V Books

Mankind has insufficient understanding of what womankind has brought to the table.

Unfortunately, American culture has too often not given women the credit and reward they deserve. Monahan and Neidel-Greenlee have created an expansive chronicle of nurse (primarily women) contributions throughout the WW II fields of combat. While I do have some criticisms of the writing style and the authors' focus priorities and interpretations, my critiques are immaterial compared to the importance of more people understanding the outlines and frameworks of the massive, intelligent, and sacrificial efforts these women freely gave.

This book should be required reading for all nursing students and nurses who think they have it bad. The nurses of WWII did so much with so little for so many and they are an inspiration to all of us in the nursing profession. They showed compassion, bravery, ingenuity, and loyalty to their patients, co-workers, and even German POWs. The many details about battles, troop movements, weather, and terrain only make them more wonderful in my eyes!

And If I Perish: Frontline U.S. Army Nurses in World War II Wow! This is, hands down, one of the best books I have read about World War II. Not only did it give the true story of the nurses on the front lines, but wove the chronology of the war, starting in North Africa, up to the end of the war. You don't have to be a nurse to be fascinated by this outstanding history of the the war.

"And If I Perish" is a wonderful book! I was enthralled by the courage of these unsung heroines and had to put the book down several times when my eyes misted over & my throat became choked up.

I was surprised to read that Army Nurses jumped in the water & went ashore alongside the troops during the North Africa landings. They were under fire & died at Anzio as the field hospital was within range of German guns. Clearly-marked hospital ships were bombed in the Mediterranean and nurses survived, not one, but two such sinkings. I was shocked that the story of these front-line nurses was suppressed for so long because the government feared a "backlash" from the public.

For too long the sacrifices of this generation of brave women have been unpublished. Of the dozens of books I have read on World War II, there has been hardly a mention of the role women played except on the home front.

This book should be placed in every school library -- not only to keep the memory of the actions of these Army Nurses alive, but to provide role models for the future.

Attention! women directors & producers: There needs to be a movie about these nurses.

My mother was a nurse in the 95th Evacuation Hospital, one of the units featured in this book. Though she was not interviewed, she's the nurse on the left in the photo of two nurses and a doctor in the OR. They're wearing scrubs and she's got a mask on, but it's her! I thought I knew all of her stories inside and out, but reading this book I realized how humble she was in the telling. When I read about the hospital ship being bombed and the constant shelling at Anzio, the fact that she survived amazed me. I cried when I read about the 95th's tour of duty at Dachau Concentration Camp because I couldn't -- and still can't imagine -- what it must have been like. In recent years, the focus on WWII nurses' experiences has sharpened. My mother has been interviewed for newspaper articles and the archives in D.C. I don't think women have been given nearly enough credit for service in our nations' wars, but it's about time. This book could have been called Band of Sisters. To this day, my mother is uncomfortable with the label "hero," but she's mine. To "Smitty," "VJ," "Slem," and "Wells," I salute you.

I had the hardcover version of "The Arms of Krupp" on my bookshelf for several years and finally got around to reading it in full over the past few months. I have to agree with all those who gave the book five stars. It is a masterful and well-written account of the Krupp dynasty over more than two centuries. In well over 800 pages, William Manchester has done a remarkable job in relating the important roles of Alfred, Gustav and Alfried Krupp in building a lucrative empire in the Ruhr based on steel and iron that gave Germany military dominance from the 1870's to the 1940's. This was accomplished by selling state-of-the-art weapons and other products through Machiavellian maneuvering with global powers and close political connections with two Kaisers and one Fuhrer. If you are interested in German history, military science or technology, you should read this book!

William Manchester's The Arms of Krupp is a great accomplishment. The book fluidly details the history of the Krupps, one of the world's greatest industrialist dynasties and its Firma. The history of the Krupps is interesting, because it is so closely connected to the history of the German state. The author skillfully weaves the histories of the Krupps and German state, while always remaining focused on the Krupps. A lesser author would need to diverge from his/her storytelling to relate surrounding historical events. Mr. Manchester is always able to avoid such divergences and distractions with his skillful writing.

