Howard Books

Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for this book. It is exactly the tool a woman needs when facing breast cancer. I am a 35 year old mother of three, with a wonderful husband and family. I wasn't supposed to have breast cancer. But I do. This book has been such a comfort and a source of information to me. I shared it with my mother, who read it during my first surgery, and it brought a sense of peace to her as well. I now own multiple copies, and offer them as gifts to other women I encounter on this same journey. I wish they gave you this book in the doctor's office when they gave you the diagnosis. It has been the most valuable source of information and comfort after my Bible.

As a Nurse Practitioner/Certified Nurse-Midwife, I see many women who are on the breast cancer journey without answers to questions they don't even know. Having been there herself, Janet walks this journey with you - whether you are the patient, Mom, sister, husband or friend. Not only does she offer practical guidelines, but the reader becomes acutely aware of God's presence which lends to the peace that only He can give. This is a must read for every person, male or female who either has breast cancer or knows someone who does. I recommend it to all my patients.

P. Evans, NP, CNM

Janet Thompson bravely soldiered through this deeply personal experience and now openly shares her journey with others who need to know what to expect and how to get through a season of life they neither invited nor wanted. This book offers practical advice, encouragement, and hope for anyone with a life-threatening illness.

I recently got my first book and couldn't put it down....I prompltly gave it to my neighbor that has cancer and quickly ordered several more so I would have them on hand to pass on. This book is for anyone going through the pain and disappointment of any kind of cancer....finally a help for anyone to know they are not alone. It is very thorough and well put together. I highly recommend it for healing and better health!

This is the book I wished for when I went through breast cancer treatment four years ago. It's a guide for the physical and, more important, spiritual aspects of breast cancer.

the best book on dolphins I've read. Deals not only with science, but the emotional aspect of working with dolphins. A must read if interested in the field....

Carol Howard has a unique talent and way of combining love, compassion, sorrow, humor, and a vast amount of knowledge in 294 pages. Never have I learned so much about a book as I did from Dolphin Chronicles. My ultimate dream is to study these strange and magnificent creatures of the sea, as well as whales. I received Dolphin Chronicles as a Christmas gift from my Grandparents, and I must say that it was my favorite gift of all! In the past, I have read about 5 or 6 books about Cetaceans (by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and other authors) and have gotton extremely bored halfway through the material, simply because it was so dry and was lacking the compassion Carol so rightly illustrates! I would recommend this book to anyone. I am planning on researching more of Carol Howard's work wherever it may be. If anyone can clue me in as to the fastest and cheapest ways of finding it, Please feel free to e-mail me your information. Thank you. :-) P.S. If Carol Howard or anyone who knows Mrs. Howard reads this review, I would like to know her e-mail address if possible to personally thank her for producing such a wonderful and moving book. Thanks for your cooperation. --"May your life be like the Dolphin, calm and peaceful waters."

Dolphin Chronicles is a wonderful story about Carol J. Howard's adventure with dolphins. Her book was so well-written that I felt like I was actually participating in her events. I am only thirteen years old but it the best book I have read in my life. I now want to be a marine biologist and dedicate my life to researching and caring for dolphins. Thank you Carol for writing such a wonderful book

I'm a 14 year old girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love dolphins, and I wanted to learn more about them without being fed a bunch of information like a textbook. Instead, Dolphin Chronicles presents lots of information in textbook form. By the time you get to the end, you'll have a much greater understanding of dolphin training, their lifestyles in captivity and in the wild, and the life of a person working with dolphins without ever realizing you were even learning anything! It's great that this book can be so easy to read and comprehend with so much info packed inside. I totally recommend it to anyone who would like to understand the dolphin world better!

This is the best first hand experience I have ever read on dolphins! I do marine mammal rescues and have a deep love and respect for dolphins and our oceans. Carol Howard's experience is one that I feel I have experienced first hand. Excellent writing. It helps us realize the need to know more about dolphins and their brilliance but also to respect their need to be free in our oceans.

I love Either/Or. I really relate to a lot of the philosophy. I've heard the first one is often considered more interesing, but I related more to the second. Probably too long and dense for people who either aren't serious about philosophy, or can't handle reading really long books.

You will have the most fun reading the first book of Either/Or. The book is actually the master fisherman's best hook -much like Socrates was a midwife of thoughts- to bring you out into reflection of the question at hand: Either the esthetic or the ethical life. This book and the second part is this elaborate question concerning two opposing ways of life. This first book is ironically and seductively entertaining. He deals with various subjects like Mozart, Drama, unhappiness, Boredom and finallly the seduction of young girl. If anything else, read the last two portions of the book. One of the things that I like about the way K writes is his ability to use words from other disciplines and to incorporate them into his language so beautifully that reading him is literally an excursion.

