R Books

While hiking and taking nature photos for a school project, Lisa
stumbles across a badly abused horse in a paddock. She, Carole and Stevie call the local animal rescue league who impounds the mare. As the mare dislikes men, Lisa assumes most of the care for her. This is a very poignant tale, and I won't give away the ending.

This is the most beautiful Saddle Club book yet. It shows how important love is naturally, as ALOT of books do, but it also shows how important it is to be willing and brave to let yourself love totaly. Lisa risked alot of saddness if Eve would have died, but it wasn't until she named Eve and let herself be vulnerable to the saddness of losing her that Eve started to realize Lisa cared and look forward to life.
The part with the brush was my favorite, like one reader said before. It was the first time Eve showed any sign of wanting to live.
I know Lisa loves Prancer, but Eve and her seem like such a perfect match.

This was an excellent book!The story was very heart felt but not as much realistic and correct like most of Bonnie Bryant's Saddle Club books. But overall this was a great story to sit down and read.In my opinion,the problems that Stevie,Lisa,and Carole have are very rare but can put you in a good mood somehow. BUY THIS BOOK! IT'S WORTH IT!

Hi!!! We're the Stirrup Stars. We love this book because it shows that if you just believe and do your best, you can reach your goal. Lisa took wonderful care of Eve. Also, it was full of suspense that made you want to keep on reading and never stop! Please, read this book!!! It's a great example of a horse/rider bond.

I thought this book was really heart warming. It really showed determination and love for a horse. I think Broken Horse is one of the best books in series.

I think this is one of the better book I have readed about Zen...Wonderful Book!

I must be an idiot, because this book really spoke to me. I understood it better than all the other books about Zen that I have read, and it helped me understand those other books, too. It answered just about all of my questions about Zen. I don't know if its definitions of Nirvana, Satori, and Kensho are orthodox or not, but they make me happy, and they confirm some of my own previous ideas. Buddha is right here, right now, and we are only waves in an infinite, eternal Ocean. Meanwhile, back to everyday reality. This book shows how Zen can help even a layperson find enlightenment in everyday life, in work, in play, in relationships, in hardship. It is a finger pointing straight at the moon.

There you have it, the essence of Zen. You, right here, right now. Reading this review with your full attention. Mindfully.
How simple and great is this? No complicated formulas or history to learn. No need to buy anything (besides this book). No mistakes to be made. You just start living Zen.

Right here. Right now.

The authors of this deceptively simple guide make it easy to grasp this concept, and answer all your questions about how to quickly and easily focus on the present moment (which seems easier said than done for many).

If you've ever longed for peace, calm, and a positive way to live your life, you may find it in the practice of Zen. And what a relief to learn in this guide that you can start right away.

Right here. Right now.

I love the Idot and Dummies series of books for making complicated subjects easier to understand, and this is no exception. If you hesitate to buy this book because you think it doesn't have meat, you are mistaken. Not only does this ease you into the subject of Zen, it gives you the tools to start using Zen in your life right now. The book contains additional information on recommended books, internet links, etc. If you are new to Zen like me, this is a great place to start. You will not be dissapointed.

I bought this book based on the reviews here and I am so glad I did! This is one of the top 5 spiritual books I've ever read.

I'd describe it as a nuts-and-bolts, non-religious, no-nonsense reference book for the average person to live a more peaceful life. Most books on the topic seem to assume one has the luxury of time, money, etc. to retreat to a mountain hut dressed in robes. This book offers information on how a REAL person--with a job, family stress, and all that accompanies the typical American life--can achieve more inner peace.

In particular, I have to mention that it gave the ONLY truly useful discussion and advice on meditation I've ever found (and I've searched for answers on this for years); this has allowed me to actually understand meditation and start integrating it into my life. I never thought I'd be able to.

GREAT BOOK.

During Bible studies, it is a real plus to have different translations available. This fine volume has eight translations on facing pages; it makes it so much easier to compare passages without having to flip through multiple Bibles.

