Richard Books

Contained in this book are tales of things like leeches, moths, and an assortment of other spineless creatures. Each chapter is devoted to one such creature. Coniff is good writer, easy to read, and engaging. That being said he makes the perfect author to turn rather grim subjects into light reads. So while you're camping out this summer and swatting mosquitos you can read this book and marvel at the sheer amount of mosquito species out there and wonder which one is sucking your blood.

Richard Conniff's writing style is fun and easy to read. And although some of the facts he pours into the book may be gross, it's so interesting you are riveted. I think everyone-science lover or no-needs to read this book. I couldn't put the book down until I was done. Just to give you some extra info on what's in the book-he discusses many invertebrates such as flies, hagfish, moths and tarantulas, devoting a chapter to each invertebrate. He includes his adventures with these creatures along with it. Even the hardened scientist will find something new in this book!

I have no idea why I picked this book up but I am glad I did for I now take the time to look at the invertebrates that scurry climb or swim about me. Sounds interesting huh? Well, it talked about invertebrates in a way so that even the most mindless of people could understand. I actually learned things that I didn't take the time to listen to or care to read about in science class. I used to tell my Dad to kill that ugly-looking arachnid, but now I beg him to spare its little spineless life.

There is more to the world of nature than cuddly koalas, magnificent whales, and beautifully singing birds. Most of the animal kingdom, and much of the biomass on the planet, are invertebrates! Insects, spiders, centipedes, molluscs, crustaceans, echnioderms, worms, all greatly outnumber vertebrates and are absolutely vital to continued life on earth, and all are greatly unappreciated by the average person.

Richard Conniff takes us on a representative tour of several members of the invertebrate world. Though he only scratches the surface, he shows us some of the most fascinating of the "creepy crawlies," creatures that often have few admirers in the media or popular culture. From the fascinating world of flies to the invaluable leech to the hated fire ant to beetles, fleas, and giant squid and beyond, Conniff shows us the astounding world of invertebrates.

Strictly speaking, Conniff includes one vertebrate in the mix, the lowly but extremely unusual hagfish, so it is not only invertebrates. Having said that though this was an excellent book, one well worth reading. Popular science writing at its best.

Conniff's book _Spineless Wonders_ had me fascinated, for the most part. His subject: invertebrates, with about ten different chapters on different creatures, such as leeches, dragonflies, tarantulas, etc. NOT ALL POPULAR INVERTEBRATES ARE COVERED IN THIS BOOK. In fact, if there is not a chapter devoted to your favorite invertebrate, there will be little or no information on that beast. There are many examples. Jellyfish, starfish, bees, crabs, clams, octopuses and lobsters are but a few that Conniff chose not to cover.

If you need detailed information about an invertebrate not covered in this book, or if you need more detail, I advise you to seek out a book on that specific beast. Also, you can look into Robert Barnes' book _Invertebrate Zoology_, but that book...is best used at a public or college library.

On the plus side: there aren't many good books on invertebrates for a general audience, and _Spineless Wonders_ is one of them. Most folks, while they might be able to stomach ten or twenty pages on leeches, don't want an entire book on leeches. In fact, most full length books on leeches, dragonflies, etc. are indeed academic tracts targeted at serious collectors or graduate students and professors.

Conniff's writing is usually lucid and entertaining. He held my attention until the end of each chapter... almost. Still, there isn't much popular writing on invertebrates in general, so _Spineless Wonders_ is well worth a look.

ken32

Horror, of horrors, it looks like Gussie Fink-Nottle may have finally broken off with Madeline Bassett and there is little or nothing that even Jeeves can do about it. Diets, steak and kidney pie, mute lutes. Add Spode who will take anybody who makes Madeline cry and tie them into a painful knot and you have the makings of a tragic ending for poor, poor Bertie. Or do you? Either way, there is tons of fun from the first page to the last and lots of twisted plot lines, weird happenings, and buckets of hard drinking.

This was the first Bertie and Jeeves' book I'd ever read. If you're interested in British humour, exquisite-snobbish language and witty puns, or in bizarre but classy situations, this is just the book for you. Wodehouse possessed this wonderful characteristic of balancing an unfortunate situation with a good dose of modest humour. The title says it all! Thoroughly recommendable.

