When I picked up Jerry's book I had a hard time putting it down. I am a parent of an adolescent with AS and have been "winging it" for most of his life. No books for parents were ever written on the subject until 1999. I've relied on my own parenting experience of neurotypical children and professional autism journals to figure out what to do. Now that I'm preparing my child to be "launched" into college, having a life handbook that he can rely on is very important. Jerry's book is very concrete with common sense information, and an attitude about life that I hope my own son will adopt. I can recommend this book to any person on the spectrum, and also to parents of children age 11 to adulthood. Sometimes when you are feeling most challenged as a parent of an AS preteen or teen, it is very helpful to remind you where you are heading!

Jerry's book is a must read for everyone! His outlook on life is so honest and a tell it like it is experience. His sense of humor is on going all through the book, you can laugh with him and also feel his pain and frustration in some situations. I have been to a few of his lectures in the past, and I must say that he always receives a standing ovation. This book is another standing ovation for Jerry! Well done and very enjoyable to read. A book that is hard to put down.

Great job Jerry! This book is a wonderful insight of living life on the Autism Spectrum. Jerry tells of lots of lessons he has learned through his life for those on and off of the spectrum. The humor throughout the book just adds the "cherry on the sunday." Strongly recommended!!!

I was one of the men mentioned in the book, I thought it was an excellent book and very factual...it really did bring me back to a time so long ago. The best part was that Frank Grzyb wrote about everyone...if you were there it will bring you back. If you were not there it will give you a true insight into how it really was there at that time. Thank you Frank!

In reading these stories, you can feel what these young men and woman felt,how scared they must have felt yet their friends and loved ones didn't know. I felt like I was there with them, they will never forget what they went thru nor should we !

I found the simple style a compelling and true account of the memories and feelings of ordinary american boys, who served at one of the most difficult times in american history. Very little BS or false glory, just a real account of real Americans, when less sacrificing refused to serve.

"A Guide to Newport's Cliff Walk" by Ed Morris, is an excellent work by a renowned and respected journalist. Join Ed as he guides you along the magnificent Cliff Walk of Newport, R,I, where you relive its glorious past. From the pages of his book, the gilded world of the Vanderbilt's, Astors, Belmonts, and all of their "400" society friends, comes alive again! This book is a must for all those interested in a by-gone era of unsurpassed brillance, which we shall never see the likes of again.

Anyone walking along this gorgeous path has wondered about the families,this book tells about the people and the history in a most interesting manner. A very well written book.

This book is informative,interesting,and juicy. Very Well written and a must read if you are interested in the behind scenes of the homes along this famous walk.

I worked for McDonnell on Gemini and for Boeing on Apollo (too young for Mercury), so I naturally read every space history book I can get my hands on. This was definitely one of the best I have ever read.

I usually wind up with a list of technical and/or historical errors whenever I read space history books, but I only noticed a few typos in "Lost Spacecraft".

For someone who was not personally involved in Mercury, Mr. Newport certainly did an excellent job of describing how all the capsule systems worked.

I especially enjoyed the photos, most of which I had never seen before.

This book is worth 10 stars.

This is the amazing story of the search and recovery of Liberty Bell 7, Gus Grissom's 1961 Mercury spacecraft that sank to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean in an accidental sinking after the mission, while the capsule was still floating in the recovery area. Curt Newport is a veteran of deep sea underwater work and he gives readers here a page-turning account of the hardships of working with remote vehicles more than three miles under the surface of the ocean where pressures are 7000 pounds per square inch and more. He also covers the man Gus Grissom, who many considered the top astronaut at the time, including his childhood and later. The Mercury capsule (yes, back then they were called capsules, not spacecraft) is covered in detail, it's construction and operation. Also, the trajectory that this 1961 Mercury-Redstone sub-orbital mission travelled is discussed to some length as it's eventual underwater location is dependent on this. The technology of underwater vehicles is covered in addition, to give readers an appreciation of the difficulty inherent in this type of work. Curt Newport has included many, many, excellent photographs in this book, well done here. The writing style is clear and flowing, a joy to read. This is also one man's story of determination and resilience in the face of negative odds.

