Yokohama Burning: The Deadly 1923 Earthquake and Fire that Helped Forge the Path to World War II

Book Description

Yokohama Burning is the story of the worst natural disaster of the twentieth century: the earthquakes, fires, and tsunamis of September 1923 that destroyed Yokohama and most of Tokyo and killed 140,000 people during two days of horror.

With cinematic vividness and from multiple perspectives, acclaimed Newsweek correspondent Joshua Hammer re-creates harrowing scenes of death, escape, and rescue. He also places the tumultuous events in the context of history and demonstrates how they set Japan on a path to even greater tragedy.

At two minutes to noon on Saturday, September 1, 1923, life in the two cities was humming along at its usual pace. An international merchant fleet, an early harbinger of globalization, floated in Yokohama harbor and loaded tea and silk on the docks. More than three thousand rickshaws worked the streets of the port. Diplomats, sailors, spies, traders, and other expatriates lunched at the Grand Hotel on Yokohama's Bund and prowled the dockside quarter known as Bloodtown. Eighteen miles north, in Tokyo, the young Prince Regent, Hirohito, was meeting in his palace with his advisers, and the noted American anthropologist Frederick Starr was hard at work in his hotel room on a book about Mount Fuji. Then, in a mighty shake of the earth, the world as they knew it ended.

When the temblor struck, poorly constructed buildings fell instantly, crushing to death thousands of people or pinning them in the wreckage. Minutes later, a great wall of water washed over coastal resort towns, inundating people without warning. Chemicals exploded, charcoal braziers overturned, neighborhoods of flimsy wooden houses went up in flames. With water mains broken, fire brigades could only look on helplessly as the inferno spread.

Joshua Hammer searched diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts and conducted interviews with nonagenarian survivors to piece together a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe. But the author offers more than a disaster narrative. He details the emerging study of seismology, the nascent wireless communications network that alerted the world, and the massive, American-led relief effort that seemed to promise a bright new era in U.S.-Japanese relations.

Hammer shows that the calamity led in fact to a hardening of racist attitudes in both Japan and the United States, and drove Japan, then a fledgling democracy, into the hands of radical militarists with imperial ambitions. He argues persuasively that the forces that ripped through the archipelago on September 1, 1923, would reverberate, traumatically, for decades to come.

Yokohama Burning, a story of national tragedy and individual heroism, combines a dramatic narrative and historical perspective that will linger with the reader for a long time.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting if Incomplet Account of a Little Known Event.......2007-08-05

The author relates the events of the deadly 1923 earthquake centered on Yokohama and extending to Tokyo primarily through the eyes of the American colony in Yokohama, particularly the US Navy attache, and American rescue attempts following the disaster. These accounts are intersperced with Japanese newspaper stories of the earthquake and the aftermath, but there is little attempt to rely on accounts of Japanese citizens to this tragedy. Hammer brings in the turning of the Japanese on the Korean minority and attempts to suggest the event and America's part, though primarily a rescue operation, was a contributing factor in strengthening the rise of the militarists in Japan. This seems overdone inasmuch as there is little attempt to probe deeper into the complex reasons that Japanese foreign policy evolved during the 1920s and 1930s into the expansionis forays into China and, eventually, against the United States. An interesting, but more or less of a sampling, of Japan during a formative period.

Problematic, to say the least.......2007-07-06

YOKOHAMA BURNING is a fine disaster yarn in the same tradition of ISAAC'S STORM or THE GREAT DELUGE. However, as a work of history, especially Japanese history, the book's promotional materials are deceptive. YOKOHAMA BURNING deals primarily with the experiences of foreigners during the Yokohama earthquake...an interesting topic, certainly, but the book almost entirely ignores the Japanese, who clearly made up the majority of the victims. As a reader, I questioned whether the author spoke Japanese or had done any research into Japanese sources.
Moreover, the book's claim that this event leads to Japan's militarism is both facecious and unproven. Again, perhaps if the author had done more work with the experience of the Japanese citizenry he might have been able to construct this point.
So, what are we left with? If you like disaster tales then this book is fine(thus the two star rating instead of one). However, anyone looking for a serious and engaging work of history will be sorely disappointed. If you are interested in this topic I suggest Edward Sidensticker's TOKYO RISING, an entertaining, informative and comprehensive examination of the earthquake and the times which followed it (In fact, this book quotes Sidensticker...and made me wonder why, if the author read TOKYO RISING, he still wrote this work).
In short, a great disappointment.

