I just finished Kevin Boyle's book, Braving the Waves, and in my opinion it's fantastic! I lived through these tragedies and didn't think I wanted to read about them again but once I picked up his book, I couldn't put it down.
Boyle gets inside the heads of the people he writes about. The firemen I know and respect won't open up or talk at all to reporters but they talk to Kevin because he's one of them, one of us. It choked me up half a dozen times.
This book is a must read for everyone, the people from Rockaway who lived through the tragedies and outsiders who want a real insider's view. People who weren't there will feel like they were standing in the concrete dust of the WTC and smelling the burning jet fuel of Flight 587 after reading it.
-George Johnson

Rockaway Beach is the unofficial capital of firefighting New York. Generations of NYC firefighters have made their homes here in this sliver of a neighborhood by the beach in the shadows of the city's skyline.
Kevin Boyle captures the humor, courage and resilience of this place in what is surely one of the best books to come out of 9/11. In fact, it's inaccurate to call this a "9/11 book" at all because it's more about the powerful personal stories of ordinary people-- not just firemen-- who found themselves doing extraodinary things in the face of two unimaginable catastrophes. In this way, it calls to mind "The Perfect Storm" as it weaves the poignant-- and sometimes hilarious-- details of the lives of people you get to know and like in the shadow of an impending disaster. Here though the coming disaster was double barrelled: September 11 and the crash of Flight 587 in the heart of the neighborhood two months later.
Boyle knows these people and it shows in the remarkably true to life writing. Highly recommended.

I've been out of Rockaway for a long time now, but Boyle put me right back on the boardwalk. And just when he makes us comfortable being back at the beach, he takes us to lower Manhattan on September 11. I've read a lot of eyewitness accounts but this as real as it gets. He follows the day of a bunch of firefighters and some "regular" people and it goes from bad to worse. Because Rockaway lost so many people the place is devastated but not broken. The people are trying to get on with their lives. And just like that a plane crashes in Belle Harbor. Some of the same people who were there on 9-11 rush like mad to the plane crash. Some of them run on foot because they're that close to it. It's just unreal stuff. But Boyle puts it all together.
There are great stories here and some unbelievable people. I give this a big thumbs up. You will too.

What to Do If the Pilot Dies, How to Hop a Freight, all that and more is in this great classic. I bought a copy of this book when it first came out, and I've bought at least one copy (one way or another) every year since because my friends keep stealing mine. The tech stuff is dated, but the rest is golden. I'm ordering another copy now, probably the 20th one. Maybe someday this book will be the basis for some new Guy religion. I'm already a believer!

Like some readers here I too got this book for high school graduation 9 years ago. The book is written in a straight-forward manner and easy to read. I enjoy reading and re-reading certain passages. In fact I use it as a reference to most anything. The only downside I can think of is it's datedness with some of the more technical aspects particularly with respect to surviving in the outdoors. Either way I hope it goes back to print.

I received this book for my high school graduation and read it cover to cover. It has practical knowledge that is easy to read. "The Guide" talks about things my parents never had the never to discuss with me. I hope they go into print soon because many men could use what its got.

I really love this book! Every word and beautiful color picture inspires delicious thoughts. Though there is not a picture for every recipe, a quick read through of the recipe (each step is numbered and each recipe is set up so you won't have to flip pages to view one recipe) gives you a really good idea of what to expect. I have tried the chocolate toffe brownie bites and got great reviews and look forward to trying the midnight brownies. Tish Boyle does a great job - again, on all fronts!

Maida Heatter, a long-trusted name in baking, said "Happiness is baking cookies -- especially when they are as delicious as all these are." I cannot agree with her more. Because of time constraints, I tend toward the easier recipes in this book, and there are so many to choose from. My pregnant cousin does not allow me to visit her anymore without Tish's Chocolate Chunk Cookies; my children finish a dish before I can even get to them. For fans of wonderfully rich, chocolate-y cookies, make sure you try this recipe first! For a great after school treat, be sure to try the Classic Vanilla Sugar Cookies. You can taste each of the simple ingredients that is part of this recipe, and your children will gladly help you sprinkle the coarse sugar. There are many, many more recipes to try, and they range from simple to sophisticated and sweet to savory. In the end, one needs only one good cookie. But it is nice to know that, with this book, you will have many more favorites from which to choose!

If you're the sort of person whose devotion to cookies stops at a stack of Oreos, you may as well go somewhere else: This book is not for you unless you're daring enough to buy it and give it to someone who cookies. At that point your horizons will be enlarged.

Tish Boyle, of the magazines Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design, knows her cookies, and she's put about 250 recipes for them in this neat, well-organized book: one to a page, clear instructions, easy to read. All kinds of cookies: drop, rolled, hand-formed, bar types and piped/molded types. Also icebox cookies (aka 'refrigerator' today) and filled cookies. Plain and decorated cookies. There's even a recipe here for Ginger Quakes made with (optional) bacon fat--not a lot but just enough to really make a difference. And recipes for pet cookies like Seafood Cat Cookies and Miss Kitty Dog Biscuits.

