Borden Books

this book is extraordinary in its vivid imagery without falling into a lot of the traps that story based poetry seems to have. the stories are in the poems without dominating them. the stories are merely the jumping off point for pools of description that make ruth whitman's poetry timeless. i just discovered ruth whitman through this book and i'm very glad that i have. i have a feeling any poetry lover would feel the same about this book.

Did you know that Professor T.S.C. Lowe was the first aerial reconnaissance pilot? For two years during the U.S. Civil War he used a hot-air balloon to spy on troops during battles. He became know as the "most shot-at man in the War." This detail is one of many things I learned about a little-known, but amazing engineer in our country's history. Burden's writing style is clear and concise, yet never dry. Not only has she researched Mr. Lowe and his work, but one feels she has really gotten to know him as a person. The photo and drawing reproductions in the book were well-chosen and served to illustrate the inventor and entrepreneur's hard work and dedication to science.

This book is an interesting older book on horse behavior.

On one hand it is old and a bit dated. People today want things put in a little more exciting terms. I am a nerd so it didn't bother me, but it's not very flashy.

On the other hand because it's not mainstream and new it's not biased with "alpha horse" this and "dominant" that. Horses behavior was observed over the years and the author attempts to explain it. For example, it was interesting to see someone examine why horses sometimes have a hard time finding open gates. The author compared their behavior to other domesticated herd animals such as sheep. And he experimented with the gate in the middle vs the corners to see what would happen.

It isn't an all-inclusive book but it was a fun, shorter read. For the purchase price of only about $4, I thought it was a great value.

I never thought in a million years I would want to read a book about hypnotherapy. Well, I did buy it and read it. I was amazed at the simplicity of it all. The problem I had was believing that I too could utilize the information within this book. Well, I did and it was as simple as it sounded. I reccomend anyone who is trying and failing at something in their life to buy this book and do it!

I found Zach Borden's debut to be a compelling effort - so much so that I am looking forward to the next one. On its surface Alter The Stars seems like an innocent love story with a hint of fantasy, but as the book moves forward and the characters begin to form, it becomes much more than that. The narrative turns into something more dark and complex, as apparent flaws within the characters and backstories begin to surface and tangle with one another.

However, even though Alter The Stars is a drama at heart, I think many tend to overlook the satirical nature of the book - particuarly some of the on-goings in Brighton's classroom. It's easy to relate to teachers who look too much into certain things - and how popular writing seems to formulate English classes in high school, some of which can be argued that isn't very good. The author's subtle mocking is right on target though, but never exactly overshadows what he is trying to say. This book may not be for everyone, but if you read it, chances are good you'll find a message you'll easily latch onto.

Oh my! This book is a waste of time. Fran Lebowitz said it right - just because you're unpopular doesn't mean you can publish a book and be cool. Sorry "Ziggy" B.

Zach Borden and J.D. Salinger's high school protagonists seem to be quite similar: each of them hate "phonies," they both have family issues to deal with and are both deeply insecure. Yet James Eversole is quite different than Holden Caulfield: depsite what he has gone through and what he endures, James comes across as down to earth, intelligent, sensitive and friendly. That is quite the opposite of the troubled, obnoxious, and less-than-studious Holden.

The first book in Zach Borden's high school trilogy breaks new ground in where one might think it's not possible. Readers may simply dismiss it as standard high school fluff that is all too common on every WB show out there, but beyond the surface, lies a story with infinite depth that is as timeless as any classic archetypal epic. The backdrop might be high school, but I can't remember the last time where I was so touched by a story and what it has to say about the past, life in general, death, moving on, friendship, love and how some things aren't exactly accidents.

And mind you, this is the first of three books. I'm sure there is more to be discovered within the next two, particuarly in how all the conflicts and relationships resolve. Borden's writing style is different, which might be a turn off to some, but it provides a highly visual experience and doesn't "force" you what to feel. His characters are well fleshed out, and it's interesting to note how careful thought seems to be in what each says and what each does. There is no doubt in my mind that every reader who reads this book will find something to pick up on: be it a character, a relatable scene or one of the many symbolisms. One will rightfully discover how finely tuned and well crafted every piece to this puzzle is, which only makes me more anticipated for the next two tomes to see how the first 580 pages will come into play. Like all great, memorable works of fiction, this is one work that will go down as a timeless classic. Not bad for a debut book by a sixteen year-old.

