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Whose home is it? Is it the home of people who were massacred for it just 60 years ago and whose homes are still now being demolished? Or is it the home of people who inhabited it over 2000 years ago. Hmmm. What a complex question it is...

As I see it, the Arab argument against Israel is fundamental. Namely, the Arabs, perhaps because they outnumber the Jews, perhaps because they have oppressed Jews in the past, and perhaps for other reasons, have a Right to Oppress Jews. That means that when Jews try to live as free people in Israel, they are committing a Fundamental Wrong. If Jews steal land from Arabs, the Jews are perpetrating a Wrong. If Jews buy land from Arabs, they are equally perpetrating a Wrong. If Jews kill Arabs, the Jews are perpetrating a Wrong. If Arabs kill Jews, the Jews are perpetrating a Wrong by being there. If Arabs are expelled by Jews, that is Wrong of the Jews. If Arabs flee from areas that Jews live in, that is also Wrong of the Jews, because it is Wrong for Jews to be there at all. And so on.

I think you either buy this argument or you do not. And I do not buy it. I think human rights for all is both a moral and practical idea. And a Right to get rid of human rights for Jews violates this concept totally.

When it comes to the so-called Arab "right of return" to Israel, I think the issue is not whether Arabs ought to be allowed to move to lands that they are interested in. Moving to the land of one's choice is (or ought to be) a right of all humans. The issue is whether Arabs ought to have a right to move to Israel on the grounds that they (or their relatives, or their ancestors, or their friends) fled or were expelled from this land in the past. And it is implied that agreement with such a right on such grounds would lend support to the argument that Jews had no right to be free people on that land in the first place.

Although many Jews moved to what is now Israel as part of a return, I feel that they did so simply as individuals: they did not ask for lower prices for land because they were returning to it; rather, they willingly paid higher prices. They asked for rights as human beings, not as returnees. Being a returnee was in fact a costly disadvantage that they put up with.

Now, what does Alon Harel have to say about all this? He begins by noting that while some Arabs feel that the "right of return" is simply a right to return to one's home, many others feel that it is simply a right to expel others from their homes. Next, he agrees that it is significant that Arabs want to be allowed to move to Israel on the grounds that they fled or were expelled from that land in the past. That's promising.

Harel says that an overlooked element of such arguments is the interests (as opposed to the desires) of the people involved. In this case, there are seven possible interests the Arabs might have in "return," namely:

- annulling a wrong
- obtaining monetary compensation
- restoring one's physical environment
- restoring one's social environment
- restoring one's civic-political status
- returning to formative territories
- settling in the most appropriate site

Harel points out that whether or not there was a wrong committed when Arabs left the Levant (or moved from one part of it to another), attempting to restore the previous status quo is unlikely to be an appropriate remedy. While Arabs may feel that a right of return would lend credence to their claim that Jews committed a Wrong (or, as I would say, to their bogus claim that Jews committed a Wrong just by existing), surely the denial of return as an appropriate solution would not in itself invalidate that claim.

As for monetary claims, Harel explains that it is obvious that these can be satisfied without a return.

What about restoring one's physical environment? That might make sense in some cases, but in the case of those who never lived on that land in the first place, Harel explains that it may be more like an attempt to create an environment that exists only in someone's dreams (not merely one that no longer exists in real life).

The restoration of one's social environment, if it is possible at all, does not require return. The restoration of civic-political status would be accomplished better with a separate state or by life in an Arab state than by a return to Israel. Returning to formative territories risks the argument that the Jews have at least as much of a claim to be doing so by going back to their homeland than the Arabs do for going to part of theirs (a less central part, in my opinion). And while Arabs may argue that Israel would be the most appropriate site to settle in, I think "return" would create such misery for Jews and Arabs alike that it would hardly be in the interests of either. Harel appears to agree.

I think we all need to treat Arabs and Jews as human beings who require human rights. And that means that "return," with the intention of getting rid of these rights, is impractical and counterproductive. It ought to be against the law. People who want to move to Israel, whether they be Jews, Arabs, Chinese, Inuit, or whatever, ought to do so as individuals. Since Israel happens to be the state of the Jews, Jews may find it easier to do so, just as Hungarians may find it easier to move to Hungary. But I feel that everyone who is willing to abide the rights of all people ought to have the chance to move to the land of their choice.

