Reviews Books

What this fun, engaging book lacks in depth, it makes up for in breadth. I did not find this especially helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of the changing roles that strong female characters have been playing in popular culture in the past several decades, but no book I know can match it for its range and scope. I've done a great deal of reading about women in the movies and on TV, but this books goes way beyond that to show how women have appeared in a vast array of media during recent years. I give the book 4 stars instead of less simply because it provides an incredible services by calling attention to strong women in a number of areas that have been neglected in previous surveys. Nonetheless, I think the book can at best serve as a jumping off point for further work. But by helping map out the areas where strong women can be discerned is an invaluable service. It was very close to being a near complete cataloging of the most important female figures in popular media. There were a few minor omissions, but as far as I can tell only one major one: the inexplicable failure to mention FARSCAPE, the show above all others that not only features multiple strong female characters but places these in a non-patriarchal universe. No show I know engages gender issues so interestingly and few female characters on TV are as pertinent to the authors' discussion as Claudia Black's character Aeryn Sun.

This is also one of the more lavishly illustrated books that you can ever hope to own. There are photos on nearly every page of the book, many of them full page.

There are, however, a number of problems with the book. First, the sheer breadth means that nothing can be discussed in much depth. I was ecstatic when the authors bring up Third Wave Feminism (many TV critics look at shows like BUFFY or DARK ANGEL and describe them as post-feminist, when in fact they are better understood in the light of the Third Wave), but not much more than that is done with it. Still, kudos for bringing that up at all! More troubling is the utter lack of critical distinction in bringing up all the various "Amazons." The brute fact is that many of the shows and movies mentioned are just flat out awful. CHARMED is discussed as well as BUFFY, with no indication that CHARMED is critically reviled while BUFFY is by consensus one of the masterpieces of television. BLADE: TRINITY, ELEKTRA, and CATWOMAN are mixed in with THELMA AND LOUISE and BLADE RUNNER, with no mention that the first three were universally trashed. There is a long discussion of Linda Carter's turn as WONDER WOMAN, but no mention that 1) the show is bad and 2) Wonder Woman on the show is distressingly subservient to men and spends most of her time trying to make her boss look good. I can fully understand a discussion of Xena in a book like this, but there is no acknowledgment that the show has always been a cult favorite, but has been universally considered a not very good show, while she doesn't by contrast bring up the enormous critical acclaim of BUFFY, ALIAS, and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.

Finally, there is that term "Amazon." The book wants to celebrate the various warrior women in popular culture, but roping the majority of the women into that category is a bit of a stretch. I absolutely love Emma Peel in THE AVENGERS, but I have a lot of trouble viewing her under either the category of a warrior woman or an Amazon. A very strong female character? Absolutely. But I think the book stretches conceptual categories a bit more broadly than is advisable.

Nonetheless, I definitely recommend the book. The panoramic scope outweighs weaknesses. At the very least it has mapped out the terrain to be explored in any discovery of strong female characters in popular culture.

The image of the warrior women has been a staple of the movies almost from the beginning. Scantly clad, or perhaps in a skin tight suit, these women have fought the bad guys (or been the bad girl) in movie after movie. Here is a profusely illustrated (400+ pictures) description of the female in some 150 (many not well known) films. Here is Wonder Woman and Batgirl, Princess Leah and lots of pictures of Xena.

Along with the pictures is a discussion of warrior women in history, myth and literature, and a from this a discussion of how they have been portrayed in film over the past forty years or so.

This is a discussion of an aspect of pop-culture that has not been covered very well in the literature. It's most interesting to see this aspect of films covered in a serious way. And the ways that the depiction has changed over the years.

