Burke Books

This book was very enlightening. And entirely plausible. I recently also read Tweed's New York-Another Look by Leo Hershkowitz. What was done to Tweed in the courts is very similar to what was done to these men. Those were the times. We hope our courts are a lot safer today, and that people aren't tried in the press like they were back then. Maybe there is still some of that. We try a lot harder to avoid it, anyway. But it was done shamelessly back then, and this book tells that story as it happened to these miners.

A review by one Pat Campbell criticizes Anthracite Lad`s account of the trial of John Kehoe for telegraphing ten other AOH officers throughout the coal region to meet him at Clark`s Hotel in Mahony City where he allegedly ordered an undercover Pinkerton Detective to murder a local prizefighter. The review doesn`t deny the main thrust of the story, that the detective and his gang planned and executed the hit. But it claims the book fails to reveal that one of the AOH leaders attending the meeting, Frank McHugh, turned states evidence at the trial, and that two others also corroborated the detective`s claim that Kehoe made him do it. Those claims are so transparently false that I feel compelled to write my own "honest" review.

First, the review PRETENDS to be by Pat Campbell, a noted Molly Maguire historian? The real Pat Campbell has written: "Run out and buy a copy of Anthracite Lads and get the REAL SCOOP on the Mollies."

Second, the book does reveal, very clearly, that Frank McHugh tesfified against his co defendants in return for a light sentence. In fact it devotes three pages to McHugh`s purchased testimony (See Appendix: Note to Chapter 18) and demonstrates how preposterous it was.

Third, the transcript of the trial cited in Anthracite Lads reveals that neither one of the other two men whom the review claims to have corroborated the detective`s case against Kehoe ever took the witness stand in that case.

I have actually read the real contents of Anthracite Lads. It is a well researched, well told, and fascinating story of a conspiracy which was enabled by a biased, Know Nothing news media and conducted by demagogues who riled up public hysteria by using falsehoods in much the same way as some reviewers of Anthracite Lads.

The author's approach to this subject, consisting of a review of original source material including trial transcripts, court documents and the Pinkerton Agency's internal reports gives this book credibility. It may be that it was simply easier to convict folks in the old days, but given the discrepancies in the documentation, there is a strong likelihood that the prosecutions were launched for the benefit of the railroads and the mine owners.

Burke does not seem to me to be an apologist for the labor movement, nor do I detect any "liberal" bias in his work. His sincerity can't be questioned and his writing style is clear. The use of a fictional observer, while moving the book into the category of "historical fiction" is a device enabling him to present the facts gleaned from his research into a cohesive and compelling narrative.

I strongly recommend this book to any history buff or anyone who likes a good detective yarn.

One of the critical episodes in the Molly Maguire saga involved a meeting of certain Molly Maguire leaders that occurred in Mahanoy City, PA, on June 1, 1875. The prosecutors charged that the Mollies conspired to kill two Welsh brothers named William and Jesse Major and another Welshman named William Thomas during this meeting.

James McParlan, an undercover Pinkerton detective, later came into court and testified about what happened at this meeting. All of the Molly Maguires who attended the meeting were convicted of conspiracy to murder. The author of Anthracite Lads, however, claims that the meeting was completely innocent, and accuses McParlan of lying about the murder conspiracies to frame Jack Kehoe and the Mollies.

The trouble is, at least two other Irishmen besides Mcparlan, who were actually at the June 1 meeting, also testified in court about what happened, and they completely corroborated McParlan's testimony. The AOH County Delegate from Northumberland county later testified that Kehoe called the meeting and that the murder conspiracies were, in fact, discussed there. This man also testified that Jack Kehoe tried to get him to send other men to murder yet another victim in a private conversation right after the meeting. Also, another man (the secretary of another AOH division in Schuylkill County) decided to testify in his own defense, and he also admitted under oath that the murder conspiracies against the Majors and Thomas were discussed as McParlan described.

So here is the bottom line: In the actual historical record, there were three witnesses who swore under oath that the murders were planned at the June 1 meeting called by Jack Kehoe.

And what historical evidence exists to the contrary? None. No witness in court ever contradicted the testimony of McParlan or the other two men who attended the meeting. No witness ever testified that the meeting had any different purpose or agenda. No witness who attended the meeting ever gave any evidence or statement to support the version of events described in Anthracite Lads.

