Science Books

This book does a great job of enhancing the experience of watching The Dark Crystal. Objects that are only seen for an instant or merely in the background are explained in detail in this beautiful collection. My only complaint? There's lots of white space on some of the pages, which makes it feel like less of a guide to an ancient world and more like a textbook.

Even so, highly recommended for fans of the movie, faerie stuff in general, or just great artwork.

Brian Froud, the creator of the Dark Crystal, is a Genius.

This book is a small Bible.

Well written, and with images so refined it makes you wonder if it is all "human" made.

All your questions about the Dark Crystal will be answered.
The information contained in the book seems almost sacred,
as for the capacity for the human mind to understand it all,
that is yet to be proven...

This book is an amazing tome for anyone who grew up in adoration of The Dark Crystal. Brian Froud's illustrations and concepts are gorgeous and so incredibly creative. This book is delivered as a history of the World in which the film takes place. It is narrated by Aughra, "...the first and last," who witnessed thousands of years of creation and destruction. She monitors the cyclical suns, a spectator of the conjunctions that bring the wise urSkeks, and their division a thousand years later into the cruel Skeksis and the mystical urRu. Aughra alone knows the long history of the crystal and throughout the pages, describes life throughout the ages. There are so many subtleties that the book describes that I can't wait to watch the film again, knowing the significance of the shapes of rocks, the intricate details of the clothes the characters wear, and the elaborate symbolism peppered throughout. The art is gorgeous and the insights into the World of the Dark Crystal shed a new light on the film and its philosophy. Bravo!

A must have for any Dark Crystal fan. It contains detailed pictures, decriptios of the various races, and a breif overveiw of how the world works. It also contains some history on the making of the movie, and a copy of the orginal movie idea. Even if you don't like the movie, it would be hard not to appreciate level of detail that went into this imaginary world.

Overall: An excellent book, which I highly recomend.

I didn't grow up with "The Dark Crystal" like most others who bought this book. I watched it for the first time in 2007. While I found the movie charming, it didn't leave much of an impression. Still, I was fascinated with just how so powerfully so many people love this movie. The film has such a following that a sequel is on the way after 25 years. So, I bought this book to see what it was I was missing. This book is mostly written from the point of view of Aughra, one of the main characters in the film. The art is fantastic but what I adored was the mythology I found within these pages. In this book is a vivid history of the world of the Dark Crystal, complete with philosophical and religious ideas that have a strong connection to the events of the film. If you wish to understand the films themes and events better, there is no better book than this. A MUST for all fans of "The Dark Crystal"

I was a bit disappointed in these books, because I love the Crown/Court Duel books so much. These are not like them at all. They seem to be for much younger girls, and there's no romance or anything.

And it was weird but I did not really like Wren. I know I was meant to, but she just seemed like too much of a typical, plucky, orphaned heroine - and she was too matter of fact and accepting of all these amazing events. It wasn't realistic, and I know it's fantasy, but shouldn't the characters still feel real?

I have only read these books once - and I re-read EVERYTHING - so that tells you that they're not that great. But they are probably okay for younger readers.

The book I am reviewing is called Wren To The Rescue by Sherwood Smith. I think this story deserves five stars. It's about a girl named Wren trying to save a friend named Tess who is a princess. The problem is a evil king named Andres kidnaps Tess. Wren attempts to save her friend with the help of a magician and prince. She may just do it. I really recommend this book to everyone. Other books are Wren's Quest and Wren's War.

Emerson, NJ Fifth Grader

After I read Crown Duel, I couldn't wait to read other books by Sherwood Smith. I picked up "Wren to the Rescue", and began reading. I couldn't put it down! After reading Crown Duel, I thought NOTHING could even compare to it--I was wrong. "Wren to the Rescue" has the same nose-glued-to-the-page quality, plenty of action and adventure, lovable characters, and of course, majic. Normally, I'm not really into the whole "evil sorcerer/sorceress-mystical power-wizard school" thing, but this is different. The type of majic that Smith portrays is almost believable, and not the traditional witchcraft that many other books these days are about. I can't wait to read the other two in the series: "Wren's Quest" and "Wren's War"! I would reccomend this book to anyone, but people ages 10 and up will probably enjoy it to its fullest. Happy reading!

Wren to the Rescue is a great read! It keeps you hooked and after you read it, you'll run to find the sequels! I just finished reading it for the second time, and it was just as good as I remembered it.

Wren, an orphan at Three Groves Orphanage, finds out that her friend Tess is really a long lost princess, hidden there because the wicked king Andreus wants to kidnap her. Wren is invited to come back to the palace in Cantirmoor with her friend. Unfortunately, the day after they arrive, Andreus strikes and Tess is spirited off to his stronghold in Senna Lirwan. Wren, being the spunky girl that she is, is not content to sit back and watch everyone else search. She uses a magic spell she saw to transport herself to the magic school, and from there decides to run off with a young magic prentice, Tyron, to rescue Tess.

