M Books

I haven't read this book for a long time so when I read it this time I had forgotten what it was about. After I read it I went back and looked at the things I hadn't seen before.

This was a great book to read, but I have read better. I think that it was really sad, and I wish that Rilo could still be with his family.

This was a great book. A few days ago I was looking in my bookshelf to see if there was something I hadn't read. I found a book that I remembered I had gotten when I was in Kindergarten. The book was titled The Last Buru and I read it and it was awesome. I looked for the website that the address was on the back. And it was gone, I searched for anything in the series and I found out this was the last book the authors had written. I'm glad I had gotten it in Kindergarten so I could read a book out of print, but it really sucks that there isn't a book in the series aftre this. I really wish they could have made more books in this series. Anyway, this is a good book.

I think this a great book! Rilo gets reunited with his family and tries to save them. I hate Preston though, what a traitor. They lose their powers but get them back by Morgan and are stronger than ever! Though I wonder how they look like. I'm still trying to find the fifth book. Whoever is trying to buying this book you should really buy it! Its awesome!!!

This book (not to mention the whole strange forces series) is a masterpiece. There are no other books like theses. This was probably the best book so far. The thing that really gets me is that the authors quit after this book, and the plans that were made for up too book nine. All I could get out of the company is that the authors moved on. I want them to continue writing, I have been hoping all of these years! Maybe I could start a website and a petetion. If your interested,e-mail me and I'll tell you if I start one.

The "Rowan Gant Investigation" series by M.R. Sellars is an excellent mystery/suspense/crime series. Mr. Sellars's writing style is a bit different than most other authors' but it makes for compelling, page-turning drama. Every time I pick up one of his books, it's nearly impossible for me to put it down. This particular installation brings into focus the idea that whatever you send out will come back to you three times over. And, oh boy, does something come back for one of the characters!
Pick up the series if you want a great summer read!

What a roller coaster of a book - I literally could not put it down until the very last page. Good plot, great characters and the witches are the GOOD guys for once. A must read, but only with the lights on!

This is a great series of mystery books that deal with Witchcraft in a very respectable way. The main characters are witches who help the law decipher occult symbols found at a St.Louis murder site. It's a fairly realistic portrayal of wiccans. Christians won't approve, but the book gets heavily into the craft and it's tenants.

Check this one out, it was a rollercoaster ride.

MR Sellars is a deliciously addictive author. The Law of Three is his best work yet (although I'm sure I'll ammend that once I finish Crones Moon- the first two chapters are certainly promising!) Anyone looking for a spine tingling whirl wind of a read is sure to find MR Sellars works to be superb. The only negative thing I can say is that they just don't come out fast enough- but like all good things- they're WELL worth the wait!

I have just finished this book and really loved it! Once again, M.R. Sellars has scared me silly. I think the thing that makes the Rowan Gant series so good a read is that unlike some books that have fantastical bad guys, trolls, and wizards (oh my) he gives us rather ordinary folks and completely plausiable bad guys. There really are crazy fanatics in the world, we all know it. Sellars just shows us what they are capable of doing. Read it with the lights on!

The Poetry of Business

When I created The Poetry of Business - working from the inside out - I was using poetry to take a person through their career for the purpose of self examination and enlightenment. Poetry is one of the most powerful mediums to penetrate to the core of your beingness and invoke innate emotions and creativity. Leading from within is a great use of poetry and commentary used to inspire leadership, and I think it is exactly what it promoted itself as. I was thrilled to see another book combining poetry and its impact in the working culture. In addition it is a fundamental direction for the nurturing of poetry within, and the furthering of poetry in society.
Tracy Repchuk
Bestselling author of 31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles
President and Founder of the Canadian Federation of Poets
Founder and Editor of Poetry Canada Magazine

There are many devotional resources, most of which serve us well in our faith formation. This book however has been a unique resource for me as a United Methodist pastor. It is a book filled with poems that have been selected by various individuals, some well known, others not. The individual gives a reflection on the meaning of the poem for her/him and then the poem following.

