D Books

I liked the book because I am a history major but some parts are hard to get through. It is a classic however and is a great stepping stone to use when reviewing ancient history

Cornelius Tacitus knows perfectly what the cardinal human characteristic is: `From time immemorial, man has had an instinctive love of power.' And, `the reward for virtue was inevitable death.'
His book is a mighty illustration of the ruthless fight for the top spot: emperor. The ambitious and the wealthy fight one another without mercy. `The truth is that revolution and strife put tremendous power into the hands of evil men.' The vanquished are brutally slain.
For Tacitus, the most important factors in the power struggle are money (`money was the sinews of civil war') and control of the military (`the lesson that an army can create an emperor'). If you could `reward` your soldiers, you could win. However, the legions were not interested in war itself only in looting, plundering, raping and enslaving. `The men wanted campaign and set battles, as the prizes here were more attractive than their normal pay.' The victims were innocent peasants, women and children.
Overall, `Italy found it hard to put up with such hordes of infantry and cavalry, and with violence, financial loss and acts of lawlessness.'

While the `Annals' contain more human touch, the `Histories' are nearly completely centered on military, diplomatic and tactical manoeuvres, followed by terrifying and merciless violence after the battles (`the fury of the soldiers').

This for mankind severe and pessimistic book is a must read for all those interested in the lessons of history and for lovers of great classical literature.

Every now and then a pivotal moment in history is witnessed and recorded by a master communicator. The mid-first century of Rome was such a time and Tacitus was such a communicator. The Histories will forever be a benchmark of good history with its observations on human nature and behaviour along with their impact on history. The historian will do well to read Tacitus not just for the historical lessons but for his approach to history as a record of human activity. While observing and commenting on the human element in history, Tacitus avoids making moral judgements and remains as objective as possible in the midst of turmoil, wars, and rumors of wars. His beloved nation and people were suffering under the barbarity of fratricidal war yet he remains above the madness and records the events with passion tempered with objectivity. His example is one that has remained difficult for others to follow.

A word on this translation in particular - I found Mr. Wellesley's translation very readable and poetic. He seems to have captured the literature value of the text as well as the content. Well done.

Most people don't need a review of Tacitus's work. Most people want to know if a particular translation is any good. With that in mind, I recommend this Penguin edition of Kenneth Wellesley's translation. The translation itself is highly readable, and Wellesley indicates the rare instances where he emends the Latin text in footnotes. Wellesley also uses the footnotes to help the reader keep track of some of the less prominent characters in the work, a feature which is a big help for the non-specialist. Probably the best aspect of this edition is the map section at the end. The book contains 11 maps that include maps of large areas, maps of cities, and diagrams of important battles. Wellesley also refers the reader to the appropriate map through the footnotes. This review makes it sound like the book contains a lot of footnotes, but really there are usually just one or two a page. The one minor defect of the book is that the index only contains personal names. A general index would have made this user friendly book even better. But like I said, this is a great English copy of the Histories.

Reading Tacitus' Annals I oft remembered Thucydides' account of the Peleponnesian wars. An important theme of the latter work was the corrupting effects of prolonged war on the morals and intellect of the Athenian people, who were ultimately degraded so much that they voted the destruction of the people of a small island just because they had chosen to remain neutral. Tacitus, on the other hand, seems to have dedicated himself in this work to examining the corrupting effects of absolutism on the Roman people after the fall of the Republic. He shows how absolute power brought out the worst traits in the character of rulers like Tiberius and Nero, who grew more and more tyrannical with every year on the throne, and how members of the illustruous Roman senate and other sections of the Roman political society turned into a horde of spineless sycophants, informers and debauches. There were still a few honourable individuals, but as Tacitus shows in an endless series of judicial and non-judicial murders, most of these paid the price of sticking to the ancient traditions of liberty and honour with their lives. Tacitus also deals at length with the relations of the Romans with the subject peo-ples. I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that in such passages Tacitus draws a parallels between the fate of these enslaved peoples and that of the enslaved Roman people -the first a slave to the Romans, the second a slave to the emperor and his bureaucracy made up of ex-slaves. Many subject peoples rebelled and some like the Cherusci under Arminius (towards whom he does not seem averse at all) could successfully preserve their liberty against the in-trusion of the Romans. Those Romans who dared defy the tyrant on the other hand, and especially those who could wisely remain independent and yet stay alive, were far fewer, Tacitus seems to imply. Insofar as it demonstrates how closely liberty (including liberty of thought) and morals are intertwined, this work is still relevant today as a central work of liberal humanism.

