Black Sheep

Average customer rating:

One of Heyer's most romantic

One of my favorites...

No one does it better

Lively, witty Regency at its best

Bath society versus former bad boy

Black Sheep
Georgette Heyer
Manufacturer: ARROW (RAND)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0099468034

Book Description

Abigail Wendover is adept at managing her silly sister, her lively niece, and a host of admirers, but with the arrival at Bath of Miles Caverleigh, an outrageous cynic with a scandalous past, she has less success at managing her own unruly heart.

Customer Reviews:

One of Heyer's most romantic.......2005-05-27

The first time I read this novel, I wasn't too impressed. It's true that Heyer does use Black Sheep's plot (or one VERY similar to it) in another book, Lady of Quality. However, I think Black Sheep accomplishes much more than Lady of Quality and is one of Heyer's best works, both in terms of romance and in terms of memorable characters. My second reading of the book caused me to fall in love with it. In my opinion, Black Sheep is probably the most romantic of Heyer's novels because the couple falls in love early on in the novel, and you can then see how they progress. Miles Calverleigh is wonderful, and his humor, together with Abigail's, is spot on. If you are a Heyer fan, this is certainly on a Must Read book list, and if you are Regency England fan, then Heyer is a Must Read author list.

One of my favorites..........2005-02-15

"Black Sheep" is not one of Heyer's most well-known novels, but in my opinion, it is one of her best. The dialogue is sharp and snappy, the characters engaging, and the setting of Bath offers a nice change of pace from the customary London. And then there is Miles Calverleigh -- not your typical "rake", but still wonderfully irreverant and in possession of more than his fair share of charm.

Particularly appealing to me is the fact that this novel doesn't end in a conventionally neat and tidy way (even though the ending will have you gasping in surprise and delight!). We're left with the sense that the couple will still have a few hurdles to cross, but cross them they will. :)

No one does it better.......2003-11-29

Black Sheep was the book I read on a long haul return flight recently. Exactly what was needed to keep me interested and amused whilst enduring the flight.

I have always had a soft spot for this novel because Miles Calverleigh is someone, when I was 16, I was desparate to find. Yes, and then keep him all to myself. Georgette Heyer does the Rake better than anyone who has ever tried to do it. Although Damerel in Venetia is my all time favourite Rake, Miles Calverleigh, with his sense of humour, his relaxed attitude towards life and his acute insight into human foibles is amusing, admirable and fanciable. The ruthless way he sets up his despicable nephew, Stacy, is hilarious.

Black Sheep is written with Heyer's usual flair and insight, the dialogue is first class and the heroine, Abigail Wendover, is the sort you'd like as a friend.

Read it - read it and see how the regency genre ought to be and realise how few writers since Heyer have managed to achieve it!

Lively, witty Regency at its best.......2001-06-20

It's always good to return to Georgette Heyer once in a while. I hadn't read Black Sheep for several years, and it made a delightful read. As I'm getting a little older myself, I'm coming to appreciate, and much prefer, Heyer's older heroines, such as Abby here and Serena in Bath Tangle.

Abby, supposedly on the shelf at 28, is certainly no stereotypical maiden aunt, despite the fact that she has a niece and is unmarried. Having been brought up in a strict family, she finds that propriety irks her; and yet, ironically, she is faced with having to instil a sense of propriety in her impulsive 17-year-old niece.

For Fanny, the niece, has fallen in love with a man everyone - except Fanny and Abby's older sister Selina - can see is no more than a fortune-hunter. But Fanny simply won't listen to reason, and Abby begins to fear that she'll elope with Mr Stacey Calverleigh. But then, a stranger appears on the scene: Mr *Miles* Calverleigh, Stacey's uncle.

Miles Calverleigh is, apparently, the black sheep of the title; having been guilty of too many indiscretions when young - including that of an abortive elopement with the woman who became Fanny's mother! - was sent to the Indies. There, he worked hard and made his fortune, but on his arrival in Bath he does not appear to have lost any of his disregard for convention. He is utterly careless of propriety, and insists that he feels no sense of obligation to family - therefore he refuses to help Abby in any way by warning off his nephew.

Despite his unhelpfulness, and his habit of teasing her outrageously, Abby finds herself drawn to Miles...

Heyer's inimitable witty style is in evidence, as ever, in this book. There is some hilarious dialogue, as well as very acute observations on human nature. Her secondary characters are, as always, very well drawn, and her cameo characters wonderful caricatures of the type of people we all meet: gossips, pinch-purses, the upright type who disapprove of anything and everything. And who could avoid falling in love with Miles?

A side note - I am appalled that the editorial review above managed to spell the main characters' names incorrectly.

