In “A Patent Lie,” by Paul Goldstein, forty-seven year old attorney Michael Seeley is a solo practitioner in his hometown of Buffalo, New York. He has a part-time receptionist, his office is a dump, and he handles “nickel and dime cases.” On a chilly autumn day, his younger brother, Leonard, whom he hasn’t seen in nine years, stops by to see him. Since Leonard lives in San Francisco, where he works as the chief medical officer for a small biotech company, this is not a casual visit. For weeks, Leonard has been leaving Michael frantic messages. It seems that Leonard’s employer, Vaxtek, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against a giant Swiss drug producer, St. Gall. The trial is scheduled to begin in three weeks, and Robert Pearsall, Vaxtek’s lead attorney, has suddenly died, an apparent suicide. Leonard wants his brother to take over this important case, since the company’s financial health and his own portfolio could be seriously affected by the result of the litigation.

Michael has problems of his own. Before moving back to Buffalo, he was employed by a New York corporate law firm, and although he won his share of cases, he was not happy. Lonely and deeply depressed, he found refuge in drinking, and eventually descended into alcoholism. He barely escaped disbarment, and is now staying sober one day at a time. Why risk what he has fought so hard to achieve by getting involved in a high-profile and potentially stressful trial? In addition, Michael has no desire to reconnect with Leonard, since seeing him inevitably brings back horrible memories of the two young boys cowering in fear while their drunken bully of a father stormed through the house. When he was only fifteen, Michael left home for good, and he has no desire to revisit the past or bond with what is left of his family. He cares about Leonard, but does not trust his brother, who “never stopped manipulating people and events to get what he wanted.” Against his better judgment, Michael agrees to fly out to San Francisco and try the case with the assistance of a team that includes a young attorney named Chris Palmieri. Soon, however, he notices some anomalies that trouble him. He begins to suspect that the lawyers and administrators who work for Vaxtek and St. Gall may be concealing vital information. Michael eventually comes to regret his decision to leave his sleepy little practice back east in Buffalo.

“A Patent Lie” is an intelligent legal thriller with a colorful cast: Michael is a crafty lawyer with sharp instincts; this case will test not only his professional ability but also his idealism, tenacity, and courage. Thirty-six year old Lily Warren is a vaccine researcher and former colleague of the supposed inventor of the AIDS vaccine, the pompous and obnoxious Alan Steinhardt. Seely is attracted to the brilliant and beautiful Warren, but he senses that she is withholding critical facts that could affect the trial’s outcome. Judy, Robert Pearsall’s distraught wife, is convinced that her husband was murdered, and she urges Michael to look into the circumstances surrounding his death. District Judge Ellen Farnsworth is a no-nonsense type; she has little patience with anyone who tries to cross her. Joel Warshaw, the owner of Vaxkek, is a wily and venal entrepreneur who buys and sells companies for profit. After meeting him, Seely is convinced that the amoral Warshaw would sink to any depths in order to enrich himself.

This is an engrossing and complex courtroom drama that requires close concentration, since there are intricate scientific and legal issues at stake. Seely is no fool, and after bringing himself up to speed and interviewing Judy Pearsall and Lily Warren, he realizes that he may be missing the forest for the trees. Something does not compute, and Michael is determined to find out what it is. Both he and Lily must decide whether to play along with what may be corporate malfeasance or risk their reputations and lives opposing a group of powerful and ruthless men. This is your classic David vs. Goliath story and it is well told. For the most part, the author avoids phony theatrics and formulaic plot devices. The courtroom scenes are instructive and absorbing, and Goldstein wraps up his narrative satisfyingly. “A Patent Lie” will appeal to audiences of legal thrillers that rely on ideas and personalities rather than silly twists and turns, mindless violence, and steamy sex scenes. Goldstein does not go for the glitz, but instead focuses on what happens when clever lawyers and those who employ them act selfishly and callously, ignoring the needs of those who are unable to stand up for themselves.

The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro

Newly released in June from Harper Collins is Kathleen Tessaro’s third novel - The Flirt.

From the cover art I originally thought the novel was to be about a woman flirt. I was mistaken….

