Read Regeneration Contemporary Fiction Plume Pat Barker Books

Product details Series Contemporary Fiction, Plume (Book 1) Paperback 256 pages Publisher Plume; 1 edition (December 31, 2013) Language English ISBN-10 0142180599

Regeneration Contemporary Fiction Plume Pat Barker Books Reviews

• I just finished this book and while it is 307 in the morning, I am too excited about it to save my review until a more acceptable hour such as tomorrow after some coffee. Also, I had too much caffeine tonight and find my thoughts running all over the place and the process of blogging might carrel them, if more a moment.
  
  Regeneration is a trilogy of three books by Pat Barker, something that I did not realize when I ordered through my the first book, which I am reviewing here. Now that I have finished it though, I am very excited to read the second novel, The Eye in the Door.
  
  This novel is based on World War I and the treatment and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder on the English soldiers. What is very compelling about this novel is not only the fact that at this time PTSD was still being disputed as something of a 'myth' by some professionals, offering a very unique view to the reader. But, it also explores the torment a respected psychologist and anthropologist, goes through as he tries to help his patients if only to return them to the battlefield to die for their country, as is his duty since he works for the army. A particular solider, poet, and homosexual Sassoon, forces the psychologist to ask himself questions about those who are in charge of the war and why they have not negotiated a peace treaty with Germany despite the thousands of deaths that have occurred on both sides of the line. Dr. Rivers also works with many other soldiers who force the Dr. and the reader to ask serious questions about war and the people behind them (soldiers and politicians), which is a topic that we can all relate to.
  
  This was a subject and an era that I have read little about, especially when paired together, it is something that I have never read. As usual, I looked over some reviews on Goodreads before I purchased the book and came across some particularly harsh reviews, one in particular written by a young woman who was angry more about what the book did not contain than by what the book contained. After reading the novel, all I could do was think back on that review and feel pity for her lack of appreciation and lack of understanding. Also, if a book lacks what you want it to maybe you should write your own?
  
  While this is a very compelling story there were many terms and words that I did not understand and had to look up. At times I struggled to remember character names and their disorder or part in the story but I cannot say that is the fault of the author or of the reader. I enjoyed looking up the words and learning something new as well as learning at the end of the book that many of the characters in the story actually did exist.
  
  A great read, highly recommend.
• I met Pat Barker in 1978 or 79 at a party given by Virago Press in London. Virago had just published her first novel, and the early reviews were coming in, all raves. Barker herself seemed shy and not very ego-driven, which appealed to me. Yet, somehow, when I got back to the US, I didn't read her book. I'm sorry now. I would have been enriched years ago by this writer's wisdom and art.
  
  Recently someone suggested Regeneration, since I had gotten interested in the impact of World War I in Europe (it had a less emphatic effect over here, I think. Not as devastating to us as the influenza epidemic that followed it). And I remembered meeting Barker and wondered that I had let her work slip past me. I began reading, and quickly saw what those early reviewers had meant. I found myself marveling not only at the story, but at this writer's very high art and skills. Many writers tell a good story, and you either read around glitches in the execution or just skip when you come to the dead parts. It had been so long since I had read a truly great book, that I had forgotten the force of masterly skills - I had forgotten how important doing something brilliantly could be to the effect of the whole.
  
  Barker does many things brilliantly. Description of scene and emotion - fantastic. Ditto to internal monologue, which sets a character in our minds. And sliding easily and naturally from one character to another. Moving back and forth in time as simply as we ourselves do when something today calls to mind something from years ago. She deepens our understanding of each character and the background as she goes. This is high art in service of story, not in service to itself.
  
  Barker's knowledge of just which details are important is another skill to marvel at. These scenes are evocative to the reader as well as to the character experiencing them, as tales within tales let us see farther and more clearly. At the same time, the forward movement of the overall story never falters. I couldn't put this book down.
  
  The trilogy, of which this is the first part, treats of the multitude of ways an external trauma, in this case war, acts upon individuals and on a society as a whole. Barker uses historical characters as well as invented ones. And such is the level of her skill, known people like Robert Graves and Siegfried Sassoon, for example, to say nothing of the other war poets and the medical people, are never ever the usual wooden historical characters. They are as finely thought- and felt-out as those other characters whom the writer has been free to invent. The reader is drawn well and truly into their lives, unaware of history's heavy hand.
  
