Sherman Reviews

On the Boundaries of Theological Tolerance in Islam: Abu Hamid al Ghazali's Faysal al Tafriqa (Studies in Islamic Philosophy, V. 1)

Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press, USA (2002-12-26)

Author:

List price: $40.00

New price: $29.94
Used price: $19.50

Average review score:

A very timely and important work.

Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-16

"Hujjat al-Islam" (Proof of Islam) Shaykh Abu Hamid al-Ghazali covered a very important topic in his famous book "Faysal at-Tafriqa Bayna al-Islam wa al-Zandaqa" - The Decisive Criterion for Distinguishing Islam from Heresy (or Masked Infidelity).

It's actually a really great read, especially the commentary by Dr. Sherman (Abdul-Hakim) Jackson. Very methodological, but also flows very well, giving great background on Ghazali's life, the development of his work, and the importance of his thought even today.

Dr. Jackson explains the importance of the book: "al-Ghazali's mission is to define the boundaries within which competing theologies can coexist in mutual recognition of each other, i.e., as 'orthodox,' in the sense of passing theological muster. Al-Ghazali's aim, in other words, is not to establish who among the theological schools is 'right', but rather to demonstrate the folly and unfairness of the practice of condemning a doctrine as heresy simply because it goes against one's own theology. Furthermore, he insists, even where a doctrine can be justifiably deemed 'wrong' or heretical, this does not necessarily constitute Unbelief."

It is a very important book, and i really recommend it to anyone interested in trying to make sense of all this stuff. It really helped me a lot, and made me see that this whole idea of who is right, and who is not, the notions people have of "haqq" (truth) and so on, are actually much more complex and deeper than at least I believed previously. I am sure for many others this will be the case too.

In it Ghazali (and Dr. Jackson) mention a number of interesting points. A few that i remember are:

1) Certain matters are Usul (foundations) and others are Furu (branches).
2) All Muslims must believe in the Usul, as that is what makes them Muslim, but the Furu can have differences and still be within the boundaries of Islam.
3) There are many different methods of dealing with/interpreting Quran and Sunnah that jurists/theologians use - especially ones that us everyday people don't understand. These are matters for specialists.
4) Sometimes scholars are speaking on different wavelengths about the same subject, and this can lead to misunderstanding, when actually they are perhaps using different methods/levels of interpretation (point 3 above).

From within that, al-Ghazali mentions that there are only a handful of things that are actually Foundations (Usul):

1) The Oneness of God
2) The Prophethood of Muhammad (s)
3) The reality of Judgement Day

According to his explanation, other things are secondary and as Dr. Jackson translates "there should be no branding any person an Unbeliever over any secondary issue whatsoever, as a matter of principle."

The exception to this rule is the secondary issues handed down by the Prophet in the state of tawatur (ie. Mutwatir hadith). Rejection of this is basically a rejection of point 2 above.

For me, this is abslutely fascinating, and led to me looking at the various different sects/interpretations of both law and theology within Islam in a different way. This is especially true when there are certain sects within Islam that seem to delight in calling 'Takfir' on others (pronouncing other sects of Muslims as unbelievers, or apostates).

The other most interesting part, is how al-Ghazali deals with non-Muslims and their place in the afterlife. It is a very topical question, and this book shows a master of theology at work. The complex relationship between non-Muslims and their relationship with Islam is explained, and various possibilities are given. It is much more nuanced than the standard "non-Muslims will be in the eternal Hellfire" that certain groups like to say - which is very black & white - something I feel completely disregards our intellectual tradition. Instead the principles of Justice and Mercy shines through (especially from the famous hadith "My Mercy precedes my Wrath.")

A truly remarkable book I highly recommend to anyone wanting to read the work of one of the greats in Islam and understand their importance!

Excellent and timely work.

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-07

Must read for every Muslim, especially those who are trigger-happy with takfir (declaring a Muslim to be a kafir, or unbeliever). The author gives a great introduction putting many parts of the book in their proper context.

