Books

Son of a Preacher Man: My Search for Grace in the Shadows

Average customer rating:

Jay communicates Jesus' love for you
A touching autobiography.
Eloquent, heartfelt and honest
He's a REVOLUTIONARY with the RIGHT idea !!
A compelling story that reads easily

Son of a Preacher Man: My Search for Grace in the Shadows
Jay Bakker
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006251699X
Release Date: 2001-12-24

Amazon.com

By any standard, Jay Bakker has had it rough. The son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jay was only 11 years old when his parents' empire collapsed and his family was vilified as the epitome of televangelism's excesses. Jay Bakker's autobiography, Son of a Preacher Man, unflinchingly addresses all of his family's major scandals, including his father's affair with Jessica Hahn and his mother's battle with drug addiction. Bakker also reveals that by age 13, he had developed a serious drinking problem, and that was only the beginning of a long period of rebellion that intensified during his father's years in prison. After his father's release, Jim and Jay began to rebuild their relationship, and Jay, though still struggling with alcoholism, discerned a calling to ministry. After several false starts he built a ministry to young people in Atlanta called Revolution. As a minister, Bakker's main interest is in the kids that churches overlook--the pierced, tattooed, smoking, drinking kind. The message of this ministry, like the message of this book, is simple: "Jesus loves you for who you are, not who you can become." Bakker says that he still works every day to learn that lesson, and to pass it on to others, as he does with some eloquence in Son of a Preacher Man. --Paul Power

Book Description

In Son of a Preacher Man Jay Bakker, son of famous televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, tells the compelling story of growing up in the glaring lights of a television studio. It's all here: the Bakker family's public disgrace, the fall of the PTL (Praise The Lord) media empire, and Bakker's subsequent plunge into a morass of anxiety and selfdestruction. But Son of a Preacher Man is more than a tell-all -- it is a story that dramatizes the human toll of this tragedy on the Bakker family, with insight into the seismic shifts that nearly destroyed his father and wrecked his parents' longtime marriage. It is the story of a prodigal son's return to the true meaning of God's love and acceptance. It is the story of a boy who was lost, but on the journey back from ruin finds a better way to understand and live life. It is the story of discovering God's grace and of becoming a man.

Despite years of disillusionment, alcoholism, and heartbreak, Bakker managed to continue on his spiritual quest. First he worked to redeem his father...then his faith. Bakker began his service with Revolution, a ministry for skateboarders, punk rockers, and hippiesthe street kids he knew best. He shared the message that saved his life -- the message of Jesus that God's love is infinitely generous. Now Bakker has a large and growing ministry among the tattooed and pierced of downtown Atlanta who feel rejected by the traditional Church yet flock to hear his message of grace and love.

Ultimately, Son of a Preacher Man is a story about resurrection -- of one lost young man, of his disgraced and imprisoned father, and of the hope that can't be destroyed by the machinations of power-hungry preachers, The long, lonely road that Bakker traveled taught him that you can't earn or make yourself worthy of the love of God, but if you are willing to let go and open up, that infinite love is waiting to welcome you home with open arms.

Customer Reviews:

Jay communicates Jesus' love for you.......2007-06-30

"Son of a Preacher Man" gives a candid glimpse inside Jay Bakker's life. As you may know, Jay Bakker is a Christian minister and the son of televangelist Jim Bakker. He discusses his father's religious dynasty that lasted from the 1970's through the mid 80's. He discusses his parents ministry, PTL (I learned that PTL stands for "Praise The Lord.") And he also explained his father's arrest and how it painfully affected him.

Mr. Baker also frankly discusses his addictions to alcohol and other illegal narcotics. Although his father's absence severely diminished who he was inside, he does not blame his father (or his mother) for any of his vices. I found that very refreshing because Jay was willing to admit his shortcomings without having to blame anyone else which is only too common.

Mr. Bake also explains how Christian fundamentalists totally turned him off to modern-day Christianity. His family was more than blackballed after his father went to prison. And again, I would think that anyone treated like this would not allow organized religion into their lives but Jay Bakker is a fighter and he kept up the good fight. He helped form his own church (Revolution) which was in total contrast to what the fundamentals did. His church welcomed anyone that would listen. In fact, Jay preferred to preach to the all the "sinners" that the world had already thrown away.

I never knew too much about Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. I remember the SNL sketches with Dana Carvey and I saw Tammy Faye on talk shows but I didn't know why they she was famous or why her husband went to prison. Earlier this year there was a very informative reality program on the Sundance Channel about Jay Bakker that got me very interested. Unfortunately his show disappeared before I really got to learn very much about him; but luckily I found this book.

After reading this book I learned that Jay does not judge or condemn his congregation and feels it is more important to preach the universal word of love. I recommend this book to anyone that is questioning their faith because Jay will communicate that Jesus loves you.

A touching autobiography. .......2007-06-25

For someone who grew up in a glam and glitzy tacky lifestyle, Jay Bakker has really been through it all and has experienced a lot. Watching your family torn apart, seeing someone you love being put into a hard situation, and trying to deal with it all as a teenager is hard to do and it nearly killed Jay Bakker.

