Journals Books

Paper-Thin Soul Deep is a must read. It will take you through numerous emotions and give your heart a complete thrill. It will suprise you that the journals were written by the everyday men we see in our society today. It will open your eyes and give you a whole new perspective on African Amercian males, fracturing the modern steroetype.

These letters and journal entries ritten by men of color, in the simplist form, offer us the hope we need to tell our own stories. Stories of failure and success, of love kept and love loss. It show the diversity that exist among men of color, while rejection the myth that we are unable to express ourselves.

Blanchard, Shelton, Mims-Goodman and Company should be praised for this gathering of Black men that have spoken so profoundly through the written word on the lives of ordinary Black men. They take us from the hood to academia, to struggles with our sexuality, to the prison world, to our relationships with others, even our grandmothers.

Using several different styles of writing, from first person to narrative, comedy and tradegy, Paper-Thin Soul-Deep is a must read!

I'm giving this book to many friends. It's a great gift because it is well written and it will make you laugh, cry, and question current images of African American males. Although it is not an academic collection of work, it is a valuable tool for understanding African American males from their own perspective.

Although I wasn't enamored by the book cover, I can assure you that this is one of the most powerfully written books I have read in a long time. As I read each of the personal letters and journal writings, I kept saying to myself, "YES! YES! YES!" Finally, there is an opportunity to look beyond the surface to both feel and understand the hearts of African American men. One moment, I was in tears, the next I was angry and then I was bursting at the seams with laughter. The experiences of these men as they write about their relationships with their parents, their children, their wives, thier lovers and themselves have all helped to bring greater clarity for me as I try to grow in my relationship with my beautiful chocolate man. Thanks Blanchard, Shelton and Goodman! What a personal education this book has been for me!

For many years including today, the African-American male has been stereotyped. From the thug to the super star athlete, he has had to endure the labels of society. A collection of letters and journals, PAPER-THIN SOUL-DEEP, allows us to delve into the hearts of African-American men, exploring many emotions on a variety of issues.

Coming from all walks of life, we are introduced to fathers, husbands, brothers, nephews, and friends. From the very beginning, their voices will captivate and inspire you. Several standout pieces include "Father Figure," "Paradise," and "Wings." While each piece is honest, poignant, and relatable, the impact they convey is simply powerful.

Compelling and stirring, PAPER-THIN SOUL-DEEP is a literary gem. It takes you on a journey that will awaken your emotions on all levels. You will laugh, cry, and be touched as you gain true insight from a variety of American-American men. This collection is one that will leave a lasting impact on your soul.

Reviewed by Kanika (Nika) Wade
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

These essays or articles are engrossing reading for the insight they provide into the mind of one of the most fascinating revolutionary leaders in modern history. Thought of by many during his time and even now as a 'terrorist' or gunman, these writings reveal Collins to be a thoughtful, intelligent leader with a far-ranging interest in all aspects of the present and future of his country. Had he lived it seems very clear that the quality of his mind and the compassionate concern he had for his people would have made him as formidible a leader in peacetime as he was in war. His death was Ireland's great loss but he left an impressive legacy.

"Of all the words/ Of tongue or pen/ the saddest are these/ 'It might have been'/". Such go the words of a poet that I cannot identify. But they adequately encapsulate the emotions intended to be evoked by this finely-edited collection of various writings by Michael Collins, the Irish patriot, hero, and martyr (or traitor depending on one's perspective) who led his country's successful war of independence betwen 1919 and 1921. Assassinated during the Irish Civil War of 1922-1923 because of his role in setting up an Irish government not sufficently independent of Britain nor sufficiently encompassing the whole island to satisfy many of his former comrades in the struggle, he never got to be tested as a peacetime leader. Path To Freedom allows us to see the man through his own writings where he emerges as far more than a warrior. Keenly interested in economics and culture, well-informed and articulate on virtually every issue of state, foreign or domestic, Collins' legacy to the reader is to make him/her wonder what would the history of Ireland (North and South) be like -- even the history of Europe itself in the time of a coming Depression and Age of Dictators -- had Collins survived. The renowned modern Irish scholar-journalist Tim Pat Coogan provides a good introduction which is mostly lifted verbatim from his earlier biography of Collins.

