David Grant Books

While I love Hawaii and its histoy, I found this book to be on the boring side. Too many dates and names so closely related, that it was difficult to keep them all straight. I was expecting a book that was light and easy to read, but its not what this book is. If you are looking for a ton of detail, then this is for you.

This book is indeed a masterpiece written by a real Hawaiian King himself, his majesty King David Kalakaua. As a Polynesian Hawaiian I have heard connections of the Hawaiians to Samoa, but I always thought they were just hearsays. Now its clear as crystal how Hawaiians are related to Samoa, the big island chiefs came from Samoa.

The Hawaiian King himself proclaims the Kamehameha lineage back to the Ali'i chief from Samoa named Pili, brought over by a high priest (Kahuna) named Pa'ao from Samoa. The Hawaiian King clearly identifies which ruling alii chief families descended from Tahiti, Society islands, Marquesas and the Ali'is who ruled big island Hawai'i from Samoa, the alii chief Pilikaeae or simply Pili.

The book is testament to the vast knowledge of the great Kamehameha Kings in King David Kalakaua. The written word by the Hawaiian king should be heralded and treasured for he possessed the highest of confidence, counsel, validity and security of information from his own family, advisors and educators his time.

The King's book is truly of highest value and respect, very eloquent, academic and articulate. The book is highly educational and full of information which clarify a lot about the origins of the Hawaiian people from Samoa, Tahiti and the Marquesas.

Pele the volcano goddess was an immigrant from Samoa to Puna, Hawaii according to the King Kalakaua. Classic relevations, this is a great source for understanding the birth of the Hawaiian people and their culture. The original Kanaka maoli from Samoa, Tahiti and the Society islands. The Hawaiian King proclaims the origins of the Hawaiian people from the Polynesian navigators.

A great book to fully understand the beginnings of the Hawaiian people. Written and published by the Hawaiian King King David La'amea Kalakaua in 1888. Great book, full of revelations and answers. Hawaiiana, Samoana & Polynesia exposed by a royal Hawaiian King himself, King David Kalakaua. Indeed a masterpiece.

The Legends and Myths of Hawaii is one of the finest books you will ever read concerning that magical fleet of islands anchored in the Pacific, not to mention one of the very best mythology books you will find anywhere. Written with great gusto by David Kalakaua, His Hawaiian Majesty who was also somewhat of a Renaissance Man, these fabulous tales mix fact with fiction, historical figures with gods and goddesses, past and present into a rich stew of oral myth/history, certain to captivate even the most jaded reader. Indeed, the most striking feature of these wonderful tales is how the author accepts as gospel truth many suppositions that scientists and cultural anthopologists are still debating more than a century after his death. For example, most "scholarly" references to Ancient Hawaii mention the Menehunes, that proto-Hawaiian, pre-Polynesian race of people that supposedly inhabited the islands until the turn of the last millenium, but most sources still conjecture whether this band of early settlers existed in actual fact or only in myth and legend. His Majesty not only acknowledges that Menehunes lived and thrived, but actually may have survived the later "Polynesian invasion" which was supposed to have wiped them out; he cites a recent census where 65 inhabitants of a remote valley actually identified themselves as "Menehune"!!! It seems that many of our esteemed present-day scholars should in fact examine these tales more closely, the better to clear up ancient factual mysteries. (Halfway around the world, Hellenistic scholars, those concerned with ancient Greece, used Homer in their quest to unearth their legendary rival city of Troy in present-day Turkey. The bards of old truly knew what they were talking about!!) Fans of Greek and other mythologies, as well as The Bible, will no doubt discover similarities between several of these stories and the legends of other cultures, most notably in the tale of "Hina, the Helen of Hawaii," that leads off this collection. Still, even if you could care a hill of taro for the factual content or scholarly discussions of Ancient Hawaii, do yourself a favor and buy this book anyway. Kalakaua, is first and foremost, a great storyteller, and all those who love a great story will be thrilled for hours. It's hard to pick out personal favorites because all are so good, but "Hina," "Umi, the Peasant Prince of Hawaii," and any story starring Pele, the often beautiful, always dangerous volcano goddess, are all standouts. So, if you love the myth and magic that is Hawaii, buy this most wonderful book today. The words of His Majesty await your endless pleasure!

