Scott Books

I really enjoyed the layout and study guide supplied by this book. The study guide is really easy and works very well.

This book has been very useful in my college class. I think that it is written well and it makes the information easy to understand.

this book has helped very much in studying for my class. It hit alot of the main points that I get tested on.

Where was this book at the beginning of nursing school?? The first textbook I had for pharmacology was a nightmare!! And the instructor made it worse. I searched high and low for a pharmacology textbook that I can understand, and now, in my third semester, I find this goldmine! I suggest this for anyone for the quick and easy way to study the drugs, and now, I feel better about entering into med-surg 2, and then the boards. Thanks, Mosby! You've done it again!

product in good condition, delivery was quick. product was as advertised. thank you

Phase Two is a thought provoking page turner and an endearing love story, set against the back drop of the "Alien Raj. " The Raj, like the mostly benevolent,-at least in the Western view- colonial rulership the of Great Britain over India, is the concept that generations of UFO abductions and manipulation of human affairs has made the human race essentially a puppet species of one or more extraterrestrial rulers. Phase Two is one of many new novels on the subject of the UFO phenomenon and its impact on human affairs. The UFO phenomenon has been a subject of continuing public discourse since 1947, more than half a century, and is as mysterious as ever. With the emergence of the abduction phenomenon, the specter of a vast, but stealthy, extraterrestrial intervention in human affairs has emerged. However, the UFO phenomenon is so multi-faceted, and so confusing, that it cries out for someone to try to paint a coherent picture of it. In Phase Two Scott Littleton has made a bold attempt to understand the reality beyond the reports of lights in the sky, the recovered memories of abductees, the obfuscations of government officials, and the strange fabric of legends and beliefs concerning people from the stars. His vision of the reality beyond the UFO coverup, from both the terrestrial and extraterrestrial point of view, is overarching and intellectually complete. If anything is missing in this picture of the human race in a metaphorical test tube, it is hope, however in Phase Two Littleton has hope arrive in the form of a human-alien hybrid female of aristocratic blood named Quazzi Qann Ga. She is endearing mixture of beauty, genius, and boldness and she sets out on what appears at first to be a hopeless mission, to bring together as a family, herself and her human abductee lover , a failed college professor named Cullen Wisdom , and the child they have created together during his abduction. This is a quest that will be viewed as a pathetic act of rebellion by the powers that be: an ossified ruling commission composed of her own people, the Pleiadians , and the ruthless and heartless Reticulians, two species who had warred over the planet Earth eons ago, much as the French and British warred over India. Helped by Cullen, she steals a spacecraft and penetrates a hidden underground alien base to find and carry off their child, a charming little boy named Adam. The chain of events they trigger by this act could lead to renewed interstellar war, or result the death of the whole family or even worse, that they experience the living death of being sentenced to slave labor in one of the many far flung installations of the aliens, after having all their memories of each other irreparably erased. But, perhaps by some inexplicable twist of fate, her action could instead lead to Phase Two, the long spoken of Pleaidian dream of a merged and open human-alien society, based on equality of peoples. In the middle of this confused landscape of a fugitive family, and pursuing alien forces, there wander members of the ultra secret US government team called MJ-12. They are trying to slowly piece together the puzzle of the alien presence, and the sudden tumult that Quazzi's desperate ploy has unleashed. Is Quazzi's effort the birth of a long postponed dream, or a doomed act of an irresponsible rebel? Does it matter, if what she does, she does for love? What will become of all of them? I say: read this book and find out, for once your do you will never think about the UFO puzzle, or the stars themselves, in the same way.

Strong characterizations, well plotted, and an overall good read. Some tantalizing tie-inns with history and "visitors from space" from an author who has a career full of outstanding accomplishments.

Phase 2 is the beginning of the end of phase 1, during which time the aliens are the protectors and exploiters of humanity. They maintain control by using far advanced technology and implants. Direct control of the human mind is possible, allowing the aliens to more or less do what they like without humans being aware of it.
The story here is an extrapolation beyond what is known from UFO research that includes historical studies and recent case investigations including abduction investigations. Readers who have no experience in the field should also read some factual books in order to place this story into perspective. Those who are familiar with the UFO literature will be able to spot the numerous allusions to actually reported events.

Does this book present a story line that could be close to the truth? I don't know. The UFO phenomenon may be even stranger than we know, stranger than what is portrayed here.
The question then is, to paraphase J.B.S. Haldane, is it stranger than we CAN know?

