N Books

"Probability" is book number 95 in the GTM series. If you really read this book carefully, you will probably learn something (I think that Shiryayev proves this somewhere in the second chapter). This is probably one of the better books in the GTM series. You can purchase this text for a moderate price. You could, however, take advantage of the probable distribution of this text throughout your university libraries. I'm not saying that it's going to be there...I'm just saying that there's a chance.

The most important quality to note about this book is that it is *indeed* a graduate textbook. Thus, anyone who is considering reading this book and who has not yet studied ideas such as random processes (including Markov chains and martingales), the Central Limit Theorem, etc.. should pass on this book and look into one or more undergraduate texts (Ross's "Probability Models" would make a good start). Another question the potential buyer should ask is, "Do I want to apply probability, or do I want to study probability for the sake of probability?". If it is the former, then there are many more suitable books whose union covers all the topics in this book, and does so in a much more clear and inuitive manner (For example, "Ergodic Theory" by Halmos, "Probability Models" and "Random Processes" by Ross, and "Mathematical Statistics Chapters 1-8" by Roussas is one example of such a covering). On the other hand, if the answer is the latter, then stop here and begin reading! In other words, the 5 stars for this review is relative to anticipating that the reader is a grad. student who wants to do research in probability and/or statistics. Conditioning on these assumptions, the clarity and coverage found in this text cannot be matched. The measure-theoretic approach may take some time to get used to, but in the end the reader will be thankful for this, as many of the proofs fall out quite easily.

I write this to pay my highest respects for this guru mathematician's work. This is truly a great book, not only for graduate students but also undergraduate and researchers. The book covers 8 chapters, starting with classic approach, so that one can see the evolution of the theory of probability, and one could avoid the risk of being lost in this forest.

It has a particularly useful Chapter 2, which provides the readers with necessary mathematical foundation for them to go on. Of course, the theory itself is challenging and we will/should never expect an easy-to-read mathematics book. The transformation from classical approach to the modern one is exhibited clearly by this great Russian mathematician. You will find almost everything in here, even some critical part that touches on stochastic differential equations, that are very useful for applied fields of sciences such as mathematical finance.

Index of keywords is also very useful and in details. We should also notice that the book is not too thick compared to other multi-volume textbooks. This is a real advantage if you have to carry it along while working or when reading for leisure.

However, be careful with some examples and solutions. I found at least one problem in which Prof. Shiryaev provided wrong solution, e.g. problem on girl vs boy child on page 25 of 2nd Edition. The final result is correct, but the evolution shows a wrong method.

Despite this minor thing, a matter of Buyer Beware, I find it a really great book that has accompanied me for over 7 years now. It is worth every penny. Thus do not waste your money on others before trying this. You will agree with me at the end. The book is a piece of art!

Almost everything has been said already by other reviewers, I am just going to confirm it really is that good. Starts from the very basics, builds theory up to startionary random processes, L2 theory, and some basic ergodic theorems, and gets you ready to learn the theory of random processes (which is not what this textbook is about). You'll have to find some other book as your "Part 2", I don't have any recommendations off-hand. However, for basic probability, in a rigorous setting, this is the book. He explains everything, and doesn't skip too many details, which is sweet. Proofs are easy to follow. However, I have found a few nasty typos which may have you bang your head against the wall. But you'll find them if you read carefully. Hopefully they will be corrected in subsequent printings. This shouldn't deter you. It really is an amazing book, in the russian tradition. See also Ya. Sinai's minibook on probability theory, many theorems are proved without the use of measure theory, so you can compare the proofs and get better insight into the machinery of those theorems.

It covers almost all of the "basic" ideas in probability.

This book is one of the most helpful book for me. You will "learn" what is going on in the field of probability theory. The book is especially suitable for self studying. If you want to learn probability theory, buy this book, dig into it, study again and again if you don't understand a particular part. But the book does its best in terms of clarity of exposition, so you can understand with a careful reading.

It will provide a strong tool and you can use this tool efficiently in your professional career. But there is a caveat. You might end up with a tool that you will never use again. The book is suitable for professionals and deep minds.

