The Stone and the Flute by the underrated German author Hans Bemmann is a surreal yet passionate tale I highly recommend. The protagonist of the story, Listener, is naive and trusting, and constantly finds himself lost in a changing world. Unlike other fantasy novels, the hero does not undergo a definitive "quest" but rather his journey is into life itself, with its many side roads and gray ambiguities. The novel stays with Listener from his birth until his death, and throughout the course of the novel, he must deal with death, love, marriage, betrayal, and ambition. Good, bad, right, and wrong are shown as shady areas, as we see the human nature of evil and how sometimes deep wrong can be committed by doing what seems right on the surface. Throughout the novel, the reader is also plunged into Listener's terrifying dreams and the haunting melodies he creates from the flute given to him by his grandfather. Both the most beautiful and disturbing novel I have ever read, the story and its themes have never left my mind.

On the surface, it's light reading because it falls into the "fantasy" category but each adventure has consequences and a life lesson that Listener had to learn the hard way.

I recommend this book for young adult readers because "It's a smart man who learns from his mistakes. It's a wise man who learns from the mistakes of others." However, my recommendation does not stop at that age group. Having recently re-read it now that I'm of "Grandma" age (EEEEK, already???) I picked out and understood many more things than when I first read it 15+ years ago. Still thoroughly enjoyable!

On another plane, years ago I sent a copy to a friend to share with her Native American students in Santa Fe. She had mentioned that many of the teens had complained how no one understands their culture and beliefs. Yet here is a book written by someone from the other side of the planet that conjurs up images of the southwest in its descriptions of its peoples and parallels to their legends. She says her copy has been passed from hand to hand throughout the years and though teens can be tough and careless, this book has been treated with far greater respect than any of their other reading materials.

To me, that's a testament to the book's value.

I find this one of the greatest fantasy books to ever have been written. It tells the beautiful and also malevolent story a world and it's history. The realistic thing about this book, that makes it so beautiful, is the it explains the repercussions of the characters actions and mistakes as a child and throughout his life, and how they affect him, even tragically and permanently. I have read many Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and a select other, fiction-class, books. I absolutely am amazed as to the ability of the writer to form the intricate fabric of the world, races, and people by extensively using customs, prejudices, folklore, personalities, emotion, death, tragedy, and the ultimate quest for love, happiness, and wisdom. It is a story for the heart to follow for it will make you feel happy and sad as you follow Listener on his uncertain and powerful path.

I was about to go buy a millennium gift for my wife when I read in the New York Times Sunday business section about two weeks ago, an article about gemstone treatments. In it, the journalist mentioned a book titled "Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide" and its author was quoted throughout the article, and was clearly someone in the consumer's corner.

The article made me realize I needed to know more, so I went to look for this book, as well as others. It didn't take long to realize that none of the other books could begin to compare to this one in terms of thoroughness, candidness, and relevant, practical advice. It is also extremely well organized, so that it is easy to find the information you need, and very easy (and fascinating) to read.

I never knew there were so many ways an unsuspecting consumer could make a mistake when it comes to buying jewelry, but after reading this book (I even took it with me to refer to it as I shopped) I really found the confidence I lacked, and the perfect gift. Thank you New York Times for making me aware of the treatments, but more than that, for making me aware of this book!

I bought a diamond in the NY wholesale diamond center and after taking it to an appraiser recommended by a friend, found out it was treated (it had cracks that were filled with glass so that you wouldn't see them)! The appraiser ordered me not to buy any more diamonds, or any other gem, until I went out and bought a book called "Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide." If I had read this book BEFORE I purchased the diamond, I would never have made such a mistake. First, the book tells about the exact treatment used on the diamond I bought, along with all kinds of treatments used on diamonds and other gemstones. Bit I really couldn't believe it as I read an example of EXACTLY what happened to me on 47th street. There is was, my story! I now enjoy shopping for jewelry more than ever, have discovered gemstones I never knew about before, and more importantly, following the information the authors provided, I now know exactly what to do to ensure I'll never be cheated again. I can't thank them enough, or praise this book enough.