It is amazing what this tiny little book is selling for, but it is chock full of great information to help the aspiring teacher develop an excellent portfolio and land that job. Lots of helpful tips and examples of many different examples of artifacts to make your portfolio stand out among the rest.

I needed this book for an on-line class. It was cheaper at Amazon than it was in the school's bookstore. I'm really glad I checked for it here. It came within a few days. I'll be checking for all of my textbooks through Amazon.com.

If you have to create a portfolio for your education program as a teacher, I recommend this. It has a lot of good information in it and is very helpful.

This reference guide is an excellent tool for developing your own portfolio at the end of a professional development project. It helps you organize the information in a way that will enhance final publication of your portfolio.

I used this book to help me compile my e-portfolio during my last class of grad school. It helped me decide what was important and what not. If you buy this book, it will help you as well.

A self-described "working class intellectual" with a passion for collecting jazz records and a "flunky gig" as a file clerk in a VA hospital, Harvey Pekar pioneered the literary comic genre. His long-running series American Splendor portrays not caped superheroes with bulging muscles, but the everyday life of an ordinary guy in Cleveland. Pekar's autobiographical vignettes are introspective, honest, and often funny, candidly revealing his flaws and failures as he pushes on heroically in pursuit of love, companionship, and creative fulfillment.

Pekar's realistic dialogue (the characters speak in different dialects, which helps you "hear" them in your head) accompanies a wide range of art styles by a number of comic artists, from the quirkiness of R. Crumb to the stark realism of Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm and the meticulous, photographic detail of Gerry Shamray.

For me, this book was a great introduction to an addictive series. Chock full of amusing anecdotes and musings on everything from race relations in Cleveland to the joy of a good pair of shoes, it's a slice of life in comic book form.

I've been a fan of Harvey Pekar's work for over fifteen years. The first time I ever read his self-published comix, American Splendor, I was impressed by its examination of everyday life. His self-effacing humor grows on those who want more than mainstream comics starring spandex-clad teens with superpowers. Compared with Pekar, Spidey has it easy.

I was happy when this movie tie-in release of his early collected work was published. The everyday brilliance of the real life interactions between Pekar and his friends, co-workers and loved ones merit more attention by discerning readers. It would behoove anyone who cares about the comix medium to claim a copy for their personal reading enjoyment. This volume is not for collectors, but for fans of alternative graphic literature who want more meat and potatoes rather than the visual eye candy of more mainstream publishers.

Pekar has been described as a "working class intellectual" (The Comics Journal), and this label is respectfully accurate. He comes from a generation who grew up devouring a culture that had more respect for intelligence than is common today. Instead of just mourning this trend, Pekar rebels from it in true beatnik fashion. His long-time association with R. Crumb (who drew the very first American Splendor story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story") attracted other artists within Cleveland as well as from other locations as the series has progressed.

The everyday heroism of Pekar working a civil service job in order to create his vision of the potential of graphic literature comes through in every page of this collection. I am glad that there are other collections and issues of American Splendor that are available. It would be grand if future generations of comix fans could gravitate around the work that Pekar has never tired from creating. Even at the worst of his lymphoma and chemo treatments, he has never quit observing and relating the drama of everyday life.

i own i think every american splendor collection book there is, and this one is my favorite. there's a few in particular that really blow me away (the one with pekar wondering around a park, reflecting on his past marriage, his present, and whether there is a God is spectacular). there are a wide variety of artists, from the goofy robert crumb drawings to more serious ones. there are certainly weak points IMO, but not as much as in the other collections. while "the quitter" is his most consistent i've read so far, there's no replacement for finding a really cool comic collection like this and reading through it, finding a bunch of random pekar stories and seeing which ones you enjoy best.

