This is a wonderful biography on Melissa Etheridge. I have followed Melissa's carreer for quite a number of years now and still found a ton of information in this book that I never knew. It is extremely well-written and obviously well-researched. And the pictures are just stupendous. A real MUST for even the most casual Melissa fan!

Melissa has always been a favorite artist of mine since my girlfriend and I found a tape of hers on the dollar rack in a Walgreens in CA. We discovered that she had more than one tape, and we immediately went to find the others. Everything us nosy fans wants to know is in this book. That and more! I would most definitly encourage and Melissa fan to read this book and to buy a copy to add to your personal library. It is a must have info book!!!

This is the most informative and entertaining book about Melissa Etheridge. The book is well written, well organized and has some detailed information on how each CD was made and what the stories were behind them. It's the only book about Melissa Etheridge you will ever need.

"Montana: Behind the Scenes" has already found its place among my most treasured reads, and I haven't even finished reading the thing yet. I've read slightly beyond the first couple of chapters but felt the need to put in my two cents' worth about this delightful paperback even before I got past the Gumbo chapter (more on Gumbo later). I was captured first by the witty cover, and soon found myself going way beyond the posted speed limit just to get to the Gumbo. What is this Montanan-style Gumbo, you ask? It's not what you think. It's even better. Rest assured, you'll want more Gumbo than this brief chapter provides, but it'll whet your appetite for more Montana, Durrae-and-John-Johanek style. You don't have to live in Montana to appreciate this book, but reading it will make you want to put THIS trip on your travel planner. The sooner the better.

The Johanek's have gone beyond your basic travel book and made it personal. Their writing style is refreshingly witty and enthusiastic. I can tell they really enjoyed writing this book. It made me want to travel to Montana and visit the places, as well as the people that they wrote about. If you haven't thought about visiting Montana before, I guarantee you will after reading their book.

Montana Behind The Scenes is an outstanding book. If you havn't been, you will want to go, If you have been you will go again after reading this book. The book is delightful and fun reading and is superbly written. I plan on getting my pickup truck gased up and ready to go.

Gillian Segal captures the essence of New York City with her fine photography and wonderfully entertaining vinettes on each person. If you are a New Yorker or yearn to be one you'll really love how this book introduces you to some of it's characters.

If you admire great photography and exquisite prose and feel the slightest attachment (or wish you did) to New York, then Gillian Segal's book is for you. I moved from New York a little over ten years ago and was determined to keep in touch with the city I love. However, it was only a matter of time before I lost touch with what really made New York special: the people's unique personalities. Gillian's book has allowed me to reestablish contact with the city that I still like to call home. Now, when my colleagues in Providence ask me what to do in New York, I no longer provide them with a mundane and outdated list of restaurants and sites. Instead, I refer them to Mrs. Segal's book. I inform them that in its pages is where they can find the real New York. Everything from great food, The Egg Cake Lady, to a wonderful opera on 57th street, performed by Opera Man, to a great jogging partner, the Mayor of the Reservoir (he is featured on the cover) can be found in "New York Characters".

This book should appear along with Giuliani and Pataki in the promotional campaigns to bring people back to New York City. The author has obviously captured the flavor of what makes New York City so special. The range of interesting and vibrant characters is displayed with affection and amusement. She has unearthed some real treasures. A light and enjoyable portrait that arrives at a perfect time . . .

Jeffrey Thompson's bold illustrations capture the drama, the urgency of that midnight ride on the eighteenth of April, 1775. The somber quality of Longfellow's poem is reflected in Thompson's use of muted backgrounds, contrasted with powerful black, stark white and red accents. The three-dimmensional quality of certain illustrations is reminiscent of primitive wood carvings. The design of the text pages is effective, with ample white space and an authentic, colonial appearance. Close attention to the details of the poem and time period are apparent. The historical endnote includes a map and informs the reader that Paul Revere was captured before completing his ride to Concord. He was released but sent on his way without his horse. Jeffrey Thompson has contributed his own style to Longfellows poem, in stark contrast to Ted Rand's softer, more classical paintings in his book Paul Revere's Ride. (Dutton, 1990) This is Thompson's first book - an impressive beginning.

Another Revolutionary War rider for freedom was Sybil Ludington. Read about her adventures in Sybil's Night Ride, written and illustrated by Karen B. Winnick. (Boyd's Mill Press, 2000.)

