Eagle Reviews

After reading this book, I am amazed that James Bill is not the most sought-after Middle East commentator in America. His analysis of 20th century Iran leading up to the revolution of 1979 is a clear and concise explanation of part of the puzzle that led to the tragedies of 9/11. This is a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to become truly familiar with Iran's tumultuous history and its rocky relationship with the West. As the Bush administration continues to evolve its policy towards this area of the world, it would be wise for officials at the State Department and at the Pentagon to read and absorb the lessons contained in this crucial analysis of US-Iran relations. Again, this is a must-read.

Far and away the most balanced, well-researched, accurate and thoughtful book on US-Iran relations. Excellent psychographical backgrounds of the key players.

When I first had Professor Bill at the College of William and Mary, I rolled my eyes at the fact that one of the books for my Middle Eastern Politics class was written by him. I always question the motives of a professor that teaches his own book. As the class progressed and he divulged more stories of his amazing life (which unfortunatly could not be reproduced in a book like this one) I started to wonder if his book could possibly be half as interesting as the class

I opened The Eagle and the Lion with high hopes and they were exceeded. The writing style flowed nicely and while some scholarly books get weighed down in the jargon of the field and an uptight writing style that permiates academia, Bill's book can be read by the scholar and the layman alike. It was a view I had never heard before, the view that we had to take a lot of the blame for the Iranian Revolution and the taking of hostages in Iran. Not popular views for even today. Yet each assertion made is meticulously documented, each bias or jump in conclusion prefaced by a warning. In these times particularly, when we are faced with more troubles in the middle east, it is worth reading.

Gilbert Morris is definitely my favorite author. His books are so well written, so captivating and so exciting to read. This book, "A Gathering of Eagles" was one of my favorites. I was glad to see that the storyline wasn't completely predictable-- it was a page turner! I've just finished it, and am desperately hoping there'll be more to come in this series. The Wakefield Dynasty is by far the most wonderful set of books I could ever hope to read--keep writing, Mr. Morris!

I have read all the books in the Wakefield series, and I love the first one the most. This one, however, was one of the best. The story line was fresh, the subject was interesting, and the story line exciting. I think that if Honor had let his daughter and Cathan have their way at the beginning, the result would have been disastrous. Cathan needed that time in prison to change and to develop into the man God wanted him to be. Mr. Morris is a favorite author of mine and I have diligently been reading this series, and I am happy to have read this book.

This book brought all of the family up to date in the series, and kept me going back to the others to make sure I knew who each was, and their ancester. The book showed the power of faith and love within a family. I hope it is not the last. I keep all of my Gilbert Morris books, and from the beginning this series has kept me entertained as well as uplifted spiritually.

I was continually amazed at the way in which Mr. Horwood has interweaved two stories, and brought them both to a believable and emotionally satisfying ending. I felt myself joined in spirit to the author and his characters as I read this double story about transformation, spiritual obedience and love of the earth. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to William Horwood!

Intelligent, thought provoking, I was unable to put this book down.

The depth of character and understanding and ability to put these forward in a truly awesome literary work was not a work of fiction, more like the creation of an alternative universe.

This man, who's Duncton Wood series escalated the entire genre to the highest form of art has merged two worlds into an altogether new one.

I cannot praise or rate this novel higher.

I have been altered by reading it.

Thank You William Horwood.

For all the author's flights of fantasy, Callanish excepted, he is at his most potent bringing the very real conflicts which worm the inside of an artist's mind to life in our imaginaries. Jim Stonor, the lad, is less interesting than his vagrant father, but as a sculptor, painter, and craftsman of wood, the shadow the eagle's wing casts over our imaginaries shivers the founding rock of our modern, tv-eye view of life.

I love charming towns and quirkey people and Thrush Green is full of them. The writing style is lovely and I felt like a bird flying from home to home getting to know the characters in the book while I was reading it. It is refreshing and in my opinion, it is much better than the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I am eager to buy all of the books in this series.

