Ferguson Books

I would recommmend this book because it has interesting and humerous moments. Like when he climbs the ladder to get honey he falls on top of pooh bear. It teaches you to think of other's feelings and how others can effect yours.

This is a good book about there feelings.Eeyore was just in a bad mood like always.Nothing ever goes his way. That can teach kids about peoples feelings.

I like these Golden Books Pooh stories. Although they are not A A Milne, they provide sweet and funny entertainment for the children, but also have a message. (We also have Pooh`s Sweetest Christmas.) This one is a story about Eeyore. It is about friendship and what sometimes happens with good intentions, as well as the importance of being yourself. My five year old likes Eeyore, but there are few stories which center on him, so we read this often.

eeyore be happy is a cute short story ideal for a bedtime book. Although the characters all interact with eeyore a bit, there is no major forms of interaction between eeyore and pooh . If your little one like eeyore the best than this is a great book

Richard Baxter in "The Reformed Pastor" wrote that ministers are "nurses" of "Christ's little babies", of which I would argue, that not only ministers, but also mature Christians ought to be nurses of Christ's little babies. The reason I said this is because I have a sense what Dr. Ferguson covers in "Grow in Grace," though excellent, might be too overwhelming for new converts to go through by themselves because it contains a massive amount of information that covers a significant portion of the entire Bible which they may not be familiar with, which necessitates a personal guidance from teachers and ministers of the Church. This is the right way to do discipleship; a compassionate intimate personal mentorship, that the Bible gives examples of, through the accounts of Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, Naomi and Ruth, and certainly Jesus and His disciples. Dr. Ferguson places as an utmost importance Jesus Christ as the supreme role model to follow as He himself grew in grace. It is important to note that this is not to say that the gospel is a social gospel, where one needs to imitate Jesus to be a Christian. On the contrary, it is what one should naturally become because he or she is a Christian. While the centrality of justification by faith and the cross is indispensable and other cardinal Christian doctrines ought to be clearly understood and not compromised, the goal of orthodoxy is orthopraxy to both God and men; and the purpose of right theology is doxology, not the puffing up of self that results in disparagement or condescension toward other people, as he points out,

"Being a Christian, growing in grace, means becoming like Christ. But if we are modeling our lives on a Christ who was not really human, who did not really get inside our experiences, we will end up living Christian lives which are lacking in the warmth and compassion of real humanity. There are Christians just like that. We are all ashamed of it, but it is true. Some Christians do seem to have rather steely glints in their eyes. They are not like the Jesus of whom you read in the Gospels. It is not because they lack earnestness, or prayer, or zeal. It is because they are living their Christian lives on the basis of a wrong design" (p.5).

There is also a valuable treatment on the necessity of the fear of God; a filial as opposed to servile fear, as well as crucifixion of the world, dying to self, that I consider particularly needful considering there is a tendency toward carelessness as a result of an over-emphasis on grace, not only from my own experience, but also something that Dr. Ferguson is aware of,

"Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility" (p.137-138).

The last section gives an account of three Old and New Testament characters; Daniel, Peter and Timothy, that demonstrate that first, growing in grace is not a mere theory but a visible reality, and second, despite three different personalities, yet the power of God works the same growth in grace at different pace and in different manifestations out of a genuine faith in spite of their failures and weaknesses that magnify the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ even more gloriously.

New believers and their teachers need to own and use this book in their class in which Dr. Ferguson not only teaches what and how to grow in grace, but he actually teaches with grace as well.

from the back cover:

Becoming a Christian is only the beginning of a process of spiritual growth that involves increasing in knowledge of God, obedience to his word and understanding of his will.

Yet, some Christians' lives seem to grind slowly to a halt while others are disappointed because of their spiritual progress has not been as straightforward or as rapid as they had hoped. The growth of others is stunted by a lack of proper spiritual nourishment. Yet others feel they do not understand how to become mature Christians.

Grow in Grace explains how God helps us to develop as members of his family. Taking Jesus himself as the model for our growth, it explains some of the biblical principles of spiritual development, and gives a number of 'case histories' to illustrate how God works in our lives to mature us as Christians.

