Departments Books

The best part is the master list. Once you know the words, you don't really need the strategy. I know that there are some additional master word lists on the website, but you probably won't need them as this book covers well enough.

I used this book (and the Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE) to prepare for the PSY GRE. I knew both books cold, and scored extremely highly on all the included practice tests. I have taken a few PSY classes but was not a PSY major, so I relied on the prep materials (especially since they were highly reviewed here) to help get me a good score on the exam.

I took the test today and there were a TON of topics that I'd never seen before, that were definitely not covered by the prep books. I expected to see a few things I didn't know, but I wound up skipping a lot more questions than I'd thought I would. All the students I spoke with afterwards said the same thing -- that the exam was way harder than they'd anticipated, and that their test prep did not prepare them for the exam.

I had anticipated finishing in under two hours, but it took me the full exam period -- and it took every single other person in the room the full exam period as well. This goes against what I'd heard about previous versions of the exam, so my guess is that ets is getting wise to the test prep books and using alternate material for the exams. (Hey, it's their perogative!)

Anyway, all in all I was "OK" prepared for this exam and will probably get an "OK" score, but I made the mistake of relying too heavily on the prep book. I used Kaplan's prep book as my primary preparation for the General GRE and got very high scores, so I anticipated the same experience with the PSY GRE... my bad. Different test, I guess.

This text features concise information printed on telephone-book like paper. This aside, my GRE Psychology subject test scores were excellent. I used this book along with six months worth of steady study time and am extremely pleased with the outcome. If you've had undergraduate courses in clinical, abnormal, developmental, experimental, and social psychology, then this book is good as a stand-alone test preparatory tool. If, however, you lack any of the above courses or want some extra reassurance come test day, then I'd suggest studying with an undergraduate general psychology text as well.

I found Kaplan's Psychology review to be easy to get through and an effective study aid. The chapters were divided by subject matter and covered all major topics. It was a good refresher for those who studied psychology previously. I also used an introductory psychology text book, which I would recommend if you have time. I was disappointed that there were quite a few typos, some of which made the material confusing or contradictory.

The questions in the Kaplan book were fairly indicative of what you find on the actual exam and my practice scores were in line with my actual score. At the last minute I also bought REA's book of practice exams which were very different from the actual test. The two provided by Kaplan were sufficient.

It is impossible to cover everything that could be on the exam, and even using both the Kaplan book and a text, I found there were concepts on the exam that I either was not familiar with or had not studied in these books. However, I felt very prepared overall for the exam after extensive studying of this book and would highly recommend it.

I studied from two books: The Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE and Kaplan's GRE Psychology. I never had a psychology class in college - I'm a chemist - most of this was new. But I scored an 800 on the test, apparently, 99th percentile. Here were my impressions:

Kaplan - Much more thorough than Princeton Review's; it was very dense and seemed to try to touch on every concept that might be a question on the test. This can be a bit overwhelming and certainly confusing, as I noticed numerous typos, contradictions, and other errors that sent me to the web for clarification and correction. The book's organization is poorer for review than The Princeton Review's, so keep your own notes and keep them organized.

Cracking the GRE - I enjoyed the presentation and the organization of the material. It was straightforward, covered the basics, and clean with upbeat, if cheesy, dialogue and photos. It made it easier to learn, but left out a lot that was in Kaplan. This is a quick review for someone without much time, but NOT for someone, like me, who knows nothing about psychology.

Both books contained some information not found in the other (this was more true for Kaplan than "Cracking"). Also, there were questions on the test wholly unrelated to anything I'd studied in either book. I suspect then, no prep book can prepare you completely for the test. Likewise, the books' sample tests will not reliably predict your performance, since the questions on the books' practice tests rarely require knowledge not supplied in the books.
If you're crunched for time, just get Kaplan's book and move on to "Cracking" if you've mastered the first. If you're really crunched for time, say a week or two, just go for "Cracking". But if you have the time, get both books. I found they supported each other and I learned enough to score better than most. Read "Cracking" first to get the test material straight in your mind, then Kaplan to fill in the gaps. In taking book practice tests, and the official ETS one (an absolute MUST since it seems more difficult), don't get too upset if you don't have a clue on some questions. I skipped about 5 questions on the actual test and I guessed on at least 10 more and I still did well.

