Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence (Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology)

Book Description

This volume brings together faunal analysts working at many sites spanning the East African Pliocene. Although most chapters focus on the vertebrate fauna of particular localities, authors take a broad approach that seeks to compare paleoenvironmental and paleoecological patterns across localities and among various taxonomic groups. This volume aims to synthesize large amounts of faunal data, and to present the evolution of East African vertebrates in the context of environmental and climatic changes during the Pliocene.

Book Description

Now long out of print, John Dunning's Tune in Yesterday was the definitive one-volume reference on old-time radio broadcasting. Now, in On the Air, Dunning has completely rethought this classic work, reorganizing the material and doubling its coverage, to provide a richer and more informative account of radio's golden age. Here are some 1,500 radio shows presented in alphabetical order. The great programs of the '30s, '40s, and '50s are all here--Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Lone Ranger, Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, and The March of Time, to name only a few. For each, Dunning provides a complete broadcast history, with the timeslot, the network, and the name of the show's advertisers. He also lists major cast members, announcers, producers, directors, writers, and sound effects people--even the show's theme song. There are also umbrella entries, such as "News Broadcasts," which features an engaging essay on radio news, with capsule biographies of major broadcasters, such as Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow. Equally important, Dunning provides a fascinating account of each program, taking us behind the scenes to capture the feel of the performance, such as the ghastly sounds of Lights Out (a horror drama where heads rolled and bones crunched), and providing engrossing biographies of the main people involved in the show. A wonderful read for everyone who loves old-time radio, On the Air is a must purchase for all radio hobbyists and anyone interested in 20th-century American history. It is an essential reference work for libraries and radio stations.

Customer Reviews:

review.......2007-01-31

This book has everything you could ever need to know about OTR. Meticulously researched. I asked my father in law about shows he used to watch and he named some I never heard of and he said were just local shows and wouldn't be in this book. Wrong! This book had them and even said that they were local shows. If you want an encyclopedia on old time radio, this is the one to get!

Best resource for Old Time Radio.......2006-07-29

This book is for the old time radio amateur and fanatic. Covers all the well-known radio shows from the golden age of radio as well as the not-so-well-known ones. Details for each show include times, networks, theme songs, directors, producers, actors, and dates run. Each show entry also contains a summary of show plot and background information on the actors and writers. Thoroughly cross-indexed. Yes, it's a steep price, but you will not regret the purchase.

The Best Available Reference On The Subject.......2006-03-17

In the job I do to earn my living, I spend a lot of time of time outside, working alone; so when the iPod was first introduced a few years ago, I saw it as a boon to those who do similar work--a way to keep entertained while engaged in tedious labor. So I bought one of the first models, way before everyone had an iPod, as they do today.

Problem was, eventually you get sick of listening to the same music when you are listening to it 6-8 hours a day. You have to find something new to listen to. This led me to a renewed interest in old time radio (or OTR, as we afficianados have dubbed it). This wasn't a brand new interest, as I had a small collection of old LPs with vintage radio programs, from the pre-CD days; but what was available back then was such a small sampling, there wasn't much to get into.

With the advent of both the MP3 file format for audio, and then the internet and ebay, where large numbers of old programs became easily and cheaply available, the world of old time broadcasting suddenly exploded. Now for a small expenditure you can collect hundreds (even thousands) of old programs, including some that are almost complete runs of nearly 20 years. I now have a personal collection of over 10,000 old radio shows that I am slowly working my way through.

Naturally with this wealth of material, a reference work is an absolute neccesity or one would be lost in trying to find what's good. Professor Dunning's encyclopedia is such a work. It is a huge, fat book, listing every major show, with pertinent dates, cast and sponsor listings, and long essay entries on the most important shows. Now when loading programs onto my iPod, I always have this book at hand. It is indispensible for this purpose.

I disagree with some of his assessments of old shows. F'rinstance, I think Fred Allen was without peer as far as radio comedy goes. No one else was even close. Professor Dunning, however, felt Allen's humor was too topical and many of his jokes may not be understood by the modern listener, and that Jack Benny's work was more timeless. Now, I like Benny's program, and find them amusing (tho I would rate him after not only Fred Allen, but also Duffy's Tavern, Henry Morgan and Fibber McGee & Molly). But as far as comparing with the best of Fred Allen (his famous feud mate), well I think there is no comparison.