As a middle school English/Social Studies teacher, I require my students to memorize The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I was interested in how Christopher Bing had interpreted this most famous poem by Longfellow. I must say that I was stunned by his artistic rendering of the different parts of the poem. Most unique of all was the three dimensional letter attached to the flyleaf which was written by Thomas Gage, the British commander. This letter, sent to Lt. Col. Smith, described how he (Gage) would march a force of men to Concord to seize any munitions the Americans might have stored there. And equally incredible is the three dimensional fold out deposition by Paul Revere which described the actions he took to warn the Americans the British were coming. This book was alive with surprises and "hands on" interactivity. When I tried this book out on my 110 students, they were amazed. Then something really amazing happened....history and a poem came alive, giving them a much fuller understanding of the events of April 18, 1775. The way the poem was layed out page by page even helped them memorize the poem quicker and more accurately. The maps, illustrations, and the miscellany concerning the historical ride lend so much to this famous poem that even the most jaded American historian/teacher could learn all over again why we Americans are who we are and why we do the patriotic things we do. This is a must have book for every red-blooded American! Thank you Christopher Bing for transforming American history.

I just finished reading Jeff Shaara's "Rise to Rebellion," a novel about the start of the American Revolution, which includes a chapter on Paul Revere and William Dawes riding to Concord to warn Sam Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming to arrest them and then go on to Lexington to capture the gunpowder and munitions stored there by the colonial militia. So when I saw "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" I happened to pick it up. I have never been a fan of the famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, especially since I remember someone arguing that the only reason he picked Revere to immortalize was because it is hard to rhyme anything with "Dawes." But once I opened up this book and saw what Christopher Bing had done in the way of graving and painting, I was captivated. On the frontpiece there is a letter you can open up that turns out to be a reproduction of a letter from Thomas Gage, the commanding general of the British troops in Boston, giving the 10th Regiment, Foot their fatal mission.

The poem is told over the course of a dozen spreads; the breakdown is not in terms of stanzas and is cued more to the narrative than the form of the poem. But as much as you might enjoy this book if you like poetry, that is nothing compared to what you will think about it if you are a student of history. There are maps of "The Plan for the Secret Expedition to Concord" and "Paul Revere's Ride and the Middlesex Alarm." On the backpiece you can open up a pamphlet being "The Deposition of Paul Revere prepared for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress." Bing might be out to illustrate Longfellow's poem, but he is also very much aware that the poet made up a lot of the details. In his "Miscellany Concerning the Historical Ride of the Patriot Paul Revere" Bing keys his comments to each of this twelve spreads, explaining the "true" history of the fabled ride. In his note on the preparation of this book, Bing take equal pains to explain the stages used in creating his masterful illustrations, which involved a glazing technique to create the "glow" in the nighttime scenes. This is a superb effort and I will definitely track down Bing's earlier volume on Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" and eagerly await anything else this talent conceptual illustrator sets his mind to do.

It's about time someone wrote a book on the subject of public opinion polling. Everyone with half a brain knows that polls are often used as a flimsy justification to distort the truth and mislead the public. Finally, Mobocracy comes along and explains EXACTLY how this this is done. It may not surprise you to hear that polls are used in nefarious ways, but it will disgust you nonetheless, especially the extent to which it is done, meticulously documented by the author. Not only that, Robinson makes a compelling case on a philosophical level about how this poisons public debate. It's a book that should be read, and Robinson has to be given extra-points for writing such an accessible book on a topic that frequently spins out into boring public policy analysis.

Mobocracy gave me far more than the title suggests. I read on politics and history a lot and there is no book our there like this one.

This book is an exciting, dynamic defense of freedom that changed the way I look at politics.

It is really the story of how the mostly-liberal media rigs the public debate to favor the expansion of government, the rise of the nanny state, and undermines reforms that would expand liberty.

The examples of question wording and reportage from "mainstream" polls are fun (and shocking as well as enraging) to read and perfectly communicate the subtle ways conservative ideas are undercut and sabotaged.

Mobocracy shows why only the liberal side is represented and how polls that are supposed to test public opinion really lead to a more ignorant and easily manipulated populace.

As this immensely readable book progressed, I found myself learning to read polls and political news stories in a new way--delighting in uncovering the "rhetorical bombs" hidden in Democrats' attacks and in "objective" press reportage.

This book really gave me hope that the cause of freedom and limited government can WIN because it is a Reaganesque reminder that words can inspire, lead, and change the world.