I rated this text as four stars because the print is extremely small and does require some concentration for those of us with less than perfect vision. Further, due to its size, it would have been helpful if the book had been thumb indexed. While it is easy enough to purchase tabs at any Christian book store, I find that they will tear off. This is almost a given with this book because the paper is so thin.

I would love to see some publisher compile a similar Old Testament volume in both Contemporary and Precise Parallel versions. Yes, Guidepost does have something like that, but it only contains four translations.

The only draw back is that it doesn't have the Old Testement. However, if it did the book might be to large to cary around. Great reference that allows you to compare 8 different translations side by side.

This is an extraordinary New Testament (because it is eight New Testament translations). While it is probably peerless as a convenient reference resource, and for personal or group study, it is not a good New Testament for casual reading. Because it is eight parallel New Testaments, it is necessarily bulky and can be mildly confusing since the reader must find his/her place every time a page is turned, as will happen every ten verses or so if one is simply reading any given version. This does not amount to a deficiency in this NT, or even to a complaint on my part; it is difficult to image how eight New Testament translations could be presented in parallel in a more reader-friendly format. It is a unique volume; highly recommended for the serious student of the New Testament.

Any translation from one language to another must compromise due to the nuances of communication in one language or culture vs another. This is especially true when dealing with an ancient language such as NT Greek. For one that does not know Greek, the best way to find the true meaning of the original writer is to compare translations and sift out the real kernels. There are many parallel bibles on the market today, but this is the best for the New Testament that I have found. With the 8 most respected translations on the same page, comparisons are very easy. The layout of the translations on the pages is also very well thought out. With the NCV and CEV side by side, the NIV over the NKJV, the KJV next to the NASB, and the NLT over the Message, the most literal are ggouped in one area with the paraphrases at the other end and the more balanced versions in the center. One thing that I had trouble finding out before I ordered was the exact layout, so here it is: Top row KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT and bottom row NCV, CEV, NKJV, MSG.

Who *really* needs 8 versions of the New Testament? I certainly didn't! But I *did* want 5 of the popular versions, and this was a very easy and effective way to get them. Here's a listing of all 8, from my very favorite to least...

1. NIV- New International Version '84: Accurate & readable- thank God for the NIV! I might not be a Christian today if it weren't for this version. It was the first time for me that the Bible truly came alive. It's *still* my favorite version!
*Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
2. NLT- New Living Translation '96: *VERY* readable- & still pretty accurate. It's not word-for-word, but I like it! This and the NIV together make for very profitable reading. Add the NASB or NKJV to the mix for *real* rock-solid study.
*Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
3. NKJV- New King James Version '82: Great blend between accuracy, tradition & readability! A word-for-word translation, it retains the popular feel of the KJV. I like it! Many evangelicals insist that the NASB is more accurate, but I'll take the NKJV over NASB any day of the week. It's not that I'm a *fanatic* or anything- it's purely personal preference.
*Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
4. NASB- New American Standard Bible '95: Extremely accurate. Extremely word-for-word. Extremely evangelical!
*Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
5. KJV- King James Version: 1611 Authorized Version. Amazing impact on history. Still valuable today.
*Matthew 5:13- Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

6. CEV- Contemporary English Version '95: *Very* pleasant surprise. This might actually grow on me. Maybe!
*Matthew 5:13- You are like salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on.
7. NCV- New Century Version '91: Kinda plain vanilla. Not necessarily a bad version, but really- how *many* do we need?
*Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.
8. TM- The Message '95: Goodness gracious alive! What book am I reading? Actually, it's really pretty interesting. :)
*Matthew 5:13- Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

