Independent Books

The subtitle is completely misleading, it's not "the definitive history of infinity" at all, indeed it's not even a history of infinity (actually, it only has two chapters on this subject).

The book is just another (very well written, by the way) popular science book which talks about general relativity, quantum mechanics, time-travel, big-bang, worm holes, etc. So if you have already read others books on this subject (as the ones of Kaku, Hawking, etc.) you won't find much new information.

But, in case you are really interested in a "History of Infinity", get the marvelous Rudy Rucker's book "Infinity and the Mind".

As a lay reader who's interest in math and quantum physics is limited to the "gee whiz" aspects of science, this book is a must read. There are great mind twisters and insights into the reality of math and physics. I was blown away by the discussion about calculus. Wish I had the insights when I flunked the class....may have helped!

Estoy iniciando la lectura del libro, por lo que no puedo todavía emitir una opinión global. Pero he hallado una afirmación tan errónea, que no puedo evitar comentarla. En la página 52 de la edición en español (Ediciones B, ISBN: 84-406-9582-9)dice que el Sol, "más próximo a la Tierra en verano que en invierno"... ¿Cómo?¿Desde cuándo las estaciones se relacionan con la proximidad al Sol? Como que dudo de que el Sr. Morris, todo un doctor en Física, según los créditos del libro, cometa un error tan flagrante, pienso que quizá se trate de un error de traducción. ¿O es que estoy equivocado y el Sol sí está más proximo a la Tierra en verano que en invierno?

When I picked up "Achilles in the Quantam Universe" it was soley for a school project. We were assigned to read a physics related book and "A Brief History of Time" wasn't at the library. I found, though, that once I picked it up I couldn't stop reading. Not only is it written so that anyone can understand it, Morris adds humor, anecdotes and footnotes that keep the reader immersed in the amazing accounts of historical events. Starting with Cantor, Plato and Zeno, the book moves through the discoveries of some of the world's greatest physicists. It focuses on the history of the concept of infinity, but while doing so, explains such things as the development of the idea of an electron and the charting of our solar system. He makes Galileo, Newton and Einstein seem real, as if he was a friend telling of thier experiments. The book is informative, fun and an amazing account of the history of "infinity", and I would recommend it to anyone.

Achilles in the quantum universe, was one of the best books I've read. It approached the concept of infinity in a way that the common reader could understand.

my review may be unfair, but, i ordered this book and was sent the sheet music

As a fan of Afro-Cuban music, this book allows insight into the complexity of rhythms, chords and words. The content is as authentic as it can be to the material on its CD (not included). The print is good and easy to read. The music? Great!! I only with it includes pages on the production of BVSC, maybe photos of artists or footnotes.

I recently saw the movie Buena Vista Social Club for the first time and I liked it so much that I wanted to learn more about it. That's why I ordered this book.

At first, I was a little disappointed when I received the book and found out that some of the images were low-resolution digital scans. However, after reviewing the book as a whole, I really got to like it. There are quite a few large high-resolution images that more than compensate for their low-res counterparts.

The book is mainly a photo-album which includes the transcriptions of some of the dialogs and interviews from the movie, as well as the lyrics of some of the songs (all of them translated into English).

One of the only pieces of material in this book that are not an integral part of the movie is the foreword by Wim Wenders, where he describes his whole experience of going to Cuba to make the movie. Very, very interesting to read! The other two are an interview of Ry Cooder with Peter Kemper and the biographies of the musicians.

This book is good to have around when you are having a conversation about the movie with your friends. You'll find the photos and dialogs from all the key moments in the movie.

I am a fan of Wim Wenders' work, and I loved the BVSC CD and the movie, but in all honesty, except for the intro by Wenders and the closing interview with Ry Cooder, the entire book basically consists of shots from the movie along with the dialogs by the BVSC stars and the lyrics to the songs they interpret, i.e. material that the movie and the CD already provide. Yes: I admit I had higher expectations with it. In any case, I have to say Ibrahim Ferrer's monologue toward the end, when they visit NYC for their performance at Carnegie Hall, is a very touching moment.