The biblical teachng in Grow in Grace will appeal to Christians at all stages, while its straightforward explanation of the patterns of God's work in his people makes it ideal for those who are just beginning.

about the author:

Sinclair B. Ferguson is minister of St. George's-Tron Church, Glasgow, Scotland. He is the author of Discovering God's Will, The Christian Life, A Heart for God, The Sermon on the Mount, Deserted by God? and other books published by Banner of Truth Trust.

This is a helpful little book on the topic of spiritual growth through grace. At roughly 140 pages, it is a very accessible read and would make a great book for a Bible study or a book club.

I really enjoyed thinking about the various topics Ferguson covered in this book. The book starts with two chapters concerning the spiritual growth of Jesus. Particularly helpful is where Ferguson points out the Jesus did not have any special means of spiritual growth that aren't available to us as believers, and thus Jesus is our prime example of spiritual growth.

Later, Ferguson explores the topic of spiritual growth in the context of community, and also why it is that sometimes our growth can feel stunted. Lastly, Ferguson does three case studies for spiritual growth: Daniel, Peter, and Timothy. Each of these biblical figures have completely different temperaments and thus different paths to spiritual growth. These chapters were helpful in pointing out some of the character flaws these men had to overcome while growing in grace.

I think that Ferguson's The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction is a better book, and if you were only going to read one of Ferguson's books I would recommend that one. "The Christian Life" is certainly more well known, for whatever that's worth. However, "Grow in Grace" is a solid book, too. As in "The Christian Life," in this book Ferguson surrounds his words with those of other well respected reformed writers, and it is comforting to see how this book fits into the reformed tradition. Enjoy!

from the back cover:

Becoming a Christian is only the beginning of a process of spiritual growth that involves increasing in knowledge of God, obedience to his word and understanding of his will.

Yet, some Christians' lives seem to grind slowly to a halt while others are disappointed because of their spiritual progress has not been as straightforward or as rapid as they had hoped. The growth of others is stunted by a lack of proper spiritual nourishment. Yet others feel they do not understand how to become mature Christians.

Grow in Grace explains how God helps us to develop as members of his family. Taking Jesus himself as the model for our growth, it explains some of the biblical principles of spiritual development, and gives a number of 'case histories' to illustrate how God works in our lives to mature us as Christians.

The biblical teachng in Grow in Grace will appeal to Christians at all stages, while its straightforward explanation of the patterns of God's work in his people makes it ideal for those who are just beginning.

about the author:

Sinclair B. Ferguson is minister of St. George's-Tron Church, Glasgow, Scotland. He is the author of Discovering God's Will, The Christian Life, A Heart for God, The Sermon on the Mount, Deserted by God? and other books published by Banner of Truth Trust.

I love Nikki's photographs because they show us her trust as an artist and her curiosity with life. The fact that Nikki changed her name to Nikki shows us something in it self. WHy nto keep her original Korean name? We'll never know. I was recently at the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo and this was my first exposure to Nikki's photos I wish Nikki great luck with her coming projects and I can't wait to see more!

I was in a random Berlin museum with this book on my lap before it 'officially' came out, and the guards yelled at me.

I guess I was cracking up. Maybe it's because, 'It's funny because it's truuuuue!'

I don't want to launch into theory on acknoledgement of self, portraits, 'artistic license', even levels of humor and seriousness, but perhaps I'm able to take this collection of transformation into a 'type' with great humor and appreciation because I know all those groups -

ooh! the little kitschy japanese school girl, the tourist, the old lady, the stripper, the chola - the reason it's not just poking fun or trying to make some serious political statement is because of the realism: snapshots, without the precedence of it all being 'art', but down to the detail of fashion, the poses, and most importantly: what we don't see in the pictures - the days spent in these environments affecting the actual behavior.

uh, yeah. i tend to do ghetto, old lady, japanese school girl, and stripper moves and voices. i guess i identify. being a boy from california and all.

This is an excellent monograph on this rising young photographer. The reproduction quality is outstanding and the texts are insightful. I highly recommend it.

