C Books

John Maxwell wrote a timely book on how to plan your life. No detail was left unturned in this book. John helps you define your purpose, where do you want to go, how far can you go, how do you get there from here! Then he helps you see your full potential by asking simple questions: What should you pack for your journey, how to handle detours, are you there yet. He than introduces the concept of helping others get to their dreams in route to your dreams. Is it a family trip, who else should be on the journey, and what should you do along the way! John than beautifully ties a bow on the book by asking what you like best about the trip.

This is a great book for planning the rest of your life. Again, I buy it by the case and give to everyone involved in any type of business! My way of helping others grow as I grow myself. A must read!

A popular leadership speaker and prolific author, John C. Maxwell has a great deal of experience in the process of personal growth, and he communicates it well. This book, published as The Success Journey in 1977, is a useful step-by-step guide to plotting your journey to success, right down to the thoughtful exercises at the end of each chapter. Maxwell does a nice job of mixing the personal and professional sides of success and encouraging you to redefine it. His definition is that success is following your true purpose and living up to your dreams and potential, rather than just accumulating wealth and possessions. The book is quite a fast read - probably because a good portion of it is devoted to quoting others - and its evangelical tone may not appeal to all readers. Maxwell also makes frequent use of catchphrases, which help fill a page but say little. We recommend this book to ambitious individuals looking for guidance on creating and following a workable, actionable life plan.

I am definitely a John Maxwell fan. This man is truly gifted and knows how to communicate so all can understand and benefit.This book was great but even better if read as a sequel. Don't get me wrong this is a stand alone book by itself but I am glad that I first read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. The 21 Laws is much more dry and technical while this book is personal in its application. You will better understand the process by first knowing the driving principles.There are several excellent lists that are explained in detail but my favorite is entitled, "How to Take Others for a (Life Changing) Ride. #2 states to , "Limit Who You Take Along". This one explanation alone is worth the book. It should prevent burn out and minimize disappointments.Page 177 has a chart on communication styles and the results. He applies this not only to the business world but to the family unit as well.I particulary like the chapter, What Should I Pack in My Suitcase. This will help me redeem my "downtime" as I travel. This guy is a genius.

The Roadmap to Success is by far the best motivational book I have ever read. It was the first book that I have read by Maxwell, and since then I have read four others. He teaches us a new way to think about success. Clearly stated success is: knowing your purpose, growing to reach your potential, and sowing seeds to help others. It is amazing how much better you perform and how much more you enjoy life when you view success through this framework. If you have been successful so far in your life, this book will help reinforce any doubts you have about your choices and reaffirm the actions you have taken. If you are committed to growth and development then this book is a great start to helping you put aside your fears to get the most out of your life. If you are closed minded, resistant to change and generally a pessimistic person this book is not for you. While those people that continue to make excuses for their failures or the way their life turned out will never succeed, those who have the right mindset and follow Maxwell's advise will surely go far in life and reap the beiefits and joys of success.

The following is what I liked best:

The section on Goals
They MUST be activities that are: written, personal, specific, achievable, measurable, and time sensitive.

The Quotes:
"You can not make any progress when you are facing the wrong way." & the another one by Charles 'Tremendous' Jones who said "The only difference between the person you are today and who you will be in 5 years come from the books you read and the people you associate with."

The Benchmarking idea:
To attain success you should ONLY pick 3 to 5 areas to work on & grow in at one time.

The section on Choices:
In order to make progress it will involve 3 choices: to gain something, to lose something, or to trade something
and when you choose: pick the former rather than latter:
Achievement over affirmation
Excellence over acceptability
Personal growth over pleasure
Future potential over personal gain
Narrow focus over scattered interests
Significance over security

And finally the Laws on Developing others:
Take someone with you: "There is no success without a successor"

Rating: Strong Buy

This series is great and this was another chapter in the ongoing story of Maturin and Aubrey. Their adventures are of another world and provide a great contrast to other books.

This entry in the Aubrey-Maturin seagoing saga was probably my least favorite that I've read so far in this series. My quibble was with the novel's plot, which was pretty thin and derivative of other action novels and movies. And Diana Villiers, Dr. Maturin's love, is starting to remind of the character of Irenee in The Forsythe Saga. Everyone is always talking about how fascinating she is, but darned if I can see why. On the plus side, as always O'Brian serves up amazing historical details and makes Jack and Stephen witty and real. And the on-going story of their lives advances to a very eye-opening and surprising ending. So you can bet I'll look forward to the next installment of this series.

The focus is on Stephen Maturin in this seventh installment of the Aubrey-Maturin series, which, though it isn't the best or most exciting of the first seven books, is still a ripping good read. Returning to England following their escapades in North America, Aubrey and Maturin try to settle into life at home -- Jack with his family and Stephen with his scientific pursuits -- but their pasts catch up with them, compelling them to join forces for a spur-of-the-moment mission to the Baltic. Will they succeed? Will they overcome the old problems that dog them? And just who is the surgeon's mate? Read this tale of spying, diplomacy, and (of course!) naval combat to find out.

