Burns Books

Sara Burns makes the world of medical transcription come alive to those unfamiliar with the field and creates a "chum-hood", if you will, to those of us who share experience in the field, to the point of pure nodding hilarity in which we can identify with common experiences.

Her book is an absolute delight to read. As a medical transcriptionist for almost 20 years, I feel she blends a perfect recipe of information, heaping cupfuls of wit and humor, and plenty of wisdom from her 29 years of experience. She offers everything from practical advice for not only the prospective or new transcriptionist but also wisdom to benefit the seasoned transcriptionist that adds spice to a job you already love. Many times, this book is just plain fun that will have you laughing out loud.

I absolutely loved her chapter, "You Might be a Transcriptionist if ... ," which had me cackling to the point of my tummy almost hurting, and I found myself filling in the blanks with my own experiences on the job. It would be fun for all of us MTs to send Mrs. Burns our "You might be's" so she could be the beneficiary of the same types of wonderful hoots she provided the reader. What an absolutely clever and fun chapter. Quite a change from some of the usual material on the subject of medical transcription, which tends to be on the rather dry and serious side, making one wonder if the field of medical transcription is devoid of individuals with an ounce of personality. Certainly, Sara debunks that speculation and offers her charmingly infectious personality. She draws you into her world and lets you know enough about her own life story that just fills you with a desire to sit with her in a couple of cozy chairs, sipping tea, and asking her to share more stories about herself and this interesting profession.

Funny thing is, working at home, we don't always have another transcriptionist friend ready at hand to talk to. Reading Sara's book was like having a luncheon with her, sharing the ups and downs of the job, the hysterical things that happen, helpful hints, pros and cons ... you name it, she covered it. She essentially became my mate for the duration of the book. I also so appreciated hearing some of her faux pas, gaining comfort from the fact that even a seasoned transcriptionist makes mistakes. Goodness, when you are an independent contractor, you are your own worst critic, so knowing that even the mature transcriptionist makes a mistake here and there, is able to laugh about it, and then move on is ever so comforting. Even the cartoons were a hoot because she nailed every aspect of being a home-based transcriptionist.

My conclusion: We transcriptions have needed a book like this. Sara Burns has filled the void. Many of us are fun, we love our job, and it is far from boring. I definitely would recommend this to those looking into the field and those new to the field, as there is much sound advice given from a woman with vast experience. Additionally, this is a book I would highly recommend to the seasoned transcriptionist who will find themselves smiling and laughing throughout as we can identify with every aspect of what she shares and even gain some helpful tips and new perspectives on our profession. It is simply a refreshing book. Finally, I even think physicians would benefit a great deal from reading her book as they could gain an understanding of what we have to deal with as a transcriptionist, might even laugh at themselves, and might even gain a greater appreciation for those of us who work so hard to make them sound their best.

So, two thumbs up for Sara. Get this book. You not only won't be disappointed, but you will be glad you did because you will have had so much fun ... it's not just a "how to" but a wonderful story that unfolds in the process. Enjoy!

The previous reviews give an excellent description Sara Burns' book, so I will not repeat what they have to say as I agree with their reviews and praise. I have been in the field for many years and found Sara's book to be a wonderful compellation of wisdom, humor, practical advice, and refreshing honesty, written in a lighthearted, easy, and witty style. I enjoyed Sara's book from start to finish and was sad to turn the last page. I found myself nodding in agreement and smiling with understanding at the humerous, frustrating, and fulfilling moments that she describes so well. With so many years of experience, Sara's insights and practical suggestions will be invaluable to someone considering medical transcription and will provide a good understanding of all aspects of this field. She has a way with words that will hold your attention, whether you are someone looking to get into the field or have worked in the medical field for years. I highly recommend her book - read it slowly and enjoy it!

I absolutely love this book. I was so happy with it that I ordered 3 more for my transcriptionist friends. I find myself constantly quoting something from the book while I am at work. I also have a better understanding of how my doctors feel some days by the time they get to the office. I was amazed at the similarities that we transcriptionists have. We are certainly not alone in our love for our work and in our frustrations that we have at times.

Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (4/08)

"You're a Medical What?!" is a compilation of anecdotes written about things author Sara Burns has experienced in her twenty-nine years as a medical transcriptionist. Her passion and love for her chosen career resonate throughout the book, However, she is upfront with the reader about aspects of her job that are not as glamorous. Burns states that she wrote the book for three distinct groups: veteran transcriptionists, those considering a career as a transcriptionist, and "any inquisitive individual who happens upon this book." All three groups can appreciate the book and gain important knowledge. However, people with backgrounds in the medical field or those who are familiar with medical terminology will be able to better identify with her stories.

Burns offers helpful tips for those interested in seeking a career in medical transcription. She also discusses where the profession is headed for the future and how vastly it may differ from its present state. She provides good advice for those trying to decide between working at home and working in a traditional office setting. (These tips are helpful for anyone considering working at home, regardless of his or her profession.) She challenges the reader to ponder if he or she has enough self-motivation to remain focused and complete the work on time. Another important item to consider is whether a particular person can work well alone or if interaction with other people is needed.

The author uses humor to depict the job of a medical transcriptionist. She includes some cute cartoons, but the best part is her takeoff of Jeff Foxworthy's "you might be a redneck" routine. She devotes an entire chapter to her "you might be a medical transcriptionist" theme, including such quips as, "If every time you sit in a chair you automatically feel for the foot pedal with your foot, you might be a medical transcriptionist."

This is a fun and well-written book. Sara Burns does an excellent job of recounting her life-experiences so the reader can easily relate to many of the situations. She includes humor to entertain and keep the audience interested. In addition, she serves as sort of a mentor for people considering making medical transcription their career.

