Henry Books

If you are already amazed with the animals that share our planet, your enthusiasm will be rewarded and expanded when you meet Amelia , her chick, and their neighbors on a tiny isolated island in the Hawaiian chain. If you are beginning an interest in the natural world, this is a inspiring place to begin. Pure science meets pure poetry in one wonderful read. The Eye of the Albatross is an important book, and a beautiful one.

Carl Safina possesses a rare combination of talents: he a scientist who also writes beautiful descriptive prose. He vividly captures the spirit of the ecosystems and animals that he is describing, while staying factually informative.

This is a great read. It made me appreciate the open ocean in ways that I had never considered.

This is a stunning description of an even more stunning creature. Part scientist, part poet, part mystic: Carl Safina is an albatross's best friend. The reader is instantly and forevermore smitten. Read this book! You will fall in love with the world's most magnificent long-distance flyer-glider. You will not think of wind in the same way, nor gravity. You will become a more patient diligent steadfast joyous courageous human being.

Brilliant, poignant and often painful. A must read! Beautifully written tale of the various species of albatross, whose survival is increasingly vulnerable to modern conditions and the willingness of homo sapiens (so-called) to change their behavior so that others may live. The story is one of struggle, hope, the power of sheer persistence and of life's resilience under increasingly bleak conditions. More generally, the book is an overview of the devastation of the ocean environment. "Eye of the Albatross" was the well-deserving winner of the 1993 John Burroughs Medal for distinguished natural hitory writing.

Safina's latest piece of natural history brilliance is "Voyage of the Turtle: In pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur" (2006). Safina is president of Blue Ocean Institute, which he co-founded in 2003, so he's putting his prodigious talent to work to make the world a better place.

By Kyle Gardner, author of Medicine Rock Reflections

How would you feel at the sight of a weary seabird coughing up a plastic toothbrush while trying to feed its chick? Carl Safina observed this while studying the Laysan Albatross. After cruising the North Pacific for days, soaring over thousands of kilometres seeking forage for that hatchling, one of bathroom utensils was the proferred dessert. To Safina, it means "No place, no creature remains apart from you or me."

In this exquisitely written account of how the mysterious albatross lives, we learn of those fabulous flights, how the bird manages its energy budget, and of the many perils it endures throughout a life nearly as long as that of humans. Centred on Tern Island, a tiny atoll halfway along the Hawaiian chain, research teams are studying the Laysan Albatross, turtles and sharks. Safina recounts the work and the conditions. Among other tasks, ten Laysans are tagged at nesting time, allowing satellites to track their wanderings. Safina dubs one female "Amelia", describing her flights into the North Pacific. Nesting birds must accumulate resources because offspring are demanding. The parents will lose up to 20% of their body weight in supplying the chicks. Once hers has hatched, she and her mate, who have shared incubation duties, now take turns fetching breakfast for the little squawker. Safina, who has watched these birds, remains in awe of Amelia's abilities to navigate. The maps he provides display ever greater distances travelled and Amelia's obvious skills in locating fodder. He notes than in a lifetime of half a century, a Laysan may cover nearly six million kilometres of oversea flight.

Within his sojourn on Tern Island, Safina makes a couple of jaunts of his own. One is much further west to Laysan Island itself. There, invasive species events have led to unusal security. The introduction of a destructive weed not long before has forced the stipulation that not only must ALL clothing be brand new, it must all be frozen to kill any organisms. Safina describes the donning of frozen underwear as an "interesting" experience. Yet, the importance of the need is revealed when the research team on Laysan describe their clean-up efforts.

The cold underwear should have helped condition him for his next trip - on a fishing boat in the Aleutian Islands. Mark Lundsten is an innovative captain of the "Masonic". His "novel" idea is how to fish in ways allowing a sustainable take. Lundsten is a campaigner among his colleagues for adopting methods to protect birds and turtles from becoming "by-catch". Safina uses the visit to discuss the perils of long-liner fishing, what safeguards are being introduced and how well they're being accepted by fishers around the world. As the episode of the toothbrush demonstrates, it's not only fishermen who threaten the wildlife around us.

