New York Books

This book was great. It felt like I was reading about 3 dimensional characters, not stereotypical cops. An excellent plot that unfolds a little at a time. I would have to say that author CAUNITZ owes a great deal to the late, great ED McBAIN. For a first novel, CAUNITZ delivers a polished product and succeeds on many different levels. I have never been a police detective so I would not really know the authenticity of their dialogue but these detectives talk like real people. All in all a great book and I am glad I picked it up at the library and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Strong character development, plausible plot, realistic dialogue with a splash of sexuality. Opening pages can be a bit disturbing; not for the faint of heart. Well worth reading; a good book to read when you don't sleep alone. And hope no one you care about ends up in the scenes he describes!

I had nightmares after the first night of reading due to Caunitz's vivid depiction of a murder scene. The book had a marvelous pace and had nice character and plot development. If you like whodunits you'll love "One Police Plaza"

When the body of Sara Eisinger, travel agent is found, it is just another homicide for Detective Lieutenant Dan Malone and his detectives. Then a few of her possessions are checked and things don't add up. A key that gives access to an exclusive sex club. Two phone numbers that are unlisted CIA. Definitely not your typical travel agent.

These cause Malone and his team to become embroiled in a mystery involving the NYPD, CIA and Mossad. His bosses try to stop the investigation from proceeding but it's already too late and the action carries on until the inevitable violent conclusion in Brooklyn.

Overall this book is a good read. As the author is a retired Detective Lieutenant of the NYPD, you can't help wonder how much of Dan Malone is based around William J. Caunitz. As would be expected, the routine police work is detailed and is interspersed well with some of the action sequences.

This is the authors first book, which is maybe why everything is oriented around the main character, whom just happens to be something that the author once was. Not that this is a negative point, the story line works well and although the main story-line itself is not too plausible, IMO, the way that it is constructed has given the book a feeling of authenticity that someone without the authors background would maybe not have been able to do.

David Lucas (davidlu@sco.com).

The drab, dangerous and often funny details of police work give One Police Plaza a hard-boiled realism. Caunitz shows how government hacks, Mafiosi, reporters, spies and even New York's Catholic Diocese are linked to the cops and each other by a system of favors Malone's manipulation of his superiors and his relentless dedication give this novel the page-turning pull we expect from a good thriller. Its special strength is its carefully exacting depiction of what the working life of a big city police department really is like. With the same bold clarity that served him as a New York City police detective, first-novelist Caunitz delivers a powerful tale of murder and espionage. . . Caunitz expertly depicts the stark reality of the police officer's life and work, and his hard-edged prose drives the story to a stunning conclusion.

From the security of a comfortable life in Oak Grove, Virginia to the razor cold streets of New York City, Jack Stewart is bound and determined to pursue a career as a jazz musician - against all odds. When he returns home from a tour of duty in Nam, all that life asks of him is that he settle down and carry on the successful family business. Why would anyone who could have it so easy cast their fate to the brutal winds of such an uncertain livilihood as a jazz musician in New York City? There is more to this story by Carlos Rubio than Young man from hometown America sets out to become a jazz musician. In the way that Dizzy Gillespie "like a majestic bird in flight" blows his magic horn and he is suddenly the indisputed center of the universe; from the bottom of his heart to the mouthpiece of his tenor sax, Jack has no doubt that music will deliver him. With Hans (a gothic cathedral of a man in the woof and warp world of jazz), the owner of the Jazz club Empty Hand as his mentor, beautiful woman at the snap of his fingers, some of the greatest jazz musicians of the day on a first name basis with Jack as his inspiration, and the jazz epicenter of Greenwich Village as his stage, you would think that Jack Stewart had arrived. Deliverance, however, comes with a price tag. If you have a tall mountain to climb, or a vast valley to cross, or a tenor sax you desire to master, then this book is a must to read. This is a users guide for those of us who prefer center stage to going through life sitting in the cheap seats in the back row. And for those of you whose only request from life is a good book to read, then this is your lucky day.