Co-authored and compiled by Hollywood film experts Dominique Mainon and James Ursini, The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen is a profusely illustrated compendium of the actresses and the roles they played as fighters, warriors, and combatants in the past fifty years of filmmaking. Ranging from iconic image of Raquel Welch in the prehistoric adventure fantasy "One Million Years BC"; to Pam Grier as the first African-American woman in such films as "Coffy", "Foxy Brown", and "Sheba, Baby"; to Lucy Lawless' six-season portrayal of "Xena: Warrior Princess"; to Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in two "Tomb Raider" movies; to Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in the sci-fi "Alien" adventures, to the women who have played vampire slayers, superheroes (and villains), as well as assorted television, cartoon, comics, and video game fighter characters in the various movie action/adventure genres. The Modern Amazons is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, film school, and community library Film Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

This is really a fun book to look through...lots of photos and interesting history on the development of 'power girls' in TV and film. It covers old TV shows (Sheena, Queen of the Jungle), movies (One Millions Years BC) all the way up to 'Kill Bill' and 'Xena, Warrior Princess.' An illustrated filmography and alphabetical list of warrior women finish off the book. In some ways, this is more of a 'guys' book - chock full of scantily clad women. But interesting nonetheless. Also Fun to see how each decade's fashion/style influeneced the wonder-woman look. Female superheroes were definitely a little meatier back in the day.

After briefly citing some references to women warriors in ancient mythology and history, the authors with broad backgrounds in film studies and popular culture note their book does not speculate "about the possible existence of Amazon women in the past, but rather document[s] the proliferation of the warrior woman archetype in popular culture, film and television in particular." An encyclopedic filmography and another back section on women warrior movies and television series records the varieties of this proliferation. Used loosely, the term woman warrior encompasses not only women warriors like men soldiers, but also women detectives, science-fiction characters, prehistoric humans, cowgirls, spies, martial arts experts, athletes (e. g., "Million Dollar Baby"), and more or less ordinary women who at moments accomplish extraordinary feats such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Though such extraordinary women characters transgressing the conventional image of women can be found in films from its beginning in the early 1900s, the overwhelming majority are from the post-WWII years with the numbers of films increasing exponentially in recent years as gender roles have weakened and popular interest in the potentials for women has grown. The approach is to classify the categories of "warrior women" and discuss the women characters and the films or TV shows in each category. Like the term "warrior women" itself, the categories are loose. But the aim is not strict definition, rather recognition of the expansion and diversity of this genre involving unconventional, in many cases quite imaginative women characters. Photographs on almost every page picture the women in their various costumes or engaged in their exploits.

This book is magnificent! It's wonderful to read & the photos are fantastic! This is the perfect gift for both movie-loving adults & kids who will be transfixed by the almost full-page photos! Zach Zito, Michael Lederman & Mel Neuhaus have crafted a perfect homage to most of the greatest movie monsters...They immediately remind you of why you loved the films you've seen and entice you to watch the films that you haven't seen yet! I can only hope that the authors will publish more books like this, in the future!

It is obvious that Zach Zito has thoroughly researched this subject and he knows it well! The pictures are classics and evoke great memories of unforgettable monster movie moments! The behind the scenes facts and trivia will more than satisfy all you classic monster movie fans. Keep on writing Zach! We're looking forward to your next one!

It is obvious that Zach Zito has thoroughly researched this subject and he knows it well! The pictures are classics and evoke great memories of unforgettable monster movie moments! The behind the scenes facts and trivia will more than satisfy all you classic monster movie fans. Keep on writing Zach! We're looking forward to your next one!

Zito, Neuhaus and Lederman have written a book with beautiful photos and graphics and lots of fun facts for classic film fans. It is very entertaining and the film synopses are detailed enough to please hard-core film buffs, yet straightforward enough for novices. The authors obvious love for their subject is infectious.

It is obvious that Zach Zito has thoroughly researched this subject and he knows it well! The pictures are classics and evoke great memories of unforgettable monster movie moments! The behind the scenes facts and trivia will more than satisfy all you classic monster movie fans. Keep on writing Zach! We're looking forward to your next one!

This is the best, most extensive book on Native American crafts for children I have ever seen. Teachers doing a unit on Native Americans will find this book a tremendous resource for creating all kinds of not authentic, but good semblances of Native American crafts. Using mostly ordinary materials, there's enough here that you can create a classroom museum and invite others to see it. In your display you can have: miniature teepees and wigwams, an "adobe" house, pottery, "bark" boxes (made of brown paper), chamois and bead pouch, coup stick, breechcloth, leggings, grass anklets (made of yarn), warbonnet, headband, breastplate, and much more. These clothing items can also be used in a play or other enactment. In addition, there are some interesting recipes, including: corn soup, steamed clover, fried squash blossoms, roasted pumpkin seeds, and other more familiar foods.

