P Books

The strength of this book is its focus on celebrating the attributes of God. The author did a very good job bringing out the theme of the book of Revelation, which is that God will win in the end due to His nature, and He's looking out for us.

I was also impressed with the quality of analysis that went in to the various outlines provided for the book of Revelation. There are actually three different outlines included. They will help people of any interpretive approach make better sense of the book.

Since the author is an Amillennialist, I wish he'd spent more time pitching the theoretical strengths of that system. When, towards the end of the book, the millennium is addressed, it is quickly brushed aside as just another example of how God will win. While this is true in a sense, there was no attempt to refer to the literally hundreds of Old Testament references to it, and how they can be explained as allegories (as opposed to literal fulfillment).

His argument that most people get more hung up on the puzzle than the pictures is an excellent one. For that reason, I'd suggest this book to anyone studying the book of Revelation.

This paperback on Revelation brings in a simple and refreshing perspective on Revelation. For example he suggests that children can understand Revelation...that we need to stop 'puzzling' over Revelation and enjoy the Panoramic pictures of this book. His 'down home' encouragement is exactly what this book is when laid side by side with Beale's NIGTC Commentary on Revelation. (The NIGTC is a technically dense work with many many references to all kinds of sources for each verse).

Dr. Beale (2004's E.T.S. President) recommends this book as part of his course recommended reading on Revelation at Wheaton. Of the 8 or so books he recommends, this one sports a number of great visual concepts that do empower bible teachers and pastors. As a pastor who is preaching through Revelation from the Greek text, I found his material helpful on the application side of things.

For example, on the four major views on Revelation Poythress supplies a great little visual diagram of how the four views look. Just the diagram alone can help many people understand the four different view (Preterist, Futurist, Historical, and Idealist) more than most commentaries would.

The weakness is that you will not have comments of substance on every question in Revelation. It's not meant to be an exhaustive commentary on Revelation.

Enjoy it. It's well written and worth owning a copy.

The Returning King is a great introduction the book of Revelation. The first 50 pages or so contain high level discussions on the various views of Revelation (idealist, futurist, preterist, historicist) as well as other controversial aspects such as the millennium (premil, postmil, amil). This survey of all the major viewpoints alone is worth the price of the book. The rest of book is a high level discussion of the text. Poythress takes an idealist, amil view but provides a very fair discussion of all the other viewpoints.

It was written as an introduction and is very successful as such. It is not a thorough commentary of Revelation. If you have never studied Revelation this is a great place to start.

A few years ago I heard a speaker who began his talk by saying that he loved the book of Revelation because it was so simple and clear and it so neatly summed up the teaching of the Bible. I laughed because everyone knows that the book of Revelation is anything but simple and clear. He said he was serious and he mentioned that he had studied Revelation under Vern Poythress at Westminster Seminary and he had made it seem clear and simple.

At the time this book had not been published but I was able to get some tapes by Poythress, and they taught what is written in this book. When the book came out I got it right away and I have to say that I was not disappointed in the tapes or in this book.

Poythress writes like a kindly, wise elder. I say he is kind because, though he takes a position on the interpretation of the book, he is gracious to those who disagree with him. One of the things I particularly liked about this book is his discussion of how to outline the book. He listed a few different ways that this could be outlined, but rather than attacking various positions he affirmed that the existence of these differing views should cause us to marvel at the greatness of God in the book. These things show that the book of Revelation is like a giant tapestry, with many colors and patterns weaving in and out. The book is so rich that one can never tire of admiring the beauties of God in it.

As to his position, Poythress says that the book follows the pattern of recapitulation - it describes the same historical events over and over again using different metaphors and pictures. So, rather than being a straight chronological description of the end time, the book of Revelation describes the second coming, and the events surrounding it, several times.

Poythress shows that the book of Revelation is actually comprised of several cycles of judgment. He gives the tools for understanding how to identify these cycles and in doing so makes Revelation slightly less difficult.

