References and Standards Books

It comes in Black - 1558194371 and Burgundy - 1558194398. I bought the Burgundy version of this Bible for myself. I also bought the black one for a friend. See my extensive review in the Burgundy version. Also, see attached photos (and photos in Burgundy version).

This is a replacement for one that was stolen. The genuine leather cover is far better than the bonded leather one I had before. And the price was even better than what I paid for the bonded leather version.

I found this bible to be very compact and it even has a reference. I bought it for its smallness and the good crisp typeface. A good pick when you gotta pack light!

This bible is a perfect size, not to big or small and the print is not large not too small, and there is something about the way in which it is bound that when it sits open it fits comfortably in your hand and the pages stay open until you change them, you know how some books are bound so when you open them you have to keep your hand on the page to keep it open, this is bound so that it stays where you open it, that is very important to prevent frustration. Enjoy

As far as English translations are concerned, I prefer the NKJV. It is a Nelson translation, so not all publishers carry it. For further reviews on the translation itself, there are many resources for comparison. I tend to read the same verse in various versions for comparison on personal preference. NKJV doesn't include pronunciation markings within the words, which I consider very distracting. If I am looking for a pronunciation guide in a KJV Bible, rather than markings within the words, they are hard to find. Also, I find the "thee" and "thou" and "eth" and the end of verbs shocking to read and harder to read with a "flow" (kind of interrupting). The NKJV takes care of all those complaints without detracting from the meaning of the passages.

I will proceed with reviewing the unique features of this Bible. It is a very comfortable size (perfect from my perspective). It is large enough for nice print size, and small enough for comfortable weight due to the slim binding. It has a reference column, which I was looking for in a slim line Bible. It also comes in genuine leather, which I think is a must for a long lasting Bible. I purchased it as a follow-on Bible to my Nelson 3016 (0785200304) - see my review for that one - I do love that Bible, but this one meets the only weaknesses of that one, without compromising the nice features. Nelson has a slim reference edition, but they don't have a genuine leather version for it, which in my opinion is a huge miss. If no references are desired, the Nelson 3016 is the best.

I bought the Burgundy version of this Bible for myself because my Nelson is black and I wanted a different color. I also bought the black one for a friend. The Burgundy color has a more red hue than purple. I really like the color. Before I ordered, I went to a local book store and saw the color of an NIV Holman slimline (they didn't have the NKJV in stock), and this is the same, so I am glad I saw the color first (it is hard to describe a color). I have posted photos to help visualizing product. It has a shiny finish with a grooved random looking pattern to the cover (both for the Black - 1558194371 and Burgundy - 1558194398 versions). One interesting tidbit is that the Black version comes in a red box, while the Burgundy version comes in a green box ... go figure. The concordance is identical to the Nelson mentioned before. The font is too (maybe a bit less spacing, since there is more text per page). The maps are nicer in this Bible than the ones in the Nelson. I do like the verse-by-verse format this Bible has (as does the Nelson) because I can find verses faster than looking through the middle of a paragraph. The tone of the red letter ink is nice and readable (not pink).

The only things that I have noticed as negatives (not quite) are:
1. The top page margin is wider than the bottom margin, but although it is kind of awkward at initial impression, I will use it in the event of taking notes ;-).
2. The leather is a bit stiff (at least more than my Nelson), but I hope that it will soften over time, since another friend has had one for a while and it is softer. It doesn't quite open flat yet as my Nelson does.
3. Some pages have a dimmer print (as with less toner), but not many.
4. The genuine leather only comes in Black and Burgundy. For me it's not bad, but tan or brown options would be nicer for some other people.

Finally, I must admit that I am a hard buy. I ended up buying 4 Bibles prior to this one and returned them all. I have several study Bibles, but for a daily (non-Study) Bible, this is the best!!

I love this book! As a DJ with 15 years in the business, the author has said what everyone else was afraid to say. This is the all-out truth about DJ myths and marketing. Highly recommend this book.

