I've been part of Betsy and Tacy's world since I was about six years old and just discovering Deep Valley. I've read all the books several times since then, and when it comes time to take them back to my tiny local library, I actually feel like I'm losing a friend! Betsy, Tacy, Tib, Carney, Bonnie, Tony, Cab, Winona, and the rest of the Crowd are all part of my life, it seems. . .and don't even start me on Joe!

I've acquired the first four books in the series, and I'm now on a hunt for older versions of the high school books. I simply can't let go of the Deep Valley Crowd!

(Oh, and it may be just me, but was anyone else unbearably sad when the Ray family moved to Minneapolis?)

This is a wonderful series of books, which I prefer to return to than the "Little House" series. I was introduced to these rather late (hey, I wasn't alive in the 50s, okay?) I find them charming and timeless. Even though the skirts are ankle-length, the boys don't swear, and Daddy doesn't get any mouthing off from the kids, the people in it seem modern in their feelings. And it takes a darn talented writer to have various girls patting on beauty products and not make them look vain...

We follow teenage Betsy, along with best friend Tacy, through the tangle of young adult life. Accompanying them are Betsy's sister the budding singer Julia, her warm and kind parents, and a new character: the Ray family cook. Amid the flurry of friendships and incidents therein, Betsy is courted (courted, not dated. It meant walking her to school) by at least two boys -- Joe and Tony; she is also competing against Tony in an essay competition.

Though many of the events in the book are fairly lighthearted, there are also serious topics. Among them is the growing attraction of the Episcopalian church for Julia and Betsy, who are Baptists. The question of how they can tell their father of their wishes was a very mature and intriguing plot device, and I was genuinely relieved at the conclusion of it.

Despite the various "edgy" books put out now, this is a book that is far more appealing -- sweet and bright, but never sugary or sentimental. The writing style is surprisingly modern and descriptive, without overdoing anything. The speech patterns are GREAT.

This book falls into the same category as "Meet Me In St. Louis," a nice world with nice people. Mr. and Mrs. Ray are wise and kindly -- not just to their kids, but all kids. Betsy is a great character, strong and independent and remarkably free in her thinking, considering these events took place near the turn of the century.

Be sure to read this book! (And all of Lovelace's books...)

"Heaven To Betsy", is the best book in the Betsy-Tacy series that I've read so far. It makes you wish that you could go to Deep Valley High yourself! I CAN'T WAIT to read the other Betsy-Tacy books as Betsy grows up.

After reading many individual POW memoirs and similar material, it was immediately evident to me that Honor Bound is the premier and defining work on American POW's in Vietnam. For its sheer scope and immensity, this is the best reference material ever composed on this subject.

Beginning with history of French occupation in Vietnam and the follow on role of United States involvement, an intimate portrayal is drawn of every aspect of captivity faced by U.S. personnel. In minute detail, Northern and Southern Vietnamese POW camps are put under the microscope revealing the harrowing physical and psychological experiences that affected U.S. servicemen in appalling conditions which equated to a daily battle for survival. Also examined is the known information on captivity in Laos which continues to be controversial even today due to the unknown fates of many Americans still missing in that country.

Complimenting the brilliant narrative which leaves nothing to the imagination, Honor Bound contains dozens of excellent photographs, prison maps, generous footnotes, and several appendixes containing Vietnam war data and prisoner information. This book is a lasting tribute to patriots, heroes, and even legends who gave and maintained their very best in continual times of the absolute worst. I highly recommend Honor Bound to everyone interested in accounts of POW captivity. A superb, powerful, and very satisfying reading experience.

Thank you to Stuart Rochester and Frederick Kiley, for an unbelievable account of the POW's that served in Viet Nam. This is not an easy book to read, but it is a page-turner. As an American, I am overwhelmed by the sacrafice extended for the freedom I enjoy. My praise for the written words and for the service to our country so clearly evident in this riveting book. G.K. Smith Cape Cod USA

A brilliant, highly accessible account of the history of the POWs in Southeast Asia. The text is very readable and concisely written. The photographs alone speak volumes and the maps provide a nice illustrative point of reference.

Before you read any other POW-related book, take the time to read "Honor Bound" cover to cover. Not only will you feel you are getting to know these men - heroes all - personally, you will gain a brutally clear perception of the conditions these men were forced to endure and the way they managed to maintain their honor and dignity in the face of such terrible adversity. The human element is very strong.