Bath society versus former bad boy.......2000-07-07

Miles Calverleigh vies with Hugo Darracott (of The Unknown Ajax) for the title of my favorite Heyer hero. The novel takes place in Bath, a spa town. If Regency London is like New York, Bath is like Palm Springs -- lots of retirees of good social standing. The pace is quieter, but hardly rural. So this is hardly the place for a man who snaps his fingers at society's opinions, but that's where Miles winds up. Miss Abigail Wendover is one of the lights of Bath society -- beautiful, well-off and well-bred; her family is very distinguished. She lives with her silly and clinging elder sister and her affectionate niece Fanny. Alas, Fanny has fallen under the spell of a fortune hunter, and Abigail hunts for a way to wean Fanny of the attachment without ruining their good relationship. Meanwhile, Abigail herself is falling under the spell of the fortune hunter's uncle Miles, who appreciates (nay, encourages!) her deplorable tendency to levity. He has no patience with the social restraints that Abigail has accepted, but how can she throw over society's approval without condoning Fanny's determination to do the same?

Average customer rating:

Baa Baa Black Sheep
OL PPAPPY PULLS THREW
"Pappy" Boyington from the inside looking out
Pappy spins a great yarn
just buy the book already!

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Gregory Pappy Boyington
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553263501
Release Date: 1977-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Baa Baa Black Sheep.......2007-09-09

The autobiography of one of America's top five aerial combat aces of World War II, Greg Boyington, is not only a great read about a very gifted and very human pilot, but also provides some enlightening historical insight that applies even today.

OL PPAPPY PULLS THREW.......2007-03-21

PIPPY PAPPY SLIPPY SLAPPY DIS WAS A GOODY WOODY BOOKY WOOKY. PAPPY WAPYPY SLIPPY SLAPPY
SQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH SQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHIM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHSQUISH SQUASH SQUISH SQUASH IM TAKEN A WASHIM TAKEN A WASH

"Pappy" Boyington from the inside looking out.......2007-03-12

I came to this book believing that "Pappy" Boyington was a pugnacious drunken spendthrift that the Marine Corps was anxious to be rid of, and that he may not have been the leading Marine Corps ace of World War II as he was thought to be. From what I had read, Boyington spent most of his time on the ground as a member of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), better known as "The Flying Tigers," and was only credited with shooting down 3 ½ Japanese planes (although he claimed six). I also understood that Boyington left the AVG early and was the only man ever dishonorably discharged from that organization. In addition, I questioned his account of the final action in which he was shot down, another unseen action in which he claimed two more enemy planes.

After reading this book, however, I'm not quite so sure. In it, Boyington readily admits that he was a "drunk" and a "bum," and he allows as how he liked to wrestle a bit. As to his claim of six enemy planes while with the AVG, his explanation is easily believable. As he explains it: In order to get credit for a kill with the AVG you almost had to bring your victim back to the landing field in your teeth and drop it where everyone could see it, whereas the majority of his kills had been 75 to 100 miles away, most times behind enemy lines. In addition, and most likely with some merit, he states that the records of his actions at Rangoon were lost when that city fell to the Japanese. With regard to his being "dishonorably discharged" from the AVG, Boyington acknowledges that he left shortly before the remaining volunteers were forced/coerced into the Army Air Corps as 2nd lieutenants. But once again his explanation rings true. Boyington correctly states that he wasn't the only member of the AVG to leave the group, that the reason he left was because he wanted to return to the Marine Corps rather than be conscripted into the Army, and that it was ridiculous to claim that you could "dishonorably discharge" someone from a civilian volunteer organization. As to his account of his final, once again unseen action, Boyington's account is so vivid as to be easily believable.

Having read a number of books which touched upon the life and times of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington before reading this one, I had already formed a somewhat negative impression of the man. After reading this book, however, I have concluded that it is one thing to view a man from the outside, especially from a distance in time, recounting his every fault and failure, but it is quite another thing to view that same man from the inside looking out.

So, although much about Boyington is and will always remain a mystery, he certainly was an American hero and he certainly could tell an interesting, believable, and highly entertaining tale. And this is one of them. But don't stop reading too early. You certainly won't want to miss the chapters in which he recounts his nineteen months as a "captive" of the Japanese. To me, that's the best part of the book. Six stars anyone?

Pappy spins a great yarn.......2007-01-09

The man lived one hell of a life. I recommend after reading this, you read a biography such as "Black Sheep One", by Bruce Gamble. It will shed more light on Pappy's youth and how amazing it is he accomplished all he did. It will also shed some light on some of the creative liberties Pappy took, and on the outright exagerations Pappy made. But rest assured guys like Bruce Gamble are not what it took to win the War in the Pacific, it was guys like Pappy. Pappy was a real fighter pilot, not some academic in a flying computer.

just buy the book already!.......2006-01-19

This book is a great read for anyone who likes war novels. The book is about Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and his exploits during WW2. In the begining he has a drinking problem and becomes a mercenary shooting down Japanese planes. Later on he becomes in charge of his own flying squadron and shoots down a bunch of Jap planes. He is then shot down and gets captured by the Japanese who put him into a prison camp. Some of the Japs were good to him and others were bad to him. After the war he goes home and receives the medal of honor. Sadly his life then takes a turn for the worse and he starts to drink again. One thing that I liked about the book is that the author doesn't glorify himself, at least not that much.