Alan Hodgkinson
Author of After Incoming

From the security of a comfortable life in Oak Grove, Virginia to the razor cold streets of New York City, Jack Stewart is bound and determined to pursue a career as a jazz musician - against all odds. When he returns home from a tour of duty in Nam, all that life asks of him is that he settle down and carry on the successful family business. Why would anyone who could have it so easy cast their fate to the brutal winds of such an uncertain livilihood as a jazz musician in New York City? There is more to this story by Carlos Rubio than Young man from hometown America sets out to become a jazz musician. In the way that Dizzy Gillespie "like a majestic bird in flight" blows his magic horn and he is suddenly the indisputed center of the universe; from the bottom of his heart to the mouthpiece of his tenor sax, Jack has no doubt that music will deliver him. With Hans (a gothic cathedral of a man in the woof and warp world of jazz), the owner of the Jazz club Empty Hand as his mentor, beautiful woman at the snap of his fingers, some of the greatest jazz musicians of the day on a first name basis with Jack as his inspiration, and the jazz epicenter of Greenwich Village as his stage, you would think that Jack Stewart had arrived. Deliverance, however, comes with a price tag. If you have a tall mountain to climb, or a vast valley to cross, or a tenor sax you desire to master, than this book is a must to read. This is a users guide for those of us who prefer center stage to going through life sitting in the cheap seats in the back row. And for those of you whose only request from life is a good book to read, then this is your lucky day.

Alan Hodgkinson
Author of After Incoming

Meet Jack Stewart, struggling jazz musician who could have coasted comfortably through life by carrying on the family business after returning home from his stint in the Army. His mother who he is so near and dear to him would like nothing more than this. And his desire as a good son is to please her. But he is torn. The problem is, this is not Mr. Two-story-house-with- white-picket-fence-in-the-suburbs. This is a man ultimately in search of himself. Something deep inside told Jack early on that he could only express himself through the mouthpiece of a saxaphone. Now, meet yourself. Knowing thyself is key to everything. This is what Carlos Rubio's novel is really about. The theme here is universal. People who have a profound effect on Jack, like Hans, owner of The Empty Hand coffee house who possesses the old world solidity of a gothic cathedral gives Jack his first clue concerning his unbeknowst quest for a voice when he tells Jack about Orpheus, the musician in Greek mythology who only finds his voice after coming to grips with his own insignificance; or Jack's idol Dizzy Gillespie, a man who blows his bent horn like his life depends on it. Jack meets him one day. During that meeting, Dizzy tells Hans that Jack just needs to "lossen up." Lorraine comes along and teaches Jack just that - how to lossen up. In doing so, she teaches him something important about life, this in a way a man could never learn from his parents. So, all these characters who become part of Jack's daily life in Greenwich Village converge to facilitate Jack's necessary transformation. But of course the real transformation has to come from within. The sudden death of his mother and uniting with his father for the first time as a result of her death is the nudge that completes his transformation. At last, Jack plays his sax like he has never played it before. You see, he is not playing his saxaphone, but he's living fully for the first in his life - he's living through the medium of a musical instrument, a medium that he loves. Jack finds his voice as we all must, least we perish, ironically in the realm of our own significance.

Carlos Rubio captures the struggle of a young artist and the feel of New York City's jazz world. His vivid descriptions brings the sights and sounds of a village night club to the reader to the point of hearing the soulful music and smelling the smokey Empty Hand Cafe. Jack Stewart, the main character, struggles with fullfilling his dreams against all odds. Along the way the importance of mentors, friends, sacrifices, and believing in oneself are interwoven in the theme. This story will be enjoyed by all.

Step into the little known world of struggling artists, musicians and writers. This novel of a man's self discovery takes us through close relationships and a troubled past. The author vividly immerses us in the culture and lifestyle found in the Empty Hand, a nightclub whose after hours camaraderie fostered by Hans, their benefactor and philosopher, who holds them, and the novel, together. This is a very well written and descriptive novel that lets you feel the comfort and joy, the frustration and hope of a section of our society few know about. For anyone who has the artist within them, this is one you don't want to miss.

I met a recently retired paramedic who recommended this book as a good book about the reality of what it means to be a paramedic in New York City. He said it was pretty accurate and a good read. He was right. I really enjoyed the story and learning more about this vital service.

