Big Books

I like this book even better than the classics on growth investing: Peter Lynch's One Up on Wall Street, and Philip Fisher's Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits. The information is timeless but it's nice that it was written in 2006 and the examples are still nice and fresh.

THe book works just as readers and reviewers have said, e.g., USA Today, Equities magazine, and recently, Kiplinger's has said: "Particularly beneficial for an investor who is challenged to find and implement a specific stock-picking strategy that actually works".

Without realizing it, I've been practicing Mr. Kobrick's BASM principles successfully for years. It's exciting to see how he so clearly articulates his approach without being intimidating to a layperson. I've even begun using his BASM paradigm to explain to my children what "buy low and sell high" really means. This book is a standout!

I think this is a great book because it offers practical advice that the average investor can understand and use. There is no magic formula, no complex set of strategies, and no attempt at predicting the future.

Mr. Kobrick dispenses quality advice in what is normally a sea of crystal ball gazing.

A fascinating book that is equally useful to the individual investor and the professinoal. The book's system of focus on fundamentals [BASM and Seven Steps] is refreshing in these days of concensus investing and short term trading. The war stories about important companies are both entertaining and informative. The investment returns available from these well known companies challanges the investor to be both selective and patient. The book does a good job laying-out a way [BASM and Seven Steps] that is instructive to the individual and a great reminder for the professional. I read it twice and recommend that anyone interested in investing does the same. It will help you avoid many of the fads and mistakes being made today.

Simply captivating and better written than a Canadian mining story has any right to be.

About how a gang of off-beat penny stock mining promoters (led by "Toxic Bob" Friedland, ex-hippie, convicted LSD dealer, alleged environmental disaster perpetrator and one time school chum of Steve Jobs) took some of the world's largest mining companies on a dizzying auction for some desolate caribou pasture that just happened to contain some of the richest ore deposits ever discovered.

Bob Friedland is the loadstar of the story: a vain and loathsome character but brilliant as an auctioneer of fear and greed as he escalates the bidding into the stratosphere.

This book contains some valuable lessons for executives and the stock buying public. For executives: have your temperature checked regularly for "deal fever": walk away when the bidding gets too intense, you're probably overpaying. For the public: Beware of Toxic Bob's inside tips that to prop up an overvalued stock you need a dynamic impressario with a "good story" and some theatrical "props". Brings to mind certain Silicon Valley impressarios....

Tremendous read for anybody who has an interest in this sector, or for that matter good business books. Good insights on the tactics used in making a deal for a world class deposit (at least in a seller's market). I started yesterday morning and couldn't put it down all day. My wife did make me walk the dog, and I took a few trips to frig, but was so engrossed I finished it all yesterday. That's saying something because I usually only finish about a fourth of the books I start.

The real story that reads better than fiction. The book gives a great background for the current activity that is starting again in one of the largest mineral discoveries in Canada.

Although it starts out a bit slow, it is a well written and , for the most part, accurate. I worked at INCO and was involved in the early stages of the acquisition and can say that the description of events and personalities was very accurate.

I was lucky enough to work on the Voisey's Bay discovery. Jacquie interviewed almost all of the players; she did did an excellent job of catching the excitement we all felt in Labrador during 1994-1995. Her book tends to confirm many "rumors" too.

The D's return to the S&A series and to the Norfolk Broads in a late summer adventure.

This time, they come to the aid of their friends, the Coot Club, who find themselves suspects when boats are repeatedly set adrift along the broads, always when they're around. The police are questioning them and the townspeople are hostile. The kids, sadly realizing that they can't count on the law, start gathering evidence on their own.

What follows is a fun low-tech version of CSI as they inspect bicycle tire tracks, handprints in paint, and other clues. But when a theft heats things up, the kids have to set a cunning trap to reveal the real culprits.

This is a fun, stimulating novel for kids. Lots of independent adventure and some practical material for budding criminalists. And there's Ransome's affectionate portrait of the Norfolk Broads and its waterside lifestyle that (by all reports) is mostly gone now.

One debit: A character briefly cuts loose with some language that was innocent for the time period but is objectionable today. (The dreaded "N" word...) It's not done maliciously but parents might want to ready a discussion with their kids about it. But don't let that stop you from enjoying this fine book.

Next in the series: A problematic fantasy with MISSEE LEE.