This is the place to start in understanding the book of Revelation.

Practical, concise, and easy to read. Provides insight not usually found in this kind of book.

Cindy does a fabulous job exploring -- and explaining -- the ins and outs (no pun intended) of the horse show world. From western pleasure to hunters, from hard-working to grooms to behind the scenes candids, from saddle seat to dressage, and to the ever present show moms, both the photos and text capture the essence of the joy and passion we share for our horses and our sport.

If you love horses you will love this new book put out by Cindy Hale. The writing and photographs are fresh and make you feel you are right there with her interviewing horse people. Four hooves up on this book. Makes a great gift for anyone who loves horses.

Really enjoyed this book. Not a "how to" book by any means but rather a heartwarming, insightful collection of stories. Laughed out loud one minute and was weepy the next. A wonderful addition to my collection.

This is a beautiful book, with gorgeous photos and a funny and perceptive text showing why people love horses and why they take their sometimes magnificent, and sometimes not-so-magnificent but loved-just-the-same, beasts out in public to compete against others similarly afflicted with horse show fever.

Cindy Hale's text shows a mastery of words and imagery. More than that, though, her writing shows a true love and understanding of horses, of horse shows, and of why people and horses compete. She examines several disciplines, including hunters, western, dressage, and jumpers. She covers the arc of a horse show career, for both horses and riders, and gives justly due attention to the judges, trainers, grooms, braiders, night watchmen, and horse show moms who all contribute to making showing the unique and addictive experience it is. And, of course, she gives tribute to the horses without whose generosity and cooperation none of it would be possible.

The photographs that accompany the text are sharp, feeling, and insightful. Sharon Fibelkorn not only captures the beauty, spirit, and athleticism of the horses in each discipline, but also the emotions of the people riding and surrounding them.

This is a perfect book for anyone who loves horses and showing, and anyone who loves someone who loves horses and showing and wants to understand the answer to the question, "why on Earth do you put yourself through all that just for a little ribbon?"

Cindy Hale's "Riding for the Blue" - hurray! At last a book which captures the very essence of why we, the horse show lovers, are doing exactly that: showing our horses. Hale's prose, combined with Fibelkorn's photos, at last give us the vehicle with which to explain to our non-horsey friends, families and significant others just why we are doing this in the first place. This book is a must-read for the horse lover, the horse shower; the non-horse person will get just as much enjoyment from it. I highly recommend this book.

Well, what are you waiting for?

A delight.... I read this in 2 days. I love this fantasy genre, and this was right on target. the fact that the Neanderthals were the "good guys" and the Cro Magnan, "not" made it a little unexpected. A good read for all ages.

Another great read by P. L. Parker. Adventure combined with romance certainly seems to be this author's forte. I look forward to the next book.

"Riley's Journey" by P. L. Parker is an absolutely wonderful read, and I might lose my guy card for saying so. Riley journeys back in time to the Ice Age, finds Nathan and begins a series of adventures that kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the story. It is exciting, funny, heartwarming and, at times, intense. Ms. Parker's ability to create in the written text a mental image that is so vivid, you feel like you are experiencing it with the characters. I give this book my highest rating.

I just finished reading this book and, wow, did I love it. The story was intriguing and kept me glued to my seat. I hated to reach the final pages! The author has a wonderful storytelling style and I thoroughly enjoyed how she portrayed the characters' thoughts and actions. I also loved how the plot took its own twists and turns, ones that were definitely not predictable. This is an entertaining book with a great love story and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read her first book, Fiona.

What if you could travel back 40,000 years ago to when saber toothed tigers and Mastodons roamed the earth? This is exactly the world that Nathan has been surviving in for five lonely years with only his dog, Demon, for companionship. Dr. Bethany Collins, the mastermind behind the experiment that sent Nathan catapulting back in time, is determined that Nathan will not remain alone; so determined that she is willing to send the unsuspecting Riley Ames back in time under the guise of a fake research experiment. Riley's arrival to an age when Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal men walked the earth is only the beginning of RILEY' S JOURNEY....

