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LeBron James is simultaneously on the cutting edge of basketball greatness and as a cultural icon. Through the international exposure of the National Basketball Association and its televised games in more than 100 countries, and as a global marketing presence, the star of the Cleveland Cavaliers is rapidly becoming one of the world's most familiar faces. This biography traces the key events in the life of LeBron James during his dizzying rise to fame in high school to his emergence as the first overall pick in the NBA draft as an 18-year-old, to his carrying the underdog Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals.

Hyped relentlessly from the time he was a high school sophomore in Ohio, James has lived up to all advance billing and with his charm, smile, and extraordinary basketball skills. James' all-around talent and unselfishness on the court are the trademarks of his play that have made him one of the most feared scorers in the league, but also one of its most versatile rebounders and passers. This biography offers a well-rounded portrait James from the difficulties encountered being raised by a single mother and overcoming poverty, which at times caused the family to move from home to home. Lew Freedman of the Chicago Tribune chronicles the milestones in the life of LeBron James during his dizzying rise to fame. Also highlighted are James' remarkable endorsement deals, particularly his $90 million deal with Nike. The volume is rounded out with a timeline and a bibliography of print and electronic sources to provide suggested readings for students and sports fans alike.

Customer Reviews (1)

Just can't trust the content
I just read 2 pages and found two errors:

"The cavs lost to Detroit, 4-2, in the second round of Eastern Conference play" - Actually it was 4-3;
"practices and competes on the United States bronze-medal-winning team in the world championships in China" - Actually it was in Japan;

Well, should I even bother to read the book? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

The Long Legged Fly - Review by Mario Baldassarrini
Not very interesting - I have read this book some time ago and I don't remember what it is about.

Where have I been
I'm late to find this author, but I will make up for lost time. Very different take on a detective. Let's see how it goes from here. Don't expect the usual.

Target Market
If novels were "branded" at point-of-sale not only by genre but also by target demographic -- in a way analogous to the way in which many cable channels work to "brand" themselves as the first choice among their own target audience -- then this series by James Sallis would almost certainly belong "on PBS".

I had hesitated to sample this series because -- with no just cause -- I had concerned myself with the possibility that this series may play better on "The WB", and I encourage you not to make my mistake.

Lew Griffin is a fully-fleshed character -- unusually multidimensional in comparison to any other fictional detective I have had the pleasure of knowing. If I were any other author of the genre I would envy Sallis greatly for his ability to make a character feel so real, so likeable, and so constantly interesting -- more so when I stop to consider that objectively, and only in retrospect, the plotting here seems pretty simple -- its best and perhaps primary feature simply being the means by which new facets and depths of Lew's character are revealed.

But PBS?Well, I also don't want to scare you off by virtue of whatever negative opinions you may have about that.If you want a hard-boiled detective, I don't think they come much harder than Lew Griffin. By the end of the second novel in this series (Moth) Lew has bashed, been bashed and gotten smashed with the best of them. And yes, there are women in his life.Interesting women!

... So, check it out and in so doing, encourage Sallis to provide us with many more additions.These are solid gold.

The haunting study of a unique detective.
African American detective Lew Griffin first appeared back in 1992 in this novel by acclaimed, although largely unknown, author James Sallis. The story follows Griffin as he investigates four cases of missing persons. His success varies and even when he locates the people he's looking for, he never actually finds the object of his search.

This mystery is not really a mystery at all. Rather, it's the story of thirty years in the life of a hurting, flawed man trying to live a quiet existence in New Orleans. Rather than being epic in its sweep, though, "Fly" is minimalist. Sallis is a poet in addition to being an author and it shows in this book.

I suppose it's understandable that Sallis hasn't enjoyed wider success in the genre--his books certainly don't grab you in the same way that most mysteries do--but it's definitely a shame. Readers who are interested in more than simply solving a mystery will definitely find something to admire in this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

They Don't Get Much Better . . .
. . . than this.The previous reviewers are much more eloquent than I, so I'll just say that having discovered this author through his newer works, I read this series start-to-finish, and am dumfounded that I never heard of these books.This guy is the real deal, folks.This is WRITING!!!

A superb conclusion to a graceful series
I finished this book with tears running down my face.Often, when an author ends a series, one is frustrated, annoyed at the author, even feeling sold short.Not so here.Completing this book, I had the feeling that the story could have wrapped up in no other way -- despite the fact that I had not guessed where it was going.Deeply satisfying, Ghost of a Flea leaves us feeling fortunate to have come to know a group of characters who are real, believable, and somehow terribly important to us.This series is over, but one is left hungry for more of Sallis' distinctive writing.