Phase Two
by Dr. C. Scott Littleton
Arlington, VA:The Invisible College Press, LLC, 2002. 294 pp., [$$$]

While *UFO Magazine does not usually review fiction, we are persuaded to do so when an exceptional novel crosses the editor's desk. In the case of *Phase Two by Dr. C. Scott Littleton, Professor Emeritus, Occidental College, we again make an exception. The novel is that fascinating.
*Phase Two is an extrapolation of what may lie behind years and years of abduction accounts and the likely long-range goals of our alien "visitors." Written with the "eye" of the anthropologist that he is, the novel shows vast familiarity with human accounts of gods and goddesses, myths and legends and what may be behind these fantastic stories.
Professor Culley Wisdom begins his journey while living the life of an expatriate in Japan, having left a failed academic career behind in southern California. Before his departure, Wisdom had been an untenured professor of anthropology in a small liberal arts college in the San Gabriel Valley suburbs. One evening while investigating some thousand-year-old native American ruins in the Mojave Desert, Wisdom became the victim of a UFO abduction. His experience, involving a sexual encounter with an exotic human/hybrid female, threw Wisdom's life into a tailspin. Unable to assimilate the experience, Professor Wisdom not only talked about his encounter, he wrote what would become a bestselling book about it, which the Dean of his college found unacceptable. Wisdom lost his teaching position, then his wife left him. Unable to secure anything else in American academia, he traveled to Japan and found himself teaching English to Japanese businessmen.
Ten years after his abduction, Wisdom finds himself face to face with the alien female who caused him to undergo such a life shattering experience. While heading to work, Wisdom encounters her in a Japanese train station, then follows her to a small coffee shop where she assures him he was not dreaming the past experience. This seemingly young woman is actually a 120-year-old hybrid of alien/human DNA, and her name is Qaazi Qann-gaa. As Wisdom is about to learn, she conceived a male child during the sexual encounter, and he is presently living in an underground base on one of the several alien installations on planet Earth.
But there is much more.
Qaazi Qann-gaa is very unhappy with the way things are conducted by her alien masters, called the Clan. The Alien Raj, it seems, is deeply conservative and locked into its long term project, in Phase One. This phase of an extremely long-range plan involves harvesting DNA and other covert goals. Phase Two, which has not yet been implemented, concerns opening limited contact between members of the Clan and humanity. Qaazi intends to try to speed things along by initiating Phase Two herself, with the help of her human paramour.
Things are not quite so rosy, however. Even the Alien Raj has its problems, because there is another competitive alien faction present on planet Earth. The faction represented by Qaazi Qann-gaa hails from the Pleiades. The second faction, called SESO, comes from Zeta Reticulus and is vying with the Clan to exploit the planet. As Wisdom is about to find out, a vast war was fought between these two alien cultures thousands of years ago, a war that took place right here on Earth. While peace now reigns between these two powers, covert warfare has not ceased.
The third ingredient to enter this mix is the elusive American intelligence agency known as MJ-12. Formed after the UFO crash that took place in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947, the group is trying to make some sense out of the alien presence on planet Earth. They are aware and have very limited contact with both factions. They are hampered, however, by humans' comparatively limited technology, and find themselves constantly trying to play "catch up." The scene is set for a very compelling story.

As Professor Wisdom discovers while deep in one alien facility, the Clan has been present on Earth for a very long time. Inside the base he discovers a museum of sorts, called the Museum of Time. "It was housed in a series of artificial caves carved from the bedrock directly beneath the Central Plaza, and included a seemingly endless number of brightly illuminated, diorama-like exhibits that span over twelve thousand years of human history," Littleton writes.
"Every race and region of Earth was represented several times over, as was almost every culture that has existed since the first contingent of Pleiadians arrived at the end of the last Ice Age. . . . There were at least ten ancient Egyptian scenes. Some were of simple peasants frozen in the act of threshing grain or planting crops . . . There were scenes depicting the building of the Great Wall of China and the Pyramid of the Sun at Teothuacan in Southern Mexico. Another large group of scenes depicted the daily life in both ancient Athens and ancient Rome; still others devoted to medieval European castles and monasteries . . . " And as Wisdom discovers, the humans placed in these dioramas are actually real humans from those times-seen in quiet suspended animation! Oh, those pesky ETs!
Over the years one thing might be said with absolute certainty about the UFO phenomenon--no one really knows what the actual facts are. After decades speculating on something as esoteric as alien abduction, we are no closer to the truth now than we were at the beginning. What is satisfying about *Phase Two is that Littleton's plot line could be close to the answer. The author, a scholarly scrutinizer of the Alien Raj, has paid close attention to the contradictions and confusion inherent in phenomenon's behavior, but still is able to weave disparate data points into a logical whole. While at present simply do not know, there's a kind of comfort in reading an engrossing but credible fictional rendering of this huge mystery which hangs over humanity like an eternal albatross.--Don Ecker

What was most interesting to me about Phase Two was its integration of detail, speculation, and ethnographic fact. UFO lore is now so systematized, wide-reaching, and detailed that it rivals the sacred stories of ancient cultures. Littleton's grasp of the nuances of this information puts his novel on the level of classic contemporary mythology. He effectively creates larger-than-life characters, and we get a very thought-provoking way to think about what's out there in the UFO research and rumor community.

