Spencer Books

Yes, as some reviewers have noted, the text about the creative impulses of the mystical writing process tends to be a bit precious for my tastes. That new-ageyishness aside, the practical advice offered more than makes up for the author's gushing love for the gifts of the muses. I, as a writing teacher, especially enjoy the attention he pays to developing an understanding of the fuel of good drama-- need, obstacle, conflict. (I should note that some of his terminology seems a tad off to me-- he uses "action" to mean what actors and directors commonly refer to as "objective" or "intention"; he uses "event" to refer to a climactic moment) But, buy into his terminology and his attention to creating a structured play proves valuable. So many novice playwrights forget to think about these fundamental ideas-- and their plays might contain taut dialogue, but often lack fuel. I also find that the exercises in this book also prove useful. I'd recommend this book- just keep something sour or salty on hand to cut the occaisional moments of sweetness!

Spencer leads you through what will matter: What do your characters want? What is conflict? What is plot? Best of all, he offers you ways to be a better writer without tying you down to a list of things you must do. Will some academics want this book? Probably not, because it doesn't fit into imparting knowledge from on high or demand that you always do A, then B, then C.

Most people won't listen to advice until they're good and ready. I had "The Playwright's Guidebook" in my office for over a year. When I finally read it, either I was good and ready to hear what Mr. Spencer had to say or what he said made a lot of sense. (Basically it was both.)

I've read Syd Field and taken McKee's course on Story Structure, yet I found this book to be of greater value. Why? Because Mr. Spencer doesn't lay down directives (as is common with most how-to books). Instead, he offers suggestions. His observations are level-headed and his approach is open-minded. This is one instructional book that won't tell you that a plot point must land on page such-and-such.

Mr. Spencer encourages you to freely follow your creative impulse and get your story on paper. Then he lets you decide whether your story is as effective as it can be. The book discusses sensible ways to get the most out of your play. It's often like a trouble-shooting guide. If you feel something's not working in your piece, chances are, this book will help you figure out exactly where the problem lies.

Mr. Spencer is not a drill instructor barking out the sure and only way to commercial bliss. He comes across as an experienced teacher (which he is) giving you the opportunity to find your own way to successful writing.

I'd like to add that this is an invaluable asset whether you're writing a play, a film or a novel. That's because "The Playwright's Guidebook" is a comprehensive study of drama, of why it works and why it often fails. No matter where you are in your writing career, you'll most likely benefit from reading this book. If you've been writing a long time, you'll be reacquainted with fundamentals you may have forgotten. You'll also pick up some fresh ways of looking at your craft. If you're a novice, you'll learn things that are essential to building an interesting story.

Take my advice: familiarize yourself with this book and then write the story that's in you.

...but Spencer's just not that good at articulating them. The entire book flits frustratingly around ideas, not concretely examining them, and going into discussions of student experiences rather than any sort of in-depth analysis. And his examples are as dry as week-old toast: Spencer discusses conflict through someone wanting a glass of water. He quasi-mystifies the "impulse," which is described as an almost visual image that drives the play; these can be useful, but they're not terribly good for any prolonged writing. Personally, inspired stumbling over my own feet usually only gets me a couple of pages out, not a whole, useful play. Spencer's impulse method seems particularly destructive to me because he wants the basic level of creation to be nigh-undirected force, which has never much appealed to my sensibilities. A play has to have something behind it in that first draft just to give you a map, even though it'll change from any prewriting you may do.

Buried under Spencer's unfortunate lack of in-depth description is, in the beginning, a rather useful look at need (which he inexplicably calls action): how to nurture it, how to place it underneath the surface, how to oppose it, et cetera. His look at structure is depressingly Aristotelian, but reading books on the subject generally gets you that. Unfortunately, the book then degrades into the puff and twaddle about the impulse before returning to a decent analytical (but not constructive) commentary on character. Like most playwriting manuals, Spencer is doing analysis on plays - good plays - and showing what one result is instead of really showing how to craft character. The rest of the book is not really even up to par with that.

You can get something out of most any playwriting book. There will always be advice that helps you, and advice that hurts you. Spencer's book isn't so much hurtful as frustrating to extract those nuggets of good from; this is one to pick up in a big bookstore, read the section on "Tools" in the cafe until you get it, and then put back on the shelf.

Over the years, I've bought so many "how-to-write" books, that I also had to buy a special bookcase in which to stack them all. While reading all of these books has not yet transformed me into a famous literary genius, it has made me somewhat of an connoisseur of writing books. If you are looking to purchase one more writing book, I would recommend "The Playwright's Guidebook".

The main strength of this book is Spencer's ability to distill the concepts of story structure and character into workable and easy-to-grasp ideas. Spencer is able to say in a few chapters what Robert McKee needs 500+ pages to say. I have read a multitude of books explaining how stories are assembled, but it was this book that brought it all together for me.

