Works Books

The book was sent to a friend. I am not able to review it since I will not be receiving it.
Bryan Boatwright

We recently experienced the crushing feelings of extreme grief in the death of our 22year old son. Someone lent me this book because they had found solace and comfort in reading this book. They had also dealt with the death of a child. I found a lot of answers to help me deal with the grief and hopefully heal someday. The last two chapters helped me the most. They helped me find one of the elements that has been missing from my life in the past few months and that is "hope".

Mr Claypool used his own experiences of coming through the darkest night into the sunshine of a new day. Very easy to read and understand. I recommend it to anyone wanting to work through grief in a positive way.

Dr. Claypool's book has rescued more people from the depths of grief than any I can recommend. He lost his daughter and this book is four sermons he gave during her illness and then after her death from leukemia. Dr. Claypool himself died in 2005, so his teachings become that much more important to share. He leads the reader to understand that we are sad when we lose someone, but we are enriched by ever having known the person. His words truly are the light at the end of the tunnel -- for anyone who is lost in darkness. For yourself or for someone you care about -- read this book.

I lost my husband in November 2005,even as I write this it doesn't seem
possible. I was given all the books on being a widow and all the platitudes about being in a better place,he's whole, he's happy....I didn't care, he wasn't here. Then I read this little book...John Claypool didn't need 200 pages to tell me what I needed to know...it was alright to
question God, I didn't need to accept that this was "Gods Will"...I could question, I could yell at God but ultimately everything is a gift...Using Job as his example he led me from despair to a measure of peace...I still hurt, a lot, but I try to remember that my husband was a gift, and I'm better for having him in my life. Mr Claypool has a gift for saying a lot in a little space...he lost his daughter and speaks from experience...he showed up in my life at the right time....this book is for the care of your soul.....Mr Claypool is a gifted,interesting writer and I look forward to reading more....

What's unique about this book is that it is as comprehensive as they come as regards the Buddhist path and Buddhist way of life, but at the same time, it is incredibly easy to read. Like all of Geshe Kelsang's books, its language is clear, direct, and easy to understand, without flowery analogies or flippant remarks. From my perusal of the "Eastern Thought" bookshelves in stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble, Transform Your Life stands out as a beginner's book on Buddhism that doesn't "talk down" to its reader. But at the same time, this is no beginner's book: You can read it in just a few days, or you can read it for the rest of your life, because every time you read it, you can unearth yet another layer of meaning.

Here is a short paragraph from one of my favorite parts of the book:

"When we want a cup of tea, our main wish is to drink tea, but to fulfill this wish we naturally develop the secondary wish to find a cup. In a similar way, the main wish of those who have great compassion is to protect all living beings from their suffering; but to fulfill this wish they know that they must first attain Buddhahood themselves, and so they naturally develop the secondary wish to attain enlightenment. Just as finding a cup is the way to accomplish our goal of drinking tea, so attaining enlightenment is the way to accomplish our ultimate goal of benefiting all living beings."

This book is ideal for Buddhist practitioners at any level. It is precious because it gives the reader invaluable practical guidance along the Buddhist path. It is written for people who want to deepen their experience of Buddhism beyond intellectual understanding alone. I would highly recommend it to all readers interested in "transforming their lives" in a meaningful way.

I've been studying with his author for 6 years. And my life is transforming to be a person who is calmer and more compassionate to all. And this is a great book to start with. Learn to love yourself by loving others.

This book is amazingly comprehensive of Buddha's teachings. If you read 100 books on the Dharma, you'll find everything in here in some way. It is also presented in easy-to-read and accessible language. Whether you are a beginner looking to understand the Dharma or whether you are an experienced practitioner

I've been meditating for about 7 years now and continually turn to this book to find inspiration and insightful teachings. It can be read front to back or you can reference certain sections if you need clarity or inspiration.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. Enjoy!

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, in this transformational work on life (from the perception of the Buddhist path), brings before us the core issues that we normally avoid in life such as pain, suffering, and death.

Each of us constantly try to run away from these facts of life rather than embrace them. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso brings us face to face with these issues and brings them up in such a way as to evoke clear-seeing on all of these topics as well as bringing compassion to the way things are.

This book is true to its name as it brings about a transformation of our mind, with practical meditations and pure teachings, so that we can accept the reality of what is and be in peace with it.

