R Books

This is an excellent book, with very good illustrations, that is an excellent introduction to paleontology for any age. The information is up to date, and the author makes a case that we should not abandon reason and evidence to hang on to select sentences in the Bible as being literally true.

To me there is no problem with the belief that there is a God as well as the belief in Evolution, as seen from the fossil record. Who is to say that evolution was not the way creation was started, while the story was simplified in the Bible?

I especially enjoyed the section on the evolution of dinosaurs. My only quibble is that the print was a bit small, as most technical books are.

There are a few recent books on religion, science, skepticism, and evolution that will probably go down in history as the "great ones". In that mix I include Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World and Sam Harris's The End of Faith. Donald Prothero's book should certainly be included among such prestigious company!

Prothero's book is simply stellar. An outstanding overview of the fossil record of evolution. As beautifully written as it is well referenced. A devastating corrective to creationist nonsense.

Dr. Donald Prothero is clearly a leading paleontologist and highly qualified to write a book about the fossil evidence's support of neo-Darwinian theory. His research and field experience place him at the top of the list of experts in this arena. He has, so it seems, fallen prey to the angry war raging between evolutionists and creationists. By this I mean that he has allowed his frustration with the bad pseudo-science of young earth creationists burst forth in such a rage in this book that it takes away from the true meat of what it could have been. Evan after saying that, I want to make it clear that I am not one of the radical young earth creationists who Prothero attacks in this book.

Dr. Prothero's venomous anger at creationism, particularly the young earth group, rings clear and loud. The book is entitled Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters, not Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why I Hate Creationists with Every Fiber of My Being, though the latter would be a much more descriptive title. He spends quite a large part of his monograph discrediting the creationists and deservedly so, especially when considering their scientific dishonesty (i.e., ICR's recent 2 volume "report" on radiometric dating and the age of the earth, quite expensive, lengthy, and full of unscientific speculation that should discredit them, but probably won't because of the general scientific illiteracy in this country). Even though the creation "scientists" deserve discrediting, the venomous name-calling in Dr. Prothero's book demonstrates his unwillingness to show a higher integrity level than they. He even resorts to comparing them with holocaust deniers!

I am not a trained paleontologist, so I cannot speak to the accuracy of the fossil evidence that he present in the book. Prothero's book is quite informative and much of it was quite demonstrative of evolution, certainly taking its place as a part of the significant amount of evidence. There are, however, a few areas that need addressing.

First, Dr. Prothero claims to have a rather extensive knowledge of biblical scholarship and presents a brief outline of the Wellhausen source hypothesis (a.k.a., JEPD). Contrary to his presentation, this hypothesis is anything but controversial. After discussing Prothero's discussion and references with a "real" Hebrew scholar (a member of the Old Testament translation team for both the NIV and NLT), I can confidently say that Prothero is presenting as mainstream an outdated hypothesis that, particularly since Cyrus Gordon's work, is now supported by an every shrinking percentage of Old Testament scholars. Prothero goes even further in his misrepresentation here by repeatedly saying that this hypothesis applies to the whole Old Testament. This is clearly an error that is difficult to explain. Even the most hardlined advocates of JEPD are clear that it only applies to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). This is very much like the methodology of the creationists that Dr. Prothero so aggressively lambastes.

The second area that drew a red flag for me was his confident presentation of the old primordial soup hypothesis for the origin of life. He presents the 50 year old experiment creating amino acids in the lab and a handful more experiments that have created some more amino acids as immensely successful. It was in its time but the lack of significant further developments has been significantly disappointing. He continues with a couple of highly speculative hypotheses regarding catalysis and common clay as replication templates, later to be succeeded by nucleic acid. I was quite surprised by his confident presentation in a field which I thought was so highly speculative as be nearly as unknown as the first few microseconds after the Big Bang. To verify my concern I checked with an acquaintance of mine who is a professor of chemistry in Texas (at a research university, not just a teaching one - another criticism Dr. Prothero makes). He informed me that my concerns were right on, saying, "Yes, the old simple soup picture is passé in chemistry, if not biology texts. ... [T]he guesses about clays seem to be more fashionable now. Frankly, we dunno and it's only good science to admit it."