I have enjoyed the MacArthur commentaries I have purchased in the past. I find them accurately in touch with the Word and easy to comprehend. Purchase was good and delivery on time.

a good commentary, however I think it could easily be condensed.

As a Bible study leader, Dr. MacArthur's commentaries have been ~invaluable~ in preparing me for study. I have never failed to find the answers to deep and vexing issues within his commentaries. I frequently read from them during our study time. The commentaries are extremely thorough and comprehensive, yet very easy to read. I found I can pick it up and read it like a novel. (Yea, it's that good.)

Dr. MacArthur's exegesis skills are extraordinary. This commentary - Romans - is exceptional. Just about every other page I find myself exclaiming 'Wow, I never knew that' or 'Wow, I never thought of it that way'.

These commentaries are a wonderful value, I am looking forward to collecting and studying the entire set.

I love MacArthur's Work in general. I love this volume on Romans. As a Bible Driven teacher of God's word. I look forward to each of MacArthurs Commentaries. The reason for only 4 stars is the editing. Macarthur has a habit of going on and on and on, with side passages and lengthy quotes and chapter and chapter of additional material, that takes one from the main point. If the editors would just limit some of the additional, it would make it a much better book

John MacArthur is an evangelical Bible scholar who holds to inerrancy and infallibility, and he has spent much of the last twenty years working on a commentary of the entire New Testament. At present, he has completed and published 25 volumes comprising 21.5 of the 27 New Testament books (he's finished and recently released the first eleven chapters of the gospel of John).

Romans is my favorite New Testament book. And this commentary is excellent at taking a position of conservative evangelicalism and defending it. I do not concur with all of MacArthur's views, and one must remember that a commentary is basically one man's opinion of what the Bible says. But MacArthur gives reasons for the faith that it is in him (and we who know Jesus), and his writing is very edifying on the issue.

If you don't have any of his commentaries, this is the one with which to start. If you do and you do not have this particular one, I think you are missing a blessing. He gets right to the point without droning, yet he also addresses controversial issues.

The one problem with the book is nobody's fault: it would be nice for him to take on some of the modern interpretations in movements that have wreaked havoc; for example, the outlandish Word of Faith interpretation of Romans 4:17. Otherwise, it is a very good book.

This surprise me that Princess Ruby not want to be royal but yet she is one but in the end she return to her home to be Ruby Princess.

I got this book for Christmas last year and I loved it. It's alot better than the movie, because the movie is cheesy and the book isn't!

Its a big day for the jewel kingdom. The day the princesses get crowned. Demetra, Emily, and Sabrina are ready to be crowned... but not Roxanne. So Roxanne the ruby princess runs away with Twitter a palace guard. She meets Applesap, who got attacked by darklings and his wife, Marigold. Then she finds out that there is a fake ruby princess on the throne. Will she make it in time to save the kingdom? I like this book because it has adventure.

The Ruby princess is a lot like me and I love this book ! I have read seven Jewel kingdom books so far and I love the ruby princess best of all of them! In this story The ruby princess runs away before being crowned the ruby princess and some other girl takes her place! The Emerald princess I like too read her books The Emerald princess plays a trick and The Emerald princess finds a Fariy they are both great! Also the ruby princess has more storys The Ruby princess sees a ghost and The ruby princess and the baby dragon . I love these books and I hope to see the movie one day ! Gabrielle ( or the little ruby princess)

My 4 yr old loves this story and movie. recommend the series for good values and stong female characters.

I have a therapy dog that goes to two elementary schools each week. She is a black lab that just looks like Sally. The students that read to her love the Sally books and just love the adventures Sally has. They also have my dog doing the adventures along with Sally. The books have been great getting the kids to read and because of this I have bought some of the books and donated them to the school library.

In this book Sally is a black lab who gets to go on vacation at the beach. This book is from Sally's point of view. She describes everything that she sees on her trip. The illustrations are very colorful and the dogs look just like labs I know. One of the coolest illustrations is of the island that Sally goes to, it is shaped just like a black lab. The sentences are simple and it would be a good book for young children in grades k-2.