They should give you this book when you get your diagnosis. Seriously! It was the first book I bought on Autism. It's a great place to dive in to Autism. It covers everything from Meds, IEPs, Schooling, Adult programs, everything you NEED to know on the subject. I would recommend it to anyone!

This publication is well written using simple language which has made it easy to understand.

The publication has a variety of strategies which can be implemented to help reduce the stress that is often associated with working with people who have autism.

Good read for anyone who is interested in autism

The Dummies folks have once again put together a great general resource. It provides a good baseline for understanding autism. Another book I found very helpful--and more specific as to curing this disorder--is He's Not Autistic But...: How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss.

This book is such a good resource for me as a parent of an Autistic child. This book also helps me explain Autism to others who are not familiar with it. I will be purchasing more of these books for family that want to understand and help my son. This is an easy to read book and has easy answers for the most common questions about Autism. I recommend this to book to anyone who has had a child just diagnosed and doesn't know where to turn or for people who are in contact with anyone with Autism and want to understand it better.

In my opinion this is a very useful book for parents, but not as complete and exhaustive as a teacher (as myself) would need. That's why I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5. Easy to read, and complete as far as parents are concerned.

I am so glad I got a copy of this book when it was still in print, and I hope for the sake of other cocktail nerds out there that they reprint it. This book has great recipes, along with a detailed history for each - its fun to read, and the recipes were all carefully chosen (and good).

Get it if you can!

I bought this book on the recommendation of a couple of internet forums and the amazon reviews. This book is an absolute joy, and the drinks that it includes are uniformly well-crafted and delicious. I've had probably 1/3 of the drinks included in the book so far, and each of them has been a treasure. The most difficult thing about these recipes is finding the ingredients. We have a very good liqour store near here, Eagle's Landing Bottle Shop. They had enough ingredient to get me through these first drinks. I'm now working with them to order some new ingredients. My only caution is that you will drink more and spend a lot of money on liqeurs and mixers that you have never heard of. On the positive side, many of those are delicious by themselves.

Concise writing, excellent illustrations, wealth of info. This is a collection of 80 cocktail recipes that deserve serious attention and study. A real treasure for the cocktail aficionado or professional mixologist.
Well done Ted!

A wonderful book, well researched and written.Nicely laid out with attractive photos and graphics.Great recipes and scholarly research.What more could one ask for ? (except maybe for him to come over to your house and fix you one of the drinks in the book ;-)

The only reviewer who gave this book less than five stars (and only three at that!) has completely missed the point. If you have numerous cocktail guides in your collection, this one will probably be the smallest and you can bet that it will be also be the one you pull out most often. From the anecdotes to the delightful photographs of vintage spirits and antique bar tools, this book is as entertaining as it is useful. And don't think that because the recipes are forgotten or unusual that they are bizarre, unpalatable concoctions. They all had a reason for being created and initially published, which the author explains with charm and wit and research to back it up. Experimenting with new cocktails is much more fun when you know the story behind the drink and even the ingredients that go into it.

Another reviewer mentioned the page on orange bitters. That was such a revelation to me and worth the price of the book. It provided the clues necessary to help me at long last find this amazing (and seemingly mythical) ingredient that I had seen named in so many recipes. A resource guide in the back of the book will lead the curious cocktailian to other secrets as well.

Regardless of how many cocktail guides you already own, you need this one.

In this slender volume, Fr. Lee not only provides a neat summary of Wagner's epic, but an ample and insightful look at the political and philophical underpinnings of the opera's genesis. His discussion of Schopenhauer's influence, albeit a surface treatment, never overwhelms the reader. Nor does the discussion of the leitmotives bog the reader down and detract from a lively and personal narrative. Highly recommended.

I found Father Owen Lee's interpretation of Wagner's Ring concise, beautifully written and coherent. I was utterly mesmerized and could not put the book down until I had read it.

Father Lee's book is essentially a fleshing out of some radio commentary given on the Ring cycle. While it is a short book and a quick read, it is insightful, deep, and well worth study and discussion.

There is no single 'correct' way to interpret Wagner's giant gesamtkunstwerk, one reason why so many books of interpretations and analysis of the pieces struggle for shelf space. This one makes a worthy addition to the pile.

Readers new to the Ring will find the synopsis and discussion of each opera informative and most valuable in getting them started to a basic understanding. Those more familiar with the Ring should find much to think about and compare with their own or other interpretations.