I have never read a time travel in which the setting was so far back in time, and so it was with great excitement that I started RILEY'S JOURNEY. P.L. Parker did not disappoint! Her vivid images of a time long past made the pages come alive with the excitement, the thrill, and yes, the danger of modern man (and woman!) trying to survive in such a perilous time. More than once P.L. Parker had me on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting to see how further events would unfold. Would Riley and Nathan survive each new hazard? And just as importantly, would Demon survive?

The harsh beauty of the past as seen through the eyes of Riley and Nathan is only part of the joy of RILEY'S JOURNEY, however. P.L. Parker throws in some interesting twists that made this romance a truly heart warming tale. The love between Riley and Nathan has time to develop and blossom into a strong, unbreakable bond that is both sexy and uplifting. RILEY'S JOURNEY is truly a tale about love growing in any environment!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

This amazing book will challenge you to truly live for Christ. Not for the faint-hearted or those seeking career advancement,better relationships or other forms of Christian self-improvement. Instead, this author calls for you to totally forget about yourself.Unforgettable.

K.P. Yohannan is a threat to hypocritical Christianity, but be warned before you read this book: you will not escape unscathed. With a focus on saving the lost that is both singleminded and pure of heart, K.P. rips through every pretense of the American Christian experience. He also rips through the wheat to reveal the tares. This book is a wonderful witness to a specific calling within the Christian body. I am fully convinced that he is right to expect us to aid him in his calling, but if God is using you, for His will, in any other area than missions to the lost of Asia, do not expect K.P. to acknowledge your vision or encourage you in it. Read the book; let it change your life; follow K.P.'s every footstep if that is your calling; let God shake you out of compromise and shallow Christianity. Just remember, ask God for His wisdom, that you will follow His will and not man's, not ANY man's: not yours, not mine, not K.P.'s. If you've never heard of K.P.'s Gospel For Asia, by the way, for $30 dollars a month you can support a missionary in Asia. All funds go directly to missionary support. There is no percentage taken away for administration work! You can contact them at 1-800-WIN-ASIA or www.gfa.org. Even if you don't buy the book, decide today to support one or more missionaries and make a change for God in the lives of people who have never heard the name of Christ.

Oh my, what an incredibly thought-provoking and personally challenging book! I recently read this volume and its companion, "Revolution in World Missions". Both books issue a loving admonition to Western Christians to reevaluate their personal priorities, especially in the area of materialism. Why? Because there's a world to be won for Christ, that's why.

The other volume focuses specifically on how the American church has been overwhelmingly blessed, and should be redirecting some of those blessings to support the native evangelism movement in other countries. This book takes that fundamental message even farther, by challenging believers to examine not just their financial priorities, but their entire Christian life. What is our true measure of devotion to Christ? How much are we willing to sacrifice and risk for His sake? Are we ready to live for God's kingdom rather than our own?

Both books, but especially this one, are filled with specific principles that are ready for personal application. K.P. Yohannan, the founder of Gospel For Asia ministries, has lived what he preaches, and continues to do so. Therefore he is able to speak into our lives with godly authority. If you want to break away from a temporal mindset, develop an eternal perspective on life, and find tangible ways to be involved in growing God's kingdom among the nations, either one of these books is a great place to catch a vision.

There are few books that I would say really bring strong convition into my heart to the point that I simply put the book down in utter repentance as I see myself in the light of what the author is showing me from Scripture. This is one of those books.

Along with the likes of giants such as A.W. Tozer, Leonard Ravenhill, Samuel Chadwick, John Wesley, and others, K.P. Yohannan is a solid biblical exhorter calling the Church to her knees. Yohannan is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and he boldly proclaims the truth no matter what may happen to him.

