Scott Thomas Books

I ordered this book for my sister who was struggling with an online college English course. She could not understand Shakespeare and was really having a hard time. I found this book on Amazon and had it sent to her. She not only understands Shakespeare now, she actually enjoys it! The original writing is on one side of the page, and the plain English version is right beside it. Wonderful!! I have no doubt my sister will now make an A in her class as well as become a fan of Shakespeare!

I'm not ashamed to admit it. I find Shakespeare difficult. I need help. The Cambridge School Shakespeare editions, with the classroom activities and assignments on each facing page, give me the focus and direction I need to finally truly enjoy the text.

I thought I didn't like Shakespeare until I took a class on several of the plays. It turns out that I love Shakespeare when I'm doing close reading or studying it carefully but for whatever reason I find it extremely difficult to do on my own. The Cambridge School editions allow me to replicate the classroom experience on my own, providing enough background and questions for critical thought that I keep a close focus on the text. Previous times I've attempted to read 'Hamlet' I was struggling just to figure out what was going on; reading this edition I was analyzing the characters and considering different acting and directing choices. It's amazing.

As a college student who had to write a paper on Hamlet,Again,I of course had to get away from any classic ideas about the play. Being a student with a talent for writing I would never be able to "get away with," these common theories, as professor's expect much more. This book really helped me to create a rather ambitious and interesting thesis; one which went against the criticisms in the book, and was refreshingly new.

I like the individual criticisms in this book as they really force you to look harder for textual evidence. One of the BEST things about the book was that it included the whole play as well. That was so useful because I didn't have to juggle two books -one of them being the complete works of Shakespeare which weighs about 20lbs. I was able to take this book everywhere and work on it whenever I had spare time.

However, I would not sugesst this book for an individual who does not have a very strong background in Hamlet. You need to know the play Extremely well in order for this book to benefit you. If you do not know Hamlet inside and out, then this book will only cause confusion and you should probably stay away from it, as the theories may be difficult to comprehend.

Shakespeare Made Easy is a great tool for anyone interested in Shakespeare. It provides the inquisitive Shakespeare amateur with means of understanding passages they do not decipher in the original text. However, it is important to note, this is not the right book for a high school classroom. It allows students to "read one of Shakespeare's plays" without actually reading a word of what Shakespeare himself wrote. Half of what makes Shakespeare so captivating is his style and wordplay. Deprived of those two elements Shakespeare's plays are only stories with good plot. Ultimately, students who don't take the challenge of reading the original text before reading the translation will be less interested in Shakespeare after because they will not have experienced the witticism in his literature. In essence this version of Shakespeare provides a cheep way out for unmotivated students that ultimately rewards neither their teachers nor themselves.

With this generation's youth it is difficult to find many students interested in Shakespeare. Shakespeare Made Easy is the key. The general stories that William Shakespeare put down on paper are truly remarkable and quite fun to read. However, these days there is hardly any interest in deeply analyzing pages and pages of Shakespearian English, especially with his longest play, Hamlet.
With the original text on one page and a modern translation on the opposing page this version of Hamlet can be an insightful read as well as a pleasure read. By having the option of both translations the reader will be fully immersed in the story, rather than the text, and come out on the other end singing the praises of Shakespeare and Hamlet. This is a breakthrough version of Hamlet and should be the premier choice of teachers and students alike. Nothing, except perhaps the movie, will excite the adolescent world to Shakespeare more than this version of Hamlet.

I read a first edition (2001) from the library and while the book is good it is very dated. Newer edition may improve the suggestions part as that was where i feel the book was weakest. Excellent history of consumption in the US.

Odds are you're infected with affluenza but, don't worry, there is a cure. You'll just need to take the medicine. This book is both entertaining and thought provoking.

Take an honest look at the degree of your illness, make some changes to how you think and the results could amaze you. They say the best things in life are free but some of us had to buy this book (the book's not free) to really appreciate that.

The premise of this book is great; discussing the over-consumption by many Americans. It really does a good job of making you think about all of the junk that you have accumulated during your life, and asking yourself "Why?" It really makes you want to simplify your life. Unfortunately, the book is ruined by all of the liberalism it promotes. At one point, there is discussion of Marxism in a positive light. It is hard for me to wrap my arms around a book that would promote such a thing. The book seems to suggest that the government should be involved in reducing Americans consumption. I am in agreement that we must reduce our waste and over-consumption, but it must be a personal choice. That is what is known as freedom. The book loses me as I am sure that it will other readers when it encourages socialist, or even communist views.

This book is a lively, sharp and at times even whimsical (in a cynical sort of way) look at the problem of over-consumption that plagues America. The authors meticulously dissect and expose each facet of the problem, relying on studies and expert opinion, and overall construct a good synopsis of the issues. In fact, one could argue that they belabor point after point, until midway through the book I was ready to put it down, depressed -- particularly since I had read much of the same material in other books, such as "The Overspent American" by Schor.

However, I kept plodding through, since the authors promise at the beginning of the book that in the end they will detail some solutions to the problem. But therein lies the disappointment -- Just when you expect a denoument, a satisfactory end that tells you how to cure this disease, or better yet how to avoid it altogether, there are no workable solutions put forth, no cures or treatments. Rather than explaining workable solutions that any of us can implement, the last third of the book is dedicated to describing radical steps taken by a few -- a CEO who quit his/her job to open a pottery stuido/grow flax in the garden/weave hemp hammocks/insert low-impact activity here; a couple who moves/sells their house/buys very small living quarters/reduces amount of trash produced to one garbage bag per year buy growing all of their food and "making own packaging"; or someone who writes a book, constructs an intentional community, or starts a not-for-profit pro-simplicity organization. What happens to us other poor souls, who enjoy our jobs and neighborhoods but want to simplify in other, baby-step ways? Alas, we are forgotten by this book. Much more practical may be some of the books by Elaine St. James.