What could the Nobel Prize for literature signify if PG Wodehouse not only didn't win one, but never made the short-list? Good grief. What other writer living or dead, in Nobel's own words, "help[s] dreamers, as they find it hard to get on in life."

Take STIFF UPPER LIP, JEEVES, for example. If you want to read a book that'll grab you by your lapels and hoist you out this mundane, dynamite-scarred world, try this one.

Crisp dialogue, intricate plotting, witty wordplay, amusing situations, and distinct characters make this book satisfying to read repeatedly. In fact, it is astonishing that STIFF UPPER LIP, JEEVES and many other Wodehouse creations seem just as fresh the second, third, and even seventh time around.

I would liken reading this book to drinking one of Jeeves's famous pick-me-ups "and their effect on a fellow who is hanging to life by a thread on the morning after." Wodehouse writes: "For perhaps the split part of a second nothing happens. It is as though all Nature waited breathless. Then, suddenly, it is as if the Last Trump had sounded and Judgment Day set in..."

If heaven's half as delightful as reading PG Wodehouse, (should I get there) I'll be in paradise.

This unabridged audio version of "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves" was wonderfully read by Cecil. This is not my typically genre of book and I was pleasantly impressed and surprised by this book. I have not read the prior books in this series and had no problems following along so the priors are not a necessity. In a nutshell, this book is about a dim-witted Bertie and his attempt to keep from inadvertently becoming engaged to a sappy Madeline. The dry, British humor of this story is excellently portrayed by Cecil and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a refreshing change of pace!

Just as we believe some actors were born to play a certain role or a singer was born to sing a specific song, I'm convinced Jonathan Cecil was born to read P. G. Wodehouse. The British accented Cecil voice delightfully inhabits the personas of Jeeves, Bertie Wooster and sundry other characters with charm, humor, and distinction.

My first introduction to the talents of Cecil was with his stunning reading of "Jeeves and the Mating Season." Since that time no other voice will do for the born to the purple Bertie and his long suffering butler.

P.G. Wodehouse is quite another story. Obviously, one of the greatest humorists to ever take up pen his tongue-in-cheek take on the British upper classes is pure laugh provoking perfection. With "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves" we find Bertie returning to Totleigh Towers, a place he had hoped never to see again as it is the domain of Sir Watkyn Bassett, who lined his pockets with fines he collected. Bassett's daughter, Madeline is always on the prowl and Bertie wants no part of her.

Fortunately, Madeline has fallen for and captured another - Gussie, a friend of Bertie's. Now, Madeline is not only a huntress but she is also passionate about changing her quarry to suit her own tastes. In this case, the word "taste" may be taken literally as she wants to change the meat loving Gussie into a vegetarian, which is where most of the trouble begins. Bertie, as usual, finds himself embroiled in this sticky situation.

Alas, once again it's left up to Jeeves to come to Bertie's aid.

Wodehouse has been dubbed a "comic genius;" Cecil is his full partner in this splendid reading. Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

Thanks to hospital business politics and his mentor's macho control, Dr. Joe Grady is attempting the seemingly insurmountable task of completing his 6th year residency with 10 major cases in just 29 days. If he does not get his certificate he cannot escape Detroit General Hospital and rebuild his life in California.

This satirical fiction is very close to the reality of hospital life, deaths and politics all woven by human emotions and limits

During his professional and personal roller coaster it becomes apparent that someone may be killing some patients while the short staffed nurses are trying to unionize.

Richard E. Sall has done a wonderful job bringing all the characters to life. It is a story of a talented surgeon with the old fashioned belief that the welfare of the patient comes first and hints of the need for healthcare reform.

Richard E. Sall is a general surgeon and lives with his wife in Central California. He began writing in 2001 and published in 2004. The book focused on management and solutions of injured workers for Workers Compensation. Straight Jacket is his first published fiction and since I would certainly recommend reading it I am hoping it's not his last.

Reviewer: Cheryl Ellis, Allbooks Reviews

A light romance, with a good insight into the politics of the medical world. The characters are stsrongly developed. Humor is incorporated in different scenarios.
It was a fun and quick read.