Reviewed by Lynn Bee for RebeccasReads (3/08)

Sara Burns has spent 29 years as a medical transcriptionist and is writing to share her expertise. Much of her advice as a home-based independent contractor will be helpful to those in other professions as well. Her experiences taking her show on the road --spending a year living and working in Kauai -- may well inspire home-based workers in many fields.

Burns wrote the book for three distinct audiences. She says that experienced medical transcriptionists will smile and share in her reminiscences.

She hopes to give newbies a clear picture of what they are up against. While sharing some very good advice, she admits that the field is in constant change and acknowledges that many areas of the profession have changed drastically since her earlier stints in hospitals and clinics.

She also aims to inform the curious about the duties and importance of MTs. While the cover promises spicy anecdotes, the text is general and often repetitive. "Discover which famous person was a flirtatious rascal in the recovery room," teases the back cover. This item is at the tail end of the book and no names are named.

The author does provide some solid guidance about those television ads that promise you a life of ease and great financial gains when you take their class to earn a degree in her field. She is adamant: it just doesn't happen that way.

Burns has an impressive work history and obviously loves her chosen field, but I would not recommend "You're a Medical What!?!" to the casual reader. This book for the serious reader.

This book is easy to recommend for those interested in Burn's career, or even people interested late 19th century/ early 20th century chess, especially the players based in England at that time. It's well worth the high price tag if you fit in that group.

I put myself in that group -- I'm not a particular fan of Burn (I don't mean that as a slight -- I'd just not read much about him, or played over many of his games until I read this book), but I love the dark recesses of chess history, and the period covered in this book especially fascinates me.

Forster does a decent job of setting the background in which Burn lived by documenting some of the club politics and events of the times. This can sometimes be rather dry reading, but that's one problem chess biographers face -- oftentimes the great players lived rather mundane lives outside of chess.

That said, I admire the scholarship of the book. There is a lengthy appendix, bibliography, and index, as well as an index of openings, and credits for annotations which Forster did not write himself. This book will function as a reliable reference for those interested in Burn or the players of his time.

There are a *lot* of games, all, or virtually all, annotated by Burn, other players of the age (especially appreciated are the notes by Steinitz, since his writings aren't easy to come by these days), or Forster, who is an International Master himself.

There is a massive amount of material here --972 pages, including index, etc, and plenty of tournament tables, pictures, and other diagrams. The most surprising revelation to me is that Burn was a very fine tactical player. There are quite a number of brilliant attacking games in his praxis.

So, how to recommend? If you have no real interest in Burn or his games, it probably won't be worth the money to you. However, if you do have an interest, you can hardly go wrong. The book is beautifully bound, as is common with the McFarland chess books. It is rare to find such quality in any field. Forster's work is easily one of the greatest chess biographies ever written.

These days Amos Burn is remembered as a somewhat dour and obscure player who was famous for losing a couple of brevities to more famous players like Frank Marshall. Burn had a defensive/positional approach to chess and was by all reports quite reserved and taciturn. So what incentive would there be to catalogue his chess career in such great detail. The secret with this book is that it brings Burn to life within the context of his times and historical setting (1870s to 1920s). The players, the tournaments, the controversies are analysed in at times great detail, and are overall very interesting and holds the reader's attention throughout. The various elements (games, notes, pictures, tournament tables, and background details) are superbly presented to enable the reader to drop in and out (you will not be able to digest the material in one sitting) without getting lost in the enormous detail. This is a desert island book par excellence and will provide interesting reading for years. The closest comparison is the excellent book on Alekhine by Skinner and Verhoeven (same publishers). If you think that it is the biggest chess book on the planet, the Burn book is in fact bigger. It is not just the size, but that it takes chess biography/game collections to a higher level. I thought that this would be impossible as the Alekhine book is a masterpiece (it's only weakness is the absence of photos - has only one - the Burn book has hundreds). The games are a comprehensive collection, as unlike Alekhine, Burn did not tend to play a lot of simultaneous and blindfold games, with the inevitable variablity in quality. The games therefore are uniformly good, but not quite reaching Alekhine's genius (both highs and lows). The annotations are outstanding, both compemtorary and brought up to date by Forster (who is a strong player himself). Any serious student of chess will be richly rewarded. Although quite expensive, the book contains enormous value and will definately become a classic. It has the expected excellent McFarland touch (quality paper, library quality binding, high quality layout and general presentation, etc) and despite its size (over 950 pages)is unlikely to fall apart. I believe that this book sets a new challenge for chess authors and is quite likely to be the best book of its type ever written. Even Edward Winter, one of the supreme chess authors, has in a recent review admitted that this is the book that he would have liked to have written. I cannot wait for Forster to turn his mind to Lasker or indeed any of the other world champions who richly deserve this treatment. Buy this book, you will not regret it.
Walter Hart, Burra Creek, Australia

Truly a magnificent undertaking by Richard Forster who not only provides a detailed study of Amos Burn's chess career but also a truly enlightening history of chess as it was played at that time and the chess players who played it. If you want to learn more about chess and the chess players of the second half of the 19th century, here is the book for you. This book also provides a standard by which all other chess biographies and games collections should model themselves after. I would give this book 50 stars if I could.

This is the best chess book I have ever seen. It's what I think the perfect chess book biography should be. It has annotated games, chronology of the player, crosstables, history, best indexes I have ever seen, pictures and photographs, trivia, and absolutely thorough (972 pages!). Richard Forster wrote the best chess book possible on a less-famous chess master. I wish every great chess master from the past had a book like this. The publisher, McFarland and Company, put together this book, which I think is there finest work. - Bill Wall

Why? Let me count the ways...