As a Gay Buddhist, I find Jay Bakker impressive and I commend him for facing his demons and finding his true faith. I find his work for the gay community and the punk rockers to be what Christianity should be about. If you ever want to know what it's like to struggle with life and judgment to rise above it all, this is truly the story for you.

Eloquent, heartfelt and honest.......2007-06-18

Jay Bakker's memoir about his experiences as son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and his emergence as a minister himself is an engaging portrait of the phoenix rising from the ashes. Bakker does not shy away from any part of the painful scandal that engulfed his family in the late 1980s-90s. What emerges is a portrait of a young man with a spiritual calling, to minister to the young people who have no where to turn to for spiritual guidance because of their looks, dress, or affects. "Son of a Preacher Man" is a brief, well-written memoir that shines light on how courageous it is to persevere against all odds, and finding the integrity and spiritual sustenance to do so.

He's a REVOLUTIONARY with the RIGHT idea !!.......2007-03-25

Simply put... Jay Bakker has taken the hate & judgement out of Christianity and actually put back the love, understanding, tolerance & forgiveness it was meant to have. How amazing that he not only lived through the scandals of his parents PTL days & his own substance abuses... only to rise above it all to become a genuinely compassionate human being full of the loving spirit his father only seemed to pay lip service to. I only hope his Revolution impacts more and more people as time goes on. Jay & his wife deserve all of the happiness & blessings this life has to offer...and if it exists... in the hereafter as well. Read this book... you will be inspired!

A compelling story that reads easily.......2007-03-19

I became interested in Jay's story following a chance encounter with his show on Sundance channel. Although I had expected more information about his ministry in the book, I was very touched by his life-story-so-far.
His words are very honest and easy to read. His vulnerability is laid out for us so that we can understand the pain he felt and why he began his search for grace. I bought this book for myself and now intend to share it with my brother who is a member of the disillusioned subculture to which Jay has been called to minister.

In My Brother's Shadow: A Life and Death in the SS

Average customer rating:

Don't let the title fool you
history, memory, guilt
great book

In My Brother's Shadow: A Life and Death in the SS
Uwe Timm
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374103747
Release Date: 2005-03-31

Book Description

A renowned German novelist's memoir of his brother, who joined the SS and was killed at the Russian front.

Uwe Timm was only two years old when in 1942 his older brother, Karl Heinz, announced to his family he had volunteered for service with an elite squadron of the German army, the SS Totenkopf Division, also known as Death's Heads. Little more than a year later Karl Heinz was injured in battle at the Russian front, his legs amputated, and a few weeks after that he died in a military hospital. To their father, Karl Heinz's death only served to immortalize him as the courageous one, the obedient one, the one who upheld the family honor. His childhood was marked by the mythology of his brother's lost life; his absence-the hole he left in the family-just as palpable as if he were still alive. His mother's sadness and his father's rage over the loss of Karl Heinz ultimately defined Uwe's relationship with his parents. But while they eulogized the boy, Uwe wondered: who really had his brother been?

The life and death of his older brother has haunted Uwe Timm for more than sixty years. His parents' silence was one of the most painful aspects of his family history. Not even after the war ended, and details of unspeakable horrors emerged, did his parents ever acknowledge Germany's guilt and Karl Heinz's role in it. They simply said: We didn't know. After the deaths of his parents and older sister Timm set out in search of answers. Using military reports, letters, family photos and cryptic entries from a diary his brother kept during the war, he began to piece together the picture, discovering his brother's story is not just that of one man, but the tragedy of an entire generation. In the Shadow of My Brother is a meditation on German history and guilt, one that is both nuanced and measured.

Customer Reviews:

Don't let the title fool you.......2006-08-13

This book is by far not about, as the title suggests life in his brothers shadow,as much as it is about life in his fathers shadow, or the shadow of a defeated Germany!
Herr Timm seems to be searching for his personal share of Germanys collective guilt. The writings of his brother might at most contribute 1 full page to this book! Herr Timm seems to be full of self-pity calling himself over and over again "the afterthought" where I would think his father instead planned him to be his brothers replacement. My father grew up in this same Germany and I have good insight into his thinking. I would suggest because of Herr Timms fathers position he knew a war would happen, and most likely consume his oldest son, that is what brought Uwe into being, not some accident or afterthought.Also his insistance that the 3rd. SS was an elite unit that the camp guards were drawn from is also a factual error. The 3rd SS began as the "Totenkopfverbande" they were the camp guards before the war! After the Polish and French campaigns they were re-organised into the Totenkopf division. The original members and leaders of the organisation Todt were all involved in the German camp system, not as Herr Timm suggests "elite soldiers from which guards were drawn" but rather camp guards that were formed into a front-line fighting unit!Herr Timm also wants to take small obscure entries in his brothers diaries and contort them into some evil or sinister act! A louse hunt is a louse hunt plain and simple, fodder for my MG is just an expression of the daily exposure to the horrors of front-line service. Herr Timm is searching so hard, it seems also hoping to find some act of brutality or inhumanity that he might link to his brother as to justify the feeling he has inside of himself! This book is a waste of time if you are seeking 1st hand accounts of the war, but if you want to read of the guilt placed on the German people and the effects of defeat on a family and country, it might be of some helpful insight.

