Reviews Books

Movie Sets 101: The Definitive Survivor's Guide by professional special effects and makeup filmmaker Paul J. Salamoff is the complete and deftly written 240-page guide covering every important detail of the movie making business. Readers will be educated with seasoned and experienced advise drawn from over 70 working professionals, including Wes Craven, Ron Underwood, Tom DeSanto, James Gunn, Daniel Roebuck, Owen Roizman, Andrea Weaver, Kenny Myers, John Medlen and many others. Movie Sets 101 is highly recommended to all readers, whether they be aspiring movie makers, experienced professionals in the film business, or the ordinary movie enthusiast viewing the finished product. Movie Sets 101 it can really teach its readers every perspective of the movie making business and should be a part of any personal, professional, and academic library Film Studies reference collection.

A pragmatic guide to appropriate film set behavior with a complete and concise reference section. Simply put, it's a great tool for anybody starting out in the film production business, required reading.

An outstanding and unique guide to what the numerous players in producing a movie do and should not do with illustrations and antidotes from well known professionals in the field. Fascinating to the film lover, the curious and necessary for those plying the trade.

Why spend thousands of dollars on film school when you can learn everything you need to know for $17.95 on MOVIE SET 101? A certifiably great book, intensely well-researched, full of valuable info for the rookie and veteran alike. A must have!

This is a great book. Even if you already work in film and tv there's something unexpected to be read. It gives you a really good heads up about on-the-set mayhem you could never really anticipate and wouldn't expect until it happens. Invaluable stuff.

I learned so much from this book. When I purchased it, I thought it might be like an annotated dictionary of sorts -- perhaps in alphabetical order, so that I could look up Topeka or New York. But it's not like that at all. The author starts with the blank canvas of the American landscape, before recorded history, and describes how a place becomes a name.

The book is arranged chronologically, so the reader moves from pre-history to native Americans to colonists; and from the edges of the country (like Florida, California and New Mexico) to the middle regions; and from colonial governmental debates on names to the Congressional debates on state names in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The information about the place names comes at the reader not as a dry history lesson, but almost as an epic novel in which the main character is the landscape, and the minor characters are the natives, the immigrants, the politicians, the storytellers. The prose is spare and compelling. The depth of research is mind-boggling.

This is a book to be read, re-read and referred to for the rest of your life, especially if you are a traveller or a proud American.

It is always humbling to discover how limited my education is in key areas, especially geography. Names on a map that I have seen dozens of times, cities and towns I have visited but never given deep thought to, and the evolution of language are all present in this slim volume. I found myself surprised that I had read thirty or forty pages without realizing any passage of time. I lost myself in this book -- like exploring familiar territory for the very first time. An engaging, worthwhile, illuminating book.

So far I'm only about 1/3 of the way through "Names on the Land," but I'm enthralled. The sub-title, "A Historical Account of Place Naming..." is right on. The book approaches it subject from a historical perspective. The reader travels with the early explorers as they encounter landmarks on their journeys, so one learns about the namers and their times, as well as about the names they left behind them. Based on my reading so far, I can strongly recommend this book.

Wallace Stegner was not only a great writer ("Angle of Repose") and teacher (Stanford English Dept. who mentored people like Harriet Doerr), he was also a great lover of writing. His UC Berkeley colleague and friend George Stewart appeared on Stegner's list of "must read" Western American writers for "Names on the Land" as classic non-fiction and for fiction ("Earth Abides" that he recommends as reading in tandem with Miller's classic "A Canticle for Leibowitz").

Dr. Stegner points out that Stewart was not prolific as a writer and, for that reason, is sometimes overlooked as a star in Western American literature. "Names on the Land" underscores the painstaking process of good writing as it was practiced by Stewart and very much appreciated by Stegner. The research is incredibly precise and reliable; the language is as clear and fast running as a mountain stream; and the effect on the reader is overwhelming.

In an era of instant gratification and 10 second sound bites, "Names on the Land" doesn't seem "contemporary." But for a thoughtful reader of books, Stewart's masterpiece merits a place of honor in his or her permanent collection and (as Stegner admitted) a lifetime of periodic re-reading and reference.

