Extreme Books

Until I'd read this book, I'd never heard of 'Phantom Divergence' mentioned in any other trading literatures. This market idea may open up a completely brand new perspective on Divergence as a valuable directional signal in market.

I was the type of person whom the author describes as familiar on a superficial level with oscillators and their use in trading. This book took me to a deeper level. Lots of good stuff and depth. The author is not shy in documenting oscillators weak-points either, so it's not just a market cheerleading book. Kind of overpriced for a pretty thin paperback, but I'm not sorry I bought it.

This book is like a college work, it's not for traders. It has a lot of tests, and says a lot about why not to use oscilators. But in the end is the feeling that this book was made for a college lecture, not for discussion with traders. Don't waste your money, nothing can be learned from this book.

Lots of information on lots of technical tools, all in plain-english. This is required-reading for any investor who wants to understand oscillators.

This book is not "a breakthrough" about oscillators, but a simple collection of some indicators. It lacks the intellectual depth of the book, "Trading for a Living," by Dr. Alexander Elder.

In the middle of the book, the author presented others' tests on some popular oscillators and the conclusion is indeed ugly for any "meaningful" usage of any oscillators, but the author had to acknowledge numerous times in the book that the oscillators do pinpoint the extremes of underlying markets quite well. The reader is then left wondering what has been gone wrong. The author does not offer any deeper insight than the plain facts. In fact, it is not the oscillators' fault, but the people use and test them in the wrong way.

The later half of the book is even more disappointing. The author just briefly outlined some new ideas and innovations, but never gave any test results. You might wonder why? The author clearly has the backtesting tools in his hands, TradeStation by Omega Research. He could have just run a few model tests on S&P500 or some other indexes and shown those results in his book, but he never did so. Should readers use those new indicators or not? The author did not answer directly to this question, but used the old testing results of some other indicators to conclude his book, "The evidence suggests oscillators function better as discretionary or forecasting tools than as the foundation for systematic trading strategies."

Overall, this book has some value to educate the general readers and introduce the ideas of momentum-based indicators, but fall short of the promise in its title, "Trading with Oscillators."

The book I ordered was in better than advertised condition. Shipment was very fast. Would order from again.

Hello,

In a nutshell: I was looking for a book to help build a high-end PC from the ground up. I ordered this book used. As others indicate above, if you like pretty pictures of exotic PCs, this book is for you. If you want specific pictures for how to build such a PC, avoid this book. There are no step by step photos that show how to assemble the Motherboard with components...where to put the chip (processor); how to hold the chip (and how not to hold the chip) as you place it on the Motherboard; how to apply thermal paste (Arctic); how to place a Zalman fan over the chip....Anyway, these are the important things one needs to know (+see) in order to assemble one of these high end computers.

My advice: look elsewhere for a how to build book. However, if you want pretty pictures of what a fancy computer looks like, or flashy color photos of a nice motherboard, or a nice power supply...then this book is for the dreamer in you. Trust me though: look elsewhere for a book that will walk you through step by step - how to build a PC adding one part at a time.

This is a very professionally done book on how to build your own computer. The pictures alone make it one of my favorite books. The detail is just right for anyone with some computer knowledge. The only knock is the fine print on the glossy photo pages can be a bit hard to read with tired eyes.

Not much more than a lot of nice pictures of what other people have done. This book is not for learning how to build a computer, so if your thinking about getting it for that reason look elsewhere.

This book has some great pictures of some really amazing cases and mods, but not much in the way if information on how to actually do the modding.

Just in case a blurb at the front of the book from Ron Jeremy saying "If I directed some of these fantasies, I'd either be the world's greatest adult-film director... or I'd be in jail." isn't enough to get you to check out this book of ten supernatural erotica stories let's move on to a proper review.

It's amusing that Frost starts this collection out with a virgin sacrifice/Catholic school girl combo, "The Threshold". Frost doesn't just pop main character Cameron's cherry, she takes the reader out of their normal world and over her own threshold into another world. In this tale Cammie must chose between the weird, magical promises of a girl who might just want to do her harm and promises of a special, extraordinary life over the fate of becoming just as ordinary as her mother. Best of all is the unanswered question Frost leaves behind, making the reader wonder whether the real story was a girl's voyage into womanhood or whether a greater story was lost to teenage passion.

"The Orifice" is a wild, startlingly sexy tale of fetishes. It's more than that, because the characters are more than just their piercing/pain fetishes. Frost manages to take something considered "weird" and "freaky" and not just explain it to readers but to make it sound incredibly appealing, amplified by creating a world where the wildest sex dreams can come true.

"The Dominatrix Has a Career Crisis" is about a horribly self absorbed woman who suddenly learns that coasting by on artificially inflated self esteem and glorying at other peoples' misfortunes will only take her so far. The transition from the previous story, an incredible erotic piece, to this one is a bit jarring. This is almost a social science fiction piece in the speculative commentary vein of Jennifer Pelland and Paolo Bacigulpa. Despite it's obnoxious main character it's amusing, and a complex tale with an erotic BDSM flavor.