The third problematic area of intellectual integrity came in his chapter on human evolution. He does a fine job of presenting the rather speculative field of human descent. I'm quite fond of his discussion on our genomic similarity to chimpanzees. I found it particularly interesting that we seem to be closer cousins with the chimps than any other pair of closely related animals are to each other - quite impressive data that I've also seen verified elsewhere.

His presentation of humans and Neanderthals being distinct species is not uncommon, but his insistence (aggressively so) on it is a bit overdone. Of my three areas of concern, this is the one where I am personally the weakest to address. I did remember a biological anthropologist friend of mine who mentioned to me once that the jury was still out in this area. I presented Prothero's arguments and figures to him for comment. (Before I present his response, I should point out that this anthropologist friend specializes in human bones and has even helped the FBI's forensics team when they were unable to make any progress in identifying the skeleton of a murder victim. In addition to the usual age, gender, and size of the victim, this man was able to determine the exact type of knife used as the murder weapon (a rather obscure one used in packing plants), that the man was ambidextrous, and that he was Guatemalan - all from the skeleton only. His ability to determine the race is particularly relevant here.) He pointed out to me that Dr. Prothero used two of the most different skulls available to compare modern humans with Neanderthals, pointing out that Neanderthal and Australian Aboriginal skulls are actually quite similar, enough at least to convince this gentleman as well as his graduate adviser (the renown C. Loring Brace of the Univ. of Mich.) of the possibility that Neanderthals are actually a human subspecies. This is not to say that they believe this to be true. It's just a possibility - one that Prothero clearly dismisses. (The anthropologist friend of mine was clear to tell me that he is not up to date with the latest genomic comparison that Prothero refers to.)

Having said all this, I feel I need to add that, when discussing fossils and their relation to evolution, as well as the importance of improving scientific education in this country, Prothero is excellent. Unfortunately, his anger with creationists and the above mentioned issues tend to discredit his objectivity. It left me questioning whether his otherwise quite well done presentation of what the title indicates the book is about is as objective as it needs to be. I was trying to decide between 2 stars and 3 - I chose 3 because of the good points in the book.

A society driving an eminent scientist to produce a book such as this is in need of some serious reflective thinking. Prothero's account is not the first such investigation of the clash of science and superstition, but it ranks as one of the most thorough and revealing. Although this is a work of science, it is also a campaign manifesto. The author is eager to expose the fallacies of "Christian" creationism and the duplicitous methods used to foster it. The account may appear strident in some places, but it's too well researched - at many levels - and too well written to dismiss it as purely polemical. Above all, it's a needed work, deserving serious attention.

Evolution, he declares forthrightly, is real. The fossils support it in too many ways to be subjected to doubt. Those who try to erode the idea or dismiss the evidence are mistaken, misdirected and often malicious in their methods. Let there be no uncertainty, the panorama of life is there to see. There are many ways of confirming how animal life has varied over time and Prothero takes us through the analysis tools used to assess the evidence. Radiometric dating should be well understood by now, but creationists still find ways to attempt to challenge it. We learn about taxonomy and cladistics, one of the more arcane aspects of fossil analysis. Molecular analysis, what DNA can tell us about the past is, of course, the fastest growing field in palaeontology.

These tools, applied to the fossils and the environment they were found in, establish the relationships demonstrating that challenging evolution is a meaningless enterprise. Still, the challengers continue to emerge. Prothero's prime target in his account is Duane Gish. The Institute for Creation Research. Gish, who seems to have been around at least since the Noachean Flood, still plods the lecture circuit, where Prothero demolished his presentation at least once. Prothero notes that ICR publications, and Gish's lecture presentations are, at best two decades behind what real research has revealed. Prothero is scathing about those who can write of palaeontology without even gotten their hands dirty doing field work. Even creationism's illegitimate offspring, "Intelligent Design", fares no better in the author's hands. If a "designer" was involved in prompting evolution, It botched the job. Why so many forms of wings, for example, when one or two would suffice? Wings and hands are physically related through what palaeontologists call "homology". As Prothero ably demonstrates, adaptations of similar bone arrangements through time produced wings and hands in various animals. Creationists, who continue to call for "missing links" want the entire process lined out in exquisite detail. That's not likely in the world in which fossils form.

