Stanley Books

We all know about Shakespeare, so a review of his writing is not required. However, I would like to say that the Everyman's Library series are worth getting. Unlike omnibus editions (such as the Riverside Shakespeare), these are actually portable so you don't need a table to hold them up while you are reading. The Everyman's Library series have good hardbindings, are conveniently sized to carry around, and have illuminating and extensive introductions. The typeface used is old, but the letters are large and easily readable (something that is a concern with some other editions).

Tragedies, Volume 2 contains: Titus Andronicus; Troilus and Cressida; Julius Ceaser; Anthony and Cleopatra; Timon of Athens; Coriolanus

We all know about Shakespeare, so a review of his writing is not required. However, I would like to say that the Everyman's Library series are worth getting. Unlike omnibus editions (such as the Riverside Shakespeare), these are actually portable so you don't need a table to hold them up while you are reading. The Everyman's Library series have good hardbindings, are conveniently sized to carry around, and have illuminating and extensive introductions. The typeface used is old, but the letters are large and easily readable (something that is a concern with some other editions).

Tragedies, Volume 1 contains: Hamlet; Othello; King Lear; Machbeth

I appreciated reading all the tragedies together like this. There were some that I had read many times before, but others that I had barely read. The Tragedies are what Shakespeare is most noted for, and with good reason. Each of these plays is a masterpiece in its own right, and each of them provides such a wide variety of quotes that we all have heard over and over. That is the most enduring thing about Shakespeare - his mastery of the English language was so great that his words are still remembered today (almost four centuries since his death). Shakespeare has written thirteen tragedies, and I will do individual reviews of three of my particular favourites. The ones that I will further review are "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", "The Tragedy of Macbeth" and "The Tragedy of King Lear". As much as I enjoy each of these the other ten should not be ignored either. Shakespeare could not keep some comedy out of his famous tragedies, and sometimes it is these comedic scenes that we remember the most. Who can forget the drunken porter in "Macbeth"? It is very difficult for me to pick a favourite out of these thirteen masterpieces, but I think if asked I'd have to admit to Macbeth. But read them all, they are well worth the time.

This is a basic introduction to the thought of Confucius. It provides the historical background to the emergence of his thought, and also outlines the historical role Confucius' teaching has had in the educational and political system of China. The first value of Confucius' is ' learning' and the educated Man is the ideal product and bureaucrat- administrator in the Chinese ruling system. Education and learning are for not for isolated ivory tower reality, but must be directed to social action. The Confucian teaching is generally regarded as secular and does not invoke ordinarily the supernatural. The focus is on human relationships and considerable emphasis is given to ritual ( li). The Confucian ideal is for the person to show ' jen' which is a kind of respect and understanding of the other. The understanding ( shu) means something like putting oneself in the other's shoes and not doing to them what one would not want done to oneself. The emphasis on ' right action'in relation to others has special weight in family relations. The relation between parents and children, and between members of the family and older brother are given special emphasis. People are expected to show respect for their parents and provide for them in life, and also show respect for them when they are not in this world. The Confucian ideal became the norm for Chinese society for tens of generations and through the greatest share of Chinese history. When the Communists came to power in China they blamed the Confucian ideal for not having adjusted and trained China to be a part of the modern world. Yet in many ways Dawson makes clear the Confucian way of seeing the world remains strong in Chinese society. The strength of the Chinese family connection is evidenced throughout the large Diaspora of the Chinese.
This is an excellent , clearly written introduction for someone like myself who knows very little about Chinese thought. The parallel to certain elements in Jewish thought ( The emphasis on learning, and on being a ' mensch' ( jen) are two apparent elements here is striking. But of course in Judaism the emphasis is on human relation to a personal God, and walking in the ways that God prescribes.
In any case I highly recommend this small work.

I agree with the previous reviewer; it's a clear and concise introduction for someone who wants to get acquainted with some of the basic Confucian tenets. Too bad its o.p.

Excellant study of Confucius's teachings organized by topic.
Here are the chapters: 1. Confucius, 2. Learning and teaching, 3. Ritual and music, 4. Humaneness and other virtues, 5. Gentlemen and knights, 6. Government and people, 7. A Confucian China.

Good recipes from the source of many people's food in San Francisco. Goes to a good cause.