Average customer rating:

BRING ON THE IRONY
Another superb Balzac's novel
A wonderful novel with emotional highs and lows.

The Black Sheep (Penguin Classics)
Honoré de Balzac
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140442375

Customer Reviews:

BRING ON THE IRONY.......2003-08-24

In his preface to this book, Balzac makes an interesting observation about 19th century France that seems to be a preoccupation of our century as well. Balzac states that young men who grow up without a significant male role model are destined to have a rough go in life. According to him, most of the tribulations that occur in The Black Sheep stem from the very fact that there was no father to steer the Bridau family.

The main focus of the book is upon two brothers, Philippe and Joseph Bridau, whose father has died, leaving their close to destitute mother to raise them. Phillipe ends up becoming an artist with a pretty dependable income. Joseph serves in Napoleon's army for a while until his final defeat and then, too proud to serve under the new government, becomes an unemployed gambler who steals money from his family only to throw it away at the tables.

You would think that their mother would favor Joseph with more love because he looks out for their family and provides a steady income and is completely devoted to her. She puts all of her love upon Phillipe, the ne'er do well who only sees humanity as a tool to further his own ends. She does this because she sees Joseph's profession as a painter as a waste of time in her practical mind. Real men become soldiers like Phillipe. So what if he's a vice filled man? She idealizes him so much that she can't see his faults.

Balzac is a genius. There really isn't a central character is this work. Everytime you think Balzac has settled upon a particular cast of characters, he exits them and enters a new set to interact with the plot. Constant reinvention. While Joseph is in jail for plotting against the government, Phillipe and his mother have to go rescue his rich uncle, who is being hoodwinked out of his fortune (a fortune, by the way, that the Bridau family is due to inherit) by a manipulating mistress and her lover.

This was a great novel. Not perfect, but great. Balzac is to me the most modern of the 19th century novelists writing in the Victorian age. He is not sentimental like Dickens. He was great at watching families squirming to get at money. Squirming to get money not for survival in most cases, but to attain status. All of the characters in this novel were drawn really well. Very strong. I would recommend any of the Penguin Editions of Balzac if you like this book.

Another superb Balzac's novel.......2002-10-03

Another occasion to live again an exceptionnal human adventure with Balzac.
A lot of emotion and intelligence ...

A wonderful novel with emotional highs and lows........1999-04-16

As historian and novelist Balzac paints a picture of post Napoleonic France through the eyes of an impoverished family, and the trials of their lives. After a series of emotional hits, Balzac takes the reader through a contest of wits, set amidst a web of intrigue, and a very contorted family tree. The end result is an excellent story with a sophisticated plot which at times gives too accurate a portrait of the detachment of man. The Black Sheep also contains a short social commentary on New York, which though written 150 years ago, is still exceptionaly accurate.

Average customer rating:

Baby loves it
Beautifully Illustrated and Fun to Read (or Sing!)
Great read for all ages!
As charming as they come!

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Iza Trapani
Manufacturer: Charlesbridge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580890717

Book Description

"Baa, Baa, black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full."

This charming story told in lyrical verse will inspire young readers to share the best of themselves. An industrious black sheep has wool aplenty, but little else for her friends. Horse needs hay, Mouse needs cheese, and Pig needs slop, but the poor black sheep has none of these. When her dissatisfied friends confront Sheep about her inability to share, they find that their lovely friend has knitted a special gift for each of them with her very own wool.

Clever illustrations reveal delightful surprises as endearing new characters frolic from page to page in bold, generous color.

Customer Reviews:

Baby loves it.......2007-06-09

My 15 month old loves books and loves music and loves animal sounds. He brings this to me over and over to "read" it to him. Older sister likes to sing it to him too. I love the pictures and the theme of giving to others.

Beautifully Illustrated and Fun to Read (or Sing!).......2006-01-23

I was fortunate to buy 4 hardback Iza Trapani books through a special offer at my child's school. This is my favorite of the set (the others books are The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and I'm a Little Teapot, my other favorite). All of these books are just beautifully done. Ms. Trapani takes favorite nursery rhymes and turns them into entertaining stories that just beg to be sung (she even puts the music on the last page in case you don't know the tune). Her exceptional drawings really add to the fun. My 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter absolutely adore these books and they are short enough that I don't mind reading them every night (only Twinkle Twinkle sort of wears me out singing it). Baa Baa also provides a morale to the story centered around not assuming and giving from the heart.

