Boyd Books

This collection is a collection of short stories and a novella. The novella, which makes up Part 2 of the book, was fabulous - I would give it 4 stars. The characters were interesting, and I cared about their dilemma. I wish that Adams had written a full length novel exploring their story rather than giving us the short stories in Part 1.

Some of the short stories in Part 1 were good. In general, however, they did not go deep enough into developing the characters or their situations to make me care about them. I found myself having to trudge through Part 1 of the book. I only held on because Adams did show a gift for the language; she is a fine writer. But the stories don't stick with the reader.

"His Women" and "Old Love Affairs", two short stories in this anthology, are such wonderful pieces. I had read both of these when they appeared years ago in The New Yorker, and very much enjoyed reading them again. The stories in this anthology are consistent, and the world will greatly miss you, Alice.

Jim Baker in Newsweek proclaimed that Alice Adams' stories "recall such masters as Flannery O'Connor and Katherine Mansfield." That's quite a comparison, and in my view, is remarkably flawed. While this compilation of short stories is adequate and sometimes proficient, on the whole I found these stories unengaging, uneven and forgettable. Read Mansfield and O'Connor and you will immediately understand why Adams' stories suffer by comparison. There are just so many more accomplished writers of the short story whom I would recommend, in addition to O'Connor and Mansfield, such as Barnes, Proulx and Faulkner.

Love makes the world and the middle aged characters in Alice Adams's fifth short story collection go round. In the incisive prose style that we've come to expect from the acutely perceptive Ms. Adams, The Last Lovely City is a series of vignettes, oftimes snapshots, of those beyond the blush of youth who are disillusioned by or disappointed in love but will nonetheless give amor another go-around.

In settings as diverse as San Francisco and a down-at-the-heels Mexican beach resort those who should know better reach for the heart's brass ring.

"His Women," the opening piece introduces Carter, a sometimes befuddled and impotent academician. Estranged from his first wife who couldn't "stand this tacky town a minute longer," he finds solace with a family friend, Meredith, whom he later marries. After their union falters, the couple meet again to speak of reconciliation.

Mutely indecisive, Carter listens to Meredith as he mentally revisits the other women in his life.

In "The Haunted Beach" we find an art dealer, Penelope, and a judge, now lovers, visiting a resort once frequented by Penelope and her former en amorata. An ill choice for a new beginning, to say the least.

Another couple are drawn together by "the greatest sex," while a fading, neurotic actress focuses longing on her beloved cat.

Sometimes self-centered, often psychologically dependent, the characters created by Ms. Adams are vividly limned yet elusive, leaving the reader wishing to know more yet feeling that all has been told.

Among the strongest of the tales is the title piece, The Last Lovely City, in which a widower, Dr. Benito Zamora, recalls the free clinics he has established in Mexico. Childless, he and his lovely wife, his "white soul" were happy, but now, he wonders. "Is no one able to imagine the daily lack, the loss with which he lives?"

Part Two, beginning with "The Drinking Club" consists of four interdependent stories, almost resulting in a novella. Julian, a California psychiatrist, is married to Karen, an alcoholic concert pianist. He is involved in an affair with Lila, another psychiatrist. They reflect the passivity of Ms. Adams' other characters:
"I do wonder what we'll do next, don't you?" Julian remarks to Lila.
"But even as Lila smiles at his phrasing, at the implication of their being watchers rather than participants.......She too wonders what will be next, for them. However, she only murmurs (somewhat falsely), `Do we have to do anything?'"

Again, lives not fully lived but placed on lay-away. Ennui, even in the deft hands of Ms. Adams, tends to pale. One may come away from The Last Lovely City admiring the author's narrative gifts while, at the same time, wanting to light a fire under her characters.

- Gail Cooke

a very lovely collection of stories about mature relationships. men and women, all flawed, yet intriguing. adams was san francisco's 20th century version of jane austen. her stories are urbane and quiet, sometimes shocking and very funny. she had a knack for speaking about difficult subjects with tact and grace. i will read her novels.

I've tried many raw food cookbooks and this one is tops for flavor. The author gets just the right combination of spices and herbs to make the food pop... and the variety of choices is excellent.