In the end, the book was unsatisfying. The authors cut away to expose the problem, but offer no real-world solution -- as if a surgeon were to cut and dissect to expose the tumor, but then walk away from the patient on the operating table, without removing the diseased tissue and closing the wound he made.

This book quite literally changed my life in a great way. Upon reading the introductory chapters, it was clear to me that I surely had Affluenza. Continuing through the book, I realized how dire it was that our whole country was "infected" and how deeply. Finally, it offered real solutions to combating the disease.

I know the analogy of Affluenza as a disease seems a little cheesy, but it was effective in getting the point across. After reading the book, it became so clear to me that my time is so valuable and that careers that don't allow you to have your personal time (to explore your hobbies) in lieu of a fat paycheck just aren't worth it. I have made so many adjustments in my life to create less waste. But more than anything learning to "want less" is such an important lesson that so very many people in our materialistic culture just will never understand. And they aren't fully to blame because our culture promotes it and its essentially brainwashed into us.

If you're already thinking that you you spend too much, that you always want more and new things, that you're in a job that you don't feel in any way is your calling, that you waste too much, and ultimately that you want to be a better person, READ THIS BOOK. It will inspire you in ways you never imagined....

I remember when this accident occurred I thought "what a waste - of 9 lives, of a good commander and all stemming from just a quick ride for some civilians".

As a Navy veteran mentioned in another review he saw some of the best and worst aspects of the Navy (read bureaucracy) in this book. Commander Waddle's well being after the accident wasn't a primary objective to the top brass.

It's a story of standing alone facing a firestorm and wanting to do the right thing and not the expedient thing.

To me this is two books in one. Its is a story of faith in the face of adversity. In that it is excellent. Since that has been discussed here heavily, I wont go any further with that concept. What I find more interesting is Cdr Waddle has unintentionally given us an expose' on the US Navy.

I served in the Army so my knowledge in this realm is academic. However, it seems to me submarine officers are highly screened for quality and competency. From reading this story I come out wondering how Scott Waddle ever got in command of a submarine let alone be allowed to serve on one in any position!

The first half of this autobiography is devoted to Waddle explaining his Naval career. It isnt pretty. He recounts one story after another of cutting corners, disobeying direct orders, outmaneuvering supervisors and ignoring inconvenient regulations. Not only that Waddle doesnt strike me as being one of the sharpest knives in the drawer. I find it hard to believe an officer can get to the two decade mark of Naval service and honestly think his career could in any way survive ramming a civilian watercraft. I did five years in the Army (of all places) and knew the answer to that one!

To me this is the great value of this book. The Navy somehow let an incapable person who knew the art of smooth talking slip through the cracks long enough he wound up in command of an extremely powerful warship. This inattention resulted in tragedy. I see a number of sailors have come here and posted comments. Please tell me Waddle is a fluke!

I am glad that I did not read the reviews about this book before I purchased it. I think that The Right Thing is a great story about standing up and saying that you are sorry and taking responsibility for your actions. Based on the book, I do not believe that the events of that day were anything more than a combination of small mistakes and accidents. I do not feel that CMDR Scott Waddle should have lost his command because of this incident. For some reason, we in America feel that when something happens that we must have some one to crucify. Were there mistakes made? Yes. Were they done on purpose? No. There are many people that deserve to take a piece of the blame, including the US Navy. Instead we choose to place all the blame on Waddle and intead of crying foul, he took it like a Christian. I cannot remember who made the comment about CMDR Waddle's repeated references to God, but as a Christian I was moved by what he said and what he went through. I have no problem with him relating to Job, I have related to Job and I have not gone through anything like he has.

Above all, please give this book a chance and allow yourself to read it with an open mind.

I was disappointed in this book. It's too preachy, and it's written at the third grade level. As a former submariner, I was hoping to get an inside look at the details of the accident and the politics of the Court of Inquiry. Instead, very little time was devoted to these subjects in between a rambling autobiography and a religious tract. Cdr. Waddle can stop shouting from the rooftops how much he loves his wife and his child and what a great son, father, husband, disciple and sailor he is. After the 20th time, it just wears thin. Granted, the US Naval Academy doesn't graduate idiots, and the Navy doesn't let knuckleheads command their premier warships. I get it. But just because you love your wife doesn't mean you didn't screw up. And screw up he did. Waddle unnecessarily rushed his crew, including a rookie Deck Officer who wasn't experienced and capable enough to handle the artificially rapid pace, and not secure enough to stand up to his CO and ensure the boat's safety. Waddle had guests on board to impress, and he got distracted and sloppy and violated his own standing orders.

Now 9,999 times out of 10,000 it wouldn't matter; it's a big ocean, but this time another ship happened to be in the way, and people got dead. Did he deserve a court martial and jail? No. But you can't kill people and keep your command, especially after an entirely avoidable accident. Its the same thing as if you are looking down and changing the radio station in your car when a kid runs in front of you and you kill him. Should you be driving paying attention with both hands on the wheel all the time? Yes. Were you negligent? Yes. Malicious? No. But 9 people dead, a diplomatic relations nightmare, and $100 million later: Someone has to bend over...

Waddle was a child of privilege, growing up overseas, and accepted to two military academies. He was groomed and nurtured by the Navy from the start. Even in spite of that, his career was almost derailed from the beginning, and only his getting into good graces with a senior officer allowed his service record to be cleaned up and made him eligible for command. I will have to search and find some other sources of information to get a better perspective on the accident. I would be interested in hearing the accounts of the FT and the deck officer. I'm sure, despite his claims, that Waddle wasn't beloved by his entire crew, either. No Captain is. In spite of all the rah-rahs, I know from experience that at least 70% of the crew was pissed off at having to spend a day driving VIPs around, including the reactor start-up crew that had to report at midnight or earlier the night before.