They decide to find the mysterious mage Idres Rhiscarlan, to see if she will help them. When she refuses, they set out on their own to try to prevent the coming war. After a while, they are joined by Connor, Tyron's friend and a prince. After many adventures, involving warrie beasts, secret passages, bridges, armies, thieves and chraucans, they make it into Senna Lirwan.

Wren drinks from a poisoned stream and Andreus tries to take her, but Idres somehow pops back into the stream and saves her, turning Wren into a dog in the process! Poor Wren! But it doesn't seem to bother her all that much, though she is in danger of being a dog forever.

However, more problems soon come their way. Connor has a terrible secret, Wren's friends are captured, and she must find a way to rescue them alone AND get Tess out, before she becomes a dog for good! How does she do it? Read the book to find out!

Though not on the par of Crown and Court Duet. This book was obviously written for a younger audience, without the same prose, (...) tension, or interesting plot twists that were present in Crown. Still, an absorbing and pleasant read. Recommended- especially for young adults.

...I cried. Like a baby. And just...

CLAMP, you are too mean.

That last line without the "kun" in it just felt... slightly upsetting, but all in all, the translations were pretty decent.

"That line" made me cringe a tad, but I suppose there's worser ways to translate it.

If you're a Tokyo Babylon fan, or X fan, or Subaru and Sei-chan fan, read it.

And yes, you will most likely cry.

Four words: Cried like a baby. Through pretty much the entire volume, to stop briefly during the cute fluff girl-talk moment between Yuziriha and Arashi, then to start anew during Seishiro-san's side story.

Anyone who has ever belived that there was anything other than blank emotions or hate between Subaru-kun and Seishiro-san will shed at least one tear in this volume. Anyone who read Tokyo Babylon will be bawling. Without the honorifics, I admit, i did shift a little in my seat and definitely lessens the impact of "that line", (but my convoluted mind changed it into the intimate lack of honorifics, instead of Viz being dumbasses) but it still makes me cry.

We once again see Hokuto, Kakyo of course, angsting over her. man i love this girl, she rocks, of course. she makes a speech, in her dying moments to Seishiro-san (Kakyo's dream, of the past) about love and how there's hope, and how she could never hate him and puts her trust in him, and oh man, it made me cry.

DoE Kamui's talk with Kakyo is worth seeing too. The use of the word "special" causes confliction with me. In this context, it should be something much stronger than "special", but it strikes a memory of a TB scene where Hokuto-chan tells Seishiro-san that he is "special" to Subaru-kun, and there, the word is supposed to be "special", so confict on word choice there.

This volume is dedicated to my two all-time favorite CLAMP characters, Subaru-kun and Sei-chan, and their story, which began in Tokyo Babylon, continued in various volumes, which always made my heart clench, and finally ended here, in a very tearful moment, and lots of sakura petals (what else?) during the fight. (their story "continues" in a way in later volumes, you'll have to read 17 and 18 to know what i mean)

Even though their aren't any really happy moments (though the goofy smile never leaves Sorata's face...), and evil!Hinoto makes my skin crawl, and the majority of the book made me cry (Subaru-kun sitting in a dark room clenching the blood-spattered jacket around him, and kissing the marks on the back of his hands...*cries all over again*), this is definitely my favorite volume of the 18. Anyone who has made it this far, whether reading it w/o buying it, or buying all the volumes, one by one, has to own this volume. Any Tokyo Babylon fan should own this volume. period.

Being a huge X and Tokyo Babylon fan, I find that this book is simply gold. No X fan can deny that this is one of the most memorable books from this series. They can't deny that it is heart-wrenching and very moving.

Luckily, I do not see a need to attack Viz for their translation. Others may see things differently depending on how Americanized or directly translated they like their manga to be. X is my favorite series, so I will not deny that I tend to be harsh on Viz. That having been said, here's what I thought:

Content-wise, this book couldn't be better. While it does center on just two characters, it is very worthwhile and doesn't drag on in the least. The overall mood is out to get you shocked and crying (and darned if it doesn't succeed), so don't expect tons of fluffy stuff here.

Translation-wise, this is, as I said in the title, passable. Not horrible, but probably won't meet the standards held by hardcore fans. Allow me to say this: the dialogue is much less ambiguous. The sound effects kind of seem to be mocking the artwork, but maybe that's just a recent revelation of mine. Finally, one page is left unflipped and if you're observant/know the pages of this book like the back of your hand, you'll notice and probably cringe.

There are some good points, though. As I said, I'm biased against Viz, so I'm being tough. After reading this book twice, I only found one minor grammatical error and as far as I know, the dialogue is mostly translated correctly. Of course, the artwork is just brilliant as always (and, may I argue, better than usual?).

To be honest, I rather like Viz's translation of "that line" (for those who don't know what I'm talking about, you will and how it's translated probably won't matter). Overall, I'm satisfied.

