Works Books

"The Sea and the Poison" is a low-key but very powerful novel set in Japan in World War II. In fewer than 200 pages of lean prose, the book explores the moral dynamics of group of doctors and nurses who perform lethal experiments on POWs at the behest of the Japanese Army. One doctor is corrupted by ambition; another lives only for social approval; one nurse is worn down by a hard life and a bad marriage; almost everyone is numbed by the mass death caused by air raids and diminished by the tendency of medical practitioners to see patients as things rather than people. The upshot: a group of morally lobotomized persons who conform to a perverted work environment at the cost of their humanity and professional duties. It's a disturbing story. The setting is believable, the psychology acute, and the message topical: in fact, it's hard to read "The Sea and the Poison" and not think of CIA agents and private contractors torturing prisoners at Bagram, Guantanamo, and secret sites in Europe. Most of all, the book makes you think. Can there be higher praise for a work of art? Highly recommended.

Teachers: "The Sea and the Poison" would be a perfect book for older high school students looking for "serious" yet accessible world literature.

Without once making specific or explicit reference to Catholicism, Shusaku Endo's membership in the Mystical Body of Christ is as clear as mountain water. With superb craftsmanship and artistry, Endo depicts the nightmarish results of living one's life without seeking and obtaining that membership, without obedience to the commandments of the Lord and the teachings of His Church.

No, it's not a question of being holier than thou -- after all, we're all sinners. Rather, it's a question of knowing the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, and not pretending that there is no difference, or that the inverse might be true, or that there is no truth at all.

According to Endo, the character Suguro can go no further. But we can. If we don't shake off this diabolical disorientation, we can sink deeper and deeper into the sea of poison; wander further and further through the sinister halls of our own Fukuoka University Medical School.

I liked this book much more than what is generally considered Endo's masterpiece, "Silence", so poorly translated by the Christophobic William Johnston. Michael Gallagher, translator of "The Sea and Poison", also pays some homage to oh-so trendy Christophobia. His is not as egregious as Johnston's, however, and he's a much more careful translator.

SEA AND POISON by Shusaku Endo

Reading Shusaku Endo's Sea and Poison was such a delightful experience I was reluctant to close the book. Granted, it is sad to read about cruel and heartless experiments on living human beings but that is not what the book is about. From the vantage point of Japanese/Christian culture Endo courageously shines his compassionate light into the dark crevices of our souls and makes us confront our own demons nesting there. In doing so he helps us become better persons. Robert Wright in his often quoted The Moral Animal points out that "Human beings are a species splendid in their array of moral equipment, tragic in their propensity to misuse it, and pathetic in their constitutional ignorance of the misuse." Endo does us a service by diminishing our "constitutional ignorance of the misuse" [of our moral equipment]"

Endo traces the inner development of his characters with such a deep understanding of the human condition that I was astounded and moved to tears and joy. He placed two aspiring medical doctors, Toda and Sugura in a University hospital in southern Japan now seemingly under the control of the military establishment. The end of the Japanese/American war was quickly approaching. Daily bombing of the nearby city flattened the city and killed thousands of civilians and gave rise to implacable hatred directed towards two enemy airmen the military captured and brought to the hospital for experiments to determine how much could be surgically removed from a person before the person died. Toda and Sugura are assigned to assist the chief medical doctor who controls the future of the two aspiring doctors. Endo explores how Toda and Sugura deal with the conflicting demands of society, the medical establishment the nation and their conscious. Endo gently opens a window into their souls and allows us to witness the mighty clash between the demands of self preservation and the importuning of their conscious.

Endo writes so evocatively, with such elegance and grace and without a trace of judgment or preaching it was like reading a book length haiku. I recommend that the readers read Bushido the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe, (it's in the public domain and several sources allow a free download). Reading Inazo gave me a deeper and broader understanding of Endo's perspective and I intend to return to reading his books.