Addressing sex addiction to the point of making it a squiggly, wet, separate creature "The Pleasure Invaders" follows a desperate cop, addicted to the erotic touch of seemingly unintelligent aliens and yet charged with stopping the important of this contraband. Frost nails the addict mentality, threading even the non-sexual parts with a heightened sense of eroticism that puts the readers directly into a mind obsessed.

With "Viagra Babies" Frost keeps to the science fiction flavor and continues from sex addict to what happens to those naturally resulting from sex addiction. After a pandemic of Viagra street use humanity gave birth to urban legend quality monsters. Children born from the hypersex unions are medicated and isolated lest their supernatural sexual powers drive the Normals mad. Viagra Babies also die shortly after turning eighteen, a hallmark that both the main characters are quickly approaching. A dark science fiction spin that pits sexual heroes against a twisted evil, it's also the only story with a male main character.

From there Frost delves into the speculative realm of horror with "Imagine It" a disturbing, dark tale amplified by its fierce eroticism. Here Frost journeys into a mental mystery, the female rape fantasy. Traveling on a dagger's edge between the powerlessness of the act itself and the perception that all the power is with the female if she or her gender can make a male so out of control that he seeks to take it back, Becca, a best selling sex writer, has been objectified by her readers, herself and even her therapist. She finds confronting and conquering her feeling most liberating, in terribly unsettling ways.

Following it up with a softer take on horror is "Playing Karen Devere", a tale of a Hollywood lesbian couple who play more than screen parts after they have several close encounters (in the name of research) with a sexy, empowered female serial killer on death row.

"Test Drive" thrusts us back into the future, where the trend of the porn industry pushing technology to new heights (like it did with VHS and camcorders) continues. By this point humanity has completely lost its gender identity in its seeking of pleasure and perfection. Blake is a sex toy maker looking for something new and different in a very satisfied world. Her business partner's latest sex video unleashes a monster that's been long forgotten-The Male Libido. This tale is touched with humor and an amusing dose of irony.

"Visions of Ecstasy" takes us back to horror with a paranormal tale of a psychic who tries to save a woman destined to die in her search of a sexual thrill. But neither the man she thinks is a killer, nor the woman she thinks is the victim are quite what they seem. This another hot little fetish tale that's perfect for the asphyxiation crowd.

Finally is "Deep Inside" a legend-inspired tale of a "voodoo penis" and the drive of males and females to find the perfect substitute for each other. This one is a more ordinary tale, the characters and history glanced upon in favor of a plot with a dark end.

These tales are surprisingly good, but more than that, they're humorous and insightful as well, not just about what people do, but exploring through sex why they do it. Titillating and erotic, sure, but Frost also makes sex one more aspect of the human mind, not merely about the body and instincts.

So hard to find erotica that blends the perfect threads of intelligence, sense of humor, and of course sexy. An amazing read that will keep your sexual palette moist from cover to cover. A quirky, fun, exploration of naughty images, but giving you the tastes and smells that are lost in most modern erotic literature. Polly Frost doesn't only give you the words, but brilliantly captures the soft essence of every character and making us the voyeur that has been invited to watch. As far as erotica goes, this is top shelf. A spanking good time will be had by all.

When I first came across Deep Inside I wasn't sure what to think. Science Fiction Erotica? That had to mean there was going to be tentacle sex in there somewhere.

Now I've seen a lot of Japanese animation involving this idea, not all of it hentai, so it's not like that idea is completely new. Okay, so maybe it's strange but only as strange as that guy in the back of the bus wearing nothing but a trench coat and a pair of gym socks. Or your parent's locked bedside table drawer.

But Deep Inside has more to offer than just tentacles. It also contains virgin sacrifice complete with Catholic School girls in uniform, a couple who experiments with piercing, serial killers and a dominatrix. What collection would be complete without one of those? If you are looking for your standard `tie me up, tie me down' type of erotica this isn't it. Nothing about Deep Inside is standard or what you have come to expect from the genre.

From "The Threshold" to "Deep Inside", the title story of the collection, you meet virgins and voyeurs, addicts, masturbation masters, aliens with a hard on for humans, and anything you can think of in between. Frost builds each story, crafting backgrounds and character histories, and then punctuates them with sex. So while it is erotica, these stories actually have plot and Frost's voice comes across the page strong and clear.

The ideas behind the stories contained within Deep Inside are over the edge. I can promise you will never look at alien abduction or piercing the same way again. This collection of stories pushes the boundaries of what you might find enticing, stimulating, or liberating and Polly Frost will take your unsuspecting mind into an unknown you might even enjoy.

