M Books

An amazing book from an amazing artist.
I have been a fan of R.C.Crumb for a long time and was estatic when I came across this book.Several times when you are going through this book you'll see mention of the movie "Crumb".By all means ,find it and watch it. It is much more about RC,but Aline appears in it many times. And why wouldn't she;she has been an essential part of his life,and he of hers, since 1973.And what a life it has been for these two artists feeding on one another's talents,imaginations and love of life and freedom of expression. The reason I mention this movie is that it brings you into their lives so well as you listen to them talk about their lives ,art and lifestyles. And most important, many of the people you encounter in this book are in the movie and play themselves--in what seems to be virtually unrehearsed. I wrote a Review on that movie on February 14,2007.
I have loved the Comics since I was able to read,starting in the early 1940's. Very much a part of Comics ,has in addition to the storyline ,been the fabulous art that these great strip writers have produced. I find it impossible to pick a favorite since each is such a personal expression of their imagination and skill.
It this book Aline bares her soul to us all ,probably even to a greater extent than most people are able to bare their own to themseles.
The thing about an artist with the love of life ,imagination and skills of Aline ;is that she is able to show the way one reacts to the world around them. She is able to see and tell about things where others only look and wonder why.
Throughout the book, her artist's soul is displayed in every part of her life.From the time she was a child,the families around her,her friends,her art,her choices of homes and what ojects and artistic surroundings she creates;and toward the end of the book she becomes very open to us and tries to show what has been important in her life and what a struggle one must make if they are to really live their life with gusto;or simply let oneself flow along with the stream.
If you are a fan of the Crumbs or Comics or Art or Life itself ;you can't help but be enchanted with this book.I notice that this book was listed at $30 and now offered at a Bargin Price of $8.99 --an amazing value for such a treasure.It has 384 pages,and superbly constructed with glossy covers and dj.The color rendition is excellent as well as the printing ,and on very heavy stock paper.
I really wanted to rate this 5*,but for some reason,only 4* registered.It is definitely a 5* book.

I was amazed at how easily Aline Kominsky Crumb seems to open up to the reader in this plump autobiography. You can tell when you first pick up this hefty book, that Aline has alot to say about her life, her loves, and her work. Even though I'm not a Jewish girl from the "guyland" (as she says it), I found her characters easy to relate to. Highly recommended!!

This is a good one to flip through - strange and funny. It's also quite revealing but I like the lighthearted tone of the author and I never know this much about her, though I knew a bit about Crumb. Can be kind of crude, but you should see that coming if you've seen Crumb...

I am a big Crumb fan, but have always found his wife's work somewhat annoying and insubstantial by comparison. Boy was I wrong!

I have come away from this book with a new-found appreciation for The Bunch. She has written and created a deeply affecting, funny, touching, intimate, and very creative memoir, weaving in photos, comics, text, paintings and more to craft a full and complete picture of a very lovable person and a pretty decent artist as well.

To be honest, I too grew up in Long Beach, from a Jewish family that shares much in common with Aline's family. However, like many of my parents' peers, we moved to South Florida in the early 70s, while The Bunch ran off to the East Village and then San Fran. The sweep of her story captures a wide chunk of baby boomer history, and she presents her life in a very self-deprecating, humorous manner.

A very unique book, one you should grab before it goes out of print forever.

I have always loved and looked forward to Aline K-C's work. She is about 11 years older than me and everything she goes through, well, a few years later, I go through it too! I think of her as a kind of sister, preparing me for the road ahead.

In this large and slightly unwieldy book, she gives us autobiographical data that might not go down too well with your average nerd-boy in the USA, even though this stuff she goes through and talks about are important aspects of a woman's life that every man who has interest in precisely one half of the planet's residents should get a feel for, at least!

She shows us her more recent artwork and it is wonderful! She has really changed what she does and it is magnificent work. She's always done collages but not quite like the ones she shows us in this book! I could feel my art lust welling within my breast. She's got a pretty good life right now and has done some extensive traveling in recent years, and this has been very good not only for her artwork but for her worldview. I'm glad this has happened for her, and have always believed that in some ways this woman far outstrips her mate.

Get it. It is very interesting and very amusing. Sacre Blu! Old Blabette is still alive and making her periodic appearances not only in Aline's strips but her granddaughter Sophie's as well, and believe me, that kid can draw and has a very level headed, healthy view of this world. It will be interesting to see where the kid goes in the time to come.

Get it. You can't be bored with it, between the pictures and the texts you will get many hours of amusement out of it.

Recent news headlines said that a low fat diet does not prevent heart attacks, breast cancer, or colon cancer. I looked them up in The No Sweat Exercise Plan and found that exercise can help prevent all 3, along with many other problems. It's one example of all the important information in the book, and it's presented in a very lively and interesting way. Best of all, the book is very practical and specific. It tells you what, when , and how to exercise. It also helps you figure out which exercises you can skip because you don't really need them. I enjoyed reading the book and I'll keep it handy for reference. I recommend it very highly.

