Very useful but a little dated
	I am a professional photographer, and I was looking for a book on lighting technique - which this book supplied excellently.

Their step by step approach is easy to follow and understand, and all explainations have images attached so you can see what they are talking about.

They slowly build your general knowledge on how light works rather than supplying specific lighting diagrams, allowing (and suggesting that you do) you to adapt the knowledge to your own use. They then go into more detail with difficult lighting subjects such as metal, glass, and more, and how to deal with them.

My only complaint is that the book is starting to feel a little old, especially when they talk about colour. It is almost exclusively film based with virtually no reference to digital technology. If they were to do an updated version with more emphasis on lighting for digital, I would provide 5 stars


Very Interesting!!
	This book was so different from what I thought it was about when I ordered it.  It still was knowledgeable.  It is hard to grasp as you must actually do the experimentation.  I also thought the illustrations should be in color since that is what the book is about.  It has some examples in the beginning of the book but I hate to keep looking around in books I personally like it to appear in front of me as I read.  It was a very interesting book to say the least


Examines the nature and applications of air power
	Walter Boyne's The Influence Of Air Power Upon History is an informed and informative history which examines the nature and applications of air power from the early days of the balloon to current space warfare and jets. Air power exercised in both war and peace times survey the contributions made by people and technology of each era, drawing some important links between individual achievement and usage


Insightful and possibly life-saving
	The insights here are simple, straightforward and profound. It explains how modern society can sometimes put men into a no-win situation, resulting in a feeling of frustration, impotence, incompetence, and depression. The only socially acceptable way to express it is rage (even though rage is vilified, I can tell you that showing hurt, pain and weakness invites scorn, distain and disrespect, even from those who purport to love us).
By explaining how we get into this trap, it helps us to understand it and thus gives us a chance to find a way out. I wish I could give a copy of this book to every man and woman in the world. I see so much of it played out every day all around us, and the pain both men and women feel because of it does so much damage. Read it before you have a crisis if you can, but if you are already in crisis, make the effort to read this book even if you can't read anything else. It might even save your life. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.


Fable of Unintended Consequences
	It was a cold and snowy February day when a stranger walked to a small country inn and ordered a meal and a private room. This stranger guards his privacy and desires solitude. His luggage consists of many bottles of powders and fluids as would be used by an experimental investigator. The local general practitioner visits the stranger, and sees something he can't believe. Then someone steals money from the Reverend Bunting although he and his wife see nobody. Later Mr.   Mrs. Hall, innkeepers, see the stranger's room is empty, until the chair moves around as if possessed by spirits. When questioned by Mrs. Hall the stranger removes his nose! Then the bandages and spectacles go, and the people see no head! When the constable comes to arrest him, the man removes all his garments and disappears into thin air. The crowd tries to grab him but he escapes.

Mr. Thomas Marvel, a wandering tramp, is found by this Unseen and convinced to work for him. They return to the inn to fetch books and clothing. This sets off a commotion among the people there, and another chase. The panicked people fled from the streets and locked themselves in their homes. There was a story about "flying money" that was removed from shops and inns. At another inn Marvel seeks shelter, he has escaped from the Invisible Man. When this Unseen enters to take Marvel away, a bearded American fires at the Unseen with his revolver. Later the Unseen visits a physician for treatment of his wound (his blood can be seen). The Unseen has met Dr. Kemp at college, and is fed and clothed.

The Unseen explains the scientific principles of optical density in a general way. If the refractive index of a substance was lowered to that of air it would be invisible in most cases (Chapter XIX). The Unseen kept his work secret because of the thefts in the scientific world of science. But the Unseen acquired money by foul means which cursed his work! Griffin tells of the previous experiments that led to invisibility (Chapter XX). The next chapters gives Griffin's history. But Kemp has written to the police, and they arrive. Griffin escapes once again, and Kemp warns the police about what must be done (Chapter XXV). Griffin is mad and inhuman, "pure selfishness". His attempts to kill Kemp lead to his own destruction, and his body becomes visible after death (Chapter XXVIII).

If accurate, this story provides a snapshot of life in London and its suburbs at that time. It also tells that carrying arms was nothing unusual. H. G. Wells shows his literary skills in making believable an impossible condition. There are those who still believe that describing something in words makes it real (like "childproof guns", etc.). Readers of Wells' later works can judge how close to the truth his writings were. This fable warns against uncontrolled scientific experiments, from poison gas to atomic bombs, or the current craze for cloning or "genetic modification" The story of unseen theft of money can also be a warning against a Private Banking Cartel and its continual devaluation of the currency to help Big Business in its struggle against small businesses and working people. In this story the people unite to terminate the Unseen; this doesn't always happen in the real world.


The In The Garden Trilogy
	Nora's "In The Garden" Trilogy was great, but I must say not her best.  Her characters are so life-like and you actually feel like you're part of the story.  She's a phenomenal author and I have not come across anything of hers that I have not thoroughly enjoyed.
I also highly recommend "The Three Sisters Island Trilogy."  By far my favorite.

Happy Reading!


Swarm theory
	The new economy is a global economy favoring intangible things: ideas, information, and relationships and is intensely interlinked.   Today, the new information based sector occupies over 15% of the total US economy.  In the postindustrial society, communication has become the economy and the cultural, technological, and conceptual impacts reverberate at the roots of our lives.   The financial sector has reshaped the economy; the financial sector ownership involves only a small number of people;  the financial innovations include: mortgages, insurance, venture funding, stocks, checks, credit cards, and mutual funds; the financial sector has given rise to corporations, market capitalism, the industrial age, and has influenced how all business has been done.  Since communication is the economy, the net is the future.  The net has accelerated in usage due to the increase in silicon chips and fiber optic data transmission; the net is weaving lives, minds, and artifacts into a global scale network; the result is the swarm of information, reticulating the surface of the planet; the new economy will increasing obey the logic of the networks and understanding the network will be the key to understanding how the economy works.  In 1997, there were 6 billion non-computer chips and by 2005 the predicted usage was at 10 billion.

The network represents connectivity.  We are connection everything to everything.  The network values the dumb power of bits in the swarm; the connectivity and usage of the dumb bits or parts in the swarm yield smart results; and we don't need advanced Artificial Intelligence to make an intelligent system.   The network is a link of distributed, bottom up, data bits;   it lets things communicate among themselves and takes a decentralized approach for communication, for example, manufacturing robots scheduling their own work based on incoming requests, as they bid on work dependant on their capability.  The swarm aim is superior performance in a turbulent environment.  Consider the power of the "Wisdom of the crowds".  In one case sample, 5,000 attendees, at a computer graphics conference were give individual access to a simulator and the task on how too land a plane.  The attendee had novice knowledge about how to land the plane.   The jet responded to the average decisions of the swarm.  The group landed the jet with almost no direction.   In another case example, the group was given the task to navigate a submarine and go look for buried treasure.   The group could not initiate any movement until leadership from a loud speaker was given to "go right".  The leadership unlocked the paralysis of the swarm and the direction facilitated action.

Technology success is measured on how invisible it becomes to the end user and how effective it becomes to the long term strategy in developing products and services that can't be ignored.   The power of the network increases in value n power 2 where n is the number of members.  Therefore, networks need to increase their critical mass of members to become effective.   Innovation attracts members.  Innovation is more important than price; price is the derivative of innovation; monopolies push up price and decrease quality and create a dangerous singular source of innovation; and the network destroys monopolies through collective innovation, such as, open source.


mini version of Out of Control
	Offers 10 rules for organizations to follow to benefit from the emerging Economy. The book is really just a condensed version of Kelly's earlier book, Out of Control


A Hardboiled Gem!
	The late Ed McBain left all mystery buffs a lasting legacy with his 87th Precinct novels but a worthy addition to this legacy is The Gutter And The Grave. Written in 1958, this hardboiled gem has been all but forgotten. But thanks to Hard Case Crime, a new generation can experience this incredible early work from one of the all-time masters.

The hero, Cordell, is as tragic and harboiled as they come as he, soaked in cheap booze, wallows in the memory of an unfaithful wife. Until a favor for a friend draws him into a web of murder and deception. It seems everyone is lying and each lie twists the tail in new directions, leaving the reader's head spinning. The novel features McBain's usually excellent dialogue, the setting is well-drawn featuring the jazz scene in 1950's New York. There's humor, pathos, some great fights and enough broken dreams to fill Broadway.

This little gem of a novel has been unavailable for far too long. I give it my highest recommendation. Fantastic!


Essential to Understanding Intelligence Challenges
	Greg Treverton has written a much needed overview of the national intelligence process and correctly identified the challenges which face the US, in a post-9/11 world.  His views of the world beyond 2010 are quite revealing and his challenges to the intelligence community to assess threats to the US are precisely focused. His views on the major intelligence entities reveal urgent modifications of structure and process, if the intelligence community is going to regain relevance with national customers.  As a teacher of intelligence process, specifically as it relates to strategic warning, I believe this book is essential reading for anyone who aspires to be a true intelligence professional. This book will help even the wisest analyst understand how to maximize available sources and methods.  The quest to provide the best possible intelligence is a goal which must be achieved.


Interesting cartoon and puzzle combo
	Is this a book of New Yorker cartoons or a puzzle book?  Well, it's a little of both, and the result is a novel way to laugh and exercise your brain at the same time. Most of the 83 puzzles consist of cartoons that are missing words, captions, or picture components. By figuring out the missing elements and sometimes combining them with acrostics, crossword puzzles, or other word grids, the cartoon humor is revealed.

For the most part, the puzzles are of only moderate difficulty, although there are a few difficult ones (at least for me) that involve matching a cartoon with the decade in which it was created or matching cartoons from early and late in a cartoonist's career. Frequent puzzle solvers will recognize many of the familiar puzzle types from Games Magazine and other media that Puzzability publishes in. The foreword to the book contains a casual and loosely coupled conversation between New Yorker cartoon editor Robert Mankoff and New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz.

