Collins Books

Randall Collins has provided a comprehensive overview of the major philosophical ideas that interested non philosophers can use as an introduction without fear of missing anything important. As a physician grappling daily with the issues of knowledge assessment, the extensive overview was well worth the few weeks it took to read the book. Many descriptions are nevertheless brutally summarized so that I often used on line encyclopedias to provide necessary background. Bertrand Russell's " A History of Western Philosophy" is more accessible, but is now out of date, and not nearly as comprehensive. By dividing philosophers into schools by century and location, providing easily understandable charts of the interconnections of various schools, and brief summaries of their positions, one builds a very humanized, inclusive picture. The description of science as rapid discovery based primarily on technological innovation certainly resonated strongly and came as a new insight in spite of spending the last 40 years in such an endeavor. The same arguments about knowledge growth are repeatedly emphasized, but at least there is a slight difference in perspective. Summarizing the big problems of ontology and epistemology by how and when they appeared in Western, Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian cultures gives an excellent overview. The final chapter on sociological realism based on the previous discussion provided a sound foundation for building the arguments, and placing the ideas in perspective. I came away with a better idea of where to go next and that even though the search for enlightenment is unending, a few successes, no matter how minor, can be very satisfying.

For all interested in global history of philosophy, this is the book to get.

First, each section on a particular philosophical tradition (e.g. ancient Greece, Indian, Medieval Islamic, Chinese, Modern) is an interesting high-level history of tradition in its own rights. This alone makes the price tag worthwhile.

More importantly, Collins included very interesting insights about individual period that is not covered by other general histories:
1) How some schools of thoughts become popular not because they are correct but because they are extreme
2) Parallelisms that occur in different periods of the same tradition (e.g. Post-Shankara positions in India has its parallel during the hey-day of Buddhist philosophy)
3) Parallelisms that occur across traditions (e.g. compelling coverage of how medieval Christian & Islamic philospophy shares a similar structure)

With these characteristics, I think this book clearly satisfies the need us interested in global history of philosophy, for which Collins is clearly very passionate about.

On the sociology theoretical piece, I think the theory is fine: it articulates a lot of aspects of which most students of philosophy has a vague sense. The theory is almost 'common sense'-- just that it doesn't seem to have been clearly articulated that way in academic circles. As such, the theory piece is less interesting, but it is not intruding and it provides a sound umbrella thesis for Collins' insights on individual traditions.

Lastly, one point about the 'data' that Collins use-- the 'maps' that link the different philosophers in networks. I think it is interesting to read (because it includes a lot of interesting names-- familiar or otherwise), but they don't really provide the 'data' on which the sociological theory can be based. I think Collins himself recognized this-- and thus his appendix about the important 'isolates' like Ibn Sina.

I have a Ph.D. in history of philosophy, but I now follow it as an interested layman rather than a professional. In short, this review is written from the viewpoint of someone whose background and interests lie in philosophy rather than sociology.

For me, this was an interesting and useful book for a couple of reasons:

1. It discusses philosophers in the context of social networks, where the thinkers are linked by relationships such as: was the student of, reacted against, was married to the sister of, etc.

Often, philosophy is taught (or studied) by looking only at the works of philosophers, in isolation from the philosophers' relationships with others around them. Placing a philosopher in the context of a network of relationships helps considerably in understanding what the philosopher is trying to do, and why. In short, it can help you better to understand any particular philosopher that you are studying.

2. I found the author's notion of an "attention space" very interesting. The notion of an "attention space" in the history of philosophy seems to me similar to Thomas Kuhn's notion of a "paradigm" in the history of science. Philosophers' roles in the history of philosophy are described as moving the attention space, or elaborating within the attention space, and so on, where moving the attention space is comparable to Kuhn's "paradigm shift" and elaborating within the attention space is comparable to Kuhn's "normal science". This approach to the history of philosophy is, I think helpful. It gives you genuine insight into the history of philosophy.

I recommend this book. You may not wish to read it all -- I didn't -- but if you dip into it here and there, at spots that look interesting to you, you will encounter ideas and concepts that are useful, stimulating and thought-provoking.

'I am thinking' is irrefutable because 'I am not thinking' nevertheless displays oneself thinking.
-- p. 858

The book 'The Sociology of Philosophies' purports to be 'The first comprehensive history of world philosophy,' as well as 'a social history of global intellectual life.' Collins in this book takes as his subject the whole of human intellectual endeavour, exploring the strands and developments of philosophical thought in all the major cultures of the world.

Collins begins this weighty and, at times, hyper-intellectual tome by building a theory of intellectualism, ritual, education, and philosophical reflection. He identifies two of the longest and most dominant philosophical strands as being those arising in Greece and China.

Collins posits the theory that intellectual pursuits do not arise in a vacuum, and are more of a societal and communal development than an individual pursuit or achievement.

'That ideas are not rooted in individuals is hard to accept because it seems to offend against a key epistemological point. Here the question is analytically distinct from the propensity to worship intellectual heroes.'

However, when one looks at the history of ideas, they usually arise in groups. While there are certainly key individuals who arose at different times in history, it is also true that there are patterns -- the age of philosophy in Greece, the Renaissance in Italy, etc. There is a particular atmosphere and sociological aspect to the culture that encourages and develops intellectual development that is unique to each, and leads to differing developments.

After exploring this history and the rituals of intellectuals and intellectualism (which is little acknowledged among scholars in the West), Collins explores who the major individuals are, who the minor individuals are, and what places they occupy in the chain of intellectual history. These chains are most pronounced in developments from Greece and developments from China; the Chinese strands continue through almost all subsequent Eastern thought, which is always responding to or reacting against key ideas formed there; in Western thought, almost all philosophical and intellectual development does the same with regard to the Greek development.

