Collins Books

I picked up Mama Rock's Rules by Rose Rock and Valerie Graham for my daughter who is faced with the challenge of raising two kids; my first response was I wish I'd had this thoughtful and entertaining guide to help me through some of those tough times when I was raising my daughters. Down to earth, with an emphasis on the importance of rules and respect, always balanced with a large dollop of love, the book provides a unique and meaningful approach to handling sex, love, and self respect in the chapter, "Don't Lie Down with Anything you Don't Want to Live With Forever." Another of my favorite chapters is "Feed Them and They'll Tell you Everything." Filled with warmth, Rose gives us great ideas about making the family dinner a special time for sharing and learning more about what's going on with our kids. Every chapter gives an original take on important issues that affect how we raise our children to be respectful, confident, successful people. I highly recommend this book for parents and grandparents alike.

As a long time fan of comedian Chris Rock, I was excited to get the chance to review a new book by his mother, Rose, Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children.

Assuming that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, I figured there would be some straight, no-nonsense talk from this woman who not only raised her own children, but opened her home to the neighborhood kids, as well as a host of foster children through her life. She's got way more patience than I do, that's for sure!

And I was right! The title of Chapter 1 will give you a sense of where Mama Rock is coming from -- I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend. A lot of us moms struggle with striking the right tone and balance in our mothering lives, but Mama Rock is here to tell us to let go of our worries about whether our kids will like us, and focus more on instilling the respect they should have for parents.

She's not saying we can't have fun and enjoy our children, but Mama Rock takes a 'trust, but verify' approach to child-raising which made a lot of sense to me. I do know one thing -- I'm glad I never had to find out about her mystery can of whup-a$$!

But Mama has a soft side, too -- she's got lots of advice on creating memories for our children and the gratification we can all get from make more time to gather around the dinner table, something that we struggle with here at Chez PunditMom because of overlapping work and activity schedules.

I'm going to try to heed some of Mama Rock's advice which is the kind we need more of these days -- non-nonsense talk from a mama who's raised a group of amazingly successful kids.

Personally, I think there are some Hollywood celebrity families who could use this book right now!

This is probably the only CD you'll need for child rearing. It is marvelous.

As the parent of a 5-year old I was looking for a sensible, straight-shooting book on discipline, teaching sound values and preparing a child for life as an adult. Several parents/teachers suggested 'Love and Logic'. After several unsuccessful tries to read it, I gave up. Then the local newspaper had a favorable article on Mama Rock's Rules. It was easy to read, made a LOT of sense, reinforced the lessons my parents had taught me and was fun to read. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book to return to over and over again. I usually borrow books from the library. The classics I buy. This is a classic.

This lady has it right!! Loved the book and appreciate Rose Rock for sharing her 'Mojo's" with others. I have bought several copies to give as gifts to young mothers I know. How I wish I had such a guide when my children were young. Recommend this book with it's great sensible advice and wonderful humor to all.

This is my sons absolute favorite book! There is tons of different things to do but it does get warn outd quickly if child is less then 2 and tears at it. Amazing Educational Book!

I read this book to my younger sister so many times in the past... In the world of hands-on children's books where you pull, turn, and flip the pieces, this book is a treasure. It's well put together enought to withstand years of play.

This book is about the mice in Mr. Brice's home and what they do. It teaches the kids about so many different things like counting, alphabet, measuring, colors, telling time, and so many other things. The age level would probably be around the age of eight at the most that they would learn something, any older they would probably just find the pop ups and pictures amusing. I think the book was excellent for children and I think any child who reads this will enjoy it and learn.

This is one of the cutest childrens books I have ever seen. I bought one for my daughter when she was little and now I buy them as gifts for other young children I know.

So much so, in fact, that we are now purchasing our third copy. Each of our previous copies has held up remarkably well considering how well-loved they were, but as with all books with moving pieces, eventually you need to reinvest. My son, now five, adored this. The page that introduces you to the 26 mice in Mr. Brice's house was a perennial favorite for him and taught him phonics as well as being just plain fun. Your child will get exposure to opposites, reasoning and problem solving, and to many other great skills, all while having a blast with this book. Well worth the investment, even the third time around (in fact, I'm counting on it keeping my two-year-old daughter occupied on a six-hour flight!).