This is an entertaining book that you'll hate to throw away when it's been completed because of all the witty cartoons it contains. Enjoy!

Eileen Riebac


My Favorite Movie Guide, By Far...
	Videohound's Cult Flicks and Trash Pics is a book that I consult often. Not only is it informative, but it's very entertaining reading as well. This is a book that any cult movie lover should own. If the names Roger Corman, Lloyd Kaufman, Ray Dennis Steckler, David Lynch, Frank Henenlotter, Jack Hill, Herschel Gordon Lewis, Dario Argento, Paul Bartel, Russ Meyer, Terry Gilliam, Alex Cox, Edward D. Wood, Ken Russell, George Romero and John Waters mean anything to you then you need this book. In addition to reviews of hundreds and hundreds of cult films, the book has lengthy bios of many of the above filmmakers as well as actors and other important cult figures. Plus there are tons of photos, there's a big specific category index to help you find exactly what you're looking for and indexes for actors, directors and writers. One of my favorite features is that nearly every page features a quote from one of the movies featured in the book. This is a great book though it's far from complete. Lots of movie geeks will be able to look through the book and point out any number of movies that were left out. However, for every movie you know of that's not in the book there are probably five that you've never heard of. I recommend Cult Flicks and Trash Pics very highly


Have the older version.
	Used this in medical school. Excellent resource. In my time google and yahoo were not around, so this was the quick source. now that [...] is around, not as necessary, but still valuable. There is a pediatric version as well.
High yield


Worthwhile
	This is a great book for those who have interest in modern economics. Vividly, the author used a lot of nice little stories to explain complicated theories proposed in academic papers (works that received the Nobel Prize).

I'd strongly recommend this book to any undergraduate economics/business major as well


Min Cui's Review
	Narrated through the heartfelt voice of Amy Tan, the Kitchen God's Wife illustrates a compelling story of heritage and self-discovery. As a young Chinese woman, Winnie Louie, the main character and the conduit through which Tan expresses her voice, must endure an atrocious life under the abuse and torture of her wicked husband Wen Fu, a pretentious, arrogant, and egregious man who not only cheated his way up the military ladder, but also committed numerous felons including rape, murder, blackmailing, and extortion. Day after day, beating after beating, Winnie slowly begins to realize that in order to escape from Wen Fu and start a new life free from violence and marked by love, radical and immediate actions must be taken. When dealing with someone without even a modicum of human decency, someone like Wen Fu, the usual, traditional, and orthodox actions are futile. Striking a perfect chord between concision and elaboration, Tan keeps the reader constantly engaged as the dramatic story of Winnie unfolds itself. Relying mostly on authentic voice and keeping the meretricious elements to a minimum, Tan narrates the novel with surprising precision and unmatched beauty. Against the magnificent backdrops of a WWII-era China, the novel reassures the universal nature of mankind, that the problems troubling people today are experienced by all generations, regardless of race, nationality, or social status. As you read this rare gem amount literature, open the introspective window and enjoy the novel with your heart.


Hard hitting truths about the real world of work!
	Imagine you're attending a career enhancement seminar and suddenly you're doused with a giant bucket of ice cold water. In essence, "Fire Your Boss" is just that. Stephen Pollan's discourse on the stark realities of the real world of work shatter all the hyperbole and fluff of "careering" in not just corporate America but any occupational arena. It's an easy, conversational and straightforward read that IMHO should be called "Hire Your Boss". Pollan, a life coach with the style, chutzpah and hubris of a Donald Trump/Scott Adams hybrid, elaborates on the criticality of taking care of your number one customer in the microeconomic marketplace-your boss. Pollan supports the essence of this approach with references to how the economic landscape has changed over the last few decades and how it's helped to perpetuate agency activity in organizations. Simply put, managers will continue to act purely out of self-interest rather than an alignment with organizational objectives. With this in mind, what will avail those of the non-management cadre the most is looking out for the needs of supervision, with more of a "hired gun" approach rather than that of a sycophant. Many of Pollan's precepts will at first seem counterintuitive--such as "work for the money, the love will follow" or "lose your career, get a job" and may come across as trite and cynical. However when taken in context the underlying schema is this: a job is a means of providing income-no more, no less. Trying to find personal fulfillment therein is a recipe for self-destruction. The author does a fine job of using the experiences of his clients to help illustrate these key concepts and concludes by offering a seven-step roadmap to help one achieve the empowerment and independence in the modern job market.

Although Pollan drives across some salient points about the contemporary world of work he does tend to oversimplify a bit with regards to some management behavior. Furthermore, some of his coping strategies have the guise of tactics that only a New York Attorney could formulate. Wait-Pollan IS a New York Attorney. In sum, this is as an island of sanity in a sea of "Be a Star at Work" banter that perpetuates the dangling-carrot-over-the-sea-of-cubicles syndrome. Finally, when you boil this down you realize that one as an employee should consider themselves self-employed. I find it a good affirmation of what work really should be and a refreshing rebuttal to all the careering pundits whose success is predicated on the management's mystification of office life.

Not for the faint of heart!


A Jamesian Curiosity, overlong but beautifully written
	I liked this book, but I notice that all the critics seem to hate it. It did take me more than a year of picking at it on and off. I picked it up because Walter Laqueur referred to it in one of his books about terrorism. Written in 1886, it suggests that there is a pan-European anarchist underground, which the protagonist gets mixed up with. It is interesting in its depiction of liberal guilt among the wealthy, who support a political movement that would lead to their own extinction. The prose is wonderful, as is the depiction of the subtleties of the characters' personalities, if you have the taste for that sort of thing. All in all, it was worth reading and it passed the most important test for a novel: I finished it with regret. I had previously read and liked Portrait of a Lady, which is a superior novel. As much as I liked it, I would have to say do not start with Princess as an introduction to James. Incidentally, I have a theory about the omniscient narrator in James' books being a malign demiurge, but I will spare you that theorizing here


Good Intro To Crichton
	This was the book that got me to enjoy reading back in the day.  This was also my first Crichton, and I have to say I enjoyed it to the fullest.  Easy to read adventure novel


Terrific book
	I think this is Harriet Lerner's best book. I has the clearest and most helpful chapter on family secrets that I've ever read. The chapter called  quot;A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Orifice quot; is worth the price of the book. The chapter on affairs, even though controversial, should be helpful to all couples, especially if you think your partner will never cheat on you


Confusing, Hilarious, Profound
	Lost in the Funhouse can be a very bewildering and irritating collection if you aren't in the right mood for it.  If you aren't well-versed in post-modern fiction (barthelme, calvino, etc are good reference points) you might want to start somewhere else first.  Even Barth's novels are more immediately digestible.

With that said, though, this collection doesn't really operate on one consistent level.  Perhaps this is because many of these stories were written by Barth much earlier in his career.  The three stories concerning Ambrose's birth and development are very straightforward and enjoyable on a surface level until the whole series goes flying into left-field with the titular "Lost in the Funhouse" story (which Barth is probably most known for).  From that point on, most of the stories are more about the process of writing and the relationship between the reader, writer, and the characters.  Stories like "Title" and "Life-Story" work more as essays on the nature of fiction than actual works of fiction, and were (for me at least) a little tedious.  The best moments occur when Barth combines his thoughful analysis on the nature of writing and art with a really good ground-situation, typically based on Greek mythology.  The best of these are the utterly raunchy "Petitition" and the labyrinthine "Menelaiad".

Taken as a whole, though, Lost in the Funhouse is greatly satisfying, even if (like me) you really only understood about 20% of what Barth was talking about on your first read-through.  It's the sort of book I'll go back to again and again to try and delve deeper into the mystery of the funhouse while appreciating all over the hilarious bawdy humor.

Oh, and make sure to read Barth's seven additional notes at the front of the book (though maybe only after you've read the story that is being discussed in each note, so as not to ruin the initial experience)-- they really help to clarify some of Barth's intentions.  I can't even imagine appreciating a story like "Glossolalia" without having read the note concerning it


TEN STARS WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE
	I ALREADY HAVE THIS BOOK AND I AM NOW BUYING FOR FRIENDS.  IT DOES SPEAK TO ALL AGE GROUPS AND IS MAGNIFYING TO THOSE OF US GALS WHO GREW UP IN THE SAME TIME.  ANNA QUINDLIN WRITES AS IF SHE BROKE INTO MY BODY AND STOLE MY THOUGHTS, MY DREAMS AND MY MEMORIES. IF SO, I THANK HER FOR THE INTRUSION BECAUSE SHE OBVIOUSLY LOOKED AROUND. IT SOMETIMES TAKES MY BREATH AWAY, THE WAY SHE PUTS INTO WORDS EXACTLY WHAT I FEEL.  I THANK HER FOR THAT, BUT I WON'T ASK FOR ROYALTIES


Eye-Opening Book for Those Interested in Place or Language
	Though you may not immediately think that there is a connection between language and the places where you live and pass through, your sense of your surroundings and of language itself will be transformed after you read Gaston Bachelard's  quot;The Poetics of Space. quot;  Bachelard argues that language--especially poetry--can reveal hidden aspects of our experience of space, especially of our home space.  For example, he considers how common phrases such as  quot;go up to the attic quot; and  quot;go down to the basement quot; are revelatory of our typical sense that stairs to an attic are stairs one ascends, while stairs to the basement are stairs one descends--in spite of the fact that both sets of stairs must be equally ascended and descended.  As he does with other such observations, Bachelard extends his observation regarding the directionality of different staircases into a discussion of how the attic and basement hold different roles in our daily and imaginary lives.  In addition to exploring how we experience space and place, Bachelard equally attends to the way in which language can function either as a daily and common means of communication or as a site of new and creative insight; roughly speaking, he argues that poetry happens when the motions of language itself open us up to a new way of seeing or understanding something.  By reading this beautifully written and engaging book, you will likely come to understand or see anew experiences from childhood through adulthood that pertain to places where your have lived, grown up, felt comfortable or alienated, had a feeling of wonder or fear, etc.  I recommend this book to anyone interested in the experience of place or space, in language and what it can reveal to us, or in what counts as poetry rather than as common everyday language


