I stumbled on this book in my elementary school library when I was in 4th grade. The book was already out of print at the time, but I loved it.
It was one of the first books that actually caught my attention long enough for me to read it all the way through. Before this book I had regulated myself to the ranks of Sweet Valley Twins books, and the slightly higher quality Baby Sitters Club series. I might go so far as to credit this book as turning me into an avid reader that has resulted in my being an English major today.
This was just such a touching and magical story. I wish they would re-release it so that someday I can share it with my children.

My gosh! I also read this book as a child and it has stayed with me all these years. I am 36, and I've been looking for this book for years. I thought I had the name wrong, I have also thought maybe I dreamt it! I can't believe this book has astounded so many people, yet remains so elusive! Let's all write the Publisher and get this book back in the public again! Our children should be able to get the pleasure we've received from this book. They too would check it out again and again from the library! It feels good to finally find the author and verify the name of this book at least!

My school librarian recommended this book to me when I was in fifth grade, and like others have said, I checked it out over and over again. I just fell in love with it. It was so magical and mysterious and moving. I felt like I was transported every time I read it.
I'd been trying for years to find it so that I could finally have my own copy. I always checked any book store or website I found to see if they had it, but they never did. Then, this Christmas my aunt gave me the best present I've ever received--my very own copy of To Nowhere and Back! She was able to locate it through Amazon.[com.] I was so happy, I literally cried!
I just finished reading it again, and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. It was just as magical, and even better, this time it reminded me of how it felt to be ten years old. The twenty year search was definitely worth it!

(T) "p" is a true sentence if and only if p

N'est ce pas?

Comprehensive. However, with a topic this extensive, not that I am suggesting that Anderson is trying to do this, but it is difficult to produce the definitive PoMo piece. Postmodern thought is the academic topic of the day - or maybe the era. It has replaced Existentialism as the topic of discussion all over the place as THE coffee shop conversation topic. Anderson takes the bull by the horn and comes up with a 4-part book that will certainly prove useful as a primer and will help you impress your friends. Part one and two sets out to define and to explain vocabulary. Part three deals with the construction of self. Part four takes on a more macro look (globalization) and closes with the positive side of postmodern discourse.

Thing with this collection is that it is very difficult to go wrong when you include such notables as Jean Baudrillard, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and Richard Rorty. PoMo philosophers are taking on deity status that was reserved for existentialist celebrities like Heidegger and Sartre. Despite the lack of popular appeal due to purposeful ambiguity as well as the difficulty of the material, it has taken academia by storm.

A dense book, it is packed with information. Despite the range and complexity, I highly recommend "The Truth about the Truth" as a starter kit only. The collection does not really prepare students to discuss this stuff in class in any detail - mind you this is my opinion only and it could change as folks find it a good book for an introduction class. Anderson does a fantastic job. We ignore this stuff at our own risk. Be prepared.

Miguel Llora

To many readers, postmodernism (PoMo) is a vexed subject, smacking of trendy intellectual fashion. However one views it, Anderson's book collects a number of essays on the topic that anyone interested in the dominant ideas of the day should not be without. The entries are not lengthy and therefore persuasive depth should not be expected. Put them together, however, and a pretty complete overview of PoMo is before you. The editor has fashioned a nifty little introduction that lays out the general orientation in clear and understandable language - a not inconsiderable feat given the subject matter.

One point worth noting that is not in the book. Beneath the ideas promoted by PoMo lies a sociological reality captured in that forbidding word "multi-culturalism". There are many different cultures in the world whose customs and mores project many different kinds of worlds. This fact does seem to leave us with no common frame of reference to judge any of them as superior, a key PoMo conclusion. In that sense, postmodernism appears to be the perfect philosophical expression of an emerging multicultural reality. Nevertheless, wedging beneath the world's many and various cultures is another emergent reality - the global consolidation of private property, as represented by trans-national corporations and international trade agreements. Beneath PoMo's relativizing of cultural absolutes, there moves the monolithic grip of global capitalism, homogenizing all cultures in a consumerist vat. It at least deserves consideration that the former serves to conceal the latter from the view of secular intellectuals like post-modernists, and thus becomes the perfect cultural expression of a consolidating world order. Put another way, the power of Pepsi has conquered the outdated truths of reason and anyone who complains is practicing cultural imperialism. So go with the flow. Readers interested in how PoMo serves the powers-that-be should consult Terry Eagleton or Frederick Jameson.