I couldn't put the book down! The plot of the doctor--his medical career predicament and his falling in love with Nurse Linda complicated by her wacky mother, the administrator's warped agenda, and the angel of death--made the book very suspenseful. Considering all the difficulties, you would think it would become pessimistic, but it doesn't. In fact, it's very entertaining! I also found it interesting to view the story from the perspective of a surgeon. The book touches on profound subjects--the existence of God and our healthcare system being coopted by insurance, trial lawyers, and corporate america--but very lightly and enlighteningly. It's so well worth the read, I may read it again.

Dr. Joe Grady is about to finish his six year residency at Detroit General Hospital.... Or is he? If it were up to Dr. Rizzo, Joe's years would be wasted unless he completes ten major procedures in thirty days.

Without a doubt, the best medical drama I have ever read. If this author didn't already have the career of being a life-saving doctor, I would tell him to quit immediately, buy a secluded island somewhere and write, write, write. This book has absolutely everything wit, charm, interesting characters, fabulous dialogue, detailed scenery and just the right amount of medical jargon to bring it all back. I loved the underlying cry for healthcare reform and the side relationship between Joe, Linda and Linda's crazy mother. I could read this book over and over again and never tire of it. This book doesn't deserve five beacons..... it deserves ten!

Straight Jacket by Richard E. Sall is the story of thirty-two-year-old medical student Joe Grady in his pursuit of certification as a surgeon in his hospital residency. Written with flair and in a satirical manner, Straight Jacket carries its readers through the an increasingly engaging plot in which Grady must complete ten major cases within thirty days or fail in his efforts to secure certification. This series of tasks is further complicated by the hospital nurses who are in the process being unionized. The hospital is beyond busy, and now somebody is going around killing patients! Then to convolute things even further, there is Grady's discovery of a new love in the form of Linda -- a nurse with a dangerously demented mother. Original, lively, and clearly documenting Richard Sall as a talented storyteller, Straight Jacket is very highly recommended reading and certain to be a popular addition to any personal reading list or community library fiction collection.

I bought "Succeeding with Use Cases" primarily for Part 3 on model-based specification. The book gives a "Blue Collar" approach for specifying operations in terms of change of state. The approach is highly pragmatic and aids writing precise, testable specifications. The author clearly explains what to do. I highly recommend this book.

Example after example; model after model! After reading this book, I was ready to begin implementation! Chapter 3, Operational Profiles, will convince and evangelize engineering and management. The degree of detail is perfect for the professional. Great Work!

I was really happy to see Richard's new book. I have always thought that if you are going to go to the effort of writing good use cases, then you should make use of that information as much as possible in the project. This book has a prominant place on my professional bookshelf, and I refer to it often.

Richard Denney gives some great information on using your project use cases in project management, quality control, and reliability. He has a wealth of experience that he shares throughout the book. His book is well written and easy to understand. I am not aware of any other book that covers this information in the context of a software project.

Once you are comfortable with writing use cases (and of course I must recommend my own book Applying Use Cases: A Practical Guide for that purpose), then definitely start exploring what you can do with the use cases once they are written by getting a copy of Richard Denney's book, Succeeding With Use Cases: Working Smart to Deliver Quality.

This book is about uses of use cases in software engineering. The focus is on doing and managing projects.
Topics are among others selection of standard products, management of project portfolios, or grounding projects in business goals. The last topic is an application of use cases to QFD, a process originally from the automobile industry. Other topics are reliability engineering, modelling and project management (this list is not complete).
All the topics of the book have use cases as a common factor. It is not an introduction into use cases. The application of use cases in this book goes further than what is described in the Rational Unified Process for example. Therefore other books are better in introducing the topic of use cases.
Demo excel sheets are available from the author. The examples are worked out excellently and instructive. The book focuses on the practicalites of software engineering and addresses primarily project leads, designer, architects and testers. Most of the material was new to new, although I have been using use cases for years. It will have the most value for organizations already modelling their software. In my opinion extreme programmers will not find it as useful.