That is not a knock on this book, but merely an honest difference of opinion--which is good because it shows that this is more than a mere listing of data and statistics, but a book of history and criticism. The book itself has no flaws that I can find.If there are factual errors (as there always are in a book this size), I don't know about them, because the author knows the subject far better than I do.

If you are at all interested in OTR, get this book. If you own an iPod, get into old time radio, get a few discs of OTR programs and then get this book and start building up a collection. As with any mass media, much of OTR is junk, but even the junk is worth listening to as a window on the past. And this encyclopedia is the best guide to this window.

All you ever wanted to know about old time radio shows.......2006-01-30

The listing seems complete and the information about each program is useful. Some programs have only minimal descriptive information but, all in all, this is a very helpful reference work for old radio aficionados. I'm glad I own a copy.

Not quite complete but very good.......2005-11-23

I just received my copy today. So far it is a very interesting read. I've noticed some missing shows already, however, "Dark Fantasy" (Scott Bishops brainchild produced in Oklahoma) and "Origin of Superstition," a campy show from 1935 that sounds more like a sermon. It does, however, include "I Love Lucy," a show that was never aired and appears only as a single pilot. So the omission of the aforementioned shows seems a bit odd. There may be more shows missing but I haven't researched that far yet.

HOWEVER, despite that little downfall, it is a great volume and an absolute labor of love on the part of Dunning.

It would be nice to have a bunch of OTR photo's to go with the volume, but you can't have everthing.

A definite recommend to any OTR enthusiast.

The Aerospace Encyclopedia of Air Warfare (Volume One: 1911-1945)

Average customer rating:

The Aerospace Encyclopedia of Air Warfare (Volume One: 1911-1945)

Manufacturer: AIRtime Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books

History | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1880588250

Book of Flight: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

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Book of Flight: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Judith E. Rinard
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

History | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Aeronautics & Astronautics | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

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The Story of Flight: from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

ASIN: 1552095991

Book Description

The dream of flight is one of the oldest in human history. We read about it in ancient Greek mythology and visualize it through Leonardo da Vinci's sketches of flying machines.

The Book of Flight traces the remarkable story of the pioneers, inventors, and daring pilots who turned that dream into a reality. Based on the outstanding collections of the National Air and Space Museum, this handsome book brings to life milestones in flight history: the development of ballooning; the earliest human gliders; the Wright Brothers' first sustained flights; Charles Lindbergh's solo trip across the Atlantic; Amelia Earhart's courageous flights; Chuck Yeager's blast through the sound barrier; the Apollo astronauts' first steps onto the moon; and the building of the International Space Station.

Richly illustrated, this book takes you on an exciting journey through time. You'll watch early inventors at work, thrill to the first air races and the dogfights of World War I and II, peer inside a flying boat of the 1930s, and witness the horrific explosion of the airship Hindenburg. You'll ride in the DC-3, marvel at the technology of the stealth fighter, and experience life aboard the Space Shuttle. As you turn the pages you'll meet barnstormers and ballonists, stunt flyers and flying aces, and rocket scientists and astronauts.

More than 350 photographs and illustrations portray the development of aviation and space flight. Diagrams explain concepts such as jet propulsion and supersonic flight and depict the workings of rockets and other devices. A comprehensive glossary provides easy-to-understand explanations of technical terms.

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, with more than eight million visitors annually, is home to the world's most famous collection of historical aircraft, rockets, and space vehicles.

Hitler's Luftwaffe: A Pictorial History and Technical Encyclopedia of Hitler's Air Power in World War II

Average customer rating:

Nice companion to 'Warplanes of the Third Reich'
Oustanding Historical Reference Volume

Hitler's Luftwaffe: A Pictorial History and Technical Encyclopedia of Hitler's Air Power in World War II
Tony Wood , and Bill Gunston
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0890097585

Customer Reviews:

Nice companion to 'Warplanes of the Third Reich'.......2002-09-03

There are quite a few books about this subject on the market, and I rate this one second best. Top of the market in my eyes is 'Warplanes of the Third Reich' by William Green (672 pages!), but this book can serve as a nice companion or indeed as a replacement if your budget is a bit tight. The main advantage this book has compared to William Green masterpiece is the colour artwork, which is sadly lacking in the Green book. The only thing in which the comparison falls out negative against Green is the amount of information about each individual plane, but there is more general information about the Luftwaffe in WW2 to make this up. Highly recommended indeed.