This book is a amazing book of Heroic Truth. It tells the truth about many of the literal hells of the 20th century, the countless deaths of millions. It is also the first book i have seen that actually deals with all murders by people/goverments.
In the Kellog-Briand act, if they wanted to outlaw WAR, they should have first outlawed Geonicide and Mass Murder. This may sound strange to many who think of war as the most evil thing of mankind, but in fact, it isnt. War has some loose honor, and loose rules, but they are still there. Geonicide has no rules. Geonicide, and Deomicide are just killing, pursuing, and exterminating.
This book offers a great perspective, and should be read by every living being capable of reading, and if they cant read, then it should be read aloud to them by someone else. This should be taught in all courses, all curiculums,and all course in colleges.
This book is a difficult read, but a must read. But remember though, many of these numbers for many of the atrocities are low, and he figures out the numbers by averaging high numbers and low numbers, which in the case of some, like the USSR, and the 32 million low, were placed by the USSR itself to just make propogande and make the thought into peoples minds. The Low for the USSR is at least 50 million, no less. It could very likely go up to 100 million, if you think about it too, and thus the number of Stalin's murders would go up to, as the other USSR Leaders werent as brutal as him.
China's Murder is also a extreme low. The number Mao Zedong killed is at estimates of a incomprehendable 6 million all-time low record, like saying Fat albert is a light-weight, and the number for mao is at about 35 - 56+ million murdered. This causes some strange statistics.
Overall this book is a classic and book that should be honored as much as the Bible.

It is bewildering to reflect on how many people were murdered in the 20th century by the hand of brutish governments. According to this book's estimates, the figure is around 169,000,000. This one-of-a-kind book is an indispensible compendium that informs the reader about why these mass murders were carried out, but more importantly, how. Hopefully, we will one day learn the lessons of history and stop these kinds of atrocities before they are allowed to reach the magnitude of those chronicled here.

Rummel delves into the historical tensions that brought about most of the conflicts that lead to mass exterminations. Many of us may know nothing beyond the basics about Stalin's Great Terror or Hitler's Holocaust. What's frightening to realize as you read this book is how the demagoguery that lead to these mass murder incidents is not all that far removed from what we hear from some of our own politicians today.

The author also goes into quite a bit of detail about some of the lesser known campaigns of genocide (or democide, as he insists on calling it) of the 20th century, such as that of Turkey against the Armenians, and incidents by the Polish, Japanese, and Pakistanis.

This is an important book. I believe it is one of the most important books I've ever read. No one who considers himself a serious scholar of 20th century history can omit this book from his collection.

And with reason. There is none of the sacrifice, drama or nobility reported in battles. It's not about Thermopylae or Gettysburg.

This is an account of what humanity has done to itself--and continues to this day. It's a book on comparitive demonology. One almost gets the impression that a soldier ripping a baby from his mother's arms, tossing it in the air and catching it on the point of his bayonet is the rule, not the exception. Ditto for POW's captured by front line troops.

The author is a professor of Political Science who finds it amazing that his colleagues write texts on the purposes of government, yet fail to mention that (with the possible exception of the Jewish victims of Nazi genocide) instead of protecting citizens from "the savagery of the jungle" by rule of law, governments have and continue to be, THE greatest killers of all.

"Democide" is the word he coins to combine genocide (murdering because of membership in a hated race, ethnicity,or religion,) plus politicide ( murdering for political purposes, e.g; dissidents ) and mass murder (indiscriminate killing).

Democide is always committed by governments. It is as organized as taxation or road building. Discounting civilians accidentally killed in cross-fires, or even in the aerial bombardments of cities, this still leaves horrifying numbers.

Pre-Twentieth Century? An estimate of 169,198,000 human beings massacred. Since this includes the victims of Genghis Khan, Incas, Conquistadors, etc., There's an obscene tendency to see them as not quite human, not quite real due to the distance in time. So Tarmelane, the Turkish conqueror slaughtered 100,000 people outside of Delhi and he liked to make pyramids of human heads?--Who cares?--Just stuff in history books. . .

Is WW2 is close enough? We all know about the 6 million Jews, but did you know that constituted only aprox 13% of the victims of The Nazi Genocide State?

