Richard Books

The authors have done an excellent job of reviewing the history of the development of the country, and added in the points in which the record indicates some thought there was divine intervention. This is a good read.

This is one of those books that you can't put down. I thought I knew something about American history but certainly not in this detail. It is a great piece of work. The episode of acquiring the Louisiana Territory would in itself make a good book or movie. The assessment of the importance of "The Great Awakening" is another story within a story. Well Done! Don L. Arnwine

This book gives a clear and well-documented explanation of the role of religion on the founding and early years of the U.S. It is beautifully written, and a great read! I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in better understanding the founding of our country and the influences on the founders and early leaders.

I don't believe I will ever again read history or see a film without questioning how religion may have played a part in making it all happen. Was it Divine Providence?

This is a wonderful book. It takes the reader through a key time in our history, and makes it more meaningful. It tells the story of our forefathers in terms of their faith and their view of the relationship between history in the making and providence.
This book is especially valuable because it has no ax to grind. It carefully avoids overstatement and understatement. In many cases, it uses our forefathers' own words.
It is a great read for an individual. I could also see it as great material for an adult education class in a religious organization.

Good Behavior provides a reversal of fortune unlike any other that veteran burglar John Dortmunder has ever experienced.

His problems begin when his new partner, O'Hara, turns out to be incompetent at cutting off the burglar alarm. Dortmunder finds himself unexpectedly racing across rooftops while O'Hara is arrested at the bottom of the fire escape he has foolishly taken when the police arrive. After falling down one roof, he comes to a dormer and climbs in . . . only to find himself on a rafter over a roomful of nuns. Having been raised at an orphanage run by the Bleeding Heart Sisters of Eternal Misery, this depresses him . . . along with his sore ankle. The nuns rescue him with a tall ladder, and he finds himself speaking in pantomime . . . until they discover that he can read and begin writing notes. They have taken a vow of silence, and only speak for two hours on Thursdays.

Having noted his burglar's tools, they point out that perhaps the police should be called. But, they have a greater need for a burglar: to recover Sister Mary Grace who was abducted by her father to be reprogrammed into a corporate executive in the family firm.

Alone in the penthouse of a 76 story skyscraper, the sister has been fighting off the deprogramming and her father. By smuggling notes in and out with the cook, the sisters know where she is. Dortmunder agrees to spring her. Then, he becomes discouraged because no one will want to help him for no gain.

Just as he's about to tell the nuns that he cannot do it, they share the security codes for the building with him, which Sister Mary Grace has smuggled out. With that information, Dortmunder knows he can break into any part of the building, which is full of lovely jewelry and antique stores. With that kind of potential swag, his usual partners can be rounded up (Tiny Bulcher, Andy Kelp, and Stan Murch) plus a new alarm man, Wilbur Howey, who has just gotten out after 48 years (10 years for burglary and 38 years for continually escaping) who is very excited by seeing any woman. They also add an inside partner, J.C. Taylor, who sells off-color books and turns out to be critical to freeing Sister Mary Grace.

The burglary goes smoothly . . . but Dortmunder runs into unexpected (and potentially lethal) opposition as he nears the penthouse. Like all Dortmunder stories, the end is filled with fast and furious improvisation.

There's more than the usual humor in this story due to Mr. Westlake having the silent sisters as a running gag. But they communicate just fine, unlike the police whom Dortmunder is trying to outwit.

The plot develops slowly, which makes it more appealing, and the twists and turns keep my heart pumping rapidly. I don't remember a story about Dortmunder that is as engaging the positive human emotions. I think you'll like this one, if you have enjoyed any humorous stories about criminals.

After you finish this story, think about where you think that communication cannot be made. How might you overcome that limitation? Try imaging that you cannot speak, and see if that opens up any new ideas.

This book, about career crook John Dortmunder and his attempt to rescue a nun of the silent sisterhood is one of the best Dortmunder novels Mr. Westlake has ever written. The atmosphere is tense, since the book is about rescuing somebody as well as getting off with a lot of money, and having to put up with the nun's fascist father. This book is an enjoyable reading for all.

Westlake is one of the funniest authors I've ever read and this is one of his best novels. Beware because it will make you bust out laughing in public places if you read it there (people on my bus think I'm crazy). Absolutely worth the high price you might pay for an out-of-print.