Robyn knows just how to put together great flavors that taste amazing. My six year old son asked to go all raw foods because he loves these recipes so much. All the foods are so easy and we eat something out of this book every day. We do everything from one dish to dinner parties with this guide.
Lisbeth ( Santa Cruz, CA)

I was hoping to get a bunch of good raw recipes. The title says "raw with some cooked." It should say cooked with some raw. If you are looking for raw recipes, this isn't the book.

Rawsome Recipes is a great book. I have had the pleasure of attending two of Robyn's workshops and got to see how things were made first hand. Not only are they easy to prepare, they are also incredibly delicious AND healthy. One of my favorites is her 'Raw Oatmeal Delight'. The papaya puree really adds a wonderful flavor to this perfect dish to start your morning.
And for a refreshing summer (or anytime!) drink, you can't beat her 'Cocunut Vanilla Mystic'. The flavor is exquisite and it both cools and energizes at the same time.
I would highly recommend this book AND her hands-on workshops if you get the opportunity to go. Jeri in Santa Cruz, CA.

This is a lovely book that includes pictures and clear instructions. A majority of the recipes are raw. Some of the cooked recipes include soups, grains, and a few desserts. All of the recipes are well marked if they are raw or not. If you're 100% raw this may not be the book for you. However, if you're like others that combine raw uncooking with a little bit of cooked food then this may be a good fit. This is a good book for families that are combining both.

Mars exploration continues for grief stricken John Wells, but nothing could prepare him for what he discovers on this mission. Meanwhile, the CIA, FBI and other government agencies begin to fit the final 3/21 puzzle pieces together. The elaborate plot they uncover reaches beyond anything they could have ever imagined.

The final book in the Mars Hill Classified trilogy is definitely a page turner. It grabs the reader from the opening chapter and keeps them reading to the end. Boyd definitely demonstrates his writing talent and keeps a rather elaborate plot together and complete to the end. With the amount of information, story lines, and characters involved in this trilogy, combined with the long period of time these books cover, keeping this story moving and together was certainly a writing feat. In The Return the characters are really allowed to develop and start showing their actions and emotions. An element I felt was missing in the early part of the series. In the end, all is revealed and we're rewarded with an ending that appropriately fits this series. God is always in control--nothing is outside of His plan.

I need to go on record here...I'm not a sci-fi lover. So when I picked up The Return, the next book on my stack not knowing what to expect and turned to the first scene set on Mars, date 2020, I nearly choked.

This novel is 460 pages long, give or take a few.

But, I had committed to reading the book and writing a review. And since I try to find good things to say in my reviews, I was a little concerned that I could find something good at all to praise.

Then I started reading.

Well done, Mr. Boyd.

Boyd nails character, story and believability. I'll admit that there were a few techie spots that I skimmed. Seriously, details on titanium from Russia and DNA strands and windows for rocket launch do nothing for me. But I was seriously impressed with Boyd's skill with characterization, plotting and his solid and sometimes beautiful writing style. He takes the reader to Mars through the mind of a grieving astronaut and into the thoughts and heart of a confused fifteen year old girl, as well as another dozen or so characters throughout this novel.

After a few paragraphs I turned the book over and read all about Austin. Talk about a techie genius...Yikes. But a techie genius who writes poetry.

Not only has he mastered the basics, he has a great touch with realistic spirituality. Though Christian conversions happen within this novel, they are thoughtful and believable and lack the platitudes that have bothered those who complain about unrealistic pie-in-the-sky Christian fiction.

I'm not going to suggest that those who detest sci-fi run out and grab a copy. But I will suggest that anyone who likes a great story check further into Austin Boyd.

Very, very impressed, Austin Boyd.

I wish it was as good as the first.His latest book does not hold your attention nor grab you.I pick it up and read some and put it down and start another book and then return to his book and repeat the same proceedure over again.

Boyd concludes his three book series in a spectacular way. His imagination mixes technical authenticity with science fiction in a way that made me as a "rocket scientist" wanting to believe it the whole way through. His conclusion kept me on the edge of my reading chair. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Boyd and he is an impressive man with great moral values to go along with his writing talent. I look forward to his future works.