Originally published in 1888, The Legends And Myths of Hawaii by King David Kalakaua is probably the best book currently available on Hawaiian folklore, and due to its authentic pedigree, likely to be for some time. Written with a certain amount of historical bias and subjectivity, only a thoroughly objective, enthusiastic and well-conceived scholarly overview will be able to equal it.

In the early 19th century, and under the rule of an inappropriate king, a band of political and religious leaders of the only-recently united Hawaiian Islands formed a conspiracy with the intent of overthrowing the centuries-old native Hawaiian religion and tabu (taboo) traditions. Though Christian missionaries were to arrive later, the conspirators had recently witnessed the arrival of foreign merchants to the islands, white men who appeared to act as they pleased without receiving fatal punishment from the native gods. The weak young king, already something of a hedonist, was persuaded by the conspirators to join them in a public display of tabu defiance. Sadly, the conspirators were successful, and on that day the tabu system, gods, and idols--their entire centuries-old religious system--officially went into the fire forever.

Author Kalakaua, a direct descendant of the royal line, was famous during his reign for attempting to reverse this cultural dissolution and return the full majesty of the ancient Hawaiian traditions back to prominence among his people. Legends And Myths Of Hawaii was part of his effort, and, as such, has an important and dignified history. Throughout the volume, sensitive readers may sense the author's mental, emotional, and historical intimacy with his material. Only a hundred years before his book was published, the Hawaiian people were still 'pure,' free of Western influence, and living a relatively comfortable stone-age existence after fifteen centuries. .

Beautifully introduced by R. M. Daggett and highly readable throughout, the text underscores the importance of honor, nobility of character, the warrior code, respect for self, family and nature, and finding the necessary balance between individual and communal needs. Sneakiness, pettiness, and selfishness are found to be disreputable qualities; facial beauty, excellent physical proportion, athletic ability, personal integrity, and joy in life are highly valued.

As outlined by the tales, gender roles are traditional: men are expected to be masculine and honorable, whether warrior, sportsman, shaman, folk-singer, fisherman, or farmer. Women are observed to be behaving appropriately when warm, supportive, comforting, and pure of intention. Interestingly, though denied the better food under the tabu system, women are often portrayed as objects of veneration, worthy of the sacrifice of a man's life, and held as equals in love relationships. For both sexes, responsible and dedicated parenting is fundamental.

These are vital, proud legends of heroes and heroines; their blood percolates through the book's pages. Expectedly, the stories are largely archetypal: there are quests, plagues upon the land, a high priest swallowed by a whale, and solar and lunar motifs. War and the conflicts that lead to war are a constant theme; gods, demi-gods, and goddesses are continually present. Though giants, evil spirits and monsters lurk under the sea, behind mountains and in trees and rocks, the writing is evenly balanced so just the suggestion of a hidden underwater cave, a long journey, an inter-family act of betrayal or a timeless, unconditional love creates the required interest and suspense. No single storytelling component is emphasized over another, and though each tale has an ethical point and lesson, the writing is never didactic. Each of the legends is enthusiastically told, and Kalakaua's terse descriptions of nature are simply beautiful.

Amazingly, Kalakaua jumps from the myths of island antiquity to those of his own century without a shift or change of tone; for the Hawaiian people, he seems to be saying, the miraculous moment is always now, as it was then, in the present. The legends are still unfolding, and wonders never cease.

Legends And Myths of Hawaii also contains a map of the islands, an excellent glossary of Hawaiian words and their meanings, as well as a brief but effective pronunciation guide.

Facinating book that places Hawaian folk lore in its historical roots. Studies of different Hawaian characters and their exploits both historically and mythologically allows the reader to dig deeper into the culture of an isolated people.

And who better to write it but the last King of Hawaii!

Certainly there is a slant to European influence, but I found that in the introduction. The assumption by the author of the introduction that most of these legends have their roots in semitic lore is going too far. Stories like these come from all cultures and have nothing to do with Middle Eastern culture.

Many people in many places of the world that have been touched by Christian missionary work fail to understand that the beliefs and God of Christianity has been drawn into the existing culture and is not as "pure" as is assumed.

I do not doubt that David Kalakaua was influenced by European thought, but he also had great respect for traditional Hawaian beliefs. To assume that these represent an European version of Hawaian lore that is false. As the royal representative of his people, David Kalakaua knew that it was his responsibily to present accurate and faithful renditions of these stories.

