African Fig Trees and Fig Wasps

Book Description

Paperback. The authors of this book present a synopsis of their knowledge about the figs and fig wasps of Africa and Madagascar. The biology of the intricate mutual relations, the taxonomy of Ficus in Africa and the taxonomy of the African fig wasps (especially the pollinators) are treated; an extensive bibliography is provided.

It is the first time that the groups of organisms mentioned (plants and insects) are treated together in the same publication. It will provide a basis for all who study these groups, their ecological and evolutionary interrelations, and relations with other groups of associated organisms.

Customer Reviews:

A natural history book for advanced readers.......1996-12-31

"African Fig Trees and Fig Wasps" is a natural history book, which describes every African species of fig tree, and the wasps that pollinate them. It is mainly directed toward academic readers. It does not discuss the keeping of figs as houseplants, although it will be of interest to people who keep exotic species which are not discussed in gardening books. It has a brief, but very nice explanation of the hemiepiphytic "strangler" growth pattern, which I have never seen equalled in any other book.

Book Description

Reviews of every surfing beach in Indonesia. This is a comprehensive guide covering every inch of every coast, a fantastic, one-of-a-kind, resource for surfers and vacations. Every full-color, pocket guide covers every inch of the Indonesian coast and also includes * signature Surfer's Eye beach and wave maps * handy 4x5 inch size * breathtaking color & B&W photos by the world's top surf photographers

Customer Reviews:

Great info / Terrible binding.......2007-09-17

The info in here is unparalleled. Several times on my indo trip people asked to borrow my little book because it has the low down on what conditions a spot is good in and what to expect experience wise.

Unfortunately, this book has a SERIOUS flaw. It falls apart. I've seen 3 or 4 copies, all of which are missing pages. They just don't stay in. I had my book for about 2 weeks and the back sections started falling out. Then you either lose them or they get jumbled and you can't find the spot you're looking for. Futhermore, as they start falling out it only gets easier for other pages to come out. Frustrating.

The best guide to surfing in Indonesia so far.......2005-09-25

This is the most comprehensive guide to surf spots in Indonesia of the 3 or 4 that you can get, as of September 2005. This one has more spots, more info on each spot, and better general information (eg best tides, maps, swell direction, seasonal winds, access, prices, surf camps, transport issues etc). It also fits neatly in you pocket for travelling ease, but unfortunately, to keep prices down it is not the most robust little booklet (my pages fell out after just 2 weeks in Indo).

Other surf guides for Indo include 'Surfing Indonesia Action Guide 2002/3' which has only one page on anything east of Sumba, only a few pages on Sumba itself, and nothing at all on Southern Sumatra, the Banyaks, and very little on the Mentawais. This guide has around 10 spots on Sumba alone, several spots on Rote and Sabu islands (east of Sumba), a handful of spots in Southern Sumatra, numerous Mentawai spots, but only short descriptions on the Banyaks and Simeuleu islands. 'Indo surf and Lingo' by Peter Neely has even less on some of the more out-of the-way-places, although the well-known spots it does describe have very good info (particularly Bali). World Stormrider Guides Volumes 1 and 2 is probably the second best buy for Indo surf information, with reasonably comprehensive information on a number of Indo areas, but these volumes are pricey, and the information is spread over 2 volumes (volume 3 out in 2007), and they are bulky books to travel with.

There is a continuing general need for a comprehensive guide to Indonesian surfing, (which this Wavefinder Guide partly fulfils), as more and more spots are being discovered all the time. Part of the reason there isn't more available info is that there is always a bit of a war going on over whether to reveal new spots. In this guide for example, the authors note that they were tempted to put in some other little known gems, but didn't out of respect for those who spent months travelling throughout remote Indonesia finding them. And this guide still has MORE spots than any of the others. (Note also that surf operators don't always want any OTHER spots known, so they can get your money rather than someone else-which is partly why the Mentawais are now getting so crowded-there are other waves nearby on the Telos, and southern Sumatra that are just as/nearly as good).

I am of the view that spots should be documented, published, and responsibly developed, which is pretty much what this guide is about, but I'd still like more info on eg Simeuleu, the Banyaks (eg "seek this spot out for yourself"), and northern and southern Sumatra in particular. There is also mention of several islands in this guide which just say they are very hard to get to, but have no info on the actual surf, (eg Engano Island).

