Brian Books

How GE entered the Diesel Locomotive field with little previous experience and raced ahead to beat out EMD and other "Old Timers". Well written with superb photos. Should be in the library of every rail enthusiast.

I was amazed with facts on GE locomotives. I am waiting the author to make a similar book on GM locomotives. On this kind of books all railway enthusiasts are hardly waiting.

I am still reading this book, but could not wait to write a review. Gen E focuses on young entrepreneurs in the 24 to 34 year old category. Since I am in that age range and have just started my first serious business, I have found this book to be quite a motivational tool. It offers sound start-up business advice coupled with real stories from young go-getters such as FUBU designers and the CEOs of CNET and Amazon.com.

Whether you're intersted in starting an online business or a nuclear waste facility, this book has tips, facts and advice, as well as stories from the young and bold from almost every industry that is sure to provide motivation as you build or maintain your business.

This book is the best so far in terms of inspiration and motivation as well as being a complete how-to. Being part of the Gen E, I found this book useful in starting my own business. It is easy to read, very thorough and well written. Great Job Brian!

If you're interested in understanding the global movement for food security inspired by the biotechnology controversy, then read this book. Edited by the brilliant social ecologist Brian Tokar, this brief anthology of essays reveals how the biotech industry displaces agricultural communities, contaminates the environment, and increases poverty and world hunger. Backed by financial monopolies like the WTO and the World Bank and international trade agreements like NAFTA, CAFTA, and the FTAA, the biotechnology corporations are endangering public health, destoying the landbase, and undermining the democratic rights of the world's citizenry to make collective decisions about food policy. Simply put, this is an urgent book about one of the most important ecological and social problems confronting us today and I hope it gets widely read. I also recommend reading any of Vandana Shiva's excellent books on this crucial topic and (if you can) to only buy locally grown, organic food.

Gene Traders: Biotechnology, World Trade, And The Globalization Of Hunger is a selection of seven essays by learned authors questioning the spread of genetically engineered agriculture worldwide. Revealing ways by which developments in biotechnology cn actually increase dependency and hunger, while compromising the survival of traditional farmers and their communities, as well as the evolution of the global movement for food sovereignty brought about by genetic engineering. Specific topics include how the World Trade Organization's "intellectual property" rules promote monopolies and biopiracy, how Zambia's food aid crisis has forced tough choices, how food aid can become food dumping and displace agricultural communities, deconstructs common myths about "feeding the world", and much more. A highly recommended, keynote discussion and an absolute "must-read" for anyone concerned about world starvation.

When my husband and I decided we wanted to move I really wanted to build a new house. I was told, by him, that if I wanted a new house I was going to be the one building it. Well, I surprised him when I started researching the process and found this book along the way. I have already read the book twice and since then bought land, started the loan process with the bank and started contacting subcontractors. I have to say that this book is very easy to read and understand. We are both really shocked how easy this is. I would just like to tell everyone that if you are looking to build, then this book is a must.

I was thinking about building my own home instead of buying one but I was a bit scared of what is involved. After reading this book I am certain I will be able to handle it. I love the way it is laid out and reads like your friend is talking to you. After reading this book I really am going to be able to build a much better house for the same money I was planning on spending. My hat is off to this book. If your planning on building or even just thinking about maybe building this book is well worth the money.

As I was researtching for an extensive literature review on the subject of Animal Play I found this book an invaluable resource.

Gordon Burghardt;s book is an exceptionally complete review of play behavior in many diverse species of animals. It will set the standard for future research and volumes in this very popular area of research. Recommended for undergraduate and graduate courses in animal behavior and for people who want to know more about this fascinating behavioral phenomenon.

A proper perspective on the question of the failed German revolutionary socialist opportunities starting in 1918 after the debacle of German defeat in World War I, the overthrow of the Kaiser and the establishment of a democratic republic until 1923 with the failure of the revolutionary opportunities resulting from the French reparations crisis is the subject of on-going controversy among revolutionaries. At the time most European revolutionaries, especially the Russians, placed their strategic aspirations on the success of those efforts in Germany. A different outcome during that period, with the establishment of a German Workers Republic, would have changed the course of world history in many ways, not the least of which would have been the probable saving of the isolated Russian socialist revolution and defeating German fascism in the embryo.

