Reviews Books

If you're really into home theatre or are just getting started collecting DVDs, you have got to have this book! It lists almost 2,000 movies with a story and a picture of the DVD box, but best of all, it gives professional reviews of the picture and sound quality so you know which movies will show off best on your home theatre equipment. It also tells you about all the extra features that DVDs come with. There are articles about DVD software, reviews of DVD players, articles about how movies are made and a lot of other awesome stuff like DVD-ROM and the difference between widescreen and pan-and-scan movies.

The Ultimate Widescreen DVD Movie Guide is a must for everyone who loves to watch DVD. Widescreen Review has done a wonderful job to create an informative, technically brilliant and easy to read guide for every owner of a DVD-player. The 555 pages provides you with every data you can imagine: DVD reviews (technical data, a short story line, picture and sound rating), facts and inside looks on the DVD industry, a DVD-player buyer's guide, a DVD-ROM review section, complete listings of DTS- and THX-DVDs and a complete set of DVDs FAQs. For everyone new to this hobby it's great to get an explanation on the various aspect ratios movies do have. It simplifys things a lot just to open the magazine and show someone the facts when explaining why it's better to have a 16:9 TV set instead of a 4:3 or why on a normal TV the black bars are good things and not bad ones. Another interesting section is the 70mm movie list which shows every movie made in this format from 1929 until today. Complete with studio, soundtrack, original photography format and notes. Don't we movie buffs love things like this. The DVD FAQs are interesting stuff for beginners and even "experts" can learn a thing or two. All in all the issue, which is thicker than some telephone books I know of, is worth every penny spent. I'm really looking forward to get my hands on the next issue 2002. Congratulations to the staff for doing an excellent job.

The Ultimate Widescreen DVD Movie Guide is not just a guide...it is a complete reference for all that is widescreen DVD. There is nothing on the market that can compare to the extensive compilation that Widescreen Review has put together here. From a comparison of DVD players on the market to thousands of DVD reviews, this is definitely the guide for DVD enthusiasts and newcomers.

I purchased this book in preparation for taking the ARDMS general physics and instrumentation exam. At first, I reviewed all my notes and re-read my entire textbook (Kremkau). I thought I was well prepared. Then I began this book's questions. I found SO many questions that just looked at situations differently than I had thought of them and really cemented in my mind, okay, if you do this, how will it affect not only this, but this as well? I passed the exam with a 90% and some of the questions I swear were right out of this book. GET IT!!

this book is an excellant review book for the regestry. I highly recommend it to any of my fellow ultrasound techs that have to take the physic regestry.

This is a perfect study source for the test. Thank you for the quick delivery and protective packaging.

This book is awesome! This is not a registry review book or anything, but for someone going into OB/GYN ultrasound this book is fabulous. It includes descriptions, signs/symptoms, and an US pic. This is really helpful with pathology that you may have heard of, but are not familiar with. Excellent book!

A must for anyone in the field of sonograph

This a very usefull and handy book for a quick reference for O&G ultrasound. It contains a lot of diseases, most of them with the corresponding images.It also gives quick and easy tables for reviewing the diseases. Worth the price.

Unmasking Terror is an excellent purchase for anyone interested in learning more about global terrorism. The breakdown of the book is by country, which makes it very easy to navigate through. I was delighted to see that a large percentage of the authors actually live and work in the countries they reported on. Unfortunately, it's not often you find a book which offers so many different perspectives outside of the American one. In addition, the interviews were tremendously insightful since many of the interviewees are privy to the inner workings of these groups. In my opinion, this is the best compendium of articles on terrorism in existence.

By Michael Scheuer, Author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror

"If it's not classified, it's not intelligence." Sadly this operating assumption is all too commonly held in the highest policy-making levels of Western governments. U.S. and European policymakers -- appointed and elected -- are beguiled by the thought of reading materials collected in the ether or via spies, and often ignore information just as pertinent to their pending decisions simply because it is unclassified. To their countries' detriment, they miss much because of this condescending attitude, and the excellent new book from the non-partisan Jamestown Foundation -- Unmasking Terror: A Global Review of Terrorist Activities -- provides a superb example of the kind of quality information policymakers tend to ignore.