A Forerunner For The Near Future?.......2007-05-04

Tying together the declining hopes for democracy in Japan after the hub of foreigners in Yokohama was wiped out by the earthquake amid the eruption of social violence against Koreans by government sanctioned vigilantes, Hammer makes an intriguing historical argument. A lack of follow through on evidence of related change combined with a flawed narrative that focuses entirely too much on the foreigners, especially relatively obscure ones, rather than the Japanese themselves, sinks the book at times.
Hammer spends ample time on the amazing relief effort mounted by America (primarily) to respond to the disaster, including the mobilizing of the Asiatic Fleet to sail into Japanese waters with abundant relief supplies and an open hand of friendship to the Japanese people, yet only in passing explains the hostility among many Americans towards Japan from before the quake and certainly after the false media reports claiming Japanese arrogance in the face of the unprecedented relief effort. Nevertheless, its a richly detailed and fascinating read about a disaster that may be a forerunner for the caliber of devastation to be seen in seismic risk sectors like Caracas, Venezuela and Tehran, Iran, to say nothing of dozens of other supercities horizontally spread far and wide with slums packed with millions of teeming masses.

Been there.......2007-01-10

My husband and family used to live in Yokahama and they loved the book.

Average customer rating:

.Hagberg
Superb thriller!!!
Torn from the pages of current events
Osama bin Laden with No Comma bin Used
Too close to reality.

Joshua's Hammer (McGarvey)
David Hagberg
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765357437

Amazon.com

When Saudi zillionaire Osama bin Laden speaks, Allen Trumble, CIA chief of station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, listens. When bin Laden breaks the news that he's the proud owner of a Russian-made, suitcase-sized nuclear device and wonders if there might not be someone else higher up that he might speak to, the call goes out to Kirk McGarvey, deputy director of operations. A call also goes out to some very bad men who, upon the Trumble family's return to the States, slaughter the lot of them in, of all places, a Disney World parking lot.

The administration, never bin Laden boosters, thinks even less of him after the Disney World hit, but the man does have a bomb, so off McGarvey goes to Afghanistan for a face-to-face and a look-see. Once McGarvey's in situ--and after bin Laden surgically removes a homing device from his body--the president becomes convinced that McGarvey's been killed and orders a retaliatory strike. It misses bin Laden but hits and kills his beloved 19 year-old-daughter, Sarah.

This time, as they say, it's personal, and bin Laden knows just what to do with his bomb. Detonate the little bugger below the Golden Gate Bridge just as President Haynes's Down's syndrome-afflicted daughter is passing above. Tick, tick, tick, tick.

And so goes Joshua's Hammer, David Hagberg's umpteenth thriller and the eighth entry (after 1999's White House) in his popular Kirk McGarvey adventure series. The premise is less than original, but fans of Clancyesque techno-thrillers won't necessarily be disappointed. The book moves well despite Hagberg's off-the-rack prose and characterizations, and, if the reader can navigate the babble-strewn home stretch, delivers a none-too-surprising yet satisfying finish. --Michael Hudson

Book Description

When a one-kiloton Russian nuclear demolition bomb the size of a suitcase ends up in the hands of multimillionaire Osama bin Laden, the entire world sits up and takes notice. And when the United States launches an attack on the terrorist's base of operation in Afghanistan, killing his daughter, retaliation against America is inevitable.

Now, Kirk McGarvey is in for the race of his life, and a race against time. McGarvey has to find out how the bomb will get to the United States, where it will be detonated, and when this, the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, will take place. But not only must McGarvey stop the bomb, he must protect his own daughter and the daughter of the president of the United States for a savage act of retaliation by a man gone mad.

Customer Reviews:

.Hagberg.......2007-03-18

I had purchased the latest Hagberg novel in a bookstore. He wasn't an autor I had read before, but looked interesting. I really enjoyed the book and decided to get a few more. This was the best route and the service was great.

Superb thriller!!!.......2004-12-14

This is one of those books that once you start reading, you cannot put it down. Superb thriller about Bin Laden trying to blow up the famous San Francisco bridge as revenge for his daughter's death. The characters are excellent, story just flows chapter after chapter. Writing is excellent, as always by David Hagberg. One of his best and worth the money.