For me, I turn to this book at the end of the day, sitting in my easy chair I flip through the book in no particular order. I find myself reading the reflection by an individual. I then read the poem, allowing the person's reflection to "color" my perception of the poem. And then I sit in silence. No difficult/complex process. Just reflection, poem, silence.

As we are reminded in the Courage & Renewal work, the soul/spirit comes to us "at a slant". It is in the silence that I feel a particular sense of the sacred. This book is a rich resource to be read one poem/one reflection at a time. It is food for the long journey.

This wonderful anthology gives pleasure two ways: first, as a source of a wide variety of new and interesting poets and poems you may not have encountered before, always an important service for an anthology to perform. Second, however, the brief introductions that each contributor offers to his or her poem are a revelation and often as powerful as the poem itself. Who would have guessed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group, would both find inspiration in Tennyson's "Ulysses"? Or that a Congresswoman would be touched by Naomi Shihab Nye's "Kindness".

If you are expecting a collection of sentimental poetic candies, fear not. A few old chestnuts are here: "Invictus", for example, offered by a philosophy professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, but when you read his reason for including it, you read the poem with a new appreciation. Poets like William Stafford, Mary Oliver, and Langston Hughes are cited multiple times, and much-anthologized poets like Robert Frost and T.S. Eliot are here too, but so are poets new to me: William Ayot, Carol Zippert, or Ezzeddin Nasafi. Mystics like Rumi, Hafiz, and William Blake. Public figures like Eugene McCarthy and Martin Luther King Jr.

The 93 poems are thoughtfully grouped into eight sections with intriguing titles that will make sense to anyone who's been in a position of leadership: "Called", "Defining Moments", "Sometimes It Aches", "Pay Attention", "The Real Bottom Line", "Dare to Endure", "Leading Together", "Back At It". The editors have clearly paid attention to the poems and clearly thought deeply about leadership. We expect much of our leaders and project upon them powers and motives that only compound the responsibility they already carry. We hope they will inspire us, but we seldom think about where they find inspiration. This anthology offers their testimony and the result is an anthology that rewards multiple readings. Whether you lead a large corporation or a school PTA, you'll find it inspiring to listen to leaders praise the poems that inspire them.

The richness of the poetry in Leading for Within will resonate with anyone who faces challenges in leadership. And the well chosen poetry is enhanced by personal reflections of remarkably wise leaders who have contributed to this wonderful book. It has become my trusted resource -used frequently for personal sustenance in legal academia. It's a perfect gift to inspire and comfort those who embrace leadership day in and day out.

I have come late in life to poetry. I learned in high school how to dissect and wrestle a poem to the ground not how to savor and take a poem into my heart for my own use. This book of poetry and reflections is one I can savor. I so enjoy reading how others have found inspiration in a poem that I too have come to love like the poem "Lost" by David Wagoner with a reflection by Peter Senge. I highly recommend this book.

Dear Magic Mark:

I have enjoyed reading the Magic Poetry: AUTUMN BREEZE from your book: Magicneering(TM) Book II Living, Laughing, & Loving Life!
and practicing your Magical Life Passage!

I must first let you know that YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL SOUL TO CREATE SUCH GREAT INSPIRATIONS...

As I read Autumn Breeze all my worries, and stress of my day was lost in a magic moment through your scenery of a perfect Autumn Day...
then when I actually did the Magical Life Activity, I reached a stage of euphoria that was so beautiful. You actually took me to a serene place where I basked in the moment with nature complimented with a peaceful solitude... just imagining the "butterflies" was so soothing and gentle that put me into a very relaxing sleep.

Dorcas Bennett

Book Excerpt
___________________

Autumn Breeze
____________________

September blowing in the wind,
returns you to Innocence
once again.

To watch Tootsie roll fence post bend
just for children climbing through to

roll down prairie hills,
into drifting waves of yellow butterfly fields.

A million twinkles scatter high
to make a butterscotch flavored sky.

