It has been a while since I've read anything by Jim Harrison, and after reading this book, I can't quite remember why it's been so long. Harrison is an amazing wordsmith, and his stories are very engaging, in a hedonistic, manly kind of way. The Beast God Forgot to Invent is a compilation of three novellas, each about different men at interesting points in their lives.The title novella is about a retired book dealer who is charged with the task of describing the last days of his brain-damaged, womanizing friend, Joe, to the coroner...This book has definitely inspired me to continue reading Jim Harrison's works. I encourage you to pick this book up. It's an enjoyable read, interspersed with profound truth.

I read the first sentence of the title novella five or ten times before I could go on. (I won't tell you what it is... get the book and read it yourself.) Then I read it to my brother-in-law, my wife and a potter friend. I memorized it and now feel strongly compelled to scratch it on subway wall. It's that good. There are many such profound sentences throughout these three simply plotted but canyon-deep novellas. Witty and thoughful sentences and paragraphs abound yielding fuel for prolonged sessions of enjoyment and pondering. Thank you, Jim Harrison!

I have just found a new obsession and it's Jim Harrison! Not the man, but his books of course. I am always open to a new discovery and in this case, what a pleasant surprise. Jim Harrison has an impressive command of words that keep his story(s), in this case 3 of them, flowing without being bogged down with excessive descriptions. It's as if you were having a conversation with him rather than reading a book.

After doing some research I found that he had written "Legends of the Fall", and that is one of my all time favorite movies. I just can't understand why he doesn't get more press. I have mentioned his books to several people and none of them were aware of him at all. He difinitely is a talent not to be missed. I have already ordered "A Woman Lit by Fireflies" and looking forward to his upcoming Memoir!

One more thing,if you are not familiar with his writing take a peak inside one of his books, you might just like what you see.

An excellent book. Picks up where Welch's book ends, with a applied approach. I really appreciate the coverage devoted to developing re-usable code via script libraries. This is an absolute "must read" for any serious Tcl/Tk developer.

Once you have mastered tha basics of TCL/TK, then this book is a must read. It covers some very elegant programming techniques that are possible in an interpreted language, such as TCL.

An excellent book on the use of TCL/TK. Takes much of the mystery out of the way that TCL/TK graphic widgets work and how to build the GUIs with TCK/TK. It has many very practical sections. In particular, how the graphics rendering works, using TCL programs as data storage and the chapter on client server applications. Very easy to read and understand. All the code is available of the net so it is easy to extend the tools described. The authors are real experts but can explain the concepts well for even the novice programmer.

I thought that this book was quite good.

Mary Kate and Ashley are planning their sweet sixteen birthday party with the the help of a well-known hollywood party planner. The book is mostly about how they can't decide on certain things like whether or not they should invite boys, and what the theme should be. Both Mary Kate and Ashley have new boyfriends, Ashley meets hers in Drivers Ed class.

I like the story in this book, but I thought that it was a bit too short. The three books in this miniseries (I think there are only 3 books) could easily have been one book.

I recommend this to girls ages 8-14 who are Mary Kate and Ashley fans. The story is pretty much the same as their movies, and other books. Them, boyfriends, shopping etc. So fans are sure to like this.

What a great start to Mary-Kate and Ashley's newest series! Their books are always good. After reading this one, I just had to keep buying the series. I still am.

Anyway, in this book Mary-Kate is trying to impress her crush, Jake Henna. She gets him, and Ashley is disappointed that Mary-Kate is spending so much time with Jake she can't think about planning their Sweet 16, so Ashley takes on the task by herself. But Ashley is after a guy herself - Ben, a boy she met at a party. Will they find sparks? Will Mary-Kate come back to earth to plan the party?

Read Never Been Kissed and find out!

This book was about Mary-Kate and Ashley planning their Sweet 16. They can't seem to agree on anything, from the theme to how formal it will be to the location to whether it will be boy-girl or all girls. The boy-girl issue causes a problem when Mary-Kate wants to invite her boyfriend but they have decided on a girl-power theme. Mary-Kate and Ashley want their Sweet 16 to be perfect, but can they work past the many obstacles?