Overall, by genocide, euthanasia, killing of hostages, reprisal raids, starvation, forced labor camps and so forth the figure is anywhere from 15 to 31 million, most likely 21 million. Rummel admits he may be off somewhat in numbers, but certainly not as to the State's intentions. The Nazis still head the list when it comes to killing people in occupied territories, with the Imperial Japanese Military being second.

As to murdering one's own people, it's estimated some 35,236,000 for the Communist Chinese Anthill. The author notes that those who were shocked by the 1989 Beijing massacre of students, really shouldn't have been--it's the norm. But even that figure is topped by 54,800,000 victims of The Soviet Gulag State.

(Not counting an additional 5-7 million comprised of German POW's plus non-combatants deliberately murdered by The Red Army).

For sheer numbers, Stalin is our grand prize winner in brutality. In terms of percentage, however, the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot beats his insanity--they wiped out nearly one third of all Cambodians.

The chapter on The Vietnamese War State is most instructive, not just for the total toll of 1,670,000 victims but for the inferences Rummel draws: Before the U.S. entered the war, the Viet Minh were already as hardened a bunch of mass killers as the most disciplined SS units under Himmler. America had no idea what it was getting itself get into.

The Balkans are something else. Off the scale.

Required reading.

Professor Rummel's work, Death By Government, is a product of eight years of research into the roots and causes of Democide - defined as the intentional killing by governments through genocide, politicide, and arbitrary mass murder of its people. The cornerstones of current U.S foreign policy - centered around fostering democratic freedom - are based upon Professor Rummel's correct observation, that liberal democracies promote the greater peace and they are essential to eliminating Democide and ending wars between nations. Through empirical research the evident truths become exposed and the reader is left with the overall understanding that absolute power corrupts and leads to the murder of a governments' people and that only through restricting and checking power can these horrors be restrained. Democracies virtually never make war on each other and the more democratic two governments, the less the likelihood of violence between them. So not only is democracy a solution to domestic democide, but globalizing democracy is also a solution to war. The existence and spread of liberal democracies (not just electoral democracies, but liberal democracies in terms of civil and political rights and liberties) provides the long run hope for the elimination of democide and war. Professor Rummel astutely notes that power's relationship to democide is on a continuum - the more absolute the power, the more democide. The problem is Power. The solution is democracy. The course of action is to foster freedom.

R.J. Rummel has spent his career assembling data on genocide, politicide and other government mass murder (studying more than 8,200 reports with estimates). He introduced a concept he calls "democide" which includes genocide, politicide, mass murder, and indiscriminate killing of civilians. It does not include battle deaths or collateral damage. He is using a scientific methodology that he applies consistently to come up with consistent mid-range estimates for democide. His findings are horrifying. 170 million people were murdered in the 20th century alone. Later he revised this number to 262 million. For comparison, it is estimated that 70 million people died from famine in the 20th century, 25 million has died from AIDS, 250 million died from Malaria in the 20th century, and 300 million from small pox. In conclusion democide killed considerably more people than war, famine, and AIDS and as much people as the two worst 20th century diseases. It should also be noted that previous centuries were just as democidal.

Rummels book "Statistics of Democide" presents his findings in great detail (very long lists of statistics), and additional information can be found on his web site. This book "Death by Government" gives some statistics on the topic, but the focus of the book is not on the statistics but descriptions of the democides and the regimes that perpetrated them. Therefore this book is easier to read and perhaps a bit more interesting (but just as gruesome) compared to "Statistics of Democide". However, "Statistics of Democide" is a better factoid resource.

In this book he describes the following murder regimes and their democides in more detail: Soviet Gulag State (62M), Chinese Communist Anthill (35M later revised to 78M), The Nazi Genocide State (21M mostly genocide), The Depraved Nationalist Regime, KMT (10M), Japans Savage Military (6M), The Hell State Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge (2M), Turkeys Genocidal Purges (1.9M), The Vietnamese War State (Vietcong) (1.7M), Poland's Ethnic Cleansing after the war (1.6M), The Pakistani Cutthroat state (1.5M), Titos Slaughter House (1.1M), Orwellian North Korea (1.7M), Barbarous Mexico (1.4M), Feudal Russia (1.1M). M=million killed.

