Vans Books

Phillip Gordon is a wonderful writer and storyteller. His memoir begins in a room where his father is dying of cancer, the knowledge of which weighs on both author and readers. He hooked me immediately with that situation, which became ever more heartrending as I learned more about him and his father. Dr. Gordon's reflections of growing up in rural North Carolina--such as stories about his and his father's encounter with a snake, and his disastrous visit to a pigpen with two other boys--are reminiscent of Tom Sawyer. Unlike Tom's stories, Dr. Gordon's paint a picture of a close father-son relationship, the idyllic farm-family life he enjoyed as a youngster, and many of the experiences that served to mold his character and commitment as a neonatologist. Dr. Gordon's descriptions of his adult life as a physician determined to save the lives of newborns are at times technical, but nonetheless leave readers holding their breaths, wondering if the life-saving attempts will succeed. In most cases, they do. The irony and the reality that weighs on Dr. Gordon and his readers is the surety of his father's coming death, and the need for Dr. Gordon--physician and son--to come to terms with it. I was very moved by this book.

Beyond the beautiful memoir that Dr. Gordon has written, he takes the opportunity to express his opinions about certain aspects of the medical profession. I hope that this thoughtful physician will continue to contribute to the ongoing public conversation about how medical care can be improved.

Carla Danziger
McLean, VA

I read cherubs in one night. Gordon starts you out in the Garden of Eden (rural North Carolina) and you end up on the front lines of modern medicine (neonatology). Somewhere along the way, everything you knew about life and death gets twisted upside down. He treats his subjects tenderly but at the same time hits a nerve like a hammer striking a nail. I especially liked how he moved back and forth in time between his dying father and his own coming of age as a doctor, giving us this dysfunctional parallel between the personal and the professional take on the dying person. You gotta read it. I've already bought copies to give as gifts to people I know in the medical profession. I think they need to read it.

When I was 15, many years ago, I discovered this book. I went from USCF 1065 to USCF 1612 because of my surprising tactical genius.:) Reading it improved my game that much.

In my opinion, this is best book ever written for learning fundamental chess tactics/combinations, yet the book lives in obscurity.

The material is presented using the methods and processes that psychologists call "programmed instruction." (This has nothing to do with computer programming; the term predates computers.) The short tutorial at the following link defines "programmed instruction" using the techniques of programmed instruction! If you take the tutorial, then you should have a good idea of the book's teaching technique.
http://www.centerforpi.com/cgi-local/WhatIsPI_MainMenu.pl

Most chapters deal with a single theme (tactic) such as double attack, pins, discoveries, queening combinations, etc. A typical chapter will start with a simple clear explanation of the tactic under discussion and then proceed with a sequence of positions, one to a page, where you are to choose for white and for black to play. The problems start simple and gradually build upon each other becoming more complex as the chapter proceeds. Unlike some books which merely give the best line as the answer, Ault provides good explanations for the reasons behind the moves including why some promising looking move doesn't work. Sometimes he even suggests ways to think about the position that can guide you to the correct move.

This is not a book for passive reading but instead requires your active participation -- similar to a workbook or perhaps even a private tutor. I would estimate that the book's level of difficulty is best for class D and class C players (1200-1600).

In summation, if you are looking for a good book on fundamental tactics and you are lucky enough to find this one, then
immediately grab it and don't let go!

This is a great book for someone who enjoys puzzles, and is a beginning-moderate player. It is organized into chapters, each demonstrating one type of combination: skewers, pins, forks, discoveries, etc. On each page is a chess board diagram from an actual master or tournament game. The reader is asked to decide the best move for black and for white. Turn the page, find the answer, clearly shown on another board diagram. The author also tells you what actually happened in the game. You feel as if you're playing with all the greats, Fischer, Spassky, Euwe, Lasker, (written before Kasparov's prominence).
So, it's a "learn by doing" workbook experience.
There's no boring and complex text to try to follow.
You absolutely don't need a chess set to follow the book.
It is so enjoyable you'll read it twice, at least.

Written close to 40 years ago (first published in 1961), this book is part of Van Gulik's Judge Dee series which chronicles the cases investigated by the famous magistrate of classical Chinese detective stories.

A staple of the Judge Dee stories are the multi-layered plot and accurate historical details of ancient Chinese culture and practices and this book does not disappoint in both areas. Unique and superbly readable, this series deserves a place on the shelf of every mystery fan. One small note: This new version seems to have omitted the chinese-style illustrations found in the original printing - probably due to the (very low-key) nudity that the publisher found offensive.

I have read all of Van Gulik's murder mysteries and this is has to be my favorite. The characters are intriguing and some sinister. The end is satisfying and bittersweet, challenging integrity vs justice. I would, however, recommend you read the others first (chronological is good, Chinese Gold Murders is first) to get to know the main characters although this book can stand on on its own.

