BLACK DEVIL BRIGADE IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF SMALL UNIT ACTION IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. JOSEPH SPRINGER GIVES US A GRIPPING, CRAFTSMANLIKE JOB OF PIERCING TOGETHER THE INCREDIBLE EXPLOITS OF THE MEN OF THE 1ST SPEICAL SERVICE FORCE INTO A COLLECTIVE ORAL HISTORY. RECRUITED FROM US AND CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS FOR A SUICIDE MISSION BEHIND THE ENEMY LINES IN NORWAY, THE BOOK COVERS THE UNITS 1942 CONCEPTION TO THEIR 1944 DISBANDMENT IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. THE FORCE WERE THE ELITE OF THE ALLIED FORCED DESPITE THEIR CONTINUED ANONYMITY. TASKED FOR IMPOSSIBLE SPECIAL FORCE MISSIONS, SUCH AS THE NIGHT ASSAULT ON A HUGE MOUNTAIN TOP IN ITALY (ALA THE MOVIE 'THE DEVILS BRIGADE'), THEY STRUCK SHEER TERROR INTO THE VERY HEART OF THEIR ENEMIES, KILLING WELL OVER 12,000 GERMANS, AND ACHIEVING INCREDIBLE RESULTS IN ITALY AND SOUTHERN FRANCE WITH AN EQUALLY INCREDIBLE 600% LOSS RATE. HUMOR, FEAR, HUNGER, COLD, HEAT, AND THE GRATUITOUS HORRORS OF COMBAT ARE RECORDED ON EVERY PAGE. THE FORCEMEN VEIW COMBAT (AND DEATH) IN A VERY UNCOMPLICATED, ABRUPT, AND VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD MANNER. THEIR UNUSUAL ATTITUE IS QUITE PREVELANT FROM COVER TO COVER. THE FORCEMEN SEEM OVERTLY MODEST AT TIMES, ALMOST AS IF THEIR EXTRAORDINARY CAPABILITES WERE THE DAY TO DAY NORM FOR OTHER COMBAT UNITS. THE BLACK DEVIL BRIGADE CAPTURES THE BROTHERHOOD AND HUMAN SPIRIT IN THE ACT OF BRUTAL COMBAT. AND SADLY, YOU WILL LEARN THE PERSONAL AND MOVING DETAILS OF THEIR HORRNEDOUS LOSSES. ULTIMATELY, SPRINGER'S BLACK DEVIL BRIGADE COMES ACROSS AS A REMARKABLE RECORD OF SMALL UNIT ACTION IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The Black Devil Brigade is a personal story of the First Special Service Force in World War II. This brigade consist of US and Canadian commandos fighting in Italy. At first I was not overly impressed with this book. The grainy photos and primitive maps are substandard. Moreover, I encountered errors in the manuscript due to little or no professional editing. More importantly, and in light of historical research, there is the lack of a table of contents. Despite these shortfalls, and problems notwithstanding, the extraordinary personal recollections recorded in this hardback makes it one of the finest overall personal and oral narratives I have ever had the pleasure to read. I recommend this book to all serious students of history, or any reader in search of an extraordinary story of warfare.

The Balck Devil Brigade is one of the best oral histories I've read. When combined with THE SUPERCOMMANDOS by Robert Todd Ross and the official unit history by Robert Burhans, we now have the definative history of the First Special Service Force of WWII. By concentrating on narratives by a few key individuals of the unit, Springer tells a gripping story, while at the same time highlighting the exploits of this unique fighting unit. This book once and for all establishes the truth behind the Black Devils, and gives the veterans of the Force a true legacy for generations to come. this book is a must have for all those interested in first hand accounts of men in battle.

After reading Free The Children I feel as though my eyes have been opened to another world. Craig Kielburger managed to keep me interested while successfully telling his story.

At times I laughed while I read the book. However at times I was horrified by what I was reading.

Free The Children has shown me that one person or a small group of people can make a difference, it has also given me the inspiration that I needed to get on with my life. My problems are nothing compared to what others in the world go through.

All over, Free The Children is well worth the read and I would strongly recomment this book to adults as well as children.