This book was very unique and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Do not worry about it being the third in a series the author does a good job of laying things out. I am sure for those that have read books one and two that book three probably had them squealing at various points. I know I did once things starting coming together. It read smooth and drew you in and did not let you go until the end. I love the ending. I highly recommend this book esp. if you are looking for something a little different in a good way.

P.S. I had the song Rocket Man by Elton John running through my head.

Visit me at http://www.abookloverforever.blogspot.com

This book offers an easy going insight into a gifted medicine man, who worked on the Southern Pacific railroad as a brakeman. This man was a gifted spiritual leader and healer, and was loved by many. The folksy way this book was written was more appealing to me then other books about him. The setting seems to be in the sixties for the most part, which was an exciting time for me and others. Indian respect and tradition was more accepted by the young back then. I myself being from native American lineage can testify to this fact. I didn't get to meet the man but have the privilege to share an occasional phone call or e-mail with his son "Spotted Eagle" who is also featured in this book. As some one who shares the belief system associated with Native tradition, I recommend this book for some eye opening revelations.
-thunderhands

When some turn to books written abut native American Indians in the hope of discovering a part of themselves of which they are not aware because the injury of the Indians and near extermination of them killed off a potential part of ourselves as well, they can be disappointed.

I do not believe that in this book one finds what one seeks. There is so much brouhaha, publicity seeking, radio and TV interviews, extensive travel for the purpose of being studied by academicians and wanna be writers, visits by celebrities, scientists with practically translucent eyeglasses, etc., etc. The book is so busy it's hard to get down to the meat.

And then there is Doug Boyd, being paid by the Menninger Foundation to practically haunt Rolling Thunder for several years, sticking his nose into every occasion, even when privacy is obviously called for. I suspect that Rolling Thunder had a monetary motive for allowing all this, since he died with relatives squabbling over his wealth, leaving a second wife who married him under dubious circumstances (and edited "Rolling Thunder Speaks: A Message for Turtle Island"), and he worked for the railroad - hardly an occupation with which to amass a large fortune.

Doug Boyd, throughout the book, extols another "advanced spiritual being", and often compares him to Rolling Thunder - Swami Rama, who also allowed himself to be extolled and examined by Menniger Institute staff. Swami Rama was able to control his bodily functions, including his own heartbeat. However, he was just about to go on trial for a criminal act when he died, and afterwards the young lady did win a sizeable judgment. Apparently, there were some bodily activities Swami Rama either couldn't or did not wish to control.

Now I am going to direct anyone who reads this review to a single female native American Indian pul by the name of Ruby Modesto. She did not attract hordes of self-seekers and sincere seekers. No scientific clinic studied her. Bobby Dylan never knew her name. She never gave a radio or TV interview, never lectured to big audiences at universities.

The only person interested enough to visit Ms. Modesto at her home at the Morongo Reservation was a lone ethnologist from the University of Riverside in California by the name of Guy Mount. He did not intrude himself into her story, but stood aside and let her tell it. And tell it she did. Quiety, deeply and truthfully. It will knock the socks off of you should you be so fortunate as to be able to get ahold of a copy (entitled "Not for Innocent Ears"). It is a brief book, a booklet really, but since it is reality condensed, it is all that is needed to provide what I believe is true nourishment. After its telling, Ms. Modesto quietly died. And her quiet story sits waiting to be read by all who care to find it.

Doug Boyd's observations were a little tendentious but I don't blame him. Rolling Thunder was and is a singular individual. And his ability to communicate with the Earth paled only to his ability to connect with other people. There's a strong environmental theme in this book. But its much more spiritual. Although it won't try to 'convert you' to anything in particular. Its more an attempt to awaken the reader. Get them to connect their interests and their spirit, like RT, to the Earth. Boyd is a skilled writer. Some would say he's a little too 'in love' with the subject he's writing about to be considered a scientist ( social or otherwise ). But its the qualitative analysis that makes this book engaging. Boyd is a soothing author. He creates an experience so vibrant that I feel like I've actually heard RT's voice, seen his face and felt the warmth of the fire during a healing ceremony I've only actually experienced in print.