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar is the largest published collection of the comic series, containing the complete text of American Splendor and More American Splendor. With an introduction by R. Crumb and art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Drumm, Val Materick, and Gerry Shamray this is 320 pages of a classic American comic.

Pekar's work is a cerebral approach to the comic medium. Many of the panels have no dialog and only illustrate the external while the text reveals the thought stream of Pekar's mind. His ability to portray the inner workings of his thoughts, in a humorous and sympathetic manner, is the key to the success of his writings. The comic is a working class version of Seinfeld with a populist self-made intellectual as the leading character. Yet there is a Existentialist angst to this work that puts it in a class by itself.

This collection of Pekar writings from the 1970s and 80s was issued on the heels of the film "American Splendor," and it collects some of the best of Pekar's earlier work. Although not exclusively chronological, the presentation of the material gives a good idea of Pekar's life from his post-high school days through his meeting and marrying Joyce Brabner. (For a strictly chronological memoir, see Pekar's recent The Quitter.)

In the later Pekar work, the centerpiece of much of it is Pekar's obsessive-compulsive anxiety. But a lot of this work focuses on what might be described as Pekar's existential anxiety: his terrible loneliness, his anger and alienation, his dark reflections on the meaning of life, his desire for recognition, his regret over wasted opportunities and adolescent hubris, and his worries about future contingencies (financial security, illness and death, old age). The Pekar who comes through in these pages isn't the lovable crank of the film. Rather, the person who comes through is the outsider, a self-educated man, extremely knowledgeable in literature and music, who disdains a "normal" lifestyle and seeks freedom through nonconformity. Perhaps the finest single piece Pekar has ever written, "I'll be Forty-three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)" speaks to all this. The collection's lead story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story," in which Pekar winds up asking "Who IS Harvey Pekar?" is a perfect set-up.

Of course, there are also lighter moments in this collection. Mr. Boats (wonderfully illustrated by R. Crumb) appears here a couple of times, and he's always good for a bit of gently funny homespun wisdom. "Mrs. Roosevelt and the Young Queen of Greece" and "On the Corner: A Sequel, June 1976" are touching pieces about the bittersweetness of memory. And the penultimate story in the collection, "Common Sense," would make even a dyed-in-the-wool misanthrope love humanity.

Highly recommended.

Excellent resource!!! I found it useful at work the first day I
received it.

The item was just as described. Very fast shipping. Would do business with again. Thank you!

This book is a great refrences book for medical staff professionals. I work in a hospital and when ever I need to find out dosing, stability ,or even description of a intravenous medication it's in this book. Also this book tells you all about how to store IV medication properly. This book really helps me alot. It's also a great resources for pharmacy school as well.

I am a pharmacist with the Cleveland Clinic and need to have a reliable, thorough, and handy reference available at all times. This book is one of the best resources I have come by thus far in my career. It is a must have! Quick and easy look up to a wealth of organized information. All hospital pharmacists should not go without it!

As a hospital pharmacist, this is the book I have at my side at all times. Gives important information on infusion rates, stability, and usual dosages and concentrations. This information can be found elsewhere of course but I have been accustomed to looking here first.

It wasn't until after I majored in sociology that I actually got around to reading the works of Perter L. Berger, although I had studied many works citing his, and Thomas Luckmann. This book is in my opinion the very best introduction to sociology I have read. Berger has a unique ability to articulate the fundamentals of sociology, the "sociological perspective" that has often been misunderstood and underappreciated in the world of the social sciences. This book is important to read by anyone in the social science fields, either sociology, psychology etc. Even if you have studied sociology extensively already, this book is still worth reading. Berger's dialectic theory of social reality construction is explicated, and also he discusses implications like existentialism of Sartre and other philosophical issues. A great book overall!! I also suggest his other books too, they are all great!

Each new sociology student must read this book during his or her first year into the discipline, and each sociologist must read this book (or the notes he made in the past about it) once every couple years. Peter Berger wrote one of the most compelling treatises into a social science, bridging theme with emotion, intellectual associations, nice metaphors and analogies and a wealth of humor.

