Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Hurricane - great book
Boys and girls love this book.It stimulates the imagination and our sons love it read over and over again.

Title Misleading!
"Hurricane" was more than I expected. Two boys on an adventure after a big storm, and the adventure took place in the neighbor's yard. The illustrations were exceptional and the reading was simple enough for my 7 year old grandson.The memory of this book will remain with the young and old for many years. My grandsons and I have locked this away in our minds as a pleasureable experience. It indeed is a "gold medal" book!

Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery
This item was exactly as described in the item description. It was in the original packaging and is in excellent condition. I am very satisfied and I highly recommend this seller and product to everyone. This is an excellent book by an excellent author!

Kat's Kind Review
The book Hurricane by David Wiesner was an excellent book. It teaches children that you don't have to always have the new hi-tech toys to have fun. All you need is your imagination. I would recommend this book to all ages. It was about 2 brothers who are waiting for a large hurricane to arrive in their town. When the storm finally hits both of the boys get really scared. After the hurricane lets up and is over the boys notice that there is a large tree that fell down right next to their house. It wasn't their tree it was the neighbors but they decided to play on it one day because they were extremely bored. They played on the tree so much that it became their little adventure world. They would spend as much time as they could with that tree. They felt safe and protected when they would play. But one morning the boys awoke to the sound of chainsaws and axes hacking away at what sounded like... A TREE!!! Could it have been their tree???

Hurricane
Excellent book about two great boys who lived through a terrible hurricane and almost fell in love with a tree.It had a little sadness and happiness.Great illustrations!One of the best children's books I have ever read!The two boys showed a bunch of love for the tree, unfortunately, it would go in the end.Overall, an excellent book for all ages!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Take refuge, settle down to a few drinks of rum and rain, and soon you'll be raucously entertained with these 16 stories of madness and mayhem, of life afloat and ashore in the Caribbean.Meet colorful drunks, gamblers, sailors, pirates and prostitutes. While many stories are based on truth, characters and scenes have been disguised and fictionalized to protect the guilty, the famous and the infamous. Each one of these wild and bawdy Caribbean tales will keep you smiling all day long.The flavor is definitely Caribbean and the laughs are universal.You won't regret plunging into the cool pages of this red-hot book. Unforgettable, original characters serve up a fine feast of island life,replete with laid-back sea-to-shore attitudes and spicy inimitable Caribbean spirit. So put on your sunglasses, pick up a nice cold drink, and lay back in your hammock. Let these tall tales and loose lies melt your troubles away in the uncharted waters of fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Great Read
Miss Mermaid sure knows how to make a person feel as though they're really on the islands with her witty and funny stories.A great read.Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Fun summer read
Very entertaining summer read.Made me wish I was on the islands....any island.The author has a nice 1st person voice.Enjoyed the book.

Lived there and loved her stories
Miss Mermaid is a great writer and story teller and I enjoyed the book very much.Having lived on St. John and Tortola I could relate and recognize people, places and things.Thanks for a good read.

Laughing all the way to the Islands...
I picked up this book in June when we were planning a trip to the Virgins and started laughing out loud from page one.If you've ever been to the islands, many of the stories will ring familiar.If you haven't, you'll want to pack your bags.Tourists will recognize the places, the sounds and scents and vibes, and the sense of "island time" that prevails. But the little everyday details of island life is what makes this book especially fun and interesting. The characters (real island folks) are a hoot, and the tales of life after a hurricane are at once sad and funny, believable and unbelievable.There is a hodge-podge of modern-day pirates, 1960s drop outs, ordinary folks, and the rich and famous.It's a must-read for anyone who loves visiting the islands or is thinking about moving to the sunny climes.

This IS island life
Before I went to the West Indies I read Herman Wouk's 'Don't Stop the Carnival' which at the time I thought could only be a fantasy. It wasn't......he got it right. I've waited some 20 or more years to find another read which captures 'island life' and Dear Miss Mermaid tells it vividly. Centered on her experiences in the Virgin Islands from her American viewpoint, she encapsulates the essence of living and working afloat and ashore in the Caribbean in all 16 of her colourful stories. A 'Must Take' if you are fortunate enough to be going to any of the magical Caribbean islands of sun, sea and sky,......and if you are not....dream on. ... Read more

Product Description

Hurricanes. Typhoons. Cyclones. No matter what you call them, these formidable, swirling storms are the most devastating events in nature. hurricanes takes young readers on an in-depth exploration of one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena on Earth! This dramatic account of hurricanes and the disasters they leave behind, including Andrew and Katrina, are intensified through arresting full-color photographs and satellite images. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon has teamed up with the Smithsonian Institution to bring you a new, updated edition of his acclaimed look at this astonishing, and often terrifying, natural disaster.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book for the elementary-age set
This book was purchased as a gift for my 8-year-old son who is very interested in natural disasters.I read it aloud to him and to my 6-year-old daughter, both of whom enjoyed it.

The text is very thorough in explaining how hurricanes develop, the categories of hurricanes, how they are predicted, and how to be safe when a hurricane threatens.Hurricane terms are defined in text, but other difficult words that are less central to the narrative are defined in the glossary in the back (e.g. moorings).It is this more challenging vocabulary that makes this book a read-aloud in the lower elementary years, so that an adult can explain challenging vocabulary.A child would probably need at least a 4th grade reading level to have reasonable understanding on their own.My son reads on a 5th grade level and can understand most of it by himself, except for the odd word.My daughter reads on a 2nd grade level and would be lost by herself.I homeschool and think it's critical to be reading aloud a lot to children in this age range, so it's not a big deal to me.But, this wouldn't be a good book to buy and expect to just hand over to the average 4 to 8-year-old it's recommended for.

Each two page spread is half photograph.In general the photos were very interesting and illustrated the power of a hurricane, but one or two of them were somewhat blurred as if the picture had been blown up too big.I'm sure they could have found other pictures that were sharp and detailed (one depicted aftermath, not hurricane itself), but it's not that big a deal.The kids probably won't even notice.

I would definitely recommend this book on hurricanes.It's extremely thorough and educational for adults as well as children.I have also read the author's book on Tornadoes, which was good as well, so I'd recommend his books in general.As a side note, this book was updated in 2007 and does mention Hurricane Katrina.

my child loves it!
There are tons of pictures and alot of information and it's suitable for some younger children

Good book
I bought this book for my son who has taken an interest in hurricanes and he loved it.He enjoys looking at the pictures and has learned alot about hurricanes. ... Read more

Product Description
When Ms. Frizzle's class takes a field trip to the local weather station, they end up in a hurricane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Fantastic! Fun and educational!
This is one of the best Magic School Bus titles, as far as my family is concerned. It explains what makes weather on a local and global scale with the usual good humor and entertainment of the MSB series. Thoroughly illustrated and full of informative side bars, this book tackles a subject that is relevant everywhere! There is another title called "MSB Kicks Up a Storm" which is only a shadow of this much more detailed book, part of the TV-series off-shoot (we still enjoy those books, though they do not reach the quality that the core books of the original series attain).
by Nadine Slavinski, author of Lesson Plans Ahoy!: Hands-on learning for sailing children and home schooling sailors

My daughter loves this book
My daughter loves MSB books....There is a lot of educational information within the stories.

did not cut corners on science, yet fun - go Frizz!
This is a great, almost un American book in that kids are told that it's OK, even wonderful and wondrous to be science geeks, be curious.Love the Frizz when she says "take chances, get messy, make mistakes," and encourages her students to explore.In a society that elevates sports and violence for boys, and beauty and cattiness for girls, this series stands out for encouraging gender neutral intellectualism and academic achievement.My geeky 5 year old can't get enough, having finally found fictional characters that reflect her and encourage her.Factual substance-wise, I as a 40 year old have learned tons.

Another good one.
My kids enjoy all the Magic School Bus books, especially the original ones by Joanna Cole.This one is great too.

The Magic School Bus
This is a great educational series.The kids don't even know they are learning. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

A feel-good read for young readers!
A knowledgeable librarian recommended this touching story of two surviving animals during Hurricane Katrina.These animals were inseparable.Towards the end of the story, there is a real moving part that is disclosed between the cat and the dog.Surely a book that will be a favorite for any young animal-loving reader!

