On The Edge Books

This book is great. As far as I can tell, it's the best thing to come out of the Sabres this season. Rob Ray and Budd Bailey have given us a great real life story. This is a book for fans and players. Gene F.

As a former Buffalo area resident and Sabres fan who has been somewhat distant from the team for quite awhile, I found a couple of sections of Rob Ray's book particularly interesting. First, he discusses the controversy surrounding star goalie Dominik Hasek's injury during the 1996 - 1997 playoffs. Later in the book, Ray offers some new (to this reader, at least) thoughts regarding the mysterious departure of Buffalo Sabres Coach Ted Nolan. If you are a Sabres and/or Rob Ray fan, you will undoubtedly enjoy this book.

We all think of professional athletes as pampered stars who believe that the world revolves around them. Rayzor's Edge shows what it is really like for a kid growing up in a small town in Canada, working his way through junior hockey, dreaming to one day play in the NHL. What I liked most about this book was the honest and open way the authors described the fears and insecurities of Rob Ray, not just as he was on his way to the NHL, but once he got there, as well. From his first day at junior hockey to his last day on the ice as a Buffalo Sabre, authors Ray and Bailey expose the human side of the ups and downs of a professional athlete - what scares them and what drives them - first, as a green rookie putting on a team sweater for the first time and later, as a seasoned veteran. The book is engaging, thoughtful and very well-written and I highly recommend it to all sports fans.

Sports superstars write books all the time, often after only one good season. Mostly it's the same story: How I overcame (insert minor setback here) by being blessed with incredible talent to become rich and famous.

Rob Ray's story is a bit different. Ray had to struggle his whole life to make it in hockey. It is refreshing to see a sports biography written by a role player, by someone who watched many of his team's greatest moments from the bench or even in street clothes. And it is also refreshing to read the story of a player who made it by being the ultimate team player, a guy who had to struggle through the minors to make it.

The book's main weakness is the Ray may be too nice a guy. While he would happily deck anyone on the ice, he seems to hesitate to say anything that might offend anyone he played with (with the notable exception of a certain Czech goalie), or even fought against.

Enjoy this book for the story of a player who did his job as best he could, and still can't seem to believe he got to play in the the bigtime.

When I found out that Rayzor had the book coming out, I was quick to order it. I'm a life-long Sabres fan, and enjoyed watching him contribute to the team over the years. He was always fun to watch, and a smart player.. (I don't know if there ever was an enforcer better at goading his opponent into a penalty.)

The book left me wanting something different. Rob tells about the history of the Sabres, from his perspective.. He tells some interesting stories, but I was left wanting more. I wanted to know more about the off-the-ice antics; who were the best/worst fighters in the league, and why? How about some stories from the lockeroom? Nights on the town in Buffalo? Overzealous fans?

I must also note that the copy editing in the book was not great. Similar to Keith Jones' book, there are multiple errors in text that should have been caught. (Although there were many more in the Jones book.)

This book certainly delivers on its promise of life-threatening adventures. I loved the fact that it was written about real events in a way that sounded like truth. There were some hard things to deal with but that's the way life is. I would recommend it to adventurers and armchair adventurers alike.

I bought this book because the author, John Goddard, was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at a convention I was attending in June, 2008. I had heard his name, but didn't know much about him. I couldn't put the book down. This autobiographical work is amazing - and HE is amazing!!
As a young child, John Goddard decided to be an explorer. As a teen, he set over 100 goals for himself. These were not simple goals such as 'get a college education (which he did - he became a medical doctor). His goals were grand to the nth scale! One goal was to explore the Nile River, from it's beginning all the way to the Mediterranean Sea - in a kayak! It took 9 months - and many adventures - but he made it. He also, in like fashion, explored other rivers, among them, the Congo River, and the Colorado River. Of his original goals, he as achieved most - but added hundreds more over the years. Mr. Goddard is what many people term 'goal driven' but most people don't really have a clue as to what that really means. He did speak at our convention - leaving over 3000 people sitting on the edge of their seats and breathless. Later, in breakout sessions, he continued to enthrall. Oh, and he signed my book, too! It's a treasure I will keep forever. One more thing - the '24' is now over '40' - that's how many times John Goddard has faced imminent death, and survived!

