Kahn Books

I'm really appalled at the typos that show up in so many hardcover books these days. This one is about the worst. Call me weird, but I think that if a publisher expects you to fork over $25 for a harcover book, they should at least proofread it for typos. To wit: "(She) later became a a celebrity." That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Typos aside, Kahn has picked a worthy topic for this book. It's a fast-paced, breezy read that will be enjoyed most by baseball fans who lived through the seasons described. I don't remember Kahn being as opinionated in his previous books as he is in this one, and often times these opinions get in the way and, quite honestly, are hard to shrug off and move on from, particularly when he refers to fundamentalist Christianity as a "religious cult." He takes pot shots at Roger Angell's writing skills, and David Halberstam's fact-checking skills in his book "Summer of '49" (which is particularly amusing considering the aforementioned sloppy editing job on this book as a whole.)
Recommended for baseball fans, but stay away from the hardcover edition. I have not seen the paperback, so I can't say whether or not anybody proofread it.

The author of The Boys of Summer has now written a book about the men of October. October 1978 to be specific. Roger Kahn gives us a rambling, desultory, non linear history of that remarkable comeback season for the Yankees. His prose wanderings take us back to the 1880s and forward, past 1978, to 2003. OCTOBER MEN is like sitting down with a grand uncle and listening to the colorful musings of his life, except that here, Mr Kahn is musing about baseball history. This can be frustrating to some who want a story told in a straight forward fashion. The actual wordage given to the games played by the Yankees in 1978 would probably reduce to twenty pages. In between and before are the politics, the trades, the personality conflicts, the rows, the blustering, the bickering and the history of each persona plus related history of the game itself. But it is a great story, well-told and for those of us who remember the Yankees of that year (Reggie, Munson, Guidry, Pinella, Nettles, Dent, Sparky Lyle, Gossage, Mickey Rivers) we are treated to a fine remembrance. And, for those who were too young or too distracted to remember, it is well worth reading, for seldom comes such a remarkable team and this was one.

THID BOOK IS ABOUT THE NEW YORK YANKEES 1978 SEASON. ROGER KAHN DOES A GOOD JOB OF DESCRIBING THE EVENTS WHICH LEAD UP TO THE ASTONISHING COMEBACK FROM NOWHERE TO WIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE PENNANT IN A PLAYOFF GAME FROM THE BOSTON REDSOX. MUCH DETAIL AND TIME IS PUT TOGETHER IN THIS ENTERTAINING READ FROM THE MAN WHO GAVE US THE BOYS OF SUMMER. I ENJOYED THIS BOOK BUT FOUND IT OVER LONG AND BORING AT TIMES. OVERALL I DID LIKE IT AND RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL YANKEE FANS. BUT A BOOK OF PAIN FOR REDSOX FANS.

Roger Kahn writes a book about the 1976-1978 Yankee Baseball seasons. The book is a mixture of parallel biographies of Billy Martin,George Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson. Kahn gives a good primer and sets up the story well. For the non New York baseball fan he explains well the Brooklyn Dodger, New York Giant legacy and shows the New York Yankee rivarly with them.

The book might have been better if the entire focus was on the dyanmics of Billy, George and Reggie. Those characters had everything and reflected the currents of the 1970's. There was racism,big business, high salaries,large ego's .Instead Kahn detracts from the bio angle by digressing about New York Giant managers of 1905 !

Kahn does not appear to be a Yankee fan at least in terms of his writing . He gives an objective look of the Yankees. In terms of dealing with the Red Sox swoon this book was written before last years' Yankee debacle . Kanh does not mercifully (and luckily in view of last years result) beat up the Red Sox. Kahn is a bit of a Billy basher and he does not mention once the Howie Spira -Dave Winfield scandal at all.This led to George's expulsion but Kahn does not find the room to mention this fact. In fact he praises the modern George Steinbreener.

Kahn appears to be the most objective about Reggie . He praises the feats but shows the ego of the man. If you are a baseball fan you will probably enjoy this book. If you are a Met fan you should read this book.But if you are a Billy Martin guy you may think the writing is somewhat biased.

Since 25 years have past this reviewer wished Kahn was a little more objective about Billy Martin and George.