I have bought Rolling Thunder 3 or 4 times. I tend to loan it out and forget who borrowed it. In reading the book almost 30 years ago, I began to see minute things in a different light. I have taught my sister and my niece how to pick blackberries right off the bush with dozens of yellow jackets on them. I've learned that not everything you see is what's truly going on. What wonderful life lessons!

Rolling Thunder was written in a way reminiscent of the Castaneda books, but to me it was fresher, more concise, and more believable.

We see Rolling Thunder, a.k.a. John Pope, a medicine man of the Cherokee tribe, from the perspective of Doug Boyd, a researcher from the Menninger Foundation (in Topeka, Kansas-my hometown). In 1971, Boyd sought out Rolling Thunder to ask for his help in a study on mind-over-body control that began with East Indian mystic Swami Rama. In the process, he was drawn into the world of the Native American, fighting against violations of rights and treaties, seeking harmony with others and the earth.

Rolling Thunder is a remarkable man. To him, speaking with the animals and affecting the weather is within the realm of possibility. Boyd takes us on a sober ride, describing events simply as he observed them. As any true student of self and nature knows, though, it's not the powers that matter, but rather the way of life, harmony with oneself and others, and the deeper energy in things. And from Rolling Thunder's mouth we receive some words on all of these things-on paying attention, on living in accord with surroundings, on having a good attitude no matter what happens. Not only does all of these seem more accessible than Castaneda's writings, but combined with the effort to raise awareness of the plight of reservation Indians, and the call to stop harming the earth, it seems more relevant.

The book is a series of episodes and dialogue, written in such a way that the language conveys the spirit of simplicity and doesn't get in the way. The plainness may deter some readers, though, if they are looking for action and demonstration of powers. The voice is quiet and hopeful; the book is almost a meditation.

Good Background book if you plan to use any of the reptile type races in your adventures. Easy read, put together well, very usable.

Readers who buy these books should have an understanding that they can be great for inspiration purposes. People who get disappointed seem to do so because of some tidbit of reference material they were hoping would be there but wasn't. However it seems to me that there is still tons of other useful refernce material contained in these books to keep one occupied for a very long time. I agree they are pricey, but the material contained cannot just be scoffed at.

Serpent Kingdoms is a Forgotten Realms release, which means it's going to be long on story and background and consequently a little short on feats, classes and other "crunchy" bits. This isn't a bad thing, it's just the way things are and you have to understand that any time you buy a book that's about a particular campaign setting it's going to have a lot more story and a lot less crunch than other books.
As far as content goes, I found the backstory interesting and several of the creatures mentioned will be making an appearance in my game shortly. I'm not running FR, but I do have a vile reptilian dictator to play with and Serpent Kingdoms gave me some great stuff I can drop right in, some ideas I can use with a little work, and some inspirations for my own game. Not bad for a gamer whose bookshelf beats most game stores.

Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, is the best-selling author of hundreds of stories, game products, novels, articles, and other material set in the world of Faerûn. His most recent titles for Wizards of the Coast, Inc., were Elminster in Hell and Hand of Fire. He is also the author of the Band of Four novels published by Tor Books.
EricC. L. Boyd has written articles for both Dungeon® and Dragon® Magazines and is the author of Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark™.
Darrin Drader has done design work for Asgard and d20 Weekly online magazines

Serpent Kingdoms continues the recent tradition of better FR products, improving substantially on such below average fare such as Races of Faerun and the Player's Guide. However, the new power of the Sarrukh and the information on the Yuan-ti religion contradicts other sources and seems to be setting the stage for a revision of Set's relationship with the Yuan-Ti.

I would recomend this book only to those looking to set a campaign outside of the usual areas or those who are very interested in the Yuan-Ti. The Sarrukh are too limited in number and location to be of much use in a gaming sense, though the information about them makes a great read.

The background on the Lizard Kings, Nagas, and other reptilian species is specious at best.