The descriptions of the democides are horrific and very sad. The big questions are how can these things happen? People can be very cruel and brutal towards each other that is for sure, but regimes that hold a lot of power over their citizens are the regimes that will commit these crimes. To quote from Rummels web site: "Why do dictators kill and make war? Is it for glory; for things, for beliefs, for hatred, for power? Yes, but more, because they can". Regimes that can't do it won't. Democratic regimes, especially liberal democracies commit very little democide.

This book is what it is: an unambiguous & insightful summary of why & how we struggle so much. I'm still reading it (trying to savor every sentence), but I doubt I've ever been happier about any other purchase.

I have read Emotional Clearing over the past year and have been extremely inspired by it. It is definitely the best new age book I've read, and I've read quite a lot. The concept of acceptance has been essential for me because for 21 years I've suffered terribly with anxiety, stress, and panic attacks. I've always fought it and suppressed it with alcohol and became as a result alcohol dependent. The book has given me relief from the attacks and I've been sober for 10 out of the past 12 months.

John Ruskan has put together a very well thought out system of understanding feelings, karma and life. He has been working at this for quite some time, but the material has a timeless quality. I've read the book twice and took a great deal more from it the second time. There is something the rings true about karma and how our suppressed feelings and conditioned patterns attract that which is needed for them to come to the surface and give us the opportunity to grow through them. Of course, sometimes we do not chose or are not able to grow through difficult feelings. Emotional Clearing offers a deep, thorough treatment of the concepts that underly the challenage of this universal truth. Thus, this book helped me grasp the very spiritual nature of self work. I'm indebted to Ruskan for this, simply put. This book is not, gratefully, scientific or academic. Yet it is precisely assembled and thorough, affected by Ruskan's well-organized logic, but also by his practiced access to feelings, instinct and intuition. The modality he has developed takes the theory further by offering therapeutic techniques that are based on long standing practices. Like yoga, like breathwork. So it is more than theory. If you want a book or process or modality that also guides you directly to effective action, this book does that. But don't get me wrong, the theory can occupy a thoughtful person for quite some time too. I would know, having found the book two years ago and finding myself still involved with it and even now using my experience with it as a jumping off point for writing and working. There has been a decided improvement in the flow of my life since first discovering Ruskan's website and then buying the book. For spirtual seekers and people wanting to improve thier life in a deep, authentic, sustainable manner, this book is effective.

I have read Emotional Clearing over the past year and have been extremely inspired by it. It is definitely the best new age book I've read, and I've read quite a lot. The concept of acceptance has been essential for me because for 21 years I've suffered terribly with anxiety, stress, and panic attacks. I've always fought it and suppressed it with alcohol and became as a result alcohol dependent. The book has given me relief from the attacks and I've been sober for 10 out of the past 12 months.

I have read Emotional Clearing over the past year and have been extremely inspired by it. It is definitely the best new age book I've read, and I've read quite a lot. The concept of acceptance has been essential for me because for 21 years I've suffered terribly with anxiety, stress, and panic attacks. I've always fought it and suppressed it with alcohol and became as a result alcohol dependent. The book has given me relief from the attacks and I've been sober for 10 out of the past 12 months.

This is a great book. All Oracle people must have this.

It covers majority of the database topics and is a very useful reference.

I am a MS SQL DBA learning Oracle and this was the first book I read after going through the Oracle's official curriculum. Here are my thoughts.

1)This book is definitely not for the beginners. I highly recommend you start with a more basic book that gives you an overview of Oracle. Oracle tools are highly unintuitive and using them can be a frustrating experience especially for MS SQL DBAs *smirk*. Learning to just to connect to an Oracle database is a learning experience that will take knowledge on how Oracle's network and security function.