Great book. Authors definitely had MY interests at heart! Clearly written. Easy, informative reading, filled with money-saving tips and advice to prevent my being an unsuspecting victim. I especially appreciated the chapters on "Questions to Ask Before Buying" and "What to Get in Writing." The extensive price guides also provided a very helpful guide to whether or not I was getting good value. My wife also appreciated the tips provide on how to get a larger stone within our budget (and still have a beautiful diamond) as well as the innovative design tips. This book made a real difference in how we went about choosing the stone and making the ring. Couldn't have done it so successfully alone. Recommended for anyone about to buy any important piece of jewelry.

I wasn't a Cub fan growing up, but I watched the WGN games almost everyday in the summer and I came to enjoy the broadcast team of Harry and Steve. Steve Stone is one of the most underrated broadcasters on television and the anecdotes he provides for the book are truly gems.

Steve loved Harry quite a bit, and blasts former Cub play by play man Milo Hamilton who was particularly ugly to Harry before and after his death. But the subtext of the early chapters is that Harry had some flaws, and Harry and Steve had their ups and downs during their career together. It would have been easy to gloss over that reality, but it's a credit to Stone that he paints a very human picture of a baseball legend.

I grew up listening to Harry Caray and Steve Stone on WGN. I must say that this book brought back a lot of great memories and provided a lot of behind the scenes details that I never knew about. Any fan of baseball or story-telling will love this book. Steve Stone's candor makes the stories even better.

I absolutely loved this book. I laughed, I cried and then did some more laughing. Even if you are not a die hard Cubs fan, this is one book you must have. Steve Stone did a great job showing us the side of Harry we didn't get to see.

The Fraternity of the Stone is fast paced and exciting. There is never a dull moment. If you like action books, this is the book for you. I have only two criticisms. First, the book seems to misunderstand the heart of Christianity and Catholicism in ways that make the novel less realistic. For example, many of the characters, including priests and monks, keep talking about "saving themselves." This is far too Pelagian, even for Catholics.

Second, the novel reads a little bit too much like a good action film. It is not quite as sophisticated or literary as a novel can be.

Overall, despite these minor criticisms, it is an excellent book. It is my first Morrell novel and has got me very excited about reading his other novels. I highly recommend it.

David Morrell is without question my favorite author, and it is books like this one that put him in the top spot. For readers of "The Brotherhood Of The Rose", this is the follow up. The lead character, Drew MacLane, is according to Morrell a "reinvention" of Chris from 'Brotherhood'. Drew has entered a monastery after a life as an assassin, but is tracked down after six years and is now on the run. Just like 'Brotherhood', this book is full of authentic spy craft as well as action on every page. A new copy isn't available through Amazon, but it is worth whatever you pay for a used copy because you'll get your money's worth and then some!

I have previously read other Morrell books and somewhat expected this one to be a little less delivering when I started. Boy was I wrong! Morrell takes us through the first few chapters giving the necessary background info while weaving in the events of the present, set in a monastery. The story then takes off as the ex-master assassin Drew is forced to run for his life from the monastery escaping those who had killed off all the monks. He is forced back into an unfamiliar society searching for friends. He is stabbed in the back and rekindles an old love while learning of an underground fraternity of priests dedicated to protecting the Church at any cost. I felt this book was an excellent showing by Morrell-twisting the usual violence and chaos in with the usage of religion, immense inner struggle, and an interesting new story involving the protection of the entire Catholic Church. A highly recommended action-packed book!

From the very first page of All Flowers Die by Andrew K. Stone I was drawn to the character of Dale Tarleton. Immediately we care about this precocious boy who is always asking, always seeking to understand and examine everything in his world, to the annoyance, bewilderment, and consternation of his friends, family, and teachers. What happens to Dale and his good friend Kevin as they grow older is the subject of this novel. Dale/Phiz has a secret he is carrying which burdens him and affects everything he does. I highly recommend this book to all who love reading and vibrant, unforgettable characters.

Andrew K. Stone through his novel, All Flowers Die, has presented a deep friendship between two entirely different young men. One, Phiz, who must achieve; who has a relentless and burning desire to achieve, and his friend, Kevin. Kevin, is a solid strength behind his friend Phiz and is the mainstay in Phiz's life. Kevin gives unconditional friendship and understanding, asking nothing in return.