What a relief to know I don't have to be a serious athlete in order to stay healthy! Having recently been laid up from back surgery, (which my wife is sure was brought on by shoveling last winter's heavy snows), I wanted to resume an active life and keep my heart healthy, without re-injuring myself. This book prescribes a very congenial life style which can do that for me. In addition to cardio and strengthening exercises, it has useful chapters on stretching and balance. While these may be less important for young people, they seem particularly relevant for people who, like myself, are getting on in years. "No Sweat" is written in a very engaging style and is a pleasure to read. D.L., Meredith, New Hampshire

Why do I consider this work to contain the best exercise- advice at all? The answer is because the advice it gives does not require 'exercising' as a special block of time taken in a gym, or with some special instrument. It thinks of exercise as a possible extension of everyday life- activity. We can do much exercise simply by increasing the pace at which we walk, or by lifting a few cans in the proper way each day for a few minutes. Whether we are gardening, housecleaning, shopping, mowing the lawn, climbing stairs, washing the car, playing with children , we can benefit physically by increasing the level of our activity.
We can no matter, it seems , where we are, and almost in whatever we are doing, find a way to excercise a bit more, to get ourselves moving physically in a better way. And these little bits of motion are not insignificant but can add up to better health.
As Judy Siegel writes in the 'Jerusalem Post' "The latest scientific studies shows conclusively that people can get the full health benefits of exercise with only slight modifications to their daily routines."
Simon also in this work provides a more thorough analysis of different kinds of exercise, and specific steps for improving functioning of different areas of the body.
This work would seem to have something for everyone who cares about improving their health.
Most highly recommended.

I thought I knew a lot about exercise, so I bought this book
mainly for the great drawings and instructions on stretching and weight training. But it turns out that what I didn't know about exercise could fill a book--this book, in fact. The most startling fact is that I can exercise for as little as 10 minutes at a time and still slim down, and that I don't have to
join a health club to be healthy. I've already started a "stair strider" group at work--we have a chart over the printer and we'll give a little "top flight" prize out each week. It's all good fun, but I'm convinced it will also be good for us. I'm also looking forward to spending more time reading over the
healthy diet chapter. I think it will also be very useful, but it will take a little more time to get into that side of things.
In my opinion , the book is important and enlightening. If you
don't agree, no sweat.

Despite the 230+ page format, author and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Harvey B. Simon's premise in "The No Sweat Exercise Plan: Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Longer" takes a page out of lifetime exercise guru Jack LaLanne's recipe for a healthy and long life. The idea, so simple that it really isn't necessary to spend $21.95 on the book, can be summed up albeit it gratuitously with the catch phrase, "Keep on Truckin'" So sorry, Harvey.

Okay. Now you might have the inclination to want to `read all about it' and Dr. Simon does provide a semi-interesting format immersed in enough medical no-how to satisfy all those out there who have a need for those special credentials that validate information as `expert testimony.' Keep in mind that Simon as a medical doctor demands the requisite tests that the medical community deems `preventative medicine' and he elaborately explains the dangers of certain body signals like BMI, hypertension, high cholesterol, HDL levels etc. to help the reader to understand just how exercise as a panacean solution in general helps to slow the aging process. Mainly, Simon debunks the need for heavy-duty sweat-inducing aerobics and prescribes a European lifestyle without the saturated high fat cheeses, (although he uses strictly American examples) of moving about rather than relying on the couch potato contrivances and conveniences of modern life.

Simply said, Simon advocates four types of exercise where what he calls CME---cardo-metabolic exercise---wins as hands down most important. Using an elaborate point system he rates any exercise that elevates your heart rate and stokes up your metabolism, suggesting that around 1000 points a week should maintain good health for those without special needs. He sites 2000 points a week for those who may seriously want to lose weight. Typically, one would receive 200 points for jogging at the rate of 12 minutes per mile for 30 minutes as opposed to 165 points for 30 minutes of golfing while carrying your own clubs. Whether or not you sweat or not, Simon says is not the issue. Moving around (walking) for sustained periods of time on a daily basis remains paramount to insure good health. In his No Sweat Basic Pyramid, Dr, S suggests that good eating with an eye on nutrition provides the fuel the body needs to sustain itself---here the standard approach of watching calories in a 15% protein - 25% to 35% fat - 50% to 60% carbohydrate breakdown, avoiding sugars, trans-fats and processed foods maintains optimal vitamin and mineral intake. Following a substantial CME block on the pyramid, the three other types of exercise gain the spotlight, beginning with strength training as a separate component then a shared block of flexibility and balance training. Simon details all four types of exercise with actual diagrammed routines, establishing what he preaches as an undeniable "no brainer." Anyone who has been keeping active for years already knows what it takes the bulk of the book to say. I repeat, `just keep moving----use weight bearing exercise to keep up your muscle mass, stretching to keep your body limber and balance to prevent falling.