If there is one book series that I predict will become the next "Harry Potter"-like phenom and become the next must-read for high school teens who are in the process of finding themselves, then the "Alter The Stars" saga is it. Don't miss it.

It's a very good book. Focuses on the life of a high schooler. Can't wait for sequel.

I find it highly suspicious, as should anyone who reads these reviews, that so many of them come from California. Coincidence - hardly.

The book stands as an unoriginal trip into themes prevalent throughout literature, the auto-biographical nature of the book makes the story much less fiction than a fleshing out of the author's own insecure views on his peers in school. It reads like Salinger because it rips off the original concepts of Salinger.

Nothing truly original and altogether a waste of 20-some dollars. Buy Catcher In The Rye for $6 and read something worth your time

If you only buy one book about the Llzzie Borden murder case, this is the one to have.

Probably the best and most lucid book on the subject. Judge Sullivan presents the facts of the case in a fair light without personal embellishments.

My book came and was what I had expected. My transaction was satisfactory.

The last page gives the personal history of Robert Sullivan, a judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court, who presided over a hundred murder cases. The 'Bibliography' lists many books, few of which are readily available. It does not list the books by Edmund Pearson and Edward Radin which covered this case for general readers. The one best book since 1991 is David Kent's "Forty Whacks". The best solution is still Arnold Brown's book. Sullivan seems quite biased in Appendix III about "the purchase of possession of ... poison", given that Lizzie didn't purchase or possess a poison; the attempted purchaser could have been a look-alike. Professor Borchard's book was available to Sullivan. Many believed that Lizzie was guilty and paid off somebody to be found 'not guilty'. Arnold Brown explained why Lizzie did not commit the murders and paid off the authorities to be found 'not guilty'. An appointed judge should know how things work in politics. You can study Sullivan's picture and judge his personality for yourself. Agnes de Mille's book quoted the daughters of a physician about the murders: there was a secret that was never revealed.

The 'Preface' considers the fascination of the unsolved murders of the Bordens. It may be due to the logical paradox that Lizzie was the remaining prime suspect but she couldn't have done it. No blood spatter on her clothes, not murder weapon, being seen outside at the time of Andrew's death. The legend of a cold-blooded spinster killer seems to meet the inner need of people who believe it. Sullivan read the two-thousand page transcript on microfilm to give his own opinions in this book. The record cannot contain the actual environment seen and heard by the jury, who decided the facts in this case. A transcript doesn't capture the tone of the answers.

Sullivan's bias is show by his dependence on the words of 90-year old Abby Borden Whitehead Potter who was ten years old at the time, and was never interviewed by anyone. That is not an astonishing fact (p.4)! She was both a child and not a witness. The Great Depression saw the decline of Fall River in the 1920s (p.6). In the early 18th century the Bordens owned all of Fall River (p.7). In the 19th century industrial Fall River was the third largest city in the state. A few families formed the ruling class of Fall River (p.8). Why did Lizzie change her name (p.20)? Fashions change, "Lizzie" became the generic name for a servant (the 'tin lizzie'). Sullivan's story about the "Day of Horror" is biased against Lizzie. You have to read other books to know this. Sullivan's explanation of 19th century law is not exact. Massachusetts in 1877 was the first state to require Medical Examiners, used in Europe for decades (p.43).