This book surprised me. I was expecting it to have no plot and be slightly boring, but I decided to read it anyway and I'm glad I did. It's a little stupid sometimes, but in a fun way, not a bad way. And it actually has a lot more plot than most of their other book series and their movies. I recommend this book to all fans of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and even if you don't like Mary-Kate and Ashley you might like this book anyway, because it is better than most of their other stuff.

I remember reading this novel when I was 11 years old. I was an avid space enthuisiast and loved mostly reference books, not fiction. A friend of mine who retired from LTV gave me this book and I began to read it. I got lost in the story. It was so captivating. An American Astronaut hijacks an American Space Shuttle to ina an effort defect himself, the shuttle and the payload to the Soviet Union. Alot of the references made such as the Strategic Defense Intiative and the ASAT were of the Reagan, Gorbachev era and due to the fact that the Soviet Union broke apart and the Cold War ended left these programs non-existant. But still, this novel is an interesting piece of fiction. I am currently reading this novel again for the first time in 10 years and am lost more deeply in the plot than I was before. Payne Harrison is an excellent novelest and I find this book his best. Check it out. It is well worth it. Trust me.

A real page-turner! The story is simple - a Russian agent hijacks a US space shuttle and the mission goes wrong, and the US and USSR have to race to bring down the shuttle, using any means at their disposal! This book features everything - Star Wars weapons technology, an experimental space fighter project which might be quite feasible one day, a dnagerous shuttle launch, Stealth bombers on a mission into Russia and a spectacular apperance by the highest-flying plane in the world, the SR-71 Blackbird under attack by Russian air defences! As the story unfolds, so do some exceptional plot twists and a detailed but easy-to-read insight into how the Russian mission to steal the shuttle came about. On the whole, this book is often similar in various aspects to Dale Brown's SILVER TOWER, with the space weapons ideas, but STORMING INTREPID definitely leaves Dale Brown standing on the ground! I would give this book at least 100 stars but the scale won't let me. Oh well. The US vs Russia angle may be Cold War-era, but this electrifying thriller is still a superb read. One I'll definitely read again in a few months, and this I'd recommend to any technothriller fan!

I read this book over 12 yrs ago, I was in the Tom Clancy Craze,
of reading all the techo-thrillers I could find. The cover
caught my eye, the Space Shuttle on the cover, and "Storming
Intrepid" (Guess the name of the shuttle :-)

The book is technical, believable, conspiracy theory,
personable characters, lots of action, and I just loved it.!

Have recommended it and loaned it to other techo-thriller fans.

I have just finished the trilogy. It wasn't until the end of the last book that I realized that I was waiting for something good to happen. In each of the books, I kept thinking, "what else could go wrong?" and "how much worse can it get?". Well in each case we found out! I kept looking for the magic and warmth and happiness that came out in Jean Auel's and Linda Lay Shuler's books. The stories were good, but they were emotionally depressing. The end was not bad, but it was very predictable for the most part. I hate to sound so harsh, because the stories were good. Perhaps if I had known this ahead of time, I would have enjoyed them more. I would recommend these books to a friend, along with what I have just said. When Sue's Storyteller trilogy is finished, I will read them too. I will apply pessimistic optimism: "Expect the worst and hope for the best!"

A couple of years ago, I bought a book called Mother Earth, Father Sky by Sue Harrison. Ever since then, I've found myself searching for the next book to come from Sue Harrison. Each book of hers that I've read so far has been so good I never wanted to put it down! Brother Wind is such an awesome story. I certainly hope Sue isn't going to leave it a trilogy. I want to know what happens next! What happens to the Whale Hunter village, the twins- how do they grow together-, the Seal Hunters-how do they find a new way to provide food for themselves? I loved this book. It was full of suspense and love. I would recommend any and all of Sue Harrison's books to those who are interested in Native Amercan tales or who love a great story.

I started reading Sue Harrison with her novel She who Remembers, her writing style kept me on the look out for more of her books. Mother Earth Father Sky; My Sister the Moon; Brother Wind: The trilogy does leave you wanting for more with the interest in what happens next, this makes me hope that she will continue the story with at least 2 more books. There are so many opportunities and challenges for a writer to continue in this fashion. Will Sue hear the cries of the people and continue this saga. I as an avid reader do hope so. I do suggest that the reader starts with the first book and move the trilogy in that fashion. I started with My Sister the Moon and then moved on to Mother Earth Father Sky ;Brother Wind not by choice but by accident. Regardless I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend any and all of Sue Harrison's books to those who are interested in Native American tales or who love a great story.

