Science Books

Everything about this is great. Besides the story, which mixes action and comedy in the right amount, the printing and paper quality is SO much better than most "normal" manga. With artwork this beautiful, you need it to be larger so you can really drink in the details and immerse yourself in the story. I only wish more manga were printed in this high quality format. Plus it's cheaper than buying them individually in an inferior format! Now if they'd only release them quicker...I hate waiting to see what happened next!

As a dabbler only in the manga field I was familiar with the ttile but decided based on the price, this was a good try out book. I was not wrong!! Defintly worth your money as you get alot of story for the money. Actually cheaper than buying the individual books. Printed on strong paper with a handful of color pages at the front this is a compact beautiful apckage with a great starting story and I intend to buy all of the VIZBIG editions!

There are many manga that use themes that are similar to this one, but among all these, Rurouni Kenshin stands out as one of the best. Part of what makes this series so good is the great set of characters. There is also the wonderful recreation of the era in which the story develops; we truly feel like being at a different time in history. The impressive drawings are also a trait that makes this a successful series, and I particularly like how they use the distorted facial expressions for humorous situations. Finally, there is the story in itself, which has many layers and the deeper we get into it, the more mesmerized we are. The fact that this volume is not at the level seen later, in terms of the complexity and richness of the plot, is the only reason why it gets four stars instead of the top rating.

Hitokiri Battousai is a warrior that with the help of his sword slew many rivals of the imperialists and contributed to entering the Meiji era, and then, he disappeared. A few years later, in the eleventh year of the Meiji era in Tokyo, times are such that carrying swords is forbidden, and Kenshin, the former Battousai wanders around with a reverse-blade sword, after having vowed not to kill anymore. Soon Kenshin runs into a murderer impersonating the Battousai and trying to discredit the Kamiya Kasshin School. Luck has it that before running into the killer, he met Kaoru, the young woman who is in charge of the school, and therefore, soon gets involved in helping her clear her name. This is the first bond that will stop Kenshin's wandering, but there are even more to come.

Kenshin is a man with deep convictions, and nothing can steer him away from the goal he set after abandoning his previous life: to build a world where people can pursue happiness. He is one of the most interesting characters I have met in the world of manga, but he is not the only notable character in this series. Far from it! In this first volume we meet Kaoru, a brave young woman that provides the series with some fine humor, and there is romance to come. And we meet Yahiko, a kid that has somewhat of an attitude problem and that hopes to become a samurai and become strong. Maybe most importantly, towards the end, we encounter Zanza (Sagara Sanosuke), the street fighter who will become a central character in this series, so pay attention! He is a very complex character, with an unconventional weapon and a baggage from the past that makes him hate the Ishin-Shishi (imperialists).

This is the start to a wonderful series, and one that goes way beyond the fighting, humor and romance. The quality of this volume should be enough for most people to want to read further, but even if that is not the case, trust me, this series gets much better, so I urge you to keep reading the next volumes. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

A mysterious warrior named Hitokiri Battôsai arose in Kyoto 140 years ago. A fiercesome warrior, he slew countless men, his efforts helping bring to a close the Bakumatsu era and bringing in the age of the Meiji.

Then he disappeared.

In the 11th year of the Meiji, a rurouni--a vagabond--named Himura Kenshin surfaces in Tokyo and befriends the spunky Kaoru, the owner of a student-less dojo.

With the aid of young new friend Yahiko, a boy wanting to be a samurai himself, Kenshin and Kaoru must ward off those looking to kill them.

And so the story begins...

Despite its label being a "romantic comedy," this is by far the most serious out of the manga I read. Nobuhiro Watsuki has crafted an incredible tale, an important story, one that had captured my full attention the second Kenshin showed up in Tokyo (which is pretty much the first page of the book).

His art is stellar. The detail is astounding (even after the first 22 pages when the art goes from ultra detailed to "just" super detailed). His rendering of Japan from 140 years ago is believable, each panel transporting you directly to the past.

The big deal about this book is the fight sequences, each chapter in this volume containing at least one battle. I've never seen action like this before--so huge, so intense, so detailed, so explosive, with speed-lines everywhere--AMAZING!

This volumes also includes a special bonus story that was originally published about a year before the now-complete-twenty-eight-volume series began.

This is a great opening story to what is sure to be a fantastic saga this reviewer looks forward to finishing. (I'm also now eager to check out the anime for this.)