There are also plenty of handy tips, such as not using a nonstick pan when baking madeleines (they'll be over-browned). Here's my own tip: Get the kids involved and start them young. It's good for them to learn how to do instead of buy, and real home-made cookies are so good they'll be less likely to fall for the kind of junk that stores offer in cellophane packages.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Great history about cops and immigrants.

A friend got this book for my dad two Christmas's ago. He read it cover-to-cover, which he never reads a book like that!! His extreme interest peaked my interest, so I had to read it. Some parts are pretty graphic, may bring a tear to your eye. Particularly of high interest to coal miner's families, esp in Pennsylvania.....much sadness throughout the book. A good read. I'm not usually one to read this kind of stuff, but it is now on my nightstand, I read it a lot, almost done wit the book. Historical.

Great history of the Pa State Police. Easy reading. Also good
Review of unions and strikes. This book is worth every penny!

Absolution is a true story of horror, love, the vulgarity of war, and the nobility of the warrior. Between 1960 and 1975, hundreds of thousands of young men were thrust into the barbarity of an Asian civil war. Inadequately trained for jungle warfare (and initially armed with defective weapons) the men of Charlie Company acquired their "killer skills" by instinct and imagination. Transformed by necessity, these young men became quickly transformed into brutal gladiators. "What's your body count"" commanders asked their soldiers each evening -- as if the war were sport, and if a scorecard named the winner. Exacerbating the soldier's dilemma was a powerful and biased news media which created a myth of the Vietnam-era solider as a misfit, a perverse example of a military machine gone awry, wreaking havoc and destruction upon innocent civilians. Absolution is the true, candid, unflinching story of Charles J. Boyle, a man who commanded a platoon in combat in Vietnam, and at the outbreak of the Tet Offensive, was selected to command Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry. Absolution is an invaluable, eye-witness account and an outstanding contribution to the growing library of Vietnam military history.

I have finished reading Charles J. Boyle's, Absolution: Charlie Company, but I know this book will never be finished with me.

There is a great healing that needs yet to be done is this country; a great open wound that lies on the national soul and in the wounded bodies, minds, hearts and souls of those who we sent there. It does not matter where you stood, or stand, on the conflict called the Vietnam War; what matters now is resolution. That is what Charles Boyle has provided in Absolution. I have read hundreds of thousands of words penned on all sides of this so open wound, but none that I have read before have so touched heart and soul. There were times when I had to put the book down to process what these men, our sons, fathers, husbands endured in that time and place that is still so much with us; times when I felt weak with sharing their pain, awed by being witness to their courage. Boyle has taken us there, absolutely there; step by step, hour by hour, day by day as our young men grew, against all odds, despite betrayals from above, into men of courage, into comrades in arms, in a time and place, in a war often without explanation or understanding. Boyle graces us with witnessing the turbulence of mind and spirit when all that has been learned before is challenged in young lives, in blood, terror, conviction, fortitude, and courage. Be prepared for a great adventure into tears, into outrage, into anguish, into great pride. If you are prepared to face the beginnings of finding resolution, if you read only one book on the conflict called the Vietnam War, read Absolution: Charlie Company. "Falcon Six, this is Charlie Six. We're moving." Do move to read Absolution; it is time for the healing and it can begin here. Welcome home, Charlie Company.

No one has told his heart and the agony of Vietnam as has Charles Boyle in "Absolution". In telling of his time there, he lays bare his soul, what his effort was all about. He tells the how and why of his dedication to America and what Vietnam was all about to the US soldier. A great book -- one that should be required reading for all highschool students --- required reading in colleges.

a fun-loving, spirited narration from a cat's perspective. Provides levity and proves refreshing to cat lovers who spend too much time in concerns of the human world and not enough in the Zen state of their furry friends.

Cheerful, humorous and beats anything in the Chicken Soup for Human Soul department.

Meoowwwww!

I purchased this book as a gift for a fellow cat lover, and it was a big hit. I recommend it for anyone who loves cats and is not yet familiar with the Cat's Bill of Rights.

While you read this book, (probably while your cat is trying to get your attention by pushing the book down, or trying to paw at your lap) you will realize why so many people own cats, and why they are so fun to play with. You won't ever look at your cat the same, because you will always be trying to figure out exactly what is in his mind.

I'm a pastry student in Peru and I just can tell all the people that love pastry that this the best book I ever seen and I recommend a lot

A very, very awesome book. You have to be hard core to want this book. It took about 5 hours for me and some friends to make one of the desserts, but we had a blast. It measures everything out with wait, so you don't have to worry if you bought the jumbo eggs when the recipee assumes you are using large. If you like cooking, buy this book. If you don't like cooking, I still say buy this book.

The sorbets alone are worth the price of the book

The book "Grand Finales" is a book for all people who are interested in pastry and cooking. It is very discriptive and has many recipies with fondations so you can make mank differnet dishes.

One of his best books. I have been a Morrell fan for years, and the suspense and action in this book reminded me why. This book combines al of the things that makes Morrell a great author; it has loads of suspense, and action. Plus it has the human side; of love, and compassion which I find in many of his books.