The book, while seemingly targeting an audience interested in long-distance commuting seabirds, is a volume we must all take up and learn from. The real point of it is that we must spend more in time and money in developing an understanding of what goes on in the world around us. Among other issues, shark "attacks" on tourists in Hawaii bring immediate and vigorous response by Fisheries and the Coast Guard. One of the teams Safina visits demonstrate that shark movement precludes any likelihood that the slaughtered sharks are the "guilty" party. That shark has almost certainly moved on to a new location. Imparted in sterling prose, with reasoned judgements and a careful balance examining needs, wants and available resources, Safina has produced a superb account. Take up this book to see how research is done and what it can achieve. It may help you in making decisions that will affect your life and that of your children. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I have a virtual calculator called the DIY Calculator that accompanies my own book "How Computers Do Math" The Definitive Guide to How Computers Do Math : Featuring the Virtual DIY Calculator.

I recently added a "Conundrums, Puzzles, and Posers" section to the "Programs and Subroutines" page on my DIY Calculator website ([...]) and I've started to build a collection of simple puzzles for people to play with.

One of the first problems I posed was to count the number of ones in the 8-bit accumulator and to present the result as a binary value. I thought I had discovered the best-possible solution, until someone pointed me in the direction of the "Hacker's Delight". (In this context, "Hacker" refers to a hero who is manipulating code; not a nefarious rapscallion who breaks into other people's computer systems.)

I immediately ordered a copy from Amazon, and took delivery just yesterday as I pen these words. This book is fantastic - I kid you not - on the first page of Chapter 2, for example, I discovered at least five or six capriciously clever tricks that blew my solutions out of the water!

I highly recommend this book.

My first introduction to binary operators wizardry was in a 1st year, 1st semester course in Digital Systems at the Technion, IIT. I thought it was fun. While I was trying to write a computer program to compute Karnaugh Maps for me, I run into performance problems, and then some binary hackery helped me get back on the horse.

Since then, whenever I come across some binary trick I write it down with a few examples of usage and sometimes with some reasoning why it works.

Then came "Hacker's Delight" and I felt compelled to buy it.

I wasn't disappointed at all! Not only it contained all of the tricks that I have collected, but also it contains a lot more in depth examples of how these tricks can come in handy when trying to squeeze performance from an implementation or save a few more bytes and bits.

The book also gave me a fresh perspective on the implementation of some well known algorithms with the twist of binary arithmetic. This was very enlightening.

I read the "BASICS" chapter (chapter 2) with a single breath of air, and just couldn't leave it down. Not only it was nice to have all these tricks summarized in one book, but also I liked some of the reasoning and the "so-called" proofs.

Remaining chapters were, as I mentioned before, a fresh look for me on known algorithms. This fresh look was through the glasses of binary arithmetic.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels comfortable with binary arithmetic and/or computer organization -- even just for the fun of it!

I'd recommend the book to developers who don't necessarily have a sympathy to this topic, but would like a Copy&Paste solution to some problems they have to tackle.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I will probably reference it from time to time.

The term "hacker" in this book means someone who enjoys making computers do interesting tricks regardless of whether it turns out to be useful, not someone who is intent on circumventing computer security. Plus, how relevant would those kind of tips be coming from a book that was written in 2002? Don't let the author's definition of a hacker fool you, though - the tricks in this book are very useful.

This book is a collection of small programming tricks on various subjects. The presentation is very informal, and the methods use very basic computer math. You should know your binary number system backwards and forwards before you start this book. Either C or assembly language is used to demonstrate the hacks in code form. When assembly language is used, it is that of a fictitious machine that is representative of RISC computers. That is because the tricks are meant to be platform independent.

After disposing of basic arithmetic operations early in the book, the author turns his attention to more complex math problems such as calculating square roots. His discussion of the subject is both complex and simple. First, he explains Newton's method of computing square roots through a page full of equations that require some effort to follow. Then he gives an implementation that requires fewer than twenty lines of C code. This is followed by another method that is longer and more cryptic but executes faster, by using a binary search algorithm. Whether you are interested in the equations or merely need the C code to do your job, these solutions are efficient and elegant.