Beautifully bewildering
I'm a long-time fan of the Lew Griffin series--some of the books are positively radiant, some get rather bogged down in sentimentality. But Sallis always writes exquisitely; his use of language is never less than beautiful. In order to make any sense at all of Ghost of a Flea, it's important to have read the previous books. Without those frames of reference, this book maunders along. It's a bit like reading in a roomful of candles that flicker if there's even the hint of a breeze. Yet every so often the air is still and the candle flames grow bright and what has been written springs to life, conjuring scenes and characters that are fully three-dimensional. Other times, it's difficult to follow the narrative thread. Past and present intermingle; characters are presented almost in the assumption that the reader is already aware of their context and therefore none is presented--which is why I think it's so important to have read the preceding books before approaching this one. Things happen seemingly at random; there are small mysteries to be solved, but they are secondary to the anthologies, the footnotes of Griffin's thoughts. This book is worth reading for the complex beauty of its language, but does not stand alone without the five companion books to assist in identifying the characters, their histories, and their ultimate impact on the central character. This is not a traditional mystery in any way. But it is very much worth reading for those moments when the light is full and everything suddenly springs to life.

Well done!
New Orleans street corner philosopher Lew Griffin knows first hand that life stinks.However, though he expects the worst and life is hell, Lew surprisingly believes that to be human, at least in his mind, means to keep on fighting regardless of what destiny tosses at you.

A neighborhood lunatic is poisoning the local pigeons so Lew appoints himself as the savior of the park denizen.He begins to investigate his style, resulting in a cerebral evaluation of the murders so fowl.He also feels strongly that he must protect his friend's daughter, an apparent victim of a stalker, and re-find his son who has pulled another Houdini vanishing act.While being the self-proclaimed neighborhood amateur sleuth and recovering from a stroke, Lew ultimately, in his meandering style, investigates Lew.This is all in a days work for one who firmly concludes that Murphy is an optimistic idiot.

The sixth and last Griffin tale, GHOST OF A FLEA, is a fabulous ending to one of the weirdest but delightful series of the past decade.The wild but entertaining story line is all over the place, especially when it wanders through Lew's mind leaving those readers who enjoy a classic amateur sleuth needing to go elsewhere.Anyone who has kept up with James Sallis' books will want to read this novel to gain closure.Those who have not read the previous books, will enjoy this strange tale, but will probably be better off perusing the previous novels first.Mr. Sallis' pulls off quite a heptagon with the grand finale answering many questions left from the previous five.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
A derelict has appeared in a New Orleans hospital claiming to be Lewis Griffin and displaying a copy of one of Lew's novels. It is the beginning of a quest that will take the real detective/writer Lew Griffin into his own past.Amazon.com Review
His fourth book in the Lew Griffin series proves once againthat James Sallis is one of the most death-defying writers working inthe mystery genre. Readers who have the persistence to untangle atwisted time line and go with the peculiar flow of Sallis's uniqueprose will find many rewards. Griffin, a New Orleans-based, 50-ishAfrican American novelist, teacher, and occasional detective, dots histwisting tale with dozens of references to the act of writing, plusverbal samplings of everyone from James Joyce to EmilyDickinson. Griffin is obsessed with searches for missing children: a15-year-old boy named Delany who has dropped into a dangerous world ofdrugs; the somewhat older son of Griffin's best friend, who also seemsdetermined to destroy himself; and David, Griffin's own, long-goneson. Looking for a connection to David, Griffin abandons his hard-wonsobriety and sets out on a drunken quest through some of New Orleans'sseediest sectors. There's not much mystery in this long section, butit leads to an ending that will have you on the edge of yourseat. Previous books in the Griffin series available in paperbackinclude BlackHornet and Moth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Social commentary posing as noir mystery
Eye of the Cricket is the 4th Lew Griffin novel and begins similarly to the others with Lew attempting to locate a missing person.Although Lew has no real vested interest in finding the brother of one of his students, Lew naturally takes on this role even if it interferes with his job as a college professor.The irony is that Lew's own son is missing, and he has no clues where to look until a bum appears at a local hospital with one of Lew's books that he'd given to his son years ago.

As with the other Lew Griffin novels, the focus is not on the mystery but more on the inner struggle that Lew goes through, having dealt with the loss of so many loved ones and trying to reconcile.This book is really more of a social commentary, and the noir feeling to it beautifully highlights the struggles that Lew and all of us have to deal with.Lew just allows himself to sink to lower depths than most people would ever consider, giving him a different and well-rounded perspective.

