Wilson Books

After reading a Time Magazine article on the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain's death, I ordered Mississippi Writings out of curiosity and to see how much I would remember from reading these stories as a child. I was not disappointed. His writing is contemporary, the language is typical of his day (so don't be offended), and I was reminded again of how he really started the modern novel. Although I knew how the stories would turn out, I had forgotten a lot of the details that had enthralled me when I read it the first time so many years ago, and when I put myself in Tom's place and wished I had a friend like Huck. This is a nice package that provides an insight into life along the Mississippi in the early days and will provide a fishing bucket full of nostalgia.

One of the most entertaining books I have read in a long time. Truly, "a page turner". Enlightening insight into southern society in smalltown Missouri during the 1840's.

Pudd'nhead Wilson is, in my opinion, Mark Twain's most underappreciated book. It's a "mystery" in structure, so I don't intend to summarize the story at all. It's also Twain's most powerful assessment of the effects of slavery and racism in America, but once again I don't want to spoil the development except to say that Twain "felt" the horrors of Jim Crow more than any other white intellectual of his era.

Twain has been demonized in some places because of his use of language in Huckleberry Finn and other books, which would be considered hateful and racist today. Well, friends, it was hateful and racist in Twain's time also, and Twain consistently uses it in such a way that its insensitivity and hatefulness is revealed. Huckleberry Finn is not a book aimed at children; it's rowdy and complex and it requires a kind of detachment that only a mature frontal cortex can manage. What makes HF such a great book is precisely the reliance and friendship that evolves between the runaway white boy and the runaway slave. No other book before Twain portrayed such an intimacy.

I have a personal "investment" in Pudd'nhead Wilson, the character, which I needn't explain, except to say that large numbers of African-Americans and European-Americans might find themselves equally invested by the miracle of DNA testing.

This Library of America publication is first-rate. If you haven't read Huckleberry Finn at least twice in your life, you ought to read it now. And if you haven't read Pudd'nhead Wilson, you'll be both entertained and stimulated by it.

If pressed to mention a series of books I love more than all others, I would have to cite Library of America; this is not because I am a fan of stictly American literature, but because I have never seen a series so dedicated--and so good at--a mission of preserving and presenting a body of literature of such greatness in such a worthy manner. Perhaps some day there will be a Library of Russia, Library of France, Library of England, etc.

Twain is a delight and underrated by modern critics; here lies a good collection of some of his fine works. Especially good are Life on the Mississippi and Pudd'nhead Wilson, along with the indesposable Huckleberry Finn. Also contained is Tom Sawyer, which I cannot praise, but I cannot deny its position as a classic and its deservence to be included in this volume.

I doubt that anyone reading these reviews is trying to decide whether or not they will enjoy reading the stories in this volume - most likely they've read them already and want to know if this is an edition worth buying. This is definitely worth buying. The printing is crisp. The paper is lightweight, smooth-surfaced, and acid-free; over 1100 pages are only 1 and 1/8 inches thick. The dimensions are perfect. The binding appears to be strong yet limber - the book opens easily with good visualization of all margins. Library of America, the publishers, seems dedicated not only to preserving American writings, but doing so with style. I plan to put more of their books on my wish list - Melville and Hawthorne perhaps. My only regret is that I already own the complete writing of Poe from another publisher.

I just finished reading A More Obedient Wife. The only part I didn't like is that it ended. This is a real sleeper that I recommend to anyone regardless of age, gender, or reading preference.

Take me, for example: I started the book with no expectation of finishing it, much less enjoying it. It just so happened that I ran across it while I was temporarily out of reading material.

I skimmed a few pages and put the book down. I prefer action stuff. I came back a short while later. Hannah Iredell had grown on me. I admired her. I couldn't get her out of my head. I simply had to find out what would happen to her.

It didn't hurt one bit that the writing is smooth. Natalie Wexler's feel for the rhythm of the language can't be taught or learned. When I run across it, which is rare, I know I am in the hands of a born writer, the real McCoy. Never mind what genre.

This story is told primarily through the diaries of two women wedded to US Supreme Court Justices in the late 1700's. The story unfolds also through excerpts from letters. All the diary entries and the excerpts are fascinating, sometimes spine-tingling, always moving, and never too long or too short. The excerpts are so well-placed within the story as to be downright sneaky in their role of carrying heavy loads with few words. They keep the pace lively.

The letters also do yeoman's work in breathing life into those characters who, while not cast in starring roles like the two diarists, are nevertheless vital to the story.