Thorough, well-written, and thought-provoking

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-28

Beginning with an excellent introduction, this translation of Ghazali's work is a valuable resource for intra-Muslim discourse, as it demonstrates that theological tolerance in determining orthodoxy is needed in order to take into account differing viewpoints within Islam, so long as certain precautionary measures are taken.
The introduction is great since it orients the reader and demonstrates the significance of Ghazali's work.
This book is fantastic and I hope to see more works from this author.

THEOLOGY: BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND EXCLUSIVITY

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-15

An excelent study of Ghazali's Faysal L Tafriqa. The author Dr Sherman Jackson carefully analyzes the context in which the book was written and shows how it is very relevant to our situations in modern times. He elaborates that "al-Ghazali's mission is to define the boundaries within which competing theologies can coexist in mutual recognition of each other, i.e., as 'orthodox,' in the sense of passing theological muster. Al-GhazAli's aim, in other words, is not to establish who among the theological schools is 'right', but rather to demonstrate the folly and unfairness of the practice of condemning a doctrine as heresy simply because it goes against one's own theology. Furthermore, he insists, even where a doctrine can be justifiably deemed 'wrong' or heretical, this does not necessarily constitute Unbelief." Everyone who is interested in reading a sober account of on-going theolgical disputes among contemporary muslims should pick this up.

The Purpose and Power of God's Glory Study Guide

Published in Paperback by Destiny Image Publishers (2001-09-01)

Author: Myles Munroe

List price: $9.99

New price: $9.76
Used price: $2.12

Average review score:

A challenge to find your Glory

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-29

This is an excellent book that implores today's chistian's to discover and manifest the glory that God has placed in all of us. Very motivating.

A Book With Nuggets

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-22

Dr. Monroe has made this an excellent book that causes one to think more carefully about life and the decisions made. It teaches and is very inspirational.

A wonderful book that will cause you to worship God more.

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-24

This is a powerful book that causes one to want the Glory of God to come into their life in a deeper way. This book causes one to understand that we are created to worship Him, and that God's Glory showing up in our lives is the result of our praise and fruitful life style. This book will ignite your dreams to fullfill your purpose in life. It teaches that there are untapped ideas and creativity that live in all of us that need to be cultivated by having the right environment. I always enjoy reading Dr Myles Monroes' books, as they are about purpose and planting the right seeds in our lives. I have also heard him speak in person and he is powerful! His books have been very inspirational in my life, and he planted the seeds in me to begin writing and to fullfill more of my purpose.

--Don Christie
Author of "The Unbroken Wholeness Power of God" and
"Actual Proof of My Existence"

Want to know your ability?

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-06

This book is very good for any reader. It is really easy to understand and yet for any theologian brings a great foundation for studies based upon God's word dealing with this subject.
Myles Munroe is very good at bringing analogies which could be understand with ease from anybody 12 to 100 yrs. old. He does a great job expressing his points and allows your mind to wander into areas of your life which need change. The Purpose and Power of God's Glory can be used to be encouragement for anybody whether Christian or non-Christian, but most of all this book will bring empowerment to the reader if they begin to live by this book. Don't take this material for granted, it is vital for any life.

The Rich & Famous Money Book: Investment Strategies of Leading Celebrities

Published in Hardcover by John Wiley & Sons Inc (1997-10)

Author: Jean Sherman Chatzky

List price: $19.95

New price: $2.42
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $19.95

Average review score:

An intriguing look at the finances of those who intrigue us!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1997-10-24

Jean Sherman Chatzky has done an awesome job of combining the glamor of high finance with valuable lessons that hit down home. This book interviews about two dozen of the Rich and Famous -- athletes like Dennis Rodman and Mike Ditka, celebrities like Matt Lauer and Ivana Trump and Helen Gurley Brown, Wall Street wizzes like Charles Schwab and Bear Stearns' Ace Greenberg -- and provides an in-depth look at their investments and financial strategies. The book seems to uncover humorous stories from most, and interesting anecdotes from all. The book has a wonderful collection of stars from all arenas; it's the first book I've seen with so much dirt on celebrity money.

Each chapter provides valuable advice that you can apply to your own finances, even if your numbers pale by comparison. I was spellbound by this book, which is basically a fun-to-read how-to guide.

