I can say is... What a life my friend, WHAT A LIFE!!!!!!!

5 comments about First Light.

1. Simply put. I could not put this book down. i felt i was in the cockpit at times with geoffrey.I finished the book wanting more.



2. I have read many flying books including many dealing with WWII. First Light is outstanding and one of the best.
   
   The author brings life to an incredible odyssey from a young college student to RAF ace. In a matter of a few months he went from an aviation cadet to reporting to a front line fighter squadron. Wellum brings life to arriving at the Spitfire equipped squadron without ever having seen one up close much less having any flying experience in them.
   
   His arrival occurred at the same time as the desperate struggle to evacuate trapped British and French forces from the beaches at Dunkirk. Within a couple of days of his arrival 25% of his new squadron members lay dead at the bottom of the Channel or on the beach.
   
   What some may find redundant is really the exhausting, terrifying daily routine of continuing aerial combat over England and then the Continent. Wellum's descriptions of aerial combat are fascinating. Some battles are against vastly superior forces of ME 109's while in others weather becomes a deadly enemy.
   
   The author's humble writing style makes all the more impact. For those who fly or are history buffs this is a must read.



3. I served in the RCAF durin ww2. I later flew fighters in th USAF, served as captain on USAirways for 28 years.I have written 5 books on aviation.Jeoffrey Wellum's book is a master piece.His breath -taking descriptions of aeral battles puts you right in the cockpit of his BEAUTIFUL Spitfire.
   " The narrow legs of it 'undercarrage give it a delicate apperance.It has the air of a thoroughbread---It's ellipitical wings and sleder body give it an air above all other fighters,the sound of it'sRR Merline engine produces a sound ,like nothing else in the air.I firmly believe that the Spitfire was the most beautiful fighter of ww2, and I as jeoffery said ,I would also give my arm to fly it.
   I don't know which was his most dangerous flying conditions were,weather flack, or bullets. He did a yomans job in all these instances.
   I have read dozens of books by RAF fighter pilots, This book is at the top of my list.Great job " BOY"



4. Excellent first person account of the Battle of Britain but not the best I've read. If you're looking for something with a little more of the overall picture, try Fly For Your Life by Robert Stanford Tuck. Tuck's book is definitely the best memoir on the Battle of Britain I've come across and one of the best WW II books I've ever read.



5. This is one of those books I pick up again and again just to read a random chapter. It is that well written. It tells a story of a generation of people and there unbelievable courage & humility. I know because my own father was one of them. The deeply humourous and self depreciating strong and silent type. I doubt we shall see there like again.

5 comments about Shadows of the Dark.

1. I am a huge fan of John Zaffis as well as his famous Aunt and Uncle Lorraine and Ed Warren. These folks have seen the worst cases imaginable. If you don't know a bit about these great people it would be very hard to believe this stuff but you can take what they say as absolutely GENUINE!!!
   John grew up with the teaching of Ed and Lorraine and it has served him very well! READ IT AND BELIEVE IT!



2. Having read Malachi Martin's "Hostage to the Devil", Brittle/Warrens "The Demonologist" and "The Devil in Connecticut", Scott Peck's "Glimpses of the Devil", plus several books by Gabriel Amorth ("An Exorcist Tells His Story" and "An Exorcist: More Stories")[all good and highly recommended], I wondered what new information or viewpoint might be provided by this book on the issues of demonology, oppression, and possession. I was very pleasantly surprised- there are extremely honest personal insights, disappointments, and even some frank weariness that comes through in the writing that helped me better understand the sacrifices the authors and many others have to make to help both innocent and misguided people escape the demonic. I have no experience in this area (and have no desire for that to change), but if you or a family member are experiencing paranormal/demonic oppression, this would be an excellent book to read. The writing style is very clear, and the case reports are very well done, in my opinion. I guess I was naive, but it really surprised and sickened me when Mr. Zaffis cautioned in some detail that some "demonologists" have gone over to the dark side, and may show up pretending to help people with just the opposite intent in their hearts (the magnitude of the struggle suddenly seems more apparent). This realization alone is worth the price of the book. God bless the authors and everyone else who seek to free people suffering from the chains of the demonic, and God bless their families for the sacrifices they make as well. Not every author puts their contact information on the last page, just in case it's needed.



3. The author of this book is a relation of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famous demonologists (Ed was the only lay person recognized by the Catholic Church in demonology at the time). Unlike "The Demonologist", this book fails in its basic attempt to capture your attention. The most annoying aspect of it was the poor editing; you can tell it was self-published. My recommendation is to read this book only if you have nothing better to read on the subject.



4. The writing REALLY gets in the way. It's poorly done, repetitious, and very distracting. Also, the author advocates use of ANY religion for exorcism. I became disgusted with it, put it down, and couldn't pick it up again. Ed & Lorraine Warren's books are much better as is "Beware the Night" by Sarchie.



5. This book tells several stories of demonic infestation/possession, but all of them are very similiar and not that frightening. Let me summarize the entire book for you-first, there are poundings on the wall,second, manifestations of monk like figures/putrid stench, third, sense of being touched/watched by invisible entities and finally exorcism by a priest. This sequence predictably repeats in every story.
   
   On the other hand, I was truly frightened by the "The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren" . This one reads like a tepid imitation.
   
   The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren

No comments about Might As Well Laugh About It Now.

5 comments about This Just In: What I Couldn't Tell You on TV.