While working one night, John Dortmunder accidentally sets off a burglar alarm, an occupational hazard for a thief, and winds up hanging from the rafters of the local convent. Although the occupants are an order of nuns who have taken a vow of silence, they manage to let John know that in return for not turning him into the police, they would make use of his specialist skills. They want him to rescue a young nun who was taken from the convent by her father and is held on the top floor of a 76-storey building.

Dortmunder's flair for getting himself into and out of impossible situations are highlighted again as he attempts to breach the defences of a building that seems as impenetrable as any well guarded fortress can be. The ever-changing motley crew that he works with is made to seem even more motley by the inclusion of the skirt chasing (but never catching) Wilbur Howey. Tiny Bulcher is again along for the ride in all his menacing glory as are two regulars Andy Kelp and Stan Murch.

It's the humorous ways in which Dortmunder deals with setbacks that gives the book it's charm. Interest is added by limiting the field of play to one building. How to get in, save the girl and then out again is the problem he faces.

This is yet another satisfyingly entertaining entry in the Dortmunder series that proves this time that he has a caring side, or maybe it's just his guilty, greedy side rearing it's head again. Whichever it is, it's a pleasure to see it.

John Dortmunder becomes St John when his latest caper drops him into a convent. The sisters see it as divine intervention so they ask him to rescue a kidnapped nun from her tyrannical father who is having the Catholicism deprogrammed out of her. Only Dortmunder could gather a group of thieves to rescue a nun and end up facing a mercenary army set for a Central American Revolution. Full of hilarious incident after hilarious incident, this is the Dormunder gang at its best.

I'm not normally a big fan of Christian business books, but this one was has had a profound impact on me. It was truly effective in relating to real life management situations while not over "spiritualizing" the historical stories.

I think this is a marvelous book for anyone (whether in business or not), but especially for the manager who has been criticized for being to demanding or authoritative with his staff, spouse or friends.

This is a very enjoyable read. The author has a good command of both worlds - management and the Bible - and molds them together well. Especially valuable is the admonition for leaders to trust in a creed, a guiding set of principles, a high calling and purpose for their existence and effort. Troubling however, but did not totally negate the gems of this book, is the author's enthusisam for listening to the sheep and making them the thrust and not the Good Shepherd. Biblically, this is non-existant, but is read into Scripture from a marketing oriented culture.

If you only buy one book on leadership, buy this one

This book gives tons and tons real usable advice from the best place in the world to get it. Well researched and written. I am buying copies to send to other leaders. A Must Read.

If you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a high school teacher, the President or the Prime Minister, a parent, a middle executive, the owner of a small business or a section head for small band of workers, this book is for you!

Richad Phillips beautifully and poingnantly highlights the true essence of leadership--leadership built not upon its own successes, but is bound up in the loyalty to, and successes of the people who make the leader who he or she is.

He balances the personal qualities which distinguish a great leader with the realities of the dark side of the comforts, accolades and power accompanying leadership....dark recesses of David's heart that came to fruition in David's career: Potential self-created Goliaths in our own careers and lives ultimately crushing ourselves and those who follow.

Phillip's resolve to faithfully and colorfully portrays David's outstanding model for leadership while allowing David's flaws to be examined, actually gives us two models: What we can do to become greater leaders; what we can proactively do to maintain our integrity and honor.

If you seek to investigate how your own heart influences your leadership style and effectiveness, read this book.

This book is filled with rules of thumbs,tables,charts, and drawings to help any architect to design any type of hotel. I can say after reading this book, one will walk away with a general knowledge about the hotel industry and how to design a hotel.

I was assigned to teach at the Master Degree class on "Facility Management" subject focusing on Hotel Facility. I have gone through several books regarding hotel design. I think this book is the best of all. Any designer who reads this book back to back will certainly understand the whole concept. It is not only about how to design the hotel as an architecture piece, but the reader will also understand the hospitality business. This book also covers the design and management issues of related topics such as "Restaurant", "Entertainment Venue" in the hotel. It is the 'must have' for all architects who want to design a hotel efficiently. It can also be a good book for anyone who is in the hospitality business and currently in charge of renovating or upgrading the hotel space; or the hotel's representative who need to communicate with architects or interior designer. This book can be the great tool to evaluate the result of the hotel construction project or even to 'correct' it. The tables and formulas for space calculation in this book are easy enough for anyone to understand. This book can be of great use to all building design professionals. It can also be a valuable one for any people who is interested in hotel business.