I perceived only two shortcomings regarding this book. First, the book's evaluation of Alfried Krupp's war crimes was not as balanced as I would have hoped. Much of the book seems to be an indictment of Alfried Krupp for war crimes, e.g., enslavement of foreign workers. Although he is most assuredly inexcusably guilty of the crimes, I would have appreciated a more balanced, analytical evaluation of the Firma's decisions to commit the crimes. Instead, the author seems to simply dismiss the decisions as being evil and unexplainable.

My second perceived shortcoming in the book concerns its translation of German into English. I believe it is safe to assume that many or most of Mr. Manchester's sources were originally in German. I believe it is also safe to assume that translated sources in the book obtained extra scrutiny before publication. Unfortunately, the original German and English translations provided in the book were not always entirely consistent. In Chapter 28, the author discusses the Firma's business relationship with Egypt. The text quotes an internal Firma memorandum, which state in English, "The true goal of Krupp in Egypt is the multimillion-dollar Aswan Dam." The original German provided next to it in the book states that "Das naechste Ziel Krupps ist das Milliardenprojeckt des Assuan Damms." A correct translation of the Firma's memorandum reveals that it was the firm's "next goal", not its "true goal", to obtain the contract to build the Aswan Dam. Although the mistranslations I noted were typically insignificant in consequence, they leave me with a little doubt regarding any translated source.

Because of the above shortcomings, I wish I could give this book 4.5 stars. Unfortunately, I had to decide between four and five stars. I elected to give five stars, because Mr. Manchester's The Arms of Krupp is simply a great read.

It covers a lengthy span of time in Krupp saga. Its 900 pages have space for all kinds of detail, from the purely familiar and personal to the more general of German customs and idiosyncrasies, and finally -to me the most relevant and interesting- the historical. The historical from the ground perspective, is what I mean, not the ideological or political.

There's a lot of merit in this author to keep the interest along so many pages. Some of these pages are of great style, elsewhere the interest plummets a little, which is totally understandable.

One paradox in the book that can summarize the story of Krupp is the difference between the way the greatest Krupp (Alfred) treated a poor and foreign woman appealing for help, and the way his great-grandson, would treat people like her in his not-known-well-enough private concentration camps. For Alfred it was: "Necessity knows no law", a fitting motto. Exactly the opposite would be during the Nazi times. Here's a sample of great writing: "Yet there was a time when Alfred's great-grandson not only abandoned helpless women from abroad, but exploited them, and then left them to a doom far more unspeakable than the turbid gray waters of the Rhine. The bonfire of the Third Reich was rapidly being reduced to embers. No sources of manpower were left and so, necessity knowing no law, Krupp turned to girls, to mothers, and, in the end, to the construction of a private concentration camp for children."

A must read, for the fine style in which it describes important historical subjects that must be known, the day-to-day lives of the people who lived those turbulent -to say something- times. Let's not forget those horrors. And don't try to understand them, just beware how low the human race can fall.

William Manchester's "The Arms of Krupp" is an epic look at the company, personalities, dynasty, and the nation that formed one of the world's most infamous armaments manufacturers.

From the earliest records of a Krupp in the late 16th century, the Krupp family profited off the suffering an misery of others when Arndt Krupp bought land in Essen for a bargain following an outbreak of bubonic plague. It was a pattern that played out again and again up to the Second World War; but the later tragedies the family profited off was human conflict rather than disease.

Throughout the narrative, the reader is introduced to a long list of eccentric and sometimes brutal 'Cannon Kings': from manure-loving Alfred whose genius launched die Firma into its infamous glory, the scandalous Fritz, the robotic Gustav, to the WWII-era slaveholder Alfried. At times, readers will envy the early Krupps for their dedication to die Firma, while in other instances the audience will be appalled by the Krupps' cold-blooded arms dealings that led to the deaths of so many of their own countrymen.