I read this to kids from pre-school to 3rd grade. Not only does this book have beautiful pictures and lyrical language, but it lends itself to greater intelligent discussions. Kids yearn to talk about the various forms of transportation Sally takes, if it's really Sally driving that car, why dogs need friends too, and how much fun it is to be curious. Soon, after we reread the entire Sally series a couple more times, we are going to make our own book about when Sally comes to OUR classrooms. I know the style of Sally's story will translate to the kids' understanding about what's great about the environment they live in!

My daughter always asks for this one. Simple text, brightly colored pictures, and doggies!

We see things from Sally's perspective- the story told with humor and wonderful pictures. My 3 year old granddaughter and I hope Sally goes to a lot more places- the beach, mountains and farm could be just the start.

Joyce Meyer spoke to my soul throughout this book and it changed my life for the better. It has relieved me of my anxiety and taught me to trust in the One who made me.

I enjoy the cd so much, I have passed it around to others. I think that in todays world we lose sight of what is important. What is important is that we enjoy life because that's what God wants for each of us. Joyce explains in great depth and makes God your every day friend and companion, not just for Sundays. The cd's are inspirational and when I am feeling a little low they always pick me up. As always, Joyce is very gifted at putting God's word to work in your every day life. I would highly reccommend these cd's if joy and peace is what you want your life to be.

Upon reading this book as part of my Church's Women's Ministry "Book of the Month", I was well-pleased with the basic approach, simplistic illustrations, and personal sharing of a well-loved personality. Mrs. Meyers is commended for "making plain" the challenges of life and how we contribute to the absence of joy that hinders the Christian walk. When placed before us for honest review, the examples, suggestions and advice call for change and/or the acquiring of new perspectives on "things" and one's response to "things" that occur. The book is recommended for group study and as a companion to Christian self-help programs.

This is an excellent book. Joyce Meyer made it so simple and easy to understand. She used her own personal experiences which makes you feel that her recommendations are realistic and effective.You can totally relate to this book.I highly recommend this book.

This book was a wonderful help to me. It's written simply so the important concepts can really sink in. She uses a lot of Scripture which is something I appreciate. I don't think a non-Christian would gain much from this book, but I would recommend it for any Christian.

It is a terrific book.... My four girls have all enjoyed it... It's been taped over and over... Other books I wouldn't have gone to the trouble, but this one is just too precious to get rid of!!

I really enjoyed this book considering that it's extremely short. The best part about it is the pop-up. It's a great beggining reading book. This book also teaches numbers and counting. It's all put woderfully together inside this book. Ideally I would get this book for a first grader who was just learning how to read, and count. The last thing about the book that is good is that they try to hide some things to try and make you find them.

I have a three month old daughter and her eyes light up when she sees the pictures of the animals and the bugs! The pictures are so bright and capture her attention! Hope to see more books, perhaps with sea creatures, birds, rain forest animals....! Great job!

As always, this Snappy book is adorable and loved by our 2 year old! This book is the greates number book I've ever seen (as a preschool teacher, I've seen many), because it really encourages kids to count, in a fun manner. Each page coordinates with the number, for example, the page with the number seven has a lion with seven whiskers, but all the other creatures on the page, are pictured in sevens. The book also shows the written out and the numerical form for each number. It was an instant hit in our household!

My daughter received this book when she was a couple months old and she is now 6. She still loves it! The pictures are wonderfully colorful and the pop-ups are amazing. The book is not thick, but big, which lets for big, colorful pictures. Also, the pop-ups do a cute action as you open the page up. This book is vivid and entertaining enough to even capture an adult's attention. A definite buy!

Somebody's Lover"

Jace Jackson has spent the last three years since the death of his oldest brother doing his best to take care of Taylor, his brother's widow. Three years in which he has watched and wanted Taylor with every beat of his heart. When he sees Taylor at a bar being hit on, enough is enough. Jace carries her out of the bar and into his truck where with one kiss, they become so much more than just friends.