The Flirt is set in London, England. We meet Hughie Armstrong Venables-Smythe in the first few chapters. A would be actor, he is perusing the classifieds and spies an intriguing advertisement:

“Unique situation available for an attractive, well-mannered, morally flexible young man. Hours irregular. Pay generous. Discretion a must. Please send photo and brief romantic history”

Hughie comes from aristocratic stock, but the family fortunes have paled and his name, posh accent, good looks and charm are what he’s surviving on now.

We are quickly introduced to many more characters;

Leticia - Hughie’s latest sexual dalliance - no strings attached
Rose - a young single mother waitress who is attracted to Hughie
Sam - a busy plumber currently working at Leticia’s business
Olivia - the unhappy wife of a very wealthy man, Arnaud
Ricki - friend of Rose and Sam, gardener to Olivia
Johnathan - works for Arnaud - and hates it
Amy - Johnathan’s perpetually pregnant wife
….and other supporting characters.

I’ve introduced the list of characters as in a playbill because that’s the feel the book had for me. A delicious British romantic comedy. Somewhat along the lines of Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest. No farce, but lots of sly comedic lines and situations.

Everyone is living their lives, but recognize that they aren’t really happy. Hughie is hired by Valentine and Flick. I won’t go much further in divulging the plot. Suffice it to say that Hughie’s new profession touches everyone’s lives.

Each chapter is written from a different character’s viewpoint. This did make the book hard to put down as I wanted to read yet another chapter before shutting the light off. Tessaro skillfully weaves all the stories together in a most satisfying ending - though not all as are you may have imagined.

There is some minimal sexual language used that may offend some readers.

This is a good summer chick lit book. If you like British authors such as Marion Keyes and Jane Green, you will enjoy Kathleen Tessaro. I read Elegance years ago and very much enjoyed it.

Crushes, Flirts, And Friends: A Real Girl’s Guide to Boy Smarts by Erika V. Shearin Karres

We get to “boys and girls” now, an excellent text for both genders…Erika explores both sides of stories, yet stand up for the girls and help them through their High School relationships..as an Educator, Erika has a gift with students, who are able to open their hearts for her, and reveal their stories..It takes an expert like Erika to do it for us!!! The “Final Exams” are helpful in learning how to differentiate between “P/F”. A book I recommend for all the girls to read, share and apply it in your day to day struggle with choosing a “Prince”
A decorative book, pinky colored pages for the “Girls” to feel girly!!

101 Ways to Flirt: How to Get More Dates and Meet Your Mate by Susan Rabin and Barbara Lagowski

Wow! This book is simply THE guide for getting some. I mean,before in school, I used to have minimal luck getting the girls… But NOW, thanks to the 101 Ways to Flirt book, I’ve had great success! Women are having consensual sex with me!

Superflirt by Tracey Cox

One of the things that both men and women know is that we communicate very differently verbally. Body language is a LOT harder to fake, and this book is a great starting point on how to read those signals. This covers a lot of material, from how to tell if she is interested in you (or that other guy), deciphering mixed signals, and tips to tell if they’re lying to you. All very useful material.

As a man, I’ve found this informative and the way it is presented it is easy to put this knowledge into practical usage. I suspect it would be equally useful to women. And both men and women who may be sending negative body language unintentionally may have seriously life-improving revelations from this book.

Good Reading!

How to Flirt by Marty Westerman

My brother gave me this book when I was 14. He thought I could use a little help being more outgoing, and he was right. I won’t say this book totally changed my life, but it did definitely give me a different perspective, and that allowed me to start changing.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a little more at ease with themselves and everyone around them.

Flirt In The Mirror by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld

Jamie Dobrin is witty, intelligent, and very popular with guys…on her computer. In real life she gets tongue-tied and nervous especially around her crush Nick. To make matters worse her best friends have changed to become these boy-crazy girls. They don’t seem to care about the Webzine that they all produce. Then Jamie finds the LoveRock and makes a wish. Suddenly no guy can resist Jamie’s charm and she can’t seem to control who she flirts with. And now her firends hate her. What’s a girl to do?

A great conclusion to the Mirror Image series. I loved all the books!