The work of hotel design and planning is different from other architectural works; it requires an indepth understanding of hotel business. Therefore, the hotel architecture became one of the toughest job for architects. (Another job is the hospital architecture.)

However, this book proposed design guidelines for a hotel fit to the business pattern. First, it explains various types of hotel properties. Second, it shows not only design guidelines for facilities but also planning approach methods for location selecting and size determination. Finally, if you read this book, you can consider efficient management system of the property from the early phase of design.

Among numerous books on hotel architecture, I think this book is the most outstanding resource.

I am an Interior Design student and found this book very helpful in completing a hospitality design. It provides a breakdown of the areas of the hotel, the different types of hotels, and the type of customers that use them. It really helped me in laying out the floor plan. There are also some awesome color pictures of fabulous hotels in the world. I highly recommend for anyone interested in hospitality design.

This a book that be should always be close to you if you work in the hotel development industry.

The title is a bit misnomered since in effect an author cannot be his own literary agent and to access editors at the major publishing houses the screening of a representative is now required by most. That aside, the book is a treasury of essential insider information for not only the newbie but for an author like myself who after having seven books published is still struggling to get his work into print.

This is a wonderful book that describes the business side of literary agencies, publishing houses and the relationship between the two that makes the publishing wheel go round. He offers loads of contractual tips and explainations of your rights - which is very important.

I read his book when I was shopping my own book Never Trust A Man In Alligator Loafers. I still refer to it and brush up on contract knowledge and rights.

If you're wondering if you need a literary agent - my answer is yes!

Writers, find out about the business-side of writing with this easy read.

Find out how Agents decide which projects to take on and which to return with note: "sorry, not interested." And if a publisher wants to make a deal with you, find out how to understand the contract.

Best,
Shalla
www.shalladeguzman.com

If you write and consider selling your work this is a must read.

The title "How to be Your Own Literary Agent" may be misleading for some people, who may take it to mean that by reading this book, one can skip the need of querying for agents. It doesn't help you get published; it says you still have to have agents to get into big publishing houses, but it does give an insider detailed view of the agent business and the publishing industry.

For the aspiring writer, most of the information is interesting but not useful, as the book itself admits - who in the world dares to bargain with the editor anyway, when he is ready to kiss the editor's feet for agreeing to publish his first book? However, for people who wish to become professional writers, such knowledge will certainly come in handy after one becomes published.

The book reads smooth and is extremely funny, making it a pleasurable bedtime reading. I finished it around 3 a.m. with a sore neck. For example, Mr. Curtis mentions this client who claimed to be a mafia hit man. As a result, he had little trouble getting his royal check on time - he'd simply call the publisher and say "if my royalty check ain't ready by noon tomorrow, I'm gonna marry you to a plate-glass window." (p.114)

As one can imagine, the publisher was quick to meet this guy's special needs. Then one day the poor guy was found shot dead outside some motel. Mr. Curtis didn't think the publisher did it.

I highly recommend this book to any writer.

This is a really fun book. My daughter, son and I really enjoy comparing notes, thinking about which dinos we might want as pets and how various dinos stack up against fish, cats, dogs and the like. It is nearly believable that there are markets throughout the world to purchase your very own raptor!

So many people just go out and pick the cutest dinosaur they see in the pound or pet store and use this as a decision on which one to take home. If only more pet owners took responsibility before purchasing their pets and researched how big they would get, how their temperament is with children and other pets, how much they will cost in food and other expenses and how big a yard they really need to run around in then there wouldn't be so many dumped animals or feral once were pet animals running around in our national parks. Whilst there are many decision helping and informative books out in the marketplace on dogs, cats, birds and fish, there has been a severe lack of information on the large reptilian pets that are growing in popularity.

