Bell Books

REVIEW: Helene Hanff was a native New Yorker all her life, and her genuine passion and love for the Big Apple is refreshing and exudes a warmth that colors every aspect of her written work. After the surprise success of her memoir "84 CHARING CROSS ROAD": Hanff was commissioned by the BBC in London to do a monthly five minute radio broadcast for their Women's Hour program in which she was to describe her daily life on Manhattan Island to an adoring audience who desired to experience the sights and sounds of America's quintessential city. The resulting commission lasted six years (from 1978-1984: "LETTER FROM NEW YORK" compiles the assorted two page scripts and preserves them in book form that Hanff's fans will treasure for a lifetime. Here between the pages we get to meet a whole cast of diverse characters (and their pets) like Bernadette who is only five-feet tall, weighs ninety pounds, and likes to make people happy; Arlene who is the epitome of New York City chic; Nina who lives on the 16th floor of Hanff's apartment building and who owns Duke the Germand Shepherd (the author's "one true love"); and Bentley the English Sheepdog who was abandoned by his family in Vermont and adopted by Richard, a business executive. These and other of Hanff's friends, neighbors, and apartment-house dwellers are brought to life with a simple brush stroke of prose; and a keen wit that (at times) borders on the Andy Rooney-esque. Add to that a dollop of history, a touch of biography, and a generous portrait of humanity; and you have a beautifully written slice-of-life diary of Americana. HARSH LANGUAGE: none. VIOLENCE: about 3 descriptions of Revolutionary War brutality. SEXUAL REFERENCES: none.


THE MORAL COMPASS: "LETTER FROM NEW YORK" is a beautifully written work free from any foul language or sexual descriptions. Instead Hanff brings to life the vibrant humanity of the people around her in a matter-of-fact yet completely inoffensive way. As such the only slightly "controversial" topic that Christians would denounce is Bernadette's interest in astrology (which the author clearly finds disdainful). Thus the book's content should earn a strong ACCEPTABLE rating.

Helene Hanff takes every day slices of life in New York City and shows us the people behind the skyscrapers. I highly recommend reading this book along with "Apple of My Eye", her book about New York City sites and history. Having had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Hanff in 1990, i can tell you she wrote as she talked, so when you read her words, it is actually HER voice speaking to you with no pretense. This lady called them as she saw them! I have read and re-read her books many hundreds of times and hope others will continue to discover them!

I could never understand people who read the same book several times until I began to read Helene Hanff.I find myself trying to work out just how big,or small is her apartment?I was so pleased to find the book about Q. It aswered such a lot of questions.I'm a real cult follower of her work.

Halfway through the very first dispatch, I began reading this book aloud. Since the essays are transcripts from her BBC Woman's Hour Broadcasts, it seemed more appropriate.

Helene's voice is clear and crisp, much like the autumn-in-NY days she once loved. Fans of "84 Charing Cross Road" who found themselves yearning for more should take the time to hunt down a used copy of this text. It's definitely worth it.

When writting about New York City, many authors try to be as chic and cosmopolitan as New York is perceived to be. But Helene Hanff's writing is interesting, witty and fun and there is not a bit of pretentiousness in it. This is a great collection of "talks" which describe the real New York.

Hoffmann was one of the most influential writers of the early 19th cventury. A composer and critic as well as writer of often bizarre fiction, Hoffmann set the tone for much of Romantic literature (especially the combination of the bourgeois and the supernatural), and provided the plots for operas and ballets (including Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker). This novel, which intersperses the memoirs of a cat (appropriately named Murr) with the "random pieces of wastepaper" the cat shredded out of a biography of the composer Kreisler (Hoffmann's alter ego?). In the late 20th century, we came to take the idea of intercutting two unrelated narratives for granted as a Post-modern breakdown of narrative authority. Yet here is the same device, in 1820! Just when you're emotionally invested in one story, it abruptly shifts back to the other. Moreover, Murr's "cat's eye view" of human interaction turns the entire book into a sly critique of the declining aristocrats and rising bourgeois of Europe at the time. A brilliant, compelling, often hilarious read. You'll understand why Schumann, Brahms, and so many others thought of Hoffmann as their favorite writer.