  That means that this is hardly a "historical novel," along the lines of those we have access to every day. It is as natural as Yourcenar's The Memoirs of Hadrian, and to my mind, an even better book than that classic.
  
  I'm now deep into the third and final volume of the trilogy, The Ghost Road (which won England's Booker award in the late 1990s). The second, The Eye in Door, is so powerfully revealing of the inner forces shaping our lives that I will reread it many many times. I cannot even think of parts of it without a shiver.

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Ebook Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from AZ Joshua Ross 9781798604946 Books

Download As PDF : Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from AZ Joshua Ross 9781798604946 Books

Pivot Tables appear very complex to many Excel users—and rightly so considering the very powerful results they can generate. But that is as far removed from the truth as the day is from the night. When you understand how Pivot Tables work, you’ll wonder why you haven’t given them more of a chance.Then there are those who have tried to learn how to use Pivot Tables by using the help file in Excel, yet they failed to grasp them. Others have invested time and money to get instruction manuals or tutorials that attempt to explain this powerful Excel tool, but because of the somewhat complex style of presentation of such manuals, it becomes difficult to comprehend and further discourages those who are willing to learn. Even some of the tutorials that are relatively easy to read do not contain real-life applications of Pivot Table functions. It’s a bit like learning abstract things that don’t really have any meaningful impact on your life.In this guidebook, I have presented all the steps you will need to understand and use Excel’s Pivot Tables. I have taken the time to build this comprehensive guide from scratch, to finish with step-by-step instructions, including screenshots, to help you conceptualize what is being taught in this guide. I have left no stone unturned in order to give you the very best explanation with regards to Pivot Tables.If you follow the easy to implement steps in this guidebook, it is my promise to you that your Excel work output will drastically increase, thereby saving you time and unnecessary hassle. By the time you really get the hang of using Pivot Tables, you will see how the information you generate using them will greatly impact positively on decision-making and saving time, both for you and for your organization (if you use Excel for a company). Aside from giving you clear and easy steps to perform each task, I have also included likely scenarios where you may find a use for the Pivot Table functions explained in this book. Many times, users who attempt to use Pivot Tables (and other complex tools), tend to get frustrated when they have to follow a method that does not give them room for customization. I have been there, so I understand exactly how it feels. That is why in this guidebook, you do not only get steps on the “how-to” of Pivot Tables; I also give you tips and workarounds that will save you a lot of headaches and frustration.Grab this Book Today and Enhance your knowledge pertaining to Excel Pivot Tables!

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"Good book. Easy to understand. It will be a great resource and I'm sure it is something I will refer to many times. if you are a beginner, it will be helpful to you."

Product details Series Excel Pivot Tables (Book 1) Paperback 164 pages Publisher Independently published (March 3, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1798604949

Tags : Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from A-Z [Joshua Ross] on . Pivot Tables appear very complex to many Excel users—and rightly so considering the very powerful results they can generate. But that is as far removed from the truth as the day is from the night. When you understand how Pivot Tables work,Joshua Ross,Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from A-Z,Independently published,1798604949,BUSINESS ECONOMICS / Accounting / Financial,Computers / Programming / Microsoft

Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from AZ Joshua Ross 9781798604946 Books Reviews :

Excel Pivot Tables Comprehensive Beginners Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot Tables from AZ Joshua Ross 9781798604946 Books Reviews

• Excellent guide. It's a bit like learning abstract things that don't really have any meaningful impact on your life. In this guidebook, I have presented all the steps you will need to understand and use Excel's Pivot Tables. I have taken the time to build this comprehensive guide from scratch, to finish with step-by-step instructions, including screenshots, to help you conceptualize what is being taught in this guide. I have left no stone unturned in order to give you the very best explanatibn with regards to Pivot Tables. If you follow the easy to implement steps in this guidebook, it is my promise to you that your Excel work output will drastically increase, thereby saving you time and unnecessary hassle. Overall it is easy to understand and helpful guide.
• This book was so much informative about pivot tables and VBA programming. In this book you will learn so many things about this programming.
• I leaned so many effective things from this book. I was actually amazed by seeing how many important suggestions gathered in such a short book. Author did an excellent job. I'll surely recommend this book to my friends and family. Happy reading!! I would must recommended for this book.
• This is an excellent upgrade to Excel Pivot Tables! I think that would greatly take away from the style of learning Guide To Get Started and Learn Excel Pivot! Great book on Excel and I thought I knew a lot, Nice lesson presentations! Very highly recommended.
• I was surprised to find out how important the advice was gathered in such a small book. The author did a great job. I really enjoyed learning about using a pivot table. I would recommend this book and read more books from this author.
• The book was perfectly written for beginners for easier understanding. All the information was so easy to understand. I was so much excited to learn about this excel programming. I will suggest this book all of my friend.
• Excellent book. I am learning something new in every single lesson. No wasting time on basics, just straightforward, useful functions that I will be using every day. it's done. Very highly recommended.
• Good book. Easy to understand. It will be a great resource and I'm sure it is something I will refer to many times. if you are a beginner, it will be helpful to you.