Fabulous recipes for a great cause. A mouth watering guide to the Bay Area's finest chef's and restaurants. The book contains short biographies on each contributing chef.

Although some of the recipes contain exotic ingredients that may be hard to get in some areas, many are relatively simple and incredibly delicious! Amazingly, they are also all low-fat. Plus, the book benefits a good cause. I've never gone wrong cooking something out of here--always raves from the guests!

If you are a Perry Mason fan, buy this volume now or check it out from your library. This 821 page collection of novels from 1955-59 will keep you entertained with non-stop action. Note: The publisher used a font that is smaller in size than some aging eyes might prefer and the line spacing is a bit tight.

Erle Stanley Gardner published his first novel at age 44 and he still managed to author 82 novels featuring Perry Mason. Under the pseudonym of A. A. Fair, he wrote 24 novels featuring Bertha Cool and Donald Lam. These are delightfully light entertainment, and have more repartee between the main characters (undersized detective Donald Lam and his overweight boss, Bertha Cool) and a bit more descriptive text than was Gardner's style in the Mason novels. The irreverent Lam might remind some of Craig Rice's John J. Malone, but Gardner's plots are always better constructed than Rice's.

Gardner was a man of energy with an amazing work ethic who became the most read mystery writer in the world. At age 32, Gardner, a practicing attorney, began writing fiction for the pulps for a very minimal amount per word. His output was in the range of a one million words year - a stunning level by any measure. By the time he started writing the Perry Mason novels, he had the right systems and support staff to allow an incredible output.

Gardner dictated his prose, and that in part explains his preference for dialogue over description, action over analysis. Gardner's novels emphasize physical movement - running from one place to another, full-throttle car trips, chartered airplane flights.

Gardner's clients in these works are innocent, but usually do not reveal the full truth to Perry Mason. The highlight of each novel is in the courtroom, where Perry Mason with flamboyance and audacity not only proves his client innocent, but also reveals the identity of the real murderer. Mason's novels are plot driven, and the plots grab your attention - even though there is seldom an immediate danger to either the client or Mason. Plausibility and consistency in the plots are quite good. The crimes and their solutions hold up well to scrutiny.

Buy and read this volume if you enjoy classic American entertainment. Part of Gardner's incredible popularity was that he never added the extensive descriptions that most readers skip in detective novels. Gardner's novels have tight plots, snappy dialog and an abundance of action.

If your only exposure to Perry Mason was from the television show, you are in for much more rapid and exciting entertainment than you could possibly expect. Each of these novels is a quick and fun read. I also recommend that you explore some of the earlier writings of Gardner, where the testosterone and energy are even stronger. You might also enjoy the insightful biography of Gardner, The Case Of The Real Perry Mason, authored by mystery writer and critic Dorothy B. Hughes.

Perry Mason Seven Famous Novels

These seven novels were originally published between 1955 and 1959 when Gardner was at his prime. They take place in 1950s Los Angeles California, an area where Erle Stanley Gardner lived and worked. Gardner never put dates in his novels to keep them from being dated. But after the devaluation of the dollar from 1971 on many of the dollar figures are long out of date. There were other changes in law and culture as well. Gardner was a trial attorney himself, and his experiences were not unlike that of Perry Mason. His novels economize on characterization, using dialogue to keep the story moving. Few of the people tell the whole truth to Mason. His job is to compare testimony to the facts gathered by his private investigator. Mason's clients are usually "middle class" or better; few clients have messy lives or cases. The stories involve some technical or scientific facts, and show some point of law.

Erle Stanley Gardner was the founder of the "Court of Last Resort" which sought to free many unjustly convicted persons. Gardner, among others, sought to use scientific means to find the guilty, rather than using hunches or guesses alone. Mason's clients are always not guilty, because few would buy a book where a defense lawyer let the guilty go free. An important lesson for the reader is to think about the facts, and not jump to a conclusion based on newspaper reports. These seven novels are often educational, like some novels of Dashiell Hammett, in teaching about the tricks of undercover detectives. You'll learn about a "roper", rough or smooth shadows, etc. and be able to identify the undercover operatives that you may encounter in your life.


