Bennett Books

I always used this book as my lifesaver since its first edition. Although it is basically written for medical students, I beleive it is the best source for USMLE Step 2. Everybody has a problem preparing for Medicine part of Step 2 CK. This book does an amazing job of giving all clinical facts without going into unnecessary details. Step 2 CK is about pathophysiology, diagnosis and principles of treatment, and you can find those issues in this book without wasting your time reading bigger books. The new edition is very reader friendly and full of diagrams and algorithms. Don't look at big size. You can easily read this book in a short time. It is written very well and unlike other medicine books, it is not boring.

This is a fantastic introduction to medicine and also an excellent resource for USMLE Step 2CK. It is definitely a step up from the usual review books and it requires more time to cover. However, it is still quite manageable and I enjoyed reading it. Highly recommended!

I read this book in medical school once. It is an excellent book with all you need from pathophysiology and clinical presentations. However if you are a resident, it may not be in enough depth especially in treatment parts.

This book can definitely be recommended for all undergraduate students in Medicine. It is very colourful and this makes it very reader- friendly too. The algorithms and tables just excell and so are the diagrams which do not feature in many postgraduate texts also. The text is bold and read without eyestrain. The language is simple and eloquent. The paperback cover can be easily converted to a hardbound one.It simply supercedes Davidsons and many other undergraduate texts in Medicine.
Professor K.N.Viswanathan, AVMC, Pondicherry, India.

I've been looking for a book to be a companion for me throughout medical school and beyond. It should not read like the bible nor should it be flimsy. Cecil is solid, informative and user-friendly.

this book was in the cslb suggested study materials for the contractor exam. understand and be understood by subs; impress customers. expensive and worth it.

This book is an excellent resource for those entering the Architecture profession. It is exhaustive and has information I couldn't find easily elsewhere.

This book is a great desk reference for any materials needed in construction. I am a student and find myself going back to this book semester after semester. Great Book.

As the other reviews stated this book is in depth. If you are a building professional than you should already know the fundementals and require a reference that is the basis of your field. This book is too exausting for school, but as soon as you move to the office you should use it as the starting point for your details, CD's and specs. I used this book to study for the ARE and it has also come in handy when questions arise on the construction site with contractors. I have always felt that, as Architects, we have enough books all about subjects that we hire consultants for ie. Structures, MEP but we are the ones who need to be the experts about our handicraft: Construction.

It is certainly THE BIBLE for construction. Boy, I sweated it! But, if you can get through it, it is certainly worth the efford.

I really enjoyed the simplicity of this book. It explained everything very well and can easily be read in one or two evenings. This is a great book for explaining one of the Gifts of the Spirit to Christians. It also was a very good reference for how to release the Holy Spirit and let the Spirit flow more freely in our Lives.

This book has really given me an understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in our lives. It gives real world knowledge that is easy to follow and understand. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a greater understanding of the Holy Spirit.

There are many Christians who have misconceptions and fear about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. This book answers every question with scripture and gives leaders and lay people tools to lead others to the power of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. This book combined with the "Holy Spirit and You" and the Bible are the best resources available for those desiring to recieve. I thought they were so powerful that I have bought a large stock to just keep giving away to anyone who desires to experience the release of the Holy Spirit as God intended as the norm for all Christians. Mis-education and fear have kept main-line churches from receieving and using the gifts and tools that God intended for us to have. Dennis Bennet is a normal traditional Episcopalian priest who approaches the topic with clarity.

How to Pray for the Release of the Holy Spirit is a book of both spiritual and historical significance. The late Dennis Bennett's experience as an Episcopal priest who began speaking in tongues in the late 1950s and the events that followed (see his book Nine O'Clock in the Morning for a firsthand account) is widely considered to have marked the beginning of the charismatic movement in the mainline Protestant and Catholic churches. As the movement expanded in the years that followed, Bennett himself remained active and taught many people about the Spirit-filled life, inviting them to yield to the Spirit's work and leading them in prayer for "the release of the Holy Spirit" that equips believers through spiritual gifts for Christian witness and service.

This book delivers the content of these teachings. Bennett seems to have written it for the purpose of helping other people teach on this topic in the same way he did; accordingly, most of the text is essentially what the speaker might say to an assembled congregation, small group, or retreat gathering. He goes so far as to include bracketed comments and bits of advice for leaders at specific points in the teaching; for example, questions or objections they might anticipate on certain topics and how to respond to them. These additions, while useful for speakers, would be distracting to those who use the book in personal study and confusing to those for whom the teaching is new. They should have been put in an appendix.

While the author's foundational teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit is mostly uncontroversial, he enters more divisive territory with his heavy emphasis on the gift of tongues. The upshot of his teaching on this topic is close to the Pentecostal view of this gift as a necessary initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (though he himself doesn't use this term). This will be either a positive or a negative aspect of the book depending on the reader's own stance on the issue. A "prayer language," states the author, is available to every Christian who asks for one, implying that unaddressed sin or other spiritual impediments are the cause of unanswered prayers for this gift. The biblical support for the author's position, which has created tragic and unwarranted feelings of insecurity in many believers about their own standing in the Lord, is shaky at best. A more balanced perspective on these issues is available in several other books, including The Baptism with the Holy Spirit by R. A. Torrey (briefly) and Receiving the Power by Zeb Bradford Long and Douglas McMurray (in greater detail).

Nevertheless, God has used Bennett's teaching about the Holy Spirit, theological hiccups and all, to bring personal renewal and spiritual empowerment to the lives of countless believers. It is deserving of careful reading and prayerful reflection.

