Phillips Books

With the blast of a 12 guague point blank. His work comes straight off the street, undiluted by romanticism or the glorification of violence. Its an attempt to convey the life of a beat coop without cliche or comedy. Mahoneys poetry is a self defense reaction against the unbearable senslessness of suffering. He cannot save souls, he can only catch the bodies

Seems every Catholic knows someone, a close friend, a relative, possibly even a spouse, who has been "evangelized" by one of our well intentioned protestant brethryn with the question "Are you born again?" or "Is your salvation assured?" It's the rare Catholic brought up through the doctrinally confusing post-Vatican II 60's and 70's who can answer those questions confidently and in keeping with scripture and traditional Church teaching. But, answers there are - sound, Scripture based answers at that! And this booklet has them, and more.

Based on the author's foreward, "A Note to the Reader," I would assume that this booklet is intended not to convert or proslytize protestant fundamentalists to the Catholic faith, but to equip Catholics with basic understanding of the Scripture and Tradition associated with all of the fundamentalist "hard spots," i.e. papal authority, salvation, the mass and Holy Communion, devotion to Mary (Did you know Martin Luther continued his devotion to the Holy Rosary after his defection from the Catholic church?), and even Creationism. There is an appendix that discusses the origins of the bible, in particular the role of the Catholic church in developing the Canon of Sacred Scripture.

In essence, this booklet provides "overview" level information on everything you need to know to defend the fullness of the Catholic faith from "bible-only" christians. And it does it in less than 100 pages. For five bucks, you will not find a better deal on the Catholic Apologetics bookshelves.

For those who would like to delve a little deeper into the subject, I would recommend "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" by Karl Keating (the benchmark book for defending Catholicism against "anti-Romanist" zealots) and perhaps some of the more scholarly materials written by Scott Hahn. Of course, besides a good Catholic bible, every Catholic should own a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the new accompanying Compendium. You will find them intellectually and spiritually enlightening, reader-friendly, and reasonably priced.

Disclosure: My review includes only the original 1984 edition (64 pages). The latest version, in keeping with the times, encompasses new material based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 2003 and delves briefly into Islamic Fundamentalism. I look forward to reading the new version.

end of review

Perfect holiday gift for cat lovers, lovers of photography or poetry! Quirky haiku accompany beautiful photographs. Lovingly put together and edited!

How close did Great Britain and the North come to blows while the American Civil War raged? Not as close as previously though, according to Caution and Cooperation author Phillip E. Myers. In his book, Myers goes against the commonly held belief that British involvement in the Civil War was imminent several times during that conflict. Myers overturns the commonly held assumption that war was only narrowly averted between the two nations from 1861-1865 by looking at British-American relations prior to, during, and after the Civil War. Using multiple sources, especially the writing of those involved in diplomatic relations, Myers is able to demonstrate how diplomacy controlled the Civil War rather than the other way around.

Prior histories of British-American relations during the war have given undue influence to events such as the Trent Affair and the building of the Confederate raider Alabama in Great Britain. However, Myers shows that the diplomatic tradition of caution and cooperation established in the antebellum decades continued to work uninhibited by civil war. There was a "prewar rapprochement " for quite a few reasons, according to Myers, among them a common tradition, commerce and investments between the two nations, an antislavery policy, antimilitarism, Francophobia, and compromise (especially on the British side). Myers asserts that some other historians have missed this longstanding spirit of caution and cooperation by focusing exclusively on the years from 1861 to 1865.

Myers believes there was an "unsettled atmosphere" in British-American relations from the beginning of the Civil War through the Trent affair and the British and American cabinet crises of late 1862. Once President Lincoln and Prime Minister Palmerston successfully handled the Trent issue and overcame their cabinet issues, however, the antebellum status quo returned for the rest of the war. I was particularly impressed with Myers' comparison of the Lincoln and Palmerston cabinets at the end of 1862, so impressed I thought I would include the relevant paragraph here:

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The Lincoln and Palmerston cabinets began to resemble each other in their policies. Neither wanted a foreign war. Gladstone and Lewis, like Chase and Stanton, were anxious to succeed their master. Gladstone and Chase, the most ambitious ministers, embarrassed themselves. The chief executives propelled their ministers and prevailed in decision making. These similar experiences stopped war talk in both cabinets. Domestic politics were more important than risking political careers in an international war. Thus the outcomes of the cabinet crises on both sides of the Atlantic helped preserve the rapprochement.
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While reading, I was struck by Myers' continued stress on the importance of private diplomacy. The author focuses mainly on two relationships. The first was between Lord Richard Lyons, British foreign minister to America, and William Henry Seward, American Secretary of State. Lyons quickly recognized that despite some early bluster, Seward was dedicated to keeping the peace between the two nations and had Lincoln's fill support. The second was between American foreign minister to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams and British foreign secretary Lord John Russell. Adams and Russell also formed a strong team and grew to understand each other as the war progressed. Russell's actions taken to prevent more raiders like the Alabama from being built and launched from British ports did much to appease the North.