In a way, it doesn't matter if you believe or don't believe. In fact, after reading the book several weeks ago, I find that I am still thinking about it. For a while I thought about the characters and how both humans and aliens were being duped and set-up. This was familiar to me, a moral drama that I've lived many times. But after a while I began to see how deeply--at some level--I had accepted the story as if it were real, and it didn't matter if it were or were not. It was a little like my reactions to my religion. I "feel," and I accept the feeling, but I can't say that I "believe" any particular text. I have a much expanded understanding of dimensionality after reading Phase Two. The book is an easy and engaging read--but it is much deeper than it appears.

Littleton is an internationally acknowledged anthropologist, and he does not write about that which he does not know firsthand--whether that be traditional Japanese Zen ritual (he was a Fulbright scholar) or quantum physics, speculations about gravity, and non-locality (professions and topics cultivated by his close friends). His command of data and detail makes for a story that puts pieces of UFOlogy into places in the mind that are easy to retrieve and easy to snap together.

Now that he is an Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Occidental College, Scott Littleton is even more fearless than he was throughout all his years mentoring students and advising us, when we studied "primitives," that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" (Arthur C. Clarke).

This book is a wonderful collection of original poetry. With the different styles and approaches of each writer you are bound to find one that you like! It is a small glimpse into the life and soul of each writer. They are not writing what people want to see, but what they feel inside. If you are a fan of poetry this is a must have. If you are not, this is also a good starter book to see what kind of style you'd prefer to read.

I was never really into poetry until a friend showed me this book. What can I say, I loved it. I never felt so much emotion as I did while reading about what these women had to say. It's so unique reading poetry by modern women. I hate to single out any of the poets, but I really liked Carolyn Phoenix's work. WOW! I hope to see more of her work in the future. This is a great book and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Six unique women of differing backgrounds and experience collaborate for the first time and present their commentary on the pleasures, adversities, and special moments that make up life. This collection of poetry shows that each of the women possesses literary talent, courage, and the willingness to defy convention. Their works are witty, acerbic, and profound. Like all good books, this one left me yearning for more pages to turn.

Not being a follower or fan of the contemporary poetry scene, I was pleasantly surprised to find this collection of work more than tolerable! Honestly, much of the work out there is contrived drivel with no more creativity and emotional unveiling than a thirteen-year-old-going-through-puberty could conjure. "Poetry Has Had Its Way With Me" exemplifies ecstasy, woe, desperation, grace, grief, and humor through the voices of mature women who fearlessly attack their emotions and allow them to spill out on the pages. In addition, most all of the works are technically well written and demonstrate expertise in the art of writing. Thank you for your courageous explorations, ladies. You have accomplished a great feat by turning a poetry-avoidance expert into a fan...at least of this book!

I have had the privilege of writing beside these girls for a couple of years. It was nice to see their work pulled together for a marvelous, intriguing read.
I recommend this book to anyone that wants thier guts punched in with unique feminine design.

I will treasure it.
Beautiful girls, just beautiful.

Congrats,
Amanda Oaks, Editor
[website]

One of the best books out there on Trauma. Written more for professionals, it is worth a read for anyone else truly interested in learning about trauma and treatment. It's not a self-help book, but could be a valuable resource for someone seeking treatment or seeking to understand a loved one suffering from the impact of trauma.

For professionals, this book is essential if you work with clients/patients with significant trauma issues.

...I have listened to John Briere's CDs and attended a two day workshop. As far as I can tell, he is the number one for trauma. His model has basically defined the model I use for talking treatment for trauma. To me he has been much more helpful than, for example, Edna Foa, Ellert Nijenhuis, Christine Courtois or Colin Ross. For me, he's up there with Marcia Linehan. Of course, I have not read even a small fraction of what most of the above authors have written.

If you need a way to update yourself on the latest methods for treatment of trauma victims, this is the book for you. It covers trauma from many areas including everything from car accidents to war zone trauma.

Briere is the master of trauma therapy. For a such difficult topic, the book encouraged me that there can be relief after trauma.