history, memory, guilt.......2006-01-09

This is less an account of Uwe Timm's brother's life and death in the SS -- though it is that -- than it is a reflection on memory and history, specifically on what they mean in postwar Germany. Timm's brother's diary, kept against regulations ("it ought not to exist," Timm writes), is brief and ambiguous. And in those ambiguities lie the greatest turmoil and conflict, with no real answers. What did the brother mean when he referred to a "big louse hunt"? Clearly, he was involved in criminal activities ("plenty of loot!"), and clearly, he was coarsened by the war ("fodder for my MG"). But was he involved in atrocities? Did he murder civilians? Those are the questions that Timm can't answer with any certainty. They point to the doubt and guilt of an entire people, a people who still struggle to come to terms with the war. Sixty years: still no answers, still no resolution.

great book.......2005-10-27

I was born and raised in Germany. Even though my parents were born after the war and both my grandfathers were dead by the time I started asking questions I can still relate very well to the unease when it comes to talking about WWII.

Where I grew up we had a neighbour whom I only knew as a mild mannered older guy, who loved us kids, would give us sweets and let us play in the big old trees in his garden. At one point I discovered that he was a member of the SS in WWII and had fought somewhere in Russia. He had no family. When he was in his eighties, he started opening up to a few people in the neighbourhood, among them my family. He would talk about the war, his comrades and generally the hard life they lived. He would always start crying. He would never mention fighting, killing civilians and all the other things he most likely saw and did. We all knew about those things, but we also felt sorry for the old guy and nobody pressed questions. He was a neighbour, not close family after all.

Timm's book perfectly captures the conflict of the - very normal - desire to love and admire a brother (father, uncle, grandfather, neighbour) while at the same time knowing that that person must have consciously participated in something unspeakably atrocious.

Obviously there is no easy solution and that conflict is one that generations of Germans had to deal with after the war. It is impossible to excuse what happened, but it is equally impossible to condemn all these people around you who all might have participated to various degrees, and be it just by keeping silent.

Average customer rating:

It was good
What an ending!!!
Saved the best for last
Excellent
Holling doesn't disappoint!

My Shadow Warrior
Jen Holling
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743471083

Book Description

Acclaimed author Jen Holling presents the stunning final novel in her sensual trilogy, set against the windswept hills of Scotland, about a trio of sisters with witchcraft -- and passion -- in their blood.

Rose, the youngest of the MacDonell sisters, is more concerned with her father's mysterious illness than with her impending marriage to her childhood sweetheart. A gifted but frustrated healer, she decides to beg help from William MacKay -- a reclusive laird who is renowned not only for his ferocity, but also for his healing powers. Denied entry to his fortress in the cold, harsh mountains of the far northwestern highlands, Rose uses cunning to force her way in, and William is duly intrigued with this bold slip of a girl. But securing his help may not be enough to save Rose's father. For there is something darker at work in the glen, something more powerful than William's and Rose's magic combined, and only the soul-deep passion that shadows their mutual desire can help their love prevail.

Customer Reviews:

It was good.......2007-02-19

I am a die hard fan of romantic novels. I have all three of the series and I absolutely love them they are all really good.

What an ending!!!.......2006-08-29

This is the third installment of The Brides of the Bloodstone trilogy. It's the story of Rose, youngest of the three MacDonell sisters. While they were little girls, their mother, a powerful witch, was burned at the stake. In fear for their lives, their father hid them separately. Now many years later, and on his deathbed from a mysterious illness, the MacDonell has summoned his daughters home.

Their lives are still in danger so he has arranged each of them to be married to men he can entrust with their safety. Rose, the youngest and blessed with the healing touch, is betrothed to Jamie MacPherson, a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years. Her wedding, however, has been postponed so she can devote herself to discovering the source of her father's illness.

Despite her many efforts, her father continues to deteriorate. To Rose's mind, her only hope is William MacKay, a gifted healer also known as the Wizard of the North. Since her many letters to him have gone unanswered, Rose decides to travel to his fortress to see him in person.

William is determined to shun the girl who has traveled many miles to see him, but curiosity forces him to disguise himself and seek her out. What he finds is a beautiful woman who is dedicated to helping others, even at risk to herself.

His fascination with her finally forces him to see her and eventually agree to travel to MacDonell castle to see her father. But in truth there is a sinister plot behind the MacDonell's illness and his wife's death and this mysterious enemy will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

This was such a great ending to a wonderful trilogy. The plot of the MacDonnell's illness and the mother's death at the stake is woven throughout all three books. It is finally resolved in this last tale but what an ending. Jen Holling has done a masterful job weaving several storylines together to create an enchanting tale of love, treachery, and greed.

Saved the best for last.......2006-07-22

The final novel in the MacDonell Brides trilogy, this is the story about the youngest sister, Rose, a powerful witch and healer.