Phenomenal! I've become so involved with the characters that they almost become a part of me as I'm reading Harrison's books. I read the first trilogy two times -- the first time I've ever reread anything. Each of Sue Harrison's books ends too soon. What a great escape for me! The storytelling is incredibly vivid and I have learned so much about these ancient people. Could anyone recommend a writer of Sue Harrison's caliber that writes about prehistoric cultures? Please email me.

I enjoyed this book and reommend it to anyone who wants a good, solid, engrossing story. Sue Harrison has done meticulous research to write this tale of 6th century B.C .Alaskan human relationships and lifestyles. As an archaeologist I usually pick up similar books with great trepidation since they are all too often written from a modern viewpoint and are filled with 20th century motives, passionate love, predictable plots, etcetera (I recall one whose heroine jumped "onto mat"---no beds in those times---with every warrior she met). "Song of the River", however, gives us believable characters, situations, and conflict resolutions for the time period and locale. In addition, the reader learns about what the technology, belief systems, economy and social structure may have been in prehistoric Alaska. A good book to curl up with and learn from.

this book was absolutley amazing. Sue harrison is a wonderful writer. The characters come to life in her novels. Her books are so vivid. I could imagine myself in that time period. can not wait to find out what happens in the next book Cry Of THe Wind.

Preparing for a trip to Italy last fall I purchased a number of books on the country -- mostly personal travelogues, essays, historical tomes. It was quite accidental that I picked up "Italian Days" and due to its sheer weight I can only surmise that my instincts told me to take the book home. Six months later I am back from Italy and just now reading Harrison's incredibly visual book -- it is like looking through my photographs and rereading my own journal. Harrison is the most sensual of writers approaching her subject with a woman's sensibility. The ruins of the Forum get no more attention than the flavors of gelatto near the Pantheon or rush of navigating the treacherous Roman streets. It is all true to the experience of Italy.

I wonder how such a book could be out of print and what a disservice that is to readers. I treasure my copy even more and can only recommend that readers grab Harrison's latest "An Accidental Autobiography" while they can -- her writing is a necessary addition to anyone's library.

"Italian Days" is a book for reflective readers--those who love to ponder beautiful language and beautiful things. It is as much a guide to the author, Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, as to Italy, and I gladly could have continued my journey with her for another thousand pages. I made my first trip to Italy this past autumn, and although I knew and loved the book before I left, I was amazed at how accurately she captured the look, smell, feel--and taste (she writes mouth-wateringly of her Italian meals) of the country. I gave this book as a gift this year, and I certainly will do so again.

I've been carrying ITALIAN DAYS by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison in my backpack to work--reading it on the train and over lunch. I think you'd better be eating a meal or at least not in a state of hunger when you read this book or you will lose your mind.

Harrison is of Italian descent, her maiden name is Grizzuti, and although she grew up in New York, her family hails from the south of Italy. The composition of this book is similar to that of Henry James' ITALIAN HOURS -- a composite of many trips, although the organizing priciple for Harrison's book is her current journey south for homecoming of sorts. She is a native American, but is connected to Italian relatives. I found her writing very reminiscent of M.F.K. Fisher, part observer, part philospher, part historian, part wanderer.

Harrison is divorced, and has a older child who is not traveling with her. She appears to be in her mid-forties, is attractive enough to be told so and "hit on" by some of the Italian males around her. She has a few interesting women friends who drift in and out of her stories. These women are coping with boyfriends and husbands and as they share their various woes Harrison recounts a few of her own.

Her writing is so warm and wonderful I felt as if I was inhabiting her body as I read. Unfortunately, as I read, I would be eating a chicken salad sandwich from the cafeteria at my desk while she was having a delectible meal of angel hair spagetti, baby asparagus, feta cheese and warm olives, served with a lovely local red wine, at an outdoor table on the cobblestones of a plaza before 12th century church in the warm Italian sun.