Another strength to this book is the quality of the practical advice, which is all too rare in writing books. I rarely do the exercises in any book, but I found myself plugging through the exercises in this book.

This is not to say that the book is entirely infallible. When trying to discuss "what" to write rather than "how" to write, Spencer resorts to the touchy-feely concept of the writer's impulse, which is really not that helpful (but then, all writing books falter on this point. Apparently, you actually have to use your own imagination at some point. Bummer). Another quibble that I have is with Spencer's running example of a guy wanting a glass of water. The triviality of the example tends to undercut Spencer's authority. But these are minor points that really don't detract much from an otherwise outstanding book.

Not only has this book helped me become a better writer (I recently had my first story published using what I learned from this book), but it has increased my enjoyment of reading and watching other stories because now I better understand the innerworkings of fiction.

I got my money's worth from this book. What more can you ask for?

This was a fun and engrossing read. The book took a look at several things, including the state of affairs in space tourism over the last 20-30 years, design studies for future orbital yachts, and current efforts to engage the tourism and entertainment industries with the "space geeks".

The description of efforts by space tourism enthusiasts was inspiring. These "true believers" kept the fire alive through the 80s and 90s. One detail I hadn't known was how they played an important role in hooking up Dennis Tito with MirCorp.

I was impressed by the design studies of orbital space yachts. They are quite imaginative and cool, and would make for a great experience. My only qualm is that they're a bit Star-Trekky with all the dependence on AI.

I enjoyed the discussions of the cruise line industry, which I hadn't known much about before. And it was great to see how John Spencer is engaging the tourism indutry to get them interested in space. His work will be very valuable in making these ideas go mainstream, hopefully in the near future.

John Spencer outnlines the ways that the average citizen will be able to go into space. He gets down to the details, including how the automated systems will function, and what the physical architecture will be. It may not actually happen this way, but it should!

Today we are on the cusp of a space tourism industry as being witnessed by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galatic announcement to forge the Southwest Regional Spaceport in New Mexico into a significant launch facilities for hundreds of fare paying passengers before the end of the decade. Nonetheless, John Spencer's book is wonderfully imaginative in the Part 2 (Chapters 4,5, and 6). I commend the book to those who dare to think beyond the traditional. It takes this type of fanciful scenraio-building to create the reality many of us hope for in the next decades.

John Spencer has made a valuable contribution to the source of his life-long passion -- Space Tourism. He has produced a thoroughly enjoyable story to read, a solid reference book, a plan and a vision that should have wide appeal to everyone from young sci-fi readers to old aerospace crumudgeons and most people in between. Emphasizing that Space Tourism is an "experience business" rather than a space business puts it into clearer perspective. His modeling the nascent Space Tourism industry after the super yatch and cruise industry is an example of how he "thinks outside the sphere". As a long-time space professional, I highly recommend this book as an important addition to your library or as a fitting gift to an adventuresome friend.

Jack Flannery, President
National Space Science & Technology Institute

John Spencer offers a fascinating vision of what space settlement can entail, with solid, practical exercises that help people work through the intellectual and creative process that's required to make space habitation a reality.

This is one excellent book to learn C++ programming. I purchased this book after I bought Greg's other books on Programming. I wanted to learn to use Visual C++. Also, this book had more information on Object-Oriented Programming than Greg's book "Turbo C++ Programming in 12 Easy Lessons" which I bought earlier. I chose this book to learn on my own.

Greg's style was crisp and to the point. It was easy to read. BUT, more importantly, the book was chock full of assignments. This is great, because you don't really know that you've learned anything until you actually write code yourself. Also, the disk had answers to the questions. So you can test yourself.

Greg with the help of Ian Spencer emphasized code style, white space and readability along with the basic C++ syntax. Because of this book, I've purchase other books by this author because I thought this one was so well written. I also own his Crash Course in QBasic, Visual Basic in 12, Easy Lesson, Turbo C++ in 12 Easy Lessons and his Java book. I've been pleased with most of my books I've purchased by this author. His Java book didn't keep the style of programming assignments and end of chapter questions as his other books, so I didn't like that one as well. Also, this book "Visual C++ Programming in 12 Easy Lessons" does a great job of teaching the basics of Object-Oriented Programming. So, you can go on to advance topics in OOP with confidence.

ONE WARNING: Greg recommends different books to advance you knowledge. Most of the books he recommends were excellent for going on in C++ programming. He does at one point recommend on the accompanying disk a book titled "Assembly Language for Real Programmers Only" to learn assembly language. Though this book by Marcus Johnson is a great book, it's not a good entry level text. I did buy it. It's actually an advanced book that also double as a reference. So, you may want to get "Assembly Language Step by Step" to learn beginning assembly language programming.

Even though this book is from the mid 90s, I would highly recommend this book for beginners to learn Visual C++. A working copy of Visual C++ comes with the book on a CD.