Whoa. The stories in this book are quite frankly beyond most anything else I've ever read in terms of sheer uninhibited imagination.
The book's jacket spells out exactly what the reader will be treated to on the inside: EXTREME EROTIC FANTASIES. And by fantasy, the author is not referring to your typical lusty daydream. These are stories that truly exist outside the realm of what is possible, and that is what gives them their power. Alien sex, orgasmic sacrificial rituals, magical dildos.... why not! I read another reviewer's comments that these stories seemed perverse or even dangerous, but again, that completely disregards what a fantasy is best used for - experiencing what we either cannot, dare not, or simply should not face in the real world. Like Alan Moore's beautiful "Lost Girls" stories, these scenarios are not necessarily meant to be re-enacted in the bedroom, but exist for the inner, wicked excitement of the reader.
As for the writing, the humor and intelligence with which these stories are crated give them more power than any mere romance novel ever could. Beneath the sex and the sweat, these stories shiver with outrageous characters, complex worlds, and snarling satire.
Frost is a gleeful storyteller, and the arch playfulness she puts into these stories seems to drip off the pages in sweet, sticky dollops - it gets all over the reader, and leaves her begging for more.

This is one of the worst books I've ever bought. Most of the stories are so bizarre and twisted, the book was literally revolting to read. I kept reading hoping it would improve only to be disappointed. Don't waste your money on this book. I would actually be embarrassed to give it away for free!

The Fantasy Figure Artist's Reference File is a great book for anyone to have in their library for reference. What I enjoy most about it is the fact that the models are clothed, so that the book can be enjoyed by all ages of artists and can be shared with anyone. However, the lesson in anatomy are still very useful in the book. The models are shown in spandex for classic poses, then are shown in various stages of wardrobe to show what specific articles of clothing look like. The cd comes with all the images of the basic photos, it does not include the photos of the examples of how the photos can be used in works of art. The book though has a hard cover and a spiral spine so it is easy to open flat without damaging the spine. And the price is decent. Please support this book and other books in this series they are one of a kind and well worth their cost.

This book is a welcome addition to any cartoonist or illustrator's photo reference file as it includes physical and ethnical types different from the usual stereotypical idealized caucasians. On the other hand, it isn't as systematic, varied or consistent in its poses and points-of-view as the Illustrator's Reference Manuals or the Posefile series of books.

This book is just not what I thought it would be. Extreme anatomy? No, not really.

First, all the women are the same body type, which is they all are a bit thick. I would like to see more variations here. At least some of the models should be athletic, some overweight, some curvaceous. Extremes. Like they promise. The men really aren't any better. The variety is poor.

So, maybe they are saying that the anatomy of average looking people is taken to extremes? Well...

I can't tell with most of the models, as the clothes get in the way of many of the poses. If it's just a book about costumed references, that's fine (though then I'd like more professional costumes). But it says, right on the cover, extreme anatomy and dynamic poses.

What is the point of offering that if you can't see the body? If you can't see how the muscles contort and react to the poses, you might as well draw cylinders for arms and legs and drape heavy robes over them and call it a day.

Honestly, this book looks like they went to a Renaissance fair and asked some of the patrons to pose for them, rather than a professional book with professional models and research.

If you are new to the fantasy art genre or are looking for a great quick reference for figure drawing, this is the book. It gives a diverse selection of different body types, sizes and looks, as well as a good smattering of accesories, close-ups and clothing...

The 'Fantasy' of the title is, unfortunately, the heavily-stereotyped 'thud and blunder' style fantasy of Conan the Barbarian, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and other such hackneyed, outdated types.

The figures shown are Barbarian warrior, Warrior woman, Evil Sorceress, Fairy, etc. And they are all quite absurd.

The book also includes little tidbits of information about costume and weapons, like this pearl of wisdom: "The nock is the part of the bow that the arrow rests on." Uh, yeah?

Combine this with poses titled "Bring forth tidings", "Arise, my liege" and the like, you soon realise this isn't a particularly well-done piece of work.

As for the CD, the images are huge - making them very difficult to work with.

This book isn't completely useless, but there are surely better things to spend your money on.

Reminds me of the "Far Side" type of humor. It's very funny but at the same time the advice given makes sense. The situations are possible but very highly unlikely, like "What to do if all four of your tires blow out at the same time." I sent this to a friend who just turned 50 (to make the next 50 safer) and she loved it. The Complete Far Side

I was really disapointed with this book, as 80% of it lacks any sort of usable information. You get the feeling that they were just going through the motions when they put this book together and therefore created a compilaton of the absurd. "How to avoid a Vampire attack" is actually one of the topics of survival. That's just great guys. I wish I'd never wasted my money on this thing.

This is a very entertaining book. I'm not sure how many of the scenarios would ever come in handy but it makes for great conversations.