Loved this fun mystery. Judge Dee is a judge who encounters and solve three mysteries set in ancient China. In ancient China, the judge acts in a judicial capacity but also acts as the detective. The cast of characters that the author developed is also interesting. The writing is clear and without repetitive prose. The book is written so that the reader can try to solve the mystery as s/he reads along, and there's a lot of interesting tidbits about the ancient Chinese judicial/legal system. If you're looking for a fun and not too serious book with delightful mysteries, try this out. You don't have to read the Judge Dee books in order. I liked this one more than the Chinese Lake Murders. By the way, in this book (and in other Judge Dee books), there are multiple mysteries presented and the judge solves them all at the same time.

This Chinese mystery story is one of Judge Dee's best, although I like all of his books so far. The book was fun to read. I always try to figure out who is the murderer and how it was done before finishing the book; the author is very clever, and sometimes there is a surprise ending. I am delighted these books were reprinted. I read them 50 years ago; and now that they are again available, am rereading them. I like them even better now!

My 4- and 6-year-old daughters love the story and illustrations, and we can't wait to try the recipes. I am very sad to see this is out of print and hope to find a copy somewhere.

This book is entertaining as well as educational. I purchased this book for my 9 yod, who is interested in baking. She has made several of the recipes from the book, and they have all been delicious. The directions are simple to follow. There is a story in the book that is entertaining with beautiful illustrations. I would like to see more quality children's cookbooks like this one, which have fantastic recipes simple enough for children to make. I think this book would encourage any young cook.

The colored photos really help with the projects. I started marking my favorite pages, but then quit since I liked nearly all of them.

This book will help me to really personalize some small gifts for teachers ect.

I have already E-mailed the title to two friends so that they my also know about this little treasure I found.

Lots of creative ideas. The photos are wonderful.Haven't tried the recipes yet. I'm more interested in the ideas and the way they've suggested giving foods as gifts. Their ideas for presentation are delightful. These can be used for your own food items as well. It's kind of an heirloom book...timeless ideas for giving tasteful gifts. I love it!

I bought this book on clearance at the end of this past years Christmas season, and believe me I will make use of it from now on. There are so many really good projects that will make nice, if not excellent gifts. You can make use of it all year long, not just Christmas. All you have to do is change the holiday decorations. This is a must have if you're a crafter.

This book gives some wonderful ideas for homemade Christmas gifts! Each item gives an approximate price breakdown for the cost of the materials. I must admit that I did have a tough time finding the materials for my very first project, but it turned out well! I would definetly recommend this book for anyone who makes homemade gifts or participates in craft shows.

I have made quite a few of the recipes from this book and they have all been delicious. The sauces especially stand out for me - I have never been good at concocting stir-fry sauces, but there are several in here that have become standbys. Tofu is really treated well in this book - its versatility is showcased - and there are many noodle recipes as well. Highly recommended.

I'm not a vegetarian but this is a delightful recipe book. Full of authentic recipes covering everything from appetizers to desserts and everything in between. The ingredients are not extremely obscure as some readers find with other Asian cookbooks. The recipes are well written and some come with illustrations to aid in things like rolling an egg roll wrapper. What a wonderful variety of over 135 recipes to cook. This will keep you coming back to it.

Caplin's book is, on the whole, an excellent revival of the Formlehre (study of form) tradition. His methodology of examining "formal functions" (i.e. how a particular musical module functions in the context of a full piece, rather than just labelling it) is incredibly revealing, and therefore his explanations of the various classical theme types (period, sentence, and small ternary) are likely the best you'll see in any study. The one caveat that I should express about this book is its reliance on the Riemannian and Schoenbergian traditions of harmonic theory: that's not necessarily a drawback, but to Americans who are used to the Schenkerian and roman numeral traditions of harmonic theory it can take a little getting used to (well worth the effort though).

This book is an in-depth outline of the four major forms of the classical era: Sonata, Rondo, Minuet/trio, and concerto. Before it covers them, however, covers the parts that make them, i.e. subordinate theme. Each of these small parts takes up about thirty pages, where the author covers tonal regions, structure, dynamics, etc. This book is a must for the music theory student/professional, or the composer.

I bought one of the first copies of this book and it was definitely one of the most unusual books of erotica I've ever seen. I couldn't stop reading it. This month I found that it had been reviewed by Forum and they actually agreed with me! A book "you can pass around to your friends without a flush of embarrassment" and a book "you can't put down!" I can't wait to see more from this pair!

Whispers. Whispers in the dark. Secret longings. Hushed giggles as the hinges on the closet slowly creak open. Beyond the door, in the darkness, carefully hidden, is the passage to a place more magical yet every bit as innocent as Narnia. When lovers pass through its portal what is fantasy becomes reality and what is reality becomes fantasy. It is the place of our hidden desires, a place where lovers' erotic passions are safeguarded and shared in the deepest moments of intimacy, away from prying eyes, and ears.Erotic passions are food for the erotic soul and best served dripping hot to your lover. Some dishes may be too spicy while others a bit bland, but here you will find a smorgasbord to satisfy any appetite. The Wedding is subtle, veiled, and mysterious like many Victorian stories. White Linen is naughty yet with an ironic twist of humour. Rue du 8 Mai 1945 is a romantic tale of fantasy fulfilled. Finally, Black Leather and Silver Chains is so extreme and shocking you may need more than a cold drink to tame the flames. All-in-all, twenty-five stories from two lovers are brought together for you to savour and share.