Kierkegaard's brilliance lies in his ability to take such deeply personal experiences--love, lust, sorrow--and comment universally in a way that is at least unmatched in philosphy and probably in all of literature. He understands life in a way that seems obvious but is in actual fact merely fundamental to all of us. The book is a collection of papers and texts on a variety of subjects that at first seem disconnected but in the end all tie perfectly together with the truly brilliant "seducer's diary". Philosophy is a literary discipline that generally provokes either intimidation or a feeling of pointlessness (by this I mean that people wonder why should I care what someone else thinks if it is all unprovable anyway). I feel that Kierkegaard represents everything that is good about philosphy and is worth an attempt at least even if one is trepedatious. This book will not overwhelm you in complex language or termanology, rather it will leave you invigorated with fresh ideas and new questions about everything around. Everyone should read this book.

Although Kierkegaard had written other books before this one, mainly some literary critical works as well as his dissertation THE CONCEPT OF IRONY, this is the book that begins what he calls his "Authorship." The works constituting his Authorship have two main things in common: 1) they are all written by Pseudonymous Authors that represent points of view that do not precisely correspond with Kierkegaard's beliefs and 2) they are intent on delineating what Kierkegaard called the three stages of existence: the aesthetic, the ethical, and religious stages.

Of all the great philosophical writers, Kierkegaard was one of the greatest masters of literary form. In each work, he adapts a style and form that is appropriate to the particular point of view he is attempting to illustrate. In EITHER/OR I, he is concerned with showing various aspects of the Aesthetic Stage of Existence. Unlike the later stages of existence, the Aesthetic is extremely diverse, and can take more forms and be expressed in a larger number of shapes. Kierkegaard therefore writes a series of essays that bring out various aspects of the Aesthetic stage. Some of these are among his most famous writings. His essay on Mozart's DON GIOVANNI, "The Immediate Erotic Stages or The Musical-Erotic" ranks among the most famous pieces of musical criticism ever written. Perhaps even more famous is "The Seducer's Diary," in which an individual records his attempts to snare a young woman, though more in the sense of a Mephistopheles than a Don Juan. My favorite section, and the one that illustrates an especially developed form of the aesthetic is "The Rotation of Crops," in which our anonymous author attempts to deal with the one great difficulty facing the Aesthetic Mode of Existence: boredom. As he writes, "Boredom is the root of all evil." Therefore, the challenge to the Aesthetic is to thrust away continually boredom, and in this essay our writer provides a guide to making life as interesting as possible. We are required to continually find new friends, new jobs, new interests, since all obligations lead to tedium. Marriage is, of course, to be avoided, since this is boring (the contrary to this will be asserted in EITHER/OR II). That this task is impossible is taken up in later works by Kierkegaard.

EITHER/OR begins in classic Kierkegaardian fashion. Kierkegaard was probably the greatest master of the Preface in the history of literature. His Prefaces are such masterpieces that they can profitably be read on their own, and he himself delighted in writing them to such a degree that he wrote one book that consisted in nothing but Prefaces. In the one to both volumes of EITHER/OR, a gentleman by the name of Victor Eremita explains how he accidentally discovered the papers filling the two volumes that had been hidden in a desk. He separates them into two groups, "A" and "B". He possesses no great certainty as to the authorship, but believes that one person may have written the first group, and another the second group. Or, alternately, that the author of the "A" papers may have written the "B" papers later in life. The latter is probably what Kierkegaard wants us to believe, for it is his fundamental belief that the Aesthetic mode of existence is doomed to failure, and that it is possible (though not necessary) that this could lead to a higher level of existence, The Ethical. This new stage is dealt with in the second volume of EITHER/OR.

Everything I have read by Kierkegaard, Either/Or, The Seducer, Deep Park or whatever has the same central argument- the relative merits of manipulating the situation as opposed to doing or not doing whatever some inner voice tells him.