The heart of the book is Burn's games. It is hard to see how Forster's treatment of them could be improved. First, he unearthed over 900 of Burn's games; only about 500 of those appear in databases or other books. Second, his annotations are marvelous. All annotations by the players, or by a contemporary chess columnist, are given. These include comments by many of the leading lights of the time (in particular Steinitz). In addition--and what is crucial--Forster, an IM, analyzed the games himself (with the help of a computer) and often adds excellent annotations of his own, or corrects errors in the contemporary annotations.Hundreds of the games are annotated, many of them in great depth. Third, the indexes: There are indexes of all the games based on the openings and opponents' names, as is customary, but in addition games are arranged in a seperate index according to the chess themes they exemplify. It includes entries such as "stubborn defense"; "instructive games"; "rook endings"; "positional sacrifices"; "Bishops of opposite color"; etc., etc. For those looking to improve by seeing how Burn handles certain types of positions--the #1 reason people buy collections of master games in the first place--this is invaluable.

Apart form the games, this book's biographical section is excellent. Just about every fact known about Burn--birth, death, family, work, travel, chess tournaments participation, club memberships, relations with other players, etc.--is given. Here, too, Forster "goes the extra mile": for example, for every tournament Burn participated in, he gives us not only his results and opponents, but the complete crosstable (when available); he not only tells us when Burn played in the Liverpool chess club, but what exact positions he held, the text of some of his speeches (or speeches in his honor) given at the club, and so on.

Finally, there is production value. The book is HUGE--over 900 folio pages on high-grade paper--in excellent, hard-cover blue velvet covering, with a gold-embossed title, and includes numerous rare photographs. "They don't make 'em like that anymore", as a cursory glance at the endless stream of thin soft-cover books on your local bookstore's "chess" section will show.

At $75, it's a bargain.

Two very hot, erotic yet very romantic stories that will keep you turning the pages. Enjoy!

If you're looking for romance that sizzles, your search is over! I have read one of the two stories included in this book--Rogue in Disguise by Monica Burns. The story provides readers a delightful, fun frolick from start to finish. The plot will suck you in right from page one, and will keep you engrossed until the last word! With its rakish hero and sassy heroine, Rogue in Disguise will thoroughly entertain you. The love scenes nearly singed my eyebrows--wickedly erotic and most memorable! The passion between the hero and heroine is both tender and torrid.

I've also read all the other Monica Burns titles from the New Concepts Publishing website [...], and I can tell you from experience that they're all marvelous. If you like Rogue in Disguise, you will love her other books even more! Although I've already downloaded and read Rogue in Disguise, I am going to buy a copy of The Art of Pleasure for my keeper shelf. I'm sure that Tutoring Lady Jane will be equally enjoyable. I can't wait to read it!

I stumbled upon another book by this author online by mistake and was drawn in instantly. I am not someone who likes fiction preferring non-fiction but I loved the historical detail not to mention the appropriate build up of sexual tension - something that in today's society I think we have forgotten in TV, Ads, etc. It is definitely worth while to take the time to read this one too! You will not be disappointed! Great Read!

ROGUE IN DISGUISE is a very erotic and tantalizing story that will keep the reader anxiously turning the pages to see what delicious experiences Charles has in store for Ophelia. Monica Burns wrote a story that is very explicit and exciting and not a story for the faint of heart.

Briana Burress, Reviewer for Romance Junkies

ROGUE IN DISGUISE --- When Lady Ophelia Sheffield's father lost the family estate to a notorious rake, the Earl of Rotherham, she and her sister were determined to gain back their home by whatever means were necessary. Ophelia, being the eldest, took it upon herself to beard the lion in his den and negotiated an offer to become the earl's protégé/student in the art of pleasure for one month on the condition that he return the deed to her family home.

Charles Lynton, the earl's brother looked amazingly like his elder brother except for the color of their eyes, and the earl often asked him to fill in for him when he wanted to get away. As such, Charles had become proficient at extricating the earl from the ton's more wily debutantes who looked to entrap him into becoming the earl's Countess. Thinking Ophelia was another trying to gain a husband, and with her also being one of the more sumptuous women he'd encountered, her proposal was just too good to pass up! AND, just too much of a temptation for Charles. As Ophelia proved to be a stimulating student who delighted in his `lessons' Charles was keenly aware that he might not be able to let her go, but would she ever be able to forgive him his deception of being a `rogue' in disguise?

*** WHEW! Talk about a HOTTY!!! - This was a totally sensual experience with the bonus of providing a wonderful love story on top of it! Ophelia was an apt pupil whose initial interest in gaining back the family home was totally eclipsed by a sensual awakening by the man she thought was the notorious Earl of Rotherham. Never expecting a happily ever after with him, she relished the experience and relinquished her innocence, failing to protect her heart. Even she couldn't define how she could love someone of his reputation - but she did! When her father discovered what she'd been up to and tried to force Charles' hand into marriage, Charles' rage at Ophelia for thinking she set him up was as understandable as the words delivered causing a crushing blow to her heart! But alas, love always turns out at the end. This was a truly quick read (a little over a hundred pages) but one that I am so very glad to have experienced! Though erotica in content, it was presented in a beautiful, and tasteful love story which was in no way coarse or crude! This was truly a divine read! -

I have not read the accompanying Featherstone story as I was only sent the ARC of Rogue...

Terry Watkins delivers. Vivid descriptions take you into the heat of the action and you'll feel as though you're right there in the thick of things. Terry creates characters you care about; he's a true storyteller, a star on the rise.

