Byrne Books

If there is ever one word to describe this book, its powerful. What a concept...that suffering is never meaningless, but a vehicle of purposeful intent and that we, as eternal souls, planned to use certain challenges to foster growth not only for our own souls but for the sake of our soul group and the universe at large. Putting it into a context like this, suffering has a whole different meaning.

According to the book, those around us also plan our lives intertwined with ours and all decisions are made out of love, no exception. I now think about my own challenges and those who have played a key role in my own personal growth and look upon them with gratitude and not judgment, including the "villains" in my story, because they fostered the most growth out of me. I am only now beginning to see the perfection of life. Aside from clarity, this book will bring healing and infinite comfort to those going through extreme suffering in their lives by learning there are no victims in this world.

Part of me picked up this book to find comfort for my own inner wounds. I cried when I read the words "Only the courageous plan fear" for I knew, that was what I intended to heal and have been working on it for years, having them dissipate one by one.

It has been a long time since I closed a book and felt warm, comforted and knowledgeable. The author takes you by the hand and guides you through this information with compassion, grace and great wisdom. I just cannot fully express how wonderful this book is. It is absolute perfection and if I could, I'd give it more stars. If there is ever a book I'd recommend, it would be this one!

I absolutely love this book! I knew that we had pre-planned our lives before reading it, but it explains it so well with people's stories to show you examples. I really hope I can get my friend to read it as I think it will help her to understand the reasons for some of her challenges in her childhood and now. EXCELLENT BOOK!

Wonderful reference book for anyone researching reincarnation. Answers many question as well as raising them.

Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?Best book I have ever read on the subject of Pre Birth Planning. So well written and easy to relate to. It has brought great healing to my life and I continue to explore all possibilities. It has certainly given me a better understanding to life and knowing that everyone is on a journey to better their soul. A must read for anyone on a spiritual path to healing.

Everything always makes sense when you can see the big picture. This book provides a glimpse into why events we perceive as "bad" happen, through a varied collection of individual cases.

Our lives in this "reality" are just learning experiences, to expand our awareness of ourselves, we agreed to before we arrived on the planet.

When this book came out 30 years ago it raised the bar for pool and three cushion billiards instruction manuals. Earlier books, such as Ray Martin' 99 Critical Shots, were badly flawed by the gross inaccuracies of their diagrams. Byrne introduced large and accurate scale diagrams, even including parabolic paths for cue balls struck with draw or follow. The last half of the book covers the elegant game of 3-cushion, which is now enjoying a renaissance. It contains by far the best, and nearly the only, explanation of "the diamond system" for calculating multiple rail bank shots. Even a rudimentary familiarity with it should help virtually any pool player. The entire book is leavened with Byrne's characteristic dry wit. I've been recommending this book to students for decades.

Hey, it may be a good book, I don't own it. But looking at the cover page, should not the 8 ball be in place of the 10?

Bought this book used from amazon. It is an exceelent and easy read that will improve your game immediately. I am still plowing through it but already I see improvement. Some of the photos could be a little sharper but none are so bad that you can't determine what it depicts. Highly recommend it.

The Chilton Book of pool, Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards is a must have for anyone who plays pool.

I read the book page by page and practiced with it. My game is 300% better. This book is for every tipe of player.

In "The Power of Two: A Twin Triumph over Cystic Fibrosis," we meet identical twins, Isabel and Anabel Stenzel, who were born with a deadly disease: cystic fibrosis (CF). As adults, the sisters underwent the only "cure" for CF -- lung transplantation -- and are now living their lives at full-speed after childhoods dominated by chest percussions and drug therapy, numerous and lengthy hospitalizations, constant medical scrutiny, and watching their friends with CF die at young ages. "The Power of Two" is a beautifully written book that will amaze you with its brutal honesty, move you to tears, and inspire you to count your blessings. The remarkable Stenzel twins have an extraordinary lesson to teach us all: never give up, live life to the fullest, and don't take the incredible gift of breath for granted. Their story will linger in your heart long after you've closed this book.

What a powerful book! The twins take you through a very tough physical journey of their lives. I could not put this book down, and I would be shocked if it did not touch your heart. This book is truly inspiring!