This is not, mind you, a book for the weak-stomached. The book is unflinching in its cataloging of the various tortures the POWs underwent, the often rancid food they were forced to subsist on, and the day to day challenges their captors and the climate inflicted upon them.

Surprisingly, however, while the reader is horrified, he or she will leave the book strangely uplifted. It reaffirms one's faith in the human spirit and humanity in general.

First of all, I'll concede that it's tough to find someone who argues better for libertarianism in practical, understandable terms than Mary Ruark. Moreover, her book's a very simple read and paints vivid examples of what a libertarian world *might* look like.

But this brings me to my first minor critique. Ruark provides examples of the way a free nation might run, but she elaborates on them in such detail that one begins to get the impression that she's arguing for the examples themselves. When she discusses a system of free-market private schooling, she describes the schools she envisions in intricate detail, and they don't remotely resemble what I think schooling in a libertarian country would look like. Now - Presuming I weren't a libertarian and even slightly objected to the school system she describes, I might simply reject all her ideas based on my objections to her illustrations of them.

Secondly, I just disagree with Ruark's anarcho-capitalistic version of libertarianism. I really am - as some libertarians would say - myopic enough to believe that we need government to provide public goods (I'm talking about the real ones like defense, police protection, and criminal justice). And call me a statist, but I think we'd have to fund these government activities with taxes. Of some kind. Somehow. Of the unvoluntary sort. With - yes - government force to ensure compliance.

Otherwise, though, this book should make an interesting read for libertarians and non.

I love this book. Really.

Dr. Ruwart's political philosophy's foundation is about non-aggression. This is nothing new in the libertarian creed, and the difference is that instead of concentrating on arguments of property rights, she really drives home with the non-aggression principle. She avers that by using aggression (i.e. force) to solve our problems, we end up only worsening our lives. We create a world of zero-sum games instead of a system that respects individual choices so long as they do not harm our person or property.

What also makes this book a pleasure to read is that it its tone is very friendly and accommodating. Many people (rightly) expect books on political philosophy to be badgering or aggressively written, so I like that Dr. Ruwart ditched the popular approach. Plus, her compassionate way of writing makes it difficult to call her a bloodthirsty free-market fan -- she does care about matters like helping the poor and making healthcare accessible.

Every issue she looks at shows the failures of aggression (i.e. government) to be effective, and conversely non-aggression (i.e. voluntary, private cooperation) has been more successful. Healthcare intervention? It's aggression, and it's bad for our health (and our wallet). The Federal Reserve? Central banking is aggression that monopolizes the money supply and creates the "boom & bust" cycle. The public school system? It might be obvious that the Department of Education doesn't actually educate anyone, but the whole setup is aggressive too, and children suffer because of it.

The principle of non-aggression is also applied to pollution, crime & punishment, the FDA, gun ownership, and -- the one especially important these days -- foreign policy. Non-aggression wins every time, and very few issues go untouched.

A cool touch to Dr. Ruwart's book is that she puts tons of great, great quotes in the margins, which work wonderfully with the topic at hand. One of my favorites comes from the first chapter (about the basis of non-aggression): "...we are living in a sick Society filled with people who would not directly steal from their neighbor but who are willing to demand that the government do it for them," says William L. Comer. That's classic! There's a lot of great ones, many of which I didn't recognize.

Please, read this book. This is a world where governments keep getting bigger, and that will always mean more aggression as the State invades more aspects of our lives. Know what's scary? In Chapter 19, "The Communist Threat Is All In Our Minds", Ruwart shows that the United States has implemented eight of ten policies The Communist Manifesto declared necessary for a transition into socialism. Darn. So, getting the word out on liberty is always a good thing. Please see Scott Ryan's excellent review of this book too.

Her premise isn't that hard to understand; when the government
takes (even if they call it taxation) it's stealing, so someone wins and someone loses. Essentially, in all coercion someone wins and someone loses. In voluntary exchange--the free market--it's win-win. Ruwart has a casual, easy-to-understand style. The title isn't an exaggeration; the world would be close to healed if everyone would follow two simple and ancient laws: "Do not steal" and "Do not murder."

Great book to read to your kids. I did a little editing as I was reading it aloud (my kids are 7 and 8 years old). We picked up maps from our automobile association and traced their journey from start to finish. My kids learned about human behavior, predjudice, generosity to strangers and geography! Well, we're off on a bike ride!