The author of this book does not explain this to his readers and does not describe the evidence fairly. He does not tell you you that two other witnesses corroborated McParlan's testimony. He never explains that there is no historical evidence to support his claims.

This is just one example of why this book is so misleading and false.

This book on the Molly Maguires is not historical. Yes, the author did some research, but then he just makes things up so that everything will appear to fit his conspiracy theory. The author claims the Mollies were framed and blames everything on the police and the prosecutors, like O.J. Simpson. Hopefully readers will not be misled into thinking this is what actually happened.

There were a lot of people killed. beaten and robbed by the Molly Maguires. Of course there were sociological factors that made their lives difficult, but this is true about most immigrants. Most of them didn't form secret gangs to intimidate and kill people.

Maybe the author will write another book showing how the police, judges and lawyers framed the Mafia.

This product was very late being delivered and then when I opened it there were no tapes in the box. I got ripped off on this one. Will never order from this seller again.

A Stained White Radiance is a beautifully written book. An absorbing suspenseful story woven into the culture of the south. Burke gives us a sheriff who is complicated, masculine and sensitive to others and his environment. I read every word, not for the storyline but for the writing itself.

I'm reading his books in order and this is number 5. It's not as boring as Black Cherry Blues but certainly falls far short of the other 3. This one can be skipped as like Black Cherry it contains no "significant" changes in Dave's life.

"A Stained White Radiance," published in 1992, is fifth in James Lee Burke's increasingly popular Dave Robicheaux series. It bears some family resemblance to the others, particularly in Burke's remarkable ability to make his home country-- New Orleans and its surround, Southern Louisiana-- sing. His descriptions of its landscape, animal, vegetable and mineral, are so deeply felt, that people who have never been closer to New Orleans than Chicago can sense its morning aromas, its approaching storms and nighttime skies.

There are further family resemblances, to be sure. Robicheaux is married to second wife Bootsie, whom he knows, as he does most people in his world, from high school or before. Bootsie suffers from lupus. The detective has quietly, unofficially adopted orphan Alafair; she keeps a three-legged raccoon, called Tripod, as a pet. Robicheaux owns a bait shop that Batist, longtime black family servant, manages. The detective is with the New Iberia police department, as he's been kicked off the New Orleans department. He's still battling his demons: drink, dark memories of Vietnam. His cases generally lead him to the dark side, often to New Orleans, frequently to conflict with the local mafia. When he needs to, he calls upon Clete Purcell, his former partner at NOPD, who's been excommunicated from the department, as he has. Purcell's a heavy, sunburnt, Irish Channel kind of guy, eats too much, smokes and drinks too much, drives an old Cadillac, and lets his anger out to play too frequently. Robicheaux's cases often, as this one, involve present-day outgrowths of hidden, long-ago misdeeds. The family resemblance continues in that the case in this book centers, as so many of the author's do, around the detective's childhood friends, the Cajun Sonnier family, that are ineradicably marked by the harsh abuse they suffered in childhood. The case also centers around the murder of a local cop. When Robicheaux finally clears the murder in his usual fashion, with a high body count, his supervisor will tell him, "I think you wrote your signature on this case with a baseball bat, Dave." Sometimes he does.

However, in this book, Robicheaux is unable to reach the man he really wants to bring down. He muses, " I was guilty of that age-old presumption that the origins of social evil can be traced to villainous individuals, that we just need to identify them, lock them in cages, or even march them to the executioner's wall, and this time, yes, this time, we'll catch a fresh breeze in our sails and set ourselves on a true course." Doesn't mean he doesn't keep trying.

Dave is back working as a detective with the New Iberia sheriff's office; living with Bootsie and Alafair, and running his boat rental business. On a routine call, a new officer is killed by two men caught in the middle of a crime. The house where this occurs, is the home of an old friend from his childhood, Weldon Sonnier.

The Sonnier family story is even sorrier than Dave's childhood. Dirt Poor, their mother dies, leaving them to be taken care of by their abusive father's girlfriend. Things get so bad for the kids that at one point they set her on fire. Their father dies in an industrial accident and they spend the rest of their childhood in foster homes and state institutions.

The oldest brother (Weldon) was a flier in 'Nam and then worked for Air America, running drugs and arms to rebels in the mountains of Laos. The younger brother (Lyle) was in 'Nam with Dave, and was a 'tunnel rat' who lost three fingers on his hand. Their sister (Drew) was Dave's girlfriend in college after he got back from 'Nam, as he was on the rebound from Bootsie.