In this unusual little book, George R. Stewart has compiled an endlessly intriguing account of the whys and wherefores of American place-names. The book as a whole provides a haunting, curiously oblique perspective on American history, as he delves into the cultural, historic, and (sometimes) military themes behind the names we use every day. The book goes into the names of cities, states, rivers, mountains, streets, and more.

I think you might get more out of this volume if you are aware of the way it is organized. I myself half-expected this book to be organized by state, perhaps in alphabetical order. This is not the case. Stewart has organized his data by THEMES in naming, and how these themes have emerged in our history. Therefore, the book (very roughly) follows our history chronologically, as various naming trends have come and gone, in the context of various cultural waves. This pattern tends to approximately follow the "peopling" of the continent (by descendants of Europeans) from east to west. Some chapters are mostly devoted to single states, but this is the exception, rather than the rule.

The chapter titles are not necessarily always very helpful, which is the closest thing I have to a caveat about this book. I'm telling you right now that the chapters roughly follow the settling of our continent, from east to west (and from south to north in the far western states). So, this should help you get oriented if you are browsing around... You might want to think of each chapter as a little independent essay. That might help you break the whole text down into digestible parts.

Some themes in naming include: the popularity of the name "Columbus," during and shortly after the Revolution; the tendency to adapt feminine names for the Southern plantations; Greek or Latin names; ancient indian names; English town names given new life on our shores; and many, many more.

One interesting fact I learned, reading this book, is that five of the six states in my native New England should, technically, probably be considered to be spelled wrong. (New Hampshire is the lone, proud exception). Stewart tells the tale of how each state was named, although he doesn't clump the five stories all together. You have to do saome digging... If you happen to harbor an inner, pedantic curmudgeon, who sometimes likes to rail against the stupidity of all humanity apart from him- (your-)self, this is the kind of thing that could give you great, and prolonged, delight. Also, you might be surprised at how many place-names have warm, human stories behind them. This can foster a real sense of human connection to our nation's past -- a connection that is not necessarily to participants in our nation's huge struggles, but simply to quiet, thoughtful people who tried to come up with words that just sounded right.

I would like to post here a private theory I have about George R. Stewart, which may be of interest to you in this context. Professor Stewart taught English at Berkeley, for much of the twentieth century. Concurrently on the faculty at that institution was the great American anthropologist Alfred Kroeber, who today is perhaps best remembered for his work with the last Yahi indian, Ishi, and also for his status as the father of acclaimed science fiction author Ursula Kroeber LeGuin. This last-named person, Ursula K. LeGuin, would have grown up hearing about Professor Stewart, and his odd hobby of place-names. If you read her young adult fantasy trilogy, the Earthsea Trilogy, you will find there a character called the Master Namer, who is a sort of professor in a school for young wizards. He and his classes exhibit many of the traits that we find in evidence within "Names on the Land." I believe that Ursula K. LeGuin probably based this character upon the fascinating George R. Stewart, and his hobby. Therefore, if you enjoy this book, you may wish to read Ursula LeGuin's "A Wizard of Earthsea," to encounter there a thinly disguised fictional version of Professor Stewart.

At any rate, this book is really something special. I recommend that you seek out a copy, and if you know a local history teacher, maybe you could lend it to him and suggest that he fashion some lesson plans from its singularly neato contents. Two thumbs up!

This is a good reference for Nightmare on Elm Street fans and collectors. It contains both color and B&W still photos, lots of trivia and behind the scenes facts, etc.

I wish they'd update this and bring into a full-color format with a more modern media-centric look, and add material From New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason. As it is, it covers up through Freddy's Dead, the Final Nightmare, and is relatively complete.

It's hard to come by, but is great for the completist if you can get your hands on a copy.

This is the ultimate collectors item for any Nightmare fan. A good variety of pictures from each of the movies (Nightmares 1 thru Freddy's Dead), plus some good insight into some of the special FX that went into the movies.

The only real problem I had was, if your a devoted NOES fan like I am, you will notice a lot of minor mistakes throughout the book. For instance, Lisa, from Nightmare 2, is listed as Lisa Poletti, but in the movie her name is Lisa Webber.

