Among the Hidden (Shadow Children)

Book Description

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.

Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows -- does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

Download Description

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside. Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows -- does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

Customer Reviews:

Must Read.......2007-05-31

Among the Hidden, by Margaret Haddix, was a non-stop exciting book. Luke, a third child, has to hide from the Population Police because he is illegal. Now he has neighbors that took out the woods so he stays in his room and eats on the stairs. Then one day he looks out the vents in his room and sees a girl at the window of the house next door that he knew that there was already two children living there, so he goes over and meets Jen who is risking her life to free the "shadows" and tries to earn the right to be equal! Luke admires her but doesn't think he's brave enough to help her.

Margaret Haddix wrote this book to teach people that everyone should be equal even if they are the odd one out. Readers that read mysterious and intelligent novels should pick p this book and start flipping the pages of excitement! This book is for all ages that like to read. Don't hesitate; go to the library or book store now!

Great book.......2007-05-14

I have recently started to read this series. I think that the first book is awesome. It is about an illegal third child, Luke Garner, and his struggles to be free. I would recommend it for grades 5-7.

Great series!.......2007-05-10

Luke lives in a futuristic society where the government has decided that each family may have only two children. Unfortunately, Luke is a thrid child and must remain hidden all the time. Then one day, he meets another third child, Jen. She is organizing a rally to have the two child law repealed. Will Luke participate? Will Jen be successful? My 7th graders who read this book in their lit circle loved it and went on to read the rest of the series. What more could a teacher ask for?

This book is very great!.......2007-04-26

This book is really a pleasure to read. It really changes your mood back and forth. Like one moment you are sad because Luke has to stay in his house and does not want to change his mind. But the other chapter you feel excited and tricked because he did change his mind and is out at the "sport families" house. Then you get alittle scared because they are thinking of doing a "shadow kid rally" and it really worried Luke and now my mood is a confused mood Luke and I dont know if he is going to be in the "shadow kid rally." But the book is awesome, read and enjoy!!

you will LOVE this book!.......2007-04-18

The name of the book I read is Among The Hidden and the author is Margaret Peterson Haddix. It is about a kid named Luke who is a third child, and back then third children weren't allowed. Luke was a kid who usually obeyed his parents so another family wouldn't catch him and turn him in. He had two older brothers named Mark and Mathew. His family loved him and they only wanted to protect him so they wouldn't loose him, but Luke wanted an adventure, or at least be able to go out and play. Finally, while everybody was gone Luke sees a child in the house window next door. To make sure he wasn't wrong he waited a couple days. He was right, there was someone else in the other house. So he decided to be daring and run to the house. Luke ends up meeting a third child that needs to be hidden like him. Her name is Jen. Her dad works for the population police, but he would never turn her in. Jen wants to have a rally for all the third children, which she has met most of them online. She tried to convince Luke, but Luke has a really bad feeling that something bad is going to happen. After a couple days from Jen leaving for the rally Luke runs over to her house to see her, but Jen and the other third children that had gone, had been shot. Luke was devastated. Luke needed to leave because now the population police are looking carefully. So Jen's father buys Luke a fake I.D. and he is now leaving to a private boarding school. It took place in about year 2000.
I LOVED the book Among The Hidden. It kept me entertained through the whole story. I think that you should read this book too. It has adventure, surprise, and will keep you wondering what might happen to Luke next.

Average customer rating:

Historical fiction at its finest
A well told story for any age

Megiddo's Shadow
Arthur Slade
Manufacturer: Wendy Lamb Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0385747012
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Book Description

Fueled by anger at the death of his two brothers in World War I, 16-year-old Edward abandons his ailing father on their farm and leaves Canada to enlist. After proving that he can tame any wild horse, he's is sent to Jordan to fight with the Cavalry.

Luckily, his horse is the extraordinary Buke; in battle, a trooper's horse is the key to life and death, and his true companion. In the harsh desert, Edward is grateful for the camaraderie of his tent mates, Cheevers and Blackburn,and letters from Emily, a nurse he met at base camp. As they close in on the enemy Edward finds that the glory and noble vengeance he seeks is replaced by the horror of war and the realization that he must fight not only to survive, but also, to kill.

Customer Reviews:

Historical fiction at its finest.......2007-07-30

Arthur Slade dedicates this novel to the memory of the five Slade men who served in World War I, his great grandfather, grandfather and great uncles. The dates of the youngest one jump out at the reader, "Private Percy James Slade, 1897-1918 (KIA.)

If my memory serves, I do not think there is a village or town in France and England that does not have a memorial to the fallen of The Great War. World War I does not loom as large in the memory of Americans. In Megiddo's Shadow, Slade takes the reader to a lesser known front of that war, to Palestine in the Middle East.

Sixteen-year-old Edward Bathe leaves his farm in Saskatchewan, Canada and joins the army after receiving the news that his beloved older brother Hector has been killed in France. All he wants to do is get to the front and kill the Hun who took his brother's life but upon arrival in England he is transfered to the Fifth Imperial Remount unit to break horses. He chafes at the assignment but does meet a horse who will be part of his future when he is reassigned to the Lincolnshire Yeomanry. Slade describes the role of these units on his website :

"Yeomanry were different than cavalry--they were trained to be foot soldiers and mounted soldiers. The idea was that they could ride quickly to their destination and dismount and fight. Or they could charge. They were even taught to get their horses to lay down, so they could use them as cover. The regiment was also trained to use the sword or lance in a charge."

Edward and his horse, Buke become part of the British Expeditionary Force in Palestine. The description of desert warfare is unforgettable.

"A month later, in July, I was sent to hell...

...We fed and watered our horses, working through the night because the day would be too hot for us to lift a finger. As the sun rose, it revealed a desolation only the Devil could've dreamed up: a low, flat valley of white marl and salt, spotted with swamp, stony plain, patches of dense scrub, and a thin layer of dry grass. The land had never know rain. Lumps of dried flesh--dead camels--lay here and there as though dropped from the sky, a sky that had never seen a cloud. A hot breath of wind drove the salty dust into my eyes. Occasionally, a thirteen-pounder gun would roar just to let the Turks know that His Majesty's troops were still here."

