S Books

If you like Sci Fi and have read any other Alistair Reynolds (or not) you will love this one.

The Prefect is set in the "Revelation Space" universe of some of Reynold's earlier novels. While some understanding of this might be beneficial, it's definitely not essential and first time Reynolds readers will still have a great time with this book.

The two main characters are prefect Tom Dreyfus and his assistant Thalia Ng. The prefects are basically police officers that operate out of Panoply, one of the 10,000 space habitats in the "Glitter Band" orbiting Yellowstone, a planet in the Epsilon Eridani system. The prefects don't have much real power though and are mainly responsible for administering the complex vote recording apparatus that provides democracy throughout the Glitter Band.

While investigating the mysterious destruction of a habitat, Dreyfus becomes aware of a plot to take over the whole Glitter Band by a shadowy figure called Aurora. Aurora seems to believe that only she can protect the inhabitants of the Glitter Band from future catastrophe. Aurora's agenda is not so benign, however. Thalia unwittingly becomes involved when she unwittingly loads corrupted software into the vote recording machines in several habitats. The plot proceeds at breakneck speed as it becomes a race to locate the mysterious entity known as the Clockmaker who seems to hold the key to defeating Aurora. The end of the story, while relatively satisfying, is left fairly open so I expect that the Prefects and Panoply will feature again in future Reynolds novels.

As well as being a very good detective story, the book is just a great hard science fiction novel too. The technology is quite believable for the far future with some of the concepts being quite ingenious but the technology never takes over the story. Characterization is another outstanding feature too. Even the traitor on Panoply is a credible figure, unlike the mustache twirling villains in some current science fiction novels.

This is one of the best books that Alastair Reynolds has written and I have no hesitation in giving it five stars.

Alastair Reynolds has been producing great space opera for several years now. This time he takes a somewhat different path. It's still great space opera, but he's added touches of Ian Rankin (the best current British mystery writer). Reynolds's main character -- Tom Drefyus, the Prefect of the title -- is very reminiscent of Rankin's John Rebus. He's a driven, cranky policeman, somewhat of an outcast despite his many years in the service. H is loyal to those who work for him, is sometimes at odds with his peers, and unwilling to give up when he gets his teeth into something. And of course he is brilliant at pulling together disparate elements.

I won't try to summarize the novel here. Several other reviews do a fine job with that. I'll just say that this is yet another very good novel from Reynolds. It may be his best, and is probably the one that I'd hand to anyone who hasn't read much SF but wants to find out what this "new space opera" stuff is all about. This will definitely be on my Hugo ballot next year.

I have never read any of Alastair Reynolds previous novels. Even so, the novel stood very well on its own and was easy to follow. The charecters were well developed and the plot engaging.

The Prefect (2007) is the fifth SF novel in the Revelation Space series, following Absolution Gap. From the internal chronology, this novel is actually a prequel to Chasm City and the rest of the series. It is set within the Glitter Band of Yellowstone in 2427, about a century before the Melding Plague.

The Glitter Band is thousands of habitats of all descriptions orbiting Yellowstone. It is governed by Demarchist principles, which are based on polling the populace on all political issues through the Abstraction network. These principles are enforced by Prefect headquarters on the Panoply habitat.

In this novel, Tom Dreyfus is a Field Prefect conducting an official visit to the House Perigal habitat. He arrives at the habitat in a Prefect cutter and asks to be taken to the Matriarch. Once in her presence, he announces a lockdown for a category-five infringement of the democratic process.

Thalia Ng is a Deputy Field Prefect specializing in data systems and the network. She is assigned to the team conducting the lockdown of House Perigal. Thalia retrieves three data packages from the polling core as evidence of the infringements and institutes the lockdown.

Sparver Bancal is a hyperpig and the senior DFP in Dreyfus's team. He accompanies Thalia to the polling core while she retrieves the evidence. Sparver is about due for promotions to Field Perfect.

The Clockmaker was an alpha-level artificial intelligence. Apparently it was designed and built by the Sylveste Institute for Artificial Mentation. Eleven year previously, it started killing people on the SIAM habitat. The Prefects boarded the habitat, rescued some hostages, and then nuked the facility.

Jane Aumonier is the Supreme Prefect, commanding all Prefect resources. She is also a victim of the Clockmaker. She has a machine attached to the back of her neck and connected to her spine. She is capable of functioning as the head of the organization, but her thoughts are monitored by the scarab and her activities are curtailed.