I had this book sent to a guy I've been seeing. He's in prison. He asked me to send him other books on spiritual enlightenment and how to unleash the brain's potential, but I decided on my own that what he could really use at a time like this was a copy of "The Worse-Case Scenario Survival Handbok: Extreme Edition." The instruction on how to gut a squirrel will probably not be of much use to him since there aren't any trees nearby, but the tip on what to do if choking on lint seemed pretty useful. He wrote back to me saying, "but I look and re-check for what to do when I'm stuck behind concrete and barbed wire and my [girl] is outside, any ideas?" I was hoping he'd make it back to me sooner than as scheduled. That is the only reason I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars. Maybe they should come up with a Prison edition.

The book is extremely entertaining and it might save your life, too. It covers scenarios James Bond would aspire to.

"How to endure a Turkish prison"
"How to survive an elephant stampede"
"How to survive a nuclear attack"
"How to take a bullet"
"How to control a runaway hot air balloon"
"How to break a gorilla's grip"

Plus other scenarios that are more practical and more likely for one to encounter.

"How to free a limb from a beartrap"
"How to survive on an iceberg"
"How to survivean attack by a pack of wolves"
"How to recover a motorcycle spinning out of control"
"How to survive a 16-car pile-up"
"How to survive a mine collapse"

Bottom line, there is some practical advice here for emergencies, but it is the entertainment, laugh-out-loud factor that makes it worth it.

Larsen's previous full-format, photos-included book (vs. some thick, dense tomes for specific battle staff purposes), Light Infantry Tactics, was intended as a way to bring together all the disparate information already out in various U.S. military publications about the operation of a unit smaller than a company. And for those folks it works great. But for me, without the basic background, it was always still a little lacking, and some topics needed explanation still.

This book, on the other hand, elevates those explanations to a new form. The format of the writing is somewhat improved, with many more actionable tasks, and better organization. But what thrills me are the diagrams, and the "photo diagrams" I guess you'd call them. Photos people in the woods, with arrows and lines explaining what they are doing. Now, it's possible to absorb every tactic and battle drill without too much thinking or wondering.

Most of these are team tactics, so it's useless of you are the only one who understands a specific battle drill. This book is also superior to any other battle tactics reference I have seen in that each subject is laid out almost like a textbook. This works great when trying to teach your team these fundamentals. Unlike some other references, you don't have to learn it yourself then develop a course; you can almost just pick up the book, read a section out loud, show off the graphics to everyone, and then go try it. Everything is that clear and easy.

And these things really work. You can actually get your team together, walk thru something for 20 minutes, then go out in the field and improve your performance immediately.

This book is for hardcore scenario teams ... ONLY. The book claims it will teach both the "novice" and the "maestro," but the novices need not apply. The book is written by a military trainer, and the only adaption he makes from true military tactics is to add the phrase "...keeping in mind the maximum range for most paintball and airsoft systems is sixty meters" four or five times throughout the book. There is not even a single picture of someone using paintball equipment in the book - and there are a lot of pictures, all of people armed with what looks to be true weapons or very good facsimiles.

If you are new to paintball, this book will go WAY over your head with acronyms you will not understand without flipping to the glossary every few sentences and information you don't need.

If you are a regular player like me, the hand signals and basic attack patterns will come in handy, but the book takes itself way too seriously for your tastes. Unless you have a dedicated scenario or woodsball team, 90 percent of the pages in this book will be useless to you (as well as pretty boring).

If you are, however, that rare class of scenario player who lives for this stuff, it's a good book to pick up. It covers tactics thoroughly at the squad level, with appropriate nods to the next two or three levels up, with plenty of descriptive pictures, diagrams and walkthroughs.

let me make this clear for anyone that doesn't know this already,ITS MILSIM TO THE MAX. Now don't get me wrong milsim is great and if you like milsim GET THIS BOOK NOW, but if you don't like milsim or don't play milsim (like me) find another book. now if you think you will get into milsim, GET THIS BOOK NOW, but if you wont you pretty much won't get anything out of this book ( maybe a little but nothing you can't get off the Internet). it's a great book for any milsimer but if your not, please don't get this book. it goes over hand signals and thats about it for regular airsoft/paintball play. to leave on a happy note this book is very informative and well organized ( for the right person that is ) it also has a glossary/ army dictionary in the back that I thought was very cool. thanks for reading!!

After reading the book I knew I'd found what I'd been longing to
see someone take the time to put out. This book transforms those
need to know concepts and tactics which have taken the military
hundreds of years to perfect into terms just about any dedicated
MIL-SIMer can relate to. Topics like how to create your own SOI,
to what to do when things don't work as planned add up to a book
that's sure to have a very positive impact on your performance at
that next scenario or FTX.

I received this book 1 months ago. When I knew this book is written by Christopher Larsen, I know that this indeed would be the definitive guide to any airsoft or paintball player. If you don't understand what I mean, Chris Larsen is also the author of the book "Light Infantry Tactics: Small Teams", which already is a reference book for many airsoft players (..and quite possible, for real soldiers too).