What a beautiful tribute to the Angels in our lives! Mrs Anderson has done a marvelous job of compiling wonderful, yet believable stories about visitations by Heavenly Beings.

Where Angels Walk is an unforgettable book of God's love, help and intervention in our lives through the love of His Angels. All the stories are true and unbelievably remarkable. God has told us, "Ask and ye shall receive", and that includes the asking for help for our loved ones and for ourselves.

This is a book that will renew your faith and reaffirm God's love for us. It is at the darkest times of our lives, when we feel alone and abandoned, that we are loved the most. Help is there and we just have to ask for it. As Joan Anderson says, "...that, whatever their failings, God is holding them gently in the palm of His hand."

Reading the numerous stories, you will discover that angels can take many forms and not just the heavenly beings we were taught about as children.

Read this book to renew your spirit, increase your faith and to uplift your life. You will NOT be disappointed. This book is a gem. And remember that you are loved and that miracles do indeed happen!

It just makes perfect sense to me when I read the angel stories in this book. How powerful, yet so gentle these angels are. It was so inspiring to read each story. Thanks to Joan Wester Anderson for sharing her gift of writing and speaking.

Greg Anderson's laws of wellness are not just words but actual laws you can live by. Each one can be applied to our own lives. I especially liked the the first law - the law of Esprit - the joy you feel is life! How true! I bought this book in 1998 and have read it several times. Yes, sometimes I need reminders on how I should be living. Excellent book.

I don't even remember the details of why i liked this book so much, but I can tell you the way it made me feel. Maybe this was the first book that inspired me, or made me pick Psychology as my major. Maybe it was the fact it showed me that cancer survivors can live normal lives or it taught me about mind over matter.. it was such a long time ago but I know that I remembered this book---its like you see a good movie or read a book that makes you feel like you can acomplish anything! that's what this book did for me.

The author has personally recovered from cancer ( near death - just30 days to live), by living the laws, he suggests others to live by. The key passage is in chapter 19 where he discusses how he discovered the law of forgiveness and applied it in his case. Similarly the law of unity is an important observation. We are body,mind and spirit. The book is easy to read. He uses no jargons. He also emphasises how these laws are connected to each other.

I would have to rate this book 5 stars if only becuase it was not a revisionist history foisted on an unsuspecting public by vengeful victor sympathizers.

The first time I ever heard about Bill Anderson was in the movie, "The Outlaw Josey Wales". Needless to say, the two minute portrayal was enough to give me a completely wrong impression of who Bill Anderson was. Several years later, this book was recommended to me by several participants on a internet Confederate discussion board.

Real information about William Anderson is scarce. The authors of this book have done an outstanding job of piecing together what little there is to give us a semblance of a picture of a very effective guerilla fighter during the War of Southern Secession. There are still many holes in the story, but you will not be disappointed by this book. The authors show no bias, which is very rare in books about this historical period, and they present their research like a documentary.

Guerrilla warfare is seldom spoken in Civil War circles or written about. Probably one of the more popular characters in this topic from that period is Bill Anderson. Authors Albert Castel and Thomas Goodrich have assembled quite a bit of useful information in regards to Anderson's ambitions, motivations, movements and operations throughout Kansas and Missouri. This dangerous, callous and revengeful individual is brought forth to show how rough and chaotic war can be, especially for a divided state such as Missouri. Anderson leads his small band of raiders throughout these states living like desperate pirates to plunder towns and more importantly hunt down enemies to the extreme.