Final word: Go out and get this volume. It's a must-have.

I found this manga to be one of the best I have ever read. I am 12 years old and just cant stay away from it. The fighting scenes are great. I really love the english translation and I love being able to get into the character. It is great to be able to get into the main character and in this book I found that you really could get into the character. I think that all anime lovers will love this manga. When you are watching the series and you dont read the manga dont watch episode 0 you'll ruin it all for you. You want to know the plot before you watch episode 0. So even if you havent read it and you just want to watch and ruin the plot go right ahead. But if youre one for reading and not ruining the plot then get the manga and read. Im sure youll enjoy yourself even if you dont like reading. It isnt hard to enjoy this book and even if you dont like anime I beleive you will love this series. THE END

Apparently, the image for this sucker isn't working. However, this IS the link that came up when I went to my order and selected good ol' volume 16 of X.

How to review it....

Let's simply say I sobbed like a baby all the way through. Viz finally did a decent translation job, keeping all the heart, feeling and utter and complete angst that makes this the greatest of all volumes of X nearly as fabulous as it was in its original printing across the pages of Asuka comics.

From the trauma that graces the pages (no, not a single freaking happy moment in this one... save Sorata's goofiness at the end. He's a great spirit-lifter, even though after Hinoto's cameo you just shudder seeing his grin. GAH!) to the beautiful detail splayed across every page, this one's always been impossible for me to put down.

SEE what I mean that the fight in the anime should've been MUCH longer, seeing how many pages it takes up in this volume? Their fight went on forever across the comic's pages! Yeesh.

And such a horrible, yet fitting end... *cries herself silly*

To enjoy - Kamui smiling (WOW!), Sorata flopping his hair like mad, Nokuro looking very very bish, Girl-talk between Arashi and Yuzu that's so sweet it nearly made my teeth rot with its sugary goodness in a fine way, Kamui at Subaru's feet gripping his hand like the uke onna CLAMP's all but turned him in to, wind-caught trench coats EVERYWHERE, Seishiro's best-ever defense against ofuda, HOKUTO-CHAN! in her final moments, Kamui jumping off the roof of a Geo Metro (I'm a Metro owner, so I laughed myself silly seeing that. Thanks for the giggle, CLAMP!)...

Seishiro's side story with all of its incest and wrongnes with its pretty flowers and snow...

And the unforgettable conclusion on the drama that started with the very first pages of Tokyo Babylon.

Sayonara, Sei-chan.

And as for Subaru... no worries. We'll be seeing him again. *runs off before she blows spoilers everywhere*

I am a descendant of James Butler. For the record, that family is not Scotch-Irish, they were English and had been for hundreds of years. They went to Virginia from England in the 1600's not because they were poor or down trodden but because they were wealthy and well connected with the intentions of making more money.

Shoddy research just makes me cringe.

On a cold wintry day in March 1978, Willie Bosket, a 15-year-old boy with an extensive juvenile record, shot and killed a middle-aged hospital worker in a New York City subway robbery. Eight days later, Willie robbed and killed another man under similar circumstances. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested, confessed, and was found guilty of these two homicides. He was given the maximum sentence for a juvenile of five years for the two murders. He felt not a whit of remorse for his actions, and was quoted as such in the papers.

A few days later, New York Governor Hugh Carey, reading about the trial in the New York newspapers, became so incensed that he immediately called a special session of the state legislature in Albany. He proposed and was successful in passing a new law in record time, the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978. This law allowed kids as young as 13 to be tried in adult criminal courts for murder and receive the same penalties as adults. This law was a sharp reversal of 150 years of American tradition. New York became the first of many states to make this watershed change in juvenile justice policy. Willie Bosket had made history.

If All God's Children were merely a harrowing recitation of the criminal life of Willie Bosket, it would be a fascinating chronicle of the "most dangerous prisoner in the history of the state of New York." But it is much more than that. It is also a multi-generational tale of the Bosket family dating back to 1834 in South Carolina. It in particular traces the interweaving stories of Willie Bosket and that of his father, Butch Bosket, with all that they held in common-genius-level IQs, a history of explosive anger, psychopathic tendencies and a conviction for two homicide.

In telling this saga of the Bosket family, Butterfield has successfully woven together a sociological treatise on violence in America, a cautionary tale of the pernicious effects of slavery, and a genealogical study of a truly tragic family.

Armchair Interviews says: A stunning read.

This book was indeed an eye-opener. I encourage all who are concerned about our society as a whole to study this book, and especially those who are in social services. Mr. Butterfield should be applauded for this work.

