Research Books

Perfect condition. Written extremely well. After actually visiting Biosphere 2, this was a must read!

This book is a well-written and entertaining look at the Biosphere 2 project from a former insider (literally as well as figuratively). The author does a good job of setting the broader stage for BIO2 as well as dissecting why it is widely regarded as a failure by the public and scientific community. Recommended!

Many people in 1991 were fascinated by the idea of Biosphere 2, a closed, hermetically sealed, self-sustaining, man-made ecosystem with a desert, an ocean, a rainforest, a savannah, a marsh, a habitat and an intensive farm, all in three acres. On September 26 eight people entered the structure for a two-year stint living "as if on Mars, farming all our food, recycling our water, our waste and even the oxygen we breathed..."

But bad publicity dogged the project even before the team went in. The public grew skeptical, as the Biospherians were dismissed as frauds, cult figures, publicity hounds and charlatans. None of which, strictly speaking, was completely false. Or completely true.

Jane Poynter, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Biosphere 2, and went on to found an aerospace firm with fellow Biospherian (and later husband) Taber MacCallum, attempts to set the record straight with this emotional and wide ranging account.

Poynter was an upper-class English girl who joined the Institute of Ecotechnics at age 20 for travel and adventure - and, no doubt, to escape her parents' conventional expectations. The IE group, headed by charismatic and authoritarian John Allen, were Synergists who believed in a "strict adherence " to three avocations - theater, philosophy and business - to keep themselves in intellectual, emotional and economic balance. This was the group that went on to conceive and build Biosphere 2.

Poynter was an early candidate for the team. Her training included stints on a Ferro-cement research vessel built by IE staffers and an outback ranch in remote Australia populated primarily by large meat-eating ants, plagues of flies, and termites who ate the tires off cars. Lessons in resourcefulness, difficult physical conditions and close, isolated living may have been useful as Poynter says, but nothing could really prepare any of them for the Biosphere experience.

"After thirteen months in Biosphere 2, we were starving, suffocating and going quite mad."

Inadequate food had plagued them from the start. In part this goes back to the cult-like group dynamic.

The Biospherian candidates worked on design and construction of Biosphere 2 (earth being Biosphere 1), and were shifted to different tasks in order to have well-rounded experience. In practice, shifts were sometimes made to punish a staffer for disloyalty, i.e., criticism. Criticism was also dealt with in less subtle ways.

Poynter, as agriculture manager, was asked to draw up a report showing that Biosphere 2 could produce all of the food they would need. When she could only arrive at a total of 80 percent she, and two others who sided with her, were fired from the team. Poynter and another woman were taken back three days later without explanation - the third was shunted to some other aspect of the program.

This type of behavior was common and served to keep all of them cowed, off balance, and unwilling to point out snags. When a certain root fungus was cited as a potential problem, John Allen's response was to make the scientist "jump up and down, screaming `pythium, pythium.' " The fungus was indeed a persistent rice-crop killer.

Their second big problem was a steady, unexpected drop in oxygen. For months they did intensive experiments, but the debilitating riddle remained unsolved until an outsider provided a clue in a casual phone call. Serendipity and science working together would seem to give the Synergists' creed of balance a lift.

But the "going mad" part never really got better. Much of Poynter's book focuses on the interpersonal acrimony, which eventually divided them into two groups of four. Difficulties were exacerbated by backbreaking work on inadequate diets in low oxygen, but even when these problems were somewhat alleviated relations stayed poor.

Of course, the manipulation by outside management never got better and it was that that separated them into loyalists and non-loyalists. Poynter was a non-loyalist. When she walked out of Biosphere 2 her time as a Synergist was done too.

But her book seems balanced and open - something of a catharsis. She celebrates the science, such as it was, and laments that more was not done later to study closed-ecosystem reactions. There was one more 6-month group sojourn inside, but the project was too expensive to continue.

Though the two years were arduous she counts them a success - "we had proven that a man-made biosphere can successfully sustain life, including human life, for an extended period of time without inexplicably crashing, or devolving rapidly into green slime." True, but they did need two infusions of oxygen, which would not have been possible in space, and for all their psychological problems they always knew they could walk out at any time.

Naturally many questions remain, particularly about the environmental science. Though the environment was carefully engineered and controlled they still had ceaseless problems with insect pests (including ant intruders from outside) and plant diseases.

Poynter is at her best describing daily life; the "dysfunctional family" they became, the feasts and famines, and the daily grind of work, though you get the feeling she's leaving a lot out to avoid pressing on old wounds. An absorbing, varied and often suspenseful read.

-- Portsmouth Herald

It's the 15th anniversary of the Biosphere 2 experiment, when eight individuals sealed themselves into a 2-acre desert building to survive without any help from the outside world - and here one crewmember shares what life was like behind the glass. It was designed to be a mini version of Biosphere 1, and was a self-contained ecosystem which could be viewed either as a prototype for a space habitat or a small version of Planet Earth experiences. The author helped design the experiment, lived it, and walked away from it in the end: her account holds insights for us all.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I found the Jayne Poynter's book to be very interesting both for her personal "lead up" to how she came to be on the Biosphere crew, as well as the drama of the 2 years inside -- all the problems they had, both technically and psychologically.

It's too bad the media spent so much time trying to find out why something might be a "fake" (for lack of a better term) with Biosphere II rather than trying to appreciate the enormous magnitude of the project and it's intent.