In planning Native American Stand for a day camp...this book is awesome. Has wonderful games, crafts, foods etc and it breaks it down into which tribe was known for each...very educational and a wonderful resource.

I am a K teacher and I found this book a great resource for my Native American unit. It has so many activities for that could be used at any grade level! I learned many new things and loved that the children were making and learning about actual Native American games, garb and food. They loved it!

This was the most valuable toolwe found to help my 3rd grader make her diarama herself. The directions are clear and simple, she was able to build evereything herself. A MOst, Great!

More than Moccasins is this homeschooler's dream come true. Homeschooling a six year old, who is also a very hands-on learner, this book fits the bill. Each section, from Indian dwellings to pottery to traditional games, has activities that are fun and EASY TO DO! Very general household items can be turned into bakeable clay for pottery, teepees, etc. So many books with crafts require tedious materials that are difficult or cumbersome to obtain. Plus each section has a bit of information and history on that particular area of Native American culture ~ short enough for the younger set but detailed enough to provide accurate historical information to go along with the project. There are MORE activities, games, crafts and recipes than you could ever do in an entire unit. This is a book I will return to over and over. GREAT JOB!

This book was actually fun to read, the scenarios were challenging, and made you really think about patho-phys. The situations were not the "typical" EMS scenarios, to be honest, some of them were rather difficult and complex. As a review for the NEMT-P test (I took my re-test two weeks later), I am not so sure of its value. The NREMT-P test tended to be very detail oriented and about "what step comes next", while this book tends to be "big picture". A great education tool for any level paramedic, but should be used an an adjunct to another testing review source.

This book offered a good review of each chapter and had multiple case studies after each review. A great buy!!

This book is written in a case study format that helps practicing paramedics and paramedic students focus on the presenting signs and symptoms of various illnesses and injuries. In addition to that, each case is followed by a number of questions that one can use to study each illness or injury that is covered in the text. Having been a practicing paramedic for almost a decade, I have found that this book is a great way to refresh some of the "not so common" things we in EMS may be called upon to see in a refreshing, new way. I used this book to prepare for the National Registry of EMT's Advanced Level Exam Oral stations and found it to be wonderful. I'd recommend it highly as a source for teaching scenarios for EMS educators as well.

This is an excellent refresher/review for Paramedics. I like it especially since it teaches/refreshes by giving about 50 patient scenarios. You get to do the assessment, then flip the page and see how well you have done. What is also cool is that the book provides a follow-up paragraph that describes the final outcome for the patient.

This is good to review for your paramedic test, even if this is your first time. It has a little review at the begining of each section and then it tells a case and asks questions with the answers on the next page. I think it is a good book.

Excellent book for recertification. I have not practised pure neonatology now for over 8 years, and yet I scored 89% in recertification exam, more than I scored in the PICU recertification, which I practise daily.

I was initially guided to buy this book by one of the reviewers here.

This review book of neonatology covers the subject well, primarly with a series of lists that are organized in accordance with the various body systems. These lists cover rather extensively the various number of conditions/diseases but ocassionally in a rather brief fashion. I did find the endless pages of lists to get rather "hypnotizing" but the information is excellent and everything one needs for an thorough review of neonatology is found in this book. A brillant bonus is in the last few pages which distills vital formulas that one is sure to need for board exams.

Thank you for putting together this fabulous resource. This book is a great outline of all the major areas required for the Neonatology boards. I really don't think I could have passed without it. This book really helped me focus on the important aspects of Neonatology required to pass the boards. A great resource for fellows to have before they even begin contemplating the board exam.

This is the best review and the most useful summary of neonatology I have seen. It is first rate for daily reference and also for board review. 95% of the questions on the renewal boards can be answere from this book.