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PDF Rubank Advanced Method Clarinet Vol 1 H Voxman William Gower Books

Product details Paperback 72 pages Publisher Rubank Publications (October 1, 1994) Language English ISBN-10 1423444264

Rubank Advanced Method Clarinet Vol 1 H Voxman William Gower Books Reviews

• This is book one of the Advanced portion of this clarinet method. Advanced is referring to beginning high school players. More repertoire practice in this book than specific technical nuances and that is good. Don't get me wrong, there are technical explanations and exercises in this book. It is more balanced though to begin leaning towards more performing over drill.
  
  I highly recommend this series and this book for strong high school freshmen and sophomores.
• This is a nostalgia review. I bought this as I used this series for guitar lessons years ago with a Jazz teacher, and I loved it. That was back in the day when there were not many guitar instructional books. Guitar has the same notation range as clarinet, so it's great for reading practice. It's a great way to have notated scale practice in every key, plus enjoyable classical single line pieces and duets.
• I bought this book because I was picking clarinet back up and wanted something I could use to practice with on my own. It has a good mix of exercises and if you follow the lesson plans on the first page they provide a good mix of scales, finger work, and solos. I used the same book as a student and it still holds up.
• VERY difficult passages that could have been written for non-jazz players. Quite challenging.
• Good material, well written with many tunes and exercises to keep the beginner interested. When the student finishes this book he can go on to the next level with confidence in himself!
• Outstanding. Easier keys with challenging articulations throughout the Scales, Melodic Interpretations, and Articulation and Fingering exercises. terrific trills chart and other advanced presentations. Highly recommended.
• like this
• really helped get skills back to college days

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Download PDF Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation Devotional Journal for Teen Girls Kisha D Simmons 9781796684520 Books

Download As PDF : Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation Devotional Journal for Teen Girls Kisha D Simmons 9781796684520 Books

Never underestimate the power of your tongue! This teen affirmation devotional and journal will not only remind teen girls of who & what God has said about them, it will also challenge her to speak life daily through repeating affirmations and journaling.

Download PDF Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation Devotional Journal for Teen Girls Kisha D Simmons 9781796684520 Books

"The perfect Valentine’s gift for our 15yrs old daughter!"

Product details Paperback 123 pages Publisher Independently published (February 12, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 179668452X

Tags : Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation, Devotional Journal for Teen Girls [Kisha D. Simmons] on . Never underestimate the power of your tongue! This teen affirmation devotional and journal will not only remind teen girls of who what God has said about them,Kisha D. Simmons,Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation, Devotional Journal for Teen Girls,Independently published,179668452X,RELIGION / Christian Living / Personal Growth,Juvenile Fiction / Social Issues / Depression Mental Illness,Juvenile Fiction / Social Issues / Self-Esteem Self-Reliance

Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation Devotional Journal for Teen Girls Kisha D Simmons 9781796684520 Books Reviews :

Know the Power Of I AM A 30 Day Affirmation Devotional Journal for Teen Girls Kisha D Simmons 9781796684520 Books Reviews

• The perfect Valentine’s gift for our 15yrs old daughter!

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PDF The SaudiIranian War Ted Halstead Books

Download As PDF : The SaudiIranian War Ted Halstead Books

Iran's Supreme Leader will use three nuclear weapons, VX and two armored forces driving on Riyadh to overthrow the Saudi monarchy. Can Russian agents, Saudi tanks and American technology stop him in time?

PDF The SaudiIranian War Ted Halstead Books

"Excellent combination of spies, military, and politics! I loved the characters and their back stories. Speaking from The point of a retired military officer the author send to have a fairly good grip on the tactics employed by spies, the military, and politicians... Or at least it makes it all sound like he does. Overall the plot was very good and plausible, the characters engaging and realistic, and the story moved at a pace that kept me up most of the night reading. This is one of the best books I have read in quite a while."