This article raises some interesting questions about a weak issue, but I think it is still worth reading.

This book not only offers the most incisive portrait of Jordan, the Bulls championship years, and the NBA of that era, but is also wonderful Halberstam, who tells the story with an epic sweep. Simply a beautiful work from cover to cover.

Nike turned Michael Jordan into a dream. Nike funneled in 1984 all of Nike's advertising resources in one player instead of in several teams. Nike made Michal Jordan a cultural icon and featured him as a star amidst other entertainment stars. And in the beginning Jordan didn't even like Nike sneakers. He preferred Adidas. Ultimately Nike paid Jordan in roughly 1 million dollars a year for five years. In 1984 no one realized that Nike was getting one of the great bargains of the time. Nike was a shoe company in great trouble. Michael Jordan saved Nike by his appeal to the youth. In the mean time basketball benefited from satellite reception that was just opening the world of cable television. Satellite reception facilitated cheap broadcasting. Bill Rasmussen obtained channel space on a communications satellite. His ESPN opened new broadcasting opportunities for basketball. In Playing for Keeps David Halberstam tells the tale of Michael Jordan in the broader cultural context. In this book Halberstam displays his usual journalistic skills. But somehow I missed the emotional involvement of his other books. The Summer of 49 and The Breaks of the Game learned me more about the relevance of sports.

Luuk Oost

As someone very familiar with Michael Jordan's career I was startled by all the new bits of information crammed in this book. Its clear Halbertstam did his homework. He employed an exhaustive interview process that yields so many new anecdotes and perspectives of Michael Jordans career. I particulary enjoyed all the stories of Jordan showing flashes of greatness early on while being recruited by North Carolina. The book makes it clear that even at those early stages while no one could predict what was to come, those around Michael had never seen anything like him.

Halbertstam also reveals the background story for many of those surrounding Jordan during his run with the Bulls. Namely Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Jerry Krause, Jerry Reinsdorf, and others. He delves into their lives, paints a picture of their character, and allows you to understand what motivated all these contrasting personalities along the way.

It must be noted that the writing of David Halbertstam is just incredible. If you're a fan of Michael Jordan or just basketball this book is a must read. The subject could not be approached by a more accomplished author.

Halberstam does it again. With a keen eye and a knack for pulling the reader in, David Halberstam is one of our great modern writers. Just when you thought you knew Jordan, "Playing for Keeps" shades new light (not all of it flattering) on our greatest modern basketball player.

Well worth it.

I'm not a big Halberstam fan, and this book didn't change that opinion.

The subtitular "world that he [Jordan] made" is never really explored in any depth, and this is a surface-skimming bio of Jordan with the addition of some mini-bios on major figures in his life (David Falk, Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, etc.).

The research is limited and insight is scant as Halberstam leans heavily on material already published, pulling entire sections of the book (e.g., his thumbnail bio of Jackson) from the subject's own earlier book. He returns to quote the same two or three sports writers time and again (Sam Smith - Chicago Trib and Jordan biographer - OK, but Bob Ryan - Boston Globe - a dozen quotes???).

"Playing for Keeps" is a fast-reading Jordan sketch, a 400 page magazine article, during which Halberstam defers to Jordan too frequently: no real examination of the gambling, glossed over recount of James Jordan's murder, no meaningful exploration of Jordan the global commercial icon.

For my taste, this book is another disppointment from Halberstam.

The first time I read this I was angry with Winton for leaving us up in the air: the book was un-put-downable but too much is left unexplained and unresolved. The second time round I was angry with Scully for his dogged stupidity in failing to accept that his wife has left him and their daughter. Thirdly, who on earth are the riders and what on earth do they signify? I usually enjoy Winton but this really is too much. I would like him to stand up and explain himself.

I listened to the audio book of this particular story, and I found it to be entertaining, descriptive and extremely well read.

I'll be reading Tim Winton's other books, purely because of the way the man writes. He is so articulate and smooth in his delivery of this tale, that I became just as interested in his words, as what I was in the story itself.