Contental Americans and tourists from all over the world think they understand Hawaii, but Hawaians are a secretative people about their beliefs in traditional Hawaian culture. Anyone who expects them to publically display their inner passions will be disappointed and uninformed.

Ride one of the public bus routes and while you will see the islanders in their "western" skins, just look into their eyes and you often see a detachment from many "western" styles and beliefs. They are not a rude people -- just very private.

Just because there are tourist displays of traditional forms of music and dance, tourists can't possibly get into the mind and heart of an Hawaian. Those who think they understand Hawaii from a "white" viewpoint understand nothing.

I say hurrah to David Kalakaua for his faithfulness to many of his people's stories and lore.

I love this book. I have written several children's shows for our local children's theatre, and reading over David Wood's text only helped me improve my scripts and fed my imagination. Yes, there are sections that I scimmed through, but most of it was very helpful. I highly recommend it.

Excellent book! Gives real specifics about playwriting for children, i.e., must have lots of action, lots of "suddenlies", clearly defined characters, etc. Also, how to incorporate audience participation. I was so inspired by Wood's book that I ordered his musicals from Samuel French and directed "Hijack Over Hygenia" for our elementary school production. He is far and away better than most of the stuff you find for children's productions. Since he has experience in writing, directing and acting these plays and musicals (he's written 40!), he brings tons of examples into his book. He's good, he's funny, and children respond to his material. Good section on writing a play snopysis before you write any dialogue. Here's a little dialogue: Rupert: Hello, Squirrel. How are you? Squirrel: Fed up. Rupert: Fed up? Squirrel: Me nose is froze, me teeth are chatter-chattering, me paws are freezing and I keep sneezing. Atishoo! Rupert: (handing her a hanky) Use my hanky. Squirrel: A hanky! Thankee! (She plows loudly into the hanky held by Rupert).

Walter Piston is a composer, but in his music theory textbook, he can bring in samples from the work of other composers. Why, then, can't David Wood bring in samples from the work of other playwrights?

Incidentally, don't buy this book if you are interested in theatre for children as actors. This book is about theatre for children as spectators.

I found the book to be essential to anyone who wants to go into playwriting whether or not Children's Theatre would be your major. It is clearly written, easy (and enjoyable) to read and just a great tool and reference.

Who is David Wood? "National Children's Dramatist" or not, I'd never heard of him. But I decided to give "Theatre for Children" a shot based on its subtitle (A Guide to Writing, Directing, and Acting) and positive reader reviews. I was looking for a book that would give me basic tips on getting started and avoiding the pitfalls of writing stage plays for children. There is that sort of information buried in "Theatre for Children", but unfortunately the reader has to wade through such a relentlessly pounding sea of personal anecdotes and name dropping (again, mostly of Mr. Wood's own works and of other people I'd never heard of) that one's ability to salvage such practical information is called into question. This is not a beginner's guide to children's theater, but rather a professional memoir thinly disguised as a "how to" book. The writing style is dense and stuffy -- not "highly readable" as claimed in the cover blurb.

If this book wasn't so darned expensive, I'd be tempted to let it slide. ...(!) I felt I had to give fair warning.

My military service has given me the opportunity to travel around Europe for the past 15 years and this is the best bird guide I've purchased. The drawings are accurate, the text filled with interesting and helpful facts and, best of all, the range maps make for rapid (and accurate) field identifications. This book is a keeper.

This book help me a lot during several bird trips on my first visit to Europe in 1999. I have travelled in several countries. Sometimes with very keen birders, other times alone. It would be impossible for me to be in the field in conditions to identify so many birds, without this valuable book. Excellent pictures. It's my new standard on international field guides.

This book emerged onto a highly competitive market already burgeoning with numerous field guides covering the region, most by renowned authors and many having benefitted from improvement over several editions. Quite simply though, this book won instant recognition as the best field guide available for Europe - and perhaps a model for field guides everywhere. Its authors are well known experts in their field having spent many years studying and publishing on the birds of the region. However, the key to the guide's success is the fact that so much more useful information has been condensed into a guide which is much the same size as existing books. The book boasts excellent illustrations, succinct text and handy maps, all presented on a the same page. Small enough to fit into a pocket (about the same size as the National Geographic guide) and cheap, it is a must for anyone visiting Europe. As one reviewer has already pointed out, it is indispensable in Alaska too - not just for Palaearctic vagrants, but for regular shorebirds and some residents. Don't hesitate!