Many materials in "Paintball and Airsoft Battle Tactics" are derived from "Light Infantry Tactics...", but adjusted with airsoft & paintball players in mind. Nevertheless, the tactics and the battle-drills are the same regardless of whether you are fighting a real battle or just a wargame. The only difference are: the range of the weapons (and "weapons") and the lethality (and "lethality") involved are of course incomparable.

Some of the materials in the book include: why and how to camouflage, handsignals techniques, leadership skills, infantry movement techniques, and battledrills for offensive, defensive and special operations. The methods explained typically apply to unit size from fireteam to platoon level. What this book differs from "Light Infantry Tactics" is on the emphasis to airsoft & paintball, taking into account the characteristics of both games. It also has a lot more schemes and color photographs which is very helpful in understanding the concepts.

One of the many things I like very much from this book, is that it's written in an easily understood language to explain technical military concepts (if you ever read military references such as US Army Field Manuals etc, they usually tends to be heavily conceptual or technical AND voluminious- which can be quite intimidating to some). However there is some areas in this book that needs an improvement: a discussion about "human factor". I wish it had another chapter which discusses the human factor such as: morale, overcoming hesitation and fear, how to motivate teammates - a very critical element to mission success.

Nonetheless, this book surely enhances our understanding on how to fight and how to fight as a team. Discuss and practice the materials with your teammates, and your team will benefit in battle.

Verdict: an excellent addition to your library.

Beginning with the title and throughout the accounts, the book lacks a focus regarding the NFC East. What was the author's desired outcome? What should readers gain about the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins?

Pro: In depth coverage of the owners, contract negotiations, and search for new commissioner.

Con: Little insight into the high pressured world of coaches and players in context of winning and losing games. Read Next Man Up by John Feinstein for a substantive view into the professional game of football.

If your interest is on off season trades and contracts you will love this book. Maske must have spent much time with the owners and top execs of the teams as he offers enormous details on their deals and candid thoughts. Almost 2/3rds of the book deals with off- and pre-season issues. One the NFL season begins, Maske continues providing insights into the inner workings of the executives and owners. Coaches are included, but mostly dealing with administrative issues, and less of strategy and coaching games. Game coverage are brief summaries that give little more than if someone watched the games themselves. I know, having seen many of them. John Feinstein, Maske's acknowledged mentor, is more satisfying in his sports books. Read Next Man Up as an example of what Maske could have achieved. War Without Death is a contradictory title that reflects a book that promises much but delivers below expectations.

Few divisions in all of sports are as storied as the National Football League's NFC East Division. The Dallas Cowboys. The New York (football) Giants. The Washington Redskins. The Philadelphia Eagles. Together they own a quarter of the NFL's Super Bowl championships (ten) and have been the team of many legendary football players. The competition in the division is highly regarded as the toughest not only in the NFL, but in all of sports. Mark Maske took the opportunity to chronicle a year in the life of the NFC East in the book, War Without Death.

War Without Death: A Year of Extreme Competition in Pro Football's NFC East is exactly what the title says it is. The storyline of the 2006 calendar year for the NFC East is divided into three sections. And instead of giving you just the game recaps from the NFL season, the reader is put right in the thick of things from the coach's office, to the owner's box, to the draft rooms, and the player's homes. You start off right in Oakland at the end of the 2005 NFL season, where the New York Giants had clinched the 2005 NFC East division in January. Stories of the legendary Mara family, owners of the Giants, are told and signify how special things were in the organization, as well as documenting the emotions of the Cowboys, Redskins, and Eagles.

Maske tells the story more from the angle of the owners of the clubs than anyone else. Dan Snyder comes off as a rich man who is looking for his next buck. Jerry Jones comes off as a man wanting his Cowboys to be "America's Team". John Mara comes off as a man who wants to respect the history of the Giants and NFL, as well as wanting to ensure the Giants mean something in the league. And Jeffery Lurie comes off as the owner who wants to be successful but wants to do it smartly, rather than being the over spender. Each personality is represented just as they appear to be in real life.

The three sections of the book are "The Planning", "The Build Up", and "The Payoff". Each section progresses through the year starting with the end of the 2005 season. In the first section the reader learns what each club is thinking coming off the end of the 2005 NFL season, coaching changes, free agents, and looking forward to the draft. "The Build Up" is all about the second half of the off season as the reader learns how the draft unfolds, the legacies of the owners and general managers that are defined by free agency and drafts, and the wonderful world of training camps.
"The Payoff" takes the reader through the up and down 2006 season, all of the division lead changes, the national exposure games, and the eventual playoff match-ups.

There are so many plot lines that are followed through out the entire book. One to pay attention too is the story of Adam Archuleta, a free agent who decided to sign with the Redskins for more money as opposed to going to Chicago, where he could play in a system that better suited him and was close to his old home. Archuleta tells Maske just how feels as he makes the decision and how his feelings turn bitter as the season unfolds. By the end you want to feel sorry for Archuleta, but at the same time you may feel like saying "Told ya so!"

