Stewart Books

Of all the texts I have read concerning Africa and its political/economic problems, this is the best contribution to understanding the motivations of those involved in providing humanitarian assistance. It represents ultimately a message of hope which counters the many pessimistic texts covering this area. The hope is neither misplaced or naive, but is a product of a level of understanding on the part of the authors rarely grasped I think by similar authors. Highly recommended.

The criticisms I can aim at this book are few: there's some needless reiteration of points made early on and some loss of context in the wash of events described. Both are stylistic and really just matters of taste.

Knowing only what an outsider can glean about MSF, this seems a wholly objective, balanced assessment of the group(s), its membership(s) and the circumstances, compromises, and pervasive questions attendant to both. The very real limitations and dangers of international aid are presented frankly, as is the selfless dedication of the MSF staff. Individuals are not squeezed into comfortable categories; the complexities, even the occasional flashes of swagger or ugliness, of each participant are served up with relative detachment.

As an introduction to the politics and human costs of genocide (admittedly from a singular, but coherent political perspective), it's hard to beat.

The photographs, which portray a parallel narrative, are likewise honest, and both stories are rendered with sufficient feeling expose what is truly uplifting about MSF.

The criticisms I can aim at this book are few: there's some needless reiteration of points made early on and some loss of context in the wash of events described. Both are stylistic and really just matters of taste.

Knowing only what an outsider can glean about MSF, this seems a wholly objective, balanced assessment of the group(s), its membership(s) and the circumstances, compromises, and pervasive questions attendant to both. The very real limitations and dangers of international aid are presented frankly, as is the selfless dedication of the MSF staff. Individuals are not squeezed into comfortable categories; the complexities, even the occasional flashes of swagger or ugliness, of each participant are served up with relative detachment.

As an introduction to the politics and human costs of genocide (admittedly from a singular, but coherent political perspective), it's hard to beat.

The photographs, which portray a parallel narrative, are likewise honest, and both stories are rendered with sufficient feeling expose what is truly uplifting about MSF.

This book ranks with Ken Dryden's books, The Game and Home Game, and Jack Falla's Home Ice as being among the best hockey books I've read, and I've read a ton. Tropic of Hockey is equal parts travel journal (with visits to China, the United Arab Emirates, and Romania), hockey manifesto (weighing in on topics as diverse as the Hungarian invention of the blocker and Wendel Clark), and bawdy anecdote collection (particular highlights are Chinese bathrooms and hockey equipment adjustment). Dave Bidini manages to do all expertly and interchangeably, creating a book that's difficult to put down. The cover of my edition has a quote from Roy MacGregor, a dean of Canadian hockey writing, that calls Bidini, "The Bill Bryson of hockey writing," which is not only a good comparison, but a deserved compliment. Highly recommended for both hockey fans and people who enjoy entertaining non-fiction.

I was like Dave that got bored of hockey, his book was interesting and entertaining.
His writing style is probably not for all, but I enjoy it.
This is a man that truly admires the game, and although his hockey skills are not the top of the class, he certainly knows how to have people understand what he is looking for on his travels and the joys he gets from meeting people that also love the great game on ice.

Anyone who can't resist the chance to spend their free time packing a giant bag of stinking equipment and heading to a hockey rink at hours other people reserve for sleeping or partying can understand.
Dave Bidini finds the same love for hockey in China, Dubai, and Romania, from the beginners to the town favorites. I play hockey in Yokohama, and having travelled with the navy I've found myself hunting rinks in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, Bahrain, and Dubai. His descriptions of the ex-pats, the passionate beginners and intermediate players, the social interactions, and the contrasts and similarities and ups and downs is right on. Not only that, it's a funny, honest book.

Highly recommended for anyone who has forgotten the pure joy of learning the game, not to mention the value of basic facilities, equipment, and opportunity many take for granted.

Stories of writers from all over the world in their "drinking" sprees, detailling with an excellent narrative and wonderful drawings (by Günter Mattei) the making of drinks and what these writers drank. As we say in French, it is the "petite histoire" behind their stories (of the writers and the drinks).

This is a fun book.

I read it while living in Puerto Rico so I could run out and get the all ingredients and mix up any drinks immediately. My friends and I came to love this book. We used it extensively (especially on Friday nights). I also enjoyed the snippets of fiction and art work woven through the book that tie it all the drink recipes together. It's difficult to make a bar book entertaining to read but the author succeeds 100%.

Stories of writers from all over the world in their "drinking" sprees, detailling with an excellent narrative and wonderful drawings (by Günter Mattei) the making of drinks and what these writers drank. As we say in French, it is the "petite histoire" behind their stories (of the writers and the drinks).