Product details Paperback 368 pages Publisher Independently published (February 14, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1796842974

Tags : The Saudi-Iranian War (9781796842975) Ted Halstead Books,Ted Halstead,The Saudi-Iranian War,Independently published,1796842974,FICTION / Thrillers / Military,Fiction / Thrillers / Espionage

The SaudiIranian War Ted Halstead Books Reviews :

The SaudiIranian War Ted Halstead Books Reviews

• The author has done an outstanding job of exploring vastly different cultures and weaving the military tactics into those variations, waking the reader to underlying issues in a part of the world we rarely give much thought to until a seemingly random flair up attracts our attention. Realistic, gritty action sequences with well researched military weaponry, complex identifiable human issues/behavior and a thorough explanation of those politics makes this a truly believable-and potentially possible-scenario of world interaction in what would originate as a fist fight between countries we don’t often think about.
• Loved the book, loved the story, loved the way the author built this fictional world up. While I can’t recommend the book enough and can’t wait for the next book by the author to come out, I do have one criticism. It’s the same I had in his first book. Far too much time is given to the esoteric descriptions of the weapons. The story is moving at a nail biting pace and then there is a long description of the weapons, the designation numbers, The planes or tanks carrying.....I really found these descriptions annoying!! Of course to a certain extent they do have to be described, but enough is enough!! Anyway, if you like imaginative political and military fiction, this is just fun and a great read. Do read.
• Excellent combination of spies, military, and politics! I loved the characters and their back stories. Speaking from The point of a retired military officer the author send to have a fairly good grip on the tactics employed by spies, the military, and politicians... Or at least it makes it all sound like he does. Overall the plot was very good and plausible, the characters engaging and realistic, and the story moved at a pace that kept me up most of the night reading. This is one of the best books I have read in quite a while.
• This is a book about a not entirely improbable clash in the near future between Iran and Saudi Arabia. It is a genuine military techno thriller, and unlike in many others of this genre, the author displays an excellent knowledge of the hardware and of the area of operations. Unusually, the heroes are not CIA or Israeli agents (one male and one female naturally), but two men from the FSB, the successor of the KGB. They are portrayed sympathetically and are admirable, but I could not understand why their masters sent them on their mission. The author tries to explain, but given what we know of Russian foreign policy and aggression since Putin's accession to power, this is just too much of a stretch. But then again, the author is a former State Department officer... On the plus side, he has a lucid style, a dry sense of humor, and there are only a few spelling errors.
  I would have liked to give this book five stars, but much of the story was just too pat, and while the author deserves full marks for his knowledge of military technology, this is not so for his familiarity with Saudi military capabilities. For example, Saudi artillery does not appear in any of the battles, nor the many anti-tank vehicles of the Saudi National Guard. Beyond these points, I think the author would have done well to limit his digressions into Middle Eastern stories and jokes. While they are all interesting and show the author's intimate knowledge of the Middle East, they do slow down the plot, and several are derogatory to Arab and Iranian culture and sensitivities, definitely not pc.
• Enjoyable and hard to put down. Likable characters and villains. Good plot and story line. Will definatly read author again.
• As previously stated in other reviews, just a little less technical breakdown on the weapons. The story is a entertaining mix of actual events and imaginative fiction. I like the idea of an Iranian government that looks inward instead of outward for fulfillment of its people.
• ...but the story ?
  Not so good !
• Enjoyed the whole plot. The different players from the usual gave the story added interest. Its not a part of the world we normally hear much about in novels and it gave a new insight into the area

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Read Her Daughter Dream Marta Legacy Francine Rivers 9781414334103 Books

Download As PDF : Her Daughter Dream Marta Legacy Francine Rivers 9781414334103 Books

In the dramatic conclusion to the New York Times best seller Her Mother’s Hope, Francine Rivers delivers a rich and deeply moving story about the silent sorrows that can tear a family apart and the grace and forgiveness that can heal even the deepest wounds.

Growing up isn’t easy for little Carolyn Arundel. With her mother, Hildemara, quarantined to her room with tuberculosis, Carolyn forms a special bond with her oma Marta, who moves in to care for the household. But as tensions between Hildie and Marta escalate, Carolyn believes she is to blame. When Hildie returns to work and Marta leaves, Carolyn and her brother grow up as latchkey kids in a world gripped by the fear of the Cold War.