The writing here is outstanding.Occasionally I'd have to pause in my reading just to bask in the perfection.For lack of a better word, it's just so poetic.The words and tone are spot-on, and many scenes are so wonderfully illustrated that I found myself smiling with satisfaction after reading them.Sallis doesn't waste any words yet still conveys the emotions and impressions of his characters so well.These novels leave such an impact that I'm always left wanting to read the next one.

A Grim Slice of Reality
This is the 4th book in the exceptionally dark Lew Griffin series. Before heading between the pages of this series it would really be a good idea to work out how susceptible to depression you are. If you prefer happy, light-hearted mysteries then believe me, this book will not be for you.

EYE OF THE CRICKET is an example of southern noir or, to be more precise, it's New Orleans noir told from the first person perspective. Lew Griffin is a black man who teaches French and English literature in between occasional flurries as the author of several novels. He is also known to be quite adept at finding missing persons and so he moonlights as a sort of private detective. He is a man who seems to care a great deal for others, to the point where he has difficulty saying no to people's requests, often to his own detriment.

It is in his capacity as a teacher that he is approached to act as a private detective by a student who had heard of his ability at finding people and asks Griffin to try to find his half-brother. Griffin immediately agrees to help, no questions asked, a typical response.

What is revealed is that Griffin himself has a son that is missing and the tragic irony is, although he is able to find other people's missing loved ones, he can't seem to find his own son, not even a clue of where he might be.

That is, until a vagrant is brought into a hospital emergency room and the only item in his possession that might identify who he is, is a copy of one of Griffin's books - a book he had inscribed for his son. Suddenly he feels he might have the clue that he needs to continue his search.

Although the storyline seems straightforward enough, it is littered with flashbacks, dreams and memories, all of which managed to keep throwing me completely off balance. It was not always clear which parts were actually happening and which parts were just memories. Often times they interrupted the flow so badly I had forgotten what the original storyline was about.

As it turns out, the actual detective work done by Griffin is inconsequential and is given only minor importance as the focus is more squarely placed on Griffin and the question of how he would survive his demons. The missing persons case serves to remind him directly of his own missing son, a fact that he dwells on constantly. Combined with this is the beginning of a new relationship with a wonderful and understanding woman. But this prompts endless memories of LaVerne, his dead wife. Dreams, memories and reality become intertwined as Griffin fights thoughts of his own failings, the results of which form the body of his (Griffin's) latest novel.

Towards the end of the book, Griffin allows himself to sink to incredible depths in his quest to find his son. His willingness to do this typifies the man who, for all his dark thoughts and introspection, is a deeply caring person. There are some points where some truly moving moments can be found. But it is also at this stage that the maximum attention must be paid as Griffin's consciousness becomes distorted and consequently, so does the narration.

As far as the characters other than Griffin are concerned, although there are many of minor players, there are only 2 who play any substantial role in the story, or who are given any real substance. The first is Don Walsh, a police detective who is equally as jaded as Griffin making him a perfect friend. He has seen too much of the seamier side of life to hold any real hopes of happiness and exudes an air of tired desperation whenever he meets Griffin. The other character is Deborah O'Neill, Griffin's new girlfriend and the shining light in the book. She represents a chance for Griffin to break out of his miasmic haze of self doubt and is a breath of fresh air each time she appears.

If you're a devotee of noir fiction, particularly those involving troubled loner detectives, then this book will appeal to you. It reminds me a lot of James Lee Burke's early Dave Robicheaux books. A lot of that has to do with the Louisiana setting, but is also due to the depth of turmoil going through the protagonist's mind.

This is a story that is carried on the shoulders of Lew Griffin. Its darkness is generated by the demons inside his head, but there is a distinct feeling of optimism by the time we reach the last few chapters. While the book doesn't exactly finish with a happy ending or an ending with any real climax, it probably comes as close to one that we're going to get in this moody series.

Started on a whole new mystery series and a fine writer.
Am a regular reader of mysteries. How I'd missed Sallis I don't know. I am pleased to "discover" him and his wonderful characters. He has a fine feel for my favorite city to visit: New Orleans, and gives a sound psychological sense to his characters. Even the minor characters stand out as people I would be interested to know. I took several quotes from the book and introduced them to a class I was teaching on Human Identity. The words just fit right into the context of the class. Now I've read Black Hornet and am waiting for more.

