United States Books

Peter Egan is among a very small and very distingushed group of writers who have the ability to invite the reader along on their adventures. He is to motorcycling what Gene Hill, Peter Capstick, and Gordon MacQuarie were to hunting - and that is very fine company to be in. When you read his stories, you're with him, riding alongside, enjoying the adventure with him, and sometimes his Wife. His eloquent, descriptive turn of phrase combined with his ability to create unique and thought-provoking analogies makes for smooth, sophisticated, and absorbing reading. To Egan, a motorcycle is far more than the sum of its mechanical parts. It's freedom, dreams - both old and new, exploring, learning about yourself, your country and culture. Through Egan's words, motorcycles bring out the best in the human spirit. Reading his writing makes you glad that you're a part of the motorcycling fraternity, and reminds you why you love motorcycles so much. Enjoy this book, and then get a copy of "Leanings II" and relive the enjoyment all over again. These are books that you will reread, perhaps in part, over and over, and enjoy just as much each time you read them.

This one is truly the best of Peter Egan's writing. The second version isn't nearly as good as this one; the real classics are in here. Of course, if you're really a fan of his writing, you'll get both of them, and probably all the Side Glances ones too. But the earlier writing is better in general.

When there is snow on the ground and you can't ride, you will enjoy this masterpiece of riding experiences.

I did not actually read this book, but gave it to my husband for Christmas. He's an avid motorcyclist and he LOVED this book. He's not much of a reader, but he read this book in every spare moment and finished it within a week. He laughed outloud often and read parts of the book to me that he found funny. He liked the book so much he bought a copy as a gift for my father and he loaned out his copy to another friend when he finished. So, as a gift, this book was a great success.

I have read all of Peter Egan's automotive writings so I ordered both "Leanings" books. While I'm not a motorcycle enthusiast I loved this book. Makes me want to go out and by an old British bike!

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

It's wonderful to see how my children love listening to these books over and over, now that we've been collecting the CDs. The little details really stick in their heads, and have been surprisingly useful tidbits of information on several occasions, as they hear or read other things that relate!

When I first bought the CDs, I was unsure about Cherry Jones' accent, but it just brings a nice, down-home aspect to the reading. Of course, the readings are unabridged - the only way to go, I think!

My favorite part of the CDs, though, is hearing the songs, often accompanied by a fiddle. As a child, I remember skipping over the songs as I encountered them in the text, especially those I didn't know, and it has really added to the experience of the books to hear an actual tune for them. Often, the songs reflect the mood of the moment exceptionally well. Cherry Jones sings them out (usually as Pa!) in her low alto voice, and you do really have to hear a few of them to get used to it, but we love them.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

The book is well written and entertaining. The story was nicely presented around the letters of Mary Pringle. All the similar names of the characters make it a little confusing. A nice reference chart showing the relationship of the characters should be included at the beginning of the book. Did the author hide some things to make the family look better? I wonder. It's hard for a Northerner to muster up a lot of sympathy for this family of slave owners. Perhaps Julius, who likely became a Unionist, was the real hero of the family. It's ironic that the South nearly destroyed our country in the 1860's, but is saving it today.

Mary's World helped me to understand life in the Antebellum South and the culture that thrived on slavery. But it also showed the North's response to winning the Civil War, which was anything but forgiving. It was a thrill to see the Miles Brewton House and the St. Michael's Cemetary on my recent visit to Charleston, and to feel the connection with the Mottes, Alstons, and Pringles.

In Mary's World Richard N. Cote has succeeded admirably where so many others have tried and yet missed the mark. With his succinct style and exceptional organizational skills he has laid bare the thoughts,emotions and lives of Mary Pringle, her family and their slaves, and done so in a way that has given us a book
that is informative as well as enjoyable. By putting their lives
into context with the times Mr Cote has given the reader not only the opportunity to learn what they thought and felt but the ability to understand why they thought and felt the way they
did. This book will appeal to historians and the average reader
alike.
It took me only 2 days to read Mary's World and I found myself
so absorbed that when interrupted I was momentarily confused to find I wasn't in 19th century Charleston.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ANTEBELLUM CULTURE AND THE CIVIL WAR, THIS IS A MUST READ. EVEN FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T A STUDENT OF THE ERA, "MARY'S WORLD" IS STILL A FASCINATING GLIMPSE OF THE LIFE OF AN ELITE SOUTHERN PLANTER FAMILY. TAKEN FROM FAMILY PAPERS, THE STORY OF THE PRINGLES IS A FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF THEIR INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.