A unique book covering a universal favorite: fame and fortune.

Learning how celebs invest is fun ... and motivational!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-09

Personal finance expert Jean Chatzky managed to cajole several money-savvy celebrities into revealing their investment strategies. Finding out how people as diverse as Matt Lauer, Charles Schwab, and Ivana Trump build their nest eggs is illuminating -- and fun. And their experiences make for an easy-reading guide to investing. Jean's section on "rebounders" like Dennis Rodman, who lost a bundle and came back far wiser for it, will be valuable for anyone trying to climb out of debt.

Money Strategies of the Rich & Famous

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-16

This book covers investment techniques used by the Rich & Famous. "The Rich & Famous Money Book" is inspiring, motivating and educational.

Good book for anyone who wants to maximize their investment returns.

Well researched and motivating too

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-06

Reading how the celebs build their wealth is exciting and motivating. Sort of like a "Think and Grow Rich" for personal finance, Chatsky actually interviewed her subjects.

Dennis Rodman was inspiring - what a great comeback story.

If your goal is to build and hang on to wealth, this bookis a must read.

Sherman: A history of the American medium tank

Published in Unknown Binding by Presidio Press (1994)

Author: R. P Hunnicutt

List price:

Average review score:

Best book on Sherman Tanks !

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-26

. 2006 hard bound in dust jacket, , r/p of the 1994 edition, . in a slip case, , 8 3/4 x 11 1/4 , glossy paper , 576 pp , 1368 illus & drgs. , 12 color plates, appendices , index.

.....This exclusive high-quality print run is limited to only 1,000 copies in a collector's slip case. Finally back in print, R.P. Hunnicutt's "bible" on the M4 Sherman Tank begins with the pre-war evolution of the U.S. medium tank resulting in the introduction of the M3 and its Canadian counterpart the "RAM." The confusion after Pearl Harbor and the pressure for ever increasing production provide the background for the appearance of the Sherman in Part II. The war situation in early 1942 required large numbers of tanks to equip both the U.S. armored units in training and the Allied Armies already fighting around the world. This resulted in the major models of the Sherman with designations ranging from M4 to M4A6.

Part II ends with the Sherman committed to action first at El Alamein and then in theaters of operation around the world. Battle experience soon indicated the need for further improvements. Part III details the development projects necessary to effect these changes and their incorporation into the production program. The important British modifications including the installation of the 17 pounder high velocity gun are also included. The ready availability of the Sherman chassis made it the ideal candidate to carry various self-propelled artillery weapons and antitank guns. These vehicles as well as other specialized armor are discussed in part IV.

..After WWII, the Sherman continued to serve not only the U.S. Army, but was used to rearm many friendly nations whose armed forces were destroyed during the war. With the outbreak of fighting in Korea, the Sherman again went into action as is covered in Part V. Part VI is composed of reference material presented in data sheets covering the major production models of the M3 and M4 series.

The standard reference on the M4 Sherman medium tank

Helpful Votes: 22 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-24

Even though this work dates back to 1978, it can still be regarded as the ultimate book on the M4 Sherman. It describes the pre-war development of the American medium tanks, then covers the development and production of the M3 Lee/Grant including all marks and variants. The M4 development and production is covered in detail with all marks and variants, upgrades and modifications. British service and modification are also covered. Postwar employment and conversions are included, even though Israeli and other post war conversions are not covered in detail.
There are extremely detailed specifications of the M3 and M4, all marks and many of the variants like the M7 and M10. You will also find the specs on most weapons employed on the M3, M4 and variants.

If you are interrested in the technical development and production of the M3 and M4 tanks, this book is a must. Well written with 100s of b/w illustrations it is, despite the price, great value.

Best Sherman Book - But Don't Pay More than $130

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-31

This book is the Sherman Bible, but you should not spend more than $130 for this title. This book is in the process of being republished by RZM and it will have a list price of $130(US).

The Sherman Tank Bible.