This is a great book, but it suffers from a few typing errors. For instance, on their tear out guide, the maximum values for floating point variables is listed twice. Other than that, the book presents the material in a well thought out, organized manner.

A very good book for someone beggining Visual C++. The Authors do a good job of keeping your attention and this is the least boring technical book I have ever read. I strongly recommend it for someone wanting to learn Visual C++. I am 14 years old and I read it in three weeks.

this book is excellent for beginners to the world of programming, not just new to C++. it teaches you everything from general concepts of how code works, but it works you up to advanced programs. the layout of the book couldnt be better. it has 12 units (hence the title) divided into sections. the last section in a unit summarizes what you have learned during the unit. anyone that is looking for "the perfect C++ book", this is the one!

Out of all the books I have read about C++, this one tops them all. This book proves you do not need to be a "Rocket Scientist" to be a programmer. If you have not programmed in C or C++ before get this book, it will give you a kick start into the world of programming.

I have read "Na Hanyate" by Maitreyi Devi a few years ago and I read this book a few days back. Both the books are very moving in their own way. Many have mentioned of the fantasies in Bengal Nights. From reading the book it does feel like the descriptions of the nights and love making are indeed from a fantasy and not real. But if you leave that part aside, the sadness which is described after their sudden separation seems very real. The way author has described his feelings of dissolution is very touching and makes one feel helpless. His emotions as expressed in most part seems true and honest. It will leave you thinking for a while what could have been done to stop the disaster in their young lives that happened almost a century ago. May be nothing...may be something...who knows.

As a graduate student at the University of Chicago in the early 1970's, I was assigned to shepherd visiting scholar Maitreyi Devi around during her visit there to speak on Tagore (Rabi Thakur). She requested that I take her to Mircea Eliade's Mead Theological Seminary office. What happened in Eliade's office was a bit puzzling. But several days later a Bengali faculty member told me about Eliade's book and their earlier love.
I've been telling that story for thirty years. This spring I told it to another Bengali scholar at a cocktail party in Canada. He was stunned. He said, "You are in her book!" I bought the second book, and I am in it. The incident is the last chapter of Devi's "It Does Not Die" - I am the Shirley in the story.
Now I have an even better story to tell.

When this book first appeared they said that, same as every century has its love story novel, the XXth century has "Bengal Nights" (original title: "Maitrey") for its own love story novel. I used to believe that a scientist such as Eliade couldn't write fine literature. After reading "Bengal Nights" I found out I was mistaking. It is an excellent written book that tells an wonderfull story.

I read this book when I was about sixteen, and it moved me profoundly.BENGAL NIGHTS, which is known in original version as Maitrey recounts the story of two lovers by the name of Alain and Maitrey. Of course that the story has something true, indeed, Eliade fell in love with Dasgupta's daughter Maitrey.Just imagine that the love story narrated in the novel, happened in reality. Also, must be remembered that Eliade was very much influenced by the "balkan supreme sacrifice" when he wrote Bengal Nights. And if you read more of his work, you will see that the same kind of sacrifice is found in "From Primitives to.." or in "The myth of the eternal return". I am talking, of course, the tracico-dacico mythology, where the death is seen not as the ultimate step of existence but as a gate to another world. For example, the dacians were proud to die, and only the most worthy of them was put to death. Now, in the novel you can see the same thing , but the supreme sacrifice is dedicated to love. And here comes the contribution of the indian mythology, where love and sexuality play a very important role. Whereas in the european mythology, the love is concealed by the Christian Church. Well, this is the substratum of the story anyway. And is just an opinion of mine. Nevertheless, add this book to the shopping cart now, and you will experience something that a very few books could make you feel!

This book is a dream, a message, a powerful explosion of signs, a bloody and mangled corpse left by the passage of some hurricane. In the year of the great success of "Monsoon Wedding" this book more than ever deserves to be read and wept about.

Is this the confession of a repentant Adam, come to weep at the gates of Eden where he so briefly knew bliss? Is it the war story of a proud and Faustian soul who learns European reason after tasting the blood of innocents? Is it the testimony of an emasculated Abelard, who can remember but can no longer experience the passion of his wretched Eloise?

All of these, all of these and much that cannot be justly set forth besides. The style is awkward, at times clumsy, but the life of this book is so vivid, so true, so radiant and bewildering, it reminds me of what many religious teachers have said: that if a man tried to look at God directly, though he would be filled with inexpressible joy, he would also certainly die. In that sense this book is a near-death experience.

It gets off to a shaky start, a bit like a model-T Ford being wound up on a dusty road, but soon you are captured into a whirlwind of passion and ideas, a kind of psychedelia, with levels and reversals of meaning radiating off into space in every direction: as the other reviewers have said -- colonialism, Hinduism and Christianity (and what is Christianity but prophetic Judaism captured and set to music by exiled Indian temple priests), romance, pride, purity, childhood, selfishness, devotion, promise, punishment, renunciation...