I will never make any of the sample quilts Sally Collins gives directions for in this book--miniatures aren't my thing. But her detailed descriptions of how to make templates that work, how to cut, how to pin, how to press, every step of the way, are incredibly valuable for any project I undertake. Her instructions will improve my every single sewing project for the rest of my life.
It's worth noting that she lists tools that no local store carries, and her list of sources in back wasn't really helpful. I found stuff at at least four different sites by googling the particular item.

The book text is well written - I can almost hear her teaching me. Very informative and easy to read.

I find Sally Collins' quilts stunning and she clearly is a perfectionist. The methods in this book have helped me improve my piecing. We see many books on how to make quilts fast. Ms. Collins encourages quilters to make quilts well. She is a master crafter in this field and the book is excellent in my opinion.

If you want to understand how to do precise piecing, this is your sourcebook. It is a must have book for anyone who wants to take their quilting to the expert level. Sally Collins is a multiple award winning quilter who's quilts have inspired me to work harder on my miniatures. Sally makes her complex miniature quilts without the aid of foundation piecing. This books has 7 projects from a small quilt to a large wallhanging. The projects use intermediate to advanced skills, and two include applique. There are tip for pinning, cutting, pressing,sewing to get perfect results. This book will not disappoint you!

This book had many good hints for precision piecing. I also liked the section on color. However, the quilts in this book are miniscule--4"X4", 14 1/2 X 17 1/2...I'm not at a level to complete such intricate and small pieced projects. I feel the description might have said something about the size of the quilting projects. They are beautiful and did give me some ideas, but I would have appreciated some projects that were easier to complete. If I were able to complete these projects, I probably wouldn't be looking for a book on mastering precision piecing.

Max's Toys is another wonderful little Max book for children and adults. They capture a young child's world with humor and empathy. As Max asserts his "needs," Ruby perceives them as "wants" much like parents. I am a child/family therapist and I use the Max and Ruby books frequently.

The two-year old (plus 4 months) I bought this book for LOVES it and makes her parents touch all the different things there are to touch in the book.

My little Grandson Loves this book. He is 15 months old and carries it everywhere with him.

Because my []son does the same exact things. Sherbert in the tub, favorite shirts, worm cakes...he does it all. This book is a fantastic buy for your [] boy or girl.

Max wants Ruby's doll, Emily, but Ruby will not part with her. Max has a house with 2 chimneys, 3 soldiers, 4 bears, etc. but all he wants is Emily.

This is a cute counting book, especially for fans of this charming brother-sister bunny duo. But the ending is rather abrupt and always leaves my child wondering what happens next.

My introduction title says it all. Never have I read a book with as much hands on, useable information as I've read in this book. Other enterpreneural books are laden with too much "pop psychology speaking optimism, keeping your chin up, never taking no for an answer". This is the first book I've read that contained information that I could acutally use, nearly on every page. Great job Mike. Please put out another one. I'll be the first at the bookstore.

Just finished reading Mike Collin's book and have to say he did a great job! I wish it had been available when I first started inventing. It would have saved me a lot of hardship and time. It is filled with great insight and common sense tools that every Inventor can use.
I have read a number of other Inventor help type books and always felt that they just didn't give the reader any useful information. Mike's hit the nail on the head with great information and personal experiences, not only by himself, but other Inventors. This book is a winner!

This book provides a practical roadmap for everyday inventors seeking to cash in on their ideas. It has just the right combination of helpful information, business strategy, real life stories and inspiration to get that idea off the shelf and moving toward making you money.

Mike Collins shares numerous, invaluable experiences that illustrate the path from "an idea", which is inherent, to creating something tangible and realistic that has an apparent market value. This book will encourage and engage the passion of anyone considering moving forward with an innovative venture.

This book is great in helping everyone realize that they have some special "idea" or interest that could be the potential for something greater. You don't have to have invented something for this book to be helpful. Collins walks you through a process of helping you determine what your million-dollar idea could be.

In general, this book is a fast page-turner. Joan Collins has gone a long way to prove how attractive women over forty can be in other books and, as if it wasn't enough, she makes her point again with friends rallying for support. This book is written in a very colloquial style which makes us privy to Joan Collins' intimate chats with her friends about beauty, fitness, life and love. It is a privilege to have the likes of Stefanie Powers, Shirley MacLaine, Ali Mc Graw, Morgan Fairchild, Shirley Bassey, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Shakira Caine or Angie Dickinson handing down to us the experience of a lifetime in the limelight. Yet, the most naive readers should beware of certain oddities like Ivana Trump's gobbling up over six eggs a day, Shirley MacLaine's fasting for over six days on apple juice or Jacqueline Bisset's phobia of fans kisses for fear of bacteria transmission. Despite which, the book is a winner.

