Frank Books

Ever wonder how the top-ranked reviewers force their way to the top?

They vote for their own reviews over and over.

So brilliant. So clever. But not "well-done"!

Talk about the triumph of noise over signal, chaos over order, and quantity over quality!

If you were a college student, a frat brother, a trouble maker, a drinker or just had odd looking animals walking around talking to you....then this book is probably about you! Experiance college with an alcoholic pig, a short tempered circus bear, and a lima bean ( don't ask). And let's not forget the duck and Brandi, for without them....well, the book would still rock! This book is a must to all those who love comics. Every strip should be put on billboards. Uncle Frank is the man.....( from one of the Monkey Boys )

I was at the University of Maryland when Frank Cho's comic strip was running in The Diamondback. It was the only thing worth reading in the paper. This is a very, very funny comic strip. The characters, who are animals are hilarious. Dean, the pig, is a great send up on Frats and male chauvinism. You also get a lima bean, a gerbil, and the main character, Frank, is a duck. The best character, of course, is the very human Brandy.

If you've ever seen Liberty Meadows and enjoyed it in your newspaper, The Angry Years is even better.

With "Liberty Meadows" making a permament transition from comic strip to comic book at the end of 2001, folks who want to aquaint themselves with the new version could do worse than to pick up this collection of the strip that spawned it. "University Squared," Cho's first strip, is "Liberty Meadows" in a raw, unrefined and uncensored state -- a state the comic book may take a few steps towards once freed from the rigours of newspaper censors.

Even in its young form, though, Cho's strip shows again and again why he is held in such high regard. His characters are funny, his situations are original and he doesn't blanch from tackling weighty topics or rauncy issues whenever he wants. Get this, get "Liberty Meadows: The Big Book of Love" and then start getting the comic book.

I've been a fan of Liberty Meadows, the comic book that collects Frank Cho's syndicated comic strip of the same name, for years now, so when University Squared became available again, I pounced on it. It's kind of a weird companion piece to Liberty Meadows; not quite a prequel (these stories were from Cho's College newspaper), and although the characters have the same names in both books, there are weird differences: one character is a duck in this book, and a man in Liberty Meadows; another a lima Bean (!) here, a frog in Liberty Meadows. (It's really weird...)

There isn't a story, per se. The book follows the characters (Animals, attending school with Humans....)as they drink and carouse their way through campus life. The cartoons are much raunchier than the later Liberty Meadows strips; without the anal retentive syndicate to hamstring him, Cho can go all out with the gags. (Even the raunchiest of the strips never gets beyond a PG-13 level, though. So it is safe for older kids.) Cho manages to deliver some really good belly-laughs, and slips in a touching ending as well. Comic strip fans who find the daily funnies too whitebread are well advised to enroll in this University.

GOOD JOB, MONKEY BOY!!!!

Since this is "The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History" of the beloved 1939 film, it is not surprising that John Fricke, Jay Scarfone, and William Stillman have put together the book that tops the "must have" list for fans of the film (after, of course, L. Frank Baum's original novel, which just had its centennial edition come out in 1903. After an introduction by Jack Haley, Jr., the volume's prologue, "The Marvelous Land of Oz," begins with the story of how Baum came up with the name for Oz and looks at the history of his stories prior to the movie. Also included in this prologue are stills from some of the vaudeville and silent movie versions (the 1925 film had Oliver Hardy as the Tin Woodman), the original book covers for the 42 Oz stories, and Technicolor test shots of the movie cast, which includes Judy Garland wearing a blond wig as Dorothy. By the time you finish this prologue you will know that this book is going to be everything that you would want as the table of contents indicates:

Part One - The Oz Diary: Creating a Classic: (1) Acquisition and Casting contrasts the signing of the cast with W.W. Denslow's first pictures of the characters; (2) Scripts, Songs, and Staff focuses on early drafts of the scripts and ideas for song more so than what actually ended up in the movie; (3) Wardrobe and Markup details the evolution of the look of each character with corresponding photographs; (4) The Thorpe "Era" is about Richard Thorpe's short tenure as the film's director, when Gale Sondergaard is the Wicked Witch and Dorothy is a blond; (5) There'll Be Some Changes Made is short but sweet and is about the changes George Cukor made as a stop gap under Victor Fleming was signed to direct the film; (6) "The Wizard" Comes to Life is a lengthy chapter covering the making of the film with its various legendary stories; and (7) Post-Production and Previews, which details what was cut (including "Over the Rainbow" at one point), when and why.

