Actually, Navy SEALs are undoubtedly the best. But unfortunately, they were underused in Vietnam because their existance as a guerilla warefare unit was still relatively short at that time. This book gives us continual action throughout the book because green beret operations were frequent and consisted of an unlimited supply of Montangard volunteers to keep the fight going. Also, unlike the SEALS, whose area of activity existed mainly in central Vietnam, the Green Berets were almost indegenous to areas such as Laos and Cambodia where the NVA possessed its most heavy concentrations of fighting forces. As a result, the Army Special Forces activty in Vietnam as described in this book gives a whole new meaning the term "suicide missions". Before I read this book, I knew only of the SOG missions that were portrayed on the syndicated television show "Tour of Duty" if you can remember. On the show, a regular army infantry platoon eventually ascends to the status of "SOG" team probably as an attempt to revive the shows falling ratings and bland plot line. As a "SOG" team, I don't believe the TV soldiers ever set foot in hot spots like Cambodia or Laos; and, as with every TV show, noone ever really dies. That is not the case as you will come to realize after reading this book. I don't think you could show what real SOG mission was like on TV not because of the SOG's secret nature, but because SOG mission were gorier than gory and would probably look like something out of Saving Private Ryan. What strikes me as most peculiar is the fact that the son of the owner of Walgreen's served three (or was two tours) as a SOG agent in Vietnam when he could've stayed home with his family's millions. That's dedication. Not to say that everyone else wasn't dedicated, but I'm sure that not everyone had that kind of option waiting for them back home.

This book is full of stories that would you would criticize as unbelievable if you saw them in a movie. Like most folks, I had never heard of SOG. I became aware of it because a friend of mine told me the name because he fought with the group during his three tours in Vietnam. He has never said very much about his experiences because they are still classified. He responded to my many questions by pointing me to this book.

This is an amazing book. Every page is full of bravery, loyalty, and heroism beyond understanding. Well, there are a few shameful pages of cowardice and treachery and those few pages will anger and sicken you as much as the deeds of the heroes will amaze and fill you with awe.

SOG is the acronym for the Studies and Observations Group, which was a euphemism for a very secret and elite special operations team that was the forerunner of groups such as today's Delta Force. They gathered intelligence about enemy activities and slowed enemy advances through Cambodia and Laos down the Ho Chi Minh trail and other places the NVA denied being.

I certainly can't do justice to the history of all this activity, but if you pick up this book you will have a very hard time putting it down. You will be reading about actual flesh and blood men who are very extraordinary people and who did unbelievable things in service to America. The writing is captures the events very effectively and moves quickly. For me, it was more exciting than any fiction.

John Plaster has done a service in taking us through the history of this group. He shows us the formation of the group and its early development. He covers its history through its most effective years to the way it was handicapped by policies that really ended up allowing the North Vietnamese to strengthen their position rather than bringing them to serious negotiations. Finally, we suffer with them through the last days of the group as the war wound down.

Whatever your position on the war, you shouldn't diminish the nobility of these soldiers. When I think about these stories I am profoundly moved by their sacrifice and feel a deep gratitude to each of them and all soldiers who put everything on the line for me and mine.

Thanks to Mr. Plaster for this vital and amazing book.

I , when I whine or complain daily, stop, open up Mr. Plaster's book and Photo History book; and think: wow! I am so stupid; I have "no right" whatsoever to ever complain about anything! How we all are today! How lucky I am that I am here in America; never knowing what it would be like to be in a foreign land, fighting for "our great country" or to be a P.O.W.! mR. pLASTER'S BOOKS HELP ME "DAILY" APPRECIATE MY LIFE, FAMILY, AND MY COUNTRY so mush better! The book's by Mr. Plaster helps us to understand just what our men and women had to endure in S.E. ASIA! Yet these (SOG) men goes mant steps further; out on-a-limb; for you and I; risking their lives and limbs to keep us all safe and "free" here, in America on some of the most-dangerous-secret missions ever done during The Vietnam War for our country! If only "we" in today's society could be (true) team players such as these fine-brave men of SOG were; our country wouldn't have the disrespect problem that it has today! We "all" need to go back, read Mr. Plaster's book and photo history; and realize how " truly-really" blessed we "all" are to have had such a "fine-brave-unselfish" units of men like the SOG units; that so-gallantly fought in S.E. Asia in Vietnam War; so that we all might be here, today, free and democratic! Mr. Plaster's work's are; as far as i am concerned; true/definative and complete work's of the SOG units! Can't get any better than this! Thank's Mr. (Major-ret.) Plaster/ SOG! I'd give anything to someday be able to meet "all" you brave men in person, GOD BLESS YOU ALL! Much respect!