Well worth the wait - I've read them all
New Orleans, old demons and a continuing search for the missing David.How could you go wrong?Lew Griffin is many things but never predictable.Everytime I read another Lew Griffin book I'm left wanting more....

A real puzzler of a who done it
Now that he is in his fifties, African American Lew Griffin would prefer to just quit fighting the tide and go with the flow.Instead, Lew finds himself investigatingthe cases of several missing children, including the half-brother of a friend, the son of another friend, and his own son, David.To perform his search of New Orleans, Lew must enter the crummiest neighborhood areas where it's known that a teenager could drop out and turn on.

EYES OF THE CRICKET is the serpentine (try flow charting the plot) twisted fourth entry of Lew Griffin.As with its three predecessors, this novel is well written and filled with numerous twists and turns.Lew is an extremely lovable chap, whose new philosophy of "I Quit" clashes with his reality.Jim Sallis has written a book that will please most mystery afficiandos, except perhaps those who prefer a linear story line.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
When a former lover is murdered, former P.I. and New Orleans teacher Lew Griffin is compelled to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the victim's daughter, who abandoned her crack-addicted infant. Reprint. NYT. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Noir detective story with a lot of feeling
At the outset Lew Griffin's former lover, Laverne, has just passed away.But she leaves a message for Lew asking him to find her recently pregnant and drug addicted daughter who has disappeared.Lew feels that he has to fulfill this request and gets pulled back into the work that he used to do, like a moth to the flame.This is a New Orleans college professor, missing work to go intimidate thugs and break some faces in the process of finding Laverne's daughter.What really made this story so intriguing was Sallis' ability to pack a lot of meaning into just a few words.None of the words felt unnecessary, and Lew emits such an aura of understanding people that he creates a lot of powerful moments without saying much.I loved this book and have since been seeking out all of Sallis' other Lew Griffin novels.How this series could slip so far under the radar is beyond me.

A Private Eye Looks at 50
I ordered Black Hornet and Moth after reading Cypress Grove and Drive.What I didn't realize at the time was that I would be reading bookends of the career of Lew Griffin, an accidental private eye fumbling foward into maturity without an immediate need to know why doing what seems right is improbably its own reward.

And the writing.This is the reward.There is the plot.There are the characters.And there are the sentences.

This book is about Lew Griffen taking stock and making sense of what took him from the Black Hornet to 50 as an adjunct professor in French literature who still finds himself the moth drawn to the flame.

The man understands how to break a jaw, remembers the difference between drinking and drinking, mixes in the difference between French and Amaerican fiction, and, finally accepts that being alone is neither noble nor romantic, although ineveitable, all while not resorting to a single cliche or allowing tedium to cause a page to be turned.

Detective Work with Depth...and, uh color!
Yes, James Sallis seems to have gotten it right. This detective story featuring private eye, Lew Griffin, presents more than your typical follow-the-trail-of-clues but rather it offers social commentary on the state of America (without being didactic), depth of character, as well as insights into how characters perceive themselves and the worlds in which they live.

Ironically, Sallis is described as a white author, and his protagonist is African American.As an African American myself who has read Walter Mosely, I have to say that Sallis' writing is more meaty.

Kudos to Sallis! I've already started collecting the rest of the books in this series.

A tragic PI novel with cool lyricism and lucid despair
This is the second appearance of Lew Griffin,an Afro-Amrecan private detective in New Orleans. In Moth,Griffin searches for missing daughter of late LaVerne,his ex-lover. Griffin interviews and tracks daughter's trail,though,Mr.Sallis seems to be not interested in who done it nor why done it nor what is hiding behind the case. Instead,Mr.Sallis forcuses deep into Griffin. Mr.Sallis writes about despair and trauma of a person who chose to be a PI,a profession to inevitably touch and face the dark and evil side of the human soul. Mr.Sallis's previous novel,The Long-Legged Fly,was wrote on Lew Griffin's fall,how he fell into the dark pit of despair. And its sequel,Moth,is a story of recovery.In searching for a missing person, Griffin struggles to search and grab for the lost part of himself. Mr.Sallis's prose has cool lyricism,and with that,he draws Griffin's despair and the portrait of lonesome detective who tries to get over the despair. Not only the protagonist,but other characters are also well portraited,their life get resonant with Griffin's,and the sound of resonance must hit the emotion of readers.In the groomy rain of New Orleans,Mr.Sallis presents us a well-crafted story of a depressed man,a story of desperate hope. A private-eye novel played in blue note. Very original ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

OK, good for begginers.
I would recomend this book for someone who wants to learn "cool kicks", and basically look like Jean Claude Van Dam.The book has very little text.It's devided into two sections: the first half is on stretches, and the second half is on kicking (big supprise, huh?).The stretches deal mostly with the legs and torso/back, which is OK, given that this is a book on kicks, and not punches.The section on kicks deals with a variety of kicks, from the basic to advanced, but most of it is high, flashy stuff that looks good in competitions.I'd say that the greatest benifit is that of health, or good form.Some of the kicks might be useful in point fighting.I know from experience that the stretches work, at least for me, so I wouldn't consider it a bad buy.