A truly inspiring story of devotion
"Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival"--this story touched my heart profoundly, beginning with the cover illustration and the title. But then I know the story of Katrina and its devastation. I know that animals were left behind, not out of indifference or neglect, but out of necessity. Who knew that people wouldn't be returning to their homes any time soon? That means animals essentially, through no one's fault, were abandoned. Artist Jean Cassels captures the essence of devotion behind this oh-so-poignant story: dog looking at cat with closed eyes. A flooded street is depicted in the background. These two were "abandoned." But there is much more to this story.

Typically, when I write reviews of children's books, I test the book on at least one group of students in my school library. I am the librarian. This time the book arrived in a box of books via Fed Ex after school closed, so I am the testee. Frankly, I was moved to tears by this story. Much of it is speculation. How could Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery know exactly what Cat and Dog did during their journey to the animal shelter? But the two animals had to have a history together, so the two writers imagined one.

Young cat, young dog, both bob-tailed, perhaps were taken in together by their owner as two of a kind. Perhaps the dog was chained when the floods came, when the owners left, thinking they would return soon. Perhaps these owners left enough food for a few days. When days turned into weeks, apparently Dog broke his chain and he and Cat took off together. Perhaps they came across other strays, big and vicious. Perhaps they starved a bit (when they were finally taken in, their ribs were showing).

Whatever their scenario, they survived together for several months after the hurricane and before the next set of humans adopted them. The two companions, Dog and Cat, finally found a work site where a worker was keeping his dog. These two had a place and sure food--finally--for just one week. That's when the boss man said the two had to go.

They were taken to one of the animal shelters that spring up when animals need taking in. This is the place where an amazing discovery was made. When Cat and Dog were separated by race, Dog howled and barked and carried on until Cat was put in his cage with him. Finally, a human made the discovery that Cat was blind and Dog was his seeing-eye dog!

Now look again at the cover. Go back through the book and regard each illustration again. Cassels shows the viewer/reader this little tidbit--the cat's blindness, the dog's solicitude--in each illustration, but subtly.

The story does have a happy ending. The two are adopted together. This part of the story is also precious.

Bobbie (the Dog) and Bob Cat survived the storm, the flooding, and hardships lasting months. Their friendship and their survival are doubly special because of their unique situation and circumstances. Because of the merger of wonderful illustrations and a sensitively rendered story, this book is highly recommended!

heartwarming

This is a beautiful heartwarming story about two abandoned pets, a dog and a cat. They stay together, and struggle to survive for four months without human assistance after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005 before they are rescued and taken to an animal shelter by a kind construction worker. The two animals were briefly separated at the shelter but Bobbie the dog howled inconsolably and Bob Cat paced back and forth in his cage until the next day they were brought back together. Then the shelter workers realized that Bob Cat was blind, and all this time had been dependent on Bobbie for his survival. After being featured on CNN, the two were adopted together by a wonderful woman named Melinda. The realistic illustrations are lovely. The authors are donating 10% of their proceeds to the Best Friends Animal Society that cared for Bobbie and Bob Cat and many other desolate animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

the power of friendship
As an aspiring author/illustrator of children's books, I read a lot of them. But this is the first one that ever made me cry! I don't have any kind of insightful critique to write about this book. I will just say that Its narration is simple and straight forward. And its illustrations are done in a realistic, but warm style. Simply put, it is an incredibly powerful story of love and friendship.

Two Bobbies: A True Story
Geez, my eyes are getting misty just thinking about this one.A very touching story.
If more people were like these 2 animals, the world would definitely be a better place.
... Read more

Product Description
James Bond is on a much-needed vacation in Mexico at the home of ex-flying ace Jack Stone.  But his holiday is cut short when a hurricane hits.  As the storm ravages the community, a gang of thieves lies in ambush – they want Stone's safe, and will kill for its contents. Stone’s children, Precious and JJ, are kidnapped, and James must embark on a perilous chase through the jungle to rescue them and retrieve the stolen items. The clues ultimately lead him to the island of Lagrimas Negras, a haven for deadly criminals, controlled by the ruthless El Huracan.

            James will have to use all of his instincts and cunning if he’s going to outwit El Huracan and escape with his life.  But the only way off the island is through a treacherous maze, La Avenida de la Muerte – the Avenue of Death.  On this terrifying trail of greed and betrayal, only danger is guaranteed…survival is not.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Action packed
The first is a little bloodthirsty but it is an action packed story that young adults enjoy.

BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!
BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!! but you should read them in order!!!!!

DEFFINETLY WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU CHARLIE HIGSON FOR THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!

my review
Hurricane Gold is a superb book about the young days of James Bond. He is a fourteen your old in the fourth book of the series. In the series, Higson shows a young boy thrown into several painful battles. A great past for agent 007. In Hurricane Gold, Bond is visiting a rich friend's(Jack Stone) house with his Aunt. Jack takes his Aunt to Palenque and James is left in his Mexico house with the servants and Jack's kids, Precious and JJ. That night, a hurricane hits and a group of thieves comes to steal naval documents. Not able to open the safe, the JJ and Precious are taken hostage. James must go on a journey to save the kids and recover the documents. The thieves plans have been changed courtesy of the hurricane. James is taken to the island of Lagrimas Negras, an island of thieves. It is controlled by an evil leader, El Huracan. With a heartstopping climax and a journey through the avenue of death, Hurricane Gold is by far the best young James Bond book in the series.

Another GREAT Charlie Higson novel.
Hurricane Gold is a very thrilling addition to the Young Bond series. It lives up to the standards of the other books in the series. The book is very easy to get into, and once you have started reading it, It is very hard to put it down. This novel references previous books in the series, however the book can stand-alone. I highly recommend this book.

Better Than the Other Guy
I've read all of the James Bond books, and I like Higson better than Faulks. I just wish the US version of the Young Bond series got published a lot quicker. ... Read more

Product Description
In the tradition of "The Perfect Storm, Sudden Sea" harkens back to a natural disaster that struck terror in the hearts of many. In this narrative, readers experience The Great Hurricane of 1938, the most financially destructive storm on record. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

Excellent book.Vividly describes the Great Hurricane of 1938.
I was born only a few months after the Great Hurricane of 1938.However, having heard so much about its effects from my older family members, I was very interested to read something more in-depth than newspaper articles commemorating this tragic event."Sudden Sea..." creates a vivid account of the storm and individual families' amazing survival as well as the tragedies others suffered.I highly recommend this book, especially for other New Englanders such as myself.

sudden sea
Excellent book. I'm from R.I. Growing up my grandmother always talked about the hurricane of 1938. She pasted away this past spring, so I decided to read a book on the 38 hurricane. I'm glad I chose this one. Very good reading.

Excellent Reading!
I really like this book. Its very interesting. It tells the readers exactly what a hurricane is like. Some people may think that a hurricane sounds exciting. However,after reading Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 one quickly realizes how deadly and destructive hurricanes are. I was glad to find the book. There really aren't a lot of books written about hurricanes.
The book arrived on time and was in good condition. I would definitly buy from the seller again.

Terrifying Look at the Hurricane That Changed New England
Occasionally, people ask me, "How do you decide what to read?" I can answer that when it comes to this book.

One night, while watching American Experience on PBS, I learned about The Great Hurricane of 1938 that ravaged New England. The hour long documentary was not enough to time for me to learn about this devastating event, I wanted to know more. A quick search of the internet turned up several books on the topic, but the one that seemed to be the best of them was R. A. Scotti's Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938. Coming at the end of the Great Depression and shortly before the outbreak of World War II, this hurricane seems to have been "lost" in time, or, at the very least, not well known outside of the affected area. For those that watched American Experience, and like me want to know more, this is an excellent choice.