Smokejumper Anna Quick has braved some of the worst fires with aplomb and courage. However, nothing prepares her for the shock that her dad Jason, whom she thought died eight years ago in Asia, is apparently alive in Kuala Lumpur. Though the State Department insists they are working on his release, Anna cannot sit idly by as her dad is a prisoner of terrorists on a remote island.

Anna accompanies Delta Force operator John Brock as they head to Malaysia to mount a rescue. However, she soon learns that more then just terrorists hold her father prisoner; the island he has called "home" for the past eight years is turning into an out of control inferno. Finally feeling useful, Anna plans to do what she does best smoke jump to save her dad.

THE BIG BURN grabs reader attention from the opening scene in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and never misses a beat until the final spin. Anna is a terrific courageous character who needs to be part of the rescue of her dad; the fire allows her to do so. John has doubts about her tagging along on the search and rescue mission, but soon changes his mind when he realizes how helpful Anna is. This action thriller starring likable heroes is a one sitting fun read.

Harriet Klausner

I couldn't put it down. Fire fighting, Special forces fighting and CIA tangles with just the right amount of romance. Can't wait for his next book, hope he keeps them coming.

Terry Watkins has produced a high-energy novel that is jam packed with action! Despite being a Silhouette book, this is not a romance novel but rather it is an adventure. And what an adventure! Anna Quick is a smoke jumper whose father has been presumed dead for eight years, or so she thinks. Instead, her father, Jason Quick, has been a deep cover CIA agent infiltrating the sister organization of Al-Quaeda. Jason has obtained a laptop that others are willing to kill for and he will only turn the laptop and its contents over to Anna or Special Ops agent John Brock. Brock trains Anna to prepare her for their rescue attempt to the island jungle where Jason is hiding from terrorists, guerrillas, pirates, a raging fire, and various other unsavory elements. Unfortunately, Brock is yanked from the mission at the last minute and Tom Roca replaces him. Anna doesn't trust Roca and he quickly demonstrates to her that he doesn't have the field skills of Brock when he nearly drowns both of them. Meanwhile, high level government officials are closely tracking the rescue mission as Jason has incriminating information on these officials. Anna and Roca locate Jason with the assistance of Azalina, Anna's half-sister. The expected betrayal finally occurs and Anna and Azalina are left to rescue Jason without assistance from Roca. This novel was action-filled from start to finish. Watkins maintained a high level of action without any letdowns and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this adventure!

Terry Watkins has written a top-rate, non-stop action thriller -from the first page to the last. It is in the James Bond genre with the male female / roles reversed. The story certainly could make a great film, a box office smash, resonating in today's headlines. The crystal clear images describing the action, the places, and the interchanges among the characters would adapt easily to the screen; the narrator's references to historic action films, such as those of Kurosawa, points the way.

The story is a fictional account of the struggle of good and evil in a context of vital American values. The protagonist, a woman smoke jumper from Colorado, is hijacked by US Military Intelligence / CIA operatives to help retrieve her father, a CIA agent who had been working undercover in Kula Lumpur. He is wounded and trapped on a burning, jungle infested island in the perilous Straights of Malacca, a year after the 2004 tsunami. Why her father demanded that his daughter be included on the rescue team is one of the mysteries tied to his possession of a computer that holds a key to a major jihadist threat to Washington, D.C. Fantasy action merges with known international threats of freighting proportions.

This book is one of my favorites for group activities, ice breakers, and getting a staff team to start thinking creatively. It is perfect for anyone who likes a challenge and the answers not just handed to them. I have given these books as gifts to adults and see them use the exercises over and over. Highly recommended. (Maybe even your kids would like it.)

This 125-page children's book really makes you think by challenging the most basic of assumptions. Some of the exercises are quite simple, some a bit more complex, but all of them make readers consider things from a different point of view, a skill that all too many people in 2008 have utterly lost.

After explaining briefly that people often get roadblocks in their brains, or "build your own mental walls," and keep bumping into them, this book first sets about proving the point, and then proposes several samples of mental gymnastics to get one's brain "unstuck."

The second, entitled "Looking at what you usually see," challenges ten pretty basic assumptions. It asks readers to try a ten-question quiz, answering each item "true" or "false." Then readers are asked how many answers they were absolutely certain of and how many they guessed. After a week, they're asked to try the same quiz over again. In many more instances than one would imagine, readers answer wrong, and a week later, still get a lot of questions wrong.

Similarly, the book instructs readers to "watch out for mental blinders," which prevent problem solving just as much as physical blinders prevent peripheral vision for horses. Drawing a line through nine dots in only four strokes, for example, is possible without lifting the pencil off the page---only if one thinks "outside the box."

Newspapers today are as guilty as school children (and too often, teachers) of insisting that reports may be told only one way. Any news falling outside the lines of "acceptability" essentially get blocked out. This is the boxiest means---that is to say, the stupidest possible---to cover national and international events in a supposed democracy.

By not admitting information from "outside their box" news media are contributing mightily to the downfall of free thinking.

Fortunately, readers still have The Book of Think, and the Internet, to help them evade all those dumb, artificial boundaries.

I just pulled out my copies of this book and The I Hate Mathematics Book! to show to someone. I read them both prolifically from years 8-12 or so, and to this day pick them up occasionally. I was curious to see if it was still in print, and pleasantly suprised. My copy of this book is so well worn, the cover is falling off of it.

The Book of Think, simply put, is a book that teaches critical thinking skills. The puzzles are fun, and sometimes a bit surreal. The skills learned are invaluable. I believe this series was recommended to us by a gifted education teacher. They strongly shaped my formative years. I remember staying home and reading these two books, and others in the series. They are loaded with practical problems and hands on tools to use. I am sure that a teacher could find lots of great activities for students with these books.

