Have you ever begin reading a book and all of a sudden realize you can't put it down? Welcome to the club. Silent Suspicion: A Lincoln Keller Mystery, by Lee E. Meadows will definitely keep you from putting this book down. Mr. Meadows has done it again. "Silent Suspicion" goes beyond being a must read; it takes you totally by surprise with much suspense and intrigue as Mr. Meadows has so skillfully done in his latest book.

Lincoln Keller or Linc as he is called by most is hired by Judge "War Zone" Henderson to investigate the murder of his sister-in-law, Deborah Norris. A freelance journalist, Deborah was described as being a free spirit, prankster, and caring person. Unfortunately, eight years ago brought Deborah's intriguing journalism career to an end. Although her unsolved murder is assumed to be robbery motivated, Judge Henderson feels that there is more to his wife's sister's death.

Recommended to Judge Henderson by Lincoln's brother Jeff, the

mysterious bounty hunter, he reluctantly takes the case. The mystery begins. From the very start of his investigation, Linc begins meeting people that become directly and indirectly involved in Deborah's murder which also includes another unsolved traffic accident that has taken the life of two teenagers coming home from their high school prom, also eight years ago. His investigation takes him to Winston, who now lives in Deborah's former apartment and was once her secret lover, to her two friends, Sharron, who idolized and took Deborah's death very hard and is now Winston's love interest, to MiShaun who envied, admired and relied on Deborah's strength in helping her face her battle with alcoholism. MiShaun, who would do anything to get ahead, becomes a major player in the mystery surrounding her friend's murder. Lincoln's twists and turns investigation takes him to Trevor Stallings, looking to become mayor of Detroit one day by starting with a seat on the city council to his brother, Pernell Stallings, who is a time bomb kept in check by his brother, to other characters making this story one that literally keeps you on the edge of your seat.

You become absorbed in trying to figure out along with Lincoln how this basketful of characters all fit in the puzzle of Deborah's murder. What you will find is another amazing mystery novel that Mr. Meadows has so craftily put together. What stands out also in this story is the Keller family members, their various personalities, and undying willingness to help brother Linc at a moment's notice. The twists, turns and overall dynamics of the story line are wonderful. I will also interject that the ending and I mean the actual ending will put tears in your eyes to the point of eagerly waiting for his next novel. Mr. Meadows has indeed done it again.

Reviewed by Kalaani

Have you ever begin reading a book and all of a sudden realize you can't put it down? Welcome to the club. "Silent Suspicion" a Lincoln Keller Mystery, by Lee E. Meadows has done it again. "Silent Suspicion" goes beyond being a must read; it takes you totally by surprise with much suspense and intrigue as Mr. Meadows has so skillfully done in his latest book. Lincoln Keller or Linc as he is called by most is hired by Judge "War Zone" Henderson to investigate the murder of his sister-in-law, Deborah Norris. A freelance journalist, Deborah was described as being a free spirit, prankster, and caring person. Unfortunately, eight years ago brought Deborah's intriguing journalism career to an end. Although her unsolved murder is assumed to be robbery motivated, Judge Henderson feels there is more to his wife's sister's death. Recommended to Judge Henderson by Lincoln's brother Jeff, the bounty hunter, he reluctantly takes the case. The mystery begins. From the very start of his investigation, Linc begins meeting people that become directly and indirectly involved in Deborah's death which also includes another unsolved traffic accident that has taken the lives of two teenagers coming from a high school prom, also eight years ago. His investigation takes him to Winston, who now lives in Deborah's former apartment and was once her secret lover, to her two friends, Sharron, who idolized and took Deborah's death very hard, to MiShaun who envied, admired and relied on Deborah's strength in helping her face her battle with alcoholism. MiShaun, who would do anything to get ahead, becomes a major player in the mystery surrounding her friend's death. Lincoln's twists and turns investigation takes him to Trevor Stallings, looking to become mayor of Detroit to his brother, Pernell Stallings, who is a ticking time bomb kept in check by his brother, to other characters making this story one that literally keeps you on the edge of your seat. You become absorbed in trying to figure out along with Lincoln how this basketful of characters all fit in the puzzle of Deborah's murder. What you will find is another amazing mystery novel that Mr. Meadows has so craftily put together. What stands out also in this story is the Keller family members, their various personalities, and undying willingness to help brother Linc at a moment's notice. The twists, turns and overall dynamics of the story line are wonderful. I will also interject that the ending and I mean the actual ending will put tears in your eyes to the point of eagerly waiting for his next novel. Mr. Meadows has indeed done it again.