Harrison is a devout Roman Catholic, she attends masses and lights candle for loved ones. She visits churches and describes them in detail. She writes of the history of the church, WWII, the Romans, and other major forces in the development of Italy. She is cognizant of the "death in the midst of life" and the three great mysteries of life: childhood, love, and death. "As I am so shall you be, as you are now I once was." She observes people and describes them. She visits the graves of Shelley and other writers. She comments on the travels of Henry James and Ruskin whom she has read. She misquotes Byron.

Consider ITALIAN DAYS as the diary your best friend kept about her journey home to visit the old country and see all the relatives, and then shared with you. I love it!!

It is a great book on a not-so-well-known subject. A really gripping depiction of the struggle and suffering in besieged Leningrad. Starting at a rather slow (read: too slow) pace, as the author presents the political situation before the German attack on the Soviet Union, and events leading to Leningrad's encirclement, the book proceeds to very graphic, horrifying description of the life under the siege. Road to Life accross Ladoga Lake, desperate attempts to feed the city's population, cases of cannibalism are just a few highlights of this great book. However, the book never looked at these events from the other site. Germans are just shadows looming over the city. We never got a chance to hear from them, to find out what it was like from their perspective. Another problem with the perspective: author makes it look like Leningrad was populated in 90% by artists. Writers, painters, composers, and their likes, crowd the pages of the book leaving little room for ordinary people. With all that said, it is a great book, very readable, and, at least to me, very enlightening.

Reading this epic account of the Leningrad siege (written by an American journalist who lived in Russia for many years), I was stunned again and again by the horrors that the city endured. It is mind-boggling to realize that some of the siege's survivors are still around, almost sixty years after their ordeal. How long, I wonder, could an American city's populace hold out against such an onslaught? I'd like to think we would rise to the occasion, but I fear we've grown to soft.

Salisbury makes his narrative compelling by tracking the lives of several citizens, utilizing their diary entries and letters. Their micro-histories allow the reader to imagine, briefly, the hell that Hitler and his minions created. Which is not to say that the Soviet leadership comes off much better-- Salisbury is absolutely blistering in his report on Stalin's incompetence and paranoid lunacy. Stalin was quite willing to sacrifice Leningrad to the German Army if it meant protecting his own position in Moscow. And many of the leaders and heroes of the Leningrad community were executed after the war on bogus charges of treason.

If you're curious about the Eastern Front, get this book.

Having adopted two children from St. Petersburg orphanages and having twice visited the city in the past three years, I read this book from the perspective of an adoptive parent trying to gain a better understanding of the society and city my children came from. I was not disappointed. This well researched book tells the nearly forgotten tragic story of the people of Leningrad during what the Russians call the Great Patriotic War (WWII). It begins in great detail explaining Stalin's blunders before the war, which nearly allowed the Nazis to win a swift and easy victory. The bulk of the book of course recounts the stories of how a people, almost abandoned by its own country, coped with one of the most savage sieges of history. Finally, the book tells of the sad fate of many of the heroic survivors. The book does not try to tell the German perspective nor should it. By telling the stories of the victims we are more easily reminded of the horror of war and are less inclined to glorify aggression. The theme rather is taken from Leningrad poet, Olga Berggolts , "Let no one forget, let nothing be forgotten." For those of us not used to Russian names, places or war heroes, it can be difficult to keep track of how the war and the siege are progressing in the book. Poets, writers, composers and artists may seem a bit over represented in the book, but the reader should remember that since the book is non-fiction, the author had to rely on real accounts of what happened. These accounts are much more likely to have been written about the more famous. On the other hand, having been to St. Petersburg, it's hard to find someone there who is not at least a poet, writer, composer or artist at heart. So the author might have the right mix of artist/not artist accounts in the book after all.