I was very much looking forward to the paperback Collins Bird Guide, but unfortunately the pages are crowded, the print tiny and cramped, and the binding does not allow the book to open completely. While the Guide may be exhaustive and accurate, it is neither satisfactory as a field guide nor enjoyable to read at home. Were the text less verbose and even conversational, perhaps a larger font could have been used. I had hoped for something analogous to Sibley, "Field Guide to Birds of Western North America", which has a clear layout and a binding that opens properly.

Excellent book with comprehensive coverage and high quality plates. Book production quality is also high. My edition is small enough in hardback to be a true "Field Guide" although I understand that a new larger edition has been recently published, if plate quality is maintained this edition will be an excellent reference. If you have questions about this text go to amazon.co.uk and read some of the reviews there. This book recieved the British Trust for Ornithology seal of approval so anything an amateur like me might add is probably superfluous. Excellent reference, nice plates and informative and accurate text

The literary world is full of inequities, with recognition and reputations that are much larger or much smaller than they deserve to be, and in the world of literary nature writing no one better illustrates this point than Reg Saner, whose work deserves to be far better known and admired than it is. The Southwest is America's most powerful and lyrical landscape, and it defies many of the conventions of literary nature writing developed to celebrate green English hills or Walden Ponds or Sierra forests. To do justice to the Southwest requires originality and lyricism and a philosophical eye. Reg Saner has what it takes. Once when I was heading into the Grand Canyon on a solo early-summer hike and knew I'd be spending a fair amount of time hiding in the shade, I took along Saner's "The Four Cornered Falcon". When you read a book surrounded by the hard realities and deep beauties of the Grand Canyon, it has to stand up to a higher test of reality than it might in your cozy easy chair at home surrounded by human culture in all its artificialities. Saner's prose is full of lyrical gems and philosophical knots to make you stop and think and helps make the Southwest more intensely real.

I agree with the editorial (Kirkus) reviewer; which you ought to read and pay attention to before buying. This is strictly one man's impressions of what the Colorado Plateau means to him. It is not authoritative as to the ruin's archeology or anthropology. It could better be classed as poetry.

I first discovered Reg Saner after reading about him in Denver's Bloomsbury Review--a regional book review periodical. Shortly afterward, while browsing an on-line bookstore I found his "The Four-Cornered Falcon: Essays on the Interior West and the Natural Scene" as a remainder. That book spoke to me. Each essay another gem of insight into the natural scene of the Southwest. "Reaching Keet Seel" is more of the same. This time an attempt to come to terms from 600 years hence with the Anasazi--a people who learned to prosper in corner of the world that is now largely barren.

I beg to differ with the reviewer from Kirkus associates. The guy's a pompous windbag and if he actually read the whole book, I doubt seriously if he understands what he read. The book is not and does not profess to be a work of anthropological science. It is a look into one man's reactions to historical places which cannot be described, but have to be experienced to feel their effects. Again and again, Reg Saner captured these effects, along with his "show me" quest, poetically with a mastery of language seldom seen anywhere. The reviewer claimed that the writing style hurt his teeth. I suggest he sees a dentist, for the writing is great. Like the places they describe, the essays need be experienced for their full effect. I won't do them the dishonor of inadequate description here. The book is an informative, thought-provoking read. As one who has been researching the Anasazi, Pueblo, and Hopi for some time, I place this book near the top of my favorites list of the last 25 books I've read on the subject. The essay, "Spirit Root" should win an award of some sort. It's fabulous. To anyone reading my review, I say get the book. To the reviewer who was so shallow, wishy-washy and unkind, I say get a life.

Shooshie

One of my favorite books about one of my favorite destinations. This is a collection of brief essays that is the perfect companion for a trip to the Four Corners area and the abounding ruins and sites of the Anazasi. Its not a book detailing where to go and how to get the most for your tourist dollar. Rather its a musing reflection on what its like to visit these places from the perspective of a 21st century traveler. These writings draw our attention to the feelings evoked by the experience of wandering among the reminders of another people, another culture, another cosmology and way of understanding what life is about. I have been to Keet Seel. Its a demanding walk. I appreciated having the opportunity to travel back there with someone who provided words to some of the feelings I experienced at the time. A subtext of these writings is the idea of the sacred in a postmodern world that has chased that concept into small corners of carefully bounded scholarship. The author discovers it abounding all around us and that we are desperate to recover some sense of it for ourselves. The trip to Keet Seel and the other destinations is a rediscovery of its significance and meaning for human existence.