Yes, Winton throws you a few melons to tries and distract you. But on the whole, it's a goldmine of conflict and action - something is always happening, there's always a trail to follow.

In reading some of the first reviews I feel many persons may have missed what I believe is the heart of this story. This books enters the depth of total disillusionment. Scully's search to find answers drives him to the point of insanity and is a tale of deep betrayal and the search for answers that will never come, leaving the choice to continue the search (the Riders or Pete's brother Conor) unending. It is as Pete put it: "There are things that have no finish, Scully, no endin to speak of. There's no justice to it, but that's the God's truth. The only end some things have is the end you give em".

This book is one that just rattles around in your mind when you are not reading it and for days after you finish it. It was wonderfully written, an engaging story, and had real characters.

Tim Winton is one of the most talented writers I have ever encountered.

In The Riders, Winton takes you on a journey that will leave you frustrated, concerned, edgy, stricken and totally enthralled.

The story lies in everything that Winton leaves out. So many questions unanswered yet to answer them would change the whole flavor of the Book.

The beginning of the book starts off simply enough. The uncomplicated, down to earth Scully is preparing his newly acquired Irish cottage for the arrival of his wife and child, both of whom he adores unconditionally.

The Ireland that Winton brings to us is so real you can see the green grass, feel the breezes, tension, history and passion of the Irish. Although I dread any concept of roughing it, Scully's cottage with no electricity and outside toilet sounds so appealing I want to get on the next plane.

Therein lies the problem, his daughter arrives at the airport minus her mother, Scully's wife. Thus begins his incredible journey to find his wife and discover why she would leave him.

His wife Jennifer is featured only from Scully's point of view, at first the perfect wife and mother, one part of his three part world, his family. Then as Scully travels around Europe with his depressing, crazy obsession to find her, we discover, as he does that all was not ever what it seemed.

This story belongs to Scully and his daughter Billie. The daughter he loves to distraction who adores him back. The daughter who instinctively understands him and wants to be his world.

Throughout this tale we discover parts of Europe as a desperate man might see them rather than a tourist with rose colored glasses. We see the best and the worst of people and most of all we see growth and love bloom out of a tragedy almost too difficult to comprehend.

I give Winton 5 stars easily as this book still lingers in my mind and soul weeks after I put it down for the last time. Winton's use of language and metaphor crosses boundaries so that he can be see as a brilliant writer on an international scale rather than just as one of Australia's exports.

I will continue to read other works by Winton and I am certain I will be impressed.

I found this book to be very informative. Although aimed at grades 6-10, it would be a great read for any age. There is much about epidemics and medical practices that is not included in the typical history of our country, but they are important to the complete historical picture. Mr. Murphy has done a great job in relating a story in such a compact way. The only fault I find is that he did not include who history gives the most credit to in eradicating yellow fever and malaria - William Crawford Gorgas. Overall, this book would be a great addition to a classroom.

I loved this book. It is very descriptive and made me feel as though I was there. I don't think that four year olds can understand it though.

This is the story of the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 that decimated Philadelphia. Most folks don't know much about this plague; I didn't til I had to research it for a class I'm taking (for a class I would teach).

This book, written for young adults, is captivating. The illustrations are relevant and extremely interesting; the text flows and is full of foreshadowing and detail that are the hallmarks of good writing. It's short enough to finish in a timely manner, and has all sorts of "excerpt" quality passages that one could read to students.

Although it would be best placed as a resource book in a classroom, I found it entirely readable as a book on its own. Though I got it for a class, it will stay on my shelf as a favorite. That's a rare accomplishment for non-fiction, in my world!

(*)>

From what I've read of the book, An American Plague by Jim Murphy I think this book is okay. I thought that all the pictures in the story were unnecessary. But I liked the information it gave, in most stories the author won't show every theory from scientists. If you are really interested in the yellow fever it is recommended that you buy this book.