I'm a software engineer, specializing in requirements and software quality. I've known about QFD and the House of Quality for over a decade, and I've been using Use Case methodology for years. This is the first (and perhaps the only) book which combines the two methodologies and explains in a straightforward yet sufficiently detailed way how to use these methodologies. If you are struggling with many requests from multiple customers and are trying to identify what is really important, you should read this book. In particular, if you want to satisfy the customers who drive your business, i.e., generate revenue, you need to read this book. This is a low-tech approach; all you need is a spreadsheet. Understanding Use Cases, QFD, or House of Quality is not a prerequisite. Even if you are already familiar with these methodologies, I think you will still learn a lot from this excellent book.

An excellent book for beginning turners. Detailed explanations and lots of pictures.Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking (Complete Illustrated Guide)

I am really impressed, what an introduction, great information!
I am interested in turning wood so I bought this book to research lathe wood working, and it seemingly covered questions that I had and so many others that I had not even thought of yet.
The illustrations give visualization to understanding of new jargon and concepts. I now feel like I have been properly introduced to a new creative expression in woodworking and am ready to pick up a gouge and try my hand at turning wood.

It was really great all Richard Raffan's book are so easy to do the projects as he writes and has photos of the item he is telling you about

All I needed to know, Plus much more.
Easy way to learn the tips and tricks of turning.
All turners should have a copy on hand.

Richard Raffan is by far one of the most recognized Master Turners in the world. This book is most likely a compilation of all of the works he has produced and presented in such a way that Turners on every level will gain something beneficial to their own turning. It is well organized and written in such plain language that every turner will have no problem understanding. The illustraions are top notch and very helpful. I would recomend this book to turners of every level.
Dave Earl

We Believe, my father's first book reminds me a lot of the expositional Sunday school lessons he gave when I was younger. Each devotion is well-thought out, Biblically sound and marries the beauty and the tradition of both his Protestant background and his newfound Catholic faith. You won't regret reading this book!

Richard Maffeo's book is a wonderful series of meditations on the Creed of our faith. Using both scripture and personal anecdotes, Mr. Maffeo helps the reader see, hear and feel the Creed in a profoundly personal way. This book is a blessing to anyone of faith.

Wow, this is an amazing book! I agree with all the other reviews of: We Believe: Forty Meditations on the Nicene Creed
especially: "this book will take you to surprising places in gentle and supportive ways". "We Believe" does have warm, personal stories and beautiful, accessible meditations. The author seems to be a man of fearless humility! Obviously it's difficult to race through the Nicene Creed after reading this. And now it's difficult to race through ALL my prayers, journaling, conversations, radio shows, and life in general. I am a more thoughtful listener now, to my self and others. I am a more thoughtful reader, driver, and TV watcher. I wish Mr Maffeo would do the Mass, the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Mysteries of the Rosary and the Beatitudes and. ...but I realize this can be an example and I can do this for myself for the rest of my life. I have read so many books on how to pray and this has truly helped more than any other.
"We Believe, Forty Meditations on the Nicene Creed." is an excellent book on many levels.

In his book, We Believe, Rich Maffeo guides us on a journey to the core of our Catholic faith, The Nicene Creed. This prayer defines our church family and shows us with fresh eyes the cornerstone, Jesus the Christ. Every time we recite this prayer, we proclaim in union with the angels, the prophets, and the Saints, the divinity and humanity of Jesus. It summarizes God's unconditional love for us, and the path of salvation.

Each meditation is simple, profound, and thought provoking. It exposes us to a better understanding of our need for a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus!

This is a must read for all Catholics and non-Catholics curious about our traditions and our ways of worship.

I strongly recommend this book to be added to all churches resource libraries. It is an excellent tool to help the youth prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The book provides daily living examples and show the youth ways to find Jesus in the midst of their busy lives.



Tannia E. Ortiz-Lopés is a writer by profession, a mother by choice, and a wife by the covenant of marriage. She was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico and currently lives in Germany with her husband and two sons. On 2004, she published her first free-style inspirational poetry book, The Window To My Soul : My Walk With Jesus (Tate Publishing) under the pen name of Mary Magdalene. In March 2006, the book was voted "Best Poetry Book" by www.christianstoryteller.com

Visit the author at: www.myspace.com/tanniaortizlopes, and http://timewithtannia.tripod.com/

"We Believe" June 28,2007
A D "Bud" Niebergall, Fircrest, WA.