Jamestown's 600-page volume captures the worldwide dimensions of Islamic terrorism and insurgency and does so in short, digestible articles based on indigenous press sources, personal interviews, and the substantial experience of their authors. Multiple articles on al-Qaeda that give readers a clear view of the organization's durability and lethal potential are followed by similar multi-essay sections on Chechnya, Pakistan, Central Asia, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Europe and North America. The volume's editors succeed not only in providing a region-by-region review of Islamic terrorism, but have constructed their book in a way that affords the reader an understanding of how the groups -- of which al-Qaeda is only the most prominent -- increasingly view themselves as part of a worldwide movement.

Jamestown's Unmasking Terror also presents the reader with what seems to me a unique set of interviews with some of the world's top experts on the war being waged by al-Qaeda and its allies. Peter Bergen, Jason Burke, and former National Security Council Senior Director Daniel Benjamin speak on the capabilities and evolution of al-Qaeda, while Sa'd al-Faqih, the London-based leader of the Movement for Reform in Arabia, discusses al-Qaeda's role within the context of opposition to the al-Saud family in Saudi Arabia. Other interviews in the book also add to our understanding of the growth of Islamic militancy in Europe, Central Asia, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and Afghanistan.

I would recommend Unmasking Terror to any specialist or lay reader who is interested in an erudite but manageable survey of Islamic terrorism around the globe. The book will leave the reader with a solid if unsettling view of the dangerous historical period into which the West has entered. It may also leave the reader angry that the policymakers tasked to defend us against the terrorist threat far too frequently fail to exploit the kind of fine, objective, and unclassified scholarship on the issue that is contained in Unmasking Terrorism.

Michael Scheuer served in the CIA for 22 years before resigning in 2004. He served as the Chief of the bin Laden Unit at the Counterterrorist Center from 1996 to 1999. He is the once anonymous author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror and Through Our Enemies' Eyes: Osama bin Laden, Radical Islam, and the Future of America. Mr. Scheuer is a regular contributor to the Terrorism Focus, a publication of the Jamestown Found

This is a very detailed volume, it's a useful reference. i'm not sure about the average reader who knows very little about the actual issues involved, this is really the meat and bones of terrorism and security. i have suggested it to other collueagues in Sweden too. If you want details without opinion, this is a good buy.

I remember the year, if not the month and day, when I became hopelessly hooked on "trash cinema". It was sometime during the Summer of 1986 when, out of boredom, I decided to watch "Spawn of the Slithis" on the "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" midnight movie show. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!! How could I have been missing out on this great stuff for so many years?

Since then I've made it my mission in life to watch as many of these "underground" classics as possible, i.e., without getting divorced; everything from silly TROMA splatterfests to "subversive" spaghetti westerns. Naturally, this gives me a licence to bore my friends and co-workers with my latest discoveries (every week), but they tolerate me pretty well.

I've always had a tough time, however, deciding what to rent or buy next; and those masive paperback video guides by Leonard Maltin and Roger Ebert were of limited use to a geeky, twisted son-of-a-bitch like me. I've relied mostly upon the kindness and patience of video store owners and passing strangers.

But now, here it is! In addition to being a former video store owner, Scott Phillips is a sucessful screenwriter and director ("Drive", "The Stink of Flesh", "Science Bastard") who is eminently qualified to dish the dirt on trashy gems such as "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park" and "Shriek of the Mutilated"; two of my all-time favorites. His cinematic knowledge is STAGGERING, and all of his reviews are funny as Hell, and often heartwarming to boot. For the most part, he concentrates on "overlooked" classics of the 1960's through 1990's, but his takes on selected mainstream oddities like "Porkys" and "Xanadu" are howlingly funny! His love of the art form and the moviemaking process shines through on every page.