Other topics addressed include Gray codes, the Hilbert curve, and prime numbers. Gray codes are a method of arranging the integers from 1 to N in a list so that each number can be visited exactly once by flipping only one bit at a time. The Hilbert curve is a similar idea expressed geometrically: a single continuous curve which, given a space divided into a grid of squares, touches every square exactly once and does not cross itself. In each case, both the mathematical discussion and the code to solve the problem are provided.

The chapter on prime numbers is the most challenging mathematically but also one of the most interesting. It starts with a concise overview of various mathematicians' efforts to devise ways of finding prime numbers. The author is one of those people who periodically become fascinated by some problem and devote themselves to learning more about it and searching for a solution. The chapter ends not with the usual code sample, but instead with an invitation to continue the search for interesting solutions to the problem.

Clearly, the author views this book not as a finished collection, but rather as a snapshot of work in progress. After decades of interest-driven research, the author has amassed a collection of studies big enough to fill a book, and it is fortunate for the rest of us that he has written one.

They don't make them like this anymore. Amid the "Learning XXX in 21 days" and various other computer book for which depth is almost non existent (and are read like eating peanuts), this is a refreshing book that talks about solutions to sometimes common (IMHO) coding problems.
If you enjoy programming gems, or remember that beyond your C code there is a machine that executes your program, this is the book for you. For example, think how would you count the 1 bits in a 32 bit integer - the book has an elegant solution in log(n). Aside from this, the book has about 50 or so problems, with their solutions (and proof).
Bottom line: fine book, worthy to be near my Knoth, R&K and Stroustrup books.

This book is an absolute essential to the right reader. That right reader is either a low-level coder, a high-level logic designer, or someone who builds tools and libraries for same. In other words, not a lot of people. This is hacking at its bit-level finest, though. If you're among those few, or think you might be, or want a good laugh at the people who are, dig in.

It's good for things like counting the number of 1 bits in a word-length integer (hint: if you count the bits, you're doing it the hard way). It's good for things like fast division by an integer constant, or mod to a constant integer modulus (hint: if you perform division by dividing, you're barking up the wrong tree). If you can look into a 32x32 bit multiplication and see a convolution going on, you're way ahead of the game. The only tricks I know that didn't appear here are A) for purposes that almost no one has or B) for machines that almost no one has.

Warren presents the coolest collection of slimy coding tricks ever collected, with full attention to the number of machine cycles and the compiler-writer's unique needs. I've seen a lot, and this is by far the biggest and coolest collection around. I have two complaints, though, a small one and a really big one. The small one is that the author didn't score a direct bullseye on my somewhat offbeat needs. Well, he never tried to - that's just me griping that he didn't write a different book. The big complaint is that pages, lots of them, just fluttered out of this pricey book and onto the floor. GRRR. This takes nothing away from the content of the book, until some critical page flutters off never to be seen again. Still, if you can keep a rubber band around it, this will be one of the deepest mines of coolness in your uber-geek library.

//wiredweird

Henry Stedman looks like a guy who knows.
I'm planning a trip to Kilimanjaro witha group of friends. The guide looks pretty practical. Henry, we'll check it

My husband is planning to trek Kilimanjaro, and apparently this has been a helpful, great starting source!

Detailed maps and route information make this guide to Mount Kilimanjaro a must-have for those wanting to climb it.

I bought this book as a gift for my brother John last Christmas because he had a trip to Kilimanjaro scheduled for July.
He told me before the trip that he was suprised how detailed the info in the book actually was....very helpful in planning and knowing what to expect.
When he returned after the trek he said the book was very accurate indeed. He showed me a few photo copied pages he had taken along with him.

Now normally he is not a big talker so for him this was like gushing about this book. I think this is THE book to buy if you are planning to visit Kili.

I purchased the Second Edition (September 2006) of "Kilimanjaro: The Trekking Guide to Africa's Highest Mountain" in July 2007. Within a week (as I was sitting on airplanes far too often and had time to read), I had read the 300+ page book cover to cover.