Collins proceeds from this to a theoretical framework (in which he develops more closely the Greek philosophical reflective framework, being the one from which Collins was educated, and thus the dominant underpinning of his writing) that explores the importance and rarity of true creativity. From this, he continues, doing a comparative analysis of intellectual communities, drawing in, in addition to Ancient Greece and Ancient China, India, Japan, Neo-Confucian China, Medieval Christendom, Islamic philosophies, Jewish philosophical development, then surveying modern western philosophies, French, German, and British.

Strong historical themes, political and other intellectual developments (such as the shift from faith-based to experimental-based knowledge and the rise of scientific method and mathematical objectivism) are included in his analysis. Collins concludes this work with Meta-Reflections, in which he explores the sequence and branches in the production of ideas socially (exploring the future of philosophy, which Collins states is 'a partisan theme which announces that the era of foundational questions is over. The call for the end of philosophy is recurrent, a standard ploy in intergenerational rearrangements, usually a prelude to a new round of deep troubles and new creativity.'

Collins' meta-reflections also include an epilogue on sociological realism. The quote that starts this review comes from this section. Self-evident truths are explored here.

'Virtually no one actually doubts the reality of the world of ordinary experience. It is only within specialised intellectual networks that the question has arisen whether this banal reality can be proven to a high standard of argument; and even intellectuals, when they are 'off duty', go back to assuming the reality of the ordinary time-space world.'

Sociological realism accepts the world as it is, which is not always the case with philosophy, even though philosophy purports to explain the world. This is a disconnect that occurs frequently in history. Collins further looks to mathematics and 'rapid-discovery science' for complications and developmental pieces in the intellectual history of the world.

Collins includes an extensive bibliography (worth the value of the book in itself), indexes of persons and of ideas, keys and timelines to figures, and a very interesting appendix entitled 'The Clustering of Contemporaneous Creativity', in which the ebb and flow of intellectual development on a global scale is examined and shows interesting results. He charts here the 'cultural production' of intellectuals, and their influence on their respective cultures. He traces such developments across hundreds of major and minor figures, determining fewer than 20 'isolates' in any cultural strand, and those being only among the minor figures.

I received this welcome book free in the mail years ago with the suggestion that it be a text book for a philosophy course. While it certainly is an important, interesting book on philosophy, it offers little as a philosophy text book. But over the years I have found lots of opportunities to refer to it in class as a resource.
Some specific things I find come up frequently:
1. The concept of the sociological cogito -- this strikes me as a wonderful way of applying Augustine, via Descartes' cogito via Leibniz, Hegel, Wittgenstein (private language argument) to interest the class on what we know for certain. It was the first I saw the argument presented this lucidly.
2. Applying the template of social networks to the development of ideas - and this I connect to current complex systems work such as Kennedy's Swarm Intelligence. I love passing the book around so everyone can see the network charts.
3. The relationship between points of view moving through intellectual space following standard patterns, much as Hegelian dialectic describes, but in easier terms.
4. Since I also routinely discuss sociologizing sociology, it certainly is fair that I discuss sociologizing philosophy as well.

There is a disappointment: the book stops. Understood, the effort would have been a tremendous one as the information explosion changes the patterns. But this is precisely the concern. What changes with the information explosion? We did not have to touch Quine to be strongly influenced though meeting him was certainly an event to be remembered. This is an approach I would like to see explored further.

DK Publishing, who have the past few years been building a reputation for accessible, beautifully-illustrated and well-organised survey books, have produced another good volume by Michael Collins and Matthew A. Price.

Drawing heavily on artwork contemporary with the historical period being covered, Collins and Price supplement the imagery with texts and other artwork gives a visual sense of the text (for instance, we have no contemporary portraits of Judas Maccabeus, so a painting from Paul Rubens - painted a millennium-and-a-half later - is used; however, Alexander the Great had many contemporary statues and images left, so these are used to show him).

DK books have an interesting organisation, that reminds me of a web page -- perhaps this is a deliberate intention on their part. Every page has a full-colour image. Every page has a side-bar, a separate box highlighting an important idea, event or person. Every page leads the reader through short pieces that connect well to a larger theme. Given the increasing short-attention span of many readers (even those who like to read), this kind of book can be useful at drawing people in and keeping them interested.

I give kudos to Collins and Price for including a significant chapter on Global Christianity. So many histories of Christianity end in the European/North American arena, with only lip service paid to other part of the world. Apart from this chapter, which covers theology and practice in the non-Eurocentric Christian churches, the authors pay attention to developments outside western Europe through the two millennia of history. Collins, a Catholic, and Price, a Protestant, have managed to be very inclusive of the wide spectrum of Christian belief and practice. I regret that an Orthodox scholar was not included in this collaboration.

- The Roots of Christianity
This section explores the Jewish roots of Christianity, the Old Testament, and aspects of the wider cultural influences of Hellenism and the Roman Imperial structures. It continues up to New Testament times.

- Church & Empire
This section explores the church from the earliest days of uneasy life in the Roman Empire. It explores problems the church had with wider society as well as many of the early issues that confronted Christian unity, a unity that would make it through these times of turmoil, but would ultimately not endure.

- Christian Empire
From the time of Constantine, the church assumed a different character, first as a protected and permitted faith, and finally as the dominant religious power in the empire.

- The Conversion of Europe
From the time of the fall of the Roman Empire to the turn of the first millennium, Europe underwent various struggles, internal and external, including barbarians from the East and followers of the new religion, Islam, from the South.

- Crusades to Renaissance
The clash between Christendom and Islamic powers resulted in the Crusades. Scandinavian countries were converted, but Christianity's outreach was blocked by geographically and by Islam in the South and East. It was also during this period that Constantinople fell, and the major centre of Orthodoxy came under the control of Islamic sultans.

- The Reformation
The Reformation had many faces, and took different character in various countries in Europe. This is where many Christian denominations trace their historical/philosophical roots away from the Catholic church, and the Catholic church in response to the Reformation incorporated major reforms, as well.