Buena Vista Social Club is more a coffee table addition than a serious in-depth study, but will prove a 'must' for any prior fan of the Buena Vista Social Club and Cuban music in particular. Photos, film stills and text accompany first-person capsule sketches by the participants of the BVSC group in this companion book to the film.

With the doors opening to a new world of independent moviemaking...and the resulting search for distribution, this is a must-read primer on what you need to do to prepare for possible self-distribution. Sometimes that can be more profitable than a half-baked distribution deal. Most moviemakers don't have a clue what to do after their movie is made. This book answers a bunch of those questions.

There's a host of tips on burning DVDs that Hollywood doesn't wish you to know: even if you're not making an independent video, these tips alone make THE COMPLETE DVD BOOK: DESIGNING, PRODUCING, AND MARKETING YOUR INDEPENDENT FILM ON VIDEO worth the price tag. And for those who are involved in independent filmmaking, THE COMPLETE DVD BOOK is a virtual goldmine of detail on how to produce high-quality DVDs similar to major studio products - but without the big-ticket budget. There are DVD templates, listings of designers, suppliers, distributors, tips on publicity and more: everything you need to produce a professional-quality dvd. Very highly recommended: the basic, essential reference all independent filmmakers should have close at hand.

While the subject matter in the Complete DVD Book is fairly complicated and technical, it is made much easier to understand because of the writing style, explanations, and step-by-step diagrams. The book has a tremendous amount of information, and while it gets technical in some places, it is never boring or ponderous. The Complete DVD Book is the perfect resource for those who are adept with the necessary programs and are planning on doing this more than just once or twice. Not recommended for purchase for those with very basic understanding of DVD burning software, it is a valuable tool for those who have a mid-range understanding of this software.

(...)

This book gives detailed instruction using Studio Pro, but, duh, that is software for a Mac, not a PC. It does give other info, but only about 10%. The other 90% of the book is detailed step by step instructions for using Studio Pro for Macs. If you own a Mac, go for it. If not, find another book.

Have you ever been to a party or watched a show on PBS where a very knowledgeable person expounds on some subject and you find yourself drawn in because they are a great speaker, or the subject matter is fascinating but you come away telling your partner: "Wow, that was really interesting. I have no idea what they were talking about."

That's how I felt after reading the first half of this book.

I know very little about all the technical aspects of DVD creation, authoring, processing and packaging. Frankly, I know just enough about my computer to completely fry my hard-drive (which I've done). I have used editing programs and DVD authoring programs in the past (and still use) but these are very much "over the counter" programs usually bundled with my DVD burner and extremely simple to use: Add titles, add content, stick in a DVD-R disc and push a button. Two hours later, you hope it works.

Paul J. Salamoff does an excellent job going through the step-by-step process of creating the DVD. He has thought of everything from the title colors to the hidden eggs. Using programs such as "Final Cut Pro" and "DVD Studio Pro 3" and "Adobe Photoshop," Paul goes through the meticulous step-by-step process of telling the reader how to create their DVD. Assumptions are already made. Assumption 1: You already have your film in the "can" and on your computer and assumption 2: You have a computer that can handle everything you have got.

Paul is extremely thorough and detailed from the Preparation of the Video and Audio to the layout of menus, overlays, subtitles, slide-shows and bios. It is all very fascinating - even if I do not thoroughly understand it. Though they do include dozens of screenshots and graphics.

Here, try this from the section regarding "Control Commands:" COLOR COMMANDS Use these commands to select a value between 0 and 15. These colors can be preset in DVD Studio Pro (Preferences > Color Palette). $ColorIndex1: Text Color ($ColorIndex1 = 1)

Now, if you understand that (and many others like that) - then this book is for you. If you are like me and that makes about as much sense as cotton candy on the moon - then maybe you should skip to the second section.