Briere has done a very good job of summarizing research and practice regarding the treatment of trauma. His clinical suggestions are clear, specific, and useful for the clinician.
The major concern I had about the book was that his theoretical underpinning is behavioral, and to a lesser extent cognitive-behavioral. As a result, he ends up at times explaining highly complex phenomena in simple, stimulus-response terms. For example, his conceptualization of the intense emotions experienced during a flashback, or re-experiencing, of a trauma is referred to throughout the book as a "Conditioned Emotional Response." Even the complex set of intersubjective experiences of the patient and therapist are explained within a stimulus-response model. (I was reminded of the early attempt to explain psychoanalysis in behavioral terms by Dollard and Miller.)
Briere also gives very short shrift (less than a page) to the work in EMDR that has proved so useful, albeit controversial, and shows limited understanding of this technique. He is correct, though, to point out that other exposure therapies may work just as well.
Despite these shortcomings, I recommend this book as a very worthwhile addition to the clinician's library because Briere provides a very useful breakdown of the stages of treatment of the victims of trauma, with illustrative examples that render his points in a very clear and concrete manner.
The reader can add his/her own theoretical explanations for the usefulness of his clinical methods.

Leonard S. Stein, Ph.D.

Bestselling author Robert J. Morgan (THEN SINGS MY SOUL) has developed an in-depth model for dissecting one of the Bible's most well-known and oft-quoted verses: Romans 8:28. "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God." This single promise, many theologians agree, could well be the most hopeful, vital and power-packing verse in the Bible.

As Morgan shares again and again in his text, every Christian has the opportunity to view his or her life and circumstances through the lens of faith, believing that even the vilest, most heart-wrenching occurrence eventually will be turned to good. Or, believers can turn away from God in the midst of their pain, refusing to exercise the power of their faith in His unfailing promises to bring a good result in His time and in His way. It is at this pivotal juncture that Morgan exhorts fellow believers to immerse their heads and hearts in scripture and believe.

Certainly, Morgan's experiences as a pastor, husband, father and friend have exposed him to life's tragedies on a regular basis. With real transparency, he recounts his own periods of emotional disbelief and heartache when the unthinkable happened to those he loved and has shepherded in his church. Yet Morgan doesn't leave readers wondering what happens next. He goes full circle and tells his reading audience both the before and after; how life must be lived in the now by faith, but in the "after" we frequently understand the purpose behind our suffering.

Each chapter offers multiple and engagingly written real-life accounts of people who faced circumstances so unthinkable that none believed it could be transformed into good. And by the story's end, God indeed brought about such benefit, personal growth and spiritual insight that the participants thanked Him for the trial. The author takes apart each key word of Romans 8:28 and details chapter by chapter what the words mean, how they fully impact other sections of the verse, and how all things do work out for our good.

Morgan then changes the focus a bit by delving into other parts of scripture, which he terms "echoes of Romans 8:28." Readers will become more fully cognizant of how God works things out in conformity to His will, for the good of others, for the deepening of the soul, for the spreading of the gospel, in situations where there are multiple distresses, and even unto death.

In a very appropriate way, Morgan closes his study of Romans 8:28 with a final word on what to do (and think) when it seems as if things aren't working out, by providing a careful and thoughtfully written expose of Psalm 44. Again, he takes apart each heartfelt cry of anguish and brings hopeful encouragement and timely perspective to today's pain. Christians will value and appreciate this deep look into the wondrous promise from God to make all things good, for its message is surely a timeless one.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

This is a five star book that every Christian should read and share with others. It should transform your life.

Mr Morgan author of "Red Sea Rules" does not disappoint me with his new book "Promise" the book is wrapped around Romans 8:28. Again an exceptional book. How God works all thing together for Good. God does just this is our lives. It is a journey and God prepares and equips us thru the words of His book "The Bible". In the "Promise" we look at each word and how it connects our lives to God, only as I am obedient to the Lord. I renewed my desire to embrase God's plan for my life to it's wonderful completion.

GREAT BOOK. JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. WILL MAKE A GOOD BIBLE STUDY FOR A FAMILAR VERSE. GOOD WRITTING ALLOWS EASY READING.

Rob is one of the most wonderful speakers and you need to hear him in person. But, if you can't, pick up "The Promise", get in a nice quiet place and be ready to have God work his love in your life. Based on one of the most blessed promises for the Christian in the Bible, Rob takes you through the richness and blessednesses of how God works in your life to bring good out of the bad. Now, you might see your glass half empty, but then you will see it flowing over. God works in mysterious ways. He will guide you through the trials of life so that you can be a blessing as you encourage others as they pass through some of the valleys of life. Go ahead, get the book, and I dare you to try to not be blessed and encouraged. God is good. (so is this book).

One of our favorite children's books. Illustrations are outstanding, text is clever. Really a wonderful book. Highly recommended!

This book was one that any age could enjoy. It showed how a child can get his or her dream fulfilled, as Bojangles dream of becoming a tap dancer became reality at a very young age. Also, the illustrations are great, and they add to Bojangles journey. This book also shows the race barrier being broken, as Bojangles who is black, starts working in the white theatres and makes a lot of money doing it. Overall, this book was very well done.