THE READER GETS TO WATCH WILLIAM BULL AND MARY ALSTON PRINGLE'S CHILDREN GROW UP. BY THE END OF THE BOOK YOU FEEL AS IF YOU HAVE KNOWN THEM ALL. I DREADED FINISHING THE BOOK BECAUSE I FELT AS IF I WAS LEAVING OLD FRIENDS.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND MAKE TIME FOR THIS BOOK. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU ARE AN "ANTEBELLUM-OPHILE" LIKE ME OR NOT, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK.

I found this book in Charleston on vacation after touring this home. I loved this book! Now I want to visit again because I am so much more invested. I read this book for pure pleasure, and di it deliver! One doesn't need to visit the south to enjoy, the book takes you there. It gives such insight to the era and history the reader gets pulled right in.

Liked it. Not as ground breaking as Marcus' previous work on "Vegan the new ethics of eating", but worth reading.

"Just as slavery was once America's most pressing human rights violation, there can be no doubt that the effort to eliminate cruelty to animals should focus on agriculture. Animal agriculture accounts for more than 97 percent of animals killed by humans in the United States. Farmed animals therefore deserve priority, and arguments made on their behalf should not be weakened by lumping in rhetoric pertaining to hunting, medical research, or companion animals."

So argues Erik Marcus with impeccable logic in Meat Market: Animals, Ethics & Money. This concise, well-researched, and thoughtful book is divided into four sections:

Animal Agriculture -- The first part of the book covers some very familiar ground but does so succinctly and with the occasionally provocative perspective of someone who is willing to prioritize in an honest, objective way. This is no angry screed with unjustifiable or exaggerated claims. (In fact, the entire book embodies an admonishment against such counterproductive approaches.) Marcus is almost detached in his delivery thus making his presentation even more powerful.

Dismantlement -- The heart of the book covers Marcus' vision for how an activist's time, energy and money could best be spent. I won't go into detail here but this is great stuff.

Activist Essays -- I felt these were largely a waste of space and time. Perhaps other readers could find something useful or inspiring here but I did not.

Appendices -- The best appendices you will ever read in any book. Seriously. Marcus separated these essays from the main text in order not to distract from his message but there is some terrific stuff here especially Appendix B where he provides a rational counterargument to the popular beef production water use claims.

Some additional quotes from the book which I hope are provocative enough to arouse your interest:

Organic dairies and free-range egg farms never seem to volunteer the fact that they rely on killing every bit as much as their factory farm counterparts...

While suffering will always be part of animal agriculture, some of the worst cruelties can be removed at little cost. The industry could, if it chose, quickly enact the following five steps...

For many years to come, most of the dismantlement movement's efforts should be directed toward outreach. But it would be silly to neglect other attractive opportunities for action. Even with our current minimal resources, we can begin stripping away three of animal agriculture's most important assets...

[Militant activist Josh] Harper...explain[ed] why he believes that both outreach and property destruction should be used to protect animals. According to Harper, the animals benefit if the meat industry is forced to defend itself on as many fronts as possible--a coalition of militants and mainstream outreach activists would stretch the industry's resources and double its vulnerabilities. Harper's assertion seems reasonable, but a closer look reveals a flaw in its logic...

Overall, there have probably been thousands of instances in which animal testing helped diminish human suffering...

Unfortunately, the truth about water use is on the beef industry's side...

Outstanding book! Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Meat Market, not only as a refresher course on animal treatment and common farming practices, but also because I and others around me have recently engaged in discussions related to activism approaches and how to appeal to other people's nonviolent inclinations regarding their decision on what to eat. I agree with Marcus that the most prevailing concern with regard to use of animals is an ethical one and that animal protection advocates would be wise to focus their efforts and attention on eliminating an industry that kills billions per year. Due to Marcus's invaluable perspective, pensive mind, and incessant quest for facts, I believe that this book will give rise to many new ideas and collaboration within the animal rights movement. I cannot foresee any negatives of reading Meat Market, taking the information into consideration, and working towards becoming a millionaire just as Marcus; even causing others to choose not to kill one thousand animals will bring about a much-needed paradigm shift in our culture.