* The Case of the Glamorous Ghost. A young woman was found in a park at night, nearly nude. She seems to be an amnesia victim. When her missing boyfriend is found dead she is accused of the murder.
* The Case of the Terrified Typist. A skilled typist shows up for work, then disappears. This typist matches a suspect in a burglary. Perry Mason's client is convicted of murder, but this is overturned on a technicality.
* The Case of the Lucky Loser. A young man is on trial for a hit-and-run. The investigation brings out hidden facts. Why did his step-mother and a company official testify against him?
* The Case of the Screaming Woman. A wife calls to have her husband's story checked. He had picked up a hitchhiker and taken her to a motel. After a nearby doctor was killed, the man is charged with murder.
* The Case of the Long-Legged Models. A young lady inherited shares in a Las Vegas casino. A man is pressuring her to sell out. When the man is murdered, the young lady is charged with murder.
* The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll. A woman runs away and assumes a new identity. But an investigator ties the new identity to a past crime. When the investigator is killed, she is accused of the murder.
* The Case of the Waylaid Wolf. A woman can't start her car, and is given a ride by her employer's son. She resists his advances, then runs off. When this man is found dead she is charged with murder.

Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) wrote some one hundred novels over the course of his long career. He was at the height of his powers during the late 1950s, and this collection offers seven of his best works featuring Los Angeles attorney Perry Mason. Writing in a dialogue-heavy, almost staccato style that calls to mind the likes of Hammett, Gardner leads the reader through complexities of the law with considerable skill--and if these tales are genre-fiction pure and simple, they are nonetheless enjoyable for that.

THE CASE OF THE GLAMOROUS GHOST (1955) finds Mason entangled with a young woman who claims memory loss, and her dead boyfriend is one of the the things she can't quite recall. In THE CASE OF THE TERRIFIED TYPIST (1956) Mason requires an office temp--who suddenly disappears from the job and may be implicated in both robbery and murder.

In THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LOSER (1957) Mason is asked to observe a trail by a mysterious client and finds himself more involved in the court case than he expected. THE CASE OF THE SCREAMING WOMAN finds Mason called upon to play marriage counselor when a skeptical woman demands that he get to the bottom of her husband's wild story.

THE CASE OF THE LONG-LEGGED MODELS (1957) finds Mason representing a casino heiress who is being strong armed to sell. In THE CASE OF THE FOOT-LOOSE DOLL (1958) a lovelorn woman claims to have committed insurance fraud, and in THE CASE OF THE WAYLAID WOLF (1959) an office worker's refusal of a young man's advances has unexpected consequences to say the least.

The novels include the supporting characters so much beloved--or loathed--by Gardner's fans: the witty and efficient secretary Della Street; the hard nosed detective Paul Drake; and, of course, such 'for the prosecution' figures as Police Lt. Trask and the urbane but none-to-swift attorney Hamilton Burger. Police processes and in some instances laws have changed in the half-century Gardner wrote these tales, but they are still good fun, fast and entertaining reads from the first page to the last. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I spent some time this summer reading Eagleton, beginning with After Theory. This was a long time after his Literary Theory: An Introduction, which was a must-read back when I was in college. Yet, other than this one must-read, I really didn't read any of his books, which, I was surprised to find out, now total over 30 titles. Solely on the basis of Literary Theory, Eagleton didn't seem a particularly witty writer to me, so I was delighted and intrigued by his way of making light of heavy topics with humor. With this discovery on hand, if you go back to his early books, heavy-handed seriousness toward a subject was indeed rarely his way from the beginning. There are many passages in Literary Theory (or Against the Grain, and other early titles) where his deeply ironical stance toward the topics obviously of great importance to him, or at times surprisingly savage wit, makes you laugh.

Quite a few reviews in this book have hilarious one-liners or otherwise laughter-provoking comments. One of my favorite is one written for Harold Bloom and his How to Read and Why. Bloom is a "figure of dissent" in his way, who, according to Eagleton, was "once an interesting critic" when he came up with a theory of literature as an oedipal drama, and then much later, after his "critical wheel has come full circle," began distancing himself from the US academia by "preaching the unversal humanity in a New York accent." Eagleton's concluding comment, that "if there is Bloom the self-therapist, there is also Bloom the American TV evangelist, full of windy moralistic rhetoric about how to 'aprehend and recognize the possibility of the good, help it to endure, give it space in your life'," is so very correct.