Great read for all ages!.......2004-06-18

This is a very entertaining version of the old nursery rhyme. My daughter loves this book, and so do we. Its great for traveling, not too heavy like the board books. And its just long enough to keep her attention throughout the book!

As charming as they come!.......2002-01-14

Baa, Baa Black sheep have you any wool? So goes the age old rhymn.But did you know it had verses about dogs, pigs cats and even a horse. Everyone is knocking on black sheeps door but all sheep wants to do is knit, knit, knit. The other animals feel black sheep is not being a good friend and neighbor but are they all too quick to judge their woolly pal? Children and adults alike will smile when they see what black sheep has been up to.THIS is my favorite of Iza Trapani's books. A must have!

Lost Black Sheep: The Search for WWII Ace Chris Magee

Average customer rating:

The Wildman Found
Excellent
Excellent Biography with an interesting twist
A fascinating, superbly written biography
Hits home

Lost Black Sheep: The Search for WWII Ace Chris Magee
Robert T. Reed
Manufacturer: Hellgate Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1555715494

Book Description

Lost Black Sheep chronicles the wartime exploits of Marine Corps ace Chris Magee, former member of the famous Black Sheep Squadron, his improbable postwar odyssey, and the surprising developments of his later years.

Magee was the leading ace under the Black Sheep's flamboyant leader, Major Greg “Pappy” Boyington. A free-spirited intellectual with the heart of a warrior and the soul of a poet, Magee grew up on Chicago's rambunctious South Side dreaming of the day when he could fly fighter planes into combat. His dream came true when, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he transferred from the Royal Canadian Air Force to the U.S. Marine Corps and received training as a fighter pilot. He was sent to the South Pacific where his bravery and piloting skills earned him the Navy Cross and the title of “Ace.”

When the war ended, Magee refused to pursue a conventional lifestyle or take advantage of the fame that awaited him back home, choosing instead to seek new adventures. During the next twelve years he walked the razor's edge: black marketeer, bootlegger, volunteer fighter pilot for the fledgling nation of Israel, courier for a covert group of U.S. “businessmen” involved in Latin American politics, and, eventually, bank robber.

Then, one day, Magee found an envelope slipped under his front door with a note inside that ultimately changed his life, causing him to revisit parts of his past he thought were forever forgotten.

Customer Reviews:

The Wildman Found.......2005-08-27

Chris Magee, the enigmatic "Wildman" of Pappy Boyington's Marine "Blacksheep" fighter squadron of World War II, disappeared in the late 1950's after serving as a fighter pilot in Israel's fledgling Air Force and also after serving several years in an American penitentiary for robbing two banks in one day. Then journalist Robert T. Reed discovered that the "Wildman" was his biological father. And through an astute process of "investigative reporting," Mr. Reed has pieced together a thoroughly fascinating portrait of a gifted pilot, talented and sensitive human being and quintessential "free spirit." Mr. Reed's book constitutes a fine addition to the annals of those whom Tom Brokaw has designated America's "Greatest Generation." It's indisputable that the efforts of extraordinary men like Chris Magee were crucial in bringing victory to the Allied Powers in history's greatest conflict.

Excellent.......2002-08-14

If you are a fan of WW II VMF-214, "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and "Once They Were Eagles", this is a must read. Two stories in one. That of "Bandanna Maggie" before, during and after WW II. Also, a determined author's quest about a Marine hero he did not know until too long. Follow the trail of a Marine I'm sure Gregory Boyington admired as a great fellow warrior after the "big one" and his attepts to find himself in war and peace. (Success, or failure? Yes? No? You decide.) A remarkable book for those who are interested in the men of 214. As I said, if you liked the two first books mentioned, you will love this one written by the one man who would have done it.

Excellent Biography with an interesting twist.......2002-06-15

If, like me, you read Baa Baa Blacksheep and Once They Were Eagles, this is for you. The mysterious life and whereabouts of Chris Magee almost haunted me after reading Frank Walton's Once They Were Eagles. The information about Chris Magee in Walton's book and the fascinating letter it contains left many questions about Magee that begged for answers. I knew this would be an interesting book before I read it and I was not let down. I did not know it would be emotionally provocative. I won't spoil the surprises. Don't read too many reviews lest you not get the full effect. Pick it up soon.