Anderson's life is never short of violence as he is the ultimate and sadistic leader of a dangerous group of bandits that have borderline allegiances to the Confederate cause. Portraying to be Union Cavalry, Anderson and his band of murderers steal, burn, kill and ravage towns of Union sympathizers. Union Militia throughout the state of Missouri is quickly and badly organized to hunt down Anderson and his company that seems to constantly grow larger in membership. Anderson raids towns such as Fayette and Centralia leaving deadly results by killing many former Union soldiers, burning depots and various other buildings while looting stores. Anderson and his gang are always drinking and whiskey seems to elevate their need for murder and money that never ends.
Is he ever stopped?

Like many, I couldn't resist this book and wished for more though there is quite a bit of useful information for a short book of roughly 144 pages. It was descriptively well-written, concise, maps and pictures were included which gave the book a great rhythmic flow as far as content. 5 STARS!!

This is a very interesting and well written book about the atrocities that Bill Anderson and his bushwhackers committed, within the background of the Civil War. The authors have done a tremendous amount of research and it pays off.

The only problem I has with it is that at 150 pages, it was a bit too short. Then again, the subtitle does say Short and Savage life.

Well recommended for Civil War or military history buffs.

I found this book inspiring, thank God I am not ill, but every page of this bought excitement and hope for my friend who is battling cancer. I live in Australia and Greg Andersons books are not available here to my knowledge, maybe I should go into business and ship them over......................

During my recovery from breast cancer surgery my husband gave me this book. It was a great blessing. The book is easy to read, quick reading and not loaded down with medical "stuff". It is very uplifting,inspiring and wonderful. I am sorry that it is out of print, but it seems Mr. Anderson has written a sequel and others. Thank you Mr. Anderson. JBartram

I can't say enough good words about this book or its contents. It was given to me as a gift from a friend after I had already undergone treatments. I try to make sure I give it to friends either before or during treatments. I don't want them to waste a minute dwelling in a negative mindset. This book teaches wonderful lessons about how to train yourself to have a positive and incredibly uplifting outlook on your illness.

I am still ordering copies as, unfortunately, the need increases. The fact that it is written by a man and from a man's perspective has helped many of my male friends to be more open to reading it. That is yet another postive.

I hope you also find value in this books contents.

All in all the book was involving and left me wanting more. The story line and setting was fairly different and the descriptions and characterizations were well done. The main characters were portrayed a bit weakly at first compaired to the fast action they went through from the middle to the end of the book. My biggest complaint is that it was setup a bit obviously for a sequel - i.e. the denowment left me feeling unsatisfied. So where is the sequel?

After speaking with Kevin Anderson in San Francisco at a German restaurant about his new book with Brian Herbert (Dune: House Atreides), I asked him, if there were any book that he'd ever written before that he would recommend(one that he was very proud of). He told me to pick up a copy of Blindfold, if I could find a copy. Luckily, I was able to thanks to Amazon.com and I read it this fall. It is, in a word, remarkable. The story is put together like a masterpeice and I loved it from beginning to end. I hope that other lovers of Science Fiction will search and find this book as well because it is well worth your reading time. Good luck finding a copy folks. You can't have mine!

After speaking with Kevin Anderson in San Francisco at a German restaurant about his new book with Brian Herbert (Dune: House Atreides), I asked him, if there were any book that he'd ever written before that he would recommend(one that he was very proud of). He told me to pick up a copy of Blindfold, if I could find a copy. Luckily, I was able to thanks to Amazon.com and I read it this fall. It is, in a word, remarkable. The story is put together like a masterpeice and I loved it from beginning to end. I hope that other lovers of Science Fiction will search and find this book as well because it is well worth your reading time. Good luck finding a copy folks. You can't have mine!

Less than 50% of the described species has a photograph.
Actual photos are small in size.
No cultivation tips at all!
Good for botanists, less for amateur cactus growers.

Fuggedaboutit! This recently published work is quite simply the greatest single volume treatment of the Cactus family. Although expensive, I believe you will treasure this book in much the same way that you treasure your cacti collection. A wealth of knowledge expressed in terms a non-scientist can understand, yet also greatly useful to the serious scholar. Please read the other reviews. Much enthusiasm.