This is a GREAT book by the Ultimate Adventurer/Explorer, John Goddard. The book covers many daring and dangerous activities that many would not even attempt. Goddard's living-on-the-edge lifestyle will definitely leave you on the edge-of-your-seat with his thrilling brushes with potential death. A must read. Also, his book "Kayaks Down the Nile" is equally thrilling...in both books you'll be shaking your head asking yourself," HOW did he ever live through it?" Simply...he IS the ultimate survivor! I couldn't put the books down until the end.

This book is a must-have. Buy it for yourself and your kids. Relive some of the most thrilling REAL LIFE adventures ever. John Goddard's life is like a hollywood movie.

Sounded like a great story..I even used Goddard's list once for an inspirational piece for school. Halfway through the book, I realized that this poorly written book is a compilation of highfalutin' chest thumping near-death experiences. If you are interested in real adventure, read about Shackleton, Krakauer or Simpson. Don't waste your money on this book!

The photos in the book is poorly taken. The instructions does not work and the wordings are too clumsy. There are many better books in the market that can help a beginner and teach tricks to intermediates.

This is the best and coolest wakeboarding book there is. You can take it on the boat, because of it's waterproof paper, and it made my wakeboarding life much easier. It shows beginners steps, like getting up, doing 180's, and jumping the wake, to the stuff the professionals do, like tantrums and KGB's. This is better than all the books out there. If you think it is pointless reading a book and seeing still pictures of wakeboarders hitting jumps and in the air, think again! This comes with a frame by frame guide of how to do it AND if you have access to a computer, this also comes with an incredible CD that shows you how to do all the tricks it the book for regular and goofy (except goofy looks a bit corny because it is the same as regular except the image has been rotated 180 degrees). Buy this book now, it's definitely worth it.

For those of us who don't have the privelege (or $$) to be taught how to wakeboard by a professional or very talented friends, there are a number of books and videos out there to help us. However, if you want to be able to avoid having to keep watching your videos over and over again, or find that the books description of things just doesn't match up with the images in your head, or the sketches in the book, then there's only one product that's worth getting: Wakeboarding ... On the Edge.

In the few months that I've been trying this sport it's very easy to get into bad habits at both the basic and the intermediary level. While I may have been able to do most of the middle-skill moves and was wooing my friends, the fact is that I was doing it all wrong. This book has managed to correct my mistakes, improve my current tricks and teach me new tricks ... all in the course of a couple of runs.

By combining step-by-step descriptions of each move (starting with how to get out of the water and moving through edging, jumping the wake, grabs, 180's, ollies, 360's etc) with photographs to match each description and a CD Rom to watch each move in stopped or fluid motion (your choice) this book will enable you to use both sides of your brain to figure out for yourself how the trick is done.

The best thing that this book does for you is give you the confidence to go out and try the tricks. The 'fly tips' in the book will help you figure out where you've gone wrong in the event that you fail to execute it perfectly the first time around (which you probably will) and the fact that the book is waterproof means that you can have a quick review of the essentials before trying the trick again.

Buy the book, try the tricks and have a fantastic time.

Dude! This product is awesome....

Interactive CD-Rom that plays tons of basic, intermediate and advanced moves in regular or goofy foot viewing with detailed training instructions. Graphics are cool. I really like the slow motion option that let's you break down a new move into parts so you can learn it (or teach it) quickly. There's a button you can click and instantly go from goofy to regular--really useful.

The video is like having your own personal wakeboarding coach but for 100 times less money. I keep the waterproof book in my Air Nautique as a training guide. I've found it's an excellent tool to teach the first timer's the basics so they don't develop bad habits. It makes their learning experience MUCH faster and way more rewarding. I studied the video at home and refered to the book on the water and learned a 360 handle pass and a tanturm THE FIRST TIME I USED IT. Two people I know used the book to learn how to jump wake to wake on their very first day of riding--pretty cool to high five your buddies as they learn new stuff.

THIS IS THE PRODUCT TO HAVE IF YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS WANT TO LEARN AND GET BETTER!!!!!!!!

Jason Weber has really tapped into a great thing. He has created a teaching tool that is as much fun to read as it is to do.

This book includes a CD that assists those individuals (like me) who need to see it as well as read about it. The book goes through the essential building blocks that make executing the more advanced wakeboarding moves possible. I have used videos and other ways to grow in the sport and this is by far the best tool on the market. You can even take it out on the boat with you because it is written on waterproof paper.

