Howard Books

Years after the funniest character to come out of Marvel comics disappeared off the face of the Earth after the ungodly George Lucas produced film tanked, original creator Steve Gerber brings back Howard the Duck under Marvel's mature readers MAX line. Giving Gerber complete freedom to do what he wants, this relaunch of Howard the Duck finds our cigar chomping hero and his human girlfriend Beverly down and out and living near a junkyard. Things change however after Beverly lands a high paying job, only to learn that it's run by her ex-husband and Howard's arch nemesis Dr. Bong, and a devious plot is uncovered. Loaded with scathing satire, Gerber spares no expense at poking fun at boy bands, modern politics, Oprah and Dr. Phil, and religion; while even going a step further in spoofing other comic characters. After doing a wonderful spoof of Witchblade, Gerber orchestrates Howard and Beverly checking into the Boarding House of Mystery where he deliriously pokes fun at Vertigo comics like Preacher, Hellblazer, Transmetropolitan, and Sandman. Look around and you'll even find John Constantine, Spider Jerusalem, and Morpheus and his family; which frankly is surprising that Marvel agreed to go along with Gerber's ideas. There's art by Phil Winslade and a guest spot by Preacher cover artist Glen Fabry to boot, which makes an already great package even sweeter. All in all, Gerber's MAX look at Howard the Duck is one of the best things to carry the MAX banner, and this is a real treat for older readers who have fond memories of Gerber's old comics, and maybe, just maybe, we can all put those old bad memories of that movie to rest.

Who'd have thought it. Decades after the darkest and funniest mainstream comics-book character was banished to the outer limits by that film, he's back and hasn't lost any of that world-weary invective and sarcasm we love.

Gerber's got a lot to say about the state of the consumerist world we live in and there's plenty of targets to have fun with.

The artwork is excellent, especially Fabry's contribution.

I'd give it 5 stars but it's too damn short.

Howard the Duck was written by Steve Gerber at the height of his powers. And Steve Gerber, for my money, stands on the pinnacle of comic creators (and this is coming from someone who has read thousands of comics over the last thirty years). If I had to list one feature of Gerber's writing that stands out above all others, it would be characterisation. This may be a comic book about a talking duck and his girlfriend, but these two are more vivid and realised than nearly all the characters you'll find in comics, film or TV. However, characterisation is just for starters - Gerber puts more care and intelligence into his comics than you'll find arguably anywhere. Howard the Duck is no exception, and in addition to all of the above, you'll find a weird, penetrating and possibly disturbing take on the decadence of modern society, pop psychology, religion and a lot of other issues not usually addressed in the comics. Phil Winslade and Glenn Fabry's art is also gorgeous. Very, very highly recommended for anyone who still likes comic books, but wishes they were more intelligent. The Essential Howard the Duck and Nevada are likewise very highly recommended.

Yes, I agree the movie was awful. It sucked rocks! But the original comic book was The Greatest Work Of Literature In The Latter Half Of The 20th Century, and helped to make me the man I am today. Steve Gerber's writing is better than ever in this new book, which is a compilation of a series that was released under the Marvel MAX line earlier this year. MAX is a special line of comics Marvel publishes especially for adults, featuring naked female breasts, curse words, and (especially in the case of HTD) captiousness, cynicism, political incorrectness, and a general lack of respect for everything society holds dear. We need more books like this. Marvel -- how about another Gerber-authored HTD series? Heck -- just sell him the gosh-darned character already! It's not worth anything without him!!!

Howard the Duck to me was a movie. A very bad, dumb, never should have been made movie. Howard the Duck in real life is a comic book produced by Marvel Comics that first appeared in the 1970s. A comic so successful, it burn out into cancellation. And it took people some 30 years to bring back the foul mouthed mallard back into the foray in he MAX line of adult comics produced these days by Marvel.

Gerber, the creator of Howard, is an angry, very frustrated writer who wants to bash anyone in his way. And he does get his chance to in this comic. Who's in his way, you might ask? Well everyone and his mother. Gerber smashes boy bands, Donald the Duck, The Witchbalde, Garth Ennis's and Steve Dillon's Preacher and even religion itself to name but a few. What you get is a myriad adventure to adventure starring Howard the Duck and his human girlfriend, Beverly.

Phile Winslade is an artist of the worst comic joining Daredevil and Spider-Man. His art was bad there, but where he fails there, he makes up for here. His art is atounding and Howard never looked better and cooler. He manages to make his art very realistic and simple. No big muscled, perfect anatomy super heroes, but he does get to draw naked women. His art works well with the realistic, yet out of the world plot and script by Gerber. Both bring out a story that is as excellent as it is outrageous.

In all, it's a wonderful book to have if you didn't have the individual comic of the miniseries. The MAX lise is great and I wonder who gets to be showcased next. I just hope Howard comes back for an encore.

Howards End is one of my favorite books, and every couple of years I pull it down off the shelf to reacquaint myself with it. It's one of those books that has become an old friend over the years.

The story revolves around the Schlegels, Wilcoxes and Basts, three families whose lives interconnect over the course of several years and not necessarily always for the better, and at the center of the story is always the country home, Howards End. The book is an amazing study of class distinctions; passion versus intellect; constraint versus action; wealth versus poverty.

The Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, are passionate for life; they want to experience as much as they can from it. The Wilcoxes come from a more conservative stock, more it tune with their wealth and possessions than anything else. After a hastily announced (as just as hastily broken) engagement between the youngest Wilcox son, Paul, and Helen, the families find themselves at odds, until an unlikely friendship forms between Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret Schlegel. Upon Mrs. Wilcox's death, she leaves Howards End to Margaret, but the Wilcoxes as a whole do not feel that Mrs. Wilcox was in her right frame of mind and never let Margaret know of Mrs. Wilcox's bequest. In amidst these settings we are also introduced to Leonard Bast, who lives on the brink of poverty and feels that through education and enlightenment he might better his life and that of his fiancée, Jacky.

There are so many subtle nuances to this story, I have a hard time getting it all down. Forster has created an amazing story that is poignant in its telling and staggering in it depth. No matter how many times I read Howards End, I am always amazed at the intricacies of the story and feel that I take something new away with each reading.

I'm only 100 pages into it but so far this book is amazing. I have fallen in love with the art of language. E.M. Forster has created a stunning, and though provoking tale. A classic to study and enjoy again and again.

Born in 1879 England, E.M. Forster attended King's College at Cambridge; thereafter his family fortune enabled him to live as please. He traveled extensively; dabbled in the celebrated Bloomsbury Group, which included the celebrated Virginia Woolf; and strove to conceal his homosexuality from the general public until his death in 1970. Although he was widely read during his lifetime, a series of films based on his novels prompted a major re-evaluation of his work during the 1980s and 1990s, and he is now considered among the finest English prose stylists of the early 20th Century.

Written in 1910, HOWARDS END is the fifth of six novels Forster wrote, and like most of his work it focuses on issues of social class. In this instance, the action of the novel centers on the house Howards End and the three families who swirl through it. The house itself is owned by Ruth Wilcox, the wife and mother of a highly conventional, conservative family. Upon her death, she wills the house not to her family, which she feels will not appreciate it, but to friend Margaret Schlegel. Ruth's husband destroys her will and conceals the legacy from Margaret--but in an ironic turn of events falls in love with and marries her.

The story itself revolves around Margaret Schlegel and her sister Helen. Half-German, well educated, and more independent in thought and manner than most Englishwomen of their era, the sisters also become friendly with bank clerk Leonard Bast. In their efforts to assist him, however, they become leading figures in a scandal that threatens the Wilcox family as a whole. Throughout the novel ownership of the house, and the lies and hypocrisy used to retain it, becomes a symbol of class struggle as those who have power and status (the Wilcoxes) seek to retain it and those who do not (the Basts) seek to obtain it.

Forster is indeed a great stylist, and although the novel is indeed famous for its themes and symbolism he never places them above story or characterization. He possesses both the gift of straight-forward narrative and delicate touch, and the result is a perfect balance, a pure pleasure to read from start to finish. Although HOWARDS END is not as widely read as A PASSAGE TO INDIA, it certainly deserves to be. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Still laughing at the negative voter

In this 1910 story of Edwardian England, Forster illustrates the conflicts between the superior attitudes of the aristocracy and a developing feeling of obligation toward the "lower" classes which World War I will soon bring into sharp relief. Margaret and Helen Schlegel are intellectual and sensitive to the arts, with compassionate hearts for those less fortunate.

When Margaret, at age twenty-nine, is affianced to Henry Wilcox, the much older, widowed husband of a friend, this conflict of attitudes is brought to the fore. Henry, insensitive and believing himself actually entitled to his family's privileges, is cold and reserved, though Margaret believes that "Henry must be forgiven and made better by love."

Helen, her sister, a 21-year-old with an enthusiasm for the life of the imagination, has no sympathy for Henry's failure to pay attention to the people "below him" who are dependent upon his whims. Eventually, a casual remark by Henry leads to the loss of a job for Leonard Bast, a penniless young clerk, but Henry refuses to accept any responsibility whatsoever and refuses his wife's entreaties to give the destitute Leonard a job.

Immensely sympathetic to the economic position of the poor and women, Forster illustrates their financial dependence on others. Margaret, who secures the reader's total sympathy, is charged with educating a close-minded dolt like Henry to be kinder and more empathetic towards the people he considers below him, but she achieves only limited success.

Filled with incisive observations and great wit, the novel follows the narrative pattern of a melodrama, but Forster's sensitivity to both sides--the practical and conservative values of Henry vs. the emotional and idealistic sides of Margaret and Helen--elevates the novel above the tawdry. Henry is a product of his time and his class, but though times are changing, he is too dense to realize it. The Wilcox home at Howard's End is a microcosm, and its conflicts are those of the nation at that time. Thoughtful and entertaining, Howard's End still draws in readers after almost a hundred years. Mary Whipple

"Howards End" commences with that famous, cryptic epigraph - "Only connect." Although this masterpiece delves into a multitude of themes, including class struggle and suffragism, the idea of "connecting" runs throughout brilliantly. Indeed, the characters in this novel display various levels of success in "connecting," both interpersonally and intrapersonally.

The novel primarily concerns the Schlegel sisters - sociable Helen and the more practical Margaret. The sisters live in comfort in London (circa 1900) along with their passive brother, Tibby. As members of the leisure class (they inherited money from their parents), the Schlegels spend much of their time mulling over "big issues." Margaret and Helen, for example, belong to a women's social club which discuss how to help the poor and other humanitarians themes. In other words, they're forward-thinkers but not much on action.

Their world views are challenged when they become entangled with two quite divergent families - the impoverished Basts and the nouveau riche Wilcoxes. The Schlegels initially are attracted to Leonard Bast, an imaginative clerk who seems worthy of far greater things than his lowly job hints. They debate about how best to help Leonard, but their assistance turns into meddling of the worst sort. In contrast, the sisters are rather repulsed by Henry Wilcox, the head of the family and a distant businessman who seemingly has no internal life. The sisters find their beliefs and loyalties to each other tested severely when they become involved with these families.