The book is packed with the polls that show support for lower taxes and more freedom--and how we can better explain them to the public.

The REAL message of this book is that winning the debates in American politics require confident and bold appeals to freedom as well as ways real efforts to explain the money-grubbing corruption and cynicism of Washington's government-loving sycophants.

Mobocracy is primer in the value of reclaiming HOW and WHAT we discuss in politics. Perhaps some citizens will read it as I did, so we can return to the magnificent vision of the founders that empowered the individual, extolled education, and trusted the people to take responsibility for their lives and destiny.

Matthew Robinson's "Mobocracy" is a new and fascinating analysis of the media's obsession with opinion polls, and on media bias and manipulation. Robinson demonstrates how the media effectively use polls as a tool of political persuasion. He details the methodology involved and surveys all the major literature in a scholarly--though engaging--fashion. Informed by an exhaustive understanding of our nation's Founders, Robinson insightfully analyzes and demonstrates the major threat that the media's use of polls fundamentally poses to our constitutional democracy, and to our liberty. This book is a must read for any serious student of American politics.

A noir mystery with political intrigue. Comparing anyone to Chandler or Hammett is expecting an awful lot, but Mazel does have that potential. There's a real presence to the setting -- Manhattan becomes one of the characters, and the protagonist, Alex Rada, is infused with a dry wit that makes you smile to yourself. A wonderful achievement and a great book. Highly recommended

Fans of the hardboiled genre, there is a new private investigator in New York City, Alex Rada, a former NY police officer. Katharine Raines, a college professor and political consultant to Delaney Lynch, candidate for the U.S. Senate in New York, hires Rada to investigate the disappearance of grad student, Susan Blake. Upon discovering that she has been murdered in her apartment, Rada is determined to find out who committed the brutal murder. There are a number of twists and turns in this plot. And the ending will surprise the reader. Mazel writes action scenes that keep readers sitting on the edge of their chairs in suspense. The scene of Rada chasing a suspect through the streets of New York was riveting. The prologue introduces the reader to Alex and sets the stage effectively for the story. I particularly like titles for every chapter. I am looking forward to Alex Rada's next investigation and to finding out more about Alex.

REVIEWED BY THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW Murderously Incorrect Henry F. Mazel Crime and Again Press 245 8th Avenue, Suite 283, New York, NY 10011 0-9665899-0-4 $12.95 1-212-727-0151 CrimePress@aol.com

Beth Lewis Reviewer

Mostly, we live in a world of ambiguity, not quite sure whether our moral compasses always point north. No one more so than the protagonist of this taut new detective thriller, Alex Rada. He's not above pocketing a few bucks he finds in an apartment he's rifling through, then changing his mind and placing the money back in the drawer it came from before leaving. Rada is literally a man investigating a post-modern world he can't quite figure out.

Alex's world is downtown Manhattan. And though it's a cool autumn in New York, the city is in the midst of a very hot political season. Not exactly Alex Rada's cup of tequila. He'd rather hold up in the East Village apartment he calls his office, venturing out for the occasional divorce case, or to serve an easy subpoena. Such are the habits of the indolent detective.

Katharine Raines a political science professor at New York University will have none of it. She hires Rada to find her missing graduate assistant, Susan Blake. Katharine Raines is also a respected member of the senatorial campaign staff of Delaney Lynch, the woman who has just won the New York State Democratic senatorial nomination. After failing to reach Rada by phone, Katharine Raines goes to Alex's threadbare office. When she asks him why there's no way to leave a message on his answering machine, Alex replies: "I'm not that mechanically inclined."

"You mean," she asks, "not that mechanically inclined like Richard Nixon, or not that mechanically inclined like your basic village idiot?"

"Generally, my clients feel more comfortable insulting me after they've given me a retainer," Rada replies.

Their relationship begins and continues on this same note, and it soon becomes evident that there is more here than just a missing person's case. Rada's car is run off the road when he drives out to question the graduate assistant's foster parents. Katharine is attacked in her apartment by a fusillade of bullets, badly damaging her apartment, not to mention her psyche. Yet when Alex suggests she drop the case, Katharine raises the ante offering him $25,000 to continue.

Well, how can a guy refuse a lady in distress?

Alex does turn up a lead; it propels him on a journey through the bars and clubs of New York's East Village, into the edgy world of performance art, and to the precincts of power and privilege uptown. Suddenly, almost as quickly as he can draw in a breath of crisp New York fall air, Rada is caught in a maelstrom of murder and betrayal in which there is no one to rely on but himself.