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-24

The Sherman tank is without question, the most famous armored fighting vehicle in the history of modern warfare. The book "Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank", by R.P Hunnicutt, is an masterful reference text second to none. Although, this book is long out of print, it is without question the bible, to sherman tank historians. No book ever published on this tank can match the endless array of photo's and text detailing every variation of this tank. You get to see the tank from it's early design as a platform to the M3 Grant/Lee during the early stages of WW-2. The Sherman was used for every job imaginable. Soldiers would adapt their tank as needed for whatever condition awaited them. You see Sherman tanks, used as mine sweepers, marine assault float tanks, flame throwers, bulldozers, open turreted M10 tank destroyers, a british heavy hitting firefly variation, just to name a few. The tank had unmatched longevity, serving in the Korean conflict and in the Israeli army as late as the early 1970's. If you are a military historian or a student of armored warfare, I cannot recommend a better book that chronicles an American tank in such A to Z detail. The Sherman tank was not the most feared tank in the theater of WW-2 operations, but it's overwhelming production numbers and mechanical reliability and adaptability, surely helped the allies win the war.

Soldiering With Sherman: Civil War Letters of George F. Cram

Published in Hardcover by Northern Illinois University Press (2000-09)

Author: George Franklin Cram

List price: $32.00

New price: $13.50
Used price: $13.50

Average review score:

Letters Home!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-04

This wonderful book is comprised of all the letters home that George wrote to his mother. Thankfully he was a college student, doing what he felt was his duty, and his mother wanted to know all of the details of life in camp. Consequently we are fortunate to have information that covers all aspects of camp life. George gives his views on cleanliness, proper nutririon, drinking, & the ability to serve the country better as men of good character, He sometimes felt what was the use, but all in all he wanted to see the job finished. Upon returning home he & his uncle started a map company which is still in existence today.

Balancing the view from the trenches with historic context

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-08

Ms. Bohrnstedt's thoughtful and informative context for George Cram's letters is invaluable. The letters themselves are a treasure-- first-hand accounts from the trenches of the Civil War. Reading the book by the fireplace is like sitting with a Civil War maven, paging through scrapbooks with yellowed pages that come alive as she describes what is behind the scenes. What makes this book a 5-star gem? The quality of research and the uniqueness of the contribution to our understanding of our only violent, internal national conflict.

Piercing objectivity, optimism, and a dry sense of humor

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-06

Soldiering With Sherman: The Civil War Letters Of George F. Cram is a compilation of the letters of Union Sergeant George F. Cram's letters that reveal an educated young man's experiences as part of Sherman's army during the American Civil War. Advancing through the Confederacy with the 105th Illinois Infantry Regiment, Cram engaged in a number of key conflicts, including Sherman's famous "march to the sea". Cram wrote candid, literate letters conveying insights into the social dimensions of the Civil War. His writings are characterized by piercing objectivity, optimism, and a dry sense of humor. His vivid depictions of the campaigns in Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas are a superb and substantial contribution to Civil War studies. Soldiering With Sherman is an informative, engaging, and core title for any personal, academic, or community library Civil War studies collection.

The Civil War at its Purest

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-26

Soldiering with Sherman makes reading about history interesting. This is a firsthand account of the civil war. You can tell that the editor did some painstaking research. I would suggest this book for any history buff.

Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics)

Published in Hardcover by Morgan Kaufmann ()

Authors: William R. Sherman and Alan B. Craig

List price: $95.95

New price: $57.48
Used price: $49.97

Average review score:

Excellent book on VR

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-15

I picked this text for my virtual reality course here at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory and found it to be an excellent, well written, comprehensive introduction to the field.

VR in the hand

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-17

It is interesting this book, since gives a complete visualization of the current virtual reality. In form didactics it travels all the fields of the VR, not serving alone for a neophyte, also for somebody that the VR knows. Very good book
Hugo Neira S

Excellent text for Undergrad class

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-17

I received this book shortly after it was published. Since then it has served well as a reference for my students working in my VR research group, as well as being very enlightening for me as well.
I will be teaching a course on VR the next two spring semesters at Valparaiso University, and will be using this text.
The book does a great job of spanning the current VR technology out there, as well as addressing issues for development. I'd recommend it for VR researchers, as well as those teaching VR at the undergrad or grad level.