Like all Romanian poets, Eliade's motto should be "Lord, grant me only this vision!" His vision burns with the intensity of an acetylene arc. May the reader shield his eyes and turn it to good use.

If you have a question about Laser Eye Surgery the answer is in this book! A thorough and easy-to-read "must have" for anyone considering LASIK surgery. Along with this book, you may consider purchasing a copy of "I Hate My Eyeglasses" which offers a wide view of all of your visual aid possibilities. The best decisions are educated decisions.

This is an excellent reference work for anyone contemplating
laser surgery. The author explains the technical aspects of
the surgery, the benefits and the population of patients
qualifying for this protocol. He begins the book by explaining
how to read a visual prescription. i.e.
- sphere (D) + or - Cyl. power (D) @ Cyl.axis

The excimer laser correction is utilized for nearsightedness.
The objective of the procedure is to change the shape of the
eye window. The excimer laser is utilized for farsightedness.
The protocol has a steepening impact with respect to eye depth.
It makes the center of the eye window deeper. The authors
explain situations not helped by the laser surgery.
For instance, the protocol cannot help in cases where there
is brain involvement which impedes the ability to see.
In addition, the procedure cannot help in assisting retinal
cell communication of images to the brain. This work
is an excellent addition to the personal health library

for those considering any type of laser surgical procedure.

The Complete Book of Laser Eye Surgery(2000) by Dr. Slade explained every facet of the Lasik eye procedure. I was extremely impressed by the book. The book also includes an interesting story about one of the authors, Dorothy Kay Brockman. She was very near-sighted and had good results with the Lasik. The book explains: how the eye works, the entire Lasik correction procedure, it explained the surgery, and what you could expect after the surgery. This book is must reading!

For anyone considering laser vision correction this forthright book gives a realistic idea of what to expect before, during, and after surgery from the patient's and the surgeon's perspective. Dr. Slade makes the prospect of undergoing laser eye surgery less mysterious, less threatening. He answers myriads of questions but also guides you to the vital questions to ask both yourself and your potential surgeon. His focus is on patient education, which is crucial to making an informed decision and to managing the natural fear of eye surgery. Medical illustrations and a glossary help clarify medical concepts. Besides the emphasis on surgery the text provides basic information about the eyes such as how they function, why some eyes do not work so well, and how to understand your prescription for eyeglasses. For those contemplating a lifetime investment in better vision this book should prove an invaluable asset.

After reading the author's history of refractive surgery it becomes evident that eye surgery now a reality would have been considered science fiction less than a generation ago. Appropriately the book ends on this positive note, "With time and endless effect, one generation's prayer becomes the next generation's answer." If you choose to have laser eye surgery, just warn your chauffeur that postoperatively you may become preoccupied with reading every sign, license plate, and billboard in sight. Those of us who have experienced a blurred world can truly appreciate the out-of-this-world difference a laser and a highly skilled ophthalmologist can make--a world in focus at last.

Very detailed book. Lasik is not as simple as it looks. Your doctors experience will make the differnce in the possible need for a "touch up" or hitting the mark the first time. This book provides so much information that anyone considering lasik should have it. You will be spending at least a couple of thousand dollars for lasik (or less if you go to a "puppy mill").

I was approx 20/800 with high astigmatism and am now 20/20!! Recommend my doctor in Denver (I did a lot of research)if you can make it. Dr. Spivack at the Spivack Vision Center Englewood Colorado "spivack.com"

At first glance this book seemed like it would be really helpful. It has a very good diagram of dilutions and a good explanation of pH and solutions. However, there is no section on commonly used equations like osmolality and creatinine clearance. I thought this book was geared more towards the medical technologist because it does have a good hematology math section. But I was disapointed. Luckily I don't mind writing in my books.

A colleague has this book so I had seen the content. Mostly pretty useful, too bad it was upside down. The book is spiral with a hard cover, the spiral part was inserted upside down. I assume no pages are missing. Too annoying to return it to Amazaon, 50$+. Won't happen again. This is the first time I've ever had a problem, serious or otherwise, from Amazon.

This is a great book. I use it mostly to look up techniques while I'm working (certain pages are well dog-eared), but when I've read more, I've found it very helpful. I wish I'd had it when I was a student. Teachers should also find it really useful for helping students get the math refresher they usually need for college science classes. There are a couple of errors - you can download the corrections from the publishers website (where it says the mistakes are only in the first printing) - but in a book like this that's hard to avoid, and there are actually very few. Most of the book is really terrific, and surprisingly entertaining, especially the cartoons.

This book has the answers to all the math stuff you didn't pay attention to in intro chemistry and don't want to ask those more senior to you. I am currently working toward my PhD, and I use it daily at the bench.