I respect Commander Waddle, and admire some of the things he accomplished, but I wouldn't serve with him. He is too cocky and the rules of navigation or chain of command don't apply to him, because he always knows better. And if a CO ever told me during a drill or on watch that the only perfect man to walk the earth died 2000 years ago, I would nod my head and say "Yes Sir, Skipper", and run screaming to my detailer as soon as we docked to get me off of this guy's ship. While that kind of statement (if it really happened) looks great in a book where you are trying to impress the public with what a great guy you are, it is entirely inappropriate for any workplace, military or otherwise. Nothing is scarier than a zealot with a weapon. As a Senior Chief once said to me, "God's on the surface, kid. Down here at 600 feet it's just you, me and the Russians".

I agree with the reviewer's statement that if Waddle was REALLY the saint he claims to be, he would donate all the proceeds from the book to the victim's families.

I have read the NTSB report and the unclassified version of the Court of Inquiry by the Navy. Clearly there are significant problems with the author's memory as to both what happened and what he said at the time. Significantly, this accident happened because the captain violated his own standing orders which if followed to the letter probably would have prevented this tragic event. The person I feel sorrow for is the OOD who was known as methodical and exacting albeit slower than the captain liked. In the trial transcript several officers and crew testified to the carefulness of this junior officer OOD. But if the captain had not pushed the OOD to perform a maneuver in 5 mins which he admitted would take a more senior and experienced officer (than the OOD)at least 8 mins to complete, it is highly likely that the Greeneville would have either recognized the converging courses or might well have physically been several hundred yards away from the merchant ship. The captain also interrupted the OOD during the periscope scan which also compromised safety. There were many other more senior officers (to the OOD) who did nothing as the scenario evolved. While others did not perform their duties as well as they should have, the laxity in doing so came from the top down. Command at sea is absolute in authority and responsibility.

I agree with the general consensus of reviews that the book is too wordy. I'm a huge Moose And Squirrel fan, but I haven't actually managed to plow thru the whole book yet. If you have the videos of the cartoons, seen the movie with Jason Alexander and Rene Russo, and interrupt meetings at work with "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!! But that trick never works...", then you Need this book. If not, just get it from the library.

That said, you just can't get this info anywhere else. Keith Scott has done a terrific job in going over (dredging up?) the history of the show, from Jay Ward's inspiration, to Ward's partner Bill Scott inventing, or more like "falling into", the voice for The Moose (mostly because he just happened to be there during casting), the constant tension with the cartoon artists in Mexico who did the work, all the publicity stunts Ward tried to pull, etc.

(For example, there was the episode about the "Kerwood Derby" -- a derby hat -- which was a pun on the name of TV star Durward Kirby. Kirby's people on The Garry Moore Show were not amused, and threatened a lawsuit, which Ward eagerly awaited, because of the old maxim "there's no such thing as bad publicity".)

Contrary to some other reviews here, I found Mr. Scott's book to be an easily readable, fascinating and fun look into the life and work of Mr. Jay Ward.

Mr. Ward was a man about whom little has been written before this. Mr. Scott does an admirable job, in my opinion, of telling his story and renewing interest in his work. I, for one, will be buying every Rocky & Bullwinkle DVD there is to buy, chiefly on the strength of the memories resurrected for me by this book.

Mr. Ward apparently was also a big kid at heart, himself (in the sense that he loved to have fun and, if something wasn't fun, he wouldn't do it. Even to the point, at times, of turning down some projects.) He also believed in producing a quality product in a time when "children's cartoon" and "quality product" were not synonymous phrases. Kudos to Mr. Ward for taking that approach to his work! He was also ahead of his time, and very right, in believing that kids were smarter than most people thought back then and, as such, would be capable of understanding the type of humor employed in his cartoons. I guess you could say he was one of the first people to express, through his work and in his own special way, that "Kids are people, too". Again, kudos for that!

From Crusader Rabbit, (the first children's cartoon created specifically for television in 1948) to Rocky & Bullwinkle, to Cap'N'Crunch and Quisp & Quake (to show you what I've learned, I didn't even know he created these last two!) they're all here to be remembered and enjoyed anew.

So, sit back, relax, read and enjoy....This really is a wonderful book.

I really, really wanted to like this book. I was a huge fan of Jay Ward, Bill Scott and the gang who brought us Rocky and Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right and the rest. I've shopped at the Dudley Do-Right Emporium and own a Super Chicken animation cell.

Unfortunately, Keith Scott's true enthusiasm for the subject matter pushes this book about 100 pages beyond what would have been a more reasonable length. I admire his pluck, but wish I had those three hours of my life back. A little editing would have gone a long way.

In the hands of A.J. Liebling or Jane Kramer, this would have been an excellent book. After all, the subject is superb. But being a Red Sox fan doesn't make you a good hitter, and being a Jay Ward fan doesn't make you witty. Keith Scott has no literary style. The book has none of his subject's wit. It is as if a writer tried to describe Rembrandt by telling you where he bought his paints. The book should have been edited down by at least half. Watch Jay Ward's reruns; forget this boring book.

Some reviewers have found that Keith Scott's monumental tribute to Jay Ward Productions contains almost too much information to be easily enjoyed. The book deals with the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" TV cartoons only in part; to put the R & B phenomenon into context, Scott takes the reader back to Jay Ward's early days, then details the challenging and often harrowing path Ward took through life: a traumatic, near-fatal accident; unscrupulous business associates; impossible working conditions; constant interference from TV and advertising executives; many attempts to launch other TV and movie projects; and ultimately, disenchantment when the work wasn't very rewarding anymore. Through it all Jay Ward, his partner Bill Scott, and his like-minded staff persevered in their genially nutty way, and created some of the funniest shows ever committed to film.