It is difficult to top a book on Michael Collins composed primarily of his own words. After all, what better way to peek into his brilliant mind than by reading his words? This book was indeed published to coincide with the release of Neil Jordan's film in 1996, ostensibly to give curious moviegoers a way to better understand Collins before or after viewing the biopic. Tim Pat Coogan's foreword to the book is excellent and shows him in his usual top form. The book's chapters are "Advance and Use Our Liberties," "Alternative to the Treaty," "The Proof of Success," "Four Historic Years," "Collapse of the Terror," "Partition Act's Failure," "Why Britain Sought Irish Peace," "Distinctive Culture," "Building up Ireland," and "Freedom within Grasp." This book sheds light on how articulate, well read, historically aware and insightful Collins actually was. It is too often thought that Collins was a country bumpkin whose knowledge of anything beyond 'murder and mayhem' was quite limited. This simply isn't the case and it becomes apparent almost immediately into the book that Collins was a more than capable thinker. Collins discusses Ireland's tumultuous history, the accomplishments of the Easter Rising, the political events of 1914-1918, the many aspects of British rule, the potential resources of Ireland, and the work of Sinn Féin.

If you are looking for a traditional biography on Collins, this is probably not the right selection for you. _Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland_, the book Tim Pat Coogan excerpted his foreword from, would be a much better fit for that need. If you are already basically familiar with the life and times of Collins, this book will give you a much richer sense of how his mind worked.

Tim Pat Coogan's account of the life of Michael Collins is full of information. The time and people come alive, and you are left knowing a lot more then you started with. This is the definitive biography of Mick.

Michael Collins own words provide a clear and insightful look at life in Ireland circa 1921, delving into the social conditions and circumstance that led to the infamous Black and Tan War. This book helped me see that enormous importance of the independence movement of the time, how Ireland was not even recognized as its own country, and what it meant to finally achieve that status. I could not picture a world without a free, seperate Ireland, its amazing to me that this was the case up until well into this century. Micheal Colins here is addressing the people directly, so you get a head-on view of the realities of the times without a lot of historical or sociological analysis. Thats good, because its better to encounter his words personally, to understand the case he is making in all its simplicity: The Irish people are, now and forever, Free!

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When I told my mom I wanted to write an autobiography and have it published into a "real" book, she got this kit for me.
It was perfect!
Photostory Jr. is like Illustory, except that you can use stickers and photos and can write a little more. You can still draw things, though.
All materials needed are included, except for the photos (of course).
I highly recommend this kit.

My children did the Illustory kits for years but once they got a little older, they wanted a little bit more and this kit is perfect. You can still do drawings with your stories but this kit lets you use photos and stickers (some already come in the kit) and stamps and scrapbook and art materials--just about anything they want to jazz up the pages. We've made books for friends as a birthday gift, we did a travelogue of our last vacation and we've even used them to make an end-of-the-year yearbook for the teacher (everyone wanted a copy!). This kit is so cool and unique--there are hundreds of uses for it!

What began as a light read turned in to an engrossing read. I expected it to be just something to read without becoming too involved but that was not the case. The ending was a surprise but not a complete surpise because of some little hints scattered throughout the volume. It all came together very nicely. I hope Ms. Hunt continues this saga because she left me longing for more.

I started reading Primrose Past on a plane from Dallas to Los Angeles. It was clever and amusing, and I took it to be an enjoyable, light read. As I got into it, and as the story unfolded more and more, I could see that it was "getting to me" in unexpected ways. The people were so real, the challenges and problems were presented boldly and beautifully. I will never casually pass an old graveyard again, and see all the aging and weathered old stones marking the graves, without remembering this book, and the fact that beneath the ground there are buried dreams, promises and love. Buy this book and see what I mean! Kent Perkins, Los Angeles

I read "Primrose Past" in one continuous session. The characters grow as the story flows.

"Primrose Past", beautifully bound, not only provides reading pleasure but also a vivid description of the lifestyles, customs, and traditions of l800 England. A diary, lost for over a century, opens doors to the England of years gone by and the deepest secrets of the girl who wrote it. A truly unique and revealing book.