At the pinnacle of the No Sweat pyramid, Simon places preventative medicine and hoists a flag atop to alert one to the perils of too much stress in modern life. No real new news here, however Simon does take out the time to help you construct a `my-pyramid' of your own to help you realize your personal health goal and spends a few extra chapters explaining some of the common complaints people may initially have about adding a daily exercise regime to their life. For those who have perspired routinely in gyms and in the outdoors for over the last 25 years, he lists the types of sweaty exercise machines one can utilize to maximize the burn.

Bottom line: if your thing is to read about what you already know and have heard about for years, check this tome out of the library and get down and dirty with expert medical information about the whys and wherewithal-s pertaining to what you are already doing to maintain your health. If you haven't started yet - shame on you---this book can provide some grist for your exercise mill and set you on the right path for the future. With that in mind, I can only recommend this book to those who have been living under a rock for the last 30+ years----everyone else need not spend the going rate to vindicate their own common sense.

Though not really a fan of Botvinnik's games - which don't compare with the beautiful clarity of Capablanca or Fischer (or with the breathtaking virtuosity of Tal) - I found this book very instructive. Botvinnik's annotations show HOW to analyse positions and HOW to find a clear strategic thread ,as well as hidden resources in seemingly dubious positions (e.g. Botvinnik's amazing win, despite two sets of doubled pawns, against Levenfish), in chess games.
Botvinnik's annotations are notable in their definitiveness - which contrasts, for example, with the more 'balanced' annotative style of Keres - that some might find dogmatic but which I found helpfully conclusive.

In this book Botvinnik demostrates why he came to be known as the "Iron Logician". His deep and lucid annotations help even ordinary players like me to understand the game of chess as played at the very highest level. I think this book is a genuine "grandmasterpiece." Dustan Straub

We usually read grandmasters' game collections not to improve our endgame or tactical abilities, but to understand chess strategy and planning. Of course, Botvinnik was also superb tactician and a very strong endgame player, so there is surprisingly first-rate endgame and tactical play here than one might think. But that is the icing on the cake. It is in his strategic undestanding that he was heads and shoulders above his contemporaries, and for this reason this book is such a great classic.

First of all, Botvinnik had an incredibly deep and accurate undestanding of which positional factors matter more in a given position: e.g., is it important that White has a double, isolated pawn or not--considering that he has two bishops? Second, he knew perfectly how to create a plan to maximize his positional advantages and minimize his disadvantages. Finally, he was unmatched in converting the strategically-winning position so achieved into an actual victory, by flawless "conversion" of his positional advantage to material, or a mating attack, or a won endgame.

All this comes out very clearly in both Botvinnik's play and his annotations. He makes it look simple: a result of the iron logic and single-minded sense of purposes that guided him throughout every game. The reader will learn a lot about what chess strategy and chess planning are all about, both in general and in particular (e.g., which positional factors tend to matter in what kind of positions).

The one slight problem, which isn't Botvinnik's fault of course, is that this Dover reprint is in desciptive notation (e.g., "1. e4 c5" = "1. P-K4 P-QB4") which might annoy some players. But it is well worth to spend an hour or so to familiarize oneself with this notation even specifically for this book, to say nothing of numerous other older chess books one is giving up on otherwise.

At less than $10, it's a bargain.

This old Dover underpriced book is a bible of chess wisdom from one of the strongest players to ever lift a pawn! The book is cramed with some of the best writting about chess you will ever find.My rating went from 1500 to 1800 after i reread this book back in the 70s.Chess was Science&Art to this Chess God. You will learn Chess the way it should be played today by a close study of this logical Chess Thinking World Champ!
Regards,
Scott Young

Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik was probably the most respected and feared world champion of modern times. In this respect, he certainly rivals Karpov and Kasparov, while his demeanour was more dignified than the latter's. Someone described the essential quality of Botvinnik's style as "iron logic", and that sums up the games in this collection.

A long time has passed since those days, and the names of the players will mostly be unfamiliar. The openings, too, may seem old-fashioned - but there is value in this. It's a chance to learn exactly what can happen if you play such-and-such a move, which nobody does nowadays. Moreover, Botvinnik's methodical building up of positional advantages has never been bettered and will reward patient study. Just where it looks most effortless, that is where the magic is hidden!

If you have serious questions about what is God, or False folly that is breaking out in curches everywhere since the Toronto manifestations began, this is a book to read. It is an eyeopening account from a man who was in leadership for many years, and who has now bravely discarded 'the lie'. I suspect most christians will identify fully with the encounters he 'tolerated' despite his growing discomfort, due to the 'false' dilemma of loyalty to leaders versus loyalty to the WORD OF GOD.