It has been my pleasure to recently read "Free the Children," an autobiography/travelogue from Craig Kielburger, the founder of the youth-run Free the Children organization based in Canada. It tells of the morning Craig first heard of and was made incredulous by the realities of child labor around the world. The book follows his strong desire to get together with fellow kids and try to learn more about the state of children and hopefully be able to change it somehow. Through his amazing commitment and dedication, along with his burgeoning public speaking skills, Craig was able to motivate two dozen of his schoolmates immediately to the cause and soon earn several speaking engagements in local schools to spread the word about child labor.

With the help of a family friend Craig was able to travel to South Asia to see first hand what working children's lives were like and to speak with the children themselves to hear how they lived, what their working conditions were, if they ever went to school, and if they had any ideas for their own futures.

It is a truly inspiring book for adults and children who can always be reminded that one person can absolutely make a serious and badly-needed difference against child exploitation.

I loved "Free the Children", it's one of the best books i have read in a long, long time. Craig has a way of bringing what he saw and did to life, he makes you feel like you are there with him on his journey across Asia. I have got to see Craig in real life at a NCYC conference in St.Louis, Missouri. From the moment i heard him i had to get his book. This is an inspirational book, i think everybody should read this book to see how big of a problem child labor really is, and how FTC is helping children around the world. I definatly give this book 5 stars.

Moonheart was the very first deLint book(and contemporary fantasy book) that I'd ever read. It's still only surpassed in genre by Neil Gaiman's work, and de Lint has never risen to this level again(except maybe with The Little Country). When work of this type has this kind of quality, it has a sense of true magic in the ordinary. That is what flows out of this book in torrents. From the beloved characters to the sense of wonder behind every corner and the sheer vision of this piece of literature, Moonheart has earned a place on my favorites list and in my heart.

This is the best of the best, and one of the first in urban fantasy.

Moonheart was the first De Lint book I ever read, and turned him immediately into a favorite author of mine. His
characters are diverse and likeable, female characters are
never wimps, and he weaves mythologies of several cultures
together deftly.

I've been devouring books since I was a small child, and
my first taste of Moonheart sent me back to the bookstores,
special-ordering everything that could be acquired by De Lint.
If you enjoy fantasy fiction - the kind you can't put down,
Moonheart is a must-have!!

I picked up MoonHeart which was my first book to read from Charles De Lint. I didn't really know what I was about to read, other than that the book was re-printed and a fantasy story. With the different areas of people in the book, such as Indians, the Bard, Wizards, Elves, Magic, Evil, and of course, Love. All this is fit into a world that is in the same as our every day life, yet this other world of magic is in small pockets of our own world. This book has made me want to read other books of Charles De Lint. I now want to start a collection of his books. If you are a Charles De Lint fan and you haven't read this book, you should.

I love alll of the Anne of Green Gables series. They are so vividly written you find yourself wishing that you were born as Anne a hundered years ago on PE Island. I would have happily endured all her hardships for all the wonderful moments in her life, and the fact she married Gilbert Blythe! It's so well written that you actually feel that you know Gilbert and I actually found my self falling in love with him! I've read the series 2 times. The first time I couldn't stop thinking about Anne. I read Anne, I tried to live like Anne and I dreamt Anne. Anyway, although I love all 8 books almost equally Anne of the Island is just a little better. And although it's romantic it's definitely not just a romance. Anne of the island includes wit and humour that makes it an all-round perfect book. If you're an Anne fan you havvvvvve to read this. I could not describe how wonderful it is in 1000 words. Anne of the Island is truly a book you CANNOT put down. After reading this I recommend you read all the rest of the Anne of Green Gables series (there are 5 more book,) although you'll probably be rushing to buy them anyway.

Anne Of The Island is a great book. It is about a girl with dark strawberry-blonde hair. She goes off to college with her friends: Charlie, Gilbert, and Diana. She makes some new friends and one of them, Priscila which is Pris for short, they meet in the graveyard across from the college. She meets many men she thinks she is in love with, including Gilbert, but when the propose to her she finds out she really doesn't love them that much. She even turns down the man of her dreams. So, it is partially a love story. She was adopted when she was young by Marilla. Now they have taken in twins when their mother died and their only relative can't take care of them. The younger one is Davy, who is always asking questions and getting in to mischief. He especially likes to bother his twin sister, Dora. She is always quiet and quite lady-like. They all live on Prince Edward Island in Canada. If you want to know the rest, you can read the book for yourself. Happy reading!