What I like best about the Lincoln Keller series is that Lee Meadows uses intrique, suspense, drama, and intelligence to keep the reader turning to each new chapter, no matter that it's long past bedtime. In Silent Suspicion, like Silent Conspiracy before it, he uses excellent character development and plotting to help the reader in trying to understand and solve the mystery while the protagonist, Lincoln Keller, is doing the same. This book was hard to put down. It felt like I was right in the middle of the action, and I had a real sense of what the characters were feeling, seeing, and doing. Keller's frustrations became my own when a lead didn't pan out or a seemingly valuable clue lead nowhere. Keller has all the machismo of an ex-NFL football player, which he is, while at the same time he has the inner strength and sensitivity that could make the incident in the epilogue so very believable. Lee Meadows is an excellent writer and I eagerly await his next Lincoln Keller saga.

A saga-like tale of Norwegian immigrants to America, specifically to Dakota territory, travelling in covered wagons, living in sod huts dug into the ground, isolation, blizzards, planting & plagues of locusts, this book will make you feel you were there.

This story is also about the marriage between Per & Beret Hansa, a difficult relationship: He wanted to emigrate and she did not but went along with him, unfortunately it is all too much for her and she loses her mind. I think this book presents a very realistic picture of marital relations of that time.

The ending was somewhat bizarre and made me laugh out loud though I'm not sure it was supposed to be funny. I intend to read the sequel and will probably reread this one again one day, it's a great immigrant/pioneer classic.

For years, my father repeatedly urged me to read this book about the pioneer life of Norwegian immigrants. Although my father is from Texas and has no Norwegian roots, he read this book in high school and it apparently made quite an impact upon him. Moreover, my great-grandmother on my mother's side immigrated from Norway around 1900 and this gives me some insight into her experience. The author does an outstanding job of conveying the mental as well as the physical struggles that pioneer families faced in the 1870's. I never contemplated that the isolation of pioneer life could be so difficult. The book was a quick read after the first 50 or so pages, and I am now moving on to Peder Victorious. I am glad I finally followed my father's advice.

Having grown up on the prairie, I have always found the tales of pioneer life absolutely intriguing. Both sides of my family come from pioneer roots and stories such as "Giants in the Earth" never fail to move me.

This novel was particularly wonderful. I wasn't sure what to expect when I began to read "Giants in the Earth." Having never read Rolvaag I was a little nervous, but it has turned out to be an experience that has helped to guide my course of studies over the past year.

The character development is extraordinary. One can't help but feel an intimate attraction to the characters and Rolvaag's dramatic portrayal of their lifestyle can't help but inspire empathy in readers.

The characters each inspire different emotions - Per Hansa: Pride; Beret - Frustration!

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for an absolutely unbiased portrayal of pioneer life. It will inspire you.

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most written-about men in history. There are scores of biographies, profiles, analyses, everything to do with this great man. Because of this, it is difficult to find a good, comprehensive work that details his life adequately and faithfully. In this book, Stephen B. Oates gives a good representation of Lincoln, giving a pretty good account of his life and not trying to raise the man to deity (as others have done). Despite this, however, there are several flaws in this book that make it only of average quality.

Oates commits what I consider to be the unpardonable sin in biography--he attempts to get inside Lincoln's head. One of the necessary qualities of a good biographer is that he or she should not try to psychoanalyze the subject, should not assume he knows what was going on inside the subject's head, and should certainly not embellish the account with a bunch of supposed conversations and feelings which are more the fabrication of the author than the feelings of the subject. Oates breaks all of these rules.