Now Weldon is a rich, successful oilman; Lyle is a born again preacher; and Drew is messed up. Weldon's brother-in-law (his wife is a pill addict) is a racist politician (Bobby Earl) in the manner of David Dukes), mixed up with the aryan brotherhood. One of Earl's biggest backers is the local drug don.

Weldon has gotten involved with Earl's friends who need a man who knows how to fly under the radar (literally). But on a job (that he was pre-paid) for, Weldon gets a conscience and dumps the cargo. Needless to say, his ex-employers are not happy. To add a little extra grusomeness, there is a psychopath midget, and a man with a burned face that looks like melted rubber.

Everything else that happens is related to the murder of the cop and the appearance of the 'burned man'. The action is sometimes a little too bloody, but it's hard to put the story down. The denoument is almost funny (in a non-haha way), and the epilogue sounds like the end of a Jerry Springer show.

More than anything, JLB writing about Dave's relationships with Bootsie, Alafair, Baptiste, and Cletus continue to mature.

Great reading from Jan Burke once again. Riveting from the first page to the last.

I stumbled across the first Irene Kelly novel, Goodnight Irene, a little less than a month ago and have flown through the rest of her books. I thoroughly enjoy them. HOWEVER, I have to agree with most of the other "critics" on this page and say there are too many characters to keep straight. I find myself having to flip back and forth to clarify storylines. I would like to note, for those who are considering reading these books, this is a series that is better read in order, than picking up in the middle.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters and the plot were very, very exciting.

This was my first exposure to Jan Burke. Although the book was interesting, I agree with the other reviewer who mentioned there were too many characters to keep track of. The book did ramble a bit and at times I found myself completely confused as to what was going on and how the characters were connected.

Having said this, I will try Jan Burke again-I bought Bloodlines at a Library Book Sale-before I write her off completely.

Still recovering from incidents in Hocus and Irene's injuries from a previous accident, Frank and her are working on having a normal life with no unusual happenings. After her sister Barbara calls ranting and raving about a new grave next to there's parents, Irene goes to talk to Aunt Mary. During this conversation she learns about long lost relatives and family feud that started two decades ago. After some sleuthing at the
deceased' s house she locates her cousin Travis. The rest of the book is about Irene learning the truth about things that happened during her parent's marriage and why her mother and aunt was deceased. At some point I gave up on this plot, it just another tired family saga of who did who wrong. The mystery was just
there to give the book a purpose which it failed miserably. I thought after Hocus Burke was hitting her stride as a writer who spins page turning stories. Sadly she returned to the lackluster style of Remember Me Irene. Many times I found myself thinking why am I still reading this and the answer is Frank. If he in
the forefront of the stories then it has meat and I want to read more. When she sends him off on a wild goose chase the book doesn't hold my interest.

A compulation of essays by some awesome minds. This book examines the ideas of the future via a technique of developing scenarios.

Each author was asked to predict what the next fifty years would bring. Some of the authors look at advancement of technology itself. Other authors review what some of those advancements might mean with regards to our living space. Additional essays explore what business will look like in the year 2047.

A key theme running through the essays is the ubiquitious nature technology will have in years ahead. Having technology inter-woven and abundant in our lives will change many social and political institutions. "Beyond Calculation" depicts these ideas with both tactical information to consider as well as futuristic ideas of what might be possible.

The book also works through ideas about how technology will become more user friendly and design simplificaton will become essential.

All of the ideas are exciting and interesting. Great read if you like considering the unknown, the reachable, or endless possiblities.

A BOOK TO REALLY MAKE YOU THINK!

BEYOND CALCULATION was published in celebration of the golden anniversary of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM). The twenty essays explore computing over the next fifty years in terms of the future consequences caused by the way computers are being used today in Part I, The Coming Revolution". The affect computers will have on our lives and identity is discussed in Part II, "Computers and Human Identity". This review will focus on Pare III, Business and Innovation". The writers who contribute to Part III look at the effects of "ubiquitous digital information" on leadership, business practices, innovation, and learning. The omnipresence of digital information is given artificial life in "Sharing Our Planet". Donald D. Chamberlin suggests that, like DNA, digital devices form an ecosystem or "digital habitat". Occupying the ecosystem are "digital individuals", the programs that give the devices function and personality. The "digital habitat" has grown into an interconnected global network. Chamberlin concludes that as a result of the "new digital inhabitants" information becomes free and ubiquitous.