Prothero then describes the emergence of early life. His discussion of the Cambrian Period - once referred to as the "Cambrian Explosion" - and its precursor "The Garden of Ediacara" makes an excellent read. He goes on to the value of invertebrate fossils, most notably the formenifera, in showing the slow, but discernable progress of life over time. Vertebrates, who form the beginnings of our own body plan with a backbone, brain and vision systems, are well depicted. In "The Great Leap Upward", he explains how some of those vertebrates learned to live on land. The lobe-finned fishes led the way, and the recent find of Tiktaalik in Canada, gives much information on how they did it. More significant is the revelation of what body plan changes could lead to dinosaurs, primates, and us.

In his conclusion, "Why Does It Matter?", the author answers the question in two ways. First, he castigates his fellow "Christians" for using deceit and deception in thinking they are reinforcing their faith by deluding others about the validity of evolution. The story of the roots of who we are is too important to dismiss or take lightly. Such tactics must be kept out of classrooms - particularly in the US where Constitutional strictures apply [lucky US!]. Most important of all, he urges, the movement is creating a scientifically illiterate population. In a highly competitive technological world, such a condition bodes ill. Denial of evolution, he notes, reaches into domestic realms such as health care and agriculture. Allowing ideologues influence into the political realm is liable to result bad decisions with long-term effects. How to avoid such ill-considered eventualities? The place to start is here, by reading this book carefully, shedding as much as possible preconceived notions about life and how it works. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Night of the Living Dummy is a Goosebumps book by R.L Stine. It's a great book because it's kind of scary, because a girl named Lindy and her sister Kris were walking around the block and they swear they saw a kid hanging out of the dumpster. As Lindy walked closer she realized that it was a dummy. So when she got home she named the dummy Slappy. That night it came to life and started to cause trouble. I recommend this book third through fifth grade, because it would be too frightening. I give this book 5 starS because I like scary fiction stories.

This book isn't to bad. it was very enjoyable. It's a good book for kids 12 and over. I love R.L. Stiens's books whaen i was a kid. I still will read goosebumps when i can't find nothing else. This is probably the best kid's sereis books out there. Night Of The Living Dummy was pretty intense. It Is a good book.

Wow, this book was awsome really awsome toatally triple awsome! I thought this was better than Night of the living dummy 2! I wonder why it shows Slappy on the cover of the book but the main ventriloquist dummy is Mr. Wood which on the other hand isn't as cool and evil as Slappy. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

The books in the Goosebumps series regularly seem to take the vein of a morality tale (of a twisted sort) where one virtue, evil, personality flaw, or issue is taken up as the focus of the story, and Night of the Living Dummy is no exception. The order of the day here is competition...in this volume we meet twins Lindy and Kris Powell who are constantly competing, arguing, trying out do, out wit, and one-up one another. Their parents are frazzled and fed up with these beautiful twins who seem to frequently cross the line into cruelty and viciousness, and often behaving without sympathy toward one another and others.

As we join them, the twins are exploring the house across the way from theirs when Lindy discovers a ventriloquist dummy in the construction dumpster...even better he appears to be in excellent shape. To Kris' horror, Lindy keeps the dummy, which Kris initially distains as stupid, gross, and boring. Shortly after finding him, Lindy manages to gain some skill and when her act becomes popular with their classmates...popular enough to get her some gigs doing birthday parties with her act, Kris decides that she too MUST have a dummy. Her parents initially rebuke her, dummies are expensive and try to get the girls to share which outrages Lindy...she becomes quite cruel toward her sister calling her a copy cat and really wanting this one thing for herself.

