Roberts Books

This is a must-read for any city, county or region that is considering a growth management system. Dr. Freilich is one of the pioneers in American growth management systems, and his personal experience in designing the systems is an invaluable resource. In response to Lewyn's comments, linking growth and infrastructure can be VERY controversial. If not done properly, it can lead to invalidation or takings liability. Even if done properly, a variety of stakeholder - including neighborhoods, the development and building community, and local administrators - usually weigh in heavily. The controversies can be particularly intense during the formative stages of the program. No jurisdiction should undertake this type of system without learning the lessons gleaned from this outstanding book.

No one but Robert Freilich could maintain that the past 35 years of his life has been dedicated to combatting urban sprawl. When most of us hadn't graduated from law school, he was giving his own unique brand of "thoughtful consideration" to a critical issue which most communities had yet to recognize. Robert's book is an exceptionally informative volume, combining history of law, politics, and planning with a dash of autobiography. A great read!

As one of the other reviewers pointed out, this is a good introduction to modest, relatively noncontroversial things local governments can do to slow suburban sprawl, such as requiring development and infrastructure to move together. But I wish Freilich had been a little less optimistic, and focused more on how inadequate such steps sometimes are. For example, Portland and Minneapolis both have variations on urban growth boundaries, and Freilich praises the Minneapolis program. However, the Minneapolis program has basically been a failure: the Twin Cities keep losing people because the growth boundary includes far more land than the Portland version. Also, I would have emphasized that sprawl is a result not only of land use but of highway and education policy.

This book provides an excellent introduction to the planning techniques for directing and focusing development available to state and local governments and a critical assessment of how they have been used in a variety of local and regional settings.At a time when state and local competition for available land has become increasingly intense, an understanding of the legal and policy bases of these approaches and the different ways in which they might be used in planning is critical to finding ways to accommodate legitimate public goals to the expectations of property owners.

"From Sprawl To Smart Growth" belongs on the "must read" list of anyone working to combat urban sprawl. Bob Freilich brings 30 years of first-hand experience to this complex topic, and he tackles it with great enthusiasm and a unique historical perspective.

Those who want to learn about hockey - and not just what Alan Eagleson did to it - should run, not walk, to buy this book.
Conway's book is superb, and his work on Eagleson made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
It's a must-read for any sports writer, too. It's like having an "Investigative Journalism 101" class taught to you, and for a fraction of the money you'd pay at a university.

This is the most interesting book I have ever read. I studied it to do an oral presentation for Grade 9 English class a few years ago and was so intrigured by the Alan Eagleson story that, now in my first year of University, I am pursuing a career very similar to that of Alan Eagleson...one in which I would essentially deal with the business side of the NHL where I would love to make some sort of a positive influence, as Eagleson did. However, Alan Eagleson's corruption, which is described in this book, is an excellent example of how one person can cause a negative influence on many people's lives through illegitimacy and how public opinion of that person can change almost instantly as a result. Russ Conway did an excellent job of investigating Alan Eagleson, and his book is a wonderful summary of his work. I would recommend this book to anybody, whether they are a hockey fan or not.

Russ Conway has written a wonderful investigative piece about a man who is truly a disgraceful figure in the history of Canadian hockey. Russ brings forth, with his own agressive style, the wicked ways of a man who calling a crook is an understatement. First, he never backed down to get his answers and his writing is first-rate. Anyone who follows hockey should read about a man who almost destroyed it.

All hockey fans owe Russ Conway a debt of gratitude for helping rid hockey of the parasite Alan Eagleson. He documents Eagleson's criminal and disgusting behaviour in great detail, helping fans to better understand what hockey players faced in the past, the necessary background information for many of the issues facing pro hockey today. I haven't read such a gripping book since "Net Worth". Eagleson will be back in the courts again before long, no doubt willing to lie about the charges being brought forward by a number of retired hockey players. Read this book and you'll see that the players have justice on their team.

This is one of the most important sports books ever written. Through his exhaustive work, Russ Conway exposes the greed, corruption and financial swindling that plagued the NHL throughout Alan Eagelson's reign of terror and the financial and emotional price that so many players faced. Most importantly, Conway's work served as the catalyst for Mr. Eagleson's downfall and proving many player's assertions of corruption. Put simply, this is an important piece of journalism that every fan of sports should read, whether you are a hockey fan or not.