If you like the Anne of Green Gables series this is the best one in the whole thing! Anne of the Island has something for everyone! Anne Shirley leaves the small town of Avonlea to attend Redmond collage.. There the novel introduces you to a character who is extremely funny named Pricella! (Hope I spelled her name right). In this novel Anne falls in love with a fellow school mate, while her long time friend Gilbert Blythe finds a love interest as well! Do they end up together at last? Read the book and find out! This book is definatly for people who liked the movie "Anne of Avonlea". They are without a doubt slightly similar, but the book is definatly better!

This is one of those rare books that will stand larger with time. Waterman's journey through the Arctic Circle becomes a circling through both a culture and through the soloist's heart, a sort of Odyssey by kayak and with shotgun. There is everything to admire about this thoughtful book, the writing, the almost transparent self protrait, the ineffable scholarship, the raw adventure, and - refreshingly in this day of chest-thumping adrenaline junkies - an ethic of self preservation vs. summit-fever risk taking. Ironically, as the author set out upon this solitary epic, his stated intention was to avoid an epic. He judges the sea currents the way he judges bear tracks, with an eye to not only surviving, but thriving. His storytelling is pitch perfect. In presenting the Inuit, he gives us an ancient hunter culture stripped of the noble savage. He sketches the overlay of post-modern Western civilization in the "wastelands" without a preachment, only a fenceline in the middle of nowhere and surly guards on alert against no one. As icebergs metamorphose into animals, and animals shape-shift into driftwood, we grow into an alternate reality, one where trees are like magical trespassers. He shows this immortal land as entirely mortal and vulnerable, nothing new there. But where he finds a long dead Western explorer, it is cautionary, for it is himself - and us - that lie in the barrens without a witness. All in all, Arctic Crossing is a haunting book, beautifully written, utterly authentic, wise, poignant, and warmed throughout by one man's quest for the human condition.

A friend of mine recommended this book to me because I have always been interested in the native people of Alaska and Canada. Jonathan Waterman, in "Arctic Crossings", is very sensative to the Inuit story, not only their history, but also the tenuous circumstances of their lives today. Also, I was very touched by the sharing of his tender emotions about being alone on a long voyage. AND, I loved his descriptions of the wild life, especially the bears, throughout the book. Included are extrordinry color photographs of wildlife as well as different passages of the trip. The Banff Book Awards agreed: This book was choosen and the Best Adventure Travel Book of 2001.

I like Jon's writing, it's filled with thought and insight into the place where he is. Wether he's preparing to climb the mountains of Alaska, kayak the gulf of Baja, or traverse the frigid Canadian Arctic, Jon does his homework. I am impressed by the degree of research he puts in prior to embarking on a trip. For it is not just the how of adventuring, the going from point A to B that concerns him, but rather who has been there before, who is there now, what was this place like and how has it changed for better or worse.

In this, his eighth book, he tells us about his 1997 2,200-mile journey across the Arctic, much of it alone. Here are his first-hand observations of the Inuit - their life, language, beliefs, and their reactions to global assimilation. He also reveals the extreme physical risks and psychological dangers as he kayaked and skied the legendary Northwest Passage. This book recently won the 2001 Banff Mountain Book Festival Best Adventure Travel Book Award.

You can't go wrong with any of Jon's books. I look forward to his next work!