If you're a new researcher or have been doing it forever, this book is excellent. I have been a bench scientist for seven years now, and have found this book highly useful. The picture on the cover was indeed my desk and lab-space until I got this book in hand. Definitely worth it, and make sure your fellow lab-mates don't try to permanently adopt it!

This is an outstanding biography depicting the day and times of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)President Spencer W. Kimball. It provides a glimpse into the daily life of one who is viewed by his followers as a common man in an uncommon spiritual calling as the leader of millions throughout the world. The book relates incidents that few are aware of such as death threats against him, the challenges of his time such as making it possible for all people within the faith to hold key leadership positions, expanding the global arm of the Church, handling the rapid growth of membership, extending humanitarian services to non-Mormons as well as Mormons in need, and being available to the most humble of Church members. His worldwide travel, his many illnesses, his kindness and compassion, and his zeal in promoting the faith make for very interesting reading. It was hard to put this book down.

It fell to President Spencer W. Kimball to lead the LDS Church during a turbulent period in American history. His greatest challenges came from the proposed Equal Rights Amendment for women and from the long standing church policy regarding priesthood ordination of men of African descent. Much has been written on both subjects. This book, which is a biography of Kimball during his presidential years, gives a pretty complete and candid report of his handling of both challenges. Being published by Deseret Book Company, the official publishing arm of the church, one would expect a sanitized version aimed more at building the faith of Church members than at giving a complete account. The text of the published book is aimed at the faithful, non-scholar Church member. It lacks traditional footnotes of source material for further research. The footnotes it has contain additional, more detailed text material. Those hoping for an account similar to the biography entitled David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism would be disappointed in Lengthen your Stride if all they got was the book. However, included with the book is a Compact Disk which contains a complete working draft, with footnotes. The CD contains the uncut, unedited version. The published text is clearly identified making it easy to identify what was edited. One must applaud Deseret Book Company for including the warts-and-all version although, personally, I would have preferred to have the complete version in print rather than on a CD.
As a faithful Church member, my faith is strengthened by knowing our leaders are humans who struggle with weaknesses and how they overcome them. The sanitized versions are fine for Seminary, but adults should be able to handle the complete truth.

A few years ago, I read Edward and Andrew Kimball's original biography of their father (Spencer W. Kimball, twelfth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I failed to examine the publication date before starting the book and so was deflated to find that it ended in 1977, the year before the landmark event of Kimball's presidency, the revelation lifting the priesthood ban for black members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ed has filled the vacancy with this second biography, covering the years of his father's presidency (1973-1985). The result is mixed but ultimately invaluable. The five chapters (20-24) discussing the priesthood revelation as well as the run-up and aftermath of the revelation are essential reading in LDS history and very well done. (They brought my aunt literally to tears of joy.) These chapters make this book an essential complement to David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, which gives a wonderfully insightful look on the dynamics of the priesthood ban in the 1950s. A later chapter (38) deals with Spencer Kimball's disability in his final years, and Ed's frank treatment gives an important insight into how the Church works in this context. Throughout the book, Ed gives us lots of details about changes in church policy which I found interesting as a younger member of the Church. Finally, the first appendix ("Personal Encounters with Spencer Kimball") is essentially a tribute, using the experiences of many people with President Kimball to demonstrate the President's many virtues. Ed doesn't shy from his father's flaws in the course of the book (although he is admittedly a sympathetic biographer), but I found this final, loving section particularly inspiring, reading how President Kimball's love for all people and his hard work permeated his life.

Sometimes the book devolves into travelogue and gets tiresome, as in the chapters on the area conferences (32-34). Those chapters still have interesting stories and useful history, but they drag. The flaw I found most frustrating throughout is that the book has no footnotes giving sources. Especially in the chapters on the priesthood revelation, Ed quotes regularly and for the careful reader, not having a footnote immediately available can be annoying.

The book comes with a CD-ROM that contains all the footnotes and much, much more. It includes the "writer's cut" of the biography (rather than the compromise between writer and publisher. Julie Smith, in her review of the book, has compared the two cuts and found that the additional material in the writer's cut generally consists of (1) "fat that any good editor would have cut," (2) "material that recounted differences of opinion between members of the Quorum of the Twelve and/or the First Presidency," (3) material that is more "liberal" (e.g., expression of President Kimball's sympathy for Sonia Johnson, an LDS supporter of the ERA who was excommunicated, (4) additional demonstrations of human weaknesses, and (5) "text on topics that might be embarrassing to the Church (failed policies, bad public relations, ...Kimball's suggestion that the priesthood ban may have been an error, etc.)" [1]. Although I wish that more of the material had made it into the published book, I am glad that we have all of this material available on the CD-ROM.

The CD-ROM also contains five other books (Camilla: A Biography of Camilla Eyring Kimball, Ed and Andrew Kimball's previous biography in both Spanish and English, and two other books on Spencer Kimball (this and this), and The Writings of Camilla Eyring Kimball). It also includes brief audio clips (most shorter than a minute) to demonstrate President Kimball's voice before and after his throat surgery and a host of articles about President Kimball in BYU Studies, Dialogue, and Sunstone (among others). I look forward to enjoying the CD-ROM for a long time.