Hannah Iredell comes to the reader already molded, set, and unlikely to change. I had no wish for her to become different. She is not a beauty; she knows that. Her husband James betrayed her once to her knowledge, and she accepts the likelihood that he did so at other times as well, perhaps many. She lost a child. She has another who is (probably) schizophrenic. Someone else's child was lost while in her care. She endures hardship and loneliness so acute I felt it down inside my bones. In spite of all that, Hannah Iredell does not succumb to feeling sorry for herself. She soldiers on. She uses her intelligence to remain a steady force through troubled times.

Then along comes the other Hannah, a green bud straining to open--quite pretty, somewhat flirtatious, restless to enter a wondrous future, impressed by the wrong things, and eminently lovable for all of that. What a delight to see this child still in her teens evolve into the principal catalyst for effecting change in a character as rock-solid as Hannah Iredell. When adversity comes young Hannah Gray Wilson's way, as it does in torrents, she reaches into her soul and draws forth all the courage she has, and then some.

Even Hannah Iredell, older and as courageous and rock-solid as she herself is, cannot help but be moved--and changed--by the courage shown by Hannah Wilson. I believe the development of these two characters, as their stars cross during these crucial, formative years in American history, is the foundation of this captivating story. It gives me pride to recommend this wonderful book with five stars.

Not having been a history major, it's likely that save for this novel I'd never really have known what life was like for the lesser-known early leaders of our nation. By concentrating on the point of view of the female protagonists, Wexler embraces both the official and family lives of the main characters in a style that flows with dramatic interest. Having decided to trust her background material, she has created a book that tells a compelling story without resort to sensation or polemic.

When we decided to read this book for our book club, I expected that half of us would howl. If your book club is like ours, there are at least two factions. Some of us always like the same things while the other half hates everything we like. So it was a great surprise to discover that this book had something for everyone. Tightly written and historically accurate, it's also a terrifically good read. In spite of the fact that the two main characters share the same name (Hannah), it's hard not to get caught up in their very different personalities and predicaments. It's also hard not to find the historical back story compelling, even if you have no interest in 18th century American life or the early Supreme Court. This is the kind of book that gave us much to discuss and also sparked our curiosity to learn more about the times and the real life characters. Highly recommended.

When it is taught at all these days, history is often taught badly. The humanity is wrung out of it, and we are left thinking of our ancestors as aliens, bereft of feelings.
A good novel can set us straight, reminding us of what we have in common with those who came before us. Natalie Wexler's "A More Obedient Wife" is just such a novel, despite its rather lackluster title.
Its premise seems unpromising at first. Who can imagine caring about the lives, triumphs, and tragedies of two American Supreme Court justices, both named James, and and their wives, both named Hannah? Read the first 10 pages of "A More Obedient Wife," and chances are excellent that YOU will care--a lot.
The characters of Wexler's book are historical; and most of it takes place during the Federalist era--roughly, the Presidency of George Washington. We tend to think of this as a placid time, with the Revolution over and the United States finally free. But the author, who knows the era well, is quick to remind us that it was a time of personal and political discomforts, of plagues, of looming threats like the slavery issue that would engulf and almost destroy the nation.
In short, just as Wexler's characters are not that different from us, so the dangers of the time in which they lived are not much less dangerous than those we face.

Reading Natalie Wexler's novel provided me with that wonderful experience of being so riveted, so engaged, so caught in the tale being spun that I literally could not put the book down. Travel back in time and meet her remarkable (and very real) characters. You won't be disappointed.

New snorkelers are very movement sensitive. They are looking for things moving on the reef. The more colorful, the better.

After you get past this stage, you start asking questions. Why do some fish have a false "eyespot" and others do not? Why do some fish, well, swim like a fish, while others swim like a box of matches with wings? Why do parrrotfish spend so much time biting a nutrient-poor reef. Why not go after real prey?

These types of questions are answered in this book. Written from the perspectives of ecology and behavior (with the emphasis on behavioral ecology), the Wilsons put together a readable and accurate (to the standards of the literature in the mid 1980s) work on fish behavior. Fish are so much more deserving than simply lumping them into taxonomic groupings. This book helps you get to that next level, the "why" stage.

We run charter yachts and take our guests snorkeling on reefs daily. I borrowed this book over 10 years ago, and still remember how incredibly interesting it was, not only for our own understanding of the ecosystem we enjoy so much, but also for the great information it gives us to share with our guests who are eager to learn about the beautiful reefs and the colorful fish they see. As another reviewer said, we can now go beyond just naming the fish we see and provide a broader explanation of their characteristics and behaviour. I'm thrilled to see the book back in print.

