Sherman Books

A new evangelical voice is emerging that is describing social transformation through a culture-and-development paradigm that emphasizes primarily (although not exclusively) a personal dimension.
Through her research in Guatemala, Dr. Amy Sherman has demonstrated that transformation is an inside-out, bottom-up phenomenon. Sherman argues that the societal transformation in Guatemala has proceeded from the large number of conversions from Christo-paganism to orthodox Christianity. An orthodox Christian worldview, Sherman explains, has been a catalyst for social transformation because it recognizes the value of the individual to make choices (toward sobriety, marital fidelity, and thrift) and reap the socioeconomic benefits.
In this unique country where evangelicals are an estimated 25% of the population, the actions of a significant amount of people making personal life changes has been felt at a societal level. Even secular critics note that evangelicalism, with its strong orientation toward the individual, has been positively correlated with to economic improvement, rising levels of education, and democracy. Highly recommended.

Sherman is so ideocentric and intellectually spineless that it I can't get over the fact that this wasn't written over a hundred years ago.

I read frantically through a number of books in anticipation of reading this one, only to be majorly disappointed. It truly is one of the worst entries in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and I'm hoping it's the last the authors collaborate on. Although their military knowledge is clear, it shows through in trite ways and generally detracts from rather than adds to the narrative.

The characters are recognizable in name only. The dialogue is so inappropriate for the characters it's almost laughable. Soldiers in the field say "bro" and Anakin becomes almost as whiny as his son. It's unreal how much the speech missed the mark.

The action never really picks up to a level worth reading, and although the scale of the battles are epic, you never get the feeling that more than a handful of people are fighting.

It's amazing how so many words can say so little, and at the same time detract so much from what should have been an excellent concept.

Beware of reading this book, as it may spoil your affection for the series for a while.

I couldn't finish this book. I've read other Star Wars novels that I wasn't particularly fond of, but this one I found to be particularly egregious. It was a whole lot of boring military strategy and bad characterizations. When Anakin started thinking that his shiny new mechanical arm was so nice that perhaps he should have his other arm replaced I stopped reading. I understand its my own personal taste, but I would prefer my Star Wars fiction to not read like a dramatization of historical battles. If I wanted that, I'd re-read Dune.

This book has no redeeming qualities about it, whatsoever. Character development was horrible, and not believable. Don't waste your time on this book, it is the worst SW novel I've ever read (I've read close to 30)

The battles were very cool but everything else could have been better. I was dying to see Anakin's Jedi Trial. To see what exactly a real Jedi trial is. But we don't get to see it even thought its all Anakin talks about. Obi Wan is sent on a mission without Anakin so Anakin gets a new master temporarily in Jedi Halcyon. I was very interested in seeing how this played out. Anakin having a master who wasn't Obi Wan and one who was a lot like him. Considered a maverick or wild card of the Jedi. They have a lot in common including having a love one even though its against of the Jedi Order. They would have made for an interesting team and yet they weren't. They were more boring then I ever could have thought.

The Black Fleet Crisis was bad. The Cestus Deception was not outstanding. I found Triple Zero lacking (especially compared to the exceptional Hard Contact). The Jedi Quest series took almost the entire series to make the journey worthwhile. But all these books pale in comparison to what I would call the worst Star Wars book (I have read almost all of them except for the newest ones).
First off, Nejaa Halcyon was the biggest reason I started reading this book. I read of him in I, Jedi and longed to know more. I should have made up my own story since the authors don't really do much with him. He could have been any Jedi; there was nothing that made him exceptional.
Next, the authors have a weird view of what people want. They seem to think that we, the audience, would love to read pages of insignificant, brainless, unimportant characters with terrible names, strategy, and the like and not detail important things like Anakin and Nejaa's marriages (the whole interchange, which could have lasted half a chapter with Michael Stackpole as the author, takes up half a page), lightsaber battles, and real character development.
Other pet peeves:
1. I was unimpressed with the juvenile writing style.
2. I could care less for the whole mercenary angle and the Rodian mercenary (both of whom did not stay consistent throughout the story). They felt like blank characters with not much depth.
3. Odi and Erk, Erk and Odi, them getting married...gag me! Please! I groaned when I read "And now by the powers vested in me..." at the end! How could anyone end a Star Wars novel in such a hokey marriage. I would have omitted their entire story from this novel and given that time to Anakin and Nejaa.
4. Asajj Ventress on the cover and not in the book (to my knowledge).
5. Super motherly woman who is about to die. And she reminds Anakin of Shmi. Do I sense a billboard or something?
6. Ponith, the scary banker with purple teeth from all that tea he drinks. And we are supposed to fear him why?
7. I never really believe the whole mission was important. If this station was so important to interstellar communications, how did this happen in the first place?
Just so I don't sound too negative, the end picked up a bit. The action was a bit better. Also, some inclusion of clone troopers (but nothing compared to Hard Contact).
7.99 is about 7.98 too much for this book. Buy used or borrow. In fact, don't bother. Just skip. Watch the Clone Wars animated shorts for Anakin's real trial. And spend the 7.99 on Hard Contact for a much better Clone Wars novel.

