who's book Forrest Gump became a memorable flick. Winston Groom is not an average writer; he is an extrodinary one. "Forrest Gump," the original novel, may have differed from th movie but "As Summers Die" is a tantalizing novel. The prose and characters are solid and the descriptions of the South in the 50's are remarkable. Read this book

This is a great book that really translates the feelings of the south during the time of desegration and seperation of society. Winston Groom has a wonderful writing style. I loved the book!

Groom is very descriptive in his writing allowing the reader to visualize the scenes. Parts are suspenseful, steamy and novel in nature.

I had a heck of a time tracking a copy of this book down. I had wanted to read it ever since I discovered the internet and Amazon.com 5 years ago. With the help of a great person I managed to get ahold of it-finally! It was worth the wait. The writing is steady and true, no fancy pants romanticising, just straight shooting. It's a wonderful story of the northwest, the men who respect and understand it and a pit bull named Lobo, who through a series of events, is given the opportunity to discover how liberating nature can be to the untamed energies within. If you love books on Pit Bulls, then contact the publisher, and ask them to reissue this splendid book.

How refreshing to read a well written, thought provoking book without vulgar language, sex or extreme violence! The relationship between the people in the book is realistic and loving. The dog's devotion to his friend is all consuming. I have read this book several times, and have found different aspects to the relationships each time. I hope Mr. Orr continues to write.

I am the author, and this book is primarily fiction based on truth. The dog and men are real. It has been seven years in the writing. I believe you will find it a fascinating novel. action throughout.

Owning this book is like owning a great piece of art, a priceless painting.

This is a book Hemingway would wish he had written himself.

Unlike so many books that have been published about this man in France in this era, this volume is evocative. All of the emotion associated with the people, places and things of that time in that place come through clearly, connecting to reader's hearts.

This book is literature, art. The great painting Conrad has created is one where all the subtle nuances are on the canvas. EH is not allowed to dwarf the other extraordinary characters like Gerald Murphy. Everyone is portrayed evenly. There is a fullness, a deeper appreciation of these people and that time than one finds in other books. The things that are familiar to the reader appear to be new because they are drawn in the actual context in which they originally existed. Conrad has not reconstructed Hemingway's France. He has found it and brought us into it. We are with Hemingway, Gertrude, Pablo et. al.

Hemingway beautifully remembered those people and that time in "A Moveable Feast," a favorite among devotees of Hemingway's work. To say Conrad's treatment is better than Hemingway's is a strong statement to make. It is a true statement.

The photographs are extraordinary but no more extraordinary than the prose that accompanies the pictures. This slim volume is, as said, like a large oil painting accurately depicting the scene, capturing the action and mood, and evoking emotion in those who view the art.

France in the 1920s was home to some of the most groundbreakingly creative artists of the 20th century and included Pablo Picasso, George Braque, James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, Cole Porter, Sergei Diaghilev, Sinclair Lewis, and Ernest Hemingway. Indeed, it was in his major work, The Sun Also Rises, which epitomized Paris during the jazz era and became one of the most powerful forces in this expatriate art colony's vortex of talent and experimentation. In Hemingway's France: Images Of The Lost Generation, Winston Conrad augments his informative text with contemporary color photography and a large collection of vintage black/white photographs to beautifully illuminate Hemingway's life during those "lost generation" years, during World War II, and his subsequent visits to France in the 1950s. Hemingway's France is "must" reading for all Hemingway fans, and for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the writings, paintings, and poetry created in those turbulent times by the now legendary personalities of yesteryear.

From Hemingway's early romantic days in the Lost Generation Paris of the 1920's, to his swashbuckling exploits in the French countryside and his liberation of the Paris Ritz Hotel during World War II, and to his troubled final years when he returned to Europe and France in a failed search for rejuvenation, it is clear that Hemingway truly loved France.