I believe this book to be unique in the fact that it puts faces to the heros in a story that when told in other books seems to gloss over who these guys really were. The photos of these young heros is simply haunting. Many of them seem to have that look that says, "I know I'm going to die, but I must do my duty." And they did. And I think this book is also unique in the fact that it covers in depth the contribution of the pilots who flew and suffered and died from the actual atoll of Midway itself, not just the pilots from our carriers. Many of these pilots who flew off of Midway were flying antiquated death traps that had no chance in hell against the Japanese Zero and their veteran, battle tested pilots. My God 13 of the 16 pilots in VMSB-241 flying SBD-2/3 Dauntless divebombers off Midway had never even flown a Dauntless until a few days before they flew off of Eastern Island. Many of them were right out of flight school and many of the rear seat gunners had minimal and in some cases NO training at all. And the pilots and crews of the hapless and totally antiquated and obsolete TBD-1 Devastators were doomed as well before they ever took off from Midway. The Devasator had to slow to 100 mph in order to drop a torpedo. They Zeros ate them alive. This book has given me an even greater respect and awe for these gallant heros who knew they were going to die, yet got into those cockpits and did their duty for their country. We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid but this book is a giant step in the direction of making sure their sacrifices are never forgotten. Highly recommended even if you have to pay the big bucks to get it off the used book market. Don't miss this one if you are a WWII Pacific Theatre buff.

This is one of the most complete accounts of the battle that I have read. It was an excelent book

. This is THE definitive work on the Battle of Midway. It accurately provides the detail that most of the others omit or get wrong, and it corrects all of the popular myths about the battle that some of the others perpetuate, i.e. the controversial flight of the USS Hornet's air group on the morning of 4 June 1942, and the "Midway is short of water" ruse pulled off by the signal intelligence wizards at Pearl Harbor.
. You have to be very familiar with the events and personnel involved in the battle to find even a minor flaw in this book. This reviewer knows of only two (in the 4th printing, March '98); one photo caption cites the wrong PBY squadron and another has the wrong names for an SBD aircrew. Beyond that sort of miniscule nitpicking that very few would notice, "A Glorious Page" can be relied upon as meticulously thorough and accurate to a level that no other volume on the Battle of Midway approaches.
. If you are researching the battle, start here. And if you can only afford one book on the Battle of Midway, this is the one you want. (Reviewed by R. W. Russell, Battle of Midway Roundtable, www.midway42.org)

Simply fantastic. I've read many books about this topic but this is the best. No theatrics, just the facts presented in a very readable format. Great work.

There's not much doubt about the exhaustive detail of this book. It's about as close as you are going to get to a blow by blow account of the most important battle in US Navy history. The authors recount virtually every movement that any ship, squadron, or commander made in those 3 crucial days. Although the detail is minute, I couldn't put it down. The battle was apparently, a continuous stream of action.

This book is really for the dedicated historian and hardcore history buff. It isn't really intended to be a good read, but it sure was for me. The writing style is easy and flowing, not as dry and dusty as you would expect from a history book.

The story really focuses on the men. It is full of pictures of the flyers, commanders and squadrons. There are only a couple small weak points. One is the poor quality of the printed pictures. This is not an expensive book, so it is printed on medium quality paper. Photos don't turn out very clear on this kind of paper. Several captions describe details in the photo that I can't for the life of me see. Still the picture collection here is huge. It was especially touchng to look at the faces of these great heroes. They look like ordinary guys. I guess they were. It impresses me that ordinary guys are capable of rising to such high levels of dedication and valor.

The other problem is the lack of good maps. There are only 6, and they aren't very high quality. The 3 battle maps are given on only 2 pages, and contain too much information to make much sense. I would have prefered more larger maps showing more specific phases of the battle. I tracked down some better maps on the internet, but the data in this text could be used to produce many more detailed maps.

The book starts witb an interesting brief history of Midway atol, itself. Such an important place, and yet it is just a couple of tiny piles of sand literally in the middle of nowhere.


Altogether, I can highly recommend this book if you want a lot of detail in an easy-reading style.