This is a great book for all neonatologists esp. if you are reviewing for the Boards which I just took recently. It has all the information that not a single reference book contains all at one time. The book is really centered on the topics that are high yield. The 2 pages of formulas at the back pages are a MUST read! Its easy reading, concise but complete. Highly recommended.

Attorney Martin Garbus, in the social tradition of Clarence Darrow, has laid out in concise but stark terms the damage that the now-dominant, right-wing ideologue Supreme Court justices have done to constitutional and human rights. He forecasts that if their 5-4 past decisions are prologue, then the future for the next 25 years is not bright for those who believe that no one is above the law.

This book is must reading for anyone who is concerned about fairness and compassion in the meting out of justice by the federal judiciary. It is an easy-to-read constitutional history of the most significant cases and their effects on Americans.

There are a few errors that should have been caught during the review and editing. For example, on page 56, the name of Richard Mellon Scaife is given as Richard Scaife Mellon, and on pages 110-111, the date of Baker v. Carr is incorrectly listed as 1959, rather than the correct date of 1962. It is correct in note 42. And a final example will suffice. On page 132, Justice Byron White is incorrectly identified as his 19th century predecessor Justice Edward White. However, these errors do not detract from Mr. Garbus' cogent insight and call to action of all who believe, as he does, that "We need justice now[!]"

On a personal note, as a Louisiana native and student of its history, I was aware of the Colfax, LA, riot and murders of April 13, 1873. However, I was not familiar with United States v. Cruikshank (1876) that arose from the attempted criminal prosecution of the Colfax murderer s (p. 90). And I was certainly not aware that Justices Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy, and O'Connor had resurrected this Reconstruction-era bias as a precedent in Morrison v. United States to rule on May 15, 2000, that "Congress had no power to punish private violence motivated by gender" (p. 90). Another pernicious Louisiana case, Plessy v. Ferguson (May 18, 1896), has been cited by the Rehnquist and Roberts courts to "provide the basis of future decisions on issues ranging from abortion to civil liberties to race and gender persecution" (p. 70). Plessy v. Ferguson is the Supreme Court case sanctioning segregation in which the Court ruled that "separate but equal" facilities were constitutional. Plessy was not overturned until Brown v. Topeka Board of Education in 1954.

With the recently re-aligned Supreme Court, I wanted to know what is going on and what could happen to our legal system. This book gives it to you in clear language with a high level of depth and detail. Trial lawyer Martin Garbus, who has appeared before the Supreme Court many times, explains the sweeping changes that can be handed down from the Court and just might shake the foundations of this country. It's a really good read, and I'm glad I picked it up.

In 2000, when the Supreme Court crowned George W. Bush President of the United States, friends of mine argued that Bush would be a one term President and would create little damage to our foreign policy, or to any of our institutions. They were wrong on all counts. In his book, The Next 25 Years: The New Supreme Court and What It Means for Americans, Martin Garbus outlines just how deep and long term the effect of Bush' s Supreme Court appointments will be for our country. With the appointments of Samuel Alito and John Roberts, the court has moved seriously to the right rejecting precedent and chipping away at some of the court's most important rulings regarding privacy, religion and states' rights. Garbus outlines recent court decisions taking the reader through the conservative arguments. He demonstrates how these decisions are part of a conservative plan implemented by the Bush administration's court appointees which will undo major liberal decisions since the Warren court. His analysis is alarming and should be read by everyone who is concerned about the future of our democracy.

This is a wonderful book. Like his previous book, "Courting Disaster," Martin Garbus tells what really happens in the Supreme Court. He also describes the Court from a political viewpoint and goes through each of the court subjects and shows how each judge comes out. It's detailed, knowledgable and a pleasure to read. I'm not a lawyer, and I loved it.

It is hard not to be frightened by Martin Garbus' new book. I've been a fan of the legendary Garbuis since his early books (TOUGH TALK and TRAITORS AND HEROES), which covered his swashbuckling career as one of the nation's pre-eminent first amendment lawyers. His clients -- from Lenny Bruce to Vaclac Havel to Spike Lee -- are a list of the powerful and important, and Garbus' work defending them is fascinating. But this book is something different.