This short, dark, psychologically gripping novel is an indictment of militarism and its corrupting effect on the individual and society. The old, the young, the innocent, the pure of heart, caregivers, families, traditions, institutions - all will be degraded if not destroyed by it. It is, for me, Endo's most important and accessible work; it is also that rare thing, a Japanese artist's unsparing summation of the worthlessness and hideousness of The Fifteen Year War.

Edmund Burke would have agreed with Endo's novel "The Sea and Poison". Although a short novel, it is one that delves into some very deep issues about morality and the ethics of passively accepting evil in one's presence.

Contrary to another review, "The Sea and Poison" is not based on the activities of Unit 731 in Manchuria at all. The novel is based on the vivisection of 8 B29 crewmen at Fukuoka Imperial University. These experiments involved removal of lung tissue, puncturing hearts and other experiments, while the airmen were alive. None survived the experiments.

Returning to the novel, Endo focuses on a medical intern, Suguro, and his friend Toda. Both characters represent very different responses to the proposal to vivisect the airmen. Toda feels no guilt or remorse, and has no issue with taking part. It is not even matter of justifying it to hinmself: he just has little response in his conscience. Suguro, on the other hand, is flooded with doubt, ethical problems, and his own conscience. Shown to be a basically kind man, the novel reinforces Burke's suggestion that all evil needs is for good men to do nothing.

A burning look into the morality of the passive, "The Sea and Poison" will challenge and provoke. Despite its brevity, it packs a punch, and will leave you thinking for long after you have turned the last page. As usual, Endo has written a fantastic novel with real weight.

What can I say besides this is a great book. It really helps understand Ringeck's work. Get this book if you are interested in German Longsword fighting. Though if you are starting off I would recommend the excellent book Fighting with the German Longsword, also written by Tobler.

This book also works well with Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of The Longsword by Lindholm and Svard. Same material but some different interpretations.

If you are interested in this book go to the publisher's website. It's in stock there at the regular price, not this inflated used market price at Amazon.

This book is essential for anyone interested in doing medieval swordsmanship. Tobler has done all the hard work for you, he has interpreted the moves perfectly. There is very little guesswork left up to you, each move has many pictures showing every subtle change in position. Easy to follow and the pictures are very clear. A great book, none better.

`Western martial arts are every bit as sophisticated as their Asian counterparts. The German martial systems incorporate both armed and unarmed combat, with and without armor, on foot and on horseback, using daggers, long and short swords, bucklers, shields, falchions, and spears and poleaxes.'

In Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship, Christian Henry Tobler has done an outstanding job of introducing the reader to the skills and methods of the Germanic man-at-arms.

The book is broken down into five major sections:
>> Longsword Techniques
>> Sword & Buckler
>> Wrestling Techniques
>> Armored Combat
>> Mounted Combat

Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship is an interpretation of the teachings of Master Johannes Liechtenauer and of the later work in the 15th Century of Sigmund Ringeck, a descendant of the Liechtenauer school and master-at-arms to Albrecht, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria.

While there were, of course, no photographs in the 15th Century ~ Christian Henry Tobler has filled Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship with hundreds of photographs demonstrating the techniques of the masters. He has made an accurate interpretation of the techniques described in the writings of the masters and displays that described in photographs.

Each photograph is clear and in sequence allows the reader to learn the techniques of the masters. These techniques are highly effective and the more one practices, the greater insight one gains into the secrets of the masters of arms of the 15th Century.

The book concludes with a glossary of terms well-worth learning to improve understanding of this text and others related to it.

I found Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship to be an absolutely indispensable reference for the student of Medieval Swordsmanship and Western Martial Arts.

This book is very clear, well written, and wonderfully photographed.

It provides an excellent view of 15th century european martial arts as being every bit as advanced as those of the orient.

The instructions are clear, and the methods practical.
If you fence, practice kendo, or any other sword art, and are interested in learning how fights were really fought (as opposed to how Hollywood wants us to think they were) I fully recommend this book.