One should never reveal the secrets of friends!

As Joan will soon find out! Apparently Joanna Lumley & Jerry Hall are very upset with her and are waiting in the shadows and lurking for the perfect opportunity to deliver a Linda Evans-style smack down on Joan!

I loved this book! It was such fun to be privy to the secrets of the rich and famous. You'll find that these women are not much different from yourself. If you are a woman who cares for and appreciates her looks and feminity, you'll savor every word. Beware: Divas of the world will enjoy the book most. If you are flippant or carefree about your looks and the aging experience, you'll find it shallow and boring. I for one felt as though I was sitting across the table with Joan and friends over lunch, revelling in our womanhood.

What a pleasure to learn from a book that revels in the vitality of life after 40! My Friends' Secrets contains 200 pages of stylish pictures and down-to-earth dialogue that reveal the beauty and health tips of some of the world's most striking women. Here Miss Collins and her friends share more with their readers than advice about living well; they embody a "philosophy of life" that underlines the power of positive thinking as a way to inner happiness and peace. The result is an outward radiance for the world to enjoy. The author's maxim, "After 40 you get the face you deserve", sums up the essence of this book - the women of "Generation Zest" can and do take charge of their own destinies and reap the rewards of aging with grace. In a world where some are inclined to accept lemons, Collins makes lemonade. This sentiment of making the best of things comes through vividly throughout the book. It is perhaps the reason why My Friends' Secrets is a treasure for any home library. The secrets of the women profiled here fire the creative imagination. Collins is evidently in her element as an interviewer; the conversations in My Friends' Secrets have more spark and intelligence than any talk show presently on television. In this volume, it's clear that the author's best gift to the public is her own multi-faceted personality. In short, My Friends' Secrets is a five-star read and a tribute to the habit of living and loving an interesting life.

Joan Collins has done a remarkable job with this beauty tell-all. She has choosen very fascinating, not to mention beautiful, and all over the age of 40, and some close to 80. The books reads like a friendly chat. There are some great tips from legendary beauties such as Ali McGraw, Ivana Trump, the ever beautiful Joan Rivers and from society hostesses such as the Texas beauty Lynn Wyatt the always gracious Betsy Bloomingdale. This book is a must have for anyone interested in health and beauty. The photos alone are worth the price of the book.

The author of Operation Mind Control, Walter H. Bowart, died on December 18, 2007, according to his obituary in The New York Times and the reference page at Wikipedia.

In 1978, while living in New Hampshire, I had the opportunity of hearing a local radio interview with Bowart concerning his book. I immediately went out and purchased a copy at the cover price of one dollar and ninety-five cents.

Government censorship of the book has created a scarcity of available copies and has skyrocketed the market selling price.

Everything the other reviewers at Amazon have alluded to regarding its supression by the government is true, for Operation Mind Control is indeed a mind blower. The State could not permit anyone to disclose such damaging information.

The secrets revealed in this book openly describe a clandestine government at war with its own people, covert forces which Bowart describes as "the cryptocracy."

This is precisely the kind of dangerous information that governments fear.

Operation Mind Control is not conspiracy theory.

It is documented fact.

Governments live by lies, by bamboozling and hiding the truth from their subjects.

Accordingly, the primary task of opponents of modern tyranny, as libertarian Murray N. Rothbard pointed out, is an educational one: to awaken the public to this manipulation and propaganda, by demystifying and desanctifying the state apparatus upon which such lies are built upon.

Walter Bowart heroically accomplished this feat.

Operation Mind Control spoke truth to power as few books published in the past thirty years have done.

That is why the government tried to destroy it.

Years ago I had the opportunity to discuss these matters with John Marks, the brilliant author of The Search For The Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind Control. Mark's volume somehow escaped the government's relentless campaign waged upon its predecessor.

I highly recommend his book in addition to Operation Mind Control.

Two excellent documentaries tell the sordid and shocking story discussed in these books. They are, Mind Control: America's Secret War, and Bad Trip To Edgewood. Both are available at Google Video for viewing.