In Murderously Incorrect, author Henry F. Mazel explores the nature of individualism and isolation in a world of moral relativism. He does it with flare and wit. A past recipient of the Cine Eagle Award, this screenwriter and playwright's first Alex Rada novel is a crackling good mystery not to be missed. END

I was glad to see that this book is still available, so that other people can also enjoy it. I read "Musical Stages" in the early 80's, and my admiration for Mr. Rodgers increased considerably on learning about his personal and professional life in his own words. I was particularly delighted with stories like the one about "Blue Moon", which seemed destined to oblivion, but instead became one of his greatest hits ever. Or the ones about the way he worked with his partners Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II, and how he dealt with Broadway and Hollywood people, producers, musicians, fellow composers... Above all, what strikes the reader most is the genuine love Mr. Rodgers always had for the stage. The anxieties, curiosities and goings-on involved in the production and staging of his Broadway works made me quite envious of those who were able to see the premieres of shows such as "On Your Toes", "Pal Joey", "Oklahoma", and so on, which Mr. Rodgers relates in such a vivid way. I was lucky enough, though, to see Yul Brynner in the 1978 revival of "The King and I" at the Uris Theater in New York. It was a magic moment I will treasure forever. Every person of good taste in this world owes a lot to this determined and sensitive man that managed to create a lot of the best music of this century, regardless of national, ideological or whatever boundaries you may think of. And, on top of that, Mr. Rodgers tells us his wonderful life story in a style that echoes the irresistible charm of his immortal melodies. For better enjoyment of this book, I recommend that you read it with your CD player on with, for instance, the soundtracks of Mr. Rodgers' shows and movies, or compilations and/or albums dedicated to his music by the likes of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Bing Crosby, Maurice Chevalier, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Like me, you will thank God for the existence of someone like Mr. Rodgers, and for the legacy he's given us.

Please read my review preceding this one too. Today is November 4, 2001, and the Emmy Awards have just been telecast on CBS. To close the show, the magnificent Barbra Streisand sang a tribute to the unfailing courage and spirit of the American people whose lives have been inalterably changed by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Of all the great American songs which could have been chosen to comfort and hearten the American people, the one Streisand sang was "You'll Never Walk Alone" composed by the incomparable Richard Rodgers from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "Carousel". The poetic, inspirational lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II are superbly matched by the sheer eloquence, beauty and emotional power of this soaring ballad. "You'll Never Walk Alone" is one of those songs that once heard, can never ever be forgotten.

Coincidentally, airing opposite the Emmy awards tonight was the PBS special "American Masters, Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest of Sounds" a documentary on the music and career of Richard Rodgers.

In a way, tonight's televised events were a double tribute to a man who was an American genius. He was in my opinion the greatest composer of popular music ever. I venture to say that his entire body of work stands the test of time better than the music of any other great American composer including Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, or Kern, etc.

I don't think that any of these other supremely gifted American composers could have demonstrated the prolonged and consistent brilliance and unbelievable range that Rodgers had. Here is a man who wrote songs as varied and memorable as "Manhattan", "If I Loved You", "Lady is a Tramp", "Edleweiss", "My Romance", "Mountain Greenary", "Mimi", "Hello Young Lovers", "Oklahoma" which incidentally is now the official anthem of the state of "Oklahoma", "My Funny Valentine", "Shall We Dance", "Bewitched", etc., etc.

It seems impossible that one man is reponsible for so many different styles and such a consistently high level of artistry and ingenuity over many decades. And yet Rodgers was.

Rodgers has touched and illuminated audiences generation after generation. He has given people music which is infinitely accessible, yet sublimely crafted. Simply stated, no other composer can equal Rodgers' accomplishments and the impact of his musical legacy.

There are a handful of composers of American popular music whose body of work is revered generation after generation. Kern, Arlen, Gershwin, and Loewe come to mind. But at the top of the list is Richard Rodgers.

In my opinion, Rodgers is the greatest songwriter in the history of Broadway and popular music. His range was simply astonishing. He could write jubilant, folksy music as in "Oklahoma" or jazzy sophisticated tunes as found in "Pal Joey". He could create soaringly romantic melodies such as those in "The King and I" or inspirational and spiritual ballads as presented in "Carousel". Many of his songs have become popular standards as well.