From the beginning of the book one recognizes the lifelong friendship and admiration each has for the other, even recognizing each other's faults. One is aggressive in his quest for success in his field of endeavor but is that field really -- rock and roll -- or is it humanity? Tough call. Kevin, not as dedicated to a goal as his friend, but understands the drive behind him as childhood memories rush to their adult world.

You will experience the rises and falls in the music business; the aloneness in a crowd and the backstage heartbreak.

When you close the book, you too will hold the memories..

This is a poignant tale -- a sensitive story of life -- and -- death.

Dolphindli

Stone's All Flowers Die is testament to the notion that many of us think we know someone absolutely and completely, yet the truth is is that we only assume to understand the depth of a person- even your best friend. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the narrator's perceptions and impressions of his world. Beginning from his youth, the narrator introduces us to what at first appears to be his ordinary existence, one which is dotted with unique events as well as some interesting friends. However, the landscape of the text transforms as Kevin (the narrator) emerges from childhood to adolescence, alongside his painfully honest and often eccentric friend, Dale.

For the two friends, home becomes an apartment in Boston during the quintessential underground music era of the 1980's. Add to the mix the intensity of Dale's desire to share his almost iconoclastic vision with the world through his music with Kevin's self-doubt and apprehension, and you have a powerful coming of age story.

Andrew Stone weaves a tale that reveals the viscera that is the realm of rock n' roll and manages to maintain the sense that there is much more to the characters that meets the eye. Whether it's the grit and grime of city streets, the stale, beer-slicked floor of a club floor, or the evolution of two very different individuals that makes a novel memorable, All Flowers Die will leave a long-lasting impression on your mind.

This is one of Ruth Rendell's earlier works and, perhaps, one of her best. More of a novella, rather than a full fledged novel, by virtue of its brevity, it is absolutely brilliant, well-written, and gripping from the get go. Ms. Rendell captures the reader with her first sentence, "Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write."

This is a descriptive and insightful literary stunner about how an illiterate, middle aged women gets to the point that she wipes out a family one fateful evening. The book takes the reader, step by step, through the events that lead up to this crossroad. It explores the mind of Eunice Parchman, a woman so limited in her world view and so robotic in her actions that she is almost repellent. The reader marvels at her very existence and is sure to find her fascinating character study.

Ms. Parchman's interactions with the well educated Coverdale family, who employs her as a housekeeper, are intriguing and always interesting, as she struggles to keep her illiteracy a secret. How Ms. Parchman circumvents its discovery for as long as does, the lengths to which she goes to maintain a facade of literacy, and her socially inappropriate responses to every day situations, paint an intriguing psychological portrait for the reader. The eventual discovery of her illiteracy results in a ghastly outcome, which makes for some gripping and chilling reading.

Ms. Rendell is masterful in her storytelling, infusing mundane situations with an understated horror that is all the more chilling because of the common denominator that strikes a chord with the reader. Written is well-nuanced, taut, spare style, this book is a literary gem that will keep the reader riveted to its pages. Bravo!

I read in reviews that many consider this to be Ms. Rendell's best work. Not having read all of her books, I can't agree or disagree, but I don't see how she could get much better than this. From the first page, you know what happened, but seeing each piece of the puzzle fall into place is chilling and inevitable. There is no real mystery, a "just the facts" kind of tone to the story, but you realize that it can end no other way. This book is frightening, believable, and perfect. It will stay with you for a long time. Ruth Rendell is truly a master!

