Big Books

This is by far, the best cookbook we own. It is huge, and contains every recipe you could ever want or need for rubs, marinades, sauces, every kind of meat, great sides, and even cocktails...this book is like a textbook for grilling because it teaches you so much about every which way to use your grill. We have given it as gifts and everybody has loved it and even bought it for their friends and family as gifts! Buy this book and you can throw away any other grilling books you own.

Have not by any means read, or tried, the whole book. But the section on equipment is very helpful. The entire book looks really very good, as are all of their books. This is one of the 2 weeks of the year in which it is nice, as opposed to cooking ON the sidewalk sort of heat where I live. So outdoors is great.

I was just a tad disappointed in the pizza and bread section. The reason was strictly me, I am sure. But I have been really into hand making bread in particular for about 30 years. I usually bake them on a pizza stone in the oven. I recently saw a wood fired pizza baking BBQ sort of thing at the barbeque store- and I have tried to convince my husband to build me one, for my now once-a-month loaf, for 15 years. No luck. So when they mentioned this device in equipment, I was hoping they would check it out and try some. Perhaps for the next book?

This book was written to clear up some misunderstandings about grilling, and it exceeds in a winsome and delightful fashion!

Many wrongly think anything on a grill = grilling. This is dispelled and corrected with this book, so get it to learn on!

It is about flavor at the right temp to match with the ingredient being cooked, and here is the full range of methods and equipment: planking and big-pot frying and boiling and charcoal and gas and fire-pit and rotisserie and smoking and deep frying, et al.

It is a big collection well done! Idea is to dine and cook together outside and enjoy, so exploring new recipes, new methods, new equipment, will inspire and delight the cook and the fed, plus there are recipes for sides and desserts which require inside type preparation. It's almost 600 pages of advice and inspiration to take the journey.

From the plethora of offerings here thus far, I've sampled only a few but they were outstanding: Salmon Fillets with Chile Honey Butter; Grilled Lamb Chops with Dill Yogurt Sauce; Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches;

The pleasure from trying these mouth watering delights is the vast untried collection that now awaits.

This is truly nice addition to the seasonsed griller as purchase or gift, as well as for the novice or in-betweener. Only downer which would have spiced up this offering is some color photos.

To say this book is complete is an understatement. I bought this book after using their "Smoke & Spice" book for several years. "S & S" is strictly about low and slow cooking of beef and pork, while this one is much more broad, with excellent recipes and ideas for entertaining. If you're mainly concerned with making great BBQ pork and beef, I'd start with the "Smoke & Spice" book. The rubs and sauces recipes are super. But my guess is you'll soon graduate to this book if you like outdoor cooking and like to entertain.

With 850 recipes, including 200 sauces and rubs, big and thorough are the operative words for this James Beard Award-winning team's latest (after "Good times, Good Grilling").

They begin with solid definitions of the various outdoor techniques. Grilling, for instance, is always done over direct heat, with the cover up. Does that mean you can't make beer can chicken? Sure you can, but don't call it grilled. Actually in the Jamisons' version it's smoked and takes leisurely hours.

Then there's rotisserie roasting, planking, and big-pot frying (corn dogs, catfish, fried Oreos) or boiling or steaming (blue crabs, lobster). But the majority of receipes employ their favorite cooking method - grilling. There's even a skewered grilled cheese sandwich appetizer and grilled fruit parfaits in addition to authoritative instructions on grilling burgers, steaks with mouthwatering sauces, suckling pig, ribs, game, and poultry of all kinds and cuts.

In addition to Smoked Beef Tenderloin, Ground Lamb Kebabs with Black Olive and Lemon Relish, and Planked Salmon, the Jamisons also include chapters on drinks, vegetables (Middle Eastern Peppers with Pomegranate Sauce, French Fries, Lacquered Tofu and Vegetable Skewers), breads, salads and desserts.