"October Men" was one of a spate of books that came out in time for the New York Yankees' 100th anniversary. This time though, its focus is on another milestone -- the Bronx Bombers' 1978 championship run, especially their comback from 14 games out to win the American League East title.

Roger Kahn ("The Boys of Summer") brings first-hand observations, strong research and a love of both sports and history to the batter's box. Kahn's insights into the insecurities of the key players are intriguing. He raises the key point that the troubled childhoods of Yankees like Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and Bucky Dent both gnawed at these baseball fixtures and provided a fuel for their success.

Kahn's eye for the sensitivities of these and other tough guys of the era gives the book its charm. He helps you both shake your head at their excesses and understand where they come from. (And he smartly indicates just how much Ron Guidry, the quiet pitcher who went 25-3 in '78 was a stable and stabilizing force during the team's roller-coaster year.)

Where "October Men" bogs down is in the style. Kahn spends nearly half the book on the 1977 campaign. While the previous season, Reggie Jackson's first in pinstripes, sets the tone for the soap opera that followed the next year, it's not the main course. Kahn also spends too much time with extraneous insights about his friendships with Yankee execs George Steinbrenner and Al Rosen, troubles with short-sighted editors during his sportswriter years, and jabs at the writing style of fellow sportswriter Murray Chass.

Get past Kahn's asides, and you find a book that is enjoyable.

For a book of only 32 pages it is full of illustrated instructions on fabulous collage techniques for paper and fabric. A great addition to an inspiration library for any collage creative.

I was disappointed to find that this book really wasn't very substantial in the number of pages as her other books are. The ideas weren't anything new for me, but might be exciting for others. The photos in the book are AWESOME, as always.

Stitched Collage is a beautifully written and illustrated book. It contains a great deal of information and has been a great resource for me. I own all of Ms. Kahn's books and refer to them frequently. Her techniques have enhanced my collages. I hope she publishes more soon.

This is the first of Sherrill's books that has left me wanting more. What's there is great there just isn't enough... I have 3 of her books now and this is the first one to disappoint me.

I have purchased Sherrill Kahn's books previously and been very well satisfied with them and thus, thought this one would be a good addition. I'm not even sure new photographs were made for this book. It is a rehash of her other work. As though she said, "Lets just cut things that have to do with sewing out of the other books and call it new." A major disappointment! Unfortunately, I did not read the other reviews before ordering. Only if you've never seen work by Sherrill Kahn should you order this book! I will give mine away or send it back!

This book was used in teaching a class for senior adults about effective aging. It was most helpful and easy to understand.

The research findings reported in Successful Aging have been supported in a new 20-year study by an independent group of researchers. The study by Becca Levy of Yale Univerisity, et al, was reported in 2002. Simply stated, we can decide now to live longer and better. Having a positive attitude about aging is alone responsible for extending life by 7.5 years, and years of activity and involvment, not suffering. This is a very worthwhile read, despite what some stupid old fools have written before.

The idea behind this book is great, but its information could easily fit into a 3-page article in Woman's Day or a similar popular magazine. I expected to learn much more than I did from this very repetitive book. (It almost made me feel like I was aging on the spot: "Hey, didn't I just read that a few pages ago? Am I forgetting or imagining things?")

I stumbled upon the book strictly by accident and ended up paying full list price at Barnes and Noble. After seeing the really great prices on Amazon, I reluctently sat down to read a few chapters to try and get my monies worth. Wow. To say the book was enlightening would be to offer a dis-service to the multi-year McArthur Foundation Study. I picked up a few things from the book that most readers will not and that is basic assumptions that Private Foundations and Private Research gathers far more information about a subject than Government sponsored projects. It occured to me that Government has pretty muched screwed up Social Security as well as providing for long term health care in America. Successful Aging gives an alternative to spending your final years in a Nursing Home. The book is very well thought through, well researched and backed up with countless citations that give credit where credit is due. I found the book an enjoyable read, almost a primer. After reading this book, I ordered out about three hundred dollars worth of additional books on aging. That should tell you something. By the way, I ordered another copy of the book in out of print library edition to add to my collection. Great Book! Great Read! Don't get old without it!

