The Busines of May Next is easily the best book I have ever read on James Madison's intellectual journey from his dismay over the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation to his draft of the Virginia Plan, which was the underlying foundation of our Constitution.

The title is taken from a letter Madison wrote in which he discussed the "business" of the upcoming Constitutional Convention (in May of 1789), of which Madison--along with Alexander Hamiltion--was the prime mover.

Miller's book expertly and eloquently explores the influences on Madison's thinking, from his reading of David Hume's essays on the ideal conditions for a republic, to his correspondence with Washington, Jefferson and many others in which he fleshed out his ideas of how to turn the weak, ineffectual Articles into a government that had both power and staying power.

As Miller points out, Madison's genius was his understanding of human behavior, and his awareness that any government must be shaped in ways that take advantage of the "better angels of our nature," but also (more important) minimize, or at least accommodate, the darker side of our nature.

By fashioning a government with limited and shared powers; by holding frequent elections in which the leaders are held accountable; by ensuring that the people possess certain rights that no government can threaten (on pain of being altered or abolished), Madison was the first among equals in the creation of a truly representative government that has lasted more than 200 years and shows no signs of dying out.

Miller himself is one of the few (William Manchester is another) historians whose thorough research is matched by his delightful writing style. I have two copies of the book--a hardcopy for reading and a paperback for underlining.

This is a very good discussion of Madison's role in the development of the Consitution. Very readabl

I read this book several years ago and was impressed with the historical facts pertaining to the Quadalcanal fight. The men that took place in the defense of that island were true Heros.

The fight for Guadalcanal as told from the air. Another of my favorites, it recounts the deeds of Joe Foss, Marion Carl, et al and their desperate bid to hold onto America's first gains in the Pacific. This one will have you rooted to the edge of your seat. It's a great mix of well researched historical information and dramatic story telling. "WWII Aviation Booklist" http://www.ampsc.com/~prophet/booklist.html

This book is well-written and was extremely helpful to me. The author, who also has started the PIT oragnization, has provided a resource that otherwise seems to have been missing in the world of job-searching/unemployment. The book goes through the different emotions and practical steps that someone laid off form work must (usually will) go through on the way back to employment. Actual stories of people who where downsized or just plain laid-off, and the description of steps that they took on the road to reemployment (effective networking, collaborative job-searching, and effective interviewing) are inspiring and insightful. In all- a worthwhile read.

Career Bounce-Back! was an invaluable tool. When I lost my job, I couldn't believe that it could happen to me. One minute I was angry, the next minute depressed. My life was "out of control." I thought it was all my fault, until I read Career Bounce-Back! After reading the book I realized that you could manage through the emotional wave that unemployment brings, and also learned the importance that networking plays in the re-employement process. Career Bounce-Back! helped me get the job.

This book is a great overview of construction - it covers building stages ranging from the foundation to framing to roof details to types of siding available. Some electrical basics discussed, tips and tricks to keep in mind -- overall a good, lucid, well-thought out book that can get you started with construction.

From tools to termites, this book is an excellent reference tool for the construction novice (the person who is a neophyte to the trade, yet yearns to build their own home). This is a fine jumping-off point to more trade-specific references. It has given me the confidence to build my own house, even though I can't swing a hammer without hitting my thumb. Detailed drawings and illustrations complement a text that works from the "ground floor" up (forgive the pun) to the finishing touches aimed at the asthetic level.

This commemorative book, published in 1992, certainly does its job of commemorating the movie Casablanca. It's a slender book with tons of photos of the actors, sets, and posters from the movie, and packed with everything you seemingly would want to know about it.

You find out about what led to Casablanca's production, its inspiration, how the actors were chosen, the history occurring at the time that helped it along, the quarrels on set, the difficulties with budget and timing, the process for coming up with the ending of the movie. You learn about the director's accent and odd way of speaking that sometimes confused everyone. (When he asked for a "poodle" and such a dog was brought, he angrily tried to clarify that what he wanted was a "puddle". ) You learn about Bogart's standoffishness to Ingrid Bergman, and Peter Lorre's continual playing of practical jokes on the cast. There's a bio about each actor, and how the movie affected his or her career, and a listing of movies that were intended copies or spinoffs. This is a great book if you love Casablanca, its actors, or want to know about moviemaking of that era.

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." Unrequittted love? No one knows it better than Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. Paris, Casablanca, does it matter where love meets up again? Reality intrudes, and makes these two face facts. This is the ultimate love story of the century. What this world truly means. Unrequited love, and our responsibility to everyone else. "Fall in love all over again." And I always thought that quote was so corny. Until I saw this. Watch this. You'll really fall in love with Ingrid and Humphrey, and cry at their nobility and their own love. And what they'll do for love. See it. Understand it. There is nothing better.

Three decades have passed since Claude McCutcheon and Jesse Hamilton served together in Nam. Though they were best friends while serving in the jungle, it has been almost that long since they last talked. That is why San Francisco Bay resident Claude is stunned to hear a small child crying in his living room. Jesse has disappeared, leaving his son with Claude to protect him.

Soon the security chief of Sentinel Microsystems, Barton Jones, arrives, demanding Claude reveal Jesse's whereabouts. The FBI, making the same demand follows Barton's aggressive visit. When danger hits home, Claude begins to search for his missing friend. Claude learns that Jesse went underground because he uncovered the dark secrets of what his Silicon Valley company was really doing and has a disk to prove it.

