F Books

I know longer have to feel ashamed because I don't know how to utilize ABA vocabulary. This book gave examples on how to use terminology appropriately. On the job training is no longer stressful, because I can communicate better with supervisors and school staff effectively.
Although a few of the definitions were rephrased or shortened (by my managers), they were in the ballpark
Thanks for your help

As a parent with a child with autism in a behavioral program, one of the many areas where I have had to hit the ground running is learning the many specific terms and definitions related to this instructional model in a way that is quickly accessible. Behaviorspeak fulfills that need splendidly as a thorough glossary of behaviorism and ABA. I found the definitions to be accurate and precise without being overwhelming, and I appreciate the authors' kindness in putting cross-referenced definitions in CAPS so that was able to quickly find other terms to flesh out my understanding.
I appreciate that the authors respect the audience enough to not only include common terms, but to include more advanced terms and concepts such as identity matching vs. arbitrary matching, Sdelta (in addition to the usual Sd), etc. and to explain social validity, statistical significance and other terms which are useful to parent and professional in contemplating programming and effectiveness of intervention questions.
There are touches of humor, but none distracts from the serious nature and content of this book. A nice thorough job. Thank you Newman, Reeve(s) and Ryan.

Behavior Speak is a pithy yet elegant introduction to the terminology of Applied Behavior Analysis. Written by four behavior analysts, all of whom have impeccable credentials, as well as long standing personal commitments to children with autism, this book fills several needs. It is a pragmatic attempt to make the specialized vocabulary of the field more accessible to a general audience. The practical yet droll writing style makes it a perfect resource for new teachers or students beginning the study of behavioral interventions. Parents too can benefit. Parents often say that when their child is first diagnosed with autism it feels a lot like stepping on to a moving train. This is the book to help you get up to speed quickly. The slightly offbeat humor never overshadows or waters down the material. I've given this book to teachers new to the field, behavioral therapists new to home ABA programs, other parents of children with autism and, increasingly, to older siblings of kids on the spectrum. It's helped my older son, who doesn't have autism, know what we're talking about around the home and has empowered him to use behavioral concepts to make sense of his (middle school) world as well. While a lone, humorless reviewer uses the pretext that "autism in not funny" to slam the book (and in a petty manner, the authors) most seasoned autism parents know that there are plenty of reasons to smile at our kids and our lives. The authors' use of humor signals their collective appreciation of the challenges and successes, the struggles and the joys of life with a child with autism. Life with autism may not always be easy, but it has many rewards for those who know where to find them. This book, by demystifying the language of behavior analysis, empowers readers to work effectively with children with autism and their teachers, and thus to all move forward together happily.

DR. NEWMAN'S ABILITY TO RELATE TO PARENTS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL I HAVE MET IN THIS FIELD. HIS IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE RELAYED TO US IN HIS MANY BOOKS BREAK DOWN THE COMPLEX WORLD OF TEACHING AND UNDERSTANDING AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND ADULTS, TO THE LEVEL IN WHICH MOST CAN RELATE. AS THE PARENT OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD I FIND ALL OF HIS WORKS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE. THERE IS CERTAINLY NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT AUTISM BUT WHAT DR. NEWMAN PRESENTS TO US IS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT HAS BROUGHT SMILES TO MY FACE TIME AND TIME AGAIN DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE.

Behaviorspeak is an excellent book for everyone involved in the lives of children with autism. The authors take the technical terminology of Applied Behavior Analysis and make it accessible and understandable to the layperson. The authors also provide professionals in the field of ABA with a deeper understanding of common terms and procedures. As both a parent of a child with autism and a professional in the field, I find the book indispensible.

The following is the commentary from WRITER'S DIGEST on Mr. Murphy's book:

"EDGE OF ALLEGIANCE contains all the elements expected in a great spy thriller. There are plenty of exotic locations, well-described. All the characters are three dimensional and believable--as well as being unusual and developed in such a way that they seem real.

"The plot is multi-layered with one intriguing complication after another with plenty of action and excitement. Definitely a page-turner. Great job!"

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning "poor" and 5 meaning "excellent," the book rates 5.

I highly recommend this book! It's got all the suspense and excitement of any great thriller and Mr. Murphy has put quite a bit into it! Well written, the book has all the makings of a commonly read spy novel. Mr. Murphy is accurate to a "T", without a doubt, an authority on this subject. I look forward to his next work!