This dramatic account of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 is riveting. It is packed with historical facts and presents the horror of the disease, the implications for the city of Philadelphia and neighboring areas, and the reaction of both the townspeople as well as those in power with vivid detail.
Politicians, the medical community, common people, orphans, the poor are all brought to life before our eyes and we feel their pain, we share their misery, and we gain insight into what life was like for them during this terrifying time.
Author Jim Murphy chronologically follows the beginning of this epidemic, making us feel as if we were actual witnesses to this American Plague, using quotes from those who were there, newspaper clippings, period engravings and portraits.
Additionally, we are shown true acts of courage and selfless behavior as Mr. Murphy tells us of great men and woman who risked their lives to help their fellow people, and some who ultimately sacrificed their lives. He also unravels the controversies, particularly among the medical community in regards to the reaction to the disease and discusses bloodletting, ingesting poisons, bathing in vinegar, purging air with gunpowder, inhaling black pepper as well as other practiced modes of treatment.
Some people may find the descriptions of the disease and the progression of the illness horrifying, but it is truth nonetheless, Yellow fever is nothing short of horrific. I believe this fascinating book is truly deserving of the many awards it has earned. This very visual and brilliantly written book is a great tool for you to use in teaching this part of our nation's history to your children.

Religion and politics have been uneasy bedfellows for some time now, and with the current administration's faith-based initiatives, policies, and presidential stem-cell research vetoes, it appears that Americans are wanting something a little more secular in their legislature. Esther Kaplan writes with a very liberal bent and addresses many issues, including the neverending evolution/creationism controversy; stem cell research; the president's response to the global AIDS crisis; and abortion. What most secular humanists will shudder at is the revelation that George genuinely, sincerely believes that God called on him to run for president. Whether or not religion ultimately falls completely out of favor with the American public is yet to be seen. For liberals, this book is a chilling call to arms.

This book should be a real wake-up call to people who think freedom is a core idea in our country. The author has done an extraordinary job of pulling together evidence of the Right's insidious agenda and frightening. This is one of those books that you almost wish you hadn't read--because now you feel compelled to do something about it.

Perhaps the best quote ever to describe the Bush administration came from George W. Bush's original pick for Faith Czar, John DiIulio, who said, "What you've got is everything - and I mean everything - being run by the political arm" The Bush administration has wrote the book on abusing Democracy and circumventing checks and balances. Rather than worry about governance the Bush Admin runs a 24/7, year in year out campaign to appease its base, satisfy the lobbyists and find wedge issues to lure new constituencies. One of the most disgusting incidents of pandering was the reinstatment of the "Mexico City Policy" which forbid any foreign organization from receiving U.S. dollars if they so much as mention anything concerning abortion even if it's done with their own money. It wasn't so much the reinstatement that was foul it was Bush's ignorance of the policy itself as Esther Kaplan wrote, "It seemed that President Bush, in an effort to offer a `symbolic gesture' to his domestic political supporters, had casually imposed an international policy he hadn't bothered to read - one that would have profound effects on women around the globe"

This is essentially everything that's wrong with the Bush presidency. He just doesn't appear to care. It doesn't matter that "six years after Texas mandated abstinence, teen pregnancy rates were one and a half times the nation average" It doesn't matter that discouraging the use of condoms has led to a rise in STD's and in countries like Romania an increase in unwanted pregnancies and YES an increase in abortions. John DiIulio made the mistake of believing that the efficacy of Bush's faith based programs was important. It isn't. Results are irrelevant. Satisfying the base and maintaining ideological purity is the ONLY important thing. Every day government health and science experts are replaced by political hacks. What happened with Michael Brown and hurricane Katrina was only one high profile example of Bush placing totally unqualified supporters into important government positions. Rather than show contrition over the debacle he almost immediately nominated the embarrassing Harriett Miers to the Supreme Court.

The author points out that George W. Bush saw himself as a man of destiny even before he was elected as he was quoted telling televangelist James Robison, "I feel like God wants me to run for president. I can't explain it, but I sense my country is going to need me" The fact that he won despite losing the popular vote only increased his belief that his position as president was a divine appointment. It's no wonder that Bush has so little patience for dissenting opinion when his efforts are guided by God. On the Iraq war the author writes, "Each scrap of intelligence that supported invasion would have leaped from the page, an affirmation of God's will, while any intelligence that refuted such a necessity would have been received with suspicion" This pattern of infallibility is likely behind Bush's constant appointment of unqualified candidates often done by making an end run around Congress. Candidates are appointed to reflect Bush's godly worldview.