Men who get along well with women have a certain knowing of what the woman wants and use this understanding to manipulate her.
Kierkegaard is obsessed with the morality of this, it being less than mutual complete openness. In addition, when one understands a woman intuitively one loses a bit of one's SELF or inner being. This inner being tends naturally toward passivity for those who sense it. The man is "sensitive". An understanding female friend might give him the advice, "She wants YOU to be more mechanical." In Kierkegaard's view going to Deer Park presents the same sort of difficulty. He wants to go, but he does not want to decide to go. The act of decision makes him less sensitive and more mechanistic; therefore the decision to go can produce more inner stress than would a natural leader's decision to enter into a war. Kierkegaard looks for a justification for his indecision and comes to Christianity. But Christianity is "absurd" because it involves "eternal truth occuring in time." To Kierkegaard's mentality a great decision made based upon inner-felt moral grounds is easier than a small decision with no moral significance. In the first case he is empowered by the moral ground that the decision afferms; in the second case the inner self receives no affermation. In this sense morality is a crutch and an order-giver; morality commands as well as empowers; therefore, the individual acts contrary to his own interests and contrary even at times to his own understanding.
To Kierkegaard morality is a part of the inner self, not an external standard or system. Kierkegaard is good to understand, but a bad example to copy.

I am looking for someone that knows something about old books like the home garden handbook published in 1927

This book is amazing. It excels (no pun intended) not just in showing solutions, but even more important, it provides concepts and a way of thinking about solving Excel problems.
If there is one book about Excel that I recommend reading cover to cover, this is it. Even though it covers Excel 95, it is now, 10 years later, still actual.

One of the excellent book of Excel. However it is out of stock. I lent it from the library and can't find it from any book store. I hope the publisher will re-printed it.

This book doesn't deal the basics. It gives you everthing about advanced options and solution strategies. The cd-rom is very good, with many excersises and solutions. I wanted to have read this book earlier.

I am a heavy duty user of Excel and I support users of the application too. This is one of the best books I have seen on Excel's most powerful features. The chapters on array formulas and range names are the best I have read on the subject. This book is outstanding. I am here writing this review because I was hoping to order a copy for work.

When Josiah, the main character, returns to the town where he has so much bad history, you wonder why he would come back to such hatred. But God has His own reasons. You will get caught up in the adventure of this story of redemption. It did not let me down!!!

This Christian fiction novel is set during 1740-1741 in Havenhill, Connecticut, during the days of the huge revivals preached by George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, and this book was much more interesting than I thought it would be. The novel begins when 26-year-old Josiah returns to his hometown of Havenhill after seven years of exile. He's now a preacher, and he feels God leading him to shepherd the now-pastorless church in his hometown. However, the circumstances under which he fled the town seven years ago are terrible. One night, he and two of his buddies were drinking and carousing in a warehouse, and while in a drunken stupor Josiah accidentally knocked over a lantern that sent the warehouse up in flames. The fire killed two little girls who'd been playing hide-and-seek in that warehouse along with the town preacher, Rev. Parkhurst, who ran into the burning building in a futile attempt to rescue the girls. Josiah and his buddies made it out unharmed, but the town never forgave Josiah. Most people harbored a bitter hatred toward him that continued building during his seven-year exile.

Josiah's best friend, Philip (who was also one of his buddies present on the night of the infamous fire), is the person who encouraged Josiah to return to Havenhill. Philip is now the town leader, and without his influence, Josiah knows the town would never have given him a chance to pastor and try to redeem himself in their eyes. However, soon after Josiah's arrival, strange things begin happening in Havenhill: more fires. Of course, every finger points to Josiah, but he knows that, for some unknown reason, he's being set up.

Josiah also has a spiritual gift that allows him to feel the spiritual condition of people. For example, when in the presence of an evil person, Josiah becomes nauseous as a sick feeling grips his gut. Similarly, he feels great peace and joy in the presence of a godly person. Josiah's gift shows him that the majority of the down is suffering from what he calls "Soul Sickness," but they are blind to their own condition. Most people attend church regularly and are "good" people, but their actions and words often contradict their supposed Christian beliefs. Josiah enlists the help of great preachers George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards to help bring revival to his town, hoping that will open his parishioners' eyes to their Soul Sickness.

Meanwhile, as Josiah continues to be blamed for fires, accidents, indiscretions, and countless other "faults," murders also begin happening in the town...and the fingers again point toward Josiah. However, Josiah knows that God didn't bring him back to Havenhill to abandon him there. Josiah is determined that the town can be turned around, even if it takes his imprisonment to do so.