"Somebody's Ex"

Randi Anderson has managed her entire life to get herself into mishaps that make her father angry at her. Finding herself stranded on the side of the road without gas, Randi realizes once again she has forgotten to do something. As luck would have it, David Jackson comes along and offers to drive her into town. To repay his generosity, Randi offers to cook him dinner, and while the dinner she prepares is not as tasty as she hoped, the company is sinfully sexy and oh so naughty.



"Somebody's Wife"

Mitchell Jackson's life changed with the death of his brother. No longer the happy-go- lucky man of three years ago, he worries and watches every penny. Dreams he and his wife Connie shared are no longer feasible in his eyes. His marriage has taken a downwards slide which Mitch is unsure of how to get out of. Lucky for him, Connie knows just what to do to make their marriage new again.



I love when authors write a compilation of stories about the same family. The Jackson family consisted of four sons; Lou, the oldest, is now deceased. Somebody's Lover is not so much three novellas about each individual living brother but about the family as a whole and how each of the brothers copes in the aftermath of their oldest brother's death. In each separate story, Jasmine Haynes takes the reader on a journey of how each brother learns to cope, in his own way, with the loss of his older sibling.

Jace felt guilt. David became angry and tried to take Lou's place. Mitch became so obsessed with providing for his family that he forgot life's little joys. It took strong women to bring these men out of their doldrums and back to the living. Taylor, Lou's widow, had her own guilt to contend with - she found herself loving Jace, Lou's youngest brother, more than she ever loved Lou and that was hard for her to deal with. It took the action of David, and his anger, to make her see that life is short and needs to be lived with the one you love. And she loved Jace uncontrollably. David was used to loving and leaving his conquests. Randi became so much more in a matter of days that David almost didn't know how to handle it. When he sees her being treated a certain way by her father, his first instinct is to make her do what he wants her to and deal with her father in the way he thinks best. When she balks, he has to soul search and come to realize that love is so much more when there are no stipulations. Out of the three women in Somebody's Lover, I think Connie was more emotional than the others. She loved Mitch. They had dreams for their family but somewhere along the way, when Lou died, those dreams died too and Connie refused to give them up. She was anything if not tenacious.

Somebody's Lover was excellent. Each story was sensuous, beautifully written and some scenes were combustible. Jasmine Haynes did a wonderful job bringing real emotions to the characters. Somebody's Lover is definitely a keeper!

Talia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is one of the best books I have ever read. This writer is wonderful and you do not want to miss her books. Read this book you won't be sorry. It's HOT HOT so if you are faint of heart do not enter but just think you might learn something. Do yourself a favor and take the chance you will enjoy it.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be the my last. First let me warn you this book is hot...okay hotter than hot...I thought my fingers were going to burn holding the book that's how hot this book is. Grab a cold drink because you're going to need it to cool yourself off. I read this book in one day...I could not put it down.

This book is about three brothers...one as sexy as the next and each story centers around a brother and theres a great ending that wraps up all three storylines.

I'm not going to get into the storylines other reviewers have done that already, but if your looking to read a burning anthology I highly recommend this book.

With this collection of three stories about the wonderfully sexy Jackson brothers, Jasmine Haynes has made me fall in love with each of these amazing men, and added to my "Keeper" shelves.

In Somebody's Lover, Jace Jackson has loved Taylor for almost half his life. Though she married his eldest brother, Lou, and is now widowed three years later, Jace still suffers from guilt over his brother's death. He blames himself and therefore does not think he deserves a woman as beautiful and wonderful as Taylor. Until the night he spies her in a pick-up bar, Jace has never thought to do other than help care for her and his brother's children. Once he sees her trying to pick up a man, and tastes one kiss from her, all bets are off, and Pandora's Box is opened. He can't hide his feelings any longer, though he knows his family will never accept he and Taylor as a couple, he can't help but love her with everything he is.

Not only did Jace and Taylor burn up the pages with their hot and steamy love scenes, the romance drawn by Jasmine Haynes was so beautiful, I found it hard to put the book down. Jace was a hero among heroes, and gave everything he had to Taylor. His guilt and self-condemnation was heartbreaking and brought tears to my eyes many times. Somebody's Lover is a lovely and poignant story that will live in my memory for a very long time.