Geared to entertaining, most recipes serve six or more. The tone is opinionated, knowledgeable and friendly and we amateurs are encouraged to be creative and reflect our own flair and taste as long as we can refrain from doing anything scandalous, like flattening burgers with the spatula.

There are menus scattered throughout as well as boxed party tips, variations, and sidebars. Recipes cover an international gamut and all occasions from holiday parties to backyard picnics. A primer on grills and smokers explains what to look for and even includes brand names.

Dare I say it? This could be the only American outdoor cookbook you'll ever need.

--Portsmouth Herald

One more excellent entry from Paradox Press! Here, you learn about all the good/bad things of life. Learn the pros and cons of all vices. If you're hooked on Big Books, it's an obvious must-have!

From undoubtedly one of the best quality comic-book series ever comes the Big Book Of Vice:
fans of this incredible series know all too well that what's to be expected here is a very-in-depth look into the subject (vice) with the aid of some of the best contemporary comic-makers around.
Your illustrated journey includes:
-tobbaco. Its superbly interesting history plus the all (not) too well hazards it pertains to as well as all the marketing trickeries involved in its spread.

-prostitution. Again, its history as the "world's oldest profession" (you'll discover stuff beyond imagination on this one) plus the wide spectrum of vice and illegality it brings with it..
-gambling. Probably the most spectacular and eye-opening section of the book. Check out the stunningly imaginative scams of lotteries, pro-betters and pro-cheaters, card playing, and some of the most infamous bets ever made!
-and a "general" section on vice which even includes the "danger" posed by comics as seen by some of society's less liberal sectors.

As usual, drawn with tremendous gusto and funny as hell, this is a proud addition to the series. Even if your acquaintence with this series begins here be warned: odds are you will be hooked. And yes, i'd take a nice lil wager on that too.
Precious stuff.

Another outstanding entry in the Big Book series. They make learning fun

I've been hooked! This book is definitely one good read- page after page this is one of the most entertaining books i've read.

192 pages is just not enough- this volume is an informative and entertaining compendium of mankind's best (or worst- depending on the reader) pastimes.

This volume contains everything you want to know about sex, drugs, booze, and everything in between.

This book is definitely worth your $13.50

As a lover of bizzare facts, I felt that I hit the mother-load. The Big Book of Vice is an incredible well of information, with great a bibliography that serves as a roadmap for the dedicated kookologist. For anyone else, it is an extremely entertaining, fun and easy to read book, as are all the "Big Books" Paradox press puts out. The art is wonderful, and the short, comic style is the perfect addition to your bathroom reading list. Highly recommended!

This is one of those rare works by a true master. The following quote from page 161 definitely applies to the book itself:

"If we understand the preceding ideas, we understand the foundations of modern mathematics".

This is what this book is about. If you're looking precisely for this, as I was, you'll be truly enlightened by its reading.

I assume that it was very unusual, in the early 20th century, for scholars of Whitehead's stature to write for an educated lay readership, and that IM is one of only a handful of 'popular mathematics' books of its day. As such, IM and Whitehead are to be commended. Aside from an occasional reference to the 'ether', as others have noted, IM is current and compelling in every respect. It is a fine read (though rather curiously organized: it's final two chapters seem to belong much earlier in the book). I give it 4 stars only because others, standing on Whitehead's shoulders, have done a much better job of covering similar ground. I have in mind, especially, Tobias Dantzig's first-rate "Number: The Language of Science" (recently reissued).

A word to the wise: avoid the Barnes and Noble edition of IM. It is rife with typos, not to mention a missing diagram. I don't know whether the errors are B&N's own, or owe to the fact(?) -- it seems -- that this edition corresponds to (though does not photo-reproduce) the original 1911 edition, which (judging from the latest offerings on Amazon), was superseded by a corrected edition in 1948. Whatever the source of these errors, they are many and greatly distracting.

"The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment."

"One of the causes of the apparent triviality of much of elementary algebra is the preoccupation of the textbooks with the solutions of equations."