"Fire" has several elements of mystery to it, which kept me very interested in the book. The novel also has powerful lessons about forgiveness, something we all need to learn more about. I was impressed with the character development in this book and the historical attention to detail. I read "Proof," the first novel in the Great Awakenings series by Bill Bright and Jack Cavanaugh, before I read "Fire," but I must say that I enjoyed "Fire" the most. If you enjoy Christian fiction with a message that also has an intriguing plot with twists, well-developed characters, and a believable conclusion, then you will probably enjoy "Fire."

This is the 2nd book in the Great Awakenings series, the first being "Proof". I loved "Proof" so much that I shared it with both my parents, who in turn shared it with others. My wife read this one, "Fire", before me and didn't like it as well as "Proof". It's just different from "Proof". In it's own way, it's equally as good. The main character, Josiah, is a minister struggling with a horrible event from his past. He also struggles as the new preacher in his own hometown. The character development of Josiah is sensational. I could really feel his pain in being such a young man taking over a pastorate in a tough town. The author(s) really make Josiah human and believable, and that's the best part of the book. An enjoyable read all the way around.

I especially enjoyed reading about how the power of God fell on people back in the old revival days, the things you've heard about but never really saw yourself.

Author Jack Cavanaugh, using notes from the late Bill Bright, has created a collaboration for Fire, the second book in their Great Awakenings series. This historical novel is set in the middle of the eighteenth century and tackles issues related to redemption and spiritual strength. It shows how God's love is both cleansing and eternal.

Josiah Rush is a newly ordained minister who carries unbearable regret. He is the cause of three innocent deaths that stunned his town seven years ago. In a twist of fate, Josiah returns home to preach, but he is met with cold stares, unforgotten memories, and decaying spiritual lives. He also discovers a few alliances still intact, but his former sweetheart is now engaged to a childhood friend. Things only get worse when two diseases ravage the town: one being the epidemic-inducing smallpox and the other a spiritual disease that Josiah has coined "Soul Sickness." Amidst all this turmoil, Josiah must continually ask himself how he can be the religious advisor to a people who only see a murderer standing at their pulpit.

Cavanaugh and Bright's style is easy reading, with flowing sentences and short chapters. The authors also have the skill of creating characters who are realistic, entertaining, and intriguing. Yet, at times tangents and subplots amid the main plot bogged the story down in several places. All in all, Fire is an engrossing novel that carries with it an empowering message of salvation. - Andrew Culbertson, Christian Book Previews.com

The "Blank Star" review at the bottom is actually just a snipet of self promotion from the book's author Rob Howard. It's strange that he does this because it drags down the average rating which could affect sales. I suppose that since this book is out of print it doesn't matter, but anyway, great book, one complaint: Some of the tools that Howard recommends are no longer manufactured and it would be nice to get some existing alternatives.

This is one of the beswt books i have in my collection. I have studied arts in Holland. I like gouache very much. (www.loekweijts.nl) It's a pitty however Holbein gouache is not available in the Netherlands. Falling in love on the mighty gouache. Amazed myself with the results. A MUST to have.

This is almost the only book you'll need to get started with gouache. As the medium of such outstanding artists as the late Bob Peak and industrial design master Syd Mead, gouache has so many possibilities IF you can learn how to use it and this book will tell you exactly how to get started! Be sure to do the exercises, get some decent sable brushes, and use one of the quality gouaches listed. Winsor Newton is pricey but Holbein's Acryla gouache is incredible once you figure out their color names (not standard like W&N or Holbeins standard gouache). His basic color palletes are a great start & his recommendation of the Quiller color wheel is right on. There is a new Quiller wheel out but the one in the book will not lead you astray. Study(!) the sections on color and color mixing and you will soon have a leg up on every other "beginner" and start seeing "what" makes some art professional as opposed to "straight out of the tube" amateur attempts. This book is great and I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to paint in gouache.

This book is an excellent introduction to the best techniques for painting in gouache, also known as opaque watercolor. Gouache has been a standard medium for illustrators for generations, yet it is not often taught in American art schools. It also has been used by fine artists for centuries. Gouache is remarkably easy to use, has low toxicity and is easy to clean up. Considering all that, it is amzing how little information about is available for professional artists.

Howard's book goes a long way toward correcting the problem. He explains how to select the right type of paint for your project, reviews several different brands of paint, and gives sound advice on color mixing. Even if you don't want to use opaque watercolor, the book is worth buying just for Howard's chapter on "Color Theories That Don't Work."