The sections are broken down into easy to understand segments which give you alot of detail to start. It also has a section in the back for quick reference between sets.

Get this book if you are serious about improving your wakeboarding. Trust me, your friends will thank you for it because they will likely use it more than you do.

After reading the back cover on this book, and a recommendation from a friend, I bought it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. For the most part, I just scanned it. It was predictable, no challenge at all. I had not read any Harlequin books in a long time, and now I remember why I quit reading them.

I am fortunate to know Harper Allen but had not yet read any of her books. This was a surprise especially that the heroine reminded me of her. I could just picture Harper crusading in the same manner. This book has been mailed to a friend and I can hardly wait for the next one to be published. Bravo Harper!

If there are really men like Matt D'Angelo in Boston, I'm leaving on the next flight! I loved Harper Allen's "Twice Tempted" last January and I loved "Woman Most Wanted" even more. The story of a woman who has her life stolen is original and suspenseful. Jenna is a smart, funny, and touching heroine; Matt is the by-the-book FBI agent who falls for her in spite of all the evidence against her claims. Seeing him fall hard for Jenna is a delicious experience. The love scenes between them are hot and yet very romantic. (After reading the shower scene you'll need a shower.) The writing is humorous though in a couple places it was touching enough that I had tears in my eyes. My only complaint is that I'd like to see this author more often- I hope it's not another year before the next Harper Allen comes out.

If I want a challenge, I'll read a calculus textbook. If I want to be entertained, I'll pick up a book by Harper Allen. Woman Most Wanted has everything: a strong romance, unique characters, twists and turns and a lot of laughs. What more could you want? Calculus, I guess ;)

Harper Allen delivers another of her singular brand of romantic suspense in "Woman Most Wanted." FBI agent Matt D'Angelo has never met a witness like Jenna Moon. The grown-up flower child claims she's seen a dead criminal walking around alive and well. Not only is there no proof of her story, but Matt's having a hard time proving Jenna even exists. The law firm she says she works at claims not to know her. There's a strange old woman living in the apartment Jenna claims as her own. Is Jenna nuts? Or is Matt the crazy one for believing her?

I don't know how Allen is able to get away with writing fresh storylines and quirky characters, but I'm glad she is. Her stories are breaths of fresh air in the stale world of category romance. "Woman Most Wanted" is a tale that combines mystery, humor, suspense and romance in one wonderful read. This is one fun book. There are so many unforgettable moments to savor: Jenna's monologue about television on page 59, one of the most emotional scenes I've read in a romance recently, involving--believe it or not--a cat, and best of all, a priceless confrontation in Chapter Nine that had me laughing out loud.

"Woman Most Wanted" is an unusual Intrigue, with a twisting plot and unique characters we haven't seen before. The humorous elements work because they're easy and unforced. Jenna is well-drawn and sympathetic, offbeat without being either annoying or dingy--not an easy task. Books where heroines are being made to look crazy, with no way to prove they're telling the truth, are always intriguing (there's even another one this month, Debra Webb's "The Bodyguard's Baby"), and Jenna is a heroine who is easy to root for. A man willing to stand by the heroine and listen to his heart instead of his head is always heroic, and Matt is no exception. One thing that makes "Woman Most Wanted" stand out is the richness of the characters. As in Allen's first two books, even the most minor of characters are surprisingly well drawn, from a waitress to a group of hookers, receiving more depth in a sentence or two than more major characters do in whole books by other authors.

I probably liked this one a little bit less than Allen's last book, "Twice Tempted." It's not as seamlessly plotted, one big misunderstanding near the end is disappointing and one huge coincidence that is revealed late is a little hard to swallow. Even so, "Woman Most Wanted" is a surprising and unique romantic suspense tale unlike any other you're likely to have read lately. The mystery is compelling, the passion is steamy and the twists never stop. "Woman Most Wanted" is a true original and a delightful read that shouldn't be missed.

In his introduction to this book David Travis says that he wants readers to consider "that some images are expressions that found their form because of particular human conditions in the lives of the photographers." That certainly sounds like a more achievable goal than the exploration of talent and genius described in the subtitle.

Of the seven essays included, five are devoted to the photographers Brasai, Andre Kertesz, Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand. Two essays are more general dealing with the relationship between mathematics and photography and narrative and photography.