Cassie's life is turned upside down when her mother decides they are moving in with her grandmother. Cassie must leave all her friends behind and start at a new school in the town of New Salem. She has trouble fitting in at first. A group of witches have decided to make her life a living hell. Her luck changes when she makes friends with the leader of the coven. Diana is the best friend that Cassie could ever hope for, there's just one problem... she's in love with her boyfriend!

I loved pretty much everything in this book. The characters, plot, and romance were all great. I look forward to learning about more of the side character in future books. I usually like the first book in all of L. J. Smith's series the best but I think this series can only get better. L. J. Smith is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I want to read every book she's written.

This book is abosolutely great! I've read this a week ago and the two book followed. It's an awesome trilogy and it's my favorite now. LJ Smith is an ezcellent writer.
*****Cassie Blake didn't want to move to New Salem, Mass. and have to leave her home towm in California. But her mom told her they have to because her mother(Cassie's Grandma) is sick. When Cassie had a vacation with her mom a week in Mass. before they really moved there, before her mom broke the news, Cassie met a mysterious guy with red-wine hair. She thought she saw a silver-cord connection between them. Cassie moved into the new town, and thought that she would never see the handsome stranger again, but when she enter the new school, she did see him. He belonged to a club and had a girlfriend, Diana. Diana was nice to Cassie, and Cassie felt warmth toward her. But Diana's cousin, Faye, was cold and mean and nasty to her. Cassie met the rest of the gang: tough-girl Deborah, boy-crazy Suzan, weird Sean, nice Laurel, interlectual Melanie, crazy-and-wild Chris and Doug Henderson, Faye's-wannabe Kori Henderson, cold-and-distant Nick, who had a warm side toward Cassie that no one know of. Cassie became Diana's adopted-sister but feeling like an outcast compare to the closeknitted club members. The club was already full until one of the club member died and they needed another person, and Cassie's it. She discover that she's a witch and the club is not and ordinary one, it's a witch club, where all members are witches. Cassie felt torn because of Adam being her favorite person's boy friend. She felt that Adam's her soulmate but because Diana that Cassie have to back off. Will she ever fit into such a new surrounding? Would she be accepted by her new clubmates?

Cassie Blake moved with her mother to New Salem. Her mother said they were moving in with Cassie's grandmother, at #12 Crowhaven Road, to take care of her. However, Cassie quickly learned that her mother and grandmother brought Cassie to New Salem for a different reason.

Everyone, adult or student, feared the eleven people who belonged to The Club, aka The Circle. All members of the Circle lived on Crowhaven Road. Some members were nice. Some members were almost evil. Kori was suppose to join the Circle on her fifteenth birthday. Instead, she died. Currently there were eleven members, but a Circle was worthless without 7 girls and 5 boys. One more female was needed, Cassie.

Cassie had no idea how dangerous being initiated into the Circle would be. Or how the evil ones in the Circle would snare her in a web of deceit and betrayal!

***** A stunning beginning to the trilogy! Down right enthralling! *****

Unlike other biographies, this one was interesting from the start (which may be because it is my #1 favorite show and I am a Lucy fanatic, often tuning into Nick at Nite at one a.m. on weekends to watch two episodes). I knew Lucille Ball did a lot and didn't have an easy life before I Love Lucy and marrying Desi, but now I feel like I really know her personally. This book, written mainly by her, documents Lucille Ball's struggles through Hollywood and marriage and divorce, and finally marriage again, as she continually raised laughs as one of the most popular characters in TV history. This is a must-read for any Lucy fan!

Lucille Ball's autobiography, Love, Lucy, is the perfect place to find the truth about her and her life. She starts with memories as far back as she can remember and ends in 1962 after her marriage with Gary Morton. She wrote this very well and keeps you interested. It can be hard to put down sometimes! I really like Love, Lucy because it is easy to read. I also think I enjoyed this book because I am a fan of Lucille Ball's. It is always neat to learn about the life of a famous actor/actress. Lucille was very wrong to think that "nobody would want to hear any of this stuff!" This is a book for any Lucille Ball fan to have and to read.