Tom DeFanti's review

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-07

Understanding Virtual Reality" is the definitive, authoritative, and exhausive exploration of the field by two insiders and practioners, Sherman and Craig. Virtual reality, a uniquely viewer-centric, large field-of-view, dynamic display technology has evolved over the past decade in many physical formats, driven by many software applications using a variety of operating systems, computers, and specialized libraries. Sherman and Craig capture them all in this substantial volume.

Most writing about virtual reality involves summarizing and interpreting interviews and demos, with massive doses of the speculative and the spectacular, and lots of historical fuzziness. Sherman and Craig, however, lived in the world of actual VR production at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where corporate researchers, educators, scientists, and artists make use of this technology in their daily work. They have personally suffered with VR tech and benefited greatly from access to it as well as to amazing amounts of computing, engineering, and scientific talent. They were held to real deadlines of corporate contracts, scientific conference demonstrations, and the design of IMAX productions. While they were doing all this, they were also writing this book. As a result, "Understanding Virtual Reality" has the integrity and feel of a long-term, eyewitness account and a personal journal, because these production-oriented researchers were documenting the times contemporaneously, rather than trying to reconstruct the details years later.

I know all this because I was their group leader for a couple of years in the mid-90's at NCSA, and their colleague in VR the years before and after. I co-invented the CAVE hardware, among other things, with Dan Sandin at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 1991.

Yarns and Shanties (And Other Nautical Baloney): The Twelfth Sherman's Lagoon Collection (Sherman's Lagoon Collections)

Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (2007-08-01)

Author: Jim Toomey

List price: $12.99

New price: $6.05
Used price: $6.03

Average review score:

Instant Classic

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-04

For the life of me, I can't figure out why Sherman's Lagoon isn't more popular. Toomey has developed great characters over the years, and he manages to keep them funny. Great stuff!

Awesome!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-02

This book is great, as are all the other Sherman's Lagoon Collections. I can't get enough of my favorite big white shark!

staying good

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-21

toomey is managing to stay fresh and interesting with a relatively small cast and simple stage, he's turning out to be a real winner, as good as any daily strip writer there is currently working

"Yarns, Shanties, and other Nautival Baloney

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-08

Jim Toomey is one of 3 or 4 cartoonists/authors who are in a completely different class, way ahead of the others. The Twelfth Sherman's Lagoon Collection is great.
John Nicholson, Quincy, MA

You Want Fries with That?

Published in Paperback by Winedale Publishing (1999-09)

Author: Ken Hoffman

List price: $16.00

New price: $3.97
Used price: $2.72
Collectible price: $16.00

Average review score:

A fun and enjoyable read

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-09

Ken Hoffman really has a way of putting a smile on my face. This collection of stories is easy to read and hard to put down. I have just lent it to my mother and know she will enjoy it, too.

An Easy Read - I couldn't put it down

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-03

This is the only time I have received a book as a gift that I actually liked. Someone gave me a copy at work. I LOVE IT. Now I am going to give it to my sister to read.

A humorous and thoughtful collection.

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-02

Ken Hoffman has a unique way of looking at the world. His ability to find the interesting aspects of everyday life make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I would recommend this to my friends.

Highest Quality

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-21

I have read it twice.

Both humorous and substantive. One part is about the Hoffman's bittersweet story of infertility treatments that result in an adoption - a tale that is both funny and encouraging. It is very easy reading and I recommend it to everyone.

American Flagg! Volume 1 (American Flagg!)

Published in Hardcover by Image Comics (2008-08-06)

Authors: Howard Chaykin, James Sherman, Pat Broderick, and Rick Burchett

List price: $49.99

New price: $31.48
Used price: $35.47

Average review score:

THIS is how you make an "Omnibus"!

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-06

Image puts Marvel and DC to shame with this definitive edition of one of the most distinctive and memorable comics of the 80s, by one of the most creative (and underappreciated) writer/artists in the field.

This is a professional-quality hardbound edition that will remain definitive for years to come. This volume features a real (gasp!) SEWN BINDING, high-quality, matte-finish paper, a gorgeous job of restoration, and even a sewn-in ribbon bookmark. All at the same price-point as DC's glued-binding, printed-on-newsprint Fourth World Omnibuses (and 1/2 - 2/3 the price of Marvel's Omnibus series, which also "feature" glued bindings).