Richard's book, "We Believe", Forty Meditations on the Nicene Creed, is long overdue. I have waited for many years to see and "hear" the deep truths of Christianity revealed and described in such a down to earth, straight forward manner.
The Nicene Creed, explained in the context of the Word of God and Richard's personal life, is unique and a real winner. His uncluttered manner of expression, gives a simplicity and power that can be readily taken into the heart of Catholic Christians, especially those who may never see or examine a Vatican Encyclical, or a Catholic Catechism.
I would recommend "We Believe" as a "must read" for any Christian in search of truth, and new life in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank you Richard,the book has been an inspiration to me.

Excellent resource for ADA compliance. The requirements for ADA are so complicated that without a book like this it would be difficult if not impossible to understand what is compliant and what is not.

This an awesome book. This book is the to have for all web developers.

This text book is of very high quality and an engaging read. Apart from the expected target audience of web developers, I will suggest that website owners and non-developers should consider getting hold of this vital textbook.

The fact that it leaves you wanting more is a compliment to its quality. Even though it is bulky, I wished it had covered certain areas in more detail.

One small criticism relates to the javascript examples. The discussion of events refers to techniques that are questionable in terms of robustness and re-usability, issues that, to be fair, the author does point out. [Background; search for "addEvent considered harmful" in your favorite search engine.] Yet no definitive solution is given, and the reader is left hanging. More serious is the very poor quality javascript code sample given for the cssjs() utility function, which is poorly designed (needs to be repackaged, should be a class), is inefficient, and is fragile as it contains (at least) two immediately apparent critical bugs.

But such small gripes should on no account not put you off buying this text. The overall verdict, "Outstanding."

Anyway, the numerous authors are to be congratulated. Indeed, given the size of the field and the rapid pace of developments, a second "part II - advanced" volume would be a very good idea indeed.

If you are serious about accessibility (and you should be), this book will not dissapoint. The authors know what they are talking about, and do a good job and presenting both the facts and their opinions in a clear relavent way.

The only reasons I do not give it 5 stars is many items within the book are redundant (I think due to the great number of authors (11!), and perhaps they wanted the book to serve as a reference also), and because the presentation is generally dry. Good information, but not coffee-table reading.

Still in all, as a web developer I would highly reccomend this book to any other developer weather you just want a little understanding of accessibility, or a big dose.

Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance is the
perfect reference for any site development team. Everything you've
wanted to know about Accessibility and the Web is here in a single text.
Each member of the team will find necessary information and practical
solutions in one or more of the thorough discussions here. For the
designer/developer who works alone, Web Accessibility: Web Standards and
Regulatory Compliance is the all-in-one reference with the most
up-to-date information and techniques. Thanks to the clear organization,
two tables of contents, and index, all information is easy to find as
well.

For those of us who like background and theory, the book contains lively
discussions of accessibility standards, of the intent of the standards,
and suggestions for using the standards. For me, though, the heart of
the text is in the practical discussions and how-to guides in order to
improve accessibility of every common web technology -- from PDF to
Flash, from javascript to data forms. In addition, we finds clear
descriptions of the law and web accessibility. Importantly, these
discussions are international in scope.

The collective experience of the authors of this text is impressive.
These are the experts to whom we've turned to assist us with accessible
design and development for years. In this text, we have a collection of
the most knowledgeable voices on the subject of accessibility, who speak from a real-world
perspective. They share freely their best techniques, so that we can
create the "best possible experience for the greatest number of
visitors."

For me, Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regularory Compliance is a
must-have.

I read a section from the book each night and feel warmed and inspired by it. Also, more and more I'm coming across this image of a web in life and understanding and appreciating the interconnectedness of things as described in the book.

"The Web of Life: Weaving the Values that Sustain Us," is an incredibly powerful work connecting the present with the past, eloquently capturing the basic values which bring strength to individuals, families, schools, and communities. Through a story-telling approach which immediately connects author with reader, Richard Louv plants the seeds of possibility in the reader's mind, offering simple and do-able approaches to integrating more of the sustaining values into our busy lives.

I used Louv's book in my thesis on Amish culture, as I immediately found threads of commonality between Louv's observations and my personal experiences among the Old Order Amish. In this work, Louv unknowingly, perhaps, touched upon sustaining human values that transcend culture and generational boundaries. In the Web of Life, Louv emphasizes what we can do individually and collectively to begin creating a world of compassion, sensitivity, fulfillment, and joy.