With "Hemingway's France: Images of the Lost Generation," it is clear that Winston Conrad loves France as well. Conrad traveled extensively in France to gather the material for this book, and his passion for France and Paris (and of course Hemingway) are evident on every page as he attempts to show the reader why this country and city left such a grand impression on the biggest star of 20th century literature.

Conrad writes a clear, thorough biography of Hemingway, with France serving as a common thread throughout, but the feature that makes this book stand out is the great number of rarely seen photos of Hemingway and friends. We see Hemingway demonstrating deep sea fishing gear in the late 1950's, we see him dressed in dapper travel attire as his driver prepares their car, we see him riding on the back of a sidecar motorcycle during World War II, we see him sitting on the windowsill of his Paris apartment in the late 1920's, we see him in a rocking chair with his infant son Bumby...and for the Hemingway fan who has seen it all, these "new" pictures are like seeing an old friend after a long time apart. Not only do we see him, but we are treated to views of Hemingway's France that give a clear and confirming image of all those wonderful settings that we find in Hemingway's books. Conrad, a photographer of obvious talent, shows us Hemingway's haunts as they appear today, and often contrasts his own beautiful color photos with the vintage black and white photos of the same haunts from Hemingway's day; it makes for an effective mix of nostalgia and immediacy.

Conrad divides the book into nine chapters, each focusing on a different part of the French experience that today would be hard to discuss without mentioning Hemingway's name: The Literary Scene in Paris, Cafes, Restaurants and Nightlife, The Artists, Sports, The South of France, World War II, Bullfights, The Feast Moves On. All are well written, but the chapters on Hemingway's early years in Paris and later, his experiences as a combination soldier/journalist during the second World War stand out.

A pleasant surprise comes in Chapter 4 ("The Artists") with the reprints of some of Gerald Murphy's paintings. Murphy, in most Hemingway and Fitzgerald biographies, always serves as a footnoted rich benefactor to the talented writers and painters in 1920's France. But he was also an accomplished painter, and Conrad shows us some of Murphy's wonderful paintings (particularly Cocktail), revealing a talent that if it were more widely known would certainly elevate him above his current footnote status.

The usual cast of characters show up as well, with F. Scott Fitzgerald in a starring role before his crack-up, and his wife Zelda revealing in many pictures a nervous look that foretells her later mental disintegration. But the true star of this book is France itself. Hemingway always had a knack for selecting interesting places to live and for making those places his own, but of all the places he lived, Paris seemed to be the one that affected him most. It was the city of his earliest successes, and it was the city he chose to write about in A Moveable Feast, when at the end of his life he couldn't write about anything else. In between it was a city and country he could always return to for comfort, inspiration and excitement.

Winston Conrad, in the final chapter, says "If Hemingway could come back to life for a day, he might very well elect to spend it in France." After reading this book it would be hard to argue that Hemingway would choose otherwise.

To most people Churchill is known as one of Britain's greatest statesmen. That overshadows his literary achievements.

He begins his account with Caesar's conquest of Britannia. The downfall of the Roman Empire plunges the colony into the Dark Ages. Britannia is not left unscathed by the waves of peoples' migrations sweeping across Europe. Germanic idioms of Saxon invaders replace Celtic dialects and coexist with the clergy's Latin. William the Conqueror casts French into the language melting-pot. England is racked by the War of the Roses until the Tudor dynasty unites and pacifies the country with iron determination. The defeat of the Spanish Armada opens the way for colonisation of the New World. Those colonies' War of Independence launches a second English-speaking nation with its own turbulent history. Britain's victory over Napoleon opens the way to world-wide Empire.

Churchill makes the reader understand how the societies of the English-speaking peoples, their institutions and their language have evolved over a course of almost two thousand years. Many steps were the results of conflicts between opposing forces:

King John had to appease the lords by issuing Magna Carta. His concern for stability through dy-nastic legitimacy led Henry VIII to break with Rome. Conflict between Parliament and Crown led to Civil War culminating in regicide. Frictions between mother country and colonies erupted in the American War of Independence. The issue of slavery almost tore the American Union asunder.