On a personal note, when I was six years old in 1961 and living in St. Louis County, just a few miles from where this Mercury spacecraft was built, I remember my father coming home from work (he worked at McDonnell Aircraft as an engineer and perhaps did a bit of work on this very spacecraft) and said "it sank to the bottom of the ocean", referring to the sinking of the Liberty Bell 7 that occurred that day. Liberty Bell 7 was recovered in the summer of 1999, restored , and during a national tour I finally got to see it at the St. Louis Science Center in the summer of 2001, in the city where it was built, closure in a sense to me. It is, or soon will be, on permanent display in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, can't wait to go there!

On 21 July, 1961, after a near perfect flight, The Mercury space capsule, Liberty Bell 7 landed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. During the recovery process, the escape hatch blew prematurely. the capsule filled with water and sank, nearly taking the pilot, Gus Grissom, with it. Thus began one of the great controversies and mysteries of the United States space program The author explores the events leading to the incident and examines possible theories concerning the premature hatch release.

Newport was uniquely qualified to lead the expedition to recover Liberty Bell 7. He was a pioneer in the developement and operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and an experienced veteran of underwater operations all over the world. His fascination with the mystery concerning the lost space capsule led to 14 years of research into the flight, probable location, condition and possible methods of recovery.

The highlight of the book is the detailed description of the search for Liberty Bell 7, and its subsequent recovery from a depth of nearly 3 miles. The narrative reads more like pulp fiction than a factual rendering of events, with moments of elation followed by despair and ultimate victory. This is a must read for space and underwater exploration buffs alike. I only wish that the team had been given the opportunity to recover the hatch cover, surely, one of the targets in the vicinity of the capsule, and a key element in resolving the mystery and controversy concerning the premature hatch release.

After the other reviews in this column piqued my interest, I picked this CDrom up in one of the Mansions stores a couple of weeks ago,and boy, am I glad I did! Great insight to the construction of the mansions including, the materials used, styles used, builders etc.. There is a brief narration for each one that gives dates & facts , along with 8 classical tunes that play at random as you wander about. The only constructive criticism is that you don't get narration for each room as you enter, just at the beginning of each VR tour. I'm sure it would've been too costly and time consuming to do that anyway. But, you can even do an auto tour where you sit back and relax, while the camera pans to different rooms, or you can do the manual tour at your own pace. Great quality! Runs smoothly with no popping or skipping, and the picture quality is terrific! You can zoom, spin, look down, up, to get a closer look at that special vase, or to look at the gilded ceiling tiles. Great for those who have never been to get an inside look, or a great momento for those who have visited the 10 mansions from the preservation society. You'll feel like you've wandered back in time to the Victorian age on Bellevue Ave.......................

This is a very cool CD showing you the various Newport mansions. You can pan around inside the rooms, looking at all the walls, even the floor and ceiling.

I like it because when you visit the mansions there isn't time enough to see them all, and with this CD I can see them all. Also, I can go back to the rooms that I like and study the details in that room. It is very interesting.

Anyway, I would recommend this CD. It makes great use of new technology and is fun and easy to use.

I just love the Newport Mansions. This CD is great because I can never remember all the details when I visit the mansions, and this CD lets you pan around and up to the ceiling and down to the carpet, also zooming in. You can see all the details that give the rooms their luxurious feel.

Also, it's great because I haven't been to all the mansions and through the virtual tours I can see which one I most want to visit next.

Now, if they could just figure out a way to get the CD to give you that musty dusty smell of the actual mansions...

Seriously, this is very cool and if you are only visiting Newport for a short time, it's worth it to see which mansions you really want to see in person.

Jilla

Given the remarkable growth in apocalyptic speculation, especially since September 11, this book is extremely important. It is important because it reminds us that the speculation surrounding the end of the world has been with us for centuries. Not only that, but it has been a weapon to denigrate other movements and groups. For all those millions of Americans who are buying evangelical books on how September 11 fulfils Biblical prophecy, this book is an absolute must.