Patrick O'Brian's scope of imagination is staggering. We are now into the seventh book in his series, and Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey and surgeon/naturalist/spy Stephen Maturin continue to find themselves in realistic-yet-dire circumstances of a personal, military, and intelligence nature. Through it all, these two characters never seem like invincible juggernauts, but instead very human, very capable men living by the best their wits and luck can offer.

At the outset of the novel, Aubrey and Maturin need to flee the New World for the old, but find themselves hard-pressed to do so. Thanks to Dr. Maturin's single-handed destruction of French spy networks in Boston (including a wee bit of murder), a wealthy intelligence figure hires ships to track down the fleeing Maturin. The result is a thrilling chase off Nova Scotia and the nearby waters - while I prefer Aubrey's sinking of the Dutch 74 the Waakzamheid in "Desolation Island," this chase is one of the most thrilling in the series so far.

And the joys of this novel don't stop there. O'Brian once again finds various ways to inject humor into his novel. Dr. Maturin hits a personal and professional high (as a naturalist) when he gets the chance to address a body of learned scientists in Paris . . . only to bungle the presentation horribly. Aubrey allows himself to be seduced by a wanton woman while celebrating his escape from the jail in Boston, and is confronted with news of the natural biological result of such a transgression. Maturin and Aubrey are accompanied on many of their adventures in "SM" by the Swedish captain Jagiello, a supremely attractive young man, and Aubrey finds himself at a loss as to why the women fall all over themselves for this young buck when they could have a sailor "with the handsomest set of whiskers in the fleet." There are joys in this novel that you just don't find in most swashbuckling thrillers.

But at its heart, "SM" is an adventure yarn, and O'Brian does not disappoint. In a story that sweeps from the New World to Paris to Denmark to the infamous Temple Prison back in France, Aubrey and Maturin find themselves thrown from one pan into another fire. And God bless them for it!

Confession time. THE SURGEON'S MATE is the fifth book in the "Aubrey/Maturin Series" of seafaring novels that I have completed; however, it is the seventh book in the logical series order. Having subscribed to receive the entire series, I began reading the books in the order that they arrived, assuming that the publisher would send them in proper sequence. Such turns out not to have been the case, and some of my discontent with other volumes I have reviewed derived from the fact that I had missed some events because of reading the books out of order. Allow my experience to stand as evidence that, for maximum enjoyment and even comprehension, these books should be approached in their logical sequence.

I have now edited those earlier reviews to correct any misstatements as to the books' places in the sequence of novels and have removed comments pertaining to missing events that actually were addressed in preceding volumes. Nonetheless, I find that my overall assessments of the books remain unaltered. I feel that Richard Russ (Patrick O'Brian's real name) is essentially a "three star" author. When he writes of naval engagements aboard men-of-war, sloops, frigates, and the other fighting ships whose maneuvering capabilities are largely at the whim of the prevailing winds, he is a most engaging author. However, when he delves into the interpersonal relationships of his characters, he is less successful in engaging his readers.

Two other continuing weaknesses in Russ' writing are his heavy use of now-archaic seafaring terminology that often clouds the meaning of the passage and his frustrating lack of time transitions. The first problem could have been alleviated by judicious use of explanatory footnotes. The latter could have been corrected by use of transitional commentary. As it is, however, in one sentence, the captain may call for one of his officers, and in the very next sentence he is speaking to that officer. It is as though a time warp has occurred and the officer has materialized next to his captain at the very moment he is called for. This annoying truncation of time appears in each of the five volumes I have read thus far, and I fear it is a weakness to which the author is blind and may well continue throughout the series.

By itself, THE SURGEON'S MATE, while subject to the general criticisms I have mentioned, is, by and large, readable and engaging. Is Russ/O'Brian improving as he writes additional volumes, or am I becoming accustomed to his style and more accepting of it? In either event, I found this volume a much faster and more intriguing read than some of the others I have already encountered. The single most perplexing thing about this book is its title. There is no focus on any "surgeon's mate" whatsoever, and where Russ/O'Brian found his inspiration for the title remains a murky mystery! (Some reviewers have identified the title as referring to the character of Dr. Stephen Maturin; however, he has hitherto been described as being much more than a naval surgeon, being a skilled physician while a naval surgeon was essentially limited to chopping off shattered limbs. If this is indeed Russ/O'Brian's intent, then his choice of title essentially demotes Maturin from his former position, which is not, I think, the author's intent.)

If, gentle reader, you are determined to read the entire Aubrey-Maturin series of novels, you will certainly not want to miss this one. However, you will perhaps enjoy it most if you have read the preceding six volumes first. On the other hand, if one is interested in merely sampling Russ/O'Brian's work, this would not be a bad example to choose, although I would still suggest reading at least the first work, MASTER AND COMMANDER, before delving into any of the succeeding books, including this one.