At first glance I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book. The story was non-fiction, which ultimately means that my mind immediately began thinking of Stephen Ambrose and his agonizing dry facts and boring narrative. While I could have easily set this book down and found a new book that looked more promising the title, "All God's Children," got my attention and caused me to pick it up. Upon reading this book half of my initial intuition was correct. The book was extremely boring but it was also incredibly fascinating.
If I could give a review based solely on the information represented in this book I would give it a new perfect score but it is a book so it also needs to hold the readers' attention. I had a horrible time trying to push my way through the book due to some incredibly slow chapters. For example, the first chapter, "Bloody Edgefield" gathers semi-useful information and then takes forever to explain the meaning behind it. Beginning in the first chapter it is necessary to involve the reader in the story and "All God's Children nearly put me to sleep."
Although I found this book to be boring the information and descriptions were excellent. The book traces the family tree of an incarcerated young man named Willie Bosket who has been named the most dangerous criminal alive. I found the story to be fascinating and through this book I could make conjectures as to whether Willie's nature was preconceived or if it was his environment.
Also, though the book was boring the writing was superb. Every description was vivid portraying Fox Butterfield's massive vocabulary. The writing made the reader feel as if he or she were interacting with the story instead of looking back on it two hundred years later. Due to the fact that it was boring I gave the book three stars but it is still a worthwhile read to those interested in the story of Willie Bosket.

I'm not A reader of books. I was refered this one and I can't stop referencing it in everyday conversations. This book is not only a great history lesson of Racial tensions but also a great look into the history of violence in our Black Youth....

My kids and I loved this book. Simply hilarious. A very positive book with the message that everyone is special. Everyone has the power within them to do miracalous things. I hope there will be a sequel.

This is a great and very imagative book!! It rocked my socks off!! I can't wait for the spy gear to come out. I want those spy gears for me. I am waiting for book #2 to come out. You should buy this book for the whole family. Watch out J.K. Rowling.

Mary

This book will make you laugh and smile, both kid and adult alike. Wow, what crazy happenings in this book, like Alice and Wonderland meets Harry Potter. I hope there is a sequel.

This is a book where you never know what will happen next, but you can best be sure that it will be funny and wondrous. From muumuu wearing Sirens to salt-water taffy to reach things in hard to reach places, you never know what crazy thing you will meet next. This is like a combination of the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and Harry Potter.

The story centers around Alexandra, who is staying with her rather wacky Aunt Puff for the summer. Aunt Puff's friend from the mysterious Elcarim foundation (responsible for aiding in miracles) comes to visit, but disappears while trying to teach Alexandra how to blow a bubble gum volcano. The Sherlock Holmes hats come on then as Alexandra, Aunt Puff, Puff's Great Dane Ludwig, and Minerva's cockatoo Ciber gather clues to take to Elcarim Headquarters. Alexandra ends up having to save both Minerva and Aunt Puff, but needs to find the courage and faith within herself before she can do so.

This is a book that both children and adults will love. Be sure to buy this book for your children for Christmas. It's great.

Genre: Children's Fiction

AUNT PUFF AND THE MISSING MINERVA

AUTHOR: DAVID WHITEWOLF

Alexandra adores her Aunt Puff, with all her unusual eccentricities and vivacious personality. And she is anxious to meet her Aunt Puff's best friend and colleague, Minerva, who works with Puff for a secret organization of miracle workers, `Elcarim' . But within minutes of her arrival, Minerva goes missing, and its up to Alexandra and her Aunt to save her.

"Aunt Puff and Missing Minerva" is fun and sometimes funny adventure about a young girl discovering her personal strengths, and regaining her pride and confidence. On her quest to find the missing woman, Alexandra and her Aunt, with the help of Ludwig the dog and a friendly cockatoo, must overcome great challenges, from a dangerously enchanting siren to a giant Chinese dragon. Overcoming the obstacles also helps Alexandra overcome the burden of guilt she has been feeling for several months, over the near-drowning of her best friend.

Author, David Whitewolf born in Illinois, demonstrates an unbridled imagination that should challenge and entertain any child. The story is fast-paced, with colorfully described characters, and clever predicaments. The writing style is neither belittling to a young reader, nor too complicated. It invites a sequel that I, for one, will be watching for in anticipation. Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Reviews


Title: Aunt Puff and Missing Minerva
Author: David Whitewolf
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN Number: 0-595-32724-9
Price: $10.95 Length: 112 pgs

It could be science fiction
myths...
unrealistic scenario,
but certainly it is amazing.
So much work went in the
preparation of this book.
So much details.
My God!
It is really amazing....


S. Mahdi, Cairo, Egypt.

The artwork in this book is fabulous. It's a neat little companion book for sci-fi fans; it has wonderful illustrations of all the various organisms that have been portrayed in some of sci-fi's classic and canonical works. And along with those illustrations? Little one-page write ups on their biology, social structure, etc.

Once I saw that there was a Velantian in this, from E. E. Doc Smith's Lensman series, I was sold, and had to get it. Done as a page by page look at each species the artwork is excellent, and these are the sort of funny looking monster types that kids like too, so it can work on more than one level, most definitely.