Easy reading in simple language. Encouraging and uplifting. I love how it details the connection between social inter-actions and quality of life. Really good advice for maintaining independence in old age from a physical and mental perspective. Best of all, there is no pressure to rush out and make special purchases. I am getting copies as gifts for siblings - worth reading.

My husband and I are avid campers, and granted we like to eat well. But a nice grilled steak or a trout with lemon slices and pepper wrapped in foil with a salad on the side, takes only minutes to prepare and is just as good to us as a meal we would spend hours at the coleman to make.And those meals would leave us time to play in the woods, swim, or sight see. Granted the book has some cool ideas and tips but as a cookbook to the dedicated camper instead of the gourmet, forget it.

I spent an hour contemplating and chuckling over the first 50 pages... and I have 150 more pages to go. A quality cookbook is one that provides a fresh perspective on techniques and/or ingredients. If you're looking for simple camping fare, then you don't need a cookbook - stick a hot dog on a stick and you're happy. And who can blame you? But if you're reaching for an altogether different outdoor cooking paradigm, grab this book.

This "camping cookbook" has some very good ideas in it. Most of the recipes, however, do not seem to practical for tent camping considering the lack of storage and refrigeration. Using a home dehydrator is an excellent idea. If one were camping with an RV these recipes would be very useful.

When I purchased this camp cook book, I didn't realize that the recipes would all share one thing in common: they involve using the food dehydrator at home before the camping trip. It's really a gourmet dehydrator food cook book!

I was hoping that this would be a more useful camping cookbook. It is really a gourmet cookbook that tries to be a camping cookbook by using "sierra cup" as a unit of measurement (a "sierra cup" is a fancy backpacking cup purchased at trendy outdoor stores, and holds about 9 ounces)and by illustrating it with camping pictures and artwork. The ingredients for most of the recipes require access to gourmet and specialty stores.

When I go camping, I like to camp. I like to fish, hike and enjoy the outdoors. If you use this cookbook, you need to be someone who likes to cook. And I mean really likes to cook. In fact, camping must be something that you do to impress your friends with how environmentally conscious you are, while you whip up a meal of "Vegetarian Chicken Lemon Grass Soup" and "Spinach & Roasted Peppers Risotto." These are great sounding dishes that I would order at an expensive restaurant, but not something that I would want to spend hours preparing over my Coleman stove while the trout are biting.

The book tries really hard to be a camping book (remember the "sierra cup" thing?). But, it refuses to call a biscuit a biscuit. The book refers to them as scones. Scones are cool when sitting at an outdoor table at Starbucks discussing the evils of a capitalistic society with your liberal friends, but come on, when camping, I eat biscuits!

All in all, if you like gourmet recipes and gourmet cooking, and don't mind spending endless hours hunting down exotic ingredients, this is a good book. If you like to enjoy the outdoors, ditch this book, put together some simple, good food and go enjoy!

'The Education of Julius Caesar' is a solid biography of Caesar and an excellent overview of late republic political history. Khan writes with a lucent style and great technique to tell Caesar's story. For example, throughout the book Kahn contrasts Caesar's Epicureanism to the optimates' Stoicism; something I've never seen done in a Caesar biography before. He uses this contrast to highlight that Caesar's life was more than a political power struggle; it was also a philosophical struggle.

My only warning--if you know next to nothing about Caesar's life or late roman republic politics don't start here. While the book is extremely detailed it doesn't do a great job of showing where cities are located (there are no maps), or explaining the political curus honorum. It's easy to get a praetor, tribune, aedile, censor, consul, and everything else mixed up if you've never studied it before. I'd recommend Colleen McCullough's excellent 'Masters of Rome' before reading this.

Overall--an excellent biography of Caesar, well written, and great style.

Why would anyone write a biography of a historic figure and use a cartoon of a baboon on the cover? Can that be the face of the author?

I doubt that the greatest general and statesman of ancient times looked like a baboon. More likely it's a leftist biographer.