I hate to write bad reviews, but this book is not correct in its explanation of the release of the Holy Spirit...the book is directed to the 'carnal Christian' who wants to 'fast food Christianity'.....I would NOT recommend this book to anyone seeking the Holy Spirit...if you are seeking the Holy Spirit, simply read the Scriptures...and focus your heart,mind,body and soul on Jesus Christ....after that the Gifts of the Spirit will flow out effortlessly...

What an adorable book about freaky stone monsters of architecture! The concept here is that the creatures come to life at night to complain about their miserable lives, with some surprisingly clever humor. It's a little anti-human, surprisingly, but the gargoyles are a nice blend of scary, silly, and relatable and the illustrations are just lovely.

Have you ever wonderd what happens to all the gargoyles at night?Well, this book will tell you!Writtin by Eve Bunting this book is a great childrens book.
In this book the gargoyles all wait intell night comes around thats when they wake up.Some of them go to the fountin where other gargoyles are are spitting from there leage.Others just run around town or fly through the sky.
The pictures in this bool are by David Wiener and they are great! He draws all of the gargoyles extremly well!My feelings about the bokk are that its an awsome childrens book and I think everybody should read it!

This book is about how in the day gargoyles are still, dead like stone figures, but at night they live. They fly around and cause trouble. Then by morning there as dead looking as ever, till night comes.

This book I think is a great kid's book. It's easy to understand, yet, there are hard words for them which will make them smarter, in the end I would give this book a five out of five stars.

Night of the Gargoyles is a highly interesting, spooky gargoyle book. This spooky book has all of the things that gargoyles would do at night. All in all this is a perfect book for children.
Eve Bunting uses ALOT of descriptive words in this book. It seems she uses at least three descriptive words on each page. Even if the pictures weren't there you could still very easily see what is happening in the story because of the use of the descriptive words.
A lot of the younger children would like this book because of all of the little gargoyles they have in there that kids normally like. It seems that in this book kids could really get into it and they would actually listen. Even though this book is intended for kids they would ask some questions because of some of the words that they use in the book.

Imagine this Prom scene: girl in sweet, demure, ripped gauzy dress walks in with Gothboy dressed to the nine's in Goth attire. Closer---the girl has a black teardrop tattoed beneath her eye.

There, I have just introduced Eve Bunting, writer of sweet and bittersweet children's books: "The Wall," a Vietnam veteran takes his son to experience the Wall; "Smoky Nights," ethnic neighbors come together in this burning of L.A. during the '70's; "Dreaming of America," the story of one immigrant family arriving at Ellis Island; "I Love You, Too," a fabulous story of a daddy rabbit's and son's mutual love. And there is
David Wiesner, artist extraordinaire with an edgy twist to his work: "Tuesday," frogs on lily pads flying everywhere; "Flotsam," a camera criss-crossing the oceans reflecting children across time and space; "June 29, 1999," science experiment gone really bizarre and involving aliens.

"Night of the Gargoyles" merges these two Caldecott winners to create a phantasmagorical children's book. Eve has been infected with Goth--go, girl (not that I'm Goth, but it is a great Gothic sort of book). As a children's librarian, I always advise my student/children to look at the cover and every page in a children's book. You can count on creators of children's books "not to color in the lines," meaning they may begin the story anywhere: cover, end pages, half-title page, title page, or even page one. So we look first at the cover of "Night of the Gargoyles." Yep, they began there. One gargoyle has "awakened" and stares at us, almost as if we caught him in the act. Blood-red end pages (just inside front and back covers)--we'll come back to those, hey! a definition page--good, we need to know what a gargoyle is, title page with a regular gargoyle, page one--a really scary close-up of three stony gargoyles at the close of day.

"till night comes"....three gargoyles stretch and yawn. "[G]argoyles creep on stubs of feet"... Wow, what evil looks, or is it my imagination? All these dark drawings are eerie, fantastic, and downright scary.

In fact, I read this to my first graders and totally creeped them out. I showed them the book beforehand, told them it was really really scary and I could read another book. NOOOOO, read that one!! OK, if you get scared, go to the other room. My library is divided into two rooms. We have story time in one room and class in the other. As I read to these quaking children, hugging each other, the girls would jump up, scream, and run into the other room. Even some of the boys joined them. Then they would run back, sit down, scream, and do it again. Fun, fun, fun! It was delicious, scary fun. Of course, they all wanted to check out this book.

The reaction of these children is surely a great indicator of just how wonderful this book is. Of course, you know your own child. The illustrations are graphically vivid in portraying these creatures in stony action. They annoy the cherubs in the fountain who have to spit water forever. They sit together like old men huddling in front of an old-time country store and grump over the hazards of their job: hot sun all day, leaves clogging their throats, pigeons doing what pigeons are wont to do. Then they scuttle about to terrorize the night watchman. Until..."It's almost morning now/and so the gargoyles fly,/ up walls/ as spiders do." And they become guardians of the day once again, "till night comes."

Blood red. The end pages, remember? This is just my theory, but I think David, even though he totally loved drawing in blacks, whites, grays, silvers, he missed his vivid greens and oranges, and yellows, so he asked the publisher, Could I have red, please, for the end pages? There they are!

The wonder is not the "Myriad Universes" series itself but that it took this long for such a concept to emerge and be developed, at least beyond the assorted "Mirror Universe" tales. The very notion is pure "fan fic," and as a Trekker of forty years' standing, I say, "It's about time!"