This book was a must for me, and I bought one as a gift for my best friend, too, after hearing Justine Simmon's had written a book. I love the show about her family, Run's House, on MTV. They are such a sweet, loving family. Parents who are faithful to God and VERY intertwined into their children's lives, as they SHOULD be. They are so inspiring as parents, I had to read what Justine would have to write to children. It's a sweet little book. Nothing out of this world, very easy-to-understand questions kids would have for God. My girls live in such a sheltered world - reading about some kids who are less fortunate, who may live in a one-parent household or other hardships they have to overcome, it was interesting to see my kids gain that perspective from a book. Also, super bonus that a few of the illustrations have Diggy or Russy (can't remember which one - but Justine's sons) in them!

This book is great. The message is one that children need to hear today. My daughter loves the book.

This book was very inspiring. My children loved it. This is a must have for any christian family. I recommend the book for all families with children.

Loved the Cover and Content. A beautiful book for any child and great gift to be given at any time. Justine Simmons so warm and poignant. My granson loved this book

Judy

Children are at the center of our universe and their untainted souls help to keep adults grounded in truth with clear vision. However, we forget that children have questions that we can't always answer. It is during these times that children need an outlet, a special friend to talk things over with, and a forgiving voice of reason - they need to hear from God.

Simmons does an extraordinary job at welcoming the hearts of children into her story. The issues discussed are pertinent to children today. Her heartfelt commentary is a pleasant relief to children storytelling. GOD, CAN YOU HEAR ME? should be part of every household library whether children are present or not. The lessons learned in the heart-warming text and colorfully illustrated pages provide motivation and inspiration to all.

Reviewed by - Deltareviewer
For Real Page Turners

This book is a must read for anyone in any profession. I couldn't put the book down and I don't even play golf. The Reiss Brothers make an awesome analogy by showing how the game of golf relates to learning new strategies for building networks and improving communications, not only in one's professional life but personal life as well. The book is honest, insightful and enjoyable to read. It gets down to the basic psychology for a successful business. Jennifer Amlen, LCSW

I just started golfing and i love this book! It was easy to read and I think it will be helpful in every aspect of my life for a long time to come!
Sam Leibowitz

I am not a golfer, so I was a tough sell on this book. But its content transcends golf as a sport or even as an ideal. The strategies, insights and ideas are practical, usable, honest, and not limited to any industry. Really good stuff.

The book gives you a terrific prespective on the value of customer service and understanding the potential sales leverage in a positive feedback loop. You don't have to be a golfer to like this book!

This is a book that has simplified the complex ideas of best business practices. By breaking down the parallel principles of golf, The Reiss brothers have given us digestible thoughts and actions we can apply every day in almost any line of work. I will suggest all my colleagues read this and encourage all staff members to do the same.

Gordimer Byrd is a very hard worker at the thimble factory. He wants more out of his life and is always looking for something magic that might change him. It's tired of the same old life doing the same things each day. He finds a special pebble that he believes is magic and takes it home. Find out what magic this pebble holds for Gordimer.



This story has a great message that all kids need today. The message seems to be that you should always make the best of every situation and Gordimer does just that!

Everyone images magic in their lives, and so does Gordimer, and lord knows there's enough fantasy in kids books (and play station games et al) to go around and around and around. The moral in this book is that magic does exist, but not in fairy tale form. It comes from celebrating the commonplace, and using it, in fresh and extraordinary ways. My eight-year old son loved the sense of mystery and wonderment that comes from the text and illustrations. My daughter (11) took it along on a babysitting gig. She read it to her five-year old charge who was delighted with the unwrapping stillness of the tone. My daughter brought it back and pointed out some of the magic in the illustrations themselves and challenged my son to find all of them, and he suprised her with a few discoveries she'd missed. Somehow, the writer captured the sense of discovery and wonder that life is all about in a kids book. It's a pleasure.

Who among us hasn't experienced Gordimer Byrd's brand of malaise? Unhappy with his station in life and bored in his job, he's about to give up on hope and finally accept his lot. In the process of letting go of his dream he discovers that he has the ability to fashion another kind with his own two wings. Out of lemons, Gordimer makes lemon chiffon pie. Robert Weinstock's character is a gentle inspiration that will be a special reminder for this adult.