Language warning: Cursing

Applauds should be given to Viz for taking a step in this direction, we can only hope they add more series to their VizBig line up!

In this book, you get the first three volumes of the series (Vol I: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, Vol II: The Two Hitokiri, and Vol III: A Reason to Act). Pages 11 - 32 are in full color, which adds another dimension to the story, I was sad the color had to end. The last few pages also give us some wonderful color pictures from the original volumes, without text. We also get 2 end of volume specials, the first occurs a year before the series begins and the second is, as the author describes, sort of the 'pilot' episode of Rurouni Kenshin, where the details are a bit different than the actual story, but it's still the Rurouni we all love!

The size of the book allows us to look at the detail a bit better. Another feature I noticed was page numbers, which are great if you lose your place.

If you're new to the series, I recommend buying this version over the original 3 volumes as you get more for your money.

This book is great, i bought it for my sister, as i already have one of my own, and considering it had to travel from america, it got here very fast!

We have this at our cabin on the lake. It is a fun for visitors to look up their birthdays and their loved ones. A great coffee-table type book when you have company.

This book gives a detailed look into the personalities of each day of the year. A great book and interesting study of all the people you know.

This is the greatest book you will ever read or buy on Horoscopes and Astrology. All my friends wanted to borrow this and some aren't even big into horoscopes. It has been used and borrowed till it has fallen apart by myself and everyone I know.

It covers everything you can imagine from the stars, planets, Astrology, and contains every aspect of Horoscopes and Birthdays with a 2 page personality profile for every day of the year. We read these to eachother and it was funny how correct it was. It really goes into specifics and also lists your strengths and weaknesses, the name of the day you were born and the charactertistic that stands out about it, Famous people born on the day, health, love, tarot card, numbers and more.

Its a large book but it's easy to read and every page will keep you interested. It's fun to look up all your family n friends birthdays and see if it relates to the person. This isn't silly stuff like regular horoscope books, this is the real deal and this is about the best it gets when it comes to Astrology. Even a skeptic I know had fun with it. Highly Recommended.

Absolutely delightful book - fun, entertaining, and guaranteed to surprise and delight readers with what can only be called an uncanny accuracy...WOW! Makes a beautiful gift...especially for those who simply enjoy life and refuse to get caught up in the age-old astrology debate. Read your own birthday and then decide! Lovely coffee table accessory...in fact, the book is too large to cart around. Enjoy!

Read this one a few years earlier, still as amazing as ever. It's not my favorite of Kathryn Reiss's books, but they're all so ridiculously good! Mystery with every bit of suspenseful goodness, history, and a touch of romance and psychological thriller, all in one great book. Not sure how she does it, but she does. Reiss' stories are always full of the randomest [and BEST] plot twists, never predictable and never repeated. You really can't listen to the "Clementine" song the same way ever again after reading this book. [Not to mention, I finally learned that the phrase 'lost and gone forever' was from that song, fancy that!]
As for characters, Molly's mom is an idiot. Molly was kind of annoying, but not nearly as annoying as Clementine. Molly definitely had it right about that girl being the epitome of spoiled. Then you've got Hob and Jared. I felt like there was little [or pretty much NO] difference between the two characters, which bothered me, but not too much, cause they both worked in their respective stories. I wish we'd seen more of Ms. Wilkins and Abner, they seemed like they had more to tell. Paulette and the baby were a good twist and that storyline had me horribly worried until the very end [didn't want history repeating itself there!]. Molly's dad was also highly underdeveloped, with a lot of potential.
Overall, I give it 4.5/5 stars. There were some descriptive bits that bugged me, because they were the kind that seemed to be inserted just for the sake of having description instead of adding to the story, and they were overly rambly fluffy blahness.

I read this book in the summer between my 5th and 6th grade year and I absolutely loved it. I have always been into spooky stuff and ghost stories so this book was perfect for me! Very weelwritten with great characters and plot!

This book is so awesome, its my favorite book. Once you start reading you cant put it down! I love the time period of the early 1900s so this book was freat for that too. Its very interesting to read about Molly and Jared as they go back to the early 1900s as two different people. Its not one of those mystery books where you just have to wait until the end in order to just get the answer to the mystery. Instead, it is a continual answer being given away from the middle to the end.

I first read this book I was in the 6th grade, and I recently bought it and read it again. I have to say, I liked it better the first time round. But that might have been because I was younger, and this book seems suited for the pre-teen, young teen audience.