(As an aside, I saw mentioned that Marcus supports or believes that animal testing is justified in certain circumstances. I do not know if, outside of Meat Market, Marcus has suggested or stated the same; however, this is the location on Amazon for Meat Market book reviews. Marcus does not intimate in Meat Market any personal support for animal testing. He merely states that there probably have been instances wherein animal testing helped diminish human suffering, which is not a statement in favor or against vivisection.)

The author knows his stuff and is well informed on the economics of the situation. A very good read for animal rights activists.

In the 1990s, frustrated by the lack of literature in the vegan movement, animal advocate and former technical writer Erik Marcus turned his communications skills to creating books and other material that vegans and non-vegans alike would find accessible and informative. His first book, the groundbreaking Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, introduced many readers to a new kind of activist writing: prose that makes its case without overt emotional appeals - the facts eloquently speak for themselves. "Vegan" showed that Marcus didn't mind challenging some of the movement's cherished tenets. The book was well received, regarded by many critics as on par with the work of John Robbins, and has become an indispensable guide to vegan living.

Among the few critical remarks reviewers offered of "Vegan" was that Marcus could have gone into greater depth on how meat production strains the environment and natural resources. Rather than simply an oversight, perhaps that was in keeping with the author's broader philosophy, which becomes clear in his latest book, "Meat Market: Animals, Ethics and Money." This is a powerful indictment of factory farming, examining the abuses perpetrated by corporate agriculture, but Marcus also offers his assessment of how the animal protection movement can claim victory - and the good news is his proposal makes sense.

The book is organized into three main sections, beginning with an exploration of how the mega-corporations that rule the agriculture industry have created many of their own problems - and, by extension, misery for animals - by striving for consolidation and economic restructuring. When we read of agriculture's often-ridiculous assertions (the beef industry, for example, claims that it cares about animal welfare, yet it persists in rejecting animal welfare reforms), we have to wonder how factory farms can even stay in business. They do so, says Marcus, by maintaining an efficiency that disregards many of the basic needs of farmed animals and, ultimately, by keeping their cruel conduct out of public view. "Meat Market" will likely bring the compassionate reader, perhaps uninitiated in the methods of intensive animal confinement, to an emotional crossroads. Of course, this is the book's ideal audience: those flexitarian and ethically minded diners most likely to fully embrace a vegetarian or even vegan lifestyle, if only they were confronted with the compelling documentation found in a book like this one, which presents the cold facts of modern agribusiness.

And what cold facts they are. Even for those familiar with the horrors of factory farming, "Meat Marke"t is at times a distressing exposé of what those in industrialized agriculture euphemistically call "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations." Marcus invites readers to witness the brief, tortured lives of animals raised for food. We meet cattle who are butchered while still alive because the slaughterhouse line must not be interrupted; barely hatched male chicks who are cast into grinders, also alive, because they have no value (male chicks grow too slowly and don't lay eggs); and pigs who die from respiratory ailments because the air inside pig sheds is so fouled with contaminants. Many readers will be familiar with these tragic practices, but there are surprises for the engaged advocate, too, such as Marcus' assertion that consuming eggs contributes more to animal suffering than consuming meat products. This is an example of the author's unconventional thinking - he boldly offers new perspectives on accepted wisdom - and is one reason Marcus' work is such an important contribution to animal advocacy. (Indeed, a 2000 poll conducted by thevegetariansite.com ranked Erik Marcus as one of the most influential people in the vegan movement, placing him in the company of such activists as Peter Singer and Ingrid Newkirk.)

Although his latest book shares some similarities with "Vegan" - both cover the latest information on vegan advocacy, for example - "Meat Market" goes beyond the popular three-pronged argument for veganism, which says that a plant-based diet is good for our health, the environment and the animals. Put another way, if "Vegan" can be compared with Diet for a New America, then "Meat Market" could be the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" of the 21st century. While Marcus isn't the first writer to suggest that the struggle to end animal exploitation is similar to the abolitionist movement, he recommends in Part Two that animal protectionists learn from anti-slavery proponents and focus their attention on the evils of factory farming. Abolitionists recognized that 19th-century America was not ready for racial equality, but most Americans could agree that slavery was abhorrent. The lesson for the animal welfare movement, according to Marcus, is to avoid debates about veganism being good for the planet or our bodies and instead invest the full force of its energy into the position that factory farming, like slavery, is inherently evil. He also cautions against diluting the animal welfare issue with arguments pertaining to hunting, medical research or companion animals, since such discussion shifts attention away from farmed animals and allows the animal agriculture industry to win a wider share of public opinion.