In Somebody's Ex, Randi Anderson returns to Willoughby after a failed marriage, trying to pick up the pieces of her life and her self-esteem once again. Her father and her ex-husband have viewed Randi as stupid and treated her as if she can do nothing right. Running out of gas on the side of the road, she meets David Jackson, after he almost runs her over with his truck. A nice "normal" guy, she begins to fall hard and fast, but has no use for a man who wants to control her, like her father and ex-husband had done. David will have to overcome his feelings of anger over Lou's death in order to move on from always being "the careful one-the responsible one" in the Jackson family. It will take almost losing Randi for David to get his head on straight...

Somebody's Ex is a charming story of two people and their discovery of love and trust as well as their own self-worth in the most unexpected places. David and Randi were fabulous characters, both dealing with feelings long buried and denied. Using a mix of wit and laughter, the author transformed the initial lust they shared into a beautiful love story. Romantic and emotional, this story had it all; I loved it!

In Somebody's Wife, Connie is afraid she is losing her husband Mitch. She wants a baby in the worst way, while he is obsessed with pinching pennies. Though married for ten years, they are still in love, but lately they have been fighting much more than talking or making love. When Connie visits a sex toy shop in the neighboring town, she has plans to shake up her marriage and make Mitch unable to resist her any longer.

Though I started out not liking Mitch or Connie's characters from the previous stories, I soon began to see how Lou's death had affected Mitch as well as Connie. Connie was a very self-centered individual who seemed to be all about "me-me-me", while Mitch seemed like a money-obsessed cold fish. It soon became apparent how wrong I was; this couple as well as the other two really burned up the pages, and showed that even the most successful marriage can grow stale without a little freshness added sometimes, and how misunderstandings and not talking to each other can breed resentment and distrust.

Bravo, Ms Haynes, SOMEBODY'S LOVER has earned a place on my "Keeper" shelves. Running the spectrum of emotions, this book made me cheer for the underdog, cry for the heartbreak, and sigh over the sheer romance of the stories and characters. This is a beautiful and poignant book about a very realistic tragedy and its effects on those closest to the victim.

Lettetia Elsasser

The Jackson family is changed forever when the eldest brother dies unexpectedly. In the wake of Lou's death, the remaining three Jackson brothers find new love, awaken a long-buried unrequited love, and renew an old love.

~Somebody's Lover~

Widowed three years earlier, Taylor knows the Jackson family can never accept another man in Lou's place as her husband and she accepts that. Still, she is still young, and three years is a long time. She longs to be something more than somebody's mother - she needs to be Somebody's Lover, if only for one night. Dropping her kids off to spend the night with their Grandparents, she drives out of town to a singles bar, where she wastes no time in both getting drunk and meeting someone.

When Jace sees Taylor in the bar wearing a leather mini-skirt and high heels, no less, his jaw drops. And when he sees a strange man putting his hand on her knee, the red he's seeing is not just her lipstick! He has loved her from afar from the first moment he saw her, but hid his feelings for his brother's wife for years. But she'll turn to another man over his dead body!

Although I loved each of the stories in this collection, Somebody's Lover is probably my favorite. Taylor was a wonderful leading lady, trying to balance single parenthood with her needs as a vibrant woman. Her resignation to live the rest of her life without a husband, out of respect for her husband's memory and his family was admirable, if somewhat misguided. Lucky for Taylor, the answer was in her own backyard, so to speak...

Jace. I could say so much about Jace. For me, he is what made this particular tale my favorite. His internal struggles are palpable, with his guilt over his brother's death, his anguish over the deep love he has long harbored for his brother's wife, and his torment at the thought of her turning to another man now that his brother is gone. I've said before that there is nothing better than watching a sexy Alpha Male clashing with a woman who can match him, but now I think perhaps watching him fight his own needs and desires in an attempt to do what he thinks is right is even better! Pair that situation with a woman who can stand up to him, and you have the best of both worlds, as with Somebody's Lover.