This book will open your heart to your own self-centeredness, your wastefulness, and your pride. The book is aimed at Western Christians (particularly Americans since Yohannan now lives in the United States). The book takes aim at our focus on things that do not matter in the Church such as buildings, salaries, cars, expensive food, shelter, and clothing. Yohannan believes that the Church in the West needs to see the urgent call to world evangelism (Matt. 28:19). His writing is not for the weak or feeble minded "Christian" but for the true disciple ready for the Lord to cut his heart with His Word (Hebrews 4:12).

Overall this is an excellent work on world missions and on holy living (2 Peter 3:10-14).

I found that "The Road To Reality" is a wake-up call for Christians. Listening to Christian music, reading Christian books is OK, but we must be focused on winning souls for Jesus Christ. One thing I've learned is that I do not need to read Christian books, listen to Contemporary Christian music, etc. just because I'm a Christian. Through this book, K.P. Yohannan has taught me that I can live the life I want (as long as it goes with the Holy Bible), and win people to Christ at the same time. I am finally free from the religious books, music, etc. that once held me in confusion. I recommend this book highly.

This and the others by this author are a fun and enjoyable read--highly recommend them and await more.

In his first novel, Time Trial, Derouin introduced his winsome police detective, David Dean, who was house-sitting in the Colorado mountains while recuperating from a gunshot wound he'd sustained back home in Pennsylvania. Since his peace and quiet was soon shattered by a parade of fascinating characters who dragged him into a plot involving an alleged time machine, you might have thought that as soon as that mystery was solved, Dean would have gone home to Pennsylvania and stayed there. But now, in San Juan Solution, here he is, back in those very same mountains. It seems that he liked the Colorado lifestyle so much, he's returned with his new wife, Cynthia, and his father-in-law, Fred O'Connor, to run a bed and breakfast in Ouray. That could easily have been the happy ending of Time Trial, but since it's the beginning of this new novel, we expect more trouble, and we get it. In fact, before Dean's establishment is officially open for business, his father-in-law has already registered two guests, one of whom quickly winds up dead. So even though Dean has retired from police work in Pennsylvania, there's no way that he can avoid becoming involved in this new adventure. Once again, Derouin's characters think fast and talk tough, and Fred O'Connor is as sharp and colorful an old geezer as you're likely to meet anywhere.

Derouin is also an Easterner who moved west, and his love of his new home is so evident in his careful descriptions of the mountains surrounding Ouray that the landscape itself almost becomes part of the plot. All in all, this second David Dean adventure is so lively and intriguing that someday I may have to leave my flatland Florida home and make a visit to Colorado. If I do, however, and someone invites me to take a ride on those winding mountain roads with their breathtaking dropoffs, I'm not going!

Retired east coast police detective, David Dean, is at it again-sleuthing, that is. This time he is accompanied by his beautiful new wife, Cynthia, together with an off-beat ensemble cast of characters led by irrepressible mystery fan, Fred O'Conner, Dean's stepfather. The Deans and O'Conner are the new proprietors of Bird Song, a bed and breakfast in the charming, Victorian town of Ouray, Colorado. When their first guest turns up murdered and the second is missing, David Dean is irrepressibly drawn into a scam that involves a wronged widow, suit-and-tied, pipsqueak attorney, tent-dwelling heir to a fortune and a net-surfing cook with a dog named Brutus. Oh, and a legacy of a hundred million bucks, give or take a million or so.

The reader is drawn into the tale, gently at first, then with increasing speed and complexity, much like riding a carnival carousel, where the painted horses whirl faster and faster. Newer, and more bizarre characters, pop out of the woods and the woodwork with increasing frequency. A crutch-toting, inebriated movie star moves into Bird Song's back bedroom. The widow's fake-French boytoy camps out nearby, waiting to start a new hustle with whichever legally recognized "daughter" gets the millions. And Bird Song fills up with lawyers, heirs and contestants to the will of a man who could not have fathered any of the daughters.