[1] Julie M. Smith, "Book review: Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball," Times and Seasons (blog), 12 October 2005.

As a teenager I read Spencer W. Kimball's book, The Miracle of Forgiveness, which was and is a very powerful and useful book (which he wrote before he became president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Aside from that book, I paid little attention to Spencer Kimball until he became PRESIDENT Kimball. Then, as he began to perform this new responsibility, his powerful, heartfelt teachings and honest expressions of love were very impressive to me. My impression was that President Kimball was a great man and a true prophet. And that was before I read this present biography by Edward Kimball; as it turns out, I did not know the half of it. As adduced in this book, the facts show just how unusually great a man President Kimball was. It also gives many interesting insights into the workings of the Church during his administration. This book is very well written and documented; and by virtue of the subject-matter (the life of this great man) it is inspiring as well. This book should be of interest to all Mormons, as well as anyone else who might want to read an honest account of the (often difficult) life of a man dedicated to serving God. This is one of the best books, and it might well be THE best biography, I've ever read.

Back in 1977 Edward L. Kimball, a law professor and the son of LDS church president Spencer W. Kimball, co-authored a biography of his father that was instantly recognized as a classic of Mormon literature. That first volume combined fluid storytelling and unprecedented honesty to produce an account that was at once a great book of history and a warm portrait of a recognizably three-dimensional human being. The book covered Pres. Kimball's life only up to his ordination as prophet. Now almost 30 years later Ed Kimball has published the long-awaited second volume, "Lengthen Your Stride" which covers the life and administration of his father until the elder Kimball's death in 1985. A lot has changed in the intervening years and the format this book takes shows it.

Edward Kimball produced a long mauscript complete with detailed footnotes that was in effect a full-scale scholarly biography of his father. Evidently, Deseret Book (the publishers) didn't think such a version was commercially feasible today. Plus, they are more interested in "inspirational" books. So a compromise was worked out: Deseret Book would publish a shorter version of the book that emphasized the faith-affirming aspects of the "working draft." That text version is a good book for an LDS audience who wants the basic story. But included along with that published version is a CD-ROM that is literally packed with treasures that should satisfy the reader who wants more. Included in the disc are the text of the original 1977 biography (along with a Spanish translation); "Camilla", a biography of Pres. Kimball's much-loved wife, also written by Ed Kimball; a whole library of notable magazine and journal articles about Pres. Kimball; dozens of family and newspaper photographs; audio files of excerpts from Pres. Kimball's most-loved sermons; and two complete short books about Pres. Kimball for younger readers. But the very best thing is the complete, uncut "Working Draft" with full footnotes. (Most of the text is in black, with the smaller portion that made it into the published text highlighted in blue, so you can easily tell the difference.)

It is this "Working Draft" that once again makes this volume a landmark in Mormon letters. The shorter version concentrates on a singularly upbeat narrative of the prophet's life. The "Working Draft" contains much-needed context; it's a very servicible history of the church in the 1970's and 1980's. It examines in more detail the controversies of the time, like the struggles over the Equal Rights Amendment, the writing of official church history, clarification of doctrine and practice, and dealing with explosive growth. The chapters that everyone will want to read are the gripping account of how the priesthood was finally extended to African-Americn men. This is the definitive account, taken directly from church documents and interviews with the individuals involved. It's compelling, first-hand material. The footnotes show just how this book is grounded in solid scholarship. Church archives are cited, along with the best secular writing about the times, and honest liberal-Mormon books, and articles from the journals "Sunstone" and "Dialogue."

As I read, I was vividly plunged back into those extraordinary years of the Kimball administration. He was the prophet when I was in my impressionable teens and I will always think of him as my particular prophet. This book reminds us of the man's extraordinary character, and how much he was loved by the members of the church for his humility, compassion and work. "Lengthen your stride" was of course one of his mottos; another was the simple phrase "do it" which he had made into a sign an kept on his desk. I suppose if you could boil Mormonism down into just two words, they would be those famous ones of President Kimball.

This book is the most faith-affirming book I have read all year, because of the author's commitment to both the church and the whole truth. It's just a tremendously uplifting piece of Mormon art. And the CD-ROM may be a glimpse into how books will be published in the future. I can imagine "director's cut" editions of books that include all kinds of fascinating supplemental material. I can't recommend this package highly enough.

Goro Oji, a gorgeous model, has rescued Sae from a fate of her own making. In meeting her at the modeling shoot for the men's magazine he has developed a crush on her and restored her egomaniacal faith in herself. Now Sae is on the rampage and the first target of her destructive tendencies is Momo and Toji...again... Sae is unnerved by their newfound love and wants to break them up and restore herself to the position she was in before, even if it is by usury and scheming.