This is a seminal work in martial-art training.
I think I read this book a year or two after it came out when I was about eleven or twelve.I was already pretty flexible, and the stretches in the book supplemented a successful training regimen.

The kicks and techniques, though, were wonderful additions to my knowledge.I think some reviewers forget that this book is 22 years old; most of what is digested and processed back to current readers of Black Belt magazine or any later kicking/ stretching manuals was found here first.

You have to acknowledge a debt to James Lew's effort to bring these techniques to the general public.22 years ago, this information wasn't easy to find in one place.It still holds up today, respectfully but strongly in disagreement with the negative reviews.

Good Supplementary to Training
This is a good supplementary book for advanced martial artists and athletes.It includes good stretches and kicks, but not very descriptive and detailed.If you are planning on taking a martial art, it's a good book to use to increase kicking height, speed and accuracy, I know because it has worked for me.Anyone interested in increasing there flexibility can benefit from this book though.It has many interesting stretches that are beneficial for anyone.I recommend this book.

the art of ????
After reading this book I must admit that it is not designed for the beginner, so if you are an expert at stretching then you may want to purchase this book. AS for beginners it does not give detailed explanations as to the different types of exercises or the benefits. It simply shows some pictures and tells you "stretch" or "relax into the positions". I am therefore forced to conclude that the art of stretching and kicking was produced for martial arts experts.....but.....if you are an expert already then you would not need a book to help you. This raises another question, what is the real purpose of this book?

A weak excuse for a karate book with "Art" in the title.
This book has absolutely no substance, just pictures.One could learn just about as much about stretching from a comic book.This book should be titled "The Art Of Taking Blurry Pictures of Someone Who's ReallyFlexable".I hesitate rating this 1 star. ... Read more

Product Description
Lew Griffin's fifth outing begins when someone fires a shot towards him. When he fully comes to, Griffin discovers that most of a year has gone by since that night. Somewhere in the Crescent City there's an answer . . . and some very strange allies . . . if they can be trusted. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A disjointed departure from the usually outstanding Lew Griffin novels
The fifth book published of the Lew Griffin novels, Bluebottle begins with Lew having just been shot and taken to the hospital.Over the next year as he slowly recovers from his injuries and temporary blindness, Lew is attempting to reconstruct the events of the shooting, but his memories of the shooting and the year after are clouded and unclear.This part of the book is highly disjointed and frustrating to read.It lacks the purpose and poetry present in the other Lew Griffin novels.The novel starts to get back on track after Lew recovers, but even at that point there's not much to compel the reader.As Lew investigates his own shooting, he uncovers the involvement of a white supremacist group, but even when we finally learn what happened on the night of the shooting, it's neither very touching nor satisfying.There are some emotionally powerful moments but not nearly as many as I expected after reading the other Lew Griffin novels.And although many of the same themes are present, they are not as well developed as in the other books.If I had not already been a fan of these books, I would have been even more frustrated.Although I was pleased and eager to learn more of Griffin's past, this book simply does not live up to expectations created by Sallis' other novels.My score would actually be a 3.5 because Sallis' writing still has a charming quality to it even when he's not at his best.

Another GREAT Sallis read
Sallis is clearly at the top of his game (a height most of his peers will never come close to) in this wonderful read.You can taste and smell everything Griffin does ... and the trips back and forth to his past will keep your eyes glued to the page and the story deep in your heart.How this guy gets ignored year after year by the MWA and bigger publishers kind of puts all those "mystery awards" and "bestsellers" in perspective.Sallis is simply one of the best ever.Bluebottle proves it.

Not very good.
Bluebottle takes place in New Orleans, circa 1975.The main character is Lew Griffin, an African-American PI with an eclectic literary taste.Griffin is shot by an unknown sniper as he exits a bar one evening.He survives but the recovery process takes nearly a year. A year during which he is handicapped by blindness and a loss of sense of time.
This novel is first and foremost a study of Lew Griffin the human being. It examines his relationships with others as well as how his early experiences have influenced his present attitudes and behavior.The mystery or crime aspect of the novel is a secondary consideration.Sallis sparingly drizzles in information about Griffin's shooting, including how organized crime and a white supremist group may be involved.
The frequent use of obscure literary references is overdone.If you are able to understand all of them, then you, my friend, need to get out of the house more.
Quite frankly, I found this book disjointed and hard to follow.I didn't enjoy it.