Kathleen

I hope that the fact that this book is back in print is a good sign that the other early non-Wexford novels of Ruth Rendell will also become easier to find. This novel is a masterpiece, a short and wonderful story that you can see happening. Rendell has so many strenghths in her writing, but the one I find most overwhelming and awe inspiring is her ability to really draw humans. To make you understand how ordinary people can find themselves in the most god awful of circumstances. How your mind can create the reality that you ultimately work from. It is true that this novel works from an almost "true crime" point of view. I found myself thinking of "In Cold Blood" so often that I had to remind myself that is was not a true case. You want to feel for Eunice, even in the face of the terrible acts she has prepertrated. A true accomplishment. May Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine live to be six hundred and ten and never stop writing. I hate to say there are only seven Ruth Rendell non-wexford books that I have not yet read (and I have a long commute on public transportation, so I go through them quick.) and I fear running out! My library also hopes more of her books become rereleased, as my excuse that my cat ate their books are beginning to wear thin. Once you have a Rendell in your hands, you are hesitant to give it back. It becomes a part of you. I don't think I have ever read a Rendell/Vine novel without declaring in the first 50 pages "Okay this is her best one ever." This is true of A Judgement in Stone" as well.

This book is more popular in left-of-center, Oliver Stone, conspiracy circles. Colonel Prouty (the guy who inspired Mr. X, the deep-throat of Oliver Stone's JFK) is no doubt an amiable, patriotic and honorable man. Though, I just cannot come to swallow this book- hook, line and sinker... because its more speculation than anything. It is often speculated that had Kennedy lived, than the U.S. would never have sunk so deep into the quagmire of Vietnam. I find this book interesting, but it is a puzzle that isn't put together. Prouty doesn't produce a mountain of evidence showing who assassinated Kennedy. He basically asks the question of whose interest was it in Kennedy being assassinated. His insights on foreign policy and intelligence are intriguing. Nonetheless, the fact that he was out of the country during the assassination kind of lends creedence to those who debunk him. Though, his defense-intelligence background obviously gives him a great deal of insight. Prouty also downplays ideology (e.g. communism and capitalism) as the motivator for conflict in the world during the cold war... but instead chalks it up to imperialism- This kind of left-wing historical analysis shows why Stone jumped on Prouty's ideas. The book is a page-turner and hard to put down at times... I just take it with a grain of salt, because there is so little tangible evidence produced, but a great deal of speculation mixed with political intrigue.

I want those readers who have not read this book to read my opinions below.

First, this is a great book simply because Prouty has provided more inside ammunition for researchers to mine the depths of our secret government. This is the government of men who controlled the secret programs of assassination, the secret slush funds of counterintelligence, the operatives who dilligently carried out their secret orders,their programs of stealth, quasi-law breaking, and other publically inaccessible information. Prouty's book quite correctly points the finger at Dulles, Lansdale, and others in CIA, who were paranoid about communism and Castro. They viewed Kennedy as a traitor and he stood in the way of the war machine they were operating, both overtly, but especially covertly. The termination of raids to Cuba, the failure of follow-up air support at the Bay of Pigs, the promise not to invade Cuba after the Cuban missile crisis, were all blamed on Kennedy. The firing of Dulles, Cabell, and Bissell contributed to the intelligence community wanting JFK removed from command. It is astonishing that so few have commented on the contrast between now and then: in 1963 we were fed lies depicting Oswald as a crazed nut, a loner, and defector. These days we have mountains of evidence he was much more than these pictures of him. He associated with Clay Shaw, David Ferrie, anti-castro cubans, and others. He returned to the US without a hitch, but in those days a defector would have been hounded and closely watched. If this were true,then why wasn't the FBI catching all his associations and illegal activities? Prouty has produced the superstructure of the conspiracy by showing the history, and context of the cold war and the CIA.

If one can view a supposed loser like Oswald pulling off this assassination as being totally ridiculous, then one can entertain other possibilities. Why was Lyndon Johnson reversing NSAMs so quickly concerning Vietnam? Why did Johnson appoint Warren, Dulles, Ford, et al? Why wasn't the Dulles appointment perceived as a conflict of interest? Here is the fired subordinate investigating the dead boss! Dulles definitely kept information from the panel, especially about the assassination plots being orchestrated by the CIA, with the Mafia as the gunmen. In this connection, another book of importance should be read and that is by Peter Dale Scott: Deep Politics and the Death of JFK. It is a difficult book because he describes a quasi government,over-and-above government institutions, which controlled the plot and the outcome. This corresponds to some observations about Prouty's book, which fails to name names. But that isn't quite correct. Prouty does name many persons who were in command positions and had the power to orchestrate the assassination.Two prominent persons were Dulles and Lansdale. Any clever and alert reader who watched Stone's movie JFK will see a very short (about 2 second)sequence in the movie where General X is making the call to the network to carry out the plot and kill JFK. On his desk is a nameplate which clearly says "Lansdale".