I found Miss Read through an avid reader friend (PLB) as we were comparing notes about Jan Karon's writing style. She informed me Jan Karon was partially inspired by Miss Read. From the moment I read this book, my first Miss Read, I was hooked! These books (all 20+) need to be put back into print! I wish I could live in this fictional Cotswold village. The characters are charming and entertaining. Treat yourself to a pleasant diversion into another life, another time... of course, along with a cuppa!

I remember reading and rereading Miss Read's delightful books when I was younger - rather shabby looking books from the library, found after a lot of scrounging through shelves. I remember what a delight they were, and how they warmed my heart. But gradually they slipped out of my mind, and I forgot about them until I read Jan Karon's interview with amazon.com, where she mentions them. I am so glad to have them again to read and nestle into. My two favorites were "Thrush Green", and "Winter at Thrush Green". Quaint, delicious, comforting - delightful books. They make you feel happy.

Tom Heneghan's "UNCHAINED EAGLE" is the first-rate teaching book on contemporary Germany that many of us have been looking for. It is an excellent summary of Germany since unification, well-informed and engagingly written. It is a combination of authoritative writing and accessibility.

In the years and decades ahead, scholars from various disciplines will be writing many heavyweight histories about the huge complexity of issues involved during Germany's reunification process in the last decade of the 20th Century. For those readers who don't want to wait, then Tom Heneghan's book is an outstanding short-cut toward grasping what a turbulent decade this turned out to be, with all the challenges and changes it demanded of German leaders and society as a whole. Heneghan is a first-rate observer. He is concise and accurate in giving the larger picture of the social, economic and political - both internal and foreign - issues during and after reunification. But he also has an eye for the small telling details about how average Germans, east and west, had to scramble to try to understand how their country - and its role in Europe and beyond - was so rapidly changing before their own eyes. One might not agree with every point in Mr. Heneghan's book, but I think that he was right on-target with the underlying theme: that modern Germany has fully grasped the lessons of its recent dark history - Hitler and the Holocaust, the communist dictatorship in the east, the Cold War division - to become, finally, a normal country. In the future, the academics and historians writing about Germany's reunification decade will most likely find themselves referring again and again to Mr. Heneghan's book for pointers.

This is a riveting story about the dramatic happy ending to the 20th century in the European country that did most to shape it. Taking over as Reuters bureau chief for Germany in 1989, American reporter Tom Heneghan soon became an eye witness to the tearing down of the iron curtain and a well-connected chronicler of the fast paced events that are still shaping Europe and the West. With his eye for relevancy and concise reporting skills, Heneghan provides both scholars and the general public with a fascinating story and a shrewd analysis of Germany's ongoing struggle to find the right place for its past and a prosperous future in harmony with its neighbors. The biggest bump on the road to the future - reunification - rattled the country's snug position as Europe's economic growth engine in a caravan led by French and British political visions and a shotgun-riding US military. The author guides us through these developments with the familiarity of an insider and a balanced view honed through years of living and working in a variety of countries and cultures. He enlivens the story with behind-the-scenes anecdotes of the domestic and international schmoozing and scrapping that surrounded the changes he documents. Astute observations such as the tendency of German and Anglo/American post war baby boomers to draw different lessons from history (intolerance of war vs. intolerance of aggression) help us understand where today's generation of German leaders are coming from.

As a new US administration faces a Europe less in need of the old NATO protective canopy, and a more self-assured Germany asserts itself within that new Europe, the implication for future transatlantic ties should be of interest to more than just foreign policy buffs. Americans who grew up on a steady diet of WW II books and movies will find Heneghan's updated German story gripping as well as enlightening.

My mom gave me six Margaret Coel novels, all about Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden. Let me say, that at the time of this review I have already started the second book and it is even better than this one.
First off, the characters are realistic, painfully so. Real problems and real life issues insert themselves through-out the story. Yes, there is a murder on the reservation but Father John O'Malley has to worry about everything from a new assistant to his fight against the bottle.
The detailed pages within these books allow me to feel the wind off the plain, smell the food at the powwow and see the colors of the sky. A mixture of Rex Stout and Zane Grey!