Wow. The twins' story about growing up with cystic fibrosis, their biracial family, and succeeding in going to college, finding love and ultimately receiving lung transplants is profoundly moving. Their honesty about their good (and not so good) experiences, particularly with their parents and brother, and later with boyfriends, is absolutely gripping. Their persistence and hope in the face of repeated challenges, conveyed in a well-written narrative, is awesome and makes this book a great read for anyone facing challenges or wanting inspiration.

This book gives great courage to its readers. It is at once a tale of Ana and Isa's triumph over Cystic Fibrosis and their triumph over the struggle that is life itself. Their decision to live as victors, to engage life fully and to find value and meaning in the midst of great storms is powerful. I have found strength in this book for my own personal trials and believe that others who read it will be equally moved. This is a perfect book for those who are struggling with personal health issues, for young adults and adolescents, for people in the health industry and for educators who wish to enlighten themselves and their students on chronic illnesses, living with disabilities and issues of biculturalism.
An amazing read. I simply could not put it down.

I agree with what Tiffany wrote before me. I'm also an adult with CF, just hit 30. I had considered writing my own little CF memoir, but these girls did such an awesome job with their vivid depiction of their experiences, thoughts and emotions throughout their lives, they covered it all. Their journey brings you into the world of all stages of CF from everyday maintenance to near death experiences, how it's changed since the 70's, the treatments, the pain and the joy in meeting others in this special CF club. As others have said, this book covers so much more. With a German father and Japanese mother, they take you through life as biracial twins in America and Japan, their travels around the world, and the amazing support they found in family and eachother, then much much later boyfriends. Their story is brutally honest about their experiences, and they've had some tough ones. What I loved most was this honesty and ability to infuse some funny in their situations and not take themselves too seriously. It's refreshing. The narration of their mother was hilarious, even though she's their biggest supporter it seems. My only complaint is I'm jealous they went to CF camp and met Bob Flanagan, the camps were gone by the time I knew they existed.

Brilliant girls, thank you!

I was given an earlier printing of this book when I first learned to read, and I think it has something to do with my childhood nickname of "Dictionary Breath." It has remained among my most treasured possessions!

While some of the words don't really seem to merit an entry in this book over its a delightful collection. There are some words such as "grassation" (to lie in wait to attack) which are so incredibly useful I don't know why they aren't in more common circulation.

I would like to see the etymology included, but speculating about a word's etymology and then looking it up elsewhere has become part of the game for me and my friends.

I own two worn-out copies, because I enjoy this book too much to be without. Before buying my first copy of Mrs. Byrnes Dictionary, I couldn't use the word cephalonamancy in a sentence. Can you imagine?

Get a copy!

The book, which I love, was in excellent condition. I was surprised by the speed of delivery. Thanx.

Etymology is a guilty pleasure of mine-- and this book is the guiltiest of them all! Deliciously obscure words all at my fingertips...what more could i ask for. This copy was hard to come by... i think it's out of print now and so if you happen to see a used copy somewhere, no matter how dog-earred, grab it! You won't be disappointed. It's a gem.

I bought this for my son when he was 10. He wore it to tatters, so I am here on Amazon to replace it for him. He's now 15, and has been bemoaning it's loss for about a year. He used to carry this around and use it as an ice breaker, and other kids his age thought it was really cool. He's gone on to Shakespeare, Plato, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Keys to the Kingdom etc.but Mrs. Byrnes remains his all time favorite book.

Dictionaries are rarely considered pleasure reading, but this one definately fits that bill. An advantage for a young reader is that they can get a lot of knowledge without reading a lot. Yup - Intellectual fast food. Could be addictive.

This has got to be one of the best books written about trucks and trucking that i have ever read. It is packed with information that will help everyone from people thinking about becoming a truck driver right up to expirenced drivers who would just like to keep the book handy to refer to. Almost everything you need to know is in here , from gearbox types and mechanical information throught to driver hours.

A great book packed with valuable information, that will really help to get any new drivers trucking career off to a great start.

