Ford Reviews

G. M. Ford's _Fury_ is the first in a new series featuring disgraced journalist Frank Corso. Corso has relocated to Seattle and is writing a column for a third-rate paper, the _Sun_, following some sort of scandal at a paper in New York--there's mention of a libel suit, as well as Corso having made up a story, but the real trouble is never that clear. Regardless,
Corso has fallen a few rungs on the ladder, lost his CNN reporter-girlfriend, and now is content to hide out on his boat, writing the occasional book and turning in his columns, whose syndication fees help keep the paper afloat.

At the beginning of the book, Leanne Samples, a somewhat simple though good-hearted girl, comes to the _Sun's_ offices to recant her testimony in the trial of Leroy Himes, the prime suspect in a series of "Trashman" rape/murders three years previously. Leanne had thought at the time to accuse Himes of rape and save herself the embarrassment of dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and the hassle of confronting her overprotective parents. She insists on talking only to Corso, because he was one of the few people to treat her kindly during the trial.

Corso himself had had his doubts about Himes' guilt and written a column to that effect, but it seems as if everyone else in Seattle is content to move forward with Himes' execution, only a few days away at this point. When he gets involved, Corso suddenly has an exclusive and people start buying the _Sun_ again. As he digs further, in the company of his partner, freelance photographer Meg Dougherty, an unfortunate woman who was tattooed all over her body by a vengeful boyfriend, Corso discovers that the police are trying to cover-up a pair of new murders that fit the MO of the previous string and which, coupled with Leanne's recantation, pretty much guarantee Himes' innocence.

I enjoyed the book, though it was hard to warm up to Frank Corso. He's got a rough, hard-edged exterior, although he's always got a kind word and a ready ear for life's losers, like Leanne or Himes. He's just a bit too prickly and unfriendly to the other people in his life for him to be an attractive character. He's especially mean to Meg, which makes the scene where the two of them fall into each others' arms that much harder to believe.

This was the first Ford book I've read since his debut Leo Waterman mystery _Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca?_ and Waterman makes a brief appearance in this book, tying the two series together. Ford draws a great picture of Seattle, though I'm still trying to decide if I want to spend any more time in Frank Corso's company. I guess I'd have to give this one a rather mixed recommendation.

This book marks a very interesting departure for Ford. The tone in Fury is much darker than in the Leo Waterman novels -- whereas the other books were mostly light and amusing, and the crimes never grisly, the acts in Fury are much more dire. The protagonist, Frank Corso, is also more tortured and introspective, making Leo look happy-go-lucky by comparison. The story is also written in 3rd person, unlike the Waterman novels; you can tell that Ford is still easing himself into this different writing style.

The real breakthrough in this novel is Corso's partner in investigation Meg, a "rubenesque" tattooed goth. She's very weird, sharp and likable; by far the most realistic depiction of such a woman that I've ever read (if you hang around many goths, you know someone just like Meg).

On the downside, this novel is really just about introducing a new hero for Ford to write about. The villains are pretty one-dimensional. We know what they do, but very little about why or where they came from. Ford could take a few notes from Andrew Vachss on this mark. Just the same, I'm really looking forward to a sequel -- as long as there's a cameo by Nearly Normal Norman.

FURY
by
G. M. Ford

For six books I have read and enjoyed G. M. Ford's exploits of Seattle private investigator, Leo Waterman. Leo wasn't your ordinary breed of PI; he was unique and totally original. And so were his adventures. When FURY was released, I probably put off reading it because I felt Ford had abandoned one of my fictional heroes by creating a new character. Boy, was I wrong! This first book of a new series is even better than Ford's first six books.

Actually, Leo Waterman hasn't been abandoned totally; he makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of this book. He's been hired by the publisher of the Seattle Sun to locate the recluse best selling author, "defrocked" journalist and occasional syndicated columnist for the tabloid, Frank Corso. Something has come up and the paper needs him now.

That "something" just happens to the pending execution of Walter Leroy Himes, the convicted "trashman" serial killer. Six days before he's scheduled to get the needle, the prosecution's key witness it trying to tell everyone that she lied at the trial. Unfortunately, no one wants to listen to her; it seems as if everyone from the victims' families to most of the citizens of Seattle, the police and even the mayor would rather have Himes dead. Corso is the only person who thinks Himes is innocent, but he has less than six days to prove it and find the real "trashman" killer.