"Big Six" is Arthur Ransome's ninth book in the Swallows and Amazons series. It features neither Swallows nor Amazons but rather follows once more the adventures of the two D's and their friends of the Coot Club on the Norfolk Broads. In this story, some members of the Coot Club happen to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly find themselves accused of certain misdeeds. Unfortunately, the allegations hanging over them are serious enough to threaten the very future of the club unless the true miscreants can be discovered and exposed. So, rather than spending their time sailing or engaged in acts of bird preservation, the Coot Club has no choice but to turn into a detective agency instead, determined to clear the name and restore the reputations of their friends.

The central plot aside, Ransome still finds ways within this story to involve the children in many typical pre-war Norfolk Broads' activities and introduce us to some wonderful Norfolk characters. Indeed, throughout this book, he manages to paint a vivid picture of life on the Broads in a by-gone era; all using language and a writing style that should appeal to both children and grown-ups alike. As usual, the story is presented with intelligence, charm and wit, as well as with an overriding humility and an obvious love for the places and people of whom he writes.

Some episodes in this book (especially the smoking of the eels) will have most adults crying with laughter, while for the majority of younger readers the excitement of the detective story will undoubtedly be the overridingly memorable element. Ultimately, though, it is the author's heart-warming respect for children and the way they see the world around them that shines through and makes this book so enjoyable for readers of all ages.

I loved this book and all the other books by Arthur Ransome. My Mom read them when she was young and said I should read them too. She was right. The story is exciting, the characters are fun and I couldn't put this book down.

That's what Dorothea Callum, aspiring novelist, says when she and brother Dick learn of the troubles of their old friends the Norfolk Coots. But a detective story is what the Callums end up living as they try to help mend the situation. This book probably takes place concurrently with "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" and "Secret Water;" it's September, near the end of the summer holidays, and Dick and Dorothea have come down to Horning to stay with Mrs. Barrable again (presumably their parents are off on another archaeological jaunt). The Six of the title are the D's, doctor's son Tom Dudgeon, and the young Death and Glories, Bill, Joe, and Pete (Port and Starboard, the twin sisters of "Coot Club," have been shipped off to boarding school in Paris). The D&G's, through circumstantial evidence, are suspected of setting adrift a number of boats and of stealing and selling a quantity of naval shackles, and Constable Tedder is determined to bring them to book. In sheer self-defense the Six resolve to prove their innocence--and thanks to Dorothea's creative mind and Dick's keen powers of observation, plus a clever photographic trap, they succeed. Though the very best volumes of this series take place in the Lake Country, and there's not as much sailing or even imaginative play in this one as in most, the detections of the Six are very well done, with some of the best scenes coming as Dorothea tries to put herself into the skin of "the villain," as they call whoever seems to be setting the D&G's up for a fall. A good change of pace for this beloved series.

The other group of children that Arthur Ransome created, the Death or Glories and Tom Dudgeon, Port and Starboard, collectively known as the Coot Club are here embroiled in another adventure. Accompanied by the Ds, whom avid readers will know from earlier AR books, they turn detective and track down the villians who are casting off boats on the Norfolk Broads. As usual Arthur Ransome was writing in a class of his own. A note of caution: don't imagine that Norfolk and the surrounding countryside, especially Lowestoft, bears any resemblance to the places described in these books. The last two thirds of the 20th century were not kind to our poor old country and nowhere is this more starkly illustrated than in our seaside towns. Read the book instead and dream of life before the car was king.

This book has singularly changed the entire direction of my business. It has deeply and positively influenced my vision, mission and interactions with everyone connected to my business. Anyone with a desire to create a business with social consciousness, and integrity at it's core, needs to read this book! This should be required reading for every business school as well. If "business-as-usual" is suffocating you, if you wish to make your passion your livlihood, this will show you the way. Thanks to Jamie Walters visionary intelligence I am no longer a business, but instead a "socially conscious enterprise. -Carmina McGee, President & Founder, CaraMina,Inc.

A friend recommended this very highly, saying "It's so good to read about a success that didn't sell out." I'm not into self-help books, which I mistakenly thought this was, so put it aside for a bit. Once I started to leaf through it, I was hooked. It's very readable, in a personable style, and includes many interviews with small business owners who stayed true to their dream of, well, just that: a small business that you love and can be a success at without going crazy. It's more a philosophy discussion than a self-help book; altho I'd think it would be a huge help to anyone considering starting a business. Good stuff, and highly recommended!!