It's interesting to read about these behind-the-scenes aspects, but the business content overshadows the comedy content on the first reading. The sheer volume of peaks and valleys over 40 years is enough to give any reader a workout. The book is commendably thorough when it comes to dates, places, and people, and the entire gallery of Jay Ward creations is on display, from Crusader Rabbit to Dudley Do-Right, from George of the Jungle to Quaker cereal commercials.

This writer suggests that you read the book a second time. Once you know the back story, the climactic events are easier to digest, and you can savor the narrative's basic, irreverent humor. One of the appendices lists all the pun-filled titles of the Bullwinkle adventures ("Cheerful Little Pierful" or "Bomb Voyage"), and some of these will make you laugh out loud.

If you're a big fan of the Jay Ward canon and/or vintage television, this book is highly recommended for both reading and reference. If you're a casual Rocky and Bullwinkle fan, you may get more than you bargained for.

I haven't written a review on amazon before, but want to do one now after reading the negative response above.
For me, this book is an incredibly insightful and inspirational read. It shows tons of different approaches to art, not in a didactic manner or 'how-to'way but simply by showing what different bodies of work are about, and how they function. Questions such as 'for how large an audience should you want to be working' are answered not by giving a figure but by showing various possible relations an artist can have with his or her audiences and how the nature of the relationship they choose to build affects their work.
the essays are short, but long enough to get to the point.Each essay can be seen both as a case study for aspiring artists and as an introduction into contemporary practice for any interested reader. There are a lots of good fullcolor photograps added to the text.
The small interviews printed next to the essays hold a lot of insightful information on the more practical side of being an artist - for instance how important do you perceive your location to be, how is your income built up and so on (these interviews take up a lot less space). Totally recommended, i don't know of any book quite like this. I go through it very often.

This book was reccomended by tutors as one of three books to buy at the start of our Fine Art degree course. I sort of chuckled, slightly bemused when I skipped through it for the first time, but I am now in the middle of my second year and I find it more and more useful as time goes on. I now understand more about what goes on in the world of art and in the mind of the artist and what I am now reading makes more and more sense, the reasoning behind artistic approaches and the thought trains behind individual artist's work I can now follow using this book. I highly reccomend the work even though it takes a while to take it all in, afterall there is not much time to fit in the social life at Uni never mind actual study ! This book will be invaluable in my third year. It is well written and has enabled me to understand other peoples work so valued in art study and now accessable to myself having read it.

This book is meant to be read in bits and pieces or from the first page to the last. You can get inspired and educated by every word and image. The author is very generous with her respectable amount of knowledge. She employs her skills to get YOU going. This is not a self-help book. This is a serious art and art lovers book, whether you are someone who thinks about art or does art.

Buy this book. I am a career educator, writer, and book producer. This book is unparalleled.

Platonic Love to All Who READ, READ, READ!!
KM

Weintraub has done the footwork here--for a lot of people that would read her book. She demonstrates her curious mind and is able to convert that into a series of reviews of what is out there right now--and makes it into a very hip series of essays--one you would think is stodgy at first, but is actually very informative, and demonstrates her knowledge and skill by getting into these artists minds and the what and why that goes into ther work. It's a wonderful text book, but even if I didn't use it as a text, I could seriously put it down and feel satiated--like I had learned something new. I would recommend the book to artist and sudent alike, and if I were teaching a class, I would seriously consider using it. All in all, a very good book.

Now, I've never written a review on Amazon before, but, then again, I've never felt so passionately about a book before.

I'm being forced to read this book for a class and I'm finding it incredibly torturous. Despite that, I'm going to struggle to keep my emotions out of this review.

The Preface of this book begins with questions:

"Why am I an artist? Who is my audience? How can I communicate with this audience? What is art's function in society?"

As a fledgling artist myself I have found myself asking these questions often. I know that there are no answers and I didn't expect this book to provide any. But I thought this book would at least probe and examine these questions. I had my hopes up that this thick text would provide some meaningful insights that would expand my knowledge, change my perspectives, and maybe even tell me how flat-out wrong some of my assumptions are.

Boy, was I disappointed.

Past the introduction, Weintraub, the author, ceases to ask anything. In fact, there is hardly any investigation into any of these questions period.

There is no critical thinking. There are no references to contemporary theorists or philosophers. Instead, the book is composed entirely of articles about contemporary artists who are meant to illustrate various strategies for tackling these problems. For example, to answer the question "who is my audience?" there is an article about Thomas Kinkade as an example of someone who makes "art-for-all."

But once you start reading the articles, the questions fly out the window. Instead, each article reads like an extended press release. The artists' works are written about in superlative, round-about ways. If one were to take away all the fluffy descriptions and half-baked interpretations there might be one or two paragraphs for each artist.

The articles are full of statements like "The artist does this, this, and this" and "The viewer experiences this, this, and this," but there is no critical examination of what the artist is actually doing or what the viewer is actually experiencing. These examinations wouldn't be too difficult to accomplish either. Why not talk with art critics or art historians about what they think about the artists' works or why not interview actual viewers seeing the works what they think about the works? We, the readers aren't provided these options. We are told what to think and experience. The artworks function exactly the way the artist and Weintraub tells us they do.

On top of this, any and all context is removed. Weintraub places each of these artists in their own separate bubbles. No one looks at other art. No one goes to museums. No one has done any reading regarding their chosen subject matter. Weintraub writes as if each artist has miraculously created their ideas out of nothing and are amazingly original even if their concepts are far from new.