Sadly, Discernment has been a neglected and scorned spiritual gift in the Church in recent years, and as this Negative attitude towards Christians with discernment progressed, deception, bizarre manifestations and practices continued to take root, and false teachings and abusive practices have only increased.

Extra-biblical interpretations and Mysticism has hit the Christian Church to such a degree now, that people are looking for answers as they are questioning why what they are seeing and experiencing is not in the written word of God. Every believer is commanded from scripture to examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good,; abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thess 5:21,22

The Author tells of his Family's personal testimony of his involvement with the 'River Movement' and how it came into his Church. Appreciated was the Author's documenting the history of the 'Latter Rain Movement' which shortly after it's inception in 1948 was rejected by the AOG, But today this movement continues to spread wildly within the Church, especially with youths and young adults. As the Church slips further into apostasy, this book brings much needed information.

Had ordered this book Feb 2007, but for several months never received it due to the publishers delay. Many months later, I received a copy from someone I did research with.

I found Mr. Reeves' book after I bought "Why I Left the Prophetic Movement" which was very disappointing! Mr. Reeves shares his struggles with questionable teaching in the charismatic community in a way I found refreshing! He points out how a lot of what is being taught isn't found in the Bible but is based on experience and opinion. Much of what is being taught, especially in groups that adhere to the so called "Toronto Blessing" is actually heresy and Mr. Reeves' backs up what he's teaching with sound Scriptural teaching that sticks to what the Bible actually teaches and not what someone else may want it to say when it actually doesn't.

I also found Kevin Reeves to be a man of godly humility and someone I can trust. He gives us freedom to doubt & question & helps us focus back on the truth of God's Word.

This book is a must read for anyone who has seriously questioned the new-thing approach to church and to Christianity itself. It is a lovingly worded corrective written beside a deeply personal reflection that draws us back to a faith that is upheld by the Word and lived out in love and integrity.

I bought ten extra copies to pass along to friends. All have been read and appreciated.

This book was very helpful in understanding what the deception is that my own parents have been enamored with. It is a must read for anyone who is battling with loved ones who have fallen away from the truth and become involved in practices that contradict the Bible. My battle has lasted 5 years now, but I continue to pray that God will remove the scales from their eyes. Very definitve on Word of Faith, Charismatic and "spirit-filled" deception.

For those who look for interconnection with God and themselves and particularly are not tied with one specific spiritual tradition.

"Path to the Soul" is an intriguing and informative book on the relationship and cohesion between Eastern spiritual philosophies and Western psychiatric knowledge. It offers insight to its readers on methods to traverse that path, and ways to enhance that journey. This book is spiritually based, with the emphasis on growth of individual spirit. Psychiatric analysis is brought in to show how spiritual and psychological principles correlate in the path to the soul. Dr. Bedi has taken a complex topic and presented it in a way that is inviting, informative and detailed, yet not overly burdened with vocabulary that might challenge the average reader.Path to the Soul is an enlightening, informative, and inspirational look at the necessity and ability of each of us to examine ourselves as physical, mental and spiritual beings. It invites us to honor each part of our journey as a step toward greater freedom and connection with our souls and our Higher Spirit. The book easily transitions between psychological and spiritual discussions. Interspersed throughout are examples of patients to illustrate how he uses these foundations for his patient's well being. Dr. Bedi really connects the interlocking of the psychological and spiritual features present in each of us. He shows how they are not separate but cohesive; and how both need tending, particularly by those in the West, where we have been entrenched in a clinical, scientific frame of mind.