This is a book to be read, not to buy and put on a shelf to impress your friends. In a free society we all need to be informed. Read other reviews for more detail.

As one of the researchers mentioned in Operation Mind Control (Jim Moore - pp 262-264, orig. edition), I followed this book and its author with great interest. The book disappeared because, according to what I learned, the CIA did not want the public to know the extent and details of its mind control programs. I believe even Walter Bowart himself once described how the entire warehouse supply was bought up by the CIA. The book also began vanishing from libraries across the nation, and virtually every copy available in bookstores was suddenly bought up and disappeared into a black hole. Very few copies survived this draconian purge. Those that remain are quire rare and expensive and should be must-reading for all Americans concerned about the future of our country and how our thought processes are manipulated by the political-intelligence "experts". especially in the wake of what is being revealed about 9-11, Iraq and the NSA spying.
At one point, even photocopies were going for as much as $75-100. The book itself (1st edition) has sold for as high as $250. There was a second printing (with a different cover) that also quickly disappeared; whether it was an authorized printing or not, I don't know.
Walter Bowart reportedly wrote a follow-up, but suddenly stopped and virtually vanished. The rumor mill has it that he was threatened with "termination with extreme prejudice" - a phrase for assassination that is now outdated.
To my knowledge, he is still alive but living his life in a very low profile. From my own experiences over the years, I can't say I blame him.

This is for those wanting a more than 2-line review of Walter Bowat's "Operation Mind Control."

For whatever reason this book was not widely publicized nor advertised when it first came out during my high school years. I read a lot then and this book certainly would have been the type I'd wanted to read. OMC was published in 1978. In "the author's note" Bowart describes his book as "an excercise in citizens' intelligence" because he like many authr's Bowart cites in his bibliography [including but not in entire: John Marks ["The Search for the Manchurian Candidate"], Lincoln Lawrence["Were We Controlled?"], Donald Bain ["The Control of Candy Jones"] expressed "shock and outrage" over govenment abuse of our [US] people.

Below is a brief synopsis of the "Contents" of "Operation Mind Control"...

FOREWARD:

This was written by Richard Condon who wrote the novel [& from which the first movie titled] "The Manchurian Candidate."

CH 1. "The Crytptorian Candidate"
Discusses the concept of government mind control such as the use of drugs [including LSD], behavior modification, various frequency of sound, hypnosis and other "psycho-weapons." [Note: this book was published 2 years after both Watergate was exposed and also, the Senate's Church commitee had dredged up many ways the CIA had run afoul of the law & one part dealt with a subcommitee dealing with the MKULTRA scandal].

The author discusses how he came about to write this book & later put an ad in the mag "Soldier of Fortune" about possible military victims of gov't mind control. After sifting thru the alledgedly obvious cranks he further interwiewed those who had convincing stories. Bowart discusses the concept of possible Manchurian candidates.

CH. 2 "Only One Mind For My Country"
Discusses the case history of former Air Force "box pusher" [who scored very high in several aptitude tests]named David. David awakes in a hospital where doctors tell him he'd attempted suicide. He discusses later being involved in clandestine operations where for years he had no recall. At first all he recalled about his Vietnam experience is having fun at the beach with 2 other people & no military recall. Over time he recalls scenes that very much seem like the island scenes of the compound in the 2004 version of the movie "Manchurian Candidate." He believes the alledged "suicide attempt" [which he denies attempting] was put on record to discredit him should he later recall events.

CH. 3 "The Mind Laundry Myth"
Discusses the case hitory of Vietnam POW George E. Smith who was in the Green Berets. Also discussed is the concept of Korean/Red China/Communist "brainwashing" where the victim is broken down psychologically & once the mind is "empty" it is refilled with whatever the brainwasher wants. This is illustrated by the story of Francis Gary Powers [and others] who was allegedly "brainwashed" in Korea [others in Vietnam, Russia] Discussian of brainwashing techniques that the Communists use versus the Western Model [slow vs faster with adjunct of drugs, electoshock for example]

CH. 4 "Without Knowledge Or Consent"
Hypnotist George Estabrooks techniques of mind control thru OSS [later CIA] on unwitting soldiers & later US & other countries citizens. The various uses of hypnosis combined with uses of drugs or shock in some cases is discussed as how it is used in the concept of mind control tests on unwitting "volunteers." The "war" against Communism thru mind control now becomes "a private war within."

