York College Books

Brian Keith Jackson has created a brief simple novel yet complex in the issues that are gradually introduced in this book. This was one of the very best books I have read in a long time. The prose was simple yet direct and inticing. The story was not overly complex yet the themes discussed, though not paramouont to the plot, were thought provoking and a history lesson. If you appreciated the subtle themes in this book you will see the fascinating storytelling. Too many writers create a work of fiction to promote their wisdom, beliefs, or morals. These stories end up being an essay first and a novel second. You get the feeling you are being preached at instead of enjoying a journey in a fictional world. Brian Keith Jackson provides a realistic view of two characters who undeniably regret their own person and attempt to become something they are not. In the midst of this drama, the narrator's background and thoughts introduces us to such subjects, like elite blacks in America and the class war going on amoung the elite, wannabe elite, and the poor/uneducated blacks in America. The subtleness of these *off plots* are delightful and interesting.

This is a wonderful read with great character development.

Unlike Kirkus Reviews and several other reviewers here on Amazon, I didn't think this book was particularly well-written. I think Jackson had the surprise ending, and some deep parts about himself that he wanted to share with a broader audience, both of which are interesting and insightful (although he could have spent more time on them), it felt like the rest of the book were hastily scrapped-together pieces assembled to give his central message and ending some sort of context.

For example: his relationship with Kyra. I didn't get any clue from the text that he was anything more than mildly interested in her, until they go on their first date. What?!? And then, while I'm not crazy about authors that dwell on lengthy physical descriptions, a bit more would help set the mood.

I think if Jackson had spent a bit more time making a fuller, more well-rounded work, this could easily have merited a 4-star (or even 5-star) rating. The way it's written, it just comes across as terribly shallow.

This is the first book by this Author that I have ever read. It is very well written. The author keeps the characters crisp and in sequence. The book flows very well. I esp. like the way the authors paints such graphic pictures about the scenes,places and charaters.It did however take me a while to complete this book. Approx 1 month. It is not what I would call a pageturner. I absolutley loved Mason. I would love to see his chracter in another book. If you are looking for something to read on a trip this would be a great read. The best part of the book was the ending. It was a total surprise ending.

This is a comical, yet serious story of a guy trying to fit in and find his place in the world, even if it costs him a few friendships in the end.

Remarkable!

I just finished reading this book by Brian Keith Jackson. I most definitely without a doubt will give it five stars. The story takes place in Harlem and is about a young black man trying to find himself. He meets a lady named Carmen and stays in her house with her under another name. Matter of fact, he lives a totally different life than the one he was raised up to have. It really starts to crumble when he meets a young lady named Kyra. An at the end there is a twist that you would have never guessed. I could really believe something like this happening in real life. Keep up the good work, Mr. Jackson. I will definitely check out his other titles.

I started reading this story fews days ago and I just couldn't put it down.A good book,good photos inserted and it's the full saga ever told about the Onassis's dynasty,though many events aren't evidently true.

I bought this book at a Supermarket Charity book sale, and I liked it. It told of the relationship between Ari and Maria as well as Jackie. I couldn't put it down, and it is a great summertime reading book.

I read this when it first came out in paperback and cannot recommend it enough. This book sizzles! Anything and everything you have ever wanted to know about Callas and Onassis. This is a book that is difficult to put down. I read this in one sitting.

I loved this book. I am the type of person who cannot seem to finish a book unless it totally captures my interest but this book from the beginning to end poured information about both Callas and Onassis that were so interesting. Although I felt the detailed day-to-day schedule on the voyage of Christina when Callas was on it was a bit boring due to too much details but it was still facinating. Mr. Gage, just seems really committed to relating facts, which is above all most important when writing biographies. Thank you for the wonderful book, Mr. Gage. Bravo! on a wonderful job.

This is a trashy book and the reader can only feel disgust at the indignities heaped upon this great artist. There are numerous inconsistencies and fabrications which defy reason and are not consistent with known facts, as follows:

If Maria Callas had been pregnant the world would have known about it because her condition would have become increasingly visible with each passing month. Gage states on pg 201 that after december 1959 "she would not appear in public for the next several months," ie. until March 1960 when according to him, she gave birth to a son.