Good book. I have owned this since I was a child. It was a great portal into many of these classic Sci Fi books as I would have never heard about them otherwise. Barlowe has a fantastic nack for bringing life to these aliens. Highly recommended.

I enjoy art books, mainly books of fantasy art. But this book is more a sci-fi art book, and a very good one at that. Mr. Barlowe did a excellent job with the illustrations in this book. I read H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness." I had a hard time visualizing the Old ones described in that novelette. But Mr. Barlowe helped me greatly by including them in this volume and even summarizing their history. I would love to see how Mr. Barlowe would visualize all the creatures in my book, Tales of Ancient Xenar. I know he has a fantasy art book and I hope to see that one very soon. And to be honest, the only thing I am disappointed about is the fact Amazon.com ony allows a max of 5 stars. This book deserve well more than that.

John Conroy performed a courageous feat of journalism with this book. As an American writer he put himself in the midst of the conflict and in incredible danger at times to capture the true picture of Belfast in the 80's. The stories of the people he encountered and the tough environment he experienced and witnessed is indispensible reading for anyone who wants to understand what the conflict was all about at the street level.
While Belfast seems to be enjoying more peaceful times at the moment this book is a reminder of just how volatile a political climate there is and provides the reader with a much fuller understanding of the how , the why and major developments in the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Not only do I admire John Conroy's writing, but I admire his courage to put himself right in the middle of 'the troubles' just to get the story right. It would one thing if Conroy was a Belfast resident and was just reporting on his day to day life, but he is not. He is an American who more or less stumbled upon this assignment and saw it through.

It struck me a few times in the book just how close Conroy was coming to being killed in a place where death is a way of life. He is to be commended for this and we owe a debt of gratitude for making this sacrifice just so we could get a look right from the belly of the beast.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that Conroy did a great job putting the 'Troubles' in Belfast into perspective from an American living in the midst of it all. Having visted the area that he writes of brought back memories. I referred to his map at least 50 times during my reading of the book to recall the streets that I walked in relation to where he wrote the book and spent his time in Belfast. I highly recommend this book.

of what it is like to live, work and experience the turmoil of "The Troubles." Conroy covered the Troubles the right way...he went in and lived among the people in Belfast instead of swooping in for drive-by interviews like too many journalists have done in the past. He also manages to convey what he experienced while maintaining objectivity...this skill when dealing with terrorist and paramilitary violence is something writers covering the "War on Terror" these days could learn from. Required reading for anybody interested in Northern Ireland, its history and how to possibly make a better future in that wartorn nation...

This book was recommended to me as excellent reading about the Troubles, particularly for Americans. I whole-heartedly agree; it is all that and more. Conroy does describe the daily workings of life in Northern Ireland but he also tackles the prejudices and ignorance of Americans (and the U.S. government) when it comes to the political climate in Northern Ireland. He pulls no punches and sugar-coats no issues. He explicates the situation as he sees it and is not afraid to indict those who turn blind eyes. The version I read was older so I have not yet seen the updated book that includes information on semi-recent IRA ceasefires. But I do think many of Conroy's observations are still applicable, changes in administration notwithstanding. He describes the intolerant view towards Sinn Fein taken by the American government in the 80s and the biased, oversimplified treatment of the Troubles by the American media. Indeed as Conroy notes it has not been hard to sell the British point-of-view to American audiences but what of the counterpoint? When do proponents of the other side get a chance? Conroy also concludes that for as long as Northern Ireland remains a British enclave, continued violence is guaranteed. For that reason alone, Americans owe it to themselves to read _Belfast Diary_.

Michael Greger's "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" is more terrifying than anything a horror writer could imagine, since it depicts a real-life doomsday scenario that seems poised to occur very soon; indeed, the new H5N1 strain of influenza, known as "bird flu," has mutated into a form that can be transmitted by human contact, though not yet on a massive scale, meaning a mass outbreak is more a question of when, not if.

Whereas humans generally contract the disease by ingesting contaminated birds, or being in frequent contact with them, bird flu could blanket the globe when the virus has learned to jump easily from human to human. The author writes: "One day soon, experts fear, with more and more people becoming infected, the virus will finally figure out the combination -- the right combination of mutations to spread not just in one elevator or building, but every building, everywhere, around the globe. One superflu virus. It's happened before, and experts predict it many soon happen again."

Dr. Greger sets the stage for what could come by giving readers a grisly account of a previous avian influenza outbreak: the 1918 flu pandemic, in which 50 to 100 million humans perished. These were gruesome deaths, with blood oozing from eye sockets as the victim's lungs liquefied. Fatalities were so abundant that officials were unable to keep up with burying the corpses. It seems this was merely a sample of what's in store for humanity. "As devastating as the 1918 pandemic was," Dr. Greger writes, "on average the mortality rate was less than 5%. The H5N1 strain of bird flu virus now spreading like a plague across the world currently kills about 50% of its known human victims, on par with some strains of Ebola, making it potentially ten times as deadly as the worst plague in human history." One reason, he explains, is the 1918 virus attacked only the lungs, whereas H5N1 shuts down all the internal organs.