When their father manages to conveniently stumble upon a second dummy in a second hand shop for a good price, it seems like the problem is solved...but Lindy is still angry at her sister for trying to steal her thunder and begins to pose the dummy so that it appears to be alive, frightening her sister terribly...when the secret is revealed, Kris is crushed...but shortly after the dummy DOES come to life and the twins are left without their parents support (they are just fed up with talk and whining about the dummies to hear a single thing more about them). Will the girls be able to stop Mr. Wood? Will he make them his slaves? You'll have to read to find out...what you get is always different than what you expect with these stories, and Night of the Living Dummy is no exception, it does have a signature "got ya" moment at the end.

Overall, Night of the Living Dummy is well written and the characters are simple but adequately written. The girls are sympathetic in some instances and not in others...there are times in the story when you think they are getting what they deserve for the way they behaved...but in the end, you want them to pull out of it and save themselves from Mr. Wood. At the very end, just when you think it's all going to be ok, boo...an abrupt shock at the end and the story is over, leaving the reader wondering how the girls will get out of their predicament...this one reeks of sequel, which I understand there are several of. I give it five stars, this is much better written than some of the other books I've read in the series and for taking something that's already kind of creepy (the dummy) and making it horrific several times over.

Lindy and her sister Kris discover an old dummy in a dumpster walking home one day. The dummy is in perfectly good shape and they can't understand why somebody threw the dummy away. Lindy decides to keep it so she names it Slappy. Lindy tries Slappy out on two of the kids her and Kris babysit. Slappy is an instant success. Kris becomes extremly jealous so Lindy decides to keep him. Lindy and Kris's dad buys Kris a dummy of her own which upsets Lindy causing her to play a mean practical joke on Kris. But soon after Kris gets her dummy, strange things start happening. No way it could be Mr. Wood (Kris' dummy) right?

When I started out reading this book, I was very skeptical, and I did not want to read something, that was set in the 1800's. I was pleasantly surprised though, because of what I learned about those times. I loved the characters and thought that they just fit together, especially Lorna and Jens. The book was romantic, but definitely had tragic and horrible moments, as well. This was a great novel, with an expected ending, but I really did enjoy this book a lot.

and this book proves she is at the top! I enjoyed this book even though it was a tear jerker.

Levyrle Spencer can just make you feel what her characters are feeling so effortlessly that you laugh and cry with them and almost forget that they are not real.
Lorna and Jens are one of her most real characters and their situation is also so real. The way they are helpless against their attraction to each other even after knowing it would be disastrous was so beautifully written that you could feel the sexual tension yourself whenever they were together.
Lorna was a rich girl but not spoilt at all. And Jens was poor but too ambitious and proud to become one of the servents in house for Lorna. Their attraction, like it always happens in Levyrle Spencer's romances, grew with each of their meetings to an extent that it was almost unbearable for me(and i suppose all the readers). It became something too strong and inevitable to ignore anymore. I especially liked the scene when Lorna asked Jens if he was ever going to kiss her, "I have considered ordering you to, but it didn't work before." How sweet!
People like Lorna's parents could make something so beautiful and rare into something cheap and dirty. Her mother was so convincing that she made Lorna question her own feelings. Her mother used her shame and guilt as a weapon against her love for Jens and made her give up hope. Jens was angry with her for giving up and i don't blame him.
The ending was Great! It warmed my heart to see Lorna stand up for her love and her child without any shame or guilt.
This is one of those books that you have got to read again and i definately will.

I LOVED this book!!! It is the love story of Lorna, a rich girl (though not spoiled at all), living in the high society of Minnesota in the late 1800s, and Jens, the kitchen handyman, hired by her father to build him the fastest boat possible. The characters come to life in this book - LaVyrle Spencer at her best, so very well written that you can feel their pain, etc. Heartwrenching and very romantic. Reminds me of "Titanic" with the whole upper class/lower class theme. I can't say enough about this book. I just couldn't put it down, it is really that good!!! It is definitely one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone!!!