We checked this book out from the library and haven't taken it back now for months. We are going to purchase it today so that someone else can borrow it too. My 2 year old son absolutley loves this book! He is very particular and asks for certain books to be read and this one gets read at least once a day. He remembers the story line & loves to say "Rap A Tap Tap" at the appropriate times. The illustrations are wonderful and I am so glad we found such a beautiful book.

As Leo and Diane Dillon tell the reader in their illuminating Afterword: "Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878-1949) is know as the greatest tap dancer of all time. His fame has reached mythic proportions. He had charm and charisma and, it was said "He talked with his feet." His rhythms were so intricate and fast it was impossible for other dancers to repeat some of them..." The Dillon's introduce a whole new generation to the sheer joy of Mr Bojangles, a dancer who made "art with his feet" in this deceptively simple and creative picture book biographical sketch. Their short rhyming text with its engaging and repetitive "Rap a tap tap-think of that!" is filled with rhythm and motion. But it's their clever, bold, bright, and elegant illustrations that make this book stand out and sparkle, and youngsters will feel the passion and energy with each page turn as they watch Bojangles almost dance off the pages. Perfect for little ones 3-7, Rap A Tap Tap is a playful and captivating, interactive celebration of both Bill Robinson and tap dance...Rap a tap tap-think of that!

Boasting two Caldecott Medals, the Society of Guild Illustrators' Gold Medal, three Coretta Scott King Awards, four "Boston Globe-Horn Book" Awards, three "New York Times" Best Illustrated Book Awards, the NAACP Image Award, and honorary doctorates from Parsons ("make it work!") School of Design, Leo and Diane Dillon have an impressive collective vita, as well as enough honors to re-write "The 12 Days of Christmas" as a list of their multiple wards and honors.

Fine and good, what have they done for us lately?

Well, in 2002, they captured another King Award with the graphic stylings, and rhythmic narration of "Rap A Tap Tap," their kids' story about famed tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson." Leave the bittersweet side of the story to the Sammy Davis, Jr. song; this Bojangles is a jovial dandy--wearing a fancy suit or tuxedo, bow tie, boutonniere, top hat, a cane, and one great big Pied Piper of a smile. The Dillons remove him from movie studios and dance halls, focusing mainly on Bojangles the street dancer, entertaining crowds of ordinary people wherever he found them. Thus, we see Bojangles' moves in a variety of settings: On the street, in a park, a bus stop, a market by an elevated train, in front of a church, inside a movie theater and by a fancy hotel. The Dillons capture the tension and dramatic flair of his entire body, his high stepping moves, and especially his active legwork, the latter through multiple images suggesting movement.

While this is not a biography of Bojangles (the only real reference is an informative, albeit necessarily sanitized four-paragraph afterwards), the Dillons largely chose not to set the book with a particular era. How much more interesting it would have been to see more images of the 20's and 30's, or Bojangles in a theater or on a movie set. The bold graphic arts style sets Bojangles' dancing apart from the colorful poster-like backgrounds, but the illustrations only hint at what made him great. You feel the joyous emotions of Bojangles and his fans much more than see his famous footwork and iconic routines. This isn't a huge problem, but it may limit the RAP A TAP TAP to a somewhat younger audience.

Still, there's an undeniable power to the uncluttered illustrations, they rely heavily on big basic shapes, and the interaction of the joyful crowds and the always-giving Bojangles. Except for one clinking line mentioned by a reviewer above ("He briefly paused to pat an old cat') the words sound wonderful, alternating smooth alliteration with a dance=matched syncopated beat. The oversized pages, quality paper, and excellent color reproduction make this a keeper, befitting the transcendent fame of its subject.

Mark Scott's knowledge regarding corporate business dealings (timely & scary!) is matched by his clever word play and life-like characters. Suspense at the end of each chapter keeps readers turning pages - despite the irritation of printing errors his editors should have caught. The story will keep you guessing "who dunit" until the very end.

Finally, a mystery writer with a background in business. What Grisham does with the world of law, Scott does with the world of economics. His writing is brilliant--clever plot, memorable characters and savory details. He's definitely got an audience for this book. I can't wait to read the next one.

A great read, full of twists. His cheeky dialogue, reminds me a bit of Nelson DeMille.

How can petty men with no integrity topple worldwide conglomerates? It's all here, explained by an expert on finance, but laced with the liberties of fiction that depict the human condition in our own back yards as well.

This book really nails the Dallas corporate ambience. The murder mystery is extremely well crafted. The description of the financial shennanigans is hilarious, but at the same deadly serious.

This book is very readable. The author correctly claims that this book has been designed following questions from his various students in understanding such regression models. There is clarity in each and every argument used together with alternative ways of interpretation and testing. Great book.