This is a ludicrous claim as there are many photographs taken in February 1960 of Maria Callas in public, where she is as slim as ever and wearing dresses tightly fitted at the waist. One example is with Antonio Ghiringhelli at the première of Fellini's La dolce vita on 5 February 1960, in the Teatro Capitol in Milan and in the 2nd week of February in Paris she was photographed with famous coiffeur Alexandre and her agent Michel Glotz at the Théâtre des Champs Elysée, among others. The photographs prove that it is not possible by any stretch of the imagination to claim that in February 1960 Callas was 7 months pregnant.

According to Gage, on pg. 204 Maria said in an interview with France-soir on 13th Feb 1960 "«I don't want to sing anymore. I want to live, just like a normal woman, with children, a home, a dog..." If Callas no longer wanted to sing, what about her famous performances later in the same year, of Norma at the Epidaurus theatre in Greece, negotiations for which began in Jan/Feb 1960? It should be noted that Maria officially denied that this supposed interview with France-soir ever took place! Her denial was reported in the Greek press on 19th Feb 1960.

Another ridiculous claim in the book is that Maria Callas wanted to deliver the child early, at 8 months, and that "the clinic was not equipped to deal with the crisis", etc.
In the 60's cesarians would only be performed if severe medical abnormaliies were detected. In Italy (largely catholic) physicians were forbidden from assisting patients in either the prevention or termination of pregnancy. At that time over 50% of babies born before 37 weeks died, and physicians were well aware of the dangers to both mother and baby. No physician would have allowed themselves to be pressured into taking such a risk, especially with somebody of the stature of Maria Callas.

Finally, the 'documentary evidence'for the birth and death of the supposed baby son are not evidence at all. Nowhere does it state the names of the baby's parents or the date and time of death which would be the case in official records. The issue date on these 'documents' is 23/10/1998 and 22/10/1998 (can be seen near bottom left in the poor reproducions) these documents were therefore not found in Maria Callas' private papers at the time of her death, as Gage states on pg 207. There is no concrete evidence linking these papers to Maria Callas at all.

It also seems too convenient that Maria's maid Bruna Lupoli who has always refused to speak to anyone about Callas, waited 40 years before revealing to Gage (a complete stranger, whom she has never met!!) this sensational secret of a baby son. This is surely stretching credibility.

The reason why this book seems believable and has perhaps fooled so many people is that Nicholas Gage is a skilled journalist and therefore able to successfully fabricate a story and make it sound credible, no matter how false or ridulous the individual 'facts'.

I would advise anybody who appreciates the great art of Maria Callas not to touch this book, as it is demeaning to her as an artist and a woman.

The story of this supposed baby born to Maria Callas is a complete fabrication and should be refuted wherever possible for the sake of historical truth.

This is a fun look at what some scientists and artists imagine the world's flora, fauna and natural environment might be like 5 million, 100 million and 200 million years from now, under the assumption that human beings have become extinct.

At first glance, the creatures seem to be mere fanciful products of a vivid imagination, some well-suited for a good science fiction tale. However, the authors explain how each is actually based on reasonable evolutionary changes according to what we currently know about the history and evolution of today's living species. There is also a companion DVD series available for this book.

"The Future Is Wild" is an interesting look at what life on Earth in the far, far future will be like. The book takes the reader to five million years, one hundred million years and two hundred million years to show how life on Earth may evolve through climatic changes and vast time changes.
Although other reviewers may not agree with some of the proposed evolutionary suggestions, one must remember that all of the proposed evolutionary changes are based on speculation. There is no way to know what life will look like in five million years time; science bases those evolutionary theories on what we currently know about evolution and how life has evolved to its current day forms.
Will squids eventually be the 'new intelligence' of the future? Will there be pack hunting sharks? Will fish develop bird-like traits? We have no way of knowing but "The Future Is Wild" provides both an entertaining as well as scientific look at what might be...

Even those who think science is boring would have their interest peaked by this book which describes both the future of the earth and the possible future of life on earth.