The introduction claims this is an extraordinary book and it surely is. It does bare some resemblance to 'The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy' but is markedly more inventive, more engaging. Partly it is because it is two stories entwined but also disengaged. And each is of great complexity - the one being a truly captivating mystery but one that progresses ever so slowly, almost catching me unawares and making me wonder - for a while - if this wasn't the first detective story, and the other being the musings of the character of the title - Tomcat Murr. Yes, a cat actually writes the story! By the end of the novel - and it was a long and slow read for me - every character was someone I felt totally at sympathy with (which is not something I could say for the characters in Tristam Shandy). ...

I found this novel a long, hard read - the ideas and interrelationships are dense. But by the end of it I loved all the characters, they are part of my family. It is no wonder that Hoffmann had such a great impact in the world of music - his writing can get right under your skin - well, it certainly got under mine. I will read this novel again. It is simply so good, so captivating...

This book, as the cover states, is probably one of the strangest novels of the 19th century. It is actually two books: the autobiography of the very self-important tomcat Murr which is in turn written on random back sides of a biography of Hoffmann's alter ego, the Kapellmeister Kreisler (see his Kreisleriana). Hoffmann is a master of building up your interest and sympathy in one storyline and then abruptly turning to the other, leaving you hanging and wanting more. The book is very entertaining and the translation is great, with very helpful notes at the end (there are many quotes in the book which were well known at the time, but these days...). I highly recommend this book to any one who is interested in early romanticism, fantastic flights of imagination and biting satire. The only possible problem with this work is that it is unfinished and the end of the second of three projected books does leave you hanging somewhat.

A remarkable example of the simply astoundig gifts of Hoffmann's writing, one of the few unquestionable genius in literature's history. E.T.A Hoffmann manages to blend, with overpowering skill and boldness, fantasy, wittiness, irony, sharp political criticism and lyricism, giving to the cultivated reader an endless cornucopia of sophisticated, intelligent gladness.

I learned about ETA Hoffman by reading some articles he had written on Mozart and Beethoven (the A in is name is for Amadeus, he idolized Mozart). Little did I know that he he was a brilliant and captivating writer of fiction as well. Although markedly less frightening than many of his short stories (such as the Sandman), this book is nevertheless exciting as well as thought provoking (Hoffman makes about 400 references to the literature and music of the his time and before). Additionally, it an example of literary bravado I have not seen elsewhere, namely, the writing of two books in one. In it, a bourgeois 'genius' of a tomcat (murr), creates a wonderful palimpset by writing on shreds of the biography of brooding romantic composer Johannes Kriesler. As such, interspersed betwee the cat's opinions are excepts of the rather odd story of Krieler and his friends, such as the magician Master Abraham. Each time either of the two stories begins building to a climax, Hoffman pulls the rug out from under you and changes narratives. The only fault I find with the book is that it is unfinished (Hoffman wanted to publish a third volume which would tie up loose ends), it even ends mid-sentence. Regardless, this is a wonderful book, and I would recommend it to just about anyone.

No "huggy," feel-good philosophy here. Laurie Bell's book is a wake up call for the weight-loss crowd. I liked her to-the-point, no nonsense approach. People fail themselves because they cling to a number of deceptive lies. As a champion body builder, mother of 2 and a holder of a Master of Science degree, she knows what she is talking about.

--Doug Setter, BSc, author of Stomach Flattening

When the full-length mirror says things your husband would never, ever dare say, it's time to read, Lose the Lies, Lose the Weight.

Laurie Bell is 41-year-old mother of two who educates women about losing weight. What she does differently than most "weight loss books," is she digs deep, sometimes too deep, into the psychology of weight gain, thus weight loss.

Bell really cares about the women she is writing to and about--and this brings honest information. She jumps hard on the reasons people are gaining weight today in such numbers it is almost an epidemic. She doesn't (pardon the pun) sugarcoat a thing, because sugar, especially the hidden sugar, is what got a lot of overweight people into being that way. That, and oh yes--fast food, packaged food, convenience, lack of exercise.

Bell has been there before she turned health-conscious. If our mind (where the weight problem rests in a stupor) got fat like our behinds did, more women would understand why they are overweight, and why they have difficulty losing the weight.

This book is in several parts:

Part 1: Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself
Part 2: Manipulative Lies Others Tell You
Part 3: Nutrition Lies
Part 4: Exercise Lies
Part 5: Getting Fit

If being fit is important to you, you need to make the commitment to take the time to eat right and get exercise.