The leader that emerges in the year 2047 will be responsible for the articulation and rearticulation of a company's identity. In an environment where change may be the only constant, the leader takes a new approach to change viewing it as healthy and necessary. The leader must lead the reinvention of a company's identity over time to insure the company's survival. The impact of three decades of computers and information technology has transformed the computer from a calculator and storage device to a vital communication tool. The world becomes more fast pace as information technology reduces the time between innovation and effect.

In "Information Warfare", Larry Druffel highlights the issues surrounding internet security. This essay places the responsibility for the protection of information with the individual or institution that owns it. In light of the recent security intrusions into some of internet's largest websites, security becomes an immense concern when we envision having all information in some electronic form fifty years from now. The learning institution will change to prepare knowledge workers for the workplace of the future. Environments of hyperlearning will replace classrooms with a linear model of learning. In the hyperlearning environment the student-teacher relationship as "apprentice-master" will be most effective. The job of the teacher will be to cultivate knowledge. The two forces that will drive change in the curricula, learning environment and the role of the teacher, reflect both student demand for a more "customer-orientated relationship with the university" and the affect of digital media and networking.

The leadership of the future will be faced with all of these issues. The contributors to Part III, "Business and Innovation", agree on one point. They agree that predicting the future impact of computers, networks, and information and communication technology on business and learning five decades from now is a challenging task.

This is a horrible book and terribly boring! The whole time you are reading this book, you end up wondering what these people were smoking as they were writing these essays. It seems that most of them were under the influence of hallucinogenics when they wrote these essays. In my case, I had to read this book in an introductory graduate information science course, and had no choice but to read it. My advice, do not bother unless you have to.

Beyond Calculation is a collection of 20 essays by some of the cream of computing's top echelon. For the most part, these are not futuristic scenarios- the authors present fairly conservative observations regarding the future of computing. This circumspection is no accident - most of the authors have lived and worked through the full range of computing's evolutionary development and they are quite aware of the disjunction between earlier futuristic predictions and today's realities. On the other hand, they are also cognizant of the grand surprises in innovation and culture that have taken computing in directions that futurists of yore never foresaw. On another level, Beyond Calculation provides a fascinating view into a particular community of practice. For as one reads the individual essays, one encounters similarities in references that undoubtedly arise from the fact that many of these essayists have collaborated in a variety of ways over (in some cases) several decades. Many (all?) are associated with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) which published the compendium. What is a common conclusion drawn among these essayists? The message is clear- that this is an environment in which surprises have been and will continue to be the norm (Frankston, 56), and that "we should expect that our understanding is incomplete and wrong so that we can adapt to surprises" (55). The surprises in innovation and the social implications of these innovations preclude us from envisioning at this point whatever the full future of computing will bring. Winograd summarizes best this consensus when he writes:

Imagine that on the 50th anniversary of the "Association for Automotive Machinery" a group of experts had been asked to speculate on the "next fifty years of driving". They might well have envisioned new kinds of engines, automatic braking, and active suspension systems. But what about interstate freeways, drive-in movies, and the decline of the inner city? These are not exactly changes in "driving" but in the end they are the most significant consequence of automotive technology (159-160).

Perhaps, then, only through hindsight we will be able to identify `the most significant consequences of computing technology."

I attended ACM'97, the Conference for which this text is supposed
to the Proceedings. I've also signed non-disclosure agreements
with some of the firms of the attendees, and I am the pub. reviews
editor for an academic quarterly journal, and I know one of the
Editors (he was an Editor-in-Chief of CACM), and this text is a
real disappointment to me (back when it first came out). A few
of these people are friends.

A more detailed personal set of reviews (chapter by chapter)
can be found on groups.google.com in comp.sys.super.
Editorially, 1st printings are particularly bad. The book and the
meeting reads and felt like "Bob Metcalfe and a few of his friends
get together to pontificate to the world." You can tell a 1st
printing by opening the cover to the Preface (so early?) and
noticing that 2 Roberts (should be a Peter and a Robert)
authored the Preface (corrected after I pointed this out to
Peter in subsequent printings [why?]). Unfortunately, this also
bodes the rest of the book, too.