After I'd dived and snorkeled in the same spot more than a few times, I found myself wondering: what are those fish doing? Why are there such huge differences in what I see at 7AM from what I see at 5PM? Are those fish mating or fighting? While this book only begins to answer those questions--I'd love to see a newer edition with research since the early 90's--it does tell the careful observer what to look for, which adds greatly to the experience of diving and snorkeling. A caveat, however: if you don't already know the major fish families (such as parrotfish, surgeonfish, wrasses, butterflyfish, and so on), you'll find the book somewhat incomprehensible. I'd label this book as Step 2 in becoming a knowledgeable observer, with Step 1 as learning the fish families. (And for that, I'd get a regional guide for wherever you dive--the fish families are the same world-wide, although the species are not.) Note: while I criticize this book for being (slightly) out of date, that doesn't make the information useless--far from it.

This book is outstanding on so many levels... It has a basic intro to coral reef biology and to the fishes. It then goes on to discus the various aspect of fish life. Eating, breeding, various interactions are all covered. Look for the parts on schooling and social life of coral reef fishes. etc... The authors manage to bring a large body of scientific reference material together and make it accessible to anyone interested in coral reef fishes.

If you are a diver or snorkeler then you will enjoy this wealth of information that will go along way to describe the intricate behaviors in this most complicated of habitats. If you are a reef aquarium hobbyist the you will learn why fish act the way they do. If you are a professional then you will appreciate the way that this book brings in the journal literature. There are 19 pages of bibliography, and although it might be a bit dated many of the articles are classics.

I agree with the previous reviewers--an invaluable, scholarly, and readable work that discusses such interesting but poorly understood subjects such as why tropical fish tend to be brightly colored, how schooling fish swim in close coordination, and whether anemones benefit from their relationship with anemone fish. It's a shame that tropical dive operations haven't made this required reading for their dive students.

This book is an amazing look at the life of this prankster brought low by the weight of his own paranoid but not entirely unbelievable fantasies. I met Thornley in his final days in Atlanta and found him to be warm & congenial but was unaware that he was living in the storage room of the used bookstore in Little Five Points or I would have attempted to offer him what meager assistance I could have. Despite his own problems he still managed to reach out and help others in need in the community and he is sorely missed.

I had never heard of Kerry Wendell Thornley before.I first read the new version of the Manson Family mythos by author Adam Gorightley.This book was also available.This was quite an interesting story about some truth of the sixties counterculture.Kerry Thornley was right in the thick of some rather quixotic prankster activities.I think he was just another hippie guy,who was used by the CIA.Just like Charles Manson was.He lead a carefree and devil-may-care lifestyle that came with a heavy price.Thornley ,like so many other great budding 60's thinkers,could not fully control the explosive politics around him and the frustrations of the peace movement.This book is still worth reading.And be aware that he is forgotten by retrospective books about the sixties.If he had published more writings,he could have established himself as a trailblazer of modern 'paganism'.If he had stayed clear of the anarchists ,venting negative energy over the Vietnam war,he may have seen the folly of a 'lawless' society.The discordian principle that imbrued his moral dogma,left him spiritually bankrupt ,lasting well into the seventies.Nevertheless,this fascinating book about a fringe prankster tells the behind the scenes truth of a youthful provocateur's chaotic search for enlightenment.And the strange characters he met along the way.

This is a fantastic book, but it left me kind of sad. Prior to reading this, everything I knew about Thornley was filtered through Robert Anton Wilson, and it was all positive (or at least all humorous). This book made me acutely aware that Wilson's Thornley is not unlike Plato's Socrates - an idealized character who reveals more about his biographer than his or her actual self. Unlike Wilson, Gorightly declines the invitation to treat Thornley as a discordian saint/superhero. He depicts a man who was a philosophical and comic genius, but also a raving lunatic (and -perhaps more importantly- an unhappy one).

More alarmingly, Gorightly recounts allegations that Thornley commited acts of sexual abuse against children. Gorightly's case here is pretty slim, and basically amounts to two instances of hearsay, but the allegation changes the character of this story substantially. It is disheartening to learn that the man who you thought was a bodhisattva may just have been a homeless, schizophrenic, child molester with very good PR. (Of course, the same could be said of Socrates...)

Of course, none of this should detract from the appeal of the book, which is very well-written and downright fascinating. Especially interesting are the parts about "brother-in-law," the shadowy CIA/neo-nazi/cowboy who Thornley came to believe had brainwashed him into assisting Lee Harvey Oswald. Did he exist? Was he really E. Howard Hunt? Was Thornley insane, brainwashed by the CIA, or both? With this discussion Gorightly masterfully brings the reader to the threshold of Chapel Perilous and, by the end of the book, the reader may question his or her own sanity.

As the title suggests, The "Prankster and the Conspiracy" is primarily about the nexus between Thornley and the Kennedy assassination, and does not purport to be a full biography of Thornley the man. Still, it is remarkably insightful into his personal character and is based on information from people who were close to him.