I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist or a psychoanalyst. I am a theoretical physicist. I have read Ashok Bedi's book Path to Soul carefully and critically. First, let us be clear as to what this book in not: Path to Soul is not preachy, it is not New Age-ish, it is not a sermon of enlightened guru to his/her obedient disciples, it is not a chicken soup for ... book. Path to Soul is a labor of love. It is thoroughly rooted in experience of a long and highly successful practice of a working physician-psychiatrist. The writer is classically trained in Western medical, psychiatric and Jungian psychoanalytic sciences in USA, England and India. The book clearly betrays the writer's deep insight and vast experience in expertly applying these Western approaches to problems of mental and psychological health. By the time I had read the third chapter, I realized that the author has unknowingly stumbled upon a fundamental truth - the complementarity principle of the being and becoming of human psyche. This is the exact psychological parallel of Neil Bohr's famous principle of complementarity in physics that wave and particle are two mutually exclusive manifestations of the one and same entity. However, in the realm of human psyche, this principle works with one crucial difference that the two aspects of our being and becoming are not only never mutually exclusive, but on the exact contrary they are inseparable just as clouds are inseparable from rain and sun is inseparable from light. The author, it appears from his book, in his years and years of long practice felt that "he was walking on one foot" and wondering "where is the other foot", and in his heart-felt search found the lost twin - the missing spiritual aspect of our souls, and hence the book. The book is thoroughly grounded in solid, practical experience in treating patients. The author clearly shows how the intuitive, innate and spiritual inseparably, intrinsically and integrally complements the intellectual, analytic and dialectical. The book respects the readers, it talks with them, not at them. The ideas, feelings and approaches are genuine, authentic and honest. The book is definitely a labor of love, and distillation of critical, hard-headed research, experience, insight and inner struggle. The deftness and clarity with which the author elucidates Yoga, Chakra, Mandala and other delicate Hindu concepts and their application to problems of our mental and psychological health and peace are truly remarkable. Though in all this the physician is never lost. The author - again unknowingly - shows that the classical Hegelian pattern of thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis is not always valid. The author has genuinely synthesized the western and eastern in a seamless whole. For those who want to fully self-actualize, and are looking for a genuine, authentic, unpretentious canonical path, Path to Soul is it.

In Path to the soul Dr. Ashok Bedi has put together a marvelous companion for the person seeking a journey of self-discovery. Readers will immediately be drawn into the careful and thoughtful merging of eastern and western wisdom and they will experience the power this wisdom holds for healing. Using a Hindu template rich in philosophy and spiritual guidance Dr. Bedi sets forth a map for spiritual wholeness that resonates to the seeker in each of us. Employing the absolute best of what current western medicine and psychological thinking have to offer, he weaves a personal program that promises meaning, fulfillment and personal freedom. Each Chapter is an introduction into a world of philosophies and ideas that call for individual action. At the end of each chapter Dr. Bedi challenges us to ask ourselves questions that will lead us deeper into our search or our "true self." He illuminates the connection between physical and emotional pain showing us how spiritual confusion and bankruptcy are part of the overall dis-ease we often feel at different points in our lives. His case illustrations are excellent examples of how ordinary people have sought to find themselves using the methods subscribed to in this text.

Path to the soul stretches beyond the confines of a self-help book. Self help books so often tell us what we need to do to be better, to get "fixed". They imply we are bad and need to "get good". Dr. Bedi's approach assumes that the reader is good and merely struggling, seeking, to get better, to find more, to connect in even deeper ways. To connect beyond themselves to others and to the community in which they live. He emphasizes the goodness of the unique soul into which we are born and then helps the reader construct an individualized program that develops their Karmic Self to it fullest possible potential. He offers a holistiac way of being in the new millenium. I recommend it highly.

In the wake of the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 I read, once again, a little gem of a book - "Path to the Soul" by my friend and colleague, Dr. Ashok Bedi.
Like almost every other American that day, I sat stunned, watching the horrifying images unfold on my TV screen. I experienced the entire gamut of emotions from anger and fear, to shocked helplessness and frustration.
As it has in the past, the book helped. I found myself wondering, however, how and why it helped and came to an obvious answer. Dr. Bedi's book is ultimately about restoring balance - the physical, psychological, and spiritual balance that is so important to help us actualize what Dr. Bedi refers to as our "Dharmic potential".

A psychopharmacologist by expertise, I often see challenging, seriously ill patients in whom I employ medications to correct imbalances of the neurochemical transmitters in their brains. At the same time, these patients rarely improve without an understanding of why they have developed these symptoms in the first place, and how imprudent or inappropriate choices have disconnected them from their ability to understand their emotions. Dr. Bedi explains in a way that is readily understandable and comprehensive, the ancient and ageless concepts of Maya, Karma, and Dharma. He explains how physical and psychological symptoms can be seen not only as symbols, but as "whispers from our souls" that actually point the way to a deeper understanding of ourselves, and ultimately, to Moksha or liberation.

What Dr. Bedi has done is unique. He has combined Jungian psychoanalytic insight with his own finely-honed clinical intuition. He has then added his own blend of Christian and Hindu spiritual wisdom to provide a truly integrated approach to treatment. He has described the seven Chakras of Kundalini Yoga and illustrated, with actual clinical vignettes, how Karmic complexes can obscure our pathway to the soul, and can be reconfigured towards Dharma.

The ultimate test of any meaningful art or science is whether it truly helps us to experience the world in a different way than we did before. In this endeavor, Dr. Bedi has succeeded admirably.
Every time I peruse those pages I look at my patients with a new insight and understanding. I also have increased understanding of my own fears, doubts, dreams and life events.

This book invites and facilitates the kind of simple but profound clarity of thought that helps us cope. It is the path to an island of peace in the turbulent, chaotic ocean of life, as we know it today.

