Montana Books

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

Keith shares with you his life and his love. As a man Keith bares his soul for everyone to look at and into, if you have the guts. Because looking into his, you've got to look into yours and that isn't always easy. Keith knows MOTIVATION, from the inside out and back again. He also teaches motivation to young students of the game and to executives at Fortune 500 companies. You will learn a lot about yourself reading this book. In fact you'll learn a lot about life, the ups, the downs, the joys, the pains, but more importantly what it means to get up off the ground one last time and keep going. Thank you Keith for writing this important work.

hey, i was in your thrid period english class in 2003-2004. I bought your book and had you sign it. now for senior year AP english 12 i'm finally going to read it!

Hey Dorney, This is Eddy W. Well your book was good and as I'm reading these reviews, they seem to be from students. Anyway, I thought the book was very enjoyable and you have got to get me the movie rights. Don't worry. I'll get get David Spade or somebody to play you.

See Yah!

Awesome book,I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more from the Author.It is a must read for football and even non football fans.I found the book hard to put down and wanted more at its conclusion,Bravo Mr. Dorney (big cheese)I really enjoyed the memories you shared it brought back alot of good ones for me also.Keep up the good work!!!

A great read, brought back many memories & emotions from my years gone by on the gridiron. It'll stir you whether you played Pee-Wee, HS, College, or Pro Football.
Don't let this one go by without reading, you won't be sorry..
Thanks Keith!!!

I am going on six decades, and over that period have read a handful of collections of stories in the same class as these stories. Although this troubled man only wrote this one book, he accomplished more than most writers do in a career. If you love great writing this book will not disappoint you. Other reviewers have described the content well, so I will not repeat it, but will agree heartily with the five star reviews. I only wish we had more from this incredibly talented man.

Writing instructors looking for a story that illustrates the "show, don't tell" principle will be pleased with Pancake. For example, there's a line in "Trilobites" in which the story's narrator recalls seeing the shadow of an airplane pass over the mountains in which he lives and thinking, for a split second, that it was ("I swear to God") the shadow of a pterodactyl. No thick blocks of exposition about how the land of his birth seemed to lie at the intersection of the ancient and the modern--Pancake gets it across in one sentence. I return to this book every few years, and I gain new insights and see new things to appreciate each time. It's hard to believe that the author was so young (in his twenties) when he wrote these stories.

I must have first seen this collection shortly after it came out in 1983. It was impossible not to be struck by the author's name, which seemed to me at the time to embody a uniquely American authenticity (it turns out to have been a typo that he decided to retain). Despite the hyperbolic praise heaped on it even then, I heard nothing of Mr. Pancake or his work until I came across a mention of it recently in another book. Perhaps too close to the author's age upon my first encounter, and unfortunately, too far from his level of maturity at the time, it was better to wait nearly a quarter of a century before reading him.

What impressed me the most was the author's command of his medium: not one superfluous word, and most remarkable in someone so young, the utter lack of artifice, of "cleverness," of the desperate attempt to impress the reader with the writer's erudition. Pancake clearly wrote about what he knew, and like Tolstoy, chose those details of environment and character that by their precision and descriptive power best evoked the whole.

Stylistically, the stories vary between first and third person, and except for "The Salvation of Me," take place in very short periods of time. In the temporal as well as the descriptive, the carefully chosen part succeeds in standing in for the whole.

The foreword by James Alan McPherson, and the afterword by John Casey, both who knew Pancake well, augment the stories by illuminating the man who wrote them. I am baffled by the inclusion of "A New Afterword" by Andre Dubus III, who never met Pancake, but like many people, was strongly affected by his writing. Pancake made his living as a teacher; I would have much preferred a reminiscence by one of his students, and if possible, by "the girl who had allowed him to kiss her cheek after several dates."

What comes through in each story is Pancake's genuine affection, and even more, respect for his characters. He is willing to allow them to be themselves, unlike many writers who use their characters simply as a means to make a point, to elucidate an argument, to convince us of their contempt. Pancake has no desire to prove anything, except the gentle observation of ordinary people limited by their circumstances. There is no blame, no "other" responsible for his protagonists' conditions, aside from the inherent limitation of life itself, of being human in a not entirely indifferent universe.