Churchill presents each conflict in an impartial yet compassionate way. He forces the reader to understand opposing and hardly reconcilable views. That prepares the reader to understand the eventual solution. In retrospect, each conflict and its solution is seen as a step forward. Neither side was wrong - only the result is right.

Churchill himself was an historic figure. That endowed him with a fine sense of history. His com-mand of the English language raises his work above the average of historical textbooks into the sphere of great literature. There are passages which one feels compelled to read aloud, only to be surprised at how their beauty at times assumes almost musical qualities. For his literary achieve-ments Churchill was rightly awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955.

As academic history, this may be pretty dated, but as English literature, Churchill's History of the English-Speaking Peoples deserves to be ranked as one of the great classics. If you enjoy intelligent popular history by someone who felt passionately about his own culture and you enjoy great oratory from someone who enjoyed stirring lofty emotions, you will cherish this incredible four-volume work. Every sentence is a carefully-crafted jewel. It is more than craftsmanship. It is art. For every important incident he pulls up the most eloquent of historical quotes to draw a word picture. If words move you, Winston Churchill will move you to tears more than once with this work.

One warning: Don't loan any of the volumes out. You won't get them back.

It is impossible to fully understand American history without understanding English history- Churchill offers insight as only a statesman could- and does it very well.

The life of Winston Churchill was so eventful and the available documents relating to his life so voluminous, that penning a complete and unabridged biography of Churchill is truly a lifetime task. So it has been for British historian Martin Gilbert, charged with the task of being Churchill?s official biographer. In this book, Gilbert recounts the events by which he came to become the most extensive living resource of Churchill knowledge and artifacts.

Gilbert came to his task in a roundabout way. Fresh out of Oxford in the early sixties, the young historian concedes he knew comparatively little about Churchill as the great man was not a highly regarded figure among the Oxford academy at that time. Churchill?s son Randolph had been hired by a publishing house to write the multi volume official biography of his father. Gilbert was hired as one of several research assistants. Expecting to stay with Randolph only a short time, Gilbert ended up working with him for more than half a decade. In the first part of the book, Gilbert describes the experience of working with the mercurial and difficult Randolph in putting together the first volumes covering Churchill?s early life. On Randolph?s death in 1968, Gilbert was asked by the publisher to take over the project. Gilbert agreed to do so and a lifetime task was set before him. In ensuing chapters, Gilbert describes his frustrations and pleasures at the enormous amount of written materials by or about Churchill. Perhaps no other historical figure has such an extensive archive. As recounted by Gilbert, his explorations of Churchill?s letters and papers taught him much, not only about Churchill?s impact on British and world history but about Churchill?s character. Yet as Gilbert states, no historical figure can be brought to life merely on the basis of written documents. Fortunately for Gilbert, at the time he did much of his research, in the sixties, many of the people in Churchill?s life were still alive to be interviewed. This includes many of his secretaries, a number of military and political figures with whom he worked and his wife and children. From decades of research, Gilbert emerged with a compelling portrait of a truly great character. A man, not without his faults but still a great liberal, a great democrat, a great leader and a great family man. The book is filled with anecdotes and quotes from Churchill. As one example, Gilbert discovered a letter of response from Labour Prime Minister Ramsey McDonald praising Churchill for his kindness and friendship. Gilbert never found the original letter Churchill wrote to McDonald but wonders what it could have said to elicit such a response from a man Churchill had referred to in open Parliament as ?the boneless wonder?.

Anyone who admirers Winston Churchill and Martin Gilbert must read this book. It is an absolute necessity to any Churchill library. Anyone who would like to learn a little about one of the 20th centuries truly great figures should read it as well.

