Nelson DeMille knows of what he writes. As a Lt. in the service in Nam and a keen human observer--we are given over 700 pages that draw us into a world we Americans sometimes do not like to revisit.

The central character, Ben Tyson, is a modern day commuter with a cushy job in NY, a family out in the 'burbs and a sense of honor that is about to be tested to the inth degree. Somone has written a well selling book about the atrocities at Hue. The author's two witnesses have made Ben Tyson culpable for his unit's macabre killing behavior at a French hospital during the war. And now the government plans to make him their scape goat.

After 20 years of living with the past, the truth starts to come out. Slowly, in stages, as DeMille builds the tension with episodes between Tyson's wife, his lawyer, his reunion with his men, the author who revealed his secrets, and a cout-martial trial.

I always appreciate DeMille's well researched novels. Mixing actual events with fiction using humor and pathos is his baliwick. Characters you want to know and dialogue that snaps.

A moving read of war, adventure, and trust.

I have read all of Demille's books. I have enjoyed all of his books. I do not think that any can compete with Word of Honor. First of all, he truly allows the reader to understand the central character, Benjamin Tyson. I would catch myself on numerous occasions, understanding in certain situations exactly how he felt. His character development is flawless and the reader truly gets to know the characters.

The plot itself was incredibly interesting with the Vietnam war backdrop against a modern family in Long Island. In addition, a military courtroom drama is an uncommon trait in modern fiction. In reality, the last one I read was the Caine Mutiny.

I could not put this book down, and it's pretty long. I think I read it in just two sittings (not bad for 700+ pages). Demille truly engages the reader, unflods the plot in small steps, and keeps the reader on his toes. In addition, the detail of all aspects is incredible. I would recommend this book to everyone and have actually purchased it twice because when I lost it I could not live without it.

This book brings out everything that a Demille fan expects from him: great story line, page-turning intrigue, and most importantly, Demille's own inimitable sardonic dialogue that is unmatched by any author. If you liked John Cory in Plum Island and Lion's Game (which any Demille fan does), then you'll really appreciate Ben Tyson in this one. Even better, he gets a sidekick (his attorney) who's just as bad/good as he is.

The story is built well, providing ample, but not too lengthy background of the main story - a civilian murder in Vietnam. This is NOT, however a Vietnam War story as much as it is a trial of an upwardly mobile family man from New York. AS you move through the book, you will find the pages turning faster adn faster, especially the last 100 pages.

Plum Island was my favorite until this read. Truly excellent!

I like books that tell a story, use examples and create benefits that is I can use. "Beans: Four Principles for Running a Business in Good Times or Bad" is that kind of book!

The authors choose the "Ps" of Passion, People, Personnel and Product. They lead us through the success of Jack and Diane's coffee shop. It is an easy read. It will urge you to understand your workplace journey. It doesn't matter if you are an employer or the employee.

"Beans" is a journey from employment for a major airline (working for money), the unfulfilled entrepreneur step of self-employment selling martinis, and arriving at a passion for selling a cup of coffee. The realization that the "Ps" of Passion, People or Personnel will not make up for a quality Product leads Jack to develop the "best" cup of coffee! It takes all 4!

If you liked "Fish!" - you will like "Beans."

You might like to buy extra copies and give them to your personnel!

"Some people may find this story contrived...", as the Amazon.com review says. That makes me so mad. It's as if things have gotten so bad that anything positive seems contrived. I hate that. For anyone who is looking for an inspiring business story, in the midst of bad corporate news, here is the book for you. I often look for books that can inspire my somewhat jaded staff (with their own problems) and here I have found one.

I was delighted that recently I went on vacation and gave this book to my employees beforehand. I came back after a week and found that not only had they read it and discussed it among themselves, but that it had made a difference in how they interacted with our customers. Every time I think business books are too simplistic, one comes along that makes a real difference.

I bought a copy of this book at my local bookstore but I wanted to go online to tell the world how valuable I think it is. I see that some people just don't like the parable format for teaching old managers new tricks, but I think it works just fine (which is why it has been around since the Bible, for goodness sake!). I got involved with the simple story right away but realized after looking at the discussion questions in the back that the author has constructed the book carefully so that readers can learn something from every single chapter. You don't have to read it in a single sitting.