"With God on Their Side" focuses on the appointments of conservative evangelicals to policy making decisions particularly in the areas of health care, science and foreign policy making. (For a more detailed view on the science portion read `The Republican War on Science' by Chris Mooney) Political ideologues have been inserted while experienced professionals are pushed out the door to the detriment of everyone. The `Left Behind' book series by Tim LeHaye casts the United Nations as the villain in Satan's plan. Unfortunately many Evangelicals take the fictional series seriously and thanks to their influence in government the United States has been sending more than a few anti-UN representatives to the UN. The U.S. has been pushing for abortion and contraceptive rules overseas that are far more restrictive than anything in the United States, so restrictive in fact that the United States was forced to create alliances that "included nations suspected of supporting or harboring terrorist operations, such as Sudan, Syria, and Libya, along with `axis of evil' member Iran" In trying to strong arm Asian countries "not a single Asian country backed the extreme U.S. stance, even nations with conservative abortion laws such as the Philippines and Iran" Yes, the United States is sometimes too restrictive even for Iran.

This book is a must read for those who have any concern over the direction the United States is headed in. The author writes, "The Christian right movement, as a whole, is not enamored of democracy" and this would apply to tradition conservativism as a whole (just read The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk to see a 600 page attack on Democracy). On the Republican tactics Kaplan writes, "The goal is not to engage your opponents in the public square, but to kneecap them or send them into exile" The goal is to entrench Conservativism through the courts and in public funding to the point where Republican's will own policy long after Bush's term is over. "With God on their Side" isn't a short book but it's packed with plenty of info to send a shiver down the spine of anyone who believes that an American theocracy is a path we seriously need to avoid.

Once DefCon (The Campaign to Defend the Constitution) announced that they'd kick off their new book club in March 2006 with Esther Kaplan's WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE: HOW CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS TRAMPLED SCIENCE, POLICY AND DEMOCRACY IN GEORGE W. BUSH'S WHITE HOUSE, I checked out a copy from my local library, post-haste. Unfortunately, I never did finish it in time for the online chat with author Kaplan, but not because it was a boring, tedious read; in fact, just the opposite. I was so shocked, outraged, and just plain pissed off about what I learned in WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE that I found myself throwing the book down every third page so I could rant to anyone within earshot about GW and his Bible-beating cronies. I mean, I knew that the current administration let their evangelical faith guide their policies; I guess I just didn't realize how far their zealousness had taken them.

Kaplan focuses on several areas in which GW shapes government policy and programs to fit his conservative Christian worldview to an egregious extent: foreign policy (specifically, the "War on Terror" and the conflict in Iraq), science (including stem cell research and any science surrounding sexual matters, such as AIDS and condom effectiveness), faith-based initiatives, gay marriage, and reproductive rights (with an emphasis on contraception, abstinence-only programs, and abortion). Kaplan discusses the impact of Bush's policies both in the United States and abroad (for example, the Global Gag Rule has had a deleterious effect on women in developing nations). The issues are complex, the violations many, yet Kaplan does an excellent job of nailing down the significance of each and showing how they are all interrelated.

Perhaps more interesting than George W. Bush's faith-based politics is his stubbornness, his dogged determination to "stay the course," his unrelenting single-mindedness and his intolerance for inconvenient "facts" (like Stephen Colbert, I believe GW prefers "truthiness" to "book learning"). He is "the decider," and as such, his words are gospel. Should any of his staff or government employees (or any recipients of government largesse) disagree with him, they had better shape up or be prepared to ship out. Kaplan serves up example after example of GW's disdain for dissent. Scientists who pursue controversial research or publish data at odds with the Bush admin's ideology are selectively audited, driven out of office, or have their grant money yanked out from under them. Staffers and cabinet members who dare disagree with Bush in public must renounce their blasphemous ways or risk being thrown overboard to satisfy the conservative sharks that make up GW's base. More so than any president before him, George W. has consistently stifled science, censored his critics, and generally abused his position of power.

WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE was first published in early 2004, prior to the 2004 Presidential Elections. Although Kaplan is clearly disgusted with the "trampling" of "science, policy, and democracy" that she so eloquently describes, she still manages to maintain a somewhat optimistic tone - perhaps because she hopes that the good citizens of the US will vote this schmoe out of office when given the chance. Unfortunately, we all know what happened in 2004. I can't help but wonder if GW would have been defeated if more voters (and potential voters) had read WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE before making their dates with the Diebold machines. Like his evangelical base, Bush is a master at concealing his true goals, as well as the unconstitutional activities he uses to pursue them.

I should also note that Kaplan documents her sources exhaustively. Nothing annoys me more than an investigative piece of nonfiction with a sloppy reference list tacked on as an afterthought (or, heavens forbid, such a book that's completely devoid of any references at all!). Kaplan's "Notes" section weighs in at a healthy 35 pages, making it easy for skeptics to track down her resources and verify her claims. (Yes, it's all true, and it's every bit as scary as it seems!) And, while Kaplan may take issue with Bush's flouting of the wall of separation between church and state, she is herself religious - Jewish, to be exact. She's not anti-religion or an atheist (like moi), but rather opposes Bush's evangelical antics because they're an affront to the First Amendment and are more often than not counter-productive in terms of science, foreign policy, human rights, and democracy.

In the words of one reviewer, WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE is "a truly shocking dossier of recent religious fundamentalist incursions into the soul of American democracy." Every American must read this book - and keep Kaplan's lessons in mind as they head to the polls this fall.

- Kelly Garbato

Kaplan brings up serious points, presenting them in a thought-provoking manner. The downside is that no one will be reconsidering what they already believe on the part of the book. The cover, the title, and the better part of the material won't challenge the other side to rethink positions. While the analysis may be good, it's difficult for casual readers. With no shortage of material it's easily mistaken for a diatribe.

Still, Kaplan provides interesting material, such as one analysis on the President's first year comments on stem-cell research:

"I...believe that human life is a sacred gift from our Creator. I worry about a culture that devalues life, and believe as your President I have an important obligation to foster and encourage respect for life in America and throughout the world."

Kaplan recounts speechwriter David Frum calling this a masterstroke. In response to these words, Bush's image expanded even though in this case embryos were not being sacrificed at all. Kaplan calls this invented science.

The charge that there is 'a culture that devalues life' is stunning in itself. Assuming the implication were true, how is it that one disaster now seems to follow another - from 9-11, to Iraq, to Katrina - all causing tremendous loss of life. We haven't seen losses like these in many years. It becomes painfully apparent that humans aren't as vulnerable to weak values as they are to weak minds.

This author was right on! It will take you back to those dark days -like it or not!

Since I didn't go to school in suburbia I didn't see this in high school but there would was girls in the neighborhood that were talked about this way. It seems sad that a young woman who is outgoing and prematurely has a woman's body gets treated so badly. Then again, in high school lots of people get stuck with labels. You either have to get over it or live the life others try to give you.

I think if woman who were stuck with this cruel label read this book, they would see they are not alone and that could help them get over their undeserved reputation.

...that a whole book could be filled up just talking about sluts. This was a very interesting book. I love books that interview lots of people and include their thoughts so that the book isn't from just one person's point of view but from many. From the interviews, I learned that a lot of girls that are called sluts are nothing of the sort, and that those that are promiscious, aren't usually as bad as the rumours set them up to be. There seems to be a correlation between sexual abuse as a child and either promiscuity or people thinking you are promiscious. Almost all the "high school sluts" White interviewed had been sexually abused. The book also brings to the light this question: What is wrong with being sexual? When people call other people names, whether true or not, they usually do so because either they are jealous of that person or they are scared or ignorant about that person. Teens see big-breasted girls, girls who dress to show off their body or girls who have sex and they either wish they were her or they wish they were with her or they think that sex is a bad thing. I don't mean that I think teens should have sex. You will have to read the book to understand what I mean furthur.