Manchester is keen on casting the house of Krupp as a symbol of modern Germany; as their trials and boons both seemed to coincide in recent history. Furthermore, "The Arms of Krupp" is an excellent source for insight on the pre-WWI arms race and the post-Versailles rearmament that other histories of the period overlook. Over all, it is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in the history of Germany and the barons of modern warfare.

This book is excellent for all the reasons mentioned in the other reviews. What I found REALLY annoying was the author's use of German quotes. He provides quotes, in German, usually somewhat abbreviated as shown by the use of ellipses, and then provides the translation of the entire quote in English. Since most of his readers can't read German, and the entire quote is NOT in the German version, why include them? More frustrating are the German phrases that he quotes and doesn't translate, leaving us to guess at their meanings.

This book was a delightful read not only because it was short and to the point, but also for it's many real-life examples. I've felt for a long time that prices need to be set to the customer's perception of the value of the product or service, so it was very encouraging to read a book where the author was able to break down the reasons and supply applications for this type of pricing he calls "Value pricing". As with an auction (a theme covered in the book) there is a price for every interested buyer, but it is not always the same for everyone. Just as only one person is willing to pay the highest "winning" bid, there are those who will pay more for any product or service than the average customer. This book helps you to identify those people.
Rich

The suggestions about add-ons, segmenting your buyers and really trying to assess the value of your product when you price it were helpful. The problem of "goodwill" opened my eyes as I think this isn't an uncommon way that profits are bled from businesses. After reading this book, I'm really thinking more and more about getting to know my customers in terms of (1) what they want and (2) precisely how much they value my product. This is a great first step to obtaining optimal pricing. This book gets you thinking and can stir your creativity about how to better price your good/service.

Key to Mohammed's thinking is to set different prices for different customers having different valuations of what they are willing to pay - eg. matinee and evening prices for movies, early-bird prices at restaurants, discounts for those willing to order airline seats ahead of time.

To minimize sales staff giving away profits it is useful to show them the differential profits/product (and hopefully link their compensation to the firm's profits). Beware of sales-boosting gimmicks (eg. frequent-flyer miles) that can be "gamed" by focusing on high-volumes of low-cost purchases. One can test different strategies via eg. varying coupon offers placed within catalogs.

Other important concepts include add-ons (warranties, financing), differential pricing according to location, and taking a long-term perspective (eg. fairness during disasters and temporary product shortages).

"Cost-plus" pricing is not one of Mohammed's recommendations - however, it is increasingly utilized by successful low-cost retailers such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Setting prices using data about alternatives/substitutes is a suggested approach - however, Mohammed does not go into eg. focus-group assessments of how much specific options or new products might be worth.

I am a small business owner and get involved in pricing daily. This book provided extremely useful insight into how to make the most money from each deal. An easy read about a topic that is all too often neglected by the small business owner.

Rafi's treatment of the subject of pricing was just what I needed to open my eyes to a whole new set of strategies for increasing profits. As a former Corporate Engineer and Manager turned entrepreneur, I needed a more thorough understanding of pricing and found exactly what I was looking for in The Art of Pricing. I appreciated the easy to read and entertaining writing style along with the many examples presented in the book. Books that make it easy for me to remember new concepts also make it easier for me to quickly apply those concepts in real world situations. I will be honing my new pricing skills for years to come. The Art of Pricing has become one of my favorite books to recommend to others.

I got 7 of these books. 6 for my Dr.'s office library, one for myself. I was referrd to this title after my son suffered a serious illness. The book has invaluable information.

Dr. Perlmutter is a board-certified neurologist and yet he writes in language we can all understand. If you really follow what he says, it works! And it is not a difficult plan to implement. So get the book, don't let it sit around and get dusty, read it, do it! "Try it, you'll like it!"

Here's one of the few board certified neurologists who will tell you he thinks cell phones and other electromagnetic fields are very likely bad for your brain. Too many others buy into the official pronouncements, and accept that it's OK to keep using your cell phone until the proof of harm is overwhelming.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in keeping their brain healthy for many years to come!

So glad I came accross this book.
So easy to read and absorb the helpful information this book is full of cover to cover! :)

This is really two books. One a memoir of Leila Ahmed growing up in Cairo and how she finally settled in the USA. It is a fascinating story, involving and informative about life in Egypt, much more diverse and interesting than I had ever realized.