"Bird Flu" eloquently contextualizes the subject, giving us a greater understanding of the virus' origins and our critical role in it. The director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States, Dr. Greger examines bird flu from every angle, creating a meticulously researched work that traces how agricultural, scientific, environmental, political and economic forces have conspired to transform a virus that once threatened only waterfowl into a "highly pathogenic avian influenza" destined to lay waste to large segments of human population.

Among the stops on the author's bird flu reality tour is President George W. Bush's decision in April of 2006 to lift the ban on poultry products from China -- a country well known for its recent outbreaks of avian influenza -- possibly in return for China's agreement to drop its mad cow disease-related ban on U.S. beef imports. (One disease for another, perhaps? No trade deficit there.) Other troubling highlights include the world's inadequate hospital capacity and the inability to create a vaccine, or enough of it, to combat a virus that kills half its victims. In other words, we are as ill-prepared for avian flu today as we were in 1918. And, as Dr. Greger notes, not only is H5N1 worse than what our grandparents faced, but 21st-century transportation means a virus can travel around the planet in 24 hours, not a year.

The book is also a sobering lesson in how many of our human ailments, from the common cold to AIDS, have come from our oppression of animals, especially the practice of breeding and raising them for food. (Dr. Greger notes that human influenza began with the domestication of ducks 4,500 years ago.) Yet authorities refuse to confront the obvious cause of this "virus of our own hatching," preferring instead to devote their resources to containing the outbreak by culling chickens and turkeys and extolling the virtues of well-cooked meat.

Even without the looming pandemic, "Bird Flu" reminds us that eating animal flesh can be deadly. Dr. Greger writes: "For the same reason that people don't get Dutch Elm Disease or ever seem to come down with a really bad case of aphids, food products of animal origin are the source of most cases of food poisoning, with chicken the most common culprit." He notes that although the USDA asserts that proper cooking methods kill all viruses, including bird flu, 76 million Americans still suffer food poisoning every year and an estimated 5,000 die from food-borne illness. The average American kitchen, it seems, has become a biohazard, with pathogenic bacteria found on food-preparation surfaces, sinks and utensils. Dr. Greger quotes flu expert Albert Osterhaus, who concluded that "the gastrointestinal tract of humans is a portal of entry for H5N1."

Although pandemics seem inevitable, Dr. Greger's landmark book suggests an obvious (some might say radical) solution: the elimination of intensive poultry production. Perhaps this is more wishful thinking, given the world's ever-growing appetite for cheap animal protein, but others in the scientific community are also supporting this recommendation, so we may at least see improvements in the way agribusiness operates. "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" could herald dramatic changes in farming practices, finally driving decision-makers to critically examine not only how this virus came to be, but how we can curtail it and future diseases lurking within animal factories around the globe.

Mark Hawthorne, author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

I didn't want to read this book. Maybe you don't either. But you must. And when you do, you'll find that the author has made it easy, and even entertaining, for you to learn everything you never wanted to know about bird flu.

Michael Greger writes in an engaging and accessible style that will keep you turning pages as he guides you through the history of zoonotic (animal-based) diseases and explains how contemporary factory farming and meat-packing practices not only make the emergence of new diseases more likely but also place consumers at risk of food poisoning by everyday microorganisms like E. Coli and Salmonella. Despite his somber subject matter, Greger is upbeat, giving us the bad news in a way that energizes us to do something about it.

It can happen here. It has happened here. The 1918 influenza pandemic that killed more Americans than World War II was a bird flu. The next pandemic will be too. We all need to know what we might be able to do to prevent or mitigate that pandemic. You need to what to do to protect yourself and your loved ones when the pandemic comes. Read this book now and make sure that the public policy makers who are supposed to be looking out for you read it too.

Watching a pandemic unfold and take shape before your eyes is like watching paint dry. It is an agonizing process, slow and painful. But at the end, the product is there for all to see.

This is the book to read while watching the paint dry. Like Mike Davis' excellent "The Monster at Our Door," Dr. Greger has done a lot of the heavy lifting for you. He has read countless books, scientific papers, newspaper and magazine articles along with medical/scientific journals and produced the definitive work on avian influenza for the lay reader, decision-maker and concerned citizen.

Along the way, Dr. Greger also shows us the principal underlying cause of the spread of H5N1 (factory farming of chickens and other poultry) and supports his theories with mountains of data, opinion and observation -- much of it directly from the commercial poultry industry he takes to task for putting the world in the shape it is in, bird flu-wise.

Certain passages contain the most relevatory things about food production I have read since Upton Sinclair. It would not take much more to turn me into a vegetarian! I now seek free-range chickens to consume.