Very much a classic boy-goes-to-war novel in the tradition of The Red Badge of Courage (Tor Classics), All Quiet on the Western Front or Fallen Angels, Edward experiences the comradeship of soldiers, a first love and the grim reality of warfare. He faces the loss of those he loves and his faith in God as he struggles to find meaning and survive.

Slade relates his grandfather and great uncles' true stories on his website. They are as gripping and heartfelt as the novel and are very much the inspiration for this book. The letter Edward and his father receive about Hector is taken almost verbatim from the real letter the Slade family received about Percy Slade.

Moving, emotional and wrenching at times, this is historical fiction at its finest. I will be reading more of Arthur Slade's writing in the future.

A well told story for any age.......2007-01-22

A sobering story, well told. It follows the journey of 16 year old Edward Bathe, from the Canadian prairie, who joins the army to fight the Huns in France in 1917. Instead, he finds himself in the cavalry on his way to the Middle East. The story is well researched, full of details about army life, and also chronicles the emotional turmoil and growth of Edward. There are a few twists in the story and Slade's writing propels the reader forward. While intended for the young reader, Megiddo's Shadow was very much enjoyed by this 'mature adult'.

Average customer rating:

Among the Enemy
Among the Enemy
Cool Book
Among the Enemy
Among the Enemy

Among the Enemy (Shadow Children)
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0689857977

Book Description

HIDE OR FIGHT?

Matthias, an illegal third child, is caught in the cross fire between rebels and the Population Police. When he unwittingly saves a Population Police officer, Matthias is brought to Population Police headquarters to train as an officer himself. There he meets Nina, another third-born who enlists his help in a plot to undermine the Population Police. But Matthias is under constant scrutiny, and he has no idea whom he can trust. What can one boy do against a wicked bureaucracy?

Customer Reviews:

Among the Enemy.......2007-07-18

This is for my 14 year old daughter she loves all of Margaret Haddix books. I love writers that can hold a child's intrest, and she does hold her in a dfferent world, also can tell she enjoys the books because she shares things that happen in the story line.

Among the Enemy.......2007-05-17

Among the Enemy Margret Peterson Haddix is a suspenseful fiction book that from the second you open the book and start reading you are fascinated and amazed by the struggles these children must go through just to survive.
Matthias a fairly young boy must help his two best friends after one was bashed in the head in the head by a tree branch when the bus they were riding in crashed and the other has been shot in the leg and has lost a lot of blood as has his other friend. Matthias has to be brought to the police headquarters where he becomes a member of the force to try to help his friends and keep them from dieing.
The rigorous and dangerous activities he has to do just to save his friends without being found out goes all the way to kissing one of his friends that works at the headquarters to convince the guards that they weren't making a plan on how to save his friends.
This book is an unforgettable book that grips you to where you will never want to put it down and I would definitely recommend this book to people at the age of 11+ only because of some of the language and ideas given in this book. I encourage you to read this novel and tell others about it.

Cool Book.......2007-04-12

Are you the third child in the family? If you are you should read this book. Matthew, Percy and Alia were sleeping when someone knocked on the door. It was the police Matthew, Percy and Alia were taken by the police. Will they escepe from the evil country? Find out in this book and what happens to Matthew, Percy and Alia. Recommended for the third child in the family. Read it now! by Anthony

Among the Enemy.......2007-02-27

The end is in sight for Luke and the gang in Haddix's second-to-last installment of her popular Shadow Children series, Among the Enemy.

Among the Enemy focuses on Matthias, a third child who befriended Nina Idi in the third book of the series, Among the Betrayed. Matthias and his friends Percy and Alia have since spent their time comfortably at Niedler School. That is until the Population Police raid the school and ship it's students away to work for them. In route to Population Police headquarters, there's an accident, and Percy and Alia are severely injured. Matthias hides his injured friends in a cabin that was previously occupied by Rebels. Matthias soon discovers that the cabin is not as secluded as he thought it was, and before he knows it, he is forced into saving a highly regarded Population Police official and is whisked away to headquarters. Once back at headquarters, Matthias is treated like a hero, but can't escape the fact that his friends were left behind. How will he get back to them? How will they survive without him? And who is that familiar looking girl serving food in the cafeteria?

Haddix's series has become immensely popular with middle school students because of their quick pace and interesting plot twists. While this book has all of that and is definitely a step up from the previous book in the series, Among the Brave, I can't help but feel as if something is wrong. The storyline seems forced, the plot twists are foreshadowed well in advance, and she's skimpy on character development. It's almost as if Haddix has fallen behind on a timeline to finish this series.

There are some great things in this book though. Series fans will certainly be able to feel the tides changing and not in favor of the Population Police. Most of the Population Police officers we meet are not so much fighting for the cause as they are fighting for food. Most of the officers are young boys sent by their families in promise of food. This has turned out to be a great recruitment tool for the Population Police, strengthening their numbers, but will without a doubt, eventually backfire. These boys are not trained soldiers. These boys are not killers. These boys are hungry, nothing more, and Haddix paints this picture very well.

I really did enjoy the first four books of the series, but I've been a little disappointed in the last two. My fifth grade students still love them so maybe it's just me. Maybe they're not living up to the potential I saw in them. If you are a series regular, you obviously have to check the book out for yourself. However, I can't help but feel relief that there's only one book left in the series and I wouldn't be surprised if Haddix shared that relief. She's a talented author with some truly original ideas, I'm just losing interest in this particular idea. Here's hoping she can end the series on a high note.