Good luck.

I thought that this book was just okay and that there were a few problems with it that prevented this book from being great. For one, department 30 itself. Its a secret organization, but with offices in the Oklahoma justice department with many of the characters knowing of it. Quite a contradiction i think. I thought the characters were as some had said, too spontaneously confrontational with each other, and their dialog lacked realistic banter. It is hard not to be able to follow the plot as it is repeated many many times throughout the book. However, some authors try to twist and turn the plot so much in order to create suspense that the "rollercoaster" takes an unrealistic turn. I love the idea of government conspiracies, but it is hard to find many good fiction books that accurately and suspensefully weave that into a great mystery/suspense story. Most just are just comical attempts. So, with that, im not going to say this book is terrible or horrible, but i have read better ones. I will probably read the Mesa Conspiracy to see if the author can weave a good tail and save the series. Otherwise, dont expect to be blown away.

I met David Kent at a book signing. He's a nice guy, but he can't write. This book has so many laborious descriptions from the buttons on Kelly's jacket to the hysterical and ludricous sex scene. Honestly, I can't imagine who Kent is sleeping with that gives him these strange ideas on how women derive pleasure.

The laborious descriptions obviously tripped Kent up because I found two glaring contradictions in the text. I'm reminded of the Wendy's commercial, "Where's the beef?" And the melodrama, it goes on and on and...

This thriller by David Kent (Kent Anderson) has all the components of a good espionage thriller. Ryan Elder's parents commit suicide and he goes on a seven year binge of drugs, failed jobs and acting out in anger. When a package comes from his Mother, sent just days prior to the suicide, he is instructed to call a mysterious number. What ensues is a trail that leads him back to Oklahoma and one that leads him to realize that his parents were not all they seemed. Though the plots drags in places, this in an excellent first novel.

This is a good book and an enjoyable read. It's paced well and I personally thought the characters were interesting, especially Kelly and the old snitch, Cyrus. I'm glad to see political thrillers making a comeback--they just about got swept away by the techno-babble of Clancy and his ilk. This is a story about people in extreme circumstances. Ryan Elder finds lies everywhere he goes--nothing he knows is what he thinks it is. If that's too melodramatic for you, then go buy some Joyce Carol Oates or something "literary" where nothing really happens to the characters!

Oh, I like the Midwest setting too. It's fresh and different from DC, NY, Boston, Florida, etc.

I recommend this book and look forward to the next by Mr. Kent.

"These are not my parents," Ryan Elder thinks as he looks on the couple who greet him at Will Rogers airport when he returns from UCLA for Thanksgiving Break. Both his Mom and Dad act strangly as they drive him to their suburban home in Edmond. They send him out on an errand and while he's in the spice aisle of the supermarket, they commit suicide.

Seven years later, a certified letter catches up to Ryan in Pensacola, FL. The day before he flew out to Oklahoma, his Mom had sent him a clipping of a symphony review and a piece of paper with the name "Department Thirty" and an Oklahoma City phone number.

Ryan's calling the number starts him on a wild chase to find the true identity of his parents and himself. For a first novel, the story is well-written. Characters are interesting and believable.

I can attest to the fact that Kent's writing does improve with further books. By accident, I read "Black Mesa Conspiracy" first and could scarcely put it down. While "Department Thirty" is not quite as suspenseful, I also recommend it and look forward to reading more of Kent's work.

This is definitely the only reliable MFA Guide out there. Although it may not be perfect, at least it's based on thorough research and accurate information. Anyone who knows anything about MFA Programs always recommends this one over the MFA Handbook.