Key West is the quirkiest city in America -- and this true tale takes the Southernmost city to new heights, or depths, if you view it that way. Ben Harrison, a gifted songwriter, singer and author (and now lawyer -- kind of a reverse John Grisham) has effectively captured this bizarre story. Count Carl von Cosel -- a no-count Count, if there ever was one -- falls in love with a TB-ridden beauty Elena Hoyos. He doesn't let a minor thing like death interrupt his plans to sleep with her forever. His "forever" lasted seven years before his dark side came to light.. A shocking story, absolutely true, that ended in a trial that put Key West in the international spotlight back in the '30s. Harrison interviewed the few remaining survivors knowledgeable of the Count and Elena's "relationship," including family members. Stark photographs -- Elena alive, Elena reconstructed in death by the Count -- make this story of love gone wrong come alive. A fascinating story that's calling for a movie version. Boris Karloff is gone, but Jack Nicholson sure would make for a chilling Count. Movie or not, check out this book. You won't be alone if you find a measure of sympathy and understanding going out toward the grave-robbing Count Carl von Cosel. That's the measure of a good writer...and a damn compelling book. --Gerry Wood, author, Nashville, Tenn.

I saw an episode of a TV show called Haunted History. One of the stories was about this woman named Elena who dies, and a doctor who is obsessed with her ends up stealing her body from the cemetary, rebuilds the skin using wax, and kept the body for 7 years without being discovered. I was shocked to learn that was a true story. I could not beleive that someone could be that insane.

After getting the book about this story and reading it, I realized there was much more than meets the eye. (After reading the book, you will know what I mean) This book covers every detail, with pictures of almost everything. A haunting TRUE story that will keep you shivering. I enjoyed reading about this mans obsession with a dead woman. If you enjoy horror stories and sick twisted romances, then this is the book for you. I thought the book was easy to follow and enjoyable.

Carl von Cosel is a German immigrant working as a technican in a tubercular ward in Key West. He falls in love with a beautiful woman, Elena Milagro Hoyes, who suffers from the disease, and he vows to cure her. His bizarre methods fail and, as fate would have it, Elena dies but Carl's love and devotion are far from over. What follows is one of the most incredible accounts of abnormal psychology, love and obsession you will ever read.

Robbing Elena's body from her grave, Carl takes his "bride" home where he attempts to preserves her from any further deterioration. He lovingly cares for her as his wife and places her in their marriage bed where he continues to consumate passion and love until he is finally caught eight years later. The book is chilling, atrocious and shocking. It compells the reader to go on, not out of enjoyment or pleasure, but from a sense of astonishment that this true-life account of Cosel's life could continue undetected for so many years. It is, however, not a book for the weak or faint of heart. If you can endure the subject matter, it is a book worth reading.

I am both pleased and impressed with Harrison's book, After Contact: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life. Commonly efforts to deal with topics like the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial life are either one-dimensional, or they are so general and watered down that they lack substance. In contrast, Harrison's book is a very well written and authoritative review of issues surrounding possible contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Further, while Harrison's primary expertise is in the area of psychology, he does a fine job of dealing with the possible technological and sociological consequences of such contact. Indeed, as well as including well reasoned and provocative speculations on future possibilities, the book provides an excellent review of some of the best scholarship in this area, including much that has been derived from isolation and small group studies.

One of the blurbs on the book jacket observes that it is a valuable contribution to the field and a very good read. I second that assessment, and would recommend it both to professionals, and to any intelligent interested party.

Douglas Raybeck Hamilton College

Everyone who has ever glanced at the starry sky on a clear night has wondered if other, alien eyes were staring back from far across the Galaxy. After thinking about that many people develop an interest in SETI, and take a trip to a real or online bookstore in search of further information. Many, perhaps most of the SETI books they find there concentrate on the actual search hardware and its history, past SETI searches, SETI personalities and the chances of eventual success. Most of the books are content to finish neatly, with an optimistic message and a declaration of how wonderful the detection of an alien signal would be. AFTER CONTACT is different: as its title suggests it looks at what will happen *after* that momentous day. After working steadily through our preconceptions about ETs and examining the psychological aspects of SETI - the book is very heavy on psychology in places, and although some sections are very "challenging" they provide invaluable insights into our collective hopes and fears for finding life Out There - it explores the possible nature of aliens, and considers the immense difficulties two - literally - alien civilisations would come up against when trying to communicate. But the most impressive section of the book examines what impact Contact could have on Mankind, its effect on our technology, military, poliical structures, religions and civilisation as a whole. This section is very hard to drag yourself away from and demands to be read in one sitting... and then again, immediately, because your head is so full of ideas it's impossible to sit still! Basically, AFTER CONTACT is a book for people who have already accepted the existence of ETs, and who want to know what will actually happen when there's enough proof to convince everyone else. Anyone interested in the technical, psychological and intellectual challenges facing the SETI community and Mankind will find it a remarkably thought-provoking read. It contains the answers to all your questions... and to millions of questions which hadn't even occurred to you. The only problem with the book is that it will turn you into a sleep-starved insomniac, because a) there will be such a fireworks display of ideas bursting in your head you'll be unable to sleep, and b) you'll be standing in your garden every clear night just looking up... and Wondering...