Contents: Prologue: Gone with the Wind; A Perfect Day; The Way it Was; A Shift in the Wind; Hurricane Watch; At Sea; All Aboard; A Bright Young Man; Upside Down, Inside Out; Battening the Hatches; A One-Hundred-Year Storm; How Do You Lose a Hurricane?; The Long Island Express; Crossing the Sound; The Atlantic Ocean Bound Out of Bed; The Dangerous Right Semicircle; Providence; The Tempest; Cast Adrift; All Quiet; The Reckoning; The Last of the Old New England Summers; Afterword; Appendix: A Nickel for Your Story; Author's Acknowledgements; Sources and Chapter Notes; Selected Bibliography; Index

As Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 opens, R.A. Scotti introduces the reader to people, families, and areas along the New England coast. It is a quick, but intimate look into daily life of 1938 along the coast, interspersed with some historical perspective to provide the reader with the reasons for particular settlements, the rise of housing on barrier beaches, and the influx of the "summer people." Scotti is able to connect the reader with the many people who lived, and died, in the hurricane. For example, Joseph Matoes, who watched as his children were swept way from their school bus as a giant wave washed over the bridge connecting Jamestown, Rhode Island, with the island of Beavertail. Or the two young lovers, out for a stroll along a beach in Napatree, Rhode Island, when the hurricane came roaring up the coast. By the time these people, and more (including actress Katherine Hepburn), realize that the storm that is brewing off of the coast is more than the usual early season storm, it was too late. By the time the hurricane passed over the area, entire stretches of beach homes were gone, washed away, Providence, Rhode Island, was submerged under seventeen feet of water, entire families were dead, children were orphans, parents found themselves childless. The hurricane, which struck without warning, changed the landscape, geographically, economically, socially.

An excellent, fascinating, and compelling narrative of The Great Hurricane of 1938, Sudden Sea will take the reader back to the summer of 1938 as it existed before the weather changed everything for New England. The hurricane, which was forecasted to strike the Miami area, veered away from that area, and was lost by the National Weather Service. The story of how it was lost, resulting in no warnings, is almost as tragic as the resulting damage. Adding to the book, R.A. Scotti includes many pictures of the hardest hit areas, in before and after shots. She also includes a few maps, however there are none that show the track the hurricane took, which is the only disappointment in the book. For those not familiar with the area, this is a disservice to the reader. Scotti provides a very accessible primer on how hurricanes are created, weather and sea conditions that foster them, and references to earlier storms that have struck New England. In all, Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 is an exceptional account of the destructive power of a Category 5 hurricane and the devastating effect it had on New England.

Disclosure:
Obtained from: Library
Payment: Borrowed

"All kinds of things were floating in it...as if the contents of the town...had been emptied into the cove by mistake"
Some books leave me with a little sadness when they are finished because I enjoy reading them so much it is bitter sweet when they end.Unfortunately, "Sudden Sea" I could not wait to finish.Even though it is only 244 pages of main text with a blank page between some of the chapters, it seemed to take a long time to get through.The story of a hurricane, with no warning to the residents, rampaging through seven states in seven hours certainly has the makings of an excellent book, but "Sudden Sea" did not live up to that potential.

Other reviewers have noted factual errors, but those were things I would not have noticed.For me, the reason I did not enjoy the book was that there was not much cohesiveness to it.It covers the stories of several people who either survived the storm or were lost and skips around to the different stories.It was difficult to keep track of all the people and families as well as the different parts of New England they resided.Where the book does keep its focus, it is usually on subjects that could be minimized, i.e. Grady Norton and Gordon Dunn tracking of the early route of the hurricane from the Weather Bureau at the Florida Keys and the history of Rhode Island founder Roger Williams.Three pages on the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 was dropped well into the book between accounts of those trying to survive in 1938 (pp. 182-84).Horrifying deaths and heralding survival stories are followed by the next story that begins when it is calm.It just jumped around a lot.

The book includes a glossy section of photographs and an appendix listing some of the additional "strangest, saddest, or most amazing stories".What was the most impressive about the storm was that it changed the landscape carving a new coastline, causing places that were once covered with beautiful houses to be uninhabitable (Napatree) and turning open fields into jungles through the seeds it carried.The story is definitely worth reading, but I recommend finding another book on the subject first before or instead of "Sudden Sea." ... Read more

Product Description
When Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, hundreds of thousands were left behind to suffer the ravages of destruction, disease, and even death. The majority of these people were black; nearly all were poor.

Displaying the intellectual rigor, political passion, and personal empathy that have won him acclaim and fans all across the color line, Michael Eric Dyson offers a searing assessment of the meaning of Hurricane Katrina. With this clarion call Dyson warns us that we can only find redemption as a society if we acknowledge that Katrina was more than an engineering or emergency response failure. What's at stake is no less than the future of democracy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

They got both
It's not often we get a chance to look at class, poverty and race in a way which isn't almost guaranteed to be polarised at the outset.Having a disaster as impersonal as Katrina gives Dyson just the backdrop needed to show that much of what happened to the poor of New Orleans (and in particular the black poor) was the result of systemic problems; related directly to how we, as a society, treat the poor, and those whom we marginalise, caused much of what what went wrong.

The book doesn't address (at least in the first edition) why it is that New Orleans has not been rebuilt, but the same forces which neglected the city for so long, are probably critical to the lack of real rebuilding.

For anyone who wants a starting point to look at race, and poverty in the United States, this makes a good one. The writing is plain, but not dumbed down, and the bibliography is complete; so the basis for his work is there to be seen; and as a springboard the book is excellent.

Dark side of America
In past decade, one of big natural disaster was Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans; a lot of people lost their houses and most of them could not evacuated on time and left behind. In Come Hell or High Water Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster, Michael Eric Dyson presents "unnatural disaster"- man-made disasters, such as poverty, racism and classism" beyond Katrina. Author advocates for black community, emphasizes racial issue and how this issue affects in society.
In Dyson's book, he shows that poor black Americans suffer the damage brought from Katrina. Those affected were from legacy of discrimination and racism and racism creates a gap of unequal treatment comparing with wealthy Caucasian American by the government policies.
To support Dyson's theory, first he points out the primary offenders of this disaster were Bush administration, local and federal government. He shows the detail time line of background of New Orleans, then he approaches Hurricane Katrina to racism and classism; he analyzes natural disaster correlated with unnatural disasters. By time, he explains racial stereotyping in a whole society and media coverage and portrait of blacks.
In explaining racism issue, Dyson quotes CBS's Sunday Morning that "...in New Orleans were white people, they would not have gone for days without food....." (18) By this, that means whites would get help sooner and more effectively. In other word, that is an assumption about whites and blacks are treated different. Clearly this approach was at odds with that expected by readers. That is hard to totally agree Dyson's theory. However, if Dyson emphasizes that the unequal evacuation relates with different of social economic status and people living in New Orleans are poor lower class and they are seldom to vote, so those people only have got lesser attention comparing than rich privilege class. That explanation will be more convinced.
Ironically, the weakness of Dyson's book ishis overemphasis of race. He states, "How can race possibly be quarantined from a consideration of Katrina when it so thoroughly pervades blacks culture--the choices we make, the laws we adopt and discard, and the social practices that are polluted by its pestering ubiquity?" (19). Obviously, race plays a role in society, but this is an overstatement. Most decisions people make have nothing to do with race. This overemphasis on race, I believe, leads him to find racial difference in his perception of reality.
To reinforce racism's view that Dyson points out that media exemplifies a low view of blacks. He refers to the Associated Press's report, young blacks "looted" food but whites "found" food. (164)By that caption from report, that means reporter also has its own perception and cultural bias. That is significant aspect of Dyson's book; media creates a negative stereotype of blacks. Obviously, media pay an important role of giving messages in society and media has a way with words to influent image of blacks in society.That is a good reason to explain why blacks couldn't get equal treatment with others because they have bad reputation from media's commentary.
Another questionable aspect of Dyson's book, he constantly decries the inefficiency of the Bush administration, particularly FEM incompetency during this disaster. Dyson clearly points out the incompetence of the administration, the government and FEMA really had no structure in place to handle a natural disaster, particularly their lack of proper coordinating for handling the situation. However, for the incompetency has no relation to racial issues.
Despite these criticisms, Dyson's book does have its positives and we need to judge it in terms of the author's purpose in writing it. It is intended to be a rigorous piece of academic work. After we read Dyson's biography, he is a black academic, an author, radio host and a professor of sociology. We can understand the purpose of his book; he reminds us including society and government "class issue" and "racism" still exit. We shouldn't be ignored them. I agree with Dyson that class certainly had something to do with the response to Katrina and that race probably played a role too. If we consider Dyson as a black academic, he speaks the truth about country's attitudes toward the poor, as well as government's continued refuse to response to these taboo issues. These issues didn't begin with a hurricane; it states that to remind the entire country that we are not a classless society. The book was insightful in many ways, and it provided new information about what really happened.