Don Norton

FORGET THE ALLEGATIONS OF BIAS AND LEFTISM BY SOME PREVIOUS REVIEWERS. In 40 years of studying the Roman Republic, I find this book to be the best review of Caesar and his times ever written. Kahn does a compelling job of tracing and demonstrating the people, events, knowledge, and institutions that shaped and were modified by Caesar. Especially if you are a Ciceronian, you need to read this book; no writer on Rome since Kahn's book was first published can write without reference to this work, even if to disagree.

I read this when it was first issued, and I go back to it again and again. I also recommend it to those who want a readable and full introduction to Late Republican life.

What's wrong with the Education of Julius Caesar? In a word, Arthur Kahn can't seem to keep his Leftist political biases from coloring his evaluation of the Late Republic. His prejudices seep in on virutally every page in which the Senate is discussed. This is not to say that the Senators where saints; far from it. But they were men of their time, who had been raised in a political community that indoctrinated them into it's beliefs just as every other society does. Kahn seems to ignore this in his zeal to paint the "oligarchs", as he calls them, in a bad light. This is illegitimate, as anyone who understands the structure of the Roman state in that era must know. The Romans had a nomialist theory of the state. Rather than thinking that Rome as a poltical community was some kind of larger whole, over and above it's citizens, the Romans believed that Rome was nothing but the assembly of the Roman people as private persons. This is the reason they based citizenship and voting rights on wealth. Since they did not have a very sharp and differentiated notion of political as opposed to private life, they could not find a basis for evaluating one apart from the other. Thus, a rich man was literally more of a citizen than a poor one, because he had more of the Republic than the poor man did, due to his extensive property. We regard this as bizarre, but no one in Rome seems to have thought twice about it. A result of this identification of the personal and the political is the radical fusion of the personal interests of the rulers with those of the state. That is why the Senators reacted so violently to reform attempts - they knew no vision of politics that would enable them to see any degradation of their posiiton as anything other than an attack of Roman society itself. They simply could not differentiate their own positions of power from the State. This is what Kahn ignores. In page after page, he portrays the Senate as a gang of cynical, ruthless misers out to strip everyone else to the bone while hiding their crimes under the name of patriotism. In truth, these sad little men just didn't know any better. Kahn ignores this, and thus projects his own class-warfare ridden politics onto men who lived two millenia ago.

If you want a good biography of Caesar, try Christian Meier's "Caesar", availble at Amazon.com, instead.

I found Kahn's book fascinating, although I agree with an earlier reviewer that I regret he could not keep his personal politics more out of his book - irritating, but a small caveat when there is so much of use here. It's as if Kahn is too prone to project Rome in 60 BC onto the U.S. in, say, 1935. I've read many books on Caesar (including C. Meier's rather romantic German version) and in many ways, I enjoyed Kahn's more than any except Gelzer (who is still the best). Kahn has his finger on almost every significant event in Caesar's (and the late Republic's) life and is able to work through the facts both thoroughly and logically. In fact, the book is almost overwhelming in its detail. Agreed, he is one of the "pro-Caesar" faction - which seems almost by definition to mean, he's anti-Optimate. Well, it's the rare historian of Caesar who can manage not to take sides on this subject, the very issue that tore the Republic apart. Read the book with the realization that you have a fine bio of Caesar here, accurate and thorough, but more than slightly prejudiced against the Roman Senate that so thoroughly detested and tried to destroy Caesar and you will do very well.

This is a kindergarten TA book; that is, if one is just entering personal investing, it gives the basics, but for experienced TA investors it's not worth the price.

Since technical analysis is mainly about reading stock charts, I'm always amazed when a book meant to teach it is heavy on words and light on charts. This book is far too wordy and not "charty" enough. When explaining a concept, the author generally gives one example chart and a lot of words about the chart, rather than giving more examples so that the reader can get a feel for what it being explained. This makes it a very inefficient tool for learning technical analysis, and you may feel you could have used your time better with some other book.

A problem for stock and options traders is that the charts and explanations are more oriented toward indexes, orange juice futures, cocoa futures, etc., so it doesn't give much information directly applied to stocks.

In this book Michael Kahn clearly explains the practical aspects of technical analysis. I was very impressed by the author's strong financial background, and by his ability to explain technical information in a straightforward understandable way. I found myself looking back at previous successful and unsuccessful trades that I have made, and understanding the reasons behind the outcome. This book taught me principles that I can apply in the market immediately. I highly recommend it.