A change in policy, Marcus believes, would lead to the dismantling of animal agriculture. This is a startling premise, and the author devotes much of the middle section to defining a new movement to finally liberate animals from factory farming. "The surest way to eliminate animal agriculture's cruelties is to seek to eliminate animal agriculture itself," he writes. "To accomplish this, we need a new movement expressly designed to go on the offensive, with the purpose of ushering animal agriculture out of existence."

It's in this second section that "Meat Market" truly excels. The writing is cogent and immensely readable, and his insights should appeal to anyone interested in animal advocacy. It is exciting to read a book that introduces fresh ideas to frustrating struggles, and I felt like a kid reading the latest Harry Potter story, devouring page after page of hopeful recommendations. Marcus' proposed movement might not seem radical on paper, but it would call for a paradigm shift that most activists are probably not prepared for. He also makes a tenable argument against militancy (destroying property in the name of animal welfare).

The final third of "Meat Market" consists of a wealth of supplementary material: eight activist essays and nine appendices covering the most fundamental arguments in favor of a plant-based diet. The essay writing varies in quality, but the activists, who range from a retiree to an MD, offer some sound advice for aspiring advocates and demonstrate that anyone can be involved in vegan outreach, something Marcus considers critical to bringing down factory farming.

The appendices, meanwhile, cover some familiar ground, starting with the health and environmental consequences of eating meat. But there's additional material that, while not part of Marcus' main proposition, nonetheless supports vegan ethics and will come in very handy should you find yourself having to defend the activist position on hunting, selective breeding, animal testing or the meatpacking industry, still one of the most hazardous in the country. The author concludes with a recommended reading list and an extensive collection of explanatory endnotes that add a significant layer of texture to his well-woven polemic. Meticulously researched and devoid of lectures, "Meat Market: Animals, Ethics and Money" is an invaluable addition to vegan literature.

Mark Hawthorne, author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

For all the planners out there, this is the book for you! I have just finished planning my family's first trip and can't imagine how I could have done it without the Passporter. This is a God-send! Don't go to Disney without it!!

If you're heading to Orlando then this book is a must. A friend recommended it and I promise you'll save 100x the cost of this book in $$$ savings and headaches.

What a great way to get information and stay organized. Wish this book was available during the last 10 times, I've been to Walt Disney World. It's going to be a great collector's item for my kids. Keep in mind though that you may still need some of the other Walt Disney Books that are available. To list a few: Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide, Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids by Kids, Birnbaum's Walt Disney without Kids, Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and Walt Disney World Resort & Orlando. No matter how many times a person goes to Disney World there's still new information available that will save you lots of aggravation when you arrive in Orlando.

I was planning my family's first trip to Disney. I wanted to get the most out of our vacation, so I purchased 3 Disney travel books: Birnbaum's, The Unofficial Guide, and Passporter's. Passporter's was by far the best!!!!!! It has all the information you need about restaurants (good luck finding much information elsewhere!) and the maps were far superior to the ones handind out by Disney! I had to rip them out of the book to use them while we were in the parks because the Disney ones were hard to follow. It was a priceless addition that helped with our trip so much! Don't hesitate to buy!

When planning our trip I have bought just about every book I could find about Walt Disney World. I have to say that the Passporter is the best. They put just the right amount of information. I found the section called "Feasting" very helpful in choosing the restaurants for my family. Also, I like that it has places to write your itinerary and other info needed such as reservation numbers.

Wow, Joy Butler has just made our lives easier. The Permission Seeker's Guide Through the Legal Jungle is a user-friendly, detailed, wealth of knowledge for authors, producers and anyone who wants to use copyrighted material. I've written 4 books and had to wind my way through the jungle of permissions on my own, which was tedious and painful (news flash, your publisher doesn't track that stuff down for you and YOU are legally responsible for any inapporpriate use of material your use in your books and productions.) Thank you Joy for making every book I write in the future a breeze with your book now on my shelf right next to my desk.

Joy Butler's The Permission Seeker's Guide Through the Legal Jungle arrived promptly and I was blown away. The guide expertly covers rights, clearance issues, how to obtain clearance, minimizing risksThe Permission Seeker's Guide Through the Legal Jungle: Clearing Copyrights, Trademarks and Other Rights for Entertainment and Media Productions (Guide Through the Legal Jungle). It also has a section at the end for resources and forms. Butler enables the reader to navigate through complex issues with ease. Her style is comfortable. You can pick it up and read straight through or skip to the sections that are of immediate concern.