The second theme of the book is an analysis of the concepts of Arab identity and the experiences of Arab women. It is interesting,more academic in tone.

Well worth reading both for evocative descriptions of Cairo and growing up and for Dr. Ahmed's thoughts about her identity as an arab, as a woman and as a moslem.

I needed this book for a course I'm taking, and not one local bookstore had it in stock. I logged on to trusty Amazon, ordered it, and had it in my hands (with assigned reading completed) before my next class. The memoir itself had started pretty slowly (alot of Egyptian history), but has taken off quite nicely.

I thought that this book was amazing. I've read many books about Islam but I think that this book actually gave me a sense of what it means to be a Muslim. Sometimes when reading about religions we often only get an overview of the practices and beliefs of a religion but we rarely hear from believers of a particular religion and how they incorporate the beliefs of their religion into their everyday lives. For me, it was also interesting to read about Egypt during the 40's and 50's because it was something I have never studied before. It was interesting to see the religious diversity in Eygpt and how quickly that all changed with the rise of Nasser. Another thing I had never realized that Egyptians practically had the title Arab forced upon them, but most would never otherwise identify themselves as Arab. I think this book really exposed me to a world and a lifestyle that I had never known existed, and I think this is a must read for anyone who is open to seeing a new perspective on their world.

I enjoyed very much reading this book. The level of description used is capable of transporting you to Leila's birthplace and enjoy her life's journey. This book reads like a novel even though it is a biography. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Pre- and Post-Nasser era in Egypt and how it affected the Egyptian middle class of the time. Another book about Egypt during that era I would recommend is Samia Serag El-din's The Cairo House. Happy reading!

I wasn't sure what I would find when I chose this book. But Dr. Ahmed's thoughts on creating her identity and the societal forces that crafted her upbringing are astounding. Her tale of defining herself as a woman, an Egyptian, an Arab, a Muslim, and an American resonated very deeply with me.....

the broken sky series is the best series of books i have ever read. i mean ever! there are scenes that almost make me cry and then ones that make me smile and laugh to myself. if you want to try out a one of a kind fantasy action sci-fiction novel this one will beat all the others hands down. if you like this book you most likely will like the pendragon series

This is the best book in the world.It is so action packed and has alot of adventure.It is great. I have never read a book that I wanted to read 2 3 four tiomes over. Its the greatest.

If ever I thought this series was childish, those doubts are gone. Broken Sky deals with issues like racism, rebellion, and the redemptive power of love in a way that blows other supposedly child-oriented books out of the water. As a high schooler, I can sincerely say that age has nothing to do with the enjoyment of these books. Although Book 1 gets off to a slow start, by half way through I had been drawn deep into Kia and Ryushi's remarkable world. This series serves up humor and death in equal portions, making you smile and sob in the same chapter. The mind-blowing conclusion to Book 6 had me nearly in tears...and I can't wait to read the next installment. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes a good, exciting, thoughtful read.

This is an amazing book with questions and actions surrounding each and every character. This book kicks off with Ryushi and Whist continuing their adventure toward Ryushi's double-crossing, tratior brother, Takami's, keep. However, Since Takami is the Thane of the province of Maar, he is well protected. The path is even more treacherous when Whist, who is extremely untrustworthy himself, betrays Ryushi and Ryushi ends up in a one-on-one duel with his brother. However, it seems as if Aurin, the Princess of Kirin Taq, does not paticularly like Takami, and Ryushi ends up in Aurin's clutches when he becomes prisoner in Fane Araq, the princesses fortress. Meanwhile, Kia, Hochi, Gerdi, Jaan, and Peliqua are waiting for a decison from the Koth Taraan. In the end, Kia is faced with a trial of will which if she wins, can begin to shift the balance of the battle. Hochi, however, is busy trying to discover the meaning of Tachaa's present, which mean Broken Sky, or "divison with the eventual hope of unity." Things become very hectic and bizarre as in this book you discover more of the strange land of Kirin Taq, Princess Aurin, the Koth Taraan and the Keriags. This book is the best and will make you get up and get the 6th as fast as you can.