You can't go wrong with any of the Margaret Coel books. They are enjoyable to read and you can hardly believe when you've come to the end that it came so quickly. Fortunately, you can buy them all and continue to the next one in the series. These people become as real to you as your own friends. Don't stop at one - get them all.

An unlikely couple of sleuths team up in this mystery to uncover murder and theft. Father John O'Malley, a Jesuit priest at the Wind River Indian Reservation, gets "his nose into other people's business" and so begins a caper that already has three sequels. His alter-ego help comes from Vicky, the Arapaho Lawyer, surnamed Woman Alone. Their disparent skills become all that is needed in finding out the murderer and the one responsible for the great land theft against the Arapaho Nation.

But what makes this unusual novel so likeable is its rich respect for two faiths and cultures: the Native-Americans and the Jesuit priests. Coel provides a synthesis of faith in the midst of an entertaining mystery and that is talent. And it makes the reading of the tale a multi-level experience of pleasure.

I am an Alamo fanatic, and I make no excuses fof it. Mr Johnstone's story of a young man raised by Indians who becomes one of the Alamo defenders is one of my favorites, and when I saw it offered on tape, there was no hesitation in ordering a copy. My only disapointmentment is in the editing(of course, that's what "abridged" means, isn't it?), and I would love to see a full length version on tape someday. Until then, this is an excellent adventure story that can be enjoyed by anyone not offended by the obvious violence associated with the legendary struggle for Texas independance. REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

Jamie Ian MacCalister orphaned as a boy is captured by the Indians and along with him was a young girl. Together they plan an escape. Whenever they have a chance they bring into their tee pee dried foods and other necessities. They make their get away and, all of this time he and Kate the name of the girl, run into danger, which keeps the story exciting and fast. Jamie grows into a man. They find themselves a home in Texas. And of course Jamie becomes envolved in the battles of Texas. A top notch read and plenty of real events in history.

JOHNSTONE'S TALE OF A YOUNG BOY RAISED BY INDIANS WHO BECOMES A LEGEND IN THE WEST AND A SURVIVOR OF THE ALAMO. A GREAT ADVENTURE TALE AND THE WAY THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO SHOULD BE REMEMBERED, DESPITE WHAT A CAREFUL STUDY OF HISTORY TELLS US IS THE REAL TRUTH. WELL, FOLKS, I HAPPEN TO PREFER MR JOHNSTONE'S VERSION TO A LOT OF OTHERS CIRCULATING AROUND. HIS DAVY CROCKETT DIES WITH HIS BOOTS ON, FIGHTING THE ENEMY, AND JIM BOWIE TAKES MORE THAN A FEW WITH HIM, TOO. THESE MEN ARE HEROES, AND THEY DIE AS HEROES, AND EACH ONE DESERVES THE HONOR AS SUCH. I KNOW BOWIE WAS A SLAVE TRADER AND A CON MAN, AND DAVY CROCKETT PROBABLY DID SURRENDER, BUT THIS IS A STORY OF LEGENDS. READ YOUR HISTORT BOOKS FOR THE REAL STORY. READ THIS FOR THE PRIDE IN OUR ANCESTORS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE. AND READ IT FOR FUN.

"The Founding," set during the War of the Roses, is the first book of the prolific Moreland family saga. The story opens with the marriage of the ambitious young Eleanor Courteney to Robert Moreland, son of a wealthy York wool merchant. Eleanor, having lived among nobility for most of her life, believes the match is beneath her station and desperately opposes it. The first half of the book revolves around Eleanor's struggle to come to terms with her marriage. As the novel progresses, the family is swept up, for better or for worse, by the tumultuous political tides of the war.
"The Founding" was an enjoyable read, full of colorful descriptions of everyday life during mid-to late fifteenth century England. The author effectively blends her fictional creations with historical events by giving her characters minor roles in the royal households and in significant battles of the war. In doing so, these characters' adventures seem plausible in light of known historical events. The author has also included a family chart, which this reader found extremely helpful for keeping track of the prodigious Moreland family.
I have only a few minor criticisms (the reason for the four star rating). The large gaps in time that occur between chapters can be disorienting for the reader. I also thought the book would have been more satisfying had the author given her characters more depth, rather than emphasizing the same character traits repeatedly.
Despite these criticisms, I felt the book was highly entertaining and am eagerly looking forward to continuing with this saga.

