Target Books

The Third Policeman is a great, easy read for anyone interested in an early modern twist on bending reality. Its theme has been largely picked up in recent popular culture via movies and television shows, but without much of a reference or credit. If you like artful game-changes and final-chapter plot twists that give completely new perspective on the entirety of the preceding book, then you will enjoy the literary talents of O'Brien in this work.

Some similar works of late would be any movie by M. Night Shayalaman; the televisions show Lost; or any recent thriller that keeps you guessing.

I read this as part of my Lost reading challenge. The main character--a one-legged scholar obsessed with illogical philosopher de Selby--participates in a robbery and murder with his roommate. While looking for the hidden loot, he is suddenly transported into an adult Alice in Wonderful of corrupted logic (something that he finds terrifying despite his love of the messed up philosopher), and must deal with three bizarre policeman obsessed with bicycles. It is a bizarre view of death and hell, as a never-ending torturous cycle of oddities. Grade: B+

Too bizare for my taste and way out of my literary league. However, if you want a taste of what hell could be like, go for it.

It is unfortunate that Flann O'Brien isn't assigned reading, and that one is generally forced to discover him for oneself. The Third Policeman is one of the funniest books I've read. Unlike "At Swim-Two-Birds," O'Brien's other classic, it's plotted more or less linearly. The plot is fantastically involved, and is -- uniquely in modernist writing -- one of the best things about the book.

A very skeletal plot summary: the narrator (one-legged and nameless) inherits a pub, but having no interest in running it he leaves its management to the thieving John Divney. Divney persuades the narrator that the pub is losing money so it would be a good idea to kill the local miser and steal all his money, so they kill him. When they go to recover the money, the narrator is blown up by a mine and enters an alternate universe dominated by policemen who are obsessed with bicycles, Russian dolls, and eternity. Happening to be available when a criminal is required, the narrator gets sentenced to death, but wheedles a trip to eternity out of the policemen before he is to be hanged. While there he collects immense quantities of gold, but can't bring them back to earth because of a technicality. He escapes at the last minute because an army of one-legged men, who have come to rescue him, distract the policemen long enough for him to slink away on a highly-sexed she-bicycle. He returns to his village to find John Divney fat and middle-aged, but the sight of him scares John Divney to death and they return together to the police station.

There is a lot of humor, mostly deadpan and dark; the policemen's world is a beautifully conceived noneuclidean pastoral, and the running gags are hilarious -- the "atomic theory of the bicycle" (if you spend too long on a bicycle you become more than 50% bicycle and start leaning on walls; your bicycle, on the other hand, becomes more than 50% human and starts misbehaving with women) and de Selby's theories about night being due to air pollution are the funniest of the many recurring gags in the book. The writing is beautiful too, though somewhat more restrained than "At Swim-Two-Birds"; the style is a stripped-down version of Joyce, about halfway between "Ulysses" and Beckett's "Watt." The policemen's dialect (e.g. the many uses of the word pancake) is a spectacularly successful innovation.

In short, this book is a must-read. Read it.

After listening to an audible.com version of The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien, I'm delighted to have finally experienced it. There has been resurgence in the novel's popularity triggered by the quirky TV drama Lost. Based on that obscure product placement, in a show that seems to take itself very seriously, I had no clue how hilarious this "postmodern" novel would turn out to be. Flann O'Brien (real name, Brian O'Nolan), being a contemporary of James Joyce, reveals, perhaps, just from where so much of so-called "black comedy" originates. Absurdity abounds in this cautionary tale, a lovable absurdity, like an "F Troop" of one-legged men attempting to liberate a fellow amputee from the gallows. It is of course infinitely more readable than Joyce's enigmatic tale of a wake and I'm sure much more laugh-out-loud funny; at least inasmuch as Finnegan's Wake is purported, by those who pretend to understand it, to be.

In this story, the narrator - among other things, a scholar of a brilliantly scatterbrained scientist, deSelby (whose skewed theories are portrayed in the novel's ample subtext of footnotes) - is enticed by a neighbor to commit the grim murder of a certain miserly farmer. Then, as if that's not enough, he must retrieve the bundle of wealth the miser had hoarded from under the floorboards of his house. In so doing he awakens into a nether world where he has lost his watch, and by association, his name; but has found his soul whom he soon dubs Joe.