Among the other story lines that are detailed more accurately and without bias is the Terrell Owens sage, which moved form Philadelphia to Dallas. Owens' image issues, coach Parcels battles, and overdose episode are discussed, as well as his road from Philadelphia to Dallas. Also detailed throughout the book is what happens above the club level.

A owners' meetings are discussed in an important year for the NFL. A new collective bargaining agreement was put in place, as was a new commissioner. Stadium deals are passed, coaches are scrutinized, and players are revived and dismantled.

Every topic thinkable is covered in War Without Death. I bought it a while ago and finally finished it over the weekend. If you are a football fan, especially of either of the NFC East teams, this is a must read when you get a chance. You will undoubtedly come away with a higher appreciation for the inner workings of the NFL and its teams, owners, general managers, coaches, and players.

Nothing Earth shattering here- Two thirds of the book deals with labor negotiations...about a third with the season and VERY LITTLE inside info- It's not a horrible read- just not all that great.

As a life-long fan of NFL football, the title of this book was an instant draw as the NFC East has perhaps some of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports. Legendary owners such as Wellington Mara, Jeff Lurie, and Jerry Jones, and the enigmatic Mr. Snyder of the Washington Redskins, make for a collection of characters unmatched in any league.

This book read like little more than a collection of the writer's newspaper columns. He wrote as if he were afraid that if he broke a big story in the book, it would have compromised his access in the coming season.

Still, the reader gets some glimpses into some of the machinations of the NFL; TV revenues, labor negotiations, drafts, player contracts, training camps, and combines. But no juicy, human interest stories that make the players, owners, coaches, et. al. any more real than they are on game day.

Maske missed a golden opportunity to provide a valuable addition to the body of sports literature. The NFC East deserved better, and so do its fans.

If you were a serious fan of an team in the NFC East during the 2006 season, you probably know most of what is in there already or could have guessed it pretty easily. There are only a few behind the scenes glimpses, and generally they are focused on the owners in the NFC East and the rest of the owners at the labor negotiations, although not Jeff Lurie as much as the others. I didn't think "war without death" would include labor negotiations so I began skipping those dull chapters. The game descriptions are all very routine, exactly like an AP story in a distant city (example: "Garcia threw a 75 yard touchdown pass to Stallworth, Westbrook ran for a 49 year touchdown") - no discussion of how the play was structured, or executed, or strategy going into the game. There is some discussion of personnel decisions, mostly of the Redskins' free agent strategy, which is pretty funny since they were mostly busts, but the author does not go back and interview their decision makers to find out what they think now about their bad decisions. There is a little discussion of the Eagles 2006 draft strategy but really not much of that and hardly any discussion of any other team's. So "War Without Death" is also "war without very much strategy, tactics or details of combat". So if you have a desire to relive the season and don't have the old newspapers laying around, I guess this is a good book to buy. Otherwise, I'd look for something else.

Using extreme sport as a metaphor the author explores the topic of managing your career. The graphic style (both literally and figuratively) are aimed at a young audience. I purchased a copy for my nephew.

Your career will almost certainly not be a straight, uphill climb within a single company, according to author Eileen Gunn. Extreme sports are about personal expression, enjoying an exciting experience and developing a reputation for spectacular feats. An extreme career is about the same things. Orientated to Gen Xers and Gen Yers, the book describes a career trajectory that is more like jumping from peak to peak than like steady mountain climbing, as varying peaks and valleys bespeak dramatic career changes. We find value in the message that you can have an extreme career, if you wish, and in the instructions for how to hit the peaks. You can learn how to grab big air for your career and make more of every day of your life.

I had intended to quickly glance through this book and ended up reading it attentively. Though I am past thinking of my career as an exciting 'climb, the way the author uses the metaphor works well for life in general, and therefore made for an informative read, whether you are near the summit or have already peaked. But if you are in your 20's or 30's, this is a must read (my daughter will receive her gift next week). It is a 'how to' book that passes along alot of information without sounding like preaching. And it is well written. I hope the author considers doing a sequel: a 'how to' reppel into retirement!

If you're looking to advance up the corporate ladder, practice tackling risk as a rock climber. Sports lingo is commonly used as metaphor for the work world--"Be a team player" and all that. This books teaches a new set of lingo drawn from extreme sports that more accurately reflects the realities of today's job market. It's packed with examples of business tycoons who've learned all their important lessons "grabbing big air" on a snowboard. A must for members of Generation X/Y who want to be noticed by the big decision-makers.

This book is aimed at people under 35 and the earlier in their career the better. It is written in a multimedia style and has the graphic style of a packet of information given to an extreme athlete at a competition. That is the metaphor for the book.

The idea is that the single company, climbing the corporate ladder of your parents and grandparents is over. Young people today will be switching jobs on a regular basis. To get the most out of a job to advance your career for the next job you land you need to treat your present job as a competition to get you some recognition that will get you noticed for the next gig. Grab the big air now.