The Foundling begins a series that blows the mind with its historical accuracy. Unlike many other authors, Harrod-Eagles shows the good side as well as the bad, and each character is different. A depiction of real life and what the women (and men) had to go through during that time is written in great detail.

A must read for history fans!!

This is a well constructed book. You really feel for the main charchter and her family. You can feel the force that drives her to make something of her husband and her family. She suffers a lot especially from unrequited love. This book is excellent and the historical detail and accuracy is amazing. This book, the first in the dynasty, was a great starting book. It made me want to go out and read all the others which were just as good.

This book tells a WONDERFUL story of a white medical doctor caring for an indian child with pneumonia. When the child began his recovery; the boy's father tried to pay the doctor, and Dr. Brown refused payment because of the way the indians had been cheated and mistreated by the government that made treaties and habitually broke them, and white settlers.

The boy's father was stunned by the doctors kindness, and insisted on giving him a pipe bag with bead and quill work. (A pipe bag is traditionaly made from leather with two segments or pockets if you prefer. Traditionaly; the pipe bowl, and stem are kept separate, and are only put together when you pray with the pipe.). This book tells the story of this pipe bag (allegedly belonging to Crazy Horse), and the story of the three people that cared for this pipe bag before returning it the Sioux.

This book also tells the story of Lionel Little Eagle (the third keeper of the pipe bag), and his beloved wife "Tammy" that was dying of cancer.

This book takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. In some places you will laugh hystericaly (as in 'Hey You' on page 37, 'Old Coyote's encounter with the kitchen boss' on page 46 and others. In other places prepare to find tears welling up in your eyes where Mr. Little Eagle relates the story of his wife's passing. and teaching "Trapper" (the son of Mr. Little Eagle, and Tammy" why they use the pipe (like making a telephone call to God), and Trapper picks up the pipe and puts it to his ear like a phone and wants to talk to his mom.

There are many nice illustrations.

On pages 59-62; Mr. Little Eagle relates one of the best versions I have seen of the White Buffalo Woman legend that I have seen.

In my humble opinion; if this book does not reach you; you do not have an open mind and heart.

However; with the platitudes mentioned above; I am disappointed with some portions of this book.

1. On page 47-48 Mr. Little Eagle relates the words of an elder that states in olden times the pipe was much larger about the size of a child's head, and his anger about non indians having the pipe. Mr. Little Eagle does not seem to share the attitudes of the elder because on page 9; he refers to himself as "a simple member of the human race" which is quite similar to mine "A human being; doing the best I can."

a. I know a gentlman that mines the sacred stone in the pipestone quarries (He sent me a photocopy of his permit to mine the stone). According to my acquaintance; it is extremely unusual to find veins of pipestone (Catlinite) more than 3 inches thick, and in order to get the sacred stone; they sometimes have to go through veins of quartzite up to 8 feet thick to reach the three inch vein.

b. Attitudes of anger and bigotry as expressed by the elder is making the problem worse not better. I want to see Nick Black Elk's vision of the flowering tree, and people living together in peace and harmony come to pass. People (indian or not, elder or not that have anger and hatred for non indians carrying the pipe in a sacred manner is causing disharmony. Evelyn Eaton the author of "I Send A Voice" relates her encounter with Native American anger and bigotry that was directed toward her because she carried a pipe. I have received many vitriolic comments from alleged indians after reading some of my reviews.

2. On page 142; Mr. Little Eagle tells of his meeting Wallace Black Elk the "grandson" of Sioux Holy Man Nick Black Elk. Wallace Black Elk is NOT the grandson of Nick Black Elk. I have VERY much respect for wicasa wakan (holy man) Nick Black Elk. I have NO respect for this new age flim flam man that inflates his ancestry to make himself look better. I know a man that was named by Ben Black Elk (the son of Nick Black Elk), and I know the real family of Nick Black Elk have been confronting this myth for years. Nick, and Wallace are not even member of the same Sioux sub tribe. Ben Black Elk acted as the interpreter for the two authors (Joseph Epes Brown "The Sacred Pipe", and John G. Neihart "Black Elk Speaks" because his father spoke almost no english, and the authors did not speak the Sioux language.