The first chapter ("Sociology as an individual pastime") stands alone as an excellent introduction to the science of society. Berger invites us here to a party where the sociologist meets with a plethora of intellectuals and finally succeeds to transcend as a different and respectable member of the scientific community. If something, this chapter alone is worth the reading of the book. Shoots at the American academy coherent with Berger's (and ours) admiration for Thosrtein Veblen are combined with an un-dissimulated hate for all complete non-critical systems of belief, including organized religion, 20th Century communism, free-market capitalism and psychoanalysis. The tendencies known in the field at the start of the sixties are only deepened now, and so the critical words Berger throws at statistical reductionism are completely current: "in science as in love a concentration on technique is quite likely to lead to impotence" [p.13]. What there isn't to love in that?

At the same time Berger is preoccupied to maintain values and beliefs far from the scientific logic of a social science. How you can be a humanist if your values must be maintained outside of your field of competence? Well, sociology teaches us about the relativity of institutions. Freedom is considered to be inscrutable to science, but given the sociological perspective, it can be reached. So sociological thought is indispensable for the possibility of a free existence, and so becomes humanist in front of the supposedly unbreakable laws of social reality. Given that this is only a "perspective", this knowledge about society could also be used against or fellow men, and Berger is completely aware of that in an epoch so close to the age of totalitarism.

What an awe-inspiring book! Peter Berger presents a detailed description of what it means to study sociology, to be a sociologists, and how sociology can change the world. As an college student majoring in sociology, I found Berger's book to be phenomenal in its analysis of a world requiring sociological thought. After reading the book, I was once again reminded why I chose to study sociology in the first place.
This is a book for anyone who wishes to further understand the facets of the discipline of sociology, or to understand the dedication of a sociologists. Berger seems to present the idea that we all can be dedicated sociologists, in the hopes to understand why things are the way they are.
A facinating book that should be read by all! I was blown away and I will keep An Introduction to Sociology by Peter Berger upon my shelf as one of my greatest reads. A real treasure, one that opened my eyes further to sociology, to an understanding of social structures, and of myself.

Even with bright students (I am assuming some I have had are among the bright) there are problems with this book. It was a required text for my Sociology course in my student days and I have a fondness for what it did to me in leading me on to PB's "The Social Construction of Reality". SCR is clearly too difficult for most students and Invitation is much more accessible. Still, I have found students to be aghast at some of the expressions that clearly place it as a book of the sixties. On the other hand, I have not found a more accessible book that describes the postmodern point of view -- the view of sociology -- in as successful a way as this one. I therefore present it along with an explanation. It would be great if Peter Berger readdresses this invitation to new students with an update that incorporates politically correct language. The change in perspective is a tough experience. It would help if the language used were not an additional barrier.

I am still looking for a new book that will do the same thing to new students that this book did to me.

Before reading this book I was not a sociology student. After this book I realized that we are all students of sociology, some better than others. The better ones live in more freedom, more understanding, seeing through walls of the fortress that our society is. Everything looks so normal, until you start to dissect.

This is a short book, PACKED with information. Berger's English is superb. It flows naturally with creative sentence formations and use of vocabulary.

If you find yourself discouraged, you may skip the first chapter. I found it least interesting of them all. Chapters following are great and will keep you glued to your reading chair.

Yesterday I was having one of those "I need to have an attitude adjustment sort of days". My parents are both deceased, my mother having been buried the week of Christmas in 1988. I get sort of melancholy this time of year, and without meaning to, can slide into a "funk". Anyway, it was that kind of a day. I was looking for something in the bottom, deep drawer of my desk when I came upon Tim Richardson's book, JUMP STARTS. I had actually forgotten I had it. I read the table of contents and knew IMMEDIATELY the place I was to begin reading: Part Seven: Life Teaches Us Lessons in Attitude Adjustment! Yesterday I read "The Sun". This morning I read "Music in the Morning". Thank you, Tim, for the gift of your book. Thank you for writing it for people like me. And I thank God, who always in His timing, knows who or what to put in my path. It was no coincidence that I came across your book yesterday.

Inspirational and thought provoking vignettes. There's no reason NOT to read this book.