Meanwhile, Momo's birthday is coming up and Toji has a special evening planned for the two of them. His parents are going to be off for the evening and he invites Momo for a special dinner alone, but in the aftermath of their very first kiss is Momo ready to jump to the next step already? Well, if Sae has any say in the matter Momo will be deflowered on her sixteenth birthday, but she hasn't factored Toji into the plan at all...well, not where Momo is concerned anyways... Sae wants Toji for herself and is willing to throw anyone at Momo in order to get him, even Goro, who genuinely likes her (Sae, that is...not Momo).

One big dramatic mess... and it just keeps getting better and better. Of course, it's like most typical manga romantic shojo situations, when the characters take a step forward they always take two steps back, but hey, that's life I suppose. I can't wait to read the next volume in this series. I just can't seem to put any of them down.

This is one of the best volumes yet! I love how Miwa Ueda keeps you wanting more. Even my guy friends like it!

The latest volume of Peach Girl is STUNNING. What's happening?
Sae has started a new fling with Goro, a famous model, desperate to make Momo jealous. Momo is going out with Toji and their relationship is going great. They plan a small celebration for her birthday, but Sae will NOT let the night end without being on top.
The ending is, of course, a bit of a cliff hanger. You must read this volume if you're a Peach Girl fan.
My only complaint is that there is only a couple of pages that feature Kiley. ;_;

Just a note to parents out there - these books are not as innocent as they might appear from the cover. They are about at a level with modern American soap operas - pretty bad. No actual drawings of sexual organs but lots of pictures suggesting sexual activity; boys talking about taking a girl's virginity; intended rapes - including gang rapes - that are prevented at the last minute by the entrance of the hero; girls trying to win boys over by offering them sex; misunderstandings galore in which the boy has sex with the wrong girl or the girl wakes up in a strange bed. Even if you don't object to your daughter reading something with so much sex in it, you'll probably object to the antifeminist portrayal of girls obsessed with catching the right boy and using sex to do it. The heroine and hero do try to stay above all this and true to each other, but they still involve themselves in vengeful plots to teach the bad girls lessons. It's only natural that preteen girls should be curious about dating, etc., but these books give a really false and bad impression of what sex, love, and life are all about. People might say that this type of book is just for fun, but there's a lot of fun stuff out there that also makes you think and grow as a person: books and movies that deal with social-sexual issues in a more moral and responsible way and lead to an appetite for better and better literature. Sex is, after all, a major theme in literature. But the "Peach Girl" series would only develop a taste for more of the same, or worse.

Just when you thought Sae had lost her edge, a kiss from a supermodel brings her back to her old self. Add a little jeaslousy over Momo and Toji's happiness and you have a Sae that can only be described as evil.
Momo and Toji have finally kissed, and are as happy as a couple can be. They are even planning on celebrating Momo's 16th birthday alone. Unfortunatly, Sae's supermodel boyfriend has promised he'd do anything for her... even help her get Toji. There are some endearing moments in the story about being satisfied with what you have... Momo just keeps getting more lovable.
I can't spoil the ending, but at the last minute Peach Girl goes beyond risque and fun and deals with some serious issues. I very much enjoyed this volume, from the romantic moments to the comedy to the drama, but the cliffhanger might be too shocking for the 12 and under crowd. The end is shocking enough for the older readers.
For Peach fans, number 5 stands up to the previous volumes (with the added perk of "pro Sae" fan mail). However, be prepared for heavier drama.

As a Civil War re-enactor / living historian, this collection of writing books featuring the Spencerian system of penmanship is a valuable body of original books/pamphlets that was originally printed in 1874. Spencerian writing, however, was in practice more than twenty years before and is perfect for one who takes living history and re-enacting seriously. Spencerian penmanship was THE style of the 19th century and chances are, if you have had the opportunity to see original (or copies of original) letters and documents of the time, this is the style of penmanship in which it was probably written.
As "postmaster" of the 21st Michigan Civil War Re-enactors Unit and the Michigan Soldiers Aid Society (MSAS - also Civil War era), I ask that our membership write letters to one another on period replica stationary. Unfortunately, the fact that we are 21st century people living our modern everyday lives reflects in the style in which we write. Now that I have these wonderful guides, I hope my fellow members in both units will take the time to learn to write in an authentic style. The winter months will give us time for practice.
I plan to make photo copies of the pages as to not ruin my originals, and I would suggest to the learner that they do the same.
A very fine collection of guide books to help us learn a lost art.
Excellent!

This is a reproduction of the original. The guide shows the formation of the letters and the copy books give plenty of practice. This is a no frills method of learning beautiful penmanship. If you want to improve your penmanship and have the drive, this is a great resource and very affordable!

At last!!!

The classics are back and readily available.

