BOTTOM LINE: Many people looking into getting an attorney to prepare a simple will have probably had sticker shock - several hundred dollars minimum for a competent attorney to prepare it. But as this book explains, do it yourself estate lawyering, while not prudent for complex situations, is clearly within the reach of those with even moderately complex situations and the patience to spend a leisurely weekend reading this book.

WHAT IT COVERS: This book is primarily a primer, explaining the foundations of estate planning including: an overview and whether you actually need to spend time reading the book and drafting estate docs, drafting a will, how to think about what assets will go to which family members and other beneficiaries, financial instruments such as brokerage accounts/bank accounts/life insurance and how they fit into wealth transfer, as well as powers of attorney and health care directives. What I like best about the book is that you know you are getting candid advice from someone not trying to bill you by the hour or sell you variable annuity life insurance. In my own area of expertise - finance - the fact that the author's opinion regarding life insurance is dead on (tax planning should be kept separate from investing strategies and as such variable annuities are complete bunk) gives me great comfort that I'm getting straight shooting advice in the rest of the book.

WHAT IT CAN BE USED FOR: The book can serve readers on two different levels. If you are going to get a lawyer anyway but are the type of person that wants to be educated when you talk to lawyers/accountants/brokers, this book will have you speaking the same language and is an easy read over the course of a weekend. If you want to prepare an estate plan yourself, this book serves as an ample resource to help create the necessary docs. The fill-in forms in the back are certainly capable of serving as the basis for your basic estate docs, but at the same time it may be more comforting to most people to have a seamless document that they are not penciling in blanks, which leads to my next point...

THINK ABOUT GETTING THE COMPANION SOFTWARE: This book is published by Nolo Press, a well-respected publisher of legal self-help books. They also publish a software title in conjunction with Quicken (makers of the financial planning software) called Quicken Lawyer which not only has an offline/online legal manual with much of the info included in this book, but its main function is to create a battery of estate documents for you through very simple step-by-step interviews - you answer the questions, it drafts the legalese, you print and execute it. I would almost recommend just getting the software instead b/c there is a decent offline/online manual included, but for those that really want to know the why behind what they're doing, get this book and the software. See my review on Quicken Lawyer Personal Deluxe for more info.

LIMITATIONS: The book readily admits there are situations that require an attorney and points out throughout the book which situations require it. In general, get an attorney if you expect to owe federal estate tax (threshold is currently estates over $1.5 mm, but rising rapidly through 2010), have an ex-wife or two, have kids that don't speak to each other, or other complex family dynamic.

I have read about 10 books on estate planning, and this is by far the clearest, best organized, and most comprehensive of the lot. The authors cover the issues of trusts, tax planning and tax reduction, and asset preservation. This is the book to start with, and is really as good as they get.

This book is a great resource for people, the only problem is the printed price on the book

Would the next John Grisham please come forward...Introducing George Clidienst! The Protege marvels with twists and turns that rival no other. The reader is gripped as they follow our fellow Protege through an intense path of corporate corruption, a racey relationship, and the struggle for more, more, more. The Protege is a must read for those who love suspense in the combination of greed, wealth, and power.

This is one that I could not put down. Just when I thought I knew what direction it was going in, I was taken by surprise. Remarkable ending and very unpredictable... I can't wait to read Mr.Clidienst's next novel. GREAT WORK!

This book is a great new twist on the Horatio Alger stories of decades past, but much, much more satisfying. The difference here is that the author creates characters of incredible depth, making even the bad guys interesting. I still cannot believe this is his first book.

For his first novel, Tom Marlin has captured my interest. The story line is skillfully interwoven with glimpses into the history and culture of the DFW Texas area in the middle 19th century. Many real names and places are used in the story which make it seem almost like a documentary of the struggle for territory between the native Americans and the settlers. Two main characters emerge; Jake Chalk, a young rancher who finds himself involved in efforts to protect the settlers from Indian attacks and to capture the other main character, Black Wolf, a young Caddo chief who seems to be bent on continuing the hostilities. The more the story unfolded, the more I was drawn into it trying to anticipate what would be coming next. Would Melody and Jake eventually marry? Would Black Wolf recover his sacred obsidian knife? The ending was exciting and surprising enough to rate a five star for me. There are still some unanswered questions which may be sufficient material for a sequel which I hope is coming soon.

Initially, I thought this was a story about times preceding the settlement of Dallas but I found it to also be a saga of westward expansion in the US (the culmination of which was the destruction of Native American cultures during the 19th century).

I was delighted to read not only a good solid story, but see the characters evolve with real emotion and motivations. A fairly difficult task for accomplished writers, the author ups the ante with a historically based setting. What I liked is that these aren't the cardboard characters you find in so many well conceived but poorly executed pieces of historical fiction, where characters only exist to fulfill their 'historical significance' and are discarded to the annals of history.

Stories that take the time to weave a good tale are one thing but when the author follows it up with what appears to be very detailed research to base the story upon past events in real locations (in addition to showing the effects of the real issues of day to day life in the time period) you know you've got something special. This book is going to be one tough act to follow, but I trust the author welcomes and rises to the challenge.