For example, Weintraub has write-up on artist Scott Grieger. A major aspect of Grieger's work deals with consumer and advertising culture. Yet apparently neither Weintraub nor Grieger are familiar with Baudrillard's "System of Objects" or Jameson's "Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism" or Naomi Klein's "No Logo" which are all very relevant and very major writings on that very topic.

Additionally, Weintraub writes with a very awkward style that obscures what she is trying to say. This works to her advantage, however, because much of what she is trying to say makes little to no sense. For example, here is a quote from the Grieger article (where she is discussing a work about global warming that incorporates a time/temperature digital display):

"In his determination to make visitors realize that these digital measuring devices actually report instantaneous environmental change with absolute accuracy, and that these changes portend dire circumstances, Grieger used another propagandist tactic: surprise. Exploiting the power of letters and numbers to exceed their role as information-conveyers, he harnessed their ability to captivate attention, and thus to provoke thought. As visitors turn to exit the gallery they confront two painted replicas of LED displays. The stasis of these representations highlights the movement of the functioning devices. The text inscribed on one is 'hELLO.' The other reads '07734.' The perplexing appearance of the lower case 'h' is the clue that helps reveal that the two apparently unrelated signs are actually the same. By turning the sign with the numbers upside down, the viewers realizes that it too spells the word 'hELLO.' As they depart, visitors receive a greeting instead of a farewell."

This long paragraph is mostly nonsense. How does the propagandist tactic of surprise fit into any of these LED displays? How do the "hELLO" signs lead us to think that the other ones "report instantaneous environmental change with absolute accuracy"? Why does Weintraub place so much emphasis on the profundity of the "hELLO" signs when any 3rd grader in math class already knows how to make their own on their calculators?

This review has gotten way too long. And yet I've barely scratched the surface of this book. Each article makes me want to bang my head against the wall. Each paragraph make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon. Hopefully I can prevent some of you from experiencing this same torture.

Thank you for reading.

Excellent book for learning Microsft applications such as Work, Excel, Access, and Powerpoint. The book offers walk through examples that are easy to follow with pictures and step-by-step instructions. The Excel math problems may be off, I think, but overall, I learned a lot even though I've been using the applications for awhile.

This product came to me in great condition and shipping was very fast. It came to me in about two business days.And the price was great too. I am very happy.

I bought this book for a class I was taking and it arrived in bad shape.First, it took forever to get to me and it arrived all beat up. The book had water damage. It looked like it was through a flood or something. This made me hesitant on whether to buy any used books again.

When I started college as an older student I had never been on a computer. This book which is used as a textbook at my college was a lifesaver. You will learn the basics that are needed for college or for employment. I have to say the diagrams/photos that accompany every step are what puts this book above all others. If the pictures did not match what was on my computer I could go back and see what I needed to change. I work as a mentor for women in a non-profit program and use this book to teach them the skills they will need in the workplace. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to learn or to polish their computer skills.

THIS TEXT BOOK DOES NOT COME WITH THE REQUIRED DISK FOR COMPLETING PROJECTS REQUIRED FOR THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM.

Very interesting concept of getting both perspectives on the space race but there are some errors in this book. One is so great I am amazed that no one else has mentioned it. On page 39, Leonov states that he met Ernest Hemingway in Cuba... in 1965... Hemingway died in 1961. Is this a simple typo? Or imperfect memory? In either case, there is only a very small window of opportunity for the two of them to meet as described in the book. Hemingway left Cuba in 1960, shortly after the revolution. Presumably, a Soviet cosmonaut would not be visiting Cuba before the revolution. If the meeting took place it could have only been sometime in 1960. This should have been caught in the editing stage.

I bought this book just a month ago while in a business trip and I must admit that my first impression was that the book was a sort of commercial best-seller, rather hollywood-like. So I was not expecting serious really serious content. But the more I read, the more I came to the conclussion it was a really good book.

I had not the kind of tech-focused expectations of Thomas Moody (see useful review above), but I think it is serious enough for the non-tech or specialized public, whithout been arcane. It's rigorous and at the same time, very readable. A real page-turner.

I think that the book is worth the money. Provides a smart picture not only of space race but also of cold war in a wider sense, from a special and interesting point of view.

Overall, the point with the book is that it is based on two different careers and lives, wich brings a richer depiction of the evolution, both professional and personal of this two outstanding men, astronaut and cosmonaut, at the same time that their respective space programs in Soviet Union and USA.

My congratulations to the authors, the journalist, editors and all people involved in the project. A very well balanced approach on how to present the story and how to narrate it. They've got a great result.

I really enjoyed this book.

From all reports, the Cold War was competition between America and Russia to see who could get to the moon and win the "Space Race." Actually, it was who could design and manufacture nuclear arms to blast the other country off into space. So, this book has an odd coupling: an old Soviet astronaut, the first man to "walk in space," and a younger NASA Apollo commander who piloted Gemini 8. I watched all of those missions faithfully until the fatal explosion; after that, it was too traumatic to hear those words, "Go with throttle up."

Alexei Leonov starts with "Temperatures drop to below -50 deg. C in the small village of Listvyanka, Central Sibreia, USSR, where I was born on 30 May 1934." When he was four years old, his father was declared a subversive during the Stalin purge, so they lost everything and had to live in one room with eleven occupants.

David Scott came from a military family, born at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, USA. Before his father became a "fighter pilot," he had an administrative job in a Hollywood film studio in California. David followed in the footsteps of his dad, acted as a technical advisre on the film, 'Apollo 13.'

These two military "commanders" from warring countries have nothing in common, except the moondance in space, as it is more an illusion. Their experiences were not even close. Granted, Leonov was the first man to "walk in space," securing a place in history. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon in actuality; he was the commander of Apollo 11. After spending three days on the moon, David Scott became the seventh to hop around up there collecting souvenirs.