Jim Norton does a superlative brogue-inflected reading, and so much of the humor is tied to the rhythm of Irish argot. Often the characters engage in question and answer sessions where one will ask about a certain unknown object and his interlocutor will reply by asking a series of twenty questions-like inquiries. This technique of "cataloguing" is used chiefly is post-modern literature, perhaps as a parody of the modernist quest for meaning. Nonetheless it all translates into one knee-slappingly funny story.

O'Brien utilizes his love of Irish language and people to color his landscapes. The peculiarities of many characters serve only to enliven the strangeness of their situations: freshly murdered men are suddenly alive again, the fronts and backs of houses merge into a two-dimensional reality; men, over time, take on the atoms of their bicycles and vice versa. And in the imperfect logic of law enforcement, those with no name could not have been born - do not exist - and therefore cannot be accused of thievery or murder. Perhaps in tribute to Joycean circumlocution, O'Brien - as one of his characters describes the fabrication of a set of trunks, each one just smaller than, and nested within, the last - does a bit of literary nesting of his own as the passage, almost seamlessly, wraps around within itself.

As we see throughout the novel, proportion plays a key role, to the protagonist's journey through his own sort of personal inferno. He moves easily through a window, for instance, which looks much too small for him; the policemen he encounters are morbidly obese grotesques, out of proportion with their surroundings; and the third policeman of the title lives within the walls of his neighbor's house, lurking on the fringe. Dimensions are way out of whack, even weight is unreliable. As he perambulates through this alternate territory, the narrator comes to realize that nothing can be trusted to work normally; that conventional science is `fubar', yet surprisingly more in alignment with the theories of his mentor, the eccentric deSelby.

Lewis Carroll would probably be considered one of the first popular benefactors of fantasy, nonsensical seeming worlds with nonsensical speaking characters. Other notable creators of bizzaro reality have been Jonathan Swift, GK Chesterton and CS Lewis. But this book is denser than mere fantasy or nonsense; I would compare it more easily with the metaphysical work of Franz Kafka or the existentialism of Samuel Beckett . There is a heft to it for all of its lightness.

Ironically enough, O'Brien was not able to publish this work in his lifetime. The rejection of this his second book, following the great success of At Swim-Two-Birds, which was lauded by Joyce, proved a crushing blow. Yet he continued to hone his craft, as evidenced through his Irish Times column, Cruiskeen Lawn written under the pseudonym, Miles na gCopaleen. He also wrote an entire book, An Beal Bocht (transl. The Poor Mouth) in Gaelic. Flann O'Brien died in Dublin in 1966, probably due to complications from alcoholism, let's hope he's not obliquely wandering the distorted countryside of his greatest novel, still unable to pin down that elusive third policeman.

For my daughter's first birthday, I wrote and illustrated a story for her about the day she was born. I'm no artist, mind you, but she loves it. (If you want to, I believe you can use the computer to make very simple sticker-like illustrations instead of drawing.) It was especially meaningful to her when her baby sister was born this last year. I am buying a new one for the little sister as well. I think it's a terrific idea for making a personalized keepsake FOR your child or grandchild.

The only drawback, you do have to be a little creative regarding the words per page limit.

This is such a great item and worth every penny. We'd love to do these every year and get duplicate copies for our families. This is a great way to capture the different stages of creativity in your children - and rewarding to them when they see their story "published" in a real book. Highly recommended for all ages!

I bought this book for my grandughter that is 10 years old and loves to write stores. It was a wise pick for me , as it is right at her age level. Easy to understand , Easy to follow directions . For any child that loves to write stores, or to encourage a child to write it is a great book.

Got this for my 6-yr old daughter's birthday. It was easy for us to do together. The great fun was getting the completed, hard-bound book back in the mail! She was so proud to be an author! She even took it to school to show her class. It's a great gift & a great keepsake.