This is the ultimate book for any serious cactus collector and grower. Although at first glance it seems daunting in the extreme, a sudden epiphany of understanding dawns as one reads through the book. Written by a scientist and true enthusiast, this book is exhaustive in its desctriptions and naming of cacti, even to the point of honesty, when Dr Anderson explains that many families of cacti are less well understood than others. This book has many scientific and true botanical references in it, but unlike many authors who believe (wrongly) that the reader will possess the same knowledge, Dr Anderson explains all this in great detail at the beginning of the book, with all the nomenclatures the reader and enthusiast is going to be encountering in later chapters. The photographs are stunning and comprehensive, the various different habitat each plant grows in is described, and the very important issue of conservation of valuable species is tackled in a topical and masterful manner. The exact care of each and every plant is not displayed together with its photograph, but at the beginning of the book, and all other aspects of care, from soil, sterilisation of tools, pots, eradication of pests and so on, can also be found there. The very simple but concise drawings of the anatomy of the cactus flower in general are wonderfully understandable, and in the later photgraphic section, any doubts the grower may have about a particular cactus are dispelled by the flower description, from stem to size and colour. There is also a glossary of botanical terms at the end of the book, so there is never a section in the book where the reader is blinded by scientific jargon. I would recommend this book to any seriously interested collector of cacti - the definitive book, in my opinion.

It's welcome recognition of the rich body of American noir writing that the Library of America has decided to gather these novels and include them in it's collection. This volume, along with it's companion, "Crime Novels: American Noir of the '50s", is perhaps the definitive collection of this genre. While this volume is not as strong as the second volume collecting hard boiled writing from the '50s, it more than makes up for it with the inclusion of two seminal novels from the genre: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" The themes that would be later expanded on by Jim Thompson, Charles Willeford, et al. are here: the uncertainty of reality, the indifference of fate, the allegories on the disfunction of mercantilist capitalism, the femme fatale as deus ex machina, the erosion of moral standards...themes that are that much more relevant today.

It's comforting in a way that these novels, which were considered (and still considered by some) as trash, disposable items of consumption, are collected along with the novels of Melville, James and Hawthorne...."elevated" to high brow lit.

Perhaps the original authors of these masterworks would disagree on the modern critical re-assessment, but to readers like myself, it's just confirmation of something we've known ever since we first discovered them.

The Library of America is a first-class organization. The LOA is consistently reprinting volumes of literary achievement by the most notable authors in American history. They have reprinted everything from political speeches to poetry to historical works. This volume is the first in a two volume set dedicated to American noir stories. The stories in this book were written in the 1930's and 1940's in what seems to be the golden age of the genre.

The first story is from James Cain, and it's a whiz-bang of a tale. I had heard of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" before, mainly in reference to the two film versions of the story. This is one dark read. Adultery and murder never seem to mix, and it sure doesn't here, either. Told in first person narration, a drifter gets himself mixed up with a washed up beauty queen who is tired of her Greek husband. The result is classic noir: a conspiracy to murder the poor schmuck and run off together. As usual, the murder brings about tragic consequences. This story has more twists and turns than you can imagine. The ending is especially atmospheric. This is certainly one of the best stories in the book. I always like to see a story where the blackmailer gets a good beating.

Horace McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is next in line. This is another great tale that was made into a film in the 1960's starring Hanoi Jane Fonda and Gig Young. The movie is soul shattering, with depictions of dehumanization in the neighborhood of "Schindler's List." The story is not quite as good, but it still packs a heck of a punch. The story is set in Depression-era America and depicts the horrors of a dance marathon. These marathons were apparently quite popular during the 1930's, until they were ultimately outlawed. Contestants were required to dance for hundreds of hours with only ten minute breaks every two hours. The couple that lasted the longest won a thousand or so dollars. The public would come and pay admission to watch this sorry spectacle. It's like poking sticks at animals in a cage. This story is loaded with dark depression and sexual innuendo. The conclusion is suitably depressing to merit a noir award.

