Once again the Zagat guide is jam-packed with great information for visitors and locals alike. Honest reviews give you a chance to make intelligent and informed decisions without advertising or hype

Amazing transportantion through words to the land of Osiris. A poetic revalation of the Book of the Death, far from just a translation but the tale of the Gods, whom are awakened within the ones who believe. The book which gives life was beautifully represented by this enlightening work.

This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. In this "translation" of the Book of Going Forth By Day (the original Egyptian name for the Book of the Dead) Ellis sings the world into existence and exposes the very depths of my soul like no other writer ever has. It is not a literal translation, but more of a contemporary reflection of what the various chapters mean, a very poetic, smoothly flowing meditation on "Becoming Osiris" and living life like the gods we are. If you've ever been interested in Egyptian thought or mythology, you will love this book!
I am Osiris. I walk between the two worlds. I am the maker of myths. I remember all that was and what will be. I am eternal, existing for the millions of years. When you see the sun, remember me, remember your Self.

It is a pity this book is now out of print. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful and deeply moving translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead there is. Each chapter is a marvel of mystical and poetic vision. It is the kind of book one doesn't just read through; one spends many months savoring each of its chapters.

Troy Martin's story encompasses all the pertinent parts of a young person's travels: friendships, romances, career, rites of passages, and going through growing pains and transitions. All of these things are told from a fresh perspective rooted in and set against the backdrop of Central Texas, with most emphasis on Houston, Texas. His attention to description and detail make it extremely easy to get into the appearance and character of his setting and the players of his story. For those who attended college, joined fraternal organizations, and maintained noteworthy relationships with the people they encountered, Dazed and Confused does a fine job of painting a picture that many have lived, but until now, have not related to in popular fiction. I can truly appreciate Troy's ability to relay a story through conversations that we've all had at one time and give all his characters three dimensions. The changes in the main character, Tony, for example, are so apparent-his priorities, behavior, even the things that he pays attention to and looks for in a woman- mature throughout the book. All of these elements definitely make the story more true to life and entertaining. Troy masterfully enmeshes various locations, personalities, dreams, disappointments, perspectives, with a dash of drama and unpredictability to give us all a novel worth reading and seeing some validation for the trials we experience as well.

As an avid reader, I always find it interesting to examine the various ways that writers develop their stories. I was quite simply, astonished by the way that Troy Martin created an absolute winner with Dazed and Confused. The plot and characters were so real. I could not put this book down! It was so refreshing to read a novel that is such an accurate depiction of what is "really" happening in young African-American lives today. I found myself laughing out loud, shaking my head in disbelief, nodding my head in agreement, yelling, and of course, crying. Troy, best wishes to you. Thank you for sharing your creativity through your candid usage of vocabulary and honest displays of emotions. I am looking forward to what you have in store for us next. God bless you!

Let me start off by saying that, "I love this book". Troy Martin has taken situations that we've all been involved in either directly or indirectly and transformed them into a literary work of art. Troy tells writes this book from what I call a "real" perspective. I think the language that Troy used throughout the book aided in giving life to the points the he was trying to bring out. This book is truly amazing.

It takes a lot for a book to capture and maintain my attention. Therefore, I find myself taking two to three months to finsh a book. So for me to have read this book within two weeks is a testimony as to how good the book is.

I found myself really getting into the book such as s person does while watching soap operas. At times I felt mad, other imes I felt happy and then there were the times when I could feel the brother's pain.

I highly recommed this book for all groups of people, be it black, white, male or female. Every individual will be able to relate to this book in some form. I am eagerly anticipating the author's next project.

This is a difficult book to read because the evil that slavery entails. The oppression of anyone is an evil that must be overcome. Frederick Douglass displayed a remarkable courage in learning to read and write to finally overcome the horror of slavery. I appreciate his observation on the religious hypocrisy of the South. It was telling that religious slave owners were always the worst. Of course since religion helped breed slavery in America this really should not come as any surprise. I have great admiration for the founders of this country but I also feel that the evil and hypocrisy of slavery should be exposed. It is an ugly passage in American history that must be addressed. This book should be read by high school kids in every high school in America--make that every American period. Frederick Douglass deserves to be recognized as a great American and this book is essential reading for any American.