Oustanding Historical Reference Volume.......2000-05-04

This work is an exhaustive study of the Luftwaffe's inventory from 1931 - 1945. Naturally the famous are here: Ju87, Me109/110/262, Fw190, He111/162, but the obscure as well: the Bv40 Interceptor Glider(!), the asymmetric Bv141 observation aircraft, and the He100 fighter. The entries (with drawings or photographs) of these one-off variants and technological near-misses make the volume worth owning. Over 150 fixed-wing aircraft, gliders and helicopters are combined with an excellent overview of the Luftwaffe from creation to destruction. Additionally, appendices contain the Luftwaffe's chain of command, and a glossary of Luftwaffe-speak.

If you are a student of WW2, and particularly the airwar, then you should definitely try to pick up a copy. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

very British

Excellent Summary if not a little Allied biased

The Encyclopedia of 20th Century Air Warfare

Manufacturer: Amber Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1904687261

Book Description

A complete history of aerial warfare! This engrossing volume chronicles each air campaign from 1911 to the first Gulf War in comprehensive detail. It features firsthand accounts of combat action from pilots, hundreds of full-color photographs, color profiles and three-view artworks of the main aircraft types throughout history, and more. Readers will discover the ins and outs of:

- The Albatross D. V
- Bf 109s
- Thunderbolts
- B-29s
- F-4 Phantoms
- B-52s
- F-117 `Stealth' fighter
- And more!

From wire-braced biplanes to the first jet fighters, from the Berlin Airlift to Bosnia, The Encyclopedia of 20th Century Air Warfare covers it all.

Customer Reviews:

very British.......2006-10-12

This book contains many facts, and many, many of the author's opinions. The portion of the book which deals with WWII gives one the impression that the British received very little help from the USAAC in defeating the Axis. He expresses negative opinions repeatedly about the design, quality, tactics, etc. of the American aircraft. What was he smoking????

Excellent Summary if not a little Allied biased.......2006-03-17

This is an excellent overall summary of major air battles throughout the20th Century. The major issue I had was with the opnions expressed concerning fighter superiority beng a little biases toward Western aircraft. Notably the Me-109 / Spitfire and F-15 vs. Su0-27/Mig 29. I think that it is now clear that the 109E was superior to the Spitfire when flown by equally competent pilots during 1940-19442 period. There were altitude restrictions and certainly aircraft envelope limits, but when flown to those limits it was clear the 109E was the better overall airplane and would result in more kills in more occasions.

The F-15 / Soviet issue was always masked by the differences in pilot training and electronics suites. In a guns encounter, both Soviet fighters are probably more than a match for the Eagle driver if flown by a pilot with appropriate training levels, something difficult to find in the heyday of the USSR and certainly not available today.

The book is full of drawing and diagrams detailign different paint schemes and squadron markings for both Allied and opposition aircraft. The colors are as close to being accurate as can be in modern priniting, given the broad nature of the subjects involved. Thumbnail descriptions of the battles help orient the reader in time and space, and the author is one of the few whom I have seen break up the Battle of Britain in the several segements, most were described as being separately elements of the Battle by Adolf Galland in his writings. This gives the reader the understanding of what it was like during that time.

Both 'Mig Alley' and Vietnam are addresed, in both the high and low level airwars, alogn with discussion, for the first in a western mass market book, of the pilots flying for the North during Vietnam.

No aviation fan of aerial combat should be without this book, for the ability to look up information and to see the aircraft.

Encyclopedia Of World Air Power: Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

An excellent source of technical and historical information.
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK
I just wish someone would update this book and republish it.

Encyclopedia Of World Air Power: Revised Edition
Bill Gunston
Manufacturer: Crescent
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 051749969X
Release Date: 1987-08-27

Customer Reviews:

An excellent source of technical and historical information........1998-06-17

This book is at my side every time I watch Wings. It has excellent statistics on use, combat history, developmental history, what countries employ the aircraft, and on the munitions they carry. It even gives flight data on the different types of missles used by militarys around the world. This is the finest and most comprehensive tome of its' type I have ever had the pleasure to read. The illustrations alone, surface and cutaway, are reason enough to buy the book. Why have you not updated and republished this work Mr. Gunston? It bears a reprise.