What did I miss?
It came highly recommended by a local bookshop so I was really looking forward to getting started.Unexpectedly, I was very quickly put off, amongst other things, by the jarring, clever-clever literary referencesthat seemed more to be to do with an ego-trip for the author than anythingthat added to the story.Confused, I gave up after just twenty pages.

Fifth Griffin mystery is simply great

New Orleans resident Lew Griffin awakens from an almost year-long coma caused by a gunshot wounds head.He remembers nothing about the incident, but quickly learns that he had been leaving a club accompanied by an olderwhite woman when he was shot.Lew does not recall the incident, hishealing in the past year, let alone the identity of the woman.

Lewneeds to know who wanted him dead and why.With the help of his friend DonWalsh, he begins to investigate who the white

woman is, who was thesniper, and why did they target him?While seeking the truth, Lew alsosearches for a missing writer, who was looking into a white supremacistgroup.

The fifth Griffin mystery, BLUEBOTTLE, is a fantastic talethat is highlighted by James Sallis literary and exciting prose. Lew tellshis story ashe deles into his own past providing insight into his life. The who-done-it is fabulous as expected by the great Mr. Sallis, whodeserves reader recognition.This

series is one of the best on themarket.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Lew Wallace, James B. Ray, Noah Noble, David Wallace, Roswell Winans, John Henry Tihen, Hanna Hilton, Walter F. Bossert, John S. Benham, Charles Murray, Courtland C. Matson, J. Ottis Adams, Robert B. F. Peirce, Fuzzy Vandivier, James B. Goudie Jr.. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 63. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: 3rd Division, Army of the TennesseeVIII Corps Lewis "Lew" Wallace (April 10, 1827 February 15, 1905) was a lawyer, governor, Union general in the American Civil War, American statesman, and author, best remembered for his historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Wallace was born in Brookville, Indiana, to David Wallace and Esther French Test Wallace. His father was a graduate of the United States Military Academy and served as lieutenant governor and Indiana Governor; his stepmother, Zerelda Gray Sanders Wallace, was a prominent suffragist and temperance advocate. In 1836, at the age of nine, he joined his brother in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he briefly attended Wabash Preparatory School. Afterward he joined his father in Indianapolis. Wallace was studying law at the start of the Mexican-American War in 1846. He raised a company of militia and was elected a second lieutenant in the 1st Indiana Infantry regiment. He rose to the position of regimental adjutant and the rank of first lieutenant, serving in the army of Zachary Taylor, although he personally did not participate in combat. After hostilities he was mustered out of the volunteer service on June 15, 1847. He was admitted to the bar in 1849. In 1851 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the First Congressional District. On May 6, 1852, Wallace married Susan Arnold Elston by whom he had one son, Henry Lane Wallace (born February 17, 1853). In 1856, he was elected to the State Senate after mov...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=44086 ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

RIVETING NARRATION OF A SUSPENSEFUL STORY
James Sallis makes numerous contributions to the literary world - to date he has penned some 24 volumes among them are works of poetry, fiction, biography, translation, essays, and criticism.(He also writes a column for the Boston Globe's review section).Not the least recognized and appreciated among his works are the Lew Griffin series, crime stories.With these books he has created an intriguing lead character in Griffin, a complex, often violent, sometimes compassionate private investigator who happens to be black.

Black Hornet is set during one of 1960shottest summers in New Orleans.Now, the heat isn't just reflected by the thermometer but by the escalated temperatures of the people - they're angry, hostile, riled by separatists and the Black Panthers.Not a good place to be when nothing and no one is cooling off.

Five people have been killed - randomly shot by a sniper.The sixth victim, a white woman,happened to be standing right by Griffin when she was shot.Too close for comfort and too much for Griffin to take so he sets about finding the crazed killer.

Sallis is a superb storyteller, an eloquent writer whose prose packs an even greater wallop in partdue to its spareness. His writing is authentic and atmospheric, his wordingtaut as this novel races to an unexpectedfinish.

G. Valmont Thomas, a member of the acting company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival delivers a riveting narration as Griffin wrestles with his private demons and chases down a killer.