We bought the first of these for our son when he was 3 1/2 and helped him create his first book. He loved it and would read it to us daily. He's five now and has 'created' 5 additional books (this time without our help). He loves this and has decided that he's going to become a writer when he grows up (after he becomes a pilot). As a result of creating the ILLUSTORY books, he's started keeping a journal (which we thought was a big endeavor for a 5 year old- but he's managing to write in it every day about the perils of kindergarten, of course!) Kudos to the makers of this product for keeping children educationally entertained!!

This is a great book. I read it until the covers fell off and then read it again. It gives you steps to take not vague theories.
John M. Rowley "Author Climb YOUR Ladder of Success Without Running out of Gas!"

Good book, it fills some gaps for me, setting goals for example I never knew the detail that was required. At $11.oo worth it!

A scattered person rarely attains the goals he or she is seeking. Using the simple strategies in this book you will learn to harness the power of focus and quickly attain goals and results you have been searching for. It is a must read for people seeking success of any kind. Make Today Great! Tom Beal

I have a library with hundreds of books in it. If I were told I could only keep 10 books, this would be one of them. If you are a manager of other people, you must read this book. Then find a way to share it with others. You will find a powerful chapter related to goal setting and performance. " If you do not set goals, someone else will set them for you" The book goes on to tell the story of a man who was a dentist and hated his work. He said that his mother wanted him to be a dentist so she chose his education and career path. Now as an adult male, he hated his work and confessed he never wanted to be a dentist. I see people every day who are trapped in jobs they never wanted or doing things they dont want to do simply becuase they failed to understand the pinciples in this book. There is much more content than just goal setting. There are powerfull tools to help you with time managment, decision making, and sections to help you discover who you are and what you really should be doing with your skills and talents. I recommend that you find the following book as a companion to this one: " Focusing Your Life" by Bobb Biehl

Sometimes in life, you find a real gem. Like the moment when you knew without any doubt you had found the person you would spend your life with. If you have never read THE POWER OF FOCUS by Canfield, Hanson and Hewitt, you just stumbled across one of life's little gems. This book has the ability to unleash the greatness within you that has been there all along, just waiting to be unleashed.

Don't get me wrong, you're not going to read this book and have your life miraculously change. I believe the authors say it best in their final words. "All the strategies we have shared with you really work. They can dramatically change your life for the better. But only if you choose to use them".

The book focuses on ten strategies to help you reach your maximum potential in your business, personal and financial life. Some of these strategies may sound simplistic to you at first, but putting deodorant on a fever blister to draw out the moisture sounds simplistic too. The point is, simple can often achieve the results your looking for. There's no sense in over-complicating things.

Each of the ten strategies are outlined in their own chapter and followed by practical "action steps" to coach you along. You will find other exercises as well. I recommend buying this book along with a spiral notebook. You'll need it.

If you're ready to take actionable steps in improving every aspect of your life, this book is definitely for you.

Pastor Monty Rainey

It's hard to get a sequel as good as the original- especially if it's the second in a trilogy. Birmingham pulls it off. He writes with such realism, spontaneity, and wit, that one feels like they are actually in the trenches, actually dealing with merging 21st and 20th century technology, actually in a room with Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. We feel the palpable tension of a world going to pot- and we feel this from a nearly infinite number of perspectives.

I found I was missing the chapter introductions of the first book, which told me what time and date it was. I also enjoyed the tighter storyline in the first book, without the constant jumping across continents just at the moment of most intense action. But this reduces Designated Targets to a 4.9 instead of a 5. It is still exquisitely written. It would seem that Birmingham has been in all the places he's described, and experienced everything that his characters have experienced. Nearly every character is round and evolving. It is hard to convincingly write Hoover's perspective as well as that of an enlightened 21st century woman fighting against racism.

Perhaps the saddest thing to realize is the effects the fight on terrorism is having on us all. Birmingham also convincingly writes the perspective of the 1940s and the 2020s. In the midst of the vileness towards blacks, women, and Jews that we see in those of the 1940s, we also see the cavalier attitude that those of the 2020s have towards violence and the deaths of others- innocents or the guilty. Fighting a long struggle has endued them with an incredible lack of compassion, and a thirst for vengence. It is convincing, because one sees the roots of such ideals in today's society, as we slowly become the children of tomorrow.

