One Mighty And Strong

Kellerman, Faye: MOON MUSIC (A Novel) Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. William Morrow & Company, Inc. 1998
ISBN: 0-688-14369-5 As New

<strong> A lot of reviewers have noted lately that too many bestselling writers are writing the same book over and over again. Nobody is ever going to accuse Faye Kellerman of that. Not after this book. <P> Her new novel Moon Music is not only the best book she's ever written, it's also one of this year's most unique and riveting reads, a mystery that contains elements of horror, metaphysics, and Native American culture. The novel is way too complex to outline coherently, so let's just say that while it starts out not unlike a police procedural, involving the murder of a mutilated Las Vegas prostitute, it is filled with the faint, echoing cries of a shadowy netherworld that Kellerman makes perfectly believable. That netherworld, Kellerman is saying, is there for all of us to see - if we just know how to look. She finds evidence of it in some mighty strange and disturbing places, for the murdered woman leads detective Romulus Poe to learn that she was once the mistress of one of his colleagues, and the killing also seems to have some bearing on a much older murder. Complicating things is Poe's relationship with his police colleague's wife - she and Poe were once lovers. Thus, there are two powerful story lines operating here - the police investigation through seedy Las Vegas, and Poe's look back at his own troubled life. Kellerman dovetails these plotlines skillfully. The setup reminds me a bit of Richard Matheson's brilliant Las Vegas vampire story The Night Stalker, the Vegas atmosphere, with its sociological climate, offering the author a perfect opportunity tomixdrama with sly humor. Her detective Poe has a unique take on his city. And on himself. Kellerman is a master of the sly aside, and she's never been nimbler: <blockquote> Poe watched as she bounced toward the office. His groin was still fixated on her ass. But his mind was elsewhere - thinking about the claws of a possessed woman, a howling coyote with doleful eyes, and a rattler with a bite as painful of rejection.</blockquote> Poe, as the last image implies, can tell you a whole lot about rejection, especially in his love life, which Kellerman fleshes out with glum, rueful details. A disco dandy he ain't. Nor a white knight. He's a more believable cop (he has his good-cop days, his bad-cop days) than we've seen in a long time, even in books written by cops. Kellerman's voice as a social commentator and urban historian has never been stronger, nor her writing more exemplary. She makes the city a true (and truly menacing) character. Science and sociology can explain away some of the menace - but not all of it. It's one of the best Vegas books I've ever read. She also does something daring and spectacular with the various aspects of the investigation, the mysticism and the folk legends particularly. Instead of using them as simple window dressing, and explaining them away in scholarly terms, she turns them into urban legend - they seem fresh, raw, modern, inexorably bound up with the history of Las Vegas itself. These moments are dark and scary indeed. She really knows how to handle all this new material. While some readers will no doubt miss Kellerman's regular crew, they will be genuinely rewarded by this dark, evocative, strange, and yet utterly believable novel. Faye Kellerman rolled the dice on this one - and won big. -Ed Gorman FROM THE PUBLISHER Just outside the city's neon Strip, in the bleak wastelands of Nevada's desert, the Las Vegas Metro Police discover the mauled corpse of a young and beautiful showgirl. Even in a city known for its excesses - from Arab sheiks to casino billionaires - this crime is particularly shocking because of the animalistic destruction of the body. Called to the crime scene is Detective Sergeant Romulus Poe - a thirty-five-year-old Vegas native and a seasoned, fifteen-year veteran. A loner with a love of justice, Poe immerses himself in the horrific case. Poe is particularly struck by dread similarities to a slaying by an anonymous monster dubbed the ...... PUBLISHED AT TWENTY SIX DOLLARS. </strong> Hardcover 6 x 9 in

[SW: novel Fiction Horror Metaphysics Culture]

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Von Essen, Thomas, and Murray, Matt: Strong of Heart: Life and Death in the Fire Department of New York, New York Regan Books; HarperCollins 2002
ISBN: 006050949X Fine