Primrose Past is terrific. Caroline Hunt has conveyed fully the mind and spirit of an adolescent girl -- her struggle for identity and independence, her drive to develop and demonstrate her knowledge and skills, her emerging romantic and sexual desires, and her longing for family relationships that are mutual, intimate, and special. What a vivid portrayal of this bright, courageous, vulunerable, and likable girl! The story is replete with deft and detailed descriptions of life in England over 150 years ago -- estates (lands, buildings, furnishings, provisions, management, and operations), societal and cultural mores and expectations, and travel and experiences throughout the contemporaneous world. Primrose Past is practically a textbook wrapped in a delightful, intriguing tale. If I were teaching English in secondary school, it would be required reading along with Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I am eager for the sequel!

For her fifteenth birthday in 1848, a young girl living on an estate in Victorian England is giving a diary in which to record her thoughts. She describes her idyllic life in the beautiful English countryside, where her biggest problem is dealing with her annoying little brother. When her parents travel to London, she expresses her disappointment at not being able to join them. Although this girl lived 150 years ago, her feelings and relationships were not all that different from those today. This book seemed almost like a real diary, even though it was fiction. Although this is an adult novel, teenage girls who enjoy historical fiction, such as myself, will enjoy it too. I highly reccomend this book.

M. D. Stuart's honest portrayal of growing up "different" taps into that fragile human spot in all of us that makes us realize that despite our differences, quirks, handicaps, limitations, doubts and fears, we all share the same heart that makes us human. Hers is a courageous, humorous, and at times, impish heart--keen on observation and quick to find the joy of life even in the darkest of times. She has much to teach us.

The book is filled with poignant everyday experiences from which everyone can learn. The simple narative is a perfect means of communicating THE MESSAGE.

M.D. Stuart provides a refreshing view of a world in which physical imperfection is too often used to characterize people without regard to other qualities. This book illustrates that, with the proper attitude, how others judge us need not be how we judge ourselves.

There is no self-pity or moralizing in this book. It recounts the everyday experiences of growing up and living, but with the perspective of someone who has had to deal with issues most of us never will face.

The narrative style appeals to all the reader's senses. Stories about visits to the sea shore in the days before air conditioning was widely available are vivid enough to allow the reader to smell the salt air and feel the humidity. Tales of 1950's visits to a doctor's office in the basement of a house evoke memories (at least of this reader)of similar experiences.

All in all, this is a very enjoyable book. It leaves a pleasant after-taste lasting long after the last page is read.

Fun and easy to read... delightful... poignant... sometimes acerbic... humorous... a reminder of those simpler yet scary times when we feared Sputnik but could ride our bikes fearlessly to the 5 and 10 cent store... a sobering look at how society assigns value superficially, overlooking the ritchness of individuals and oblivious to the pain it inflicts

Collection of stories and lineart that celebrates humanity and the joys of life. You can't help but a find a few stories that touch you very deeply.

Andrew paints a picture in every story - reminds the reader what NLP is all about - and practices in a creative and useful way. A delight and a surprise in every story.

NLP has taken a lot of heat over the years for not being "scientific". It's not! And, with that being said, Andrew shows us once again, that if you are willing to access the right states, NLP can be a tool to work seeming miracles. More than anything, Andrew demonstrates the willingness to adjust as wildly with his behavior as Bandler, Farrley, Erickson, etc. My hunch is that the "magic" is found in the state of the therapist, and NOT in the technique being utilized. That has been my own experience.

This is a most surprising lesson in the unexpected. Andrew comes up with unique and innovative responses that get the person to think, interpret and change. A forward moving book that readjusts your thinking as you read it.Flexibility and freedom from frozen maps of reality breathes life into this work.Thank you for your courage and inspiration.
Tobias S. Schreiber, LPC,CTS

A series of stories from the author's experiences using Neuro-linguistic Programming, as a non-traditional therapist and a nurse in UK trauma, neurology, and children's oncology wards. The author tells stories as provocative as Richard Bandler's (NLP cofounder and legend), with the warmth, wisdom, and wit of Mark Twain. It will appeal most to those interested in or familiar with NLP, but it is accessible and enjoyable for everybody. My girlfriend, who has only a passing acquaintance with NLP, devoured it with great pleasure in the course of two afternoons.