"Howards End" is among Forster's best work, along with "A Passage to India" and ahead of "A Room with a View" and "Where Angels Fear to Tread." The characters are largely what make this book such a treat, although "Howards End" is buoyed by an astonishingly intricate plot as well. The main mystery concerns who will ultimately inherit Howards End, the Wilcox's somewhat stodgy country home; however, the house is a thinly veiled substitute for Imperial England herself. Indeed, Forster seems to be imploring, "Who will inherit England?" Forster's denouement answers this question most subtly. As is likely to be true for many readers of this book, I viewed the extraordinary movie version of "Howards End" many years and numerous times before picking up this novel. The novel is, not surprisingly, even deeper and more thought-provoking than the movie. "Howards End" is first-rate, exhilarating literature.

A dear friend of mine sent me this book a week before I went to Ireland. As I read it, I became even more excited to see the places Howard Franklin described. By the time we had landed in Ireland, the book was read and I had a list of the places I definitely wanted to see. Thank you Howard for writing about Glendalough. If I hadn't read about it, I would have totally missed the wonders of this place! This book was our constant companion in our travels across this Emerald Isle. If it wasn't in the car it was in my backpack, always close at hand so we could learn more about where we were. The snippets of history Howard interjected throughout his book is my favorite thing about it. I read these parts out loud to my husband as we traveled along the same path as Howard. Knowing the history of what we saw made it all so much more poignant. If you plan on visiting Ireland don't leave home without this book!

ALTHOUGH I MAY NEVER VISIT IRELAND, HAVING READ THIS DELIGHTFUL AND INSIGHTFUL BOOK MAKES ME FEEL AS THOUGH I HAVE WALKED THE STREETS OF
IRELAND WITH THE AUTHOR WHOSE ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE IS POSITIVELY CONTAGIOUS.

"An Irish Experience" is a delightful mix of Irish history, travel information and humor while providing insights into important meanings of life. I highly recommend it!

Howard Franklin's book, "An Irish Experience is one of the most all-around travel books. It is jam-packed with humor, history and must-sees. This book schools the reader on the history of Ireland, providing keen insights into it's culture and people. The whimsical way it is written, along with the goods on where to get a great pastry in even the smallest of towns, makes this a great read and a must for anyone going to, or daydreaming about Ireland.

If you have, or are planning a trip to Ireland, Howard Franklin's book is a must read. His knowledge of Irish history, geography and literature make this book a classic adventure tale for the 21st century traveler. Combine all that with a poet's eye and a lyrical style and you have a first-rate read.Buy this book and then buy your ticket. Ireland's waiting.

Any collector who works with dolls knows there's a wealth of guides for specific types and brands on the market and not a few general guides, but JAN FOULKE'S GUIDE TO DOLLS is better than most: it packs in one of the most comprehensive coverages we've seen, including an antique and modern section of details, covering composition and factors influencing collectible prices, and including histories and even doll clothing prices. It's billed as a 'definitive collection and price guide' and doesn't miss its mark, packing in the details essential to proper pricing and identification.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I was very pleased with Jan Foulk's latest book, "A Guide To Dolls", her first identification and price guide since the last Blue Book she and her husband edited. She is so talented, and our Doll Club, locally, always looked forward to the Blue Books. I have them all in my library.

Also, I am so pleased we have Amazon to help in our searches on any subject.

Whether you have an antique china head doll or a vintage GI Joe, this Guide to Dolls is an identification and price guide that's worth having. It seems to replace the Blue Book of Doll Values that Jan Foulke has become known for. (Her last Blue Book was the 16th edition.)However, don't let the name of the book fool you, it is just as comprehensive as the Blue Books and is still packed with a lot of photos to help you identify your existing dolls (or those you may be considering purchasing). The first few pages cover doll collecting in general -- what to look for. Ms. Foulke then provides a few brief suggestions for buying and selling dolls at auction before getting into the meat of the book--the price guide.

The book lists dolls by manufacturer and by mold number in case that's all you have to go by. Each doll or type of doll includes a reported price or price range for a doll in good condition.

Whether you are an avid doll collector or someone just trying to clean out the attic, you may want Jan Foulke at your side before buying or selling your dolls.

Each author and each doll book has a personality of its own....... I found this specific book very helpful, very realistic, and prices and values leaning a bit towards the lower range value in many cases, which is a good thing... I recommend this book. My sister is now rapidly becoming a doll collector and has a good eye for quality dolls.. She will find this book very helpful and will be surprised at Christmas when she opens this gift......... I also found new doll makers in this book mentioned.

A must have for collectors. Foulke is well-known in the doll world. This latest guide is clearly organized and contains information on a variety of collectible dolls.

My friend told me this was like Grisham, but I found it even better than his best books. Author shows what kind of damage a psychotic judge can do. edge of your seat legal thriller that builds to a shocking climax.

My friend told me this was like Grisham, but I found it even better than his best books. Author shows what kind of damage a psychotic judge can do. Edge of your seat legal thriller that builds to a shocking climax.

This is an amazing story and a scary one. For anyone who's been in an American courtroom and been dismayed by the Judge, it reads like a true story. The historical background is realistic and very interesting - a can't put it down kind of book.

I could not put this book down. 'The Judgment of Thomas' is so many things -- courtroom drama, war epic, psychological thriller. What's amazing is that author Howard Stern is clearly a master of each genre. All of the characters are memorable, especially the title character Thomas, who is one of the most compelling creations I've read in recent fiction. Stern takes you deep inside this fascinating, maniacal character's head and you won't be able to put the book down until you see just what he is ultimately capable of. This is a completely fresh take on the legal thriller. Stern immediately proves he's worthy of comparisons to Grisham and Turow. Highly recommended.