The thorny issue of the Union blockade of the Confederacy for the British government is widely discussed in Caution and Cooperation. Rather than being a divisive issue, however, Myers believes several issues involving the blockade actually helped British-American relations. First, the British recognized the Union blockade earlier than was necessary. This had a calming effect on American politicians who were worried about the threat the British posed. Second, Lincoln purposefully allowed some traffic to slip through the blockade in order to benefit British trade. Inflammatory commanders such as Charles Wilkes, prominently involved in the Trent Affair and other incidents, were transferred away from possible flash points. Cooperative leaders such as British Admiral Alexander Milne, on the other hand, were quietly given approval by both governments. Milne, for instance, was wined and dined in Washington, D.C.

Slavery played a large role in Myers' evaluation of relations between the Lion and the Eagle as well. Most British citizens, from Lord Palmerston down to the poorest of the poor, did not relish the possibility of supporting a slaveholding South. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation only magnified the issue and showed the British population that one of the North's main war aims was to eradicate slavery.

Southern attempts at diplomacy ironically strengthened British-American cooperation, says Myers. Mason and Slidell, the foreign ministers to Great Britain and France captured aboard the Trent, were terribly equipped to do the job they were sent for. Davis' strategy to withhold cotton also backfired when Great Britain saw through the scheme.

Canada initially considered a major point of concern by both sides. Britain had to worry about France as a major threat in Europe and could not spare the troops required to defend Canada. The United States worried that Great Britain might open a second front in the northern United States and attempt to break the Union blockade of the South. However, it became apparent very soon after the war started that the United States had no interest in taking Canada by force or annexation. This greatly eased British worries. At the same time, America saw that Britain had no interest in a troop build-up in Canada, instead insisting that the Canadian provinces form their own confederation and raise a militia for self-defense.

From 1863-1865, both sides worked together tirelessly and behind the scenes to make sure no incidents precipitated a war between the two powers. Throughout the book, Myers repeatedly stresses the endless reasons why neither side could afford a war with the other. Lincoln had the very obvious issue of a Civil War. Palmerston faced a potential invasion threat posed by Napoleon III and France. Both men ran governments holding power very precariously, and booth wanted to avoid any major issues with the other at all costs. Though Lincoln and Palmerston both died in 1865, British and American caution and cooperation continued unabated, just as it had for decades.

Myers uses a variety of bibliographic sources, and the book is full of end notes. The author looked at the unpublished papers of many key players, including Lincoln, Palmerston, Russell, Seward, and Adams. His treatment of private diplomacy benefits as a result. The author appears thoroughly well-versed in the historic literature on this topic, both from his discussions in the text and his lengthy notes.

Caution and Cooperation is an excellent addition to my Civil War library. Myers convincingly and repeatedly shows that private diplomacy, a reliance on a tradition of caution and cooperation, and a mutual desire to avoid war at all costs permeated British-American relations throughout the Civil War. Myers also thoroughly debunks the assertions of past historians that Great Britain and America ever came realistically close to fighting a war in the years from 1861-1865. Published by The Kent State University Press, Caution and Cooperation is a little pricey at a listed price of $55.00. However, if you follow the link to Amazon I provided earlier in the review, you can find the book for a very reasonable price. This is especially true since Myers has produced a model study which I am sure will produce much discussion on this subject in the years to come. If you are interested in Civil War era politics, foreign relations, and particularly the subject of British-American relations, you will enjoy Caution and Cooperation: The American Civil War in British-American Relations.

I would like to thank Susan L. Cash and Brett J. Neff at The Kent State University Press.

At a time when biplanes ruled the roost, Clyde Cessna "clung firmly to the concept that one wing was better than two."(34) The full cantilever wing was a significant improvement aerodynamically as well as aesthetically and became a Cessna tradition. But Cessna's production runs do not demonstrate that mass appeal was achieved. For example of the 1928 Model AA and AW series, no more than 65 units were built at a cost of approximately $6-7,000 each. From 1935-1938 only 104 of the C-34, C-37, and C-38 series were manufactured priced at between $5-7,000. The deepening depression was a reason for so few aircraft being produced; indeed the Cessna factory was closed from 1931 until 1933.

