Nova Books

My pride has suffered heavy losses in my job; I came to the position with a hefty amount of successful experience on all levels-teaching, self-employment as a consultant, published author, educational administrator, parent of a child with special needs, program developer, educational sales consultant and change agent. Considering my somewhat Thomist approach to life and education wherein I feel it is my calling to serve others, I must adopt humility and meekness every day. People with whom I work do not know my background, and I feel it would be divisive and counterproductive to flaunt my expertise. McDermott seems to have embraced the same humility and mission of service to others, and this has sustained, inspired and affirmed me in my darkest moments. I highly recommend the book Time Out For Leaders to all; we are all leaders and part of the great organization called humanity.

This book is inspirational and gives you a moment to meditate on your day. Great for managers!

This book is a great gift to those of us who enjoy Celtic music, and especially the Great Highland Bagpipe, and wish to enrich our understanding of the origins and traditions of this increasingly regarded art form. Gibson focuses on the bagpipe as an instrument "of the people," who used the pipe and its music more or less for everyday and special occasions, from entertainment at the hearth to music for weddings and funerals, the latter of which, perhaps ironically, is what most people today associate with the bagpipe. But Gibson also intelligently, and sometimes rather provocatively, discusses the other piping tradition, the grand and myth-laden one of ceol mor ("big music") or piobaireachd, the classical music of the Highland pipe, a strict and often dour-sounding theme-and-variations form that may have developed from harp music, and which has tradionally been viewed as the "original" and somehow more artistically worthwhile music of the pipe. In developing his major themes, Gibson masterfully describes the history and culture of Scotland and, eventually, Cape Breton, where so much of the piping tradition was carried forward in perhaps a purer (and, amazingly, not at all sentimentalizing) form, after the Clearances and emigraton had taken their toll on Scottish culture. Of special interest is Gibson's denunciation of the eternally heard claim that the Highland pipe was proscribed as an instrument of war, along with all weapons and Highland dress, after Culloden in 1746. He effectively shows that from a legal standpoint this was never actually the case, though in a way, he simply spoils a lovely if somewhat silly myth that has only added to the romance of this impressive instrument. A must-have book for every Celtophile and lover of pipe music!

This is an absolutely fabulous book for anyone interested in the tradtional style of piping that has gradually disappeared over the years. It is well documented, follows a logical course of instruction from Scotland to Nova Scotia and gives quite a bit of what I think is extremely interesting information about the old "community pipers" of Cape Breton and their parallel style of piping. I've read and re-read the volume, highlighting areas of import and interest as I went along until my volume looks like a well-thumbed and multi-indexed textbook - which in my case, it is. The only area of disappointment is that I wished it contained more photographs of some of the old-time pipers like Joe Hughie MacIntyre, etc. But, the text makes up for any shortcomings in that area and is definately a MUST read for pipers with an interest in the beginnings of their craft or anyone who just enjoys the skirll of the pipes. I highly recommend this book.

Hinayana Bawagan's Trivia For Smarties is an incredible and detailed collection of trivia quizzes on everything from history to popular culture, other countries, tv shows, stamps, movies, famous quotations and much, much more. The questions are not mere multiple choice; the reader must dredge the answers from memory, or else consult the handy answers section. Guaranteed to bend the mind of even the most hardcore trivia buff, Trivia For Smarties is a most engaging and entertaining book for party games or a personal challenge!

This book will challenge trivia fans. There are 50 questions in 50 different categories that lead off the book. The puzzlers are more difficult than the actual test given for getting on Jeopardy!

The rest of the book has 110 quizzes each with 10-20 questions. The answers appear in a separate section in the back of the book and include dates, years and extra information not normally found in an answer section.

Many of the quizzes begin with a short explanation or example to make it clear what type of responses will fit the material. This is necessary because the author has cleverly found unique ways to present her material.

One quiz gives a middle name and asks the reader to get the first and last name. W "Fritz" M is of course Walter Mondale.

Can you name movies with only two or three-word famous quotes?
(1953) "Prove it."

or movies and actors in the scenes based on short descriptions?
Watching the World Series with the TV turned off

There's a good mix in the book of academic subjects like history and science along with TV and movies.

The book is not a study guide for getting on a TV game show though. The book tests what you know and gives you a chance to prove it. I have spent many hours resisting the temptation to quickly flip to the answer section and instead taking the time to think about a correct response to a stumper. It's a great feeling to figure one out that didn't immediately come to me.

Mark Barrett

I like this book too, especially since I am a book collector. A nicely written adventure about the old book world. I agree that the last chapter is a classic.

I got myself a copy of Under Cover after reading the author's book on map collecting, which I found very well written. Under Cover is a very weird book about horrible crimes and events set in the world of rare books and maps. The settings are very accurate and the author knows the world of books and maps very well and as a collector I respond to this book. I think many of the crimes are reported tongue in cheek, but somehow I can't quite tell if any are real or have a real basis. This book should get a cult following. The last chapter is a classic! If you like unusual books and like old books in general this is a fun read.

"Victim Vulnerability" by Eric Anton Kreuter is a fascinating study of the vulnerability of victims and what makes them so attractive to predators. Kreuter presents this study from the perspective of existential humanism, and he provides ample background material to truly understand his perspective and methodology as being significantly different from mainstream psychology. It is a case study of Robert, a pilot who was victimized by Connie, a woman described by Kreuter as a psychopath. She abused him psychologically, emotionally, and financially. Her actions even caused him to lose his job as a commercial airline pilot. In short, she was a con artist who stole everything from Robert.