Also recommended: Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow, LA Confidential by James Ellroy, The Cider House Rules by John Irving, The Alienist by Caleb Carr

In The Judgment of Thomas we follow the life of a man described as a "lunatic who lives to battle sin and is incapable of love". Author Howard Stern brilliantly takes us on an epic journey from Thomas' tortured childhood in Italy through his years in battle and ultimately as a successful American attorney and Superior Court Judge where his secret psychotic vengeance plays out in the courtroom. When Ingrid Ponte must plead insanity in Thomas' court upon being charged with the murder of her cruel husband the strands of our judicial selection process and of Thomas' compulsion to avenge sin truly unravel. I was riveted.

I forget the exact words and who said them, but a more recent philosopher once observed that Kant wrote for the 'salvation of the ordinary man, in words that the ordinary man could not possibly understand'. This problem, compounded by the even more abstruse interpretations of Kantian terminology offered by contemporary analytic philosophers, exacerbates the notorious difficulties in following the meaning of the terminology employed by Kant in his arguments in the way that: 1) Kant intended them to be understood, and 2) allows one to meaningfully participate in contemporary discourse surrounding this essential work. Kant is a thinker, like Spinoza before him, whom one must come to terms with. Yet, to understand the terms he uses, one must have a quick, dictionary reference, ready to hand - immediate access to definitions of the terms as one reads. This need is met here. While excellent works like the widely acclaimed CAMBRIDGE COMPANION TO KANT are wonderful aids in helping us understand these seminal and challenging texts, they are not ordered in the reference style format which is needed when reading Kant.
Caygill's excellent ancillary work, written in clear, unencumbered prose, is worthy of the highest approbation. I ask the prospective reader: Where else are you going to find explanations of all the terminology in Kant, and all the abbreviations used in the critical literature, critically juried by some of the top Kant scholars in the world, arranged in alphabetical order, all in one well-ordered, easily accessed volume?
Ironically, as Caygill informs us, in the entry for "definition", that, decribing definition as the presentation of the "...the complete, original concept of a thing within the limits of its concept", Kant "...goes to some length to show that, strictly speaking, there can be no philosophical definitions. Empirical concepts cannot be defined because it is impossible to know their precise limits, nor is it possible to be certain that they are original. They may be explicated by making their contents explicit, but they do not fulfill the criteria of definition. Nor do a priori concepts, since it is impossible to be certain that analysis has been completely effected: "the completeness of the analysis of my concept is always in doubt , and a multiplicity of suitable examples suffices only to make the completeness probable, never to make it apodeictically certain". (CPR A 729/ B 757)
Albeit, Caygill does well enough to warrant that there is no one approaching Kant's texts, regardless of their level of expertise (and most of us have relatively little, who would not be privileged to have this comprehensive reference ready-to-hand.

This book would be very useful to you if you are taking an undergraduate course in Kantian philosophy. If you're having trouble remembering what Kant means when he uses the words "transcendentalism" and "ethics" and "pure reason" and stuff like that, this book will be a good resource. And the definitions aren't just a few words, many are more than a page. The only warning I would place on this book is that many of the definitions provided are interpretive of the philosophy rather than just descriptive. So that could cause a problem if you have a professor who is fully persuaded in his own interpretation. But overall this is a good and helpful book to have to quickly reacquaint yourself with most of Kant's main philosophical ideas and terms.

In the area of pure intellectual thought, Kant occupies a unique place near the beginning of modern philosophy that shows to an amazing extent how much we have discarded his immediate predecessors, Leibniz (1646-1716, mentioned in 35 topics in this book) and Christian Wolff (1679-1754, mentioned in 44 topics). For comparison, consider my favorite expert on Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860, who is mentioned only in nine topics, some of them quite small words, like: "drive, duty, force, will" per page 443) who studied Kant intensely and produced an "Appendix: Criticism of the Kantian Philosophy" on pages 413-534 of THE WORLD AS WILL AND REPRESENTATION, Translated from the German by E. F. J. Payne in Two Volumes, Volume I.

Those who have no need to learn Kant for the college credit to be gained by passing courses in philosophy might still consider how useful A KANT DICTIONARY by Howard Caygill will be for them as intellectual underwear. Our modern world looks askance at anything that claims to be more absolute than underwear, but still allows revolutionary claims to be made for Kant by philosophers. The scope of thought included in A KANT DICTIONARY might be cited as support for the idea that Kant was great. However, he mainly placed himself on the political sidelines, far from ruthless political currents of the modern world, and staying close to home, much as Kris Kristofferson parodied the 20th century mainstream political mentality in his version of "Okie from Muskogee" with its humor about those patriotic heroes who don't shoot deadly marijuana, "and all we ever drop's our B.V.D.s." The comedy version of what goes around, comes around might seem more out of place applied to Kant than to anyone else, but this says as much about Kant as about our prime comedians, few of whom have the time to attempt to be as serious as those who teach Kant seem to be whenever they write a book.