Torn from the pages of current events.......2003-02-10

4 and 1/2 stars - Although written before September 11th, the storyline for Joshua's Hammer takes on new meaning in the wake of the horrific events of that day. The story itself takes Kirk McGarvey, former CIA assassin and currently among the top men in the CIA, back out into the field to negotiate with Osama bin Laden. Events quickly spin out of control and McGarvey finds himself fighting for the safety of his family, the President's family and millions of Americans. At the same time, McGarvey must thwart bin Laden's plan to set off a tactical nuclear device in San Francisco. McGarvey portrays a cool, confident, cerebral agent, yet also displays emotion sufficient to indicate that more than ice water runs through his veins. The story moved along at a fast pace, with a plethora of action and suspense. This was the second of Hagberg's book that I have read. I will clearly be going back for more.

Osama bin Laden with No Comma bin Used.......2002-10-11

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., ýJoshuaýs Hammerý showed up frequently on my Amazon list of recommendations. Being a fan of the international suspense/thriller genre anyway, I was particularly interested in reading this book due to its obvious connection to recent all-too-real life events. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst books Iýve ever read, not because the story wasnýt compelling or the characterizations werenýt believable, but because the author butchered the English language to an extent Iýve never seen in a mass-market paperback. And whatýs worse, apparently no one cared enough to edit it since there are glaring mistakes throughout.

If itýs not bad enough to pepper a book with comma-spliced sentences followed by run-on sentences and even more coma-spliced sentences, try throwing in a good dose of misspelled words that even the most basic computer spell checker would catch if given a chance. Then, just for fun, frequently misuse other words (like ýworseý when you should use ýworst,ý for example). The end result is a book that any author or publisher should be ashamed of, and which any reader with an ounce of intelligence should be offended by. The decision was obviously made by somebody, somewhere, that readers would buy the book, even if the writing style was worse than that of an average 7th grader.

Reading this book is like listening to a seemingly endless raw recording by a tone-deaf singer who has no rhythm ý the song might actually have beautiful lyrics, but you donýt notice because youýre too busy thinking about how youýd rather scratch your fingernails on a chalkboard than to keep listening to such a bad performance.

To be fair, the author does a decent job of developing an intriguing plot, which is the only reason I was able to finish the book. However, for me, the complete disregard for the English language by the author and editors (if there were any) ruined the book. I'll not be reading any David Hagberg novels in the future.

Too close to reality........2002-02-17

I had not read a military thriller by Hagberg before this novel; but when I read the blurb on the back cover in the store, I quickly bought it. In light of the events of 9/11, this book borders on fiction/non-fiction in a big way! The character of bin Laden really stands out and gives you a picture of the man behind the monster. Since Hagberg wrote this a year or so ago, it really is a scary premonition of a terrorist's plans to destroy the U.S.A. I found the story fascinating and literally ripped through the pages. If there is to be a sequel to this book, I pray it does NOT become reality as JOSHUA'S HAMMER is too close to reality for comfort.

A Season in Bethlehem : Unholy War in a Sacred Place

Average customer rating:

Seasons to Remember
A Daring Journey...
Biased and inaccurate
Shows how thugs can get sanctuary in churches
An excellent book

A Season in Bethlehem : Unholy War in a Sacred Place
Joshua Hammer
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Newsweek's Jerusalem bureau chief Joshua Hammer arrived in the West Bank in October 2000 -- just after Ariel Sharon made his inflammatory visit to the Haram al-Sharif, otherwise known as the Temple Mount. Sharon's trip ignited the worst violence the Middle East had seen in decades. Overnight, the peace process gave way to an ever-worsening cycle of attack, revenge, and retaliation, destabilizing the entire region, killing thousands, and culminating in Israel's reoccupation of Palestinian towns in 2002.

A Season in Bethlehem is the story of one West Bank town's two-year disintegration, as witnessed by a reporter who was there from the beginning. Woven together from Hammer's own firsthand reportage plus hundreds of interviews, it follows a dozen characters whose lives collided on the streets of this biblical city. They include a Bedouin tribesman who rose to become the commander of Bethlehem's most feared and brutal gang of gunmen; the beleaguered governor, an opponent of the al-Aqsa intifada, who believed he had a mandate to stop the violence, only to discover that Yasser Arafat was undermining him; a Christian businesman who watched helplessly as his community was squeezed between Muslim militants and the Israeli army; an eighteen-year-old female honors student turned suicide bomber; and an Israeli reservist, son of a leader of the Peace Now movement, who wrestled with his left-wing convictions as he rode to battle through the predawn streets.