The setting is stunning. And, mystery author Ray Derouin, a part-time resident of Ouray and owner of a toy store there, presents the San Juan country well, giving it a sense of character nearly as strong as protagonist David Dean. "San Juan Solution" is fun read, with lots of action, zany characters and great scenery. It's a good book to curl up on the couch with on a snowy evening.

To me, trying to lay aside an unfinished David Dean mystery is like trying to eat just one homemake chocolate chip cookie. It can't be done. This is Ouray, Colorado author Ray Derouin's second mystery in what one can only hope will be another in a long series. For the reader not familiar with Derouin, suffice it to say he is no stranger to the written word. He has written twelve plays, all of which have won national awards. His first mystery, Time Trial: A Mountain Mystery, has garnered wide spread acclaim. Thus, it was with much delight and anticipation that I received San Juan Solution. I thought his first mystery was wonderful, and it was, but this latest offering is off the scale. The protagonist, ex-Pennsylvania police detective David Dean, is back with a new bride and his indispensable, unforgettable stepfather, Fred O'Connor. The setting is the incomparably beautiful Ouray, Colorado and the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado. Dean, along with his wife and stepfather, have just opened a bed and breakfast, named Bird Song, and plan to enjoy a leisurely life far away from the crime ridden east coast. Unfortunately for the trio, but fortunately for the reader, Derouin's magic and diabolic mind begins to weave a story guaranteed to please the most avid mystery fan. It seems the first guest of Bird Song ends up alone at the bottom of a mountain side ravine in his car...strapped in the passenger seat. What happened to the driver? one might ask. What driver? A good question and, well, somewhat of a mystery. This, in the hands of Derouin, is reason enough to read on. However, it seems the second guest is missing and there is reason to believe her life might also be in danger. A coincidence you say? Perhaps, but the rapid arrival of a host of characters all making inquiries into the whereabouts of the two makes for spellbinding reading. Oh, did I mention the search for an heir to a fortune, which may explain some of these coincidences? This is vintage Derouin but better, much better, than anything he had done before. Having lived in the San Juan Mountain area of Colorado I can assure the reader that the setting is authentic. In addition, the characters are believeable and the writing style is first rate. It is not until the last few pages that the mystery(s) are solved and, in his wonderful style, the loose ends are tied into a honeymoon bouquet, so to speak. If you haven't met David Dean and friends, this is your best chance. It is a delightful book.

After fifteen years on the Parkside, Pennsylvania police force, Officer David Dean retires. Almost immediately after that, David marries Cynthia Byrne. With those two radical moves to jolt his equilibrium, David makes it a trio of lifestyle events when he, Cynthia, and his stepfather Fred O?Connor move to Ouray, Colorado where they plan to run Bird Song Bed and Breakfast.

Although the B&B is not ready yet for the public, Fred rents the room of David and Cynthia to a guest and his own room to a second guest. However, someone kills their first guest and their second guest expects to be the next victim. Though the cop can leave the police force, police work never leaves the cop and with a little nudging from Fred, David begins to investigate what happened to his guest.

The mystery of SAN JUAN SOLUTION is fun to watch as it unwinds like the mountain paths that the transplanted easterners trek. The lead trio is a hoot, especially Fred and his ability to manipulate everyone and the support cast provides either trouble or local color to the terrific tale. As with the first tale (see the delightfully wacky TIME TRIAL), R.E. Derouin?s novel pays homage to the Colorado Rockies. Readers will feel as if they are hiking the trail along side of David and Cynthia. Mr. Derouin is two for two with both of his Dean novels being outstanding and a ?tri-quel? needed for fans of the series.

Harriet Klausner

I have read this Christmas story since I was 6 and have continued to read it every Christmas Eve for 20 years. It is a beautifully illustrated book, with great imagery and discussions of what happens at the North Pole before Christmas. It is by far my favorite Christmas book and I continue to share it with everyone I know.

This is my favorite christmas story. I have read it every Christmas for 20 years. The illustrations are wonderful. Everytime you read it you find something new in the pictures.