The United States vilification of President Alexander Lukashenko and Belarus has nothing to do with "democracy" and "human rights." Lukashenko's refusal to surrender Belarus to U.S./E.U. capitalist domination via privatization and criticism of U.S. policies have infuriated Washington. Even more irksome to the White House, IMF, and World Bank is that Lukashenko's economic model is actually working!!!

For accurate and objective information on President Lukashenko and pre and post Soviet Belarus I highly recommend Stewart Parker's new book, "The Last Soviet Republic - Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus." The reader will receive a huge amount of well researched, objective material that contradicts and debunks the stereotypical drivel and propaganda written by Washington's hacks.

Belarus is next. Most likely not a direct military intervention, but rather a western-capitalist propaganda campaign designed to destabilize and "reform" the country. The Belarus politico-economic system, one of the last of its kind on earth, is structured essentially along the lines of the old Soviet system, and the western powers are dead set on sending it into the dustbin of history. Recently Belarus' Lukashenko government, after receiving criticism from the IMF and World Bank for its slow pace of privatization, actually had the audacity to request that the IMF and World Bank first calculate the social costs of any "structural adjustment programs". (Alexander Lukashenko is the current president of Belarus who the capitalist powers are now starting to demonize as an irrational dictator. Moreover he has been an outspoken statesman against the United States war on Iraq, dubbing it the most cynical war of aggression since World War II.)

Suffice it to say, many Belarusians are refusing to buy the privatization snake-oil, however, and this is the crucial point, a yuppie segment of the country - connected to western elites based primarily in Poland - is intent on joining the exploitation game in which the next step is toppling Lukashenko, a feat that will no doubt happen amidst cheers from CNN. They claim they are advancing democracy when in reality they would support the most autocratic regime if it happened to open up the country to multinational corporate penetration.

For guidance all one has to do is look to Russia and the other former Soviet states where unfettered capitalism is an unmitigated disaster: poverty rates, drug cartels, organized crime rackets, shoddy healthcare, rampant unemployment, human trafficking, corruption and cronyism, petty street crime; all these social indicators have skyrocketed, while a few bandits and shrewd manipulators have become richer than their wildest dreams.

Unfortunately most well educated liberals in the west will go right along with the drumbeat against Belarus socialist society and Lukashenko. Obviously romanticizing Lukashenko is unwarranted, however his administration is generally committed to egalitarian principles and keeping much of the Belarus economy and governing apparatus away from the world's ruling class; which is why he deserves support during this important period in global history.

Most teachers should know how to present this material without any help. Unfortunately, the help that is provided in this manual really is no help. One almost wonders if the author truly has any educational background or experience.

I ordered this unit plan hoping it would give me some useful ideas for teaching this book. However, there are many noticeable errors. In addition, it does not quite cover the book to a satisfactory level. I had my ninth graders read the book, but the questions and activities in the unit plan were below the level of my students. However, there are some good suggestions that can be altered to fit your class, and it is nice to have tests pre-done. Although with the number of errors, I've had to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb and retype segments.

On page two the author states that the abacus was invented in China up to 5,000 years ago. That shows that the author is no authority in this area. The abacus originated in ancient Babylon about 5,000 years ago. The abacus did not get to China until about 800 years ago. In fact, it was the Europeans that taught the Chinese how to use an abacus. I stoped reading at page two.

Aimed at a primary school reader, Sherman offers a quick history of computing, with emphasis on the personal computer. Since the latter is likely what the reader is best acquainted with. For the reader, Sherman tries to convey how vastly and rapidly computers have improved. Something that the reader is probably too young to appreciate. After all, it's not clear that some readers know or fully appreciate that a current personal computer is equivalent to an entire large room of hardware from the 50s or 60s.