It was fun reading Tim Richarson's book, JUMP STARTS. I'm glad Tim has such insight and glad the proceeds go to such a worthy cause. Amazon.com is wise to carry this book. I know it will be a big seller. Businesses would be helped by including this book in their training program.

Tim Richardson displays insightful and inspiring stories in his book, Jump Starts: Wit and Wisdom to Jump Start Your Day. Tim captivates the essence of what it's all about.

Yesterday I was having one of those "I need to have an attitude adjustment sort of days". My parents are both deceased, my mother having been buried the week of Christmas in 1988. I get sort of melancholy this time of year, and without meaning to, can slide into a "funk". Anyway, it was that kind of a day. I was looking for something in the bottom, deep drawer of my desk when I came upon Tim Richardson's book, JUMP STARTS. I had actually forgotten I had it. I read the table of contents and knew IMMEDIATELY the place I was to begin reading: Part Seven: Life Teaches Us Lessons in Attitude Adjustment! Yesterday I read "The Sun". This morning I read "Music in the Morning". Thank you, Tim, for the gift of your book. Thank you for writing it for people like me. And I thank God, who always in His timing, knows who or what to put in my path. It was no coincidence that I came across your book yesterday.

Seriously this book is great! It was wonderful ideas for the garden, crafts, the seasons, herbal stuff. It is just fun, cool, great!

Heather mama of 5

I purchased this book for my 7yo son because we do use a lot of herbs at home. He likes the book very much but my 4yo dd LOVES it! She loves making the recipes, learning about the plants and how they work, and hearing the stories. It has become her favorite book. I love the recipes as well since they are wonderful to give to children. I can't recommend this book enough.

Reviewed by Juanita Watson for Reader Views (4/07)

Lesley Tierra's book is just as the subtitle suggests, "for children of all ages." This fantastic herbal showcases 16 commonly used medicinal plants that could realistically form the core of a home herbal pharmacy. It is truly a great introduction to the world of herbs.

I adore Tierra's original stories for each herb which will stretch children's imaginations while connecting them deeper to the spirit of each plant. Lesley pays special attention to warnings where indicated, explains specific doses for children, and includes a convenient quick guide to treating illnesses (matching symptoms with herbal remedy).

Beautiful drawings adorn nearly every page of this book bringing each and every page to life. As an adult I appreciate the visual aspect, so I can only imagine that children will fall for them too - maybe even color in some of the bigger pictures adding an artistic element to the book itself.

Tierra's includes sing-along songs for each herb (with accompanying sheet music), as well as a vast array of crafts, projects, activities and herbal recipes. This author hasn't left anything out, and it doesn't surprise me knowing her background and the 15 years spent researching this book. Tierra is a nationally renowned practicing herbalist with family and friends in the herb world, many of whom somehow contributed to this book.

The thing that really stood out for me about "A Kid's Herb Book" is the way the author attempts to connect the reader (parents, children, and ultimately, that inner child within all of us) with the amazing life force found in herbs. This book is a timely bridge that serves to unite the heart of each reader with the natural world in fun, useful, creative and joy-filled ways. I feel that this is what makes "A Kid's Herb Book" unique in comparison to many other herb books on the shelves today.

This is a good book and my son and I both enjoyed the fairy tale-like stories in each chapter about how the herbs came to be known for their healing qualities. There are a lot of recipes and activities for each herb but it's not what I personally was looking for. I was hoping there would be more different kinds of herbs listed and what they are used for.

I found this from an EarthWalk class that I sometimes volunteer for. A 4th grader showed this book to her teacher who in turn showed it to us. I wrote down the name and bought it a few days later. Why? Because it is really informative and done really really well. I'm new to the whole outdoor, edible herb thing so I feel like I could use a kid's book to help teach me (it even has sections for me to color!) :-)

I really love the layout of this Bible. It is very easy to read and understand the commentary. The tabbed version is great as well. I was happy to find it's notes come from a literal 6 day Creationist point of view, but sadly, I'm sorry to say that the author is a Calvinist Babtist, Cessationist (does not believe that Gifts are for today). This is evident in the interpretation of certain OT and NT scriptures. Unlike others have stated, DR Morris DOES have a personal opinion about these things, and is not just basing the commentary on other scripture. Well, I love the Bible and Pray for Morris to live in all of God's goodness he has for him :)

