In this "interesting","amusing" book we found a surprisingly obvious unreality. When the Hardy boys (Frank and Joe) jump from the Golden Gate bridge they miraculously survive with only minor, or (in Frank's case) no injuries. In addition, their hands were tied behind their backs! Yeah right! Who the heck can do that? If Franklin W. Dixon really wanted them to survive, then why did he have them jump off the bridge in the first place? It is so unreal it is amazing he got the editors to let him print it! In reality (whatever reality is to Dixon; his mind has no boundaries) if a person were to attempt to jump the bridge, even with the use of their hands, they would either die from impact,shock, drowning, or even hypothermia. In any case, it is safe to say that this is not one of Dixon's finer moments in the lives of the two heroic boys we have all grown to adore. If you want to enter the Hardy's lives don't start with this sickeningly unrealistic adventure.

The Hardy Boys: Crowning Terror was yet another brethtaking mystery I loved. When the Hardys first encounter with Charity I thought she was on the opposite side. Turns out she was just trying to find out the same thing as the Hardys, what was Hugh Hunt after. Hugh is Frank and Joes uncle so they didn't suspect a thing, at first. Once the plans to steal the crown were found he was a little more suspected. Surprisingly, Uncle Hugh was poisoned by the culprets. These crafty thievs promised Uncle Hugh the antadote only if he helped them steal the crown. Finally Frank and Joe escape the back stabbing government offical, Starky, and head out to find their uncle. At the end the cunning Hardys save their father from the poison, the thievs, and restore the crown to its origional place at the meuseum.

This is by far the best of the first six casefiles. It manages to perfectly capture the feel of the spy genre. I loved the characters. You never knew what was going on with Hugh, Starkey or Charity. The Russians were the best. I liked the dig at Sen. MacCarthy (sic). "Somepeople think there are Russians everywhere." If you ever find this book, buy it. It is a very easy read and some moments are so wonderful they are almost beyond words. When Hugh says that he knows what the crown is and he still wants it you could have knocked me down with a feather.

The plotline might sound corny...but I dare you to put the book down once you've started! Frank and Joe are really beleivable detectives in this one...one of the Best ever in the series.

This exciting thriller contains the brilliant rescue of a girl named Holly from the clutches of a revengful half brother named Rajah. Hold onto your seat as you read this mystery, for it will take you to the untamed Adirondack Mountains of upper state New York, where evil lurks behind every corner

My favorite book is The Cult of Crime. The Cult of Crime was written by Frank W. Dixon. This story is about two young detectives, Frank and Joe Hardy, that are trying to help a friend of their Father, also known as Fenton Hardy, find his daughter and help her home safely. The first reason I like The Cult of Crime is because it has many external conflicts. For example Joe Hardy, brother to Frank, gets into a fight with Valvosta, a man of a cult and part of a scam, and almost dies. If it wasn't for his brother Frank, he would have been dead .Another reason why I like it is because not only dose it have external conflicts it also has internal conflicts. An example is when Frank, a teenage boy, has to decide if he should blow his cover and save his brother or to let his brother suffer and save his love Callie. Certainly you know why I liked The Cult of Crime. If not then I recommend you read it your self sometime.

Buy this book and you will have something in common with Confederate General John Bell Hood. You will both be victims of author Wiley Sword. The defenseless Hood is villianized by Sword's vicious, albeit eloquently written spin. Hood's critics are given top billing in Sword's pages, while Hood's many defenders are silenced. Statistics are twisted to make Hood's performance appear remarkably poor. Sword's fact-filtering, and cut-and-paste journalism will unfortunately impress the unwitting reader, who will be sixty bucks poorer, and totally misinformed on the 1864 Confederate campaign to liberate Nashville. John Bell Hood has been described as the Civil War's most "famously unfortunate" commander. Much more accurate and complete information on the campaign can be found within the pages of Shrouds of Glory, by Winston Groom, who doesn't try to create a villian where none existed.

Without a doubt the best contemporary, secondary source on the Middle Tennessee Campaign. Wiley Sword writes a splendid military history that reads like a novel.The book is written with excellent prose and an obvious love for the topic.Also of great use to the historian is that the book is well documented with the best use of primary material that one will find in a book of this genre. The use of manuscript material further embellishes this fine book. I highly recommend this book to all those interested in Civil War history!

The book covers Franklin and Nashville better than any other book of the war. It shows the weakness of the Southern cause by this stage of the war and the weakness of General Hood. The book also show the courage of the Southern soilder and the men who led them.

My husband and I bought a Bookman each and we've had nothing but trouble with them! Not only do we have problems with the mechanics of the Bookmans, but we've also had a lot of trouble in dealing with Franklin Publishers' Customer Service in getting them to help us with anything. They send things to the wrong address and charge you the postage for their mistake. In light of all the trouble we've had with our Bookmans and in dealing with Franklin Publishers, you're better off sticking to the Bible in real book form, as it's also easier on the eyes!!