I first bought Mark Rector's _Medieval Combat_, but I didn't feel I truly grok'd many of the illustrations in that book until after I read this book.

For the most part I think that Mr. Tobler's interpretations of Ringeck's verse are dead on target. But in many cases, it seemed pretty nebulous what Ringeck meant - not that surprising considering we are trying to take a very abstract description of a full-sensory 4d event - verbal, and put back all those lost details.

In those cases were I couldn't figure out for myself what Ringeck meant, Mr. Tobler's work seemed at least internally consistant, and well thought out.

Again, excellant.

I was looking for ideas on simple structures for the homestead. The book is a bit dated, but you have to go back to find simple, uncomplicated ideas. We have grown so accustomed to specialized fasteners, tools and other hardware. Building a simple shed can be expensive when you have to buy materials. We have an abundance of raw materials and this book provided some ideas towards cost effective structures.

This book is great! I would recommend this to anyone 12+, because the shelters are quite hard to build. It is excellent for boy scouts. I got this for Christmas and in my troop were starting on plans already! Great for any wilderness lover and I recommend all the related books!
1/16/08

I know that most people will find this book to be anything but "green" however, I found this concept to be perfect in a world that sometimes forgets what it is like to be young at heart. Some of the shelters are not safe and one should always supervise young children who if left alone will build forts and such, yet there is a certain allure about thinking you are back in time and surviving on your own wits. Great ideas for survival campouts or if you like getting out "there" and just might once or twice get too far out "there" and find yourself in the need of an overnight shelter. Loved the book and will use or adapt many of the detailed plans.

This book is great! I would recommend this to anyone 12+, because the shelters are quite hard to build. It is excellent for boy scouts. I got this for Christmas and in my troop were starting on plans already! Great for any wilderness lover and I recommend all the related books!
1/16/08

This book is geared towards building structures that were used by outdoorsmen from years past. It covers how to make a bed from natural materials, a log cabin, Native American log house, and how to work an axe just to name a few topics covered in this book. The drawings of the dwellings in the book are simple (but not in depth plans or charts). The author does a great job of explaining how to construct these devices, but as I said a drawn picture is all your going to get if your a visual learner. Over all the book does what it says it will do, gives the reader good information, and I personally wouldn't be caught dead without it if I was trapped in the middle of nowhere by myself.

I just went to Princes of Wales Island, Thorne Bay, Alaska from Dallas, Texas. I became really intersted in bears after seeing black bears on various rivers that I was fly fishing for salmon on around the area of Thorne Bay. I found this book in a book store in Bellingham, Washington on my return back to Texas. Wonderful pictures and the stories are mind boggling. I enjoyed this book so much and learned a great deal more about bears. I know in the future, I will be more "cautious" when in bear country. I have heard several of those same rumors about bears. I would highly recommed this book to anyone. Absolutely fascinating. The photography is outstanding. The author is "gutsy".

This book is another fine example of John Pezzenti's work. The pasion he has for bears and all wildlife comes through in every picture. While I and many others will buy this book for the pictures, which alone is worth the price, reading the text brought a new level of understanding and appreciation for both the bears and John.
While not all of the book is about Alaska, I highly recomend this book to all Alaskans, as well as people who not as fortunate to live here.

In the 90's when I lived in Alaska I pursued that lands great mammals with my camera. Along the way I met John Pezzenti. Not only is he an author who captures the mystery and thrill of wildlife adventure photography through a unique voice, he is one of the best nature and wildlife photographers in the world. This stunning book adds another notch onto his Nikon. It helped me be there again, but this time sitting with a cup of tea instead of the rain, bugs, miserable weather, and other hardships that John lives with daily. Buy this book! You'll love it too!

If you are interested in bears,then this is the book for you.Amazing photographs,and accounts by the author,who has spent over 30yrs working and living with these wonderful creatures.A fantastic book,thank you Mr Pezzenti for sharing your experiences with us less fortunate people.