1. I got the book to have it signed by its author Bob Schieffer. Unfortunately, the book was not in a good condition at all. Half of the front page was ripped off and there was a "low prize" button on the cover that I could not get off.



2. Schieffer is a good storyteller and has seen a lot of important news from the last 40 years. He also manages to have something nice to say about nearly everyone he discusses. This book is certainly not a spiteful political diatribe, and is generally very pleasant.
   
   I gave the book 4 stars because of one small point that nagged me as I read the book. For the Nixon era, he interviews many of the important players in Nixon's administration, or at least consults their memoirs, including Nixon himself, Melvin Laird and H.R. Haldeman. The one glaring exception is Chuck Colson, who has written very thoughtfully about the role he played in the Nixon administration, is very contrite for the crimes he committed during that period, and has done a world of good in this country's prisons since having served his own time. Colson very candidly described the m.o. of the administration as a flawed "ends justifies the means" mentality. Why would Schieffer not interview him, or at least consult the significant body of work Colson has produced on the subject?
   
   In general though, I thought it was a very evenhanded and fair-minded account, and Schieffer deserves kudos.



3. Bob Schieffer who spent his life in journalism and was the anchor of 'Face the Nation'. He offers a behind-the-scenes account of his more than forty years in journalism, including coverage of the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, and Capitol Hill. Mr. Schieffer also discusses his reporting of Kennedy's assassination, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, Watergate and September 11, 2001.
   
   You can tell that he enjoyed his career as a journalist and seems to be honest in his recollection of his career. And his brushes with those he interacted with. Though he does name drop and seem to let us know when ever fate favored him. Other then some of the few self-serving statements on his personal life and social climbing, his anecdotes are still worth reading. Even though he seems to never have met a person he didn't like. Do not expect to learn anything new, but it will jog your memory of many familiar events.



4. I enjoyed this book because it gave an insider's perspective on many of the most important news stories of my lifetime. Having worked for a CBS affiliate in the early 80s, it brought back many memories. But what I took away was a sense of Bob Schieffer's genuine, unflashy but solid character. I've never met him, but I watched his work over the years as the "backup" anchor for CBS News. Stars have come and gone, but he has always handled that duty with quiet grace. He was never one to grand-stand, to wax with righteous indignation or pomposity. He's never tried a special sweater or a silly signoff (remember "Courage"?) to boost his ratings. I'll bet he never even owned a blow dryer. Just did his job, said his piece, bringing hard work and common sense to the task. To me, this book was a heartening reminder that the basics really can pay off in the long run.



5. Bob Schieffer is not only an outstanding reporter and anchor but an excellent story teller as well. His accounts of the history he has seen make the reader feel a part of the story. Highly recommended to anybody interested in knowing more about the stories that have shaped our lives.

5 comments about One Train Later: A Memoir.

1. Reading this book was like riding a roller coaster.
   
   I'm a huge 'Police' fan, and when I saw Andy had an auto biography out I ran out and bought it right away.
   
   At first, I had a hard time with it. Andy writes with gret attention to detail; it's very artistic, and a bit 'lulling'.
   
   But once you get past his childhood and into his 'musical years', it's incredible! Andy's wit is so dry and so clever, you want to sit and have a few lagers with him and just listen to him tell his tales.
   
   In the true form of a Gentleman, Andy doesn't really dish dirt on his fellow Policemen. This was 'nice'...but everyone wants a little juicy gossip on their favorite celebs. As the book wore down and the break up of the Police was imminent, you suddenly realize that Andy is not going to say anything terribly mean (or truthfully mean) about Sting or Stewart.
   
   I was a little disappointed with this last fact, but I still reccomend this book not only to every Police fan, but to every Guitarist. Andy played with all of the greats, and his stories about being on the road are priceless!



2. This is an epic tale of a New Wave musician that spans his beginnings in the '60s to his triumphs in the '80s. His vivid and comprehensive telling of the rise and ultimate break-up of the legendary New Wave band The Police is enthralling and magnificent. If only all books on popular music could be so good.



3. Totally entertaining from cover to cover. Packed full of great stories about the band including some never before heard stories about the making of the albums and the studio sessions. The chapter with Andy hanging out with John Belushi had me rolling with laughter!
   If your a fan of the Police, you're missing out if you don't read this book!!



4. Doesn't get much better than this is you want a behind-the-scenes accounting of the Police from literally the beginning to the end. Great stories, Summers is a great writer and there's some really funny passages.
   
   But great, great stories about each album and how they did it. It seems like they had the most fun making Regatta and things went sort of downhill from then on (although Synchronicity was a masterpiece).
   
   Really something worthwhile; I read it in two days.



5. When the book arrived by mail at home, by coincidence I had just read Clapton's "Autobiography", so an immediate comparison between the two guitarists/writers was innevitable.
   
   As much as they play complete different styles, their writing follow suit. Andy's book is more complex, dense and indeed very well written, with a rich and colorful account of his entire life, not just centering the story on the Police time, which would be way too obvious.
   
   Andy's life is truly an artist's one, and that's the point that should come more visible to the reader. More, he's a witty guy, full of references and deadly funny, so it's a pleasure to read so many stories about the 60's, 70's and 80's rock through his vision, which is privileged itself for Andy being also a great photographer (see also "I'll Be Watching You").
   
   This completeness - writing, playing and photographing - of Andy's work is outstanding and puts him miles ahead from the ordinary pop star. It also makes this book deserve great attention not only from Police fans, but mainly from those who love rock and roll and reading. A must-have!