This is an excellent book for both the new guy and the veteran. At almost 500 pages, this is a very practical book that covers every aspect of truck driving and life on the road. In addition to basic operations, there is also plenty of detailed mechanical info on the inner workings of a truck. That will probably be of more interest to owner-operators than company drivers but it's good to know it's there in case you ever need it. My only complaint is that this book wasn't around when I started out. It definitely would've made for a much smoother transition into the 'industry'. Highly reccomended.

So you want to be a PTD (professional truck driver),well this is your first step into the drivers seat.

If you have never driven a tractor trailer this is a great book. It covers everything from a drivers perspective. The truck itself including: Engines, Transmissions, Parts, Driving techniques, Hazmat, Airbrakes, Life on the road etc. What it does not cover in great detail is if you want to start your own trucking company, or authority. It touches on parts and mentions the D.O.T and FMCSR but mostly from the drivers interaction with those agencies, not as a trucking company. This book is for drivers behind the wheel on a day to day basis. Non-drivers will find it useful and insightful but if you are wishing to start your own company, It does not cover in detail the authorities you will need and actual details involved in doing so. The book never claims it does cover that information... this review is to let you know what is not in there in that regard. As a future driver, or someone interested in the actual day to day operations or the skills needed to operate a tractor trailer, this book is great and worthy of 5 stars.

It is about impossible in my mind (with 13 years of driving experience) to come up with a better book that covers EVERYTHING from the most basic to complex In my opinion, this book should be used by all Motor Carriers and have their "future operators" read and PASS all the tests this book offers. If that was posible everyones insurance rates would go down (less acidents nationwide) and mechanical costs for carriers would dimish also. Spectacular book and easy reading, and as I said previously with 13 years experience I still read this book.

Byrne gave an interesting insight into what so many employees think, but often left unspoken to management. He brought water cooler discussions and internal monologues into the spotlight, which will enable managers to defly read between the lines.

Thanks, every busness owner or manager should read this and take it to heart. People today want more than just a pay check and you point this out with years of experience behind it. This is a great quick read.

Thanks again Mark!!!

I like those books best that make me think and challenge my existing views. At the heart of this book is an intriguing question. What would happen to an organization whose employees were more than simply satisfied by their work and compensation? What if they actually inspired by going to work each day? What could they achieve? The author will help you consider the possibilities. If you are not satisfied with the status quo and old business models, this quick read is for you.

I have worked for large telecommunications companies for the past 12 years that have very comprehensive employee development programs. However, too often I find that the day-to-day interactions and experiences are not aligned with the corporate philosophies.

Mr. Byrne's book helped me realize that there are opportunities to "fill in the gaps" in the ways I can treat my employees and peers everyday. This is very refreshing after years of thinking that employee development wasn't something I needed to worry about since it was already covered in the documented core values of the company.

This is a well-outlined, quick read with lots of great insight. Time well spent!

Mark Byrne is an absolute genius! In this day of increasingly high turnover in the workforce, Mr.Byrne has written a masterpiece of what every good employee has wished his boss already knew. His work is clear, concise, easy to read in one sitting, and an absolute must-read for any employer who geuinely cares about the bottom-line. Full of innovative and simple ideas to maximize productivity, inspire and retain quality employees, and minimize the costly effect of losing employees.

This book should be required reading for every CEO, executive and business owner!

The 2 Hellboy story arcs this volume contains are classics. The introductions are impressive and enjoyable, especially if you're already a fan of the series. If you ARE a fan, these are a great addition (or replacement, if your trade paperback bindings have gone rotten) to your comic collection.

This "Library Edition" series features a soft cover and glorious blown up art from the originals. It's like comics in Hi-Def and I love it. You have literally never seen Hellboy look this good. These volumes give the impression of an epic tome, holding wonders unceasing within, which is appropriate.

Fantastic content, terricic packaging.

The cloth cover could be a dust catcher (I'll never know).

Just buy the 2.5 gallon Ziploc / Gladlock bags and you will have no problem.
Just treat it like a large 33 dollar sandwich.

Or go down to any Fedex, DHL, UPS, Post Office and pick up a large plastic mailer (non padded) their free (but the Ziploc bags you can see through)

Hellboy art is nicer blow up to larger than comic size. Also in Vol 1 has two story arcks and his first two short storys (one shots) in it.