I received How To Avoid DJ Horror Stories as a shower gift. As a bride-to-be, this book quickly became my best friend! It is as funny as it is informative. (The cartoon illustrations are really funny!) I learned so much from reading it that when it came time to interview DJs, I was able to spot, ahead of time, some of the myths and sleazy tactics referenced in the book. It actually saved me time (a precious commodity when planning a wedding). I especially liked Chapter 13, AFAQs (Answers to Frequently Asked Questions). The author literally answered every question that crossed my mind. Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy the book was to read; it felt like the author was actually talking to me. How To Avoid DJ Horror Stories is a "must have" for any bride going the DJ route. Highly recommended!!!

In such a vast field as DJ services, it nice to be able to find the true gems among the pack. This book was instrumental in helping me select a DJ for my wedding, and I was EXTREMELY pleased with the results. If you want to know how to identify a "line" when you hear one from a DJ, GET THIS BOOK!

I've been a Disc Jockey for 25 years and have seen it all - this is hilarious - be careful who you book though. Read this and you should get a good Disc Jockey and have a great wedding/party!

Mr. Harrison is probably a good mobile dj but he makes the mistake of assuming regional preferences (such as clients not wanting lighting) and that most weddings go 4 hours is true all over. More importantly, there are numerous occasions where he states his opinion as fact. If these were truly facts, there would be documentation to back them up. There is a lot of good advice in this book but it's mixed in with a lot of opinions and outdated information which the target audience would like have difficulty sifting through.

Our two year old loves this bible. The lessons are short enought to hold their attention and the pictures are great plus there is a hidden Night Light on the pages that she loves to find!
What a great way to begin emphasizing the importance of Gods word.

My son loves this Bible and it's easy for him to understand! The stories are short enough that it holds his attention span. I would recommend this Bible to anyone that are around the ages of 2 or 3 years old.

This is the BEST bible for families wanting more than story time... You will make memories with your kids as you sing the opening song to set the tone, read the bible story, look for Night-Light and talk about the story with the questions given. If you are new at this, don't worry, there are even sample prayers you can pray with your children every night. After story time and prayers, singing the closing song just completes this special time.

I got this book for my almost 5-year-old son about a month ago
and he's been asking me to read it to him every night.
He likes to look at the colorful pictures and ask questions
about the characters. The story is a little overly simplified
for the pre-K kids, so I usually go into a little more details
to satisfy his curiosity. However, I like the style of the
writing. Its use of rhythms and repetitive phrases makes the
message easy for the kids to memorize. I'd like to get another
bible with more story telling for him.

We love this Bible. This is the best Bible we have found for our 3year old daughter. We are very pleased that there is a story on the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is usually overlooked in Bibles for children this small. We definately suggest it!!
She loves it too! She has worn the cover off!

I recently received my copy of the new 4th edition of the Krause-Mishler (KM) 18th century catalog. Here are my impressions of the book, with some emphasis on the changes from the 3rd edition. The photographs are definitely much better than in the last edition. Unfortunately, that may be the only improvement over the last edition I can think of.

Some countries have been moved around - Vietnam is under "V" instead of "A" for Annam, Salzburg is back where it started under Austrian states, early Burma coins are no longer listed under Myanmar, and there's a new listing called "Central Asia" for Bukhara (formerly listed under Uzbekistan) and Janid Khanate (new?). Within several countries, the coins are no longer listed in the same order, and early Austrian coins have new KM numbers yet again. The editors have spent a lot of time on the notes for each listing, with more information about what's on the coin, including legends.

There are a few more photos than in the last edition (18,000 instead of 17,900, according to the book covers). For some reason, maybe to save space, several photos from the previous edition have been deleted. On two successive pages, 29 of the 35 photos in the previous edition for Courland, Crimea, and Curacao were deleted. Space did seem to be at a premium, with one country's listings beginning immediately after the last one ends, even if it's in the middle of a column.

It always seemed odd to me that KM had separate catalog numbers for the different mints under France. Now they've done the same thing for Iran. The Korea section is much shorter, reorganized, and easier to use. The last edition had separate listings and catalog numbers for Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, etc. Now they've combined these into one listing with a note "Series 1-10." I guess that's another good thing.