The essays about the artists are chatty little stories, most of which seem to support a thesis that photographers careers reflect a movement from trying to please their public to trying to please themselves. The essays are interesting, but don't seem to lead to what the author himself calls the "aha" phenomena. Since the audience for this book is likely to be people who take a serious interest in photography, rather than the man on the street, the reader is unlikely to be surprised by the conclusion that some pictures nail us into a moment while others are full of ambiguity. And the essay that says that some mathematical models call to mind the work of some photographers is more likely to tell us something about the mind of Travis then about photography.

It's nice to know that even when the artist Michel Seuphor pressured Kertesz into taking pictures of Piet Mondrian's studio, Kertesz was able to impress his vision upon the picture, or that Stieglitz's affair with the 23-years-younger Georgia O'Keefe affected his photography (I should hope so!). Still, I got no new insights into photography, although that may be because I've noticed that I myself seem less interested in pleasing others and more interested in pleasing myself as I've grown older. I'm not even certain that the author's narrative achieved his goal of showing us that the photographers' lives shaped their pictures, although I'd have been willing to accept that thesis without any supporting essays. Still, the book reads quickly and interestingly, and even if it provides one with no new insights into talent and genius, it's an enjoyable way to while away a day.

"At the Edge of the Light" is a collection of seven essays on Brassaï, Kertész, metaphors about the parallels between photography and mathematics, the role of narratives in photography, Weston, Stieglitz, and Strand.

The first essay on Brassaï covers a long swath of his life, but the parts I found most interesting where those about his relationships with other artists in Paris during the late 1920's and 30's, particularly Henry Miller, and his intellectual influences, such as Goethe and Nietzsche. The best word I can find to describe the narrative and writing in this essay is "pleasant." I particularly enjoyed Travis' description of Brassaï's work as capturing "flow and duration", and contrasting it with Cartier-Bresson's "decisive moment." I found this description of Brassaï's work to be among the best aspects of the book.

The second essay deals with Kertész. Although Travis discusses much of Kertész's work during the 1920's, he mainly focuses on the picture "Chez Mondrian," Kertész's relationship with Mondrian, and even much on Mondrian himself. While I did enjoy this essay, I didn't take as much away from it as the others.

The third essay was by far my favorite, not just because it is about the relationship between mathematics and photography and I am a mathematician, but because it is genuinely deep and novel. Travis discusses the creative process in photography through metaphors with mathematical reasoning and proof in the (relatively) accessible field of number theory, even going so far as to proclaim that "there is no difference in the way a creative idea comes to a mathematician and the way one comes to a photographer." Although most of the metaphors are just that, and effectively so, the comparison between Euclid's proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and Cartier-Bresson's "Hyères, France" approaches a true bijection. This example was my absolute favorite part of the book. Travis goes further and explains the role of beauty and aesthetics in mathematical creativity, drawing upon Hadamard's "The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field." Here Travis also gets into the role of the subconscious in both mathematical and artistic creativity.

A respected curator of photography, especially at a place like the Art Institute of Chicago, going off and studying mathematics, and then coming back and teaching so much about photography, has to be one of the most remarkable intellectual exercises I have every encountered.

The fourth essay deals with how the presence or absence of narratives in photography affects our experience of the artwork. This leads to the primary discussion of the last three essays on artists in old age. Travis tries to show the importance of the later work of Weston, Stieglitz, and Strand, and the tenor of his arguments are summed up in one he makes about Strand:

"What then is there to say about a photograph of an autumn leaf, especially one in black and white? Beyond some diagram of composition, the answer to this question depends on the photographer who made it. Of Paul Strand, there is a lot to say. Of a leaf centered in his 1973 'Fall in Movement', there is less."

Travis does note that Strand himself felt photographs should stand more or less alone. I can't give an opinion on this issue, but, like all the other essays in this collection, the last four are a joy to read.

As noted by a previous reviewer, the photographic printing in this book leaves much to be desired. While mostly a distraction, the poor print quality strongly interferes with what Travis has to say about Weston's "Point Lobos."

All in all, this book is a must read if you have an interest in the art history of photography or art photography in general.

Whether it's a re-interpretation of Bresson's "decisive moment" or his feeling of strangeness that Kert?sz's Chez Mondrian remained unpublished and unknown for so long; David Travis' seven essays make for an excellent afternoon's read and offers insight into some of the subtle nuances that comprise the gamut of photographic genius. In fact, I found his essay on Kert?sz more interesting for what it said about Mondrian than about Kert?sz himself although it does provide context for his meticulous compositions Chez Mondrian and Mondrian's Pipe and that the Mondrian studio environment may have "helped to discipline [Kert?sz's] lyrical eye."