This could not have come at a better time for me! At my (middle) age, I was beginning to think that I'm a "lost cause" because I remember kooky characters like Bert Convy (that swingin' hepcat), or that I'm the only guy my age who has a crush on Fairuza Balk. Now I feel better!

This book should be required reading for all film students. Please, Mr. Phillips, keep it up - we want more!

This book of video and movie reviews covers some classic and some long-forgotten so-trashy-they're-awesome flicks. I had heard of a lot of them, but there are many more that, after reading about them, I'm definitely going to have to find somewhere! Even the reviews of the mainstream movies are pretty hilarious.

It almost doesn't matter what this book is about because the writing is just so fun to read. Scott Phillips is a low-budget filmmaker reviewing other people's low-budget films, so you really get an insider's perspective from someone who has seen a LOT of movies. This would make a great stocking stuffer for anti-Hallmark Chrismakkah friends and loved ones. I would prefer to give it 13 stars but 5's as high as they go.

As a general education teacher who often works with students with special needs, I am thrilled to have this book as a resource. This past summer, I attended an Autism Institute at the University of San Diego, where I had the opportunity to hear the authors present (or perhaps demonstrate is a better way to describe it). This book provides numerous ideas of how teachers can help students experience how their peers see the world. In my opinion, this is a must have for any educator!

Written by experienced teachers and trainers, this unique and important guide contains 18 experiential activities that can be used to teach neurotypical students how individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive the world around them. It is the authors' view that sensitivity strategies taught to neurotypical peers will have a lifelong positive effect, and the activities included can be used with students of all ages. Each activity is presented with a complete description, set up guidelines, materials and space requirements, and related key points. The exercises address issues such as: celebrating diversity; cognitive styles; feeling stuck; sensory differences; being excluded; social barriers; and giving and receiving help. Personal stories and quotes from persons with ASD are provided throughout the book, and tips on how to modify activity content and presentation are also included. These innovative strategies can be utilized in a variety of settings, and this guide is a must-have resource for parents, educators, and others who are interested in teaching children awareness, compassion, and helping skills.

I saw Kate and Nan at an autism conference this past summer. One of my goals was to find a way to help my son's peers understand him better. I came home and designed a program to match my son's peer's needs. We used the survey in this book to find out what questions the kids in my son's class had (5th grade). We used "the spelling test" (The kids are still talking about this one!) This book helped me design a program that has helped my son's peers accept him and include him. Since our presentation, we have had other school districts call asking us to come present to them. (We also had our assistant principal call and ask if we would provide training to the staff!) What a book. Not only to help others walk awhile in autism but to make them aware of others differences, regardless of the label. (as well as make them aware of the similarities.) One child responded by saying "I did not know I have so much in common with Zach!" Anyone who wants ideas on who to help others to be understanding of others differences, this book is for you!

If you like to own some really cool prints of Bugs Bunny, Tweety, or just the old folks from the Warner Bros. Studio, this is the book! It goes through the history of the animation studio and its founders. Chuck Jones is similar to Walt Disney, he had his own crew of animation masters to create a whole new perspective of cartoon.
One disappointing about this book is that its published date is 1997. Sadly "The Iron Giant" (released 1999) and "Cats Don't Dance" (1997) did not make it to the book; two of the most successful WB animated feature film. However, it is still a book to own and look for inspiration.

It provides the information about different types of animation art such as production cel, sericel, limited edition. The reader can use this book to check the original prices and edition size of many WB limited edition cels.

This book was well done and very appealing to the eye and informational to read. It gives the reader some good history of Warner Bros. cartoons and the rarely credited artists. Through-out the book there are pointers on how to draw various characters, but unfortunatly they are not as complete as one might have it. However, the overall is terrific.

Lichtenberg truly observes and thinks, forgive my cliched phrase, with a child's wonder. Thinking and Observing are, for him, downright entertainment not, as for most of us, labour-work. Even such strict critics as Schopenhauer and Nietszche have to off-hat to this unusual man.