The narrative reaches a climax with a moment-by-moment recreation of the epochal drama that drew many of these characters together: the thirty-nine-day siege of the Church of the Nativity. A clear-eyed chronicle of deepening chaos and violence, in which Hammer lets the opposing sides speak for themselves, A Season in Bethlehem is both a timely and timeless look at how longstanding religious and political tensions finally boiled over in a place of profound resonance: the birthplace of Jesus.

Download Description

"Newsweek's Jerusalem bureau chief Joshua Hammer arrived in the West Bank in October 2000 -- just after Ariel Sharon made his inflammatory visit to the Haram al-Sharif, otherwise known as the Temple Mount. Sharon's trip ignited the worst violence the Middle East had seen in decades. Overnight, the peace process gave way to an ever-worsening cycle of attack, revenge, and retaliation, destabilizing the entire region, killing thousands, and culminating in Israel's reoccupation of Palestinian towns in 2002. A Season in Bethlehem is the story of one West Bank town's two-year disintegration, as witnessed by a reporter who was there from the beginning. Woven together from Hammer's own firsthand reportage plus hundreds of interviews, it follows a dozen characters whose lives collided on the streets of this biblical city. They include a Bedouin tribesman who rose to become the commander of Bethlehem's most feared and brutal gang of gunmen; the beleaguered governor, an opponent of the al-Aqsa intifada, who believed he had a mandate to stop the violence, only to discover that Yasser Arafat was undermining him; a Christian businesman who watched helplessly as his community was squeezed between Muslim militants and the Israeli army; an eighteen-year-old female honors student turned suicide bomber; and an Israeli reservist, son of a leader of the Peace Now movement, who wrestled with his left-wing convictions as he rode to battle through the predawn streets. The narrative reaches a climax with a moment-by-moment recreation of the epochal drama that drew many of these characters together: the thirty-nine-day siege of the Church of the Nativity. A clear-eyed chronicle of deepening chaos and violence, in which Hammer lets the opposing sides speak for themselves, A Season in Bethlehem is both a timely and timeless look at how longstanding religious and political tensions finally boiled over in a place of profound resonance: the birthplace of Jesus. "

Customer Reviews:

Seasons to Remember .......2005-06-03

This is thought provoking, courageous journalism! This is a great read, thoughtful, powerful imagery allows reader to make sense of insensibilities, and also makes it difficult to take sides. I saw no signs of favoritism to any involved parties, just a fact filled, well researched account of 40 or so days in what one would have to describe as a crucible. This is difficult to tackle subject matter, thankfully Mr. Hammer had the sense and fortitude to endanger himself and his loved ones in an effort to tell a story that had to be told, and, hopefully, more widely read. I cannot help but to compare Mr. Hammer to Ernie Pyle and his home-spun, natural ability to accurately describe war in its own urgent undertones, making the reader sense the palpable tension that must exist there to this day. I would highly recommend this to anyone trying to understand the nature and history of this conflict, or to university students involved in Mid-eastern studies. ab/

A Daring Journey..........2005-05-19

Joshua Hammer goes to a place where most of us would never dare. "A Season in Bethlehem" is an intricately woven passage that takes the reader on an emotional journey delving into the minds, bodies and souls of its characters. Hammer writes, "This is a part of the world where every square foot of land is invested with deep meaning." And it's on that note where the book begins its quest to find reason for the violence and destruction that has brought so much suffering to the people living in the region today.

Unlike most articles and material I have read on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, this book brings to the forefront some insight into why and how the chaos exists. The author makes a bold choice to humanize almost every character in this book, whether one considers them good or evil. But it's that choice that makes this book unique, it allows the human story from all sides to unfold. And for some that's a place where most people would rather not go. But if there is ever going to be change, it's a place where we have to go...

Biased and inaccurate.......2005-03-14

A Season in Bethlehem : Unholy War in a Sacred Place is a biased and highly inaccurate book.

Not much more to say.

Shows how thugs can get sanctuary in churches.......2005-02-04

This looks like sober reporting. After all, it states that "Israel invaded" Bethlehem "on April 2, 2002, and besieged the Church of the Nativity." What could be more objective and unbiased?

Well, just about anything would have been more objective. After all, the problem wasn't the Israeli soldiers. It was a gang of Arab terrorists who, um, invaded the Church of the Nativity in order to try to get away with their crimes.

Still, I did have an obvious question. Just how complicit were the Christians with the Arab terrorists? Were they hostages? If they were, I would have hoped that the Vatican would have complained more loudly about it. Or were they siding with the thugs?