Flirt! Volume One: The Art of Naughty by Carlos Cartegena, Sean Gallimore, and Sean Gallimore & Carlos Cartegena

“Flirt” the art of Naughty Volume 1 is a double-sided, oversized book collecting the works of Carlos Cartegena one side and Sean Gallimore on the other. The Guatemalan born Cartegena came to the U.S. in 1981 and his work has been featured in magazines such as Playboy, Penthouse, and Femme Fatale. Cartagena is rightly considered as one of the top glamour/pin-up artists working today and in the same class as Olivia and Soroyama. His work is in the finest tradition of glamour pioneers Gil Elvgren, Rolf Armstrong and Mel Ramos.

Page 7 features one of my favorite Cartegena paintings “Alley in Silk” as the beautiful model lies in a bed of silk, pink sheets doing her best 1950’s Marilyn Monroe pose. “School Girl” is a charming, sassy painting of a pig-tailed Catholic school girl bending over to get a drink of water in her little mini-skirt. “Red Silk is another favorite that shows a brunette in red bra, garter, and fishnet stockings looking like she was just caught by surprise.

The last several pieces in the book are certainly Ramos/Elvgren inspired 50’s pin-up style pieces with women in polka-dot bikinis. This book shows why Cartagena is considered one of the top pin-up artists.

Now flip the book over and check out Sean Gallimore. Gallimore actually got his start working at animation studios such as Hanna Barbera and the Bluth Studios but then decided to dedicate himself completely to his art. That decision was great news for fans of pin-up art. Gallimore has a glamorous yet textured style giving his work a truly unique look.

On page 4 we get Gallimore’s take on super heroes as he shows a topless Supergirl getting into her costume in one of his most famous pieces. The piece entitled “Busty Oily” is well named as it shows a buxom brunette, cupping her well-oiled breasts. Gallimore shows off the female anatomy and muscle structure as well as any artists I have ever seen, demonstrated on Pages 22 - 25 showing off a variety of Gallimore’s well muscled, nude warrior women.

Flirt: The Art of Naughty is collecting the works of these two men for the first time and pin-up fans will love the two distinctive styles of art.

Flirt Coach by Peta Heskell

This book is great so far as i’m not done with it yet. it helps one understand alot about oneself so that one can flirt with ease. it focuses on one’s true being instead of others. i feel that is why the other reviewer didn’t give it a good rating cuz he/she probably is afraid to look at himself. he probably was looking for techniques to use on others. you also get alot of NLP materials without the jargon. it’s very user friendly. If your not willing to work with yourself, this book isn’t for you. it’s worth checking out.

Model Flirt by Francine Pascal

Well, i must say that i certainly enjoyed this book. Todd reckons he’s just sooo good now he is a model and also dating one too, talk about an ego problem. And simone has some nerve to be dating a high school boy! She must be pretty desperate.It’s a real pity that Liz went through all the trouble of changing her looks and wardrobe for that two - faced slime Leona! Don’t get me wrong, i think she looks great it just that she spent so much money and what does she get in return? A backstabing unoriginal theif that can’t think of her own ideas! My favourite part in this book is the twin switch and when cameron realizes that it is Liz. But i kind of feel sorry for jessica when she has to date two people at once, i mean all she wants to do is persue her modeling career and date someone for his personality. What about maria and enid? I sorta think they shouldn’t be so slack to liz after her horrible break up with todd.But overall i thought this was an excellent book and reccomend it to anyone!

Flirt! The Art Of Naughty Volume 2 by Various and Sal Quartuccio

I liked the variety of artists and the variety of subject matter that each of the artists had included in the magazine. There was something for everyone; some of them to my taste, some not, but a good selection for me to choose from in decorating my masterbath & masterbedroom. I’ve picked up several Gil Elvgren books & calendars that I’ve chosen a few pictures from to mat & frame (a few even made it to the kitchen & Lavender laundry room). Vargus is much harder to find & I won’t be cutting up the book I bought.
Flirt was really great as there were several artists that either I or my Honey really liked. I plan on buying another issue or two. I really enjoyed the variety & what doesn’t go up on the wall will just be added to my collection of Erotic Art & Ancient & Medieval Art.
Thanks.
I didn’t have any idea what I was going to get when I ordered it & I was pleasently surprised. So many different renditions & ideas…wonderful! The only down side was deciding when there was one we liked on each side of the page.

