Phillips Books

This is the eleventh book in Chaosium's Cthulhu Cycle series. This volume features tales of Lovecraft's most well-known creation, the octopus-headed entity, Cthulhu. Included are the foundational stories (i.e. "The Call Of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft and "The Black Island" by August W. Derleth), some rare reprints (i.e. "Some Notes Concerning A Green Box" by Alan Dean Foster) and some interesting new stories of Cthulhu in the modern world (i.e. "Rude Awakening" by Will Murray). In any collection the stories are of varied quality but I enoyed the majority of the works collected. If you are a reader of Lovecraft's Mythos fiction then this is a must for your library.

The Cthulhu Cycle

THE CTHULHU CYCLE and THE DISCIPLES OF CTHULHU are some of the best collections that Chaosium has put together. THE CTHULHU CYCLE is marked by strong writing and and classic tales pertaining to Cthulhu. Something included that I have missed from some of the other anthologies is the editor's notes that discuss academically the stories and their part in the development of the Mythos. Having certain influences pointed out is helpful to those who are familiar enough with Lovecraft's work to want more depth.

"A Shop in Go-By Street" by lord Dunsany: A few phrases on an idol in a reliquary seem to have sparked the first half of Lovecraft's famous story. Knowing that Dunsany strongly influenced HPL, I appreciated seeing one of his stories included.

"Count Magnus" by MR James: I'm not sure that this strongly ties in with the theme, but James is an excellent writer of terror and horror, and this is one of his better stories.

"The Call of Cthulhu" by that guy. You don't expect it to be missing, do you?

"The Black Islnad" by August Derleth: I have a beef about Derleth's "Shrewbury cycle." The guy is like some Scooby-Doo mystery gang, globe-trotting and solving mysteries. It has the feel of organized resistance to the Old Ones, and winning to boot. But, being the influence that he has been, Derleth's work deserves to be there.

"Patiently Waiting" is a story from Inspector Lagrasse's point of view, as he deals with cults and Things Man Was Not Meant To Know (tm). As with other stories in this collection, the characters are fleshed out along with their emotions and motivations.

"Recrudescence": this is an interesting story about a different cult, a different god, and a different mechanism for release. I've seen something similar in "The Greatest Adventure" by Eric Temple Bell, but otherwise it is an original plot device involving the stored bio-energy of dead species.

"Black Fire": Usually I don't care for lovecraftian stories where the good-guys triumph - it seems like a contradiction in terms. HPL's vision is that the universe doesn't care if there is a happy ending. In "Black Fire", a carefully-laid plan for the return of the Old Ones is thwarted by a simple man doing the only thing he can think of to stop the destruction. His great sacrifice saves the day, even as the next trap leading to man's destruction begins to unfold elsewhere. It has the feel of inevitable doom that we all know and love, but our capacity to sacrifice for the good of others makes the horror more poignant (if we are mere brutes with no redeeming and enduring qualities, it is hard to feel regret for our passing).

"Zombies from R'Lyeh": The main strength of this piece for me was the author's development of the setting. His description and invocation of tropical seas and islands is a siren song, and the horror is more personal when I feel the longing to be in the same place. I am now seriously considering dropping my thesis work and becoming a pirate to sail the tropical seas. Yar, be forewarned!

Dark Horse Six is a remarkable book. Written by a fighting Battalion CO, the book gives insights into our Korean War Marines from rifleman to Regimental commander, from planners to assault troops, from grunt to MAG close air support.

I was on Wantuck, APD 125, when we picked up I/3/5 at Pusan and took them into the assault at Green Beach at Inchon. The book gave me insights into many questions I have had for 57 years.

One thing that always bothered me was why I/3/5 seemed to be conducting a little Boot Camp during the 5 days we had them aboard. Another was why, over the years, I've met many veterans from G/3/5 and H/3/5, but never any of the troops that I helped carry into the assault on our LCVPs. I now realize I/3/5 badly needed their basic weapons re-familiarization. They had been in the reserves, driving buses or pumping gas only two months before being thrown into an infantry company and facing and defeating NK veterans on Wolmi-do. And they continued to face and defeat them at the Han and at Seoul. And they went on to face 12 Chinese divisions at Chosen. About 76 days after we assaulted Inchon, a bare 20 of those 200 Marines we debarked were still standing.

Dark Horse Six gives similar insights into the ordeal of G/3/5 and H/3/5; into the battle for survival of Division Recon Company; into the desperate seconds when Corsairs flew just overhead, pouring supporting fire and napalm on almost overwhelming enemy forces only yards away; into the crisis moments when life or death decisions were made and paid for by the lives of ordinary men.