AFTER CONTACT: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life Albert A. Harrison, Ph.D. Plenum Trade, 1997

Most people have become comfortable with the notion that there may be intelligent extraterrestrial life elsewhere in the universe. Even the conservative astronomer Carl Sagan calculated that it was mathematically probable that such life must exist. Sagan's book Contact, later made into the 1997 movie of the same name, postulated that a life form could contact humans here on earth. The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute employs people using radio telescopes to explore the heavens for signs of intelligent life. Recently the National Air and Space Administration created the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NABI) to consider the development of ET life forms. NABI examines the possibility from the standpoint of materials and conditions necessary to support life. They also consider the implications of the origin of life and question whether ! ! life is a cosmic imperative.

In After Contact Professor Al Harrison of the University of California-Davis thoughtfully takes the obvious next step. In pragmatic detail he examines the human consequences of contact with such an intelligent extraterrestrial entity. Except for fictional accounts, no one previously has explored as comprehensively the many ramifications such contact would pose for those of us who live in what we believe to be technologically advanced societies. Just what would happen if we learned that we were not at the top of the evolutionary pyramid?

Harrison first lays out the background information surrounding current search methodologies used by SETI and their radio-telescopic efforts to listen for signs of life. He also covers the supporting probabilities that mathematically suggest that some form of extraterrestrial life should exist elsewhere in the universe. It is not just in independent evolution of ETI on some far distant planet that l! ! ife could exist, but also through a seeding or colonizatio! n effort. The search for ETI, he argues, requires a broad multidisciplinary approach. The complexities of communication should contact be established demand that a wide variety of sciences would be necessary including biologists, physicists, chemists, computer scientists and linguists just to name a few. Harrison states that while there is no compelling evidence that we have been visited by an ETI, there are sufficient clues to make exploration worthwhile. Further, the enormity of the impact on society dictates that these are prudent steps.

In an overview of popular literature regarding UFOs and other aerial phenomena, he demonstrates a breadth of understanding of the material widely available to the general public. This is an important addition as it provides the background from which people are making decisions about their beliefs in ETI and probability of contact. It also shows why there is a dramatic disconnect between the general population and most mains! ! tream scientists.

Living systems theory of James Grier Miller serves as a foundation for considering how extraterrestrial organisms and societies might function. Based on building blocks of matter, energy, and information, living systems theory is a logical approach to potentially disparate life forms. After all, there is no known reason for unanimity among advanced extraterrestrial life forms. Harrison goes beyond the organism level and considers what factors might impact ET societies. These include such varied considerations as resource bases, processing of information, decision-making strategies, adaptation and use of energy, and development of culture. He then addresses the fundamental issues related to first contact; how it might be made, who would do it, and how that information would be transmitted to the public.

After Contact considers the various ways in which information concerning ETI existence would be received and acted upon by the public. There ! ! are many fictional accounts of ET contact, as well as scie! ntific studies of people exposed to unusual or stressful events, from which inferences of psycho-social reactions can drawn. The individual and societal differences in responding to such a dramatic discovery are examined.

Travelling beyond the initial encounter, Harrison discusses the inevitable complex issues in building of relationships between the ETI and humans. In this section he has considered in some depth just what types of interactions might transpire. He then explores the consequences to our societal structures such as the economy, political systems, impact on values and beliefs, and differentials in technological development.

After Contact is a comprehensive and thought-provoking examination of the inscrutable aspects of an encounter between humans and an advanced extraterrestrial intelligence. It is a must for anyone interested in the possibility that an initial event might occur within his or her lifetime. The book is a landmark publication and ! ! serves as a signpost for directing further research into a most fascinating, and under resourced area of science.

Reviewed by: John B. Alexander, Ph.D.