We originally bought this book in the late 80's. It sits in our bathroom and gets more use than Uncle John's! It has insightful problems that often don't require the use of math. The problems often seem common sense, but OUCH! It's like those game shows when you know the answer must be the one that's outside the box. Of course, then the next problem will bite you when you realize you common sense isn't so screwed up after all!

After each problem is an explanation, that's easy to understand, usually less than a page, and is usually explained in such a way that you will say... "DOH"!

The same real world problems your physics teacher made seem SOOOOoooo Hard and complicated to solve/understand will suddenly be lit with a hundred light bulbs.

As I said before, this book sits in our bathroom, is constantly read and doesn't need a calculator next to it. Although some of the solutions do use math, this book breaks them down into simple math problems.

As for the 1 star review by the scientist. That indicates how great this book is. A book with a description of "..cleverly designed Q and A book for physicists of all ages." may be an indicator that the problems do not require a background in calculus.

I love the way Epstein explains things in everyday language and examples. He uses simple drawings and does not use mathematical formulas!

An excellent low-math book that covers many everyday concepts in physics, allows anyone to think through everyday problems and gain experience in thinking without doing calculations or sitting through endless ball-rolling-down-ramp labs. It shows ways that physicists and scientifically literate people think about physics problems in general terms. I've seen it on many shelves- grad students, postdocs and professors, teaching or not, since my undergrad days 25 years ago , alongside Art of Electronics, Jackson, Halliday/Resnik , and a book of integrals. Fine for junior- and high school students, and even younger with parental guidance. Many kids have sensible questions about why e.g. a bike stays up or who you really wouldn't want to run into on a football field, and the answers to them, and nice sketches too.

The other reviewers have given this book excellent ratings, but I must differ. As a scientist, I approached this book with high hopes, but it fell far short of my expectations. It is poorly organized and written in a haphazard fashion, jumping around without any continuity and without the development of common themes. Furthermore, the author confuses his units -- to pick only one example, he uses pounds (lbs) for both mass and force. This may seem too particular, but confusing units is truly inexecusble in the world of physics, at least if you want to think about physics in an exact manner. Finally, there is very little in the way of demonstration of basic laws of physics. Newton's laws get mentioned only rarely, and the mathematics are not explained adequately. The author relies far too much on the reader's physics "intuition," rather than actually explaining the mathematics or physical laws behind the illustrative (or not-so-illustrative) situation.

All in all, this book is a patchwork compilation of random physical scenarios that may have interested the author, but do little to illuminate physical laws or enlighten the reader.

This book by Epstein is one of my better investments for secondary school (or undergraduate/graduate) physics books. Although I do not use it as a text, I have taken advantage of the problems posed within as warm-up questions to engage the students on the topics at hand(in addition to the hands-on demonstrations.) My students can really get fired up by some of the classical problems and the illustrations that accompany every questions within. The answer keys are highly intelligible as well as entertaining.

However, do not underestimate the questions as merely for the beginning students of physics: they are far from that realm. Some of the questions are challenging enough even for the professional physicists, and in fact even for Newton himself.

If you are intrigue, go buy it.

I read this book to my students. But before I had read it myself, I shared it with my students. It was very emotional for me. (I have a cousin listed on the wall. His son was born about 4 months after he died. I could see my uncle walking his grandson there.) The book was a beautiful, moving tribute to all those who have given their lives in Vietnam.

Being a "baby boomer" from the Vietnam era, I think this book will help explain to my grandchildren about Grandpa and his war time. It is beautifully illustrated and tender. I wish I'd had this book when I went to see the Wall with an 8th-grade girl who made an etching of her Grandpa's name. It may not mean as much to anyone who hasn't been touched directly by the Vietnam war, but it touched my heart.

The Wall by Eve Bunting is an incredible story of remembering. It all starts when a little boy and his father visit the Vietnam War Memorial. The father, who wishes to find the name and remember the good times with him, takes a piece of paper and and pencil and traces the name off of the wall. The little boy, who just wishes his grandfather was there with him, sadly watches another little boy and his grandpa on a walk. This book about rememberance will make you sad until the very end. Eve Bunting does a great job setting the mood at the Vietnam War Memorial. I give this book a thumbs up and believe it's the best children's book ever. Read The Wall by Eve Bunting to find out what happens in the end.

Loosing a relative can be tough, especially if your close to them, or too young to ever experience or meet them. All you can do is wonder. The book The Wall by: Eve Bunting, is aobut a dad and his son that go and visit the Vietnam War Memorial in memory of the dad's father, or the son's grandfather that died in the Vietnam War. Eve Bunting describes what happens there from a child's point of view. It is very realistic, and makes you feel like you are really there.
This book not only teaches little kid's lessons, but is good for even adults. IT really took me back and made me think. It made me think of how valuable our lives really are, and when we die, who is really affected by it. Also, it taught me that loosing someone you love doesn't always have to be sad, especially if they have died fighting for what they believe in. So, if somebody you know died, think of the positive side. Reading this book may take you back, and let you think of why they were so special.