Going five million, one hundred million and two hundred million years into the future this book forcasts an earth where human life has made a permanent sojourn elsewhere to see what happens to the life left behind. In so doing, we get to evolution transmogrify pigeons into flightless beach dwellers, fish into "flish" that fly out of the water for dinner and land dwelling octupi that are in the process of evolving intelligence.

A lot of fun!

I love how they made all of the animal based on science to make them all propable, most of the reason people criticize the show is because of the Mammal extintions and the squid, but I believe it is propable, seeing that the dinosaurs died out, because the dinosaurs shared most of the niches that mammals did and were too warm blooded, but they died out anyways, and seeing that the squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are extremely intelligent animals (a little known fact), I wouldn't be suprised if they could spawn a new civilization. Octopuses already have some adaptions to make them amphibious, because they have been known to escape from aquariums and crawl across land to steal food when they're human companions aren't around, so they could also evolve to take on land. I wish they explained some of that stuff in the show and book, but it's still awesome!

This book goes great with "The Future is Wild" DVD. If you have the DVD set, I would get this book too. It goes in to more detail about the animals in the show.

I was looking for a good read that would explore the special inner states of awareness found in martial arts. Sensei has it, plus a surprisingly wonderful humor, and a good tale to boot.

I have been practicing awareness techniques for over thirty years with martial arts, meditation, and doing CranialSacral therapy. I hunger for the spirit in my fiction, not just kick-butt. I like the characters and the story keeps the pages turning. If you are hungering for the real world of martial arts, this will give you a taste.

I enjoyed the first half of the book and how the student and instructors relationshiped developed and the underlining of meaning when the sensei would say something to his number one student- it reminded me of my training.

John Donohue is to be commended on his first novel, Sensei, a remarkably good first effort that I would whole-heartedly recommend to fans of thrillers. This was a very enjoyable read and in no way felt like a freshman effort. It is always such an unusual treat to stumble across a new writer and have their debut novel completely capture you and take you off guard. Debut efforts rarely have me scribble the author's name on my "must read from now" on list, but this one did, and I am waiting as patiently as possible for his next novel to come out.

His protagonist, Connor Burke, is a finely realized and interesting character with substantial depth, complex feelings and motivations, and is an unusual hybrid of both college professor and martial artist. Connor, a thinking man's hero, finds himself drawn into a police investigation because of his unusual background and expertise. All the characters are finely realized, the plot reasonably realistic, the atmoshpere compelling, but it's the pacing of the novel that appeals to me the most. Much like Dave Robicheaux in James Lee Burke's novels, Donohue's character, Connor Burke, narrates events in an introspective, almost brooding fashion, and thoughout the story is contemplative, thoughtful, and focused on matters conscience and trust. He is an extremly interesting and sympathetic character and it is a pleasure to read about his adventures. So while the action is completely lively and thrilling, the story itself is calm and centered. This novel is much like the martial artists it depicts; externally violent and active, yet calm and centerd within.

The novel is set in New York City, feautes an impressive amount of action, and unfolds in layers as Connor seeks down and confronts an extraordinarily talented martial artist who for obscure reasons has murdered several prominenet martial arts teachers (sensei). Fans of James Lee Burke, Lee Child, Barry Eisler will all enjoy this one. I heartily recommend it.

As a third degree Black belt I am somewhat jaded on the whole fantasy of martial arts and the media. From the flying choreography to the comedic stunts and sound effects, they all tend to degrade or detract from the greatness that the martial arts provide. Not so in this novel. This is a terrific thriller from someone who certainly knows the Martial Arts as a master!
The writing is superb and provides just enough terrific detail to have you looking over your shoulder and preparing to confront that odd noise you think you heard in another room.
This is a must-read for any martial arts student or any martial artist wannabe!
5 Stars...and keep them coming!

Well done martial arts mystery. Surprised? Me too. The author is skilled and the hook is set early, and we are not disappointed.

I am a special educator, and I frequently give this book to parents who want their children enrolled in schools for special needs children. It is a very valuable resource to, both, parents and educators.