The second section is all about marketing your film. Dealing from everything from duplicators to distributors to foreign markets. Chris Gore goes into great detail about the hills and valleys of this process of getting your film out there in the marketplace. This section enlightened me to things that I was not familiar with when I go to my local "Best Buy" and buy "Crappy Movie 4 - SPECIAL EDITION." There is a detailed process and one you should follow if you have your film in hand and want to get it out to the marketplace.

Together Chris and Paul have done a great job of explaining pretty much everything you need to know about this process (including an EXCELLENT resource section in the back of the book). Here are a few other items I would have liked to see:

1. A section on what type of computer you are going to need including processor speed, monitor size, video card, hard-drive space, etc. If I have my film in hand, I am going to want to know what my initial investment is going to be.

2. An honest to goodness recommendation of software to use. Paul uses DVD Studio Pro 3 for authoring but says: "This is not an endorsement of DVD Studio Pro 3..." Well, gosh, why not!? I would have rather seen, straight up: Buy this type of computer and buy this type of software. There are other types of software and they do this and this and that and that - but here is why I am using and recommending this!

3. Resources by location. In the back of the book there are some resources listing out DVD Production Services and DVD Packaging Services. They're listed out alphabetically. If you are looking for one by location, you have to scan each one. It would have been excellent to include the same list via location.

If you have a film that you are ready to put on to DVD - this book is an excellent resource for you. Especially if you can understand all the technical talk. If you do not understand the technical talk, I would still suggest getting the book and the recommended programs and try to put it all together. It seems, relatively, simple. At least from what I understand.

Oh, and in all fairness to Chris and Paul, I am going to give the book to a friend of mine who has more knowledge on the technical aspects of this process (he would understand the $ColorIndex1 sentence above) and have asked him to review the book. I figure that with two authors, the book could have two reviewers. Look for his review soon.

eland does a unique thing with this book - he deconstructs the imperialism argument from every perspective. so it really feels like he's not preaching to the choir. by doing so, he strengthens his argument. no matter what your political philosophy is, this book finds a way to address you and dissuade you from supporting the american empire (it may or may not technically be one, depending on how you define it, but you know what he's talking about here). admittedly, eland is a bit more of an isolationist than i'd like, but hey, people with different political views coming to similar conclusions is a good thing! it's also a pretty easy read - you don't need to have coursework in international security or international political economy to get what he's saying.

A direct, educated antithesis to the imperial warmongering of Kaplan and the like. A read that will interest anyone who is interested in preserving our declining democratic republic.

As I said it for another book ("The New American Empire"), Ivan Eland's book "The Empire Has No Clothes" is also a great book to see through Bush's lies.

Now, George W. Bush says that he accepts responsibility for taking the U.S. to war in Iraq based on faulty intelligence. -This is all wrong.

It was not the intelligence that was faulty; it was Bush's intentions to wage war against Iraq no matter what were the intelligence and the facts. He twisted the intelligence reports and invented lies around his already decided policy.

That's why he is guilty of having launched a war of aggression on lies and deception, and on having violated, in so doing, international law. He and his neocon advisors should pray that they will never be brought before an international court of justice.

Eland challenges conventional wisdom about why so many people around the world dislike Americans--it's not who we are or what we believe, but how our government behaves. With specific chapters directed at both conservatives and liberals explaining how over-reaching US interventionism goes against their principles, there is something in this book for everyone.

The author has certainly convinced himself that in the 21st century the U.S. should think of itself as a plaintive island. I think that always in politics and governance the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Alas, this book - scholarly, heavily researched - is so stiffly one-sided that it almost impressed me as a meticulous work of mad fantasy. It is too lucid to count as manifesto but too bloodless and bland to register a real sense of thoughtulness.