WOW! I have never read such a good book. I own this book, and I read almost everyday. It is one of the most moving books I have ever read. Lucy's voice comes through loud and clear; you feel as though she were talking to you personally. It is a facinating account of a legend's restless childhood in Celeron, New York, her job modeling at Hattie Carnegie's, her move to Hollywood to make her dreams come true,her tempestuous but extremely passionate marraige to Desi Arnaz, her incredible I Love Lucy success, the crumble of her marraige and their Desilu empire, and her life after I Love Lucy and after Desi. This book is so intense, I actually cried. It was obvious that even after she and Desi divorced and she married Gary Morton, he was still her one true love and they still loved eachother very much. This is the one and only memoir Lucille Ball left for her adoring fans, so if you ever get the chance to read this book, take it! It's amazing how vividly Lucy recalls her whole life up to 1964. I am so glad this book was finally found in 1996. Here is Lucy's story, the REAL story, in her own words.

I bought this book (and "The Ultimate Kaua`i Guidebook") on the recommendation of several people on a travel message board. This was our forth trip to the Hawaiian Islands and my wife and I were going there to spend a week on The Big Island and a week on Kaua`i. We wanted to see the most we could and we felt these books might help us make better plans to do just that. And did it ever! We ended up finding that one week on each island wasn't enough and we are already planning our next trip.

Their off-the-beaten-path places are just awesome. From exploring a lava tube that empties out 20 feet over the water near Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park to driving (with a 4WD SUV) down into Waipio Valley; from touring the top of Mauna Kea (the highest point in all of Hawai`i) to hiking out to touch the molten lava flowing from Pu`u O`o; from seeing a "lava tree" at Lava Tree State Park to tasting some organically grown fruit at a roadside stand.....you'll find the details in this book. And their accurate maps and directions to the out-of-the-way places will keep even the most wayward soul from getting lost.

My wife and I cannot recommend this book enough. If you like to explore the places you visit, this book is for you. Well worth it's weight in gold....well, almost. :)

My husband and I used this guide book constantly on our week-long trip to the Big Island, from which we returned just 3 days ago. This books tells about all the little-known and out-of-the-way places that the tour busses don't or won't take you to.

If you're the adventurous type, definitely rent a 4WD as the book suggests. There's a lot of wonderful places on the island that just can't be accessed without one.

We found the book's accuracy to be nearly 100%, even though it's been out nearly 2 years now. It was so exciting to see and experiece all the things in real life that I first learned about through this book. Don't miss the snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay. It's beyond the imagination!

The excellent restaurant reviews were also very helpful to us. 11/24/00

Witty, thorough, useful, honest, and best of all, accurate to a fault. I took my family to Hawai'i armed with this book and we were not disappointed once. This guide was written by residents of Kailua and their local knowledge shows. In the book's introduction they claim to have spent two years putting this guide together. Every minute of that effort shows in the result.

The best feature of the book is that is is organized as a set of driving tours from the Kailua-Kona and Hilo areas. Almost everyone visiting the Big Island travels by rented car and stays in either of these areas. The struc- ture is perfect for a tourist, right down to listing the mile-marker numbers where unmarked sideroads lead to beaches, volcano view spots, and other points of interest not on the rental car maps. It is loaded with color photographs, maps in many level of details -- including hiking trails -- and easy-to-spot icons of the things to see and do. We visited friends who have lived in Kailua for years who were surprised at how many new things they learned.

I have to stop now before I embarass myself. If you visit the Big Island and don't take this book with you your trip will be that much less fun.

Christy is a book that one wouldn't really think to read unless it was recommended or they had to. The latter was my case, but it ended up being, more or less, an enjoyable experience. We follow the chronicles of Christy as she befriends the superstitious people of the backwoods of Appalachia. We see Christy's plight to bring education and understanding to the people of Cutter Gap, a small Tennessee village. We see good and evil paradoxed throughout the novel; those who want to help, like Christy and Alice Henderson, and those who, though seeming evil, are only naive enough to appear that way. Many of the characters appear so simple that they are complex; the theme of appearance versus reality is echoed not only with Christy's love life (and the contrasts of Doctor MacNeill and David) but with the beliefs and actions of the native people. The book can be a great inspiration, but does tend to drag at some midpoints. Definitely needed to read this book well is enough concentration to keep reading it and enough insight to see beyond the seemingly one dimensional characters that occur so often. Overall, a good read. 4 Stars.