Quick, click on the link and purchase this book, Hate Mathematics, I am not a short adult, Blood and Guts, The Reason for Seasons, This book is about Time... get them all before they are out of print. You won't be disappointed. It may be the best purchase you have ever made for your children and/or students. Maybe even yourself! I think I'll reread them all.

Lisa

I was given this book a zillion years ago when I was a kid. It must have made quite an impression on me, because I still remember it fondly all these years later. I recently bought a copy for my 6-year-old and, while some of the book's concepts are a little advanced for her, she still enjoys it. This book encourages creative problem-solving and analytical skills, two things that are not taught nearly enough in today's schools.

I was given this book as a child. It was one of the best gifts I ever got. Every child should have this book, and every parent should read it, too.

Bread in the Wilderness, a classic by Thomas Merton so well known for bringing an enthusiasm for things of God to the Twentieth and Twenty-first century, was first published in 1953. It has been reissued by New Directions Publishing in the original large format text design with the original illustrations of a medieval crucifix at Perpignan, France. The photographs of this crucifix, taken by J. Comet, are presented in varied detail and perspective throughout the book in such a way as to complement the text. The text design, itself, is by Alvin Lustig as in the original, and presents the dropped or hanging running page information suggesting a crucifix and subtly informing the entire meaning of the book. For anyone interested in book design this volume is a valuable resource. Those who see a shocking modernity in medieval artwork and the depiction of faces high up in church and cathedral detailing will be interested as well. As for the writing itself and its importance, it is enough to say that the first chapter, based on the psalms, lays claim to its lastingness when Merton himself says, "the Psalms are one of the most valid forms of prayer ... of all time."

I commend New Directions for issuing a facsimile reprint of the original of this valuable book. Who would not say that here is a publishing company of enduring and impeccable taste? I have a copy of the original cloth bound book- it is beautiful, and easily one of my top twenty favorite books. I believe this is the book that comes most surely from Merton the poet. His consideration of the Psalms is inspired; the language in this book is as severe and ecstatic as are the Psalms themselves, and his insight into their relevance is without peer. The brevity of Merton's exposition is part of its potency. Nothing is wasted. Like the Psalms themselves, the veins of this book run deep in kingly rivers, announcing the heart of God like a morning song. Merton's interior acquisition of that song is of epic intensity, yet simple as clean water. I believe "Bread in the Wilderness" surpasses even "Seeds of Contemplation" in directness, common heart, and indeed artistic beauty. It's an indescribably beautiful book that moves, aches and rocks, and leads one, ultimately, to the inmost core of revelation, which is, after all, believability. Merton's references to the Psalms can be traced like a monk's thread throughout all of his writing, from the earliest books up through the posthumously published Journals. This book gives us a clear understanding of how constantly faithful Thomas Merton remained not only to the brilliant song of the Psalms themselves, but to the music of his own exceeding heart. And the woodcut Christ on the cover is so unfailingly Cistercian! This is a book that will live forever.

Who better then Thomas Merton, a poet and a monk, to share his feelings on the most significant and influential collection of religious poems ever written? In this book Merton teaches us that the Psalms not only sum up the teachings of the Old Testament, but they can serve as actual nourishment for those whose vocation is the life of prayer. This book offers inspiration on the Psalms and shows us how they can lead us become closer to God.

I highly recommend this book to all. And especially to those who seek to come closer to God daily in their contemplative life. Thomas Merton was Father Louis of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance and lived daily with the Psalms.

When Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk, wrote BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS, he had fallen in love with the Psalms of the Old Testament. As a monk, he had chanted the Psalms every day of the week. The monks still do this today. This book is certaily about the Psalms as it relates to people seeking to understand God and Christ. In only the way Thomas Merton can write, one will discover many practical truths about the Psalms. As Merton writes, "The Psalms are theolgy. That means that they place us in direct contact with God, through the assent of faith in His revelation." Even though this is a brief book, it contains large amount of material for thought and study. There are five divisions in the book, and each division highlights how God speaks through the Psalms. To the poet, there are many Psalms of importance. As Merton writes, "The Psalms are poems, and poems have a meanng, although the poet has no obligation to make his meaning immediately clear to anyone who does not want to make an effort to discover it." One of the most ineresting things about the book is how Merton sees Jesus Christ throughout the Psalms. Maybe Merton says it best whe he writes, "The Psalms are more that language. They contain within themselves the silence of high mountains and the silence of heaven. It is only when we stand at the bottom of the mountain that it is hard for us to distinguish the language of the Psalter from the tongues of the earth..." In this book, Merton makes the Psalms come alive. This is a book worth reading.

New Directions was Father Merton,s first publisher and always produced art house quality books meant to last. This tradition only improves with age as this New DIrections reprint issue continues the tradition of high quality books which are a joy to handle and to hold.

I find the Liturgical Press reprint of this monumental work of Psalm theology to be hard to read and easily broken, like a small trade paperback. This New Directions reprint on the other hand has a generous size and a beautiful lay out with generous margins for your own meditations. I especially appreciate the illustrations of various aspects of the ancient French Catalan Devot Christ which I have not seen in many decades, and am deeply moved to contemplate once more within these pages.

Any spiritual library requires this volume of Father Mertons meditations and teachings of the Psalms, the cornerstone of any monastic prayer life, the cornerstone of the Rule and life of Our Holy Father Saint Benedict, who requires their full reading weekly and regularly. And this beautiful and merciful reprint by New Directions fills their contemplation with a great and gentle joy.

This volume of Father Mertons early writings also still comes with Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, etc., for those who require such things.