Slavery was known as a "peculiar institution". By broadcasting such labels for slavery, the southern slave owners were able to downplay the severity of the subjugation of slaves in this "peculiar institution". However, in 1845 a runaway slave by the name of Frederick Douglass was published his narrative which showed the extent of the cruelty within of the oppressive the institution of American slavery. Douglass gives a powerful portrayal of his personal struggle against the tyranny of himself and his fellow slaves. By depicting his personal story regarding the horrors of slavery, Douglass testified to the injustices of the slave institution and conveyed an urgent message of the time for prompt abolition.
Douglass leaves out no detail as he portrays the brutal means in which slaves were forced into subjugation. In order to maintain order and to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity from his slave, an owner used the fear of the ever-present whip against his slaves. Over, and over again throughout the Narrative, Douglass gives account of severe beatings, cruel tortures, and unjust murders of slaves. The message is evident. Slavery dehumanized African Americans.
From the introduction of his early experience, Douglass portrays the burdens of slavery. The reader is forced to cope with the fact that he has no tangible background. Slavery has robbed him of the precious moments of his childhood. He was raised in the same manner as one would raise an animal. In his early years he had no knowledge of time-he did not even know when he was born. He is also forced to scrounge for food in the same fashion as a pig digs for slop. The saddest insight is the alienation of Douglass from his family. He has no connection with his parents and when his mother dies he was untouched. On hearing of her death he states, "I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" (19). The bond between mother and child is the strongest bulwark for children and to be robbed of this and to not care demonstrates just how severe slavery was to Douglass and countless others who faced the same fate. In the entire slave experience, the only escape from the repression was through sorrowful singing. As Douglass states, "every tone was a testimony against slavery..." and "slaves sing the most when they are unhappy" (29). Only through music could slaves find comfort in dealing with their anguish.
Douglass's first witness of brutality is the telling of his Aunt Hester's beating. The narration is powerfully effective through terrible detail. The cursing of the overseer, the shrieks of his aunt, and the horrible effects the whip upon her flesh is almost as agonizing the reader of the Narrative as it was to his unfortunate aunt. The fact that this terrible instance is a common occurrence makes it a heavier burden upon the reader's soul.
As if the beatings were not enough, slaves were also murdered on a whim. Douglass tells of Gore, a meticulously cold taskmaster who blew out the brains of a poor slave by the name of Demby. The chilliness of Gore's is terrible due the fact that he kills with the sympathy of a butcher.
Upon hearing about this, one would speculate that the authorities would deal with such barbaric acts justly. However, as Douglass recounts in the story Mrs. Hicks, the murderess that killed a slave girl for not moving fast enough, the law officials were hesitant to enforce the rights of the slave and would intentionally overlook such matters. This is primarily due to the fact that a slave owning society could not allow the rights of the slave to be upheld to the same level as a white man. To do such a thing would threaten the stability of their superiority. This is further illustrated in Douglass's struggle against the shipyard workers, when he fled to his master and told him of the attack his master stated that he could not hold up Douglass or even a thousand blacks testimony. The lack of protection under the law and the unwillingness of the whites to give the slaves a voice allowed the whites to completely dominate the slaves without the fear of accountability for their actions.
The worst aspect of slavery is found in the religious nature of the subjugation of slaves. The cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. The incident that shaped Douglass's understanding of the mentality of religious slaveholders was when he was placed under the authority of Mr. Freeland. In this situation, he was able to see the difference between the so-called "religious slave-holders" and "non-religious slave-holders." Douglass felt that the "non-religious slave-holders" were less brutal because they did not reprimand their slaves based on a Divine command. Instead they were more concerned about reprimanding the slaves when the slaves did wrong as opposed to whenever they felt that the Lord professed a beating.
The Narrative and Selected Writings is a powerful testimony to the struggles American slaves faced. Through the writings of men such as Frederick Douglass, abolitionists were given fuel to the bonfire of the Abolition Movement. Douglass honest testimony helped to bring out the truth about slavery. Abolitionists now had evidence to back their claim that the "peculiar institution" was in fact an institution of evil.