As I understand it, Biosphere II sits largely unused today. I certainly hope that a university or two will get involved to keep the facility operating. There's a lot to be learned, and I suspect the majority of the cost is already spent.

This darling story is both a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and a sequel, dealing with the idea that the miller's daughter married Rumpelstiltskin instead of the King. Years later, their daughter is brought back to the palace in order to do the same task as her father. Fortunately, she's just as clever. This story has a nice moral without being preachy and adorable illustrations. Very fun way to tell Rumpelstiltskin.

I loved this story. I still cry sometimes as I read the ending. the artwork is fun and interesting to look at. The story is about how this clever girl teaches the king about how he can find happiness by helping out his people instead of focusing on making more gold. I love reading this to my little girl. She is 18 months and asks for it. I don't know how much of it she gets but I certainly think children younger than 4 can really enjoy this book.

This inspiring take on Rumpelstiltskin is fabulous. Stories that model awesome choice making inspire people to make good choices. I love to read this story to my kids. I love the message that family is more important than vanity and worldly glory.

This children's story is 29 un-numbered pages in a large format. The cover size is 9 x 12 inches. It is well illustated with large, full-color illustrations.

It is a delightful retelling of the story of Rumpelstiltskin. In this version, the miller's daughter finds Rumpelstiltskin more attractive than the greedy king, and escapes with him to take up a new life on a farm. But, later, the king discovers their daughter, and kidnaps the daughter to try to force her to spin his straw into gold.

The daughter is certainly not attracted to a greedy old king in his dotage, expecially one that her mother had already rejected when he was younger. But the daughter has plans of her own for rescuing the kingdom, and she is a lot smarter than the king.

Like many good children's stories, this one has gone out of print. One could hope that the publisher will reissue this one.

I *love* this book! And so does my 3 year old daughter. The artwork is beautiful and so wonderful to look at. The story is *awesome* and just great for little girls [and boys!].

The author has a superb wit and a gift for storytelling. This has quickly become one of our very favorites and my daughter spends lots of time now pretending to be "Rumplestiltskin's Daughter" [who also had a name!]. I'm very happy with the impact this tale has had on her sense of what it is to be a woman.

This tale encourages girls to be clever and self sufficient without being tedious or overbearingly feminist. [And without being anti-male]. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

This is an excellent work on intelligence analysis, but is not for the layman. Mr. Clark is up front about his target audience, so I went into it knowing that I might struggle a bit. He routinely uses terms and refers to concepts that are somewhat obscure, a glossary would create a huge improvement. But the effort invested in reading this was well rewarded.

The title; "Intelligence Analysis: A Target-centric Approach" is misleading. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the entire intelligence process from collecting information to the civil and military leaders using the product of analysis in their decision process, not just "Intelligence Analysis". "Target-centric" analysis sounds very impressive, but it is more a reflection of LTC (ret) Clark's Air Force roots, and a rebuke to intelligence in support of political agendae than a new concept for analysis. The content of the book doesn't suffer at all, but some potential readers might be put off by this.

The use of diverse and fairly well cited examples (I assume the uncited ones are first-hand information for the author?) made this an excellent read, but some of the examples could benefit from clarification as to whether or not they're notional. The entire intelligence process is descibed, along with some of the bureaucratic idiosyncrosies that created some of the confusing arrangements of agencies and nomenclature. The specifics of analytical methods were excellent. I thought the discussion of link analysis for describing social networks was excellent, but he neglected to point out that sociologists use the same tools and methods in their research, as do investigative reporters. Again, it could have benefited from some clarification (like the difference between covert and clandestine, and the inconsistent use of operational level and tactical level) but this was, at worst, a trivial distractor from his main point.

His main point was the need for collaboration between all the concerned parties; intelligence collectors, analysts, and the decision-makers that use it. He discussed an illustrated the problem at length and certainly makes his case. I was intrigued though. He seems to be personally struggling with some of the underlying issues like chaotic, nonlinear, and non-hierarchical issues and organizations facing our nation. Despite this, he is doing the right thing and acting as a proponent for a radical revision of our structure rather than trying to pound in post 9/11 screws with a Cold War rock, and he certainly has earned my personal respect for that.

This is an excellent work and should be read by any responsible citizen with desire to better understand the workings of the process behind our national policy decisions (but be prepared to do a lot of supporting reading if you're not a member of Clark's world).

E. M. Van Court

Actually, theory was made from experience of real world. But, when we try to adjust it to real world, it isn't always available. Because during the book was wriitten, the real world was being changed. This book was wriiten by the authors who have experience of Intelligence community and they regreted not to protect attack of terrorists. (i.e. 9/11) I recommend this book them who have seek to the way to keep the security of nation.

Robert M. Clark's "Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach" is an up-to-date, practical manual on the conduct of analysis in the context of the current global war on terrorism. This manual is well suited for classroom use for intelligence professionals, whether in the military, in civilian government agencies, or private industry.

Clark divides his topic into three principal sections. In the first, he provides a detailed break-down of the target-centric approach as the collaborative, interactive, information network-enabled analysis that has replaced the hierarchial stovepipe architecture of the Cold War.

In the second section, on modeling, Clark explains in clear and understandable language the process by which analysts synthesize available information into a conceptualization of the intelligence problem. This key step produces the basis to which analysts will apply predictive analysis.