I'm afraid I was less than convinced with the curious relationship of number theory to photographic composition. Particularly the statement attributed to Cantor that "...these two sets form the same size of infinite set.." (an absurdity without dimension) and I switched-off from the details at that point. I did however, enjoy his conjecture regarding the role of the subconscious in both mathematical and artistic creativity and the acknowledgement that inspiration and perspective is often found far away from the perceived comfort of our own artistic discipline. For me this is where the book's title made every sense and on reflection served as it most important lesson.

Travis' final three essays offer plausible conjecture into the generational stages of Weston, Stieglitz and Strand not only with regards to the chronology of creative expression as identified by the Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu but also because there is much within the Rikyu aesthetic that speaks to their latter work. Well recommended!!

The book consists of seven essays, most of them based on 1991-2001 lectures. The first two deal with Brassaï and Kertész, who were active in the early part of the twentieth century. The next two concern the parallel between creativity in mathematics and in photography, and the importance of narrative in photography. The author concludes by musing on late photographs (or sets of photos) from three outstanding photographers: "Point Lobos" by Edward Weston (1944), the "Equivalents" series of clouds by Stieglitz (1920s - early 1930s), and "Fall in Movement" by Strand (1973). Some 10 pages of notes follow the 162 pages of text.

I found the book thought-provoking, and many of the photographs were new to me, but the book could have been improved in the following ways. First, an index would have enabled the reader to find specific passages or artworks of interest. For example, one might like to see again the paragraphs on Poincaré on pages 74-75, or the photos by Sternfeld on pages 80 and 85. Second, it would have been nice to know the dimensions of the original photographs. A work that is only a few square inches in size will have a different impact than one that covers an entire wall. Third, virtually the entire book discusses creations by white men; it would have been nice to introduce some diversity in race and gender. Finally, while the off-white matte 6"x8.5" paper is lovely for the text, it does not allow high-quality reproduction of the photographs. Pure white semi-glossy paper in a larger format would have been better.

Buy this book from Amazon.com!

this is just another outsatnding audio book if you are in to The dreamland books I just wish there were more of them.

I made it through the first Dreamland novel due to fast paced, well described aerial combat, an offering of terrific high tech weaponry, good solid plot, and for the most part, interesting characterization; however, by the end of book one I was praying for the slow horrible death of Jeff "Zen" Stockard. A guy who is not only a main character, a romantic lead, but, I think, one of the heroes of the series. Who also happens to be a Class A Schmuck.

We are told Zen was an ace pilot, then a crash causes him to become wheelchair bound. Not a bad concept, could have made for some excellent twists. And indeed, in the beginning of the first book, the anguish/anger/mistrust/fear that Zen illustrated felt real. However, after reading 2/3 of the book I was getting just a tad grumpy that Zen was still piloting the pity pot plane. And his engine was in full whine mode. Well, I finished the book. Forgave the writer. Bought the 2nd Dreamland book.

Guess what? Pain-in-the-ass Zen is still around - kinda like the whine of that mosquito in the middle of the night that won't let you sleep. He detracts from the book. He has caused me to forego the rest of the Dreamland books. A damn shame.

Dale Brown's still the champ, and he proves it in this latest thriller. The weaponry, as usual, is top notch, and the story moves along faster than ever. I think, though, that he should consider giving Col. Bastan a promotion - he really has a lot of responsibility for that rank. Besides, he's conceited enough to be a general.

This is a review of the book on tape. The plot was solid and brought with it a sense of authenticity, especially in terms of how problems arose and were solved. To a degree the details about military hardware were fascinating, but they soon overran the book and distracted from the characters. There was only one character who truly mattered, and he was a side-show for most of the novel. The rest of the book was filled with people whose only purpose seemed to be populating the chain of command or demonstrating prowess under fire. A good example of this is Dog. He is some sort of Colonel, and his only role is to talk to the Whiplash team, pace around the room, and then relay the information to some General. Then he gets back on the phone with Whiplash. For all I know this type of exchange may be a normal part of military operations, but its appearance not once but several times in this novel was baffling. Ironically the character's name was well-suited to his part. As my sarcastic girlfriend fake-narrated: "Dog paced around the room and pissed on the carpet."