This is the best book our family has ever seen about Santa Claus!! I vote it ten stars, not just five. This book is truly off the charts for its cleverness, terrific illustrations, inventiveness and sheer Christmas joy. I do not know why some US publisher has not bought the rights and made it into the classic it deserves to be, and is in our family. My Son was given this book at his first Christmas. Both he and my daughter and I, their Mom, have enjoyed this book every year since then. I would love to be able to obtain more copies of it to hand down to my grandkids and so on. It gives very detailed and often quite funny "true" information about Santa and his whole village at the North Pole. It is quite an operation, believe me! Santa has his sleigh but also has a fleet of red airplanes with reindeer logos on them. The drawings are so full of detail and funny things going on that it keeps both kids and grown-ups exclaiming and laughing. For example, birds sit on elves' noses. Baby elves suck pacifiers. The elf band is playing "Ob-la-di, ob-la da"; the printer elves tie up their beards around their heads so they do not get them in the ink, and in the carpenter shop, there is a sign saying, "safety first." There are even elves who spray paint the toys. So hilarious, as a little animal watching this gets sprayed too. The elf children's classroom often was intently examined by my kids. The book is Scandinavian in origin I think, and that is why it is so hard to find now here in the USA. The outfits and scenery, houses and huts are Norwegian or Swedish, and the costumes have all sorts of decorative Nordic touches. Each elf seems to have a different personality. My kids always liked the picture of the elves getting ready for bed--in their bunk house they are bedding down, and one is reading the newspaper, one is watching a portable TV, and one is about to brush his teeth. The loner elf likes to sleep in a simple haystack--"to each his own," my kids would always chime in with the narrative. This book is so clever and if you can ever find it you will want to keep it forever. It has a humorous charm that even very tiny children will enjoy, and it will win your heart. It is unlike any other Christmas book I have ever seen in the US. My kids are now 19 and 16 and they still get it out every holiday season to enjoy the pictures and simple story once again. It is simply precious!

I HAVE BEEN READING THIS BOOK TO MY CHILDREN ON THE EVE OF CHRISTMAS EVE SINCE 1982. THEY LOVE IT AND SO DO I. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK AT ON EVERY PAGE.

My son was given this book by his German grandmother for Christmas, and it's the most interesting Christmas book I've ever seen. It explains everything kids need to know about where Santa Claus comes from - but in a modern approach: there are high-tech elves, Santa distributes presents in planes because his sleigh can't cope with the magnitude of presents anymore and parents have to buy some gifts for their children at the toy store because he doesn't have the facilities to make them.
I especially love the book's explanation of why many Europeans are visited by Santa on Christmas Eve (as was the tradition in my German family), and Americans and other nations open their gifts on Christmas morning - Santa does have to fly further from Finland, after all, so he doesn't get to the US until the middle of the night. Ingenious - my son will never be confused again!
The illustrations alone are worth a look, every time you open the book you'll see something new!

I really do enjoy this series and Hugh Corbett is my kind of hero. He's intelligent, silent and keeps his thoughts to himself while he solves the hardest cases for Edward I. In this one Edward sends Hugh to the Knights of the Templar stronghold to discover just what secrets are going on there. Hugh and his two companions find a very secretive and dangerous place where people keep dying in a mysterious type of fire that resists water. The best thing about the series is the history lesson that we get from each book. Not only do we hear about the Templar movement and some of its history, but we find out where and when gunpowder originated in this book alone. This book will keep you turning pages until Hugh finally unamsks the killer. Doherty sents a relentless pace in his books and this one even more so. Great series!

Another Sir Hugh Corbett mystery to savour.

The Old man of the Mountain harks back to when he nearly killed Edward, the King of England many years ago and now decides to release an imprisoned knight to avenge old wounds.

A few months later a man being consumed by fire is come upon by two nuns from York.

Edward I of England hears of the grisly death as he arrives in York for secret negotiations the the leaders of the military Order of the Temple. His unease increases as an attempt is made on his life.