Unlike Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, and other writers who killed themselves, Pancake died too soon to realize a measure of success, and based on his popularity at this juncture, probably never will. Had he lived, even if he had never "matured," any additional work (dare we imagine, a novel or two?) would have assured his place among the great American writers of the last century. Sadly, the paucity of his production, despite its quality, can only render him a curiosity.

Most of these stories, set in West Virginia, were written in the late 70's and early 80s. At that time the people of the hollows of WV were suffering through a period of recession comparable to the Great Depression. Mining which had been the backbone of the WV economy for over a hundred years, was dying or dead. Ecological and environmental concerns, as well as the growth of the use of oil to fire electric plants, had diminished the need for appalachian coal (also replace by the hugh open pit mines of Colorado and Arizona).

By the beginning of the 80s, towns were literally closing down and people were on the road like Oakies in the thirties. It was at this time that Pancake, having graduated from Marshall University, was beginning his writing career. He saw stories all around him, and his eye for detail is uncanny. Having lived the part, he has little trouble evoking the effect of poverty and hopelessness in his characters.

The problem I have with his stories is that many of them are plaintive narratives, without a beginning or end. They bring forth well defined problems and characters, but that's as far as they go. But maybe that's the way that Pancake wanted them to read.

Knowing that one day he put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, you can see his pain in the words of many of his characters. What was the cause of this pain? All are assumptions, only he knew the real reasons. But I'll say, having been there, his seems to me to have been an uncontrolled malaise (maybe a chemical imbalance or alcohol induced ennui)
that was never treated. On the other hand, maybe he was just bored. Either way, you have to take his stories from his standpoint and go on from there.

The skillful rendering of characters rather than caricatures distinguishes Breece D'J Pancake's one and only book from many other works of contemporary fiction. The stories are set primarily in the hills, small towns, and hollows of West Virginia. The stories illustrate the hardscrabble lives and emotional struggles of characters on the periphery of many things: society (in "A Room Forever"), love (in "Trilobites" and "Hollow"), depravity (in "Fox Hunters"), acceptance (in "The Scrapper"), success (in "The Salvation of Me"), and a sense of self (in "First Day of Winter"). The fact that Pancake wrote these stories in his twenties gives them a certain kind of patina, a sadness of unfulfilled possibility, his characters would understand. In tight phrases, apt description, and with an ear for the cadence of speech, Pancake draws the fortunate reader in to be shocked, amazed, horrified, and altered by the slice of reality he has recorded.

This book is excellent for whoever wants to get a good understanding of how to hear God and to understand whether they have a prophetic gift. It has been tremendously useful to me in understanding how God speaks, the protocols for giving prohecies and how to develop and nurture the gift of prophecy. Its a book I will read over and over again.

If there is one important question that will affect your entire destiny it is, "How do I hear the Voice of God?" Written in a style that it more a personal counseling session that literature, this book will bring comfort to a confused heart.

One of the most important question you can ask that will affect your entire destiny it is, "How do I hear the Voice of God?" Written in a style that it more a personal counseling session that literature, this book will bring comfort to a confused heart.

This is probably the best book for those who are new to the Prophetic. It does an excellent job of outlining the history and basics of the gift of Prophecy (and Prophetic Intercession), teaching fundamentals that are needed to operate in ministry, and to recieve prophetic words more appropriately. More important than the information it provides is the fact that it motivates you to minister prophetically, and addresses much of the fear we have when we begin to operate in that realm. This book was not only packed full of information and encouragement, but Cindy Jacobs does an excellent job of making it an effortless read. In fact, it would have been easy to read in one sitting, had I not been so engrossed in the learning that I had to put it down each chapter and think and pray about each section. Overall I greatly recommend it for beginners who are just learning, and even the more seasoned ministers that need an encouragement boost.

Even though I have not finished reading this book, I have found it to be most helpful to me in regards to my prophetic ministry. I recommend this book to anyone who desires to know and understand the prophetic.

Thank you,
Betty J. Harris

Anne Cameron's account of Native Americans of early Vancouver Island is beautifully written and combines history of the area with Native American lore. Most of us are ignorant of that lovely island and it's history before the Europeans arrived.
I learned a lot and enjoyed the writing. I read Daughters of Copper Woman for a graduate religion class and was very impressed.