I hoped I would find many price corrections, because it has been 5 years since the 3rd edition was published. The market has been very strong in many European countries, and the euro is worth about 50% more than it was 5 years ago. However, the vast majority of coin prices are exactly the same as they were in the 3rd edition. Half the book is devoted to Germany, India, and Italy, and those countries' listings are virtually unchanged. My one-per-country collection includes 85 German state coins from the 18th century. The prices of 4 of them went up, very slightly (why those 4?). The largest change was in the opposite direction: my Nassau-Weilburg 4 kreuzer (VF) went down from $45 to $35, and Schön lists the coin at 120 euros. And prices in Italy are way up.

The only relatively large section with extensive price changes was the Swiss cantons, where someone adjusted many of the values to reflect those in the new HMZ Swiss catalog. I noticed that in some cases where HMZ did not price certain coins in higher grades, the KM values for the higher grades were not changed. That created situations where the higher grade is said to be worth less than a lower grade. For example, the catalog shows many of the Chur KM-263 bluzgers with higher values in VF than in XF. The catalog says the Reichenau-Tamins 2 kreuzer is worth $4,750 in VF but only $1,600 in XF.

Here are the other countries I saw with the most price increases: Denmark - many values up; Dominica - very few types, but the prices are higher; Ethiopia-Harrar - prices twice what they were; Great Britain - prices up only slightly, despite large increases in the British catalogs; Ireland - mostly up; Luxembourg - many prices up; Malta - prices generally higher; Portugal - prices higher, as they should be; Sierra Leone Company - prices up quite a bit. The common penny went up from $20 to $100 in fine, $50 to $200 in VF, and $80 to $400 in XF; early US coins - prices up. The values for most Russian coins didn't change, but I noticed that some of the large rubles were way up. The KM-149 1714 ruble in XF increased from $3,500 to $70,000.

For several countries, prices for the first type went up, but none of the others did. It's almost as if someone changed the first prices to indicate the country needed to be changed, but nobody finished the job. I realize the incredible amount of work it would take to really update a catalog of this magnitude, and I know KM does not have the staff to keep up with it. They may be putting more of their resources into numismaster, the online listing - at least one of my coins that's missing from the catalog is listed there. I would have thought that numismaster updates should find their way into the printed catalog. Nearly all of the 18th century coins in my collection that were missing from the previous edition are still missing from the current edition.

Under Netherlands, just about all the coins are now priced in uncirculated. And for the silver Batavian Republic coins, there are also values for BU. I can't imagine that there would be too many of those available to buy. Under Netherlands East Indies, there are no longer separate listings for Holland, Gelderland, Overyssel, and other provinces. These coins are all listed under United East India Company, with descriptions like "crowned Holland arms" or "crowned Gelderland arms" for the provincial coins.

I noticed quite a few mistakes in the catalog - probably the biggest one I found was a listing under Hejaz/Mecca of all the Hejaz coins from KM's 20th century catalog. I wonder how that happened. Another odd one is the photo for a Peru a gold 8 escudos (KM-82.1) - the photo is a 1951 Mauritius rupee.

If you collection 18th century coins and do not have a catalog, you should definitely have this book. It's by far the best comprehensive 18th century catalog available. But if you already have the 3rd edition, about the only good reason I can think of that you'd need to buy the new one would be that your old one is falling apart, like mine was. Or, if you're a dealer you might want to check out the countries I mentioned where the prices are up. The book is $47.25 with free shipping from Amazon.

It's a complete and very informative book about world coins. I used it everyday as a price reference and getting the right description of old coins.

My collection of 18th century coins is virtually non-existent and their value is so low that this catalog cost me much more than they are all worth. But I did not buy it to see how rich I am or how wisely I invested my money. I treat this book as a very special history book. I read it every now and then, starting from a state I have never heard of to discover some new information from the past. This is the imperfect but only source to dig into the history of minute Italian, German or Indian states which often had nothing but minting rights which they excercised profusely. About sovereigns who believed themselves mighty enough to have their profiles struck on multiple thalers only to disappear from annals of History within just a few years. About political plans, expectations and pretences of which we can't remember anymore but they were all detailed on coins.
Coin-collecting is not a way of investing money (it well may be though in most cases it is rather by luck than wise planning), it is a life-time of studies. You have to invest your time, and coins will start speaking to you. Half-worn faces will become flesh and blood individuals from the past. Strange letters will mean their might and their dreams. You will probably never have too many of these coins (even if you have the money, actually) but this is the kind of book which can give you knowledge. And knowledge, in time, may turn into wisdom.