This book is especially useful to start understanding topics like ordered probit, multinomial logit, negative binomial regression and zero-inflated count models. Although it starts with a chapter on the linear regression model, it should not be mistaken for an introductory text. I would certainly advise readers with limited background in regression models to start with other books, like the one of Wooldridge (Introductory Econometrics). The quality of this book must be that I've yet to see a book that explains these topics more intuitively. That is not to say it is easy or without mathematics, it's not. It just looks like the mathematics is only used for better comprehension, not to give you the full proof. Furthermore, while reading it you get the feeling that the author understands what you, as a researcher, are interested in. This allows him to focus on the topics of interest, like model selection and testing and interpretation of output. So although this is not a cookbook, it may well be the closest thing to it, especially in combination with his new book on applying these models in Stata. It is a pity that the author stops short of non-parametric models (next edition?).

If you have to do statistical analysis where your dependent variable is a count, a dichotomy, categorical, or ordinal, and if you are not a grad student in a statistics department, this is a book for you. Long clearly illustrates the need for the different models, covers the essentials of each, and provides further references. Obviously, no book on such a range of topics could be complete - there are entire long books written on each of the chapters in this one. But this is a good place to start, and it is nice to have it all 'tied together' - this makes it easier to see the relationships among the models.

This book is especially useful to start understanding topics like ordered probit, multinomial logit, negative binomial regression and zero-inflated count models. Although it starts with a chapter on the linear regression model, it should not be mistaken for an introductory text. I would certainly advise readers with limited background in regression models to start with other books, like the one of Wooldridge (Introductory Econometrics). The quality of this book must be that I've yet to see a book that explains these topics more intuitively. That is not to say it is easy or without mathematics, it's not. It just looks like the mathematics is only used for better comprehension, not to give you the full proof. Furthermore, while reading it you get the feeling that the author understands what you, as a researcher, are interested in. This allows him to focus on the topics of interest, like model selection and testing and interpretation of output. So although this is not a cookbook, it may well be the closest thing to it, especially in combination with his new book on applying these models in Stata (only available at Stata). It is a pity that the author stops short of non-parametric models (next edition?).

Since I do statistical modeling in industry, I was looking for a good book on Logistic regression that would give me a deep understanding of the subject; one that also had wide coverage (Poison regression, Tobit models, ..etc.). I decided on J. Scott Long's book, after considering Applied Logistic Regression by Hosmer and Lemeshow, and Limited Dependent and Qualitative Variables in Econometrics by Maddala. I must say I am very pleased with my choice. The topics are very clear, and the math is used as an aid to understanding, and you don't get bogged down in the math. It is a pleasure to read the book.

When I first read this book, I didn't have much experience in life and had a very short memory. As I grew in experience I realized that many of the positive changes in my thinking were seeded by ideas I gained reading this when I was relatively barren emotionally and intellectually. The person I was when I first read this book is now but a memory. But the amount and the kind of guidance I got along the way or continue to get from various sources is regulated by my own readiness to understand and eventually accept. I credit this work for giving me a place to start.

I read this book back when I was 18 and besides all its other values, I was completely cured of procrastination after reading it!

I recommend this book on finding your identity and strengthening it. Very interesting the chapter about healthy separateness in marriage!The Art of Loving

Read this book as it has the ability to allow you to transform your life.

I first read M. Scott Peck's 'The Road Less Travelled' over 20 years ago, but it is a text to which I return again and again, as Peck's insights and observations remain a constant source of inspiration and guidance in my life. It still finds a ready home in the hands of therapists, counselors, ministers, teachers, career planners, and others as part of their resources, and is not out of place in the home of anyone who cares about the directions of her or his life.

Peck was a clinical psychiatrist - the material for this book came largely from his experiences with clients and others, seeing what worked and what didn't, what was missing and what was mis-understood. Often cases involved psychotherapy (talk therapy), but the processes here are not confined to therapists' offices. The same kinds of problem solving, processing and relationship building that takes place in psychotherapy can be used as life-long tools.

Peck resists labels such as Freudian and Jungian; he doesn't look for, nor does he offer, quick fixes or the psychotherapeutic variety of the get-rich-quick schemes. This book is not a therapy manual, but rather a guide to spiritual growth that incorporates therapeutic and psychological principles. Peck echoes the sentiments of many spiritual directors and leaders through the millennia that spiritual and personal growth are long journeys, not short leaps. It involves dedication and intention, and a willingness to accept risk and change.