Interesting discussion of racial issues relating to Katrina relief--but with problems.
Michael Eric Dyson, for those who don't know, is a tireless advocate for the black community, a community that he proudly participates in and loves. For better or worse, Dyson has written many books on topics that emphasize and underscore racial issues in American society and how they affect the black community. This book is no different. His primary thesis is that the damage and suffering brought from Katrina would have been ameliorated if, instead of poor blacks, those affected were more affluent or of a whiter complexion. The primary culprit of this, according to Dyson, was the Bush administration, though his ire isn't solely directed at them. There are other emphases as well, including the interplay between racial stereotyping in society as a whole and media coverage and portrayal of blacks.

Regarding the prevalence of racial prejudice, Dyson doesn't claim that overt and explicit racism was the cause of the poor response to Katrina; rather, there was an implicit prejudice or "passive indifference" directed towards poor blacks. Unfortunately, Dyson doesn't proffer many arguments to support this position. The primary argument he gives (and it shows up several times) is simply a thought experiment: if these people were affluent whites, wouldn't help have come sooner and more effectively? He also includes a pointed example in which the media exemplifies this low view of blacks. On the same day, the AP printed two stories with stranded people wading through water with food in hand, one a black man, the other a white man and woman. The picture with the black man had the title referring to his having "looted," while the photo of the white couple was described as having "found" food. (It's hard to evaluate this example in isolation even if it is powerful, for one example does not make a strong case.) Even with the dearth of arguments for this position, some of what he writes weighs against his thesis. For instance, he constantly decries the inefficiency of the Bush administration (particularly FEMA)while giving another detail concerning the administration that (at least) undercuts the argument based upon race: incompetency. Dyson clearly accentuates the incompetence of the administration by detailing how they really had no structure in place to handle a natural disaster, particularly their lack of proper coordinating for handling the situation. Yet this militates against his main thesis, for the incompetency has no relation to racial issues; it was in place prior to the disaster. Of course, this doesn't discount the claim that implicit racism had something to do with the response, but there is an inverse relationship between incompetence and (racial) apathy. The primary problem, I believe, that besets his thesis is that it's quite difficult to argue for specific cases of implicit racism, leaving him to mostly rely upon the thought experiment example.

Dyson lambastes the Bush administration throughout the book. Most of the blame for this catastrophe is placed at their feet. (On a side note, Dyson doesn't tell the reader when he thinks these missteps are the product of indifference towards blacks.) However, it seems that Dyson goes too far in his blame of the Bush administration or--at least--he doesn't adequately support his position. For instance, he complains that FEMA's head knew of the disaster that was coming to New Orleans 3 days before it hit but didn't request troops until 5 hours after it hit. This would be a powerful example if Dyson had shown that FEMA had the authority, without state and local authority, to enter into NO, but he doesn't. Also, it's unclear how much FEMA knew three days before, which is quite important for doling out blame. Further, if what Dyson claims is true, NO mayor Ray Nagin would be the real culprit here for not issuing a mandatory evacuation sooner than the day before the hurricane hit, not using the Amtrak's services before its last run out of town, and not using all of the public transportation devices that, according to Dyson, were later seen swarmed by the flood waters. Dyson is also very critical about the amount of voluntary resources that were turned away by FEMA (e.g., the US BATAAN; Florida Airboat Association). But, again, it's unclear how much blame, if any, should be put on FEMA and its employees for this. If they were obeying the law, then there may not be any blame. At least this is something that is debatable, and it brings up the question of whether blame should be put on the individuals who allowed such laws to come into existence; moreover, it raises the question as to whether less government is better than bigger government in dealing with these situations, something contrary to Dyson's political persuaion. But there is no room for a nuanced discussion on this issue with Dyson; Bush and his crew are guilty, and that's that. (It's also interesting to note that Dyson points out the bureaucratic red tape that prevented New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson from sending Coast Guard troops for quite some time, the problem coming from LO Governmor Blanco not issuing a request, yet there isn't a discussion about blame here.)

Dyson clearly holds a certain level of antipathy for Bush and his political philosophy, and this appears to cloud his judgment on issues in which Bush is related (not unlike many political pundits on both sides of the political aisle). There is a really good example of this clouding of judgment. Shortly after the Federal Government entered the environment in NO, Bush noted that the efforts from the Fed were "not acceptable." Several days later, while outlining his plan to assist NO, Bush claimed that the devastation there was simply too much for the state and local governments to handle, resulting in citizens not getting the help they need and that this was "unacceptable." Dyson claims that Bush was attempting to transfer blame from the federal government to the state and local governments through "word association" (105-06). This is an egregious interpretation of Bush's statements. He didn't even place any blame on the state and local governments in his statement but, rather, on the situation. This is a clear example of Dyson's cloudy judgment regarding Bush and justifies one taking his pronouncements on anything related to Bush with a grain of salt.

Another problem with Dyson's evaluation is his overemphasis of race. He states, "How can race possibly be quarantined from a consideration of Katrina when it so thoroughly pervades our culture--the choices we make, the laws we adopt and discard, and the social practices that are polluted by its pestering ubiquity?" (19). Yes, race plays a role in our society, but this is an overstatement. Most decisions people make have nothing to do with race. This overemphasis on race, I believe, leads him to find racial disparity in every conceivable place. For instance, he spends a few pages discussing how other minorities were affected by and treated after the Katrina disaster. He notes Latinos, Native Americans, and Vietnamese, cites a couple of facts around their departure of NO, and then refers to how the government had abandoned or mistreated them. The problem is that he doesn't really argue for this, or at least he does so poorly. He claims that Latinos didn't receive help because they were afraid to ask, fearing deportation related issues, and that of the 30,000 Vietnamese refugees many were turned away from the Astrodome, yet the precise number isn't given nor are the general numbers of those trying to get into/those rejected entry into the Astrodome.

For those who have seen Dyson give commentary on TV, it's obvious that Dyson has a way with words. He's extremely eloquent in those situations. However, this is not the case when Dyson goes to print. He seems to try too hard to sound profound by using big words and elongated sentences that obfuscate, rather than elucidate, the issue at hand. I can cite one example: "And by raising the problem of evil as an issue that is but one remove from the theological landscape when it probes human responsibility and agency, redistributive theodicy seeks to clarify the ultimate cause of human suffering and disaster" (193). It's unclear, in almost any context, what it means for something to be 'one remove' from something else, and 'theological landscape' is another obscure phrase in this context. The best I can surmise is that Dyson is referring to some sort of freewill defense toward the problem of evil here, but there are much better and clearer ways (e.g., Alvin Plantinga's works) to express this. Another example of Dyson's pedantic tendencies can be found where he explains the etymology of the work 'theodicy'. He correctly notes its origin from the Greek words 'theos' and 'dike', but, for no reason other than to display how learned he is, he provides the Greek for these words; however, there's a problem: the Greek letters he uses for 'theos' are not correct. Of course, how many people know Greek? Not many, so most will just look at this as Dyson even knowing Greek. The point is that even if he knew Greek, the reader gains nothing from this.

Some reviewers have referred to Dyson as a Marxist. I think such labels aren't helpful because they're only used in the pejorative sense. Dyson surely favors more of a "spread the wealth" political philosophy, and there's a nice quote that sums up his views on this matter that some may find informative: "Charity is no substitute for justice. If we never challenge a social order that allows some to accumulate wealth--even if they decide to help the less fortunate--while others are shortchanged, then even acts of kindness end up supporting unjust arrangements. We must never ignore the injustices that make charity necessary, or the inequalities that make it possible" (152).

I had some other problems with Dyson's claims, such as his defense of those who stole non-essential products for no other reason than that they wanted these things, but putting these aside, the book does have its positives. The most important--though exaggerated--was that racial issues are still present and shouldn't be ignored even in a society that has a (half-)black president. I agree with Dyson that class certainly had something to do with the response to Katrina and that race probably played a role too, even though I'm not convinced that Dyson's account of the extent to which this was present is correct. I'll end by noting that according to Dyson, 67% of New Orleans was black during the time of Katrina, yet (from another source) only 49% of the casualties were black. This number is at least food for thought, especially considering Dyson's emphasis on the fact that the communities that were hit the most (i.e., the poor) had a higher concentration of blacks than the general populace.