Armchair Interviews says: In Bell's inspiring story, you will see that you need to stop lying to yourself. If you are serious about making changes in your life, this book's down-to-earth message can help.

I read Laurie Bell's Lose the Lies, Lose the Weight, followed the program, and already lost 10 pounds. I love the fact that Laurie is also someone who struggled with her weight. Like myself, she is over 40 and has children. Laurie's book is motivating because if she did it -- so can I. Thank you so much for inspiring me, Laurie! I emailed my results to Laurie at laurie@losethelieslosetheweight.com and she responded back because she is truly excited for me too! If you want the "real deal" on weight loss, read this book.

I read an advance copy of this book and have passed along the information to many friends. Ladies,if you are SERIOUS about losing weight, this is the ONE book you will need. If you are not serious, buy it anyway and save it until you are. After reading this book, I made several changes in my life ~ I ended a relationship with a non-supportive spouse and have lost more than 20 pounds. Laurie Bell rocks!!

For people, especially women, who have dealt with a weight problem for most of their lives, giving people like Laurie Bell "the look" as she refers to it in her book doesn't bother her in the least bit. You know you do it and your mind instantly moves from admiration to jealousy because you believe that you could never look as fit and trim as she does.

While most people would look at Laurie Bell today and think, "She's so lucky because she was born to be physically fit," little do they know just how wrong they are about this former junk food junkie turned health-conscious woman. That's the underlying message she conveys in her book, Lose The Lies, Lose The Weight.

Let me warn you about this book! It is not for those who are afraid to hear the truth unmasked from any use of psychological innuendo and "feel-good" euphemisms to sugarcoat the hard message that you need to hear about losing weight. In fact, Bell is unabashed in her convictions about what is causing people to gain weight at such epidemic proportions and refuses to simply appease you with what you want to hear. If that's what you are looking for in this book, then you might want to find another book to read instead.

But Lose The Lies, Lose The Weight tells it to you in a direct and authoritative manner that will keep you turning the pages of this book like you would a riveting, plot-thickening mystery novel. Bell obviously cares about the people who are reading her book so much that she is unwilling to lead them astray on their pathway to better health. You should appreciate any author who is willing to tell it like it is!

Because I was able to lose nearly 200 pounds by implementing some basic lifestyle changes in my life, I was extremely interested in reading what Bell had to say about the subject of weight loss. To my delight, she did not disappoint me.

As I have personally said many times to people, weight loss doesn't begin with a "diet" program or attaining the mysterious willpower to suddenly resist poor food choices. Instead, it begins in the mind where we often lie to ourselves about why we are fat. We make up excuses to ourselves, such as "I'm happy with the way I look" or "I can't give up my sweets." I have three words for this kind of thinking -- LIE LIE LIE! We tell ourselves these lies because we just don't want to change. Bell discusses 10 of these "Destructive Lies You Tell Yourself" in Part I of Lose The Lies, Lose The Weight.

In Part II, she moves from the lies you tell yourself to the "Manipulative Lies Others Tell You." Ooooh, this is a touchy subject as well. I know first-hand how other people will do anything and everything they can to sabotage your weight loss efforts. Some don't mean to do it, but many others do because they want to feel better about themselves. It's a cruel and ironic world we live in, but Bell shows you six lies that you will need to be aware of that will come from others.

The section called "Nutrition Lies" in Part III takes a look at the various ways of eating and how the lies about them can contribute to your being overweight or obese. Since I lost weight on the low-carb lifestyle, I was especially interested in Bell's comments about carbohydrates. While she does not believe in eating zero carbs (and neither do I), instead she promotes that there are certain healthy complex carbs that should be eaten in sufficient amounts for stronger muscles and increased energy.

She also promotes the consumption of high-fiber foods (something virtually every low-carber supports) and avoiding sugars, especially the hidden ones that often end up in most foods that people are simply unaware of. Bell shares a story about how deceptive these marketing tactics can be and, like me, encourages you to scour food labels for any trace of unnecessary sugars. Be sure to read Bell's tips about how to quit sugar for good.