As a parent of a child with special needs I found this book invaluable for the information about the schools and the chidren that they serve. Also important were the tips on managing the very complicated application process and the dos and don'ts for the tours. the authors have made a difficult and stressful process a little easier for the parents (and children) who have to go through it. Bravo!!
I hope this can be expanded and revised at least every other year to include new programs (and ones previously not included) as they arise.

If you're navigating the maze of special education in New York, you need this book as a guide. It's a superb resource & we found an appropriate school for our child, thanks to this book.

As a psychologist in NYC, I've been involved in the special education world of NYC for many years. It is important for accurate information to be readily available to parents and professionals. However, sadly, this book does not deliver. The descriptions in the book of the private special ed. schools in NYC are full of inaccurate information (including what ages the schools take and what diagnoses), which may put parents off some programs and have them pursuing others that are not apprpriate for their children. Additionally, there are recommendations the authors make to parents, such as suggesting that parents withhold certain information about their children from schools they are applying to, which could be potentially damaging to the child ultimately. It is important for parents to be open and forthcoming about who their children are, in order for schools and therapists to determine if they are a good match to work effectively with the child. I've seen many cases in which parents withheld information about their child which may have allowed their child to be accepted to a program initially, only to have that program ultimately ask the child to leave. It is damaging for children to be put into programs they are not ready for and then to be switched from one program to another.

Lastly, a little comment about a parent's review who said he/she now finally understood the difference between psycho-educational and neuropsychological evaluations because of this book - the description in the book about the difference between a psycho-educational and a neuropsychological evaluation is not accurate either. Many professionals and schools actually use these terms inter-changeably, so I would recommend asking the individual professional what exactly their evaluation entails.

Parents are a vulnerable group who understandably will seek out as much information as possible in order to help their children. When inaccurate and incomplete information is published as fact, this is horribly mis-leading and ultimately not helpful to a group of parents and children with real needs. It is really a shame that the editors/publishers of this book were not more careful in examining the accuracy of the material in it.

As a professional in the field of early childhood special education in NYC I can vouch for the need for what this book promises. Unfortunately for those of us that know the field and NYC it does not deliver. It is full of inaccurate and misleading information from beginning to end. The fact that some parents are raving about it says more to me about the confusing red tape parents have to go through rather than the helpfulness and clarity of this book.
To parents who want some help- Resources for Children with Special Needs and each boroughs Early Childhood Direction Center offer *excellent* free guidance. (And I am not affiliated w/ either though I am grateful for the real wisdom their employees tirelessly offer to parents *and* professionals.)

Before becoming apart of an organization one must have a real view of themselves in order to accept the POSITIVE (there is negative) change that some of these organizations have to offer. I appreciate this book because it gave me the basis to converse about change and being better role models. We come from different backgrounds and to be able to mesh personalities for the greater good of the community is a wonderful thing. Although I disagree with physical hazing to the extent of pain one should be educated on the benefits of physical wellness (one could do push ups and be a leader of a group which in turn may give him/her the tools necessary to being a leader in their community. Nevertheless, it was a nice book.

My son loaned the book to several friends and they all commented on how well the information about Black Fraternities was presented... timeless. Makes me proud of the jouney that we are on and the accomplishments made.

This book is more than just stories about violence through fraternity hazing, it's also an insightful look at the history of Black America and how these organizations played an important role. I recommend this book to all those that are interested in the history of Black culture and its progression from post disenfranchisement to today.

This book is a blunt account of how black fraternities and the evoloution of the pledge process snce they were founded in the early 20th century. I reccomend this book to all greek aspirants as well as current black frat members. It will open your eyes to the process and insight on how to solve the problem.