The little wooden school house
stands it's hickory aroma fills the land.

Where you spend all your days
watching the young oak tree grow,
out the top of the old grain silo.

You appreciate how sweet it's just to breathe,
each time you feel the autumn breeze.

MAGIC MOMENT COMMENTS

MAGICAL LIFE ACTIVITY

Here are some of the fun things we can do, from this poem, to bring more joy into our lives.

1. Find a hill. A nice, small one for starters. Check it out for rocks and sticks. When the path is clear, just roll down side ways. It's easy, once you get started. To make it extra fun, you might want a pile of leaves to land in!

2. Find a field of butterflies and just go bask in their beauty. Let them land on your finger and kiss your cheek. Butterflies are so delicate and gentle. Just watching them float, clears my mind and I am able to gain so much more peace in my life.

3. On your next lunch break, drive to the nearest school and watch kids play at recess. Hear their laughter and screams of joy. Watch them exercise the natural way. Remember what it was like for you when you were that age. I guarantee when you go back to work, you will have more pep in your step! The whole office will wonder what you are taking. When they ask, just tell them you had a good helping of PlayGround™ energy for lunch!

© 1999-2001 Mark Magic Eberra

Magicneering, Living, Laughing, & Loving Life is very touching for me, and my young daughter, as I am sure it is for people all over the world. We read it together everyday, and share the Magic poetry, and Magical Living ideas with one another. The Magic Poem, "I'm Still listening," about Mark Magic Eberra's mother is very touching. My own mother passed away before my daughter was born, and she wishes she was here. So this Magic Poem meant a lot to her, and I could see her attitude change when she read it out loud. I now share the Magic with others and recommend the book Magicneering, Living, Laughing, & Loving Life to anyone who would like more peace, love, and happiness in their life.

Hi, i'm kate and I live and work in the Bronx of New York. I am an early
retiree currently working as a substitute teacher, and after-school
teacher/counselor. I have read & recommended the wonderful book "Magicneering" to a
co-worker, a recovering addict, and mother of 8, to help her with
stress-management, self-love, and peace. She has told me that she loves it
and it helps her alot from day-to-day.

Magicneering "Living, Laughing and Loving Life" gives me such a good feeling to think and always be positive.
Everyone in life still has that child in them and imagine how it could and can be if they put their minds to it. Using your imagination can make you become what you want to be and you should never give up. We all can be creative and accomplish our goals in life if we just stop and imagine. We all have that beauty in us and I always wonder why people can't be that way on the outside and share it with the world.

My favorite Magic poem is Tiny Treasue Dreams. Reading that poem sure brings memories of home and child hood in Hawaii.

During my time as a young one, we played so much at the beaches that we never did see and touch snow but only sand. We wondered how it would be to feel snow.

So we would use our imagination and what is so great about gathering the sand and roll it up to make a snow ball is, you would see the teeennny tiny grain of sand sparkle into the sunlight. And if you use your imagination, you could feel it in your teeennny tiny hands. WOW! with a smile! =)

The book of Magicneering says it all .... POSITIVE & BEAUTIFUL....

This book is very inspiring. When discouraged and depressed it gives you lots of courage. It was well written and a great resource to boost your spirits. I especially enjoyed all the beauty captured in the nature poems. Reading about Mark's mother was very touching, and you can tell his memories are still very much alive and close to his heart. This is the type of book you want to read over and over again. I plan to take it with me on my vacations! I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Antoinette Bellassai

I didn't think this book was so good. It was only ok. Mallory has to baby-sit for twins. The twins wear the same things, share a room, ( they even have the same stuff) In the end The twin realize that they need their own space. If you are a Mallory fan.... you should read this book.

This is definetly one of the best BSC books. Its about Mallory getting a job for twins Marilyn and Carolyn Arnold Mal thinks it will be easy money but the twins are little brats when Mallory finds out the truth about the feelings about being identical twins will she help them out?