For Women Only! Your Guide to Health Empowerment
	Thank you, Dr. Null, for holistically addressing the health concerns that are predominant in women.  The politics behind female healthcare are shocking and frightening.  You put it all into perspective within these  covers.    You also saved me from the quandary of what to buy all the women  in my family for Christmas.   You're insightful and have a wealth of  helpful information.   Bless you


I read your brother
	Vintage McCourt! This is a good one but reminiscent of A Monk Swimming by the same author. Mallachy McCourt is good, but I prefer his brother, Frank. Poor man, I wonder how many times he has heard it. But it takes nothing away from the book. What genius of a family. Poverty in childhood has turned out into prosperity for posterity. Thanks McCourt Brothers


A must-read book to know inside out about .NET CLR
	As always, Jeffrey's book is worth reading very much. I have read the first version (edition), and I read this one again. If you want to know lots of inside out about CLR, this is the one to read. This is a must-read book before you go for a job interview, because you are expected to have read it by lots of interviewers.


This Works!
	This plan actually works! In five months I've gone from a women's 2X to a 12 and I'm not finished yet! The basic plan is simple. Managing the exceptions is a bit more tricky, but of the three books I have by Michel Montignac, this one explains the exceptions the best. No counting calories! No extreme excercise! If you are looking for a balanced way of eating -- THIS IS IT


4 Set CD of Meditations from the Book
	This is a 4 CD set of meditations as a companion to The Inner Temple of WitchCraft book.  Using the background of the book, the CD's set up an easy way to work with the material in the book without having to open the book to reference it during the mediations.

Mr. Penczak's voice is perfect as far as I am concerned, it does not grate on you nor does it lull you into sleep.  The light melodic fill is just that, filler for the spaces between words and does not distract from the words.

I found the material covered to be good for meditation and it works well with the material in the book.  If you find the book to be what you are looking for, the CD's are a good addition.
I enjoyed the entire presentation, and Mr. Penczak gives us some very well based and solid material. boudic


One of Koontz's best
	A wonderful story of how even our smallest action can have great consequences that we can't even understand.  A long book with fantastic memorable characters.  My favorite of these characters were the two brothers who were fixated on Serial killers and natural disasters.  This is the only way they know how to cope with the outside world.

Overall-You will certainly get your money's worth.  Enjoy this one.


Raises some interesting questions about academic honesty
	Have you ever been tempted to write pure nonsense?  Maybe on some rainy first day of April?  I once felt like writing:

"I sure made a mistake when I told the Goddess Minerva that She couldn't square the circle.  In response, She drew a circle next to me, a truly beautiful and perfect circle.  And right in front of my panicky brown eyes, She turned pi into four!  Not just the circumference divided by the diameter, but the series expansion as an inverse tangent as well.  What would She do next, make me unwell by dropping the first letter from my first name?  i tried to apologize, but it was too late."

I was not the only one to dream of mangling pi.  In "Contact: A Novel," Carl Sagan went me one better when he had aliens send messages to each other at infinite speed by hiding them in a numerical representation of pi and then, you guessed it, changing pi everywhere!

Still, Alan Sokal went beyond even this, getting the following published in the journal "Social Text:"

"In this way the infinite-dimensional invariance group erodes the distinction between the observer and the observed; the pi of Euclid and the G of Newton, formerly thought to be constant and universal, are now perceived in their ineluctable historicity; and the putative observer becomes fatally decentered, disconnected from any epistemic link to a spacetime point that can no longer be defined by geometry alone."

Sokal put this and many more whoppers into his hoax, which defended an equally absurd thesis: that "physical 'reality,' no less than social 'reality,' is at bottom a social and linguistic construct."

While this joke may not prove much, it does raise the issue of whether a few people in academia are misusing the vocabulary of science to create absurd statements in defense of an antirationalist point of view.  This book shows that they are.

The authors show that Jacques Lacan makes completely arbitrary analogies between topology and psychoanalysis.  We then see some of the same irrelevance and superficial use of topology in the early works of Julia Kristeva.  After an interlude in which Sokal and Bricmont seriously discuss the philosophy of science, there are more examples of academic nonsense.  The next victim is Luce Irigaray, who in what I agree is about as ridiculously antifeminist a statement as one could make says:

"Science always displays certain choices, certain exclusions, and these are particularly determined by the sex of the scholars involved."

That's rich: objective truth is different depending on whether one is a Woman or a man!   I must admit that I half expected Irigaray to say that pi was different for Men and women.

After that, we see Bruno Latour's idea that Einstein's Theory of Relativity has implications for sociology.  The authors point out that this is manifest nonsense.  Were we to discover tomorrow that the ratio of the mass of a particle to its energy were slightly different from what relativity predicted, there would be a revolution in physics, but no need to alter theories of human behavior.

Later, we see Jean Baudrillard say, "It is a sign that the space of the event has become a hyperspace with multiple refractivity, and that the space of war has become definitively non-Euclidean."  And there are more, um, words, from Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, and Paul Virilio.

Sokal and Bricmont conclude that all this inanity is a threat.  That either it will lead to even more irrationalism in academia or to an academic abandonment of social critique.  And I think it's worth warning us to avoid such a future.  But I also think we simply need social journals to get scientists to review (and reject) papers that use big scientific words instead of making coherent statements


Fans of the first series, rejoice!
	Erin Hunter has once again created a captivating saga about the four clans of warrior cats...who could be living in your own backyard.

This first installment begins where the last book left off. Firestar, the protagonist of the original series, is now the leader of his Clan, and his two daughters Leafpaw and Squirrelpaw, are now the main characters, along with a great cast of new cats and some familiar faces. Along with Brambleclaw, the son of treacherous Tigerstar, Feathertail and Stormfur, the kits of Firestar's best friend Graystripe, Brambleclaw's sister Tawnypelt, and the newbie Crowpaw, Squirrelpaw embarks on a journey to save the Clans. Meanwhile, Leafpaw is left to try to decipher mysterious messages from Starclan.

This book is a great, fast-paced read for any cat lover or fan of the first series. The plot is well-developed and intriguing from the first chapter


The Great Communicator
	Peggy Noonan's Reagan has the texture of truth, unlike a recent Reagan bio by Richard Reeves that has the texture of slime.  Noonan's Reagan is not hagiography;  it's clear-eyed, clean, and palpably honest.  I feel Ms. Noonan's honesty just as I felt the incredible lightness of Reeves' shallowness.
Noonan wrote her story of a great man and the building of his character as Ronald Reagan lay dying.  Now that he's gone, Peggy Noonan is our era's great communicator.  Not every word of When Character Was King is the utterly necessary word at the absolutely necessary time -- a few of her words don't fit and an occasional fact is flubbed -- but all other words of hundreds and thousands fit perfectly into the best portrait we have of a good and great man, a description also used fittingly for Dwight Eisenhower.
Noonan, I believe, is the only biographer of President Reagan who understands the import of a first-term footnote, an episode that most of the world has learned to forget or, like Reeves, has learned to diminish.  That's the PATCO strike which, as Noonan shows, had world-historical implications.  By the force of his focus, President Reagan used PATCO to reassert free-world mastery in our twilight struggle with an Evil Empire that was evil and that was an empire.  Thank God we had Reagan at a moment of maximum danger.  Thank God he had Noonan to tell his story


A must read  for business, education and government leaders
	This book is excellent reading to inspire leadership.  Its greatest asset is the fact that Connelly selects great leaders and writing that characterizes their personal leadership styles


A must read
	The first book in NR's 'Born In' series is wonderful, you don't want to miss it!   quot;Born In Fire quot; focuses on Maggie Concannon, a tempermental and loyal woman who is also a gifted artist. Gallery owner Rogan Sweeney takes an interest in Maggie's fabulous glass creations, and soon after takes a personal interest in Maggie herself.  Maggie is a wonderful character, stubborn and flawed, yet still caring.  Nora does a fabulous job of developing Maggie, and does it in a way that she seems like a real person.  Rogan is an extremely likeable hero.  Maggie's sister, Brianna, is her complete opposite; quiet, sweet, and calm.  The relationship between the two sisters, however, is very touching and very real.  This book is full of colourful characters, some we love and some we hate.  The romance between Rogan and Maggie is wonderful.  Basically, I just can't say enough good things about this book.  You will love it


For the Vicarious Adventurer
	Cahill's writing is somewhat of an acquired taste. This is a compilation of outdoor stories which do not always seem self contained - some missing context, some missing closure. And they are not necessarily adventures in the conventional sense, as stories may focus on nature, archaeology, sociology, etc. While the book cannot be construed as an outdoor reference, there is good information (ex.  quot;wisdom quot; of cave diving). Some stories hit the vicarious adventurer's sweet spot. The author is at his best in this book when relating his experience caving in Kentucky, engaging the reader with educational content (ex. barometric effect on air flow), spectacular descriptions(ex. lightening igniting bat guano), and hair raising suspense (ex. getting lost in a maze of passages). Not all of the stories held an equal level of interest for me, but they are short enough to peruse and ponder as time permits


Read it and draw your own conclusion
	By far a very thorough and intelligent read.  I could not put it down.