Laughter aside, the book contains a lot to learn from. To me, this can be a field manual to book reviewers, and those who want to be good readers. In some reviews, for example the one done on Rolf Wiggershaus' The Frankfurt School, Eagleton seems to spend almost the whole of the space in discussing what *he* thinks and knows about the subject the reviewed book deals with, giving the book in question a space of just a paragraph or two toward the very end. In the end, such an approach is always a well-taken one, since it gives the book a more precise location in not only the cultural/intellectual climate where it appeared but also the personal context where it's read and appreciated.

Terry Eagleton is perhaps the best-known academic literary critic writing in English today. Author of nearly 30 books on topics ranging from critical theory to Wittgenstein, Eagleton remains the political conscience of modern criticism and (with Fredric Jameson) the foremost Marxist theorist of our time. His deep literary and philosophical erudition and commitment to a more humane approach to looking critically at our culture have made him an important voice in academia since the mid-1960s.

In "Figures of Dissent," Eagleton turns his penetrating gaze to topics ranging from Lukacs to David Beckham, and his wit, learning, and elegant prose make this his most accessible and diverse collection of essays yet. Unlike such earlier essay collections as "Against the Grain," this book contains many of Eagleton's mainstream writings. While it includes reviews of critical theorists like Gayatri Spivak, Paul de Man, and Stuart Hall, there are also examinations of popular history, fiction, and the culture of late capitalism. Those with little interest in the abstract world of literary theory (Eagleton's academic specialty and principal interest) will find essays on other topics to entice them.

Overall, this is a fine collection from Eagleton, who remains an indispensable and passionate voice for Leftist thought in our tumultuous times.

Terry Eagleton is best known as an, albeit unorthodox, Marxist writer on literary theory, so one could well expect a collection of some of his best literary reviews to be chock-full of impenetrable jargon. But looks can be deceiving: this collection, titled "Figures of Dissent", is in fact quite entertaining, even for those who have no particular training or interest in high-minded lit-crit. The title is somewhat odd, as the subjects under review have nothing in particular in common (except their works being published in English at some point), least of all some sort of status as 'dissenter'. The authors involved are on the other hand all interesting and varied, and this makes the book in fact rather a page-turner.

Most appealing about the reviews is Eagleton's unsurpassed mastery of both style and content. He pairs erudite literary insight with a sharp wit and a strongly developed sense of irony, which makes his reviews both informative as statements on literature and highly effective as polemics. Moreover, in contrast to many collections of such essays by famous theorists, the vast majority of the reviews involved can be considered to be overall 'positive', and Eagleton deftly avoids the grumpy predictability of the entrenched newspaper critic.

Admittedly, one could complain that the collection is rather unduly focused on British literature, and there are many references to literature theorists as well as writers who are not likely to ring a bell with anyone outside the Isles, but this is easily forgiven as Eagleton is the best guide to the subject one might wish for. It does help to have a particular interest in Anglo-Irish literature, as this is Eagleton's specialty and a recurring theme in the book, and perhaps choosing this as the subject of the first two or three reviews in the book was not well-chosen. But the reader discovers soon enough that Eagleton has something intelligent to say about pretty much any subject from Dario Fo to Bill Gates, and his short-and-to-the-point criticisms of ideology hit home like so many arrows of Artemis (one will find the book very quotable). The high point of this collection as well as his artful irony is when Eagleton reviews David Beckham's autobiography, which is mercilessly dissected in a very comical dry style without ever becoming condescending to its subject.

Much recommended to anyone who enjoys English language literature.

This book does not deseves critics in completelly perfect

I'm not into surfaces and have only used a small part of this book for one purpose: for an introduction to self affine scaling. The topic is presented very systematically, with nice examples. Especially nice is the binomial model of multiaffine scaling. Multiaffine scaling is supposed to appear in "soft" fluid turbulence and is often mislabeled multifractal scaling, which is a horse of a different color altogether!

This is the first book I have so far encountered on interface growth to treat the subject in a simple, intuitive and entertaining manner. All the basic mathematical concepts are explained, the book is easy to read and contains plenty of illustrations and examples from real life. Barabasi and Stanley show how processes ranging from accumulation of snow on car windows, to bacterial colony growth on agar surfacees, are governed by similiar mathematical laws. Exercises are conceptual as well as mathematical, with many questions asking for discussion or further research. This book is essential for novices and experts alike.