With the help of his highly "illustrated" assistant and photographer Meg Dougherty, Corso begins racing against the clock only to discover more lies, cover-ups, corruption and even murder. FURY is a virtual race to the deadline that will leave you breathless, because in this case deadline really does mean DEAD!

Ford has created a great new pair of crime solvers, as well as an outstanding new series. I can't wait for the next book in the series that is now in the works. I'll bet you won't be able to wait either.

I'm using this book for my first college physics course. I find the text very dry and boring, and the problems at the end of each chapter are confusing and not well explained. For example, I'm doing my homework and one of the problems is "speculate on how gaseous diffusion works." Just that, does not explain what gaseous diffusion is. As with many of the problems in this book, the first thing that comes into my mind is "what the hell are you talking about??" Another question asks me to compare the length of something to "the diameter of a molecule." Huh? What molecule? Are all molecules the same diameter? And how the heck am I supposed to know what that diameter is? Gah. I do not recommend this book unless you like being confused.

Also, the discussion questions at the end of each chapter are very nice, but the answers are not provided anywhere. So how are you supposed to know if you answered them correctly? And another thing I really hate about this book, it will say "and why do you think this happens?" and then not tell you why. About 90% of the time my answer is "I have no clue why that happened." :/ This book makes me hate physics.

This book is very well organized. I especially appreciated the "problem-solving strategy" snippets, which were very helpful. All the diagrams are very clear. The problems are written well; i.e., the reader can understand what the problem is asking. Lastly, there is so much physics in this book! There is enough physics for two full years.

Excellent!! I'm studying in Form 7 and going to take my Advanced Level Examinations this year. No other reference book avaliable in Hong Kong better than University Physics. The content are very well organized and the examples are extremely useful. I'm sure that you won't be disappointed after you buy this book.

I had never read one of Dickens book before Nicholas Nickleby, though I had always wanted to. I particularly enjoyed this book because of Dicken's subtle sense of humor and colorful characters. It was easy to hate the villains such as Squeers or Ralph Nickleby, and laugh at the amusing chracters of Mr. Mantalini and John Brody(whom I found to be the funniest) Authenticity of personality and speech allows you to connect with the various chracters. Although he was probably the least complex, my favorite was Smike, the pitiful victim of the Yorkshire schools of the 1800s.
The one drawback was the size of this book. Dickens spent much time giving detail of many places and people (and did a good job of it), but we must draw the line somewhere. Just when one thinks enough words have been spent on one topic, it diverges into yet another irrevelant matter.
I'd recommend this book to almost anyone, unless you have a great fear of commitment. But the book has plenty of plot and satire to hold you to the end. I certainly was, but I don't think my librarian would believe me.

Again and again I had the sense of a young writer reveling in his powers -- his creation of a teeming multitude of characters and their antics and adventures, his magical use of classic rhetorical tropes (such as metonymy, irony of various types, etc.), his ringing of many emotional notes. One feels that Dickens must have been amazed and delighted by his own profuse gifts. I'd hope that many people would read this book while they themselves are young!

As has been said by someone before, I believe, one doesn't learn much that is new from Dickens, but one encounters a prodigious range of events and persons that relate to the universal experiences of human life -- of being bullied or being a bully, of being too trusting or not trusting enough, of having to resolve conflicting duties, and much more.

I started reading Dickens about 25 years ago & only recently got to this one, and found it even better than I expected it to be.

I read criticisms of this book that it is not one of Dickens' best. For me, it is up there with Great Expectations and David Copperfield as one of his most enjoyable novels (A Christmas Carol is a short story).

The social axe that Dickens had to grind in this story is man's injustice to children. Modern readers my feel that his depiction of Dotheboys Academy is too melodramatic. Alas, unfortunately, it was all too real. Charles Dickens helped create a world where we can't believe that such things happen. Dickens even tell us in an introduction that several Yorkshire schoolmasters were sure that Wackford Squeers was based on them and threatened legal action.