You know, I've had this book for a LONG time, yea...bad me. I really wanted to read this, but something else always seemed to be coming up that NEEDED to be read, and so it kept getting put off. I also really wanted to like and be moved by this book, but something about it just wasn't very compelling.

I agree with much of what the White says, but I think because as she says herself, she as a fascination with the H.S. Slut (as a person and as a cultural image) but no direct experience with it, this reads more like an uninvolved and very shallow examination of this phenomenon.

At the end, I felt like she has said the same exact thing over and over and never really made any serious examination of the subject beyond shallow voyeurism on her part. It's not badly written and I don't think she's reached inaccurate conclusions...but at the same time I felt like she didn't really take this very far, that she really only gives a surface picture of the subject and never really gets down to the meat of it, never really "gets herself dirty with it" or makes any personal connection with it beyond a mild "fascination" with the subject and I thing that really shines through more than anything else about the book.

This book really scared me. I guess it's about bullying per se, but it is also about violence against girls AS WOMEN, just for their sexuality, for the threat of it. In one story a girl is taken outside and tied to a tree and spat on! Girls really opened up to White as an interviewer, and her writing between the interviews is the hightlight.

This is mis-labeled. There is a link from the paperback book to this article. I mistook it as being an online copy of the book, which I need to read for a report for my Psychology class. It is not, and I accidentally wasted 6 bucks on this. It is not a paperback copy of the book; it is merely some random article by some random person. The confusion should probably be cleared up.

This book goes into detail on several commonly used items. The two biggest issues I had with the book are: it's a little outdated, it could use more research on the solutions to reducing waste.

This book is fantastic!! It really get into the details so you clearly understand the path of where things come from. It's enlightening and well worth the money. While educational in nature it is also very interesting. You can't help running around the house looking for someone to tell them what you just read.

Stuff is a terrific exploration of the lifecyle of products and services that we pay for as consumers. This book feeds us info, but more importantly, shows us how to be more aware of what we consume and why. Great exercise for anyone interested in learning or teaching about our environment, (which should be everyone!)

I bought the "HTML edition" thinking that I'd save a tree and burn pixels instead. But the HTML is not the book; it is a very short essay. If you're expecting the same content as what's on paper, be warned.

The book was cool and sad at the same time. I think you have get in to the story to really understand the book. After reading the book I now understand that living forever is not a good thing for some people because your loved ones would die and you would live on forever and ever. Now for some people living forever is the best thing to happen to them. Great book I highly suggest you read it.

Miguel Buitrago
21, March 2007


Tuck Everlasting review


Tuck Everlasting is a wonderful book with a very good vocabulary for describing the story. For example on page 63 Tucks said "You can't have living with out dying. So you can't call living what we got. We just are, we just be, like rocks beside the road." The author of this book is Natalie Babbits. She was illustrating a book and the person who was suppose to write it didn't so Natalie Babbits wrote it. Natalie Babbits enjoyed it so she kept writing.

I thought that the book Tuck Everlasting was awesome. When I first started reading it I thought it was going to be a horrible book. But I was wrong. It turned out to be an great book. The part about comparing the tuck house and the Fosters house was great you could really see the difference between the two familys. The part that I didn't like was the comparing life to a ferris whhel a little too much detail.

My Review
I like the book because it was like a mystery finding tree gap and finding the water from the spring .At the end of the book it was sad because I thought that Winnie was going to live instead of die. I would like to live forever because I want to travel the world and do anything and learn new languages. I like the book because it was interesting and mysterious it was a really good book. I didn't like the part when the man in the yellow suit when he was going to tree gap and find the water and tell everybody about the water because the was a secret. I would recommend the book to other because it's a really good book and interesting.

I thought that tuck ever lasting was a great book because there were parts of the book that would make you understand death is not always bad and it has some twist in the book. There are lots of surprises. I would not want to live forever because you won't be able to see Jesus or god you will be there in till the end of the world ends and the world would seem boring when your done all the things you wanted to do in the world. I like the book because how it describes the sky and light in the story. I don't like the begging that much because it is boring . yes I would recommend this book to others.

