The nightmare began when she stepped off the plane.

Sarah Guthrie needed a holiday. When her friend Chris Browning suggested Matatlan, she jumped at the chance.

But what began as a vacation turned into a deadly game of hide- and seek. Michael Flynn, the very man she had come to know and love, could also be the one who had betrayed her and her friends.

Escape was the only answer. Careful planning and split second timing would be essential to her survival. But little did she know what she had in mind was only trading one nightmare for another...

Trouble followed her wherever she went

Jenny Landers needed help. But when she arrived in Brennig, Wales, she found her Uncle Trefor had his own problems.

He blamed them on Michael Davies. yet Michael denied the accusation, and Trefor's suspicious actions made Jenny uneasy, especially after Michael received the Dragon's Eye- the largest emerald in the world.

Was Trefor a master thief and was he behind the threats to Michael's life? Or had she perhaps stumbled into a feud? Jenny didn't know. But caught between the two men she loved most, she feared that , saving one, she would surely destroy the other.

Marshall's commentary on the three epistles on John is an outstanding commentary. It is a commentary that is useful to the scholar as well as the lay preacher. This commentary, like others written on the epistles of John, seems to avoide the issue on 1 John 5:7. All the commentators seem to be following the likes of Westcott and Hort, and refuse to comment on this verse. The part of the verse I would like to discuss here is the Johannine Comma. Marshall says, 'This form of wording appears in no reputable modern version of the Bible as the actual text.'(pg. 236) I disagree for it was removed by the heretics of Alexandria, and was in the original. I will agree with Jerome for he says that the Johannine Comma was omitted through design rather than a mistake, and I will go one step further and say that Satan was behind the removal of this text. The Johannine Comma can be found in St. Cyprian's 'The Treatises of St Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church, sec.V.p.135.Oxford Edition. 1876,' where he writes, " The Lord says, "I and the Father are one; "and again it is written of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, "And these three are one." " This was written in AD 250 long before the two Alexandrian manuscripts were written. It is sad to see that scholars and Greek grammarians have fallen for the Alexandrian reading, even though they are not the oldest manuscripts or the most accurate. I think it about time Greek grammarians and textual critics are honest with their readers, and not repeat what Westcott, Hort or Metzger say, for the former two did everything in their power to reject the Traditional Text. I ask those commentators like Marshall, Smalley, Kruse and the likes to examine the works of Cyprian and then fairly comment on the Johannine Comma.

I. Howard Marshall's commentary on the Epistles of John has much to commend it to the pastor, Bible teacher, or scholar. His treatment of the passages is thorough, and his text critical footnotes are helpful. The only problem with the commentary is the bit of fluff that it contains. Marshall tends to interject his scholarship with things like old hymn lyrics, which the reader may not find helpful, yet this book is highly recommended based on both scholarship and readability.

Most people only know about the Indian Wars in the Northern Great Plains from 1866 to 1890. This book has a short history of the years 1848 to 1865 to fill the gaps in your knowledge. These years marked the continental dimensions of the United States, and the evolving policies towards the Native Americans. The military met hostile conditions of climate and geography unlike east of the Mississippi.

Chapter One begins at the end of the Mexican War; an army of 100,000 officers and men invaded a foreign country and defeated forces five times their number. The Army's priority was still on westward expansion: travel routes and settlements. Mineral wealth (gold, silver) was the most important; agriculture followed later. A standing army distasteful to the Founding Fathers became a necessity in expanding the American Republic into a Continental power. While the Militia was useful, only the Regular Army could be supported by national tax dollars.

The many Indian tribes were never united, and often fought among themselves as with the white settlers. The Army had to protect settlers and peaceful Indians from hostile Indians, and peaceful Indians from white settlers. The Indians knew how to live in these lands, and to take advantage of the environment. Most were partially or wholly nomadic. Their culture centered on war and its rewards. Their loose social organization exalted the individual at the expense of the group; no chief's word could bind his people. This caused conflict with the whites who could not understand this way of life. They would never attack unless they could win, and otherwise quickly disappeared from the enemy. The Army could win by operating as a disciplined team against fragmented warriors (seeking individual combat as in Medieval times). The Army also had howitzers ("guns that shot twice"), and rifles that could reach their enemy before threatened by smooth bore muskets. The Indian tribes could not unite for a vigorous and sustained offense or defense.