The Prouty book establishes that Kennedy "was getting Americans out of Vietnam, he confirmed that he was moving away from the pattern of Cold War confrontation in favor of detente.He asked congress to cut the defense budget.Major programs were being phased out. As a result, pressure from several fronts began to to build against the young President.The pressure came from those most affected by cuts in the military budget, in the NASA space program, and in the enormous potential cost-and profit-of the Vietnam War."

It is very ironic that his enemies in government brought about detente with the Soviet Union. The notion that Oswald was a lone killer is preposterous and if it were true, why would the full truth be kept from us so long after the collapse of communism? This was the facile justification for locking up the evidence until 2025: that our outrage against a communist conspiracy would demand a war against the communists. The real truth was to control the information to the American public, so as to cover their tracks, and establish a legend to the JFK killing.

Everyone should read this book. I heartily recommend this book to anyone seeking insight into the question about insiders being involved in the killing.

Prouty gives us the point of view of both an ace historian and an insider taking us from the origins of the cold war up through the assassination of President Kennedy, and then on up through tomorrow night's evening news. It's haunting how the power elite's patterns of military strategies and propaganda tactics of that era correlate with many of today's current events. Just the other day somebody on TV was screaming, "Why wasn't there an objective in Desert Fox?!" while at the same time I'm reading the answer in Prouty's book, yet the book was written 6 or 7 years ago.

This isn't a book only on the Kennedy assassination, but Kennedy's bold decisions which led to his death and the forces behind it all. He explains clearly the post-H-bomb military strategy of aiding both sides of the fence in Vietnam to win the REAL war - big business. We get an inside look at the Dulles brothers and their direct line to the "High Cabal" which overrules even the White House.

I once heard Col. Prouty say in an interview that he's never read a page of the Warren Commission's 26 volumes of hearings on the assassination. He said he didn't have to because he knew who did it. I thought that was a bit odd, but after reading this book I understand what he means. Prouty had worked with these guys! These are the same forces that overthrew the Philipines, Greece, Iran, Bulgaria and Guatemala (to name just a few).

Out of all the books written about the Kennedy assassination this is easily one of the best. Check out his website!

Danny Hillis is known for his child-like approach to things. This book is a good example. I think it's a definate must read for the computer neophyte of any age (I'm buying several for people ranging from a teenager to my father-in-law). He introduces the *real* workings behind computers. Forget about RAM, bits, bytes and all that. Think about information flowing like water and computation performed with little gears. The long-term computer lover will find this book a quick, light, but thouroughly enjoyable read.

In this book, Hillis has managed to cover all of the basics of how computers operate, from theory like Boolean algebra and finite state machines, up to applications of the theory like multiprocessors and their limits. He even manages to find space to discuss Turing's Halting Problem, and Godel's Incompleteness Theorem.

To fit so much information into such a small book, Hillis has minimised his explanations, to the point that I think a true newcomer to these concepts would have difficulty in following a lot of the details. The text has been designed so that not understanding parts of it will not greatly affect the understanding of the rest, however I believe the reader would have much less appreciation for how all of the ideas mesh together in this case.

Hillis has crafted a beautiful book, one that provides excellent insight into the workings of computer technology, and a slightly different approach to that taken by standard textbooks. While I don't think this book would serve as a substitute to a standard text, it makes an excellent companion book for anyone who is already partly familiar with the concepts covered.

Reading Hillis' book is full of joy. His insights inspired many thoughts I never had during those computer and logic design courses. The examples he gave are illustrative and illuminating. People interested in or fascinated by the "mysterious" power of computers should grasp the central ideas of computation after finishing this book.

Very easy to read. A truly nice piece.