John Pezzenti once again is shareing his world with us in his latest book, Shooting Bears: This beautifully bound album of magnificient photographs truly show cases John`s mastery of the lens and his knowledge of his subjects. The stories John shares with us in Shooting Bears:, both with his pen, and with his camera, are a pricless treasure that will leave you in awe of these wonderful wild animals and in wonder at this artists extreme talent. John takes you along in his travels and shows you

in his photographs just why he goes there. This wonderful display is a must-have for all who enjoy wildlife and bears in particular, and for those who appreciate being right out there with them. Thanks for the wonderful trip John, God Bless.

I purchased several of these books to lead a spiritual formation group in my parish. The book has helped my people share their faith and their struggles in that faith. It has also introduced them to the concept of accountability, which is always good.

The only problem that I encountered is the tremendous amount of oral reading required for each lesson. Some of my folks are self-conscious about their reading skills and as you take turns reading, it can be laborioius. Other than that, I would highly recommend this workbook to anyone wanting to go deeper in their spiritual life.

Adding in the how to the why. This book is a great handbook to go along with Streams of Living Water.

Streams is a book that takes about the different "streams" of Christianity and provides references and information on those different streams.

This handbook brings out the how of each stream. Each chapter deals with a different stream and how to practice that stream. There are real live applications for you to use to become better immersed in the particular stream.

This is a great book for someone who is working on the spiritual formation and needs help in the direction of figuring it out. This is also a useful guide for a small group or Sunday School class who wants to review the history of the church and the many streams that make it up.

I really enjoyed the Charismatic stream and what it had to offer in terms of understanding spiritual gifts and also fruits of the harvest.

I've worked as a small group minister for years now, and I feel that this workbook is excellent for starting a group of established Christians. Each discussion is clearly mapped out with leader's instructions in the margins. Through the course six different aspects or facets of Jesus are presented, and almost no one is intimately familiar with all six, so it stands to minister to long time church goers. But the new Christian will be strengthened too.
Other Christian authors are writing about Jesus as presented by various denominations (like Brian McLaren and Philip Yancey)but this little book is very easy to use for generating discussions.
What I found most important is that each section ends with several exercises or disciplines to practice in the time between sessions. Group members will surely experience spiritual growth if they practice the disciplines.
Lastly, it ends with an invitation to continue on as a group, using what has been learned through the study as a format for continued group life.

This is a great resource for bringing more balance into your life. The book describes six ways of meeting God - Holiness, Charismatic, Contemplative, Social Justice, Incarnational, and Evangelical - and sometimes these words don't mean what you think they mean. The authors encourage the reader to broaden their relationship with and vision of God, and for me, I was able to see God working more powerfully, and in many more ways, than before.

What separates this small group guide from others is that it provides a framework for all future groups that actually contains concrete paths to real character transformation. That framework has some key components: (1) An emphasis on trying spiritual exercises in your everyday life, with plenty of ideas for exercises provided; (2) An emphasis on growing toward a balanced spiritual life, centered around 6 areas of spirituality: personal prayer, holiness, interaction with the Holy Spirit, compassion for others, gospel knowledge/sharing, and interweaving the sacred into the secular life; (3) Seeking spiritual growth in partnership with other believers who will encourage and listen to one another; (4) A non-judgmental, non-legalistic attitude.

The content of the studies is solid, based on the life of Jesus as He modeled for us the 6 areas of spiritual life. There are also well-thought out discussion questions that allow for deep reflection. There is virtually no prep time because each session is read through and discussed together.

I am currently going through this study for the second time with a larger group (15-25), and it works well even in the larger context, especially when we break up into smaller groups for some segments. I have heard from several people how great this study is. I believe that if churches used a framework like this one for their small groups, the Church of Jesus Christ would see an astonishing amount of fruit that would surprise the world.