This is also maybe the first book to be written about Discordianism (rather than simply being a discordian holy text) which purports to be historically accurate. Anyone interested in Our Lady of Chaos will be interested to hear the backstory to Thornley and Hill's revelations...

If there ever was a perennial scapegoat of the 60's counterculture it would have to be Kerry Thornley, one of the founding members of the patently anarchist Discordian Society. With a kind of insurrectionary bravado, he took it upon himself to sponge up the sordid projections of the Military Industrial Mafia Complex as well those from the plethora of intelligence revenants who trailed and taunted him for years, under various disturbing guises. He managed to keep ahead of the archetypal game by purging himself, from time to time, through various prankster like stunts, self published underground 'zines and the writing of fiction. However the Fool ended up occupying the Hanged Man's place in a Tarot deck that had been stacked against him from day one. As a result of such discouraging and divinatory odds, his self imposed role as Sin Eater freely dining at the table of the conspiracy funeral banquet is what probably turned him upside down and killed him in the end.

In Adam Gorightly's The Prankster and the Conspiracy: The Story of Kerry Thornley and How He met Oswald and Inspired the Counterculture, a most intriguing and vivid portrait of this essential and vital anarchist spirit is effectively painted. Kerry freely ranged about in the JFK/MLK/RFK assassination matrixes like a conspiratorial version of Diogenes, the ancient Greek who loved to mock the philosophers and statesmen of his day. In this case, KT was mocking the real assassins at large without anyone really knowing it, since he was drawing so much attention to himself. The author suggests that KT may very well have been an MKULTRA prodigy along with Lee Harvey Oswald himself since they were both in the marines together and stationed in Japan prior to 1963. Maybe KT's Discordian strategy was an attempt to break free of his handlers. It seems that both he and Oswald ended up being double crossed, the latter by some very real forces at work, namely in the form of a mind controlled entity named Jack Ruby, and KT by his ever snowballing delusions which genuinely got out of hand as the author so convincingly points out, thanks to his wide ranging, unbiased, thorough research and interviews with key players such as Robert Anton Wilson. Gorightly maintains a wonderful balance between compelling factoids surrounding the JFK hit, its aftermath and Thornley's proximity to it all and the elusive yet intriguing metaphysics of the Discordian Society he helped to create and promote. It certainly makes for a compelling and very hard to put down book, I can assure you of that. If you are looking to get a bead on the Thornley universe and how you may obtain a key enabling you to enter into it, The Prankster and the Conspiracy will certainly do it for you.

In spite of Thornley's Discordian extremism, mass consumption of LSD and being a target of intelligence forces, within and without, up to the time of his death, I tend to think that it was his early dabblings into Ayn Rand's so called 'Objectivism' that ultimately cracked him in the end. Aynny's I've-got-the-Hots-for-Capitalism philosophy served to malignantly magnetize the ever mutating vortex of KT's psyche and attracted some kind of negative free market investment forces into its realm. No amount of Discordian meme subterfuge could have de-railed the Rand dogma (or catma) from rapidly self replicating within the brain of this errant pixie who seemed to be able to defy everything else and get away with it. Not even the electronic dissolution of memory could neutralize these Objectivist toxins within him, no matter how many times his handlers kept pushing the button to keep him raving. I realize that I'm merely speculating in a possibly communist/socialist manner, but Gorightly's fertile biography is triggering my synapses to bridge so rapidly that I cannot help but entertain such cabals. Your own synapses will be triggered/bridged (and entertained too) when you order your own copy of this excellent proto- biography of an anarchist archetype gone delightfully awry.

While reading the final chapters of this sad, wonderful, tragic, inspiring/electrifying book, I flashed that the `evil' Goddess Eris, who brought a well known apple to a banquet on Mount Olympus celebrating the wedding of King Peleus and the Sea Nymph Thetis, decided to jump ahead a few thousand years into the 1960's and toss another solid, golden fruit into the chaos heart of a Discordian party, a fruit upon which was engraved, 'Who is the most paranoid of all?' No telling what kind of Trojan war her question would have caused if she had chosen to roll it into the mix at the time. Who amongst the group would have fought for the title? Fortunately Gorightly`s keen portrayal of Kerry Thornley gives us a sufficient starting place where we can all freely witness the scapegoat himself stepping forth from the shadowed margins and taking the full honors of the title, in the limelight.

Adam Gorightly has assembled a truly fascinating story of the life of Kerry Thornley. Yes, he knew Lee Harvey Oswald. Yes, he hated Kennedy. But, was he unknowingly part of the conspiracy? Well, you are gonna have to read the book to make up your own mind!