Chapter Ten tells how the Army was organized in the Civil War. The Volunteers were the great citizen armies that bore the brunt of the fighting. They were organized by state governors and mustered into US service for 6 to 24 months. Their officers were appointed by governors, general officers by the President. The Militia were also organized by the Governors, but could not serve outside of their state or territory. The Regular Army was enlarged for the war. Most recruits chose the Volunteers for their enlistment bounties and shorter terms of service. Many of the Volunteers were used for the Indian wars, including "Galvanized Yankees" (Confederate prisoners released for this duty). Their job was to protect the wagon trains on the trails, the stations, and the telegraph lines. They provided business for contractors and neighboring towns.

Chapter Sixteen provides a summary of the preceding chapters. One development was the winter campaign. A stationary tribe would be attacked, their food and lodgings destroyed, their only survival lay in reaching an Indian Agency. Another was total war, the deliberate killing of women and children, even if against law and tradition (pp 345-6). Such actions outraged the humanitarian sensibilities of easterners. There was conflict between the military and civil branches of the government.

In this book Robert Utley describes in significant detail the operations of the United States and Volunteer Armies in the American West. Until this book I never quite grasped the magnitude of the problem involved, the competing vested interests, the vast distances covered and the logistical nightmares the Army faced.

Detailing the regional conflicts sequentially, Utley delivers a complete analysis of the battles, campaigns and treaties involved in conquering of the American West. I never realized how many battles, skirmishes and firefights were fought. I never realized how complex the politics surrounding the Army's operations were. And most of all I never realized how limited the Army's resources of men and material were.

It is truly stupefying what was accomplished in the seventeen years, 1848 - 1865, between the end of the War with Mexico and the close of the U.S. Civil War. With few exceptions all the tribes of the Pacific and those of the Great Basin were subjugated. At the same time, the foundations for the subsequent conquering of the tribes of the Great Plains, Texas and American Southwest were formulated.

The final act of Manifest Destiny was the subjugation of the Native Americans. This is the story of how that process was begun.

The characters of this book were well developted. You could tell what George and Martha were like. The book shows how important a friend really is. Even thouhg you may get into fights, it's best to forgive. The book shows this idea through a couple of different situations.

This sequel to the popular book, "George and Martha"tells even more shared adventures of this dynamic duo. The storiesare easy to read, easy to enjoy.

This additional set of short animated stories about two good friends shouldn't be missed.

Will George make it into the air by balloon?

Another 5 stars for these two good friends!

Mr. Utley's High Noon in Lincoln is an interesting book. Most of us have some idea that the western frontier could be a violent place from movies and stories read in our youth. But very few know of any of the real escapades that helped generate the material for the likes of Zane Gray, John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. Mr. Utley's book chronicles one of the most infamous episodes of western violence, the Lincoln County Range War.

This book is well researched and introduces many charactors (Lew Wallace, Pat Garrett, Billy the Kid and John Henry Tunstall to name a few). It is a solid chronology of the disputes and charactors that made Lincoln County a lawless, murderous place for a few years in the late 1870's. Warning for those expecting someone to be wearing a white hat in this tale, there is no romance in this telling of the old west.

Noted frontier military historian Robert Utley deverves credit for writing about this often professionally neglected event of Western history. The Lincoln County War is typically the domain of amateur historians and Billy the Kid enthusiasts and not professional scholars. This has resulted in what you might call a less than scholarly tone surrounding the discourse about the conflict between the Dolan and McSween factions. Utley, for the most part, avoids this partisanship and gives an even handed description and interpretation. But the work has some flaws.

The first problem is the problem inherent to historicism itself. Utley, as you might expect, views the Lincoln County War as a typical expression of violence on the Western frontier--a product of the zeitgeist as the "code of the West." By taking this position, Utley fails to see the unique character of the Lincoln County War. It must be said that Utley notes that the Lincoln County War was not a typical range war, nor a regular case of frontier vigilantism. No, it appears the mere fact that violence occured and it was on the frontier made it a "typical case of frontier violence." Considering the regularity of violence in human relations throughout history it is a bit disengenous to single out frontier violence in the 1870s in New Mexico from, say, European violence of that period, or indeed violence anywhere around the globe at that time. The second problem is that, in his desire to be neutral and not take sides, Utley fails to see the obviously more sinister character and motives of the Dolan faction. In particular, Utley, apparently under the influence a a couple of amateur historians, describes Brady as an honest and competent lawman and Col. Dudley as a blustering drunk but not necessarily as an overt Dolan supporter. If Sheriff Brady was honest and competent I would hate to see what Utley considered dishonest and corrupt. Also, there is a great deal of documentary evidence that Dolan and Dudley conspired prior to Dudley's intervention in the five day battle that resulted in McSween's death. I find it hard to believe that Utley was not aware of this evidence. For whatever reason (probably in the desire to remain neutral and not present one side as right and the fact that Utley is a military historian and therefore partial to military figures and lawmen) he chose not to include it.