Thomas Murphy's "Edge of Allegiance" is a fascinating journey into the intruiging world of international espionage. The story is dramatic, informative, and appropriately deceptive, and is brought to life by the well-researched, vivid detail of each exotic setting and the development of each complex, yet realistic character. Murphy allows the reader an opportunity to delve into the intense and furtive lives of the intelligence operatives of the era. The brilliant culmination neatly ties each intertwined plotline together, but leaves adequate room for a much anticipated sequel. This is an absolute must read!

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (6/07)

Thomas Murphy's experience in the CIA gives authenticity to his cold war novel "Edge of Allegiance." This is evidenced in the well-developed details of his writing. Murphy understands the predicable cycle of espionage, the hours of surveillance and counter surveillance, the adrenaline rush of danger, the fear of discovery, the suspicion of peers, the drive for promotion and a desire to excel to please the agency brass.

Frank Manion, a newly trained CIA agent, is assigned as a case officer to recruit a Russian diplomat to provide classified information to the CIA. Adept and quick thinking Frank soon learns the danger involved in espionage work as he confronts KGB members as well as an undermining current of deceit within the office of CIA headquarters. The mission takes him to countries on three continents before final resolution and closure is reached in the case.

It is also obvious that Murphy has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of human nature. His carefully-developed, authentic characters make it easy for the reader to identify with, relate to, despise, or embrace them. His characters include highly intelligent, dedicated, focused agents who are committed to take risks, idealists, willing to sacrifice, and those genuinely concerned for the citizens of our country.

Other characters are susceptible to greed, deceit, and misuse of position and power. He allows his characters to become vulnerable, to show their fear, loneliness, boredom, rejection, and the need for affirmation.

This careful introduction of his characters sets in motion a complex plot including, interpersonal relationships, suspense, romance, mystery, and drama. Murphy's fast-paced action plot holds the readers attention right up the dramatic, climactic end. The book is both exciting entertainment and an informative narrative, filled with insights into the behind the scenes inner workings of the CIA.

"Edge of Allegiance" is going to establish Thomas F. Murphy as a best selling author in the genre of espionage adventure thrillers. I look forward to reading more of CIA Agent Frank Manion.

Thomas F. Murphy's novel has it all. "Edge of Allegiance" is packed with thrilling action and a great romance story while being entertaining throughout its entirety. Mr. Murphy makes it easy to get into the main character's (Frank Manion) shoes as he begins his journey with the CIA.

The plot is very well thought out and all the characters come together at the end making it an excellent story. "Edge of Allegiance" was an easy but very exciting read. It was difficult to put the book down, as I constantly wanted to know what would happen next. The accurate description of the many locations make it even easier to picture yourself right there with the characters. I should also mention that the author is also quite funny at times.

I highly recommend this book not just to anyone who is curious as to how the CIA works, but also to readers who would enjoy a great thriller and love story. You will be pleasantly amazed at how ingenious the plot and characters come together and operate. I very much hope the author writes a sequel to this book.

I wanted to thank all of the folks who have taken the tie to review "First Art", a book of art projects and experiences for toddlers and two's. I've read every single review! How happy I am that this book is bringing great experiences to kids, and to their moms too. Thank you so very much to each of you for your wonderful reviews that remind me I am doing the right thing with my life!!!! ~ MaryAnn