Rodgers adapted brilliantly to a variety of subject matter. And the longevity of his illustrious career is enviable. "Musical Stages" not only chronicles Rodgers' life and work, but it is also an overview of the development and maturation of American musical theater to which Rodgers contributed mightily.

In this autobiography, you will get to know some of the true giants of American popular music in particular Rodgers' two lyricists: the impish, undisciplined, yet lovable genius Lorenz Hart and the wise and idealistic Oscar Hammerstein II. Both of these men wrote many of the best lyrics ever composed for Broadway or popular music.

You'll also meet acting luminaries such as Yul Brynner, Gertrude Lawrence, and Mary Martin among others. "Musical Stages" is a rich addition to any theater and popular music buff's library. Read it with delight!

I have always been a huge fan of the game of baseball, the greatest game in sports. To tell you the truth, I didn't know much about Ted Williams. All I knew was that he was some great hitter in his time, nothing more or less. Of course, Ted Williams played in his prime decades before I even entered the world so I felt there was no reason to know who he was. I was more interested and knowledgable about stars like Griffey and Bonds, Maddux and Schilling. However, after the tragic and recent death of The Kid, I became interested, too late of coarse. I read articles written by Sports Illustrated and the like and then I picked up My Turn At Bat. Let me tell you this, Ted Williams is not just a great hitter, he is an American hero. So, to make a long story short, Ted Willaims writes about all his troubles with the press in Boston, his quarrels with fans, his military service, his fishing and hunting passion, and of cousrse everything else that a legend writes about in his autobiography, all from his side of the story. The funny thing about My Turn At Bat is that it doesn't feel like you are reading a book. Instead, it is more like you are in small conversation with The Splendid Splinter on a cool summer night. Ted Williams was the man that Hollywood has tried for years to duplicate. But he is no John Wayne or James Bond. He was America's true hero on and off the field, something that no baseball player today can become. There are a lot of great ballplayers out there today, A-Rod, Chipper, Ichiro, etc., but there are none that can come close to Teddy Ballgame. If you are a fan of the game of baseball, the way it should be played, I strongly recommend this book. In Mr. Williams words, "Put it in capital letters and run it on page one."

If you ever end -up talking baseball for hours with your friends then pick this book up. Because it is like talking about baseball with Ted Williams. You get to hear how an ecenteric kid grows up to be the best hitter ever, but still be an ecentric man. I never read a book by someone who loved his work as much as Williams, even with the disapiontments of his life. The book is realistic in its prespective. Williams is matter of fact (endless cool facts and pitching hitting deuls) about the negatives in his carrer. He shows his obessive side and professional drive all at once. BONUS GREAT PICTURES OF WILLIAMS AND OTHER GREAT PLAYERS! I also suggest my favorite baseball book of all time My Luke and I by Elanor Gerhig (OUT OF PRINT BUT DEFINATLY worth the hunt)

I read this autobiography many years ago, and recently, decided to give it another look. Mr. Williams pulls no punches in this very honest, entertaining, and well-written story of his life in and out of baseball. Unfortunately, due to the strange circumstances surrounding his recent death, many fans will forget his tremendous achievements in our national pasttime. Along with the fact that Mr. Williams lost five or six prime years of his career due to his military commitments. He was a true patriot, and his war anecdotes are entertaining, educational, and provocative. He flew planes with the same focused determination as hitting a baseball.

Reading the book again also reminded me of a childhood memory. My father, Michael, was a batboy for the Washington Senators during the 1940s. He knew Mr. Williams, along with Mr. DiMaggio and other stars of that era. I used to ask my father about both of them. "DiMaggio was a complete all-around player, but Williams was the better hitter. He used to stay for hours in the clubhouse after the game. Weighing his bats. Sanding them down. They both were very quiet men, but Williams was even more taciturn. But writers of the day used to goad him on, and he would take their bait. That's how he got his tempermental reputation."

When I was a child, I attended the Ted Williams Baseball Camp in Lakeville, MA. It was run with military precision, and even as a child, you were treated as an adult. Coaches never berated you in front of your teammates as was customary in the Little Leagues or Boy's Clubs. The whole atmosphere and environment were conducive to promoting your best efforts. The presence of Mr. Williams was felt everywhere. On rainy days, we used to watch countless films about the science of hitting.

This book is an excellent story, and for many of us, will take us back to our youth. But young baseball fans also can benefit from this tale of one of our greatest athletes and patriots.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

An excellent book, well-written, packed with vital information, highly analytical, and professorial. But not pro-African, I'm sorry to say, in spite of all its merits.