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK.......1997-12-10

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK, NOT ONLY LISTING MILITARY PLANES, THEIR VARIANTS, GREAT PICTURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, AND WHAT AIR FORCES USE THEM, BUT ALSO A LIST OF AIR FORCES AND WHAT AIRCRAFT THEY FLY. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD UPDATE AND RERELEASE THIS EXCELLENT REFERENCE.

I just wish someone would update this book and republish it........1997-12-03

So many pepole borrowed this book it was bounld not to return to me. I took my chances, lost and have been looking for it for 7 years. This is a great referance book. An invintory of the world's air power by country, a detailed and diagramed discription of hundreds of airplanes and missils. Someone please republish and update this excellent book.

The Complete Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown

Average customer rating:

Complete, Big, Good
Simple and Complete Fighter Encyclopedia, well organized
Who needs Jane's...
A must have for millitary aviation fans and modelers

The Complete Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown
William Green , and Gordon Swanborough
Manufacturer: Smithmark Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Reference | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0831739398

Customer Reviews:

Complete, Big, Good.......2000-09-05

I have glanced through the book, and decided to buy it. I haven't regretted it since. It is exacty like the title suggests: offering information on all (until 1994) fighter aircraft. Often the information displayed is concise, and could have been more elaborate, but I understaand that it is impossible to describe thousands of aircraft in-depth. It would probably take a dozen books to do that. Also, it is awkward to miss the aircraft of manufacturers that haven't built any fighter at all, or miss famous or even favourite aircraft that were no fighters. i just hope that there will be another book on the bombers, trainers, transports, maritime patrol aircraft, flying boats, etc etc that is as good as this. All in all it is an excellent reference work (displaying pictures if there were pictures available at all), of which there should be more. It should not be missed in any aviations' fan book shelf.

Simple and Complete Fighter Encyclopedia, well organized.......1999-02-20

Excellent details within an excellent fighter organization method, simple effective and complete.

Who needs Jane's..........1997-10-14

This huge tome contains descriptions, stats, color and b/w photographs etc. of every fighter aircraft ever built by any country (as of 1994). The technical diagrams of the more well-known fighters alone are worth the price.

A must have for millitary aviation fans and modelers.......1996-11-01

This book is a thorough and complete work, the scope of which is unmatched. Many rare photographs and outstanding color illustrations provide for hours of enjoyable reading or browsing. Limited text provides essential information on each aircraft line. Those wishing for lengthier accounts or more complete pictoral representation of individual aircraft will have to look elsewhere, but this book definately belongs on your shelf if you are a military aviation fan or scale modeler. I would caution buyers to thoroughly check the print quality, as I have seen several copies with manufacturing defects. Otherwise, this book gets highest marks

Average customer rating:

A-z of Microlighting
Chris Stow
Manufacturer: Crowood Press, Limited, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sports | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Air Sports & Recreation | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1861268084

Military Healthcare and Medicine Encyclopedia - Tricare, Army, Navy, Air Force, Post-Deployment, Health Affairs, USUHS, Walter Reed and Bethesda, VA Programs (Four CD-ROM Set)

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Military Healthcare and Medicine Encyclopedia - Tricare, Army, Navy, Air Force, Post-Deployment, Health Affairs, USUHS, Walter Reed and Bethesda, VA Programs (Four CD-ROM Set)
Department of Defense
Manufacturer: Progressive Management
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

Medical | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 142200905X
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Product Description