Other than the few minor mistakes, this book is definetly worth picking up!

This book has everything you need to know about Freddy Krueger and all the Nightmare on elm street films! This book is not missing one detail! Its has a summary of every Krueger Film! It also has ever picture from all the Krueger films including behind the scene footage! It is the best Freddy Krueger book ever made!!!!

If you love Freddy Kruger then this book is a must! It shows many secrets of each films from 1-6.

This is a must with great pictures and biographies of each cast member and a large amount of pictures,charts and biographies on each film from: A Nightmare on Elm St -to- Freddy'd Dead

I'm a huge collector of Freddy Krueger and Nightmare On Elm Street stuff, and when I got this book, I was just blown away. The great pictures and behind the scenes made it excelent! email me if you wanna talk Freddy!

The product arrived within given time range and was in excellent new condition. No complaints.

Good for telling your what your 1st step of action should be. It has simple cases that are very common in practice. The original cases are then expounded upon when one thing is changed. Good book.

I used five different review books on my clerkship and this was by far my favorite. Compared to Case Files, there are more topics and the format was definitely better.

I really like this book. The book is presented in a case-based question/answer format. The book is written in narrative form (no bullets, or choppy info). I like the design of the book and it's easy to read and understand. The cases presented are classic and in-depth. It's a long read though, and may be too much for boards when its crunch time. I used it mostly for reference and when I didn't understand something when I was studying for Step 2. It's a great book for 3rd year surgery rotation and the shelf exam. Good luck!!

I just finished my surgery rotation and took the shelf exam. I have to say that reading this book really prepared me for the shelf and also for the whole surgery rotation. I highly recommend this book. You may also want to have a question book such as pre-test surgery to do some practice questions.
Good luck in surgery.

I have read many books on filmmaking and I have a film school degree (from CalArts, as it happens, where Mackendrick once taught). You can't learn filmmaking from a book or from school, only by making films. Nevertheless, "On Film-making" comes as close as any book I've ever found to explaining precisely and beautifully the work of a film director. Whether you want to make films or are simply a film fan, this book will be an immensely rewarding and illuminating experience.

Great book by a great filmmaker and a great teacher. Anyone serious about how to create meaning in the cinema by using the "grammar," the form, should read this book. Ditto for the creation of story along classical lines --

Too intelligent to be a director, to make compromises in the craft of film making with the studio system of his time, Alexander Mackendrick only left us a glimpse of his own potential in his body of work. He did however pass his vision and passion for creativity onto the next generation in his teaching. In this book his voice is loud and clear, without being dogmatic. It's like having a drink with a friend in a bar and having him sort out all your problems with scripts, actors and life. No director should be without a copy. From the beginner to the established star everybody can find something in this book and all conveyed in the manner both intense and unpatronising that was uniquely his.

When Sandy MacKenrick told my CalArts MFA Thesis committee that my thesis film script was, "long, much too long, and very much too long" and, "doomed to never be completed", I was shocked and terrified.

Sandy was one of the most brilliant and irritating people ever to tell a story or to browbeat an egotistical young film student. His films and lectures convey that contradiction -- his every work is a pearl.

If you were not lucky enough to get Sandy's notes while at CalArts, you must buy this book.

Odds are good, you won't have the genius of Sandy MacKendrick, but you will appreciate how much you could grow as you strive to attain what he found so simple.

I was proud to invite Sandy to the first screening of my thesis film, "Pirate's Dagger", and it still hurts that he was too ill to attend. I wouldn't have gotten it done without his special form of encouragement.

Unlike most how-to directing and writing books, Mackendrick was an accomplished director with decades of professional experience. He speaks from hard-won experience, not dubious armchair notions of what makes a successful film or director. He is wise enough to know there are no "secrets" or immutable laws of storytelling, only rules of thumb. Every time I go back to it, I learn something new, and with every film I make, I am struck by points in the book which ring ever more true. This book will not make you a great director by reading it, but Mackendrick has the good sense and candor to know that a book or a course never will, only lots and lots of hard work and dedication.