Among the Enemy.......2007-02-23

The population police stormed through the door and woke up everybody in the dorm. Percy awoke from his deep sleep when an officer shook him and grabbed out of bed while saying" The country is in need of our service now. Get up and get in the vans parked outside or else." This is just one of the extraordinary scenes from Margaret Peterson Haddix book Among the Enemy. This book is about three kids named Percy, Alia, Nina, and Matthis who are captured by the population police, but then escaped into the woods. The population police are hired by the government to kill every third-born to keep down the population. Then of course they get captured again and Matthis is sent to be trained while the others are on duty as a guard. Will Matthis escape from the population police headquarters, will his friends make it out alive, or will the government kill all the third-borns? I recommend this book for all readers you like adventure and mystery.
One reason I liked this book was because it had many unexpected twist. When the kids where captured by the population police, to stop the car they it with a nail and made the car hit the tree. Another example of this was when Matthis saved on officers life even though they are his enemies. One last example was when Alia almost died when a tree hit her. This is one reason why I liked the books.
Another reason I liked this book was because of the good use of descriptive writing. When the author was describing the way Alia looked and felt after She got hit by the tree. Another example was when she described the way the headquarters looked on the inside and outside. She made it feel like you were as if you were standing in front of the house and inside the house. One last example was when the kids were running away from the police, and the author described what was going in through each of their heads. This is another example why I liked the book.
One reason why I didn't like the book was it had too many cliff hangers. It did this between almost every chapter. It was too much of a good thing. Some examples were when the chapter would be very short and some what insignificant and it would take two or three chapter to finish one or two conversations. Another example was when the author left the last chapter wide open for another book. That is one reason why I didn't like the book.
The best reason why I liked the book was because of the descriptive writing. It made you feel like you were in the book. There was also good use of figurative. The author made the book come to life. If you like books with adventure and mystery, than this is the book for you to read.

Dragonwings: Golden Mountain Chronicles: 1903 (Golden Mountain Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

A Good Book--4 stars
Upset
snooze fest
Dragonwings
Dragonwings

Dragonwings: Golden Mountain Chronicles: 1903 (Golden Mountain Chronicles)
Laurence Yep
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0064400859

Book Description

Will Windrider
take to the skies?

Moon shadow is eight years old when he sails from China to join his father, Windrider, in America. Windrider lives in San Francisco and makes his living doing laundry. Father and son have never met.

But Moon Shadow grows to love and respect his father and to believe in his wonderful dream. And Windrider, with Moon Shadow's help is willing to endure the mockery of the other Chinese, the poverty, the separation from his wife and country'even the great earthquake'to make his dream come true.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Book--4 stars.......2007-04-27

Dragonwings is a good book to read because you have a good feeling to know someone's dream came true, like Moonshadow's father's dream. Moonshadow is a young man. When he was just eight years old, he had a chance to join his father who he had never seen before in the United States. He went through a difficult time passing immigration. This book talks about how Chinese people settled down in Chinatown and the experience in 1906 with the big earthquake in San Francisco, and then how Moonshadow and his father relocated to Oakland. Moonshadow's father is a good kite maker, and he has a fabulous dream to make a flying machine. Moon Shadow writes a letter to the Wrights telling them how his father likes to fly too, and wishes they can help him. The father's dream came true when he made a flying machine in 1909. Lawrence Yep's historical novels shows rich traditions and the culture of the Chinese community. I will recommend this book to people who are American born Chinese because they can learn from this book about how difficult it was for their ancesters to get into this country, and how they worked so hard and how they survived in white society, so they will appreciate them. Overall it is a good book to read, I just have some words that were hard to understand for me, maybe because they are too old fashioned.

Upset.......2007-04-18

I was honestly upset with this book not as good as i thought it would be, I mean the story was just boring overall.The only thing I thought was interesting that they used kites and I would be curious to ask the author why.

snooze fest.......2007-02-22

horrible
I am 13 years old and I hate this book
we read it in english class this year. About two people actually fell asleep reading it in 5th period. Really boring. There was one exciting part to the story. The names are hard to keep track of. I also don't like the fact that all throughout this book the boy refers to the white men as "demons". At first I thought the book was suposed to teach a lesson. But in the end it didn't
don't buy this book

Dragonwings.......2006-11-30

Wow,this is the best book I've ever read in years.This book starts off with a boy named Moonshadow,Moonshadows mom,and grandmother.They are in there farm allways workinging in the farm and not having any fun.
Moonshadow always wonders how the goldenmountains (America)looks like.When Moonshadow visits the goldenmountains and finds his dad there.The white demons (white people) are mean to the chinamen and all yhey care about is themselves.

Dragonwings.......2006-05-25

Moonshadow starts out as a shy little boy who lives in China who was curious about The Land of the Golden Mountain (America). Men from China would go to America in search for a better life. This is what Moonshadow's father did. One day Moonshadow was told that he had to choose between either staying in China and never knowing his father or being taken to his father in The Land of the Golden Mountain, he chose to leave. On the boat he was very frightened because he heard the older men telling stories of how they were almost tortured in America which did not make it any easier for Moonshadow to leave China. When he arrives he encounters a couple of "scary" things before they get to where he will be staying. Everyone with the last name of Lee works in a Laundry Shop, which is owned by Uncle Bright Star and White Deer. Moonshadow is greeted with Demon (white people) clothing. He already doesn't like what he sees. Moon shadow faces many difficulties such as being mugged, robbed, being picked on and racism through out the whole story. Towards the end of the story Moonshadow's father Windrider discovers that he wants to peruse his dream and he will need Moonshadow's help to achieve that dream. When he tells everyone that he will be moving out they are hurt and angry. They live by a white demoness and her niece, Miss. Whitlaw and Robin. While they are living there Windrider works as a handy man for Mr. Alger. Everything is perfect until the Earthquake comes. Miss. Whitlaw and Robin, Moonshadow and Windrider have to separate. It is up to Moonshadow to take over there new house because father is working on his dream but, will he finish in time and will it work? You find out!

Secrets in the Shadows (Bluford Series, Number 3)

Average customer rating:

Deceit and Lies!
secrets of the shawdoes
When you think your the best of friends
Read this Book!!!

Secrets in the Shadows (Bluford Series, Number 3)
Anne E. Schraff
Manufacturer: Townsend Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0944210058

Book Description

This book focuses on Roylin Bailey, a Bluford sophomore who appears in A Matter of Trust. Roylin makes a terrible mistake: He steals money to buy a gift for the girl of his dreams—and finds himself in a nightmare he cannot escape.