I suspect I'll be let down by the fact that the author is incapable of crafting his tales as quickly as I can read them. If you're reading this Mr. Marlin: START ON ANOTHER BOOK NOW.

Ok, so I grew up on the Lone Ranger and more of the stereotypical "good guys wear white hats" kind of western. I had written off the genre for the most part until I read some L'amour and thought I'd give this a shot as well. (Apparently there's a lot of really bad stuff out there and have been told I lucked out when I found L'amour.)

Keep in mind that my usual reading is stuff by Phillip K Dick, Bruce Sterling, and William Gibson, so you could definitely say I'm a fish out of water in regards to this genre.

Imagine my surprise when I saw not only a good solid story, but character development and...what's that? historically based. Stories that take the time to weave a good tale are one thing but when the author does the research to base the story upon past events in real locations AND deftly shows the affects of the real issues of day to day life in the time period....WOW.

I had never thought of "cowboys" like that before. It's my belief that if you like L'amour, you'll like Marlin.

Thanks for a great read, Mr. Marlin.

I found this book to a very interesting book on Texas tidbits. I read a lot about Texas that I never imagined. I recommend this book as a refreshing book to read.

I found that this book was very interesting and I learned a lot about Texas and Texans. I recommend this to everone who is interested in Texas, trivia and even to those who are not. Very enjoyable reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. It was hard to put down. Many extremely interesting facts about the great state of Texas. I recommend this book for everyone to read, even non-Texans.

I am a Dallas native who grew up around the time the Ski Mask Rapist was hunting in North Dallas, so I was very interested to read this book. It was so scary to read about my neighborhood in this book. But the book is great, very readable, and gives a great insight into the mind of Gilbert Escobedo.

Swindle has done an excellent job here of walking the reader through not only the investigation of the rapes committed, but the background and personality of the criminal, Gilbert Escobedo. The fact that Swindle was able to visit and interview Escobedo several times during his incarceration was, I am sure, immensely helpful. I feel that books like these can actually help prevent crime...in this case rape...by arming potential victims with crucial knowledge. The first thing they have to realize--and this is immensely obvious in the book--is that they ARE a potential victim. Escobedo committed upwards of 100 rapes, and even managed to maintain some "normal" relationships on the side...even going so far as to initiate not only an intimate relationship, but also a business relationship with an unsuspecting woman who, coincidentally, was previously one of his victims. She never even knew until he was finally arrested. You really can't make this stuff up.

this book is excellent. it is so detailed and once you start reading it, you can't put it down. it explores the profiles of serial rapists, how the police create profiles, and it gives you the chilling feeling like you are there observing the crime scene.

I have just discovered the wonderful novels by Susan Wittig Albert, and I am playing catch-up trying to read all the past installment of the China Bayles saga.
Imagine my delight upon finding this delightful collection of short stories.

I love that these stories are a great deal more light-hearted than the usual serious themes found in the book length tales. Albert features all the familiar characters from her series, including China, her best friend Ruby, police chief Shelia Dawson, and of course, China's new husband Mike McQuaid. She also brings in a few new characters that have not appeared in any previously published mysteries to join in the fun.

I also love the many herbal tips and recipes that appear sprinkled throughout the book.

For fans of Albert's series, this collection is a "must have"!

Fans of mystery writing and gardening will find themselves delighted by this story of herbalist-sleuth China Bayles in yet another story of her evolving life. China has settled down and opened her herb shop - but there are ten puzzling cases here for her to solve, along with herbal advice and recipes. Unthymely Death is an intriguing multi-faceted story.

I have enjoyed all of the previous "herb" books and am not usually a fan of short stories. This collection is wonderful, though. and it goes great with a pot or glass of tea, a comfortable chair, and quiet time. I recommend this for your vacation reading list.

When I find an author that I love to read, I wait for them to bring us another book. I was certainly not disappointed by Ms. Haynes third book. As I read her work I am in awe, how does she come up with these storylines? Between the brothers, the mother and Willem, we are given a cast of true characters. this is a must read.

Another gem from Melinda Haynes. Haynes' writing continues to delight and has matured and improved with each book. As with all great literature, the writing itself is at least as important as the story line. And what a story line it is! These characters draw you in with their raw humanity and hold you there with their quirks and flaws and dreams and charms. That she could create these very real and living characters and have their lives flawlessly intertwine is a real credit to Haynes as a storyteller. As you are reading this book your heart has no doubt that these stories are "true" and that these people have lived and loved and died in towns like this all through the south through all time. We love them and we come from them, and any scholar of the south and of human beings and their stories would do well to read this book. You won't be disappointed, and you will most certainly be enriched. Haynes is a writer whose reputation will only grow with time. You can read her work right now, and I have no doubt that our children and/or grandchildren will be reading her work in college one day.