The plot of Nicholas Nickleby is a miracle of invention. It is nothing more than a series of adventures, in which Nicholas tries to make his way in the world, separate himself from his evil uncle, and try to provide for his mother and sister.

There are no unintersting characters in Dickens. Each one is almost a charicature. This book contains some of his funniest characters.

To say this is a melodrama is not an insult. This is melodrama at its best. Its a long book, but a fast read.

Ford paints the past and the present of that midwestern phenomoenom, the hollow eyed drifter with the soft spoken voice and two coats of dust on his boots. Ford's prose is deadpan and its power is cumulatitve, as opposed to immediate and lyrical like Denis Johnson. Ford has no fear of letting his tales mosie along and take their sweet time to get where they are going, which is usually a place of muted pain and forlorn prospects. Gambler's out of luck, casualties of the waste land, Ford's character's are tough, but not without enough scars that we feel for them. All in all, Ford out Carver's Carver, and takes the Midwest of Hemingway into the desolation of the 21st Century.

Simply put, Richard Ford is the finest writer of short fiction in America today. When first published in the 1980s, Rock Springs did not get the attention it rightly deserved, but since Ford has won the Pulitzer, this collection is once again being sapped up. This collection outweighs Ford's lates - Women With Men - because it has that one base ingrediant the other lacks: a heart. Ford tells a series of stories about the great American vastness and the sense of hopelessnes that seems to permeate much of the West. In doing so, Ford evokes character just as memorable as any in contemporary literature - including his own Frank Bascomb. This collection is a must read for aspiring writers who want to know how to create emotion without melodrama. Also, it creates voices rather than imitating them. A mark of a true master. When I first read this collection in college, it seemed like I was sitting around the fire listening to a storyteller. The characters are vibrant, the setting as gritty as they need to be, and the writing as polished as fine silver. Purchase this book and understand what the word "mastery" means.

Stark, beautiful, sad, mysterious, understated, real-seeming, drum taut. Almost word perfect. ROCK SPRINGS is easily Ford's best book.

I've taught creative writing and contemporary lit. at several universities. Some of the best prose ever written has been published in the past couple of decades. A few of my other favorite contemporary books in no particular order:

THE NIGHT IN QUESTION, Tobias Wolff (the richest, roundest, most mature collection of stories by the world's best short fiction writer); THE TAO OF MUHAMMAD ALI: A FATHERS AND SONS MEMOIR, Davis Miller (a remarkable, dreamy, beautiful nonfiction novel by a fairly unheralded American who's quite well appreciated in the UK: London reviewers have compared Miller's books to those of R. Ford, T. Wolff and Nick Hornby [HIGH FIDELITY, FEVER PITCH]); THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, Tim O'Brien (jaw-droppingly well written, timeless feeling); TRACKS, Louise Erdrich (for me, the best -- and most real-world mythical -- in her interrelated series of novels).

I can't imagine a more dynamic, life-affirming, entertaining group of books than those I've listed above. Happy reading, everyone!

I have always been a Bette Ford fan and anxiously awaited this book. She's among my favorite authors. Man, was I disappointed. The heroine, Amanda, got on my last nerve! How could a grown woman, a successful interior designer be so silly? Why would she think, a man such as Zach who has always been there for her, not really love her. Okay, so they slept together, created a baby that she lost. Did that automatically mean that he was lost as well? And why couldn't she believe that he love her, especially after NOT filing for divorce when she left him. This woman was not a strong black woman. When I read about romance, where there's drama, I expect for them to overcome and succeed despite the obstacles. In this novel, I wanted Zach to just leave her and move on! AAAAAHHHHH!

On the level of sensuality, I will give this book a 5. That much, Ms. Ford did manage to achieve. Zach was a very handsome, creative and sexy man. He deserved better than Amanda.

And why, WHY must we always have to deal with a crazy mother in-law? That's another thing that peeded me off. Amanda should have told Zach from the begining. Dang, when you marry, you leave your parents and your spouse become priority, after God. Duh!!

I hope the next novel Ms. Ford pens will be of the same calibur that we've come to expect of her.