Hello avid readers of true stories. I appreciated The State Boy's Rebellion, as I too was a victim of the mental health system when I was 8 years old. I remained institutionalized for 10 years; even though authorities were informed I was not retarded. Like the kids in The State Boys Rebellion, I was deprived of my civil liberties, denied an education, and horribly abused. If you want to read a remarkable story of the human spirit to survive horrific odds, read my true story. You'll be glad you did.
Charles A. Carroll, Author, Victim/Victim's Advocate
HARD CANDY: Nobody Ever Flies Over the Cuckoo's Nest

A must read for anybody. I am currently employed at one of the said institutions in MA and heard of this book through a co-worker. I have worked here for over 20 years, long after they stopped admitting people. The residents that currently reside there get the best of care available and the staffing ratios way outnumber the amount of clients residing here. I am in no way condoning what happened to Freddie and all the other state children, I just wonder how some of the residents would have turned out if not institutionalized. My supervisor and I have roamed through the old dormitories and found a wealth of info and pictures. Some of the pics show young children about Freddies admission age that looked scared to death, it brought tears to my eyes to think of what these poor kids went through and reading Freddie's story helped me better understand just exactly why these children were admitted. When I started working here, over 1,000 residents lived here, now we have under 300 and the remaining people really do benefit from the care they receive. I just could not comprehend why some of the residents were there 20 years ago, now I know. My family has welcomed in a former resident in the shared living program and it has been benificial to both him and my family. After reading the "State Boys Rebellion", my only regret is that I never got to meet Freddie Boyce. In my eyes, he and all the other state children are true heroes for surviving the great injustice done to them. In closing, I have to truly say that I have been humbled.

Michael D'Antonio has provided us with a very interesting book that he has subtitled "The Inspiring True Story of American Eugenics and the Men Who Overcame It". There is no doubt that he cares tremendously for his subject, but this is not a comprehensive history of the Eugenics movement or even of the the State Boys Rebellion at the Fernald School for the Feebleminded.

From a journalistic perspective, this is a tremendous piece of writing & investigation. Evaluating the events primarily through the eyes of Fred Boyce, the author skillfully weaves in the stories of fellow inmates at the Fernald school and the events leading up to the rebellion. Unfortunately, the key point that I see as the "rebellion" only gets about 4 pages of treatment, with regular references to the people involved in the riot throughout the rest of the book. Boyce's life is traced up through the time when the book was written, and is a compelling story.

From a historical standpoint, although there is no clear thesis, the book obviously was written to educate the reader about the Fernald school and a few key residents that were able to make great strides in their lives and lead a relatively "normal" life after being released from the institution. The most interesting argument the author presents is that some of the medical experiments conducted within the confines of the Fernald school were reflective of Cold War America, where government aims included furthering science in an effort to find a way to defeat the Communists.

Overall, this is a very interesting book and an easy read. The story is enthralling, and keeps the reader entertained throughout. If the reader is looking for a comprehensive story of the American Eugenic movement, this is not the book; I believe there are probably better scholarly works out there that address eugenics in America. I would recommend this as a book to start one's understanding of eugenics and how this one school in the Boston area plays into the bigger picture.

I never gave the imposing Fernald School campus much thought, even though the house I shared with my friends was literally across the street from the large brick buildings. It was not until I researched the effects of radiation on soldiers during the Cold War that I learned Fernald's dirty secrets. I immediately bought this book, and it filled me with rage and despair. D'Antonio's style is not preachy, nor does he editorialize. He allows the recollections of those who were there to speak for him. Wherever he can, he uses several sources to shade each event, from conversations with the boys, to the memories of the staff members, to the cold, un-enlightening medical records from the school. As others have said, the story ends not in misery but in triumph. It is a cautionary tale about society's complacency and willingness to let the horrors of our past remain behind the locked doors of our crumbling institutions.