Thankfully Robert Mash has written an extremely helpful guide to dinosaur ownership complete with sensational photographs of humans interacting with their best friends around the house, out in the parks and on the sports fields. The photographs alone mean that even those who have no interest in owning a dinosaur will still be able to get great enjoyment from this book. Those doing school assignments and others who wish to use this as a research book on the facts of different types of dinosaurs will find this a lot more entertaining and easier to read than most research books. A must for any dinosaur lover.

The dustjacket of "How to Keep Dinosaurs" gives the reader a great and accurate preview of the book: the front shows an intelligent, fun-loving little compsognathus chasing a tennis ball, with a food-dish labeled "Dino" on the floor; the back shows a rowdy, beautifully-feathered incisivosaurus having a pillow-fight with a little girl, with the pillow clearly on the way to Pillow Heaven afterward.

Robert Mash's "How to Keep Dinosaurs" is the hilarious, tongue-in-cheek, definitive guide to breeding, raising, feeding, housing, training, and optimally utilizing different breeds of dinosaurs. Along the way, Mash pokes fun at political correctness, Americans, British, politicians, talkshow hosts, and a variety of other concepts, people, and professions. The book starts with an introduction describing the history of human-dinosaur interactions, then moves on to suggest the kinds of equipment dinosaur owners will find handy. Following this are sections on dinosaurs for beginners; dinosaurs that make good house-pets; dinosaurs that have entertainment value (e.g., riding); dinosaurs that are good as guard-animals and in related security/law enforcement areas; dinosaurs that are prime candidates to be raised for meat, eggs, feathers, or hides; and, finally, dinosaurs that are spectacular but only suitable for zoos or safari parks. At the end, there is a brief list of common dinosaur ailments (e.g., many are prone to extreme flatulence and/or constipation), and a family tree showing how the dinosaurs described in the book fit into the overall taxonomy.

Each animal listed is accompanied by a beautiful, full-color "photograph" that often shows the beast interacting with a human. The linguistic background of each animal's name is given, but these derivations are intentionally skewed for humor. There is a well-written description of the animal's strengths, weaknesses, and quirks, plus advice on feeding, housing, and breeding them, along with recommendations on what the dinosaur is most suitable for. There is a map of the world showing the best locations to purchase that particular species, and the specific stores are named. Finally, there is a set of symbols that summarize important information about the animal (e.g., an icon of a teddy bear means the animal likes children; an icon of a teddy bear missing a leg means the animal likes children to eat).

The "photographs" in this book deserve separate mention. Many beautiful, colorful, often full-page pictures are included to depict the dinosaurs and emphasize each animal's special traits. Many dino-human interactions are shown in these pictures. A prime example is the final picture, which shows a magnificent, and quite colorful, Tyrannosaurus Rex, with a family standing very nearby, and above, on an observation platform. They are taking pictures of, and pointing at, the magnificent hunter supreme. The caption reads, "A picture taken mere seconds before tragedy struck . . ."

There is only one sentence in the book where the author "slips" and alludes to the fact that dinosaurs just happen to be extinct. That one instance relates to how all the restrictions involved in dealing with endangered species do not apply to dinosaurs, as they are already extinct. I think this "slip" was intentional, with the multiple and divers purposes of poking fun at zealous conservationists, giving parents one needed statement in case their children take the book as fact, and professionally stamping the book as fiction.

While "How to Keep Dinosaurs" is fiction and made for humor, the author knows his paleontology. The species named, and their characteristics, all fit with modern paleontology and are extrapolations thereof. More recent theories about how avian the dinosaurs might have been are strongly incorporated (i.e., many of the animals depicted have primitive plumage). I am no paleontologist, and I do not know whether or not Mr. Mash is either, but he is certainly closer to being one than am I.

This book is big (length-width) but only 96 pages; with the many illustrations, it could be used as a coffeetable book. It is extremely well-done and a lot of fun. Want a chuckle? Buy this keeper.

I breed and show Boxers and am used to the standard "Owners guides" published on almost all dog breeds. This book reads as such and is CHARMING! It takes itself seriously from cover to cover, including an author photo showing his pet dino in his yard. Its fantastic, and is a SUPER coffee table book, after you are done with this clever read! Recommended to any dog/cat/horse fancier who may be beginning to take themselves too seriously.