Over the years I've enjoyed hearing Jeff Foxworthy tell some of these "redneck" jokes on TV, but this is the first book of them I've ever read. Many of them ARE very funny, and as I read I would tell some of the best gags to other people in the room, to the general amusement of all. But the problem is that by about halfway through the book it's getting very repetitive, often the same gag over and over with a slight variation. Now, the book is divided into various categories of redneckness, so that's presumably the reason for the repetition, since some jokes fit into more than one category. But if you're reading straight through the book that becomes tiresome after a while.

And maybe I'm too thin-skinned, but some of the jokes are offensive to people other than rednecks (of course THEY would be offended by this book!). For instance, Foxworthy seems to think that anyone who likes the music of Elvis Presley is automatically a redneck. As in "You might be a redneck if everyone in your family is an Elvis impersonator," or "You might be a redneck if you prominently display a gift you bought at Graceland," and many variations on that theme. Well, excuse me, but I'm an Elvis fan and I'm very tired of hearing crap like that, which is often told by Northerners as an insult to all Southerners (I'm from Tennessee). The same for anyone who likes car racing, or has eaten a corndog for breakfast (which I've done), or has an alcohol problem, or believes in UFOs, or lives in a mobile home. Foxworthy should stick to truly outrageous behaviour, such as "You might be a redneck if your family tree does not fork," or "You might be a redneck if you bring a bar of soap to the public pool." Those are funny, and anyone insulted by them should stop doing things like that. But in an effort to fill out 314 pages, he stoops to general insults that apply to lots of non-rednecks. Anyway, this is overall a pretty funny book, but by the time I got to the end I felt rather annoyed by the insults and repetition. He'd probably say I must be a redneck if I don't love his book!

This week's local paper led with our local school transportation director being verbally reprimanded after an email mocking "rednecks" snaked to his boss's email box. Among other things it called a shopping cart over a campfire a "redneck grill" and two guys throwing toilet seats at each other "redneck horseshoes."

"The e-mail system should be for business only! This is a business, it isn't a playground!" the school superintendent (a native West Virginian) thundered, echoing Milburn Drydsdale's pompously commanding his Commerce Bank minions. To which the transportation director replied, no doubt with Jed Clampett's modesty, "I consider myself (a redneck). I was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina."

Thank blue collar comic Jeff Foxworthy, and hilarious one-liner collections like this, for these disparate views. Foxworthy's a Southerner and ex-computer programmer who struck black comedy gold focusing on proud, peculiar Southern peccadilloes: messy households, (sometimes too) strong family ties, minor law scrapes, regional dialects and slang. He turned their lives into a cottage industry with best-selling CDs, TV series, films, even a satellite radio channel atop one of comedy's most reliable concert tours.

The book's title sets up each joke in its 314 pages, focusing on redneck families ("If you cried the day your son tapped his first keg...") cars ("If you ever gift wrapped a tire...")and fashions ("if your wedding dress was leather.."), at work ("if the family business requires a lookout") in love ("if you used food stamps on a date") and outdoors ("if you've ever sent fan mail to a fishing lure")

"You Might Be A Redneck If.." isn't a book read cover to cover, but dipped into for tongue-in-cheek humor (and equally funny David Boyd illustrations) with the tobacco. (By the way, "if Red Man sends you a Christmas card..."). And laughing aloud or smiling in recognition, you may envy redneck resourcefulness (" If you clean your home with a water hose...") and unpretentiousness (...you ever slow danced at a Waffle House) which made their working-class lives content. It boosted that school transportation chief's pride, and once led Charlie Daniels to salute rednecks in song: "Now you intellectuals may not like it/But there ain't nothin' that you can do/Cause there's a whole lot more of us common-folks/Then there ever will be of you." (But remember chief, "if your chicken house used to be a school bus...")

Webster defines "redneck" as "a white member of the white Southern rural laboring class." Introducing this book, Foxworthy defines it as a "glorious absence of sophistication." To superintendent chagrin, and student, parent, and even blue-collar employee pride, this book confirms Foxworthy's definition funnier and more accurate. Recommended.

I ORDERED THIS BOOK FOR MY SON. HE ASKED FOR IT FOR CHRISTMAS. HE LOVES IT.

I am a big fan of Jeff Foxworthy. When I bought this book, I was excited. I loved reading all the punch lines. Its a good book to own for any Jeff Foxworthy Fans.