Doctor Demikhov is head of the medical team supporting Jane. Since the scarab will kill her if she sleeps, they have been keeping her awake for the entire eleven years. They are also working on ways to remove the deadly machine. Their task is further complicated by the threat of death to their patient if anyone approaches too closely.

Aurora Nerval-Lermontov was a young woman fifty-five years ago. She was one the Eighty who underwent destructive scanning and upload of her memory patterns into a computer by Calvin Sylveste. At first this process was considered a means of achieving eternal life, but things soon started to go wrong with the Eighty and now Aurora is thought to be dead. But she had fled her computer environment and hid within the Abstraction network.

Sheridan Gaffney is Senior Field Prefect in charge of internal security within Panoply. He is also part of the council managing the Prefect organization. However, Gaffney is a traitor working with Aurora to undermine and sabotage the Perfect organization.

In this story, Dreyfus is summoned to the Supreme's office as soon as he returns to Panoply. Jane has another problem for him. The Ruskin-Sartorious habitat has been hulled and depressurized. Later information indicates that the engines of the Ultra vessel Accompaniment of Shadows had burned through the hull of the habitat.

Dreyfus first checks out the damaged habitat. Everybody onboard is dead either from the heat of the engine exhaust or the loss of pressure. The Prefects do find a dozen beta-level simulations of the residents and return them to Panoply for reconstruction.

Dreyfus then heads toward the Parking Swarm of Ultra ships. Harbormaster Seraphim meets him outside the Swarm and Dreyfus tells him about the loss of Ruskin-Sartorious. The harbormaster states that something will be done about the matter.

Returning to Panoply, Dreyfus learns that only three beta-levels are capable of running their simulated personalities. He talks to the simulations of Anthony Theobald, Vernon Tregent and Delphine Ruskin-Sartorious. Naturally the beta-levels were not continuously downloaded with the latest information. Nonetheless, he learns a few things about the negotiations as well as more about the artistic talents and activities of Delphine.

Captain Dravidian of the Accompaniment of Shadows had just about completed negotiations with the habitat. Then a caller tells the Ruskin-Sartorious residents that the Ultras are offering much less than the value of the merchandise. So Ruskin-Sartorious breaks off the negotiations and the Ultra ship leaves the habitat.

Delphine had been working on a series of retrospectives about Philip Lascaille. Dreyfus remembers that Lascaille had been an unsuccessful explorer of the Shroud. Previous explorers had never returned from the Shroud, but Lascaille had come back to the Glitter Band with a damaged mind. Apparently he had drowned himself in an ornamental fish pond twenty-odd years ago.

This tale presents Dreyfus with a mystery. His initial investigations only deepen the mystery. After talking to Captain Dravidian, he is convinced that the Ultra ship was set up to take the blame. Things are not as they seem.

The novel presents more of the backstory of the milieu than previously available. Naturally, much of the background is familiar to anyone who has read the rest of the series and the collected tales. Yet some elements are clarified in this novel.

The tale is an intriguing mystery within a strange future. The twists and turns keep the reader interested and reluctant to set aside the book. It is also a good introduction to the series. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Reynolds fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of murder mysteries, space adventures, and network intelligences.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Excellent guide on connecting with the audience. My presentations are generally information driven (Medical field) and there is very little room to change and create a connection with the audience, or so I thought. After reading this book (a very quick, entertaining and easy read) I presented a topic that was rather dry; I had more peoplle come up to me with positive remarks and feedback then I ever had. I highly recommend this book.

This book was a great help - read most of it one day, and used the techniques the very next weekend. A great book!

An excellent introduction to public presentation. Clear, pithy, few wasted words -- it models what it preaches. Unlike many of its competitors on the presentation shelf, S.O.S. doesn't ramble on and on, like a speaker who just can't shut up. Instead, it gets in, gets out, and leaves the reader a better presenter.

The downside of this book is that it has no visuals, no pictures, no fancy color printing inside, and it is printed in expensively; no bells & whistles - just meat & potatos.

Recently, wanting to move my presentation skills to the next level, I spent $1,500 on books & audio. Without a doubt THIS BOOK IS THE BEST resource for advanced presenters. Of all the trainings in my career I've had in presentaiton, negotiation, media & crisis communication, I recommend this as 'the golden little book' to connect with an audience.

I applied the ideas now 3 times to big presentations and each time with "knock-out" success & unsolicited feedback from the audience afterwards. Practice makes perfect !