Customer Reviews:

Deceit and Lies!.......2007-05-22

This book was kinda like a mystery book at some parts. Roylin became friends with a new girl that went to Bluford High. He became to like the girl so much, that he sacrafiest stealing from his only friend just to satify a girl he's only known for about a week. He's has no one to turn to for help when he discoveres that his best friend may be dead because of a stupid mistake on his part. When people try to warn him about this new girl, he thinks they're jealous. Then, he finally comes to his senses when he finds out that the girl he thought he loved (and loved him back) was using him for the money she THOUGHT he had. The resolution of this book is you get hurt most by the people you think you can trust than the people you don't. So my advice is to be care of the people you call "Your Friends"!

secrets of the shawdoes.......2007-04-26

This book is about a guy named Roylin. He has a friend named Cooper. Roylin is living in a nightmare and it is his own fault. Roylin is trying to impress a girl but every time he does it he makes a mastake in front of her feeling pretty silly. Mr Miller is their soclal teacher at their school. he dies by some murdres him.

My favorite part of the book is when they find Mr Miller in his own basement dead. Mr Miller is there soclal studies studie teacher. This shocked Cooper and Roylin to find him there.

I will reccamend this book because it has alot of action. The book has a lot of ups and to it . The book has alot of mystares . This is why I reccomend this book.this book is a good thinkin book.

When you think your the best of friends.......2007-02-16

This book is about a boy named Roylined who is living a nightmare and it's all his fault . It started when the new student , named Korie and the most beautiful girl in his school was interested in him. Unlike most people at Bluford High, she seemed to like him. But when Roylin tried to impress her, he made a terrible mistake. Now one of his friends is gone , and someone is out to destroy him. Cought in a tightening web of lies and threats, Roylin is desperate for a way out.

Read this Book!!!.......2006-09-13

Secrets in the Shadows

When I first started reading the Bluford Series I could not stop .Once I finished one book I'd go onto another. I really love these books because it talks about conflicts and situations with teen, adults, families, and friends and how they overcome it or help someone overcome it. But this book in particular, I really liked. It discussed the living conditions of Roylin Bailey, how he felt and acted in school, a relationship, his anger, and wanting real, trusting friends. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, this book was great!

Danger in the Shadows (Prequel to The O'Malley Series)

Average customer rating:

Draggy, unrealistic, boring romance, horrendous ending
Romance without much suspense, for Christian readers.
K. Baggatts
Love Dee Hendersen but was a little disappointed
Book Review

Danger in the Shadows (Prequel to The O'Malley Series)
Dee Henderson
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1414310552

Book Description

Sara is terrified. She's doing the one thing she cannot afford to do: fall in love with former pro-football player Adam Black, a man everyone knows. Sara's been hidden away in the witness protection program, her safety dependent on staying invisible--and loving Adam could get her killed!

Introducing the O'Malleys, an inspirational group of seven, all abandoned or orphaned as teens, who have made the choice to become a loyal and committed family. They have chosen their own surname, O'Malley, and have stood by each other through moments of joy and heartache. Their stories are told in CBA best-selling, inspirational romantic suspense novels that rock your heart and restore strength and hope to your spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Draggy, unrealistic, boring romance, horrendous ending.......2007-09-07

I've heard that this book was written BEFORE all the others in the series, and considering how popular Dee Henderson's books seem to be, I'm pretty sure this wasn't a good place to start, I'll have to check out the other books in the series.

The story is pretty simple. A young rich woman meets a football star her age who wants something more from the women in his life. She's being pursued by a man who kidnapped her when she was a kid and killed her twin sister. She's constantly (like CONSTANTLY) under FBI surveillance in order to catch this bad guy at large. She falls in love with this football star and must decide if being with him and putting him in danger is worth it. Oh, she's really REALLY traumatized by this childhood experience to the point where it runs her life. Ok, whatever.

So what's so bad? Well, the writing drags on WAY too much once the "romance" gets started (I really don't need to know dumb little details, like that a person put down their drink), and the characters are VERY difficult for an average person to relate to. Just the fact that it seems the entire American FBI is securing this woman constantly shows how freaking rich she is, being the daughter of a wealthy ambassador I couldn't find myself relating to her pain. Oh, the pain. The pain, the pain, the CONSTANT reminders of how horrible she feels become so overused it's laughable. There are literally some chapters as to where NOTHING new happens, and I felt like so much stuff could've just been edited. Plus there were parts I had to reread because the author was obviously trying to go for the "read between the lines" style but ended up writing something that simply didn't make grammatical sense.
There isn't ANY characterization put into this bad guy who's taunting her and sending her packages, so you're simply reading just to see if there'll be some kind of a twist at the end. There isn't. And the final "confrontation" between her and mr. bad guy is SO UNBELIEVABLY CLICHED AND STUPID it makes you want to throw the book across the room. I was like "I paid 14 bucks for this?!"
This is not to also mention that the final "confrontation" is like a paragraph long. It's pathetic. Although the final note by the author makes it seem like she is SO in love with these characters. I want to ask "did you actually READ this after you wrote it?"
On top of this, the "Christian" themes feel so tacked on, they're like an afterthought, very much unlike a good Christian fiction author like Ted Dekker, who woves his Christian themes into the story and into each character very well, has good Biblical themes, makes it the basis for his stories and isn't afraid to use the word "Jesus." By the end I really knew nothing of either of these main characters even though I spent over 300 pages getting to supposedly know them.

All said and done, this really isn't a good book. In fact, I'd have to go on record and say it's one of the worst I've ever read. Still, I hold hope for this author, I'll definitely check out one of her other books. The writing in this one just doesn't GRAB you, ya know?

Romance without much suspense, for Christian readers........2007-08-25

Sara is the daughter of a diplomat, and a successful author. As a child, she and her sister were kidnapped and her sister died. One of the kidnappers is still at large and Sara lives under constant protection. One day she meets Adam Black, a retired football player. They fall in love, but Sara's lifestyle may be too much of an obstacle for their relationship to work.

"Danger in the Shadows" is a Christian romantic suspense novel. But the focus is on the romance and unfortunately, there's not really much suspense at all. The few suspense sequences are over just as soon as they begin. Henderson has created a nice character in Sara, and her story is interesting, but I would have liked there to be more suspense. Christian readers may like the religious parts of the story, but personally I found them unnecessary, but still not too distracting.

I would recommend "Danger in the Shadows" to Christian romance readers. Suspense readers (Christian or not) may want to look for something else.