~Somebody's Ex~

David Jackson has never met anyone quite like Randi. She's beautiful, quirky, and completely unexpected. She has a way of catching him totally off-guard that reaches his guarded heart faster than he can blink an eye. But he's determined to keep their liaison at the level of `fling'. Too bad his heart doesn't agree...

In spite of the pain both of the lead characters have to work through in Somebody's Ex, this was an absolutely delightful story! Randi is truly a breath of fresh air, and it is easy to understand from the get-go just why David finds her so hard to resist, and even easier to understand why he falls so hard for her.

Throughout the story, each repeatedly brings each other joy in a variety of ways, both in and out of the bedroom. J But more importantly, each gives the other the strength to work out their most troublesome issues, proving that together they can get through anything.

~Somebody's Wife~

Mitch and Connie Jackson have been married for years. Mitch has always been a worrier, but since Lou's death, that worry has spun out of control. His concern over how to provide for another child has interrupted their love life for months now, as he fears they may accidentally conceive. Connie is determined to find a way to spice up the bedroom to the point where Mitch can't resist her, and finds some very creative ways to do it!

I'll just say it - I am not usually drawn to stories about a marriage that has gone stale, or is on the rocks. That said, I really loved Haynes' third story in this collection, Somebody's Wife. In fact, having enjoyed this one so much, I'll not be so hesitant to give other books with a similar theme a chance in the future.

Connie was ingenious in her efforts to seduce her husband Mitch. Her efforts are amply rewarded in the bedroom, but their problems lie deeper than that. Before the story is over, both Mitch and Connie learn that sometimes the goals in your marriage evolve and change, and that both members of the partnership must learn to adapt and compromise together if they are to keep their marriage alive.

I've never met Barry in person, but I feel as if I were right there from the very inception of this lovely bit of writing right up to the birth.

Barry has been a regular poster for years on a bbs I moderate. One Sunday he gave us the gift of an essay. The following Sunday, we were given another. After the third Sunday, this became our Sunday custom, like Sunday dinner with a favourite uncle.

Like the best of your uncle's stories, listened to drowsily on a full stomach, these tales are short and packed full of strange people, distant places, and unfamiliar times. Whether grounded in the past or flung off into distant space, they are attention grabbing.

Some of the essays and poems contained in this volume are personal, some are from common experience, some are poignant, and many are fantastic in their scope. All are thought inducing -- whether complete with moral or left up to the reader to sort out what exactly the story meant to him or her.

I just signed on to buy a copy Today after hearing the author read. He sold the bookstore out in less than an hour but Amazon came through. I can't wait to read the ones he didn't do live. I laughed, I cried, I wish there were a book-on-tape version because the reading was just super.

Sometimes, Barry, I wish I were you.

Because, for a brief moment in time, our cleaning lady at work thinks I'm one of the most brilliant writers she ever met. Until she found out I'm not - and you are.

Even though she hasn't met you yet.

Here's what happened; I printed The Bad Man for last Saturday's reading, and the printer kinda didn't print it straight enough for me, so I discarded it and printed another one which came out fine. One night last week, our cleaning lady was emptying my wastebasket, when she noticed the copy I discarded. Something extraordinary made her want to read it, which she did, and again, and again. She re-read it so many times, she nearly had it memorized.

I was working late last night, and she happened to see my in my cubicle doing cubicle-type things. It's the first time she and I met and talked, and she just went on forever how much she loved the story and how talented she thought I was - until I (red-facedly) admitted it was you who wrote the story.

See? Even in a wastebasket, Sunday Best still shines!

A few days ago I had the opportunity to attend an Artists' Salon. Among the great performers was a reading of the book Sunday Best by its author N. Barry Carver. Since then, I have read the rest of the book and enjoyed it very much, but still the stories that resonate in my head are those the author chose to share with us in person.

I didn't know anybody else in the place but Carver's voice connected us all as he took us into the minds of his characters and walked us around unexpected realities.
As his words filled the air with the mundane but unforgettable details of his father's last hours, there was not a dry eye in the house.