In addition to the positives mentioned in the other reviews, I have to highlight a great chapter on the often misused PowerPoint ("PowerPoint Doesn't Bore Audiences, Lousy Speakers Do") By emphasizing the importance of a good presentation and clear, simple and direct PowerPoint slides, Wiskup shows how to get the most from this tool without getting bogged down by the its technicalities. As a former training director I've seen lots of bad PowerPoint and this book provides a simple antidote.

Ralph Carr has so far been an unsung hero of the 20th century. His courage during a time of great tragedy in American history is nothing less than inspiring. Still, his story has gone mostly unheard as we have reached a time of similar uncertainty in the 21st century. Thanks to Adam Schrager, Carr's story can be more widely seen, heard, and understood.

Carr's story is enriching and Schrager's style fits the bill. The author does not just recount the life and most important moments in Carr's contribution to history, he tells Carr's story. Schrager puts us in the Colorado State Capitol where Carr made important decisions about the state, the country, and the American people; the author also brings us to the Governor's mansion and his piles of mail, as well as the Brown Palace during meetings that decided Carr's political life. Schrager does well to paint a descriptive picture of who Carr was and what he was like during his time as a leader, both physically and emotionally.

What's more is that Schrager impacts why the former Colorado governor's story is so important and what it means to so many Coloradans and Americans still today. It's made clear that Carr is a political leader and human being that shouldn't have been forgotten to begin with. Governor Carr is somebody everybody should know with steadfast principles, strong patriotism, and a sense of compassion everybody should live by. At least, that's what I walked away from the book feeling; and it's a feeling I won't soon forget. Hopefully more of our leaders gain the same guidance from this book and its hero, Ralph Carr.

Adam Schrager has brought a piece of history to life that everyone needs to read. Ralph Carr was an amazing man who stood tall on his principles. The book is a very nice read and you don't won't to put it down. There is a lesson in this book for everyone.

Colorado's governors beyond the past quarter-century occupy a nearly anonymous place in the state's history. Most served for short times, leading the 21st-Century resident to wonder if any truly made a mark. Even Ralph Carr is honored in the Capitol by just a small plaque outside the governor's office, and few state officials know much about him. Until now.

What Adam Schrager has done is crack open a previously sealed historical vault and reanimate a man whose principled stand brings to mind the fate of Christian martyrs, American revolutionaries and anyone who has lost their lives for a cause. What Carr lost by standing up for American citizens of Japanese ancestry during World War II was his political life, and Schrager is able to point out just how shocking that was by taking the reader on a concise but detailed look at the rise of someone who may have been the most popular governor in state history at the time.

The book shines in bringing forth Carr's character through well-placed anecdotes - including the story of him shouting down a fellow motorist while leaving a football game - and thoroughly researched details of his life. It also paints for the reader a picture of the age, when hatred toward one nationality of people is far more savage than anything we witness from Americans today. Its only slight downfall is that it goes into such enormous detail to describe the hostile racism in the letters that Carr received on his stand that it sometimes veers too far from the character himself who makes you care about this episode. But Schrager always brings you back in ways that are neither sentimental nor slanted but a lively historical retelling of Carr's career as governor.

The Principled Politician is a fairly quick and enveloping read.

I found this book to be an inspriring story of a man standing by his principles despite great opposition. After the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, while many were calling for Japanese-Americans to be moved from the west coast and put into camps, Colorado Governor Ralph Carr said often, and with conviction, that no American-born citizen should lose their constitutional rights. In this time of fear and outrage, many citizens from Colorado and across the country strongly disagreed with the Governor and frequently told him so.

Weaving together such letters to the Governor, along with newspaper clippings, and Governor Carr's own writing, Adam Schrager brings us a detailed account of one man who stuck to his convictions despite the personal and political costs. Some of the letters and articles were difficult to read. I often said to myself, "How could people think that way?" But at other times, after reading Schrager's account of media reports of the time, I had to also ask myself, "In that environment, in that time, what would I have thought?"

Governor Carr knew what he felt and what he believed in. I only wish more of today's politicians put the welfare of citizens over their own political aspirations.

I recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy reading about a unique aspect of World War II. More broadly, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about people of conviction and principle.