Sullivan was puzzled over D.A. Knowlton's offer (p.54). Was this just a ruse to learn defense strategy? Lizzie was indicted only after Alice Russell testified again (p.55). Lizzie pled "not guilty" (p.56). The Fall River ruling class supported Lizzie (p.60). [Did they know the secret?] Sullivan's prejudice is shown by comments on ME Dolan's testimony (p.123). Sullivan comments on Jennings' statement on reasonable doubt (p.145). Sullivan's bias caused his error about the newspaper advertisement on page 37 (p.161). In his charge to the jury Judge Justin Dewey subtly argued for the defense (p.172). Dewey was never sanctioned for this; was it for the sake of justice? Sullivan's bias is shown on page 182. The "expert testimony" was against the facts known to the jurymen who slaughtered cows, pigs, and sheep on their farms. After the trial Knowlton was elected Attorney General of the state, and Jennings was elected D.A. of the county. Was this the reward for their actions in the trial?

This would have been a better book if Sullivan had squelched his bias in telling the story, but unloaded in a long final chapter. Many of his quibbles were answered in Arnold Brown's book, which solved the crime and explained the discrepancies. Unlike most authors over the past seven decades Brown was honest enough to admit he couldn't prove it. But no one else can, ever.

Robert Sullivan makes a strong case that Lizzie Borden might have gotten off, even if she committed the crime. Oddly enough for a judge, he confuses this with proving that she did commit it. Sullivan starts off with the assumption that she was guilty, briskly rejects any other possibilities, and lo and behold, he finds her to be guilty.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a strong interest in the case. It has all sorts of information that is not included elsewhere about a similar crime that could have thrown off suspicion, the backgrounds of the jurors, etc.

Sullivan simply rejects the idea that anyone else could have done it. The suggestion that it might have be Bridget Sullivan is quickly dismissed without examinaton: "Bridget didn't do it."

I feel informed, but not at all convinced. I recommend Kent's Forty Whacks: New Evidence in the Life and Legend of Lizzie Borden as the best book that I have ever read on the subject, and Edgar Radin's Lizzie Borden: The untold story (A Dell book) as the second.

This is an analysis of the Borden case from a legal point of view by a former judge. The facts are well-presented and the legal insights and arguments are convincing, but the impartial reader will sense and be annoyed by the author's clear bias against Lizzie throughout much of the book. The book would have been strengthened by a fairer ad more even-handed, two-sided approach. Even so, it's an excellent piece of factual and analytical work.

David Rehak
author of "Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It?"

Lizzie, by Frank Spiering

Frank Spiering recreates this story of a famous unsolved murder from trial testimony, court records, interviews, and contemporary records (newspapers). Spiering has a new solution, a person never before suspected. But also one investigated by the police and cleared as a suspect. This book is worth reading because of all the background material that is not found in other books on this case. Its solution can be contrasted to those from other writers. Most tried to blame one of those present at the scene. Reading true crime stories will tell you that an intruder did the crime when the inhabitants of a house are not guilty.

'Part I' starts out with descriptions that sound like from an eyewitness, not recreated from the Trial Transcript and the author's visit to the settings (p.235). Spiering paints a detailed and colorful picture of Lizzie's life. But not all is true: "sugary clusters" (p.6). There are profuse details about that week in August 1892, but no evidence of any chemical poisoning (p.14). Spiering spins a great story. His writings make the events come alive to the reader. The false story in the Boston 'Globe' resulted in a wave of sympathy for Lizzie (p.101). The murder of Bertha Manchester, whose wounds were just like Abby's, said the axe killer was on the loose (p.107). 'Part II' tells about the trial. The cross-examination of Thomas Kieran revealed that a person laying where Abby body was could not be seen from the stairs unless a person knew where to look. A person standing in the hall could not see it either (p.119). Marshall Fleet conceded that a thorough search was done and no blood stained garments were found (p.135). Officer Mullaly testified to finding the broken handle (p.136)! This contradicted Fleet's testimony. Captain Desmond and Detective Seaver testified as to the thorough search (p.139). At the end Judge Dewey summed up the case against the Prosecution (pp.173-174). The jury quickly decided 'not guilty'.