"Big Vision, Small Business" offers a refreshing and much needed perspective. So much of the focus on business is simply about getting bigger and making more money. Thus, quality of life issues such as personal values, needs and desires become secondary considerations. Jamie Walters provides valuable insights about this issue and gives practical examples and ideas on how to grow a business in a way that is right for you. As a small business owner, Big Vision not only helped to validate my experience, but to also celebrate it.

I was self employed for many years as a real estate agent under a principle broker. I wish I had had Walters' book before I left. It would have changed many of the decisions I made and I think today I would be in a very different, much more successful place in my life. She really nails the small business process from the inside out. I can't recommend this book enough.
Top drawer.
Excellent.
A must read for any one running a small business or thinking about getting into one.

"Big Vision Small Business" is a wonderfully written book. The personal
experience of the author and the numerous interviews with small-business
owners gives hope to those wish to "Have It All". Her insights and tips will show you that by using the "Four keys to success and satisfaction" you can achieve balance between your life and your business.
This is not only great, inspirational reading, it's a wonderful reference
book for anyone running or thinking about starting a small business. I
give this 5 stars !

This book is a shortened version of the TV episode, "Blue's Big Birthday." It's interactive, as well as has the clue game of, "What does Blue want for her birthday?" Like the show, it features Steve, Blue, and the gang, and introduces Blue's turtle, Turquoise--although Blue doesn't name her in the book.

This is pure "Blues Clues," pure and simple. Blue is having a birthday and we are asked to give a hand. The format is like that of the excellent TV show. The art work is quite well done, the text simple and easy for the little ones to follow. This is a fun book to read with your preschooler. This entire series is quite good and I do recommend them quite highly.

It's party-time for Blue --- it's her birthday! The "Blue's Clues" house is fully decorated, with plenty of balloons, confetti and more. We arrive just a little early, so we help to get everything ready for the party. And there's a game of Blue's Clues as well --- Blue needs a present.

This is a good story --- it's a lot like the TV show and the text is readable, but sufficiently complex that it should keep kids that are used to the level of the TV show engaged. Kids will also enjoy seeing Steve, Blue and all the fun party stuff.

This a great book. If you kids love Blue's Clue. They will love this book.

There is also a wonderful video that goes along with this book. It is wonderful. Blue's Clues - Blue's Birthday

I got this for my little boy's 3rd birthday. He loves Blue, and loved this book. We read it every night, and every night he loves to find Blue's clues and show me all the things he remembered about the story.
Great buy!!!

Thursday, November 15, 2007
Weapons of Modest Destruction
Weapons of Modest Destruction


Stop me if you've heard this one. Two lawyers, a bear, and a duck walk into a bar... Wait, the legal department has just handed me a memo. It seems that jokes about lawyers are out. Lawyers don't think they're funny, and no one else thinks they're jokes. I'm also required to write the following before getting to the meat of the column:

Misuse of the weapons featured in this column could result in serious injury or death. The author, publisher, and distributor of this column disclaims any liability from damage or injuries of any nature that a reader or user of the information may incur. Moreover, it is the reader's responsibility to comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to possession, carrying, and/or use of said weapons. This column is for academic study only.

Highland Knife Fighting by Christopher Scott Thompson: This book traces the historical roots of the dirk and provides step-by-step instructions and photos to show how the Highlanders used the knife. Also included are exercises and drills, including the advanced quick draw drill. Remember, there can be only one...

Tomahawks, Traditional to Tactical by David Grant: Soldiers and woodsmen have armed themselves with the tomahawk. Its design is simple and extremely effective at both close range and throwing ranges. It doubles as a field tool, is durable, easily repaired, and available without a permit or license. The book includes an instructive chapter on choosing the best tomahawk for your needs. You say you have an axe to grind???

The Sling, for Sport and Survival by Cliff Savage: The sling is the ultimate lightweight weapon. It is silent, compact, inexpensive, and ammunition is free. This handy book shows how to make and use slings, and is great for survivalists and weapon enthusiasts. Now, I wonder what Goliath is doing today???

Blowguns, the Breath of Death by Michael D. Janich: The blowgun may be the perfect weapon, capable of delivering a variety of projectiles accurately and silently in an inexpensive package. This book includes how to make your own, where to acquire modern blowguns and projectiles; how to shoot a blowgun; how to maintain and store your blowgun. And everyone said I was just full of hot air???