This is a must read for anyone wishing to set aside the temporary lures of self-gratification and integrate more practical and sustainable values into their lives.

Richard Louv has a great philosophy toward life. This book illustrates his desire for all of us to include more nature in our existence. The book is a gentle reminder of our wilder selves.

This is a wonderful collection of essays/short stories which drive home the importance of family, family connections and the importance of our past. Each essay is worth mulling over thoughtfully. You will find youself being able to relate to most of the author's words. We need works such as this at a time when so many of our families and communities seem to be bent on distruction, and more importantly, we need to read these works and ponder them. All in all quite thought provoking and quite inspirational. Would recommend this to anyone. Would recommend you purchase it and give it a reread now and then.

I picked up this copy the same time as I picked up his "Last Child in the Woods" ~~ and I took it along on a camping trip recently. It is a neat little compilation of essays regarding making time for family, having meaningful conversations and keeping friends, keeping the communication channels open with your kids and spouses, brothers/sisters/parents, and other topics.

It is definitely a keeper in any family's library ~~ but if you have read the book, "Last Child in the Woods" ~~ you will find the same themes and same stories touched upon in this book as well. That is why I gave it a four stars because it is tedious reading to read the same thing over and over again. Yes, this book is the original since it was published in 1996 but when you have two books by the same author telling you pretty much the same thing, it makes you wonder if he needs more fresh stories to share or if he is running out of ideas. It'll be interesting to see what his next book will touch upon.

Just because re-reading the same thing is tedious for me, it doesn't have to be for other readers. If you like essays and essays about family, nature, communication and so forth, you will like this little book. It is lyrical and thoughtful. It is inspiring. It will make you look at life a little bit differently and perhaps, instead of having imaginary conversations with your spouse in your head, you will talk to him/her and rediscover the reasons why you fell in love with him/her in the first place. This book is just not about stories, it is about people reconnecting to humanity again in spite of the highly technogical age we live in today. It is about people reconnecting to nature and family and friends ~~ the little things that make our lives go round.

It is definitely a gem of a book.

9-11-07

This book is one stop shopping for parents and coaches. In simple language with ample case studies, Whose Game Is It Anyways, covers everything, positive and negative, that adults need to know when working with youth in sports. Everything from child developmental psychology to difficult conversations with coaches and parents is covered in a no nonsense manner. I refer to this book often in a workshop I call "For the Love of the Game".

Disclosure: I'm personally acquainted with one of the authors.

For parents who have kids who aren't particularly athletic, this book can be an entertaining read, but it's not intended to show parents how to make athletes out of kids who have no aptitude or interest. I have no children at all, but I did enjoy reading the book for its anecdotes and insights.

The book's authors, clinical psychologists with plenty of hands-on experience coaching youth, give authority to common sense ideas that many well-read, psychologically sophisticated parents tend to honor more often in the breach than the observance. One hopes that this book will stimulate such parents -- who, no matter how intelligent, frequently fail to appreciate the intensity of the pressures besetting young people -- to more thoughtfully evaluate the actual influence of organized athletic activities on the development of their children.

The book is commendable for its relaxed, informal style and its refusal to prescribe bromides so typical of "self-help" books. There are no easy fixes for the myriad problems associated with growing up. But this book contains valuable advice to parents to assist them in helping their children who are involved in organized sports to (1) maximize the value of their positive experiences, and (2) acquire a healthy perspective towards the negative experiences that are an inevitable component of childhood.

I think this book is great. As the mother of two young girls, both of whom are participating in sports, I am grateful for the guidance it offers. Sports have played a hugely beneficial role in my own life and I want the same for my daughters. I intend to re-read it every year, and have ordered several for all my friends with kids!

This book is helping me and my son to conquer the obstacles that are set in his way. This book is helping him to follow his dreams and have fun playing the sports that he loves. It is helping me with my role as a parent of an athletic child. I am so glad for the publication of this book. I could have used it 5 years ago. At times things can get very difficult; that is why we need this book to help us through our problems. The book should be mandatory for every person involved in the development of an athletic child.