Could somebody please tell me how to use this CD? I thought the problem was the CD itself, but contacted the seller, who then sent me another copy which has the same problem. The only thing that comes up is the search screen. When I enter the type of program to search for, I get the same thing.

If someone could please tell me what to do I'd greatly appreciate it. I am trying to choose programs to which I can apply RIGHT NOW.

Thank you.

This is the best book I've found on the subject but it's far from great. It gives one short page narratives of about 60 programs and general advice on the application process. It has some good points: it's fairly objective, stresses the strengths (or "perks" as she calls them) of each school and program as well as some of the weaknesses, discusses funding and gives approximate tuition and concentrations on each program. However, there is little here that could not be gleaned from the websites of the schools or the now decade old U.S. News & World Report listing.
The book contains some surprising omissions, such as George Mason University and most well regarded smaller programs. An accompanying CD allegedly gives further reviews but I could not get it to run on my computer and picking through its index files it seems to only give hyperlinks anyway.

I would recommend this book simply because it is still better than its competition, but the definitive book on MFA programs has yet to be written.

I would like to take this opportunity as the author of this book to say that I was contracted with the publisher to write a book on three kinds of opportunities for writers that give them time, money, and places to write: 1. grad programs 2. colonies & residencies and 3. grants & fellowships. Then it was given a title that made it seem skewed towards graduate programs, when that was only one section. I wrote it to present a horn of plenty to writers. The CD-ROM has problems, and no one is more disappointed than I, but the publisher will only fix it with the next print run. I am working on a way to remedy this through my web site. I believe I have a great book that opens readers up to the possibilities, but still leaves it to them to pursue the ones they deem worthy. I think that Tom Kealey's Creative Writing MFA Handbook has been criticized for being too much about money, when he's offering his specific and helpful viewpoint on what should matter when you apply. I come from a background of information services, where a few books on a subject is the best way to research anything. The definitive book will likely not be written unless you can find someone who has attended all the programs and still has the motor ability and thought processes to write a book. The secret elixir is on Mount Olympus. You need to know that finding a program that will educate you about an artistic endeavor is going to be a personal journey, and those of us who have knowledge about the market can only give you our perspectives. You need always to judge which perspectives are pertinent.

The book is a very decent reference but it is very limited. The book description even states there are only 80 reviews total in the book and that includes universities, colonies and international programs. What sold me on the book was the CD that expanded the reviews to include over 300 programs. Well, the CD doesn't work. Amazon has replaced my original book/cd and the second one doesn't work either. There are three other reviews of this book that say the same thing. THE CD DOESN'T WORK. It is false advertising and the book/cd should be recalled by the publisher. If you have also bought this defective product send an email to Amazon to put pressure on the publisher to fix the problem. If you haven't bought it, DON'T until the publisher fixes the problem.

In his unique style, Tom Peters adresses the vision for any organization that can be considered a professional service firm (PSF). He argues that all organizations are in some way service organizations, so his "list" of 50 items that PSFs should do applies everywhere. The book is a call to action to transform your organization into one that is passionate about what it does and focuses on providing excellent service to its customers. Sometimes outlandish, but always on target. It is classic Tom Peters!

If you never read another line of text in your life, turn to page 169 of this book and read the last sentance.

Learn it, live it, and you'll be set for life.

I was truly annoyed by his random writing style and the book's lousy layout. Look at the cover---the inside is just as chaotic. I bailed after 15 pages or so. Too bad, as he has some good things to say, but it wasn't worth the effort. As a design advocate I'm amazed that his book designs are so ineffective and shoddy. He loves design but not graphic design?...

Tom Peters takes this book's role in the "Reinventing Work Series" seriously. He urges corporate departments, such as human resources and accounting, to reinvent themselves as professional service firms, thinking of their work as projects and of their companies as clients. He believes this will result in a more energized workforce and higher-quality work. His approach is marked by his now signature "gee whiz" writing style, which is punctuated by large typefaces, exclamation points and remarks like "Amen!" and "WOW!" We [...] recommend this book for its innovative points and no "b.s." attitude, but Peters-bashers will groan at the repetition of ideas and cheerleading expressions. This is a useful, inspiring pep talk, and if it is not exactly In Search of Excellence - which seemed to be written for adults who didn't need quite so much hip-hip hoopla - that was then and this is now.