The IFP/WEST Filmmakers Manual walks you through the line producing responsibilities of the movie SWINGERS. Written with detailed information including example budgets, call sheets and production notes. The book also provides useful situational anecedotes from the production.

This is the best resource for production management in independent filmmaking I have found to date.

The idea of an interview with Kevin Smith being a "bonus" is not appealing. Gimme REAL directors like Sydney Lumet or Jane Campion.

For the aspiring producer of independent films, the "IFP/West Independent Filmmaker's Manual" is a great book to read. It gives the reader a solid overview of virtially every stage of the production process.

With the production of "Swingers" still fresh in their minds, writers Nicole Shay LaLoggia and Eden H. Wurmfield give the reader an insider's view of making that all important first film. Although "Swingers" was made on a tiny budget and without the benefit of the Screen Actors Guild's new low budget agreements, the film proved successful within a fiercely competitive independent film market.

These producers had what it takes to get a small film made without the benefit of a big budget or big name stars. Since most of the readers of this book are probably starting off in a similar situation, their insights are especially helpful. Veteran producers (while the writers may be considered veterans now) often lose touch with what it's like to be a new producer.

It's also important to note that these producers simply did not roll over and die after making, "Swingers." At this writing, Eden H. Wurmfeld is a finalist for the Motorola Producer's Award, part of the IFP's Independent Spirit Awards for "Kissing Jessica Stein" and "Fanci's Persuasion." In short, these producers are out there in the trenches and speak from not just knowledge, but experience.

A very helpful feature of the book are a series of checklists, to remind the producer of his or her daily responsibilities. Producing is a high pressure job that is very detail orientated. I wish this resource had been available when I started producing a few years before this book was published.

On the two CD-ROMs included (one formatted for PCs, the other for Macs), you get a series of very worthwhile extras. This includes an ample supply of production forms and interviews with prominent people in the independent film world. The interviews include Geoffrey Gilmore (Sundance Film Festival), Kasi Lemmons (writer/director of "Eve's Bayou," the #1 independent film of 1997), Kevin Smith (writer/director of "Clerks), Jon Favreau ("Swingers") and Billy Bob Thornton ("Slingblade"). Also included are interviews with veteran producers Ted Hope and Christine Vachon. These are all great for the independent filmmaker, particularly if you're trying to make deeply personal films to play at film festivals and on the "art house" circuit. If you're just interested in making B-grade genre films, these will be less helpful.

My one complaint about the included production forms is that they include a navigational box at the upper left hand corner that says, "Return to Contents," that can't be removed unless you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat.

LaLoggia and Wurmfeld's book demystifies the role of the "creative producer" on independent feature films. However, if you're interested in a nuts and bolts book on the role of a "line producer" (which is essentially a production manager and not one who develops a project from scratch), this book may still be beneficial, but perhaps less so. This is also true for people interested solely in producing mass market films for the major studios. If you don't yet know the difference or are trying to figure out which way to go, this book is a great jumping off point.

Dive in, the water's fine.

This book was a big disappointment. It seems half the pages are just print outs of forms, budgets, etc. The information tucked between the pages of forms is the same stuff found in many more comprehensive and readable books. It seemed to be written by a computer, not a person. The index is weak as is the glossary. These folks made one movie and thought they could tell the rest of the world how it's done. The hubris is only exceeded by the vapidity. Sent mine back for a refund.

I was slightly disappointed by this book. But I had heard so much hype about it that anything short of a divine masterpiece was going to be a let-down. I will however strongly recommend this book to someone who is knowledgable about film, has a worthwhile project, and wants to know how to get it off the ground because what the authors do is detail how they went about making their indie film Swingers. Many will find this useful as it will tell you how to go about organizing, scheduling, budgeting, and then shooting your project. Anything you could possibly need to know is discussed. The one thing that I found the most enjoyable though was the cd it comes with that contains interviews with Kevin Smith (director of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma) and others.

This was an enjoyable read for a night. A little mystery without a lot of blood and gore.