A fascinating, superbly written biography.......2001-09-12

In Lost Black Sheep: The Search For WWII Ace Chris Magee, Robert Reed reveals saga of an extraordinary man in a real-life story of war and peace, crime and punishment. Chris Magee was one of the legendary Black Sheep Squadron under "Pappy" Boyington's command. He grew up with stories of World War I aviation heroes and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Chris transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps and went to the South Pacific where his personal bravery and skills as a combat flier earned him the Navy Cross and the respect of his peers. After the war ended Chris spent the next twelve years as a black marketeer, bootlegger, volunteer fighter pilot for Israel, courier for a covert American group involved in Latin American politics, and finally a bank robber. In his middle years he turned his life around and became a respected journalist. By age 70 he was living in retirement in a rustic apartment on Chicago's North Side. Then Chris found an envelope slipped under his front door with a note that compelled him to revisit parts of his past he thought long buried. Several of Magee's letters, poetry, and other writings are woven into the text (including a short story titled "Keep Moving". Lost Black Sheep is a fascinating, superbly written biography of a very unusual American unusal life.

Hits home.......2001-08-30

I received my copy of Bob's book two weeks after I had scheduled a trip to Waterbury Connecticut to the 56th reunion of my own father's WWII military group. My father passed away last year after a long battle with alzheimers, and I too was on a quest of sorts. I was never able to get my father to open up about his war experiences on the beaches of Normandy and beyond, and know now that their generation was truly the "great generation" of our time. This book really hit home. The content was interesting enough that I read the book at one sitting, and it provoked questions of a very personal nature to me. For those of us who are members of the "baby boom" generation I hope we all start asking our Fathers, Mothers, Uncles, Aunts - anyone with personal experiences about this remarkable time in our history to share their stories with us while they are able. We should also give them a sincere Thank You for their sacrifices.

Bye-Bye, Black Sheep: A Mommy-track Mystery (Mommy-Track Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Preach, Preach Author
compatriot Juliette
Time to retire Juliet ?
Excellent characterization and swift action make for an involving leisure choice.
Overall, A Good Read

Bye-Bye, Black Sheep: A Mommy-track Mystery (Mommy-Track Mysteries)
Ayelet Waldman
Manufacturer: Berkley Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0425210189

Book Description

The newest arrival in the bestselling and wildly funny Mommy- Track mysteries.

Their fledgling detective agency has spread its wings-and now Juliet and Al are finally flying high. They're used to seeing many people come through the doors of their garage-turned-office, seeking their help. But they're about to realize that they ain't seen nothin' yet.

Heavenly has come to Juliet with a story too sad for any detective with a conscience to turn down. Her sister, an addict and streetwalker, has turned up dead-and the police couldn't care less. With any luck-and with plucky Juliet doing all she can-Heavenly will bring the killer to justice. But it's hard going undercover when you're a tall, gorgeous transsexual.

Customer Reviews:

Preach, Preach Author.......2007-03-26

I liked the story but the rants against society are what made this my last Ayelet Waldman book. I read one other and noticed ranting there but liked the storyline I decided to give her another try. I won't do that again.

The story with Heavenly was interesting and I don't mind the ambiguous ending. However when it gets to the point that I can skip an entire page of the author's opinions and not miss any story it's a bit much.

It's a shame, the author is a good writer, knows how to pace a story and can create interesting characters. I wanted to like this series. Unfortunately she takes away from all that she has going for her with the character rants.

compatriot Juliette.......2007-02-21

I eagerly await the release of each new Mommy Track book like I do Harry Potter! What I enjoy so much about Ayelet Waldman's heroine character, Juliet, is that I see myself in her. I, too, am a stay-at-home mom and life is anything but boring. Granted, she is much more of a sophisticated sleuth than I am, her character is one with whom moms can relate. Heck, even my 60-year old father loves her books! Her books are fun, quick reads that are hard to put down and will make you laugh out loud. And, that's a good thing in between reading my children their books, locating missing socks (my claim to sleuthing), and chasing after my busy brood.

Time to retire Juliet ?.......2006-12-14

I did not enjoy the last (before this one) book from Ms Waldman as much as I had enjoyed the first couple ones. She used to write funny and engaging stories. Her Juliet Applebaum character was a lot of fun and the writing fluid and refreshing. This most recent one seems to confirm that Juliet needs to retire. The story is long and boring and the author uses the book as a platform for her lamentation against about too many things. Ms Waldman did not even come with a very clever end. It makes us feel that she did not write for our enjoyment but to air her grievances. I would say "one thumb down" !