After hearing all the hype about Nikki S. Lee and her photoessays into "becoming" part of a social monosphere, i decided to check this book out. Consisting of simple documentary-style snapshots, Nikki neatly portrays her "scrapbook" of how she meshes seamlessly into another subgroup (latinas, skaters, schoolgirls, senior citizens, punks) by adopting their hair, dress, poses, makeup, mannerisms, and turf.

With the help of wrinkled skin, powdery white wig, and saggy stockings, Nikki transforms herself into an old lady: a snapshot of her getting off the bus in a slow, painful manner illustrates how she not only takes on the look of a certain group, but their whole soul and gestalt. In another montage, we see Nikki with piercings, spiked leather, fishnets, smeared makeup, hanging out with the Trash & Vaudeville crowd. She doesnt look awkward or "wanna be"; blending in as seamlessly as possible is Nikki's goal, which she finesses quite well. Next we see Nikki as white trash, donning a peroxide blond wig, stained cutoffs, cavorting with toothless, beer-belly trailer trash. It's effective and fascinating to see this innocent asian girl switch personas without mocking the subgroups in question. She actually pulls off the latina chola look, unblended lipliner, door-knocker earrings and all--and the best thing is that she does it so innocently, like an admirer looking up to that subculture's beauty ideal. Nikki's portraits are filled with detail and such realism that we forget who Nikki really is for a moment.

I find that of all nikki's "projects", the ones that have most draw are the ones most extreme, and i found some of the projects unimaginative and downright unnecessary. Why include a "Yuppie project" at all? Anyone can don a pair of Dockers and overcoat and look like a Wall Streeter--how boring. Even I can do that! And the "Japanese Schoolgirl" project--As an asian girl with young features--Nikki already looks like a schoolgirl and thus does not have to try very hard to appear like one. The "Tourist" project is also pedestrian: How hard is it to put on some bermuda shorts, fanny pack, fat camera and unfolded map to look like a tourist in New York? Not very. But how hard is it for a normal person to look like a realistic Goth? See, It isn't a challenge portraying a group close to one's own--but it is much more challenging to portray a group removed from your ethnicity, age, and mainstream--which is why the Latina project and the Punk project are triumphs. The others could have used some more imagination. Overall, an interesting compilation of photographs, but not every series is a winner.

Take it from this lifetime swimmer, longtime coach and triathlete: Coach Tharp is a pioneer! He articulates thoughtful and successful technique and training strategies sure to influence coaches and swimmers alike. The US Army recognizes his obvious talent and passion for coaching swimming and triathlon that transcends sexual preference! Perhaps these trickles of tolerance will inspire a new paradigm of acceptance in the US military and beyond! Read this book!

Robert Watson is head coach of Maximum Propulsion and City Coach in New York City
MaximumPropulsion.com and Citycoach.org

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training Illustrated, 3rd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

The positives:

1, Louis Tharp appears to be an exceptionally gifted coach, writer and has a unique ability to describe and emphasize the concepts of Total Immersion. He is personable, funny, convincing and reading the book does not feel like a list of e-mails, but more of a list of "on-deck discussions". He is engaging and you truly would want to have someone like him as your coach and guide. I really loved his chapters, although a little more structure, sense of skill progression, and...well, a little more would have made this book so much better.

2, The concept is great: an e-mail/diary with tons of pictures that has the intimacy and laid back feel of a friendly advice on improvement. It has the look of a yearbook, playful and easy-going. Although, here is a possible problem: one can not make the book too specific to any particular year or team without the risk of losing the emphasis on the general concepts. The entries have a discussion, then a training practice plan.

The negatives:

1, The title: Who is the "overachiever"? There is the Army Triathlon Team, but who is achieving what over what inherent skill, genuine lack of talent or limitation? Was it the stroke, the recovery, the balance? What improved? What was overcome to overachieve? What made the difference? There are all these pictures throughout in the book, but who was really a team member and when? There is no description, introduction to any of the team members, so it leaves the expected intimacy of a diary missing. "How the army triathlon team became world contenders?" Page 213 lists 87th, 121st, 154th, 209th, 139th of overall position for respective members. I am not dismissing these as valuable results, but this does not list their swimming leg results that this whole book was supposed to address. It was a book about the swimming, right? "Diary"? There is no year listed, so we don't know if the Month and Day of the entries belongs to the year of the above mentioned race result (World Championship 2007) or not.