Part Two - The Oz Diary Continued: Promotion and Reception: (8) The Oz Campaign contains everything from Judy Garland telling Frank Morgan "Anybody can be a wizard at Jelly-Making" for a newspaper ad for Certo (never heard of it either)to a two-page full-color spread in "Life" and a special "Wizard of Oz" ad for the Sunday comics; (9) Hollywood Party is about the movie's gala premier; (10) "Capitol" Times in Manhattan is about the show at Loew's Capitol Theater In New York City that showed the movie along with a life performances by Garland and Mickey Rooney. This chapter also shows some of the first product tie-ins for the movie; and (11) From Coast to Coast is a brief look at promotion of the film across the nation and includes what might be the first editorial cartoon that used the Oz characters to comment on a real situation (Hitler is the Wicked Witch of the West and Mussolini is a winged monkey, while Dorothy is European civilization, the Scarecrow is Poland, the Lion is Britain, and the Tin Woodman is France).

Part Three - Raves and Accolades looks at (12) The Reviews, which includes a look at foreign books and domestic record versions; and (13) The Twelfth Annual Academy Awards, where the film won Best Song for "Over the Rainbow," Best Original Score for Herbert Stothart's underscoring and adaptation of the Arlen/Harburg songs, and Garland for best performance of a juvenile during the past year.

Part Four - Oz and Ends, includes brief looks at (14) Original Ozzy Merchandising; (15) Oz Abroad; and (16) Theatrical Reissue.

Part Five - Television Perennial covers how most of us first saw the movie, including (17) Guest Hosts on CBS (I always liked Dick Van Dyke); and (18) NBC Interlude/CBS Comeback.

Part Six - The Legend is another set of brief chapters on (19) Reunions and Reminiscences; (20) Merchandising; and (21) Icon, which ends the book on a perfect grade note with editorial cartoons on the death of Garland in 1959, Jack Haley in 1979, Margaret Hamilton in 1985, and Ray Bolger in 1987.

This volume includes more than 400 illustrations, half in color and many never before published, including over seventy makeup and costume portraits, behind-the-scenes and production photos, and not only stills but script pages from the musical numbers and segments that were filmed but cut from the release print (including "The Jitterbug," Bolger's extended solo dance to "If I Only Had a Brain," and the "triumphal return" sequence). The photographs of all the movie posters, toys, and other items associated with "The Wizard of Oz" can be found throughout the book instead of being collected all at the end of the book corresponding with when the movie came out. The last three parts could essentially be individual chapters to avoid the sense that you are racing through the end of the volume, but that is a minor complaint all things considered.

If you only buy 1 Oz book for your collection, make it this one! In Oz circles, this book is known as "The Green Book" and it is a virtual encyclopedia of Oz information. The research and work that went into the writing of this book is truly astounding!

The rare photographs will amaze you (including Judy Garland in her blond wig and Buddy Ebsen as the Tin Man).

This book is full of little-known trivia. After reading this book, you can wow your friends with your new-found Oz knowledge!

There have been a few books that have given us all a look into the making of MGM's movie version of "The Wizard Of Oz!"? But The John Fricke,Jay Scarfone manuscript surpasses all of the other books.Because it's filled with wonderful photos and info that takes us beyound the making of the film and gives us a look into the continuing popularity of the Oz characters.Using rare photos,extensive research and interviews from the people.Who were involved with the project.Messers Scarfone And Fricke.Show us the early stages of the making of the film.From the many drafts of the script..to the problems with the changes in cast,storylines,music,mishaps with props and special effects.To the promotions of the film on radio(NBC Radio's "MaxwellHouse Coffeetime")and at stage shows to the many other interpretations of the story that appeared on tv,in the movies,on radio, in the theater and at parades and theme parks.The book even gives some more biographical info about the cast and crew and some more insight into the man.Who created this legendary tale:Mr.Lyman Frank Baum.For the fans of this classic story.Who want to know the full extent of it's geniss? This is the one book to have.Kevin S.Butler.