Excellent characterization and swift action make for an involving leisure choice........2006-10-16

Ayelet Waldman's latest addition to her 'Mommy-Track Mysteries' requires no prior familiarity to prove satisfyingly vivid. Partners Juliet and Al are finally seeing their fledgling detective agency soaring with business; but even though they're seeing many types of cases, Heavenly has come to Juliet with something new: a dead sister and uncaring police - something far different from the usual insurance sleuth work. Heavenly is determined to solve the mystery, and brings Juliet and Al into danger in this exploration of a California sexual underground. Excellent characterization and swift action make for an involving leisure choice.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Overall, A Good Read .......2006-10-11

I'm a long-time Ayelet Waldman fan so I enjoyed "Bye-Bye, Black Sheep" even though the ending is not clear cut. I didn't mind that, though, nor did I feel let down because that really is how life is. It kept the book from being formulaic. I liked that she didn't stereotype the "street girls", just wrote them so that they're believable and real. And, yes, she was on her soapbox but I think she showed an insider's understanding of the true difficulties that some people experience. I also liked the plot twists because I truly had no clue who the killer was until the end. I DON'T think the book had as many funny parts as Waldman's books normally do, however, to me, it was still a good read.

Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington

Average customer rating:

A true look at a childhood hero
A truly epic study of a tragic hero
Boyington...a tactician way ahead of his time..
This may be the only biography I have ever finished.
Before, during and after the fall.

Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
Bruce Gamble
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0891418016
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Book Description

Black Sheep One is the first biography of legendary warrior and World War II hero Gregory Boyington. In 1936, Boyington became an aviation cadet and earned the “wings of gold” of a naval aviator. After only a short period on active duty, however, he was “encouraged” to resign from the Marine Corps due to his unconventional behavior. Remarkably, this inauspicious beginning was just the prologue to a heroic career as an American fighter pilot and innovative combat leader. With the onset of World War II, when skilled pilots were in demand, he became the commander of an ad hoc squadron of flying leathernecks. Led by Medal of Honor winner Boyington, the legendary Black Sheep set a blistering pace of aerial victories against the enemy.

Though many have observed that when the shooting stops, combat heroes typically just fade away, nothing could be further from the truth for Boyington. Blessed with inveterate luck, the stubbornly independent Boyington lived a life that went beyond what even the most imaginative might expect. Exhaustively researched and richly detailed, here is the complete story of this American original.

Customer Reviews:

A true look at a childhood hero.......2005-08-16

First off let me say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Pappy has always been a child hood hero of mine. Having grown up watching "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and reading the autobiography of the same title. It was a very well researched and well-written biography. That opened this reader's eyes to the real story behind LtCol Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A truly epic study of a tragic hero.......2003-01-06

Bruce Gamble deserves great credit for dealing with a mythic and controversial hero who laid claim to be the leading USMC ace in World War II and won the highest award in the country. His introduction to combat and first claims came from his stint as a member of the famed American Volunteer Group (AVG) known to most as the "Flying Tigers". He was summarily dismissed from the AVG for his abuse of alcohol and disrepect for authority (both of had which led him to abandon his USMC flying career to join the AVG along with chronic financial woes). World War II offered him an opportunity for another chance to fly and serve his country that he might not have gotten in peacetime. Arriving in the Solomon Islands, he continued to abuse alcohol and raise a ruckus, but he eventually got his own squadron, the "Black Sheep" which he led to great success against the Japanese. There is no doubt that he was a gifted aviator despite flying under the influence or at least hung over. Some of the aerial victory claims may be disputed (certainly his AVG claims are), but these type claims have been controversial by antagonists in all conflicts since aerial combat began. Gamble deals with all of this in great detail particularly the virtual clinical examination of Boyington's alcoholism so many years after the event. Gamble's research could have yielded a good book, among the best written, on the Black Sheep and Boyington, but he superbly wrote the Black Sheep story as its own subject and then dealt with Boyington as a biography andproduced a truly unique study of a tragic hero, flawed on several levels, but just as laudable on others. The author deserves great credit for deep research, sensitive and accurate writing and weaving a very readable treatment of Boyington, truly the best on any shelf.

Boyington...a tactician way ahead of his time.........2002-05-16

Being a military history buff and a Boyington fan, this book was a "must read" for me. This book shows the human side of Boyington. While Boyington may have seemed a larger-than-life war hero (which in many ways he was) he was an ordinary man with his own demons. His worst enemy was himself.. and his addiction to alcohol...an addiction he never totally defeated. One wonders what Boyington may have accomplished had he not have been an alcoholic. His alcohalism cost him a lot.. several divorces, alienation from his family, and quite possibly a polital career.

Boyington was way ahead of his time in the area of air combat tactics. Sometimes his propensity to deviate from regulation got him into trouble with superiors, but no one can deny the combat victories the Blacksheep attained under his leadership. No Marine Squadron has ever attained the success VMF 214 had in those two combat tours then or since. His military combat record speaks for itself. Boyington's tactics were unconventional, in the sense he never employed the same tactics for long. He was constantly evolving, a theory that never allowed the Japanese to catch on to his tactics.