- Enlightenment & Revival
Christianity and science come into conflict during the Enlightenment, yet many zealous preachers and missionaries take to the field, which includes an ever-growing world that includes colonies on every continent on earth.

- Mission & Revolution
In America, many populist religious movements formed, largely in response or by encouragement of the revolution for independence. Around the world, Christianity was grappling with revision of Enlightenment ideals as a changing society thanks to the industrial revolution.

- The Global Church
From World War I forward, the character of almost everything in the world has changed, and Christianity has had to adapt in many ways. Every denomination has seen reforms (some radical and fundamental) and the second millennium closes on hopeful notes for Christian cooperation, if not unity, all the while the era of Christendom has truly ended, as two-thirds of the world are non-Christian. How will Christianity adapt as a minority voice in world affairs, after having had centre stage or at least a major voice in the chorus for so long?

One bias of the book is that it intends very clearly to celebrate Christian history, as the subtitle suggests. Various of the nastier bits of Christian history, therefore, tend to get neutralised in their treatment (the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc.). I would hope there would be a bit more confession on the part of an institution that expects confession and repentance of everyone else. To err is human (perhaps the most human thing!) -- let us not try to avoid facing the errors of the past. I also question certain statements, such as: `Meanwhile, as Europe recovered from centuries of war and invasion, Christianity inspired a flourishing of art and learning that led to the Renaissance.' Christianity's role in supporting the Renaissance is a decidedly mixed one. It was at times as much of a hindrance, and I feel it is probably an overstatement to attribute the Renaissance to Christianity.

This book presents the major figures, major events and timelines in Christian history in a language and presentation that makes it accessible to high school and undergraduate students, makes it useful as a companion to parish Bible studies and Christian education programmes, while still maintaining a level of detail and narrative that would please more clerical and scholarly tastes.

I really liked this book as it is so colorful. A lot of history books fall down because they have very poor presentation. I am interested in art as well and I found the illustration really helpful. Another thing I liked about the book is that one author is a priest and the other a layman, a Protestant. Yet the two really gel well together. I have a new respect for the variety of Christianity and the influence it had on our culture and civilisation. Just to think, without the popes, America would not be geographically the way it is today.
I wish there were more in the book. Hopefully the paperback will have more. One last thing. This book is in no way designed or written to convert anybody. It is a scholarly, yet popular presentation of the largest religion in the world.
Full marks and a great read.

While it's written to be a Reference book, I couldn't put it down! I read the entire book, including the marginal notes, over two days. It was fascinating reading, and I am in awe of how much research these gentlemen had to go thru to assemble such an enormous history! Equally impressive was how fairly they treated all of the different Protestant faiths.
Lastly, while I attend an Assemblies of God church, I have gained more respect for the Catholic church, as well as other denominations. I feel more 'connected' to other Christian faiths, and see how little really divides us. It definately kept me awake all night -- feeling full of joy!

I enjoyed this book very much. I had been searching for a good illustrated book on Christianity. I always liked Dorling Kindersley books and so when I saw this I had to get it. I am a teacher, and am teaching a course on Christianity. The text in this book is lively and engaging. In addition the illustrations are marvellous. What is most useful is the way the book manages to give a birdseye view of twenty centuries in which Christianity played such a pivotal role.

An excellent book. When are the authors going to bring out another one? Ray

A few years ago, my wife and I were looking for a book on the history of Christianity to help us in homeschooling our teenaged son. What made this a bit challenging is that my wife is a Protestant, and I had recently become an Orthodox Christian, so we wanted a book that treated our respective traditions objectively and with respect.

My wife came home from a conference sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International with a copy of "The Story of Christianity." Since I'd seen textbooks in Protestant Christian schools with a not-so-subtle anti-Catholic bias, and that treated the Orthodox as virtually non-existent, I viewed this title with suspicion.

The first thing that began to set me at ease was that it had been written by two scholars, one Roman Catholic and the other Protestant. I figured that they would at least show respect for each other's traditions, which I quickly found to be true.

Next, I began taking a close look at the opening chapters dealing with early Church history, covering "The Roots of Christianity" (starting in the Old Testament) and going to "The Conversion of Europe" (including the Great Schism of 1054). What I found was an objective, fair treatment of the early days in both the East and the West, when there was general agreement throughout the Church on orthodoxy, as well as the tragic differences that developed due to cultural problems (such as language differences and poor communication, political shifts (such as moving the capital from Rome to what became known as Constantinople), and differences of opinion on the role of the papacy. With the final split in 1054, any hope of reconciliation ended with the Crusades from the West and the sack of Constantinople in 1204.

From this point on, the book takes on a spirit of bi-partisanship as it develops the history of Christianity in the West, giving a scant two pages per chapter to the Eastern Orthodox, covering the next 1000 years. While this beautiful volume might mainly be of interest to readers from the West, with its emphasis on the development of the Catholic Church and the many denominations of Protestantism, through the shortcoming of omission, many readers may be left with the impression that--since Eastern Orthodox worship is virtually unchanged in 1700 years--not much else has gone on in the East either.

However, if one pays attention to the captions and sidebars, the reader discovers tidbits about the East that deserve greater treatment than it gets here. One caption on "An Orthodox View of the Trinity" mentions the theological debate on the Trinity, which surrounds the statement in the Nicene Creed about the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, but the text fails to amplify the controversy surrounding the filioque ("and the Son") added by the West, without the approval of an Ecumenical Council.

One also learns from other captions that "throughout the medieval period, the standard of education was far higher in Constantinople than in the West," or "for 1000 years Constantinople had been the home of the finest Greek scholars." If the Renaissance and Reformation get dozens of pages, why not the glorious Orthodox Byzantine Empire, the longest lasting empire in history? Why not spend more pages on the accomplishments of those fine Greek scholars?