The text is rather short. Perhaps because of the intended age range of the reader? But maybe the text could have been lengthened. If only to talk more about recent popular usages on the PC.

Ohhhhh.....Where to begin? I'll start with co-editor Terri Windling. Her opening essay on the year in Fantasy was almost enough to make me hurl down the book in irritation. If she said "Magic Realism" one more time....I lost track at 37. Unbearable. Just unbearable. I have a pretty steadfast rule that, no matter how bad a book may be, I read EVERY SINGLE WORD. Every word. No matter what. I had to skim through Windling's essay, because it was either skim or put my fist through the wall. "Magic Realism. Magic Realism. Magic Realism." Ugh.

Ellen Datlow's essay is slightly more interesting, and the sections on Media and Comic Books were very well done. Now, on to the stories themselves.

I've read a few of the previous Year's Best volumes, and it always bothered me how the book slants towards Fantasy over Horror (Terri Winling is the Fantasy Editor, Ellen Datlow the Horror Editor), but this edition is WAY over the top. Out of 35 stories, Windling's name is on over twenty. Her tastes run towards oblique, overwritten, pretentious tripe, and strange poetry. One of her selections, Gerald Vizenor's Oshkiwiinag: Heartlines on the Trickster Express put me beyond the newfound sacrilige of skimming. I actually had to skip the remainder of the story after five endless, pointless pages. I have never read such strange shizznit in my whole life. I literally had NO idea what he was writing about. Ugh. Another Windling pick (Among The Handlers, by Michael Bishop) is endlessly long, written in an awful hillbilly dialect, and is neither Fantasy or Horror, but IS god-awful. I'll avoid Vizenor and Bishop like the plague, thanks to these stories. We also get other Windling-picked classics like Birthdream, (A poem about childbirth, not Horror or Fantasy, but also awful. If I wanted bad poems, I'd get a poetry book.) Caribe Magico, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (A travelogue. For God's sake, a travelogue! Not Horror, not Fantasy...but as Windling says...MAGIC REALISM! Code for "Pretentious story that makes no sense."), and Beckoning Nightframe by Terry Dowling, about a woman who is scared of her neighbor's open window. FOR 16 PAGES! UGH. Her only decent choice is Little Beauty's Wedding, by Chang Hwang. It's an unforgettable story.

Ellen Datlow fares better in her choices. The Secret Shih Tan (By Graham Masterson), Never Seen By Waking Eyes (By Stephen Dedman), and the grotesque Three Bears pastiche "Ursus Triad, Later" (By Kathe Koja & Barry N. Malzberg) are all incredible, and I'm glad to have discovered writers I wasn't familiar with, but the overall feeling I had when reading the book was one of irritation with the all-encompassing pretentiousness of the package. I'd say the stinky outweighed the good by 90%. I'm VERY sorry that I've already purchased the next four volumes....But at least I've learned to skim & skip!

Interesting collection of writers, some famous and some unknowns, but all in all not a real page turner. Some stories I couldn't even finish I got so bored. Some were so good I got goose pimples. Go figure.

I was fortunate enough to see Alexie's second movie, The Business of Fancydancing, three times in its run in Seattle, which should give you some idea of what kind of esteem I hold it. When I read on his website that plans were in the works to release the screenplay, I knew that I'd have to get it when it was released.

Having read it, I can safely say that if you enjoy reading screenplays to see how much the movie changed from page to screen, that this would be a good one to read. Unfortunately, the book has a very slipshod feel to it, from an uninspired cover design to far too many typographical errors, inconsistent formatting and what appear to be twenty some pages of repeated text towards the end of the book. This last is not a misbound signature, as the pages are numbered consistently throughout. Rather it looks as though someone accidentally pasted a large portion of the manuscript in just before printing.

All in all, I found the content of the book to be fascinating, but the actual presentation of it to be mediocre at best. I would love to find out that I have a bad copy but somehow I doubt that this is the case.

vrebal communication focus on language. Non-verbal communication focus on gesture, touch, and body language.

This is a detailed report of a project recommending a specific format for markup languages. Unfortunately, one of the possible formats which they rejected before choosing ODA (Office Document Architecture) was SGML, thus the particulars of the work have been largely outdated by subsequent events. The report does offer some valuable critiques of SGML and its lack of document organization semantics.

Though this book seems like it might be scary and intriguing on the outside, it is really quite boring and the stories are hard to read without skimming. I would not recommend this book.