I am such a big fan of the movie "Stomp the Yard," but when asking Greeks about the movie, there was an immediate lash at how the movie was not accurate as to how Greek life really is. I was told that people who were Greeks or who knew anything about Greek life would understand how "stupid" the movie was, so I got curious. In undergrad, I thought about pledging into one particular sorority, but after seeing only ONE Kappa member cross at my school (when there were initially at least 30) and a neophyte having his crutches snatched away from him and Omega members demanding that he hop before he crossed, I quickly changed my mind. I firmly believe in the logo "Slap me and I'll slap you back" and there was absolutely no way I was just going to let someone beat the hell out of me to join their organization. But after speaking with a very dear relative of mine about joining a sorority, I tried to understand the good parts about Greek life. Sadly, the more she told me, the more I concluded that it was not for me. And then I found this book while searching online for material to change my mind about pledging in the graduate chapter.

There is not a doubt in my mind that I absolutely will never pledge now. The horror stories in the Appendix were so utterly evil to the point where I was begging this book to fiction. But as I know from watching the few experiences at my own alma mater and seeing Greeks go offline so many times, I'm sure they aren't. I'd spoken with Greeks BEFORE I read this book, so much of what the author left out, I knew and REALLY wanted him to reveal, but being a Greek, I knew he wouldn't.

Pros: The author was brave to even write this book, considering he is a Kappa. I thought he should be commended for that, specifically the anecdote about the pledge whose butt was split. Jones takes on an analytical look at the process of pledging; tries to come to some conclusion as to why pledging has increased and become more brutal; why black men feel like they have to have a right of passage through gangs, violence, Greeks, the military, African tradition, etc; and discuss some of the history of hierarchy within these organizations. The author gave readers a more detailed view of why pledging and hazing have become intertwined and why it is so difficult to get other Greeks to stop. I was satisfied that he did point out that a lot of these crazy traditions come from those of the military, and from the family member I spoke with who also agreed on that, it was good to know that he did understand the history of how it is being passed down. Overall, it was very well-written and definitely interesting throughout.

Cons: Jones has a habit of repeating the same points over and over again. He repeatedly made comments about the rights of passage and how Greeks didn't feel "paper" members were real. I went through a couple chapters like "Didn't I read this already?" I wanted him to bring up new points but he seemed to rely on those few that he felt strongly about. If I were a high authority member of the Greeks, after reading this book, I still wouldn't really know how to make hazing stop but keep the pledging tightknit so it wouldn't be just hit-happy folks having the time of their lives during the pledging process. He does make a statement about "paper" members becoming high ranking members, but obviously from the gist of this book, the Greeks do not respect them, so it seems all but impossible for a "paper" member to reach the top. Blaming the lack of punishment on predominantly white universities still does not excuse the black authority members who KNOW things are going on. To say that the white universities need to come down harder says nothing to the BLACK people who are letting it go on. I was looking for a way for the author to explain how potential pledge members could respect an organization without any physical contact, but it seems that the author is a little confused about that as well.

Final thoughts: I'm SO glad I never pledged. This book along with my own unofficial interviews tells me it's just not worth it. I have a blood brother, and he never had to beat me up to make me feel like I love him dearly and would protect him from any harm. Comraderie and trust are much more powerful than a paddle or a skillet to the face.

This is insightful work which makes the case for the domination of our country by marketing, making the consumer choice king. The author uses the three cultural areas of church, college and museum as examples.

Being very much close to the church, I can vouch for the pervasiveness of this unbiblical seige. Having a degree and experience in the advertising/marketing corporate world as well to a MDiv. degree and now pastor, I can attest to its dominance now in much of Christiany. It is unbiblical. The Bible does not expouse this effective way of moving products and services to consumers. Jesus was not a marketing man.

His application of this business philosophy has permeated so much of the rest of the USA culture, here documented in the college and museum world. These are outside of my areas of expertise, so will refrain any comment, other than to say that Twitchell's analysis and commentary is both creative, substantive and entertaining.

Truth is being replaced by image, and the media is the message! This is truly one to read and contemplate.

I first became aware of Jim Twitchell when I saw him speak at a conference in 2003. When he began his speech with a description of Florentine churches as one of the earliest examples of competitive branding, I was hooked, and have since read a number of his books. Branded Nation examines religion, academia, and art, and explains how these areas are just as permeated by the commercialism of our society as any other, despite the special status they've been accorded. His message resonated with me and served to explain changes I've seen in religion, education, and museums in my own lifetime. I would agree with another reviewer who mentioned that this title seems drag a bit in the museum section. Nonetheless, Twitchell's style is intellectually engaging, and takes the edge off what might be considered a cynical view.