When a Man Loves a Woman was a terrific read. I love the strongness and determination of the character Zachary McFadden. If there is an example of strong black man he truly exemplified it perfectly. In some was too perfect, but I was hooked on this book. I could understand where Amanda Daniels was coming from, but she should have recognized earlier that there were many differences between her father and Zach. And some of the other characters could have been explained better like Amanda's mother and Zach's mother and why they truly did and said the things they said. Other than these minor flaws the book was spectacular and I recommend it to everyone.

Before I write anything else, I want to say that I almost NEVER read Arabesque books. The plot is usually unbelievable and the characters [unrealistic]. HOWEVER, reading Bette Ford's book made me change my mind. Zach and Amanda were great!! Zach's love and concern for Amanda was the stuff of fairytales (and excellent romance books) and it made me wish I knew a "Zach" in my world. I know a lot of women like Amanda and it's all you can do to keep your composure and hope they realize they have a good man right underneath their nose. I think anyone who picks up this book will be pretty pleased with Ms. Ford's ability to craft an excellent story. Sometimes I felt as if she should have fully explained some of the other chracters and their motivations (like, what would make Mrs. McFadden, Zach's mother, act like she did? There had to be a better reason. What about the other brother Bradford and cousin Barbara?) because I wanted more details on why they acted like they did, but to fully explain them would have taken too long. Zach and Amanda were the focus of the story and that's where she kept the story aimed.

Anyway, the book centers on Zach and Amanda's attempts to put their marriage together one year after the loss of both their baby and Amanda's adoring grandfather. I guess I should say Zach's attempts, since on their first anniversary, Amanda served him with divorce papers! Zach refuses to lose the woman he loves so easily and he makes a deal with Amanda: Live with me for one year and see if we can put our marriage back together. If not, you win and I'll sign the papers. Of course, reading the book you realize Zach has no intention of letting her go so easily. He moves into her condo and begins to woo her back. Meanwhile, Amanda must decide whether she will let her parents abusive marriage dictate her love for Zach or if she will let go of the past and try to make her marriage work.

The story also touches on some pretty important issues. Domestic violence, emotional abuse, chidren being raised by their grandparents, etc. were all touched on in this book and Ms. Ford does an excellent job of not sweeping them under the rug. I know I will be reading more books by Ms. Ford in the future. More characters like Zach and Amanda will keep me from writing off Arabesque books for good.

Neil Baldwin's "Henry Ford and the Jews" is a compelling look at how a genius at one thing --- the mass production of a good automobile --- could become such a dangerous buffoon when it came to another thing --- the mass production of an idea. At some point, our title character ceased to be just "Henry Ford, automaker" and instead became Henry Ford, wealthy and powerful symbol of international antisemitism. Baldwin's portrait of Ford in all his horrible glory is fascinating.

Neil Baldwin's look at Henry Ford and his anti-semitic views is an important one. Most people know something about Ford's anti-semitism. However, with this book one gets a full picture of the nature of his prejudice, the way it was expressed, and it's root causes. In addition, Mr. Baldwin has added to the value of this story by covering, in some detail, the responses of various members of the Jewish community to this very big problem. Mr. Ford was an extremely influential American, and as such, it was very important for Jewish leaders to respond to the outrageous and harmful ideas that were expressed in publications (such as The Dearborn Independent) that he was associated with. However, leaders differed with regard to how to best deal with this problem, and indeed it was something that had to be handled carefully.

In some ways, this is a very sad story, for it shows us some of the worst aspects of a man who was and still is revered by many. It also reminds us of how prevalent anti-semitism was in America during the first few decades of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, this is an important story, and Neil Baldwin has told it in a book that combines good writing with outstanding scholarship. I don't think that it will disappoint the serious reader.

History must be revised when any new and accurate information appears. Neil Baldwin's book, "Henry Ford And The Jews The Mass Production Of Hate", utilizes some information that was only opened from archives in March of 2001. Further, no matter how much time may pass, history as portrayed in this book must always be available to new generations of readers. I believe that the darker aspects of this country's or any nation's history, must be documented accurately and fairly. Reality has demonstrated that with the passage of time facts are forgotten, and become the target for revisionists who replace history with fiction. Historical events like The Holocaust have been defended in court within the last 2 years. The defense was required to prove The Holocaust took place.