This book is very informative and offers the reader a direct and unbiased interpretation of pratical events relating to the end of the world and how many religious fanatics have interpreted the Millennium as the end of the world. In the last chapter it concentrates on the Waco issue and shows a clear understanding of both the FBI/ATF and David Koresh's views and methods with his own knowledge of the subject and brilliant illustration using actual audio recordings of the Waco conversations between Koresh and the FBI. This book is a good buy if you want it specifically and not just as a general interest.

Best Companions is a 532 page compendium of letters between Eliza Middleton Fisher and her mother, Mary Hering Middleton. The letters bridge Charleston, Philadelphia to Newport, through the years 1839-1846. This seven-year conversation, encompassed in some 375 letters, connect the cultural and social life of the North and the South even as other forces conspired to tear America part from within. Enhanced with an Epilogue, extentensive bibliography, and comprehensive index, Best Companions is intimately showcases the joys, sorrows, frustrations, and widespread opinions of a close mother and daughter. Best Companions is not to be missed!

Another maid has been found laying dead on the cliff walk. Or is she, maid that is.

A repeat murderer must be at work. Maids have been dying. However, Detective Matt Devlin realizes that while the battered woman lying along the cliff walk is wearing maid's uniform she has hands much too soft and unblemished to be that of a maid. Before long Devlin is thrown together with one of the well-to-do inhabitants of the 'cottages' to work toward the solving of this puzzling mystery.

Brooke Cassidy and Devlin had been childhood friends during the years before the death of her working class parents to a carriage accident and Brooke's subsequent leaving of Newport, Rhode Island for a very different life in New York City. Now Brooke is back and living as the ward of her affluent relatives, the Olmsteads.

When all the clues begin pointing to Uncle Henry as the murderer, Matt has no choice but to arrest him. Brooke's 'damn the torpedoes full steam ahead' tenacity coupled with Matt's superior, thought plodding, investigative ability do uncover the true killer. Their discovery comes too late to prevent the death of another but not before another woman falls prey to the mad man.

What an interesting tale is to be found on the pages of Death on The Cliff Walk .
Set in 1895 Death on The Cliff Walk is a suspense filled historical novel. This is a gripping tale filled with intriguing well developed characters, credible dialogue and plenty of uncertainty. Duplicity abounds as the pair works toward solving the conundrum. Brooke as the bemused amateur sleuth is a sensible young woman who knows that she cannot simply live the life of the idle rich as her wealthy relatives want her to do. Rather she is determined to help solve the case. I've known people like this peppy girl!

Matt Devlin is the perfect quiet, introspective foil to Brooke's headstrong determination. Kruger's Brooke Cassidy is reminiscent of Brenda Bolden's Bird Series' Alex Masters. Both girls are determined, impatient and intent upon finding answers, right now. It is their willingness to rush forward despite all odds that often brings Cassidy and Masters both face to face with real, personal problems in addition to the one they were trying to solve.

Watch those red herrings. Do not fall into their grip or you may find yourself surprised when you reach the last paragraph of this action packed thriller. Good book for a 'lazy afternoon on the porch reading day.'

I hope this is not the only book in which we will find Matt Devlin and Brooke Cassidy working together to solve a perplexing case.

Reviewed by: molly martin

Sterngass's history of three of the first American resorts -- Saratoga Springs, Newport, and Coney Island -- shows in fascinating detail how these sites came to give birth to commercial leisure in the U.S. Destined for classic status, Sterngass has a solid theoretical grasp of the changing socioeconomics of leisure, and a winning narrative style. Built on exceptionally deep research, he weaves a dense and satisfying narrative of each resort and its place in American society from the early antebellum era to the early 20th century. Using primary sources such as diaries and letters as well contemporary newspapers and magazines, he shows with masterful command how each resort was shaped and then undone by local, regional, and national sociopolitical and economic factors.

He shows through lively anecdote, public records, brief biographies, and other primary sources, how these resorts at first document the free sociality of the antebellum period, a period during which Americans self-consciously created the institutions and practices of the first democratic society. He then shows how after the Civil War the concomitant rise of class distinctions based on wealth, the commercialization of leisure culture and its increasing privatization meshed with new consumerist values in such a way as to scuttle these egalitarian and democratic ideals as expressed through the relatively open culture of early resorts.