There have been a few books that have given us all a look into the making of MGM's movie version of "The Wizard Of Oz!"? But The Jay Scarfone,John Fricke manuscript surpasses all of the other books.Because it's filled with wonderful photos and info that takes us beyound the making of the film and gives us a look into the continuing popularity of the Oz characters.Using rare photos,extensive research and interviews from the people.Who were involved with the project.Messers Scarfone And Fricke.Show us the early stages of the making of the film.From the many drafts of the script..to the problems with the changes in cast,storylines,music,mishaps with props and special effects.To the promotions of the film on radio(NBC Radio's "MaxwellHouse Coffeetime")and at stage shows to the many other interpretations of the story that appeared on tv,in the movies,on radio, in the theater and at parades and theme parks.The book even gives some more biographical info about the cast and crew and some more insight into the man.Who created this legendary tale:Mr.Lyman Frank Baum.For the fans of this classic story.Who want to know the full extent of it's geniss? This is the one book to have.Kevin S.Butler.

There are many, many books out there about the making of everyone's favorite film, "The Wizard of Oz". There aren't any I've seen that I wouldn't recommend, but if you are looking for pictures, pictures, and more pictures, this beautiful coffee table size book is a great place to start. Pictures, both in color and black and white, of every aspect of the making of the movie fill this attractive volume from cover to cover, and the text, by Oz authority John Fricke is all-encompassing. Although released for the 50th Anniversary of the film's 1939 release, it is still relevant 13 years later, and a great book for the collector or casual researcher. It has yet to be topped.

This book is short and very appealing to young readers. The message is universal. It's about love.

We loved this story for its message about the real reason for the Christmas season. In today's culture of "political correctness" and not wanting to offend anyone that often is missing. The artwork is soft and beautiful. It will be a book that is set out for Christmas reading for many years to come.

my entire family loved this book! My son's received it first & thought it would be a great gift for our uncle who is a priest! The only difference between the children's version & the adult is the art work. It's a lovely story!

Enjoyed reading it to the grandchildren but pictures were a little dark for the younger ones.

This is a very precious and special book for everyone. It tells the beautiful story of how far a little girl and her brother were willing to go to protect Baby Jesus. It signifies the innocence that so many children lose so earlier in life, and exemplifies the spirit of why we celebrate Jesus's birth. Please give this book to all of the little girls and boys (big girls and boys too) you know to help instill in them the beautiful message that Angela and the Baby Jesus bring.

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up for a school project, and didn't set it down until I was reading the epilogue. It is fabulously written, and very easy to relate to.

This book by Eva Schloss is totally amazing. Not only have I read the book more than once I have actually met Eva Schloss herself!! We managed to meet her because my year six teacher knows her and managed to arrange a meeting for all of the year six's to meet her. She read bits of her book to us and we were shocked and dismayed by the state the Nazis treated these people. She showed us her tattoo, and said that you could only just see it because the person who marked her done it lightly because her mother had begged them to do it lightly. I also got her book and she signed. I was very pleased.
This book shows the horrors of World War II and what it was like it Auschwitz-Birkenau.

I also teach an extensive unit on the Holocaust and Anne Frank. I am always on the look out for survivor stories for teens. This book certainly makes the cut. It is easy-to-read yet does relate the horrors of her experience in the camps. Her relationship to her mother and others in the camps shows the definite role companionship played in survival.

Eva's relationship to Anne Frank is simply a plus for the book. To have lived so close to Anne and even played in her house with her cat makes Anne become even more alive. Eva's relationship with her brother parallels Anne's relationship to Margot. Interestingly, Heinz and Margot seems to have similar personalities as do Anne and Eva. ...Her courage to speak about this terrrible time in history is a reminder to us all to remember what happened and those who are no longer with us and have no one to remember them.

Eva's Story is another powerful tale coming to us from the Holocaust. Eva Schloss was the step sister of Anne Frank (her mother married Anne Franks father after the war). Her story parallels the story of Anne Frank in many ways: both were young girls in Amsterdam, both went into hidding, both were betrayed, and both were transported east to Auschwitz. The only difference is that Eva Schloss somehow survived. If one wonders what would have happened to Anne Frank if only she had lived, the answer is in Eva's Story. The book is powerful, well written, and easy to read. It includes 16 pages of photographs as well as comments marking the major events of the war. The last pages of the book carry her story up to 1984. The book is another powerful contribution to history and survival.

Eva's Story is another powerful tale coming to us from the Holocaust. Eva Schloss was the step sister of Anne Frank (her mother married Anne Franks father after the war). Her story parallels the story of Anne Frank in many ways: both were young girls in Amsterdam, both went into hidding, both were betrayed, and both were transported east to Auschwitz. The only difference is that Eva Schloss somehow survived. If one wonders what would have happened to Anne Frank if only she had lived, the answer is in Eva's Story. The book is powerful, well written, and easy to read. It includes 16 pages of photographs as well as comments marking the major events of the war. The last pages of the book carry her story up to 1984. The book is another powerful contribution to history and survival.