After WWII the government approved educational programs, including flight training, for returning veterans eager to get on with their lives. The post-WWII era was expected to usher in the "air age" and the Cessna 120 and 140 models were small two place monoplanes designed to serve as trainers. They incorporated new features and were reasonably priced. "Announced in the spring of 1946, the 140 represented a real value at only $3,385, equipped with a complete electrical system, manually-operated wing flaps, deluxe upholstery and rear and quarter windows. The wing incorporated aluminum spars and stamped aluminum ribs, greatly reducing both time and labor for these components."(127)

To meet demand a record number of general aviation aircraft were produced. From 1945 until 1956 a nearly 14,000 Cessna 120/140s, 170s, and 190/195s were built. These numbers are impressive but hardly represent mass appeal. Veterans, it turns out, settled down to raise families, complete their educations, and buy new cars and houses, not airplanes. Cessna's experience was not unique, but the company managed to survive. Many others did not.

This is a very readable piece of work. This is surprising for two reasons. Firstly, the author has undertaken to tackle the history of one of the central questions of all philosophy, and come up with something new to say. Secondly, he does so, and in a thoughtfully concise manner. Dr. Phillips argues that the "evergreen" appeal of relativist arguments can be found in their sceptical roots. His examination of relativism as a form of scepticism is novel and worth reading. Viewing relativism this way, for example, explains the apparent contradiction of the radical cultural relativist who will insist on absolutely nothing-- except his or her right to be a radical cultural relativist. The sceptic is only sure that he's not sure about anything. Dr.Phillips develops his insight in a way that respects this problem's history, while addressing the current urgency of these questions.

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (5/06)

Dr. Eaglin approaches the idea of teaching so that 'no child is left behind' in a way that I've never heard, or even thought of. He brings ideas and facts to the table to make one, especially one in a teaching profession, take a second look not only at how the system works but how they, as teachers, think and perform. His ideas, while not always main stream, definitely make one take a second look.

He brings to light that the reason for the drastic changes in the teaching system of the United States is because so many of the African-American and non-white children seem to have gotten lost in the system; the changes and theories proposed to change this problem simply don't add up. He brings to light that the average teacher is a male, European-American (white), educated person. The average teacher therefore has no clue what the non-white students truly need or think as he's given a very biased training that has been accepted and even applauded for too many years.

Dr. Eaglin doesn't scream racism. He doesn't cry poverty for the African-American child. He does, however, cry inaccuracy. He feels that most teachers aren't presented with a truthful approach of what the average black child needs to learn. They're taught that "all children are alike", look at them through non-colored glasses because everyone's the same. The harsh reality is, they are NOT all the same. They all have differences and instead of combining all the differences into one lump, educators should learn how to teach WITH these differences instead of against. He takes one teacher, Carl, and not only retrains him to think differently than originally taught (proving old dogs can learn new tricks) but actually watches as Carl not only change his methods of teaching but find enjoyment in seeing kids he would have otherwise cast aside as 'not interested' and somewhat 'unteachable,' becoming enthusiastic and motivated about learning.

In particular the science field is where many non-white children seem to be left behind. Dr. Eaglin's theory on why they are left behind is simple yet something most would not even think of. Most people think African-American can't learn because of their circumstances, whether that be poverty, lack of a good home life or lack of an educated parent. Almost as if we just simply expect the child, because of his color, to be less of a person. We accept, as teachers, that the black kid is going to learn slower. We expect less of them, simply based on what we were taught. One instance that stands out to me when I read this book is the comment made by one teacher to her teaching assistant that there are two groups of black children. She will find that there are the 'white-blacks' and the 'black-blacks', meaning that some act just like the white kids and come from middle class to wealthy families while others are basically unable to perform up to those 'white kids' standards. While most would look at this comment as not only very racist but very biased and inappropriate, it was completely accepted amongst her peers as she spoke the words in a teacher's lounge. It was an accepted thought... not that the black kids were 'less' but basically, they were expected to perform at a lesser level based simply on their 'blackness'.

Dr. Eaglin provides not only insight as to the problems of many of the teaching standards and ways of thought but helps to show that if we begin to EXPECT more and challenge ALL students more, in particular the African-American students, we will get better results. If they're expected to perform very little and learn only minimum amounts, that's what they will give us.