I literally could not put the book down. It made me laugh and cry.

Paul Shapiro's account of his experiences as a paramedic in Manhattan is exciting, illuminating, and amusing. I was a volunteer EMT for 12 years, but NYC is an entirely different world. Shapiro shows us what motivates those people who work to save lives in the busiest city in the nation. While I never had to deal with the extremes described by Shapiro, this book still reflects my experiences in its humor and spirit. This is definitely recommended reading for anyone who wants to explore the live and motivations of the dedicated men and woman of our Emergency Medical Services.

I have read many books written by paramedics and EMTs and this is, by far, the best one I have read. Paul Shapiro (no relation to me!) writes with intelligence, thoughtfulness, and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book.

Paul D. Shapiro candidly takes you through the everyday calls and situations that Paramedics are put through. He shows you how the EMS system works and explains how to handle certain calls from drunks to extracting unconsious people from cars. This novel is exciting and worth while.

I was delighted to see that Mavis Gallant is back in print. I have loved her work for many years, and always eager to buy the NYer when one of her stories was featured. The only drawback to much of her writing (not present in any of the stories in this collection, though) is that much of what she writes are satirical sketches of French intellectual or expatriate life (for example, the "Grippes and Poche" stories in Paris Stories) which would be totally lost on people who have not visited or lived there. The best of her stories are however profound meditations on loneliness and rootlessness. In this I believe she is an archtypal modern writer who can describe the almost universal experience of being an immigrant, refugee, or escapee from some previous stultifying existence. I think this is why so many people respond to her writing. She is, of course, also a master prose stylist. I urge any aspiring fiction writers to read Mavis Gallant. Contrary to what the above reviewer quoted, I think she can be very instructive and inspiring.

"Paris Stories" is an amazing collection of short stories by Mavis Gallant, who is best known for her work in "The New Yorker." The 15 stories in this collection are all set in Europe, and they offer memorable characters, humorous observations, witty commentary, and brilliant prose. Gallant's writing style is very rich, unique, and beautiful. In the afterword of the book, Gallant herself recommends not reading this book entirely in one sitting, and I agree. This is such a fantastic collection that readers are much better off savoring every page. I usually prefer novels to short stories, but "Paris Stories" is amazing and flawless. I highly recommend it!

I read this book based on an excellent review of it (a good primer for Mavis Gallant newbies, btw) in the April (or May?) Harper's (a great store room for hidden gems.) I had never heard of Ms. Galant before I read the review and her book, but after reading Paris Stories, all I gotta say is, Where the hell have I been since she's been writing for the past 30+ years? Actually I'm only 30, but still. Her writing is magical on so many levels that I'll only mention a couple of them: the consistency and the sublime richness of her prose - it's like really rich fudge, a phrase or two of one of the 15+ stories is often enough for one sitting; the hauntingly subtle rendering of European life; the authority and command of her voice - there is no doubt in my mind that Mavis Gallant was put on this earth to write fiction as her job, and she writes like she knows it. I love that.

2 recommendations: read Michael Ondaajte's intro (in it he mentions that he knows other writers who intentionally refrain from reading Mavis Gallant when they are writing themselves, so they don't lose confidence in themselves); read the afterward, written by the auther herself (in it she makes the wise suggestion to the reader NOT read the stories in the book back to back, but to take one's time and savor every morsal - I concur. Read this book very slowly pausing to read other stuff perhaps - you don't want to miss a word, it's that good.)

Lovers of sublime artwork in literature, read Mavis Gallant. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. I can't wait for Volume 2 to come out this fall!

For better or worse, Mavis Gallant was one of a stable of writers who, for several decades under the editorship of William Shawn, wrote what came to be known as the "typical New Yorker story." Indeed, in a recent interview, the poet Michael Casey recalled a Benjamin Cheever character mocking "a New Yorker story" as "one that goes on and on and nothing much happens but you feel sad at the end of it." And, reading Gallant's stories in the magazine over the years, I likewise felt that they were consistently well written, occasionally interesting, often melancholy, but rather long-winded and ultimately unmemorable.