CAUSES OF ACTION is an action-packed thriller that highlights the ambience and excitement of the Bay area. Claude is an interesting character and the support cast, especially the San Franciscans, add warmth and depth to a well-designed tale. The story line occasionally slows down, but John A. Miller continues to provide insight into the various mindsets of Viet Nam Veterans as he successfully did with CUTDOWN. An engrossing novel that will bring accolades to the author.

Harriet Klausner

I got my hands on an Advance Readers Copy of this book-which I understand will be available in December. Protagonist Claude McCutcheon is a very modern and yet traditional hard-boiled hero. A practicing lawyer and Vietnam veteran with deep shadows in his past that make the fast-moving action parts of the book highly believable. The action scenes read like verbal lightning. There is also a sense of ideas played out in real life, choices made and prices paid that is genuine in a way not every mystery novel attains. Speaking as a cat lover, I also have to say that in CAUSES OF ACTION, as in CUTDOWN (the first Claude McCutcheon), there is a very fully-realized cat, who plays an important role in the story. CUTDOWN introduced McCutcheon, his law practice in Albany, California, his network of friends in low places-some of them old Army buddies. Like Marlowe with his chess and Travis McGee with his crusades, Claude McCutcheon is true to a code older than Gunsmoke.

CAUSES OF ACTION begins when Claude awakes in the pre-dawn hours to find a 4 year old child in his bedroom with a note pinned to his jacket. The little boy, Earl, is the son of Jesse Hamilton from Claude's old platoon. Although Claude has not seen him since the day 30 years earlier that Jesse was wounded on a battlefield in Vietnam, he feels an obligation to take care of the boy for a few days. Clearly Jesse is in trouble and Claude cannot help attempting to dig him out. This tortuous journey then takes Claude into the minefields of the Silicon Valley business wars, close encounters with a beautiful FBI agent who may or may not be an ally, and a confrontation with old enemies and deep-rooted corruption that threatens his carefully balanced existence and his very life. Miller's first book sparked some controversy among a few people I know who disagreed with the hero's less than politically correct ideas. Having known a few Vietnam veterans, I found McCutcheon's views to be an accurate portrayal of the opinions of many from that particular "lost generation." I personally found both CUTDOWN and CAUSES OF ACTION well worth reading for the story and reading again for the writing.

This book is a riveting story of life in a small rural town and the joys and heartbreaks of growing up. I loved the storytelling of Heather Ross Miller, and felt like I was in Badin NC, sweltering in the summer heat! Can't wait till her next book is published this fall to hear her wonderful storytelling voice once again! I give this book 5 stars!!!

I may be a bit biased in my review of CHAMPEEN as I have the priviledge of KNOWING and LIKING ALOT, Heather Ross Miller. She is a smart, very funny lady, she can turn a trip to the grocery store into a funny story, she is the type of person you love to sit with and and chat with, but mostly LISTEN to. This is how I felt while reading her "CHAMPEEN". It is a wonderful story, actually a whole lotta stories in a story, some very funny, some very sad. Being a woman myself, I could relate alot to the main character, TITANIA, both as a woman and as a young girl turning 13. The classic teen-age crush on an older guy, the fantasies of doing something GREAT, like twirling fire in Titania's case-----wanting to be loved and adored by all. Heather, to me, is a master story-teller, who can take everyday ordinary people we encounter and turn them into funny caricatures. For example, Titania's alcoholic father who captures the neighborhood yappy, irritating rat-dog and gives him a bath in their tub, which infuriates Titania's perfect mother, a woman who wants everything and everyone around her to be perfect. And there is the fat preacher who comes to Badin to baptize lost souls in the lake, only to fall into it himself------his speech is a riot, I just loved how she wrote it. I strongly recommend this book for both readers AND writers, as I think Heather is a great writer, a master of words. And I know she is dedicated to her craft, she has written forever, and she has the story-telling genes in her, as her father was a writer, her uncle, her aunt, etc. In closing, I give CHAMPEEN an enormous THUMBS UP, and I am even going to read it again after I am finished with my current book.

This book is too late for me but I would give anything if I'd had
availble to me, at the time, a book as sensitive as this one.
The insights are straightforward and revealing of both sides of the issue. Written from the Christian perspective it offers a
lot of tools for the possibility of change.
I would recomend it highly to the young wife confronted with
what seems to be an insurmountable problem.
Even without a mother-in-law today, I am reminded that in any
troubling relationship, there are two sides to be considered.
These three authors have done a masterful job with
the subject. It will make a good 8 week study course.

This book is perfect for anyone who wants to improve their relationship with their mother-in-law or daughter-in-law, and would also work well as a small group study. I found the personality test useful in helping me to understand my strengths and weaknesses. This information also shed light on the differences in temperament and personality between me and my mother-in-law. The story portrayed in the journal helped by giving examples I could relate to, and the Bible Study was great. I highly recommend this book!

As the former director children's church at my church, I heartily recommend this book. The lessons are straightforward and easily understood and the craft/visual aids are simple and won't have you running all over town to find the components. If you don't want to weigh yourself down with bulky curriculum every Sunday, give this a try. Great for family time too!

There are several things I like about this book. The every-day, easy to find objects used in the sermons are items that children in my church quickly identify. The stories are interesting to adults and children and I don't have to add much to them. There are also special occasion lessons, such as Father's Day and Super Bowl Sunday. The book includes both a scripture index and a topical index that I found very helpful.