She was only eight when witch hunters burnt their mother alive. Sent far away from her home, she's waited for the day when she could return to Glen Laire and be with her family once again. Now her wish has finally come true, only to find out that her father is dying. For all her healing powers, nothing seems to cure whatever ails her father. Frustrated with his declining health and her inability to heal him, she writes to William MacKay - the reclusive Lord of Strathwick and a very powerful healer. But when he ignores her letters, she braves the wildness and sets off to the northern highlands ready to beg him to see her father.

William, the so-called Wizard of the North, is known for his great healing skills. But with Scotland in the grip of a nationwide witch hunt, he has been a virtual prisoner in his own home when his own clan has turned against him. When Rose appears outside his fortress, he initially denies her entry. But her persistence soon wins over, and before he could think twice, he accompanies her back to Glen Laire to try healing her father, only to discover that they are dealing with witchcraft that is beyond his powers.

MY SHADOW WARRIOR is, in my opinion, the best novel in the trilogy. It is more character-driven and we really see the attraction grow between the main characters. Rose and William are well suited, connected together by destiny and the magical powers they were born with. We see more of the characters from the first two books, as they help Rose and William uncover the person behind the witchcraft that is slowly killing their father. Some new secondary characters are also introduced, and I thought William's daughter, Deidre, was simply adorable and her own special ability adds to the fun.

While this book can stand-alone, it is better to read the other two novels to get a richer understanding of the MacDonell sisters. I must admit though that the mystery regarding the black wizard is rather obvious from the first book, however, I enjoyed the trilogy especially this book. The first two novels are MY WICKED HIGHLANDER and MY DEVILISH SCOTSMAN.

Excellent.......2006-06-09

Third in the series, this novel wrapped up the rest story lines left dangling in the other novels.

The romance in all three novels was excellent. All were equally entertaining. I read the entire series between Saturday and Thursday of one week, while working full-time.

My only disappointment in the whole series was that the villain was obvious from the first time he was introduced, and it took three novels of Alan suffering before the matter was FINALLY resolved.

Holling doesn't disappoint!.......2005-10-10

I am not and never have been a romance reader, but I'll always read Hollings books. She is that good. And I have to agree with M. Rondeau: Holling saved the best for last. I didn't see how she could possibly do any better than the riveting first two books of the McDonnell series, but My Shadow Warrior is like the finale of a dazzling fireworks display. Rose is such an endearing heroine, and her dilemmas (saving her dying father, trying to escape a past of abuse at the hands of a 'foster' family) make for a heart of compassion as well as inevitable faults. Very realistic, very identifiable. And hero William McKay breaks the mold when it comes to love interests. His past is as tortured, if not more, than Rose's, and his heart is just as big. The darkness surrounding him adds tension to his and Rose's already tense and knee-weakening attraction. And readers of the first two novels will be glad to see Gillian and Isobel again as they work with Rose to get to the bottom of their father's illness. The climax you have been waiting for happens here!

Average customer rating:

Bill Was a Family Friend
Sands mistakenly credits others...
Life Changing
Truly insightful!
Almost too much

My Shadow Ran Fast
Bill Sands
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0451152492

Customer Reviews:

Bill Was a Family Friend.......2007-02-13

My father, Joe Wallace, was the national president for the Seventh Step Foundation which Bill founded. It was the orginal "Scared Straight" program. Bill was a dynamic man and I can honestly say that his book and my father's association with him was always in the back of my mind as I grew up. At a very young age, I saw first handed how crime can destroy a person. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone who is having issues with their loved ones who may be in trouble.

Sands mistakenly credits others..........2003-05-23

...for how he was turned around. I first read this book as a summer orientation assignment just prior to my freshman year in college, and I guess it's a good thing that I still own that copy, given its availability at the moment. I guess it was a key influence to a kid of my generation who was just beginning several decades of wishful-thinking liberalism. Particularly where law and order is concerned--this is the autobiography of a man who claims to have been set on the right path by a number of people, one of whom was the warden at San Quentin. So you have to take with a grain of salt Sands' claim that he was rehabilitated from criminal status by the people he thanks with this book. In truth, Sands clearly admits being traumatized by an abusive mother and a semi-absentee father, and in rebellion, pulled a couple of "young hood" stickup jobs, wound up in "Q" and drew the attention of Warden Clinton Duffy, who from Sands' accounts became the surrogate father he had to wait for too long for, but who fortunately came into his life before it was too late. One thing Sands doesn't seem to realize here, however, is that he never was a bona-fide criminal--just a mistreated kid who took out his rage on innocent bystanders. Duffy simply spotted that fact and had the ability to deal with Sands in the way he needed. Which is to say there was always hope for this man--something that cannot necessarily be said for every man who winds up "in the System". After a stint in the Merchant Marine and the Middle Eastern petroleum industry, as well as the entertainment industry, Sands returns to the "family business", so to speak. Duffy, as well as rehabilitating Sands, had raised an adoptive son who followed in his footsteps as a ciminologist. A later book, "The Seven Steps", describes the rehabilitation and counseling program Sands creaated which that book is named after, but it's easy to spot the fact that Sands' biggest sucess stories in that book were men with roughly the same accessibilty as he had in their stage of life. Let's face it, gang--Sands was always a man born to help people, not victimize them. He proves this in an unrelated anecdote in this book about nursing back to health a woman friend critically maimed in an accident. There's no doubt, taking Sands' story as a whole, that his brief "partial life of crime" was but a temporary aberration. Contrary to what I was peer-brainwashed to believe when I first read this book, there are good guys and there are bad guys. This book was written by one of the former--an unusual autobiography of a great man who tells us that if it hadn't been for certain people, he'd have turned out a real scumbag. Which I seriously doubt.