"Heavenly Skies and Lullabies" by Dr. Kathy Reilly Fallon and Frank Pellegrino is a magical experience that one will never forget; not only in its eclectic choice of enchanting songs for our children, but for all the adults who have often wished for their carefree childhoods to reappear. Dr. Reilly Fallon and Frank Pellegrino are singers of stories and weavers of words. For those fleeting moments, you will drift back, relish the security and safety of childhood, and in your retrospect, be lulled and warmed by childlike memories, and the beauty of being sheltered from the realities that have befallen us.
This special tribute brilliantly directed by Executive Producer James Fallon, transforms us to revel in the child that lies dormant within. This is for our children, but we are all children at heart, and these wondrous lullabies, with pastoral pictures, ilustrated so beautifully by Becky Kelly, radiate a profound perfection. It reaches outward to our minds, then inward to our souls. It sould be required reading...and listening.
Beyond its unique quality, it is unselfishly dedicated to "Children Throughout The World" and 100% of all net proceeds is donated to World Vision, specifically for the Children affected by Hurricane Katrina. This compassionate gift to others less fortunate should be a reminder. So look out from your childlike heart, and support this noble effort. You shall feel the benefits.

Heavenly Skies & Lullabies Book is a thoroughly beautiful book. It is charmingly illustrated and the accompanying CD is lovely. A great book, beautiful to look at and listen to.

Heavenly Lullabies is right. Every parent will enjoy watching as their child fall asleep to this amazing book & CD. Dr. Kathy Fallon provides the vocals for the beautifully sung songs which will soothe and comfort the little ones as the day fades away. The parents will most likely be hypnotized by the lyrics as well. Heavenly Skies and Lullabies utilizes the charming and emotion provoking illustrations by the great artist Becky Kelly. Not only will your ears be entertained but your eyes as well. The prayers interlaced throughout the pages are a great addition and will surly give those who read them a warm and fuzzy feeling. This book is definitely a great gift that will see many years of use. The best part is that all the proceeds of this book will go directly towards helping the children affected by Hurricane Katrina. So buying this book will not only be a gift for one child, but many. Do yourself a favor and buy this great package of a book and CD combo. You won't be sorry that you did.

What a beautiful book - accompanied by the most heavenly music! Lovlingly and thoughtfully put together - sweet illustrations! This book will delight your little ones and charm you. The music will transport you, guaranteed! And it is for a worthy cause.

A lovely and beautiful book and CD that all young children and adults can appreciate. The illustrations are outstanding. Highly recommend this as a Birthday or Holiday gift. A++

This was a great book...I loved it...wonderful character definition...plot twists...great ending...I wanted more!

What a wonderful story! One of the finesest books I've ever read! Can't wait to read the next one!

I really loved this book! Everyone should read it! I could not put it down, and only did when I had to. It is excellent. I can't wait until the next one.

Very Interesting...stayed up all night reading it...can't wait until the sequel!

"My Second Heart" is simply a great book! This is without question one of the finest books I have ever ead. I just couldn't put it dwon - I read it in only two days. The ending was very touching and left me waiting for the second book. Great job, Frank! We knew you had it in you!

Vitalism is a profoundly science-ejected concept, though many CAM or 'natural health' cabals falsely claim that vitalism survives scientific scrutiny.

Some favorite quotes:

"for a long time people thought there must be a special 'life force' which distinguishes living things from nonliving things. This notion that the behavior of living things cannot, even in principle, be understood by ordinary processes of physics and chemistry goes by the name of vitalism. Modern biology has completely discredited vitalism. It is extremely regrettable that vitalistic notions can still be found in many unenlightened regions of this world. To cite a refuge often adopted by vitalists, consider the thermodynamics of living things growing in an organized way [...] it might be thought that living things violate the second law of thermodynamics. This is, however, false [...because] living things are 'open systems' [...] a living thing gains internal order only by introducing more disorder into its surroundings [...] living things do not, in fact, violate the second law. The persistent vitalist might argue that even the gaining of local order at the expense of introducing general disorder seems to require something special. And so it does; it requires an input of free energy [...] living things cannot be regarded as unique in their ability to produce circumstances which violate thermodynamic intuition [p.498...] for some years, vitalists maintained that organic molecules could be made only inside a living organism, i.e., that a 'vital force' made organic chemistry made organic chemistry intrinsically different from inorganic chemistry. This myth received a crushing blow in 1828 [p.512...] in chapter 19 we saw that life, once started, could sustain and naturally gain in complexity without the intervention of vitlaism [p.528]."