CH. 5 "Pain-Drug Hypnosis"
Various uses of drugs [barbituates, nonbarbituate sedatives, calmatives, amphetamines & finally "conscious expanding" LSD] use for mind control discussed. Abbie Hoffman & Timothy Leary's stories are discussed as are Sandoz lab's [where LSD was "discoverd" association with CIA. The heroin addiction of many Vietnam GI's and later the "voluntary" participation in the drug BZ[10 X stronger than LSD 25] by soldiers at Edgewood Arsenal. are discussed.

The government becomes more interested in not only the mind control of individuals but populations. Also, other biological weapons are discussed.

CH 6. "The Guinea Pig Army"
Discusses how in 1975 the public [tho in reality most news sources heavily censored this info or never reported it at all] learns of what was the MKULTRA files being destroyed & how well over 100 subprojects dealt with gov't research on citizens of the US [also at least one was in Canada {not mentioned here}: the story of Dr Ewen Camereon]

CH 7. "The MKULTRANS"
Richard Helms DCI of the CIA and the various MK projects including MKULTRA, MKSEARCH, BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, MKDELTA, etc are revealed but highly censored is discussed. A brief story about the California Medical Facility in Vacaville is discussed. Basically the CIA wanted to find out if & how it could control our minds.

CH 8. "The Mata Hari of Mind Control"
Discusses the story of CIA Mind Control story of "courier" Candy Jones.

CH 9. Discussion of of the CIA also mind controls their own. Discusses briefly Wild Bill Donovan of the OSS & the Dulles brothers and the concepts of the US cryptocracy & the military industrial complex & how these relate to mind control & the control the US gov't thru various types of propaganda and mis-& dis-information. The cryptocracy engages scientists to do covert research engage in covert control & create the ideal of national security to enslave the US citizens with "Operational Mind Control,the ultimate technology of secrecy and control."

CH 10. "Brave New World in a Skinner Box"
The cryptocracy meets behavior modification.

CH 11. "A School For Assassins"
The cryptocracy searches for the best killers: they look for the passive-aggressive types & desensitize them to gore & mayhem. Watson assists the cryptocracy with creating the model in a series of lectures. One of these experiments--Project Camelot--[the demise of Chile's President Salvadore Allende] is an example of creating such assassins who will kill on demand. [Allende was overthrown in a CIA sponsored coup who killed himself after his palace was set afire by recruited assassins.]

CH 12. "The Four Faces of a Zombie"
A trained "multiple zombie-state killer named Luis Castillo is discussed in one theory of the JFK assassination. The connection to the JFK is debatable but what was fascinating was the discussion of how the various zombie states were fleshed out with various word commands.

CH 13. "The Lone Nuts"
Discusses how accused killers Lee Harvey Oswald, Sirhan Sirhan, & James Earl Ray acted under various depths of hypnosis and/or truth serums is interesting/chilling. The CIA has fingerprints throughout this chapter as well.

CH 14. " The Ignored Confessions"
Jack Ruby, Dorothy Kilgallen [who interviwed Ruby in his cell] talk & die under cloudy circumstances as does Professor[former oswald friend & intelligence agent] George de Mohrenschildt's dies mysteriously & also after telling his story. de Morenschildt had also been subjected to mind control drugs and electric shock.[?]

CH 15. "Another Hypno-Patsy?"
M L King's death & cover-up.

CH 16. "Confession By Automatic Writing"
RFK's assassination by Sirhan Sirhan & the assassin's strange behavior following under hypnosis & alledged writings possibly planted in Sirhan's home?

CH 17 "The Patriotic Assassin"
First discusses how the word assassin came to be.Then how the NSA uses this model to create assassins with its black ops & how the CIA is the "whipping post" of the NSA. Chilling interview of how they use ultrasonic & electronic manipulation of the brain so the assassin remembers nothing unless cued by the handler. Discusses how Presidents will obey their handlers wishes or face the same as JFK.

CH 18. "Deep Probe"
Jose Delgado & electronic brain stimulation & his desire for a "psycho-civilised society." Remote control of the brain. Brain implants.