This is a story that will touch your heart and you will never be the same.

This is a story that will touch your heart and you will never be the same.

This is a story that will touch your heart and you will never be the same.

A great book, it has more than just mythology. The stories show how we are all one people of different tribes.

First of all, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about Finding Stefanie when I first heard about it. I mean, I'm not generally into Hollywood "pretty-boy" characters. BUT...I love Susan May Warren, so it has to be good! Of course my skepticism flew right out the window early in the book.

For such a page-turning romance story, the suspense and conflict had me guessing and waiting just as much. It was so full of depth and dealt with a variety of issues like stereotypes, insecurities, trust, forgiveness, coping problems, being haunted by the past, and realizing better dreams. We see some characters who seem to have it all together on the outside but are fighting a huge battle on the inside and how trusting God pulls them through further than they could have imagined. I found myself thinking about how I needed to learn some of the same lessons as the characters.

Susan did a great job with the characters and once again she did not disappoint. This is the third book in the Noble Legacy series. Finding Stefanie can definitely be read as a stand-alone book. However, if you don't want the endings of the previous two books spoiled you need to read them in order.

Let's face it, as the third book in a series, it could have been a let-down. After all, it's focused on the sister who's made all the right choices and worked hard to keep everything afloat while her brothers did their own things. But this book was wonderful. I picked it up as soon as it landed in my mailbox and didn't stop reading until I hit the end.

Stefanie has shadows that she won't step away from, and Lincoln sees everything crashing around him. They turn against each other. The sparks fly in this book, but there's so much more going on.

Stefanie has to learn to let go of the past and its mistakes. And the hardest lesson of all -- how to forgive herself. And trust herself not to repeat the past. Each time she's willing to step out and try, a roadblock occurs. Lincoln also has to step away from the past, but for different reasons. Isn't that like so many of us? Instead of looking to the fullness of what God wants to do in our lives now, we're trapped looking in the rearview mirror. As a result we miss so much and wonder why we feel stuck or forgotten.

There are a host of supporting characters who add rich layers to the book. And each has battles to fight, obstacles to overcome. Some way too close to real life.

On the suspense thread -- remember this book is primarily romance...and a great romance. But the suspense thread is stronger in this book than in the prior two in this series. I figured out who was doing it early in the book, but sure missed her motivation. And even knowing who was behind all the havoc didn't detract from the enjoyment of reading.

I am truly sad to see this series end. It was a great one...enjoyable...challenging... and great covers!

Every book in this series is fantastic. Susan May Warren knows how to write wonderful characters full of depth and flaws. I'm always sad to finish one of her books because I don't want to leave these realistic characters, riveting stories, and inspiring settings. These are the stories that come back like old friends and make you wonder how Nick, Rafe and Stephanie are doing in their lives, and wishing for another book to take a peek into where they might be now if they were real people.

I enjoy Susan's writing a lot. In fact, her earlier novel "Happily Ever After" remains one of my all-time favorite reads. And I loved "Reclaiming Nick" and "Taming Rafe," so I looked forward to this third book's release in the Noble Legacy collection. And I wasn't disappointed.

First off, Susan has an amazing handle on characterization. So right from the start you know her characters are going to seem real.

Specifically, I loved her secondary romance thread in Finding Stefanie. She let us watch 18-year-old Gideon's tender-hearted interactions with Libby, a 19-year-old character. Susan has a deep understanding of the human heart and our motivations (good or bad). She always believably pens her wide spectrum of characters.

Her primary romance was delicious, too. Love those Beta heroes (mostly because it's not the norm).

I appreciate Susan's heart to see people find God's love for them. She skillfully weaves messages of hope and redemption into her stories. I also appreciate her servant's heart toward other writers. She's an encourager and teacher, a mentor and friend to many in the Christian writing community.

Looking forward to her next series.

Reviewed by Tracy Kokemuller for Reader Views (8/08)

Susan May Warren has another hit novel on her hands with "Finding Stefanie," the third installment in the Noble family saga. It is the tale of Stefanie Noble, twin of superstar bull-riding champion, Rafe Noble and younger sister of Silver Buckle co-owner, Nick Noble. Living in her brothers' shadows never used to bother Stefanie, but lately she's unsure of where she belongs. Enter Lincoln Cash, movie star, and Stefanie's new neighbor. Will these two develop a relationship out of the crushes they have on each other? Or will they clash over Hollywood coming to Montana?