Supplemental to the text are suggested recordings, short reviews of additional books worth investigating, and a brief list of some of Wagner's more well-known musical motifs. There are more complete such lists and references available, but again for the novice these will all be of great help.

I found Lee's book informative, fascinating, and useful.

This little book is an excellent introduction for folks like myself who have tried for years to make sense of the cycle. The narration gives a plot synopsis followed by the author's view of the meaning behind the drama. I have always been fascinated by Wagner's Ring Cycle though I do not know German. I have been very intrigued by the music. Well this book gave me a tiny little bit to get me going.

Much of Father Owens' analysis may not meet with everyone's interpretation of the cycle but it does make one think.

There is a section at the end that contains written music. My knowledge of reading music is very scant so I just ignored that section. It is not germane to the narrative because one can get these examples by listening to the work. For good examples get An Introduction To Wagner's Der Ring Des Nebulungen by Deryck Cooke on CD. Mr. Cooke's CD gives audio examples that one can appreciate without knowing how to read music.

to one of the most multi-layered works of art in existence.

I have wanted to see this opera series for over 20 years, ever since I saw an opera properly prepared by a Wagner fanatic. Finally, I was in a place where I could, so I turned to the various preparations that I could find.

This short book was indisputably one of the best, and it doesn't shy from bold pronouncements and interpretations. Lee is a classical scholar of great learning and brings together a huge range of sources in this 100plus-page book.

First, he gives a synopsis. Then, he interprets it, with full awareness that the reader may disgree. While the content is covered by other reviewers here, I wanted to say that this added immensely to my experience of this uniquely complex work of near-modern art. Plus, it is aimed that at erudite admirers, but to those (like me) desperate for an anchor as I approach the unique intensity of Wagner.

While it relies a bit too heavily on depth psychology, which places this interpretation at a certain time, it is never dogmatic and addresses many of the other philosophical ideas that underlie it. This is my only caveat. Truly great works of art are re-interpreted by every age, and this one will be too. In addition, it cannot be the only source one approaches - you need to listen to the music as well, so this is one supplement.

Warmly recommended.

I cannot say anything bad about this book! WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME is clever and irreverent. Engaging characters take you on a wonderful ride while at the same time poking the publishing industry in the eye.

With the embedded screenplay it is also a two-fer the price of one, an excellent value. Cameo's by such notable icons as Satchel Paige and David Hasselhoff too!

Buy it, borrow it, beg for or steal it-this is a must read!

I couldn't put it down. Very funny. My favorites things in the book were (don't worry, this will give nothing away!): the Baby Bomber; all the names; the Biminim re-translations; Rufus' letter at the funeral; the character of Timm Clifton; the haikus; the clocks; the old propaganda film; Henry David Monroe; and Christians Against Kwanzaa. Sign me up.

WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME by Kurtis Davidson, the writing team of Kurt Jose Ayau and David Rachels, begins when Rufus Walter Eddison, America's greatest African-American writer, dies suddenly. His editor, Justina Patterson, is left scrambling to find the manuscript to his second novel before an unscrupulous senior editor at her publishing company can generate a fake to be passed off as the work of the dead genius. Justina has been brought up to revere the famed author, as has all of America and most of the world. The only problem is he wrote his great American novel in 1951 and for forty-eight years has failed to deliver the manuscript of the sequel as he was under contract to do. Eddison was so paranoid that his second novel wouldn't live up to the world's expectations that he never even wrote a grocery list after that. Or so it seemed. Justina has to find his book or face grim alternatives: seeing Eddison's elderly widow, the sweet Maisy May, impoverished because she has to pay back the large advance the publishing company paid Eddison years before or allowing her publisher to perpetrate a literary fraud in the name of book sales.

In the effort to locate the lost manuscript, Justina meets a wide assortment of hilarious characters, which are well-developed and unique in their voices. Among them is Biminim Strimpoonanamam, an Asian man with an unpronounceable name and nearly unintelligible English. Biminim translates novels from English to another foreign language to English for people who speak English as a second language. The result is outrageous translations of great literary works in Pidgin English that border on the racist, but land on the side of just plain funny.

Ayau and Rachels as Kurtis Davidson have written a story that takes humorous stabs at the publishing industry, sports, music, the rural South, academia, and literature, in general. Most of the characters in this story are African-American, but the theme is so universal in its appeal that it doesn't feel weird that two white guys wrote this novel. WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME is clever and satirical. It is the winner of the 2003 Faulkner Society of New Orleans Award.

