As a resident of conservative , sleepy Schuylkill County, I was amazed at the foresight and forward thinkingness of this physician. In a county of staunch Catholics, it surprised me that this happened anywhere during those turbulent times , much less here. Mr. Genovese presents this biography in a very straight forward manor that leaves the reader to make up their own mind about this controversial man and issue. As someone who generally does not read biographies, i was hooked from page one. An easy and educational read. Thought provoking

There is no doubt about it; Abortion is a difficult issue for a lot of people. On one hand you have the desire for justice of equal choice by all women, on the other hand you have a great desire to respect and preserve life. I am no different in that it is an issue that I've struggled with at both extremes (Pro and Con) for most of my life. I've concluded that there is no definitive answer that all can agree with. All we can do is to work at respecting life from all views and perspectives. This is why I've read this biography with a very open mind and frankly I'm glad I did!

Having grown up near Ashland, PA I had an immediate interest to read a work by a local author about a local legend. I had heard of Dr. Spencer in hushed conversations of appalling outrage and contempt and I have also in conversations of heroic praise. I wanted to find out more about this "Angel" who dared take a stand and help women through a very difficult time. Meticulously researched and expertly told it is a stroke of luck to come across this text and hold it in my collection. Of all the biographies I have read, this work is one of the best. Genovese's use of descriptive prose and convincing speculation of events he could only imagine occurred is noteworthy of praise and attention. He portrays Dr. Spencer honestly and "re-members" him for the reader in such a way you feel like you know the doctor personally.

This work is for you if you have an interest in the stories and legends of the Pennsylvania "Coal Region". This work is NOT for you if you seek to increase controversy with contempt or without an open mind. Read it as a story of a man who dared make a difference and succeeded with great compassion and non-judgmental understanding at a time where a woman's only choice was a wire hanger and certain death.

First of all, I am not a fan of ronamce novels. I found this book ata garage sale. But, its not like any other romace-type novel Ive ever read. Its mostly go a very interesting story-line which leads up to the romance. I have to rate this book very good, its something to enjoy again and again. ^-^

This was the first book i ever read by Ashland Price, and i must say it is still one of my favorites. I have reread this books so many times i'm afraid that it shall one day soon fall to piece in my hands. This books is filled excitement. Alanna is taken away from her homeland and thrust into the waiting arms of Storr, a strong Viking raider. Both are fierce and passionate characters. I enjoyed this so much, that evertime i read it i cannot set it down.

I have read this book several times. The 5th reading was just as capitvating as the first. The author of this book provides a detailed description of Wisconsin's Logging Camps. Better then I've ever seen.

I bought this book because I love Elaine Coffman's historical romances and I wanted to see how she did writing a modern-day story. I discovered a good author can write anything . Playing with fire had all the Coffman touches-- humor, unforgettable characters, and a story you haven't read before. When four friends go to a dude ranch for a birthday celebration, they get more than they bargain for. Armed with a bottle of champagne and a bag of firecrackers to celebrate the 4th of July, they accidentally set a rancher's pasture on fire and from that moment you are hooked with the clash between a Montana cattleman and a career-minded, city gal.

Leo Nolan is at first glance trying to fill a void for his dying mother. In his search for her lost brother he is transported to another time, when troubles ran deep. The characters are easy to grasp, and attention to detail is not necessary. The intermingling of the here and the "then" is inviting. I found this book to be a compelling quick read, worthy of passing onto others.

In this brief and lovely book, the narrator, Leo, goes on a search for his uncle, missing for fifty years. In the process, he travels back in time to depression era Kentucky, a literary device which is beautifully done and does not seem at all out of place. The author's prose is straightforward and moving in its simplicity, and themes of hardship, loss, remembrance and recovery are woven into the story in a way that stays with you. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

I didn't think I'd like this book but it surprised me. The narrator is likeable and the story is easy to follow. This is not a typical romance (which is what I thought when I looked at the cover). Worth reading at least once!

I was initially thrilled to discover that Green had written a sequel to "Shadows of Ashland", a novel I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the time travel genre, ala Jack Finney. Fifteen years have passed; Leo Nolan has married Jeanne and has done an admirable job of helping to raise her son, Adam, now twenty-one. Adam wants to visit his natural father, Bobby, who deserted Jeanne before Adam was even born. The dustjacket copy details how "Leo decides that he had better visit the man first, and so he embarks on another trip into the past, from which he returns changed again." Had Bobby been forced to abandon his wife and unborn son? Had he done something so awful that only, say, a physical trip into the past by Leo might reveal and perhaps correct it? Are we in for another adventure back in time, perhaps to explore Jeanne's family? The answer is a disappointing no. In "St. Patrick's Bed", Leo never physically travels back in time, his trips to the past are all narrative reminiscences about the various members of his family, the events of his marriage and of problems the couple are encountering in having a child of their own. Leo's narrative is essentially a series of sentimental meditations on love, family and nostalgia, along with way too many (ofttimes tedious) descriptions of the motels he stays at and the food he eats during his drive. His eventual encounter with Bobby is bland. A minor sub plot involving the reappearance of Leo's father was a missed opportunity, woefully underused, with the pay off at the end of the book being too little, too late. Green's prose voice is as friendly and inviting as before, but the story is slight, offering no real conflict - a waste of his characters. Would I read this book again? Probably not.

