Customer Reviews (6)

Romance novel for men.
The narrator and protagonist of this thoroughly entertaining tale is an American born flim-flam artist who answers to the name Curly.The fast paced narrative has the roguish Curly engaging in a number of scam operations on no less than four continents, while romancing a number of women along the way.But one of these women, the aristocratic British heiress Regina Forbes-Jones, is different than the rest.Her icy exterior hides a passion that only Curly can satisfy.

The Last Match is written using a very smooth, almost conversational style of storytelling that contributes to the book's considerable appeal.Curly's many adventures take him from the French Riviera to the Brazilian jungle and numerous points inbetween.More of a fantasy than an exercise in realism, The Last Match is great escapist fiction.Author David Dodge's good-natured sense of humor makes this book easy to like.

Great Book
I don't understand why people compare this book to other Hard Case Crime offerings.Yes, it's "different" but so are many of their other books.One of the teriffic things Hard Case has done has been to introduce me to some people I was unfamiliar with:Domenic Stansberry, Seymour Shubin, and one or two others.My absolute favorite is David Dodge.Where did this guy come from?I love his writing and how the narrative flows like water, the international flavors to the story, and even the glib but less than honest voice of the protagonist.

Again, a great book by an author deserving to be discovered and cherished.All Hard Case Crime books should be this enjoyable, and most are.There's one guy who they keep publishing that isn't up to snuff (of course not Lawrence Block) and I wish they'd realize it.Other than that, for those who rate the publisher as much as their books, this one makes them shine.

An entertaining and worthwhile read
Hard Case Crime aficionados should rejoice at this new offering --- an unpublished novel by David Dodge, bestselling author of IT TAKES A THIEF. Hard Case also published Dodge's lesser known but equally exciting PLUNDER OF THE SUN in 2005. THE LAST MATCH, written shortly before Dodge's death in 1974, is a bit different from his previous work and, for that matter, from most of the other Hard Case Crime entries. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining and worthwhile read.

THE LAST MATCH takes its title from a con game of the same name, and the novel concerns itself with a layabout con man who seems to have an aversion to honest work. Indeed, the nameless protagonist actually works harder being a crook than he would if he was doing something legitimate. It is doubtful, however, that a public occupation would result in exploits as interesting as those contained in THE LAST MATCH.

When we first encounter our protagonist, he is facing the wrong end of a firearm, being held by a jealous husband; the likable scoundrel is indeed busy, given that at the same time he is employed as the chaste gigolo of a wealthy dowager. It is during this time that he finds himself attracted to a young British noblewoman named Reggie, with resulting fireworks; think TAMING OF THE SHREW, with the issue of who the shrew is being debatable. Our man soon finds himself on the run from Reggie, the authorities and a gangster or two, as he hops from one continent to another, skimming and scamming as he goes.

At times the book has the feel of a series of loosely connected short stories. But just when you think Dodge is becoming predictable, he takes a sudden left turn and everything changes. There is an ending that you really won't see coming and a surprising homage to a scam that is the ancestor to the Bank of Nigeria email drop. Technology may change, but human nature does not.

THE LAST MATCH isn't quite as serious as other Hard Case Crime books, but it's an entertaining addition to the collection by an under-appreciated author who left us too early and with too little.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Fantastic con-artist portrayal
Fans of author David Dodge who were thrilled to see his series character Al Colby back in print with Hard Case Crime's rerelease of Plunder of the Sun are bound to be even more excited to learn that The Last Match, a new, never before published novel and Dodge's last, has been unearthed and is finally available to the public, more than 30 years after it was written.

Dodge, also the author of the novel Alfred Hitchcock used as the basis for To Catch a Thief, used pieces of his life throughout his fiction. A world traveler with his family, he alternated novels fictionalizing his trips around the world with travelogues chronicling the true events. His daughter Kendal Dodge Butler writes in the afterword to The Last Match that "I have such a well-documented childhood that at times I'm not sure whether a thing really happened or it's just something I read in a book." She also believes that Curly, this novel's hero, is simply her father "dreaming of long cons."

But whatever is true and whatever may be recycled from earlier novels (but based on real people), The Last Match is a fine example of Dodge's writing. I didn't particularly enjoy the treasure-hunt aspect of Plunder of the Sun, but the writing was impeccable, and as a fan of long-con stories like The Sting and The Girl with the Long Green Heart (another Hard Case Crime reprint), Dodge's final book was right up my alley. There's not a whole lot in the way of plot; the hero, only known as "Curly" because of his hair, is basically writing a memoir of his time traveling the world pulling cons on unsuspecting marks, and sometimes getting involved with local women.

His adventures take him to many exotic locales, each connected to the last merely by a necessary trip to the next country to escape the authorities of the one he pulled his last job in. He acts as chauffeur to the Honorable (and untouchable) Regina Forbes-Jones in France, and takes charge of a stunningly beautiful (and equally naive) honey-skinned women named Boda while writing suspect letters for Arabs in Tangier. He subsequently hitches a ride in the fire-room of a ship to Peru (after looking out for Boda's future welfare, of course -- he's hardly a cad) where he helps perpetuate a Spanish Prisoner scheme much like the Nigerian scam that permeates e-mail today (and illustrates how old that particular game is). And that's only the first 150 pages or so. On and on Curly goes and it is simply impossible to predict where he'll go or what he'll do next. Often I got the sense that Dodge wasn't even sure, that he was just letting the story go where it took him. This gives The Last Match an immediacy that is equally as fascinating as the story being told.