I got this book in the mail on a busy day and didn't surface until I finished it some five hours later, smiling. Full of outrageous stories showing therapeutic NLP in action, this book is loads of fun. Although intended for people already familiar with NLP and/or therapy, it's accessible to anyone. I've read it twice so far and learned lots both times. Prepare to be shocked, to laugh, to change, and to look at the world differently after you're done.

Wilma Keppel, NLP developer

I was hesitating between giving this collection 3 or 4 stars.

It was great to hear Robert Kennedy giving voice to these words, some of which have become quite famous in the years since they were spoken. And it is quite interesting to hear some of the speeches selected--such as the one he gave stepping off the plane after Martin Luther King Jr was assasinated.

However, I think this collection could have been better. There are too few speeches here (I believe 9 of Robert's and Teddy's eulogy) and they are spaced very close together. Would have been interesting to hear some of his speeches over a more extended period of time to see how his thinking about issues or his speaking style evolved.

Also many of the speeches are just presented as excerpts. The only part presented of the famous "GDP" speech is that excerpt--I would have liked to hear the rest of that speech.

Finally, the production quality of the insert is not very good. Brief notes on the context of the speeches are given but the references to the speeches are often erroneous. It would also have been nice to have the text of the presented speeches.

In the end there are not many alternatives to this CD and it does present an overview of the great RFK speeches, as superficial as that overview may be.

When you first listen to this, it takes a while to get into it. The first speech at the 1964 democratic convention has a poor audio quality and RFK takes a while to get warmed up before we hear the famous Shakepearean ode to his recently deceased brother JFK. Some editing would have helped that one. Then we hear RFK give a heartfelt, but sincere speech on the need for young people to repudiate bigotry at Ole Miss in 1966. Still pretty relevant. The 1967 speech on ghetto conditions shows amazing insight for a White man who was born rich.

But the tour de force here is the improvised speech to Black Indianapolis residents upon the assassination of Martin Luther King. I've heard excerpts of this before, but to hear it in what appears to be its entirety is extremely moving and one of the best recorded speeches I've ever heard aside from MLK himself and Nelson Mandela's CD. To hear how RFK was able to speak so sincerely and hopefully on such a tragic occasion will really make you beleive in the nest of human nature and that alone is worht the price of admission.

Next we hear a more measured and formal speech on the aftermath of the King killing recorded a day later. Still worht a listen about the futility of violence, all the more ironic considering that RFK himself would soon become the victim of such violence.

I've read books that complied RFK's speeches, but that does not match actually hearing them. Do youself a favor and get this. Now all that needs to be done is to release a DVD of the 1988 documetnary RFK in His Own Words.

This is a single CD approximately 50 minutes long that provides highlights of some of RFK's best, and most memorable speeches. There are 12 tracks including RFK's speech at the democratic national convention in 1964 and his speech announcing the assasination of Martin Luther King.

This is an excellent introduction to the RFK's political beliefs, and reminds the listener why he continues to captivate the nation's hopes. The CD jacket provides a brief historical background to each of the speeches and is helpful for those with less knowledge of the current events of that time. I would also recommend a compilation of speech excerpts put together by his son Maxwell Kennedy entitled "To Make Gentle the Life of this World." Neither source provides the complete text of his speeches, but they distill the essence of what he offered America in his time.

RFK: In His Own Words gives the listener a taste of the atmosphere during the turbulent and dynamic times of the 1960s. It depicts RFK as one of those rare leaders who had the ability to inspire an entire generation not only in the United States but around the world with his eloquence and appeal for a better life for all. He challenged the way we think about ourselves and each other and sought to close the gaps between rich and poor, black and white. RFK: In His Own Words begins with his memorable speech in tribute to his brother at the 1964 Democratic National Convention and contains several speeches addressing the many societal issues of the 60s, mainly the divisions resulting from racial tensions and the public opposition to the war in Vietnam. You begin to get a grasp of RFK's political views and you witness his maturation as a politician and statesman. From his statement announcing his candidacy for president to his touching and largely impromptu announcement of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to a stunned audience in Indianapolis and his appeal for compassion and love and not hatred and division. It concludes with an emotional eulogy at his funeral by his brother Senator Ted Kennedy that leaves you with thoughts on what could have been if not for the tragic loss of yet another Kennedy brother who has been taken from us at a time when his leadership was most needed.