When the assassin, earing the clothes of the templar Order is found dead, having also been engulfed by a mysterious fire, Edward immediately calls for help from Sir Hugh corbett the Keeper of the King's Seal.

A definte read, for "Medival Who dunnit" fans. P.C. Doherty weaves a fine tale within a tale.

I loved this book - Didn't want it to end! A definite must-read for fans of historical fiction and suspense.

Hugh Corbett, bloodhound to King Edward I is back in business. Strange lights are being seen in the forest, people are becoming human fire balls and counterfeit money is showing up in the realm. Hugh is sent by the king from York to Framlingham to the temple of the Templar Order in order to search out rumours of Knights Templar trying to assassinate the king. Hugh has to keep his wits about him as he has become the assassins target as well.

P. C. Doherty writes about the 14th century as if he had been there. Hugh Corbett novels are wonderful, some of the best historical mysteries I have found.

Humans first drawings date to thirty thousand years ago even with Homo Erectus using fire for hundreds of thousands of years . . . all in all, human intellectual activities has been a source of wonder and fear for humanity for awhile now . . . witness the destruction of Jericho so many times . . . the destruction of Athens by the Spartans, Persians, and the killing of Archimedes by a Roman soldier . . . and then, there's the destruction of the Library of Alexandria and the killing of Hypatia around 400 A.D.

Scientists themselves have had misunderstandings about the nature of their activity. In fact, even Galileo thought the euclidean geometry as the very substance of the world. Mathematians were slow to take seriously the philosophical ramifications of non-euclidean geometry; they even made non-standard algebras before Einstein's General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics threw the Newtonian world in a tail spin. Then, Kurt Godel came up with his incompleteness theorems of finite axiomatic systems and a few intellectuals wondered about the very nature of the mathematical sciences. To me, Jacob Bronowski's "Origins of Knowledge and Imagination" is the best synthesis of all these intellectual events,

but, perhaps Crease and Mann's "The Second Creation" is a good place to start seeing some of the issues of the scientific process General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics had on mathematical science as a whole. What's remarkable is that outside of the final chapters realization that scientific theory is about syntheses and analyses is really syntheses, is that they don't understand the nature of abstraction in mathematical science and the unified treatment of mathematics and science that Jacob Bronowski shows in his "Origin's of Knowledge and Imagination."

Still, outside of initial physics courses, most people don't have the time to study the mathematics of the symmetry theories of the unified field theories mathematical science has pointed towards(and cosmology); better to read a good physics book like "Project Physics Course" and then "The Second Creation", and then! Jacob Bronowski's "Origins of Knowledge and Imagination." Also, Weinburg's "First three Minutes", and Guth's "Inflationary Universe." are good reads for the cosmology end of where man stands intellectually today.

I'd like to end with saying that "The Second Creation" is great for showing the human spirit of exploration which 99% of humanity has and will continue to miss even in a post molecular nanotechnology world where they don't have to learn . . . anything! ever!

If you have the intellectual spirit, you'll read this book . . . so, it goes without saying that I hope I've pointed out some interesting things for those who've had enough natural curiousity that every human child is born with anyways to search out this book anyways!

This book has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the telling of the story of 20th century fundamental physics is a task that should not be entrusted to physicists. No, it appears a journalist and a philosopher are not only able to bring the story to life in a way that almost all physics text books fail to do, but at the same time to never lose sight of the important scientific issues.

I thought that I understood these issues well, having been a researcher in the area myself until 1987, but I have to report that they filled embarrassingly large gaps in my knowledge, particularly in relation to experiments, including in subjects that I used to teach to undergraduates.

I would recommend this book to anyone, but most of all to those who call themselves practitioners in the subject, to remind them of how, if at all, what they do fits in to the bigger picture, and also to remind them, to quote Murray Gell Mann (who was probably quoting someone else at the time), that "the best instrument that a theoretician has is his waste paper basket". As the mathematical tangents that theoreticians have gone off on in the last twenty years get ever more bizarre and disconnected from reality, I fully expect this to be full to overflowing soon.