This is the middle volume in an exciting series of three books in which a force from the 21st century is accidentally sent back in time to 1942 and throws the history World War two onto a completely different course.

I found the first two episodes in this trilogy so fascinating that when I learned that the final instalment had been published in Australia several months before the US and UK releases I could not wait, but had to order this one from Oz. None of the books in the series disappointed me.

The full "Axis of Time" trilogy is

Weapons of Choice
Designated Targets
Final Impact

In the first book, "Weapons of Choice" a multinational carrier battle fleet from the 21st century is accidentally sent back in time to 1942 when a scientific experiment goes wrong. They arrive in the middle of the US fleet which would have been about to win the battle of Midway, which immediately causes a major "friendly fire" incident; meanwhile the Japanese fleet which should have been sunk gets wind that something very odd is happening and escapes.

A different story in which a military unit was sent back to World War II might have given them a dilemma; should they intervene on the allied side, or try to minimise their impact in the hope of getting back through the wormhole to their own time without changing the past? Birmingham never gave his characters that option, as their arrival itself changed events beyond any hope of putting the timeline back in place. In this book his 21st century characters are struggling to make the best of the world they now find themselves in.

What happened at Midway was bad enough, although the the arrival on the Western side of a 21st century carrier battle group is more than enough compensation. But a second problem is that, while the great majority of the multinational force is thrown back as a unit and arrive together, one or two ships turn up in other parts of the world and are captured by bad guys so that some modern technology and knowledge of the future which would have happened fell into the hands of the Soviet Union, Imperial Japanese, and Nazis. Once they have overcome their disbelief, Stalin, Hitler, and Imperial Japanese alike resolve not to repeat the mistakes which in our timeline consigned them to the dustbin of history.

The men and women from the 21st Century face a continuing struggle both to adapt to the very difficult world they find themselves in, and to persuade the "temps" (short for contemporary) from their own side to accept such things as an African-American U.S. Marine colonel, and a Royal Navy Commander who is a half-asian woman. I would like to think that my parents and grandparents' generations would have treated members of the 21st century forces better than they are treated in this book: however, no doubt that Mr Birmingham is right that some people would have treated them well and others very badly. The treatment of J Edgar Hoover, who is very prejudiced against the 21st century people and makes a real nuisance of himself, is quite entertaining.

Mr Birmingham takes the view that Japanese members of the multinational force, and other people in an anomalous position such as a 21st century Russian special forces officer, would regard the current rulers of their home countries as tyrants and put loyalty to their 21st century comrades before loyalty to country. However, the "temps" have great difficulty trusting Japanese and this is perhaps the worst of the many problems with the multinational force have in getting on with their new allies.

The action scenes in the book are very well done and make it almost impossible to put down; there is also some excellent use of humour. One of the members of the multinational force from the 21st Century is Prince Harry, who has become a Colonel in the S.A.S; throughout the trilogy there are some amusing lines and situations involving him.

None of the books in this trilogy are suitable for those of a squeamish disposition. Faced with Axis and Soviet powers who have become even more cruel and ruthless in their desperation to avoid defeat, the allies have to be almost equally brutal to defeat them. I can't remember reading a story in which the "good" guys kill so many millions of innocent people since E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series. (More so even than in the real WW2, which is saying something.) Birmingham rarely goes for the easy answer and this is a series in which horrible things often happen to good people - and in which good people do horrible things.

Nevertheless, if you are into alternative history or war stories, and provided you are not squeamish, you will very probably enjoy the "Axis of Time" trilogy.

One thing that struck me was the usage of bad words so frequently.
Churchill, Heinz Guderian, etc too wrote about World War and he not even once did they use a single bad word.

I found this book while killing some time in a bookstore. Even tho' it was the second volume of a trilogy, and the first volume wasn't available, I took the plunge anyway. I have not been disappointed in the decently-paced and better-than-usual alternate history aspect of this tale. I'm burned out on Harry Turtledove, so I was pleasantly surprised by Birmingham's easy to read prose. The plot line is NOT telegraphed ahead, and a lot of the chaacters are well developed to a point where readers can actually identify with them.There are a few "clunkers" as semi-major characters, but I have enjoyed the careful weaving of many recent day celebrities (i.e.: Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and John Kennedy) into the fabric of the story.