The evidence that pyramids all over earth from a lost epoch of man align to specific star clusters is overwhelming in my opinion.

Doesn't take a PhD to realize that if something looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.... chances are it's a duck.

Everthing is presented via full color images and in an easy to comprehend format.  It has changed my perspective and at the same time answered many questions for me personally; and of course will raise many more!

An absolute must read


An absolute masterpiece
	"Spring Snow" is unquestionably one of the finest Japanese novels ever written, as well as being a masterpiece of world literature in its own right.  It is an eloquent, moving story with a "tale as old as time," that of star-crossed lovers who's love transcends social roles and obligations.

In another culture, with another writer, this would be a romantic, if not happy, story.  But this is Japan, and the writer is Mishima Yukio.  In his hands, the lovers Kiyoaki and Satoko transcend literary stereotypes, and become agents of their own happiness and destruction.  By the very nature of their relationship, raised together since childhood, playing a complicated cat-and-mouse game of love and sexual tension, their future is never in doubt.

It is impressive that a writer such as Mishima, known for his right-wing politics and his samurai dreams, could craft such a tender love story.  While knowing the eventual conclusion, the reader savors and hopes for each stolen moment of happiness between Kiyoaki and Satoko, and knows that even their despair is something to be treasured because it is shared.    Not that it is a clear path.  Even knowing Japanese literature, and the road it usually takes, there are surprises on the way.  Things do not turn out the way one would expect.

I was incredibly moved by "Spring Snow."  It is a novel that affects the heart of the reader, and lingers long after the last page is turned.


Rational Analysis
	I read the second edition of this book since it is enlarged with the study of the housing market. The phenomenon of bubbles and negative bubbles or collapses is described extremely well by means of statistical data of markets for over a century and a half. The raw data is adjusted to inflation to give a realistic perspective of the trends and patterns. Bubbles seem to be occurring at regular intervals typically based on the "new era" story and everyone believes at least during the heady days that good times are here to stay. But as shown by proven evidence of the past, no bubble has sustained itself permanently and good reason prevails sooner or later. When this happens, the bloated bubble collapses and the hangover is terrible. The story so far is quite simple. But what makes this book so interesting is the depth of research and the manner in which the phenomenon is studied and explained.

The combination of mass psychology and market prices is at the core of this book. For bubbles to happen, information flow is the key. Media plays a significant role in disseminating information and bubbles seem to have originated in recorded history after the advent of the print media. In recent times electronic media particularly the television and the internet play a significant role in speeding up bubble formation and also the reversals. Media needs a storyline and this story needs to be continued to retain customers on a daily basis. Stock market is the ideal place that offers an opportunity to try one's luck if a casino is far away. Backed by on-line dedicated news channels and internet trading, well, it is not surprising that we have day traders in herds. In such situations fundamentals like industry analysis and P/E ratios take a backseat as explained by the author. Historical averages are breached and a euphoria of "once in a life time opportunity" prevails. What happens to the Efficient Markets Theory in such situations?. Since this theory says that markets are perfectly priced based on all publicly available information there cannot be a situation of either under pricing or over pricing. This book perfectly challenges the efficiency and accuracy of this theory.

It is unfortunate that substantial amounts of investments meant to be otherwise risk free sources of income, pension funds for example, are getting diverted into risky markets.  Here the author has come out with a list of some sound proposals to protect hard earned life long savings of innocent citizens who are exposed to the irrationality of markets.

The bubble in the housing market is also discussed well. Housing seems to be isolated bubbles occurring in specific regions and not a global phenomenon. But nevertheless the damage can be the same. The party of low interest rate regime seems to be over and a spike in mortgage rates is sure to be the needle that will prick right through this big speculative bubble.

What goes up has to come down ! But once you start reading this book, it is difficult to put it down. Intellectually stimulating and bound to be economically rewarding.


An Excellent (and comical)  novel about family
	A Late Divorce is one of my very favorites novels.  This ordinary tale about the late divorce of a middle-aged couple, one of whom is in a mental institution, is told from the perspective of each member of the family:  children, their spouses and mates, grandson,etc.  I have rarely laughed so  much, or been touched so much, by the insightful description of the Kaminka  family and their travails over a failed marriage, real estate and conflict.   The scene with the rabbis at the mental institution is literary hilarity  at its best...A wonderful work, original, illuminating and FUNNY


Simply the best art critic
	I agree with the first reviewer: this is what art criticism, politically engaged or not, should read like.  Berger was an old-time Marxist; I am an Anglosphere conservative.  He is a man of the Left; I am of the Right.  No matter, his essays are the most wonderful introduction to art criticism, and at times philosophy, that I have read.  Incredibly perceptive, sensitive, without empty sentimentality but filled with genuine sentiment and deep empathy for the human condition, Berger can make any painting or work of art say more than even its author may have intended.  He uses history but is not a historicist, for  he lets the works reveal themselves openly.  The essay "That which is held," a philosophic vindication of romantic love through an analysis of "time" is a near masterpiece of the essay form worthy of Montaigne.  Berger  will be missed in the barren landscape of contemporary Europe.  Danto and the Americans are simply not in his league


My All Time Favorite Fantasy
	I have enjoyed all of David Gemmell's work but this one takes the prize. It contains sorrow, great sacrifice, courage, honor, and some of the best battles every written. It is easy to see the scenes and the people as you read, the characters are ones you will become attached to. If you love fantasy that involves warfare and courage with people making the best of a bad situation and with no magic items to save the day, you will love this book


level headed reading: Jesus in his own context
	in order to properly understand the Jesus of the new testament, instead of making a Jesus of our own liking, it is necessary to understand Jesus as he himself indicated.  Jesus himself, according to the new testament, made constant reference and allusion to the hebrew scriptures, ( old testament ), as he sought to explain himself, his actions, his teachings and his significance.  Understanding the old testament is therefore of paramount importance for understanding what Jesus was and is about. This means far more than knowing some of the messianic proof texts or knowing about Noahs ark or the temple and sacrificial system of the ancient hebrews.  Understanding the old testament involves knowing the overall aim and purpose of it, and how it all is held together by connected themes that form a unified whole.  Christopher Wright's book, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, is an absolute Godsend towards getting the drift of the old testament and how it carries forward to the Jesus of the new testament.  This book is a little bit technical at times, it is not a devotional work, but reading this book will educate a person to accurately understand what the old testament is about and how it flows into the person of Jesus, thereby expositing the true meaning and intent of Jesus according to the background that Jesus himself referred to.    Thanks Chris Wright for this fabulous book. Also see his forthcoming book, The Mission of God, due out in fall of 2006 by intervarsity press. It looks to be another bullseye!!  For some other great little books on Jesus that are sane and sober, see:  Jesus and His World by Peter Walker,  The Original Jesus by N.T. Wright, and for a bit of a larger work see Jesus and The Gospels by Craig Blomberg


Excellent Resource for Raw Food Nutrition
	This book provides a straight-forward approach to a raw-food diet, and the changes required to maintain the health of your pet through the process.  It also helps to have someone who can assist you in locating the ingredients locally, but Schultze provides all the requisite information that you will need.  A great resource to go to when you get a nagging question, or have a concern.  Try not to let people talk you out of trying the diet, as you WILL see changes in the health of your pet; many veterinarians that I have spoken with are not particularly supportive.  My 2 y/o Lab has a softer coat, clearer eyes, and better muscle tone since I have started him on the diet.  This diet is slightly more expensive than feeding dog chow, but the reward of having a healthy, happy pet far outweigh the associated costs.  Good luck, and enjoy your pet


An excellent introduction to critical thinking
	A comprehensive, entertaining and plainly written introduction to critical thinking.  It should be in every school and public library (preferably next to the biology books that have been stickered with pro-creationist caveats).

My only complaint is the title. Perhaps it should have been called "The Critical Thinkers' Reference" so as not to confuse those poor mites who cannot differentiate between rational thought and Cartesian Skepticism.

Of course, if your world-view is not based on rational thinking and evidence, then the knowledge contained in this book may make you feel uncomfortable.  You may even feel threatened to the point that you negatively review it.  Guys - as Robert Park once said: "Alas, to wear the mantle of Galileo it is not enough that you be persecuted by an unkind establishment, you must also be right."   Please read this book (or even read the FAQ on Carroll's website) and learn how to reason.


A Mother of a Book
	sometimes when you read a book you are expecting to read some details,but a book like this blows the lid off the mother fully. Deborah Santana doesn't hold back at all. she takes you on a journey from her childhood to her teen years with Sly Stone. then eventually with her Husband Carlos Santana. you read about a strong Woman who overcame so many obstacles was grounded strongly thrived despite some negative forces. a very powerful book that you simply can't put down. Deborah Santana is a Remarkable Soul Sister. this is a Must read book from start to finish.


When the Wind Blows
	Only my second James Patterson book, When the Wind Blows, will keep me coming back for more.  I was not disappointed and look forward to reading many more of his novels.

Frannie, a veterinarian, and Kit, an FBI agent find themselves thrown together in the hopes of saving a few very special children.  Surrounded by some mysterious deaths in the past few years, including her own husbands, Frannie now is trying to stop yet another murder.  It all begins when she thinks she sees a girl with wings in the forest near her home in Colorado.  From here we learn of genetic experiments and more heinous crimes than those.

This book was written prior to the much acclaimed and popular Lakehouse with many of the same characters.