The heart of the book is Clark's exploration of the techniques and potential pitfalls of predictive analysis. Clark discusses a variety of methods to approach analysis, along with their practical limits and familar challenges such as bias and customer interaction. His liberal use of examples from recent intelligence failures help make clear just what a challenging combination of art, science, and team effort good intelligence analysis should be.

This book is not without some faults. His definitions of Strategic, Operational, and Tactical intelligence are imprecise and not those commonly in use in, for example, the Department of Defense. Strategic intelligence is better defined by the level of the customer served and not by whether it is long range or short range. Similarly, his breakdown of the standard intelligence disciplines achieves simplicity at the expense of considerable accuracy. As an example, his explanation of TECHINT confuses the acquisition of foreign materials with their actual exploitation for intelligence value. It should be noted in Clark's defense that the U.S. Intelligence Community lacks standardization, which fault contributes to the challenges of collaboration.

This book is very highly recommended to intelligence professionals interested in a systematic and unclassified exploration of the techniques of good analysis.

This is a great book and necessary for anyone who wishes to really focus and direct thier thinking on a tactical and operational level. Although more of a government/ military oriented book, I can see some real world applications as well dealing with planning and organizing a plan of attack for any problem an organization is dealing with.

Most books about intelligence end up being boring discussions about the intelligence cycle or intelligence sources and never get to the heart of the process. Clark begins with a brief discussion about the intelligence process, but quickly focuses on why it is important to accurately define the problem that you are trying to assess. This step is often missed, even by seasoned intelligence analysts, who frequently leave many of their assumptions unclarified. Clark uses many references to actual historical case studies to make valid points about common failure tendencies. The real value of this book is in the area of predictions. Clark states rather emphatically that "(D)escribing a past event is not intelligence analysis; it is history. The highest form of intelligence analysis requires structured thinking that results in a prediction of what is likely to happen. True intelligence analysis is always predictive". He goes on to dedicate a sizeable share of remainder of the book to predictive techniques. Many who claim to be intelligence officers do not employ the predictive techniques describes in this book. Intelligence folks have a propensity to gravitate to current intelligence and retell what has already been told, while neglecting to take on the challenging task of predicting what is next. This is one of the best overview books on intelligence analysis. Highly recommended reading.

No Doubt, Hong Kong is facing the Post Industrial Era since year 2000.

After the Rapid changes of Internet Age, Globalization is the next development in the coming decade. But it makes more competition and prices down in the Global markets. All the traditonal and industrial products are over supply than demand in these two years.

When you think back on the rapid development in Computer and Internet business since year 2000, they have over one time growth for every 18 months and the price is down for 50%. Thus, it makes the competition are so quicky and fast in year 2002 or even in the coming decade.

" Post Industrial Era " is coming now. It means that all the industrial products are over supply in the Global markets. Now we are needing the Elite people and knowledge workers to help all industries to re-fresh and re-build their new roads. High-tech skills and people are welcome in the developmet of Globalization.

New Business models and E-business structures are the only way for us to go and keep on running in the year 2003!

In order to keep your business in the rapid growth of the global markets, please try to absorb more Elite people in your Corporation in time.

No Doubt, Hong Kong is facing the Post Industrial Era since year 2000.

After the Rapid changes of Internet Age, Globalization is the next development in the coming decade. But it makes more competition and prices down in the Global markets. All the traditonal and industrial products are over supply than demand in these two years.

When you think back on the rapid development in Computer and Internet business since year 2000, they have over one time growth for every 18 months and the price is down for 50%. Thus, it makes the competition are so quicky and fast in year 2002 or even in the coming decade.

" Post Industrial Era " is coming now. It means that all the industrial products are over supply in the Global markets. Now we are needing the Elite people and knowledge workers to help all industries to re-fresh and re-build their new roads. High-tech skills and people are welcome in the developmet of Globalization.

New Business models and E-business structures are the only way for us to go and keep on running in the year 2003!

In order to keep your business in the rapid growth of the global markets, please try to absorb more Elite people in your Corporation in time.

No Doubt, Hong Kong is facing the Post Industrial Era since year 2000.

After the Rapid changes of Internet Age, Globalization is the next development in the coming decade. But it makes more competition and prices down in the Global markets. All the traditonal and industrial products are over supply than demand in these two years.

When you think back on the rapid development in Computer and Internet business since year 2000, they have over one time growth for every 18 months and the price is down for 50%. Thus, it makes the competition are so quicky and fast in year 2002 or even in the coming decade.

" Post Industrial Era " is coming now. It means that all the industrial products are over supply in the Global markets. Now we are needing the Elite people and knowledge workers to help all industries to re-fresh and re-build their new roads. High-tech skills and people are welcome in the developmet of Globalization.

New Business models and E-business structures are the only way for us to go and keep on running in the year 2003!

In order to keep your business in the rapid growth of the global markets, please try to absorb more Elite people in your Corporation in time.

No Doubt, Hong Kong is facing the Post Industrial Era since year 2000.

After the Rapid changes of Internet Age, Globalization is the next development in the coming decade. But it makes more competition and prices down in the Global markets. All the traditonal and industrial products are over supply than demand in these two years.

When you think back on the rapid development in Computer and Internet business since year 2000, they have over one time growth for every 18 months and the price is down for 50%. Thus, it makes the competition are so quicky and fast in year 2002 or even in the coming decade.

" Post Industrial Era " is coming now. It means that all the industrial products are over supply in the Global markets. Now we are needing the Elite people and knowledge workers to help all industries to re-fresh and re-build their new roads. High-tech skills and people are welcome in the developmet of Globalization.