Another caption states, "In the early 1700s missionaries from the Russian Orthodox church became active through the harsh region of Siberia," telling further how these efforts extended to Alaska in 1794 and "all the way down to San Francisco." This is an amazing missionary story that has yet to be read by most Westerners!

Brief mention is also made of Peter the Great's efforts to Westernize Russia, and in the process he almost dismantled the Russian Orthodox Church, the very institution that brought unity to this great, and vast, nation.

I'm also afraid that Western readers will be left with the impression that Orthodox Christians remain in the East, overlooking a growing Orthodox presence in the Western hemisphere, beginning with immigrant groups from Eastern Europe, as well as Arab Christians, but now attracting Westerners (like me) who have discovered the rich tradition of spirituality and worship within Orthodoxy.

The omissions in this book are too numerous to mention in detail, but don't get me wrong, I like this book! It's beautifully layed out, in the style of Dorling Kindersly's popular Eyewitness books, with colorful prints, drawings, maps and photographs on every page. In my opinion, this makes this volume superior to most Christian history textbooks. Also, I do think it treats all three major traditions respectfully, just not equally or proportionately.

I would still recommend that this book be in every Christian home (yes, even Orthodox), as it helps us to understand one another better. It would be attractive on a coffee table, and it is conducive to browsing. It would also be a welcome addition to church and school libraries...

This book provides a resource for teachers of phonics or struggling readers. The presentation is user friendly so busy teachers will want to use it. This has excellent information on phonemic instruction. It has great resources like lists of prefixes, words, roots etc. This book is a tremendous time saver.

This book is an excellent resource for teachers who teach reading to all readers, but especially those who are struggling to understand "the code."
Word lists are very helpful, as are the activities and teaching strategies presented. Only wish there was an index!

As a first year fourth grade teacher I have found this to be an EXCELLENT teaching resource. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to use phonics to improve reading and spelling - it has helped me both on a personal and a professional level. The information is in-depth and yet presented in a very user friendly format which has been logical and easy for me to build upon and REALLY USE!

Teaching Phonics And Word Study In The Intermediate Grades by WILLY BLEVINS

Author Willy Blevins has created a very sophisticated introduction to Phonics, but this books is also a WORD STUDY TEXT, emphasizing:

p. 51 Most Frequently Used Words in English Language.
p. The Dolch Word list (250 words)
as well as words classified according to suffix, prefix and word types, and Greek and Latin word Roots.

The Phonics instruction is in the first 50 pages and it is very complete. The entire book is designed with large pages and there are a number of exercises in the book that can be cut out or photocopied.

The book is directed at the elementary school student between the Third Grade and Eighth Grade. I got my copy to use in tutoring a single adult male from Mongolia.

I looked at nearly 20 books on this subject in the store, and bought several. This is the best of all the books I found. It is a complete course within itself.

This book is GREAT for anyone who has a difficult time teaching phonics. It is very easy to understand and gives the teacher in depth knowledge of phonemic elements.
I highly recommend this book!!!

In my mind, Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is as good as it gets in the mystery genre. Miss Marple, however, is excellent, too. This volume presents thirteen short mysteries. Most are presented as tales recounted by dinner guests while sitting around the evening fire. The challenge is to see who can tell the most baffling story and who, if anyone, can solve each one. Miss Marple, of course, astounds the others by seeing through each to the solution. Along the way, the reader is treated to a selection of fascinating and enjoyable tales. Some are easy enough for the experienced mystery fan to see through, but all are fun to read nevertheless. THE THIRTEEN PROBLEMS is Agatha Christie at the top of her game and should be a great pleasure for anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I loved it. Highly recommended.

Such an enjoyable example of Miss Marple- a keen brain hiding behind a fluffy exterior! Using village parallels and her unique outlook on life, Miss Marple solves a series of mysteries that have stumped more sophisticated guests at various dinner parties in St. Mary's Mead. I love Agatha Christie's novels, and this book is an old favorite that I pull off the shelf when I need a quick hit. If you've never read it, I highly recommend the Tuesday Club Murders.

Picture yourself with a group of friends that include Miss Jane Marple. Sitting around the fire, someone brings up the idea of presenting mysteries that only you know the answer, and the other friends must solve. Guess who wins hands down every time? Yes, that little lady with lace mitts who is knitting little fluffy things.

This is a fine book of short stories and, as usual, Dame Agatha outfoxed me every time. Though Miss Jane publicly disdains outlandish plots ("undetectable poison from an African village"), her creator is sometimes guilty of just that. The very few that left me less than impressed involved entirely too much running around, an outlandish premise, and an overabundance of purple prose.

My hands down favorite was "Death By Drowning" when Dame Agatha shows her superb ability to misdirect. Even with broad hints, I didn't come near the answer. And never be certain that the villain will be punished, at least right away. "The Tuesday Night Club" and "A Christmas Tragedy" each have her particular brand of cleverness stamped clearly throughout.

This would be a wonderful book to have in the guest bedroom, but be sure to read it first!

This 1932 collection was also published as THE TUESDAY CLUB MURDERS. Many of the stories have also appeared separately in other collections.

Like THE LABORS OF HERCULES and PARTNERS IN CRIME it is a series of short stories bridged together in an arc. The opening setting is a gathering in St. Mary Mead at Jane Marple's cottage, attended by her nephew writer Raymond West, artist Joyce Lempriere, Sir Henry Clithering - retired Scotlandyard commissioner, Dr. Pender - the local clergyman, and solicitor Mr. Petherick. The group decides to entertain themselves by describing puzzling crimes they have experienced and to challenge the rest of the group to arrive at the solution. The group at first does not plan to include Miss Marple in their game but condescend to do so when she objects. Naturally Aunt Jane arrives at all the answers.