This book is an excellent compliation of Robert Kennedy's speeches. The speeches give an excellent overview of the times and issues Robert Kennedy was living in and his responses to same. His frequent references to classical literature not only serve to augment his points, but to include the listener/reader in his knowledge base. Robert Kennedy was a man who was universally recognized as a diligent worker and one who not only set, but met personal goals. His determination was evidenced from the football field (where he played with a broken leg in college to secure the coveted Harvard letter) to the presidential platform, where he held his own with some rather formidable competitors/opponents. His knowledge of and appreciation for classical literature is a true nod to his intelligence. He became self-educated in adult life classical works. He also became self educated and personally involved in the lives and issues of minorities and persons living below the poverty line. The contrast between these areas of his self education further emphasize the complexity of this man. Robert Kennedy comes across as sincere in his efforts and his work record will certainly support that finding. Robert Kennedy was by far the most interesting of the brothers of his generation and his work record was exceptional in his tenacity and dogged determination.

Marissa Moss's Dustbowl story is one of the most compelling books I've ever read on the topic. I'm a literate adult, but was shocked at how much I DIDN"T know before I read this book. She packs Depression-era "facts" into a heartbreaking (and ultimately heartwarming) tale of a girl and her family, all rendered especially poignant with charming drawings that accompany the text. The whirling storms of dirt that cover everything with mounds of dirt ("we could tell where it came from by the color: gray dirt from Oklahoma; red dirt from Texas; brown was our own Kansas dirt") are brought to life with the evocative drawings, as well as the well-rounded characters. This book should be read by every child--and adult--in the country, as an essential part of U.S. history. I loved the book, was moved by it, and was sorry when it ended.

This book is about a girl who lives in a house and they live by a farm and all they have are horses and cows and chickens. She is in a big dust storm. They cannot keep anything growing so her mom and dad go out to a dancing contest to see if they can earn money for seeds. They come back without any money. So they join a last man standing club. This club is for people who are having hard times but will not abandon their town. I liked this book because it was based on a true story, and it was from a long time ago. The setting was set in the desert with lots of wind storms and also set during the Great Depression.

This book was alsome. It puts me in her place. I can get in to alot of books but this is the book that it gust took a little bit to read it. It might be little but it is good. We could have done alot of other books but i picked this one. I'm all so reading two other books. It is about a girl in the gret depresion she has to clean ever day. She lifes with her mom,dad,and her brother. She and her panters and her friends have to live in the sand storms. My reflection is i would recmond this book to other people that have to do something on the great deppresson. OR if you just want to read it for fun. The story elements are where the story takes place in the dester. the point of fewe is that the worst can happen.

I liked it because I really like the Amelia stories (also by Marissa Moss) and learning about the Great Depression. They finally came together!

Rose's Journal is one of Marissa Moss' best books yet. It is both a vivid picture of the Depression era and a moving portrait of an individual child. Rose's relationships with her family, friends, farm animals and land are delicately, poignantly, and even humorously depicted. The narrator's soulful and childlike drawings leaven the serious text; her words are also enhanced visually with real photos of the time and drawings of her brother's comic strips. A humane, creative, refreshing and vivid way to present history to children.

Anna Politkovskaya's "Russian Diary" is a gold mine of information and provides unparalleled insights into Putin's Neo-Soviet Russia.

Many believe that Politkovskaya was murdered for her indepth investigative reporting into all aspects of Putin's regime. In this book she makes it clear that Russia is rapidly sliding into a dark and deep abyss.

Politkovskaya reveals the rampant corruption prevalent in the Russian government and its total disregard for the Russian population, human rights, and basic democratic principles.