CH 19. "From Bionic Woman to Stimulated Cat"
Lincoln Lawrence & RHIC-EDOM: Radio Hypnotic Intra-Cerebral Control-Electronic Dissolution of Memory. The concept of sleeper assassins is discussed

CH 20. "The Engines of Security"
Summarizes the cryptocracies want/"need" to control the minds of society.
*******
Some of the book is outdated but this book is often used as background in more recent works on the subject of mind control. The book is diificult to find & expect to pay even more than $100 for a copy in any condition. It took years to find one for a little more than half that price. The book is worth reading if you can find a copy of it. Hope this helps.

This is a review of the scarce 2nd edition of Operation Mind Control, which appears for sale occasionally on Amazon, originally a subscribers only edition, with author's seal and name of the person it was prepared for on the first page. Limited to 500 copies.

I mostly found this to be a very interesting book about the so-called cryptocracy. There's a lot of startling stuff in the 686 pages of main text, and in the appendices. There do appear to be a few factual errors however. He states that B.F. Skinner's daughter committed suicide, but doesn't say where he got that information. According to the book "Opening Skinner's Box", Debbie Skinner is alive and well. He also declares that Skinner was a tool of the cryptocracy out to turn people into "obedient automatons", which is a contentious argument. All I will say is to recommend Lauren Slater's book to get both sides of the argument and also to read a balanced analysis of "false memory syndrome". Mr Bowart argues against that in the chapter "False Memory Spindrome". However, earlier in the book he mentions the case of Sirhan Sirhan, who apparently after hypnosis claimed he killed Robert Kennedy and who, according to a psychiatrist in 1973, had hypnosis used to plant ideas in his mind to make him accept that he killed Robert Kennedy. This psychiatrist is quoted as saying that a polygraph is more accurate than hypnosis. This suggests that memories can indeed be planted through hypnosis!

Most of the sheer volume of information appears to be well researched. In the interests of space I will just list some search terms that could be entered into a search engine to find out about some of the subject matter: "george estabrooks", "mary pinchot meyer", "sir william stephenson", "mark phillips mkultra", "triple dissociation", "mindwar", "dr colin ross", "franklin cover-up", "finders cia", "michael aquino", "luis angel castillo", "david ferrie", "george de mohrenschildt", "becker body electric", "consumertronics", "high power microwave technology", "gunther karl russbacher", "white phosphorus waco", "genie laborde", "col john alexander", "black hole of guyana", "dorothy burdick", "armen victorian", "mike-alpha-delta-3", "tesla generator", "alt.mindcontrol", "mkdraco", "fletcher prouty", "jacques vallee", "martin cannon controllers", "harlan girard", "p.a. lindstrom", "biotelemetry".

There's supposed to be a documentary based on this book too, according to Mr Bowart in this book.

I bought this copy of the book after having lost my original. I felt that I needed to read this book again, after meeting El Cordobes in Benidorm many years ago when Benidorn was still a small towm.
Well worth reading a second time.

Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins have written a great book. "Or I'll Dress You In Mourning" is a powerful account of the life and times of "El Cordobes", which I had the good fortune of watching him fight a bull in the 60's in a black and white footage. His lack of fear and proximity to the bull while making his "passes" can only be described as exceptional courage! Regardless wether a person likes or does not like bullfighting as a sport or as an art, the fact remains that these particular kind of bulls are a breed that can quite easily kill a person with just one gore of their deadly horns. These are no friendly, peaceful animals. Some of them are amazing sights. Just to imagine one charging at you knowing their split second reactions allows them to turn on a dime, sort of speak, makes a person appreciate the drama involved in a "corrida". The story of "El Cordobes" and the period of time in which it took place in Spain makes for great reading. This "Matador's" poverty and desire to become the best is nothing short of exceptional. Dominique Lapierre is a great writer. Another great book by him is "City of Joy". A book of such spiritual force that leaves the reader helpless with awareness. I like the fact that this kind of writing is non fictional. Larry Colling has collaborated with Lapierre and must take equal amounts of credit for this book. 5 stars for this great book, a proud inclusion in anyone's library.

Perhaps one of the best biographies I have ever read, this book tells the story of the fabled Spanish bullfighter Manuel Benitez "El Cordobes"!