New Business models and E-business structures are the only way for us to go and keep on running in the year 2003!

In order to keep your business in the rapid growth of the global markets, please try to absorb more Elite people in your Corporation in time.

No Doubt, Hong Kong is facing the Post Industrial Era since year 2000.

After the Rapid changes of Internet Age, Globalization is the next development in the coming decade. But it makes more competition and prices down in the Global markets. All the traditonal and industrial products are over supply than demand in these two years.

When you think back on the rapid development in Computer and Internet business since year 2000, they have over one time growth for every 18 months and the price is down for 50%. Thus, it makes the competition are so quicky and fast in year 2002 or even in the coming decade.

" Post Industrial Era " is coming now. It means that all the industrial products are over supply in the Global markets. Now we are needing the Elite people and knowledge workers to help all industries to re-fresh and re-build their new roads. High-tech skills and people are welcome in the developmet of Globalization.

New Business models and E-business structures are the only way for us to go and keep on running in the year 2003!

In order to keep your business in the rapid growth of the global markets, please try to absorb more Elite people in your Corporation in time.

This book covers so much ground it's hard to summarize, but is so valuable as a resource. Instead of searching dozens of websites, and other books, start with this book! It will save you a great deal of time! It's a wealth of information that would take months/years to research on your own.

I also appreciate that it's not written with the tone of anger or bitterness, but an earnest desire for truth to be told. And the title strikes at the heart of what is wrong with Seventh-day Adventist theology; their assertion that you must believe as they do, and obey God as they understand obedience, in order to be saved. The truth of SDA teaching is that Jesus is not enough.

This book is an excellent read for anyone who has been, is curious about, or who knows someone who is Adventist. The authors informatively and considerately present information on the early history of the movement...history that most SDA's are completely unaware of. Also,several of the "pillars" of Adventism are dealt with very Scripturally. This book will open eyes and bring comfort to those who have questions. I wish that every Adventist and former member would read this book!

This book begins with a detailed look into the strange time period that spawned the SDA church and many like it. It does not hold back on the reality and mindset of those associated with Miller and his prophecies. It is extremely interesting and includes footnotes and references to show that everything is carefully investigated and documented as accurately as possible.

The questions many of us face today is "how did the early Christians begin to meet together on the first day of the week?" and "did the Catholic church really change the day of worship?" So many historical questions are answered in this very thorough book! I have gotten answers to many questions that have burdened me for years! The book is not condescending to Adventists, but leaves you with so much more understanding of how the church began and why they hold on to some of the doctrines that are not biblical.

"It's Okay." As comfort offered to those who have been hurt, these words create the image of a child sitting on a parent's lap, or a friend holding a friend, arms wrapped reassuringly around shoulders. With the title of this book, the authors reach out a comforting embrace to those feeling the effects of hurt or disillusionment or confusion.

While they seek to bring a sense of peace to those feeling guilt, the authors also present a very compelling study of Adventist history as chronicled through newspaper accounts from 1844, as well as an extensive examination of scripture. Those dedicated to Adventist doctrine will immediately write off this book for many reasons, so this is definitely not for them.

For those who may have grown up on the darker side of Adventism, in a dysfunctional family, or a well-meaning but imbalanced family, or an overzealous family, this book will be an intriguing, almost unbelievable contribution to their healing. It reads as easily as a novel, yet with references and footnotes that enlighten and verify.

Many Adventists are happy, loving Christians. Indeed, to quote the authors; "A few Adventists go through life, blissfully unaware of the history and roots of its doctrine and have a wonderful relationship with Christ. . . God bless them and Godspeed. This book was not written for them."

Adventist doctrine is often conveyed in a wonderfully affirming, story-rich tradition that makes the heart swell with delight, convincing its listeners of the God-ordained timing of its arrival in their lives. To later turn and suggest that very same doctrine is false can be viewed only as apostacy, which is why it is so hard for Adventists to believe that God may actually be the One leading some people out of this church.

While the authors seek to comfort those who may be searching for relief, they also hold back no punches. "Adventists claim their beliefs are both mainstream and grace-oriented. They are neither." That one's gonna hurt! It's true, but still, it's gonna hurt.

Those devoted to the prophetic role of Ellen White will not like the treatment she receives in this book. The authors' point is to identify the Seventh-day Adventist church as being built upon false doctrine, and therefore they dismantle her role in several ways. Most non-Adventists question this adulation of a prophet; most will find this section speculative at best. Even former Adventists may struggle with this one.

It is my belief that we all live our lives in some kind of "box," be it tiny and restrictive, or expansive and open. Arthur and Teresa Beem have intricately laid out the steps to consider in transitioning out of a very distincitive and definitive box, encouraging the reader to recognize that God has a much larger, more peace-engendering Gospel to believe than what they've known before.

In their own words, "The experience of leaving Adventism can be the first shaky step towards running surefooted to the Cross and entering a new reality of freedom in Christ." For the thoughtful reader, this is a great book!

Erik Nielsen
After 16 years teaching Bible in Adventist schools, Erik currently teaches mathematics at the middle school level. Having spent literally hundreds of hours pouring over Scripture, Hebrew and Greek texts, and Strong's Concordance, Erik now sees Adventism as being a "subset" of God's much larger cosmic equation.