This up-to-date electronic book on four CD-ROMs provides a fantastic collection of official Federal government documents and publications about military medicine and health care, with encyclopedic coverage of every aspect of care for every military service, including material from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). There is no other collection of official documents and material on this vital subject with the scope and coverage of this unique collection! This CD-ROM set has 124,718 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software. Some of the topics covered in this comprehensive collection include: Comprehensive Coverage of all aspects of TRICARE Health Care for Uniformed Active Duty and Retirees of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and NOAA * Military Health System, Health Affairs Organization * Force Health Protection * Army Medical Department (AMEDD) * Walter Reed Army Medical Center * Outpatient-care Shortfalls at Walter Reed Controversy in 2007 * Bethesda Naval National Medical Center * DOD Post-Deployment Military Healthcare Information, Clinician Data, by Conflict and Country * Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) * Health Care in Iraq Report * VA Health Care Programs * Eligibility and Enrollment, Covered Services, Combat Veterans, Priority Groups, Applying for Care, Prescription Drugs, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Transition * 2007 Guide to Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents * Fourteen Reports on Special Veterans' Health Issues - Agent Orange, Caring for War Wounded, Cold Injury, Infectious Diseases of Iraq and Afghanistan, Gulf War, Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Weapons, Hearing Impairment, Military Sexual Trauma, POWs, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Radiation, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment and Blindness (Veterans Health Initiative Independent Study Courses) * Women Veterans * VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines

World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures: The Ultimate Visual Reference To 1000 Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Creatures Of Land, Air And Sea ... And Cretaceous Eras (World Encyclopedia)

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World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures: The Ultimate Visual Reference To 1000 Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Creatures Of Land, Air And Sea ... And Cretaceous Eras (World Encyclopedia)
Dougal Dixon
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

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Jurassic Park Institute (TM) Dinosaur Field Guide (Jurassic Park Institute)

ASIN: 075481730X

Book Description

This seminal book brings together every important dinosaur find from the last two centuries and from the world's richest fossil sites. The result is a comprehensive, groundbreaking book that details every kind of prehistoric creature known from the age of

Book Description

The conference included various aspects of thermophotovoltaics, including systems, emitters, and cells. Key papers also dealt with TPV modules, recovery of high-temperature industrial waste heat, stand-alone gas furnaces, and military applications. TPV operates on the same physical principles as photovoltaics. However, it uses infrared radiation rather than light from the sun. TPV may be envisaged as a means of conservation of energy, as stand-alone item for some specific purpose (such as military applications), or in the domestic arena.

Book Description

Grab the Dramamine. When Essie Sue's latest fundraiser transports Ruby and the congregants of Temple Rita from Eternal, Texas, to a Caribbean cruise ship commanded by a Jewish sea captain, seasickness is the least of their worries.

Essie Sue has conducted a scientific poll that would put Dick Morris to shame, revealing that her beloved Rabbi Kapstein's job approval rating has fallen to an all-time low at Temple Rita. In a last-ditch attempt to improve the rabbi's "charisma quotient" (in answer to the question "Is our rabbi as dynamic as you thought he would be?" Kevin scored "one percent"), Essie Sue decides to showcase his leadership ability by having him conduct a tour for temple members. She learns through the kosher grapevine that a long-lost cousin is currently sailing Caribbean for Bargain Cruise Lines -- Motto: We Pass Waters Where Others Fear to Tread -- A bargain! What could be wrong with that? And when the cruise line is willing to move cabins wholesale for fund-raising purposes, a discount deal is sealed.

Though Ruby loves to travel, this is not the trip of her dreams. The Cruise from Hell begins when Professor Willie Bob Gonzales, the ship's lecturer, dies suddenly in the embarkation area, leaving a laptop full of notes on the Conversos -- Jews who became Christians to escape the tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, and who were known to have emigrated to the islands.

The food is terrible -- Ruby groans from the chef's version of island delights with the flavor of yesterday's Taco Bell, and struggles with the consequences of a bargain voyage -- portholes sealed with bubblegum and nightly entertainment by Elvis impersonators. And to make things perfect, Captain Goldberg has the hots for her.

Ruby manages, as always, to discern the hubris from the humor, but almost pays with her life. The good news is that she finds romance on the voyage. The bad news is that he may be a killer.

Sharon Kahn, a rabbi's wife for thirty-one years, knows the territory.