I loved this book! It is about Mallory who gets a job to babysit for twins! She thinks it will be easy, but when the mother leaves, the twins go crazy. While Mallory is struggling, Claudia also has to battle them. Finally,using a special method, the twins are acting normal, but they tell Mallory that they want to be different. And with saying that, their life and Mallory's life changes just a little bit. :)

this was definitely one of my favourite books and it has one of the best covers too. Basically Mallory is sitting for the Arnold twins and they are terrors, but it turns out that they just wanted to be individual people instead of dressing alike all the time. My favourite parts were the birthday party, the shopping trip where they bought new sophisticated clothes with their birthday money, and when the club members go on a shopping trip and most of them get their ears pierced after Mal & Jessi got permission and also the part where they got new earrings. But honestly, who waits that long to have them pierced at an older age? Most people I know, including myself were not old enough to remember getting our ears pierced, so it seemed really strange to me that most of them weren't allowed until them and some of them not being allowed until they're older. Anyways back to the book, it was well written descriptively and definitely worth a read. Enjoy

When 11 year old Mallory baby sits for Marilyn and Carolyn Arnold, she thinks it's going to be okay. But when Mrs. Arnold leaves, the twins turn into horrible brats. Taking care of The Arnold Twins is a baby sitting nightmare. But Mallory's a responsible member of the BSC- and she's not giving up!

I have always loved the books on Mary Ann. I am, like Mary Ann, also very shy and sensitive. After reading this book I walked away feeling braver and stronger. I love the new Mary Ann because she is not only her caring old self but also a new more confident person. This book is really an insperation. It also shows you that when you belive in yourself, with a little help from your friends, you can do anything. This book is a true treasure.

I love this book! Somehow,as I was reading along,it made me feel stonger about myself. I didn't know how to stick up for myself,but after reading it,I did. A so must read.

By far this is the best book in the bscff series. Mary Annedefinately proved she not just meek shy girl always behind someone todefend her. This time that punk Cokie finally was cut down to size, by Mary Anne. First Cokie made fun her by her big breakup with Logan,then lied about Logan saying that she begged him to get back with him. Also said he going with another girl{which was true}, then she sabotaged the yearbook ballots! . That's when Mary Anne did her own scheming as well, along with the BSC's rival, Cary.In this book you could see Mary Anne try on new attitudes and maturing from the old quiet Mary Anne! She even snuck out of her house! Now that's major improvement! Also in this book Mary Anne and her parents settled long overdue conflicts.Mary Anne has proven herself to Logan, BSC, Cokie, the whole school,... and herself that she is here and here to stay!

Here's the deal. MaryAnne, as you know, has broken up with Logan. Cokie is still after Logan, and she's also still attacking MaryAnne (you know what I mean).

Both MaryAnne and Cokie are on the yearbook team, or whatever you call it (I read this a few days ago). Cokie is in charge, and she's most enthusiastic about the parts like "Most sporty", "Most likely to be seen in Beverly Hills", etc. Cokie is convinced that she fits in most of this categories, and is being mean to MaryAnne, spreading rumours and everything.

MaryAnne teams up (sort of) with Cary Retlin to get her revenge on Cokie. But in the end...
It really is Sweet Revenge. Read it and find out. The Real New MaryAnne is much better than the Old MaryAnne or the Not Good New MaryAnne. Hope you liked this review.Br

This is book number eight in the series.

In this installment, Mary Anne, Cokie, and some other people are on the yearbook commitee at school. The school nominated categories are being updated this year- so in addition to all the categories like best dressed and most likely to succeed, they have other categories like Most Artistic and Most Likely to Be Seen in Hollywood. Cokie, unfortunately, sabotages the votes so that she and her friends will get all the categories to themselves. Mary Anne and Abby figure this out, though, and go to the vice-principal to get a recount.

Cokie, furious (as always), spreads a rumor around the school that Mary Anne begged Logan to take her back, sending him e-mail messages and hundreds of messages on his answering machines. Logan, reportedly, had said 'no, there is another girl, and I don't like you any more'. This isn't true, and Mary Anne and the BSC get Cary Retlin to help them think up a way to pay her back just in time for the huge party that Cokie's throwing.