2, With all respect to Laurie Ferguson, PhD, whose motivational chapters appear in the book (about 15% of the volume), the value of her contribution to both the possible improvement of the reader and the team appears limited. It is hard to imagine that a multisport athlete struggles with focus, motivation and drive, requiring outside assurance and guidance.

3, It is annoying to read a book that refers to websites and links for further explanation. Even if you go to these websites, how do you find the description of the "stone skipper" drill, for example? A book should be more complete of its own.

4, Unless you are familiar with the concepts of the Total Immersion, you will be lost reading "zipper-skate", "underswitch". Some terms are never explained like "90 second rule". A short, condensed summary would have gone a long way.

Lou Tharp is an amazing man -- and he's written a marvelous book. It doesn't fit in any particular category -- it's a swimming book, a motivational book, a memoir, a gay book, and much more. If you're interested in any aspect of the human condition -- improving one's body, fitting in to society, figuring out what makes us tick -- you'll find something of interest here. Actually, you'll find plenty of interest. You'll even find yourself interested in things you didn't know you could be interested in!

It's a fun book to read -- all the emails from him to the team. If you're a swimmer you need to read this. It's all about the basics as well as race strategies. The basics work for pool or open water swimming. The strategy is for tri swimming. He's obviously got a great rapport with the team. He's got a great sense of humor, and he's able to really reach out and grab them emotionally before big events. There are hundreds of pics. Also, the interesting twist is that he's gay, he's out, he's coaching at West Point, and nobody cares that he's gay. It's a very interesting dynamic. This is not your usual boring swimming book -- or triathlon book for that matter. It's worth the 15 bucks.

I liked this book - it didn't capture me at first and in fact I put it down for a while but did manage to finish it once I got past the first few pages. I liked our heroine (Ellen), a stubborn Scot, wanting to marry for love despite the fact it was her third season. Unique also in the fact she fell in and out of love very easily. Our hero (Corey) is spectral through most of the book except in the beginning when he and Ellen are sharing some special moments watching fireworks. Too bad Corey did not listen to an old family retainer Fenton who predicted doom!

Our hero is fatally injured when the fireworks misfire, and he is somewhat tended by Ellen who, due to her own injury, happens to be in the same room when he dies. Corey promises to "find her the perfect husband before the chrysanthemums bloom" for her constancy to him in his last living moments. Unfortunately Ellen has determined she is in love with Corey (and no one else will do) and the air crackles with unfulfilled passion when they meet while he is a ghost. He cannot even touch her since the "glow" causes a burn on her skin. You will like how Corey gets around this problem and manages to dance with Ellen - very sweet scene.

I felt that Ellen fell in love too quickly. For that matter so did Corey ... but this is a romance! Secondary characters are interesting. I liked getting to know Corey's heir but I don't know if he will have his own romance later - I kind of wanted him to. The ending is tied up fairly quickly but satisfies the Regency reader by being the happy one we expect. Do not peek ahead to find out how this is achieved. I can recommend this for some light reading - didn't touch my heart a lot.

A PHANTOM AFFAIR is a short, pleasant read. Plot-wise, it is about a Scottish lady seeking a husband with the assistance of a handsome ghost. Unfortunately, said ghost is the man of her dreams! I read this simply because I was in the mood for a ghostly romance, and this was the first book I found with that theme (though it is out of print, so I had to buy a used edition). As a ghost story, A PHANTOM AFFAIR is not at all spooky (nor did I want it to be). It dealt more with the frustrations of two people who want to be together, yet to touch is impossible. I also grew very curious to see how the story would end - would she marry a living man or would they somehow find a way to be man and wife, even though he was a ghost? Since this was the first Zebra Regency Romance I've ever read, I really can't compare it, say, to a traditional romance novel (like Johanna Lindsey) or even a paranormal romance (like Sherrilyn Kenyon). I can say that the author's constant use of Victorian(?) jargon caught me off guard (e.g., "bosom-bow," for "best friend" - I think). I also was astounded at how quickly the hero was killed off -within moments of meeting the heroine. Finally, I had hoped for a little more steamy passion, but I don't think Zebra romances are that type of novel. Anyway, I did enjoy reading A PHANTOM AFFAIR; it was sweet and had several truly witty moments. I'll definitely read it again, though I'll probably keep a dictionary by my side this time, so I can better understand the dialogue.