Perfect gift for those who fly fish. Recipient was thrilled. Book arrived within a few days. New book at a very reasonable price.

I have been a fly fisherman (Yes I am female and also not politically correct) since I was around age 8 and after pestering my Dad for days to teach me how to cast a line he relented and a great journey began. As well as a library on the subject of fly fishing, tying flies and trout art. Which is why I am in awe of James Prosek's writing, art and passion for fishing.

This and his Trout : An Illustrated History are a must own for anyone who loves fly fishing, painting trout or simply sitting mesmerized watching trout in their back yard creek like we do or from a bridge in rural areas of the states and world.

I recommend ALL the books this young talented and knowledgeable author has written.

I was not a big fan of James Prosek's first book. Next to the hyper-realism of Tomelleri, these water color illustrations did not work. Also, several were drawn from photos and were not morphologically (especially morphometrically) correct. So what? some may say.

Everything changed when I picked up a copy of Trout of the World. The style has changed just enough to make a huge difference. Sure, some of the paintings still look like he was in a hurry to meet a deadline but on the whole, I loved it. This is what we Americans (and Canadians) needed. There are other "cool" salmonids besides the stuff we are used to. Again, photos from books such as Freshwater fishes of Japan have been used as source material but I don't care. Great lateral views of some amazing fish!

James Prosek has found the right balance of color, detail and morphological information. The overall design of the book is also lovely. The lenok and taimen pictures are priceless as are the weird browns from places you would think, well...shouldn't have browns.

I think he used my Russian longfin charr as a source for his illustration. Looks very similar to the one I did some years back in pen & ink. Anyway, all fish lovers, wildlife painters and fisherman will adore this book. ANd don't just look at the pictures, read it!

Well done Mr. Prosek. I'm mad about trout, again....

Update, October 2004
The text that accompanies each illustration is fantastic. The author meets with experts of most species featured in the book. Some are academics, while others are just, well...ordinary folks who have an obsession with a certain morph, form or species of trout. The varied personalities and the strange places the author visits in quest of these wierd trout make this an unforgettable volume.

Looking at Dave Foley's picture in the back of his book, Ultimate Classroom Control Handbook, one might mistakenly think the man is the normal "veteran teacher" advertised on the book's cover. But after reading the book, no one could continue to believe that. Instead, it becomes clear that Foley is an artist, who brought his creative mind to the color wheel of his classroom every day for each of the 29 years he taught middle school. Or he's a scientist, using classroom laboratory to discover what makes kids tick, five days a week times 29. Or he may be a magician, pulling student success after student success out of the tall black hat he has carefully prepared. For those who, after reading Foley's book, still think he is a "normal veteran teacher," I have only these words: "the love line" (p. 53) and "specimen cup" (p. 195).

Foley's wonderful book of ideas is important for any public school teacher. Ultimate Classroom Control Handbook is more than a set of helpful tips on topics ranging from what to do when students lie to how to help them turn in assignments on time. It shows what a teacher who brings his imagination and deep respect for his students to work every day can do, if he is guided by the two. At its heart, this book is a story about approaching the teaching day with creativity and compassion and an anthem about what such an approach can accomplish.

If I only purchased one book on classroom management, this is the one I'd buy. I teach older students in late adolescence and early adulthood, but I found Dave Foley's book to be packed with great advice and practical tips for classroom control. The guy obviously knows his stuff! The humor, the wisdom and perspective, and most of all, the real understanding of HOW to teach with class control, made this book a winner for me. What a pleasure to read. With topics as varied as 'lost homework' to bullying to attention seeking clowns, no teacher will be disappointed with this book. I will recommend it to my colleagues and give it to recent grads.

There are lots of books out there on classroom management. As a school psychologist I have read the majority of them. This is now the one I recommend to teachers and I do so with complete confidence. Teachers find it readable, amusing, and very insightful. Several reported to me that it not only has good ideas, but it has "personality" in the writing which convinced them it was written by a real teacher rather than an academic. If you are a teacher wondering about how to make your class, and your professional life, more manageable this is the book to read.

It is indeed rarest of rare to find a book that is perfectly true in terms of its name, and this book falls under that "category" (are there any other books in that class?). It is trully ultimate as a sourcebook for the "Jack the Ripper" killing that terrorised London and keeps on horrifying us after all these years. Every year we come across new "theories" propounded either by the Ripperologists, or by rank amateurs trying to cash on our queries. But this book remains true and authentic. If at any point in my life I consider myself qualified enough to uplift myself to the rank of a Ripperologist rather than being the curious folk (as at present), I will make a thorough study of everything in this book. Until then, I can merely recommend: "please get hold of a copy of this book by any means".