In June/08, I was privileged to hear a speech presented to our family by Adam Schrager. The topic was his book: The Principled Politician - The Ralph Carr Story. Mr. Schrager's resonant voice would hold one's interest on any topic, but his presentation and his words were most important and captivating. He began his speech by quoting Gov. Carr:
"Never speak beyond the bladder capacity of your audience." The hour long talk extended to a question and answer period. None would admit that bladders were about to burst, but none would leave before the presentation was ended.

We bought all the books available to us that day.

The Principled Politician is a thoroughly researched, objectively written, long overdue book. Often, insincere plaudits are heaped upon deceased persons, most especially on noted politicians, but Schrager tells a different story. "Principled" is an accurate description of Ralph Carr, Governor of CO from 1939 to 1943. His entire life and political career were guided by sound moral principles from which he never backed down. Mr. Schrager convinces the reader of the truth behind the character label by revealing hundreds of facts, incidents, and quotations seldom or never before stated in complete form.

We learn about Mr. Carr's early life in the mining villages of CO and his days studying law at the Univ of CO, but the emphasis of the book is on the years he served as CO's Gov - the WW2 years when most all politicians and most of the country denounced "yellow bellied Japs" in the US. Carr stood virtually alone in voicing the rights and the honor of the Japanese in America. When evacuation and incarceration of all Japanese - non-citizens and native born US citizens alike - living on the west coast, were ordered, Carr did not "invite" the Japanese to CO, but he "welcomed" them, unlike any other politician in all the states. Concentration camps were not welcomed in any state or neighborhood even though decreed by the US gov't and guarded behind barbed wire. Carr listened to his inner voice, heeded his principles and followed gov't rules and demands with a sincere welcome to the "dirty Japs."

Carr's vociferous opponents and the anti-Carr press were overwhelmingly in the majority. His civil rights stance and friendliness to the Japanese in America assured his defeat for a run in the US senate. Nevertheless, he never caved in.

Japanese Americans owe much to this incredible man. In reality, all Americans benefited by his courage and stubborn defiance of what he knew was wrong. Some say we need politicians like him today. The truth is, we ALWAYS need politicians like Ralph Carr.

Thanks to Mr. Adam Schrager to whom we also owe much. I believe, he, like Mr. Carr, is a principled man. Six years of his life were devoted to the research and writing of this book.

Kishor's book is one of the few highly readable books on queueing
and stochastic processes. The abundant examples and discussions
of reliability also aid in understanding the material.
I would recommend this book to undergraduates and beginning
graduate students.

Second edition of "Probability and Statistics with Reliability, Queuing and Computer Science Applications" by Kishor S. Trivedi is a highly recommendable book. The concepts provided for probability theory and stochastic processes are excellent for students of communication, networking and computer science. It provides a good understanding of stochastic processes and Markov chains which are very relevant for students and teachers especially working in the speech processing area. I found the book and its contents very relevant and the examples provided could be very well related to networking and computer science, a unique aspect of this book. The students grasped the concepts well and found the problems very challenging and helpful in building up their concepts and knowledge. I had previously taught a number of other books and introduced this book last year at my University, I feel very satisfied and content with the decision of choosing this book for my students. All eleven chapters are equipped with excellent examples, problems and exercises broadening the reader's mind. The first 5 chapters constitute the probability theory while the rest of the chapters emphasize on stochastic processes very relevant to students of advanced networking and speech processing. Other books on probability and statistics usually lack an important aspect specially when used for computer science and telecommunication students. The examples and exercises not only make students learn and understand and probability and statistics concepts but also create its relevance to their very fields, therefore the book is an extremely precious gift from Prof. Trivedi specially for the students of computer science and telecommunication. An inexpensive Asian edition (paperback), a solution manual and powerpoint slides of each chapter are now available.

Prof. Trivedi has done a tremendous job in introducing topics of advanced research not found before; the students gained knowledge about the modern research environment and felt confident too. This book is not only recommended for beginners but also for professionals and engineers.

This book from Prof. K. Trivedi is another great guide for the novice student and the expert researcher for modeling tools and techniques. It builds upon neatly explained concepts of probability, queuing and stochastic processes to provide a variety of examples of applications. It is definitely a book that one has to keep at hand, as it contains recipes for a huge number of performance and dependability evaluation needs. Besides the rich content, the structure and the presentation are great: a bit of theory and soon one example from practical life, the reader never gets lost but he is rather brought step by step to a comprehensive understanding of the topics.