If you like your Regency plots to be down-to-earth and plausible, you may not like this book. On the other hand, I am not in general particularly fond of stories concerning the supernatural, but I found this book entertaining and very moving, and I have re-read it a couple of times since.

Ellen and Lord Wulfric (Corey Wolfe, whose title is *not* Lord Corey Wolfe as the description on this site suggests, but the Marquess of Wulfric) meet and get on extremely well; then a tragic accident results in Corey's death. But not his departure from Ellen's life; he vows to find her the perfect husband before autumn comes. The problem is, as they both come to realise, the 'perfect' husband for Ellen is no longer alive!

The book is alternately very funny and very moving; the scenes where Ellen first meets her faithful ghost are hilarious, as are the scenes where Corey provides a running commentary on events which only Ellen can hear. More poignant are the scenes where Ellen and Corey realise their growing feelings for each other, feelings which they believe can never be resolved. More painful still is the fact that they cannot touch; Corey's ghostly touch gives living things frostbite.

Just when the reader thinks that the story can never be resolved (in any way other than, perhaps, Ellen's own death), Ferguson arrives at a resolution which may seem a little hackneyed, but it works - for me at any rate.

The book has flaws: some period and dialogue inaccuracies which I won't go into - these are pretty par for the course with many American Regencies, where US customs, vocabulary and so on are not in keeping with the English society of the time. There are also inconsistencies in relation to what Corey can and cannot do: in some scenes he is able to touch and hold things (a pillow, a book, Ellen's shawl), and in others he is not (in particular, when Ellen is in the boat in a storm, Corey is unable to hold the oars in order to help her row to safety). But the story itself is well-written and interesting enough to render these inconsistencies and inaccuracies less of a distraction than they would be for me in a less well-written book.

I recommend this book; you will want to keep and re-read it.

Pretty, wealthy Ellen Dunbar is very much the pragmatic Scot. She has had three Seasons in London and still remains unwed - by choice. She refuses to settle for less than her heart's desire. Ellen is spending the Summer with her best friend, Lady Marian, and her husband. Ellen meets the dashing Lord Corey Wolfe during a fireworks display at his estate and an attraction grows between them. Then an accident kills Corey and injures Ellen.

Though Corey no longer has a physical body, he cannot leave Ellen alone. So he vows to Ellen that he will find her the perfect husband before the end of the Summer, whether she wants his help or not.

***** What follows is pure pleasure to read. Only Ellen can see and hear Corey. So Ellen is forced to keep a straight face as she speaks to people, even though Corey is there saying the most outlandish things about the ones Ellen is talking to. It is witty, amusing, and the BEST way to spend a rainy afternoon that I can imagine. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This was a great book for all readers.It had suspense,humor,and lotz of adventure.I think it was a great book all around!

I thought Rage of Fire was good but it was not as the other book in the series because it wasn't as the thrilling and suspenseful.




Jack and Ashley and their parents are going to Hawaii for vacation. A day later they get a call that they have to pick up a boy named Danny Tran and bring him back to Wyoming with them to live with his grandfather because he can't live with his great grand parents any more.
Then they go to Volcano National Park and Danny takes them on a trail while their father goes and takes pictures. They find themselves being chased by a lady in a red dress. Ashley and Danny thinks its Pele the fire goddess but Jack thinks that is crazy or could it be?


I recommend this book to a 8-13 year old or a person who likes mystery books.

I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT WAS FAST PACED AND BECAUSE IT HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WILDLIFE.

I think this book was great becsue of its unique plot. I have never read anything like it. All readers should read this book. Although the beggining started out a little slow, the end was full of suspense. I thank the authors for writing such a wonderful book.

The book includes some hard to think of items but excludes more obvious ones. Where, for example, is the pizza slices you can get only in upper west NYC, or the rye bread slice and pickled cucumbers to go with the sausages of Vien, the squashed grape juice decorated with kivi slices you can get in Beirut, the mashed liver wrapped in pastry leaves and deep fried as done in Moscow, fresh skinned walnut pieces kept in icy cold water as sold in Taheran streets or the fried pineapple slieces of Bangkok served on palm leaves, etc. However, it manages to water ones mouth enough to get up and try some that are described.