The most annoying thing about the book is that Oates will paraphrase what he thinks Lincoln said. He may give a short quotation, but then he closes the quote and proceeds to adlib what he assumes Lincoln would say, speaking in the first person as though he were the President himself. He uses the pronoun 'I' in his own narrative, when he should be using 'he.' If you can get over Oates pretending to speak for Lincoln himself throughout most of the book, the rest of the account is pretty decent. But I had a hard time getting past that.

For a 400 or so page biography, this book covers the subject moderately well, though not excellently. Many men, such as Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, or Admiral Farragut, are barely mentioned, as if Lincoln had nothing to do with them at all. It would have added greatly to the account to have a more detailed description of the Civil War, and about Lincoln's counterparts in the South (such as Davis). Still, this is a pretty good book, though far from definitive in any way. With the mountains of work available on this great man, there's got to be something better out there.

IMO, this is "the" biography of Abraham Lincoln. While I consider David H. Donald's bio of Lincoln to be slightly more sophisticated and detailed, Stephen Oates' bio of Lincoln is the most enjoyable and interesting to read. Prof. Oates has a smooth writing style that tackles complex issues and makes them easy to understand. He never gets bogged down in boring, hard-to-understand statistics or details.

This biography illustrates the human-side of Lincoln. Stephen Oates decribes Lincoln's anguish over his many major decisions that he knew would impact history. This is a very touching book. Rarely is a biography so full of facts, yet details the personality of the subject so well. This book should be mandatory reading for all politicians!

Donald T. Phillips has written a solid and engaging book. It has been hailed by critics and leaders in business, sports, and every other arena as a common sense masterpiece of historical and character analysis. The book is divided into key lessons, each representing an aspect of President Abraham Lincoln's leadership style, as revealed through his words and actions. A beautifully written intimate history, the book shows Lincoln in action. The discussion reveals clearly how any leader can apply Lincoln's timeless principles about communication, character, endeavor, and people. We [...] recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership, Lincoln, or history.

Phillips' book contains many interesting facts of Lincoln's leadership style and provides many examples of why Lincoln was so effective.

Even as a Southerner, I have always admired Lincoln along with Robert Lee, Thomas Jackson, and U.S. Grant as the most remarkable leaders of a turbulent time in our great nation's history.

Some of the more interesting points Phillips makes in his book are (while including historical examples from Lincoln's life) include:

1. How to deal with unjust criticism.
2. A good leader has to be persistent and focused on his
goals.
3. Encouraging innovation and risk-taking by others.
4. Be succinct and consistent in your communication.
5. An excellent leader must be decisive at the appropriate
time and place.
6. Honesty and integrity are of utmost importance.
7. Persuasion works better than coercion.
8. Never underestimate the power of informally talking
with your subordinates.

All in all, an excellent read full of practical advice on how to treat people with respect and dignity!

Lincoln on Leadership tells the tail of one of the most influential presidents of American history. It's a quick read that really touches at the core of leadership and the man who exemplified the subject best, Abraham Lincoln. The way the book is titled makes you think that it was Lincoln himself who actually wrote it (this is not true). Although there's a good amount of writing by Lincoln in the book, the lessons are mostly interpreted by the author Donald T. Phillips, through actual historical events taken from the president's life in office. The author does a great job of extracting the jewels of leadership wisdom by analyzing Lincoln's actions. Lincoln on Leadership is not a step by step guide on leadership theory, it is more of a biography on Lincoln's life in office. If your looking for a thorough history on Lincoln don't bother, most of the items covered are during the Civil War, the time where Lincoln displayed most of his leadership abilities.

The contents of the book are presented in four parts, each part breaks down into several sub-parts pertaining to the main topic:

Part I - People

Part II - Character

Part III - Endeavor

Part IV - Communication

I must tell you, after reading this book I am definitely interested in learning more about our sixteenth president (AKA - Honest Abe). Lincoln on Leadership helped me see the extraordinary attributes of an American legend. His honesty, integrity, and tenacity are all characteristics that should be mimicked by all students of leadership.

Excellent job Donald...

THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT should be required reading for anyone with an interest in American History. The sheer amount of detail here is invaluable. Historian Jim Bishop has gone to the original newspaper accounts, court documents and government records to get at the indisputable facts. Contradictory reports have been reconciled, confusing motivations and events have been plainly explained, and the result is a book brimming with information but which is still easy enough for us laymen to read.