"Thieves Like Us" was pretty substandard when compared to the other stories in this book. This one really didn't seem to have those noir elements that I like so much. Actually, it's more of a Bonnie and Clyde type story. A penitentiary break leads to a crime spree across Texas. Banks are robbed and cops are killed while the gang lives on the lam. A relationship between Bowie, the main character, and a girl named Keechie really doesn't add much interest to the story. There is some good dialogue and a bit of desolate atmosphere, but not enough to lift this to the level of noir. I don't know why this story is included here. Try and guess how the story ends (the clue is "Bonnie and Clyde"). I hope that Edward Anderson's other stories are better.

Kenneth Fearing's "The Big Clock" is excellent, and brings the level of the book back up to where it should be. Set in a magazine publishing house, this tale is sleek and smart. The story is told in first person narration, but Fearing shifts the narration to various characters in the story. These constantly changing viewpoints turn the story into a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. An editor at the company makes the mistake of sleeping with the boss's woman. When this lady turns up dead at the hands of same boss, all heck breaks loose. This story is riveting and has a great ending that is all suspense. A must read.

William Lindsay Gresham wrote "Nightmare Alley" after some discussions he had with some carnival workers. This story is the longest one in the book and is a decent addition to the volume. Full of unpleasant images of murder, swindle, cynicism and downright perversion, you won't be disappointed when this one comes to an end. A scheming magician decides to take his con to the big time by posing as a Spiritualist minister, and as usual, the end result is tragedy all around. This story is downright depressing, and if you don't feel sorry for Gyp, you have got a problem. I didn't really care too much for the (...) addition of the black Communist towards the end of the book. Gresham had a flirtation with the Redski movement, so this apparent insertion makes some sense in that context. It goes nowhere in the story, however. There are some other holes in the plot but overall this is an entertaining story.

The final tale comes from the sumptuous pen of Cornell Woolrich. "I Married a Dead Man" becomes instantly familiar within a few pages, mostly due to the numerous films that have copped the plot. The writing here is far superior to any of the other stories in the book. I'd say it's far superior to most writing in general. The metaphors are extraordinary. Look for the description of Bill lighting his cigarette in the doorway. Wow! The story centers on a case of mistaken identity with a strong dose of blackmail thrown in for good measure. Of course, there's also a murder. This story is outstanding.

Overall, if you are just starting to read noir, start with these two volumes. It is good to see some of the best noir has to offer, and you will find some of it in these pages. The book clocks in at 990 pages, but it reads really fast. There is also a nice summary concerning the careers of each author at the back of the book. Recommended.

I was surprised at how modern the themes and writing of this compendium were. I read "Thieves Like Us" just when the Texas 7 episode was happening and was amazed at how little the views of crime and punishment, justice and desperation have changed since that writing, especially in Texas where the story takes place.

"They Shoot Horses..." was my favorite of the bunch for it's depiction of deperate people doing desperate things to survive in the form of a Dance Marathon. But are they doing this out of deperation (even the winner of the prize money, after months of physical torment , will end up having made less than a dollar a day)? Or becuase there is nothing else to do? What is futile and what is meaningfull, the story seems to be asking.

"Nightmare Alley" brought the Tyrone Power movie back home, only the ending seems more poignant. The author organzies each chapter along the 22 minor arcana of the Tarot, a device used by later authors like Robert Anton Wilson and Umberto Eco.

"The big clock", filmed at least twice with variations on themes, uses a unique writing style of shifting narratives from the main characters' points of view and has an awfully modern motive for the murder (probably a little too modern for that period).

"The Postman.." and "I Married a Dead Man" story were also very dood. The Noir theme of "Crime Does Not Pay" runs through most of theses stories, but when you read them, you realize that it's not as simple as that. In the end, who really wins and loses and does it matter?

I don't think one can do better for reading the greats of American Literature than through the Library of America seri