I'll keep this review short.This book is a pretty good introduction to classical techinical analysis (i.e,charting).If you believe in charting (or TA for that matter) as a forecasting tool then this book will be a good enough introduction for the novice.The book is very scant on the technical indicator side of TA and I disagree strongly with the remark made by the reviewer from New York,USA who states that "no real TA trader" uses indicators in trading decisions - from working on various trading desks in several of the largest investment banks in the world and from meeting scores of other traders - this guy is talking baloney.Some of the most profitable trading systems I've seen (ROI never less than triple digit percentages) are purely based on a mixture of advanced technical indicators and proprietary algorithms: there is no classical charting involved whatsoever.People who shun technical indicators are usually those who can just about cope with high school level maths.Moreover anyone who profits from classical TA,i.e, charting - and this is going to seem contentious - is I'm afraid guessing more times correctly than he is incorrectly.In fact there are circles in the professional trading community who genuinely believe that all classical TA is doomed for failure especially with todays fast electronic information systems.The only type of so-called "charting" that can be shown to work is that based on chaos theory ... So, for a novice - go read it as there's no harm done but don't expect to make consistent money using the ideas contained within or even with more 'advanced' classical TA books.

I was recommended to read this book during my induction period at a major investment bank. I studied Law at University so I had no idea what Technical Analysis was, until I read this astoundingly simple yet powerful book. Resistance & Support Levels are explained in a way that you will never forget the rationale for them after having read his chapter. This book has saved me from major embarassment in the markets!

This book is not only for beginners but also for other levels. I think you will not feel relax, until you finish reading this book.

another title aimed at information architects/web designers that doesn't really do the business. it's got some good pictures, but there isn't a great deal of rewarding stuff there.

When I first opened the cover of this book, I was surprised to find that the pages were full-color and glossy. The majority of the text was white on a black background. Screen shots abounded. I was overwhelmed!

I read the book because it was an assigned textbook for a graduate class I took on Information Architecture. The book did get me thinking about site maps and their usefulness or lack thereof. By the time I finished the book, I was less overwhelmed by the artsy style and better able to see the value in the material.

The book offers multiple case studies and examples of site maps, however many of the site maps do not exist on the web sites today.

This book is a must have for any designer's shelf. It offers an intelligent and rational itemization of the ins and outs of website creation. But what is the point of it?

A precise title would have been "Maps of Websites" as it doesn't offer much in terms of step by step instructions on how to do what the authors point out is "good."

So, it comes the closest out of any web-design manual/showcase to a lucid vision of proper web architecture. . .

all of these ideas, however, are thoroughly covered in organizational and planning manuals.

If you're looking for a book that can give you insight on how to structure and organize a web site, or any other screen based application for that matter (wireless, desktop, etc.), keep looking because this is not it.

If you already have a good idea of how you want to organize your website and want to take it to the next level, you need a map that can sequence and structure your ideas in a visual format. Its is one of the best ways to gain insight into the overall user experience, help you optimize your architecture and share it with others (no web skills necessary).

This book is a great tool when it comes to looking at examples that illustrate the best mapping alternative for your particular project. As with all maps, the detailed visual examples are a great way to convey the essence of mapping (yes, it is an art).

I've used the information in this book to build maps that help design efficient sites from scratch and optimize the user experience of highly complex mega-portals.

The only thing missing? A section on software applications that will help you to design maps - I use freehand and illustrator which elevate mapping to art form (great for creating an impact in important pitches). A CD with design clipart would also be a useful resource (symbols, icons, pages, etc.).

Fast, light reading, but not up to her earlier effort, "Fax Me A Bagel". The characters are not as well drawn, almost cartoonish in fact. The emails to friend, Nan, are pointless here, unlike the key roll played in "Fax Me.." Ruby, herself, comes across as less likeable here, and you have to like her to like these books since she is the narrator. Still, this series is a fresh approach to murder mysteries, so "Nosh" gets one additional star for that. Let's hope for a better effort from Sharon next time.