How to Flirt Outrageously: A Step-by-Step Guide to Bewitching a Man by Vera G. Lee

This book should be on the reference shelf of every modern girl’s library

Lord Rathbone’s Flirt by Gayle Buck

Gayle Buck’s novels frequently improve on re-reading. True to the genre, it takes little to destroy Verity’s reputation and the destruction was Lord Rathbone’s intent as revenge for how she described his character to a friend. What saves the plot at this point is that Rathbone is falling in love with Verity but does not realize it and that is one reason he continues to show her particular attention. Her reputation ruined, Verity is attacked by the very spoiled Miss Pettiforth and literally cast out into the night. Forced to go home to an empty house, Verity’s brother finds her there when he returns from the American wars. Rathbone’s host Mr. Pettiforth invites him to leave because of his treatment of Verity. In the subplot Mr. Pettiforth reclaims control of his family as a reult of this incident and arranges to send his daughter to a select seminary specializing in spoilt beauties. But wait! The plot is much more complex and Buck fully realizes its promise. Rathbone’s mother has nourished a desire for vengeance against her husband’s brothers and uses her son as her instrument. Verity’s betrothal to Rathbone (she does love him) to prevent her brother from calling him out and killing him puts her in line for foul play by Rathbone’s uncles. Buck write so true to the Regency period and she is a joy to read. Her characters are not overdone or underdone but always true to themselves. Her plots and characters have a redemptive quality similar to Mary Balogh’s best. Lord Rathbon’s Flirt is one of several of Buck’s books that I have read 4-5 times and read yet again. Each re-read reveals subtle nuances previously overlooked that add spice and enjoyment. Maybe I’ll just re-read it now.

Flirt by Hal Hartley

Like many of the best movies, Hal Hartley’s films exist in a world that is both recognizably realistic and ever so slightly beyond belief. In contrast to many of his previous works, which tend to be set near Manhattan and/or Long Island, Flirt has a global scope, and it’s fascinating to see how Hartley’s style meshes with other cultural settings.

Indeed that is a large part of the point of “Flirt,” which is trio of shorter pieces (taking place in New York, Germany and Japan respectively) which all tell essentially the same story of someone who flirts with everyone and everything, including committment. Although it is not a substitue fo rthe film itself, the screenplay allows one to take a step back and appreciate the subtleties of Hartley’s approaches to each rendition. Though character genders and relationships may shift from location to location, what “Flirt” does with these compelling variations on a common theme is nothing less than find a way to reveal our common humanity across the world.

Obviously it’s debatable if that’s exactly what Hal Hartley intended when he wrote these words, but that serves to make the achievement more rather than less magnificent. At a time when most movies seem to be about less and less, Hartley is willing to make films about more and more. He is willing to stumble a bit (as in the third part of this trio), but at the end of the day, he remains a powerful voice for people who do not exist in black and white but rather in beautiful shades of gray.

Read My Hips: The Sexy Art of Flirtation by Eve Marx

If you are naturally flirty, like myself, you will love this book because it will make you realize every wrong “flirt” move you have been making (even though you think you’ve been doing it right, but lets be honest, you haven’t).
Or, if you are not flirty and shy away from boys, this book is an absolute must and I strongly urge you to purchase a copy solely for the sake of yourself and your social life. It’s not right to not flirt, nor is it healthy. However, if you are going to flirt make sure you do it right and follow Eve Marx’s steps to becoming the perfect and most desirable flirt. Her fun flirt quizzes will allow you to see which flirting style fits you best and the appropriate dating steps, especially if you are on a first date. Because, come on, who doesn’t freak on a first date or freeze with their words? Learn how to overcome stuttering and take your undesirable personality to a whole new level of fun and interesting, not to mention slightly arousing. If luck is on your side and you’ve got your Marx facts memorized, who knows what could happen?

This is the top-seller in the market yet again! Simon and Susan Veness have cornered the market with the No. 1 guide to one of the hottest destinations for British holiday-makers. With so much to see and do around Orlando, it’s easy to miss the best and become exhausted by the rest. With this guide you have a holiday planner that takes care of everything - from when to go and how to get there to where to stay and everything to see and do. It saves time, money and confusion. It produces the best possible holiday. A proven winner with the personal touch, this is the book to display cover-out and to hold in depth.

“… It is part of the XL Leisure Group, which provides its own in-house airline, plus sister companies Kosmar, …”

XL Leisure collapse: ‘Devastated’ passengers face paying twice’I can’t believe this has happened to us, they have ruined everything’

Passengers stranded at airports by the collapse of XL, Britain’s third largest holiday firm, were today faced with having to fork out hundreds of pounds to go on holiday.