I recommend the bookman to everybody because it is one of the best learning tools available. It is sad that some people have problems with it. Over all, you will appreciate this product because it works very well. This is a great way to edify yourself and is great for sermons. I highly recommend it to all people interested, despite the criticizm.

This is my second Bookman Electronic Bible, and I use it constantly for personal Bible Study, and also to follow sermons in Church. Its reliability is excellent. Looking up words and phrases is a wonderful tool. This is one of the top five Bible Study Tools that every Christian should have.

Published in 1950, the was a fairly decent swift paced book. The volume had a decent plot and good mystery and there was considerable interaction between the criminals. This volume for some reason often reminds me of The Secret of Pirates Hill. The brothers try to find a family treasure lost during the Civil War. One of the more funny chapters Atomic Crackers appear around page 130. I find this an average volume perhaps leaning slightly on the better than average side. Certainly worth reading. RATED B-

This review concerns the original 1950 edition. Frank, Joe and Chet travel to the southern U.S. to help a retired general find a fortune lost during the civil war. This was a really good book; it was well written and had a lot of action. Two things that I liked about this book were that unlike some books where Frank and Joe have little contact with the criminals until the last chapters, in this book they were constantly running into the crooks, also, there was actually a mystery to solve in this book (the location of the treasure), instead of some other volumes where Frank and Joe are merely trying to capture a certain gang. This is a great book all Hardy Boys fans will enjoy.

This oddly enough one of my favorite Hardy Boys book because of the post civil war connection and the southern stereotypes that are laughable at best. Obviously the writer had a limited at best knowlege of the south and this makes the book almost as comical to a true southerner as a fake southern accent in a movie or television. This oddly enough is the rule and not the exception in most of the hardy boys series.

A sabotaged sub and missing paintings is what this book is about. It's okay for a Hardy Boys book, but not the best.

When 5 paintings are stolen and a submarine is sabotaged, the Hardys come to the rescue. This is a good kids book, although I don't think it's the best in this series.

While in Germany, Frank and Joe investigate a case of sabotage on an inventor's mini-submarine and the theft of valuable medieval paintings which had been lost after being hidden during World War II. An interesting story with lots of action; the book kept me interested from beginning to end. My only complaint is that none of the Hardy's friends or family were included.

Anyone whose read most of the Hardy Boys books (especially the first fifty or so) will really see a lot of changes that the authors have made. This book has a good plot, but why, all of a sudden, are we told that Police Chief Collig finds them meddlesome and doesn't really like the boys? Part of the foundation of the stories has always been respect and cooperation between the Hardy Boys and the Bayport Police Department. The authors of these stories are getting too modern. They need to go back to what made the books successful originally. Many of the changes in the Hardy Boys series have made them less enjoyable, that's for sure. The authors should try reading a few of the older stories and taking some "clues" on how to portray the boys.

THIS STORY AND ALL THE HARDY SERIES NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE SUSPENCE, BY HOLDING OFF WITH GIVING UP WHO THE VILLIANS ARE TOO SOON. I ENJOYED THE THOUGHT OF FRANK AND JOE ACTUALLY GETTING ARRESTED WHICH MADE THIS ONE A LITTLE MORE EXCITING BUT AGAIN GIVING THE FACTS UP TOO SOON. I'VE READ ALL THE HARDY BOY BOOKS AND ENJOY THEM IMMENSELY BUT I WOULD LIKE THEM TOO BE A LITTLE LESS PREDICTABLE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AUTHORS BUT BE A LITTLE MORE MYSTERIOUS AND TWISTY WITH YOUR PLAYERS AND PLOTS.

When the Hardy Boys' girlfriends get arrested for robbing a jewelry store, the Hardys try to find out the truth. This book is very suspenseful and at times, I could barely put it down. I recommend this book to people who like mysteries.

I was so disappointed in this book. My two year old son loves Franklin and his friends, but this was a complete waste. It really isn't a book to read, but a "memory" book instead, where you are to put in photos and other information about your child. The worst part was that although Franklin looked something like his character in the show, the "friends" looked NOTHING like themselves-they were just pictures of animals of the same breed. I'm not sure what the other Franklin books are like, but I would not recommend this one.

This workbook-type book was wonderful! I used it a few years ago with my son who is now 10 years old, and am ordering 2 more for my foster toddlers who will soon be leaving us. "Frankin and Me" is fantastic for reflecting on a child's self and events that occured in their lives. Not only I, but my son as well, have enjoyed looking back each time we get this book out. I hope that someday when my foster children are long gone and look back in this book that they are able to remember more about themselves and where they were. Very nice to complete and pack away for future smiles! :-)

This book is more of a workbook not a story book. A chance for your child to discover themselves. Re: the other review All the franklin books are like that. The other characters look diff than franklin,and the story is a little different also.But they are still enjoyable and teach good lessons.

This was a pretty decent book about a mystery at a carnival. The brothers are surrounded with danger never knowing who is friend or foe. I liked that aspect of the book which only few seem to have. Cover at in 1968 of the originals began their demise with this volume. It is worth reading and ranks among the best of the higher volumes. RATED B-

I think this was a very good book, but not one of the best in the series. I would still reccomend reading it.