The book I recently bought was different from when I read it in 6th grade--the cover was different, and I was disappointed because this edition seemed cheaply made--the cover was flimsy, and the binding wasn't very tight. Oh, well, that doesn't matter too much. Onto the story.

This is the story of Molly, who is extremely afraid of water and has had the same nightmare over and over for as long as long as she can remember. Then she meets Jared, her friend's cousin, and she has a strange urge to call him "Hob" and they both feel like they already know each other, even though they have never met before.

Molly goes to her friend's pool party, and Jared is there. When she won't get into the pool, he suddenly grabs her and throws her in the water. She sinks to the bottom and blacks out. Luckily Jared gives her mouth-to-mouth and she's ok. Molly decides to visit her dad and new stepmom in Maine for the summer, partly to recover from her scare. She is furious with Jared, and never wants to see him again.

When Molly arrives in the little town in Maine, strange things begin happening to her. She experiences something like flashbacks, except she is not herself--she is Clementine, a girl who lived in the same house as Molly's father with her uncle's family, a long time ago. Molly also realizes that the nightmares she has been experiencing are connected with Clementine and her house.

Jared comes to visit Molly in Maine, and tells her that he has been experiencing the same feelings, about a young man named Hob, who knew Clementine. Something tragic happened in this little town involving both Clementine and Hob, and Molly and Jared begin to piece together the clues, while finding that their feelings for each other have been growing stronger.

This is certainly one of the best scary books I have ever read. This book was given to me by a friend and it was the perfect choice. It was scary, but in perfect doeses, fast-paced and a definite page-turner. I really, really loved it! I highly. HIGHLY reccomned it to any one seeking a thrill!

If you're into the space program and what happened during this era, then I can't think of one reason why this shouldn't be in your library. It's one of my all-time favorite books.

This book was the basis for the movie Apollo 13. America had become complacent about our space shots by this time, which is something I still do not understand. But that may be because I worked so long at the Kennedy Space Center and always knew and still understand how dangerous each and every launch is. Apollo 13 was to have been the fifth mission to the moon. But two days into the trip, on April 13, 1970, the oxygen tank exploded in the command module, placing the three astronauts in grave danger. Lovell describes those terrifying days as astronauts, contractors, and Mission Controlled struggled to bring Apollo 13 safely back to earth. If you want to read what really happened by someone who was there...this is the book for you.

As someone who has been fascinated with space flight since childhood, and who well remembers the real Apollo 13 from his teenage years, I found this book a fascinating reminder of history. However, this book is about much more than the aborted flight of Apollo 13. It includes historical flashbacks that involved astronaut James Lovell. One chapter describes Lovell's teenage years as he launched homemade rockets. Another summarizes the early years of space exploration in the wake of Sputnik 1. Still another describes the selection of Lovell as an astronaut in late 1962. There is also a chapter on the Apollo 1 fire. Some of Lovell's closest friends perished in that needless tragedy. There is a fine description of the historical flight of Apollo 8, that Christmas lunar orbit in 1968. It included a reading from the Book of Genesis.

Now on to Apollo 13. In preparations for potential in-space emergencies, no one had imagined the simultaneous loss of both main oxygen tanks and all three fuel cells. This left the Odyssey itself with only a few hours of remaining oxygen, water, and electricity. Lovell and Kluge note that mission rules forbid a lunar landing if only one fuel cell becomes inoperable, even if nothing else is wrong. But the "Can the moon landing be saved?" quickly gave way to "Can the astronaut's lives be saved?"

The initial belief was that a meteoroid must have hit the ship. This later was discounted when the blown-open side of the service module became visible shortly after being jettisoned prior to re-entry. Clearly, the explosion must have originated from within the service module itself. Later investigation pointed to a confluence of factors, none decisive in and of themselves, that had combined to precipitate the near-tragedy. To begin with, the wrong-power fuses were being used within the oxygen tanks. When overloaded, they simply melted, allowing the overload of electricity to pass through. During assembly, the oxygen tank had been dropped, damaging an exit tube. During launch-pad exercises, the liquid oxygen was drained past the damaged exit tube by applying extra heat and driving the oxygen out another way. The sensor was not designed to warn of overheating above 80 F. Meanwhile, this procedure had unknowingly raised the temperatures to impossible levels, burning the insulation off much of the wire inside the oxygen tank. The first two times the stirring fan was turned on in space, there was no problem. But the third time, a spark must have flown and ignited the damaged insulation in the pure-oxygen environment, causing the explosion. The explosion itself damaged a tube connected to the second oxygen tank, thus draining it.