The "Probability and Statistics with Reliability, Queuing and Computer Science Applications - 2nd edition " by Kishor S. Trivedi is a valuable reference for students and professionals. Didactically organized the eleven chapters presents the core concepts of probability theory and stochastic processes in an accessible easy-to-understand approach. The rich set of examples and exercises, based on numerous computer science and engineering real world applications, allow the readers to build their knowledge gradually.
I would like to highlight the system reliability fundamentals covered and articulate with the remains topics.

A very useful book. A good choice for somebody who is just starting to get a feel of the subject, or someone who is looking to build a strong foundation in the area. The best feature of this book is its lucid language. There are many books in the market, which cover a lot of material but, for the average reader, are very difficult to understand. The example-based approach coupled with a comprehensive material coverage are additional selling points. I would highly recommend this book

My 11-yo daughter and I are doing a study on the Westward Expansion and Pioneers. We read this aloud to each other yesterday afternoon within a period of a couple of hours and both thoroughly enjoyed it. It is written in journal format by a 10-yo making the journey from Illinois to California with her family. Wonderful read!

A student asked me to buy this particular book and she has been pouring over it since it arrived.

I like the book because ,it is writer in letters. Rachels likes to writter in like 12 day. I will read more of other book like it .

Though this book is meant to be an aid in the classroom, I found it highly enjoyable even for the casual reader. It informs while entertaining. By using the medium of a girl's diary, the author is able to show facets of pioneer life not often brought out. This book is well worth the price, both as a fun read and as a useful reference.

Just like Marissa Moss' "Amelia" books, this was a hand-written, journal-style book, with lots of pictures. It is the journal of ten-year-old Rachel, who travels with her family of pioneers from Illinois to California in search of a better place to live. In her journal, she records the trip and there are many details! It has humor thrown in, great pictures, and a nice journal format. I've enjoyed reading this book, and I can't wait to read all of Marissa Moss' other historical journals.

This is for anyone who has ever fallen in love with this wonderful city, that is any who has ever, however briefly, been there.

The format is, as it is for all the "Then and Now" series to show vintage photographs paired with modern shots of the same view. The captions describe the scenes, giving short historical backgrounds. Anyone who has ever spent any time in the city will recognize some of the modern views and will probably find themselves interested in the vintage shots giving the history of the scene. Those who are planning a return visit just might want to slip this slim book into their luggage to take sightseeing. It also just might make a welcome reference for anyone reading about the old days in the City or watching an old film set there.

Lovely to look at and reasonably informative. Will be most enjoyed by fans of San Francisco. I can't see midwesterners enjoying this book. But if you live in or have visited the city by the bay this may be the book for you.

I received the book as a gift vut I would gladly paid for it.

This book is wonderful. A must have whether you live in the Bay Area or have visited here. Worth every penny.

These are a great series of books, I own each of my Favorite cities in the US. Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. It is really cool to see old pictures of the cities compared to current pictures.

I'm not using "conservative" in the current political sense, obviously. Everybody knows that John McCain has less than a snowball's chance in Gomorrah of winning in SF. I using the term conservative in its root meaning, something like "saving what was valued in the past." Preservation and conservation have the same Latin root. San Francisco has conserved more of its past than any western American city, and I could make a case, I think, for its preservation of more old-fashioned city life even than Boston or Savannah.

Except for the tiny downtown financial district, San Francisco "looks" old. The vast majority of houses, churches, and schools were built in late Victorian styles and have been lovingly restored in the same styles. Even the relatively "new" streets of the Sunset are old-fashioned now, predominantly in modest Art Deco style of the 30s and 40s. And it should be no surprise that ATT baseball park is a booking success, since it's strikingly old-style brick in construction, with a street car stop at the front gate.

San Francisco is a bastion of old-fashioned independent mom 'n pop businesses. There are thriving corner groceries and open-air once-a-week markets: independent restaurants ranging from very cheap to ultra expensive, but hardly any chain restaurants in the neighborhoods. The big chain grocery stores like Albertson's struggle to stay open in competition with locally owned stores like Andronico's, which has six stores around the whole Bay Area. There are more independent fitness centers and gyms in the neighborhoods; 24-hour fat farms are not the norm in SF. There are no malls that would be recognizable to most Americans in downtown or neighborhood San Francisco. The only malls - and very small they are by US norms - are on the suburban fringes.