I have found more terrific places from this guide,,from the Marliav restaurant to shopping tips. I can tell alot of reseach went into this comprehensive book

I use this book religiously

Customers may wish to learn that this book won a prestigious Lowell Thomas award from the Society of American Travel Writers -- I think the only Rough Guide to do so. The writing evokes the city well and the listings are kept current. Good format. A great buy for all those who need a few tips for making the most out of Boston, what the authors say is "as close to the Old World as the New World gets." And how.

Boston, with its many districts, is a city that welcomes exploration by foot. Boston: Mini Rough Guide (though not a walking guide per se) gives you enough concise information to launch your pedestrian journey. Each district highlighted in the guide contains the necessary information to discover all the worthwhile sites. Impressive, are the twelve pages of colored maps at the back of the guide. Accommodations, eateries, drinking, night life, performing arts and other listings normally found in a travel guide are adequate. The uniqueness of this guide is its size and concise and accurate listings.

However, a few noticeable shortcomings need to be mentioned. In this day and age any guidebook should have a listing of the top web sites that are worth viewing prior to your trip. The Boston Mini Rough Guide does not. Also, this Rough Guide tries to be all things to all people, where in today's world, differentiation in audience focus is critical. It states that the Boston: Mini Rough Guide is designed for, travelers of all ages and all budgets. For such a small condensed guide this spreads its coverage too thin. The Boston: Mini Rough Guide has failed to find a distinctive marketing niche.

In SUMMARY: Boston: Mini Rough Guide is an adequate, informative guide that is very a reasonable price and packaged in a convenient size. Conditionally Recommended.

This text is easy to read and understand. The book makes difficult material manageable.

this book is one of the best books to help you to pass the national registry emergency medical technician exam. I self had lessons with the 8/e and that was good but when i saw this book,it is the best thats wy i wnat to buy this book with his work book.

thanks to let me share my review from this book

sencerly yours Steve Croes

This workbook is precisely what you think it is, a multiple choice review of the chapters in the book. I would imagine it would be very helpful for the students that do not read the book. I did not find it very helpful. I used it for about the first ten chapters and then realized it was a waste of time. Read the book and you will be fine without it.

`[W]hen you have eliminated the unsaleable plotlines, then whatever remains, however tasteless, must be the truth!'
(Guts, page 51)

Well, if this is the truth, I'd hate to hear about the unsaleable plotlines...

Guts is a spoof horror novel, and tasteless it most certainly is. The plot (if that's the right word!) runs a little something like this: a scientist hypothesizes that the human stomach is intelligent, finds a way to communicate with it, then the stomachs rebel (literally) and start killing people in various unpleasantly gory ways.

Still here? If so, Guts may well be your sort of book! The trouble with reviewing something like this is that, awful as much of the book is, it's all deliberate. So we can note the cardboard characters, the flour-and-water plot, the excessive amounts of bodily fluids, the howlers (`After the research paper on termites which had brought him his master's degree in etymology...'); but we can't criticise them because they're supposed to be bad.

So we're just left with the jokes then. And, luckily, the jokes are very good. No horror cliché is left untouched and the whole thing is just gloriously silly. The one downside is that, since the object of most of the satire here is a certain kind of book, there's a lot of reference to the fact that this is a novel, which can grate after a while. But there are enough other jokes to make up for it.

In short, if you can stomach gross-outs, there's a good read to be found in the bowels of this book. It will be at-tract-ive to some... okay, that's enough.

Another plus point is that the book is quite short. I wouldn't have the guts for any more!

Guts is a romp from start to finish, written by two of the funniest writers in the business. Every cliche of the horror genre is mercilessly parodied to excruciating effect -- excruciating in two senses, because not only will you find yourself laughing until you hurt, you find that these two authors can be at least twice as excruciatingly revolting as the most extreme (and famous) of the splatter novelists.