Mr. Baldwin has documented the actions of one of the most influential businessmen of the 20th Century. Mr. Henry Ford's achievements in the production of his cars are a fact of history. Mr. Ford was a talented man, and had he confined himself to what he was competent to conduct, his memory would be a very different one. Mr. Ford is portrayed in this book by a wide variety of sources as a man who was amazingly ill informed, a man who placed no value on education, was a tyrant to those who made his fortune, and a man who had the distinction of having his portrait on the wall of Adolph Hitler's Office. Like other notable names in American History he accepted the highest honor bestowed on a non-German by Hitler. Another recipient Charles Lindbergh could claim he had no idea he was to be presented with the, "Honor". Mr. Ford accepted his on the occasion of his birthday with 1500 invited guests. Another famous recipient of the award was Mr. Thomas Watson of IBM fame. Of the 3 men, only the latter had the common sense to return the medal. Mr. Ford proudly stood for photographs of his presentation on July 30, 1938. At this point there is no conceivable defense for claiming not to know what Hitler was about.

Mr. Ford claimed to hate those who were profiteers of war. His views changed as Ford operated in Germany throughout World War II producing tens of thousands of military trucks and cars, and unlike other companies, Ford was never nationalized, and retained majority ownership throughout the war. As the Nazi's invaded other nations they handed the production of cars over to Ford.

It helps to bring the idea of how influential this man was forward in time. Today you would need to take the head of one of the world's largest companies, and then imagine his conducting himself as Ford did. Today it is inconceivable that a person could buy a newspaper for the express purpose of spreading Anti-Semitic hatred, that a person could publish countless thousands of copies of, "The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion", and continue to claim they were anything but the fiction they were. But this is what he did, for decades. He continually tried to force anyone who bought one of his cars to buy a subscription to his paper; he demanded that dealers tie his anti-Semitism to every sale.

Mr. Ford is often spoken of when better wages are discussed during his period in manufacturing history. What I had not read before was the private portion of the company that would inspect the homes and personal habits of workers to qualify them for this added pay. A worker was subject to any invasion of privacy to ensure he lived, as Ford deemed appropriate. Henry Ford never did anything that was not in his interest, and was not tangled in strings for those who would accept his "largesse".

The author was catalyzed to pursue this subject when The Ford Motor Company underwrote all the funds that would have been generated by selling commercials when, "Schindler's List", was first aired on television. This is the new Ford Company that came about almost immediately upon the founder's death. The present company in no way should be blamed for the sins of its founder, however after half a century has passed, the need to make amends is clearly still felt.

The book tells a tragic story of events that took place not so long ago. Events that will always be relevant, should always be available, and never forgotten.

First of all, I'm not a Professional Photographer, that's the reason why I purchased this book in the first place. I like the topics and the physical size of the book. Other than actual content, I purchased this book as a "Reference Book" so I like to refer to it in the field when my hands are holding 2 camera's and a tripod.

What I don't like about this book is, that to me it's structured in a way like reading an appliance instructions. Pages are set up in a way where the printing is TOO small to read, even with reading glasses. The book is printed in very light ink, very difficult to read, even in bright light. Chapters are not clearly divided, it's like one big 'run on' sentence.

Topics are too technical and is really written for the Professional Photographer in mind. Maybe if the title was changed to, "Professional Photographers Handbook", then I wouldn't be writing the review.

I found this book to be the best book on all aspects of photography. It shows examples of very simple
lighting setups and some very very complicated and interesting examples. It will show you how you can set up rooms with conflicting natural lighting, by mixing the lighting with flash or incandesent lighting. It shows you what equipment you will need. In addition it covers everything, and I do mean everything in photography.
I am ordering another one because the first one I had literally came apart. That is the one thing that dissappointed me. Its NOT the fault of the author. My first book was very poorly binded.
Some of the pages came loose. In all honesty let me say that I was rather rough with it. If this one falls apart, I am going to punch holes in it and put it in a loose leaf binder. I miss my first one so very much.

Hedgecoe's The Photographer's Handbook will teach you what you want to know about photography. I own this book along with John's guide on B/W photography. Both books are excellent. I am glad that I purchased it.