I love this book it is the greatest! My mom bought it for me and I read it the same day i couldn't put it down! So many of them reminded me of my family that I laughed the whole way through! Read this and you won't be sorry or bored!!

I've used this book for my fourth grade reading groups, and it's one of the most insightful kids' books I've ever read. Evokes deep feelings on many issues that some children's books gloss over. Truly a wonderful experience for readers of any age.

This book sharpened my mind and helped me feel better about my family's troubles with money. I have never liked reading,but when I picked up this book and read the first chapter I could not put it down.This was a very inspirational book and for that I thank Candy Dawson Boyd.

I am 8 years old. I really hate reading,but when I read this book it gave me ideas about how you can imagine you being mat, matthew, mama, papa and of course MATTIE. She is the big sister and has a friend named Toni...and they are really cool! You will like this book.

I wanted to hear this book because Maddie, the main character, had thesame situation as I did (about our fathers). I didn't really like this book because it was a little boring. The book was about a girl that wanted to buy her mom a gold pin, but she didn't have a lot of money. Her mom would say things like this "Take off that red shirt your dad gave you," and the girl wore it all the time because her dad died and she liked it so much. she wrot an essay to win money for her moms pin. In a way I liked it only at the beginning because it made me want to read it more. I really don't know what the meaning of the book was. It could have been a real story because it felt really realto me. It is a sad story but it can have cheerful times too, and that's whatmade me hear more of that book. I give this book 3 stars because it made me feel like I was actually in the story, and it had a lot of wonderful parts , but it was little boring.

The main characters in this book are Mattie Benson, Matt Benson (Mattie's twin brother), and Ms. Benson. After Mattie's father died her family was never the same. Her mother was always working late and was hardly ever home. When she was home she was usually tired or in a very bad mood, and she rarely had time for her kids. As time passed things were getting worse and Mattie noticed that her mother was being put under more and more stress everyday because of her job. Mother's Day is coming soon and Mattie really wants to get her mom the perfect gift: a gold pin. She believes this perfect gift will be what it takes to bring her family back together for sure. Mattie runs into some trouble while trying to buy the gift for her mother: for one thing she doesn't have enough money. But that doesn't stop her, and in the end she finds out that she has actually given her mother and brother more than she could ever imagine, something a lot more precious than a gold pin.

If you are curious as to why human behavior is often described in terms of culture or nature, and felt something was missing, this is a must read book. The authors make a thoughtful and readable presentation of their compelling insights into the mechanism of evolution as it applies to humans.

All social scientists and psychologists should read this book, or another introduction to Dual-Inheritance Theory.

Not By Genes Alone by Peter J. Richerson and Robert Boyd explains something that should seem simple. Genes made us, we made culture, so genes shaped culture. Yet culture also helped shape us, so genes and culture interact together and work together to make us. But HOW do you do research on culture and link it to genes? Well, if culture also acts like genes, then what you want to do it treat it like genes.
And that is what the book does. It studies culture from an evolutionary point of view, breaking it down to traditions and values, making these the genes of culture. Cultures evolves, adapts and sometimes even cause problems, bringing about the extinction of the culture. One culture might work better than another and overwhelm the weaker, less fit culture.
By using the ideas and knowledge that Darwin has passed down to us the authors were able to understand how genes and culture worked together to shape US. LOTS and lots of detailed, data rich, chapters. Take your time and enjoy.

I have to admit that with a title that makes as straighforward a declaration as this one does, I anticipated an imaginative, full frontal assault against the increasing dependence on genetics, DNA, & biology to explain our human nature. Instead, Richerson & Boyd divide the pie pretty equally among genetics, culture, and environment, noting that these three factors are mutually dependent and interactive. Fair enough, but I was disappointed how far they leaned into the genetics camp and how little they credit to human creativity. In fact, they state there really is no such thing as individual creativity but only individuals who are able to carry forth mass cultural trends that have been underway for some time. "Culture usually evolves by the accumulation of small variations" (p. 50). One should note here the early emphasis on the concept of evolution because their book turns out to take Darwin's foundational principles of biological evolution and directly apply them to cultural evolution. Culture, itself, they state, is an adaptation.