In keeping with the genre's prime exemplars, plot is sacrificed at every turn to the joyously detailed gross-out, but the story goes something like this. Crackpot scientists get the idea that our intestines are not a part of us but in fact a symbiotic organism. In attempting to contact these independent organisms they inadvertently spark them into rebellion. Dragging themselves free of their host bodies, the hate-filled intestines go on the rampage, wreaking terrible vengeance on the human race.

Somehow relevant to all this are such items as a vast sentient cheese that must be placated by daily, doggerel-filled rites; a neo-Nazi desperate to find someone to persecute because, in dismay at falling membership, his movement has had to recruit members of every conceivably minority in attempt to bolster the numbers; a sexual encounter with the Sphinx; as many deliberately asinine pseudoscientific theories as can reasonably be fitted in among the gross-outs; an R2D2-style robot that is not only cuter than its movie counterpart but also a Biblical fundamentalist and a lesbian; a tabloid journalist trying despairingly to change the habits of a lifetime and tell the truth; and much more besides.

The jokes come fast and furious as the book races along. The inventiveness never flags. What more could you ask for?

I laughed until I was ready to burst -- which latter is exactly what, in the final cataclysmic scenes of this laugh riot, the giant cheese does. But that's another story.

Many years ago, Dave Langford and John Grant wrote something that they felt was the ultimate spoof horror novel. It was called Guts and it was so horrible that it was rejected with cries of extreme nausea by every publisher to whom it was presented. Langford dined out on the story for years, and professed (pseudo-) sorrow that nobody would ever read the rotten thing.

Well now you can. Cosmos Books have taken the plunge and published it - thus proving yet again that there is no subject matter so vile that the book can't find a publisher somewhere.

The "plot" (for want of a better word) revolves around the exploits of the sentient intestines of the major characters. The intestines rather resent their interior functions. They want to break out into the world, to live and love in the open air. (It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "communicating with your inner being"). The bulk of the novel is made up of a series of set piece encounters between the rampant intestines and the populace at large.

Every intestinal joke you can think of and huge number that you can't think of and many that you wouldn't like to think of desecrate the text along with a lot of sly nudge, nudge, wink, wink digs at pseudo-scientific nut-cults, the reading room of the British Library and the sexual attractiveness of the Sphinx. I think there might be a kitchen sink in there as well.

That's not bad for a mere 173 pages! Langford's right - it's a rotten book. I loved it.

It is very easy to mention David Doubilet in the same breath as National Geographic as though that says it all. Of course his work has appeared in that illustrious magazine for many years and, well, perhaps it does.

Light in the Sea is a large coffee-table book measuring 12in x 12in and is packed with a collection of photographs taken in, on, around, above and, of course, below the surface of the sea. It is, however, far more than just another collection of photographs of fish, corals and other sea creatures - this is an complete exercise in what to aim for when taking similar photographs.

I am studiously avoiding such words as "Outstanding" or "Excellent" when describing the pictures contained in this book. This is because there are many outstanding and excellent photographers out there - but David Doubilet is a cut above the rest and in a class of his own. His photographs need no such description.

There is far more to Underwater Photography than taking good photographs underwater and, having studied the many images in this book, I would suggest "Light in the Sea" is the template on which any aspiring underwater photographer should model their own abilities.

Sea Creatures are photographed from every position - with wide-angle lens and with macro-lens, from above the surface, from below the surface - and even from half in and half out of the water. Islands are shown with rows of coconut trees along the shores in the background and rows of corals underwater in the foreground - and all in a single photograph. Even that well-known rocky promontory in Egypt called Ras Mohammed is photographed from a new and exciting angle.

This is a book where every photograph is an abject lesson in photography with each one making the statement; "this is what you should aim to achieve when taking a photograph like this." This is a book where the Master has demonstrated his art to the student and I salute the author.

NM

Light in the Sea is a book that revolutionized the techniques of underwater photography. It belongs to the most beautifull books I`ve ever seen. Doubilet is a photographer that has done a pair of other good books and written a lot of articles for National Geographic. His photos looks more like paintings than photos and that`s what`s making the book so good. Among my favourite pics are the Izu Peninsula coral reefs and also the Caribbean which is my favourite underwater area. His ways to capture the animals is unique,although there are other good photographers too,such as Roger Steene and Chris Newbert. But Doubilet is the best. The only thing which made me disappointed is that it is so short,just 160 pages. A 400-page photo book would be better. Fortunatley,I also own his other book that has 240 pages of beautifull photos. But don`t forget this,it is fantastic,I promise you that!