Perhaps more so than any other account, Douglass gives us a look into the life of a slave. I enjoy this book on many level. Douglass writes honestly and in a factual tone. He does mince his words when he describes the brutality of slavery. Douglass demonstrates that he is an intelligent man despite his lack of education. He taight himself to read. To our youth, this demonstrates the value of education. Douglass also show Americans manipulated the work of God even in his time. Yet, Douglass found strength in that God. I think the quality I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Douglass does not see himself as a hero, but as an average slave. This is not a typical characteristic of an autobiography. I read this book for the second time coming and going on 3 hour flights. The book is a short read, but well worth your time to read of atriumph of the human spirit.

When Kambia Elaine Flew in From Neptune is by far one of the best YA novels I've read in a long time. It's hard to believe this is the author's first book. Lori Aurelia Williams writes with the confidence of a seasoned novelist and has an amazing talent for putting the confusion of adolescence into words. She handles some fairly touchy topics (teen sexuality, child abuse, prostitution) with grace and sensitivity but always head-on and with incredible honesty. Readers will be drawn into the lives of Shayla, her family, and her enigmatic neighbor Kambia Elaine from the very first page. I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults alike. Because of some sensitive subject matter, parents of younger readers may need to decide whether their children are ready for a look at these issues. If in doubt, why not read When Kambia Elaine Flew in From Neptune with your teen - it's a great way to broach some otherwise difficult (but necessary) conversations.

Actually I'm reading this book, and I only have twenty pages to go. So far, this book is one of the best books I've read in a while.

This book reminds me of the books me and my friends read back when we were kids. Books that didn't talk down to us, or, pretend that we hadn't started to learn about the opposite sex.

The relationship between Shayla and Kambia is one of the strongest points of the book. They both use their imaginations to deal with the world around them. While Shayla uses hers to explore and explain the world around her, Kambia uses hers to protect herself. An insulation from the hurt she can't avoid.

An exciting twist involves Shayla's sister Tia and her boyfriend Doo-Witty. One that allows Shayla to see Doo-Witty in a new light, and better understand her sister's infatuation with him.

The most refreshing thing about this book is, even though the book is set in contemporary times, the author didn't try to "young" the book down. She didn't use alot of slang, or pepper the book with the names of music groups that will barely be remembered a year from now. She focused on the characters and the story.

When Kambia Elaine flew in from Nepturne is one of the best books for YAs that I have read in a long time. It is hard to believe that this is the first novel by Lori Aurelia Williams. Her frequent use of similes and metaphors enhance her writing and make her characters truly come alive. The book sends a strong message about the consequences of keeping silent about sexual child abuse. The bonds of family and friendship are strong and keep the reader eager to read on. As a school librarian and as a parent of junior high school children, I highly recommend this book.

James D. Houston novel, Snow Mountain Passage, has two main threads. The minor one is the recollections of an eighty year survivor of the Donner Party looking back to her time as an eight year old during the struggle for survival. The major storyline, though, is that of her father, James Frazier Reed, and his search for a rescue party for his lost family and the other emigrants as he gets caught up in the politics and struggles of a new territory being born. The problem with the book is that the more interesting story (and better writing) lie with the Donner Party and the interesting clash of personalities there. Unfortunately, the reader has to go through much less developed or lively personalities, such as Reed himself, to get back to the heart of the story. The tragedy of the Donners hangs over the entire novel but is not enough to carry it through the less interesting or illuminating sections.