The setting of November of the Heart is Minnesota, 1895. Lorna Barnett, the central figure, is the beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter of Commodore Gideon Barnett, a proud man who's a member of the White Bear Yacht Club. The Barnetts are high on the social ladder, and the Barnetts expect Lorna to marry the handsome, well-off Taylor DuVal. However, one summer at their lake house, Lorna unexpectedly falls in love with the kitchenhand, twenty-five-year-old Jens Harkens, the Norweigan, and they begin a passionate, risky relationship. They both know that if they are discovered, Jens will be banished from the lakehouse. Gideon Barnett is passionate about racing boats, and after bitterly losing a race, Jens suggests that he knows how to build a better boat (after all, he is a Norweigan), so he is commissioned to build a boat for the next race. However, his tenure is cut short as his and Lorna's relationship is exposed, and Lorna's life is almost ruined with scandal.

A poignant, passionate read that deals with love at its cruelest and at its heartwarming best, but a lot of times, I felt like the plot was too stagnant and uninteresting. There are not a lot of driving moments/action that make the plot move forward, and the ending is resolved a little too neatly. However, if one does not mind the verbiage and the intense sexual scenes (if one is not comfortable with these kinds of things), then one can enjoy this cute "coming of age" novel for Lorna Barnett and her undying love for her Norweigan.

After listening to the audio version I found that this program covers all the basics to get you using law of atttraction straight away. It is short but to the point and covers all areas of life. Recommended!

The audio version of Ask, Believe, Receive is the best book on the law of attraction that I have ever heard. It contains so much information that it will be heard again and again. David Hooper offers insights into new ways of thinking about the same concerns. I appreciate that! Thank you for sharing this information.

Thank you so much! This book was so helpful and I am putting the knowledge that I got from it into motion and it is working great! Thank you!

i recommend this to anyone who may be having trouble using the law of attraction or for anyone who is trying to sharpen their skills. it is packed with good information that can be used to help your manifestations come quicker.

Read this if you like your How-to-Manifest books to possess the following: Be simple. Have no fluff. Be clear. The Core Concepts Chapter of Ask, Believe, and Receive boils down the process of manifestation. A seven-year old could do it. I appreciate the cover art for reminding me Keep It Simple...(Fill-in-the-Blank.)

I love Ed Emberley and the techniques that he uses to teach drawing.

This book is my favorite because it's packed with all kinds of things to draw. Gumball machines, people in action, animals, trucks, planes, you name it.

You really can draw your own little world.

This would be a great gift with some paper and markers for the young budding artist.

I bought this for a friends son who is 7. This is the only Ed Emberely book that he didn't have. He loves them!

A world is right! So many things to draw in this book. Simple and colorful to enlighten young and old imaginations.

Great book for kids who like to draw but have trouble doing it freehand. Nice step-by-step instructions.

I was disappointed that the inside drawings looked just like the cover drawings... duh, I suppose, but I was expecting more. I gave it to the 9-year-old 'patient' anyway, but wasn't excited about doing so.

Reading and/or listening to this management story is a fun way to gain insight about people with whom we work and interact. I enjoyed the positive presentation about different perspectives and strenghts that people have and where the best place to deploy people with these attributes might be. The book encourages objective interactions that are win-win and non-judgemental.

Here we go again, another personality classification system and the author's premise that if you can stereo type people you can manage them more effectively. I don't see what this system has over other personality classification systems, such as MBTI (which has been around longer and more people seem to be familiar with).

The book tries to be humorous, but it just didn't work. The story telling wasn't bad, but I'd almost rather listen to nails on a chalk board then listen to the voices of the people reading this book.

Bottom line. I learned a little, but not much and I'd like my money back.

This loosely medieval management parable about "a king at his wits' end" has several winning characteristics. First, it's relevant without taking itself too seriously. The light, self-effacing - even occasionally tongue-in-cheek - tone makes it easily readable. Authors Sheldon Bowles, Richard Silvano and Susan Silvano actively engage readers with a brief interactive online test that reveals your personality "guild type." Then they draw on their narrative's strength to move forward. Many books about emotional intelligence give readers little practical help. This one is fun, helpful and entertaining even though its guild classification system may need additional tweaking. Apparently designed primarily for workplace applications, it lacks the specificity of the more familiar Myers-Briggs test, which in comparison practically predicts how you'll want your eggs cooked a month from next Tuesday. Notwithstanding these minor limitations, we recommend this book to managers, coaches, consultants, EQ practitioners and those HR folks burdened with softening the Type A corporate hearts who run most organizations.