Which brings me to another reason I liked The Last Match better than Plunder of the Sun: this book displays the easy flow of a writer who is very comfortable behind the typewriter. You don't attempt to chronicle a period in the life of a character in detail unless you are confident in your ability to improvise at the keys. I had the feeling that the other novel was so tightly plotted in order to get the story told efficiently that there was little room for movement, and that comes through Al Colby in his gruff manner. Conversely, The voice of Curly is unforced and very natural. It poured easily off my tongue when I read it out loud to my infant son (yeah, I know, but those board books get tedious after the 37th reading!), even the most complex sentences were easy reading.

Dodge does go a little wrong with the ending of The Last Match in an attempt to give it a climax with some emotional weight, but the rest of this 315-page work (comparatively large for Hard Case Crime, but I'm not complaining) takes the reader on quite a ride. And Curly the life-long confidence artist is not a character I am likely to forget any time soon.

Far from Bunco
I have greatly enjoyed most of the books in the Hard Case Crime series, and even my least favorites are still quite good.This one was really great.Having read Dodge's other HCC book Plunder of the Sun, this was a special treat. Plunder of the Sun was written over 20 years before this book, and although it was good, was fairly restrained as far as language and innuendo went. Not so much with this book, although generally still tame by today's standards.

The story runs the gamut from humorously absurd to very serious.The character wants to try out scam after scam, often getting into trouble or barely escaping it with each attempt. And yet deep down he's a nice guy. It's a bit silly, but it actually works.

The Thirteen Match game is a nice mathematical puzzle (you'll find a variant of it in Kordemsky's book The Moscow Puzzles, as I recall), ultimately employed as a scam. You get a good explanation of it in this book, and it is one of at least a couple of places that play off of the book's title. You'll also find the Spanish Prisoner (the late 1990s movie by that name is quite good also, btw, and deals a bit with the scam, but I digress) con, and if you look closely at the letter in this book (written in 1973, mind you), you'll see remarkable "similarities" to many of the phishing scams going around by e-mail and fax - this is a very old con, and Dodge breaks it down for us beautifully.

The Afterword by his daughter was also enjoyable to read, shedding light on this excellent author who left our domain only a year after this book was written. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

It's the good manual.
I have the two manuals repair on these Dodge pick-ups,
The Chilton and this one, the Haynes. Openely, the Haynes is the best.

Better than nothing, but not by much
#1 word used in this book?"Typical"
#1 phrase used in this book?"Installation is the reverse of removal."

Perhaps I've been spoiled by the Bentley manuals I've picked up for my various Volkswagens over the years.Bentley manuals are so complete that you almost feel if you left the manual in the car over night IT would fix the car.

This book is so vague, its hard to know whether to trust the guidance it gives.There are some things you need specific information on, but this book only gives general instructions, and very little troubleshooting help.Again, its better than flying blind, but it could be much more comprehensive.

Haynes Repair Manual Dodge Pickups 1974 thru 1993
I have been using Haynes repair manuals for years. The information on thetorque specifications for the connecting rod and main bearing caps alongwith all the other information on a complete rebuild is in Chapter 3 PartC.Haynes Repair Manuals are very informative books and are based on acomplete teardown and rebuild.The information is there.

not enough information & very misleading
89 dodge ram 100.Water in the oil.Replaced head gaskets and bearings.The book had no directions about installing rod and mains.No torque specs.Not knowing how to install the bearings because no information was provided, the bearings spun, and it had very very low oil pressure.Thebearings & crankshaft is trashed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Dodge Dynasty
Dodge Dynasty: The Car and the Family That Rocked Detroit

This book is an unknown Gem........I find the history of the Dodge Brothers endlessly fascinating. The story of the birth of Detroit's Auto Industry, the intrigues and power struggles, the incredible eccentric personalities such as the Doge boys, and Henry Ford. They all come together in this well written biography. I'm a lifelong admirer of all things mechanical, especially automobiles and the men that invented them. As far as I am personally concerned, the book "Dodge Dynasty," is surely a five star winner. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 115,000 Dodge M37 pickup trucks were produced between 1951 and 1968. With many still running today, it is the second most popular military collector vehicle, next to Jeep.

This hands-on guide to buying, restoring, repairing and operating an M37 provides practical tips on mechanics, bodywork and painting. More than 200 photos and illustrations provide easy-to-follow instruction.

Locate hard-to-find parts with the completely illustrated 40-page parts catalog. A comprehensive 13-page preventive maintenance guide will help owners keep their M37 trucks running smoothly.