Born in strict poverty, this youngser defied all the odds in becoming perhaps the most famous modern day "toreador"! His phenominal rise to fame is truly something out of a novel! El Cordobes, desperate, illiterate, starving had one dream, to become a bullfighter. And the odds were stacked heavily against him. This noble profession certainly had no room for such a peasant! But the heavens were looking out for him and rise he did. With the help of an influential patron, El Cordobes succeeded, and with a fervor almost unparalleled. This is no "dull biography" but a gripping one, complete with all the ingredients of a first-rate novel! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

This is my favourite book of all times. I have read it at least seven or eight times and every time, it never fails to excite me. The story is well told and animated and as well as understanding the life of El Cordobes, you also learn so much about the history of Spain, the era of Franco and the impact his tyranny had on the country. If you read this book, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

I've read this book twice now. Never fails to enthrall me. It is great on 3 levels. One, a spellbinding plot that can keep you up all night. Two, it teaches some Spanish history and bullfighting lore. Three, it makes you grateful for what you have and shows that with perseverance your dreams can come true. A good book for a teenager. One of the best I've read in a long time.

I found the photographs in this book nothing short of astounding. It may be because I'm a graphic artist. The art which the people of Kau live within is jarringly beautiful; indeed, their tatoos and face painting did not cover or mark the human canvases, but instead enhanced and brought out the very soul of them. My hair stood on end.

The best photography book I ever had. Wonderful book.

I first discovered Leni in the early 80's. As an amateur photographer for many years, Leni's work provided the drive for me to work hard for an image, wait for the light. Leni's photojournalistic ability has been an inspiration. In my opinion, Leni makes a person want to record their observations on film.In terms of ability and true gutsiness she is unique. Her insight and sensitivity into the culture of the People of Kau provides a startling immediacy to their unique way of life. Leni's drive to provide a record, a tangible proof of the horrible beauty of their lives moved me to breathlessness. Her level of communciation through the use of film is singular. This book is a must have. It is a must read. For a photographer it is a must do.

I felt priveleged to join Leni, through her stunning photography, on a voyage to a place in time and history that may by now have already been changed forever. It is difficult to conceive of cultures that today are so unlike our own, yet give us glimpses into how our own forebearers may have lived out their lives.

I found this book in a library in the mid/late seventies. I was a poor surfer dude in those days and never bought books. It was the first time I just went out and forked out a huge dollop of cash for a book. I never have regretted it for one moment. Never!
As someone else in the reviews says, "Just get it!" Go on!

I prefer Bartlett's for one major reason: You know where what you're looking for came from. There's plenty of good material in here, don't get me wrong, but if it's a Shakespeare quotation, I like to know *exactly* where it came from in MacBeth, so I can find it and cite it!

It does have an interesting organization-- by theme-- which is different from Bartlett's and can make flipping through it amusing. In that way, you can actually pick this up and just browse instead of reading 16 pages of lines from Paradise Lost, all together.

However, if you're looking for something practical, something you can use to give people an answer if they ask you, "Hey, that was interesting, where did it come from, exactly?," you're not going to be able to answer the "exactly" part. Just be aware of that.

Well worth the price of the book - excellent collection of quotes. Wonderful source of reference. I look forward to "wearing it out" as one other reader has!!!

I have had this book for 9 years and it continues to be my favorite. I have several other quotation books, but I always keep coming back to this one. It covers many topics that are categorized in a user friendly format which makes searching for the perfect quote a breeze. I recommend this book for the quotation fanatic!

A lot of quote books focus on the timeless and famous or the "witty" and not-so-meaningful. Peter's Quotations is a clasic among public speakers and essayists because it focusses on what these people are likely to need. It addresses broad, abstract topics such as "kindness" but also lays out the lawyer jokes. The topics are a good mix of the immortal and the current and, while often witty, are never ridiculous or campy (well, almost never campy). I've used it for years as a debater and public speaker, as a coach, and as a teacher. The best indication I can give you of its outstanding usefulness is that I buy a new copy for my speech team every year because a graduating senior always steals the old one. I'm on my third personal copy because I've worn two others out.

Not a "real" quotation reference like, say, Bartlett's, but a great compendium of mostly modern quotes. The book has a sharp, sassy, punchy, pointed sensibility (which only lags, unfortunately, in Dr. Peter's own added asides which are uniformly below the standard of the rest of the book). This is a quotation book that you will read cover to cover. Organization is handy so that when you want to find that pithy bon mot that struck you the last time you read the book, you'll be able to locate it easily. Highly recommended.