I Love Buying cookbooks, and using them of course! This book is one of the most fun books i own. It has great great pictures, a very important thing, for me at least! The recapies are also fun and tastly and also very varied. I have loved the couple of things that i have already been able to try and can't wait to try more.

If you're a big fan of munching on pizza by the slice, soft pretzels and hot dogs smothered in sauerkraut bought from corner
vending stands, then you're in for a treat with the cookbook Street Food. This cookbook takes you all over the world to show
you what people are eating on the run. From hush puppies, corn dogs and cheeseburgers in the States to Chicken in Banana
Leaves, Tortilla Wraps and Jerk Pork from the Latin South and the Caribbean. There are too many tasty recipes to list here,
but some highlights include: Scottish Fish and Chips, Greek Tiropitakia (fried cheese pastries), Turkish Lamb Pies, Iranian
Roasted Beetroot, Tandoori Chicken, Philippines Pork Spring Rolls, Burmese Coconut Ice Cream, Hokey Pokey
(Scottish-Italian honeycomb toffee ice-cream) and Lebanese Souvlaki. The book not only has stomach-growling recipes from
across the globe, but also features beautiful photographs of the countries and its people eating as they walk through busy city
streets.
(...)

This is a must-buy for anyone that loves beautiful cookbooks. The photographs are gorgeous and the recipes are very good. I love street food and here is a fantastic collection.

My children (4 yr old boy and 2 yr old girl) love this book - and the other two in the series. The rhyming words and excellent illustrations capture their attention and help my 4 year old read along. In fact, after reading it together just a few times, he knows most of it by heart now! I especially appreciate the activity guides at the end of the book - they offer good playtime ideas that encourage my kids' imagination!

After their day at the beach, Sam, Sally and Suzy gather their towels and head to the park, but along the way their imaginations take over. What can they do with an ordinary beach towel? An awful lot, it turns out.

In a world increasingly dependent on digital entertainment, The Topsy-Turvy Towel demonstrates to children the fun that can be had when they stretch their imaginations; that a common, every-day item can provide hours of entertainment.

Kids of all ages love the bright, colorful and unique illustrations. They rhyming text is descriptive, yet leaves room for the mind to conjure more of the story. While the text is probably good for a reader, the rhyme pattern doesn't lend itself to being an intuitive read aloud, so read-aloud parents should be prepared to have to work a little on the cadence.

Armchair Interviews says: A fun book that shows the power of a little imagination.

Written by Julie Goulis and illustrated by John Ferguson, The Topsy-Turvy Towel is a rhyming picturebook about three best friends who share a wonderful day together on the beach. Their imaginations transform their simple beach towel into a focus for one fantastic glimpse of adventure after another. The enthusiastic, freestyle color illustrations beautifully enhance the carefree story, rounded out with a handful of sample creative activities on the final two pages.

My kids and I love this book and the entire series. Its not too long so it's great for a child's attention span, the pictures are colorful, and we spend the rest of the day imagining what things could be. Its an adventure without going anywhere. I highly recommend the Goulis/Fergusun books. I have all three so far and can't wait for the next one.

I have just finished reading the Kindle version of this book, and found it fascinating reading. Mr. Park is an amazing explorer. The story of his initial adventures is amazing and humbling. He really was a persistent guy!

Worth reading for the insights to slavery as it existed in those days, as well as traveling both as a priveleged white man and later as a fugitive.

The Kindle version works well and was cheap. I doubt I could have found this book readable or affordable in its initial form.

Kate Ferguson Marsters' edition of Mungo Park's TRAVELS is an excellent example of the travel narrative - easily comparable with the Journals of Lewis & Clark or Francis Parkman's OREGON TRAIL. The book is broken into three parts: Park's travel narrative , Marsters' Introduction & Major Rennell's Geographical Illustrations Of Mr. Park's Journey (which is rather dry and dated).

