No comments about Evidence Not Seen (Library.

No comments about Martin Luther King, Jr: Young Man With a Dream, Library Edition (Ready Reader).

No comments about Cricket (BBC Radio Collection).

No comments about The Autobiography of Santa Claus, Its Better to Give.

No comments about Albert Einstein: Young Thinker, Library Edition (Ready Reader).

5 comments about Kato Kaelin: The Whole Truth.

1. This was a surprisingly interesting book. Even a person who followed the trial daily and read many of the books that were later written by the principle figures in the case will find this interesting. Only Kato was in the unique position to understand both sides. Kato lived in Nicole's guest house for 12 months and O.J.'s guest house for over 5 months. He got to know both Nicole, and later O.J., well. Many have put down Kaelin for not paying a lot in rent but Kato was the type of guy that people wanted around. He made people laugh and made friends easily.
   
   This book presents information that only Kato was a part of so therefore leaves out many of the other facts that can only be obtained by reading a comprehensive book such as the one by Jeffry Toobin or the many other authors who have written about this case. But the many other books leave out Kato's angle and focus only on the observations of other insiders such as the Sheila Weller book, "Raging Heart", which also was very interesting. The only investigation details that are written about here are what Kato was aware of such as his discussion with the 4 detectives early in the morning and having them inspect his shoes. It seems that early on, Kato was a suspect and it is not clear when they figured he did not have a part in the murders. It is very fortunate for Kato to have been talking on the phone that night to his friend or he would not have had an alibi.
   
   The one thing this book lacked was a diagram of Nicole's condo and O.J.'s property. There are no photos at all in this book. They are not needed, although an overhead view of the two properties would have helped.



2. This book lacks an index and photographs, but is not a work of fiction. It came from the recorded interviews with Brian "Kato" Kaelin. The author says you don't know all the facts if all you know came from the trial testimony. The O. J. Simpson murder case was one of the most publicized trials. Why was America so obsessed with an aging sports star? Schadenfreude? The author contrasts the definition of "crime" as class-based (p.8). It is rare for a suspect of a crime to be both rich and famous. Kato lives with both victim and accused, and was related to neither. The collaboration began in the fall of 1994. There were many conflicts over this work (pp.26-27). Eliot contrasts Kato's testimony to his comments (pp.30-31). Chapter 1 has Marc Eliot's observations; this book was written to set the record straight (p.52).
   
   Chapter 2 implies Kato became a guest of OJ so Kato could serve as a communications link to Nicole (p.60). [A seeming mistake on page 61: "a bedroom about 25 square feet"!] OJ had played golf with President Clinton that spring (p.66). Eliot mentions "the IRS" but doesn't know what that meant in this case (p.74). He does explain how a charity function can enrich an individual (p.74). The rest of this chapter has Kato's story of the events that June. There was blood spots inside the house after the police arrived (p.108)! Kato's friends at first thought he was the unidentified male victim (pp.113-114). Robert Shapiro obtained the services of Michael Baden, Henry Lee, and F. Lee Bailey (p.122). The record of Kato's interrogation had "a number of small, but consistent errors" (p.134). Kato was questioned and threatened for the Grand Jury (pp.135-140). Marcia Clark treated Kato as a suspect and defendant (p.141)! They wanted Kato jailed for contempt to prevent him from meeting OJ's defense lawyers (pp.141-142). Kato testified to the Grand Jury. Next week the Grand Jury was "suddenly and unexpectedly dissolved" (p.146). Did they refuse to indict for murder? Kato suffered from media scrutiny and this invasion of privacy (p.148). He was now a celebrity who gave autographs, and was invited to private parties (p.156).
   
   Chapter 3 tells of Kato's early life. He was born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The "Kato" name came from the TV series "The Green Hornet" and stuck (p.162). Kato was a good athlete (baseball, football), and also joined the high school musical plays. Kato enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, and had a weekly variety show on school TV and a radio show (pp.163-164). After 2 years of college Kato moved to California. This chapter tells of his life before June 1994. Kato met Nicole in Aspen Colorado (p.174); Kato's friend was close to Nicole (p.176). This led to Kato's stay with Nicole as her houseguest during 1993 (p.178).
   
   Chapter 4 covers January 1993 to January 1994. Nicole was obsessed with Kato's friend (p.186); their break-up brought Nicole and Kato closer together (p.188). OJ first paid $25,000 a month in child support, then reduced it to $10,000. Nicole spent every dollar (p.194). Their life is described (pp.195-198). OJ talked about moving to Florida (p.219). Chapter 5 starts when Kato moved in as a guest of OJ for free room and board. The author tells about life with OJ (pp.237-239). The Ashford gate could be opened from the outside. There are personal revelations (pp.241-243). OJ said "some KKK group" was out to get him, he had been warned by some detective friends (p.244). Nicole would sometimes spend the night with OJ (p.245), and OJ would occasionally spend the night with Nicole (p.247). There were plenty of groupies in OJ's life (p.249). Nicole had her share of boyfriends (p.250). Page 252 tells of OJ's maid, page 255 tells of Arnelle and Jason. There is a significance for Nicole in lit candles (p.256). Pages 258-259 tell of one social evening.
   