The following year Sir Henry Clithering was visiting his friends the Bantrys (THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY), and mentioned his previous trip to St. Mary Mead and Miss Marple. After dinner that evening another evening of curious problems took place. This time the group included Col. and Mrs. Bantry, Dr. Lloyd, actress Jane Helier as well as Sir Henry and Miss Marple. Again Miss Marple had all the answers, including one to a crime that hadn't happened yet.

The final problem was presented sometime later when Sir Henry was again visiting his friends, the Bantrys. A village girl, the daughter of the local pub owner, had killed herself the night before, sad but of no particular interest to Sir Henry. No interest that is, until Miss Marple arrived to request that Sir Henry investigate the murder, not suicide, of the girl. She even gave Sir Henry the name of the murderer! Sir Henry agreed to look into matter and.....well, read the story

The mysteries are all perfect little Christie gems, challenging the reader (with all the clues tucked in among the red herrings) to solve the crime before Miss Marple. The device of linking the stories in post dinner party conversation is charming. It is wonderful to meet characters that will return in other Miss Marple stories: Raymond West and Joyce Lempriere; Col. and Dolly Bantry; and Sir Henry Clithering.

Originally published as "The Tuesday Club Murders", "The Thirteen Problems" is a collection of Miss Marple stories, mini-mysteries that readers and characters alike are meant to solve. As always, Agatha Christie has a great knack at crafting mysteries that are both ingenious and simple, once solved or explained. "The Thirteen Problems" is a quick read, each story nicely paced and readily solved.

The setup to the collection is a get-together of friends and family for an evening of fun and games. When one guest proposes that each person present a 'problem' for the others to solve, the game is underway. When each little problem is presented, only Miss Marple can see her way through to the solution. These mysteries run the gamut of typical mystery stories, with murder and intrigue at the center of each.

Yet several of the stories in "The Thirteen Problems" are extremely predictable - anyone who has read a fair number of mysteries can spot the answer from the getgo, although there are several that are a bit more puzzling. And at times, the characterization of several key players is stereotypical and rather one-dimensional, an acceptable failing in a short story, but when several stories are collected in one space, it can become rather tiresome. Overall, "The Thirteen Problems" is a delightful read for any Christie fan.

I love reading poetry books and this was just a darling little thing that kept me horrified and freaked out and falling in love with the human spirit all over again. Reminds me a lot of Jim Morrison's work.

Well I use to hate poetry. I remember back in highschool when they made us read Shakeaspeare and Lord Byron in English class. I hated it I couldn't understand it at all, and my teacher she gushed over Shakeaspeare, acted like he was a god. Well I refused to read a poem after I got out of college. So I have been dating this girl and guess what she's a teacher, she kept telling me about this book of poetry that she just loves and well it has been our only real disagreement. So finally I gave in, yeah women can be persuasive. I read her copy of this book and I was astounded, I couldn't believe that I had been refusing to read this stuff for years. Then I came to my senses and decided that this guy was alone and everything else was like Shakespeare, well I was wrong I picked up a copy of one of Saul Williams books and was just as astounded. But hey if you really want a fresh look at poetry, life, and all just read this guy. Now I need to go so I can order my copy of this book, my girlfriend has been insisting I give her's back. I especially loved the one on page 133.

After years of dedicated searching under the tutelage of my uncle who thrives on unknown poets, I found a wonderful poet before he did; Rik Woods with "This Little Red Bitch in My Chest" has assembled a new authoritative guide to life, survival, and modern poetry for the whole of society. I usually tend toward Australian poets like Banjo Patterson and Tim Thorne, but last summer I was in New York City to visit a mate. We were walking down the road a came across a bookseller and I were astonished by the title and just snatched it without even looking really. Well I stashed it in my gear and didn't look at it until I got back. Well I love this book; the bloke is just marvellous with one-liners every so often. Well this is definitely a book for the Joe Bloggs.

I couldn't put it down. The words swayed me into times and places of past, present, and future. Images cursed through mind of mad men and sultry lusts, dripping with sweetness and innocence. Some poems made me want to put my hand over my eyes like a child watching a scary movie, but still always peeking through the fanning of the fingers. I have tried to put the book down, and like an obsession, I keep reading, one more poem, one more poem. Wonderfully written, experience laden, and an emotional rollercoaster. Thank you for sharing, the world needs more.

This Little Red Bitch In My Chest (2004.) A collection of poems covering the heavy and the distraught the edge and the inner soul.

INTRODUCTION: (I discovered most of the following from Rik Woods' Yahoo 360 and Myspace.com sites.)
Rik Woods isn't some academia poet that lives under publish or perish. For decades, Rik Woods has been writing and building a following of people he knows without ever being published. Read on for my review on this new and exciting poet.

OVERVIEW:
This book is essential a wandering through a life, at least that is how it seems to me. A life lived and struggled through. But I wonder if he can sustain this kind of writing or will it run out before he can make a real impact on the world of poetry, notably the hardest writing market to succeed in.

REVIEW:
I hate writing reviews and you can see I have never posted one on Amazon before, but after watching this book for several years and ordering a few for friends and seeing great reviews but none that really highlighted what this poet can do. So I am going to take the time to make a few points out of the book.




Only the good die young
Excerpt: Just as sweet death comes to claim me
That damn machine brings me back
Have you ever dreamed on life support?

COMMENTS: Okay so this poem might irritate some people right off as it is about euthanasia, I can't really say from reading the book where the poet stands on this subject or any others for that matter. But the character in the poem is definetly pro-euthanasia, as you see the struggle his body is going through just to survive you kinda wish he would die.

The hand that hurts
Excerpt: My father was not a man of great acclaim, yet
He is mine to claim
COMMENTS: Okay so this one after you read it is clearly about child abuse, but asfter you get through it and reread it you realize that from the child's point of view only knowing that abuse, he stil loves his father.