This is one of the best religious, spiritual books I ever read!

In 1912 nineteen-year-old Christy embarks on a journey to the Appalachian mountains as a "missionary" to the mountain people, hoping to bring them spiritual nourishment and awakening. But in the process, it is Christy herself who undergoes some spiritual awakening.

This story is in some way an indictment of Calvinist theology. Christy asks Alice Henderson, the Quaker missionary from Pennsylvania who God could allow a girl to be raped and a woman to be hanged. In other words, how can a sovereign God of omnipotent power allow His own created being to do evil. Alice responds that God would HAVE TO if He has given us our own free will.

But the greatest test Christy faces is when a typhoid epidemic hits the mountains in early autumn, and her dearest friend, Fairlight Spencer, is the first victim. What were the power of a few germs to that of the Sovereign Omnipotent Ruler of the Universe? Christy rants. ...

This book says a lot about human responsibility and how not to blame God for everything that happens, especially when people do wrong to others.

And that's saying something! :)
I'm definitely not saying it's anything *similar* to LotR, because it's not, I'm just saying that it's *almost*
as good. It's about a 19-year-old girl named Christy Huddleston who goes to teach school at a mission
in a place called Cutter Gap in the Great Smokies of Tenessee. The year is 1912. This is an incredible
book about a citified girl who finds adventure, hardships, challenges, maturity, God, joy and (of course)
romance. It's very wonderful to find such perfect balance of all elements. It's quite rare to find a book
that actually mentions, (gasp!) *GOD* that is not way overboard and in the preachy department. In fact, I
think the way that religion was tied in was just perfect. Then, my favorite part would have to be the
romance. A very frustrating one, one of those where she thinks she's in love with one, but is actually in
love with the other. Not too frustrating though. I've read plenty of those (Anne of the Island, cough
cough!). My brothers, who are adamantly against romance, and always bury their heads in pillows when
anything romantic comes up anywhere. In Christy's story, they are fascinated, and my youngest brother,
who at first really didn't like Christy, says that "I only keep going to see who Christy marries," :)
The thing is, the romance is only a big thing if you make it so. There just happens to be a cute young
preacher and a hot doctor with a sexy Scottish brouge in the vicinity, both of whom have a major crush
on Christy! :)T his is by no means a romance novel. I just personally am a fan of one of Christy's
admirers, (who is, dare I say it, hotter than Aragorn:)
But more than the romance, this is an incredible story and the characters are so real to me now. I'm actually now doing some research on Catherine because I'm so interested in this whole story.
A must-read!!!...

Fans of Civil War literature who are weary of reading the many books out there about major military leaders and their campaigns, battles, weapons, tactics and strategies will discover something of great value in "Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War." The author, Howard Bahr, applies his narrative skills to a haunting and memorable depiction of the slaughter and carnage of war and its harrowing effects on the common soldier. We briefly discover Bushrod Carter, a 26-year old Confederate soldier from Mississippi and his "pards" preparing for the 1864 Battle of Franklin, Tennessee and then find them again after the battle is over, changed forever. Descriptions of the horrors of war, the wounded and their medical treatment, the nightmare scenes in the plantation house commandeered as a hospital, the tragedies of the lives affected, all serve to make "Black Flower" a most powerful and emotional novel

This book is sheer poetry masquerading as a Civil War novel. No matter how gruesome the subject matter of the moment, Howard Bahr manages to take it beyond your mind and into your heart -- you understand what he's writing with your soul. His description of the army as a living breathing entity unto itself as it goes into battle, is masterful and helps those of us who have never experienced battle to have an inkling of what makes normal men able to fight and kill. The interactions involving Bushrod and the other characters who have such a strong effect on his life are beautiful and touching. The Black Flower truly brings the horrors of war and death to life, you can virtually feel the characters' pain and smell the smells that surround them. But the beauty of the writer's language pulls the reader on and on no matter what the horrors may be. You care so much about these characters that you must go on. This book will be right up there on the top of my all time list of recommended favorites. If I could give it higher rating than a ten I would.