The cheesiest line of the book: "If the pilot was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen - and she was - then she was second."

C'mon.

Once again the Caines challenge us to look at education through new eyes ‹ the eyes of brain-based theory. The Caines are marvelous summarizers and practicioners of what they learn. Their work with the schools in California continues to advance the information and method we need to explore and install brain-based education in our lives and our schools. Congratulations on this next step. Follow them in future books. Excellent.

Education on the Edge of Possibility Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine

Book Review by Mary Hutchings

How do human beings learn? Are your mental models in harmony with your espoused theories? If you are intrigued by these questions as well as by the notion that "education could function to produce the sorts of people who could lead us toward sustainable community in the next century", then this book is a must read for you.

The authors will have you examining the invisible set of assumptions, which guide your own learning; as well as help you analyze current educational settings for effectiveness, using lists developed specifically for that purpose. The key, they say, is understanding the basic principles of how the human brain learns, or "Brain Based Learning".

Rather than offering yet another "theory" of instruction, the authors have actually provided an orderly framework which helps explain why aspects of each theory make sense, why other aspects may be misapplied, and even why genuine change or the threat of change never seems to produce just that: change. The authors share with us details of work they did with two schools in California, what they did, and what they learned. The results are fascinating.

After reading this book you will have a solid understanding of how your brain learns, what conditions are necessary for optimal learning, and a connection to an existing network of support ready with ideas to transform yourself. Maybe you will help lead us toward sustainable community in the next century.

As if U.S. schools were not saturated with enough child-damaging fads (whole language, constructivism, discovery learning, developmentally appropriate practices), the Caines come along (yet again) and try to provide a "scientific" foundation for faddish twaddle by deriving instructional practices from brain research that is considered questionable by brain researchers themselves. Little more than new age nonsense gussied up with gauzy rhetoric that sounds like science--but isn't.

Caine and Caine have actually amassed the theories on how children learn in a workable tableau that all of us educators can learn from if we so choose. They do, in fact, create an experience for us which can help link our learning to genuine shifts in our understanding of children. This is a must book for all educators.

I'm shocked by the reviewer who blasted this book about it's sexist bias. I find it interesting that a "strong" feminist woman should be so threatened by finding that there ARE biological and cultural differences in males and females. Odd. I mean, we are differing genders. Where the difficulty falls is that "traditional" cultural interpretations place women's attributes as weaker or less desirable. I notice the trend is now to refuse to acknowledge differences, rather than to fight the labeling of those differences.

In reference to this work, the author specifically mentions this bias, and provides tips on how to counteract this in the home. Also, she provides scientific data (at least she cites it; like the previous reviewer, I'd like to see the referenced studies myself) and personal observations which both confirm AND contradict the general gender trends. I fail to see how this is sexist and confining to women.

Lastly, this is a reassuring and helpful book for anyone curious as to what the current (or at least recent) scientific studies are revealing about gender, developmental studies, and education theory. A useful, accessible, yet strangely in-depth book, and I highly recommend it.

THIS IS AN EASY TO READ BOOK THAT GIVES A VERY DOWN TO EARTH PERSPECTIVE ON ALL THE ISSUES THAT SEEM TO BE GENDER SPECIFIC. THE BOOK DOES NOT ADVOCATE ANY SPECIFIC CHILDHOOD THEORIES BUT GIVES A VERY BALANCED REVIEW. LIKE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH EXPERIENCED PARENTS AND PEDIATRICIANS.

I recommend this book to would-be parents and those interested in child development.

I picked up this book while on vacation and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

It helped me look at child development in a completely different way. Susan Gilbert summarizes current hypotheses and findings in a way that I found logical and interesting. The most important point that I think she makes is that ýwhen observing groups of boys and girls, researchers are bound to see more variation in gender-typed behavior between the individuals than between the boys as a group compared to the girls as a group.ý

As Gilbert says, "when it comes to gender-typed behavior, most children don't fit the mold. Even when researchers find differences between boys and girls, the differences are fairly minor and it's often fewer than half the children who skew the results... For example, one gender difference is that boys play rougher than girls, meaning that they're more likely to pummel, wrestle, and mock-fight each other. According to one study, even this difference is not so great. It's a relatively small number of the boys--15 to 20 percent who score higher than any of the girls in assessments of rough-and-tumble play. So, most boys and girls fall in the same range. ... Those of us who are doing fieldwork everyday--that is, parents observing our children--are bound to see more variation between any two children, regardless of their sex, than we'll see between a group of boys and a group of girls."