The story of two married teachers shepherding five 12-13 year old kids across country on bikes, I thought this was a really fun book to read. I couldn't help wishing I could have been one of those kids. What an education - what a way to see the country. Any story that features a bunch of kids probably has to be a bit schmaltzy, but the author keeps it to a minimum and the book moves along well, and I was sorry to see the last page. There's enough biking to keep this from being a travelogue, and enough humility on the part of the author to keep it from being just his story. I wonder what those kids think of their adventure now.

Every so often you read a book so surprisingly good, and which etches itself so indelibly in your mind, that you want to share it with everyone you know. Hey Mom is that book for me.

I came to this book looking for inspiration. Fifteen years (and two children) after my last bicycle tour, I needed something to restir and restore my travel spirit. Little did I know how much MORE than a simple travel book Hey Mom would be. It's a story of bonding into a family, of courage and guts, of growing up and of reaching arms out to hug our country. It's a supreme adventure, built mile by mile with stories of an America few of us ever experience first hand. It's a book with true soul and terrific characterizations of kids you can only grow to love. You'll be startled when, all of a sudden, you just CAN'T put this book down. When finished, you'll be in awe of how John Seigel-Boettner made a simple story about kids on bikes into a classic you'll remember forever.

I do not remember seeing the entire length of Dr. King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial nearly forty years ago. As I was preparing to speak to a group of high schools students in a program titled AVID --- Advancement Via Individual Determination --- I was excited by the thought of seeing Dr. King's speech. What better example of a leader with an inspiring vision for the future? What better example of someone who put their skills and experience to their highest and best use to fulfill their dream? What better example of someone who gave their life to something of value and significance?

Dr. King did not disappoint me. As I strained to pick out his figure --- nearly lost in a sea of over 300,000 faces crowded beneath the Lincoln Memorial --- I heard the voice that stirred souls to action in tumultuous times. I heard the cadence, rhythm, and volume of it. I heard the phrases rising and falling like waves crashing on the shore. I felt a lump in my throat as I considered the power and importance of the message.

And I wondered if we are already too far removed from this message. Nearly two generations hence, are we closer to Dr. King's dream? Does today's generation understand the price paid for its freedom? Are we cultivating leaders who will rise to the needs of tomorrow? Leaders of character, integrity, vision, action, teamwork, and service? This was the example and spirit I sought to inspire those students.

I was, however, disappointed by the quality and integrity of the video. I was at first surprised to hear Peter Jennings of ABC News narrating the video. As I watched, it became clear the content of the video was an excerpt from a narrative on the life of Dr. King, yet I could find no credit to Mr. Jennings, ABC News, or other source material. It ended abruptly as if it had been hastily or carelessly editted. I found this distracting and disappointing.

If I had an opportunity to select an alternative source for Dr. King's speech, I would select a better one.

The beautiful illustrations show Dr. King's speech as a dream that is achievable. The image of prayer winning over violence is so powerful that it gives inspiration and hope. The Table of Brotherhood need not be a fantasy, but already is becoming a reality in many parts of the country, as Race Unity Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of June. Share this book with everyone you know who understands what it is to be a member of our HUMAN race, and share the hope. Take it to school, take it to wherever you worship, take it to work... Then take some action to make the dream become a reality!

This book is a beautiful piece of literature. It is pictorial representation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. All of the illustrators are winners of the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration. It is a great teaching tool for elementary children to be introduced to MLK and civil rights. I also read to my high school students and they love it too.

If you are a fan of the Lone Ranger, movie serials and/or Clayton Moore, this is a must read. Moore is quite possibly the only movie serial star alive today. He provides a wealth of inside information on how they were made. His insights into the production of the Lone Ranger series is also quite facinating. His feelings on portraying the Lone Ranger come across as sincere and genuine. He also seems to be a very pleasant person and a real pro. However, what keeps the book out of the five star rating are a few details that he skips over. For example, he glossed over why he was replaced by John Hart in the role of the Ranger for a year. I think there is more to the story. Moore also describes his longstanding friendship with Tom Neal. I would have been interested to learn about Moore's feelings about the murder that Neal committed in the late 60's. Maybe that kind of sordidness doesn't belong in a upbeat and positive book like this. All in all, a great book that must be read by Lone Ranger and serial fans everywhere.