All in all, I would certainly recommend this book. Despite a few flaws, it is an important step toward improving the level of debate on the Lincoln County War. Utley, as a writer of history, is second to none. He writes clearly but with an engaging sense of style and drama that gives life to his subjects without romanticizing or, just as importantly, disparaging the past.

We all "know" the story of Billy the Kid from sources like "The Left Handed Gun," "The Tall Man," and most lately "Young Guns I & II." What a surprise it becomes to learn that Billy the Kid was little more than a footnote in that bloody and lawless chapter of Western History known as the Lincoln County War.

The remarkable thing about Utley's book is that it's a scholarly study of the effects of the breakdown of law and order in a frontier community. Why, then, is it such an interesting, exciting reading experience? How can it be so entertaining when its aim was to be educational? Utley works with an intriguing subject matter and presents it in a workmanlike fashion.

We learn the real issues, the real protagonists, the real course of events, and the real winners. The truth is even more remarkable than all that Hollywood fiction. Utley pulls no punches in describing the hardship and suffering caused by strong willed parties contesting economic issues by extralegal means, and the unfortunate consequences of mixing guns, alcohol, and the "Code of the West."

Don't let this title and cover deceive you into believing that this book is only for those with small children. Finch and Marshall present a comprehensive outlook of a family's entire financial plan. Learn tips for shopping for insurance and loans as well as toys. The advice in this book forced me to re-look at all my insurance policies and write a will. It's a quick read-- share it will friends at work or church.

This book is full of great information including purchasing the right toys and accessories, Educational Planning, Insurance needs, and Estate Planning. It also leads you in the direction for more detailed information on each subject. I wish I had bought this book when my wife first became pregnant!

Utley's The Indian Frontier of the American West presents a brief overview of America's clash with the frontier indian culture over a fifty year period. What is a fascinating story unfortunately disappoints in Mr. Utley's hands.

The information relating to scores of major tribes during several decades of relationship with the US involves a large cast. This book presents the briefest of sketches relating to conflicts, treaty negotiations and battles. Characters pop into the book and disappear just as quickly. The middle of the book provides a chronological accounting of the two decades after the Civil War, and that is where it has its difficulty. Perhaps this is just too thin a book to cover such a broad expanse. What is presented in this middle is a recitation of vignettes, persons and events, none presented in enough detail to grip the reader or provide any meaningful flavor to this narrative.

The author has more luck in his chapters that are not chronological. They book-end the story. A brief on how American indian policy arrived to mid century (1800's) and two at the end on the Indian reform movement and the closing of the frontier are much more tightly written and interesting.

I think the author just tried to accomplish too much and ended up with a broad brush stroke of what should be a fascinating story. The material reads like a school text book, facts are presented rather than a story told. This makes for dry reading at times.

Overall, this is a passable book for anyone wanting to get an overview of Plains Indian history. For those wanting a fascinating story, they may want to check out Connell's Son of the Morning Star.

This book is written largely from the perspective of the Indians of the American West but Utley does a good job of including insight into why the white man acted the way they did. His conclusion at the end of the book is "Given who these people were (the whites), what they knew, and what they believed, it is difficult to see how they might have behaved differently enough to have brought about a result that would be acceptable today". What struck me throughout the book was how often agreements that were made with the indians were ignored, violated, and broken. The book is well written and easy to read. If you want a good overview of the American West from 1846-1890, this is a must read.

Neither a smear sheet or puff piece, this is a very objective and thorough look at the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Here you see both the good and bad. The infamous "King's blood" incident, the womanizing, the crudity and rudeness (that I've had the misfortune to expereince once), and the scandals are all here minus the Angela Parker case in 1971, oddly.

