Papers Books

There are many papers and review articles about the quantum well intermixing and its applications to photonics. This great book selects the most important articles in this field. It covers the milestone work in the early stage of quantum well intermixing as well as advances in later stages. The editor is a highly respected scientist in this field, he chose the most relevant articles which are useful for both beginners and experts in this field. This books includes articles on materials, physics, and devices aspects of quantum well intermixing for photonics. This is a "must" for anyone who is interested in quantum well intermixing.

This is a very useful and helpful book for a beginner and an expert.

As a beginner I found this book a very useful introductory material. The author made a carefull selection of the most important papers in the field of QWI.

This kind of a book was needed on the market for a long time.

This is the first comprehensive review of the QW intermixing. The book gives introduction to basics of QW intermixing for people who are just starting to study this, as well as a variety of in-depth studies on more advanced level.

I read this book years ago and loved it. I was reminded of it recently when someone asked me for recommendations to use for a book club at a center for teenagers and young adults. This one immediately came to mind. It combines history, compelling characters, and topical issues (including domestic violence, racism, abortion, family and work, and a lesbian relationship) in an epic story that will give young people plenty to talk about.

I will add this book, and Ms. Lee's most recent accomplishment, Watermarked, to my Good List.

There are so many modern American authors with nothing special to write about. They delve into the esoteric and have no real life experience or understanding of their heretage to inspire their writings. Not so with Lee. This novel is a wonderful tale of two families unite by tradgedy and form a common bond of love. The main plot is interwoven with the imaginative tales of LaRue Smalls that reflect the meaning of their lives while bringing comfort and ties that bind. This African-American writer leaves the anger beneath the surface and shows two ways of dealing with the horrors and poverty of Jim Crow: alcoholism and violence vs love and creativity. She exchanges beauty for ashes in a universal manner. The writing is clear and the characters real. It is a novel that you do not want to miss.

The Serpents Gift is a first novel by Helen Elaine Lee. The story begins just after the turn of the century as Eula Smalls struggles in an abusive marriage. One night after having been brutally beaten by her husband, she and her two children run through the neighborhood hoping someone will open their doors to her. Ruby Staples welcomes Eula into her home that night. The story covers the life of these very different women and their children. Ruby's daughter, Ouida, is a passionate and beautiful woman who defies convention. In her 20's she falls in love with another woman and chooses to spend her life with her. Eula's son grows up in the loving household of Ruby Staples and her family but is haunted by legacy of his father. Eula's daughter, Vesta is visiblily scarred by having been witness to her mother's abuse. All the main characters have their own separate adventures and journeys, that are powerful and vivid.

The Serpent's Gift is a great novel but not without faults. The earlier sections of the book can sometimes be a little slow in terms of action and progression of the plot. The telling of The Serpents Gift is in third person, and toggles through the happenings of each character. This works great the most of the time, but sometimes I find myself wanting to know more about one character than another. Also I wish that Ouida and her partner had been given more attention. The amazing nature of this romantic relationship between two black women in 1920's America is greatly underplayed here, while other less interesting characters are given too much space and time.

However I think that in general The Serpent's Gift is very well written. The author has an amazing mastery of words and even more amazing storytelling abilities that make this book great.

This is a book that you don't want to end. I wanted delve more into the characters lives as the book went on. They were so fascinating and varied. I liked the way Helen Elaine Lee integrated telling of folktales so closely with the story as well. That aspect gave the book a magical feeling and hope to the characters lives.

"The Screwtape Letters" and "Mere Christianity" are two of the best selling Christian books of all time. Lewis is a magnificently deep thinker who will expand your mind. He understands God and Man so well it's scary. "The Abolition of Man" makes a very important point which is well followed up by Bloom's "The Closing of the American Mind." "The Great Divorce" gave me a chilling vision of Hell that I can't shake (and would like to). "Miracles" explains people's closed mindedness about miracles. "The Problem of Pain" answers important questions that trouble many of us. This set contains the best version of Screwtape; others are less complete.

In addition to all this, you can learn to write from studying Lewis. It just seems to come naturally to him.