I don't know how this one slipped through the cracks. I am a student of the War and fairly widely read, yet I have never encountered a work of Civil War fiction that moved me the way "The Black Flower" has. Truly a masterpiece. The language is exquisite, the characters well drawn and believable. Unlike in "Cold Mountain," I have been unable to find any historical inaccuracies. Bushrod, Jack, Virgil C., and Anna became as real to me as my best friend. They made me laugh, cry, and love them all, and I was immensely sorry when this well-crafted book ended. Surely someone should turn this story into a feature film. After reading this, I will read anything by Mr. Bahr, no questions asked.

I am a retired Army Guard and Reserve officer of twenty eight years. I was first introduced to the book, "Once An Eagle" while I was going through OCS and college. I was amazed at the detail of thoughts of the young Sam Damon and how much they paralleled my own thoughts. I could really identify with him. I tried throughout my military and civilian careers to model myself after the leadership examples of Sam Damon. I looked for and became very aware of the Massengale officers. Once you are aware of that type of "problem" you can combat it. Later I re-read the book when I was a company commander. Boy had Sam become smarter. It really helped my at that stage of my career.

This past weekend I saw a huge write-up in the Minneapolis Star and was suprised that the book had that big of a following. I am re-reading the book again, for the third time, and I find my self re-identifying with the characters. I recommend this book for all young NCOs and young officers to help them formulate a mentoring guide book, like a set of rules to work towards, that they can use in the daily experiences that will make up their careers. If you use the book to help focus your committment to leadership, you will have a great experience, a great career, and a love of adventure.

I first read this book as a high school student in the late 1960s. Vietnam was reaching it's peak and the Armed Forces was never out of the headlines. Since that time, I've taken it dwon from the shelf and re-read it. I have found it of value in my military career as a reference on leadership and personalities. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest or need to know about positive and negative leadership traits. The lead charecter starts his military career in the desert and scrub of Mexico searching for Pancho Villa. Sam Damon is not in the branches that might have a little dash or adventure such as the cavalry or air service. He is a ground pounder in the infantry as a private who's biggest concern is learning water discipline. He moves on through ranks and gains a commission during World War I and manages to retain it following the war. The inter-war years and Damon's adjustment to both married life and military life on officers row is insightful. World War II is Damon's moment to shine; he does but not without personal costs both within his immediate family and his service family. His end is both moving and I felt, almost inevitable. This book is not a quick read, nor is it one that is good for only one time. It's value is from rereading it and learning something new each time. I highly recommend this book. My only criticism is that it is rather high priced; I wish the publisher could get it down to where more people would be able to purchase the hard bound edition and not the paperback.

You've had Total Quality Management. You've read Sun Tzu and Musashi on business as war. You've been to Outward Bound and you've undergone Team Building exercises until you're blue in the face. Now read the novel that has more to say about the qualities a real leader should have than any text written by a management guru--Anton Myrer's classic "Once an Eagle."

The book is a youth-to-death story of "Sad" Sam Damon, a midwestern boy who steeps himself in military history and a code of honor that requires him to step forward and take the lead in almost every situation. Myrer has tapped into a simple truth. That's what real leaders do; they lead.

While Sam Damon is a military hero, he's no marble monument. Myrer shows us that real world leaders are assailed with doubts, real fears, and insecurities that can lead them to cave in to expediency under extreme pressure. But in Sam Damon, Myrer shows us that true leadership can consist of recognizing your mistakes, swallowing hard, and stepping up to the plate again to do the right thing.

Such a strong protagonist clearly needs a strong opponent. Myrer delivers with Courtney Massengale, a supremely brilliant and ruthless adversary whose weakness, as Sam Damon realizes, is that he does not love any man. It is the byplay between these two characters that Myrer uses to telling effect in illustrating how love is a key element in leadership. I know of half a dozen executives who have patterned their management styles on Sam Damon's lessons. They are the best bosses I ever had. This is a book that should be required reading in our service academies, and as part of every MBA program and civil service exam in the country. Fortunately, it's also a wonderful read.