Reviewed by Kim Anderson Ray
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Who would think that in a city of 8 million people (and those living in Monrovia) there would be a tight knit group that would all be touched in a big way by the hunt for a phantom manuscript? Learn of the secret (and not so secret) lives of all involved. With a celebrity list a mile long, penned in cameos include; Olga Korbut, Susan Dey, John Lennon, Tammy Faye Bakker, David Hasselhoff, Satchel Paige and Adolph Hitler. Follow Justina on her mad search while she is "on vacation" for the jewel of a famous black writer's career. After reading this I felt I was back at the magic kingdom riding my favorite ride mesmerized by all the children singing, "it's a small world after all". I haven't read that much in one sitting since I read to my son Melville's "Moby Dick" and he wouldn't let me stop until the exciting part was over. Thanks guy's! It sure was wild,

Blake

I *loved* this book. Couldn't put it down, even though I had deadlines. I laughed my ass off the whole way through, and I found myself caring about the characters. I hope KD will consider writing a Biminim Strimpoonanamam spin-off novel. You'd be crazy not to read this.-Torin Alter

The book is user friendly and offers specific recommendations for pain relief based on the location of the pain in the body. The exercises are quite simple and helpful when one is trying to avoid surgery and/or when other options are not feasable. A real life-saver.

GREAT book and easy to use, has really helped me with my problems. I have shared the book with everyone I know that needs to know how to help themselves at home.

This book is truly a "Do-It-Yourself Pain Relief." I found myself using the book as one would use a dictionary to look up a word but instead I am looking up the right recipe for the terrible pain. The illustrations are very easy to follow as well as the short narrative describing each activity. The book format is user friendly. I highly recommend this book for anyone intersted in learning good stretching techniques.

I am a 100 percent, true believer in the program set forth in this book. I was training for my first marathon with the Team in Training program set up by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society when I was introduced to the book. I had injured my IT bands (on both legs), and was having great pain in my hamstring as it attached to the outside portion behind my knee with just 2 months until race time. These injuries had virtually shut down my training. I was relegated to cardio workouts on my stationary exercise bike.

Being cautious about these injuries that wouldn't go away, I saw an orthopedic doctor one month before the marathon. I was diagnosed with bad IT band inflammation and told myleg muscles were really tight - thus causing some of the additional pain. I was released to go back to running, but told I needed to start stretching my hamstrings and quads. By this time, the pain had subsided a little bit, but not much. When I tried my first run, the pain immediately returned, by this point I started thinking about opting out of the marathon.

Luckily, my doctor had given me the number of Kim Ortloff, one of the authors of this book, to help me stretch. At this point I had already been stretching the traditional way (you know by holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds) with no reduction in pain. I was getting little to no benefit from my efforts so I decided to set up an appointment with Kim.

I was able to professionally work with Kim (3 times before my Marthon) and use the exercises and stretches in this book at home. I was completely surprised, that in a couple of days of following this program I was actually able to start exercising again (walking and jogging 2-3 miles) with greatly reduced pain. During my second session with Kim, and just as a stroke of good luck, she told me that they had just released a DVD version of this book showing the different stretching, exercises and self massage techiniques of the book. I bought the DVD right away.

My injuries had almost completely resolved themselves within 3 weeks of starting this program. I met with Kim one last time, 3 days before the Marathon. By this time my injuries were completely resolved. I was amazed that in three and a half weeks of starting this program I was back to 100 percent.

Less than one month after starting these stretching and exercise routines, I finished the Marathon. I did it my using a technique of walking and running at set intervals, because I felt I had not trained sufficiently and didn't want to reinjure myself.

Additionally, using the techiniques in this book made my post-marthon recover a piece of cake. I was completely recovered from all sore muscles within 3 days. My IT bands are fine, my hamstrings don't hurt at all, and I was walking better than most marathon runners at the post-marathon celebration.

I could not have even thought about competing in the marathon, let alone finishing the marathon had I not followed the techniques that are being taught in this book. I am so excited at the immediate and lasting results that I got from this program, that when anyone asks about my marathon, I make sure to plug this book (and DVD). I even gave 2 copies of the book to my Team in Training run coaches, in hopes that they would employ the principles used in their coaching.