Anyone who has been out at Uluwatu on Bali in recent years will realise just how crowded this place has become, but there are numerous other lefts in Indo in the same class as Uluwatu, but which are only just being revealed and/or developed (eg Nembrala on Rote, Nihiwatu on Sumba-with a new resort, several in Southern Sumatra, Asu in the Hinakos, and Mengkudu in Sumba-also with a new resort). Even the Mentawais are now getting crowded. However, at least in my view, the more that become known, the less crowd pressures in all of them. There are literally hundreds of world class waves in Indo (some still not known/discovered-particularly in remote Sumatra). These, developed responsibly, will spread the crowds out, I should think. Mainland Sumatra is one place in particular that is going to open up further, because its cheap and there are very good waves-in fact there are oodles of coastline just waiting to be discovered/revealed, where you won't have to deal with crowds. This guide has some info on these, particulary in the Krui area, but not really enough (however other guides have none or barely any).

One thing that many guides don't have enough of, is spot or area consistency ratings. One of the reasons places like G-Land are so good is that it breaks almost every day. There is a big difference between turning up a spot like that for a week or 3, and one which gets very good but only breaks once in a blue moon. Both the World Stormrider Guides volumes 1 and 2, and this Wavefinder guide, have at least some info on spot or coastline/island consistency per month, but in my view, not really enough. (eg There are some spot consistency descriptions, but not always, and no actual symbol for spot consistency. eg How often do the better breaks on the Banyaks get good, or the right on Mengkudu Island? Doesn't say.)

One final point, there are some omissions on some spots wind or other information (in particular some with world class quality) (possibly deliberately).

Despite the above criticisms, this is the best guide I could find as at September 2005, and I found it extremely useful whilst travelling through Indo.

Average customer rating:

An excellent look at the field
succinct and to the point
A must read for B-school graduates and MBAs
Wish this came out when I starting selling for the man.
Must have for Sales etc....Good read!!!!

The Sales Adventure Guide

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

New Zealand | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0977308405

Product Description

With true stories from inside the corporate front lines and lessons illustrated through adventure travel vignettes Joe T.S. covers what every sales person needs to know before beginning (and during!) a career in sales. The Sales Adventure Guide is a 150-page SUR-THRIVAL tool for every sales adventurist. Look out! This is NOT the same old information that's been rehashed a million times over - it's tactical, real world field knowledge that every sales person needs to know! About the author - Joe T. Sales and crew each have over 15-years worth of successful sales experience and make their living by selling in the corporate world. Praise for the Sales Adventure Guide - " I highly recommend this empowering book. You're not going to find this information in school texts. I gave a copy to my sales friends..." L.J., Spring 2004 Senior Vice President Delta Sigma Pi - Theta Chi Chapter SJSU Professional Business Fraternity "This is an amazing book! I read it cover to cover and couldn't put it down." Andrew Lee Career Counselor San Jose State University

Customer Reviews:

An excellent look at the field.......2007-07-14

This is a superb look at the nitty-gritty world of selling. Although the author does fill it with case studies, they are all useful and thought-provoking. My favorite bit of advice concerns what happens to all top salespeople: they get their territory cut. Why? To keep them from getting complacent, of course.

succinct and to the point.......2007-06-21

Joe has gone out of his way to cut to the chase. There is no self esteem building and you can do it rah rah rather Joe's frank honest and what it takes to stay on top, remain on top and what to do when you are caught in a no win situation. As an MBA this type of book should be a mandatory read but the reality of tenured professors that are effectively running a union job do not understand how duplicitous and unethically the real business world can be. I finish this book in a few hours and the insight will last me a career. It is also refreshing from the standpoint that Joe has a soul and is interested in seeing the world and some great sales jobs he has had launched that opportunity. If you surf this book is especially cool(which I do and I can relate to the author on many levels.) Another reviewer was turned off by some profanity of which I do not remember so don't focus on issues of crass.

A must read for B-school graduates and MBAs.......2007-02-14

I went to B-School, got my MBA, and gained valuable education on the theory and practice of managing a successful business. What I was disappointed by, were the unexamined assumptions around the "corporate dream", which I found pervasive at all levels of the curriculum. Too complex to go into here, but essentially...

Most business schools are in the business of selling the corporate dream and training future managers in the arts of profit maximization, organizational efficiency, competitive advantage, and market penetration. Rarely do they ever address the human reality of corporate downsizing, except as economic data points relevent to the afore mentioned topics.