Excellent book. Quite detailed with many germane, practical, real world, applications. Very few, if any academic blather.

The book was delivered in a quick manner, and the condition of it is stellar. What a value and bargain for this purchase!!

I received the book sooner than expected and it was in the condition that they said it would be in. I couldn't have been happier. Thanks!

I purchased this book for my husband (who is 51) and having trouble accepting that he is getting older. I read an excerpt, saw that it was lighthearted and hoped it would help my husband feel more comfortable in his wrinkling skin. Having a short attention span (except when it comes to 24 hour news programming) I needed something he would follow through on.
This book was a perfect choice! He read it over the course of three days, sometimes sharing bits with me. He identified with it cover to cover. Good stuff!

This book will be promoted extensively in my work at Pastor to the Senior Adults. It's a great tool for outreach. It is well written, insightful, and enjoyable. Pastor Gerald Ward

this book is not only entertaining and funny, it's insightful and helpful. I really related! I found myself in the pages and could give myself grace and joy in the midst of seeing some evidence of aging--even at 54!

There is a richness to the poems in this first volume of poems written by Carolyn Forche - words lovingly woven into images and sounds that feel good in your mouth if read aloud. You simply want to taste them, bite into them, savouring their flavour and swallow, feeling them become you. Themes of ethnicity, of friends,lovers, family have underlying themes of displacement and the gathering together of the tribes. It is an important title - Gathering the Tribes - since it has a oneness without surrendering the individuality of one's ethnic group nor self. Very highly recommended.

Forché's first book, winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize, has an implicit politicism, with poems about the political intrusions (Terrence Des Pres' term) that led to her grandparents' disclocations from Czechoslovakia and Kiev, and her as-a-matter-of-course discovery of love between women in "Kalaloch." Most poems here tend towards the personal lyric, decidedly unsolipsistic. The poet Stanley Kunitz, judge of that year's Yale Younger Series prize, introduces the collection.

Forche's winning collection for the Yale Series of Younger Poets is filled with language (sometimes emotive, sometimes deliberately stark) about the displacement of culture, love, and harmony coupled with a replacement of belief, identity, and beauty. The poems in the collection show Forche's skill in the early (not beginning) stages of her craft. Mourning and celebration of identity in "The Morning Baking" and "What It Cost" link Forche's history with the burden of passing on those oral records. "Burning the Tomato Worms," "This Is Their Fault," and "Taking Off My Clothes" demonstrate a confidence in sexuality also exhibited in such poets as Marge Piercy and Adrienne Rich. Even Forche's early lyricism in "Calling Down the Moose" and "Song Coming Toward Us" deserve attention. And no one can praise "Kalaloch" better than Poet Laureate Stanley Kunitz in the introduction to Forche's manuscript: "In its boldness and innocence and tender, sensuous delight it may very well prove to be the outstanding Sapphic poem of an era."

When I opened my store I was inundated with colored stone offerings and needed to evaluate and negotiate for stones with tough dealers. I was a graduate gemologist and knew how to identify and grade gems, but knowing the value and how to negotiate for the best price was something they didn't teach in school. "The Gem Merchant" showed me this, gave me good idea's on how to sell loose stones to retail customers and much more.

I highly recommend this enjoyable, simply written and highly useful book.

Robert Staley III GG.

After my schooling I realized that I wasn't taught how much gemstones were worth. Here in Switzerland I found books on the history of gems, gem testing. gem cutting, the esoteric and healing powers of gems, but none on how to buy or market them. This common sense, delightfully written book saved the day. Silvia Weber GG.

The Gem Merchant provides unique insights into this last true vestige of laisez faire capitalism. You don't need a degree or a professional certification, all you need is a passport, a sense of adventure and, of course, a whole lot of cash and you too can be an international gem dealer. Sound romantic? If you really want to try it you better read this book. David Stanley Epsetein is uniquely qualified to be your guide. Himself, a gem merchant, he has lived in Brazil for the past fifteen years and makes a living out of helping poor hapless buyers negotiate the arcane world of gems. And, he has seen it all! Bon voyage!