All Evelyn Cameron wanted was to be able to say she had lived a worthy life. By the end of her life, she thought she had not achieved that goal, but this book proves otherwise.

I was fascinated by Evelyn's life, especially the hardships she endured, trying to make a living off the dry summer land and the bitter winter cold in eastern Montana, with a husband who barely lifted a finger to help her work the ranch.

It was Evelyn, a woman brought up to live a leisure life in England, who milked cows, churned butter, did laundry by hand, plowed fields, tended a huge garden, dug coal, patched openings between slats in the house, painted walls, butchered livestock, broke horses, autopsied her own animals trying to discover what caused their deaths, and even stitched her own wound when she accidentally cut herself with an ax. She went on Fall hunting trips to provide meat to last through Montana's extreme winters. While her husband hunted, it was left to Evelyn to skin and dress the meat. She accompanied her husband while he researched Montana's birds, often waiting for hours for the perfect photographic shot from dangerously high rocky outgrowths.

She rode horses for miles to sell her vegetables and to photograph other farmers, cowboys, and sheep herders far afield. Her neighbors counted on her when they wanted a photo to send to family, but Evelyn was also the person everyone called on when they were in need. She was a no-nonsense woman who learned to eke out a living in the worst of conditions. (After a month of such hard work, I would have been on the train back east.)

Yet Evelyn not only worked like a horse all day, she found time to read and keep a detailed diary every day. She listed chores she had completed, how long it took to churn and how much butter resulted, every penny earned and spent, copied every letter she sent ---creating an invaluable record of her life. Some of her details were also invaluable to her ---figuring exactly how much coal was used one year so that she could estimate how much to dig for the next winter. When she became interested in photography, her detailed records of lighting conditions and exposure times helped improve her craft.

Her photographs create a comprehensive record of her life and the times in which she lived. Considering she had to carry heavy camera equipment and fragile glass plates in unbearable heat (or cold) on horseback, deal with dust on the plates and guess at exposure times, her photos are remarkable.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in photography, women, or frontier life. (You could give this book to your teenager the next time s/he complains about doing a few chores around the house.)

(I learned about Photographing Montana by reading Bad Land by Jonathan Raban. Raban found photographing Montana extremely difficult, thus he admired Cameron's photographs that much more for his own failures.)

The main feature of this book is its 150 photographs taken by photographer Evelyn Cameron in eastern Montana during the years of its earliest settlement, first by ranchers in the late 19th century and then by streams of homesteaders in the early decades of the 20th century. In the latter regard, it is an excellent companion to Jonathan Raban's "Bad Land." Most amazing is the vast range of photographs, including family portraits, group shots of cowboys, threshers, and sheep shearers, ranch buildings, open prairie, wild life, store fronts, wild horses, herds of sheep and cattle, badlands, social gatherings, and farm equipment.

We get glimpses into the lives of the wealthy and the dirt poor. None of the photographs were shot in a studio, and taken together they represent a broad sweep of frontier life across a handful of decades. The text provides a detailed life of the photographer herself, a remarkably spirited and self-sufficient English woman who has left us this marvelous and revealing record of a time long passed.

This work is a treasure. Evelyn Cameron and her husband, born into English society, established a ranch in eastern Montana early in the development of that part of the west. A need for additional income and a love of photography lead Evelyn to produce a large number of high quality photographs. Those photographs represent a historical archive of enormous value. The photos show the people of the time, how they made a living, and the tools that they used. My personal favorite is a photo Evelyn took of herself in her kitchen; she sent it to relatives in England to show them her life on the Montana frontier. It was a life of hardship, but also of achievement. The quality of Cameron's work is the equal of other great western photographers of the era, such as Jackson or Huffman, and it records a side of life not represented by anyone else. There is a balance in this book between text and reproduced photographs. It is a biography of Evelyn Cameron, including excerpts from her journals, as well as an exhibition of her photographs. A museum and gallery in Terry, Montana, is a repository of Evelyn Cameron's work and the total number of photographs is several times what this book is able to present. One hopes that other volumes of Cameron's photos will be published in the near future.

I live in the area of the photographer's subjects, and totally enjoyed the book and its' subject. The photographs, along with Evelyn Cameron's diary accounts of daily happenings, gave a captivating decription of what many of our homesteading ancestors endured. This is very enjoyable reading for anyone.

This book, by Time-Life books editor Donna Lucey, has some very interesting photographs of Montana, taken about halfway between the Lewis and Clark expedition of two hundred years ago and today. Yes, the early 1900s were right in the middle of Evelyn Cameron's career.

Cameron, nee Flower, was one tough and talented lady. She moved to Montana with her husband Ewen, going there initially in 1889, on a hunting trip for their honeymoon. I found the stories and pictures of life in Montana fascinating. Much of the book deals with the growth of Terry, a town in the eastern part of the state, on the Yellowstone river.