All in all a great buy.

I really enjoy the movie so i thought i'd give this a read, despite never reading a comic before in my life other than a few glances. not to offend, but really found them to be ridiculous, childish material. that was, before i read this.. THIS has opened my eyes to a whole new world. wow, just wow. this has definitely made me see that i have been way to quick to judge this medium, and that is my fault that will be corrected.

anyhow, i really loved this read and found myself not being able to stop turning pages. completely engrossing on every level, visual and story wise. everyone else has said it much better than i ever could, so I just leave you with my huge thumbs up!

In the tradition of Marvel's huge Omnibus collections, and DC's wonderful Absolute Editions, Hellboy is now here in a deluxe hardcover edition from Dark Horse. This first volume of the Hellboy Library Edition encompasses the first two storyarcs in Mike Mignola's spectacular series, Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil. Both stories are bound in this handsome oversized hardcover, along with a good deal of extras to boot. With the new Hellboy sequel on the way, now has never been a better time to get introduced to, or re-acquainted with, Hellboy, the rest of B.P.R.D., and the wonderful world that Mike Mignola created years ago. All in all, if you've missed out on Hellboy over the past few years, this first Library Edition is an absolute must own, and a perfect introduction to the wonderful world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy.

Aside from the movie a few years back, this is my first foray into Hellboy. After hearing about the new movie coming later, I knew I needed to start reading Hellboy. Fortunately, this interest coincided with the release of the Library Edition. This book is gorgeous! A comic of this magnitude in terms of art & storytelling needs this large format. There are so many awesome panels, you could spend all day just looking at the art and not even reading! This is THE place to start for anyone interested in Hellboy, and like another reviewer said, a great item to replace worn TPBs. Combine hardback with larger pages and you have a definite winner!

This first brick-like volume contains Giant-Size X-Men #1, and then (Uncanny) X-Men #94-131. This is the whole first Chris Claremont/David Cockrum run, and the more sizeable part of the revered Claremont/John Byrne run. There are a lot of "classic" stories here, including the "Phoenix Saga", the debut of Alpha Flight, "Proteus," and the first part of the "Dark Phoenix Saga" (it seems like an odd place to cut off, but reading these comics makes you realize that there's seldom any clear ending point between arcs; there's always at least two things happening, and one is never resolved in the same issue as the other).

It is, all and all, a hugely enjoyable run, and there are all kinds of first appearances scattered throughout the story. The primary lineup is fairly consistent throughout, with Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Banshee (a lot of people also include Jean Grey in this, but she's not really a team member [she's not mentioned in the blurb on the opening page], but a supporting character, and is usually dragged into the action); Professor X is in the background, and former X-Men Beast, Havok, and Polaris show up several times.

One thing to note is that a lot of people talk about how the modern X-Men comics are too often dragged into stuff that shouldn't really involve the X-Men, and then offer up this period as a counter-example; given that there are several times when the X-Men cross over with, of all things, "Power Man and Iron Fist", for no reason other than Chris Claremont was involved with that series too, this period is perhaps not the best example (the most bizarre of these being Storm venturing back to her birthplace, finding it inhabited by a bunch of junkies who try to knife her, only to be rescued by Luke Cage, who then delivers a lecture of kids wasting their lives). Now, there are a couple of stories that deal specifically with mutants, but most of the time it's just the X-Men in well-done superhero adventures.

As a diehard fan of the 90s "X-Men: The Animated Series", reading this makes you realize just how many of that show's stories were based on the Claremont comics fairly directly; not just the big stuff like the two "Phoenixes" and "Proteus", but also "Xavier Remembers" (#117) and "Repo Man." (#120-121) I actually liked the animated series' version of "Proteus" a lot better; in the comic version, Proteus is a pretty straightforwardly Pure Evil, refers to Joe as "the-one-I-hate," and, for an episode that deals with such a key component of Moira's life, not having Professor X there seems like a real waste. The Animated Series version does something a lot more interesting with Proteus; it focusses on the idea of Kevin as an isolated youth who doesn't understand why his father isn't around, and pursues him despite the clear evidence that Joe is a jerk. It also focusses squarely on Professor X's complicated relationship with Moira, and his attempts to help Proteus. Finally, it uses Proteus to touch on other characters' feelings of rejection because of their mutancy (Rogue), and also on political cynicism (Joe is a "family values" politician who doesn't want to be seen with his son because he's a mutant).