This is a fun book. A great description of southwest Florida, and a thrilling plot line, this is the perfect summer read. This time, readers are treated with a little background about Doc Ford's mysterious past and his connections with the shady world of covert governent operations. Ford "accidentally" assists a beautiful damsel in distress, while simultaneously discovering lost relations on a wild goose chase to discover buried treasure. The story had me hooked.

However I can only give this book 4 stars. The story dragged a bit in the middle - White takes off on some tangents that are not immeadiatly related to the story line, which was a bit distracting. And while the writing was typically lucid, there were moments when it was a little flat. In spite of this, readers can expect the same thrilling action and unique characters one expects from White. You will not be disappointed by this one.

In SHARK RIVER Doc Ford is shot while instinctively coming to the rescue of a young woman who is almost kidnapped by some very bad guys from a Columbian drug cartel. When the FBI tries to pressure Ford into helping them solve the case he resists as usual fearing that some of his past deeds as a secret government operative may come back to haunt him. Ford is able to put off the FBI but not Harrington, the girl's influential father, who knows too much about Doc's past and one particular operation known as Sky Hook. Harrington is seeking revenge against a ruthless killer named Edgar Cordero.

The attempted kidnapping is witnessed by a visiting Bahamian lady named Ransom who tells Ford she is the daughter of his late uncle Tucker Gatrell and a sizeable inheritance in stolen gold coins awaits both of them if they can decipher Tucker's complicated instructions. Doc's hippie friend Tomlinson assists in the hunt for the hidden treasure.

I agree with some of the reviewers who have expressed disappointment in SHARK RIVER. It does not strike me as being quite on a par with THE MANGROVE COAST and NORTH OF HAVANA or some of the other entries in the Doc Ford series. It is, however, still good enough, especially if you like Florida and you are a fan of John D. MacDonald or even Ross Thomas with his tales of foreign intrigue. Randy White's Doc Ford books remind me of certain elements I used to enjoy in stories by both MacDonald and Thomas although it does seem impossible to discover truly satisfying replacements for either one of these deceased authors.

If ever there was a fitting successor to John D. MacDonald and the Travis McGee series, it's Randy Wayne White writing about Doc. Ford. The same complex characters with just the right mix of thought provoking philosophy and crisp action sequences. White knows Florida, especially the waters off the west coast, and uses that to his extreme advantage in weaving this tale. He does his research, which means Doc. Ford comes across as a knowledgable Marine Biologist.

For anyone who's read previous White novels on Ford and wanted to learm more about his mysterious background, this book unveils more of the story. And you'll find it very consistent and satisfying.

As an aside, White wrote an outstanding editorial (which I believe was picked up in syndication) after the attack on America on Sep. 11. If you had any doubt about his ability as a wordsmith, read that editorial first, then get Shark River.

My ONLY complaint is that the book seemed too short!! When you're enjoying a read as much as this you'd wish it would just keep going.

I have been a devotee of Gina's since two months after my daughter was born in August 2000. I bought this book and the follow-up "From Contented Baby to Confident Child," having heard about it from an English friend. You can read an amusing and heated debate between Gina-lovers and Gina-haters on that site. I'm delighted to see that she is now published in the US. While the tone of the writing can be a little off-putting (starchy, bossy, English Nanny etc.), it is worth ignoring that superficial irritation as the wisdom she provides is precious.

With a very complicated lifestyle, I was unable to follow the routines to the letter, but worked at it and always kept it in mind as an underlying plan. The closer I managed to keep to it, the happier and more contented we all were. My baby changed overnight and took to the schedule as though it was her natural way of existing as soon as I tried it. And I never let her cry inconsolably. A couple of minutes "crying down" is and always has been the rare and maximum crying time. If not, there are other things to be done. There is nothing cruel and unloving about this approach. Read the book!