One of the most horrifying stories in American history is that of the ill-fated Donner party, stranded in the high Sierras by a vicious snowstorm and held there for months without food before rescue was possible. When the news hit the newspapers at the time, it was sensationalized far beyond the truth, and the horror has never left us. Now native Californian James D. Houston, an award-winning writer, has written a novel about it. A lesser writer would have drawn mostly upon the gory aspects of the story, but Houston is a sensitive author, and in his hands it becomes one of death and survival, of ordeal and weary triumph.

Houston has concentrated his novel on two of the characters: James Frazier Reed, and his daughter Patty.

James Reed was an affluent father when he set out in 1846 with his wife Margaret and their four children following the California dream and the untried map of Lansford Hastings. From the beginning, Reed incurred the envy of many of his fellow travelers because of his large, specially-made wagon and many comforts the family were taking along the trail.

The envy would finally wreak its effects on Reed when after being attacked by a fellow traveler, John Snyder, Reed kills the other man. Reed is almost hung by his irate companions, but after some reason prevails, he is instead banished and sent on ahead while his wife and children continue with the wagon train. No one knows at the time, but being sent ahead will save Reed's life by allowing him to cross the mountains ahead of the snowstorm. His wife and family will be stuck there without him, while he traverses central California looking for a rescue party, then has to wait frustrating months until the snow is passable.

Meanwhile, Patty, aged eight, is high in the mountains with her mother, small brothers and older sister. When she is an old woman in her eighties and living in the same house where Houston now lives, she remembers the time through her child's eyes, the intense isolation, gnawing hunger, and severe deprivation experienced by the survivors, the many deaths, and eventual cannibalism. This alternating of narration is a very effective structure for Houston to have followed and dramatizes the plight of the characters.

Snow Mountain Passage reads like a suspense thriller, even though the reader knows the outcome of the journey and the people who undertook it. Thanks to one of Reed's descendants and his own great skill as an author, Houston is able to weave the story together by alternating Reed's search for a rescue party and Patty's memoir. I could not put the book down until the final page was read.

This will surely become a classic of historical fiction.

Mari Lu Robbins

Comparisons to other historical novels of similar epic sweep, such as Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove," are perphaps inevitable. James D. Houston, however, in "Snow Mountain Passage" escapes the colloquial and anachronistic style of McMurtry's dialogue in favor of an authentic cadence and vocabulary of the Old West, in language as magnificent as the landscape through which James Reed, the protagonist, moves west ahead of the Donner Party, and then east to their rescue.

The novel is written principally through two points of view: James Reed, the father, adventurer, sometime rascal member of an eighty-person wagon train heading west to California from Illinois; and Patty Reed, his eight-year old daughter, who stays behind in the snowy mountains of the Sierra and endures the harrowing privations of the settlers marooned by the lake which now bears their name. The split perspective allows Houston to tell the tale of California's formation from the early days of the Mexican War (significantly, Houston accords the Mexican settlers the dignity of the title "Californians," and pictures the settlers as the usurpers they were). Patty's story is told through her "trail notes," written many years later in Santa Cruz, where she lived out the last years of her long life. Ingeniously, Houston times the months of her journal entries in 1920 with the months of the Donner experience in the mountains.

The voices ring true. The bold, fearless account of James Reed, and the resigned voice of his young daughter now grown old, who, like Holocaust survivors and others who endured too much, is resigned to a life forever scarred and altered.

While other reviewers have noted the detail of natural description with a critical eye, this cavil perhaps misses the point. In "Snow Mountain Passage" as in all of Houston's writing, the land itself is a character, a shaping force. Maybe the most wonderful thing about this wonderful novel is that it allows the reader with an imagination as full and daring as Houston's the chance (the only chance) to live in the California that once existed, before freeways, strip malls, and sprawling subdivisions obliterated its incomparable natural beauty and diversity.

With Soulful Divas, David Nathan - a true lover of r&B music - has compiled interviews with many of his favorite singers of the past 40 years. Some of the subjects, like that of the humorously raunchy Millie Jackson and the troubled Nina Simone, make for compelling reading. Most suffer from his endless fawning however. Take, for instance, Diana Ross. By all other accounts, Miss Ross is a difficult person, yet Nathan makes her out to be practically a saint.