I purchased this book so I could have more fun with my daughter, about a year and a half at the time of this review, and teach her a thing or two about creativity along the way. When I first got the book and read it, I LOVED it. There were tons of homemade recipes for saving money, ideas seemed relatively simple, yet fun, directions thorough... However, when I started implementing the ideas with my toddler, I slowly changed my mind.
I see a number of problems with this book:
Homemade recipes sound wonderful. You save money, you use ingredients you already have in your pantry, and you feel like such a handy supermom, what's not to love, right? Well, wrong...
First, the recipes often call for things I definitely don't have in my pantry, I was not even sure what some things were. For instance, cream of tartar. I wrote down a list of things I needed for a project and asked 3 employees at the store for it and all of them pointed me to tartar sauce. So, I had to go home empty-handed and do research online to find out what it was and why I needed it and where I could buy it, what I can substitute it for, etc. Most of the sources online seemed to indicate that it is something that used to be big in baking, but hardly ever needed now that we have baking powder. It'd be nice if the author provided some substitutions. I ended up using baking powder and it seemed to work alright. I later accidentally found cream of tartar in the spices section of my grocery store - and I looked in baking to no avail.
Another things is that a lot of recipes (80%, I'd say) call for tempera paint... If I'm going to buy paint, why buy tempera paint and mix it with stuff to make finger paints, might just as well buy finger paints - will probably end up cheaper. Same goes for, for example, a home-made blackboard. You need to buy the tape that has that chalkboard surface or chalkboard spray paint. Well, both are rather pricey, so it is almost as cheap to buy a ready-made chalkboard easel (not to mention much less trouble). Also, some recipes call for things like "an old grater you no longer use" (because you're going to be grating a bar of soap, for example) or "a big appliance box". I don't know if it's just me, but I think my Mom still uses the same grater she had when I was a year and a half and I don't buy big-screen TVs on a monthly basis... So, I don't really have all these lying around the house, nor is it always easy/cheap to find/buy one just when you want to try a project - often it really is easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy whatever it is you were going to make (case in point - beads).
Also, many recipes call for huge amounts of flour, salt, cornstarch, and food coloring. While those aren't that expensive in and of themselves (and food coloring CAN be), they add up! 4 cups of flour here, 4 cups of flour there, with a lot of these recipes not having the same shelf life as the store-bought equivalents. So, once again, the savings are questionable, even if we don't factor in the time we have to spend preparing stuff versus buying it ready-made.
The quality of projects.
My daughter is a pretty determined and focused toddler when she wants to be, but a lot of those projects are too contemplative to really keep her attention for more than 10 seconds. For instance, exploring the sounds and textures of a piece of foil or the much-favored by many feeley goop. My daughter was done exploring the sounds and textures of foil in 5 seconds and she did not want to explore the feeley goop at all after the initial try, so how was I supposed to make her realize that it has some unique qualities? The same goes for quite a number of projects that are meant to just "explore", but I realize that it is highly individual and there might be children out there who love those projects, just be aware that it is not automatic. Perhaps some of these activities would work well in a group, where children can feed off of each other's ideas and where interaction is already exciting enough, but for one child they can be a tad on a boring side and are over too quickly to be called an "activity".
Another thing in the projects I often have issues with is their messiness. The author does do a good job of outlining how to prep the working space, but with some projects, the colors will get splashed all over the place - it's toddlers we're talking about! I can cover a relatively large portion of the floor and the whole table, but I can't cover the walls and the ceiling... Not to mention that toddlers are known to run away in the middle of a project. So, unless you have a whole room you don't mind getting dirty and where you can contain your child (porch, sunroom, child-proof play room?), some of those projects will be just too much of a risky business to attempt in a nicer room. We live in a fully-carpeted apartment, and there is no way I'll be able to clean it up nicely if my child decides to have too much fun with one of the messier projects.
Finally, I find some "cooking" directions a little too sketchy. I have never made this thing before, I don't know what it should look and feel like, I actually ruined a couple of projects because I did something too soon or too late, even though I thought I was following the instructions religiously - there went 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt :-). Just so you don't think I'm a complete idiot, I do bake regularly and cook quite a bit too, and while sometimes my pizza dough made from scratch does turn out a little drier than I like, it is always edible, never a complete failure.
Overall, I'd say it's a good book with good ideas. If I were a kindergarten teacher, or had 2 or more kids of different ages, I'd probably rate this book better. But as a parent of only 1 child, I'd probably ever use only 1/3 of all the ideas of the book, with 2/3 being eliminated for one or several of the reasons mentioned above, which I find rather disappointing, since I am not paying only for the ideas I'm using...
Our favorite project so far? The bread. It did not taste spectacular (although was edible), but my daughter loved messing with the flour, watching it turn to dough, playing with the dough, etc.

I'm not very imaginative when it comes to "projects" for my kids (who are currently 3 and 1) so I love this book. I am thankful that there are people in the world with great ideas who share them in books. :P

First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and TwosI teach children 18 to 24 months great book with great ideas

My then 18 month old and I took "My First Art Class" at our local community center this past summer--it's a class created by the author's of the book. She had a great time with many of the activities and now that I'm back at work for the school year, I wanted to be able to continue her art experiences. This book is very easy to read, breaks down all the activities so you know how long it will take, if it's messy, etc. We made homemade playdough and have great plans for the other projects. Lots of neat ideas!

Oover the last fifteen years I have been meaning to read certain authors. H.E. Bates, Anthony Trollope, P.G. Wodehouse, E.F. Benson and the like.

Last week I succumbed to a nasty bout of influenza and E.F. Benson. I had grabbed the slender volume of "Mapp & Lucia" from the library shelf and it had rested in my bookcase for almost a week. Not wanting to dull my brain with endless hours of television, I cracked open "Mapp & Lucia".