Speaking of consume: Once you have read (in order) The Great Influenza (Barry), The Monster at Our Door (Davis) and Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own hatching (Greger), you are ready to dive into the scientific literature yourself. Have a go at all three of these excellent books.

It is amazing how much is hidden from the public eye. This author does a great job of explaining how the avian flu is VERY probable. You will never want to eat chicken or eggs again after reading this one and learning about overcrowding, filth, and treatment of chickens and how the avian flu is mutating because of the conditions that we (humans) create. I highly recommend this book.

BIRD FLU: A VIRUS OF OUR OWN HATCHING opens not with H5N1, the modern day "bird flu virus" which has the potential to mutate into the deadliest pandemic that the world has ever seen, but with H1N1, the influenza virus responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic. In just two short years, an estimated 50 to 100 million people perished as World War I raged on.

As described by author Michael Greger, MD, in chilling detail:

"What started for millions around the globe as muscle aches and a fever ended days later with many victims bleeding from their nostrils, ears, and eye sockets. Some bled inside their eyes; some bled around them. They vomited blood and coughed it up. Purple blood blisters appeared on their skin. [...] [The Chief of the Medical Services, Major Walter V. Brem] wrote that `often blood was seen to gush from a patient's nose and mouth.' In some cases, blood reportedly spurted with such force as to squirt several feet. `When pneumonia appeared,' Major Brem recounted, `the patients often spat quantities of almost pure blood.' They were bleeding into their lungs."

Yet, H1N1 had a "low" (relatively speaking) mortality rate of 2.5% to 5%. Compare that to H5N1, which thus far has killed 55% of those infected - and one must wonder why the possibility of bird flu pandemic is confined to occasional media reports that are quickly dwarfed by the latest Hollywood gossip. Is bird flu-inspired panic just another example of media sensationalism?

Not so, argues Greger. From 1918 he transitions seamlessly to the research laboratories of today. Greger, who is Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at The Humane Society of the United States and "an internationally recognized lecturer on public health issues", launches into Viral Biology 101, explaining in layman's terms how a virus reproduces, spreads, mutates, and interacts with its host. Though he's dealing with (arguably) dry subject matter, Greger manages to keep the discussion engaging via the liberal use of colorful analogies and sharp, witty prose. This isn't your high school bio textbook.

Once a basic understanding of viruses has been established, Dr. Greger addresses modern animal agriculture, specifically, how it's especially conducive to the transmission and evolution of avian influenza. Animals, particularly "broiler" (meat) and "laying" (egg) hens, are packed into windowless sheds by the thousands; by the time they're fully grown just 45 days later (in the case of broiler hens), they don't even have enough space to spread their wings or turn around. Chickens are selectively bred for fast growth or maximum egg production - much to the detriment of their immune systems. Rather than improve the birds' ability to stave off disease (which would come at the expense of their "energy efficiency"), large-scale corporate "factory farmers" opt to pump their livestock full of antibiotics, thus contributing to bacterial resistance in humans. Add to this mix the fact that chickens literally spend their short lives wallowing in their own feces (and sometimes even that of previously butchered flocks), and you've got the perfect environment for a virus such as H5N1 to thrive.

And thrive it has. The billions of chickens, turkeys, and pigs raised and slaughtered for food annually act like "petri dishes" in which avian influence can mingle, swapping genetic material in order to mutate, gradually evolving into a strain more lethal and infectious to humans. Their compromised immune systems and unsanitary and stressful living conditions only facilitate this process. Despite numerous attempts at eradicating the virus - for example, by wiping out entire flocks of chickens, to the tune of millions of birds at a time - H5N1 (along with additional viral strains) can still be found on many farms, throughout the world.

While some critics - particularly those in the animal agriculture industry - dismiss this as scare mongering, Greger argues his points convincingly, and offers a wealth of evidence to support his claims. Indeed, his "Reference" section spans an impressive 90 pages! Throughout the text, he quotes a myriad of experts in the field, including Robert Webster, Kennedy F. Shortridge, and Michael Osterholm, as well as health professionals from the USDA, CDC, FAO, and WHO. Even "food scientists" admit - in the comfort and familiarity of their own trade journals, mind you - that the industry is flirting with disaster. The general - nay, unanimous - consensus seems to be "when, not if."

A pandemic is inevitable, that is, unless we swiftly and dramatically move away from factory farming methods towards less intense animal agriculture methods, such as free range farming. Additionally, this must be preceded by a temporary global moratorium on meat and egg production, in order to eradicate the bird flu virus(es) already present in farm animals worldwide. None of which is bloody likely to happen.

Thus, Greger urges readers to take precautions before a pandemic hits. He recommends obtaining and filling a prescription for Tamiflu (the more effective of two antivirals used to treat avian influenza), as well as stocking up on necessary groceries and such - TODAY. Greger also advises readers on how to purify water with bleach, and concoct cheap, homemade hand sanitizer. Oh, and do make sure you have plenty of liquor, cigarettes and ammo on hand, just in case the world reverts to the barter system! Though Greger reiterates and even elaborates upon government-issued pandemic guidelines in this last section, I didn't exactly walk away with a sense of empowerment. The rest of BIRD FLU was so horrifying that stocking up on canned veggies and medical masks won't do much to ease my troubled mind.