The State Boys Rebellion tells the story of the Fernald State School in Massachusetts. Michael D'Antonio does a great job of telling the story through the eyes of Freddie Boyce, a child that grew up in Fernald. The story is quite chilling, specially to those of us who did not live through that time period. It is disgraceful that we, the United States actually started Eugenics, although I was taught in school that Nazi Germany was the creator. This book should remind us that as a society, we sometimes leave out the bad stuff our forefathers did, even if they meant no harm. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone, but it will touch the heart of anyone with a child who is considered "special".

The author does a great job of thoroughly explaining our memory, how it works and more interestingly, he gives you over 150 key ideas you can use to improve YOUR memory.

While there is no drug that's proven to improve memory in healthy adults, Klemm's techniques work!

It's ironic that he gives his readers (presumably who perceive themselves to have less-than-stellar memories) so many techniques to learn - I will be hard pressed to remember them all - but how many techniques you remember is not important, as long as you focus on the key techniques that really matter to you.

For small business owners, his techniques will be especially helpful for remembering customers and contact names and faces, details about your business - and for remembering what you read in this fast-paced world we live in.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their memory, look smarter, network more effectively and feel more confident in your ability to remember key information and make a good impression on others.

Bill Klemm has been with us for a while. For about 40 yrs now he has been teaching and publishing books and articles on brain function. And if we've been paying attention we've been adding to our brains capacity throughout this period. But, if you're like me, and have just discovered Bill and his work, your in luck.

Bill's new book has a slightly silly title, but it's no lightweight little piece of fluff. Instead we are treated to a delightfully thorough, behind the scenes analysis, of how we create memories. As you can imagine, being a Ph.D. an all, there are some big words included within. But no to worry, Bill's worked long enough with his students to realize that everyone learns in a specific fashion and he offers several slants on his subject.

While he includes numerous common methods such as pegs, the picturing of related things hanging off a system of pegs, to acrostics, where the first letter of each word serves as a cue, to acronyms, think YMCA, he also offers us a host of other easy methods to increase our memory.

But the real helpful bits are why, how, when, where, and how much we are capable of remembering. And along the way we also learn how sleep can play an important part, how alcohol can be detrimental, and why we no longer need to subscribe to the myth that getting older means getting forgetful.

This is science at it's most fun. We all can't be Ph.D.'s, but with this little book we can astonish the grandkids, one up our college buddies pulling all-nighters, and best of all remember the name of that hunky guy or gorgeous gal we met at that party last week and now run into at the grocery store.

Here's a book on improving your memory by one who knows what he's talking about. Bill Klemm is a professor of neuroscience who, for 40 years, has been publishing research on brain function.

Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "What a maddening thing a memory can be, dodging away from you when you're trying desperately to snag it, descending around you like a collapsing tent when you most want to forget it." How true.

Bill Klemm comes with help for this "maddening thing." He offers insight on how to remember. He shows the reader how to cooperate with his brain, learning how it works best. He gives advice on how to best study for an exam. He clues us in on the role of sleep and dreaming in forming lasting memories. Are there supplements which can help us? Are there chemicals which hinder?

I've read lots of books about memory. This book, though, isn't like others I've read: it isn't a book of tricks ("How to amaze your friends in ten easy lessons"). This is a book of substance: a review of the science of memory. I've grown from it, and I enjoyed it.

The work of Bill is very relevant for absolutely every age group from
young to old. As I read this book, I realized some of the issues one
has to keep remembering things, places, events, people's names; and the
tools one can utilize to turn the situation around. Because of the
insight Bill provides, this book is a confidence builder; a must read
for those interested in improving their memory, becoming more effective
at what they do and feeling empowered.