Unlike Warren's two previous novels, "Finding Stefanie" concentrates on Stefanie's journey to come into her own. Women will find themselves relating to her as she struggles to find out God's purpose in her life. The minor characters are also celebrated by Susan's writing. The themes explored are disability, second chances, truth and romance. These are just some of the themes that book clubs can explore in their discussions. My favorite part was the suspense that builds up until I found myself second guessing the answer, only to find out I was wrong. The relationship of Lincoln and Stefanie was the heart of this novel and their romance doesn't disappoint the fans of this series. One of my favorite lines from the book is from Lincoln. "He came to Montana thinking his life was imploding. He never dreamed it would get so big."

Even if you haven't read the other two books in the series, "Finding Stefanie" stands on its own. You should go back and read the other two books in the series, "Reclaiming Nick" and "Taming Rafe," about Stefanie's brothers. "Finding Stefanie" by Susan May Warren is a fulfilling conclusion to the Noble family and I was sad to see these characters go.

It is quite likely that the hardest question I've ever been asked is, "What's that book about?" This book manages to discuss, coherently, cohesively, and interestingly, everything from molecular biology to quantum physics to computer science to music theory to philosophy to advanced mathematics to Elizabethan literature and beyond. Reading this will definitely change the way you see the world, and if you read one book this entire year, this should probably be it. VERY highly recommended.

As far as the layout and design of the book go, I find this piece to be particularly structured in a way that one studying abstract and modern mathematics might find appealing. It gives specific axioms for use with each topic and in doing so defines more than just what the topic might imply. As the content goes, for those taking an introduction course in abstract algebra, this book may be slightly heavy and unwieldy, however, for those well-learned in some of its background material, this book is enjoyable and pleasurable to read. The author even makes use of antecdotes to enforce his topics. Overall, this book has been one of the most pleasurable assigned readings I have endured.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution describes Gödel, Escher, Bach (GEB) as "A huge, sprawling literary marvel, a philosophy book, disguised as a book of entertainment, disguised as a book of instruction." That is the best one line description of this book that anybody could give. GEB is without a doubt the most interesting mathematical book that I have ever read, quickly making its place into the Top 5 books I have ever read.
The introduction of the book, "Introduction: A Musico-Logical Offering" begins by quickly discussing the three main participants in the book, Gödel, Escher, and Bach. Gödel was a mathematician who founded Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem, which states, as Hofstadter paraphrases, "All consistent axiomatic formulations of number theory include undecidable propositions." This is what Hofstadter calls the pearl. This is one example of one of the recurring themes in GEB, strange loops.
Strange loops occur when you move up or down in a hierarchical manner and eventually end up exactly where you started. The first example of a strange loop comes from Bach's Endlessly rising canon. This is a musical piece that continues to rise in key, modulating through the entire chromatic scale, ending at the same key with which he began. To emphasize the loop Bach wrote in the margin, "As the modulation rises, so may the King's Glory."
The third loop in the introduction comes from an artist, Escher. Escher is famous for his paintings of paradoxes. A good example is his Waterfall; Hofstadter gives many examples of Escher's work, which truly exemplify the strange loop phenomenon.
One feature of GEB, which I was particularly fond of, is the `little stories' in between each chapter of the book. These stories which star Achilles and the Tortoise of Lewis Carroll fame, are illustrations of the points which Hofstadter brings out in the chapters. They also serve as a guidepost to the careful reader who finds clues buried inside of these sections. Hofstadter introduces these stories by reproducing "What the Tortoise Said to Achilles" by Lewis Carroll. This illustrates Zeno's paradox, another example of a strange loop.
In GEB Hofstadter comments on the trouble author's have with people skipping to the end of the book and reading the ending. He suggests that a solution to this would be to print a series of blank pages at the end, but then the reader would turn through the blank pages and find the last one with text on it. So he says to print gibberish throughout those blank pages, again a human would be smart enough to find the end of the gibberish and read there. He finally suggests that authors need to write many pages more of text than the book requires just fooling the reader into having to read the entire book. Perhaps Hofstadter employs this technique.
GEB is in itself a strange loop. It talks about the interconnectedness of things always getting more and more in depth about the topic at hand. However you are frequently brought back to the same point, similarly to Escher's paintings, Bach's rising canon, and Gödel's Incompleteness theorem. A book, which is filled with puzzles and riddles for the reader to find and answer, GEB, is a magnificently captivating book.

