Jaguar Reviews

While the previous books are considered classic references of the imbalanced struggle between man and predators in the past, the recent spectacular sightings of jaguars in the remote Baboquivari and Peloncillo mountains of Arizona have refueled the public's interest into the present status and future of „tigres" north of the Mexican border.

Brown and Gonzalez show that jaguar visits from the south are not accidental events but follow a complex pattern. One important issue in this respect is the biotic communities of the borderlands providing jaguar habitat, and which are thoroughly discussed. The natural history of the jaguar is highlighted by a carefully up-dated listing of jaguars reported from Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora and Chihuahua between 1900 and 2000, many supported by photographs and behind-the-scene information from eyewitnesses. Through on-site investigations in Mexico, Brown and Gonzalez were able to locate the possible source(s) of those jaguars that periodically show up in AZ.

The ancient symbolic power, as well as the elusive beauty of the jaguar, which trigger our imagination, are omnipresent throughout this book. And, the tension and personal reports of the few lucky Arizonans, who have actually come across jaguars, make this book extremely exciting reading. Putting the reader down in a comfortable armchair in pursuit of a jaguar in an abandoned minetunnel, with only four shells and a dim flashlight, is simply not offered by regular wildlife references!

By giving attention to the large predators of the Southwest, Brown has brought us a long way, covering the Mexican wolf, the grizzly, the cougar (in a foreword for Harley Shaw's „Soul Among Lions") and now the jaguar. These fine books should be considered a series, and appreciated as a totality. The concept of a jaguar reserve in Sonora as proposed by Brown and Gonzalez has set a high goal for conservation efforts. Until then, the vast majority of us will have to live with Brown's cold comfort that „the thought of such a cat's presence is enough in itself".

The characters were well developed and the plot was interesting and captivating. In addition, the book was very descriptive. From the descriptions, I could actually visualize the characters, settings and actions.

This book's plot had interesting "twists" and I can't wait to read another book by this author. I highly recommend the "Jaguar".

Rarely does a book's title reflect accurately on its contents, as does Phillip Porter's "Jaguar E-type, The definitive history". One's initial impression is of physical presence, for this is a massive work in all respects. Leafing through the book for the first time, one is immediately struck by a sense of awe that this could possibly represent the work of one man. There can be no doubt this is Porter's legacy, for which he laboured long and hard and gave much of himself.

The foreword is written by sportsman Briggs Cunningham, hinting that the car's racing heritage will figure prominently within. This is indeed the case, for fully a third of the content is dedicated to competition. The greater volume of the book, however, deals with the production car, against an historical timeline that begins with its evolution and conception and extends, rather than ends, with the E-type as it continues to exist today.

It is clear that Porter is unabashedly passionate about this greatest of all sportscars, but he masterfully avoids what could have been a eulogy and creates both a powerful reference work and an entertaining read. "The definitive history" brings together a multitude of colourful personalities and anecdotes and weaves these into a framework of facts, insights and specifications. There are literally hundreds of photographs and illustrations, some of which will be familiar to those who have read other books on the subject but the vast majority of which have never been published before.

History and objectivity are often mutually exclusive and if there can be fault found in this work it would be historian's soft disdain for cars which diverged from the pure lines of the Series 1 two-seaters. This, however, does nothing to detract from what is an otherwise magnificient accomplishment. There will be no other comprehensive histories written about the legendary Jaguar E-type, for none could possibly better this one.

Nick Saltarelli 1968 E-type OTS

The protagonist, Hugh Falkins, is a young man teetering on the edge of adulthood whose impulsive decision to run from what he prefers not to face only forces him to confront a situation he could never have imagined. Mr. Serafino skillfully conveys Hugh's sense of isolation, his sense that he lacks a place that is securely his own. His search for himself slowly unfolds as he faces danger, death and events that take him far beyond anything he could ever have imagined.

The pacing of this well-researched adventure is compelling and filled with more than enough plot twists to entertain readers of any age. The cast of characters are varied and all solidly defined, with most of them rarely ending up being who they were thought to be. And, as if artifact thieves and attempted murder weren't enough, the action is further complicated by the addition of an ongoing battle between the Mexican army and Guatemalan rebels.

This is a superb adventure-based coming-of-age novel with all the necessary ingredients to keep readers' minds off alternative forms of entertainment for the duration.

Therefore: I can promise you this, there's not a happy ending in the book, and I found myself at first very disappointed in this growing trend. At some point in the third short story, I realized that he would supply no easy answers, and the converse might prove true: nothing but hard questions from here on.

Stories wrapped up neatly, even with the bad guy winning, aren't a possibility for Shepard. Life is like that sometimes, and the choices that lead you to a place you wish you hadn't visited. But, since you're there, take in the scenery and try to pass on a warning to others...

This is my first formal introduction to Lucius Shepard; it won't be my last meeting with his work, for sure.

The collection divides into several different overlapping types: traveller's tales, New England horror, Latin American magic realism, those dealing with the ongoing shadow cast by Nazism, fantasy etc. It is really a matter of taste which you prefer: my own favourites are the title story, which tingles with atmosphere and magical possibility; the two treatments of the legacy of the Third Reich - the terrifying 'Mengele', and the bizarre, menacing 'A Spanish Lesson'; and the magnificent 'R&R'. I like the New England-set tales less, but even they far outdo Stephen King.

Shephard's writing has never been better than is these early stories (and also in the underrated novel 'Life During Wartime'); lush but never bloated and often ironic but always moral. I just wish he would find his form again and stop writing yet more vampire novels!

4 months later, the client decided to use Java, scrap PB development and sacked me without even a day's notice. Oh well. I still think Jaguar and the book and PB7 are tops! But the lesson learned is that Powerbuilder is on the way down and out!