Why not talk to the people of New Orleans?
Dyson, of course, is brilliant and he places the Katrina disaster in the context of race relations in the United States, but the book would have been greatly enriched by a few research trips to New Orleans to interview actual eye witnesses to get their perspectives on race and the handling of the aftermath of Katrina.

This guy belongs on "IN LIVING COLOR"
This author reminds of a character played on In Living Color where Damon Wayans is a convict that tries to use as many multi-syllabic words as he can so he can SOUND intelligent.This author is not.

This book is nothing more than an appeal to left-wing wackos suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. ... Read more

Product Description

outside, the wind is howling.
it is a monster shrieking to get inside.
outside, the rain is a solid wall of water.
everything is dark.
everything is destroyed.
everything is gone....

Customer Reviews (6)

Very authentic characters and a gripping story
Every once in a while, I pick up a lighter book for younger readers.I do this for two reasons, first because that's just what I'm in the mood for, and second, because I am always looking out for books to recommend to my kids.This book satesfied both reasons.

I won't bother giving a synopsis of the plot, as many others have done that better than I could.But what I liked most about this book was it's authenticity.I lived in Guatemala for a year, and this book captured the culture of life in a small Latin American village perfectly.Reading this story brought back fond memories.

I also liked the fact that the book didn't pull any punches when it came to the sheer horror of this type of event.

Over all, I highly recommend this book to any reader age 10+.

Teacher Approved
I purchased this book to use with my Reading class and read it when it arrived. It should fit the bill. It is both reader friendly and should keep the attention of my class.

A powerful can't-put-it-down story
Jose is a very believable boy, forced to see things he'd rather not see, to cope with a situation adults would shrink from--because there is no one else to turn to and others are depending on him.A harrowing story--made all the more gripping by the fact that, while the characters are fictional, the background is real.Terry Trueman does an incredible job of making us feel we are right there.

A terrifying story based on a real disaster
Thirteen-year-old Jose Cruz has been in La Rupa, Honduras his entire life. The tiny village of 56 people holds everything and everyone familiar to him. He lives in a comfortable house with his mom and dad; older brother and sister Victor and Ruby; younger siblings Juan, Maria and Angela; and beloved dog Berti. He goes to the International School, where he learns in both English and Spanish, and in his free time enjoys playing soccer with his friends. He also always keeps an eye out to catch sight of the colorful parrots that live in the trees on top of the hillside above the village. But in 1998, a category five hurricane hits Honduras and changes everything.

Hurricane Mitch strikes land in a fury of rain and wind. Jose has never experienced anything so scary in his life. To make matters worse, his father and older brother and sister are out of town making deliveries, and his faithful dog is missing. Jose knows he must stay brave and strong to help his mother take care of the younger kids. He tries to think what his father and admired older siblings would do, and has to dig deep for courage because the situation grows even worse.

The torrential downpour of rain causes a mudslide and buries half of La Rupa in seconds. Many of the villagers are killed, and the survivors are left with the heavy burden of worry and sorrow, and without shelter, food or fresh water. Jose doesn't know what happened to his dad, older siblings, or even his dog. He prays that they are safe and will return soon, but fears the worst. Knowing that if they were home they would be working hard to help the village, Jose pitches in where he can. He helps to dig for survivors, and then the dead; shares his house with the homeless; searches for food and water; and offers to go for a doctor when his little brother gets sick. He tries to be brave, but inside he's terrified. Will Honduras ever be the same? Will his family ever heal?

Terry Trueman is no novice writer, and his talents prove themselves in this terrifyingly realistic story based on the true disaster of Hurricane Mitch. Jose and his family are fictional, but the nightmares they and their neighbors endure are very similar to the real ones the Honduran people experienced in 1998. With Trueman's moving story and admirable characters, readers will be able to sympathize with and feel for these individuals. They may even learn from Jose how to dig for strength to face their own potential scary situations in life.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

Book
Well I have to say this was a pretty good book. I actually cried some. But,thats just me, Still I highly recomend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
When Riley Sinclair stepped into her new job as director of guest relations at a posh resort on Paradise Island, she felt the final pieces of her once-broken life coming together. But the waters become choppy when Riley discovers that some who come to the Atlantis Hotel are accompanied by paralyzing secrets and overwhelming fears. Riley and three guests are in desperate but unknowing need of each other, eventually forging unlikely yet powerful friendships. With a hurricane headed straight for the island, together they embark on a journey of laughter, heartache, and healing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

A book to read over and over!
This book is about the lives of four very different ladies. They are all different ages, stages in life and different situations. Hurricane in Paradise takes you on a journey of love, forgiveness and peace. Even when we spend time with someone we really don't know the hurts and heartaches they have been through. This book will have you laughing and crying.
Join Riley, Laine, Winnie and Tamyra as they enjoy the pleasures of paradise while a hurricane is on the horizon in more than one way. In this wonderful book you will see these ladies overcome their fears, struggles and losses by going to the Lord and giving Him full control of their lives. One big lesson in Hurricanes in Paradise is learning to forgive yourself. Also by learning to lean on each other. A book you don't want to miss. A must read.

A good book!!!
Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth is a heartwarming and sometimes sad tale of four women who come together at a hotel onParadise Islands in the Bahamas. Each of these women are at the hotel for different reasons but all have issues that they can't seem to let go of. Riley, is the director of guest relations, whose job it is is to take care of these ladies and see that they have everything they need. Laine is a famous author who is trying to deal with a divorce that was caused by an infidelity on her part. Winnie is a widow who came to the hotel because her children thought she needed to get away and ironically back to the place where she and her husband honeymooned. Tamyra is a young beauty queen who is faced with an illness and an abusive relationship. Riley also has her own demons from her past and a child to raise. Riley sees that her guests have what they need and over the course of this week becomes quite close to all of them. To top it off there is a hurricane heading their way, an assistant to Riley who has her own agenda and a man who would like to be romantically involved with Riley. Each one of these ladies faith has been tested so far that they think that He has abandoned them. With the help of each other they start to heal mentally and spiritually . I liked the story, there was an abundance of humor along with sadness but written in such a way that you could feel the heartbreak that each of these ladies faces. The lesson here is to forgive others but also to forgive yourself.

Hurricanes In Paradise
Wow! I really liked this book. This is Denise Hildreth's first book in two years and it was well worth the wait. I've read her books before but Hurricanes In Paradise is the best yet with a little bit of everything. It's a beautiful story of fashion, friendship, overcoming pain, discovering who you were meant to be, and of course the beach! The four main characters are easy to fall in love with, flaws and all.




Tamyra, Winnie, Laine, and Riley were all strangers at the beginning of the book only to be transformed into lifelong friends as they vacationed at The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The book alternates between the four women weaving their stories together. Denise has mastered the art of foreshadowing. With every scene she drew me in and right as I was holding my breath to see what happened, she switched to a different character whom I was equally as enthralled in. Even I wanted to skip pages ahead to see what happened and I am not a page skipper!



There is an urban legend which says the waters at the Atlantis heal and some come searching for it. These women are quick to find the water may not be what heals but are directed to the One who truly does heal. Denise talks about faith in God without being preachy and even through a fictional story can help you see that trusting in the Lord can heal our deepest hurts.

A Fantastic Hildreth Book
Riley Sinclair has the opportunity to meet all types of vacationers in her capacity as PR person at the Atlantis on Paradise Island.She tries to cater to the every need of Laine, a snobbish and quite demanding world-famous author. Riley also meets Winnie, a bedecked and bejeweled school principal who tends to speak her mind and Tamryn, a beauty queen who is obviously in emotional pain.The reader soon learns that each of these women, including Riley, have a shame inside yearning to be healed.Strangely, the relationships among these women evolve into friendships, as each woman's painful story is revealed and the others help her to find forgiveness and a plan for her life.

A hurricane hits Paradise Island just as a hurricane of sorts hits in each woman's life.Can Winnie move on to find a new companion after husband Sam's death?Will Laine forgive herself for an indiscretion that broke up her marriage with Mitchell?An abusive boyfriend has ruined Tamryn's life, she thought.Can she turn her experiences into a greater good?And Riley, so shamed and unforgiving of herself after an auto accident leads to alcoholism.Has she really broken free of its grip?Each prays for God's forgiveness and wholeness.