In a world where "literary fiction" has come to mean any pretentious [fluff] published by multi-national corporations that festers in high-end "independent" bookstore display windows, Jennifer Fink delivers the antidote. Burn is a meditation in an emergency-- to borrow from a Frank O'Hara poem-- which is apt, since-- like O'Hara, Fink renders the everyday in every way. Fink manages to sustain O'Hara's whimsy and play while carefully mediating doom. O'Hara is an unlikely comparison to make for Fink's darkly comic, brooding (ir)rationalism, but O'Hara incants that every word may hold charm, alarm and Fink adds that every gesture may hold harm, alarm!!! Burn brings 50s paranoia to a millennial audience that better damn well be scared. The point is that Burn is a work of impure brilliance that makes any reviewer. Congratulations to Suspect Thoughts Press for putting out another gem-- and to Jennifer Fink for mixing us up with the madness of it all.

A family member gave me Ann Coulter's Treason as a gag gift for my birthday (I'm the only Democrat in my all-Republican family, which is why I'm in San Francisco and they're still in Oklahoma). There was much laughter until I read the book. Then a bookworm friend of mine told me about the underground buzz on a book from a new press in San Francisco. I bought the book and read it in one weekend.

The book was Burn by Jennifer Natalya Fink. And not only is it the perfect antidote to Ann Coulter, it is easily the best work of literature I have read in years.

Fink tells her "fable for the Bush/Rumsfeld era" through one of the most fascinatingly unreliable narrators I have ever encountered: Mrs. Slyvia Edelman.

Slyvie, despite or because of all the asides, is some storyteller. And she is going through menopause and late-night hot- and cold-flashes and possible hallucinations and bags of red licorice as she regales the reader, like a guest at her kitchen table, with the events of the final days of 1953 and of Slyvan Lake Colony, a socialist Jewish workers colony from the 1930s that the Feds are closing in on. Only a few of the founding members remain, including Slyvie, staying steadfast in the home she and her late husband Max built.

Out back of her house, it seems Slyvie has found a naked boy urinating on tomatoes in her garden. His only possessions are a satchel with a bandanna and set of dog-tags he wears around his neck with the name Simon. He vanishes and reappears for several days till Slyvie gets a hold of him.

Burn begins with this mystery and only gets more mysterious as Simon and Slyvie grow closer and the Feds, at the height of the Red Scare, close in. Old comrades disappear to Moscow or Jersey; Slyvie's sister Rose begs her to leave and get respectable; Simon cannot or will not talk and may or may not be a government spy.

To tell more of the story would ruin the beauty of this book. It is the uncertainty of events and Slyvie's grip on reality, coupled with Slyvie's deceptively simple but lyrical language, that make Burn a true work of art that recalls the writing of Faulkner as easily as Bernard Malamud. And it burns with a beautiful eroticism that echoes the passion and poetry of the original Song of Solomon.

I cannot recommend this book enough--to everyone who is interested in reading a timely and beautifully told fable that is also an amazing work of literature. Fink is destined to be one of America's greatest authors.

A mysterious story that kept me engrossed - from the affair between her protagonist and the mysterious blond boy, to the gathering storm of threatening government surveillance, BURN was suspenseful and thought provoking. An apt tale for our times.

Fink creates a breathtakingly original, powerful, and believable universe. Burn is painful and oddly gentle and funny at the same time. It delineates marvelously fluid boundaries between dream and reality, justice and absurdity, inside and outside, terror and elation. Moving, eye-opening, and full of subtle layers that resonate long after you put it down, Burn is a true gift.

This is easily the best work of literature I have read in years.

And Fink tells her "fable for the Bush/Rumsfeld era" through one of the most fascinatingly unreliable narrators I have ever encountered: Mrs. Sylvia Edelman.

Sylvie, despite or because of all the asides, is some storyteller. And she is going through menopause and late-night hot- and cold-flashes and possible hallucinations and bags of red licorice as she regales the reader, like a guest at her kitchen table, with the events of the final days of 1953 and of Sylvan Lake Colony, a socialist Jewish workers colony from the 1930s that the Feds are closing in on. Only a few of the founding members remain, including Sylvie, staying steadfast in the home she and her late husband Max built.

Out back of her house, it seems Sylvie has found a naked boy among the tomatoes in her garden. His only possessions are a satchel with a bandanna and set of dog-tags he wears around his neck with the name Simon. He vanishes and reappears for several days till Sylvie gets a hold of him.

Burn begins with this mystery and only gets more mysterious as Simon and Sylvie grow closer and the Feds, at the height of the Red Scare, close in. Old comrades disappear to Moscow or Jersey; Sylvie's sister Rose begs her to leave and get respectable; Simon cannot or will not talk and may or may not be a government spy.

To tell more of the story would ruin the beauty of this book. It is the uncertainty of events and Sylvie's grip on reality, coupled with Sylvie's deceptively simple but lyrical language, that make Burn a true work of art that recalls the writing of Faulkner as easily as Bernard Malamud. And it burns with a beautiful eroticism that echoes the passion and poetry of the original Song of Solomon.

I cannot recommend this book enough--to everyone who is interested in reading a timely and beautifully told fable that is also an amazing work of literature. Fink is destined to be one of America's greatest authors.

An ambitious book (derived from a business school MBA course) that uses experts to deliver an overview of market structure/dynamics in Pharma, Biotheraputics, Medical Devices and Informatics. The material is generally interesting and reasonably well presented although the partiality of the authors is often a little too noticeable ('irrational exuberance' is probably the best way to describe the chapter on medical devices). There are also surprising omissions - medical imaging is dismissed in a short paragraph, WTO discussions on compulsory licensing non existent and the issue of reference pricing is mentioned but left unexplored.
The content is also beginning to show it's age (2003 imprint) and the data underlying some of the chapters is nearly a decade old.
That said it's a good overview particularly of pharma and remains readable and coherent throughout.