One point to note for this translation: Mr. Hollingdale sometimes omits some part of an aphorism without obvious reasons. Take the first aphorism as an example: the translation reads:'the great artifice of regarding small deviations from the truch as being the truth itself is at the same time the foundation of wit...'; while the original is 'Der grosse Kunstgriff, kleine Abweichungen von der Wahrheit fur die Wahrheit selbst zu halten, worauf die ganze Differentialrechnung gebaut ist, ist auch zugleich der Grund unserer witzigen Gedanken...'; why the phrase 'worauf die ganze Differentialrechnung gebaut ist' is not translated? Sometimes Lichtenberg's idea just keeps rambling, and it makes sense on the translator's part to cut it short, but in some cases Mr. Hollingdale's chopping puzzles me.

All the same, this edition is a valuable one, supplementing the "Lichtenberg Reader" translated, edited and introduced by Franz H. Mautner and Henry Hatfield. Readers who have German can consult the 4-vol. "Schriften und Briefe" edited by Wolfgang Promies (with 2 useful vol.s of "Kommentar"; Hanser Verlag, 1967).

I guess any lover of Lichtenberg would often murmur to themselves: 'May this wonderful man be better known!' And I think this translation has served well to make Lichtenberg better known in many parts of the world.

"The American who first discovered Columbus made a bad discovery." This is a cynic notation considering the fate of the Red Indians. "A handful of soldiers is always better than a mouthful of arguments..." sounds like George W. Bush - but is written down by Professor (not Condoleezza Rice), by Professor Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1742-1799. He has been a philosopher, but his writing-style was more comfortable to any reader, than the work of the other German genius of that time: Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Lichtenberg loved the ideas of the French Enlightenment and he tried to explain the ideas of empiric science with humor. He was critical against Christian dogmatics. He once shortly noted: "An Amen face." Or longer: "Nothing offers me such clear proof of how things stand in the world of learning than the circumstance that Spinoza was for so long regarded as an evil, worthless person and his opinions as dangerous." Lichtenberg has been a philosopher - but writing with esprit. If you can tolerate his bile, buy his book: "Who has two pairs of trousers turn one of them into cash and purchase this book." But bear in mind: "A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it, - an apostle is unlikely to look out!"

"The American who first discovered Columbus made a bad discovery." This is a cynic notation considering the fate of the Red Indians. "A handful of soldiers is always better than a mouthful of arguments..." sounds like George W. Bush - but is written down by Professor (not Condoleezza Rice), by Professor Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1742-1799. He has been a philosopher, but his writing-style was more comfortable to any reader, than the work of the other German genius of that time: Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Lichtenberg loved the ideas of the French Enlightenment and he tried to explain the ideas of empiric science with humor. He was critical against Christian dogmatics. He once shortly noted: "An Amen face." Or longer: "Nothing offers me such clear proof of how things stand in the world of learning than the circumstance that Spinoza was for so long regarded as an evil, worthless person and his opinions as dangerous." Lichtenberg has been a philosopher - but writing with esprit. If you can tolerate his bile, buy his book: "Who has two pairs of trousers turn one of them into cash and purchase this book." But bear in mind: "A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it, - an apostle is unlikely to look out!"

Francisico is my cousin, and I absoultly love his book it was,intresting {One of those books that you can't put down } funny witty and partially autobiographcal but you really would'nt know that unless you are related to {javier} Francisco.So I give this book 5 stars not because he's my cousin, but because the story itself is so good .please if at allpossibly give Francisco my email adress lolik@peoplepc.com or please send my email adress to him.thank you from the bottem of my heart. loli