The Sales Adventure Guide is a practical manual on how to cut through the corporate BS, understand the true meaning behind management-speak, and know how to cover your butt when your job is on the line, through no fault of your own. It uncovers the tactics, often unethical and sometimes illegal, that HR and upper management will use to make you go away, meekly, without costing the company a penny.

The Sales Adventure Guide will help you probe underneath the company's glossy exterior and public face, by showing you how you can ask the right questions and find out important information about the organization you will be contracting your time to.

This book will teach you how to protect yourself, play the corporate game with finesse, and enjoy your life, rather than feel browbeaten at the company's ingratitude towards the days, months, years of your life you gave them - which you will never, ever get back.

Corporate loyalty is a myth, most companies will lay you off without a second thought. Read this book, understand that we are all contractors now.

Wish this came out when I starting selling for the man........2006-03-21

Anybody. I repeat anybody who sells, or wants to become a sales person, has to read this book. This book will keep you in the "game" longer, by playing corporate business model to your advantage. All successful companies value their sales force. But most Sales Managers make you feel like a zero. By reading this book you can change that number and pave a brighter future. Read and Prosper.

Must have for Sales etc....Good read!!!!.......2006-03-09

This book is a "must have" for the new graduate or anyone who is considering a career or taking on an adventure in sales.

Finally, a fun-to-read book on sales with valuable and positive insights on getting-in, finding the right company, and getting-out when your company becomes the "wrong company."

Joe T has real-life examples and experiences that show you how to work for yourself and enjoy the adventure. He teaches you what to expect in sales and get the most out of your job and keep your sanity. Rather than providing, rehashed "supposedly new", methods of achieving one time sales success, this book provides a "big picture guide" that helps a salesperson's lifelong career. HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND RECOMMENDED!!!

Surfing Indonesia: A Search for the World's Most Perfect Waves (Periplus Action Guides)

Average customer rating:

The complete surf guide

Surfing Indonesia: A Search for the World's Most Perfect Waves (Periplus Action Guides)
Leonard Lueras , Lorca Lueras , Jason Childs , and Bernie Baker
Manufacturer: Periplus Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

Surfing | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

Swimming | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Southeast | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 9625938532

Customer Reviews:

The complete surf guide.......2000-04-20

Since I started surfing a few years ago, I have looked for a good guide book for my aim. I had not found one til i read this one. This is the complete surf guide for anyone going to Indonesia discovering its marvelous waves.

Fielding's Surfing Indonesia : Fielding's In-Depth Guide to Boarding on the World's Largest Archipelago

Average customer rating:

Great pictures and comments. Incredible insight.

Fielding's Surfing Indonesia : Fielding's In-Depth Guide to Boarding on the World's Largest Archipelago
Leonard Lueras , and Lorca Lueras
Manufacturer: Fielding Worldwide
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Swimming | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Fielding | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

Southeast | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1569520933

Customer Reviews:

Great pictures and comments. Incredible insight........1999-02-06

The authors give a through explanation of what is like to surf in Indonesia. Great pictures and nice descriptions of all the breaks. Well prepared and gives good and reliable advice on the whole surfing experience. I found that more explanations were needed on the less known places of Indonesia, Still a great book to have.

Average customer rating:

What the Surf Mags say about Indo Surf and Lingo:

Indo Surf and Lingo - 2007

Manufacturer: Peter Neely
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0957724632

Product Description

The newly updated edition of the #1 best selling surfing guide to the islands of Indonesia. The book is loaded with maps, photos and descriptions of all the well known and not so well known surf spots in Indonesia.

Customer Reviews:

What the Surf Mags say about Indo Surf and Lingo:.......2007-04-20

Tracks mag wrote:
"The best advice I was given when travelling to Indo for the first time was "Buy Indo Surf and Lingo". Its the quintessential Indo surf guide, providing all the knowledge needed for a hassle-free, surf-rich tour. It's definitely Indonesia's most comprehensive and up-to-date surfing guidebook, updated every 6 months unlike the other guides that followed. It's an amazing book of wisdom with fantastic photos that's helped countless travellers on their Indo sojourns. Every known wave in Bali is mentioned with a chart unique to Indo Surf & Lingo that lets you know exactly where to go on every swell size and wind direction. There are also pointers to surf in the outer islands, with a great selection of invaluable travel tips and local idiosyncrasies to make your search easier. The best attribute in my view is the Indonesian language section. There's nothing better than being able to communicate in a foreign country. It will earn you respect with the locals and ultimately get you closer to the culture, and - the tube! This book is as important as your sunscreen, surfboard and reef booties if you are travelling to Indo this year! "