In the first chapter by Bell and Gray (2 of the most distingushed
computer scientists) there was a log-linear graph where the
left hand log scale was characterized by prefixes
([kilo, mega, giga, ...] with little base-10 exponents) where
the higher exponents had an error (one of the exponents was
repeated twice).

These are merely the easiest to find and remember mistakes on
first glance of the book. Fortunately I was given a copy as
a member of the press. I can't recommend buying this book,
and I barely recommend institutional purchases as an example of
how not to assemble a book.

These are all basic copy editing mistakes which prevade the book.
I normally try to ignore these kinds of things to get to the
content because of my own poor writing skills (really).
Readers should also be aware that many of these authors
would not be working for companies like Microsoft and broadcasting
deep corporate secrets: this does not happen. The content is also
consistently shallow and inconsistently considered (sometimes
self-contradictory).

Subsequent printings can get rid of the typographic errors
I reported to the Editors, but new printings can't change
the shallow content.

I am amazed that this book is rated as high as it is. The other
1-star review is right.

This book is a good reference but not for those who are not proficient already in MAX. As others have stated, the examples often skip steps, assume knowledge of the workings of the program and show "this is what you should end up with" pictures that don't relate at all to what the instructions give. I get the impression also that each chapter was written by a different person because they cover material that has sometimes been discussed or later chapters cover basic material that was left out at the beginning. If you are beginner, don't buy this.

I totally remember the Walking UFO project that Boss Hog had problems with. It drove my entire class insane, and only 3 people were able to finish it by just throwing the book out. The flow of several of the activites is broken too much... The editors really should have had people test these things out over and over to iron out these hiccups.

All this aside, this book was still helpful to have around. Not perfect, but it makes a good reference and can even give some good inspiration. All in all, it's worth the price and weight of the book (carrying this to and from school is MURDER). Certainly better than some of the other books.

Hello graphics gurus,

I've got some news for you if this book looks good. I'd like to direct you to the FIRST CHAPTER. This chapter covers simple transformation animation, even though the chapter is titled "ADVANCED Transformation Animation". This is NOT what I wish to squabble about. What really shocked me was the unclear transition between the text, the pictures, and the files on the CD. Following the directions, I labeled, linked, and altered several objects and dummies. Once completed, I continued to the next step, only to discover that the book forgot to mention several objects that needed to be labeled, linked, and altered. Once again, I was able to continue reading without losing respect for the editors ... The next step instructed me to rotate a dummy by its Y-axis in the top viewport, which I did. The comment under this instruction directed me to look at the figure on the next page. The blurb next to the figure stated "Top view of the UFO, with the leg properly positioned." Naturally, I figured that when I looked at the figure, I would see exactly what I had on the screen, but instead, the image was a screenshot from several steps before the rotation instructions, in the FRONT viewport. There is no mention of this image anywhere in the text, and there is no image demonstrating the proper rotation that the text led me to believe.

What should you learn from this little story? Well, I hope the editors are reading this: If you publish something, the consumers would appreciate it if the editors do their job and offer the public a book worth buying. I received Vol. #3 in the mail several hours ago, and I've already downed four aspirin. If the first chapter is any indication of the quality of work put into this book, it's looking to be a LONG weekend.

So long, fellow gurus, And remember, Scum lurks in pretty packaging.

Boss Hogg

Well, Boss Hog may get confused easily, but don't let him shy you away from an excellent text. I still recommend this book to people learning Max 3. The tutorials in the first several chapters are very intelligently written, and attempt to tackle very complicated concepts in a very concise manner. The text has helped me master more advanced concepts and tools of both Max the program and animation in general. The section on character work, while a regurgitation of what you'll find in Illusion of Life, Timing for Anim, and Foster's works, is still helpful to the beginner. The first third of the book is also an excellent source of principles that any budding animator who's transitioning to 3D would be wise to read. I've been animating professionally for 7 years, and I think that this text is great. If you get lost on the tutorials, then just read the text and LEARN the PRINCIPLES since that's really the important thing that these experts have to share with you!

This book is by far the best of the Max 2 series. The chapters on Controllers, Video Post and Compositing are invaluable. The knowledge of the authors really show through and the power of Max is appropriatey showcased in this book. Beginners may find it daunting, but it is a must for anyone who is serious about Max.

To me, this book did not live up to the title. I was not pleased with it at all.

I have not had the opportunity to read this book yet. However, I did glance through to see that it did contain valuable information I will need at a later date. The book looks like good reference material I will consult often while writing grants.