As a former neighbor, and current good friend of Arthur and Tesa, he enjoys being a front-row observer of their spiritual journey, and can attest to the fact that their desire to bring peace to former, struggling Adventists, is genuine. With this book, they've done what so many have longed for, and what few have attempted.

This book does a great job revealing the untold history of the SDA denominational roots along with emphasizing the pure gospel of Jesus Christ and His saving grace. The sad truth as revealed in this book is that SDA official belief does NOT believe that Jesus alone can save you. The research and documented resources in this book reveals the true history of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination which cannot be denied. For readers with a Seventh-day Adventist background, this book will be an eye opener. Current SDA readers of this book, if honest with him/herself, will have to acknowledge the history based on the facts that are well documented. For those curious about SDA history and beliefs, this book will help you understand SDA beliefs and their mindset regarding salvation and other issues.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning the true foundation of the SDA denomination.

In a career spanning hundreds of movies from "Tolerable David" in 1930 up until literally his death in 1988, John Carradine blessed this world with his many florid theater, film, and television performances. His greatest role(in his opinion) was split between major parts in the classics "Stagecoach" and "The Grapes of Wrath", both directed by John Ford. He loved to work. He loved Shakespeare. He loved women. The book details his three marriages, his drunken parties with John Barrymore, and his jail time for late alimony payments. And here, for horror fans, is a detailed breakdown of every film, from "House of Dracula" to "Satan's Cheerleaders". The large hardcover tome is complete with a myriad of pictures and posters. John Carradine is truly part of American cinema legacy. He died in Milan, Italy, attending a special screening of "Stagecoach".

All the other big names of horror-movie-actors have been covered: Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney, Lee, Cushing, Price ... Here is finaly the first book about John Carradine and all his films (and not only the B-Movie-Horrorfilms !)It was time !

German: Endlich ein Buch über den grossen John Carradine. All seine Horrorfilm-Schauspielkollegen sind ausreichend gewürdigt worden, von Lugosi, Chaney und Karloff über Price, Lee und Cushing. Nun endlich gibt es ein Werk mit vollständiger Filmograhie (und nicht nur die Horror-B-Filme) über diesen Altmeister. Wie alles aus dem McFarland-Verlag teuer aber in jeder Beziehung in Topqualität !

Everyone recognizes his face, but few can name him. John Carradine was a memorable character actor who gave rich performances in big and small budget pictures. Finally, a book has been written about him that not only explores his life via anecdotes and interviews interspersed throughout, but his vein of work that stretched innumerable decades and genres. Author Tom Weaver has crafted a fun and lively chronological read, putting together little-known information and revealing asides to enhance our knowlegde of the work of an aspiring actor. Perhaps now, more people will seriously reappraise Carradine's work and give him the consideration he's due.

He's the actor everyone knew, but few knew anything about. Here - finally - is the definitive look at the horror icon's hundreds of films, and his surprising life, including the strained relationship with his sons. Best of all, it's by two of the brightest lights in the field.

John Carradine's career spanned six decades and films thatranged from acclaimed classics (The Grapes of Wrath) to undisputedstinkers (can anyone say anything positive about Billy The Kid Vs. Dracula?). In John Carradine: The Films, author Tom Weaver deftly documents each and every film of the multi-talented actor. Complete cast and credits listings, synopsis and author commentarty for each film are included, as are remembrances from various co-stars, directors, Carradine's sons and even Carradine himself.

Weaver's commentaries on the films spices up the usual dryness found in many "Films Of" books, due to their rather strict cast/crew/summary formula. An opinionated reviewer/critic, Weaver doesn't pull his punches in offering up his takes on Carradine's films. Whether or not you agree with his views, it's nice to hear definite opinions for a change in a book like this, instead of the oft-times "take-no-controversial-stand" approach which, while certainly objective, doesn't always make for the most fascinating or interesting reading.

And for regular readers of the author, not to fear...the classic puns are here in good abundance, and will not fail to make one groan and shake one's head on occasion.

Rounding out this tribute to the "thin" Dracula are recollections of Carradine from directors Joe Dante and Fred Olen Ray, and a mini-biography by Gregory Mank. Carradine's flamboyance, lust for life, and love of Shakespeare, as well as his regrets and resignation to the many poor roles he either chose or was forced to accept in order to "feed the family" are just a few of the many sides to the actor that are captured by Mank.

In all, Tom Weaver has assembled an extraordinarily fine and fitting tribute to a too-long overlooked personage of classic horror history. Par for the course for the author, John Carradine: The Films is thoroughly researched, hugely informative, frequently amusing, and most importantly: simply a must-have book.

I served in the maintenance department a West Coast A-6 squadron that deployed for Vietnam in 1971. Reading this book reminded me of many long since forgotten details and events that were part of life aboard a carrier at war. I enjoyed the authors look at the squadron, the individuals, and their families, and the impact of family separation, politics, duty, honor, fatigue, and endless routine. I read many passages and thought "a different squadron, but mine really was not much different". Life in a flying squadron aboard a carrier (and any other ship) makes people close and losses are personal.

Professor Reardon, while writing about one A-6 squadron, honors all the Navy's flying community.