K. Baggatts .......2007-05-11

This book was very interesting. The story was well told and well written, very descriptive. I was able to imagine the story as if I were watching a movie. The details made it easy to imagine and follow along. Christian fiction with action, love, suspense...
I have never read a book like this and I didn't even know christian themed books existed but now I'm hooked. I am currently reading the O'Malley series and I am enjoying it very much. The story carries on throughout several books, thereby, letting you get to know the characters. I didn't know series books existed either. Brilliant!

Love Dee Hendersen but was a little disappointed.......2007-03-14

The story is a good one. You will be captivated in the beginning of the book but after awhile it d r a g s o u t about Sara and her pain. I think explaining her pain and what she has to live out is important but I think it seemed to just fill in pages to make the story longer. Maybe it there were more flashbacks to things that happened as she grew up and how it affected her would have been more intriguing.

I read all the O'Malley books and True Honor, True Courage and love them all.

Book Review.......2007-03-10

I was very pleased with my order. The book was in excellent condition and I received the book in a timely manner. I would definately buy from this seller again.

Average customer rating:

Margaret Peterson Haddix is a genius!
among the barons
Among the Barons
Awesome 4th entry in the Shadow Children Series
Awesome 4th entry in the Shadow Children Series

Among the Barons (Shadow Children)
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0689839103

Book Description

Luke Garner, an illegal third child, spent his first twelve years in hiding. For the past four months Luke has lived among others, using the identity of Lee Grant, at the Hendricks School for Boys. But just as things are finally starting to go right, Lee's little brother Smits arrives at the school and Luke finds himself caught in a tangle of lies that gets more complex with every passing day.

Can Luke trust Smits to keep his secret? And can he trust Smits's menacing bodyguard, Oscar?

Customer Reviews:

Margaret Peterson Haddix is a genius!.......2007-03-30

This series is brilliant. I bought them as a "future read" for my child and decided to try them for myself. I got completely hooked and passed them to my mother who also got hooked.

This series is a must read on so many levels. Warning for the future "DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR FREEDOM!"

Very strong characters. Beautifully written. Story is intense and gripping. Each book in series is a true page turner. You will not want to put them down.

among the barons.......2007-03-10

i thought this book was good its about luke garner and he took over lee grants name and he had met lees little brother smits and they lee and smits always hung out and smits was so sad.

Among the Barons.......2007-01-18

When we last left Luke Garner (or Lee Grant), he was happily planting garden's at Hendricks' School for Boys. He was content with his new surroundings and had openly chose Hendricks' as his new home where he would learn and grow. That was before we met Nina, Matthias, Percy, and Alia and this time around, Haddix decides that it is time to get back to Luke's story.

Luke (Lee) is treated like a god at Hendricks' School for Boys, and quite frankly, he should be. He introduced physical education to their daily schedules. He helps the students overcome their fears of the outdoors by letting them help in his gardens. He helps the students study so that they learn as much as they can from their classes. His life is changed drastically however, when Smits arrives at school. Smits is the real Lee Grant's (the name on Luke's false I.D. card) brother and this threatens Luke's situation at Hendricks'. Can he trust Smits with his secret and what exactly does Smits know?

Haddix cranks up the suspense and plot twists in this fourth installment, helping create in my opinion, the best of the series so far. While there are big things happening outside in the world she's created, Haddix very carefully decides not to tread there quite yet. She instead focuses on the somewhat smaller mystery of who the real Lee Grant actually was.

Through reading this series aloud to my class of fifth graders, I've discovered why these books are so appealing. Haddix creates characters that children can relate to. At times I find them predictable but they're by no means paper-thin either. My students love getting to know each new character and then invest a lot of emotion into watching that character survive in this world. Smits is no exception. He's initially unlikeable, but something draws children to him and the rest of these characters.

And Luke, this is not the same timid Luke we knew and loved from books one and two. This Luke is more seasoned. This Luke has seen things. This Luke has been places. Without having actually stepped foot in the outside world, he somehow has a sense of what it is like. I felt a strange chill when I realized that Luke is educating his fellow classmates and by doing so, creating an army of third children. Luke has clearly stepped forward as the hero of this series and if anyone is to save the day in this somewhat bleak setting, my bet is on Luke.

Tight suspense and clever plot twists aside, there's a reason this book has emerged as my favorite of the series. Something happens in this book that will change the remaining chapters of this series. A very simple scene that didn't actually cause my jaw to drop, but did cause me to pause and take in what was really happening. A scene in which you realize that nothing will be the same ever again for Luke. Haddix has now forced herself to venture into unseen territory and this is where this series will really be tested. She's created an interesting premise and it would seem that with book 5 coming, she's given herself an even bigger canvas to explore her world. Now lets see what she does with the paint brushes.

Awesome 4th entry in the Shadow Children Series.......2006-11-09

Among the Barons was a great and invigorating sequel to the second book in the Shadow Children series. Among the Barons is the third book in the series. Luke, Lee Grant under his fake identity, has to endure obstacles with Smits the real Lee Grants brother. Lee is forced to go live the Grant's but does not know their intentions. He finds out that they want Luke to stage Lee's death and if he doesn't will be punished.

Awesome 4th entry in the Shadow Children Series.......2006-11-09

Average customer rating:

Alana's 7th Grade Review - Among the Impostors
Courtney's review for Among the Impostors
Katie's reveiew of Among The Imposters
Great 2nd Book in Shadow Children Series
Shadow

Among the Impostors (Shadow Children)
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0689839081

Book Description

OUT OF HIDING. INTO DANGER.

Luke Garner is an illegal third child. All his life has been spent in hiding. Now, for the first time, Luke is living among others. He has assumed a deceased boy's identity and is attending Hendricks School for Boys, a windowless building with cruel classmates and oblivious teachers. Luke knows he has to blend in, but he lives in constant fear that his behavior will betray him.

Then one day Luke discovers a door to the outside. He knows that beyond the walls of Hendricks lie the secrets he is desperate to uncover. What he doesn't know is whom he can trust -- and where the answers to his questions may lead him...