3. on page 209 another bigoted elder states "The people who blindly and deliberately scar and hurt Mother Earth. who line our sacred Black Hills with black pavement. They are the enemy! That is where our fight lies. (Isn't this inciting people to riot and commit violence? In my humble opinion; the BEST way to reach harmony is to put the past behind us, and go forward into the future; there all races teach one another, and explain why things are considered sacred, and what it means to use a pipe in a sacred manner. We can only do this if we open our hearts and minds, and allow the past injustices to remain in the past. I walk the red road because this path answers my spiritual questions and works for me.

Other than these problems; the book conveys a wonderful story, and shares some Native American Philosophy.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

Mr. Little Eagle has done something that very few writers have ever done. Taken me to the inside of a place I would never have had the opportunity to visit. What is amazing is that he does it with such ease and understanding. The places I went included the real world Native America, the deep and personal emotions of dealing with a serious illness and the lost of a loved one, his wife. The pace was easy, short chapters made the reading a gentle process. However, I found myself not taking a break. The next chapter lead to the next event which lead to the next enlightment.

Little Eagle's relationships and friends along the way are fasinating and unforgetable. Steve Old Coyote played a signifcant role in the first part of the book as well as Arvol Looking Horse and the Kitchen Boss. The second part of the book dealt with the remarkable events surrounding the death of his wife, Tammy. He also returns to Greengrass and other Rezervation loation and meets more people like Tom Calfrobe the Cloud Watcher, Marie Not-Help-Him and the dynamic Pete Catches. His love and dedication to his wife is so evident and he willing shares those emotions. The third part he once again returns to Greengrass and encounters the mystery of life. Of special note is the connection between Little Eagle and the Kitchen Boss.

Throughout the entire book you witness powerful and magical ceremonies and rituals. Sweatlodges, Sundance and Yuwipis. Aother standout in the story is the ledgendary Pipe Bag of Crazy Horse. So much stuff. I am looking forward to future books by Little Eagle.

Do not pass this book by. You will truly miss out on wonderful story and life.
Phil

"Greengrass Pipe Dancers" starts out with an intriguing story of how the author came to be the caretaker of Crazy Horse's pipe bag, and continues with a powerful story of Lionel Little Eagle's journey to return the pipe bag and to seek spiritual guidance dealing with his wife's cancer. The reader will join Little Eagle in Native American ceremonies both fascinating and uplifting. A sense of family and belonging in a community is strong throughout this book. Many emotions surface as Little Eagle searches for the next caretakers of the holy pipe bag while separating the pain of losing his wife from the realization that she also is to return to her spiritual beginning, just as the pipe bag must. Ultimately, the wonderful cycle of life vividly described here leaves you wishing Little Eagle will write again soon.

This is so far one of my favourite books written by Karen Kay.
I have read every single one of her books and I enjoyed them very much...all in all, this is a must read! :) have a great day.

This is a brilliant book, well written and expertly plotted with in-depth characterizations. The relatonship between the white protagonist and the Indian hero is beautifully orchestrated. As Katrina is exposed to and learns about the culture of the Blackfoot Indians so does the reader. This book helped to remove a veil of ignorance I had regarding our native American heritage. That alone makes it a great read. It is also a mystery, not a who done it type, but involving how the conflict of cultures is going to be resolved on a personal basis. To my surprise, I found much of my own life mirrored in this book as we all run into conflicts regarding "now I'm supposed to" and what we really want to do in our hearts. You'll learn more about yourself through White Eagle's Touch.

Karen Kay is an excellent author and keeps your mind wondering throughout her books. I had a hard time putting her books down for any length of time. Excellent and easy reading. Thank you Karen Kay.