College offers Carolyn the chance to find herself, but a family tragedy shatters her newfound independence. Rather than return home, she cuts all ties and disappears into the heady counterculture of San Francisco. When she reemerges two years later, more lost than ever, she reluctantly turns to her family to help rebuild a life for her and her own daughter, May Flower Dawn.

Just like Carolyn, May Flower Dawn develops a closer bond with her grandmother, Hildie, than with her mother, causing yet another rift between generations. But as Dawn struggles to avoid the mistakes of those who went before her, she vows that somehow she will be a bridge between the women in her family rather than the wall that separates them forever.

Spanning from the 1950s to present day, Her Daughter’s Dream is the emotional final chapter of an unforgettable family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter―and the very nature of unconditional love.

Read Her Daughter Dream Marta Legacy Francine Rivers 9781414334103 Books

"Loved"

Product details Series Marta's Legacy (Book 2) Paperback 592 pages Publisher Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (September 1, 2011) Language English ISBN-10 1414334109

Tags : Her Daughter's Dream (Marta's Legacy) [Francine Rivers] on . In the dramatic conclusion to the New York Times</i> best seller Her Mother’s Hope</i>, Francine Rivers delivers a rich and deeply moving story about the silent sorrows that can tear a family apart and the grace and forgiveness that can heal even the deepest wounds.<br/><br/>Growing up isn’t easy for little Carolyn Arundel. With her mother,Francine Rivers,Her Daughter's Dream (Marta's Legacy),Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,1414334109,Christian - Historical,Bildungsromans,Christian fiction,Christian fiction.,Domestic fiction,Mothers and daughters,Mothers and daughters;Fiction.,Self-actualization (Psychology) in women,Self-actualization (Psychology) in women;Fiction.,AMERICAN HISTORICAL FICTION,Christian - General,FICTION / Christian / General,FICTION / Christian / Historical,FICTION / Family Life / General,FICTION / Sagas,Fiction,Fiction - Religious,Fiction-Christian,GENERAL,General Adult,Monograph Series, any,Religious spiritual fiction,United States,mothers and daughters; silent sorrows; grace and forgiveness; deepest wounds; tear apart family; hard childhood; growing up; tuberculosis; sick mother; grandmother and granddaughter; latchkey kids; deep bond; find oneself; hippie culture; mothers sacrifices,mothers and daughters;silent sorrows;grace and forgiveness;deepest wounds;tear apart family;hard childhood;growing up;tuberculosis;sick mother;grandmother and granddaughter;latchkey kids;deep bond;find oneself;hippie culture;mothers sacrifices,Christian - General,FICTION / Christian / General,FICTION / Christian / Historical,FICTION / Family Life / General,FICTION / Sagas,Fiction - Religious,American Historical Fiction,Fiction,Religious spiritual fiction

Her Daughter Dream Marta Legacy Francine Rivers 9781414334103 Books Reviews :

Her Daughter Dream Marta Legacy Francine Rivers 9781414334103 Books Reviews

• Excellent!
• Loved
• Excellent
• Loved it!
• Good
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Download Nobody Rides for Free A Drifter in the Americas John Hughes 9781927040041 Books

Product details Paperback 224 pages Publisher Book*hug Press (May 1, 2012) Language English ISBN-10 1927040043

Nobody Rides for Free A Drifter in the Americas John Hughes 9781927040041 Books Reviews

• As T.S. Elliot once said, the joy of going on a trip was finding out, upon your return, that you have been someplace else.
  
  As interesting as I found the author's trip to SA, his description of his return to the USA was more interesting. His comments about traveling in the third world, turning other people's lives into tourist attractions, were well taken.
  
  I think anybody who has done much touring on a bike will enjoy this book.
  
  djc
• This book kept me captivated. It was a "what the heck" is going to happen next to this reckless, often unwise,but always adventurous bicycle pilgrim. I felt that I was riding along with him in his effort to shake his demons. The efforts of the author will make you laugh and often make you wince. A must read if you have any wonderlust in your soul.
• Well written, a great read for anyone who is considering travelling through the Americas' and willing to take in the experiences and challenges this writer contends with during his travels....written with rye humor and wit. The author takes no prisoners regarding his descriptive oration concerning his experiences and the often interesting and even bizzare characters he encounters.
• The premise for this book is good enough. But why the need for all the extended alcohol & dope drama; and raw, explicit language? I almost put it down, but because of its acclaim I thought I should finish it. I kind of wish I hadn't finished it.
• I have had this book lurking in one of my several "to be read" stacks for quite awhile now. Due to a lengthy illness where I have been unable to read, much less write, it took me quite some time to get to this one. I can tell you truthfully though, once I finally started reading this thing I simply could not put the book down.
  