I received my copy today and I tell you once I began to read the first 20 pages I have an article that I'm considering and from the one article I now have four. I am soooo glad I purchased the book and plan to pass it on to my granddaughter who is considering writing a romance novel. What an added plus to my library.

This step-by-step guide is an easy read, a wonderful resource for writers. Mainly focused on magazine queries, the text explains much more than how to make a quality first impression with editors. It also teaches how to find and clarify ideas; how to slant them into something fresh and "irrisistible", then how to format them into something a publisher will want to read. Other chapters focus on selling yourself as the author, securing a solid hook and polishing your pieces to perfection. Several sample queries are given throughout the book.

The copy I have shows a copyright of 1987. Amazon lists a more recent date of 2002. Whether or not revisions have been made, I cannot say. If not, then the new printing is more outdated than the old. I rolled my eyes a few times and skipped entire sections because of the obviously dated material. One portion devotes far too many words to encouraging writers to use the proper equipment on their typewriters. Perhaps some authors still use typewriters. They may need to be reminded which type and color of tape to use or which "white-outs" are or are not appropriate. For the rest of us, swimming beautifully in the computer age, a revised and updated version of this book would be appreciated.

Overall Rating: GOOD -- Even better if updated.

It's a good, basic text on magazine and non-fiction book queries and covers the ground well. The writing is straightforward, clean and informative. I was looking for a book on fiction queries and this one isn't it. I wish there had been a subtitle that said what the book actually covered.

Education, continuing education, and refreshers are never too much. This book should become quotidian for any writer that prepares query letters. The percentage of information for magazine article writers slightly outweigh the information for book writers. The tips to aid an author in personalizing the sales pitch were good. The chapters have been colligated under the following topics: Ideas, Writing the Query, Facts and Quotes, Editing and Submitting. There are numerous sample letters that have been proven to work for the author, Lisa Collier Cool.

This literary agent's guide for wannabe' writers is meant to help mostly novice authors persuade people just like her. The book's success is due largely to the plentiful examples of successful letters written by her and other authors. Templates abound, a happy state for any craftsman, not least beginning or intermediate writers.

Its second contribution is to humanize the mythic person of `the editor'. He or she is a busy professional--like many others, one might add--who needs to find good work. Few are large-fanged, drooly, no-monsters. But you do need to put your best foot forward. Collier Cool's little paperback will help you do that.

This book will find a place at your elbow as well-thumbed reference more than as a stirring read.

This is a very appropriate book on African-American studies. In an age when affirmative action has been dismantled and African-Americans relegated to the position of secondary citzenry, this book revives our faith in the potential of academia to offer solutions to problems facing the people of color in society. All scholars should learn from Kim.

There was a march for immigration over the weekend in Los Angeles and there were over 500,000 people there. As I marched, I realized how important this book was. It all came together for me -- how Toni Morrison's BELOVED proved to be African-American scripture. I came to think about how the march may be something similar to that for the Mexican community. We Mexicans are creating a type of scripture. Now, I appreciate Prof. Kim's book more. I am eager to read it again with the new insight.

There is an anti-black bias in academia -- particularly in the study of religion. If you see the recent hirings by Religion Departments in American universities, you can see that blacks were looked over and instead "other minorities" such as white women or a white Jew was chosen as a professor. Minority is a word that is used to disenfranchise blacks and other people of color and give power to white Jews and white women at the expense of the people of color. In such a climate in Religion Deapartments of American universities, this book is important. It shows that black voice in literature should be celebrated. I commend Kim for his contribution to raising awareness of the value of black scholarship.

This is a great book on African-American studies. I was moved by Prof. Kim's article and study on Toni Morrison, a premier African-American thinker of our time. I understand that Prof. Kim is doing further research on Toni Morrison and is working on a major academic monograph on the subject. I look forward to this book!

This is a very impressive book by a Lady Davis Fellow. Lady Davis was a wealthy noble Jewish lady from Britain who funded many charities and philanthropic enterprises. Lady Davis Fellowship still stands as the most prestigious fellowship an academic can hold in the State of Israel. I applaud Prof. Kim to utilizing his research from Israel to produce such creative scholarship to be shared with the whole world. He is like a candle unto the nations.