Nathan's frequent access to all of the top divas exposes the modern journalist's dilemma: if he fully captures his subjects in print, warts and all, he risks alienating them and being denied interview access to them in the future. Instead, Nathan fawns all over his subjects and gets repeat interviews with high-profile women who are often leery of the press (Aretha Franklin for one). Because of his "tactics", we are able to enjoy his many interviews in one setting (this book). Too bad most of his portraits don't penetrate the surface.

This book is a must for music lovers. I have followed the careers of every Diva in this book, my only dissapointment is that wasnt longer and included more Diva's. I especially enjoyed the one on one with Aretha, Patti, Diana, Dionne, and Glady's. I have a new R-E-S-P-E-C-T for all the Diva's. Mr. Nathan gives great insight on what sacrifices that each performer has made to become a star. He shows that its not all its crack up to be. I hope that this books shoots straight to the top. I can guarantee that you will not be dissapointed with this book. Pick up a copy and give it to friends. These Divas story need to be told to the world.

Great book Mr. Nathan. I loved all the subjects picked in this book(I'm sorry that I don't know Doris Troy)and thought he did a fantastic job of painting a realistic portrait of the ladies using their own words and his personal experiences with them. I never knew Chaka Khan had such a turbulent past. Oh, and Esther Phillips- that temper! I laughed so hard. Diana Ross seems pretty nice (I love her) and I do love Dionne and Nina- they are such proud women. I hope the divas in the makings can successfully carry forth the diva achievements as their foremothers have done. If there is a sequel to this, Mr. Nathan, you must include Cissy Houston, Melba Moore and Donna Summer.

If you are on a Spiritual Journey then this book is a must. I have been a student of Science of Mind for seven years and the teachings of Ernest Holmes have changed my life by helping me change my way of thinking. This is not a "self help" book, nor is science of mind a religion; it is a way of life. It makes no difference what your beliefs are, you will find that this book touches your soul. This book is not a one time read; you use it daily, over and over. Take your time reading it in order to conceptualize the material and enjoy your journey!

This seminal work has created a whole spiritual movement - Religious Science which numbers more than 100,000 people worldwide. More than any other book on metaphysics, it clearly explicates the universal laws that govern this universe and that can be understood by the human mind.

Science of Mind is based upon the great spiritual ideas from both east and west. There is no dogma here. Rather it is a work about the power of the human mind to heal, to create, and make a better life for oneself. This is metaphysics at its absolute best.

Please remember that SCIENCE OF MIND is a textbook, not just a easy reading prose. It requires discussion and review for it to illuminate the mind and heart. Enjoy one of the finest books ever to be written about metaphysics and new thought. A gem.

Only read this if you are willing to take full responsibility for all that you create in life! Ernest Holmes demonstrates an in-depth integration and synthesis of many philosophical and metaphysical traditions and systems of thought throughout the book. Blending these thoughts with his own understanding, he extracts a truth that is whole, intelligent, wise and uplifting. The insights, ideas and inspiration contained in this book can completely change your world view to one of power, passion, connection, strength and purpose. You'll definitely create more love in your life! Your spiritual life will be renewed. CAUTION: New, thought-provoking words seem to creep into this book each time you set it down, so, keep your highlighter handy!

I always thought that Mercy was one of the better thrillers I had ever read. I waited with baited breath for another Lindsey book up to this standard.Well, it is here in Requiem for a Glass Heart. David Lindsey has developed two leading characters, Irina and Cate, who are vibrant, intellegent, sexy and very complex. I don't usually go out of my way to read thrillers with women lead figures (sorry about this bit of sexism)but I was enthralled by international assasin Irina and FBI agent Cate and how their lives came together. The worlwide settings added to intrigue of the story as well. The worst thing that happed to me while reading Requiem for a Glass Heart was my airplane landing home on Friday night with just over thirty pages to go. I had to sit in the terminal and finish the story of Irina and Cate before driving home after a long week on the road. That is true testiment to the writing skills of Mr. Lindsey.