Reproduction
Excerpt: As I stand here in the cold ass rain
The fear of loneliness gripping me
For the thousandth time this day
COMMENTS: When I first read this one I was kinda at a loss, I thought it was just a person depressed over not having children. But now I wonder if maybe there was and it was aborted or miscarried. I don't know like all poetry I think each person has to take their own away from it, and I think this short simple poem is a prime example.

A whole lot of nothing
excerpt: and a whole lot of nothing is what I will leave the
sons and daughters that will never be born
COMMENTS: Again one that evokes that feeling of longing. Sometimes you wish that when you turn the page there would be a happy poem, and I guess occasionally that does happen, but when you read ones like this you just want to cry.

Stuck
excerpt: Have you ever felt like a cigarette butt in the bottom
Of a half empty beer bottle
Unsure if it's stale beer or urine
COMMENTS: Okay so this one is just great in my book, those first three lines sum up what we have all felt in life at some point, but could really never put out finger on how to say just how crappy life felt at that time. If those three lines don't make you say "yeah" and laugh at how hard life really is then I don't know what will.

If I Fall Down on My Way to Heaven
excerpt: And now I'm so tired I lay me down to die
And if I should go to heaven instead of oblivion
I give my soul for Elvis to take
COMMENTS: Where the hell does a person come up with lines like these? I mean it is great to see that a person can take something in life that has become mundane like mentioning Elvis and turn it into something that makes you do a double take and say what! This is another of those that you will have to really take your own from it.

Sexual innuendo
excerpt: I reach for you and find your thighs wet
Come here, baby, kiss the king tonight
COMMENTS: To put it simply, this poem is erotic without being just porn as you so often see in erotic poetry. It appears to be a sweet memory from the past that a person relives. It is sweet is so many ways which is probably why it ended up in a chapter titled "Sweetheart"

OVERALL:
Overall, it's a good collection. If you don't want to spend the money to get this book believe me if you like poetry and reading poetry it will be your loss? I have spent a lot of money on poetry and I tell you this is one book I have not minded buying 4 times now, and three friends have agreed with me on this poet's work. I do not hesitate to say that often it left me in tears. When a writer (poet or novelist) can do that to a person you know you have hit upon a wonderful and insightful artist.

When I checked this out at my local library and read this to my kids, I knew I had to have this in my home! This book was so fun to read with my kids and they LOVED it so much. I loved because it reminded me of them so much! Even wrote the author to let her know and found out we grew up in neighboring towns! Your kids will enjoy this fun day with this little girl as she deals with her three grumpies. ENJOY!!

i am a preschool teacher from witchita and feel i have to share how enchanting this adorable book is. my kids love it, ask for it by name, and have me read it multiple times before they feel they can move on to their snacks. when my kids love something, they really love something, and they LOVE this book!

This is one of those books that kids ask for again and again, and refer to all the time.

Everyone wakes with a case of the Grumpies on occasion. And when it happens to the narrator, she tries to get rid of them. The adults in her world offer reasonable advice but she figures this one out for herself.

Your kids will wonder when the Grumpies are coming to their house--it doesn't seem like such a bad thing after all.

This book is an excellent way of explaining to children why some days they just don't feel so happy. The illustrations couldn't be better. This book is written in a way that any child could understand. This book is a must have and a must read for every parent! I hope to see more books from this first time author.

I took this book to school and it has become an instant HIT! My class loves it!! The librarian loves it! The school counselor and attendance staff love it as well! What a delightful, FUN, warm and charming story. We love how The Three Grumpies shares that Grumpy Days just sometimes happen and ATTITUDE is EVERYTHING. The story is not preachy nor is it sappy - it is witty and well, just WONDERFUL. Our copy is already well loved and it has only been a week or so. We may need to order another copy soon! My kindergarten students want me to share that they think that the story is funny and that the pictures are "awesome" and that they would like another story from this author VERY SOON!

This book provides hope for those who feel they are in a place of no choice. Dr. Dan shows you always have choices. Our actions or over reactions to issues of life are a choice. Dr. Dan explains how our emotions have to be kept in check. He states Trauma is when you have "can't". Similar to biblical counseling Dr. Dan provides hope. This is an excellent read for self help and those teaching or counseling others in trauma. Other self help and biblical counseling books HELP! for Your Leadership and HELP! for Your Leadership Leaders Self-Care Workbook

Brenda A. Jenkins, Professional Speaker and author of He Is Not Left Behind... He Is With Me! A handbook to encourage parents, while offering tips for raising children

This book helped me with my journey to recovery. It's an easy read, but one that should be re-read to understand the "why," and "application" of steps in recovery.

This is a great start for renewal.

Excellent! This book is easy to read yet insightful and profound. I recommended it to a friend experiencing career change trauma and she has not stopped talking about it and how it helped her. She recommends that the author coordinate support groups around the questions at the end of each chapter. Although as a Christian I have a special appreciation for the scriptural references and prayers at the end of each chapter the book is useful, helpful and accessible for everyone.

I am a Mexican communicator and anthropologist, I have read the book and I find it, eloquent, profound and simple to read. The title is excellent and the content is deep and simple. Also i have noticed that many Hispanics appreciatte the book. Dr. Collins makes and excellent work addressing the problem of trauma, that everybody can understand and identify with the situations. I really want to encourage the publishers to make the book available to other languages, such as Spanish. Here in US the Hispanic book market is big and in Latin America even bigger and I find that this book, perhaps in a secular version has a great potential as a bestseller among Hispanics. You may take my advise or let the market open for a book like this among my people! Gracias. Obed Arango "El Fotógrafo" (Filadelfia)

Trauma Zone is an excellent guide for those who have gone through trauma as well as the people who love them and those who work with them.