I will read the entire series without fail. Not perfect, but good enough to entertain me...4 stars.

Weapons of Choice (The Axis of Time Trilogy, Book 1, 2004)
Designated Targets (The Axis of Time Trilogy, Book 2, 2005)
Final Impact (The Axis of Time Trilogy, Book 3, 2007)


I've now read all three of John Birmingham's "Axis of Time" novels -- which amount to one long novel, so don't start at #2! -- and warmly recommend the books to mil-SF and alternate-history fans. To reprise, a naval task force from 2021 is diverted to 1942 by a DARPA teleportation experiment gone spectacularly wrong. In the confusion of the transition, the moderns sink most of Admiral Spruance's fleet, enroute to the Battle of Midway. Oops....

The three books go on to re-fight WW2, and show once again that the oldest cliche' can look fresh in the hands of a good writer with a new approach. Birmingham's innovation here is that the world of 1942 suddenly knows how the next eighty years would play out, if nothing changes. So the Big Losers -- Hitler, Tojo and Stalin -- are frantically trying to rewrite history to keep from going down in flames "again". And the winners must guard their "historic" victory... It's a riveting, twisty, violent story, and man, do those pages turn.

The Axis of Time is a good reminder of just how bad the mid-20th century was, and just how monstrous Hitler and Stalin were. And how warfare brings out the best -- and worst -- in "good" people (and bad). Some of the expedients the "good guys" resort to, to win, are appalling. Which isn't to say, not necessary....

Birmingham's near-future is a rather grim place, and the interactions of 2021 with 1942 are very nicely done. The past is a different country, and the multi-racial men and women-warriors from the 21st century make the folk of 1942 *very* uncomfortable. And vice-versa.

Birmingham, a well-known Australian humorist, is making his first venture into SF here. He's done his homework, and he's an exceptionally good storyteller. The Axis of Time books are thoughtful page-turners. His writing style and pacing are still a little rough, and there's a huge plot-logic flaw in the first book. The books still rock. Start with the first, Weapons of Choice, and you'll soon know if the series suits your taste.

Book #3, Final Impact, ends with the end of WW2 -- the three books are WW2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 in the Birmoverse -- but with little resolution, which has upset some readers. Birmingham has a contract to continue the series into the Cold War (CW1.1, 1.2), with the next book scheduled for Fall 2007 (Australia). I'll be reading it. And you should read WW2.1--2.3. Not perfect books, but pretty darned good.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman
Review first published at SF Site

This book is very well laid out and gives a really good explanation of any cartridge you've every heard of and some you probably have never heard of and a particularly good treatise on obsolete cartridges. The listing of 22 cal. rimfires with ballistic data is worth the price of the Book. Five stars all the way.

B. Miller
East TN

This book has proven to be a great book for identifing cartridges and just learning about some of the not so common rounds out there. It is a very complete book covering black powder cartridges to modern. Each cartridge in the book has a little description and some history and some even have the dimensions of the round. Interesting reading for researching or pleasure.

One of the most comprehensive sources of information about cartridges available. A MUST have for you library of firearms information.

Steve Adams
AdamsQuailHunter on GunBroker and Ancientguns Forums

EXCELLENT BOOK FOR ALL SHOOTERS, FROM THE 22CAL. ON UP !! NOW I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY 9.3X57 AND THE 30/06 CARTRIDGE.

A lot of good information but the author seems to be behind in the modern day cartridges. Russ Haydon of the Woodchuck Den has really brought the 20 cal. into public view. With the several 20 cals. out there the author mentioned the 204 Ruger (an outstanding round), but very little else in that caliber.

I just received this book yesterday and have already read most of it. A very interesting and informative book that is hard to put down. As previous reviewers have written, this is a "must read" for anyone considering a handgun for personal defense. The book I ordered and received is fifth edition, published in 2008, so updated conceal/carry laws for each state are included.

I enjoyed reading this book so much, I have ordered the author's other book, "Thank God I had a Gun."

This book is a must read for all gun owners especially if you are thinking about getting a CCW license. This is also a good book to send to people that are anti-gun. After reading this book the anti-gun people might change their minds about guns. I sent this book to my sister who hates guns.