Melanie Beadle, 42, from Mitcham, south London, who was going to Florida for two weeks with family and friends, said: “We’ve now got to find somewhere that will give us a flight without costing us another mortgage. I feel devastated actually, really disappointed.”

She broke down in tears when told the company could not guarantee her accommodation. “I can’t believe this has happened to us, they have ruined everything.” Her partner Terry Baldwin, 42, said: “They’re saying they were in talks last night. Why didn’t they tell us before? They could have warned people. They still have the cheek to send us all the deal offers like car hire and passes to the theme park.”

Simon Ray, 62, from Ipswich, Suffolk, decided that paying twice for his Disneyworld Florida holiday for his wife and two children was too much. He said: “They [XL] don’t even know if the hotel has been paid for and I’m not paying for the hotel twice. They wanted us to pay £5,000 more for our holiday. They just pulled the plug and have gone, leaving us all here. No one is helping us and it’s not very professional.”

more here

Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide 2008 by Leonard Maltin

This book has been a staple in my family for as many years as I can remember. It is a must have Christmas present for my Father every year. It is very informative and comes in handy. If you are a movie buff or even if you are not you can’t go wrong with this in your library.

“… (2000-Norwegian-British) C- 106m. *** D: Hans Petter Moland. Steffan Skarsgilyd, Lena Headey, Ian Hart, Charlotte Rampling. …”

Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia (Third Edition) by Dave Smith

This is a must have for Disney fans. Everything from ABC’s LOST to the Alice Comedies and from Steamboat Willy to Meet the Robinsons is covered here. Some articles are more detailed than others but everything is covered. Makes an interesting read just on its own. Film historians and students will find a wealth of connective material here to jump start them on research and fill in the dots on hard to find questions. A beautiful display of pictures is included with this volume. If you can’t actually visit the archives (and I certainly would like to) then this is the next best thing.

“… 111 min. Stars Jason Scott Lee (Mowgli), Cary Elwes (Boone), Lena Headey (Kitty), Sam Neill (Col. Brydon), John Cleese (Dr. Plumford). The …”

read Tobias Wolff (author of Old School):

listen to the mp3 right here

Cal is a very young man, with a gentle soul and a fragile body who wants to discover who has brutally murdered his friend Daphne.

The prime suspects of the crime is a crew of rogue soldiers who has stolen a starship and now is wondering on the universe. Cal steals a little navette and succeeded on find the crew: but they are very big and very hungry men who think he is a spy. And decide to captive him.

Fortunately the man in command is Sarhaan, an afro-american hunk of man who happen to be very interested in Cal, and not because he could possibly be a spy: Sarhaan is very fascinating from this blond and innocent guy, who never has had sex cause sex between male is illegal on the earth. But now they are off world and Sarhaan, even if he thinks he is too unpolish and brutal for a guy like Cal, will not throw out the chance to have him.

In this novel the sci-fiction elements are not the principal aspect of the story. And also the crime is an element not so delved. It is more a story of self-discovery: for Cal, who learns that sex with a man is not a crime and that his feelings are not perverse, and for Sarhaan, who learns how to love someone. Even if you can think that Sarhaan, with his body and his role of power, is the strong element of the pair, it is not total true: I can read in him feelings inedequacy and fears to lose who he loves, that decipt him like a big man with a tender soul.

Dark Kensington had been dead for twenty-five years. It was a fact; everyone knew it. Then suddenly he reappeared, youthful, brilliant, ready to take over the Phoenix, the rebel group that worked to overthrow the tyranny that gripped the settlers on Mars.

The Phoenix had been destroyed not once, not twice, but three times! But this time the resurrected Dark had new plans, plans which involved dangerous experiments in mutation and psionics.

And now the rebels realized they were in double jeopardy. Not only from the government’s desperate hatred of their movement, but also from the growing possibility that the new breed of mutated monsters would get out of hand and bring terrors never before known to man.

My Review

What we have here is a classic style pulp sci fi story of the good rebels trying to throw off the shackles of the eveil overlords on earth. Not a bad trope and very well executed in this story.