Eileen Gunn uses anecdotes from the careers of people who have been successful in business and as extreme athletes. She shows us how they used a series of jobs to end up in the good places they are now and relates that to what they do as an extreme athlete.

Probably the most valuable service she offers in the book is showing how extreme athletes mitigate as much risk as they can through planning, training, gathering intelligence, and then letting go and relying on their preparation.

She also points out a style of teamwork and leadership she calls kinetic leadership and recommends that to the younger generation of workers. That is, be a part of a team and contribute all you can, but don't hog the sunshine. Lead when your skills warrant it, but support others when they have the most to offer. These trade-offs help everyone.

Not so relevant to me, but it might be very helpful for someone a generation younger.

This book is the story of a journey and of a friendship born of adverse circumstances. The time they spent as hostages gives Brian Keenan and John McCarthy an authority which they wear extremely lightly. This contrasts with the more recent posturing of the 'Neocons' who could be said to have got the world into this mess in Iraq.

There is an enviable easiness and a lack of bitterness towards their captors which gives this book a moral stature which has been lacking in more recent debate of the situation in the Middle East.

The authors - one English, one Irish - have a certain celebrity status, having been kidnap victims in Lebanon in the late eighties. This was the reason I bought the book, I probably won't have bought the book for its content alone. The central conceit of the book is that, while in Lebanon, they had imagined the landscape of Patagonia and this had kept them going. The book is a description of their actual journey through Chile to Patagonia, its delights and disappointments, with some stray reflections on their captivity and the comradeship which it induced in them. From what I knew of them before I read the book John McCarthy is a quick-witted Englishman from whom I would have expected many jokes, but not much insight, while Brian Keenan seemed to me to be quite reflective and serious.
The journey starts in Northern Chile, a barren region, with significant mining interests and border tensions with Peru. The book consists of intertwined pieces from each man's journal - sometimes describing the same incident; its possible to get some idea of each personality from the contrasts between their entries. As expected McCarthy is more straightforwardly descriptive, and he comes across as the organiser, planner of the pair. I warmed to his personality though, as he was both realistic and generous in his descriptions of Keenan, and of his admiration of ,and debt to, his friend. Keenan, on the other hand, I liked less as I read more. Keenan adopts a conceit that he has `spiritual guides' on the journey - one being Bernardo O'Higgins an revolutionary founder of Chile in the 1800's, the other being Pablo Neruda, a famous Twentieth Century Chilean poet , three volumes of whose work Keenan quotes from through the book. I felt his speculations about these `guides' were overdone, it seemed to me that Keenan was trying to affect an intellectual air and the overall tone was contrived. In the flesh, he seemed to snore and swear and be generally disorganised and somewhat boorish, so I thought this was too much of a contrast.
In general, neither man seemed to have warmed to the journey. Keenan seemed the more inspired by Chile, but both journals emphasized the tedium and hardship of the travel arrangements - McCarthy gently emphasized Keenan's snoring. I was quite disappointed that neither man mentioned much about what happened to them in the years after their release; while I could understand their need for privacy, there is the fact that the book is trading on the public's curiosity about them, as much as it is a travel book. They actually mention meeting someone who has read Keenan's book about his captivity, who criticizes him for not putting in a afterword describing how he adjusted on this release, Keenan makes the point that he needs privacy. In particular the campaign to seek John McCarthy's release had been run by his then-girlfriend Jill Morrell, a campaign which lasted five years. Yet there is a silence about this, McCarthy refers to `Anne' periodically, who I presume is his partner now.

This is a hilarious and moving tall (but true) tale about two men who had a dream and decided to go out and live it. Keenan and McCarthy came up with the idea of having a farm in Patagonia while still hostages in Beirut. Several years after their release, they decided to go to Chile and see how workable their dream was. The results were mixed but in the process, they managed to put a period to their time in captivity, learned far more about their respective heroes Bernardo O'Higgins and Pablo Neruda than they had hoped and discovered that they could still be great friends when not stuck together inside a dark, tiny room. Their travelogue is funny, frank, fractious and familiar to anyone who has traveled second-class in a country where the infrastructure is iffy. Definitely give this book a try.

I found this a funny, emotional, fantastic and honest description of a unique country. I have lived and worked in Chile now for 8 months and similar to the style of the two mens writing; (of Chile) I love it and loath it. It is not an optimistic over the top view of all things amazing and beautiful about Chile, and for this, I feel it is more real and honest. As they say, there are things that disappointed and annoyed them about Chile and the people, yet so many times things that happily exceeded any of their expectations. Which is exactly my sentiments about Chile and their people. At times the two writers do seem emotionally overdescriptive, dragging on about how they dreamed it would be and how Neruda described is beloved country, or how their minds were blown by something seemingly unimportant. But again, the amount of times I find I can't pinpoint well enough why these seemingly minor things move me so much, these two rather differently styled writers have perfectly articulated my sentiments.

Different strokes for different folks. Just as I understand why some people wouldn't/don't like Chile and others who would rave about it. I can see some people loving this book and others not.