Whether you're a vegan, a carnivore, an average Jane, a state Senator, an animal welfarist, or a hunter, BIRD FLU is one book you can't afford to ignore. For too long, we've been playing chicken with our food supply - and nature may soon see fit to reward our taste for cheap meat with a global pandemic.

The Blue Djinn of Babylon is mouth-watering continuation of the Children of Lamp series. The twins learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of their djinn powers and discover some fascinating facts about their mom. Not to mention twins get separated by the Blue Djinn and have some wild hair-raising adventures trying to find each other. I'd tell you more, but its more fun to read the book! Let your imagination do the walking.

My daughter is a big fan of the series and really enjoyed this book and the first one as well.

this volume and the one after it kept us all involved till the end

The Blue Djinn of Babylon
By: P.B. KERR

The Blue Djinn of Babylon by P. B. Kerr is a story of magic and adventure that I would recommend to children who like fantasy books. The story begins with two unidentical twins John and Philippa Gaunt go practice there Djinn powers on one of the last warm days of the year. John and Philippa have just recently discovered there djinn powers when there Uncle Nimrod told them in a dream. Djinn also known as genies are made of fire so they can't use there powers to its fullest when it is cold. When Philippa enters a Djinnverso tournament (which is an ancient game only played by djinn) she is disqualified when someone takes over her body and says Philippa cheated. During the tournament the Blue Djinn assistant tells John and Uncle Nimrod that Solomon's Grimoire was stolen by himself accidentally! Now they have to arrange a meeting to get the book back. But little do they know it will put the twins in danger!

The Hanging Palace of Babylon is a enormous structure that the Blue Djinn lives and gets to design. The Blue Djinn is the ruler of all djinn good or evil so she must be beyond good or evil to so that it is fair for all djinn. Only women Djinn are allowed inside. The Blue Djinn has invisible maids to clean her house. The Hanging Palace of Babylon is underground in Baghdad. Outside the palace is guarded by terrible creatures. To get to it you must take a boat because it is a underground island. A Giant Bird guards the island and lets no one except the Blue Djinn past. A wish monster guards everything on the island including the Hanging Palace of Babylon.

You should read this book because this book you on the edge from beginning to the end.

Even though I am definitely not a young teen (unless 65 qualifies) I love the Children of the Lamp series. One of my granddaughters bought the first book at a school book fair; I had run out of my own reading material for relaxation; and, as they say, the rest is history.

After I finished The Akhenaten Adventure, I bought the Blue Djinn and Cobra King of Kathmandu. I am awaiting the next three books as much as my granddaughter.

This a very good book. It is written by two people that together have more than 40 years of experience in project management (PM) and provides with real and usefull examples.
I strongly recommend reading to people that already know PM. Its not a basic book in PM.

This is very good book on project management, i am a member of pmi, but in pmi u learn more about project management in general but this book is for IT guys, esply chapter on project management process is good, allso about tackling issues is well documented.

I have applied methods in this book and a related seminar to a number of real projects and have gotten excellent results. I am not an IT person and was placed in charge of systems. The book helped me to plan and execute a huge IT project from scratch.I have 12 staff who were applications programmers of which 2 were analysts. I divided their tasks and attached them to users per the ideas in the book. The approach was applied to enhancements, new systems for tender evaluation and purchasing, and hardware. Per the methods of the book, all arising matters with management, vendors, and users were seen as issues and not as problems. By the team approach we were able to sack one person and reassign his roles. A 4 year project was finished in 2 years. Hardware and WAN were completed in two months. Right now we are planning a project to reach out to the remotest plantations that we own that is another 170 areas. We are using the book here as well. The key idea here is that the methods in this book are different and WORK.

IT projects are very different from standard projects. This books provides an in-depth approach to managing IT projects. It has some very good specific tips regarding risk analysis, the management critical path (as opposed to the critical path), the use of score cards for project evaluation, how to deal with issues, and how to use lessons learned and experience to get continuous improvement in project management. In addition, the book focuses on templates rather than the traditional work breakdown structure-so it is gives greater flexibility. Another novel approach is use of the team members in participating in project management. Overall, very useful and informative.

Our organization has reviewed over 50 books in IT and general project management from the view of usability and useful methods for a multiple project, complex environment. We found books like Schwabe and Menche somewhat useful, but very limited in dealing with the actual problems faced in projects. There was just too much introductory material. This book, on the other hand, is very useful in that it addresses problems such as scope creep, changing requirements, high management expectations, dealing with vendors and users, and other specific issues. It is also being translated into Chinese. This is the book you should get if you want to address problems in real projects and want specific guidelines.