I bought an older edition of these works, when the paperbacks were $3.95 and the overall set was $27.95 in U. S. currency. Its one of the best overall sets I have bought.

These books are central to understanding Lewis as a Christian writer, and especially as an apologist. Most people may know him from NARNIA or one of these volumes, and it is a good place for introduction into the mind and works of C. S. Lewis. All the classics are here, from SCREWTAPE and MERE CHRISTIANITY along with ABOLITION OF MAN and three other works, all of which range from profound (the majority) to beautiful (THE GREAT DIVORCE).

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS are a series of letters written from one devil to another, and present a very interesting point of view not often heard.

THE GREAT DIVORCE explores the doctrine of love and how without free choice there would be no hell. You either say "Thy will be done," to God, or God says "Thy will be done" to you. Its yr choice. The framing device is a bus trip from hell to heaven.

THE PROBLEM OF PAIN deals with why would a benevolent and loving God include pain in his universe, and the theological ramifications that pain brings into any dicussion of God or religion. Especially interesting, although admittedly speculative, is the chapter on animal pain. Lewis vehemently opposed vivesection, which comes out rather strongly in his novels THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH and THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER.

MERE CHRISTIANITY stands as one of the best apologetic works for Christianity ever written. This is a book written for the lay person, and is one of the best tools for making it accessible to nonbelievers.

MIRACLES, the last apologetic book he ever wrote (there are religious works by Lewis after this, but they are more relaxed and do not have a rigid central arguement), deals with the subject of miracles in the universe.

THE ABOLITION OF MAN is a book length essay, devided into three parts, concerning the universal code of morality which MERE CHRISTIANITY talks about in its first two books.

Lewis was a very versatile writer, and along with THE ESSENTIAL C. S. LEWIS you have a good start into this wonderful writer. I have been a long time reader of him, and have only recently gotten into his literary criticism, of which none is represented here, although some in THE ESSENTIAL C. S. LEWIS. Although some are more for the specialists, it is a particulary rewarding experience, and he is a well trained guide in the field of literature. I highly recommend AN EXPERIMENT IN CRITICISM, which for me is his central work concerning literature.

If not one of the greatest Christian philosophers of the 20th century (perhaps of all time), C. S. Lewis was certainly among the most accessible to the lay reader not deeply conversant with theology or metaphysics. And as a professor of Mediaeval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge, and friend and confidant to T. S. Eliot, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers and many other major literary figures of the early to mid-1900's, his thoughts were constantly refined in discourse with the best minds of his day. This collection is an excellent introduction to Lewis' exceedingly broad range of thought. Mere Christianity was originally presented on BBC as broadcast lectures on the basic teachings of Christianity, which are, as presented by Lewis, quite though-provoking and compelling. The Great Divorce and The Screwtape letters deal fictionally and humorously with, respectively, the mind-set of heaven and hell, as well as the tendencies in human nature which provide both with their denizens. The Abolition of Man seriously tackles the role of the educational process in the development of character (or lack thereof) in its subjects, something quite relevant in a day of increasing mayhem in the schools. And Miracles and The Problem of Pain deal with fundamental philosophical issues that transcend denominational perspectives. These extremely challenging books are recommended, not only as a sampler of Lewis' unique perspective, but as an introduction to a pious life for readers who heretofore have seen faith only from a secular viewpoint.

This set collects together some of the more famous writings of C.S. Lewis, a man seemingly at ease talking philosophy, or just spinning fanciful yarns. Both are offered here for the reader's enjoyment.

THE ABOLITION OF MAN is a series of lectures on how, without a firm understanding of right and wrong, or plain old good and evil, humanity is destined to destroy itself.

THE GREAT DIVORCE is a lush phantasm about a spirit's journey to Heaven and what he sees and learns from the spirits there.

MERE CHRISTIANITY, what can I say about this brilliant study of the very core of what Christians believe and what the religion teaches. Just read it, it's beautiful.

Also included in the set are MIRACLES, THE PROBLEM WITH PAIN, and THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS.