This book should be required reading for all of us creative industries. Sure wish I'd had it earlier!

Shannon Grissom
Author: Monkey Made of Sockies
Television Producer: Give Your Walls Some Soul!

Joy R. Butler is endlessly impressive as she charts and details all of the legal choices, decisions and ramifications behind being a producer: that higher stage of artist which combines talent and inspiration with the realities of the global marketplace. This is, definitely, a book for the artist who is taking their craft and their lives to that next level.

The degree to which she covers virtually every subject that could be covered re copyrights, permissions, trademarks, etc. is daunting. The book in fact is so detailed and voluminous that being shellshocked or momentarily disheartened as an artist will be inevitable. Showing once again how litigious our society is, amongst her many examples of interpretations of the law--and what artists and producers must contend with in that context--include the following: a treasured Muslim friend & assistant of Spike Lee unexpectedly suing him for the right to be considered a co-writer of his masterpiece MALCOLM X; and Eminem's fourth grade bully suing him to get a share of a song written about him being overcome later in life after it broke the Billboard charts! (And we wonder why stars can be so aloof.)

Butler does say at the outset, however, that there may be big chunks of the book not designed for you, given your artistic specialty. And indeed, every artistic specialty is covered: from visual arts to computer arts; dance to drama; music of all genres to literary works; videos to commercials, TV, cinema and documentaries.

You may walk away from this book thinking as I do: I gotta hire her as my lawyer! But either way, in the end, you'll walk away from this book feeling inspired, as the wealth of information provided supplies you with new ways to approach your work--beginning with the degree to which it is or isn't dependent on the inspiration and marketable work of others. Knowing your options regarding trademarks, copyrights, and other rights to use or transform works that have either come before you or are part of your individual and unique production teaches you how to think big time--really big time--as an artist. And helps make the inevitable success associated with taking this mindset on possible.

Highly recommended.

Serendipitously, I received entertainment and business attorney, Joy R. Butler's "The Permission Seeker's Guide through the Legal Jungle" when a good friend of mine was in the process of designing and launching his website. Knowing that he had some trademark issues ( he had recently come up with a logo for his goods and services and wanted to protect his intellectual property) I promptly handed over this book and awaited a detailed synopsis of his first hand experience with it.

His comments exceeded my initial impression of this guide. While my reading of the book revealed a tightly crafted compendium of situations and solutions that arise during the identification and elimination of rights clearance problems in media production ----think anything through which people communicate and express themselves i.e., film, video, television programs, newspapers, magazines, posters, computer games, comic books, paintings, photographs, fine art, advertisements, websites, sculptures, books, etc.--my friend's opinion waxed practical as he followed the steps to insure that his production contained no material that violated the rights of another person.

Specifically, he wanted to use a song and CD photo on a website that he had heard on a CD and change key lyrics to reflect and promote his product and personal enterprise. Author Butler explains how to identify the rights owner - in this case the owner of the recording and the photographer of the photograph used on the CD cover----and how to seek permission to use the music and the photo. Using Butler's techniques, my friend successfully accomplished his mission and both the edited song and the photo appear on his website without the fear of kindling a lengthy expensive and tiresome lawsuit.

Butler's guide is definitely well organized; the summary table of contents, the table of contents and the index lay out with an encyclopedic precision exactly what the book contains. She presents an overall format for using the book, defines and explains relevant rights and laws, relays clearance issues for each media type, details the process of clearing rights and seeking permission, while minimizing risks and protecting oneself from possible lawsuits. Specific information is extremely easy to find within this volume; all topics are comprehensive, well documented and easy to read and comprehend with procedural information as well as examples of up-to-date cases and court rulings.

Bottom Line? On a real and practical level, Joy R. Butler's "The Permission Seeker's Guide through the Legal Jungle" provides a wealth of information that every writer and publisher should own and reference to avoid rights clearance problems in any media production. Recommended highly for all those who need to know the law and make it work in their favor.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

This book is written for publishers, writers, visual artists, muscians, music producers, film & TV producers, producers of Web sites and software, people, celebrities, and businesses. They all have or want intellectual property, and by reading this book they can learn how the commercial licensing of intellectual property works. The book has 28 chapters:

1. Guide to using this book
3. Copyright basics
4. Trademark basics
5. Common elements of privacy, publicity & defamation law
6. Right of privacy
7. Right of publicity
8. Defamation
9. Other relevant rights & laws
16. Getting organized (to seek permission)
17. Putting your own house in order
18. Submitting the request for permission
19. Negotiating the rights agreement
27. Methods of minimizing risks
28. Dealing with lawsuits

2. Checklist of clearance issues
CLEARANCE ISSUES FOR ...
10. Publishers & writers
11. Visual Artists
12. Musicians & music producers
13. Film, TV, & audio-visual producers
14. Producers of Web sites and software
15. Business
CLEARING RIGHTS AND SEEKING PERMISSION ...
20. To use books & other printed material
21. To use visual art
22. To use music
23. To use film, TV, & video footage
24. To use Web site & software materials
25. With respect to people
26. To use trademarks, products, & locations

The numbers above correspond to the chapters as they are sequenced in the book. I have rearranged the chapters in the order in which I would have liked to have seen them included in the book. Also, I would have liked the book better if it had been split into two parts instead of six. Part A would have included the chapters "1-28" as cited herein above. And Part B would have included the chapters "2-26." As a result of the way the book was organized I almost gave it a 4-star rating. But this book really is a gem and full of content.

My favorite chapters were chapters 2 & 3 (intellectual property law) and chapters 6-9 (tort law). And chapters 18 and 19 were really good, too. Clearly much of the book is aimed at topics an entertainment lawyer handles in her legal practice. But from my perspective as a SCORE small business counselor I think chapters 3, 4, 10, 14, 15, 20, and 24-28 are the most relevant to my clients' concerns. 5 stars!

Trace tells is like it is and straight from his heart. Excellent read about his life and thoughts, loved this book and recommend it.

This is a great book. It's full of Trace's musings with some autobiography mixed in. I really enjoyed reading and finding that not all celebrities are left-wing nut-jobs. On that note, if your politcal leanings are left of middle, you probably won't enjoy this book. The only place Trace lost me is when he mentions golf. A true country boy would never admit to playing golf. That is a waste of time and real estate that could be spent hunting and fishing.

This book was so much fun to read! Trace tells it like it is, and covers so many topics. I especially loved his opinions on coffee. I really enjoyed it and I recommend it to everyone!

I just read this book and felt as though Trace had sat at our dinner table and put our conversations in the written word! I loved this book. The whole time I'm reading it, I kept saying to my husband, "Honey, listen to this, I think he must be related to you." I am writing him in for President!....

Trace doesn't hide anything in this tell all book. He is so truthfull so geniune. Trace has some great ideas as well.
While I didn't agree with everything he said, I agreed with 75% and found him a insipiration!!!
Trace for President!!!!!!!!!!

Most teens are embarrassed by the things their parents do. But in Meg Powers' case, she and her family are under constant national scrutiny, for her senator mother has just announced her candidacy for president.

Although dealing with the issues surrounding Katharine Powers' campaigning and frequent travels, the Powers family is still refreshingly normal. Meg and her younger brothers regularly compete with dinnertime witticisms, and she and her best friend Beth spend embarrassingly long hours dreaming about the day that handsome and popular Rick will ask one of them out.

Firmly entrenched within '80s pop culture (references to things like Tab and Joan Jett are sprinkled throughout the book rather liberally), this story is simultaneously set in a time that has yet to come -- making it something of an anachronism, but a fun and quirky one.

This book is a sooooooooo cool! Sixteen year old Meg has two brothers. Her mom is a senetor.One day her mom decided to run for president. Meg is than thrown into getting used to everyday life being the presidents daughter while still juggling homework,friends,boys and family life. This isn's a book you will soon forget.

I bought this book based on other reviews and the plot seemed interesting enough. I LOVED this book and could not put it down. The characters are lively, the dialogue very fun to read, and the story line was original. I challenge anyone to read this book and not fall in love with the President's family. They're witty, likable, yet they have their problems like any normal family. A wonderful read. You'll definitely want to read the 2 sequels after this one. I know I do! Good luck finding them though. They're out of print and I'm still searching.

I have read and reread (and loved, especially the first one) all three Meghan Powers books in their original editions. I am grateful to Hawk Publishing for reprinting these three books (now called the "President's Daughter" series) so that more people can enjoy them, but I do feel that people should know that these reprints are not high quality. They are trade paperbacks with bindings that seem sturdy enough, but the text is not at all crisp -- in fact, it looks like the publisher may have enlarged the pages from the original mass market editions on a Xerox machine and then reprinted these new editions from those copies. I am basing this guess on the fact that the text looks enlarged and somewhat blurry.