Next, in Part IV of Lose The Lies, Lose The Weight, Bell addresses the "Exercise Lies" that prevent most people from beginning a regular workout routine. Continuing with her in-your-face writing style, she refuses to back down from her belief that people make time for what is important to them and shouldn't make useless excuses get in the way of their deepest desires and needs. If you want to lose weight and get fit, then you will start exercising -- NOW!

Finally, "Getting Fit" in Part V provides practical advice and instruction on how to implement a workout routine into your life. Bell even shows you pictures of the resistance training exercises she has used to become the fitness bombshell that she is today. She didn't get those muscles overnight, but by taking it day-by-day to invest in her health and future to live a long life for those two beautiful girls of hers on the back cover of the book.

What an inspiring story Bell should be for anyone who thinks, "I could never look like her!" Stop lying to yourself and let her success push you to look even better than she does. Bell believes anyone can make this happen! Regardless of which weight loss eating plan you have chosen, there is something in Lose The Lies, Lose The Weight that will help you make this lifestyle change permanent.

A great little book full of very real thoughts. The character is 'everyman' or woman...sort of androgenous, raceless and ageless. The situations the character gets in are so recognisable and humorous. Great fun.

I found Love Matters quite moving and could really relate to the little character and the ups and downs in life. I found it reassuring to know that I am not the only person out there that finds it difficult to be vulnerable and real. Loved the cartoon about 'emotional trophies'!

What a joyous little book. I have given it to heaps of my friends and each and every one have loved every bit of it. My copy sits in a prominent position in my living room so that I can refer to it when ever I feel the need for a gentle laugh.

This is a special book. I have given it to several of my friends, including one who had just lost someone close - and she enjoyed it immensely, finding it a comfort. The drawings and little story reminded me that love is alive and well, and that no matter what it is a gift. The content is simple but profound and carries messages that are touching but also very funny in a gentle way. I love that it is not sentimental in a cheesy way and is ageless, raceless, genderless and very much speaks to everyone. I hope this delightful little book finds its way into many homes and many hearts.

A friend gave me Love Matters when I was single and I found it to be an inspiring and uplifting book. David Bell has a witty and insightful sense of humour and his drawings are fantastic - very expressive. A great gift for a friend.

would be great book for anyone with yahoo 1400-1700.
only drawback is the it is written in old notation.
best parts are the annoted games and ideas explained behind
major opening lines.

Although an older book's claim to being "Modern" can be disputed, Modern Chess Strategy remains current because of its emphasis on ideas and principles. Using lucid prose and numerous diagrams, Lasker - a strong international master-level player in his day - teaches the newcomer the basic principles of opening development, combinations, and endgame principles. What I particularly like is the author's no nonsense approach: he doesn't dumb down nor does he attempt to overwhelm with variations. One shouldn't be put off by the book's age (I think it was written in the 1920s): You're getting first-rate, world-class instruction for a bargain-basement price.

I have started to learn chess recently.It is therefore,not my size, to comment on the technical aspects of this superb classical masterpiece.I, however wish, such books are available on CD's with which may include,but not limited to algebric notations, reader controlled analysis, side analysis (auto) as mentioned in the book, novice to expert level computer opponent, print facility.

First, to correct another review; this book was written in 1950, not the 1920s. Lasker's first strategy book, entitled "Chess Strategy" was written before World War I. The present book is an update of that timeless classic. If you have and love the first one, you still need this newer book. Lasker made corrections (rather, improvements) from the original, and he added new sections on more modern openings, such as the Indian Defenses, and there is a section on the Sicilian too, which was not in the original. Plus, there are 20 new annoated illustrative games, covering 60 pages. To this day, I have found no one who annotates a game for the intermediate player more beautifully than Edward Lasker. The only writer I can compare him too for instructional value is Jeremy Silman. Each has a unique and rare gift of being able to translate chess into ideas that are understandable to the average player. There are many chess players out there who do not know what a great and important chess writer Lasker was. His works are essential parts of my collection.

Even if you don't know the first thing about chess, this book can help you learn the fundamentals behind chess strategy and become a good player within a short period of time. The book is profusely illustrated with hundreds of diagrams and annotated games.

The author uses a clear and conversational style to clarify problems that may seem difficult or confusing for the beginner or casual player. This book is an update of a previous work by Lasker (Chess strategy) that was consider the "Chess Bible" when published many years ago.