Gail Cooke

Sallis is Simply One of the Best
James Sallis is simply one of our best, living writers.And this slender book is a delight to read.Once again, Lew Griffin is plunged into the criminal world, this time murders in 1960s New Orleans.White people are being picked off by a sniper including a beautiful reporter whom Griffin has just gotten to know.With racial tensions at the burning point, and with suspicions that the sniper is an African-American, Griffin finds himself walking a tightrope between a radical Black organization and white police officers.Drenched in booze and books, Griffin is at times lost, at times securely in control.The dialogue is crisp, the characters real.Bravo! ... Read more

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A biography of the star basketball player who converted to the religion of Islam. ... Read more

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Judah Ben Hur is a proud Jew wrongly sent to the galleys through a quirk of fate and personal betrayal. Set on revenge, he eventually returns to Palestine. But he is doomed to destroy himself unless he can overcome someone claiming to be more powerful than either his hatred or the Roman sword. ... Read more

Product Description
When the Bush administration's faith-based initiative was introduced in 2001 as the next stage of the "war on poverty," it provoked a flurry of protest for violating the church-state divide. Most critics didn't ask whether it could work.

God and the Welfare State is the first book to trace the ideas behind George W. Bush's faith-based initiative from their roots in Catholic natural law theory and Dutch Calvinism to an American think tank, the Center for Public Justice. Comparing Bush's plan with the ways the same ideas have played out in Christian Democratic welfare policies in Europe, the author is skeptical that it will be an effective new way to fight poverty. But he takes the animating ideas very seriously, as they go to the heart of the relationship among religion, government, and social welfare.

In the end Daly argues that these ideas—which are now entrenched in federal and state politics—are a truly radical departure from American traditions of governance. Although Bush's initiative roughly overlaps with more conventional conservative efforts to strengthen private power in economic life, it promises an unprecedented shift in the balance of power between secular and religious approaches to social problems and suggests a broader template for "faith-based governance," in which the state would have a much more limited role in social policy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Poverty is a serious issue....
An interesting read.I actually picked up this book from a USO rack over in the Middle East while deployed there.It was a welcome contrast to most of the other reading material generally available.
For Republican and conservative readers; a note of warning.This book will most likely be offensive to you.However, I strongly recommend you read it just for the perspective.(The comment attributed to Mr Moyers on the front cover should be a good hint of the book's content.)
This is a very short and concise essay that wastes no time getting to the point.Poverty is a serious issue not just of America, but for the entire world.And despite all our efforts and the so called "War on Poverty" we have made no meaningful, enduring progress on the issue.As one of the richest countries in the world, we still have a segment of our society that does not have the ability to meet their basic needs and has practically no access to a mechanism to change their situation.
Daly frames faith based charities in the above context and admits that government efforts on the area have proven ineffective; thus setting the stage for a different paradigm.His questioning of the motives behind the decision to go with the faith based approach breathes some fresh analysis into the debate: was this new direction really a search for a more effective solution set or a deliberate power-grab?
A significant item he glossed over is one of the more important aspects of the religious debate on the issue of poverty in America today.A great portion of Right-Wing thought along these lines is based on scriptures such as 2 Thessalonians 3:10: "For while we were yet with you, we gave you this rule and charge: If anyone will not work, neither let him eat." (AMP)I personally think that this sort of reference is used too often as an excuse to turn a blind eye.However, discussing it would have added a dimension that is missing in the work.
Daly's discussion on the origins of the modern, philosophical background of faith based initiatives was illuminating. As a side product, there was an implied but solid discussion of the First Amendment and the power of religious intuitions in America.
Because of its brevity and the author's apparent genuine anguish about the subject; this book has little of the self-serving content that most works in this field have to struggle against to get their points across.
The point that will most likely be buried or omitted in reviews of this book will be Daly's insistence that faith based programs should not be abandoned.His assertion that we should give them a chance to work with a renewed focus on why they were created is probably the most significant theme of this work.Unfortunately, the portion of the Left Wing that is phobic of religion will ignore this concept and concentrate on his criticism of the program.
My only issue with this work is more personal in nature.To me, Daly's Clinton worship undermines the credibility of his work.The idea that Clinton's impeachment was an attempt at a religious based coup, instead of a politician abusing his office and lying about it, is disturbing and tips his hand as being a deeply entrenched Democrat.As a Green voter, I see that national disgrace as a major blow against our nation's ability to hold members of the executive branch and congress accountable for their actions.This is a very real, salient problem today.
Well documented with a good narrative flow and structure.
This is a good read.I have recommended it to several other people and passed on my copy. Hopefully, it will make its rounds.
I am cautiously looking forward to other publications by Boston Review Books.