In discussing Descartes' coordinate geometry, Whitehead states, "Philosophers, when they have possessed a thorough knowledge of mathematics, have been among those who have enriched the science with some of its best ideas. On the other hand, it must be said that, with hardly an exception, all remarks on mathematics made by those philosophers who have possessed but a slight or hasty and late-acquired knowledge of it, are entirely worthless, being either trivial or wrong."

"Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle - they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments."

"The really profound changes in human life have all had their ultimate origin in knowledge pursued for its own sake."

Alfred North Whitehead, a remarkable British mathematician and philosopher, enlivens his look at the fundamental ideas underlying mathematics with provocative observations. Nonetheless, Whitehead does not avoid mathematics while trying to explain mathematics. While this book is clearly for the layman, it may occasionally require some effort. An Introduction to Mathematics is delightful, insightful, and intellectually stimulating.

Whitehead argues that mathematics is an abstract science that is primarily concerned with generality, not specificity. In trying to master the techniques and mechanics of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, many students fail to recognize the fundamental ideas. They become lost in a murky fog of details.

I found myself surprised by Whitehead's insightful explanations of familiar topics like variables, constants, and simple algebraic equations. I know math. But I now recognize that I had not really given sufficient thought to some very basic concepts. Just a few pages into this little book I was actually looking at some familiar concepts from a very different perspective.

Later discussions on mathematical symbolism, imaginary numbers, conic sections, trigonometry, and infinite series move more slowly and may require rereading. But the insights gained will more than offset any additional effort.

Whitehead occasionally digresses to discuss the act of mathematical creation. He agrees with the poet Shelley who compared the discovery of "some great truth" to the slow snowflake by snowflake accumulation that leads to an avalanche. While not discounting the role of genius, Whitehead sees breakthroughs in mathematical thought, often as unexpected as an avalanche, the natural result of the accumulation of knowledge through the centuries.

Whitehead's small book could serve as the basis for a short class or tutorial for high school students (or perhaps even for humanities majors with less than fond feelings for mathematics.) An Introduction to Mathematics is an effective counterbalance to standard textbooks that focus too much on technique, manipulation, and mechanics. Five stars.

Whitehead's "Introduction to Mathematics" is an illustrative, lucid, and concise discourse on the "three great mathematical ideas of the variable, of algebraic form, and of generalization." As other reviewers have indicated, the author presupposes that the reader have at least *some* experience with elementary algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The book's greatest strength, however, lie in its ability to supplement the rigor of an undergraduate math education (or something akin) with the "why" of said education. In sum, both math- and non-math oriented folk will benefit from reading this book --- the non-mathematicians may be turned on to the elegance of the discipline whereas the mathematicians may be reminded (gasp!) of its beauty and relevance.

This is a nice, little book: short, clear, and very well written. I confess, though, that I'm not sure who its best audience really is. If you know some math, and have thought and read AT ALL about the philosophy of math, you will not find much new in this book; still, since it will be quick and easy to read, you will probably find it worthwhile, for the occasional new insight or alternative way of looking at things. I found the section on series particularly worth reading, because series were not well covered in my own math education. I also found the comments on the measurement of time to be subtle and thought-provoking.

If you know little or no math, you MIGHT find this a good introduction (as the title implies), but don't expect any detailed exposition on the actual PRACTICE of math. This book is really an introduction to the philosophy of math. It is concerned with WHY we do math, and why math takes the form that it does. Whitehead's goal is to introduce some key concepts, common to all math, such as variables and abstraction. Any actual proofs or expositions in the book are included only as examples of how these concepts play out in seemingly different areas of study.

Perhaps the reader best served by this book would be one who is comfortable with the practice of math at least through the basic high school level (geometry, algebra, trigonometry), and possibly more, but is just starting to think about the underlying philosophy: the "why" of math as opposed to the "how" of it.