The photo sections speak a lot louder than the words. I'm not sure the average American citizen is ready to be reminded of all the personal terror and pain we endured for so long by their bullying and threats. The title should be called 'Opposite Sides on Earth," opponents to the end. You would think that, by now, USA would realize that trusting one's former enemy can backfire even in defeat.

"Two Sides of the Moon" is a fascinating addition to the library of any space historian, whether casual or professional. The book, written by American Astronaut Dave Scott and Soviet Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, focuses on personal and professional struggles set within the political framework of the 1960s (and early 1970s) cold war.

Although I would have preferred more technical detail in the book, I still enjoyed it very much though more from the human interest angle. I liked the technique of alternating narratives from the American and Soviet points of view: the book was skillfully written to reveal the emotions and perceptions of both sides of the space race during key points in the race to the moon (Sputnik, the Apollo 1 fire, Apollo 11, etc.) I found both authors to be likable and appreciated their willingness to share credit with people unknown to the general public, from important organizational keys like Bill Tindall's famous (within NASA, anyway) Data Priority Meetings (and their resultant "Tindallgrams,") to the awe with which Leonov held Sergei Korolev, the Soviet Chief Designer, whose death all but dashed Soviet attempts to land on the moon prior to the Americans.

The book has an upbeat and optimistic tone, and is good-natured throughout. I enjoyed the behind the scenes trivia the pair provided. Did you know that the first animals to achieve circumlunar flight were a pair of Steppe Tortoises on the Soviet Zond-5 mission? The were recovered safe (but probably confused) in the Indian Ocean on September 17, 1968. Little known facts like this made this book a treasure for readers who traditionally focus on the more technical aspects of the missions.

The book boasts an excellent Foreword by Neil Armstrong, Scott's commander from Gemini 8. Scott gives Armstrong ceaseless praise for his judgment during the emergency they shared, and it seems clear that Armstrong holds Scott in equally high esteem.

The book is a great telling of a compelling tale. I particularly found the travails of Leonov's youth to be astounding, and admire him more after reading this book for overcoming them to become one of the great names in spaceflight. Likewise, Scott is a high achiever and role model for generations of spacefarers for generations to come. I recommend this book highly.

"Two Sides of the Moon" is a fascinating addition to the library of any space historian, whether casual or professional. The book, written by American Astronaut Dave Scott and Soviet Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, focuses on personal and professional struggles set within the political framework of the 1960s (and early 1970s) cold war.

Although I would have preferred more technical detail in the book, I still enjoyed it very much though more from the human interest angle. I liked the technique of alternating narratives from the American and Soviet points of view: the book was skillfully written to reveal the emotions and perceptions of both sides of the space race during key points in the race to the moon (Sputnik, the Apollo 1 fire, Apollo 11, etc.) I found both authors to be likable and appreciated their willingness to share credit with people unknown to the general public, from important organizational keys like Bill Tindall's famous (within NASA, anyway) Data Priority Meetings (and their resultant "Tindallgrams," page 194,) to the awe with which Leonov held Sergei Korolev, the Soviet Chief Designer, whose death all but dashed Soviet attempts to land on the moon prior to the Americans.

The book has an upbeat and optimistic tone, and is good-natured throughout. I enjoyed the behind the scenes trivia the pair provided. Did you know that the first animals to achieve circumlunar flight were a pair of Steppe Tortoises on the Soviet Zond-5 mission? The were recovered safe (but probably confused) in the Indian Ocean on September 17, 1968. Little known facts like this made this book a treasure for readers who traditionally focus on the more technical aspects of the missions.

The book boasts an excellent Foreword by Neil Armstrong, Scott's commander from Gemini 8. Scott gives Armstrong ceaseless praise for his judgment during the emergency they shared, and it seems clear that Armstrong holds Scott in equally high esteem.

The book is a great telling of a compelling tale. I particularly found the travails of Leonov's youth to be astounding, and admire him more after reading this book for overcoming them to become one of the great names in spaceflight. Likewise, Scott is a high achiever and role model for generations of spacefarers for generations to come. I recommend this book highly.

This book is so inspiring....I would like to see this book in all schools as a class read...everyone would get so much out of this...If only one would start the chain reaction more would be sure to follow....

I enjoyed this book overall but I would prefer it if there was less about the massacre and more about improving the world. I know this is Rachel's vision and that she was KILLED in Columbine but there are many books about what happened and it sort of dampened my spirit when I read repeatedly about what Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold did. Personally I don't know whether this has inspired me to do more for the world because I was already that way inclined and I sought out books like this deliberately to give me ideas.

I know it is sad that Rachel died but surely it would have been better to celebrate her life instead of dwelling on her death which it seems the book is doing. I believe she was a very special person and I'm grateful that there are other teenagers in the world trying to improve it because sometimes I feel as if I'm the only one and in that way this book was very helpful to me.

Every teen and parent should read this book. It is about making a difference in the lives of those we love and those we meet each new day. Read this now and begin the "Chain Reaction"!

I thought that that the "Chain Reaction" book(which expresses and explains Rachel's beliefs and ideals) is a pretty good book, however the reason why I gave this book 4 stars is because I don't agree with what Rachel's father said about the Harrises and Klebolds and their households, apparently, not being so "cozy" and I thought that it was disingenious for him to suggest something like this when he doesn't know their home life anymore that I do.

it's so odd that the very people who were unfortunate enough to have been touched by this horrendous event are precisely the ones who seem so radically and completely divorced from the brutal and unimaginable reality of what actually happened. it's all fine and nice to write a book called "Compassionate Revolution" and pretend that that's doing something, but let's keep in mind what happened. two kids walked into a school library and shot 13 other kids to death, then threw some bombs, shot at cops, and blew their heads off. glorifying the kids who happened to be unfortunate enough to be sitting in the library doesn't change the fact that there are probably 2 billion eric harris and dylan klebolds out there right now, screaming inwardly while their repugnant parents and vicious peers choose to ignore them while every once in awhile taking the trouble to put them down and abuse them. lay off the falsehood and face the reality.