The format of the material will be familiar to any fan of the television show "24". Like that piece of modern drama, the book is laid out so that each chapter is devoted to a single hour. The result is a slow, detailed progression through the day that pushes up the tension as the fatal hour approaches. The book begins at 7 a.m. on the morning of April 14th, 1865, continues through the actual assassination during the 10 o'clock hour and then concludes with the death of Lincoln at 7:22 a.m. the following morning. Of course, the similarities between this account and the much-hyped television series are purely structural - the story isn't fictitious, and we already know the ending.

Two chapters interrupt this narrative. One that gives a background into the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and another that gives us a brief history of the conspiracy. This book doesn't try to give more than a short summary on those two topics, so readers interested in those subjects should also find other material. This book is primarily concerned with getting across the actual events of the day rather than trying to put every single fact into a historical perspective. It reads like an extremely detailed journal told from an omniscient observer.

One thing I didn't like was Bishop's tendency to write the factual events in an overly dramatic style. We're treated to people's inner thoughts, their facial expressions, occasional over-dramatic language, and other items that couldn't possibly be known to the author. To be fair, Bishop does acknowledge in the introduction that he does take certain liberties of that type in the name, presumably, of dramatic license. The only problem I had with this approach is that the fourteenth of April 1895 is already one of the most gripping and shocking days in American history. There really wasn't any need to make the action more exciting. More often than not, these little pieces of intrusion annoyed me, though this wasn't nearly enough to distract from the hard facts of the event.

Prior to reading THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT, my knowledge of the mechanics behind the assassination was sadly deficient. This book has provided me with a lot of information behind the events of that day as well as firing up my interest in U.S. Civil War history. I hope that future books that I read on this subject are as organized and as lucid as this one.

Jim Bishop was a terrific newpaper columnist of the 50's and 60's who wrote the prize winning book, "The Day Christ Died" and followed it with this one during the Civil War Centennial. It is well worth this re-print edition. An absolutely relentless march of the men, women and events of the last 24 hours in the life of Lincoln. The detail here does not slow the history. Indeed it is the life blood of this enthralling book. Meticulous research brings the story to full color. You will feel the heartbeat of Booth as he approaches the President's box. You will suffer the shock of Mrs. Lincoln when she realizes her husband has been wounded. You will weep for Abraham Lincoln. Seldom is history as truely revealing as this. You do not read this book really. You breath it. Scott Brundage

I truly enjoyed this book. A masterpiece in the sense that it reconstructs the day Lincoln was shot. You will live that day in the 21st century by reading this book. Hour by hour all the actions and conversations of all key personalities have been dissected and presented. This is a great historical forensics book.

Riding the Rails tells a story not often heard about life during the Great Depression. Although the story is fresh, it really puts into perspective what was going on in America at that time. By using teenage runaways to illustrate the struggles of our country, Ulys puts a very human face on the time period.
I thought the way the book was divided into sections with each section illustrating a different aspect of the runaways' lives, was extremely helpful. Each section began with an overview of the particular subject, using people as well as facts to tell the story. The section ended with the true life stories of the runaways told in their own words, which I found to be the most enjoyable part of the book. You could tell a lot of research went into finding reliable and interesting sources, because all of the personal accounts were compelling.
This book tied together so many aspects of the economic disaster that was the 1930s. By showing readers a face behind the poverty, they can understand how the country's economy has everything to do with the lives of its people. The stories told are so sad and hard to believe that it can serve as motivation to see that our country learns from its mistakes and never lets the economy become what it was at that time.
Overall, I found this to be an interesting read and well worth the time to gain insight into a compelling piece of history.

I found this book to be an extremely interesting and readable account of the adventures that teenagers lived through while riding the rails across this country during the depression. I commend the author for his unique idea to solicit AARP members through its publication - "Modern Maturity", and, in the process, harvested a wealth of experiences that I believe otherwise would have been lost. Their first hand experiences are not only exciting, memorable and moving, but also give us a view of American life that is rapidly fading into history. If you have an interest in this area, it is a must read.