A job catching pick-pockets at the local carnival, a stuffed whale being exhibited by Tony Prito and Biff Hooper and Mr. Hardy's latest case concerning a stolen ivory idol, send Frank and Joe onto a surprisingly exciting case. This mystery is filled with action and it has a rather interesting and well-thought-out plot. The Hardys are constantly coming into contact with the criminals during the course of the book and you are not always sure who is good and who is a member of the gang. One thing that I particularly like about this book is that, unlike many of the higher volumes, it remembers that Frank and Joe have friends and they are well-used in the book. It's not the greatest book, but I consider it to be one of the better of the higher volumes.

This is very dry reading. As well, there is almost no mention of Pierce! Instead, the author focuses on the issues/characters that shaped the times. These are crucial to understanding the political atmosphere surrounding Pierce's presidency, but a biography should focus on the individual. We learn next to nothing about Pierce.

The years before 1860 were a period of increasing cold war in the United States. From the perspective of over a century after the conclusion of the internal war, we tend to lose the knowledge that there was more to the separatism than the disagreement concerning slavery. While the North/South dispute over slavery was paramount, other regional differences such as the role of the frontier led to a political fragmentation that prevented any faction from being able to govern and solve the growing problems. Several new parties arose while the formerly powerful Whig party was dying. This fragmentation is the main theme of this book and Gara states it very well. With the modern emphasis on the slavery question, the other divisive forces in the nation are often overlooked, which leads to historical inaccuracy.
Gara explains in great detail how the political fragmentation prevented any real attempt to resolve the issues. One point in particular that is often ignored is the three-fifths representation. For census purposes a slave was considered to be three-fifths of a person, even though they were also property. This absurdity caused a great deal of resentment in free states, as it concentrated more political power in the slave states than the size of the free population should have allowed. This caused more representatives to be elected from the southern states, which altered the outcome of some of the votes in favor of the south. Deeply resented by many in the north, it points out the inherent absurdities of slavery and is well documented and explained.
The federal government was still largely a weak institution with most of the power held by the states. With all of these problems, it would have taken an extraordinary president to alter the course of history. Franklin Pierce was no such man, and the best that can be said is that he muddled through without any great catastrophes. More than anything else, it was his handsome, presidential appearance that earned him the white house. His rise to the presidency was largely an accident, as he was a compromise candidate after the better candidates were somehow disqualified. His administration also began on a tragic note, when one of the Pierce children was killed before the eyes of his father and mother. Being largely untested on the national political arena, Pierce also wore a colossal political tin ear, often making basic errors that made things worse.
Given all of these problems, it is surprising that the Pierce administration did as well as it did. As the author points out, his presidency is ranked somewhere above a failure, but nowhere near a success. In reading about all of the problems of the country at that time, it is hard to see where a great deal of improvements could have been made. The country was expanding rapidly and the industrial revolution with associated social changes was just beginning. Slavery was a historical anachronism, clearly in the process of being eliminated and had it not become the symbol of the rights and tradition of the southern states, it would have naturally ceased to exist. Even the ardent proponents of slavery referred to is as the "peculiar institution."
In retrospect, the forces that led to the regional split were so powerful that it is hard to envision any way that it could not have led to a civil war. Those forces were stronger than any man or political party and in this book you learn about the actions of a man who landed in a job beyond his talents and yet avoided being a total failure. Given the complexity of the circumstances, his time as president was close to the best that could have been done.

THE AUTHOR, LARRY GARA, SETS THE STAGE FOR FRANKLIN PIERCE'S EMERGENCE TO THE PRESIDENCY BY DELVING INTO THE POLITICAL SURROUNDINGS OF THE 1840'S AND '50S. PIERCE WAS AN OBSCURE CONGRESSMAN WHO SAID NO TO BECOMING PRESIDENT. HIS WIFE SUFFERED FROM DEPRESSION.THE FAMILY EXPERIENCED THE TRAGIC DEATHS OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND PIERCE DRANK A LITTLE TOO MUCH. THE FAMILY PROBLEMS WERE ENOUGH, BUT BECAUSE CONGRESS' VIEW OF THE PRESIDENCY BEING THE PERSON WHO EXECUTED CONGRESS' WISHES, THE TRUE LEADERS OF THE TIMES COULD NOT GET ELECTED. FACTIONS ABOUND!! THE NEW YORK HARDS AND SOFTS, DEMOCRATS AND WHIGS, THE NEW REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT, FREE SOIL, THE NATIVISTS AND MANY MORE SPLINTERED GROUPS THAT CAUSED SETIONALISM. THERE WERE NO MAJORITIES. PIERCE WAS DOOMED TO FAILURE. IF YOU ENJOY AMERICAM POLITICS OF THE 19TH CENTURY THIS BOOK WILL PROVIDE GREAT INCITE.