2)If you already have a working knowledge on how to operate an Oracle database, this book will no doubt provide a more solid foundation for your knowledge (except RAC). I particularly found its chapters on RMAN and IMPORT/EXPORT utilties particularly helpful.

3)Perhaps the best part of this book is that it encompasses what the author believes is the most essential knowledge to becoming a highly competent Oracle DBA. The book does not try to be a reference for every Oracle topic. Instead, the author has smartly picked the most important information needed and presented them in a readable format.

4)My only issue with this book is that it is wordy. The book is 1200 pages long and it could easily have been 1000 pages or fewer.

An excellent book covering all essential DBA topics for Oracle 9i Administration. Explained very well covering In-depth details, Illustrations and examples makes this book invaluable. I use it as a true source of reference and I will strongly recommend this book.

I just got this book from the library and I decided to read through it before I buy. I think I will buy a copy of it. The book touched pretty much all the areas of Oracle 9i. It is a book to have on your desk as key reference. I will recommend this book to new DBA. The author did a pretty good job. The book seems too big but very useful. I give 4 stars.

This is one of Dr. Seuss's best for very young children. It is fun to read, and will surely make you giggle, especially when you see the pink underpants! The pictures are cute and we always pause to talk about them. There are few words and soon your toddler will have them memorized, and be reading along with you. The kids and I highly recommend this book.

We also recommend "Jamberry" by Bruce Degen and "There's a Wocket in my Pocket" by Dr. Seuss.s

LOVE THIS BOOK. IT is silly but awesome. So memorable. My son loves this book!

These books are smaller than I expected but I cant complain for the price. Good for young children. Simple

The thing I like best about this book is that the words and the pictures go together nicely. When the words say "Our eyes see bees," there is a picture of a lot of bees. So, from an educational perspective, you can have your child point to a picture while he or she hears the verbal description of the picture. It's helped my baby lean several words and phrases.

This simple concept is something that a suprising amount of childrens' books lack. It is good for two reasons. It helps them put words to pictures, and it helps them learn to read. The book is for children that are 4-8, but it's ability to help children match the verbal sounds of words to pictures makes it appropriate for infants as well.

The learning potential of the book is enhanced by the rythm of the words. The book's sentences ryme and procede in a rythm that makes the book more enjoyable for your child. My baby is noticeably delighted whenever he sees that we are about to read this book.

It is highly recommended.

This is the perfect book for the youngest of Seuss fans. It's a very simply book that starts out with a boy pointing to his eyes and saying what they are...and then to his bunny friend's eyes. The book goes on to explain what eyes do and what they help us see. I thought the pink underpants was a little strange, but they're just kids afterall!

I'm a little surprised that I didn't notice anyone else had harped on its beautiful cover. The cover is absolutely beautiful with its its pretty sea-mint green background and wonderful illustrations. I always thought the boy's eyes looked more like they belonged to the rabbit...they're huge!

To sum it up, it's a cute story about eyes!

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

Remodelling made easy with this visual book. I worked out some details on a remodel alongside my contractor using this great resource. The book is mainly illustrations of the various ways (right and wrong) to change your home without the use of an achitect.

A local Architect recommended that I get a copy of this book. I am staff to the local historic zoning commission and always can use assistance explaining architectural concepts to applicants. This book is a reasonable articulate resource that alows an applicant to see the problems he/she might be having with a design. This book is easy to read and it presents clear and useful solutions to the mistakes that many applicates and their architects seem to want to make. I have gotten copies for all of the Commissioners and I am working with the Library system to make sure all of our libraries have a copy.

A lot of work went into this book. The overall presentation and layout is friendly and easy to the eye. The illustrations are very effective and easy to understand. The language is simple and clear. What you get is a book that is very practical and that explains in great detail the dos and don't of design. While the focus is residential the principles can be applied to all types of buildings. Highly recommended.

The book provides extensive detail about the architectural detail of a TRADITIONAL house. It will not help much with a contemporary house. It has a ton of drawings to help make its points. It is basically all pictures and drawings -- very little narative.