My daughter (age 5) LOVES this book! It is a story about a bird who finds the magic in his own imagination. The writing is beautiful, clever and funny. The illustrations are outstanding. The story draws you in and takes you on an unexpected journey. From his mundane life working pecking dimples in a thimble factory, Gordimer Byrd discovers that ordinary objects can become spectacular treasures in his hands. As he discovers his own spark, you will too. The pages where Gordimer takes all of his "treasures" out of his closet and where he tries to get magic out of a not-so-magic pebble are especially memorable. This book is our new favorite. Finally a new book with depth and creativity in both the text and illustrations. BRAVO!

Gordimer's days are a mix of musky blues, greens and grays. He eats squash blossoms and pine nuts and he hangs out with Olivia Katz who wears glasses big enough to reflect all the things he loves.

My kids wanted me to read this book to them, over and over, so they could figure out the mysterious parts by studying the clues found in the stunning illusrations. Weinstock captures the yearning for magic that we all share. This is not just a book for children but for all adults who haven't given up the quest. I want more books about Gordimer!

What we have here is a collection of historical material that was originally published in three separate volumes. Robert Lacey introduces it with some especially interesting comments: "There may be such a thing as pure, true - what actually, begin italics] definitely [end italics] happened in the past - but it is unknowable. We can only hope to get somewhere close. The history that we have to make do with is the story that historians chose to tell us, pieced together and filtered through every handler's value system." With that acknowledgment, Lacey then reassures his reader that the tales he shares are true, based on "the best available contemporary sources and eyewitness accounts" rather than on revisionist versions decades and even centuries later. his approach to this book was not cynical: "it is written, and recounted for you now by an eternal optimist - albeit one who views the evidence with skeptical eye...the things we do not know about history far outnumbers those that we do. But the fragments that survive are precious and bright. They offer us glimpses of drama, humour, incompetence, bravery, apathy, sorrow, and lust - the stuff of life. There are still a few good tales to tell..."

Each of the hundreds of tales Lacey shares averages 3-5 pages in length and covers a period that begins with "Cheddar Man" (c. 7150) and concludes with "Decoding the Secret of Life " (1953), indeed offering "a treasury of true stories about extraordinary people - knights and knaves, rebels and heroes, queens and commoners - who made Britain Great." Before reading this book for the first time, as I always do, I checked out the table of contents and then began to cherry pick entries that immediately caught my eye, such as "The Legend of Lady Godiva," "Murder in the Cathedral," "Geoffrey Chaucer and the Mother Tongue," "Thomas More and His Wonderful `No Place,'" "Elizabeth Queen of Hearts," "Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada," "Isaac Newton and the Principles of the Universe," "Thomas Paine and the Rights of Man," "Rain, Steam, and Speed - the Shimmering Vision of J.M.W. Turner," The Greatest History Book Ever," and "The Battle of Britain - the Few and the Many." Reading those took less than an hour so the next time I took up the book, reading other accounts that dated from "The Legend of Lady Godiva," c. AD 1043. Then I eventually returned to re-read "Cheddar Man" (c. 7150) and the accounts that followed. In the future, I will probably re-read all of the accounts (nor more than two or three at a time), with the selection depending on my mood of the moment and what interests me then.

Here in Dallas, we have a "Farmers Market" area near downtown at which merchants graciously offer slices of fresh fruit as samples. In the same spirit, I now offer a few "slices" of Lacey's wit and style, provided in chronological order.

"...in the village of Berkeley, tales were told of hideous screams ringing out from the castle on the night of 21 September and some years later one John Trevisa, who had been a boy at the time, revealed what had actually happened. Trevisa had grown up to take holy orders and become chaplain and confessor to the King's jailer, Thomas Lord Berkeley, so he was well placed to solve the mystery. There were no marks of illness or violence to the King's body, he wrote, because Edward was killed `with a hoote brooche [meat-roasting spit] put into the secret place posterialle.'"(Piers Gaveston and Edward II, 1308)

"Many of Caxton's spelling decisions and those of the printers who came after him were quite arbitrary. As they attached letters to sounds they followed no particular rules and we live with the consequences to this day. So if you have ever wondered why a bandage is `wound' around a `wound', why `cough' rhymes with `off', while `bough' rhymes with `cow', and why you might shed a `tear' after seeing a `tear' in your best dress or skirt, you have William Caxton to thank." (William Caxton, 1474)