My Faith Rejuvinated
	Ordinary Joy reminds you that God is in fact all around you in your ordinary living if you just take a break from all the hustle and bustle and truly appreciate His beauty. Joe Campeau uses personal illustrations that we can relate to, and in turn, relates them to the teachings of Jesus. On a personal note, my own faith has waivered for quite some time that after taking a "closer look," I am rediscovering God's presence in my life and I know that, no matter what, "the sun will shine tomorrow and I will be kissed by Son again and again and it can never be wiped away." Peace and JOY


informative  amp; interesting read!
	This book provides a very interesting and informative detail of the history of birth culture in America as discovered through the study of birth chairs.   In incluedes intriguing pictorial documentations of birth chairs and how they evolved into the modern maternity beds in use today


Incredible -- beautiful and tragic historical/paranormal!
	Having read Katherine, I wanted to get my hands on another Anya Seton novel. Her words are beautiful and her accurate historical references in the Medieval and Renaissance eras are breathtaking. People recommended Green Darkness because of its timeless romance, historical feel and paranormal aspects centered on past lives and reincarnation. So I gave Green Darkness a whirl. This enormous book (a big trade paperback with over six-hundred pages) enthralled me from beginning to end and I wish it had been longer, that the magic hadn't ended. Despite its rather large size and intricate story, the novel ended too soon for me. (I like big books, but you have to make sure that you will enjoy the whole thing when getting a large volume.) I finished this gem in three sittings. The novel's setting begins in the late 1960s (around the year this was first published). Richard Mardson takes his beloved wife, the American heiress Celia Taylor, to his estate in Sussex, England. There he shows her around the ancient castle that had belonged to his noble family for centuries and introduces her to his friends and peers, all respectable noblemen and women like Richard. But something strange begins to happen between them. Celia is experiencing deja vu, as though she'd been there before. This happens the second she enters the castle. At the same time, Richard becomes restless and moody. Celia is bewildered by his abrupt change from the once loving man to someone who isolates himself and avoids her. Their lives and their marriage could be in shambles, and Celia has to go back to her previous life during Tudor England to figure out what had gone wrong in order to salvage their happiness at present time. Her past life is a woman named Celia Bohun who falls for a handsome monk named Stephen (Richard) Mardson. Their forbidden love is timeless and the things they go through are staggering. There are many twists throughout the novel.

I have read few novels that had made me go through as many emotions as this one had done. Celia and Stephen's love for one another was something truly beautiful and tragic at the same time. This novel brought me to tears by the time I finished. The building of tension between the protagonists is almost palpable. Celia is a very complex heroine. She is proud and innocent, but also could be quite the vixen when she sets her mind to it, especially when Stephen is involved. Stephen is a tall, dark and gorgeous hero who has taken a vow of chastity for his religion, but his attraction to Celia is undeniable and it is something that torments him. This part of his personality makes him a tortured soul and he is very appealing as a result. The part in which Celia looks after him when he falls ill is one of the sexiest scenes in the novel. It has a mixture of eroticism and innocence, for it is the first time Celia sees Stephen's nude body. The romance is indeed wonderful, but the historical references make this novel all the richer and more palatable. We experience all of the things that occurred during Tudor England, from Henry VIII's reign passing on to Queen Mary and onto Queen Elizabeth I. I have been reading quite a lot of historical/biographical novels and finding this book was like finding hidden treasure. You feel the time period and the events that took place in those times. The most insightful things for me were those centered on Queen Mary's persecution of Protestants and all the historical things that occur while time passes after the scandal centered on Celia's love for Stephen. The ending is one of the best endings I have read. Green Darkness is a true treasure that all historical enthusiasts should own. The story is quite intricate, not an easy read by a long shot (I find that most novels that center on reincarnation are very complex), but the overall development of the story is extremely well woven and beautifully executed. There are numerous characters in this novel, but I never felt like I had to keep up with them in order to remember them. Each character serves his or her purpose and I loved them (or hated them if they were villains). The one thing that puzzled me was the emphasis on Mabel's weight. I thought plump women were considered prettier in those times. And Celia (the twentieth century one) sounds a little too British for an American who'd set foot in England for the first time. Other than those negligible details, Green Darkness is perfect. Anya Seton was a great author, one of the best in her time. I think I like this novel more than Katherine. I wonder if Anya Seton and this novel inspired Jude Deveraux to write Remembrance (which I read at the same time as this one), which is another romance centered on soul mates and past lives partly set in the sixteenth century. Anyway, Green Darkness is one of the best historical/paranormal novels out there and I cannot recommend this memorable gem enough


Vernes' Vision of a Subterranean World
	A Jules Vernes classic, this is one of those novels that has stood up well against the test of time.  True, there are some items that may seem a bit dated, and of course the whole scenario of the fantastic adventure to the depths of the earth is impossible.  Yet, this novel is still a joy to read.

With a stoic Icelander as their guide, a renowned professor and his reluctant and skeptical nephew descend into the depths of a volcano in the vast frozen tundra of the Arctic, as the adventurers attempt to retrace the steps of a renowned alchemist.  Contrary to popular belief (and scientific reality), the party descends deeper into the bowels of the earth, which is remarkably of a mild climate and not a boiling inferno.  I won't serve as spoiler, but sufficed to say, that they uncover vast new worlds and creatures living in the subterranean world hundreds of miles beneath the terrestrial crust of the earth.

Vernes does attempt to make their descent seem plausible from a scientific standpoint.  Their instruments, a crude electric light and others, would be considered state-of-the art for their time.  Vernes also goes in great detail to describe the geological formations and fossilized remains contained in the earth.  Vernes also attempts to explain how it is possible to travel so far under the surface of the earth without increased pressure harming the body.  And if you take Verne's theories to heart (although modern science refutes them), their journey is plausible.

However, I do have a couple minor gripes.  Vernes goes into great detail describing fossils and rock formations, which no doubt lend scientific credence to his novel.  Although this may interst a geologist or paleontologist, the rest of the masses (myself included) probably find this too tedious and distracting from the main story line.  Also, there is one glaring scientific discrepancy with Vernes logic. During their rapid ascent (the details I won't reveal), the adventurers would have surely perished from decompression sickness (a.k.a., "the bends").  Although it was still a new phenomena at the time, I believe Vernes should have taken into account the rapid change in pressure, as he did during their slow descent into the abyss.

The nitpicking aside, this is a superb novel that has withstood the test of time.  A modern reader will no doubt be entertained and enthralled at Verne's vision of a subterranean world.  Nearly a century and a half later, Vernes' works still inspire awe and imagination


Exciting and provoking
	I was stunned to see so many critical reviews of this book here.  Even more stunned by the criticisms.  This is not a scientific treatise, and never pretends to be.  This is not an introduction into the more abstract and obscure aspects of Emergence, nor is it a dry and tedious mathematical paper.

  This is an interesting, graspable, exciting and intelligently written book about a phenomenon which is absolutely, positively crucial to understand.  To some people Emergence is a particular abstract in a particular field - those people were disappointed and found this "light reading" - which is really too bad, because they are the ones who NEED this book the most.  Alas, we can expect it to be a while before these "scientist" can look outside their own shallow mud-puddles of their over-specialties to see how applicable emergent theory is to the world we are immersed in, both natural and man-made.

   If you didn't find this book exciting, you didn't read it.  Sit down and read it without distraction and prejudice.  Let Johnson do what he does best; take you on a journey of ideas and concepts.  Sure, some of it is simplified for the lay-reader, but anybody who isn't a total couch-potato is going to find the content interesting enough to set-out and search for details on their own.  It isn't Johnson's goal to elaborate on some trivial and fragmentary specialty that only people with masters degrees and secured positions in academia could possibly enjoy or tolerate.

  His goal is to show what emergence IS and why it is SO important, how vast the concepts are in their potential application in every imaginable field, and how elegant, simple, complex, chaotic, and BEAUTIFUL emergence IS !

   And he does exactly this quite well.  If you read this book and are not excited, you didn't get it.  Read it again.  And again.  Look up the examples of emergence, and try to actually find your own examples of emergence in YOUR world, in YOUR daily experience.  The enrichment you'll gain from it will be worth a lot more than any silly over-specialty in an obscure field of research that nobody has ever hear


ENDEARING FELINE WHIMSEY
	A WONDERFULLY TOLD CAT-TAIL! THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE LOVELY AND APPROPRIATE TO THE PLAYFUL THEME OF THE BOOK


Excellent Cookbook
	I love this cookbook. There are so many amazing recipes. As someone who is allergic to dairy, I am totally blown away at how creamy some of the dishes are. Besides the recipes, the book is filled with beautiful pictures and profound quotes that combine together to create a really special reading experience. I highly recommend this cookbook to vegans, vegetarians, people allergic to dairy and wheat, and meat eaters, as well


i love this book!!!
	i am a kindda new wife but struggling with learning how to grow up and not be a nag.  stormie is very easy to understand in her book and can relate to almost anyone. like another person said i do feel like this book was written just for me.  the written prayers help me bc sometimes i dont know how to pray for my husband and this gives u the words to say and scripture to back up everything she says.  also, it helps me more importantly be a better wife. this isnt a book to try to get ur way and mold and change ur husband. i'd say its about giving urself up to The Lord to change u and make u a better wife . and praying for ur husband is selfless and probably one of the most important things u could be doing. i highly recommend this book, highly.  it changed me almost instantly!


My favorite book in the series
	I have read all of Van Gulik's murder mysteries and this is has to be my favorite. The characters are intriguing and some sinister. The end is satisfying and bittersweet, challenging integrity vs justice. I would,  however, recommend you read the others first (chronological is good,  Chinese Gold Murders is first) to get to know the main characters although  this book can stand on on its own


Excellent classic book on toxic shame and how to deal with it
	This is in my opinion John Bradshaw's best book. It encapsulates his thinking on the area of toxic shame and demonstrates how this phenomenon is at the core of compulsions, addictions, co-dependencies and our need to achieve beyond what is really necessary or serves our larger purposes.

In this volume, John Bradshaw demonstrates how toxic shame develops and leads to the breakdown of families. He also talks about how this cycle is perpetuated through generations and actually covers a lot of ground in terms of family dynamics.