"Russian Diary" is a first-hand account of the growing power of Russia's criminal community and its alliance with Vladimir Putin, the rampant greed and lawlessness of the new Russian business elite, the unbridled brutality of the Russian security services, and the gross incompetence of the Russian military.

Politkovskaya believed that Russia was headed for another major war in the Caucasus against the mountain peoples it has been terrorizing and murdering for the last decade.

This is a sad and depressing story that is all too familiar to those with firsthand knowledge of the Soviet Union and Russia.

This is a riveting account of a life constantly in peril. The translation is equally outstanding, conveying both the "conversationalism" of a "diary" and the formality of the more essential elements.

For those who care about Russia, it is hard to put this book down. It is a compelling read. However, one cannot help read "A Russian Diary" without an overwhelming sense of sadness. We know how the story ends. The last entry in the diary was made in August 2006, and soon thereafter Anna Politkovskaya life ends, murdered by unknown assailants in Moscow.

The profound nature of this loss comes across on every page of this book, as Ms. Politkovskaya carefully and without flinching describes contemporary Russian society, warts and all, as perhaps no other journalist left living can. This book brings the reader a first-hand look into the tragedies of Dubrovka Theater and the school siege at Beslan. And also chronicles the seemingly endless war in Chechnya. She asks hard questions of the Russian government and its apparent failure to manage these matters.

As great of a loss as the death of Anna Politkovskaya is, her dairy is a reminder of perhaps the greatest tragedy and missed opportunity in the last quarter of a century. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia had the opportunity once and forever to move into the family of democratic states. This book documents that although there are elections, this has not really happened, not even close. What we have now is a tightly controlled state governed by an intelligence oligarchy with a fondness for the Soviet past, which has restricted rather than expanded civil liberties and workers' rights. These restrictions have been justified in the name of protecting national security and the promotion of state controlled capitalism. "A Russian Diary" documents how the Russian people are languishing with a government seemingly disinclined to tackle the serious social welfare problems that are besetting the country.

This book is commentary on the Russian government, but it also asks tough questions of Americans and Western Europeans. What could they have done differently to nudge Russia toward a democratic direction? Is it too late? Are we destined to regress into a more perverse version of the Cold War, with a Russian government mistrusting the West once again, but now empowered by oil and gas revenues?

I hope that is not the case both for Russia and the West. However, without Anna Politkoyskaya alive to point out the deficiencies in the Russian government and the shortcomings of the West, the unthinkable becomes possible.

As a person who has worked in Russia since 1988 till now I have seen many changes and many era's. I have also a Masters Degree in Russian History. The truth is always frightening, what Politskaya writes is the truth and she paid for it with his life, I have witnessed some of what she writes but as my Business is still in Russia it's better to stay quiet. A frightening expose in 2007!! May she live on in memory.

A Russian Diary: A Journalists' Final Account of Life, Corruption and Death in Putin's Russia - By Anna Politkovskaya

It's fashionable these days to describe a book as "important.' While most aren't, Anna Politkovskaya's "A Russian Diary" is. As one of Russia's most influential journalists until her assassination, presumably by the KGB, Politovskaya chronicled dissident protests, suspicious fires and "accidents" and other examples of Putin's heavy-handed regime
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Some of her most impassioned writing came from Chechnya, which she characterized as "a small corner of hell." She wrote of the tragedy at Beslan, where dozens of school children were murdered. To this day, some of the victims have not been identified, because the tragedy was not a priority of the regime.

And she documents Putin's systematic retrenchment and repeal of many of the reforms enacted by his predecessors, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Clearly, in the words of chess champion-turned-politician Kasparov, "Russia is a police state."

She writes: "What speed! The President has already signed the law abolishing the election of governors. It has been our fastest ever passage of a law, and all so that from January 1 Putin should not have to discuss matters with the governors or worry that they might be uncooperative. A Tsar should have serfs, not partners."

Like the KGB defector Alexander Litvenko, who was poisoned in London with radioactive polonium (again presumably by the KGB) , Politikovskaya paid a terrible price for her honesty.
She was murdered in Moscow on October 7, 2006-- Vladimir Putin's birthday.