We are so fortunate that Col. Taplett managed to get Dark Horse Six printed before he died. If you care about our magnificent Marine Corps, if you care about any of our sons and brothers in any of our military services who defend our nation with their lives, you will be entranced by Dark Horse Six. If you can find a copy.

Semper Fi and GO NAVY!
Bert Kortegaard
[...]

Dark Horse Six, is the combat memoir of Colonel Robert D. Taplett. He was the commander of one of the USMC's most famed battalions, the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment, during the first year of fighting in Korea. His battalion's radio call sign during the bitter fighting against the Chinese was Dark Horse. After 50 years he has decided to tell his story. He wants the deeds of his Marine's put into the record. The mistakes of combat, planning and egos are here as well. His experience was on the front lines, not theorizing behind some desk. THIS IS A WARRIOR'S STORY!

Welshman Jones Griffiths is one of the world's foremost photojounralists, and it's hard to believe that this is first book in since his highly influential 1971 work "Vietnam, Inc." This collection opens with a six striking early portraits from Wales and England in the 1950s-60s. The most memorable is of a litlte boy about to smash a large rock on top of a pian aso left in a scrap heap. These represent his budding career taking shots in his spare time, and are remarkable for the amount of expression he is able to capture, whether it's on the faces of weary coal miners, wary schoolchildren, or waiting mourners.

Following a laudatory introduction by New Yorker writer Murray Sayle, the bulk of the book is comprised of Jones Griffiths' international work, undertaken as a member (and president) of the presitgious Magnum photographers cooperative. His photography is informed by a strong sense of compassion and empathy for the victims of opression and war. The compositions are strong and many of the images are loaded with stark symbolism. From the very front of the book we get shots of a fat white missionary in knee high socks standing amidst natives in New Guinea, scantily clad European tourists lounging with drinks by a river in Gambia, a white Rhodesian golfer considering her shot with three black caddies and the African savannah in the background.

His series of ten photos from Northern Ireland in the early '70s is loaded with surreal and striking images: a soldier crouches behind a wall in a garden while a woman mows the lawn right behind him; another soldier is prone behind sandbags on a street while women push strollers past him; one of the best portraits in the book is of a grim-faced paratrooper reloads a CS gun. A middle section is scattered with a hodgepodge of images from around the world from the 60s to the early 90s. The book ends with forty images from Vietnam and Camodia, most of which are from his three years there during the war and also appear in Vietnam, Inc.

Defintely a must have for anyone interested in photojournalism.

Phillip Jones Griffiths is one of the greatest living photographers today. This is no small achievement, and can only be clearly understood examining his photographs.
Griffiths is probably best known for his book "Vietnam, Inc." (many of those photographs are included in this edition) but many of his greatest are contained in this superb volume, including some images of the weary, haunted faces of the children of Wales, his birthplace.
Being Welsh, and on the recieving end of British expansionism, Griffiths clearly sympathises (and rightly so) with the Vietnamise civilians (on the recieving end of French AND American expansionism)whose pleading expressions demonstrate clearly how much Americans were "helping" them evade the "evil grip of communism".
If I were to own ONE book of photographs, I would without hesitation choose this volume, for it's images are not only an important documentation of one of the darkest pieces of American history, but an amazing and invaluable work of art.

This book was a little bit more exciting than the first, My Father's World. The detail in this book is not overlooked by the authors. The characters show strong Christian values and at the same time show weaknesses, as we all have. It makes the characters seem very real and almost concrete. I recommend this book highly! The authors keep the book going, drawing you into it more and more. It was hard to put down! Enjoy!

Michael Phillips and Judith Pella have worked together well to tell the believable story of a girl and her spiritual growth. This book, which immediately follows MY FATHER'S WORLD is one of a series chronicling the life of Corrie Belle Hollister. The inner thoughts and feelings of this young woman are sensitively expressed. One can easily become absorbed in the adventurous tales involving Corrie and her siblings. I would highly recommend this book as a realistic representation of how, with careful guidance and love, a young person can be lead to a close and mature relationship with God. It truly touched and inspired me.

Dorothy Simpson writes excellent books in the British cozy-mystery genre, and, in a gentle style of her own, she introduces us to villains who are not so much evil as just prone to making mistakes. I've read all of her works, and I eagerly look forward to more.