The book is excellent, informative, and often humorous. The trail descriptions are detailed and precise, and the other guidance (medical, financial, logistical) is essential. With a little effort, I matched the trail descriptions to a superb map that I purchased at the same time and quickly gained an understanding of the various routes, options, outfitters, and issues. (The map is "Kilimanjaro Map," scale 1:62,500, 3rd edition, ITMB Publishing.)

One comment: there are many trails (or potential trail combinations) offered by the various outfitters and trekking agencies on Kilimanjaro, so you will likely find yourself flipping back and forth through the book to follow YOUR route. Give yourself time to absorb the book thoroughly. And be prepared with your highlighter and notepad close at hand so that you can identify the portions of the book most relevant to your specific route and itinerary.

If you're considering a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, or have a friend or family member considering doing so, you will find this book to be very useful.

Everything runs smoothly in the Carraclough household when Lassie, their wonderful Collie, is around. But when desperate times takes desperate measures... it minuses Lassie out of the family. While everything is going hay-wire in the Carraclough home, the Collie is on a thousand-mile trek to get back with her family again. Lassie will come across many unbearable situations and obstacles, but the calling to get home overrides anything she may run into.

I loved everything about this book! The dedication of the homebound dog, to the quaint villages of England and Scotland, and all the characters within... I savored every word! It is one of my all time favorite books, and I'd recommend it to any dog or book lover!

Other than the language being like in ancient times, "Thy, thee" this book was excellent and a good savory book. It is not a fast read though.

Why has it taken me so long to read this excellent book! It is not just a "children's" book. One of the best books I have read in a long time!

Still an interesting, emotion-provoking and relevant read for the 21st century's jaded youth. It's about the most basic kind of friendship and loyalty, where an animal exhibits more of both than do the humans. Some of the Depression-era references and rigid class distinctions probably aren't as relevant today, but the core of the book, the love of and for an animal, remains. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful reproduction of the original World War II edition of the classic Eric Knight story. I find it appalling that many Americans do not know that the original Lassie of the story was British because I read the original "Lassie Come Home" short story (published in the December 1938 issue of the Saturday Evening Post) in school. This original story is a well-written, haunting tale of a poor Yorkshire family forced by economic times to sell their son's beloved collie (a tricolor dog, not a sable as portrayed in the movies and on TV) and of the dog's long torturous journey home during which she meets kind people--a couple who nurse her after she swims the river Tweed, a kindly peddler--and cruel--callous dogcatchers, bullying boys--as well as farmers protecting their livestock. A classic in every sense of the word.

this is a great phenomenal saga. an adventure that rarely successfully delivered with a pen. 'the last hero' is a modern classic that should be on your bookshelf with 'lonesome dove', 'brules', 'shantaram', 'the kite runner', stephen hunter's 'point of impact' swagger series, robert ludlum's genuine creations from 'the gemini contender' to 'the matarese circle', all of a. j. quinnelle's novels, all of louis la'mor's westerns....they are all good memories, touched your soul and made your life more vividly colorful.

This book is quite simply amazing. From the first page you are hooked and become an invisible member of the crew hacking your own way through the Ituri Forest. Stanley is brought to life along with many other real-life people, including Tipoo Tib, the slave dealer. Read this book and you will never forget it, the whole atmosphere of unexplored Africa and its hidden tribes will be with you always. The unknown beauty of the Congo River and its people take you into a new world with different standards, different morales and a very different slant on life. The actions of Emin Pasha will move you to tears and the whole experience of this book is one that every person should enjoy.

Compulsively readable, thrilling story, vivid evocation of darkest Africa and a potrait of Henry Morgan Stanley that leaps right of the page and grabs you by the throat, this story of the insane expedtion to rescue Emin Pasha's people from the conquering dervishes is everything you want a serious book of historical fiction to be. Especially recommended for those interested in the literature of exploration and discovery into land's unkown in the Western world in the 19th century. How many 700+ page books are you sorry to see come to an end? This is such a one. Enjoy.