This book takes so many twists and turns that you are afraid to put it down - you might miss something. I guess that is the sign of a really good book. At times it reads like a cheap spy novel - but the bizarre thing is...all the events are TRUE!

This has to be one of my fave books of 2003!

the product was new in perfect conditions just like advertised

I really like this book and find it very helpful with school work!!

I like this book very much. It has more information than the other drug guides I have seen. It is in strict alphabetical order by generic name. I work in a busy ER and the other nurses seek out my book, which I buy new every year. I highly recommend this book.

This drug book has everything I need and I have stuck with this brand over the years because of it's ease in looking up various drugs. The online access disc that comes with it is nice, but you have to keep it in your drive in order for it to work. Whatever the computer lingo is: you can't download it to your computer. That would be a whole other program that you can purchase through them online.

Prentice Hall Drug Guide is by far, the BEST authority available for nurses currently. It beats the competition hands down because it simply contains all the pertinent information that nurses seek (and are not included in other drug guides.) For instance, I teach nursing and we were discussing the half-life of Dilantin. We searched through several of the other drug books, but no info.
So, I gave the class a short break, walked out to my car to get the Prentice Hall out of my trunk and in 3 minutes, we were reading the information of the half - life of Dilantin, which incidentally, is 22 hours. This is extremely helpful type of information that Nurses need to know in order to grow their professional backgrounds. I love the organization of the book - it has a very comprehensive list of medications; the pages are neat and easy to read and I noticed that lots of other nursing schools are using it as well as thier resource.
The only draw-back to owning the Prentice Hall book is that is it super - heavy in weight. It adds alot of heaviness to a student's already bursting sachel of books, but the pay-off is a great one.
Get this book and become smarter than anyone else in the classroom,
or if being competitively intelligent doesn't turn you on, then just stick to the lighter weight drug guides.
This is the most excellent one out there - trust me.

This book of poems is really the best book of poems I have ever read!!! The introduction to this book is very touching but the poem "The Raven" took my breath away! I couldn't believe that such a poem can make me feel this way!!!

With the emphasis so much on his horror writing, the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe is often overlooked. Which is unfortunate, his poetry has many classic lines, and there is no segment better than the opening line of "The Raven."

"One upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,"

The following poems appear in this collection, The Raven, Annabel Lee, Lines on Ale, The City in the Sea, The Sleeper, Eldorado, Alone, The Haunted Place and The Conquerer Worm.
While some traditionalists may decry the "Classics Illustrated" approach to poetry, I have little time for those arguments. Poe is best when served up illustrated, and the illustrations in this book are excellent. My favorites are the caricatures of Poe in his study that accompany `The Raven." The big eyes and oversized cranium give him the appearance of dark despair. In my opinion, anything that presents the classics in a format that will appeal to young people is to be encouraged, which is why I recommend this book.

...while I pondered weak and weary over many a quant and curious volume of forgotten lore..."
Who can't pass up the mystique and somber terror of one Poe's poems? Don't deny yourself this chance at book full of great literature. Poe might have had a troubled life but his life's work was, and still is, incredible.

Many reknown Literary Critics who live in "Intellectual Ivory Towers" consider this collection of poems to be a so called "Classic". I however tend to disagree with them and unless I woke up in Russia or Communist China this morning I believe I have every right to exercise my Freedom Of Speech. My least favourite poem in this book would have to be "The Raven". Perhaps one can understand the erratic meter of this poem when one learns that it was written in one hour in a cocaine induced frenzy. Sadly Writing and Substance Abuse are not a good combination. I give this book 5 stars because so many people are under the impression that Edgar Allen Poe was a genius instead of a drug addled illicit substance abuser.

This is one of the many poems by Edgar Allan Poe. It is a very good poem but at first I didn't really understand it. It took awhile before I fully understood it even after I had been told the main idea. In this poem raven represents death. What I believe that that the man in this poem is going to die and death is tapping at his door. This poem uses lots of figurative speech and it makes it sound very pretty. Such as "Prophet!,' said I, 'Thing of evil! Prophet still if bird or devil! Whether Tempter sent or tossed thee here ashore, Desolate ye tall undaunted, On this home by horror haunted-tell me truly, I implore- Is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me I implore!' Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore." It would be a good idea to read The Raven.

From the editor of the Hoppin Readin Review on Blogspot

I bought this for my 20 yr old nephew who is in a band. He said the book "rocks". It had a wide variety of oldie bands and current bands. Wilson needs to write Vol. 2.

I bought this for my teenaged stepson and he loves it. It's one way of getting him to read something from a book.

I was fortunate enough to obtain a signed edition of the book. Such graciousness only hints at the wealth of information Wilson provides to music lovers of all stripes. From genre expert to casual listener, from rock aficionado to generalist, this book provides for hours of reading and an equal amount of chat with friends. After testing your own knowledge, Rock Formations provides a launching pad for a good night of trivia.