Through affirmations, working with feelings, visualizations and other techniques, the author shows the reader how to work through toxic shame. As someone who has done the work himself, he comes across as compassionate, knowledgeable and very practical.

Sometimes I get annoyed when I read this book because of unnecessary repetition of some key concepts. This is the explanation for my 4 rating, along with the fact that many of his books overlap each other with respect to content. Therefore, my overall rating is that this is a solid, well-written classic that certainly deserves its best-seller status. However, prepare yourself for some repetition and unnecessarily long examples of what he is talking about.


Can't Read Again
	I love this book!  I love this series and it absolutely pains me to think that this may be the last (I say maybe because originally Buddies was supposed to be the last).  It is such a difficult book to pick up and read because every emotion invested in the previous three books is tested.  My love for Dennis Savage's irony becomes sorrow at the hope that he will lose face and stay with Little Kiwi.  My love for Little Kiwi's innocence becomes concern for his actions.  It's like watching your child make questionable decisions and knowing that no matter what the result, the choices that they make are theirs, and there's nothing you can do about it, but let them be chosen.  It's hard letting Little Kiwi grow up and become Virgil Brown.  I imagine it's the same way with a child, but at least then you get to see what happens!  Mind you, the book like the other three is a comic genius with subtle, feeling humor that has you laughing one minute and crying the next.  But just like  quot;Just Above My Head quot; by James Baldwin (which I highly recommend), I have been unable to pick up this book and read it again.  It simply leaves me realing with so many feelings, yet I would not trade the experience reading it with anything.  How does one mix merriment with malaise so well?  Read the book and find out


Cute
	This is a cute story about a spider who drops in on a farm.  All the farm animals greet her and invite her to play.  But the spider spends the day building her web instead.  The book is fun and informative, and not at all scary.  The pages are doubled so they are easy to turn, but be careful, because inquisitive little fingers may reach inside the pages and rip them.  The book has about 350 words


A great unsung character
	Collins' efforts with his justly famed  quot;The Moonstone quot; and  quot;The Woman in White quot; have perhaps overshadowed his very fine work as seen in  quot;Armadale. quot;  Lydia Gwilt (don't you love the last name?) is one of the great unsung characters in English (or any western) literature.  Collins seems to delight in making her as full-bodied, as attractive to men, and as dangerous as he can without ever losing his grip and falling over the slippery precipice into satire.  Given the tenor and social conventions of the time, her quest for revenge on the despicable Alan Armadale seems perfectly in keeping.  Lydia Gwilt is like an early, English Scarlett O'Hara without the redeeming humor Scarlett was known to exhibit.  All in all, an extraordinarily well-written and three-dimensional character study


Changed my Life
	I evolved into a lower carb nutrition by finding first that I needed more protein than I had thought and that I reacted strongly to sugars.  I bought this book when I decided to lose a few pounds, but wanted to understand any health implications related to a low carb diet.  I was already having gall bladder and liver issues.  I bought this book first and 2.5 years later, it is still the best reference I have.  The chapter on hormones is a bit technical, but this chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Within three days of eliminating grains from my diet, I no longer cared whether or not I lost weight.  My awful blood sugar drops and painful bloating were gone, my energy increased significantly and within weeks I noticed that the gall bladder pain was gone (and it hasn't come back).  Within three months my intense hot flashes disappeared and I started sleeping better.

The book first describes what low carb nutrition is, then goes on to discuss hormones and how insulin impacts the overall balance of the body's hormones in different ways.  It addresses overall energy, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, vitamins and minerals, and weight control (one chapter - the rest is on health issues).


A great book. My 3 year olds favorite.
	Three of my nephews and my son's favorite book. He wore it out and I had to buy another one.


Wonderful book
	This is an excellent book.  The anecdotal stories that the author includes make the book much more readable when compared to other parrot guides.  The authors book on Senegal parrots and their family is also full of information.


Perception is everything
	In response to the guy who said this book isn't  quot;scientific quot; I say, it's as scientific as the diagnosis. (Which is essentially a catalog of behaviors that annoy teachers, but I digress.) There's no scientific proof that ADHD actually exists as a disorder. Since we don't understand the brain, or why it does things, how can we assume that brain scans actually tell anyone anything? Choosing a positive perspective about annoying behavior is a good start. The book is worth your time, but you should also check out Hallowell or Ingersoll


Outstanding book
	Among all the theories of ethics with which I am familiar, I have always found Kant's system to be the best: carrying out one's duty for the sake of the duty itself. The problem with Kant, however, is that his theory of morality is grounded outside humanity, dependent on a source of which we can never, some may claim, have any understanding. Christine Korsgaard fixes, at least for me, this problem, by showing that one does not have to venture outside humanity in order to ground its morality. In short, the source of normativity is our humanity itself.

I don't want to get into too much details and give away the main points of the book. Suffice it to say that it offers, in my opinion, some of the best arguments for the objectivity of morality. The conclusion I reached after reading the book was this: It is as much justified for a human to complain 'Why should I be moral?' as it is for him/her to complain 'Why should I have two eyes?' In both cases, the answer is 'Because you are a human being, a social animal with two eyes.'


Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership
	Highly recommended! The text is engaging and very informative.  Clear possibilities for implementation


Sexological Review
	I found Lovemaps a valueable and insightful look at the way individuals relate to sexual behavior and establish their sexual identify and desires based on life experiences which as Dr. Money indicates occurs in childhood and which is unconsciously formed by the individual. I found this book extremely helpful while working on my Doctorate in Human Sexuality and now 6 years later as I continue my research and work as a Sexologist and Sex Therapist. I highly recommend this book to other Sexologist and Clinicians, as well as any man or woman who is interested in learning more about sex and sexual behavior; and in essence more about themselves. It definitely helps if you read a book before judging it. And this book should be in everyone's "Sensual Library".  Live with passion, Dr. Charley Ferrer, author of The Latina Kama Sutra, The W.I.S.E. Journal for the Sensual Woman, Para La Mujer Sensual, El Kama Sutra Latino, The Passionate Latina: In Our Own Words... www.instituteofpleasure.org


A phenominal resource book dedicated to enlighten and inform its reader.
	The Art of The Table - A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware, is extremely thorough in covering all the details related to proper table etiquette. Author Suzanne Von Drachenfels makes it so easy, and entertaining in the process, finding the answer to any mealtime dilemma.

In nine, worldly-wise written chapters, you will learn all about table fundamentals. Starting with the dining experience (formal vs. informal), then dinnerware, flatware, stemware, table linens, serving techniques, dining finesse, menu planning, Suzanne completes her mission with her undertaking of table manners in a changing world. Her history lessons compliment any given subject and are very enjoyable. Excellent


One of My favorite from SK
	Rose Madder was one the first books that got me hooked on Stephen King. This story is phenomenal, in my opinion.  I have to admit the first time I read it I was a little confused.  I was not one to be to much into "sci fi" fantasy type stuff.  This, like any good story or movie is best when it is read a few times.  Then you really get to pick up the subtle hints that you may have missed before. Then again I am a bit biased.  Rose Madder is right at the top of my list of most favorites (just below Bag of Bones


A handbook for parents full of personal anecdotes, fanciful stories, and good common sense advice
	Carol Kuykendall --- author, speaker, and strategic projects director for MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers) --- has compiled what she considers the five-star winning components of a successful family. According to this mom of three grown children, the five key elements of a great family begin with love -- expressions that inspire and comfort; fun -- activities that recharge a family's batteries; loyalty -- lessons on sticking with family through it all; growth -- embracing new challenges and seeing the value of stretching; and faith -- holding close a relationship with Christ that shines vividly and practically into the lives of others. With many personal anecdotes, fanciful stories, and good common sense advice, Kuykendall does a marvelous job presenting a handbook for parents that is easy on both the eyes and the heart.

The author's two-part text deals with family matters that focus on the beginnings of new family life when a young couple first discovers they're pregnant. Some of the practical points offered in this section include deciding who to invite to the actual delivery, naming the baby by taking into account potential teasing/taunting as a result of this all-important choice, hashing out basic parenting decisions regarding naps/nursing/discipline, dealing with those unmet expectations that crop up almost immediately after giving birth, and learning to fit into the extended family with the newest member without stepping on other siblings' toes or feelings.

Kuykendall then delves into dreaming for a bit. Just what kind of family does the new couple want to be? The author discusses the value of looking back in order to glean the best of past childhoods while wisely leaving not-so healthy patterns behind where they belong. She also details the importance of taking a realistic look at where a family is today, accepting where people are, because this is the point from which everyone can move ahead. Finally, a brief segment on looking ahead with hopeful, faith-inspired enthusiasm closes out this foundational topic.

To complete part one, Kuykendall does a lovely job presenting the "gifts" children bring to a family. Clearly, children are gifts from God, but with them come powerful life lessons on perspective. Consider the gift of "do-overs," in which parents can relive the innocence and wonder of childhood discovery through their children's eyes. This important truth reminds parents that God is the giver of second chances. Kuykendall also cites the gifts of humility as children "reveal us to ourselves" as imperfect parents. Children also model sincerity of a simple, uncomplicated faith.

Once this solid foundation is set, Kuykendall spends a generous amount of space re-defining her five-star qualities, each with its own separate chapter (Love, Fun, Loyalty, Growth, Faith). Every chapter opens with a lengthy discussion that includes biblical principles and selected bible verses, personal insights from the author's own family life, specific action points, and quippy yet powerful quotations for increased take-away reminders. One of the most telling quotations included in this timely text appears near the end, and it typifies Kuykendall's entire message beautifully. "Family is...A soft place to land."