Dr. Klemm strikes a chord, again and again, addressing a variety of situations in which we think our memories "fail" us: in school, at work, at a party, around the home, the office. Scientific and lab experiences aside, the book offers a lot of tips for changing the way we learn and recall. / Simple ways to learn social skills like remembering the names of 10 people you just met. Using a skeleton outline instead of taking notes in class. And, for long-term recall, figuring out the answers rather than memorizing them. But Thank You Brain is more than a how-to book. When Klemm points out the short attention spans of today's kids he opens a discussion about the need to change the way our teachers teach their students. "Yes, it's true that learning is hard work," he says. The brain works harder to learn a new thing than it does to maintain a memory or a process. Exercise the brain by learning unique, foreign processes and the brain gets intricately involved in learning the requirements for the new subject, and you keep it active, alert, sharp. Klemm talks about the FOCUSED brain and how difficult it is to divide its attention, for example, when driving and using a cell phone. And how drug abuse hijacks the brain's coping system, takes it out of the loop and removes its power to manage emotions. He says recall is not the same as memory. Recalling someone's name is easier when all the original cues are present, such as when and where you knew that person in the first place. This is a fascinating read and one that gives the reader the knowledge to sharpen his own memory and recall.

This is a fabulous dual-language collection of some of the most sensual, passionate poems written in modern times. Whether he imagines himself as an insect making a journey "from your hips to your feet", traveling to distant places with his beloved by his side, or as a soldier who must leave but whose love will "go on singing until the end of life", Neruda writes with exquisite simplicity, and great beauty.

I find this to be the most accessible of Neruda's books that I have read, perhaps because its subject was a central part of his life. As explained in the introduction of the book, these poems are autobiographical, and written about his wife, Matilde Urrutia. First published anonymously in 1952, they were released in 1963 under his own name, but only after much thought, because of their "intimate birth".
The translations by Donald D. Walsh are superb. He has captured the fluid rhythm, the emotion, and the fire.

He was fortunate to have had this remarkable relationship, as well as the ability to express his feelings with such uncommon depth, but for those men who lack Neruda's poetic genius, and who would like to melt the heart of the woman they love, this might be the perfect gift to go along with that bunch of flowers.

This is quite possibly the most beautiful book of poetry that I have ever read.

An excellent gift to one that you love passionately.

The most amazing and sesitive book that I ever had read about Pablo Neruda.
Pablo es capaz de modelar como nadie las imagenes y meterte en un libro tan hermoso y poderoso. "La muerta" es un claro ejemplo de la belleza y la fuerza de su poesía.

I bought this book because for the long time I wanted to read something by Neruda, and this bilingual edition offered an opportunity to read the original Spanish alongside with the English translation. Since I know a bit of Spanish, this was an opportunity to practice it and improve it, as well as get exposed to some of the most sensual and inspiring poems in any language. Neruda's idiom is rich with metaphors, and he takes everyday objects and situations and imbues them with poetic and emotional undertones. This fascination with common objects is particularly useful for someone who is learning Spanish - it provides a great and enjoyable vocabulary-building opportunity. However, be warned - some phrases and words are a bit risque, and you shouldn't be too liberal at trying to impress your Spanish speaking friends at parties. It may lead to some interesting situations.

I had heard about Pablo Neruda a few years before and I wasn't too fond of his poetry. When I opened "The Captain's Verses" in a bookstore a few months ago, I knew that I had to have it. Since then this has become my most treasured book of poetry. I don't even know how to describe Pablo Neruda. When you read his poetry you just become entranced by the way he is so accurately able to convey such passion in his simple words and beautiful imagery. Even now after I have read each poem in this book at least a hundred times I am still amazed by the way he does it. I have not yet found another book of poetry that can evoke such feeling as "The Captain's Verses." I believe that this is essential to any poetry lover's collection of poetry and that those who are not big fans of poetry would enjoy the love poems of Pablo Neruda.

The thing that I love about not only this, but but both of Taylors books is that he has a great sense of humor. I tend to think that in real life, Taylor and I would clash rather strongly on some issues, but that's OK. I will buy every book he comes out with (and here is hoping it isn't just these two) simply because the man has a gift for telling stories. I have read tools of the trade probably 25 times since I bought it years ago at a B&N, and I anticipate reading it another 25 times!