I am very impressed with this study Bible - gives wonderful commentary information on many subject to give a better understanding of certain text. I do have a few disagreements; however, as I don't believe there are any mistakes or contradications in the KJV and only misunderstanding and limited knowledge on the readers part. Docy

The Defenders Study Bible by Dr. Henry Morris is THE BEST Bible I have ever owned. I have been a Christian for most of my life and I own several different study Bibles but they all pale in comparison. Why? Because they compromise the word of God. In most of my other study Bibles, they make you doubt Gods word, especially in regarding the creation in Genesis by adding that the creation could have occurred over a longer period of time.

Dr. Morris verifies the six day creation with other bible verses. He doesn't rely on his beliefs, he relies on other scriptures for verification. The Lord would not need longer periods of time to create the world because he did it right the first time and does not need more time to let things "correct" themselves. He is a perfect God and he created a perfect world in six days. Why would God say six days when he meant something else? This is where faith plays a vital role in reading and interpreting the scriptures. You either believe God means exactly what he says or you don't. Satan compromised the word of God to Eve and look what happened. God means exactly what he says. Exactly.

Another plus is the scientific analysis of creation and the great flood. He describes using other scripture how the flood occured and the effects of the flood on the world scientifically. It really strengthens Gods word.

Having this Bible in the King James Version is comforting also because it is as close to the original Hebrew and Greek text as we can get. There is no interpretations. I compare verses from this Bible to my other Bibles and the changes are dramatic and sometimes entirely different. To me this can be dangerous.

In Job, some of my Bibles change the words Behemoth to Hippo or elephant and Leviathan to Alligator..... Now I have never seen a hippo or an elephant with a tail the size of a ceder tree, and I have never seen an alligator have smoke and fire come out of his mouth and nostrils.

I recommend this Bible and all of Dr. Morris' other books to all Christians, both new and old.

The Morris footnotes are as conservative as Schofield's, but much easier to read and understand, and less dispensational. Neither I nor my minister and missionary friends can fault the doctrinal position of Morris, who believes that the Creator of the universe was able to state exactly what He meant, and able likewise to preserve His word for us today. Morris, the author of the standard text on creation, offers scientific background to dispense with the modern myth of evolution, enabling those who believe God rather than the humanistic fantasies of Darwin ample and irrefutable arguments for God's truth. A fine gift or presentation Bible, I received mine from my church when I trusted Christ as Savior. One of my missionary friends has won many souls to the Lord with his copy - may God grant you and I the grace to do the same with ours! There is no version of the Scripture that I can recommend more highly, especially now that the John R. Rice reference Bible seems no longer available. Signed, a redeemed sinner

Bonus points for the larger type, easier to read than a lot of other bibles. Extensive notes that defend the accuracy and infallibilty of the Bible. A must have for anyone who is serious about studying the Authorized version of the Word of God.

How different would Leni Riefenstahl's life have been had she not filmed Triumph of the Will? One can only speculate what films she would have directed and starred in after World War II were it not for Hitler insisting she do the film.

Riefenstahl has been referred to as a Renaissance woman, and she most certainly was. She was a creative being and expressed her creativity in dance, acting, directing, photography and ocean diving. These five areas, spanning her entire long life, are the subject of this sumptuous coffee table book.

Editor Taschen Angelica is to be commended on compiling this life-work on Riefenstahl while Leni was still alive to assist in the selection and arrangement of the photographs. The segment on the mountain films is worth the price of the book alone, but the color images of the Nuba are also amazing.

Riefenstahl's revenge against those who denied her her cinematic craft after World War II was being able to live to 101, and seeing her life-long accomplishments compliled into this book. Rumor has it Jody Foster is at work on a film project about Riefenstahl. One hopes Foster will get it right and cover her entire life, not just the years that caused so much controversy.