I'm Jewish and I'm from Texas so, I should like this book, right? WRONG! None of these characters is likeable and that includes Ruby, the Rabbi's wife. Since she's the character at the center of this story, that makes it difficult. She's nosy, pushy, snide, and sneaky. That's just SOME of her good qualities. Her friends are even worse. The "mystery" is far-fetched. The blurb on the book's cover is very appealing. It's a shame the book isn't as good as its cover.

It is unusual to think of murder mysteries as funny, but this wonderful series featuring Ruby, the Rabbi's wife requires such an adjective. (Ruby's husband actually is deceased, but certain members of the congregation appear to believe that she must carry on the duties of the rabbi's wife. . . ) The returning characters, Essie Sue, and the new Rabbi are as entertaining as ever.

Essie Sue is desperately trying to raise funds for the synagogue through the sale of frozen, non-fat (and non-salted. . .) matzo balls. Yuch! Meanwhile, the former "Mr. Texas Muscle" who she hired to run her newly-acquired "Center for Bodily Motion" (formerly Sam's Gym) is found dead with a melting matzo ball in his pocket.

The twists and turns of this mystery, which involve a battery of odd-ball persons, mixed in with Essie Sue and the Rabbi keep you page-turning until the end. (And a bonus: a "traditional" matzo ball recipe, and Essie Sue's grossly adulterated version, are provided.)

Just in time for passover, the author of "Fax Me A Bagel" delivers another Ruby Rothman mystery, just like Moses delivered the Hebrews. Who says soup is good for you? In some cases it can be the Jewish strychnine and not the penicillin. Return to Eternal Texas and meet Ruby Rothman, the widow of the rabbi. Rebbitzen Rothman is helping the synagogue raise money by selling frozen matzo balls (how many widows do you know who will still help out even after their husbands (the rabbi) have been replaced). But then the local personal trainer is found dead at the spa with a thawed matzo ball in hand. Can it be related to the current rabbi's infatuation with another spa employee? Is there something not so kosher at the interfaith seder or spa? Lt. Lundy teams up with Rothman to solve the case. A very funny mystery that mixes temple politics, the community, a seder, and the happenings in Eternal TX

The Jewish sector of Eternal, Texas is alive and thriving as the members of the Temple actively volunteer to do what is necessary to keep their sense of community thriving. All the local Jews seem to support all the activities and events sponsored by their small congregation. Although Ruby Rothman lost much of her power when her spouse, the rabbi, died, she remains a dynamic participant in the synagogue. Her nemesis Essie Sue Margolis is more than just the de facto female leader of the group since the new Rabbi Kevin Kapstein fails to control her. Currently, Essie Sue heads a fund raising drive to erect a monument in honor of her deceased daughter. To collect money, she wants the congregation to sell frozen dietetic matzo balls.

A nearby food processing plant on a guest ranch is manufacturing and packaging the matzo balls. However, the Fit and Rural ranch operates in a strange, hostile manner by discouraging potential clients. At an interdenominational seder held at the ranch, Ruby and Rabbi Kevin are rendered unconscious and left to die in the freezer. Ruby saves their lives, but begins snooping to try to learn what the ranch management is willing to kill to hide.

NEVER NOSH A MATZO BALL is an ethnic mystery that captures the essence of Jewish community life and culture. The characters are multidimensional and likable. The mystery is cleverly laid out so that fans that enjoy a puzzler will fully relish trying their sleuthing skills. Agatha nominee Sharon Kahn (see FAX ME A BAGEL) has written another offbeat and delightful tale that is more entertaining than a nosh.

Harriet Klausner

I took this book from the library because I always review a book before I buy it. This author is stuck in a feel good mentality that doesn't cut it in our narcissistic society.

I wish I could recommend another book on this point. Leil Lowndes does a fairly good job on people skills with her books. But using this guy's techniques will only make you look like a pushover. Waste of time book~

If you want to explore the art of conversation - if you want to learn how to have a *real* conversation, this is the book for you. Most "conversations" are simply just one person engaging in a monologue while the other person waits for their turn to do their monologue. I think much of lonliness and misunderstandings in the world today could be eliminated if people actually practiced what is taught in this little book.