Having served on 4 Carriers in my 20 years in the Navy,
I could relate to these fine men. I think this is the
finest book ever written regarding the life and terror
a Navy pilot faced on each and every launch from a Carrier deck. A fantastic job was done by the author connecting their family life with the everyday life
aboard ship while fighting a war. JOB WELL DONE
Jim Rice,U.S.Navy retired

It is written: now let us praise famous men. Professor Reardon,though an academic, has told a very human, very touching story about the men who answered their nation's call during turbulent times. They all served aboard USS SARATOGA. This book is a great tribute to that ship and her men. A momentous accompishment!

...as a Puncher who served with VA-75 during this period and the men mentioned within,I can personally attest to the accuracy and detail that the author has so wonderfully and painstakingly written.She does the men a high honor,and is a class act herself.I found myself sucked in reading it and reliving my time with them.Not a better book written on the A6 Community.Very highly recommended.

I flew Intruders with several of the people who were prominent in the book - I wish I had been able to read about what they had been through at that time. As students and young pilots we heard bits and pieces about this cruise, but never an end to end account. The squadron and their families are captured very well by the author, as good people doing their best under trying circumstances. Top Gun captured the glamor of Naval Aviation, but this book has the real story, the real people, and the real hurt that goes with the job.

There are several outstanding books on the general subject of Six Sigma and Eckes has written two of the best. Previously in The Six Sigma Revolution, he examined major corporations such as Motorola and GE in which Six Sigma programs really did create revolutions which continue as I compose this review. These are properly acclaimed successes. Of course, little (if any) attention has as yet been devoted to those organizations which initiated and then later abandoned Six Sigma programs. The reasons for doing so vary, of course, but most can be classified within two categories of resistance to change: cultural and technical. As O'Toole brilliantly explains in Leading Change, it is a formidable task to overcome what he characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." In this volume, Eckes suggests all manner of strategies and tactics by which to overcome resistance and then sustain Six Sigma programs, once launched. Correctly, he stresses the importance to an organization of achieving a "balance" between its culture and its technology. Moreover, at a time when change is (literally) the only constant and occurring at an ever-increasing velocity, its is also a formidable challenge to maintain the proper balance of the two. For many years, I believed that most people fear change. I no longer believe that. Rather, I have become convinced that most people fear the unfamiliar. Hence the importance of constant and effective communication between and among everyone involved. Eckes suggests that this book will show his reader how to "Create the need for Six Sigma" but, in fact, the need probably exists already so there is a need to help everyone recognize that need and appreciate the importance of responding to it. Therefore, Eckes also shows his reader how to "Shape a vision of Six Sigma so that employees understand the desired results and new behaviors of a Six Sigma organization." Also, he shows the reader how to "Mobilize commitment to Six Sigma and overcome resistance" which is inevitable. Only then can any organization change its systems and structures "to support the new Six Sigma culture." Next: "Measure Six Sigma cultural acceptance" and "Develop Six Sigma leadership." All of these components are absolutely essential, difficult to integrate, and even more difficult to sustain in appropriate balance. In this volume, Eckes explains how and he does so with precision and eloquence.

In recent years, I have become more involved in Six Sigma or process improvement programs which vary somewhat in terms of their design and scope but all of which encountered several of the "pitfalls" which Eckes discusses in Chapter 8:

1. Feeling obligated to achieve quick success

2. Clogging up agendas with competing distractions

3. Having unrealistic time frames

4. Ignoring previous quality efforts

5. Conducting poor Six Sigma cultural planning and follow-through

6. Delegating (i.e. dumping) cultural development or seeing it as a one-time event

7. Not having appropriate cultural goals or objectives

8. Not allowing for unexpected interruptions

9. Allowing false or cosmetic positive readings to suggest authentic cultural transformation has been achieved

10. Underestimating resource allocation

Of course, whether or not involved with Six Sigma initiatives, any organization can experience some or even all of these "pitfalls." In this book, Eckes offers sound, street-smart advice on how to avoid them. Time and again, he places great emphasis on the importance of cultural values by which everyone involved in a Six Sigma can be guided and, when under duress, sustained. Herb Kelleher has this in mind whenever he explains what Southwest Airlines competitive advantage is: "Maintaining excellent customer service involves a process of getting people to understand the importance of it to them in their daily lives as well as in others'. We were a little concerned as we go bigger that maybe some of our early culture might be lost so we set up a culture committee whose only purpose is to keep the Southwest Airlines culture alive. Before people knew how to make fire, there was a fire watcher. Cave dwellers may have found a tree hit by lightning and brought fire back to the cave. Somebody had to make sure it kept going because if it went out, there would be serious problems. That cave dweller was the most important person in the tribe. I said to our culture committee, `You are our fire watchers, who make sure the fire does not go out. I think you are the most important committee at Southwest Airlines.' I really do believe that to be the case." This is precisely what Eckes means by "culture" in this book. For everyone in any organization already embarked on a Six Sigma program or now considering one, this is a "must read."

Think about it. Seriously think about it. What was the downfall of your quality endeavor? Your performance improvement plan? Your Six Sigma initiative? Was the wrong strategy used or was it the wrong tactical approach? Mostly likely it was neither your strategy nor your tactical approach. The failure was most likely do to people. Most likely your people hadn't really bought in. Buy-in from your people is necessary for an initiative such as Six Sigma to be successful. The people in your organization create your organizations' culture. How do you get cultural buy-in? How can you sustain that buy-in?

In the book Making Six Sigma Last, the author, George Eckes shows us how. Through heart-felt stories, humorous personal examples, and real business illustrations the author takes us through the process needed to create and sustain a culture that supports Six Sigma.