While not for the feint of heart, this exceptionally well-researched tome (clocking-in at over 400 pages) is a must-have for anyone interested in the history of particle physics in the 20th century. Although a bit out-of-date, with virtually no coverage of String theory or competing proposals to merge relativity and quantum mechanics, it is nonetheless a comprehensive narrative up through the "completion" of the Standard Model.

Perhaps the book's greatest achievement is its ability to move back-and-forth between historical developments within the scientific community and the development of the science itself. With countless interviews and original source materials, Crease & Mann capture the excitement of scientific discovery while giving an excellent layman's overview of those discoveries.

This is a compelling read, and highly recommended to anyone interested in this fascinating field.

This book is an excellent choice if you are looking for an easy-to-read history of the development of particle physics in the twentieth century. The book almost reads like a novel. The authors lead us on a tour of the most critical breakthroughs from the discovery of the electron to that of the top quark. Each episode describes not only the physics but also provides interesting insights into the physicists who made the contributions. It is a great diary of man's attempts to discover the smallest components of matter.

Given, I find the sciences interesting, but I never thought I would find myself endlessly turning pages of a physics book. The lives of these physicists was amazing and sometimes even more interesting than their discoveries. If you are at all interested in a "behind-the-scenes" look at post-Einsteinian physics, I would whole-heartedly recommend this book. I guarantee you'll be pleasently surprised. (Now if only there was a biology version of this book...)

Self Coached Runner by Allan Lawrence, Mark Scheid. Excellent book. Purchased orginally in the 80's and loaned it out. Glad I could find again on Amazon.com

After trying several books on training, I always come back to this one. Not at all dated but I just wish Al could bring it back into print. This book took me to a 3:18 first marathon and a 29 minute PR a year later. The author is now one of the top prep coaches in Houston.

This is a book with a series of planned distance runner workouts
to get you in shape for the time you want to run. If you want to run a 40 minute 10K or a 34 minute 10K, the author has got the workouts for 7 days a week that run for months until you are ready to peak. Lots of track workouts, tempo and distance runs. I got in great shape following the workouts for my goal; however, the workouts are tough. I used to do the workouts for a goal a minute slower than my true goal because the workouts were a little too tough. I think the workouts set for specific times were really keyed to make you faster than the time you were training for. If you want to have a planed training program and run your optimum, this is it.

I have used this book to enhance my training for 5k to the Marathon. It is easy to use and makes a lot of sense. I have also had the pleasure of getting additional help from Al in person. He is my idea of what a coach should be.

No matter how much experience you have as a runner, this guide can help you achieve any goal. It is too bad it is out of print; my copy has swelled with rain water from sitting at trackside, been stepped on coming back from workouts, and generally seen more mileage than any of my shoes. Now, if only it would come back into print, I could replace it. The book outlines workout schedules, means to recover from injury, and nearly any other information you might need.

Provides a concise and creative discussion of the economic and political dimension of global financial reform. --David Hale, Global Chief Economist, Zurich Group

Examines G8 policy dynamics over the last 30 years with rare vigour and insight. Both a sensible blueprint for a new international financial system, and the definitive handbook for a new kind of governance within the G8 architecture. --Dr Yoichi Funabashi, Deputy Editor for Economic Affairs, Asahi Shimbun

A welcome addition to the literature on this important global network. Significant and accessible contributions to the study of the G7/G8. --Millennium: Journal of International Studies

This is a first-rate piece of work that contributes significantly to our understanding of the current state and future prospects for stability and order in the international financial system. --Michael Hawes, Queen's University

Although the authors are senior established figures assessing the world establishment, they nonetheless reach some lively and controversial conclusions. It is a well-written and carefully considered overview of the problems of patching up the international monetary structure, as seen primarily from the viewpoint of the G7, at the very end of the last century. --Charles Goodhart, London School of Economics and Political Science