The Wall
by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ronald Himler

You should read this book because it's great and it's about someone you will remember and someone you love! The main Characters are the Dad, son, and an old man from war, and grandpa. Dad and his son are trying to find grandpa's name on the wall. The wall is in Washington D.C. They can't find their grandpa's name even though they keep looking up and down.
Dad and his son find grandpa's name! what do you think his name is? The book tells you a note and tells you where the wall is and it is in Washington D.C. it also tells you why the wall was made.
By reading this book you can learn to Keep doing your best, keep looking for what you want, and don't give up. Keep looking for what you love too! What do you love to find that you love so much? What I love to find is my family and my things I love. So if you love to find your family then read this book!!!!!!!!!!


By Tanashia C

This book is far more than its title implies. Yes, it's about animals and plants in the wake of glacial retreat, but it's also a travel guide to ancient lakes and seas, an explanation of the cause of glaciers, and seeing the distribution of life throughout North America in an entirely new way. And as if this weren't enough, Ms. Pielou's precise descriptions are consistently presented in a very readable way.
I've just finished my first reading, and will be reading it again soon. It's a great book.

This is a fabulous book. I have read it twice, will read it again and again. I am not a scientist, have little background in geology, ecology, earth science, don't know E. C. Pielou from Norman Mailer, but for me it has been a page turner from preface to index. I have learned that at 40+ below zero Fahrenheit black spruce trees stop procreating via seeds, turn to cloning,which allows them to survive alpine frigidity beyond all reason. I have learned that maple trees followed the ice north faster than chestnuts because they blew in on the wind while chestnuts had to be carried along by squirrels. I have learned that THE ice age was just the latest, that there have been at least 200 similar periods since Day One, and that the next one is surely on its way - global warming or no. There was a time in Earth history when it rained day and night, week after week, month after month, year after year, for thousands of years. Who knew? Treat yourself to a rare delight. Get this book and don't pass it on until you have read it backwards at least once. -Mike Ameigh

One of the most far-ranging books I have ever read. The first chapter, on glaciation processes, covers an an enormous amount of ground (no pun intended). This book can give perspective on such issues as climate change and on the ongoing rapid change of plant species in North America.

It provided information about glaciation that made me fighting mad about the abuse of glacier images in Al Gore's movie. He is doing no service to us by using specious evidence in support of his views on global climate change.

The author's style can make you feel that you are on the business end of a fire hose, but what a great way to cover a lot of important territory fast.

I love this book. At the beginning the author starts off with a agreeing nod towards the completely discredited Malthus, and I love this book despite that. I'm only two chapters into it and already I love this book. Anyone who blithely thinks that the global warming analysis is completed and that we know all the answers needs to read this book and realize just how dynamic climate patterns can be over as little a period as the past 20,000 years. But reading it requires that the reader put away his science as politics mentality and listen thoughtfully to an amazing story. Did I mention that I love this book?

Science is data-driven. What we know is based only on the data we acquire and its careful interpretation. Debates about climate change often occur in an over-heated atmosphere, with those opposed to the notion that manmade influences are driving the global climate shift often beginning their arguments with the statement that "the climate changes naturally". True enough. Over the 4.6 billion year lifespan of our planet, it's safe to assume that the weather has changed. It is the magnitude of the changes, and their rapidity, that has caught the attention of scientists. The end of the Pleistocene Epoch and the beginning of the Holocene, the past 20,000 years or so, marks the end of the last glaciation, known as the Wisconsin glaciation, and the beginning of the present interglacial. There seems no reason to doubt that a new glaciation should begin. Short term trends, measured in centuries, have varied, with periods of relative warmth and then cooling. The Little Ice Age, which began around 800 years ago and was a particularly rigorous period in our history, seems to have ended with a warming period persisting from the mid-19th century until the 1940s, at which time a short cooling trend set in that seems to have reversed itself about 1970. The trend has been unremittingly upward since then, accelerating in the magnitude of the temperature increase. It is the trends and not individual years that are important. Since we are in the cooling phase of an interglacial period, there is one inescapable fact: the glaciers should be advancing and not retreating. That would be the natural trend. But they are not advancing, they are most definitely retreating worldwide. From continent to continent, everywhere we look, the ice is melting. This is the antithesis of what they should be doing naturally. It is most probably a manmade trend. And that is the worrisome aspect of recent climatic events.

E. C. Pielou has written the finest book on that strange period when the ice disappeared and flora and fauna fitfully returned to the ice-ravaged landscape of glaciated North America. The large mammals, such as mastodons, mammoths, sabertooth cats and giant short-faced bears, were the most spectacular immigrants. The small human population of 10,000 years ago may be to blame for their extinction: another sobering thought. It is the dramatic destructiveness of the glaciers, the titanic changes in the environment caused by natural climate change, and what it takes to reintegrate a pre-ice age biosphere that has changed almost beyond recognition, that Pielou outlines so beautifully. Pielou does not speculate on issues of global warming. What she does do is brilliantly portray the breathtaking magnitude of global climate change. It only requires a little imagination to recognize that if humanity is indeed changing the long-term natural course of the weather, then we are playing with fire. When it comes to the issue of climate change, it is best to ignore the arguments. First acquire the facts: acquire them truthfully and without prejudice, especially without economic or political prejudice. Then proceed from there. This book is strongly recommended for best outlining the facts without imposing an ideology or agenda. And in the end it is the facts that make the issue of climate change so worrisome for thinking people.