The book provides good detail about the dangers and challenges associated with the abort procedure itself. The decision was made not to attempt to fire the service module engine in order to reverse the flight direction in a deep-space abort, if only because the damaged service module might be unable to take the strain of the engine's thrust. The first critical burn of the lunar module's descent engine, done some six hours after the explosion and designed to change the hybrid trajectory back into a free-return trajectory, would have caused the Apollo 13 to crash into the far side of the moon if done incorrectly. Without the burn, however, Apollo 13 would be stuck in a 40,000 by 240,000 mile elliptical orbit around Earth. Thoughts were entertained about jettisoning the useless service module and using the lunar module's descent engine to accelerate the ship considerably--returning it from the vicinity of the moon to Earth in only some 36 hours. But this was not done out of fear that exposure of the command module's heat shield to the temperature extremes of space might damage it.

Everything on the ship had to be powered down--a strategy that worked, just barely. The severe cold aboard the ship, a secondary consequence of the powering down of all nonessential equipment, is described. The astronauts had a frosty breath. Some got urinary infections. They had a hard time getting comfortable enough to sleep.

The astronauts were slowly being poisoned by their own carbon dioxide. This was solved by the jury-rigging of the lithium hydroxide "scrubbers" of the command module to get them to fit into the circulation system of the lunar module. Just before re-entry, there were the challenges of successfully reviving the systems aboard the command module, and jettisoning both the service and lunar modules in a completely unconventional manner.

This well written book is a great time line of what really happened. I also enjoy the movie and this book fills in the gaps that were not covered in the movie. Also gives detailed accounts of nearly everyone involved in this mission.

Jim Lovell's dreams of landing on the moon were literally blown away in April 1970, when an oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13's service module exploded less than a day away from lunar orbit, forcing the crew to limp home under perilous circumstances. More than two decades after surviving that mission, Lovell (with his co-author Jeffrey Kluger) has written an excellent account of that ill-fated moon flight.

LOST MOON is one of the best of the Apollo books I've read, especially one concerning a single mission. This is also one of the best books about the work of mission control, who were the key figures behind the successful return of the crew. It is as complete a description of this mission as we are ever likely to see. The attention to detail is on a very high level, and the amount of transcripted dialogue is plentiful, well presented, and from a myriad of sources. There are a number of slightly testy exchanges between Lovell's crew and mission control, highlighting the tension of the situation in an honest and unapologetic manner. The examination of exactly how the accident happened, as told in the epilogue, is covered exceptionally well.

An aspect of the book that bothered me was the decision to use a third-person narrative throughout (which is defended unconvincingly in the author's notes). I had never before read any autobiographical account in which the central figure is treated in the third person. Basically, I was looking forward to reading Lovell's descriptions of events using his own voice and experience, and that didn't quite happen. To read Lovell -- one of the most engaging personalities of all the early astronauts -- diminished by such an impersonal, veiled perspective was disappointing. It adds nothing to the writing, and ultimately I felt it was a disservice to the book, though a minor one. If the authors had their doubts about mixing third-person and first-person perspectives successfully, they could have taken some cues from Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who wrote two books in that style and who is regarded as perhaps the best writer among the former astronauts.

Despite its compromises in narrative style, LOST MOON (or APOLLO 13, depending on the format) is an outstanding biographical account of the failed 1970 moon flight. It is potentially a five-star book if the writing had been appropriately personal when it counted the most.

No Flying in the House
By Betty Brock

Young Annabel is being raised by Gloria, a three-inch tall dog who can talk and do three hundred and sixty seven tricks.

Gloria teaches Annabel manners, she teaches her to brush her teeth and even listens to her prayers. Annabel grows up to be a very well trained little girl. Although Annabel loves Gloria, she begins to wonder why she doesn't have parents like everyone else. Gloria always tells her that someday her parents will return.

Gloria, the three-inch dog is very protective of Annabel and won't let her out of her sight, until the day Annabel starts school.

Annabel is visited by a golden cat, named Belinda. Belinda is rude and calls her stupid, but she also tells her a secret. Annabel is a fairy and she can fly. Annabel is not to tell anyone her secret. She tries to fly and only manages to break her ankle.