I have plenty to do at the office, but those questions have inspired me to see if people at work would want to join a book club and begin with this one. I would be happy to make the coffee.

This easy-to-read book provides something that women have been looking for since we realized what osteoporosis is all about -- hope! A simple program of weight lifting, something totally foreign to women over a certain age, is outlined with solid research data to back it up. The program is detailed with names and prices of equipment, clear explanations of exercises (and the women in the diagrams look human :-)! ). I bought a copy for me, a copy for my mother and a copy for my daughter!

This book was recommended to me by a 40-something doctor with whom I work. I noticed her arms were more 'cut' and that her clothes were fitting better, and I asked her what she was doing. She told me about Strong Women Stay Young and I ordered it.

I read through the book and loved it. It's based on science, not some new fad, and it's easy for the lay person to understand. The exercises are simple and easy to do. You can do them anywhere anytime. I noticed results in my upper and lower legs and my upper arms within one month. It's easy to see that this regimen can be used for a lifetime. I didn't lose any weight, but I appear slimmer and I feel better and stronger. My balance is better, too. I highly recommend this book and I have no intention of reselling mine. I've urged several friends to buy it.

Fourteen months ago, my size 12 blue jeans were starting to feel just a little bit more than tight. I had just seen the pictures of myself at my sister's wedding...and they weren't pretty. They made me realize that I had gone from always having been extremely slender to well, to put it politely, junoesque.

I started this program March 4, 1999, after reading an excerpt from Strong Women Stay Slim in the Reader's Digest. I was looking for a program that I could do for the rest of my life. It had to be one that did not involve going to a gym, since I have a 100% failure rate with exercise dependent on a gym. It had to be one that helped me drop the 30 lbs. I had picked up since taking a sedentary job in the suburbs. It had to be forgiving of my sometimes irregular schedule. It had to get me back in shape for my 25th high school reunion.

After six weeks of following the exercises in the Reader's Digest Article, I was already seeing results, so I bought Strong Women Stay Young, and added the ankle weight and abs exercises from the book to my program. I also started taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, and walking to the store instead of driving. (I did do the program an average of three times a week, rather than the recommended two.)

By the time my high school reunion rolled around, I had dropped the extra 30 lbs (without dieting -- just sensible eating). So many people at work have commented in the change in my appearance and have asked how I did it, that I've taken to carrying Reader's Digest reprints of the original article around to hand out when asked. My thighs and my upper arms have slimmed down and firmed up. My belt went from too tight on the largest hole to too loose on the smallest. I continue to get stronger and to improve my sense of balance. And my jeans are now a size six...

Some of the other reviews raise concerns that this program is too mild to be effective. Perhaps that's true, if you're looking for serious bodybuilding, or want to train for a marathon. But as for me, I wanted to be stronger and slimmer. I am. I wanted a program that I would actually do, instead of one that I would drift away from. Fourteen months later, I'm still working out. My experience is that this works, if you actually do it.

Blake Nelson is my God. I picked this book up by chance about three years ago, and I haven't been able to put it down since. I lost count on how many times I've read on number seven. This book speaks words to me that I never knew existed. Even though Andrea's character can be seen as foolish, experimental, or just uncaring, she still feels like the sister I never had. I have yet to read Nelsons' second book, though I am curious to see if it captures real life feelings and experience much like Girl did. I feel like I'd be betraying Andrea, though, if I read it before a sequal to Girl comes out. (hint, hint)

O.K,so it may not be the most well written of books but Blake Nelsons Girl is all heart.Andrea Marr is the type of gal you wish was your cool older sister.You all know what the plot is about so i won't bore you with the details but i would recommend it to anyone who is or ever was young.It follows Andrea from the ages of 15 to 18 and you can really see her growing and maturing from being a conformist high school girl who dates mindless jocks to a girl who tentatively begins to explore the alt-rock scene in portland.The story is set in the early 1990's when Grunge broke and is really evocative of that era and although it doesnt name check any bands of the time,it is set around the Seattle scene.My life couldnt have been more different than Andrea's but i can really relate to her story.I've seen the film version in which they turned the book into a typical teen flick complete with the obligatory happy ending.I would love to see a film of the book which was faithful to the story with a Grunge soundtrack.I would pick the song Velouria by the Pixies to be the theme song of the film as it reminds me of Andrea and the time i read the book.P.S would Blake Nelson please hurry up and write the sequel?!