C.S. Lewis' essays are a MUST for everyone and anyone who is interested in good literature and/or wishes to think about things as we know them. His reflections, although deep and thorough, are also easily grasped and understood; the beauty and simplicity of his words makes these essays accessible to whomever is interested in them, both Christian and non-Christian (I'm an atheist myself). It is impossible for one to read them and not feel 'touched' by something which might be beyond our comprehension...

This superb collection shows now-gone buildings and architectural treasures of our beloved city's past. These remarkable black-and-white photos show famous vanished bridges, churches, buildings and arenas, including the Colesium (nominating site of four Presidents). The City's downtown and surrounding areas were rebuildt after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, in the largest building boom in U.S. history. Wood gave way to brick, steel, and concrete - the fire led to strict building codes - and many structures rose as the city expanded from 320,000 people in 1871 to 3.4 million by 1930. Readers learn about our city's history, plus the valuable contributions from world-famous architects and planners like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Miles Van De Roh, Mortimer Adler, and Daniel Burham. Today, many call Chicago the nation's architectural marvel - yet we also lost many famous structures as this superb book shows.

I'd have liked more photos of rail structures (Chicago was and probably remains the world's railroad capital), but it's a minor flaw. This is a superb book about a great city and its architectural past.

The well written story and photos of Chicago are great. It was amazing the number of outstanding architectural building that were built and torn down in such a short number of years.
Having grown up in Chicagoland during the 40' & 50's, I found myself depressed to see such destruction - only to be replaced by glass and aluminum boxes. Even efforts to save the outstanding and much beloved main lobby at the Chicago and Northwestern station failed in the name of the almighty dollar!

First of all...Mr. Lowe obviously has a deep rooted love for our wonderful city of Chicago. Most importantly...he is ensuring future generations and historians the ability to reference so many facts. This simply said...is an incredible work of love and a dedicated effort.
Thank You Mr. Lowe...my children's children will know what an important part that Chicago has played as our nation grew and prospered.

L. Curt Erler Author of "Southside Kid"

Stunning photos of a beautiful city. This book is truly a step back to a time when buildings were built to withstand centuries, although tragically these examples did not. Chicago has some of the most impressive examples of architecture in the country and this book is a powerful archive of not only what the city was, but what it is today. I wish there was a similar book on the buildings of Detroit, many of which are sadly slipping into oblivion.

There is much to enjoy here even if one does not have a special interest in architecture. As a lifelong Chicagoan, I especially liked the photo of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (p. 79) which occurs in the formerly Polish neighborhood that I grew up in. I also enjoyed the old maps of the Chicago area from the 1600's.

There have always been wise men in every culture and time period. In this book, we catch a glimpse into the wisdom of life from a time where family was the only security a person had, and where the simplicity of everyday life allowed cultural and personal insights stripped of a global context. Profound explanations of human nature are found here, and they apply to us today. A few of my favorite quotes:
--Hilmi--They asked Hilmi: `Why do you take so much interest in matters which are not connected with the progress of man?'
He said : `When you want to know how hard the coppersmith had been working, you look at the shavings on his floor.'
--Do not rely upon your own opinion when you think you need books and not exercises. Rely less on your belief when you think you need exercises and not books.

Real learning is found in this book.

Sufis, as well as Buddhists, date back thousands of years before Dr. Freud was born, so calling this book "Spiritual Freudianism" is superimposing a western perspective on an Eastern text. Also, using terms such as "a priori" assumes, again, a western perspective. Sufis demand that the student "know how to learn," and this requires dropping our western prejudices towards learning and towards what we've been told wisdom really is. Sufis do not always provide evidence or justification when teaching--their evidence takes the form of asking you, the student, to really observe yourself, without prejudices, without conditioned forms of thought, and see if what they say might be true. If you have issue with what they teach, investigate the matter (yourself) to see what the truth really is--and don't lie about it because your ego has been stunned or cracked. If you don't want to give up your western approach to life, Eastern teachings won't benefit you much; and I must ask, if you are so stuck to your western views and thinking, why did you pick up the book?