Ten pages into the book and I was hooked. Lucia, her period of mourning almost over is looking to regain her iron control on her hometown. First action, regain her star role as Queen Elizabeth in the village fete.

As I read Lucia's plots and plans, a strange thought hit me. Lucia is the creature Hyacinth Bucket (the main character of the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances) secretly dreams of being. Having taken over the fete from her dazed and confused friend, Lucia goes onto greater pastures, the hometown of Miss Elizabeth Mapp, reigning social goddesss.

Miss Elizabeth Mapp (known as Mapp) plots with her friends to rent out their respective homes a profit. Lucia and her best friend (a gentleman who brings to mind a cross between KUA's Richard and AYBS Mr Humphries) move and slowly begin to take over the town. Mapp is not pleased and a genteel war of one-upsmanship begins between the two ladies.

Drawings are rejected from the art exhibit, parties given, ownership of produce and fruit desputed with the poor town in the middle. Matters come to a head on Boxing Day (December 26) when Mapp decides to steal a longed for recipe that Lucia refuses to give to her.

Lucia stumbles on her rival in the kitchen and both women are swept out to sea on Lucia's kitchen table (yes, Lucia's kitchen table, this is a not a mis-type). The town mourns the two ladies as lost and the Great War of Mapp-Lucia as over.

Okay, enough said. You'll have to succumb to the collective charms of the ladies Mapp and Lucia yourself and find out all the bits I've left out. Now, I'm off hunt down and read the rest of E.F. Benson's wonderful books.

"Mapp & Lucia" is like reading Trollope's "Barchester Towers" with the gloves off. The teacup may be small, but the battles rumble like thunder on the bay. Lucia is incredible. She combines absolute self-absorption with ironclad charming resolve to succeed in her every endeavor. She really is wasted being queen of Society in a small English village when fulfilling the duties of Lord High Admiral would not cause her so much as a tiny frown.

Lucia is a newly minted widow in this hilarious outing. Her fires have been banked, and she is anxious to get back in the swing and show her mettle. She rents a house for the summer from the formidable Miss Elizabeth Mapp of Tilling. Miss Mapp is clearly the leader of society in Tilling and revels in her role. Lucia eyes the situation, and the lines are drawn in the most charming but resolute way possible Lucia is the richer of the two and possibly more clever, but Miss Mapp has some powerful advantages of her own. She has pride of place, a town full of quaking allies, and indomnable perseverance. When these two square off, the fun begins and doesn't let up.

This is a delightful read, a mood lifter of the first magnitude. "Mapp & Lucia" is my introduction to Lucia, and I cannot wait to further my acquaintance with this fascinating lady.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

This is the first book I've read in E.F. Benson's "Lucia" series, and it is fun-filled ride indeed. For Benson novices, Lucia Lucas is a middle aged, recently widowed (in this novel), perfectly nice upper middle class woman who just happens to have the mind of Machavelli. Missing her obvious calling for World Domination, she is instead content to rule the social life of her small English village with an iron fist. As "Mapp and Lucia" begins however, Lucia has long since deposed any serious threat to her social dominance in her immediate vicinity, and decides fresher pastures are in order. She packs up her things (including , of course, best friend and right-hand-man Georgie) and moves to Tilling, where she expects she will be made society Queen in no time flat. Unfortunately for Lucia, Tilling already has a Queen, one Elizabeth Mapp, and she has no intention of relinquishing her crown.

The scene is thus set for a true Battle Royal, only in Tilling the battelfields are luncheons and dinner parties, and the weapons fruit gardens and lobster recipes. The results are very very funny, as the genteel of Tilling spend a breathless year thoroughly enjoying each swipe, snub and put down. The hilarious climax has our heroines floating out to sea on an overturned kitchen table, with Lucia's last audible words promising delicious gossip just as soon as she gets out of her current mess.

Benson draws his characters exquisitely well, I found myself flat out liking her. She is an Englishwomen of the 1930's, past her prime but still youthful, who just happens to be blessed (cursed?) with the personality of an Alpha Male. The resulting battle of wits with the formidable Mapp is fascinating; Mapp is clearly not her intellectual equal but through a mixture of deviousness and and cunning manages to pull the carpet from underneath Lucia's carefully laid plans time and again. The supporting characters are equally well written, with best friend Georgie and Mapp's crony Diva especially amusing.