This is a small collection of three stories dealing with the theme of a search for truth. All three involve a writer as the main character, presumably Lee's alter ego.

In the first story, "Goddess of the New Dark Age," a cancer-stricken author is literally haunted by his life's failures. He consults people of various stripes - a priest, a professor, a call girl - in an attempt to answer the question "what is real?"

The second story, "The Seeker," is essentially a rehash of the first, with added gore and the revolting acts that Lee is infamous for. It is perhaps meant for those who couldn't hold their attention on the previous story.

In the final story, "Pay Me," a writer visits a sex club and encounters an acquaintance he carried a torch for in high school. He soon finds she has changed in unspeakable ways. Lee tries to add weight to the story by telling us (in his afterword) that it is a philosophical tale. It's really just a soulless piece of pornography, and the inexplicable ending seems like a lame attempt to root it in the horror genre.

The first story is recommended. It is deep and surreal and the only well-written piece of the three, and earns this publication three stars. The others aren't worth the time it took to read them.

Iým really glad that Edward Lee is better than this tiny chapter book. (and I do mean tiny, very thin) In my opinion, horror should be in-your-face; a fast, slap-happy read that leaves no doubts about what just happened. Lee gets a little bit, well, ethereal in this chapter book. A kind of wandering, dreamlike prose that belongs in space-type SF and not flat horror; for this book does contain some of the most gruesomely described horror I have ever encountered, definitely not for the faint of heart. The stories are still good, and the book is thin enough to read while waiting for a dentist appointment, but if you want something juicier in content and not just an indistinct wade through knee-high gore and splatter, pick up a different Lee and save this one for the waiting room.

Goddess of the New Dark Age: A story of a man dying of cancer, and of the ghost who follows him , whispering to him, as he seeks the meaning of what is real. Only in death will the ghost make reality clear to him. This is the best story of the three.

The Seeker: A man wanders through a quarantined zone, seeking truth and finding only revolting people and horrific acts of violence. When he does find what the army and he himself has been seeking, he discovers that he is capable of handling it when others are not. This is the most vague, and yet the goriest, of the three.

Pay Me: A man finds an old school mate in a Live-Sex bar, and witnesses her involvement in a pornographic stage show. Still wanting to see her, he gets involved with her only to find out she will recruit him for the show in horrible fashion. This is the most sexually graphic of the three, better than The Seeker but not as good as Goddess.

An author finds himself close to death and followed by a ghost that tells him to ýmake her real.ý So, his quest for enlightenment, to find the becoming mentioned before his terminal illness catches him begins. A town that is going mad, filled with horrific events that consume mind after mind, and a writer that thinks of himself as ýa seekerý journeying through it. Along the way he hears a voice, a voice that tells him not to turn away but to seek out what is real. A man listening to a voice inside his head journeys into a ýseedyý part of town, into a bar offering ýlive shows,ý finding someone he once loved in the process and also finding that, in time, truth is relative and it all changes. Every truth has a price.

Three stories, one chapbook, and the label out-of-print on all this beastýs previous release. That is what this work, by Edward Lee, comprises on its Quest For Sex, Truth, and Reality. It also entails something thatýs well written in its short, 35-page run, something that reflects upon its author while the main characterýs ý all reflecting on bits of Edwardýs internal struggle ý search for something more, and a more meaningful side of the gore writerýs persona. Personally, I find this time period in his writing life an interesting one, filled with reflections of what is going on in the authorýs mind after each tale told, letting you into the painterýs mindset as the scene was crafted. To me, that is an important keyhole to sometimes peek through because knowing the author, its knowing something behind-the-scenes.

For fans of Leeýs writing, this is something that youýll want to definitely procure because the alternative to picking it up here is paying way too much for the out-of-print volumes of this, his first chapbook. Also, Pay Me, the third story in the book, is also listed as exclusive to the volume, so that makes it a nice find, too. Included herein is Goddess of a New Dark Age, The Seeker, and the before-mentioned piece, evening it out as something that is worth picking up. For anyone that has yet to check out Lee, you should bear in mind that he is a horror creator and incorporates the spilling of internal stimuli to get his message across. If this works for you and you want a tale coated in the renditional imagery of terror, then this is worth picking up.

When I ordered this Necro chapbook, I didn't realize that I'd already read 2 of it's three stories ("The Goddess Of The Dark Age" and "The Seeker" were both in the author's 1st collection of short fiction - The Ushers). Knowing that now, I would still order this book as it is the only place (besides the original out of print chapbook by Tal) to get the 3rd story, "Pay Me". Having just finished Lee's Sex, Drugs & Power Tools, I had to shift gears a little bit as this collecion isn't as hardcore/in your face as S,D&PT. Don't take that the wrong way. If you like Edward Lee, you'll like this collection. Just don't go looking for a header. Be sure to check out the afterword that follows each story (and the picture of Lee smiling at the end). Seek out this chapbook now before it joins the Tal edition.

Ed Lee is best known for spectacularly gruesome books like "The Bighead," or sick short stories like "Header." This little chapbook, entitled "Quest for Sex, Truth, and Reality" marks a significant departure for Lee. While the three stories included here still contain Lee's usual warped outlook on modern day society, the stories are much deeper than mere blood and guts tales. The three stories in this booklet are not easy to decipher, but in that respect they mirror our own individual search for truth and reality.