The lives of two young women from different worlds collide in this fast-paced murder mystery. Fans of Leslie Glass, Lisa Scottoline and J. A. Jance will be thrilled to discover the author Libby Fischer Hellmann and her crime series featuring Ellie Foreman.

Ellie is an endearing and precocious young video producer who manages to fight crime, raise a teenager, care for a father and have a relationship with the man she loves. She describes David as too old for "boyfriend," but too young for "companion." He is too conservative for "lover" and not PC enough for "significant other." And, she dreams of producing the next award-winning video documentary.

Feeling cozy and safe, Ellie works at home in her small neighborhood north of Chicago. Stolen bikes and drunk driving are the high-profile crimes here. Her teenage daughter answers the door as Ellie is cooking dinner, and returns with a package containing a videotape. The tape is blank and Ellie lets it run as she idly stares at the snowy screen, and thinks it is a prank. Her mind wanders--until after a long lead in, it abruptly changes into a surveillance view of a young woman dressed in jeans and a t-shirt huddled in a small room. Her face looks bruised and her shoulders sag. Suddenly two men in ski masks rush through a door. The woman staggers up to greet them. As a puff of smoke explodes beside her the woman crumples to the floor and something dark begins to creep across her chest.

Ellie is stunned. Her intuition tells her that she has just witnessed a murder. Furthermore she feels responsible for solving the crime since the tape was delivered to her doorstep.

Arin's tragic story is revealed in surreal flashbacks. The reader is propelled along with Ellie Foreman as she is innocently entangled in this same dangerous world of murder and corruption. We learn she is from the Republic of Georgia whose husband was in the military before he was killed. What is Arin doing near Chicago? How did her life spiral into crime and prostitution?

Armchair Interviews says: A mystery that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Another disappointment... It's no fun reading a book when you know the outcome right away. A plot twist once in awhile would have helped. The characterization of Ellie was difficult to believe. Her clingy relationship with her daughter was irritating enough, why did we have to suffer through hers with her boyfriend David, too? Characters than are capable of intimate relationships are much more interesting. Far too much of this series is spent on her personal issues, definitely not eough on the mystery!

Libby Fisher Hellmann has a remarkable ability to tell the tale of ordinary people who rise to the challenge of extraordinary circumstances. AN IMAGE OF DEATH is a well told thriller.

The characters are clearly drawn. Ellie Foreman, must once again investigates a mystery, and what a mystery! It originates in Russia when a woman must overcome poverty, death, and betrayal to rebuild her life in a new country. That is just the beginning, and Ms. Hellmann takes us on a fascinating journey.

I've read all of Ms. Hellmann's work, and all have been wonderful. This may be her best work yet. The writing is polished, the prose of the back story especially evocative, the tale itself both sad and satisfying. Ellie continues to be a protagonist of real dimensions beset by very real personal problems. Although Chicago is always a marvelous character in Hellmann's work, here the story encompasses a much broader, more ambitious landscape in both time and geography, and the author does a superlative job of making it all vivid. I recommend this book highly.

Dobrynin was the USSR's point man in the US through six presidents. His memoirs here include the Soviet reactions to many famous incidents, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the shootdown of Korean Air Lines flight 007. It is because he was in America so long, and privy to both American sentiment and Russian diplomatic policy and strategy that this is so vital for Cold War understanding.
While it can seem a little self-serving in places, Dobrynin spent 30+ years less often in the USSR than here. He met 6 presidents and can discuss them with first hand knowledge of their style and also their reactions they caused in Moscow. His total access to both superpowers' most important policymakers gives him a unique perspective, and given so little of the top Soviet leaders' autobiographies (Krushchev being a strong exception), this is probably the best insider view the West will ever see. For that reason, this book MUST be included in any study of the Cold War from 1960-1991.