The book provides a comprehensive look at the economics and rationale of product development, pricing and marketing in the healthcare market. Anyone who thinks that we (collectively) are being gouged by the medical device or pharmaceutical industry should take a look at the signficant costs incurred and capital risked by companies trying to innovate in that market.

While the approach taken in the book is largely academic, the information provided is easily understood by a general audience.

For all U.S. taxpayers and those who employ them, healthcare is one of the most important industries and yet, for most of taxpayers, it is probably the least understood. According to Burns, almost all attention has previously been focused on those who pay for and on who provide healthcare services. He explains that, in this book, he and other contributors focus their attention on the producers of healthcare products.

This book was primarily written for two different audiences: students and their teachers in graduate programs of health administration, and practitioners in each of several sectors (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, genomics and proteomics, medical device, and information technology) "not so much to educate them about their own sphere of activity, but rather to educate them about the other sectors that are increasingly interdependent with their own." The five industry sectors "are responsible for supplying a majority of the innovative products utilized by physicians and hospitals and which are increasingly demanded by consumers." As is later explained, "This supply and demand logic has exerted both positive and negative effects."

Of special interest to me is what Burns and other contributors have to say about innovative thinking and why it is not only important but indeed essential to the healthcare industry. (Much of the innovation is achieved in the information technology sector which Jeff F. Goldsmith examines in depth in Chapter 7.) Because the aforementioned five sectors are all for profit, Burns and associates examine the business models and corporate strategies of firms in those sectors. "As a result, the book may be more at home in health administration programs located in business schools [e.g. Wharton at which Burns is the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor, and Professor of Health Care Systems], but it may still be useful for programs in schools of public health and public administration." Given the rapidly increasing costs of healthcare, and especially given the fact that there is not as net a national public health program, my own opinion is that all public officials should read this book. I also highly recommend this book to all organizations which currently do business -- or are planning to business with -- producers of healthcare products.

Make no mistake about it: This is not an "easy read" but I hasten to add, that it rewards generously those who read it with appropriate care. Although healthcare students and their teachers comprise one of its primary audiences, this not so much a textbook as it is a rigorous analysis of urgent issues and significant crises which should also be of interest to senior-level executives of organizations which assume the substantial costs of coverage for those involved, for example, and to those in the news media who have -- until now -- devoted little (if any) attention to producers of healthcare products, other than to draw attention to their quarterly and annual financial data.

For me, the most interesting and most valuable material is provided with the last chapter, "Healthcare innovation across sectors: convergences and divergences," which Burns co-authored with Stephen M. Sammut. Obviously, it is highly advisable to read the seven chapters which precede it to derive full benefit from it. Burns and Sammut summarize the technological developments across all of the five segments (i.e. pharmaceutical, biotechnology, genomics and proteomics, medical device, and information technology) and suggest what can be learned about the business of innovation in healthcare. They carefully examine "various changes in market structure of each sector, the major business models used in each sector, the key success factors and distinctive capabilities of firms in each sector, the convergence between and among sectors, the formulation of value-adding alliances, and the managerial skills needed to sustain innovation and change in each sector."

Obviously, this is not a book for everyone but, now that I have read and then re-read it, I think The Business of Healthcare Innovation will be of substantial value to far more people than I originally assumed.

Bravo!

The market dynamics, business models, and corporate strategies of pharma, biotech, genomics, medical device development, and health care information technology are converging. And you better get ready.

Written by business gurus at the Wharton School and health industry executives, The Business of Healthcare Innovation provides an invaluable analysis of key business trends in the manufacturing side of health care. Editor Lawton R. Burns, Ph.D. and contributors focus on the producer side of health care and demonstrate how manufacturers serve as the principal drivers of health care innovation.

Specifically, The Business of Healthcare Innovation:

1. Provides an insightful, detailed overview of the most influential players - namely, the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, genomics/proteomics, medical device, and information technology sectors.

2. Describes and assesses the market structures, business models, and corporate strategies of each of these six sectors.

3. Shows how the six sectors are converging, drawing increasingly on the trends, tools, and solutions of each other.

A compelling, business-savvy look at the manufacturing side of health care, The Business of Healthcare Innovation is highly recommended for executives, policy makers, investors, and consultants to business and government decision makers.

The Business of Healthcare Innovation, a new book edited by Wharton Health Care Management Professor Lawton R. Burns, is a must-read analysis of key commercial issues in the four major business sectors developing innovative healthcare products - pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and information technology. Thoughtful executives will be grateful for the book's solid research foundation and unwavering focus on practical business strategy issues.

Each sector receives a chapter-length analysis that includes market structure, key players, product development, commercialization, alliances, business strategy, and growth prospects. The contributors, who represent both Wharton faculty and industry executives, have done an excellent job of explaining the dynamics behind each sector. The chapter notes also provide an invaluable guide for further research.

Executives on the commercial side of the pharmaceutical industry should be sure to read the chapter on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which reviews all known empirical research on the surprisingly limited benefits reaped from M&As. More practically, the chapter describes the most important managerial processes needed to extract synergies from M&As, with particular emphasis on the critical role played by the broader healthcare value chain.

The final chapter intriguingly suggests that the frontier of innovation lay in the convergence of these four sectors, such as new drug-device therapies or greater use of imaging in surgical treatment. This technological convergence will undoubtedly require new hybrid value chains, suggesting many exciting opportunities for the executives and companies responsible for moving drugs to market. Executives could profitably use this chapter as the basis for a rich strategic planning discussion.

Obviously specifically for Ada but a good resource for any programmer interested in the general concept of concurrent programming. The organization of the chapters and the introduction to concurrency are alone worth the price.