This awesome novel of exploration into Central Africa during a time of civil unrest is by far one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are well developed and the tale gripping, based on actual historical events, the novel is a must read. Once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down. Since reading this novel, I have acquired all, of the late, Peter Forbath's novels. His vivid detail of the surroundings, the authority figure that demostrates both compassion and understanding as well as harsh punishments, and the intertwining of the characters' lives make this an amazing tale of Central Africa events in the late 1800's.

The story told in "The Last Hero" is that of Sir Henry Morton Stanley (of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame, but that's another story) who, in 1885 organized and led a mission to rescue Emin Pasha, governor of Equatoria, the southernmost province of the Egyptian Sudan, which was surrounded by the Mahdist uprising. Amazingly, Stanley decided to approach Equatoria from the Atlantic side of Africa by going up the Congo river and overland through central African forest. The expedition crossed hundreds of miles of then-unknown Africa, encountering every obstacle and difficulty along the way. The eventual end of the mission is one of history's great ironies, but I don't want to give anything away.

"The Last Hero" is a very well-written adventure story, all the more interesting because it is true. My only complaint (a very minor one) concerns the absence of notes and bibliography which could have given some historical documentation and sources.

Another good book is "The River Congo: The Discovery, Exploration and Exploitation of the World's Most Dramatic River" (nonfiction) which is also by Peter Forbath (a journalist who reported on Africa). Henry Morton Stanley was also a bestselling author, he wrote: "How I Found Livingstone" (1872); "Through the Dark Continent" (1878); and "In Darkest Africa" (1890).

I enjoyed this book very much!! The first story was amazing and the second book picked up right where the first one left off. Elizabeth is sent by Washington to continue spying among the British. Jon on the other hand is sent into indian territory to try to convince the indians that Wasington needed them. Jon was captured and became a slave. Elizabeth has no idea if he is dead or alive. The only problem I had with this book was the fact that I now have to wait so long to find out what happens. A must read and a tender story.

Native Son is the second book in author J.M. Hochstetler's The American Patriot Series, and is every bit as magnificently composed as the first. Picking up where Daughter of Liberty left off, Native Son reprises the suspenseful setting and believable characters of book one and indelibly seals the heart of the reader to the author's work.

With Patriot's identity exposed and a huge price on his head, he is no longer of any use to the Revolutionaries as a spy--but his previous experience living with a tribe of Native Americans qualifies him for an even more dangerous assignment. Oriole, however, has not yet been exposed and therefore must remain behind to continue gathering intelligence for General Washington and his troops. The intertwining of these two stories keeps readers riveted to their seats from the first page to the last--and anxiously awaiting book three.

J. M. Hochstetler's second book in the American Patriot Series, Native Son, draws readers into the compelling first chapter. Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton meets with George Washington to discuss the patriot troops' readiness for war against trained British soldiers.

Meanwhile, doctor's assistant Elizabeth Howard ties down a wounded man and helps the doctor amputate the man's gangrenous leg to save his life. As a patriot spy working in a Tory hospital, Elizabeth faces constant danger of discovery.

Although Jonathan and Elizabeth determine to marry at the earliest opportunity, circumstances and General Washington's orders conspire to separate them. Carleton heads into Indian Territory, while Elizabeth stays behind. They believe God has inspired their commitment to the Patriot cause, but as the separation stretches to months, each struggles with how it will affect their relationship.

When Carleton's negotiations with several Indian tribes turn sour, the Mohawks take him prisoner. Elizabeth wonders at Carleton's fate as time passes with no word from him. As she continues her work, one of the men helping her discovers her true role and threatens to expose her as a spy. Faced with danger at every turn, both Elizabeth and Carleton draw strength from the God they trust. But will it be enough as the pressures they face slowly change each of them and each continues to wonder about the fate of the other?

Native Son holds as much historical detail as the first book in the series, Daughter of Liberty. However, Hochstetler's clear writing and obvious research make both books intriguing reads. The detail in the medical scenes is exquisite and gave me an eye-opening understanding of Revolutionary War-era amputation and medical care. Fascinating details also enhance the scenes in which the Mohawks hold Carleton prisoner and in later scenes when he lives with the Delaware Indians.