Bowie And Big-Knife Fighting System by Dwight C. McLemore: This well-known fighting arts instructor, bladesman, and Bowie aficionado provides insight into Jim Bowie, the Bowie knife, and the fighting systems associated historically with both. Contains great illustrations and practical training drills. I say walk softly and carry a large knife...

The New Bullwhip Book by Andrew Conway: Ever want to run away and join the circus? This book introduces you to whip basics, parts of the whip, the different types available, as well as the three basic cracks, and step-by-step instructions on how to master them. I say whip it. Whip it good...

Flashlight Fighting by Phil Elmore: A simple flashlight can be a potent weapon if wielded properly, and it's still legal to own one. You might think you are in trouble if the only weapon in a self-defense scenario is a flashlight, but a short length of rigid material can target soft body parts, joints, and other vital areas. Martial artist Phil Elmore shows how to choose a suitable flashlight, deploy it quickly, and use it to disable an attacker who thought you were unarmed. Better be sure those batteries are ever ready...

From the dawn of humanity, weapons and tools have been a crucial part of human development. A weapon is a tool used to injure, incapacitate or even kill, but it is just that, a tool. Tools shape both our physical and mental worlds. The knife is the most ancient weapon in our arsenal, and a versatile tool. Extend it, and it's a sword, extend and curve the blade, and it's a sickle. Tools help feed us, shelter us, defend us and assure our survival. Mankind has always relied upon his wits, the opposable thumb, and the mastery of tools. Mmmm, perhaps our greatest tool is really knowledge...

author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

After reading his works, and having viewed the video by the same name, I have learned that Dwight McLemore knows more about BIG KNIFE FIGHTING than anyone I know. His written material and video material is well paced, and exceptionally well informed. For people who wish to be instructors, he peppers his material with a type of trivia that adds to the colour of his instruction. As we can not all have the vast experience McLemore has had, we need to make secondary reference to material. McLemore's material is perfect for this purpose.

There are other works that cover material, but it is the organization that is key. After all the phone book is filled with information, but it is the organization and the quick access to information that is important. McLemore has a very straightforward, and no nonsense type of style. I have enjoyed his written work.

With his written material, his videotape, and a few like minded friends, the techniques become alive.

In an age where the single shot pistol gave you at most one chance to dispatch your assailant, a reliable backup weapon was critical. The common man's choice was not the gentleman's small sword, but the big knife--the Bowie. BBKFS is a fascinating historical reconstruction of what big knife fighting of the early 19th century may have been like.

McLemore has successfully documented the dynamics of the bout using a combination of still images (line drawings) and continuations (vectors) for feet, blade and hand. He also explores the possible history/origin of the big knife fighting technique--an adaptation of small sword fighting to an even shorter length weapon. His illustration skills are excellent. He is a very effective communicator in this medium. Even so, this material cries out for a companion dvd.

The drawings and labeling are generally accurate, but there are a few mistakes which better editing would have caught.

o p.73 (Timetable for death) "Subclavian" should be "Femoral"; on the Brachial Artery diagram, loss of consciousness should be 14 seconds (not 5 seconds), death 1 1/2 minutes (not 12 seconds); on the Radial Artery diagram, loss of consciousness should be 30 seconds (not 30 minutes). [This information is a restatement from Fairbairn's "Get Tough"]

o p.94, p.95, p.121 (Angles of attack). Which drawing is correct? I had to conclude p.95, since most of the labeling on subsequent drawings is consistent with this figure.

o p.101 (View of Angle 5 on the opponent) The leftmost drawing mistakenly labels this as angle 6.

o p.102 (View of Angle 6 on the opponent) The leftmost drawing mistakenly labels this as angle 5.

Grip, stance, guard, presentation, thrust, cut, parry, legwork--this book reads like a fencing manual. Add to that Mr. McLemore's skill with the conte crayon. Agrippa meets Bridgman.

This was a great book! Profusely illustrated by the author, showing closeup detail of each technique, with motion simulated well. This is the ONLY knifefighting book I've seen that clearly shows variants of the "back cut" technique.

Dwight obviously spent years researching the history of Jim Bowie, the Bowie knife, and those who fought with large knives during the 19th century. A number of little known facts about Bowie's checkered past are revealed, and several of his legendary exploits are questioned. The fact that no-one really knows what kind of knife Bowie used at the infamous Sandbar Duel is also revealed (it was likely a butcher-style hunting knife, which was later believed to have been lost in the woods). This book would be of value to historians as well as martial artists.