Donna Lechak

I'm sure that none of us will be surprised to learn that there are indeed counter-terrorists. And that, yes, they can actually be trained to kill people when necessary. That they do not use their twenty-two caliber pistols just to scare people, but to fire two shots, with no pause between them, at a human target.

But why?

Jonas tells us why. Because after the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972, no other nations were prepared to help bring eleven of the surviving murderers to justice. Jonas also tells us what sorts of people become counter-terrorists. They must be loyal and courageous. But not goons, not psychopaths, and not super-sophisticated James Bond types. Not too imaginative: that produces too much doubt. Not too daring: that causes incaution. Not too fanatical: that makes one unstable. And the author reminds us that whether one's cause is good or bad, terrorism is not the way to pursue it and counter-terrorism is a proper and moral response.

Jonas also addresses the issue of whether counter-terrorism actually produces peace. Usually it does not, just as police pursuit of criminals rarely stops all crime. On the other hand, I think we can all see the problems with letting murderers roam the world untouched, boasting of their crimes, openly recruiting people to the cause of murdering innocent civilians, and being treated as heroes by the media and other admirers.

In this exciting tale, we find out what happens when one tries to avenge the spectacular murders of some innocent civilians. We see that some targets are basically "soft." One can discover their whereabouts without much trouble and simply kill them. But a few are "hard," and are very professional at staying alive. It is very difficult for a small team to kill even one such person. And indeed, this team found it next to impossible. On top of that, if one begins by killing one or more soft targets, the terrorists will fight back, with assassins going after the counter-terrorists.

I recommend this book. I think it has a moral, namely that rather than use small counter-terrorism squads, we'd all be better off if there were some international cooperation in apprehending terrorists and bringing them to justice.

As some of the previous readers have stated, this is a great read on counter terrorism. Those Palestinians who had a role in the Olympic murders are dealt with by a professional hit squad sent out from Israel. Jonas makes the reader know who he is supporting, Avner and his four buddies assigned to track down eleven people who had a hand in the Munich murders.
I don't know if you can believe everything in this book. Jonas in his introduction and footnotes, states that some things were just not reported in the newspapers. When Avner and his buddies kill three Arabs in a church in Switzerland, and there are no news accounts, I wonder if this ever took place. Same with his buddies who were killed and the Athens KGB man, this might be fiction. Without knowing who Avner really is, this might be part true or even a novel.
All in all a great read on how Israel dealt with terrorism in the seventies. Israel put the fear of God in those who put fear in others. Just retribution.

It really is a shame that this book is no longer in print. Jonas provides readers with a wild ride through the fear, depression, grit and glory of a spy/assassin driven by the sole mission to avenge terrorism by killing the individual perpetrators.

Of particular interest to me was the weapons training recieved by the Israeli team who went after their targets. Using only .22 pistols, and occasionally no more than homemade slap-fire zipguns, they systematically tracked down and executed hardened terrorists. The level of training, focus and determination portrayed is something you have to read to believe.

It also gives me hope that there is a response to terrorism beyond the 'bomb it and pave it' strategy. Knowing that terrorists will be hunted down, no matter where they go, and killed in a grimy alley or a deserted tenement instead of in a blaze of glory may be a more effective approach to take.

I also appreciated the insight into the psyche of a trained assassin who wrestles with the mission he has been given, and watches as others around him begin to crack up from the strain. His account of how the lives of his fellow team members ended is a sobering picture of the biblical axiom that those who live by the sword die by it also.

If you can get your hands on this book, I would highly recommend it. It is a great story, comparable to any spy thriller and action novel you have picked up, but with the added bonus that it is true.

Whoa. This book is so good I can't wait to read it again! The reasons are manifold: it's one of the best dramas you'll read, regardless of your interest in spy novels or Middle East history, and you become fully emotionally invested in this story. One thing I very much appreciate about the author's work is the extensive documentation and annotation. He simply comes right out and tells you how exactly his version of events differs from other accounts and why. Well done!

Also, you get a distinct sense of what it must have been like to be in Israel in the 70's - barely more than 20 years after its founding. For instance, it was fascinating learning about the basic cultural divide between the western and eastern european jews.

This book will take you from interested to riveted to captivated, and then from shocked to incredulous. The only thing I absolutely hated was that it came to an end. And the end has an extra shocker you could not anticipate. This has to be the best historical novel ever written about intelligence services, and is also one of the best books I've ever read.

I'm lucky enough to have serendipitously purchased a hardcover at a local used book store. I didn't know anything about the book then, but now I know I own a gem.

This book is not only about a historical event, but about international counterterrorism in general. In addition to being exciting, it is also educational, giving insight into how undercover counterterrorist operations (in this case, "hits") are carried out.

This book has changed my approach to food. I feel great.

We're often told to "eat a good variety of vegetables and fruit" but that's not very specific. Heber makes it specific with his seven categories, asking you to eat at least one serving from each category each day. I made a little weekly checklist that I carry with me and treat the challenge as a game. As a result, I'm eating a much greater variety of vegetables and fruit and *more* vegetables and fruit--which crowds out other, less healthful foods. A very fine book, highly recommended.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. Almost a year ago, my husband decided he needed to lose weight (his doctor had been telling him to do so for years; he was verging into diabetes despite being on Glucophage, Glucotrol, and Lipitor). My husband's one criterion was he wanted a diet that allowed him to eat frequently during the day because he didn't want to be hungry. Enter Heber's book!

Merely by increasing the number of vegetables and fruits that my husband ate, he crowded out the crap he'd been obliviously living on. He began to count calories because the results from merely eating more healthily a la Heber made him feel very positive. In six months, he lost sixty-five pounds. His cholesterol went from 220 (a number achieved with the help of those meds) to 125. He's kept the weight off five months now, but we are determined that he will be eating this way for life. We have a word in our household: Heberific. My husband's Park Avenue doctor phoned me and said: "I didn't recognize your husband from his numbers [meaning his blood test numbers]. They've never looked like this! You've added at least ten years to your husband's life, and really fifteen quality years. You are a hero!" I accepted the compliment because it's I who do most of the food preparation.