The great strength of this book is that it is a casual read; as Wilson notes in the somewhat dauntingly titled "Warning/Disclaimer": "the purpose of this book is to inform and entertain." On both counts it succeeds. It covers such a range of bands, and does so in such an engaging way, that readers are rewarded on first and subsequent readings. And the writing style is succinct without being dry. Sprinkled throughout are revelations that mix reflection with a smile.

Wilson clearly labored for close to a decade on this work. And his interest is our reward. Affordably priced and nicely presented, one hopes that Wilson's book inspires a follow-up. I will leave the `moniker' and focus of that text to the author. He seems full well capable of dealing with both exigencies.

This book "Rock Formations" is an excellent example of something that should be out there in the literal world and is put together with the fan in mind to boot. There is information on "The Beatles" formation and what other famous band influenced them to create their name. You can find out which one of the "The Beach Boys" helped give a certain duo their name. If there is ever an example of an item to put on a Christmas list of "Things the Music Fan Might Enjoy" this is it! This book is a great insight to the way the creative minds of these artists think. It made me think.
If you ever wondered where a band like "Led Zeppelin" got their name from and what member of "THE WHO" helped to define it, well it's all here, from "Air Supply" to "Frank Zappa" This is one of those books you'll find yourself referencing for years to come. Where did "2PAC" get that name from? You'll have to read this book to find out. There are new artists appearing all the time. I hope there are many revisions to come. In three words "It Totally Rocks!" and is a "Must Have"!

I bought this book for my brother who is a music buff and an amateur musician. He was thrilled with the gift and proceeded to read the book in its entirety in a matter of days. Of course I was pleased he enjoyed the book and thought enough of it to put it on his coffee table for guests to peruse.

Since we live close to one another I would start thumbing through the book whenever I would come over to watch sports or to babysit his kids. What I liked most about it is that it is organized in such a way that makes it a fun and easy read. Other books of this kind read more like a dictionary with a slew of entries one after another that don't share anything in common. For example, in Rock Formations there is a chapter called "Early Impressions" that covers bands that took their names from incidents in their childhood pasts like Lynyrd Skynyrd (I always thought it had something to with flying, which made the name cruelly ironic). I actually started reading in one of the middle chapters and jumped around to different chapters until I had read the entire book.

As a non-musician and an average music fan, I liked the fact that the entries were worded like stories and didn't use a lot of musical jargon. I'm a big fan of 80's music so there were a lot of entries that I really enjoyed such as Foreigner, The Police, Talking Heads, Tears For Fears, etc. I believe the author is British, which explains the coverage of British groups that were popular in the 80's. My brother has more eclectic taste in music so he appreciated the "non-Rock" entries (i.e. Reggae, Rap, R&B).

I would definitely recommend this book for any music fan. It's a fun book to read and you'll probably yourself jumping around chapters as I did. I've also won a few friendly wagers with some friends that have heard myths and rumors about band names, although I'm not recommending this book as an instrument for gambling!

This is a great book to have if you are a fan of Wes Anderson or of the film.

My favorite thing about this screenplay is being able to read scenes that did not end up in the movie or the deleted scenes. I would recommend this for any Royal Tenebaums or Wes Anderson fan.

It is the screenplay of the movie, the same one that should have won the Oscar this year. For people who haven't seen the movie, reading the screenplay first may not be such a great idea. I know this movie went over a lot of people's heads, and I'm not positive one can fully appreciate the story from just reading it. However, I definately recommend reading it after seeing the movie, there is so much great dialogue that is easily missed and a lot of subtle humor that is more obvious written on the page. This was one of the best movies of 2001 and the screenplay is a great way to appreciate it again while waiting for the dvd.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" is really a great and clever film. Although it's not really classified as a solid comedy, it had me laughing aloud from start to finish. Then again, I like that weird kind of humor. To me, it was just a great film that took chances. It wasn't out to win a popularity contest. Wes Anderson makes films the way he envisions them and the way he wants them to be.

The thing that stands out the most in "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the brilliant script that was written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson. The dialogue witty and realistic, and each character stands out and leaves an impression on us.

The story is about Royal Tenenbaum and his dysfunctional family. Him and his wife separated many years ago, but the divorce was never final. His wife, Etheline, kept the house and raised the children by herself. They each reached to fame in some way or another, but not without problems lurking about. After many years have passed, Royal finds out that Etheline has been asked to take somebody's hand in marriage. Royal comes up with a scheme on how to get himself back into the picture, bringing forth a crazy and unexpected family reunion like you have never seen.