I don't disagree with the central ideas of this book, and the writing was simple and easy to understand. I just felt it was stretched out waaaaaay too long - the last chapter on museums, especially, just dragged. It felt like I was reading a college textbook that just trudged on and on. That's not necessarily bad, but this is a book for the masses, not a marketing class, and I just felt like it could have been edited down a lot more and still not have left anything out.

In this lively book, James Twitchell helps illuminate some of the interesting consequences when non-profits -- embodied in this book as Megachurch, College Inc, and Museumworld -- borrow branding techniques to market themselves.

I found the introduction a little long and academic (e.g., he talks about how the romanticism of Wordsorth and Keats influences modern branding). But the book gets progressively better. In my opinion, his best chapter is on the college (appropriate, since the author is a professor at the University of Florida).

Here's an illuminating analogy from the chapter (which he cites from another source): "If Consumer Reports functioned like U.S. News [in ranking colleges], it would rank cars on the amount of steel and plastic used in their construction, the opinions of competing car dealers, the driving skills of customers, the percentage of managers and sales people with MBAs, and the sticker price on the vehicle (the higher, the better)."

This book is not a polemic: it isn't trying to convince you that churches, colleges and musuems _shouldn't_ market themselves. It's just trying to explain what happens when nonprofits _do_ market themselves. I'll never look at the college admissions process or a musuem gift shop the same way again.

The writing is lively, and the book has a few well-chosen images to underscore its points. Bottom line: it's well worth a read. It's one of those books which help you understand why things are the way they are -- e.g., why modern musuems have restaurants, why universities have development offices, and why parking is crucial to the growth of mega-churches.

Twitchell takes a very ironic look at the way churches, museums, and higher education have used branding to survive. It's ironic in that while the effects of this might seem undesirable or even embarrassing, we the public are merely getting what we ask for...we're just consumers. Then Twitchell explains why, in some cases, the effects of this branding are not undesirable after all.

The most insightful section of the book covers the branded-ness of higher education (appropriately so, since Twitchell is himself a professor). Twitchell describes American higher eduction choices as a barbell, with elite colleges such as Harvard on one end and "convenience" colleges (think Wal-Mart) on the other end, with the institutions in the middle feeling the real squeeze to differentiate themselves. Also included is an interesting look at the US News & World Report college list phenomenon as well as a look at why convenience colleges might not be as bad as you think. Twitchell even includes some practical insight on where college dollars might be best spent.

I found the megachurch section to be only so-so. Perhaps because I am very familiar with megachurches I found many of his points to be pretty boring. (Guess what - megachurches have modern sounding music!?) The section on Willow Creek finding its marketing niche (men) was interesting, however. If you are reading this book primarily to learn about megachurches I might recommend The Transformation of American Religion by Alan Wolfe instead. It is a bit more scientific and objective in its study.

Twtichell's writing style is a bit odd...not bad, but just a little different. At times he does ramble a bit but then suddenly includes a dense and insightful sentence. This style kept my interest but made the book a careful, not quick, read. Also important is the reader's willingness to buy into the definition of "brand" as STORY. This may be a mental jump for some.

In short, this is an enjoyable book. You won't look at college, church, or museums in the same way.

'Hooking Up' is a wonderfully written investigation of "the new dating": what it is, how it works, and the effects that it has on the young men and women (who are either willingly or unwillingly caught up in the hook up culture). Dr. Bogle interviews both college students and recent alumni during her research and lets these voices shine through in her work. This book in interesting, relevant, and insightful. I would recommend it to anyone interested in college life, male/female relations, or contemporary culture in general.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It's an in depth analysis of the culture of "hooking up" that could be applied to many college campuses across the United States. Kathleen Bogle does a excellent job of breaking down the jargon and stereotypes that surround the often ambiguous nature of college students' sexual relationships. Despite the academic approach of her research, the book is engrossing and easy to read, drawing upon the words of her research participants, college students, to bring depth and texture to her investigation. This book has such a wide appeal for college students, parents, educators and any others who are interested in relationship patterns and sexuality. The author effectively describes a cultural phenomenon without taking a political or philosophical point of view. As an educator, I am glad we have this research to better inform education related to relationships.