However, Frady does not let the reader forget the good that Jesse Jackson has done for society. We also him getting tearful Israeli and Palestinian children to come together in peace. We see him trying to unify poor Whites and Blacks in America (who even THINKS of doing that anymore?), we see him encouraging Black kids to forego delinquency and do better in school (I first saw him on one such occasion in 1978), and we see the successful instances in which he helped in the release of hostages. We also see that contrary to popular (mis)beleif, he has encouraged far more cooperation among the races than this far lesser contemporaries among what remains of "Black leadership."

Frady lets the reader know that in spite of Rev. Jesse Jackson's considerable and numerous flaws, the good that he has done cannot be dismissed.

In spite of this, there is a minor complaint. Frady gets to be a bit much with the dialect in trying to capture Rev. J/J's speech patters ("Yawl," "Great Gawd a mighty," "Looka heah," etc.).

"Jesse" is a compelling examination of the fascinating life and times of an American original, civil rights leader and two-time presidential contender Jesse Jackson. This detailed, nuanced biography benefits from the author's nearly thirty years covering Jackson as a journalist, as well as the access Frady was granted his subject as a frequent traveling companion and from many interviews with Jackson, his family and colleagues. As a result, Frady has been able to create a intimate account of his subject's life and thought which seemingly allows the reader to get inside Jackson's head and understand his motivations and actions. Striving for a balanced portrayal, Frady does not shy away from Jackson's faults; commendably, he deals with them in a frank, fair manner while avoiding sensationalism. Ultimately, Frady suggests, all of Jackson's activities, from his early work with PUSH and Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, to his presidential campaigns and his incessant world travels, have been motivated by a common spirit of "gospel populism" and a desire to be seen not simply as a black leader but as a moral leader with a vision that transcends racial, cultural and economic boundaries. "Jesse" is not a perfect book; it seems at times a bit lengthy, and often Frady devotes seemingly endless attention to minor or obscure events and breezes over major ones (example: we repeatedly hear references and anecdotes about Jackson's 1989 trip to earthquake-stricken Armenia, but his 1988 speech at the Democratic National Convention - probably his most memorable public moment - is cursorily dispatched in two sentences). "Jesse" is probably not, as one reviewer suggested, the definitive biography of Jesse Jackson, but it is an important key to understanding the man, and in the absence of a definitive portrait, it will no doubt be the best Jackson biography available for a very long time.

One of Peter Marshall's most inspiring and memorable sermons -- a moving expression of gratitude that the Christ child came into the world, and a plea that we keep Christmas "in all the loveliness of its ancient traditions." The perfect gift -- a book the whole family will enjoy and treasure.

This book is wonderful if you are not in the Christmas spirit. It will take you there. It is not a long book, it reads quick. It's a book that I will keep out all year long, after you read it you will understand why.

I purchased this book because I was interested in learning as much as I could about the enigmatic Marshall McLuhan. Unfortunately, Mr. McLuhan has failed to find his ideal biographer in this work. Marshall McLuhan was the media intellectual from Canada who wrote, taught and spoke presciently of the effects of media on ourselves and our culture. Much of his work was rather heady stuff, and out of the reach of the dillettante. Even his most famous phrase, "the medium is the message" is poorly understood by many, including some who are thought to be blessed with large portions of gray matter. And the author of this biography W. Terrence Gordon can't seem to find the formula for delivering palatable explainations of McLuhan's catchphrases. The book unevenly shifts from the recounting of McLuhan's life, to the development of his groundbreaking research and novel ideas on everything from the ancient Trivium to electronic media, and he never settles into a comfortable pace. One can sense that McLuhan's life was unique, compelling and interesting, but it is rendered dry and antiseptic in this telling, and our author fares even more poorly in attempting to school us in the intellectual legacy of McLuhan, never properly defining terms in some instances, jumping way over our heads in others, and most maddening of all, sticking 80-some pages of notes at the end of the book which would have served us far better as foot-notes or inclusions in the main text. All this having been said, the subject was interesting enough and the materials included specific enough, where I was able to find many interesting paths for further exploration, which made slogging through this ponderous book, worth the effort at the end... But as I said, this fascinating man's life is deserving of a far more interesting and organized writer's efforts.

Mr. Gordon concentrates on Mcluhan's intellectual development and shows McL.'s work as a single work in progress built on a unique foundation. It is not as merely gossipy as Marchand's biography, and not for the reader unfamiliar with the world of ideas McL. dealt with. There is nothing of the pop celebrity here, but a serious presentation of the intellectual ground under all of McLuhan's work.