"Thinkers of the East" is a compilation of timeless Sufi teaching stories hand-picked by the late Idries Shah. These potent teaching narratives, traditionally, have been prescribed based on time/awareness/development of a student, by a competent Sufi teacher as a means of facilitating the interminable process of self-discovery. Treading the Sufi path without a guide is as advisable as trying a critical case in court without the legal guidance; doing heavy excercising at a gym without a well-respected trainer; taking a course examination without any time spent getting clarifications from an esteemed professor; or performing life-altering surgery on oneself by oneself. It is certainly possible to do these things by oneself and avoiding trusting another with one's best interest. But which would produce better results?

Listening to a teacher reciting these stories in real-time (replete with pauses, inflections), or receiving them as a written/ or visual message, is a very different experience than reading these linearly by oneself. Nevertheless, this title, like most other writings on Sufism, is a wonderful "snapshot" in the picture album labelled "Sufism".

In my understanding of Sufism, "Trust", "Leaps of Faith", and "Surrender" are critical in progressing on this path, as much as excercising "care" and "good sense" are. This much cannot be easily executed in the framework of minds that have known only to trust their own limiting, relativist perceptions. It is quite likely there is a well-reasoned fear that the assumed end-result of such talk is likely some crazed idolization of a teaching figure-head. What's more, in the real world, this type of thing happens all the time -- Shah speaks of this frankly and frequently.

Nevertheless, there still exist cases, wherein, those attained on the Path are freed from idolizing anyone or anything because the focus of their world-view isn't only about their egoic selves. Sufism is all about "Love", a state which does not adhere consistently with any mental constructs, or help one escape from any other unmentioned aspect of life. It is all about living Life, experiencing all aspects of it, finding the lessons, and recognizing "The Face of The Beloved".

ah, mr. PA has shown PRECISELY how much more he needs to develop. that he "sees" it shows how much he has "progressed"...bravo. but freud is no connection. link instead the acasual, not casual...jung. (n)either-(n)or...

These tales encompass beauty, humor, teaching situations, fantastic adventure and even occasional sadness. They provoke me to re-examine my own experience to understand the implications of a tale. Some remain puzzling.
Shah wrote this book of 'Eastern practical philosophy' for those who want to enlarge and enrich their perception and experience of what it is to be human. He states in the preface, "This book contains, arranged in a manner commanded by the tradition.... the materials belonging to the Sufi teaching, selected in accordance with the needs of the time. It might be termed applied specific experientialism."
Enjoy the stories for their obvious content. Then re-read them for possible other qualities and effects. Sometimes a second interpretation will jump out at you. Sometimes a smile or a sense of wonder or possibiliy will lodge in your heart.
Sample story:
I'll Make You Remember
One day Latif the Theif ambushed the commander of the Royal Guard, captured him and took him to a cave.
'I am going to say something that, no matter how much you try, you will be unable to forget,' he told the infuriated officer.
Latif made his prisoner take off all his clothes. Then he tied him, facing backwards, on a donkey.
'You may be able to make a fool of me,' screamed the soldier, 'but you'll never make me think of something if I want to keep it out of my mind.'
'You have not yet heard the phrase which I want you to remember,' said Latif. 'I am turning you loose now, for the donkey to take back to town. And the phrase is: I'll catch and kill Latif the Thief, if it takes me the rest of my life.'

I will never be able to write a suitable review for this book - the scope of what lies between it's covers is far too great to do justice to in a review, and I am vastly inadequate to the task in any event. So, the one I write today comes from the heart - as one of the "posterity" they speak of as they went forward in their remarkable undertaking. As one of those they "did it for."

The constructive writing of the "Articles of Confederation" was especially intriguing. The pesky issue of slavery presented an immediate and daunting problem early on within the erection of the articles of confederation. It forced an issue never dealt with before, from those educated, mostly wealthy men who would "free themselves from oppression" but had obviously never before seriously considered the oppression of others - or that it would present so large a problem in the overall picture of establishing Independence "for all". They struggled with it, agonized over it; and as can be imagined, could not agree over it. It was spell-binding to watch the process unfold - not from the pen of the "historian" but from the rapidly evolving mind of the Rebel himself - because no matter how you view it, these brilliant men were elitists within their own, considered themselves to be conceived in somewhat of a Royal Nature, too, while at the same time viewing the Crown itself as a symbol that could not longer be tolerated. The "free labor population" (Benjamin Franklin himself would have been categorized into this second group early in his career) presented essentially the same problem to them as did the slaves in the proportioning.