Another thing that's fairly impressive about this run is the narrative flow, which just doesn't let up most of the time. Consider this series of events:

#111 - Beast comes to rescue the X-Men from Mesmero in Texas. At issue's end, they are confronted by Magneto.
#112-113 - Magneto captures the X-Men, flies them to his Antarctic fortress, and imprisons them. They escape, and while Phoenix and Beast end up on the surface, thinking the others are dead, the others end up leaving by a different route, thinking Phoenix and Beast are dead.
#114-116 - While Beast and Phoenix get home and misinform Professor X, the X-Men have an adventure in the Savage Land, including a reunion with Sauron and Ka-Zar, and their first meeting with future continuity-annoyance Zaladane.
#117 - The X-Men get out of the Antarctic, and are rescued by a Japanese vessel on a shady government-sponsored adventure, necessitating radio silence until they get back to Japan.
#118-119 - The X-Men get to Japan, find several Power Man and Iron Fist characters (and one of their villains) there, and help save Japan. They team up with Sunfire once again, and Mariko appears for the first time.
#120-121 - The X-Men catch a flight home, only to be intercepted by Alpha Flight, looking to retrieve Wolverine. Thanks to a somewhat contrived and anti-climactic ending, they fail.
#122 - The X-Men finally get home. Now that's a world tour. It takes several more issues to clarify that the X-Men/Jean and Beast aren't dead, since Professor X has decamped to the Shi'ar Empire with Lilandra, and Jean is off on Muir Island with Moira, Havok, Polaris, and Multiple Man.

One final great feature of the Omnibus is the old Letters Pages ("Mutant Mailbox"), where you get to read people complaining about how Claremont and Cockrum suck, and the original X-Men should be brought back (one letter, in particular, complains about how nothing ever really changes at Marvel, and how they're sure that the old X-Men will be back in action quickly, just like Reed and Sue never stay apart, etc.).

This collection has fallen out of print, so it goes for rather exorbitant sums, but for anyone interested in the classic era of the Uncanny X-Men, this is a strongly-recommended purchase.

The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus volume 1 is a must-have book for any X-Fan. Content-wise you get X-Men #94-131, Annual #3, and Giant Size #1. This features the introduction of the new X-Men, the legendary Claremont & Byrne issues taking us into the Dark Phoenix Saga. If you haven't read these then you're in for an incredible ride. Getting so many issues in an omnibus is like getting 4 seasons of a tv show on dvd to watch. If you have read these there is no better collection than this. Production-wise the reproduction and coloring has never been better (yes, better than the Marvel Masterworks #1-4 which overlap with this omnibus). The binding is solid and built to last. Considering X-Men #94 can go easily for several hundred dollars, this omnibus is a bargain considering how many issues are collected. If you're thinking of getting it...don't wait if you see a copy. Big books like this tend to go (and stay) out of print because of low print runs, the expensive cost of printing, and the amount of space they take up for distributors. Unless you want to end up reading these in a digital form, get the book while there are still copies around. For the massive volume of content, the quality of the content, and the A+ book production values, this is easily the best X-collection ever.

I don't have this book, as its been out of print/sold out for a while; yet I've read all the single issues and like everyone else, this run of Claremont/Byrne is one of the best runs of all time.

Plus I just read on Diamonds website that its being Offered Again!! That means no more $150 copies!! Give Amazon a week or two and this should be available again for retail or even discounted again!

Truly awesome! I wish they could put every x men into one giant book. Bring on X Men Omnibus vol. 2!

This collection of the first 5 years of Claremont's run on Uncanny X-men is a great value. Great quality of the reprinting. My only complaint is minor, that the omnibus overlaps with the first 3 issues in the Dark Phoenix Sage tpb.

Also this book will be getting a new printing in November. Don't pay the marked up prices sellers are gouging for now, just wait. It was in the newest comic solicits from Marvel, it is being reprinted.