   --- Reviewed by Michele How


I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!
	Wow!!!  This is a ton of great information from a 'been there, done that' Mom and Grandma.

The author shares wisdom, humor and stories all wrapped in grace...
(I loved that I could read it and be inspired to be better, encouraged for the great things I AM doing, but not feel guilty about all the stuff I'm NOT doing.)

This is a celebration  of the family. I think I might make it my new standard baby shower gift!!


The rare little children's bio of Dr. King
	When I first started reviewing children's books on Amazon.com I gave myself a long list of rules to follow.  And one of those rules stated that I was not to read other reviews of a book on the site until AFTER I'd written my own review.  I wanted my little writings to remain unsullied and pure, filled only with my own thoughts (which I obviously mistook to be brilliant) and feelings.  After a while though I gave up on this rule.  By and large (and this is not speaking for all reviews... just 90% of them) a review for a children's book goes something along the lines of "It was good, my four-year-old requests it every night, buy this book, etc.".  Nothing too shocking or revealing.  So I grew lazy.  I started reading other reviews of picture books long before I sat down to actually write a review of my own.  Just moments ago I went to do the same thing for the beautiful picture book, "Martin's Big Words".  This book was on my list of must-reads because it had garnered itself a Caldecott Honor years before.  So I went to the appropriate Amazon.com page (much as you are now) and read the first review on the list.  At the time, it was an unassuming July 18, 2002 review entitled, "There's Something Wrong Here...".  I read the review.  I digested the review.  And I came to the inescapable opinion that the points raised in the review were good ones.  Ones that I should consider, dare I say, in my OWN review.  This is unprecedented.  Never has a review for a book, a children's book, really hit home for me like this one did.  So to that mysterious reader who thought to make a point back in 2002, I commend you.  And to myself, a mental whipping for breaking my own rules.  It's a hard act to follow, but I've a point or two of my own to make and I'm gonna make `em.

Now  as a children's librarian I get a whole heaping helpful of small children coming in around January 17th (or just before) requesting books on Martin Luther King Jr.  For the older children, such requests are usually easy enough to fulfill.  But for little ones with short attention spans and even shorter vocabularies, the choices are limited.  Fortunately, there's, "Martin's Big Words".  A beautiful encapsulation of the life of the great man, the book shows Martin as a child, first encountering the insanity of segregation.  We see him grow up and preach a gospel of love and acceptance.  Following this are small looks at the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, civil rights marches, and his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.  Finally, while marching with striking garbage collectors (a fact not often mentioned in children's biographies of King), he was shot and killed.  Says the book at the end, "His big words are alive for us today".

The book is stunning to look at, you know.  The endpapers consist of pane after pane of brown, peach, amber, and umber stained glass.  Taken together, the stained glass appears to be a variety of different skin tones all working together to make something beautiful.  Using collage, illustrator Bryan Collier peppers his unique style with symbolic images (such as four lit candles placed in remembrance of the girls killed in the Sixteenth Street Baptist church).  In the rest of the book, Collier's images leap off the page.  They're bright, colorful and eclectic.  Combined with author Doreen Rappaport's elegant eloquent narrative, children get a full understanding of the courage and greatness behind Dr. King's life and actions.

So what about the complaints of this book?  Let's examine them fully.  First of all, one criticism is that in the image of the civil rights march there are thirteen men on display, none of whom are either white or female.  This is true.  And it is a little odd.  Not don't-buy-this-book odd.  Just why-did-the-illustrator-make-that-choice odd.  From looking at the picture I can only assume that Collier was working off a snapshot of a portion of a march from the past and didn't notice that it was a bit skewed.  The other criticism of the book is that whites are only portrayed as evil rednecks that want to kill Dr. King.  I dunno.  The book says plenty of things about diversity and the coming together of the races.  As for the lack of positive white images, I admit they're not present in this particular book.  However, the world is filled to overflowing with books that DO present positive images of white people.  As a white person myself, I'm sick to death of 'em.  And I'd gladly exchange four or five hundred such books for a single one that was half as beautifully illustrated and written as "Martin's Big Words".

So yeah, the book has a flaw here or there.  But it also fills a need.  However important you deem it that your children see positive images of whites during the Freedom Marches is your prerogative.  But don't pass "Martin's Big Words" by because it fails to fully display the diversity of the 60s in your eyes.  It's a great book with a great message.  It's also one of the few King bios that'll capture your seven-year-old's attention for longer than a minute.  A great addition to any library and a necessary purchase for anyone who wants to teach their small child about a magnificent man.


Never travel the same route twice!
	Ibn Batuta describes his encounters with peoples and lands west of his native Tangiers (Morocco) in the 14 C. By avoiding to travel the same route twice, he comes to the same places a number of times (Baghdad, Delhi) spinning and zigzagging his ways through mountains and seas. As he explores with brio this world, he unfolds himself and as in most cross-cultural encounters, this maybe one of the most interesting features of the book. He accepts miraculous events with a candor I have not found in any other Middle Age traveler of those lands (from Marco Polo to the Jesuits). He gives little description of the way people live in the places he visits - which I regret - apart from detailed descriptions of the gowns and other garments he is given by some of the Sheikhs of the places he visits. The descriptions of how those sheikhs succeeded to govern illustrate how (extremely) fragile power was and is in those regions.
Names are sometimes difficult to relate to those we know - which is regretful.
Don't follow Ibn Batuta's advice, read (and enjoy) the book twice


Very funny and so true
	I lived in a situation somewhat like that Richardson describes.  We watched VietNam from 1000 miles away, but the players were the same.  It was like living at the far edge of the Welsh Marches in the time of the Roman Empire.  Maybe if you haven't lived within a bureauocracy you won't understand, but everything he says is true


GREAT READ
	A must for any afterlife library.The chapter entitled "Mothers Chapter" is worth the price of the book alone. I know it will be hard to put this book down. A delightful 2 day read


Global Capitalism's Local Disaster
	There are many books out there about the supposed strengths or weaknesses of globalization and free trade, but at least in terms of the international movement of capital, you'll usually find mere boosterism and ideology. At last, Paul Blustein has given us a look at the real-life effects of financial shenanigans and speculation on the lives of real people in a developing nation. Here we have an in-depth and incredibly informative examination of the global financial trends that led to the horrendous collapse of Argentina's economy in 2001-2002, which resulted in millions and millions of people descending into poverty and hardship. You won't be surprised to see the word "bubble" regularly, as Blustein covers the surprisingly slow-moving factors that added up to disaster over several years, with many mistakes made by all parties along the way.

In addition to some financial mismanagement and damaging internal politics within Argentina itself, Blustein also explains errors made by the IMF and the Clinton and Bush administrations, and unhealthy speculation by foreign investors who had no regard for the outcomes of their actions. Not to mention, Argentina was the punching bag for an international monetary system that is built to ensure short-term rewards for speculators, plus an ideology that believes it to be acceptable when elites in rich countries profit while regular people in developing nations are left holding the bag when the bubble bursts. I would also recommend this book for those with a general interest in international monetary matters, as Bluestein does a marvelous job explaining phenomena like currency exchange rates, international debt and equity markets, and other financial concepts that you may wish to understand more deeply. If you're an ideologue in love with the supposed panacea of free markets, thinking that the unfettered movement of capital around the world will raise all ships, you might have your worldview shot down by Blustein and his excellent look at Argentina's misery. [~doomsdayer520~


Definitely worth every penny
	I have a pile of thes books at home   this is the first one that ever gave me any useful information.  I am physically challenged and I have a hard time getting around.  This is the only book I ever read that features information for people like me


There is a unprocess to everything
	I found this book to very informative. In a nutshell, it tells you how food is processed throughout your system and it's reaction. Like, fresh vegatables can be eaten with anything but starches don't digest well with meat. There are stages to going *Raw* that Ms. Rose has honestly and clearly put out there. Our bodies just can't go Raw over night. Yhere is a change in the digestive system. I know from my experience how my body feels when I eat raw for several days and then introduce the wrong combonation of foods. I feel like I'm suffering at the toilet.Sorry. Natalie gets you through the stages of developing this life style. It's a Detox program not a cookbook. It has recipes for all the stages to going *Raw. Ms. Rose hershelf claims it took several years for her to go completely Raw. The recipes are for those various stages. I don't find anything wrong with this book. As far as enzymes. All foods have them, and yes our body has them too. When cooking foods you are breaking down the enzymes that are packed with nutrients. That simple. We want to incorporate more enzymes or natural living food into our bodies.

And if you read your Bible...you will know what it means to eat pure food. Eat what the Lord has provided for you. You best optimal health can continue and grow from eating more living foods.

I was on this plan for a month. Without exercise I did the stage 3 and followed through the evening. I lost 16lbs in a month! I didn't even do an enema yet. My body was doing well everyday several times a day getting rid of the waste I've manage to occumalate. I didn'want to wear my food anymore. My insulin was way off from process snacks. This really help me feel the difference and pay respect to the best thing I could have done for myself. This book is a great beginning. I hope you see it the way I do


Not bad at all
	I enjoyed this novel. It wasn't Hiaasen's best work but it was well beyond a lot of novels one could read.

Hiaasen has the ability to look at the lower end of society and bring out the humour in how they conduct their lives. In this novel, two people win the Lotto. Ordinarily this would be a cause for celebration but when one of the winners bemoans the fact that they have to share their spoils with another and they are wanna-be white supremists, then the adventure starts.

The shenanigans of the characters is both humourous and engrossing, this is a book that I recommend


Great Resource!
	This book opened up new database opportunities for me. Without it, I would never have unlocked the real power of MySQL 5


A Great Sequel to Jurassic Park
	This novel was amazing.  It is just as good as Jurassic Park and I recommend it to anyone who loved Jurassic Park.  This novel is much better than the movie so if you liked Lost World, then you should definitely read this.  Crichton realistially extends this series and keeps you entertained throughout the book.  Once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down


Fast
	I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and fast. It kept my attention and I did not want to put the book down.