As a serious work, A KANT DICTIONARY does offer information about the Copernican revolution in philosophy. This book is clearer than Kant on the importance of key words in this explanation, `revolution,' `Revolutions,' `revolved around the spectator,' " `tried whether he might not have better success if he made the spectator to revolve and the stars to remain at rest'. Yet while Copernicus's revolution" (p. 135) was found to conform to scientific laws, "Kant maintains that his CPR will go further than Copernicus by proving . . . that objects conform to knowledge, not knowledge to objects." (p. 136). This is a nice bit of knowledge to have, also available in the Preface to Second Edition of Kant's CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON, pages B vii to B xliv as the pages of the standard edition are designated, running from Kant's discussion of the intuition of the spectator in metaphysics on page B xvi through a footnote on page B xxii, which made the claim, "The change in point of view, analogous to this hypothesis, which is expounded in the CRITIQUE, I put forward in this preface as an hypothesis only, in order to draw attention to the character of these first attempts at such a change, which are always hypothetical. But in the CRITIQUE itself it will be proved . . ."

The "List of abbreviations of Kant's published writings" on pages 5-6 is a key to understanding why letters like CPR and CPrR keep showing up, as well as "and the `Analytic of the Sublime' in CJ." (p. 348). What sustains interest in this book is the idea that these are all great works, as basic for philosophy as the medical kind of CPR is the immediate response necessary to revive patients who need to be brought back to life when vital signs cease. In the main section of A KANT DICTIONARY, the entry for death merely says "see Fear, Finitude, Immortality, Punishment, Time," (p. 151) but there is also an interesting comment in the account of Kant's life, "after the death of Frederick the Great in 1786. Frederick's successor, Frederick William II, initiated a counter-Enlightenment which sought, by means of censorship, to curb the freedom of the press and to extend obedience to precisely those arguments concerning Church and State permitted by his predecessor." (p. 10). Kant was not in trouble until he published RELIGION WITHIN THE LIMITS OF REASON ALONE in 1793. There was a time when Kant promised not to publish what he thought, but he was sensitive to who was likely to read his work. "Kant considered himself released from his promise with the death of Frederick William II in 1797" (p. 11). A KANT DICTIONARY is not afraid to devote a page to "church [Kirche] see also God, State, Theodicy, Theology." (p. 110). But "Kant's ecclesiology has had relatively little impact upon modern theology." (p. 111). That might be true, unless you think he dropped its B.V.D.s.

While the writings of Immanuel Kant stand at the zenith of philosophical greatness, nobody believes they set the standard for clarity. The unwary reader of Kant finds himself drowning under a tsunami of undefined terms. Survivors often find the same word used differently in a confusing conglomeration of contexts. Untangling the mess takes weeks.

Howard Caygill's _A Kant Dictionary_ greatly diminishes the dimensions of these challenges. The clearly written entries (sometimes a paragraph, sometimes a few pages) explicate many different contexts and meanings. The discussion within the entries frequently situate key ideas within the entire output of Kant, adding considerable value to the dictionary -- one can learn how an idea evolved or get a feel for why its introduction was warranted. Some entries go beyond this and contain historical relationships of an idea with those who came before and after Kant.

What a miracle! Documentation pervades this dictionary, making cross-referencing with Kant's writings extremely easy. The book also includes an essay on Kant by Caygill, a list of works referenced, books recommended for further reading, an index of philosophers, and bringing even more unity to the book -- an index of concepts.

Cliff notes for Kant this book is not. It consolidates Kant's output in a serious and professional way. If one studies or plans to study Kant at *any* level, one will find this book worth every penny.

From A to Z, here is a dictionary on Kant's philosophy which, surprisingly enough, is quite helpful. For someone who is trying to gain a better understanding of Kant's philosophy this text is an invaluable tool to have handy. It is easy to use (since it is an A to Z topical dictionary) and contains a few extra features such as an Introduction on Kant and the Language of Philosophy, an article on Kant and the 'Age of Criticism,' a very handy chronology of Kant's published writings, a section called "Works Referred to in the Text" which sites all the works used to put this dictionary together, a recommended reading list (quite nice feature), and an index of philosophers and philosophical concepts.

Thus, for a text dealing with Kant, the reader gets not only great information on Kant's philosophy, but on his actual works, his concepts, his time period, and information on those philosophers who preceded and followed him.

What is more, a student can use this text to branch out into deeper study on Kant's philosophy due to the recommended reading, but also by way of the text itself. What I mean is, the entries include cross references, text abbreviations where the information (or concept) can be found in Kant's work, and the German origin of the entry/word/concept itself.

Overall, this is a very nice edition to anyone's philosophical library. Moreover, it is one of the better reference works I have seen or used in my research of Immanuel Kant. I highly recommend this text.

I went to high school with Howard (Julian) and there are things in the book that friends didn't even know that he was going through, yet her persevered. This is a great read for athletes, teens going through something or employees that need to understand more what it means to be a team player. This book shows how to be a good teammate not only in sports, but in business and in life. Great Read from a great Chicagoan.

This is a book for anyone with dreams, or for someone who just wants to be a better person.

Howard Griffith is a first-class football player. In my honest opinion, Howard is the most underrated football player in the NFL. Year in and year out he is busting his butt for guys like Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson, and not complaining about it. This man made Terrell Davis. And hopefully he will get his pro-bowl before its all over.

Enough about him as a football player, on with the book. In this book, Howard talks about his life and the trials he has been through. This is a story of a man who never lost sight of his goals. While he has had a tough life, he never gave up, and always does his best to help his team - even if that means taking blocking assignments and never getting the ball. "Laying It On The Line, Notes Of A Team Player" teaches people to better themselves... ...to better the world. With his actions speak louder than words attitude, he teaches independance, how to be a person free from following others and just being the best person you can possibly be. He teaches about responsibility and maturity, and taking life seriously.