Biographers spend years, and in this case decades, to bring their work, their subject to us. The manner their books came about is generally shared in their acknowledgement, or a section thanking those people and institutions that were instrumental in helping create the work. Sir Martin Gilbert is one of the great Historians of our time, and his main work as a historian is certainly a man that is truly unique, a historic original, a man who's peers can be counted on one hand.

"In Search Of Churchill" allows the reader to get about as close as he can to the writing of a biography without actually being one of Sir Martin's assistants. His work documenting Churchill is about to cross into its fifth decade. Sir Martin began as an assistant to Sir Winston Spencer Churchill's Son Randolph in 1962. In 1968 he took the task on alone, and has carried it forth, and continues to do so to this day.

Alone of course is the wrong word, while he certainly has written thousands of pages of what many consider the greatest biographical work ever done, hundreds of others living, and others through the papers they left behind, have helped Mr. Gilbert on this lifetime task. Churchill has not been the only subject of this great biographer which is yet another testimony to this historian.

Churchill is a constant, he is quoted almost daily, his speeches are legendary, as are his quips, which were at times poked in fun, and at others ended the careers of their target. Mr. Gilbert works toward answering questions that may not have a definitive answer, but if there is an individual to put forth valid opinion, none are more qualified than he. Why is Churchill a figure of history that has not been relegated to the past's vague memory, why does he routinely appear on magazine covers in this Country and others on a yearly basis? What was it about this man that has spawned an International Churchill Society who counts thousands on Continents around the world as paying members? Why are their new books on this man written on a regular basis, and how many authors have their books in print a century after they were written. Great Author's works line the shelves, but writing was an avocation for this man in addition to his other talents.

Mr. Gilbert brings you along to "meet" people who worked with Mr. Churchill. As his life spanned from the 1870's to the 1960's those who knew him are legion. He was Prime Minister twice, held nearly every major Government position, won the Nobel prize, painted, and held the fort for the Western Democracies until help finally came. If such a man had not lived so large and so long he would almost be more believable as legend and or myth rather than the Statesman, warrior, orator, and one of England's greatest citizens that he continues to be, in some cases in memory only. He did have a head start, as his Mother was American, and perhaps that makes us in the USA feel we can claim him as partly ours.

The embassy in Washington D.C. has a statue of Churchill, in mid-stride he has one foot on American soil and one on the territory of the English Embassy. In life his influence, his determination, and sense of destiny spanned the Globe. Even in death he spans the 2 Countries he loved the most.

His like will never be seen again.

If you enjoy biograhpies or Churchill, this is a book for you. Gilbert has come across some fascinating material in his pursuit of the great man. It is also interesting to see how exactly a biography is written. The book starts out focusing more on the author, but works its way into Churchill. Gilbert steps away from merely events in his life and through letters and those who knew him best, gets down to the inner man. The best part is a letter Churchill dictated when he was only a small boy where he predicts a great deal of his future. Gibert goes right to the heart of Churchill.

In 1955, photographer Winston Link took note of the disappearance of the steam locomotive from the American scene, and he decided to take quality photos of the last steam railroad left, the Norfolk and Western Railway. Over a period of several years, he took a series of excellent pictures of steam trains in motion. In the beginning, Mr. Link's idea was to take black-and-white photos of locomotives at night, but later he expanded this to trains operating during the day, and he even took some color photos.

This is an excellent book, if you like steam locomotives. In particular the color photos are breathtaking. My favorites were those of the streamlined J class. Great book!

This book not only depicts outstanding photography, but helps one to understand something about the author and the people involved with the railroad and surrounding communities. Some of the color photographs are more like paintings than photographs.

This might be the finest book I have ever read on the subjects of B&W photography, steam railroading and the history of a railroad . The photographs are excellent and the descriptions of the technique used to create them is first rate. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to remeber the days of the great steam locomotive and a time in America that, unfortunately, is long gone.