With only set directions and dialogue, this reads more like a play. There are no camera angels, which is why it reads like a script for a play. You'll appreciate it more if you've seen the movie, but reading it is just as enriching and enjoyable to me. You get to relive your favorite moments and exchanges through words.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson is a magnificent screenplay and can be enjoyed many times over. With great dialogue exchanges, characters, and out-of-control and unpredictable situations, this is a screenplay worth reading over and over again. A work of art, if you ask me.

Favorite line from the movie: "Anybody feel like grabbing a couple of burgers and hitting the cemetery?" - Royal Tenenbaum

I thought that the Royal Tenebaums was one of the best films I have seen this year, after what I thought had been a disasterous year of film making,it was a breath of fresh air, the only other two films I feel are on a level with it are Amelie and The Man who wasn't there!
From the very opening I wanted to go and see the film, with it's bright colours and quirky story line, the very advertisment had me drooling with delight.
I had mixed reviews from some of my friends, some thought it was boring, others hilarious, after going to see it with my brother and sister it was a unanimous decision, this film was AMAZING!
The plot itself was so simple, yet the characters made the film what it was, I absolutely loved Richie and I thought that Pagoda was brilliant, going to see this film has to be one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.

And well worth it!


From the mind of the philosopher Hakim Bey, this brilliant work. On the surface, a collection of essays on heresies of Islam, rebellious subcultures, from the Black Muslims to Sufism with a good bit of history from afar and near not commonly in history books. Under the surface...a jihad for a more powerful yet subtle Islam to reach the "West" but at the same time crack the foundations of the fanatics who are used to give it a bad name.


I'm paraphrasing a popular comedian as much as Hakim Bey. We make a sh-tty "Christian Nation" but we just might make a halfway decent "Liberal Muslim" nation.


Though just a collection of amusing reads speckled with interesting composite art and Rumic poetry, this book is ten times as subversive as "Steal this book!". I hope more people get it and that there is a second, updated printing...

heresy is a sign that a tradition is growing, renewing itself...islam and christianity need a good dose for sure to rebalance their growing STATIC hegemony over those who would rather follow and think intravenously...


god is nothing outside yourself. but then who are you? that's the trick.

catch-33

s/he is all and no genders. gender and grammar actually have nothing to do with god...self...presence...ah, via the inadequacies of language, sweet moans and song issue, thus recreating the universe.

A beautifully written and very important work on Islam: "It is the margins that determine the world's shape"

Peter Lamborn Wilson, often writing under the pseudonym `Hakim Bey' is a social theorist, essayist and poet, best known for first proposing the concept of the Temporary Autonomous Zone (the `TAZ'), based on his historical review of pirate society. After studying at Columbia University, he traveled extensively in the mideast, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal whilst studying Tantra in West Bengal and visiting many Sufi shrines and masters. In 1971 he undertook extensive research on the Nimatullahi Sufi order funded by the Marsden Foundation of New York. During 1974 and 1975 he was consultant in London and Tehran for the World of Islam Festival and in 1974 became director of English language publications at the Imperial Iranian Academy of Philosophy in Tehran, and was editor of Sophia Perennis, the academy's journal.

His writings include "The Drunken Universe: An Anthology of Persian Sufi Poetry" and "Scandal: Essays in Islamic Heresy."

In "Sacred Drift: Essays on the Margins of Islam" ("SDEMI"), Wilson demolishes Islam's image as monolithic, reactionary, fundamentalist, puritanical, and superficial, postulating a collection of heresies, heterodox subsects, cultures of resistance, reform and renewal that exist, and have since the beginning existed, within Islam's ambit.

The reader is presented with the fascinating story of "Black Islam" in this country: readers interested in African-American religion will especially enjoy the essay "Lost/Found Moorish Time Lines: In the Wilderness of North America." The author offers what may be the best essay to date on Noble Drew Ali (and of his assassination at the hands of American law enforcement, the violent reward for his struggle for "love, truth, peace, freedom, and justice"), the Moorish Science Temple of America and the Moorish Orthodox Church, along with newly acquired information on the relationship between Moorish Science, Elijah Muhammed (founder the Nation of Islam) and Freemasonry.

One superbly written essay deals with the place of "Iblis" (Satan) and the role of Satanism in esoteric Islam while another offers a scathing critique of the nature of authority and the place of sexual oppression and misery in modern puritanical Islam. The title essay, "Sacred Drift," beautifully elaborates the history of Sufi peripateticism from Kabir to Ibn Khaldun and beyond. This work takes on a romantic view of Islam and that view is taken to exotic extremes, but it offers a much-needed relief from the usual academic propaganda and the banality of most Western views of Islam as elaborated in the media.