For those who don't know, Whitehead was, of course, one of the premier philosophers of math of the early 20th century, co-author with Bertrand Russell of the 3-volume magnum opus "Principia Mathematica". The present book was written around 1911, and is definitely dated in spots - for instance he talks about electro-magnetic vibrations in the "ether" - but that doesn't detract from either its usefulness or readability.

This book is a wonderfully whimsical bit of erotica... I got it as a birthday present for my boyfriend and it's always a bit topic of conversation when company comes over. it's now almost completely colored in!

I think this was one of the best gifts I've ever given. If you like seeing your friends and family turn red, this will surly do the trick. This book was great fun. : )

This book entered my life at a time when I was feeling more or less 'eh' about my vagina. Like, I'd wake up in the morning, first thought: 'I've got a vagina.' Next thought: 'Yeah, so?'

Not anymore. In my mind, at least, my private parts have progressed from the drab Middle Ages to a Technicolor Age of Aquarius. Let the sunshine in.

Who said crayons are for kids?!! This wonderful book will bring out the artist in everyone. Great adult entertainment. You are guaranteed to be the star of any occasion with this unique gift. Highly recommended!

This book is FUN! Everyone I show it to loves it! Guys, girls, the whole party is standing over each others shoulders commenting, pointing, and laughing at themselves for enjoying this book so thoroughly. Even some of my kinda straight edge friends love it!

I read the book twice before it disappeared on me. There are books out there that tell the story of ships. This book is a reference to the strength and the perseverence of a ship, her crew and should be required reading to anyone that serves in the military, matter of fact anyone who wants to know why we won that war.(If wars are really won). The first Space Shuttle, the first nuclear carrier wear that name. For those Sci-Fi. buffs, I need not say more. I served on a carrier and have a good idea what strength, spirit, and unity are. For those who fight for it. Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. We are a great nation, but not necessarily the greatest.A Sailor. Me

I have not read this book in over 15 years. My old paperback copy is now gone. When I had it, I read it twice. I felt immersed in the action, life and death of the "ship with a soul". It would be wonderful to get a copy once again.

The first time I read the book I was 10 years old. I was known in my school for my knowledge of WWII history. This book made me understand the losses that were actually involved in war. By the time I was done reading the book for the first time, I was in tears thinking about all that history beeing scrapped. The Constitution sunk one ship, The Enterprise kept a nation afloat. If I ever get ahold of this book again, I will put it in it's place in my collection: on my nightstand!

I purchased this paperback in the early 80's, set it aside and did not read it until 1994. It is an incredible history. I cried when "The Big 'E'" was scarred, when her crew fought and died to keep her in the war. Cmdr. Stafford's genius is evident in the movie " Tora, Tora, Tora!" - he was the technical advisor. I am currently re-reading this classic; and would love to have a pristine copy in my library. It is a crime against history that the Enterprise and Saratga were not preserved as museums. I truly believe "Thre Big 'E'" was the diference between defeat and victory in 1942.

I got my first copy of this when I was just a lad and I must have read it five or six times. It fell apart and disappeared during the college years. Maybe 10 years ago I found it in paperback (just sitting in a bookstore!) and read it a couple of more times since then.

It is one of those rare works of history that manages to be factual, straightforward, and still read like a novel. The writing is crisp, the imagery moving, and the detail satisfying. I admit to being biased -- don't we all have fond memories of books read when we were young? -- but I cannot think of any flaws.

Here's a historical nugget I first recognized reading "The Big E." Only two US fleet carriers survived WWII. The first was the Saratoga, which survived by being heavily damaged seemingly everytime she left port, and spent the war safely in drydock being repaired. The second was the Enterprise, which was engaged in nearly every major battle in the Pacific, and was arguably the "luckiest" large ship in the Navy.

Given the resurgence of interest in WWII (see Stephen Ambrose and Tom Hanks) I cannot imagine why someone does not reprint this book. If you can find a copy, buy it. If you live in western Washington I might loan you my copy, but you have to promise to take good care of it and return it promptly.