Certainly this is the book for 18th century coins, unless you are mainly interested in one country like the UK or France -- in that case you would find more information more attractively laid out, along with other centuries, elsewhere, usually more cheaply too. But for its coverage of the world, including hugely complicated countries like Gemany, Italy and India, it is unbeatable. This 3rd edition is an improvement over earlier editions, because more pictures (especially of the smaller coins) and more obscurities have been included.

For users in countries which do not speak English, the conversions such as VF = TTB = BB =MBC are very useful !
The book is not difficult for foreigners to use.

I need a guide so I just do not blindly pay big bucks for cute pictures. There are a lot of good guides and some more specific on particular eras and locations such as Westphalia. But as you do a coin search you are bound to run across something you are not familiar with and need a guide. This guide is a great place to start; it is easy to navigate and gives cursory information on particular locations and times surrounding the coin's production.

Keeping in mind that this is just a guide, there are holes and the coins are not displayed in color. On the other hand the coins shown are in actual size; size is hard to translate form internet pictures.

With all the electronic references today it is nice to have something tactile, static and transportable. This book meet al those needs.

This book was recieved quickly. I founds the book to be very informative and useful. I found the answers to several of my questions I had. I will keep the book close to use for a reference and I am sure I will use it a lot. Thanks.

I have the 4th edition (at this time is the most recent edition in print) and as a psych home care nurse, this little, portable wealth of knowledge has helped me validate to management, as well as to public health and other surveyors, the range in situations that qualify "homebound status" for psychiatric patients. Throughout the book there are samples provided to support a variety of situations that help the nurse better understand, and therefore more accurately report, on each sector of the OASIS forms. Medicare regulations are explained in detail, and I learned information that I had not known in the 14 years I have been doing mental health home care nursing. The manual provides a history and background of homecare, its evolution, provides an overview of documentaion, including the importance of coding, and its significance in home care. Also, valuable tips on improving the nursing visit, setting achievable goals, managing the case, and the guidelines for care for all the home care disciplines, are provided, so the nurse can be knowledgable regarding the roles of the other disciplines. There is a great resource section at the end of the book, and home care definitions, roles, and abbreviations are delineated in this manual as well. All home care codes are listed.

With the often-confusing regulations and data gathering tools out there, at least we on the front lines have this portable manual to help us sort out our assessments and evaluations into the accurate coding and leveling criteria that supports what we do, what we observe, and allows for the appropriate revenue to support the levels of care our patients require. As OASIS data-gathering evolves, newer editions will be needed to keep up with the miriad of changes that will ensue, but at least here is a standard we can all make good use of, and I am willing to bet every nurse, from novice to manager, will find something in this manual that was not known or delineated as well to them in the past.

This manual would also make a wonderful teaching tool for nursing students. They may as well learn early on how intricate the data-gathering tools are in the real working world. Accurate notations on the OASIS forms can either make or break a case, not only regarding reimbursement, but as to whether the levels of care, and variety of disciplines, that you feel are needed, are allowed to provide services to your patient. Hasty and inaccurate translation of evaluations and assessments onto the OASIS forms results in inability to justify to Medicare that the levels of intervention you are requesting are appropriate.

I love this book because, being in the home health industry you have to know what you're charting. If charting is lacking then you will not get the full reimbursement that you are entitled to. Thanks alot.

i had the early verison and used it for making my care plan. the content is now updated and still valuable.

A MUST resource guide for all nurses who work in the Home Health industry.

This has become a very useful tool for my adult Sunday School preparations.

It is packed with loads of information not only in the form of Biblical commentary but also in terms of information about people, places, things, and events in the Bible. Also, while Bromiley tends to be on the Evangelical side of things in terms of exegesis (he's from Fuller after all, as are some of his co-editors, one of whom is from Wycliffe), he at least mentions the many interpretations that various passages of scripture have (including neo-orthodox and liberal). He also provides numerous, though at times cryptically short, references for those with the desire to look them up in a good reference library.