Even Boston is cut up by freeways today, though the traffic is no better managed than when I lived there in the early '60s. Seattle is sliced in half by its ineeffective central freeway. San Francisco is the place that blocked freeway construction in the late '60s. Several freeways have been demolished in SF in the last ten years! Streets in SF are narrow and parking is tough, but a measure to build more parking lots was recently defeated at the polls, and any attempt to chop wider streets through SF would meet with armed resistance.

Baseball is the number one sport in SF. The fans of the football team pour in from the 'burbs to the hideous modernistic but crumbling stadium just at the edge of the city. The basketball team plays in Oakland. Any town where baseball rules has got to be considered conservative!

People in SF are conservative dressers, especially by California standards. I know women who live in LA, who carry clothes they consider drab to SF when they visit, so that they will not stick out like the inflamed rear view of a peacock's tail. One never sees "his and hers" outfits on the streets, especially not pastels. Men wear less bling per capita in SF than in Omaha. A neck chain and an open shirt would get you sneered out of polite society in SF.

Sweet old-fashioned window boxes are everywhere in SF. Street tree plantings are lovingly maintained. Open space is all-important to San Franciscans, and it's by stubborn resistance to development than SF has preserved more open space (finangling the take-over of decommissioned army, coast guard, and navy bases) than any comparably populated region of the USA. Nature is inherently conservative.

The half-mile strip of upper Haight Street, which gets the attention of the "screaming heads" on TV and radio, is not populated by San Franciscans. It's the runaway and stumble-away refuge of the discontented - the "poor abused confused missused" - of all the dysfunctional "conservative" families and communities from Modesto to Miami. They come to SF to enjoy the true conservative values of privacy, tolerance, and neighborhood friendliness.

The lessons of life are never laid out as if they were in a book. "Santiago's Children: What I Learned About Life at an Orphanage in Chile" is one man's reflection of one of his great times of learning in life. Santiago, Chile was where he went and fought a language barrier armed with only his own good will. He met many children, each different from the next who gave him a crash course in the harsh realities of life. "Santiago's Children" is poignant and inspiring, highly recommended reading.

I just finished Santiago's Children and I just want to go back and read it all again. Steve Reifenberg has written a book that opens the door into a period in a young man's life as he takes risks in discovering his life journey as well into a time in Chile's history in which the country began its new path. And rippling throughout the book are the stories of the children at the orphanage as they make sense of their lives.

What is most remarkable about this book is how it weaves together Reifenberg's self-deprecating humor, the life force and tragedy of the children, the courage of the founder of the orphanage, the quiet fear of the government, and the growing courage of Chileans as they demand greater justice in their lives.

Honestly, I can almost see and hear the laughing yelling of the children as they follow along with Reifenberg on his runs, the beating of pots and pans in the evening sky, and the precious conversations with the children as they open up their lives and hearts.

This is a definite must-read. It is also one of those rare books that would make a great present to just about anyone.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I simply couldn't put this book down! I found myself laughing out loud, tearing up, and refusing to turn the page until I re-read a passage that simply gripped my heart. I loved getting to know each of those children at the Hogar, and then hearing how their lives unfolded after 25 years. I also found the first hand perspective on Chile's political oppression in the 80s fascinating. This is a book I will read again.

After studying about Chile's dictatorship, one learns about the history and the ensuing events, but from afar. Through writing Santiago`s Children, Steve Reifenberg has done a masterful job of bringing Chile`s complicated history to the reader in an accessible and extremely thoughtful way.

As a US citizen living in Chile, I am grateful he was willing to share his insights and experiences with all of us as he not only gives a much fuller context to today`s Chile, but he also reminds us that we can get as much out of any experience as we give!

Reifenberg does a fantastic job with this memoir. The stories of the orphans he works with are engrossing, and his own story is quite interesting to follow as well. He also writes about the brutal dictatorship in Chile which is very much tied to why his orphanage is so important. I would highly recommend this book, especially for people who are interested in international service.

My husband and I enjoy the song of the cricket.......we didn't understand that so many varieties of crickets existed... Having the photos in front of us while listening to the cd songs is a very good feature. My husband finds listening to the cricket songs relaxing also. I would certainly purchase other quality items from the people who created this....probably birds or just cricket songs. Now we know more about the world we live in.

This book has provided hours of fantastic entertainment for the family. We love looking at the pictures, listening to the sounds and then trying to identify the crickets that we find.
This book should be in every family's library. Get your kids outside and play!

This book and included CD was the answer for learning all the insect sounds on my field recordings and nocturnal adventures. Good pictures for seeing what you heard really looks like, as well as good descriptions with the general range of each species noted. Excellent quality recordings on the CD.