-Hands-on guide to buying, restoring, repairing and operating the Dodge M37 pickup truck -Practical tips on mechanics, bodywork and painting-More than 200 photos and illustrations provide easy-to-follow instruction -Includes a completely illustrated 40-page parts catalog of hard-to-find parts ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

dodge m37 restoration guide: covers all 1951-1968
The book is great give tibits of restoring m37s.Got book used but came out to be really great condition.Some of the info got to detailed.Some places that I wouldn't try to challenge myself in doing, all in all book has a wealth of info on restoring m37s.

$225.00 bucks for this, you're crazy!!!!!
I paid $19.95 give or take plus shipping for this book a couple years ago. I was very disappointed with the book when I bought it, for the price that I bought it. I can't let someone pay $225 for this book.

This book is what I like to call a hopper pastime. Or in other words, its good enough to be taken with me when its time to mail a letter, and maybe it'll come in handy if we happen to run outta TP.

Worth It?
This book was originally $19.95 and worth every penny of that sum! Most of the information included is from previously published Military Vehicle Magazine. A purist would be hard pressed to take much from this, all of the information is contained the G-741 Tech manual. Sorry Dave!

Save your money
If you buy this book with the idea that it will guide you in the restoration of your M37, save your money because it does not do that.There are a few useful suggestions but very few specific restoration tips.The book is worth its original issue price of $20 but not much more than that.It's an interesting read but not a how-to book.

Best Book if you own an M37
David Ahl, one-time owner and publisher of Military Vehicles Magazine wrote this book It will be regarded as "The" book on the subject for years to come. Covering everything from the history and variations of the venerable Dodge M37 to restoration, modification, and maintenance of these trucks, this book is an excellent value for the money.
The foundation of Dodge M37 Restoration Guide isthe compilation of various M37-related articles from the pages of Miltary Vehicles Magazine. But it doesn't end there. 19 pages reproduce several rare, U.S. Army M37 references, including a little-known Modification Work Order for reinforcing the tailgates of all M37 vehicles. In addition, the author has added 40 more pages comprising some of the best parts diagrams available from original Department of the Army Supply Manuals. These pages alone guarantee that this is a book that will get dirty in your garage. Thankfully, it is inexpensive enough to allow most to have a copy in the library as well as a garage copy.
Whether you own an M37, M42, M43, M37B1, or are considering the purchase of one, or simply love the brute-like characteristics of Dodge military trucks, this book will fill an important gap in your library. As with any specialty vehicle book, the print run on this book was probably on the small side, so don't put this one off until later. Buy it today! ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: New York : A. D. F. Randolph and companySubjects: Dodge, William Earl, 1805-1883Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
Of related interest… Nonlinear Regression Analysis and its Applications Douglas M. Bates and Donald G. Watts "…an extraordinary presentation of concepts and methods concerning the use and analysis of nonlinear regression models…highly recommend[ed]…for anyone needing to use and/or understand issues concerning the analysis of nonlinear regression models." —Technometrics This book provides a balance between theory and practice supported by extensive displays of instructive geometrical constructs. Numerous in-depth case studies illustrate the use of nonlinear regression analysis—with all data sets real. Topics include: multi-response parameter estimation; models defined by systems of differential equations; and improved methods for presenting inferential results of nonlinear analysis. 1988 (0-471-81643-4) 365 pp. Nonlinear Regression G. A. F. Seber and C. J. Wild "…[a] comprehensive and scholarly work…impressively thorough with attention given to every aspect of the modeling process…" —Short Book Reviews of the International Statistical Institute In this introduction to nonlinear modeling, the authors examine a wide range of estimation techniques including least squares, quasi-likelihood, and Bayesian methods, and discuss some of the problems associated with estimation. The book presents new and important material relating to the concept of curvature and its growing role in statistical inference. It also covers three useful classes of models —growth, compartmental, and multiphase —and emphasizes the limitations involved in fitting these models. Packed with examples and graphs, it offers statisticians, statistical consultants, and statistically oriented research scientists up-to-date access to their fields. 1989 (0-471-61760-1) 768 pp. Mathematical Programming in Statistics T. S. Arthanari and Yadolah Dodge "The authors have achieved their stated intention…in an outstanding and useful manner for both students and researchers…Contains a superb synthesis of references linked to the special topics and formulations by a succinct set of bibliographical notes…Should be in the hands of all system analysts and computer system architects." —Computing Reviews This unique book brings together most of the available results on applications of mathematical programming in statistics, and also develops the necessary statistical and programming theory and methods. 1981 (0-471-08073-X) 413 pp. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well-Written Explanation of Various Linear Regression Techniques (Least Squares and Otherwise)
This book explains various linear regression alternatives to least-squares (which is also covered), such as least absolute error and M-regression.

Good:
- A variety of techniques is covered
- Techniques are described in sufficient detail to permit a competent programmer to implement them
- The writing is friendly and accessible
- Some comparisons are made between techniques

Bad:
- Actual computer source code is not provided
- A more modern treatment would include a more systematic comparison of techniques (for efficiency in the case of Gaussian errors, for instance)

... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Pub. for the International Union, GinnPublication date: 1905Subjects: WarPeaceHistory / GeneralPolitical Science / PeaceReligion / GeneralNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more