Taking "Infinity's Prism"'s three novellas in order...:

1) "A LESS PERFECT UNION": What if Jonathan Frederick Paxton's verteron attack on Starfleet HQ in 2155 had been successful, and Earth had turned its back on the eventual Federation? William Leisner answers that question in a compelling and largely plausible tale that illustrates that while history can be detoured or postponed for a time, some trends really are inevitable.

HIGHLIGHTS: Realism. Earth doesn't turn "dark" or "evil". It's still a democracy and still advances culturally and technologically. But it's much more nationalist than internationalist. The Interstellar Coalition forms almost as a reaction to Paxton's attack, since their diplomats were all its targets. The two powers never become enemies, but they're far from friends. And the man that begins the process of rapproachment with Earth's local galactic neighbors isn't a starry-eyed dreamer, but a pragmatic businessman motivated by national economic self-interest. I just wish Leisner had used Harry Mudd for the role.

Characterizations. We see many TOS faces in subtley or dramatically different contexts. But the two centerpieces are an elderly, exiled T'Pol, embittered by how humans murdered her husband, Trip, and thwarted Jonathan Archer's Federation dream; and a young Jim Kirk who chose marriage and family over career and almost loses all three to his virulent anti-Vulcan bigotry (the scene where Dr. McCoy challenges Kirk's hatred of Vulcans is absolutely priceless). Yet despite Kirk's animus being exploited by yet another familiar face to try and sabotage Earth's IC membership, it isn't he who ends up doing the ultimate undermining.

No happy ending. After over a century of separation, hostility, and suspicion, one would not reasonably suppose that Earth could just join the I.C. overnight. It would take time to work out the details and build up the necessary trust. Leisner doesn't succumb to the Roddenberry to tack on a happy ending, but leaves matters believably unresolved - though if you're looking for the "hope of better days," the epilogue doesn't disappoint.

2) "PLACES OF EXILE": Not really an alternate timeline story at all, but far more of an "alternate present". Janeway never makes her "deal with the devil" (i.e. the Borg) from the "Voyager" episode "Scorpion," the Borg are not present to defend Janeway's ship from Species 8472 attack, and the fluidic space critters cripple Voyager, killing Paris and Tuvok in the process and rendering the Starfleet survivors refugees taken in by a species called the Vostigye, there to spend the rest of their lives in the Delta Quadrant.

Eh. The ensuing story wasn't a bad one, at least by "Voyager" standards. I did very much like Harry Kim's technobabble explanation of Species 8472's duplication predicament and how it fleshed them out into three-dimensional (and less rote villainous) characters. It was also interesting to see a Dominion ship hijacked to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker and the wild card that introduced into Janeway's (eventual) attempt to build a surrogate Federation in the Delta Quadrant.

What I didn't like was...Janeway's (eventual) attempt to build a surrogate Federation in the Delta Quadrant. Even less that it succeeded. I didn't buy that she would eventually accept defeat on the core mission of getting her crew (what was left of them, anyway) home. And the comprehensively syrupy ending made me want to hurl.

3) "SEEDS OF DISSENT": Standard "What if Hitler had won?" tale, only with our old friend Khan Noonien Singh as the ruler of Earth and, by 2376 (and posthumously), much of the galaxy as well. It flip-flops the "Botany Bay" device by putting "basic" humans in the role of escapees from the Eugenics Wars who are found by a Khanate starship. Several of them we recognize - Shaun Christopher, the son of John Christopher from TOS's "Tomorrow Is Yesterday"; Rain Robinson, the astronomer chick from "Voyager"'s "Future's End"; and Shannon O'Donnel, Janeway's look-alike ancestor from "11:59".

But they and their "secret weapon" are just the pawns in a long-running sting/contest between a staggeringly different (in character terms) Ezri Dax, a Trill deep-cover agent who has spent three centuries trying to overthrow the galactic Khanate, and an Augment Julian Bashir, who commands the vessel that finds the Botany Bay and is the glib bad guy that really believes his side's propaganda and eventually has his eyes opened by the efforts of Dax, eponymous "Bajoran terrorist" Kira Nerys, and Captain Christopher's crew.

Pluses: The Dax characterization is excellent. She is masterful, resourceful, intelligent, tough, and beats Bashir at his own game, yet not unscarred by the multi-lifetime ordeal, but rather bitterly and supremely motivated by it. The Rain Robinson character is her sadder but wiser "everywoman" reflection. And like "A Less Perfect Union," I appreciated that there was no grand resolution at the end, but tantalizing loose ends and jumping off points for future sequels.

Minuses: I wasn't quite convinced that Khan could have conquered Earth so easily; I was thoroughly unconvinced that he could have conquered the entire Alpha Quadrant at a stroke. Genetic enhancement could only take the Augments so far.

Also, while I suppose it made the story more accessible to have DS9 characters in the prime rolls, really, neither Bashir nor Miles O'Brien or Jake Sisko (or Benjamin Sisko and Jean-Luc Picard, who are referred to in the dialogue) could exist in a timeline where "Basic" humans were exterminated centuries back. And I'm just not buying a Ducat-Kira romance under any circumstances; their relentless kissy-facedness gave me the giggles from the first depiction.

"A Less Perfect Union" makes "Infinity's Prism" worth the price all by itself. As to its two companion novellas, read at your own risk.