Although Carleton and Elizabeth spend most of the book separated by many miles and different cultures, the strength of both characters easily carries the book. For fans of historicals, this series is a must. Watch for Hochstetler's third book in the American Patriot series.

Native Son, the second book of The American Patriot Series by J.M. Hochstetler, continues the saga of Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton and the woman who has stolen his heart, Elizabeth Howard. Each has pledged allegiance to General George Washington. Elizabeth's spy mission sends her gathering information among the Loyalists, while Jonathan's orders send him deep into Indian territory. When Elizabeth learns Jonathan has been captured by the Indians, she tries desperately to gain information about the man she loves. Unable to learn of Jonathan's fate, she is forced to continue life with the uncertainty of whether or not he yet lives. Jonathan's life changes drastically when he becomes a slave to the tribe that captured him. He must make decisions that put him in battle against the people to whom he has pledged his allegiance.

Hochstetler examines a little-known aspect of the Revolution by following the hero Jon to the West. People think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the East Coast, but there was trouble in the West, too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes. Again the reader finds the war-tossed couple, Brigadier General Jonathon Carleton and spy Elizabeth Howard, separated by choice for the good of the new country and your heart breaks at the sacrifices these two make for the ultimate good of many. After Jonathon is sent to Indian territory, Elizabeth ends up in Boston. With wars of all levels--spiritual, emotional, and physical-- pressing on them, we feel the anguish they must endure. Rumors circulate and both characters must pretend they care nothing for the other. The story is set in 1775, and the reader is immediately folded into the setting, riding along enjoying every bump and bruise. Even when Carleton is captured, the reader hopes all will be well, although chances are pretty much against that.

Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in the previous book Daughter of Liberty, have the perfect conflict: the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair-raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book. Jonathan, who has a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes West where he was reared and meets the Indians- not all of them friendly- he knew as a child. So wedding plans are put aside while each sets out to carry out the mission Washington has assigned them. As the months pass in silence, Beth wonders if he is even alive. Should she begin to consider a life without him? And as Jonathan is taken farther and farther away from Beth, he fears he will never see her again. How can he go back to her while the war still rages? The British want him dead, and his new life with the Indians has even made him an enemy of his own countrymen. Is their Christian faith and trust in God strong enough to see them through?

Native Son is an intensely moving story, impeccably researched and excellently written. It is an intricate look into some aspects of the birth of our nation, and the struggles and temptations faced by two unforgettable characters. J. M. Hochstetler expertly weaves a tale of historical fiction with a romance that must survive the trials and dangers of the times. Outstanding! -- Erika Osborn, Christian Book Previews.com

I read Daughter of Liberty a year ago and thought J. M. Hochstetler brought American history to life in that book. I hoped at the time she'd write a novel about every major battle in the American Revolution. I got my wish in Native Son, but not quite the way I expected.
I'd heard of the battles of Lexington and Concord, though I knew precious little about them. In Native Son, Hochstetler examines a little known aspect of the Revolution by follow our hero Jon to the west. We think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the east coast, but there was trouble in the west too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes.
Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in Daughter of Liberty, had the perfect conflict, the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book.
Jonathan, now with a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes to the west where he was raised and meets the Indians-not all of them friendly-he knew as a child.
Hochstetler introduced me to a fascinating aspect of the revolution here and I'd say more except I don't want to give away too much of the first book. If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend you read the series in order.
I loved the glimpse into the lives of George Washington as he built his guerrilla forces into a fighting army, and the names and actions of the factual British Generals, intermixed with the fictionalized daring of our heroes.
Fiction like this is a great, fun way to teach history.

Fantastic, one of my favorite cat books. Every time I pick it up, I change my mind about what the best poem is.

I actually remember lines from these poems sometimes, in circumstances where less happily placed people would recall lines from the original
poems !

By the way, 'Beowulf' is about the least wonderful, perhaps because the original was of no interest to me; too bad that that is the one Amazon used as the excerpt.