The covers of all three of the reprint editions are hideous; the first one shows a girl who looks to be about 8 or 10 years old instead of a teenager. ...

If you can get past all that, these books are marvelous to read. The first book in particular was very entertaining and educational to boot. I learned a lot about the nomination process used at the Democratic National Convention. Meg's "voice" is unique and distinctive, and a lot of the book is laugh-out-loud funny. Again, I am grateful to Hawk for reprinting these, even if the quality is a little disappointing.

I first read the first two books when I was in high school...in the 80s. I enjoyed them then, and sorely regret loaning them to a younger cousin when I got to college and was ostensibly 'too old' for them. My local bookstore didn't carry "God Save the Queen," so I've never read that one.

I'm 36 now, and I've read one heckuva lot of books. But two of that stay with me are "The President's Daughter" and "White House Autumn." Like the very best in young adult fiction (Harry Potter, etc.), the themes are universal, the characterization is excellent, and the glimpse into another world is fascinating.

Paul Smith has produced a wonderful book here. It captures so much detailed information that it should make a wonderful documentary source. Yet, it is written so clearly that for those who have read other books on the subject (like me) it is very easy to skim to the parts that contain new information, insights, and details (and there's a whole lot of ALL of those throughout this book!) This book is a must for anyone who wants a more complete picture of the subject matter, as well as a feeling of greater familiarity with the fascinating and enjoyable personalities of the players involved.

I'd suggest Paul Smith's book to students of self discovery and military historians alike. Reading the Enemies Mind provides a concise and engaging history of our nation's remote viewing program. Those seeking to further advance their potential will discover many advanced concepts that have yet to reach mainstream society.

What I most enjoyed about this book was the author's optomistic view of the future of remote viewing. The abilities to tap this newly discovered area of human potential have yet to be fully explored. This newly discovered science holds great promise and may someday lead to a cure for disease, advanced education and furthering our intelligence and understanding. Perhaps someday our political and military leaders will use this potential to advance our civilization rather than simply using remote viewing as a military intelligence gathering tool.

While various forms of remote viewing have existed since the dawn of civilization, Paul Smith carefully documents the proven effectiveness and scientific reality that refutes serious critics and encourages those with a limited understanding. I'd recommend this book to anyone seeking a more advanced understanding of their human potential.

Reading the Enemy's Mind is a fascinating history of the Star Gate program. I've read accounts of a couple of other former Star Gate participants and they are either sensational and fictionalized (David Morehouse) or short on history (Dale Graff). Paul Smith's account is comprehensive and doesn't make wild claims. His tome is a level-headed treatment of the program. He's very upfront that for every success there are many failures.

Some of my favorite successful remote-viewing stories from Reading the Enemy's Mind include viewing Aldrich Ames - the CIA traitor, the USS Stark attack, and the capture of rogue DEA agent Charles Frank Jordan.

In 1987 Star Gate was tasked with finding the mole in US intelligence. CIA sources in the Soviet Union were disappearing or being executed and people wanted to know who was giving them away. Star Gate came up with a composite of the traitor. Among the details was that he drove a gray European car and was involved with a Columbian woman. While many of the other details were off, Smith wonders what might have happened had the Star Gate information been used:

"The fact of the car alone might have significantly narrowed the field of possible suspects in the CIA. How many CIA employees owned grey European luxury cars in 1987? Certainly some, but percentage-wise not that many. And how many CIA employees had a significant relationship with a Latin American woman, especially a Columbian?" (p. 340)

Smith remote viewed the "accidental" Iraqi missile attack on the US destroyer Stark 50 hours before it occurred. He described the colors of the attacking military ("tan uniforms with black belts and bits of red and green."), the unprofessional nature of the attackers ("they reminded me of a militia as opposed to a professional military"), and the explosion itself ("The structure/vessel shivers, shakes, quivers. 'There were a 'clang,' a 'screech,' and a 'metallic squeal...'").

A final story I'll share is that of the rogue DEA agent, Charles Frank Jordan. This agent had turned bad and escaped custody. The DEA was convinced he was in the Caribbean. A remote viewer thought he was in Wyoming. "This information was so out of line with where Jordan was thought to be, that at first the authorities were inclined to ignore it. Finally, one agent decided that it would do no harm to alert police in that part of Wyoming.(p. 384)" Jordan was apprehended shortly after that - in Wyoming!