   Chapter 6 tells of Kato's new found fame (p.265). He was famous and sought after until he testified (pp.265-268). This book ends in the spring of 1995. Was Kato's popularity the equivalent of "junk food" (p.269)? This story is necessarily one-sided. This easy reading book shows the literary skills of Marc Eliot.



3. In this outstanding book, Marc Eliot reveals Kato reasons for lying for self-aggrandizement. Kato, effectively an OJ syncophant and moral eunuch betrays Nicole, letting her die by his lack of coming forward. Had Kaelin gone to the Police with his knowledge of Simpson's rages he would have prevented the crime of the century.
   Kato's desire for publicity wrote her epitaph.



4. Obviously it sheds new light.
   
   A comment on the open interview here though,
   
   "But her actions certainly weren't punishable by death."
   
   Not according to the Bible and the countless millions of Christians and angels who believe it.



5. 
   Poor Marcia Clark. She was outgunned by an expensive legal team and undermined by LAPD's star detective. Now we see how she was stonewalled by what could have been a star witness. The trial dialog supplied by Eliot shows that she knew that Kato had answers, but, Kato's sympathetic character and surfer dude image helped him dodge questions with banal non-testimony.
   
   In the early hours of investigation while Kato was being treated as a suspect could he have been given immunity? If so, would he have opened up on the stand? He'd have a harder time lying about the book and his observations of OJ's jealousy.
   
   Kato seems to have neither empathy nor moral compass. He tells Nicole, who's neediness is obvious, she's his friend whom he'll do anything for, but as soon as he has the opportunity to trade up to OJ, he jumps at the chance. Kato believes OJ did it, and thinks there may have been an accomplice. He clearly has no sense of justice, and has not come through for Nicole.
   
   What struck me, more than the psycho games of Nicole and OJ, was the emptiness of their lives. Both are so lonely that they need a house guest like Kato to fill their void. Nicole is obviously looking for love, and OJ's obsession is probably the best substitute for it she can find. Her family, all working for OJ, is in the background of this book, and probably of her life as well. OJ has everything, but seems to know that he has nothing. He seems to need an admiring Kato hanging around, and besides, it upsets Nicole.
   
   For the 17 hours of tape, and the lengthy legal record, I expected more. It may not be the author's fault. This may be all there is.

No comments about C.S. Lewis: Memories and Reflections, Library Edition.

No comments about Bad Blood.

5 comments about Psychic Warrior: Inside the Cia's Stargate Program : The True Story of a Soldier's Espionage and Awakening.

1. I bought this for my husband for Christmas. He started the book and within a couple of days he was finished and concluded by saying YOU'VE GOTTA READ THIS ! Which he rarely recommends anything.



2. This book is a waste of time, because all non-practical stories, and lack of facts. Very tiring reading.



3. Very disappointing. The story of the actual work he did as a remote viewer was fascinating. The rest is dreck and casts doubt on the credibility of everything he writes.
   
   He plays the victim card with the Army, acting surprised that his superiors didn't want him to publicize details about his highly classified duties.
   
   The reader is left to wonder how much of his experience he distorts or omits. For example, he conveniently forgets to mention his apparently romantic relationship with a subordinate until it comes up in the investigation the Army conducts against him, then tries to justify it.
   
   He also is inconsistent. He writes about how unhappy he was in his assignment after Stargate, then about how he curses at the person who calls him out of the blue to offer him a job back at Stargate.
   
   He comes across as an undisciplined narcissist who sacrifices his career and family life for his own selfish gain. It is evident why he is an outcast in the military's remote viewing community.



4. I found the part about David's injured brain could actually benefit himself, atleast spiritually, crazy! it just makes you question what reality is. the only thing i wish this book had more of is how to do remote viewing and simply more RV sessions describing other worlds etc..



5. The author is good at circling around, will take you forever to get to the point, lengthy read, and waste of time. No practical facts.

5 comments about Like Mother, Like Daughter.

1. If there is one thing,but there were many,that I got from this book is that the Love of food and dining my mother has shared with me is healthy. For the rest of the women who are in the a constant state of "diet" Ms. Waterhouse explains that you need only trust you own body to find its balance. Very Zen



2. Having spent 14 of the 20 years of my life dieting, starving, compulsively eating, and purging, this book opened my eyes as to where it all stemmed from... My mother's own battles with weight and her fear of me growing up to be like her. This book brings to light shocking information on the damaging effects of dieting, gives supportive advice on changing dieting habits as a team with your mother or daughter, and stresses the importance of eliminating guilt and blame from the mother/daughter relationship. A wonderful book for either/both a mother and daughter.



3. Very insightful and helped me to realize things I didn't kno



4. This book is incredibly insightful. It describes how well-meaning dieting mothers can pass down weight and food problems to their daughters. More importantly it offers practical solutions on how to break the dieting cycle and prevent passing it on to your kids.



5. This book has eye-opening information, especially for women who are either chronic dieters or whose mothers were. My mother wasn't a dieter -- just a tremendously successful overeater. I found that this book has less information for overeaters than it does for people who continuously "diet". It is still a fabulous book, though -- I wish every mother in America would read it!