The book is organized in two parts and five chapters as follows:

PART I - FUNDAMENTALS
- The rules of the Game.
- Elementary end-games.
- Fundamental middle-game combinations.
PART II - PRINCIPLES OF CHESS STRATEGY
- The openings.
- Middle-game and End-game.

Whenever in the past I read blurbs touting other poets as successors to John Ashbery, I was disappointed with the actuality. Not this time! Josh Bell, the best author I have ever read specifically as a result of an Amazon.com recommendation, has the same wildness of imagination and word choice as his distinguished predecessor. Very highly recommended!

I remember this guy from my childhood. we sort of grew up together. I bought the book for that reason, but after reading it I have to say even if you don't share any childhood memories with Joshua Bell, you should buy this book. it's worth it.

No Planets Strike is an indelible collection. Sometimes you order a poetry book and it turns out only one or two poems rock, and some are okay and the others blow. Not so for this book: every poem astounds with moxie and prowl. It's a page-turner. It's a must-have.

Josh Bell's No Planets Strike is as beautiful as it is frightening. Bell takes his title from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and seems to take on the perspectives of characters like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the two spear-carriers standing at the edge of the stage--that is, this book is about "minor characters;" there are no heroes here, only the "normal," and justly so, Bell dissects, in his poetry, our own unspoken view points on unrequited love and male sexuality with humor and a deft understanding of language. Bell writes to us in "series poems," where we get to see what it was like to sleep with Artemus and Julia Roberts in the same book, and we get a whole new defenition of "muse" with overtly cruel and unapologetic Ramona. I celebrate Josh's great book, and I think that we're going to hear from him again.

I've been waiting for this collection of poems to come out for years. Josh Bell is an incredibly ambitious, hysterically funny, and deeply literary poet (and he is never pretentious). Reading his poems will make you laugh out loud. If you're a poet, reading his poems will inspire you to write, simply because he consistently shows the phenomenal things the English language can be made to do. An absolute must-read, it's sure to become a classic.

The central book in this series Lifemanship:Some Notes on Lifemanship with a Summary of Recent Research in Gamesmanship is a classic for anyone nerous about social encounters. You know the type, the ones who are always suspecting that everyone else is scrutinizing their every word and gesture. Well, according to these books, they are. There is a defense though (and a way to make those others who share the anxiety still more worried). This is one of those that is a good laugh, but not ENTIRELY facetious.

If your knowledge of British humour begins and ends with Monty Python, or if you think Austin Powers really is British, then this book will be an eye-opener for you. Where the Pythons provide an in-your-face, broad, loud, slapstick experience, Stephen Potter is exquisitely dry and understated. He sets about on the thankless and nearly impossible task of teaching us perfectly ordinary people how to lord it over our peers. Or betters, for that matter. Doctors, for instance, assume a state of instant authority and dominance by the simple act of having us remove our clothes first thing. How to counter this age-old tactic? Arrange for a female acquaintance to call you as soon as you're starkers, and engage in a knee-slapping, ribald conversation. Any doctor will have a hard time meeting your eyes after that call! A salesman should never rush a pen into his client's hand, hoping he'll skip the fine print. Instead, read out loud the most obfuscatory phrases ("whereas the party hereinafter called the copyholders shall within the discretion of both signatories ..."), and have a shared laugh as you both try to figure out what they can possibly mean. It's good form to then pat your pockets, looking in vain for a pen. Done properly, the client will offer his own pen, which of course you'll take home with you.

If you're not used to reading the Queen's English, you'd better have a dictionary (preferably the O.E.D.) close at hand. Despite the passing of half a century, some of these ploys and gambits will be fresh and viable today. Mind you, I should avoid any driving advice given by Plaste, tempting though it may be. Though if you're afraid of heights, then the Art of Not Rockclimbing will suit you to a "t". This is all brilliant stuff, though the connoisseur will prefer the all-in-one volume, "The Complete Upmanship: Including Gamesmanship, Lifemanship, One-Upmanship, Supermanship." Highly, highly recommended.

Potter's books are the funniest I have ever read. I go back to each of them regularly.