Rilla of Ingleside is without contest the best book I've ever read. LM Montgomery's talents include being able to describe emotions so vividly that the reader *feels* it. In this case, she shows us how Rilla, a frivolous, vain girl, transforms, through many hardships, into a patient, kind, humourous young woman. Also woven in are little details about the war that you will never find in a history textbook - mostly how the people back home felt about it.
Although she isn't one of the main characters, Faith Meredith is one of my favourites. She is brave enough to go off as a nurse, and stays strong even when her finacee is captured by the Germans. I'd love to actually BE Faith.
Another of the best characters are Susan and her cousin Sophia. Susan is so optimistic and Sophia is so pessimistic that their clashes are just plain funny.
Gertrude Oliver is the most intriguing. Her dreams tell the future and she has lots of superstitions.
The most lovable of the characters is Jims. He is a really sweet little baby and his role in Kenneth Ford's farewell call is cute.
From all points of view, Rilla of Ingleside is an engaging novel, a must-read for LM Montgomery fans, historical romance freaks, and WWI nuts alike. Also for those who enjoy a good story.

Bertha Marilla Blythe, or Rilla, has grown from the plump, roly-poly, red-headed little girl to a beautiful young woman in her teens. Tragedy strikes as a far off war takes away the sons and daughters of thousands, including the Blythe family. Jem leaves for the war, then Walter feels cowardy because he hasn't gone to war yet so he goes, then Shirley, because he feels the excitement. Diana and Anne, the twins, become part of the Red Cross and leave for Kingsport. While all of this happens Rilla just waits. She becomes part of the Junior Red Cross at Ingleside and takes in an abandoned baby. The Meredith clan is also affected as Jerry and Carl leave. In this book we learn that Rainbow Valley friendship has blossomed into love for some. Rilla takes all of this without breaking down. It tests the courage that she has and the endurance and strength. Rilla also is caught in the web of love as she receives a kiss from the man she loves. Now learning this, I can understand why Rilla despises being called a little girl because she really has grown up. Bertha Marilla Blythe is a very good role model for all who read this book, male or female. It shows that though tragedy may go on in your life, life does go on. And it did for her.

I grew up reading about Anne Shirley and I always loved her. This 8th and final book in the "Anne" series is by far my favorite though. Rilla is a fun spiritd young girl faced with the horrors of growing up in an uncertianand terrifying time. This book had me shedding buckets of tears for all the lives lost during WWI not just the lives of the beloved characters in the book. I make sure that I read this book every couple of months and it never gets dull or "old"!!! I highly recomened it with all of the other "Anne" books. I also liked the fact that we were able to see how all of Anne and Gilbert's children turned out. Rilla of Ingleside is a treasure. I started reading the "Anne" series when I was 8 or 9 and I still enjoy them to this day!!!

Anne of Green Gables is about a skinny red haired girl who has both a short temper and a very colorful imagination. She really loves the little farmhouse but the Cuthberts might send her back to the orphanage because Matthew needed a boy about 11 or 12 to help him on the farm.

Sometimes her imagination gets her in trouble. For instance when Marilla asks her to get a pattern from Mrs. Barry she doesn't want to because she imagined the woods between the houses were haunted! The book tells about her life growing up in the 1930's. As she grows, she learns many lessons and meets many friends who help her to become Anne of Green Gables.

This book is wonderful. It is a great book for girls to read. I loved it because the character was funny, spunky, and could talk forever. She reminded me of my sister. Anne never gave up trying to reach her goals. She will keep you interested throughout the whole book!

This is one of the best books ever written and the credit goes to spirited Anne (make sure it's spelled with an "e"!) Shirley. It's not often you find such a charming heroine as Anne. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES is the first of a series on this lovable orphan, and it begins with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a respectable brother and sister, living at Green Gables. They are both growing old and need a boy to help out on the farm. But they got a talkative redhead girl instead. Before they can send her back to the orphanage, Anne has managed to win the hearts of Prince Edward Island with her wit and imagination. She seems to affect everyone around her - from busybody Mrs. Rachel Lynde to handsome Gilbert Blythe. And now, Green Gables will never be the same! . . .

It's not often you find such a spirited and lovable heroine as Anne. Captivating and captivatED, Anne is full of enthusiasm and fun, which gets her into all sorts of scrapes. This book is one that you are guaranteed to laugh over, cry over, and never want to put down! It is an ideal novel that you won't want to pass up! (Even if you don't read the rest of the Anne books, read this!)