As a result, they found themselves dealing with their own consciences too, something that may have been a unique concept for most of them - an exercise much needed of themselves as they extended their own quest for Independence and found themselves having to deal with "all of us" into the bargain. They knew they would have only "one shot" at establishing the best of it; and amazingly they were honest and earnest in that Quest. (try that today with the political assortment we have now)

In the "republican legislature" and "revisal of the law" section of this original accounting, the struggle for the distinct separation of Church and State is one of the most important conquests ever undertaken; uprising from a birth in the human mind; and clearly demonstrates the chasm of thought processes that existed between Jefferson and other honest, though less broad-minded men who still clung to the "status quo" and did not possess the courage, judgment or the vision to want to support the concept which became a cornerstone of our Constitution.

The 'original papers' poignantly illuminate the intimate, internal working of the mind of Thomas Jefferson for the reader as nothing else can, something the "historical accounting" written by others somehow leaves wanting in the translation. To read the words straight from the mind and the pen of the "original", uncensored language, spelling, phrasing and all - is an experience anyone interested in keeping the torch of the Forefathers burning will enjoy.

This book highly recommended.

At approximately $10.00 I expected a little more material than this 32 page, index card size book, provided.

Mr. Jefferson was a brilliant man. I enjoy reading his works and appreciate this opportunity to gain insight into his logic and thought process as it evolved throughout his lifetime. His intellectualism and that eternal curiosity about his world place him head and shoulders above those men of his time. He bought Louisiana upon the suggestion of Thomas Paine and our nation spread westward as a result. He no doubt made major contributions towards the creation and founding of this nation. Thousands of accolades for his brilliance and achievements are in order. I'm not putting him on a pedestal, there was a dark side. He did own slaves. He was however in many ways morally and intellectually bound by the time he lived in. His thoughts regarding the mentality of slaves scream racism. His solution was to abolish slavery and export them back to Africa. He believed most would never fit in to American culture based on their resentments against enslavement and the racism they endured from white society at the time. His letters to American Indians in which he addressed them as "My Children" and assured them of his eternal blessings belied the fact that their lands were being taken away from them and they were being forced to be assimilated or slaughtered. He did not foresee the industrialization of America and wanted to leave manufacturing to the Europeans to preserve the American way of life. In short, Mr. Jefferson was all too human, who no doubt would be appalled at the antics of modern day Republicans and Democrats.

I have this book (I checked the IBSN#). It's 32 pages of quotes, and that's it. No papers, no index, etc. I think the other customer reviews are innacurate in that they are probably about an entirely different book.

So about *THIS* book, I love it. It's got the well-known quotes like "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." and lesser-known quotes like "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

It's not a scholarly work. It doesn't have citations to explain where the quotes came from, but it was exactly what I was looking for.

If you are a fan of Liberty, this book is a must buy.

What a difference of few decades make. When I was a youngster the founders were all revered and taught in school. Nowadays, they are almost ignored and condemned for not conforming to our modern view of morality. Of course, the present view is both arrogant and ignorant because we assume that future generations will believe as we do and lacks the humility to realize that the human condition is fraught with weakness and sin as well as triumph and wisdom.

Thomas Jefferson was one of the most remarkable men this country or any country has ever produced. All you need do is sample these writings and you will begin to understand the powers of his mind, the charisma he manifested, the range of his interests, and the paradoxical foibles as well. The writings included here are his autobiography, his Notes on Virginia, all kinds of essays, letters, speeches, and selected other papers.

He writes of philosophy, English prosody, natural history, political observations, the history of the Founding, theological beliefs, and many other topics. Both of his inaugural addresses are included as well has his notices to Congress (what we now call State of the Union Addresses used to be handled in a letter). There are also letters to Indian tribes that are quite interesting.