As other reviewers have stated, this is a remarkable resource for insect identification. I would like to comment on the quality of the images. I found that a remarkable effort and attention to detail that went into these images. In far too many books the conversion of images from digital to print looks like the author doesn't know or doesn't care how his images look. For Lang Elliott this was not the case. He meticulously ensured that the printed images have remarkable depth of field and colors. I found any number of them to be remarkable pieces of photographic art. I felt guilty for only paying $13.57 for this book.

I have long wanted to know what insects I am hearing every summer and now have a chance of knowing which ones they are. The imagery is fantastic. The range maps will be a blessing to my students as they try to determine what type of katydid or cicada and so on they have nabbed for their bug collection.

The audio CD is great too! The only drawback there is that the holding compartment in the back of the book is poor. Right after I got this book I was taking it to school and the brand new CD fell out of the pouch and onto the pavement. Now its scratched and I don't know what to do. I usually make a backup of all my CDs right away but failed to do so with this one!

This book came to my attention when I wrote in my blog about the microphone I positioned in my backyard. I use it to listen to crickets and lots of other creatures out back, sometimes all night long.

In Straight, Francis gives us another of his honorable and vulnerable heroes who find themselves in trouble through no fault of their own. True, part of Derek Franklin's problems stems from not getting to know his much older brother, Greville, but the rest of his problems just seem to happen. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is never in one's favor.

Derek is a successful jockey whose ankle is broken in a fall in a race. Just after he learns that his brother has been killed in a freak accident. Now, Greville was a gemologist who tended to be more than a little paranoid. He loved gadgets and puzzles and lives in a house outfitted like a fortress. Unfortunately, the strength of the house does not prevent Derek from being pummeled and otherwise abused nearly to the point of death. The worst thing is that he doesn't know why. This is a story of many mysteries most of which have nothing to do with one another. True to form, though, the villain once identified, proves to have no compunctions about doing whatever it takes to get what he/she wants and for self protection. Or is that villains?

As the story unfolds, the reader finds out as much about the deceased Greville as Derek, his brother and sole heir. (There are two sisters who live abroad.) It's difficult not to care about both and to feel the regret about not getting to know someone before it's too late.

Straight is a typical Francis novel in that it's a fast read, one cares about the protagonist, and pretty much despises the antagonist. Few surprises when it comes to it, but one of Francis's good ones.

I hve been reading Dick Francis books for at least 15 years. My father introduced me to them. When I go on vacation this summer, some of them will accompany me. "Straight" will be one of them.

Greville and Clarissa had concealed their love affair for three years.

Greville was a middleman, who had traveled the world to search out reliable sources of semiprecious gemstones. The successful London company he founded would have the stones cut in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, or elsewhere, then distribute the gems in quantity to creative designers and producers of fashionable jewelry. Greville also owned racehorses, starting when someone had given him one in settlement of a debt.

Clarissa was the attractive wife of an older British lord, who had pursued her. Greville became Clarissa's first love, as she became his. When he was not on a trip, and she could come to London, they would meet. When apart, which was most days, they had agreed to pause at a set time of day to think of each other, knowing that each was doing the same.

A sudden accident ended all this. Greville had been walking down the High Street next to a construction site, when collapsing scaffolding from high up, struck him, sending him to the hospital, where he never regained consciousness and soon died.

Here are Dick Francis's very first words of the story: "I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me."

The speaker is Greville's brother Derek, younger by nineteen years. Too tall for flat racing, Derek is a steeplechase jockey, which is especially dangerous because of the jumping. In the story he is, in fact, on crutches recovering from a broken left ankle injured in a race.

Derek's racing world and Greville's business world collide throughout the book. Derek must pick up the complex gemstone business traces, while undergoing continuing pressure from racing owners and trainers to hurry up and heal.

The company employees tell Derek that Greville did not deal in diamonds. In going to the bank, Derek discovers otherwise. The manager tells him that three months earlier the bank had loaned Greville a million and a half U.S. dollars, specifically to expand into diamonds, and would soon be looking to Derek to start repayment.

Where are the diamonds? Stolen? Who are the customers who wanted them? Greville's company business and his house are broken into. Derek is assaulted and shot at. The action is nonstop. The book is a fascinating, literate page-turner.