Unfortunately one of the worst books I have ever read (certainly the worst layout).

Whilst there is some valuable information contained in the text, the bizarre writing style (changing font / colur / caps / exclamations marks / cliches etc.) makes for hard work digging the nuggets of gold out.

Personally I'd recommend spending your valuable time reading a text that's easier than this one with its appaling use of language(cool! phat! wow!) and oh-so obvious observations.

The most overrated book in medicine. Ferri's is much more useful. I bought , rarely used. Not much useful information. Would not recommend to anyone.

The book is very thorough in the major areas of medicine, but there have been several things that I have tried to look up and there is only one line of info on it....I like the book b/c it is light and easy to carry around, and good for quick reference, but for reading and learning purposes I reccommend a REAL reference book

5 stars for what it's supposed to be used for:

Have used both Ferri's and the Washington Manual and would have to say Washington is by far tops (also Ferri's has unfortunately gotten so fat and its binder is terrible to boot!!). In terms of what to exactly treat your patients with and how to give it, as an intern this can be very nerve-racking. The Washington Manual helps lessen some of this anxiety with good recommendations and timely pearls. The Washington Manual is also nice for the quick jogging of memory as a more senior resident or for an attending treating easy or mildly-complex out-of-specialty problems. Nothing as of yet really beats this time-tested cook book like ole' Washington to get your bearings.

Once again, it's a cook book albeit a very good one. But obviously, as a chef is much more than the recipes he knows, it's assumed that the diligent clinician's "unwritten job" is to appraise the literature, read solid textbooks, go to conferences, use time-tested clinical experience.

The MGH blue / black pocket Medicine guide is also really good! Uses lots of new studies as evidence, excellent tables and algorithms, but doesn't cover as much. MGH and Washington complement each other quite well in many respects.

There are many more useful resources available. This book was of little use for my practice. Keep searching!

This reference is extraordinarily useful in multiple fields of medicine. Containing succinct information on disease states, therapeutics, and monitoring, this book should be included in every physician and pharmacist's library.

I must say that I'm really glad that I read this book twice. The first time I was greatly unimpressed, the author covered obvious points. However, finding myself applying to a completely different program and with bad grades I decided to read it again, and I'm glad. The author mentioned great points that I never considered. My first go around I used Getting What You Came For" with wonderful results, however, this book gave advice that I hadn't previously found on C.V., cover letters, contacting department heads and so forth. The book may seem dated to some but it was a wonderful resource, more helpful than the Graduate School Handbook that so many recommend. I think that it's a great read no matter where you are on your search for graduate school. However, if you have already graduated I suggest that you pick up another book as an accompaniment.

The target audience of the book is a sophomore or junior year audience. Thos e purchasing the book should be limited to people of that level in their studies or people who are only beginning to consider graduate school. For those who have given grad school a lot of thought: The book is a waste of time. Everything you already know is in there. The chapters have great titles but in the end they told me what I already knew.

This book is in no way a complete guide to graduate school admissions. It seemed a bit infantile. But if you feel clueless, go for it.

I purchased this book and a few others on the topic and this was by far the most useful. The main reason was because it not only gave countless tips on what is important and what is not, but it was the only book that actually explained WHY certain things are important. It really changed my perception of how the process of getting into graduate school works, and this was something that the other books did not do. I think the other review that says this book is all about common sense is completely off the mark. (The other reviews I can agree with). The great thing about this book is that it deals with stuff that is NOT common sense...things that most people would never guess about the way students get accepted into grad school. Unlike the other books, this one has a small format and is full of text on every page...overall, it contains more information and useful advice than most of the other books that have lots of extra junk and large margins to make the book seem bigger and like a better value. It also has a good index, and although the website list in the appendix is outdated, it still gives a good idea of what types of useful websites you can find out there.