All in all, a funny, entertaining and biting satire that is well worth reading whether you are already a Lucia fan or are picking up a Benson novel for the first time. Highly recommended!

Read these books and discover the truth. It's all there -- the vanity, greed, passion, jealousy, and exultation. Don't let the objects of all these towering emotions fool you (lobster recipes, psychic bridge, red currant fool, babytalk Italian, dead budgies, suspect gurus, the Moonlight Sonata), it is the stuff of life!

E F Benson's characters are just sublimely and achingly funny, it seems with Mapp and Lucia he was aiming to scrutinise and satarise the nosensical heirarchy and rivalry of bored and over privelaged upper middle class folk.
This aspect of the British Class system was one he knew well and which was breathing it's last in the times in which Mapp and Lucia live, witness the somewaht irritating coldness with which the Ladies treat their Maids, Drivers and Shop staff.
Lucia is the dominant character, lithe, fashionable and razor sharp while Mapp is clumsy, mumsy and opts for bulldog tactics.
The two appear in many novels, Lucia more often and one cannot help wonder if she was based on a Lady whom Benson was ever so slightly in love with, but here they meet for the first time, as Lucia moves to "Tilling" for the summer in Mapps rented out home "Mallards". The array of colurful charcters they surround themselves with and draw into their delighfully bitchy and cunning war agaisnt each other, are of equal delight, of particualr note are Quaint Irene and Georgie. Perhaps seen as little more than bohemian in their day but doubtless these characters would now be seen as obviously Lesbain and Gay; with the former being in love with Lucia. A daring inclusion in Benson's time but subtle and beautifully inclusive one.
Fans of these deliciously naughty pair should see the 1986 TV series which is available on DVD. Geraldine McKewan (of current Miss Marple fame)is petite, pretty, acid and simply perfect as Lucia while Prunella Scales (Cybil of Fawlty Towers) brings Miss Mapp to dusty, dowdy and bullish life! Excellent stuff!
The series was filmed in Rye in Sussex, home town of Benson, it used many locations close to his home (Lamb House), such as the lovley houses of Watchbell Street (My favourite being No 11 which was used as Godiva's house) and "Twistevens" shop on Mermaid Street, actually a Tea Room in reality.
WELL WORTH A VISIT! Literature fans may also wish to know that Lamb House was once home to American novelist, Henry James before Benson's time. One can also visit Benson's Grave in the town. Benson was Lord Mayor of Rye for a while and the river "Tilling"-ton flows through the town.

F.F.Bruce has written a good History of the New Testament. H explains the topics in the book well.

FF Bruce was thorough and brilliantly so. His adeptness in the biblical and related languages is second to none. This volume is a must for all serious studies of the Bible. There is so much here to be gleaned and treasured.

I read this book 25 years ago. It is an excellent overview of the historical period in which the New Testament was born. After reading this, you will have all the important basics you need to understand the Greek, Roman, and Jewish historical, cultural, and political backgrounds to the New Testament. It reads as a no-nonsense history of the period, with the student of the Bible in mind.

One of the most balanced history books on Bible history available. Dr. Bruce is a phenomenal historian with a great deal of objectivity for an evangelical. He's not afraid to write about the controversial, but certainly remains faithful to the basic tenets of the Christian faith. This book is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand early Christianity in the context of its historical setting.

I really liked this book because it was historical and gave all the sources. I particularly liked the section where Professor Bruce documented Jews claiming to have killed Jesus Christ -- Jewish Talmud and other Jewish sources take credit for Jews killing Christ Jesus. Anyone who doubts that Jews killed Jesus Christ is refusing to take Jewish documents from the ancient world seriously.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my sister. I enjoyed the book when I read it. I am still waiting to hear if she enjoyed it as well.

Everything about this book was great. So TRUE! If you are a woman in the South, you will really dig this book!

I have laughed and cried (from laughing) through this book! I feel like this is the story of my life sometimes. Great read...especially for 40-somethings and up! Or mothers of any age...I'll be reading more by this author.