Having initially read the Contented Little Baby book, I thought that I could do it better myself and I listened to my Health Visitors etc who said just to let my baby find his own pattern. What a big mistake! Eventually at the end of my tether, when my son was 11 months old I got the book out again and started to try to set up a routine. I actually rang Gina Ford and had telephone consultations, as I was so exhausted I was on the verge of post natal depression. Gina was my one sane lifeline and taught me from scratch how to feed my baby properly. Jack was eating jars of baby food (all organic) but they were not satisfying him due to a lack of protein and I ended up getting up 6 times a night to breastfeed him. With Gina's help he was down to 1 feed at night within a very short space of time and the next thing we had to crack was the sleep training, which we did with Gina's help and encouragement. It took 3 nights to get Jack to sleep and it was dreadfully hard listening to him crying for 40 minutes at a time, but had I followed the book properly from the start I would have been able to look back on Jack's babyhood with fond memories and not in a horrible blur. Jack now sleeps from 6.30pm till 7.30am!!!!! Exhaustion is the most dreadful thing and people are conditioned that it is part of the territory of being a parent, well thanks to Gina Ford and her marvellous book, that does not have to be the case. We now enjoy our little boy and he is far less ill and is in great humour most of the time. Babies need sleep and they need routine and adults need the same thing to be able to cope with babies! I get so irked when I hear a poor review of Gina's book as I feel the time has come for baby books to get back to basics, the modern way of parenting without routine leads to frazzled parents and eventually naughty children who are desperate for some consistency in their lives. I know - I was one!!!! Every friend of mine who has just had a baby gets Gina's book from me as a gift and everyone swears by it! I can thoroughly recommend this book and can't wait more books by Gina Ford.

Couldn't agree more with most of the reviews. I read the other books, listened to the pediatrician and birthing class advise, and discussed with other pregnant friends how I too planned to "demand feed" and really "listen" to what my baby wanted. Problem was that when she was born, I apparently couldn't hear her over her loud wailing because I was still clueless. This book gave me an idea of at least what she probably was needing at particular times. First six weeks were very hard. We kept trying to stick strictly to the schedule. I'd run around bare-breasted in the middle of nursing to get the "book" because I had forgotten what we were supposed to do at exactly what time. Now I realize that was too extreme. As others also are claiming, best to take the suggestions in stride and not grade yourself by how closely you follow the schedules in the book. Now the schedule works great and she is eating a terrific variety of foods. With her suggestions your baby is trying turnips and parsnips within the first 2 months of being on solids. I've never even tried turnips and parsnips... Our baby seems to love every bit of all foods she is being offered which makes me feel like we're doing a good job of opening up her world. I'd highly recommend this book! Also a good combination with the "The Baby Whisperer" for a more mellow and nurturing routine.

Rife with historical inaccuracies, this book could have been written by just about anyone who has read the storyboard located at the Niebaum Coppola Winery. The sad thing is that it too contains inaccurate historical information. Try using Napa County records and those of the local newspapers next time Steve, instead of relying on spoon fed information from a publicist.

At last, a book about wine that has a heart and a soul. The story of the Niebaum-Coppola winery is rendered with such affection for the land, the people who cultivate it, and the wine they create, that it pulls you right into history. This is a story, not a textbook, with real characters of real integrity (and just enough of the "bad guys" to make it interesting). In an age where corporate conglomerates seem to spread like phylloxera, I found great comfort in reading about people who literally took back the land and started doing things right again. The frankness with which Rafeal Rodriguez and Kolpan tell the story makes you understand this history from a human perspective. If you're looking for a quick read packed with oenology factoids, move on. Sure, there is lots of information and science in here, but the author weaves it all into to the story, translating details into meaning---a reflection, I suppose, of his experience as an educator. So many (too many) wine writers focus so much on the mercenary aspects of winemaking (production, distribution, and marketing) that you wonder if they even really like the stuff for its own sake, not just because it's such-and-such vintage from such-and-such chateau. Kolpan obviously loves wine dearly for the spirit it embodies; his affection for the fruit of the vine will inspire you.

The book, A Sense of Place, by Steven Kolpan, tells the story of the Niebaum-Coppola Winery (formally called Inglenook) by combining the history of a piece of land with the personal stories of the people who lived and worked it. I found his book to be well researched as well an inspiration to read. To my surprise the book is not so much about Francis Ford Coppola as it is about the land itself and a vision of a man, Gustave Niebaum. I man I had never heard of until I read this book. This book is a great read. The narrative is dramatic and stories compelling.