Mary Anne's dad grounds Mary Anne just before the party, so Mary Anne sneaks out and arrives there, where she tells the truth to Cokie once and for all- that Cokie's a brat that no one likes and that even though she thinks that telling lies about other people will make her seem cool, they don't.

Mary Anne finally gets over her nightmares, and learns that her dad had recently been experiencing the same flashbacks to the night of the fire.

A good book, and a lot more serious and realistic than the original BSC series.

"The story is an uplifting, beautifully written and illustrated tale that is appropriate for a wide range of ages, from young children to adults. I have read hundreds of books and this one is unique -- lyrical, imaginative, and truly captivating -- my daughter and I could not put it down."

"As an educator for more than a decade, this is precisely the kind of inspirational story that is so hard to find. It has the ability to teach philosophy and at the same time the human struggle in terms that children can comprehend and relate to. I would love to see this as a video that could be shown at Christmas, Easter, Chanukah, or anytime. Congratulations!!!"
Kary Winther

This book was fantastic, truly captivating. A young boy faces challenges that we all go through, and to overcome he uses only the purity of his nature. A must for parents who want their children to learn valuble lessons. I give this 2 thumbs up. A sequel would be perfect. I say get this one for sure.

There have been so many books about fantasy but this one takes fantasy to a very personal level. It teaches simple lessons about love, honesty, faith, and perseverence. If I could be like Meru for just one day I think my life would totally change. It is a short book but each chapter takes you to a completely different place. I think everyone should read this book, both young and old.

I purchased a copy from the author in hawaii. I was with my husband and daughter and we recieved a signed copy of the book. My daughter is 11 years old and loved the book. I decided to read it and was amazed at the interest i took in it. It is an incredible journey of faith and hope that we as parents need in these difficult times. I am sending this copy to my niece i am sure she will be thrilled. Thank you Scarlet for your wonderful book and incredible belief in a better world...

Great read. Loved every second of it. Read it the first time as a manuscript on an flight from Anchorage to Seattle and shared pages with the guy sitting next to me. We laughed, we cried, we got to Seattle...and wished the flight had been delayed so we could finish the book.

A must read for anyone who has lived in Alaska. The mixture of real Alaskans with fictional stories, and real stories with fictional people is masterful.

For anyone who has visited Alaska, a great reminder of your stay in Alaska.

For anyone planning a trip to Alaska, a primer on life in the Last Frontier.

Just remember, only half the lies are true.

Full of thrills, sex, romance, and adventure, Lorenz doesn't miss in this wild and wooly tale of love and murder in the remote state of Alaska. The characters in Midnight Blue Noon come alive on the pages. If you have time for one good read this summer, make it this book. It is a well written engaging mix of suspense, romance and wit with intriguing characters and a tantalizing plot.

Lorenz beautifully captures the rugged splendor of Alaska, and her cast of endearing secondary characters and just the right rouch of quirky humor to her splendidly entertaining story. You want to throw a dinner party just so you can invite Uncle Gus and Flicka Red!

I am hooked, when it the next one coming out?

I loved this book! I reads a true story, but knowing that it's not true makes it even better. Highly original and completely engrossing, this is one of the most interesting books I've ever read and I highly recommend it.

I couldn't stop reading this book, I didn't put it down for a second. I enjoyed it so much, especially the stories about the mischief the wolf would get into. I think that having a pet wolf would be really cool if you lived in a place like Alaska. It was completely different from all the other books I have read.

This story was amazing. I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I guess it would have to do with most of it being set in Alaska, I am all about Alaska. I just really loved it. Everyone should read it!

I am not a victim of sexual abuse, but my mother-in-law saw the author speak and sent me this book. I have a son and am so incredibly glad that I read this book. I think it is one of the most important books written. Not only was it interesting - captivating, really - it was also incredibly educational. I learned so much about sexual abuse that I never knew before. I now know what to look for and what to ask to keep my son safe. The most unbelievable things DO happen and if we all know that then we have to act and it can't continue. This is one of the best messages I got from the book.