At the time, the Kodak camera was the instrument of choice for most American photographers, however Cameron did much of her work with a 5x7 Graflex. There are dozens of her photos in this book.

Although Cameron died in 1928, Lucey was lucky enough to obtain many of Cameron's photos from one of Cameron's friends, Janet Williams, who was 95 years old by the time Lucey met her in August of 1979.

In 2002, PBS began shooting a documentary about Cameron, and it was released last year. It includes over 200 of Cameron's photos (over 100 of which are not in this book), and it won four regional Emmy awards. It was the first high-definition documentary for Montana PBS.

I recommend this book.

This is a wonderful book and a steal at the Amazon price. It has been as low as $150 but now seems to be climbing again. Don't be fooled and wait for the new edition coming out in October for $50 ($31.50 at Amazon). The new edition features approx. half-size reproductions of 12"x6" as opposed to the FULL-SIZE reproductions of the original gatefolds from the magazine (approx. 22"x11") in this pricier first edition. As a subscriber since the late 60s, this is a great trip down memory lane as well as a wonderful nostalgic look at the playmates that were before my time. It's a revelation to see those Playmates as they appeared for the first time full-size. And what a treat to have the ones I was familiar with and pasted on dorm room and bachelor apartment walls now preserved fold and staple free in a durable hardback format.

Awesome price from Amazon. Always the best deals and an excellent product that is worth the price. Beautiful photography and very sexy ladies. AA++

I had always thought of writing to Playboy to beg them to publish a book of their centerfolds. Nothing can compare to the awe-inspiring beauty that is captured by the full-sized centerfold images. This item is a must-must-have for any true Playboy fan. I will never part with this beautiful collection which was truly a godsend.

Just as Taschen are releasing a 2nd edition of the massive 'Stanley Kubrik Archives' on October 8, so too are Chronicle Books, releasing a 2nd edition of this huge book of Playboy centrefolds with a $50 retail and $36.50 Amazon pre-order price. - Oct.4
At this moment, Amazon has a very large discount ($150, not $500) on the first printing, probably due to the spreading awareness of the future edition. It is apparently not an up-to-date issue, including the centrefolds from Nov. 2006 until present, though it probably should be after waiting 23 months for the new edition. Wait till October, or 'get it while it's hot'.

This item is spectacular in every way. This book comes in a leather case that, by itself is truly amazing. As expensive as this item is, it is really worth every penny.

DOWNSIDE
This item is huge and weighs almost 40 pounds so Amazon charges like $12 in shipping costs. Thankfully, I was able to purchase this from a 3rd party seller on Amazon and saved quite a bit of money when I added up the item cost and shipping (the 3rd party seller only wanted $3.99 for shipping)!! It came real fast in perfect condition. I am thrilled with this purchase.

This is not a review on pragmatics of human communication, it is a review on a book. This might be an imperative read when you're working with human beings and/or when you're a pragmatist, but you'd probably already knew everything in it. This is no book for the communication specialist: it will be too disturbing. There is no 'sender', 'no channel' and 'no reciever' in the bbok. It also has no 'message'. It is also not recommended for people who do not want to change. Finally, it is not for lay people, because it is better to live in ignorance than know that a conversation in basically about nothing.

That human relationships are something mysterious and intriguing is hardly a question. But whether an account of them that is limited by scientific standards can do justice to their complexity and nature is quite another. However, I'm convinced that in this case the subject not only survives the operation - the methodology and presentation don't kill their subject or explain it away - but benefits from it to a rather surprising extent. That is, it achieves the difficult task of being both accurate and rigourous on the one hand and sheading light on the parts of us that have to do with us being human on the other - the thoughts and feelings in our behaviour. This is not only in stark contrast to the behaviorist paradigm dominant at the time this work was written, but marks an equally important departure from the intrapsychic focus of psychoanalysis. Thus the introduction of models based on cybernetic principles, systems theory, game theory, mathematics etc allowed for a completely new dimension in human relations to appear.

The new approaches that made it possible and which found so excellent synthesis in "Pragmatics.." are to a considerable extent traceable back to the works of Gregory Bateson. Indeed, it wasn't untill reading his "Steps to the Ecology of Mind" that I came to realize this. However, the relative lack of originality is compensated by the degree of integration and condensation achieved in "Pragmatics" - perhaps higher than any other single writing in "the Palo Alto framework" before or after has (intended) - which naturally exceeds that of "Steps..." - which is a collection of Bateson's articles dating from 1930s to 1970s. So above anything else, the two make an excellent complementary reading.

The last chapter of this book, which I read over 30 years ago, and still remember to this day, is a true stunner, especially the last sentence. The truth therein is timeless. When I finished it, I remained seated and awestruck for a long time, contemplating a cosmic truth which has never left me to this very day. The specific memory is carved in stone, so to speak.