My only criticism of the book is that like many books written for the layperson it doesn't have a comprehensive list of references to the studies quoted in the book. On the plus side, Carol Nagy Jacklin, Ph.D. endorses the book: she is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychology, University of Southern California. The reputable Dr. Jacklin praises Gilbert's research in the foreword. However as a scientist, I feel that I must verify Gilbert's research and conclusions through reading additional sources.

As a young girl I excelled in math and had many problems with learning language.Also I played with trucks and guns as a child with boys and other girls as well.An "expert" has yet to explain girls who are agressive,excell in mechanics and math and play with trucks as children.I believe there is a comspiracy out there against women,the post feminist era has been wrought with books about women being passive,sexless, fearful and unable to excell in math,unable to fend for themselves and unable to find themselves through mazes. Interesting how the writer is a woman and many are probably because they want other women to have the same self doubt they have.What we need are books that inspire young women, books that nuture their natural HUMAN aggressiveness rather than view it as unnatural or unbecoming.This book is just another Mars and Venus revamped as baby Mars and Venus. Girls do not need to be boxed into a sub social group,what they need is a book that helps them with their individual strengths as INDIVIDUALS!

Well, this book does start off a bit slow. However, by Chapter 3 (page 40) things start to pick of steam! After Cole Grayson accedentally ran into Mary Jackson who ran into the middle of the street, she lost her memory. However, there was blood on her Wedding dress. Where did that blood come from and who was she marring? She doesn't remember her past. After a few days, Cole finds himself fiercly attracted to Mary. He soon discovers Mary feels the same strong desire. Afterwards, many secrets are reveled! What stunning secrets are reveled? Why is no one looking for her? Is there violence? Does Cole and Mary's heated attraction blossom into a full-ledged love affair? You will have to get this book and read it to find out the rising action, climax and exciting ending to this breathtaking romantic suspense novel! "Private Vows" quickly becomes an exciting page-turner that will leave you satisfied, in more ways than one, believe me!

A Bride in a bloody wedding dress who can't remember who she is or where the blood came from. Why is no one searching for her? What about her fiance? What? She has TWO? You will keep turning pages as the bride and her ex-cop friend try to bring back her memories. But our ex-cop finds himself falling in love with her--does he want to discover her past or start a new future with her? I could not put this book down because bits and pieces of her memory kept surfacing. Very well written and very believable. One of Ms. Steward's best.

Sally Steward's "Private Vows" is the story of a former cop who runs over a woman in a blood-covered wedding dress when she runs in front of his car. Hitting her with his car gives her amnesia (what else?). "Mary" is in danger (of course). Can you guess who will protect her from what she can't remember?

"Private Vows" is one of those stories where strong writing pulls in the reader, helping to disguise the weaknesses in the plot for a while. The strongest part of "Private Vows" is Steward's smooth story-telling style. Unfortunately, the story she's chosen to tell is thin and full of problems. Steward is able to cast a spell with her words and strong characterizations. Deep down though, she's not saying too much.

Is "Private Vows" suspenseful? Occasionally. Is it pretty stupid? Definitely. Where to start? The premise is ridiculous, another book where all it takes is a bump on the head for the heroine to get amnesia. Worse, Mary's amnesia is so contrived that it just seems dumb. Mary remembers plenty of things when it's needed to develop her character. She just doesn't remember anything that might show who she is or what happened to her. (For instance, she remembers everything about her parents, but not their names.) Everything she remembers and when is conveniently dictated by the requirements of the story. Amnesia books seldom give an accurate depiction of what amnesia victims go through but this one had me laughing at how contrived it was. Poor Mary. She remembers everything except what she can't to keep the plot going. Give me a break.

Other than Cole, Mary and Cole's cop friend, there are only two characters in the book. I looked at the cast of characters in the front of the book before I started reading and I automatically picked out the killer. (Once again, two suspect mysteries are bad mysteries). The mystery element is also poorly plotted. Mary and Cole's investigation spends too much time going nowhere. Too much of this book feels like they--and the reader--are treading water, waiting for a killer any smart reader has already picked out to make a move. Looking back after I finished the book, I couldn't figure out what took this person so long. How nice of the villain to stay out of the way long enough for Cole and Mary to fall in love.