Dwight has a solid background in the martial arts, and practices Bowie techniques regularly -- he doesn't spar with rubber knives or practice his cuts on cardboard boxes either -- full contact sparring with protective gear and padded training knives, and cuts are practiced on heavy logs (a practice that would quickly destroy most folders and "tactical" knives). The man is very experienced, unlike some other authors who speak primarily from theory.

And, finally, a book that acknowledges that the eye is not necessarily considered a "lethal" target. I've read dozens of books stating that the brain can easily be accessed through the "eggshell thin" socket -- even with the thumb! Again, authors speaking from theory who likely have never even handled a skull in an Anatomy course. Dwight provides a very accurate targeting chart, and discloses that Fairbairn's famous "timeline of death" (regarding arterial cuts) has been proven inaccurate, according to various medical reports.

This is an outstanding introduction to how to fight with a Bowie, or large Bowie-style, knife -- although many of the techniques could be applied to smaller knives as well. It is true that almost no-one actually carries a Bowie-sized knife anymore, but most of these techniques (with the exception of the back cut) could be executed with a 10" chef knife (found in most kitchens).

Highly recommended for anyone who is considering sparring with training blades. IMHO, far easier to understand than "Knife Fighting Encyclopedia."

Bowie and Big-knife Fighting System begins with a brief history of the Bowie knife, and offers a bit of insight into the life of Jim Bowie himself.

While the Bowie knife is perhaps not commonly carried in today's society, skill with this weapon can still serve one well. And... it should be noted that while a Bowie knife may not be a common sight on a man's belt any more, it is still quite possible for a man to have his Bowie knife close at hand.

Bowie and Big-knife Fighting System shows the grips, holds, stances, guards, and presenting of the large knife. Then there is an excellent and detailed discussion of the proper application of both the thrust and the cut when using the Bowie knife in combat.

Bowie and Big-knife Fighting System is well-illustrated with numerous drawings, demonstrating the proper application of the knife, and helping one visualize the instructions in the printed text.

I found this book to be an excellent training guide, as well as offering an enjoyable insight into early American history and American fighting knives and knife fighting concepts.

Highly Recommended!

I love this book, it is realy fun, as well as having funny clay modeled sets around the boards. TOOOOOOOTALY
WORTH IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buzz and Flutter's Electronic Game Book has entertained all of my grandkids for years-from my oldest to my youngest. They truly enjoy the colorful pictures and the gamepieces, yet I know that they are getting some educational knowledge. This book will definetly emtertain any kids from age 3 to 12.

My son saw this book at a friend's house months ago and has been asking about it ever since. We ordered it for his birthday and he just LOVES it.

This is the best and most lasting present that my son has ever received. He was given this book as a gift a year ago and now, five years old, he still has not tired of these wonderful board games. He asks me or his father to play these games with him nearly every day -- and that's the ultimate endorsement of a toy by a child, I'd say. You would have to see how thrilled my son gets, how he laughs, as he plays these games; my words can't convey his utter delight. The illustrations are lively and colorful and absolutely stunning; they look a bit like the amazing high-tech animation seen in the recent movies "Antz" and "A Bug's Life." These games not only amuse but teach as well. Playing these games, my son has learned counting, taking turns, game strategy, sportsmanship, and lots more. The fact that the three game pieces attach by velcro to the book makes this book portable, packable, and terrific for car and plane trips. Now this is the gift I choose most frequently when looking for a gift for other little children. As a parent, I highly recommend it!

My four year old son received this for Christmas from his grandmother and loved it; no surprise there. However, my nine year old daughter thoroughly enjoys playing the games with him! A great book for siblings on a rainy day (or instead of TV!). Also makes a great gift for young children when trying to avoid the dreaded toy store.

As a Dr. Seuss fan from far too many years ago, I absolutely love the book. Nice big easy flaps to open and bright colors along with Seuss' best lines.

Although advertised for the toddler and preschool set, my son adored this book even at 9 months old. He is now one year old and is by no means tired of it. He can stay on one page for at least fifteen minutes flipping the flaps open and closing them again. I imagine that when he is old enough to understand letters and numbers and opposites he will still be as engrossed with it. I think the good size of the book and the very colorful illustrations add to the appeal.