This book is a necessary addition to any Ripper library. It is essentially a compilation of contemporary documents, mostly police, inquest and newspaper reports. It covers the major bases, including the individual murders and some documents relating to suspects and police opinions. Although it obviously may not be as comprehensive or up-to-date as one might like, it is one of the few primary source collections on the Whitechapel crimes, which alone makes it worth the read.

An exhaustive record of all official correspondence, case file notes, evidence details and media reports concering the Jack the Ripper/Whitechapel murders of 1888-91. A very thorough research guide for serious Ripperologists. Includes all major case notes and relevant data, as well as a solid collection of photographs and drawings. Recommended for the hardcore Ripper enthusiast, and as a companion to other books on the case, especially Sugden's "The Complete History of Jack the Ripper".

As a teenager growing up in Alameda and playing tennis on the park courts, you couldn't help but know about Whitney Reed. He was a treasure of the tennis world waiting to be discovered. The author, Court Stewart, has captured his life on and off the tennis courts remarkably well. I found the book very entertaining and interesting.

Stewart captures the essence of one of the most unique and talented tennis players of the '50s and '60s. Having lived with Whitney at San Jose State, chauffered him to several tourneys in the bay area, and shared quite a few beers and played poker, California gin rummy and bar shuffleboard with Reed,the author doesn't exaggerate his exploits on or off the court. There are those who wonder just how great a player he might have been by carrying out a healthier lifestyle, but I think that most of his friends would admit that his "unflappable" nature made him what he was. I treasure the memories I shared with him, and the author creates a vibrant picture of an athlete that is deserving of recognition in print and for those tennis aficianados who aren't familiar with players whot toiled before the big money, live TV era.

This is a romp down memory lane with the laid-back, two-martini before sunrise Whitney Reed, forgotten hometown champion (Alameda, Ca.)of the National Men's Singles title('61), breezily and humorously told by Curtis Stewart, another long admirer. Anyone who saw a Reed match in any decade leading up to the money circuit years (1970 to the present day) will remember with delight the thrall Reed held over the gallery, taking the court with unorthodox strokes and Buddy Ebsen "hillbilly" charm,facing a top-seeded opponent to unexpected results. He played out of his age bracket and upset time and again the great tennis legends: Laver, Neal Fraser, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall and others along the way. Curtis, with a Mark Twain pen, has recorded more than enough Reed off-court "stories" to fill another volume, and this admirer cannot wait for the next volume. These were the days when the quality of play mattered, not the rewards of celebrity and endorsements. I encourage any tennis player to read this book about those innocent times when the great players were truly hungry about the game and the level of play. Some of Reed's off-court antics are told, being chased by jet Setters, fleeing LA hotspots ahead of jealous husbands, showing up for key matches without so much as a racquet, and flubbing a Wimbledon showing enough to be left off any hall of fame tennis induction. This is one fast, hilarious read that should spur Hollywood to take note. One other bad-boy of note, the great Richard "Pancho" Gonzales, was enough of an admirer to label Reed's overhead as "Grandma's" stroke and then embrace him as an equivalent court presence in his later years.Plenty of tennis great photos make this a wonderful tennis fan present.

Don't miss this one. Cover price is $75 and worth every penny. Now available on the Amazon Marketplace for just a few dollars. All of Van Gogh's best work with hundreds of full-color plates.

This is a very useful book. If you are interested only in the reproductions (good drawings as well as paintings), you will enjoy their high quality--and the breadth of Vincent's work that they cover. If you are interested in primary resources about van Gogh's life--newspaper articles; letters and reminiscences from friends, fellow artists, relatives--this volume is a real treasure. Between the excellent reproductions and the extraordinarily fine collection of biographical materials, this must be the best one-volume source on van Gogh. A great shame that it is out of print. Get one NOW!

This book is a georgeous table top or reference work , with comprehensive plate coverage and great colour resolution. What a shame it's out of print all ready!

Medical studies and the personal experiences of hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated that plant-based diets can prevent or improve the conditions of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis. Moreover, plant-based diets avoid such meat-borne diseases as E. coli infections and outbreaks that seem to be constantly in the news today. Additionally, turning to plant-based diets has a positive effect on such environmental issues as global warming, rainforest depletion, animal abuse, and world-wide hunger. "The Vegetarian Solution" by Stewart Rose (vice president of the non-profit Vegetarians of Washington, the largest regional vegetarian organization in the United States) provides up-to-date information documenting the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet for children, athletes, and senior citizens; preventing and improving a wide variety of medical illnesses; how plant-based diets require fewer natural resources than meat-based diets; and a wealth of advice and suggestions on making a transition to a plant-based diet. An informed and informative, inspired and inspiring read for anyone contemplating changing over to a plant-based diet which entails giving up meat and meat products in their meals, "The Vegetarian Solution" is highly recommended and thoroughly 'user friendly' read.