Oncology nursing secrets is an excellent guide for community- visiting nurses. Very detailed and accurate information on various types of cancer including nursing assessment, planning, and appropriate interventions. Provides indepth patient S&S and interventions that were not taught in nursing school!! Enables the RN to take a preventative approach to care of his/her clients. This book became my best friend as my cancer case load increased.

I have provided my research team with this reference book. We all have differing backgrounds and are responsible for abstracting medical records of cancer patients. Our credentials range from MD, RN, CTR, MIS. This book has been most useful to us all - in particular the Chemotherapy data. We hope there is a new edition in the works since therapy changes rapidly, in part we hope as the result of our data collection.

I've worked on a med-surg/oncology unit for a little more than a year now and this book has really helped me out, especially in regards to chemotherapy administration and side effects. It contains a wealth of information that I haven't been able to find anywhere else (from one source). There are chapters devoted to different types of cancers, as well as chapters on radiation, biotherapy, bone marrow transplants, and palliative care. I can't recommend this book highly enough -- perfect for oncology nurses!

This book utilizes the science and physiology you possess from nursing school and your experiences in clinical practice to present concise, easy-to-reference text in a Q&A format. I also highly recommend the Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing for anyone taking the OCN exam.

This book was a great help to me as a family NP starting over in Hem/Onc! I did not have an oncology background, and it's very easy to understand, and answered many of the questions I have had in the field. I find it to be a good resource, and refer to it still.

I've learned more about writing from this collection than I have from twenty textbooks on writing. A must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the craft of literature, whether as a writer or a reader.

5 stars for that incredible initiative of showing the way writers are writing, and behind this, thinking the stories, the personnages...
i have to say, that is a source of inspiration and of understanding of your own style/way of writing
something to really have on your shelves !!!

The flow of that Borges interview is already fascinating. It seems done really in one sitting... honest, and unedited--
-unlike the most of the others, where, in the introduction, it is admitted that the interviewee had done so much in the final draft that they become one more interviewer... interviewing themselves. (in any case, thats why many writers are willing to sit down for a Paris Review interview... because they are promised to have the final control on the output, if they so wish. even deadlines are disregarded if needed).

Then next best is Hemingway's. Bristling machismo in some of the answers. You see irritation, willingness to participate, then irritation again.

Then Billy Wilder's. It's amazing to discover that while he has been retired for so long when interviewed, he still has the wit and can recall personal events like it's yesterday. Im wondering now why he hadnt made anything for decades, but was still very involved in Holywood. (I gather from the interview that he still has an office he gets to everyday until he died).

The rest are of equal good quality. While not remarkable in total, there is always a question that is answered uniquely and interestingly by the subject writer. I have to admit though that Im not familiar with a number of them, and I still have 7 more to read though as of this writing.

Yes, the interviews are available online, but for 10 USD, you also get a good quality paper (used in the book), designed to last long. Nothing beats reading, leafing through the pages, and smelling a brilliant book. :-)

5 stars for that incredible initiative of showing the way writers are writing, and behind this, thinking the stories, the personnages...
i have to say, that is a source of inspiration and of understanding of your own style/way of writing
something to really have on your shelves !!!

The introduction is by Orhan Pamuk. Faulkner said an artist is a creature driven by demons. Graham Greene did not believe that any books he had read as an adult influenced him as a writer. James Thurber got his habits of memory, (nearly perfect recollection), from his mother. Thurber believed that Harold Ross had had a bloodhound instinct as an editor.

American writers felt their creativity and inventiveness would end in their fifties. Faulkner felt a writer's responsibility was to do his art. The writer should be ruthless. A writer always has to compromise when writing for the movies Faulkner believed.

Robert Lowell felt that teaching meant a lot to him as a human being. A person can't write poetry all the time. Writing comes from a deep impulse, deep inspiration. It isn't a craft. While he was writing LIFE STUDIES Lowell figured out it was a regular beat that he disliked. Lowell thought of Frost and Eliot as New England poets. In both Chekhov and Frost the art was found in the well-chosen plots.