Outstanding book that will build character!
	The Chronicles of Narnia by accaimled author C.S. Lewis is worth every penny. I bought a copy for myself, but I am saving it for when my son learns to read. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe will move you if are you 25 or 5 and the story is a of such a kind--that you are the better for reading it


More Than a House
	Through Forster's impressive command of the English language and advanced character development, the story of Helen   Margaret Schlegel unfolds. The sisters--who are highly educated, pensive, and artistic--become entangled with the Wilcox family--practical, unilateral capitalists--and the Basts--working class and unassuming. However, the initially subtle differences between the sisters (and how they approach love, misfortune, and personal relations) become more obvious as the novel progresses, climaxing in a scandalous ending that was unexpected from a high-brow English novel. (I think some of the 1 and 2 start reviewers never actually read the novel to its dramatic end) Human nature notwithstanding, the novel's refinement, gorgeous writing, and riveting story-telling prevail to the end. I loved it!


"I was cut out for finer things."
	The narrator of Joe Perrotta's novel "Joe College" is Danny, an English major at Yale. Stuck with the peculiarities of his roommates, and with a horrendous crush on a fellow student named Polly, Danny struggles to complete his junior year. While home in New Jersey on a summer break, Danny drives his father's lunch wagon "The Roach Coach." And this is how he meets Cindy, a pleasant, chatty secretary. Danny compares her to the girls on the Yale campus, and the comparison is not flattering to Cindy. He's faintly embarrassed by her, and while she's ok to date when he's home in New Jersey, he's ashamed of the relationship when he returns to Yale.

Once again, Perrotta presents the theme of escape from New Jersey, and in the novel, Danny's escape is temporarily through Yale, but ultimately through education. Cindy represents everything Danny is trying to escape--a lifetime driving the Roach Coach, and Danny knows far too many people who made huge mistakes and ended up trapped forever in New Jersey.

Class is another theme in the novel--during the school year, Danny works in a cafeteria. The employees and the Townies are all too well aware that their lives are mapped out--whereas the Yale students seem to have vast, limitless opportunities. While Danny's background is humble, and his parents have made tremendous sacrifices to send him to Yale, he rubs shoulders with peers who come from incredibly wealthy homes. To them, Yale doesn't quite hold the desperate stakes that face Danny. When it comes to making some rather questionable moral choices, Danny nakedly examines his motives, and simply shrugs. While this does not make Danny a heroic narrator, it certainly makes him very real and very human. As a Perrotta fan, I hope that the author rediscovers Danny in another novel. In "Joe College" Danny's moral fibre is still quite plastic, and he may prove to be fascinating in middle age--displacedhuma


Metallica's Last Thrash
	THE BAND: James Hetfield (lead vocals, guitar), Kirk Hammett (guitars), Lars Ulrich (drums   percussion), and new member Jason Newsted (bass) formerly of Flotsam And Jetsam (replacing Cliff Burton, R.I.P.).

THE DISC: (1988) 9 tracks clocking in at approximately 65 minutes. Included with the disc is a 10-page booklet containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, band pictures, one 'gavel' drawing containing  band member faces, and thank you's. This is Metallica's 4th studio album. All songs written by Hetfield, Hammett, Ulrich and/or Newsted. Recorded at One On One Studios, Los Angeles, CA. This would be Flemming Rasmussen's last album produced with the band (Bob Rock would follow). The Japanese (import) version contains a bonus track - a Diamond Head cover, "The Prince". Label - Elektra.

COMMENTS: "...And Justice For All" was the last classic Metallica album of the 80's. It was also their final attempt at thrash metal (once the 90's rolled around and producer Bob Rock entered the picture, the band took a more "mainstream" metal approach). The majority of songs are long with complex riffs... borderline progressive. Let me first say that for years, this disc sat on my shelf. I thought it was over-produced; I didn't like Ulrich's snare drum (sounded cheap and tinny) or his double bass (sounded shallow and metallic - partly due to a coin taped to the drum skin where the foot pedal hit); Newsted's bass was nonexistent (the standard explanation for this combines Newsted's absence from the mixing sessions where he could have voiced his opinion, and the lingering issue of his "newness" within the band following the death of Burton); there were three songs that I just could not get into ("Eye Of The Beholder", "The Shortest Straw" and lightning fast "Dyers Eve"); and the articles I read about the 3 original band members hazing and not accepting newcomer Newsted was infuriating... call if fun, call it pranks, call it cruel - Newsted simply did not deserve this kind of treatment. Newsted (or anyone else who took the job) had two choices - put up with the crap or leave. From the outside looking in, Burton's loss was tragic, but the way Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett handled the situation afterwards seemed uncalled for. As far as "...And Justice For All" is concerned though, it's taken a decade to grow on me and finally realize there are some brilliant songs here. In my opinion, "One" is one of Metallica's finest songs in their entire catalog. "One" has an awesome slow beginning, tells a great story of an injured soldier, and ends in fine metal thrash form (not to mention one of the more memorable MTV videos)... all in all featuring great guitar work (intro, rhythm and solos). "Blackened" is an underrated gem of an opener. "To Live Is To Die" is the other masterpiece (almost 10 minutes long) - riffs and spoken words written by Cliff Burton (his last written testament) - this song has great riffs and 7 minutes of jamming before any vocals... reminiscent of something taken right off "Master Of Puppets". The title track also resembles something from "Puppets". "...And Justice For All" chart success - hitting #6 on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums" from 1988, as well as the song "One" hitting #35 on Billboard's Hot 100. There's good and bad here... this album is still considered a classic and essential. If not only for the songs "One", "Blackened" and "To Live Is To Die" (4 stars).


Wonderful and Most Fun
	I just finished my second reading of it.

I really cannot add much to the great reviews already written. I've always loved Dickens' way with words, and this book is a treasure in that department. The English, the Era, the characters, the countryside.... it got to the point where I couldn't wait for the evening to come so I could continue reading.

This also seems to me to be an important "cornerstone book" for other great English literature. The theme (though just a seed) for  Scrooge in A Christmas Carol begins here, in a story called The Goblin Who Stole a Sexton, a story related during one of Pickwick's Christmastime visits to a friend in the country. When reading The Wind in the Willows or Tolkien's works, I cannot escape the feeling that they were also influenced by the charm, the sense of humor (okay, humour), duty to friends, and the simple but most important things in life which Dickens so impressively describes.

The only negative thing is that I discovered that it had an effect on me which made me wish that I was free from the drudgery of daily work, was retired (with ample monetary means, of course, like Pickwick himself), and could devote the remainder of my life to similar ramblings, adventures, and pursuits.

An excellent book


THE MARCH CONTINUES
	I first read this extraordinary book in 1986, just two years after it was first published.  Picking it up again, I find it eerily applicable to our current situation. There is a familiar old adage that teaches us that those who refuse to learn history are doomed to repeat it. THE MARCH OF FOLLY brings this message back to the forefront.

Barbara W. Tuchman eloquently discusses the bizarre propensity of governments throughout history to pursue policies contrary to their own interests. Mind you, this is not a pacifist book but rather one that begs governments to beware of the reckless pursuit of policy that might prove to be dangerous. And, yes, I admit right readily that hindsight is 20-20.

Beginning with the Trojans and their acceptance of the Trojan Horse to benighted Papal policy during the renaissance to Britain's stupidity during the American Revolution to questionable American policy during the Vietnam war, THE MARCH OF FOLLY invites the reader to consider the fact that as things change in historic chronology apparently nothing else does.

Given our current war policies, efforts and mistakes in Iraq, Tuchman's masterpiece is a very poignant read and we must confess, regardless of individual political leanings, that the potential for history to repeat itself yet again is considerable. Who knows, there may yet be a sequel to this one appropriately titled THE MARCH CONTINUES.

THE HORSEMA


Excellent book on personal hygiene and public health
	Many stories in this book reminds me of the famous essay  quot;Silent Spring quot;. The writing style is extremely accessible to every body and yet delivers a significant amount of knowledge, advice, and sometimes wisdom. The author carefully explains medical terms and implications, thus easing the reader's mind without using a medical book. This book is highly recommended to anyone who has a curious mind


Good news for cats :-)
	As a health writer, I know that pharmaceuticals can be very dangerous compounds. But for years, I overlooked the fact that drugs aren't good for pets either. Your cat can probably benefit from safer alternative  treatments. Martin Zucker has put together a wonderful book with top  veterinarians. Don't keep alternative and holistic treatments to yourself  -- share them with your pet


Great, subtle book by proven author
	I LOVED this book!  I read it in a single day.  I have read everything else of Maupin's and strongly recommend this novel, too.  This is probably my favorite book of his.

The author had more lyrical descriptions in this book than I remember from his past volumes.  I found myself rereading lines and paragraphs simply for the sheer beauty of language.  The falling apart relationship between Gabriel and Jess also hit me as realistic and at times almost too painful to read.

A great book!!!


Who knew that earth demons like Chef Boyardee?
	'The Regulators' is not quite on the literary level of 'Desperation,' but that makes it more fun in a way, especially as it's less preachy.  I liked that 'The Regulators' adds a little more information about the mysterious Tak.  Here we see a more terribly playful, oddly fastidious, and possibly younger Tak who loves spaghetti, chocolate milk, westerns, and Cassie Stiles.  And while most of the characters of 'The Regulators' are flatter than those of 'Desperation,' 'The Regulators' gives us a glimpse of what some inhabitants of Desperation might have been like before Tak possessed them, particularly Audrey and Collie who were never shown "pre-Tak" in 'Desperation.