This book was a wonderful tool during my Grad School application process. It was a quick read and provided a wide range of tips and Do's/Don't that aren't mentioned at all on free online sites or a majority of the other reference books to help your chance of getting into Grad School. There are quite a few college students who spent most of their free time drinking beer rather than coffee at the library. And, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but if being a social butterfly or a bad test-taker has prevented you from the Summa Cum Laude crowd, this book is pretty honest in letting you know which schools you have a chance of being accepted to and those that will most likely immediately reject you. Even if you do have a 4.0 and were Student Body President, this book will provide you great insider tips as well. Applying to Grad School is 100 times more complicated than the Undergraduate application process. Even if you don't buy this particular book, DO buy at least one book that offers application tips. It will prove to be a wise investment.

This book provides clear, step-by-step information that students need to know about the application process;one which is complex and at times ovewhelming. I particularly appreciated the sections of the book which explained the decision-making process and the importance of choosing a supervisor based not only on the type of research area but on personal factors as well. Although much information about potential schools, supervisors, research areas etc.. is available on the web, there is also much to consider that cannot be obtained easily and this book really addresses those issues well. I myself am still unsure of when I will be applying to graduate school, however, I am sure to use this book when the time does come.

This book is a great anthology of all psychology school in the United States. It provides details on mean/median GRE scores, GPA information, tuition cost, and more. It is a good start point to find information about schools, but it doesn't have a listing by program type (Ed.D., Psy.D., Ph.D. (clinical v counseling), or otherwise). Oneen has to look school by school to find this info.Unfortunately, it does not give research focuses in this edition, so it ends up being somewhat useless for anyone trying to find a school with a specific research interest. (Which would be Ph.D. seeking students) If clinical/counseling is your area, look instead to insider's guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology by Sayette, Mayne, and Norcross.

Let's be realistic about what this book is meant to do. First, it will not tell you anything about how to get into grad school (for example, what classes to take, if research is important for your program, etc.). Second, it will not list what researchers are present in which schools. What this book will do is be a starting point in the search for the schools you want to apply. I used to book to form a list of schools for which I wanted to do more research on. I went through the book (the states in which I wouldn't mind living) and made a list of programs that I would be interested in. The book helped me realize right away that I had no chance of getting into certain programs because of my GRE scores or that a school requires the Subject Test. It was a great starting guide and it helped me get organized in my search for schools.

I bought this book because I was going to apply to grad school studying psychology. This book has lots of information on all kinds of schools which provide psych education. This book helped me understand the schools I wanted to apply to better and realize some schools' existance regarding the field of psych I wanted to go into. In general speaking, this is a great references/resouces book to have if you are considering applying to grad schools to study psychology.

This is a great guide to finding graduate schools in Psychology. It helped me in my master's and I hope it helps with going to my PhD.

I have looked at several editions of this book over the past few years and am always impressed by the amount of information it provides. This book does a great job of providing information on universities by state and by focus of study. It gives plenty of information to help potential graduate students make more informed choices. My only complaint is a small one. I would prefer if they added a way to look up specific degrees. Right now you have to look up each school to see the degrees or look it up by focus. If you wanted to earn an EdD for example, you would have to look through every school or subject listed. Not a big deal, but my only suggestion for improving this great book.

This is not directly a review, though I did find the information contained within Waltz's book to be very interesting. I took issue with his state-centric viewpoint however. For those of you more interested in the concept of 'individual analysis' that Waltz brushes aside, see the article "Let us now praise great men: bringing the statesmen back in" by Daniel L. Byman and Kenneth M. Pollack. The literature review section in particular deals with refuting Waltz theoretical conceptions from this book.

This work by Waltz is one of the cornerstone texts in international relations theory and is a must read for any serious student of the subject.