This is one great book, but don't read it unless you've read 1-4, because you need the info from those books so your not too confused. Ryushi, along with Whist, continues his quest for revenge on his brother, Takami, for betraying Parakka and killing his father. Ryushi wants revenge, but he is not blinded by it, and he is being very careful, espesially since the untrustworthy and dangerous Whist is leading the way. But it turns out that Ryushi isn't careful enough, and he soon finds himself a prisoner of Takami. But, strangely enough, Ryushi gets what he wants: a one-on-one battle with Takami without either of them using spirit stones. But will Takami play fair? Meanwhile, in the unclaimed lands, Kia and the others await an answer from the Koth Taraan on if they will help, Hochi tries do discover the true meaning of broken sky. All the Koth Macquai told them was that it meant "divion with the eventual hope of unity." The Parakkans discover that one of them will have to take a test to find if the Koth Taraan will help or not. Kia rises to the challange immediatly. She is told soon after that it will be a challange of charactor, and that she will discover new information. But what does this mean...

this book follows the lives of teenagers in the middle of a war, there is a lot less emotions in this novel, but a lot more action, and violence. more action then violence i think. it follows their new lives and nver lets you down.

Part five of the Tomorrow series keeps the action going. Ellie and company pull off their most daring attack and escape yet. Marsden keeps doing a masterful job of writing from Ellie's point of view, letting the reader experience the weariness and drive she's going through at this point in her life. Now, it's time to seek out the next volume.

The Tomorrow series of books by John Marsden got me through High School (as a lucky New Zealander, I have had the books since the 1990's). I awaited every new instalment with excitement and trepidation. `Burning for Revenge' was no exception and it delivered everything I was hoping for and more. `Burning for Revenge' is a nice return to the action, gunfire and explosive situations after a more sober `Darkness Be My Friend'. One book from the Tomorrow series features a warning quote: "do not start at night". This is completely true in `Burning for Revenge' - the reader is urged on to continue reading until the last page is turned, and is left gasping for breath and reaching urgently for the next instalment.

If you have enjoyed the Tomorrow Series, be sure to catch the Ellie Chronicles ( While I Live (The Ellie Chronicles) )that continue the story of Elle after the peace settlement.

Burning For Revenge will keep you up all night, that's for sure. There is a lot of non-stop action packed in this book, more than any of the previous books. Marsden makes you visualize the fear felt by the characters while escaping constant pursuit. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

this is the best series i have ever read. i am currently reading the other side of dawn and i am sad that i am almost finished. i have not found any books that are as great as these so i might as well just read them over and over again. i just hope there are other books as mesmerizing as these out there...

First, it's quite important to note this: neither the catalogue description attached to this item nor many of the readers' reviews actually speak to the Very Interesting People series volume on Darwin. Instead, they refer to Janet Browne's magisterial (two volume) biography of Darwin. Confusing.

Second, the actual short VIP biography of Darwin co-written by Adrian Desmond, James Moore, and Janet Browne, is a judiciously compact overview of his life and work--although it's SO compact that it tends to be a Sergeant Friday-like "just the facts, ma'am" exercise. The authors run through Darwin's early years, his Beagle adventures, his return to England, gradual invalidism, marriage, Downe House, the writing of the Origin, and his subsequent work. None of it is new or unexpected, but an especially nice feature is the way in which the authors demonstrate that Darwin's post-Origin writing, varied as it seems on the surface, all labors to continue the Origin thesis by documenting gradual change (earthworms working the earth), variability (his work on orchids), adaptability (plant fertilization), and commonalities across species (emotions). For the casual explorer of Darwin's accomplishments, this tying-together is very helpful.

Readers who find themselves wanting to know more about Darwin's life, times, and work can do no better than use this little book as a stepping stone to the Origin of Species itself (perhaps an abridged version) and Janet Browne's huge and fascinating biography.

interesting biography of the life of Charles Darwin...great insights on his childhood and early experiences.