This book just validated my entire college experience! The interviews Bogle did with college men and women show the true disparity between the sexes when it comes to hooking up. I was always the girl "hoping it would lead to something" and always seemed to find the guy who was thinking the opposite. Bottom line, I laughed out loud at many of the interviews and how they tied in with my experiences, and those of my girlfriends, on campus. Also, now that I am a parent, I would strongly recommend this book to parents of first-time college students so they have a clue as to what's going on on campus and how to talk to their son or daughter about it.

I saw a segment on ABC News about this book, and as an actual college student in my senior year, I can tell you it's completely off-base. Yes, there is a good deal of hooking up going on on college campuses; no one should tell you otherwise. But is it the "only thing available?" Is dating as dead as this book claims? Hell no. The majority of people I know in school that are seeing any action are in relationships, many of which have lasted the majority of their college careers, as mine has; college students still fall in love like in the old days, and some of them even get engaged before they graduate. If I had to guess, I'd say Bogle published only the interviews that would fit the story she wanted to tell--"dating is extinct" (to quote ABC News, another source of alarmist trash). I have to laugh at the moronic notions some old people have about the young, or the scandalous mass generalizations and stereotypes the media loves to perpetuate about college kids. Fortunately, the truth is that dating in college is alive and well, though the hook-ups are there if you want them--it's really up to you.

I just finished reading Hooking Up. What impressed me the most is that the author let the people she interviewed tell their stories so that it was the college students and twenty-something's themselves who reveal what hooking up is and how it affects them. I really appreciated that author was not judgmental and I bet that is why everyone who was interviewed seemed so forthcoming.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about what it's like to be a single man or woman today - including college students, young adults and their parents. I think women especially will find it eye opening.

It took about half of the book to drag out the development of the characters and some semblance of a plot. Time travel and the Academy didn't even enter into the story until later in the book. When the action finally picked up, it wasn't a bad read. It was almost too little, too late. I suppose now that he has the basics laid out, subsequent books can start right out of the gate.

I enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to get into it. He had to set up the main characters so it was 1/3 into the book before it got really exiting. Now as for the technical stuff I did not totally get how the time machine traveled or how he could jump to Mars. That seemed a bit out there that's why 4 stars instead of 5. But I'd still recommend for someone to read how enjoys Science Fiction.

I do like time travel stories, but time travel plays a smaller part in the plot than I expected. Also, the author resorts to a few "deus ex machina" and, at times, the action reminds me of early Flash Gordon comics. Yet, the book is not bad and kept me reading till the end, unexpected twist after twist.

Wow!!! I purchased and read the book in its entirety and loved it!!! Before I purchased the book I read the synopsis and utilized the search inside option... Just what I was looking for in a time travel book. This book is perfect for young adults or those who just love a good time travel book. Its a mixture of romance, action and adventure.

The story line is very easy to follow from start to finish. Professionally written and professionally edited. A great book that would make a great movie.

"The Time Travelers Academy"

A secret training academy that teaches time travel. The hero challenges the grandfather paradox to go back in time and save his fiancé from a tragedy but an unknown aspect of the grandfather paradox stipulates: Something in nature will stop the time traveler from changing the past.

I loved the story line about the "eliminators" entities that will stop a time travelers from changing the past. The hit movie called the Langoliers had similar but very different entities. The Langoliers' job is to erase moments in time that have already passed into history very different from the "eliminators" but a very good concept.

You'll love the characters they are very believable. Each character was out to achieve something. I cant tell you how it ends all I can say is you will not be disappointed...I highly recommend this book.

This book was not at all what I expected. It is not just another "star trek" sci fiction book. Dark, Complex, and Fun, this novel takes you on a journey that not only creates time travel but explains how it is possible. It is fiction, fantasy and physics all rolled into one. I loved it.