Since then, beginning with the Trotsky-led Russian Left Opposition in 1923 and later the International Left Opposition, revolutionaries as well as others have cut their teeth on developing an analysis of the failure of revolutionary leadership as a primary cause for that aborted German revolution. Against that well-known analysis, more recently a whole cottage industry has developed, particularly around the British journal Revolutionary History, giving encouragement to latter day hand wringing about the prospects (or lack of prospects) at that time and drawing the lesson that a revolution in Germany then could not have happened. To buttress that argument the writings on the prospects of the 1923 revolution by August Thalheimer, a central theoretician and key adviser to party leader Brandler in this period, have been warmly resurrected and particularly boosted. This kind of analysis, however, gets revolutionaries nowhere. It is one thing for those on the ground at the time in Germany and in the Comintern to miss the obvious signals for revolution it is another for later `revolutionaries' to provide retrospective political cover for those who refused to see and act on the revolutionary opportunities at the time. The events surrounding the failed German revolution were also echoed in what was called the `literary debate' inside the Russian Communist Party in 1924 at a time when the internal struggle, after the death of Lenin, was getting to a white heat. While at this historical distance it is probably impossible to argue all of the specifics of the revolutionary crisis of 1923 some lessons stick out.

A quick sketch of events beginning from the start of World War I with the famous treachery of the German Social Democratic leadership in voting for the Kaiser's war budget (and continuing to vote for it) are in some ways decisive for what happened in 1923. Later, facing the consequences of the defeat of the German army, war exhaustion and the possibility of harsh reprisals from the Allied forces the Kaiser's government was overthrown shortly after the armistice was signed and the fight was on in earnest for the future of Germany. That question however was not decided until the German working class had been subdued and or brought off with a bourgeois democratic republic, the notorious Weimar Republic. Unlike the earlier Russian experience in 1917 no independent mobilization of the working class through Soviets or other pan-working class organizations was established. And that is the rub. This is the start of the problem. No Bolshevik-type organization was present to take advantage of the revolutionary situation. What is worst, the forces that did exist led by the heroic martyrs Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht were defeated and they personally were tragically and ominously murdered. Thus, a known and tested leadership was an essential missing ingredient that was to have consequences all the way through to 1923.

When a German Bolshevik-type organization finally was formed it contained many elements that were subjectively revolutionary but political naïve or disoriented, and suffered from anarchistic excesses in reaction to the stifling Social Democratic atmosphere of the pre-war period. While a party needs those subjectively elements to make the revolution and this writer would argue that it cannot be made without them this confusion gave the reformist Social Democratic party plenty of ammunition for its reformist, parliamentary position. The key result of this lack of organization and proper preparededness was the so- called March action of 1921. Unlike the overwhelming reaction of the German working class to the attempted Kopp Coup of the previous year this was an action that went off half -cocked and did much to discredit communists in the eyes of the working class. The sorry results of this action had reverberations all the way up to the Communist International where Lenin and Trotsky were forced to defend the action in public, expel the former German party leader Paul Levi for a breech of discipline for his open criticism of the action (while it was going on) but also point out that it was the wrong way to go. In any case one cannot understand what happened (or did not happen) in 1923 without acknowledging the gun shyness of the Communist party leadership caused by the 1921 events.

So what is the specific argument of 1923 all about? Was there or was there not a realistic revolutionary opportunity to fight for a Soviet Germany which would have gone a long way to saving the Russian Revolution? On the face of it this question is a no-brainer. Of course there was a revolutionary situation. If the disruptions caused by the French take-over in the Ruhr to obtain their war reparations and the resultant passive resistance policy of the German government and the later inflationary spiral that affected many layers of German society was not a classic revolutionary situation then there are none this side of heaven. End of story.

The real question that underlines any argument against a revolutionary crisis is what to do alternatively about it. This is where the previous "ultra' policies of the German Communist Party came into play. The party remained passive at a time when it was necessary for action. The leadership, including our friend Thalheimer, acted as if a revolutionary crisis would last for a prolonged period and that they had all the time in the world. They caught Zinoviev's disease (named for the Bolshevik leader who always seemed instinctively to go passive when it was necessary for action, and visa versa. Moreover, most critically they did not take advantage of the decline in the authority of the Social Democratic Party in order to win over the mass of the rank and file of that body that were leaving it in droves. That is where the preceding events described above come in. The destruction of the authoritative leadership of Luxemburg and Liebknecht left a lesser layer not known for an aggressive strategy when called for. It is hard to believe that Luxemburg and Liebknecht would have responded in the same way as the Brandler/Thalheimer leadership. I would argue if anything Liebknecht would have had to be restrained a little. This is, in the final analysis, the decisive problem of the failure of the German Revolution in 1923. Nobody can predict whether a revolutionary crisis will lead to revolutionary success but one must certainly know when to move as the Bolsheviks did.