Surfers Journal USA wrote:
"Delivers very useful maps, equipment, travel, lingo and surf tips that will help the first time traveler negotiate the back alleys of Kuta and survive various scenarios like an old hand"

Surfing Mag USA wrote:
"Made by a surfer, for surfers. Filled with helpful secrets, the book describes the sensational reefbreaks of Indonesia in amazing detail. Dozens of tips - the insider's perspective that's great when traveling abroad"

Australian Long Boarding wrote:
"There is no doubt this latest updated edition is THE Definitive Surfers' Guide to Indonesia, a must have for the first-time visitor and seasoned veteran alike. Don't leave home without it!"

Surf Life for Women wrote:
"The ultimate travel resource for anyone going to Indonesia. Crams everything you need into one glossy publication. This book is a definite must have. If you've never been to Indonesia, and you want to do it right, "Indo Surf and Lingo" is the perfect travel companion."

Magic Wave Mag Bali wrote:
"If surfing is your religion, never travel without your Bible." First published in 1992, Indo Surf & Lingo has long been considered "the Bible" for surfers coming to and surfing in Indonesia. It was the first surfing guidebook to be published on Indonesia, and is the most frequently updated. If you have any doubts about what a bargain the book is for its surf information alone, just take a look inside and check out the over $200 worth of discounts available at restaurants, hotels, surf trips, etc. Your payback is immediate!!! What a deal. If you need to know anything like what spots break on which tides, where you should go on your next surf mission, or how to say "where are the waves" in Indonesian, don't leave your hotel room without this book"

Surfermag Travel Forum wrote:
"Yep, this book rules. I used it last trip and scored epic surf away from the crowds. Saved more than it costs with the discount vouchers too (free beer at poppies and tubes was a cool bonus). My opinion? Get this book and don't look back"

Ernie, Mentawai Surf Cats, San Francisco wrote:
"This book was like my bible my first year in Indo, and I'm still referring to it often as I study the language. It's the most important resource for surfers traveling Indonesia there is!"

Waves mag wrote:
"The original Indo Surf guidebook has established itself as an invaluable traveling companion when planning an Indonesian surfari. Recently updated with more great colour photos, it offers the latest travel tips and local knowledge to help you sidestep dodgy rip-offs and crack all of Indo's mindless variety of waves. There's even an ingenious chart that predicts wave size at every reefbreak in Bali based on the size of the beachbreaks out the front of the Kuta hotels - worth the price of the book alone!"

Free Surf mag wrote:
"A fabulous how-to book for first-time Indo surfers. Shows you there are ways to beat the crowds and make your adventure one you'll never forget. Complete with maps, photos and descriptions of the main breaks to give you a clear idea of your daily options. There's plenty of good advice tucked into the pages, aimed at making sure you take full advantage of the adventure that awaits you. This is an honest surf guide and you'd be mad not to take it with you."

Bali Now wrote:
"The Tube Junkie's Bible. No surfer should leave home without it! Describes all Bali's surf spots in exciting detail, with information on the best winds, tides and swells for each break and an easy-to-follow chart for predicting wave size anywhere on the island. Reviews the sensational reefbreaks of Java, Sumatra, Lombok, Timor and Sumba, including such promisingly-named sites as Lacerations, Scar Reef and Supersuck. Chock-a-block with tips on bargaining, food, language and how to stay clear of sorcerers"

Australia's Surfing Life wrote:
"A more than handy purchase that could save the novice Indo traveler incredible hassles. There's all sorts of interesting things: maps and descriptions of most good spots in Bali, a clever little guide that tells you where to surf in any given conditions, the best restaurants in Kuta, how to drive without getting killed, tips on getting a good doctor, how to bargain, and an easy to handle language section - and even a Checklist to make sure you don't leave anything at home. This guide's become the adopted Bible for Surfers heading to Indo on the hunt for perfect waves. At around the cost of a carton of beer, you'd be a goose to step onto Indo soil without a copy. Great value with $$$ worth of Free Discount Vouchers! So buy it eh?"

Surfer Paul McCalman wrote:
"Such an informative, detailed, picturesque and affordable package. I read through it last night and must admit I had some long, hollow, sweet dreams."