The fifteen stories collected here offer readers a chance to revisit their impressions of her stories. Behind the Jamesian tea-and-crumpet facade of Gallant's prose lurk human transplants: lost souls away from home, nomads and exiles trying to find a place in the world--Gallant has based virtually her entire career on this theme. The two exceptions are about "the French man of letters" Henri Grippes, Gallant's comic, curmudgeonly, aging alter ego. (Incidentally, the title of the collection, as Michael Ondaatje notes in the introduction, is misleading: not all the stories are set in Paris, nor are they about exiles living in Paris or from Paris; instead, Gallant wrote them all in Paris--which, since Gallant has written nearly all of her fiction there, makes the moniker rather meaningless.)

One of the stylistic quirks that transform many of Gallant's stories into wrestling matches with her readers is her blithe disregard for transitional devices within and between paragraphs. Ondaatje touts this as a virtue: "the next sentence can bring a complete shift of tone or content, while a quick aside can include whole lives--sometimes halfway through one person's thought you will get another's history." At first, the reader might understandably regard these "sudden swerves" as merely untidy--that's certainly the way I felt about them when I read her stories in The New Yorker. But, as often as not, there is some method hiding in the madness; the disorder echoes the jumble of her characters' lives and especially of their thinking.

Savoring these stories, one by one over a couple of months, I found that I truly began to enjoy Gallant's idiosyncratic style and her subtly wicked wit when I reached "Speck's Ideas"--the seventh story of the collection. (At some point, I should probably go back and read the first six.) In sum, I picked up this collection to revisit my judgment of her fiction and came away with a better opinion--but also with the understanding that Gallant will always suffer from that damnably faint praise: she is an acquired taste.

I was delighted to see that Mavis Gallant is back in print. I have loved her work for many years, and always eager to buy the NYer when one of her stories was featured. The only drawback to much of her writing (not present in any of the stories in this collection, though) is that much of what she writes are satirical sketches of French intellectual or expatriate life (for example, the "Grippes and Poche" stories) which would be totally lost on people who have not visited or lived there. The best of her stories are however profound meditations on loneliness and rootlessness. In this I believe she is an archtypal modern writer who can describe the almost universal experience of being an immigrant, refugee, or escapee from some previous stultifying existence. I think this is why so many people respond to her writing. She is, of course, also a master prose stylist. I urge any aspiring fiction writers to read Mavis Gallant. Contrary to what the above reviewer quoted, I think she can be very instructive and inspiring.

I have really enjoyed this book, so much so that I bought it for a friend's wedding as well. It is my go-to book for pies & tarts.

Hi, I'm the editor of this book, and was sorry to see that Flame had had mixed experiences. I checked with the author, and her diagnosis is that the tart dough may not have been thoroughly chilled according to the recipe directions. If tart dough is not properly chilled before baking, the butter can melt and leak as described. We were careful to put instructions in every recipe to refrigerate or freeze the tart shell until firm. I myself have used Caroyln Weil's tart dough recipe for several years and have always had great success with it. If you have had trouble with a particular recipe, please feel free to contact us through Williams-Sonoma customer service and let us know; we are eager to make sure these recipes work well for everyone who tries them.

This book has more than 40 recipes and a very informative "Basics" section. There are beautful color photos of each recipe. As with all WS books, the instructions are easy to follow. There are sidebars, where necessary, to provide addtional information. The pies range from simple to elegant -- a recpe for every occasion. I'm partial to the coconut custard.

I've had both great and not-so-great experiences with this book. The apple pie was absolutely incredible as were the tarts but the tart dough caught my oven on fire the first time (the recipe called for far too much butter which leaked out everywhere). Overall a good book. For beginners I would also recommend "The Farmhand's Favorite Pies" by Mr. David Butler since its recipes have never turned out bad.

I found this book to be informative in baking techniques and the recipes are wonderful. I prepared the tart dough, for the lemon cream pie, and found it delicious and had no trouble with the baking. Truly lovely pies, well written instructions, and beautiful results without highly complicated instructions.

As a breastfeeding advocate myself, I wish that all young men and women were required to read this in high school, before parnethood. This book lets the reader see the conection between money, big business, and formula marketing. The book educates on the vast differences between artifical feeding and human milk, differences that the general population is unaware of. If you want to get fired-up over an issue, this is the book for you.