This is how you do it, people.

The most influencial comic you never heard of

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30

In the early 80s Howard Chaykin launched one of the most innovative and influential comics of the decade. His dynamic storytelling style uses the media as a Greek Chorus to fill us in on the background of the world and keep us up to date on the story. Reading it you quickly see how it influenced the structure of Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns and other classics of the late 80s and beyond.

His story forecast the collapse of the Soviet Union and a hyper-media, hyper-violent America abandoned by its masters. The main character is an ex-TV star replaced by a CGI version of himself. Some of his vocabulary like Go-Gangs and Policlubs made its way into other science fiction like Shadowrun.

25 years later its still timely and still a darn good read.

A classic

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-06

After several failed attempts to bring out this collection it has finally arrived. It is hard bounded and with quality paper and looks great. This collection covers the "Hard Times", "Southern Comfort", "State of the Union", and "Solidarity for Now" story lines which build on one another. In addition it included two wrap-up stories and a additional story from HC. The stories in this collection are great and although written in the 80's, still feels relevant. This is what Chaykin fans have been waiting for and its really here. Bring on Vol 2.

Another Day In Paradise: The Fourth Sherman's Lagoon Collection (Sherman's Lagoon Collections)

Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (2001-09-06)

Author: Jim Toomey

List price: $10.95

New price: $3.53
Used price: $2.73

Average review score:

Entering the 4th Dimension

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-08

This book is again a phantastic collection of funny
and often very curious fish cartoon stories. Even the 4th
book is as good as the first one. The author projects
ordinary (and not so ordinary ;-)) everyday situations on
a couple of fishs around sherman the shark living in a
little lagoon at Kapupu Island. It is one of the best
cartoons and I think the best fish cartoon available.
For fans it's a wonderful reunion with Sherman, Megan,
Fillmore, Capt. Quigly, and all the others.

Have Fun!

Karl

Visit your local aquarium after you read this book!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-28

It'll never look the same again. We visited the Texas State Aquarium, in Corpus Christi- which happens to have a special exhibit of Jim Toomey's cartoons, with original drawings, used to raise awareness of marine conservation in kids. Fun for adults, too!

Who couldn't want marine conservation after becoming familiar with the inhabitants of Kapupu Lagoon? Sherman is a shark with, let's say, not too much in the way of brains; his mate, Megan, is much smarter - but has her weaknesses. Hawthorne is an irritable and irritating hermit crab, who wears a beer can rather than a shell. Hawthorne has a rather elaborate crab hole- Persian carpets, golf putting range - and is always dreaming up schemes to make more money. Fillmore is an endangered turtle, who can't find a mate, possibly because of the extremely bad poetry he writes. Other characters we see regularly include a polar bear who visits the Lagoon every year instead of hibernating; a computer-savvy fish who swims around with a laptop and hacks into important systems; a giant squid who always keeps his appointments; an orca formerly in a sea-entertainment complex, who can't quite cope with life in the wild; and the occasional herd of vegetarian piranha. There's also a couple of human characters once in a while- a fishing boat captain trying to catch Sherman and/or his friends, to use on the menu at his seafood restaurant; the people who run glass-bottom boat tours; and of course the hairless beach apes whom Sherman tries to lure into the water for lunch.

Every strip is funny; the messages about marine conservation, about cable lines under the ocean and other human incursions affecting sea life sneak in at you without detracting from the humor at all.

Return of the funniest eating machine in the lagoon!

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-11

Sherman's back. Still eating most everything in sight. Still failing Megan in the romance department. Still losing his fights with the giant squid. And still hilariously goofy in the process. Weird, wonderful, and hard to describe, I suggest you check out some of the strips online (you'll have to search for them, Amazon won't let me include the URL) and, if you laugh hard, buy this book. If you laugh a little read a few more until you do laugh hard, then buy this book. If you have no idea why anyone would laugh at this stuff, better stick to Family Circus!

Sherman Books