I absolutely LOVE this book! For those of you who may think it's just for teenagers, this book can definately be enjoyed by anyone in their teens, twenties, OR people just young at heart. Blake Nelson accurately tells the story of what it's like to be a young, impressionable girl desperately searching for a place to fit in. Andrea's versatile personality gets her into many interesting situations. Each chapter holds some new revelation or adventure. If you were a fan of the television show "My So-Called Life", you MUST read this book. Perhaps Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano are based upon Andrea Marr and Todd Sparrow of "Girl"...the parallels are striking! Read for yourself! You'll want to go back to high school once you read this...you'll wish you were sitting in the cafeteria, slammin'in the mosh pit, or hanging out at the mall with Andrea and her friends!!!

A Long Walk To Freedom is a book filled with information, power, and perseverance. This is the first autobiography that I have read, and I must say that I chose a great example to start out with.
This book takes readers inside the life and times of the political genius Nelson Mandela. It starts out with a wonderful description of Nelson's childhood in South Africa. Telling a story about how he was a normal "free" African boy, able to fun in the dry fields and swim in the cool streams. Nelson had the rare opportunity as an African boy to become educated. This allowed him to explore opportunities and politics.
Nelson met many people on his long journey that taught him how to be a good leader, negotiator, and debater. He became a very influential and powerful leader of the African National Congress, and President of Africa. He arranged many strikes and rallies to encourage freedom of Africans.
At a young age Nelson learned that he was not even free in his own country, and that the white Africans had no freedoms. At first Nelson wanted freedom for himself. He was a young boy who wanted to be able to live where he wanted to, eat where he wanted to, and say whatever he wanted to. As he grew wise he realized that he not only yearned for freedom, but he yearned for the freedom of his people. He wanted freedom for his brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, and even for his enemies. He set a goal, to unite and free Africans of every color.
This is a story of a freedom fighter. A man who's goal in life was to free others. This one man changed the history of South Africa, taking this country into his own hands. He often faced court hearings, banning, and lost his tight family connections through his struggle, but in the end, he prevailed.
If you are interested in politics, South African history, or Nelson Mandela, I suggest reading this autobiography.

Nelson Mandela brought his life and the history of South Africa for the past century alive in his vivid autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. This is the first autobiography I have ever read, and I must say that Nelson Mandela can write with extraordinary talent. The imagery and vivid accounts Mandela uses to display 100 years of history in apartheid ridden South Africa show the reader the true horrors that blacks went trough day to day.
Mandela takes the reader through his childhood in the Transkei, and then his troubled adulthood in Johannesburg. In Johannesburg, Nelson starts the first black law firm and begins to start a political life. He shows his development from an ignorant citizen to a fierce opponent to segregated society. Mandela also shows his life underground, in prison, and the prevail of good over evil. In addition, this book shows the development of the African National Congress, and other influential organizations that still strive to create racial harmony to this day. This book is the sacrifice 27 years of a man's life for the betterment of society.
The book is not only a good historical count, but also a great read. Nelson uses excellent literary techniques, colorful metaphors, imagery and personification to write a life story, which proves to be successful.
Every high school student should read this book to lessen racial prejudice in the United States and to preserve a tranquil society. I salute Nelson Mandela for his accomplishments and thank him for sharing his story with the world.
If you are interested in the triumph of good over evil, the end of a racially prejudice society or just a good read, pick up Long Walk to Freedom and let Nelson Mandela teach you about a culture and the changes he helped to make.

This book deserves a 10 star rating.

Nelson Mandela is not only a hero of mine, he also symbolizes human rights and the struggle for equality. Long Walk to Freedom is a remarkable story of a hero's journey.

I am a white man who grew up in a sheltered, white, middle class neighborhood. I have been enlightened after reading this book. In the past, I heard minor stories of Apartheid (from the white perspective), but I never knew about the horrifying human rights violations that were an everyday occurance for black and other non-white South Africans.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding Mandela's heroic life and the great antiapartheid movement. I would also recommend that this story be read by all future generations in all learning institutions.

This is the story of a hero, one of the greatest heroes of all time.