I found Kingdomality (the test) almost 10 years ago. I took the test and was impressed by its accuracy. Since then, I have taken the online test 3 or 4 times more, with the same results.

So, when browsing on a local bookstore, I saw that the test creators had a book about Kingdomality, I did not hesitate and bought it.

What is Kingdomality (the test and the book) about? Well, it basically sustains that people can be grouped in 12 categories of personality types. These types are a function of how people see the world, what are their motivations, how do they interact with it. It's called Kingdomality because the personalities can be linked to "standard" professions in the Middle Ages (the time of Kingdoms...).

Those who have already taken the test and have enjoyed its simplicity and accuracy will enjoy this book. It will allow them to have a more comprehensive view of all the 12 types and how could they be used productively in a work environment.

For those who have not taken the test, but enjoy learning about new and different personality type tests, this is also a great book. The test concept is simple, and the types are clearly different among them. Still, I think I would advise all to take the test first and then read the book (doing otherwise might "contaminate" your test with your expectations for its results).

Well, as I said, I always got the same result in the test. So, in case you wonder, I seem to be a Merchant.

I had the chance to attend a book signing by Sheldon Bowles of his book Kingdomality. When he started to speak to a large crowd there was a table loaded with books and I wondered how many he'd sell. When he finished talking, we all rushed to the front to get a book and an autograph. By the time I got to him the books were all gone! Now I have a copy. This book contains so much insider information about how different people are motivated and why people behave as they do, that it seems like you become a mind reader. It's easy. It's accurate. It has given me the tools that make me a better manager, a better father, husband son and friend. In the paper here last weekend KINGDOMALITY was #1 on the bestseller list. Go to www.kingdomality.com and find out what it's all about. You won't be dissappointed! I predict KINGDOMALITY will be the killer book of 2005.

I am new to making armor, but not so much to metalworking. This book gets you started on techniques (although a few could have a little more attention), and has terrific sections on measuring and padding. The illustrations and photos are a big bonus, and most are helpful to some extent. Overall a great example of a master passing on some of his knowledge to the apprentices of his craft.

I have yet to find a better book for armoring. Nearly every fundamental is covered.

Tools, stock, techinque, buying tips, and even history is covered.

The Maille section is somewhat lite but there are other books that are fully dedicated to that discipline.

It's worth every penny. You can't go wrong with this book.

This book is an awsome read, very interesting and the info on constructing armour is just incredable. Every aspect is covered even lining the armour to make it more comfortable, if you are intersted in medieval armour this book is second to none.

Good book. BUT compleatly failed to mention safety glasses. These are IMPORTANT. you need to get a good pair and wear them when you are working in your shop. unless you think you will look good with a eyepatch.

This is a book on how to build armor. Tools, techniques, materials, workspace needed, cost estimates are all part of it. I make leather armor for re-enactors, so much of what was taught here was not directly applicable. However, there are chapters on how to measure, pattern, and cut. These are useful even if the material used isn't metal but leather. There are even some basic instructions on leatherworking. Overall, a pretty straightforward work. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in armor construction, collecting, or re-enacting.

T. R. Pearson is probably my favorite author -- I look forward to reading his books and stop by amazon on a regular basis to check for his new works. Augie's Quest was a most interesting read for me for two reasons -- Pearson was the author, and I have been personally touched by ALS (my father and one of my brothers died from the disease). The story of Augie, his journey with ALS, his drive and determination to work towards a cure, to pursue new paths in search of a cure -- is most captivating -- and knowing T. R. put the words to paper assured me that many people would find this book and come away being touched by Augie's story -- for the story itself and for the superb writing. When you finish this book, think about a donation to Augie's foundation, and then come back to amazon and search out Mr. Pearson's other writings -- mostly fiction -- you will be glad you did.

Augie: Thanks for sharing your world past and present! Your book gave me a terrific insight into ALS and your fight for life and significance. You are an inspiration to us all and I came away with a better appreciation for my own life and what is important!