I actually first checked this book out from my university's library and liked it so much that I went ahead and bought it for my personal library. Browne explores Darwin's life in the text in an extremely compelling and easily comprehendable manner. While I don't believe Charles Darwin: Voyaging is explicit and detailed enough to negate the need for true Darwin enthusiasts to discover Darwin for themselves through reading his autobiography, collected correspondence, and great scientific works (The Origins of Species, Descent of Man etc...) I do think the text accomplishes what it was meant to do--give those curious about Darwin's life and works the basic overview they need before pursuing the topic in more depth.

Exceptional book, if in doubt, buy it. I knew it would be great after reading so many positive reviews, for some years, and was not disappointed. Unlike some overly detailed biographies, every word seems worthwhile here, from that first glorious sentence to the last. Here is the great adventure story of all time, biology-wise. All I can do is add my two cents worth to what is said elsewhere, don't miss this one.

Un libro estupendo. Erudito ,informado , ameno y riguroso.¿Que mas podemos pedirle a Janet Browne?

While this is, overall, an excellent dictionary, it still has a few problems that I've also noticed in smaller dictionaries. I've run across a few words that are found in the English>German, but then the German word is not listed in the German>English section...or vice versa. I wouldn't have expected this in an "unabridged" dictionary. Having all the words in both sections is important in our household since I am from the US and my wife from Germany. We commonly rely on both German>English AND English>German translations. The missing translations can be bothersome.

Also, despite this being unabridged, I've run across several, fairly common, words that are not in here. For example, I could not find the word 'canola', as in 'canola oil', in the English>German. It doesn't seem like that is too obscure of a word...especially for an unabridged dictionary. There have been several more that, in bewilderment, I could not find. I see there is a 5th edition coming out in September 2004. Hopefully that may solve some of these issues.

All in all, among the unabridged German-English dictionaries, this one does seem to be the best one out there, and at a reasonable price.

I'm stunned this dictionary doesn't carry a new printing because it's light years ahead of any other, not because it's unabridged, but because of its idiomatic breadth. Even in 2007, there's no German term I've come across that wasn't here, even obscure variants are included. At this price, this is an invaluable resource for your personal library. Highly recommended.

The Collins German Dictionary, with 800,000 entries, has more words and definitions than other comparable dictionaries such as the Oxford Duden, the Langenscheidts and the Cassells (which should be avoided because it is so outdated). It also gives complete grammar explanations in the preface, and it includes a list of regular German noun endings, their genders, genitives, and plurals. There is also a handy reference of all the abbreviations, field labels, and style labels on the inside cover. It also includes the past and participial forms for all strong verbs, and it gives past subjunctives within the text. The Collins also gives declensions for pronouns such as "wer" and "jemand," and it lists proper nouns within the text. Verbs that differ from the stem of the infinitive are listed in their imperative singular form ("hilf," "sprich," etc.). The traditional orthography is given in the body of the dictionary, with a symbol indicating words that have changed on account of the spelling reform of 1996.

Its main drawback is that the binding tends to collapse with frequent use, even though it is a hardback.

While abbreviations are listed in alphabetical order in the text, their definitions are not given to you immediately. For example, if you look up "usf.," you are told that it is an abbreviation of "und so fort;" then you must look up fort to discover that "usf." means "and so forth." The Collins listing of German verbs is at the very end of the dictionary, which makes it hard to find.

Note that there are a variety of Collins dictionaries. The unabridged version has 800,000 entries, while the College Edition has 380,000 entries, and the Concise edition has 195,000 entries. Some of the smaller dictionaries have entries listed in red or in blue, which is helpful for finding words more quickly. If you are beginning to learn German, it is useful
to have a smaller dictionary to save time while looking up the
same word over and over again.

This could well be the best two-way dictionary of any language pair anywhere. As an avid student of several foreign languages (incl. English and German) for 20 years, I have come to know what constitutes a first-rate dictionary. It is nothing short of a masterpiece.