Dobrynin was the USSR's point man in the US through six presidents. His memoirs here include the Soviet reactions to many famous incidents, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the shootdown of Korean Air Lines flight 007. It is because he was in America so long, and privy to both American sentiment and Russian diplomatic policy and strategy that this is so vital for Cold War understanding.
While it can seem a little self-serving in places, Dobrynin spent 30+ years less often in the USSR than here. He met 6 presidents and can discuss them with first hand knowledge of their style and also their reactions they caused in Moscow. His total access to both superpowers' most important policymakers gives him a unique perspective, and given so little of the top Soviet leaders' autobiographies (Krushchev being a strong exception), this is probably the best insider view the West will ever see. For that reason, this book MUST be included in any study of the Cold War from 1960-1991.

During Ambassador Dobrynin's long tenure in Washington, he managed to achieve an in depth understanding of American culture.

That was extraordinary enough for someone who grew up in the Soviet Union. Further, he was able to obtain the respect of many influential Americans. He was invited to functions where he was the only non-American present.

This book tells that story very well. The politics with the 6 Presidents and Soviet Secretaries is really interesting. But I think Mr. Dobrynin is far more interesting himself.

Dobrynin was the USSR's point man in the US through six presidents. His memoirs here include the Soviet reactions to many famous incidents, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the shootdown of Korean Air Lines flight 007. It is because he was in America so long, and privy to both American sentiment and Russian diplomatic policy and strategy that this is so vital for Cold War understanding.
While it can seem a little self-serving in places, Dobrynin spent 30+ years less often in the USSR than here. He met 6 presidents and can discuss them with first hand knowledge of their style and also their reactions they caused in Moscow. His total access to both superpowers' most important policymakers gives him a unique perspective, and given so little of the top Soviet leaders' autobiographies (Krushchev being a strong exception), this is probably the best insider view the West will ever see. For that reason, this book MUST be included in any study of the Cold War from 1960-1991.

Former Soviet Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Dobrynin has contributed a mildly anecdotal memoire to the body of diplomatic literature. One can learn almost nothing about Soviet diplomacy from this book. In fact, it's almost as if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn't exist. What we are served up is a self-important depiction of Dobrynin as the "confidential channel" between his Communist party political masters in Moscow and the numerous occupants of the U.S. White House. If one is to believe Dobrynin - and in this case, I do - he was privy to aspects of White House foreign policy of which even the occasional U.S. Secretary of State was unaware. Dobrynin shows his gratitude for this singular "honour" by praising to the skies those U.S. administrations that used him in this role and by decrying the ineffectuality of those administrations that ignored him. There has never been a more effusive accolyte of Henry Kissinger that this former Soviet Ambassador. In fact, this book reads almost like a job resume, written to impress Kissinger, perhaps to obtain a crumb from the great one's table. While Dobrynin has much to say about the errors of U.S. foreign policy he seems to have forgotten that he was THE official representative in the U.S. of the repressive - at times murderous - regime of the Soviets. No wonder. Not exactly something to help one sleep at night. If everyone has a price, the amoral diplomat Dobrynin's was 25 years in the West. He must have cried the day he left Washington, but not from happiness. I wish him well in retirement - and maybe Henry will remember him at Christmas

The Musicians Atlas is definately a must have for any musician, producer, engineer, project manager etc... I keep mine handy at all times. You never know when you will need it.

I've been trying to get information like the information in this book for years. I'd heard that "self-help" books like these existed for people who work at record labels, but I've never been able to find them. Owning this book has been a tremendous help in booking my own tours (which I did for the entire summer/fall seasons), and for making contact with radio station program directors who've listened to and actually played my music. This is a must-have for anyone working as an indie player who feels locked-out by an indifferent industry!

This book is one of the best resources I have ever found to help me work my musical career. If you're looking for accurate contact info in the music biz, this is the book! And they kept the price affordable for musician's! Every musician friend I've shown it to agrees, this thing is great! Don't let the guy who made the negative comments discourage you. Check it out for yourself. The Musician's Atlas ROCKS!