Massive doses of nostalgia are guaranteed upon reading this book. Clayton Moore takes us on a ride to the thrilling days of yesteryear in a very pleasant account of his days as The Lone Ranger with many anecdotes and behind the scenes stuff. The book not only covers the TV series, but life after the series making personal appearances and continuing with the tradition of living up to the high standards set by Moore's masked alter ego. Of special interest is the part where Moore talks about his feelings with the movie The Legend of The Lone Ranger and the period of time when he was forbidden to wear his mask in public. Highly recommended to all fans of The Lone Ranger.

Clayton Moore's book is a treat for aging baby-boomers who still return to those thrilling days of yesteryear. Even with his respectable work product as a B movie actor in the '40s, Moore ("Jack" to insiders) was relatively unknown when he first appeared as The Lone Ranger in TV's version of the classic radio series. The best parts of the book are the behind the scene details of the famous TV show. Moore recalls his friendship with Jay Silverheels, a full-blooded Mohawk whose real name was Harold J. Smith. Tonto's dialogue both annoyed and amused Silverheels. Silverheels joked about it with Moore, but he also worked to improve the film image of Native Americans. Two horses portrayed Silver. We also learn the story of Lone Ranger Rock, featured in the opening sequence of the show. For decades, Moore made personal appearances in character. Wherever he traveled, everybody loved him for what he meant to Western folklore and us. He was careful to preserve the integrity of the image in his private life. In a conspicuous public relations blunder, The Wrather Corporation, because of a new movie (circa, 1980), took Moore to court to prohibit him from wearing the mask in public. Loyal fans united in protest and stayed away from the box office in droves. After the film flopped, Moore got the mask back. Moore says he knew there was a private person besides the public image, and that he was careful to keep the two identities separate. Regardless, Clayton Moore was that masked man. Recommended reading for nostalgia buffs and generations of loyal Lone Ranger fans. ;-)

Those who decry the current state of judicial affairs in this country will be interested to learn that our modern court system has changed very little since its inception back in the 18th Century. This, along with many other scholarly insights, is the compelling undercurrent running through Jean Edward Smith's John Marshall: Definer of a Nation.

Smith, no stranger to scholarship himself, guides the reader in painstaking detail through the rise of one of the most renoun jurists of early American history, John Marshall. Marshall, who served his country first as a soldier under General George Washington and later as the first truly influential chief justice of the Supreme Court, is a figure ripe for investigation at this particularly legal-oriented period in our history. For it was Marshall who, in his landmark decision, Marbury v. Madison, first gave rise to the notion of judicial review, the concept that suggests that the Supreme Court indeed has final say over the constitutionality of a given state action.

What is fascinating about Marshall's life is how bitterly he had to fight to establish what we today take for granted, the Court's supreme authority. Marshall's relentless pursuit of a powerful judiciary was often at odds with the vision of his fellow founding father, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson, who pushed for a small, decentralized federal government in a largely agrarian America, was constanly at odds with Marshall, and the tale of their stormy political battles resonates throughout the pages of Smith's biography.

Of course, the philosophical musings and feindishly political battles of our founding fathers may not make for interesting reading for everyone. Smith's book is chock full of obscure anectdotes and oftentimes difficult-to-get-through detail. All the same, the interested reader seeking to understand just how our current court system got to be this way can do worse than pick up Smith's tome for some insight. For, in the end, the battles fought between America's early political titans bear a strong correlation to -- and perhaps even explain -- blips on the judicial radar screen now called things like "O.J."

The author acknowledges up front that the book has little to say that is critical of the great Chief Justice. Nevertheless, the author presents a balanced view of the man and his times. As befits one of the greatest writers in legal history, Smith's prose is clear, precise and entertaining. Given Marshall's long tenure on the Court and his many accomplishments and associations with great historical figures, this book should be of interest to anyone with a serious interest in American History. One is left with the strong impression that Marshall's role in shaping the government has not been fully appreciated.

John Marshall defined American law, politics and power. This book paints a vivid picture of who Marshall was, and why he is still important today. The author does an excellent job stating the facts and letting the reader decide for her/himself whether or not Marshall did the right or wrong in the very important decisions he made. This book is enlightening and well written. Marshall's life is wonderfully told through the authors use of clear and concise writing. This book is excellent. It clarifies many misconceptions of this great man who came out of a generation that claims many great men. Marshall may be the least understood of them all, but he certainly is no less important than any of his contemporaries in forming and defining the United States of America.