Reading this book was a turning point in my life. Before i read it, I was, simply stated, and punk kid. This book taught me the importance in doing your very best at everything you do and how important things like you education are to you. He shows you how you can be indepent but still conform, not to stick out. After reading this, It opened my mind really. Before hand I was quick to judge just about anyone that didn't believe exactly how I felt. Now I think empathatically, and am not so quick to judge. I know it's irrelavant, but its amazing what certain situation you can be put in can change you life around in a totally different manor.

Props to Howard Griffith with this truly inspiring story. This is a perfect book for anyone with dreams, and that is willing to work. Howard Griffith's book deserves every 5 stars I gave it, maybe more (if I could). Simply stated, this book can change you life.

This self-proclaimed bookworm ranks this book as one of her all-time favorites. To those who aren't necessarily interested in football, to those who don't understand football, and for those who don't even know what football is, believe me when I say, you will undoubtedly connect with some, if not all of this autobiography. Indulge yourself in this down-to-earth, eye-opening, and often comedic drama that chronicles the ups and downs of life, as it relates to Griffith's chosen career of football. I see this book as more of the spiritual journey of a young man's life, explained through the metaphor of football. It could easily be a training development manual for any business consisting of more than one person - it's all about teamwork and the success, respect, honor and glory that can be achieved if all involved are confident and secure with their individual roles and truly understand the concept of "team." If you need to be "pumped up" and inspired about anything you're trying to accomplish in your life right now, I suggest you purchase this book - it just may be the medicine you need.

This a truly remarkable account of Griffith's story and the obstacles that he's faced to get where he is today(the best fullback in the NFL). There were so many points in his life that he could have given up--but he didn't. Don't think that it's your "typically" sports book--it's not! This book is for anyone that aspires to fulfill their dream. I highly recommend this book. Kudos to Griffith!!!

As a professional book reviewer and avid reader, all I can say is: It's about time that a story like Griffith's gets some "air-time." LAYING IT ON THE LINE is uplifting and inspiring, while dispeling many of the myths about players in the NFL. It highlights the positive aspects of professional sports and reveals important ways in which team sports can develop one's mental and physical "game." Griffith is a living example of what it means to be a true champion, on and off the field. This book's a winner!

Leaving This Life Behind is a timely reminder that good literature still exists today in a market dominated by mediocre genre writers. As Levine weaves his way back and forth between the "lives" of his two compelling main characters, one garners an entirely new outlook on the world and whatever comes after it. An excellent read, full of masterful imagery and anchored by a breathtaking plot that will leave you feverishly turning pages until the stunning conclusion.

I like the way this book treats life and death as part of the same continuum, weaving them both in and out of an interesting plot. I enjoyed this book emensly.

Leaving This Life Behind is an exceptionally engaging novel. The style is highly accessible and flows smoothly, but it also contains a lot of interesting images and insights into human character. The author has no trouble making transitions between two substantially different narrators, and between the gritty realism of contemporary New York and a variety of other settings - including the mystical and the historical - which are rendered with moving detail and remarkable credibility. (A typical example of its talent for description occurs when the cab driver narrator describes being hailed this way: "At the intersection of 14th and 3rd, I'm hailed by a heavyset woman who flags me as if she were hand guiding a cargo plane down onto a runway.") The book also contains a view on life which, though it may not be fashionable in its lack of materialism, is striking for its originality and intensity. I highly recommend this book. Anyone who reads it will encounter insights that are unusual and memorable.

It's a deceptive book -- as easy as it is to read, the ideas and concepts stay with you for a long time. It's not preachy or insistant that there is only one answer to the universe, but rather just uses the topic of reincarnation to open up your thinking to the meaning of life on earth ... and life after earth.

I found Leaving This Life Behind to be a unique and fascinating novel, a page-turner which is thought-provoking, even inspirational. The plot is full of surprises--which I wouldn't want to reveal--but perhaps what is most surprising is that half of the novel is set in the hereafter. The novel is narrated, in alternating chapters, by Sharon Galdoni and her husband Paul. Sharon dies in a car crash in the first chapter--surprise number one, revealed--and for the rest of the novel narrates from the beyond. The depiction of the hereafter is very believable and convincing. Particularly fascinating are Sharon's past lives, portions of which she relives. Among other benefits, this helps her to understand the karmic reasons for her painful separation from her young son Kenny. Raising Kenny is now the sole responsibility of Paul, a New York City cabdriver who drinks heavily and has never been particularly tolerant of Kenny's developmental delays. Paul's struggles to become a better parent are gripping and very realistically portrayed. So are his difficulties in dealing with Sharon's mother and sister, both of whom are determined to play a part in Kenny's life. Paul is a gritty and at times outrageous character, and at bottom a better person than he'd care to admit. The two setttings--the hereafter and suburban and metropolitan New York--are brought together in an ending which is a fitting climax to this wonderful and well-written novel. I recommend it highly--to anyone who has ever pondered the meaning of life, and death--or to anyone who is in the market for a good read.

This book was written for general audience appeal and is approachable by all backgrounds and ages. In the first 11 chapters, Evans introduces readers to detailed explanations of many insect species with wit, humor and anecdotal information. Detailed line drawings give one a good view of insects that would normally require magnification to be seen in detail. Evans points out that even those bugs that are microscopic in size have very sophisticated attributes and can manage their affairs with very efficient capabilities.

The sad confrontations of bugs and uninformed humans is well covered, but Evans, while demonstrating a profound knowledge and admiration for just about all bugs and life itself, takes, in my opinion, a rather unfair poke at Rachel Carson's famous book, "Silent Spring". He comes off sounding like those in the pesticide industry or those who relied on their funding of research grants who attempted to debunk Carson's important work as "alarmist" and over-done. As we now know, Carson's work was proven correct and alarming and set the stage for an invigorated environmental movement world-wide.