Any patience I might have had left with this book was destroyed by the last fifty pages. Then there's the final confrontation, which never would have taken place if the characters were using their heads. Their actions made no sense. The scene that sets this up had me shaking my head and saying, "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." A real wallbanger moment. The book continues with too much romantic hand wringing after the mystery is over that only pads the length of the story. We know these two are meant to be together. We know they will be together (romance novel, right?). Delaying the obvious for no good reason is dull and pointless. Worse, there is an unresolved feeling to the ending that undermines the essential happy ending romance novels require. I was uncomfortable with it.

Steward sprinkles some chilling scenes throughout her book but the contrived and manipulative plotting and poor mystery weaken it overall. It's easy to enjoy Steward's storytelling if you don't think about the story and expect it to make much sense. The best part of "Private Vows?" If Intrigue keeps publishing amnesia books this bad, people will eventually stop buying them and they'll stop publishing them. That's a day we can all look forward to.

A woman with no memory of who she is or where she came from in a wedding dress stained with blood. A retired cop turned PI with issues of his own. Who or what is "Mary" running from? Where did the blood on her dress come from? And who are the men claiming to be her fiance?

This is one of those rare finds. A book you can't put down once you pick it up. You'll give up a night of sleep for this one, but it's well worth it. Sally Steward delivers romance and suspense on a grand scale in Private Vows! Another Sally Steward/Sally Carleen for my keeper shelf. Don't miss this one!

Driving back and forth from Cleveland to Chicago, I use suspenseful Stephen King stories to pass the time and keep entertained. I purhased this CD thinking it was along those lines because that's how Amazon catagorized it....I was DEAD wrong. The stories in the collection were purely science fiction. There was no suspense or intrigue in any of the stories but merely strange tales of aliens and space ships all trying to give some deeper meaning that I couldn't begin to follow. I was extremely dissapointed. I kept thinking the stories would get better, but they only got worse. Eventually I gave up and threw the CD away. If boring science fiction stories aren't your thing...don't waste your money like I did.

I bought this CD with trepidation. Why trepidation? Because often when I've listened to an author read his own work I want to write that person and tell him/her to stick to writing. NOT in this case. Harlan Ellison has always been one of my favorites, ever since discovering the anthologies he edited: 'Dangerous Visions' and 'Again, Dangerous Visions'. I could not stop listening to the stories in this cd set. My gosh what range of voices this man has! What a delight! He really made his stories come to life. All I can say is 'thank you, Mr. Ellison! You delighted me and made me think with your work on the printed page and now you give me further pleasure via this means. Thank you for adding to my life (and I don't say that lightly). For those of you thinking of getting this cd set -- stop thinking. You deserve the treat of Mr. Ellison.

Harlan Ellison writes with an edge, to say the least - and it's an edge I've enjoyed for years.

To hear him read his own stories allows you to hear the edge, though - and this provides a whole new perspective on his work. His voice was captivating from the very first moment of the first story, and lead me through material both familiar and new. His own commentary is offered at a few points in the tape - another fantastic addition.

I did occasionally find the recording quality somewhat questionable, but the pleasure of hearing this master storyteller in action more than makes up for the problems.

A true listening experience - I highly recommend it.

The market for Ellison's work is growing, slowly, ...There's something about picking up Ellison's work in an early or original edition that gets you closer to the author. It gives you a sense of historicity and a taste of the times when the work first hit the palate of his reading public.

The better way to get this feeling is by listening to Ellison read his own work. There is no better way to get into an Ellison story than to listen to the guy read it. He's a cranky, angry, loud man with a lot of opinions and I think he is heard mostly because he makes an articulate point when he opens his mouth. His commentary comes from his heart and it shows in his delivery. When he reads his stories, he has the same kind of passion and range, but add to it his spectacular storytelling ability. This is a guy you want around your campfire one night if just to tell one ghost story to the kiddies.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ellison...would you mind telling the one about the Function of Dream Sleep? The scouts'll love it."

Fair bet some of the scouts will leave camp with bed wetting problems for years to come.

Among the stories is the classic short story "Jefty is Five" which, in print eluded me for years. I just didn't dig the story. Once I heard Ellison read it, however, I had a Joycian epiphany and now hold it as one of the best stories ever written...scifi or otherwise. Get this collection for the car or home or wherever. You will love it.