This book was a gift, and one I'm eternally grateful for. David Doubilet takes you on a photographic journey from the cold waters of British Colmbia to dive with giant octopus to the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, Palau, the Red Sea and the underwater volcanic sands of the Izu Penninsular, Japan. Amazing shots of Great White sharks and WWII wrecks, the incredible compositions and imagination of his photography will pluck you out of your chair and dunk you in the ocean! The supporting text just adds to the effect and compliments the photos beautifully. It's so real that I use it as a substitute for diving when I can't get out there. This man knows how to use a camera, and has a real feel for the sea. If you find it, grab it!

Larry Nachman is a retired gym owner from Charleston, South Carolina, who lives and breathes Pilates. This book was not written merely to inform or entertain readers. Instead, this book is a work of passion and integrity. It is an attempt to help you master these Pilates techniques and make them a part of your life. Yes, Nachman is absolutely passionate about Pilates, and if you read this book, you'll become a believer yourself! Using black-and-white, cartoon-like full-body illustrations, Nachman makes it look so easy. With a little practice, you'll be able to do all the Pilates excercises, and transform your mind and body in the process. Nachman also shares personal stories, family photographs, and receipes -- which enhances the Pilates experience. The book's handy spiral-bound format makes it easy for you to take this book with you to the gym, or wherever you want to practice. Just open this book, and practice Pilates until you get it right. Thumbs up for Larry Nachman and this wonderfully inspiring book.

Last week Jenny Sanford, South Carolina's First Lady, made a presentation at my Rotary club. She enlisted support for a new effort to fight disease and illness in our society by becoming fit. She documented that the rise in cancer, heart disease and obesity directly correlated with a lack of fitness due to inactivity and poor nutrition. I told Larry (the author) to send her a copy of his book.

The theme of Larry Nachman's 21st Century Fitness is that by attaining the 8 (measurable) essentials of fitness through his formula of exercise and nutrition we can gain access to the 21st Century's "Fountain of Youth." To him most ailments we cite today are symptoms of aging. Stay fit and you are, by definition, both young and healthy.

I developed a commitment to fitness at West Point. During my four years there my classmates and I learned lifetime fitness sports such as golf and tennis. I was a member of the varsity swimming team. I was totally sold on the idea of lifetime fitness. 

In my middle years my favorite exercise was jogging -- I even ran in three Marine Corps Marathons. In my mind I was a model of fitness. Then in the early 90's I developed a lower back problem. It persisted in spite of a special exercise program followed by President Kennedy. Nothing worked until I started the 21st Century Fitness program by following the formula prescribed by Larry in his book.

My worst symptoms evaporated almost immediately! Today at age 69 I get out of bed each morning without an aching back and enjoy the many other benefits of fitness and youth! I'm at my ideal body weight and my blood stats (I've been a part of the West Point heart disease study since the early 50's) are better today than when I was a 25 year old fighter pilot.

Larry's book is a revolution in the field of health and fitness. As one of Larry's students says on his website ... , "There are three books that should be in every family library: the Bible, a dictionary and 21st Century Fitness."

Wonderful historic document. You have to read it bearing in mind when the text was written (there are a lot of thoughts that are considered prejudices today) but apart from that, it's such a magical story! This poor Hawaiian king trying to learn from other monarchies in other countries and trying to convince the world that Hawaii also exists. I really recommend it to fans of traveling, Pacific cultures, monarchies or international affairs.

This book provides a fascinating insight into a historical adventure that most people are unaware of. King Kalakaua of Hawaii was the first monarch ever to circumnavigate the globe, visiting many of the countries with whom Hawaii had treaties. Kalakaua was a highly educated and intelligent man and an exceptional diplomat who spoke numerous languages including the Queen's English, and courts around the world were highly impressed with his character and knowledge. He also liked to party and could be a bit of a rascal, so there are some quite humorous scenes as well. The author, who travelled with Kalakaua, inserts some rather unfortunate racist judgments in his commentary, which can be hard to stomach, but if one can overlook those, the substance of the story itself is fascinating, and in my opinion would make a great movie!