Dear Mr. Uys, I just finished reading your book "Riding the Rails Teenagers on the Move During the Great Depression." It was excellent. I ran away when I was 16 years old in 1979 and could relate to the experiences in your book even though they took place during the nineteen thirties. I never rode the rails but I did a lot of "hooking it." (hitchhiking) I joined the Navy in 1981. Thanks for writing such a realistic book on what it's really like on the road trying to survive. I see by reading your book that I will never get rid of the feeling of being a street kid. It seems to have stuck with these people for sixty years. But I feel a little bit prouder for having survived. I also have compassion for the people who don't have a home and no one seems to care. It's nice to know there are other people out there who are just like me. Thank you Laura

Much like the Kennedy assassination, the Lincoln assassination has been the subject of more than its share of conspiracy theories. Mr. Steers does an excellent job of debunking most all of these theories by meticulously sifting through the evidence and proving, point by point, that these theories do not hold water. He is able to use the same method to prove most of his own hypothesis concerning Booth and his conspirators. As is mentioned in earlier reviews, Steers does seem to take particular delight in proving the guilt of Mary Surratt and Dr. Mudd. Mudd takes the brunt of Steers' assault, possibly because this is the area of Mr. Steers' greatest knowledge. It is also possible however that the vigor of the author's attacks can be traced to the fact that the Mudd family has done an excellent job convincing most Americans that the good doctor was as much of a victim as was Lincoln. Steers proves that Mudd was indeed involved, and then drives the point home. Make no mistake, he proves it, just as he proves most of his points by doing his research and doing it well.

Please don't be afraid of this book. The writing is clear and easy to follow. Most importantly, it's interesting. There are indeed a lot of names to keep up with but most of those names are going to be pretty familiar to anyone with any knowledge of the period. To make things even easier, Steers gives the reader a good concise history of the conspirators. As a bonus, there is also a chapter devoted to following Lincoln's body on its trip back to Illinois. It's a very interesting chapter at that.

I do have one serious problem with this book. To Steers' credit he does point out that if Jefferson Davis was in on the plot, he had good reason to be. It was the Federals that first broke the rule of not trying to knock off a head of state. The Confederate President had indeed been targeted for death by a group of Union raiders attempting to enter Richmond, and the southerners had the captured orders to prove it. Steers however makes no attempt to link Lincoln with this incident and in fact Lincoln may not have known anything about it. The problem is that Steers uses such flimsy evidence to connect Davis with Booth, that the same line of thought would have to connect Lincoln to the earlier plot. Over and over Steers makes statements such as, "Davis must have known," or, "Davis would have had to know." No evidence is presented to support these statements except that a plot to kidnap the President of the United States could not have been undertaken by the Confederate Secret Service without the approval of the President. If that were the case how could the U.S. Army undertake a plot to assassinate the Confederate President without Lincoln's knowledge. The answer is, it would appear to be very possible that Lincoln did not know what his army was up to just as it would be very possible that Davis had no idea what his spies were up to.

Despite this flaw, this is a fine book. New light is shed on an old subject and maybe a few old myths have been put out of their misery. I may just have to read Mr. Steers book on Dr. Mudd. If this book is any indication, it will be well worth the effort.

This book was obviously well researched. Steers fluently documents the series of events surrounding the Lincoln assasination. His telling of events is easy to follow. After reading this book, I have a better understanding of the people involved in the conspiracy and the roles they played in carrying out this tragic event in American history. This is definitely a book you want to buy for your Lincoln bookshelf. Steers paints a clear picture of the Lincoln assasination, however for a truly enjoyable companion read, I would suggest "Lincoln Assasination" by Swanson and Weinberg. The high quality photos in the Swanson/Weinberg book enhance your undersatnding of the events told by Steers. The two books bring the story to life!

This meticulously researched and reasoned book by Edward Steers both tells the story of Lincoln's Assassination and builds the case against those involved.