One day, much to her surprise, Annabel begins to fly around the house.
Although she is overjoyed to be a fairy, she is forced to choose between being a human child or a fairy. Her choice can make all the difference for her future happiness.

You will enjoy this unusual fairy tale and want to share it with your friends.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

I absolutely love, love, love this book! This was my favorite book when I was a child, and when I was having my own daughter I just had to have a copy of this book to share with her. Thank goodness Amazon had it! I read it to her a chapter at a time every night until she was 5 and started reading on her own. She loves the book as much as I do. It's just a fun book that you can share with your own children. Thanks, Amazon! Now if I could only get a good copy of Old Black Witch, another of my favorites.

I read this book as a child, and just loved it. I have a clear memory of trying VERY hard both to fly, and to kiss the tips of my own elbows while I read it (according to the book, the ultimate proof of being a fairy).However, I didn't remember any of the story's details -- neither the title nor the author. Finally, after an in-depth Internet search, I found it and I ordered it for my own 8 year old daughter, who read it straight through. She seems to have loved it as much as I did, and still talks about the memorable characters and situations. (I reread it the day it arrived in the mail, and it turns out it is not just a story about an orphaned little girl and her tiny talking dog -- it is a mystery as well!) The best part for me was watching my daughter try to kiss her own elbows. But why not? After all, who knows which of us is really a fairy? Now I am left to wonder why this author didn't write more children's books. I will definitely try and find other things she has written.

This was a book I read as a child... it was one of my favorite books and has now become my nine year old daughters' favorite. We read it together, a chapter each night, over a week... it was compelling, exciting, mysterious, and amazing all at once - we were captivated. I thoroughly recommend this story to any little girl who has dreamed about being a fairy.

I really loved NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE as a child. (I still have my original copy, which is 38 years old!) I still love it now. And I have just finished reading it to my three year old daughter, who was very taken with it. It was a delightful adventure for both of us, being able to share a true favorite together.

NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE is the story of 3 year old Annabel Tippens and her companion Gloria. Gloria is a small white dog, three inches long and three inches high; she can sit in the palm of your hand. But that is not the most remarkable thing about Gloria: she talks, she is extremely smart, and is the sole care-giver to young Annabel, whose parents have had to go away and who have entrusted Gloria with Annabel's care, upbringing and protection. But even that is not the MOST remarkable thing about Gloria...

Annabel is not quite what she seems, either. As Annabel gets older, she begins to discover certain unique abilities. As a matter of fact, Annabel can fly. (What little girl doesn't dream of flying???) It seems that Gloria has a secret that she has been keeping from Annabel, for her own good. Annabel isn't just any little girl, she is ½ a true fairy princess. Unfortunately, Annabel discovers this secret, and now she must make a very important choice, one that will change her life forever.

NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE written in a simple, straight forward style that captures the hearts and imaginations of readers young and old alike. It is an exciting tale of fairies and flying, that also teaches the true meaning of love. It is a wonderful story to share, and I am so glad that I did.

This edition does not have color illustrations. When I purchased it, I was under the impression that it did. They are printed in black and white. The paper in this edition is the sort of paper used in a low quality trade paperback: this isn't really a nice edition. I'm not very pleased.

But the story itself is worth reading in any edition! Wonderful book!

This is a wonderful three-in-one storybook. We are reading it as a family and it is so clever and beautifully written. I would highly recommend; you will not be disappointed.

Excellent children's book! I highly recommend it to all
people young and old. Great illustrations and wonderful
imagination!!! A classic!

My wife bought this on recommendation from another Amazon parent and we have enjoyed it very much! We curl up in bed together with our 4.5 yo son and 7+ yo daughter and read a couple of chapters each night. The children adore the story line, Elmer's cleverness and everything about this charming, delightful, classic series. Absolutely get this trilogy to share with your children and your grandchildren; it's wonderful!

I could have purchased each book individually, but bought the three in one version. I read the book in record time to my class in daily read-aloud sessions because every day they would BEG me to read just one more chapter in the story! They were engaged each day. It is an amazing read-aloud with excitement, adventure and thrilling parts that kept imaginations running and waiting for the next chapter then book~! I know these books will become a part of my read-aloud for years to come.

I really liked the book, it is beautiful, but I ordered several books and many of them were damaged. Amazon was really good about exchanges, but it was still a pain. If you buy one, check it carefully for defects.