I came accross this book by accident. I'm not a scholar on conversation, so this book not only opened up a new idea to me, but has inspired me investigate more about the topic of conversation. I feel that because it opened my eyes to how I converse and has helped me at my business, it deserves four stars.

My opinion: Reused contemporary ideas about one aspect of good conversation. The author fills his book with far too many examples, and the examples that are given are summarized in points that are almost common-sensical. Supposedly a psychological book focusing on the author's years of research on the subject, but its apparent lack of APA citations downplay that notion. Wishy-washy.

I'm reading this book on my way to a conference, a conference where I will give the keynote address and conduct a panel and a workshop. While a lot of what Michael Kahn says seems like plain common sense, it's the putting it into practice that counts. I'll be trying to do just that.

If common sense were always put into practice, we'd call it "common action" instead of common sense. Kahn's examples and propositions are not things to be documented in APA style, but clues to how to act, if you want to have really good, useful conversations that affirm and support you and the person you're talking with. The book is not written for academics, but for people who talk with other people--and would like the results to be more interesting and useful, and less combative.

I'd like to note also, that though it was written before e-mail became a dominant mode of communication for many of us, this book's insights will work well in that environment, and especially on e-lists, where the flow of messages is much like a group conversation.

We've all had conversations that at least might have proceeded in the helpful, healthy ways Kahn suggests. This book is helping me to sort out why my better conversations were better, and learn to make the better ones happen more often. More than that, in less than 200 pages, who can ask?

AS A PLEASURE BOATER WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN SAILING THE CARIBEAN, I FOUND JOLLY RODGER WITH AN UZI TO BE A MOST FASCINATIONG READ. ANYONE WHO GOES ANYWHERE ON THE OCEAN SHOULD BUY IT.

A great book a book on a very rare crime.I think there's more modern pircay attacks then people think.

Jolly Roger With An Uzi lays out the history, rise and threat of modern piracy on the high seas. Reported pirate attacks have increased more than 80% (with a large number believed to go unreported), and this much needed expose warns seafarers of the scope and ferocity of today's maritime violence, suggesting actions that can be taken to be secure on the oceans of the world. While pirate assaults principally occur in the waters off Indonesia, Brazil, Somalia, and the South China Sea, no location is entirely safe. Today's pirates use highspeed boats and automatic weapons, plan their attacks carefully, utilize information gained through government agencies in seaports, and cost severe economic losses, mounting deaths of mariners, and horrific tragedies for sea-going passengers. Jolly Roger With An Uzi also offers suggestions for American policy reforms, new roles for government agencies, military, and maritime enforcement unites, as well as a redefinition of jurisdictions on the high seas. A unique and long needed clarion call of alarm, Jolly Roger With An Uzi is highly recommended reading for students of international studies, maritime studies, maritime enforcement personnel, and the business community engaged in maritime shipping.

This subject is hard to get a handle on and the authors do make an attempt in a slim volume of work. But sadly, what I saw was the InternationalMaritime Bureau report on piracy, three years out of date.

However, this is a good faith effort, details are hard to find, but, of course I would have liked more. Much of these incidents are sketchy, little more than a report on ship name, location of attack and what was taken.

The authors do make the point that piracy is still rare, but it is a violent crime and does affect maritime community -- who wants a shotgun stuck in your face as they rob all your personal possession?

The book lacks good methods for crews to counter piracy, "Maritime Terror," although a slimer volume, has more meat on that subject.

The authors spent some time handwringing on whether to carry arms or use firehoses to repel boarders. They didn't spend much effort on what a ship could do to prevent boarding in the first place, other than suggest "wagging the tail."

They did suggest one very good method of combating piracy, which was to insert special forces onboard during hih risk transits under a UN flag, but didn't flush that out in any detail.

Also, I would have liked to have seen an overview of shipping lane traffic, the shippers, their cargo, and how those ships are crewed. They did give gross numbers in a risk analysis, but that could have made a good chapter.

Finally, the risk to pleasure boats was lightly touched on. I would have liked to have seen a map plotting high risk waters, something to avoid. Also, a plot of all incidents and a rating of high risk ports.

Overall, I was dissapointed. I expected a better book from the US Naval Institute.