The idea that the Indian tribes would want to remain as they were seemed a mistaken to notion to Jefferson and his contemporaries. They needed to understand that realities of their world had changed forever and they had great opportunities for improving their lives (as he saw it). Their rejection of overtures to assimilate seemed evidence of an imprisoned mind rather than what we would call a "lifestyle choice".

This is another of the great volumes from the Library of America. It includes a chronology of Jefferson's life, great notes on the texts included, and an index.

Something you really should have on your shelf of American History and our Founding.

TRAIL is one of the most fabulous, intriguing pop-up books I have ever seen. How in the world does David Pelham do it? I wouldn't know where to begin. But I find myself drawn to the book and in awe every time I turn the pages. This book will turn you into a pop-up collector. Sophie

This book is magnificent. It is beautiful, stunning, and so much fun! Art plus poetry -- that will delight anyone of any age. I have given it for multiple gifts, and I can't quit looking at it myself. Get one for yourself, and you will want more to share.

I gave this book to my 13 year old grandson for Christmas and it was a great success. The book so captured his interest that he wanted to stop opening presents to read it. It is fasinating how the poetry comes to life in the pop-ups. At the same time the pop-ups don't overwhelm. I think the use of the white paper was inspirational. I will watch for further work by this author Pelham.

Really a neat popup book. No colors; but the basic white still made the popups very pretty. Fascinating as to how such a book could be created. Made a nice Christmas gift for my teenage granddaughter. She thought it was really cool. I really like the paper poetry that went along with the details of each page!

I am a big fan of pop-up books, and especially enjoy the simplicy of the ones done all in white (such as Robert Sabuda's), as they allow you to appreciate the skill of the artist. I love this book! It is a marvelous job of engineering and imagination. I took it to work and everyone went bananas.

There are numerous translations of the Upanishads extant, and each that I have had the privilege to inspect has much to offer. My favorite, however, for overall presentation and scholarship is Nikhilananda's four volume masterpiece published by the Ramakrishna-Vedanta Center of New York beginning in 1949. The first volume contains the Katha, Kena, and Mundaka Upanishads, along with the majestic eighty-one page introductory essay, "Discussion of Brahman in the Upanishads", and a General Introduction to the entire work. The second volume contains the Svetasvatara, Prasna, and Mandukya Upanishads, and another searching and informative introduction embodying a study of Vedic ethics. The third volume contains the Aitareya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads with another awesome introductory essay discussing the value of rituals and symbols for the contemplation of Brahman. The fourth volume contains the Taittiriya and Chandogya Upanishads and an essay discussing ritual and contemplative worship as steps leading to the knowledge of Brahman. The translation has been decribed by leading authorities in the field over the years as clear, literal, and vigorous - to these observations, I would add radiant and inspiring. Nikhilananda's own commentaries are succinct and incisive. Nikhilananda's translations of Sankara's commentaries are considered definitive. In the words of one academic reviewer, "The special value of the translation lies in the infusion of the author's dual quality - that of a practiced mystic and religious scholar. The use of Sankara's commentaries makes as it were for another dimension - as of a vastly competent Thomas Aquinas winnowing the scriptural chaff from the kernel of reality."
If you're considering a multi-volume edition of the Upanishads for your library, check out the Nikhilananda. Although the one-volume Centenary Edition of Radhakrishnan's translation is masterful, great, and deserves honorable mention, I value Nikhilananda's guiding light and incredible introductory essays as among the most useful tools available for understanding the Upanishads in a myriad of ways, and, in the final analysis, I would not want to be without them when approaching this seminal and always challenging text.

To have a work of this philosophic profoundness translated by someone who was himself steeped in the very same tradition as the work that he is translating is a privelege.
Swami Nikhilananda was a genuine Hindu holy man who was also a scholar and he brings to this translation rare insights that can only be found from the actual experience of what he is writing of.
Be careful of premature comparisons between the Upanishads and the teachings of Buddhism: While there are similarities between both traditions, they are each distinct and have their own value and integrity as religious systems and both make a decided contribution to the wisdom of the religions of the east.