Ever heard of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig? Well, POHC goes even further - towards a mathematical truth about our very existence. This book is far more than its title suggests. Quite simply it is the second most important book I've EVER read... and Pirsig's is not the first, either.

If you have the intelligence to absorb it, this book will probably change the very foundation of what you call "me"... it will fundamentally challenge your mind. Read it if you have confidence in your OWN intellect.

BTW - for a reference point, I was the only student in my class at Western Michigan University who apparently understood the implications of this book. It was a 400 level Communications course with 28 students, and the course was "built" around the book.

A very intresting book. After I have got this book, I acquired all the other books by the author and found that this book is probably his best one. A must read for those who are interested in knowing the interactions between communication and paradoxical psychotherapy.

I bought the book wanting to know something more about the world of communication and was delighted to find references to my youth interests: logics and mathematic and to my more recent one: spirituality. What was of a particular interest, even if it might be considered a bit partial, was the importance the authors put on paradoxes both as the root for patology and cure. In this latter respect references are given to zen sayings and their relationships to actual therapeuthical episodes.
A problem stemming for the emphasis put on the interrelated cause of neurosis is that individuals tend to be quite neglected: so giving the feeling that people having no stable relationships with other people must be either totally healty or... incurable.
Already bought two other books from the same author.

Easy to understand. New aspects of an important men. Never read these information before

Bob

There are many books on Prophet Muhammad's life. What sets this book apart is its treatment of the various aspects of his life. Rather than a chronological treatment, it is subject oriented and relates the events in a manner for the reader to understand this person and take lessons or examples. This book is especially valuable for those who are seeking to understand the personality of Muhammad (upon whom be peace and blessings) and for parents who would like to learn about his life in their role as parents.

I'm sure you can find hundreds of books which gives detailed historical information and debates of the Man (pbuh) who most influenced the world. (Either you are a muslim or not this should be accepted as a fact)
On the other hand, there are very few resources which focuses on the spirit and soul of this Man's important claim. He came up with a matter which shakes His own centuries beliefs and enlightenes the past and today's world. If you would like to get a better understanding of Prophet Muhammad's message in this century don't miss this invaluable resource. Whether you believe in Him or not I guess He deserves (at least) to be heard.

I'm the coulumnist of a newspaper whose name is Cumhuriyet. It's been pressing all over the Turkish Republic. Until I had read this book, I have negative thoughts about Mr. M.Fethullah Gulen. But I realized that I was wrong. His love and respect to Prophet Muhhammed(SAV) is so pure and good that affected me and my thoughts to Mr. Fethullah Gulen. I appreciate and congragulate him about this work. Hope to meet him as soon as possible. I Hope he gets well soon.

This is one of the best books I have ever read, I have known Mr. Gulen as a big scholar for many years, but have never had a chance to read his books, only read some articles based on his works. I am sure the original version of this book must be a real pearl, which is in Turkish (this is the translation of the original version - by Ali Unal).

Throughout the book he supports his points with related Surah from Quran, or from Prophet's traditions (Hadith). This was very eye opening for me. I am really amazed by his religious knowledge Mashallah, for that I would like to show my respect. May God be pleased with your works Mr.Gulen and lengthen your life so that we could get more knowledge and books like this from you.

I would recommend this book to all the people who would like to know Prophet Muhammad more. This book should be a priority in your list.

I cannot wait to read Mr.Gulen's other works.

Quick-Start Spanish is a fun and interactive resource for learning the Spanish language. It brings the basics of Spanish language alive through stories. As you go through the book, the learning is natural and easy. Arlene Jullie uses teaching strategies that are fresh and effective. You will enjoy this experience.

I am currently a freshman in high School and taking Spanish 3. Quick-Start Spanish has helped me learn Spanish at a faster pace. This is a great book for students to use as a reference along with their school books. The book makes learning Spanish fun.

I found the Quick Start Spanish book to be a very helpful resource before, during and after taking spanish courses. It has a way of giving hints and reminders that stick with you to help you remember important spanish speaking rules. Arlene uses fresh, innovative ideas incorporated into the learning of spanish! Espanol es muy divertido!

This is a fantastic way to learn Spanish. The book is very user-friendly and self-explanatory. Its use of activities, play-on-words and humor help the lessons become easier to commit to memory than the "high school classroom" method. Arlene has a talent for making languages fun and easy to learn. This book is a great tool for beginners, intermediates or those who want a refresher course in the language.

I needed to learn Spanish for a trip to Mexico. I wasn't sure this book would work but a friend of mine said "trust me" so I bought it. I just got back and I had a Great Time! The best part was that people understood me and I understood them!

I can't recommend this book more. It makes learning Spanish fun and easy. Buy it, use it, Love it.