I am one of the music industry professionals whose "contact information" is found in the sloppy work that comprises this book. As a music industry professional, I was contacted on three occasions by phone solicitors who were hired to compile this book the book's data and to "verify information" on the music industry "contacts" who were to be listed in the book. The idea of the book is basically to provide "contact" numbers and addresses of professionals in the music industry, so that the book's target purchasers, namely, unconnected musicians who want to "make it" in the music biz, will have all of our numbers and addresses. Hence, they can suddenly "connect" with us and get the big record deal. Despite my protestations to solicitors of what information would be in book the regarding myself, they printed it anyway, while claiming they wouldn't. They promised me, at my request, that if they printed my name and phone number in it, they would add that I *DO NOT* accept tapes or phone calls from musicians who DO NOT have recording contracts already. Not only did they misrepresent themselves by not printing the disclaimer as they had promised about our policty, they also ran the *incorrect* address for the company, despite three different solicitors phoning here to "verify" the information for this book, such as my address. They ignored everything I said. The people who buy this book are buying into the *hope/fantasy* that they'll get somewhere in the music biz now that they have the "contact" information on the movers and shakers. Realities, such as who even listens to unsolicited tapes, is unmentioned, let alone what "contact" information in the book is even truly up-to-date or correct. The truth is that "contact" numbers are not the same as pertinent relationships or exchanges with those in the business. Your phone call could just be a nuisance call. Hundreds of unsolicited demo tapes sent to record companies are thrown out, never even listened to. The hopeful musician would be much better off to buy a title such as "Everything You'd Better Know About The Music Industry" by Kashif or one of Passman's books.

I agree with the guy from LA in that this book sells a pipe dream. The music business is not as simple as sending a few demos out. The information is as current as an annual book can be, but don't think it's something that will further your career on its own. You must have other knowledge to go with it. You can get books on the music business here or go to Yahoo and search for "independent music business." Either way, get the knowledge you need before taking advantage of the contacts in the Musicians Atlas.

Polhill gives a thorough survey of the life of the apostle Paul in conjunction with commentaries on each Pauline Epistle. He presents many debated issues in Pauline scholarship, and he proves fair to all sides of the arguments. Occasionally, he argues a better case for the option he has not chosen--while this may seem discouraging at first, it actually allows the reader to come to his/her own conclusion regarding each historical/scholarly debate. Thus, I found this volume to be very valuable in my study of Paul and his epistles. Like any reader, I would not accept everything Polhill advocates in the book, but overall he is Biblically sound and insightful in many respects.

In short, this book is a must for those first-century history buffs and anyone interested in Paul's theology.

This author does a tremendous job of evaluating others hypothesis. The argumentation is very plain spoken. The reading can be a bit thick at times. Great book for reference library.

A previous reviewer wrote,

"But you do not get anywhere near the depth of discussion you do in most commentaries devoted to one or two letters. There is no passage-by-passage analysis and little discussion of the Greek text. Again, a helpful introduction, but not much more."

Indeed, a very helpful introduction. And it was not written to be "much more," so I wouldn't hold that against the book.

I had to read this book in seminary for a NT II intro class taught by the author of the book, Dr. Polhill. His material in class is very closely related to the material he has in his book. So you are getting a seminary level introduction to Paul and his epistles.

But don't let the word "seminary" scare you away from this book! I am not your average seminary student. I don't care to read books that are overly complicated or hard to read and Polhill does not disappoint. I found the book engaging in many respects and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an introduction to Paul and his epistles.

Paul and His Letters is something of a hybrid. On one hand its a Pauline history, in the vein of Bruce's Apostle of the Heart Set Free, and on the other hand it offers commentaries on all of Paul's epistles. Taken as a whole I do not think the format is a complete success, but Polhill knows his stuff and has a lot to offer the layperson.