Download Description

After conducting a scientific poll that would put Dick Morris to shame, resident busybody Essie Sue Margolis (already notorious for her matzo ball diet and deadly bagel debacles) has divined that Rabbi Kapstein's approval rating has plummeted to an all-time low at Temple Rita. Desperate to revive the rabbi's woeful "charisma quotient", Essie Sue hears through the kosher grapevine about a cut-rate Caribbean liner helmed by a Jewish sea captain. A bargain! A vacation! And a fundraiser, all in one! What could possibly go wrong? Oy. Grab the Dramamine -- or maybe something with a little more zing. Because seasickness turns out to be the least of everyone's worries. This is a cruise to die for -- literally, in the case of ship lecturer Willie Bob, who collapses mysteriously at the outset. Ruby the rabbi's wife is back in action, braving the ship's no-star culinary fare, warding off the lascivious Captain Goldberg, suffering the nightly Elvis impersonators -- and stumbling into an unexpected romance. The trouble is, her suitor may also be the killer. A fast-paced puzzler full of quirky, clever humor, Don't Cry for Me, Hot Pastrami is Sharon Kahn's most delicious Ruby adventure yet.

Customer Reviews:

Don't buy for me, hot pastrami.......2001-12-31

The bibliophile's eternal question -- to buy or not to buy (or borrow from the library), I would say the answer here is: borrow. Worth reading. A fun read. But that's it.

Ruby, the former rabbi's wife, embarks on a cruise with the congregants from hell and their current rabbi who has the leadership ability of Jello. The entire cruise quickly turns hellish when Ruby stumbles onto some nefarious goings-on. The book's downside: The congregants are unbelievable to the point of being insulting caricatures. The plot has a tendency to stray and meander. But, it's worth sticking with because it does leave you (and Ruby literally) dying to know the truth. Plus, Ruby has a delightfully quick, sarcastic wit and manages to deliver some wicked observations and comments which made me "kvell" (because if I'd been in her place, I wouldn't have thought of that perfect line until 16 hours later ... of course she does have the luxury of being a character in a book, but nonetheless it's always refreshing to spend time with someone who won't suffer fools gladly and that's Ruby.) So, definitely a fun read, you'll be treated to some delicious and hilarious lines and a plot that does turn interesting around p. 100. A more worthwhile "borrow" than "buy." This likely isn't a book you'll need or want to read again. But, I don't think you'll regret the time you spent reading it.

Good Idea For A Book Series, But Not Well Done.......2001-10-26

I really wanted to like this, but Ruby is getting less likeable with each book in this series. This is a problem since she is the narrator and main character. The story is improbable and the characters are silly. A fast, light read that will not stay with you as long as a hot pastrami sandwich, or even a bagel. Too bad. Maybe the next one (if there is one) will be better.

Plot Overboard!.......2001-10-25

Unless you are looking for a lame mystery which insults anyone even loosely related to the Jewish faith or the cruise industry, forget about this offering from Sharon Kahn. I do, however, give her an extra star for handling Ruby's emotional dilemma about trust and dating after widowhood in a sensitive and believable manner.

Hilarious regional mystery.......2001-08-23

Since the death of Rabbi Stu Rothman, Essie Sue Margolis runs the Temple Rita synagogue in Eternal, Texas. Using a statistically invalid and unreliable sampling of the congregation members, Essie Sue informs the board that the new Rabbi Kevin Kerstein has a very low approval rating. To avoid the selection process of a new rabbi, the board including Ruby, the wife of the deceased previous Rabbi, agree to a Caribbean Sea cruise.

Ruby wins the raffle for a free trip, but wonders if she will be sailing with endless tsuris from the aggravation she expects from her companions. The Bargain Tours cruise is filled with cut-rate reductions that makes this a trip worth forgetting though coincidentally the Captain happens to be Essie Sueýs cousin. University Professor Gonzales was to provide insight into the historical Jewish population in the area, but he dies while boarding the ship. Ruby finds herself embroiled in a mystery based on the professorýs notes while two suitors, the captain and a passenger she likes (who might just be a killer) pursue her.

The third Rabbi's wife mystery, DONýT CRY FOR ME, HOT PASTRAMI, is an amusing who-done-it due to the internal sufferings and asides of Ruby. The story line is fun though a reader might wonder why Ruby puts up with Essie Sue, a professional nudnick. Essie Sue is as aggressive a character one will find in a cozy while the Rabbi needs to borrow some of her chutzpah so he will not continue to look like a putz. Fans of an ethnic who-done-it will enjoy this tale that requires noshing a bagel while reading it.

Harriet Klausner

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