I first picked this book up in a library, as a 'good read'.
It is all of that...well written, evocative and shocking, but best of all, it offers hope to victims and survivers of incest, child abuse and all the associated crimes of one human being against another, that we can rise above it.
Marilyn does not pull any punches, however she does offer insights and practical ways to heal, including a directory of places to go for help.
If you suspect that you need help, you almost certainly do.
Start here, with Miss America by Day

I have a friend that went through sexual abuse with your father and has been suffering from this all her life. It was good to read the book to be able to understand her better and also feel it would be a good book for those that have been sexually abused by their father or any other person. You realize that you are not alone and the book helps you to understand what you are going through and why you are feeling the way you do.

I read the article in People Magazine when Marilyn Van Derbur first told the world she had been a victim of incest. I shuddered and literally sobbed because it triggered a new memory for me. I'd just learned a couple years earlier I, too, had been a victimized, and I was in the process of healing. When I read her book I could relate over and over again to what she'd been through. This is a must-read for victims who want to become (or already have become) VICTORS! Soar Unafraid: Learning to Trust No Matter What

Shame threatened to kill author Marilyn Van Durber if she revealed the truth about her childhood to her daughter Jennifer.

"I believed with all my heart, that when I told Jennifer [that I'd been sexually violated by my father], she would say, `I don't want you to be my mom anymore.' I knew I would be as unacceptable to her as I was to myself.

"If you are not a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I'm sure it is difficult to understand that kind of shame but it is very real. We feel so unworthy and we believe, each time we disclose, that we will be shunned, no longer wanted. Sometimes our fears are confirmed."

Van Durber took the risk and lived. Her daughter did not reject her; in fact, she embraced her, and this led her to be able to help thousands of sexual abuse survivors face telling the truth--her reason for writing MISS AMERICA BY DAY.

Read this book, share it with everyone you know, and begin to "do the work," because all children--including the ones trembling inside adult survivors--need someone who will die for them.

Note: The author thoughtfully combines autobiographical and educational material, and does it well.

Intended for popular consumption, Zitrin & Langford provide a riveting, accessible exploration of the ethical ambiguities posed by the adversary theorem in legal practice.

The adversary theorem, the core of American legal practice, asserts that zealous advocacy on behalf of clients will serve the ultimate cause of justice even if lawyers engage in otherwise questionable behavior because the competition between lawyers who engage in the same practices ensures that justice will ultimately prevail.

Folks looking to denounce lawyers lightly will find little sympathy for lawyers by reading the cases in this book. Rather than consider the implications of the billable hours or the justifications for Frank Armani's interpretation of confidentiality, they'll rush to denounce. It's always easy to pre-judge. That's why lawyers exist.

Zitrin & Langford are less interested in denouncing the adversary theorem than in examining its effect in the real world. The proposals they offer mesh with developments that occurred after their book. The American Bar Association revised its model rules in 2002. Harvard Law School added a pro bono requirement for all students. Law firms tout their pro bono service prominently on their websites, sometimes more prominently than they tout their client list.

Zitrin & Langford add considerably to serious discussion about the application of ethics to legal practice - a perpetual discussion that will last so long as humans disagree.

The only moral compass I've seen yet is whether or not they can get away with justifying their acts with regard to clients. Much of that depends upon the nature of their confidence and where they sit in the "pecking" order of human beings, a.k.a., to whom they were married (denoting family power), where they went to school (usually denoting family power), and what firm they are with (often denoting family power), or who they know (as a result of family power). Therefore, the ethics displayed say a lot more about who's who in family power than about the topic of morality - since it is family power not God who governs the universe. For example, if you come from the right family, you can be a judge, and many have, or even a President, provided you are not a woman. This has been the history for most professions since the nation was founded.