You folks have read the publishers review so I am not going to repeat it. My opinions of the three stories are as follows: A Less Perfect Union is what Star Trek would look like if it were Babylon 5. The Enterprise crew is an amalgamation of both TOS pilot episode crews. It feels like Strangers From the Sky by Bonnano. If you liked that book, you will like this story. The second story was not so good. I just didn't buy the argument that the Voyager crew would be allowed such high access in the Coalition Military. Chapter 12 is brilliant, though. It gives a glimpse of fighting a war in several realities at once. That chapter made me think of Coming of the Quantum Cats by Pohl. I liked that the third story did not come off as brutal as the Mirror Universe stories. I like that only a few of the familiar characters are present. That shows the effect of temporal drift. I didn't buy the argument that most people could trace lineage to the original supermen. That smacks of inbreeding. The story also makes a reference to Strangers From the Sky and it also brings in the son of John Christopher. I can just imagine the war that would be fought if a permanent gate formed between Dark Mirror Universe and this universe.

I hope that sales are good enough to warrant publishing a lot more of these anthologies. This one is a fun read.

Alternate universes and what-ifs are -- obviously -- the life-blood of science fiction. Two of the three stories in this volume live, one just sags.

"A Less Perfect Union" features Christopher Pike at the helm and James T. Kirk as his second in command. Characters from throughout the original canon appear, including the animated series. I rated it tops until I read "Seeds of Dissent" the DS9 version in the book.

Again, capturing elements from earlier mainstream stories, it ranks as one of the few stories I've ever read that I could not stop once I had started it, and that is in the Trek universe or any other work of fiction -- and I write from the perspective of a 61 year old Trekker (I was there when it started). When Kirk banished Khan to Ceti Alpha 5, Spock wondered what it would be like to see what crop sprang from the seed they had planted. James Swallow lets us see what happened when Khan won the Eugenics War. Outstanding!

"Places of Exile," the Voyager installment, reads like one of the early Next Generation TV shows -- tea and talk. If you don't have anything else to read, read it, but you won't miss much by skipping it.

But don't let that stop you from buying this book!

All three stories in this collection were enjoyable, and I read it in a day and a half. Of the three, my favorite was the Voyager story, "Places of Exile." The characterizations are spot-on, and in my opinion, the developments that take place for each of the characters (the ones who make it, anyway) are more interesting and fulfilling than what actually happened on the show.

The other two stories are equally good, but are much more reference-heavy (especially "Seeds of Dissent"; make sure you've read Greg Cox's Khan books and seen "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (TOS), "11:59" (VOY), and "Future's End" (VOY)) and the casual fan may not get it. Still, great stories.

I like the whole Myriad Universe idea, especially now that the Mirror Universe stuff is about at mined-out as it can be. Good read, can't wait for the sequel next month.

Star Trek: Myriad Universes - 'Infinity's Prism' is an ambitious project that's been in the works for years. This is the 'what if' series of novellas exploring all the avenues and paths not taken in the various Star Trek series and movies. The question is, does "Myriad Universes" please the audiences or does it fall victim to being over-the-top, glorified fan fiction? For me, was by far one of the stronger anthologies and mini series put out in the past few years. Usually, there is one story included that feels far weaker and unworthy of print and makes me regret purchasing the book. That wasn't the case with "Myriad Universes: Infinity's Prism". It has some minor flaws that keep it from being perfect but in all, it's a wonderful work of fiction that definitely makes you wish the shows had been willing to take these bold chances and directions with plots and characters.

You'll enjoy how each story tends to capture the spirit of the original series. Each story, to me, comes with a lesson or moral that the writer is putting out for the audience to pick-up on. I was beside myself with the greatness of 'A Less Than Perfect Union'. This story is a blend of Star Trek: Enterprise and the Original Series. This was your classic original series episode with a twist; what would have happened if Starfleet and the Star Trek universe had not been as open minded and in turn was xenophobic? An elderly T'Pol (seen on the cover) is the last surviving member of Archer's Enterprise and through her, we see the alternate history of Enterprise and Pike/Kirk dealing with an Earth that isn't so great. The last novel, 'Seeds of Dissent' takes on a similar theme of exploring the question of 'who writes the history?' as Khan manages to reign over Earth and a rather interesting group of people threaten Khan's legacy and force a genetically enhanced Bashir to re-evaluate the past. Both of these stories, for me, were on the epic scale and a fun read with an actual lesson.

What you may not like is the quick-pace of many of the stories. While it worked for "A Less Than Perfect Union" and "Seeds of Dissent", it didn't work as well for "Places of Exile". The Voyager story came off as the most fan-fiction of the novellas. This was more like a different take or spoof of "Year of Hell" as there are few lessons to be learned and this was just pure entertainment. It wasn't bad but by the end, the story felt rather forced and cheesey. I also felt that even with this being a 'different view' of Star Trek: Voyager, the characters felt very off and unbelievable. This problem also arises in 'Seeds in Dissent' as Kira and Dukat, as well as Bashir, aren't really given any foundation and read as if they are rather plain and stiff, if not over-the-top.

In all, a good read. Yes, there is a fan-fic lining to some of the stories but that's to be expected. What made 'Infinity's Prism' such a good read was that it accomplished the goal of exploring some interesting 'what if' situations in Trek and as you're reading it, your mind begins to run wild with your own ideas of other stories that could be told. I liked that some stories, such as "A Less Than Perfect Union" weren't just entertaining - it was thought provoking and a great allegory to modern times. I enjoyed the 'dark' theme seen in 'Deep Space Nine' running throughout "Seeds of Dissent" which features a host of DS9 characters. Definitely worth your time and money.