Potter caqptures the essence of British humor. He wrote circa 1950 and was a master at capitalizing on observations for the purposes of gaining an edge in the most humorous of cicumstances. The British understatement and preoccupation for the unimportant things in life is the starting point for Potter to describe how life should be lived. From how to decorate ones office, how to walk in a museum, how to properly answer the telephone, to what to wear for golf has been reduced to a science so that the other person will ultimately feel uncomfortable and off balance. If one can possibly think British, then this book may be one of the funniest books ever written.

As a high school youth this book was my introduction to subtlety. And as a kid in Pittsburgh I had much to learn on this subject. One would hope that in today crass atmosphere such ploys are still advantageous but I doubt it. In fact I'll wager that there is not one person in a thousand who can identify this book as the source of the popularity of the word "ploy" although the word is widely used. Read it, it's fun.

This book is a true gift -- full of deep, angular passages by thoughtful Christians from a huge variety of times and places. As a pastor, I find myself going back into it while working on sermons. Not for a clever line or for a cute quote by someone famous to give credence to what I want to say. No, these passages bring me deeper into the most profound truths of the faith. They improve my own thinking and praying and preaching.

With great warmth and feeling, "Ordinary Graces" brings to light timeless human need to move from self-love to love of God and of others, from doubt to faith, from despair to hope. One feels connected to an unbroken thread of believers through the centuries. The book made me newly aware that "the body of Christ" links all generations and that the fruit of "the vine and the branches" nourishes every soul.

Ordinary Graces opens with a joyful celebration of the wonder of God's creation followed by a gradual unfolding of the Christian message that culminates in divine union. The passages are carefully selected so that each reflects upon and illuminates those that precede and follow it. As the book progresses, a path of work is traced, its demands increasing in difficultly and deepening in meaning. Kisly's thoughful selections are in an invitation to examine one's life and choose the path of truth. These selections cover 2000 years of Christianity, with remarkable passages that flow smoothly between the centuries. Highly and enthusiastically recommended

In returning to favorite quotations I choose those passages in which the authors express personal experiences of grace. Having the courage to write from the inside out reveals an authenticity which the selections that are intended to alter another's behavior do not. The last entry in the book, one of several included elsewhere by Meister Eckhart demonstrates this beautifully. "The eye in which I see God is the same eye in which God sees me. My eye and God's eye are one eye and one seeing, one knowing and one loving." In like manner the champion of little graces, Brother Lawrence confesses, "I turn over my little omelet in the frying pan for the love of God. When it is done, if I have nothing to do, I bow down to the ground and adore God from whom has come the grace to make it." Petru Dumitriu, in the chapter The Sacrament of Presence admits, "My own humble experience is not that of ecstacy. I do not levitate, I am not somewhere else, nor outside myself, not with God-nothing of that. Just a poor brute suddenly stopping halfway down the stairs, or slowly taking off his glasses. But those two or three minutes in the life of a man, are the reason why I shall not have lived in vain." And finally, Julian of Norwich ".....I was filled with an everlasting security that supported me completely, and I was without fear. This feeling was so blessed that I experienced nothing but peace and rest, and there was nothing on earth that could have disturbed me." No 'thou shalt's in those entries. Thank you Lorraine Kisly for this rich collection crammed with Ordinary Graces.

This book is beautifully conceived and executed. It is a rich collection of Christian spiritual writing rather loosely organized by general themes such as repentence and transformation. The selections are marvelous. There was nothing familiar (this is no "greatest hits") and there is astonishing breadth and quality. A constant surprise: selections that sounded very 'modern' in their psychological penetration are often from an obscure writer from the sixth century. So much hits home. I came away proud of my Christian heritage, determined to tap into it further, and inspired to take advantage of all the 'ordinary graces' available to me (and to everyone!).

This is a great book for anyone who loves to ride PWCs and a must-have for anyone new to the sport. The detailed information on specific locations tells what to expect there, as well as hotel and campsight names and phone numbers. I found the chapters on Equipment and Planning and Preparation especially helpful in evaluating how ready we are for a trip. The whole book is packed with useful information. We refer to it often.

This is a great book, I just got done reading it just before the season starts and water gets warm. I found this book very informative and it gave me many NEW ideas for places to go this summer. Intra-Coastal Waterway and Caddo are places that I had never heard of riding and after reading this book I know how to get there, were the best place to load and unload, were to eat, were to get gas and what to expect. It also gives the Texas Water Safty Act which is also very helpful so this year I won't get a $150 ticket. I would suggest this book to anybody that has PWC's or is planning to buy one.