Much of the book reads like a detective story. Since Lincoln's death, various publicity seekers, conspiracy buffs and doubters have disputed various aspects of the story. The issues Steers deals with -- and convincingly -- are ones that have plagued the assassination story for a long time. By assembling documentary evidence from a vast array of sources, Steers builds strong cases that: Dr. Mudd was a part of the conspiracy to capture Lincoln and was a confederate of Booth -- and was expecting to help Booth escape from Washington; Mary Surratt was also a part of the conspiracy and thus justly convicted; the harebrained conspiracy theories involving Vice President Johnson or Sec. of War Stanton in the assassination are just that; The Confederate Secret service was active in supporting a kidnapping of Lincoln, knew Booth and provided him with resources; the top levels of the Confederate government (including Jefferson Davis) were aware of kidnap schemes (though no claim is made that Davis or others in the Confederate high command knew of or supported the assassination plot).

The book deftly does several things. While telling the story of the assassination plot and Confederate secret service activities, it builds the case implicating individuals found guilty by the government but whose involvement has been questioned over the years. Steers also tells of and demolishes notions that Booth really escaped and that an imposter was buried in his tomb -- notions that had some currency in the early Twentieth Century. Steers provides a thorough examination of the case of Dr. Mudd -- proving his complicity in the Lincoln conspiracy and rebuking those family members who to this day try to exonerate Mudd as an innocent doctor who executed his Hippocratic Oath for the lame Booth when he came calling to his home after the murder. (Steers has also written a book solely on this topic "His Name Is Still Mudd")

This is an impressive work. Steers deftly melds both the story of Lincoln's assignation plot with the detective work proving the case against those who claim mistake or cover-up. It is well written and makes good use of primary sources. Although I have read and enjoyed "The Day Lincoln Was Shot," I'd have to rate this as the Lincoln assassination book to read.

A good tutorial starts out with something basic and gradually builds on it. This book starts out with three chapters of pure reference material. Granted some of this is a half-assed description of setting up Apache and compiling in mod_perl. I found the docs that come with the Apache and mod_perl source code to be far more useful (and accurate). Then you get this long list of Perl API classes, request object functions, Perl handlers, etc. All of which is wonderfully useful information ... presented at the wrong time ... we have yet to begin writing a useful module.

When we do begin the writing of a module, it isn't a basic, stand-alone module, but a module to add footers to other content. So, the text digresses into a long and technical discussion of the various ways to configure Apache and associate MIME types so that this module will work with documents that we might or might not have on hand (It's just assumed that you have these laying around handy). During this discussion, we get bounced off of other Apache::xyz modules that apparently popped into the author's head in a moment of "As long as we're at it, why don't we throw this in too" inspiration. Wonderful information ... presented at the wrong time.

To give an example: A logical place to start learning Oracle SQL (or any other SQL) would be with the SELECT statement. However, the authors of this book would begin with a detailed discussion of PL/SQL exception handling, a listing of most of the built-in PL/SQL exceptions, and a listing of a number of the built-in Oracle packages. (Recall we were just starting with SQL. But what the heck! PL/SQL is cool, so why not talk about it now? We're going to use it eventually anyway.) Then for your first select statement, you would write something that used a complex join, a correlated subquery, and a few built-in functions. Well, obviously, we can't just throw this extra stuff in there and not talk about it. So we go whirling off into a discussion of complex joins, correlated subqueries and any other tangents that happen to pop into our head. And when it is all said and done, we still don't know how to display the entire contents of the EMP table.

This is a classic of case of making it difficult to see the forrest because of all the trees. The authors of this book have made no attempt to devise a progressive model for building knowledge. Instead, information is dumped on the reader apparently in the order it came to mind. Maybe this is a problem with having multiple authors. Perhaps the parts were written independently, then slung together. That's what it looks like.

I suppose this book will get you to where you are going ... eventually. But I suspect you will spend considerable time flipping back and forth between chapters re-reading and re-re-reading sections in order to re-assemble the information in a somewhat logical pattern; hence the comparison to a 5,000 piece puzzle.

For those who might be wondering: This book assumes you already know the Perl language. If you don't, the "Learning Perl" book is a good starting point (you do NOT want "Programming Perl" at this point). You will probably also want to get some knowledge of HTML and building web documents. And you will probably want to get at least a basic knowledge of custom configuring an Apache installation.

I once read that you could not consider yourself a Unix Wizard until you had hand written a SendMail configure script once, and that no sane person ever did it twice.