I have never read a Denise Hildreth novel, but I will be looking for more.This was a book that I just had to keep reading because the characters were so engaging, witty...and human.

This book was provided to me by Tyndale Publishing for review.

Storms Even In Paradise
When I had the opportunity to read and review this book, I was really excited.I had never read anything written by Riley Sinclair, but I love finding new authors I enjoy!!I was not disappointed!!This is a fabulous book.It not only takes you on a journey to the Bahamas, it takes you on a journey through the lives of four women all of which are going through major storms of their own.Some with storms in their spiritual lives, some with storms in their personal lives, and all with a storm threatening their physical lives!!Through all the storms it is quite clear that God is with them, loving on them every step of the way even when they don't see it or feel it.I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!!It covers everything from God working in the lives of people, to romance, to suspense.It made me laugh out loud and it made me cry!!Great book, can't wait to read more from her!!

I would like to thank Tyndale Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. ... Read more

Product Description
ATAC BRIEFING FOR AGENTS FRAND AND JOE HARDY

THIS MESSAGE WILL BE ERASED IN FIVE SECONDS. ... Read more

Product Description

In the span of five violent hours on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed major Gulf Coast cities and flattened 150 miles of coastline. But it was only the first stage of a shocking triple tragedy. On the heels of one of the three strongest hurricanes ever to make landfall in the United States came the storm-surge flooding, which submerged a half-million homes—followed by the human tragedy of government mismanagement, which proved as cruel as the natural disaster itself.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (133)

Better than expected
The book exceeded my expectations.It arrived very quickly and with no blemishes whatsoever.

Why one star?because Amazon wouldn't let me give less.
This, sadly to say, is the first book that I've ever had to quit reading.My blood pressure couldn't take it.This is the most biased, slanted thing that I've ever read that was to be taken as factual.I was a Registered Nurse in La at the time of Katrina.Most of my first responders were pulled to New Orleans during the flood, as well as several of the doctors and other nurses that I worked with volunteering to go to help. (I was unavailable to go because my son was just born in April.)The first-hand stories from those medical personel simply do not match the second-hand stories that Mr Brinkley wrote about in the book.It's disgusting that a supposed pre-eminent historian took it upon himself to re-write history.Factual errors aside, it wasn't well written.The book takes a whiney tone and is soooo repetitious.Exactly how many young, professional black men gave up multi-million dollar careers in other parts of America to come back to New Orleans to "give back to the community"?I quit counting at three.These saintly men really never did "give back", they just ran around New Orleans telling people that they "got a bad feeling about this one."Something else disturbing is the unnecessarily flattering revision of Govenor Blanco, who's incompteance in real life killed hundreds if not thousands in Louisiana, when she rescinded Nagin's evacuation order stating that he didn't have the authority to give it, but wouldn't give one herself.To Brinkley, Nagin's incompetent, and Blanco's the hero. As for Bush, America watched Blanco go on tv multiple times a day and cry instead of turning the matter over to the federal government, but still, Brinkley hammered Bush.I voted for Blanco, I voted against Bush twice, and I'd have never voted for Nagin, so it's not just that my politics blinds me, and let me say Bush's greatest sin in this whole episode is callousness, not incompetence as Brinkley stated.In short, talk to the people who were there, which Brinkley didn't seem to do, and you'll realize that this book is garbage.

Great Story: the Great Deluge
This book is well prepared and well written. There is everything to know about hurricane Katrina -all the things you saw in the news and all the things you didn't. A significant documentary.

The Great Deluge
I read this book five years after Katrina following a vacation in New Orleans. I was struck by how Katrina continues to be at the forefront of life there. After reading this detailed and harrowing account of the storm, I fully appreciate why their wounds are still so raw. The writer describes in a profoundly realistic manner the absolute horrors of the catastrophe, and the missed opportunites at every turnby local, state and federal leaders to if not avoid but to mitigate the tragedy. He also hails the folk who risked their lives to save their neighbors with a battlefield bravery that brought tears to my eyes. What a fabulous writer he is, and what a blessing to us that as one of New Orleans sons he bore witness to this event.

The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkley
I ordered this book because I survived Hurricane Katrina and I know first hand what it was like. This book just puts you there. It mostly talks about what happened in New Orleans....I was in Mississippi. I don't especially agree with the author's political views, but he did an excellent job in telling what it was like before, during, and after the most devastating event of my (and thousands of others)life. ... Read more

Product Description
For a brief but brilliant season beginning in the late 1960s, American Indians seized national attention in a series of radical acts of resistance. Like a Hurricane is a gripping account of the dramatic, breathtaking events of this tumultuous period. Drawing on a wealth of archival materials, interviews, and the authors' own experiences of these events, Like a Hurricane offers a rare, unflinchingly honest assessment of the period's successes and failures. Amazon.com Review
This highly readable history documents three turbulent yearsin the history of Native America, beginning in the early winter of1969, when a few dozen activists occupied Alcatraz Island in SanFrancisco Bay. The American Indian Movement became prominent by thataction, and Chaat and Warrior chart its fortunes through the threeyears culminating in both Nixon's reelection and the siege at WoundedKnee, South Dakota, where armed AIM sympathizers held off federalagents for eight weeks. The period between Alcatraz and Wounded Knee,the authors write, "was for American Indians every bit assignificant as the counterculture was for young whites, or the civilrights movement for blacks." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Almost brand new!
In excellent condition, better than described.I think it may have been brand new! Great seller.Would definitely consider buying from them again. :)

Great book
This book focuses on AIM (American Indian Movement). It follows the movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee. The thing I like best about this book is that the author shows how AIM failed but shows that AIM failed due to internal divisions as opposed to outside forces. The indian movement was radical and young, which cause many of the elder Indians to avoid the movement.

Good insight into the movement of indian rights!
as a supporter for the AIM , this book is important reading for the activist for human rights movement.

Very Balanced Story of the Radical Indian Movement AIM
Well written book by Native Americans who write an objective history of the 60's style Indian movement that merged into Dennis Banks' American Indian Movement. The first section about the Alcatraz take over is very informative about the Bureau of Indian Affairs plan to move Indians off the reservation to assimilate them in Cities. Unfortunately, many of the Indians that relocated off the reservation ended up in their own Ghettos in poverty. However, these urban Indians such as the Mohawk Russell Oakes get personally involved in the take over of Alcatraz. The authors define well how the plans to take over landmarks comes about, the value of publicity and they bluntly
describe the failures in organization. The failures botch attempts to take Ellis Island and leave the Trail of Tears caravan virtually without shelter which inadvertently results in the take over of the BIA building. Unfortunately, the movement seems to falter with acts of vandalism, burning of a building in Custer, South Dakota and the destructiuon of buldings at the seige of Wounded knee and the unfortunate circumstance of kidnapping. The damage to property, reports of alchol abuse such as the get together in Warrenton, VA. undermines the movement in my mind. Thse acts seemed to diminish the goals of the Indian Movement although the authors make a point that even Martin Luther King could not control all the elements of his movement.Although the actions of AIM do obtian publicity and sympathy for their movement, the authors ironically note that their followers never materialize in large numbers. The book peaks with the reoccupation of Wounded Knee that succeeds as a great reminder of the mistreatment Indians in the past and invoking tribal rivalry between the current council President and AIM. In the finale, the authors note the failure of AIM to maintain itself after many of its leaders such as the charismatic Russell Means are put on trial or in some cases put in jail. The authors quote admirers and critics of the movement which is punctuated with the lack of concrete ideas that could translate to realistic acheivable goals and a lack of organization. Overall a very fascinating book that I wish spent more time on the transition of its main leaders to "Reborn Capatalists" (Banks)
and movie Stars (Means - Pochohontas and "the Last of the Mohicans). In addition, I wish the book provided more detail on the desires of reservation Indians, their problems and ideas for positive change. Very unfortunate that Clyde Warrior,one of the main leaders of the 60's rebirthing of an idealistic Indian movement, dies in the late 60's at the youthful age at 29. If he could have maintained his health and vision, his impact on AIM might have led to greater organization and acomplishments.

It was interesting to note that the authors refer to Sitting Bull as a Oglala Sioux when in fact he was a Hunkpapa Sioux (page 190).