Ada has been one of few languages which provides facilities for concurrent programming, but readings for the feature had been limited. This book is not only the first but also an excellent guide to the capability of the new Ada standard.

It covers,

1.@The Ada Language

2. The Nature and Uses of Concurrent Programming

3. Inter-Process Communication

4. Ada Task Types and Objects

5. The Rendezvous

6. The Select Statement and the Rendezvous

7. Protected Objects and Data-Oriented Communication

8. Avoidance Synchronisation and the Requeue Facility

9. Using Protected Objects as Building Blocks

10. Exceptions, Abort and Asyncronous Transfer of Control

11. Tasking and System Programming

12. Real-Time Programming

13. Object-Oriented Programming and Tasking

14. Distributed Systems

15. Conclusion

Not only Ada programmers, but also all professonal software engineers who design real-time, embedded systems, advanced students of computer science, and even beginners should find it quite useful.

I've read the original print published in 1995, which has been out-of-print.

I am so happy to know it is now to be RE-PRINTed, and every programmers would be.

Fully harnessing multi-core processors requires concurrent programming, yet most mainstream languages have little support or do so with poor portability. Well-written concurrent Ada programs can be extremely portable and support multi-core and multiple processors automatically. This book explores, in-depth, the concurrent programming ("tasking") part of the Ada language. The authors then show how the concurrent programming facilities of Ada are augmented by the language to support real-time programming. These standard real-time facilities are state-of-the-art, extending, for example, beyond the POSIX real-time facilities in their expressive power.

The book first establishes the necessary foundation for understanding concurrent programming by explaining the possible problems (e.g., deadlocks and race conditions) and highlighting some of the mechanisms traditionally used in concurrent programming, such as semaphores and message-passing.

The tasking part of Ada is then covered in full detail, necessarily including interactions with some other parts of the language, such as exceptions, but also including interactions with the Ada object-oriented language facilities. The implementations of a number of reusable concurrency abstractions serve to illustrate the use of the tasking features.

The authors next lay another foundation, this time for scheduling in real-time systems, and show how Ada directly supports the common approaches. Both fixed-priority and dynamic-priority dispatching are supported by Ada and these are covered in detail. Ada 2005 also defines a number of time-related abstractions, such as a monotonic clock and timing events, and these are also covered completely. As in the concurrent programming part of the book, a number of reusable abstractions are implemented; in this section they illustrate the real-time language facilities. A discussion of the popular Ravenscar Profile, adopted by some other languages, is included.

No language is perfect and Ada is no exception. The tasking part of Ada 83 was particularly controversial in the domain of real-time systems. Ada 95 addressed many of these issues and added some new ones. Ada 2005 does the same. These issues are not ignored in the book.

I own 46 books on Ada (not counting older editions of some of them), gathered over 27 years of applying the language. Some are excellent and some not, but this one is highly prized. I highly recommend it to professionals and students alike.

the authors of this book is famous. and the contents of the book do not disappoint me.

i have several references about ada. of course, some of the references are written by the author of this book. But, regard to the acting mechanism of ada task, this book is awesome.

but, if you are the beginner of real-time & embedded system, you should have another reference(s) to fully understand the meaning of the every article of this book.

By far the best on the subject. Offers complete coverage of any aspect of concurrency with Ada, including real-time and distributed programming issues. Burns and Wellings are the acknowledged experts on this topic.

The best aspect of the book is the analysis of features and their interactions, providing a depth not available in other texts covering the entire language.

Assumes you know some Ada, but includes an introduction to the sequential part of the language.

I own quite a few books on Ada; this is the one to get if you want the details of Ada concurrency.

Children don't come with an instruction manual. "Confident Parenting" is a guide for parents to deal with that. Admitting that the parenting process is more of a feel thing than anything else, "Confident Parenting" gives the best advice it can - to be confident. With practical tips to help parents get by, and guidelines to make one's home as harmonious as possible, "Confident Parenting" is a must for parents striving to do the best they can.

Book arrived in perfect condition and quicly. Excellent service.
And a terrific book recommended by Psychologist John Rosemond.

Wonderful advice on raising children who love God in this crazy world. Very real world. Excellent planning & goal setting tools.

All too often we worry about teaching our children becoming bullies or arrogant or hard so we teach them to be passive, compliant, and perhaps whimpy. Confident Parenting is about showing parents how to raise their children to be confident, compassionate, strong human beings and it's about time! Very good book. Full of great insight and lessons we can take home and use.

Jim Burns writes with a passion to come alongside parents who are looking for a strategy of parenting that offers practical advice with God honoring principles. "Confident Parenting" is the result of Jim's passion.

Burns introduces the concept and challenge of becoming "A Transitional Generation Parent." He draws from his own life experiences and illustrations from the lives of other hurting and frustrated parents. He addresses the question of how to overcome negative family patterns learned and carried over from childhood.

Another important word Jim uses in describing confident parenting is "intentionality." This implies being intentional in putting God first in priorities, relationships, and in the parenting role. Jim encourages the reader to find replenishment for their overcrowded lives. He recommends this as another "intentionality."

Important sidebars in the narrative remind the reader of some basic principles. "The first layer of influence for spirituality is the parent, and then the church." And "When it comes to discipleship, life lessons are more caught than taught." An alarming sidebar warns, "The pace of life is killing the soul of families." I found the chapter on discipline and grace, as well as the one on passing on the legacy of faith to the next generation to be especially helpful.

The questions for study, and evaluation make this book a valuable resource for counseling or for parenting class curriculum.

"Confident Parenting" provides solid Biblical concepts and offers hope and healing to troubled parents. Jim Burns, writing at his best.