The "Everything Grant Book" is not very helpful to those who are serious about trying to locate and obtain grant funding. The book provides a very broad-brush approach to grant writing with limited examples.

The first seven chapters go back-and-forth between government and foundation grants, which is very confusing, especially for the beginning grant writer. Even though government and foundation grants have some common elements, they require very different approaches.

When the reader finally reaches Chapter 8 "Components of a Grant Proposal," it really discusses solicitations, with only one page dedicated to grant components.

Chapter 9 provides very basic information about preparing to writer a grant.

Chapter 10 talks about "letters of support," which seems out-of-place considering the authors have yet to discuss the major elements of a grant proposal.

Chapters 11-15 discuss the real conponents of most government grants, but once again fail to provide a comprehensive presentation with realistic examples.

Chapter 16 "Other Grant Proposal Sections" includes information (staff qualifications, management plan, etc.) that really belongs in Chapter 13 "Action Plans."

Chapter 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 include very basic information about writing, reviewing, and filling out forms, and submitting proposals.

The book ends with "Writing Grants as a Career," which seems like an awkward ending. If I had to rely on this book to give me the background to be a grant writer, I would be struggling to make a living.

I suggest potential grant writers look for a book that has only one emphasis (government or foundation), is better organized, and provides more contemporary examples.

I am quite impressed with the book; I feel the authors touch on and in some cases went into depth regarding all aspects of grant writing. I feel it was not intended to fully teach but to give you the understanding of the overall aspects of grant writing, (what to expect, what to look for and how to plan your approach.) It was very helpful to me as I am new to grant writing.

The Everything Grant Writing Book minces no words in informing readers that two of the most important abilities in grant writing are: The ability to follow directions and the ability to meet a deadline.

I loved the authors' style and could see that it really wasn't intended to "insult" (although I wasn't insulted at all). What they convey is that you can have the best writing talent and your cause can be quite noble, but the sad fact is that most grants contain a myriad of directions that CAN be rather complex and daunting. I often have thought that these directions help them to "weed" out proposals right off! If these directions are not followed TO THE LETTER, your grant proposal usually isn't even read! Likewise, I have NEVER ever known a committee to make an exception and accept a grant proposal that is late. I would rather that the authors drive this point home in a book than for grant seekers to learn the hard way... An excellent book that I'm buying for my own personal collection.

This book was a sorry disappointment. I will preface my further remarks by saying that I am a huge fan of Mr. Burke's television productions, and (ironically) I actually enjoyed the book a great deal, but for mostly all the wrong reasons.

The fact is that the book does not deal with what is alluded to by the title, the jacket copy, or the author's introduction. Unfortunately, those were the only elements that I scanned when looking over the book in the store (and then buying it online ;-). The marketting blurb on the cover says "From electronic agents to Stonehenge and back...". Well, there was a very small bit about electronic agents and believe it or not, Stonehenge wasn't mentioned once throughout the entire book. Mr. Burke was not well served here by his market driven editors.

The only reason I still enjoyed the book is that I love both history and technology, and that's the terrain through which this addled account rambles. Regrettably, this book was more like an extended outpouring of jumbled, loosely 'connected' trivia from a hyper-loquacious Alzheimer's patient, than anything truly salient or purposeful. There was absolutely no discernible point to the narrative. The author's attempt to put the work into some kind of prosaic hyperlink format was a bit embarrassing as well. Lastly, the book ended abruptly and arbitrarily, almost as if Mr. Burke's nurse had come in and said "That's all for today. It's time for Mr. Burke's evening feeding. Maybe you can come back tomorrow." I hope not.

There is no narrative purpose to this book. My mind was given its most powerful jolt of whiplash starting with chapter 4. This chapter starts with an explanation of black holes, THREE pages later we have a short history of the Pony Express, THREE pages later we deal with Joan of Arc. By the way, chapter 5 starts with instant coffee. I now have a headache.

I admit it, I am a big fan of James Burke. Ever since the fascinating BBC series, "Connections" I have been an avid reader of history. Most interesting to me is Burke's over-arching thesis regarding the role of technology in shaping history. I have gladly added this to my collection of Burke's works. However, I found the method of presentation, which amounts to an attempt to turn the work into a sort of hypertext, gimmicky and distracting. I gave up on trying to dart back and forth among the various interconnected sections. Perhaps, in a few years, I may find this device useful for some purpose, but I cannot see how it is any sort of advance over a standard index.