This excellent manual gives precise details to American citizens in exercising their 2nd Amendment Civil Rights during a criminal or even terrorist attack. This book is comprehensive and includes information on:
*Regulations
*Shooting Instructions - Beginner to Advanced
*Case Studies about concealed carry action
*Safety Regulations and methods

This book is like a mini-course in and of itself. You can learn about selecting a handgun, the duty of self-defense and also methods of concealing a weapon. In addition, as I teach martial arts, I tell people that the most important weapon is Your Mind. Don't get involved in any dangerous encounters if you can avoid them. Ultimately, the taking of a human life - for people with a conscience - is a life-altering and difficult experience. It can be traumatic because it is a situation that few wish to experience - unless it involves saving your life and your loved ones from criminals.

Michael Mandaville, Author:"Citizen Soldier Handbook: 101 Ways for Every American to Fight Terrorism"

I have read several books about concealed handguns and thought that this is one of the best. It has more detail than most others and I liked that.

This is an excellent book. Both very informative and very well written. It is a must for any one thinking about carrying a concealed handgun. Even after much training, I learned many new things from this book. This book is very thought provoking and if you don't have a CHL yet, you will want one after you read this book. This is a book I will not loan out, but will buy extra copies for all the gals in my shooting club.

Regardless of whether you like the "warfare" analogies or not, the concepts discussed in this book is Marketing 101 for marketers.

First Ries/Trout explain which method of attack your company should use depending on its position in the marketplace. Then they describe what each position should do. Then they use some great classic case studies like the beer wars, cola wars, and computer wars.

Usually I hate these "outdated" books but the content in here is classic. They've updated the book and critiqued their own predictions made 20 years ago. For example, with over 50% of the PC marketshare, they were certain that IBM would remain the leader. Ooops.

Highly recommended for marketers.

today i have not received this book yet.could you inform me when this book would be delivered, please?

This is the other must-read book from Jack Trout for Businessmen, marketers and I think every one, This book teaches you that WORLD is Competition, and It is WAR !

You must compete to survive, You must be intelligence to survive, and You must be different to survive.

Jack Trout explains the battle of MARKET forces and how to survive in it,

Still thinking about buying the book, You may feel the need to read this book after a hard competition!

If you are looking for a book to help influence your strategies when it comes to marketing this is the book for you. It takes war tactics from all throughout history and applies the information to modern business strategies. Examples of modern companies such as McDonalds are how the authors convey the strategies to conventional business.

I found this one to be the weakest of all the books by Ries and Trout. As Creative Director of AUDIN Web Design, it just didn't capture my interest like their other books. Don't get me wrong, I think these authors are geniuses and I love their books. This one just didn't do it for me; I think it was the warfare motif. I'm not a pacifist, but it just didn't work for me: Warfare as Marketing. The funny thing is that I actually bought this book twice: once ten years ago in paper back and then again in hardback more recently. That goes to show you how forgettable I thought this book was. If you are on a real tight budget, buy a different book by these authors.

The Art of the Rifle by Jeff Cooper is a very good reference on practical rifle handling and marksmanship. I highly recommend this book. The chapter on the use of the sling made this book worth the (high) purchase price for me.

Col. Cooper keeps it short, simple, and direct. As with his other books, no words are wasted or minced. This is a must have for anyone serious about rifle shooting at any level.

I bought this book for my boyfriend's Valentine's Day present. He is an avid reader, gun collector, and especially enjoys reading books written by Jeff Cooper. He enjoyed reading about Cooper's perspective on the rifle and how you should handle it.

Col.Cooper has put down to the ages what even the most casual shooter should know.The man has compressed a lifetime of rifle handling,marksmanship,common sense,and pure grade A instruction into a very easy to read and understand book.Here starts the very begining of a first class outdoorsmans library. Jeff Cooper has been there and done that and knows what he is talking about when it comes to proper positions and techniques.I am not to sure that there is another book of this caliber to be had anywhere.