One criticism I have is his writting style, particularly in some of the exegetical sections, is a little terse, and more explaination of the Hebrew/Greek would be helpful.

Beware of the new cut-price printing of this set being offered various places for $99.99. The ads say you are saving $180.00, but it's not the same product. The cheap version has a cheap glued binding and no dustjackets. These books are too thick and heavy to be bound that way. With mine, the picture pages in the center just cracked loose and fell out. A 200-page novel that will be read once can have any kind of binding, but heavy reference books that will be used repeatedly are a different story. What looks like a super deal on eBay or Amazon Market is likely to be the cheapo version.

Earlier printings are available used for about the same price, with dust jackets and some of them (not all) have a far-superior sewn binding. It's nice not to worry about pages coming loose, and to have a book that lays open flat. The ISBN does not tell you what you are getting. For example, the May 1993 reprint of Vol 4 has a sewn binding, but the otherwise identical November 1988 printing does not. Maybe there were complaints about the earlier printing coming apart, I have no idea. I don't know whether the set Amazon sells for $176.40 has a sewn or glued binding; my advice is to call Eerdmans and find out before buying. The text is always identical, as long as it's the "Fully Revised" version; I believe the last volume, Vol 4, was first issued in its fully revised version in 1988, the other volumes earlier than that. The first printings of fully revised Vol 4 have 1211 pages, later printings have 1240. The difference is a set of errata pages, which you can photocopy from a library.

As a pastor, I find the ISBE a wonderful tool, not only for study but for ideas. Material from articles on subjects like "peace" or "conscience" provide information and insights not available elsewhere.

The ISBE contributors represent various evangelical positions. The set often includes articles that are barely evangelical, contributors frequently holding to inspiration but not inerrancy. Though I find myself more conservative than many of the contributors, I find the insights invaluable and the thinking scholarly. There's not a lot of the same old same old surface info, but depth and even some original thinking.

Highly reommended for students of the Word, with a note of caution to those of us on the conservative end of evangelicalism.

Great reference material on any and every subject you can think of in the Bible. This is definitly worth the price, if you're a serious Bible student, having this comprehensive work on your bookshelf would be an invaluable asset!

Highly Recomended!

This is an increadible resource for any serious studant of the Word of God. I bought research both this and The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Both are Well done. Though this one, to my delight, is written from a more Conservative stance. If you appricatiate folks like Chuck Swindall, John MacArthur, Tony Evans as I do, you will enjoy this work. I WOULD HOW EVER HIGHLY RECCOMEND THE DIGITAL VERSION. The folks at Logos really got it right. One reviewer above mention compuer being hard on the eyes. To that I say increase the font, which you can not do on the printed version. I like the elecronic version as a siminary student when i quote from the book and copy and paste it to my paper it carries over the footnotes for me. What a Godsend.

Excerpt from C# Online.NET Review (wiki.CSharp-Online.NET):
"This book is the authoritative reference to the .NET Framework libraries: Base Class Library (BCL) and Extended Numerics Library. Each type has its own chapter with the following features;

- Header - namespace name, type name, library name.
- Type summary - C# declaration syntax for all members.
- Type description - detailed usage description.
- Annotations - annotations by key Microsoft design team members including Anders Hejlsberg.
- Example - C# source code and program output."

Out of all of the technical books I own, this book is by far one of the best. It covers most of the areas .NET developers will encounter during development. It clearly tells you the information in a easy to understand focused manner.

The other reviewers didn't left too much to say. So I'll remember a credit card TV ad:
SLAR volume 1: $42.89
Shipping & Handling: $12.98
Having BCL authors commenting on types, design decisions, dos and don'ts: priceless.
You can find references about the BCL on innumerous places. For an insiders perspective, SLAR.

Looking for a handy reference for the .NET Framework classes?

If you are looking for a handy reference style book for the .NET Framework BCL (Base Class Library) then look no further. This book is packed to the brim with information, code samples and other goodies. Of coarse you can find this sort of information on MSDN, but wouldn't it be nice to have a well laid out hard-copy on your desk?