The first story, "Goddess of the New Dark Age," concerns a washed up writer dying of cancer and his attempt to seek the meaning of reality. He goes to the usual sources one would consider in such a quest, heading down to the university to talk to a philosophy professor. The professor gives him a long, academic rant that is neither illuminating nor coherent. The author turns to sex, finding nothing lurking there that reveals reality. Only when he recognizes that the reality of our time is horror heaped upon horror, the reality of man's cruelty and endless heartbreak, does he discover what is real.

Lee moves down darker trails in "The Seeker," a tale even more obscure than the previous story. A writer wonders into a strange town, encountering several weird people in a local bar while the army searches for something strange in the surrounding environs. A few stomach churning scenes later finds the writer encountering what the army is looking for. What it is and what it means is unclear, but the man discovers the object has bigger plans than corrupting the local townspeople. Lee writes that the symbolism of this story is that the things we seek out because we believe it is the truth often turn out to be something completely different. Hmmm.

"Pay Me" unavoidably deals with the quest for sex. In this pornographic yarn, a man named Smith runs across Lisa, an old school chum, in a seedy bar. She is even more attractive than he remembers, and the two make small talk over drinks for a time. Regrettably for Smith, he soon sees what her job is in this type of bar. The descriptions here are graphic in a tone that suggests certain magazines available only to those over eighteen. Smith and Lisa do spend the night together, resulting in Smith's incorporation into the stage show at the bar. Lee claims this story deals with the biggest fear of the 1980's, namely the shroud of sexual terror that descended over the country due to the AIDS virus.

Ed Lee fans will want to pick this slim book up quickly, since small press stuff tends to quickly fade from view. I do not pretend to understand these mysterious stories, but they are quite different from the usual Ed Lee fare. For instance, I do not remember any rednecks or hillbillies turning up in any of the stories, definitely a rare and noticeable occurrence for this author. Ultimately, it is nice to see a writer in the grue genre attempt to stretch his talents now and again even if he does not necessarily pull it off.

Thomas Hardy's novel makes a heroine out of a simple girl. Tess Durbeyfield, the daughter of a nearly extinct noble line, leads a life of heavy responsibility where her impoverished family is concerned. At the behest of her parents, she seeks assistance from the D'Urbervilles who are, supposedly, relatives. This assistance yields disastrous results and Tess feels compelled to find work as a milkmaid where she meets Angel Clare, the son of an evangelical pastor, who is gathering experience in order to become a farmer.

Hardy does a splendid job of illustrating Tess's strength as she goes from innocent girl to pure woman. Though she is not as educated as Angel, in terms of theory, her experience with Alec Stokes D'Urberville has given her a deeper knowledge of life and acceptance. Ironically, it is this experience which captivates and, predictably enough, repulses Angel.

Hardy's narrative is a powerful one in this particular tale. It is clear that this is Tess's story and we, as readers, witness her painful journey. Through his subtle and understated use of irony, we come to realize the hypocrisy of Angel and wonder about the diabolical nature of Alec.

What Hardy does emphasize in this novel is the unwavering hand of Justice which allows the novel to come to a bittersweet end and lets no one escape its strong, yet objective, sense of judgement.

I've enjoyed reading this edition for its critical essays and helpful footnotes, but the copy I ordered from Amazon was missing thirty pages. (It turns out that pages 14 through 44 are printed twice, resuming at page 77). They may have corrected the problem in other copies, but don't assume that you'll get the whole book!

Morality is subject to some rolling blackouts in this book. At the end, the law stepped in and made sure that the destruction was mutual. Law seems to be particularly inept in situations where a book is this hard on the reader, and those critics in the Norton Critical Edition who consider this novel almost a crime against literature have a point. If all the characters were being put on trial, instead of merely trying to live, the law would allow each of them to be tried separately because of the doctrine of mutually antagonistic defenses. There were parts of this book I enjoyed: Angel Clare sorting the cows for milking made a lovely theme. Hardy kept referring to the barnyard as a "barton," but I'm sure he wasn't directing that jibe at me, personally, because this book was written long before I was born. I've been to barnyards that were as full of "mulch" as the "barton" described in this book, and Hardy is putting things mildly. I liked the part when Alec had been reformed and Tess discovered him preaching to the Methodists without thinking that he was any better for all the things he was trying to say. Somehow Alec getting on the other side of things was still Alec, and he would have preferred to be happy than to preach all the time. For me, the plot revolved around Angel Clare's need to find a place where he could get money without shame. Alec had as much money as Tess would ever need, and he wanted to give it to her in his own way. There is an early baby problem that Tess didn't tell Alec about until they had more problems than any novelist could make disappear. D. H. Lawrence tried to understand this book in unfulfilled male and female principles, and aristocratic principles which isolated Tess and Alec d'Uberville. I'm glad this book has been appreciated so long that I finally read it. It was an involvement that went further than just feeling like a barnyard.

I was reading this book for an assignment in English, and the images that it left in my mind will remain there for a long time. The story of Tess, a truly Pure woman, facing adversities that scare the soul out of me, is a thoughtful and saddening one.

The Norton Critical edition is particularily good, containing reviews and poems of and about Thomas Hardy, a major advantage when trying to understand the atmosphere that produced this novel.

Though the novel is heavy in description, the description is not out of place. In fact, it is essential to the storyline.

All in all, I enjoyed this book, and it made me think and reflect on the values that I believe are truly important.

Since Hardy can be rather boring in his poetry, I expected that I wouldn't even be able to finish this book. On the contrary, as soon as I had started to read it, I couln't put it down! This is a work of great depth and Hardy has an amazing way of expressing himself, one that really captures the imagination (like Dickens)! I heartily recommend this book for anyone, Victorian-lover or not. The articles are also highly illuminative; this book is definitely worth reading more than once!