Just the ticket to fill my yearning for a good spy novel after seeing the movie Bourne Identity last week. I did not want this book by David Lindsey to end! It was so interesting, exciting, but in just the right amount to keep you intellectually stimulated. It was believable and so well-written I just loved reading it so much. The end was fine, I was a little confused about it, but I liked the book so much I would read something by Mr. Lindsey again in a minute. I could hardly put this book down. Irina, Krupatin, Cate, and Leo were really interesting characters as were Bontate and Wei.

I have just finished reading this book in one sitting. Such was its interest that I just could not put it down. Like a good Humphrey Bogart movie once started it just kept going. I consider Mercy by same author a masterpiece of its gendre. THe only comparable author is John La Carre but I find Lindsey a far more interesting writer who tells a much better story. The aspect of the book that I liked most is Lindsey's ability to paint a large canvas; his villains are that bad and stride over continents. He always impresses me with his scolarship in both crime and art history. At his best he can develop beleivable charecters; Cate has my sympathy and interest as does her Russian counterpart Irene. Without getting into detail which is covered by other reviews this was a really good read.

Although I can understand why this book is so popular, as it is well written, I found it depressing and somewhat disappointing. This book came highly recommended to me and promised to be an insightful and witty commentary about relationships between men and women. Each of the stories were well written and a smooth and interesting read, but I found that they were all very similar in tone and character. The women, I found, were portrayed universally as outdoorsy and physically strong, but emotionally wishy- washy and victimized. It just seemed to me to be a typical portrayal of women's weaknesses, but that is what the title says...

My friends recommended this book to me, and I was really prepared to LOVE it. But, as much fun as it is to read these stories over a weekend, by Sunday night, I found myself disappointed with the whole sort of flat/one sided depiction of relationships. Yes, I can relate to the line, "I've always had this thing for cowboys, maybe because I was born in New Jersey. But a real cowboy is hard to find these days, even in the West." And as someone who grew up in Connecticut and moved West, I agree that there's a truth to the concept of a western type of guy that you don't find on the East coast. I thought this book would be about that difference. But after about 4 stories, all these men start to sound the same-- and no different from the wrong men anywhere. Charming, evasive, manipulative, self-centered. So it turns out Houston isn't writing about cowboys--guys who are truly passionate about the outdoor life and adventure. This book, it turns out, is about the wrong guy, over and over! And I find that boring.

Also-- I don't know, maybe it's the guys Pam Houston knows.... but in my experience, many "bad boys" have a sensitive, decent side to them... which comes through in a pinch. The guys in these stories, are just totally stereotypical immature womanizers through and through, and that doesn't really ring true to me. I also found myself getting impatient with the narrator, who seems very similar in each story. Initially, she seems independent and gutsy, but soon you notice that her complete energy and thought is taken up with "the care and feeding of the man." And in many stories, she is a victim. Does she really love adventure, or is she just trying to keep up with these men and be what they want her to be?

The stories are really well written and the premise intriguing, but don't think this book offers an accurate depiction of either cowboys or the women who are attracted to them. It's really about a woman who needs to figure out why she wants to hang around men who are not trustworthy or respectful of her.

A book of short stories by a woman in her late twenties who is now getting a Ph.D. at the University of Utah. Born in New Jersey, Ms. Houston loves the West. She has worked as a river and hunting guide. She writes about her relation ships with nature and the men, and women, she finds out there. These stories are literary and insightful. I encourage you to read them. Ms. Houston writes with a startling self awareness. She is a smart, thoughtful woman who goes into the wilderness to think about love. To my way of thinking, she asks the right questions. Of this book, one reviewer said: "These are the stories that might have emerged had an intelligent woman followed Hemingway around." I am not sure Hemingway could have kept up. Colin Carroll