Why highly intelligent and educated people like Godfrey Mwakikagile and others of his ilk write books so critical of Africa, is beyond me. What they say is true. Rwanda made history - it was our Nazi Germany. So did Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Sudan and many others, leaving indelible scars on our continent. We couldn't even hide that from the rest of the world, and still can't, I'm ashamed to admit. They all made history. And many continue to do so.

But why help our detractors and enemies make Africa look so bad? You can say - we already look bad! And we do. It's all on television, on the radio, and in newspapers worldwide, in all kinds of languages. But that does not mean we Africans should also harp on it, like these African writers and our enemies do.

Remember the old saying: Do not air your dirty laundry in public. Although you may not always want to keep it in the closet. But don't just toss it out there in the yard, either.

Say something good about Africa, even if it's not much. So nothing good comes out of Africa, just because we have all these wars, AIDS and other diseases, hunger, illiteracy, poverty and corruption? Come on!

If Mwakikagile had plenty of good things to say about Africa in the same book, in spite of all its negative aspects, I would have been tempted to give it the highest rating, five stars, for excellence. I'm sorry I can't.

Professor Mahmoud Mamdani, a leading African scholar who teaches at Columbia University, uses Godfrey Mwakikagile's book "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," as a textbook for graduate studies. Other professors use the book as an assigned or recommended text for graduate students in African and development studies and international affairs. It is also found in graduate school libraries across the United States like all the other books written by Godfrey Mwakikagile who, himself, is becoming an increasingly influential African scholar.

But that is not the only reason why his book, "The Modern African State...," got my attention. At a recent academic seminar on Africa, one of the participants cited George Ayittey's work, "Africa in Chaos," together with Godfrey Mwakikagile's "The Modern African State...," in his discussion of civil conflicts on the continent. Most of the participants knew or had heard about Ayittey. But that was the first time some of us heard about Mwakikagile, although quite a few had. His work, "The Modern African State...," equally trenchant as Ayittey's, is a great contribution to the growing literature about post-colonial Africa written by the Africans themselves.

It is interesting to see that more and more African intellectuals are taking an "internalist" approach to Africa's problems instead of always blaming external forces for her plight. Dr. Mwakikagile is one of them.

But such an approach must be balanced with an analysis of external involvement, including colonialism. Africa is still reeling from its devastating impact. However, this does not mean that all of Africa's problems should be placed entirely on the shoulders of her former colonial masters, as many Africans who take the "externalist" approach are fond of doing.

Most of the problems Africa faces today - rampant corruption, mismanagement, brutal repression, ethnic conflicts, hunger, illiteracy, endemic poverty and disease - are either caused or exarcebated by the Africans themselves; not by the former colonial masters who are now even being asked by some Africans to go back and rule them again. Things are that bad. And it is African writers like Mwakikagile who should be commended for taking up the challenge to tell the truth about their continent, however bitter.

It would be even more encouraging if their kith and kin here in the United States, African Americans, also faced this reality, instead of romanticizing Africa. Randall Robinson of TransAfrica is the exception, together with a few others; although their attitude is not the same as the attitude of black conservatives who are sometimes extremely hostile toward Africa and usually don't want to have anything to do with - "that place." Foregetting that white Republicans and others don't care about them either. They don't even want them in the Republic party. Alan Keyes knows that. Brilliant, highly articulate, he should have been the standard-bearer of his party, but still was not nominated as the Republican presidential candidate because he is black. And, yes, African!

But bad as their attitude is, one must not entirely ignore what black American conservatives - they hate to be called African Americans - say about Africa. Africa's problems can only be solved by Africans. We can help them, but the initiative must come from them.

It is also in this context that Dr. Godfrey Mwakikagile's highly acclaimed work, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," must be viewed; although, unlike black American conservatives who hate Africa and by extension hate themselves, he writes out of deep concern for the well-being of his continent as much as his compatriot Professor George Ayittey does, as do many others.

With this work, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," Godfrey Mwakikagile joins a list of African writers, including internationally renowned ones, who have written books highly critical of the continent's arrogant and corrupt leaders and crumbling state institutions; and who believe that solutions to African problems must come from the Africans themselves more than anybody else. They include Wole Soyinka, "The Open Sore of A Continent: A Personal Narrative of the Nigerian Crisis"; George Ayittey, "Africa Betrayed," and "Africa in Chaos"; Chinua Achebe, "The Trouble with Nigeria," and others. The author of many books about Africa, he's one of the most articulate spokesmen of the African Renaissance South African President Thabo Mbeki talks about.