I am a paralegal, and have worked in the legal field for 23 years. I could not put this book down. I have been talking about it since I turned the pages of the first chapter. I recommend it to everyone; I plan to read it again, and when it is not in use, I place it in plain sight of the lawyers with whom I work. Langford and Zitrin have written an important commentary about the practice of law that is easy reading for non-lawyers without being condescending. But their book should be required reading for every lawyer. It is as if someone finally mentioned the elephant in the center of the room.

How did the profession get this far afield? Clients are served less and less while more lawyers are churned out of law schools, and competition is fierce. Money talks; clients at the lower end of the economic scale get less effective counsel or simply try to solve problems without representation. The legal profession has evolved into a business to survive; but, along the way, its vision has deteriorated with regard to justice, public service, and what is morally right.

The fact pattern presented at the beginning of each chapter had me guessing about its outcome as I read on regarding actual, related cases. The anecdotal evidence of injustice and moral dilemma is overwhelming. These are not just occasional news items. They are things that happen every day to lawyers and ordinary people.

I loved their straightfoward and common sense proposals for solutions to make the practice of law better for everyone involved. If only the legal profession, which, as they point out, largely regulates itself, had the courage to implement them.

Just read it, okay?

Richard Zitrin and Carol Langford have written here a book that will not only introduce the law student to the sleazier side of law practice, but also warn the "law consumer" what to watch out for (or perhaps what to look for by way of "zealous representation").

But this is not only a catalogue of egregiously unethical practices by real-world lawyers. It also contains interesting tidbits of great relevance to those who want to know what's wrong with the legal profession.

(For example, here's a point libertarians will enjoy. Lawyers once tried to get around the silly practice of accounting for everything in "billable hours" by settling on standard fees for certain common legal tasks. What stopped them? Antitrust law. It seems adopting industry-standard fees is a form of collusion in restraint of trade. Thank heavens; the current system is _ever_ so much better.)

Not long on solutions, this volume is still a solid overview of the sort of nonsense engendered by the adversarial system. It's also a list of good reasons to look into alternative dispute resolution the next time _you_ have a legal problem.

For law students, I'd personally recommend supplementing it with any or all of the following: Mary Ann Glendon's _A Nation Under Lawyers_; Deborah Rhode's _In the Interests of Justice_; and Philip Howard's _The Death of Common Sense_.

I am afraid that I don't share other reviewers' enthusiasm for this book. Others have noted that it is rather short on solutions to the problems that it outlines. However, it seems to me that this book doesn't know which audience it is aimed at.

My instincts tell me that it is aimed at the general public - not least because of the breezy, senasationalist tone it adopts. There's an awful lot of scaremongering of the "Gee - isn't it awful what these lawyers are doing?" variety. Indeed, I don't take issue with the factual accuracy of the behaviors instanced by the authors. However, my gripe is that the authors do not put these acts in proportion - the lay reader will come away from this book without any idea at all as to how common are these practices that the authors catalog.

The reputation of the legal profession in the United States is at a pretty low ebb. This book will do nothing to improve public perceptions of it. I do not claim that all is well and the public has nothing to worry about - however, the public does deserve to know just how widespread are the practices that the authors describe. The subtitle for this book might just as well be "lawyers are bad for your wealth" yet the public cannot do without legal services. We can expect those who read this book to view their visit to a lawyer's office with as much enthusiasm as a visit to a dentist or a proctologist. Frankly I think the public deserve to be better informed than this on the issues raised by this book.

Lawyers will find little surprising here - other than the impression that the temple of the law is falling about heads and we know nothing, or care nothing, about it. Zitrin and Langford produced a useful casebook on legal ethics - although not as good as Professor Rhode's - but their legal scholarship has taken second place to legal journalism with this book. The book is short but its scope is all encompassing. The inevitable result is a superficial treatment of important issues and a general lack of reflective insight.

If lay or professional readers want to know just how thought provoking and readable a good reflection on the "state of the profession" can be, I urge them to read Michael H Trotters's "Profit and the Practice of Law: What's happened to the legal profession?" and compare that with Part Two of this book.