I was given this years ago, read it in a week and loved it, then forgot the title when trying to describe it to a friend. It is a shame it is out of print.

Everyone should read this book, and anyone you know who likes to build things should get this for Christmas.

I picked up this book about 6 years ago at a B&N store...and finished reading it in one sitting in my yard. Trust me when I tell you that it is not often when I feel overwhelmed by anything. But this book, with its simple prose, made me gulp several times. Keep in mind that it is not a depressing read. On the contrary, it can be funny as heck at times!

It's a shame that this book is now out of print and likely to become scarce, as I have given it on several occasions and have always received many thanks in return.

The author fills the reader, even a reader with minimal knowledge or interest in carpentry, with a true respect for the tools, their usage, and the history behind them. Not just the history in a greater sense, but also the history these tools have in the author's life.

I'm now reading this book for the third time. I usually like to pick it up when my office job is making me dream of a life building and remodelling houses.

We really enjoyed this book. We read it out loud and I was repeatedly reminded that we needed to "read the book tonight!" I especially liked that Rufus sews saddlebags. I enjoy any opportunity to show that tasks can be completed by either males or females. The issue of ethnicity was also nicely addressed, something I wasn't expecting, and a pleasant surprise.

However, my original interest in the book was to read something enjoyable that taught a little bit of finances. The book did this very well for the first half or maybe even three quarters of the story. After that, there was definitely a turning point where I felt the information was rushed and I could tell even my 9 year old noticed because of the types of questions he was asking.

So, my recommendation is parents be prepared to discuss price competition, stock certificates and income tax requirements. One should plan on reading a little slower towards the end of the story. Despite the speedy pace of the end chapters, this is still one of the best stories I've read to spur a child's interest in entrepreneurship.

As others have covered the plot synopsis, I will not repeat it.

I am 40 years old, and read this book as a child. I had completely forgotten about it, but all of a sudden the fond recollection of it popped into my head recently. As my own chldren are now 11, 9 and 7 years old I thought it would be worth checking out again.

All of my children loved it. My 11 year old read it on his own in about two days, and then my 9 year old and I took turns reading it aloud.

While all the reviewers have mentioned the positive message about race relations, another positive message to me was the idea that even children can really accomplish something besides just sitting in school all day. Most of the adventure books we read involve wizards or fairies or talking animals, and while these are tons of fun they never give kids the sense that these stories relate directly to the lives they are leading.

While the idea of kids opening up a factory and driving big companies out of business is of course a bit unrealistic, the fact is that kids really can go into "business" in smaller ways. My daughter (the 7 year old) is already organizing a yard sale of her baby stuff for when the weather warms up.

I highly recommend this book.

I picked up the book, The Toothpaste Millionaire, and couldn't put it down. This book is pure genius. It's fast moving. But beware, it ends in suspense. I wish there was a sequel!

This is the best book ever , I could'nt stop reading it .
I even asked the librarian if I could buy it . Wow this book
is awsome . Read it!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not find the book as fascinating as all the foregoing reviewers (and I have read hundreds of juvenile books of this reading level), but I can imagine grade 3-6 students rating it more highly--and that is what counts. It can even be a read-aloud for the teacher of grades 3 or 4. I would place it in my classroom library, but it is not a book I could enthusiastically introduce.

The suspense was mild, the climax almost predictable. Nevertheless, the author has an attractive, casual style; the vocabulary is simple; and the story flows easily. But it does have that Bank Street Reader feel, which is what it used to be--like some basal/reading text for grades 3-5.

One attractive aspect of the book is that it does not ignore race or ethnicity, and integrates them in a positive, refreshing manner.

The "Reader's Guide" (test questions) at the end of the book turned me off; it made me feel uncomfortable--I hope teachers won't use it. I think a children's book should be enjoyed for sheer pleasure.