First we learn about Q x A = E. This powerful formula shows us that: "Q" Quality, the technical and strategic elements of a Six Sigma initiative, times "A" Cultural Acceptance, of the technical and strategic elements of Six Sigma, determines "E" the success of the Six Sigma process. Then, the author addresses resistance. We are reminded that it's a natural process for people to resist change. Eckes describes four types of resistance and offers specific strategies for overcoming each. The next chapters show how to sell it and then manage it. Now it's time to ask did it work? Did you get the cultural buy-in you were attempting? How do you know? In Making Six Sigma Last, Eckes offers a model that is used to measure the cultural acceptance within the organization or as Eckes says, "how well Six Sigma has been baked into the organization". Five case studies are used to illustrate these concepts. Then through profiles of leadership, the author shares real business examples of what worked, what didn't and why. Finally we learn how to sustain the culture that will support Six Sigma initiatives with the chapter on pitfalls: 10 things to avoid.

Making Six Sigma Last is an informative and easy read. It's effective and efficient, hallmarks of Six Sigma. The book leaves you inspired and hopeful that this stuff really can work. Don't start without it!

What I enjoyed most about this book was the applied "psychology of business" in other words, how to get people (organizations)to do what you want them to do and like it!

The book gives you answers to the "what if" questions that anyone trying to succeed in changing their corporate culture has. The examples and the personal tone of the book make it a fast, informative and easy read.

No one knows Six Sigma, which seeks near perfect customer satisfaction, like George Eckes, the consultant who literally wrote the book on it (The Six Sigma Revolution: How General Electric and Others Turned Process into Profits). In his second book, Eckes emphasizes the importance of molding organizational culture to generate broad acceptance of a Six Sigma initiative, using illustrative examples from his workshops. He describes ways to overcome internal resistance to change, to sell the program's benefits and to get key people as well as the masses on board. If you are launching a Six Sigma program, Eckes provides many specific suggestions of strategies you can employ. But because much of Eckes' wisdom can be applied more generally to organizational change efforts, we [...] recommend this insightful book to any executive, whether or not Six Sigma is your strategy of choice.

The new book: Making Six Sigma Last, by Mr. George Eckes, is the the most comprehensive and excellent road map to reach corporate cultural excellence.

The previous book by Mr. Eckes: The Six Sigma Revolution, successfully teaches us the way to implement the tactical component of Six Sigma: process management excellence.

The current book is the only book to date that offers a complete process to achieve the key strategic component of Six Sigma: corporate cultural excellence.

Mr. Eckes has again produced an enjoyable, very enlightening and important Six Sigma book that is easy to read and comprehend.

It is perfect for corporate executives, managers, employees, consultants, quality practitioners, and students of best business practice.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my high regard for the outstanding book: Making Six Sigma Last.

Regards,
Marc St.James
November 24, 2001

This is a really great book. It combines philosophy and science in order to tackle a multitude of existential problems. The author's style of writing is fresh and alive, I recommend ths book to anyone interested in expanding the fronteirs of their understanding. Books I also liked are a Universe in an Nutshell by Steven Hawkings and Descent into Illusions by Paul Omeziri.

I must preface my review by stating that I have never been so excited and moved by a book that I have wanted to contact the author. That is what I found myself doing upon reading this book. This book is just what its title says. The author does not "miss a beat" describing in great detail using practically every aspect of scientific knowledge from atomic structure through logic to quantum theory---we are even given a valuable explanation of Love. This text may be challenging to read for those unfamiliar with scientific terminology. And it can also be difficult for those with a science background, such as myself. However, for me it is well worth the work necessary to strive to understand the unfamiliar terminology. (I am continually learning from this book. I am presently on my third reread).

One of the author's main messages is "not" to believe anything without first verifying it with reality, as we know it. He calls it the "Personal Explanation Principle". He indicates that religions are just such belief systems that we as people "fall" victims of; because we do not verify the beliefs with the facts, as we know them, of reality. He gives a very detailed explanation of how the New Testament can be explored using his methodology.

The author methodically and meticulously walks us through his thought processes, which took 30 years to assimilate, of delineating the structure of reality and the nature of consciousness. Included in the "walk" are many of reality's phenomena made revelatory. An example of that, for me, would be the dual nature of light. It's particle/wave duality, which is explained as "functions". Also, when the author took me on the mental journey of "Setness" an exhilaration of the magnificence of life swelled up in me.

To me this is a very important book that should be read by all that are seekers of truth. It is for all those wanting to gain an understanding of the purpose for their existence, wanting to know where life is headed towards, and wanting to know who God is.

This book will enlighten and develop one's mind substantially. You will discover that this is our objective.

And yes, I contacted the author and he responded openly.