Khrushchev: The Man and His Era is a big, engaging book about a political giant, and author William Taubman has skillfully painted his life on a large historical canvas. Khrushchev emerges in vivid, engaging prose as an intriguing and commanding historical figure whose life affords us an insider's view of the inner workings and evolution of the Soviet political system, from its founding to its demise. MJS TU

When I got done reading this wonderful book, I felt as if I had been at Khrushchev's side throughout his entire life. The book goes into great detail about this man. In addition, it uncovers and debunks some of the myths of Khrushchev. For example, Taubmam debunks the myth that when the decision was made to place missiles in Cuba, it was a decision that the entire Soviet leadership embraced 100%. However, Taubman points out (and proves) that it was Khrushchev that was really the only big driving force behind the idea. I could go into a plethora of other details like that, but that would ruin the fun of the book. In my college class, we were discussing the Cuban Missile Crisis, a student asked how the Soviets were reacting behind the scenes and what lead to their decision. The Prof (a Ph.D holder of over 25 years)really wasn't sure the details of the nuclear standoff on the Soviet side. However, after finishing Taubman's book a couple of days before, I was able to explain exactly what happened. After that, the Prof asked me to stay after class and asked me to Xerox the Cuban Missile Crisis part of the book so he could know what really happened! If a person is interested in the Soviet Union, Khrushchev himself, or the "behind the scenes" of the Soviet Iron Curtain during the Cuban Missile Crisis, pick up this book. It will be a great learning experience .

Professor Taubman has written the difinitive work on Khrushchev for years to come. From his work as a child in the Ukraine to his death in 1971, Khrushchev has been given his due credit in this book. Taubman has done well including every important event and decision throughout Khrushchev's life. His work in the Ukraine as party boss and then as political commissar for the Red Army, his consolidation of power and the destalinization campaign that many will remember him by are all here. As a student of Soviet history, I can say that Taubman's book is a great resource to anyone, no matter what level of knowledge on the subject.

This book totally captivated me. I was familiar with most of the areas traveled and found him to be right on target with his descriptions. I love Baja and enjoyed learning the experiences he encountered and how he tackled all the many hardships he faced.

Travel books about daring trips to places filled with hardships erupt like volcanic ash from the "featured on sale" sections of bookstores. Authors fill the shelves, as they have for a dozen decades, with endless sagas of how they climbed-a-mountain-and-everybody-died, why they sailed-the-Pacific-in-a-sea-of-storms, and even all-the-good-reasons-why-people-should-not-do-the-dangerous-pastime-the-author-does.

"Into a Desert Place" features many of the hallmarks of this unfortunate genre of "we nearly died" non-fiction. Baja California's alien landscapes, spiked with impassable mountains, rattlesnakes and boojum trees, certainly qualifies in many regions as a "need a sense of high adventure and a contempt for danger to tour there" area. Yet, "Into a Desert Place" does not repel in the way that "body count on Mount Everest" books can. On the contrary, this book simply charms. "Into a Desert Place" is a complete revelation--an accessible, winning account of how adverse conditions can be met by those most basic values--determination, a good attitude and, indeed, a good heart.

Mr. Mackintosh manages to convey the hardships of the trip, the kindness of most of the people he met along the way, and his own struggles to complete his quest, all without undue sentimentality or boastfulness. The book has a folksy, simple feel about it, but it is anything but a simple book. Instead of the usual travel book conceits based on machismo or "sheer pluck", we see Baja through the eyes of Everyman. We need more books like "Into a Desert Place" and fewer books about how many innocent tourists drowned at sea. We all belong in the desert place to which this book removes us. After reading this book, the reader may not wish to walk around Baja, but the reader might well wish to find that place of quiet, and think a bit.

I bought this book years ago, after reading a typewritten review in one of those "Doomsday Is Comming--Soon!" 'zines. Most of the books reviewed in it were those grim tomes about how to survive by eating nuts and berries after The Big One gets dropped and wipes out 50% of our population. Mr. McKintosh's book proved to be a pleasant suprise--a well- written account, an out-and-out adventure, a walk across the remote desert of Lower California on a shoestring budget.

When he got the idea to actually Do It, McKinstosh was slightly pudgy Scottish college professor whose main exercise seemed to have been lifting a bottle of beer to his lips while he watched football (that's soccer to us Yanks) on the telly. By the time he completed his several month journey, he was lean and sun-baked, the antithesis of his former couch potato self.

In the process, I'd say Mr. McKintosh grew, and actually "found the handle". He figured out what he was about, and what he wanted to do with his life.