Chaos Reigns
I am a grad student who read this book in preparation of a paper on the movement.I did not know my precise focus, but after reading this book I thought my focus should be the disunity of the leadership of AIM.This book presents a leadership that could not seem to come together on a precise mission.The key figures seem well-intentioned but their lack of agreement on direction seemed to tear things apart.

This book has a lot of great information about the leadership and it is a excellent reference for learning about the seizure at Alcatraz, the Native American Embassy and the second seige at Wounded Knee.I think my problem with the book was that I had heard of these events for years and had romanticized them and to read the problems AIM faced internally left me surprised and let down. ... Read more

Product Description
The Hurricane was the RAF's first monoplane fighter and saw significant combat during the fight over France and the Battle of Britain. One of its principal opponents in 1940 was the Bf 110 twin-engined, two-seat heavy fighter. Following the invasion of France, these fighters clashed regularly as the RAF's Hurricanes attacked German bomber formations defended by Bf 110. Although the Hurricane had the upper hand when it came to maneuverability, the Bf 110 outclassed it in terms of fire power, with its mix of machine guns and cannon. This is the story of the dramatic battles in the skies over France and the Channel as Britain desperately tried to hold back the German onslaught from her shores. ... Read more

Product Description
September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history--and Isaac Cline found himself the victim of a devestating personal tragedy.

Using Cline's own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Riveting, powerful, and unbearably suspenseful, Isaac's Storm is the story of what can happen when human arrogance meets the great uncontrollable force of nature.Amazon.com Review
Reading in his signature dispassionate style, narrator EdwardHerrmann brings an eerie calm to this powerful chronicle of thedeadliest storm ever to hit the United States--a huge and terriblydestructive hurricane that struck land near Galveston, Texas inSeptember of 1900. Author Erik Larson re-creates the events leading upto the disaster in astonishing detail, tracing the thoughts andactions of Isaac Cline, a scientist with America's burgeoningU.S. Weather Bureau. Cline's unwavering confidence--"In an age ofscientific certainty one could not allow one's judgment to beclouded..."--blinds the meteorologist to the deadly onslaught about tobe unleashed. Herrmann's calculated performance reflects the impendingdoom and dangers inherent to an unquestioned and absolute faith inscience. (Running time: 5 hours, 3 cassettes) --George Laney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (287)

Chilling and horrifying
I was so anxious to launch into the excitement of the hurricane that I was impatient with the politics of the weather bureau and the "interruption" by the historical facts of weather forecasting.But once the disaster struck and claimed so many lives needlessly, all this information helped to bring out in full disgusting light the crime shared by the weather bureau and Isaac himself.This is a history of weather and an account of a horrific storm that supposedly, according to science, could never happen; but most of all it's an aching expose about the tragic cost of human pride on many levels and its effects on the lives of an unknowing and trusting public.Oh, the folly of man.Have we learned anything?

Reading for 2nd time
This is such a great book that I am reading it for the second time.The book is not only a spellbinding true historical story, but the book's author relates the events in a manner that few authors are able to achieve....he is a really great writer...and I am "taking notes" on his writing style.The 1900 Galveston hurricane was one of the most historic weather events in US history.Add to that the fact that I have spent many vacation hours in Galveston, which makes the story all the more personal to me...I really enjoy this book, and the authors writing style!Highest recommendations...not many that I will reread but this is one.

Fascinating!
I have always been intrigued by the hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900, and thought this book took an interesting angle -- the tragedy told through the life of the man who thought it could not be.This book was an easy and compelling read, artfully weaving together the life of Isaac, the culture and spirit of Galveston at the time, and the nature and destruction of the hurricane that hit the city.It was thrilling, suspenseful, and hardly read like a non-fiction account -- more like a good fiction novel or true crime book.I read the entire book in two days!Great if you want an introduction to the event or if you just want to read about it from a new angle.

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Erik Larson is an incredible writer.The ability to take actual incidents and wrap a secondary story throughout that holds your attention to the very end is a true gift.I hope he continues writing, and quickly, as I finished 3 of his books in 2 weeks!

Larson Is a Master
This is the third Larson book I have read and each has been excellent. Each deals with a scientific advance and rapid changes in America as the 20th century begins.As I read the book I began thinking of how far we have come in understanding weather.I read this book against the background of the New Orleans Super Bowl victory made me think of Katrina.I wondered if we really had improved that much.I have tried to read Brinkley's book on Katrina and will now try again with this book in my mind.in 1900 there was bureaucratic infighting that cost lives.Remind anyone to Katrina.

I have recently read the Big Burn which also deals with a natural disaster during the same period.The stories are strikingly similar. ... Read more

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In 1967, the black boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and a young acquaintance, John Artis, were wrongly convicted of triple murder by an all-white jury in Paterson, New Jersey. Over the next decade, Carter gradually amassed convincing evidence of his innocence and the vocal support of celebrities from Bob Dylan to Muhammad Ali. He was freed in 1976 pending a new trial, but he lost his appeal -- to the amazement of many -- and landed back in prison. Carter, bereft, shunned almost all human contact until he received a letter from Lesra Martin, a teenager raised in a Brooklyn ghetto. Against his bitter instincts, Carter agreed to meet with Martin, thus taking the first step on a tortuous path back to the world. Martin introduced him to an enigmatic group of Canadians who helped wage a successful battle to free him. As Carter orchestrated this effort from his cell, he also embarked on a singular intellectual journey, which led ultimately to a freedom more profound than any that could be granted by a legal authority.Amazon.com Review
Here comes the story of the Hurricane: On June 17, 1966, twomen entered the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, and shot fourpeople, killing three. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a onetime contenderfor the middleweight boxing crown, and John Artis, an acquaintance ofCarter's, were charged with the murders. In a highly publicized andracially loaded trial, the prosecution hinged its case upon theconvoluted and contradictory testimonies of two lifelong criminals,and failed to present any definitive evidence of Carter and Artis'sguilt. Nonetheless, both innocent men were sentenced to life inprison. Hurricane is a detailed, inspiring account of Carter's22-year effort to exonerate himself and regain his freedom.

Carter's saga is rich and complicated, and James Hirsch deservespraise for his balanced treatment. He brings Carter's electrifying andcomplex personality alive without unnecessarily lionizing him,masterfully detailing his transformation from a defiant, intimidatingman known for his dangerous temper and stubborn pride into aenlightened one who defeated despair and unimaginable injustice. Uponincarceration, Carter refused to behave like a guilty man--by defyingthe rules: rejecting prison garb and keeping his jewelry, shunningprison food, and failing to see a parole officer. His defiance earnedhim cruel punishment, but he compelled the rigid, unforgiving systemto come to terms, at least in certain instances.

Though he began an earnest study of the law in order to issue his ownappeals, he could not have won his freedom without the astonishingcollective effort of others. After a 1974 front-page story in TheNew York Times revealed his plight, there followed an outpouringof public support that included celebrity endorsements from, amongmany others, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, and Bob Dylan, whoimmortalized him in the famous song "Hurricane". Though allthe publicity turned Carter into an icon for a time, ultimately it wasthe efforts of a group of enigmatic Canadians and a team of persistentlawyers that helped Carter achieve justice.

He lost his family, his boxing career, and 22 years of his life, yetin the end, he refused to allow bitterness to consume him. When thecharges against him were finally dropped in 1988, he spoke at a pressconference:

If I have learned nothing else in life, I've learned thatbitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. And for me topermit bitterness to control or infect my life in any way whatsoever,would be to allow those who imprisoned me to take even more than thetwenty-two years they've already taken. Now, that would make me anaccomplice to their crime...

Customer Reviews (45)

Watch the movie instead
I really wanted to like this book because I was so intrigued by Rubin Carter's story. Unfortunately, the book was dry and difficult to get into. I think I finally gave up without ever finishing it. If you're interested in the story, watch the movie.

Great story
If one does not have access to a good lawyer: This is what happens. I still can not understand how Mr.Carter found the strength to keep his fight ?!

A fascinating read
I bought this book for my husband after we watched The Hurrican movie. He loved this book from the first page to the last. It is such a compelling true story of the strength of the human spirit.