Douglas Hofstadter uses the art of M.C. Escher, the music of J.S. Bach, and Kurt Goedel's mathematics as the centerpieces for a magnificent inquiry into the nature of the mind. Along the way you will encounter Bertrand Russel, Carroll Lewis, particle physics, molecular biology, Magritte's paintings, and Zen koans. These are all used to probe recursion and the mystery of how we form thoughts. But the list of topics alone is not what makes this book great, it's the playful, joyful sense that characterize's Hofstadter's treatment of this. This sense of wonder is critical, as without it this highly challenging book would be very frustrating. The book's style itself is based on Bach's canons, and the chapters are interspersed with dialogues between the Tortois and the Hare, in the style of Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The result is an artistic as well as scientific or philisophical masterpiece. I am currently a triple-major in molecular biology, physics, and philosophy, and much of my curriculum has been influenced by the beauty of Hofstadter's book. This will go down as one of the 20th Century's bests books.

This book is a must for math majors (as well as many logic and philosophy majors). Anyone else in the hard sciences should also read this book, at least to be enlightened. Initially, it is easy reading, then becomes slightly foggy, but pushing through is rewarding. Of the three, my favorite is Godel and I always mention his Incompleteness Theorem whenever his name comes up. It his probably actually best mentioned by Rudy Rucker in his book "Infinity and the Mind". I think it is significant enough to mention here:

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The proof of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem is so simple, and so sneaky, that it is almost embarassing to relate. His basic procedure is as follows:

1. Someone introduces Gödel to a UTM, a machine that is supposed to be a Universal Truth Machine, capable of correctly answering any question at all.

2. Gödel asks for the program and the circuit design of the UTM. The program may be complicated, but it can only be finitely long. Call the program P(UTM) for Program of the Universal Truth Machine.

3. Smiling a little, Gödel writes out the following sentence: "The machine constructed on the basis of the program P(UTM) will never say that this sentence is true." Call this sentence G for Gödel. Note that G is equivalent to: "UTM will never say G is true."

4. Now Gödel laughs his high laugh and asks UTM whether G is true or not.

5. If UTM says G is true, then "UTM will never say G is true" is false. If "UTM will never say G is true" is false, then G is false (since G = "UTM will never say G is true"). So if UTM says G is true, then G is in fact false, and UTM has made a false statement. So UTM will never say that G is true, since UTM makes only true statements.

6. We have established that UTM will never say G is true. So "UTM will never say G is true" is in fact a true statement. So G is true (since G = "UTM will never say G is true").

7. "I know a truth that UTM can never utter," Gödel says. "I know that G is true. UTM is not truly universal."

Think about it - it grows on you ...

With his great mathematical and logical genius, Gödel was able to find a way (for any given P(UTM)) actually to write down a complicated polynomial equation that has a solution if and only if G is true. So G is not at all some vague or non-mathematical sentence. G is a specific mathematical problem that we know the answer to, even though UTM does not! So UTM does not, and cannot, embody a best and final theory of mathematics ...

Although this theorem can be stated and proved in a rigorously mathematical way, what it seems to say is that rational thought can never penetrate to the final ultimate truth ... But, paradoxically, to understand Gödel's proof is to find a sort of liberation. For many logic students, the final breakthrough to full understanding of the Incompleteness Theorem is practically a conversion experience. This is partly a by-product of the potent mystique Gödel's name carries. But, more profoundly, to understand the essentially labyrinthine nature of the castle is, somehow, to be free of it.
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This is the kind of mental freedom you will gain by reading this book. Highly recommended.

The plight of the people of Libby and the other sites around the country is very sad and you want to hate WR Grace and the previous mine owners and operators. While their reponsibility is not in doubt, the book could have been improved by more information about what exactly they knew and when. I'm sure Grace et al. did not cooperate with the authors, but the extensive litigation should have made some of this information available.

I am in the middle of this book and I find it very compelling. I was interested in customer reviews and when I read the last review on how the story is not yet complete because many of the victims of this scandal do not have health insurance, I felt compelled to write.

