I love true crime, but I approached this book with some misgivings after realizing the authors are close relatives of Debbie. I feared they might not be objective, might be overly emotional, and might not be very good writers. I need not have worried. Their prose is excellent and they stick to the facts of this brutal, horrifying crime. The writers do reveal the family's emotions from the time of Debbie's disappearance through the long quest for justice (just as we would wish them to do), but never with histrionics. The strongest emotions this book arouses will be those of the reader. You cannot help but feel tremendous sorrow and compassion for the victim and her family. Later, you will feel outrage as a Federal judge thwarts the administration of justice at every turn.

This is one of the best examples you will ever read of the infuriating imbalance in our justice system wherein the "rights" of convicted murderers are allowed to far outweigh the rights of their victims. Were it not for her courageous and determined family, Debbie would have been wholly depersonalized and forgotten--even as her cowardly and cruel killers were being fawned over and lavished with every excess of "rights" that our justice system can dream up. You will not be able to put this book down.

This is a story that has covered twenty-one years of a family's struggle to assure justice for the murder of a family member. If you feel comfor- table with our country's justice system and feel you, as an innocent citizen, are represented with all fairness and consideration, you really need to read this account. It is an indepth account of the planning, carringout, investigation, and trial covering the murder of Debbie Groseclose. It also covers an unbelieveable twenty year journey through our legal system.

What has happened in this case is of grave importance to each and every one of us. And, the story goes on as the men who were convicted of this murder are now being scheduled for a retrial - twenty one years later.

To read this book is to challange oneself to get involved.

The book is well written, and the facts are very sad. As in most criminal cases, by the time it goes to court, the public in general has forgotten the victims and are too caught up in the civil rights of the criminals. I read in the paper almost every day of some criminal in TN who is getting a new trial. Maybe the Federal Government needs to appoint a "special prosecutor" to handle the crooked judges in TN. It is one of the poorer states and yet they seem to have unlimited funds for new trials for murderers, and computers and on-line access. What is going on. I say after the trial and conviction, give them ONE appeal and then fry the sick SOBs. Stop draining the State funds that should go for Education, roads, buildings, and counseling for victims and their families that are left to struggle with their pain and memories while they work to make a living and care for their families. As long as there are judges on the bench like Nixon in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, none of us are safe.

This is the second book by Bob Levy. I took the book with me on a business trip and was unable to finish it on the outbound flights so I set in the airport to get to the end.
Rite-on Bob.

Bob Levy has done it again--written a book I couldn't put down until I finished it, even if I had to hold a flashlight in one hand to do it (Read during a recent power outage due to a hurricane) Past Tense was original, fascinating, entertaining and intriguing. Thanks, Bob! I'm looking forward to reading more.

Bob Levy has done it again in spades. 'Past Tense' is a thrilling follow-up to his first novel 'Broken Hearts' featuring the same kindly old ex-policeman Joey O'Riley. This time O'Riley is swept fifty years into the past to solve the unsolvable and keep evil from entering the White House. The trail Levy weaves makes an intensely intriguing read so do yourself a favor - don't nibble on this one unless you have time to eat it in one meal. Rus Morgan, Host Interviewer of PBS "Book Talk". (Mr. Morgan has read the book and interviewed ninety eight authors in the series since its inception in 1993.

A sultry summer...A young woman's struggle. She was young, she was naive. Her upper class upbringing didn't prepare her for the reality she would face. In her journey, she struggled, she learned and she grew strong. As I read this book, I couldn't wait to see what came next. When I finished it, I didn't want to let the characters go. I can't wait to see what comes next from this fresh, new author - there has to be a sequel!

The characters are fully developed and intriguing. Once I began reading, I was drawn in completely to the world of Memphis in 1878. An interesting literary device and plot twists make this book a great read. I'll be first in line to buy the next Ericcsen novel!

Read this book and could not put it down! I look forward to the next one. Great background in history and I thought of some of the characters as real Memphis folk!

If Mark Twain comes back from the dead to write a guidebook of the state where he was conceived (in Jamestown, as Bradley explains on p. 196), then buy that. But old Sam Clemens would be wasting his time, because in Moon Handbooks: Tennessee, Bradley's already written the "Life on the Mississippi" of Tennessee travel guides.