She and Robert met in an Internet chat room back in 1995, when it was still a new, relatively uncharted territory. The significance of an Internet chat meeting is that the Internet was, and still is, a new medium through which the psychopath can operate and dupe an unsuspecting victim, as Internet truth is what you claim it to be. When meeting people online, it is very easy to deceive or be deceived because who you are in an online dialog is exactly what you present yourself to be, making it the ideal location for the psychopath/con artist/liar to operate and manipulate tenuous truths.

While Robert was clearly victimized, the question is really: what is it about Robert that made him the perfect subject for Connie's exploitation? Kreuter attempts to answer this question using existential humanism as a guide or metric for determination. To me, the most horrifying part is not that Connie stole everything from Robert, but that he had no support from the very people and institutions that should have helped him. He tried to report the crime to the FBI, but they believed Connie's story over his and labeled him delusional. The FAA and a forensic psychologist unquestioningly believed the FBI's assessment, and Robert was grounded. He remains unfairly barred from flying an airplane, and it is all because of one person and her ability to delude.

This treatise captures the effect of a psychopath's invasion and its aftermath. One can readily feel an affinity with the victim. Mr. Kreuter's extensive research in this case study is thorough, the writing masterful. He skillfully blends his documentation in a very engaging piece.
Robert, the subject, is a person who truly possesses a vast resume of intelligence, education, skill and character. Even so, the reader will realize that a psychopath can easily breach even this formidable repertoire of defenses. The psychopath, female in this case looking for a male victim, can be male looking for a female. In any case, this vulnerability is simply loneliness and the human need for meaning and companionship.
A female victim will frequently defend her involvement with a psychopathic male by explaining, to those who see the situation clearly, that "he needs me". A male victim will not try to defend himself at all as "he knows what he is doing".
The Internet has made hunting by predators using newspaper personal ads look like cave drawings. It's made hunting in bars look like stalking game in the forest. The Internet has allowed the worldwide filtering and targeting of potential victims as mass merchandise advertising. Once the victim has been snagged in the net, the predator can be whatever the victim wants, that is, short, tall, pretty, homely, confident or dependant. Victim needs a picture? The psychopath can get one from the worldwide web depicting any look you wish to achieve and in any setting.
The book's Epilogue, which is a must read by itself, demonstrates just how effective the psychopathic personality is.
After reading the main text and the Epilogue, one is left to wonder. Is there anything positive a psychopath can do? The nation should use psychopathic personalities for the national good. They should be enlisted by our intelligence services to infiltrate and confound our enemies.
This book is a must read for its literary quality, as a research reference and as a manual to train oneself to "beware of strangers".

Dr. Hagag has written an important and timely book. Recently the options for cancer treatments have become so vast and diversified that it can be overwhelming for the family and the lay person and aggravate an already stressful situation. This book helps the reader sift through their emotions and feelings and helps them know that they are not alone and that there is help and guidance out there for them. It also provides a valuable tool in understanding the disease and its stages in a thoughtful and simplistic manner that is easily understood. Dr. Hagag carefully guides the reader through the various phases of stress related issues and presents a comprehensive list of information and resources. His material is based on his extesnive experience dealing with cancer patients and their caregivers. All of us in the medical community who diagnose and treat oncology patients appreciate the task that Dr. Hagag took on himself to write this book. This is a great achievement. I recommend the book highly and have alrady recommended it to our medical community and suggested that they acquire several copies of this book so that they are available for the families of patients. I hope that Dr. Hagag continues his research and updates this book, of very important information, that is so relevant to our times, every couple of years.

When I first read this book I was so happy to have something that answered many questions on what it is like to be faced with a loved one with cancer and how to navigate these rough waters. This book gave me the meaning to new words, what is oncology? (study of tumors) and where do I get help i.e., drugs I can't afford. It was like reading a Dr. Spock handbook for me in dealing with cancer in my family. I felt relieved that such a wonderful book arrived on the market. Dr. Hagag comes across as a compassionate person who understands the guilt, insecurity and bewilderment of families faced with this grim disease.

An excellent story that can be enjoyed by adults and children. I particularly liked the way the author used descriptive detail to completely put you into the world of her main character. I'm looking for books to get my 11-year-old nephew hooked on reading, and I plan to share this with him. Perhaps future editions could have the larger type size usually found in "young adult" books.

This book was interesting to me in a number of ways. You learn about Indian culture from a completely different perspective and the book opens with many interesting historical facts I didn't know. The story itself was exciting and well written. You will be surprised about what the story has to offer given the title. Personally, I would like to see a second book with the same main characters! Great book!

Gary Nova has presented in such easy steps your guide to healthy gourmet-style meals which will satisfy the pickiest of eaters. He shows you how simple it is to navigate your way around the stove with wholesome ingredients without much fuss. Start from recipe one and cook your way through the month. Oh, and don't forget the side dishes and additional recipes for more of his tasty delights! From his biggest fan, Nina

after reading this book I became more comfortable with the game of golf. I was able to go from being a beginner with little or no knowledge about the game, to a more secure informed golfer. It has inspired me and my game has progressed. I open the book often to consult it when ever I have a problem or feel I need support.

These group of essays methodically and from a variety of view points attempt to show just how damaging the infamous photos and the acts of depravity they have exposed are. The book also explores the collective conscience and political climate that has existed in order for such unbelievable and inhuman behavior to occur. Highly recommended.