Wonderful stuff by the one of the great teachers of modern personal weaponry, the late Jeff Cooper. 100 pages of no-baloney poop on modern technique in riflery. Many pithy quotes on the subject.
"The posession of a good rifle, as well as the skill to use it well, truely makes a man the monarch of all he surveys. It realizes the dream of the Jovian thunderbolt, and as such is the embodiment of personal power."

Cooper is a gentleman of the old school. Warrior, historian, engineer and philosopher; he was a true national treasure in his day.

The Multifidus Back Pain Solution is uniquely valuable because it shows 4 ways to do one key exercise. Its the only book I've found that shows how to do this exercise lying face down which is much easier on my joints. Brief and easy to read, it's a good place to start.

2 other books I've found of crucial importance are:
1. The Back Pain Book by Mike Hage, and,
2. Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation by Stuart McGill

Hage's isometric exercise for the abdominal muscles is superb when your back hurts doing curlups. And when you're ready for curlups, his way of doing them is easier than McGill's. Hage's sideways hip strengthening exercise has helped me stabilize my lower back, hips, and pelvis. Well illustrated and clearly arranged, Hage's book is also easy to read.

McGill's book, unlike Johnson's, is a review of his own cutting edge research. To me it represents the final authority as of 2007 (2nd. edition), but it is longer, harder to read and written more for physical therapists. However, using the detailed and clear table of contents one can pick and choose sections to read and/or read only pages 177-188 and chapter 12 for the exercises (chapter 13 for athletes).

McGill emphasizes muscle endurance as the key protective ingredient and so corrects Johnson's emphasis on building strength, though the 2 go together to a significant extent. And by pointing out how all the major muscle groups of the torso contribute to spinal stability and so protect against pain, he corrects Johnson's limited focus on the Multifidus. McGill advocates 3 primary exercises and a handful of others, and he has research to show that maintaining a neutral spinal position with a natural curve in the lower back is superior to flattening the back against the exercise mat.

However, because McGill is writing for therapists he provides no guidance on the number of repetitions or sets to do. Also, McGill doesn't provide enough alternate ways to build key muscle groups when his ways are painful.

In summary, Johnson's, Hage's and McGill's books are all uniquely valuable. Buy all 3, you've got nothing to lose but your pain.

Most of this book gives alot of research info about what is true and not true about back pain. There is actually very little on actual exercises except for the 3 he describes which are excellent as there is one for every level of back pain you are in. I would have liked more exericises but what I do appreciate is that he points out once you reach your level of strength, you don't have to do them every day to maintain it.

I have been doing the exercises for 2 months. My lower back pain has not completely gone away, but has been greatly reduced. Best $10 I have spent in a long time...

You will like this book for what it tells you NOT to do and why more than for what it tells you to do. There is only one exercise (with variations) he suggests. However, he is great at explaining why other approaches may not be effective. He bases everything he says on his years of plowing through documented clinical trials. You will get more from this short book than you will from a visit to most Doctors or PTs. You will also save yourself a lot of running around from specialist to PT to alternative practitioners. Jim Johnson is not a snake oil salesman. This is solid information. I am using his information to help reduce my low back and hip pain, and sciatica. I believe it is having a positive impact.

In addition to using Jim's method other things I have found helpful (I have tried dozens) are: using a high quality, hi density, memory foam mattress topper to sleep on; using a product called "back joy" to sit on when I must sit in a chair or in the car; walking 45 minutes a day or, in the winter, using an elliptical machine (even if there is pain walking it usually goes away after about 15 minutes); doing additional stretching, moderate weight lifting and core work; and perhaps most important getting rid of my office chair and replacing it with a medium size exercise ball. YES that is correct, I sit on an exercise ball (draped in a soft blanket for comfort) instead of a chair. Now my wife does the same and my daughter. Once you get used to it, which takes a few weeks, you may never go back to chairs. Great for keeping your back limber and your mind alert. Why spend a thousand dollars on a fancy "ergonomic" chair when you can spend 20 bucks on an exercise ball that works even better? Best of luck with your back pain.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!! I had back surgery 2 years ago (L1-L2 thru L3-L4 lumbar diskectomy) to relieve severe lower back pain and sciatica pain in the left leg. Although the surgery relieved the sciatica, regularly every 4-6 weeks I subsequently had recurring "episodes" which took 2-3 weeks to subside. I was walking, swimming, stretching, etc., all to no avail. Skelaxin and Mobic became my best friends during this period. A random Google search turned up this book by Jim Johnson (and the excellent 8/23/06 Amazon review by G. Brennan of LA,CA), and I decided "what the hell".... Bottom Line: It works. Period. I bought 2.5 lb. ankle weights, do the recommended exercises < 10 minutes/day every day, and 3-4 weeks later, my back pain has disappeared and the numbness in my left heel has disappeared 80%. BUY THIS BOOK. IT'LL BE THE BEST $10 YOU HAVE EVER SPENT IN YOUR LIFE.