I absolutely love this book. You will not be disappointed. It goes beyond the average pop up book. Things actually come up and off of the page. Its really quite a piece of art.

Beautiful and creative masterpiece! A real keepsake! Sabuda has created a magical, fairytale world. Something beautiful on each page and twinkling lights on the final page.

This is a great book. I wish I could find another battery for the back because mine is out and I can't find one.

i am a serious collector of robert sabuda's pop-up books!! i found a hidden surprise within the pages, that was unexpected and delightful. mr. sabuda's imagination is expansive. this book is amongst my favorites!! you will enjoy this book. it is well worth the price.

It was shipped to me within 2 days, great service and great product.

I had to read this book for one of my Woman's Studies classes at Western Illinois University. I think this is a must read book for everyone (especially those who are in recovery or have been convicted of a violent crime of this nature). It is a bit graphic and I don't recomend that anyone under high school age read it. I had to set it down a couple of times due to that, but, it was nessessary to truely understand Ms. Raine's story. You don't truely understand what someone goes though after rape without going through it yourself.

A friend loaned this book to me but it is likely a book I will never forget. Nancy Venable Raine tells her important story in a very accessible way. As a nurse who took care of rape victims in the middle 80's and now a school nurse, I am aware that the secret of abuse and assault reverberates in too many lives. And while I would never say that my experiences as a young nurse were equivalent to those of my patients, I vividly remember hearing my victim-patients stories and identifying with them. Many of my victim-patients were not that different from me--young, single, living alone. During that time, I _usually_ slept with the lights on because I wanted to try to be able to identify my perpetrator, if that ever happened to me.

Raine shows us her story, how it echoes in her life. Coming back from and integrating the experience in life is not, cannot be easy but one cannot help but feel she is one of the minority of individuals who gets the needed help to do so.

Now, in year 2007, I was acutely aware that at times Raine paired the rape experience and the torture experience. It is a source of sadness to me that we, as a nation, are perpetuating that experience for so many. There is something profound about her description of the rape victim as a container for her perpetrator's anger. And that is far from the only profound idea.

Having also read "Lucky" by Alice Sebold, I would say they are both very important books but this book is a far better glimpse into the recovery aspect.

"Throw away the lights, the definitions
And say of what you see in the dark" - Wallace Stevens

"Speech is civilization itself. The word . . . preserves contact - it is silence which isolates." - Thomas Mann

Following her rape, this author became a completely different person, a person who lived "with sudden fear the way others live with cancer. The fear was always there." It took seven years before she could begin writing about her experience. She states that the anniversary of her rape "was more significant than my own birthday, and yet there was only silence . . . I had become, the one who marked her anniversaries in silence . . . Could I celebrate my survival in silence and alone? Not according to Webster's, which defines the verb "to celebrate" this way: "to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites" . . . It pained my family and friends to remember. To acknowledge my experience might bring up what they hoped I had forgotten . . . for me to remind them that I had not forgotten seemed unkind, even cruel, because I knew they needed to believe I had. Our rite was, therefore, silence."

"I thought about Wittgenstein's observation that the limits of language are the limits of reality. Was rape off limits to our most distinctly human attribute - language? . . . I could no longer consent to silence."

Another friend and rape victim asked her, "How do I tell people who don't know, people who might become close friends? If I don't tell them, it makes it a secret, like something to be ashamed of. When I do tell them, they make it worse. They never ask me about it. It'a a part of me, part of who I am now, but they don't want to know about it. It's no-win. Just no-win."

"But silence has the rusty taste of shame. The words 'shut up' are the most terrible words I know. I cannot hear them without feeling cold to the bone. The man who raped me spat those words out over and over during the hours of my attack - when I screamed when I tried to talk him out of what he was doing, when I protested . . . The real shame, as I have learned, is to consent to them."

So she wrote an essay "Returns of the Day" in The New York Times Magazine in 1994. In response "Without exception, all of the letters from survivors described the isolation of the aftermath of rape, its life-altering transfromations."

"The victims of rape must carry their memories with them for the rest of their lives. They must not also carry the burden of silence and shame."

If you have friend or family member dealing with these issues (and the odds are that you do), here are other books that are also excellent on this and related topics, "Lucky" & "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, & "Siolence" edited by Susan McMaster - all written by women. Rape victims and victims of relationship violence and abuse often hide their experiences and the behaviors of their abusers, feeling ashamed for even being involved with the abusive patterns. All of these books suggest women become more free and mentally at ease when they realize there is nothing to be ashamed of about being victimized. And they suggest the causes of our silences and the things we hide probably deserve more attention, new perspectives, and reconsideration.