This book is saving my sanity. Our five-year-old has been obsessed with dinosaurs for so long that we've read pretty much everything you can get your hands on about the beasts. This refreshing and extensive manual has us laughing while reading it out loud over and over again. Our son loves the handy symbol key, which allows him to look up critical traits on each dinosaur, such as which ones "like children," or "like to eat children," or are, alas, "worryingly stupid." He's got it all figured out now, which ones we should get. The photos are great.

Goes into detail as to history and how to maintain a Corvair. Shows in detail each componant of the car and gives suggestions on maintaining or modifing the car.

You can buy this book for $15.95 in clark's Corvair Parts calalog, if you see anyone trying to sell the "How to keep your corvair alive" more than it should be.

The author gives information in this book which is probably not compiled anywhere else.

This book is probably the only one around which gives details on how to keep the Corvair running. Common-language terminology makes the author easy to understand, and Corvair ancedotes keep the reader entertained.

The one drawback is that many of the illustrations are hand-sketches. Such sketches may or may not be useful to the reader when trying to use them to supplement the text. Similarly, some of the photos are too dark to be useful, though most are quite good.

I generally enjoyed the book.

After purchasing my first Corvair, this was the first book I purchased to support it.Well known to all Corvair enthusiasts, Richard Finch hits the mark by providing basic survival information on the Corvair. A "must have" when new to the Corvair world and a great addition to any automotive library!

This book has saved my life, not to mention a lot of time, in restoring and maintaining my 1964 Spyder Convertible. Many thanks to Mr. Finch for the many photos and drawings. Also for easy to understand language used in the book.

A witty, poignant, and sensitive description of an era that is hard to imagine for most people. Profligate wealth combined with refinement, hedonism, and cold hearted detachment. Almost everyone will be interested in this perspective of a young boy who finds his unique voice in a rigorously structured environment.

An excellent, well-balanced book. I was concerned, given the beginning of the book, that the remainder might be about someone wallowing in self pity. However, the author clearly did NOT take that path; rather, he decided to take charge of his life and free himself. References to wealthy and famous people are related as part of other facts and not with any self aggrandizement. The book is well written with "teasers" at the end of each chapter to urge one on to the next (which it did). A most interesting book, both about the setting and the author's "self-discovery". All in all, a very good read!

I Survived Swiss Boarding Schools is a fascinating, inspiring book. Rene Silvin, the author, recounts the seemingly insurmountable obstacles he overcomes in his truly Dickension experience as a very young child in boarding school. He also gives us a fascinating glimpse into life in that almost mythical Swiss boarding school, Le Rosey. Among the book's many powerful images, one of the most vivid is of the author's competitive rowing as an adolescent on beautiful Lake Geneva. And then there are the many extraordinary people Rene encounters among his classmates and their parents...This book was hard to put down!

Mary Adams, New York City

I picked up this book last night intending to read only a few pages before falling into bed. Ended up staying up way too late thinking with the turn of each page, I'll just see what happens in this one incident and then I'll put it down. An intimate and powerful story told with great sensitivity.

I was riveted from page one. An amazing story of how the grass is not always greener. Wealth, privilege, celebrity,this book has it all. A wonderfully written true story that at times will tear your heart out, and at others makes you cheer. A book you will not forget.

If you're looking for pictures of pirates, try Pirates: Predators of the seas, which has great illustrations. If you're looking for an incredible read about what it was like in pirate times, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!

Many have tried to define Barti Ddu, Black Bart, Bartholomew Roberts.
Richard Sanders has his number, I think, as few others have had it.

Sanders brings to life one of the world's most intriguing pirates, with his vivid prose and groundbreaking research. This original portrait challenges every cliche we have about pirate culture. For anyone who is interested in what life was really like aboard a pirate ship, this book is a must read.

Throw out everything you think you know about pirates. What did a real pirate captain look like? Certainly not Jack Sparrow. Captain Hook is probably a closer visual.

This is not a novelization, but a historical account of Bartholomew Roberts, the most successful pirate in history. Don't expect some dry history book here, this is fascinating! Sanders includes excerpts of actual accounts, stories and letters from the era.