A very browsable brook, well-written, with interesting and easily understandable graphics that support key points. I'm not a vegetarian, but this book sure is valuable in encouraging me to incorporate even more whole, fresh produce into my diet. In every chapter, I learned something new about physiology and nutrition and the benefits of a plant-based diet. This book is good for anyone interested in improving their health and the health of our society and environment as a whole.

I have been a lifelong vegetarian, and this is by far the best collection of the relevant information I have seen. It is comprehensive in its scope, including practical tips on moving toward a plant-based diet as well as facts about how food choices impact health, world hunger, animals, and the environment. It is attractive and well-organized, easy to read. All information presented has been backed up by scientific research. No sensational claims are made (I appreciate that). One fun feature includes a list of famous people, past and present who are vegetarian, and in general I would say it has a light-hearted feel.

Great book, have only read a little so far since I am obliged to sit at the table to read it and not in my favorite armchair. It would have been so much simpler to have this published in two volumes. I am prepared to buy it again in order to read it in a more comfortable position. I think I would really enjoy it much more.

This is a serious reference work that comprehensively details Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's life and works, together with the Kochel catalogue, a chronology, a bibliography of other authors' works, and a comprehensive index of significant people, places, and events in Mozart's life. This English-language edition has only been available for about 12 months, and I have found it to be one of the most valuable books in my collection of musical literature. Yes, it's a bit dry in its style, but this is not some fluffy novel. If you present classical music for radio, TV, the internet, or are a teacher, this is a work you should have on your bookshelf.

As the centenary of Mozart's birth loomed in 1856, German musicologist Otto Jahn published the first volume of his ground-breaking four volume biography of Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus (Gottlieb) Mozart. Theophilus, meaning 'beloved of God', was changed to its German equivalent, Gottlieb. The names Johann and Chrysostom commemorated the boy's birth on that saint's day. He was born on 27 January 1756 at eight o'clock in the evening. He was the last of seven children: only two of whom, Nannerl, the fourth, and Wolfgang, survived. No one at the time had the slightest foreknowledge of the epochal nature of that birth.

Simultaneous to Jahn's massive undertaking was Ludwig Kochel's similarly path-breaking catalogue of Mozart's works. The two scholars created the historical landscape upon which all subsequent study and knowledge of Mozart's life and works would be based. Jahn's and Kochel's work were as comprehensive and dependable as the then current state of knowledge about Mozart's life and music permitted. In the process, the foundation of a Germanic cultural hero, a Romantic myth, of Mozart, the inestimable, miraculous child genius who created musical masterpieces Jove-like fully formed from his mind, was created. That myth is still with us in books, in concert notes, in recording liner notes, in essays and in films.

Jahn's work was revised several times before Hermann Abert fully reworked it in the post-war years of 1919-1921, taking full advantage of an additional 70 years of research and discovery: in the process modifying Jahn's 19th Century Romantic tone to fit a more modern sensibility. Abert's massive work included everything then known, the most informed and substantial biography of Mozart in any language. It is unquestionably the most comprehensive account of the composer's life and a profound analysis of the composer's work. In Abert's 'book-within-a-book', he scrutinizes the music, with individual chapters on the operas, splendid accounts of the orchestral works, the symphonies and piano concertos, church music and compositions for solo instruments. It is a titanic work that has never been rendered in English until now.

Brilliantly translated by Stewart Spencer, what makes this massive work so impressive is how even Abert's deeply considered words are brought up to date. Recent developments in Mozart scholarship since the last German edition are analyzed by Mozart scholar Cliff Eisen in his meticulous and informative annotations located on every single page. This whole massive undertaking is supported by a coterie of leading Mozart scholars. At the weight of a very healthy baby, this is not a book you will be carrying to your local Starbuck's unless you plan to use it as a portable table. It is, nevertheless, the single most important source on the life of a truly great composer. It is remarkable that it has been unavailable in English. That it now is, and in such a superlative edition, makes its publication the single most important event in English language Mozartean scholarship of this, or perhaps any other, year. This book is not an investment to be made lightly. It probably requires a program of upper arm development (a small lectern might be helpful). But for the committed Mozartean, this mighty volume would make a splendid gift. You will spend the rest of your life absorbed in its 1600 pages. Most strongly recommended.

Mike Birman