As a crusty old ad guy, I approach most popular, catchy-titled business books with a mix of skepticism and loathing. Not this one. Jaffe captures the basics of integrated marketing techniques in short, interesting prose, along with asides from some industry leaders worth hearing.

Sure, it's the basics, but well done. Don't expect much on how this changes agency profitability models, nor on why so-called "traditional" advertising will remain the primary driver for lots of brands.

The only trouble is that this world is evolving so quickly, this book will be dated inside a year or two. Which merely means you'll need to know everything Jaffe writes about here--and lots more.

Joe Jaffe has a real handle on New Marketing, he lives it with his book, blog Jaffe Juice and podcast Across The Sound. He is a true leader in this space and I highly recommend that all marketers read his book, his blog and listen to his podcast.
Jay Berkowitz, CEO, www.TenGoldenRules.com

The 30 second spot is dead. The 30 second spot is dead! THE 30 SECOND SPOT IS DEAD! Alright, I get it already. At least I did after the first 60 pages or so. Unfortunately this book does not end at 60 pages. Never have so many words been used to say so little.

The first third of this book (plus one chapter online) (parenthesis meant as a tribute to Jaffe) tells you why the 30 second spot is dead. To illustrate the demise of the 30 second spot, Jaffe uses a dead horse and beats it repeatedly.

Perhaps Jaffe is quite funny and clever at a party, but his schtick gets a little old when trudging through 276 pages of his quips (plus one chapter online). Jaffe fashions himself as a modern day Don Rickles, passing out insults to everything and everybody who uses a 30 second spot. Unfortunately, this increases the page count of the book by about 90 pages.

The final two-thirds of the book is a survey of everything you can use instead of the 30 second spot. Jaffe says you have 10 options and he has designed 10 little logos for each of them (which you can see on his website) (again parenthesis meant as a salute to Jaffe). This is not any ground breaking information. If you have been paying attention and made occasional contact with society, you will have realized that you can use the internet as a marketing tool.

Mostly, Jaffe's observations are re-hashes of stuff you can find in a trade journal or two. And because this is an ADWEEK Book, I suspect most of this stuff was available in an ADWEEK article. The important thing about this survey portion of the book is that it gives you very little insight on how to use these tools more effectively. It's just Jaffe telling you that you are ignorant if you are not using his 10 alternatives to the 30 second spot.

Save yourself $20 and get a subscription to Adweek instead.

Joseph Jaffe in his first book lays out the case that traditional advertising is broken and need change in large part to the Internet and rise of consumer generated media. The death of the 30 second spot is in large part do consumer rejection and frustration of ever intrusive ads that aren't relevant to them. With consumers now in control of when, where, and how they consume media, advertisers must figure out new ways of reaching them without annoying them.

The book is an easy read, though backed up with an impressive arsenal of facts and figures that back up Jaffe's points. He outlines where advertising has been and where it must go. If you are an advertiser, media producer, agency, or consumer you need to read this book.

I honestly didn't liked the Life After the 30-second spot, maybe the book was aimed at "beginners" to the world of media and advertising, it seemed like the ideas I was reading were obvious and I was waiting for that punch line where the author was going to tell me something different and original; and that didn't happened. It is a good book if you are a freshman at college and thinking about studying Communications/Journalism (Advertising, PR, Marketing), but if you are a senior in college, or if you are already involved with advertising/media world, than this book will not give you something new and original. Scale of 1 to 10, i'll give it 6 (it was very easy to read...i appreciate the author for writing something that was very easy to read)