Instead of revisiting past cases, Garbus looks to the future -- specifically, what the next quarter century holds for America given the makeup of the incredibly conversative Roberts court. Given the ages of the most conservative members -- Scalia, Roberts, Alito and Thomas -- these guys will be around and voting as a bloc for a long time to come. If you think the Rehnquist years were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. What Garbus sees happening as a result is very upsetting -- nothing less than a conservative revolution to undo every progressive decision on the Supreme Court since the New Deal. No more reguolatory laws controlling Wall Street, no more environmental regulation, no more protection for workers and minorities, no more protection for abortion (though this will not be attacked directly), no govrenment agencies regulating American business, nothing whatsoever to balance the private sector run amok and the evils of prejudice and discrimination.

It's a nightmare vision, but it's no nightmare -- it's all to real. And Garbus elucidates the developments, and the history bhind them, in a clear, simple and dramatic way. If you want to know what's going to happen on the Supreme Court -- and therefore in all of our lives -- in the next 25 years, this book will show you the very scary truth. Take it as a call to action. and make sure we don't let any more conservatives on the court for a long time to come!

I found this book to be one of the most concise and well written I have come across in my training. There is a tremendous amount of material without any of the filler. I recommend this book to any medical student, non-anesthesia resident or first year anesthesia resident.

I found this book to be one of the most concise and well written I have come across in my training. There is a tremendous amount of material without any of the filler. I recommend this book to any medical student, non-anesthesia resident or first year anesthesia resident.

I thought the book was well organized and covered alot of pertinent subjects and algorithms commonly aked about and seen in everyday anesthesia practice.

Also the fact that the handbook can easily fit into a lab coat pocket makes it a great quick reference while in the hospital.

Although anesthesiology is an enormous subject the pocketbook book fullfills its purpose as a quick
reference. I would recommend it to any fourth year on an anesthesia elective or intern on an anesthesia rotation.

Great review for those who are new to anesthesia (med students and new residents).
Covers the basic in a concise paragraph form.
Covers lots of information, but is well written.

I loved this book! (I wasn't even interested in anesthesia until I read it.) This book can take a student who knows nothing about anesthesia and turn her into a functioning, knowledgable member of an anesthesia team in a matter of days. Read this book (or at least the first few chapters) the weekend before your start your anesthesia rotation, and finish it by the end of the first week. You will be able to answer questions from the attending, and ask even better ones! It is concise, easy to read, and very high-yield. To add to it, it fits in the back pocket of your scrubs.

The word on the street among Harvard Med students is that there are two textbooks that every med student should have and read cover-to-cover: Weinberg "Pulmonology" and Lilly's cardiovascular text. Now that I have discovered this book, I would say that there are three books, and this "Clinical Manual of Anesthesia" is one of them!

I have used this text as a reference in a number of writing projects in women's health.

Having used the "old" Novak while securing my education, I was pleased to recieve my newly published edition. The text and pictures are timely and helpful. I keep it in my office for reference. The family practice residents have the privilege of using our book to supplement their knowledge as well. Meg Stoyle-Corby, CNM, MSN

i read this text for years and this new edition also a reference

I first read the book when I was four. I am now, at the age of ninteen, a fully qualified obstrician/gynecologist, all because of this book. I have now, of course, read this several times, but it is still like reading it for the first time. As the title implies, my father is David Olive, the editor of this book. I fully recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in a profession as a gynecologist.

A comprehensive book, essential to every Ob-Gyn resident or clinician. Takes you from the basics of anatomy and physiology of the female reproductive tract to the management of complicated gynecologic conditions.

This is one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read about my home state--in the midst of so much (generally) endearing weirdness, Jerome Pohlen manages to capture the spirit of this place better than any "Discover Wisconsin" ad campaign I've ever seen.