Nelson Demille consistently surprises me with his research, knowledge and laser paced action in his books. He just has a way of drawing me in to his characters with their transitional dialouge. I want to know them, care about them, and of course despise horrific villains. And as for action adventures, well, let's just say he moves a plot around like a Chinese acrobat with an inner ear problem!

In "By The Rivers of Babylon", we meet an extensive group of characters who begin a journey of peace for the Middleast. Two Concordes take off from Lod airport. A mysterious Lear jet invades their flying space. Not known to the pilots and passengers is the fact that a rebel Palestinian guerilla, Rish , has had bombs planted in the tails of each bird as they were being built a year before. Leading to an exciting kidnapping and forced landing.

What I enjoyed the most in this compelling book were the strategies of war. How different eras as well as nations handled nightime invasions for example. And how one must do anything to survive--anything. This seemed to be a pre-cursor to "The Lions Game" by DeMille. Similar themes, however, I was intrigued with the setting of Babylon. The history involved, the colorful descriptions of the Euphrates river, how Mesopatamia had been a glorious city and it's ironic downfall.

Highly recommended reading for the adventure lover.

Your interest & comment votes are appreciated--CDS

I've just discovered Nelson Demille (having read "Charm School" first) and what a marvellous discovery he is! BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON is a timely story that feels more like news than fiction. I was overwhelmed with anger, rage, pity, fear, compassion while reading this book: I hated for it to end (and plan to read it again). It's an incredibly moving story that should remind us all which side we're on since 9/11!

Even after visiting the Demille homepage, the only thing I can't figure out is how one man can know so much about flying, bombs, weapons, war strategy, terrorist organizations, the Israeli government, and human beings. Demille's prose is so authoritative and convincing--even in the minute details.

I plan to read as many Demille novels as I can get my hands on.

One of my favorite all time books. An excellent plot with oustanding characters. After being forced to land by Arab terrorists an Israeli peace delegation is forced to survive unsurmountable odds. One jet full of the peace conference attendees is exploded in midair. The second jet then lands in Iraq. From there on out the arts of survival begins. The Israeli delegation fights for their very lives. It is a tremendous battle against tremendous odds. Some of the tactics employed by the Israelis are very good. The Isrealis show that the strong will indeed survive. An outstanding book by DeMille.Buy this book and keep it under lock and key.

As a big fan of Augustine's writing I give this book five stars. The way that he has interwoven his thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences with the humble eloquence of repentance will have you as the reader very exuberant. In reading this work you will learn more of Augustine's life, the spiritual turmoil he faced, and how he came to knowledge of the truth in a most triumphant manner. Although, that's not all that you will find interesting in the Confessions. In fact once Augustine converts to Catholicism and discovers the mystery of the faith, he then proceeds to fill in the blanks philisophically were he had once been left in error. Finally Augustine ponders on the book of Genesis and discourses a respectable point of view on the creation of heaven and earth. Oh Yeah! I forgot to explain how Augustine corresponds the subject matter of this book with a profound emphasis on the Holy Scriptures. So I recommend this masterpiece to anyo ne who has a love for great Latin literature, or to all that wish to read the prestige of Christian writings.

After Sacred Scripture itself, perhaps no other book has brought more people to a deeper understanding of the truths of the Christian faith than "Confessions." Simply put, it's the story of one well-educated, intelligent man who led a profligate life in a sophisticated pagan society. It took his mother, prayer, and the grace of Almighty God to make him a saint--and indeed one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church.

What is most striking about Augustine's story is how easily it relates to our own lives and our own times. It is impossible to read "Confessions" without seeing a little bit of yourself in his tales of his early life. The book is perfect for anyone struggling with their Christian faith. Indeed, it helped bring me back to the Catholic Church.

This translation is well-written and highly readable. I own it and highly recommend it.