This is the first in a wonderful series of books by Judy Wolfman and David Lorenz Winston, giving an educational and entertaining documentation of farm life. Perfect for the elementary school child. The descriptions are accurate, scientific and mature, but in clear language that children can readily understand. The photos tie in perfectly with the text, and together present the full story of the life cycle of the animal, and show the love and care given by the children who live on the farm. My seven year old grandson thoroughly enjoys these books, and has taken them to school to share with his teacher and classmates.

LIFE ON A PIG FARM is an illustrative and informative children's book that is easy to understand and very entertaining. It features a family and daily duties they have to perform in order to get ready for the annual fair. Some highlights of this book are:
1. A step by step look at raising a litter of piglets
2. Chores to be done on the pig farm
3. A section on going to the fair
4. An fun facts section
5. A list of books and websites kids can go to in order to learn more
6. An informative glossary with special "pig terms" that are clearly defined

This book provides youngsters of all ages with a wonderful peak at the many aspects of life on a pig farm. The wonderful pictures are both fun and informative. Be sure to check out other "Life on a Farm" books by Judy Wolfman.

I bought this for my grandchildren and read it for myself! It is well written and tells a story a child can understand. It answers all the questions that young children tend to ask about pigs, living on a farm, etc. Love it and can hardly wait to give it to my grandaughters!

'Only' is a heartwarming, enduring, and, at times, funny account of life, love and family as seen through the eyes (and the heart) of a dog named Only. Winston Groom uses beautiful yet simplistic language without having the need to make the dog actually talk. You feel what Only feels by his experiences and his reactions to them. Groom takes you into the heart and mind of what is truely man's best frined. The story moves quickly but without sacrificing any grace. Once you read 'Only' you'll never be able to call your dog just a "dog" again.... read this with your dog curled up next to you so he's there when you need to give him a hug.

A fantastic book that any animal lover is sure to appreciate. Can easily be read in one afternoon. A box of tissues is a prerequisite to this very touching, sometimes funny look at life through a dog's eyes.

It is a great book that I couldn't put down! I will read it over and over again and it is sure to be one of my favorites for life!

here is wonderful book which outlines the very character of the Anglo-Saxon people. It is great and Churchill really adds a name to this not to mention the great newspaper reporter Richard davis

This story leaves you grinning from ear-to-ear. A great "rags to riches" tale that definitely appeals to children. I had a copy as a child and recently read it to my 7-year-old son. He then re-read it directly after I finished. Although quite short, the story stays with you a long time. . .
Also, I suspect the Winston Churchill is the Popular turn-of-the last century author of "Richard Carvel". His popularity was such that Sir Winston always used his middle initial to distinguish himself from the other (i.e. - Winston S. Churchill).

This book is a very good book and entertaining althought very few people know of it. It is very worth anyones wild to track it down and enjoy reading. I would love to get a copy for my collection

Great book, I use it all the time. I've used ever reciepe at least twice. I was just disappointed because a friend of mine has a cookbook she order from the movie that has a shrimp dip w/spinach in it. I bought the movie but I didn't have an order form in my video cassette box. But if you like shrimp every way you can think of then this is the book for you.

I bought this book for my Dad after we had a terrific experience at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant in Charleston, SC. My Dad is very ill and on oxygen, but the trip to the restaurant really perked him up. He loved the dish he had there, and the chef was kind enough to come out of the kitchen and tell Dad how to cook it! Although the book doesn't have that specific recipe, it has dozens of others just as good.

We found this book at our local library and our teenage son immediately "locked on" to it. He loves Bubba Gump as well as the recipes in this book. He has taken such an interest in it that he has learned to cook from it. His favorite recipi is "Bubba's Beer-Batter Shrimp." He prepares it in a fondue pot and our entire family reaps the benifits. My husband and I prefer the "Shrimp and Feta Vermicelli." It adds a little adventure to cooking with shrimp. The variety of recipes in the book make it a "sure thing" for shrimp lovers.