Chehade doesn't leave any sacred ground for racism to hide. She bravely contronts racism on every level. I loved her bluntness and her willingness to write about issues that so many people outside of the African American community do not see or want to deal with. She is no joke. People who are in any way interested in solving racism NEED to read this book and find out just exactly what kind of beast we are all living with.

Throughout history dominant races and cultures have imposed their will, way of life, moral and aesthetic standards and even their genes on the conquered and the weaker element in their new territories. Racism is as old as humanity, although it might've been called by a different name. Man's pathological narcissism and quest to become god has engendered in part modern racism. It is fears of the new, fears of the unknown that produce in people fears of other humans that are not familiar to them. Racism helps people regain a sense of pseudo-control over their uncontrollable lives.
Every dominant race and culture has appointed itself as the supreme one, and the rest had to follow. In contrast to the bible, the meek shall not inherit the earth, but shall perish like an insignificant bacillus. Racism like human destructiveness is part of the human character.
Racism is also a great political tool to create divisions among the masses in order to dominate them, in addition, down grading people to sub-human levels justifies their eradication. Ironically, racial purity is a pure myth that has been engendered and propagated by shrewd political leaders and elites to advance their political agenda. Humanity has been interbreeding for centuries and the idea that one race is purer or superior to another is ludicrous, but works well politically. Let's not forget the recent single origin hypothesis which states that anatomically all modern humans evolved in Africa between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago. The illusion of belonging to a superior group helps compensate for the person who feels like a bacillus, and in lieu the group membership leads him to feel like a giant by appealing to his or her narcissistic prejudices. Group narcissism is key factor in racism. It is fueled and perpetuated by politicians. Racism and fear go hand in hand. Fear is a primitive feeling that incapacitates and renders people impotent. It is a natural response for self-preservation. By connecting fear to racism and artificially inducing it in people, weakens the masses, manufactures consent, and makes racism a mechanism of pseudo-self-preservation. Unfortunately, racism is here to stay! It will only cease to exist when humanity self-annihilate and totally perish!
Chehade has written a delightful book about racism based on her own perceptions and experiences. Her book is thought provoking, sensitive, intelligent, and interesting.
Chehade has done a great deed in openly discussing a critical issue like racism that has engulfed every society. She confronts our denial about its existence, and urges us for self-awareness and for change.
Chehade is livid about the condition and the hypocrisy of the human race. She addresses the political issues that has plagued and maintained the status quo of racism. Her essay is idealistic, uplifting as well as frightening, because it exposes the dark side of humanity.
She also discusses the identity crisis that immigrants face by latching to whiteness and distancing from blackness. However, this survival process which Chehade has bitterly criticized is a natural element that every new population that is introduced into a new environment would have to face. The idea that immigrants identify with the dominant culture is not new, whether it is Poles, Arabs Jews, Italians, or Irish.
Per example, the Ashkenasi Jews deny their Mongolian/Khazari heritage and desperately as well as obsessively attempt to identify and associate themselves only with white Europeans, especially of Germanic descent more than the German people would, despite the fact that six millions Jews were slaughtered by their beloved Teutonic nation. The Jews were the dominant figure in Germany financially, politically and on every level. The German leaders had to down-grade them first, then, massacre them next because they could not compete with them. That makes the Jews superior to the Germans not their inferiors. The feeling of inferiority and vulnerability in humans promote their self-hatred, otherwise it becomes directed toward others in what we call the phenomenon of racism. Racism is part of the human character as much as the internal feelings of inferiority and self-hatred.
A natural compensation for inferiority is the creation of the illusion of superiority. The two elements are dependent on each other for survival.
People who want to be someone else including their assassins, tend to practice the inner mechanism of self-hared, but can also externalize it by becoming racists.
Nowadays racism is profitable for the elites in the Anglo-American establishment, because it leads to conflict, and conflict makes money. The establishment has even gone a step further in the classification process of races by wanting to eliminate the word "Caucasian" and by replacing it with "white" as the new classification, because white would have a direct connation with people of European descent, while "Caucasian" included the people from North Africa, the Middle-East, and India. However, the Indians were stripped of their Caucasian classification privilege in the late seventies in the Untied States and they were given their own classification, since there is a billion of them, although anthropologically they fit the Caucasian profile.