To Eudora Welty, Jane Austen was a kindred spirit. She felt even closer to Chekhov for reason of his appreciation of the individual. She lost sleep over reading TO THE LIGHTHOUSE. Katherine Anne Porter was wonderfully generous to her in the beginning.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez believes that journalism and fiction writing are matters of cross-fertilization. He never gets involved with a book unless someone recommends it. Philip Larkin refused almost all invitations to be a bigwig. He claimed that in writing a poem he constructed a verbal device. Larkin said he dealt with the passage of time by making every day the same. When young he exchanged unpublished poems with Kingsley Amis.

James Baldwin did not so much choose France as carry out the need to leave America. The painter Beauford Delaney taught Baldwin how to see. Baldwin believed that he had to go through a time of isolation. He wrote four novels before he published one.

William Gaddis had a reputation as a recluse. He thought he learned economy from Evelyn Waugh and that this is apparent in his novel, JR. Alice Munro lives in Clinton, Ontario. Her family lived in a collapsing enterprise, a fox and mink farm. Alice Munro and her second husband stayed in Ontario to be near older family members. When they passed on, Munro and her husband remained.

Information about the contributors appears at the end of this excellent book.

This is a very high-yield little book written with Step 1 in mind. As the title implies, it focuses on pathology and pathophysiology. There is no wasted space, and don't be fooled by its small size, there is quite a lot of information in there. It is especially helpful as it contains useful information about refining your differential diagnosis (how to tell two similar diseases apart) based on sublties in the presentation. There is a lot of information you might not get in your pathology course (e.g. prerenal vs renal azotemia based on urine chemistry.) There is a section on zebras/syndromes (if you're like me, these are a devil to remember), a few pages of nice glossy images, and 75 Step 1 style questions with explanations in the back. Overally, a lot of information in a small package, including many unusual diseases not mentioned in many other review texts. A worthwhile read!

pretty decent book...i read this along with BRS...there are some mistakes in this book tho...when i first read through it...i felt like i was reading through a med students coursework notes because everything is in bullets...and hard to understand....if you read brs first...and use this afterwards...it makes more sense...its a decent book...with some good questions in the back...I Was too lazy to do all of them though...

I wish I would have used this book prior to taking Step 1. This review book has many of the nit-picky details that I saw on my USMLE. I would recommend this book for those who have not taken Step 1 and I would also recommend the clinical boards and wards book for your clinical rotations. Good luck on your exam.

This book and Secrets are great condensed multi-subject reviews. When you get tired of reading FirstAid, Step-up and the subject-based review books (e.g. BRS Phys), this book is a great supplement. If you can find time for this kind of studying, you'll enjoy this small, condensed book.

I'm also looking forward to using it on rotations starting this summer.

This book is not only great for quick look ups on rounds, but it is great during the first 2 years of med school because the little highlights/buzzwords helps with exams.
Very easy to read, highlights just the important stuff.

This is by far the most comprehensive study of psychokinesis that I have come across. The author, despite being an academic, writes in an easy manner that makes the book a joy to read. The book starts with PK through the ages, covering such areas as levitation, stigmata, teleportation, bilocation, fire immunity, mediumship, psychic healing and poltergeists. She provides a wealth of examples, all of which are fully referenced. The first section covers anecdotal evidence. The second section covers the research that has been done in these areas over the last century, and the theory behind psychokinesis. The third section covers experiential research which is intended to explain the significance of PK. What I particularly liked about this section is that each topic is divided into three subsections: what the literature says, how it relates to the other constituents, and a summary. I found it helpful to read the summary first, as this gave me a clear idea as to what was going to be covered under the specific topic. The book contains a comprehensive glossary, references, and index.

I wish "The PK Zone" had been written twenty years ago, as it would have saved me an incredible amount of time and energy. Virtually everything that anyone would want to know about the subject is in this book. I recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest in the subject. Beginners will gain a comprehensive picture of psychokinesis, and more knowledgeable readers will learn much that is new to them.

If you're thinking, "Hmmm... I have so many questions about PK, but where do I start?" Or, if you're already familiar with the PK literature, yet are searching for more information -- this is the book for you. I can't say that I've run across another book that covers the subject of PK in more detail. Therefore, I find myself returning to this book time after time as my primary "reference manual."