My wife has even used the principals for non-sports related injuries she had in her feet.

As I started off saying, I am a true believer in this program.

"Pain is the No. 1 reasons for doctor visits. If you live with pain, you are not alone--it is estimated that 100 million Americans live with chronic pain."

These various pains, the authors say, leads to $60 billion in lost productivity and missed workdays.

This is a book that will be handy reference for me as it contains stretches, self-massage and exercise, as well as hundreds of pages of sound advice.

The two expert authors have written an excellent guide to help you and me achieve a life that is active, healthy and free of pain and learn to regain control over our health.

When we are in pain, we are not ourselves, and usually are crabby, can't see or think clearly and get stressed out. Our productivity and personal relationships are affected.

Did you know? The human head weighs 7 to 12 pounds, depending on the individual. No wonder neck and shoulder muscles get tired and weak.

Computers, couches and reclining chairs contribute to poor posture and pain. Sitting--which most of us do a lot at work, and then again at home watching TV or on the computer--places eight times more pressure on the lower back than standing does.

Of the two basic types of pain, acute is when you have an immediate pain from injuring yourself. Chronic, such as arthritis, hangs around and sometimes never goes away.

Several of their chapters deal with specific areas of pain. Those particular chapters make sense if first you read, "Why the Body Hurts," and "How to Manage your Pain." Each section helps us become advocates for our own health and pain-free living.

The last chapter, "If Your Pain Doesn't Go Away" includes questions for when you should see a doctor; what to ask; how to work with your doctor; and how to prevent your doctor from putting you off.

Armchair Interviews says: Even if you get one tiny helpful hint toward your pain control, this book is worth it. Their simple-to-do exercises and strategies have proven to be effective in relieving aches and pains in others. Whose body is it anyway?

As a fiber artist, I am very interested in the history of fiber. Elizabeth Barber's "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years" is fantastic, both as a history of the use of fibers and as a history of working women. I learned a great deal about women's role in society from her research, and it makes me proud to be a modern woman working with fiber, just as my ancestors did. Highly recommended!

Anyone interested in so-called gender studies, textiles, prehistory, or just in regular people ought to read this book. The authoress, in incredibly simple language (she can't REALLY be an academic, can she?), tells the story of women and the textile work that has (pre-) historically been theirs. Bringing the insight that only a practicing weaver or spinner could have to the dusty world of archeology, she sweeps the reader into the homes of real people. Lots of metaphors, but honestly, it's that kind of book: rich. I only wish I could read it again for the first time.

I ran across this book almost by accident. I was feeling rather glum one day, and I asked my wife to recommend a book for me - something that was out of the ordinary and would cheer me up. She recommended "Women's Work". I was a little skeptical that it would appeal to a techie guy like myself, but soon I was absorbed in Elizabeth Wayland Barber's storytelling.

"Women's Work" tells the story of textiles in human history. In nearly every society, spinning, weaving, and sewing have been done almost exclusively by women, so the history of textiles is also a history of women's work - or one important part of it. That's still reflected in our language, for example, when we refer to the "distaff side" - a distaff being a stick used to hold fiber for spinning.

Wayland Barber tells her story with with wit and clarity. And more than that, she tells the story of the story - that is, she traces not only what we know about textiles in ancient times, but describes how we know it. So, this is not only a fine history, but it's a fine, readable treatise on historiography as well.

I can warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in textiles, or women's history, or how history is written, or who has the blues and just wants to read a darn good book.

Interesting history of some parts of women's work. I enjoyed it very much. Whether you are interested in fabric or not, I think you'll enjoy this book. It is scholarly but still a good read that keeps your interest.

I bought this book on the recomendation of my spinning instructor. I was expecting the documentation of early spinning and weaving techniques, and the discussion of preserved textiles. I wasnt expecting to be inspired to go out and buy a copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey to read about the textile and history references that she brings up! I had no idea that Greek mythologies mention items of clothing that have been found in the area and dated to pre-Greco times....and were stil identifiable items of clothing in the last century.
Basically this book is a textile and history junkies best fix.
If you are a re-creationist,(such as the SCA) or particpating in Lving History demonstrations, you will definately want this book for its discussions of documented cloth finds,
If you like this book, you may also enjoy reading "Salt, a World History" as they mention several of the same places, and historical finds.