Essentially, Waltz uses three `images' to attempt to explain why states go to war. These images are, briefly, i) human nature, ii) the nature of states and iii) the state system, and he concludes that while all three levels are important, that it is the state system (ie that it is anarchical) that causes states to go to war.

Like all theories in IR, this one assists in building a picture of how and why states behave, but it is not a stand alone theory of state behaviour. No matter whether your beliefs are realist, liberal or strongly Marxist in describing states, this book adds an important element into the mix.

IR scholars has long debated on which level of analysis is the most appropriate and helpful level in approaching international relations. In his seminal book Man, the State, and War, Kenneth N. Waltz becomes the first to analyze the political philosophy behind each level of analysis and their interaction with one another. Unlike his later writings in which he develops a purely structural theory of international relations, in Man, the State, and War Waltz offers a more balanced view on the importance of each "images" for the study of world politics: "the `third image' describes the framework of world politics, but without the first of and second images there can be no knowledge of the forces that determine policy," (238).
To briefly summarize Waltz's images, the "first image" is about human nature. Human-nature accounts explain war by analyzing the common characteristics (or defects) of human beings. These theories tend to attribute war to an "ultimate cause" that derives from human nature: "the root of all evil is man, and thus he is himself the root of the specific evil, war," (3). Waltz's problem with searching for an "ultimate cause," however, is that ultimate causes frequently turn out to be the cause of everything. Therefore, Waltz criticized theories that explain war through human nature by arguing that human nature is the cause of as many good (and benign) things as evil ones (39).
The "second image" is about the characteristics of states: "the idea that defects in states cause wars among them," (83). Waltz analyzes several state-level accounts of war and peace some of which are very fashionable today, such as the peaceful nature of democracies and peaceful impact of free trade. The notion here is similar to the first image, if "bad" states (such as non-democratic or interventionist) can be erased then there will be no war (119). However, Waltz notes that there is no guarantee that good states will not revert to war. Waltz rejects state-level theories that would rely "on the generalization of one pattern of state and society to bring peace to the world," (122).
The "third image" is the international system. The absence of a world government renders the international system an anarchical one; and "in anarchy there is automatic harmony," (160). Thus, wars occur "because there is nothing to prevent them," (232). Waltz tends to view third image as the most important account of war among nations. Yet unlike in his later theorizing, he underlines the importance of the other two images: "we still have to look to motivation and circumstance in order to explain individual acts," (231). Hence, multiple levels of analysis.
My personal view on the levels of analysis question is that among the three different levels from which IR scholars approached to the study of conflict among states, state-level approach has been the most productive and helpful in terms of accounting for the conflict among states and providing us clues as to how to reduce or manage them. Thus, I do not share Waltz's inclination to the third image in Man, the State, and War. Yet in the final analysis, any single level is incomplete by itself. Waltz's Man, the State, and War is important for being the first to analyze the philosophical foundations of each levels of analysis and to argue the complementary relationship among them. "The real problem of IR scholars," Lipson observed, is "to integrate choice and structure," (1884, p. 20). And a successful integration of choice and structure inevitably requires making use of systemic as well as state-level theories. Indeed, this is the current trend in both theoretical approaches (Moravcsik 1997; Gilpin 2001) to and empirical analyses (Huth 1996) of international relations.

This asks some of the most important questions in political science. This was the book that launched Waltz's career, and it remains the most important book he has written. His question of war and his depressing conclusions are actually secondary to his method. He philosophically examines the question from three different angles in an inciteful and useful way. While some of it may seem obvious now, it wasn't in the 50s, and while it can be daunting to anyone without a background in philosophy and political science, it is a seminal work. Every scholar should take a look from different angles as Waltz has done.

This book has legs! I read it first in graduate school in 1969. I was impressed with the argument then, and still appreciate its power now. He identifies a key problem as (page 12) "identifying and achieving the conditions of peace. . ." He notes that, over time, three separate views have dominated discourse on the causes of war (and how to achieve peace): (a) human nature is the root cause; (b) the structure of states is the key factor; (c) the international system itself is the major variable.