This book is probably the best value and choice for children under 3 among the Dr. Seuss offerings. This book draws on five of the best Dr. Seuss books for young learners in abridged and more interactive fashion to make it exciting and interesting to very young children.

You get basic counting, letter identification, prereading training, introduction to rhyming, and the alphabet all in one fun book with great flaps that the smallest fingers will lovingly turn open. Any child can get a great educational start on important basics here, and graduate to working with the complete five books to provide this information in more depth.

The first two page spread is from The Cat in the Hat and covers all the numbers up to 20. Each flap has a number of Seussian animals or objects behind it. The order of the numbers is scrambled across the two pages so your child can also learn to look for numbers in order, as a way of reinforcing counting skills.

The second two page spread is from Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? The child is encouraged to make the appropriate animal sounds. These sounds are printed out, and this spread provides experience and skill in letter and word identification, and oral reading.

The third two page spread is from There's a Wocket in My Pocket! This section is good for beginning readers because the animals behind the flapped items rhyme with the flapped items (like wocket and pocket). Your child can then learn a few sounds for consonants by seeing and hearing how changing one letter changes the sound and meaning of the whole word. With the clue of the flap item, this section also helps with basic word decoding.

The fourth two page spread is from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. This section features a full rhyming scheme. "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." This rhyming futher reinforces letter identification to help with word decoding. By making this section easier to memorize, your child may well start to "read" this section to you before the other ones.

The fifth two-page spread is from Dr. Seuss's ABC and has all 26 letters in it. Again, they are not in exact order, so your child can also learn the alphabetic order by working with this. The Cat in the Hat returns as the host for this adventure. Having had so many examples of the importance of letter identification in the immediately prior three sections, this is a good place to introduce the whole alphabet.

Most children will probably want to do this book from front to back every time. That may seem like a lot for you to read with them, but the learning experience is very good that way. I urge you to follow through with that approach if your child likes it. With over 70 flaps to turn over, there's plenty of interactivity to keep boredom at bay.

If you find your child is doing much better on some sections than others, you might move onto the rest of that book at that point. Most children will find some material easier than others. Since this is all somewhat related, you can build on strengths that way to help open up any minor blocks to learning that you may be seeing.

Flap away!

My daughter absolutely adores this book! It takes all the things that make Dr. Seuss so GREAT without all the long, tongue-twisting stories for parents to read! I PROMISE you will like this AS MUCH or MORE than your child does! There are so many flaps it keeps my daugher entertained for up to 30 minutes at a time--THAT is AMAZING! No other book we own can do that!

The first 2 pages are from THE CAT IN THE HAT (counting); pages 3 and 4 are from MR BROWN CAN MOO! CAN YOU? (animals); the 5th and 6th pages are from THERE'S A WOCKET IN MY POCKET! (fun creatures lurking about); the next 2 pages are from ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH (opposites); and the last two pages are from DR. SEUSS'S ABC. All the bright colors not only make the book visually appealing but serve as yet another training tool!

Lift-the-flaps is the rage these days because most books I think are so hard for children to turn the pages but the flaps are small like their hands and fingers! PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT! 10 STARS! THE CAT IN THE HATS' GREAT BIG FLAP BOOK is a MUST OWN! You will not be disappointed! Trust me!

All kids should have this book, there is no doubt in my mind. I wish all children's books were this well- crafted. And if you're a teacher, don't even dream about missing this one. Also nice to add to your collection are: Aesop for Children (Winter), Grimm's complete fairy tales (Grimm), Great Children's stories (Richardson), The Butterfly (Singh). There are many other great children's books out there, but these were the ones I enjoyed the most. Oh, and I almost forgot the two classics that no children should ever be deprived of: The Little Prince (Exupery) and Charlotte's Web (White).

It is quite unfortunate that the maladroit public school system has failed to have this as a required reading. Thomas Paine has obtained immortality with these words in the minds of true conservative Constitutionalists-that of which has been obscured by both the Republicrats and Demopulicans. Having not read this in high school, I am glad I did. In a time when America is in an aberration from her fundamental principles I find myself genuflecting to her Constitution for insight-for that I am ridiculed, receive derision, and considered a conspiracy theorist and unpatriotic. Lamentation is among those of us who see the force that is reverting this country to a fusion between Fascism and Communism-a new hybrid of government. Fortunately, this is a REPUBLIC and we can fire back through political intervention and fiscal boycotts. We find it facile to intervene where we must, but that ability is shifting to arduousness with laws such as the Patriot Act-which makes docile dissent an act of terrorism. What Paine wrote in this pamphlet is very well applicable to our relationship to the Federal Government in the present. For me, this book gave me the boon to spread the message of what America was founded upon, the Constitution.