Tracks of the Tiger: G-land & Bali, Indonesia

Average customer rating:

Tracks of the Tiger: G-land & Bali, Indonesia
Tony Garcia
Manufacturer: SoldierBoy Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Surfing | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Mystery & Thrillers | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0976067935

Product Description

Bobby Cruz is in Bali looking for waves. The paradise island is still reeling from the aftermath of the Bali bombings. He meets an old friend from his days as a soldier in Central America, the Australian Mick Leary. His buddy is now the owner of a surf camp in G-land, bordering the jungles of east Java. There have been two mysterious deaths at the surf camp and Mick asks for Bobby's help. He reluctantly agrees and travels to Java with his Balinese friend Nyoman to investigate. What begins with an apparent accidental drowning mires him in a web of intrigue, deceit and corruption. -2 CDs with Indo surf maps-

Periplus Action Guide: Diving South East Asia (Periplus Action Guides)

Average customer rating:

Periplus Action Guide: Diving South East Asia (Periplus Action Guides)

Manufacturer: Periplus Editions,Hong Kong
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9625931414

Average customer rating:

Surfing Indonesia
*
Manufacturer: PERIPLUS EDITIONS (G
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7NKKU

Average customer rating:

Tracks of the Tiger a page turner!

Tracks of the Tiger: G-land & Bali, Indonesia

Manufacturer: SoldierBoy.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Surfing | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0976067900

Product Description

Bobby Cruz is in Bali looking for waves. The paradise island is still reeling from the after-shock of the Bali bombings. He meets an old friend from his days as a soldier in Central America, the Australian Mick Leary. His buddy is now the owner of a surf camp in G-land, bordering the jungles of east Java. There have been two mysterious deaths at the surf camp and Mick asks for Bobbys help. He reluctantly agrees and travels to Java with his Balinese friend Nyoman to investigate. What begins with an apparent accidental drowning mires him in a web of intrigue, deceit and corruption. Bobby is again confronted with a violent past he tried long to forget as he faces a life-and-death struggle amid the jungle and sun-kissed beaches of Indonesia. Tracks of the Tiger is a suspenseful, fast-moving thriller set in the surf scene of G-land and Bali. Maps included - 288 pages

Customer Reviews:

Tracks of the Tiger a page turner!.......2005-01-23

Novels that deal with the daring, yet mysterious world of ocean surfing are hard to find; in this contemporary surf thriller the reader gets some insight into the life of surfer Bobby Cruz. The action takes place in Indonesian Islands of Bali and Java post-Sari Club bombing. The tourists may have fled the island because of the terrorism threat, but the surfers stayed on chasing the surf at G- land, a legendary surf break in East Java (`G-land was a world class surf spot').

The ravages of modern colonialism has severely damaged the island's culture along with years of the corrupt rule of the Suharto regime and his cronies, but in this isolated part of the tropics there is still beauty, mystery and lots of wildlife.

Bobby Cruz a former U.S. military man is still trying to come to terms with his involvement with the Contra-wars in Nicaragua in the early 1980's. After a failed marriage he has found some peace of mind in Yoga and New Age idealism (`Speak or act with a pure mind') and his new girlfriend. With this baggage he sets out to help a friend unravel a suspicious death of a surfer at Mike's Tiger Tracks an isolated surf camps at G-land in the jungles of East Java.

Though equipped with maps and plenty of research into the background and culture of these exotic islands it sometimes gets in the way of character development. The book's action though is non-stop and it holds up with any page turning thriller on the market today.

There will be no more boredom for surfers after a long day at the beach or for those that are stuck far away from the surf, sun and sand. The author brings alive the surf lifestyle with this the first of three surf thrillers. He makes good the promise of `Being the next best thing to being there!'
Sandra van Beek, Amsterdam 2005

Average customer rating:

An entertaining and plausible story about the young Abe Lincoln

Great read!

Starts well but loses its way

Mimicking the Greats

One of the best books I've ever read

Abe: A Novel of the Young Lincoln
Richard Slotkin
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Lincoln: A Novel

American Pastoral

All the King's Men [2006 Movie Tie-In Edition]

ASIN: 080506639X

Amazon.com

In the early 1980s, politicians got a lot of mileage out of reading--or noisily claiming to have read--Gore Vidal's biographical novel Lincoln. Now pols wanting to lay claim to the 16th president's mythical integrity have another book to add to the shelf. In Abe: A Novel of the Young Lincoln, Richard Slotkin sets out to discover the very roots of Lincoln's politics. And this American Studies professor goes for the deep roots: In the first chapter, Abe listens to his mother tell him the story of "how Moses would grow up tall, and whup the man that whupped the children, change the serpents to sticks and break the sea so the children could get over, and home to their milk and honey..." Young Abe founders when he loses his adored mother and sister to early death, and sets off on a river journey to New Orleans.