Other animals have exhibited certain local behaviour patterns that others have termed cultural, but "only humans show much evidence of *cumulative* cultural evolution. By cumulative cultural evolution, we mean behaviors or artifacts that are transmitted and modified over many generations, leading to complex artifacts and behaviors" (p. 107). In this way, complex artifacts are not "invented by individuals; they evolve gradually over many generations" (p. 107). So human cultural evolution, though not inspired by "great person breakthroughs" is still unique, depending as it does on external memory storage and teaching-learning. I liked this, as I am an educator.

I also liked the point that culture and genes co-evolve. Still it seems to me, they tend to see the human species in a more mechanical manner than is necessarily the case: Everything is ultimately done for survival. Cases where cultural choices like human sacrifice or mass witch-hunts have been undertaken are seen as mistaken attempts at survival. I wonder how this accounts for the suicide cults that have appeared and, not surprisingly, rapidly disappeared? They explain altruism or kindness in the same way, as leading to survival of the group. They even seem to disparage efforts to control population growth. Such efforts, mostly in the middle & upper classes of industrialized countries, are said to be the result of "selfish cultural variants" (p. 169). "Modern low fertility does not maximize fitness" (p. 173). Surely this puts them firmly in the evolutionary biology camp.

The writing is most often turgid & uninspired, with the many examples of cultural continuity or adaptation being local, mundane, & unimpresssive. They end by pleading for the wide acceptance of "a proper evolutionary theory of culture" since that "should make a major contribution to the unification of the social sciences" (p. 246). They call for the development of a mass of quantitative detail on cultural variation to equal the detail found in the study of genetic variation, simply equating the two.

I felt let down at the easy way cultural symbolism & artistic experession were simply dismissed by suggesting a little quatitative analysis would reveal them as simple functionalism. By now I was bored. By the time they snidely state that "So many older scientists try their hand at philosophy that it can practically be regarded as a normal sign of aging" (p. 254), I was glad to finish the book and close it.

The Science section for 5/10/05 had a great review and discussion of this book and its concepts. Made me order toot sweet.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30814FA39540C738DDDAC0894DD404482&incamp=archive:search

DPS/Seattle

Shadows of a Vietnam Veteran: Silent Victims by Alicia J. Boyd is an amazing yet heart-wrenching book. It chronicles the life of a family and their trials and tribulations of dealing with the after effects of the Vietnam War. The author began up front saying she didn't use her real name or one of her children's but that everything else in the book was "true as I remember."

Having been previously married and with three children the author was surprised later on when she met her "true love" soldier. Once married they had three more children and the family blended well together.

The book begins with her new husband departing for Vietnam but then back tracks showing how Jack and Alicia met. Their first couple of duty stations together including a tour overseas. Then it was Jack's training for helicopters to get his wings and warrant officer bars. Shortly thereafter he received his orders "to report to the 1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam" in May 1966.

"The year seemed like an eternity." The family waited daily for his letters. When they arrived they were light and airy not delving into what was really happening. Likewise Alicia didn't report everything happening at home to Jack either. The family watched the news every night and worried about his safety knowing his unit was flying in very dangerous conditions.

When Jack arrived back in The World was when their problems began. The man they knew before his tour of duty in Vietnam was not the same man who returned to them. "Alcohol became his protector from the awful memories." At that time according to the author she "was aware of no counseling nor classes that the army offered to these returning soldiers or their families." Although he was now assigned as an instructor pilot he drank more and more. He finally turned to civilian life instead of chancing having to return to Vietnam.

Thus Alicia, Jack and their family began their journey of moving from place to place. They both held various jobs in different places. While there were good times, there seemed to be more bad ones. There were times when they "had no money, no jobs and no work prospects." Jack would go in and out of treatment programs. The children were affected, as was the marriage.

When really important things happened such as when one of their daughters was burned Jack was able to control himself and deal with the situations at hand. He finally got involved with the Post Traumatic Stress Clinic and that seemed to help-when he attended their sessions.