'Part III' tells of their lives over the next 34 years. Lizzie became shunned by most of Fall River. She often visited the big cities for theatres and shopping. Emma became more of a recluse, moving to a small town in New Hampshire. The big fault in this book is to blame Lizzie and Emma for the murders. Emma's presence in Fairhaven was checked out, she had an alibi. Bridget was outside when Abby was murdered, she was not a suspect in Andrew's death. Lizzie was outside when Andrew was murdered; she said she was in the cellar toilet around the time of Abby's death. Neither had blood spatter on their dresses, a murder weapon was never found. "There was someone else in the house who performed the murders and took the weapon with them when they left" (p.143).

The author investigated the unsolved mystery of the Borden Murders by reading the trial transcripts, newspapers, interviews, and the statements of witnesses. He invented a surprise solution: Emma did it! I can't believe his conclusion.

His book is worth reading because of all the background information he provides about the case, including some pictures not seen in earlier books. It provides more information on Emma and the aftermath of the trial than in previous books. It tells of the vicious campaign by the Fall River GLOBE against Lizzie, altho the Providence JOURNAL's editorial after the trial was more damning: "if she knows who did it, why doesn't she speak out?". Spieing (p.197) repeats the story of the 1897 confession altho E. Radin's book exposed it as a forgery in 1961, which he admits in his Notes (p.237).

The best books are still Arnold R. Brown's masterpiece (which solved the crime), and David Kent's book of background material. Edmund Pearson's book is not generally available, nor is Edward Radin's (a crime reporter for a major NYC newspaper).

Residing in Fall River, Massachusetts, makes you curious as to whether the house is haunted. If that is true, what kind of recount would the walls tell? No one knows for sure what happened that hot morning of August 4, 1892 in the home of Andrew and Abbie Borden, with the exception of those who were there, but no is alive from that time in history, to tell us. The city of Fall River was divided in half, supporting Lizzie's innocence and those who firmly believed in her guilt. We, are only left to speculate and to judge Lizzie for ourselves. A true American "Unsolved Mystery".

This is a well-written account of the Borden case that nevertheless plays fast and loose with the facts. Written almost in a novelistic style. Indeed, there are times when one forgets he is reading what is supposed to be non-fiction. The author theorizes that Emma killed the elder Bordens.

David Rehak
author of "Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It?"

Residing in Fall River, Massachusetts, makes you curious as to whether the house is haunted. If that is true, what kind of recount would the walls tell? No one knows for sure what happened that hot morning of August 4, 1892 in the home of Andrew and Abbie Borden, with the exception of those who were there, but no is alive from that time in history, to tell us. The city of Fall River was divided in half, supporting Lizzie's innocence and those who firmly believed in her guilt. We, are only left to speculate and to judge Lizzie for ourselves. A true American "Unsolved Mystery".

Professor Borden writes with a very personable style. I find the concepts explained in a friendly, conversation like manner, with subject matter cadenced in a way that really doesn't leave the reader feeling lost. Borden provides very understandable examples to this subject, that I have previously found lacking in many other texts on the material in this book.

I have a Math & Comp Sci degree from a local Tech University, from some years ago. In that program during the 80's they usually didn't teach an Advanced Calculus class, however the topics contained in a more traditional A.C. class (such as the topics contained in David V. Widder's Advanced Calculus) were covered in other classes anyway (minus the Lebegue/Stieltjes Integrals). I can agree that for an undergraduate A.C. book with that scope, this would probably not be the right book.

This could be a Real Analysis book with the wrong title; if so, I think it's pretty darn good, with the way the subject matter is presented. Prior to reading Borden's book, I read Angus E. Taylor's General Theory of Functions and Integration. While the reviews just glow over this one, the level of Taylor's book was a bit over my head, certainly being geared for beginning graduate students probably the reason. Now by reading Bordens book and seeing the same material a second time, the subject matter is making much more sense, and explained in a more conversational manner certainly helps.

To some extent, Math books in the 80's were starting to be written in this style, at least for undergrads, by relaxing some of the stringency in the prose while retaining the rigor (or even lacking prose to begin with; apparently Rudin's book is supposed to be famous for that). For the material presented in Borden's book, this is probably the most accessible it can get, at least what I have found so far.