Download Description

Luke Garner is terrified. Out of hiding for the first time in his life, he knows that any minute one of his new classmates at Hendricks School for Boys could discover his secret: that he's a third child passing as the recently deceased Lee Grant. And in a society where it's illegal for families to have more than two children, being a third child means certain death at the hands of the dreaded Population Police. His first experience outside the safety of his home is bewildering. There's not a single window anywhere in the school; Luke can't tell his classmates apart (even as they subject him to brutal hazing); and the teachers seem oblivious to it all. Desperate to fit in, Luke endures the confusion and teasing until he discovers an unlocked door to the outside, and a chance to understand what is really going on. But to take this chance -- to find out the secrets of Hendricks -- Luke will need to put aside his fears and discover a courage that a lifetime in hiding couldn't thwart. Once again, best-selling author Margaret Peterson Haddix delights her fans with this spine-tingling account of an all-too-possible future. Among the Impostors is a worthy companion to Among the Hidden and a heart-stopping thriller in its own right.

Customer Reviews:

Alana's 7th Grade Review - Among the Impostors.......2007-05-11

Luke Garner is an illegal third child. Mr. Talbot gets Luke a fake ID and under the name Lee Luke attends Hendricks School for boys. However, Luke's first few weeks at the school did not go as planned. He didn't know where his classes were, and at bed time his bunkmates would push him around. Later in the book Luke finds a door leading to the outdoors from Hendricks. While outside one night he meets a group of third children all using fake ID's. However, one night just when things starting going good for Luke, he saw Jason (the group's leader) sneak out of bed. Luke followed and overheard Jason on the phone with the population police ratting out four of the boys in the group. Luke figured out Jason was an informer and knocked him out. Then he carried Jason down the stairs to the nurse's office and told her that he had delirium, and had a seizure, thrashing around ranting and raving. Luke still had to save the other four boys so he quickly thought of a plan and called Mr. Talbot. The next morning Jason was arrested instead of the four boys (the work of Mr. Talbot).

I really enjoyed this book it was thrilling and suspenseful. With all of the twists and turns in this story I couldn't put the book down. I believe many others will enjoy this book as much as I did, and I highly recommend it.

Courtney's review for Among the Impostors .......2007-04-13

This book is about a boy named Luke, but he is pretending to be Lee Grant (that's his fake name). Luke goes to a school for only boys; right after coming out of hiding. Luke was very scared going into the 1st school he'd ever gone too. When Luke gets to the school he noticed that all the teachers didn't take roll to see who was in class. But of course there were hall monitors so you couldn't skip class. Then one day he found a door, cracked open a little. So he went through the door to find that it led to the outside. When he was outside he noticed there were no windows in the school at all; not even one. Also while Luke was out side he started to build a garden. But after a few days the garden had been trampled by kids that must have already known about the door. So one day Luke followed the boys outside to listen and learn; then he revealed himself. Luckily for Luke they accepted Luke into there group; but mainly because he knew Jen. Most of the kids were shadow children too; so Luke felt a little better being around other shadow children. So Luke started to hang out with them. They helped him through some of the days through school; but one day Luke discovered that one of the kids in the group was working for the population police; and was going to betray them all by turning them in to the population police. The trader was the leader of the group, Jason. So Luke acted without thinking and knocked Jason out; then pulled him to the nurse. Then the next day the population police came to the school looking for illegal 3rd children; but only the ones who had betrayed them were taken away. This book was very exciting and suspenseful and I would recommend this book to anyone (but you might want to read the 1st book of the series before you read this one).

Katie's reveiew of Among The Imposters.......2007-03-16

In among the imposters Luke has to figure out how to be Lee Grant who died in an accident just weeks ago. As he was just aimlessly wondering the classes he noticed that the teachers did not check to see who was in the class but just went on with class. He also noticed that there were no windows at all. Later he found a door by accident that lead outside. He stayed out the rest of the day. He started to plant a garden but it was pulverized by others that aparently alredy knew about the door. He finaly got up the courage to follow them. when he got out from behind the tree there was an ocwerd silence. Later they accepted him into there group. He also found out that pretty much all of the other kids were in hiding as well. He follows one of his new friends and finds out that he was going to betray them all. This ends up being a fight for life or death. Luke takes the unconcous boy to the nurse and comes up with a pretty convincing story. Then the police orrive in the morning every one was frozen in fear because if they had there reel names and knew where they where they would be killed. But in the end only the traters were taken ayway. This is a very exiting and suspensfull book and I highly sugest you reed it.

Great 2nd Book in Shadow Children Series.......2007-02-22

Among the Impostors was very scary when Luke first got to Hendricks school for boys cause he had to meet new people like Elodie aka Nina,Trey,Jason(impostor). It was also scary when they took Nina to jail and had Luke hit Jason on the nose with his textbook to knock him out in the end.I liked it when Luke was trying to run away in the forest but Jason(impostor)caught up to him and Luke hit his nose on the branch and got a bloody nose.

Shadow.......2007-01-22

The book Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix is an amazing, intense sequel to the book Among the Hidden. It is about a boy Luke who gets a new identity, and is enrolled into Hendricks School for Boys. During his first few months at school, he notices many sstanrge things. After one night when he follows some boys out of the school into the woods, he listens to them talk and finds out they are also shadow children. This goes through his adventure trying to keep it a scecret that his really name isn't Lee Grant.

This book is an amzing book that takes you on a wild adventure through Luke's life at school. He has to handle a lot of rude people at first, but after a while he makes friends. I like the way the author made this book, so you would not be able to put it down. I loved that Luke risked almost everything to find another shadow child at his school. It was kind of scary when he thinks that he has lost everything and is caught. Will he get caught or not? It makes you really wonder how life would be if this were real. When you read this book, you will not be able to put it down. I can't wait to find out what happens in the following books!