There are those men/women that are born from the process of reproduction that go beyond the mere existence of flesh and truly lubricate their being into the gears of this Machine we call life. From the conception of their ornate thoughts to the inoculation of their fluid into our being, at times we can overlook them in the present, but in the future, we revere them for their message. How many of these individuals have we murdered, assassinated, tortured, ostracized or allowed their message to become senescent in society? The recoil can at times prove that we are indeed merely in duress by the masses, but there are those of us that see the profundity in the present. Thomas Paine was not one who was ostracized or murdered for his ideologies, but it calls forth a siren in the present that is commensurate to Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto.

If I am not mistaken, I am sure I can be indicted for an act of terrorism, have Storm Troopers breach my home without warrant, be shipped to Guantanamo Bay for torture and denied rights to Due Process, all for exercising my right to free speech by writing this review; and, not to mention, for saying that the Federal Government is subordinate to the Constitution and must yield to the States; States yield to Counties; Counties to Cities; Cities to Communities; and Communities to Families-that is "the REPUBLIC for which we stand!"

Common sense was at the right place at the right time, written by the right person. It created an inflection point that changed the world!

Most major changes in life are cause by events called inflection points. An inflection point is an event that changes how you view the world, who you are, or your life in general.

Think 9-11. People in the United States felt safer before that day. After 9-11 we realized our vulnerability to terrorists. There are many inflection points in our history.

Tomas Paine's Common Sense created a major inflection point in history!

In early 1776 Thomas Paine published a 46 page pamphlet called Common Sense. It helped inspire the writing of the Declaration of Independence and motivated a nation to start a revolution.

The book was written for the common man and was estimated to have sold 120,000 copies within three months of publication and 500,000 copies within a year. It is worth noting that this was in the United States when there were only 3 million people--and many couldn't read!

John Adams and others had been arguing for the United States to become an independent nation. The release of Paine's Common Sense was the inflection point that caused the nation to become independent.

Thomas Paine used his Critical Thinking skills to determine that the time was right to inspire the people to take action. He argued convincingly that the young nation had to make a choice for independence now--not later. Paine explained that within fifty years the personal interests of individuals who would acquire status and money by then would resist such a change. And, the colonies would be more established and would resist such a change.

"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right." ~Thomas Paine


The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

This book was originally written as a pamphlet in 1776. It was crucial in advancing the thought and spirit of the American Revolution to the masses. I found this book to be amazing in how forward thinking the author was. Declaring "The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind". He spends the first part of the book logically explaining that Monarchy is wrong and having heirs to a throne is ridiculous. He uses the bible as part of his argument that kings and kingdoms are man made and the origin is corrupt so they should be done away with. He goes on to explain how a fair practice of representation in government could take place in the colonies after independance. He writes that America had no logical need to submit to Great Britain's dominion any longer and that after the treatment America received, she had every right to independance. Paine predicts that America would emerge as a powerful nation with its natural resources and location. He says that the pride of kings results in wars. He states that in a monarchy the King is law, in a democracy Law is king. This book is a wonderful trip into logic and reason concerning Americas independance, I enjoyed it. Thomas Paine's vision of America came true, and you can read that vision in this book.

"Men read by way of revenge."

A forerunner of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Common Sense should properly be regarded (at least in a historical, though not a legal, sense) as one of the founding documents of this nation.

Paine makes the case for independence in strong moral terms, clearly based on the Enlightenment political theories of John Locke. The list he gives of the Crown's abuses should already be familiar to the reader from the Declaration (Jefferson did not give sufficient credit to Paine for his obvious influence on that document), though Paine's recounting is somewhat more detailed, as he could treat the topic at greater length in his pamphlet.

Paine also offers suggestions in some detail about a Constitutional Congress and the drafting of such a document, and based on the course of subsequent events it seems that the other Founders took Paine's suggestions to heart.

And of course, few other books in history (and particularly non-fiction works, since art can have a power that plain argument does not) have so effectively rallied public opinion.

Read this book. You will be surprised, even if your expectations were already high, and you will certainly be inspired.