When ABC News assigned John Miller to the case of the Washington sniper, it should have signalled to one and all that someone at ABC believed there was an Arab terrorist angle to the case. Miller is an expert on that.
In "The Cell: Inside the 9/11 Plot, and Why the FBI and CIA Failed to Stop It" Miller (with Michael Stone and Chris Mitchell) details the way the U.S. intelligence system failed to note the signals, including Miller's own "interview" with Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in which he had to prepare written questions and was not allowed any follow-up questions.
The book starts with the strange case of Meir Kahane (disclaimer: we were friends in the late 1940s) who was gunned down in a room full of witnesses by El Sayyid Nosair, who, like his accomplices, wore a yarmulka.
The accomplices abandoned Nosair, who fled alone. On the way, he shot a Irv Franklin, a Kahane follower, and a postal inspector (a federal offense). The get-away was bungled. The red-headed giant of a taxi driver who was supposed to pick up Nosair for his get-away somehow got lost but Nosair made it to the hospital on his own for treatment of the wound from the postal inspector's bullet.
Open and shut case, no?
The homicide cops quickly caught the accomplices and raised their homes, seizing documents and other treasures that pointed to an OBL plot against New York City.
But the higher ups in the NYPD, the chief of detectives Joe Borelli in particular, called Homicide's Lt. Ed Norris to a meeting at headquarters and asked:
"Was this the work of one man?"
Norris said, "No."
Borelli ended that discussion with "You shut up. You do murders; they do conspiracies."
And so Norris's files on al Quaida sat unopened and unread from November 1990 until after Sept 11, 2001. Nosair was acquitted of first-degree murder. His co-conspirators were not prosecuted.
The whole book is full of such examples, including the erratic behavior of Mohammed Atta, which did not raise eyebrows, and the "practice run by four terrorists who tried to find out how much they could get away with on an airliner, including successful attempts to be allowed into the cockpit.
But "The Cell" is a maddening book. It drifts in and out of the voice of Miller, recounting his own experiences, using the first person voice. Sometimes this is set off by typographical devices; sometimes you suddenly encounter an "I" and wonder where the quotation began.
The book has all the earmarks of being rushed to press, with lots of editing errors. It also lacks an index and a guide to the reader on all the Arabic jaw-twister names scattered throughout the book.
The interview with OBL is full of accusations against Jews, whom OBL equates with America:
"The American imposes himself on everyone. Americans accuse our children in Palestine of being terrorists-those children, who have no weapons and have not yet reached maturity. At the same time, Americans defend a country, the state of the Jews, that has a policy to destroy the future of these children. . . .
"We are sure of our victory against the Americans and the Jews as promised by the Prophet. . . . "
But there is no hint in anything OBL is quoted as saying that it included a mad sniper in Washington.

This is the first book I have picked up on Al Quaeda, and I could not set it aside until I was finished. By beginning with the killing of Rabbi Kahane in 1990 and following with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, thwarting the Manila bomb plan, Embassy bombings, the USS Cole, and finally to the preparations for 9/11 this brings alot together. Of course, John Miller's ABC interview with Bin Laden in 1998 adds a touch. I learned alot about the Cells and gained a greater appreciation for the dangerous times we live in today. To some this could really be scary. I also gained a positive feeling towards our intelligence forces despite their past problems of "territory" and in some cases outright timidness at the higher levels. They really are on top of alot of the terrorists, but in so many cases their hands are tied behind their backs. Like alot of people I know, I had no real background to latch on to as to just why this all happened. This book may not be the absolute authority and it may be a rehash of a much that has been written, but to me it brought it together in a manner that makes some sense and reason. As much as I am sympathetic to the loss, sorrow and hurt felt by the victims and families, I wasn't interested in another book with pictures of the Towers and the stories surrounding their destruction. I needed something to bring it all into perspective. Most of all it has developed my thoughts on the real problem we face is with the cells, and Osama bin Laden is just a minor part of the whole puzzle and threat we live under today. It is these radical elements around the world in these cells that are the threats to our security, and as this book points out in bold type one of our drawbacks is America's determination to give everyone the benefit of the doubt which results in things coming together like 9/11.