Hammer explains that the Christians offered the Arabs "sanctuary" in the church. And that the terrorists could keep their guns. It's nifty how the author thinks he can excuse everyone. The terrorists were just trying to find well-earned sanctuary. And the Church can't be blamed for supporting the Human Rights of all thugs!

Well, I think such a whitewash has the opposite effect. I know some very decent Arab Christians. But when I see stuff like this, it makes it difficult for me to sympathize with them. I know that many people have been pressured into siding with (or at least tolerating) the thugs. But there is no excuse for open support of terror.

As a minimum, every reputable Christian leader should have unambiguously denounced the takeover of the Church of the Nativity and should have supported Israeli efforts to arrest the terrorists and bring them to justice. But instead, the author tries to explain that such an idea was impossible, given the untrustworthiness of the Israelis. And he blames Israel for allowing Jews to live in the West Bank at all!

I happen to think that the Israelis were quite trustworthy. But such an issue was separate from the fact that thugs were occupying the Church of the Nativity. Would we have been so slow to denounce an occupation of the Kaaba by Christian terrorists?

I do not recommend this book. Its bias is so great that it is hard to trust what it says anyway.

An excellent book.......2004-06-28

This is an enjoyable and fascinating work spotlighting the human side of a well-known incident.

Average customer rating:

Interesting and sometimes moving story of two brothers
His brother's Journey to Hasidic Judaism
No condemnation -- just honesty
Everyone is on a journey
Brotherly love is more powerful than religion

Chosen By God: A Brother's Journey
Joshua Hammer
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786886013

Book Description

Josh never conceived that Tony would end up in an arranged marriage and devoting his life to the Torah in a closed, cloistered world in which outsiders were not welcome. As Josh follows his brothers metamorphic path he grows to better understand his brother, as well as the most frightening and exotic territory for a foreign correspondent: his own family (Dani Shapiro).

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and sometimes moving story of two brothers.......2002-05-17

Like most books written about a family member, this book in the end is at least as much about the author than his brother. While discovering his estranged brother's newly religious life, the author inadvertently (advertently?) really tells you a bunch about himself. And he does not come across as a particularly nice guy, at least as a younger man. As someone else mentions, the first half the book is inferior to the second, full of his whining.
Another intersting facet is how rarely the authors of such books relfect on their own lives. The author's father comes across as rigid and intolerant (typical of those on the left who preach tolerance for everything but are intolerant for those who disagree with them), a sometimes financial and marital failure. The author comes across at times as selfish and self-absorbed, lacking any roots of his own. Only the mother seems to be a decent person where her children are involved. In the end, who has the better life - Tuvia or Joshua or Joshua's father?

His brother's Journey to Hasidic Judaism.......2001-12-07

Hammer's book felt like a letter to a friend, describing in detail his cross section of feelings toward his brother's dramatic changes into the extreme world of Hasidic Judaism. Hammer's emotions change throughout the book - confusion, anger, amazement, and to a lesser degree, understanding. The distance between the brothers also seemed due to the religious brother's poor social skills and identity that had nothing to do with religious observant. Although this wasn't a "wow" book, it was a very touching story.

No condemnation -- just honesty.......2001-06-19

Having walked at least part of Hammer's brother's journey into Orthodox Judaism, I wasn't sure what to expect from "Chosen by God," but was braced for scathing "objective" journalistic condemnation of the religious and particularly Chassidic lifestyle. Surprisingly, though, there was none of that here. Instead, this book tells the heartfelt story of Hammer's quest to understand not only his brother but his own Jewish spiritual leanings.

There are no cheap epiphanies in this book: Hammer doesn't come away a "convert", and neither can he bring his brother Tuvia back from the edge of extremism where even his wife Ahuvah feels he may get hurt. Rather, they find common ground: with hard work and compromise on both sides, they manage to cultivate a vocabulary that bridges their two very different worlds.

Neither brother, it becomes clear through Hammer's sensitive narrative, is "right" -- but they manage to speak to each other with love and come to respect each other's journeys.

A book like this will certainly have many fans among those who seek to denigrate "ultra-Orthodox" Judaism -- it is scathingly honest about the poverty and even criminal activity of a few of its adherents. But if that's all you're looking for, you will hate this book for its honest, truthful portrayal of the beauty and excitement of traditional Jewish spirituality.

Though Hammer initially suspected he'd lost his brother to a cult, he comes away from his journey accepting that this IS who his brother was all along: an extremist, perhaps, but one for whom Judaism is a good fit after all. The conclusions of this book aren't the usual trite condemnations of one lifestyle or another, but they are satisfying and real, which makes this book's contribution truly meaningful, rather than merely sensationalistic.