As an engineer I found this book to be refreshing change from the repetition of previously stated opinions so often passing for the technical side of discussions of the operation of war machinery. Bennett actually understands how airplanes work and the relationship between that and their use as tools of killing. The author refrains from excessive 20th century pyschoanalysis of the "Bloody Red Baron" and simply sees him as a soldier hunting for and using the best tools for the job he was given to do. While clearly explaining the aerodynamics, stuctural dynamics, and exterior ballistics of early aircraft (using many informal charts and graphs but no equations) he does not neglect consideration of the human element involved in 1917/18 aircraft operations.

The tools and approach used in this book could be used for a more comprehensive and complete study of the influence of technical decsion making on aircraft performance in the 1914-18 war. Of particular interest were the comparison of German and British research efforts during war time. Many questions about how these machines actually worked were still being learned as they were being used in large numbers, leading to inevitable disappointments and shortcomings. It is not always clear who knew what when in a time of rapidly changing technology and Bennett does his best to sort this out relative to the design and development of the Dr. 1.

What would have given this book five stars ? Perhaps a bit more on the relationship between the German Army Air Service staff and procurement functions and the Fokker and Albatros firms would be helpful. From the material presented it would seem like Manfred Richthoven just ordered the planes from Tony Fokker. Although the issues surrounding the rotary engine are well covered, the reasons for the shortcomings of the German efforts are more suggested than explained in any systematic way. Perhaps a seperate study on aircraft engine developement in this time frame but with this perspective is needed. Perhaps I am criticizing the author for not having written a different book.

All in all, a useful and helpful, if narrowly focused, study of how technology and technical decision making changes our lives and livelihoods. One thing to add...on page 17 he explains why the high aspect ratio advantage postulated by A.V. Roe applying to multiple long narrow wings does not actually occour. The explanation is certainly correct as far as it goes but not as clear as it might be. It would be helpful to say that the efficiency loss of a finite span wing is due to the energy lost in vortex formation at the wing tips. The triplane therefore produced six tip vortices instead of the four for a biplane or the two for a monoplane. This could be easily illustrated with a sketch.

At last, an intelligent reader's Red Baron!

Not the usual shoot-em-up pap; not the old "dicing with death" baloney, but a solid study of how tactical needs and airplane design limitations led the Red Baron to press for a German Triplane and what happened when he finally got one. It turned out to be slow but maneuverable; maybe not the greatest, but a good defensive machine.

I don't agree with everything the author says and believe that the final clouded victory over Richthofen can be attributed more definitely than he suggests. But agree or not, the author's carefully researched work, given in hundreds of listed references, will help you think your way through to your own answers. For example-what was wrong with the Triplane when first introduced? There were some serious accidents initially and as an old timer pilot, I've found the standard answer-mechanical defectscompletely believable. However, the author puts out a new explanation and makes it stick. The real problem had to do with over-balanced ailerons. Given a bit of deflection and a yawed flight path, the ailerons ran away, producing a spin and crash. It's all here, with plenty of sketches to make it clear.

There's also good stuff about combat odds. If it's two to one against you, what are your chances? If you think the odds are two to one, you better read the book, because the correct odds are four to one. It's all here, and you don't have to sweat the math-the author does it for you.

All in all, the book offers good reading together with a learning experience. If you are interested in Great War air combat or aircraft, it's a must read,

This book tells a story. It tells the story of the triplane, of the people who spent the most time and effort designing one and the companies who built them. The author gives the story a personal slant by keeping Manfred von Richthofen as a central focus through the entire book. Not only did Manfred fly the famous Fokker triplane but he used his considerable influence as Germany's top ace to have one built and put into service.

Since the subject of Bennett's work is focused on the single triplane topic he goes into quite a bit of detail about it and at times the read gets pretty technical. That is not to say I didn't find it informative. I especially enjoyed how Bennett explained how difficult it was to actually hit a moving target in 3 dimensional space with primitive machine guns mounted on temperamental aircraft.

The first chapter is the only chapter in the book that strays from the topic of the triplane specifically. In this chapter Bennett discusses Richthofen's last combat mission and the evidence concerning his death. This chapter is very useful for those who have wondered why there is so much debate over how the great Red Baron met his end

Wow! A real in-depth analysis of World War I aerial combat and the Fokker triplane's role in it. The author, Leon Bennett, is a retired aeronautical engineer. And he does an outstanding job of explaining the challenges of rudimentary (and dangerous) WWI flying. With an unbiased and unsentimental perspective, Bennett conducts an insightful (and readable) technical analysis of the triplane against its biplane and monoplane opponents. In addition, Bennett relates why Richthofen decided to switch to the triplane after a long and spectacularly successful career in the Albatros biplane series. With a copious array of graphs and diagrams, Bennett clearly and concisely explains numerous technical issues to the layman. And he always reiterates the effects of the human element and environmental factors in tactics, strategy, and aircraft procurement.

I was very impressed with this book - I read it in just two days. The first chapter about Richthofen's death appears to be a bone thrown by the publisher, aiming to popularize the book a bit. The thoughtfully interspersed photos and posters throughout the book provide short mental breaks between technical discussions. I highly recommend it!