Finally, Chehade's book makes a great reading. However, her tone throughout the essay is mostly angry reflecting her struggle with her own identity as an immigrant. Her defense of blackness would be admirable and sincere if it did not stem from her own self-hatred and her own confusion with her identity. The book is more of an emotional experience than an objective one. It lacks scientific and anthropological evidence, and it is politically naïve. However, it is worth reading. It might help generate some thinking in the brave reader's mind.

This book covers every little nook and cranny white people try to hide under and exposes their issues in regards to race. I recommend this book to any white person who wants to truly heal the race problem in America and abroad.

Chehade doesn't leave any sacred ground for racism to hide. She bravely contronts racism on every level. I loved her bluntness and her willingness to write about issues that so many people outside of the African American community do not see or want to deal with. She is no joke. People who are in any way interested in solving racism NEED to read this book and find out just exactly what kind of beast we are all living with.

Although she claims to be a White woman, specifically an Arab American woman who has spent the majority of her life as an American, it is really difficult to consider Ms. Chehade as a part of a people she so staunchly accuses of bearing the majority responsibility of human oppression and subjugation. It is hard to associate her as part of "the problem" because she is so brutally honest in her assessment of race relations-an absolute rarity among those progressive Whites and even Blacks who are traumatized just having to think about the issue. One may be shocked that there are "liberal" whites, according to Ms. Chehade, who are just as racist as the typical Klu Klux Klan member. Throughout the book, Ms. Chehade includes herself in the many examples of the use of White privilege. Her unique perspective on how immigrants are acculturated into racism is especially insightful, particularly when she describes the symbiotic economic relationship immigrants have in Black communities.

No matter the level of participation Ms. Chehade had in these racial crimes, one can easily grant her immunity because she testifies to the evil of White denial of Black humanity. The book's overall point is that it is this very denial which is key to the problem, but also critical to any resolution of America's racial nightmare. "Big Little White Lies" does not lose focus in exposing this pathology. Ms. Chehade, directly talks to whites, exposing and then addressing their negative beliefs and behavior toward Blacks. She is relentless in placing the responsibility for healing on White people by pointing to the enormous amount of power only they command. For example, using her analysis of power as the ability to control people, resources, and institutions to the detriment of others, she exposes the paranoia Whites have of Minister Louis Farrakhan. It is only by reading this book will White people come to really understand what drives the Minister and may even thank the Creator for him.

This is the only book I would want White people to read if they are going to experience any Black History at all. Not only is it a concise treatise on the history of White oppression of Blacks, but more importantly, it shows how the evils of the past have accumulated to create negative consequences for Blacks in this time. Those interested in the movement for reparations for slavery should read this book not only for its value as a reference book on the pain and suffering inflected on Blacks, but as a tactical guide to the mind of White America.

In stripping away the most fundamental denials of White people, Ms. Chehade indirectly answers many of the questions Blacks have on why the majority of Whites are racist. On one hand, "Big Little White Lies" creates an overwhelming despair that brotherhood between the masses of Black people and White people is not only an impossibility in our lifetime, but a remote possibility in the lifetimes of future generations.

On the other hand, Carol Chehade opens the mind to the critical issue of power sharing in this society and the absolute necessity of self and group empowerment. No matter your position on the political spectrum, I guarantee that this book will leave you breathless and a little shaken.

My fear is that "Big Little White Lies" will never see the mainstream publishing success it deserves. No other book could claim to be remotely compared to it. No other book could have as much potential to heal.