And what of the other reasons given for holding back. The fascists were a menace but hardly more than that. Damn, if they were really as much of a menace as right-wing social democrats and communists have portrayed the situation in 1923 what the hell were the fascists in say 1930, when they had 100,000 well-organized and fighting mad storm troopers in the streets. With that view the only rational policy for Communist would have been to make sure the German working class had its passports in order. As we tragically know there are never enough passports. And what of the German Army? The army was not that big even if augmented by `unofficial' paramilitary forces. It definitely would have been harder to split these forces along class lines. But workers militias would have at least been able to hold the line. And do not forget the more than willing Red Army was within a few days march to assist. As the Bolshevik Revolution and the ensuing Civil demonstrated in the final analysis a revolution is victorious or defeated outside the influence of whatever foreign forces are scheming against the regime.

And what about the internal capitalist opposition? And what about the stabilization of the economic situation? One can go on forever with the problems and talk oneself out of any action. While all these factors by themselves might argue against a revolutionary crisis in 1923 jointly they create the notion that this was a big revolutionary opportunity lost. That should make one suspicious, very suspicious, of the credentials of those `revolutionaries' who argue that one did not exist. Read more on this subject.

This is not the first book you should read about the German revolution - it's the last.

Clocking in at 980 pages, the book relies on a ton of primary sources in German but this doesn't overwhelm the gripping story of the revolutionary upheavals that rocked Germany from 1918-1923. The revolution was a product of a combination of a factors: the slaughter of WWI intensified class antagonisms, eventually leading to huge cuts in wages and near-starvation rationing; the main working-class organizations, the unions and the millions-strong Social Democratic Party (SPD), supported the war despite its repeated pledges not to participate in the murder of workers of other countries; the victorious workers' revolution in neighboring Russia in October, 1917, led by Lenin, Trotsky, and the Bolshevik party.

The enormous discontent with the war exploded when 80,000 sailors were given orders to attack the British navy in a suicidal maneuver. They refused and instead arrested their officers, traveling on trains to the nearest towns to spread the news of their mutiny. Once there, they set up the first workers' and sailors' council in Germany, and within days, workers, soldiers, and sailors across the country followed their example and set up councils across the country. They were emulating the Russians, who set up workers and soldiers councils (Soviet is the Russian word for council) and eventually put all power into the hands of those councils. The reformist SPD rushed to the head of the council movement to disorient, demobilize, and contain it within the framework of capitalism.

The outcome of the struggle between revolution and counter-revolution in Germany over the next five years was of enormous importance for European and world history. The failure of the German working class to take power into its own hands left Soviet Russia isolated and starving after a murderous civil war, in which 14 foreign governments (including the U.S.) sent troops and aided the pro-capitalist White Armies, leading to the deaths of millions of workers and peasants. With the working class largely eliminated as a social force, the party/state bureaucracy became the new ruling class and eventually re-introduced capitalist exploitation back into Russia under Stalin.

The second consequence of leaving capitalism intact was the Great Depression of the 1930s, in which Hitler and the Nazis were given power by Germany's ruling class to smash the workers' movement, re-arm, and end the Depression on terms favorable to big business. Had the German workers seized power in the early 1920s, history might not have known the names of Hitler and Stalin.

To return to the book: each line on each page of each chapter is so well written that it not only gives the reader a crystal clear picture of the problems and challenges posed by the revolution, it's almost as if you are there with the armed, angry workers marching through the streets of Berlin in 1918, or organizing a clandestine literature distribution circle on a naval cruiser in 1917, or in a mass meeting of delegates from workers' and soldiers' councils debating whether or not to seize power.

This book is definitely worth the money. It shows what happens when an experienced revolutionary organization with significant roots in the working class is not built before a revolution breaks out; it shows how reformist organizations can obstruct and sabotage struggle; and it shows how ruthless and cunning the ruling class can be when their power and wealth are threatened. I would recommend reading Chris Harman's "the Lost Revolution" to familiarize oneself with the events, people, and parties before you take on this book. Also, Sebastian Haffner's "Failure of a Revolution: Germany 1918-1919" is short and excellent, and it has pictures of the events and the people in question.

Brian Tracy is an excellent teacher and motivator. I particularly enjoyed, Getting Rich in America. In it you'll get invaluable methods to become wealthy in America. This audio program contains tapes of the following: Profile of the Wealthy, Becoming a Money Magnet, Starting from Scratch, How to Find a Product or Service, Unlocking your Creativity, Sales and Marketing Ideas, Follow the Leaders, Getting the Money You Need, Success Strategies in Real Estate, Investment Strategies, Leading the Field. In these cassettes you get a load of knowledge and motivation to succeed. It's just great material to listen to and follow. Brian Tracy has many other audio programs that are just as awesome as this one. I give this a five star rating because it defiantly will get you to being rich in America.