I rated this only four stars because I don't do the problems, so I can't judge that aspect of the text. I did hate it when the problems were out of sync with the text, so if that is true here, and this truly should not be an Advanced Calculus book, 4 stars it is.

I had Professor Borden as a visiting professor at Bradley University in 1989 using a hardcover version of the book and had my eyes opened to math when I thought I wouldn't understand the beauty of it. I later got my degree in mathematics from Aurora University in Illinois and would like to hear from Robert if he's still alive. My name is Bill Bouris and I live in Aurora, IL. I remember that his wife proofread his material and he always came to class in a suit with chalk in hand... what an inspriration. I now teach two algebra courses and know that his book was meant as a text book.

This book combines formal mathematical analysis with the usually more applied concepts in a first course in advanced calculus. However, I agree with the other comments here that the book is just too dense for the average student for a first course in these subjects. If you have a very good previous background in general analysis, or if you used Apostol's books for calculus in the past, you might find Borden's book accessible. I was mainly interested in a review of eigenvalues and vectors, but the concepts were still more technical than I was comfortable with, probably. So as a first book I would look elsewhere, unless you are very strong in mathematical analysis and are looking for a book that combines more formal topics there with advanced calculus topics. If it weren't for the inappropriately high level of difficulty, I would rate the book four or five stars just as a scholarly achievement, but a course in advanced calculus is still an undergraduate, not a graduate level class, and this book seems like it was intended for someone with a more advanced background.

The author try's to cram an entire undergraduate course in Abstract algebra into the first 30 pages and the exercises are, by and large, much too difficult and have only a peripheral relationship to the text. Not suitable for a first course in advanced calculus.

I had to use this book in two classes for my Land Use/GIS degree. The book's layout is rather confusing, and the information is not laid out in a logical manner. Headings and sub-headings are not apparent and do not follow a natural progression. Seems like the book was put together with a cut-and-paste method! The text is about as dry as a well-done pot roast. Good bedtime reading!
The primary purpose of map making is to guide the reader's eye to areas of importance, and to get the information across to the reader in a concise, interesting, and elegant manner. This book does none of these well.
The breadth of information, however, is quite good, hence the two stars. This is probably why it is used frequently by faculty.

I am a GIS student in the natural resources field. I had to use this book and was not all that thrilled with it, but that is because it is about cartography. I reluctantly admit that us GIS-ers need to know cartography, but we don't have to like it. For mapping, this book is a good one. It covers the essential points to topics such as dot, choropleth, graduated symbol and other thematic maps. It covers how to make them and what symbols should do for the reader, as well as how to design for your map reader. It also covers mapping theory and how it relates to typography, symbol placement, visual hiearchy and the use of color.

Dent has compiled and written the most comprehensive book on all aspects of thematic mapping. This book gives cartographers concepts not only of map making, but a concise exercise in artistic and informative cartography.

Through this book, Borden Dent describes that elements necessary for outstanding map layout and design based on audience comprehension. The use of techniques and methodologies cartographers need to understand and utilize are explained extremely well in this book.

Cartography: Thematic Map Design is a definite must for anyone in the field of Cartography or collectors of maps.

This book will surprise you. I always thought that Lizzie was innocent. The ending really got me.

More than half of the book is Lizzie's inquest. Most people interested in the Borden murder have read this. It is in many Lizzie Borden books. The inquest seemed like filler to give the book more pages. The book comes up with an interesting theory but thats all it is, a theory, no evidence. Certainly a real psychic would know where that tomahawk is. Traces of blood and finger prints on the alleged murder weapon and where the murder weapon can be found is what a real psychic would be able to show. Can't solve a crime without any evidence.

I have read the previous limited edition of the book. All I have to say if that you are a "fan" of the Lizzie Borden murder case, you will have to obtain and read this book. It gives a very different slant on this whole event. Debbie Senate is truly a gifted medium, I have seen her in action, and she is for real. A must have book, well done and worth the price of admission. Great stuff with a different approach to a baffling murder case. Debbie Senate solves the case! Buy the book!