-r.c.

This was a superb textbook when it appeared over twenty years ago. It begins with some introductory material about microscopic and macroscopic laws of physics. After that, we learn about stars and their evolution. And binary stars. Next are galaxies and galactic clusters. And cosmology and the hot big bang. Then our planetary system. And we finish with life and intelligence in the universe.

I read this book when it first came out and truly enjoyed it. But I do want to warn folks that it is getting a little out-of-date and definitely needs a new edition. In the past twenty years, we have made plenty of new discoveries. Topics such as dark energy, the accelerating expansion of the universe, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, gamma-ray bursters and soft gamma repeaters, supernova 1987A, ultraluminous infrared galaxies, extrasolar planets and planetary migration, the Big Splat theory of the origin of the Moon, and inflationary models of the big bang are too new to be in this book. Plenty of work on formation of galaxies is too new as well. Descriptions of and recent results from deep space probes and telescopes are not included. That leaves us with much less to discuss about Uranus or Neptune, not to mention recent in situ observations of Mars or questions about water under the icy surface of Europa. And even topics such as artificial intelligence are discussed without the benefit of the past twenty years of perspective.

I still recommend the book. But I wouldn't be able to teach a class on astronomy or astrophysics from this text without supplementing it with a substantial amount of extra material.

Yes, I nicknamed that book like the well-known The Feynman Lectures on Physics. With regard to Feynman, I have no doubt that if Richard Feynman himself is to write a book and give lectures on Astrophysics, he will end up wrote a book similar to this book.

I am a graduate physics student working in experimental high energy physics, but I have always found myself curious about astrophysics. Back in my home country, the literature on astronomy is so rare that I only can manage to borrow and read an old edition of Abell's Exploration of the Universe. It was a good book, but I need more physics to cater my curiosity in astrophysics.

I've heard about this book quite some time, but not until I arrived in USA that I can buy this book through Amazon and start to read it. With my background in graduate level physics, this book is quite an easy read for me.

The book was written with multiple audience in mind: humanities and liberal arts majors who are interested in astrophysics but don't want to use too much mathematics; freshman students with great curiosity but not much mathematical skills; biology, life-science, and pre-med students with interest in astrobiology and the origin of life; general science and engineering students with strong math and physics background but have no intention to have a career in science; and ultimately to those thoughtful, astronomers-astrophysicist-physicist-wanna-be students. Perhaps those are exactly the same kind of audience Shu ever has in Berkeley: Berkeley is famous for diversity.

The book is self-contained, in the sense that (almost) all the necessary scientific concepts and backgrounds are explained: mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, microbiology, genetics, even there are some discussions in supersymmetry and grand unification. There are some parts and problems that requires calculus and advanced undergraduate physics but the reader doesn't have to read those part to understand the results. I was lucky to have all the necessary physics to fully understand the book, but this should not stop laymen and common people to read this book.

The book is divided into four parts.

Part I (Chapter 1-4). Basic Principles.

This part explains the origin and history of astronomy and astrophysics, and the basic physical principles behind astrophysics: mechanics, relativity, optics, telescopes, quantum mechanics, atomic theory, and thermodynamics.

Part II (Chapter 5 - 10). Stars.

This part discuss stars as a basic constituents of our universe. Starting with the Sun as an example, the book goes with the energy generations and physical mechanism behind stars, birth, life, and death of stars, star classifications, stellar clusters, and binary stars.

Part III (Chapter 11 - 16). Galaxies and Cosmology.

This part starts with discussing materials between stars in our Galaxy, then our own Galaxy the Milky Way, further galaxies outside Milky Way, an introduction to Einstein's concepts of gravitation, cosmology, and ends with the Big Bang theory as the current Standard Model of Cosmology.

Part IV (Chapter 17 - 20). The Solar System and Life.

This part discuss the Solar System and the Planets, origins of the Solar System, and finally: the origin of life on Earth, and later the Life and Intelligence in our Universe. In my opinion, not much astronomy/astrophysics book discuss this subject, and in this sense this book make itself clearly stands out among the other.

Although it's 20 years now after the original publication, about 90% of the material are still relevant and interesting.
I personally suggest that Shu take a thorough revision and include some latest results on astrophysics in his book:
the dark energy and cosmic expansion, cosmic microwave background anisotropy, quark stars, extrasolar planets, large extra-dimensional particle theory, genetic engineering etc.
This would certainly bring the book back up-to-date for the 21st century.