In this book, Rousmaniere argues that education reform during the early twentieth century was challenging and inadequate. According to claims made by the boards of education in the 1920's, education was expected "to open up the occupation to a diverse group of talented young people," yet young teachers entering the profession were not given the support needed. The shifting educational reform placed high demands on teachers without sufficient support and "control over their resources and time." Teachers were expected to execute the roles of guidance counselor and teacher. "A broad and unwieldy curriculum demanded that teachers do more than simply teach class." Also, Rousmaniere states that teaching is an isolated working environment and teachers are "alienated from one another." The working conditions place teachers in overcrowded school rooms with little communication with individuals other than students. A continuous discrepancy between teachers and administrators left little room for improvement. Finally, teachers must learn to acclimatize to working conditions "by alternately accommodating to, adapting to, and resisting certain aspects of their work, surreptitiously claiming some control over their job."

The reflections of Rousmaniere show us that a number of methods have changed since the 1920's, yet a number have stayed the same.

_City Teachers_ offers the reader unique insight into a much neglected story-the story of teachers in urban schools (most notably New York City) in the 1920s, a period of great reform in public education. The exigence of a study of urban schools of the 1920s in the 21st century is made most obvious by its Summer 1999 review in the _Harvard Educational Review_. Here, Dr. Kathleen Murphey of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, states that "readers will be led to reflect on the enduring dimensions of teachers' work...in the reform-minded present" (p. 205, 69:2). Like Dr. Murphey, I reflected on the ways the call for reform affects administrators, teachers, students, and the community even today. The prevalent themes of the emergence of intensification of work, isolation, stress, and unfavorable physical conditions due to 1920s reforms are still readily apparent in many schools in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
Rousmaniere's balanced use of primary and secondary added not only credibility but also a personal touch to her work. While Dr. Murphey criticizes that Rousmaniere's work "remains unconnected to the story of collective organizing that followed in the 1930s and later" (p. 210), I feel this book, offers an accurate (and complete) representation of urban school teaching at this time and encourages the reader to draw the connections between this era and others. As a pre-service teacher, I found this book extremely thought-provoking about the ways in which reform will shape my workplace and work experiences throughout my career.

I read this book for a graduate level college education course. This book was very easy to read and had my attention to the very end. I found this book to be very insightful and an affirming presentation of the process of educational reform. Rousmaniere described the lives and work of teachers during the third decade of the twentieth century in clear detail. As an aspiring teacher, I was able to understand some of the ways the call for reform affected administrators, teachers, students, and the community in the 1920's, most of which are still prevalent in education today. In addition, Rousmanieres' prevalent themes such as work conditions, isolation, stress, and unfavorable physical conditions due to 1920s reforms are still readily apparent in many schools in urban, suburban, and rural settings today. In light of these reoccurring themes that seem to haunt educational progress, I found this book relevant to what I can expect to see and face as a future educator.

City Teachers offers the reader unique insight into a much neglected story-the story of teachers in urban schools (most notably New York City) in the 1920s, a period of great reform in public education. The exigence of a study of urban schools of the 1920s in the 21st century is made most obvious by its Summer 1999 review in the Harvard Educational Review. Here, Dr. Kathleen Murphey of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, states that "readers will be led to reflect on the enduring dimensions of teachers' work...in the reform-minded present" (p. 205, 69:2). Like Dr. Murphey, I reflected on the ways the call for reform affects administrators, teachers, students, and the community even today. The prevalent themes of the emergence of intensification of work, isolation, stress, and unfavorable physical conditions due to 1920s reforms are still readily apparent in many schools in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
Rousmaniere's balanced use of primary and secondary added not only credibility but also a personal touch to her work. While Dr. Murphey criticizes that Rousmaniere's work "remains unconnected to the story of collective organizing that followed in the 1930s and later" (p. 210), I feel this book, offers an accurate (and complete) representation of urban school teaching at this time and encourages the reader to draw the connections between this era and others. As a pre-service teacher, I found this book extremely thought-provoking about the ways in which reform will shape my workplace and work experiences throughout my career.