I've played pool most of my adult(and teenage) life. I've spent time on several tours and am always looking to learn something new. Byrne covers an amazing array of pool and billiard situations and does an outstanding job of diagraming and explaining the physics involved(Robert would insist that I give credit to Bob Jewett for this). If you think there's nothing in this book that's new to you you're most likely mistaken. Byrne's other books are outstanding as well. By the way, Bob...you've got the eight and one going to 7, bet high.:-)

I have read just about every book on this subject, there is no better book than this one! In fact, I recommend all of Robert Byrne's Pool & Billiards books and videos. He is an accomplished player, teacher and author.

This book will meet and exceeds everyones expectations on the subject!

I had been playing pool for approximately 10 years before i read this book, 3 of the 10 years were in "a" leagues and competitive nine and eight ball tournaments. before i read this book, i was able to run one rack out of every ten, after reading this book my game improved 500 percent. i was able to consistently run 5 racks out of every 10. the book has very explicit instructions and absolutely superb illustrations and examples of several methods of setting up shots. i expecially liked the procedure for running a table, it has some very good advice and if anyone follows it and can shoot just a little bit they will be able to run racks. i can't say enough about the benefits this book has had for my game. in my opinion robert byrnes, is the best teacher of the game of pool bar none! i read this book in about eight hours. it's a page turner if you want to improve your game or even are thinking about learning how to play the game, this is the book for ! you.

I just learned about this NEW publication, which is a revision of the one I read "Byrne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards", Copyright © 1987, 1978 by the same author Robert Byrne. I have read just about every book on this subject, and there is no better book than this one! In fact, I recommend all of Robert Byrne's Pool & Billiards books and videos. He is an accomplished player, teacher and author.

I have no doubts that this book will meet and exceeds everyone's expectations on the subject!

Outstanding information on basic and advanced technique.It tells you about draw and follow shots, and also english.It also gives you information on straight pool, eight-ball, and many other pool games.This is in my opinion, the only book on pool and billiards you will ever need. Robert Byrne has really outdone himself by creating this masterpiece. This book should be on the shelves of every pool and billiards player. This is by far the best book on pool and billiards ever written.

If your any kind of fan of gunsmoke , you have to own this book !

How fun would it have been to have been on the set of this amazing show? This is a great book with a lot of interviews, anecdotes, and pictures. I wish more shows today had the quality of Gunsmoke...maybe I'd watch them more than the Gunsmoke reruns!

In "Gunsmoke: An American Institution Celebrating 50 Years of Television's Best Western", author Ben Costello has provided the legions of fans for America's most popular and long-running television western series with an exhaustive compendium showcasing and celebrating all twenty seasons (comprising a total of 635 episodes) of Matt Dillion and his many friends and foes. Profusely illustrated with literally hundreds of photos about what went on both in front and in back of the cameras, "Gunsmoke" covers the major cast members, as well as the producers, writers and directors, and features an especially insightful interviews with Dennis Weaver, Buck Taylor, and Burt Reynolds. There are even sections featuring Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Highlights; reminisces of distinctive guest stars; Gunsmoke memorabilia, the post-television series Gunsmoke films, and so very much more. Certain to be a popular addition to any community library American Popular Culture collection, "Gunsmoke" is a 'must read' for anyone who grew up with Matt Dillion, Miss Kitty, Doc, Chester, Festus, and all the other denizens of Dodge City and the Old West.

This book is a pleasure to read. The background stories and photos really enhance the episodes presently shown on TV Land cable channel. The volume is both informative and entertaining.

This about covers every aspect of that 20 year phenomenon "Gunsmoke"The personal insights from everyone associated with that show from the writers to all the great and soon to be great actors.As a die hard fan of this show I was incensed by some of the decisions made by a couple of producers who made I think,some very bad decisions based on personal feelings and insults made to some key actors.

But the bottom line is thats what a good book does.Gets the reader wrapped up in the story and triggers emotions of both good and bad.This book did all of that and if you are like me and still enjoy watching all the re-runs then you should buy this book and put it all in a wonderful perspective..

Now a note to all that stations that are airing these shows:Where are all the black and white episodes?