So we have evil overlords, rebels, other worlds, aliens, psionics, genetic experiments and ray guns, so how could it fail? It didn’t, this is a good listen. No it’s not serious sci fi, with solid plot that could take a tank round without a wobble, but it is good light fun, perfect for listening while on the move.

So we have a good story, but we also have a voice to die for. The readers silky smooth Scottish accent is just a pleasure to listen to. If the story was dross that voice could make it endurable! I highly rec’ listing to this.

Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3

Total Score 7/9

Available from Podiobooks

Hugo Chavez: The Definitive Biography of Venezuela’s Controversial President by Cristina Marcano, Alberto Barrera Tyszka, Moises Naim, and Kristina Cordero

This book has been described as an unbiased look at Hugo Chavez but in my opinion it doesn’t quite live up to that description. The Authors’ Note touches upon the difficulty of such an endeavor, quoting Georg Lichtenberg from the 18th century: “Even impartiality is partial.” My impression is that the authors recognized a need for change in Venezuela in the 1990s — and may even have had sympathy for such change — but they don’t believe Hugo Chavez is the proper man to lead the nation forward.

The authors’ overriding point seems to be that Chavez is power mad, driven by an unquenchable desire for ever more power. An example: “He was the man of the hour and he enjoyed it, though he never lost sight of his real goal: power and everything that went with it.” But it would be the rare political leader for whom this claim could not be made, especially one seeking such a major shakeup as Chavez. And while there is little doubt that Chavez enjoys being in the spotlight, it’s also true that his antics bring worldwide attention to issues he feels need to be addressed. At another point in the book, the authors relate an unflattering personal incident then add, “All of this, however, remains in the murky terrain of speculation,” as if the incident was too juicy to leave out, even though it was perhaps unfounded.

Having said that, the bias I perceived did not much interfere with the book. For one thing, not all of Chavez’s life story is admirable, such as the years spent plotting the failed 1992 coup while serving in the the military. As you are perhaps aware, in an odd turn of fate, this failed coup — or more accurately, the televised “for now” speech given after his surrender — turned Chavez into a folk hero and served as the springboard to his future political success.

It is important to note that the book is much more a personal biography of Chavez than it is an analysis of his policy initiatives. Some of the most interesting information is from his childhood. One incident regarding his first day of school stands out: He and his grandmother were turned away from the schoolhouse because the boy’s shoes were too shabby. Such an event leaves a lasting impression and helps explain Chavez’s bonds to the nation’s poor. As he grew older, Chavez became a voracious reader and read many books from the political left, these books being readily available at the home of two of his friends.

While roughly the first half of the book is chronological, the chapters in the second half are topic oriented, such as the one devoted to Chavez’s relationships with women. The departure from chronology is not much of a problem, but it did distract me earlier in the book when his second wife, Marisabel, was mentioned in passing, then mentioned again as an ex-wife — all before she’d been introduced to the reader. I was suprised so little was written about the actual campaign leading up to the 1998 presidential election. We read that Chavez is polling at only 7% and then, before you know it, he is being sworn into office, his support having somehow risen to 56%. The 2002 coup attempt was of course covered, and here I felt the authors were quite successful in describing it with impartiality.

This book was originally written in Spanish by the two Venezuelan journalists in 2004, updated in December 2006, and translated into English in 2007. It is packed with interesting quotes about Chavez from friends, foes, and family, and the authors took great pains to point out the quotees’ biases toward Chavez, often using descriptive phrases such as “friend of Chavez” or “opponent of the Chavez government.” The authors also did a nice job selecting the 30+ photos included in the book.

All in all, the authors did a good job of covering Chavez, and I liked the fact that they were Venezuelan and lived through the times and events described in the book.

Hugo Chavez: Oil, Politics, and the Challenge to the U.S. by Nikolas Kozloff

With all the criticism of neoconservativism (which is appropriate), it’s good that Chavez and this book bring up the issue of neoliberalism. Chavez accomplished quite a bit to educate the world on the issue when he held up Chomsky’s book Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance (American Empire Project) during his famous “el diablo” speech at the United Nations.
Kozloff does a great job of laying out how the current regime in Washington tried to overthrow Chavez. There’s actually an incredible documentary about that event called “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” that can be found at a British Venezuelan Solidarity site.