As someone who had to defend breastfeeding my child, I already had strong views about how society looks at the practise. The first time I read this book (first edition)I found the history behind it fascinating. What really alarmed me, though, was the truth behind formulas and what used to pass as formula! After getting the second edition, I was dismayed to find that nothing had improved in 10 years. This book is well researched an passionate. Be warned! After reading this, you may just become an activist!

I didn't understand breastfeeding advocacy until I read this book. Gabrielle Palmer covers all the bases on why we need to protect future generations from the mass marketing of infant formula, and how those products have become so prevalent throughout our society and the world. Covers the Nestle' illegal marketing tactics so thoroughly that I can't even consider buying any of their products. Background on the World Health Organisation's stance on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes made me realise what an all-encompassing public health issue breastfeeding is

I didn't understand breastfeeding advocacy until I read this book. Gabrielle Palmer covers all the bases on why we need to protect future generations from the mass marketing of infant formula, and how those products have become so prevalent throughout our society and the world. Covers the Nestle' illegal marketing tactics so thoroughly that I can't even consider buying any of their products. Background on the World Health Organisation's stance on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes made me realise what an all-encompassing public health issue breastfeeding is.

Already over ten years old, Gabrielle Palmer's eye-opening book pioneered some of the breastfeeding advocacy arguments being used by activists today.

Links obstacles placed in the way of breastfeeding mothers to the devaluation of the motherhood role which occurred during the growth of the industrial revolution.

Detailed history of breastfeeding and wet-nursing. Narrates the history of the Nestle scandal, in empathy with 3rd World perspective. A strong advocate for the rights of all babies to be nourished from the breast.

Counters anti-breastfeeding sentiment in today's society. Explains away sexuality myths which hinder women from breastfeeding in public. Terrific book for the breastfeeding professional who wants to boost their arguments!

this is sort of a Zen and the Art of Literary Maintenance.

you'll love this fast joyride if you love a certain kind of rebel-spirit literature, or if you love New York, or if you love books of self-discovery, and especially if you love all three!

through telling his own story of coming of age and let's say enlightenment, he also tells the story of Poe & Melville & Whitman & Henry Miller & Kerouac & Ginsberg. all of those guys are in the same literary family, so if you enter the room with any one of them under your arm, this book introduces you around the party.

and it made me realize it wasn't just me! it's funny how Tytell's life sort of follows around in the ghosts and shadows and trails of these earlier travelers, making some of the same mistakes, having some of the same doubts and insecurities, and then flashes of courage and conviction. we like authors because they're reflecting some side of us. i think there is some sort of spirit connection across time. those authors in our same family tree were us in a sense. and this book is a family reunion with all the old legendary uncles and grampas coming out of hiding and sharing their stories and suddenly you go "ah-ha! I'm not that weird! Check out Uncle Henry and Grampa Whitman!"

Having seen Tytell in Manchester, VT, at a reading of his book we eagerly awaited "Reading New York" and weren't disappointed. The same enthusiasm he expresses in public is demonstrated in his book. He has inspired us to reread Melville, Miller and others. Thank you for reminding us of them.

I loved the rhythm of Reading New York, the way it moves from memoir to biography to historical criticism. It is thoroughly enjoyable to read.

This is a highly personal, very readable and moving account by an academic critic of his reading of Melville, Poe, Whitman, Henry Miller, Henry James and Jack Kerouac - all writers whose encounter with New York somehow mirrored or influenced Tytell's own relationship to the city, and indeed his life. It's the story an intellectual odyssey but also very much of the author's emotional growth. I loved this book and could hardly put it down.

This book is a rare gift: the work of a truly thoughtful reader and a terrific writer. Of the New York writers whom Tytell treats, he does a particularly excellent job on Melville, although his readings of Poe, the Henry's (Miller and James), Whitman and Kerouac are marvelous, too. Perhaps it's because he began reading Melville against his eye doctor's orders during an illness when he was 12 (reading in general not just Melville), that his recreations of and commentary on Melville's "Billy Budd," "Benito Cereno" and "Bartleby" seem the most deeply felt.