A few weeks ago, I got really sick of today's children's literature. I had read enough mysteries and trashy books about romance to last me a lifetime. So I wanted something else to read, something well-written with a good plot and lifelike characters. I had to look no further than the first book I picked up- Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

Anne of Green Gables is the first book in the Anne of Green Gables series. It takes place, as most of L. M. Montgomery's books do, on Prince Edward Island in Canada. This particular story takes place in the town of Avonlea. It follows young Anne Shirley, an orphan brought to Green Gables to help Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on their farm. Much to Anne's dismay, Marilla tells her that they wanted a boy to help around the farm, not a girl. However, Marilla changes her mind and decides to keep the dynamic young girl who would become Anne of Green Gables.

This novel is incredibly written, with well-developed characters and an intricate plot. I absolutely loved it. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great example of children's literature at its height.

The four funniest books I have read in my life were: 1) Candide by Voltaire, 2) A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O'Toole, 3) My Gorgeous Life by Dame Edna (Barry Humphries) and 4) Buddy Babylon. This book is so funny, I was laughing out loud while reading it during lunch at a restaurant. Scott Thompson is funny to the extreme. And I do not mean "smile" funny but out loud hilarious funny. This is the kind of comic book I will be reading every couple of years just to enjoy all of the routines and great lines over and over again. Absolutely the funniest book in years!!!

Being a Kids in the Hall fan, I may be biased, but I have loaned this book to some of my friends who aren't quite so lucky to have experience the hilarity of the Kids. They have quite enjoyed the book, and rightly so! It is a well-written, and although unsuffice enough to say, very funny. Scott's character recalls hilarious anecdotes and manages to make something that would normally be serious and unlaughable into just that, a laughing matter. I suggest this book to anyone unless you're homophobic; you never get the full gist of Buddy Cole's flamingness until you read Buddy Babylon. It's great.

I have read this book 27 times already, and it gets better each read! If you think your life is a little sick and twisted, read Buddy's story! I am a huge fan of The Kids in the Hall, and think Scott Thompson is GOD! This book peeks into why Buddy is the way he is...FLAWLESS! You have never read a more creative book in your life, nor will you ever, (unless part two comes about)! Reading this book will leave you continually fantisizing about the Canadian wilderness, and thanking God your not there! You will become a child again, and pretend Buddy is a close personal friend, (who you don't like)! I no linger fear circus freaks, but now love them as other people's children. This book is a true spititual journey! Buddy is genius!

I read this book around the same time that I read Fran Drescher's "Cancer Schmancer" and I was impressed that neither performer gave in to personal feelings of despair and preferred instead to work towards making an even better life for themselves. In this book, Michael J. Fox gives an interesting and oftentimes funny look at his early years in Canada and Hollywood and the touching story of his love affair with the admirable Tracy Pollan. The book does begin to adopt a more somber tone when he begins to relate the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease and the road he has travelled with it ever since. Despite all of the pain and suffering involved with this horrible disease, Mr. Fox continues to work towards educating the public on Parkinson's and a strong belief in a cure. This is a book well worth reading.

I read this book only because I saw Michael J Fox on Charlie Rose. During the show, parts of the book were read out loud, and I just had to read the rest. Still, I really didn't know what to expect. Generally, I hate books written by celebrities, with or without ghost-writing help. I hate the "look at me" aspects of most of these books, the superficiality, the gloss.

This book has none of those features. This is a book written by a man who has gone (and continues to go) through a series of wildly implausible adventures. From his early, almost accidental, startdom, through his marriage which has somehow defied all the odds for a Hollywood marriage, through his diagnosis with early-onset Parkinson's disease, nothing in this man's life could have been predicted.

Michael J Fox has dived deep into his own psyche and come back to tell us what he found there. With compassion for himself and for the other people he has known in his life, he describes what it was like to be so successful, to experience fame as a drug (almost) that distanced him from some levels of reality, and then to have it all taken away. And he did it himself. This book was not ghostwritten, and the beauty of some passages makes it hard to believe that the author is not a professional writer. The fact that the prose was not mediated by a ghost-writer also makes the book more immediate and accessible.

I do not have words to do justice to the honesty, the compassion, and the courage that I found in this book. All I can say is what I have been saying to people ever since I read it: "I know, I know, it's a celebrity autobiography. Read it anyway."