Like "Mississippi," Bradley's "Tennessee" is so fascinating in in its details and anecdotes that I kept finding myself reading far more than I "needed" to for the travel at hand. And like Clemens, who clearly wrote from a genuine love of the river and the bygone steamboat days that he wanted to capture on paper, all of Bradley's local lore and country cookery reviews and sidebars on everything from roots musicians to the development of the the atom bomb in Oak Ridge...well, these all swirl together to create a sort of love song to the author's native state.

Bradley isn't afraid to criticize where criticism is due--look at his coverage of the outlandish developments near the Smokies. But even then, it's clear his concerns are not based on some disaffected political agenda, but from a genuine, familial concern for a cousin who has lost his way. Consequently, Gatlinburg doesn't "outrage" Bradley, it breaks his heart because of its failed potential. And even then, Bradley doesn't just sneer and proceed into the pristine National Park, shaking Galinburg's dust from his feet. Just as any good family member will make a point of telling you that old yellow-eyed aunt Ruth used to knock 'em dead at the USO dances and can still cook a mean casserole and belt out a showtune, Bradley lingers and explores Gatlinburg on its own terms. He points out its cherished place in many Volunteer hearts (including his own) as a childhood wonderland, and shows that he's not above enjoying the small simple pleasures of a candy shop, or even the more garish wonders of Ripley's aquarium.
If you don't know Tennessee, you won't find a more comprehensive introduction to the entire state. And if you already love Tennessee...you'll find all of the states most endearing qualities captured between the covers--and in the spirit--of this book.

I have the first edition of this book, and I've raved about it to my circle of friends. I heard this third edition was vastly improved, and I doubted this, but figured I couold always give it as a gift.
This book is going nowhere but to a choice space in my book shelf!
It covers more material, has a format which invites digging deeper into a topic at hand, highlights special topics, has a clearer type face, and is simply loaded with URL's for further cyber digging. I got out my Tennessee Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme mapping, a topo coverage of Tennesee, my state, and put a "mark" by all the towns and villages Mr. Bradley covered. Not a page without copious markings. What a living history exprience.

He begins in the East as our state did, moves west, and brings out information about people, about the locale, gives historic facts and loads of human interest materal. He covers the Civil War as it progresses in various locations and is in fact more historical than a course or two I've had in Higher Eduction. And READABLE!! His wry, delightful humor graces most every entry. And as you follow this through the topo maps you SEE how history unfolds. Now I know where the Cumberland Gap is, I know where the mysterious Melungeons 'are', I've followed the tragic trail of tears, I know where to find barbeque all across Tennessee etc etc. I know where that terrific meteorite hit Tennessee, where biggie dinosaur fossils are found etc. .
What a book! What a marvelous travel companion, what a history of my state. And I have a store house of "stories and tales" I'll make good use of.
If you have an interest in Tennessee and can get only one book: THIS is it! Hands down. I'm grateful to Mr Bradley for doing it.
Hap Eliason

I'm a lifetime Tennesseean, and I couldn't put Mr. Bradley's book down. I know Middle Tennessee and the Smokies fairly well, but as I got into his marvelous book I couldn't believe one author could capture and capsulate so much in such limited space. I've garnered information about my State- so much new to me- that it just blew me away--some info right at my doorstep, so to speak. About locales I know fairly well his presentation is right on target. I especially value the boxes about history, personalities, buildings etc. Don't hesitate. Buy the book!

These stories and novellas ache with the passions, aspirations, and disappointments of ordinary people in a particular place. The craftsmanship of displaying these emotions is precise and memorable. There is nothing funny going on here, only dedication to living by the survivors in these stories(there is much made of death and dying) and, by the author, a seering, relentless insight into his craft.

Mr. Hribal has written a set of stories that not only show amazing insight into the world and minds of women and children, but also draw powerful male characters. He somehow manages to keep a startling and beautiful prose on the page without ever drawing the reader away from the story. These stories and novellas are all terrific, but the finest of them is "And That's the Name of That Tune." In this novella Mr. Hribal manages to hold an engrossing tension together while adding humor and insight into a dysfunctional family. This is writing at its best, untouched by a need to be a bestseller these stories are allowed to be kept as they are, subtle, page-turning, and deftly wrought.