Though I am from a different region of the South than the author, the truisms smack you in the face like the humidty on a hot Southern summer's day. She has captured the essence of all of us who were reared in the South. And it is true, that most of us over a "certain" age prefer red lipstick. After all, Revlon wouldn't lie to us, would they?
I vary between gales of laughter and nodding in agreement while reading and wish someone were here so I could read it aloud to them.
She has captured our little customs, the SOP of our daily lives in a way no Yankee could ever do, but still it is an inspiration to those women who grew up North of the Mason-Dixon line and want to understand the mystique of Southern women. Men should read this as well. It is full of insights on how to survive with a Southern woman in a close personal relationship.
G Hileman, Middle TN and now FL

Although I'm not aging all that gracefully, my grandmother certainly did. Unlike her I'm approaching 40 and can't decide on the proper thing to wear. I Love this glimpse into southern womanhood as it should be lived out - and in some cases is. Like Ms. Thompson, I have told my husband to clean me up and dress me in something cute if he should have to take me to the hospital or, heaven help him, the funeral home. I just hope he picks something that I think I look good in, and not something he's always wanted to see me in.

Lucy Adams, author of If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny

This book is really good!! I really enjoyed reading it!! it just filled me with positive energy; every time I read it I get so inspired!! highly recommended!!:)

If you are a student of "The Secret," then this book is a must have. Bring good into your life by simply creating abundance through counting your blessings.
This is a wonderful book.

The moment I heard about this book my interest was sparked. Unable to find this book in any local bookstores, I placed my order with Amazon.
Wow! This is a truly incredible book. I am reading it a second time, and no doubt will read it many more times, using it as a guide for living daily life. A must read!

"Do you have the heart to heal yourself?"
"We all have the healing power of unconditional love within us." -excerpt from the beginning of the book.

Each chapter of this book has a short but powerful story pertaining to a wide variety of subjects about life and spirituality. There are wONderFuL quotations relevant to the subject and each chapter ends with "The Truth is...", which includes a quotation, and then "Reflections" "Realizations" and "Affirmations"

I have had this book for a few years now, and I pick it up occassionally and then don't want to stop reading it. There is so much wisdom in this book. Universal Laws throughout.

Here are a few excerpts from the book:
"A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror." -Ken Keyes,Jr

"You can only see things in others that exist in yourself."

"How you feel about something or someone is based on your perceptions."

"Every cloud has a silver lining and finding it is one of the most reliable ways to turn an apparent problem into a blessing! True wisdom is the ability to see the equal benefit or blessing hidden in every challenge, situation, sickness, or crisis. The silver lining is always as bright as the cloud is dark."

Chapter 11: "Inspiration is the secret of Vitality" -"Are you full of life...or barely breathing?"

If you think you would get alot out of this book get it soon, if you think it isnt anything you would be interested in BUY IT NOW. This is one book that I can honestly say that if I had it years ago many of my recent lessons would either have not had to happen or in the case of the tragedies they would have been handled far better and with less guilt. Dr Demartini is a Genius and he honestly does utilize his wisdom every day.
If your realtionships are on the rocks with your family or perhaps someone who you are truly blessed to have CHOOSE to spend some of their precious time with you, Get this book. If you want to help someone from destroying something wonderful in their life buy this book for them, it will make them think....... maybe for the first time in years.

Manchester's book is so well-written and well-researched that the reader is carried back in time to that fateful weekend. The details which come forth are not to be found in many of today's books about JFK, which seem to be concerned with either scandal or with solving the question of conspiracy. This book is especially interesting because it was written within a few years of the assassination. RFK was still alive when the book was published. I believe the closeness of the book to the events in question have helped Manchester stay close to the events and away from speculation. Highly recommended.

However, given the large number of positive reviews here, most of which I agree with, it's worth noting that this book was published around the time there was considerable dissatisfaction and questions being raised about the findings of the Warren Commission and that Manchester I feel, truly gives short shrift to Lyndon Johnson and the transition that took place. To suggest that this was an easy time for Johnson or that there was some desire on the part of the Vice-President to usurp power without regard to the feelings of the Kennedy family or Bobby Kennedy in particular is utter nonsense. Upon reading this material I suggest people also give Max Holland's 'The Kennedy Assassination Tapes' a read as well. Holland's compilation of the taped discussions between Johnson and others in the days and years after Nov. 22 tell a very different story than what Manchester would have us believe.

If you look at the map of the Flight Path of Air Force One from
Love Field to Andrews AFB in the appendix of the book, one of the towns underneath: Hope, Arkansas (Willliam Jefferson Clinton's birthplace). Hope is also mentioned in the book as a representatation of small town America. Now that's freaky. Future editions of the book should footnote.