The history of Paul is ably covered, with Polhill discussing Paul's background, conversion, and missionary activites. On occasion he offers some insights not always emphasized by others, such as the unique inclusion of the Greek proverb about kicking "against the goads" only when giving his testimony to a very hellenized client-king.

The discussion of each letter covers most of the bases, but not in much depth. Still, in addition to questions of authorship, he covers many notable issues, such as whether Philemon is actually three redacted into one and the authorship of 2 Thessalonians. But you do not get anywhere near the depth of discussion you do in most commentaries devoted to one or two letters. There is no passage-by-passage analysis and little discussion of the Greek text. Again, a helpful introduction, but not much more.

Though I realize Polhill is accomplishing a lot in one book, I wish he had spent more time on some issues of particular importance. One example is his dismissive attitude towards the early authorship of Galatians. He notes the theory, but sets it aside with little explanation. Such an issue seems crucial not only to the Pauline chronology but to understanding one of Paul's most important letters--The Epistle to the Galatians. Still, it is the price of admission for covering so much ground in one book.

If you are looking for a broad overview of Paul and a broad introduction to each of his letters, all in one book, Paul and His Letters fits the bill. Otherwise, you might want to shell out the money and buy a few books on the same subjects.

there is so much literature on the apostle Paul and related subjects, it can be overwhelming to attempt even half way keeping up with it. This book does a nice job at introducing Paul studies by focusing on the basics of who this apostle was, and then dealing with his writings in the new testament. It basically gives background info to Paul and what he was about, then it goes through Paul's wrintings, giving background info on them and explaining the content. This book displays a high amount of learning on the subject, but it's presented in a fashion that is within the reach of the non-specialist. It is meant more as an introduction rather than an exhaustive treatment so it won't answer all questions and concerns related to Paul studies, but it is a very good place to start if one is wanting to learn Paul's theology by getting into his new testament writings and understanding what they are about.

This book should be required reading for every registered voter. The issue is not sex -- the issue is purjury, buyoffs, and attempting to influence the testamony of others. Clinton has some pretty tough charges to answer once Congress gets its mind off sex and partisanship.

Regardless of your opinion of WJC and Starr, there's too much here to blame it on the vast right-wing conspiracy. There's the "hero". He has a tragic flaw. That flaw leads to his downfall -- purjury. No matter how the sequel turns out - impeachment or no - this is enough of a page turner to occupy an afternoon.

It isn't about sex. It never was about sex. But, unless a sane person owns their own television network, the truth will never air on national networks. This manuscript is a piece of history. Many Americans believed that Clinton's first term in office was basically a free ride on the successes of his predecessor (Bush pushed for the balanced budget). Many Americans also believed that his second term would be littered with personal problems and make him ineffective as a president. In light of these facts, he was elected to office. Many of the votes came from undiscerning Americans that believe the media. This entire affaire in the life of a president and the impact on this country is a reflection on the power of the media, the poor quality of public education, liberalism versus conservatism, destruction of family values in America, the advancement of evil humanistic values, and the average citizens inability to choose a man with strong character and the right principles. The warning signs have been there since the beginning. He didn't serve his country in time of war and certainly hasn't done so in time of peace. The ideals and bills he has passed for his own agenda will undermine America permanently.

The report and the consequences are weighed against America, not the individual man that has been set upon a pedestal and judged openly. It is a testament to bad times in America.

Just taking a look at various Starr books and this seems to be the cheapest one. However, sales rank contradicts that. Why

I think that people should form their own opinions of the Clinton scandal AFTER reading the Starr Report. Extremely well documented. This should be read by every American in order to get the story straight as to why Clinton is being accused of perjury. The report has been damned for being too sexually graphic. However, this is a necessity since the details refute everything Clinton said during the Paula Jones deposition. Instead of saying Clinton is guilty or innocent based on one's emotional feelings for the man, an opinion should be formed after reading the Starr Report. I have passed on my copy of the book around in the office and am encouraging everyone to read it.