Sterngass relates, for instance, how it was that during an age of extreme religious piety (the Second Great Awakening) resorts were able to prosper in a still largely Calvinist society. He argues persuasively that early resort goers were part of long tradition of pilgrimage that had blossomed back in the Middle Ages.Saratoga's early entreprenuers touted the "healing" waters as"therapeutic," the "bathing" at Newport and Coney Island was touted by doctors as "restorative" and "re-creative." Not unlike the opium-laced patent medicines of the time, the healing waters were a cover for loosening of the usual social restraints. When tourists got to these early resorts, the hotel ballrooms (which featured nightly dancing), dining rooms (where twenty guests unknown to each other would be seated at table -- a practice which scandalized the European aristocracy who visited), and vast lobbies and porches (which fostered mingling, talking, and voyeurism) served as liminal spaces where the unexpectedly erotic or socially fortuitous meeting might occur. By contrast, the guest's rooms were tiny and ill-ventilated, a fact that seemed to bother no one -- after all the point was to see and be seen. And, just as importantly, there was no set formula, no expectation as to what accommodations in a resort hotel should be like. He also notes that for a country believed to be resolutely puritanical in its beliefs and industrious in its practices, that almost all Americans of the antebellum period went on vacation, and that a vacations of a month or more were common among the bourgeoisie and the aspiring middle class.

Saratoga's water were free for visitors and residents for better than fifty years. Early in the 1800s the town fathers passed a law to that effect, and in effect zealously guarded the amount of water that was drawn from the springs. Eventually, as leisure became more commercialized, the springs were fenced in, the water sold, and the springs, not surprisingly, were almost depleted -- an early parable of sound husbandry of natural resources giving way to the destructive forces of unbridled capitalism. Similarly, Newport's beaches were open to all from the early antebellum years until just after the Civil War, but soon after Newport was colonized by the robber barons and their friends, who attempted to privatize what had been held in common. When"cottage" dwellers like the Rockefellers and the Carnegies had trouble rescinding public access to the beach, they simply decided that bathing was not an activity people of their sort should engage in, thus creating just one of many rules that would police the boundaries between themselves and those unlike themselves. Coney Island, perhaps the most democratic of these resorts by virtue of its proximity to New York City, drew millions to its beaches and amusement parks every summer for decades, ending only in the 1940s. Sterngass shows how Coney Island's carnivalesque egalitarianism in the Gilded Age was the gift to New York of an amazing Irish politician, John McKane, whose great style and cunning helped create a safe escape for the city's burgeoning factory and office workers searching for diversion and excitement . The world's first great amusement space, nutured by the cagey McKane and his cronies, was very quickly copied the world over. Eventually brought down by reformers who consolidated the district with the rest of New York City and shuttered its rowdier establishments and attractions, the reformers drove McKane to an early grave, and instigated a process which eventually destroyed Coney's unique charms. The process continued to play out well into the 1950s when Coney's vitality finally succumbed under the weight of ill considered public housing projects, the massive infusion of money into suburban developments and the rise of car culture.

Well-illustrated with maps, photos, handbills, and other fascinating documents, this attractive book was published with great care by Johns Hopkins Press. Clearly, they believe they have a winner. I think they're right.

There isn't much to say about the amazing book exept that throught the words and photos of the passangers' letters, diaries, quotes, tickets, staterooms, clothing, ect.; you get an exellent feeling of who was on the Titanic, not just a group as a whole, but you begin to know them as individuals.
Believe me, this "Fortune" is one exellent investment!!![...]

This book must adorn your bookshelf if you are a serious Titanic fan. The book contains everything from a complete passenger list, tantilizing facts and amazing pictures of artifacts that will make any "Titanic-maniac" feel like they're owning the real thing!

As you read the book, you can't help but feel as though you've been transported back to 1912 and feel a part of history...

This book is definately a keeper, Good Work!

If you're a Titanic buff, then this book is a must-have. The pictures of the artifacts and people, and the factoids that go with them make the stories come alive. What really got to me was the entire passenger list stating the names, ages, class, and if they survived.