This book is jam packed with valuable information for not just painters who work in gouache, but all painters. If you only have room or money for just a few more books, make sure that this is one of them. It is excellent, I have worked in illustration and and have painted in watercolors for 24 years. Many gouache techniques and properties, for some reason, are not commonly taught. Some of the working knowledge in here is the type that one only learns either on the job, or as an assistant/apprentice. The author has been very generous to be so informative while writing this book. Definitely not your average "how to" book!!

Very complete research on many aspects of life in "Select" colleges. Certainly a good book to read if you have a child, or are a student interested in the highly competitive colleges.

I have studied higher education for 20 years and my greatest frustration has been the public's unwillingness to look beyond the designer label when choosing a college. Prestigious universities get and maintain their reputations DESPITE their typically offering extremely poor undergraduate education. Not only are classes often large and poorly taught, many students find themselves stressed into fearful quiescence in classes and into depression or eating disorders outside of class (with the colleges doing little to prevent it. And for the privilege, the four-year actual total cost of attending such institutions is nearly $150,000, with only modest cash financial aid available to the middle class. Finally, there's a book which, with painstaking documentation, tells some of the tale. I would only add that even the vaunted career-boosting of an Ivy diploma is seriously overrated. Because these institutions attract the nation's best and brightest students (They really can't be that bright if they're willing to pay so much for so little) they would get great jobs no matter where they went to college. Indeed, at less selective students, these Ivy-caliber students would stand out, thereby getting to hold leadership positions on campus, receive superlative letters of recommendation from professors and administrators, and insider leads on jobs--none of which is as likely at an Ivy institution, filled with student superstars. This book is a MUST read for anyone considering attending or sending their child to a "prestigious" college. The truly wise choice is to send your Ivy-caliber child to a public institution that has a substantive honors program. Some of the small publics may be particularly wise choices: Mary Washington, Evergreen State, St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Howard Greene, the most esteemed of all educational consulants, writes of the social, academic, and campus experience of college students. This book is a clear must for anyone interested in what really goes on inside of well known colleges and universities throughout the country. Honest and interesting, Greene has sucessfully accomplished another outstanding book! I can't wait to see what he will publish next! Perhaps a piece co-written with his daughter, a college freshman?

This book holds no punches. It tells it like it is - from the students - on areas such as social life, drinking on campus, safety issues, various academic pros and cons, skill of profs, morale, racism, etc. Shows good differences between schools we think of as "the same" - eg, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth. I like the charts too - they helped me find the information I wanted quickly and clearly. Strong recommendation.

This is the third college guide written by the Greenes I have read. So far, they have all been excellent. This book is an in depth analytical study extracted from a survey of over 3,000 students who attended twenty elite schools (8 Ivies, 9 private universities, and 3 top public universities). As usual, the Greenes writing is impecable and very lively, including numerous direct fascinating quotes from students. This makes digesting this occasionally dry material a lot more fun than expected.

This book is a reality check. Apparently, the character of these schools has really changed over the past several decades. Gone is the collegiate country club atmosphere some of these campuses may have had. Instead, the atmosphere is now described as intense, competitive, and cutthroat by 90% of the students in the survey. Also, 84% of the students indicated that the academic workload was their overriding concern. The grade pressure is intense and made doubly so given the exceptional student body. How can you possibly excel among straight As valedictorians with many of the classes graded on a curve?

The Greenes mention that going to such academically competitive schools may be a questionable choice to maximize your chance to go to top graduate schools. Regarding two Med school candidates with equivalent academic caliber, one has a 2.9 GPA from Yale the other a 3.6 GPA from State U. Who wins? The higher GPA candidate will win out. Additionally, the Greenes remove the illusion that if you go to Harvard undergrad you have a better shot at a Harvard graduate school. You don't. The top graduate schools recruiting throws a nationwide net looking for the best talent (the higher GPAs among other parameters).

The Greenes' survey removes any illusion that these top colleges represent ideal communities. They do not. Their academic pressure-cooking atmosphere results in numerous psychological and social ailments. The amount of drug usage, alcohol consumption, including frequent binge drinking is rampant. Binge drinking is practiced on a regular basis by 80% of the fraternity and sorority houses. For non-Greek members binge drinking practitioners still represent 45% of men and 36% of women. These behaviors result in occurrence of depression, date rape, sexual abuse, and other safety issues. In this regard, women are more vulnerable for obvious reasons. Within the survey, 50% of women indicated they were concerned about their safety on a daily basis.

Another result of the academic pressure and grade competition is the surprisingly high level of cheating. Within the survey, 29% of the students indicated that academic cheating had a direct effect on their class position or grades.