There are several books that are sympathetic to what Chavez and his supporters are trying to achieve. Our corporate media tends to ignore their socialist movement, or to misrepresent it. If his proposals were honestly portrayed, like his recent move to shorten the workday from 8 to 6 hours, Chavez would be inspiring people here to change the system of wage slavery we’ve accepted. Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure

It’s interesting to read the one-star reviews pro-Chavez books get. While I appreciate their perspective, my guess is that many anti-chavistas come from the wealthier classes who may not have the same advantages with Bolivarian socialism. They may even own the food stores that Chavez is saying the poor should not be punished for stealing from. That’s a quandary, and maybe they could somehow be subsidized/insured for their losses. That would beat investing in a massive prison system as we have here in the United States. We have 2.3 million people behind bars, and the number of prisoners and the costs are rising. The Perpetual Prisoner Machine: How America Profits from Crime

As a little act of solidarity, I hope to spend some tourism dollars in Venezuela in the not-too-distant future Lonely Planet Venezuela ; and to share extra copies of subtitled progressive films with the people of South America. The Corporation
In an era of transnational corporate tyranny, we need transnational labor, environmental, peace and justice efforts.

“Full opportunity for full development is the unalienable right of all. He who denies it is a tyrant; he who does not demand it is a coward; he who is indifferent to it is a slave; he who does not desire it is dead.
The earth for all the people. That is the demand.”

Hugo!: The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution by Bart Jones

While opinions of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez vary tremendously on a global scale, there are few defenses of him available in the United States. This biography by Bart Jones, a former AP correspondent from Venezuela, attempts to level the ground. Without taking a political stance, Jones provides a nuanced account of the Venezuelan leader’s life, creating a portrait that is, if not sympathetic, certainly more balanced than previous ones. For example, when Chávez characterized President Bush as the devil at the U.N. in 2006, most American news sources presented it as a crude and clownlike gesture. According to Jones, Chávez is hardly just a jester, but uses vulgarity to remind his friends and his enemies of his humble beginnings, as well as to win a tremendous amount of publicity. Jones’s precise and entertaining account moves smoothly through Chávez’s beginnings up to his current position, making Venezuelan history accessible

Hugo Chavez: The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela by Richard Gott and Georges Bartoli

Forty years ago, many radicals happily jumped onto Fidel Castro’s bandwagon, captivated by the Cuban leader’s anti-imperialist rhetoric and specter of a new kind of world socialism. Today, Hugo Chavez has taken over this role, with his speeches (rightly) comparing George W. Bush to the devil at a time when no one else will speak truth to power. It is this phenomenon which makes Richard Gott’s biography so crucial.

Most newspaper accounts of Chavez obscure who he really is by painting him in such broad strokes that we are forced to take sides less on what we know about Chavez then what we know about his critics (such as the United States). This book clarifies much about Venezuelan history and the present situation.

Gott defends Chavez from his right-wing detractors by pointing out that since 1998 Chavez has been supported repeatedly by voters in Venezuela. And yet the author is not hopelessly mesmerized by Chavez. His sympathetic narrative mixes historical perspective, analysis and personal experience across three decades…but mostly goes without the uncritical eye lent Chavez by so many English-speaking radicals.

The history of the Venezuela left–both military and civilian–is extraordinarily important to understanding how Hugo Chavez launched the Bolivarian revolution over the heads of the established parties, supported by the enthusiasm of the masses. It also begs the question of the future of socialism in Latin America.

The narrative ends in early 2005, in the midst of the Bolivarian revolution, which has since tacked even further left. In 1998, Chavez advocated for a social-democratic “third way” between capitalism and communism. Today, he champions “Venezuelan socialism”, going as far as declaring “I am a Trotskyist” in reference to the anti-Stalinist Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.

Understanding the Venezuelan Revolution: Hugo Chavez Talks to Marta Harnecker by Hugo Chavez, Marta Harnecker, and Chesa Boudin

This is a great book to find the real truth behind the Venezuelan Revolution, unlike the rich media in the US that constantly bombards the American public with imperialistic views.