I highly recommend Reading the Enemy's Mind.

I have read a lot of books and articles about Stargate, but the majority of the material here was a surprize to me. How did this all start? What were the early days like? Why did the CIA pull the plug? What kind of results were they really getting?

The history is exhaustive, with many exact dates names and locations. However, the book is not dry at all. A nice touch is Major Smith's own story woven in. Yes history is about people.

There's a great section in the beginning that calls to task the so-called skeptic James Randi, and how his research is flawed, slanted, inaccurate, and often made-up. The book mentions specific falsehoods and areas where Randi just made stuff up to support his point. This is ironic because the psychic research is strongly controlled here while Randi is guilty of the falsehoods he projects on all things paranormal.

RV works. The book cites a lot of research, some published in per-reviewed journals. There's an amazing comment from a peer-reviewer who didn't want a study to appear in the IEEE journal who said something like, "I don't care if it is real, I don't want to believe it." This gives you an idea of what so-called legit science does with research outside it's accepted box.

Major Smith has written a great history of the psychic spying program. Cold War buffs will find it fascinating. Paranormal researchers should find it fascinating. Anyone who likes a good story will enjoy it.

I have been following the saga of remote viewing since the first media reports and subsequent appearances by Major Ed Doomes, er Dames, and others on the Art Bell show. I have read some great books by those involved like Dale Graff and especially Joe McMoneagle. Dean Radin's books have convinced me that psi functioning is a real phenonemon, no one knows how it works, or why it doesn't sometimes. But when it works it is elegant, accurate, and important to our world view, I believe because of what it says about the collective. We are all part of the same organism, all one, and these bodies are just a temporary vehicle. We can keep killing and hating if you want, but it is pretty pointless.....Anyway this book lays out a credible documentated history of Remote Viewing from a legitimate source and answers a lot of questions, detailing the origins through to its ultimate demise as an intelligence tool. Time will tell, but getting this out of the hands of the bureaucracy should turn out to be the greatest moment in history. Some might say first we have get it away from Ed Dames...but time and Ed's unfulfilled predictions will take care of that. I could never figure out why the most public of RVers in the early days had such little credibility. David Morehouse and Ed Dames are finally outed for good in this book. They are the kind of people that just live in a little different reality with or without remote viewing. You have met the type before, seem to exagerate everything, especially their own importance in something. Turns out both of them were bit players with much less time, training, experience and accuracy than other more level headed RVers that are not so willing to run their mouth about unverifiable possible reality targets. Please, if you are at all interested in this subject matter stick with these authors I have mentioned, and of course Paul Smith. They are giving you the straight skinny on an amazing new idea that will ultimately lead to whole new understanding of the universe. But please be careful about the ones that will try to turn themselves into would-be prophets4profit. It takes a stable middle of the road mind to handle this stuff. The overly enthusiastic are usually over the top on everything. If your conscious mind can barely process what is in reality happening in your own lives, Mr Dames and Moorehouse, what are the chances that you can accurately process messages from your subconscious, especially when you ignore established protocols that keep your imagination in check. Your mission here is not to save the world, you have to save yourself first to be of any use....

I don't know why I haven't heard more about this book. I stumbled across it purely by accident but have been surprised to find it is one of the best reads I've had in this genre this year. Glad I found it.

For a very long time, this book was "Unavailable" or "Out of Print". Naturally, I found that intriguing. When this book became available to order, I wasted no time. I feel my wait was certainly rewarded.

Michael's prose is magnetic. It's as if I'm drawn to read faster and faster. These types of reads are rare, to me. Character development was effective, and the storyline is wonderful, even if controversial.

To anyone who likes Cold War books, this is a must-read. For those who want a good story to read, pick this up. I know your money will be well spent!

If you like Historic Fiction, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Spy novels, Cold War Political Intrique, or even action works (to a lesser extent) then this book is for you! It welds the aforementioned genre's together and is a perfect rainy sunday afternoon read. Hard to put down, and a fascinating scenario! I had to read it two times to be sure I didn't miss any details. Totally believable plot line and excellent characterizations, as well as interesting details on the space programs of the era from both the US and Soviet perspectives. I heartily recommend Red Moon.

So far I am about half way through the novel and it is a good read.

This book is painstakingly researched, well written, entertaining, and an all around great read. This has to be one of the best novels I've read this year. I hope there's more to come.