Mike Birman

Bought as a gift for a 21st birthday. Will be a memory that he can keep for a long time with a personal message on the inside front cover.

Great gift idea! Would highly recommend

My daughter is 24 years old and she is an aspiring artist. Andy Warhol is her very favorite. I got her this book for Christmas and it is her most favorite thing. She says that the detail that it has is facinating and compelling. One word of advice though...it is one HEAVY book so make sure that you are in a comfortable place to support it while you are reading.

This is a real great (and large ;-) ) book with beatiful reproductions of Andy Warhol. My children love to go through it. It was also for sale on the Warhol exhibition in the "Stedelijk Museum" in Amsterdam last year.

Definitely worth the money!

I've recently got into andy warhol and this is the second book i have by him. The book has stunning portraits/photographs/art thats what i love about andy warhol everything is unique and different.I wasn't sure what to expect with this book however i'm glad that I purchased it.

You also might want to check out "Men - Andy Warhol"

Fantastic pictorial book...worth every penny. If you are a fan of Warhol, this is the book to own. Great prints of Andy's work from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s - including rare prints. You won't be disappointed - it is all here. The dimensions are impressive at 17" x 13" x 2 1/2", and it makes for a beautiful coffee table book that you will be proud to display. The pictures are sharp, both in color and b&w, and many are full-page, including pics of Andy and Edie. Outstanding!

There is simply no better way to immerse yourself in the semifictional London Holmes' lives in. All the rich cultural refernces are listed, plus every minor inconsistency in a continuity line Doyle never did care about. Great reading; adds immensely to the already great stories of Holmes and Watson.

William S. Baring-Gould (1913-1967) was one of the greatest Sherlock Holmes scholars ever. Publishing several works on Holmes publically and privately, this two-volume annotation of the Holmes canon is perhaps his greatest work, and was his last. Published in 1967, the copyright inscription shows that it is held by his widow, Lucile M. Baring-Gould. Baring-Gould himself was a life-long devotee of Holmes in particular, and mysteries in general. He is also noted for the fictional biography of Nero Wolfe, in which he puts forward the idea that Nero Wolfe is the son of Sherlock Holmes, via THE woman, Irene Adler, of 'A Scandal in Bohemia'.

Sherlock Holmes is one of the best known detectives in the world -- so famous in fact, that 221B Baker Street in London continues to get mail adddressed to this fictional character almost a century after he would have died had he been a real person. There are groups of people -- Sherlockians and Holmesians, the distinction between which is rather subtle -- who delight in retelling the tales. There are forever questions and debates about the ordering of the stories; Baring-Gould is one authority often referred to in these debates, thanks to his work on the Chronology of Holmes, used as a framework for this annotated set.

Baring-Gould breaks the time frame into the follow divisions:

- The Early Holmes (1874 - 1879)
- The Partnership with Watson to Watson's first marriage (1881 - 1886)
- Watson marriage to his wife's death (1886 - 1887)
- Partnership until Watson's second marriage (1887- 1889)
- Watson's second marriage to Holmes' disappearance (1889 - 1891)
- Holmes' return to Watson's third marriage (1894 - 1902)
- The end of the Partnership (1903)
- Sherlock Holmes in Retirement (1909)
- An epilogue (1914)

Baring-Gould introduces the series with a 12-part series of essays that look at various aspects of the Sherlock Holmes legend, including foreign translations, translation into stage and screen, and highlights of particular personalities (Watson, Moriarty). He includes a wonderful brief essay by Edgar W. Smith, an early Sherlockian, which asks (and answers) the question, 'What is it that we love in Sherlock Holmes?' In the end, beyond the setting and the culture and the chase, it is the values 'implicit and eternal in ourselves' that we recognise as manifest in Holmes that keeps him an enduring character.

The volumes are the complete texts of all short stories and novels, backed up with an almost equivalent amount of textual annotation, richly accentuated with photographs, engravings, maps, and other graphics (diagrams, coats-of-arms), often taken from Holmesian sources such as journals, playbills, early editions, and even 'The Strand' magazine.

Sherlock Holmes introduces us to a world foreign yet familiar, past yet somehow present -- the stories are very contextually bound yet timeless in almost inexplicable ways, and present mysteries beyond the face-value plots. Baring-Gould's love for his subject is very apparent throughout the over 800 pages of these volumes. Some editions of this book come with a slip-cover.

This is my favourite of all my Holmes books. It is must for any fan of Holmes.