The book proceeds in a linear fashion. First, he examines the variety of arguments locating the cause of war in human nature. However, he also notes that to link human nature to war is not easily done (there is, of course, much debate over exactly what human nature is--or even if there is such a given nature), and that political matters must be taken into account. As he considers the contributions of the behavioral sciences, he notes that (page 79) "The more fully behavioral scientists take account of politics, the more sensible and the more modest their efforts to contribute to peace become."

The second level of analysis is the structure of states themselves. He notes that some have argued that if the state had a proper structure, then peace would result. He considers, for instance, liberal theorists of the 19th century who made that point. One problem: While trying to create more liberal states, what about those illiberal ones who may engage in conflict? What then? The structure of the state won't prevent self-defense. Indeed, some liberals, like Thomas Paine, wanted to use force to democratize the world.

The final level of analysis is the structure of the international system itself. The main point here is that that system can be termed "anarchy." There is no central force to prevent outbreaks of violence. So, violence will occur. Interestingly, he begins the chapter on international anarchy with a quotation from Cicero (page 159) "For what can be done against force without force." States need to protect themselves when there is no mechanism to maintain peace; they will act in their national interest when threatened. The end result is the possibility of war whenever a country might be threatened. In Waltz' words (page 227): "According to the third image, there is a constant possibility of war in a world in which there are two or more states each seeking to promote a set of interests and having no agency upon which they can rely for protection."

In short, all three levels (images) must be understood. None is irrelevant. But the key to understanding war is the state of international anarchy. The book holds up well over time. It still presents a useful message, albeit from the hard-nosed realist position. Neocons won't like the argument that changing the structure of states won't make a lot of difference as long as there is international anarchy. Anyhow, for those interested in a fairly hard-headed analysis, this book still serves a useful purpose.

Hale gives us a small but powerfull treatise on patriotism here.A reminder that as Americans we can't abandon our beautiful land.My father once mentioned this story during one of our conversations and it struck me funny that he would know of this since he was not a big reader and I couldn't help but think that for him to remember it, it must have left a lasting and powerful image on him.I never read it in school and I now find it odd that it is not required reading but should be.Yes I know all the current troubles we are having with the alleged war with Iraq and all the other never ending Middle East garbage we have had to contend with lately but trust me, this will pass.I can only hope that we turn inward and try to fix our own problems instead of trying to fix everyone else's.This book concerns one Phillip Nolan, who turns his back on America and who pays the price of living without her for the rest of his life via an intricate method devised to keep any and all reference or news about America from him.His misery is palpable and he realizes just what an error in judgement he brought down upon his being as he is not only viewed as an outcast to be shunned but as a traitor,a fate most unpleasant.Kept at sea,transfered from ship to ship before reaching sight of land permenently kept him isolated and imbedded the feeling of isolation to an almost unbearable degree.His last days of longing for any news about America no matter how small or insignificant brings a sympathetic mate to his side but even then information is not brought forth without disregard to the initial nature of the crime and is delivered in metered amounts.If your patriotism ever weakens, read this book. Its brief, but imparts a strong message to us.We must always stand together in times of war and peace.America is the best country in the world despite world opinion.The deep, psychological punishment inflicted on Nolan can only serve to remind us what life would be like without our country even with all her imperfections.She is still the best the world has to offer as far as freedom and opportunity are concerned.Why would everyone be trying to get in as opposed to out.This little gem of a story makes plain why we need to stand together as Americans, more now than ever and should be read by every American both old and new.

Appearing at first to be a true story, this is really a tale of mythological quality. It tells about a man who swears off his own homeland and is banished from it in turn. For fifty-seven years he is doomed to sail with the Navy like a lost Odyssevs, never allowed to cast his eyes on his native land, and never allowed to hear any news from home.