Though I have a few favorites in iconic literature, I'm not much of a reader of fiction and I've never felt a need to read in Magical Realism or Latin American literature. I was led to The Way of the Jaguar by a bit of a synchronicity -- not a possibly "New Agey" title I'd normally pick up -- and was deeply rewarded for paying attention. A Columbia educated attorney who studied Latin American Literature at Harvard, Francisco's coming second and third novels surely will win him the widespread recognition in contemporary literature that he deserves. A prize winning and heartbreaking loosely autobiographical first novel, The Way of the Jaguar is a work of a rare knowing integration of sharp humor, deep intelligence, deep sexuality and deep spirituality -- the journal of successful but lost Boston attorney and "inmate" Ismael Diaz on a near magical, tragicomic death row not likely seen before in world literature. Evidently thus far overlooked by Hollywood producers, with an easily well cast Ismael, The Way of the Jaguar is a deeply sexy and poetic Latin American Shawshank Redemption (for lack of another comparison) and intensely engaging ironic and heartbreaking read. Enter romantic Francisco's jaguar way of knowledge on death row soon; highly recommended.

On the surface, this is a story about "making it" by renouncing your roots. In all these stories, the character is later brought down by not belonging to any culture. But this is not merely a story of a "home boy" rejecting his roots to make it. The message of these "stick to your own kind" stories is to stay put. What makes this tale different is that it supports the opposite view-- cultural amalgamation is possible and one can be successful in different cultural environments.

At the beginning of the book, our hero, Ismael, is on death row--Huntsville, Texas, where else?--so we know he must have been involved in some major mishap. Ismael's life moves back and forth on two oposite points of a personal pendulum: youthful passion for Armanda and his later love for his beautiful, upper middle class, professional wife. Ismael's narrative goes from one side of the pendulum to the other until he upends his legal career and marriage and tries to regain his lost love in Texas. Instead of recovering his lost world, he unleashes a chain of events that lead to death row. In the book we get to know Ismael in a manner similar to forming a new friendship-- a tidbit of childhood here, a recounted professional experience there-- until we grasp him well. The narrative reveals a great sensitivity to popular american culture. As one follows our hero's journey from mexican immigrant; to success in a catholic college; to his final entry into the inner core, Anglo-American big leagues-- Harvard, old boston law firm, beautiful episcopalian wife-- the reader cannot help but savor the wonderful texture of time and place that the author weaves into the story. Somewhat Navokovian, all the places and events that the author describes are vivid and familiar: the jesuit Spring Hill College, two lane roads in leafy Boston suburbs, Juarez bars, etc. The author skillfully captures a lot of the mood and feel of society...and yet those times and places are disappearing. His story leads us to a new cultural reality. One in which cultures and backgrounds amalgamate. As Dylan used to sing, "the times, they are a changin". Yesterday, success meant achieving Ismael's dream: the country club, the bow tie,and the gin and tonic. Things are changing..our new billionaires are from Bombay, Jennifer Lopez and Denzel Washington are our sex symbols, and America's sweetheart is Michelle Qwan. This is a country in which half the kids in Chicago's public schools are black baptists and in which Andover students aspire to attend jesuit Geogetown. Ismael's America of the 50's, 60's, and 70's is goin, going..and almost gone. The change to a more open society-- one in which one's culture and background will not keep people in their predetermined place-- may be brutal but worth the price. The novel ends with our hero's brahmin wife uniting with him in an effort to help him avoid the death penalty. It is this act of fidelity and solidarity by his wife that makes the final resolution of this tale different than the other "home boy rejects home in order to make it" stories. The Way of The Jaguar gives us the hope that Ismael can have his cake and eat it too-- he can make it and be accepted for what he is: an intense, intellectual, sexy guy who happens to be a Mexican dude.

Many of these stories have been republished in anthologies, most recently, 'UNDER THE FIFTH SUN,' 'VEUS CHICANAS' (Spain), and high school, college textbooks. They run the spectrum from a child's point of view- young, homeless boys in current time Mexico- to a man dying of old age many centuries from now. Each story connected by the image of a seashell, a transformation.

This book is a serious of short stories that provoke extreme emotion and pulled on my heartstrings, with an interesting approach to the culture of Latin America and the world. I fell in love with the strong characters and scenes, and I found myself rereading each story over and over. A truly amazing piece of writing.

I thought this book was really good. My favortie story was The Sand Castle because I thought it was neat the way that the author told it in a futuristic way about a world with global warming!