Perhaps it is ironic that, given this, the first topic Peck focuses upon is Discipline. However, without discipline, change can go unchecked and uncharted, growth can become problematic, and the human soul becomes susceptible to a host of difficulties. Dedication and application to problem-solving and long-term building (whether it be of retirement funds or of one's own spirit) requires a disciplined approach that recognises that life is difficulty (the first of Buddha's Four Noble Truths, cited by Peck), gratification sometimes needs to be delayed for greater goods, and reality needs to be approached and dealt with responsibly.

Peck calls here for a life to be totally dedicated to the truth. This is hard, because we as human beings are so accustomed to rationalisation and reinterpretation. This kind of dedication also requires a balance in life, and an ability to be flexible as the truths of our lives change - few of us are in possession of timeless and eternal truths governing every aspect of our lives, and often those who feel they are end up disappointed in the end. The continuing creativity of God in our lives requires flexibility, but this is best achieved in a disciplined and balanced context.

Peck then turns to love, a mysterious thing even in the best of times. He identifies some of the myths of `falling in love' and romantic love that our culture through various means idealises, leading to great dissatisfaction when we do not achieve the desired feelings or situations. Peck makes the assertion that love is not really a feeling, but rather an action or activity, that involves a lot of risk-taking (Peck talks about risks of independence, of commitment, of confrontation, and of loss). True love requires discipline and recognition of the needs of the self and others.

The final two sections of the text deal with aspects of religion on the spiritual and psychological development of persons. The first section looks at religion and growth processes. He does a short survey of some attitudes toward religions and denominations, as well as a look at how the modern scientific mindset colours the worldview of modern people, particularly with ideas of verification and skepticism. Some psychologists and theorists have wondered if religion were mass delusions, mass psychosis, or some other kind of sickness. Peck uses interesting extended case studies here to examine the role of various aspects of religion in the developmental lives of several people. Peck asks the question, `Is belief in God a psychopathology?' In some aspects, and for some people, the way they approach and `use' religion, the answer may well be yes. However, Peck also takes the psychotherapeutic community to task for often being too narrow or too dismissive of the value of religious sentiment and institutions in the lives of their charges.

The final section looks at the role of grace in the spiritual growth process. Grace is another mysterious force, like love, that is difficult to pin down and explain. It is also something uncontrollable. Why do some with artistic talent end up being successful and celebrated, and others not? Why do some use their talent, when others don't? In cases of ultimate despair, Peck makes the observation that while it is often clear why some people commit suicide, it is not often clear why others in the same situations don't. Some of this has to do with the unconscious mind that guides us, and some of it has to do with the miracle of serendipity, as Peck describes it.

Peck describes in some detail his concept of what grace is and how it works, in very general terms that relate to no denomination or religion in particular, but has wide applicability. He talks both about resistance to grace and the welcoming of grace. Grace is not easy, and often comes with responsibilities (Bonhoeffer talks about cheap grace; the requirements of grace are noted through scriptures of many religions). Welcoming grace welcomes often more than we bargained for, but also often more than we hoped.

In his afterword, Peck discusses the difficulties of writing in an organised and linear fashion about something so fundamentally disorganised as spiritual growth and therapeutic processes. He also talks about the need for finding competent help when required - ability is not measured by degrees, he states (something true in many professions). This is useful for those seeking a first therapeutic relationship, or needing a change.

Many people start to run because they want to get in a better shape. This book teaches your mind to get in a better shape too. You learn to focus in a new way and you are able to concentrate much better. Your mind learns not to wander so much and stay within the race. I have used the exercises in the book for my preparation of the Boston Marathon which I finished, despite running with an injury, with a new personal best by more than two minutes. I recalled the learned exercises during my preparation in the race and was even able to float up heartbreak hill without considerably more effort. I wonder how I would have raced hadn't I been hindered by a nagging hamstring injury.

New to running, and inspired by a commitment to my first triathlon (Danskin), I borrowed this book from the library. Needless to say, I quickly had to own my own copy. The inspiring words danced in my head and filled my soul with belief of dreams not yet realized. A recommendation to anyone who so much as "cares" about their health and the quality of their life. A part-time instructor of "spinning" classes I found these words of wisdom crossing over into my classes, filling me wtih motivation, which in turn motivates my students. This book raises the ceiling on your limits and reconfirms your potential is ...endless.

I started reading this book 2wks before the Chicago Marathon. The relaxation techniques and the different exercises for distraction during the race really worked. I have read dozens of books on training the body. This was the first I have read on training the mind. I plan to use these techniques with the children I coach. It really explains in basic and interesting format how important mental preparation is for competition. I highly recomend this book for anyone competing on any level.

I just completed my first marathon and don't think I would have finished had I not purchased and read this book. During training, we had "long runs". The night before each long run (in excess of 17 miles) I would read the sections of this book that addressed issues I was likely to face during the following days long run. That helped me tremendously. The book gave me a sense of calm.