Life Changing.......2002-12-17

Very powerful and insightful view into the power of love to turn arround a life bent on anger, hate and violence. The author explains what he learned inside prison walls, his search through classic literature and other factors that turned his life arround. I read the book 25 years ago and recently gave it to my 22 year old daughter to read and she has since passed it on to her friends to read. This book is a true classic.

Truly insightful!.......2002-10-24

This is a book every person should read. It reaches into the heart of the hopeless and offers hope, courage, love. If you want to get understanding about why people can go bad and how they can turnaround and actually contribute in a big way, this book will do that, and bring tears to your eyes in the process.

Almost too much.......2002-03-13

Bill Sands had a strange life yet almost too many extra-ordinary jobs to make it realistic. It is a good book, I could hardly put it down, yet it had times where I wanted to.

My Mother's Keeper: A Daughter's Memoir Of Growing Up In The Shadow Of Schizophrenia

Average customer rating:

Excellent book that provided much comfort
A Must Read
Moving telling of a difficult story
Accurate, yet sensitive and personal
A must read for anyone curious about schizophrenia

My Mother's Keeper: A Daughter's Memoir Of Growing Up In The Shadow Of Schizophrenia
Tara E. Holley , and T & J Holley
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380723026

Book Description

Separated from her mother at an early age, Tara Elgin Holley became her mother's legal guardian at age 16 and set about trying to rescue the blonde fairy princess she remembered from the shambling street person her mother had become. An inspiring story of one woman's struggle to struggle through the pain to reach a better understanding of her mother, herself and a devastating mental illness.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book that provided much comfort.......2003-11-13

As a young woman with a mother who has paranoid schizophrenia, this book was invaluable to me. My mom was missing for 12 years, and I received this as a gift not long after finding her (about a year and a half ago). It was personally very comforting for me to read this wonderful book, and I would recommend it to anyone. Ms. Holley's close bond with her mom reminded me of the bond I had/have with mine, and the inherently conflicted feelings that result from that bond.

A Must Read.......2002-10-23

My Mother's Keeper is an excellent autobiography/biography in one of a mother and daughter and their separate and entwined lives. I am a mental health RN and have been studying about schizophrenia. This book has helped me see in places I have never been able to see into before. I now have a broader perspective of schizophrenia and how families must feel also. Ms. Holley's writing is easy to read and follow. So much so, that it is very hard to put the book down. This is definitely a must read for anyone who wants to find out more about schizophrenia.

Moving telling of a difficult story.......1999-06-02

This was an exceptionally well written memoir, one that must have been very difficult to write. Ms. Elgin moves gracefully along the line between her mother's story and her own, and (it appears) honestly grapples with the ups and downs of both. Thank you.

Accurate, yet sensitive and personal.......1998-07-17

This book provides an accurate description of the development and chronic course of schizophrenia, one of the most debilitating illnesses of our time. The Holleys' sensitive portrayal of Mrs. Elgin's life touched me deeply. I thank them for giving us and honest depiction of this illness.

A must read for anyone curious about schizophrenia.......1998-02-01

I fell in love with this book from the first page and couldn't put it down. The author takes you through the beginning of a beautiful singing career of her mother to the painful discovery of a life long mental illness. It truely gave me a new understanding of schizophrenia and the affect it has on family and friends.

Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant

Average customer rating:

BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK EVER
An Exuberant Tale of Courage and Art
a finely crafted novel for young and old
Great read for any age!
wonderful story

Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant
Christopher Grey
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Milan, 1497. The height of the Renaissance. And for Giacomo, servant of the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci, it's the most difficult time of all. His Master has been working on the Last Supper, his greatest painting ever, for nearly two years. But has he finished it? He's barely started! The all-powerful Duke of Milan is demanding that it be completed by the time the Pope visits at Easter. And Giacomo knows that if Leonardo doesn't pick up his pace, the Duke may invite a young genius -- Michelangelo -- to finish the painting instead. Which means that Leonardo won't be paid, which means that Milan's shopkeepers (to whom he owes massive amounts) will take drastic measures against him.

It's all down to Giacomo, and whether he can come up with a brilliant solution. And if he does, will his Master go for it? After all, Leonardo still doesn't seem to trust him. He refuses to teach Giacomo how to paint; he won't help him find his parents; nor will he discuss the significance of the medallion, ring, and cross that Giacomo was carrying when Leonardo found him. But with the secret arrival of a powerful stranger, Giacomo is about to discover much more than the answers he has been looking for. And he will also receive an invitation to help arrange a meeting that could change his life. . . and the future course of history.