I have read a number of books about Richthofen and the Fokker Triplane over the years; have built an R/C Triplane as well as the Hasagawa Museum Series Tripe, and thought I was an expert on both man and plane. It wasn't until I read Bennett's book that I discovered just how little I actually knew. Written by an aeronautic engineer, it clears up many myths about the Triplane and explains in very simple yet detailed terms, with numerous charts and graphs, not only how the Triplane was built, but why it was built the way it was. Bennett also details the tremendous influence Richthiofen had on its construction, and how it was tailor-built to fit in with his personal concepts of air strategy and combat. Tactics and construction details and flight concepts that I had assumed I understood, were explained in a way that was like opening a door onto an entire new level of learning. E.g., I had read about the Triplane's ability to 'hang by the propeller', thought I understood what it meant, discovered that I was close but incorrect, but most importantly, learned why the plane's ability to do this mattered.
I am not an engineer by any means, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is not for the casual reader, but if you have built R/C planes or have a deep interest in WW1 air combat, I guarantee you will learn a lot from Mr. Bennett's book.
(This review was originally attributed to Paul Leaman's 'Fokker Dr1 book by mistake. Mr Leaman's book is more of a straight history of the Triplane & makes a good companion book to Mr. Bennett's more technically oriented work.)

"Antioxidants" was a compelling surprise. To create truly human characters is daunting. To place them in story circumstances that grab a reader and won't let go--that's something to write home about. This skill is Terry Bennett's in abundance.

He builds tension like author Nelson DeMille, and honor and integrity like Robert B. Parker. He pulls you into the pages of "Lesson Plan" face to face with a man who has messed up his life almost willfully, yet you can't help but wish him well, and you will remain locked in step with him through the story, utterly convicted that nothing bad can happen, evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. In "Antioxidants," he again pulls you into the eye of the storm, with concise precision, and holds you there.

It's like trying to keep from getting on that carnival ride that you swore last year, and every year, you'd never ride again. I may not have liked some endings, but I will read the stories again and again. I won't be able to resist.

Ever been in a relationship? A family? Ever had a life? Of course you have. That's why I'm certain you'll relate to the stories in Antioxidants. These stories will hit you where you live. Some are full of quiet moments of gentle insight, occurring gradually. Others catch you unguarded with quick twists of intense epiphany. The characters vary from everyday people, easily recognizable, to more exotic folk like boxers, professors, country singers and prostitutes.

Some of the stronger stories are “Wishbone,” where a son and father resolve their complicated relationship, finally learning to respect each other for who they ultimately are. “Saving Grace” is the tale of two quirky brothers and their obsessive-compulsive mating rituals, and the inevitable outcome their lives have propelled them toward. Then there is “Lesson Plan.” A powerful story of an immigrant loan shark and his young, talented son — and the son's teacher, who must learn the consequences of freedom in a world that has left him little room for choice. Do yourself a favor, read Antioxidants. Like the title might imply: you need these stories to live.

Bennett's stories invite you to explore the seen and the unseen. A special treat in this collection of stories is "Blind Faith," which invites the reader to explore the world through Bennett's graceful prose and insightful point of view. Walking alongside the blind photographer and the tourist the reader is guided to new places and asked to trust that the world is a safe place. This story taps into the internal conflicts women face in learning to trust themselves and others, and see beyond the rigid roles that society often expect them to fulfill.

Terry Bennett's prose shares a gritty sensitivity with other well-known, contemporary writers...Richard Ford comes to immediately to mind, as well as Russell Banks and Tobias Wolfe. His characters are internally wounded people who are at the cross-roads of the choices they have made - more similar to most of us than we'd care to admit. In these stories Terry Bennett has gone to the heart of the matter, interpreting the human condition in subtle and original resolutions with a voice is sure and honest

I'm not normally a short story fan. I picked up this book as I was intrigued by its title and cover. I find when I use this maligned method, I'm not disappointed. This mode did not betray me. I found Bennett's "Antioxidants" a very satisfying read. I especially enjoyed the title story. The metaphor of the micowave oven was fascinating and, as was intended, jarring. The characters in all the stories, "Blind Faith," especially, are fully realized and complete. You care about these people, even if you don't always admire them. No mean feat in a short story.

Although Gurdjieff never revealed his sources, he hinted at them over and over in his writings. Here we have Mr. Bennett, a renaissance man himself, who spoke dozens of languages, travelled extensively in these areas, had a personal relationship with G., and access to his family and friends. This is the ultimate Gurdjieff book about Gurdjieff that everyone who studies the Sufis, the Fourth Way, or Gurdjieff, must read, more than once.

Mr. Bennett also gives insider tips and hints and previously unreleased material.

J. G. Bennett did a wonderful job of introductory biography and summarizing the main concepts attributed to Gurdjieff in this book. I found especially fascinating Bennett's discussion of Gurdjieff's relationship with the Sarmoun or Sarman Brotherhood. What is also quite interesting to me about Gurdjieff is that he seemed to attract a very high caliber of thinker. I know that many people believe Gurdjieff has a cult following. But this cult includes Ouspensky, Bennett, Nicoll, Orage, etc. All of these people are very competent independent thinkers. Bennett is certainly no slouch as a philosopher, since he wrote about many things besides Gurdjieff's system. Overall, I was quite impressed with this book and look forward to reading other books by John G. Bennett.

J.G. Bennett was an associate of Gurdjieff and writes of him with authority.
Bennett held many careers in his life a soldier, linguist, mystic and engineer.He was very much the stereotype of Englishman of his times. He presents himself as both level headed and a skeptic. How much of a skeptic he was I leave the reader to decide but in this volume Bennett tells the story of Gurdjieff's search for the truth and of his teachings. Those with even a passing interest in Gurdjieff will find this book fascinating.
The first half some might find a little difficult to slog through as Bennett mentions varous arcane philosophies and places in Central Asia with which most of us in the West are unfamiliar but
it is well worth the time invested. The second half of the book goes into Gurjieff's teaching methods and his philosophy.
As Gurdjieff encouraged skepticism: if you must, read it as a skeptic, but I believe the average reader will find Gurdjieff's travels and his philosophy fascinating.
I have known some to find his insights very useful in everyday life.
Both a good inroduction and overview to one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th century.