This is a wonderful collection, full of barreling energy and vitality. A brave and precise writer, Ruland explores violence without flinching, and even locates the genuine humor sometimes latent in it. A range of styles keeps this collection fresh and witty. "Kessler Has No Lucky Pants" uses a Q & A format to marvelous effect, while the concise "The Hitman's Handbook" features a mob rub-out from several different points of view. Several stories take "genre" material--mobsters, fairy tales, Western desperadoes--and spin literature out of it. The most striking example is "Red Cap," a pitiless descent into a young girl's experience of war. The writing is inspiring; Ruland never commits a cliché.

Pamela Erens, author: The Understory

Jim Ruland is an incredible writer; his short fiction not only entertains, but provides a blueprint for how short stories really should be written. The problem is, I found it nearly impossible to dissect them and analyze them, because he trapped me; I couldn't step away to take the long view. Each of these 13 tales is compact, unique, surprising. For instance, The Previous Adventures of Popeye the Sailor is a droll take on a pop-culture icon; Red Cap also springs from literary pop--Little Red Riding Hood--but twists the heart and leaves a chill in the stomach. And A Terrible Thing in a Place Like This should be declared a classic for its elegance, visceral impact and masterful, harrowing blend of reality and dreaminess. Wonderful stuff; well worth reading.


Susan O'Neill, author: Don't Mean Nothing: Short stories of Viet Nam

Jim Ruland arises from L.A. like a new John Fante for the post-McSweeney's generation. The diverse stories here are whip-smart, weird, and Imaginative with a capital I. One bad-ass debut collection, Big Lonesome will be beating up and taking the lunch money of lesser collections for years to come. Ruland's genre-twisting genius returns us to the days when reading short stories was fun---Remember? In a book full of innovative characters and circumstances, one highlight is the brilliant title story, a Pynchon-meets-Old-West tale like none you've read before, where even a robot Indian can find love and a mad scientist can try his hand at bounty hunting. I don't know about lonesome, but this collection is big fun.

I enjoyed Big Lonesome, Jim Ruland's debut collection of short stories, immensely. His writing is clean and spare and original; his stories funny and unsettling. Among the faves: Kessler Has No Lucky Pants, a bittersweet comic tale told in interview format; the touching Night Soul Man, one of several of Ruland's stories featuring the charged interplay between man and nature; and Brains for Bengo, the most disturbing story in the bunch. To me, Ruland's writing evokes a distinctly American landscape of love and death, good luck and bad, metal and muscle, the ugly, the wild, the old and the young. He takes contemporary fiction readers out of their comfort zones, but he does it in a generous, human, seemingly effortless way, and delivers on the rewards.

After Sam Lipsyte's HomeLand, Big Lonesome is my second favorite paperback of 2005. Just when it seems language has lost its edge, Ruland comes along and fornicates the hell out of it. Most of these stories will rot your mind faster than a cloud of white phosphorous, and the rest sound great cranked to eleven. I mean it. Ruland's got esprit out the rear. He honors our founding fathers. He knows what to cut and what to kick. And he does not repeat himself, Madame, he does not.

The Big Picture is a story that all managers/leaders can easily related to on a day-to-day basis. In today's workplace change is a constant, yet the dilemma we face is that we rarely are able to implement change as we would like. Rarely do we get the buy-in from our employees needed to bring about change. Not only does The Big Picture help us to understand "why" we don't get buy-in, it also, provides us with clear steps to see the big picture and get all our employees involved. This book is a must for all managers who want to become transformational leaders. I can't wait to read the sequel.

The Big Picture is a story that all managers/leaders can easily related to on a day-to-day basis. In today's workplace change is a constant, yet the dilemma we face is that we rarely are able to implement change as we would like. Rarely do we get the buy-in from our employees needed to bring about change. Not only does The Big Picture help us to understand "why" we don't get buy-in, it also, provides us with clear steps to see the big picture and get all our employees involved. This book is a must for all managers who want to become transformational leaders. I can't wait to read the sequel.