This third volume deals with the relative truth provided by rituals and sacrifices, which objective is to bring conscience about their "unefficiency" at an absolute point of view for bringing knowledge of "Brahman" (the ultimate reality). These rituals and sacrifices are means for realizing it through superimposition, i.e. adding some false semantics over what is to be understood and then invalidating it by showing its inconsistency with what is to be understood. One should hence meditate on them to better dwelve into the difference between the relative and the absolute.

This volume is less abstract than the previous two volumes so people that prefer metaphors and more practical stories will be more at ease with this volume.

The Upanishads are the most important text of Vedanta. The Triple Canon of Vedanta (Prasthana Traya) include: (1) the Upanishads, (2) the Bhagavad Gita, and (3) the Brahma Sutras. The Upanishads are considered the revealed scriptures and so referred to as 'Sruti Prasthana'. The Bhagavad Gita is the recollected scripture and hence referred to as 'Smriti Prasthana'. The Brahma Sutras use logic and reasoning to discuss the Sruti and so called 'Nyaya Prasthana'. The best commentary to these three was written by the 7th or 8th century Sage, Swami Adi Sankara. Any serious student of Vedanta should have all these three books with Sankara's commentary.

Adi Sankara selected 11 Upanishads and wrote commentary on them and called them 'the Major Upanishads'. This four volume set contains all the major Upanishads with notes based on Sankara's commentary. Swami Nikhilananda's translation is superb. Rather than literally translate Sankara's commentary, he has chosen to place 'notes' based on Sankara's commentary and this makes the text very readable. He has added explanations to Sankara's commentary, which I feel are essential for modern readers.

Another feature of this 4 volume set is Nikhilananda's extensive introductions on the concept of Brahman as portrayed in Vedic scriptures and also on other aspects of Veda Dharma (i.e., the religion based on the Vedas). The central message of the Upanishads is that Brahman (God) is the only Reality.

As you read through these 4 volumes, you will enjoy among other things: Nachiketa's conversations with Yama on the Supreme Secrets of life and death in Katha Upanishad, profound discussions of the transcendental turiya state in Mandukya Upanishad, beautiful conversations of King Janaka with Sage Yajnavalkya in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and discussions of the five sheaths that 'conceal' the Supreme Reality in Taittiriya Upanishad.

The Section on the short but extremely important Upanishad, Mandukya, also contains Gaudapada's Karika or commentary. (Gaudapada is Sankara's Guru's Guru).

To conclude, this 4 volume edition is the most comprehensive as well as best available English translation of the Major Upanishads with notes based on Sankara's commentary.

This volume contains most of the stories told in the Buddhist Teachings. Many examples seen in this volume can also be found in the Teachings of the Buddha Gotama. Brahman is explained through symbols like the "elements" (air, fire,...), objects for meditation, short stories that also appear in the Buddhist literature. However, these examples and stories are explained in a rather crude manner in this volume, compared to what can be found in the Buddhist Teachings. The advantage being that they are presented in a condensed manner here, with the most profound ones in this single volume...

So if your purpose is to try to understand this volume just by itself, there are chances you'll get struck by the depth of its meaning. So please first get into some other medium to advanced books in Hinduism and Buddhism before trying to absorb this volume, because the other previous three volumes are not enough to get across this one...but the essence is there, Gotama relied on the content of this volume for his Teachings, no doubt.

When you'll be done with the four volumes, you'll understand where the Buddhist Teachings come from...these Upanishads constitute the essence of the Hindu and Buddhist philosophies.

Unfortunately, they are probably the most cryptic texts that deal with the Ultimate, the style is so crude that one should not read them nor teach them to people that have not spent many years at studying the basics of the Indo-aryan philosophy (be it Hinduism, Buddhism,...) and are not prepared to approach the Absolute. Find a qualified teacher before reading them, unless you could be mislead and loose more time than if you had learned the basics before. So unless you know what you'll find in there, don't read them. If you feel prepared to it, get into it. If the Vedanta considered them as the secret teachings, it's not for the sake of hiding them, but rather because their use should be restricted to the most advanced scholars. There is no discrimination in this, only a will to prevent misunderstanding and misinterpreting of this difficult topic, nothing else. If you don't trust me, get into it and you'll understand very soon what i'm talking about. It's useless to begin learning a subject with the most advanced textbooks, except making you disgusted of it, so please don't try to catch the Ultimate directly with the Upanishads.