This was the first book I read by Morrell, and it compelled me to..order all his others!! The action is fast and the situations are realistic. Moreover, the main character is well portrayed and believable in his desire to leave his CIA operative lifestyle behind, and in his attempts to return to a "normal" life, only to be forced to revert to his much needed survival skills. I found the combination of fast paced thriller and romance very successful, since many novels don't blend the two well. I give this book five stars!

David Morrell kept me glued to the pages as the action never stopped, although I began to wonder, as repeated explosions and gunshots assailed his eardrums (and the character kept mentioning the effect on his hearing), whether he wouldn't be totally stone deaf by the end of the book. Our hero survived everything from being thrown over a cliff tied up with a plastic bag over his head, disguised as a dead body, to demolishing whole rooms-full of bad guys with lethal use of fireplace tools that crunch bone and throats. Sylvester Stallone, this is your kinda book. Hey, it's my kinda book too.

The first recipe I tried was the recipe for the picture on the cover- the chocolate cream pie. I was a bit apprehensive because the last time I tried to make pudding I ended up with chocolate milk, and as I was making this for guests I really didn't want that to happen again. After following the instructions carefully I had perfect chocolate pudding! Not only had the pudding worked, but it was the best I'd ever had. After pairing it with whipped cream and a chocolate crust, it was absolute bliss! The best chocolate cream pie any of us had ever had! The pie also kept well in the refridgerator for several days. The next recipe I tried was the mega oatmeal, walnut, and chocolate chip cookies. They were absolutely fabulous! It made over 40 cookies so I brought them to school. When word got out how delicious they were, they were gone in a matter of seconds. I got many requests to make them again. The other recipe I tried was the Devils food cake. They were moist and delicous and chocolatey. There are still many recipes I want to try. For my birthday I plan on making the chocolate fudge layer cake! It sounds fabulous! There are no pictures in this book, but there is also no need. Anyone could make these recipes perfectly if they just follow her clear and easy instructions. This book is worth the money!

The recipes in this book-mile-high cakes and drippy cakes and puddings and cookies-take you back to the good old days when we were bad, hanging out at the diner, insulting each other and flirting and watching the muscle cars in the parking lot. The photos are great black and white shots of diners from across the country. The short-order cooks, the counters, the menus, the cakes under glass. The recipes are well written and work (so far!). I haven't got out of the pudding chapter yet (you have to try the Banana Caramel pudding) but I have my eye on the cakes, especially the Chocolate fudge Layer Cake. This is a really unusual book, and even if you have a big cookbook collection, you won't have anything like this.

You won't find any revelations here, but this has everything you'd want in a book of fairly basic desserts. No skimping on ingredients, and as long as you know basic baking, you don't need to worry about the results. There wasn't anything I tried that I didn't like. The coconut "dream" pie and coconut cake are particularly good. I also liked the lemon cake and the all-chocolate cake very much. The cheesecakes are a little too dense for my taste, but the lemon cheesecake with blueberry topping has a nice flavor. The instructions are very good, and everything I made came out exactly as described (I'm beginning to think this is a rarity among dessert cookbooks).

I found it really strange how this book took place in 1812 and the sequel - which is actually a prequel came out this year and took place in 1800. I liked the newest book the best so far. This one got boring towards the middle and towards the end I just wanted to get finished. This is the 3rd book I read of hers, and my least favorite so far. I still give it 4 stars because it is better then most books - I just expected more from the author.

"Once Tempted" is my first book by the author and in my opinion a very good one. The setting is Regency London and the Penninsula during the Napoleonic Wars.Miss Olivia Sutton is a young lady living under a false name since she was betrayed by her so-called lover, the Marquis of Bradstone. Bradstone sullied her name and reputation involving her in treason. Major Robert Danvers arrives in London on a mission. He is masquerading as his treasonous cousin and he intends to make his mission successful by finding and using Olivia. When they meet they are both shocked and surprised. Olivia is not a plain unsignificant girl Robert was led to believe and she shows lots of spirit and passion, which captivates Robert.Olivia fights very hard not to fall under the strong charm of the Marquis again but she is shocked and helplessly attracted to him especially when she finds out his true identity. They don't trust each other at all. Olivia wants to clear her sullied name and Robert wants to fullfil his mission.Their life is in danger and they have to leave London. During their journey to Spain they encounter many dangerous obstacles and they constantly fight for their lives. They start seeing each other in different lights and they can't resist the growing attraction between them. Their love is passionate, sensual and desperately heartaching. There is much danger, dishonesty, violence and bloodthirst around them and the way to victory and fullfilment of their love leads through the horrors of war.This is a very well-written historical romance set during the Napoleonic Wars. The author managed to combine enough love and action to make it a wonderful piece of work. All the characters are well developed and excitingly alive.
ONCE TEMPTED is a brilliant historical romance with an action-packed storyline, a passionate love story and likeable characters from one of the most fascinating eras in history. I look forward to the other novels written by this talented author.

This book caught my attention from the first page and I sat up all night reading it. Olivia and Robert are well matched and the love story is passionate and heated. If you like your stories full of suprises and action, this is your book. I have only one question--when is the author going to write Colin's book???