The Theology and Scandal of Faith-Based Welfare Initiatives
This little book of only 126 tiny pages starts and ends with very brief critiques of President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI), but most of the short essay is a theological and political history of the roots of the FBCI. In the opening and closing he argues that the FBCI is a sham and serves only to fill the coffers of the religious communities that do not need a poverty program. While I would tend to agree with him, he does not provide any evidence that this is so. Because this 20 billion dollar diversion of funds from welfare and other social programs to churches has no rigorous accountability mechanisms built in, the author can not be faulted for not having hard data. However, he does not even tell any anecdotes about the misuse of funds. Nor does he explore why it took Congress 6 years to begin to investigate the FBCI programs. Perhaps it was the author's belief that FBCI philosophy is the only innovative and interesting idea in poverty policy in many decades. He may be right, but his failure to recognize that outcomes and accountability far outweigh innovativeness. To be fairer, he does argue, slightly short of calling President Bush a false prophet, that Christianity and the Bible would find the present day American trends toward vast income inequality scandalous and totally sinful. Hopefully the next book on the topic will provide good evidence for its claims, and hopefully we won't have to wait long for it. ... Read more

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Chapters: Lew Wallace, Joseph A. Wright, James Whitcomb, Alvin Peterson Hovey, Henry Smith Lane, Sile Doty, Don Carlos Buell, Lovell Rousseau, Nathan Kimball, Joseph Lane, Jefferson C. Davis, James Henry Lane, Mahlon Dickerson Manson, William A. Bowles, William Plummer Benton, James A. Cravens, James Wilson, James Hughes, Tilghman Howard. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 95. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Joseph Albert Wright (April 17, 1810 May 11, 1867) was the tenth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 5, 1849 to January 12, 1857, most noted for his opposition to banking. His positions created a rift between him and the Indiana General Assembly who overrode all of his anti-banking vetoes. He responded by launching legal challenges to the acts, but was ruled against by the Indiana Supreme Court. The state's second constitutional convention was held during 18501851 in which the current Constitution of Indiana was drafted. He was a supporter of the new constitution and gave speeches around the state urging its adoption. He was opposed throughout his term by Senator Jesse D. Bright, the leader of the state Democratic Party. After his term as governor, he was appointed to served as United States Ambassador to Prussia where he served until the outbreak of the American Civil War. Although he was a Democrat, he was openly pro-Union during the war, and was elected to serve as a United States Senator, filling the term of Jesse D. Bright, who was thrown out of the Senate for disloyalty. Following the war he was reappointed to his ambassadorial post where he remained until his death in Berlin, Germany. Joseph Albert Wright was born in Washington, Pennsylvania in April 17, 1810 the son John and Rachel Seaman Wright. He moved with his family to Bloomington, Indiana in 1820, ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1859714 ... Read more

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Chapters: People From Indiana in the Mexican-american War, Lew Wallace, Joseph A. Wright, James Whitcomb, Alvin Peterson Hovey, Henry Smith Lane, Sile Doty, Don Carlos Buell, Lovell Rousseau, Nathan Kimball, Joseph Lane, Jefferson C. Davis, James Henry Lane, Mahlon Dickerson Manson, William A. Bowles, William Plummer Benton, James A. Cravens, Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot, James Wilson, James Hughes, Tilghman Howard, 1st Indiana Volunteers, 5th Indiana Volunteers. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 101. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Joseph Albert Wright (April 17, 1810 May 11, 1867) was the tenth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 5, 1849 to January 12, 1857, most noted for his opposition to banking. His positions created a rift between him and the Indiana General Assembly who overrode all of his anti-banking vetoes. He responded by launching legal challenges to the acts, but was ruled against by the Indiana Supreme Court. The state's second constitutional convention was held during 18501851 in which the current Constitution of Indiana was drafted. He was a supporter of the new constitution and gave speeches around the state urging its adoption. He was opposed throughout his term by Senator Jesse D. Bright, the leader of the state Democratic Party. After his term as governor, he was appointed to served as United States Ambassador to Prussia where he served until the outbreak of the American Civil War. Although he was a Democrat, he was openly pro-Union during the war, and was elected to serve as a United States Senator, filling the term of Jesse D. Bright, who was thrown out of the Senate for disloyalty. Following the war he was reappointed to his ambassadorial post where he remained until his death in Berlin, Germany. Joseph Albert Wright was born in Washin...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1859714 ... Read more