Pohlen casts a broad swath over the entire state, even above Highway 8 "up nort" (a lot of people tend to forget that we even exist, so it's always refreshing to find someone who hasn't), in search of the strange, the homespun, the downright wacky, even the morbid. And he finds it in spades. Whether you're a local Sconny looking for some ideas for day trips, or an out-of-stater passing through on the way to the Dells, there's something in this book that you'll feel compelled to stop & see. Well, if you're into fiberglass oddities and going somewhere other than Door County, that is.

This is a fun and interesting book about Wisconsin.
Each chapter, according to areas of the state, gets better and better. I couldn't put it down!

If you have an appetite for the curious or offbeat, this book will fill the bill. I don't have plans to visit all the places and things mentioned in this book, but just sitting and reading it was a hoot. Not just a guide to the oddball, but histories and trivia are included. This is Wisconsin at its best.

Most people when they go on vacation go to national parks like the Grand Canyon or theme parks like Disneyland. How many would go to see the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame with a giant embalmed worm on display? Or how about the world's biggest corkscrew? A serial killer's grave? The author saw these things and more in Wisconsin and compiled them into this book. It's an enjoyable journey through Wisconsin's strange side and is recommended for die-hard road trippers or those interested in America's stranger side.

Where does this guy get all this information? I thought the book would only be full of goofy things like monolithic cheese monuments and the world's largest six pack. Although it has that in spades, there are also plenty of historical places to see, like the shrine to the birthplace of the Republican party and the grave of Edward Gein, inspiration for Silence of the Lambs.

Growing up on the west coast, we used to watch movies about the midwest and say things like, "Wouldn't you go absolutely insane in some small town out there?" Oddball Wisconsin has answered my question.

This is a great book if you're in the area or just want to get out of Chicago for a while.

I have just recently become interested in the whole horror film genre and a friend recommended that I read Mr. Soister's book. I'm glad I did. I learned lots of interesting stuff about the whole Universal horror film business and had an easy time pouring through the chapters. It was fun reading and Mr. Soister's keen insights and humorous style kept me wanting more. I hope he has another book waiting in the wings! Congratulations on delivering a winner.

John Soister has been a contributor to various horror books in the past. His ability to capture the details of the horror films of the 20's & 30's truly entertaining. He expresses his opinions with humor yet based on fact.

Mr. Soister has done a remarkable job here! Not only has he covered some of Universal's greatest horror films, he has given them a new, fresh perspective. All the greats are covered here, FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE MUMMY, etc., but he has also written about much lesser known and borderline horror films that I've NEVER seen written about, like the entire Crime Club series of the late 1930's. His book covers in great detail Universal's horror and mystery output from the 1930's, and wonderfully so! Here's hoping he does another volume for the 1940's films. Can't wait to see what he writes about JUNGLE WOMAN!! A 'must have' for any horror film fan!

Wonderfully written, full of intelligent, objective opinions, Soister's book is a breath of fresh air on a subject that I suspect most fans feel they already know thoroughly. "Of Gods and Monsters" opened my eyes to the many dozens of "forgotten" Universal films made in the 1930s, particularly their oddball mysteries (like the fascinating "Inner Sanctum" series). Sadly, few of these films are available on home video... yet. One hopes that perhaps NBC-Universal's execs will read this book and learn about their past history, and open up the vaults so that fans can enjoy these classics again, instead of having them gather dust.

If you have Soister's book, along with the Brunas/Brunas/Weaver "Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films" (also from McFarland), you've got a fairly well-rounded coverage of Hollywood's great horror classics. I only wish that the publishers would consider allowing the author to do a second volume covering the rest of Universal's classic mystery/SF/horror films from 1940-1959. That would tell the rest of the story, particularly for the 1940s, which was a very rich period for the studio.

Usually I skip long, detailed plot synopses in movie books, but with Soister I look forward to them. Like most critics, Soister is even more entertaining when discussing a bad film -- I laughed out loud through his description of several stinkers in this entertaining book -- but this teacher from Pensylvania is never less than authoritative. Soister covers all the Universal horror, sci-fi, and related films 1929-1939 in this handsome volume, which no fan of the genres should be without. It doesn't matter that "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" have been discussed at length in previous works -- do yourself a favor and "see" them once more through the eyes of John Soister!