This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class. John Keane's biography succinctly showed that Tom Paine (1737-1809) was the consummate revolutionary and a daring adventurer. Not only was he an important figure in the American Revolution, but he also traveled to France in 1791 to give that revolution a push. Paine traveled from England, just in time to stoke the flames of the revolution with his pamphlet Common Sense, in January 1776. To call Common Sense a sensation in the colonies is actually a bit of an understatement. It was an unparallel sensation and monumental work of Enlightenment rhetoric that quickly fanned the flames of rebellion throughout the colonies. In four months, over 120,000 copies were printed in the colonies--over 500,000 copies by years end. No other pamphlet printed in seventeenth century America came close to its success. Most importantly, Common Sense served to get the colonial patriots to drop their fear of open rebellion, and also emboldened those delegates who favored declaring independence from Britain. The delegates now had the confidence that a large segment of the colonists would support rebellion. Similar to the Declaration of Independence, the philosophical ideas in Common Sense are primarily from the English philosopher, John Locke (1632-1704). The most moving quote from the pamphlet became quite prophetic, when one considers the impact it ultimately had on the delegates in the congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and on the world. "We have it in our power to begin the world over again."

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

BRAUTIGAN AT HIS BEST, in his use of humor IN an ABSURDIST NEO NINETENTH NERVOUS CENTURY VENTURE INTO THE TWENTETH CENTURY COINAGE SQUALOUR,in an ARCADIANIAN LIKE GARBAGE HEEP HANG OUT FOR SQUATTERS, everwhere 1950s ARSONIST guierilla condederate idealist/relic, confronts conspires aghast in stumble bumble berry bush brambble,ICON AS HELL STALLION MELON DEAD DRUNK eXpire hearFIRE TILT TIRE echo, footsteps leading back past fast,TREAD MUTATED SURREAL.ABSOLUTE ABOMINATION THE GHOHSTS OF THE PASS MERGE WITH THE REGRET OF THE NEAR AND DIRECT PRESENT IN FOLKLORE, LEGEND IN PROISE by the ocean in BIG sur,

Where to begin? Despite the foreshadowing of brautigan's abandoning of modern American society (He's out in the mountains of Idaho as we speak, putting his mack on some female hikers or else shivering alone in a bear's cave), this book also is funny. I like it. There's some aligators in there and that made me laugh because i think that aligators are funny.

Brautigan's excellent novel is definately worth the quick read, and then worth a second read to catch all his language play. Having grown up near Big Sur, this book was particularly funny as I believe Lee Mellon is still in residence there.

Brautigan's description of drugs, drinks, frogs and the commas of Ecclesiastes are all done in a straight forward style that made me laugh out loud.

One of my favorite paragraphs: "He broke the seal on the bottle, unscrewed the cap and poured a big slug of whiskey into his mouth. He swallowed it down with a hairy gulp. Strange, for as I said before: he was bald." A great read.

If there's one thing the world lacks, it's a good supply of well-written, funny-as-heck books. Luckily, aside from A Confederacy Of Dunces, we have this little gem. The characters are drunks, druggies, skanks, prostitutes & nutzoids. The pace is brisk and the imagry vivid. Most of it seemed to be part of my own life, but just where do you find weed that's so potent that 4 people smoking 5 joints stay high for well over 2 hours?! If you want to spend a day or night having a good laugh over a great book, pick this one up. You'll laugh out loud. And as Martha Stewart says...."It's a good thing".

If you read nothing else by Richard Brautigan, read "A Confederate General From Big Sur." Mere words are inadequate to properly describe this book, and the majesty contained within. Brautigan, master of the simile, is at his finest as he spins an off-beat tale containing (though not restricted to): frogs, dynamite, prostitutes, booze, and a man named Lee Mellon. Forsaking all possessions and the amenities of "civilized" life (a notion nearly inconceivable these days), Lee Mellon and the narrator, Jesse, embark upon an adventure in a place called Big Sur. An adventure not only in the physial sense, but in the metaphysical as well. Reading Brautigan in the context of our times, it is hard to imagine how the audience of the 1960's embraced his work. While his works may, to us, appear strange at times, we have grown accustomed to such eccentricities. But in the 60's it was fresh and new. One can only speculate if we have somehow missed out on some aspect of Brautigan by having read his books 30 years after they were written. But the mere fact that his work stands the test of time is a testament not only to his books, but to the man himself. But, alas, i stray from the topic of this missive. You want my review? It's a damn good book. Now go and read it.