"Imagine that you have been devoting your principal energies for nearly twenty years to a Very Big Idea - a concept so revolutionary that it will transform the way the human race looks at itself. And then one morning, you open a letter from someone you scarcely know (someone, to be honest, you never took seriously) to discover that he has come up with exactly the same idea - and has picked you as the person to help him announce it to the world." (Charles Darwin and the Survival of the Fittest, 1858)

"Winston Churchill wrote all his own speeches. He would spend as many as six or eight hours polishing and rehearsing his words to get the right impact - and it was worth the effort...He cracked jokes: `When I warned them [the French government] that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did,' he related at the end of December 1941, `their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken. `Some chicken! [Pause] Some neck!'" (Voice of the People, 1945)

I envy anyone who shares my interest in English history who has not as yet begun to explore the material that Robert Lacey has so carefully assembled and then presented in this volume.

A very good first approach to English history. Summarizes its milestones and adds some notes of colour. The shortness of the stories doesn't allow for in-depth analysis, but the book provides an excellent overview and lots of references for further reading.

A great read! All the interesting bits of British history that were left out of the history books.

I am a history buff and a teacher and this book is ideal if you're both or either!
Great story-telling and SO readable.
These tales very from one page to about eight pages at most. In other words, they are easy to tackle before bed or use with a class to discover British history and famous Britons.
Lacey knows his stuff and knows how to entertain - a wonderful combination.

This is a most interesting and amusing book. Since each episode is only a few pages long, one can read a short time or long time, without losing the thread of the story. I have given it as a gift, and the recipient shares my high opinion of the book.

No writer can afford to be without this one! An excellent resource for all the grammatical rules you've forgotten since high school. I keep this beside my computer as I write.

I had an edition in the 1950's when I was in college, then bought the updated 5th edition in the 1960's. I have newer, bulkier books like _Chicago Manual_ of Style but for conciseness, correctness and convenience this little book is still my favorite. My advice, get an older edition if you can find it. My little book can fit in a large pocket, yet it is complete.

John Culleton

Two or three millenia ago, when I first began college, the assigned handbook was the Harbrace, then in the second or third edition. Since then I have ben a military officer, a professional writer, a manager, and a teacher. Through each of these incarnations I have had the Harbrace at my elbow. I have never failed to find exactly the right advice, the right emphasis, and even the right choices to make my writing eminently readable.
Although its style is not didactic, it does present enough examples to keep both the old and the new writer from wandering off into that muddy stuff we se so often in magazines.
Buy one! That and a Strunk and White are all you need.

Harbrace book rocks. The book was read by me and I like it. Theirs a good part when the book talked about how to not split infiitivs and I like that also, however, do'nt by this book if your all ready nice at writing, like me! C' YA.

I found this book to be a wonderful reference when writing anything from a short paper to a forty page research paper. Neither would have been possible without this text. A great buy!

I am currently re-reading this interesting book after a recent discussion involving studies -- among other things this book debunks 'medical terrorism' in which studies are used to frighten people unnecessarily. (The authors strongly encourage us to look more closely at the size and scope of studies before applying them to ourselves)

However, the book covers many more topics in emphasizing the importance of pleasure, including a focus on Work that makes and keeps us slaves to industry while cutting us off from significant others in our lives.

The authors aren't proponents of hedonism, but suggest that if we buy into conventional wisdom, we miss out on the joy life has to offer without any real improvement in our health or longevity.

Pleasure as the root of all evil (too often equated with sex) has been converted from its true purpose as the only motivation and incentive that spurs people to action. The power of pleasure has quite simply been highjacked and converted into the exact opposite of its intended purpose to elevate mankind into achieving the impossible - whatever that impossible happens to be. Long recognized by founders of America by including the possible of impossibilities into the preamble of America's Declaration of Independence to properly document their perspective, and their newfound knowledge emerging from the tyranny of Kings and Queens, they set in motion the philosophy upon which American capitalism and entrepreneurship seeks to preserve that delicate relationship between man and the enjoyment of his life - spiritual, mental and physical - and at least, in theory, the same for women. Practice turns out to be much more elusive than planned despite the Constitutional protections because of our lack of consideration for each other of the fine boundaries that separate one from another in that sometimes elusive pursuit that is by definition individually selective, and guarantees that his life will be meaningful, important and happy secure in the natural rights defined as his privilege to define for himself what gives him pleasure - the expression of his free will nurtured within that promise of a free nation, America.