Highly recommended


Jim Connell "Hallstatt Prince"

J.G. Bennett had a Gurdjieff problem, and one has to wonder how someone could have sacrificed his many talents promoting the pack of lies promoted by this shadowy figure. Gurdjieff had a knack for mesmerizing smart mathematicians and landed two of them, to give some glitz to his bizarre and second rate 'system'.
In this work the dangerous nature of these ideas comes through, and we see the reactionary strategy: reinvent the great chain of being, complete with food chain (!) and man some pitiful sacrifice in that. Give me a break already!
Whence these notions? Not even esoteric sufis, needs to be super special hidden masters. This time the unsupported rumor about the 'Kwajagan masters', the real thing behind the real thing, we suppose. Has anyone ever documented any of these faiytales?
The very nature of the account suggests this are deviant traditions if they ever that, and in anything to do that wolf Gurdjieff we can easily figure the dishonest angle of what is really afoot here.

All this is typical of the whole mindset of the Gurdjieffians, and the vein of untruth that laces everything sadly corrupted Bennett to the point where nothing is believable.
Be wary of these people, you have a right to be skeptical. These people have absolutely no authority, whatever they say. They have a bad habit of making things up as they go along, and Gurdjieff, please note, finally admitted as much, that he just made these dangerous ideas up.

J.G. Bennett's at his best. Together with "Masters of Wisdom" he
prooves that he understood Gurdjieff's mission and brought it many steps further and closer.

An awesome history lesson, especially for those who have forgotten what it takes to defeat evil in the world. I hesitantly started reading this book expecting some blowhard general to gloat about his limited accomplishments in the big war. I had a very pleasant surprise and was drawn into another perspective of what we did as a nation to defeat Hitler and his cronies. The title is taken from a line in the Cadet's Prayer from West Point. It is a prayer we all could use to recite occasionally. I very highly recommend this book.

The book is well written and was hard to put down. It tells Gen. Donald V. Bennett's story of the struggle to get in and through West Point. It next moves to initial artillery training. Here he learns how to ride a horse while pulling his artillery piece. In addition, he learned how to place his foot where it would not be crushed while riding the horse. His stories of North Africa included the sights, smells, running a bordello (to get the disease rate down), and fighting Rommell. His insights and experiences in Sicily were preparations for his Normandy experience. His spell binding account of Normandy is the best chapter in the book and as good as any ever written. He gives a fresh point of view on the Battle of the Bulge pointing out the signs and intelligence higher up overlooked. His conclusion with experiences and insights about the Russians are eye opening.

I really enjoyed this first hand account of General Bennett's experiences. I have read this type of book extensively, and I put this very close to the top of my list.

I especially enjoyed his comments about how people behaved and thought during this climatic time in our history. His feelings about missing his wife, and how he felt when his first troopers died, and what that must have meant to the families added a real human touch. I enjoyed his description of train rides, gas rationing, and many other small points that really gave me a feel for what it was like for not just soldiers, but also civilians, both American and Foreign.

I agree, it would have been really nice to have some pictures of what his vehicles looked like and some maps. But, I would also have enjoyed a picture of his wife whom he obviously loved deeply. A picture of Fort Knox, or Fort Sill during training.

Those would really have added value to this book, but it certainly stands out without them too. My thanks to General Bennett for sharing his story, and not just the combat.

Well done!!

The first hand telling of WWII by a retired 4 star general. Detailed battle discriptions and analysis, and amazing individual encounters. Possibly THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!

This is one of the best books I have read on World War Two, and I have read many. Bennett takes us back in time, as if we are sitting in his living room listening to him over coffee. He tells us what it was like to be an American officer during World War Two. He reveals the worry of 1942 - 1943 that we could lose the war. At that point, we were military amateurs compared to the Germans and Japanese. Our military had been dismantled after World War One.

Bennett shows an interesting side to Patton. Bennett had malaria and was in the hospital where Patton slapped a soldier for cowardice. Bennett, who was in the next tent over, cheered Patton on, as did the other patients. Patton was confronting the growing problem of desertion among American soldiers in Sicily, which was another worry we don't often hear about.

Bennett comments on the realism of the first 20 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan," which is the D Day landing at Omaha Beach. Then he adds that the real thing was four terrifying hours of that 20 minute sequence.

He sprinkles leadership advice throughout his narrative: Remain humble as an officer. Eat the same food the men eat; live in the same conditions. The worst officers, in Bennett's view, were the ones who considered soldiers their personal servants.

The book is written as a living room chat. It is not written with the polish of a John Toland or Cornelius Ryan or Stephen Ambrose. But it is movingly written.

I have been involved with non profit work for as long as most people can remember, and I have to say that Ben Hecht and Rey Ramsey have done the unthinkable. I gave this book to my law school class to read, and they sucked it up like a sponge. I simply could not believe what these two have done.

Mr. Hecht and Mr. Ramsey are extremely credible, and have written numerous books in the past. Overall, I would say that this book has been one of the most helpful that I have read, in this genre.

If you're a boomer who, like me, wants to "give back" by joining a non-profit, this book will outline what you need to look for in candidate organizations. The messages here are highly consistent with the best practices I've seen in the world's top for-profit companies. This is a quick and entertaining overview of what "works" to achieve success, no matter which sector.

If you have to read one book on nonprofit technology and management, don't read this one.