Living in the Shadow of the Freud Family

Average customer rating:

It is more than a family portrait.
A compelling memoir
Excellent book
Living History

Living in the Shadow of the Freud Family
Sophie Freud
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Medical | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Psychoanalysis | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0275994155

Book Description

"I had to do something to escape Hitler's clutches," writes Esti Freud. Yet she waits with her then-16-year-old daughter, Sophie in Paris, until German canons can be heard in the distance, before deciding to escape by bicycle across France as Sophie keeps looking back to see whether German tanks will overtake them. Both women survive by sheer miracle and, in their own ways, come to feel a need to keep a personal record of those tumultuous times. In a memoir written at age 79, Esti Freud, daughter-in-law of Sigmund Freud and wife of his oldest son Martin, looks back on her life that began before the 20th century, was lived on three continents, and stretched through two world wars and the Holocaust. Twenty years after her mother's death, daughter Sophie turned to Esti's memoir as a scaffold for this book, expanding it through family letters and archival material. Out of these documents the author has created a fascinating, many-voiced mosaic--the story of a famous family and of a century seen through the eyes of many characters. Indomitable Esti was not an easy person to love. While she establishes herself professionally three times, in three different languages, her troubled family relationships leave her lonely, often deeply unhappy. Sophie confides that Esti died without son or daughter at her side. This work gives an insider's, in-law view of the family Freud, its foundations, and flaws. The relationship between Esti, daughter of a wealthy Vienna attorney and her husband Martin Freud is foreshadowed by the young lovers' fathers. At first meeting Esti, Sigmund told his son the glamorous woman was "too beautiful" for the clan, meaning her splendor belied a lifestyle not conducive to the frugal Freud ways. And Esti's father, on hearing of her love for Martin, expressed regret she was involved with a man who was "not a financially favorable linkage," and that his family was not respectable since patriarch Sigmund was "just another psychiatrist, and one who writes pornography books at that." Thus begins the ill-fated relationship that would rock two families and a generation of children to come. Sophie weaves into the text letters she inherited, including letters from Martin while he was a prisoner of war, and excerpts from her own diary, kept as an adolescent. The resulting mosaic will fascinate--and perhaps disturb--readers interested in Freud and psychoanalysis, as well as those intrigued by relationships and family.

Customer Reviews:

It is more than a family portrait........2007-08-08

Sophie Freud's new book is more than a history of a famous family in the 20thc, but a history of the century in itself. The long arc of Germany's attempt to achieve at least European, if not worldwide, supremacy, is told through the eyes of a family that lived it.

The book is neither long nor hard to read, therefore, I was disappointed when Sophie thanks her editors for helping her cut it down. I want to read it all. Basically the book is Sophie's mother's autobiography. Said Ernestine, who liked to be called Esti married Martin Freud, one of Sigmund Freud's sons. She wrote her book late in her life, and her writings are in Roman type, whereas Sophie's comments are in italics, and thus this whole book which was written AND edited by Sophie becomes a dual biography.

Accompanying the stories of these 2 women are many, many letters written by other members of the Freud family, and from them we can make our own judgements about the people and compare them to the ones that Sophie makes. These other letters are in various fonts.

The mother, Esti, seems at first to be a simple lovely girl in love with Martin, but Sigmund says of her "she is not only maliciously meshugge but also mad in the medical sense." We see this in the early years of their marriage. Talk about dysfunctional families!

The family split up in 1938: Esti and Sophie went to Paris, and Martin and his son, Walter, went to London. For the next 4 years mother and daughter struggled to keep alive, to find decent lodging and food, and to keep barely one step ahead of Hitler as he ran down France. Vichy France became a haven for the Freuds for a while, but eventually they went to Casablanca and then to Lisbon, and finally to the USA. (The movie "Casablanca" may have been fiction, but it was a fiction that many people really lived.)

I have to admire both women who essentially became trilingual in a very short time. For all of Esti's complaining and bitterness (her letters to Walter during the war years must have been devastating to the young man who could do nothing to help). But as a speech therapist, Esti, who first taught in Vienna, learned to teach both in France and then in the USA. Sophie went straight from the lycee in France (already a 2nd language for her) to Radcliffe College. Both women earned Ph.Ds.

Don't be dismayed by the family tree at the beginning. In fact, ignore it at first. However, I wish that dates had been included. The important characters will become clear upon reading. At times the book sounds like a novel, but it is not. Sophie and her brother were thus separated for most of their lives. Walter died not long before Sophie finished the book and his children found about 200 letters from their mother to him. Although most of this book was finished, Sophie had to incorporate many of them into her new publication.

This is a sad book, but who cannot say that the 20th c, esp. the first half, was not sad, in the deepest sense of the word? I enoyed the book thoroughly and I think you will as well. Do not expect to find out much about Sigmund however - that is reserved for other books. You will find out about many members of both the Freud and Drucker (Esti's family) families - some uplifting news and some destructive habits. Many of the Freud family were able to escape Austria, but many were not and were thus exterminated. The last page of the book which contains the final words of both Esti and Sophie (for now at least - let's hope she writes more) is indeed sad. I did not mind reading it early on. You choose.

A compelling memoir.......2007-08-01

Sophie Freud's recent book, Living Under the Shadow of the Freud Family, is most interesting and compelling. She masterfully interweaves perspectives on the private (and public) lives of her family and herself, thus offering a memoir that at times reads like a first-rate novel.

Professor Freud's wit, mischievousness, and clear-eyed vision pervades the various narratives and adds a most important and entertaining dimension--not only in her diary entries but in her numerous candid and often wonderfully blunt assessments of others (family members, professors, etc.) and in her self-reflexive comments (e.g. when she reflects puckishly that she may be writing this book to display her own achievements for the Annee Scolaire prize--"who knows, perhaps I am writing this book just for that purpose"). It is this kind of serious play, throughout, that makes this memoir so very readable and revealing, at the same time Sophie Freud's commentary or her mother's autobiographical narrative or numerous letters continue to remind readers of the shadow of her grandfather and other relatives (Tante Janne, her brother, her father, et al. ) and of the sinister shadow of Hitler and WW2 which impinges trenchantly on the lives of the Freud family, not to mention the world. I am reminded of the author, W.G, Sebald, photos included. In short, among other things, I have come away with a very deep and complex feeling for Professor Freud's mother, along with multiple insights into her own fascinating self.