"Hribal slides the emotional fabric of America under a literary microscope to reveal the lies, betrayals, and yearnings that connect and divide us all, giving his stories extraordinary power. He establishes an American landscape in the tradition of Cheever and Updike, though his is a world not of cocktail parties but of trailer parks, bars, and courtrooms. The subtle power of these stories will leave the reader hungry for more."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

I recently purchased DISCOVER! Volume 3 and I want more! Please send Volumes 2 and 3!

Having traveled and lived in the areas described in Vol.3, The Lower Mississippi, from St. Louis, Missouri to Memphis, Tennessee, and descended from a family of river rats, I can say that I've "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt."

Reading Pat's book is like traveling along with her as she explores the Great River Road along the mighty Mississippi River. I was especially impressed with the with the book's scope and readability. Pat has included personal insights from area inhabitants, collected geographical, historical and societal information and spread it all liberally throughout the travelogue. This is one hard book to put down, and if you ever decide to visit the area you'll have plenty of reference material to use. You will feel like you know the place already, and have gotten your own t-shirt.

Jim Pankey USN (Ret.)

Rolling on the River.......... In a few weeks, it'll be road-trip weather, and we have some of the nation's prettiest highways at our fingertips--US Hwy 61 and several other state and county highways form the parkway known as AMERICA's Great River Road. Making that drive even easier is a new guide: "DISCOVER! AMERICA'S GREAT RIVER ROAD, Volume 1." This 240-page guide highlights the heritage, natural history and recreational activities available along the Mississippi River from St. Paul, Mn., to Dubuque, Iowa. It includes maps, historical and geological points of interest, bike trails, bird watching spots and short features on small towns, parks, and villages. ----STAR TRIBUNE, Minneapolis, Mn. April 1997

This book is a "must" have 4 all poets!
It not only has great poetry, it has great writing.
Most poetry books, in my opinion, are overly priced. This excellent book is well worth the price.
I highly recommend this book. I like that fact that it has so many different poets writing the poetry. A book this size would become boring if only one poet wrote it.
I appreciate the effort that went into publishing this book and I also love the warm colors of the bookcover.
This journey into "Timbooktu" is a great read.
Thanks 4 sharing with us, Mr. Vaughn Jr. & contributors.

Journey To Timbooktu by Memphis Vaughan Jr. is an outstanding work of literature that every book lover should own. From the sexy The Last Resort to the essays and poetry in this anthology, you will be returning to this book again and again whether to feel emotional, sensual, enlightened or empowered. Order your copy today. You won't be disappointed. Mr. Vaughan's work will be noted for years to come. He's an awesome writer and editor.

I have never read poetry like the book Journey To TimbookTu edited by Memphis Vaughn, Jr. This book is a magnificent collection of poems and essays featuring over 75 poets and writers.

The Journey To TimbookTu begins with the introduction. Vaughn gives us some history on how the book was developed. It's interesting to note how Vaughn's desire to pay homage to great African Empires and cultures led to the name TimBookTu. The motherland is at the heart of this poetic journey. This is one journey all African Americans can relate to. There is power in the words of these poetic expressions. You can feel the spirit of the book as you read. It's like going on a trip but never leaving home.

Vaughn's essay on The Last Resort is awesome. It reads like a short fictional story. The poets and essayists who contributed to the journey are to be commended for writing a collection of soul felt poetic expressions.

It took me several days to read this book but what impressed me the most were the poems. The poems are truly a reflection of African American experiences. I recommend that you visit the author's website and buy the book.

Reviewed by Dorothy Cooperwood

Elizabeth Peters is in fine form in this novel of intrigue, suspense, and love! The heroine, Dr. Vicky Bliss, an expert on Medieval art, is asked to join a cruise down the Nile to try and identify a thief, and a clever and exciting story winds all over Egypt. As always, the characters make the story and "Sir John" steals every scene. There are numerous plot twists and touches of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers which enrich this highly entertaining tale. Peters skillfully entwines wit and wisdom with passion, Egyptology, and murder.
Fans of Peters will really enjoy this book with each re-reading. The plot creation and character development are some of her best, and her humorous style makes one laugh even in the moments of greatest suspense!

Having long been a fan of Elizabeth Peters, I was ecstatic when "Night Train to Memphis", the fifth book in her Vicky Bliss series came out.