I've read some of these as "friendly email" forwards, with no attribution. Folks, always use accurate attributions; People like Henry Barber (the 'editor' of these works) deserve to make a living out of what they produce. :-)

Also by the way, 'French for Cats' by Henri B. The little furfaces gather when I practice the French phases in it. Tell me French is not the natural language of cats! :-)

Readers of Poetry for Cats: The Definitive Anthology of Distinguished Feline Verse by Henry Beard will notice how much influence humans have on cats. Cats will not enjoy having this pointed out. They work hard to protect their free will and try to dictate the terms of their relationships with humans. You can not just pick up a cat and expect it to be happy being held; you have to wait until the cat is ready. Cats will not play with toys just because you want to play. Cats appear to think independently, but their poetry betrays them.

Here is a bit of verse written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's cat:

I chased a mouse beneath the stair,
It went to ground, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it ran, my sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

Sound familiar?

There is more. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's cat wrote the following:

In Xanadu did Kubla Kat
A splendid sofa-bed decree
With silken cushions soft and fat
A perfect feline habitat
Set on a gilt settee.

Here is another sample, this time by William Shakespeare's cat:

To go outside, and there perchance to stay
Or to remain within: that is the question:
Whether `tis better for a cat to suffer
The cuffs and buffets of inclement weather
That nature rains on those who roam abroad
Or take a nap upon a scrap of carpet ...

Have you noticed a trend? It appears that cats listen more than they let on, and they even identify with the humans with whom they relate. They certainly borrow verse as freely as they claim their favorite chairs.

Cats do deserve some credit for knowing what poetry to borrow and adapt as their own. They are able to turn bits of Chaucer, Keats, Frost, or Ginsberg into works that serve their purposes, such as catching goldfish, breaking vases, or berating Whitman for sleeping too late. In near unison they raise their voices to complain about their vets.

One thing that surprises me about Poetry for Cats is that Henry Beard never reveals the cats' names. I can not imagine that Emily Dickinson had a nameless cat!

Poetry for Cats is an attractive book with colorful illustrations and is still in print after eleven years. I found our copy when inventorying the poetry collection. I am afraid few people have borrowed it lately, so I am going to put it on display. The cats need to be heard.

The only thing wrong with this book is that one has to both love cats and be educated in poetry. (In other words, there's no one else I know who can appreciate this book!) I like some of Henry Beard's poems even better than I do the originals. I'm especially glad that he chose to interpret some of my favorite poems (e.g., "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," and "Xanadu.") Henry Beard is extremely talented; this sort of thing is very hard to do. (I know; I've tried.) This is a MUST for anyone and everyone who loves cats and poetry.

Henry Beard has both a good knowledge of the original poems and of cats. His spoofs are tremendously clever, and he chooses the most common poems in English literature, so most people will recognize them. I laughed myself nearly sick. It's as good as jogging! ;-)

This book is funny in and of itself; however, if you are familiar with the poems on which these are based, you're in for a special treat. Beard doesn't just substitute words: his premise is that the poets' cats wrote these poems, which makes "She Walks In Booties" or "Abyssinias" even more feline, er, sublime...

Book is a good package.
Fine hardcover fine paper
print as small and very readable
to make it good and plenty
of hard and worthy reading.

This work tells the revelation book the way I believe God told John uncut and un edited, as all the Bible should be read, the warning from or Lord God is " Do Not Change The Meaning of My Word". Great discussion and explanation of End Times. Jack

If you are a Christian, and have wondered about the book of Revelations, this book is a must. I have not found a more intensive, deep, and thorough review than what Henry Morris does in this book.
My wife and I read through it every morning for our devotions and have loved every minute of it!!! A++++++

This book is obviously inspired! He provides insights and other supporting scripture for his views. His verse by verse review provides insights well beyond just the book of Revelation.

Henry Morris, a layman, has written the best verse by verse commentary on The Book of Revelation I have ever read. In this fantastic work he, as a layman, has provided a detailed verse by verse study that puts "professional" theologians in the dust.

This book is very readable while offering a very in depth study of Revelations. Mr. Morris' commentary is heavy with supporting scriptural references which provokes the reader to further study and allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. Readers should be aware that Mr. Morris very adequately supports the pre-tribulation view on "end times" theology providing sufficient scriptural support for his position.