Several years ago I read a new author, Terence Green, when his book Shadows in Ashland was published. I was intrigued by the family history presented in this book as the main character, Leo Nolan, sets out to find his uncle who left home during the Depression and was never heard from again. During his journey Leo, a resident of Canada, finds himself in Ashland where he not only finds out about his uncle's life but meets a woman Jeanne and her young son Adam who will become an integral part of his future.

The years have passed and in his newst book Green continues the story of Leo. Once again living in Canada, Leo is now married to Jeanne and the father of her son Adam. At 21, Adam is a fine young man who sudedenly exprsses an interest in meeting his biolgocial father. Leo sensing that Adam may be hurt by either finding or not finding his father, decides to try and find this man without Adam's knowledge.

While traveling first to Ohio, the last place Jeanne knew Adam's father lived, Leo has time to reflect on the male influnces in his life which include his father Tommy Nolan, grandfather Bampi and cherished uncles. He also spends time reflecting on the death of hia biological son Aidan from his previous marriage and his dreams and wishes for Adam as he is about to embark on adulthood. Finally in the most moving parts of the book, Leo comes to terms with his and Jeannes inability to have a child from their marriage. And as we read on we wonder what the outcome of this journey ultimately will be for Leo as well as Adam.

Terence Green's plot, characters and writing envelop the reader from the first page to the last one. And if readers find themselves ending the book with tears as I did, it is because the Nolans have become part of your family and you hate to leave them. I look forward to reading more books by Terence Green but now am content to read his second book Witness to Life which also discusses another aspect of this families history.

We first meet Leo Nolan in "Shadow of Ashland" seeking knowledge of his lost uncle, Jack Radey. Knowledge is found, along with a lovely woman and her young son. Leo marries Jeanne displacing she and Adam to his home in Canada, leaving behind Adam's father. Now, 15 years later, in an act of protection, Leo feels he must anonymously meet the "other" father, prior to Adam doing so. The poignant trip back to Ashland conjurs sentimental memories memorialized beautifully by the prose of Terence Green. As his passenger, the reader delves into cobwebbed rememberances of drive-ins, childhood mayhem, and life's non predictiability. You are never disappointed in Leo's sidetrips....the magical moments lie there in quivering wait.

Terence Green is one of my top ten favorite male authors. This is a vast compliment, as I am somone who has read thousands of books, multiple genres, bevy of writers. His simple, quiet, sentimental style mesmerizes my eyes and heart to each page; each circumstance; each emotion. That he grips his reader san gratuitous violence and sex, multiple plot twists, or grapic language is a tribute to his abilities. There is romance, there are debacles, there are twists of thought, and there is language, but all are subtle, precise, palatable, and genuine.

"St Patrick's Bed" is a love song to rituals past and present; to memories enjoyed or endured; to choices desired or willed. It chants of love in all it's forms, and the music sings to each reader's soul. It is a gift to you. I would advice splurging!

The area reviewed is one of the most beautiful in Wisconsin. However the book had no pictures. Maps would help orient one to where they actually are in the area. Descriptions of places ommitted important information. An example was the description of Hotel Chequamagon - the book ommitted the fact that this hotel is located right on the shores of Lake Superior. Price ranges for all lodging, eateries, etc. would be a help. There were no website addresses. With some updating this would be a much better reference for this lovely place.

This is the most depressing book I ever read in my life. It was on a cold wintry day when I started to read this piece of literature. The town was a downer, the characters odd, the plot non-existent. It seems like the murder was just added on towards the end of the book because the author realized there was no story. I know I could write a better book completely liquored up on Jim Beam whisky. James Joyce, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and PLATO STRATUS!!! Yeah right!

I'm from Pittsburgh and I found the dialogue overdone. It was obviously a biography of the author's secret homosexuality and drug addiction. He tried too hard and it didn't flow very well. ....

The story was interesting but the western Pennsylvania dialogue made the read tedious. I live in western Pennsylvania and I feel the dialogue was overdone and to the extreme. The descent into madness by the main character kept me reading on.

Selena is a witch who wants to keep the new lord of the manor from abusing his tenants. In order to do that she will use love spells just as she used on his uncle. The heroine in the guise of protecting Ireland from the English is ill-tempered, petty and childish in the use of her magical powers, she's less a witch and more the word that rhymes with it starting with the letter B. The best description for the hero also starts with the letter B, boring. His dead uncle seemed more lively.

Although there are moments when the hexes she uses on him are amusing, I agree with the minor characters in the book, they deserve each other.

This book was just so bland. The two main characters had no chemistry, the story was just a complete bore. I could not even finish it. I definitely do not recommend this book.