For so many years I have heard and read about Spencerian and Palmer penmanship but, until now, it has been very difficult to locate any books on the subject.

In this computer age where most things are written on ones computer, rather than by ones own hand, it is so refreshing to see that proper penmanship is not a dead art.

Far too many young people are only capable of printing and many are never even taught how to write (let alone be able to read) cursive writing.

This lack of education will surely one day come back to bite us in our posteriors and those lacking proper writing skills shall be judged poorly.

While many may consider a hand written letter, note or poem "quaint" it is now, more than ever, a mark of ones regard and respect for another person to pen ones own missives.

After all, few things bring to mind such joy and reminiscence as being able to look back, years later, at the hand written letters and cards from family members and friends over the years of our lives.

Margaret May

From where I sit, this packet of booklets (theory and practice) is ideal for what I am seeking. I inherited several fountain pens from both my father and my grandfather, and became interested in using them with a degree of skill. My penmanship is improving, and my respect for the equipment is deepening.

The current publisher has added a Preface that helps put the information in context. I am neither a historian, nor a calligrapher - but this piece of work has given my a bit of insight to events of the past.

A wonderful set of books if you're serious about penmanship, or wanting to see what those super-flex nibs in your collection can really do. It's been a very, very long time indeed since I sat down with a ruled exercise book and copied letters in an uncertain hand, so this was a slightly surreal (and highly therapeutic) experience all round. You need to set aside some time in a quiet room to work through the exercises and read the theory thoroughly, but it's worth it. It's also a fascinating glimpse into long-vanished teaching methods. Recommended for anyone interested in calligraphy or acquiring the principles of a more elegant hand. Best approached with a very flexible nib and plenty of patience.

"It's serious self-examination that will produce positive results. Remember, every action causes a reaction. If you desire the reaction to be fatter tips, then your actions must make that happen. People tip better for better service." ~pg. 78

Tricia Spencer's "Tips: The Server's Guide to Bringing Home the Bacon" is an especially honest and sometimes slightly uncomfortable (think Simon's honesty on American Idol) account of a variety of issues faced by servers and customers.

The idea of the book is to read through a variety of negative situations in order to address any issues that could cause a lack of monetary gain. The author's writing style is very straightforward.

I think dissatisfied customers will find this therapeutic while servers with tough skins may benefit the most from reading this book.

This book may be easier for restaurant managers to read so they can address issues with their employees. For brave servers who want to face this topic head on, the information should definitely increase their income and give an idea of what customers are truly thinking.

I think there are as many types of servers as there are personalities and that is what makes life entertaining. I think a sense of compassion and being a person of understanding will get you further than being overly demanding in a server/customer situation. If you want to read the other side of the story, read books by John Galloway.

Recommended to those who appreciate ""extreme honesty"" and have made food service their life's work.

As someone who has worked 8-12 hours a day on her feet, I must say that at times a customer who is kind and appreciative despite life's difficulties was a refreshing change. Being understanding usually gets you further in life than being overly demanding. After all, we are all human beings struggling with life's challenges. Servers can read the heart of the matter and will often respond accordingly.

~The Rebecca Review

I don't know how she did it without sounding like she was preaching, but Tricia Spencer was able to capture everything about what goes into a tip. I -want- to be generous with my tips and usually am. But I'm not shy about leaving a paltry tip that sends a message. Perhaps I should leave a copy of this book for those occasions!

Though I wish they would, I doubt bad waiters will read this book. But good waiters can read it and pick up something that will ultimately lead to more tips. Spencer includes things like a tip to not walk around empty handed. Don't bring a ketchup bottle to the table, then return to the kitchen empty handed. Instead, bring back some empty dishes from a table in your area. Customers like to reward someone they think is a hard worker. Spencer shows you how to do that without making it seem like a tough task.

By the way, I have to say a few department store clerks I know could even benefit from reading this book. No, they don't get rewarded with tips, but a little polishing of performance might lead to some promotions!

I thought at least every one of the characters in this book has been at every different restaurant that my husband and I have ever been too.
I think this book should be a guideline for all servers and a guide for us, as customers, to know how to tip based upon service.

A friend in the food service industry insisted I read this book - and I found it to be much more than the cover claims. It will indeed tell you how to better serve the restaurant frequenting public; and how to better tip the foodservice industry. But what it doesn't claim but still provide is actually a primer on life. It's a well written and humorous look at how to make the most of everyday situations. Buy it. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

Let's face it, all of us have been on one side or the other when it comes to food service. Many of us have carried the trays and dealt with the obnoxious customers. And pretty much all of us have had poor service and absentee waiters. This book comes to the rescue, and does it with a satisfying side order of humor.

Not only will you learn the proper way to deal with delivering "the vittles", but you also get a wonderful guideline for taking care of that special waiter or waitress; when it's your turn to pay the bill.

Highly recommended for everybody who serves and is served.

Tim in Maryland.