There is no need to look any further to answer the question "What do those rich people do that makes them so rich?" Take the time to listen to this progrm and implement the ideas in to your own life and you will be rewarded.
Brian Tracy is an all round brilliant man who amazes me time and time again. It works for me, it can for you and any one else who good enough to listen.

I like this book as an introduction to fractions. I use it with my kindergarten students. They can all relate to having to share with siblings or friends..... and they love the food fight at the end of the story!

This book is an accurate description of how children react to sharing. As the brother and sister learn to share the food each of them have, they are also learning about fractions. Each child is reminded by their parents to divide the pizza, juice, and cupcakes in half to share equally. The children's first instinct is to share unequally. The book introduces new terms (i.e. divide) and gives the reader a fun introduction to fractions and getting along with each other.

This insightful book has changed the way I view suffering in the world. I have great peace and hope now, knowing that my God is just, loving, and always good, and being able to see that in the scriptures and in life. The author, Brian Morley shares personal testimony to enrich the philosophical and biblical proof he presents. Despite his personal experiences, Dr. Morley remains objective. I recommend this book to anyone searching for truth and answers in this sometimes miserable world.

A surprisingly easy-to-read book on pain and evil, God in the Shadows, skillfully sheds light on every imaginable aspect of this difficult topic. Dr. Morley, professor of Philosophy and Bible at The Masters College, gently encourages Christians of all levels to understand and prepare for the opportunities God uses to display His character. Interestingly, Dr. Morley argues for the benefits of the inevitable difficulties that are a part of the world this side of heaven. This exceptional work from a deep thinker sheds light on this complex subject with insight and grace. Building on close to twenty years of teaching on the problem of evil and a loving God, he carefully explains the constructs that usually bog down a reader on this topic. God in the Shadows is comprehensive without dragging, which is accomplished partly through the inclusion of numerous personal illustrations. Although many chapters of the book can stand alone, by reading the entire book, a bigger picture is built that is worth the time invested concluding with a wonderful summary section at the end. Dr. Morley could have turned out a brilliant and technical work that perhaps, many of us would not have understood. Thankfully, that's not the case. Dr. Morley gives us a gift that is not only readable, but wonderfully helpful and practical. Remarkably, by the end of the book the reader is saying "praise God that His plan was to work through a fallen world!"

Some 'Making Of' books about movie production are rather shallow and don't tell you anything you couldn't find out by watching the movie.

Brian Sibley's books are NOT like that. They DO tell you all kinds of things that are fun to find out and which you almost certainly didn't know from watching the movie. The books he wrote about the making of The Lord of the Rings were all wonderfully informative and full of luscious detail, for example.

So is this one.

Interviews with the stars, the director, the costume and set design people, even the cinematographer-- within the short compass [to coin a phrase] of this book, much of what you didn't know about the making of The Golden Compass is revealed.

For example, there's a bit about some of the symbolism: About how the circle represents Lyra and her childhood innocence; and how the Magisterium is represented by the oval--" . . . a circle that is trying to stretch itself and make itself bigger," thereby distorting the truth of innocence. As avid a movie-watcher as I am, and as big a fan of this particular movie as I am [I've seen it three times so far and will buy it on DVD the split second it becomes available], I would never have picked up on that in a billion years. It's the sort of subliminal message-creation that makes visual art so exciting, but it doesn't hurt to know about it consciously either.

There's a lot about the movie that ISN'T revealed, too, though. For example, Tom Stoppard's participation in early versions of the screenplay is glossed over by omitting his identity. Another major omission is the declawing, defusing, and deliberate obfuscation of the core theme of the book the movie is based on--the 'Holy Church' in the book is called merely 'The Magisterium' in the movie, and all references to Biblical and alternate theologies have been carefully excised, as though the Intercision Machine had been turned loose on the book's pages.

Nevertheless, for the type of book it is, Sibley's behind-the-scenes feast provides everything you really need to know about the motion picture, including fantastic evidence that it's well worth seeing. (Which it is, to put it mildly.)

I didn't read the books, but I really enjoyed the film "The Golden Compass", and this particular book simply adds to the pleasure. Its a relatively short book, but it is crammed with the kind of "making of" information and pictures that fill out the movie experience. I feel much more thought and effort went into the creation of the world of "The Golden Compass" than one found in "Narnia"...the film to which it is most often compared. Great photos of the props and costumes; good pre-production art. I just wish there had been more of it. I'm afraid, due to its weak box office performance in the U.S., this may be the one and only film from the trilogy. Why the accountants didn't realize that "Narnia" and "LOTR" had a 50 year built-in fan base, and plan accordingly escapes me. So, enjoy this special glimpse into a very well realized alternate world, and hope we may get another one.