Today I read your book ont he plane while returning from Portland, Oregon. I cannot tell you how long it has been since I read something so pleasurable as your book. I found your advice so valuable. You grought up things that i haven't even begun to think of. What a great resource. My greatest challenge is deciding which trip to do first! Thank for all the research, time and effort you must of put into this fine book.

Patrick Fitzgerald Genreal Sales Manager Federal Signal Corporation

Thom wrote this book in a language everyone can understand. He includes everything you would want to know about each location he covers. Very user friendly.

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the safe use and enjoyment of personal watercraft. It is especially handy for Texas watercraft enthusiasts because it contains so much useful information on places to go in the state and what to expect when you get there. The author also does an excellent job in the areas of preparation and planning, equipment, maintenance, and rules and regulations.

I bought the book three weeks ago and have already been on three of the author's recommended adventures. They were terrific! This book will add a whole new dimension to your personal watercraft experience.

I hope that Thom Bell will follow this guidebook with another one full of even more fun trips and adventures!

This contains the clearest presentation of the evidence for non-locality that I've seen. The other chapters on the implications of this are a little more challenging but worth it.

In this delightful read, Maudlin goes through an array of topics revolving around non-locality, relativity, and the mathematics involved. However, although I didn't find any "new" ideas in the text, I was amazed at how quickly & clearly he explained the said topics. Without exaggerating, in 80 pages of this book I attained what had taken me an entire stack of now useless books on quantum physics (particularly Bell's theorem), relativity, linear algebra, and philosophy(don't read Philosophy of Physics by Lange, you'll get it all out of this)

Anyone who has a prior introduction to Quantum theory will love this. I'd suggest Quantum Reality by Herbert, But there are lots of good ones out there.

There are many books which discuss the issue of quantum non-locality and discuss its connections to relativity theory. The vast majority of them, however, are either un-serious popular pap, or serious tomes written by professional philosophers who are at least as confused as the authors of the pap.

Maudlin's book stands out like a beacon of light in this fog of confusion and muddle-headedness. It is accessible to anyone with a basic high-school education in math and physics, yet surpasses the vast majority of technical papers on this subject in depth, clarity, and (most importantly) correctness. If you want to understand the issue of non-locality that makes some people worry so much about quantum theory and its consistency with relativity, read this book -- study this book -- and this holds whether you are a Joe Schmoe off the street or a famous Professor from (say) Boston University.

This is a great book - captivating, a bit technical in places (but you can easily avoid the technical details and still understand the theses), and ultimately somewhat disturbing in the best sense of that word (it will knock away a lot of your presuppositions). Quantum non-locality (QNL) has been experimentally verified and there is no question that it exists. Particles too far apart to "communicate" at speeds less than the speed of light nonetheless do somehow "communicate". Lorentz invariance, a cornerstone of relativity, has also been well verified experimentally. Yet Einstein's philosophical underpinning of special relativity, the democracy of all reference frames, seem to be radically called into question by QNL. The author goes through every theory put forward so far to reconcile special relativity (with its philosophical underpinning intact) with QNL, and shows that none can cut the mustard. Trying to reconcile QNL with general relativity leads to even worse conundrums. Science is in a deep quandary! This book will blow your mind if you let it.

It's no coincidence that those writing the clearest books in the philosophy of physics are also those doing the best work in the field. Maudlin's book is a perfect example of this. It is also remarkably self-sufficient, providing a review of special relativity, and a brief and lucid presentation of the foundations of quantum mechanics in the appendix. As a result, it should be readable by anyone with a high school education. Those already familiar with the physics and/or the issues may want to skip parts, though I should note that I found a couple hidden gems regarding things I was unfamiliar with or mistaken about even in the introductory sections.

The bulk of the book examines whether and to what extent quantum mechanics entails four superluminal phenomena often taken to be ruled out by relativity: superluminal matter transport, superluminal signaling, superluminal causation and superluminal information transfer. Maudlin convincingly argues that only the latter two of these are entailed by quantum phenomena. The book ends with an critical examination of the various theories put forward to circumvent these difficulties, and provides a brief discussion of how these issues hold up when we move to General Relativity and Quantum Field Theory.