This book is ideal for not only managers - but anyone who is having difficulty with change in their lives. It provides the reader with a realistic and wholistic frame of reference for human interaction. For those of you who are not familiar with the field of systems thinking that was founded by such leading thinkers as Jay Forester and Peter Senge, this is the ideal book for you to get started and bring these concepts into modern day reality.

Buy several copies, because you will want to pass this real life story around. The essence of the story will stay with those who read it because it probes our natural behaviors and invites us to consider other possibilities. Readers who are familiar with systems thinking will appreciate the realistic application of ideas in the workplace. Those who have not been introduced to systems thinking will benefit from this very practical exploration of some of the discipline's most important concepts.

Buy several copies, because you will want to pass this real life story around. The essence of the story will stay with those who read it because of the way it probes our natural behaviors and then invites us to consider other possibilities. Readers who are familiar with systems thinking will appreciate the application of ideas in the workplace. Those who have not been introduced to systems thinking will benefit from this very practical exploration of some of the discipline's most important concepts.

The horrors of female circumcision - something long since banned in the Western world, it is still practiced in many African Countries. "Born in the Big Rains: A Memoir of Somalia and Survival" is author and feminist Fadumo Korn's story of nearly dying to the barbaric practice and her rise to becoming a spokesman against the practice. A harsh and much needed criticism against the atrocity of female genital mutilation, "Born in the Big Rains: A Memoir of Somalia and Survival" has the highest recommendation to community library women's studies collections as a bastion against this cruelty that far too many young girls in the world have been exposed to.

The first portion of this book follows the young nomad Fadumo as she travels and wanders with her family in Somalia. The descriptive writing of Somalia and the scenes laid before the reader are simply breathtaking.
Then we follow the young girl as she undergoes FGM (female genital mutilation), becomes ill and travels to Germany for medical treatment. Eventually she marries and becomes a fighter against FGM.
A must-read for those wanting to see a woman's life in Africa and how FGM affects the young woman's life.
It is also an interesting read about the choices she takes in her life and the other women in her family who remain subservient and stuck.
Although how much of this is determined by her father who let her live with one uncle who was very giving and caring ---while her sister Khadija ended up with another uncle who was abusive and cruel.
In closing, this book is a quick read and you won't be disappointed.

This book is very well written. It makes the reader aware of female circumcision and the problems associated with it.

Excellent - very enlightening to a women's crisis and so well written.

Can you imagine being born into a Somalian nomad family, and then, because of illness and the luck
of the tribe, being transported first, to a life of relative luxury, in the capitol city and ultimately to
Germany? The transition from one distinct culture to another in Europe reminds all of us of the need
to respect those aspects of traditions which bind people together and try to alter, as humanely as possible,
those traditional practices that do injury, particularly to women. This is a wonderful, courageous story.

The second edition includes hundreds of photographs and stories of Boone and Crockett trophies taken in Colorado. In addition, the historical photographs of Colorado's hunting heritage are extremely interesting. This book is a must for the Colorado hunter, as it tells exactly where many of Colorado's trophies were taken, by whom, and how.

I love this book because of all the photos and detailed hunting stories. The book is easy to read because the type is big.

This book is amazing! I'd recommend it. Some folks might be happy simply looking at the tons of photos of big deer and elk, but I am amazed at the historical information and statistics. Very impressive. And it's a good read for anyone who is interested in Colorado's biggest bucks and bulls.

Great photos, but especially liked the personal accounts.

Loaded with up-to-date records and statistics, this second edition of the bucks and bulls record book is a great tool and an interesting read. It doesn't matter if you live in the eastern U.S., South or Midwest, you don't have to have mule deer and elk in your state in order to appreciate this book. If you love to hunt big game, buy this book.