This book is great as a devotional, bible study product or as a resource for sermon preparation.

The Revelation Record is a must read for every believer in Christ!

I really enjoyed this book. For those of you "The Secret", you will find the spritual based book much more grounded and geniune. I personally connected with his message much more deeply than the other writing. God works in mysterious way, and the inception of this book is one of them. Thank you Henry Cloud for listening to that still small voice.

The book arrived before the projected date of arrival. It was in extremly excelent condition. I was very pleased with my purchasing experiance!!!!! I highly recomend this seller!!

The Secret Is Out ... God really does care for you, and He wants you to have a great life. The author does a good job disseminating Truths that make life work. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I bought this book, originally, because I had read The Secret and thought this would be a nice addition to that. This book is much more profound because it involves God and all that he has to offer us. After reading this book twice, I view the world much differently and more positively.

Anything by Drs. Cloud and Townsend is--well just buy it; it will be exactly what you need and have been looking for.
The title is good marketing but the book is about all there is of God available to me each and every hour and all I need do is ask.
These guys are great individually and together (How to Grow) are beyond any author today.

What can I say besides this is a great book. It really helps understand Ringeck's work. Get this book if you are interested in German Longsword fighting. Though if you are starting off I would recommend the excellent book Fighting with the German Longsword, also written by Tobler.

This book also works well with Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of The Longsword by Lindholm and Svard. Same material but some different interpretations.

If you are interested in this book go to the publisher's website. It's in stock there at the regular price, not this inflated used market price at Amazon.

This book is essential for anyone interested in doing medieval swordsmanship. Tobler has done all the hard work for you, he has interpreted the moves perfectly. There is very little guesswork left up to you, each move has many pictures showing every subtle change in position. Easy to follow and the pictures are very clear. A great book, none better.

`Western martial arts are every bit as sophisticated as their Asian counterparts. The German martial systems incorporate both armed and unarmed combat, with and without armor, on foot and on horseback, using daggers, long and short swords, bucklers, shields, falchions, and spears and poleaxes.'

In Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship, Christian Henry Tobler has done an outstanding job of introducing the reader to the skills and methods of the Germanic man-at-arms.

The book is broken down into five major sections:
>> Longsword Techniques
>> Sword & Buckler
>> Wrestling Techniques
>> Armored Combat
>> Mounted Combat

Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship is an interpretation of the teachings of Master Johannes Liechtenauer and of the later work in the 15th Century of Sigmund Ringeck, a descendant of the Liechtenauer school and master-at-arms to Albrecht, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria.

While there were, of course, no photographs in the 15th Century ~ Christian Henry Tobler has filled Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship with hundreds of photographs demonstrating the techniques of the masters. He has made an accurate interpretation of the techniques described in the writings of the masters and displays that described in photographs.

Each photograph is clear and in sequence allows the reader to learn the techniques of the masters. These techniques are highly effective and the more one practices, the greater insight one gains into the secrets of the masters of arms of the 15th Century.

The book concludes with a glossary of terms well-worth learning to improve understanding of this text and others related to it.

I found Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship to be an absolutely indispensable reference for the student of Medieval Swordsmanship and Western Martial Arts.

This book is very clear, well written, and wonderfully photographed.

It provides an excellent view of 15th century european martial arts as being every bit as advanced as those of the orient.

The instructions are clear, and the methods practical.
If you fence, practice kendo, or any other sword art, and are interested in learning how fights were really fought (as opposed to how Hollywood wants us to think they were) I fully recommend this book.

I first bought Mark Rector's _Medieval Combat_, but I didn't feel I truly grok'd many of the illustrations in that book until after I read this book.

For the most part I think that Mr. Tobler's interpretations of Ringeck's verse are dead on target. But in many cases, it seemed pretty nebulous what Ringeck meant - not that surprising considering we are trying to take a very abstract description of a full-sensory 4d event - verbal, and put back all those lost details.

In those cases were I couldn't figure out for myself what Ringeck meant, Mr. Tobler's work seemed at least internally consistant, and well thought out.

Again, excellant.