The authors make an airtight case for a pleasurable life being healthy. This book will make you feel good, emotionally AND physically.

Healthy Pleasures written by Robert Ornstein and David Sobel is a book about the medical benefits of pleasure, that is longer, healthier life.

The book is divided up into three parts and each of those has chapters relative to the topic. Healthy Pleasures proposes a new approach to the way women and men manage their health. This book is a readers guide through the maze of myths and misconceptions that stand in the way of health.

In the book the reader will find scores of practical suggestions, based on recent scientific discoveries, on how to live in a way that enriches, rather than just maintains, health: ways to mobilize positive beliefs, expectations, and emotions... from cognitive therapy, relaxation training, and successful behavior modification practices.

Because people are naturally drawn by the pleasure principle to many of the things which promote health, this makes the book easy to follow. The emphasis of this book is the importance of pleasing rather than punishing ourselves... food, drink, rest, work, sunrises and sunsets, too... in a refreshing affectionate light found in the brain's pleasure centers.

This might be my favorite mind/body book. Through scientific research, it proves that pleasure is good for you, purpose, meaning, fun and laughter are good for you. In other words, the better your life, the better your health is likely to be. And the harder your life, the more health problems you are likely to have.

This is a profoundly healing message. It tells us not to be hard on ourselves, or on others. Not to blame ourselves or set up hundreds of hoops to jump through. That's not the way to be healthy or happy. Make your life easier and better, and good health is likely (though not guaranteed) to follow.

I have used this approach in my life with multiple sclerosis, my health coaching practice and my wellness workshops for years now with wonderful results. My book, The Art of Getting Well: Maximizing Health When You Have a Chronic Illness, puts Sobel and Ornstein's research into practice. I remain a big fan of Healthy Pleasures

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I have been reading philosophy for a long time now and occasionally, when I talk about it to my friends, I get asked where one can start when it comes to a massive subject like philosophy. Before this book, I would have a hard time pinpointing a good source for a newcomer because most books out there are either boring and dull college books or books that are way too complicated and wordy for anyone without a background to enjoy them.

This series turned out to be perfect for starting a journey in philosophy or brushing up on your ancient Greek philosophy - where it all started. It is a pity that it does not include some Eastern thought schools that are very important to explore but I suppose it had to limit itself on some scale. It is easy to comprehend, laid out rather nicely and often enough refers to former chapters so you don't lose the thread. Not only does it give paragraphs of good translations of the original texts from Plato and Aristotele etc, but it also enriches these thoughts with its own neat and current examples.

I highly recommend it. It was a very pleasant read.

This item was in very good shape and came to me in no time. It was shipped the same day of the purchase and i got it 2 days later.

This book offers an excellent summery of the basic teachings, understandings, and doctrines from Thales of the pre-socratics to the late Classical period in Rome (Epicurus, Cicero, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, ect). The History of Western Philosphy Series is an excellent addition to the mind and bookshelf of all scholars who maintain interest in the evolution of the human mind. This specific book goes well hand in hand with F. M. Cornfield's "From Religion to Philosophy (A Study in the Origins of Western Speculation)."

This book, 'The Classical Mind', is the first volume of a five-volume series on the history of Western Philosophy by W.T. Jones, professor of philosophy in California. This series is a very strong, thorough introduction to the course of Western Philosophy, beginning at the dawn of the philosophical enterprise with the pre-Socratics in ancient Greece to the modern thinkers such as Wittgenstein and Sartre. It has grown, over the three decades or so of its publication, from one to four then to five volumes. It has remained a popular text, and could serve as the basis of a one-year survey of philosophy for undergraduates or a one-semester survey for graduate students. Even advanced students in philosophy will find this valuable, all major topics and most minor topics in the course of philosophy are covered in these volumes.