I hope I am not the only one who loves reading Sherlock Holmes but is really annoyed by "Sherlockians" - people who take their Sherlock far too literally - a lot like Trekkies, who take Star Trek just way to seriously. Baring-Gould, it seems, was the ultimate Sherlockian, and this is his masterpiece - a 1500 page annotated, illustrated, and interpreted edition of everything Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I'm sorry, Dr. John Watson - ever wrote about the subject, plus a healthy dose of his own interpretations and those of others.

I can't remember a piece of fiction recieving as much love and attention as the works of Sherlock Holmes. This edition has illustrations, maps, definitions, references - everything. Anybody who checks the actual weather and train schedules from a piece of fiction just has too much time on his hands. It truly is a work of art, marred only by an annoying habit of Sherlockians to take their subject far, far too literally. The biggest problem I have with the tome is B-G's annoying habit of inserting his own opinions as fact. My other major peeve was his organization of the work, which put everything in the author's own chronology rather than in the order in which the books were published. This makes finding anything a bit of a chore.

As far as the new Leslie Klinger three(!) volume annotated edition of Sherlock goes, I have seen it but not purchased them. Again, shelf space seems to be the major problem here, not to mention the $125 price tag. From a brief look-over, it appears to be a more subdued, up to date, better quality edition, but less exuberant and less fun than Baring-Gould.

`The Annotated Sherlock Holmes' by William S Baring-Gould is easily one of the top two or three best examples of annotated popular literature, as good as, and possibly even better than the most famous annotation efforts by Martin Gardner on the major works of Lewis Carroll.

It is not immediately evident to me that the works of Sherlock Holmes need annotation. Unlike the works of Carroll, there are very few linguistic tricks or cleverly veiled allusions to his English contemporaries. On the other hand, over the course of the last 120 years, there has been an enormous body of work dedicated to the exegesis of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. There has been probably more of this activity for works of popular fiction than for the next five cases put together. To my knowledge, there is virtually no similar activity on the mystery novels of, for example, either Agatha Christie or the mystery stories of Edgar Alan Poe, to take two authors who bracket Conan Doyle's' stories in time.

It is worth the effort to determine what it is which makes the Sherlock Holmes stories so popular. One of the easiest ways is to compare Holmes to the heroes of his greatest modern imitators, the lead characters of the CSI series, most especially Gil Grissom of the original CSI show, based in Las Vegas. Both characters are `amateur' scientists in that they apply scientific disciplines to solving crimes, and actually do original work in their respective sciences, in spite of the fact that their primary avocation is `consulting detective'. In Holmes case, this was a profession he invents out of whole cloth. In the case of Grissom and his colleagues, the `consulting detective' profession has become institutionalized in the discipline of forensics, where the crime scene investigators deal with things which are beyond the ken of the average detective.

There is an eerie similarity between Holmes and Grissom in that both are very detached from many normal human interactions. Holmes rationalizes this with his theory of the mind as an attic that can hold only so much information. To add new things, old things must be discarded. For this reason, Holmes is blissfully ignorant of the planets in the solar system, but he is an expert on over 100 different types of tobacco ash. Similarly, Grissom is very poor at office politics or romantic relations in favor of his dedication to the application of entomology (study of insects) to forensics, a subject on which he is a nationally recognized authority.

It should be no surprise if the popularity of Sherlock Holmes stories may actually be gaining in popularity, as the CSI shows go a long way to validating many of the scientific principles and techniques used by Holmes. The most famous may be his search for a very sensitive reagent for the detection of blood residues. This is what Holmes is doing when he and Dr. John Watson meet for the first time in the chemical laboratory of `Barts' (St. Bartholomew's Hospital). Holmes explanation of why such a reagent is important in the investigation of crime is verified on practically every episode of CSI, whether it be in Las Vegas, Miami, or New York City. So, not only are we taken by the fact that Conan Doyle had such a good grasp of criminal investigation, but that he was so astute as to realize that such a reagent was possible.

Holmes elevates intellectual competence almost to a level of magic, using that old chestnut that if the difference in the level of technology between two parties in an encounter is great enough, that higher technology becomes indistinguishable from magic. One major difference between Holmes and Grissom is that Holmes has no modesty about his abilities, demonstrated when he belittles' the deductive powers of Edgar Alan Poe's hero in his famous story, `Murders in the Rue Morgue'.

The value of this annotation also increases over time, as the world of Sherlock Holmes is rapidly slipping away from us. These stories were written when the sun literally never set on the great British Empire, stretching across Canada, hundreds of Pacific Islands, Hong Kong, southeast Asia, much of Africa, and that greatest `Jewel in the Crown', India, where Dr. Watson himself served as a surgeon in the British Army in India. Among other things, that meant that if anything could be found in the world at all, it could be found in London. London's scientific and intellectual centers were among the greatest in the world, so it should be no surprise that the world's greatest `consulting detective' should live in London. In many ways, Sherlock Holmes is a far more believable character than his later fictional colleague, James Bond, since England's fortunes as a mover and shaker on the world stage had fallen far between 1880 and 1950.