Anyone dealing with heart disease, either themselves or a family member would benefit greatly from the information in this cookbook. The information is well laid out in a very easy to understand format and the recipes are easy and 'doable'.

WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook

After my husband had triple pass surgery I wanted to start cooking "heart healthy", so I purchased this cookbook...and I am so glad I did. I use it everyday and have not found a recipe that isn't delicious and easy. I highly recommend it to everyone!

This cookbook contains so much good information about heart healthy foods-I learned a lot! And the recipes are wonderful. You will love this book whether you are trying to eat healthy, lose weight, or just enjoy a good meal. I plan to buy copies for Mother's Day and holiday gifts.

A friend gave me this book and it is just fabulous. The receipes are wonderful - love the Tandoori Chicken and Cilantro Broiled Chicken Breasts, Flourless Choc. Cake, Rich Tomato Soup and Beef Tenderloin with Port Cranberry Sauce, ---BUT--- it is the precise, clear, beautifully written and presented discussion of the 40 heart healthy foods that brings me to open this book several times a week. It is just such a valuable source of nutritional information. This book is not just for those who have heart disease (I, thank goodness, do not), but for every person who is alive in the 21st century and trying to eat a healthy diet.

Both of my parents have undergone bypass surgery within the past 8 months. It has been very intimidating to read all the information of how to prevent heart disease, especially having to relay the information to my parents. I came across this book last week and love it. Coming from a family that loves to ask questions this book has a lot of answers. I love that the first part of this book thoroughly explains heart disease, prevention, and how certain foods can be beneficial to your heart. It was also a great idea to list the recipes (w/ page numbers) at the end of each 'Heart Healthy Food' description. This book is well organized and makes cooking their recipes along with other heart healthy recipes more attainable.

The other reviews cover the content, but as for the format (at least in the elder edition this reviewer has), the pages are stubby and short given the length of the binding. Increasing the width by another 1.5'' would have reduced the somewhat crammed text, but Norton must have needed the paper to print other books at the time.

Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Includes Capital (Das Kapital) and Communist Manifesto. FREE Authors' biographies and essays in the trial version.

This ebook contains essential works of Marx & Engels. Great digital item!

then this is really the volume to get. Besides it's Norton: headnotes, footnotes, delicious paper, quality binding, good selections, a good look at Marx as far I can see.

This is an excellent compilation of Marx and Engels's works. Tucker's version is one of the foremost used by scholars and educators in the academic setting and is considered one of the best. Although I admittedly have not read all of the works in the reader, I was consistently impressed with the classics such as Capital, Crisis Theory, and the Communist Manifesto (most of which were actually written by Engels, not Marx).

The Marxist legacy lies not in his theories, but in the questions and concerns that he raises regarding other Enlightenment theorists. Indeed, Marx continues in the Enlightenment tradition in that he is deeply committed to science and rationality as a basis for legitimating a certain governmental regime and he has an intense regard for individual rights, which he believes can only be ensured if class differences are eradicated through the elimination of exploitation. Marxists believe that the role of government is to prevent exploitation, although more contemporary theorists such as Roemer have argued that exploitation theory is little more than a distraction from what they should actually worry about--which Roemer believes is domination. Anyone interested in exploitation theory should read Marx and Engels alongside Roemer's "Why should Marxists be interested in exploitation theory?" which is a great companion in helping you scrutinize Marx and Engels's argument.

Although the communist utopia where distributive justice is defined as, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" (as opposed to the transition state between capitalism and communism, socialism, has distributive justice defined as "From each according to his ability, to each according to his work") never does emerge as Marx predicts, Marx and Engels do raise some interesting arguments that everyone interested in political philosophy should be familiar with. Although their belief in their own infallibility and the failure of their theories--notably, the crisis theory--to hold up empirically have been used to downplay their relevance, Marx and Engels left behind several important tools with which to critically analyze all other political theories. The concerns they have with the existing system are not altogether irrelevant.

This book was used in one of the classes I took as an undergraduate. It seems to be a thorough and well chosen collection of the writings of Marx and Engels, with some insightful commentary by the editor, Robert Tucker. I'm not a scholar of the work of these two men, but reading through this again I'm struck with the notion that their ideas are still very much alive and relevant today. Marx is much maligned in the United States, but in many ways he was a humanitarian who wanted to change the world into a better place. And, as he argued, capitalism (including how it is practiced today) is deeply flawed in many ways. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.