With more twists and turns than a spiral staircase, this thriller is as unique as its two heroes -- the most celebrated artist who ever lived, and a young man without a past, who will stop at nothing to find the truth about his life.

Customer Reviews:

BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK EVER.......2007-07-01

this is an AMAZING book. this is about the life of Leonardo da Vinci while he was painting the Last Supper. told through the eyes of Giacomo, his servant, this is a captivating story you won't want to put down. Its very intreguing, exspecially the ending. I actually read it in two days because it was so good! (but i didn't finnish all my work and got yelled at!)

An Exuberant Tale of Courage and Art.......2007-03-14

- This review first appeared in the February 2007 issue of the Historical Novels Review -

The ongoing popularity of Leonardo da Vinci in fiction often obscures his preeminent place as the Renaissance's most gifted and versatile artist. Likewise, the presence of fictional or semi-fictional characters interacting with Leonardo to their own ends usually reduces the artist to a cliché or foil for the plot in question. Fortunately, in Christopher Grey's young adult novel LEONARDO'S SHADOW, these obstacles are delightfully overcome. Though written for the adolescent market, this book has a depth that makes it accessible for older persons interested in Leonardo and 15th century Italy, and is indeed better written than several adult offerings set in the same era. The voice of the novel is Giacomo, a youth without a past rescued by Leonardo and set to work for him as a servant. Giacomo yearns to discover who he truly is, as well as to secretly learn the art of painting (which Leonardo refuses to teach him); but it is his devotion to his master, as well as his wry insight into Leonardo's idiosyncratic temperament and procrastination while working on the The Last Supper, which give the novel its heart. Giacomo's sardonic observations of daily life in Milan and the artist's struggles with penury, his capricious patron Il Moro, and all the clamoring merchants eager to exchange credit for immortality are woven with refreshing wit into a tale that deepens in scope when Giacomo finds himself thrust into a plot to save Leonardo from his own debts. A host of well-drawn characters that include a menacing alchemist, a sage housekeeper, and a lovely discarded ducal mistress, as well as the always imposing but astonishingly human presence of Leonardo himself, only serve to exalt the exuberant soul and courage of a boy who matures into far more than his master's titular shadow.

a finely crafted novel for young and old.......2007-02-17

I bought this novel for my 12 year old son who's quite interested in art. Unfortunately for him, I held onto it and read it first. It was terrific. Mr. Grey does not write down to his young readers. The book is very well written with plenty of good humor and suspense. The life of Leonardo is indeed an interesting one and the book gives a good sense of the political and artistic pressures on him. Yet,the book is told through the eyes of his young servent,Giacomo, so the narrative is always lively and never bogs down in needless minutia that would simply bore young readers.

I've purchased several books for my son and this is one of the best I've bought him. Oh,and yes, he really liked it too!

Great read for any age!.......2006-10-23

Young adults will definitely enjoy this and so did I - and I'm a woman in my mid-30's!

Right from the first page, I was hooked - the narrative is compelling, the characters are rich and the historical elements are so intriguing that I ended up doing additional research on some of the background/characters (the author helpfully provides some useful links - he must have known we'd want more!).

You won't want it to end....

wonderful story.......2006-10-09

Christopher Grey has written a wonderful historical fiction novel for young readers. The book is geared towards children ages 12+ and details the life of Leonardo da Vinci through the eyes of his servant boy Giacomo.

The story is a page turner for anyone of any age. Giacomo is a young servant boy who has no memory of his past before meeting Leonardo. Through Giacomo's search for his own identity we learn the secrets of Leonardo's past as well.

Recently I had read the novel "Leonardo's Swans," and been disappointed by it. I was leary to read this one, after that recent disappointment; but was hooked by page two. Two thumbs way up..

The Sun and the Shadow: My Experiment With Lucid Dreaming

Average customer rating:

great book, first person account of lucid dreaming

The Sun and the Shadow: My Experiment With Lucid Dreaming
Kenneth Kelzer
Manufacturer: Are Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dreams | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0876041950

Customer Reviews:

great book, first person account of lucid dreaming.......1999-03-22

Kenneth Kelzer wrote an excellent first person narrative of his experiences of lucid dreaming and his life. I was able to get a better understanding of lucid dreaming with this book than any other I've read. I wish he'd write another one.

In My Family's Shadow - Sister of Sports Phenomenon Michael Jordan

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In My Family's Shadow - Sister of Sports Phenomenon Michael Jordan

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0971447209

Average customer rating:

Good read
Just Sing, Lorna
Brilliant
buy it and read it! completely brialliant.
Very Interesting Life

Me And My Shadows: A Family Memoir
Lorna Luft
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Life with Judy Garland - Me and My Shadows
Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote
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ASIN: 067101899X

Book Description

Born into the twin shadows of a famous mother and older sister, Lorna Luft was always referred to as Judy Garland's "other daughter." But the little girl who first performed "Jingle Bells" at the tender age of four on stage with her mother was blessed with her own talent, zest for living, and knack for survival. This is the first insider portrait of one of Hollywood's most celebrated families -- and a remarkably intimate and loving chronicle of an astonishing childhood and a struggle to overcome a legacy of fame and self-destructive behavior.