As a clinical psychologist, sports fan and father of 3 young children, I found this book to be an extraordinary resource for any parent who wants their children to get the most out of sports, at any age. It is an extremely well written and organized book by a leading expert in the field of sports psychology and child development. I highly recommend it.

Having served in Vietnam myself, I found this book to be of utmost interest. If you want a real feel for the average guy serving in Vietnam this book gives you great insight. You can tell Mr. Stahl did his research and brought back details as if he were there yesterday instead of in the late 60's. The book is a good easy read even for a guy like myself who doesn't read nearly as often as I should. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great read. If you want to pick up a book to get a 'feel' for the everyday life of a Vietnam Vet, this is a wonderful starting point. The author captures with entusiasum, the daily grind of what life was like for the 'GI' in Nam. A book depicting a "biographical glimse" into the life and mind of the author should put you in his "shoes", and Stahl manages to do just that. You live and breath with his "typical" day, which includes 'dodging' bullets and listening for every sound being made while on 'gaurd duty'. After reading this book I wanted to find a Vietnam Vet and give him/her a hug, and say, "Thank you for serving."
As Dick mentions in the book: ..."as I deplaned, I was instantly sledge hammered with a blast of tropical heat...". I'm sure, based on some of his comments, the same description could be used to describe the way many "Nam Vets" were treated when they got back to the States; "sledge hammered" by quite a few ungrateful public.

As one who didn't serve I would like to say two things: Dick, thanks for serving, and thanks for the wonderful book, one that will captivate all who read it.
I know you being an educator, that your students, staff, and parents whose lives you came in contact with, benefited from the life enduring skills you had to learn to stay alive, and take each day as it was thrust upon you. A terrific book. I can't wait for your next one.
A fellow teacher/educator/friend

I ordered APO 96490 and received it yesterday at 2 P.M. I immediately started reading (recalling, digesting) and you guessed it .... at 10 p.m. I finished (I'm a slow and thorough reader). So many of the accounts paralleled my year (1970) in Nam. The main differences were: (1) I was drafted from graduate school and spent 1970 in Nam, (2) I was married, (3) I had a one year old son, (4) I was with the 4th Infantry, (5) I took an R&R to Hawaii in August to see my wife and son, (6) I was actually stationed at An Khe, (7) most of my friends attended Sunday chapel with me, and (8) I was welcomed back from Nam (from family, friends and my church family) with open arms and thanked for a job well done. Your accounts brought back many "new" memories, which I thought I had forgotten. I have been able to locate my best buddy in Nam and unfortunately he has never been able to "put it behind". I definitely will suggest he read this wonderfully written book and try drawing on its content. Even though it is just 212 pages, it is packed with volumes of information that only the vet will be able to fully appreciate. Looking forward to your next book.

On at personal note: Richard Stahl and I graduated from Sandwich High School together in 1963. We both attended the 40th class reunion this year (2003). Ed (from the book) also graduated with us and was at the reunion. Richard was one of the most popular and most liked kids in the class; he was a "brain", not a "nerd", and very athletic. He had great family roots in Sandwich (his parents were wonderful, common, down to earth people- his dad was known and loved by everyone in Sandwich- about 3000 people in 1963). God bless you, your wife and family.

From page one through the entire book I felt like I was on an adverture with the arthur. I felt like I got to know him as a person and to appreciate the experience of being in the army. The vets got a raw deal coming out of the war and he portrayed that very well. It is both entertaining and and informative. Good fast read.

As a reader of APO 96490 I must say Stahl held my interest throughtout the entire book. I found myself feeling somewhat guilty all snuggled up on my couch with the fireplace burning, while Stahl vividly describes being shot at while in a bunker.
Stahl does an excellent job of educating the reader in regards to military terminology and jargon which provides insight into how the military functions and operates.
I especially enjoyed Stahl's ability to recreate the sights, sounds, smells, and feel for the surroundings he was placed in. As one reads, the mind can capture the very situation being described.
APO 96490 takes the reader on a journey through the life of Stahl as he experienced Vietnam. One rides the roller coaster of emotion as you experience the highs and lows of military life during war.
After reading APO 96490 I have a much healthier respect for all of our servicemen and women who have served our country and fought during wartime.
GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!!!!!!!