Excellent book.......2007-06-13

This book is a fascinating read, both in terms of family dynamics and world history. Through letters, diaries and commentary from various family members, Sophie Freud (Sigmund Freud's granddaughter) gives life to her mother Esti, including her troubled marriage to Freud's son Martin, her struggle to be accepted by the Freud family, and her difficult relationships with her children. The book also has moments of historic drama, such as when Sophie and her mother flee Paris by bicycle two days before the Nazis invade. There are also bits of humor, such as when the teenage Sophie's diary reveals that she is much more concerned about boys, her figure, and finishing her qualifying exams than she is about the approaching Nazis. Overall, the book provides unique insight into a complicated (and famous) family at an especially charged time in history. I really enjoyed it.Living in the Shadow of the Freud Family

Living History.......2007-06-04

Sophie Freud, the author of this wonderful book, has kept a diary most of her life, as did her mother, Esti, along with many letters and documents of her fractured family. These documents are the scaffolding of a compelling story of romance, marriage, betrayal, escape and ultimately, the need to reinvent one's self in another country. Ms.Freud uses these papers (in French and German), along with her own commentary and that of her brother. The tale of her escape from Paris on a bicycle with her mother is vivid. She also uses photographs of her family and documents which increase the appeal of the book.
For anyone interested in a life of the twentieth century, with war, loss and emigration, this is a wonderful book.

In My Brother's Shadow: A Life and Death in the SS

Average customer rating:

Don't let the title fool you
history, memory, guilt
great book

In My Brother's Shadow: A Life and Death in the SS
Uwe Timm
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Accessories:

ASIN: 0374103747
Release Date: 2005-03-31

Book Description

A renowned German novelist's memoir of his brother, who joined the SS and was killed at the Russian front.

Uwe Timm was only two years old when in 1942 his older brother, Karl Heinz, announced to his family he had volunteered for service with an elite squadron of the German army, the SS Totenkopf Division, also known as Death's Heads. Little more than a year later Karl Heinz was injured in battle at the Russian front, his legs amputated, and a few weeks after that he died in a military hospital. To their father, Karl Heinz's death only served to immortalize him as the courageous one, the obedient one, the one who upheld the family honor. His childhood was marked by the mythology of his brother's lost life; his absence-the hole he left in the family-just as palpable as if he were still alive. His mother's sadness and his father's rage over the loss of Karl Heinz ultimately defined Uwe's relationship with his parents. But while they eulogized the boy, Uwe wondered: who really had his brother been?

The life and death of his older brother has haunted Uwe Timm for more than sixty years. His parents' silence was one of the most painful aspects of his family history. Not even after the war ended, and details of unspeakable horrors emerged, did his parents ever acknowledge Germany's guilt and Karl Heinz's role in it. They simply said: We didn't know. After the deaths of his parents and older sister Timm set out in search of answers. Using military reports, letters, family photos and cryptic entries from a diary his brother kept during the war, he began to piece together the picture, discovering his brother's story is not just that of one man, but the tragedy of an entire generation. In the Shadow of My Brother is a meditation on German history and guilt, one that is both nuanced and measured.

Customer Reviews:

Don't let the title fool you.......2006-08-13

This book is by far not about, as the title suggests life in his brothers shadow,as much as it is about life in his fathers shadow, or the shadow of a defeated Germany!
Herr Timm seems to be searching for his personal share of Germanys collective guilt. The writings of his brother might at most contribute 1 full page to this book! Herr Timm seems to be full of self-pity calling himself over and over again "the afterthought" where I would think his father instead planned him to be his brothers replacement. My father grew up in this same Germany and I have good insight into his thinking. I would suggest because of Herr Timms fathers position he knew a war would happen, and most likely consume his oldest son, that is what brought Uwe into being, not some accident or afterthought.Also his insistance that the 3rd. SS was an elite unit that the camp guards were drawn from is also a factual error. The 3rd SS began as the "Totenkopfverbande" they were the camp guards before the war! After the Polish and French campaigns they were re-organised into the Totenkopf division. The original members and leaders of the organisation Todt were all involved in the German camp system, not as Herr Timm suggests "elite soldiers from which guards were drawn" but rather camp guards that were formed into a front-line fighting unit!Herr Timm also wants to take small obscure entries in his brothers diaries and contort them into some evil or sinister act! A louse hunt is a louse hunt plain and simple, fodder for my MG is just an expression of the daily exposure to the horrors of front-line service. Herr Timm is searching so hard, it seems also hoping to find some act of brutality or inhumanity that he might link to his brother as to justify the feeling he has inside of himself! This book is a waste of time if you are seeking 1st hand accounts of the war, but if you want to read of the guilt placed on the German people and the effects of defeat on a family and country, it might be of some helpful insight.

history, memory, guilt.......2006-01-09

This is less an account of Uwe Timm's brother's life and death in the SS -- though it is that -- than it is a reflection on memory and history, specifically on what they mean in postwar Germany. Timm's brother's diary, kept against regulations ("it ought not to exist," Timm writes), is brief and ambiguous. And in those ambiguities lie the greatest turmoil and conflict, with no real answers. What did the brother mean when he referred to a "big louse hunt"? Clearly, he was involved in criminal activities ("plenty of loot!"), and clearly, he was coarsened by the war ("fodder for my MG"). But was he involved in atrocities? Did he murder civilians? Those are the questions that Timm can't answer with any certainty. They point to the doubt and guilt of an entire people, a people who still struggle to come to terms with the war. Sixty years: still no answers, still no resolution.

great book.......2005-10-27

I was born and raised in Germany. Even though my parents were born after the war and both my grandfathers were dead by the time I started asking questions I can still relate very well to the unease when it comes to talking about WWII.

Where I grew up we had a neighbour whom I only knew as a mild mannered older guy, who loved us kids, would give us sweets and let us play in the big old trees in his garden. At one point I discovered that he was a member of the SS in WWII and had fought somewhere in Russia. He had no family. When he was in his eighties, he started opening up to a few people in the neighbourhood, among them my family. He would talk about the war, his comrades and generally the hard life they lived. He would always start crying. He would never mention fighting, killing civilians and all the other things he most likely saw and did. We all knew about those things, but we also felt sorry for the old guy and nobody pressed questions. He was a neighbour, not close family after all.

Timm's book perfectly captures the conflict of the - very normal - desire to love and admire a brother (father, uncle, grandfather, neighbour) while at the same time knowing that that person must have consciously participated in something unspeakably atrocious.

Obviously there is no easy solution and that conflict is one that generations of Germans had to deal with after the war. It is impossible to excuse what happened, but it is equally impossible to condemn all these people around you who all might have participated to various degrees, and be it just by keeping silent.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books