So, our pleasure is greatly enhanced by being given copious notes on Holmes' London as well as the science of the day. Also very satisfying are the notes that correlate events in various stories. The whole collection is laid out by the fictional chronological order of Holmes' cases.

The greatness of Holmes' character can be seen in the fact that he is probably the model for over half of the great fictional detectives of the last 100 years. While I am not a great fan of detective fiction, I am certain he was the inspiration for both Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Dorothy Sayers' detective, Lord Peter Whimsey. In fact, the greatness of Dashiell Hammett's and Raymond Chandler's detective writing may be in the fact that they escape the Sherlock Holmes prototype and create a new style of private detective.

This work of annotation is so good, I am hard pressed to appreciate how anyone can fully enjoy reading Sherlock Holmes without these notes. As with the commentary track on better DVD releases of movies, the notes literally double or more than double the pleasure and rereadability of the works.

Very highly recommended.

Awesome is the only word I can think of to describe this particular collection--there is all the novels and stories with amplifing info on particular items in the story/novel you are reading listed on the sides of the pages, ala footnotes (sidenotes?)--and the supplementary info is staggering, with bios of Doyle, Holmes, Watson AND Moriarty, the history of Holmes on stage, screen and in print, 221B Baker Street info, etc.--these sections take up at LEAST the front 3rd or 4th of the 1st volume alone! If you are a Holmes fan, you MUST find and buy this collection ASAP!

First of all, I will say the few things were included on this art book.

- More pictures of Kuja's design.
- Pictures of Queen Brahne in the characters section.
- A picture of Zidane on trance form.
- More data to identify characters, name when possible, place where they are found when not (I am not sure if Puck appears in this book or not, and I have to check the in game graphics to know who other characters are).

That's it. Those are the points that make this book not reach the absolute perfection for me.

That said, I still love what is in the book! There are designs for many characters, even some who are not very important in the story, and there are different designs for the non-playable characters when they have variations in their clothes or hair.

The equipment section and the airship section have lots of details. Those are great for fan-artists!

The section with pictures from the in-game animations has a poster-like selection that will make you remember all those moments from the story.

I'm afraid that everything I say now will sound very fan-boyish, since Final Fantasy IX is my favorite of them all (beating Final Fantasy V, something I didn't thought was possible), so I hope what I have already said helps you somewhat in your decision to buy this book.

I got this book through another online retailer for half the price these U&N people are selling for. You just need to shop around.

I'm an artist, and I have a fondness for the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX was a challenge for me and after beating it, my claim is that it's the best in the series so far. After watching the last cutscene, I knew I had to have this book. I was very pleased when it arrived and have found it useful even today. FF9 is one of the most franchised game of the FF's(second to 7); I wouldn't waste that if you're a fan of it.

It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.

I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.

When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art!

These two CD's are wonderful. Simple message delivered in straightforward manner with humor and humility. I actually am enjoying my morning commute now.

I have been listening to this tape for years, not as a guided meditation, but more as a reminder of strong, important, simple ideas that are easy to forget.


Thich Nhat Hanh has published many books and tapes. This audio CD stands out because in its several hours it covers all the major bases of Zen thinking and practice. When you have listened to it you will have all you need to begin a meditation practice, to understand some basics of Zen or EuroAmerican Buddhism, or advance your existing meditation practice.

The CD includes comments on the importance of being fully present in the moment. ("Present moment, wonderful moment") It goes on to teach a basic but very useful guided meditation, with explanations of each step, so that it is easy to learn and understand. For example, one part has you saying to yourself silently on your in-breath, "breathing in I am aware of a tree," and on the out-breath, "breathing out, I smile to the tree." The words alone don't sound like much, but after hearing the comments, it becomes powerful. The author explains that the tree can be a symbol for all the resouces that are outside my body, that are readily available for me. If there is a tree, he says, there have to be sun, rain, and earth, for example, or else there would be no tree. This thought can be calming as we encounter daily anxieties and sometimes feel that we are not getting enough of what we need: we can look on a tree and remember that the earth has all we need that is important. Enough food, enough air, etc. Breathing in I am aware of a tree, breathing out I smile to the tree.

He also uses this idea to advance the ideas of interbeing and impermanence, but I'll let you find out about those when hearing the CD!

Please don't hesitate to e-mail me with any questions.

I have downloaded audio books by Thich Nhat Hanh in which the sound quality has not been nearly as good as it is on this 2-disc set. If you are not familiar with this Vietnamese monk and are exploring mindfulness training and insight meditation, or just want to learn how to make your days on the planet a more joyful, peaceful experience, this is a great investment. If you are a follower, you will love The Art Of Mindful Living. It contains some of his most core teachings, and there are some beautiful chants included as well. Wonderful opportunities for mindful, contemplative time.
Nameaste

As a Thich Nhat Hanh fan, (tough to say!), this item is a nice addition to my collection of print and audio. For those of you who are tempted to download the audio, be aware that it comes from an Amazon partner, [...] I discovered too late (my bad) that their proprietary DRM software doesn't support my particular mp3 device, a Sansa e250. So I'm going to wind up buying it twice.