His character is formed--and his notion of America--as he travels from the North to the South. Along the way he forges an uncompromising, difficult friendship with Sephus, a slave. Slotkin handles this relationship deftly, allowing it complexity and avoiding any off-key Noble Savage notes. Here he underplays the men's first handshake, a physical acknowledgment of their uneasy equality: "Without thinking Abe put out his hand. Sephus looked at it. Then gave it a quick shake with his big dry sandy-palmed hand, turned, and went to call the men to supper." Nor does Slotkin make his hero a saint. Right afterward, "Abe was embarrassed. It was thoughtless to shake hands like that. If the others seen him, they'd give him the laugh." In the end, of course, Abe returns to the North and runs for office. In the meantime, Slotkin has given us a rough Lincoln, one who accepts and provides no easy answers. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

A brilliant work of historical imagination, Abe immerses the reader in the isolating poverty and difficult circumstances that shaped Abraham Lincoln's character. Marked by his mother's horrible death and the struggle to keep reading and learning in the face of his father's fierce disapproval, Richard Slotkin's Lincoln comes of age during a dramatic flatboat journey down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. Along the way, Lincoln and his companions see slavery firsthand and experience the violence -- and the pleasures -- of frontier settlements and the cities of Natchez and New Orleans. Transformed by what he has seen and done, Lincoln returns to make his final break with his father and to step out of the wilderness into New Salem -- and history.

Customer Reviews:

An entertaining and plausible story about the young Abe Lincoln.......2007-07-11

At the end of this book the author provides remarks that help clarify the context in which the novel was written. First he tells us that this was a work of many decades of reading and research. That many of the chapters of Abe's young life were extracted from what was actually known. There was some co-mingling of people to compress dates and that Abe might not have actually met some of them face to face, but might have been within the vicinity of them during his travels.

What then of this story, of the earliest years of the greatest American? One is struck by the terrible poverty that he was born into and lived through till full adulthood. We simply don't have an appreciation these days of how hard life was back in the early 1800's in the backwoods of America. We learn that Abe had a loving but illiterate mother and a grim, tense and hard father who was barely able to read. The Lincoln's were not a lazy family, just hard pressed by bad times and lack of good fortune. We learn little about his sister and more about how attached he was as a young man to his mother. After her death his father remarried and to a woman with her own children. The gift she had was a unique insight into what people need, which in most cases was space, understanding and time to process. Instead of talking down to the young, heart broken and tender Abe, she gave him time for him to come round to her; indeed, in time he learned to love and trust her very deeply. It was a mutual and powerful bond that far surpassed the remote and bitter father who always lurked over the young Abe as he grew both intellectually, physically and in confidence and life experience.

The entire book is written in a clever amalgam comprised half in modern English and half in the language people would have used back then. What jars the reader today is the constant use of the devlish word "nigger". We tend to forget that in those days it was what all African American's were called and indeed what they called each other. Growing up among parents who found slavery distasteful and seeing first hand evidence of how horrible the treatment of slaves was, Lincoln started forming a strong philosophical rejection of slavery, which in turn manifested for the first time when he was elected to the state legislature and never left him.

One cannot read a book like this, with it's intense details of how evil the treatment of slaves was and not find one grinding your teeth. There are hard sections to read and like Uncle Tom's Cabin and "March", which come to mind (like many such books) slavery makes the blood hot. The end of the book sees the canny and razor sharp mind of Lincoln as he turns the tables on those older white folks in his new adopted town who thought that they could pull a fast one on the tall guy, hoping to make a fool of him, test his measure and see if he had any spine in him. In a foreshadowing of his role as President, he found a way of restating his imposed debating position, destroying his opposition and supporting his own personal feeling, without having to give an inch in compromise. The opponents in the debate are left breathless, enraged and shocked at how this young buck had managed to seize control of the moment: a trait that was completely repeated when he entered his first term as president.