The question follows her to this day: "What's it like to be Dorothy's daughter?" Although by appearances glamorous and at times truly thrilling, growing up as the daughter of Judy Garland and producer Sid Luft was anything but a journey over the rainbow. With unsparing candor, Lorna Luft reveals a rare story of a little girl, her half-sister Liza Minnelli, and baby brother trying desperately to hang on to the mother whose life seemed destined to burn brightly but briefly. A beautiful and brilliant performer, Judy was a warm and funny woman who loved her children unconditionally -- but she was also the victim of a powerful dependence on alcohol and prescription drugs, which eventually claimed her life.

Now her daughter, Lorna, makes an extraordinary journey back into the spiral of love, addiction, pain, and loss that lurked behind a charmed facade. Filled with behind-the-scenes dramas, hilarious untold stories, and little-known details of Garland family life, it is a tribute to Lorna's victory over her own past. The proud mother of two children, she has at last laid the groundwork that enables her to share the tale only she could tell, unveiling the intensely personal side of life as Judy Garland's daughter.

Ultimately a story of forgiveness and hope, of love and its limitations, Me And My Shadows is a deeply moving testament to the healing powers of embracing one's past, facing one's demons, and charting a course of self-love and discovery.

Customer Reviews:

Good read.......2007-05-27

I read Luft's version of her own mothers story. A very good book, told from someone close enough to feel the total pain and agony that the rest of the world felt- only amplified as her daughter.
Luft's book does paint a little fairy tale into the mix, but is a shocking story of watching your mother slip down a long dark slope.
Luft tells about Judy's start in Hollywood which is equally as interesting as the photo's in the book. Luft paints that love story between her mother and father and leaves you feeling his loss for her.
She also explains the relationship between her and sister Liza Minelli.
It's a great boigraphy.

Just Sing, Lorna.......2004-12-13

Judy Garland's "other daughter" Lorna Luft began her professional career with high hopes, a knockout body and a powerhouse voice. That was in the mid-70s. Skip to the late 90s and the parade passed her by. What to do? Join the parade of stars' offspring who never quite made it: Christina Crawford (Joan's brat), Maria Riva (Marlene Dietrich's daughter), B.D. Davis (Bette's ungrateful daughter) et al. Although Luft constantly points out that Judy was a loving mom and several reviews point out that this is no "Mommie Dearest" memoir, it is ironic that Lorna's tome closely resembles the harsh bio of Joan Crawford. The scary "night visits" to the kids' room, the tantrums, drunken rages, nagging and narcissism. There is also the tacit undertone that the raising of children was never the first thing on Garland's mind. Still, Lorna nudges us, Garland wasn't bad, just merely had problems.

Her worst problem, if you know much about Judy, was her penchant for marrying men who worked for her. Her first two husbands, David Rose and Vincente Minnelli, were famous in their own right. After that, Judy married three men with no talent or visible means of support other than being Judy's 24-hr. gofer. Sid Luft was the first of these. Lorna describes her father as a "producer" but the record speaks for itself. To date, Luft has produced two films- a cheapie for Monogram called "Kilroy was Here" and, of course, the wonderful Garland remake of "A Star is Born." Luft was, in fact, an opportunist who lived off of dancer Eleanor Powell, then actress Lynn Bari, and then Judy. One could arguably say that Luft has not earned one dime since 1951 that did not involve the marketing of Judy Garland, even after their divorce and her death. Craftily, Luft impregnated Judy to ensure their marriage. The result was Lorna. So while it is true that Sid Luft was capable of producing sperm, it is quite a stretch to refer to him as a producer. This is merely one fact that Lorna prefers not to address. The saddest issue that Lorna broaches is that her brother Joey was born mentally out-of-kilter because of the drugs her mother took during her pregnancy with him. Lorna
mentions Joey's troubled brain yet claims- presumably with a straight face- that Judy was not to blame because the role of the placenta was not known in 1955! (Lorna does admit that
she hated school and played a lot of hooky. Believe it!)
Much later, Lorna informs us, that a stoned Judy even tried to impale Joey with a knife, too zonked out on speed to recognize her own son. But, if we're still with Lorna, Judy really, REALLY tried her best. That is the schizophrenic nature of Luft's story, page after page. Drug addiction, boozing, screaming knife-throwing rages, totally selfish, irresponsible and over-the-top behavior that makes Courtney Love seem like Shirley Temple... oh, but aside from that, life with Judy was just dandy. So... is Lorna's book to be believed? The question is: does Lorna even believe what she tells us?