A continuation of the adventures of Doctor Vicky Bliss, a museum worker in Munich, this book follows her on a cruise down the Nile, takes her all over the Egyptian countryside, and finally ends where it started --- in Vicky's German apartment. Along the way, several recurring characters show up, including old friends and villains, the irrepressible Schmidt, and of course, Sir John Smythe; the quintessential gentleman thief and Vicky's sometimes lover. This time however, there is a small complication affecting their relationship, which leads to the miscommunication, misinterpreted signals, and missed chances that characterize Peter's books ---- and make them some of the most enjoyable mysteries on the market. The insults are quick, the Egyptology casual and comprehensive, and country music references abound.

This is a wonderful book, featuring yet another strong, smart, feminist heroine, who never crosses the line from aggressive to unlikable. While "Night Train to Memphis" can definitely stand alone, I would also reccomend the first couple of books about Vicky, "Borrower of the Night", "The Street of Five Moons", "Sillhouette in Scarlet", and "Trogan Gold".

John and Vicky are back! This is the fourth book in the wonderful Vicky Bliss series by Elizabeth Peters. If you haven't read any of the novels, the book you should be purchasing is the Street of the Five Moons. That said, Vicky receives an assignment in coordination with the Munich Police Force to travel to Egypt under the guise of a tour guide on a small luxury cruise. One of the best men in literature, the enigmatic John Smythe, also appears on the scene. The plot is superbly exexcuted, the novel is set in the Peters' area of expertise(Egypt/Egyptology), and the story flies. Peters' characters make the novel: Vicky as our sassy and intelligent heroine, John as the mysterious and witty art thief, Schmidt-the intelligent if highly eccentrict museumcurator for whom Vicky works, and villains galore. New readers really must start at the beginning. If you've read the previous Vicky Bliss novels, after finishing Night Train to Memphis, I highly reccommend you take out Camelot Caper from your local library. John DID come before Vicky, and this shows him as Peters began to form him, and explains that "first scam" John loves to makes allusions to.

Is this a good read? Yes it is, but not necessarily for the accounts of combat missions flown by Robert Morgan, pilot of the famed Memphis Belle, the first B-17 of the 8th Air Force to successfully complete 25 missions, and memoralized by William Wyler's photography and, in 1990, by a movie. More to the point, the story is one of what happened to the heroes of WWII, to those who flew, who were in the foxholes, who strode the deck of a warship. Did everyone come back to marry, buy a house, have children and live happpily ever after? Read this book and perhaps you'll understand in a small way what war meant and what it meant to those who fought in it.

Raised in upper class surroundings in Ashville, North Carolina, Robert Morgan seemed to have a care-free life of good times, fast cars, and plenty of women. But World War II intevenes and Morgan, at loose ends, joins an expanding Air Corps in late 1940. He fell in love with flying, but his career was often jeporadized by his propensities for buzzing buildings and beaches, and his disregard for proper military attire and the finer points of military discipline. There is no doubt of Morgan's abilities and courage, however, because in 1943, after a lengthy tour with his Memphis Belle and crew on a bond drive, he volunteers for the brand new B-29 program. As a squadron commander, Lt. Colonel Morgan is part of the 73rd Bomb Wing, based on Saipan, and flies the first B-29 mission to Tokyo, November 1944, in "Dauntless Dotty." After twenty-six often perilous missions, he is grounded and returned to the States in the summer of 1945. Later discharged, Morgan returns to civilian life with wife and now children and enters the business world begun by his father and headed by his brother, David.

But Robert Morgan's flying career is only part of his story. The other is his personal journey, a trek tinged with sadness and search Despite the privileges and luxury, his father was distant and his beloved mother, a friend of the Vanderbilts, was often away. The suicide of his mother when Morgan was 18 was a serious psychic blow, perhaps accounting in part for his numerous love affairs and marriages. As was true with many others who had seen too many friends killed or lost, Morgan continues for years after the war to wonder "why was I spared, my buddies killed." A drinking problem becomes more serious and it is not until Morgan seeks help from his "Command Pilot," God, and counsel from Billy Graham, does to come to grips with the demons that plagued his life.

Another story is also told; the story of Morgan's greatest love, "The Memphis Belle" and his efforts and those of others to have this fabled plane properly enshrined in Memphis. May Morgan and his "Memphis Belle" have tranquil times in their remaining year.