As the leading civilian authority on the Secret Service, I modestly recommend this classic and controversial book for the many Secret Service/ primary witness interviews Manchester conducted between 1964-1965 (he spoke to 20+agents; I spoke to 70+). That said, several agents I spoke to, three of whom also spoke to Manchester, including Rufus Youngblood, Sam Kinney, and Jerry Behn, among others, denounced this book. Most importantly, ASAIC FLOYD BORING IS QUOTED IN THE BOOK BUT WAS NOT INTERVIEWED FOR IT (AS VERIFIED BY BORING TO MYSELF) AND HE VEHEMENTLY DENIES THE VERACITY OF THE INFO. ATTRIBUTED TO HIM!!

Vince Palamara-JFK/ Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of two books, in over 30 other author's books, etc.)
Pittsburgh, PA

On my seventh birthday, November 22, 1963, I returned home from school and was told that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated earlier in the day in Dallas, Texas. Even for a seven-year-old schoolboy the gravity of event was striking.

For the next forty years, because of my own curiosity and because the event was continually thrust upon me by the media, I studied the sad event from every possible angle. I considered the views of those propounding the prospect of the lone shooter, the single bullet. I listened to the views of those sure that a conspiracy of monumental proportions had taken the President. In short, I have heard every possible explanation and still the evidence--in my view--leads backs to the beginning.

In "The Death of a President," William Manchester, one of the greatest authors of our time and one renowned for his concise, almost obsessive, research was called upon by Jacqueline Kennedy to attempt to set the record straight. The work was published in 1967, four years after the assassination. His research was characteristically pointed, considering every detail, every venue, every person involved. The result: the only book needed to understand the "crime of the century."

In 1988 the book was reprinted and Manchester wrote a new forward to his masterpiece. He mentions how individuals came to him wondering whether he would update and modify his original work due to "new developments" in chronicling the story. He observed at the time that, in his view, "the cruel fact" was that there were no new developments.

Having studied, as I said, the event in considerable detail, I echo Manchester's profound sentiment. There simply is nothing that holds up under severe scrutiny.

Conspiracy theorists claim that it is just impossible that someone like Oswald, a crazy loner, could kill someone like Kennedy as the result of the shallowest of motives. They want to believe that something weightier, darker and more sinister than simple hatred and ego had to be at the root of things. Why?

I would ask them to step back just a few years to when Reagan was President. Consider a lone gunman, John Hinckley, who squeezes off at least three shots before being subdued, wounding Reagan, Brady and a secret service agent in the process. His motive? He wanted to get the attention of a girl, of the actress, Jodie Foster. The shallowest of motives, nothing more. So why is it that we can accept Hinckley's dementia without crying conspiracy but have such difficulty when it comes to Oswald? Quite simply Reagan survived. I believe that, had Reagan died, the nation would have erupted into the same conspiracy craze that has gripped our minds since 1963.

"The Death of a President," so well researched, so well written, is and should be the first and last word. It's been nearly forty years since Manchester completed his study and, despite all of the other books, all of the other theories, this is really the only work that any serious student of that sad day in Dallas need consider.

Douglas McAllister

Maybe it's not the first of the civ building type games, but it's the first rule set for those games. Played between H.G. Wells' kids, with him as moderator, this nation versus nation in combat and comerce game is still fun to play. It's very family oriented and a good way to bond with parents and kids. Since everything is physical there is no ambiguous rules to be misinterpreted, this helps belay blow ups between siblings. A fun fun game for all!

Loved the book and the game! Thanks Skirmisher for bringing HG Wells back to the masses!

I am long-time gamer and also a great fan of H. G. Wells. When this reprint came out, I knew I just had to have it. It is really neat. Thanks to Skirmisher Publishing for making it available again!

If you haven't read H. G. Wells's "Floor Games" (and the later but better known "Little Wars") you owe it to yourself to check them out. They're funny, creative, insightful, and elegantly written--a century-old testament to Wells's genius. Kudos to Varhola and Skirmisher Publishing for rescuing these classics from obscurity.

I must admit I had not heard of "Floor Wars" prior to reading "Little Wars". The book predates "Little Wars" but is often considered a companion to the other book. It focuses more on the collecting and building of settings than actual wargaming. The books compliment each other well. "Floor Wars" sparked my imagination even more...taking me back to the little countries and armies that I used to think up in my youth. It was amusing listening to Wells go on about how good figures for certain periods and ranges were not available. I guess nothing really changes after all!

It is quite rare for anyone to write a successful sequel to someone else's work. But Carr and Green have written a brilliant continuation to H Beam Piper's book "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen."