Very practical advise & also very creative. I've listened & read quite a few self help books but this is very unique - I loved it! Not heavy handed or preachy - Thich Nhat Hanh's compassion comes through along with his giggle.

This lady has spent years researching ancient techniques and it is to her credit that granulation and woven chain has finally come to America.

These chains are not soldered; they are fused and woven. I recommend you have at least a semester of college level jewelry or several years of soldering under your belt before jumping in with this one. But it worthwhile if you want to make chains that are worthy of royalty, or have a chain for a piece of art jewelry that will do it justice.

This is a workbook, progressing from the simplest and easiest to progressively more complex chains. After the first couple hundred fused links you become pretty adept. After fusing the links, you will learn to weave links into patterns. These are not your ordinary chains. They are strong, beautiful and flexible.

Jean is obsessively precise in her work, so this book is very precise. She goes over what gauges work for which patterns, as well as all the little tips that make a chain look superb. It's a lovely book, very well-written and one to be included in a goldsmith's library.

To get a better idea of the creativity and precision of this lady's work, go to Randy Smith's website: http://www.rocksmyth.com/ and look for Jean Stark's work. Prepare to be amazed at all the lovelies and realize that pictures do not do her work justice, as good as the pictures are. Many of the chains are made with 30 ga. wire, which is not much thicker than sewing thread. Her chains feel like silk.

If you're serious about making fine quality chains, then you need this book. Jean Stark is the guru.

This was just what I was looking for. Clear instructions with photos. A great find!

This is great information with very east to read instructions. Not for the lazy or faint of heart.Great ancient traditions brought back to life.

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains & Their Derivatives is the full title which I find still does not adequately describe the book.

This book is an instruction manual rather than a reference source. The instructions presented have been tried and tested on a number of students, and incorporates feedback from the students. The black and white photographs shown are of the chain work produced by the students as well as the author.

Loop-in-loop is the description of how chains are constructed with each chain link looping within each other to form a chain. Examples of this type of chain are on the front cover of the book.

The classical chains covered in this book are described as single loop-in-loop, side-weave single, single though-bead, basic pinched loop, roman pinched loop, pinched loop with wrapped beads, pinched loop through-beads, basic double loop-in-loop, double with wrapped beads, weave-off double, two-way double loop-in-loop, three-way double loop-in-loop, four-way double loop-in-loop, multiple soldered single, multiple soldered pinched loop, pinched loop with spacers, multiple woven single mesh, multiple woven double. In all 34 chains are described, 16 derivatives of the 18 definitely attributed ancient style of chains.

The main emphasis of this instruction work is on using fine silver and fusing to form whole links incorporating annealing, and then shaping into the links, and then forming the chain. Detailed step-by-step instructions are given on forming links up front, and then each chain has instructions on how to shape the required link, and then form into the chain. This book clearly explains and demonstrates these techniques and processes.

Each chain has a list of the materials needed (in inches and gauges (thickness) - appendices contain conversions) to make it at a given length. These can be used as references for links/inch or used to adjust as necessary to form a necklace or bracelet of given length. An appendix is supplied which gives recommended dowel diameters for the wire gauges for making variations to basic chains. The authors viewpoint is that making chains is an art form, and this book is to develop the students abilities and to encourage their own subsequent development and personal refinement of explained techniques.

Although primarily based on fine silver work (sterling is unsuitable for these techniques - if you solder links that is a different technique), the book does cover how to produce fused chains in 22K gold (including 22k gold metal alloy composition that was used in antiquity and for which these techniques work best).

There is a 25 page chapter on clasps and terminations, cross referenced with what chains they are suitable for, and the chains are cross referenced with what clasps and terminations are suitable.

This book does not have colour photographs. It has diagrams (at enlarged sizes for easier viewing) showing how to form the chain links and join with the next link and or terminate. Black and white photographs show finished chains and/or portions of finished chains. There are no photographs of ancient chains, and very little information on any apart from the detailed instructions on how to make them. Occasionally there are snippets about the existence of such an ancient chain, and even where it is located.

If you do not currently possess silverworking/chainworking tools you will need to purchase them to make the chains in this book, as well as needing work bench space. There are details in the book about what tools you will need, and for the USA where to obtain them. This book does not go over any of the safety aspects of using blowtorches or kilns. Please make sure you have on instruction on these before proceeding.

With the price of silver (and gold) the making of the chains will not be inexpensive, but if you wish to learn how to make a number of chains, this book will explain how.

This is a well organised, well presented instructional book. I would suggest to re-read the two pages covering "Weaving" and "Achieving best results" with "common problems and how to avoid them" before commencing each chain.

i find this book to be a great help when i am desiging necklaces, bracelets and even drop earrings. this is something every jeweler needs in their library.