This book comes with a couple of really handy tools. First, you get a pretty handy .NET Framework map, which is a pretty large poster that maps out the BCL nicely. Also, you get a really nice CD which includes a .pdf file with almost 4000 pages (it's like a super-detailed version of the book). That's not it - the CD also has a HUGE library of code samples. The CD alone is worth the price in my opinion.

I am very happy with this purchase, I only wish I would have bought it sooner. I am very much looking forward to the next volume!

Having been an avid reader of Brad Abrams blog (http://blogs.msdn.com/brada) for a year and a half, I was eagerly anticipating this book from the moment it was announced; it didn't disappoint. The SLAR provides an extensive description and example of each type, as well as comments from the likes of Anders Hejlsberg, Kit George, Jeffrey Richter and Brad Abrams himself. These comments provide hints and clues into the inner workings of the Base Class Library (BCL) types and why Microsoft chose to implement types in certain ways. This book was an interesting read and like Sean below, I am also left wanting more. However, with Volume 2 on the horizon, I enthusiastically wait...

Great price and fast shipping on this reference manual that is the bible of genealogy.

As usuall these manuals are great for a resource guide. A valuable addition to my library.

If you're serious about the research you do on your family's history -- if you're not satisfied with merely collecting names, if you expect to see proof for statements made by other researchers, if you want those who come after you to be able to pick up where you've left off -- then this review can be boiled down a simple statement: Read this book. Buy it, consult it regularly, learn its principles. Since 1964, the BCG has developed and promulgated reliable methods for genealogical research, standards for proof, and a code of ethics for genealogists. This Manual is designed to clarify, codify, and present these standards in an easily accessible form. The first section presents standards for genealogical proof, data collection, and evaluation of evidence, the second lays out standards for genealogical instructors, lecturers, and authors, and the third discusses continuing genealogical education. These are followed by seven lengthy appendices that give examples of lineage compilations and the proof summaries that should accompany them, the most widely accepted formats for lineage publication, and researcher client reports -- which are a very useful tool even if you're only doing research for yourself. There certainly are thousands of books out there begging genealogists to buy them, but the "essential" bookshelf for American researchers is really rather small: _The Source,_ Greenwood's _Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy,_ Everton's _Handybook,_ perhaps _Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives,_ and a few others. The _Manual_ should be on that shelf.

This book should be read and on the library shelf of every "non professional" genealogist. I can't recommend it highly enough, especially for anyone who is the least bit interested in genealogy. It helps to turn a "myth" into a "fact".

The book is a great source of information. It could be a "must have" for any genealogist, amateur or professional. The extensive use of pseudonyms detracts from the importance of the sample documentation given. I could barely get through reading the numerous sample documents or reports from Traditional Storey to Ima Goodresearcher! I would recommend using real names and not ficticious ones in the next edition.

Glass's "Fertilizers, Pills, and Magnet Strips" is a must read for anyone interested in public education and its place within American culture. Glass uncovers how technological advances have shaped our way of life and way of thinking--a way of thinking that may explain why education reform efforts continue to flounder. As an educational policy researcher, I constantly grapple with why it is so difficult for policymakers to understand education. Glass adeptly and meticulously describes how the evolution of business practices, technological advances, and cultural fads have intersected and led to a narrow view of public education. His book has clarified for me why so many people have unrealistic expectations from public schooling.

Glass's writing is accessible, authoritative, and interesting. But, that is just the start. The real punch in this book comes from his creativity and innovation in weaving together the ways in which cultural processes have impacted how we see public education.

if you care about public education at all, you must read this book.

I am a teacher in the Texas public schools, and I can tell you from my own experience that what this book says about Texas is absolutely true.

I read this book in a few days which is fast for me. What is intriguing about the book is the "in your face" assertions about controversial topics in education. I found Glass' style refreshing in comparison to overly politically correct styles found in so many books on education.

My intent would be to use this book in a graduate seminar course and have students produce evidence that either challenges or supports many of the book's claims. The reader who is familiar with these topics may question the accuracy of some claims but in the end, the book does what it is supposed to do - it leaves the reader thinking about and wanting to discuss the book with others.