Throughout the book I kept waiting to read where Alicia and/or the children sought help for their own anguish. Unless I missed it, none of them ever went to an AL-ANON meeting. And while they weren't providing Jack with his alcohol they also didn't seem to be doing anything to make him stop other than take him to the VA Hospital occasionally.

This is a book that must be read. I know that many Veterans and their families have gone through similar events. AND sadly most everyone is too proud or afraid to ask for help. This family needed it. Had they gotten it right away perhaps their relationships wouldn't have fallen apart the way they did. I kept wishing that the author used her real name just because I know folks that might be able to help her and her family even now-years after the Vietnam War ended.

I read this book with great interest as my husband is also a Vietnam vet with PTSD. While Alicia Boyd's husband is certainly a victim of PTSD, he is primarily an alcoholic. I was saddened as I read the account of their life together and her husband's descent into the depths of alcoholism. I found little hope in this book and finished feeling that she needs to go to more alanon meetings and stop enabling his destructive behavior. I hope he finds recovery from the devastating disease of alcoholism.

This book is spellbounding. Very hard to put down. This family has endured and stayed together thru some extreme hard times. It is amazing to learn that this is how we treat our veterans. We all take our normal everday life for granted. This book shows us that we should count our blessings for our quiet normal life. All families would benefit from reading this book. We could all learn how to stick together and work through it. My praise goes out to this wonderful mother that continues on when it would have been much easier to just walk out. This is a sign of true love and commitment.

If you thought the Vietnam War was over, read again! Alicia J. Boyd boldly takes you to a different front line of battle and shares a gut-wrenching side of conflict tht many of us have never seen or want to admit to seeing. Deny it no longer: war is ugly, freedom is costly and we owe a tremendous debt to our veterans.

This is indeed a book you read in one sitting. You want so much to see the cliche's that your heart has grown to hope for. Not so in this book. It hits you like the private chill you get when a loved one opens their heart over a cup of coffee across your kitchen table. You know these people, you see them in the supermarket, at school functions with your kids and over the back fence mowing. You presume they have problems like everyone. You're wrong, and even as the story unfolds you're not sure you can handle the ride. You thought you'd buried Vietnam too when the terrible truth is the people we sent to fight it are fighting it still. I give this book 5 stars for Valor. The author isn't Tolstoy. She's still at War, she has no Peace. Didn't support our veterans the first time? Read this book and pray. Support them now.

Alot of interesting patterns and good instructions to complete them. Bought this book and the other one that she wrote on beading as well, on the reccomendation of the other reviewers.

This book follows Heidi's Simply Beautiful Beading but it stands on its own by showing techniques to make the projects shown. There are well-defined photographs of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and fashion accessories. None of the projects are particularly difficult to make once you know the basic techniques, briefly shown at the front of the book.

Simply Beautiful Beaded Jewelry

Whether you're a novice beader or more experienced, you'll find Heidi Boyd's beautiful book chock full of projects with capital E eye appeal. Got 30 minutes? Try her pearl earrings on page 77. What could be simpler or more elegant than triple peacock pearls dangling from a sterling silver spring leverback wire.

Boyd's book lists fifty necklace, bracelet, earring and accessory projects with full color photos, a parts list and instructions. The parts list does not give exact bead quantities, but it's easy to count the beads from the photo, plus this gives the artist license to make her own changes.

Different techniques are used for many of the projects. For example, the bracelet section covers strung beads, linked or wired beads and stretchy band construction.

A foreward to the projects covers Getting Started with pages devoted to types of beads, stringing materials, findings, tools and materials and techniques. A brief Resource List and back index complete the book.

Recommended.

This book has many beautiful projects. It is one of the top two books in my large collection.

I'm still sort of a beginner when it comes to beading so I'm still in the market for good "how to" books. I love this one, have read it cover to cover more than once and it's always on my project table. The projects are gorgeous, the author is interesting and easy to follow and the pictures and step-by-step guidelines are clear and concise. My ONLY complaint is that in the instructions she does not include how many beads of each kind are required for each project, so you have to guesstimate when purchasing them. The only reason I mention this is that other books have this information and it's helpful in planning and costing out projects. Other than that I highly recommend it and prefer it over her first book in the same series.