Now I go to the fruits-and-vegetable market almost every day. I too have made a game of tracking what color fruits and vegies my husband is eating (I composed a daily chart; I've noticed another reader said he did the same thing). I keep meaning to write Dr. Heber a thank-you letter but then I thought perhaps I should simply post my praise on Amazon.

I know Dr. Heber formulated this way of eating primarily to safeguard people from the major chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer) that are diet related, but this way of eating is fun and has had extraordinary results in my family. I've given this book to my parents (who are not overweight) and recommend it incessantly. I am not being hyperbolic when I say that five stars for this book isn't enough.

What color is you diet is a great book. Dr Heber hit th nail on the head with this one. My eating habits are forever improved. Thanks Dr Heber!!

Everyone is talking about how we should eat more fruits and vegetables, because it is better for our health. This book explains what and why in easy to understand language. I am getting copies for family and friends, because we were so pleased with it. I have read other books on the subject, but I feel that this one is an easy referance as well as accurate information.

Eric Williams' The Wooden Horse is another military classic which shouldn't be missed, even though it first appeared over fifty years ago. Here's the story of a daring escape during World War II in an expanded, revised edition that tells of a break from one of Germany's most escape-proof camps. The account doesn't just tell how they did it - it covers the aftermath of the break-out, which involved getting out of Germany entirely. It may read like fiction with high drama, but The Wooden Horse is pure fact and an important chronicle in the history of the war.

There are two editions of this book. In the original edition and in subsequent reprints there is a last desperate moment where all the remains between Williams and freedom is a German guard on a bridge. He kills him and escapes...

Only as Williams admitted years later in an anniversary update - that part never happened and was put in to satisfy the publishers who wanted a more "exciting" ending.

...and he is right to come clean on the point - the story was exciting enough without needing tweaking - ingenuity under strain of captivity is well portrayed in the book and after the frightening journey across Germany - his debriefing by an Intelligence Officer counterpoints what went before in a very British and understated way.

A Gripping True WWII POW Escape Story!!

This book took me over until the very last page.

I usually don't care for reading as a past time and especially novels that take too long to get through.

I read this book over 20 years ago (and only did so by chance after finding it in the school library), because I had to submit a book report during my junior high school years.

I enjoyed the book so much I eagery and ultimately compiled a great book report and was awarded 9/10 as a grade.

Funny enough, I did so well with it that I took the liberty to re-submitted the same book report the following year and again was awarded another high mark (of course it was a different teacher and I had to re-write and date it).

In fact here I am over 20 years later I plan to get my very own copy. That's how much I enjoyed it!

"The Wooden Horse" by Eric Williams is a fabulous book and would make a perfect gift to that person who you think should read more...but doesn't.

They'll thank you for it!

This amazing escape episode involved three men, and was not part of the much-publicized Great Escape, but took place from the same camp (Stalag Luft III). This review is an expansion of an earlier one that I had written.

The original Trojan Horse contained soldiers in the process of sneaking into a city. This real-life WWII thriller describes a Trojan Horse used by Allied POWs to tunnel their way out of a German POW camp. While the horse was ostensibly being used for vaulting exercise, a small group of men hidden within the horse dug a tunnel underneath. Eventually it led them to freedom. Years later, "Eric Williams" was surprised that a mere plywood box could have fooled the Germans for so long. Indeed, the Germans apparently never became suspicious of the fact that the horse was always placed at the identical location, and not far from the wire.

The idea was conceived out of the frustration of digging tunnels long distances from the huts to past the camp wire, and the Germans expecting the traps to originate from the huts and finding them. What if there was some way to get much closer to the wire, to dig a tunnel from there, and to conceal the trap from that unexpected location?

The Trojan Horse episode came to mind. It would be a long and laborious tunneling process, as only a few tunnelers and relatively small amounts of sand could be concealed within the horse per exercise session. Otherwise, the horse would be too heavy to be carried.

The vaulting horse was at first used without any tunnelers concealed in it. In fact, the vaulters purposely knocked it over a number of times so that the Germans would see nothing on the inside of it. The Germans were told that the vaulting stemmed from the English craze for exercise.

After innumerable episodes of vaulting and tunneling, the tunnel was past the wire. Three escapees went from inside the horse down the tunnel, and, after many hours, dug there way to freedom. All three made it safely to the Allied lines.

Don't be put off by the recent "out of print" status, this book is a great true story of a prison breakout in WW2. You can also easily pick it up through Amazons second hand bookstores for a relatively cheap price.

Written by the escapee himself, it retains all its charm and spirit since it first received rave reviews in the late 1940s to early 1950s.

The breakout came from a novel, yet brilliant idea inspired by the Legend of the Trojan Horse- ie to use a gym vaulting horse as cover to hide an inmate who dug a tunnel to the nearest concentration camp fence. It succeeded, but I won't ruin the story with all the details, you will have to read it yourself! Rest assured the book is well written, and as it is told by one of the escapees himself it has a certain charm, readability and authenticity about it.

Getting out was just the first part, the escapees still had to travel across most of Germany to reach home, right amidst the heartlessness and desparation of WW2. I found the description of the lives of everyday German people within a major war as soulful, revealing and harrowing as the concentration camp itself.

A remarkable story, a great and uplifting novel, sure to inspire for many years to come. No mundane "political correctness" here, truthfully told and recorded with all the desperation, fear, and courageous spirit of many involved in the war-on both sides.

There was a film also made in the 1960s I think, which was almost as good as the book, but not quite. Of similar genre to The Wooden Horse is "the Great Escape", also made into a film, but the Wooden Horse is more realisitic and better done overall in my opinion.

Uplifts the spirit.