This story was written during the Civil War, and is of course an attempt to remind Americans of their patriotic duty. It does, however, go deeper than this simple didactic point, and contains a more universal message about the value of loyalty and identity. By present standards it might perhaps be deemed overly sentimental, nonetheless I found "The Man without a Country" a fascinating and thought-provoking read.

The man without a country, Philip Nolan who is condemned to sail the world without ever hearing again name or news of the country, that he has at his court-martial for an involvement with Aaron Burr, cursed. In the course of his wandering and through the many lonely years his longing for his country and his love for it becomes apparent. The great poem of Scott which he keeps in his heart and mind says it all for him ' Breathes there a man with soul so dead / who never to himself hath said/ this is my own , my native land/ Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned as home his footsteps he hath turned/ from wandering on a foreign strand/ If there such breeds / Mark him well/ For him no minstrel rapture swells/ High though his title/ Proud his name/ Boundless his wealth as wish could claim/ Despite these titles / power and pelf/ The wretch concentred all in self/ Living forfeit fair renown/ and Dying doubly shall go down/ To the vile dust/ From whence he sprung / Unwept, unhonored and unsung.
Philip Nolan sings the song of his own ignominy , repents , and shows his great love for his country.
As a child in school this book moved me very deeply. It is a true American classic. And it teaches the meaning and value of a patriotism which is not the refuge of scoundrels, but rather a genuine reflection of love of one's own native land and home.

Ugh! Ideal-mad, patriotic tripe. The protagonist wishes never to see or hear about his country again, and instead of being unloaded in, say, France or even Africa - which would get him out of America's hair and comply with his wishes - he is tortured by being carried around on ships for the rest of his life. What the...?

I originally read this book in eighth grade, and recently had the desire to reread the book. The book was just as I remembered it. However, with a greater understanding of the world, I have learned to appreciate this classic even more. While an American may not agree with that the United States does, a perfect country or government has yet to be created. Philip Nolan made a statement in which he disowned his country in his younger days. It was a statement that he would quitely regret for the rest of his life. Even in exile, Nolan reflects loyalty to his country in his behavior. On his death bed, Nolan only wants to learn of what has happened to the country since he was exiled. He was able to die a happy man knowing how the country he loved had prospered.

The story is intended to made readers appreciate their country. Sometimes it may be difficult to agree with the government. In the end, one realizes that they love their country like a parent or their own child. Nolan had to learn this lesson the hard way.

As an experienced clinician I was appalled to see a Death Note written by a medical student using the guide in this book. He titled it "Celestial Dischage"-- just as it is noted in the book. It was his first time, and he thought that was acceptable to put in a patient's chart.

If you expect to use a reference when you are either inexperienced, 3/4 brain dead after call, or both, don't risk your professional reputation on "cute."

Yeah I just wanned to say that this book is dope. I mean for real, I had hella questions about all this medical stuff and this book was straight up dealing! Damn, so I'm an intern and when I be up at like 4:30 in the AM I be tired as HELL!! This book easy to use and helps me out when I'm all foggy minded. Damn, homie, 80 hours like what? But anyway, this thing has got my IV fluids and them dang arterial blood gases locked down from the top down!

For realz!

Aight yo I'm out

HOLLA!

I thought that the book is very helpful on the wards and for my ER rotation. The book is concise and a quick read so it is best to read the book before the rotation starts. I read it so quickly that I wonder why the price is so steep.

This book is very helpful for starting intern year and gives you really good advice for things to do on call. It also has good examples for admit notes, discharge summaries, common calls and common drugs. Great book!

This book is all about overnight call situations that interns face. I'm an intern this year and I keep it in my pocket along with 2 other books: Sanford Guide and Pocket Medicine by Sabatine. There are plenty of books out there if you want to learn about disease processes and the physiology behind it all, but this is the only one I've found that has *practical* information. For example, tables of common prn meds, and how to approach cross cover issues. Great death note sample also.