There are virtually thousands of books on the market concerning running. Most of those books however don't spend nearly enough time on the most critical aspect which is mental preparedness and toughness. However, this book gives what most trainig books and groups do not..a way to deal with the mental aspects of running.

This book is wonderful because it gives the reader techniques on how to deal with stress, anxiety, pain, disappointments, setbacks injuries, fatigue etc., all from the MENTAL side. I like how the authors make the connection between mind and body. They focus on the mind first and how the mind can often control the body.

I found MANY useful mental exercises from "breathwatching", visualization, dealing with fatigue and disappointments, learning from mistakes etc., Most importantly, the book focuses on the process of running and self discovery and NOT the result. This book helps novice runners like myself enjoy the process, find our own tools that work for us and realize that it is often mind over matter. This book is a must have for those just starting out "marathoning" or for anyone who just wants to enjoy the mental benefits of running and the pleaseure it gives.

There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of books on the market about how to train smarter, better, harder, or what have you. Some of them are quite good, and some of them quite bad. However, these books often neglect one of the key aspects of running and that is its mental component. And that's where Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection to the Ultimate Training and Racing comes in.

This book is designed for all runners from the novice runner to the elite athlete, and I think everyone who reads it will benefit tremendously. The book is designed to enable the reader to take his or her running to the next level, not only by giving concrete tips to mentally help one race faster, but also by helping one enjoy his or her running more, by exploring running's spiritual side and understanding the reasons we do run. As the authors state in the introduction, "Running Within uniquely presents the reciprocal relationship among the physiological, mental, and spiritual aspects of running performance, and how you can use specific mental exercises and attitudinal shifts in your daily training and racing to great advantage".

Spiritual Running Although many of us run for physical reasons (i.e. to say fit, to lose wait, to get faster, to win races), those of us who truly enjoy running recognize what it does for us mentally. Not only the ability to clear our minds at the end of a tough day, but the ability to explore and learn about ourselves, as we transform preconceived notions about ourselves.

One intent of the book is to connect runners with the spiritual side of running. It wants to help them explore fully the reasons they run. The book explains that often the concrete goals we have in running (i.e. I want to run a certain time in a certain race, be All-State, finish a marathon) are not what give us joy from running. Rather, it's the steps we take along the way to reach these goals that make running so enjoyable. By better understanding our motivations for running, we can not only get more enjoyment out of running, but can learn how to run faster.

Running faster. And the book definitely can helps us run faster. Those who like to say that running is 99% physical are missing the point. Sure we can not run beyond our bodies' limits, or use mental tricks to make up for not training. But often the limits we set upon ourselves are self-imposed limits. One of the greatest things about running is the self discovery and self-confidence that comes from getting our body to do what once seemed impossible.

Running Within has excellent advice on goal setting and the type of goals we should set. It helps us set goals that push beyond our self-imposed barriers, but at the same time makes sure these goals do not end up discouraging us because they are too unreasonable.

But as all runners know, goal setting is not enough because the toughest part of running is the battle of mind versus body during a race or tough workout. No matter what kind of shape we are in physically, there comes a point in a race when our bodies start to feel that they've had enough. As the race or workout progresses, the urges to back off a bit, slow down, or quit altogether grow. If one is able to recognize these urges and overcome them one can come closer to reaching his or her physical potential.

To overcome these urges to quit, Running Within helps its readers come up with the self-confidence necessary to achieve their goals and not give in to the urges to quit. It provides a mental framework on how to approach races and workouts and has many practical strategies for dealing with fatigue, racing, race strategies, and the like.

But all of these things combined would still leave a lot of our potential untapped. For one of the keys to racing fast is a bit paradoxical, and that is to learn to relax. It seems impossible to do, to relax while the body is using all of its resources to struggle. But Running Within teaches us ways to relax while straining, and shows us the tremendous physiological benefits that come from relaxing.

Summary I recommend this book whole heartedly. Most sports psychology books are full of many tips and tricks to help us perform better, but there is often little foundation to tie the things together. Ultimately, these books fail because they are not much more than a list of things to try. This book is different for while it does list many tips that are useful, it only does so after providing a larger framework to tie them together. The overall theme is the "body-mind-spirit" connection of running. With this framework, the book helps us explore the reasons why we run and what we get from our running. Once we have a better understanding of these things or are at least are aware of them, the books builds upon them and very effectively makes us get more from our running (and become better racers if that's our goal).

On a personal note, I credit this book with as being instrumental to my improvement as a runner (my 10k time went from 29:49 to 28:27 in one year). I am intrigued by the mental side of running and knew there was a lot more I could learn. However, at the same time, I've always been very skeptical of a lot of the "pop-psychology" and sports psychology books on the market. This book pleasantly surprised me and should be on the book shelves of all runners.