Thanks

Kim Megonigal

I was a little disappointed in Augie's Quest. I saw Shirley McClaine on a talk show and she was so hyped up about the book and about how Augie was so instrumental and amazing in his quest. True, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) is a horrible and quickly invasive disease, but I was more interested in how Augie dealt with his disease than with the tremendous amount of research and technical aspects of ALS that are given in the book. I was looking for a more personal insight into Augie and his wife, Lynne, in their daily dealings with this disease. However,if you know someone with ALS, you will find this book very informative.

"Perhaps no other disease takes the physical and emotional toll quite like ALS, and I can think of no one who understands this more fully than fitness pioneer Augie Neito. Augie's Quest speaks to us all about life, how we choose to live it, and what can happen -- physically and emotionally -- when the unexpected hits us in the face. But Augie's story is about more than how one man chooses to face adversity, it's a playbook for how to live life on your own terms. Anyone who reads Augie's Quest comes away enriched by the experience."

Dr. Jeffrey Trent
President and Scientific Director, TGen

This is a different read compared with Tuesdays with Morrie. It contains a wonderful mix of narrative and personal testimony. While it tells the story of Augie's life, it is much more focused on what Augie has chosen to do with his life: find a treatment for ALS, and, cut through some of the academic/scientific red-tape that slows the process. As I was reading I kept thinking of a friend in Idaho who said, "I would never trade what I have learned from this disease for anything in the world!" I was especially struck by the quote: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by how many moments take our breath away." Thanks, Augie! Well done!
John Free, Ph.D. (Psychologist)

My book of the latest coin values arrived in excellent condition and expeditiously. The book has proven to be a practical and user-friendly reference source and guide to the most current US coin values.

There is no better guide for the novice or professional coin collector. Reliable information and up to date pricing.

This is the first book a person should buy when entering into coin collecting. It gives a base to prices and where one might start.2008 Guide Book of Us Coins Redbook (Guide Book of United States Coins)

This is a very comprehensive, filled with pictures, easy to understand and follow guidebook for a beginner, as well as a serious collector.

I ordered this book for my son as he is beginning coin collecting. He took up that interest after seeing the collection that my grandfather handed down to me. The book was perfect for showing him what these coins are worth today.

If you're reading these reviews to help decide if you should purchase this book, let me encourage you to do just that. This book is an easy read and once you start you'll have it finished in very little time. What you will probably be taking away from this book is something that is all together timeless. Be good to yourself.

"So that's what destiny is: simply the fulfillment of the potentialites of the energies in your own system." ~ Joseph Campbell from "A Joseph Campbell Companion"

This book is a must-have.

Packed with a wide range of Campbell's musings, it's the perfect introduction to the man who helped us understand the hero's journey and what it means to follow our bliss.

We are each living our own Hero's Journey in life. This book is a guide on that journey. Wonderful quotes that inspire. For the price of movie ticket, you get a weekend workshop on how to live a life that you're destined to live.

If one has read Campbell's other work, then this is like a great pick me up book. Readers who have not already experienced the scholar's work would be best served by reading those before they decide to tackle this one. It's not all too often that one comes across a book that you can't put down and I can say that this is one of the few times that I can say that. I read this in only a matter of days and would think about reading it when I didn't have time to. This collection has a very intimate feel and really gives the sense that you have almost comes across a secret journal that had been written long ago, but was written just for you. It's like having a private conversation with Campbell himself. The majority of this volume has been pulled from lectures and journals which perhaps have never been published and gives the sense that Campbell is letting you in on secrets that only few in the world have ever been gifted with, all from the comfort of your living room. As a scholarly work this doesn't hold up to "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" but as an entertaining read it is a wonderful book. Joseph Campbell the teacher gives way to Joseph Campbell, the friend. Biased as I am in that I admire him so much, I would recommend this book to any who love his ideas. It feels like a talk with an old friend, letting you in on all those little glimpses of his experiences.

I've been a Joseph Campbell fan for years, and this book is a perfect one to give as a gift to someone who isn't quite up to reading his more scholorly works. It's a guideline for life gleaned from his in-depth study of cultural myths from which he developed his own wonderful philsophy of life.