I bought this book about a month or so ago. I have read through it once. While I will skim it again, from time to time, I'll be keeping it as an irreplaceable reference manual for home design or purchase.

The illustrations are gorgeous and pure genius. Most of them are NOT CAD drawings, but honest-to-goodness pencil illustrations, which all have a definite artistic flair to them.

The premise is simple: the Greeks and Romans got it right, and modern home designers try to ape their aesthetic without doing the requisite homework make awful looking houses. Once you read this book, you'll never be able to go into a rich new suburban development without easily being able to point out the painfully obvious design gaffes that abound. That's the downside--you're an instant architectural snob after one read. But the upside is that when it is time to YOU to buy or build, you'll know precisely what to look for and what to avoid.

Marianne Cusato has proven her genius with the "Katrina Cottage" design, which will probably set her for life financially. I hope it does, so she can focus all of her energies toward the classicist movement. I'd sure love to hire her to design my next home (if I could ever afford her now).

The modern architectural ethic of the last century, emphasizing a lack of details, machinelike designs, and a material driven ethos (steel, glass, and concrete) is absolutely put to shame by the Greek and Roman orders of proportion, balance, and detail. Hopefully, Ms. Cusato and her classicist colleagues can put the last few nails in that coffin. I could live the rest of my life quite well without having to view another gawd-awful building that looks like it was designed by Fisher Price.

This book is a masterpiece.

I cannot imagine living through what I have without the guidance of this book. If you are dealing with someone else's alcoholism I suggest that you give this book a chance.

It makes a great daily reader because it is divided into short chapters. And I found her insights very eye-opening. She doesn't make any sweeping statements about what decisions you should make, but she may help you clear your head a little so that you can make your own decisions.

Getting Them Sober is still one of the very best books to help people deal with a drinking alcoholic. If you follow the suggestions in the book you will finally feel sane again, life will be easier, and the alcoholic MAY get sober! I am long time sober and worked in the Alcohol Drug field for many years.
This works, it really does! Dee Brown

and the website listed is just as useless.

There are many other books which are more helpful I would pass on this one. I'm selling my copy asap.

In trying to understand the devastation that alcoholism has on friends and family....this book was enormously helpful. Knowing that alcoholism is a disease and that many alcoholics words and actions are undeniably the same, helps keep the diseased person in perspective and helps you to detach.

When I first picked up "Getting Them Sober", I was utterly astounded and amazed. I called my sister excitedly to share. I read her excerpts. She said, "Oh my gosh, the author really knows him(meaning my alcoholic)." my sister said. Toby Rice Drews knew. This God given author knew my life. The insight was incredible it was an "aha" book. Somebody put into words and explained what I was going through, in lving with active alcoholism.

Toby answered THE QUESTION. The question that I was too afraid, too hurt, too ashamed to ask...... There it was in black and white!....."If he runs off with another woman, does that mean he doesn't love me?" Whew, I felt so much better knowing that I wasn't the only one who had ever felt that way or asked that question. I was enlightened and relieved.
I had also wondered, "Why am I so afraid he will leave?" "Why have I given him a million second chances?" "Why do I take him back?" Those questions and answers were there. I was able to start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I grew. My life was transformed from that knowledge. I am very grateful for "Getting Them Sober."

I own all five of the books in Toby's series. The "Getting Them Sober, vol 4" book (which is all about the hidden issues in seperation/divorce in alcoholic families) was very helpful to me when I was going through my divorce. I carried it with me constantly. Here is the product link:Getting Them Sober: Vol 4 : Separations and Healings (Getting Them Sober)

Fifty percent of American families have active alcoholism in them according to the NIH. This book is a must read for everybody. Families of alcoholics, counselors, teachers, and judges will gain great insight, hope and strength in their understanding of those who suffer on a daily, yearly, lifetime basis from the HORRIBLE family disease of alcoholism. It is a good read and must read for all.