The tone of SDEMI is scholarly with copious footnotes and references and a complete bibliography, but it is far from an overly-technical or laborious read: it is, rather, a pure pleasure and Lamborn's writing style engages the reader thoroughly.

SDEMI is a great book and a very important one - one of several by a truly towering intellect and almost peerlessly talented writer: Peter Lamborn Wilson will surely distinguish himself as one of the `beautiful minds' of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. SDEMI holds fast to the author's notion that it is the margins that mold the shape of the world.

If you thought that Islam was just a bunch of fellows in white thobes and headdresses running anround oppressing people, this fun and educational little book will help expand your horizons! Another truely excellent title put out by City Lights Books, author Peter Lamborn Wilson covers some of the more...colorful patches in the tapestry of Islam. This book deals with Muslim Thinkers who for one reason or 'tother, are generally considered heretics by many of the larger sects of Islam. We are privalleged to meet Ibn Arabi and the Noble Drew Ali, and delve into subjects such as Satanism in Islam, sexuality and authority in Sufism, and more. The volume includes poems and enjoyable illustrations, photos, and calligraphy throughout.

As a note to anyone with a specific interest in African-American religious figures in U.S. history, the essay "Lost/Found Moorish Time Lines: In the Wilderness of North America", Wilson offers what may be the best essay to date in ANY publication, on the Noble Drew Ali and the Moorish Science Temple of America. Included is information about the relationship between the Moorish Science Temple, and Elijah Muhammed, who founded the Nation of Islam. Lots of NEW information in this essay alone, as with the others in this book...did you know about the connection between Islam, Masonry, Shriners, and Moorish Science? Wilson includes footnotes and references with his work, and there is a complete bibliography at the end of this volume.

The tone of this book is scholarly, it is by no means a sordid "tell all" work. You won't find proselytizing or propaganda in this volume. If you're tired of the same old repetitive drivel from the same old droning finger-wagging sources, give this book a read. I suspect you will appreciate the time you spend while journeying through its pages.

Contrary to much popular opinion of Islam as a monolithic giant, in its midst are the 'heretics' that put the fun back in religion. Considering that such figures as Jesus and Muhammad were considered 'heretics' in their day the title is actually a compliment.

I picked this book up in a second hand bookstore on a whim. I have revisited it several times and continue to do so often. At first it appeared dark, mysterious, foreign, pointless. But as I continued to explore it became more and more obvious that the light of the Divine makes its way through these pages and this Divine light I swear is grinning like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

Islam is diverse, vast, deep and this book explores some of those areas in the remote regions of both the physical and the spiritual world with style and wit and just a bit of a knowing smile. Well worth the adventure.

Its a great book, very usefull. The product arrived in time and in proper conditions.

Everything we use everyday comes from somewhere. Getting that product from point A to point B in a timely, cost-effective way is important to everyone in the transportation industry. But the attacks against America both domestically and abroad have shown that we are as vulnerable as ever, and one way to secure our business interests is to secure our transportation networks.
That is the subject of this excellent book, written by three veterans of the industry and featuring a foreward by Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security. Using their years of experience, the authors develop in the book the concept of Total Security Management, and use compelling case studies to illustrate their point that a secure business is a successful business. The book breaks down the global transportation process, shows where value is added along the way, and how to maximize that value while minimizing risk, not only from terrorism but from other less malicious but equally damaging impacts. The book further demonstrates the financial benefits of investing in security, and also how to protect physical corporate assets, whether they be fixed or goods in transit. A "Book of the Month" of the American Society for Industrial Security in December 2006, this book is a must for anyone working in or around global transportation industries.

America's transportation networks are vulnerable. The nation's "wake up," on September 11th is now amplified by government and media clarion calls to protect our ports. Securing Global Transportation Networks answers with an ingenious foundation using Demming's Total Quality Management as its blueprint. Anyone in the public, private, or academic sectors who is serious about transportation will mark themselves ahead of the curve with a first edition of SGTN on their bookshelf.

The authors make a very compelling case that organizations should adopt security as a core business concern.

The book empowers its readers by showing how organizations can avoid disruptive events through planning to protect people, facilities, supply chains, and business reputation. It also outlines how to plan for recovery from those inevitable catastrophes. The book includes many real world examples.

Another benefit of the book is that those in the technology sector can gain insights into how to be part of the security solution.

This book is both well written and comprehensive. The authors have described the multiple facets so clearly that you do not need an MBA to read it.

Total Security Management is a wake up call for global executives. Today's companies are no longer in control of their own fate unless they become proactive. Securing Global Transportation Networks provides an innovative approach to supply chain security and the relationship to value creation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with responsibility for protecting any part of the supply chain or operating in the business of trade.