Jones states that there are two possible ways for a writer to organise a history of philosophy -- either by addressing everyone who ever participated in philosophy (which could become rather cumbersome if one accepts the premise that anyone could be a philosopher), or to address the major topics and currents of thought, drawing in the key figures who address them, but leaving out the lesser thinkers for students to pursue on their own. Jones has chosen the latter tactic, making sure to provide bibliographic information for this task.

This volume, 'The Classical mind', starts and ends in ancient Greece. Plato and Aristotle are well featured, to be sure, but the pre-Socratics and the post-Aristotilean thinkers are also discussed in great detail. The first chapter deals with a number of thinkers whose names are well-known to those who study the history of science as well as to philosophers -- Thales, Anaximander, Pythagoras -- showing the interconnection of disciplines that recurs again and again throughout history, but never again so closely as in these opening days of Western thought.

Jones gives a general history lesson along with the history of the development of thought so that the reader will understand the social and historical context in which ideas developed. Plato and Aristotle both came out a context in which Greece was a fairly violent place much of the time, with warring factions and city-states variously dependent upon and warring against each other.

The discussion of Plato largely deals with his theories of knowledge and metaphysics, with an additional chapter on subsequent topics such as ethics, politics, religion and art. Similiarly, Aristotle is dealt with in two chapters, with the major topics of metaphysics, logic, ethics, politics, aesthetics, and other issues addressed. At the end of each of these sections, Jones gives a general critique of the philosopher's main ideas, and in the final chapter of the book, sets the stage for further developments, particularly in terms of the decline of the Golden Age in Greece. In some regards, all subsequent Western philosophy vacilates between Plato and Aristotle, so a thorough grounding is important.

Each volume ends with a glossary of terms, and a worthwhile index. The glossary warns against short, dictionary-style definitions and answers to broad terms and questions, and thus indicates the pages index-style to the discussion within the text for further context. The one wish I would have would be a comprehesive glossary and index that covers the several volumes; as it is, each volume has only its own referents.

This is minor criticism in a generally exceptional series. It is not easy text, but it is not needlessly difficult. The print size on the direct quotes, which are sometimes lengthy, can be a strain at times, but the reading is worthwhile.

W. T. Jones' first volume, The Classical Mind, is a fantastic introduction for studying ancient philosophy. His work is fairly clear and not very difficult in terms of being able to understand his explication of various philosophers and theories. That is, Jones does not write to other philosophers; he is writing to would-be philosophers or students. Jones considers important aspects such as the timing and events surrounding the philosophical theories in order to demonstrate that these ideas do not develop ex nihilo. They arise because of important questions or issues developed in the relevant cultures.

This work covers quite a few people. Of course, it is not exhaustive on every thinker; nor is such even possible since many of the writings of people like the pre-socratics do not exist beyond a few manuscripts. In any case, Jones starts with them (specificaly Homer and Hesiod), through Thales, to Plato, to Aristotle, and up to the skeptics (e.g., Carneades and Sextus). From time to time, Jones will comment upon some of the positive and negative (or implausible) aspects of each of the theories provided. Sometimes his objections are good; other times, they can be answered. For instance, Jones treats Plato's argument for the Forms as a transcendental argument and he applies Stephan Korner's uniquness argument against Plato (c.f. Korner, "The Impossibility of Transcendental Deductions"). Jones doesn't refer to Korner, but it is the same point. I think Plato could *in principle* answer Jones.

There are a couple areas where I think that Jones has misinterpreted some of the early thinkers. For instance, Jones treats Aristotle as only holding to the intellectual virtues as being eudaimonia (for an alternative view, see Cooper, John M. "Reason and Human Good in Aristotle"). Also, Jones gives a traditional analysis of Parmenides. Patricia Curd offers an alternative analysis in "The Legacy of Parmenides." Both of these thinkers challenge the traditional views that Jones sides with. In any case, that's a head's up for readers who have not done exhaustive reading on these philosophers; just something to keep in mind when reading Jones.

Finally, I think that Jones often uses far too long of quotes from other people. At one point, he quoted Plato for an entire three pages (8 size font!). Jones could have summarized the point and added a footnote. Nevertheless, this is a great textbook for studying ancient philosophy and it deserves five stars despite my harsh disapproval of some of his analyses and writing style :)