Brilliant.......2004-02-11

I loved this book. Although i wasn't really a fan of Judy Garland's (i had only ever seen her in The Wizard of Oz), i was by the time i finished this book. This book is beautifully written, and i thought the mini-series was fantastic. Lorna writes honestly, covering both the good and bad points of Judy's -as well as her own- life. It is particularly sad at times, but there are some happy, joyful memories that Lorna has of her mom. As Lorna once said, 'I didn't know her as a legend, I didn't know her as an icon, all i knew her as was my mother', a mother who loved her children fiercely, even in her final years of addiction. There is no doubt that Judy Garland was a brilliant and gifted performer - and if she had not had the tradgies of being co-dependent on her pills, or if addiction had been more understood - she would still be alive today, instead of being alive only in the memories of her loved ones.

buy it and read it! completely brialliant........2004-01-09

I thought this book was fantastic. All true Judy Garland fans should read this because it is brilliant. Luft seems to tell the whole truth and it does contradict some other books which makes me feel a lot better.
In Anne Edwards book "Judy Garland Biography" it says that L.B. Mayer hated Judy Garland. It says he treated her like rubbish and didn't care about her at all but then in Lufts book it says Mayer loved Judy like a daughter and she never once complained about him. Although Luft probably does exaggerate some of it and she probably can't quite remember everything so she has to do her best, even if its not true, it is still a fantastically detailed review of the ups and downs of Judy's and the family's life.
At one point Luft says that the night of Judys funeral, she was on the balony looking at the stars and she felt her mothers presence. I thought that was lovely and it really touched me. All the things about Judys ghost haunting Liza is absolute rubbish from the press. I don't know how some reporters can be so harsh and not even seem to care. As Lorna said, if her mother was "haunting" Liza, it wasn't "haunting", she was simply trying to comfort her because she is her daughter.
I love Judy Garland and hope wherever she is that she is very happy and has finally found piece.
This book is fantastic and, as I said before, any fan of Judys should read it and if you still come of loving her as much as you did when you started the book, or more, then you are a true fan of a fantastic legend.

Very Interesting Life.......2004-01-04

The book starts off with the story of Lorna Luft's grandparents (Judy's parents) Frank and Ethel Gumm and tells the story about how they met and the family they raised. The book then goes into the story of Lorna's mother Judy Garland growing up baby Frances Ethel Gumm. Lorna tells how her mother loved to perform and loved living in Grand Rapids, Minnesota (were she was born) and hated living in Lancaster, California where they moved when Judy was 4.
Lorna then goes into the story of the MGM years of Judy's life going from a radio singer to the star of The Wizard of OZ, one of the greatest hits of MGM's history all in the space of a year. After that, it was all pretty much down hill as far as MGM goes for Judy according to Lorna. Judy started on drugs to help her lose weight and help her sleep, and they soon controlled her life. Lorna tells that when Judy was 18 she got married to David Rose and after only a short period of time divorced him. She did this to get out of Ethel's hair because she could not stand being near her after the death of Frank, and Ethel's marrying a man exactly four years to the day after her father's death.
Lorna then goes into the sorted affair that was Judy's marriage to Vincent Minnelli and the birth of their daughter Liza. After only a few years though they divorced and Lorna goes on to talk about the next man in Judy's life, Lorna's father Sid Luft.
Lorna tells the story about her father being raised by a bon-vivent and a Russian Jewish designer in New York City. Lorna also tells a ridiculous story that her father once heard his father tell his mother about a mysterious note a woman wrote to him when his family was in Europe one summer.
Lorna tells about her parent's early relationship and how she never knew that she was actually on the way when they decided to get married. She describes the story about her early years in the house and then the hubbub of having little Joey come into the world. Lorna also writes about how when Joey was a little boy she actually went into his crib and scratched him so hard that to this day there are still scratch marks on his face, because she did not want him in the house anymore
This leads into the story about Lorna's own life. She writes about her early life at first staying at one house, but by the age of nine being shuffled from England to New York to California. She then elaborates about her parents separation and how a Psychiatrist used Lorna's fear of needles to get her to admit that she did not want to live with her dad, that she did not even love her dad. After this thing got a little better but she was still going from one step-father to another constantly moving, never being able to see her father, until at the age of 15 she moves in with her dad and several months later finds out that her mother was dead.
After her mother died, Lorna moved to New York to work in plays and things and had some love affairs (one with Barry Mataloe.) She tells about her dabbling with cocaine for several years and the diabolical that was her relationship with Burt Reynolds until she found the absolute wrong man for her-her husband Jake Hooker.
Lorna vividly details her relationship of almost 20 years with her husband. She tells about at first they were fine, and then after their son was born it was more like they were client and clientele instead of husband and wife and their daughters birth only made it worse. She details how their marriage broke up when their daughter was an infant and how only a week later she met the next man she was to marry.
Last, but not least Lorna describes her relationship with her sister Liza Minnelli. She tells that because Liza was seven years older than her she does not really have any memories of her when they were young, but she has a lot when they were older. Lorna details the struggle Liza had with drugs that culminated in Lorna virtually kidnapping her sister and taking her to the Betty Ford Center in about 1984.

Average customer rating:

My Shadow Warrior

Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739457020

Product Description

Book Club Edition Hardcover

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