Glass's "Fertilizers, Pills and Magnetic Strips" is an extremely well conceived publication. The situation of education in the United States has been carefully analyzed and documented, as well as carefully argued with both data and personal opinion. It is a book that every parent, teacher, and education professor should be reading, studying, and acting on. I will be recommending it to all of my former graduate students, education colleagues, and personal friends.

~ Dale Lange
Professor Emeritus
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

The analyses and projections Glass presents are spot on in my view. That the US will become older and browner is evident from US Census data. But Occam's razor could well be applied to "fertilizers, pills, and magnetic strips." These are metonyms for technologies that have indeed had wide-ranging consequences, but they are very distal determinants of the present status or likely future of US pre-collegiate education.

The sub-title is also problematic. The book deals with the politics and economics of education in the US. Accepting the five projections in Chapter 10 in no way defines the 'fate' of public education in the US. That will be what 'we' make it. Glass' analyses of current belief systems regarding education are scathing. But belief systems can be changed (per George Lakoff's work). And overriding beliefs is Boulding's wisdom: "We make our tools and then they shape us." Combine this with the wisdom of Josiah Royce, emblazoned over the stage at Royce Hall, UCLA, (when I was a student. They remodeled the building and I don't know what's there now): "Education is learning to use the tools humanity (Royce said 'the race' but 'humanity' would be the term used today) has found indispensable" and you have a pretty good two-sentence guide.

Ironically, in the end Glass goes soft-headed, " The only reform [sic] that stands any chance of making our public schools better is the investment on teachers--to aide them in their quest to understand, to learn. Go become more compassionate, caring, and competent persons." (p. 249) That's a fool's errand--well-intentioned, but foolish in the sense that it hasn't had the intended consequences in the past and offers little for the future. If Ray Kurzweil's projections in "Singularity" are even half-right, it's going to be a different future for instruction.

My story of how US schooling got to where it is currently is simpler than Glass' story. As Glass states, prior to the mid-50s the aspiration was to enroll all kids in high school. Prior to that time, schools handled instructional failures by tossing kids out or counseling them out. With "full access," weaknesses started to show.

Historically, all media information regarding schooling was local, focusing on athletics and 'human interest' anecdotes. Even today, only a handful of newspapers cover schooling nationally. That gain is an important consequence of NCLB, but even there the accounts largely swallow whole governmental news releases.

The move that began in 1965 to make schooling a matter of national interest was important. The subsequent history could be titled "Bureaucrats, academics, and publishers." The small number of individuals who constituted the Beltway Consensus bought, and still buy, Jim Coleman's contention (based on shoddy "research") that "families matter more than schooling," "education spending is unrelated to educational achievement," and "school integration across socioeconomic lines (and hence across racial lines) will increase Negro achievement, and they throw serious doubt upon the effectiveness of policies designed to increase non-personal resources in the school." (The self-serving interests Glass exposes are evident.)

By the mid-1980s it was all-too-clear that "school integration" was not getting the job done. "High standards "was the answer, culminating in the "Goals 2000" legislation. Of course 2000 came with none of the goals met. No one recognized that the "standards" were rhetoric masked as "content." The consensus was that "accountability" via standardized achievement tests is the answer. Hence NCLB. (Same self-serving interests.)

What has the academy been doing? Not much. Glass tells that story. What he doesn't explain is why those who understand the flaws in NAEP and all standardized achievement tests have sat with their thumbs in their mouths.

Publishers are culpable in that they provide the tools that define schooling instruction. The publisher line is that they "only respond to market demands." This means they're unaccountable and unregulated. Their 'offerings' are junk, but bureaucrats and academics give them a free ride.

So what to do? Again it's a simple story. Borrow from the corporate world the notion of "business intelligence" and "key performance indicators." Also borrow from the IT sector and several large corporations the notion of structured "certification of capability." This "gets a handle" on schooling and permits real cost-benefit analysis of instructional accomplishments. Further, recognize that schools today provide important societal services (e.g. health screening and nutrition provision) in addition to instruction. Ironically, instruction is the weakest benefit of schooling and the other benefits go unrecognized.

A few final reactions: "Appendix A: Notes on Theory, Research, and Policy" alone is worth the price of the book. If it were read by every student as a freshman, every legislator, and anyone remotely concerned with schooling, the future of education would be a good deal brighter.