He paints the full picture of why men turned to piracy - the ship captains' authority was total, and many were very cruel, but none so much as the slave ship captains. These men treated people with such brutality that human life was worthless to them, and they treated their sailors almost as poorly as the slaves. There are accounts of sailors begging food from the slaves - when food and water ran short, the sailors were deprived before the slaves. After all, the captains made no money on the sailors.

It's no wonder when a pirate ship showed up and the captain said, "who wants to be a pirate?" that men eagerly joined the crew.

What struck me as most amazing was the democracy of piracy. The captain and all the officers were elected. The crew voted on destinations. The quartermaster balanced the captain's power.

This book is excellent, a must read for anyone who is not only interested in pirates, but the history of colonies in the Caribbean in that era.

In this well written and brilliantly told tale the exploits of `Black Bart' Bartholomew Roberts are told amidst the history of the early 18th century. This is much more than a pirate story. This is stories a vast array of characters and places from Newfoundland to the coast of Africa and Devil's islands. In his time Black Bart was one of the most feared pirates, but not as famous as Blackbeard. He was born in Wales in 1682 and began his career as a pirate in 1719 after having worked as a third mate on a merchant vessel. In the fall and winter of 1719 he made his way as a pirate captain to Brazil and then to the Caribbean, suffering a mutiny and losing a ship in the process. By 1720 he had regained his power and moved to Newfoundland, raiding shipping along the way. From September 1720 to April 1721 he became the scourge of the British and French Caribbean. 1722 found him and a much enlarged crew off the coast of Africa, where he had originally become a pirate.
In truth his career only spanned three years, but it is a story that is far richer than those mere three years. This book is a short history of so many things, from sickness in Britain's slave-colonies of Africa, to Devil's island, to the emergence of white settlement in the Caribbean. Many astounding stories and mini-histories can be found in this volume, from stories of utopias among brigands, to the vanishing Caribs of the Caribbean, the use of slaves aboard Pirate vessels, and the rampant homosexuality and promiscuity among men and pirates in the period. One small oversight is the lack of a map.

A brilliantly told story, if most history were written like this than it would all rival fiction in the stories that would be told.

This is the best invertebrate zoology textbook on the market, perhaps the best ever written. The authors are not content to merely present in fine detail the classification, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology of invertebrates, they present alternative interpretations and controversial opinions where these topics are concerned. In that way, invertebrate zoology comes alive as an active, important, and relevant field of study for understanding the ecology and evolutionary relationships of these organisms in a global setting. I highly recommend this book for a course of study or as a reference for Earth Science instructors who wish to solidify and deepend their knowledge and understanding of invertebrates.

A modern replacement of Libby Hyman's classic series, but, even so, is now beoming out of date because of the rapid advances in molecular biology. Dr. Barnes is deceased and I understand that Dr. Ruppert has no plans to update the book, a horrendous undertaking. Nevertheless, I know of no substitute for this fine text. Readers should also refer to Margulis & Schwartz "Five Kingdoms".

Ruppert and Barnes' text, now in its 6th edition sets the standard for invertebrate zoology texts. The authors provide adequate depth for undergraduate courses in invertebrate zoology, and good fodder for graduate students starting in the discipline as well.

There are outstanding collections of line drawings in the text -- a method of illustration I prefer to photographs for most instructional purposes.

There is good coverage of invertebrate animal groups, but, since it's published in 1994, there are a few places where the book is becoming dated. There is, for example, no information about the Cycliophora, the latest invertebrate phyla to be proposed.

I hope that there will continue to be new editions of this text produced. I cut my teeth on the 3rd edition, and other editions have figured prominently as I have worked through my graduate and professional careers.

Top-notch material. If you are considering which text to select for an invertebrate zoology course, I urge you to give this book a look.

This text is the most comprehensive yet easy to read book on invertebrates out there. Using an evolutionary approach, it begins with the simplest organisms and ends with the most complex. Reproduction, organ systems, and lifestyle are discussed in detail giving the reader a functional view of a continuum of simple to complex nervous systems, digestive systems and locomotive and reproductive life styles. This book explains invertebrate zoology using techniques and concepts that can be used to study most biology topics in a systematic fashion. It is a must own for any undergraduate or post graduate!!!

This book covers all the major taxa of invertebrate fauna and is surprisingly comprehensive for such a diverse topic.