The survey feedback regarding academics was mixed. For instance, Harvard's faculty was criticized for being removed and not good teachers. Is this really the best college in the nation? On the other hand Princeton, Yale, Columbia received high praise for their faculty. Feedback regarding college social life was often more mediocre. As you can imagine extremely high IQ has no positive correlation with EQ. In other words, don't necessarily expect a healthy, balanced, and fun social life from these schools.

But the myth lives on. By many other standards, these schools remain the most successful ones in the nation. They achieve staggeringly high graduation rates ranging from 90% to 97% compared to only 40% for the nationwide average and about 70% for any pretty descent school. Also, 83% of the students indicated they would make the same school choice again if they relived their recent past. This is most probably far higher a percentage than for lesser schools. And, this is despite the high stress, the concern about academic workload, and often the criticism in the quality of the teaching delivered by the faculty. Is this masochism?

The Greenes indicate what it takes to remain sane in such a stressful environment. This entails being self-motivated, with a strong psyche, a creative spirit, a tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty, and a sense of humor to let you take on adversity in stride.

The Greenes recommend an excellent method in selecting a college. First know thyself. Be aware of what academic, and geographical environment you will thrive in. What is your preferred classroom learning environment? How intellectually driven are you really? What are your relevant fears and weaknesses regarding your adaptative skills to the campus life? Only by asking yourself these tough questions, will you know what kind of school represents a good match. Next, look at your achievements (GPA/SATs) and within the pool of schools that represent a good match, you look at the best fit by investigating the schools in details. The Greenes have a three page list of investigative questions to ask administrators of prospective schools including issues on campus safety, campus social atmosphere, quality of campus living, alcohol and drug policy, availability of substance free dorms, crime record. This college selection is a sane alternative to the brand name obsession we have with the top schools.

This is an excellent collection of interviews on the subject of the neoconservative counterrevolution in Washington, and the strategies surrounding 9/11 and the war in Iraq. Behind the public statements of the administration lie the deeper motives of the operation: control of dwindling resources, intimidation with a display of military strength, and a neoconservative philosophy promoting an explicit imperialism. Exploiting the anxieties of the 9/11 catastrophe is the crux of the propaganda game. The text includes interviews with Tariq Ali, Chomsky, Benjamin Barber, Chalmers Johnson, and Shadia Drury who provides an interesting commentary on the hidden Straussianism of the neoconservative clique.

You might consider buying this one and giving it to everyone you can think of. It's preaching to the choir of course: most of us who see it understand that the NeoCon group's approach to foreign policy is horrifyingly similar to that of Gary Cooper in HIGH NOON (the quintessential go-it-alone guy.) It's amazing to watch this film and realize how long the propaganda has been coming at us, manipulating us through our fears. If you're worried about the Wolfowitz/Rumsfeld/Bush triumverate and their quest for empire, this will only make you worry more. It's a very unsettling movie. At times, you might find yourself wishing you could turn off the background music, which is a bit melodramatic. But all told, this is an urgently important film - I only wish we could figure out how to get the Bush supporters to watch it. Any suggestions?

Nothing new here. Anyone with the lights on knows what has been going on since the rise of the Bushies. This film, however, patches together much of the key information that helps blow away the smokescreen hoo-ha that the neo-cons have invented to sell their agenda. These cats (Bush, "Wolf"owitz, Cheney et. al.) make the Romans seem like schoolyard pranksters. There is only one problem with this film: it promotes the very thing it is trying to dispell ---- fear. All in all a great counterpunch but I suspect it will be another example of preaching to the choir.

"Hijacking Catastrophe" is a well-researched educational documentary of the 9/11 attacks, the context that gave birth to them, and the way the US government has used them to promote its preconceived plan to solidify American empire through a global War on Terrorism. Unlike many other 9/11 films, like "Loose Change" and "Improbable Collapse" (both worth seeing), this film does not speculate about government complicity, it merely explains the roots of the neoconservative philosophy--a philosophy that does not shirk at deceiving the public to advance its selfish economic and political goals. Note, however, that this is not the DVD. This is the book version. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the DVD is not available on Amazon. If possible, you'll definitely want to get your hands on a copy. Along with "Hijacking Catastrophe," I would also recommend the DVD "9/11 Mysteries: Demolitions" and David Griffin's incisive, and well-argued book, "The New Pearl Harbor". Both are invaluable for understanding the inherent contradictions and scientific absurdities of the official 9/11 story.

j.w.k.