This is a fantastic story that feels every bit as true and possible. If you admire Abraham Lincoln, this is a must read that will entertain and disturb. The shadow of the mythic Lincoln is given its proper foundation; a well deserved place in Americana, as the greatest President and perhaps the greatest American ever.

Great read!.......2004-02-16

Having trouble getting your teen son to read? Put this book in his room and let his mind wonder about what the world was like before he was born. Does your daughter think that doing the dishes at night is a real drag? Let her think about life in the times of slavery! Historical fiction at its best! Thanks, Richard, I believe I will read the rest of the books you have written!

Starts well but loses its way.......2002-12-18

ABE starts well. Slotkin's portrayal of his early life rings true. The relationship Abe had with his parents and their place in the community sounds very realistic. At this point, I felt Slotkin had a real grasp of what Lincoln might have been like and I was really enjoying this speculative look at the young Abe Lincoln. The trip down the river changed that for me. Slotkin uses Lincoln's flatboat journey down the Mississippi as the basis of Lincoln's eventual political beliefs, but it just doesn't ring true. The journey is one event after another, with social and sexual overtones that intefere with the natural flow of the novel. Eventually, it doesn't even seem that the novel is about Abe Lincoln anymore, but some nameless boy's "journey into manhood along the Mississippi". The best historical fiction gives the reader insight into the characters; this book seems to be trying to make too strong a point, as if it were an actual historical document instead of a picaresque fiction. Like an earlier reviewer, I found this to be less than it could have been.

Mimicking the Greats.......2002-10-18

I will be quite honest, this is a bad book. The research Slotkin did about many of the often ignored events in Lincoln's formative years and the inclusion of some obscure celebrities of the 1830's is impressive, but attempts to connect the two are ridiculous. There is simply no reason to make up a fictional story about Lincoln's upbringing to make it interesting, unusual, and important to his political beliefs. It is thrown together haphazardly and Slotkin's attempts to occasionally use the vernacular (without rhyme or reason all of the characters and even the narrator go in and out of their unique dialects)do not help the story flow or add anything to the novel. Basically it seems that Slotkin is trying to take elements from Huck Finn, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and The Bible, stir them up and add a little sexual scandal to sell a book. It does not work and really makes for a disappointing read. I think historical novels about famous leaders are great, but there should be a thesis the author goes on to prove in it and the later part of that equation is sorely lacking here--Slotkin wants to show that Lincoln's trip down the Mississippi influenced Lincoln's future politics, but he never really demonstrates it even though he was free to make up any dialogue and events he liked in order to do it. Slotkin tried to do many things with this book, and I appreciate the effort, but it just does not work and going against the general feeling of most reviewers on Amazon, I cannot recommend this to anyone unless it all you have available to read.

One of the best books I've ever read.......2001-07-14

Want a supposition on Lincoln's life as a young man? Look no further. Want an entertaining historical novel? Here's your book. Want a snapshot of life along the Mississipi River in the early 1800's? You've got it.

Slotkin's novel succeds as three different types of book. Most of all its great entertainment. Not only is Lincoln an engaging and interesting character, but so are all the other folks we met, including, Finneus, the father of John Wilkes Booth, America's first Shakespearean actor.

Much of the book is factual, much probable and all of it possible. Whether a student of Lincoln, or early US History or just interested in a good read, "Abe" fits the bill.

"Abe" has been compared to Twain's story of Tom Sawyer's river travels. Not fair. This is even more exciting and features historical figures.

I've been a compulsive reader for over 30 years and this is one of the best books I've ever read.

Book Description

On a balmy October night in New Orleans, a group of teenage students gathers to listen to music and drink wine on the bank of the Mississippi River. In the midst of their revelry, a lone young man approaches them as a friendly stranger. In the following hour, he commits acts of sexual violence that have permanent lasting effects on his four young victims. In an intimate, unsparingly honest first-person account, Barry Raine, one of the victims, recounts this brutal encounter. Meditating on race, social class, male honor, and the rigid mores of the South, the author weaves a disturbing but ultimately hopeful story of loss and redemption.

Customer Reviews:

Buy this book.......2002-04-30

I read this sad book in one long evening. Because it was slim, yes, but more because it wouldn't leave my hands. Mr. Raine has a powerful (and horrible) story, but what makes this book brilliant is the angles he chooses to explore the story; the not-obvious prisms he holds up for us to look through. He does his characters -- all real people, of course -- the honor of bringing them to life on the page as much as they are in New Orleans, or his memory.

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