I had been using a predecessor edition (2nd ed., 1991) for some 10 years, and even when it was published it was the best of its kind and constantly on my desk. This 4th edition raises the bar by featuring improvements across the board. The benefits derived from the increased computerised analysis of the huge word corpora Bank of English and Deutsche Textbörse are increasingly visible. Vorsprung durch Technik, indeed.

1. This exhaustive dictionary embraces, on 1000 pages in either section, every register from formal officialese via the standard language right down to vulgar slang. But it is in the real-life language where Collins has the finger right on the pulse. Many word entries are awash with examples of usage/idioms/set phrases/proverbs as actually used by natives as well as their natural translations. (I wish there were a way to download all this information into my brain because I would be able to handle any situation in flying colours.)

2. Inclusion of German words like Kardanwelle, Rochade, das Pull-Down-Menü, Überlaufanzeige etc. indicate extensive coverage of specialist terms in many fields as well as loan-words from the 90s.

3. The English section is equally impressive, listing e.g. cyberpet, establishing shot, trick or treat, decontextualize, nuclear reprocessing plant, memory expansion card, look-in, supergrass, wicked (UK slang). The word "go" and its associated phrasal verbs have an astounding range of translations.

4. Idiomatic phrases such as "to get away with sth" and "jdm etwas zumuten" which are contextually dependent are given several alternative and appropriate translations.

5. Certain bon mots and expressions which are used mostly in situations on one side of the Channel (or those whose counterpart is much less colourful!) are well translated.
Examples: set piece, pub crawl, single-track mind, car-boot sale, off-the-record, stomping groud, pipe dream; Stammtisch, Führungszeugnis, Geheimtipp, Kuschelrock, Dreitagebart, Wohngemeinschaft, Dunkelziffer, nicht mehr der jüngste sein etc. In fact, even "Ich schau dir in die Augen, Kleines", the classic line from the dubbed version of Casablanca, is listed. Hut ab!

6. This edition includes an audio CD with pronunciation (because they understand that there is a practical limit to phonetic script). The layout has been given a face-lift with 3 columns per page instead of 2 resulting in improved readability.

7. The dictionary's vast scope, depth and usability for both English and German learners and speakers (in equal measure) leave virtually no room for valid criticism. Yet some words and expressions seem to have escaped the researchers' keen eye for detail (so far); missing English words are e.g. polenta, present/current value (Fin), brown-noser, case-sensitive. Im deutschen Teil sind die folgenden durchaus geläufigen Wörter nicht aufgeführt: Quereinsteiger, Marktabschottung, Kasslerbraten, Regelwerk, verhandlungssicher, Töff (CH). But this is nit-picking.

Summa summarum: Kudos to the team of meticulous professionals behind this work for having brought out the Mercedes S-Klasse - with all the optional extras - of dictionaries. It's also an exemplary cross-border collaboration optimally blending British practicality and German precision.

Buy this dictionary - you may still be using it in 2012.

While I used to swear by Langenscheidt's dictionaries, this one tops it as far as general purpose German/English English/German dictionaries are concerned.

Featuring up-to-date vocabularies, and a wide variety of idiomatic traslations, this dictionary is very helpful in giving clear guidance as to differences in meaning and usage.

If you are a translator or interpreter, or simply interested in the intricacies of either one or both of the languages, this book belongs on your desk.

Given the weight of this hefty volume, it won't be in most people's luggage when travelling; for those occasions, I recommend to keep "Langenscheidt's Universal Dictionary - German" at hand instead.

I found this book very intreguing. I have read The Chronicles of Narnia completely several times as an adult and this book is right up there with it. The story was spell binding allegory. The princess, a prophecy, a secret, everything about it kept me reading. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of his sequel, The Devil's Mouth, so that I can continue my journey into the seven kingdoms.

Thomas Williams is truly talented! This book got me from the first page till the last and I neglected much work while reading it as I couldn't put it down.Set in medievil times around two kingdoms and an awsome forrest it's fast paced , exiting and full of adventure.It has strong characters and a fantastic story line that I wished would never end. It will make you believe in love and honour and think about your own morals and strive to be better.I loved every word!