First, I saw this as a documentary on a DVD of the same name, and that is how I plan to review this item. Produced by the Media Education Foundation, it most effectively presents the argument that the Bush administration "sold" the war via the most popular conduit of news - television. Using video news clips from mainstream media such as FoxNews, CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS, as well as interviews with extraordinarily credible officials and experts, Hijacking Catastrophe describes in chilling visual format how the NeoCons used 9/11 to push the country to accepting a military solution in fighting terrorism. Awful in its implications, this documentary should be seen by everyone who feels violated and mislead by our leaders. And some way should be found to show this to friends and family who still prefer the sleep of the deluded. I certainly wish I had the funds to buy thousands and leave them in every mailbox in the county.

We all know Bloom the scientist. Here's Bloom the agitator - and writer. I'm particularly glad to learn the real secret behind what happened to America some forty years ago. This is a fun, sexy, provocative ride through a decade that really hasn't been shared properly until now.

Bloom has done it again. The man that produced such astounding works as "Lucifer Principle" and "Global Brain" has created yet another great tale of non-fiction, complete with his trademark of fluid-logic storytelling. Anyone who is a fan of the aforementioned books would do themselves a great favor by indulging in this new series. This first book was totally captivating, keeping my attention from the first sentence to the last. Full of wit, humor and hints of sarcasm, Bloom effectively tells the beginning of the story of the Western cultural revolution in the early 1960's, and reveals his place in carving out the story. I was born some twenty-odd years after these adventorous excursions, but through Bloom's masterful storytelling and sharp writing style I felt as if I were with him every step of the way. I cannot wait to follow up and read the rest of the series. Although it is a bit different from his more scientific books, this series is sure to delight anyone fortunate enough to recognize the talents of this brilliant, keen mind.

Howard Bloom is the heart and soul of science. He represents the deepest spiritual, personal, emotional profundity of the process of discovery and learning, and this book absolutely secures him, without a doubt, as the only person suited to speak to people at large on the matter. Endlessly witty, delightful, and gut-punchingly astonishing in its weightiness, How I Accidentally Started the 60s is one of those reads that makes you stop every chapter because you have to get up and smile for a while. This is a life affirming book, this is a story that makes even the most hard hearted empirical thinker realize that there is love, beauty, and salvation for us wretched humans. To use an oft overused cliche, this book will simply "make you believe again".

For those familiar with Howard Bloom's earlier works, The Lucifer Principle and Global Brain, this will prove a delightful surprise. Here, he offers a comedic autobiographical account of his coming of age. A warning for literalists: If you're looking for precise causal mechanisms that attribute a social movement to the actions of one man, you won't find them here. A more accurate, and more awkward title would be: How I began living out the sex, drugs, and rock and roll (plus Eastern mysticism) cultural archetype of the late 1960's about five years before anybody else in America. This little gem deserves a wide readership and acclaim as a warmer, funnier, smarter version of On The Road.

I'm a huge fan of Bloom's science books, Global Brain and Lucifer Principle. Actually I consume all science books, and my two all-time favorites are the two I just mentioned, just above Consilience, The Selfish Gene, and The Blank Slate. So naturally I was interested in this. A humorous memoir? Hard to believe it's the same genius, except for the unmistakably colorful literary style. I couldn't stop reading! What a rip-roaring story! It made me realize the reason Howard Bloom isn't frequently mentioned in the same breath as Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, and EO Wilson is that his genius is not comparable to any other. Is this the life you need lead to become a scientific visionary? If so, Steven Gould should have dropped more acid and shoplifted with his jock strap.

The late Howard Wayne was my cardiologist for more than two years. After an unscrupulous Hoosier cardiologist tried to coerce and intimidate me into a quintuple bypass I didn't need, I traveled to San Diego and received a second opinion from Howard. If his books teach you nothing more than to get a second opinion from a reputable noninvasive cardiologist you will find it is worth many times the price.

I thought this is a wonderful book. You won't find this material in other heart books. Dr Wayne's persuasively argues that bypass surgery and angioplasties are overused and abused in the US. Dr Wayne writes well and with evident authority. We need more doctors like Dr Wayne who are willing to speak out and be critical of contemporary medical practice !

This book has saved me an untold amount of grief. After having multiple tests and $5,000 later my physician still didn't know what caused skipped heart beats. After an additional slightly abnormal stress test he had me scheduled for a heart cath and possible angioplasty or heart bypass. Luckly I read Dr. Wayne's "How to Protect Your Heart from Your Doctor." This book is great and not only saved me much aggrevation, I'm sure it saved untold thousands from similar invasive surgery. I can't tell you how much I recommend this book. Its great!