I, without doubt, heartily recommend this book for all of you who are interested in astronomy and astrophysics, whatever background you have. A special recommendation is for physics student who wants to do astronomy in grad school but never take any astronomy/astrophysics courses. By buying, reading, and studying this book alone, combined with a mastery of upper-level undergraduate physics (analytical mechanics, thermodynamics & stat phys, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and math methods), I believe you will be ready for your grad-level astrophysics courses and even may have some advantages due to your physics background.

This book should be titled "Introduction to the physics of astrophysics". As such it is excellent. I used it for many years in an intermediate astrophysics course. The only problem with it is that it is dated in parts (no mention of helio-and astro-seismology for instance), though it is current well into 1982.

It would be of great benefit to physics education and to astrophysics education at the intermediate level if Prof. Shu would bring out an updated edition!

I have owned The Physical Universe for 10 years. While the book is out of date in many ways, it still serves as an excellent overview of many of the basic concepts that astronomers need to learn at the undergraduate level.

The book starts with a basic introduction to physical concepts such as dynamics, thermodynamics, and relativity, then proceeds to overview many of the fundamental concepts about stars, the interstellar medium, galaxies, cosmology, planets, and life in that order. At some times, the book's organization seems a bit eccentric, especially with the last chapters, which stray away from astronomy too much to be used in an astronomy undergraduate class. The book was written so that it could be used with students at various educational levels, so the book uses both written descriptions and mathematics to explain various astronomical concepts. Unfortunately, students without a strong background in mathematics will not benefit from the book as much. The problems, distributed throughout the text of the chapters, are very good at walking students through deriving mathematical equations; I myself consider problem sets I wrote for these problems to be reference material that is as important as the text itself.

The Physical Universe is good for understanding many of the basic concepts of astronomy. I still use this book to look up simple equations, such as magnitude and redshift equations. Nonetheless, the book is out of date. Important new science, especially many space-based observations by IRAS, Hubble, Chandra, ROSAT, and COBE, are missing. New fields of study, such as extrasolar planets, deep-field cosmology, and ultraluminous and luminous infrared galaxies, are unmentioned. The eccentric structure of this book also makes it a bit odd to learn out of or to find information in. Nonetheless, the book is a standard textbook in undergraduate astronomy education, and the structure and material in other books often follows the structure Shu has laid out in this book. I therefore rate this book highly for astronomy undergraduate students (as well as for astronomy graduate students and professionals), but I also recommend considering alternative introductory textbooks as well.

Don't read this book if you are afraid to see into the future of being healthy.
Frank Forencich has put into words what may well be the best vision for the future of health and physical activity. As we more and more come to see the dangers of a sedentary life and the inability of the American sport and fitness industry to help all but a special minority of people, something has to give. Our need to make "exercise" a separate chore to be accomplished could be the best thing to let go. _Play as if your life depends on it_ shares what it could mean to do so, and provides the rationales behind it and extensive examples for getting started - all in an enjoyable, conversational read.

The missing fifth star is for the lack of references. I believe in Mr. Forencich's message that his approaches to activity are justifiable from any angle, including that of rigorous Western science, and most of the details he builds on are relatively straightforward and well-agreed upon physiology. I was surprised, then, that he has not included abundant references in the book or his web site ("...") to satisfy any skeptics and to put his case out to the scientific community, including medical professionals. While it really is crazy, as _Play..._ describes, for living creatures like people to need to seek the advice of a physician before exercising, it would be worthwhile to make efforts to help people like physicians agree with that, even in a book for everyone.

Hats off to Frank Forencich for offering a new outlook on our state of decreased health! This book offers a very interesting and educational view of exercise and physical activity from an evolutionary standpoint. Mr. Forencich is definately an original thinker and quite possibly ahead of his time with such a unique outlook on exercise. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in aquiring original knowledge about health & fitness.

"As we grope our way into the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly obvious that many of us are suffering ill health and that much of it can be traced directly back to inactivity and sedentary living. It is also becoming clear that our current programs and orientations towards physical fitness simply aren't working."

Frank Forencich has written a book about exercise that is primal, humorous and realistic. He studied human biology at Stanford University and has experience in martial art, functional fitness, massage and aviation. He has also climbed throughout North America and loves traveling in Africa to study the environment.