Although Mr. Wheatley is a little verbose in sections, his documentation of Zen Buddhistic Principles found throughout the disciplines of Mathematics, Physics, Theology, etc. forms a nice reference guide for anyone tuned into that wavelength. In particular, his explanation of how Godel's Theorem and Cantor's "Confusion" shed great light on the difference between GOD's Logic and Man's Logic should be a revelation to any undergraduate level math students who encounter these ideas for the first time. Curiously, Mr. Wheatley makes many misstatements about both Zen Buddhism Principles and the Bible, however. For example, by accepting the false biblical teaching of Original Sin, he misses the point that eating the proverbial apple gave Adam and Eve the ability to make Moral Discernments in fulfillment of GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. As proof, read Genesis 1 which states that Man and Woman were made in GOD's Image. Genesis 4 shows that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans on Earth at all, there were plenty of others by then. The allegorical meaning of the story of Eden, then, isn't that Adam and Eve were the first humans on Earth, but they were the first humans with the ability to make Moral Discernments (in GOD's Image). In fact, Moral Discernment is God's Unique Gift to Man, which is the basis of consciousness, not some Math Formula. But because the wages of the resulting, unavoidable sin are Death, many people foolishly try to return to Eden by: (1) living a sinless Life (2) by removing choice altogether by passing and enforcing strict Laws (3) by attempting to do away with Moral Discernment and the resulting consequences for our actions altogether by trying to remove Shame from Shameful actions. GOD is not some ethereal Man-In-Space, but is simply the Totality of all Real Things, The Set of All Real Sets. GOD's Love manifests itself from the amazing sub-atomic relationships that underly this magic Life all the way to the grandest of Macroscopic Scales, the Interconnected Totality itself. The Zen Buddhism connection can be found by simply superimposing the 0 symbol and the symbol for infinity (8 on its side) in Mr. Wheatley's supposedly "new" formulation that 1 = 0 x infinity. Superimposing them gives you the yin-yang symbol. A potential disadvantage of artificially separating the infinity from the zero, however, is that Mr. Wheatley is able to equate the entire expression to be equal to 1. This potentially might obscure the fact that the deepest meaning of the yin-yang symbol is that it is both 2 and 1 AT THE SAME TIME. His overall equation does preserve that important meaning by utilizing a single element on one side of the equation and two elements on the other side of his final TOE equation. This may be hard to see for some at first, however, which could potentially obscure the richest meaning of this beautiful symbol/equation. A much more GODLY TOE, in my opinion, comes from Euler, who discovered that e ^ (i * pi) - 1 = 0. When someone can explain that relationship, then they can say they know GOD.

This book will change your life. You will never think the same way you did before reading it.
I have a degree in chemistry and I think this book should be read by everyone in the sciences. Without a doubt, the best book I've ever read. Why and what are two of our best friends

Mr. Wheatley has touched upon one of the most intriguing methods, through scientific study and evalution, that leads to new deductions for behavioral patterns. Many books have been written for sociological, psychological, cultural, and behavioral studies, of which I have a deep interest. However, as you are led step by step through the scientific processes of this book, one's perspective of human behavior will take on a whole new meaning. Such questions as "why do people behave the way they do?", or "How do cultural, geographical, sociological factors impact our behavior?" take on a whole new perspective for study and evaluation. This book could become required text at the college level for scientific studies. I was fascinated with several concepts put forth by Mr. Wheatley.

This book is a great source for all cognitive behavioral therapists. One of the main things I got from this book is that we can see how the architecture of the brain is set up for us to manage things from the top down--that is, to manage our emotions from the seat of our cognitive faculties. There are almost 10 times more nerve fibers carrying sensory information from the top down rather than from the bottom up; TO the subcortex FROM the neocortex rather than the other way around. This gives us some idea of the amount of power available to us, once we learn how to access it, to get the cognitive part of our brain to manage the emotional part. The other important part of the book is how our thinking and behavior continue to make physical changes in our brain as long as we live. The book certainly supports the idea of "brainswitching" to the neocortex when the subcortex is agitated with anxiety or depression, which is what all cognitive behavorial therapists try to teach people to do. As the book shows, you can do that by thinking particular thoughts that stimulate neural activity in the part of the brain from which you wish to function. Then, thanks to the neuroplasticity of the brain, if you do this often enough you can actually re-wire your brain to get out of depression and anxiety at will. A. B. Curtiss, author of BRAINSWITCH OUT OF DEPRESSION

An excellent book combining the fields of neuroscience and psychotherapy and explaining the effects of emotional trauma on brain development.

The author explains how what we think programs our brain and how learning to think differently changes our brain: he explains the psyiology that underlies psychotherapy. He tells us what happens in the brain as we change our thoughts and feelings. (His thesis even explains why prayer and meditation work.)

This book is simply a masterpiece in presenting neuroscience relevant to the both researchers in braod areas of psychological science and therapists. The presentation of brain specific information is assured, clear and reasonably well referenced. The book always connects brain regions with manifested behaviours and psychological symptoms. There is so much clarity in the text that it really deserves a very wide audience way beyond what its title suggests. The book embraces aspects of affective and evolutionary neuroscience, ties them to human consciousness development and identifies specific brain developments that cause us to be who we are. The piece of the development of the parietal lobes is one of the best I have ever read. The author has a gift for communication, and this is so rare in neuroscience books that the stands proud of the rest. The tripartite brian, psychology and psycotherapeutic connections are presented with out propagandising one at the expense of the other. There is a degree of good quality speculation in the book from time to time which could set its own research agenda. I will conclude by saying that do give a longer review would runs the risk of spoiling the lively and surprising erudition of the author. Definitely a book worth reading, worth keeping and certainly if you loan it out, you may have trouble getting it back.

Cozolino's text presents a very complicated topic in an extremely accessible manner, owing to a straightforward writing style and a penchant for perfectly applicable example case studies. He breaks down the functioning of the brain into "digestible" chunks and builds throughout the text on earlier learning. If you work in the field of counseling or psychotherapy, you simply cannot go wrong by reading this book and supplementing your knowledge of neuroscience-psychotherapy connection.