The first part of that truism can perhaps be said of Web Wizards and Apache modules. Fortunately Apache modules are a little easier to write than Sendmail configurations and this book makes it easier still.

Let's not mince words. Perl scripts and other CGI software can quickly become performance bottlenecks on any server, no matter the size of your hardware. The most powerful way of fixing this is to fold a fair amount of that programming inside the server where the overhead of loading interpreters, libraries and code is already taken care of, not to mention you find yourself with much more power and control over the dialogue between server and browser.

Unfortunately writing to an API as large and complex as that in Apache is not always easy. MacEachern and Stein go to a great deal of trouble and exert a fair degree of skill in breaking the learning down into manageable chunks and explaining it all with a large number of examples.

This was the first book I read that really made me understand the process going on, both between the two pieces of software and inside Apache, when a page is requested. From there the book goes on to give you a marvellous understanding of how to write a module in Perl that fits into that process. Finally the last three chapters are excellent API reference guides, one on the Perl API and two on the C API, and an excellent index (which indexes every function in the API's as well as key concepts) make this a superb tool when you get down to writing.

The book does not cover using C in any where near as much depth, but the vital conceptual understanding required and explained in the Perl chapters means that once you have written a module in Perl I don't believe you will find it a problem to do it in C. I have to say though, as a C programmer I am yet to do it, I get so much performance out of a module in Perl I've yet to find the need.

I read this book before starting my first module and I have now written three. I would never have even contemplated the task before reading this volume. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a full understanding of writing software for the web and anyone who wants a quantum leap in the performance of their web software. You will need some fair Perl skills and preferably written a few CGI scripts as this book does not cover the language skills required at all.

_Writing Apache Modules_ is quintessential O'Reilly. They have taken an arcane but potentially useful topic and produced a readable, entertaining, complete, and authoritative guide to it. The book's 700 pages are nearly 3/4 tutorial, which walks you through the writing of dozens of Apache modules, mostly in Perl. (C is covered in less detail, but it's all there.) You'll learn how to write modules for every Apache request stage. The Perl code is technically excellent and well-formatted, and they don't shy away from using useful CPAN modules. Database examples use the free and popular MySQL. No matter what kind of Apache module you're thinking about writing, this book will surely have an example that will get you started, and the reference section will keep you going. I have read literally dozens of O'Reilly books, and this is among the very best they've ever done.

This is a short book about a short speech; but both are saturated by meaning and insight. Ronald White's analysis of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (which Lincoln gave weeks before the end of the Civil War), portrays Lincoln as a thinker and artist, wrapped in a politician. White deconstructs each word and phrase in the speech/sermon, firmly setting them within the historical context that includes Lincoln's speaking style, Frederick Douglass, Bible-smuggling, Aristotle's rhetoric, the reading public, theological debates within Christendom, the little table in front of Lincoln while he spoke, long-forgotten sermons delivered in the Washington church where Lincoln and his family worshiped, the overtaxed printing presses which rushed out copies of Uncle Tom's Cabin, skeptical foreign newspapers, and so many other aspects of this lost and sad world. American deaths in the Civil War almost equaled American deaths in all subsequent wars, and yet, in this speech, Lincoln avoided blame for the war and gloating over the North's impending victory, and instead invoked a merciful God that punished the whole of the country for "America's (not the South's) slavery." White captures a Lincoln who was a man of his times but was somehow able to rise above them. He has written a masterful book here, blessedly short. We need more short books like this. History, like speeches, can be a lot more palatable in small bites than in the large tomes that crowd contemporary bookshelves.

Lincoln's thought the Second Inaugural to be his greatest speech even more profound and powerful than the Gettysburg Address. Ronald C. White's remarkable analysis of the Second Inaugural will convince readers that Lincoln was right. A meditation on God's purpose in the Civil War, the Second Inaugural had several layers of meaning. In lucid prose, White explores each level and places the speech in a broad historical and theological context.