This book offers some major insight into his ritual of the 30 Aethyrs. It includes several other workings in much detail, and has so much symbolism in it just like the rest of his books. Check it out for a good read and valuable insight.

This is more esoteric philosophy than religion or magick. Philosophy is the reasoning behind things and deals a lot with morals. This is more occult oriented and harder to find. I noticed in this book several innuendos used by gimmicky shock rockers. It is worth getting just to see a different side of the beast besides the religious aspect.

Liber 418 takes over where Dr. Dee and Mr. Kelly left off. One of the great works of Aleister Crowley. Put this on in your Shopping Cart, it's a long read, but worth every hour!

This is a must buy for those whom wish to travel the Aethyrs from TEX to LIL, as it is very descriptive of the sign posts that one must correctly identify. You can be well assured it is worth the money if one is rise upon the Aethyrs, and it is obvious that no other man but the Beast himself has writ such a book, as there are no others out there in resemblence.

I think this book should belong in the Library for all those whom practice the wondorous magick of the Enochiana. If you ever wondered what it was like traveling the Aetheyrs from TEX to LIL, then this book is un-equaled in it's class. If you ARE to travel the Aethyrs, this book gives each practitioner each of the necessary guide posts, that are unique to each Aethyr, that you should look for. It was well written, and gives you insight on what to expect and what you should avoid. On a side note, I think that you should find your own means of traveling to ZAX, pushing aside the rather dangerous method that is given in this book.

If you have ever put up with mickey mouse bull in the military, or been horrified at the actions of politicians, you will feel right at home with this book.

Bill,
Excellent book, an edge of the seat read that I couldn't put down. The details were amazing but it was the story that held my attention and made me want to read more......I'm on to the next book!!! I can't wait.
Sincerely,
Connie McCall-Suminski

AWESOME! I actually bought this for $1 in a hardware store, thinking it was gonna be junk! Non-stop action and a REAL believable story. The shootout at the end in the White House was insane!

This is a book that HAS TO be made into a movie.

After Iranian commandos sink a US warship in the Persian Gulf, the US retaliates by destroying the facilities on Kharg Island, vital to Iran's oil industry. Rather than risk a head on confrontation with the vastly more powerful US military, the Iranians seek their revenge on US soil. A daring planned is conceived, using commandos and suicide bombers, to first strike the marine base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and then launch an attack on the White House to kill the president. The rest of the story unfolds with the perfect combination of action, exposition, and characters. In a genre where it's easy to resort to the use of cliched stock characters, this book offers characters with depth, particularly the Iranians. Instead of portraying them as nothing more than religious fanatics, the author does an excellent job of explaining their tactics from their perspective. Add to this the chillingly plausible, relatively low tech methods of attack and you've got a real page-turner.

The original copyright for this book is 1992. But just about everything described in this book has happened for real since it was written.

First the Iranians attack the USS Makin Island with a devastating bombing that almost sinks the ship (can you say USS Cole). The United States retaliates with an attack on Iran's main oil depot at Kharg Island (cruise missiles and high technology weapons). The Iranians respond with a command attack on a major oil pumping station in the United Arab Emirates, and then go one step further. They decide it is time to take the war to the United states and target the President. A small dedicated terrorist group penetrates America and slips behind the barrier of missiles, ships and planes defending the country (it is a 9-11 style attack except with commandos).

Through it all defense analyse Rich Welsh suspects the truth and tries to get somebody to listen. (I suspect he has a few real life aanalogues who saw the coming storm, but whose warnings went unheeded.) The Welsh character conveys the author's feelings about structural problems that plague the Marines and the Pentagon mentality.

This is a well written and well paced book. Get a copy today, this guy deserves a better sales ranking!