The author believes that most books about fitness present information about weight-loss, nutrition, strength, flexibility or single-sport performance and yet ignore the history. In this book, the author seeks to present the core concepts behind exercise.

A lot of research is very apparent in this book. For example, since WWII, he says the rate of depression has more than doubled and the use of anti-depression medications have also skyrocketed. The author might just be correct when he says we have lost contact with our bodies and the joy that occurs from spontaneous play.

Now, the author does start with the premise that we have evolved and goes into detail about human evolution. If you are a believer in creation, you can breeze on by "Life in an Alien Environment" and go on to read "The Cult of Cosmetics." Now and then the author returns to the evolutionary discussion.

The author presents some intriguing points about American society. Too often, yes, we do focus on strict routines and workouts. I guess he is right when he says we should ?play? more. I myself miss a good wrestling match, the kind you had as a kid where you and your friends ended up on your backs laughing yourselves silly. There is definitely room for play.

"When we play, we're excited and enthusiastic. There's no labor involved, no drudgery. We're focused, engaged and attentive. In other words, we're stoked." ~Frank Forencich

I'm imagining a workout video that takes this into consideration.

I enjoyed reading his theories about walking barefoot. Often I will exercise barefoot because it does feel more primal. I?ve had foot injuries from wearing certain shoes and to me the barefoot life is sometimes best. I run about barefoot as much as I can, but probably because I grew up in Africa as a child. The fact that this author has traveled so much in Africa probably has influenced him. I wonder if he has walked barefoot on the sun baked earth in Africa. To me, it was bliss. I felt equally as blissful walking barefoot in New Mexico for some reason.

I'm so glad my treadmill is finally fixed. Now I'm in the mood to go for a walk. I'll imagine I'm walking through a beautiful field of flowers in Africa. They do have those and plenty of them.

I like the authors idea about putting your scale in the closet. That is where mine lives most of the time, however I do weigh myself occasionally, normally after a diet to see if it worked.

"Play as if Your Life Depends on it" has some intriguing and original ideas. It is a book about fitness that will definitely appeal to your intellectual side.

~The Rebecca Review

I've always been quite active, but I have wanted to add pizzazz to my otherwise gruesome workout routine. Play as if Your Life Depends on It is an excellent guide that helps the reader integrate unconventional workout and play moves into our ordinary lives. Frank Forencich gives workout and exercise a whole new meaning by explaining how hunting and gathering is relevant to everyday physical activity. This book is as essential as it is insightful. I for one look forward to play as though my life depends on it!

"Play As If Your Life Depends On It" will motivate everyone, from sofa slugs to physical dynamos.

Incorporating the idea that humans evolved in the African Savannah, the author makes a compelling case that we need to be physical in ways that honor our ancestry. While he doesn't advocate giving up the 9 to 5 in favor of hunting and gathering, he encourages considering one's every day movements and varying them in ways that emphasize grace and flexibility.

No program is instituted, but his concept is one that deeply resonates. Whether this translates into a spring in one's step, or a determination to engage in playful activity every day is left to the reader.

Truly a refreshing, sound idea without the vehemency or stridency and guilt that one finds in run-of-the-mill "fitness" books.

I have to say I was impressed with this. Felt on par with Kurt Buziaks Astro City. Highly recommended for mature readers.

I was completely unfamiliar with the series before reading this trade paperback, although I had read the Marvel comics with the original Squadron Supreme. The plot was engaging, the storytelling terrific and artwork crisp and realistic. Straczynski respects the characters, respects his audience and keeps the storyline entertaining. Not a milestone in comics history, but I'll be picking up Vol 2.

The concept of this book was pretty obvious - ripoff and then rename the heroes from the DC universe (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc), and then write a "what if" story with them existing in the real world. The concept might sound lame, but it resulted in a pretty solid book. The dialogue is great, but the pacing is awful. You finish the book feeling like next to nothing has really happened, and if you're unlucky enough to read the 2nd volume, you'll see that the story is probably best left unfinished.

The artwork and storyline exposition is clearly a cut above ("mature" often helps in that way-no constraints). Since the author and the house both have connections to the film industry, I would recommend that they use their influence to oh, I don't know... (I could see myself sitting through such a movie... or two... or ;) )

This is an example of how all super-hero comics should be written. If you are not a fan of the Squadron, no problem. This is after all Marvel's very transparent version of the JLA!!!

I met author Frank Fradella at DragonCon in Atlanta, GA a few years back. My fiance and I talked to him, and he gave us a deal on his book - we got two copies for the price of one.