Note: Probably all of us readers like to notice where a book's title appears in the text, and to see the meaning in context. I frankly lost count after more than a dozen instances, many of them different -- from Intensive Care Unit monitor lines going flat, to straight thinking versus labyrinthine, to honest test reporting versus shadiness, just to name a few. And a big one near the end of the book, which I wouldn't want to reveal here. Your reading will have to decide which of the many applies most strongly. Or perhaps they all do?

A reader knows what they are getting with a Dick Francis book. The mystery will be well plotted, the hero (usually a jockey or former jockey) will bravely face whatever trials that face him overcoming his troubled past and/or secret sorrow and the action will center around the some part of the racing world. Every once in awhile though a surprise pops up, this time the jockey is thrust into the totally alien world of gems.

Jockey Derek Franklin has been sidelined by a broken ankle, shortly after his brother Grenville is murdered. As Derek tries to settle the estate he finds himself drawn more and more into his brother's world of finance, gems and quirky little gadgets. Gradually he begins to sort out the mysteries surrounding Grenville's life and death but soon discovers that there are others who are determined to keep him from the answers. In the end, of course all is revealed.

This is a well plotted and clever mystery. The clues are all there for the reader to follow. The characters are well written, and draw the reader into the story.

This has to be one of my all time favorite Dick Francis novels. It has everything a mystery should have in it - murder, missing jewels, mayhem... In my opinion, it's going to be difficult for Francis to top this one, but I can't wait while he keeps trying!

Straight takes the reader behind the scenes of the jewel trade and it's not an industry that's always on the up and up. Derek Franklin has been on a roller coaster ride of late as his steeplechase jockey career is nearing the end with him sustaining yet another injury. During his forced leave to heal, Derek finds out that his older brother, Greville, has been attacked and is on his deathbed. After his brother succumbs to his injuries, Derek is told that he has inherited his brother's business. Too late to protect himself, Derek realizes that his brother was a target and Derek suspects it has something to do with a fortune in missing diamonds.

This isn't a direct "who dun it" but also has a few subplots that are enjoyable in their own right. When Derek is summoned to his dying brother's hospital bed, the interaction (or lack there of) made me very thankful for the close relationship I have with my brothers and sisters. This thankfulness was reinforced throughout the story, as Derek learns more about his older brother and begins to understand him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Derek is sure that a clue is hidden in his brother's computer, but he is unable to access the correct password. Greville's secretary comes to the rescue. After hearing the clues left by Greville, followed by a brief mind struggle, she comes up with the correct code word and up pops a message on the computer screen congratulating her and promising her a raise. Now that's the kind of boss I want - he sounds fun!

The only negative some may have with this book is that it is a detour for Dick Francis. As most of his books revolve around horseracing, his devoted fans have come to expect that background. In Straight the only reference to horseracing is the fact that Derek is an injured jockey.

Want to read a mystery that will have you guessing until the end? If so, then this is the book for you to read next! It's very enjoyable and will have you wondering until the very end.

I have heard from many people how wonderful and helpful this book is. I have looked everywhere for it!! I am hoping that somehow we can get this book back into print. Several therapists have mentioned it. Any suggestions? There must be something we can do!

I saw this book on a friend's bookshelf and relived very important moments in my own childhood. I can't believe it's out of print and beg the publisher to reprint this very wonderful and crucial book for children and parents to read together...

the only relevant page in this book now a days is when the kid is balancing on the fence and it explained how when the big person said get off that fence or i'll ..... meant please get off that fence i love you - the rest of it in this modern world could be bunk - but still the only reason i don't have a copy is because it is a hand me down bible - any one got one let me know - anyone remember it lt me knoe - i'm rewriting - modern input apprecciated

I read with interest the comments of several reviewers and see my daughter (who is now 26 and expecting her first child and MY first grandchild) was not the only one to benefit from this book as a child. PLEASE bring it back - I came to Amazon.com hoping to purchase it for my grandson who will be joining us in May.

Going from a teenager to a young adult, I read the book T. A. for Teens. I wished I had learned about transactional analysis throughout my school years.It would have helped me deal and understand my behavior and that of others, as well as be a happier person. Now, I am a mother of a wonderful little girl. I'm looking for T.A. for Tots, to start her out earlier than I did. BUT IT IS OUT OF PRINT!!! Please, please, please bring it back. So the new generation of kids can get an early start on understanding warm fuzzies and cold pricklies, and how to comunicate their feelings in a possitve, constructive way. Looking forward to seeing the book available again. Thanks. Liza