Everyone will be making a profit on this story. WB Grace made their money and now the media will make their money. While I agree that the authors have done a wonderful public service uncovering this environmental disaster, I would like to suggest that a substantial amount of the money made on this book (and the perhaps subsequent movie) could be donated to the victims. If not for their illness, there would be no story. I was recently appalled to learn about the monies that were made by media stars on the Watergate scandal while Deep Throat (whoe courage made it all possible) was not doing quite as well. For the media to make money off these stories without providing for the victims is not right either.

I want you to read this book. It is important to you and your family. I consider myself a knowledgeable person and I don't remember this scandal when it came out in 2000-2001. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I live in southern CA, but the problems with asbestos effects all of us in the US. Attic insulation, talc products and even gardening/soil products have asbestos risks that have been used and available for sale up into the 1990's and beyond.

I must have read a review or heard one of the authors in an interview...but somehow this book made it onto my "Must Read" list. When I received the book, I questioned why I had gotten it, having forgotten what motivated my interest in the first place. But I started reading and have found this book to be a treasure.

The story is one of deception, corruption and greed on the part of Big Business, in this case the mining business. The owners and executives misled their workers, investors and the government agencies that regulated them into turning a blind eye to the dangers of asbestos in their products.

While the deception of the miners in Libby was unconscionable, the book goes on to document the Bush White House withholding information that the air in and around the World Trade Center was not healthy! Can you imagine, after a tragedy like the WTC disaster, that your own government, that you rallied round to give support, would turn on you and withhold information that the air that you breathe is full of cancer causing dust? Which tragedy is worse?

The book is truly a must-read.

Lastly, I want to point out the courage of the reporters, editors, doctors and the outstanding EPA field workers that fought to get this story out. Whistle-blowers, whose main motivation is to right a wrong, are oftentimes rewarded by getting fired and branded as outcasts. This book is ultimately a story of courage and perserverance of those determined to overcome the obstacles of standing out and doing what's right.

The author Andrew Schneider tells the story of uncovering a scandal of major proportions. It is a frightening, chilling story of hidden dangers allowed by government officials whose jobs are to keep us safe. It is the story of a mineral still used in our country whose lethal dangers were recorded by Pliny the Elder. Asbestos cannot be safely used in any manner.

This book is a masterpiece of investigative journalism - well written, throughly researched and truly in the interests of the public.

The authors do a superb job of combining all the science and politics with a touching picture of the real Americans who ultimately paid and are paying the price for corporate greed and governmental push-overs.

If you read just one book this year, this should be it!

The world of Ferdydurke seems at first to be concocted out of equal parts of Kafka and Swift. There is the absurdity of Kakfa: events occur for no apparent reason, and the main character seems to be under some mysterious hypnotic spell. And there is the savage humor of Swift. Violent conflict erupts between the followers of two opposed and equally absurd and ridiculous systems of belief. But as the book progresses, it becomes clear that Gombrowicz has put his own special stamp on this world, and created a type of fiction that is totally unique.

The plot line is simple: a man of about 30 years of age is abducted by a priggish professor and finds himself, for reasons unexplained, transformed into an adolescent schoolboy. The novel consists of the "adventures" of this anti-hero in the world of adolescence, which he views with both fascination and disgust, and from which he remains detached, and yet at the same time with which he becomes intensely involved. (Ferdydurke is above all else a novel of unresolved contradictions.) Although the narrator is subjected to all the humiliations of an adolescent schoolboy (patronized by adults, frustrated by hopeless desire for a girl who disdains him, etc.), he also retains an adult outlook. In fact, it may be said that he is the only character who is adult (in the psychological sense of being self-aware) and who struggles, not always with success, to remain sane. Part of the genius of the book is that the adults in it seem crazy from the narrator's perspective as a youth, and the adolescents seem crazy from the narrator's perspective as an adult. In spite of its simple plot, Ferdydurke bursts with a dazzling exuberance of incidents, contradictions, characters, and digressions. Readers who demand strict linear plot development in a novel should probably look elsewhere.