I just read a strange review of Willem's Field in the Washington Post and wondered if the reviewer had read the same book I did. The first thing she did was type-cast Haynes as a woman's writer. (Her evidence was that Haynes first book was an Oprah selection). After reading my third Haynes book in Willem's Field, I wonder how the reviewer came up with that soubriquet. By her standards Pat Conroy is a military brat writer and Amy Tan is a Chinese immigrant kid's writer. It totally ignores what raises Haynes to the level of outstanding writer. Though Haynes sets her books in the South, I don't find her a genre writer. If she has a genre it is like that of Walker Percy's -- redemption in the face of everyday repression.
One of the worst things that one can do about Willem's Field is to judge it by synopsis as the Post writer did. I don't know any artist who would survive such a judgement; Melville, Faulkner (a frequent victim of the technique in his lifetime) and Twain couldn't survive such a spiritless scrutiny.
Willem's Field is a seductive work. It blends a field (pun accidental)of black humor with a deep introspection. Haynes does it with her greatest gift, her canvas of words. And one of the amazing things is that in situations where you can feel like laughing outloud, but still feel emotionally tied to the characters. Haynes loves all her characters. With one noticeable exception. And she has you grinning with nasty, gloating justice when he meets a gruesome and most unladylike end.
One caveat: Willems Field requires an enjoyment of reading for the sake of reading, with reading being a creative experience of its own. Is is a seductive process. The opening chapter of the book works because she draws the reader into this creation, which sets off a panic attack by an old man whose life is being destroyed by the affliction. It could have been off-putting, but Haynes makes it something special by treating panic disorder that is also a part of her own life with that dark humor. She can be rough and raunchy at times. She writes from life.
I loved the book, and find it the best of her three. There is a growth in her fiction that is delightful.

This book contains detailed info on every battleship that sailed under the american flag. One good thing about this book is that it includes at least one photo of each ship. Considering that some of these ships were built a long time ago, this is quite an accomplishment. A must have for fans of capital ships.

Max Newhart has created an excellent overview of Amercian Battleships. His work provides the reader with basic technical and historical information on each American Battleship from the Maine to the Montana class. This work enables students of naval warfare to follow the advancements in Battleship construction by simply turning the pages in chronological order. If you are seeking detailed information on individual ships you will need to look elsewhere. However, if you have a general interest in naval ships and you want to improve your knowlege of American Battleships this is a terrific book.

This book was great. I liked it because it included all the battleships built by the U.S. and those that were scheduled to be built, but never were. It gave a a good history on each of them and also a decade by decade insight of the political circumstances surrounding the building of battleships. Again, a very good book.

Growing up in San Antonio, my family frequently traveled to Rockport for the weekend. We would fish at night and go sightseeing by day. As a child I was always fascinated by the area and I grew so did this curiosity.
Four years ago I read in the Rockport Pilot's Visitor Guide that this book existed. That very day I was dragging my wife around looking for it, finally found it at the Art Museum by the beach. The entire weekend was spent skimming and reading this wonderful book. Since I have got the book I have read and re-read it many many times.
Today I enjoy visiting Rockport as often as I can. While driving around I try to picture what it was like at the turn of the century when the Aransas Hotel was still stood and the Baily Pavillion was THE place to be. Who would have thought that the little towns of Rockport and Fulton would have such a deep history?

I have been visiting the Gulf Coast/Aransas Pass area for 9 years now. Every time I go I am intrigued by everything I see. The history that resides there is amazing. I stay at a house on Fulton Beach Road that is filled with history. It has been in my friends family for over one hundred years. The house is actually mentioned in the book. This book is an amazing look at an amazing time in an amazing place. If you are interested in the history of the Texas Coastal Bend then this the book for you.

Thanks, John Conner San Jose, CA

As a resident of Rockport, in Aransas Co., Texas, but not a native, I was interested in the history of this part of the state. When Sue Taylor and Bill Allen's book, ARANSAS, A Tale of a Texas Coastal County, was published, I was among many who lined up for Sue's signature on my copy.

It was a thick book, I put it aside until I had time to go through it. I've just had 10 days off, and that was among my reading activities.

I assumed it would be historical; so I did not anticipate reading it as I do some novels. But I started. To my surprise, it caught my attention and imagination right away.

Also, to my surprise, I lingered over the words because they painted pictures I wanted to enjoy. I took much longer to read this book, because I was captivated by the words themselves.

The story moved along like an adventure tale, which the history of Texas actually is. It was dangerous, scary, wild, and took courageous and foolhardy men and women to survive. Texas had citizens with those characteristics on both sides of the Rio Grande.

The saga of many real families unfolded. Reading ARANSAS was like looking at a photograph album of one's grandparents--or great-grandparents. You never met them, but through this book you do know them. They became real people, with real personalities.

I did not know of the participation of Aransas County in both the Texas Revolution and the Civil War. It was a port to be conquered by the "other" side in both wars--a strategic military outpost. Other history books refer to the importance of Copano Bay.

Throughout the book the authors give geographic locations of homes or stores or hotels or fishing or cattle wharfs. In the back the references are detailed. We can still visit these places. That's my next goal--to find where history happened, and is still going on.

Frances Mayo