Engligh 9 review, Ms. Till
This is a good book that has a positive message, but it also exposes some of the evils in human nature.Two men, Rubin Carter and John Artis, are convicted of murders they didn't commit and are sentenced to life in prison.This story shoes the struggles that Carter goes through in prison and it is only his knowledge that he is innocent that gets him through it.He changes from an angry and confrontational person into someone wiser with a better understanding of his role in the world.Carter's story is an excellent example of determination and perseverance.

My Journey to Rubin
I loved this book almost as much as I loved the movie.For me it was one more step to tracking down the man, the legend.This is a wonderful book for anyone to read, from juveniles through senior citizens.The justice that eventually prevailed is of the feel good sort.It was such an incredible coming together of so many elements.I think that it should be included on recommended booklists in middle and elementary schools. ... Read more

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"Brings history to life in a book as readable as any novel." --Good Old Boat

On Friday, November 7, 1913, after four days of winds up to 90 miles an hour, whiteout blizzard conditions, and mountainous seas, 19 ships had been lost on the great-lakes, 238 sailors were dead, and Cleveland was confronting the worst natural disaster in its history.

David G. Brown combines narrative intensity with factual depth to re-create the "perfect storm" that struck America's heartland. Brown has created a vast epic ranging over Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie and echoing down the decades.

Customer Reviews (21)

Very good book.
I was very pleased with this book: the content, time it took to arrive, the condition it was in, price. I would not hesitate to purchase from this seller again. Thank you.

Great, unexpected book!
I love historical books about a crisis.This is my favorite genre.I have been disappointed by a few purchases due to the poor writing and lack of details that make these stories relevant.Not with this book!I compare this one very favorably to the somewhat ficionalized, "Isaac's Storm".It was as good a read as that book and I picked it up on the disount books table at Barnes and Noble for the amazing price of $1.80 for the hard-back version!

I heartily recommend it to anyone wanting a non-fiction, exciting book!

Not a "Perfect" Storm
A good book, but frustrating because it could have been so much better.

Things that would have made it better:

1.More pictures.

2.More maps.Specifically, charts in smaller scale to show why the boats were maneuvering as they were.And modern weather maps.The author makes a big deal about using modern weather reporting techniques to explain this event; modern weather maps shwoing what he was talking about would have been helpful.

3.Drawings/diagrams would have been very useful to detail ship conditions/damage.

4.Lose the Cleveland chapter.At the height of the storm action, we get an entire chapter that details how the storm affected Cleveland.Interesting stuff, but not what the book is really about.

5.Be the historian.Again and again the author comes up with Great Lakes "Lore and Legend" not fitting in with historical fact.And again and again he keeps trying to split the difference and explain it away -- he wants the lure of legend even if the history won't back it up.

6.Rethink the whole chronologial approach.So many ships in so many different places; it's really hard to figure out who's who lots of the time.

7.Another re-write.The first 50 pages are super.They really drag you in.But the prose slips, and by the time the storm is over, the final 50 pahes are a real rough read.

Worth buying twice
I had actually started reading this book and left it on an airplane.I found the story so captivating that I had to buy it again.The author took a now obscure storm and made it urgent for a modern reader. The book's style (episodic entries regarding particular ships at particular parts of the storm) really makes you crave more.This was a really enjoyable book.

Mostly unknown storm of 1913 brought alive.
As a resident of the Lake Superior port of Duluth, I have had a passing interest in the storms and shipwrecks of the Great Lakes.Somehow, I was unaware of the 1913 storm so eloquently described by David Brown in the White Hurricane.This very well-written and documented book brought me back to that time and helped me understand the enormity of the multiple tragedies that occurred during that November storm.White Hurricane also put into perspective how crude weather forecasting (by current standards) and the lack of modern technology, such as radar and radio communications, made sailing the Great Lakes in 1913 even more of a challenge than it is today.The book is a great read and is hard to set aside. I highly recommend this book!
... Read more

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When Miles’s mother remarries, Miles decides to move to New Orleans to be with his father. But he and his father are very different—Miles’s dad lives for jazz, while Miles’s first love is football. Then Hurricane Katrina hits, and the two must seek refuge in the Superdome. What would normally be a dream come true for a football fan, this safe haven turns into a nightmare when the power fails and gangs take over. And when his father decides to rebel, Miles must make a choice that will alter their relationship— and their lives—forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Gold Star Award Winner!

Miles has been living in Chicago with his mother and has recently moved to New Orleans to live with his father. His father left the family years ago to play jazz music. Miles knows that his father's life is his music, but when his mother remarried and the family in Chicago increased by three kids, he knew he had no choice. Taking a chance on his father seemed like the only way to go.

So far, the two months father and son have spent together haven't been all that great. Miles is looking forward to playing football and maybe even making the varsity team at his new school. Unfortunately, he knows he probably won't see his dad at any of his games. His dad can't even remember that it's football Miles plays and not basketball.

When news that a huge hurricane is heading toward New Orleans reaches them, Miles, his father, and his uncle pile into the car with the idea of heading toward Baton Rouge and higher ground. The traffic is terrible, and the car soon overheats, leaving them stranded on the highway. As the storm gets closer, their only option is to follow the rest of the evacuees to the shelter at the Superdome.

In the several days Miles and his family spend at the Superdome, the storm batters the exterior of the massive building while the interior suffers from a "storm" of its own. When tired, frightened people are crowded into a facility not equipped to handle the situation, there are bound to be problems. In those few days, Miles experiences horribly unsanitary conditions, watches as thugs threaten, beat, and steal from innocent people, and sees death and suffering no person should ever have to witness.

Most of us watched the drama of Katrina unfold on our TVs, but Miles's experience brings us the reality of the actual storm and those first days afterward. Sadly, many are still suffering and trying to recover years later. Everyone should read this book as a reminder that our country reacted poorly in the early stages of the disaster, and even at this late date, not enough has been done to help rebuild the lives of so many.

Reviewed by:Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Adults and teens alike
Hurricane Song is a story about a father and son in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.I picked this up off the new books display at the local library and wow.This is a difficult book to read, but one that I imagine will become more popular as we move on from Hurricane Katrina.

Miles is living with his dad, a jazz musician, in New Orleans when Katrina hits.They evacuate to the Superdome when their car breaks down on the freeway out of town.Their experiences in the Superdome are absolutely horrific.I found myself having to put the book down sometimes because it was so difficult to read.Powerful and important, I can see this becoming a part of high school or college reading in the future, when the pain from Katrina isn't so fresh.

Be aware, this is not a middle grades book.It is definitely YA, due to language and the things that Miles and his family experience.I would even recommend this to adults, due to the power of Volponi's descriptions of this national, natural disaster.

Hurricane Song with get into your soul
The Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi.Hurricane Song is a novel about a boy and his father and the hell they went through during Hurricane Katrina. The author was eerily accurate and had to have researched well because this story, while a work of fiction, could very well be true.

A chilling novel about a horrible chapter in our history
Once again Mr. Volponi creates a fast paced story that will engage readers.

Miles cannot stand living with his mother and his new stepfather. The apartment is too cramped, there are too many kids, and Miles has to escape. His mother finally allows him to move in with his father, a man he hasn't seen for most of his life. Miles is only in New Orleans for a few days when Hurricane Katrina hits.

The reader is given a vivid and often painful narrative of what life was like in the Superdome. We see these events through Miles' eyes. He is a frightened, confused young man who struggles to understand the inhumanity that is taking place around him. As always, Mr. Volponi does not shrink away from uncomfortable situations and paints a very realistic vision of what happened during those horrible days inside and outside the Superdome.

This is a very powerful book about a sad chapter in our country's history.

Drops you into the eye of the storm
Hurricane Song vividly drops you in the eye of the chaos that followed-- the nightmarish days and nights we all heard about inside the Superdome.
17-year-old Miles is sent to live with his Jazz musician father in N.O.He has been estranged from his father for most of his life but Miles is yearning to connect with the old man. Unfortunately, Katrina bears down on them a few days after he gets there and they find themselves stranded trying to escape the city. They end up at the Superdome and what follows is all the more harrowing because we know it's based on facts. Volponi puts you right into the stiffling heat and Lord of the Flies madness that took over the city. Like New Orleans, their relationship is severely tested, falls apart but somehow rises from the ashes like the music that beats in the heart of the city. This is a vivid, compelling read, ripe for any teen, but especially for boys. A must read and a true experience that needs to be remembered. Check it out! ... Read more

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