"Changing Expectations so that No Child Will Be Left Behind" is enlightening and informative. Any teacher, whether old or new, would not only fare well from reading Eaglin's theories and techniques but would end up realizing that while they may truly think we live in a colorless world when it comes to schools and teaching, we simply do not. There ARE differences and we need to not only encompass these differences by making the information we provide to our students something that ALL would learn from but acknowledge these differences and show how they can still be used in a positive way.

A favorite concept I enjoyed was an instance where another instructor was approached and asked, why do you focus on plants in this science class that most kids and in particular most all of these black kids would never even remotely see, let alone care about? Why, instead, do you not offer that everyone bring a plant in from their neighborhood to study and learn about. You will not only encompass a difference amongst the group of students but will keep everyone's attention as it pertains to not only finding out something new for the kids not of this ethnic background but learning about something FROM these different ethnic backgrounds. Think about it, a Russian immigrant is not going to grow the same flowers and edible plants and produce in their gardens as a white Anglo-Saxon or an African-American. Some may not have gardens but only weeds around but have not clue about those weeds. What Dr. Eaglin promotes is not only acknowledging these differences in life style due to ethnic background but encompassing them so ALL of the children in the class can learn.

I applaud the author for not only giving a very comprehensive view of the teaching world today but giving answers as to how to actually, truly create a "No Child Left Behind" atmosphere that can thrive.

John Phillips has done extensive, thorough research and presents a game-by-game, play-by-play summary of the Cleveland Spiders during 1897. That was the year a talented rookie named Louis Sockalexis came up from Notre Dame and electrified the baseball world with his speedy running, hot hitting, and spectacular plays in the outfield. A Penobscot Indian from Maine, Sockalexis attracted both admiration and derision from the crowds and sportswriters, who soon began calling the whole team the "Indians."

Phillips also details the fine work of the other Spiders-future Hall-of-Famers Cy Young and Jesse Burkett, Bobby Wallace, Ed McKean, and of course their colorful manager, Oliver "Patsy" Tebeau.

I recommend this book for any serious reader of baseball. (Copies can be found on EBay.)

It is 1974, and Ines has just turned thirteen. Her family, wealthy Portuguese colonialists in Mozambique, celebrate her birthday on their private island. The revolution, they believe, is still far away in the bush.

Within hours, all this will change, violently. With shocking yet poetic economy of language, Anthony Fleischer narrates Ines� tragedies and successes amidst the chaos and cruelty of war, in a compact novel you will not want to put down.

As Ines struggles to recover, survive, and literally come to life, we learn the horror and futility of a nation�s struggle to break down colonialism. The �new order� is only a new elitism: it brings a complete breakdown that leaves the people starving amidst civil war. The mindless barbarity of the African soldiers is balanced by the selfless love and dedication of the Africans who surround and protect Ines.

Fleischer captures our imagination in this gripping, fast-paced adventure. He writes with understatement and rich irony. His portrayal of Ines is stunning in its empathy for her as a woman. As she reels from catastrophes and retreats to the brink of insanity, she comes to terms with her destiny. She resolves her once-unquestioned Catholicism with the spiritual beliefs of the Africans around her. Through her and her beloved Pedro, we learn of these beliefs and of the people indigenous to this splendid region. Then, we witness a rite of the Zulus of mystical Maputaland, further enriching our experience of Africa and bringing this beautiful book to a memorable close.

Fleischer is a South African who knows the people and places he describes. Adamastor is the god of storms: his "children" are fictional, but the world of their tempests, so accurately detailed yet so remote from our own, is entirely real. Real also is the utter humanity of his characters.

The chocolate cake is an desert and celebratory icon. Chocolate Cakes: 20 Fabulously Indulgent Cakes by British confectionary expert Tom Philips showcases twenty superb chocolate cakes, each of which would make any special occasion truly memorable. After providing basic introduction information on chocolate, techniques of cake baking, cakes and sponges, fillings, coverings, and equipment, the fully illustrated, "kitchen cook friendly" recipes follow. The selected cakes comprising this outstanding and highly recommended compendium of specialized recipes includes: Praline Chequerboard Torte; Hedgehog; Chocolate Flower; Choc Cherry Fondant; Square Box of Chocolates; Ultimate Chocolate Truffle Cake; Chocolate Panel Cake; Bitter Fruity Ganache Cake; Round Chocolate Box; Valentine's Love Heart; Vertical Layer Torte; Yle Log; Christmas Tree; Floral Trail; White Wedding Dream; Fairy Cake Tower; Chocolate Croquembouche; Forever Frills; Easter Basket; and Tower of Flowers. Enhanced with templates, a list of suppliers, and an index, Chocolate Cakes is an elegant, mouth-watering, palate pleasing collection of truly tempting confections.