A biography in pictures of arguably the most influential female film-maker in the history of the medium...though all too many people in the industry are afraid to admit to it. Made the greatest propaganda film in history (unfortunate choice of subject matter) and the most important and influential sports documentary of all time (Olympia). Dancer, actress, director, producer, still photographer, underwater cinematographer...an astounding list of accomplishments driven by a desire to perceive and record the world around her has compelled Leni Riefenstahl since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Oversized, handsomely produced volume (typical Taschen quality) is packed with rare photographs and fascinating commentary. Note: sparkle in eyes of 19-year old dancer and 99-year old legend is exactly the same.

As gifted as she is controversial, Leni Riefenstahl's "five" lives are imminently fascinating as this impressive book will prove! Even to the uninformed or casual observer, this edition will entrance. A great addition to your library, especially if you are impressed by the 102 year old dynamo who continues to prove filmmaking and photography as an art form. A living testament to the fact that "bodies in motion, stay in motion!"

A biography in pictures of arguably the most influential female film-maker in the history of the medium...though all too many people in the industry are afraid to admit to it. Made the greatest propaganda film in history (unfortunate choice of subject matter) and the most important and influential sports documentary of all time (Olympia). Dancer, actress, director, producer, still photographer, underwater cinematographer...an astounding list of accomplishments driven by a desire to perceive and record the world around her has compelled Leni Riefenstahl since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Oversized, handsomely produced volume (typical Taschen quality) is packed with rare photographs and fascinating commentary. Note: sparkle in eyes of 19-year old dancer and 99-year old legend is exactly the same.

The striking front cover on this book is a publicity still as Junta, in the movie "The Blue Light" 1932. As impressive as the cover is, it gets better when you open it to reveal hundreds of artistically shot photos. Dr. Ruth says bigger is not necessarily better. However in this case it is; something about the size of the photographs add to their striking appearance. Most are in grainy black and white with some color sections. This book is just a wee to large to fit in my oversized bookshelf. So I am making a larger shelf to display the books front view.

Just as you assume that this is a great coffee table book you will find that there is more too it. Luckily the pictures are not cluttered or distracted by alpha pneumonics. All the descriptions are in a separate section. The title of the book is appropriate as it portray s the different vocations of Leni. (Dancer, Actress, Director, Photographer, Diver)

This book also enhances the viewing experience of Leni's films.

THE GERMAN CENTURY.

A very moving book. I knew Joel from a distance, all we would say is "Hi" to each other. Nothing more. Reading this book should be a school requirement. It does not get any better. What a fascinating man he was. He will be MISSED!

Who ever suspected Joel Siegel led such an interesting life? I couldn't believe all of the experiences he wrote about and the funny insights into his family. He included a chapter on Yiddish words which was informative and amusing. Of course throughout the book was the touching message to his son.

A man, approaching fatherhood late in life finds that he has cancer. What can he give his very young son that would impact the child's life. This book is Joel Siegel's legacy to his young son.

It could have been overly-sentimmental or morbid. Instead it is funny, profound, and deeply moving. Those of us who have faced the same eventuality that Joel Siegel has faced, will find great wisdom here, and solace.

The only quibble I have with the book, is that there are a few chapters that seem to have been added to flesh out the size of the book. A chapter on Yiddish phrases, for example, seems a bit "fluffy," though quite funny.

In all, a wonderful legacy for Dylan... and us all.

This book is a treasure in the fact that a man who has a young son (who should have been his grandson) at that age realizes that he may not be around to share all of these stories and this valuable insight to Dylan in person, and he put in print the things he would have told him (maybe) had he been a young father. The last twenty-five (27) years were a trial for him, as they were for me, as a divorced woman with a son the same age at the time of the divorce. You feel that you've just got to be there to see that son grown, then get on with your life.

He is funny. The Jewish jokes were okay, and the one he had Bobby Kennedy tell about the price of meat was okay, but this whole book is written in the joking way he thinks. Serious times about lowering the flag to half-mast on the UCLA campus the day JFK was assassinated. He was there when brother Bobby died and heard the shots. He and Dylan's mother lived in an area of New York where they were able to watch the Twin Towers burn on 9-11. This is history he passes down to his son in intimate terms.