This is not an entirely original work. The author relies heavily on secondary sources to advance his arguments and defend his thesis, as many writers do, of course. But this does not mean that his work is any less compelling. It is not a dissertation (he probably wrote one already for a PhD), requiring primary sources, and the author wanted to address a larger audience, not just members of the academic community.

Therefore, to get his message across to a much wider audience, which he obviously intended when one considers the multitude of problems Africa faces, he had to write it in a way that would make it accessible to members of the general public, without academic jargon and expounding abstract concepts; for example, about the nature and origin of the state, or discussing Hobbes' "Leviathan," which would be relevant in this context, given the nature of the modern African state as an
oppressive institution.

Therein lies the strength of this work: its simple, direct message; virulent but justified attack on the corrupt regimes across the continent and the modern African state as an institutional anomaly irrelevant to African realities; and its prescriptions for Africa's debilitating condition. There are brilliant insights in here, illuminating the African political landscape; for example, how to end ethnic conflicts on the continent which may require new solutions not yet tried in Africa, but coming from the Africans themselves.

Fellow Africans had better listen. And that includes African leaders themselves, and their advisers. They should read this book.

Martha Pearl is a spunky wonderful character. More than that, she is a wonderful Southern cook. Her son,James, shares her sense of humor and love of cooking. I adore the way she puts him in his place when he wants to "fuss" with her recipes. I am almost through with the entire cookbook. I have laughed and underlined and referenced. It is a great, wonderful read. Knowing recipes as I do, I can tell you that you can trust this book to give you great food. Don't wait. Don't even put this on your wish list. It's a keeper. Yum

This is the cookbook I can pull out and count on to produce a wonderful dish every single time. I haven't come across a dud yet. Martha Pearl is delightful (and yes I AM hinting for a dinner invitation) and so are her recipes. The macaroni and cheese is a family favorite that already has stains on the page because I make it so often. The pecan coffee cake is another recipe I have made many times and always get compliments on. I live near Charlotte and keep hoping to run into Jimmy and Martha Pearl picking over the Silver Queen corn at the farmer's market. I would unabashedly tell her what a devoted fan she has made of this transplanted Yankee.

If you're someone who consantly worries about gaining weight, measures all your food, and consistantly checks the labels of food for caloric and fat units, this cookbook will be the temptation you must resist. This is OLD SCHOOL cooking; food fried in 6 inches of animal fat, lard or similar. TONS of butter, biscuits, gravy and grits.

According to Villas, "the Southern day begins with a hearty breakfast" such as Ham with Red-Eye gravy, fresh country sausage, crusty Green Tomatoes, and Real Grits (recipes for each are found within, of course). Villas's Mother, Martha Pearl, has combined backgrounds from the Greek and Swedish heritage both families share and adds her own special Southern touch to create fabulous luncheons for bridge clubs, church bazzares and charity get-togethers. My favorite is a lovely recipe for Lemon Tea Bread- light and rich all at once, it's a perfect bread for a light tea, or, as I often do, to bring to a get together when a dessert is requested (never fails to draw "oooh's" and "ahhh's"). From her homemade Macaroni and Cheese to an impressive recipe for Shrimp Bisque, you'll find this cookbook is a great investment. I love the way Martha Pearl watches all her family members, her children included, as they embark on trial recipes of their own- she then adopts these recipes herself, but adds her own little touch (Villas lovingly included Martha's recipe cards and notes- such a personal touch!). Still, she always gives credit to whom it is due. The hallmark of a truly great cook!

These are not recipes, however, that one can consume on a regular basis. Almost every recipe calls for either butter, cheese, heavy cream, lard, bacon and/or bacon grease, sausage, etc. Some recipes are lighter than others, but believe you me, these 'aint "low-fat recipes", and that's just fine with me, baby. I'd rather eat the hard-core real stuff in a limited manner than gorge myself on tasteless, fun-free low fat foods (ugh, ugh, ugh). If truly great food is a party for all five of the senses, "My Mother's Southern Kitchen" is your ultimate party guide. Forget the usual shee-shee-poo-poo ingredients fancy-schmancy recipes call for (you probably can't locate in your supermarket anyway)- this is where taste sensation begins!