While the Bush administration, a plutocracy, is willing to do just about anything in order to avoid a new electoral victory by Hugo Chávez on December 3, 2006, Venezuela continues to implement reforms aimed at further improving the standard of living of the population. Its prestige in the continent is proportionally direct to the twilight of US influence in the region. The reason for that is quite simple: while Venezuela has destined 28 billion dollars in terms of external assistance for its neighbors for a seven-year term-an annual average of 3,6 billion dollars-, the United States has announced a massive decrease of its contribution for the year 2007, with a 28,5-percent fall in the assistance for the development of Latin America and the Caribbean, a 10-percent fall in medical assistance and an 11-pecent decrease of its financial contribution to the Organization of American States (OAS). Messages also opposed each other in this area: Caracas contributes 3,6 billion dollars annually as part of its assistance for Latin America, while Washington expects to decrease its 1,2 billion-dollar economic support.

The Bolivarian government successfully challenges the neo-liberal doctrine, which is unsustainable in social, economic and political terms and that explains the anger of the White House. Despite several aggressions and threats coming from the U.S., President Chávez launched signs of opening to Washington by saying: “If they change that attitude, we will respond in the same way. Everything can be improved, if they show respect for our sovereignty, respect for our decisions”. However, is not very probable that reason and dialog lie in the incompetent and belligerent President Bush.

Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack-The Russian Answer to the B-1 -Red Star Volume 9 by Yefun Gordon

This book gives the full story of how the Soviet Union’s most potent strategic bomber, the Tupolev Tu-160 (know to the Western world as the Blackjack) was designed, built and put into operational service. The author reveals many unknown aspects of the Tu-160 story, including the development tender in which many of the Soviet Union’s top-class aircraft design companies participated. Bolstering its strategic potential in order to offset the reduction in ballistic missiles, Russia is now resuming production of the Tu-160.

Tupolev Tu-95 Bear - WarbirdTech Volume 43 by Yefim Gordon

If you’ve wondered what it was like during the Cold War when the “Old Soviet Union” flew up and the around the USA and our carrier fleet, you’ve got the check out this book! It presents everything you wanted to know about the Tu-95 & Tu-142 Bear Bomber! What the B-52 Buff is to the USAF, the Bear is to Russia, with every make & model that was produced.
USAF & USN fighter pilots will enjoy reading about this beast of a aircraft from there days of intercepting this leviathan,and still do to this day. I highly recommend this book to the model builder to make sure they get there model looking good.

Tupolev Tu-22M by Yefim Gordon

Yefim Gordon is the foremost author on Soviet/Russian aviation today. He writes about airplane projects that were almost completely unknown in the West as late as the 1980s, and his books are filled with amazing detail.

During the latter 1970s the Tu-22M “Backfire” bomber was a major source of controversy within the arms control community. The Soviets designed it as a medium-range bomber. But the fact that some versions were equipped for in-flight refueling meant that it could theoretically reach the United States and it was therefore possibly a strategic bomber. The United States insisted that the Backfire be counted as a strategic bomber in arms control treaties. Meanwhile, the naval version of this aircraft was a major threat to U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.

This book is primarily a picture book. It only has four pages of text providing an overview of the program. The rest are photographs, primarily in black and white with some in color. These are interesting photos showing the exteriors of many aircraft. This should be useful for model-builders.

But there are several problems with the book. First, the photo reproduction is not great. It is not bad or awful, but occasionally the contrast is not as good as it should be. For instance, the early models of the bomber had an unusual landing gear configuration with a forward “toe” on each main gear. But this is not really visible in the photographs and is usually lost in shadow. In addition, the paper is thin and some of the photos bleed through to the other side of the page. Second, many of the photos are not really distinguishable from each other. We don’t get to see these planes in many action shots or with people fueling or servicing them. We primarily see the planes parked or occasionally in flight and this gets rather boring. Although we no longer have to face outright censorship, what we get to see of these planes is not very revealing. There are no shots of pilots in the cockpit or good shots of the planes in maintenance or operations. Finally, there are a lot of typos in the photo captions and these are very annoying. A simple copy editing would have caught these.

If you are interested in the Backfire and its history, this book provides a minimum of detail and leaves a lot of things out. For instance, nowhere does the text mention how many aircraft were actually built. But it has a lot of pictures.

I suggest getting Gordon’s other Tu-22M Backfire book: “Tupelov Tu-22 `Blinder’ Tu-22m `Backfire’: Russia’s Long Range Supersonic Bombers.” It is available from Aerofax.