He writes fondly "some of my best memories of my father are of him laughing while he and I watched TV. We didn't go to movies much; most families didn't in the early '50s." My sister Evelyn took me to my first movie about that time (before she ran off and eloped, ending up spending the rest of her life up North) and I marveled at the beauty and splendor of Tennessee Theater. I don't remember the movie, but I will never forget how I felt looking up at the mural on the interior dome. In the middle and later Fifties, I went to many movies there and even sang in a local talent show on that stage. It was no big deal.

As a film critic, he explains that movies are a fraud and goes into detail about how they are made. But, those he chose for viewing with Dylan were a varied and motlely group, not my choices at all. He tells how old he was when he saw them and how he felt. He dishes the dirt about some of the big movie stars. The index is full of big names. You think of one, he has met him or her and has a funny anecdote to share. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, I can understand why he would want to explain to his son what is happening and why. Since he is such a funny man, I guess he would choose the Marx brothers' films. I did enjoy Groucho on the t.v. game show!

Of course, he wants 'I Love Lucy' and 'The Honeymooners' to be available for Dylan to enjoy and share a few laughs. His remembrance of live t.v. in Los Angeles, 'Time for Beanie,' brought back memories of 'Your Startime' hosted by Bob Lobertini for me as I was one of his regulars, and later he had a 'Popeye' show in Nashville where I took my sons. He told them on the air that he and I had appeared on t.v. together in Knoxville; that was stretching it -- he was the star, I the adorer.

During the 1958 Winter/Spring, one of my best friends was the young Jewish usher, Joe Feldman, at the Tennessee Theater. I had moved to the YWCA to finish high school and, that Easter, he took me to eat Easter dinner at the S&W Cafeteria on Gay Street. I still have his senior picture from Young High School.

Dylan is a darling child and so much like Ken Young when he was younger. I sincerely hope they will share many good times as he grows up -- and away. That time will come before you know it.

There are no athiests in foxholes or in an oncologist's office. Siegel, an entertainment critic for ABC's GMA, faced a terminal illness, and created this story of his first 58 years of life. (He passed away on June 29, 2007 at the age of 63).

At the age of 54, Siegel became a father for the first time and learned that he had cancer. In "Lessons for Dylan," Siegel shares all the things he wants his son to know, in case he is not around to tell him, things about his family history and Jewish heritage, life's pleasures and disappointments, the challenges of growing up (at any age), and, most important, who his father is and what Joel values. As Joel and Rabbi Larry Rafael discussed, Joel wants his son to be normal (but not average).

Siegel was born in East Los Angeles in 1943. His Romanian Jewish grandmother survived the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March 1911. (Her father banned her from going that day.) His father, a Levite, was an electrician, and he got the first African American and the first Mexican American into his local IBEW union. In 1965, Joel delivered a bag containing $800 in cash to a minister named Martin Luther King at a UCLA luncheon. ("Dr. King, I've come with dessert.") He ended up spending the Summer working for King. Siegel says he invented the names of several Baskin Robbins flavors, including German Chocolate Cake (my favorite) and Pralines and Cream. Siegel was nominated for a Tony Award for his work on a musical about Jackie Robinson. Siegel was a joke writer Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and witnessed Kennedy's assassination in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He is co-founder (with Gene Wilder) and president of Gilda's Club, a non-profit support facility for cancer patients.

Only Siegel can make the story of his chemo sessions and a colostomy funny. Siegel candidly writes about the end of his marriage (his third) to Dylan's mother and the experience of having cancer. The famous ad man and partier Jerry Della Femina bought pot for Siegel during his chemotherapy. Siegel also shares great stories from show biz (featuring Orson Welles, Marlene Dietrich, Paul Newman, Brad Pitt, Stevie Wonder, all four Beatles, and more); lays out the History of the Jewish People in Four Jokes ("Why make trouble?"); and offers fatherly advice on sex ("ask your mother"), work, what to cook for Rosh Hashanah (recipes included), and a list of movies he would like to see with his son.

One of his letters:
Dear Dylan,
One day you might remember--maybe triggered by a photograph, or a sense memory of a texture or a color--the soft, grey cashmere sweater I bought for you for your second birthday. As an adult you may wonder, "What kind of schmuck buys a cashmere sweater for a two year-old boy?"

The answer is: A schmuck who tempts fate.