  In brief, this is the true story of a young man...a very troubled young man I might add, who traveled via bicycle through Mexico, Central America and South America on his own; no group tour here. The travel was supplemented by buss and boat. Upon his return to the United States via Air Travel, he lands in Florida and the second part of his odyssey begins as he hitchhikes along some of the most dangerous roads in the United States (I know...I have traveled many of them via auto) all the way home to Vancouver, Canada...his home.
  
  What makes this trip even more remarkable is that the author is obviously a hardcore alcoholic and more than just "dabbles" in just about any drug he can get his hands on. He pays little to no attention to what and where he eats and spends the better part of his journey either extremely ill (Some of his illnesses are literally life threatening), being robbed, cheated or harassed. He has very few personal items with him and a rather limited amount of cash.
  
  The author has used a nice technique...the story has been written as he is hitchhiking across America and just about ever other chapter is a flashback to this Central and South American adventures. The book is extremely well written and I personally classify it as a page turner. Now some of his stories may seem sort of "over the top" or embellished to a certain extent; this may seem so to those who are not familiar with the backpacking/bike culture of the 1990s. I personally found no story here that was not believable. In addition to this, the author is brutally honest as to his wretched condition as to his use of alcohol and drugs and in no way glorifies it. As a matter of fact, after reading his harrowing story, you may quite well feel a pang of anxiety the next time you merely sip a small glass of wine. If we are honest with ourselves, most of use could say "There but for the grace of God go I."
  
  I get the feeling that part of the motivation for writing this most interesting tale was a cathartic act on the author's part. He certainly approaches his subject matter as such. On the other hand, not once did I get the impression that the author was traveling the "poor me" route and some of his material is actually quite funny. The situations he gets himself into...some of them...are quite amusing.
  
  As I have indicated, this is a rather skilled writer and he most certainly has a story to tell. I am hoping he follows through and shares with us his adventures in India and traveling the rails in North America.
  
  Don Blankenship
  The Ozarks
• The hitchhiking author of "Nobody Rides for Free" got his title from a driver who wanted to have sex with him
  
  "Listen, Mr. Freeloader. Maybe you remember those bumper stickers from the '70s? You know, the ones that said, 'gas, grass or ass--nobody rides for free?'...You have a choice, Mister Gimme some or hit the bricks!"
  
  The author hit the bricks. He is either sick, drunk, drugged, or mugged throughout this travel autobiography, but he never agrees to have sex with men. This book follows in the literary footsteps of the Marquis de Sade's "Justine" as far as plumbing the depths of human depravity---except "Justine" was fiction. The pain never lets up in either book.
  
  "Nobody Rides for Free" is structured around the author's attempt to hitchhike from Miami to Vancouver after an abortive bicycle tour through South America. Flashbacks from South America alternate with cold, soggy, sometimes creepy rides on U.S. highways. Alcoholic excesses plague both parts of the journey. And the food--I'd rather eat radishes dug up from under a latrine in New Delhi than dine from the street vendors this author patronized. It's no wonder he was plagued by diarrhea and internal parasites throughout his South American bike tour.
  
  There are moments of wild exhilaration
  
  "Water ran all over my body and a mad howl ripped from my lungs as thunder and lightning shook the uplands blasting through the Andean tempest tore a gaping chasm in life's outer limits."
  
  But, as the author himself says
  
  "Even so, my poisoned spirit was not resurrected."
  
  There is a postscript to "Nobody Rides for Free" where the author's mother persuades him to sign up with a Twelve-Step recovery plan, but this postscript floats lightly on what is otherwise an alcoholic sea of misery. I was discussing this book with my sister, while trying to figure out who might benefit from reading it. She suggested that parents might want to give a copy of "Nobody Rides for Free" to teen-agers who seem to be tempted to give hitch-hiking a try. There are also some graphic sections on the perils of cocaine.
  
  ***review copy supplied by author

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