In any case, Tytell's "dialogue" throughout his life with these New York writers is what makes this work truly memorable. He notes that he seemed to find each writer just as his life began to open up to the possibilities of the worlds they described: Poe in late adolescence when life can seem particularly fraught and frightening; followed by Whitman and then Miller in conjunction with his burgeoning sexuality in his later teens; followed by James as he became more sensible of James' place in the academy (James was a writer who he sensibly chose to study as a prelude to getting his Ph.D as opposed to Miller), and then, as he became radicalized in the 60s, the work of the Beats, primarily Kerouac and Ginsberg.

He does a great job on each writer's bio: succint but always relevant, and always a telling detail that you probably have not encountered elsewhere. Tytell's command of this material is always impressive, his judgments fair, and his style always engaging. And we meet a number of literary folks face to face: the abovementioned beats, but also Leon Edel, James' biographer and Tytell's teacher, and some other remarkable New Yorkers such as his immigrant family, denizens of the New York diamond market, various lovers and friends. And of course, there's New York which also plays a central character in this warm and often piquant work of memory and criticism.

I was very pleased with the service and the book
came to me in excellant condition

If you're not in the neighborhood to enjoy the gourmet meals at the Red Cat resaurant, this cookbook is the next best alternative. Beautiful photographs and fresh writing make it a joy to peruse. The directions are clear and encouraging to even a novice cook like me. This is the only cookbook I own that I actually read from cover to cover. Try the green beans tempura--you'll be hooked forever. And if you're in NYC, the Red Cat is worth going out of your way for.

My first thought on seeing this book was 'where ever can I find some red cats to cook?' But of course that's not what the book is about. It turns out that The Red Cat is a restaurant in Manhattan. Yet this is not a typical restaurant menu cookbook.

This is a cookbook that takes a lot of food tastes, primarily from the Eastern seaboard (think clam chowder), and Europe (think France, Italy, Germany) and presents them is a clear and easy to understand manner. Although it is not that big a book, it is abook that covers all aspects of a meal from finger foods at the start to home made ice creams at the end.

While a lot of the recipies have a down home simple aspect about them, many of them add higher end ingredients (lobster) and some very tasty sauces.

Neighborhood restaurants are always a favorite! Warm, friendly, inviting, and great food! The Italian-American foods are delish! If you want more pesto recipes, add Mary El-Baz's "Simply Elegant and Easy Pesto" to your bookshelf. There's a fantastic pesto made with pepperoncini that's just scrumptious on roast-beef or salami sandwiches!

Wonderful book, and easy to use for an average cook. Great food.

The full significance of this book will begin to be realized as cultural evolution unfolds in the next few decades. Professor Griffin has dealt a deathblow to materialism. Atheistic scientism has been demolished on its own terms. But in addition to clearing away the debris of atheistic orthodoxy, Griffin also presents a spiritually-fragrant alternative ontology and epistemology upon which the next great phase of human civilization can be built. This book firmly establishes Griffin as Whitehead's rightful heir, and the leading philosopher of the 21st century -- so far.

Although I would not share as such the perspective of this book, it is a very useful and provocative exploration of many issues current evolutionary theory, as it collides with religion, cannot deal with, because its assumptions of naturalism simply eliminate the problem rather than solving it. Darwinists are often charged thus with naturalistic preconceptions, then judged by a very narrow standard on this score, and we end with miraculous explanations for punctuated equilibrium, and other nonsense. This work by taking a far broader tack stands in the line of a greater tradition of naturalism, that reminds one of the 'evolutionary naturalism' of W. Sellars, and indeed the work summons the philosopher Whitehead to this debate, from which he has been exiled. The author, for example (and this is only a part of the argument) quite audaciously brings in the issue of parapsychology, although this is and will remain problematical. Every culture of man, with the possible exception of various subcultures of the Indian yogic traditions, has been totally confused on this point, and the final confusion is the positivist attempt to declare there is no such subject. It is not surprising that science should take this approach, but the result instantly vitiates the very basis of theory, for the subject has been amputated. However, it is never promising to pursue this area lightly, and it would seem dubious to make it a basis for a new spiritual evolutionism, if the antiquated yet sound traditions of the Buddhist variety always had better sense in their emphasis, not on the marginal parapsychology, but self-consciousness itself. The book generates a kind of constructive dialectical sparring and evokes a side of modernism we forget, from the lost hermetic traditions, to the pantheism, panentheism, and such of many from Leibnitz to Hegel, whose explorations have succumbed to idealist cliches, blinding us to the degenerated condition of the current spectrum of thought. Such issues have traditionally shown little promise however and would not easily resolve the religion-science dilemmas if we consider the great theosophical deviations they would generate. The turtling down of current positivistic evolutionism is a measure of self-defense.