H Beam Piper's book was one of his "Paratime" books. Back when he was writing, the idea of an empire built on travel between alternative worlds was a comparatively unusual one: until recently only Piper and Keith Laumer (Worlds of the Imperium et. seq.) had done anything like this. Recently the genre has expanded enormously with Barnes's "Closers" series, Harry Turtledove (Crosstime Traffic) and David Weber (Gates of Hell) amongst those getting in on the act. If you've read and enjoyed any of those, H Beam Piper's Paratime books were the original.

In Piper's book "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen," Calvin Morrison, a state trooper from our world or one like it, is accidentally transported to another timeline where Gunpowder is controlled by a corrupt church of the "Gunpowder God", Stryphon. He breaks the church monopoly and helps a kingdom which the church was about to crush to survive.

Green and Carr's sequel is about the major war which follows when "Stryphon's House" comes back for revenge.

I strongly recommend this book, but agree that to get the most out of it, read "Lord Kalvan of otherwhen" first.

H. Beam Piper (1904-64) was one of the premier science-fiction authors of the 1960s, and should rightly be considered one of the all-time greats in that field. Among the wonderful books that Mr. Piper published during his all-too-short career was Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen. In that book, a Pennsylvania State Trooper name Calvin Morrison is accidentally lifted out of his own space-time continuum, and deposited on a parallel Earth, where some of the Aryans went east, across the Pacific and into North America. Dropped into the midst of a war of conquest, directed by a religion that holds a monopoly on gunpowder, Calvin must use his knowledge of military history to save himself and his new friends.

In this 1985 sequel, Piper fans John F. Carr and Roland Green take us back to the world of Lord Kalvan. Having saved his new nation of Hos-Hastigos from destruction only last year, Calvin Morrison (now Lord Kalvan) now finds a new campaigning season upon him. But, the House of Styphon is not about to see this new force put an end to their gunpowder wealth and authority. And now, Kalvan must prepare to meet an even greater threat, and once more use his knowledge of military history to save a seemingly impossible situation.

Now, I am a massive H. Beam Piper fan, so I went into this book with a little trepidation. I mean, can anyone write a book in Piper's universe with anything like the right feel to it? Well, in fact this is an excellent book - well written and a worthy sequel to the original. All of the characters are here, but they have grown and changed, just like you would expect real people to do. The action is almost non-stop with some excellent battle scenes and tons of action and adventure.

So, if you are a fan of H. Beam Piper, or just his Lord Kalvan story, then you should get this book. It's great.

Also, if you are a fan of alternate-reality science fiction, then this book is something you should consider - but definitely read Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen first.

H. Bean Piper wrote Lord Kalvan Of Otherwhen and then passed on before he could finish the story. In "Great King's War" John Carr and Roland Green have continued the story and in the process expanded the Piper Universe. This is an outstanding book, well worth any military science fiction/alternate history fan's attention. The paperback from Ace is getting hard to find in good or better condition, but a hardback edition can be purchased from Mr. Carr at Hostigos.com. It is well worth your time and money. Mr. Carr has also published two additional volumes in the Kalvan saga; Kalvan Kingmaker and Seige Of Tarr-Hostigos. If you enjoyed Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen, I think you will enjoy the follow on books.

A copy of this book is now available in electronic format from Baen on its Baen Free Library webscriptions site.

In the top 5 of military sci fic/fantasy books I've ever read! I stumbled across this book years ago and could not believe it was so faithful to the orginal story by H Beam Piper (Lord Kalvin of Otherwhen) Its a fascinating period of Terran history grafted onto a realistic alternate world and done with style and swerve! I have written both Mr Carr & Green about the followup but it seems stalled. Both of them did their research on this one however and it shows. No miracles from the "real" world to help, tons of political intrigue, realistic characters etc etc. For anyone who likes good deep stories and hard realistic fighting will enjoy this read. You can actually smell the gunpowder and hear the thunder crash of steel on steel!

(Aug 2006 update) This book has been expanded with the addition of some 100 or more pages. The expanded version is really worth the purchase price(from Pequod Press) It explains more of the political situations Kalvin is facing and the internal wrangling of the opposing Styphon's House and its allies. Even the battle scenes get some additional work and unlike some of Carr's work this time he does a good job of illustrating the complexities of the fighting. We also see the character and background of mercenary captain Philidestro get more mention. There is alot more insight into the Paratime home culture and it's politcal ramifactions in Kalvin's timeline. Though either version is a must read, this new edition is the better money spent! Mr. Carr has done some excellent work here!