One of the things we learn in Ronald C. White's superb new book on Lincoln's Second Inagural address is that presidential speechmaking in wartime varies greatly in the quality of its moral reasoning. White's analysis of Lincoln's speech points out, among many other fascinating insights, that Lincoln, when faced with the opportunity to portray the Union victory as a triumph of good vs. evil, refuses to do so. Instead of branding the Confederate States as "an axis of evil." Lincoln first tempers the pride of the Union army with the statement: "Both [sides] read the same Bible, both pray to the same God; and each invokes his aid against the other. . .The almighty has his own purposes." Then Lincoln ends his speech, with the famous line: "With malice toward none, and charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds." White's comment: "Lincoln now seemed convinced that those [the Almighty's] purposes 'must prevail, though we erring mortals may fail accurately perceive them in advance.'" This is precisely right, human beings must act with moral courage against terrorism, but they must always realize that as we do so, we are not God. Would that our current administration could learn from Lincoln's example that in our rush to bring justice to Bin Laden and his allies, we will always wield an imperfect sword and humility not pride is necessary, if we are to truly deal with the root causes of terrorism. No one could accuse Lincoln of lacking the courage of his convictions, he lead our country into battle against the evil of slavery and stuck to his course despite tremendous pressure to find a compromise. We can thank Ronald White for resurrecting Lincoln's greatest speech and allowing it to speak into our current national situation with power and moral clarity.

Imagine yourself a 12 year-old boy, enlisted in the army as a drummer boy,at the ruins of an old mill,smoke rising, soldiers hurrying to reas-semble. Above all the yelling and whizzing of musket fire, you hear the moans and groans of wounded. How would you feel?
Willie Johnston of G. CLIFTON WISLERS Mr. Lincoln`s Drummer feels exactly like you would. The war turned Willie from a scared kid to a brave, hard- working young man. He wasn't like the other boys who ran away like cowards. He stayed and drummed out the calls of war. Willie is hard working because he always helps the doc after any battle and helped save many lives. I would recommend this book to any one who likes to read about the Civil War and likes to learn about challenges the soldiers faced!
6 grade student at OHES

Imagine yourself in evil war times. When you imagine, do you see warmen that have tents with security systems on them? Or do you see just tents with little feather cots . If you imagined the cots then your favorite book has to be Mr. Lincons Drummer.

In a time where you have no money, clothing, short on water and food, and ammunition. In a time where entertainment was music and serving your country. One boy's sprit stands in an army.

Willie Johnson is a ten year old boy with a problem. He decides that he wants to join Mr. Lincons army. His problem is that his mother dosent her son to be killed in action while banging a drum. So he goes to sign up with his mother and looks at the spots he could fill in. They needed a drummer boy.

The decision stumped him but he thought and hard. Surprising or not? Well he thought that his descendants would be happier because of that, he would bring out the patriotism of the soldiers. But he could get killed. That wouldn't let him stop trying...

On the battle he had palms of sweat, frustration, well he thought back. The rules of battle say you cannot kill the drummer, so he got his confidence back.

This wonderful book by G. Clifton Wisleris a moving book of the Civil War. What will happen? What do you think will happen? Don't ask me, READ!!
6th Grader from OHES

"A drum is the heartbeat of the army. It tells soldiers when to get up, When to eat, when to assemble, when to attack, when to retreat, And when to go to bed. Without a drum, the army falls apart." This quote is from G. Clifton Whistlers award winning book, Mr. Lincoln's Drummer. The book takes place during the Civil War.
Willie Johnston Lives in a small Vermont town with his mother, his father,and his two brothers. His father is a tailor, and they run a family business. Willie, his mom, and his older brother help.
One day, a strange colonel and his company walk into town. The colonel is trying to get people to sign up for the war. Every day he comes out, and every evening he leaves. One day the colonel comes into their shop and tells them that he needs them to make uniforms. They went to work on the uniforms right away.
After a fortnight, the colonel had gotten 11 people to sign up. Willie follows him back one day. They arrive in a campsite, about a mile out from town. Willie meets a drummer boy, and they become fast friends. The boy teaches him some of the drum beats. Willie starts to see some of his friends at the camp.
Willie is banging assembly one day, without thinking about what he is doing. The colonel hears, and Willie ends up banging a drum in the middle of the street to attract people. Every day more sign up.
Eventually Willie and his dad sign up, too. How do they do? Does he die? Does he live? What is his fate?