The practice of documenting with footnotes on the relevant page as well as references and indexes at the end of the book is welcome and should be standard practice. The use of footnotes is judicious and the occasional accompanying elaboration makes the communication more interactive.

The exposition is a model of 'good writing.' Strunk and White, where ever they are, are no doubt exchanging high-fives. someone followed their advice. I didn't always buy what Glass was saying, but there was never any doubt about the substance of the communication. The communication warrants consideration by anyone in any way concerned with US schooling.

I would normally wait longer to write a review on something but I have been researching this particular Bible for quite a while. The moment I opened it I knew what people had said in reviews about the Bible, its binding and its flexibility were right on. I also do not have any problem with the slight bleed through on the pages but then, they're very thin - nor do I fault the type size. When I look at something this nice it causes me to wonder why I have spent 6 or 7 times this much on Bibles over the years. This will be the one I will treasure until the end of my time. If you're even slightly interested and can, don't delay!

I am overjoyed with this Bible. I was searching for an updated, accurate translation of the Bible. Like others I was impressed with the ESV, but could not find a high quality binding. While I realize this is not an ultimate issue when choosing a translation, it is important to me personally to enjoy "using" my Bible. I looked around a bit more and found the HCSB. What a wonderful translation! Notes on translation variations at the bottom of every page gives me a depth of understanding of the original manuscripts, and an understanding of the translation process, which I have not experienced before. I also learned that it is the first Bible to use the in depth Bible study software, Accordance, for checks and cross checks, therefore it has extreme software compatibility.

To top it off, this the the highest quality binding I have seen in years. My first Bible was a King James Version, Morrocan Leather, Leather Lined, which I received for a birthday present when I was 12 years old. It still looks and feels great! This is the only Bible I have found as an adult which can compare with that binding standard.

The one thing I wish for in this Bible is wide margins. It has opened my heart to God's word in a fresh way. I wish there was more room to write the insights it brings!

The HCSB is a good translation overall that seems to combine the readability of the NIV with some of the accuracy of the NASB. There are some places where it can be a bit colloquial in its langauge, or trendy. Matthew 5:22 uses the word "moron," which is a very poor translation for the word, which actually means calling someone wholly worthless or a fool, while a "moron" is someone who is considered to have the genetic mental capacity of about 8th grade. There are also strong points, such as capitalizing names for God, and using bold print for OT quotes in the NT. The binding and quality of the Bible itself is very good, with soft leather. The pages are a bit thin and the print a bit light though. Overall, it is a good translation with some changes that could improve it.

I was very slow to warm to the Holman CSB. I avoided it for the most part as I believed that there was little reason to bring out yet another modern translation--we are literally awash in a sea of translations. And, like Larry below, I loved the ESV, but was waiting for a quality edition (Crossway cannot seem to publish a quality Bible).

At some point I began including the CSB in parallel searches online and was impressed, upon doing word studies, with the sense of the translation. For example, the CSB, along with only the NJB, captures what I believe is the correct sense of John 3:16. I also like the the treatment of Romans 6:6. Occasionally, I run across phrases that are at first not pleasant to my ears, like "human race" instead of the more usual "sons of man", or "temple complex" rather than just "temple". But, I seem to quickly get used to them and I'm generally delighted with the readability of the CSB. Perhaps most striking is the clarity of the translation. It is rendered in contemporary English and is very clear as to the meaning of the text. It is not a biblical English like the ESV, but not a street English either. At any rate I'm using it more and more and am benefiting greatly from its use.

This particular edition is very nice. The leather is a fine cowhide, thinner than the Cambridge calfskin Bibles that I own, but softer as a result. The paper is fine--it could have been a little thicker, but it's better than standard Bible paper and the amount of bleed-through is acceptable to me (It is an Ultrathin after all). The print is large enough to be comfortable at 10.5 and the Bible is very nicely laid out as regards the general typography. This is the nicest edition of the HCSB to date. I highly recommend this translation and this particularly edition. I don't believe you will be disappointed.

After a couple of decades of bonded leather and cheap genuine leather Bibles bound in pigskin, Holman designed a nice affordable cowhide binding that will stand up to the wear and tear of daily use. Other publishers should take note.