Everyone is on a journey.......2001-05-09

This was an educating book regarding the journey of one brother into spiritual enlightenment while the older brother made a journey to human understanding. While we may not all agree that Fundamentalism (regardless of whether it is Jewish, Christian, or Islamic) is the answer, this book may help each of us to understand our relatives and friends that take that road. Worth the read, although the author is a little too close to some of the subject matter to be completely objective.

Brotherly love is more powerful than religion.......2000-11-21

This book is a testiment to the power of brotherly love and acceptance. Josh Hammer has opened his eyes and heart to the transformation of his younger brother, Tony, from a directionless, lost soul to a devoted Hasidic Jew. Josh's apparent objectivity is never far removed from his personal feelings. He struggles with learning much about himself as he struggles to understand his brother and the life Tony has chosen sequestered in a world of faith and devotion to G-d. While not universal to all Baalei T'shuva (Returners to the faith), the book does give a realistic portrayal of the difficulties of the family in dealing Tony's transformation.

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The Bandersnatch: The Absurd
Noble and Nutty Individuals
Manufacturer: Bandersnatch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback

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ASIN: 0978780809
Release Date: 2006-10-29

Product Description

Behold: The Bandersnatch. This new literary anthology, comprised of student work, gives voice to writers who might otherwise go unheard. Encouraging and favoring experimental methods of creativity, The Bandersnatch unifies the body of work through a theme. This abstract theme allows writers the freedom to interpret as they may, yet construct a new community of thought. The theme for the first fabulous issue of The Bandersnatch is. . .The Absurd.

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Gerry!: A Woman Making History
Rosemary Breslin , and Joshua Hammer
Manufacturer: Pinnacle Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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JOSHUA'S HAMMER
DAVID HAGBERG
Manufacturer: Forge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTWF1Y

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Joshua's Hammer
David Hagberg
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXUMJI

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Joshua's Hammer
David Hagberg
Manufacturer: Forge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OFTJBW

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Joshua's Hammer
David Hagberg
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NZW3UM

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This roller coaster ride is fun and entertaining

Silver Creek Secret is no longer a well- kept secret!

From chocolate chip corn bread to a mysterious journey
The Silver Creek Secret
Christopher Doyle
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1410707148

Book Description

Thirteen-year-old Kurt is transported to a mythical Old West town where he searches for his grandparents' little boy who disappeared fifty years ago. But first, he must cross the forbidden mountains and remember his own mysterious past.

Customer Reviews:

This roller coaster ride is fun and entertaining.......2004-07-20

On Kurt’s thirteenth birthday he beat his record time in climbing Mount Catawalla and took a little rest at the top. But when we wakes up, we is no longer overlooking the Milky Way Amusement Park, but rather a very flat desert with mountains in the distance. He can see a few buildings not too far away and soon stumbles into the town where things are not quite what they seem and neither is he.

The townspeople, a handful of adults and a bunch of kids, seem to think he is Roy Sharp, returned from whence he vanished to years before. Vanished into thin air while riding his donkey. Kurt finds all of it vaguely familiar, and he should, for his Grandfather’s stories of the old west revolved around these very people and the town of Silver Creek. But Silver Creek is not what old Pa’s stories made it out to be. This Silver Creek is dried up. The kids don’t know what fun is and the adults can’t seem to remember things. Something just isn’t right in this town where the children never grow older and the adults are never thirsty.

Kurt pieces together the puzzling circumstances around him and realizes that he must escape this place in order to find his way back home. The mountains seem to hold the answers he seeks. Will he make it back to his own life? Will the other kids do the same?

Christopher Doyle has created a mirage in the desert that is full of mystery and secrets. With a captivating plot and truly interesting characters, he grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go until the end of the tale. This roller coaster ride is fun and entertaining, keeping the reader guessing to the last page. Part of the plot may be a little confusing to some readers but following through will clear things up and bring closure.

Review by Heather Froeschl of BookReview.com.

Silver Creek Secret is no longer a well- kept secret!.......2004-06-15

The Silver Creek Secret is no longer a well-kept secret! Fouth graders and all ages will love this book! Readers can identify with the characters and the story-line. Belief in oneself and something beyond oneself is timeless, no matter the age of the reader. Enjoy! and go bake some chocolate chip corn bread!!

From chocolate chip corn bread to a mysterious journey.......2004-04-04

A very complex and intriguing book. There are many twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book! I guarantee that you will enjoy it.

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