I regret that.

The book is worth every penny, and a part of me feels as though I have stolen from him.

The book appeals to me through a fantastic plot with a seemingly ordinary protagonist who faces great odds. The level of writing that Fradella exhibits is greatly under-appreciated - the man is only starting out, and he definitely deserves to have a growth in fame.

One of the greatest elements of the book is the use of various mythologies, effortlessly and flawlessly incorporated into a single, cohesive unit, with elements pulled most notably from Greek and Norse myths, but also with a few other references.

I apologize for ranting - but I love the book, and, come to think of it, it's about time to re-read it! I do guarantee that any mythology buff will NOT be disappointed, and lovers of great fantasy or romance can also find an enormous appreciation for this title. One of the best books I ever bought. Fact.

Have you ever wondered if there's another world going on around you that you just can't see? Forces at work that are undetectable? The protagonist of Valley of Shadows, David Knox, wakes up one day and finds just such a world imposing itself on his previously normal life. That woman he loves? Not who he thought she was. That opera he took her to - just killed her. And though hidden forces manage to keep his senses at bay for a little while, he eventually peels back that thin veneer, the one that is not strong enough to keep him from his True Love, and goes hunting for answers. If you're looking for adventures, you'll find them in this book. If you're looking for happy fairy tales, well, look again. As David goes from a mountain cabin to the depths of Hades, itself, he's physically and spiritually accosted by beings that just shouldn't exist. Terror, bodily harm, threats to his own life and those of his loved ones, none of it is enough to deter him from finding out the answer to the question: What is real, and what is illusion? In Valley of Shadows, Frank Fradella uses vivid imagery and stark terror to answer those questions, about the world around David and his true friends, as well as the love that he feels for a woman he just can't let go - not even if it means challenging the very substance of his own reality.

I was lucky enough to read this book in one of its later draft stages, and even then it excited my senses. I usually have reservations about reading the manuscripts of friends as it sometimes puts me in the delicate position of having to feign enthusiasm for my friend's work. My worries evaporated quickly as I read the first few pages of this book. Anna bursting into flames and the attendant fallout had me riveted. I barely put the pages down over the next few days as the rapid-fire chapters sunk their hooks deeper and deeper. Seeing the book in it's beautiful hardback edition months later swelled me with pride almost as much as it did Frank.

Another reviewer mentioned AMERICAN GODS. I've read AMERICAN GODS. This book is no AMERICAN GODS. It's better!

Frank Fradella is a true master of the written word and, while the book could use a bit of editing in the punctuation department, VALLEY OF SHADOWS is fantastic introduction to the strange and romantic world of David Knox and his creator.

And just to rub your nose in it: I've already read the manuscript of the next chapter in David and Anna's life, and it's even better than the first.

In the hands of the right director this story would make a great movie. There aren't enough well written books in this genre, which I would call fantastic realism. I literally could not stop reading and, as soon as I finished, I read it again! I truly marvelled at each and every unexpected turn of events, and believe me, there were plenty. This author kept my interest, told a great story and I fell in love with some of the characters, and they weren't even the main ones, and some of them were the baddies. Deirdre Fallon, her pet monster/henchman Chester, Thracian and who could forget dear Uncle Teddy. I really hope this author brings them back if this is to become a series. Joss Whedon needs to read a copy of this book!

Some say Love is Hell. Well, in "Valley of Shadows", when David Knox' lover, Anna, literally catches on fire during an operatic performance by famous tenor, Oliver Thracian, Knox awakens in the hospital to discover that a witch can restore his badly burned hands.

More than that, someone magically restores David's old life, including Anna. Only replacement Anna isn't quite right and a chance encounter with scalding water from a coffee pot at his Seattle based bookstore, has Anna Version 2 fleeing and Knox in search of answers.

Nothing is quite what it seems. Anna is in Hades--and she isn't dead. Well, she was never really alive to begin with.

Oliver Thracian will help David recover Anna from Hades as long as David will do a favor for him. This favor literally takes David and his bookstore helper-adopted daughter Vanessa across the River Styx for love.

Frank Fradella's got an interesting take on life, soulmates, Valhalla and warriors in general, and the making and un-making of gods that comes from the "it's not right, but it's definitely real" school of life. "Valley of Shadows" is a strong entry into modern urban fantasy-magic realism and is well worth the read.

If you're interested in this type of story, Jane Lindskold's "Legends Walking" and "Changer" might be worth a read.

Rebecca Kyle, April 2008