Nonetheless, I recommend this to anyone with an interest in history and technology. Burke simplifies and makes intriguing the progress of human technology, and its role in the progress of humanity itself, in a way that is fun and engaging to read. This book made me go back and re-read old history texts with a new outlook. As far as Burke's books go, however, I recommend _The Pinball Effect_ more highly as the device does not distract as much from the content. I eagerly await his next television series. I do so hope one is in the offing. hint, hint, Professor Burke!

This is almost like a technological "Ulysses" by James Joyce. The author almost does a stream of consciousness, and does repeat himself at least three or four times through the 262 page book. It is a journey that reminds me of Andy Grove's book on change, as you see how inventions, technology, greatly influenced history and the advance of our knowledge. Most importantly, it shows how new things can make people a lot of money, those that don't change, lose a lot of money, and is fascinating---although the connections of events wanders from century to century and subject to subject. I thought this was not only fascinating, but there are many levels in the writing just as there are in James Joyce's fiction. This book is pure fact, however.

Very 'browsable' little book. If you like Burke's TV programmes (notice the hoity toity British spelling) and don't mind his hurried non-sequitur transitions form one topic to another- then you'll enjoy this book. The Knowledge Web is so jam-packed with facts and anecdotes that you'll be able to annoy friends and dinner companions for fortnights (I can't stop) to come with little gems of knowledge.

This indeed includes the proper people it is advertising. The Justin, Colhoun, and Tyler book is dark blue with a dark texan on the cover (I own it and have read it several times, so have my friends) We are part of a book group and we absolutly enjoy her writing. I find my self rereading almost all of them!

Regan and Burke's stories were pretty good. I couldn't stand Emmett at all. First he hates Melody for helping his first wife run off with another man and is very nasty to her. Then suddenly Emmett then he wants to marry her after one afternoon on the ranch and the next day Emmett to have a baby right away. This seemed to be a pattern with Emmett. After losing his parents Emmett rushed into marriage with Adell and had kids
pretty soon afterwards. No one pointed out to him that maybe rushing into a marriage and a family wasn't a good idea especially after losing both his parents instead all the fault of the divorce is on his wife from what's mentioned in the book and how Emmmett tries Melody I can understand why Adell left. I liked Melody a lot. She started out the story a very strong charactor until she meets Emmett then some how loses her strong charactor along with her back bone by doing everything Emmett tells her want to do.

I gave it four stars because I liked Regan and Burke's stories but I didn't like Emmett because he moved way to fast. First he hates Melody for helping his first wife run off with another man, then he wants to marry her after one afternoon on the ranch and her to have a baby right away. From secondary charactors this seemed to be a pattern with Emmett. After losing his parents (yes tragically) he rushed into marriage with Adell and had kids pretty soon afterwards. Yet its never even addressed by anyone.The reason repeatedly given for his divorce was it was his wife's fault and that poor Emmett was blameless. No one pointed out to him that maybe rushing into a marriage and a family wasn't a good idea especially after losing both his parents. Yet he does the same thing with Melody. Rushing into another marriage so quickly, even though his kids obviously still have problems reguarding their mother's departure.
I liked Melody a lot but it seemed like he was telling her want to do through the whole story. That he wanted to get married in a week and that he wanted her to get pregnant. The wrap up of the story was too quick also. I did like the wild antics that the kids they were a roit.

This book was too quick, and the characters developed too quickly. I thought that the first Long, Tall Texan book (Calhoun, Justin & Tyler) was great, but this one lacked substence. Emmette's story was the worst. First he hates Melody then he wants to marry her and have a baby with her after just one day. That is just so unrealistic. Not my favorite Long Tall Texan, I wouldn't waste my time if I were you.

unlike the first and second book , this which follows on the series of the long tall texans and the book , most wanted , pales in comparison with the books

the stories are too short and it just jumps into the ending
not an enjoyable read

pass on this books and get others

This is an interesting story about a struggling artist, and how she graciously handles her burden of responsibility. Lucy is a likeable protagonist, surrounded by quirky secondary characters and lots of bizarre situations. I was a bit putt-off by the indifferent attitude the characters exhibited towards casual sex with multiple partners, which was quite prevalent in this novel, however the depth of the plot and the well-developed characters was strong enough to compensate for that.