She treats all of her characters, police detectice Thanet and those he must investigate, with a careful compassion and a gentle probing into motives and actions. Her novels are not psychological studies; instead they are journeys into wisdom as we learn to understand the hearts of all the characters, Thanet and his family included. I feel that her approach can be labeled "unique" in a genre which is usually so cookie-cutter repetitive. Treat yourself to reading this book, or any of her works!

This is the first mystery by Dorothy Simpson where I actually figured out the culprit before Inspector Thanet. What I love about D. Simpson's books are the detail. Her characters are fully realized, you see them with all their faults and foibles. And this book is very timely, but I can't say more than that, because I'd spoil some of the mystery. Another thing I enjoy about D. Simpson's series, is that you really believe there is an Inspector Thanet. We're taken along with him when he goes home (I suggest you find the very first book and read all of them in sequence - because you find out about his wife and two children - their struggles in childrearing AND Thanet's problems in dealing with a wife who wants to work outside the home)as well as out and about interviewing suspects. D. Simpson's books are always very rich - with characters, motives, settings. I've never been to England, but with D. Simpson's talents for description, I'm there in Kent with Thanet. I can't wait to read her latest, which is coming out in February.

dancing.... is more than an entertaining book. It's scope and insight that your behavior style +behavior orientaton and how they reveal your personal social style is very insightful. One of the few books that I would not only recommend to my friends but one of the few I find worth buying and giving as a help.

I read this book in college for a psychology class and I have since given my book away several times. It is a must read, as it provides insight to one's self and others; yet is not inclusive to anyone person. For myself personally, I learnt a great deal about my personality that I knew but never had brought to my attention. Also that kind of person that I am attracted too, how my personality directs my work habits and my fun moments. A great book for couples to read through together...I'm going to send a copy to my boyfriend. :)

This book is such an eye opener! I can't believe how these two men are able to help society with such an emotional topic. Soon as I picked up the book I could not put it down. This is a book that you must read. It would be great for students, parents, and therapists. I even bought a book for my mother, and she thought it was such a good book to have she bought 5 copies for my family members. Listen! just buy the book, if I'm wrong you can email, and I'll buy the book back (of corse at a 90% off discount). Serious it is a great book, and I wish the Authors nothing but success.

This book provides great case examples of the author's assessment of people who display sexually deviant behavior! The core content sections following each chapter provide very useful tools and examples of styles of questionning during assessments as well as for use in case practice for professionals. Once I started reading this book I found the information so compelling that I only put it down to go to sleep! I finished it the next morning. This is a very useful book for anyone working with families and children! I strongly recommend this book for resource information as well as practical tools!

HAVE YOU EVER LISTENED TO SOMEONE PRAY AND ACTUALLY "FELT" AS IF GOD WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE LISTENING?

THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL WHEN I READ THIS BOOK - IT'S ALMOST AS IF GOD IS TURNING THE PAGES.

THIS IS NOT LIGHT READING, NOR IS IT FILLED WITH CLICHES. FOR THE READER WHO WANTS IN-DEPTH REALITY ON THE PERSON OF GOD INTERSPERSED WITH SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL POETRY IMAGINABLE, THIS IS ON MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE LIST. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR!

It took me quite awhile to get through this book only because it was very thought provoking. I would read a small section and then sit and reflect on it. Even though I disagreed on a few issues, it was worth the read to reflect on another opinion and solidify my own. I feel I drew closer to God. Having read the poems introducing the chapters, I now want to read other MacDonald poems. I also liked the connections at the end of each chapter to MacDonald's fiction.

Classical, playful, sensual, and erotic combined in a single unique book that you will enjoy and interpret differently every time you open it up.

Tim Phillips is a thinking man's photographer. The central idea behind this work is so simple, yet so pregnant with feeling. There is something about a beautiful, naked girl prancing about in the murky labyrinth of the night that inspires a distinct sense of tension. Her glowing, naked body stands in stark contrast to the blackness surrounding her. Feelings of beauty and desire mix with those of fear and repulsion. And it's this incongruity that propels the entire work. It's fascinating.

This book brought back so many childhood memories! I loved how Mr. Greenleaf kept the old Irish charm with the modern revision. Great Job! My nieces and nephews couldn't get enough of the stories and kept asking me to read them again. I also really like the artwork of Mr. Quigley. I definately look forward to any future works of Mr. Greenleaf. A definate MUST HAVE!!!!

Joseph greenleaf has updated this set of classical fairy stories without losing any of the flavor of the original. The illustrations are wonderful, the stories fun to hear or to read. My next suggestion to Mr. Greenleaf is that he produce a CD so that travelers can enjoy these wonderful tales while on the road.