This book is a life-saver. I'm an enthusiastic lay researcher of health-related issues and when my husband was dramatically and suddenly hustled in for coronary bypass surgery I began reading everything I could get my hands on for his condition. Nothing I have read has been as helpful or eye-opening as this book. I am surprised at the hostility of the Library Journal review - see above - so I thought I'd add my two cents worth in support of this book.

The review says the book is frightening. Absolutely! But I also found it helpful and full of hope (for recovery and a normal life for heart patients) I don't see how Dr. Wayne could have been any more helpful or specific without actually seeing a patient - every heart patient is unique.

I have worked in the medical insurance industry and also in medical offices for many years and can personally vouch for many of the things Dr. Wayne has to say. Regarding his comments about cholesterol, I think he is very brave and from everything I have read about the subject I think he is correct in his analysis of the situation.

This book serves two functions:

1) It is medically educational. Dr. Wayne is a great teacher. He is able to explain all about the heart and what causes heart disease better than anyone I've ever read.

2) It is politically educational. The days of Marcus Welby never existed! Our health care system is marvelous in many ways but there are huge problems and it is helpful to understand the politics and big business aspects of your heart condition in order to understand why certain types of procedures are recommended over others. I also now have a better understanding of how cardiologists train and that's been helpful too.

Here's what I really like about Dr. Wayne: he's a genuine "scientist". By that I mean that he is one of those rare doctors who apparently actually bothers to read research and analyze the studies first-hand. He is not content to have these studies spoon fed through the media or medical journals but goes right to the source and studies them. I have done this myself and can attest to being surprised numerous times. I have also learned (from his web site) that he has a very impressive research background which supports my comments about him being a scientist.

What are the weak points of this book? I would say that while most of the time he supports his comments with copious studies and facts I noted there were times that he seemed to let his emotions run away from him just a bit. Some comments seemed as if they might be exaggerated. I do not necessarily think this is a negative point (who can blame him for feeling passionate about his vocation?) but just keep it in mind when reading.

As for my husband, just as Dr. Wayne predicted, he finds that his bypass surgery was probaly a waste of time and did a lot of unnecessary damage to his heart. He still has angina and I suppose we'll never know if he really needed to go through that horrific surgery. Please read this book BEFORE you have the surgery!

As a final comment, my husband fired off an e-mail to Dr.
Wayne after reading his book (because he was pretty upset after reading it)and he received a personal and compassionate reply from the doctor. I found that impressive.

Dr. Howard Wayne, a cardiologist practicing in San Diego, has written a remarkably candid description of the horrors of heart care in the U.S. in his books How To Protect Your Heart From Your Doctor and Living Longer with Heart Disease. These books are required reading for anyone who cares about their health.

Dr. Wayne asserts that bypass heart surgery needed and angioplasty (inserting a balloon into a clogged artery to open it)are almost never necessary. In the past 23 years, only 11 of his patients have had bypass. Dr. Wayne treats patients with drugs that have been shown to be as effective as the more invasive procedures--with fewer side effects.

Each year 400,000 bypass surgeries are performed in the U.S. The cost is over $40,000/operation. This is obviously a lucrative medical industry for hospitals and surgeons. It also helps explain why the information in his books is not more widely known or publicized.

Wayne notes that in England, only 174 angioplasties per million persons are done yearly, in contrast to 1300 per million in the U.S. The frightening conclusion is that in the U.S., angioplasties are being done primarily for dollars rather than "sense."

In Living Longer Wayne describes more recent studies which substantiate his points that the aforementioned invasive procedures are rarely necessary. For example, in a published study of 170 patients with major coronary artery disease treated with angioplasty, bypass surgery or medical treatment (medications, diet, exercise), there were no differences in heart attacks or death rates after three years.

Supporting Dr. wayne's position is a letter in the December 7, 1998 edition of U.S. News and World Reports from Dr. Thomas Graboys, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School:

"In fact, the large marjority of patients with cornary artery disease (CAD) can be treated successfully without such invasive procedures. A growing body of research, including our own, strongly suggests CAD patients who are managed medically (that is, with medications) fare just as well as , if not better than, whose who undedrgo costly invasive procedures...Regrettably, the rush to invasive procedures is fueled by nonclinical factors, profit among them."

For those unable to follow the rigourous diet of Dr. Dean Ornish (10% of calories from fat), this approach is something all considrering bypass should assess.