This is an excellent book to learn about Boyington the man, how he thought, and what made him tick. In spite of his faults, he will forever be remembered as the greatest Marine Ace of all time. This book does him justice. I highly recommend it.

This may be the only biography I have ever finished........2002-04-20

I hate biographies with their authoritarian tones, time lines, dates and obscure facts, and get bored before finishing them. I do, however, prefer to be historically accurate rather than politically correct, so when my children started watching Black Sheep Squadron on the History Channel, I figured I had better learn more about Greg Boyington.

Having seen Mr. Gamble's commentaries during breaks from the show, I expected the typical pompous biography with a military cadence to match the author and subject. When I began to read it, I was floored: I couldn't put it down and I finished it. Mr. Gamble's prose was lyrical, and his treatment of Boyington was fair and meticulously researched.

Heroes aren't necessarily bums, and biographies aren't necessarily dull, boring and omnipresent.

Before, during and after the fall........2001-09-11

Gamble's biography of Boyington begins with his dysfunctional upbringing in the Pacific Northwest. Raised by a troubled mother and a ...stepfather, the deck was stacked early against this man of great potential. This good time Charlie, devil-may-care college boy became one of the leading Aces of WWII, with twenty-nine kills, if he is to be believed. And Gamble apparently does not believe all that Boyington has to say on this subject. Never drinking until his twenties, Boyington became the cliched drunk. Often he flew loaded or badly hung over.

In this frank look at the life of the Black Sheep Squadronýs leader, Gamble strips away much of the lies, myths and Hollywood trappings to present the man as he was; the tragic hero.

From his brief time spent with Claire Chennaultýs Flying Tigers to his rejoining the Maine Aviators to his being awarded the Medal of Honor, the bottle was never far from armýs reach. After spending almost two years as a POW and upon his triumphant return to the states at warýs end, he is told by his intelligence officer, Frank Walton, he could be anything he chose but he had to leave booze alone or it would kill him. Needless to say, his life spiraled out of control until it was much too late. From a series of failed relationships and marriages, to repeated job changes and financial ruin he became a mere curiosity hustling his former valor for a few dollars. In Waltonýs own book, "Once They Were Eagles", he compares him unkindly to a dancing circus bear pushing his autographs at air shows and conventions.

Product Description

A favorite nursery rhyme and song with simple and clear signing instructions. Even proficient speakers will long enjoy signing to a favorite song or rhyme. By Annie Kubler. Ages: 8 - 36 mos Manufacturer: Marlon Creations

Customer Reviews:

Clear, easy signs demonstrated by cute illustrated babies!.......2006-05-15

"Get your fingers ready to shear a sheep...!" (snip, snip)

That's how storytime begins with this book, which will encourage active participation even in babies who aren't signing.
Very cute pictures of babies and helpful captions for parents on the pictures of signs make this a series of books you will enjoy together again and again.

The series is slightly inconsistent in that only one book - Itsy Bitsy Spider - features a helpful REVIEW of signs on the back page (maybe they had an extra page because that song is short?). I found the review very helpful, and wished the other books in the series had one, too...it gives the baby yet another signing sing-along opportunity!

Baa Baa Black Sheep includes many very useful basic signs, but I discovered (I guess it's a longer song?) that the full song doesn't fit, so unlike with Twinkle Twinkle, the first big ("Baa Baa black sheep...) isn't repeated in the book.

Not a big deal, but slightly off-putting to reach the end of the book in the middle of the song. :-)))
This definitely hasn't interfered with dd's enjoyment, however!

Recommended for ages 1-2 only, as it's a very basic song that older toddlers will probably not sit still for for long.

Once They Were Eagles: The Men of the Black Sheep Squadron

Average customer rating:

The Black Sheep Squadron
GREAT history of the Men of the Black Sheep Squadron
A more honest look than TV, but then, what isn't?
Very good book
Different Point Of View

Once They Were Eagles: The Men of the Black Sheep Squadron
Frank E. Walton
Manufacturer: University Press of Kentucky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0813108756

Customer Reviews:

The Black Sheep Squadron.......2007-04-26

A great telling of a famous and very successful Marine aviation squadron, The Black Sheep - VMF 214, led by Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, by the squadron ACIO, or Air Combat Information Officer. It may not be the best of writing skills, but the story is unbeatable.
Frank Walton was the individual who wrote all of the 'after-mission' (combat) reports, interviewing each pilot after each mission and writing up the details. Frank Walton went much further. He wrote up biographies of each pilot - where they were from, where they went to school, their families, their likes and dislikes. All of the info provides a human side to the men, makes them believeable, and helps you fly with them as they go out on each mission.
The second half of the book contains his 'current-day' stories. He looked up as many of the original members as he could and interviewed them "today" (the early 8o's.) The book includes both WWII and "today" pictures of most all of the pilots. After reading of their WWII exploits, I really enjoyed learning of each of these men 'today,' where they've gone, who they've become, generally very successful business men all. I guess what surprised me was that most of them, after all of their exploits and adventures, 'walked away' from aviation, to be normal everyday business and family men. I guess I would have expected them to mostly go on to careers in aviation. But they are our businessmen, some our business leaders, and mainly, our neighbors. Thank you all for what you did for us.