St. Augustine's Confessions is a treasure of Western literature, and, much like the book of Job and the Psalms, really belongs to the heritage of the entire culture and has transcended sectarian importance. That is not to say that these books are not religiously important--of course they are, and the Confessions perhaps even more so to a confessing Christian. Much of what the entire Western church still believes comes straight from the mind and pen of St. Augustine, and to understand his mind one really needs to read the Confessions. Nearly the entire orthodox Catholic tradition of fall-redemption theology sprung full-formed from Augustine's mind, which can be seen in his allegorical interpretaiton of Genesis 1, the section that ends the Confessions and gives them an "unfinished" quality. Augustine was a well-known and revered man when he wrote this book, and rather goes out of his way to depict himself as a youthful deviant to his followers. This is both a heuristic device and what Ausgustine really believes about himself; he is interested in his flock realizing his own fallenness and finitude, and seeing it in themselves as well. A brilliantly modern book for fourth-century fare, it is amenable (at the risk of anachronism)to a multitude of interpretations. Here one can find existential angst, control-dramas, the quest for and the overturning of the ego-self, and an almost pathological study of human guilt (it has been quipped that if the Saint from Hippo had had a good psychotherapist, the Church might have been spared nearly two millennia of sexual dysfunction). Augustine's conversion in the garden reads almost like a kensho experience in Zen. Read the book and draw your own conclusions, but never forget that, as you read, you are sitting at the feet of (and in judgement of) one of the sharpest minds ever produced in Latin Christianity. He writes, "For although I cannot prove to mankind that these my confessions are true, at least I shall be believed by those whose ears are opened to me by love" Book 10.3, and whether or not your ears are open to him in love, they should at least be open. Augustine always has something to say to the careful reader, and no less a careful reader than Derrida lui-même is an inveterate reader and student of Augustine's. Quite a compliment from a reader who certainly does not share Augustine's faith concerns....

Aliens: Earth Hive was enjoyable to read and I like how each of the character's were developed through their dialogue and all. That's fine for some characters but hard-core military dudes such as I would be let down and how Perry handled the verbal situation for marines. The jokes were a bit childish and very un-marine like. I didn't feel anything that made me believe they are the finest of the Corps unlike the ones portrayed in the movie, Aliens. That's probably the only downside to the book. Other than that, it's a pretty good spinoff of the Alien Trilogy.

This book is fantastic. The story is basically set in the furture after at least the first two of the movies. It portrays human civilisation of the future with fanatical elements, greedy corporations and expansion into the grittiness of space. Space is by no means a pretty place be it on a nice safe space cruiser or a dangerous alien world. The story is full of gore and a few clever twists. The characters are the standard affair and character comparisons to "Alien Ressurection" are at times relevant. Alien fans will love this book which leads also onto a series. Enjoy and watch out for those tell tale chest pains!

Since I read the others before I read this one, so I knew what to expect. But this book is a little better than the others, in my opinion. The characters are great compared to the other alien books I have read. They are detailed down to the last fault or strength. The plot is also very well written. Being male, I think I can relate to this book more than the 3rd book in the series, The Female War. All in all, this book was the best Aliens book I've read so far. Thumbs up Steve Perry!

"Many Waters" was my least favorite of the four books in the "Time Quartet," but it was good. It just seemed VERY different from the three previous books that I read as a teenager. This book is about Meg and Charles Wallace's twin brothers Sandy and Dennys. The boys mistakenly get taken up by one of their father's space-time experiments and find themselves in a desert, rescued by a small oasis-dwelling man named Japeth. It turns out that they have found themselves in the Biblical story of Noah before the flood. The book details some of L'Engle's suppositions about the daily life of the the people then and also elaborates on the supernatural life of the time... seraphim were common visitors to the people of Noah's oasis as were something called "nephilim," which were once more godly creatures that turned their backs on god and began to marry and mate with humans. The boys get caught up in the stories of the relationships among all these "species" and have their own adventures. It's an interesting tale, but as I said, it is so different from the others, it wasn't what I expected.

The book is a little more overtly religious than the other books, but it's an interesting interpetation of what's always been a very puzzling chapter in Genesis (Gen 6) which talks about the sons of God mating with the daughters of men, and the Nephilim living among them. It's always seemed to be a bit of undigested ancient mythology that was never edited out of the biblical stories when Judaism became a more coherent and modern religion after the Babylonian exile. But l'Engel turns it into an interesting fantasy with a good deal of symbolic value, and makes it about love and faith and the miraculous power of God to bring good out of evil.

"Many waters cannot drown love," we are told, and that seems to be the point of the story.