This review will not only uphold the dignity of a man that has exposed himself so completely to the world but, in a strange twist of irony, I would like to share a personal 'chance' happenstance that made my reading of this book very serendipitous. I began reading this book in a local bookstore while I sipped a coffee. I had not been on vacation but, I had gone to Gainesville, Fl., for a medical procedure that was to begin a very real change in my life. As I began to read the first few pages I was awe-struck to find that as my own personal "fight" with illness was scheduled to end in Gainesville, Fl., Michael's journey with Parkinsons had begun in the same city. I was immediately hooked and bought the book to read while I was in the hospital. I read the book in the matter of 3 sittings. I can say this, I now care more for the person of Michael A Fox, than I ever did for Alex Keaton or Marty Mcfly. I have become a true fan of the man Michael A. Fox. In case your wondering I am not mental Michaels real name is Michael A Fox. I recommed this book to anyone who hase faced a "life controlling problem". My own problem is daily meeting its demise, while Michael daily meets the challenges of Parkinsons. He is more than a Lucky Man, as this book will show he is a true artisian to his craft, a man of character, and finaly a role model for the rest of us, who fail, get up and try again. Thanks Michael. Your Nana would be proud!

Writers alert! A book we all need is here. Anyone tempted to pooh, pooh that may be dissing a chance at success.

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing is a book for writers who are new to publishing and those who aren't. It is a book for writers who are already published by big houses or little. It is a book for writers who are scared and trying to decide how to publish and where. It is a book for writers who want to have their books read.

Written by Tom and Marilyn Ross, the gurus of SPAN (Small Publishers of North America), this book's 521 pages is chock-full of up-to-the-times information on the publishing scene, on selling books, and on publicizing books. It has all the how-to nitty-gritty necessary if you decide to do it yourself.

If you don't decide to self publish, you'll still be glad you have this one under your belt; these days everyone knows that even if you land a big publisher, you'd still better be prepared to do almost all the publicity for it yourself.

This tome includes recommended reading, point-of-purchase suppliers, printers, catalogs, review sources, bookstore chains, and on and on. It also includes the dope on e-publishing. As a reviewer, I should be finding some flaw in this book, so you can believe the praise. Sorry, I just can't. I can only visualize what this might do for any writer's career.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing is a powerful resource for all aspects of self-publishing from the beginning idea to having the book in hand, to marketing and selling it yourself. It's jam packed with hints and lessons learned over time-I think-by trial and error and Tom and Marilyn have come out the winners. I especially liked the way they back up each chapter with hard facts, examples of how to do it and stories of those who've made their book a success like all self-publishers want to. Like Marilyn says "Keep at it. If one idea isn't a hit try something else." Web sites, Wisdom and Whimsey at the end of each chapter shows you new sites to check out, gives you thought-provoking quips and summarizes the theme of the chapter. The endless contacts, rich appendixes and web sites are well worth your purchase of the guide. This resource is a must for any author or self publishers desk and library.

Review by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This is the Place

Writers alert! A book we all need is here. Anyone tempted to pooh, pooh that may be dissing a chance at success.
The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing is a book for writers who are new to publishing and those who aren't. It is a book for writers who are already published by big houses or little. It is a book for writers who are scared and trying to decide how to publish and where. It is a book for writers who want to have their books read.
Written by Tom and Marilyn Ross, the gurus of SPAN (Small Publishers of North America), this book is chock-full of 521 pages of up-to-the-times information on the publishing scene, on selling books, and on publicizing books. It has all the how-to nitty gritty necessary if you decide to do it yourself.
If you don't decide to self publish, you'll still be glad you have this one under your belt; these days everyone knows that even if you land a big publisher, you'd still better be prepared to do almost all the publicity for it yourself.
This tome includes recommended reading, point-of-purchase suppliers, printers, catalogs, review sources, bookstore chains, and on and on. It also includes the dope on e-publishing. As a reviewer, I should be finding some flaw in this book, so you can believe the praise. As an author who has been doing lots of publicity on her own for quite a while, I should be able to spot some gaps. Sorry, I just can't. I can only visualize what this reference and guide might do for any writer's career.