The main work is a narrative of Park's travels from Barra, on the West African coast, to the town of Silla, just west of Jenne and his return to the western coast. Park provides many interesting details and asides, including that of Mumbo Jumbo (also mentioned by Francis Moore) for disciplining wayward wives. Park also spends a fair amount of time explaining local governments and social norms. Throughout, the account attempts some degree of neutrality while noting acts of kindness and avarice by various individuals and rulers; although, not surprisingly, he explicitly criticizes the Moors who continually interfered with his progress and those who robbed and stripped him. Perhaps his most disturbing account is of the female slave who becomes too sick to continue traveling with the coffle. The entire work puts black slaves and their families in a very sympathetic light and shows the slave trade at its worst; although, due to the continuing conditions of slavery and internal conquest pre-dating major European involvement in the trade, Park stated that the termination of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade would not provide as great a benefit to the populace in Africa as many hoped.

The Introduction is important in providing the history of Park's early years, the important role of the African Association and its leader, Sir Joseph Banks. More importantly the Introduction deals with the Bryan Edwards controversy. Richard Burton and Orlando Patterson's criticisms have held that internal African slavery and slave trading was not nearly so prevalent as suggested by Park. In light of this, Marsters' statement that Joseph Banks, a critic of slavery, had to approve every piece of Edward's editing becomes extremely important. In addition, it is made clear that the reason for the stylistic differences is that the original TRAVELS was a book derived from Park's notes whereas the published work of his second, ill-fated journey was merely a compilation of those notes retrieved from the dead man's party!

All-in-all, an excellent and informative read!

Mungo Park (1771-1806?) was the first European to visit the Niger River basin in 1796. He resolved, once and for all, a debate that had European cartographers and geographers confused for centuries.

His initial journey (1795-1797) was a tale of tremendous personal hardship and suffering, but triumph in the end. After returning to Scotland in 1798, he became acquainted with Sir Walter Scott. They became close friends, and it was Sir Walter Scott who convinced him to return to Africa to encover the secret of the mouth of the Niger River.

In 1805 he convinced the British government, in the middlle of a war against Napoleon, to send another expedition to seek out the mouth of the Niger. With 100 officers and men he set out, retracing his earlier steps. The journey was filled with personal tragedy and heroism. After arriving on the Niger, he built a boat, named the Joliba, and travelled down the river. During the course of his journey he met and traded with the many kingdoms that lined the river. However, he also incurred the wrath of many local kings and chiefs who believed that he was cheating them.

Near the town of Bussa (now covered by a huge dam), Mungo Park met his unexpected end. For many years it has been assumed that he was attacked by hostile natives seeking to rob him. In fact it may have been due to the fact that he just failed to navigate the river

This book is not too bad, but it would have been better if its author and editor were frank with their "facts".
Mungo Park, an inquisitive Scottish doctor and explorer, displayed a lot of courage in his adventures. He was steadfast and result-oriented. However, it is wrong for anybody to assume that he discovered the 'Nile of the Negroes', (as the River Niger was then called). The indigenous Africans who lived by the river banks knew its course long before Mungo Park's forefathers were born. They showed the Scot the way!
Thus, claiming that Dr. Park discovered River Niger is absurd. It is as ridiculous as claiming that the first African who sailed across River Thames discovered the English river.

We gave this book to several grads whom I am not sure really appreciated the value of information in the book just yet, but once they sit down and look through it, will find alot of useful information. This book is helpful for those out of school as well, AND a good refresher course for those having to look for a new job.

101 Tips for Graduates: A Code of Conduct for Success and Happiness in Your Professional Life, is a wonderful gift and tool for any new graduate. Morem writes in a warm, personable style and gives straight-forward and thoughtful advice to graduates. Her 101 Tips range in topic from work skills and how to find a job and acheive career success, to communication skills, to leadership skills, social skills and more. Morem also includes insightful tips in her book from people all across the country.
Graduates and job seekers should also check out Morem's website, [...] for a new free series of video and audio podcasts. The video podcasts take the form of a reality tv series and follow five soon to be graduates through an interview process, complete with reviewing their tapes and receiving Morem's expert advice. This is a fantastic resource like none other I've been able to find!

You can find the podcast at www.suemorem.com