The author's delineation of the types of naturalism with a subscripted terminology, e.g. naturalism-sam and naturalism-ns, and darwinism-1 to darwinism-8, etc,... is clarifying and useful. The retreat to a form of naturalism-ns (no supernatural)is very acute, and would probably relieve the current concealed metaphysics in the Darwinist enterprise, whose flaws the author analyzes at great length. Very provocative book, whatever one's views of its affirmations.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I especially like Griffin's coverage of the historical events and philisophical issues surrounding the science-religion debate. I think that he effectively discusses the history of science and the enlightnment within the context of 18th, 19th, and 20th century religiousity (i.e., deism, atheism, etc.). I also like his description of how science influenced religion and vice versa during the previous centuries. These well-constructed discussions are presented in the first few chapters.
Although I don't agree with his synthesis of science and religion (specifically, I don't favor rejecting God's supernaturalism), he does a good job of educating the reader on how important issues such as supernaturalism, determinism, and free will, etc. play a role in the issue of reconciling science and religious beliefs. I sometimes found myself saying, "that is a great insight."

If I have to pick something I did not like it would have to be his lengthy coverage of Darwinism. He presents a Process Theologian interpretation of Darwinism to support his viewpoint. I found this long discussion tedious, but others may find it interesting.

IMO, this book is a good read.

Dave

Through his book, Mr. Griffin has helped me answer one of the big questions that has bothered me since my undergraduate years in Electrical Engineering - how to resolve my sense of mystery in the world around me with my understanding and appreciation of the scientific method of inquiry. In a nutshell, the answer is that both Science and Religion have to give up some long held beliefs and dogmatic statements of "fact." Put succinctly;

"Belief in the supernatural causes problems for religion it can not solve, and supernaturalism makes religion incompatible with science. For both reasons, religion needs to give it up." 

"Belief in materialism causes problems for science it can not solve, and materialism makes science incompatible with religion. For both reasons, science needs to give it up."

In addition to the views on resolution of this de facto conflict between religion and science, Mr. Griffin's book has shed a considerable amount of light on my meager understanding of Alfred North Whitehead's writings around what I refer to as Process Theology. It has encouraged me to study further my own philosophy and theology and to explore how it fits with my understanding of the material world. As a technologist, it seems imperative for me to clearly understand this issue if for no other reason than to have a sound basis for ethical conduct in our increasingly technology dependent society. So to that end, this book is must reading for all of us, since we will all have to make ethical decisions about advancement in technology from creation of "spiritual machines," to genetic manipulation.

The ongoing attempt to reconcile religion with science is understandably challenging as we try to encompass the infinite within our finite human rationality. This book does a good job of framing the discussion.

This book's approach is to classify "religion" and "science" into two categories each.
1. Supernaturalism (religion-sup) holds that God is outside and independent of creation and can affect it from the outside.
2. Non-supernatural religion (religion-ns) holds that God is a part of creation and is not outside of its laws and rules, and must work within them.

3. Scientific-atheistic-materialistic science (naturalism-sam) says that the material universe is all there is, and we can only know what can be perceived via our five senses. This version of naturalism is necessarily atheistic and deterministic (our "minds" are an illusion of our physical brains, and there is no freedom of action, all actions are prescribed by the action/reaction of the matter that composes us.)

4. Non-supernatural science (naturalism-ns) does not insist on only a materialist perspective. Since our consciousness is a self-evident aspect of our existence, we can also know things via non-sensate experience (introspection, etc.)