Ms. Raine describes the trauma and recovery of rape in clear and helpful terms and I appreciate the references to other works about rape recovery and feminism. Raine's AFTER SILENCE inspired me to read another landmark TRAUMA AND RECOVERY by Judith Herman, MD. It is hard to find books about rape recovery and people who can and will talk calmly, rationally, compassionately (or at all) about this subject. Raine's AFTER SILENCE should be required reading in high school for both boys and girls! Rape is so widespread that it should be addressed more often by family and friends; local, state, national, and world leaders; educators and news media. Raine also references I NEVER CALLED IT RAPE by Robin Morgan, another excellent source for raising awareness of the frequency and extent of rape in society. My own childhood incest and young adult rape were not known to my parents, siblings and doctors for decades even though the symptoms were so obvious that I was hospitalized for months. Can't praise Raine's work enough. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Raine and all those who made her work possible. Healing may be slow in coming, but it does come, after the silence, with the help of authors like Raine.

Whenever someone asks me what book(s) they should read to get started in magick I reccomend this one. No glut of rituals, no overabundance of theory, and alot of practical work.

A step by step trainning program for actually aquireing the basic skills of a mage. How to control your own mind, how to revamp your emotions, and how to work with energy. Every step is necessary, and helps you develop the practical skill and knowlage to handle the next portion.

My only problem is that the book is translated in such a way that it is hard to tell what Bardon means sometimes. There are also some random mundane errors here and there, but nothing huge and glareing. Initiation Into Hermetics is best read with Rawn Clark's "A Bardon Companion" for clarification.

I haven't read the whole thing yet because these things take time. However, I will say this: This book has a lot of good information in it. Granted, it was written at a college level - I don't know about the Doctoral Thesis analogy someone else used - but then again, given the subject matter, it was very well written. You are going to have to reread each section (possibly several times) before it makes sense to you on an emotional level but in my opinion it is well worth the effort.

If I had to throw away all my occult books and only keep one, this one would be it. This is the only occult book you will need to develop the mind, body, and soul and start yourself on the path of true magic. The exercises contained herein are soley for that purpose.

If only I had bought it sooner. I would have saved so much money and would have advanced so much. This book is a one to be treasured for a life time.

This it, the beginning book. You buy this and wour search for root knowledge is finished. stop wondering in the dark and illuminate yourself.

this has to be the greatest book ever written on magik.franz goes into great detail about using the the different techniques to utilize your mind but doesnt force upon his methods, and leaves enough room for experimentation. i wish i had started reading it sooner as i would be much further along in my own practices

A series that absolutely HAS to be completed! One of the best fantasy reads ever--but not for children.

After the crazy carnage of the first book, the only hope for the forces of good is the superpowered Celtic earth warrior, the Morigu. Will even he be enough? Probably not, given how this is going.

It's been 20 years since I received this book to read. After two years of painful searching (longing really), I was able to purchase it. This is simply some of the best writting I have ever read. It holds its own with the best. For eighteen years I have faithfully read this book a least once (sometimes more) each year. It just never gets tired. It's the only book that I've read that I can now open ANY page and get totally taken up in the story. Even knowing what is going to happen doesn't deter the authors crisp, detailed, gut wrenching writting style, and raw emotions this book will pull out of you. I thank my friend Steve for allowing me to read the book for the first time so long ago. This is a MUST read for any fantasy fan.

I own both books. I hope for a third(and a fourth..?) This series presents a level of realism to an unreal universe. The characters, factions, events, and even the magic are presented in such a fashion that the story has a level of believability that is lacking in most titles of the genre. Without going into specifics, the characters and story undergo a large amount of change and development for such a short read. This is even more astounding considering the multitude of major players in the storyline. All in all, wonderful books. Just wish there were more (Hint, hint Mr. Perry)

I love this book, along with the sequel Morigu: The Dead. This was some fast paced, large scale fantasy. But be warned, the series was never completed. From what I have been able to gather, Mr. Perry's publisher dropped him after the second book, and he has found work in Hollywood. Given the length of time now, I seriously doubt he will finish the series even if he was willing. It is a shame, since those who have read these books love them.