A little sigh of disappointment was heard when Carver announced he was done for the night. I believe half the people present got a book to take home. As they imagine the stories read by Carver, they won't be disappointed.

A real powerhouse on the writing and in performance. Exceptional.

I met Barry at a book signing here in Durango and have been trying to keep myself to just reading one story at a time as you all suggest.

They really are good reading.

After seeing a 60 MINUTES interview with Judge Scalia recently I wanted to know more about the Supreme Court. This was one of the most interesting books I have read in years. I read it in just a few days and would highly recommend it to anyone. It talks about the evolution of the Supreme court and their most important decisons, decisions that effect us everyday. Also it is written in plain english so you do not need to be a lawyer to understand and enjoy it. Great book!

From Marbury v. Madison to Gore v. Bush, this book covers the most important cases in Supreme Court history. It's very clear and concise, an absolute delight to read.

Sure, you've heard of many of the cases in this book. But do you know what the legal underpinnings of "Roe vs. Wade" actually are? Do you know how the court derives its power?

I've been talking to everyone I know about this little gem, because it is so darn readable, and so relevant. Yesterday my local paper ran a story about filtering software the local library may soon install. And this morning I finished the book after reading about the cases that are directly tied to this course of action. So I can speak more intelligently about this issue, and I can read the paper with a more informed perspective.

Many of the cases are introduced by discussing a logical framework that parallels the facts of the case. The case is then introduced, and the arguments and reasoning that drove the court are discussed. Wow, that makes it sound really boring. But on the contrary, its a fun read and each chapter is short and encapsulated. Highly recommended.

I bought this as a gift, decided I'd better preview it first, and now I don't want to give it up. I'm ordering another one. Believe what the other 5-star reviewers have written.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is by no means a definitive legal dissertation on the landmark cases of the Supreme Court. Nor it is especially informative about the law.

What this book does is give a general audience something to think about. Thirty-four somethings to be exact.

The author goes over the cases with broad brushstrokes. The prose is easy to understand and consciously avoids the legalese that would turn off most readers. Instead, the purpose is to get the reader thinking about the ramifications of each case and how it affects our lives (for better or for worse) today.

The book disclose many backstages tales of opera. I enjoyed it pretty much.

I found this book absolutely fabulous. Mr. Volpe is to the point and shall we say, extremely honest, in his account of his years at the opera, including via himself. One finishes this book with a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. It reads well, with enough details to keep the average reader riveted and without the unnecessary clutter found in some of those books that insist on giving us an hour by hour acount of events. I especially liked the way the book was subdivided. If it does follow a certain chronological order, each chapter focuses on a specific subject matter, for example signers... that serves as the guide thru the different events. Hence, this book is delightful and I strongly recommend it to all and especially, if not exclusively, to opera lovers. Even ones who do not know a lot about opera will love this book.
Marie Kirouack

Opera is dramatic and bigger than life on stage and back stage. Now we learn about all the drama that also goes on in managing the Metropolitan Opera, the largest opera company in the world and an arts organization that puts on more opera performances each year than any other company on earth. Its budget is more than $200 million for something like 240 performances per year. I was quite surprised to read how the monies to fund this huge budget are raised. No, it isn't the government, corporate, or even the richest donors that provide the bulk of the money as I had suspected.

The 2005-2006 budget was $221 million. The Box Office receipts were $101 million, the endowment of $300 million provided another $18 million, parking and commons revenues provided $10 million, and the support from the Federal, State, and City governments was only $375,000! Where does the other $92 million come from each year? 125,000 private donors, 2/3 of whom live outside New York City, provide donations ranging from $60 to more than $500,000 and total $80 million. The 300 members of the Metropolitan Opera Club provide another half-million, and the board members each provide substantial contributions to the met each year. I found this fascinating and quite a different mix than I had expected.