Ferdydurke can be read at many levels. It is not surprising that a novel which features conflicts between two equally absurd systems should come out of 1930s Poland, beset as it was by two powerful opposed enemies, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Ferdydurke can also be read as an exploration of the fragility of the adult ego, of the fine line between "maturity" and "immaturity". The violent schoolboy quarrels which so fascinate and repel the narrator seem like absurdist, distorted parodies of very serious adult matters. And this novel is also about hidden, dark passageways in the human psyche. The narrator confesses to thoughts and behavior that most of us would never want to allow into the daylight of consciousness, much less to own up to.

Ferdydurke is not a difficult read, but it is quite digressive and very different from what most English-speakers expect a novel to be. Until this new translation, the first directly into English, it was effectively unavailable. This book is not for everyone. But it is a fascinating read for those who are seeking a multi-faceted, complex, and uncompromising (one noted critic has called it "Nietzchean") exploration of what it means to be a "mature adult", and who are not looking for easy answers or Hollywood endings.

Among the great works of Central Europe litterature, Ferdydurke had a profound influence in my life and my writings.

Witold gombrowicz's "alice in wonderland"-like trip takes the protagonist, who is 30 years old, back to his school days. There he battles again with the challenges of a teenager-alliances and cliques in the 1st part and sexual awakenings in the second. One thing is clear however; he has learned nothing from his earlier passing.

The story's underlying theme is one of maturity. What is it? Is it part of the aging process? Is it developed through life experiences? I never felt gombrowicz ever answers any of the questions unless the conclusion is that there is no maturity. None of the characters ever shows any level of it. That includes professors, school teachers, the landed gentry, or their peasants. Everyone is just simply self-destructive.

To further complicate things, the author throws in two somewhat unrelated short stories into the middle of the novel. They are just as silly as the novel itself, but are simply a distraction and really add nothing to it.

I also had problems with one aspect of the translation. The translators left in the polish word "pupa" which literally means buttocks. The author uses it in many different ways as you can imagine english would use the word ass. But I could not always follow his references. This made for frustrating reading since I knew something was there but couldn't get it.

The author himself probably puts it most succinctly at the very end of the novel when he says:

"It's the end, what a gas,
And who's read it is an ass!"

"Ferdydurke" by Witold Gombrowicz has finally been properly translated into English. Not that this is an event worth mentioning in general, but the point to be made is that the world of translation offers room for all kinds of mischief and sloppiness. Who would have thought that it were perfectly acceptable for publishers to allow translation from a second, and not native tongue? Imagine, for purposes of illustration, that a work of a classic British author translated into German not directly, but from Suahili, for this was the language the book was first translated into. Would you be satisfied with a product of this type? This was the fate of Gombrowicz, his native tongue was done away with, and the Anglo-Saxon world of bibliophiles had had no other choice but to read a lemon. Perhaps this is the revenge of the Heavens on the author himself, for never was there any other Polish author who had his native country in such a low regard as he did. In his "Trans-Atlantyk", Gombrowicz dared to ridicule everything a Pole holds dear, together with the whole idea of a nation as such. Were he to live today, he would embrace the idea of convergence and the global village of consumptionism, as opposed to Europe of Nations. That was one of the main reasons for Gombrowicz's emigration to Argentina, where he spent almost all of his literary career.

"Ferdydurke" is an early novel by this author, and it's never as crass as the aforementioned "Trans-Atlantyk". In fact, it constitutes part of a literary canon in Poland to this very day, and there is no educated Pole who hasn't read or at least heard of "Ferdydurke". Scenes from this book, gestures, and neologisms entered the mass vocabulary, and once you learn some of these expressions, you cannot unlearn them, for then there is no better way to express yourself, but to use the phrases coined by Gombrowicz. Whatever issues Poles have with this author, one thing is certain: we are grateful to him for augmenting our language. Gombrowicz created an archetype of a confused man, whose karma is to move back in time, back to school, with the mentality of an adult. I will even risk a claim that this fact alone lies at the very heart of science fiction - for how might that be possible, and what would happen if such occurence took place? How would that affect the object in queestion? Perhaps my perception of this problem is a bit skewed due to my occupational hazard of a scientist, but for me, "Ferdydurke" is a laboratory novel, where with a literary set of tools we analyze both the situation, and the object, in the vein of the medieval alchemist. This novel, hardly known in the English-speaking world, will be an exhilarating reading experience for you, provided that you will trust me and pick it up. The amusing analysis of the immature world the protagonist found himself in, mixed with elements from all literary forms, from plain mystery, via comedy, to sophisticated analysis of society, makes Ferdydurke an experimental novel of potential interest for all bibliophiles and lovers of the nonstandard.