Evans points out that "They [insects] are not only marvelous creatures in their own right; they may also teach us something about population control and the proper use of the Earth's resources."-pg 47. And, "As the anthroposphere [human saturated world] continues to encroach upon the biosphere, the museums will more and more assume the role of guardians of the world's treasures."-pg 285.

So this seems somewhat contradictory to his comments on pesticide use, but in all fairness, he also sees the wanton and reckless misuse of pesticides as very harmful to life.

The last two chapters give a very studied view of the collision-course that humanity is on with Earth's life support systems and in the end, it might be proven that those "pesky" bugs are far superior to humans in managing survival on a fragile and "Little-Known Planet"- Evans' call to expedite our research of the many awesome, yet unstudied life-forms that inhabit this planet before we inadvertently eradicate them with our paved-over human world.

For understanding and empathy for the insect world and the vitally important services that insect's provide, this book and Joanne Elizabeth Lauck's book, "The Voice of the Infinite In The Small: Re-Visioning the Insect-Human Connection" is highly recommended.

I can find no other way to begin this review than to say that this book was amazing. A good read to be had by all. And when I say all I really mean it. Biology and non-biology alike will find something to gain from t his book. The author of this book, Howard Ensign Adams, has the ability to teach the non-biologist but the talent of enticing the biology undergraduate. His ability to merge these two extremes while keeping both groups content is amazing and in a lot of ways impossible yet he has managed to do it. Each chapter is another adventure in insect know-how with tidbits of information, interesting anecdotes, and, in many chapters, a general call for more research into the specific fields discussed.

This book is organized into thirteen amazingly interesting chapters. Each chapter touches on a particular subfield of the insect world with the exception of the first and last chapters. The first chapter discusses the author's reasons for writing the book as well as his personal sales pitch on the content of the book and its intentions. The reader must be aware that this book is not recently written but was published in 1966. This is made evident in the first chapter with his discussion of the space program and its future plans to put man on the moon. It's almost comical to read his discussion of this, a feat that seems like old news to anyone nowadays but to him is only a future possibility. It can be said, however, that the age of this book is not a handicap. Aside from the obvious limited technology present in his time, the science presented does not suffer. The observations and data that Evans presents and discusses are very sound in their scientific method and in their accuracy as far as I can tell from my limited exposure to the field.

The book is fairly easy to read and most biological terminology is explained. Pictures accompany most in-depth explanations and the captions are short and usually humorous in content. The book is both accessible to those of the non-science community in terms of its skill level and in terms of its lack of necessity for prior biology knowledge. The book is also effective in its intentions of making the reader aware of the world beneath our feet and within our homes. Interesting aspects of each topic are discussed in order to keep the attention of the reader and to provide enjoyment in what might be perceived by some to be a very boring topic.

There is an obvious bias present in the author's focus on insects and the beauty he finds within their appearances and habitats. However, he does make a point to provide a disclaimer in the introducing chapter in which he makes the reader aware of his past experiences and his current work in entomology, specifically wasps. Throughout the first chapter he emphasizes that although many might not find the field as interesting and as beautiful as he, it will benefit most to learn of the things he is about to put forth. He does ask for continued research in the field and attempts to downplay the importance of the space program by referring to society's need to explain the depths of the universe while forgetting what is not known about the world within our reach.

Each subject is explored to the furthest ability of the author. Where he is not knowledgeable he brings in outside data from other scientists in the field and uses anecdotal information to highlight the interesting aspects of entomological research. He also uses these instances to give evidence to his assertions by providing sound evidence of the research in the field of interest. For example, in his bedbug chapter, humorously titled "Bedbugs, Cone-nosed Bugs, and Other Cuddly Animals", Evans discusses the research of Sir Vincent Wigglesworth on the Rhodnius prolixus, Rhodnius bug for short. Evans also provides detailed drawings of Wigglesworth experiments and discusses their results in depth. This is the rule throughout his book when discussing anything scientific.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone that can handle a bit of biological vocabulary and enjoys a good comedy. Howard Evans' style is witty yet informative. He puts forth the facts while adding incentive to read them. His prior work on wasps sneaks through every now and then and often he alludes to past selections or future topics that he has yet to delight you with. Overall his organization is clear and eloquent with each topic building on knowledge from the last. It is also noted on the cover that the author is also the writer of another entomological book called "Wasp Farm". I can say for myself that I have already made plans to stop by the library at some point this week to pick up this book to continue reading what I hope to be another great work by this amazing author. Even as I write this review I am making a mental list of friends and colleagues that I plan on recommending this book to, academic and non-academic alike.