The author, Joseph Volpe, has run the Met for the past 16 seasons, but has worked at the met for more than four decades. He joined as a carpenter and worked his way up from the back of the house to operations. While he showed great skill in getting the shows on stage, he was passed over more than once for the job of Managing Director because of his blue collar background. But after floundering through some poor appointments, Volpe got the job. He admits that his personal style is more, well, frank than most other arts managers and the scowl on his face on the cover photograph (and in some of those included in the book) let us know that he is all about getting the shows on stage and at the highest level rather than getting us to love him as a person.

Volpe came to love opera while working at the Met. True, his grandmother had him listen to "Cavalleria Rusticana" with her when he was a child, but it was getting the magnificent sets to work and to hear the great singers, choruses, and see the dancers, costumes, and even the guests, that got him to see what grand opera is truly about and fall in love with the greatest of all art forms.

The book is part his own biography, part the history of the Met, and part about the great singers he has worked with while at the Met in his various capacities. The book has dozens of interesting photos from all the eras of the Met and the stories of the singers are well chosen and very entertaining. Pavarotti, as you might expect, provides some wonderful anecdotes when he is trying to help Volpe lose weight and includes Volpe in his "yoga" lessons.

The book is quite a pleasant read and I enjoyed it a great deal. It is interesting to hear about the whole of the opera company including everyone it takes to make the shows rather than just the great soloists. Coming from a blue collar background myself, I enjoyed hearing about the working guys and gals that make the show work for those fabulous artists who create the great music with their voices and hearts. The magic wouldn't be nearly as powerful without all those sets, costumes, lights, and the performers on the chorus or the dancers.

Recommended!

Joseph Volpe was a tough as the job he took on when he grabbed the reins of the Metropolitan Opera House, having to deal with the likes of James Levine and Luciano Pavarotti.
But as in the phrase beloved of behavorial psychologists, his was a "tough love." He started as a carpenter at the Old Met with but a passing interest in opera, but by the time he left, music infused his very blood with a passion for his work and the people who populated the space he called home.
The autobiography details the years, the failed marriage, the battles with superstars, the triumphs and disappointments with a candor perhaps unique in this type of memoir, where the authors tend to be either diplomatic or, as with Sir Rudolph Bing, unrelentingly acerbic.
Volpe tells his story in lean, plain-spoken language that reveals the inner workings of the gargantuan Met and makes that place of mazes and convolutions an environment the reader can understand.
Joe Volpe (after reading the book, it's hard to think of him as Joseph) dragged The Met kicking and screaming into the 21st century without violating the traditions that surround opera, and his book is refreshing, entertaining and revelatory.
It should be read by anyone interested in opera, politics or the big business of show.

Joseph Volpe's "The Toughest Show on Earth" is a remarkably comprehensive look at the recent history of the Metropolitan Opera as told through the eyes of the retiring general manager, himself. Volpe has the best "view" in the house and no wonder...he's been there for over forty years.

From the start it's clear that Joe Volpe is not a man to be crossed lightly. Tough as nails (and nails were part of his business) he rises from an entry level position to the top job...and reveals much along the way. There's just enough "dirt" in this book to tickle the senses of the reader and anyone who has ever been in opera knows exactly what Volpe describes...in order to be associated with opera personalities it is sometimes required to act like one.

The longest chapter in "The Toughest Show" is devoted to Volpe's firing of Kathleen Battle and one can just see the steam building in the author's ears as he amasses stories of misbehavior on the part of the "embattled" diva over a period of years. Finally, he acts, much to the delight of the cast and crew. It's a juicy chapter and one of the best in the book. While Volpe offers reflections on just about anyone with whom he has come in contact, he reserves the nicest comments for conductor James Levine and (whom he calls the "Siamese Twins") tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Without these three would there be a present-day Metropolitan Opera?

There are occasional bouts of self-serving given over to by the author and often he feels a need to defend himself based on some past controversial decisions, (which I found rather astounding given the fact that he is departing the scene) but what makes "The Toughest Show" such a wonderful book is the comprehensiveness of the Met story. It's not only onstage and backstage but everywhere else, too. "The Toughest Show on Earth" is the greatest guided tour around. It's a terrific read and Volpe deserves much credit not only for this book but for a lifetime of service dedicated to one of the nation's treasures...the Metropolitan Opera.