This is an amazing book. I loved it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy. It is a sequel to A Wrinkle in Time. This book is about Sandy and Dennys Murry. They "think" they are the ordinary people in the Murry family and compared to the rest of the family, they are. One day when they came home from school they went into their mother and father's lab to get the hot cocoa. Their father had a new experiment in the lab and they started to press buttons and make wishes. After they left the lab they saw the "Do Not Enter, Experiment in Progress" sign on the door, but they were too late. They are transported to a time and place that they do not know. If you read it you can find out where and when they were transported to. They meet some terrible and some lovely people. They have many new friends that they don't want to leave, but unfortunately have to. This book has everything a book should have. Fantasy, mystery, horror, suspense, romance, and history. This is a book for everyone.

This book is one of Madeline L'Engle's best! I loved it. Sandy and Dennys Murry are are identical twins. They have a younger brother Charles Wallace Murry and an older sister now in college Meg Murry. Their mother is a scientist and their father experiments with space and time travel. The twins walk into their mother's lab not noticing a sign sayin "EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS. PLEASE KEEP OUT." Dennys types into a computer in the lab: TAKE ME SOMEPLACE WARM and the twins end up back in the time of Noah. Anyone who liked A Wrinkle in Time should read this book! It is one of my favorite books by Madeline L'Engle!

A high tech world meets the night of the living dead. It impresses me that even a ten year old reviewer who I read before responding to this challenge recognizes some of the weaknesses of the plot. Did this entertain me? Yes... for the three hours I spent reading it. Since I am not a speed reader, I guess I must admit that the predictable parts of the plot did not keep me attached to the text. Should a prospective purchaser purchase it? Compared to Plum Island, this is not much of a book. It is, however, laden with some technical details I found fascinating. Good triumphs, which should surprise no one, and helps at the end. I came away feeling that this was a better short story than novel. It was worth an afternoon. My slower reading friends who spent days in it might not have spent their time as productively. If you want a potboiler and plan to make a quick read of it, go for it. If you want the best book I have read by DeMille, get Plum Island. The characters are more interesting and the suspense is real, not contrived. By the way, before writing this review, I found and purchased another book by DeMille. I may have my doubts but enjoy DeMille's work.

This was a very good read in the typical "movie for your mind" style of DeMille. It had a solid plot, and didn't stray from it. The crippling of this airliner has major effects on the lives of several characters in this book, and DeMille does a wonderful job of getting into the different mindsets of each of those characters.

The dialogue is flawless and the plot is very solid. I thought the characters could have been a little more detailed. It is still a very good read, and I'd recommend it to anyone that likes a fast paced action/adventure book. It's one that leaves you wondering how the protagonist is going to get out of this situation.

The only reason I gave it a 4 is because, as a huge DeMille fan, I didn't think it was a good (detailed) as his later works. The aviation expertise that Block added to the book are a huge plus though.

Enjoy this one, then read Plum Island, The Lion's Game, and Cathedral.

I was coerced into buying this book because of an interest in flying and action/adventure novels. But once I started reading it I didn't remember why I needed coersion. It simply a terrific read from begginning to end. I thought that it would be similar to books like Arthur Hailey's 'Airport' which I had read years ago and quite enjoyed but I wondered how DeMille was going to do anything new with the genre. Although a big fan of the 'X-Files' and the like I was just about "conspiracied" out. But DeMille makes the missile tragedy and cover-up very believable. The attention to detail (as he acknowledged, Thomas Block's aeronautical knowledge was vital)is excellent but he never lets the technicalities (either the problems experienced at the altitude or the militaria) bog the story down. You find yourself in the cockpit right next to John Berry with your heart pounding.

Interestingly the romantic sub plot was barely touched on and was refreshing in this age of sex/sexual tension influencing everything. Rightly, the protaganists put this to one side to concentrate on the more important issues at hand. This leads to the sexual tension being there, just in the periphery. 'Mayday' is brilliantly written and while originally published in the late 1970s, the version that I bought was updated for the 1990s (in much the same way the Stephen King updated 'The Stand') and I can honestly say it's an excellent book. I bought 'Mayday' about 3 months ago and quickly got my hands on and read 'Spencerville' and 'The General's Daughter' by DeMille (both of which are excellent) and we also now have 'Gold Coast', 'Plum Island' 'Word of Honour', 'The Talbot Odyssey' and 'By the Rivers of Babylon' in our bookcase.

For fans of the action side of the story, I can also recommend Clive Cussler, whose earlier books resemble 'Mayday', including coincidentally one called 'Mayday', although I think its American title was 'The Mediterranean Caper'.