I thought this book would be a typical chick-lit type of tale, but I was wrong! Sure, there are the elements for a truly chick-lit story, but it goes beyond that. The main character's family is a little off the beam, as are some of her acquaintances. There is laugh-out-loud fun on several pages, and some serious stuff on others. This book is worth the reader's time, and I'm glad I read it.

This is a Canadian book about Canadian characters - something we don't see often enough. Overall, it's downright charming. The plot is unique, the setting is priceless, and the characters are believable. The big problem is the way the book resolves - the final chapter seemed like it had been written by someone else who didn't know that Lucy had developed a spine and a sense of self-worth along the way. The book also suffers from many mistakes that could easily have been prevented with a final proofreading before publication. As a writer, I notice these things (believe me, I wish I didn't). Don't get me wrong - Betsy Burke is a gifted storyteller. Really and truly. You just have to go into this book understanding that it wobbles to an unsatisfactory halt.

"Lucy's Launderette" deals with Lucy, whose life was not going anywhere as her job at an Art Gallery was anything but inspiring, her love life was at a standstill and her beloved grandfather, Jeremy, recently died. Not to mention, she has a psychotic brother who is constantly terrorizing her. After Jeremy died, he left a note for Lucy to take care of his pregnant girlfriend, Connie. Both Lucy and Connie do not get along well but each needed the other to get through the tough times together. Soon, Lucy quits her job at the gallery and decided to run Jeremy's run down launderette and she has an idea to transform it.

"Lucy's Launderette" was extremely slow at the beginning. There wasn't a concrete storyline that keeps the readers mesmerized or wanting for more. In fact, the first half of the book was slow, dragging a little, and quite uninteresting. Not to mention, half way through the book, I was wondering when does the "launderette" part come, because afterall, it is supposed to be about Lucy's Launderette. In addition, this book lacks humor and it can be a bit dull. It does pick up a little at the end. In conclusion, this book is average and I think there are definitely better ones out there.

Plot originality flows through this Red Dress Ink selection. We have insane family members, a traveling gnome, a temperamental artist, and a Harley riding grandfather, just to name a few. Lucy is in the center of them all. Typical of the genre, Lucy is young and free and trying to find her place in the world. The title indicates where her place will be, but the plot takes too long in getting us there.

Lucy's brother Dirk is constantly threatening her, but this is never fully developed or resolved. Lucy falls in love with her brother's caseworker, and this character (Sam) suffers the same fate. Burke just has too many sub-plots going for the depth and length of this novel.

Great ideas, but the story rushes to a happy ending without showing readers how the characters really grow or get there.

This is a very mediocre slang book, typical of so many that are written from dictionaries instead of real living experience. Half the words are not slang at all...just examining the pages available for free look you see stuff like tropece, nena, platicar that are ordinary speech. No depth, nothing you don't learn in your SPanish class in Iowa.
Additionally, the Spanish itself is faulty---for instance, donanadie instead of dona nadie with tilda over the n in dona.
Not so hot. Better than that "Forbidden" and "Taboo" crap, but really....not for the serious speaker.

A very helpful book for those wanting to learn how to speak the street Spanish and learn the buzz words. It puts you in the groove to be the hippest of your group. This book is absolutely essential!

Heavily infested with comments and explanations in English that constantly distract and do not allow to think in Spanish. I doubt that the author has any formal education in teaching foreign language. This overpriced CD set is worthless. Sorry for this harsh judgment, but from my 20+ year experience of professional translator inability of the author to teach is obvious.

What I like most about this book is that it tells you from which countries the Spanish slang words come from. That way I don't use Mexican Spanish slang when I am speaking to someone from Colombia and vice versa. What I don't like about the Spanish lessons in this book is that it does not come with an optional CD or Cassette in order to make sure that I am learning to pronounce the Spanish slang and Spanish words correctly. I also recommend the mp3 and pdf of the los insultos vulgares that come with the Learning Like Crazy course in Spanish. By using the two of them you should obtain "una boca muy sucia en espanol."

I've learned a lot of vocabulary from this book and it's amusing and well arranged. The fact that many of the expressions are not really 'slang' from the streets but just everyday 'colloquial' doesn't matter to me because they're useful anyway.

On the other hand, as soon as I started using it where I live in Spain people laughed and warned me that many of the expressions in the dialogues are either never employed here or they are out of date. So I still use it, but with caution, and I try the expressions out on Spanish friends before I learn them.