The author's thesis is that a combination of religion-ns and naturalism-ns can bring fruitful reconciliation of impasses between religion and science. If we accept that God is a part of nature (Griffin's analogy is that God is the "mind" of creation as a human mind is part of the body), and that science includes non-material matters, we can overcome difficulties associated with the religion-sup (why does a good, all-powerful God allow evil?) and naturalism-sam (if the material is all there is, how do we explain our consciousness in a satisfying way?).

This metaphysical viewpoint also provides fresh perspectives to consider such areas as parapsychology (which materialism-sam rules out a priori), and reconciling the creation/evolution debate. Griffin presents an interesting discussion of both subjects. Particularly helpful is his is identification of 14 different iterations of "Darwinian evolution" that have been discussed, showing that when people speak of "evolution" it is important to identify/clarify which of the 14 iterations they have in mind. Griffin thoroughly explores all the nuances of these iterations of Darwinism, invaluably framing this topic for future debates.

Also interesting is his proposal that the materialist perspective of science, and the "ex nihilio" religious view that God was apart/outside of creation, were not settled on from the beginning but are fairly recent developments in past centuries.

While I do not completely concur with Griffin's premises and conclusions (I have no problem with the concept of an all-powerful "supernatural" God who could take six days to create a world that appears physically to have been in existence for billions of years, or who self-defines what is good and evil and who is not subject to our human formulations of logic, rationality, etc.), I found this book very interesting and helpful to clarify the issues, and thus I give it five stars.

As I read this book I wondered if it was written recently, as most books written in the last couple decades seem to have the same info, including the 'newly discovered' psychology of trading. Save a ton of money and buy this book first. Then you may not want any of the others. It's well written, though the author's whole intent is to prove no one can 'beat' the market, which is a little discouraging. I mean, after all, I think I will. Everyone interested in trading should read this early in their career, if not first.

As useful in the mad 1920's and 30's as it is today! Every trader should read it... at least twice. If you're into Hedge funds, Private Equity or Asset Management, you should probably read it not less than 3 times - in between the lines!

Reminiscences of Stock Operator is a classical works that testifies that the psychological and technical aspects that moves the market has not changed even to this present day... The beauty of the fictional story based on the greatest of minds that traded in the market and made millions and lost fortunes speaks very vividly to us today from their wisdom and experience... I have found the book to be full of wisdom, education and guidance that the financial markets is not a game to be played on the hopes of getting rich for nothing...To be successful requires the greatest discipline on our ourselves..And in the game of speculation this book let us know that the financial markets owes us nothing and that we can't force our hands...

Picture this; it's the early 1900's, the dawn of the Roaring 20's. Gatsby like characters abound and are romanticized in the Saturday Evening Post, Horatio Alger rags to riches stories are all the rave. Along comes Jesse Livermore, a ballsy, throw caution to the wind and risk it all by leveraging it up to the hilt and letting it ride type of guy. It's a time when the market is on fire and behaves something like the late 90's but the regulators are nowhere to be seen. Charles Ponzi takes Boston by storm with his promises of 50% in 45 days with his Ponzi Notes and creates an all out frenzy engulfing what seems like half of the City.

I read this book in 1990 when I first entered the securities business, and promptly bough 10 copies to give to friends. Over the years I have either given as a gift or recommended this book to everyone entering the business (Wall St. and the investing business in general).

In this edition the illustrations from the 1920's Post are worth every penny, however the market insight is invaluable. Just think about what you can learn from a guy that was day trading and scalping eights 70 years before it was in vogue!

I enjoyed the ride of the market throughout the 90's as a Wall Street broker and then moved on to real estate in 2001. I would recommend this book to anyone just starting out on Wall Street and for those that are Street veterans and have not read it yet, shame on you.

By Kevin Kingston, author of: A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate: A True Story About the Ups and Downs From Wall Street to Real Estate Leading to Phenomenal Returns

Blog: bloglines.com/blog/KevinKingston

If you believe Market Analysis,you ought to choose Jesse Livermore.If you believe Company Analysis,you ought to choose Warren Buffett.If you believe Country Analysis,you ought to choose Jim Rogers.Good lucky!