Man will go to great lengths and spend great sums of money and time on the search for life in outer space, but will not look at the magnificent life forms under his feet, those largely unknown creatures that still hold many secrets worth studying. That is the recurring theme of this book, first published in 1968, when the race to the moon was in full swing. Here, Evans, who was considered a leading authority on wasps, ventures into the worlds of various insects with which he seems intimately familiar, demonstrating along the way the significance of these often overlooked animals and the virtues of studying them.
The book is divided into thirteen chapters, most focusing on a single group of insects-springtails, dragonflies, butterflies, fireflies, crickets, flies, cockroaches, bedbugs, locust and wasps-most of them familiar to any reader. But each chapter goes much deeper into the intricacies of every one of those familiar insects than most people ever think about. Every chapter makes you want to go outside and observe those fascinating creatures and the behaviors Evans so knowingly describes. While repeatedly pointing out that very little is known about the biology and behavior of most species of insects (in fact he speaks of our "depth of ignorance" of this group), he proceeds to go into great detail into the mating habits, courtship, feeding, and other behaviors of select species in every group discussed, giving various examples of typical and atypical behavior. In the course of his vivid descriptions, Evans touches on many important aspects of insect biology, and biological concepts in general, from anatomy and physiology to evolution, sexual selection, endocrinology and more.
In his 83 years (he died in 2002), Evans had published numerous papers and books of both technical and popular nature. Along with "Wasp Farm", this is one of the most familiar of his popular books. It can serve as a good introduction for those already fascinated with insects, or convert those who weren't. After reading this book, you won't look at your backyard or the local park the same way. You'll be able to look at dragonflies and recognize a mating flight, scream at a cloud of midges and see them respond to sound, and look carefully at piles of snow for swarms of tiny, fascinating springtails. This book is suitable for anyone who is willing to kneel down and look beneath their feet, or at a plant stem, and wants to know what they're looking at. As an introduction to insect diversity it is a highly enjoyable book, even when the amount of detail into the intimate lives of some insects gets a little tedious. Evans writes in simple and straightforward language, avoiding technical terms as much as possible, and the pages are interspersed with simple but informative black and white illustrations, including some insect structures and major experiments.
In addition to providing insight into the lives of the most common and familiar insects that share the world with us, Evans also introduces his readers to the more unusual species, known mostly to specialists. We learn of the microscopic parasitic wasp Trichogramma evanescens that lays her eggs inside other insects' eggs, sometimes many tiny adult wasps emerging from one moth egg. Or the peculiar habits of springtails, which do not have external genital organs and therefore do not mate at all, where the male leaves his drops of semen scattered around females on little stalks, and has to depend on chance that she will stumble on one.
Every detailed account of a particular species brings home the point that every species is unique, and has to be studied separately, because making generalizations from one species to another can be dangerous. Each insect is incredibly specialized to do only what is necessary for their immediate survival and reproduction, so that each species of insect has only a limited set of responses to a limited set of stimuli. As Evans puts it, every insect is adapted to doing "some things extremely well, and most things not at all". But he continues: "However, so many different kinds of insects have evolved that collectively they can do almost anything not requiring them to reason or to learn very much." Indeed, insects are so diverse that every species has the potential of teaching us something, if only we care to look.
The first chapter and the last two are more general, about people, insects, their relationships and their place in nature. In a chapter devoted to the human impact on nature-that of pesticides, introduced species, biological control, pollution, loss of habitats-Evans laments the loss of natural diversity in favor of human developments in an increasingly crowded planet and emphasizes the importance of preserving what is left, for its own sake as well as for the possibility of things we may still learn from the most obscure creatures. An intelligent application of biological control requires an in-depth knowledge of all the organisms involved and their web of interactions with the biological and physical aspects of their environment; the next medical breakthrough may lie in the hormonal regulation of a soil dwelling arthropod. But to reap these rewards requires an enormous amount of "basic research," curious inquiry into the basic biology of numerous organisms, not driven by immediately foreseeable benefits. It is precisely this type of research that Evans sees as being in danger in a world of "cost-benefit analysis" and "mission-oriented research".
Evans' writing is filled with humor, and he has a knack for summarizing many profound ideas into a witty one-liner. Unfortunately, in discussions of mating practices his brand of humor occasionally turns corny and cringe inducing, perhaps a telling sign of the fact this was written almost 40 years ago. On these occasions he tends to make analogies to human behavior, making statements and innuendo that to a modern reader accustomed to a politically correct world might seem insensitive if not downright sexist. But this in no way diminishes the quality of the content, as he describes the lives of insects with great knowledge and enthusiasm. His fascination with the living world, especially insects, is of the kind many people lose when they enter the adult world. The overarching theme, and his main argument throughout the book (if there is one), is that a lot of good can come from the study of insects and that people should devote more time to this greatly underestimated endeavor. There should be no urgency to look for life in outer space when the greatest mysteries of life on earth are still unsolved. By the end of the book we are left to share his hope that there will be enough curious minds, given enough funds, to pursue those mysteries.

I love this boook!!!!! Its easy to read, yet it goes into enough depth that you really learn about the insects. There's a whole chapter just on fireflies for example. Its the kind of book you can just pick up, read a chapter and say - wow, that's neat. (At least that's what i say) then I'll be outside and I'll be able to see whatever it is that I read about and understand so much more. So basically, the content is fantastic and the writing is so accessible that its not at all intimidating but also not patronizing. Its just very straightforward and so informative. I've learned so much. Its one of my favorite books and I wasn't even that into bugs before this. You won't go wrong with this one!

I cannot say enough with how Howard Roffman can photograph young men. He does it in a way that you can understand personal things about the man. The young man is nude but it is done in a classic way with style. You are not looking at a porno book you are looking at an artist showing his works. Buy the book you will not be sorry you did.

Again I'am a very big fan of Howard Roffman .. so this is a MUST BOOK TO HAVE ,, HE IS ENDLESS WITH GREAT WORK

For anyone who enjoys this type of genere, you will enjoy this book. The pictures are beautiful, whether you are gay or straight.

What a totally beautiful book. This is a photographic essay of merit. Real good coffee-table stuff.

"A great look at a man exploring his sexuality. Howard Roffman goes into the world of an 18-year-old male, Brian, and documents the journey on film. Don't Miss this 2006 Collector's Edition! FULL COLOR!"--© zebraz