Up front let me apologize for being emotional in this review, as this true account is appalling in what should have been. The book describes the evolution of the 1990s through 9/11 of Bin Laden and the Al Queda that will haunt readers forever. The authors tie events together that show the magnitude of the failure of anti-terrorism efforts under three administrations including the present one. The authors claim several opportunities to stop the terrorists were available, but not acted on, as the threat had not incredulously surpassed the "acceptable level of terrorism". That is the frightening thought that especially Clinton and Bush II (even in his first year) could have done more and saved lives. Official inactivity and incompetence (the Attorney General cut the anti-terrorism funding) and missed opportunities led to irate agents unable to overcome politics as usual under presidents from both political parties.

This book is not for those still raw, as it is quite an eye-opening saga. As the country's powers debate homeland security and claim the high ground, they should read this book first so they cannot sleep better at night. While the President vacations; the Attorney General cries security wolf; the Congress posters to gain reelection; and Clinton rewrites his place in history, perhaps each will finally understand the real goal: no future American should suffer like those who seemed to have died for no reason except politics and incompetence.

Harriet Klausner

Milk Glass Moon written by Adriana Trigiani is book three of a triology in the Big Stone Gap series, (Big Stone Gap, Big Cherry Hollar and Milk Glass Moon). This book takes us six years further into the lives of Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney and her family and friends.

All of the characters that we loved in the previous books are growing up or matured and their character is coming out well in this book. The mother/daughter relationship is strong in this book, as Ave Maria doesn't want to let going of the little girl that is now maturing, her daughter is facing her first love and mother is experiencing heartbreak.

This book is about life through Ave Maria's eyes, in the Southwestern part of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with all of the flavor of that small town distilled into this book making it a wild ride throgh the emotional roller coaster.

With twist and turns woven into the main story we learn what's happening to Ave Maria's friends, Iva Lou, Pearl Grimes, Theodore Tipton, Jack Mac, and Fleeta. With humor, you will laugh along with the characters as life in Big Stone Gap is changing.

You'll love reading the book as the narrative is simple but very effective and you can imagine the characters in your mind as you read on, making this book engaging. There is drama, mountain wisdom along ith a sprinkle of humor and romance all rolled into a very well told story.

The story transports us from Ave Maria's home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the Italian Alps, from New York City, and then to the Tuscan countryside. Milk Glass Moon is the story of a shifting mother-daughter relationship. Etta is testing her independence, and her mom is having a lot of trouble letting go.

Trigiani's other beloved characters are also back in this book as well. Jack Mac, Ave Maria's true love, who is willing to gamble security for the unknown; her best friend and confidant, bandleader Theodore Tipton, who starts a new life in New York City; librarian and sexpert Iva Lou Wade Makin, who faces a life-or-death crisis. Meanwhile, surprises emerge in the blossoming of crusty cashier Fleeta Mullins, the maturing of mountain girl turned savvy horsewoman Pearl Grimes, and the return of Pete Rutledge, the handsome stranger who turned Ave Maria's world upside down in Big Cherry Holler.

This book is simply warm and wonderful and reminds us of what it was like 'down home.'

As in her previous Big Stone Gap novels, Adriana Trigiani's newest title offers more than just an update on the lives of Ave Maria, Jack Mac and their daughter Etta. It's a chance for us to dip into the lifestyle of small-town America (and Italy) and the sensual landscapes of the southwestern Virginia mountains as well as the Italian Alps. It's encounters with unique and sometimes eccentric individuals who, in spite of their quirks or problems, endear themselves to us when they show they care about the people around them. It's a study of changing relationships between parents and children, between best friends, even between good friends of opposite genders. It's also a search for a personal sense of place: finding the exact spot on Earth where you are supposed to live, what you're supposed to do, and who you're supposed to be doing it with. And the ending leaves the door open for further adventures.

_Milk Glass Moon_ is such an engaging and easy read that, if you've got the time, you can easily finish this book in just one sitting. But that's almost cheating yourself of being able to spend valuable time with these intriguing characters. Perhaps we should savor every moment.

If Ms. Trigiani is scheduled to appear at a book signing near you, don't hesitate to go to see her. She's a fascinating speaker, and you'll find out how much of herself she puts into her books.