This book has wonderful allegory that compels one to be noble and pure. It is a page turner (especially the last half)that is in ways comparable to Tolkien's works. It has extensive characters which come to life and plot that is quite enjoyable.

I am excited about Tom Williams' new book, "The Crown of Eden," for several reasons. First, for those who enjoy medieval tales of brave knights and fair ladies and enchanted forests, Tom's story will thoroughly delight. The adventures of Princess Volanna and the gallant knight Aradon are woven together in twisting episodes of romance, terror, tragedy and triumph. The story begins by bringing the reader up to date concerning the great empire of Perivale whose victorious battle with the evil Morgultha united seven kingdoms. But Perivale disappears mysteriously and an ancient sage appears out of the enchanged Braegan's Wood to foretells the breakup of Perivale's empire. He delivers also a hopeful yet cryptic prophecy concerning the eventual restoration of Perivale's glory through an heir who will one day take the throne, reunite the kingdoms and reign over days even more glorious than those of his father. "The Crown of Eden" is the exciting story of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The best thing one can say about "The Crown of Eden" is that it is a wonderfully told story. The chapters are short, revealing just enough surprises in the unfolding story that it is difficult to stop. More than once, as the reader is gaining speed toward some seemingly inevitable conclusion, Tom inserts an unexpected turn in the plot which leaves the reader delightfully off balance. And though one senses near the end of the story how it might end, the twists and turns keep coming even to the last few pages.

Tom has created dozens of wonderful characters in the story including the noble King Tallis, the loyal servants Kalley and Olstan, and the pathetically evil prince Lomar.but the story centers around two main characters, Princess Volanna and the commoner Aradon. Through these two characters Tom is able to not only tell a great story, but teach profound lessons in an effective and unintrusive way. Which is the next best thing about "The Crown of Eden." It does more than just tell a good story.

Interwoven amidst jousting festivals, harrowing escapes through murky swamps, rescues from dark and foreboding castles, there are scenes and conversations which allow Tom's characters to give articulate expression to various truths. King Tallis expounds on the puzzle of balancing God's sovereignty and man's freedom. Father Lucidis eloquently expounds on the virtues of pleasure, delight and ecstasy. Lord Aldemar wrestles with the tension of obedience to law and loving his country. Bogard gives some of the best advice to be found on choosing one's life mate.

Best of all, we find in Volanna and Aradon the embodiment of what it means to be a womand and a man. Tom is at his best when he describes the beauty of Volanna, a beauty that does not inflame illicit passion, but awakens the legitimate passions which lie all too dormant within us. If there is a weakness in "The Crown of Eden," it is that these "philosophical moments" in the story may linger a bit too long and distract at times from the story.

One last observation which made the book enjoyable was the way Tom has blended his own fantasy with the history of scripture. These characters and their kingdoms exist only in our minds, yet they are christians and as such often look to biblical stories to make meaning our of their own experience. The most intriguing example of this is the use of the strange biblical story of King Jephthah and his daughter which finds in "The Crown of Eden" a narrative commentary.

This tale, which hopefully will be the first of many in the The Seven Kingdom Chronicles, is a wonderful addition to the rapidly growing genre of Christian fantasy and as enjoyable as such established authors as Terry Brooks (of recent Star Wars fame.) Though Tom's single story does not merit comparisons with his literary mentors, Lewis and Tolkein, clearly his writing exhibits the best of their influence and the tales of the Seven Kingdoms certainly deserve to be on the same shelves alongside the tales of Narnia and
Middle-earth.

Tom Williams has a marvelous way of telling a story. You will actually fall in love with the main characters--and right along with them--feel their hurts, fears, disappointments, as well as their ultimate joy and exhilaration. There are profound lessons woven into the story, but they emerge from the characters' wrestling with decisions and their actions rather than tedious, preachy dialogs and monologs. Williams addresses some knotty theological questions, such as how the free will of men and women fits into an unfailing providence revealed in prophecy. But not to the detriment of a beautiful love story.

This book is masterpiece. It comes in second to none, including the works of George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkein, and C. S. Lewis.