You may well ask the above question, but you will never discover the answer, for there is no character, or thing, in this darkly comic masterpiece named Ferdydurke. It just appears to be some play on words, or a nonsense title to intrigue the potential reader. This book, written in Polish between the two world wars, is extremely capably translated, with a good use of slang and diminuitive terms which must have caused endless hours of trouble and frustration for the translator. It appears to be an indictment of the state of society as it existed in Poland in the 1930's, and may appear a bit dated since must of what is excoriated by the author no longer exists. There is particular emphasis upon the type of relationship which existed between the nobility (of a sort) and the peanant and serving classes. There is a lot about the threat of modernity in the country, and a great emphasis upon infantilism and immaturity. The work takes some getting used to by the reader, but read in the context of its time it is very well done, and should be read to be appreciated for what it has to say about the human condition.

This is just one of those mangas you can't help but become addicted to. The story is SO CUTE! And it's hella funny. Kyo (the girl posing as a guy) is not your normal manga style girl, she seems to be more guy-ish (espically once you get to vol.6 and up-she seems to have a perverted mind-) It was non stop laughs when I was reading this book ( I was kicked out of my school library for laughing too loud..*cough*). The art style is also very well done, the funny expressions will catch you off gaurd :p Bottom line: TRY THIS SERIES!-you won't regret it----

I'msure if you've read the other reviews, then you know what this book is about by now.

I really loved this series. It's a bit like a modern-day Mulan, only the main character was forced to do something against her will, while Mulan was completely on her own with the important decision.

Awesome for teens. Especially if you like basketball. Highly recommended!

Girl Got Game is one of my favorite manga series. I haven't read that many series, but i still like it a lot. Its about a girl who's dad loves basketball, but when he was in collage he injured himself and couldn't play nationally, so he enrolls her as a boy in a co-ed school so she can play basketball as a guy for him.
She meets a guy who she hates at first, but eventually falls in love with, and its just a really nice story of a girl who has some problems but gets over them and falls in love along the way. I like the story most because she learns to like a guy she once hated, which shows that you can fall in love with anyone, no matter who they are, and i can personally relate to that (not with a guy i hate, but a friend who was very unexpected). So yeah, i think its a great manga, probably more for girls than guys but whatever.

Power!! (Girl Got Game) is a very good shoujo series. It's about girl named Kyou Aizawa, who ends up entering a high school known for 1. their very cute uniforms, and 2. their elite basketball team. It turns out that Kyou ended up entering the school as a GUY rather than a girl (poor Kyou, she didn't get to wear the pretty uniform>_< this was all her dad's plan).
So, anyway, when Kyou started school, she met Eniwa Chiharu, who is on the team. She didn't have a very good start with getting to know him, and later, they end up being roommates in their dorms.
Kyou has to go through many difficulties to be act as a guy and not be found out. When taking a bath, she has to make sure that the coast is clear, and that no one would come in, so she takes it while everyone else is having dinner. She has to wear the boys' uniform, and so no one will become suspicious, she also straps down her chest.
This is all I'm willing to share, for those who have not read this series. Good series, and has the same cuteness as Seino-sensei's other works, such as Heaven!!, and Suki Suki Darin (those aren't released in the US yet. I read from scanalations).
If you read this series, you will find it has similarities to Hana-Kimi. Well, good reading! Ciao! (I wanted to say that, just telling you I'm not Italian or anything of that matter.)

I started reading this manga and was very happy to find yet another good manga to read. I seem to be attracted to the whole girl-acting-as-a-guy type of manga. So the story started off good. It was about a girl pretending to be a boy so she can play basketball. But as the story continued...and neared the ending...I discovered that it was becoming very dumb. The plot kinda died and people were acting in stupid ways and I'm sorry but I do not advise you to read it. It's kinda odd to right a review like this. I'm trying to explain this in the best way possible so here you go.

Beginning = GOOD. ^-^

Ending = GAHH. WTF!?!!?!? D<