Robert Morgan had fame thrust upon him for being the pilot of arguably the first air crew to complete the obigatory 25 missions alive and in one piece. The Memphis Belle flew early on in the war, without the benefit of effective long-range fighter escort, a time of heavy losses for the US 8th Air Force, and the US government, looking for a way to publicize the successes of the US bombing campaign, decided to put together a film about one crew--the Memphis Belle was selected. William Wyler masterfully put together one of the finest documentaries of World War II, and a legend was born. In this respect, Morgan was somewhat of an accidental legend, as was his plane. However, Morgan's willingness to return to combat as a pilot of a B-29 in the Pacific when he could have taken it easy and rested on his laurels, proves him to be a man of true heroic qualities. This book deserves to be read, if for no other reason that that it is written by a man who experienced aerial combat in both theaters of combat in World War II. Morgan and his co-writer have done a masterful job of telling the story of what it was like to be a bomber pilot in World War II. The human element is there as well, as Morgan reflects on his personal successes and failures, on his agony at writing letters to the families of crewmen shot down, of his coming to know God after being a Hell-raiser, his problems with alcohol and a failed business, and eventual success and contentment later in life. The Memphis Belle and her crew are living legends, and the story Robert Morgan has to tell goes way beyond a surface treatment of that legend. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the true story of the Memphis Belle, and anyone who simply likes a good biography, honestly told.

Reading the bio of Col Bob Morgan has made history come alive for me. I have never been much of a military history buff, but this book was worth reading. Anyone who had family serve in the Air Corps in WWII should read this book. It is well written by a man who states that the Memphis Belle may be the most famous B 17 ever but she was not the only one and her story is the story of all the Air Corps not just one crew. Bless them all!

I have been a long time reader of naval and maritime history and only heard of this incident last year (2000). It covers a period in naval history that doesn't get much notice from the general public (1916 when the US Marines landed in the Dominican Republic to restore order). The author is a well known and respected chronicler of naval history, deservedly so. The incident is a about a tidal wave, a phenomenon not yet understood by science (or the Navy), that besets an armored cruiser (captained by the author's father) while it was anchored in Santo Domingo. The main problem was how to get up to full steam so they would be able to head out to sea and safety in time. The story gets very exciting when it talks about the problems in the coal fired boiler rooms as the waves washed water down the stacks.

This would make a great episode for the TV show JAG because a captain is ultimately resposible for damage to his ship and this one had to face a court martial to establish what happened. I won't reveal the fate of the ship, the crew, or Capt. Beach because that's a big part of the story, but it's a very exciting tale that needs to be remembered.

It reads like an adventure novel where it takes a chapter or two to set the stage and then the excitement builds to fever pitch as the situation unexpectedly deteriorates. I only gave it 4 stars instead of a 5 because the author had to repeat sections of the incident from the perspective of different locations and people. But it was so exciting at that point that the repetition was OK because you didn't want to put the book down. The heroism of the crew fighting an uncontrollable force of nature earned them 3 Medals of Honor.

A great read.

My father was A Warrent Machinist in charge of the engine room. He is mentioned in th book. He had his lungs cooked and spent a year growing new lineing on them. Died 1928 from pneumonia,and was told if he ever got it , he would.He was removed from the Memphis by breaches bouy. The ship is still visable in Santo Domingo harbor.

Wreck of the Memphis is the story of a Navy cruiser, Memphis, formerly named Tennessee. It is the story of an afternoon in the Dominican Republic, where in less than an hour, the ship went from being fully prepared for war, to a beach wreck at the base of a cliff. It is the story of a ship and it's captain who happens to have been the author's father.

The event which lead to the loss of the Memphis was US intervention in the Dominican Republic. It is period in US Naval history that is little known and less written about. Captain Beach's book fills in some of the details of this time.

The aftermath of the loss of the Memphis is as equally interesting as the events leading up to the loss of the ship. Now comes the question 'Why did it happen' to be answered. The man held responsible is the captain of the ship and in this case the author's father is the man being asked the question. The verdict and future career of senior Captain Beach make for interesting reading.

This is a fine book and an excellent read. I first read this book when it was first published and I have read it periodically ever since. It is a great addition to any nautical library.