I am a Brit currently living in Chile - and this book was a disappointment to me. It failed miserable to convey the beauty of the country. I felt it was a book more about the friendship of these two man rather than about the country they were exploring.

I found it was a refreshing change to see the different view points of the authors - set out section by section rather then the thoughts of the two mingled together. However - Mr Keenan was annoying the heck out of me by the end of the book. He obviously didn't want to be on this trip. He made miserable reading and I felt sorry for Mr McCarthy and his more upbeat endeavours. Someone should explain to Mr Keenan that Pablo Neruda's poety is worth reading - there is no doubt - but there is so much more to Chile this one man. In addition - he is not the only chilean poet to have achieved international recognition. Gabriel Mistral ring any bells?

This country is incredible - from the driest dessert in the world to the icy ridden south. It is breathtakingly beautiful - it's people so different in each region - the scenery so distinct from north to south. I felt that none of that came across. You should only read this books if you are interested in the friendship of these two men. If you want to know about Chile - there are better books out there - books which convey something of the country and all its people.

Renee Halvorsen has reinvented the historical romance. The result of her efforts is a delightful read that is certainly not the "same old / same old" storyline.

I'm not particularly a fan of westerns, but this story is an exception and it really isn't a "true" western in that there isn't a cowboy on his horse or a remote ranch in the entire story. We are set in 1879 Denver, and seeing what town life might have been like at that time.

Also, the professions of the hero / heroine are also refreshingly new. Andre DuBois - a hero to fall in love with - is the owner of a classy saloon. Faith O'Malley - a heroine we constantly cheer - is the keeper of an unusual orphanage. She is no Mother Theresa though raising the children of prostitutes and willing to go into the "gray zone" to get what the children need.

The opening and closing are riveting, and every page in between will keep you caught up in the story. I see many secondary characters as well that I hope will get their own story in the future.

Read this and remember the name Renee Halvorsen. She won the right to publish this book in the Dorchester New Historical Voice Contest and I think we are going to see her name a lot in the future on book covers.

Wouldn't it be fun to be able to say "I read her first book" in the future?

Anna

I must confess, I am a Regency fanatic. I love the whole prim and proper tone of a well-done Jane Austen type romance. I really am not a huge fan of Westerns...BUT, Extreme Measures was so enthralling and the characters so compelling that I have become a bit of a convert.

The sizzling relationship between Andre and Faith keeps you turning the page. These characters have such heart that it is easy to fall in love with them.

Renee Halverson should be utterly commended for a fantastic first effort. I look forward to reading another of her westerns, truly!

In 1879 Denver at the Dancing Belles Saloon, Andre Du Bois realizes how Faith O'Malley cheated at cards. He takes her into his office threatening to turn her over to the law. Faith escapes with the two thousand dollars. That night Andre looked for Faith, but failed to find her. The next morning he sees her coming out of the bank. Andre forces Faith to work as a dealer at his saloon to pay off the money he insists she stole. She agrees to his terms.

Unbeknownst to Andre, who believes Faith wants to open up a brothel, she needed the money to pay the bank on a loan she had on Heart House, an orphanage she runs for the chidlren of whores. As Faith and Andre become acquainted they fall in love. However, he believes she is just like his missing wife Pearl who stole a fortune from him while she feels he could never accept the daughter of a prostitute let alone her running of Heart House.

Though there is an overuse of coincidental meetings, the story line absorbs the reader as the era comes alive through the actions of the lead couple. The support cast augments the plot as the audience learns about the plight of the children and the ailing prostitutes. Fans of western Americana romances will fully appreciate Renee Halverson's debut as EXTREME MEASURES renders plenty of enjoyment.

Harriet Klausner

Renee Halvorsen, winner of Dorchester Publishing's Historical Voice Contest, shows promising talent, but unfortunately this novel doesn't quite succeed as a romance novel. Ms. Halverson gives us an exciting opening - Faith, the heroine, is discovered cheating at cards and it's revealed that she's making a desperate and heroic effort at supporting orphaned/abandoned children, many of them the illegitimate babies of prostitutes. Unfortunately the excitement fades from there.

Initial sexual tension between the hero and heroine fizzles out and their "consummation" completely lacks sensuality. I hoped for a sizzling, sexy love scene but the author describes it so clinically that the passion doesn't leak off the pages at all, as fans of romance expect.

This is a nice effort from a new writer, though, and congratulations to Ms. Halvorson. Two stars

This book started out great. The heroine is cheating during a poker game. She is caught and manages to escape by outwitting her captors. What a refreshing change from the normal boring virginal do-gooder heroines that I always read about. Then the book goes downhill. It turns out the heroine is a normal boring virgin who takes in orphans. She cheats at cards to support them. After she escapes in the beginning of the book, her IQ drops dramatically. After she loses her virginity, it becomes non-existent. Just pass on this one. I am sure you have read it before many, many times.