GREAT history of the Men of the Black Sheep Squadron.......2003-09-01

Extremely well written and concise book that tells of the INDIVIDUALS in the squadron. This book is written to tell of the professionalism and "after the war" historys of the squadron members without the sometimes overpowering myths portrayed by the TV show.

A more honest look than TV, but then, what isn't?.......2001-09-27

As the intelligence office for the Black Sheep Squadron, author Frank Walton had access to their daily combat reports. He himself had written them. From these records and his later interviews with the surviving members of the group, he penned this history. Written primarily to dispel the myth created by the TV production, he most certainly shows the men in a more realistic light. The false presentation of these men by the writers of that series as "brawling bums" and "fugitives from courts-martial" does not stand in the light he casts upon them, their character and their record. In the second half of the book, Walton introduces each man as he was when the book was written in 1986. By and large, most became very successful.

But the drama of their fighting over the Solomons falls flat in the telling. Their aerial exploits read with all the excitement and anticipation of the menu at the corner hamburger joint. The men of the Black Sheep fought together for only 12 weeks and amassed the best kill record in the South Pacific: 94 kills in only 84 days. Pappy Boyington accounted for 26 (or 28, if he is to be believed). Unfortunately, these moments of high achievement are told in the driest of voices.

Perhaps the biggest fault in the book is Walton's almost non-telling of Boyington's troubled life. He originally left the Marine Aviators days before they would have put him out for unbecoming conduct and he left the Flying Tigers for much the same reason. This highly skilled combat pilot and gifted leader of men was deeply troubled and it manifested itself in his drinking and unpredictable fighting. Playing it down adds nothing to Walton's attempt to "set the record straight" for the rest of the squadron.

Given the resources at his command, his personal friendship with all 51 original members of the group and his intimate friendship with Boyington, one would have expected a better result. Walton's stated purpose was to clear the record for the men, to present them as the men of ability, honor and skill that they were. In this regard, he does succeed.

Very good book.......2000-04-14

I was a bit leary of this book when I started it. The claim of the author to be one of the Black Sheep, even though he was not one of the pilots seemed a bit odd. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is a very easy read and contains a good deal about the day to day life of a pilot in the South Pacific.

It also gives a terrific look into the people behind the personas of the Black Sheep, especially Pappy Boyington. The writer does a good job of relating the respect that his men had for him as well as about the team of pilots the Black Sheep were.

A very good read for a very good price.

Different Point Of View.......1999-03-28

The Black Sheep legend, as retold through the eyes of the survivors. The first half of the book is the squadron history of VMF 214, from the time of its resurrection under the command of Major Gregory Boyington, until the squadron was disbanded, and the squadron number reassigned to another outfit, after Boyington went missing in action (and was presumed dead), near the end of their second tour under his command. The last half of the book is a personal history from each of the survivors, as to what the experience was like, how it has affected their lives, what they did in post Black Sheep life. An assortment of interesting characters, molded under the guidance of Boyington, in to "the terrors of the South Pacific". Very interesting, although it does vary some from the version told by Boyington himself in his autobiography "Baa Baa Black Sheep". As is only human, each man sees 'the truth' from his own perspective, so it is interesting to see the whole thing through the eyes of someone other than Boyington himself. This book shows that the Black Sheep were more than Boyington. They were a well rounded team, molded and hardened under the realities of aerial combat. It comes across quite clearly however, that regardless of what they thought of Boyington as a person (they didn't all look up to him like a bunch of starry eyed boys, as depicted in the TV show...some in fact were older than Boyington), they definitely respected him as "a warrior, a fighter & a leader", and one pilot recalls thinking of Boyington as "Jesus Christ himself", upon first being introduced. Originally published in 1986 (before Boyington's death), it is surprisingly frank in it's assessment, some might even say it's condemnation, of the leader of the Black Sheep, not so much in his days as the commanding officer of the 214, but in his postwar life. Many of them felt betrayed by Boyington, after his role as 'technical advisor' on the TV series. Overall it makes for an interesting read. Well worth it. Dave White

Black Sheep Fundraising: Rethinking Major Gifts for Your Stigmatized Nonprofit (Large Print)

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Black Sheep Fundraising: Rethinking Major Gifts for Your Stigmatized Nonprofit (Large Print)
Jay, S. Mendell
Manufacturer: Golly! Grants On Line, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0977932303

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