xv, 288 pp., col. illus.; 24 cm. PRESENTATION COPY. Signed and warmly inscribed by Thomas Von Essen, dated 2002/half-title page. Stated "First Edition." Dust jacket protected in a mylar book cover. 9/11 narrative. "Thomas Von Essen, New York City's Thirtieth Fire Commissioner, had seen just about everything during his thirty-one-year career in the fire department: building collapses, raging infernos, heroic rescues, and power struggles. But nothing could have prepared him, or the fire department, for the devastation that occurred on September 11, 2001. In just 102 minutes, the mighty twin towers were reduced to rubble, and the Fire Department of New York had lost 343 men. Many of them were Von Essen's friends and colleagues, men whose exemplary lives had contributed mightily to his love of the department. From his time as a young firefighter at the 'Elephant House,' or 'La Casa del Elefante,' as it was known, in the hectic South Bronx, to his embattled and controversial years as president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, to his term as fire commissioner under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Von Essen drew lessons from his courageous peers about the value of self-sacrifice in the service of others. Strong of Heart is a testament to the amazing and often unsung acts of heroism that the Bravest perform every day. Von Essen recounts the inspiring story of Chief of Department Pete Ganci, who once plunged into a raging inferno to save several trapped children how Father Mychal Judge, an FDNY chaplain, showed his deep compassion and faith again and again as he tended to the families of fallen firefighters and how Ray Downey, the head of special operations, raced tirelessly from one emergency scene to another, to provide his expertise in every kind of disaster. From the memories of these men and others, Von Essen drew strength and a sense of duty that helped carry him through one of the darkest periods in FDNY history. In this moving memoir, he provides an insider's look into the harrowing days after September 11, from learning about which men were missing, to working closely with mayor Giuliani and other officials in planning the countless funerals for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. He describes the daunting challenges of moving forward without some of the FDNY's most knowledgeable and beloved leaders, of trying to comfort grieving widows, and of facing criticism of the difficult decisions he and other city officials made. Strong of Heart is the haunting yet uplifting tale of one man's search to rise above tragedy, to begin the painful process of rebuilding, and to find hope in the legacy left behind by the great men of the Fire Department of New York." - Publisher. Signed First Edition, First Printing Fine Hard Cover 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall Collectible

[SW: September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001, New York (N, Y, ), Fire Dept, Fire fighters New York (State) New York, Fire fighters New York (State) New York Death, Von Essen, Thomas, Fire departments New York (State) New York Officials and employees Biography]

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Shapiro, Eddie (editor); Shapiro, Debbie (editor): VOICES FROM THE HEART : A UNIVERSAL CALL FOR RESPONSIBILITY, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. J P Tarcher 1998
ISBN: 0874779359 New

<strong> . Some of the world's most renowned leaders and visionaries--Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Marianne Williamson, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.--offer original essays and ruminations about taking one's spirituality to task <P> The editors' premise here is singular and straightforward: it is not enough to pursue one's bliss; one must apply the lessons of spiritual wisdom to healing the world. Yet these essays are anything but singular in voice and solutions. Author Stephen Levine, who spent 20 years counseling the terminally ill, vows to address our "confused and confusing world" by embracing "the qualities of the opening heart rather than the rusted machinations of the ever-defensive mind." John Bird, editor in chief of London's Big Issue street magazine for the homeless, writes about his determination to replace despair with a belief that "It's possible; whatever it is, it's possible." Sheila Cassidy, a physician who was tortured in Chile for helping a wounded soldier, writes about her ongoing commitment to helping those in pain. In their introduction, editors Debbie and Eddie Shapiro state that "every change that each individual makes creates a chain reaction that is a benefit to all." One can't help but believe that this expertly edited collection will ignite exactly this mighty of a chain reaction.. 363 pages, AS NEW copy, PUBLISHED AT twenty four dollars. </strong> Very Good Book Jacket Hard Cover 6 x 9"

[SW: ESSAYS RESPONSIBILITY SPIRITUAL LIFE LITERARY COLLECTIONS PSYCHOLOGY GENERAL RELIGION SPIRITUALITY VISIONARIES HEALTH 0874779359 SPIRITUAL, SPIRIT, SELF-IMPROVEMENT, SELF-HELP, SELF-FULFILLMENT RELIGION, BIBLES, CUSTOMS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, THERAPIES, NA]

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Ball, John A. & Allen Hammack & Mike Carr: 4th Dimension: The Game of Time and Space [BOX SET] 1979 TSR Hobbies

Very Good; Complete, lightly-played set. Box has light wear.; "You are a mighty Time-Lord, and your powerful army of Guardians, Rangers, and Warriors stands ready to do battle. Your opponent is equally strong, and knows that only one of you will survive this conflict of time and space; for you both are Time-Lords, able to alter the fabric of reality, and there is room in the universe for only one with such power . . .4TH DIMENSION is a classic game of pure strategy - no luck or dice are involved. A unique feature of the game is the ability to "Time-Warp" a piece - removing it from the board - and bringing it back into play in a different location! Players must take care not to allow their Time-Lords to be trapped by opposing Warriors beaming down from Time-Warp . . .Simple to learn, 4D is easily grasped by any gamer from age 10 to adult. The rules are brief and fully illustrated with examples of play; it takes only about 15 minutes to read them and start playing. Games typically are over in only 30-45 minutes.This deluxe boxed version of the game comes complete and includes a 8 " x l0½" mounted gameboard, a set of 26 custom molded plastic playing pieces, and a four-page rules folder.When 4TH DIMENSION was first released in Britain a few years ago, it became an instant success. Local clubs were formed to play the game as well as the 4D Society which publishes its own newsletter and sponsors regular meetings and tournaments. TSR is proud to present the American edition of this excellent game - another fine product from TSR, The Game Wizards!"

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