For me, some of the most enjoyable parts were those describing how he begged equipment from manufacturers and outfitters, and how he raised funding along the way by writing accounts that he posted to newspapers and magazines.

Of course, there's The Adventure itself, including an amusing account of how he got sloshed from booze he obtained from gathering whiskey bottles that had washed ashore after being thrown overboard from cruise ships. (He sagely notes that staggering around in the boonies at night is risky business.)

Along the way, McKintosh gets befriended by all sorts of interesting, impoverished, and invariably generous folk. Those accounts have a Beginner's Mind freshness to them as well.

Since his original trek, McKinstosh has acquired a modicum of fame. He lectures and writes for the Baja Travel Club, and has since written another book about a second journey with a burro for company. That's a nice piece as well, but I prefer the freshness that only comes from seeing things for the first time.

I'm an old Baja hand myself, and over the years, I've collected a lot of books about Lower California. This one ranks at the very top.

So buy it, read it, and enjoy the photographs. I'm sure you'll find the money well spent.

Certainly we all commend Billy Bean on the stand he's taken and the role model he plays for all of us and for closeted professionals around the world. His story is much like the story of coming out late that many of us share. I was hoping to learn in more detail the unique angle in his experience he could share - that of a professional athlete and deeper insights into how gays move forward as professional athletes and as professionals in general. Four fifths of the book recounts his story of growing up, playing baseball, his thoughts when realizing his sexual orientation. The last part of the book is, by far, the most revealing and insightful of individuals from his past and their perspective on homosexuality in baseball and professional sports. More of that would have made the book completely worthwhile.

In the end, though, I still like the book and the effort Billy Bean took to write it and share his thoughts. (I read the book in one sitting, so it's a good read). Billy Bean still has more to tell.

At its inception, "Going the Other Way ..." could easily have been little more than a professional athlete's bio of protecting his homosexuality in what remains one of the sexuality's near-hallowed taboo, and even going that far would be courageous. But ex-baseball player Billy Bean takes his private story further by not only coming out publicly but by submitting the subtle question if sexual orientation really has anything to do with a person's worth as a family member, friend and working in whatever profession. In doing so, Bean's story is a lesson not only in coming to terms privately but also in being accepted by rendering impotent the social tendency to over-use labels like straight, gay and bi. Until Bean made good his dream to play major league baseball, his story was essentially non-descript: a loving family supporting his athletic ambition, a straight A student, girlfriends, marriage to a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Bean's "wholesome" story becomes unique only when he actually makes the big leagues but has to stay in his closet to avoid the potential multi-dimensional issues associated with coming out. Remarkably, Bean's is both a baseball and coming-to-terms book, and he manages further to posit the thought that sexual orientation may actually have little to nothing to do with any person's total worth. Bean also goes into some detail about his gay sexual experiences and concludes he was bassically "lucky" to have dodged the fatal bullet of AIDS. Still, that portion of his narrative poses the thought that public discussion about homosexuality and AIDS, even by the anti-gay faction, may actually be productive in blunting activity that risks the disease. In the end, though, Bean's story is an important contribution in learning to accept oneself and by doing it in such a way to be accepted in general with little to no qualification of sexual orientation being a factor. Beyond that, Bean's story is a one of courage and unshakeable faith in his own worth as a human being, and it and he are the stuff role models are made of.

This book is a simple masterpiece. It is far from being just a book about baseball, however, if you are a baseball fan this is a must read. It is a look inside the game of baseball that I guarantee has never been told. Billy Bean was the All-American boy. Great athlete, straight "A" student, you couldn't even make up a character that more closely fit the description. Living out his childhood dreams of playing major league baseball, even playing with players he grew up idolizing. Marrying the perfect girl from a well to do family, he had it all. Or at least what many would consider all. How Billy Bean managed to keep his secret from everyone including friends and family while dealing with the pressures of competing at the major league level is hard to imagine. Especially when you factor in his fear of what would happen is his secret was found out while he was still playing. What would the teammates and management think? How would the fans react? I can tell you no matter how open minded even the majority of fans might be, it would have been ugly. Every game on the road and even at home they would take any opportunity to scream out insults and be especially unforgiving when he failed to come through with a big hit or defensive play.

This book will challenge you to come to terms with how you feel about someone's sexual orientation. It is obvious from the years he had to keep this a secret that there are still too many people who are not ready to accept it.

This is a great story, and this book will be talked about for years to come. I highly recommend it.