My 18 year old suddenly became the philosopher and wanted to explore new thoughts. This is a good, thought provoking collection that he thoroughly enjoyed.

First, I am assuming the essays in the Oxford edition are sufficiently similar to the LibertyClassics edition (the latter a far more elegant paperback and includes "Essays Written and Withdrawn"). Second, these essays (including one on how to write one in the L/C edition) are more in the tradition of Montaigne, Marcus Arelius, and Emerson, to cite some exemplars of the tradition, meaning that these essays are not as logically rigorous as his "Treatise on Human Nature," "Essays Concerning Human Understanding," "Principles of Morals," and "Natural Religion," but are more an astute and empirical observation of what causes pleasure and satisfaction versus what causes discomfort and uneasiness. This emprical motif permeates all the essays.

The "moral" essays are a continuation of Vol. III of his "Treatise on Human Nature," and "Principles of Morals," and contribute to how our "tastes" and "utility," rather than apriori logic, delimit and describe moral ideas and ideals. His "political" essays are the most prominent among the group and are often prescient of subsequent developments, clearly anticipating a more democratic society, but they often come across as antediluvian, despite Hume's analytical dexterity and his compassionate motivation. The "literary" essays are the least in number and the most impotent of his contributions. Not that they lack value or interest, they simply lack novelty or new understanding. All his essays have an empirical bent, which should not surprise anyone familiar with Hume's other works.

Many of these 48 essays have perennial value, while others are clearly cotemporaneous with his time and place (mid-18th century England). In either case, they contribute to our understanding of the period, while making perspicacious observations about subjects that are both endearing and enduring. The LibertyClassics' edition uses current locution and spellings in Caslon 540 typeface on durable, acid-free paper, making Hume's lucid and elegant prose an even more attractive presentation. Highly recommended.

Written in the highly polished Augustan prose style of the period, this is a fine selection of essays from the pen of the great Scottish philosopher, historian and economist, David Hume. The essays range from aesthetics, commerce, history and ethics, which include such pieces as "The Epicurean", "The Stoic" and "The Sceptic" (Hume's own credo) all which are rather curiously positioned and excellently written guides to living. "Of the Immortality of the Soul" and "Of Suicide", two of Hume's most controversial essays touching on theological topics, are also included in this volume. Both succeeded, with their bold, original arguments, in outraging the British clergy, which helps us to understand why Hume decided to have them published posthumously.

Hume is known today primarily for his seminal philosophical works. He regarded himself, however, as a man of letters who contributed to many areas and he was known best to his contemporaries as a historian. This nice collection of essays displays the breadth of Hume's interests and his well developed writing style. Hume was particularly interested in essays which would bring important topics before a broad public and wrote in an accessible and often entertaining style. Some of Hume's best known essays on philosophical and religous topics are included in this collection. What may be of greatest interest are some of the lesser known essays which display both the versatility and the power of Hume's intellect. Included are essays on economics and international trade, and also some political theory. Hume was an opponent of mercantilist ideas, supporting the largely correct notion that trade would enrich all parties. His political theory is particularly interesting. In contradistinction to the widely accepted ideas of the time, Hume suggested that republican governments could be stable if the size of the republic was large enough to encompass enough competing groups to prevent one from assuming complete control. It is known that James Madison read Hume in the period leading up to the Constitutional Convention and many scholars suspect that Hume's ideas were the germ of the defense of republicanism/federalism developed by Madison in the Federalist Papers. A momentous idea with momentous consequences.

This comparatively short book consists of extremely well-selected essays by the great Scottish philosopher and historian, on everything from public credit to delicacy of taste. Also included are the different classes of philosphers, including the class Hume falls under, The Sceptic (Hume's sp.). There is also an exceedingly interesting essay on the populousness of the world in ancient times. Apparently, the accepted notion at Hume's time was that there were hordes of people in ancient times and that our race has been dwindling ever since. Hume, on the other hand, proposes the radical notion that just the opposite is the case, and sets out to prove it quite handily.-Overall, the best introduction to one of my favorite writers that I've yet to read.