Whether you're interested in PK from an experiential, historical or research/theoretical perspective:

The section, "The PK Matrix: Experiential Research," provides insight into the PK experience -- what it's like to perform PK, in the words of the PK performers themselves. Tips for beginners are also included.

"Psychokinesis through the Ages: A Historical Cross-Cultural Review of PK Anecdotal Material," covers the history of PK occurrences and the variety of PK performers.

"PK Research and Theory," will appeal to both the academic and lay reader alike, as Heath's writing style is neither fluffy nor stuffy. It is, however, extremely well-researched and authoritative.

This is a book that you don't want to miss, if you're looking for the most comprehensive overview of what is described in the Foreword as "this remarkable thing that we call psychokinesis (PK)." It's an extraordinary piece of work.

For the person who is interested in learning about PK, this book is a comprehensive tome that will meet many needs. The book is divided into three parts: a historical cross-cultural review of PK anectdotal material, research and theory, and the experiential approach.

For the person who wants a complete overview, Part 1 covers the history, and cultural interplay that is associated with the phenomena. Some of the chapters include: Religious and Spiritual PK, Levitation, Teleportation, Bilocation, and more.

For the person who wants accurate, no-nonsense, and comprehensive material, Part II covers PK Research and Theory. Some of the chapter headings include Spontaneous PK Cases, Early Research and Mediums, Dice and Sphere Experiments, Random Number Generators, Biological System Research, Macro-PK, Metal Bending, Performance Factors, PK Training, and PK Models and Theories. For the researcher, experimenter or parapsychologist, here is your golden nugget of information all in one section of a book.

Lastly, the person who is wanting to explore where it is going will not be disappointed. Part III: The PK Matrix: Experimental Research covers the phenomenology. Each section of the chapter is subdivided into "What the Literature Says", "Aspects of _____" (whatever the chapter is about), "How it Relates to Other Constituents", and a summary. Some of the chapter headings included are Altered States of Consciousness, Sense of Connection, Dissociation from the Individual Ego Identity, Suspension of Intelect, PK Inhibitors and about 20 other chapters. This is highly recommended for the person who wants to learn how to practice and learn how to manipulate PK.

In summary, this book will meet the needs of the curious onlooker who wants a well-rounded view, for the scientist who needs to be up-to-date on the research and theory, and will be a practical guide for those that wish to experiment with how much they can produce.

Mike Wilson

I have read this book and I salute this author for her ambitious and remarkable undertaking. As far as I know, no one else has ever attempted or succeded in writing or publishing such a comprehensive and scientific compilation of what is known about psychokinesis. This is no fluff-bunny book, but a serious work that is both easy to read and worth your time. It belongs on the shelves of all who really wonder about the mysteries of this world and are tired of just a collection of second or third hand stories. After reading this volume I look forward to the next subject this author tackles. Buy it.

THE PK ZONE is an amazing work of research and investigation into mind over matter (psychokinesis). Never has a book gone as deeply into both the research and experience of a psychic ability as this one. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants any kind of understanding of how the mind can reach out and interact with the world around us.

My own book, MIND OVER MATTER, is a survey of the ways the mind interacts with physical reality. THE PK ZONE goes further, and is for anyone who wants a much deeper understanding of where the research has been and its current state of the art, and (more importantly) what it's like for people to experience PK themselves.

Buy this book if you're at all interested in the paranormal and psychic abilities (and of course, psychokinesis specifically).

THANKS TO This book, i went from a failing to a B. This saved my slacking behind, thanks soo much!

I like this book it's very good. I used the maternity one last semester and I loved it. It was delivered very fast that was also a plus.

I could only review a few chapters so far; however, like her Nursing Fundamentals book, she summarized and listed a main memory points to prepare the Nclex exam. And the format is exactly same as the Nursing Fundamentals book; every chapter starts with a pretest followed by main contents and a post test with answers as well as rationale. In the back of the book, a CD rom is included for more practice with questions. So far, the book did not fail me.

I have heard from other nursing students how helpful this book is and I have to agree that it helps to understand why things are done the way they are.

This book has helped me a great deal to understand principles, and to pass med-surg. I anticipate that it will help me pass the NCLEX also. It comes with a cd-rom with 850 questions and terminology review. Great value.