This book has all the hallmarks of having been rushed to press. There are innumerable spelling, grammatical and other errors that make reading the text painful. These live side-by-side with painfully mixed metaphors (repeated ad nauseam) like "you have to take the pulse of the organization by holding a mirror up to it."

The glossary reads like a litany of misunderstood and outdated concepts. Even though the book was published in 2002, and regardless of my profound gratitude to the developers of early protocols, Gopher is listed as a cutting-edge technology which is only possibly being superseded by the Web for document retrieval. You'd think that Hecht and Ramseywould have at least given the glossary to someone reasonably competent in information technology to look over. Alas, the whole of the book displays this sort of shoddy research and shallow thinking.

The body of the book reads like a warmed-over review of insights that Drucker had in the 1970s, mixed in with some watered-down ideas from Tom Peters. The authors try to come up with a cool name for their hodgepodge mixture of leftover management fads. They come up with "Dyanmic Management", which is irregularly capitalized. Next to a powerful Tom Peters phrase like "Liberation Management", Dymanic Management strikes one as a poor attempt at creating a powerful phrase. On top of all this, the book uses Hecht's own company as its primary case study in a startling display of corporate narcissism.

In short, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, in this book that could not be more satisfyingly obtained from reading Drucker or Peters. There is no thesis in "ManagingNonprofits.Org". The book exists as proof that better thought needs to be applied to the question of nonprofit technology management. The book's good reviews from nontechnical nonprofit folks (I'm a CTO of a nonprofit myself), merely indicates the narrow reading habits of the reviewers as pertains to management literature. If anything, this book serves as a wakeup call to thoughtful people to write better books of their own.

In my case, I have been moved by this book's remarkable dullness and ineptitude to write one of my own. I may not be a good writer, but apparently, based on the existence of "ManagingNonprofits.Org" (what the hell is with the lack of spaces, anyways?). you don't have to be a good writer anymore to get a book published.

The is not another book about management. This is not a book just about technology. This is a book about management and technology and much more. I will hit some of the highlights of what the "much more" is.

What I have to say up front is that the book has excitement! It is alive with real people doing real things. It is more than I expected because it inspires and moves me. I came away with an experience and not only a lesson. The authors talk about people and activities that matter to me and I appreciate that. The book lives on into the present and the future because the thrust of the story is now in real time and not ended. I will have more on that later.

The authors set the tone of the book in the first 25 pages. They offer a map for dynamic managers and leaders of nonprofit organizations to pursue. The map is an inverted pyramid, standing on its point. This outline can only give a hint at the concepts, but the top of the pyramid, the widest portion, works down to a pointed base -

- Organizational Context - What's going on? Look in the mirror.
- Corporate Culture, Vision, Values and People - Who are we?
- The Business Model - Customers and Content - Who do we serve and what do we do?
- Infrastructure - Operations - Are we supporting our culture and business model?
- Alignment - Are our resources being properly aligned?

These match the chapter headings. In my view they make their case. I found words and concepts dear to my heart and life's work illustrating the theory - staff people, vision, values, low-income people, dreaming, change, corporate culture, diversity, partnerships, training, literacy. They show their theory in a clear, logical and personal fashion. This is not a professional dissertation or beta testing schematic. They illustrate each point and feature nonprofits that have changed with technology having a role, from the National Center for Victims of Crime to the Pet Shelter Network to Netwellness and Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center (the URL in the book for Calvary is incorrect .... They have real stories about real people trying new methods and new beginnings from mergers to reconciliation of competition in what they call "Digital Spotlights". Each account indicates how and why technology is a part of the changes that occur and how that was managed. They show the work being done, the failed steps and the work still to be accomplished.

Ultimately Hecht and Ramsey talk about their own dream, passion and their pursuit living the map of the inverted pyramid. The vision includes residents of low-to moderate-income housing, tenants and owners alike. They took the nonprofit route and partnered with other nonprofits and for profits. They created One Economy Corporation ... around a mission that "grows out of our vision of an all inclusive economy in which all people have an equal opportunity to meet their full potential". Page 197. They are honest. They did not do everything in order. Not everyone thought the dream achievable. They were told to get real. They kept going.

They established a role for technology. The One Economy Corporation is aimed at helping the customer, tenants and landlords, have hardware and software, access to the Internet and training to use it all. A second corporation, the Beehive ... was established as a suite of web-based products and services for customers - jobs, health care, finances and so on in English and Spanish. They used the map to manage the developing action steps. The book is fascinaing in part because it is moving in real time with action and web sites that continue the story and which remain subject to review and revision. The book is a prologue to action that is underway.

There is discussioin about technology and its place in nonprofits. There is discussion about on-line fundraising and other means to secure funds for a dream. Each chapter ends with a useful outline of issues to reflect and to reposition thought and an outline of guiding principles. It is a book to read and it causes the reader to pause, to think and to dream.

I recommend this book. Read and let it challenge you. It has given me a change in thinking. And the pages are still turning in peoples' lives.

The world of managing nonprofit organizations has often been described as 'soft', 'unbusinesslike', unfocused and....above almost all other things....bureaucratic. Those who choose to sink their professional roots into such organizations, too, are sometimes branded with the same adjectives.

At last....at long last...comes a 'how-to' book that elevates and dignifies the practice of nonprofit management....and tells us in the most up-to-date, practical ways how to get the job done most effectively.

Hecht and Ramsey are credible, readable and experienced. They've drawn on real-life experience, refined and distilled it, and organized it into a guide to doing the job right.

Whether you're running a nonprofit, sitting on the board of one, funding or contributing to one, or thinking about going to work for one...this is the one book you should read.